How Wike got Bauchi Gov 2nd term ticket sponsored his campaign expenses – Ex–Speaker gives shocking details
How Wike got Bauchi Gov 2nd term ticket sponsored campaign expenses – Ex–Speaker gives shocking details
In a bold revelation amidst the ongoing feud between Governor Nyesom Wike and Governor Bala Mohammed, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has lifted the lid on the significant role Nyesom Wike, then Governor of Rivers State, played in securing Bala Mohammed’s 2023 governorship win in Bauchi State.
In an open letter titled “Gov. Bala vs Wike: Let the Truth Be Told,” Dogara details how Wike, now serving as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), made considerable efforts to ensure Mohammed clinched the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket and secured campaign financing for his gubernatorial race.
The former Speaker, reflecting on the public clash between the two politicians, expressed little surprise at Mohammed’s recent criticism of Wike.
He described the Bauchi governor as someone notorious for “ingratitude and treachery,” hinting that such behavior was not uncommon in his political dealings.
Dogara said, “As I witness this gross injustice, the questions I ask myself, are: is my comfort more important than saying the truth and is my fear of conflict worth allowing harm to go unchallenged?
“I have learned enough over the years to know beyond reasonable doubt that in the face of situations like this if I choose to prioritize my comfort, I will fail the victim and fail myself. This is because injustice itself is a festering wound, it only grows worse when brushed aside.
“As someone who knows so much because I was the provocateur of the events between the two that I will speak to, I consider my silence not just cowardice but complicity.
“Therefore, I am not afraid to stand alone or risk conflict. I should not be misunderstood to be defending Wike but simply stating the raw truth that I know and I really don’t give a damn if the truth makes Wike look good.
I have learnt to say the truth as I enjoy my freedom from being a slave to human opinion.
“For starters, need I remind Governor Bala Mohammed that in the 2018 PDP Gubernatorial primaries when we were not too sure he would win because, his then major opponent, Senator Abdul Ningi was the one who constituted the State party structure and had a bosom friend as Party chairman, it was Wike we turned to for help.
“I had called Wike to plead with him to help us in Bauchi without necessarily disclosing to him that it was Bala Mohammed that we wanted to be delivered.
“His response to me, was that are you sure you are in control of the process 100 percent? I said, I wasn’t too sure and he said to me leave it to me, I will help you sort it out.
“To do it, Wike first of all made his bosom friend and close ally, Chief Dan Osi Orbih the Chairman of the Panel for the Primaries and said I should discuss whatever I wanted with Chief Dan. We got talking and on the eve of the Primaries, Chief Dan was in Benin City and we needed to get him to Bauchi for the assignment, it was to Wike that I turned to again and his response to me was, ‘My brother, I have told you not to bother about this. Tell Chief Dan to come to meet me in Port Harcourt.’ I did just that and amazingly Wike provided the private jet that flew Chief Dan to Bauchi and out of Bauchi for the assignment. I can say without fear of any contradiction that Wike bore all expenses for the exercise.
“It’s therefore shocking that this so-called ‘transactional character’ called Wike did not place any condition whatsoever for his support.
“That is just the beginning of the story, I hate to tell but I must. After the emergence of Bala Mohammed as the party flag bearer and having promised to sponsor all the party candidates if he gets the ticket, we were rudely awoken to the reality that Bala Mohammed had no money for his campaigns let alone for other candidates of the party.
“Initially I thought it was some kind of a funny joke but as time went, I realized to my utter bewilderment that it was true.
“We had the fundraiser and to cut the long story short, all we raised from the fundraiser was a paltry N48 million and If you deduct the N20 million invested in organising it, that leaves you with a net of N28m. I have the records and our stakeholders are there to bear witness to this.”
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President Tinubu returns to Nigeria after Abu Dhabi outing
President Tinubu returns to Nigeria after Abu Dhabi outing
President Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria after participating in the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW 2026).
Presidential spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja.
The president attended the summit alongside some members of his cabinet.
On the sidelines of the summit, Nigeria signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The agreement is aimed at deepening economic cooperation, boosting bilateral trade and investment, and enhancing technology transfer.
It will also expand collaboration in key sectors, including energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining and renewable energy.
In his address at the summit, Tinubu announced that Nigeria and the UAE would jointly host INVESTOPIA in Lagos in February.
The initiative is designed to attract global investors and accelerate sustainable investment inflows into Nigeria.
Tinubu also said Nigeria targets mobilising up to $30 billion annually in climate and green industrial finance.
He said the funds would support energy transition reforms and expand nationwide access to electricity. (NAN)
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APC clears air on receiving letter of defection from another State Governor
APC clears air on receiving letter of defection from another State Governor
The Zamfara chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied receiving a letter from Gov. Dauda Lawal seeking to defect to the party.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there were speculations across the state over Lawal’s move to defect to APC.
A statement issued in Gusau on Saturday by the state APC Publicity Secretary, Malam Yusuf Idris, described the speculations as fabricated.
“The party came across a fabricated report purported to have emanated from one Tambarin Gusau claiming that Go Dauda Lawal has sent a letter to the party wanting to join the APC.
“The report is malicious, unfortunate, unfounded, mischievous and showed the unprofessional manner which some people can go in misleading others and causing chaos in a stable and a peaceful party like the APC.
“The APC has responsible channels where everything is done in a guided manner,” Idris said.
According to him, the party has not received any letter from Lawal as claimed through the imagination of the writer nor was the party aware of any recent moves by the governor to defect from the PDP to the APC.
“All members of the party and indeed the public especially in Zamfara should therefore disregard such report.,” Idris added.(NAN)
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282 Passengers safe as plane makes emergency landing in Lagos
282 Passengers safe as plane makes emergency landing in Lagos
A Qatar Airways passenger plane on Friday made an emergency landing at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos after developing a technical fault mid-flight.
The aircraft, which had 248 passengers and 12 crew members on board, was forced to land abruptly after the malfunction was detected while it was operating within Nigerian airspace.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incident in a statement released by its Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu.
According to him, the agency was alerted to the situation through its 767 and 112 toll-free emergency lines, prompting an immediate response from emergency officials.
He explained that upon receiving the distress call, the LASEMA Response Team (LRT) was swiftly deployed to the airport to assess the situation and provide necessary support.
“Upon arrival at the scene, the LASEMA Response Team confirmed that the aircraft was in distress,” the statement noted.
“The pilot executed a safe landing on the runway at Murtala Mohammed International Airport with LASEMA Response Team and other emergency responders standing by on extreme high alert on the runway.
“Collaborative efforts of the multi-agency responders were coordinated. After proper check by the pilot and the engineering crew, the aircraft was moved to the apron for detailed inspection and prompt repairs.”
“All passengers of the distressed airplane were evacuated safely; no injuries reported, no loss of lives,” the statement said.
Despite the technical issue and the emergency landing, the agency stated that there was the aircraft experienced no major damage.
“The aircraft has been secured on the apron. Recovery activities have been completed,” the statement added.
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