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Amaechi Withdraws Tenure Case
Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi says he has put an end to the protracted matter in the court over his administration’s tenure.
Speaking at the Thanksgiving Service of Senator representing Rivers South-East, Magnus Abe, at St Barth’s Anglican Church, Bera Town in Gokana Local Government Area at the weekend, Amaechi dismissed claims that the case was still pending in court as painted by the opposition party.
He disclosed that he has asked his lawyers to withdraw the matter from the court, since he was the person that went on an appeal.
“I am withdrawing the case from the Appeal Court. So, what issue do they have; I am the person who lost five months and it’s only me that can sue”, he stressed.
The Rivers State governor said it was laughable to hear the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claiming that the matter, which was struck out by the Supreme Court two weeks ago, was still pending in court.
Amaechi said such claims were meant to deceive the public into believing that his administration would be truncated before the end of his tenure on May 29, 2015.
Against his backdrop, he called on the citizenry to rise up and ensure that the opposition and those fighting the government are barred from taking over power in the next elections.
“Go and register. We must punish out these people with our votes, and we must be prepared”.
Further charging that only those politicians with character and integrity would be voted for in the next elections, the governor regretted that most of the politicians who are now fighting him were those he helped in the past.
He pointed out that all of them lacked character, and are pushed by greed and inordinate ambition, advising that “people who don’t have character, you don’t give them power”.
Thanking God for the life of Senator Abe, the governor described the senator as a man with principle and good character, emphasizing that his commitment and honesty has paved way for his success in politics.
He thanked the senators and other members of the society who stood by Abe during the attack on his life by the Nigeria Police during a rally organised by Save Rivers Movement (SRM) in January.
Earlier in his remarks, Senator Abe thanked God for saving his life, arguing that, “anybody who says that I don’t have cause to thank God is an idiot”.
Abe stated that doctors report within and outside the country affirmed that he had heart complications after he was hit by an object shot by the police on that rally day.
He, therefore, warned agents of the federal authorities to ensure justice was done, recalling that the genesis of the Niger Delta struggle was as a result of police partiality.
“We just have to be careful so that no group of Nigerians will feel maltreated and resort to self help”, he warned.
The senator thanked all those who supported and showed him love during his travails, most especially the governor and friends who ensured he was flown abroad for treatment for their show of love and care.
In his sermon, Bishop of Diocese of Ogoni, Rt. Rev Solomon Gberegbara remarked that Senator Abe has every reason to thank God.
The Anglican cleric said Abe’s decision to thank God was an indication that he trusts in God and knows that God alone is the source of all powers.
He enjoined others to emulate the example of the senator, stressing that thanksgiving compels God to do more for those who trust Him.

Head of European Union Delegation, Amb. Michel Arrion (2nd right), discussing with Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega (right), during a courtesy visit to INEC headquarters in Abuja last Friday. With them are EU First Secretary, Mr Alan Munday (left) and EU Minister Councellor (Political, Information and Communication), Mr Henry Prankerd.
News
FG Ends Passport Production At Multiple Centres After 62 Years

The Nigeria Immigration Service has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this yesterday while inspecting Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
He said the centralised production system aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for better service delivery.
News
FAAC Disburses N2.225trn For August, Highest In Nigeria

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed N2.225 trillion as federation revenue for the month of August 2025, the highest ever allocation to the three tiers of government and other statutory recipients.
This marks the second consecutive month that FAAC disbursements have crossed the N2 trillion mark.
The revenue, shared at the August 2025 FAAC meeting in Abuja, was buoyed by increases in oil and gas royalty, value-added tax (VAT), and common external tariff (CET) levies, according to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.
Out of the N2.225 trillion total distributable revenue, FAAC said N1,478.593 trillion came from statutory revenue, N672.903 billion from VAT, N32.338 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and N41.284 billion from Exchange Difference.
The communiqué revealed that gross federation revenue for the month stood at N3.635 trillion. From this amount, N124.839 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N1,285.845 trillion was set aside for transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings.
From the statutory revenue of N1.478 trillion, the Federal Government received N684.462 billion, State Governments received N347.168 billion, and Local Government Councils received N267.652 billion. A further N179.311 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) went to oil-producing states as derivation revenue.
From the distributable VAT revenue of N672.903 billion, the Federal Government received N100.935 billion, the states received N336.452 billion, while the local governments got N235.516 billion.
Of the N32.338 billion shared from EMTL, the Federal Government received N4.851 billion, the States received N16.169 billion, and the Local Governments received N11.318 billion.
From the N41.284 billion exchange difference, the Federal Government received N19.799 billion, the states received N10.042 billion, and the local governments received N7.742 billion, while N3.701 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the oil-producing states as derivation.
News
KenPoly Governing Council Decries Inadequate Power Supply, Poor Infrastructure On Campus
The Governing Council of Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, has decried the inadequate power supply and poor state of infrastructural facilities and equipment at the institution.
The Council also appealed to the government, including Non-Governmental Organisations, agencies, as well as well-meaning Rivers people to intervene to restore and sustain the laudable gesture, dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the polytechnic.
The Chairman of the newly inaugurated Council, Professor Friday B. Sigalo, made this appeal during a tour of facilities at the Polytechnic, recently.
Accompanied by members of the team, Prof Sigalo emphasised the position of technology, technical and vocational education in sustainable development.
He noted that with the prospects on ground, and the programmes and activities undertaken in the polytechnic, there is no doubt that the institution would add values to the educational system in our society and foster the desired development, if the existing challenges are jointly tackled.
This was contained in a statement signed by Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Kenpoly, Innocent Ogbonda-Nwanwu, and made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt.
The chairman who restated the intention of his team of technocrats to ensure that KenPoly enjoys desirable face-lift, said the Council would deliver on its core mandates, accordingly.
Earlier, the Rector, KenPoly Engr. Dr. Ledum S. Gwarah, commended the appointment of Professor Friday B. Sigalo as Chairman of the KenPoly Governing Council.
He described him and his team as seasoned technocrats and expressed confidence in their ability to succeed.
The Rector pledged the management’s support to the Council to ensure that KenPoly resumes its rightful place in the comity of polytechnics in the country.
Facilities visited by the Governing Council include KenPoly workshops, laboratories, skills acquisition centre, library, hostels and medical centre.
Chinedu Wosu
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