Politics
Atiku Gets Campaign Office In Rivers, S/South
In support of Alhaji Atiku’s presidential ambition, the Governorship candidate of the Action Congress (AC) in 2007 general elections in Rivers State Prince Tonye Princewill has donated an office complex for Atiku Campaign Organisation.
Subsequently, Princewill has also erected 15 posters billboard of the former Vice President in some strategic areas of Rivers State.
The campaign office, The Tide learnt will serve as the campaign headquarters for Rivers State and the South-South in preparation for the 2011 presidential elections; while the 15 posters billboard of Atiku is to make him popular in the area among voters.
Receiving the keys of the three floor building furnished with modern facilities last weekend on behalf of Alhaji Atiku, in Port Harcourt, Mr Chris Maman, the Director-General Atiku Campaign Organisation commended the former governorship candidate for his kind gesture and said he has shown that there is yet hope for the political future of the nation.
Maman noted that the campaign office would serve as moral booster to Atiku’s presidential ambition both in Rivers State and the South-South, adding that it would make the former vice president more popular in this part of the country.
In his speech, Princewill said his decision to embark on these projects and support Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was in the interest of fair play.
Princewill noted that he was supporting Atiku because he stood by him and the leadership of Action Congress (AC) in Rivers State when it mattered most adding that the former vice president fought for him.
He noted that he was only reciprocating the gesture, adding that, the former vice president always stands for justice and have the interest of Niger Delta at heart.
According to him, the former vice president out of nothing created wealth that has given thousands job and livelihood to the youths.
He noted that, apart from his vision for the development and emancipation of the Niger Delta, Atiku is the second highest employer of labour in the neglected Niger Delta region after the state governments in the region.
Princewill, however, said if Atiku was given a chance, he would give priority to power, more employment and address the issue of the Niger Delta.
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”
Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.