News
Rivers Re-Run Polls To Hold Feb 6

Rivers State Head of Service, Rufus Godwins (Esq), leading civil servants on a congratulatory visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday to felicitate with Governor Nyesom Wike over his victory at the Supreme Court. Photo: Chris Monyanaga
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has fixed the re run elections in Rivers State for next week Saturday.
The outgoing Resident Electoral Commissioner, Rivers State, Dame Gesila Khan who disclosed this while interacting with political leaders in Rivers State, said the re-run elections will be conducted for 37 elective positions in the state.
Khan, who also used the occasion to initimate stakeholders of her transfer ahead of the re-run elections, said the re-run elections will be conducted for 22 House of Assembly seats, 12 House of Representatives and three Senate seats
The former State REC said only registered voters for the 2015 general elections will be allowed to vote, adding that the number of registered voters is 2,148,289.
She also said a total of 6,806 card readers will be deployed for the re-run elections, adding that political parties should not hesitate to come to the office of the electoral body for clarifications on any issue relating to the elections.
Meantime, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and other parties (except the APC ) in the state have expressed dissatisfaction with the February 6 date for the re-run elections, saying the time was not enough for parties to prepare adequately for the exercise.
State Chairman of the PDP, Bro Felix Obuah, who spoke under the aegis of Inter- Party Advisory Council,of Nigeria , (IPAC) said from yesterday when they announced the date for the re-run elections and the day of the exercise, was too close for serious campaign.
He accused the leadership of INEC of conniving with the APC to rig the elections,
His words, “ this is a proof of some allegations that there was a grand conspiracy between INEC and the APC . It had never been done that only one week notice will be given for election. We have not started our campaign, only informing us that election is coming up in less than one week. “, he said,
He called on INEC to revisit the date for the election, adding that the parties had not even inspected materials for the election
“That date must be revisited. We have to discuss it. We are aware of,plans by your office and the APC to recruit ad-hoc staff for the election, which we reject. When can we inspect all these materials,from today is only eight days to the election. This is the view of IPAC. We don’t want people to come and create problem in our state. IPAC will partner with INEC to make sure the election is done peacefully.”, he said.
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.
-
Business3 days ago
CRG Partner JR Farms To Plant 30m Coffee Seedlings
-
Niger Delta3 days ago
NDLEA Intercepts 584.171kg Hard Drugs In Bayelsa … Arrests 559 Suspects
-
Foods/Drinks3 days ago
What To Know About Your Menu
-
Rivers3 days ago
Four Internet Fraudstars Get Different Jail Terms In PH
-
Business3 days ago
Food Security: NDDC Pays Counterpart Fund For LIFE-ND Project
-
Business3 days ago
PH Women Plan Alternative Stew, Shun Tomato High Prices
-
Niger Delta3 days ago
Ex-IYC President Lampoons Atiku’s Presidential Ambition … Declares It Negative Impact On N’Delta
-
Sports3 days ago
Nigerian Athletes Serving Doping Bans