Politics
NESG: APC, Arise TV At Loggerheads Over Tinubu
Director of Media and Publicity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council Bayo Onanuga, has accused Arise TV of secretly livestreaming an event featuring Bola Tinubu, APC standard bearer.
Tinubu was hosted as a speaker at a dialogue organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) on Friday.
Onanuga said the Arise TV cameraman was sent out of the event hall due to the non-authorisation of live streaming by the organisers of the event.
“Arise TV cameraman clandestinely streamed live Asíwájú Bola Tinubu’s event in Lagos today. He was not authorised by anyone. He was clearly on espionage, but was busted and sent out. Is journalism by stealth part of the practice by Arise News?” Onanuga wrote in a tweet on Friday.
While the tweet was folllwed by mixed reactions, Onanuga, in another tweet, said the event was to be recorded and aired at a later date.
“For clarity, the Tinubu-Shettima campaign is not against Arise TV covering its events. The Lagos NESG dialogue was not meant for TV live coverage,” he said.
“It was to be recorded and shown later. Other TV houses did not breach the rule, except Arise News. And it was done by stealth. Why?”
Responding, Yemi Ajayi, AriseTV’s news director, said coverage and live streaming of engagements of the leading presidential candidates in the forthcoming general election is an internal policy of the broadcast station.
Ajayi said the NESG presidential dialogue was not their first, as a similar event featured by Tinubu and other leading standard bearers had been aired live.
“I sent out a crew to cover the event, in line with our policy of covering the engagements of the leading presidential candidates in the general election,” Ajayi wrote.
“We did the same thing when the PDP candidate, Atiku, interacted with business leaders at an LCCI event in Lagos in Sept. 2022. Ditto for LP’s Peter Obi at the same LCCI event in Lagos the same period.
“We also did the same live coverage of Tinubu at Chatham House, London, and we were never harassed. This is part of our responsibility of helping our viewers to making an informed choice in the election.
“The team was led by one of Africa’s leading journalists, Boason Omofaye, who has been accredited to NESG for decades.
“All our cameras have capacity for live transmission in line with best global journalistic practice and in furtherance of this, it’s our policy to live stream, dip in and out of important events as we deem necessary.”
This is not the first time Arise TV will clash with the Tinubu campaign organisation over the APC candidate.
In November 2022, Arise TV organised a town hall series for presidential candidates.
For the first phase, PDP had Okowa represent Abubakar, while there was no representation for the APC.
Then the invite for the second phase was sent out.
What started like a passing drama following the APC’s excuse over Tinubu’s absence devolved into full-blown statement exchanges as Arise TV insisted that it is constitutional for candidates to attend such town hall meetings.
But Tinubu’s camp maintained its position that the APC candidate would not speak to Nigerians via the TV station’s town-hall platform.
The drama further evolved into claims by the APC camp that Arise TV intends to “embarrass” Tinubu.
But Nduka Obaigbena, founder of the media organisation, told the APC campaign to present its candidate for debate instead of resorting to “bullying”.
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”
Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.