Politics

Wike Knocks NPA Over Neglect

Published

7 years ago

June 24, 2019

Last week was the busiest in the Rivers State Government House since the inception of the Governor Nyesom Wike’s second term in office, going by the volume of activities in the Brick House.
The management of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) paid a courtesy visit to Governor Nyesom Wike in Government House last Wednesday to congratulate the Governor on his reelection and his contribution to the development of the company.
The Managing Director, Engr Tony Attah, who led the delegation, informed that the company was set to commence the Train seven (7) project with the capacity to provide between 10, 000 and 15,000 job opportunities for indigenes of the State.
The MD also announced that the company has worked out modalities to deliver cooking gas to the State instead of routing it through Lagos, as well as the investment of the firm on community health insurance scheme and eradication of malaria in Bonny.
Attah appealed to the governor to assist NLNG in dredging the Iwofe Waterway to enable the company actualise the projects.
Responding, the state Governor, declared that the state government would support the Train seven (7) project which has the capacity to create between 10,000 and 25,000 employment opportunities for the state.
He equally commended the company for its health and power project and promised that the state government would dredge the Iwofe waterway for actualisation of the company’s laudable programmes.
He charged other companies operating in the state to emulate NLNG’s community development projects.
Governor Wike is set for another prestigious award as the Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE) has nominated him as the Honorary Fellow of the academy.
Secretary – General of NAE, Prof Elizabeth Okeke, announced this last Thursday when a delegation of the academy paid the governor a courtesy visit in Government House, Port Harcourt.
Okeke said that Wike, who is first out of three persons to be honoured got the nomination because of his exceptional contributions in the educational sector.
The NAE Scribe said the essence of the visit was among other things to intimate the governor on the 34th congress of the body scheduled to hold in University of Port Harcourt and appealed for the support of the governor to make the event the best congress ever organised by the academy.
In his reelection response, Wike commended the body for deciding to hold the congress in the state and noted that the event would attract people from all parts of the country.
According to the governor, the delegates who would come would have first hand knowledge of the security situation of Port Harcourt as against the wrong impression by political propagandist that Port Harcourt is not safe.
He assured the delegation of strong support of the state government to make the event successful.
A chief in Eleme Local Government Area, Chief Appolus Chu was cautioned by Governor Wike for speaking on behalf of the Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council, even when he is not a government recognised traditional ruler in the state.
Wike also warned Chu to stop parading himself as the One- eh Eta Ogale. The governor issued the warning during a meeting he had with traditional rulers in Eleme last Wednesday in Government House, Port Harcourt.
He explained that nobody has the authority to dethrone a government recognised traditional ruler stressing that should the circumstance arise to remove any government recognised traditional ruler, they must follow the processes provided by law.
Also in the week under review, Wike restated the need for clergymen to continue to pray for Rivers State in the face of sustained attack by enemies of the state.
He made the call last Thursday when the General Overseer of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry, Pastor Lazarus Muoka led a delegation of the church on a courtesy visit to the governor in Government House.
Muoka who commended the governor on his reelection victory prayed for the state and the administration of Wike to achieve more during the second term.
Wike commended him for coming and urged the church to continue to pray for the state.
He assured the church of the state government’s support in its crusade billed to hold in Port Harcourt.
Gov Wike received the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo last Friday when he came to commission the Port Harcourt Dockyard Liquid Waste Treatment Plant built by African Circle Pollution Management Limited.
Wike used the opportunity to draw the attention of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) neglect to Rivers state.
He told Mr Vice President that NPA entered into agreement to reconstruct the road leading to the Industry Road and that the Federal agency reneged on paying her own part of the counterpart fund but is only interested in collecting rents from tenants .
He called on NPA to dredge Rivers Ports Waterway to increase economic activities at the port and create employment opportunities in the state.
Wike also lauded African Circle Pollution Management Limited for cleaning up environment and Rivers Waterways through the facility.
Gov Wike held a meeting with the management of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, Belemaoil Limited, host community leaders, and security Service Commanders in Government House on Saturday on how to reopen the disputed OML 25.

Chris Oluoh

Politics

LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

Published

20 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

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.

Politics

2027: NIGERIANS FAULT INEC ON DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP REGISTER DIRECTIVE

Published

20 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

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

Politics

IT’S A LIE, G-5 GOVS DIDN’T WIN ELECTION FOR TINUBU – SOWUNMI

Published

20 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

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.”