The Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State, Dr Gift Worlu has said what is in Rivers today is a rainbow coalition of Renewed Hope family.

Dr Worlu who is apparently not happy with the state of governance in Rivers state affirmed that ”
Yes, there’s a renewed hope family that all of us belong to in our state.

He made the affirmation in a chat with journalists in Abuja on Thursday insisting that what is available in Rivers state is a coalition rainbow of the Renewed Hope family.

Using real life examples to drive home his point, Worlu explained that ‘You know, in our churches, sometimes you have a particular church having an event and inviting other churches to join them and they will all come together under what is called the body of Christ.

” We don’t quarrel about it.But when politicians come together in the interest of peace, in the interest of protecting their interests, in the interest of justifying, in our case now, the goodwill that we have enjoyed under the presidency of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola, Tinubu as a state, don’t forget that politics is local, all politics is local.

“And Rivers people, we have seen what we have never seen before. The kind of goodwill that we have enjoyed, whether it is in terms of projects in Rivers State executed by the federal government, whether it is in terms of appointments of our sons and daughters, whether it is in terms of the good relationship that we enjoy from the President, we have decided as a people that the time has come for us to keep party aside and work together in the overall interest of our state and the people and that’s what I mean.

“I belong to the PDP. But when it comes to the issue of the election that is coming in 2027, I am not PDP. I am for Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

“I am a member of the Renewed Hope family. That’s the point I’m making. And all of us are in that Renewed Hope family including the Governor and that’s where the FCT Minister is leader.

On the crisis rocking the state he said:”Well, in my place, there’s a saying that when a husband and wife have issues, and the matter is brought to the Council of Chiefs. The duty of the Council of Chiefs is to put aside the differences and see how they can bring them together. But ultimately, these two individuals will go to their house, and the Council of Chiefs will go to their own houses.

” It is what the both of them make of what the Council of Chiefs has told them that will tell whether there is peace or not. I talked to you before about poor handling of affairs.

“If you wake up this morning and you decided to dress in the way you are dressed, it’s your personal matter. Nobody has a right, not even maybe your husband. Maybe he can say, oh, I like the way you are dressed, or I think you should do this but it’s your personal matter.

“But when it has to do with a matter of even what your husband will eat, because it affects him, you need to ask him, darling, what if I do this or I do that? Then when you talk about the state, you know that you cannot decide as you like. I also talked to you about the issue of incompetence.

“We saw the Governor of Delta State defect recently. You saw how that defection happened. We saw which other governor defect. A lot of governors have defected, even Bayelsa State.

“The day he defected, he did so with people. He called people around, because it’s not your personal thing.

“When it happened in Rivers State, what did you see? It was one man standing alone. That’s not leadership, because leadership as I know it, It is said that if you think that you’re a leader and nobody’s following you, you’re just taking a walk.

“So the man has the yam. He has the knife. He’s the governor. He decides how he wants things to be. If he wants peace, he will decide. If he wants war, it’s up to him.

“What he needs to do since he became Governor, since he came back after the emergency rule, of course he came back and we’re already in office as chairman. We’ve never had a meeting with him.

“He has never called us. He has never called the Assembly for any meeting. He has not called the elders of the party and the system that he belongs to.

“See, as chairman of council in my local government, I know who my leaders are. If I want a meeting to hold, I reach out to them. I say, leader, I think we should do this and that and there should be a meeting for us to agree on how to move forward. That’s how it’s done. It doesn’t make me leader.

“But I am responsible for what happens in my local government. Of course, you saw the event that we had on Sunday. You saw the crowd there. You saw the enthusiasm of the people.

“It’s a function of the organic unity of purpose that we have in that local government, all of us working together.I have very senior members of the party in my local government including the FCT Minister and for every singular action that I take including coming to this studio, I let them know. If they say don’t go, I stay back because I believe they probably know more than me, they probably have a better understanding of things more than me.

“I can go back later and say, leader why did you say that I shouldn’t go? And they will explain to me. You have to have a relationship with people. But like I told you, a personality that is introverted and for crying out loud, this is where sometimes I think that there should be science in our politics.

“You don’t just throw up people, you don’t just allow anybody to become anything. We talked about testing people for drug use before we allow them to go into office, then you should also think about the personality of the individual.

“If somebody is to occupy the office of accountant general and he is not somebody who is talking too much, that is fine. But for you to be governor of a state, you must talk oh because you remembered how Nigerians were saying we have not heard from our leader, we have not heard from the President because you must talk.

Is not the leader that made any mistake, I am only talking generally the way we go about leadership selection.

Probed to further expanciate he said:”Yes, I am saying that so many other things should be considered. He said this because from a human resources perspective, when you want to hire somebody and I teach this in the school, when you want to hire somebody for a job, you look at the person’s technical competence.

“For example, for you to be a journalist, you have your training as a journalist. Then your character is also important. Your height may be considered and so many other things will be considered.

“The matter in Rivers State is certainly a development we don’t mind that there is peace, so long as it is anchored on justice and understanding.

“And when there is finally peace, people should take responsibility for sustaining it and in this case the Governor has very huge responsibility to ensure that there is peace in Rivers State.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja on a diplomatic mission, first to represent President Bola Tinubu at the inauguration of Guinea-Conakry’s President-elect, Mamadi Doumbouya, and then to attend the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.

According to a statement from Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Shettima’s attendance at the Saturday, January 17 inauguration in Conakry underscores Nigeria’s leadership role in ECOWAS and supports Guinea’s return to constitutional order. The visit also aims to strengthen bilateral trade, which saw Nigerian exports to Guinea rise to $3.29 million recently.

Following the inauguration, the Vice President will proceed to Davos-Klosters for the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (January 19–23). Under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue,” he will engage global leaders and investors to promote Nigeria’s economic reforms, highlight investment opportunities, and discuss Africa’s role in fostering a resilient global future.

Key forum discussions will focus on responsibly deploying frontier technologies—such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced energy systems—to drive growth, expand market access, and support sustainable development.

Shettima is expected to return to Nigeria after his engagements in Davos.

Written by Abdu Saidu

Eight-Year Tenure Marked by Stability, Expansion, and Institutional Reforms

The Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta (ABCOAD), Kano State, on Thursday, January 15, 2026, held a send-forth ceremony, formally unveiled the ABCOAD Sci-Tech Journal, and conducted a handover ceremony in honour of its outgoing Provost, Professor M. A. Wailare, who concluded a successful eight-year tenure.

The event, attended by members of management, staff, students, and invited guests, also featured the formal transfer of leadership to the Deputy Provost, Dr. Hassan Ibrahim, marking a smooth and orderly transition in the College’s administration.

In separate remarks, speakers described Professor Wailare’s tenure as a defining era in the institution’s history, crediting him with restoring peace and stability on campus and steering the College through sustained academic, infrastructural, and institutional growth. Throughout his time in office, the College recorded no major crisis, protest, or disruption—an achievement that fostered unity, confidence, and a renewed sense of belonging among staff and students.

A major milestone of the administration was the expansion of the College’s academic scope with the establishment of 15 new departments, including Fisheries Technology, Horticultural Technology, Agribusiness Management, Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence, Environmental Science and Management Technology, and Networking and Cloud Computing, among others. Speakers noted that this development positioned ABCOAD as a multi-disciplinary institution aligned with emerging global trends in science, technology, and agriculture.

The handover

Professor Wailare was also commended for strengthening transparency and accountability through the introduction of a cashless financial policy in 2018, as well as for establishing key directorates such as Quality Assurance, Strategic Planning, Renewable Energy and Climate Change, Guidance and Counselling, and Research and Development.

Under his leadership, the College deepened community and international engagement, notably through collaboration with Wageningen University in the Netherlands under the Seed for Change programme, which boosted horticultural development. Annual Farmers’ Field Days, tree-planting campaigns, and the distribution of improved seedlings further reinforced the institution’s impact on neighbouring communities.

In the area of regulation and quality assurance, ABCOAD successfully hosted multiple NBTE accreditation exercises in 2018, 2022, and twice in 2025, alongside achieving SIWES and full institutional accreditation in 2025. The introduction of free education at the ABCOAD Staff School for children from disadvantaged neighbouring communities was also cited as part of the administration’s social responsibility drive.

Infrastructure and ICT development featured prominently during the tenure, including the renovation of classrooms, laboratories, hostels, offices, vehicles, and tractors, as well as the rehabilitation of the College clinic. The institution also benefited from ICT interventions such as the establishment of an NCC E-Learning Centre, the donation of laptops and tablets, the modernization of the e-library, the launch of the official website, and the upgrade of the ICT Centre to host JAMB CBT examinations over several years.

Agricultural innovation was strengthened through the introduction of high-yielding cassava varieties in collaboration with IITA and ATASP, the restoration of 33 hectares of farmland, the establishment of commercial seedling production, and the fabrication of prototype agricultural machinery. Hundreds of youths and women were trained under programmes supported by the World Bank, KSADP, TVET, and the French-sponsored WATEA initiative.

Other milestones recorded during the period include the construction of a Leather Enterprises Innovation Centre and a Water Treatment Plant, the adoption of renewable energy solutions through solar installations, perimeter fencing and general renovation of the College by the Kano State Government in 2025, and national recognition with the 2025 Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Award (Tertiary Category).

As part of staff welfare and administrative efficiency, Professor Wailare introduced free daily shuttle bus services, provided at no cost, for management staff, Heads of Departments, and Directors commuting from Kano to Dambatta.

During the handover ceremony, Professor Wailare received several awards and gifts from various departments and units in recognition of his exceptional leadership and for providing staff with opportunities to contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of the institution. Presenters noted that the gesture reflected widespread appreciation for his inclusive and empowering leadership style.

Professor Wailare also led efforts to reposition the institution for the future, initiating processes for its transformation into the Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, and actively participating in legislative engagements aimed at upgrading the College to a Federal University of Agriculture.

In his farewell remarks, Professor Wailare expressed gratitude to the management, staff, and students for their cooperation and support, noting that collective commitment was central to the achievements recorded. He urged the College community to sustain unity, discipline, and dedication, while wishing the institution continued growth and success.

Furthermore, Professor Wailare commended the Kano State Government under the leadership of Governor Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf for the support and educational development initiatives implemented to advance the College, emphasizing that such assistance has greatly contributed to strengthening teaching, research, and the overall development of the institution.

The ceremony concluded with the formal unveiling of the ABCOAD Sci-Tech Journal, described by stakeholders as a landmark platform for advancing research, innovation, and scholarly engagement within and beyond the College.