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Amaechi Mourns Eke, Briggs

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12 years ago

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Last week, the state lost two of its prominent sons, who
helped shape its political fortunes in the Second Republic. Former deputy governor and Eze Oha Evo, Dr. Frank Eke and former Speaker of the Rivers state House of Assembly from 1979 – 1983, Rt. Hon. Rosebery Briggs.
Governor Chibuike Amaechi paid condolence visits to both families last week Monday. He said of Eze Frank Eke, “I saw in him a man of great qualities, a wonderful character that you see that is full of honesty, you know him as a man that when he tells you I’am with you, he is with you”.
Amaechi further recalled the political contributions made by the deceased towards the enthronement of Goodluck Jonathan as the country’s President in the 2011 elections. He added that the Evo Monarch lived a fulfilled life and promised that his administration would contribute to give the the deceased a befitting burial. Shortly after, he paid a condolence visit to the family of late former Speaker Rt. Hon. Rosebary Briggs.
On Tuesday , Governor Amaechi presented the 2014 budget to the State House of Assembly at the old Government House Auditorium. About 26 House members were present to receive the Appropriation Bill.
The budget totals N485.524 billion and is N4.797 billion less than that of last year. The major thrust is to complete ongoing projects with a recurrent expenditure of N117.09 billion.
Few hours after deliberating on the budget, the House led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Amachree passed the bill. Deputy Speaker, Barrister Leyii Kwane said the House took the action as a matter of expediency to ensure that governance is not truncated in the state.
On Wednesday, Rt. Hon. Amaechi signed the budget into law and commended members of the House for rising to the challenge of governance and defending democracy. He also promised that the government would ensure that all monies are spent according to the letter of the budget.
On the same Wednesday, Governor Amaechi received the Governing Council of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology led by its Pro-Chancellor, Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte. He later proceeded to the New Year Civil Service Prayer Day held at the Secretariat Complex, Port Harcourt.
Governor Amaechi commended Civil Servants for the support they have given to his administration, and promised that henceforth government would no longer make deductions from their salaries and would implement policies and programmes that would improve their lots. He gave the sum of N300 million as Christmas/New Year gifts to Civil Servants in the state.
On Thursday, shortly before embarking on projects tour with some foreign journalists, Governor Amaechi attended Ministers Prayer Network International at the Civic Centre Port Harcourt.
The Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum welcomed different participants who attended the programme all over Nigeria and beyond. He enjoined them to pray for his administration. “I believe that if all of you cry to God on my behalf God will hear”.
Later on Thursday, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari briefed newsmen on the alleged plot by supervising Minister of education, Nyesom Wike to obtain a court judgement to halt the implementation of the 2014 budget.
Semenitari noted that the alleged plan which is geared toward grounding governance in the state was being hatched to stop the monthly federal allocation to the State, she warned that if such plot succeeds then it would throw the state into more crisis.
On the same Thursday, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Amaechi Mr. David Iyofor, also briefed newsmen over ownership of Soku Oil Wells.
Mr. Iyofor described the statement as a ploy to twist the facts saying, “the facts on the Rivers State ownership of the Soku Oil Wells are immutable, no matter how the Bayelsa State Governor tries to stretch, twist or Spin them.

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LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

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2 weeks ago

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March 2, 2026

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A former National Organising Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Clement Ojukwu, has expressed regret that the several legal cases brought against the party since the 2023 general elections have impacted the party’s performance.

Mr Ojukwu, who recently returned to the interim National Working Committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, noted that the party had 34 elected members in the House of Representatives, eight Senators, and 80 members at the state Houses of Assembly after the 2023 general elections.

“Now we lost all of them,” he said. “I don’t think we have as many as five members in the National Assembly.”

The former national officer of the LP talked to journalists in Abuja and said he chose to join the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi-Usman because they are now the officially recognized leaders of the Party.

“I chose to work with the caretaker committee to help save the Labour Party, for the benefit of the party. I also want to use this chance to ask my colleagues at the national, state, and local government levels to come together and help rebuild our party.

“Another election is around the corner. We lost everything we have. They have left to other political parties. So I’ll reach out to all my friends in the other group to get together and work on making this party stronger again.

“The caretaker committee has formed a reconciliation committee. Let’s come together and talk so that we can restore the first opposition political party in Nigeria.”

Mr Ojukwu, who was part of the Julius Abure’s group, said there are no more factions in the LP.

He added, “There is a court ruling, and since it is valid, the right people are in the correct positions.”

He urged Barr Abure and others to drop the legal cases they have filed because they are not helping the party.

“Litigations are killing political parties”, he said. “They’ve seen many political parties disappear because of legal battles, and the Labor Party is losing support every day, which makes me feel sad.”

Mr Ojukwu said he did not think joining the Senator Nenadi-Usman’s NWC was a betrayal of the Abure group, describing himself as “the oxygen” of that faction.

“I’m with this group because of the verdict. But I never betrayed anybody. Rather, I was betrayed,” he added.

 

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2027: NIGERIANS FAULT INEC ON DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP REGISTER DIRECTIVE 

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2 weeks ago

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March 2, 2026

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A number of Nigerians have strongly criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its directive to all political parties in the country to submit digitalized membership register within 32 days.
It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following it’s reversed timetable, directed all political parties in the country to submit their digitalized membership registers within 32 days.
Speaking on the reversed timetable in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, respondents said the directive amounted to disqualifying opposition political parties from fielding candidates in all the elections next year.
They said if the directives by the commission is implemented, only the All Progressives Congress (APC) would participate in the elections since it started it’s digital membership registration since February, last year.
Responding, an elder statesman in Rivers State, Chief Sunnie Chukumele, said the revised timetable was okay, but the timeframe for submission of digital membership register was being made at the wrong time.
Chief Chukumele said, for the past two years, all opposition political parties have been battling various issues in court, adding that they did not have the time to embark on membership drive, talk less of digitalizing their membership registers.
“My reaction is that the only issue with this revised timetable is the timeframe given by INEC for parties to submit digitalize memberships register in all the states of the federation, while giving notice of Congresses and convention. That is not possible”, he said.
He said only the ruling APC is likely to meet up with the directive, since it began its registration since last year.
Chief Chukumele, who is also the National Coordinator of Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thought (CORSLOT), alleged that the directive of the electoral body may have been targeted to prevent other parties from fielding candidates for the elections next year.
“When you say all the parties should submit digitalized registers of membership in 32 days, how will that be possible to conclude it in 32 days”, he queried.
He noted that “APC used one year ago to do, so APC has one year in the kitty plus 30 days. This is highly regrettable”.
The CORSLOT national leader urged the election umpire to do away with stringent conditions that will make it hard for opposition political parties to field candidates in the elections.
Also speaking, Mr Jacob Enware from Edo State queried the rationale behind the directive, especially when some opposition political parties are still having cases in court.
In his words, ”What opposition political parties are you talking about, is Labour Party not  in court or PDP that is yet to resolve their issues?
”For me, INEC should provide a level playing field for all, because aside the APC, no party can meet up this criteria.”
In his own response, Mr Nathaniel Ebere said he was not prepared to vote for anybody whether INEC provides a level playing field or not.
He alleged that his vote would not count, “so I will not waste my time”.
By: John Bibor
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IT’S A LIE, G-5 GOVS DIDN’T WIN ELECTION FOR TINUBU – SOWUNMI

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2 weeks ago

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March 2, 2026

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A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, has expressed reservations about the political stance of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, while calling for reconciliation among key party figures.
Otunba Sowunmi made the remarks during a television interview on Saturday, when asked about the relationship between Gov. Makinde and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.
He said, “I don’t believe Seyi Makinde. Because I know them all. I’ve been in this party since it was registered. And I’ve been loyal, faithful, diligent with this party from the get-go, and I’ve never left.”
He underscored his longstanding commitment to the PDP, referencing prominent figures who had exited the party at different times: “I’ve had the grace, and the honor, and the dignity of watching even my father, Obasanjo, shed his card. As much as I love him, I didn’t leave the party”.
He added, “I’ve had the privilege of watching my beloved senior brother, Governor Gbenga Daniel, leave the party a few times. As much as I respect his vision and his ideas, I’ve never left. I’ve watched my former principal, Atiku Abubakar, leave a few times. I’ve never left.”
Otunba Sowunmi stressed that his comments were rooted in deep involvement with the party: “So when I talk about PDP, I’m not talking as an outsider, I’m talking as one of their totems, who was actually carrying them.”
He disclosed that he wrote to Makinde during the governor’s last birthday, urging reconciliation among a bloc of five governors who had formed a movement during the 2023 elections.
“At Governor Seyi Makinde’s last birthday, I wrote him a letter where I tried to say, look, you guys, the five of you, succeeded to the extent of creating a movement of your own”, he said.
He added, “And you fought very hard to make a point in the 2023 election. Although I don’t believe you won the election for the president, that’s a lie. They contributed, but I hate when people take the glory of other people’s work.”
Otunba Sowunmi warned that unresolved differences among the group could weaken the party: “You guys, you must go back to your four friends, your five friends, and you guys go and sort it out. Because not sorting it out with your five friends is going to leave the party worse off.”
He added, “But now that you’re fighting, or you’re not agreeing with yourselves, why don’t you go back to that same energy that allowed you to agree, so that you can use that energy inside to agree, and then we can lead the party.”
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