Politics

Wike Assures Late Gberegbe’s Family Of Continued Support

Published

6 years ago

January 27, 2020

The Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, has assured the family of Late Dr Ferry Gberegbe of continued support of the State government.
Governor Wike gave the assurance, Saturday, during the funeral service in honour of Late Gberegbe at Botem Town in Khana Local Government Area of the State.
Recall that the Late Ferry Gberegbe was the PDP governorship election Agent for Khana Local Government Area who was allegedly murdered during the 2019 governorship Election by operatives of the F-SARS.
The Governor charged Nigerians not to allow anti- democratic forces hijack the democratic process and stressed that the spirit of Late Gberegbe has laid the foundation for the defence of democracy.
He said: “This young man died for our own sake. For the wife and the family, while I remain the Governor, I will continue to support you and the children.
“Even though we have taken care of the education of the children by what we have done, we will provide employment for the wife to sustain the family”.
The weekly State Executive Council meeting held last Wednesday and it was presided over by the State Governor. At the meeting, some crucial decisions were taken.
Honourable Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim who briefed Government House Correspondents after the meeting, said the state government took concrete steps to check illegal proliferation of sub-standard private schools in the state with the consolidation of two extant laws.
The Commissioner said , at the meeting, the council approved the amendment of the Education Law Cap 47, laws of Rivers State of Nigeria (1999) and the Rivers State Education Private Schools law Cap 48 laws of Rivers State of Nigeria (1999) under one legislation.
He explained that council took the decision to check the present situation of in discriminate proliferation of private schools in the state without compliance with basic requirements with respect to standard, curriculum, content and facilities.
Other decisions taken at the meeting included the official dissolution of the Petroleum Monitoring Taskforce in the state, and to warn motorists against indiscriminate parking of vehicles in front of Port Harcourt Mall.
Also last week, Governor Wike joined other prominent Nigerians to celebrate the former Executive Secretary of Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Dr John Kennedy Opara as he celebrated his 50th birthday
The Governor was represented by his Chief of Staff, Engr Emeka Woke at the event which took place at St Mary’s Catholic Parish, Umuopara Obetiti Nguru, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State.
Wike described the celebrant as a dependable person and a man of character.
Impact of last week Supreme Court victory of the Sokoto State Governor, Rt Hon Aminu Tambuwal was felt in Brick House . The Rivers State Chief Executive, described the victory as a confirmation of the overwhelming support given to Governor Tambuwal by the people of Sokoto State.
Wike commended the Supreme Court for allowing the will of the people to prevail.
He congratulated the Sokoto State Governor and enjoined him to work for the unity and growth of the state.
Within the week under review, Governor Wike inspected the ongoing construction of hostels and additional classrooms at the Real Madrid Academy and expressed satisfaction with the quality of work.
He disclosed that his administration has put in place an organisation that would independently run the institution to achieve targeted result.
Also last week, Governor Wike, his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, and other top Government officials attended the ‘ Five Nights of Glory’ of Salvation Ministries in Port Harcourt from the opening ceremony last Monday to the closing ceremony on Friday.

Chris Oluoh

Politics

LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

Published

3 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

3 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

3 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.”