The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has urged Igbo people across the world to end agitations for a separate Biafran nation, arguing that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has addressed long-standing grievances through inclusion and integration.

Umahi said the Tinubu administration had given Ndigbo what they had sought for decades, not through secession, but through what he described as unprecedented inclusion in national governance and development.

The minister spoke late on Saturday during an inspection tour of ongoing mega projects on the Enugu–Anambra Road, where he addressed stakeholders, contractors and community leaders.

He explained that the agitation for Biafra was historically driven by neglect, exclusion and underrepresentation at the federal level, but insisted that the situation had changed under the current administration.

“When a people are fully integrated, respected and empowered within the structure of the nation, the dream they once chased through agitation has already been achieved through cooperation,” Umahi said.

“The push for Biafran secession over the years was borne out of neglect, exclusion and underrepresentation, but today the narrative has changed dramatically under President Bola Tinubu.

“The President has deliberately opened the doors of national development to the South-East. Appointments, policy inputs and infrastructure priorities now reflect true federal balance.”

Umahi said the South-East had received what he described as its full quota in national appointments, citing his position as Minister of Works alongside other key roles occupied by Igbo appointees in the current administration.

“Every sector now bears visible Igbo footprints. The emergence of Igbo sons and daughters in strategic positions is a testament to this inclusion,” he said.

He added that major infrastructure projects were springing up across all five states of the South-East, many of which had previously been considered unattainable.

According to him, these developments explain why governors such as Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, and other leaders in the region have aligned with the APC-led Federal Government.

“Biafra was never about breaking Nigeria; it was about being counted in Nigeria,” Umahi said.

“Through inclusion, equity and concrete development, Ndigbo are no longer spectators in the Nigerian project; they are co-authors of its future. When justice finds a people, agitation loses its voice.”

The minister reiterated that the South-East should rally behind President Tinubu, whom he said had demonstrated rare commitment to the region through massive investments in infrastructure.

He recalled that in September, during an inspection of the dualisation of the Enugu–Benue highway at Ninth Mile Corner, Enugu State, he declared that the Tinubu administration had “remembered the South-East” and deserved overwhelming support.

Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), the counsel for the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, for the umpteenth time on Sunday, dismissed speculations that his principal would be dropping the suit against erstwhile Speaker Mojisola Meranda, and the Assembly members.

Fashanu, in a telephone interview with The TheNigerian, said his team was awaiting the court judgement on the matter and there was no going back.

This is despite President Bola Tinubu’s recent intervention in resolving the leadership crisis at the Lagos Assembly with sources maintaining that part of the settlement was for Obasa to withdraw the suit against his colleagues.

On March 17, 2025, Justice Yetunde Pinheiro of the Lagos State High Court, where the case is being heard, reserved judgment in the suit filed by Obasa, who is challenging the legality of the January 13, 2025 proceedings that led to his initial removal.

The judge heard several preliminary objections by various counsel representing the defendants and said the date to deliver the judgment and rulings would be communicated to parties in due course.

“We are just waiting for the judgment. We don’t know when yet, the court said they will communicate it to us,” Fashanu said on Sunday.

When asked if Obasa was still considering withdrawing the suit, he said, “We have concluded. You’re twisting the hand of the clock back. We have concluded arguments; that one does not arise again. He’s not withdrawing, we have concluded.”

A former chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, and member of the Governance Advisory Council, Otunba Henry Ajomale, said on Saturday that he believed Obasa would withdraw the suit soon given Tinubu’s intervention.

An online medium reported that the chieftain said this in a chat with journalists on the sideline of an award to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Lagos on Saturday.

“Very soon, (at) the next sitting, you will see the difference,” he said.

“Somebody is aggrieved and he went to court. It is his right to go to court. And it is now our own duty since Mr. President intervened and rightly too because this is his own making.

“He will not allow it to create a bitter problem. And that is why he has to intervene. And everything is back to normal now.

“Now that he (Obasa) has been returned, I believe that the case will be withdrawn from court. In no time. Perhaps at the next sitting, you will see the difference,” Otunba Ajomale said.

The TheNigerian reports that Obasa adjourned the plenary indefinitely on March 3, 2025 when he was reelected as Speaker following the resignation of Meranda from the position.

The development followed a 49-day reign of Meranda as the first female Speaker of the Lagos Assembly, a period that was, however, marred by a heated leadership crisis as Obasa, who was earlier removed on January 13, kept fighting his way back to the Speaker’s Office.

The crisis was later resolved by the national leadership of the APC, which prevailed over the lawmakers to allow Obasa to return.

All 40 lawmakers of the House later met with President Tinubu in Abuja on March 12, 2025, where the President further settled the grievances among the lawmakers, particularly between Obasa and Meranda.

The House has not called a sitting since March 3 in what looks like a pause in the functions of the legislative arm of the state.

When asked last Tuesday when the House would be reconvening, the Clerk, Ottun Babatunde, told our correspondent that the Assembly would likely resume after the Sallah break.

He said, “We adjourned sine die (indefinitely), but (we will) likely (resume) after Sallah by God’s grace.”

When quizzed further on what would be the focus of the House upon resumption, the clerk simply said, “We will resume our work. Our normal duty is what we are (going to be) doing.”

He maintained that the House committees were still carrying out their activities despite the recess. “In fact, the committee activities are ongoing. It was only plenary that we suspended, and we went on recess,” Ottun added.

Around the time, a source close to Obasa also revealed that the Speaker was not in the state as he had gone to perform the holy pilgrimage in Mecca.

Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the ongoing communal clashes between Ifon-Osun and Ilobu communities.
According to report the crisis, which started late on Thursday night, has resulted in significant loss of lives and properties worth millions of Naira.

In a statement released on Friday and signed by Kola Olabisi, its Director of Media and Information, the party criticised Governor Ademola Adeleke’s handling of the crisis, describing his administration as lacking the political will to end the conflict, which has occurred eight times in the last 18 months.

“The deep-seated incapability of the Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to statecraft is manifesting again with the resurgence of the communal crisis,” he said.

According to the APC, the clashes have claimed at least 30 lives, with numerous houses, shops, and vehicles set ablaze.

The party also reported that a former councillor was among the casualties, while the wife of the Olobu of Ilobu, Olori Bola, lost her shop to the violence.

“Video footage circulating online shows residents fleeing both towns in large numbers, fearing further attacks. The lingering hostility between the two communities has thrown the entire state into pandemonium,” the statement added.

The APC alleged that key figures within Governor Adeleke’s administration have ties to criminal activities, making it difficult for the state government to restore order.

The party named individuals allegedly involved in violent activities, including a gubernatorial appointee facing murder and terrorism charges.

“How would criminals on rampage fear the government when the chief executive of the state has over the period proven he is a lover and an enabler of crime?” The statement queried.

The party further accused Adeleke of failing to address violence in other Osun communities, including Iddo-Osun, Egbedi, and Esa-Oke, where similar incidents of unrest have occurred.

“We call on the Federal Government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, come to the aid of the people of the feuding communities,” he added.

Also, the Ilobu community in Osun State has issued a desperate call to President Bola Tinubu, Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, and Director of the Department of State Security Adeola Ajayi, seeking immediate intervention in what they describe as an ongoing assault by neighbouring Ifon-Osun and Erin-Osun communities.

Their appeal was contained in a statement obtained by DAILY POST and signed by Pastor Olufemi Salako, National President of the Ilobu Development Union, IDU.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Osun State Government after an emergency meeting with security agencies and other stakeholders, reimposed a dusk to dawn curfew on Ifon and Ilobu communities of Osun State.

The curfew, which would last from 6pm to 6am daily until peace is restored to both warring communities, was announced through a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, on Friday.

It would also be recalled that following the outbreak of incessant communal clashes in the two communities, Governor Adeleke, a few weeks ago, ordered the imposition of a curfew.

Amidst controversies trailing the emergency proclamation in Rivers State, the National Democratic Coalition, NADECA, hailed the policy, insisting that the National Assembly acted in good faith with the Presidential action.

The coalition of over 100 pro-democracy groups in Africa, said without the emergency measures put in place by the president, the crisis in Rivers could have escalated beyond control, further threatening democratic stability of the country.

NADECA, especially lauded the Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas for endorsing the action.

According to a statement signed by Dr Chukwuma Eze, President-General of NADECA, the coalition said it took 72 hours to critically assess the situation before arriving at its position, unlike other groups that rushed to conclusions.

Eze noted that President Bola Tinubu’s decision was a germane intervention to restore order and governance in Rivers State.

The Group equally took a swipe at critics of the emergency rule, accusing them of politicising a matter of national security and governance.

Eze noted, “Following a thorough and objective review of the crisis in Rivers State, we became convinced that President Tinubu acted in the best interest of democracy and national stability.

His declaration of a state of emergency was not only justified but essential to reset the governance structure in Rivers and prevent a total breakdown of law and order”.

He insisted that the Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas rose to the occasion to salvage the situation.

According to him, the National Assembly played its constitutional role in endorsing this decisive action. Their leadership at this critical moment reassures Nigerians that our democracy remains strong.

While taking a swipe on a few individuals who criticised the action, NADECA President said, “It is unfortunate that some individuals and groups are deliberately twisting the narrative to suit their interests. The truth remains that Rivers State was on the brink of chaos, and it required urgent intervention. Those who claim to be defenders of democracy should ask themselves if democracy can thrive in an environment of lawlessness.”

“Nigeria cannot afford to allow political crises to fester to the point where they threaten national security. The President has acted, the National Assembly has backed him, and now it is time for all well-meaning Nigerians to focus on ensuring that peace and development return to Rivers State”.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdulahi Ganduje has said that no political gang up will stop President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

According to report former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had on Thursday announced that a coalition of opposition political parties that will defeat the ruling party and Tinubu has been formed.

However Ganduje in a statement issued Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment, Oliver Okpala, reiterated that any northerner interested in contesting in 2027 should suspend such ambition and wait till 2031.

He added that his support for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 is unshakable and stands like the rock of Gibraltar.

The statement said, “Tinubu will surely emerge victorious because of his untrammelled performance since he assumed office as President of Nigeria.

“Forget the recent political gatherings and rantings from some politicians who presently do not have any identifiable political base.

“Their gathering from the Labour Party, PDP SDP and others are people with different political ideologies and selfish political interests that can never agree on any issue politically.

“The gathering is an assemblage of people with divergent political interests. No amount of political arrangement or gang up can stop the good people of Nigeria from re – electing Tinubu as President in 2027.”

The House of Representatives has approved the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, along with the six-month suspension of Governor Sim Fubara, his deputy, and all elected members of the assembly, as announced by President Bola Tinubu.

The seal of approval for the president’s proclamation came via voice vote during plenary on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the House in plenary failed to form a quorum, making it impossible for it to debate the letter of proclamation sent to it by the President.

However, more lawmakers attended Thursday’s plenary as Speaker Abbas announced that every item on the Order Paper for the day had been stepped down to consider President Tinubu’s request to approve emergency rule in Rivers State.

House Leader, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, who moved the motion for the consideration of the letter, urged his colleagues to stand up to be counted on the side of history.

He said, “We have our own biases, I have mine. But on this issue, let us all step on the precipice and assist Mr President in having a better solution to this issue. Let’s begin to work from the ground up to create the processes, conversations and negotiations necessary to bring about sustainable, credible and inclusive peace in Rivers State.”

According to Section 305(2) of the Constitution, for the emergency rule to take effect, Tinubu’s proclamation must be approved by at least two-thirds of both chambers.

This translates to 240 votes in the House of Representatives and 73 in the Senate.

The Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the plenary, called on members to make their contribution during the consideration of the general principles of the President’s report.

As the debate was about to begin, the member of the Labour Party representing Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, Abia State, Obinna Aguocha emphasized the need for a quorum, urging the Speaker to verify attendance before proceeding with the exercise.

“For us to continue, Section 305 (6b) requires the House to have two-thirds of members present in the chamber. Let us know our attendance because this will guide whatever we are going to do here,” he said.

Similarly, a representative of Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency, Bayelsa State, and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Frederick Agbedi, urged Speaker Abbas to demonstrate his leadership by sticking with the rules as stipulated in the Constitution.

He said, “The issue we are debating right now in second reading, is a constitutional matter, and the constitution has prescribed what to do. It is in the integrity and interest of this House that we do the right thing.

“Please, announce the quorum so that Nigerians will know that we are not circumventing the constitution. This is not about supporting or opposing what Mr President has said, but because of your impeccable leadership, we should comply strictly with the Constitution by first transparently announcing the quorum as it is now for us to go into this debate.”

Responding, Speaker Abbas assured the lawmakers that all proceedings would strictly comply with the Constitution.

In his contribution, Deputy Spokesman of the House, Philip Agbese urged his colleagues to place the interest of Rivers people first in arriving at a solution to the crisis.

He proposed the formation of a national mediation committee to interface between Gov Fubara and the State Assembly to help bring about peace.

“We saw in the past when this country was at the point of a precipice, national committees were set up. In the past, even when there were no constitutional provisions, the doctrine of necessity was invoked, to give life back to the country.

“I want to recommend that we set up a national committee of eminent Nigerians, comprising members of the executive and the parliament like we had not long ago with Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd) and His Eminence, Bishop Hassan Kuka.

“This committee will mediate to ensure that there is peace in Rivers State, so that within the period of the emergency rule, the parliament, working with executive and other eminent Nigerians, will ensure that we all work together to make sure that the things that led to the emergency rule in River State do not resurface again,” he said.

Also contributing, the Deputy Minority Whip, Ali Isah said though the emergency rule was declared for six months; the House should recommend to the President that it can be cut short if the peace moves are successful.

“With strong commitment, the matter in Rivers can be resolved within the shortest period of time. I believe the matter can be resolved by next week. If the President shows commitment, and everyone else, we don’t need to wait for a longer period of time. Within a short time, the matter can be resolved. The President should be able to review the state of emergency at any given time,” he said.

On his part, Delta lawmaker, Benedict Etanabene, pledged his support for any initiative aimed at restoring peace in Rivers State.

He, however, argued that Section 305 cannot be read in isolation of Section 11 which gives the National Assembly the powers to take over the role of a State Assembly that is unable to function as is the case with Rivers State House of Assembly.

He said, “Section 305 cannot be read in isolation of Section 11 (4) four of the same constitution. If any House of Assembly of a State is unable to perform its function, by reason of the situation prevailing in that state, the National Assembly may make such laws for the peace, order and good government of that state.

“The bottom line here is, I listen to Mr president’s proclamation, where he said that the Sole Administrator will be reporting to the Federal Executive Council. Mr Speaker, I disagree. The position Section 11 (4) of the Constitution should take precedence.”

All three recommendations were approved through a voice vote as Speaker Abbas disclosed that 243 lawmakers signed the attendance register.