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Rivers Guber Tribunal: Poll Held In All LGAs, INEC Testifies …ADP Guber Candidate Admits Dropping Out Of Varsity

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Local Government Electoral Officers (EOs) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have confirmed that governorship election held in all the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.
Testifying at the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal, yesterday, five INEC Electoral Officers stated that the governorship election on March 9, 2019 was conducted in line with the Electoral Act and INEC Guidelines.
Speaking during a cross-examination by African Democratic Party’s lawyer, Dolapo Tella-Attoni, INEC Electoral Officer for Okrika, Okemanu Clems Okechukwu, stated that the election held in all the 12 wards of the LGA.
He noted that the result sheets from all the wards were signed by him and transmitted to the INEC office at the state level.
Also answering questions from 2nd Respondent, Governor Nyesom Wike’s lawyer, Okey Wali, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Okemanu Clems Okechukwu noted that “materials were received and results announced at various polling units. The results were properly signed by INEC and party agents present”.
Also testifying before the Justice J. A. Orjiako-led panel, Patrick Uzoka, Electoral Officer for Degema Local Government Area, stated that result sheets from the polling units of the wards in the LGA were signed and recorded by INEC officials on duty.
Reacting on question of violence in the area during the election, he said, “I did not get report from any party agents that the results announced were concocted, and I did not also receive any report of violence during the election.”
He noted that some units were cancelled, and added that he did not notice presence of an ADP agent at the collation centre.
The Election Officer for Omuma LGA, Ijeoma Obari, told the tribunal that no official or party agents made any lawful allegation against the governorship election as regards to Omuma.
He added, “We conducted ourselves in accordance with guidelines issued by INEC.”
The INEC Electoral Officer of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, David Edak stated that the Governorship Election in the area was conducted under a peaceful atmosphere, adding that the voting was devoid of violence.
The Electoral Officer for Ikwerre Local Government Area, Stephen Koko Bassey said that the Governorship Election held peacefully in the area.
Speaking with journalists outside the courtroom, Attorney for INEC, Dr Garba Tetengi (SAN), noted that five INEC witnesses testified in court.
He disclosed that the commission still has seven days to present more witnesses.
“We have called five witnesses today and we will continue tomorrow. We have seven days to conclude our own witness testimonies. By our reply we have listed 24 witnesses, but from the way the petition was presented, the evidence given will decide as to the number of witnesses we will call.
“The five witnesses are all Electoral Officers of INEC in Ikwerre, Omuma, Degema, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and Okrika Local Government Areas.”
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Party (ADP) candidate in the March 9, 2019 gubernatorial election in Rivers State, Victor Fingesi has denied being an ex-convict, but admitted that he couldn’t complete his university education at the University of California in the United States of America.
Testifying during cross-examination by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Counsel, Godwin Obla, SAN, at the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Fingesi said he scored 1,860 votes during the March 9 Governorship election.
He also admitted during cross-examination that he did not restrict himself at his voting unit during the election, and also visited other polling units in his Ward 9, Okrika Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Port Harcourt, had last Tuesday, stopped four witnesses from testifying for the Action Democratic Party (ADP), against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP and Governor Nyesom Wike, because their statements didn’t align with the INEC press statements tendered in court as exhibits.
The Counsel to Governor Wike, Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, had reminded the court that all evidence by the witnesses must be in alignment with the press statements made by INEC on March 10 and 15, 2019.

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Rivers Capable Of Delivering Massive Votes For Tinubu, Chinda, Others -Fubara …Charges APC, Rainbow Coalition To Embrace Team Work

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Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the  State is capable of delivering massive votes for President Bola Tinubu,  the  All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Kingsley Chinda and other candidates of the Rainbow Coalition in the 2027 general elections.

Fubara, who stated this yesterday at the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Port Harcourt, said the surest path to victory is for the  members of the Presidential Campaign Council drawn from the APC and the Rainbow Coalition to embrace the spirit of teamwork.

He said what the state was witnessing in the current political season is a repeat of the successful mobilization done in 2022 and 2023, when a large campaign council worked in unity to deliver victory for him and for President Tinubu.

He added that the present council is bigger, wider and better coordinated and should therefore achieve even better results.

He noted that the beauty of the new council is the fact that some persons who were in the opposition camp during the previous elections are now part of the team, saying their inclusion has made the task easier, provided everyone works as one team and with sincerity of purpose.

The governor thanked the  Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council for Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, and other leaders who worked tirelessly to bring the council to fruition, stressing that nothing  is impossible especially when people work together for a common purpose.

He expressed optimism that with seriousness and commitment, the state would record a higher number of votes than it recorded in 2023.

Fubara, while congratulating members who made the list, appealed to those whose names were omitted not to be discouraged, as there are still sub-committees to be constituted and the list can still be updated, even as he warned against double loyalty.

He said the state has gone past the stage of division and is now looking to the future and what God holds for Rivers people, expressing confidence that with the strategy already put in place, the APC and the Rainbow Coalition would come out victorious in 2027.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Coordinator of the Campaign Council, Chief Nyesom Wike, while  inaugurating the Council, lauded Fubara for finding time to attend the ceremony and other engagements of the Council in spite of his busy schedules.

Wike, who is also the National Leader of the PDP/ Rainbow Coalition, reminded members of the Council that they were chosen based on their capacity to participate  in the activities of the group and deliver positive results.

He charged them to work hard to win votes for the candidates of the APC and the Rainbow Coalition for the Presidential, Governorship, National Assembly as well as State House of Assembly elections next year.

He disclosed that apart from the Presidential Campaign Council and its sub-committees, the Local Government Campaign Councils will soon be inaugurated to ensure better coverage of the grassroots during the current campaign season.

 

 

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RSG Floats MNET Culture Content Promo

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The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism  has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.

He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.

He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.

“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.

Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.

The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.

On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.

Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.

With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers  State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.

He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.

Kevin Nengia

 

 

 

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APC Presidential Campaign Storms PH, ‘Morrow

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Barring last minute changes, the presidential campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will storm Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, tomorrow.

This is according to a campaign timetable released by the APC Campaign Council last month.

The Tide reports that the APC presidential campaign kicked off in Kaduna on October 24 with President Bola Tinubu in attendance.

The campaign train later moved to Cross River, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Ekiti on November 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima representing the President at the rallies.

President Tinubu is personally scheduled to attend 12 states including Rivers, Kaduna, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos.

The Rivers State rally, scheduled to hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, is expected to witness a large crowd of party supporters drawn from a coalition of political parties in the State.

The party is expected to round off its presidential campaign in Lagos State on January 9, 2027.

The Tide reports that Tinubu has not visited Rivers State as President since he assumed office in May 2023. His last physical visit to the State was before his inauguration on Wednesday, May 3 – Thursday, May 4, 2023, when he was hosted by then Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt to commission the Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrates’ Court Complex.

Tomorrow’s visit will be his first to the State since assuming office.

 

 

 

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