Politics
PH Residents Endorse National Confab
As Nigerians agitate and
prepare for national conference, some residents of Port Harcourt and concerned citizens have expressed their views on the issue.
A respondent, Mr Emeka Iwezor, told The Tide that since the leadership of the country has not been able to do the right things that would move the nation forward, it has become necessary for the different ethnic nationalities to come together and decide their faith.
Iwezor, a Port Harcourt-based businessman, said that whether the conference is tagged sovereign or not does not matter but, “what we want is a forum where Nigerians will gather to discuss issues affecting them. National conference is good.”
According to him, the British colonialists clustered everything about the existence of Nigeria and failed to discuss and agree on the social, economic, political, and security affairs of the country, pointing out that those kicking against the conference have skeletons in their cupboards.
Enumerating the benefits of the conference if held, Iwezor opined that it would cover all about the Nigeria project which include federalism, military or security operation, the power at federal, state and local government levels, how the economy would be controlled at all levels among others, pointing out that leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as a large family, is bound to disagree.
Another respondent, Mr Anyanwu Ethelbert expressed disappointment at the economic management system and advocated a system whereby the various states would control their resources and pay a stipulated percentage to the central government.
Ethelbert decried the situation whereby resources from minority states are used to develop non-resourceful states to the detriment of the producers of the resources, regretting that the South-South and the Niger Delta region that produce the bulk of the nation’s resources and foreign earnings have for so long been neglected and the people left in abject poverty and hunger.
Stressing the need for an all encompassing national or sovereign national conference to be organized in the country, he said it was high time Nigerians decided on how the country should continue to exist so that the lives and properties of the citizens would stop to be endangered and wasted.
Also fielding questions, Miss Innocent Norah said, “ Nigerians are now living in fear with rising unemployment, abject poverty and general insecurity and re-echoed the need for a national conference or an atmosphere where all the issues bothering the country should be discussed with a view to charting the way forward.
Shedie Okpara
Politics
Alleged Coup: Protests Rock N’Assembly As Detained Officers’ Children, Wives Demand Justice
Scores of children and wives of military officers detained over an alleged coup plot yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, demanding a speedy trial and the release of the accused officials.
The protesters who gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly complex, moved in a slow procession while clutching placards with inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Our Daddies,” “Detention Without Trial is Injustice,” and “Six Months of Torture: Enough Is Enough.”
Amid tears and trembling voices, the children appealed for justice and access to their detained fathers, many of whom they said they had not seen for months.
The appeal was made during a press briefing in Abuja attended by no fewer than 20 wives and several children of the detained officers, including a two-month-old baby.
The families were accompanied by human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju and activist Omoyele Sowore.
At the briefing, the families lamented that the officers had been held for over 160 days without trial or contact with their relatives, describing the situation as a violation of their fundamental rights.
Speaking on behalf of the families, Memuna Bashiru said the prolonged detention had thrown their households into uncertainty and emotional distress, noting that while allegations had been widely publicised, families remained in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.
The arrest of the indicted officers was first announced on October 4, 2025, by the then Director of Defense Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who disclosed that 16 officers were taken into custody for alleged breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.
However, an interim investigation later suggested the existence of a clandestine network of officers, allegedly coordinated by a senior Army officer, which had begun preliminary planning for a coup.
According to the report, the alleged plot involved surveillance of key national assets, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja, and major international airports, with October 25, 2025, cited as the planned date for the operation.
Those reportedly in custody include Brig Gen M. A. Sadiq, Col M. A. Maaji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A. A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Maj A. J. Ibrahim, Maj M. M. Jiddah, Maj M. A. Usman, Maj D. Yusuf, Capt I. Bello, Capt A. A. Yusuf, Lt S. S. Felix, Lt Cdr D. B. Abdullahi, Sqn Ldr S. B. Adamu and Maj I. Dauda.
The alleged plot, according to findings, targeted senior government officials, including President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
In a statement issued yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, said the exercise would take place in all wards and designated centres nationwide.
He called on existing members to update their records, while encouraging new entrants to join the party through the digital platform.
“As the electronic membership registration exercise resumes in all wards and designated locations nationwide, we urge existing members to validate their membership while new members are encouraged to register and join the progressive family,” Mr Morka said.
According to him, eligibility for registration is limited to individuals aged 18 and above who possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN).
The party said the initiative is part of efforts to modernise its operations by transitioning to a digital database that would enhance record accuracy and accessibility.
Mr Morka noted that the e-registration would “digitise the party’s membership register, ensure the integrity of records, and enhance efficient access to membership data for planning and management decisions.”
He added that the move is also aimed at promoting internal democracy within the party and strengthening its commitment to democratic innovation.
The APC had previously introduced electronic registration as part of broader reforms to streamline its membership system and improve organisational efficiency.
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