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Rivers 2019: Beyond A Fallen Godfather’s Dictatorial Politics
Don’t be deceived by the antics of the fallen political godfather. 2019 in Rivers State will not be determined by the “follow-follow” use of ill-gotten state funds to coerce a few lieutenants into accepting a pliant godson.
This was tried in 2015 with the unilateral introduction of Dakuku Peterside against the wishes of Rivers people who needed a performer to clean up the mess of Rotimi Amaechi who owed four months salary arrears and six months pension arrears including countless abandoned projects.
It was on that premise that Rivers people preferred the politics of unity, recovery and development, to that of zoning/upland and riverine dichotomy.
It is very important to recall that as an outgoing governor cum godfather, Rotimi Amaechi printed just one APC Governorship Form which was sold to Dakuku Peterside. This act of dictatorship buried the aspiration of Senator Magnus Abe and others who indicated interest in seeking that office.
The reason for nominating Dakuku Peterside was simple. He had been a failed commissioner of works, with obvious reasons to protect Amaechi who awarded contracts , paid monies and abandoned them. In other words, he would cover Amaechi’s tracks.
Fast Forward to 2018, the fallen godfather, I am informed, has dropped Dakuku Peterside in favour of another godson. The reason for the swap is similar to that of 2014. It is all about protecting the godfather’s economic interests. That is why a Rivers APC faction settled for the person touted in their respective social media platforms.
The preferred godson is Amaechi’s business partner who bought the state’s power plants. It is known to the public that the funds that accrued from the sale of Rivers Assets to Sahara Energy were diverted for the alleged sponsorship of APC National Campaign in 2014/2015.
The sum of $302,960.000.00 was paid for the acquisition of the Omoku (150 megawatts), Trans Amadi (136 megawatts), Afam (180 megawatts) and Eleme (75 megawatts) gas turbines by NG Power HPS Limited, an affiliate of Sahara Energy Resources Limited. The failed Amaechi administration before Governor Wike took over the leadership of the state withdrew the entire funds for personal reasons.
Worried by the diversion of Rivers funds, the State Government set up the Justice George Omereji- led Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry, established to investigate the sale of state assets. The commission indicted the former Rivers State Governor and other close associates.
The former Rivers State Governor challenged the setting up of the commission at the High Court and Court of Appeal. He lost. He is now at the Supreme Court.
Since then, the Rivers State Government has issued a white paper on the findings of the Justice George Omereji Judicial Commission of Inquiry.
“The commission finds as a fact that the sale of 70 percent equity from the First Independent Power Limited in Omoku gas turbine, Trans-Amadi gas turbine, Afam Phase I gas turbine and Eleme gas turbine, have been very difficult to justify. They have therefoe recommended the review of sale of the power assets and the government of Rivers State has accepted that recommendation.
“Refund of proceeds by Rotimi Amaechi, Chamberlain Peterside, and Augustine Nwokocha. In furtherance of these findings that the sale of the four gas turbines was unjustifiable and against the interest of the government and people of Rivers State.
“The commission recommends that the former governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi, along with his former Commissioners for Finance and Power , Dr Chamberlain Peterside and Augustine Nwokocha, respectively, should be held to account for their roles in the sales of the power generation assets of First Independent Power Limited and the disbursement of the proceeds there from.
“Government accepts this recommendation and directs the Office of the Honorable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, to promptly set in motion the appropriate machinery for the recovery of the proceeds of the sale of the gas turbines from the former governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and every other person implicated in the commission’s report,” the Rivers State Government declared in a white paper .Issues related to the arrest and prosecution of the former Rivers State Governor have been stalled by legal bottlenecks. But the former Rivers State Governor is fighting hard to extricate himself from the logjam through the sponsorship of an involved political godson.
If the posts and tweets of Amaechi’s in-house factional supporters are true on his choice of his Sahara Energy business associate, then, one is safe to declare that it is all about self preservation.
Preservation from prosecution and preservation from being swindled of funds invested in anti-Rivers transactions. Which ever way he goes, this permutation will fail like it did in 2015. Rivers people will not be swayed by the gospel of dichotomy being preached by a godfather to save himself from self-inflicted economic and political woes.
Rivers State is bigger than an annointing meeting in the parlour of a failed godfather. The state is way beyond the private decision of a politician who believes that his personal interest supercedes that of the state.
In 2019, the people of Rivers State will make a choice on who will lead them till 2023. That decision is not to be made by one man, neither would it be made by one ethnic nationality or a section of the non-indigenes living in the state. Like in 2015, it would be a collective decision.
The people jettisoned Amaechi in 2015 because he thought that he could impose just anybody on them after mis-managing and embezzling state funds. He imagined that he would intimidate the people with his choice after betraying them.
Three years after, the story has not changed. As a Minister of the Federal Republic, Amaechi has failed Rivers people. He has refused to attract a single project to the state. He has taken sides with other regions and de-marketed Rivers State. But with the election circle round the corner, Amaechi brings out his annointing oil. Expectedly, he annoints his business partner.
As we await the two factions of Rivers APC to present their candidate for the 2019 governorship elections, it is right to state unequivocally that Rivers State remains PDP, with the people totally in support of their workaholic governor, the nation’s Mr Projects and the leader of pro-people governance.
The march towards political greatness for Rivers State started in 2015 and it will be consolidated in 2019. Power belongs to the people and the people from all the 23 LGAs have endorsed Governor Wike. Remember, the voice of the people is the voice of God.
However, this is democracy. The micro-minority will still have their say, in the form of Amaechi’s sitting room annointing, but Rivers people will have their way by re-electing Governor Wike. This is not a time to allow traders to sell the blessing of Rivers State the way they sold Rivers assets and pocketed the proceeds.
Nwakaudu is Special Assistant to Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media
Simeon Nwakaudu
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, has called for renewed commitment, transparency, and collaboration among stakeholders in the health sector in the State.
The deputy governor particularly urged synergy between the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) and the Primary Health Care Management Board towards improved healthcare delivery in the State.
?Prof. Odu made this call during the 2026 First Quarter Review Meeting of the Task Force on Primary Health Care at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.
?She stressed the importance of honesty and urged all parties to be truthful and open in addressing challenges within the system.
?According to her, transparency remains critical to identifying and resolving underlying issues affecting healthcare delivery, noting that “if we are not truthful, we will not cure the disease, but merely cover it up.”
The deputy governor recounted a personal experience at a Primary Health Center where a patient, despite being duly registered under the RIVCIPP scheme with completed biometric capture, was still asked to make payment for services.
According to her, intervention by relevant authorities later confirmed the patient’s eligibility, exposing a communication gap between the scheme and healthcare providers.
Odu warned that such incidents could discourage community members from enrolling in the scheme, thereby undermining its objectives.
“When this happens, we are disenfranchising our people. The message that goes back to the community is that even when you register, you are still made to pay,” she stressed.
?While commending the leadership and staff of the Primary Health Care Management Board, Ministry of Health, Development Partners as well as other supporting units, for their efforts, ty deputy governor stressed that performance should not lead to complacency.
She urged stakeholders to continuously strive for improvement, raise standards, and leave lasting positive impacts within the system.
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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the opening of examination slip printing for candidates registered for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
JAMB made the announcement yesterday, urging candidates to visit its website to download their slips ahead of the examination.
“Examination Slip Printing is now available. The slip contains details of the venue, date and time of your examination and gives you access to the examination hall,” the board said.
Candidates are to visit jamb.gov.ng and click on “2026 Slip Printing” to print their slips.
The development comes after JAMB dismissed a viral press release falsely claiming the examination had been postponed.
The board described the notice as “malicious and fake” and urged candidates to disregard it.
The 2026 UTME is scheduled to hold from Thursday, April 16, to Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The examination follows a mock test conducted on Saturday, March 28, which recorded technical difficulties at some Computer-Based Test centres.
Of the 224,597 candidates who registered for the mock, 152,586 sat for the test across 989 CBT centres nationwide.
JAMB said over 20 centres were delisted for technical inadequacies.
The board also warned candidates against fraudsters on WhatsApp claiming to facilitate score inflation, describing such claims as “false and criminal”, and threatening cancellation of registration or withholding of results for any candidate found involved.
Over two million candidates, according to JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, registered for this year’s UTME.
News
RSU Unveils Five-Year Strategic Dev Plan …Calls For Collective Commitment To Institutional Excellence
In a decisive step towards redefining its future, the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, has formally unveiled its Third Five-Year (2026-2030) Strategic Development Plan.
The development plan is a comprehensive roadmap designed to strengthen the university’s position as a leading institution in Nigeria and beyond.
The unveiling took place during a high-level engagement with the Governing Council, Principal Officers and the university congregation, at the Convocation Arena, recently.
Delivering his remarks at the unveiling ceremony, the Pro-Chancellor of the university and Chairman of Council, Hon. Okey Wali, SAN, charged all members of the university community to align their activities with the strategic direction of the institution, emphasizing that the success of the plan depends on collective commitment.
He noted that the plan is not merely a document, but a working framework that requires discipline, accountability and unity of purpose.
According to the Pro-Chancellor, only through coordinated efforts from all stakeholders can the university fully realize its vision.
“I hereby invite the Visitor to the University, donor agencies, friends and well-wishers, and all stakeholders to support and fund the implementation of this strategic plan. We are confident that this plan will take RSU to greater heights in the comity of higher institutions,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, described the Strategic Development Plan as a document that would enhance the university’s corporate strengths, mitigate current weaknesses, leverage its corporate opportunities and address perceived existential threats.
“This Five-Year Strategic Plan sets out RSU’s goals, strategic objectives, expected outcomes and impact, including intervention strategies,” he said.
On his part, the Chairman of the Strategic Development Planning Committee, Prof. Emeritus Joseph A. Ajienka, noted that the 2026-2030 Strategic Development Plan represents a bold reaffirmation of the university’s founding ideals of excellence, creativity, innovation and inclusivity, aimed at positioning the institution to respond effectively to contemporary challenges in higher education.
Prof. Ajienka, who is also a member of the Governing Council, disclosed that the plan was developed through an extensive and inclusive consultative process, which he said reflects contributions from Faculties, Departments, Satellite Campuses and Administrative Units.
At its core, the plan seeks to advance the university’s vision of becoming a “unique and uncommon” institution that is structurally and philosophically oriented towards solving practical societal problems and ranking among the top ten universities in Nigeria.
The strategic framework identifies six key challenges confronting the university, including funding constraints, infrastructure deficits, limited research collaboration, and service delivery inefficiencies.
A statement by the university’s Acting Director, Corporate Affairs, Victor G. Banigo, further stated that the university has articulated four broad strategic goals supported by eight targeted objectives.
A central priority of the plan, according to him, is the strengthening of governance and administrative systems, alongside deliberate efforts to expand the university’s funding base. Others include enhanced alumni engagement, strategic partnerships and innovative fundraising initiatives aimed at ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
“Equally significant is the commitment to upgrading physical infrastructure across all campuses. Plans are underway to modernize lecture halls and laboratories, expand student accommodation, improve campus security and deploy advanced ICT systems to support teaching, learning and research.
“Recognizing that human capital is the backbone of institutional success, the university has placed strong emphasis on staff development, recruitment and productivity enhancement. Through targeted training programmes, mentorship initiatives and performance management systems, the plan aims to foster a highly skilled and motivated workforce.
“In addition, the university is poised to deepen its focus on research, innovation and entrepreneurship. By reviewing academic curricula, strengthening industry partnerships and establishing innovation incubation centers, Rivers State University seeks to translate research outputs into practical solutions that address societal needs and drive economic growth,” he said.
The PRO disclosed that the implementation of the strategic plan is projected at ?110 billion, reflecting the scale of transformation envisioned.
“While the university is committed to funding a significant portion internally, additional resources will be mobilized through government support, donor agencies, alumni contributions, and public-private partnerships.
“This multi-channel funding strategy aligns with the university’s broader goal of building a resilient and self-sustaining financial model capable of supporting long-term development,” he explained.
To ensure effective implementation, he said, “the plan incorporates a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework, complete with performance and impact indicators. A mid-term review is scheduled within the first two years to assess progress and make necessary adjustments.
“Furthermore, the establishment of a dedicated Strategic Planning Office will provide oversight, coordination and accountability in executing the plan across all units of the university.”
According to the statement, “As the university embarks on this transformative journey, the message from leadership is clear: the Strategic Development Plan is a collective mandate.
“For staff, students, alumni and stakeholders, it represents an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the growth and advancement of the institution. For the university, it is a pathway to consolidating its legacy while embracing innovation and global relevance.
“With a clear vision, defined priorities and a united community, Rivers State University stands poised to translate this strategic blueprint into measurable progress, advancing knowledge, empowering people and shaping the future of higher education in Nigeria.”