Former Senate President, Senator David Mark, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing deepening divisions and leadership crises that have, in his words, reduced the party to a “shadow of its former self.”
In a letter to his PDP Ward 1 Chairman in Otukpo, Benue State, Mark announced his immediate departure and confirmed he is joining the National Coalition of Political Opposition Movement to help “rescue the nation and preserve our hard-earned democracy.”
Mark said despite his long-standing loyalty to the PDP — staying even when most stakeholders left after the 2015 loss — he could no longer ignore the unresolved crises that have, according to him, subjected the party to public ridicule.
“After wide consultations with my family, friends, and political associates, I have resolved to join the coalition as part of the collective effort to rescue our nation,” Mark stated.
His defection adds momentum to the growing coalition of opposition forces seeking to challenge the current political establishment ahead of the next general elections.
The prolonged strike that has crippled public primary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is now closer to resolution, as the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, sealed a fresh agreement with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and Area Council Chairmen to clear the salary arrears and reopen schools without further delay.
In a statement jointly signed by NANS President, Comrade Olushola Oladoja, and National PRO, Comrade Adeyemi Samson Ajasa, on Wednesday, the students’ body confirmed it has suspended its planned mass protest following a series of intense engagements on Tuesday that unlocked a way forward.
According to the student leaders, the tripartite meetings began at the Department of State Services (DSS) Headquarters, continued with the Chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara, and ended with direct commitments from Minister Wike.
“There’s no greater priority than getting our children back in the classroom,” the statement read. “After exhaustive discussions, we now have firm assurances that the salary backlog crisis that shut our schools will be resolved in days, not weeks.”
They explained that the FCT’s unique local government autonomy means the Area Councils alone bear responsibility for paying teachers’ salaries. However, in the spirit of finding solutions, Wike stepped in to approve a bailout covering 60% of the arrears while directing Area Councils to cover the remaining 40%.
“When that didn’t deliver as expected, the Minister withheld the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the Area Councils for May and June, ensuring funds are available to offset what is owed,” the statement noted.
The students hailed the decisive intervention and praised Hon. Betara for brokering the talks that ended the stalemate.
“With this breakthrough, we have suspended our planned protest at the FCTA Secretariat but we will not hesitate to mobilize again if this commitment is breached,” Oladoja warned. “No child should be denied education because of unresolved salaries. We expect concrete disbursement before the end of this week.”
A final stakeholders’ meeting involving NUT FCT, the FCT Minister, Area Council Chairmen, and NANS leadership has been scheduled for Thursday, July 4, to conclude arrangements for reopening all affected schools.
“We stand ready to defend the rights of Nigerian students anywhere, anytime. Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta!” the statement concluded.
Dear Party Leaders, Members, and Fellow Nigerians,
While we appreciate the enthusiasm with which Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has delivered his acceptance speech as Interim National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), we must urgently and firmly reject the premise and process behind this appointment — an appointment that lacks due process, transparency, and the broad-based legitimacy expected in a democratic political party.
The ADC is not a private coalition platform to be hijacked by any elite group or individuals—regardless of how eloquent or ideologically polished their speeches may sound. Our party has structures, leadership organs, youth and women wings, and constitutional guidelines—none of which were consulted or respected in the announcement of this so-called “appointment.”
Key Points of Objection:
1. No Legitimate Mandate:
Who appointed Gov. Aregbesola? Which organ of the ADC ratified this appointment? Was the National Executive Committee (NEC) involved? Were state chairmen, youth leaders, and elected national officers consulted?
If the answer is no—as it clearly is—then this “appointment” is null and void.
2. False Coalition Claims:
The claim that the ADC has become the “platform of the National Opposition Coalition Group” is misleading. Our millions of members have not been informed or carried along in this so-called coalition. If anyone is attempting to force an opposition merger without grassroots consent, they are trampling on democratic ethics and party sovereignty.
3. Legal Crisis Still Unresolved:
Let it be known to those who are trooping into our party under this chaotic coalition arrangement that the ADC has been battling unresolved legal crises since the 2023 general elections. These matters remain in court and unresolved. Any coalition attempt built on such shaky legal ground is irresponsible and potentially self-destructive.
4. Incoming Members Must Be Cautious:
We warn those coming into the ADC as part of this imposed arrangement to tread carefully. Be mindful that some few individuals are attempting to sell out the soul of our party for personal gain. The ADC is not for sale. It belongs to its members, not political merchants or elite dealmakers.
5. Legacy of Undemocratic Culture:
Ironically, the speech talks about internal democracy, ideological discipline, and inclusiveness—yet the very process by which Gov. Aregbesola emerges contradicts every word he just spoke. Democracy cannot begin with imposition. The ADC must not become another replica of the broken parties we seek to replace.
6. Party Supremacy Does Not Mean Silence:
The idea that “the party must be supreme” cannot be used as a tool to silence dissent or sideline authentic party stakeholders. Party supremacy begins with consultation and consensus, not executive pronouncements disguised as patriotic rhetoric.
7. Our Youth Are Watching:
For a speech that claims to care about youth inclusion, where was the youth wing of the ADC in all this? Were youth leaders, women leaders, or even ward structures consulted? Or is this just another top-down recycling of elite political control in progressive clothing?
Our Stand:
We stand firmly on the side of accountable leadership, transparent decision-making, and a people-powered party structure. Any process that excludes the very people it claims to serve is undemocratic and must be challenged.
We call on all genuine stakeholders of the ADC—across states, zones, and demographic groups—to reject this attempted takeover of our party.
We are not opposed to coalitions.
We are not opposed to reform.
But we are opposed to hijack, to imposition, and to speeches that sound revolutionary but hide elitist intentions beneath poetic language.
Until a legitimate, constitutionally-backed ADC National Convention or NEC confirms leadership changes, no one has the moral or legal right to speak for our party nationally.
Long live ADC.
Long live the voices of true democracy.
Long live the grassroots members who will not be silenced.
Signed,
Concerned Stakeholders of the ADC
—Youth Leaders, Women Leaders, State Party Executives, and Ward Coordinators Nationwide
📍July 1st, 2025
Dr. Musa Isa Matara IQAM
National Publicity Secretary, ADC (Original)
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has debunked fresh allegations that the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, secretly allocated land to his children, dismissing the claims as yet another failed attempt at blackmail.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, described the accusations as “sponsored propaganda” aimed at distracting the Minister from his ongoing infrastructural drive under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Last week, it was unfounded and poorly crafted propaganda that Wike allocated 2,082 hectares in Asokoro and Maitama to one of his sons — land that does not even exist in both districts combined. Now, they are peddling another tale because a company named Jordan Farms got land,” Olayinka said.
He clarified that Jordan Farms and Estates Limited is a properly registered company with no links to Wike’s children. “That one of the Minister’s sons is named Jordan does not mean every company named Jordan belongs to him,” he noted, daring those behind the claims to publish the company’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) records if they have evidence.
“For the record, like any Nigerian, the Minister’s children, friends, or associates have the right to own land anywhere if due process is followed — but as of today, no land has been allocated to any of the Minister’s children,” Olayinka insisted.
He described the allegations as the handiwork of political actors unsettled by Wike’s role in supporting power rotation and his dogged pursuit of real infrastructure delivery in the nation’s capital.
“This blackmail has failed just like the one of last week,” he declared.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support in transforming Abuja’s infrastructure, as he commissioned the newly completed access road to the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Wednesday.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Wike expressed gratitude to the President, who was represented at the event, for his consistent backing of the FCT Administration’s aggressive project delivery drive.
“Your Excellency, today marks the 14th day two full weeks that you have commissioned projects initiated by the FCT Administration through your support,” Wike said. “We want to sincerely thank you for your commitment, and also thank you for waiting since morning despite the weather. The rain did not stop you from coming, and we appreciate that deeply.”
Recalling the poor state of the area before the intervention, Wike said he was shocked to find such deplorable roads in the heart of the nation’s capital when he inspected the site chosen for the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.
“When we needed land for the construction of the Court of Appeal Abuja Division, the Director of Land told me about this space. I said, ‘Let me see it myself.’ Your Excellency, you can’t believe that as a city we could have such terrible, horrible roads,” he said.
Wike noted that with the President’s approval, the project received Federal Executive Council approval in September last year and was flagged off in October. Less than a year later, the project has been completed and commissioned to the glory of God and for the service of the judiciary and the people.
“There’s nothing more to say today than to thank you for your continued support,” Wike said, urging President Tinubu to keep supporting the FCT’s efforts to deliver modern infrastructure under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The new access road is expected to ease movement to the Court of Appeal complex, improve connectivity in the area, and boost Abuja’s status as a functional and befitting capital city for all Nigerians.
***Residents Urged to Avoid Flooded Routes, Call 112 in Emergencies
In a decisive step to safeguard lives and property as heavy rains intensify across the Federal Capital Territory, the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) has barricaded the Ring Road 2 Interchange slip road at Galadimawa to prevent another flood tragedy.
Announcing the closure, the Acting Director General of FEMD, Engr. Abdulrahman Mohammed, said the rising water level on the slip road posed an immediate danger to motorists.
“The water level on this slip road is building up and this place will be flooded. The closure of this road is part of our preparedness and mitigation efforts to save lives and property,” Abdulrahman explained.
He appealed to residents to cooperate by using alternative routes and to never risk driving through pools of water during downpours. “Please, wait for floodwaters to recede and always call the 112 emergency toll-free number if you face any disaster,” he urged.
Abdulrahman noted that the slip road, which links Goodluck Jonathan Expressway with Ring Road 2 at Galadimawa, has been under close watch since June. Although the closure could have happened earlier, the Department delayed it while monitoring the water levels.
Recalling the tragic 2019 incident when a severe flood on the same road claimed the life of Mr. Tony Okecheme, Director of Finance at the FCT High Court, the FEMD boss stressed that the precautionary measure is necessary to prevent a repeat.
Officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), led by Head of Abuja Operations Office, Mr. Zakari Abubakar, and staff from the Department of Development Control were present during the barricading to lend support.
Engr. Abdulrahman called on all residents to stay alert, follow safety guidelines, and cooperate with emergency officials to ensure the FCT remains safe throughout the wet season.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that nothing demonstrates a government’s seriousness more convincingly than the visible transformation of its cities — and modern infrastructure remains the loudest proof of purposeful leadership.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the official commissioning of the newly completed Connector Road CN-8, known as Asuquo Okon, and adjoining roads in Dakibiyu District on Tuesday, President Tinubu said that projects like these are more than concrete and steel — they are clear statements of vision, order, and dignity for Nigerians.
“There is no louder proof of a government’s seriousness than the modernization of its cities. Infrastructure is the most persuasive advertisement of leadership, of order, and of vision,” Tinubu stated. “A modern city inspires confidence, attracts investment, and restores the dignity of its people.”
Stretching from the bustling Arterial Road N-5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way in Jabi) to Arterial Road N-1 (Olusegun Obasanjo Way in Dakibiyu), the new road network breathes life into communities long deprived of critical links and unlocks fresh economic opportunities.
“For too long, inadequate infrastructure has choked the aspirations of these areas. Today, we tear down that wall. Shops will open, markets will thrive, congestion will ease, children will reach school faster, and emergency services will respond quicker,” he said, describing the milestone as Renewed Hope turned into visible reality.
President Tinubu stressed that his vision for Abuja extends far beyond its glittering city centre to its neglected margins. “Every road we build, every bridge we complete, every community we connect is a firm step towards a more inclusive, more equitable Nigeria,” he added.
He applauded FCT Minister Barr. Nyesom Wike for his energy and drive in delivering projects with speed and quality. “I must pay tribute to the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike, whose sense of urgency in executing these projects is well known to Nigerians,” Tinubu said, assuring continued federal support for the FCT to deliver on its Renewed Hope promise.
Earlier, the FCT Minister, Barr. Wike, revealed how a search for a site for the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal led him to discover the appalling condition of the area’s roads. “Your Excellency, you can’t believe that as a city we could have such terrible, horrible roads,” he recalled.
With President Tinubu’s approval, the project received Federal Executive Council clearance in September last year and was flagged off in October. “Today, less than a year later, we are commissioning it — to the glory of God and for the service of the judiciary and the people,” Wike said, calling for continued presidential backing to sustain the capital’s transformation.
Echoing this commitment, FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, described the project as a clear sign that the Renewed Hope Agenda is yielding tangible results for communities across the FCT. “Today’s project is yet another testament to this administration’s unwavering commitment to infrastructural development and inclusive urban growth,” she said.
She expressed confidence that the new roads would ease movement, boost connectivity, and stimulate further social and economic development in the fast-growing district.
With projects like this, Abuja’s transformation is more than a promise it is fast becoming the strongest symbol of a government determined to build a modern capital that works for every citizen.
In a decisive move to choke off terrorism financing and money laundering linked to Nigeria’s mineral resources, the Federal Government has entered into a strategic partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Funded by the Canadian government, the new project aims to boost the capacity of Nigeria’s criminal justice system to detect, investigate and prosecute illicit financial flows used to bankroll armed groups, conflict and organised crime in the solid minerals sector.
UNODC’s Project Coordinator on Counter-Terrorism, Mr. Tom Parker, led a delegation to meet with the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, in Abuja. Parker hailed Nigeria’s crackdown on illegal mining, including the creation of Mining Marshals a special unit tackling mineral crimes nationwide.
Commending the UN support, Alake said the backing would strengthen the government’s bold steps to clean up the mining sector and starve criminal networks of illicit profits.
“When I assumed office, I realised we needed a new security architecture for the mining sector. I sought President Tinubu’s approval to establish the Mining Marshals and they’ve been doing a great job arresting and prosecuting illegal miners,” Alake said. “The goal is to send a clear message that it can’t be business as usual. Already, many operators are regularising their operations and obeying the law.”
He added that President Tinubu has approved a cutting-edge satellite monitoring system to track mines across the country and swiftly deploy security forces to sites where illegal activities occur.
The UNODC team, which included Project Officers Inneke Geysens-Bourgions and Nicole Andersen, pledged continued collaboration with Nigeria to disrupt illegal mineral flows and safeguard the sector’s role in national growth.
The fresh partnership is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda to transform solid minerals into a pillar of Nigeria’s economic diversification while shutting down channels that fund insecurity.
Tension gripped the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja on Monday as heavily armed police and Civil Defence operatives barricaded the party’s Secretariat and stopped members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) from holding their scheduled meeting.
Eyewitnesses said about 200 security personnel took control of the Secretariat, ordering party staff out of the premises and locking journalists outside the gates. Staff members who were already inside when security operatives arrived were initially forced out but were later allowed back in after thorough checks.
One police officer, who was heard giving instructions, said they were acting on orders “from above” not to allow any BoT meeting or fresh entry into the Secretariat.
Speaking to reporters shortly before BoT members were prevented from accessing the National Executive Committee (NEC) hall, former National Secretary of the party and BoT member, Senator Ibrahim Tsauri, expressed dismay over the blockade. “The NEC meeting is scheduled for 1pm. I came here but since they have stopped the BoT, I do not know if they can hold the NEC,” Tsauri said.
The reasons behind the sudden security clampdown remain unclear as party leaders scrambled to resolve the standoff.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has vowed that his administration will intensify action against land grabbers seeking to derail Abuja’s development plans, as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, commissioned newly constructed access roads in Giri District on Monday.
Speaking at the commissioning, Wike described the new Giri roads as a gateway to major investments and stronger protection of government land against illegal encroachment. “This road has helped us to stop the land grabbing by the University. On their own, they grabbed 11,000 hectares — no document, nothing. You see them fencing everywhere, and before you know it, they would have gone to sell our land,” the Minister revealed.
To tackle the situation, Wike disclosed that a review of the disputed area has been ordered to reclaim government land and properly allocate only what is legitimate. “I’ve told the Director of Lands and other relevant agencies to carve out 4,000 hectares and give to the University. The rest will be reallocated because we are going to provide roads here. We cannot allow people to just wake up in the morning, fence everywhere without documents — that is not how we work,” he warned.
Describing the newly opened roads as a catalyst for investment, Wike said the district would soon host key institutions like the EFCC Academy, which is now set to commence full development. “The EFCC will be the first beneficiary. They will start the academy immediately because now they have access roads to move in their equipment. When this comes, you’ll see others move in and develop their own areas too,” he said.
He commended the National Assembly for its backing, which ensured the Giri project was captured in the supplementary budget. “I thank the House Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives and the Area Councils for their support. We knew the importance of doing it now — otherwise, it would have become a problem,” he said.
Wike also disclosed that internal roads will soon follow, fully opening up the district for residents and investors. “Having created this access road, we’ve directed the Executive Secretary of the FCDA and other relevant agencies to start working on internal roads. Be assured that in the next year, it will be a different story,” he promised.
He praised the contractors, Messrs Levant Construction, for delivering a quality project on time. “I want to commend the management and staff of Levant for keeping to the promise. I’ve visited the site at least six times — each time I’m coming from the airport or city, I stop by. They did a quality job and finished on time,” Wike added.
The Minister assured residents that the FCT Administration remains committed to providing vital infrastructure that encourages meaningful development in new districts. “Most of the problem is when you allocate land without basic facilities, people are not encouraged to develop. We’ll keep doing everything we can to make sure infrastructure comes first,” he said before inviting Speaker Abbas to formally commission the Giri roads on behalf of President Tinubu.
The Giri access roads are part of multiple projects under the Renewed Hope Agenda connecting neglected districts to economic opportunities while tightening the clampdown on illegal land encroachment as Abuja expands.
