Politics
General Elections: Don’t Sell Your Votes, Cleric Warns Electorate
Rev. Cornelius Eke of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Nigeria (RPCN), has warned the electorate against selling their votes ahead of the General Elections.
The warning is contained in a statement signed by the Head, Directorate of Media and Communication of the Church, Dr Joseph Chukwu, and made available to newsmen in Abakaliki yesterday.
He further warned them against exchanging their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for any pecuniary benefits.
The clergy described 2023 as a “defining year” for the country.
According to him, the year will witness two critical events – the general elections and Census.
The warning was part of the cleric’s New Year sermon.
Eke, who is the Secretary General of RPCN, Redemption Congregation, Abakaliki, further underscored the impor-tance of the general elections in the country’s history.
He maintained that the exercise was crucial and required the participation of all registered voters to ensure that the right candidates emerged.
He, therefore, advised Nigerians not to sell their votes.
“Do not behave like Esau in the Bible, who sold his birthright for a paltry pot of porridge and suffered the consequences, thereafter.
“Your PVC is your birthright and power, use it wisely to install a credible government so that you will not live in regret for the next four years.
“Do not sell it, no matter how much the politicians may price it,’’ Eke added.
He further charged the church members and Christian faithful in the country to participate actively in politics so that credible candidates who would salvage and rescue Nigeria would emerge.
He further spoke on the 2023 Census and described it as a significant milestone.
He maintained that it would be the first time in more than a decade that the country’s actual population would be known.
The clergyman added that a successful census would help to usher in proper planning in all facets of governance.
“If you refuse to be counted, it means you don’t count in Nigeria.
“So, you must present yourself and your family to be counted when the time comes so that you will count in Nigeria,’’ the statement added.
It further stated that the country’s 17-year-old census data was not only obsolete but unreliable in national planning.
He added that with the imminent new census data, “government would plan with certainty instead of estimations”.
“2023 will usher in open doors, new opportunities, progress, blessings, abundance and prosperity to Nigerians who build their trust in God only.
“People should not dwell in the past or allow themselves to be distracted by irrelevances,’’ he advised. (NAN)
Politics
Gov Alia Appoints TuFace As Adviser

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.”
Politics
Oborevwori, Okowa Dump PDP For APC

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.
Politics
Speakers Conference Tasks FG, Governors On Wanton Killings
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.
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