In a historic move signaling a renewed drive to boost maritime trade and economic development in Delta State, the Delta State Economic Management Team (EMT), on Thursday, June 13, 2025, visited the ongoing Akewa Colman Terminal Ltd (ACTL) Port Project site at Iduwini Kingdom in Burutu Local Government Area. The strategic visit was hosted by the Executive Chairman of Burutu LGA, Chief (Hon.) Julius Takeme. The visit began with a tour along the Forcados River, a major distributary of the Niger River which forms a natural boundary between Delta and Bayelsa States. Known for its historical trade relevance and strategic location, the river connects key communities such as Burutu, Bomadi (Delta), and Ekeremor, Southern Ijaw (Bayelsa). The peaceful and secure atmosphere of the region was noted as a strong advantage for the port’s future operations. The high-powered delegation included: Chief Kenneth Donye (JP) – Representative of the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Chairman of the Economic Management Team, and owner of ACTL His Royal Majesty, Bosu Dio (JP), Ayamabulou I, the Ibenanaowei of Iduwini Kingdom Chief Fidelis Tilije, Commissioner for Finance, Delta State Hon. (Barr.) Christopher Ifeanyi Osakwe, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Delta State Government Dr. Barrogbe, Chief Economic Adviser to the State Traditional rulers like the , community leaders, council executives, ACTL management and staff, and members of the press. In his keynote address, Chief Kenneth Donye traced the legacy of the Burutu Port back to its commissioning in 1887 by Lord Lugard, describing it as the first modern seaport in Africa. The port historically played a vital role in facilitating trade across Nigeria, Cameroon, Britain, and Europe. He thanked the Delta State Government and Delta State Investment Agency (DSIA) for their unwavering support, and confirmed that a 40-year Master Port Concession has already been approved by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). Donye emphasized that the project requires a $68 million Strategic Investment Model (SIM) and, when operational, will be critical to Nigeria’s industrialization and employment growth. Also speaking, His Royal Majesty Bosu Dio, the Ibenanaowei of Iduwini, extended a warm welcome to the Deputy Governor and the government team, applauding the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for supporting the revival of the port. The monarch commended Akewa Colman Terminal Ltd for their consistent efforts and urged stronger synergy between federal and state governments to fully reactivate Delta ports. He also appealed for improved infrastructure in Iduwini, including roads, electricity, and the construction of the permanent site for the Delta State Maritime Polytechnic in Burutu. His Royal Majesty emphasized that the people of the kingdom eagerly anticipate the historic arrival of the first cargo vessel at the revived port. In his remarks, Chief Julius Takeme, Chairman of Burutu LGA, adopted the presentation of the company’s founder and stressed the importance of government support at this final stage. He highlighted the economic and job creation potential the port holds, not only for Delta but for the entire Niger Delta region. He called on the state to increase its equity in the project, stating that everything is now in place all that’s needed is for the government to give the final “go ahead.” He also commended Governor Oborevwori’s administration for prioritizing people-centered projects such as the Burutu Port. This visit marks a major milestone in the journey toward reviving the Burutu Port and repositioning Delta State as a hub of maritime commerce and regional development.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has disowned a cryptic Instagram post attributed to him regarding the 2027 presidential election. The post, shared by an Instagram account bearing Jonathan’s name, alleged that the nation’s current leaders are “sleeping” and urged Nigerians to make better leadership choices in the upcoming 2027 polls. “Since our current leaders are pretending to sleep, we pray that we will get our good leadership back in 2027; your choice will determine the betterment of our future,” the post read. The post, which has garnered over 16,000 views, 1,247 comments, and 248 shares reportedly showed image of Jonathan shaking hands with United States President Donald Trump. The post is coming amid speculations that Jonathan, Nigerian President from 2010 to 2015, is considering seeking re-election in 2027. Meanwhile, Jonathan’s spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, when contacted on Friday, said the former President does not own an Instagram account. “Former President Jonathan does not own an Instagram account,” Eze said. The former Nigerian leader, since leaving office in 2015, has been the subject of recurring speculation — some of it from within his own camp — about seeking re-election. Jonathan, who famously conceded defeat to former President Muhammadu Buhari in a historic election, has consistently upheld a statesmanlike image, actively championing democracy and peace-building initiatives across West Africa.

Chief Olu Falae, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the 1999 presidential candidate, has claimed he was the true winner of the election that marked Nigeria's return to civilian rule—not Olusegun Obasanjo. Speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show during a special Democracy Day broadcast on Thursday, Falae alleged that the 1999 presidential election results were manipulated, robbing him of his rightful mandate. According to the elder statesman, a legal review of the vote tallies conducted by his late counsel, Chief J.O.K. Ajayi, revealed that he actually defeated Obasanjo of the Peoples Democratic Party by over one million votes. “I was told by my lawyer, the late Chief JOK Ajayi, that I won the election by over a million votes after a meticulous assessment of the figures declared. “But we decided not to go to court. We were more concerned about the country returning to democracy peacefully after years of military rule,” Falae said during the interview. Falae’s revelation reopened an old political wound from Nigeria’s transitional period following the death of General Sani Abacha and the eventual assumption of office by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who oversaw the transition to democratic governance. The 1999 elections were widely regarded as a political compromise—an attempt to soothe tensions, especially in the South-West, after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election won by MKO Abiola. Chief Olu Falae’s 1999 presidential run, endorsed by two major opposition parties—the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the All Peoples Party (APP)—was perceived as a conciliatory gesture to the Yoruba people. Meanwhile, former military Head of State Olusegun Obasanjo, also a Yoruba, emerged as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), enjoying strong support from the political and military establishment. “There was so much pressure not to rock the boat. “We made sacrifices for democracy to return. I accepted it in good faith then, but the truth must be told: I won that election,” Falae told his interviewers. “It’s not about me. It’s about the truth. Nigeria deserves to know the real story behind its so-called democratic rebirth,” he added. Falaye regretted that since 1993, Nigeria has not had a credible election, noting that although democracy has been sustained till 1999, the conduct of elections remains a challenge.

Rt Hon Julius Pondi, Member Representing Burutu Federal Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on the South-South Development Commission, has received resounding support from his constituents as he toured communities in Ogulagha Kingdom following his official defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The three-term federal lawmaker, who made the switch on the floor of the National Assembly on May 6, 2025, embarked on a political orientation tour beginning June 8 to intimate his constituents about the new direction and reassure them of his continued commitment to development. Kicking off the tour at Sokebolou Modern Town Hall, Pondi and his entourage — including Dr Shedrack Agediga, Chairman of the Delta State Bursary and Scholarship Board — were warmly received by community leaders Mr Jeremiah Isayah (Yokiri Community) and Mr Believe Anumu (Sokebolou Community), alongside hundreds of enthusiastic constituents. The gathering unanimously passed a vote of confidence in Pondi, Dr Agediga, and Governor Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, praising their leadership and service delivery. The tour continued on Monday, June 9, with a visit to Obotobo 1 Community, where Chairman Mr Ebiware Owolo led the executive council and residents in welcoming the team. By noon, the delegation moved to Obotobo 2, where they were greeted with traditional songs, dancing women, and commendations for already-sited projects. The community used the opportunity to appeal for the completion of their town hall, provision of borehole water, and construction of internal roads. The final stop was Ogulagha Community Town Hall, where residents from Okuntu, Osain, Obuguru, Youbebe, and other surrounding communities had gathered en masse. The atmosphere was electric as community members pledged their unwavering support for Pondi’s political stance, chanting the now-popular slogan: “Where Hon Julius Pondi goes, we follow.” The tour served not only as a political reorientation but also a reflection of the developmental footprints of Hon Julius Pondi and Dr Shedrack Agediga across the Ogulagha Kingdom and the wider Burutu Local Government Area, which comprises 78 communities. Each community visited echoed the same sentiment, confidence in Pondi’s leadership and commitment to follow him on the new APC path.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has declared that it will not serve as a refuge for political wrongdoers, warning suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara that switching from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC would not absolve him of his past actions. State APC Chairman, Sir Tony Okocha, made this stance clear on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing questions about Governor Fubara’s recent Sallah visit to President Bola Tinubu and the political interpretations surrounding it. Okocha emphasized that Fubara’s suspension and the call for a state of emergency were based strictly on his misconduct and bore no political motivations. He said; “If Fubara decides to join the APC, it has nothing to do with the state of emergency in Rivers state. His sins cannot be forgiven because he came to our party. “You will jump into APC today and your sins are forgiven? That cannot be true. It won’t work that way. Then, it would have made APC as a dumping ground for people who commit misdemeanor and believe that by and large we will come for reconciliation. No. It is not true. He has not spoken to me. He will enter the party through the door not the window. Not only him, there are procedures for defection to another party and if he claims to be a politician, he would know that all politics is local, he would try and defect in his ward. From there it will come to us and my ward chairmen. I have asked, nobody brought any information about him entering APC”. “How can I be worried that somebody visited my president? Don’t forget it was also the season of Sallah. Yesterday, I read somewhere that the former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Osoba paid Sallah homage and I don’t know whether you also saw the President in the company of Chief EN Wike. So we cannot be worried, we cannot gag the President to say you will see Mr A, you will not see Mr B. Perhaps, if I had made an application to see Mr President, I would have been there with my team”, he said. Okocha also dismissed reports of a possible reconciliatory moves being embarked on by Gov. Fubara, saying there was nothing like that. He said; “I am not a prophet of doom. I can only say to you with the benefit of knowledge that I am not aware of any reconciliatory move. No reconciliation is going on, is it going to talk to Mr President? But Mr President has said go and make peace. No attempt at that. I am not aware of any reconciliatory moves by Fubara and his team”.

Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation International, has declared that his soul has departed from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He made this revelation during an interview on a programme aired by the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State on Tuesday. The PDP chieftain lamented the internal divisions within the party, describing them as a major threat to its ability to challenge the ruling party. “My soul has left the PDP; it’s only my body that remains. “If the PDP were united, it could defeat the APC in 2027. “But too many forces within and outside are fighting against this.” His comments come amid a deluge of defections from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Momodu added that, “the ruling party’s strategy is to weaken the opposition.”

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Monday in Abuja hosted key members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the banner of “Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP.” During the meeting, the group resolved to demand that the party zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South. The lengthy deliberation also produced a resolution to safeguard the party’s survival. The stakeholders called on the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, and the National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu, to immediately convene a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC). Reading the communiqué after the meeting, Wike stressed the stakeholders’ commitment to promoting internal democracy, equity, and justice within the PDP. “In the spirit of fairness, inclusion, federal character principles and respect for our party constitution, the Party must make an unequivocal pronouncement zoning its presidential candidate to the South in the 2027 elections after the unbroken years of Northern President under President Muhammadu Buhari. “In line with the provisions of our party constitution only the National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu, can issue notices of meeting of the National Convention, National Executive Committee, National Caucus and the National Working Committee and to this end all notices not issued by him and actions founded on them, including correspondences to INEC are null and void and of no effect whatsoever”, the stakeholders declared. It remained unclear whether Oyo State Governor and G-5 member, Seyi Makinde, was invited to the meeting. However, his fellow G-5 members—former Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia)—were in attendance. Also present were PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; former Senate Minority Leader, Philip Aduda; current and former federal and state lawmakers; as well as several zonal and state party officials. The “Eminent Stakeholders and Concerned Leaders,” drawn from various states across the country, expressed deep concern over the persistent crisis within the party. They attributed the turmoil to the continued disregard by a few individuals for the PDP Constitution—specifically citing Sections 36(1)(a)(b)(c), 47(3)(5), and 48(1)(i)—as well as a binding Supreme Court judgment concerning the office of the National Secretary.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Monday evening hosted key members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the banner of “Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP,” affirming that the party will not collapse. Although it was unclear whether Oyo State Governor and G-5 member, Seyi Makinde, received an invitation, his G-5 colleagues—former governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia)—were present at the gathering. Also in attendance were PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; former Senate Minority Leader, Philip Aduda; serving and former federal and state lawmakers; and various zonal and state party officials, among others. In his remarks, Wike stated that the attendees are committed individuals who have always stood by the party and remain dedicated to its continued existence. “All of you here are those who are committed to the survival of our party not just on TV talking or on the newspapers talking but committed to the party at the various levels. “Today, this country is stabilized because of the activities of the G5 Governors. You may like us you may hate us. The truth of the matter is if G5 did not take the decision we took, this country would have been in crisis. It doesn’t matter who the beneficiary was but the right thing had to be done and we still stand by that decision. “If the party had listened to what we said, we won’t have been where we are today and we have continued to sound it to the party, let the constitution of the party and of the country be respected. That, as an opposition party, we cannot continue to act with impunity. No opposition party acts with impunity. Ours is to continue to placate people and bring them together, not to say that they should go to hell. “Let us not allow greed, let us not allow ego to kill our party”. Wike who wondered why the fixation on the position of national secretary, said Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba state was the chairman of the party in the state and that he did not resign before contesting for Governorship but only went back to resign after winning the election.

Mr. Peter Obi has blamed President Bola Tinubu’s administration for the ongoing leadership crisis within the Labour Party. Obi, who was the Labour Party's presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, made the allegation on Monday during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show. The former Anambra State governor specifically claimed that the current government instigated and is perpetuating the internal turmoil in the party. He said: “This is what you get, always, right? This is what you get always in Nigeria, because we now live in a country of propaganda and lies – and they manufacture it. “The problem we have in Labor Party is problem instigated and sustained by the government of today. “I don’t need to tell you when you have a party chairman who calls a state governor a dwarf and dwarf thinking. Forget about me, so it’s not weak. “Okay, I’m weak, but it’s not weak. Is every other person there weak? So we’re not sincere with ourselves. “You speak the truth and they call you names. And we now live in a country of propaganda and lies. They are trying to put problems everywhere, they want to even put problems in families.”

Dr. Ini Ememobong, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Strategy, and Special Duties, has stepped down from his role following Governor Umo Eno’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). In a Facebook post on Friday, Ememobong explained that his resignation was in compliance with the governor’s directive instructing political appointees who do not wish to join the APC to relinquish their positions. “Today, I submitted my resignation to His Excellency in line with his instruction that those who are not joining the APC should respectfully disengage,” he wrote. Ememobong noted that his exit was driven by personal conviction and ideological differences with the APC. “I do not question the Governor’s right to make a political choice, but I am unable to follow that path. My political orientation is rooted in principle, and I have long opposed the ideology and conduct of the APC—a stance reaffirmed daily by many Nigerians,” he stated. Ememobong clarified that the decision was not borne out of conflict with Governor Eno, whom he described as a brother and a leader who had trusted him with significant responsibilities. “There is no strain in my relationship with the Governor. On the contrary, I remain grateful for the confidence he placed in me, entrusting me with two critical portfolios,” he added, referring also to his role overseeing the Ibom Deep Sea Port project. Expressing gratitude, Ememobong acknowledged both Governor Eno and his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel, for their support throughout his public service career. “My family and I deeply appreciate the opportunities given to me by both leaders. I am proud of the service I rendered and, given another chance, I would gladly do more,” he reflected. Ememobong concluded with a message to supporters, acknowledging that his decision may not be universally accepted.