Politics

Wike Reassures On RSUST Medical School

Published

10 years ago

June 27, 2016

Courtesy visits by three professional bodies dominated
activities in Government House last week. However, it was the dialogue between the Rivers State Government and top officials of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) that opened the week.
Worried over the impact of the NUPENG two-week strike action on the citizenry, Rivers State Government, through the Commissioner for Energy Resources, including the Secretary to the State Government intervened to broker peace. Before the quick intervention of government, transport fares within Port Harcourt and its environs had jacked up.
After due consultations and talks, the two-week old strike was called off last week Monday and was announced by state chairman of NUPENG, Comrade Charles Aleto. Commissioner for Energy, Shedrck Chukwu, commended NUPENG and the companies involved for the maturity and understanding they displayed while the negotiation lasted.
The agreement between NUPENG and government was sealed on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the labour body to the governor, Chief Nyesom Wike in Government House. While thanking them for their cooperation, Chief Wike advised that strike should be used sparingly and as the last resort.
Tuesday last week, the governor received the Head of United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF). He later hosted the state branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) led by its chairman, Dr Furo Green.
Reacting to the over 13 requests made by the NMA state chairman, Chief Nyesom Wike, while speaking on the issue of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) Medical School, said the state government has not relocated the school, but rather wants to use the proposed Trauma and Cardiac Centre at the old University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) as part of training centre for Medical personnel.
The governor also hinted of State Government plan to improve facilities at the Orthopedic Centre of the Braithwaite Specialist Memorial Hospital, adding that the burnt doctor’s quarters in the hospital would also be revamped to house more resident doctors.
In the next few weeks, he (Wike) announced that renovation works for Moribund General Hospitals would commence across the state. He, however, pointed out that due to paucity of funds, the state government would take two general hospitals from the three Senatorial Districts as a pilot scheme.
On the request by the doctors to increase the retirement age of medical doctors, Governor Wike said, that would amount to breaching the law. He, however, profferred that State Government would engage retired medical consultants on contract basis as a way of improving quality of personnel in the health sector.
As usual, Wednesday last week served as day for the State Executive Council meeting when state policies and programmes are discussed and evaluated. The meeting was presided over by Chief Wike.
Shortly after meeting with the National Executive of NUPENG, led by its President, Comrade Achese Igwe, Governor Wike hinted of amnesty for repentant cultists in the state who are ready to turn a new leaf and lay down their arms. He also announced support for NUPENG’s Tank Farm Village at Eleme.
The governor received National Executive Council of Nigeria Institute of Architects led by its 26th President, Tonye Braide. He lauded the feat of Braide who is the first Rivers indigene to occupy the leadership of Architects nationwide.
Chief Wike pledged government’s support for the NIA’s West African Expo slated for Port Harcourt in September. He reiterated government’s resolve to showcase Rivers State, as a way of attracting investment and tourism.
On Friday last week, the governor defied the early morning rain and inspected ongoing works at Igwuruta/Chokocho Road and the new Port Harcourt Leisure Park at Aba Road. After the project tour, he played host to the management of Pabod Breweries led by its Managing Director, Riaan Meyer. On Saturday he visited project sides at Akpajo, Salepenwa and SARS Road and Sir Omehia Road.

Politics

LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

Published

18 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A former National Organising Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Clement Ojukwu, has expressed regret that the several legal cases brought against the party since the 2023 general elections have impacted the party’s performance.

Mr Ojukwu, who recently returned to the interim National Working Committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, noted that the party had 34 elected members in the House of Representatives, eight Senators, and 80 members at the state Houses of Assembly after the 2023 general elections.

“Now we lost all of them,” he said. “I don’t think we have as many as five members in the National Assembly.”

The former national officer of the LP talked to journalists in Abuja and said he chose to join the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi-Usman because they are now the officially recognized leaders of the Party.

“I chose to work with the caretaker committee to help save the Labour Party, for the benefit of the party. I also want to use this chance to ask my colleagues at the national, state, and local government levels to come together and help rebuild our party.

“Another election is around the corner. We lost everything we have. They have left to other political parties. So I’ll reach out to all my friends in the other group to get together and work on making this party stronger again.

“The caretaker committee has formed a reconciliation committee. Let’s come together and talk so that we can restore the first opposition political party in Nigeria.”

Mr Ojukwu, who was part of the Julius Abure’s group, said there are no more factions in the LP.

He added, “There is a court ruling, and since it is valid, the right people are in the correct positions.”

He urged Barr Abure and others to drop the legal cases they have filed because they are not helping the party.

“Litigations are killing political parties”, he said. “They’ve seen many political parties disappear because of legal battles, and the Labor Party is losing support every day, which makes me feel sad.”

Mr Ojukwu said he did not think joining the Senator Nenadi-Usman’s NWC was a betrayal of the Abure group, describing himself as “the oxygen” of that faction.

“I’m with this group because of the verdict. But I never betrayed anybody. Rather, I was betrayed,” he added.

Politics

2027: NIGERIANS FAULT INEC ON DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP REGISTER DIRECTIVE

Published

18 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A number of Nigerians have strongly criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its directive to all political parties in the country to submit digitalized membership register within 32 days.

It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following it’s reversed timetable, directed all political parties in the country to submit their digitalized membership registers within 32 days.

Speaking on the reversed timetable in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, respondents said the directive amounted to disqualifying opposition political parties from fielding candidates in all the elections next year.

They said if the directives by the commission is implemented, only the All Progressives Congress (APC) would participate in the elections since it started it’s digital membership registration since February, last year.

Responding, an elder statesman in Rivers State, Chief Sunnie Chukumele, said the revised timetable was okay, but the timeframe for submission of digital membership register was being made at the wrong time.

Chief Chukumele said, for the past two years, all opposition political parties have been battling various issues in court, adding that they did not have the time to embark on membership drive, talk less of digitalizing their membership registers.

“My reaction is that the only issue with this revised timetable is the timeframe given by INEC for parties to submit digitalize memberships register in all the states of the federation, while giving notice of Congresses and convention. That is not possible”, he said.

He said only the ruling APC is likely to meet up with the directive, since it began its registration since last year.

Chief Chukumele, who is also the National Coordinator of Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thought (CORSLOT), alleged that the directive of the electoral body may have been targeted to prevent other parties from fielding candidates for the elections next year.

“When you say all the parties should submit digitalized registers of membership in 32 days, how will that be possible to conclude it in 32 days”, he queried.

He noted that “APC used one year ago to do, so APC has one year in the kitty plus 30 days. This is highly regrettable”.

The CORSLOT national leader urged the election umpire to do away with stringent conditions that will make it hard for opposition political parties to field candidates in the elections.

Also speaking, Mr Jacob Enware from Edo State queried the rationale behind the directive, especially when some opposition political parties are still having cases in court.

In his words, ”What opposition political parties are you talking about, is Labour Party not in court or PDP that is yet to resolve their issues?

”For me, INEC should provide a level playing field for all, because aside the APC, no party can meet up this criteria.”

In his own response, Mr Nathaniel Ebere said he was not prepared to vote for anybody whether INEC provides a level playing field or not.

He alleged that his vote would not count, “so I will not waste my time”.

By: John Bibor

Politics

IT’S A LIE, G-5 GOVS DIDN’T WIN ELECTION FOR TINUBU – SOWUNMI

Published

18 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, has expressed reservations about the political stance of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, while calling for reconciliation among key party figures.

Otunba Sowunmi made the remarks during a television interview on Saturday, when asked about the relationship between Gov. Makinde and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.

He said, “I don’t believe Seyi Makinde. Because I know them all. I’ve been in this party since it was registered. And I’ve been loyal, faithful, diligent with this party from the get-go, and I’ve never left.”

He underscored his longstanding commitment to the PDP, referencing prominent figures who had exited the party at different times: “I’ve had the grace, and the honor, and the dignity of watching even my father, Obasanjo, shed his card. As much as I love him, I didn’t leave the party”.

He added, “I’ve had the privilege of watching my beloved senior brother, Governor Gbenga Daniel, leave the party a few times. As much as I respect his vision and his ideas, I’ve never left. I’ve watched my former principal, Atiku Abubakar, leave a few times. I’ve never left.”

Otunba Sowunmi stressed that his comments were rooted in deep involvement with the party: “So when I talk about PDP, I’m not talking as an outsider, I’m talking as one of their totems, who was actually carrying them.”

He disclosed that he wrote to Makinde during the governor’s last birthday, urging reconciliation among a bloc of five governors who had formed a movement during the 2023 elections.

“At Governor Seyi Makinde’s last birthday, I wrote him a letter where I tried to say, look, you guys, the five of you, succeeded to the extent of creating a movement of your own”, he said.

He added, “And you fought very hard to make a point in the 2023 election. Although I don’t believe you won the election for the president, that’s a lie. They contributed, but I hate when people take the glory of other people’s work.”

Otunba Sowunmi warned that unresolved differences among the group could weaken the party: “You guys, you must go back to your four friends, your five friends, and you guys go and sort it out. Because not sorting it out with your five friends is going to leave the party worse off.”

He added, “But now that you’re fighting, or you’re not agreeing with yourselves, why don’t you go back to that same energy that allowed you to agree, so that you can use that energy inside to agree, and then we can lead the party.”