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2023 Presidency: Yoruba groups divided over Tinubu, Obi, others

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Ahead of the 2023 presidential poll, major socio-cultural and political organisations in the South-West are currently divided over which of the leading political parties and presidential candidates to support for president.

The leading presidential candidates include Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC); Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of Labour Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

In separate interviews with Saturday Sun, the groups were not on the same page on which candidate they would support for President.

The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) said it has made its position known prior to the presidential primaries conducted by various political parties that the next president of Nigeria must come from the South.

In a telephone interview with Saturday Sun, the Secretary-General of YCE, Dr. Kunle Olajide asserted that the council would throw its weight behind Tinubu to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari next year.

He noted that the council would back Tinubu because he has contributed immensely to the nation’s development, saying the former Lagos governor was competent to serve as president of the country.

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Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, has, however, ha never hidden his preference for the South East to produce the next President of Nigeria. But it could not be immediately confirmed whether his position is the same as that of the entire organisation. Saturday Sun reached out to some chieftains of Afenifere on the issue. But they said they would not make comments on the stance of Pa Adebanjo for the 2023 presidential poll.

All efforts to contact the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr Jare Ajayi, on his mobile phone for the official position of Afenifere on the issue failed.

The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), on its part, said it was more concerned with the issue of restructuring of the country.

Iba Gani Adams, who is the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, and who spoke through his Special Assistant on Media, Alhaji Kehinde Aderemi, said the group was only interested in the restructuring of Nigeria such that true federalism would be practised in the country. He said the group had never been a political one and would not dabble into politics.

“Aare Adams has been advocating restructuring of Nigerian into regions like we used to have in the past in this country, which made each region to develop at its own pace, have state police, have control over its resources and so on. This is what we stand for. We are concerned about security and cultural promotion of Yorubaland. We are not politicians.”

The Leader of Apapo Egbe Alaabo Ile Oodua (Homeland Defence and Security Initiative), Dr. Victor Taiwo, also told Saturday Sun that the organisation was apolitical and only concerned about adequate security of lives and property in Yorubaland.

The apex Yoruba self-determination group, Ilana Omo Oodua (IOO), which spoke through Mr Maxwell Adeleye, noted that the group had no faith in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. He explained that the IOO had been fighting against the conduct of the 2023 general elections, maintaining that it would not support.

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UK-based Nigerian divorces wife after viral cheating allegation

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A United Kingdom-based Nigerian man, identified on X as Ugo (@heismric), has confirmed the end of his marriage after publicly alleging that his wife was involved in infidelity while he was working abroad and funding her education and family life.

Ugo, who shared a series of emotional posts that later went viral, said the marriage has now been officially dissolved, adding that he received confirmation of the final order from the UK courts.

The couple’s relationship had previously been widely admired online.

According to him, the relationship began with a proposal in January 2023, followed by marriage in December 2023. They later welcomed a child in 2024, after which he relocated his wife to the United Kingdom.

He claimed he took full responsibility for the family’s financial needs, including paying her school fees and supporting her throughout pregnancy and childbirth.

He also said he went as far as developing digital applications to support her well-being and their child, describing his efforts as part of his commitment to building a stable home.

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After the birth of their child, he reportedly bought her a car as a “push gift,” a gesture that was widely shared online at the time as a sign of affection.

However, the relationship later deteriorated following allegations of infidelity. In now-deleted posts, Ugo accused his wife of bringing another man into their home while he was working in the United Kingdom.

In one of the viral tweets, he wrote, ”It’s crazy you’re in my house, sleeping with another man, but I’m in London working my ass out to pay your school fees in GBP. No! Send your tuition to that man. He’s man enough to sleep with another man’s wife; he should match it with his funds. Divorce finalised, gtf.”

He also alleged that members of his wife’s family did not condemn the situation, but instead continued to demand financial support for her education.

“Because her family didn’t see anything wrong in it, but have the audacity to ask me about her tuition. Also I know the man, and his stupid ass is on my Instagram and X viewing my posts. Talking about, ‘I miss you, when am I seeing you again’ while she responds ‘as you should,’” he further wrote.

As the story gained traction online, reactions were divided, with some users sympathising with him while others criticised him for airing private marital issues on social media.

Some also revisited his earlier posts showing public displays of affection, noting that he had frequently expressed love for his wife online, while she maintained a relatively low public profile.

In a follow-up post on Monday confirming the separation, Ugo wrote,”UGO’s wife. Divorce is finalised. It’s ex-wife.”

He later shared a screenshot of an official divorce notification from the UK HM Courts and Tribunals Service, confirming that the final order had been granted, thereby legally ending the marriage.

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Three senators, 16 Reps members who betrayed Obi and should be rejected by NDC — Obi’s aide

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Peter Obi
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The Special Adviser to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential hopeful, Peter Obi, on Media and Publicity, Valentine Obienyem, has argued that politicians who allegedly benefited from Obi’s political popularity in 2023 before defecting to other parties should not be allowed back into the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Obienyem, in an opinion article titled “Why Political Opportunists Must Not Be Allowed to Run Again,” said some politicians secured elective positions during the “Peter Obi wave” of 2022 despite having little independent electoral prospects, only to abandon the political movement shortly after assuming office.

According to him, a number of elected officials rode on Obi’s political momentum to win elections before defecting to the ruling party, while a few others remained loyal and moved alongside the former presidential candidate through successive political transitions.

“During the Peter Obi wave in 2022, many individuals — some of whom never realistically had prospects of electoral victory — secured positions largely on the strength of his popularity and political momentum,” Obienyem stated.
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He added: “Shortly after settling into offices, several of them defected to other political parties. A few, however, recognizing the pivotal role Obi played in their electoral success remained with him. This explains why some have consistently moved with him from the Labour Party to the ADC and subsequently to the NDC. This pattern is often described as ‘following your leader.’”

The presidential aide argued that some of those who defected to the ruling party were now seeking a return to the NDC as another election cycle approaches, alleging that their interest was driven by the desire to benefit again from Obi’s political influence.

“Now, as another election cycle approaches, some of those who previously defected to the APC are either returning to the NDC or signaling intentions to return. Their primary motivation is the desire to once again ride on Obi’s political influence,” he said.

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Describing such actions as political opportunism, Obienyem maintained that the NDC should resist granting party tickets to politicians who had previously abandoned the movement.

“This behaviour suggests a tendency to treat Obi as a mere political instrument — useful when advantageous and discarded when convenient. That is not a principled way to follow a leader,” he stated.

He further argued that defectors who left previous political platforms should not be allowed to displace longstanding party members, warning that repeated defections could weaken party cohesion and ideological consistency.

“We cannot continue to indulge opportunism in the name of political strategy,” he said, adding that individuals who felt “betrayed” by their former parties should seek alternative platforms if they believed they retained electoral value independently.

Obienyem listed three senators — Ezenwa Onyewuchi, Kelvin Chukwu and Neda Imasuen — among lawmakers he said defected after benefiting from Obi’s support base.

He also named 16 members of the House of Representatives, including Joshua Chinedu Obika, Chinedu Tochukwu Okere, Bassey Akiba, Ngozi Okolie and others, as politicians who should not be considered for return tickets under the NDC.

The comments signal growing internal debate over loyalty, defections and candidate selection within opposition politics as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

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10 feared dead as gunmen attack convoy in Zamfara

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Nabeeha: Police arrest ‘deadly kidnapper’, destroy bandits camp in Kaduna
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At least 10 people have been killed after suspected bandits ambushed a convoy along the Gusau–Magami–Dansadau Road in Zamfara State.

Several others are injured in the attack, while an unspecified number of passengers are reportedly abducted by the gunmen.

Eyewitnesses say the incident occurs between 4pm and 5pm as vigilante operatives escort residents travelling through the route, considered one of the state’s most dangerous highways.

The attackers reportedly open fire on the convoy, triggering panic among travellers and security volunteers.

Those killed include five traders, three local hunters and a member of the Zamfara Community Protection Guards (CPG).

The injured victims are initially taken to Magami General Hospital for treatment before arrangements are made for their referral to Gusau for further medical care.

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However, hospital sources say the victims remain stranded in Magami because there is no available security escort to facilitate their movement safely.

Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident as insecurity continues to plague several communities across Zamfara State.

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