John Obi

Business Man

[Peter Obi @PeterObi]

I am in a very sombre mood today as the burial church service of my beloved brother and friend, Chief Mike Okaka, is taking place in the United States.

I was scheduled to attend the service in person but couldn't due to pressing exigencies at home; however, I was fortunate to participate virtually from the Church to the cemetery for the final interment.

My heart, thoughts, and prayers are entirely with the family and friends.

Mike was an eternally optimistic and passionate friend who was an unapologetic Obidient. His passing has left a vast void and a deep sense of loss.

May God comfort the family, friends, and colleagues, and grant them strength during this difficult time, and give Mike peaceful rest. Amen. -PO

[Sam Amadi @SamAmadi]

For perspective, I know Bishop Adegbite right from when I was Secretary of CAN strategy and political committee. He has always been a very strong and open supporter of candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu. During the 2023 presidential election, he was one of CAN officials who openly supported Tinubu’s campaign. The secretary of CAN later became a member of Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council. They did not hide their partisanship.

This information does not make him a liar or a bad person. It just makes him partisan (which is not a bad or unusual thing considering he is now a political appointee of President Tinubu).

So, this is not your neutral voice. This is a fully-paid up supporter of President Tinubu

[John Obi @johnObi60]

Keep quiet!

[Arewa Source @Arewa_Source]

"The Catholic priest that went to President Tinubu to make him look bad didn't go for the love of Nigeria.

The went there to damage Tinubu's government so that their candidate Peter Obi can win"

[John Obi @johnObi60]

Your dad should tell you to repent and be Obidient!

[Osas @osazenoo]

Today is my Dad’s Birthday.🎁
Pale fine even for old age

[Olusegun Bakare𓃵 @theboyisgreat]

Again, they just proved to us that Tinubu controls EFCC..

APC are dull people ..

[Paul Ibe @omonlakiki]

Dear Bayo @aonanuga1956,

You've just shamelessly confirmed that the @officialEFCC works at the beck and call of President Bola Tinubu. You've just confirmedv that Tinubu is using the EFCC for political end. Tinubu’s claim that he is "embarrassed" by the freezing of the Osun State Government's statutory allocation account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is hogwash and an after thought.

Indeed, the President only belatedly acted because of the outcry of well-meaning Nigerians, including the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar.

What Tinubu has shown and clearly too, by the directive to the EFCC to unfreeze the account of Osun State is that the anti-corruption agency is not working at his command.

If the EFCC is truly independent, why has it not invited the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila to answer to the allegations of the PFIPC scandal in which he (Gbajabiamila) was accused of allegedly collecting N400m in bribe from Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who is currently a subject of a sham probe.

If Tinubu is actually engaged in a war against corruption, why is he being selective about it, focusing only on opposition leaders like Nasirel-Rufai and Abubakar Malami? Why has he not encouraged the EFCC to investigate Gbajabiamila? Why did he give him a vote of confidence by appointing him as Chair of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill?

Indeed, Nigerians are embarrassed at President Tinubu's hypocrisy, double standards and partisan use of state institutions to weaken the opposition parties. Instead of telling Catholic Bishops of Nigeria how he intends to address the economic hardship and insecurity that is the lived reality of the citizens, Tinubu doubled down on allegations that he is focused on having his way in the 2027 election by saying that "all is far in politics."

Nigerians and friends of Nigeria are embarrassed that Tinubu continues to priotise politics over and above governance.

They're embarrassed that Tinubu has by the outcome of the freezing Osun State Government account exposed that he is not in charge of his government. It is obvious that there are cabals in the Tinubu-led APC administration who are taking actions on his behalf.

[John Obi @johnObi60]

To perfect rigging. Period!

[Bia Pulse @BiaPulse]

You clearly rigged the election and you are told to go to court — the same court where judges turn black into white?

[Sachin Jose @Sachinettiyil]

Michael Nnadi, an 18-year-old Catholic seminarian from Nigeria, was abducted from his seminary in 2020 and later killed by his captors. One of his killers later said that Nnadi was killed because he continued preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to his abductors while in captivity.

[John Obi @johnObi60]

To perfect rigging. Period!

[oseni rufai @ruffydfire]

Imagine governors leave their own state to go sit in another state because of elections!

This is another abhorrent culture

Ask them what are they there to do?

Are they there to support INEC!

[Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, CGoF @ChidiOdinkalu]

This man's position has become entirely untenable in @officialEFCC.

He has tried his best.

He is a senior pastor & a senior lawyer.

He still has professional shelf life.

It's time to call time on this corruption of anti-corruption.

Mr. Chairman, in God's name, please go!

[John Obi @johnObi60]

@miradreaamy 0

[John Obi @johnObi60]

@Commentaryz1ep Gang nko?

[Peter Obi @PeterObi]

I have followed with deep concern the developments surrounding the reported freezing of the bank accounts of the Osun State Government by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), coming just days before the governorship election.

Let me reiterate that I have always supported a relentless fight against corruption. However, that fight must never become a tool for political intimidation or the suppression of democracy. No institution, however important, should be used in a manner that creates the impression of influencing the electoral process.

The timing of this action raises legitimate questions. If investigations had been ongoing for months, why take such a drastic step on the eve of an election? In a democracy, institutions must not only be impartial but must also be seen to be impartial.

What is increasingly troubling is the growing perception that state institutions are being deployed to achieve political ends and secure power at all costs. This is dangerous for our democracy. Governments come and go, but once institutions lose their independence and credibility, the nation suffers.

If there is evidence of wrongdoing, the Constitution provides a clear path: seek the appropriate orders from a competent court. Due process is the foundation of justice. No agency should exercise powers beyond those granted by law.

I call on all relevant authorities to act strictly within the Constitution and ensure that nothing undermines the credibility of the Osun Governorship Election. The people of Osun must be allowed to freely determine their future through the ballot, without intimidation or institutional interference.

Nigeria’s democracy was built on sacrifice. We must not allow it to be weakened by the misuse of institutions or the pursuit of political advantage.

A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO

[John Obi @johnObi60]

What a shame to EFCC!

[Bayo Onanuga, OON, CON @aonanuga1956]

STATEHOUSE STATEMENT

PRESIDENT TINUBU DIRECTS EFCC TO VACATE THE COURT ORDER FREEZING OSUN GOVERNMENT ACCOUNT

It has come to my notice that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government. I must state that I feel deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC's exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency's action. This is so because every action taken by an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action.

Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference. I have therefore deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC or any other investigative or prosecutorial agency because I firmly believe that strong democratic institutions, operating within the confines of the law, are indispensable to democratic good governance and the rule of law.

As President, I am committed to allowing institutions of State to function and take any action they consider necessary in the interest of proper governance without the need for any prior approval.  Indeed, that is why institutions are set up by law with clearly defined powers.   While I am yet to be fully apprised of the facts which informed the action of EFCC in approaching the court to obtain the said order freezing the Osun State Government account, I am not in the slightest doubt that the timing of the action of EFCC is inauspicious, and therefore I feel compelled to intervene.

Osun State is only a few days away from its gubernatorial election. Therefore, nothing ought to be done to give an impression that the EFCC or indeed any other agency of the federal government is being used to interfere with the election.

Based on the foregoing premise, I am duty-bound to issue a directive on this issue in consonance with the overriding public interest in preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of our democratic process.

Accordingly, I have directed the EFCC to immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU(GCFR)
ASO ROCK VILLA,
ABUJA
6th AUGUST, 2026

.

[CHUKS 🍥 @ChuksEricE]

"Minister Wike, I'm ready to bet with you—Rolls-Royce for Rolls-Royce and ₦1 billion. Let's deposit the stake in court. The NDC presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, will win Rivers State with 72% of the votes."

— Isaac Fayose to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

[Peter Obi @PeterObi]

When a Government Declares War on the Truth

President Donald Trump of America recently described Nigeria as “a now disgraced country.” The painful reality is that Nigeria’s challenges continue to deepen. Each passing day reveals deeper signs of decline, especially when a government becomes increasingly intolerant of truth and hostile to those who speak about the suffering of the people.

The Catholic Church has never functioned as an opposition party in Nigeria. Across military regimes and successive democratic administrations, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has maintained a principled voice on national issues and the nation’s conscience, commending governments when they deserved commendation and speaking the truth whenever national conscience demanded it. Its interventions are driven by a moral obligation, rooted in Christian social teaching, to defend truth, justice, and the common good.

The same applies to Nigeria’s major religious organisations. Bodies such as Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) have repeatedly raised concerns over economic hardship, inflation, and insecurity. Living among the people, religious leaders often encounter the suffering of citizens firsthand. They speak because they witness families struggling with rising food prices, unemployment, and the fear created by kidnappings and insecurity.

As leaders, we should be gracious enough to listen to people and organisations that speak the truth to us and genuinely criticise us when things are not going in the right direction. As Governor, I had the opportunity of working with a very strong Council of Traditional Rulers, led by the Obi of Onitsha, and religious bodies that consistently criticised me and offered suggestions. This contributed greatly to our success in Anambra State, especially in critical areas like education and health.

Against this background, the attacks on the CBCN, and especially on His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, are deeply troubling. Even in 1998, when Pope John Paul II visited Nigeria and told General Abacha some hard truths, including about the incarceration of Chief Moshood Abiola, nobody vilified him.

During the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome, to demonstrate his purported commitment to and respect for the Catholic Church, President Bola Tinubu arrived in Rome days before the event, ahead of most other visiting dignitaries, including Catholics such as the U.S. Vice President, JD Vance. He participated in the liturgy, queued with other world leaders to greet the Holy Father, and displayed deep respect for the moral authority of the Church. Back in Nigeria, however, that posture has now changed completely.

What is playing out today also reveals how political leaders sometimes exploit religion and ethnicity to divide the people. Even when it was obvious that the CBCN was speaking on issues affecting Nigerians across religious and ethnic boundaries, aides to the President immediately reduced it to a “religious affair.” The question is: are insecurity, poverty, inflation, unemployment, and hardship problems exclusive to a particular faith? Do these challenges recognise religious or tribal boundaries?

The bishops merely expressed what millions of Nigerians experience daily: insecurity has worsened, poverty is deepening, inflation is crippling families, businesses are struggling, and hope is fading. These are realities echoed by religious leaders across the country, to whom successive governments gave thanks and promised to look into their observations.

Rather than address these concerns or explain the measures in place to ameliorate them, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s aides and supporters responded with vicious attacks, particularly against Cardinal John Onaiyekan, with little regard for his age, stature, and accomplishments.

[John Obi @johnObi60]

@Big_marvis You want to justify your egbon's failures? Have you heard of the fools paradise?

[John Obi @johnObi60]

Can this be true? Did he actually said it?

[Bia Pulse @BiaPulse]

The 20 pounds that we budgeted and gave to the Igbos after the war was enough!

— General Gowon

[Adebiyi Ayodeji @muhyii4real]

Our own treasure. The voice for the voiceless. God bless our Bishops 🙏

#CBCN