Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer in the 2023 presidential election wrote today on his official Facebook page :

“I have been overwhelmed with inquiries from concerned Nigerians, all eager to understand my position on the latest political shifts, particularly the defection of some PDP members to the ruling party.

Let me be unequivocal: freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy — they are fundamental rights.

Alongside these stand the pillars of a just and functional democratic society: the people, the rule of law, credible elections, and accountability. Undermine any of these, and democracy itself begins to crumble.

As someone who holds fast to these values, I bear no grudges against anyone for exercising their right to political alignment.

Defections, alliances, and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics.

We’ve seen them before, and we’ll see them again.Some have resorted to insults because I visited former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Let’s not rewrite history: Buhari is not only a former leader but a significant statesman in the Nigerian political landscape.

During the 2013 opposition merger, the leaders of the time consulted widely — including visits to Obasanjo and Babangida.

So why is it now sacrilegious for me and other leaders to visit Buhari in Kaduna? If you truly believe in freedom of association, then you must respect the rights of all political actors to engage, regardless of party lines.

Defections, alliances, and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics.

When PDP leaders are busy sipping tea and brokering power deals with President Tinubu, it’s called strategic alliance.

But the moment I greet Peter Obi, el-Rufai, or visit Buhari, it becomes a national emergency. Hypocrisy and the politics of selective outrage have never been this fashionable!

Let us be clear: the coming political battle is not APC versus PDP or LP versus APC. It is Nigerians versus an administration that has plunged the nation into untold suffering.

The economy is in freefall. Inflation is choking the masses. Jobs are vanishing.

Youth restiveness is surging to terrifying levels. Nigerians are not just tired — they are angry, and rightfully so.

This moment is about collective survival. The real enemy is not one another — it is the Tinubu administration’s abysmal failure.

We must reject every attempt to distract us with ethnic, regional, or religious sentiments. These are tools of manipulation, designed to divide and conquer, used by those with nothing else to offer.

The Tinubu administration has no achievements to stand on and no credible record to defend. Its only strategy is chaos and division because that’s the last refuge of the incompetent.

And make no mistake— an incompetent captain does not only wreck his ship; he endangers the lives of everyone on board. -AA”

Sole Administrator Ibok-Ete Ibas has requested more time from the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Rivers State to properly brief the lawmakers on developments in the state.

Ibas made the request at a meeting with the committee in Abuja on Friday. He had earlier failed to appear before the committee on April 17 and 24.

He expressed regret over his failure to honour previous invitations by the committee.

Ibas held a closed-door meeting with members of the ad hoc committee on Rivers State on Friday.

The committee called the meeting as part of efforts to take over legislative duties in Rivers State.

The declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State had to the suspension of the legislature, Governor Sim Fubara and his deputy.

Speaking at the meeting with the committee, Ibas said: “I have always held the National Assembly in the highest regard.

I recognise the importance of your oversight responsibilities and your interest in the progress being made in Rivers, which is presently relatively calm, but still fragile.

“I remain fully committed to cooperating with the committee and to ensuring that all relevant information is made available in due course to support your important work.

“I only request the understanding and the indulgence of this committee to grant me additional time to adequately prepare and present a comprehensive and constructive briefing, given the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the current transitional period in Rivers.

“It is important that any engagement with this committee is done with the depth, accuracy, and clarity it rightfully deserves.

“I remain fully committed to cooperating with the committee and to ensuring that all relevant information is made available in due course to support your important work.”

The River State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd,), has appeared before the House of Representatives Committee overseeing the state’s administration under the emergency rule on Thursday.

The Committee Chairman, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, conducted a closed-door session with committee members, lasting about 50 minutes, but declined to speak to the press afterward.

Journalists were left disappointed as the committee members refused to comment.

The meeting included prominent lawmakers such as Deputy Chief Whip, Ali Isah, and the chairpersons of various House committees, including those for Federal Character, Finance, Water Resources, and Health Services.

The Sole Administrator’s participation at the National Economic Council meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, could explain his absence.

Meanwhile, protests continued in Rivers State as hundreds of women from the Opobo Kingdom marched to demand the immediate reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, whose suspension followed the declaration of a state of emergency in the state.

The women rejected the appointment of a Sole Administrator to manage the state’s affairs, calling the emergency rule unconstitutional.

The protest, led by the President of the Opobo Women Association, Felicia Pepple, began with a solemn prayer session at King Jaja Monument Square, with the women wearing black to seek divine intervention.

A cleric, Venerable Michael Dappa, delivered a sermon that inspired the protesters. The women then marched to the Water Side, chanting, “Bring back our Governor,” and sat on the ground in protest.Pepple emphasised the governor’s positive contributions to the state’s development and appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reinstate Fubara:

“We voted for our peaceful and amiable Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara; we say no to emergency rule.” She urged Nigerians to support their cause and decried the hardship faced by the people of Rivers State under the emergency rule.

A resident, Blessing Accra-Jaja, lamented that the town’s once-bustling landmarks, like King Jaja Monument Square and local hotels, had become deserted.

She called on the National Assembly Reconciliation Committee and President Tinubu to reinstate Governor Fubara, hoping it would restore peace and the town’s festive spirit.

The Rivers Women Unite Prayer Group also expressed concern over the ongoing emergency rule, calling on President Tinubu to end the crisis.

They warned that the economy of Rivers State was deteriorating, causing hardship for women, youths, and children.

In a prayer rally held in Port Harcourt, the group urged the president to lift the emergency rule, restore the state’s democratic institutions, and return Governor Fubara to office.

The group’s statement, signed by Dr. Vivian Ige-Elenwo and Chikodi Okpara, appealed for reconciliation and an end to the political standoff, emphasising the need for urgent action to save the state’s economy and improve the living conditions of its people.

The women expressed unwavering support for President Tinubu but remained firm in their demand for justice, equity, and the return of their elected governor.

The statement also called for greater security measures in the wake of recent attacks in Plateau, Benue, and Gombe states, highlighting the need for sustainable peace and development in the country.

Lawyers demand NBA President’s resignation.

Meanwhile, a coalition of prominent legal professionals under the aegis of the Public Interest Lawyers League has called for the immediate resignation of the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe (SAN), and the Chairman of the NBA Annual General Conference Organising Committee, Emeka Obegolu, following controversy surrounding a N300m payment allegedly received from the Rivers State Government.

The group’s demand comes amid growing calls for the NBA to refund the sum, said to have been paid into its coffers by the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, for the hosting of the association’s 2025 Annual General Conference.

Though the NBA has since relocated the conference to Enugu, it maintains that the N300m was a “gift” from the Rivers State Government.At a press briefing on Thursday in Abuja, PILL President, Abdul Mahmud, accused the NBA leadership of compromising the integrity of the association.

He urged them to return the funds and resign immediately to salvage what remains of the association’s credibility.

“The NBA cannot claim to be the watchdog of public morality while engaging in conduct so thoroughly devoid of the very standards it seeks to impose on others,” Mahmud said.

“The insistence of the NBA leadership to hold on to the N300m is not only disgraceful but reflects a deeper rot that has enabled an unaccountable elite within the association to treat the NBA as a personal fiefdom.

”Mahmud stressed that their call for resignation was not punitive, but a necessary first step towards organisational reform. “This moment demands accountability, courage, and leadership,” he declared.

“These resignations are necessary acts of organisational cleansing, aimed at restoring trust and credibility in the NBA.

”PILL further condemned the lack of transparency surrounding the transaction, noting that the revelation came not from NBA leadership, but from the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.

“It was not disclosed in any official NBA communication, nor acknowledged by the Conference Organising Committee. It took an external whistleblower to bring this dark secret to light,” Mahmud said.

“This scandal is not just about money—it is about principle, integrity, and the very soul of the Nigerian Bar Association.”