These are the top ten stories that drove conversation this week.

Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) said the ruling APC may soon die.

Speaking with BBC Hausa, Melaye said there are problems that need to be addressed within his party.

His words, “Everybody is sabotaging one another. Something should be done, otherwise, the funeral trumpet may be blown on APC. I am not afraid to tell the truth on anybody, whether on Buhari, Saraki, or even my father. I have to speak against injustice. APC and PDP patronise the same market.”

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Catholic Bishop, Mathew Kukah of the Sokoto diocese accused President Muhammadu Buhari of bringing back ethnicity which Nigerians felt they had overcome.

In a letter to the president, the cleric said Nigerians have never been so alienated from one another.

“You know sir, that you rode into town like a knight in shining armour, carrying the joys, pains, anxieties and fears of a people whose broken dreams had littered and turned the landscape into a kaleidoscopic scenery of desolation and despair,” he said.

Also, in an interview published in the April edition of The Africa Report magazine, Kukah said it will be “one of the greatest miracles” if Nigeria pulls through the 2019 elections successfully.

He said there is heightened tension in virtually all states in the country, which would make it difficult to have a peaceful election.

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Some angry constituents attacked Garba Hamman Julde, a member of the house of representatives from Taraba.

Julde represents Bali/Gassol federal constituency in the green chambers.

The constituents hurled stones at the lawmaker for allegedly abandoning them.

Similarly, a detachment of soldiers freed Senator Joshua Lidani (Gombe south), from youth who held him hostage.

Lidani was held hostage after he visited the headquarters of Balanga local government area, Gombe.

The youth accused the senator of abandoning them since he got elected in 2015 and demanded that he account for his stewardship.

He was then forced to take refuge at the residence of the traditional ruler of Talasse.

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The Federal Government released more names of alleged looters of the treasury during the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

The new list by the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed contained 23 names.

“At the press conference where the list was released, I did say it was a tip of the iceberg. Apparently, this does not mean anything to people whose style is to comment on issues they barely understand, or just to shoot down anything coming from the government,” he said, adding that the Federal Government has a large number of alleged looters on its list.

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Former president Olusegun Obasanjo advised Nigerians not to vote for a ‘failed government’ in 2019 – referring to the APC and the President Buhari-led government.

Obasanjo said it will be foolhardy to reinforce failure by re-electing the APC and President Buhari in 2019.

Speaking during a visit to Ogun by New Nigeria 2019 Group led by Chima Anyaso, the convener, and Moses Siasia, the co-convener, Obasanjo also condemned his former party, asking Nigerians not to accept the opposition’s party recent apology.

Obasanjo said, “as I said, stop giving excuses; we met challenges. If there are no challenges, then we wouldn’t need you to come. You come in because you know there are challenges and then giving us an excuse that you have many challenges; that is why you haven’t achieved results.”

In reaction, the Presidency said it will join issues with Obasanjo over his comments.

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Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo, accused Obasanjo of committing same act he is tackling President Buhari for.

He said Obasanjo “kept blaming” the military for his “abysmal” performance while in office.

Writing via his Twitter handle on Tuesday, Keyamo said — just like Buhari — the former president had asked Nigerians to be patient with his government.

He wrote: “Let’s remember that during the first four years of Obasanjo (1999-2003), he kept blaming the ‘rot’ the military left behind as the reason for his abysmal performance and begged Nigerians to be patient with him, to the extent that he reportedly knelt down for Atiku Abubakar (his then vice-president) then to get his second-term ticket.”

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President Buhari has approved the disbursement of $1 billion to fight insecurity.

The National Economic Council (NEC) approved the spending last December.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of a security meeting with President Buhari, the Minister of Defence Mansur Dan-Ali said, “What I can add, after all that I have said is to inform you that of recent, our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, gave approval for the purchase of more equipment for the military, worth $1 billion.”

The senior special assistant to the president on media, Garba Shehu, says the approval of $1 billion by his principal is not final.

Shehu said a draft bill will be sent to the national assembly for consideration and approval.

“The process has begun, it’s not concluded, therefore, everyone will be involved. Mr President will not breach the constitution of this country. Approval at that level is granted, there is nothing controversial,” Shehu said while speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme.

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The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, described the coordinated bank robbery in Offa, Kwara, which left several persons dead and injured as “a despicable act committed by cruel individuals.”

In a post on his Facebook page, Saraki said he and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed discussed the matter and they both agreed that those who carried out the attacks must be found and prosecuted.

The Senate President said, “Yesterday’s savage attack on unsuspecting citizens and establishments in Offa Local Government Area, that led to significant loss of lives and injury, is a despicable act committed by cruel individuals.

“Make no mistake, there will never be any valid grounds or rationale behind such violence, that has left many families without their loved ones, and one more community in grief and shock.”

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Civil society group, Our Mumu Don Do, demanded the arrest and prosecution of Ibrahim Mantu, former deputy senate president, for admitting that he rigged elections.

The group made the demand when its members staged a protest to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

While being interviewed on a TV programme recently, Mantu had said he helped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig elections in the past.

Submitting a protest letter at the INEC office, the group asked the electoral body to expedite action and prosecute Mantu “for subverting the free will of Nigerians”.

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The PDP dismissed the advice by the APC that it should learn from former senate president, Ibrahim Mantu‘s claims on how he rigged elections for the party.

The APC had called on the PDP to follow the example of Mantu, a PDP leader, and confess to its sins against Nigerians.

In response, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement said Mantu’s reported claims are personal to him and has nothing to do with the PDP.

He said the party has never directed any of its members to rig election on its behalf at any point since its formation.