Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has criticized Lagos elders for failing to address the state’s pressing issues during their recent visit to President Bola Tinubu.

In a strongly worded statement, George expressed disappointment that the elders prioritized discussions about taking over King’s College instead of tackling critical concerns such as infrastructure decay, unemployment, and poverty.

He described the visit as a missed opportunity to advocate for the well-being of Lagos residents.

It is a well-known fact that these elders are prominent Lagosians from Lagos Island, the foremost commercial centre in Nigeria. Yet, instead of highlighting the dire state of roads, markets, and other critical infrastructure, they focused on secondary issues,” George said.

He pointed out the worsening condition of municipal roads near the Oba of Lagos’ palace, including areas like Jankara Market and Idumagbo, which have been neglected for over 20 years.

He also highlighted the plight of Lagos’ youth, citing widespread unemployment and poverty, and called for immediate government intervention through job creation and skills acquisition programs.

Felix Morka, spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has denied threatening the life of Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).

On Monday, January 6, Obi, a former governor of Anambra state, claimed his life was under threat due to his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. In his New Year message to Nigerians, Obi raised concerns about the hardship citizens are facing and “institutional corruption.”

Responding to Obi’s remarks, Morka had described him as a “prophet of doom” and said, “he has crossed the line so many times and has it coming to him whatever he gets.” This statement led Obi to allege that his life was being threatened.

In a statement on Tuesday, January 7, Morka rejected the accusation, saying Obi should stop spreading falsehood. “While everyone has a right to free speech, no one has a right to peddle misinformation or outright falsehood,” he stated. “The right to free speech granted by our country’s Constitution is not Mr Obi’s exclusive right but a right that is available to all Nigerians, including Morka.”

“Mr Obi cannot disseminate misinformation and demand or expect that no one should disagree or challenge his false narrative.” Morka also accused Obi of leading a “mob” that issues threats to those who oppose him. “Many eminent and highly respected elder statesmen have been serially attacked, humiliated and bullied by Obi’s online followers. Obi has never condemned their conduct or called them to order,” he alleged.

“Obi must think himself to be Nigeria’s sacred cow, the super citizen, quintessential, without blemish, beyond reproach, always right, never wrong, and endowed with the supreme and inalienable right to deride, castigate, intimidate, blackmail and incite Nigerians against other political leaders who disagree with him, even those who defeated him decisively in the last general election.”

“Mr Obi is not entitled to any monolithic or exclusive constitutional or extraterrestrial liberty over and above any other citizen,” Morka added. “That is unacceptable. As a public figure, Mr. Obi bears a responsibility to provide accurate and truthful information,” he said.

Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai and allies of ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, met at the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday.

The private gathering has sparked discussions about potential shifts in political alliances ahead of the 2027 elections.

The meeting drew attention due to the presence of notable figures such as Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, a former presidential candidate, and Otunba Segun Showunmi, a former Atiku spokesperson.

While the purpose of the gathering remains unofficial, it appears to signal efforts to foster collaboration among individuals with shared interests in Nigeria’s progress.

SDP Chairman, Shehu Gabam stated, “There is no official statement from El-Rufai or any one of them about officially joining SDP. So, as I said, they are open to conversation and negotiations for a better Nigeria. It’s not about a political party; it’s about the future of Nigeria.

“We are looking for like-minded people who believe in the future of the country so that we can work together and uplift the individual standard of Nigeria.

“It’s not just them. The attention of the media only went to them. I have received a lot of dignitaries from different political parties in the office, discussing the way forward, how to stabilise the country, and how to offer productive, progressive advice to this government so that there will not be a crisis.

“Because once the government has a crisis, it affects every Nigerian. So, part of our responsibilities is to make sure we are not facing a crisis. When the time comes, we will decide what to do about other things.

“There is an ongoing conversation. When the time comes, we will arrive at a conclusion, and we will hold an official press conference. Once we agree on what we are going to do together, we will unveil it to all Nigerians. But at the preliminary stage, we are having our own social gatherings and discussing national issues.”