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Rivers Guber Poll: Dismiss Awara’s Petition, AAC Tells Tribunal …Wike, INEC, PDP Want Victory Upheld
The African Action Congress (AAC) has asked the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by the African Action Congress (AAC) Governorship Candidate, Engr Biokpomabo Awara, against the election of Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for lacking in merit.
The demand came, last Wednesday, just as the tribunal Chairman, Justice Kingsley Orjiako, announced that the tribunal has reserved judgment following the adoption of final written addresses by all the parties in the case.
The AAC sponsored the Awara during the March 9, 2019 governorship election in the state.
Counsel to the AAC, Henry Bello while adopting the party’s final written address, last Wednesday, urged the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal to place value on the video clip tendered, which showed the declaration of Wike as the winner of the March 9, 2019 Governorship election after due collation of results.
The AAC explained that their decision to call for the dismissal of the petition by Awara was borne out of the party’s commitment to the truth.
“A lawyer should not promote a case which to his knowledge is false. Every iota of their case is made in falsehood. Therefore, counsel for the party presenting the truth before the tribunal deserves commendation.
“My Lord, I want the court to rely eminently on the evidence of PW21. His evidence and the video played lay credence to PW21 evidence.
“I, Henry Bello on behalf of the 2nd respondent (AAC) hereby consent to the dismissal of this petition”, he added.
Submitting the PDP’S final written address, Ahmed Raji (SAN) urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition, considering the prayers by the 2nd Petitioner (AAC) that the petition be dismissed.
He submitted that the witnesses of the petitioners had agreed that election was peaceful in the state.
“In reaction to the petitioner’s response dated September 27, 2019, I rely on the due process. and urge the court to dismiss the petition in the sense that the 2nd petitioner clearly considered, and admitted that the petition should be dismissed.
“Not a single witness of the petitioner was called from the polling unit; it was either ward agent or state agent. They said the election was peaceful, free and fair.
“The first petitioner has not presented to the court any other separate result other than the result presented by the 1st respondent (INEC)”.
He added: “We seek the court to dismiss the petition, which is from a disunited house, even from the onset. We will not want a disunited house to come and cause commotion in the state”.
In his final written address, Wike through his counsel, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) adopted the position of the PDP.
He added that petitioner called witnesses that contradicted his petition, therefore, there should be no basis to further debate the matter.
“Although the petitioner purport to challenge the governorship election, evidence of the petitioner’s witnesses PW21 and PW22 and video clip confirmed the victory of Governor Nyesom Wike in the election.
“It is important to state that the PW21 is the state collation of both petitioners. Even though the 1st petitioner claimed the PW21 is an imposter, he never produced any other that stood in his place. The political party appoints the collation agent and there was no challenge by the party that he was the state collation agent.
“PW21 made it clear that the 2nd petitioner actually accepted the result as was signed by the party agent. When a political party signs a result, it is not legal to bring such result as a matter in court.
“They have shown that there is no basis to go further with the petition. There is no law for a party calling witnesses that contradict themselves or the petition.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition.
Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Steve Adehie (SAN) said
“We adopt all the preliminary arguments and urge the tribunal to dismiss the petition.
“We adopt the evidence of the PDP, Governor Wike and our own argument. It is true we did not call witnesses but we led evidence through the witnesses. All the witnesses that testified admitted that they have no problem with the results as declared by INEC.
“As an exhibit Q1 tendered PW20 result sheets and PW21 also confirmed the final results by INEC.
“If all the witnesses admitted the results as declared by INEC then why are we here. This tells that they have no case to protest. We are urging this court to dismiss this case with substantial cost”.
But, the AAC Governorship Candidate, Engr Biokpomabo Awara urged the tribunal to grant his reliefs.
Counsel to Awara, Emenike Ebete told the court to nullify the election and order for rerun.
The tribunal Chairman, Justice Kingsley Orjiako said that all the parties would be informed when the judgment would be delivered.
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Rivers Capable Of Delivering Massive Votes For Tinubu, Chinda, Others -Fubara …Charges APC, Rainbow Coalition To Embrace Team Work
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
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
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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