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Wike Honours Late Aguma

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7 years ago

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Activities relating to the burial of the Late Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Hon. Emmanuel Aguma (SAN), dominated affairs last week in Government House, Port Harcourt.
From Wednesday when it kicked-off with a memorial lecture, till Saturday, when it dimaxed with interment, it was one activity or the other about the Late Attorney-General’s burial.
Chairman of the Memorial Lecture, Emma Ukala (SAN) said organizations of the public lecture in honour of the Late Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice of Rivers State by the State Government lays credence to the very special place that he (Aguma) occupies in the hearts of the Governor and people of the state.
He said though Aguma was young, he caved out a place for himself in history.
According to Ukala, “he had a brave sense of Justice, he was very courageous, but he knew decent boundaries defined by law.” He added that Aguma worked for the survival of democratic institutions, especially the Justice.
Former Director General of Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Prof Epiphany Azinge, who spoke at the public lecture, expressed regret that use of force of coercion to undermine democratic choice of voters remains the worst crime against the rule of law.
He said law enforcement agencies have been used as veritable tools for election rigging since independence, and that the development has assumed a disturbing dimension since 1999.
Azinge noted that good governance requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially to protect the rights of all groups of persons.
The speaker described the Late Attorney-General of Rivers State as one of the finest Chief Law Officer and Legal Minds of the state.
On Thursday night of Tributes for Late Aguma. It was attended by senior Lawyers, friends, family members, associates, Rivers State House of Assembly members as well as members of the State Executive Council and State Judiciary.
All extolled the enviable qualities of the Late Attorney-General. Justice Adolphus Enebeli, who spoke on behalf of the Rivers State Judiciary, said Aguma was a sound lawyer who argued his cases with conviction and knowledge, stressing that though he had tough look, he has a lovely heart that had compassion for all.
Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani lauded Late Aguma for his legal support to the House through invaluable advice on issues of law.
Representative of the Body of Attorneys General and Akwa Ibom State Attorney-General, Uwemedimo Nwoko, said at the national level, Late Aguma stood for justice and defended the rights of the Niger Delta region.
At a service of songs held Friday, in his honour at Saint Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo described Late Emmanuel Aguma as a dedicated public servant who worked for the growth of the state.
She said the State Executive Council would miss his worthy contributions and commitment to the actualization of the New Rivers Development Blueprint.
In attendance were Christians faithful, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, former Governors of Rivers State, members of the State Executive Council, Traditional Rulers, Federal and State Legislators and other prominent Nigerians.
In a special Executive Council session, the council declared late Aguma as a shining star who played a key role in the translation of the New Rivers Development Blueprint into reality.
Governor Wike said late Aguma served the state with passion and helped move the state forward. He noted that the sudden death of Hon. Aguma hit the state so hard, but stressed that the state Government must bear the painful loss.
In a funeral oration Saturday, Gov Wike announced that the State Government would rename the Judges Quarters under construction after the Late Attorney-General when the facility is completed. He also announced that the wife of Late Emmanuel Aguma would be drafted into the state Executive Council as way of honouring the late legal icon and cementing the relationship between the State Government and Aguma’s family.
The Governor, who commended the Aguma’s family, stated that, “his death is very painful. His service to the state will never be in vain. Having made sacrifices, the state will continue to honour him”
The burial of Late Attorney-General was also remarkable in the sense that it brought together politicians in the state irrespective of their different parties.

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LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

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6 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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A former National Organising Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Clement Ojukwu, has expressed regret that the several legal cases brought against the party since the 2023 general elections have impacted the party’s performance.

Mr Ojukwu, who recently returned to the interim National Working Committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, noted that the party had 34 elected members in the House of Representatives, eight Senators, and 80 members at the state Houses of Assembly after the 2023 general elections.

“Now we lost all of them,” he said. “I don’t think we have as many as five members in the National Assembly.”

The former national officer of the LP talked to journalists in Abuja and said he chose to join the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi-Usman because they are now the officially recognized leaders of the Party.

“I chose to work with the caretaker committee to help save the Labour Party, for the benefit of the party. I also want to use this chance to ask my colleagues at the national, state, and local government levels to come together and help rebuild our party.

“Another election is around the corner. We lost everything we have. They have left to other political parties. So I’ll reach out to all my friends in the other group to get together and work on making this party stronger again.

“The caretaker committee has formed a reconciliation committee. Let’s come together and talk so that we can restore the first opposition political party in Nigeria.”

Mr Ojukwu, who was part of the Julius Abure’s group, said there are no more factions in the LP.

He added, “There is a court ruling, and since it is valid, the right people are in the correct positions.”

He urged Barr Abure and others to drop the legal cases they have filed because they are not helping the party.

“Litigations are killing political parties”, he said. “They’ve seen many political parties disappear because of legal battles, and the Labor Party is losing support every day, which makes me feel sad.”

Mr Ojukwu said he did not think joining the Senator Nenadi-Usman’s NWC was a betrayal of the Abure group, describing himself as “the oxygen” of that faction.

“I’m with this group because of the verdict. But I never betrayed anybody. Rather, I was betrayed,” he added.

 

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2027: NIGERIANS FAULT INEC ON DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP REGISTER DIRECTIVE 

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6 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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A number of Nigerians have strongly criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its directive to all political parties in the country to submit digitalized membership register within 32 days.
It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following it’s reversed timetable, directed all political parties in the country to submit their digitalized membership registers within 32 days.
Speaking on the reversed timetable in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, respondents said the directive amounted to disqualifying opposition political parties from fielding candidates in all the elections next year.
They said if the directives by the commission is implemented, only the All Progressives Congress (APC) would participate in the elections since it started it’s digital membership registration since February, last year.
Responding, an elder statesman in Rivers State, Chief Sunnie Chukumele, said the revised timetable was okay, but the timeframe for submission of digital membership register was being made at the wrong time.
Chief Chukumele said, for the past two years, all opposition political parties have been battling various issues in court, adding that they did not have the time to embark on membership drive, talk less of digitalizing their membership registers.
“My reaction is that the only issue with this revised timetable is the timeframe given by INEC for parties to submit digitalize memberships register in all the states of the federation, while giving notice of Congresses and convention. That is not possible”, he said.
He said only the ruling APC is likely to meet up with the directive, since it began its registration since last year.
Chief Chukumele, who is also the National Coordinator of Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thought (CORSLOT), alleged that the directive of the electoral body may have been targeted to prevent other parties from fielding candidates for the elections next year.
“When you say all the parties should submit digitalized registers of membership in 32 days, how will that be possible to conclude it in 32 days”, he queried.
He noted that “APC used one year ago to do, so APC has one year in the kitty plus 30 days. This is highly regrettable”.
The CORSLOT national leader urged the election umpire to do away with stringent conditions that will make it hard for opposition political parties to field candidates in the elections.
Also speaking, Mr Jacob Enware from Edo State queried the rationale behind the directive, especially when some opposition political parties are still having cases in court.
In his words, ”What opposition political parties are you talking about, is Labour Party not  in court or PDP that is yet to resolve their issues?
”For me, INEC should provide a level playing field for all, because aside the APC, no party can meet up this criteria.”
In his own response, Mr Nathaniel Ebere said he was not prepared to vote for anybody whether INEC provides a level playing field or not.
He alleged that his vote would not count, “so I will not waste my time”.
By: John Bibor
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IT’S A LIE, G-5 GOVS DIDN’T WIN ELECTION FOR TINUBU – SOWUNMI

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6 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, has expressed reservations about the political stance of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, while calling for reconciliation among key party figures.
Otunba Sowunmi made the remarks during a television interview on Saturday, when asked about the relationship between Gov. Makinde and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.
He said, “I don’t believe Seyi Makinde. Because I know them all. I’ve been in this party since it was registered. And I’ve been loyal, faithful, diligent with this party from the get-go, and I’ve never left.”
He underscored his longstanding commitment to the PDP, referencing prominent figures who had exited the party at different times: “I’ve had the grace, and the honor, and the dignity of watching even my father, Obasanjo, shed his card. As much as I love him, I didn’t leave the party”.
He added, “I’ve had the privilege of watching my beloved senior brother, Governor Gbenga Daniel, leave the party a few times. As much as I respect his vision and his ideas, I’ve never left. I’ve watched my former principal, Atiku Abubakar, leave a few times. I’ve never left.”
Otunba Sowunmi stressed that his comments were rooted in deep involvement with the party: “So when I talk about PDP, I’m not talking as an outsider, I’m talking as one of their totems, who was actually carrying them.”
He disclosed that he wrote to Makinde during the governor’s last birthday, urging reconciliation among a bloc of five governors who had formed a movement during the 2023 elections.
“At Governor Seyi Makinde’s last birthday, I wrote him a letter where I tried to say, look, you guys, the five of you, succeeded to the extent of creating a movement of your own”, he said.
He added, “And you fought very hard to make a point in the 2023 election. Although I don’t believe you won the election for the president, that’s a lie. They contributed, but I hate when people take the glory of other people’s work.”
Otunba Sowunmi warned that unresolved differences among the group could weaken the party: “You guys, you must go back to your four friends, your five friends, and you guys go and sort it out. Because not sorting it out with your five friends is going to leave the party worse off.”
He added, “But now that you’re fighting, or you’re not agreeing with yourselves, why don’t you go back to that same energy that allowed you to agree, so that you can use that energy inside to agree, and then we can lead the party.”
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