News
Rivers Polls: Tribunal Begins Hearing Of Petition, Tuesday
The Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, will on Tuesday, begin hearing all other motions brought before it by parties, just as it technically commences hearing the main petition.
The tribunal had last Wednesday adjourned to August 25 after ruling on five preliminary applications by the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its gubernatorial candidate for the April 11, 2015, elections, Dr Dakuku Peterside.
The tribunal had during the ruling, dismissed the application by the All Progressives Congress Governorship Candidate, Mr. Dakuku Peterside and his party to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission to move the election materials used for the April 11, 2015, governorship election to Abuja for inspection.
The tribunal headed by Justice Mu’azu Pindiga, dismissed the application on the grounds that it lacked merit and could not take precedence over a subsisting order given by the tribunal in June on the same issue.
The tribunal had earlier given an order, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow the petitioner access to the election materials comprising; ballot papers and result sheets, an order, Pindiga said, still stands
The tribunal also first struck out the request by the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, asking for a stay of execution on the tribunal’s order of June 11 which permitted the petitioner to inspect the election materials in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Pindiga said the application was struck out because of the failure of the counsel to the applicant, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), to move the motion at the last proceedings despite being asked by the tribunal to do so, thereby deeming the motion abandoned.
The tribunal also rejected the motion by INEC, challenging the competence of the petition, saying that the motion would be heard along with the main petition.
Also dismissed by the tribunal for lack of merit was a motion by the petitioner, asking that election materials used in Rivers State be moved from Port Harcourt to INEC head office in Abuja for easy inspection on grounds that INEC officials in Rivers State refused to cooperate with the petitioner in the execution of the June 11 order.
But counsel to the petitioner, Emeka Ngige, said they would deploy alternative measures to make INEC comply with the rules of evidence.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Chapter of the APC has said that the ruling of the tribunal would help fast-track hearing of the main petition, to enable them meet the deadline prescribed by the Electoral Act for hearing of election petitions in the country.
In a statement in Port Harcourt, Publicity Secretary of the party, Chris Finebone, said that with the ruling, the 180-day deadline provided in the law would be met, if the tribunal begins to hear the petition expeditiously.
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
-
Business4 days ago
Replace Nipa Palms With Mangroove In Ogoni, Group Urges FG, HYPREP
-
News4 days ago
Demonstrate Commitment In Improving Host Communities, Ibas Tells Corps Members
-
Politics4 days ago
Tinubu’s Contribution To Buhari’s Presidency Marginal – Ex-SGF
-
Opinion4 days ago
How Reliable Is AI
-
News4 days ago
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others
-
Politics4 days ago
Keyamo Inaugurates Ganduje As FAAN Board Chair
-
Rivers4 days ago
HOS Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP … As Project Sensitization Team Visit Degema, AKULGA
-
Politics4 days ago
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar