Gbajabiamila’s Cousin Mobolaji Cries Out, Alleges Victimization From Tinubu’s CoS; Calls For President’s Intervention

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February 9, 2026

By Akinwale Kasali

Mobolaji Gbajabiamila, a Cousin to Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff, CoS, to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has alleged that the former Speaker of the House of Representatives is enabling political harassment against him.

He accused the former Lawmaker of being responsible for what he says is an unlawful incarceration at Ikoyi Prison.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Chieftain and political activist said he is being victimised over a series of false allegations allegedly orchestrated by the Surulere Local Government APC Chairman, Sheriff Balogun.

Series of petitions, he said, has been written by Mobolaji to President Tinubu as regards this development, but no action has been taken.

He also alleged that a sustained campaign of intimidation against him, indicating the President’s Chief of Staff has consistently asked him to “let them go” despite presenting evidence of misconduct against Local party leaders.

Speaking further, Mobolaji said in a letter dated December 10, 2025, he had written a petition which thus: “I am unlawfully held in Ikoyi Prison because I wrote an open letter to the President about my Cousin, the Chief of Staff’s support for a series of falsehoods used to imprison me.

“My life is in danger, which is why I seek the President to caution the Chief of Staff.”

In a separate petition to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2, Onikan, Mobolaji demanded that Sheriff Balogun produce evidence to support his claim that Mobolaji threatened his life.

“Mr. Sheriff Balogun must provide evidence of threats to his life from me or face prosecution.

“Restriction orders, retraction publications, and appropriate redresses must follow his prosecution,” he wrote.

He further alleged that he was lured to Zone 2 and taken to court without legal representation, and now remains in prison due to bail conditions requiring a family member’s surety, a requirement he says is difficult because relatives fear the influence of the Chief of Staff.

“Everyone is afraid of the Chief of Staff”, he stated.

Narrating his ordeal,

Mobolaji said a history of alleged political exclusion and harassment, including an earlier episode in which he was remanded in Kirikiri Prison for 30 days before receiving a ‘No Case to Answer’ directive from the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP.

He also accused Kemi Ogunyemi, Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu and sister to the Chief of Staff, of helping suppress his complaints.

“Each time I prove beyond doubt and hand the evidence to Mrs. Kemi Ogunyemi… I am asked to let it go,” he claimed.

Mobolaji expressed frustration that, despite being part of the ruling Party and related to a top Presidential aide, he is being treated like an outsider.

“In reality, being treated as beggars and outcasts is the experience the Gbajabiamilas get from the siblings and camp of the Chief of Staff,” he lamented.

The detained activist invokes the President’s past ties with their father, appealing directly to President Tinubu, to come to his aide.

Referencing his late father, Alhaji Muritala Taiwo Gbajabiamila, whom he described as the President’s friend, Mobolaji urged President Tinubu to wade into the matter for the relationship he shared with their father.

He wrote, “My father… was your friend, and Your Excellency would at least expect the Chief of Staff to help his Cousins who also support the party.

“I genuinely now fear for my life as there seems to be a reluctance on the part of the AIG to proceed with the matter to court for my safety.

“Please, Your Excellency, rescue me from the evil repeated at me that has the support of the Chief of Staff.”

Mobolaji alongside Kayode Odu are named in Charge No. L/03/2026, brought before the Lagos Magisterial District on January 28, 2026, in which the Police accused the duo of conspiring to commit misdemeanors, including threats to life and conduct likely to cause breach of peace, under Sections 411, 56, and 168(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Denying the allegations leveled against him, Mobolaji said, “I did not threaten anyone, was not involved in any assault, and I am not a thug”.

Mobolaji has sent copies of his petition to the Inspector General of Police, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Police Service Commission, and national and state APC leaders.

He is still being held up in prison, awaiting further legal proceedings and a response to his petition.

Obi Joins “Occupy National Assembly,” Protesters At National Assembly

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Ayodele Oni

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February 9, 2026

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Peter Obi Joins Occupy National Assembly Protest — Occupy National Assembly Protest in Abuja. #OCCUPYNASS

By Ayodele Oni

“Occupy National Assembly” protesters are converging converged at the National Assembly Monday for demonstration against the rejection of e-transmission of election results by the Senate with Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 Presidential election as one of them. He was in the lead. It was organized by Nigerian youths.

Obi, while addressing the protesters at the entrance of the National Assembly complex asked tye Lawmakers to allow the electoral process to run without hindrance.

He said the rejection of the electronic transmission of results by the Senate undermines public confidence and raises concerns about transparency and credibility.

“Allow the election to go through the normal process. Whatever the outcome is, we will accept it. Why introduce confusion after the process.

There was a heavy security presence at the scene, with personnel drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The demonstration is against the backdrop of the Senate’s position on the electronic transmission of election results.

The Senate last Wednesday reportedly turned down a proposed change to Clause 60, sub-section 3 of the Electoral Amendment Bill that sought to make electronic transmission of election results compulsory.

There are indications that the green chamber may reconsider its position during an emergency session scheduled to hold on Tuesday.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio had through the Clerk of the house, Emmanuel Odo summoned an emergency session for Tuesday.

The development was disclosed on Sunday in a statement signed by the clerk of the Senate, Odo.Mr Odo explained that all senators are invited to attend the emergency plenary.

“The president of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has directed the reconvening of plenary for an emergency sitting on Tuesday, February 10th, 2026,” the statement read in part.

Mr Odo further noted that the emergency plenary will commence at 12:00 noon.

At the time of filing this report, the protesters had begun their march from the Federal Secretariat, heading towards the National Assembly gate.

Fmr Benue Gov. Suswan, Now Card Carrying Member Of APC

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Ayodele Oni

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February 9, 2026

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By Ayodele Oni

Few days after dumping the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam

has charted a new course as he officially joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The former Governor has also affirmed his membership as he registered as an APC member on Wednesday at his Mbagber Council Ward, located in Logo Local Government Area, Benue State.

Suswam announced his resignation

in a letter dated Wednesday, February 4, 2026, addressed to the Chairman of the PDP in Mbagber Council Ward, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.

In the letter, the former governor said his decision followed years of persistent and unresolved internal conflicts within the party.

“This decision has not been taken lightly,” Suswam wrote, noting that the PDP had provided him the platform to serve Nigeria as a member of the House of Representatives (1999–2007), Governor of Benue State (2007–2015), and Senator (2019–2023).

He expressed gratitude for the opportunities and trust reposed in him by the party over the years.

However, Suswam lamented that the PDP had drifted from its foundational values of cohesion, internal democracy, and progressive opposition.

According to him, leadership disputes, disciplinary breakdown, and ideological disagreements had been allowed to fester without a credible roadmap for resolution.

“Despite repeated interventions, reconciliatory committees, and public assurances, the party continues to operate in a state of deep internal dysfunction,”he said.

He described the PDP as an institution “in political intensive care,” lacking consensus on both diagnosis and treatment.

Suswam explained that he found it increasingly difficult to reconcile his continued membership with his personal convictions and political philosophy.

“I believe that political parties must serve as platforms for ideas, discipline, and constructive engagement, not arenas of endless internal warfare,” he stated.

He added that the current condition of the PDP no longer aligned with those ideals, making his exit both “honourable and necessary.”

Rivers: Fubara Yet To Complain That He’s Not In Charge Of APC- Yilwatda

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James Orji

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February 9, 2026

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Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has dismissed suggestion that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is not in charge of the party in River state.

According to him, the Governor Fubara has not made an official complaint to that effect, wondering where such suggestions are coming from.

Prof Yilwatda also explained why the governor had not been officially welcome into the party, more than two months after he defected to the APC, saying the party had decided to first welcome some Northern Governors who defected to the party before the Rivers helmsman.

Governor Fubara defected to the ruling party in December last year.

The APC chairman spoke on Sunday on TVC programme, Sunday Politics amid the protracted political crisis in the oil bearing state, between the governor and his estranged political godfather and predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. in the oil bearing state.

Reacting to the claims that Fubara appeared unable to assert control as the APC leader in Rivers State, Yilwatda said he can’t do anything since the governor has not complained.

He said: “Is that what you’re told? I’m the national chairman. Who complained to you? What petition? I want you to give me one petition. Has he complained to you?

“When somebody has not complained, and we’ve not seen a physical petition, the media should not create a petition. And they become the petitioners, the judge, and the jailer at the same time.

Governor Fubara, the magazine earlier reported, had surprisingly decamped to the ruling party last December, from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a development that has worsened the crisis of confidence between the two former allies.

Recall that Governor Fubara had immediately after his defection claimed that he had become the APC leader in the state, describing himself as 001, referencing his APC membership card.

The FCT Minister had, in his reaction to the governor’s remark rebuffed him, saying nobody made him the leader of the ruling party in the state. Wike is still a member of the opposition PDP, and has been at the middle of the crisis rocking Nigeria’s former ruling party.

Speaking on the political crisis rocking the state last week, Wike said he will lead President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election campaign without Governor Fubara, saying the state’s helmsman is irrelevant on the issue regarding the campaign for the incumbent for a second term in office.

As the governor and his former godfather clash over who is incharge of the APC in the state, not a few Nigerians insist that the party leadership must do more to bring the two gladiators together for the benefit of the party as regards the next election. Anything contrary, the insist, is likely to affect the fortunes of the APC ,particularly the reelection of President Tinubu.

Why We Slashed CBN Grant By $3m-World Bank

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James Orji

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February 9, 2026

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The World Bank has reduced the size of a planned grant to the Central Bank of Nigeria from $10.5 million to $6.80 million, with board consideration for the project now scheduled for March 27.

According to The Punch, the funding, which remains a grant and not a loan, is for the Nigerian Apex bank Technical Assistance Facility, a project designed to strengthen the apex bank’s technology-enabled, data-driven supervision of the banking sector and to improve oversight of domestic payment and remittance systems.

Updated information from the World Bank website indicates that the project has reached the decision meeting stage, the final internal stage before approval by the World Bank Group’s board.

This marks a clear advancement from its earlier concept review stage, when The PUNCH first reported the project in April 2025.

The approval date is now listed as March 27, 2026, a shift from the earlier June 12, 2025, timeline associated with the initial $10.50m grant proposal.

The revised commitment amount of $6.80m will be financed entirely through the Finance for Development Multi-Donor Trust Fund, with no involvement of the International Development Association or the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, confirming that the project does not add to Nigeria’s external debt.

The Central Bank of Nigeria is listed as the implementing agency. According to the project overview, the facility is designed to integrate advanced tools and data science into the CBN’s regulatory and supervisory processes, addressing both long-standing and emerging risks in Nigeria’s evolving financial system.

The development objective is “to strengthen CBN’s technology-enabled and data-driven oversight of the banking sector and deepen understanding of payment and remittance systems in Nigeria,” the World Bank noted on its website.

The project carries a moderate environmental and social risk rating and is expected to close on February 28, 2029. While the updated information does not state why the grant size was cut, the progression from concept review to decision meeting suggests that the project has been refined, even as its financing envelope has been adjusted.

Commenting on the reduction and changes reflected on the project page, a top source at the World Bank office in Nigeria told The PUNCH that such revisions were normal at this stage.

“Please note that projects or operations under preparation, as indicated on the World Bank website, can be subject to changes,” the source said. “Until the World Bank Board approves them, elements such as design, components, and financing envelopes may be revised or adjusted. This is normal for projects in the preparation stage.”

If approved next month, the grant will formalise a partnership focused on strengthening the CBN’s supervisory capacity through technology, data analytics, and improved oversight of the payment system in Africa’s largest economy.

The World Bank Group remains Nigeria’s largest single creditor, accounting for $19.39bn of the country’s total external debt, comprising $18.04bn from the IDA and $1.35bn from the IBRD. This represents 41.3 per cent of the country’s external debt, underscoring the bank’s dominant role in financing Nigeria’s development initiatives.

US Troops In Nigeria: Tinubu Welcomes AFRICOM Commander To Aso Rock

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James Orji

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February 9, 2026

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In a bid to strengthen Nigeria and United States Security cooperation , President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Sunday, met with the Commander of the United States, US Africa Command, AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the nation’s capital,

The Special Assistant on Social Media to the President, Dada Olusegun, disclosed this in a post on his X handle, saying some officials of the Nigerian government, including the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu were at the meeting.

The magazine however believe that the meeting may not be unconnected with the military cooperation between the two countries which started last year after US President Threatened to launch a military strike against Nigeria, after alleging that Christians were being targeted by terrorists.

The Federal government, though denied that Christian genocide exists in the country, had immediately dispatched a delegation led by the NSA to meet with some officials of the US government in Washington DC, with the aim of dousing the diplomatic spat.

According to the presidential aide, General Anderson was accompanied to the Presidential Villa by the Charge d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, Keith Heffern, even though he did not give details of what the meeting was all about..

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu alongside his National Security Adviser @NuhuRibadu and Service Chiefs, received in Audience, the Commander of @USAfricaCommand, General Dagvin Anderson, his team and the Charge D’Affairs U.S Embassy in Nigeria, Keith Heffern at the State House.”

The meeting between President Tinubu and the AFRICOM commander came bare two weeks after the President Donald Trump-led US government said it has sent some troops to assist Nigeria in its counter-terrorism operations.

Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Gen Christopher Musa (rtd.), however, said there were no combatant US boots on the ground in the country

Gen Musa told the BBC, that the US has sent a small advisory team supporting intelligence gathering and training initiatives, he, however, did not disclose details regarding the size of the team, and whether they have arrived the country.

He also declined to disclose operational details citing security reasons.

“Their role is purely supportive,” the Defence Minister said, emphasising that Nigerian forces remain fully in charge of all operations and decision-making on the ground.

On December 25, 2025, the United States military, in coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, carried out strikes operations across multiple locations in in Sokoto State.

The FG has maintained that the partnership with the United States is governed by Nigeria’s laws and strategic interests, and is designed solely to enhance the operational effectiveness of local forces in the fight against terrorism and insurgency.

Recall that President Trump had on December 25 disclosed that his country launched an air strike on terrorists hideouts in Sokoto state, saying the operation was part of the security cooperation with the Nigerian government to combat terrorism in the country.

Terrorism: Why FG Should Establish Military Bases Close To Kainji Games Reserve, Ogbomoso

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James Orji

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February 9, 2026

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The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Niger State chapter has called on President Bola Tinubu to set up a military base in Agwara Local Government Area of the state, in order to stop bandits operating from the Kanji Games Reserve.

The Chairman of CAN in the state, and Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, made the call while addressing journalists in Suleja Local Government Area over the persistent attacks in Agwara and Borgu Local Government Areas.

Bishop Yohana admonition comes on the heels of a similar call by a former Senator, Representing Oyo Central Senatorial District and and All Progressives Congress, APC chieftain, Ayoade Adeseun, on the Federal Government to establish a military base in Ogbomoso, citing rising insecurity and the strategic importance of the area.

The calls also came barely a week after President Tinubu ordered the Nigerian Army to dispatch a military battalion to Kaiama Local Government in Kwara state where Boko Haram terrorists reportedly killed over 100 persons recently. The incident has attracted global condemnation even as the president has vowed to hunt down the terrorists, who carried out the dastardly act and bring them to justice.

While making a case for the establishment of a military base in Ogbomoso at the weekend, Adeseun described its absence as a huge security gap, citing, for instance, the number of military officers the state has produced, saying the issue should have been addressed long ago.

Adeseun told The Punch that the activities of bandits around the area recently should have prompted the federal government to establish a military base in the area.

Recall that suspected bandits, on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, invaded the Old Oyo National Park in Oloka, Oriire Local Government Area, killing five National Park Service officers. The part is very close to Ogbomoso.

Bishop Yohana, has also cited the activities of bandits and terrorists around the Kainji National Park, as a major reason why a military base should be established in the area to deter the criminals.

The magazine reports that the state has lately been one of the epicentres of operations of terrorists and bandits. Many people have been killed by the terrorists, who are believed to be using the Games Reserve as hide out for their operations.

According to the Catholic Bishop, the Base should also be equipped with a mobile and armoured detachment capable of pursuing and neutralising bandits operating from nearby game reserves.

Yohanna stressed that the time to act was now, calling on the Federal Government to deploy adequate security personnel, provide necessary logistics and resources, and collaborate with local stakeholders to restore lasting peace in the affected communities.

He also urged the authorities to fortify Police stations and security checkpoints without delay, and advocated the posting of more police officers to Agwara, supported with enhanced vehicular mobility, to improve operational effectiveness.

Adeseun on his part, said the rising activities of bandits in neighbouring state such as Kwara should serves as a source of worry for the federal government on the need to have a military base in the town.

He said the closes military formations in nearby Ilorin, Kwara state. Ibadan and Saki, Oyo state are too far to the town in case the terrorists struck.

“Ibadan is not too far from us, but if something happens along this axis, Oke-Ogun has a battalion in Saki. Between Saki and here is about a three-hour drive. If something happens here, before anybody comes from Saki or Ibadan, all hell would have broken loose,” he stated

“So it is important that we have some kind of military outpost. Even if it is not a full base, we need a combat presence here,” he said.

“There is an educational command around in Ilorin, but they are educational, not combatant. We need a combat formation,” he said.

He also pointed to the town’s proximity to international borders and the risks associated with irregular migration.

“We are very close to the border. People migrate across, and there is no telling where they will show up tomorrow. So we need to be prepared,” he said.

He referenced recent killings in Ikoyi-Ile, Oloka village, as evidence of the need for proactive security measures rather than reactive deployments.

“They killed many people at Ikoyi-Ile in Oloka village. Many lives were lost. They are now sending troops there, but that is after the fact,” Adeseun said.

Over 30 Dead, Several Seriously Injured In Kano Truck Crash

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Suleiman Anyalewechi

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February 9, 2026

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By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf of Kano State has expressed deep shock and concern over the tragic road mishap that claimed no fewer than 30 lives in the early hours of Sunday February 8, 2026, at Kwanar Barde area in Gezawa Local Council of the State.

According to local witness accounts, the accident involved a long truck fully laden with both passengers and goods, including animals which crashed after the driver lost control owing to alleged over speeding and recklessness.

Over 30 persons were said to have died on the spot, while everal others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

A statement from the media aide to the Kano state Governor, Sanusi Bature Dawaki Tofa, informed that the State Government has directed an immediate medical assistance to the survivors of the unfortunate incident.

While the Governor directed the Ministry of Health to offer free medical care to all the survivors, he also ordered the Office of the Special Adviser on Humanitarian Affairs to immediately put in place machineries for the assessment of the casualties with a view to proposing measures to support the families of the victims.

The Governor also expressed heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families, relations and friends of the victims of the crash.

Governor Yusuf described the incident as heartbreaking ,and a great loss ,not only to affected families ,but to the people of Kano State.

This is as he prayed for the repose of the souls of the dead ,and asked the Almighty Allah to grant the families of the victims the fortitude to bear the loss.

How kidnappers Walked Into Victim’s Arms In Edo

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Ayodele Oni

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February 9, 2026

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By Ayodele Oni

Dr Abu’s Kidnappers, who released him after 13 days on receiving millions of Naira as ransom, but killed his younger brother, also, a Medical Doctor, unknowingly walk into his hospital for treatment

Nemesis has caught up with suspected kidnappers of a Medical Doctor in Edo State, after they brought their relation for treatment before their victim.

Doctor Abu Tunde had earlier been abducted in Auchi by the suspects and later released after ransom was paid, while his brother, also a doctor, was killed.

They however visited the hospital where Dr Abu works to seek medical care for their sick baby.

It was gathered that the suspects were reportedly apprehended after bringing their sick baby to the same hospital where Dr. Babatunde is employed for treatment.

The arrest comes weeks after the doctor was kidnapped alongside his younger brother at City Pride Road in the Igbira Camp area of Auchi on January 1, 2026.

While the kidnappers demanded a N200 million ransom, the younger brother was later killed in captivity.

Dr. Babatunde regained his freedom after spending 13 days with the abductors.

Police authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the arrest of the suspects or provide further details on the circumstances surrounding their capture.

No Rift With Senator Oshiomhole – Edo APC Chairman, Tenebe

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Suleiman Anyalewechi

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February 8, 2026

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By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Edo State Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Emperor Jarret Tenebe, has strongly debunked claims suggesting that he is having a strained relationship with the former National Chairman of the Party and Governor of the state Adams Oshiomhole.

This is as he clarified that while Governor Monday Okpebholo is the leader of the Edo State APC, Senator Oshiomhole remains a National Leader from the State.

Tenebe, who spoke in an interactive session with the Media on Sunday, February 8, 2026, in Benin, amidst widespread speculations

suggesting that he may not be returned as the Edo State substantive APC chairman on account of his strained relationship with Oshiomhole described such claims as not only

false but unfounded.

The Source reports that Tenebe and Senator Oshiomhole had, during the 2024 APC Gubernatorial primaries found themselves in opposite political camps.

While Oshiomhole was said to have rooted for Monday Okpebholo as the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Tenebe leading some state interim committee members fronted for a different aspirant.

However, Tenebe maintained that what is important was not the fact that he and Oshiomhole took different positions during the primaries but the fact they all worked together to ensure victory for Governor Okpebholo during the September 21, 2024,off-circle election.

“All differences have since been resolved. After the primaries, we campaigned together; we won together and have continued to work together. There are absolutely no cracks on the wall.

“As for the leadership of the party in the State, Governor Monday Okpebholo is the leader, while Senator Adams Oshiomhole is a national leader from Edo state.

“There have been insinuations that Senator Adams Oshiomhole and I are not working together, and that is very far from the truth.

“The only time we had a disagreement was during the gubernatorial primaries in 2024 when I insisted that the right thing must be done.After that, we resolved all differences and have been working in harmony.

“We only fought to ensure that Edo State has a good leadership, and Government, and we have achieved that.

“Now, the responsibility of the party is to support the Governor to succeed and to ensure that the dividends of democracy promised to the people are delivered”, the Edo APC chairman stated.

He expressed the optimism that his leadership of the party which has been on interim basis, will be given a substantive status by members, noting that there is no need changing a winning team.