Politics

RVHA Vows To Monitor LG CTCs

Published

9 years ago

February 13, 2017

The Rivers State House of Assembly (RVHA) last week, held only one plenary session and public hearing, as well as an oversight function.
Last Tuesday, the House screened and confirmed nominees for Caretaker Committees (CTC) for 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and also okayed the re-nomination of members for 13 other LGAs.
Those confirmed were charged by the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Ikninyi-Owaji Ibani, to be proactive in discharging their statutory duties as soon as they were sworn in by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
Ibani reiterated the Assembly’s readinesss to monitor the activities of CTC chairmen and members of various LGAs as part of its over sight function in the state.
Also on Tuesday plenary session, the Assembly gave its nod to the Rivers State Board of Internal Revenue Service.
The Board chairman confirmed was Mr. ThankGod Adoge Nortee from Gokana LGA, while Mr Echward Mark (Ahhoada West), Mr. Chibuzor Ahoorlu (Port Harcourt) and Sofiri Ezekiel-Hart (Bonny) were okayed as Board members.
The Board chairman designate, Mr. Nortee promised to create a tax friendly atmosphere where all the tax payers would be relieved of multiple taxation.
The speaker expressed happiness with the calibre of nominees for the Board, charging them to bring their wealth of experiences to bear on the revenue generation effort of the state government to engender development.
Also same Tuesday, the Assembly deliberated on a bill to repeal the Rivers State Honours Awards law 2,000 and to re-enact the Rivers State Honours Law 2017.
The bill was tendered by the majority Leader of the House, Hon Martin Amaewhule at the Assembly’s plenarys session, and it was immediately passed for first reading at the floor of the House.
The bill entitled, Rivers State Honours Law, 2017, when passed into law, would provide the awards of the State Honours by Warrant made by the Governor of the State for matters connected there to.
The bill stipulates that the Governor of the State might confer Sate Honours in the name of the government and people of the state to any indigene, body, unit, association, corporation or any person in the State.
On Wednesday, the House Committee on Education headed by the lawmaker representing Degema Constituency, Hon. Farah Dagogo held public hearing to finally repeal and re-enact the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) Law Cap 133 Law of the Rivers State of Nigeria 1999.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Ikumyi-Owaji Ibani, represented by the majorty Leader of the House, Hon. Martin Amaewhule, declared the public hearing opened, saying the bill is an Executive Bill seeking to produce the much needed result-oriented scientific and Technical manpower for the State.
The public Hearing was attended by the both the management of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) and the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), representative of the State Ministry of Justice Mrs Florence Fiberesima, Students Union Government of RSUST, ASUU, NANS handing among other stakeholders and dignitaries across the state.
Same Wednesday, the Assembly Committee on Environment, led by its Chairman, Hon. Christian Ahiakwo, interacted with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at the corps command office in Port Harcourt.
At the session, Hon. Ahiakwo appealed to the NSCDC to employ alternative means of destroying illegal refineries and products instead of burning them as that was contributing to black soot currently being experienced in the state.
The committee Chairman also suggested, the option of handing over seized illegal petroleum products to the Nigeria National Petroelum Corporation (NNPC) to proper refining instead of destroying same.
The Rivers State commandant of NSCDC, Mohammed Lawal Haruma noted that all illegally refined products were adulterated hence it cannot in any way be re-refined to lawful consumption in the country and the global market.

Enoch Epelle

Politics

Alleged Coup: Protests Rock N’Assembly As Detained Officers’ Children, Wives Demand Justice

Published

2 weeks ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

Scores of children and wives of military officers detained over an alleged coup plot yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, demanding a speedy trial and the release of the accused officials.

The protesters who gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly complex, moved in a slow procession while clutching placards with inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Our Daddies,” “Detention Without Trial is Injustice,” and “Six Months of Torture: Enough Is Enough.”

Amid tears and trembling voices, the children appealed for justice and access to their detained fathers, many of whom they said they had not seen for months.

The appeal was made during a press briefing in Abuja attended by no fewer than 20 wives and several children of the detained officers, including a two-month-old baby.

The families were accompanied by human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju and activist Omoyele Sowore.

At the briefing, the families lamented that the officers had been held for over 160 days without trial or contact with their relatives, describing the situation as a violation of their fundamental rights.

Speaking on behalf of the families, Memuna Bashiru said the prolonged detention had thrown their households into uncertainty and emotional distress, noting that while allegations had been widely publicised, families remained in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.

The arrest of the indicted officers was first announced on October 4, 2025, by the then Director of Defense Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who disclosed that 16 officers were taken into custody for alleged breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.

However, an interim investigation later suggested the existence of a clandestine network of officers, allegedly coordinated by a senior Army officer, which had begun preliminary planning for a coup.

According to the report, the alleged plot involved surveillance of key national assets, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja, and major international airports, with October 25, 2025, cited as the planned date for the operation.

Those reportedly in custody include Brig Gen M. A. Sadiq, Col M. A. Maaji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A. A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Maj A. J. Ibrahim, Maj M. M. Jiddah, Maj M. A. Usman, Maj D. Yusuf, Capt I. Bello, Capt A. A. Yusuf, Lt S. S. Felix, Lt Cdr D. B. Abdullahi, Sqn Ldr S. B. Adamu and Maj I. Dauda.

The alleged plot, according to findings, targeted senior government officials, including President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Politics

APC Resumes Electronic Membership Registration Nationwide

Published

2 weeks ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced the resumption of its electronic membership registration exercise across the country.

In a statement issued yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, said the exercise would take place in all wards and designated centres nationwide.

He called on existing members to update their records, while encouraging new entrants to join the party through the digital platform.

“As the electronic membership registration exercise resumes in all wards and designated locations nationwide, we urge existing members to validate their membership while new members are encouraged to register and join the progressive family,” Mr Morka said.

According to him, eligibility for registration is limited to individuals aged 18 and above who possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN).

The party said the initiative is part of efforts to modernise its operations by transitioning to a digital database that would enhance record accuracy and accessibility.

Mr Morka noted that the e-registration would “digitise the party’s membership register, ensure the integrity of records, and enhance efficient access to membership data for planning and management decisions.”

He added that the move is also aimed at promoting internal democracy within the party and strengthening its commitment to democratic innovation.

The APC had previously introduced electronic registration as part of broader reforms to streamline its membership system and improve organisational efficiency.

Politics

AKPABIO, DIRI, OBOREVWORI, OTHERS VOW TO REELECT TINUBU …AS GIADOM RETAINS APC ZONAL CHAIR

Published

2 weeks ago

March 30, 2026

The Tide

Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has declared that with the six South-South states now being controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC), the zone is set to return the highest votes cast for the reelection of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

He stated this in Asaba, Delta State, at the party’s zonal congress, noting that the coming together of the governors of the region in the APC was made possible by its zonal Vice Chairman, Chief Victor Giadom.

Senator Akpabio also praised the outgone zonal chieftains of the party, saying they worked hard for the unity of the party and the zone.

“Now that we are complete and focused, we will be the geo-political zone in Nigeria that will turn out the highest votes in 2027 for President Tinubu.

“In the last 46 years or so, our region had not produced a senate president. But under President Tinubu, the South-South region is recognised. We thank the president for giving the South-South a senate president”, he said.

In his speech, the Bayelsa State Governor, and Chairman of the South-South Governors Forum, Senator Douye Diri, described the APC adoption of the consensus option for electing its officials as the best way to foster unity and consolidation in the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He expressed satisfaction that politically, the South-South zone now speaks with one voice under the APC, stressing the need for the region to be part of the decision-making process at the national level.

The governor recalled that when he contested for the governorship in 2019, the delegate election process for primaries in the political parties made the exercise rancorous, saying

the slogan then was that without delegates, there will be no governor, but that that has since changed with the consensus mode.

“I like to align myself with the previous speakers on the unity of the South-South zone. In this region politically, the South-South now speaks with one voice. This is important because of the strategic nature of the zone.

“If you are not on the sharing table, in terms of decision-making process, you will be left behind. We need to be united that we will not allow petty divisions among us.

“Let us work together for the unity and protection of APC in the South-South and God willing, all our candidates will come out tops in the 2027 elections. There cannot be anything better than a united family.

“Let me congratulate President Bola Tinubu for his remarkable achievements so far. Political events such as elective congresses like this were usually filled with rancour and violence. But, today, we have adopted the consensus model to produce our party executives from the wards to the regional level”, Senator Diri said.

In their goodwill messages, the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, and others all spoke on unity of purpose to be able to re-elect the President for a second term.

Meanwhile, Chief Victor Giadom was returned as the party’s zonal chairman alongside seven other zonal executives of the party.

Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor, moved the motion for the dissolution of the immediate past zonal executive of the party and was seconded by his Bayelsa State counterpart, Abraham Ingobere.

In his remarks, the reelected zonal Vice Chairman, Chief Victor Giadom, said the gathering of the six governors of the region, lawmakers, ministers and other major stakeholders was an indication of the zone’s commitment to return all APC candidates in next year’s poll.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa