News

‘Bello Wasted N5bn On Melaye’s Failed Recall’

Published

8 years ago

April 30, 2018

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State has allegedly accused the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello of wasting over N5billion public fund on his failed plot to recall Melaye.
The party, which described Bello as, “heartless”, lamented that the over N5billion would have paid, at least, two months’ salaries of workers in the state.
Reacting to the boycott of last Saturday’s INEC verification exercise by the electorate, the PDP in a statement signed by Director, Research and Documentation, Achadu Dickson, called for thorough investigation of the claim by some of the electorate who turned out for the exercise that their signatures were forged.
“Those who were involved in the petition submitted to INEC for the recall of Senator Dino Melaye must be arrested and tried for forgery,” the PDP said.
The party said the huge human and financial resources deployed to the “Dino Melaye must go” agenda would have made meaningful impact on the lives of the downtrodden in Kogi State, especially the workers that were being owed several months’ salary.
It declared that the open rejection of the recall agenda by the people of Kogi State was a clear signal that APC and Governor Yahaya Bello have been rejected in the state.
However, reacting to the allegations, the Chief Press Secretary to the Kogi State governor, Petra Akiti Oyegbule, said it was unfortunate that the main opposition party was coming out with another bunch of lies.
She denied that the governor has any interest in the recall of the embattled senator.
“It is high time media houses start holding people responsible and accountable for what they say. Right now, it goes beyond politics. It’s our responsibility, because people cannot just continue to fabricate issues when there are none. The governor will not be interested in spending any amount on Dino Melaye’s recall.
“Melaye, the only senator our party has in Kogi State, won with 94.66 per cent leaving the remaining 5.34 per cent to the petitioners.
“The messages are very clear; that Melaye is the most popular senator ever produced by Kogi West.
“No amount of financial inducement and coercion will change the will of the people of Kogi State in future elections,’’ the statement read.
Ametuo, however, commended the high level of neutrality and transparency displayed by the Independent National Electoral Commission and other stakeholders throughout the exercise.
“It gives us high optimism that future elections will be very free and fair. INEC therefore deserves commendations for the job well done,” he said.
The chairman called on the petitioners and Melaye as well as his followers to embrace peace and heed the voice of God, “because the voice of the people is the voice of God.’’
“I call on all members of our party to conduct themselves in a manner that will boost the image of our great party and not things that will further cause disrepute in our party,” he said.
The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, and the PDP in Kogi State, among others, have reacted to the failed recall exercise of Senator Dino Melaye of Kogi West Senatorial District.
The Tide reports that the process of the recall of Melaye ended, last Saturday, after a low turnout of voters to the verification exercise.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which carried out the verification in Kogi West, has already declared that the exercise was a failure after the signatures verification process to the petition for his recall fell short of requirements.
Reacting via his Twitter handle, Fayose said the result was a pointer to what 2019 would look like in the state.
He wrote, “The news coming from Kogi State is to the effect that tyranny has been defeated.
“This should be a pointer as to what to expect in 2019. Those youth they referred to as lazy will speak in 2019 just as I heard they have spoken in Kogi against the recall of Sen Dino Melaye.”
Also reacting, former aide, to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, and Senator representing Bayelsa East, Ben Murray-Bruce, also called the failed attempt to recall Melaye the triumph of democracy against autocracy.
Murray-Bruce wrote, “I hope the federal and state governments have learnt a lesson today. Fake popularity cannot match real popularity even when it is in a hospital.
“Grow up! Focus your efforts on improving the lot of Nigerians instead of focusing it on destroying your real and imagined enemies.”
Also, sharing a picture of Dino laughing, Reno wrote, “This picture reflects what @dino_melaye is doing to Buhari and his puppet, Bello right about now!”
Meanwhile, Sen Dino Melaye has thanked the people of his constituency for “rising to his defence” by shunning the verification exercise held on April 28, to recall him from the Senate.
Melaye, in a statement issued in Lokoja, yesterday, also thanked the political leaders, elders and traditional rulers in Kogi West for “rescuing him from his political enemies.”
He also expressed gratitude to the media, observers, civil society groups, security agents and other stakeholders “for resisting to be used against the wishes of the people of his constituency”.
The statement was signed by Special Assistant on Media to Melaye, Mr Gideon Ayodele.
“We thank all democratic partners who have resisted the attempted external political robbery and brazen impunity from raising its most ugly head.
“We commend the resolve of our people who have by their popular wish and wisdom and political independence rejected the selfish and satanic recall.
“The verification exercise has come and gone and the people of Kogi West have willingly exercised their franchise by re-validating the election of Sen Dino Melaye,” the lawmaker said.
According to him, the exercise no doubt, has shown that power truly belongs to the people.
“We wish to equally, commend INEC for resisting forgery in some parts while the exercise was going on, and for finally allowing the wish of the people to prevail as expressed,” it said.
He urged the proponents of his recall to accept the results in good faith and face the task of providing the elusive democratic dividends to the people.
The senator, however, advised his supporters to remain calm and humble in the face of victory and avoid hot arguments or action that may lead to the breakdown of law and order.
But the bid to recall Sen. Dino Melaye from the Senate has finally crashed as only 5.34 per cent of the total 188,500 signatories to his recall petition were verified in an exercise held on Saturday.
The result of the verification released early yesterday in Lokoja by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed that 39,285 of the signatories were verified, out of which only 18,762 signatures were genuine.
The genuine signatories represent a dismal 5.34 per cent of the total signatories to the petition, which fell short of 51 per cent or 98, 364 signatures required for the petition to sail through.
It was observed that the verification failed largely due to fictitious and forged signatures and names of dead persons affixed to the recall petition by its promoters.
It would be recalled that some electorate in the Kogi West senatorial district had on June 24, 2017, submitted a petition to recall Melaye to the headquarters of the INEC in Abuja.
One Mr Cornelius Olowo led the petitioners to submit the recall petition which alleged poor representation as one of the reasons for the move to recall Melaye.
However, the INEC’s presiding officer for the verification exercise, Prof. Okente Morthy of the University of Abuja said that the number of signatures verified fell short of the number required.
He consequently gave the breakdown of the results of the verification exercise which took place in 552 polling units in seven local government areas in Kogi West senatorial district.
According to him, in Kogi Local Government with 46,727 registered voters and a total number of 24,459 signatures to the petition, only 2,335 were verified out of 2,566 signatures recorded during verification.
He said that at Kabba/Bunu Local Government with 59,319 registered voters and 27,910 petitioners, only 2,085 signatures were verified to be genuine out of 2,151 that came out for the exercise.
Also at Ijumu Local Government, with 46, 810 registered voters and 24, 389 petitioners, 2,664 were verified out of 2, 811, the returning officer announced.
According to Morthy, others are Yagba East, 35, 329 registered voters, 18, 229 petitioners while 3,506 were verified out of 3, 580 recorded at verification.
At Mopa-Amuro Local Government with 18, 350 and 9, 173, signatures, 710 were verified out of the 729 recorded.
However, the Returning Officer said that there was violence in six polling units at the Mopa town towards the end of the exercise, forcing INEC to nullify the exercise in the affected wards.
At Yagba West which has 35, 506 registered voters and 19, 444 signatories, only 3,729 petitioners were verified out of the 4, 221 that turned up, the returning officer stated.
In Lokoja Local Government with 109,105 registered voters and 66,266 petitioners, INEC said that 3,763 were verified out of the 4, 810 recorded during the botched verification exercise.
A registered voter at the polling unit on the premises of the Lokoja Club, Samuel Olokotun, protested against his wife’s name on the petition list, saying that the woman did not sign the recall sheet.
INEC said that it was not aware that Melaye was detained by the police.
The Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, told one our correspondents that INEC had received no official communication regarding Melaye’s detention.
He said INEC had only been hearing about Melaye in the media.
Osaze-Uzzi, however, said Melaye’s recall process would not be affected by his absence or presence.
The INEC official said, “I don’t know if he is in detention. You are the one telling me.”
INEC also said it cannot be held responsible for the poor turnout of petitioners in Saturday’s verification of signatures for the recall of Melaye.

News

RHI: First Lady Gives N50m Business Grants To Rivers PWDS, Disabled Veterans …As RGS Unveils Free Medical Services For Vulnerable Persons

Published

1 day ago

December 5, 2025

The Tide

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has extended a major financial lifeline to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and disabled veterans in Rivers State.

The support comes under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Social Investment Programme, a nationwide economic empowerment effort.

The event, held on Wednesday at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Port Harcourt, coincided with the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, with the theme: “Fostering disability inclusive societies for advancing social progress”.

Wife of the Rivers State Governor, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, who represented the First Lady of Nigeria, presented the small business grants to the beneficiaries.

The RHI empowerment effort covers all 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Associations (DEPOWA).

Each jurisdiction will have 250 PWDs receive a N200,000 Business Recapitalisation Grant per beneficiary, amounting to N50million. In total, with N1.9 billion being disbursed to 9,500 PWDs across Nigeria.

Expressing delight at unveiling the programme under the RHI Social Investment Framework, Senator Tinubu noted that the launch was intentionally scheduled for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

She emphasised the administration’s commitment to inclusive growth, stating that the nation becomes stronger when all citizens are empowered to contribute.

According to the First Lady, “Our commitment to improving lives has also been demonstrated through various interventions in

Agriculture, Economic Empowerment, Education, Health, and Social Welfare, aimed at improving the well-being of families across our country. To all our beneficiaries, I encourage you to make good use of this opportunity.”

Mrs Tinubu said that the programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which seeks to promote inclusive growth and shared prosperity by ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind, especially those whose needs are often overlooked.

She announced that the RHI Governing Board has approved making the Economic Empowerment Programme for PWDs an annual event every December 3.

She thanked the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara; and his wife, Lady Valerie Fubara, for their support, and encouraged the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity.

In her speech, Wife of Rivers State Governor, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, assured that the Renewed Hope Initiative in the State will collaborate with the National Commission on Persons with Disabilities to promote an inclusive society where the rights and privileges of persons with disabilities are guaranteed.

She said that the celebration of the 2025 World Disability Day, reaffirms the government’s commitment to create a more just, inclusive, equitable and sustainable State, where no one is left behind.

Lady Fubara also delivered a strong message of empowerment to the beneficiaries, saying “You are not defined by limitations. You are defined by your strength, your creativity, your persistence, your brilliance, and your unique contribution to this State.”

She urged society to champion inclusion, noting that disability is not a tragedy but that discrimination, silence, and exclusion are.

The governor’s wife confirmed that 250 beneficiaries in Rivers State received the N200,000 grant, and urged all the beneficiaries to utilise the funds wisely.

“Let it be a seed that grows into something greater; a business that sustains you and your family,” she said.

Also speaking, Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme, Dr Vetty Agala, announced the enrollment of the 250 persons with disabilities into the state’s contributory health protection programme, adding that the beneficiaries will now enjoy free medical care and services at primary, secondary and tertiary levels in the State.

“You’re going to not only access primary care, but anytime you require secondary or tertiary services, you will be referred to those levels of care at no extra cost,” in line with the government’s “Health For All Rivers Initiative,” she said.

In her own remarks, Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Mrs. Lorenta Davis-Dimkpa, stated that efforts are underway to establish a South-South office for the Disability Commission.

She also confirmed that there was an ongoing work to domesticate the 2018 Disability Act.

In her goodwill message, former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Odili (rtd), commended both the Federal and Rivers State governments for taking bold steps to ensure persons with disabilities are included in governance.

Earlier in her speech, the State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Hon Tonye Briggs Oniyide, had said that the programme was carefully designed to address the needs of persons with disabilities and disabled veterans, helping them upscale their businesses across the State.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Kie Obamanu, called for the full implementation of disability laws to eliminate discrimination.

He expressed gratitude to Nigeria’s First Lady and the wife of the Rivers State Governor for their support.

Highlight of the event was the presentation of the Universal Health Coverage Ambassador Award to Lady Valerie Fubara by the Rivers State Ministry of Health, in recognition of her contributions to improving access to healthcare services in the State.

News

Fubara Assures Greater Collaboration With Navy

Published

1 day ago

December 5, 2025

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured greater collaboration with Navy and other security agencies in combatting crimes and criminality in the State.

The governor also hailed the appointment of Vice Admiral Idi Abbas as the Chief of Naval Staff, saying he will deliver on his mandate based on his track record of excellence and meritorious service.

Fubara gave this assurance when Abbas and his team paid the governor a courtesy call at the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.

The governor also commended the efforts of the Nigeria Navy in tackling criminality on Rivers waterways and protecting critical national assets.

He emphasized the need for more security surveillance on Rivers State coastal environments to safeguard lives and properties.

According to him, the Navy’s superior technology, manpower, and tactical competence are vital to protecting the state’s vast waterways.

“We need to work together for us to succeed,” he said, stressing that collaboration remains the most effective way to keep residents, assets, and the environment safe.

Pointing out the strategic significance of Rivers State as the hub of Nigeria’s crude oil and coastal infrastructure, Fubara commended the Navy for its continuous efforts in preventing losses to lives, livelihoods, and the ecosystem, and assured the service of the government’s sustained cooperation and support.

On his part, Abbas said his visit was part of a nationwide tour aimed at assessing operational readiness across naval formations since assuming command on October 30, 2025,

The new Naval Chief noted that Rivers State hosts several critical energy installations that fall under the Navy’s mandate to protect, adding that the state also remains central to the Navy’s training operations, with several key units located within its territory.

Abbas commended Governor Fubara for the State’s consistent support, citing the provision of six gunboats and the donation of a school building as significant contributions that have boosted the Navy’s operational efficiency.

He appealed for continued collaboration as the Navy intensifies efforts to secure the maritime domain.

Taneh Beemene

News

Fubara Tasks Traditional Rulers On Peace, Security …Says Education, Job Creation ‘ll Receive Boost In 2026 Budget

Published

1 day ago

December 5, 2025

The Tide

Rivers State Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara has declared that amidst glaring challenges, his administration has remained determined and focused to dispense good governance and put in place the needed development in the State.

The governor disclosed this while addressing the 123rd and 124th combined quarterly general meeting of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers at the Council Secretariat on Monday.

Fubara who commended the traditional rulers for their supports and efforts in promoting peace and development in the State, urged them to live up to their roles as custodians of peace by becoming alert and more vigilant in their domains to tackle the menace of insecurity especially in boundary communities.

He advised the traditional rulers to work with local government chairmen and security agencies to safeguard lives and properties in their domains.

“Let me thank everyone of you from the bottom of my heart, I met you in Government House to say a big thank you, because the royal fathers stood as fathers in our most trying moments.

“I say thank you again for your support, for understanding that your role is fatherly role, and one of the reasons you were elected or selected to be head is to bridge the gap in terms of crisis, and to play fatherly role when called upon. Thank you for ensuring that peace reigns in Rivers State,” he said.

The governor reaffirmed his commitment towards the protection of lives and property in the State.

“Our vision is to ensure that Rivers State is safe, our vision includes the provision of good health care services, which we are doing, the records are there, people from the south east are witnessing what is happening in the Zonal Hospital in Bori, presently. I’m sure that before the end of this year, the Omoku and Ahoada Zonal Hospitals will be commissioned while Degema is 80% completed, we’re not just talking, we’re doing it,” he said.

Fubara, however, dismissed speculations making the rounds on the issue of 10,000 jobs, urging the public to discountenance the false information.

He assured that employment will be carried out in the state based on needs, and not on political considerations.

He disclosed that the 2026 budget will make provision for job creation and the refurbishment of schools in the State which, he noted, are currently in deplorable conditions, having given due consideration to roads and the health sector.

“Let me use this medium to address an issue, I saw some people sending messages to my WhatsApp, they want to protest against 10,000 jobs, they claim was included in the budget, which budget? We are going to employ based on the needs of the state, I’m not going to employ politically to please anybody,” he assured.

The governor promised to address the requests of the traditional rulers, and charged them to ensure that their meeting brings out a strong position that will make the State stronger.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, and Eze Oha Apara 1V, of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Amadi Worlu-Wodo, thanked the governor for personally attending the meeting.

The royal father restated the support of the traditional rulers to the State Government, and presented some requests of the Council to the governor.

“Your Excellency, the news that we have received all over the State is quite cheering and symbolic of the peaceful life and developments that Rivers people yearn for in the State. You have brought back those glorious old days of harmonious living and peaceful coexistence the way it was. May the Almighty God bless you and help you to sustain this laudable feat,” the royal father prayed.

In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs , Egnr.Charles Amadi, expressed gratitude to the governor for his developmental strides in the State, and also commended the traditional rulers for their unwavering commitment towards promoting peace in the State.