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2019: Arewa Youth Dump Buhari, Back Atiku
The Arewa Youth for Peace and Security, yesterday, described the various groups endorsing President Muhammadu Buhari for 2019 Presidency as, “sycophants.”
The youth said the decision to endorse Buhari for a second term was anti-democratic, which should be dismissed by all well-meaning Nigerians.
Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, the group’s Director for Publicity, Salihu Dantata Mahmoud urged Buhari to provide a level playing field by ensuring that the All Progressives Congress (APC), conducts a primary election.
Dismissing the call for the endorsement of Buhari in 2019, Mahmoud said such action “doesn’t make democracy to strive.”
According to Mahmoud, “Democracy gives room for a level playing ground, we don’t succumb to endorsement. We think endorsement is anti-democracy. You provide a level playing ground that is why in every political party, there is room for primaries where you allow even the list candidate to participate.
“Recently, I got to know that some groups have been endorsing Baba Buhari; it is too early. This is the same mistake we made in the past administrations that brought us to where we are today.
“Just like Tinubu said recently that the Buhari he knows will not succumb to the tactics of endorsement, I think it is a game by sycophants, who are out for gains or to get some form of compensation.
“My fervent advice to Buhari is to allow primaries to hold in the APC, endorsement doesn’t make democracy to strive. Mind you, we are in third world democracy which is still nascent, which only got stable in 1999 when Obasanjo took over.
“We should not abuse it; we saw what happened in Zimbabwe where President Mugabe that had history of fighting for the independence of the country in 1980 was shown the way out by his boys in the Military, though they slapped him with one hand and made him laugh with another hand by giving him immunity from prosecution.
“In Arewa Youths for Peace and Security, we don’t give room for endorsement, we are realist. We present the record the way they are and we believe that Buhari should not succumb to the antics of some sycophants.
“We go with the position of Tinubu that there should be primaries for all party members. In our own opinion, we are not disposed to the antics of endorsement.”
Meanwhile, the Arewa Youths for Peace and Security has dismissed insinuations in some quarters that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar is a “political prostitute” for his defections between the two major political parties in the country, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The youth said the former vice president was only exercising his fundamental human right as a Nigerian by moving between both parties.
Director for Publicity of the body, Salihu Dantata Mahmoud told newsmen that Abubakar felt he could achieve his political ambition in the PDP, the reason for his decision to dump the ruling party for his former party.
Mahmoud said the Waziri of Adamawa reserves the right to do “whatever possible, provided it’s not criminal” to attain his political ambition.
He said, “Everybody cannot be an Abraham Lincoln that would achieve both failure and success by becoming the president of the United States in one party.
“Mind you, this is Nigeria and Atiku is a Nigerian with blood running in his body. See people calling him political prostitute but I hold him in high esteem not because he was a former vice president but because he is an elder statesman of reputation.
“The fact remains that the success of this present administration can be attributed partly to the contribution of Atiku from when they lost primaries in Lagos and all came together to ensure that that APC became victorious at the 2015 elections.
“Whatever opinion anybody has against Atiku is the person just expressing their fundamental human right as Nigerian, it’s allowed.
“As a politician, you can decide that you want to belong to a party today or party tomorrow provided it would serve your interest. Atiku wants to be president and he has seen that by the present arrangement in the APC, if he remains there, he would be suppressed.
“Look at the APC setup, there are problems everywhere from local to National and is no long comfortable and that is why he chose to defect. Forget about his past antecedents, it is allowed, especially in the polity of Nigeria, I think he has seen what he wants in PDP that is why he decamped”.
“By my experience in politics, it is allowed that if your interest is not protected in the party you are today, you can decamp but what critics also need to know is that there is no straight forward language in politics. Integrity they talk about only works when you win election but during the process that make you clinch and win election, you do whatever possible, provided it’s not criminal.
“I think Atiku is entitled to his fundamental human right as a Nigerian to decamp to any party any day and time, he has observed succour in PDP and that is why he rejoined. For me as a Nigerian youth, I have a lot of respect for him and would never call him a political prostitute, sometime it’s allowed in the polity.”
On the chances of the former Vice President emerging as PDP flag bearer in 2019, Mahmoud said, “When Buhari emerged, it was not written in the books, you cannot compare Atiku to the likes of Fayose.
“Both Makarfi and Fayose cannot withstand the force of Atiku, he was the former Vice President of Nigeria, he became a governor-elect in 1999 before he was picked as Vice President and he spent eight years in that position, people like Makarfi and Fayose were governors under him, you can’t compare them.
“Makarfi and Fayose are only popular and have the majority in their states, as for Atiku he is a national figure. Nigerian electorates follow candidates and not party, in 2019, we can unveil another black horse like we did with Buhari, nobody knew he was going to make it.”
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RSG Approves Full Rehabilitation of State Secretariat …Unveils Housing Scheme for Civil Servants, Honours Veterans
Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Eteh Ibas (Rtd), has approved the complete rehabilitation and modernization of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex to enhance efficiency and productivity in the civil service.
Ibas made the announcement at the 2025 Civil Service Week Gala and Awards Ceremony held at Banquet Hall, Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday,.
He disclosed that “initiative is designed to transform the secretariat into a modern, efficient and conducive work environment, directly supporting the civil servants who form the backbone of the state’s governance.”
The Administrator also approved the provision of 106 housing units for civil servants in the State.
Ibas paid glowing tribute to retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries, describing them as the bedrock of the state’s administration.
He stated that the awards ceremony was a symbol of deep appreciation for decades of sacrifice, resilience, and commitment.
“These interventions are designed to not only recognize your service, but also to improve your welfare in tangible and lasting ways,” the Administrator stated.
“We must build an administration that is efficient, effective, and truly citizen-centric,” he added.
The Administrator urged serving officers to draw inspiration from their predecessors and strive to make a meaningful impact in the lives of citizens.
He emphasized the importance of embracing innovation, technology, and continuous training to build a civil service equipped for the future.
The Acting Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyingi Brown, in her welcome address, described the civil service as the “engine room of government” and expressed profound gratitude to the Administrator for his unwavering support and commitment to its modernization.“
“A society that does not honour its heroes is not worthy of emulation,” Dr. Brown remarked, lauding the retirees as torchbearers of discipline and loyalty.
She pledged to build on their legacy through reforms and innovation, projecting that the Rivers State Civil Service would become a model of efficiency and transparency by 2030.
Speaking on behalf of the retirees, President of the Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries, Sir Promise Njowhor,
expressed heartfelt appreciation for the historic recognition.
“For once, since the creation of the State, we are being honoured,” Njowhor said, adding, “Our morale has been lifted.”
He pledged the association’s continuous support for government programmes, describing the body of experienced retirees as a resource available to contribute to state development.
The rehabilitation of the State Secretariat and the new housing scheme represent a major investment in the infrastructure and dignity of public service in Rivers State, signaling a new era of support for the civil servants who drive the government’s policies and programmes.
The Tide reports that the Administrator also conferred awards of meritorious service on retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries in the State
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won 20 out of the 23 local government areas in the just concluded local government election in the State, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clinched three local governments.
According to the results released by the Rivers State independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), yesterday, the APC won the chairmanship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Opobo Nkoro, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana local government areas.
APC also won in Gokana, Tai, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche, Omuna, Akuku Toru, Asari Toru, Degema, Ikwerre and Emohua local government areas.
The Commission, however, said the PDP won in Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, and Ogba Egbema Ndoni local government areas.
Chairman of the Commission, Dr Michael Odey, who announced the results at the Commission headquarters in Port Harcourt, said Ofori Owolabi of the APC scored 28,755 votes to emerge winner of the election for Abua Odual while Solomon Ochomma, also of the APC, emerged chairman elect for Ahoada East after scoring 54,509 votes.
Odey said Eugene Epelle also of the APC scored 84,125 votes to emerge winner in Ahoada West, while Bob Fubara was elected the chairman-elect for Akuku Toru after scoring 63,593 votes.
Similarly APC chairmanship candidate Lucky Otuo Promise emerged chairman-elect for Andoni after scoring a total of 126,181 votes, APC’s George Onengiyeofori emerged winner in Asari Toru after scoring 56,383 votes, while Pepple Blessing Abinye garnered 13,543 votes to emerge winner in Bonny Local Government Area.
Other APC candidates elected include Michael John Williams who scored 16,536 votes to emerge chairman-elect for Degema Local Government; Obarlllormate Ollor (77,452) for Eleme; Dr Chidi Julius Lloyd (114,380) for Emohua; Njoku Boniface (100,649) for Etche; Confidence Deekor (96,478) for Gokana, while Wobodo Charles got 62,746 votes to emerge winner in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
Other APC winners from the APC include Akuro Tobins (32,285 votes) for Okrika; Hon Obasi Uchechukwu (38,530) for Omuma; James A James (38,822) for Opobo Nkoro; Vincent Nemieboka (36,374) for Ogu/Bolo; Hon Mbakpone Okpe (70,080) for Tai LGA, while in Oyigbo, Okechukwu Akara scored 101,495 votes to emerge winner.
Meanwhile, the RSIEC chairman announced Dr Gift Worlu of the PDP with 328,823 votes to emerge winner in Obio Akpor; Shedrack Ogbogu, also of the PDP, scored 51,051 votes for Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area, while in Port Harcourt City, Sir Alwell Ihunda garnered 235,054 votes for PDP to emerge winner.
The APC also cleared the councillorship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche,Tai, Khana Opobo/Nkoro and Degema local government areas.
Similarly APC councillorship candidates also emerged winners in Asari Toru, Degema, Akuku Toru, Gokana and Khana while PDP cleared the councillorship seats in Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt city, and Ogba Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Areas
Meanwhile, the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions has passed a vote of confidence on the just concluded local government election in the State.
National Chairman of the forum, Hon. Mamman Nda Eri, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt.
Eri said all the chairmen across the country were in Port Harcourt to monitor the election as well as gain experience in an election under emergency rule.
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