Politics
LG Polls: Army Assures On Security
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army Port Harcourt, Major – General Sari Gambo Mohammed, has assured of adequate security during the forth coming Local Government Elections in Rivers State.
The GOC stated this while playing host to the 5th Commission of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), led by the Chairman and Chief Electoral Commissioner, Justice George Omeriji (rtd).
He said that his men would be on ground to give other sister security agencies the necessary support during and after the election.
He said that the 6 Division when called upon would discharge its duties within its limits, assuring that his command would give the necessary support during the election.
Earlier in his speech, the chairman of RSIEC, Hon. Justice George Omeriji (rtd) said that the purpose of the visit was to inform the new GOC of the forth-coming LGA elections and solicit for his support in ensuring that the election was peaceful.
The RSIEC boss informed the GOC that there are 4442 Polling Units, 319 Wards in the 23 LGAs of the state, adding that before April 17, 2021 elections, both sensitive and non- sensitive materials would be moved to the areas and solicited for their support.
Recall that the commission had on March 10, 2021 paid a courtesy visit to the command under the former GOC, Late Major- General Johnson Olu Irefin.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, has warned any individual or group of persons planning to disrupt the electoral process to jettison such plot in their own interest.
The chairman of the Commission, Justice George Omereji (rtd) issued the warning while displaying the Voters Register at Rumuodara Town Hall, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Justice Omereji, who reiterated the commitment of RSIEC to conduct a credible and acceptable Local Government elections, disclosed that enough security arrangements had been made to contain any security breach during the elections.
In his speech, the Paramount Ruler of Rumuodara Community, Enyindah John Amadi, said he would invite the candidates of the various political parties participating in the elections to sign an undertaking that they would be of good conduct during the elections.
The RSIEC team later moved to the Ogbum-Nu-Abali to display another set of the Voters Register.
The Senate yesterday received the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Bola Tinubu, marking the formal launch of the 2026 federal budget cycle.
In a letter addressed to the upper chamber, Tinubu said the submission complies with statutory requirements and sets out the fiscal parameters that will guide the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He explained that the MTEF/FSP outlines the macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and spending priorities that will shape Nigeria’s fiscal direction over the next three years.
The letter was read during plenary by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the document.
“It is with pleasure that I forward the 2026 to 2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for the kind consideration and approval of the Senate.
“The 2026 to 2028 MTEF and FSP were approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 3, 2025, and the 2026 budget of the Federal Government will be prepared based on the parameters and fiscal assumptions therein,” the President stated.
Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved the fiscal projections, pegging the oil benchmark price at $64.85 per barrel and adopting a budget exchange rate of ?1,512/$1 for 2026—figures expected to significantly shape revenue forecasts and expenditure planning.
After reading the President’s letter, Jibrin referred the document to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), with a directive to submit its report by Wednesday, December 17.
The Senate adjourned shortly after to allow committees to commence scrutiny of the fiscal framework and continue the ongoing screening of ambassadorial nominees.
Tinubu’s communication to the Senate came less than 24 hours after he transmitted the same MTEF/FSP documents to the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The letter was read on the House floor by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who also urged timely legislative action as required by law.
The MTEF and FSP are statutory instruments mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act and serve as the blueprint for Nigeria’s annual budgets.
They outline the government’s fiscal stance, macroeconomic assumptions, revenue frameworks, projected deficits, and sectoral priorities over a three-year period.
The Tide reports that approval by the National Assembly is a prerequisite for the executive to present the Appropriation Bill for the next fiscal year.
In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.
The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.
He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.
“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.
“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.
According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.
“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.
