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Heaven Will Not Fall” — Wike Issues Strong Warning to Rivers Govt Over Stadium Ban

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has issued a strong statement to the Rivers State Government over the denial of approval for a political rally at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt.

The minister accused the Rivers State Government of blocking plans for a Renewed Hope Family rally scheduled to hold at the popular stadium. He described the refusal as unfair and unacceptable.

Wike said the organisers had followed due process by applying to use the facility. According to him, the request was turned down by the state authorities without justification.

Speaking during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Agenda coordinators at the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Port Harcourt, Wike openly challenged the state government to reconsider its decision.

The coordinators were inaugurated for the three senatorial districts and all 23 local government areas of Rivers State.

He warned that another denial would not be tolerated.

He said, “We applied to the state government for the use of the Yakubu Gowon Stadium. They refused us. Let me say this clearly: next time they do this, if you don’t approve it, we will break in by force.

“So, the state coordinator should write again to the state government and choose a day when we will inaugurate the ward-level coordinators. I want everybody to hear this clearly. Enough is enough.

“We are all from Rivers State. Nobody can deny us the use of state facilities. If you refuse to grant approval, we will do the needful, and we will take it by force. Heaven will not fall. Even if heaven falls, everywhere will still be at peace.”

Wike stressed that public facilities belong to the people of the state and should not be used as tools for political exclusion. He insisted that no group should be prevented from holding lawful gatherings in Rivers State.

Supporters at the event cheered loudly as he made the statement, showing clear backing for his position.

However, as of the time of filing this report, the Rivers State Government had not issued an official response to Wike’s warning.

 

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labour
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NLC Directs FCT Workers to Continue Strike, Slams Wike’s Threats

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has instructed all Abuja-based affiliate unions to strengthen, intensify, and sustain the ongoing industrial action by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) until their demands are fully met.

The directive, contained in a circular addressed to the Presidents and General Secretaries of all Abuja-based unions, comes in response to the continued neglect of workers’ welfare and persistent intimidation of staff by authorities.

The circular stated, “Following our earlier communications regarding the ongoing struggle of FCTA workers, we hereby reaffirm and reinforce the directive to all affiliate unions in the FCT to not only continue the ongoing action but to intensify and sustain it until all workers’ demands are fully addressed.”

The NLC highlighted unpaid wage awards and promotion arrears, non-remittance of pension and National Housing Fund deductions, and ongoing intimidation of workers as the primary unresolved issues driving the strike.

The Congress described the situation as unacceptable, noting that these violations “remain unresolved” and are “grave, unacceptable, and incompatible with the principles of fairness, justice, and decent work.”

Affiliate unions were further instructed to “maintain full participation in the industrial action,” “strengthen mobilisation of members for all Congress-approved activities,” and “mobilise members to participate daily in Prayer and Solidarity Sessions from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at designated venues across the FCT.”

Emphasising the gravity of the struggle, the NLC warned that “this struggle demands unity, discipline, and unwavering commitment,” adding that “any retreat at this stage will only encourage further violations against workers.”

“All affiliates are expected to comply strictly with this directive in the collective interest of the Nigerian working class,” the circular concluded, ending with a message of solidarity: “An injury to one is an injury to all. Solidarity forever.”

The circular was signed by Comrade Benson Upah, Acting General Secretary, and Joseph Ajaero, President.

Meanwhile, unions within the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) have rejected claims that a National Industrial Court ruling has effectively halted the strike.

In a joint communiqué issued after an emergency meeting of executive officers of 16 unions in FCTA/FCDA on January 27, 2026, the unions responded to a court ruling at Gimbia Street, Area 11, Abuja, which reportedly instructed Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Umar to suspend the industrial action.

The unions clarified, “After reviewing all issues raised, the need for continued and coordinated action became clear. The ruling from the Industrial Court applies only to the individuals named—Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Umar.”

They affirmed that “the strike action declared by the various unions remains in effect until the FCTA authorities and the Honourable Minister of the FCT meet workers’ demands.

Workers were urged to remain steadfast: “We call on the resilient FCTA/FCDA workforce to stay committed until further directives from the union.”

The communiqué concluded with solidarity slogans: “A people united can never be defeated. Workers united can never be defeated. Solidarity forever. Aluta Continua. Victoria Ascerta.”

 

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Headlines

Drama as Governor Eno’s Contractor Builds Mortuary First in Hospital Project

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Drama unfolded at a construction site in Akwa Ibom State after Governor Umo Eno raised concerns over how a hospital project was being handled by the contractor.

The governor expressed disappointment that the mortuary section was built before other essential parts of the hospital.

The incident happened during an inspection visit by the governor to the project location. His reaction was captured in a video that later spread widely on social media. The clip quickly drew attention and became a topic of public debate.

In the video which was sighted by Politics Nigeria, Governor Eno was seen confronting the contractor over the order of construction.

He questioned why the mortuary was given priority instead of the main hospital structures meant to serve patients and medical workers.

“Why did you start with the mortuary first?” Governor Eno asked in a raised tone.

“I said build a hospital, and you started with a mortuary. Don’t say that again.”

As he spoke, some people present at the site laughed, adding to the dramatic nature of the moment.

The governor made it clear that the focus of the project should be on healthcare delivery and not facilities associated with death. He stressed that hospitals are meant to save lives and should be planned in a way that reflects that purpose.

Following the release of the video, reactions poured in from across the country. Many residents praised Governor Eno for speaking out openly and demanding accountability from contractors handling public projects. They described his response as firm and necessary.

Others, however, said the incident showed weaknesses in project planning and supervision. They argued that such mistakes should have been addressed long before the governor’s visit. Some also questioned why the contractor was not properly guided from the start.

 

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Headlines

Strike: FCTA to open attendance register for staff

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

In a decisive move to restore administrative order across the Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA’s bureaucracy, the Acting Head of the Civil Service of the FCT, Nancy Sabanti Nathan, has directed all Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments to immediately implement and maintain staff attendance registers.

The directive, issued in a circular dated Tuesday, January 27, followed a landmark ruling by Justice E. D. Subilim of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which ordered that the ongoing strike by the Joint Union Action Committee JUAC be suspended forthwith.

Nathan emphasized that all staff members across the various Secretariats, Departments and Agencies are required to resume their duties at their respective posts without delay to ensure the continuity of government operations.

In her communication to the Secretaries of Mandate Secretariats, Coordinators of major councils, and Permanent Secretaries, Nathan further clarified that the call for immediate resumption is coupled with a continued commitment from the FCTA Management to prioritize the welfare of its staff.

She instructed all senior officials to ensure the contents of the directive are brought to the attention of all concerned personnel to guarantee total and immediate compliance with the judicial mandate.

 

 

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Headlines

VIDEO: Tinubu stumbles briefly during reception parade in Turkey

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday briefly stumbled during a ceremonial march-past organised for his reception at the parade ground in Türkiye.

The incident occurred as the President joined the guard of honour, drawing momentary attention before the programme continued without disruption.

Tinubu’s visit is aimed at consolidating the long-standing cordial relations between Nigeria and Türkiye, while exploring new areas of cooperation to deepen a mutually beneficial partnership between both countries.

During the visit, the President is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on issues of trade, security, investment and regional cooperation.

The programme will also feature the signing of several memoranda of understanding between the two nations, alongside other high-level official engagements.

A business forum is expected to hold on the sidelines of the visit to connect Nigerian and Turkish investors and unlock opportunities for mutual economic growth.

Senior Nigerian officials who received the President at his hotel include the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; and the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd).

Watch video below

https://x.com/i/status/2016150730390856017

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Headlines

BREAKING: Nationwide Blackout as National Grid Collapses Again

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The national electricity grid collapsed on Tuesday morning, plunging parts of Nigeria into widespread power outages.

Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) indicated that as of 11 a.m., electricity load allocation to all 11 distribution companies (DisCos) had dropped to zero megawatts.

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FCTA workers
Headlines

FCTA Workers, NLC Storm Industrial Court, Demand Wike Sack

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

Workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Monday besieged the National Industrial Court in Abuja in continuation of an ongoing total and indefinite strike over unresolved labour disputes.

The protest followed a directive by the NLC endorsing the industrial action, which it described as justified in the face of what it called persistent violations of workers’ rights by the FCTA management and political leadership.

The demonstrators, who carried placards with inscriptions such as “Wike must go”, “Abuja no be Rivers”, “Pay promotion arrears”, “Enough is Enough” and “No working tools”, accused the authorities of failing to address longstanding grievances, including unpaid promotion arrears and poor working conditions.

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DisCos reject FG’s free meter plan

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Power distribution companies have expressed doubt over the directive by the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, that prepaid meters must be free for all categories of customers.

Operators, who spoke with our correspondent anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the minister made only a political statement without considering the input of other stakeholders, especially the installers and meter providers.

On Thursday, the Federal Government banned electricity distribution companies and installers from collecting any form of payment for meters, warning that DisCo officials and installers found extorting customers would be prosecuted. Adelabu issued the warning during an on-site inspection of newly imported smart meters at APM Terminals, Apapa, Lagos.

Adelabu said the meters were procured under the World Bank–funded Distribution Sector Recovery Programme and must be installed for consumers free of charge, stressing that any demand for money would be treated as an offence.

He said the meters would be given to all electricity customers, regardless of their band.

“I want to mention that it is unprecedented that these meters are to be installed and distributed to consumers free of charge—free of charge! Nobody should collect money from any consumer. It is an illegality. It is an offence for the officials of distribution companies across Nigeria to request a dime before installation; even the indirect installers cannot ask consumers for a dime. It has to be installed free of charge so that billings and collections will improve for the sector,” Adelabu said.

However, the DisCo operators who spoke with The PUNCH said the meters tagged as free by the Federal Government would still be paid for by the DisCos within a period of 10 years. The operators told our correspondent that the DisCos cannot be the ones paying for installation, wondering why the government wants them to bear the cost of installation.

According to them, meter installers are not DisCo workers, and someone has to bear the cost of installation.

“Those meters you see, someone has to pay for them, and the government expects the DisCos to bear the cost of the so-called free meters. They said the DisCos can pay it over 10 years.

When you ask the DisCos to pay for any capital expenditure, we call it allowable capex. You have to allow it when computing their tariffs; otherwise, it makes their balance sheets toxic,” an official with a distribution company stated.

Another operator said, “We need to know that meter installers are not staff of the DisCos. They are already asking who will pay them if the consumers do not pay. Did the minister consider all those? You said the people should not pay the installers; who should pay them? We, the DisCos, are not the ones installing meters. That role was taken away from the DisCos when Babatunde Fashola was the power minister.

“They said the DisCos have no business with metering. This is the result we are seeing today. Assuming the DisCos are the ones installing meters, you can force them to pay. We will all see the outcome of that pronouncement in the coming days. If the government can pay installers, no problem, but I’m not sure any DisCo will volunteer to pay the installers.”

The officials described Adelabu’s comment as a populist statement from a politician.

“The statement was just a populist statement from a politician. We are not sure if the President sent him that message. He said everything should be free; where is the position of cost recovery? Anything you do in the power sector, you have to first consider who bears the cost. Somebody has to bear the cost to avoid debt piling up.

“The government ought to sit with the Discos and the meter manufacturers to seek advice if the plan is to make sure the people don’t bear any cost, and we will come up with our various contributions. But instead of doing that, the government would go and make unrealistic promises to the public. For instance, the meters are coming in batches, but you have made the masses believe that there are enough meters for everyone. That’s not the reality,” one of the sources stated.

The operators added that the free meter declaration would jeopardise the Meter Asset Providers scheme, which allows the sale of meters to individuals who desire them.

 

“People are now rejecting the Meter Asset Providers scheme because they have heard that meters are free. The minister came up with a very wrong narrative. Has he sat down with stakeholders before going out to say meters are free? How can you say you have enough meters for over five million people? We still have the MAP scheme ongoing, whereby the meter provider sells directly to the customer. MAP is still there because the free meters they are bringing cannot fill the metering gap.

 

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Headlines

Nigerian-born nurse loses licence in Australia for sleeping on duty

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

A Nigerian-born nurse, Chimzuruoke Okembunachi, has been stripped of her nursing registration in Australia after a tribunal found that she repeatedly slept during night shifts at an aged care facility, thereby placing elderly residents at serious risk.

According to reports by the Daily Mail, the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal, on January 20, ruled that Ms Okembunachi’s conduct in March 2024 amounted to professional misconduct, ordering the cancellation of her nursing licence.

Ms Okembunachi, 25, had commenced employment at Hardi Aged Care, Guildford, in western Sydney, in February 2024. She was suspended barely a month later and subsequently tendered her resignation.

Tribunal proceedings revealed that between March 13 and March 27, she was the only registered nurse on duty during night shifts, supervising three to four assistants-in-nursing (AINs) while responsible for the care of about 100 residents.

Evidence showed that on six separate nights, Ms Okembunachi failed to carry out her duties after falling asleep on duty. On three occasions, residents reportedly missed prescribed doses of morphine.

On March 21–22, an AIN reportedly switched on the light at the nurses’ station in an attempt to wake her, but she allegedly turned it off shortly afterwards and went back to sleep.

The tribunal also heard that on March 15, she instructed an AIN to administer Panadol to a resident, despite the assistant not being authorised to do so, reportedly saying, “It’s okay, sister, just give it to him.”

Two nurses later reported her conduct on March 27. The following day, she received an email notifying her of her suspension and inviting her to a meeting. However, she resigned about 20 minutes later and declined to attend the meeting.

Ms Okembunachi, who was born in Nigeria, migrated to Australia in 2018. She obtained a Bachelor of Nursing Science in 2021 and was studying medicine at Western Sydney University while working at the aged care facility.

In her submission to the tribunal, she said the incidents caused her “significant stress,” admitting that she should not have accepted the role. “Working night shifts during the week was putting patients’ safety at risk,” she said, adding that sleeping on duty meant she failed in her responsibility to supervise staff and residents.

While the tribunal acknowledged her “remorseful and contrite” attitude, it ruled that deregistration was necessary, stating that her actions “had the potential to endanger the lives of patients under her care.”

Ms Okembunachi is barred from applying for a review of the decision for at least nine months. She has since stepped away from nursing but continues her medical studies, supported by her father and a Centrelink Student Allowance.

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Headlines

BREAKING: Kano Gov Abba Yusuf dumps NNPP

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The governor of Kano state, Abba Yusuf has formally announced his resignation from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

Yusuf announced this in a statement issued by his media aide Sunusi Tofa on Friday, January 23.

According to Tofa, the governor cited the growing internal crisis which has continued to rock the party and its leadership.

Tofa added that the governor in a letter addressed to the chairman of the NNPP in Diso-Chiranchi Ward, Gwale Local Government Area said his resignation as a member of the party is with effect.

“I write with a deep sense of gratitude to formally notify the leadership of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) of my decision to resign my membership of the party,” Yusuf’s letter said.

Continuing, Tofa added that the governor said that in recent times, the NNPP has been confronted with persistent internal challenges arising from leadership disagreements and ongoing legal processes, many of which are presently before the courts for judicial determination.

“The growing disenfranchisement among party members has created deep divisions within the party structure, resulting in cracks that appear increasingly irreconcilable and have generated uncertainty at both state and national levels,” Yusuf said.

He also appreciated members of the party and its leadership for presenting the platform and support to deliver good governance to the people of Kano States.

“I remain sincerely appreciative of the opportunity given to me by the party, its leadership, and members across Kano State to be part of its political journey since 2022, as well as the support, goodwill, and cooperation extended to me during my time in the party.

In addition to this, Tofa said in the statement that the governor will be leaving the party alongside 21 members of the Kano State House of Assembly, eight members of the House of Representatives, and 44 local government chairmen across the state.

 

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