NEWS
ATIKU: Wike not qualified to be President?
By Paul Eso
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, following the outcome of its presidential primary election, may worsen if the comments by the party’s standard bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Governor Nyesim Wike, are anything to go by.
In an exclusive interview on Arise Television, Friday morning, Atiku reiterated his reasons for choosing the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, over Wike as his running mate for the 2023 general elections.
According to him, he chose who he felt could deliver among the nominees that were presented to him.
Analysts have queried what Atiku meant by this statement. Does it mean that Wike cannot deliver?
Recall that the former vice president had after announcing Okowa as his running mate explained that, “In arriving at the decision, I held wide consultations with various stakeholders in our party including our governors, the national working committee, board of trustees, and other leaders to seek their inputs and their wisdom. In these consultations, I made clear that my running mate would have the potential to succeed me at a moment’s notice, that is, a president-in-waiting.
“In other words, the person must have the qualities to be President. The person must have an appreciation of the deep rot which our country has been put into by the rudderless All Progressives Congress government; understands the great suffering that most of our people are going through and the urgency of relieving them of that suffering; understands the critical importance of economic growth and development to provide our young people with jobs, hope, and a pathway to wealth.”
Also recall that the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, had on June 29, 2022, during an interview on Arise TV, said Wike, and others who backed the Rivers governor for the PDP vice-presidential ticket slot deserved a detailed explanation from the party’s presidential candidate on his choice of running mate.
Ortom said it was surprising that Atiku could jettison the recommendation of 14 out of 17 members of the committee that recommended Wike as his running mate.
The Benue governor said: “… I expected him (Atiku) to reach out to Wike who came second at the primary and he denied him the popular view of PDP members. 14 out of 17 members say that Wike should be the VP but in his wisdom, he chose Governor Okowa. But if we are in a democratic era, and 14 people out of 17 said that it should be Wike, and he (Atiku) in his wisdom gave it to Okowa, I expect more explanation, I expect him to talk to Wike first, I expect him to even reach out to some of us so that together we can work as a party.
But speaking on the issue during the Arise interview, Atiku declared that Wike was not rejected as he only picked who could deliver.
He said: “I didn’t reject Wike, I picked who can deliver. Wike is brilliant and tenacious. Going by history, I had picked an Igbo as running mate in 2007, in 2019. I still picked an Igbo for 2023.
“The committee that presented the three nominees was chaired by the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom. They recommended three people, so I picked one. People should be fair to me and state the facts”, he appealed.
However, many political watchers have picked holes in Atiku’s response and interpreted his utterances as adding fuel to a raging inferno.
Those who spoke to Biz Tellers opined that going by Atiku’s comment, it simply means that Wike was not qualified to be a Nigerian president.
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They are of the view that the reason given by Atiku will only exacerbate an already bad situation.
A PDP chieftain who preferred anonymity said the party’s standard bearer shouldn’t have made those comments on Wike.
According to him, “What we expect from him is soothing and unifying comments. Saying that he only picked who could deliver and a president-in-waiting means that Wike does not have what it takes to be a president and cannot deliver. That’s wrong, he should always gauge his words before letting them out “.
How Wike and those supporting him will take this latest missiles from Atiku is yet to be seen. However, one thing is sure, that all is not well with the PDP.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has challenged the Presidency to explain how Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) dividends were distributed among states and local governments, insisting that a reconciliation exercise identified a shortfall of about ₦9 trillion.
Makinde’s position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, in response to the Presidency’s rejection of the governor’s earlier claims over NLNG dividend payments.
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The statement said the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), with the support of the Federal Government, engaged a consultant to reconcile NLNG dividend payments, adding that the exercise identified approximately ₦9 trillion allegedly due to states and local governments.
“The exercise identified a shortfall of about ₦9 trillion due to states and local governments. The Federal Government accepted the findings,” the statement said.
The governor maintained that the reconciliation report remained in the custody of both the Federal Government and the NGF.
“The report remains in the custody of both the Federal Government and the NGF. We trust the Presidency will not deny its existence,” the statement added.
The statement also noted that Makinde is the incumbent Vice-Chairman of the NGF.
Makinde Questions $21.5bn NLNG Dividend Payments
The governor questioned the Presidency’s statement that NLNG had paid $21.5 billion in dividends into the Federation Account since its inception, including $3 billion received under the current administration.
According to Makinde, the Presidency’s response did not explain how the payments were distributed or establish the amounts received by states and local governments.
“The Presidency stated that NLNG had paid $21.5 billion in dividends into the Federation Account since inception, including $3 billion received under the current administration. But it did not explain how these funds were disbursed,” the statement said.
The governor also questioned whether states and local governments had received their shares, how much they received and the basis for calculating their allocations.
“Have states and local governments received their shares? How much did they receive, and how were those amounts calculated? What happened to the $3 billion received under this administration?” the statement asked.
Makinde defended the figures he had previously cited, maintaining that his claims were based on verifiable information.
“Governor Makinde conducts public discourse with decorum and does not make unfounded claims or quote figures without a basis,” the statement said.
The governor maintained that he was ready to provide further clarification on the matter while urging the Presidency to address the substance of the allegations.
“We remain ready to provide further clarification while we urge the presidency to address the substance of the matter,” the statement added.
Recall that Biztellers had earlier reported the Presidency’s rejection of Makinde’s claim concerning NLNG dividends allegedly withheld from states and local governments.
The Presidency stated that NLNG had paid $21.5 billion in dividends into the Federation Account since its inception, including $3 billion received under the current administration.
However, in his latest response, Makinde argued that disclosing the total amount paid into the Federation Account did not address how the funds were distributed among the different tiers of government.
The governor is now demanding clarification on the distribution of the dividends and the findings of the reconciliation exercise that reportedly identified the ₦9 trillion shortfall.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to shut down Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State, if the institution’s management fails to reverse the reported increase in school fees.
The association, in a press release dated Sunday, October 18, 2026, described the reported tuition increment as insensitive, unjustifiable and unacceptable, citing the economic difficulties confronting Nigerian students.
The statement was signed by the NANS President, Dist. Comr. Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, GCNS, who warned that the increase could frustrate the academic aspirations of countless students.
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“To be clear, education cannot be commercialised. Students cannot be made to pay for the financial challenges confronting our universities,” the statement read.
NANS acknowledged that universities require adequate funding but argued that their managements, particularly vice-chancellors, should explore innovative revenue-generating opportunities rather than impose additional financial burdens on students.
The association maintained that the Federal Government was investing heavily in education to keep students in school and ensure that access to education was not determined by their financial background or status.
NANS Gives University Management Conditions
The student body warned the vice-chancellor and the entire university management against policies capable of pushing students out of school.
It said the national leadership would not stand by while Nigerian students faced additional financial pressure that could threaten their academic futures.
“Going forward, we wish to make it clear to the Vice-Chancellor and the entire University Management that the National Leadership of NANS will not stand by while Nigerian students are subjected to policies capable of pushing them out of school,” the statement said.
NANS subsequently demanded an immediate reversal of the reported tuition increase and called on the university to restore fees to the affordable and reasonable levels that existed before the increment.
The association warned that failure to meet its demand would lead to a mobilisation of its national leadership to the institution.
“To this end, we call on the management of Alex Ekwueme Federal University to immediately reverse the reported tuition increment and return the fees to the affordable and reasonable level that existed before the increment. Otherwise, we will mobilise the National Secretariat of NANS to Alex Ekwueme Federal University and shut down the school until the fee is reversed,” the statement added.
NANS Reaffirms Commitment to Students
The association reiterated its commitment to defending the interests, welfare and aspirations of Nigerian students.
It pledged to continue speaking firmly against policies that place unnecessary and unbearable financial burdens on students.
NANS maintained that students should not be made to bear the financial challenges confronting universities and called on the management of AE-FUNAI to reverse the reported increase.
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has handed over land titles to displaced residents of nine communities in Birnin Yero, Igabi Local Government Area, to enable them to rebuild their homes and regain shelter.
The Kaduna State Ministry of Information and Culture disclosed the development on Sunday, October 18, 2026, describing the exercise as an intervention aimed at helping displaced residents rebuild their homes.
According to the ministry, each beneficiary is being allocated a plot of land to support resettlement and provide shelter for affected residents.
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“ He is officially handing over land titles, giving each person a plot of land to rebuild their homes and regain shelter,” the ministry’s announcement stated.
The ministry also noted that Governor Sani had continued to support displaced communities across Kaduna State since assuming office.
The latest exercise focuses on nine communities in Igabi Local Government Area, with the allocation of land intended to help affected residents rebuild their homes and regain stability.
The development comes amid previous reports concerning land disputes and displacement affecting communities in Kaduna State.
In September 2026, reports indicated that the Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) had resolved more than 5,000 land disputes and restored over 150 property titles.
The agency also reported that alternative plots had been provided to some communities affected by previous demolitions.
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