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“You Have Treated Wike Badly” – Ortom Tells PDP Leaders

Samuel Ortom

Benue Governor Samuel Ortom has called out chieftains of the PDP party for what he deems to be an unfair treatment of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike. Ortom added that Wike deserved a direct apology from the PDP presidential flagbearer Atiku Abubakar.

Ortom made this known during his appearance on Arise TV’s flagship program The Morning Show on the morning of Wednesday, July 29. Ortom said that Wike deserved explanation for not emerging as the running-mate t0 Atiku as he was the choice selected by the 17-man team set up by Atiku to decide on who was the best fit for his running mate at the forthcoming polls.

Ortom revealed that Wike received his support as well as that of 13 others in the committee, and thus deserved an apology for being blindsided as Atiku later selected Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his preferred choice for VP.

Ortom’s words to Arise TV were;

“14 out of 17 members say that Wike should be the VP but in his (Atiku’s) wisdom, he chose Governor Okowa. Governor Okowa is a nice man and my friend and I have no problem with him. But if we are in a democratic era, and 14 people out of 17 said that it should be Wike, and he in his wisdom gave it to Okowa, I expect more explanation, I expect him to talk to Wike first, I expect him to even reach out to some of us so that together we can work as a party.”

Earlier in the interview, Ortom expressed his confidence in Wike’s leadership abilities saying;

“Some of us believe he (Wike) has the capacity and Charisma to lift this country from bottom to top compared to what has been happening. We have been taken from the top in 2015 to the bottom since this present administration came into power. Some of us believe that Wike has the capacity but Nigerians or let me say the PDP people did not give him the opportunity. Some of us rooted for him. I was amongst the 17 members committee that was set up by the candidate himself and the party and some of us said that for the vice presidency of the party, we needed Wike to be the vice president so that he can bridge the gap.”

Read Also: Atiku Selects Delta Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa As Running Mate

Ortom seemed rather unbiased in his support for Wike as he acknowledged Wike’s flaws yet maintained that he would have been the better fit for VP. “All of us have our weak spots. Wike can be something something, but when it comes to mobilisation, impact, value addition and reaching out, and making sure that the party works, Wike is an instrument,” Ortom said.

After losing the PDP presidential ticket to Atiku at the PDP Primaries in late May and later not emerging as the VP, many suspected that Wike could become vindictive by dumping the PDP or throw his weight of support around a presidential candidate from another party. These suspicions seemed to be true as Wike has since had closed-door meetings with chieftains from other parties, they include Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP, both of whom are presidential flagbearers of their individual parties.

Wike is currently away in Istanbul, Turkey on a vacation which Ortom told Arise TV he deserves due to the ill-treatment he received from the PDP.

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10 things To know about The New Pope Leo XIV

Following Pope Francis’s passing, United States Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has emerged as the 267th leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

Senior Cardinal Dominique Mamberti announced Prevost to a cheering crowd on St Peter’s balcony on Wednesday afternoon, saying the famous Latin words “Habemus Papam,” meaning “we have a pope.”

Picking the papal name Leo XIV, the newly elected Pope becomes the first American to occupy the exalted religious position.

Speaking in Italian, the 69-year-old described his predecessor as always “courageous and blessed Rome.”

1. Prevost was born on September 14, 1555, in Chicago, Illinois, to parents Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Martinez.

2. In 1997, he entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA) and made his solemn vows in 1981.

3. As a former prefect of the influential Dicastery for Bishops, Prevost shared similar views to his immediate predecessor and spent many years as a missionary in Peru before he was elected the head of the Augustinians for two consecutive terms.

4. The Chicago-born prelate earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Villanova University in 1977, before proceeding to Catholic Theological Union in Chicago for his Master of Divinity. He subsequently bagged both a licentiate and doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, with a doctoral thesis on “The role of the local prior in the Order of Saint Augustine.”

5. He was ordained as a priest in 1982 and joined the Augustinian mission in Peru shortly after, where he served as chancellor of the Territorial Prélature of Chulucanas from 1985 to 1986.

6. Between 1987 and 1988, he was in his home country of the US, working as pastor for vocations and director of missions for the Augustinian Province of Chicago. In 1988, he returned to Peru, where he spent the next ten years heading the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo and teaching canon law in the diocesan seminary, doubling as prefect of studies. Prevost also served in other capacities there, including as a parish pastor, diocesan official, director of formation, seminary teacher, and judicial vicar.

7. He returned to Chicago in 1999 and was elected provincial prior of the “Mother of Good Counsel” province in the archdiocese, before emerging as prior general of the Augustinian order and serving two terms until 2013.

8. The American prelate returned to Peru in 2014, following his appointment as the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo by Pope Francis. He was elevated to Bishop of Chiclayo in 2015, where he served as vice-president and member of the permanent council of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference from 2018 to 2023.

9. Prevost served as apostolic administrator of Callao in Peru between 2020 and 2021.

10. In January 2023, Pope Francis appointed Prevost as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a powerful position responsible for selecting bishops. He held this position until his predecessor died on April 21, 2025. On September 30, 2023, Pope Francis elevated Prevost to the rank of Cardinal.

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Entertainment

Wizkid Cancels multiple North America dates on ‘Morayo’ Tour, Sparking Online Debate

Nigerian superstar Wizkid has cancelled several dates on the North American leg of his much-anticipated ‘Morayo’ world tour, sparking concern among fans and insiders alike.
The cancelled shows include major venues such as:

June 5 – State Farm Arena, Atlanta

June 7 – Madison Square Garden, New York

June 11 – Scotiabank Arena, Ontario, Canada

June 15 – CFG Bank Arena, Baltimore

While his team has yet to release an official statement explaining the latest development, fans anxiously await clarity and possible new dates.

Despite the setback, sources suggest that the European leg of the Morayo Tour will continue as planned, with no current indications of change.

However, reactions online hint at deeper personal struggles. A close associate, Godson, stirred concern on social media when he responded to a fan’s inquiry about the cancellations by asking for prayers for Wizkid.

“Add him to your prayer. I think he’s still grieving, and nobody is helping him achieve this. Sad,” Godson posted.

Fans have since flooded social media with messages of support, urging the Star Boy to take all the time he needs to heal.

News of Wizkid’s North American tour cancellations has sparked a social media frenzy, with fans and critics flooding platforms like X (formerly Twitter) with mixed reactions, ranging from deep concern to outright mockery

Some fans expressed disappointment over the show cancellations, while others pointed fingers at poor planning, low ticket sales, and questionable timing.

Here are some of the most viral reactions:

@abazwhyllzz: “So none of his fans could buy ticket despite the ticket price reduction??? Brooo, this guy is finished.”

@mafia3O: “Cancelled in the midnight thinking people would not notice.”

@bigHotbaby1: “Wizkid scheduled his tour the same day there’s a big game in New York? Who’s advising this guy?”

@Zillionhood: “WizKid should retire this year with little dignity, by 2026 he will be retiring with mucha shame on him.”

@twnty__one: “Shey dem him fans no see money buy ticket ni or why the cancellation? Lol popsy una.”

Fanbase Rivalries Heat Up
The news also reignited the age-old Stan wars between fanbases, with some accusing media platforms of showing bias in their coverage.

@sakpo0007_: “Nah you guys are unreal. No single post on your page about Davido’s ‘5ive’ Spotify streams deduction but yeah it’s Wizkid news, y’all are active now… Fvckers.”

@bisolaa_0: “You updated this faster than Davido deducted streams on Spotify. Smh.”

@1stsonofdavido: “You see Wizkid downfall? I’m always there like Toyota Hilux. If it was Davido, everywhere for don scatter. Like I said, any Wizkid slander, I’m always there.”

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Celebs

Burna Boy gears up for the release of his 8th album with ‘Sweet Love’

Burna Boy

Grammy award-winning global icon Burna Boy ushers in his highly anticipated eighth studio album ‘No Sign of Weakness’ with today’s release of the seductive new single ‘Sweet Love.’

The song is set to be followed by a music video, which will complement its breezy feel.

The song produced by Major Seven is a romantic, reggae-leaning track that showcases Burna Boy’s unmistakable vocal charisma and signature blend of global influences with melodic pop sensibility.

‘Sweet Love’ continues Burna Boy’s standout year, building on the momentum of No Sign of Weakness’s first single, ‘Update’.

Produced by P2J (Beyoncé, Tems) and built around a sample of Soul II Soul’s iconic 8 the track blends Afrobeats with anthemic, club-ready energy.

The official video, which weaves together powerful visual vignettes inspired by the album’s central themes, has already surpassed 5 million views on YouTube.

Burna Boy has previously released the bubbling ‘Bundle By Bundle,’ which has amassed over 24M Spotify streams and 8.5M video views.

Most recently, Burna Boy joined French-Haitian singer Joé Dwèt Filé for the remix of the viral hit ‘4 Kampé,’ fusing Afrobeats and Haitian Kompa into a cross-cultural anthem that continues to chart across platforms globally.

Last month, Burna Boy became the first-ever cover star of Billboard France, coinciding with his historic, sold-out show at the Stade de France, making him the first African artist to headline the iconic venue.

The multi-award-winning global star followed up on his Stade De France concert with another historic concert in Manchester, where he sold out the Co-op Arena, which is the biggest indoor Arena in England.

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