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Nigeria Protest: The vultures gathered, but the truth overcame

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2 years ago

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Nigeria Protest: The vultures gathered, but the truth overcame

Nigeria Protest: The vultures gathered, but the truth overcame

By: Dr. James Bwala

In 2003, the words of the late Chief Chuba Okadigbo say: The vultures will surely gather, but you shall overcome. This he said to our beloved president, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while they were campaigning in those days when they were struggling to set a new phase in the democratic experience. This great man of Igbo extraction does not mince words. When he uttered these words through his prediction of Senator Bola Tinubu becoming Nigeria’s president, he said of himself that he was not sure whether or not he would be alive to witness this. That prophecy has come to pass with the gathering of these vultures against President Tinubu and his government. The good news is that he did say that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would see this gathering of vultures and that he would overcome them. 

Barely a week before the August 1, 2024, gathering to stage the ongoing protest against the Tinubu administration, the protest was ‘tagged’#Endbadgovernance.’ I happened to be in a church closer to my house. It was a Wednesday prayer meeting, and I was listening to the man of God my family called Baba-Harry. A couple of times I have attended his weekly service when I could not have the luxury of time to be in my place of worship, and I enjoyed his massage. This fateful Wednesday, I listened to him as usual with such attention when he began to speak about the protest that is coming with a storm of violence and warned his members not to join in the protest. According to the Man of God, the protest will happen, but it will not hold water. The youths, he said, will go out, and some of them will be killed, and in all their attempts with their sponsors, they will fail to make the impact they desire against this administration because they have failed to see reasons beyond their imagination and thinking. 

After that Wednesday meeting, I reached out to some of my friends to tell them what this man of God has said and also urged them to stay indoors and not go out because, according to this man of God, the protest will turn to violence. Every day I tried to flop through the pages on the internet to read the handwriting on the wall and to capture the mood of the country with regards to the looming hunger protest, as they referred to it. I am vigilant of the details in his words because this man of God said many things that I have seen come to pass. He is not the careless type in his speech, and I know this too will happen, as he said it would. 

On the first day of the protest, I was around the popular Maraba area in Nassarawa, and I saw how the youths were coming out in their numbers, with thousands of teenagers going with them. The words they were chanting were words that portray the songs that their paid masters have put on their lips, and that was not a movement for a peaceful protest. I quickly recalled a certain time when we were discussing issues about the North and the Almajiri child as a time bomb. They were supposed to be religious students who should seek peace and pursue it at all times. But their actions never portray the reasons for their knowledge-seeking of the holy book, the Quaran. They appeared to be an army of violence seekers and always-ready tools for enemies of the state. I have witnessed their deeds in Maiduguri, in Kano, in Kaduna, and in Jos. I have always read the ugly stories about these young men and teenagers who abandoned their cause of seeking knowledge to delve into the sneaky business and join the underworld in every city where they are found across the country. 

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I know what is coming, looking at their faces full of anger and rage for no just cause. Right there, they started robbing people by collecting people’s phones and money, especially when they discovered you cannot speak “Hausa” and were struggling to push the words in “Hausa language.” These boys, however, would not harass anyone who had the full appearance of a northerner, and I know this is also a problem. It tells me that they are not only angry with the president but are also out to rob—’Ganima” as they would say, like taking what naturally should be theirs. Before I left my position as an eyewitness to return home, they had robbed and beaten a number of people. The disturbing thing is that they are doing all this before the security operative station to protect the protesters until the table turns and the ensuing clash with the security operatives takes a turn. 

Returning home, I continually checked with my pages and colleagues who were on the ground across the states. The story was ugly based on the reports I began to receive. It was indeed the vultures gathering with the mission to destroy the remainder of what the eight-year rule of the Buhari regime has left and to stop every effort that the Tinubu administration was battling to rebuild through renewed hope for Nigeria. The mass outing, the bloodshed, and the destruction of properties, especially across the North, left one to wonder: what manner of people did the North raise over a period of time? I have read a lot of pieces from northerners who are trying to look inward at our problem. Has the Almajiri system of education we have been practicing helped the North other than breeding an army of directionless youths and teenagers prowling the streets and full of anger waiting to be unleashed at the slightest given opportunity? 

The so-called “gidan bola” or scrap houses I went round-checking are full of stolen irons and all manners of scraps, both from those they brought through scavenging as well as those they acquired illegally, most of which were also acquired by the destruction of people’s property and carrying them as ‘ganima’. Thank God, day seven of the protest has shown the calm expected from this unholy plan to render millions of Nigerians homeless, but God forbid. We have seen the prophecy of the late politician, Chief Chuba Okadigbo, come true. As the vultures disperse, we pray that we in the North have learned some lessons from this and hope that this misunderstanding between the government and citizens ends with this rather unfortunate outing. We pray that Nigerians will learn the tenets of the holy book and learn to pray for our leaders as our faithful callings. Let Nigeria heal, and we hope that the agenda to renew our hope will build a solid country where peace and justice will reign. 

* Dr. James Bwala, PhD, writes from Abuja.

Nigeria Protest: The vultures gathered, but the truth overcame

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Politics

Mass defection hits Gombe State NNPP, SDP, LP as over 1, 000 leaders join APC

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1 week ago

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March 3, 2026

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Mass defection hits Gombe State NNPP, SDP, LP as over 1, 000 leaders join APC

Ahead of the 2027 general election, the camp of the ruling APC in Gombe State received a boost as over 1, 000 opposition political leaders and members from Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of the state, on Monday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The opposition leaders and members are from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Labour Party (LP).

They were received by Mr Inuwa Garba, member representing Yamaltu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in company of Mr Adamu Lambam, APC chairman, Yamaltu Deba LG.

Speaking during the ceremony in Lubo community in Yamaltu Deba LG, Malam Tasiu Isa, the Chairman of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the council said joining APC was to strengthen the good governance being delivered by the party.

Isa said that Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State and President Bola Tinubu have done well for the people through the execution of live-changing projects.

“We, the executives of the SDP from this LG and all the ward executives are joining the APC today and we are more than 500 officials.
“If we join our supporters and members, then we will be talking of thousands of SDP members; we are convinced that APC is the party to be because the party has good governance as evidence,” he said.

Isa commended Rep member Garba for his people-centric approach to representation, saying that Garba’s leadership style was complementing that of Gov. Yahaya.

For Mohammed Hinna, Labour Party chairman, Yamaltu Deba LG, joining APC remained the best option for any patriotic Nigeria who wants to see a better future for the country.

Hinna said with the efforts of President Tinubu and Gov. Yahaya, it would be difficult to remain in opposition, “if you truly a political leader that has the love of the people at heart.”

Mr Adamu Lambam, the APC chairman for Yamaltu Deba said more opposition leaders and members have been joining the APC at the council because of the good governance being delivered by Yahaya in their LG.

Lambam said that the party would continue to welcome anyone who wants to join the APC, adding that “APC is the people’s party because of the developmental strides of Tinubu, Inuwa and Garba.”

Reps member Garba said with the defection, the structure of opposition parties in the council has been weakened and “this is good for APC ahead of 2027.”

Garba said that the performance of Tinubu and Yahaya would make campaigning for APC ahead of 2027 election easier for them when the ban on campaign is lifted in August.

He appealed to members of the APC to remain united while mobilising more members at the grassroots by informing them of the many good things that Mr President and Yahaya have done.

Mass defection hits Gombe State NNPP, SDP, LP as over 1, 000 leaders join APC

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Bayelsa: APC Chieftain Condemns Marginalized Congresses, Alleges Diri’s Plan To Use Isowo As State Party Chairman

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2 weeks ago

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February 26, 2026

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Bayelsa: APC Chieftain Condemns Marginalized Congresses, Alleges Diri's Plan To Use Isowo As State Party Chairman

Bayelsa: APC Chieftain Condemns Marginalized Congresses, Alleges Diri’s Plan To Use Isowo As State Party Chairman

Faults Akpe’s Nomination, Says Governance Now A Family Enterprise

A chieftain and founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, Barr. David Perebo has expressed deep dissatisfaction over Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri segregational, sidelining mode of conduct of the party ward and local government congresses.

Condemning in strong terms of the segregational mode of conduct of the APC ward and local government congresses across the state, the chieftain described the congresses as witch-hunt of a selected group of stakeholders, leaders in the party.

The APC member condemned the governor deliberate segregation of key stakeholders in various wards and local government areas are geared towards generating division.

Pursuant to the marginalized mode of conduct of the congresses, ward and local government executives of APC in Sagbama addressing the press, expressed dissatisfaction over non-inclusion of critical stakeholders who stood firmly as an opposition in building the party in Bayelsa state.

The party executives said Senator Diri inability to conduct all inclusive congresses in various wards, local governments across the state, has proven beyond shadow of doubt of the governor incapability to manage affairs of the party in Bayelsa state.

Governor Diri who couldn’t manage insignificant affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP leading to Mr George Turnah factional leadership in Bayelsa, has transferred the same attitude from the PDP to the APC barely four months of defection.

The statesmen said the governor has deceptively taken total control of the APC leadership structure in various wards and local government areas across the state, by installing his followers who defected to the APC from the PDP, while excluding old APC members who built the party.

Diri who preach all-inclusiveness in leadership, has deceptively taken over the leadership structures of Brass, Nembe, Yenagoa, Sagbama, Kolokuma-Opokuma, while allowing Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku and David Lyon to nominate the Chairmen of Ekeremor, Ogbia and Southern-Ijaw as compensation.

Furthermore, the governor whose intentions failed woefully to use his relative, Mr Gesiye Isowo as at then Bayelsa PDP Secretary, as Bayelsa APC Caretaker Chairman before any official defection to the APC, has perfected preparations to use him as Chairman of APC in Bayelsa State.

Senator Douye Diri has perfected preparations to produce the Bayelsa APC Chairman, Secretary, including other relevant positions to take total control of the party structure in the state, as deliberate steps towards producing a governorship candidate in the next gubernatorial election.

Unknown to Lokpobiri, Ogbuku who are rumoured to have governorship ambitions in 2027, Governor Douye Diri will never support any of them as successor, rather he is nurturing a relative from Nembe extraction whose father is from Sampou to succeed him as Bayelsa Governor.

In the same vein, the APC chieftain has condemned the decision of the Bayelsa Governor, Senator Douye Diri over nomination of his maternal relative from Ayamasa town, Pastor Peter Pereotubo Akpe as Deputy Governor with motives to revolve the government as a family enterprise.

The chieftain who that stands for justice, fairness, and transparency in governance, has expressed intense dissatisfaction over Governor Douye Diri’s nomination of his relative as deputy governor against Bayelsans.

The sudden passing of the Bayelsa Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo whose cause of sudden death still uncertain, created room for timely replacement of the office of the deputy governor according to Section 191 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He said the governor has privatized governance of Bayelsa as a family enterprise with Akpe nomination as deputy when expected to choose from other competent Bayelsans.

Senator Diri has virtually privatized governance of Bayelsa by appointing only relatives in sensitive positions: Chief of Staff now Deputy Governor, Deputy Chief of Staff, Director of Domestic, Director of Transport, and other government house appointees.

The aggrieved party stakeholder said successive administrations since 1999 has credibly and transparently distributed political appointments across the three senatorial district, but the reverse has been the record in Senator Douye Diri administration.

The governor take decisions without putting into consideration of those who consciously built his political reputation. He defected to the APC without considering the feelings of leaders working closely with him.

Bayelsans has witnessed that the governor has no conscience and empathy, enveloped with greed and ingratitude against those who helped in building his political career and reputation; such as former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Dr. Timi Alaibe, Senator Seriake Dickson.

Senator Diri political trajectory has been driven by pettiness, rumours, propaganda, capitalizing on illiteracy, poverty and stomach infrastructure syndrome of some Bayelsans, while privatizing and managing resources of the state as a family enterprise.

In self-delusional, deceptive pretense of building peace, unity, he brought in opposition members to replace those who fought (some lost their lives) for his emergence, instead of acknowledging, and compensating them for their support and sacrifices.

Douye was very selfish to abandon Jonathan, Alaibe in PDP, especially Dickson who believed and trusted him as successor. Yet, he embraced the people who fought against those who worked for him in the election.

The way and manner the governor had shown ingratitude to Jonathan, Dickson, Alaibe, and others, same thing he will do to Lokpobiri, Ogbuku, Lyon, and other leaders in the APC.

Douye doesn’t understand that those who are praising him, are doing so for political patronage (monetary terms), and desert him after office.

Signed:

Barr. David Perebo
APC Chieftain Writes From Yenagoa

Bayelsa: APC Chieftain Condemns Marginalized Congresses, Alleges Diri’s Plan To Use Isowo As State Party Chairman

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National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu’s Second Tenure

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2 weeks ago

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February 23, 2026

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National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu's Second Tenure

National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu’s Second Tenure

By Comrade Philip Ikodor

The National Progressive Hub (NPH), a leading support group for the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on all Nigerians to rally behind President Ahmed Bola Tinubu GCFR for a successful second term in office come 2027.

In a statement, National Coordinator/Convener, Honorable Bukie Okangbe, praised the APC administration for its efforts towards nation-building and economic stability. Okangbe highlighted the NPH’s previous support for President Tinubu, including a National Security and Endorsement event in 2022 that contributed to the party’s successful general election outcome.

The NPH is gearing up for a Grand Endorsement event for President Tinubu’s second term, scheduled to hold on February 26th at the Musa Yaradua Center, CBD, Abuja. The event will also feature the inauguration of 36 state coordinators, including the FCT, and address critical national issues.

“We invite everyone to join us at this significant event,” Okangbe said. “Your presence will be a testament to our collective commitment to Nigeria’s progress and the APC’s vision for a better future.”

The event promises to be a landmark occasion, showcasing the NPH’s dedication to the APC and President Tinubu’s leadership.

National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu’s Second Tenure

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