News
Guber Polls: 2,000 Communities, Female Youths, Traders Endorse Wike
Over 2,000 communities spread across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State, have endorsed Governor Wike for a second term,
The endorsement was made at a conference of UCDC Chairmen and Secretaries in Port Harcourt.
The Coordinator-General of the United Community Development (UCDC), Mr. John Onwubualili who said that the more than 2,000 communities in the 23 local government areas of the state would support the Governor for second term of office.
Mr. Onwubualili also said it was the desire of the organisation to work with the various stakeholders to ensure free, fair credible and peaceful elections in the state.
“We shall not allow any form of intimidation from any agency to deprive Rivers people from participating in the elections.
“We are also ready to collaborate with INEC and security agencies to ensure that our votes are well counted”.
Onwubualili further said that the group would embark on a one week protest, if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies refused to allow free and fair elections in Rivers State.
He also said that the group would not allow any form of postponement of elections in the state.
According to him, the group will collaborate and synergise with the government and the various development partners to identify needs and ensure proper project sitting and maintenance in the various communities.
The Coordinator-General said the UCDC would hold town hall meetings in the 23 local government areas and in the various constituencies with the view to sensitizing the people on the importance of appreciating the various developmental projects of the present administration in their various communities.
He also requested the government to use the next four years of the administration to embark on human capital development/empowerment, attract foreign investment into the state for job creation as well as the renovation of schools.
Also requested were, the provision of office space for the organisation in Port Harcourt, appointment of a Special Adviser for CDC Affairs as well as financial assistance to the body for the town hall meeting.
Meanwhile, thousands of Female Youths from the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State have endorsed Governor Nyesom Wike for a second term.
Governor Wike was also endorsed by Non Indigenous Female Youths residing in the 23 Local Government Areas of the state .
In a programme tagged: “Female Youths For Governor Wike “, the young ladies took over the Obi Wali Cultural Centre where they displayed their preference for Governor Wike in dance, music and songs.
The mobilisation was so massive that the female youths spread across the vicinity of the Obi Wali Cultural Centre.
All the female youths expressed gratitude to the Rivers State Governor for his developmental strides and commitment to the advance the welfare of Female Youths.
Special Assistant to the PDP Rivers State Governorship Candidate on Female Youths, Hon Soibi Ibibo Jack said female youths from the 23 Local Government Areas are totally in support of the Governor’s re-election.
She said Governor Wike is the most gender-friendly governor since the creation of the state. She that Governor Wike has created opportunities for women to be in government.
Hon Jack said female youths apart from voting for Governor Wike will defend their votes across the polling units of the state.
She said that Governor Wike is the best thing to happen to Rivers State. She said supporting the re-election of Governor Wike will help women get more presence in government.
It was a declaration of profound commitment to the re-election of Governor Wike by the Female Youths of Rivers State.
Selected Female Youths from the different ethnic groups of Rivers State took turns to profess their endorsement of Governor Wike. They stated they will promote the governor’s re-election and deliver their respective units.
Female Artiste, Jikume Bethelem thrilled the audience with some of her popular tunes.
Accepting the endorsement of the Female Youths, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike stated that he is overwhelmed by the mobilisation and support of the female youths for his re-election.
The governor said that the time has come for Rivers women to take their rightful place in the governance of the state. He said that he will continue to promote the growth of women and female youths in governance, politics, business and the Civil service.
“This is an opportunity for the female youths to express themselves. This mobilisation is awesome. What you have done here is to give female youths a voice in the politics of the state.
“By this mobilisation, you are saying that female youths must be involved in governance. You are saying no government will be formed without female youths “, he said.
The governor urged the Female Youths of Rivers State to sustain their mobilisation beyond the elections to enhance their relevance in the polity.
He urged the women to fight for their positions and not wait to receive positions on a platter as has been the case.
He said: “The women should fight for their place in government. They should not wait to be given positions because they are qualified to struggle and win such positions.
“Time has come when women must take their appropriate places in Rivers State”.
The governor stated that with their number, female youths are in the right position to stop anyone from manipulating the electoral process in the state.
Governor Wike directed the Female Youths to go to their respective polling units to form association of women and female youths to mobilise for votes .
“As registered voters, go back to your respective units and form associations of girls/women in each unit. From the Coordinator of Female Youths for Governor Wike, we require 4442 names of girls who will serve as leaders of each of the 4442 polling units.
“In each polling unit, each leader must lead in the mobilisation of girls/women “, the governor said.
He charged the female youths to also lead the charge to defend their votes across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
“This is not the period to tie wrapper. This is the period of jeans and canvass. You have to be prepared to defend your votes.
“This is a war between darkness and light. When you are confronting darkness, you get prepared. APC is dictatorship and PDP is freedom. To crush dictatorship you have to be prepared “, he said.
The governor said that in his second term, Female Youths will be appointed as Commissioners and Special Advisers. He added that during the next Local Government Council polls, the state will produce nine female local government council chairmen.
Speaking further, Governor Wike announced that female youths will get allocation of shops at the Mile One Market and Fruit Garden Market when they are completed.
He added that the female youths will receive interest free loans and be given 40 percent of employment out of the new 7000 appointments into the State Civil Service.
Governor Wike urged Rivers State Female Youths to vote massively for Atiku Abubakar and other PDP candidates for the emancipation of the country.
For the February 11 Presidential Rally in the state, Governor Wike directed the Female Youths to mobilise 500 young ladies per local government and wear a distinct uniform for the programme.
Highpoint of the occasion was the defection of Female Youths from APC to the PDP.
Also, traders and construct ion workers have declared their unflinching support for the re-election of Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike.
This is as the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike assured traders at the Fruit Garden Market that his administration would deliver the market next month.
Addressing the traders after inspecting the ongoing construction of the burnt Fruit Garden Market, last Saturday, Wike said work would be sustained because he wants the traders to sell in a conducive environment.
The governor thanked the traders for their support, saying that he will always live up to their expectations.
He said unlike the failed All Progressives Congress (APC), he runs a promise-keeping administration that caters for all sections of the state.
Wike charged the traders to use their permanent voters’ cards to re-elect him and vote for other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in order for his administration to deliver more dividends of democracy.
The traders, who trooped out in their numbers to welcome Wike, sang his praises, and assured him of their votes.
Wike took out time to make purchases at the Fruit Garden Market.
Also, last Saturday, the governor inspected the concluding construction works at the Judges’ Quarters in Port Harcourt.
The construction workers, on sighting the governor, broke into singing and dancing, declaring their support for the re-election of Wike.
This reaffirms the lawmakers’ commitment to enacting laws and taking legislative actions geared towards the overall development of the State.
The Assembly gave the approval during its Second Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session held last Friday.
Speaking on the MTEF document during plenary, the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, noted that by the provision of Section 10(1)(b) of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law No. 8 of 2010, the MTEF ought to have been laid before the House in September 2025.
Amaewhule explained that traditionally, the document is expected to be presented four months before the commencement of the next financial year and immediately after the expiration of every three-year fiscal cycle.
He, however, stated that in the interest of the State and its people, the House considered it necessary to deliberate on the document, describing it as a precursor to the 2026 Budget Estimates.
The Speaker expressed concern that the year had already progressed significantly before the presentation of the framework.
During deliberations on the document, members examined the assumptions and projections contained in the MTEF and observed that strict adherence to the outlined fiscal parameters would ultimately serve the interest of Rivers people.
The lawmakers maintained that effective implementation of the framework would promote prudent financial management and enhance developmental planning across the State.
Following the debate and positive consideration by members, the Speaker put the question to the House and members voted overwhelmingly in support of the approval of the MTEF.
Meanwhile, during the same sitting last Friday, the House also received a petition from the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr. Gift Worlu.
The petition was presented by the member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency II, Hon. Emilia Amadi.
According to the petition, concerns were raised over an imminent security breach, threats to lives, destruction of property and alleged forceful takeover of property by some lawless persons within parts of the Local Government Area.
Presenting the petition before the House, Hon. Amadi appealed to the lawmakers to revisit the matter and take necessary steps aimed at safeguarding lives and property in the affected communities.
The House is expected to further deliberate on the petition and consider measures to address the concerns raised in order to sustain peace and security in the area.
King Onunwor
News
Fubara Reaffirms Commitment To Blue Economy, Private Sector Growth …Calls For Protection Of Marine Resources
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, made this known during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), held in Port Harcourt, last Thursday.
Represented by his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, Governor Fubara described the conference theme, “The Gulf of Guinea and Blue Economy: Pathways to Trade, Investment and Security Towards a $1 Trillion Economy,” as both timely and strategic.
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?The governor welcomed the leadership of NACCIMA, delegates from the 115 Chambers of Commerce across Nigeria, members of the diplomatic corps, captains of industry, investors, and other distinguished guests to Rivers State.
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?He commended the National President of NACCIMA, Engr. Jani Ibrahim, for choosing Rivers State as the host of the 2026 conference, noting that the decision had drawn national attention to the immense economic opportunities embedded in the blue economy.
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?Fubara stated that the blue economy possesses the capacity to generate revenue that could surpass earnings from the oil and gas sector if properly developed and managed.
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?He stressed the need for Nigeria and other countries along the Gulf of Guinea to take deliberate steps toward maximizing the benefits of their maritime resources while guarding against the continued exploitation of coastal assets by foreign operators.
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?Expressing concern over the activities of foreign fishing trawlers operating in Nigerian waters, the governor noted that many harvest seafood resources without making meaningful economic contributions to the country.
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?He emphasized the need for stronger monitoring mechanisms and enhanced protection of Nigeria’s marine resources.
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?”We must wake up and hit the ground running. If we do not capitalize on and utilize our blue economy, other nations will utilize it for us,” he stated.
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?The governor thanked NACCIMA for what he described as a timely wake-up call on the importance of the blue economy and maritime security, adding that the successful hosting of the conference in Rivers State demonstrates the state’s safety, hospitality, and readiness for business and investment.
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?Earlier in his remarks, the President of NACCIMA, Engr. Jani Ibrahim, expressed appreciation to the Rivers State Government for hosting the 66th Annual General Conference of the Association and for the warm reception accorded delegates.
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?He noted that the state’s commitment to hosting the conference reflects its readiness for business and has helped restore investors’ confidence in its economic potential.
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?According to him, NACCIMA highly values the cordial relationship between the Rivers State Government and the organized private sector, emphasizing that the association remains the foremost voice of the Nigerian business community.
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?In her welcome address, the President of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), Dr. Chinyere Nwoga, described the conference as a historic milestone, noting that it was the first time in the Chamber’s 66-year history that it was hosting the national body of NACCIMA.
Nwoga commended the national leadership for entrusting PHCCIMA with the hosting rights and pledged the Chamber’s continued commitment to advancing the objectives of the association and promoting sustainable economic growth through private sector engagement.
Fubara gave the order during his visit to the site of the collapsed building last Thursday to assess the situation.
He said the site will remain “completely sealed off” until the government gets to the “root cause” of the incident.
He described the incident as unfortunate but observed that preliminary investigation had shown that the developer had earlier refused to subject his site to inspection by the state authorities and comply with the necessary building regulations.
The governor, who inspected the site alongside the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Sir Amairigha Edward Hart, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties, Dabite Sokari George, explained that he couldn’t visit the site the previous day because he was awaiting formal briefing from the relevant agency of government on the situation.
“We’re here to see for ourselves the very unfortunate incident that took place here. I didn’t come yesterday because I wanted to get the report first, and the Commissioner did brief me that the incident site, first, is not as claimed by the developer, that it’s not under the jurisdiction of the state; that it’s under the jurisdiction of the Federal Housing Authority.
“He also informed me that when the project was ongoing, they came here severally to inspect what was happening and also to see the level of compliance. But unfortunately, that the developer kept claiming that we don’t have any right to interfere,” he said.
Fubara said that the issue was no longer about interference but about the life lost to the building collapse and the collateral damage brought upon the family of the deceased.
He extended condolences to the families of the victims, insisting that the incident could have been avoided if the developer had complied with the rules guiding the engineering design and construction of such a structure in the 21st century.
“We feel very sorry and very regretful that such an incident should be happening in this 21st century because technology has advanced, engineering has developed. I wonder what kind of engineer would even allow this kind of project to go on when everything about it from inception has been faulty.
“I think that at this point, nothing is going to happen on this site any more. We are going to make sure that this place is completely sealed off until we get to the root cause of this incident,” the governor said.
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