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Iran, Israel Trade Air Attacks as Conflict Enters Second Week

Iran, Israel Trade Air Attacks as Conflict Enters Second Week

Sunday Ehigiator with agency report

Israel has launched strikes on dozens of targets in Iran, including missile production sites, and Iran fired a barrage of missiles that hit near industrial facilities in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba and the northern city of Haifa, as the conflict between the two sides entered its second week.

An Iranian nuclear scientist was killed yesterday morning following an Israeli strike in Tehran, according to the Israeli public broadcaster Kan.

The news followed reports from the Iranian media saying that a residential building in the capital’s central Gisha district was hit by a drone strike.
Israel has killed several nuclear scientists since it started attacking Iran on June 13, according to Al Jazeera.

A hospital in Tehran was hit in a separate Israeli missile strike, the third such medical facility damaged in the past eight days, Iran’s health ministry was quoted by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) as saying. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the hospital strike, but six ambulances were damaged, the ministry said.

Despite the attacks, thousands of Iranians took to the streets of Tehran following yesterday’s prayers to denounce Israel and the US for the deadly attacks in the country.

In the northwestern province of Kermanshah, a medical clinic was also hit, leaving it completely damaged, according to Press TV.
Both Iran and Israel have been exchanging allegations of targeting medical facilities, which is prohibited by international humanitarian law.
In a statement, Israel’s Defence Minister Israeli Katz said he has instructed the military to intensify attacks on “symbols of the regime” in Tehran, aiming to destabilise it.

“We must strike at all the symbols of the regime and the mechanisms of oppression of the population, such as the Basij [militia], and the regime’s power base, such as the Revolutionary Guard,” Katz said.

Earlier yesterday, at least seven people were lightly injured after Iranian missile strikes hit Beersheba, the largest city in the Negev desert in southern Israel, according to Israeli media.

The attack temporarily shut the city’s central rail station and damaged several buildings including the Microsoft office located inside a technology park, which is also near an Israeli army military telecommunications branch.

After air raid sirens sounded later yesterday, Israeli media reported there were potential impacts in Tel Aviv, Beersheba and Haifa. At least 23 people were injured in Haifa, according to Israeli emergency service, Magen David Adom.

“The south of Israel is more sparsely populated, and the one missile that we could see landed before the beginning of business hours, so there were no people in the offices, presumably,” Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Amman, Jordan said.

Against the backdrop of deadly exchanges, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in the Swiss capital, Geneva, ahead of a meeting with his French, German, British and European Union counterparts.

Before Israel launched its assault on Iran on last week, Tehran was engaged in diplomatic talks with the United States in an attempt to end the long-running dispute over its nuclear programme.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had planned to meet Araghchi in Oman on June 15, but the meeting was cancelled after Israel attacked.

In an appearance at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday, Araghchi said the Israeli attacks were a “betrayal” of diplomatic efforts.

“We were supposed to meet with the Americans on 15 June to craft a very promising agreement for peaceful resolution of the issues fabricated over our peaceful nuclear programme,” said Araghchi.

“It was a betrayal of diplomacy and unprecedented blow to the foundations of international law,” he said.

Ahead of the Iran-Europe talks, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the only way to end the conflict is for Israel to stop its air attacks.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that Ali Shamkhani, a close adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,  who was seriously wounded in an Israeli attack a week ago, was now in stable condition after round-the-clock efforts of doctors.

“I am alive and ready to sacrifice myself,” Tasnim quoted Shamkani as saying in a message.

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Sunday Ehigiator with agency report Israel has launched strikes on dozens of targets in Iran, including missile production sites, and Iran fired a barrage of missiles that hit near industrial

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UK Court Rules Shell Liable for Legacy Oil Spills in Nigeria

UK Court Rules Shell Liable for Legacy Oil Spills in Nigeria

·     Bayelsa traditional ruler’s suit against oil company’s divestment, pollution adjourned to July 22

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

Oil giant, Shell will now face a full trial in London’s High Court in 2027, over allegations that it was legally responsible for legacy oil pollution in Nigeria.

Shell Plc and a Nigerian-based subsidiary of the company, now known as the Renaissance Africa Energy Company, are being sued by members of the Bille and Ogale communities in the Niger Delta.

The legal action is led by the claimant law firm Leigh Day, which began legal action in 2015, a report obtained on Yahoo Finance stated.

The claim contains allegations that years of chronic oil spills have left the communities, which have a combined population of 50,000, without access to clean water, unable to farm and fish, and with a serious ongoing risk to public health.

The case has been through several courts, including the High Court in 2017 and the Court of Appeal in 2018. Both courts ruled that there was no arguable case that Shell owed the claimants a duty of care.

However, the Supreme Court overturned those in 2021, viewing that there was a “real issue to be tried”. The High Court went on to green-light the legal battle in November 2023.

The parties went to a preliminary issues trial between February and March this year at the court, where Mrs. Justice May had to rule on several issues, including Shell’s rejected argument on liability and concluded that the oil giant can still be liable for these spills.

Shell argued that there was a strict five-year limitation period. The judge, in her 102-page judgment, determined that the limitation period for all private law causes of action is five years.

She did state that “some 85 spills have, so far, been identified,” and despite it being launched 10 years ago, she added that this case was “still at a very early stage”.

On if Shell could be liable for damage from bunkering or illegal refining, the judge noted that “there appear to me to be a very significant hurdles in the way of any claimant successfully pursuing a claim under section 11 (5)(b).”

She concluded that “at this preliminary stage I do not think it would be sensible or right to give a definitive answer”.

Leigh Day partner Matthew Renshaw said: “Shell’s attempts to knock out or restrict these claims through a preliminary trial of Nigerian law issues have been comprehensively rebuffed.”

“This outcome opens the door to Shell being held responsible for their legacy pollution as well as their negligence in failing to take reasonable steps to prevent pollution from oil theft or local refining,” he added.

A spokesperson for Shell said the company welcomed this judgement.

“For many years, the vast majority of spills in the Niger Delta have been caused by third parties acting unlawfully, such as oil thieves who drill holes in pipelines, or saboteurs.”

Meanwhile, the Yenagoa Division of the Federal High Court yesterday, adjourned a suit challenging the divestment by Shell UK Plc from onshore and shallow water assets hitherto operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to July 22.

The plaintiffs alleged that the divestment by Shell did not follow the stipulated guidelines in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

The suit filed by the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council and traditional ruler of Ekpetiama in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa, Kimg Bubaraiye Dakolo, is also seeking redress and remediation of cumulative pollution his domain for 40 years.

Ekpetiama community is in the neighbourhood and part of host communities to the Gbarain-Ubie gas plant and Gbarain oilfields.

When the case came up for mention, counsel to the plaintiff, Dakolo, Mr. Chuks Ugoro, made an ex parte application to grant the plaintiff leave to serve the court summons on Shell UK PLC, the parent company to SPDC through substituted means.

The trial judge, Justice Ayo Emmanuel granted the application to serve some of the  the defendants domiciled in United Kingdom and Netherlands.

Justice Emmanuel  thereby adjourned the case to July 22 for commencement of hearing.

Listed as defendants in the suit No. FHC/YNG/CS/81/2025, are Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, Shell Petroleum N.V, Shell UK PLC.

Others are Attorney General of the Federation, The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Minister of Petroleum Resources and Renaissance Energy Africa Ltd.

Renaissance Energy Africa, a consortium of indigenous oil firms in March 2025, had acquired the onshore and shallow waters oil and gas assets hitherto operated by SPDC, following the divestments by Shell UK PLC, the parent company to SPDC.

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·     Bayelsa traditional ruler’s suit against oil company’s divestment, pollution adjourned to July 22 Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa Oil giant, Shell will now face a full trial in London’s High Court

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Wike Negotiates Compensation with FCT Villagers over Awolowo Road Expansion

Wike Negotiates Compensation with FCT Villagers over Awolowo Road Expansion

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that he had discussion with villagers in the Life Camp, Abuja on the compensation to paid to facilitate the completion of Phase 2 of the Arterial Road N5, also known as Obafemi Awolowo Road, all the way to the International Airport.

He disclosed this yesterday at the inauguration of the third phase of the road by President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.

The minister thanked the President for identifying with the Federal Capital Territory by coming to inaugurate the road whose contract was awarded by the Federal Executive Council in September last year.

“The award was in two phases. Today, we are commissioning the third phase, and I believe, by the grace of God, just like the Federal Secretary of the FCT has said, Phase 2 will be commissioned before the end of the year. That, of course, will take you down to the bridge and then to the next village. I believe that, by the grace of God, we are discussing with the village, and I will be able to pay the compensation and take the road to the airport.

“I never knew there was a place like this before until they brought the papers for me to present to the PPP and for award by the Federal Executive Council.

“Even when it was awarded, I didn’t know, but with my usual manner of going to know where the projects are, whether what they are doing is in tandem with what we agreed. We had a serious problem here with the communities. 

“Of course, payment of compensation got to a point where, if we were doing this job, it would have been stopped. We have those who are living here who are said to be non-indigenous and therefore don’t deserve compensation. 

“I said it is not under this administration of President Tinubu. Somebody’s living here in his house, and you want to bring his house down, and you say you are not going to pay compensation because he is not an indigene. I said no, that is not what we should allow.

“I directed that all of them who have houses here must be paid, and they were paid, and that’s how we were able to do this road. It’s one thing to award a project, it’s one thing to complete it on time,” Wike said.

Akume, who read the President’s speech, described the inauguration of Arterial Road N5 from Life Camp Junction to Ring Road 3 in the heart of the Federal Capital City as a thing of joy.

He said the road represented what Nigerians can achieve when vision meets action, adding it reflected the commitment of the administration to deliver a modern infrastructure that improves the daily lives of the people.

“This road, named after a man of vision, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, now carries the legacy of forward-thinking leadership into the future of our capital city. I sincerely commend the FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, the entire FCT Administration, and the residents and stakeholders who have been integral to this project. Your support and cooperation have ensured seamless connectivity of vehicular and pedestrian traffic,” the President said.

He noted that with the inauguration, traffic flow around the connecting districts of Dape, Gwarimpa 1, Kado, Karsana, Idu, and Mbora will be greatly easier, in addition to further decongesting traffic gridlock around the Life Camp Junction and adjoining neighbourhood.

Meanwhile, Wike has assured the provision of critical infrastructure in Wassa District to facilitate the relocation of Apo Mechanics traders and dealers.

He affirmed this yesterday while inaugurating a committee to facilitate the relocation of the traders and dealers to their permanent site in Wassa District.

The committee to be chaired by the minister also has the Coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, Director of Development Control, Director of Land, Director of Urban and Regional Planning as members.

Other members were the Director of Survey and Director of Resettlement and Compensation.

Wike explained that several administrations had promised to evacuate the traders and dealers occupying a section of the Outer Southern Expressway corridor to their permanent site in Wassa without success.

He added that the President Tinubu administration had promised to relocate the traders and dealers, adding that the administration had begun processes to fulfil the promise.

“It’s been promise on promise since 2011 without fulfilment, but Tinubu has promised, and the process has begun.

“As part of the process, on June 27, together with the leaders of Apo Mechanics, we will all visit Wassa, to see the permanent site for the relocation.

“This will enable us to decide on the needed critical infrastructure to be put in place to facilitate your relocation.

“This collective effort is to ensure that Tinubu’s promise is fulfilled,” Wike said.

He urged the traders and the dealers against fighting among themselves, stressing that they would achieve more if they work together.

He pointed out that one of the businesses of the government was to make people happy, adding that the FCT Administration would do everything within its powers to make the Apo traders and dealers happy.

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Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that he had discussion with villagers in the Life Camp, Abuja on the compensation to paid to facilitate the

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Edun, Downstream Oil Sector Operators Meet to Deepen Energy Reforms

Edun, Downstream Oil Sector Operators Meet to Deepen Energy Reforms

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja 

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, yesterday met with a high-level delegation of operators in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector

 on how to deepen reforms in the sector.

Discussions at the meeting centred around the economic impact of recent policy measures, including the transition away from petrol subsidies, enhanced domestic supply, improved exchange rate stability, and a notable reduction in pump prices. 

The delegation which was led by the Chief Executive Officer of Matrix Energy,

Abdulkabir Adisa Aliu also included the Chairman/CEO of AYM Shafa Ltd, Yakubu Maishanu, and the CEO of A.A. Rano, Alhaji Auwalu Abdullahi Rano.

The Director, Information and Public Relations, Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Manga, said in a statement that together, the delegation reaffirmed its commitment to market stability, expanded private investment, and continued support for the federal government’s reform agenda.

“Discussions focused on the visible economic impact of recent policy measures, including the successful transition away from petrol subsidies, enhanced domestic supply, improved exchange rate stability, and a notable reduction in pump prices. 

“The marketers noted that collectively, their companies now supply nearly 20 million litres of petrol daily—without fiscal burden on the government—underscoring the effectiveness of private sector-led distribution.

“The delegation welcomed the government’s supportive policy stance and encouraged continued clarity to further strengthen investor confidence and ensure smooth market operations. They also reiterated their commitment to accelerating investment in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) infrastructure, in line with national energy transition goals,” the statement said.

In his remarks, Edun commended the downstream operators for their leadership and resilience, acknowledging their critical role in ensuring energy security and supporting sustainable growth.

 He reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to fostering a stable policy environment that encourages private investment and drives inclusive development in alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja  The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, yesterday met with a high-level delegation of operators in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector  on

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Lafia-Makurdi Road: Umahi Apologises to Tinubu, Blames Concessionaire for Negligence

Lafia-Makurdi Road: Umahi Apologises to Tinubu, Blames Concessionaire for Negligence

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja 

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, yesterday apologised to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian people for the disruption of traffic due to the flooding that occurred along the Lafia-Makurdi road when he (President) travelled to Benue on June 18.

Umahi said he has, therefore, directed the immediate deployment of the ministry’s personnel and the maintenance team of China Harbour Operations and Maintenance Company, concessionaire for the Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi road to come up with a permanent solution to the flood disturbances along the road.

Earlier, there were reports that during Tinubu’s condolence visit to Benue state, the event was impacted due to the heavy flood that submerged sections of the Lafia-Makurdi highway. A video broadcast from the scene showed a security convoy stranded in the rising waters along the major route. 

But in a statement in Abuja signed by the minister’s spokesman, Uchenna Orji, the minister condemned what he described as the negligence by the concessionaire, whose duty under the Highways Development  Management Initiative (HDMI) of the federal government is to operate and maintain the road.

 “We have got information on the unfortunate flooding of a section of Keffi-Makurdi road which is under HDMI, that is, a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with China Harbour. We know that the project has been completed and it is tolled.

“But unfortunately, there was a lot of debris that covered an existing culvert there and that led to flooding. But in the midst of that rain, we deployed our ministry of works personnel in Makurdi and also China Harbour personnel and they went to the inlet of the culvert and removed all the debris and the flood has been totally evacuated. That section of the road has been reinstated,” Umahi stated.

He directed the concessionaire to critically assess the primary cause, provide a permanent solution to the flooding along the carriageway, and take all necessary steps to prevent future occurrence.

 “We apologise very profusely to Mr. President and  Nigerians for the embarrassment this unfortunate incident caused him and Nigerians,” the minister stressed.

He commended the President for his  intervention in the incident in Benue state, noting that it has made a lot of impact in the lives of the people of the state. 

Speaking earlier during a visit by the Managing Director of Citibank Nigeria Ltd, Nneka Enwereji, the minister  highlighted some of the initiatives of the federal government under the present administration to improve the quantity and quality of the road assets in Nigeria.

“We have had a very fruitful meeting, and I am very happy that the efforts of Mr President on external inflow is yielding desired results and that the international community has commended him very highly on his transformative reforms,” he stated.

Also speaking, Enwereji expressed the willingness of the bank to partner with the federal government through sustainable investment and funding in the development of the four legacy  projects.

“We are here as Citibank to discuss how we can effectively partner with you, to know the project you are undertaking, and see how we can leverage the access that we have to support some of those projects and make a positive impact to the progress of the country. 

“We want to discuss some of the specifics and some of the projects that we are already looking at in the country. We are very impressed with the big strides that you are making and we want to support that as much as we can,” she was quoted as saying.

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Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja  The Minister of Works, David Umahi, yesterday apologised to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian people for the disruption of traffic due to the flooding that occurred

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Leaving PDP: Choice Before Akwa Ibom People and Matter of Common Sense

Leaving PDP: Choice Before Akwa Ibom People and Matter of Common Sense

Assam  E. Assam

In the evolving political landscape of Akwa Ibom State, recent developments have reignited debates about party loyalty, political identity, and the future of governance in the region. For decades, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has held sway, not only as the ruling party but as a political institution deeply woven into the fabric of the state’s history and leadership structure. To some, PDP is more than a party, it is an article of faith, a symbol of continuity, and a guarantor of stability. As such, any perceived departure from its fold is viewed by loyalists as political heresy or outright betrayal.

However, the narrative is beginning to shift. His Excellency Governor Umo Eno is leading an unprecedented number of political actors and stakeholders to declare allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging the longstanding dominance of the PDP. While the media space is flooded with emotionally charged rhetoric, ranging from warnings of doom to accusations of disloyalty, even by people who have no interest in the affairs of the State, it is crucial to locate the perspective of the relationship between the Party (PDP) and the State in substance rather than sentiment.

In Akwa Ibom, PDP’s uninterrupted control since the return to democracy in 1999 has created a perception of invincibility. Generations of leaders, appointments, and political legacies have been built within its fold. This long history has contributed to the party’s identity becoming interwoven with the political psyche of the people. As a result, for many, political relevance and legitimacy seem to stem almost exclusively from PDP affiliation – any body who has held a political appointment or won an election has done so under the PDP – there lies the perception!

The emotional reaction to defections, therefore, seeks to becloud the substance of this collective decision. It is not just politics—it is about identity, belonging, and a collective history. The use of words like “betrayal” reflects a deeply personal connection to the party, a feeling that those of us who leave are turning their backs not just on a party, but on a shared legacy.

Whatever our views, it is moot that democracy must remain dynamic, and political realignments are part of its natural progression. Governor Umo Bassey Eno cited his fundamental right to associate. He clearly stated that his defection to APC was not self-serving but was driven by the need to connect with the Government at the centre in view, particularly, of frustration with internal party dynamics of the PDP’s lack of transparency, and resistance to reform.

The fixation on loyalty to PDP as a measure of political value risks overlooking the real questions: Is the party supportive of the people  delivering on their mandates? Are they accountable? Are they serving the interests of the people of Akwa Ibom State?

Akwa Ibom’s political evolution need not be seen as a threat. Instead, it should be embraced as evidence of a maturing democracy. Change is rarely comfortable, especially in environments where tradition has long defined political behavior. But the true test of a democracy is not in how tightly parties hold onto power, but in how well they adapt to changing realities, accommodate dissent, and prioritize the will of the people. I make bold to say that, from my own perspective, the Peoples Democratic Party has always given Akwa Ibom the short end of the stick. Governor Umo Eno has been bold about ending the charade.

Six months before he formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party, Governor Umo Eno used all his public speeches to show his discontent with the leadership style of the Party. He regularly questioned the rationale of leaving the resolution of the internal problems of the party to attack and insult President Tinubu while the party clearly abandoned its role as the leading opposition party. His discontent was palpable. Even the blind saw it. He was completely ignored. For those of us in the state, we wondered why the NEC or NWC of the PDP could not invite our Governor for a discussion on why he would decide to dump the PDP midway into his four-year term. They learnt no lesson from the Parable of the missing sheep. It was for this same attitude and reason that we lost the Presidential elections of 2015 and 2023 and allowed  Governor Amaechi and Governor Wike to lead people who would have supported us to victory, out of the party. They could not be bothered, and this has been the trade mark of the Party.

From May 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo took office under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party , the PDP. For eight long years, he held the reins of power. But for the people of Akwa Ibom State, those years were marked not by progress, but by painful neglect. Despite being a state that voted overwhelmingly for the PDP, Akwa Ibom was treated as an afterthought — a political orphan in a house it helped build. Our only reward for loyalty? Hostility. Instead of partnership, what Governor Obong Victor Attah met in Aso Rock was resistance.

Rather than support, he was given silence. And when he dared to speak — when he banged the table to demand fairness for his people , the response from the President was chilling: “He had to be caged.” Caged — for wanting what was right. For asking for the rights of his people. For requesting approvals for an airport , not for himself, but for the state. Obasanjo, both President and PDP National Leader, denied those approvals. He denied our people their fair share of the oil wealth drawn from their land. Not one kilometer of federal road. Not one federal project. Not one gesture of gratitude for our votes, loyalty and support.

Yet through it all, Governor Victor Attah persevered. He borrowed when he had to ,  just to keep the lights on and salaries paid. He found a way, where there was none. And against all odds, that same airport Obasanjo refused to approve now stands proudly, bearing Governor Attah’s name — a monument to resilience, not federal support. -Officially Commissioned by CHIEF OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, former President, Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

And what did the PDP do to help Akwa Ibom in all this? Nothing. Not a word. Not a hand of support. Not even the pretense of concern.

But perhaps the most shocking part of this narrative is what came next.

In 2007, after eight years of marginalization, the people of Akwa Ibom State still voted overwhelmingly for the PDP. We gave the party a second chance. Another opportunity to prove that loyalty means something. What did we get in return? More of the same.

Another PDP Government returned to power in 2007. It came with fresh hopes, renewed expectations. But before President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua could fully chart a course, fate struck. He passed on — leaving behind dreams half-drawn, a vision unfulfilled.

The mantle of leadership fell to Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, a brother from the oil-rich, long-neglected minority South. For many in Akwa Ibom State, it felt like a homecoming. Perhaps, finally, we would be seen. Perhaps, finally, justice would flow from the center to our corner of the nation.

But six years came and went. And what did we receive from that brother in Aso Rock? Nothing. No roads. No refineries. No projects. No recognition. No redemption for all the years of our loyalty.

Then came February 2015 — barely two weeks to the general election.

President Jonathan stood on the podium of the brand-new Godswill Akpabio International Stadium — a magnificent edifice built not by the federal government, but by the sweat and vision of our own.

Before the people of Akwa Ibom, the President spoke words that stunned: He apologized. He acknowledged  in public  that he had done nothing for our state. And then, in the next breath, he pleaded. He reminded us that we were brothers. He appealed to us to stand by him. And we did.

Again, Akwa Ibom voted overwhelmingly for the Peoples Democratic Party. Again, we stood firm while others walked away. But that plea — that final cry for support — fell on deaf ears elsewhere. Dr. Jonathan lost. And with that loss, so too ended yet another chapter of abandonment.

Let’s count it clearly:

 Eight years of President Obasanjo — zero federal projects in Akwa Ibom.

 Nearly seven years of President Jonathan — only regrets.

 Total: Sixteen years of PDP rule at the center, and Akwa Ibom had nothing to show for its steadfast loyalty. Nothing but a nickname: The Heartbeat of the Party. They laughed as they said it. Because to them, we were not partners — we were pawns.

We bore the neglect with equanimity. We waited. We hoped. But other states watched us and mocked: Look at the people who swear by the PDP, who clap when they’re ignored, who cheer when they’re left behind.

And then  in 2015 — came a turning point. President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress won the election. We did not vote for him. We did not campaign for him. Yet — he gave.

 Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi.

 Three sons of Akwa Ibom appointed to critical Federal ministerial positions.

 Dignity, not pity — recognition, not apologies.

Under President Tinubu, that commitment continues. Not only has he stood with our Senator, Godswill Akpabio, to support his emergence as Senate President -the third highest office in the land, he has also fostered a quality, respectful relationship with our state and cited the second Police Academy for the Training of Officer Cadets in Akwa Ibom State and paid all our outstanding Ecological funds, withheld from Obasanjo’s time. He has the Calabar – Lagos Highway running through our state. The single most expensive project South of the Niger since this democratic dispensation.

He has offered something we’ve never had from the PDP: A seat at the table. A voice in the room. A stake in the future.

So, we must now ask ourselves a question — not with emotion, but with clarity: Which party should we support? Is it the one that made promises but delivered nothing for 16 years? The one that took our votes and returned silence? Or is it the one that, without our votes, still honored us with projects, appointments, and presence?

This is no longer a partisan debate. This is common sense. It is clear now. The PDP does not want Akwa Ibom State as a partner in its political structure. They want subjects, not stakeholders. Slaves, not equals. But let this be known — we are not slaves. We are a proud people. Industrious. Resilient. Dignified. And we will no longer accept crumbs from the table we helped build.

We demand justice. We demand respect. We demand leadership that sees Akwa Ibom not as a pawn, but as a partner. This is not just a story of Governor Umo Eno’s struggle. It is the story of a state that has been loyal, but unloved. Committed, but cast aside. Hopeful, but heartbroken.The State, Elders, men, women, youths, student even children have given Governor Umo Eno their commitment to go with him and to support him. He has not just left the party, he has led the State out of the Peoples Democratic Party. This is survival. This is strategic politics. This is maturity. Akwa Ibom has paid its dues And this time — we will not be silent. If a house you built refuses you entry, and the one you didn’t build opens the door and gives you a seat — which house should be called home?

It is noteworthy that all we have accomplished as a State has been due to the power of conviction and the vision of our sons who have led the state.: Obong ( Arc) Victor Attah, Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON and Deacon Udom Emmanuel , CON

Pastor Umo Eno, PhD is taking the State to another level with THE ARISE AGENDA. 

Now is the time to collect — with our heads high, not hands out. Now is the time to align with a party that sees our potential, not just our numbers. Now is the time to move with wisdom, not habit. And so we ask, calmly, boldly, and with conviction: Is moving to the APC not a common sense issue? The answer is clear. The moment is now.

This is not a shift. It is a return  to reason, to self-respect, and to the politics of progress. Governor Umo Eno deserves our complete and inalienable support.

Chief Assam E. Assam, SAN

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Assam  E. Assam In the evolving political landscape of Akwa Ibom State, recent developments have reignited debates about party loyalty, political identity, and the future of governance in the region. For

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UMO ENO’S PROACTIVE MOVE

UMO ENO’S PROACTIVE MOVE

The defection to APC by Gov Eno comes from good thinking, reckons ANIETIE USEN 

It may be heartbreaking for many Akwa Ibom people to contemplate the prospect of joining and voting for any other political party except the PDP. The PDP is in the DNA of Akwa Ibom voters. One of the reasons is that all the gigantic and nationally acclaimed development strides of the State since the return of democratic rule in 1999 have been accomplished by the hands of PDP governments. The sentiments of the people for the PDP is therefore very understandable. PDP has done the State proud. 

Whenever politicians in Akwa Ibom boast that PDP is a religion in the State, the meaning is that Akwa Ibom people are committed and devoted to the PDP as they are to their churches. As a matter of fact, some Akwa Ibom people are more committed to PDP than to their churches. 

The implication is that just as it is difficult to move Akwa Ibom people en masse from their churches to another church, so it is to change Akwa Ibom minds from their abiding love and loyalty to the PDP. It is organic. 

But that’s just one side of the story. The other side of the story is in two parts. First, the love of Akwa Ibom people for their Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, who is just two years old in office is exceptional, unprecedented and perhaps extreme. There is an outpouring of love for this Governor across party lines and a groundswell of goodwill for him across the length and breadth of the State. It is second to none in the 38 years history of this oil-and-gas rich State on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. 

This is not just because of his down-to-earth and grassrooted style of leadership, but more so because of his deep sense of fairness in allocating State resources and doing justice to every section of the State, devoid of discrimination. Everywhere he went in the two years as governor, he was doing good. He connected deeply with the high and the low in the land, and secured a place squarely in the hearts of the overwhelming majority of the people.

 Second, Governor Eno is championing so many multi-billion dollar legacy projects, most of them inherited from previous administrations, which is showcasing him more as a veritable statesman than a Nigerian politician.

 Some of those major projects which include the Aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overall (MRO), the first in West Africa, and the Ibom Deep Seaport, are loaded with impactful economic consequences that go beyond Akwa Ibom and Nigeria, to the West African sub-region and the Gulf of Guinea economic zone.

 These are real strategic investments for the country in a strategic State on the shores of Atlantic Oceans, that is manned by a serious-minded Governor who has commanded the respect of leaders across the political divide and which the federal government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, cannot ignore. 

So just like the PDP, the love for Governor Eno in Akwa Ibom State and beyond is organic, extensive and catholic. There is nothing anybody can do about that, except, perhaps envy his style and track record of accomplishment. 

He has in a very short span of two years won the hearts of the people, for his empathy, compassion and identification with the plight of the less privileged. His trait as a humble and humane leader is not because he is a pastor and has some godly influence over him. It is because that’s who he is: a good and caring man, a sincere servant of his people, a great leader, firm and fair in his dealings. For that, he is adored, even by his political opponents, if any, these days. 

But there is a twist in the tale. Governor Eno, the pride of PDP has joined the APC, the ruling party at the centre, to align forces with the federal government, and strengthen his hands in the face of the legacy projects he is driving. It is even more compelling for him to join the APC now because the ill health of the PDP is open secret. 

What then shall separate Akwa Ibom from the love of the PDP? Shall Umo Eno? Wither the love of Akwa Ibom people now? This is the political crossroad and a dilemma that Akwa Ibom people have found themselves in at this point in time. It is the talk of the town, in beer parlours, market squares, University campuses and even churches. Where goes the love of Akwa Ibom people in times like this? To the PDP or to Governor Umo Eno or to both?

To be sure, Governor Umo Eno himself is not different from most Akwa Ibom people. He is a passionate lover of PDP. He speaks with deep affection and respect about the party and former Governor Udom Emmanuel, who afforded this affable, rural pastor the opportunity to become a governor in the midst of redoubtable political stalwarts. But there is a spanner in the works or as the Americans would say it “a wrench”. There is a problem.

Right now, the PDP that Akwa Ibom people love so much is virtually in comatose at the National level; afflicted on every side and almost crushed; perplexed and almost driven to dispair; hunted down and almost abandoned. 

Everyday you turn on the TV, there is news of the PDP heavyweights, governors, Senators and other National Assembly members, trooping out from the PDP to the APC. It was the legendary Chinua Achebe who wrote that “whenever you see a toad jumping in the broad daylight, then know that something is after its life”. 

It would appear to many observers that something is after the life of the PDP. There are forces, external and internal, centrifugal and centripetal, hunting down and determined to see the total eclipse of the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections. If you were a politician and a prospective second term governorship candidate in the shoes of Governor Umo Eno, what would you do? 

Many members of the PDP are doing something about it. Some are now scampering and exiting the party in droves in the hope of forming another party. But the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said two weeks ago, it was not in the mood to register new parties. 

One of the affected groups gunning for registration as a new party is the National Opposition Coalition Group, that is planning to challenge the APC, the ruling party, in the 2027 elections. The Coalition was seeking to be registered and known as All Democratic Alliance (ADA). But INEC, for now, seemed to have pulled the rug from under their feet. 

When a house is totally on fire, the most important action is to prioritize safety and get yourself and family out of the building as quickly as possible. In plain language, as at today, the PDP as a vehicle for contesting the 2027 election is, at best, risky and perhaps broken down. 

The uncertainties in the party right now are too many to be ignored. The great PDP that ruled Nigeria from 1999-2015 is today factionalised, fractionalised and saddled with three National Secretaries, namely, Samuel Anyanwu, Udeh Okoye and Setonji Koshoedo, appointed as the Acting National Secretary, three weeks ago in the midst of a seemingly stubborn and intractable party crisis. Which of these three National Secretaries will sign the nomination forms of Governor Eno for a well-deserved second term? Which of the three National Secretaries, if any, will eventually be backed up by the party, legal technicalities and the almighty courts, if the case returns to the court ? 

Cases abound in Plateau and Zamfara States in the recent past where landslide election winners later became losers in the courts and were replaced by those who barely garnered a handful of votes in distant second positions. What happened in Zamfara and Plateau is the fig tree that a foresighted leader like Governor Eno must learn from. No politician wants to go through such a catastrophic ordeal of being thrown out of office on technical grounds after winning a hard fought election. 

And then there is the issue of Congresses of the parties, which are willy-nilly coming up in August this year, and particularly the implications of the Congresses for the 2027 elections. 

Against this kind of backdrop, Governor Eno is wise, proactive and right to lead his ardent supporters to join the APC. This is good thinking.  

Before he relocated to the APC a week ago, the Governor took time to explain and justify his decision to his teeming PDP loyalists. Sometimes, he did it with parables and analogies. At other times, he spoke in clear terms to people in his inner circles about the departure to APC. 

On Sunday, June 1, 2025, during the Covenant Service in the State House, usually held on the first day of every month and attended by elites in the State, the governor waxed Biblical as he made one of his last ditch attempts to persuade the State to follow him to the APC. 

Instead of his standard remarks at the end of the Covenant Service, that usually pointed to the activities and policy direction of the government, the Governor simply mounted the pulpit and gave out four Bible portions to be read at home by the elites. The Bible portions were: Romans 8:31-37, 2 Samuel 15, Psalm 34:19 and Numbers 10:29-32. 

Here is what Numbers 10:29-32 says: “One day Moses said to his brother-in-law, Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, “We are on our way to the place the LORD promised us, for he said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will treat you well, for the LORD has promised wonderful blessings for Israel!” [30] But Hobab replied, “No, I will not go. I must return to my own land and family.” [31] “Please don’t leave us,” Moses pleaded. “You know the places in the wilderness where we should camp. Come, be our guide. [32] If you do, we’ll share with you all the blessings the LORD gives us.”

 Many have read the Bible portions between the lines and have decided to follow him. As President Tinubu visits Akwa Ibom on Saturday, June 21, 2025, to formally welcome Governor Eno into the APC, there will be no doubt that Akwa Ibom people love and trust the thinking and leadership of their governor.

 Usen is a multiple award winning journalist and author

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The defection to APC by Gov Eno comes from good thinking, reckons ANIETIE USEN  It may be heartbreaking for many Akwa Ibom people to contemplate the prospect of joining and voting for