General
South East Group Describes Soludo’s Comments on Peter Obi as Outright Jealousy
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Governor of Anambra State, Mr Charles Soludo, has been lambasted by a pan-Igbo socio-political pressure organisation known as the South East Revival Group (SERG) over his comments on Mr Peter Obi, a former governor of the state.
On Monday, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) released an article where he said Mr Obi, a presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, cannot win the exercise.
This did not go down well with some supporters of Mr Obi and SERG, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said Mr Soludo should focus on his campaign promises and “first take Anambra State to the Dubai status” he reportedly promised when he asked residents of the state for votes.
In the statement issued by the president and national coordinator of the group, Mr Willy Ezugwu, SERG said that “this is not the first time predictions on Peter Obi’s victory at elections came and failed.
According to the regional association, “It was common knowledge in Anambra State in the build-up to the 2010 governorship election the popular prediction was that Professor Soludo as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would defeat Peter Obi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
“In fact, most prominent Anambra people predicted that Peter Obi won’t win a second tenure even before the governorship primary.
“But on February 7, 2010, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Peter Obi the winner of the 2010 Anambra State Gubernatorial election, where he roundly defeated his former schoolmate at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo.
“So, Governor Soludo knows that his predictions against Peter Obi have never come to pass, not even his own election victory prediction in 2010.
“The SERG, therefore, enjoins Governor Soludo to face his job of governing Anambra State and ensuring that all his campaign promises to his people on Soludo Solution and on his ability to turn Anambra State into a Dubai overnight are waiting to be fulfilled.
“So far, Soludo has not been able to solve a single major problem of the Anambra State since he assumed office.
“As a matter of fact, his administration has turned Anambra into one of the unsafest states in Nigeria, going by recent security realities, including the consistent attacks on Soludo’s hometown.
“His approach to solving security problems in Anambra State has so far failed to yield any results. It has rather aggravated the security situation.
“Soludo claimed that Peter Obi cannot win because the Labour Party presidential candidate lacks the requisite structures to win the 2023 election.
“This is not new; it has become a wife’s tale as the Nigerian people, the poor, the oppressed, and those facing security threats in Anambra State and across the country have, in the past few months, shown Nigerians that they are the structures any politician needs to win in the 2023 general elections.
“For us, the sudden outburst of Governor Soludo against Peter Obi can only be explained as outright jealousy, having seen the unimagined rising profile of the Labour Party presidential candidate.
“The SERG believes that the opposition has hired the Anambra State Governor to do some dirty political jobs from Peter Obi’s home state in their efforts to course a crack in the solidarity and support the Labour Party presidential candidate is enjoying in the entire South East.
“On this note, Nigerians must recall that ahead of the presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi never enjoyed massive support from the South East.
“The fact is that the current support being enjoyed by Peter Obi in the region was spurred by people from outside Igbo land, like the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, whose leader, Ayo Adebanjo began the clamour for a president of Nigeria of South East extraction even before the presidential primary elections.
“The same was the case in the North with northern groups, including Unified Northern Nigeria Youth Forum (UNNYF), whose Director General of the group, Dr Ibrahim Bature, on March 21, 2022, told journalists during the group’s road walk in Minna, Niger State capital, calling on Nigerians to support Igbo man for Presidency come 2023 for fairness and justice.
“Peter Obi is running for the President of Nigeria, not the President of Igbos. So, to measure Peter Obi’s presidential victory from the lens of Igbo votes like Governor Soludo is the most myopic political calculation.
“In any case, power belongs to God, and He gives and takes away power from individuals at will, and no individual can arrogate to himself the power to determine whom God has chosen to make the President of Nigeria in 2023.
“It is only God, through the votes of the Nigerian electorates, that can decide who takes over from President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We, therefore, advise Governor Soludo to face the issues of governance, especially insecurity, and get working as the people will decide his fate in the next governorship election in Anambra State based on his four-year scorecard,” SERG said.
Accusing Governor Soludo of taking his attacks on Mr Obi to “a petty level”, the group said “we are shocked to read a series of tweets from Governor Soludo making a case for PDP, even as an APGA Governor.
“Soludo tweeted that He (Peter Obi) attended my inauguration on March 17th. A few weeks later, he requested, and I obliged him to use the Anambra State government facility to launch his presidential bid under PDP. I was surprised to read in the news later that he had defected to LP (a party with literally zero structure), thereby attempting to weaken the same PDP he saw as the saviour a few weeks earlier.
“When has leaving a political party become an offence? Did Soludo not leave the PDP to join APGA?
“Did Soludo not work against PDP in Anambra State in partnership with former Governor Willie Obiano to ensure that Obiano returned for a second tenure as the state Governor against the PDP candidate?
“Beyond mere jealousy, it is now very obvious that Governor Soludo has been purchased by the opponents of Peter Obi to work against the popular wish of Nigerians but he has failed, having lost a sense of priority”, the group stated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidency has reacted to speculations that Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has been removed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
It was alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila has been replaced with the President’s Principal Private Secretary, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Mr Muri-Okunola went to Abuja to take up this role after leaving as the Head of Service of the Lagos State Civil Service.
Reacting to the reports on social media on the purported removal of Mr Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the presidency said no such change has been made.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, members of the public were advised to disregard the report as “there is absolutely no truth to this story.”
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.
“The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.
“We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” the statement said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The new chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has assumed office with a clear message to advance the country’s upstream oil and gas sector in line with the mandate of the commission as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
According to a statement signed by Mr Eniola Akinkuotu, the Head of Media & Strategic Communications at the upstream regulator, the NUPRC boss made this assertation during her first town hall meeting with management and staff on Tuesday December 23, 2025.
She further disclosed plans to make the commission a business enabler and re-ignite investments in the upstream sector.
Recall that President Tinubu nominated Mrs Eyesan to take over the NUPRC after the abrupt resignation of her predecessor, Mr Gbenga Komolafe as well as his counterpart in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed.
In her new capacity, Mrs Eyesan also set a firm production ambition of growing Nigeria’s output and increasing gas production.
“The goal is that we must enable the industry, we are regulators. We must enable the industry from our interactions with the stakeholders, from our interactions with everybody.
“My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the Center of the industry,” she said.
The commission boss who has served for over three decades in the oil and gas sector, promised to entrench digitisation, transparency and efficiency in operations.
The NUPRC head said with the support of staff and management, the NUPRC will become the gold-standard regulator in Africa. She also promised capacity development, stronger technical depth and sustained engagement with stakeholders, unions and professional teams.
On leadership style, Mrs Eyesan promised an open-door policy and frequent staff engagement, while also soliciting for support and cooperation as the industry embarks on the next phase of transformation.
“If we work together we can unleash opportunities, I don’t see impediments only opportunities,” she added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to embrace religious tolerance, peace, and unity, urging citizens of all faiths to reject violence and intolerance amid ongoing security challenges across the country.
In his 2025 Christmas goodwill message issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President emphasised that no Nigerian should suffer discrimination or violence because of their religious beliefs, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to safeguarding freedom of worship and national cohesion.
“As your President, I remain committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect all people of different faiths from violence,” Mr Tinubu said, noting that all Nigerians have the constitutional right to live, worship, and pursue their aspirations in safety and dignity.
The President acknowledged growing concerns around religious intolerance and insecurity, revealing that he had engaged extensively throughout the year with leaders of Nigeria’s two major faiths.
In the last few months, the country faced a spate of attacks including kidnapping of school children and armed terror, involving the death of a high ranking army personnel.
He also said the government would continue to build on these engagements to strengthen collaboration with religious institutions, prevent conflict, and promote peaceful coexistence.
President Tinubu described Christmas as a period for reflection on the message of Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace, urging Nigerians to draw inspiration from values of love, compassion, and goodwill that cut across all major religions.
He commended Christians in Nigeria for their contributions to national development, particularly their role in caring for the vulnerable and promoting harmony within communities.
“The love for God and love for humanity is at the heart of all the great faiths. These shared values must continue to bind us together as one indivisible and resilient people,” he said.
Reiterating his administration’s stance on security, the President said the government’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s unity and stability has remained unwavering since he assumed office in 2023. He stressed that the state would not tolerate violence targeted at any group on the basis of ethnicity or belief.
President Tinubu also appealed to Nigerians travelling during the festive season to exercise patience and discipline on the roads, wishing them safe journeys and returns.
Expressing optimism about the country’s future, the President said that with faith in God and collective resolve, Nigeria would overcome its challenges and build a nation that future generations would be proud of.
He concluded by wishing Christians in Nigeria and around the world a Merry Christmas and Nigerians a happy New Year in advance.
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