Politics
Wike Proscribes Youth Groups
Security issues dominated events in Government House, Port Harcourt, last week, as the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike took bolder steps in a renewed fight by his administration against criminality, especially cultism.
The Governor handed over 40 patrol vans fitted with modern communication gadgets to security agencies in the state to equip them for a more formidable fight against criminality in the state.
At the hand over event which took place, Thursday, at the Government House, Governor Wike declared that the state government was fully prepared and would do everything required to protect lives and property.
He said that the new support to the security outfits was in appreciation of the successes recorded since the launching of Operation Sting in the state.
Wike further disclosed that the state government would establish a trust fund to carter for families of police officers who lose their lives while fighting crime.
Governor Wike also announced the proscription of youth groups and said youth groups in the state had been over run by cultists.
He said: “Anybody operating under a youth body henceforth will be arrested by security agencies. Before you contest for any youth body’s leadership you must send the names to the DSS and police for screening. If they are cultists, we will not allow them to operate”.
He announced a N30 million bounty on anyone who gives useful information that will lead to the arrest of those who killed a director with the Rivers State Government during the Choba crisis in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
He said, N30million bounty will also be given to whoever gives useful information that will lead to the arrest of a notorious cultist called Bobrisky in Gokana Local Government Area.
Dramatically, in less than 24 hours , the alleged notorious Bobrisky was captured by the Nigerian Army. Governor Wike disclosed news of the capture during a meeting he held following day, being Friday, with the leaders of Rumuolumeni community.
He charged Rumuolumeni community to cooperate with security agencies by dishing out to them useful information, noting that the community is one of the flashpoints in the state where criminals use as exit point.
At the meeting held at Government House, Governor Wike assured the Rumuolumeni community that the state government would construct their key roads and urged them to always support his administration.
Governor Wike last Monday, received report from the committee Set up to investigate and audit the financial transactions of the 23 local government councils in the state from May 2018 to May 2019.
He commended the committee which was headed by the Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo,for doing a good job, and however, noted that from the preliminary report which he read, it was scandalous considering the involvement of principal officers in financial transactions undermining due processes.
Wike urged council chairmen and top government officials to always work to develop their areas and leave worthy legacies.
Earlier, chairman of the committee, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, thanked Governor Wike for his commitment to the development of Rivers State.
She said all council chairmen and relevant officials participated in the exercise, and that to ensure professionalism, the committee engaged the services of three reputable auditing firms.
Within the week under review, Wike convened a meeting with environmental sanitation service providers in Government House and expressed concern over what he described as poor and unacceptable situation of Port Harcourt city.
He blamed the service providers of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) for not living up to the expectation of the government and people of Rivers State.
Emphasising that his administration is desirous of restoring back the lost ‘Garden City status of Port Harcourt and gave the service providers one week to clean up their various beats or stand the risk of losing their job.
The Brick House landlord also received the Board and Management of Philips Project Central Limited last Tuesday when the company paid him a courtesy visit.
At the meeting, the governor declared that the state government would work with the firm to equip the state owned hospitals and also train staff that would maintain the health facilities.
Chris Oluoh
The Senate yesterday received the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Bola Tinubu, marking the formal launch of the 2026 federal budget cycle.
In a letter addressed to the upper chamber, Tinubu said the submission complies with statutory requirements and sets out the fiscal parameters that will guide the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He explained that the MTEF/FSP outlines the macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and spending priorities that will shape Nigeria’s fiscal direction over the next three years.
The letter was read during plenary by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the document.
“It is with pleasure that I forward the 2026 to 2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for the kind consideration and approval of the Senate.
“The 2026 to 2028 MTEF and FSP were approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 3, 2025, and the 2026 budget of the Federal Government will be prepared based on the parameters and fiscal assumptions therein,” the President stated.
Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved the fiscal projections, pegging the oil benchmark price at $64.85 per barrel and adopting a budget exchange rate of ?1,512/$1 for 2026—figures expected to significantly shape revenue forecasts and expenditure planning.
After reading the President’s letter, Jibrin referred the document to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), with a directive to submit its report by Wednesday, December 17.
The Senate adjourned shortly after to allow committees to commence scrutiny of the fiscal framework and continue the ongoing screening of ambassadorial nominees.
Tinubu’s communication to the Senate came less than 24 hours after he transmitted the same MTEF/FSP documents to the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The letter was read on the House floor by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who also urged timely legislative action as required by law.
The MTEF and FSP are statutory instruments mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act and serve as the blueprint for Nigeria’s annual budgets.
They outline the government’s fiscal stance, macroeconomic assumptions, revenue frameworks, projected deficits, and sectoral priorities over a three-year period.
The Tide reports that approval by the National Assembly is a prerequisite for the executive to present the Appropriation Bill for the next fiscal year.
In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.
The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.
He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.
“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.
“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.
According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.
“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.
