Politics
Re-Instatment Of Council Chairmen: Matters Arising
Political activities in the 11 local government areas, of Rivers State, whose chairmen were suspended from office by the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, had within the past few weeks been riddled with intrigues, suspense and a climax that had further heated the polity.
The affected LGAs, are still wearing an ominous political cloud. There are also indications that most of the returning helmsmen are still pondering, and may not just gloss over the perceived excesses of their deputies during their brief suspension from office.
Angered by the daring effrontery of some of the vice chairmen, who in a jifty dislogded the political structures on ground before the political pitfall, most of the re-instated chairmen are tightening their political knots.
The political scene in most of the affected LGAs is also suggestive of visible pall of apprehension, among the power players. Bearing the brunt of perceived insorbordination, most of the re-instated chairmen, seem more cautious in the review of their relationships with their deputies.
The Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government, Casidy Ikegbidi, was the first among his re-instated colleagues to yield to the anticipated reactions and predictions of pundits.
On resumption of office, boss sacked all political appointees engaged by his Vice, Britain Ewoh, while serving as Acting Chairman. He also revoked all contracts awarded by the acting chairman.
The AHELGA boss did not attach the sacking of the engaged political appointees and revocation of contracts to any specific excuse. He only “urged the workers and political office holders to brace up for the new era of leadership”, and assured that he would work with them to develop the area.
The Ahoada East chairman’s action, shortly on resumption of office is startling of what is heard in some of the affected LGAs. The Political rumour mill is already awash with tales of impending poltical ‘lockhorn’ between the key players.
As put by a Port Harcourt-based analyst, Dr. Steve Wodu “the action of the Chairman of Ahoada East LGA, should be no surprise to anyone, it should be expected in most of the other affected LGAs; it shows that vested interest is the hub of Nigerian politics, and it undermines the will of the people as expressed at the polls”.
He cautioned that the growing disagreement between most council chairmen and their deputies was a “plausible, tactical political flaw” which could lead to “lack of development focus and a protracted political tussle if not properly addressed.
Corroborating Mr. Wodu’s view, another political analyst, Comrade Lekia Christian said , “a replay of the Ahoada East chairman’s action should not be entirely ruled out in the other 10 affected LGAs, as most of the council chairmen who have lost faith in the loyalty of their Vice may stop at nothing to smoothen their political ride”.
He said the suspended chairmen considered the actions of the deputies during their brief romance with full executive powers as betrayal, as some of their actions were to forestall their political backlash of losing the popularity and political control to the deputies.
Investigation also revealed that the sudden elevation of the Vice Chairmen of affected LGAs, as Acting Chairmen, compounded the brewing crisis of mutual distrust between them and their chairmen with political sentiments piling up in most of the councils, political analysts forsee a crisis of impeachment looming ahead in the councils.
In Ahoada East LGA, which is glaringly in the political spotlight, the councillors are said to be divided as those loyal to the chairman and his vice repeatedly are already pitted against themselves.
A top council source, revealed that the development at it stands, ‘may cause a disruption in the smooth running of the affairs of the council”.
The source, however, expressed hope that the council will get over its present challenges soon.
A Port Harcourt based Legal practitioner, Barrister, Kio George, described the suspension of the 11 council chairmen and swearing in of their deputies by the Governor, as a “prelude to a battered relationship between the duo”.
According to Kio, “the manner of operations and governance at the LG level had always placed vice chairmen on a passive level of participation, and as such the opportunity to test full scale executive power was provided within the period of suspension”. He added that the development had drawn a battleline between most chairmen and their deputies. He however called on the Rivers State House of Assembly to ensure that activities in the affected LGAs, do not drift into full scale political crisis.
Ironically, while the acting chairmen were already consolidating their sudden elevation and romance with full executive powers, they were also interceptws by a sudden reversal of the order to status qo by the Governor.
However, not all the vice chairmen seem to have betrayed such passionate obsession to succeeding their bosses.
In Port Harcourt City Local Government, it was obvious that for unfathomable reasons, the vice chairman, reluctantly assumed power, as she was sworn in about a week after her colleagues has assumed duties and revelling in the ‘new found power’, perhaps, ignoring the prying eyes of political agents and gold diggers.
It could be recalled that during the period of suspension of the bosses, the acting chairmen of Akuku Toru, Asari Toru, Ahoada West and some others, had existing bodies and political structures in their various councils.
But the former acting chairman and Vice Chairman of Akuku Toru LGA, Stanley Benibo said his decisions were a continuation of his boss’s agenda, which was based on wide consultation with the people. Benibo added that his decision had no personal under- current.
The debates generated by the suspension and eventual re-instatement of 11 council chairmen, in Rivers State have also opened new vistas, in the realm of local government administration, especially in role playing, among the key players in the councils.
This had led to the inclusion of new clauses in the Rivers State Local Government Amendment Bill recently passed to law by the Rivers State House of Assembly. According to the House Leader, Hon. Chidi Lloyd while contributing to the bill before its passage, “the new clause is to stretch the specificity of role to avoid its tendencies of usurpation”. Another critical area of concern raised by analysts, is over the constitutional requirements and procedure to sack a local government chairman. If anything, the unfolding political activities in the affected LGAs have sent a signal to others over the necessary vigilance expected of chairmen in response to Governance and other constitutional duties.
Taneh Beemene
Politics
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar
A press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Cross River State Governor, Mr Linus Obogo, disclosed that the Calabar Centre — designated as Centre B — will host representatives and stakeholders from Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.
The public hearing is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Transcorp (Metropolitan) Hotel, Calabar.
The initiative, according to the statement, is designed to promote inclusive dialogue and capture the aspirations of Nigerians from all regions.
It aims to serve as a platform for citizens to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing national efforts to refine and strengthen the country’s legal and institutional frameworks.
“Citizens, civil society groups, professional bodies, traditional rulers, and other interest blocs are invited to participate in this landmark engagement aimed at advancing a more just, equitable, and responsive Nigerian Constitution,” the statement read.
The hearing forms part of the broader review process of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and is seen as a strategic move toward fostering national unity and addressing structural legal issues within the federation.
For the first time since 2022, when then-presidential aspirant Alhaji Bola Tinubu declared he made former President Buhari Nigeria’s President in 2015, Mr Mustapha dismissed the claims, stressing that the merger only contributed about three million votes in addition to Buhari’s existing 12 million votes in the North.
He insisted that former President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to the breakthrough, not the three million votes from the merging parties, which he described as insignificant.
Speaking on the role of the merging parties, particularly President Tinubu, the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr Mustapha, who was the keynote speaker at the launch of the book ‘According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience’ authored by Mallam Garba Shehu, described the impact of the votes from other merging parties as very insignificant.
In attendance were former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, chair of the event; immediate past Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; SGF George Akume, who represented President Tinubu; PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar; former Chief of Staff to Buhari Ibrahim Gambari; elder statesman Babagana Kingibe; former governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Chris Ngige (Anambra), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Raji Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); former ministers Solomon Dalung and Sunday Dare; former Army Chief Tukur Buratai, and Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s spokesman, among others.
According to Mr Mustapha, “I do not intend to stir up any controversy. The merger in 2013 was midwifed to create a Buhari presidency. Let us look at the statistics. In the 2003 election, it was the Obasanjo-Buhari presidential contest where Buhari recorded 12.7 million votes. In 2007, it came to 6.6 million, and it went back to 12.2 million in 2011.
“When we were conceptualising the merger, what would give us a headstart? Obviously, it was at the back of our consciousness that the merger with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), though it had only one state, the ACN had six states, ANPP three states, and when you sum up the total votes that we had as the presidency in 2015, the aggregate of the total votes was 15.4 million.
“So, basically, what we brought to the table after the merger outside the Buhari 12.5 million votes was three million. Before turning to that presidency, it is important to recognise the former President’s role in reshaping Nigeria’s political trajectory.
“In early 2013, as the leader of the CPC, Buhari formally requested and supported the creation of a CPC merger committee, part of a broader coalition-building process that brought together the ACN, ANPP, APGA faction, and elements of the ruling party through the breakaway ‘new PDP’ group. His endorsement and participation, along with other party leaders such as President Tinubu and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, lent credibility and direction to the merger, helping to unify disparate party factions under the banner of the APC. That coalition-building paved the way for the first democratic defeat of an incumbent ruling party in Nigeria’s history.
“President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to that breakthrough. No account of President Buhari’s tenure would be complete without acknowledging the extended periods he spent on medical leave. These moments, while politically delicate, were also telling of his leadership philosophy and personality,” he said.
In his remarks, President Tinubu promised to build on the legacies of former President Buhari, stressing that “nation-building is a relay. The efforts of one administration lay the foundation for the next.
“In this regard, I acknowledge the efforts of my predecessor, President Buhari, and assure all Nigerians that the reform-oriented path he initiated will be consolidated and strengthened under this administration. Our Renewed Hope Agenda is inspired by the desire to build a resilient, just, and inclusive Nigeria—a nation that delivers dividends of democracy to all its citizens”.
Speaking during an appearance on live television on Wednesday, Mr Omokri alleged that Mr Obi’s statements were misleading and damaging to the country’s economic prospects.
Mr Omokri said some investors currently operating in Nigeria were considering exiting the market due to Mr Obi’s remarks.
“That is not true. He doesn’t rile me up. I rile him up. The reason why I came here is because I’m a patriot. Peter Obi lied. You know, foreign direct investors are watching your programme, who are making investment decisions not to come to Nigeria. There are foreign investors in Nigeria that are making investment decisions to leave Nigeria because of the lie he told.
“One of the lies he told is that President Tinubu has borrowed more than the administrations of Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari. That is a blatant lie”, Mr Omokri said.
To buttress his claims, Mr Omokri referenced figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO), maintaining that President Tinubu had actually reduced Nigeria’s external debt burden since assuming office.
“I have here with me data from the Debt Management Office, and Nigerians who are watching can go to DMO.com and search Debt Management Office, Nigeria State of Indebtedness 2015.
“As of 2015, Nigeria was owing a total of $63 billion. When Buhari was leaving office, Nigeria was owing $113 billion. Today, from the DMO, our debt has gone from $113 billion to $97 billion, meaning that Tinubu has reduced our debt by over $14 billion.
“We should be appreciating this man. Yet Peter Obi came here and lied to the Nigerian people. He took the debts and translated them into naira to make it look like the debts have increased”, he said.
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