Politics
2023: How cold war in Bello’s cabinet cost Fanwo APC Reps ticket
The former Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo who contested for the 2023 All Progressives Congress, (APC)’s Yagba Federal Constituency lost the election primaries due to cold war in governor Yahaya Bello’s cabinet involving him and the Commissioner for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Idris Asiru.
Sources in Yagba All Progressives Congress has it that the Commissioner for Finance, Asiwaju Idris Asiru and Kingsley Fanwo who have been serving in Yahaya Bello’s cabinet since 2016 have turned into arch enemies of each other as a result of political interests.
While Fanwo was interested in the lower legislative Chamber of the National Assembly, Asiru was interested in the upper chamber, but in a dramatic twist, both have lost out.
CAPITAL POST obtained a source that Fanwo who was backed by governor Yahaya Bello contested with other aspirants in the primary election and said to be in clear lead in two Local Government Areas, but lost woefully in Yagba East where Asiru and the Yagba East Local Government Council Chairman mobilised delegates to vote Folorunsho Olafemi.
Folorunsho is the son of the former acting governor of Kogi State, Mr Clarence Olafemi.
The source said: “He won Mopamuro and Yagba West. But getting to Yagba East, the Chairman of the Local Government and his brother who is the Finance Commissioner instructed the delegates to vote Folorunsho Olafemi as a result of the cold war between him and the Commissioner.
Folorunsho eventually won 39 to defeat Fanwo 34 including 5 votes he got in Yagba East.
“Yahaya Bello preferred Fanwo for the House of Representatives, but Asiru and his brother worked against his emergence. Imagine they have been losing their polling unit election to the opposition.
He further explained: “Each Local Government Area casted their votes in separate ballot boxes and were sorted separately. So it was easy to know who scored what at where,” he said.
On the other hand, Kingsley Fanwo was alleged to have support for Hon. Sunday Karimi for Senate against Asiru, a development that made the Finance Commissioner vowed to frustrate his emergence as APC flagbearer for the House of Representatives.
Another party chieftain disclosed that the governor told his commissioners to go back home and deliver those he supported to emerge as flagbearers across the State.
The APC primary election was won and lost with two Local Government Council Chairmen who allegedly worked against Bello’s preferred aspirants suspended indefinitely from office.
CAPITAL POST gathered in Lokoja on Monday that the governor was receiving detailed reports on how some of his appointees worked to ensure the emergence of his preferred candidates across the State. Any moment from now those who worked against his instruction risked being sacked from his administration.
The immediate past deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers State, Dr Emana Ambrose Amawhe has resigned her membership of the party with immediate effect.
In a letter dated 28th March, 2025 addressed to the Chairman of Edem Odo Ward in Akpabuyo Local Government Council of Cross River State, she said, her resignation was with immediate effect.
She pointed out in the letter that her resignation should not be taken lightly, while she reaffirmed her commitment to and readiness to serve the government of Cross River and Nigeria in general in any capacities.
She said, “I am writing to formally resign my membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect.
”I sincerely appreciate the opportunity given to me over time to contribute my quota to the growth of the party and the chance to serve as the Deputy Governorship Candidate in the last general elections.
”It was a privilege to be part of the PDP’s vision and engage with our people in meaningful ways. However, after much reflection in light of the current state of affairs within the party, I believe it is time for me to move on.
“This decision was not made lightly, but I remain committed to serving my community and contributing to the progress of our state and nation in other capacities.”
Ambrose-Amawhe was the running mate to Senator Sandy Onor in the 2023 governorship election in Cross River.
She had also contested for the House of Representatives seat for the Bakassi/Akpabuyo/Calabar South Federal Constituency under the PDP.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State Chapter, Chief Tony Okocha, has defended the emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu in the state, citing escalating security threats.
According to Chief Okocha, Rivers State was on the brink of anarchy due to increasing security concerns in various parts of the state.
Okocha made this statement while addressing journalists at the APC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
Justifying the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the declaration of a state of emergency, Okocha commended the President for his “timely” intervention and criticized those opposing the decision.
“The state of emergency called by Mr. President saved Rivers State from anarchy. When you see non-state actors brandishing guns and making statements that promote lawlessness, then you should know there is a problem.
“I see some people jumping onto television platforms to cast aspersions on Mr. President and condemn what they do not understand. Mr. President knows more than they do.
“The truth of the matter is that Rivers State was headed towards anarchy. We all know Rivers is one of the states that sustain this country. Some of the same people criticizing the President now would have also condemned him if he had done nothing.”
Chief Okocha also questioned the silence of former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) when the Rivers State House of Assembly complex was demolished under Governor Fubara’s administration.
“Thank God, President Goodluck Jonathan has been president, General Obasanjo has been president, and they know that every day on their table, they receive security reports.
“I hear the NBA saying the suspension is an affront to democracy. But when the assembly complex was burned and the next day, eleven pieces of equipment were deployed to demolish it, the NBA was silent. They were alive, yet we didn’t hear anything from them”, he said.
Reacting to criticism over why the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, was not sanctioned despite allegations that he contributed to the unrest, Okocha argued that Wike was not involved in the crisis.
He said, “For those asking why the Governor and members of the State House of Assembly were suspended but not the Minister of the FCT—was he in the frame? The answer is no”
Former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the 2023 general election, Adewole Adebayo said, God has told him that the party will produce the next president in 2027 general election.
Speaking over the weekend in Abeokua when he met the members and executive who were led by the State Chairman, Yinka Ola-Williams, said he could confirm that a President of SDP will mount Aso Rock villa in 2027.
“One thing that God is telling me is that there will be an SDP president in the villa in 2027.
“For the first time in a long time, we will have people who care for the people. Let’s remain focused. The problems of Nigeria are our problems, not individuals.
“We are not against Tinubu as a person but we are against hunger, inflation, poverty, insecurity, unemployment. That’s what we are against,” he said.
Buttressing Adebayo’s position on modalities of joining the party, the SDP Chairman in Ogun State, Mr. Yinka Ola-Williams, disowned 30,000 membership cards and registers allegedly being flaunted by one of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants in the 2023 governorship election in the State.
Ola-Williams said the party’s door is widely opened to anybody who wants to join, but such a person or group, no matter how highly placed, must follow the procedure as laid down in the party’s constitution.
He emphatically stated that the party had nothing to do with the membership cards and registers claimed by the aspirant, who said he got them from the party’s National Secretariat.
“We want people to join us, and we want to work together to provide a better government than what we have now that will remove poverty, provide a better healthcare system for people, improve education and all.
“But not that they come to the party, hijack the party and take the structure away. That’s what we will not agree,” Ola-Williams said.
-
Security3 days agoNew Commissioner of Police in Niger, Elleman sends strong warning to criminals
-
Foreign1 week agoHouthis declare Ben-Gurion Airport ‘no longer safe’ after renewed Gaza fighting
-
News2 days agoKogi Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo salutes Tinubu at 74
-
News1 day agoAbia: LG Chairman, Iheke accused of using soldiers to detain IRS agent, claims Governor Otti’s support
-
News1 week agoUmeh denies receiving $10,000 with other 42 Senators to support state of emergency in Rivers
-
News2 days agoPlateau LP stakeholders endorses Barr Gyang Zi’s defection to APC
-
Sports1 week ago2026 World Cup Race: Ekong says Eagles feel great to be back in contention
-
News2 days agoAkpabio pays historic visit to office of SA to President on Senate Matters