Politics
Lawmaker Lambasts Rep
The lull in activities at the Rivers State House of Assembly (RVHA) continued last week as neither plenary nor any other important event was held.
The Assembly complex was desolate and quiet as most lawmakers were visibly not present for legislature or committee business. This was just as the car park remained virtually empty.
The situation indicated that the lawmakers may have been pre-occupied with other functions which many believe, might be in the interest of the state.
A plenary session that was billed for last Wednesday in accordance with the House motion of adjournment was later put-off sine die.
Hinting the Assembly’s press corps on the development, the Clerk of the House, Chief Standford Oba said the plenary session earlier scheduled to hold on August 2, 2017 was put-off.
He did not give any reason for the postponement, but said the press corps would be alerted on any plenary session or legislature assignment.
However, the lawmaker representing Omuma Constituency in the House of Assembly, Hon Kelechi Wogu, last Monday, again debunked the allegation that the Assembly only sits on the directive of the Executive Governor of the state, Chief Nyesom Wike.
Kelechi, who dismissed the insinuation credited to a member representing Ikwerre Constituency, Hon Azuibuke Wanjoku of APC, said it was not true that the Assembly only had it’s sessions on the directive of the state chief executive.
Kelechi, who is also the chairman of the House’s Committee on local government affairs, said the Assembly held it’s plenary sessions and other statutory functions in accordance with the House’s order of events.
He called on the Assembly’s relevant House Committee to sanction Wanjoku for his utterances, saying that such unfounded comments are capable of creating crisis in the House and the state in general.
The lawmaker used the opportunity to advise legislators especially members of All Progressive Congress (APC) in the House to desist from partisan politics in the Assembly.
He said, though the members were elected on party platforms as members of the Assembly, the interest of the state is paramount, and that members should not do anything that would instigate crisis in the Assembly and the state in general in the name of party politics.
Wogu, a PDP lawmaker, said the leadership of the Assembly, under Governor Wike’s administration, has never discriminated against any member in its activities, irrespective of the party line.
He said every lawmaker was given his or her entitlements irrespective of party affiliation, and wondered why Wanjoku should paddle rumours that could breach the existing harmony and peace among the lawmakers.
It would be recalled that the lawmaker representing Ikwerre Constituency, Hon Azuibuke Wanjoku had alleged that the State Assembly with members of PDP as majority held plenary only at the pleasure of Rivers State Governor.
Enoch Epelle
The Commission disclosed the figure in its weekly update for week 14 of the second phase of the exercise, which ended on Friday, April 17, 2026.
According to the breakdown, 2,259,288 Nigerians completed their registration through the online pre-registration portal, while 1,489,416 finalized their registration physically at designated centres nationwide.
INEC noted that the figures remain preliminary and are subject to further verification and data cleaning processes to ensure accuracy ahead of the consolidation of the national voter register.
With the conclusion of the registration phase, the Commission has now shifted focus to the display of the Register of Voters for Claims and Objections, a statutory stage aimed at strengthening the credibility and integrity of the voters register.
The display exercise is scheduled to hold from April 29 to May 5, 2026, across designated centres nationwide, providing citizens the opportunity to verify their details and raise objections where necessary.
The Commission urged all registered voters from the concluded phase to take advantage of the exercise to confirm the accuracy of their information and assist in identifying ineligible entries, including duplicate registrations, deceased persons, and non-citizens.
INEC explained that the Continuous Voter Registration exercise is being conducted in phases, with the first phase running from August 18 to December 10, 2025, while the second phase commenced on January 5, 2026 and ended on April 17, 2026.
The Commission further stated that the date for the commencement of the third phase will be announced in due course.
Reaffirming its commitment to credible elections, INEC stressed that maintaining a clean and accurate voter register remains central to ensuring free, fair, and transparent electoral processes in Nigeria.
The Executive Director of IPC, Mr Lanre Arogundade, informed the journalists that the dialogue was sponsored by the European Union, under the auspices of the EU-Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN II), Component 4: Support to Media.
According to the veteran media practitioner, the programme is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the media to promote credible elections through factual, accurate and fair reporting.
He explained that the programme is part of a broader five-year intervention designed to support democratic governance and improve the role of the media in Nigeria’s electoral process, stressing that fact-checking and inclusive reporting are critical responsibilities for journalists, especially during electioneering.
He described the media as a central role agent with regard to upholding transparency and accountability in the democratic process.
A resource person and Director of Journalism Clinic, Lagos, Mr Taiwo Obe, enjoined journalists to embrace the evolving technology so that they would not be in the backwaters in the practice of the profession.
He advised journalists not to downplay Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their bid to remain relevant in the media environment by being abreast of the changing patterns of news consumption.
The journalism teacher explained that with digital transformation of the media industry, it had become imperative for journalists to constantly upgrade and update their skills, stressing the fundamental place of attitude and self-development and underscored the dynamic nature of media consumption in the digital age, thereby compelling journalists to embrace tools and platforms, but without much reliance on AI.
In his lecture, a Professor of Mass Communication at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Adebola Aderibigbe, advised journalists in Ekiti State to ensure that coverage of the upcoming governorship poll is issue-based rather than dwelling on personalities.
He added that sensationalism should not occupy the front-burner of any discussions concerning the 2026 election, admonishing that sustenance of democracy is anchored on responsible journalism.
”Journalists must prioritise accuracy, fairness and balance in their reports by verifying facts and giving all parties involved in political matters the opportunity to present their views”, he said.
According to the university don, the election will not be defined by personalities, but by issues. ”Let issues be the pivotal ring upon which every discussion should be made. Sensationalisation of issues should not be the bedrock of discussions in the 2026 election”, he added.
“Do not hear from Party A without hearing from Party B, otherwise the report will be skewed to one side and once issues of elections are skewed, problems will naturally arise”, he stressed.