Politics

Senate Urges FG To Fund Port Project

Published

6 years ago

November 13, 2019

The Senate yesterday urged the Federal Government to make funds available to contractors handling Baro River Port project for final completion of the project.
The call followed the adoption of a motion at plenary on urgent need to complete all the necessary components of Baro River Port Project of Lower River Niger.
The motion was sponsored by Sen.Bima Enagi (APC-Niger) and co-sponsored by 22 other senators.
Moving the motion at plenary, Enagi said the Federal Government had awarded contract for dredging of the Lower River Niger, construction of Baro Port and installation of cargo equipment.
He said the project was designed to ensure access road for movement of goods and services to Northern part of the country for improvement in socio-economic activities in the north.
He said Baro port project was expected to generate 3,000 direct jobs and many more indirect jobs.
He added that the project on completion would improve the road network by keeping heavy duty trailers and trucks off the roads.
This, he said would help expand the life span of the roads.
Enagi said the Baro Port and cargo handling equipment components of the project had been completed and commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 19.
He, however, said the Lambata -Bida road awarded in 2015 and the Agaie-Katcha-Baro road awarded in 2018, if completed, would facilitate movement of goods from the port to the northern part of the country.
The lawmaker maintained that the Lambata -Bida road had only recorded 20 per cent completion while the Agaie-Katcha-Baro road recorded only per cent progress.
He said funding of the access roads had been grossly inadequate as N670 million and N4.5 billion so far had been released for the project out of the N17 billion and N33 billion appropriated.
Enagi said that over N40 billion had been expended on the various components of the Baro port project without achieving any significant progress towards utilisation of the port.
Also contributing, Sen. Adamu Alero, (APC Kebbi), who seconded the motion said there was the need to also complete construction of second Niger Bridge.
He said heavy vehicles conveying goods for haulage were contributing in destroying the roads in the country.
Alero said the completion of the Baro port would have significant improvement on the economy.
Sen. Ali Ndume, (APC-Boronu) urged President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan to personally meet with the executive to provide funding for completion of the project.
He said the senate could use the opportunity of working on the budget at the moment to appropriate fund for the project.
Senate in its resolution also resolved to urge the Federal Government to facilitate rehabilitation of the narrow gauge railway in Baro to ensure rapid socio -economic growth of Nigeria.
It also urged for continuous dredging and maintenance of National Inland Water Ways (NIWA) of the River and Benue Niger to ensure navigability.
The Senate also mandated its Committees on Marine Transport and Works to investigate activities on the Baro Port and make recommendations to facilitate its completion.
Earlier, the Senate at plenary also received and adopted an Ad-hoc Committee on investigation of the causes of pipeline explosions in Komkom, Rivers and Ijeguu in Lagos state.
The report was presented by Sen. Gobir Ibrahim (APC-Sokoto).
The senate having adopted the 16 point recommendations of the report, urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to identify those responsible for the pipeline explosion for appropriate sanction.

Politics

Alleged Coup: Protests Rock N’Assembly As Detained Officers’ Children, Wives Demand Justice

Published

2 days ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

Scores of children and wives of military officers detained over an alleged coup plot yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, demanding a speedy trial and the release of the accused officials.

The protesters who gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly complex, moved in a slow procession while clutching placards with inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Our Daddies,” “Detention Without Trial is Injustice,” and “Six Months of Torture: Enough Is Enough.”

Amid tears and trembling voices, the children appealed for justice and access to their detained fathers, many of whom they said they had not seen for months.

The appeal was made during a press briefing in Abuja attended by no fewer than 20 wives and several children of the detained officers, including a two-month-old baby.

The families were accompanied by human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju and activist Omoyele Sowore.

At the briefing, the families lamented that the officers had been held for over 160 days without trial or contact with their relatives, describing the situation as a violation of their fundamental rights.

Speaking on behalf of the families, Memuna Bashiru said the prolonged detention had thrown their households into uncertainty and emotional distress, noting that while allegations had been widely publicised, families remained in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.

The arrest of the indicted officers was first announced on October 4, 2025, by the then Director of Defense Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who disclosed that 16 officers were taken into custody for alleged breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.

However, an interim investigation later suggested the existence of a clandestine network of officers, allegedly coordinated by a senior Army officer, which had begun preliminary planning for a coup.

According to the report, the alleged plot involved surveillance of key national assets, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja, and major international airports, with October 25, 2025, cited as the planned date for the operation.

Those reportedly in custody include Brig Gen M. A. Sadiq, Col M. A. Maaji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A. A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Maj A. J. Ibrahim, Maj M. M. Jiddah, Maj M. A. Usman, Maj D. Yusuf, Capt I. Bello, Capt A. A. Yusuf, Lt S. S. Felix, Lt Cdr D. B. Abdullahi, Sqn Ldr S. B. Adamu and Maj I. Dauda.

The alleged plot, according to findings, targeted senior government officials, including President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Politics

APC Resumes Electronic Membership Registration Nationwide

Published

2 days ago

April 2, 2026

The Tide

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced the resumption of its electronic membership registration exercise across the country.

In a statement issued yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, said the exercise would take place in all wards and designated centres nationwide.

He called on existing members to update their records, while encouraging new entrants to join the party through the digital platform.

“As the electronic membership registration exercise resumes in all wards and designated locations nationwide, we urge existing members to validate their membership while new members are encouraged to register and join the progressive family,” Mr Morka said.

According to him, eligibility for registration is limited to individuals aged 18 and above who possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN).

The party said the initiative is part of efforts to modernise its operations by transitioning to a digital database that would enhance record accuracy and accessibility.

Mr Morka noted that the e-registration would “digitise the party’s membership register, ensure the integrity of records, and enhance efficient access to membership data for planning and management decisions.”

He added that the move is also aimed at promoting internal democracy within the party and strengthening its commitment to democratic innovation.

The APC had previously introduced electronic registration as part of broader reforms to streamline its membership system and improve organisational efficiency.

Politics

AKPABIO, DIRI, OBOREVWORI, OTHERS VOW TO REELECT TINUBU …AS GIADOM RETAINS APC ZONAL CHAIR

Published

4 days ago

March 30, 2026

The Tide

Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has declared that with the six South-South states now being controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC), the zone is set to return the highest votes cast for the reelection of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

He stated this in Asaba, Delta State, at the party’s zonal congress, noting that the coming together of the governors of the region in the APC was made possible by its zonal Vice Chairman, Chief Victor Giadom.

Senator Akpabio also praised the outgone zonal chieftains of the party, saying they worked hard for the unity of the party and the zone.

“Now that we are complete and focused, we will be the geo-political zone in Nigeria that will turn out the highest votes in 2027 for President Tinubu.

“In the last 46 years or so, our region had not produced a senate president. But under President Tinubu, the South-South region is recognised. We thank the president for giving the South-South a senate president”, he said.

In his speech, the Bayelsa State Governor, and Chairman of the South-South Governors Forum, Senator Douye Diri, described the APC adoption of the consensus option for electing its officials as the best way to foster unity and consolidation in the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He expressed satisfaction that politically, the South-South zone now speaks with one voice under the APC, stressing the need for the region to be part of the decision-making process at the national level.

The governor recalled that when he contested for the governorship in 2019, the delegate election process for primaries in the political parties made the exercise rancorous, saying

the slogan then was that without delegates, there will be no governor, but that that has since changed with the consensus mode.

“I like to align myself with the previous speakers on the unity of the South-South zone. In this region politically, the South-South now speaks with one voice. This is important because of the strategic nature of the zone.

“If you are not on the sharing table, in terms of decision-making process, you will be left behind. We need to be united that we will not allow petty divisions among us.

“Let us work together for the unity and protection of APC in the South-South and God willing, all our candidates will come out tops in the 2027 elections. There cannot be anything better than a united family.

“Let me congratulate President Bola Tinubu for his remarkable achievements so far. Political events such as elective congresses like this were usually filled with rancour and violence. But, today, we have adopted the consensus model to produce our party executives from the wards to the regional level”, Senator Diri said.

In their goodwill messages, the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, and others all spoke on unity of purpose to be able to re-elect the President for a second term.

Meanwhile, Chief Victor Giadom was returned as the party’s zonal chairman alongside seven other zonal executives of the party.

Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor, moved the motion for the dissolution of the immediate past zonal executive of the party and was seconded by his Bayelsa State counterpart, Abraham Ingobere.

In his remarks, the reelected zonal Vice Chairman, Chief Victor Giadom, said the gathering of the six governors of the region, lawmakers, ministers and other major stakeholders was an indication of the zone’s commitment to return all APC candidates in next year’s poll.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa