Politics
RSG To Seal Dirty Business Places, Illegal Motor Parks
The Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, has warned that henceforth, business houses with refuses littered around their precincts would be sealed up by the state government.
Governor Wike who gave the warning last Thursday during the inspection of four ongoing flyover projects in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas of the state also warned those operating illegal motor parks and business activities around the flyover project sites to desist or be ready to face the wrath of the law.
The Governor said the decision was informed by the carefree attitude displayed by members of the public towards issues of sanitation, adding that his administration has the political will to implement the new order for the highly needed change of behaviour on sanitation.
“So all those who litter refuse, and operate motor parks will have themselves to blame. This is not the time people will tell you that the economy is hard , does it mean that you will sell your goods and litter the places with refuse?
“ Why do you have to litter the area, thinking that government will come and clean them up for you. Nobody will do that any longer “, Governor Wike said.
The flyover projects inspected were the Rumuola, the GRA Junction, Orochiri/ Worukwo, and Oro-Abali flyovers.
As Muslims celebrated Eid-el- Kabir last week, the Rivers State Chief Executive enjoined Nigerian Muslims to emulate Holy Prophet Mohammed by imbibing the ideals of sacrifice examplified by the prophet.
Governor Wike, in his Sallah message, described Eid-el-Kabir as a season of love, peace, friendship and sacrifice. He urged Nigerians to embrace religious tolerance so as to promote peace across the country and enhance national development.
He thanked Muslim community in the state for their sustained support to his administration, promising that his government would continue to partner with Muslims to move the state forward.
Also last week, Governor Wike was at the site of the new official quarters of members of the Rivers State House of Assembly under construction, to see the extent of work done so far.
He lauded the harmonious relationship existing between the executive and the other two arms of government in the state. According to him, the good working relationship existing between the arms of government engendered the accelerated development being achieved by his administration.
“ Frankly speaking, it would have been difficult if we do not have a good, robust relationship between the three arms of government. Yes , we are independent but we work cooperatively to see that the state moves forward.
“ If we have the relationship that is not good with the legislature, then how would they have passed the budget for us to implement “, he said.
He stated that the numerous projects being embarked by his administration had created huge employment opportunities for the youths in the state and expressed delight over the quality of job at the project site.
“ Look at the number of people who are working here. Assuming we don’t have this kind of project. This is one particular project , but look at the number of people that are being employed , and then multiply it with the number of projects going on simultaneously in the state, that will tell you the number of persons who are being employed in the state “, Wike said.
Also last week, the state government raised alarm over a plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to denigrate the administration of Governor Wike, using selected media houses in the state.
A release by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, said the orchestrated campaign spear headed by the former Governorship aspirant of APC , Dr Dakuku Peterside was mischievously designed to portray the government of Gov Wike as one that has failed to meet the developmental spirations of Rivers people.
The release stated that no matter how hard the distractors push their propaganda, Gov Wike will never be distracted in executing his social contract with the people of the state.
Also within the week under review, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Korea to Nigeria, Kim Young-Chae, was in Government House, Port Harcourt on a courtesy visit to the state Governor .
Their discussion centred on partnership between Korea and the state on the areas of agriculture, technical or vocational education, health , construction , among others.
By: Chris Oluoh
Politics
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar

A press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Cross River State Governor, Mr Linus Obogo, disclosed that the Calabar Centre — designated as Centre B — will host representatives and stakeholders from Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.
The public hearing is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Transcorp (Metropolitan) Hotel, Calabar.
The initiative, according to the statement, is designed to promote inclusive dialogue and capture the aspirations of Nigerians from all regions.
It aims to serve as a platform for citizens to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing national efforts to refine and strengthen the country’s legal and institutional frameworks.
“Citizens, civil society groups, professional bodies, traditional rulers, and other interest blocs are invited to participate in this landmark engagement aimed at advancing a more just, equitable, and responsive Nigerian Constitution,” the statement read.
The hearing forms part of the broader review process of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and is seen as a strategic move toward fostering national unity and addressing structural legal issues within the federation.
Politics
Tinubu’s Contribution To Buhari’s Presidency Marginal – Ex-SGF

For the first time since 2022, when then-presidential aspirant Alhaji Bola Tinubu declared he made former President Buhari Nigeria’s President in 2015, Mr Mustapha dismissed the claims, stressing that the merger only contributed about three million votes in addition to Buhari’s existing 12 million votes in the North.
He insisted that former President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to the breakthrough, not the three million votes from the merging parties, which he described as insignificant.
Speaking on the role of the merging parties, particularly President Tinubu, the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr Mustapha, who was the keynote speaker at the launch of the book ‘According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience’ authored by Mallam Garba Shehu, described the impact of the votes from other merging parties as very insignificant.
In attendance were former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, chair of the event; immediate past Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; SGF George Akume, who represented President Tinubu; PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar; former Chief of Staff to Buhari Ibrahim Gambari; elder statesman Babagana Kingibe; former governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Chris Ngige (Anambra), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Raji Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); former ministers Solomon Dalung and Sunday Dare; former Army Chief Tukur Buratai, and Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s spokesman, among others.
According to Mr Mustapha, “I do not intend to stir up any controversy. The merger in 2013 was midwifed to create a Buhari presidency. Let us look at the statistics. In the 2003 election, it was the Obasanjo-Buhari presidential contest where Buhari recorded 12.7 million votes. In 2007, it came to 6.6 million, and it went back to 12.2 million in 2011.
“When we were conceptualising the merger, what would give us a headstart? Obviously, it was at the back of our consciousness that the merger with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), though it had only one state, the ACN had six states, ANPP three states, and when you sum up the total votes that we had as the presidency in 2015, the aggregate of the total votes was 15.4 million.
“So, basically, what we brought to the table after the merger outside the Buhari 12.5 million votes was three million. Before turning to that presidency, it is important to recognise the former President’s role in reshaping Nigeria’s political trajectory.
“In early 2013, as the leader of the CPC, Buhari formally requested and supported the creation of a CPC merger committee, part of a broader coalition-building process that brought together the ACN, ANPP, APGA faction, and elements of the ruling party through the breakaway ‘new PDP’ group. His endorsement and participation, along with other party leaders such as President Tinubu and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, lent credibility and direction to the merger, helping to unify disparate party factions under the banner of the APC. That coalition-building paved the way for the first democratic defeat of an incumbent ruling party in Nigeria’s history.
“President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to that breakthrough. No account of President Buhari’s tenure would be complete without acknowledging the extended periods he spent on medical leave. These moments, while politically delicate, were also telling of his leadership philosophy and personality,” he said.
In his remarks, President Tinubu promised to build on the legacies of former President Buhari, stressing that “nation-building is a relay. The efforts of one administration lay the foundation for the next.
“In this regard, I acknowledge the efforts of my predecessor, President Buhari, and assure all Nigerians that the reform-oriented path he initiated will be consolidated and strengthened under this administration. Our Renewed Hope Agenda is inspired by the desire to build a resilient, just, and inclusive Nigeria—a nation that delivers dividends of democracy to all its citizens”.
Politics
Your Lies Chasing Investors From Nigeria, Omokri Slams Obi
Speaking during an appearance on live television on Wednesday, Mr Omokri alleged that Mr Obi’s statements were misleading and damaging to the country’s economic prospects.
Mr Omokri said some investors currently operating in Nigeria were considering exiting the market due to Mr Obi’s remarks.
“That is not true. He doesn’t rile me up. I rile him up. The reason why I came here is because I’m a patriot. Peter Obi lied. You know, foreign direct investors are watching your programme, who are making investment decisions not to come to Nigeria. There are foreign investors in Nigeria that are making investment decisions to leave Nigeria because of the lie he told.
“One of the lies he told is that President Tinubu has borrowed more than the administrations of Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari. That is a blatant lie”, Mr Omokri said.
To buttress his claims, Mr Omokri referenced figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO), maintaining that President Tinubu had actually reduced Nigeria’s external debt burden since assuming office.
“I have here with me data from the Debt Management Office, and Nigerians who are watching can go to DMO.com and search Debt Management Office, Nigeria State of Indebtedness 2015.
“As of 2015, Nigeria was owing a total of $63 billion. When Buhari was leaving office, Nigeria was owing $113 billion. Today, from the DMO, our debt has gone from $113 billion to $97 billion, meaning that Tinubu has reduced our debt by over $14 billion.
“We should be appreciating this man. Yet Peter Obi came here and lied to the Nigerian people. He took the debts and translated them into naira to make it look like the debts have increased”, he said.
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