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Wike Debunks Negotiating For Vice President

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Governor Nyesom Wike has debunked reports that he is negotiating for the position of Vice Presideent should his presidential campaign goes sour.

Addressing supporters in Calabar, the state capital, Wike said: “You may be hearing stories but today, I am coming here in person to tell you that I am running to be president of Nigeria. I am not running to negotiate for the vice presidency or for anything. I’m running to be the president of Nigeria.”

He also said he is not running for running’s sake, adding that he does not want to be recognised as a former presidential candidate, president of Nigeria

Wike addressed the delegates which included former Governor Donald Duke, former Governor Liyel Imoke, PDP National Assembly Caucus leader and members from Cross River State, and host party leaders in the various local governments of the state.

The Rivers State governor objected to the views of the group of presidential aspirants, led by the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, who are suggesting the option of a consensus candidate for the PDP.

His words: “Some people are moving for consensus. I’m not part of that. If you want to run for an election, please do so. When they came to me, I told them I’m not a party to this one. What I don’t like in my life is deceiving people. What I will not do, I will not do. What I will do, I will do.”

He added: “I hear yesterday (Tuesday) what was credited to the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, that the north came out first, so the South should concede to them; that is a lie and it is not correct, with due respect to our former Senate president.

You can only know those who have come out for an election at the close of nomination; or the close of picking of forms. I like what the governor of Enugu State told them. He said consensus is based on equity, fairness and justice.”

Wike said he is too experienced in politics to be deceived. He added: “If you can’t run again, say it out. Don’t hide under what you call consensus and come to me. Get on and run for the election; to be president of Nigeria is not by dash, you will sweat it out.”

He said if the PDP wants to win this election; it should look around for aspirants that have the capacity and the courage to withstand the current government.

He added: “It should look for those that can tell the APC that enough is enough. I am the one. Give me the ticket. Give me the ticket and the election is over. The PDP needs a candidate who is fearless and courageous. I will win the election for the PDP.”

He spoke a little about his track record when he was the Minister of States for Education. He said: “I toured every state. I addressed many issues of basic education and I ensured libraries and laboratories were built in secondary schools.”

On insecurity, Wike accused the current Federal Government of not doing enough. He said: “Look at the country; insecurity everywhere. They don’t fund intelligence. Spend money on intelligence and you will stop the terrorists before they strike.

Part of the problem we have is that we are not consolidating and spending resources on intelligence. It’s not just amassing weapons. If you do that without intelligence, it’s equal to zero. Spend more money on intelligence and you will get the result.”

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70% of Christians killed in 2024 are African – Group

ORJI ISRAEL reports that the group accused ANC of maintaining silence on religious persecution, while deepening ties with ideological extremists in Tehran

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70% of Christians killed in 2024 are African gettyimages
Women crying during killings in Benue State, Nigeria

Recent reports indicate that over 4,400 Christians were murdered for their faith last year, while over the past decade, jihadist violence has driven 16 million Christians from their homes, millions of which are African citizens.

This is according to global Christian charity, Open Doors, which also confirms that for every five Christians, one will face persecution in Africa specifically.

Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List reveals the top 10 most dangerous countries for Christians are dominated by Islamic states in the Middle East and Africa, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and Nigeria. A more detailed UK Parliament briefing recently noted that 70% of Christians killed in 2024 were indeed in Africa. 

Over the last six months, the brutality against Christians in Africa has escalated to alarming levels, with a series of devastating attacks across the continent. Just last month, ISIL-affiliated rebels stormed a Catholic church in Komanda, DRC, murdering close to 50 worshippers, including women and children. That same month in Mozambique, Islamic State fighters captured and beheaded six Christians from Natocua village, just across South Africa’s border. A month earlier, in June 2025, armed militants in Nigeria massacred nearly 200 Christian civilians in Yelwata village. 

“What we are witnessing is not random violence or isolated attacks. It is a deliberate, coordinated campaign by jihadist networks to wipe Christianity from vast regions of Africa and the Middle East,” says SAFI spokesperson, Bafana Modise. “These acts of terror are the early stages of a genocide against Christians, and history will record who spoke out and who shamefully looked away. Tragically, the ANC has chosen the latter.”

This silence is even more damning in light of last week’s news that South Africa’s military chief, Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya, met with Iranian Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami in Tehran to discuss deepening military and strategic ties, when Iran remains one of the world’s most notorious persecutors of Christians.

A recent report by the Middle East Africa Research Institute (MEARI) warned that Pretoria’s deepening ties with Tehran has compromised South Africa’s democratic foundations by defending Iran at the UN and IAEA, downplaying its human rights abuses, and potentially benefitting from covert support, including speculation around the ANC’s repayment of a multi-million-rand debt shortly after filing the ICJ case against Israel.

“These atrocities are not just crimes against individuals; they are part of a war against the freedom of religion itself,” Modise warns. “This is religious genocide, and it is gaining momentum as it edges closer to South Africa’s borders.”

Instead of defending religious freedom, the ANC government has remained silent. It has issued no meaningful condemnation or rallying call to protect persecuted Christians: “The ANC has done nothing to defend the rights of Christians,” says Modise. “Instead, it has squandered South Africa’s moral standing on discredited genocide charges against Israel – the one country in the Middle East where Christians live in safety and equality.”

This betrayal is even more unforgivable in a nation where 80% of South Africans identify as Christian. Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right, but the ANC, once the global champion of human rights, has made its bed with regimes and groups that have used Islamic law to suppress and destroy those freedoms.

“The ANC’s alliances make it clear: they have abandoned South Africa’s Christians, choosing friendship with the very forces driving this campaign of genocide,” Modise concludes. “Silence in the face of such evil is complicity, and the ANC is guilty of both. They have aligned themselves with Jihadist Islamic ideology, without further thought.”

We call on every pastor, every congregation, and every believer to demand that the ANC account for its indifference and betrayal. The blood of persecuted Christians cries out from across the African continent. If South Africa will not stand with them now, the day may come when their fate becomes our own.

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Government Should Support Media with Tax Incentives, Relief on Import Duties – Soneye

….Media Sustainability: Soneye Advocates Tax Reliefs, Independent Fund for Journalism

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Femi Soneye
Femi Soneye

Former Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mr. Femi Soneye, has called on the Federal Government to support the Nigerian media with targeted incentives, including tax reliefs and import duty waivers on essential media tools.

Soneye made the appeal in Abuja on Tuesday after receiving the NUJ FCT Excellence in Corporate Communications Award, conferred on him by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council.

The NUJ leadership, led by Chairperson Grace Ike, alongside the Deputy Chair, Secretary-General, and other executives, described Soneye as a consummate professional who has distinguished himself with tact and excellence in the communications field.

In his remarks, Soneye noted that while the Nigerian media remains one of the most vibrant in Africa, it continues to grapple with systemic challenges that weaken its effectiveness.

“The Nigerian media remains one of the most vibrant in Africa, but it also faces systemic challenges, financial, political, legal, and technological that weaken its effectiveness. The government can play a supportive role by granting tax incentives or relief on import duties for newsprint, broadcast equipment, and digital infrastructure,” he said.

He also urged the Federal Government to establish an independent media development fund to support investigative journalism, community radio, and newsroom innovation, drawing parallels with models in South Africa, the United States, and Canada.

The award underscores Soneye’s long-standing contributions to journalism and corporate communications, as well as his advocacy for a stronger, independent, and sustainable Nigerian media.

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Lagos NIPR elects new executives

Reporter: Sandra Ani

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Members of the newly elected executive of Lagos State Chapter NIPR
Members of the newly elected executive of Lagos State Chapter NIPR

… GFD Executive Director emerges chapter Vice Chairperson* 

The Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has elected a new executive council at the close of its flagship Lagos PR Fest 2025, reinforcing its commitment to professionalism, innovation, and societal impact.

In elections supervised by NIPR Registrar, Chief Uzoma Onyegbadue, Samuel Ayetutu emerged as Chairman, while Eniola Mayowa was elected Vice Chairman in a closely contested race.

Other members of the executive include Secretary Samuel Adeyemi, Assistant Secretary Rita Ali-Nock, Public Relations Officer Ogochukwu Okeke, Financial Secretary Bassey Nta, Treasurer Olabamiji Adeleye, Welfare Officer Funmilola Akintola, and Ex-Officio Provost Marshal Quadri Adeleke.

In his acceptance remarks, Ayetutu pledged to drive professional standards, promote inclusiveness, and foster collaboration among members to enhance the chapter’s influence locally and nationally.

This year’s PR Fest, themed “Urban Farming for Food Security: The Role of Communication”, convened communication professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders to explore innovative strategies for tackling food security through effective public engagement.

Over the years, the Lagos PR Fest has evolved into a leading platform for advancing the role of public relations in societal development, with the 2025 edition underscoring the Institute’s mission to position communication as a driver of sustainable development in Nigeria.

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