Popular Nigerian cleric and founder of Champions Royal Assembly, Prophet Joshua Iginla, has called on citizens to intensify prayers for the nation’s leaders, with particular emphasis on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

During a recent prophetic message to his congregation, Iginla stressed that the health of both leaders requires urgent attention. According to him, spiritual support through prayer is essential for them to effectively carry out their duties in steering the affairs of the country.  …You can watch Iginla’s video from 0:01 to 0:26 minutes

In his words, “We need to be praying for our leaders. I have talked about two important leaders that needs our prayers in this country. I see our president and the FCT minister need prayer for their health. They should pay more attention to their health.”

The prophecy comes amid renewed conversations about the well-being of public office holders in Nigeria. Earlier this year, speculation swirled around Nyesom Wike’s health, prompting widespread media reports. The former Rivers State governor, however, swiftly dismissed the rumours, insisting he was in good condition and capable of handling his ministerial responsibilities.

For President Tinubu, who assumed office in May 2023, concerns about his health have also been a recurring subject of public debate, both during his election campaign and after his inauguration. Although the presidency has repeatedly assured Nigerians of his fitness to govern, the topic continues to surface in political discussions.

In normal times, the imminent return of a suspended governor after six months in political exile has raised tension among political stakeholders in the state.

Gov. Siminalayi Fubara is due back in office on September 18 at the end of emergency rule, the mood, according to feelers from the state, is anything but jubilant, as reported by BusinessHallmark.

What should have been a restoration of democracy has, instead, deepened anxiety. Most residents, analysts say, see Gov. Fubara’s comeback not as a rebirth of hope, but as the reinstallation of a figurehead. In their telling, President Bola Tinubu and Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, have used the emergency period to capture Rivers State’s political machinery, leaving Fubara naked, stripped of real authority.

The real winners, they argue, are in Abuja. Tinubu, they say, has secured a crucial oil-rich state in his column ahead of his 2027 re-election bid. Wike, his ally-turned-power broker, retains a firm grip on Rivers while enjoying relevance in the federal cabinet. The casualties? Fubara himself, the people of Rivers, and Nigeria’s already fragile democracy.

When President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in March and suspended Fubara, citing security concerns, many lawyers and political observers called the move unconstitutional. The National Assembly, nonetheless, waved the objections aside, approving it with a voice vote.

Yet, on the ground in Rivers, the sense was very different. The state was calm when the emergency was announced, critics insisted, and if anything, the imposition of direct rule destabilised the atmosphere.

Chetam Nwala, a Port Harcourt based lawyer and activist,argued that the measure was “long overdue,” but had little to do with public safety.

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“It was basically a state capture, not to bring back security,” Nwala said. “The governor is coming back to do the president’s bidding, not that of Rivers people.”

Nwala told News Central, “I am happy that we are returning to constitutional democracy, unlike what we have had in the state, but I am not excited because I know we are returning back to Egypt. Everything that was done in Rivers State was simply done for Tinubu’s 2027 election. It was basically a state capture, not to bring back security to Rivers State. The president has successfully hoodwinked the governor and the governor is coming back to do his bidding, not the bidding of the people of Rivers State.

“I believe that the governor should be independent to be able to lead Rivers people based on the interest of the people, and not based on the interest of anybody. But we know that once the governor returns it will be about pushing the interest of the president for 2027, because that is exactly what the president wants. It is very unfortunate that the president has destroyed the economy of Rivers State and has given us a bad reputation before the international community just because of his 2027 ambition.”

Theophilus Alaye, president of the Ijaw Youth Council, warned that the precedent set is even more dangerous than the politics behind it. “When the emergency was declared, the state was largely calm. It is the emergency that threw us into chaos,” Alaye said. “Today it is Rivers. Tomorrow it could be Lagos or Kano. A serving president can now suspend governors, who don’t support his re-election. That is how democracy collapses.”

He emphasised that, “This is a very dangerous precedent that the president has set, and the Supreme Court has refused to rule on it. What they have done in Rivers State may not stay a Rivers issue alone. I keep saying that on that the president is going to succeed in suspending five to 10 governors that are not doing his bidding.

“That is why we were expecting the Supreme Court to look into the decision. The PDP governors filled a case to determine whether the president has the power to suspend the governor of a state, but the Supreme Court sat on that petition.”

Chief Peter Ameh, national secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), was even blunter: “The governor has surrendered to federal might. There’s nothing he’s coming to do other than sign checks and pay salaries. Unfortunately, citizens have been so pauperised that they cannot rise against this lawlessness.”

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The Ibas interlude

For six months, Rivers has been administered not by its elected government, but by a sole administrator: Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ekwe Ibas. His tenure has been marked by bold, often controversial actions.

From inaugurating a new Pensions Board to appointing governing councils for four state-owned universities, and the conduct of a local government election termed illegal by lawyers, many say Ibas acted like a long-term governor, rather than a caretaker. His claim to have saved N5 billion through a payroll verification exercise that uncovered 12,000 “ghost workers” was loudly trumpeted. But civil service unions quickly countered that genuine staff had been wrongly struck off and accused him of seeking to ingratiate himself with the presidency to justify prolonging emergency rule.

A rights activist called the exercise “a ploy to discredit Governor Fubara.” Online, anger boiled over. Jahmal of Port Harcourt (@Big_Sinudo) accused Ibas of attempting to deduct N1 billion from each of the state’s 23 local government areas. “Was the assignment to deduct N23 billion?” he asked in a post on X.

To many, Ibas’ conduct underlined what they had suspected all along, that the Rivers emergency was less about restoring order than about consolidating political control.

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Former Governor of Anambra State and Labour Party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, conducted separate closed-door meetings on Sunday with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rasheed Ladoja, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

While the specifics of the discussions remain undisclosed, these meetings are largely perceived as a component of Obi’s ongoing consultations in anticipation of the impending 2027 general elections.

Obi announced the meetings through a post on Facebook, stating that he was accompanied by prominent members of the Labour Party, including Yunusa Tanko, the spokesperson for the party’s presidential campaign council; Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the candidate for the Lagos governorship in 2023; and Segun Adebanjo.

He characterized these engagements as valuable opportunities to discuss the current state of the nation, underscoring the necessity for unity, fairness, and justice among the Nigerian populace.

It is noteworthy that Obasanjo expressed his support for Obi during the 2023 elections.

As murmurs of a resurgence by former President Goodluck Jonathan grow louder, various governors and key political figures have begun laying the groundwork to rally support for him in what promises to be a fiercely contested election.

Certain states have emerged as critical battlegrounds, where Jonathan could significantly increase his chances of victory. Click link to continue reading.

His established popularity, combined with endorsements from influential political stakeholders, positions him advantageously to capture the hearts of voters.

Nigeria’s southern states are grouped into the South East, South South, and South West geopolitical zones. The South West includes Ekiti, Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, and Oyo states. The South East comprises Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states. The South South zone consists of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Rivers states.

Analysts predict that Jonathan could triumph in at least 10 out of the 17 Southern states, where he enjoys a robust following. The following states have been identified as potential strongholds for his campaign:

– Abia
– Anambra
– Enugu
– Delta
– Oyo
– Ebonyi
– Edo
– Cross River
– Bayelsa
– Akwa Ibom

With such a compelling narrative unfolding, the political landscape leading up to 2027 is bound to be riveting.

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has confirmed that a growing number of aspirants are quietly positioning themselves for the party’s 2027 presidential ticket, expanding the list beyond well-known figures like former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.

PDP Deputy National Legal Adviser, Barrister Okechukwu Osuoha, told journalists in Abuja on Sunday that the party is currently deep in internal negotiations and consultations aimed at identifying its most viable flagbearer for the upcoming election. …click link for full details