A sweet gesture by South Africa's President, Cyril Ramaphosa, towards a young girl caught everyone’s attention online and left many deeply touched.

The moment, posted on TikTok by @moziarora, moved internet users, with many singing his praise, while others pointed out issues our country was facing.

At a busy local mall, the President greeted a crowd wanting photos with him. He said he'd only take pics with the elderly and kids. During this, a little girl came up. While chatting with her, he noticed that her shoelaces were undone. Without hesitation, he went down, placed his bag gently on the floor, and tied her laces.

The crowd around him let out a loud “Awww,” clearly touched by the moment, with many pulling out phones to capture it. He smiled, waved to the people, and casually walked as if nothing had happened.

Social media users couldn’t get enough of the President’s soft-hearted side. Many said it showed how grounded and caring he was, especially with children. Some called the shoelace moment fatherly and touching, adding that they wished for more videos like that. Others were more critical, saying the gesture was sweet but didn’t excuse the country's ongoing problems.

A prominent Northern elder and public commentator, Alhaji Dabo Sambo, has warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that unless he urgently tackles insecurity and banditry, particularly in northern Nigeria, his chances of winning the 2027 presidential election will be slim.

Briefing newsmen, Alhaji Sambo, emphasized that insecurity remains the greatest threat facing the country, with lives and property constantly at risk.

He noted that restoring safety and stability is the primary function of any government, and failure to deliver on this front could cost the President re-election.

“Food is scarce in Nigeria and people are hungry,” Sambo stated, linking the growing food crisis to insecurity in the North-East and North-West—regions responsible for over 60% of the country’s agricultural output.

According to him, farmers are fleeing their lands due to banditry, kidnapping, and terrorist activities, causing a major drop in food production and rising prices.

He also pointed out the economic consequences of insecurity, including a weakened naira, high transportation costs, and rising inflation that are draining the savings of ordinary Nigerians.

Sambo issued a direct call to President Tinubu, urging him to resolve the insecurity crisis within the next six months and revive local agriculture within a year.

“If President Tinubu refuses to wipe out the security challenges, he will definitely not win the 2027 election,” he warned, drawing parallels with former President Goodluck Jonathan’s defeat in 2015, which he also attributed to unchecked insecurity.

“The era of carton noodles and salt distribution during campaigns is over,” he said. “People want security and food. Without these, they will not vote,” he said.

Sambo dismissed Tinubu’s political rivals as lacking credible plans to transform Nigeria, but insisted that if the president does not address the root causes of insecurity and economic hardship, even rigging structures will not save his re-election bid.

He added that President Tinubu must deal with the real enemies within his circle, saying the visible competitors are not the problem it’s the failure to act decisively on security and food production that could end his presidency.”

He further cited recent revelations from the U.S. Congress implicating the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in allegedly funding Boko Haram claims also echoed by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa. Sambo called on the Nigerian government to stop pretending and confront these international influences head-on.

Ekiti State Government on Thursday began the distribution of 10,000 bags of rice to religious bodies in the state to cushion the effect of hardship especially during the festive period.

Distributing the bags of rice donated by Aliko Dangote Foundation on behalf of Ekiti state government, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ebenezer Boluwade affirmed that the state received 10,000 bags of 10kg rice from the foundation which he said were mainly for the two religious bodies in the state.

The Commissioner stressed the need for the two bodies to ensure that the food gets to the vulnerable in their religious organization as a way of fulfilling Governor Oyebanji’s mantra of shared prosperity agenda to the people, noting that the food distribution is an intervention to support the less privileged in the society.

“We got 10,000 bags of 10kg rice from Aliko Dangote Foundation, it was actually meant to be distributed during the fasting period, you know the fasting of Muslims and Christians overlapped, so, it was actually meant for vulnerable that are Christians and Muslims, that is why you can see Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and their Muslim counterpart here today.

“Dangote gave a categorical instruction that we must distribute the rice to vulnerable that are Christians and Muslims.”, said Mr Boluwade, who used the opportunity to commend the foundation for the gesture and Governor Oyebanji for supporting the distribution of the commodity to the local government areas.

He issued stern warning to religious leaders saddled with the responsibility of distributing the food items to ensure that the items get to the actual people they were meant for, as government will not take it lightly with anyone who diverts the commodity to inappropriate destinations.

Presenting the commodity on behalf of Aliko Dangote Foundation, an Operation Officer with the Headquarters of the company in Lagos, Mr Victor Ejiro said the gesture was part of the foundation’s annual national food intervention programme, aimed at giving back to the people, and supporting governments in fighting poverty and hunger in Nigeria.

While affirming that Aliko Dangote is passionate about philanthropy and committed to ensuring that hunger is reduced to the barest minimum in Nigeria, Ejiro added that the purpose of the initiative is to help households in Nigeria alleviate the suffering they are going through in feeding themselves.

In their separate remarks, the Secretary of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Mr David Fabusuyi and the President, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Ahmed Bakare were full of praises to the donor and the state government, which facilitated the good gesture for deeming it fit to remember the downtrodden hoping that it will go a long way in alleviating the state of hunger the people are going through especially during the Muslim festive period.

The Clerics, who promised to ensure that the commodities get to the actual people they are meant for, thanked Governor Oyebanji for his welfare stance for the less privileged in the state.

Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate.

Such ingratitude

Tech billionaire Elon Musk claimed that President Donald Trump is “in the Epstein files” and that is the “real reason” those records have not been publicly released, without providing any evidence of where his information was coming from.

“Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public,” Musk wrote in a post on X. “Have a nice day, DJT!”

He added in a subsequent post: “Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.”

Musk did not detail how he would have gained access to unreleased files. CNN has reached out to the White House for a response.

Myriad right-wing media figures have, for years, suggested that the government is hiding secrets relating to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted pedophile who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. Many versions of the conspiracy theory have asserted that the government is covering up a list of powerful men who also committed heinous crimes.

This theory has often been shorthanded as an Epstein “client list,” even though the best-sourced reporter on this beat, Julie K. Brown of the Miami Herald, said “those who have worked with the FBI on the case for decades say there is no evidence Epstein kept a ledger or a list of clients who were involved with his sex trafficking operation.” The inclusion of a person’s name in files related to the case does not by itself indicate they have been accused of any wrongdoing.

Nevertheless, Trump – who was friends with Epstein decades ago – talked during the 2024 presidential campaign about potentially releasing more governmental files about the disgraced financier.

And that’s what attorney general Pam Bondi sought to do earlier this month, saying Trump directed her to review government files about Epstein and provide transparency to the public. She released an initial tranche of files in February that largely duplicated information that had already been made public.

Time to drop the really big bomb:

@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.

Have a nice day, DJT!

Student declared missing by mother expelled for drug peddling – Babcock

A student of Babcock University, Illishan Remo, Ogun State, who was declared missing by his mother, Oladipupo Siwajuola, has been expelled by the institution’s management for engaging in fetish practices and drug peddling among others.

The Babcock’s Director of Marketing and Communication, Joshua Suleiman, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

PUNCH Metro recalls that Siwajuola’s disappearance was brought to light by his mother, Fijabi Oyindamola Omotayo, who took to Facebook on May 3 to demand the whereabouts of her son and to allege negligence on the part of the institution.

Following her outcry, the student was later found but Babcock University management revealed that he had left the campus without authorisation.

The institution had also indicated that it could institute a lawsuit against the parent over what they described as a “sensational and misleading” social media outburst.

In the Wednesday statement, Babcock varsity disclosed that Siwajuola had deliberately left the campus without clearance and disguised himself in a hoodie to sneak out through the university’s Teaching Hospital gate.

Suleiman added that the student, upon returning to the campus on May 15, was invited by the Department of Secret Service, where he confessed to several acts of misconduct which were against the institution’s guidelines.

He continued, “Among them was the purchase of black soap from a traditional herbalist for N100,000, which contradicted his mother’s earlier claim that she had given it to him to treat a skin condition. Siwajuola admitted that the soap was intended for ritual purposes, as part of a “Yahoo Yahoo Plus” scheme, a slang term for internet fraud mixed with fetish practices.

“He revealed he was engaging in fetish practices in an attempt to get rich quickly.

“He also confessed to drug peddling, borrowing N500,000 from an online loan app to fund gambling, and impersonating another student to open a bank account.”

The statement further noted that Siwajuola had sold his phone without authorisation and misled the buyer by claiming that his father had consented.

While contrasting Siwajuola’s mother’s claim that her son was found by his secondary school friends, the university disclosed that it was Sodiq’s mother, the parent of a friend he stayed with in Lagos, who discovered his presence in their home and alerted his family after noticing the growing online controversy.

Following investigations, Babcock University stated that Siwajuola was found liable for multiple offences, including “unauthorised exit from campus, possession and use of fetish materials, drug peddling, impersonation and dishonesty, and unauthorised sale of personal property.”

The university added that it had no choice but to expel Siwajuola per global best practices.

“While we recognise the emotional weight of this decision, especially for the family involved, our foremost responsibility remains the safety and moral integrity of all students entrusted to our care,” Suleiman said.

While expressing displeasure towards the mother’s public outcry, the university said it would not be instituting a lawsuit against her because of the conduct of Siwajuola’s father.

“These claims were not only false but also misleading.

“However, because of the responsible conduct shown by the student’s father, the university will not pursue a libel case at this time,” Suleiman concluded.

The city of Engels in the Saratov region was hit by a Ukrainian drone strike during the night of June 6, Governor Roman Busargin reported. According to him, the attack caused a fire at “one of the industrial enterprises.” “Preliminary reports indicate no casualties. All relevant services are working on site. Specialists are taking all necessary measures to eliminate the consequences,” Busargin wrote on his Telegram channel.

According to Astra, the fire broke out at the Kristall oil depot of the State Reserve, which supplies fuel to the Engels-2 military airfield. The airfield hosts Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers. Earlier this year, Ukrainian drones attacked the oil depot twice. The first attack on January 8 destroyed three tanks of 120,000 cubic meters each and damaged six others, resulting in a loss of about 800,000 tons of fuel. The second attack occurred on January 14, while the fire from the first strike had not yet been fully extinguished.

During the drone strike on Engels on June 6, one of the drones hit a residential complex on Telman Street. Residents were evacuated, and by morning, the governor reported that there was no danger and the evacuated residents would soon be able to return to their apartments. No one was injured when the drone struck the building. However, footage published by the Telegram channel “Saratov Online” showed that a balcony on one of the upper floors of the residential complex caught fire after the strike.

Additionally, during the nighttime attack, Ukrainian drones struck a facility in Michurinsk, Tambov region, acting regional head Evgeny Pervyshov reported. “Unfortunately, three people were injured; two are currently hospitalized,” he noted. According to Astra, the strike targeted the “Progress” plant, which produces high-tech equipment for aviation and missile control systems, a wide range of civil electrical equipment, and equipment for gas and oil pipelines.

Explosions were also heard during the night near Bryansk airport, but what exactly exploded is unknown. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported that 10 drones were destroyed approaching the capital. He did not provide information about ground damage or casualties.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has criticised the Federal Government and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) for not providing free train rides to Muslims during the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations, alleging discriminatory treatment compared to similar provisions made for Christians during Christmas.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the organisation’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, described the disparity as a reflection of broader marginalisation faced by Muslims in the country, even though the current administration is led by politicians of the Islamic faith.

“A strange scenario is currently playing out in the Nigerian socio-cultural landscape,” Akintola said. “Whereas the Federal Government offered free train rides during Christmas, it has maintained a pregnant silence on whether the same handout will be offered during this Salah.”

According to MURIC, not only were train rides provided free of charge during the Christmas period, but the gesture was also extended for over two weeks into January 2025. In contrast, for the Salah period, the NRC has only announced an extension of train services—services which remain paid.

“This extension cannot even scratch the surface. Neither is it comparable to the over-pampering luxury of the Christmas period,” Akintola stated. “As part of its corporate social responsibility to Nigerians, MURIC has a duty to interrogate the performance of government in this area. We note that there is gross disparity and astounding imbalance in the manner free train rides are declared for Christmas, whereas Salah attracts no dividends of democracy.”

Akintola further questioned the motives behind the policy difference, suggesting it reflects deeper systemic inequality in how religious groups are treated.

“Is free train meant for Christians alone? Who is in control of this government? Are Muslims really being carried along? Are we on a wild goose chase?” he asked.
“FG appears to be drumming it into the ears of Nigerian Muslims that equal rights in Nigeria is an illusion, a myth, a mirage.
“It appears that all religions are equal in Nigeria, but Christianity is more equal than any other faith. We have been politically marginalised, economically shortchanged and socially ostracised. We have a Muslim president on a Muslim-Muslim ticket yet we cannot enjoy the same social infrastructural facility that Christians are given on a platter of gold.”

MURIC called for a review of Nigeria’s public policies and practices, particularly those inherited from colonial structures, which it argued continue to favour Christian customs.

“We therefore demand a total and categorical overhauling of all religious matters like our weekend system, seasonal holidays, etc, that were fixed and skewed pro-Christian by the colonial master. We should have reviewed all these immediately after independence in 1960,” the group said.

While acknowledging the government’s powers to determine public policy, Akintola warned against what he described as executive insensitivity. “If this is an oversight, we demand an apology from FG. If it is deliberate and official arrogance and an exhibition of executive impunity, we will assume that the government is merely flexing its muscles.”

MURIC called for constitutional reforms and a rational reassessment of religious equality in public services, asserting that the current imbalance is untenable in a pluralistic society.

Don’t Listen To People, Give Us More Money For Projects, Umahi Tells Tinubu

[i]The works minister's minister's comments come following criticism over the cost and transparency of the "ambitious" 700km Lagos-Calabar highway project.

The Minister [/i]of Works, David Umahi, has urged President Bola Tinubu to ignore critics and provide more funding for ongoing infrastructural projects across the country amid the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway construction.

Umahi made the plea on Thursday during the official commissioning of the Deep Sea Port Access Road in Lagos.

He noted that international financiers had endorsed the project, even describing it as undervalued.

“I want to assure you, sir, that the international financiers have given you kudos because they say the project is even undervalued. I commend you very highly, and I am grateful for the support.

“Sir, don’t listen to people. Give us more money; we will deliver all these projects, sir. We will deliver,” Umahi stated.

His comments come following criticism over the cost and transparency of the “ambitious” 700km Lagos-Calabar highway project.

President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Works David Umahi, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, and Aliko Dangote, on Thursday, June 5, 2025, during the official commissioning of the Deep Sea Port Access Road in Lagos.

Addressing the president directly, Umahi defended the project’s valuation and highlighted the technical complexities involved in its construction.

“This highway… tell me the cost of a kilometre. What can you quantify as the cost of a kilometre when you have a section of 10km that has a bit of 10 to 20 metres and you compare it to another section with good soil?” he said.

“When people gather counsel without knowledge… Your Excellency, I am a Fellow of the Society of Engineers, and I understand the figures; I understand this work.”

The minister also expressed confidence in the timely delivery of the highway’s initial phase.

“I want to thank you for commissioning the first 30km, and I reassure you that this first section will be completed by December. We shall toll it, and Section 2 will also be close to completion. I commend the contractor very highly.”

‘Don’t Listen To Critics’

President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, June 5, 2025, during the official commissioning of the Deep Sea Port Access Road in Lagos.
Responding to the minister’s remarks, President Tinubu, in his speech during the deep-sea port access road commissioning, dismissed the critics of the highway project and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to infrastructure development.

“I appeal to you, David (Umahi): don’t listen to those critics; they don’t know what they’re talking about. If they don’t like the road or it’s too expensive, toll it for them,” President Tinubu stated.

“If they don’t like the road, they can use Idumota. We will not stop building the needed infrastructure for economic development.”

In his speech, Umahi also highlighted the completion of the 27km by two-lane reinforced concrete Deep Sea Port Access Road.

“Today, I present to you the completed 27km by two-lane reinforced concrete access road – the Deep Sea Port Access Road. This road is very important. It will serve the deep-sea port so that all the challenges we faced with Apapa Port will be a thing of the past, using this place,” he said.

The commissioning ceremony also featured presentations by the minister on other completed and ongoing road projects across the country.

The commissioning of the deep-sea port also saw key guests in attendance, including Aliko Dangote, Lagos deputy governor, Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and others.

In a symbolic gesture at the commissioning, Africa’s richest man, Dangote, named the main road leading to the Dangote Refinery in Lagos after President Tinubu, “in recognition of his contributions to infrastructural development.”

Dangote announced during the ceremony that the Deep Sea Port Access Road is “one of eight major projects totalling 500km, including two in Borno State that will link Nigeria to both Chad and Cameroon”.

The newly named road stretches through Epe–Ijebu-Ode and connects to the Sagamu–Benin Expressway, forming a crucial link for logistics and trade in the region.

According to well-known journalist Fabrizio Romano, Ange Postecoglou has been dismissed by Tottenham Hotspur, and an official announcement is expected shortly.


The 59-year-old Postecoglou became Spurs’ head coach in the summer of 2023.

In the 2023–24 season, under the Australian coach’s guidance, Tottenham finished 5th in the Premier League.

However, in the 2024–25 season, the team recorded 11 wins, 5 draws, and 22 losses, finishing 17th with 38 points — their worst-ever Premier League finish.

Despite that, Postecoglou led Tottenham to a UEFA Europa League final victory over Manchester United, ending the club’s 17-year trophy drought.

Multiple journalists, including The Telegraph’s Matt Law, have reported that Postecoglou has been sacked, and the news is expected to be confirmed soon.

A major milestone in the advancement of healthcare in Nigeria and West Africa was achieved today as the largest specialized private hospital in the region, the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE), was officially commissioned in Abuja.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, presided over the commissioning of the world-class medical facility, describing the project as a monument to African resilience and innovation, and a bold step toward Nigeria’s emergence as a global healthcare hub.

This is just as the country has secured over $2.2 billion in health sector commitments through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, launched by the Tinubu administration in December 2023.

The initiative, which is already underway, aims to renovate over 17,000 primary health centres, train 120,000 frontline health workers, and double national health insurance coverage within three years.

Healthcare Reform: A refusal to accept medical vulnerability

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony of the AMCE, President Tinubu, who was represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, noted that it is not just about unveiling a structure of steel and bricks, but also unveiling Nigeria’s “ collective refusal to accept medical vulnerability as destiny.”

The President narrated reforms and investments made since he took office two years ago, including the signing of an Executive Order to unlock the healthcare value chain and the launch of the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC).

He said these policies have intensified local pharmaceutical production, improved regulatory systems, and expanded access to diagnostics.

“But our efforts did not end there. In December 2023, we launched the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.

“This initiative secured over $2.2 billion in health sector commitments, with clear, measurable targets: to renovate over 17,000 primary health centres, train 120,000 frontline health workers, and double health insurance coverage within three years. These are not aspirations, these are milestones already in motion,” the President explained.

AMCE to lead in research, training, and advanced treatment

The President noted that AMCE, a state-of-the-art facility developed by the African Export-Import Bank in partnership with King’s College Hospital, London, will serve as a leading centre for advanced treatment, medical training, and research.
The facility, according to him, hosts the largest stem cell laboratory in West Africa and will expand to include a teaching hospital, nursing school, and residential quarters for medical personnel.
Paying tribute to Afreximbank President Prof. Benedict Oramah, President Tinubu said, “I must pay tribute to Afreximbank and its visionary President, Professor Benedict Oramah, for seeing what many dared not dream. This is what becomes possible when institutions rise to African challenges with African solutions.”

Infrastructure investment key to healthcare delivery

He also highlighted the importance of infrastructure investment through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund.

“A world-class hospital cannot function on a dirt road, and no MRI machine works without stable electricity. We are investing in the roads, power, and connectivity that breathe life into health facilities,” Tinubu said.

“With your planned Medical and Nursing School on this campus, and with partners ranging from King’s College London to the University of Wisconsin, you are laying the foundation for a new generation of African medical specialists—specialists who will no longer be exported but empowered at home.”

He assured continued government support, calling the project a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future. “This is not just a place to treat the sick—it is a place to train for the future,” he added.

Finance Minister: Private sector mobilized $400m for AMCE

Also speaking, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, said that with the establishment of the Afreximbank African Medical Centre of Excellence, Nigeria is today healthier and wealthier than before.

He pointed out that if figures were to be displayed, the edifice would cost not less than $400 million mobilized by the private sector.

He said this type of establishment could not come at a better time than this for Africa to have a hospital that can handle different medical associations on the continent, adding, “ The hospital is a marvel of science and modernity of facility.”

Oramah: Personal experience sparked vision for AMCE

Earlier in his remarks, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of African Export-Import Bank, Prof. Benedict Orama, said the event was a testimony that “society is better-off serving lives that burying its death and that it’s a living person that can contribute to the development and social transformation.”

Recalling his ordeal as a sick person admitted at the King’s College Hospital in London, he stated that the only way he could appreciate the Almighty God, the Afreximbank colleagues and those who saved his life was to contribute to creating quality healthcare infrastructure and services.

Oramah said his contribution to Africa included helping Afreximbank implement its structured and well-documented strategy for medical care delivery.

Drawing on his personal experience with illness, as well as collaborations with Star Alliance and King’s College Hospital in London.

He noted that the African Medical Centre of Excellence in Abuja was established not only to provide top-tier healthcare but also to drive transformation in the continent’s health sector.

Somebody don't let this gist pass me by.

There was a time when DStv felt like a luxury. Growing up, most of us watched NTA, AIT, and local TV stations. Only a few families had access to satellite TV, and they were seen as the well-to-do. No one complained about subscription fees then because it was clearly a premium service for a premium market.

But then, MultiChoice decided to do more.

They began investing heavily in Nigeria. Film production, local partnerships, jobs, and eventually launching GOtv, a more affordable option for the mass market. DStv also became more accessible across different income levels. And in doing that, MultiChoice broadened its reach, turned a luxury into a staple, and quietly shifted our expectations.

Now, when they review prices to adjust to the economy, people don’t just react with disappointment. They get angry. Not because the product suddenly lost value, but because we’ve grown entitled to it. It’s hard to admit, but the outrage often comes from knowing there’s no real alternative. Piracy exists, so do free streaming apps, but the quality, content, and consistency just don’t compare.

Other platforms have tried. iROKOtv, for example, poured massive resources into building a local streaming service. But even that couldn’t survive the realities of this market, from poor infrastructure to rampant account sharing and a general resistance to paying for digital services. Beyond economic hardship, Nigeria remains a tough environment for any subscription-based platform.

So why is MultiChoice the one company that keeps getting singled out? Court battles, regulatory crackdowns, social media dragging. The recent case with the FCCPC, which the courts dismissed, is just one example. Other sectors quietly adjust prices without scrutiny. From transport fares to food and government services, everything moves with inflation. But DSTV? That gets national attention.

Maybe it’s because they've done too much, for too long, too well.

They’ve created a product so central to daily entertainment that people now treat it like a public utility. You can stop paying for Netflix and move on. But DStv or GOtv? That hits differently. And when prices go up, it stings deeper.

In a way, MultiChoice is suffering for being consistent. And maybe, just maybe, that’s something we need to reflect on too.

BEING THE SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PASTOR UMO ENO, PhD, ON THE OCCASION OF HIS PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT FROM THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP) TO THE ALL PROGRESSIVES PARTY (APC)- UYO- JUNE 6, 2025

PROTOCOL

1. It was Dalai Lama, one of the world’s most highly admired moral voices who spoke so eloquently about change and the constancy of values. Dalia had advised the world to “Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.”

2. Today, fellow Akwaibomites, we are gathered here to witness change while equally affirming the constancy of our collective values and defining ethos as a State.

3. For some time now, the political space particularly in this State and the Nation in general have been awash with the news of my likely movement from the PDP, the platform that had provided the levers and ladder of my political ascendancy to the position of Governor of this State. The discussions have elicited various layers of analysis in the process.

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4. Today, I am here to answer some of those nagging questions. Like the Dalai Lama had said, we should always be open to change but not let go of our shared values.

5. Earlier this morning, I submitted my formal Letter of Resignation from the PDP to my Ward Chairman, same copy was sent to both the State Chairman as well as the National Chairman. I have therefore, decided to Progressively move to the All Progressive Congress, the (APC).

6. Standing before you today, I make bold to state categorically that, though I have, by today’s event, changed my political affiliation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All-Progressives Congress (APC) my values, my moral fibre, the foundational principles I have nourished and lived by remain unchanged and sacrosanct.

7. Why am I in the APC, you may ask? The answer is short and simple: Enlightened State Interest predicated on the need to align our State with the Centre to attract more Federal presence.

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That is the truth-pure and simple as well as the exercise of my fundamental Right of Association as expressed in the 1999 Constitution as Amended.

8. President Tinubu, GCFR, has possibly, in recent history of this Nation, faced the most daunting economic challenges of any leader. With boldness and deep convictions, he has stared these challenging moments head-on and came up with solutions that, though in the immediate aftermath is tough for Nigerians, but however, are beginning to bear long-lasting and sustainable effects.

9. The removal of petrol subsidy, though a hard decision, has brought more funds to subnational entities to pursue audacious projects that are positively affecting the lives of their people. Akwa Ibom State today, is more of a constructing site with many life-touching projects across the 31 Local Governments Areas. The economic fog is becoming clearer, the confidence in our economy is growing and we need to support him to finish this huge task of national re-awakening and economic renewal.

10. It is a known fact that, I have never hidden my admiration for the President and his patriotic devotion to national renewal which he is engendering today

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As a young professional working in Lagos while he was the Governor, I was amazed and fascinated by the manner he ran Lagos, and had, with focus and vision, raised the profile of Lagos State to become a leading Subnational in the country, while facing daunting challenges.

I believe he is poised to replicate the Lagos magic on a larger national scale. I therefore, have no apologies for supporting him for a second term in office to complete the reforms he has started.

11. Let me also say it here, that political parties are vehicles to run for elections. Governance in my considered opinion should be done, without rigid attachment to political labels, since these parties are not defined by ideology but by enlightened set of interests.

12. In two years, since my inauguration as Governor, I have not worn a toga of a political party rather it has been my passionate commitment to pursuing the larger interest of our State and our people. The Arise Agenda, has been our Governance Blueprint, and that’s what it will be as we make this movement. I therefore, appeal to you my people to join me in this necessary movement to align our State with the Centre and to facilitate more development to our State.

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13. Let me add here that our dear State is nationally considered as one of the safest and peaceful States in the nation. There is an urgent need to sustain and deepen this important catalyst for growth, by not engaging in unnecessary political bickering. Peace brings development, peace brings unity and unity breeds brotherhood and inclusivity and our State is the ultimate beneficiary.

14. I have always said I will work for the unity of our State by running a bipartisan administration. This has been a well-thought-out position that was so eloquently stated in my Inaugural Speech on May 29, 2023.

15. On that historic day, I had stated thus “Elections are over, and our kindred spirit must be renewed and deepened. We are all Akwaibomites first before politics.

Politics, therefore, must not separate or sever the ties of our brotherhood, common heritage and aspirations. I pledge to you, that I will be Governor for all Akwaibomites irrespective of political persuasion or affiliations”

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16. Today, as I make this formal movement from the PDP to APC, I pledge to you again, my dear Akwaibomnites, that I will still run a bipartisan and inclusive governance. Akwa Ibom State, I promise you will be a model of how to work together, pray together, aspire together, dream together and achieve together without the polarising impulses of partisan politics. Political parties remain vehicles for elections. I will continue to ensure that governance is done through the prism of bipartisanship.

17. Let me end this speech with a quote from the renowned author, Julie Flygare “The secret of change is to focus all your energy not in fighting the old, but on building the new.”

18. Together, with the old and the new, we will build our dear State, with unity, with peace, with inclusivity, with love and kindred spirit in accordance with the lines in our State’s Anthem that “our dreams be ever one, rising “beyond ethnicity”, to “build with love, our Promised Land” so we may go “Forward Ever and Backward Never!! That is what I am dedicating to doing and I ask you to continue to support and pray for us.

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19. Like the children of Issachar in 1st Chronicles Chapter 12 verse 32, were “men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel should do”” I also expect the understanding of the times we are in, and why we are doing this movement. As the children of Issachar pitched their tenth with David, for the common good of Israel, I expect unflinching loyalty of our Team- a point that is further eloquently illustrated in John 10: 27 “My sheep hears my voice, and I know them and they follow me.”

20. I am convinced the the voice I heard that led us to this day and to this movement was the right voice and I know my people will follow me and continue to give us their support.

Let us strategically Arise together, to the promise of a better, more inclusive, stronger and united Akwa Ibom State that is aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR led-Federal Government

21. To those who may be concerned by this Progressive movement, I want to assure you that I have received enormous assurances of support and seamless integration from our dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR,

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The Senate President, Distinguished Senator Godwill Akpabio, GCON, and the Progressive Governors’ Forum. Those who know our dear President will attest to the fact that his words are his bond. This movement, falling on a day that we mark Sallah, is our own gift to our President and it has divine connotation

22. APC- Progress, Arise - That same God!
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria, God bless Akwa Ibom State and bless us all!

23. On your Mandate we shall stand, On your Mandate we shall stand, On your Mandate, On your Mandate
On your Mandate we shall stand