News

C’River LG Polls: APC Crisis Deepens As Factions Submit Separate Lists

Published

6 years ago

February 11, 2020

Crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a more dangerous dimension as two factions submitted lists of candidates for the March 28th local government elections in Cross River State.
Our correspondent gathered that the APC in Cross River State is led by two groups, one led by Godwin Etim John and the other led by Sir John Ochala.
Already, the two factions have submitted lists of their candidates for the Cross River State Independence Electoral Commission (CROSIEC).
Speaking with newsmen in Calabar yesterday, the Chairman of one of the factions, Godwin Etim John, said he does not know about any faction in the party.
“I don’t know about two factions in APC,” he said.
Etim said if two persons are fighting and they go to court, it is only the court that can settle the matter.
“When Buhari and Atiku fought during election, was it not court that settled them? When Alex Egbona won election and John Gaul went to court, was it not court that settled them? he asked.
“So if I won my congress, and they took me to court and court gave me judgment and said I won, why do you talk about two factions. The only party that government recognizes is Etim John-led APC, no other one and I have submitted list of my candidates, I have confidence CROSIEC will conduct the election.
“They are the only legal body empowered to conduct the local government election in Cross River, it is the only legal body constitutionally empowered to conduct local government election.
“If people are not satisfied with the CROSIEC election, they can approach the court but let them allow CROSIEC to conduct their election,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Chairman of another faction led by Sir John Ochala, said, “We are fully prepared for March 28th 2020 local government election in Cross River State, we have submitted the names of our candidates to CROSIEC, we have done our primaries and candidates emerged and the names have been submitted.
“We don’t have confidence in CROSIEC conducting credible election in the.
“This is a constitutional matter, you may be recall that they fixed the time, sometimes in February, when we brought this out to them, and they hurriedly shifted it to March 28.
“There is also a constitutional matter that says that there must be voter’s register review for all major elections to allow who were not 18 years as per the last election and are 18 years now to get registered, it is a constitutional provision but there was no voter’s review, you don’t get up in a hurry and conduct election without following the lay down rules that guide such elections..
“Fundamentally, Governor Ayade dissolved all parastatal and commissions in the state, hence the Cross River Judicial Council took him to court that he has no locus standi to do that, however, from the time he wake up, he ask CROSIEC to conduct, he did not reconstitute them, these are fact that one can challenge, the law are very clear on that.
“However, CROSIEC Chairman is a public officer, he is a lecturer in the University of Calabar, when the commission was dissolved he went back to the University of Calabar and continue with his work.
“We are following the time table to fulfil all righteousness, to actually being in a good legal frame to challenge them when we approach the court, because if you don’t participate, you don’t have the legal authority to challenge them.`
“Already, we are in court with them, we have written to CROSSIEC asking them not to recognise the splinter group from APC, these are very clear issues, there had never being two chairmen at the same time, CROSIEC should look at the law and stop dealing with Etim John led splinter group.

News

NELFUND Warns Students Against Fake Loan Portal

Published

2 days ago

November 19, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has alerted the public to a fraudulent message circulating online, claiming that the NELFUND Student Loan Registration Portal is open.

The message directs applicants to a third-party link (http://gvly.xyz/Nelfund-Student-Loan, which NELFUND confirms is unauthorised and fraudulent.

In a post obtained from its X handle, yesterday, NELFUND urged students and the general public not to click on the link or provide any personal information, emphasising that the official loan registration portal is only accessible through the Fund’s verified channels.

The agency reminded applicants to exercise caution online and to report any suspicious links or communications claiming to be from NELFUND.

“Applicants are encouraged to always verify official announcements via NELFUND’s official website and social media channels,” NELFUND said.

This advisory comes as part of NELFUND’s ongoing efforts to safeguard students and ensure the integrity of the student loan application process.

News

Eastern Port Police Boss Promises On Crime-Free Operations

Published

2 days ago

November 19, 2025

The Tide

The new Commissioner of Police Eastern, Ports Command, Mr Tijani Fatai has promised to ensure a crime- free ports operations in the zone.
He said effective policing will be mounted across the ports in the zone in tackling the high rate of community unrest, activities of port rats and other social vices.
Fatai while speaking to newsmen shortly after taking over as the 17th commissioner said he wants to be remembered as a peace maker during his tenure as Commissioner of Police in the Eastern Ports Command.
According to him,’’the community policing is the sure way of addressing most conflicts and other social vices bedeviling our society today and I will explore it to its fullest” .
The Commissioner also assured officers of the rank and file of improved welfare whoch he described as a cardinal objective of the present efforts of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
He said,” the Inspector General of Police has sent me to assure you all of welfare, promotions as and when due,no officers particular rank and file will be left behind in the coming months.
Fatai before his recent posting was an operational officer,who spent most of his years with the Police Mobile Force (PMF) where he served as Unit Commander (UC) and Commander, PMF.
Before his redeployment as a Commissioner of Police,(CP), he was the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, DCP, Operations, Lagos State Command.

News

Kalabaris Celebrate New Year Amid Fanfare

Published

2 days ago

November 19, 2025

The Tide

Thousands of Kalabari indigenes from Akuku- Toru, Asari-Toru, Degema and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas last Sunday gathered at Elem Kalabari in Degema Local Government Area to celebrate what they said is the Kalabari new year amidst pomp and pageantry
According to stakeholders, the event which started over 200 years ago normally falls on the 16th of November every year.
The of this year’s celebration which was organised by Kalabari Renaissance Foundation was “Our Heritage, Honouring Our Waters and Renewing Our Spirit.”
Stakeholders said this year’s celebration was symbolic as it was holding at Elem Kalabari which is the home of the Kalabari people.
The event also featured various masquerade displays from cultural troupes within Kalabari and beyond.
Speaking on the significance of the event, the Amanyanabo of Elem Kalabari (The Source), HRH Mujahid Asari Dokubo, said the celebration signaled a return to the traditional values of the Kalabari people and the need for self-recreation.
“It’s not just about celebration, It’s about recreating ourselves, bringing us back from death.
“The organisation that has come to take over this celebration – Renaissance – really fits the description of what ought to happen to us as a people.
“It’s not just Kalabari; it’s about all of us and our values. We have to look at ourselves and our values,” he said.
Dokubo called on all Kalabari citizens to join hands together to revive their traditional values and heritage in order not to lose their cultural identity and spiritual trajectory.
Also speaking, Harry Awolayeofori MacMorrison, Chief Administrator and Chairman of Kalabari Renaissance Foundation, organizsers of the Kalabari new year festival, said the event marks the beginning of a new calendar year for the Kalabari people, after November 15 of every year when the tide cleanses the pollution from the Sombreiro River inflows, describing it as a renewal of the Kalabari people.
“It’s the renewal of the people. Kalabari area is saline environment and at a time, the Sombreiro River comes in and pollutes the river.
“On the 15th November, across Kalabari, the tide turns and takes all the fresh water that polluted the saline river back to the Sombreiro River
. “On the 15th is the end of the year. Normally when there is an end, there is a new beginning. On the 16th (November) is the beginning of the Kalabari calendar,” he said.
Awolayeofori Mac Morrison said the Kalabari communities had been holding the new year festival separately in the past until the Renaissance Foundation decided to champion a unified celebration to enable them forge a common front of trado-cultural and socio-economic development across the entire territory.
He said last year’s event held at Abalama while they decided to bring this year’s celebration to Elem Kalabari because of it significance to the Kalabari nation.
Also speaking, a member of the planning committee and media lead, Journalist Ibiba Don Pedro, said there was need to reawaken the consciousness of their people on the need to embrace their traditional values without reservations, noting that there was nothing fetish about the festival.
She said the celebration was to unite the Kalabaris as well as project the cultural heritage of the people.
Don Pedro said time has come for Africa to go back to their root , adding that development will continue to elude African countries until the people rediscover themselves.