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Waripamowei Dudafa and his band of detractors

Published

8 years ago

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I have read with great sense of awe and pity for the promoters of recent propagandas against Dr. Waripamowei Dudafa a onetime Special Assistant to Ex-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. These media attacks against Dr. Dudafa has been promoted and piloted by no other person or persons than the incumbent governor of Bayelsa state and his media goons.

Before I go on, it is imperative that I quote the Bayelsa state governor on the said Dr. Dudafa who they have found worthy of maligning. This statement was made on the day of the occasion of conferment of Doctor of Phillosophy Degree on the former Commissioner for Chieftaincy and local government affairs in Bayelsa state. Hear the governor-“Dr. Dudafa in his relatively young life has served Bayelsa State with distinction and consummate industry in every capacity in which his worthy endowments had been required at both the legislative and executive arms of governance… it is important that he is not losing sight of self-improvement, despite his commitment to serve Bayelsa State and Nigeria”

After reading and rereading this statement by the governor, I was forced to posit that politics is really a funny game which is hinged on opportunism if not how can one explain the fact that the same man who made the above comment can suddenly discover that the man whom he was praise singing has suddenly lost all the attributes that was ascribed to him.

The truth is that Dr. Waripamowei Dudafa has not lost the said attributes rather it is the media goons of the state governor that have lost touch with rationality and reality on ground. Dudafa still represents the positive side of Bayelsa state and sill command high regard and respect in the state especially amongst his followers. His love for the progress of the state and commitment to the people has not been an issue for question. It is rather unfortunate that politics can make a rational mind lose his or her sense of rationality but we cannot belittle ourselves always all in the name of politics.

The Bayelsa gubernatorial election is by the corner and all political jobbers have been mobilized by all the stakeholders in the political firmament of the state but it is imperative that we understand that decorum in politics is a virtue that must be kept. Dr. Waripamowei Dudafa has as a matter of decency kept his cool despite all the attacks but such should not be taken as weakness. He has made his position clear as a responsible citizen of the state by distancing himself from the governor’s reelection bid. This he did base on principle and no matter the psychological pressure on him by equating his principled stance with disloyalty for his former boss whom he has the utmost regard for will hold water.

The developmental needs of Bayelsa are huge and enormous. Instead of looking at how to tackle these pressing needs in the state, the state government has been on a wild goose chase against perceived political enemies. This chase has in all sphere belittled his administration in the eyes of the public.

That the former President and his amiable wife are supporting his reelection bid is understandable especially from party perspective but from another perspective especially from a private citizen like Dr. Dudafa, his position on the governor should be respected also. His principled stance cannot be wished away especially considering the level of acrimony against him by the underperforming governor.

As I round up this piece I must stress once again that Dr. Dudafa remains a respected man in the state and in the country at large. His contributions to the state and the country cannot be wished away by mere propaganda. It will take more than the propagandas of the renowned Josef Goebbles and other notable propagandists in this world to achieve such.

As Special Assistant to the former President, the experience he brought to bear in the running of the office was nothing short of efficiency and effectiveness encapsulated in sagacious management of the affairs of his office. This is evidenced in the words of President Jonathan on the said day he was conferred with the Doctorate degree by the University of Port Harcourt.

Hear him “It is my hope that your acquisition of a doctoral degree will not only inspire you to loftier aspirations but also further enhance your capacity to continue to render worthy service to our dear nation, especially at this point when the country is in dire need of the re-commitment of men and women of good will to our national transformation efforts.”

With the word of a great leader like this on Dr. Dudafa, I wonder what his detractors will say to counter this position.

 

 

By Messiah Nwokoma

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Shuaibu: Obaseki duped me of $300,000 in guise of lobbying PDP leaders for ticket

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28 mins ago

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March 17, 2025

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Philip Shuaibu, a former deputy governor of Edo State, has alleged that ex-Governor Godwin Obaseki defrauded him of $300,000.

In a recent interview with The Sun, Shuaibu claimed that Obaseki took the money under the pretense of lobbying party leaders ahead of their defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“When the issue of moving to PDP arose and the debate was about what the party would gain, I told him to go ahead, even if it meant sacrificing the deputy governor slot,” Shuaibu stated.

He further revealed: “I contributed $300,000. He told me he was adding it to $700,000 to lobby leaders in Port Harcourt, but we later found out from the zonal PDP Chairman that no such money was given.”

Expressing frustration, Shuaibu added, “He duped me. It took me seven months to repay the money in installments. I had to raise the alarm because I was repaying a debt for money that was never used. Till today, he hasn’t returned it.”

He named key PDP figures, including Chief Dan Orbih and Ogbeide-Ihama, as witnesses to the situation.

Obaseki and Shuaibu were once political allies but have been embroiled in a prolonged political battle.

Their fallout began after the 2020 Edo State gubernatorial election when tensions over succession planning emerged. Shuaibu, who had been loyal to Obaseki, reportedly sought to succeed him in 2024, but Obaseki resisted the move. This led to public clashes, allegations, and Shuaibu’s impeachment in 2024.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, the court later reinstated Shuaibu, declaring his removal unconstitutional. The ruling intensified the political crisis in Edo State, further widening the rift between the two former allies.

Despite Obaseki’s efforts to maintain political control, his anointed candidate, Asue Ighodalo, lost the Edo State governorship election to Monday Okpeboloh, the candidate of PDP.

The defeat marked a major political setback for Obaseki, further weakening his influence in the state’s political landscape.

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Former Lagos PDP Governorship Candidate Jandor Set To Join APC

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52 mins ago

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March 17, 2025

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Dr. Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, a former Lagos State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is reportedly set to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) today (Monday).

According to The Nation, Jandor has finalised plans to defect to the APC just two weeks after resigning from the PDP.

Reports indicate that the former Lagos PDP chieftain will formally announce his defection at a scheduled press conference at his campaign office in Ikeja.

 

Jandor had recently held consultations with President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and other political figures following his resignation from the PDP.

 

His spokesperson, Gbenga Ogunleye, confirmed in a statement last Thursday that the meeting with the President took place on Monday.

 

The statement read, “I can confirm that Dr Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran Jandor met with President Bola Tinubu on Monday (last week).

 

“He has earlier met with Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former President Ibrahim Babangida, former Head of State, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the SDP in the 2023 general elections, Prince Adewole Adebayo, among other prominent national leaders. It is part of his ongoing consultation after his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party.

 

“The National Secretary of the PDP and other leaders of the party also visited him recently to appeal for the reconsideration of his resignation from the PDP.

 

“Dr Adediran will meet with his political associates and critical stakeholders in Lagos over the weekend and address the media by Monday, 17th March 2025.”

 

Adediran was the governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2023 Lagos State governorship election. He emerged as the party’s candidate after defeating other aspirants in the primaries.

 

Jandor, a former APC member and founder of the Lagos4Lagos Movement, had presented himself as a fresh alternative to the long-standing APC government in Lagos.

 

To bolster his chances and appeal to a broader electorate, he chose popular Nollywood actress and producer Funke Akindele as his running mate.

 

Akindele’s selection was strategic, aiming to leverage her massive influence in the entertainment industry and among Lagos’s youth and urban voters. However, their campaign faced significant challenges, including internal party conflicts.

 

Despite their efforts to present a strong opposition, the Jandor-Akindele ticket was unsuccessful in unseating the APC government. They finished behind both the incumbent governor, Sanwo-Olu, and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party.

 

In March 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Sanwo-Olu as the winner of the March 18 Lagos governorship election.

 

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Just In: Lagos court orders Oba Otudeko to appear for ‘N30bn fraud’ trial

Published

1 hour ago

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March 17, 2025

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The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered Oba Otudeko to take a plea in the charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The order was given by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke on Monday.

Recall that EFCC had filed a 13-count charge against Otudeko and three others over an alleged N30 billion loan fraud.

At the hearing of the matter, the judge said Otudeko must take his plea before an application challenging the court’s jurisdiction on the case can be decided.

The judge subsequently adjourned the case to May 8.

Details later…

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