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APC Dissolves Ward, State, Zonal, National Structures

Published

5 years ago

December 9, 2020

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, dissolved all wards, LGs, states, zonal, and national party structures.
The party’s NEC also extended the tenure of the party’s caretaker extraordinary convention planning committee led by Governor Mai Buni by six months.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the committee attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan; House of Representatives Speaker, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila; Chairman, Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni; governors and some party officials.
The Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, told State House correspondents at the end of the meeting that the party also approved the expulsion of former National Vice Chairman, South-South, Ntufam Hilliard Eta, for his failure to withdraw the court case instituted against the caretaker committee.
He said that all party structures at states, polling units, wards, local governments, and zones have been dissolved.
Speaking at the meeting, President Muhammadu Buhari was quoted as appealing to party members at all levels to make sacrifices that would move the party forward.
Buhari said this in his opening remarks at the ongoing meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The President said, “I want to appeal to all our party members and leaders at all levels, to try and make the required sacrifices so that we are able to collectively restore our progressive and democratic political party, which can nurture and give expression to our collective dream of building a strong, united and developed Nigeria.
“May I use this opportunity to remind all of us of the need to recreate our negotiation secret of 2012, 2013 under our legacy parties. What guided our success to achieve the merger that produced the APC was the respect we were able to have for each other.
“In those times, decisions reached at both formal and informal consultations were respected with trusted initiatives taken and believed that they were needed to produce the required political platform that could guarantee electoral victory.
“Every one of us, as leaders, ensured that those decisions were respected. I have through consultations of the caretaker committee and other leaders of the party agree that our challenges in the party require that we take steps to rebuild the party from wards to national levels.
“The initiative to carry out membership registration revalidation is, therefore, necessary; membership registration revalidation will lay the foundation for reorganizing our membership from ward to local government, state, and national levels.
“The responsibility of our party’s NEC at this meeting is to adopt and dispassionately consider all proposals submitted by the caretaker committee and grant all the necessary approvals requested to rebuild the party.”
The President expressed delight that through the efforts of the 13-member committee set up on June 25, 2020, many party members who had earlier defected from the APC had returned while others have also declared for the party.
He said what was needed now was for party chiefs to display discipline and sustain the tempo.
But in a quick reaction, the former Deputy National Chairman South-South of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hillard Eta, warned that only the court of law can determine whether the action of the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) was right or wrong.
Asked of his reaction to the expulsion, Eta said: “My expulsion is a matter for the court to decide.”

News

HYPREP Plans 1,500 Jobs, Expanded Skills Training as Ogoni Cleanup Records Progress

Published

7 hours ago

December 22, 2025

The Tide

The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has announced plans to create more than 1,500 direct jobs and provide skills training for over 2,000 Ogoni youths, women and persons with special needs in 2026, as part of the ongoing Ogoni Clean-up Programme.

The Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, made the disclosure on Friday in Port Harcourt during a Project Review Meeting with key Ogoni stakeholders, where the project’s performance between July and December 2025 was reviewed.

According to Prof. Zabbey, the proposed jobs will arise from the next phase of mangrove restoration and shoreline remediation projects, while skills acquisition will cover 10 demand-driven areas and five specialised skills designed for persons with disabilities.

In his presentation, the Project Coordinator outlined key milestones recorded during the period under review. He said Phase 1 shoreline remediation had reached 72.7 per cent completion, mangrove restoration was at 99 per cent, while soil and groundwater remediation of medium-risk complex sites stood at 39.01 per cent.

On potable water supply, Prof. Zabbey disclosed that 16 water facilities with booster stations had been completed, providing water to 42 Ogoni communities, while construction of 29 additional facilities was ongoing.

He also highlighted progress in public health and infrastructure projects, including the ongoing three-year public health studies by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organisation (WHO). He added that the Ogoni Specialist Hospital had reached 78.2 per cent completion, Buan Cottage Hospital 98.5 per cent, the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) 93.5 per cent, while the Ogoni Power Project stood at 61.13 per cent.

On livelihood restoration, the Project Coordinator said additional skills training programmes would commence in January, covering areas such as cybersecurity, commercial diving, GIS and mechatronics. He added that five specialised programmes had been designed for persons with disabilities. Education support initiatives, he said, include the installation of IT and solar equipment in pilot schools, distribution of learning materials and the planned distribution of 160,000 exercise books to public primary and secondary schools from January 2026.

Prof. Zabbey further announced that the list of 500 beneficiaries of Batch 2 of the HYPREP Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme would be released on January 1, 2026, noting that 300 postgraduate students were awarded scholarships earlier this year.

Addressing recent incidents affecting the Gwara and Ebubu water facilities, the Project Coordinator described them as regrettable and disclosed that a Technical Investigation Committee would submit its report within the week. He said water supply had been restored in Ebubu, while efforts were ongoing to restore supply to Gwara.

He identified challenges facing the project to include community land disputes, threats of re-pollution, vandalism and operational constraints, adding that measures were being taken to address them.

Prof. Zabbey attributed the progress recorded to the support of the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, and Ogoni stakeholders, noting that the Ogoni Clean-up Programme remains a priority under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The project status presentation was delivered by Mr. Ifiok Idiyo of HYPREP’s Monitoring and Evaluation Unit. Stakeholders who spoke at the meeting commended HYPREP for the milestones achieved and called for sustained support to ensure the success of the Ogoni Clean-up Programme.

News

RHI, RSG Empower 500 Senior Citizens In Rivers

Published

8 hours ago

December 22, 2025

The Tide

The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.

The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.

The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.

She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.

“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.

On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.

She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.

News

Expedite Action On MBA Forex Operator’s Prosecution, Rivers NUJ Tells EFCC

Published

8 hours ago

December 22, 2025

The Tide

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to expedite the prosecution of the Director of the now distressed MBA Forex Trading, Mr. Maxwell Odum, in the interest of justice.

The Rivers State NUJ made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the EFFC’s Ag. Zonal Director, ACE Hassan Saidu, in Port Harcourt, recently.

The council’s chairman, Comrade Paul Bazia, said the appeal became imperative after it considered the number of Nigerians and others involved in the financial misconduct.

According to him, it has caused hardship among many households in the country and should be given the attention it deserves.

He said that investors cannot come into a country or invest in an economy or nation ridden with fraud.

This, he said, has made it more imperative to arrest, prosecute and convict alleged fraudsters like the MBA Forex Director, who is alleged to have defrauded thousands of unsuspecting Nigerians, to serve as a deterrent to others.

The chairman also requested that while the trial lasts, part of the swindled funds should be given to the victims that suffered loss and trauma as a result of the fraud.

The NUJ reiterated its resolve to change the narrative of reportage from crisis to developmental communication.

According to him, the NUJ’s main focus is blue economy and tourism.

He expressed the readiness of the Council to partner the agency in the area of information dissemination.

“We believe you have a responsibility to fight financial crimes. We also know that you need the Press to publicize your activities and NUJ can provide that,” he said.

Responding, the Zonal EFFC’s boss commended the NUJ’s vision to change the narrative of reporting from crisis to developmental communication.

According to Saidu, the Western world have since imbibed such culture, hence the negative stories about them are carefully sifted to allow only positive ones to be released to the outside world.

As for the trapped funds to be released, the EFCC Zonal Director stated that only the court can authorize such action, stressing that the primary responsibility of the Commission is to arrest and prosecute.

He pledged to partner with the NUJ now that the leadership has visited the Commission.

The Head of the Legal & Prosecution Department, DCE Odiase Stephen, corroborated the Zonal Director’s position and stressed that it was only when the matter has been determined by the court that such funds can be released.

He further stated that once a matter is before a court of competent jurisdiction, it cannot be discussed outside.

By: King Onunwor