Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has issued a stern warning to former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, advising him not to enter the state without prior security clearance.

The governor’s remarks came on Friday during a rally organized by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to welcome Hon. Marcus Onobun, a former member of the House of Representatives under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the APC fold.

Okpebholo’s warning followed Obi’s recent visit to Edo State, during which he donated ₦15 million to the St. Philomena Hospital School of Nursing in Benin City for an ongoing building project.

In a viral video from the rally, Okpebholo linked Obi’s visit to renewed violence in the state.

“He came the other day and donated N15 million. Somebody that said he doesn’t give shishi, where did he get N15 million to donate to people.. By the time he left, there was crisis. Three people died in Benin,” the governor said.

He continued with a direct message to Obi:
“For that reason, tell Obi he should not come to Edo without telling me. I am sending a direct message to him that there’s a new sheriff in town.
His security will never be guaranteed. He must not come to Edo without security clearance.”

Governor Okpebholo also launched a broader attack on unnamed opposition figures, accusing them of corruption and complicity in derailing critical national projects.

“Some of them stole railway funds. Some were Senate Presidents for years and could not build roads to their villages. Some sold off Nigeria’s assets. These same people now want to form new parties. Today, SDP, tomorrow ADC, next ADA. We do not need insecurity merchants,” he said.

Meanwhile, Marcus Onobun explained his defection as both a strategic and ideological decision.

“I have seen what Governor Okpebholo is doing; Edo people have seen it. I am back home to support him so that our people can get more,” Onobun declared.

DAILY GAZETTE recalls that Onobun’s switch to the APC comes just a month after state government authorities marked his house in Iruekpen for demolition, citing alleged involvement in cult-related activities.

IBB’s Son

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Muhammad Babangida, son of former military president Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), as the new Chairman of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA).

The announcement was made on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, as part of a broader list of newly appointed chairpersons and heads of federal government agencies.

“Some of them will serve as chairmen or directors-general of Federal agencies,” Onanuga said in the official statement.

Muhammad Babangida, 53, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Public Relations and Business Communication from the European University in Montreux, Switzerland.

He also completed the Executive Program on Corporate Governance at Harvard Business School in 2002.

Other appointments confirmed by the presidency include:

Lydia Kalat Musa (Kaduna State) – Chairman, Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA)

Jamilu Wada Aliyu (Kano State) – Chairman, National Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC)

Hon. Yahuza Ado Inuwa (Kano State) – Chairman, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)

Sanusi Musa (SAN) (Kano State) – Chairman, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR)

Prof. Al-Mustapha Alhaji Aliyu (Sokoto State) – Director-General, Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA)

Sanusi Garba Rikiji (Zamfara State) – Director-General, Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN)

Mrs. Tomi Somefun (Oyo State) – Managing Director, National Hydro-Electric Power Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC)

Dr. Abdulmumini Mohammed Aminu-Zaria (Kaduna State) – Executive Director, Nigerian Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC).

The Acting National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Iliya Damagum, has reacted to the resignation of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing it as a familiar move among politicians.

Speaking to journalists on Friday at the Government House in Bauchi, Damagum addressed Atiku’s recent departure and the exit of others from the party.

He said the PDP is not surprised by Atiku’s move and remains optimistic about his possible return.

“Well, it is expected because this is not the first time and I don’t think it will be the last time. We are still expecting him any moment from now,” Damagum stated.

Atiku, who was the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, resigned from the party on Wednesday.

In a letter addressed to the Chairman of Jada 1 Ward in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State, he cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for his departure.

In the letter, the former Vice President expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of the PDP, saying the party had deviated from the ideals upon which it was originally built.

He noted that the party’s direction no longer aligned with its founding vision and principles.

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, accused former Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar of being fixated on becoming Nigeria’s president.

“The only thing that interests Atiku Abubakar is to become Nigeria’s president,” Olayinka told Channels TV, adding with concern:

“I’m beginning to wonder whether a doctor prescribed ‘presidency’ for him, and if he doesn’t become president, something will happen to him.”

He also reacted to Atiku’s recent resignation from the PDP with scorn:

“Good riddance to bad rubbish. Today, the PDP has been so destroyed and damaged by this one man, Atiku Abubakar, who is now gone,” and warned,

“When highly spirited members of the party come together to rebuild the party, Atiku should not come back after he has failed in his new political journey because I know he is going to fail.”

Meanwhile, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo also weighed in on Atiku’s departure. On X, he criticized the timing of the resignation, which came shortly after news of former President Buhari’s death.

Keyamo wrote that the move showed “your obsession with your perennial presidential ambition knows no sympathy or empathy.”

He highlighted that Atiku had drafted and submitted the resignation “the morning after the passing away of the former president was announced,” suggesting it was meant to steal focus from the nation’s mourning.

Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, has detailed how certain influential figures in the former president’s circle covertly bypassed official channels to deliver memos directly to him.

Reflecting on his time at the Presidential Villa during a guest appearance on Inside Sources yesterday, Gambari explained that those in Buhari’s inner circle “knew his weak moment, they knew when to smuggle (memos) because they knew him as they interacted with him informally.”

When Gambari assumed the role of Chief of Staff on May 13, 2020, Buhari publicly made a clear directive: “All memos must go through the Chief of Staff before coming to him.”

He praised Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for adhering to this rule.

However, Gambari acknowledged that “our people still got their memos to him from behind because they knew his weak point and who to use and he never stopped them, but the advantage I had was that the memos came back to me.”

Gambari also spoke warmly of Buhari’s leadership style, noting that the octogenarian admired his appointees and was reluctant to dismiss members of the cabinet despite public pressure.

Commenting on the concept of a presidential cabal, Gambari said it is inherent to the office.

“They say there was a cabal, there was. Every government has a cabal. They may call them a kitchen cabinet; they may call them a think tank.” He explained that this unofficial advisory group allowed the president to “let their guard down to and talk to freely.”

He elaborated on Buhari’s inner advisory circle: “Some have more powers than others, but I’m bold to say that every government has a cabal of some kind or another, whatever name it is called. So, there was (a cabal under Buhari).”

Gambari also pointed to precedent in previous administrations: “(Former President Olusegun) Obasanjo had a group of people. The Aboyades of this world and others, a small group of people.”

Recalling his own experiences in government, he cited that even during the military era, unofficial advisors existed.

“I was a minister 1884–1985 but I wasn’t privy to why he was removed by his colleagues… but one of the reasons I’m told was the military people were resenting the fact that Head of State Buhari was now getting a lot of advice and second‑guessing the decision of his military colleagues.”

Born on December 17, 1942, Buhari held power as Nigeria’s head of state from January 1984 to August 1985, and later served two elected terms from 2015 to 2023.