The Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has said that corruption in Nigeria politics is people-driven and should not result in any serious punishment.

Ndume stated this while speaking on the death penalty as a deterrent for those caught with drugs.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television Ndume admitted that politicians “steal and share with the people”.

He argued that when politicians’ corruption is compared to others, it is a “small one’

According to him, “If you compare us, politicians, to all the corruption, it is very small. Our corruption is people-driven. If you steal it, you will go and share it with the people. If you don’t, you are not coming back for four years. There is no reason for stealing.

“I have been to the National Assembly, I can’t say because we are on TV now and not telling the truth. If the death penalty is supposed to be included in corruption, I will support it but you don’t go and kill someone that stole one million or one billion, no. But someone who steals one trillion of government money should be killed.”

The senator said he supports death punishment for drug dealers.

“The death penalty is the best deterrent for those being caught for drugs. If you do drugs, you are killing people.

“In fact, that means you have destroyed the lives of so many people and killed so many people,” he added.

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi have met for the first time after losing their bids to rule the country in the 2023 election to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Atiku Abubakar took to social media to announce his meeting with the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi saying; “It was my honour and privilege to host @PeterObi today.”

It was my honour and privilege to host @PeterObi today. -AA pic.twitter.com/JRlE2Ec52D

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) May 13, 2024

The development suggested the Labour Party and PDP will form a formidable alliance to unseat Tinubu in 2027. Also, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) might join the alliance.

Recall that a political economist, Professor Pat Utomi, in an interview with Channels TV had confirmed that three presidential candidates in the last election, Atiku Abubakar, his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP have agreed to form a formidable party that will sack the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

Utomi, a staunch supporter of Peter Obi said after having a conversation with the trio, he agreed to form a mega party that would take over the country’s leadership, saying Nigerians need people who would make sacrifices for the development of the nation.

He said, “We need people who sacrifice themselves to build a great country with the possible reward of immortality. When I talked to several of the presidential candidates in the last run about this track, we were travelling.

“Yes, I’ve had conversations with Atiku Abubakar, I’ve had conversations with Engineer Rabiu Kwankwaso, I have had conversations with Peter Gregory Obi, and people like Ralph Okey Nwosu of ADC are some of those that would probably constitute some of the base.

“And I’ve said to them, it’s not about you. It’s about Nigeria, it’s about the ordinary person in this state. It’s about genuinely moving from this business of sharing trickles from oil sales to how we can become one of the most productive economies because our (natural) endowments allow that. Still, our politics has not allowed Nigerian people to produce”.

It was said that unresolved disputes among the main opposition party’s leaders, PDP, handed an advantage for Tinubu Tinubu to win the last election.

Peter Obi who eventually became the third force election was a member of the party until a few weeks before its primary. Obi was also a running mate to Atiku in the 2019 election.

Meanwhile, Peter Obi has said he isn’t going to leave the Labour Party to join any party.

Obi speaking on April 7, 2024, in Gombe State shortly after donating a borehole to the ram market in Tike Pantami said; ““No, there is no such thing. I’m for peace, I like peace. I believe we are one people. Our concentration should be on peace, and I believe we will resolve all situations.”

Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of being the mastermind of the current charged political atmosphere in Rivers State.

Secondus, who spoke to journalists in Abuja, said the FCT Minister was the brain behind Governor Siminalaye Fubura’s political troubles.

He alleged that the former governor brought misery, grief, and anguish into the state, stressing that the Minister has failed to attract any federal project to Rivers.

According to Secondus, Fubara fell out with his estranged godfather when he (Fubara) decided to prevent the looting of the state.

He explained that the political crisis currently rocking the state was orchestrated by those who demand unfettered access to the state’s finances, a demand he said the governor refused to accept.

Secondus said, “Wike has been Governor for eight years and is now Minister of the FCT.

“As Minister, what has he, Wike, attracted in terms of Federal projects to our dear State since he assumed office?

“Perhaps misery, grief, and anguish. As governor he supervised the exit of investors from the state due to his draconian policies.

“He had on an occasion mentioned that he is capable of causing a crisis and he is not far from the truth, as he is causing an unfathomable crisis in Rivers State.

“Mrs Patience Jonathan and I worked for his emergence as governor, have we ever breathed down his neck? Instead, what we get is disrespect and insults.

“I call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to prevail on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike to stop overheating the Rivers State political atmosphere and allow Fubara to work. Whatever Wike thinks he is, it must be stressed that Rivers people made him.”

Meanwhile, the FCT minister said he has never asked Governor Fubara, his estranged political godson, or anyone else to worship him in the state.

This is just as he assured members of the State House of Assembly loyal to him that nobody can remove them from office.

Wike stated this while speaking at an event to honour former Senator, George Senior in Ogu in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of the state on Saturday.

Recall that Governor Fubara at a recent function in Port Harcourt while commenting on the crisis in the state had said he respects and acknowledges Wike’s pivotal role in his governorship emergence, but that he would not worship any man.

Also, at the burial of the late mother of former Rivers State Governor, Celestine Omehia in Ubima, Ikwerre local government area of the State, Fubara has said ‘I won’t govern Rivers on bended knees’.

But Wike in his reply wondered where the issue of ‘worship’ which his successor mentioned emanated from.

He said, “I came because I respect people who appreciate what God has done for them and what God has used people to do for them.

“God does not come down. God uses people to help people. I have never told anybody to worship me. Nobody can worship man. All of us believe that we only have one God. And it is only that God we worship; and we will continue to worship that God.

“As politicians, we appreciate people who have helped. Ogu-Bolo people when I came to ask you to support me, you supported me. Did I worship you? But I have to appreciate you. I never said I would worship you. Did I tell you to worship me? So why did the issue of worship come.”

He commended the chiefs and people of Ogu-Bolo for not allowing politics to divide them, saying, “You have not allowed politics to make you dishonour your son. That shows people who have leaders of their community in mind.”

He apologised to the people for what he termed wrong judgment, which he said, shows that man is prone to errors.

“In life when you make a mistake, there is nothing you can do about it. I have made a mistake, I didn’t know it all. I say God forgive me and I say all of you forgive me.

“But we will correct it at the appropriate time. I’m a human being. I’m bound to make mistakes. My judgment can be wrong. So forgive me for making a wrong judgment. That is part of life, so nobody should kill himself,” the FCT minister said.

On Fubara’s recent remarks that some of the lawmakers stayed with him and he paid their children’s fees, Wike jested that he never knew the latter was so rich.

“See the Assembly people in their different constituencies. I never knew you were saying rich. I never knew your father was the Managing Director of Shell.

“You were feeding the Assembly people, paying their children’s school fees. I never knew that. It is unfortunate. “

Also, the Peoples Democratic Party has declared full control over Rivers State, asserting that Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the party now dominate the state’s political landscape.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, on Saturday, the party claimed that all legislators who defected to the All Progressives Congress have forfeited their seats, citing constitutional provisions.

Recall that on Tuesday, the state government dismissed a call by the state APC for the pro-Wike House of Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against Gov. Fubara.

Ologunagba emphasised that legal considerations now overwhelmingly favour the PDP, dismissing the APC’s claims as futile attempts to subvert Nigeria’s constitution.

He stated, “It is indeed pathetic for the APC to think that the facts and true import of Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to the effect that the former lawmakers have since lost their seats can be muddled and lost in litigation and lengthy press statements.

“Interestingly, in the failed bid to subvert the Constitution to give the former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly a lifeline, the APC ended up admitting the clarity of the provision of Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in voiding their seats upon their defection.”