A former minister of Lands and Urban Development, Chief Nduese Essien, has warned those agitating for the creation of Obollo State that no part of Ibibio land would be annexed to them.

Essien who spoke at the installation of His Eminence Ntenyin (Dr) Solomon Daniel Etuk as the 4th Grand Patron of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, said the renewed agitation by Obollo people for a separate state is a ploy “to grab Ibibio land”.

Recall that the people of Oro, Ibeno and Eastern Obolo local governments in Akwa Ibom have been championing the creation of Obollo State.

Essien, a former two term member of House of Representatives, claimed that the agitation for the state creation by the Obollos was an attempt to seize control of the Ibibio coastline, particularly the Stubbs Creek Forest, which he said had been lawfully defended by the Ibibio people up to the Privy Council in London.
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He said, “Let me emphasise unambiguously: any attempt to appropriate Ibibio land must be vehemently rejected at all times. The ill-fated expedition has been exposed and must come to an end. No part of Ibibio land will be annexed.”
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‎Essien recalled successive agitations by the Obollos which had met a brickwall, saying the current wave holds no water.

“The second wave of aggression through violence in 1993 was halted by the Justice Ephraim Akpata Commission of Inquiry, and a third in 2014 during the National Conference, where collaborators sought to merge the area with a part the neighbouring River State for a proposed Oil Rivers State,” he added.
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Speaking on the installation of the Oku Ibom Ibibio as the Grand Patron of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, Essien challenged other sociocultural organizations to rise beyond ceremonial functions and play a stronger role in protecting Ibibio heritage, advocating for justice and voicing influential opinions on national discourse, instead of praising political establishments.
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‎Essien commended Mboho’s achievements since its establishment in 1987, including the setting up of educational institutions, agricultural enterprises, tourism outfits and cultural initiatives, but urged its leadership to resist being used as a platform for personal political ambition.

He also described the Oku Ibom as a link between the ‘glorious past, our beautiful present, and the promise of a bright future”.
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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kogi State, led by Hon. Leke Abejide, has declared that the party’s structure has not been hijacked by coalition members.

In fact, the original members of ADC in Kogi State have vowed to chase out what they call “political orphans” attempting to take over the party through the back door.

A media report claimed that ADC was split into two factions, with one group led by National Chairman Dr. Ralphs Okey Nwosu and another by Kogi State Chairman Kingsley Ogga. However, Ogga later clarified that the internal leadership dispute had been resolved amicably through an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process.

The original ADC members in Kogi State have declared their support for Hon. Leke Abejide as the National Leader of the party, citing his transformational ideas and visionary workings.

There are indications of tension between the original ADC members and those who joined through the coalition, with the former accusing the latter of attempting to hijack the party for selfish interests.

The ADC has been making moves to take over PDP structures in several northern states, including Yobe, Gombe, and Adamawa.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been providing direction to the coalition, aiming to make it a formidable and viable platform.

Some prominent politicians, including former PDP Governors’ Forum Director-General C.I.D. Maduabum, have defected to the ADC, citing the party’s growing credibility and focus on good governance.

A founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prof. Jerry Gana has said that Peter Obi may be good, but that the PDP has somebody better.

He, however, maintained that the former Governor of Anambra State would win the northern state, should he return to the main opposition party.

Ekwutosblog reports that Gana has in recent weeks continued his call for Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in 2023, to come back to the PDP.

He believes that the former Governor has a better chance of challenging the incumbent government as the flagbearer of the PDP.

Speaking on Arise News, Gana expressed the confidence that Obi would defeat any contender in Nigeria’s northern states if he contested on the PDP platform.

Obi said he was still a member of the Labour Party and had vowed to remain in the party for the meantime while working with the African Democratic Congress, ADC-led coalition.

He left the PDP in May 2022 to pursue his bid under the LP.

“The PDP is on the ground. I’m a researcher, and I research opinions. In the northern states, Peter Obi under the PDP will defeat any candidate because our people are very fair-minded and just.

“We are reaching out to Peter Obi. Because I’m leading a search team and there are many brilliant people. Peter may be good, but we have somebody better. So, we are searching.

“We made a mistake in 2023. If I were Atiku, I would say, ‘Peter, it is now your turn; I would give you a vice-president,’ but he didn’t,” he said.

Adding his voice to the discussion on Thursday, a former National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Jacob Mark said the former Anambra governor was free to return to the party if he so wished.

He insisted that the PDP was the best bet for Obi to win the 2027 presidential election.