City Crime

Much Ado About Rivers Governorship Poll

Published

8 years ago

March 27, 2019

Never has the question of who should be the Governor of Rivers State been so contentious, contemptuous, and acrimonious in the history of the State, as it has been before, during, and after the 2019 Governorship and House of Assembly elections of March 9, 2019. The nearest to it was in 2015 when the state was drafted into becoming opposition for the first time.
Since then, it has become worse in the context of redefining the essence of politics in the State, which currently wears a toga of vendetta hinged on a surreptitious inclination to have a no-holds-barred control of whatever goes on in and about the State.
Before now, but for the usual relatively minor disagreements warranted by alignments to different political parties, Rivers State has been an epitome in the political sphere of Nigeria: it was common for leaders of several other States in the country to consult or seek the advice or help of key actors in order to better build their States. In other words, the State was noted for always holding the most peaceful elections. Currently, however, the reverse is the case.
Even when there had been disagreements then, they were soon resolved as mere misunderstandings. In virtually no time, such misunderstandings were settled and the State becames the wiser in terms of key participants letting bygones be bygones and working together for the good of the state. At worst, if the disagreement continued, from the point at which there was clear indication of the one being favoured, the other soon gave up and planned for the next election.
The question is thus, why is the 2019 Governorship election different from all the rest? Why can’t the one honourably accept defeat and begin to plan for 2023, or beyond, as the case may be? Why must the 2019 election be a do-or-die affair?
In answering the stated questions, what becomes more worrisome is the acrimonious manner in which the leadership of the All Progressives Party (APC), as represented by the Honourable Minister of Transportation, and former Governor of the State, Chibuike Amaechi, has been going about it.
The former Rivers State Governor, who had before then been the Speaker of the State House of Assembly for eight years, seemed to have set the tone of what is panning out now on February 12, 2019, when the APC held its Presidential rally at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, in Igwuruta-Ali, Port Harcourt.
According to him, ”Whatever PDP wants in Rivers State, we are equal to the task. In 2015, the army tried to arrest me as a sitting governor. Now, we have a Governor, who is trying to negotiate with us, asking us to give him Governor and in return, he will support us for President. He is afraid, isn’t it? We will battle him till the last.
“On Saturday, we are ready for them. They used Federal and State institutions against us. They used to kill our people every day. Because they want to deny us the right to choose our leaders, they ran to a state High Court judge to give them judgment. Saturday is our day.”
Retrospectively, in 2015, Amaechi, as Governor of Rivers State, was the Director General of the Muhammadu Buhari campaign organisation. He did everything possible to conquer the entire nation for the APC. At the end of the day, Buhari emerged President. Unfortunately, he could not conquer his home state for APC, as incumbent Governor, Wike, defeated the APC candidate, Dr Dakuku Peterside.
The APC, especially Amaechi, never ceased to lay the blame of its loss in Rivers State on Wike, and then President, Goodluck Jonathan. And, from what has transpired so far, it would require more than mere say to convince keen observers that this grudge is not what is playing out presently in the stalemated Rivers Governorship and House of Assembly elections.
Just as genuinely concerned citizens of the State, the country, and the world at large tried to truly appreciate the scenario in the State’s political space, another bubble got busted last Monday by certain declarations made by the Deputy Governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) party in the State, Akpo Bomba Yeeh.
In a letter stating his resignation from the AAC, and defection to PDP addressed to his principal, and Governorship candidate of the AAC, Biokpomabo Awara, Yeeh said his decision to dump the party was due to ”complete hijack of the structure and administration of our party by a faction of the APC in Rivers State led by the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, for his personal political ambition”.
The letter further read in part: “Furthermore, the RotimiAmaechi-led faction of the APC is not letting in its determination to subvert the will of Rivers people and cause crisis in the state, using the platform of our promising party.
“In the circumstance, I cannot in all conscience continue to lend support to the selfish political venture of the Minister of Transportation, which does not mean well for the progress and development of the people of Rivers State.
“As a budding and promising politician, I also appeal to you to accept the reality of your crushing defeat and liberate yourself from being used by Rotimi Amaechi to cause unnecessary political crisis in our dear State”.
Addressing journalists at his home in Port Harcourt the same day, Yeeh said, ”The March 9 Governorship election in Rivers State has been lost and won; lost by my party, African Action Congress (AAC) and its candidate, Biokpomabo Awara, and undoubtedly and overwhelmingly won by the Governor of Rivers State, the candidate of PDP, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
”… The collated results further showed that contrary to the false claim of fictitious lead by the AAC/APC alliance, the PDP overwhelmingly won all the elections in 18 out of the 19 LGAs, culminating in the declaration and return of the party’s 26 House of Assembly Constituencies by the Constituencies’ Returning Officers.
“This fact was confirmed on March 13, 2019, when INEC stated, as a matter of fact, that it had in its safe custody collated results for 17 Local Government Areas as well as the declaration of the PDP candidates for 21 state constituencies.”
He went further to narrate how the Amaechi-led faction of the APC had two days to the March 9 elections sought an alliance with the AAC with a promise to provide whatever it would take to remove Wike from office as Governor, and make Awara the Governor of the State.
The catch was for an agreement that Amaechi will make 90 per cent appointments in the proposed government under Awara as Governor amongst others. He also alleged that he was made to sign an undated resignation letter as Deputy Governor, which he did, for fear of his life, having seen Amaechi’s desperation to execute his plan.
But for the fact that politics in Nigeria seems to have become ridiculously synonymous with stark lies, these are too serious declarations that should not be wished away as mere spurious, coming from a key actor in the fold of a Deputy Governorship aspirant. If for nothing else, they greatly affirm Amaechi’s threat on the 12th of February 2019 to cause mayhem during the 2019 elections in Rivers State.
It would be recalled that the Amaechi-led APC officially adopted Awara, a relatively unknown Governorship candidate of the AAC, two days to the elections as its candidate of choice, and directed its supporters to back the AAC candidate. This was after the legal battle that put paid to the APC’s participation in the 2019 elections in Rivers State.
In addition, the APC and its supporters mounted a campaign: “Operation Kick Wike Out”, with a declaration that if the APC candidate would not get it, Wike must not be allowed to remain as Governor. As it has played out, while the APC wanted to oust Wike and appropriate the state for itself to redeem its image, the PDP was also set to resist at all costs.
From what has played out, and given the experience of the preceding Presidential election, result for which was hurriedly announced, pundits and close watchers of the political situation seem to be unanimous in the belief that if, in reality, the APC-supported AAC had been in lead in the result available to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), collation and announcement of the results would not have been put on hold on the 10th of March, a day after the election.
As glaring as the reasons for the state of affairs in the 2019 elections in Rivers State may be, the compelling question right now is why the Amaechi-led faction of the APC would rather let the good people of Rivers State perish in unwarranted turmoil than accept the fact that the reason for their failure this time around is their wrong permutations from the onset? What wrong have Rivers people done for according him the power he now wields against them, in addition to their sufferings since 2015?

Soibi Max-Alalibo

City Crime

When Custody Becomes a Death Sentence

Published

1 month ago

September 25, 2026

The Tide

Quote: “The moment the state takes a citizen into custody, it assumes a sacred duty to protect that life. Suspicion may justify arrest, but it can never justify neglect, abuse or death.”

There are deaths that shock the conscience not merely because lives have been lost, but because of the circumstances in which those lives were entrusted to the state. The reported deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, an incident which occurred on September 17, 2026, belongs to this troubling category. The victims were reportedly arrested during enforcement operations against suspected illegal mining activities. Whatever offence they may have been suspected of committing, they remained citizens entitled to the protection of the law. They were suspects, not condemned criminals. Their detention therefore placed a corresponding responsibility on the authorities to safeguard their lives and dignity.

The Federal Government has since ordered a comprehensive investigation, while the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, constituted a 10-member independent committee to establish what happened, including the circumstances of the arrests, detention and deaths. Twenty NSCDC officers, in addition to the Niger State Commandant, have been suspended pending the investigation. Initially, the NSCDC indicated that a suspected disease outbreak might have been responsible for the deaths. However, survivors and relatives have made disturbing allegations concerning overcrowding, poor ventilation and the treatment of detainees. Reuters reported survivor accounts alleging that nearly 70 people were held in a very small cell and that an unidentified substance was sprayed inside. These accounts remain allegations and must be tested against medical and forensic evidence.

That is precisely why the investigation must be independent, transparent and exhaustive. Nigeria cannot afford a situation in which a tragedy of this magnitude is explained away by speculation, administrative statements or convenient assumptions. The families of the deceased deserve the truth, not conjecture. There is also a fundamental legal principle at stake. The fight against illegal mining is legitimate and necessary. Illegal mining can damage the environment, threaten communities, undermine public revenue and expose workers to dangerous conditions. Government therefore, has every right to enforce mining laws and apprehend those suspected of violating them. But enforcement must itself remain within the ambit of the law. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has correctly stated that the fact that the detainees were suspected of illegal mining did not remove their right to life, dignity and humane treatment.

He directed investigators to examine the conditions of detention, the number of people held in the facility, medical attention provided and the events preceding the deaths. He also stated that if evidence establishes that officials contributed to the deaths through abuse or negligence, those responsible should face prosecution. This is the proper standard. Government cannot fight illegality by creating another form of illegality. The tragedy also raises questions about detention management in our security institutions. If dozens of detainees were indeed confined in conditions incapable of providing adequate ventilation, sanitation, water, food and medical attention, then the matter goes beyond one unfortunate incident. It would point to institutional weaknesses requiring urgent correction.

Every security agency entrusted with human beings must have clear procedures for intake, identification, medical screening, monitoring, separation of vulnerable detainees, emergency response and access to medical care. These are not luxuries. They are basic requirements of responsible custody. The alleged presence of teenagers among the detainees makes the matter even more sensitive. Reports have indicated that some of those arrested were between 14 and 18 years old. If confirmed, their treatment should receive particular scrutiny because children and adolescents in state custody require special safeguards. The government has already taken an important administrative step by suspending officers and establishing an independent panel. But suspension is not justice. Nor should public anger substitute for due process. The investigation must identify exactly who was arrested, why they were arrested, where they were detained, how many people were held together, what happened inside the facility, what medical intervention was provided and what caused each death.

The investigation must also preserve evidence and give surviving detainees an opportunity to speak without intimidation. The Federal Government has directed that records and material evidence be preserved and made available to investigators. The committee has two weeks to complete its work and submit its report. Beyond determining individual responsibility, government should use the tragedy to strengthen custodial standards across all security agencies. A citizen should not disappear into government custody and emerge only as a corpse requiring explanations. The lesson is simple but profound: the power to arrest is not the power to destroy. The state may restrain a person’s liberty according to law, but it cannot suspend that person’s humanity. Nigeria must continue to confront illegal mining. It must also confront every abuse of official power that undermines public confidence in the institutions established to protect citizens.

More importantly, this tragedy should provoke a serious national conversation about what happens after an arrest. Too often, public attention focuses on the moment suspects are paraded before cameras, while little is said about what happens to them afterwards. Arrest is only the beginning of a legal process, not the end of it. Detainees must be properly documented, medically examined and held in facilities that meet acceptable standards. Their families should not have to search desperately for information about their whereabouts, while officers entrusted with their custody remain the only source of information. Where death occurs in custody, the burden of explanation cannot be shifted to grieving relatives. The state must account for the circumstances surrounding every death and demonstrate that reasonable measures were taken to preserve life.

Let it be told that accountability should not begin only when a tragedy attracts national outrage; it should be built into the daily operations of every security agency. Regular inspection of detention facilities, independent monitoring, proper staffing, functional medical arrangements, accurate custody registers and prompt reporting of emergencies can prevent avoidable deaths. Officers must equally understand that lawful enforcement and humane treatment are not opposing principles. Indeed, the credibility of government is strengthened when those who enforce the law are themselves demonstrably bound by it. If the investigation establishes wrongdoing, negligence or abuse, appropriate sanctions should follow; if alternative causes are established, those findings should also be made public. What Nigerians need is not a predetermined narrative, but credible facts, transparent accountability and reforms capable of ensuring that no family again loses a loved one under circumstances that remain unexplained.

The 37 deaths should therefore not become another statistic that fades from public memory after investigations and official statements. Their deaths should compel reforms that make every detention facility safer, every arrest more accountable and every public officer more conscious of the precious lives placed in government custody. For when the state takes custody of a citizen, it assumes responsibility for that citizen’s life. Custody must never become a death sentence.

By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi

City Crime

Renaissance Energy Pledges Stronger Partnership With RIVCHPP

Published

1 month ago

September 21, 2026

The Tide

Renaissance Africa Energy Limited has pledged to strengthen its partnership with the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), following an advocacy visit by the agency’s management to the company’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.
The company’s General Manager, Health, Dr. Akinwumi Fajola, said the proposed partnership would involve the constitution of a joint team comprising representatives of Renaissance and RIVCHPP to deliberate on and develop modalities for deeper collaboration.
Fajola, who spoke during the visit, said the engagement would help strengthen the agency’s operations and advance the attainment of Universal Health Coverage in Rivers State.
He noted that the seeming bottlenecks often associated with government agencies had made some organisations and individuals sceptical about engaging with them.
According to him, the leadership style of the RIVCHPP Executive Secretary had demonstrated positive changes capable of attracting public and private-sector partners.
He stated that Renaissance Energy Limited would further strengthen its engagement with RIVCHPP, particularly in promoting health insurance within its operational areas.
Earlier, Agala described RIVCHPP as a legacy project of the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, established to ensure that Rivers residents have access to quality and affordable healthcare in line with the administration’s #Health4AllRivers vision.
She said since the agency became operational in January 2024, it had sustained awareness campaigns across the formal and informal sectors, resulting in steady growth in enrolment.
Agala disclosed that RIVCHPP had enrolled more than 160,000 residents across the state’s 23 Local Government Areas, giving them access to healthcare services.
She also said although Rivers was among the last states in the country to operationalise a health insurance agency, it had risen to 13th position in Universal Health Coverage and was recognised as the most improved state at the Federal Ministry of Health’s 2025 joint annual review meeting.
The Executive Secretary said the agency was implementing comprehensive healthcare plans covering all population groups, including vulnerable residents, to protect households from health poverty and catastrophic health expenditure.
She commended Renaissance Energy Limited for promoting health insurance in its operational areas and congratulated Fajola on his recent promotion.
The visit featured the exchange of promotional materials and souvenirs between the two organisations.

City Crime

Transport Fares To Reduce Nationwide From Oct. 1 – Pi-CNG & EV

Published

1 month ago

September 21, 2026

The Tide

The Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV) says transportation fares are expected to reduce nationwide beginning from Oct. 1.

This is contained in a Communique issued at the end of a stakeholders meeting to review their readiness and progress in implementing affordable CNG and electric vehicles transportation, in Abuja, last Thursday.

The communiqué said states are already making progress towards meeting the Federal Government’s target through the deployment of CNG and electric mobility solutions.

It said that several states had deployed CNG and electric buses, tricycles, motorcycles, conversion centres, refuelling facilities and charging infrastructure adding that commuters using supported clean mobility services in some states were already paying fares significantly lower than prevailing rates.

According to the communique, Niger State,, for instance, has procured 200 CNG buses, with 35 already operational, alongside 11 electric vehicle charging stations.

It stated that “Abia had deployed 40 electric buses and 20 charging stations, with plans to increase its fleet to 100 buses by December.

“Ogun has acquired 1,500 electric motorcycles and operates more than 20 battery-swapping stations.

“Cross River has also deployed 720 electric vehicles, including buses and motorcycles, while Delta has 13 operational conversion centres and four CNG stations, with 50 CNG buses being expected to be deployed in the state.

“Adamawa has signed an agreement for 2,000 electric tricycles, while Anambra has identified six priority transport corridors.

“Anambra is also preparing to train 1,000 youths in vehicle conversion, while Benue has trained personnel and technicians and established a conversion Centre,” the communique said.

The Executive Chairman, Pi-CNG & EV, Ismaeel Ahmed, said earlier that the engagement focused on addressing infrastructure gaps in states where CNG and electric vehicles were already available stating however that additional refuelling, charging and conversion facilities were required.

Ismaeel stated that states agreed to identify their busiest transport corridors and provide relevant data to guide the deployment of additional CNG infrastructure.

According to him, the states are expected to submit three priority interventions that can realistically be delivered in line with the Oct. 1 target.

Each state is to establish an implementation team comprising officials from the transport, energy and related sectors to work directly with Pi-CNG & EV.

The initiative would assign coordinators to facilitate implementation and monitor progress at the state level.

“Private-sector participation will also be prioritised, with investment promotion agencies expected to work towards a common framework for attracting investments into CNG and EV infrastructure.

“The engagement is to ensure that the lower operating costs of CNG and electric mobility translate into actual savings for commuters.

“The Federal and state governments are working to make affordable public transportation available to more Nigerians,” Ahmed said.

The Stakeholders Engagement which was convened by Pi-CNG & EV brought together representatives of state governments including commissioners of transport in various states.

Lady Godknows Ogbulu