President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has declared that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is the recognised leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, dismissing claims linking former governor Nyesom Wike to the party’s leadership structure.

Bwala made the clarification on Thursday while speaking on Channels Television’s Hard Copy, against the backdrop of an ongoing political crisis in Rivers State that has seen the State House of Assembly commence impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara.

According to Bwala, the position of the APC national leadership is unequivocal, stressing that Wike is not a member of the ruling party and therefore lacks the authority to speak or act on its behalf in Rivers State.

He said the party’s national chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, had already made it clear that Fubara, as the sitting governor, is the APC leader in the state.

“In Rivers State, Governor Fubara is the leader of the APC. Wike is not a member of the APC, so he cannot speak for the party,” Bwala said.

He added that while Wike may be regarded as a leading figure within the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers due to his past role as governor, such influence does not extend to the APC.

“He may be the leader of the PDP in Rivers State because they currently do not have a governor, but as far as the APC is concerned, Governor Fubara is the party leader in the state,” he stated.

Bwala further noted that President Tinubu supports internal party democracy, constitutional order, and the rule of law, insisting that the party would not condone any actions capable of undermining governance in Rivers State.

On the impeachment moves against Fubara, Bwala said the APC expects that the governor should be allowed to perform his constitutional duties without obstruction, particularly in light of existing court orders restraining the process.

“There are court orders stopping the impeachment. The party’s position is clear: nobody should stop Governor Fubara from governing Rivers State,” he said.

The presidential aide also clarified that Wike’s appointment as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory does not translate into leadership or authority within the APC, describing his role as one of service to the Federal Government rather than to the ruling party.

“The President believes in rewarding loyalty and service, but not at the expense of national interest or what is right,” Bwala said.

He urged all political stakeholders in Rivers State to respect constitutional processes, adding that the APC’s recognition of Fubara as party leader has effectively settled the internal dispute.

Governor Fubara formally joined the APC in December 2025 after defecting from the PDP and has since been endorsed by the party for a second term in the 2027 governorship election.

Meanwhile, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, citing allegations of gross misconduct, including financial mismanagement and constitutional violations.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dragged the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) of the FCTA to court over the ongoing strike by FCTA workers, with a hearing scheduled for Monday.

The indefinite strike, launched by workers of the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority on Monday, followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum and has paralyzed operations across key government offices in Abuja.

Security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Police Force, were deployed to restrict access to the FCTA Secretariat.

While FCTA management maintains that most of the workers’ demands have been met, JUAC has rejected this claim, insisting that critical issues remain unresolved.

Court documents, sighted by DAILY GAZETTE correspondent, show that the lawsuit, filed at the Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court under suit number NICN/ABJ/17/2026, names the FCT Minister and the FCTA as claimants.

The defendants are JUAC President Rifkatu Iortyer and Secretary-General Abdullahi Saleh, sued in their representative capacities.

The suit seeks an order restraining the unions and their agents from engaging in picketing, obstruction, lockouts, or any actions directed at the claimants, departmental heads, and political appointees.

The unions are accused of blocking roads, shutting offices, and disrupting the smooth running of the FCT administration.

At Thursday’s hearing, the claimants were represented by a team of senior lawyers, including Ogwu Onoja, SAN; M.A. Ebute, SAN; George Ibrahim, SAN; K.O. Mustapha, Esq.; and Esther Audu, Esq. The defendants were absent.

After reviewing affidavits and submissions, Justice E.D. Subilim granted leave for substituted service of court processes on the union leaders.

The court ruled that service could be effected by publication in the Leadership Newspaper or any other national daily, and by pasting the processes at the JUAC office at the FCTA Secretariat in Garki, Abuja. Justice Subilim declared this mode of service valid and proper.

The matter was adjourned to January 26, 2026, for motion on notice.

Despite the legal challenge, JUAC has vowed to continue the strike.

In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Holina Adejoh, the union urged workers to comply with its directive to stay away from work.

“We sincerely appreciate you for complying with the directive to stay at home. The strike action continues until our demands are met,” the statement said.

JUAC also confirmed awareness of the court action, insisting it would not be intimidated or suspend the strike.

“We will not relent in the struggle nor allow agents of oppression to cow us into submission. JUAC will not succumb to any form of intimidation or harassment by any means,” the union said, appealing for continued unity and compliance among workers.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has called on the Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) to abandon internal conflicts, respect the recent Federal High Court ruling affirming Senator Nenadi Usman’s leadership, and align with the party’s lawful structures.

Reacting to the court judgment, Otti, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, assured that the Abure faction would be forgiven and reintegrated into the party if they “turn a new leaf and commit to being law-abiding.”

Describing the judgment as sound, the governor commended supporters and “lovers of democracy” who stood with LP during its turbulent period.

He urged those behind protracted and frivolous litigations against the party to sheathe their swords and adhere to the court’s decision, which aligns with the earlier verdict of the Supreme Court.

Otti also tasked the national leadership of the Labour Party to leverage the court victory as an opportunity to restructure the party, ensuring that peace, unity, and justice guide its operations in accordance with its constitution and core ideals.

Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has called on the Federal Government to jail tax evaders as a way of strengthening compliance and deterring others from violating tax laws.

Oshiomhole made the call on Wednesday while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, where he argued that resistance to taxation, particularly value-added tax (VAT), is largely a Nigerian phenomenon.

According to him, the newly enacted tax laws are designed to protect low-income earners while ensuring that those who earn more contribute fairly to national revenue. He stressed that tax compliance should not be treated as optional.

“Taxes must be paid by those who are supposed to pay them and must be ruthlessly collected. It is not merely a civil obligation. Breaching tax laws is a criminal offence, and serious governments send offenders to prison when they refuse to pay or manipulate tax records,” Oshiomhole said.

The former Edo State governor explained that the current tax framework reflects the principles of a progressive system, placing a higher burden on high-income earners while shielding the poor.

He also clarified that VAT mainly applies to luxury and non-essential items, not basic goods, and criticised Nigerians who oppose paying local taxes but readily comply with similar obligations abroad.

Oshiomhole maintained that President Bola Tinubu’s tax reforms align with progressive governance, noting that exemptions are built into the system for those who earn less.

“This is a progressive tax policy that places a higher burden on those who earn more while offering relief to low-income earners,” he said.

He added that widespread misunderstanding of how government revenue works contributes to public resistance to taxation.

“Governments do not earn money on their own. Citizens earn income, and government revenue comes from taxes paid by individuals and corporations. These taxes determine the annual income of the state,” Oshiomhole explained.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed speculations that the recent court ruling affirming Senator Nenadi Usman as acting National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) could trigger the return of Mr Peter Obi to the LP.

The party said the judgment would neither weaken the opposition coalition nor affect preparations aimed at unseating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.

Speaking with DAILY GAZETTE in Abuja, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, stated that the ruling does not substantially alter political alignments ahead of the next elections.

He explained that the affirmation of Senator Usman’s leadership by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has no bearing on Mr Obi’s political decision, stressing that Obi has already openly aligned with the ADC.

“The ruling does not change anything substantially. Mr Peter Obi has declared openly for the ADC, and that settles the matter,” Abdullahi said.

He added that Senator Usman has also been a key figure within the opposition coalition from its inception, noting that the court verdict would only reinforce the alliance rather than weaken it.

“If anything, this judgment will only make the coalition stronger,” he added.

Barrister Julius Abure, who emerged as Labour Party National Chairman following a National Executive Council meeting in 2021, was recently removed following a series of legal battles over the party’s leadership.

Subsequently, INEC recognised former Finance Minister, Senator Nenadi Usman, as the legitimate acting chairman of the LP.

Mr Obi, who placed third in the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, had earlier exited the party amid a prolonged leadership crisis marked by conflicting court judgments and internal disputes.

Despite what some observers describe as a resolution of the LP leadership tussle, ADC maintained that there is no basis for fears that Obi would return to his former party.

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja has removed the Abure-led executive of the Labour Party and nullified the candidates produced under its leadership for election purposes, holding that Abure’s tenure as national chairman had elapsed.