Headlines
Uche Nwosu Lambasts Ihedioha, Says He Should Stop Chasing Shadows and Work
The governorship candidate of the Action Alliance in Imo State, Uche Nwosu, has advised the state governor, Emeka Ihedioha, to stop chasing shadows and start working on his plans for the state.
Nwosu, who was Ihedioha’s closest rival during the last governorship election said that the actions of the governor since he was sworn in showed that he was not prepared for leadership.
Nwosu,who addressed journalists in Owerri, the state capital on Wednesday, alleged that the governor was only “chasing shadows.”
Nwosu said, “The people of Imo State did not vote for him to start chasing shadows. For the time he will stay as the governor, he should unfold his plans and programmes for the people. No one is interested in excuses. What the people want is performance and nothing less.
“The people want concrete statement on what the programmes of the government are, what the government intends to do and how it would deliver dividends of democracy to them and not embarking on a mission to pull down Rochas Okorocha.
“Suspension of Local Government Chairmen and their Councilors, dissolving the recently-inaugurated boards of government agencies and parastatals and scrapping of recently established tertiary institutions, are definitely the wrong way to start for a government that wants to make headway. One would have expected that by now, the governor would have engaged the civil servants and tell them what he has for the workers, as well as take up from where his predecessor stopped.
“The acrimonies that could arise from these actions are hardly what Ihedioha needed at this time, he should rather consolidate on the achievements of his predecessor and that is what Imolites want to see. He should concentrate on the business of governance. If I were the governor today, I would definitely hit the ground running, knowing that there is a job to do.”
When contacted, the Special Adviser, media, to the state governor, Steve Osuji said Ihedioha “does not want to be distracted.”
The governor’s spokesperson said, “We don’t want to be distracted by the immediate past governor and his cronies. Apart from not handing over, the immediate past government has continued to unleash their media thugs against the state government.”
“Imagine starting work without a handover note. There is no office for the governor to operate from. The immediate past administration claims that it left a huge amount of money, yet there are no proofs. We don’t want to be distracted.”
The Punch
World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua on Monday survived a ghastly road accident in Makun, Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries, while two persons were said to have died on the spot.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has cautioned that any attempt to hurriedly re‑gazette Nigeria’s new tax laws could undermine parliamentary oversight and set a dangerous constitutional precedent.
Atiku’s warning follows public scrutiny over reports that the Tax Reform Acts signed by President Bola Tinubu differ from the versions passed by the National Assembly. Lawmakers, including Abdussamad Dasuki, raised concerns that the alterations could pose serious legal and constitutional risks, noting that they were not backed by any constitutional framework.
In a statement on X, Atiku said the directive to re-gazette the Acts effectively confirms “that the gazetted version of the Tinubu Tax Act does not reflect what was duly passed by the National Assembly,” calling it “a grave constitutional issue.”
He emphasized that under Section 58 of the 1999 Constitution, a bill only becomes law after passage by both chambers, presidential assent, and gazetting.
“Gazetting is merely an administrative act of publication. It does not create, amend, or validate a law,” Atiku said, adding that any post-passage insertion, deletion, or modification without legislative approval constitutes forgery rather than a clerical error.
Atiku further warned that rushing a re-gazetting while legislative investigations are ongoing “undermines parliamentary oversight and sets a dangerous precedent,” stressing that the only lawful approach is “fresh legislative consideration, re-passage by both chambers, fresh presidential assent, and proper gazetting.”
The former vice president clarified that his position is not opposition to tax reform but a defence of constitutional order.
“This is a defence of the integrity of the legislative process and a rejection of any attempt to normalise constitutional breaches through procedural shortcuts,” he said.
The Federal government has denied wrongdoing, insisting the laws will take effect as scheduled on January 1, 2026, while the National Assembly has directed the issuance of Certified True Copies of the Acts to ensure clarity and accuracy.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, is set to formally join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on December 31, 2025.
The development would put to rest months of speculation about where the former Governor of Anambra State would pitch his tent in the coming elections.
Reports claim that Obi would be defecting with serving senators and other lawmakers elected on the platform of the LP, as well as remnants of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the South East region.
Specifically, Obi would be defecting alongside the Senator representing Anambra Central, Victor Umeh; that of Anambra North, Tony Nwoye; Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe; PDP chieftain Ben Obi; and members of the Obidient movement in the region.
It is not clear if the Abia State governor, Alex Otti, is part of the planned movement to the ADC.
The governor was recently approached by the PDP to join the party and re-contest his current position in 2027.
Further reports quoted Obi’s spokesperson, Valentine Obienyem, as confirming the planned defection of his boss to the ADC.
“Yes, it is true,” he reportedly said on Sunday.
Senator Umeh said the event would hold in Enugu, adding that it would involve all Obi’s supporters across the South East region.
“They will come from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo states to join those in Enugu, where this exercise will hold on 31st December,” he reportedly added.
Sources hinted that Obi, who has not hidden his intention to appear on the ballot in 2027, would contest the presidential ticket of the ADC.
On his part, Chief Chekwas Okorie, reportedly said that the expected formal defection of Obi to the ADC is a healthy development that could reshape the thinking and permutations of the 2027 general elections.
“I imagine that he would be defecting along with most of his associates and followers. I believe that a fortified and strong ADC will add value to the opposition and assuage the general fear of a possible one-party option to Nigerians come 2027. The APC, ADC and possibly the PDP locking horns in the 2027 democratic encounter promises a vibrant and robust electioneering campaign that will provide Nigerians the required options to make informed choices in electing their preferred leaders at all levels. I imagine that the APC leadership will return to the drawing table to map out the strategy to confront the emerging challenge. Nigerians are in interesting times,” Okorie stated.
National President of Njiko Igbo Forum (NIF), Rev Okechukwu Obioha, vouched support for Obi to ensure he reaches the pinnacle of his political career. He, however, cautioned that the ADC should not compromise merit and integrity in the choice of its presidential candidate, stressing that Obi remains the “hope for the restoration of the country on the path of greatness.”
