The All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman in Rivers State, Dr Tony Okocha, has said that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is a member of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“In Rivers, I am 001 in APC, but in the Renewed Hope Agenda, I am 002. Wike is 001,” Okocha explained while refuting the claims that the former Governor had dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for APC.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Okocha said that Wike has not left PDP and will never do so.

He also stated that the 27 Rivers lawmakers currently in a bitter political struggle with the incumbent Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, have not dumped PDP for APC.

“People say Wike has decamped to the APC. They also say that the 27 lawmakers currently fighting with Fubara have defected to the APC.

“I need to make this clear to everyone. Much as I wish to have them in my fold, none of them has agreed to join us.

“I am the one that should know if they did. But, clearly, they have not. What the lawmakers did was a political gimmick. I tried to woo them, but they kept vacillating and did not.

“To defect, they must go to their wards, register and get their membership cards. None of them has done that,” Okocha stated.

Okocha stressed that Wike, despite his alliance with the Renewed Hope Agenda, would not leave the PDP.

“Wike will never leave the PDP. He has always said that PDP made him what he is. He has always said that he would remain there.

“He is an ardent believer in PDP. He is not likely to leave that group,” Okocha said.

Speaking on Wike’s influence on Rivers’ politics, Okocha said: “Wike has done so much for Rivers, so he is strong.

“In the next 10 years, Wike will continue to influence the political direction in Rivers.

“It will be difficult to uproot him.

“Aside from his many projects scattered throughout the state, he has touched people’s lives directly. Such people will always be behind him.”

“Once the cause is good and will give him a platform to serve his people, Wike will be part of it,” Okocha added.

Former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has asserted that President Bola Tinubu usually moves around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, at night to witness what Nigerians are passing through.

The senator representing Abia North Senatorial District stated that the Nigerian leader is aware of the country’s fluttering economy and is taking necessary actions to address the challenges.

“The president himself knows that Nigerians are suffering and hungry. He is a street person; he knows the street very well.

“The president sometimes uses his car to go around and find out what is happening in Abuja here,” Kalu stated in Thursday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Naija News recalls that in September 2024, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that the inflation rate in the country reached 32.7 per cent.

Following the elimination of the fuel subsidy and the transition to a floating naira, the prices of essential goods have surged, placing them out of reach for many Nigerians.

However, Senator Kalu contended that the economic difficulties faced are not unique to Nigeria.

He noted that the nation is also grappling with the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly impacted the global economy.

Israel announced on Thursday that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 attack, was killed, calling it a “heavy blow” to the Palestinian group.

According to the Israeli military, Sinwar was eliminated in an operation in southern Gaza on Wednesday after a year-long pursuit.

Although Hamas has yet to confirm his death, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Sinwar’s death marked a significant defeat for Hamas, though the conflict is far from over.

Netanyahu referred to it as an “important milestone in Hamas’ downfall.”

Foreign Minister Israel Katz labeled Sinwar a “mass murderer” responsible for the October 7 massacre, while President Isaac Herzog praised the killing of the militant behind the attack.

Sinwar, accused of planning the deadliest assault in Israel’s history, had been Israel’s target since the Gaza war began. He rose through Hamas ranks to lead the group after the death of political chief Ismail Haniyeh in July.

Israel’s announcement follows the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah weeks earlier and the deaths of several other Iran-backed commanders.

US President Joe Biden, backing Israel, called the day a significant victory for Israel and a potential opportunity for a political settlement in Gaza.

Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi vowed to continue efforts to capture all those involved in the October 7 attack and bring hostages home.

Sinwar’s death could signal a turning point in Gaza, according to Israeli officials, potentially reshaping the conflict’s dynamics.

However, experts caution that Hamas’ rule over Gaza remains intact, and the hostages still face significant risks.

Israel’s broader military campaign has expanded into Lebanon, where Hezbollah has launched cross-border strikes.

The conflict in Lebanon has already claimed 1,373 lives since the war’s escalation in late September.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, airstrikes have continued, leading to further civilian casualties and worsening humanitarian conditions.

The UN and international observers warn of a growing crisis as winter approaches, with hundreds of thousands in Gaza facing extreme hunger and poverty.