News

APC Decides NASS, BoT, Other Leadership Positions; N’Central, N’East Get Senate President, Deputy …S’East Clinches SGF, BoT Scribe …S’West, S’South Run Away With House Speaker, Deputy

Published

10 years ago

April 20, 2015

From Right: Exxon Mobil’s lead Country Manager, Mark Ward and SPE Council Chairman, Engr. Adeyemi Akinlawon cheering the Petroleum Minister’s speech at the opening ceremony of 35th Edition of Society of Engineers’ conference and Exhibition at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, recently

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday finally concluded plans to zone the leadership positions in the National Assembly, Board of Trustees (BoT), and other executive positions, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and strategic party offices to the various sections of the country.
The Tide authoritatively gathered that the APC leadership, yesterday, agreed to zone the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the South-West, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to the South-East.
The APC leadership also zoned the post of Senate President to the North-Central, the office of Deputy Senate President to the North-East, and the position of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives to the South-South.
It further zoned the office of the Chief Whip of the Senate to North-West, the position of the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives to the North-Central while the post of Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives is zoned to South-East, just as the position of Majority Leader of the Senate is zoned to South-West.
The Tide investigations show that the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives was given to the North-East, Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate was allocated to the North-West, while the position of the Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives went to the North-Central.
The APC leadership also considered the allocation of offices in the Board of Trustees and the party’s national executive committee to certain zones in the country.
In the new structure, The Tide learnt that the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the APC is zoned to the North-East, while the South-East is given the position of the secretary of the BoT.
The posts of national chairman and national secretary of APC, remain in the South-South and North-East, respectively.
It would be recalled that the APC won majority seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives in the March 28 poll.
In the Senate, APC secured 60 seats while the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) got 49 slots. In the House, APC secured more than 250 seats while the PDP got a little above 100.
Impeccable sources had predicted that the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Ahmad Lawan, who hails from Yobe State in the North-East would be the next Senate President.
Lawan, is one of the most experienced lawmakers in the Senate, had spent two terms in the House between 1999 and 2007, and was elected into the Senate in 2007, before his reelection in 2011. He will be serving his third term in the Senate from June 2015.
But with the next structure the leadership of the party has adopted, Lawan may simply get the post of Deputy Senate President, while former governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki (North-Central), may clinch the post of Senate President.
Saraki, a member of the New PDP that coalesced into the APC, if given the coveted seat, would have been consoled for the sacrifices the Rivers State Governor and Director-General of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Chibuike Amaechi-led group made for the success of the opposition party in the just-concluded elections.
The indications are that the House Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (South-West), may get the post of Majority Leader of the Senate.
The former governor of Benue State and Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume (North-Central), has been angling for the Senate Presidency since 2007, when he was first elected as a senator, and has been lobbying his colleagues for their support to clinch the position.
“Zoning the office to the North-East will be a deliberate attempt to shut out Akume and Saraki. We will resist this,” a senator claimed.
Though PDP has lost its majority status in the incoming Eighth Assembly scheduled for inauguration on June 6, Senate President, David Mark is still exploring the possibility of a division within the ranks of APC to make a deft move for the office.
Mark is already reaching out to some APC senators for support while holding firmly to the PDP senators in the event that the contest is thrown open.
Former governor of Zamfara State, Senator Ahmed Yerima, is reportedly backing Mark’s third term bid despite the fact that the Senate’s configuration is not in his favour. Mark has a solid war chest to sway senators to his side if APC fails to manage the situation.
However, an aide of Saraki said at the weekend that nothing would stand in the way of the former governor from clinching the post of Senate president.
“Senator Saraki has made enough sacrifice for the APC and he is eminently qualified for the Senate president.
“I can tell you that Senator Saraki has shown interest in the Senate Presidency. He has been holding consultations with party leaders, stakeholders and his colleagues across party lines on how to realise his ambition. So, we are waiting for the position of the party leadership on the zoning of the National Assembly positions for us to decide on the next line of action,” he added.

News

Group Doles out N13m To Market Women In Isiama

Published

5 days ago

September 22, 2025

The Tide

The peaceful Town of Isiama in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State was at the weekend agog with activities following the donation of over N13million to market women by Engr. Justus Ngerebara in partnership with Fast Track Development Initiatives, a non-governmental organization, as part of its first phase empowerment programme.

According to Justus Ngerebara, who is also the Executive Director of the organization, the women, numbering 108, will receive various sums based on their business proposal.

He stated that the organization will carry out an annual review of the performances of the beneficiaries, with a view to rewarding those who put the money into good use.

According to him, the initiative was a collaborative effort between himself and his wife, Dr. Unyime Ngerebara, in partnership with Fast Track Development Initiative (FDI), an organization committed to youth capacity building and community development.

He said the family believe deeply in the transformative power of women’s empowerment as a catalyst for economic growth, especially in rural communities.

“As the saying goes, when you empower a woman, you empower a community. This truth resonate strongly with us, knowing that empowered women uplift households and inspire generational change”, he stated.

Ngerebara described the programme as the beginning of more things to come and urged the beneficiaries to view the gesture “as a reflection of our deep love for the community and our commitment to easing the burdens of economic hardship.

“We encourage you to invest wisely, channel these resources into your business not frivolities.

“We will continue to follow up with each participant to monitor progress and Offer guidance.

“It is our goal to see thriving business, creative solutions to households hunger and a ripple effect of prosperity through Isiama.

“We also call on the men to stand beside their spouses, offering support and encouragement to ensure these resources are maximized for growth”, he said.

In an interview, Ngerebara said the second phase of the empowerment programme will start very soon, stressing that since inception the organization has done so much for the community.

He listed some of the programmes carried out by the group in the community to include the installation of solar powered lights, and solar powered water.

While declaring the event open, a former coymmissioner for Works in Rivers State, Engr. Sampson Ngerebara, described the event as the first of its kind in the community.

Engr. Ngerebara said the programme will go a long way to improve the conditions of not only the beneficiaries, but also the entire Isiama Community.

He also charged them against wasting the resources on frivolities, adding that their success will attract more of such empowerment programme to Isiama community

Giving a brief talk on women empowerment, a lecturer at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Dr. Awajimogobo Felix MacLean, warned the beneficiaries to justify the effort of the donor by avoiding wastages.

Dr. MacLean also urged them to be consistent in their line of business as well as avoid unnecessary competition.

She also stressed the need for them to network among themselves, while working out ways of helping the community to develop.

Guest of Honour at the occasion, Professor Uriah Oboada Alafonye, said Engr Justus Ngerebara, the initiator of the programme, has set a standard for present and future generations of leaders both in the community and the rest of Andoni to follow.

Prof Alafonye who is of the department of Arts Education, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, also appealed to the beneficiaries to seize the opportunity provided by the programme to reduce poverty in the community.

Speaking, one of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Hebron Mercy Fyneface, a crayfish seller and an interior designer, said it was the first time she was receiving such gesture from any organization or government.

She thanked Engr Justus Ngerebara for remembering the women of Isiama and urged others to emulate him.

By: John Bibor

News

Fubara’s Return Excites NCSU … As Hope Rises For Civil Servants

Published

5 days ago

September 22, 2025

The Tide

The umbrella body of civil servants in Rivers State, the Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) has expressed delight over the lifting of emergency rule in the State and the return to office of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof Ngozi Nma Odu and members of the State House of Assembly, saying, the development portends good omen for workers, the people and the State.

The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who gave the indication in an interview in Port Harcourt, said the return of the Governor to office portends good omen and better days for civil servants in particular, stressing that the union heartily welcomes the Governor back to office, to resume his good works in the State, after six months of the emergency rule, as well as his deputy and members of the House of Assembly.

He noted that civil servants in the State are not only elated over the development but are also full of hope that the Governor would start from where he stopped in attending to their welfare needs.

He contended that the political crisis that recently engulfed the State and the six-month emergency rule had for over one year pulled the State backwards, but expressed delight that a permanent solution has been found to stem further political upheavals in the State, and thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for making this possible; the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and leader of the State, Chief Nyesom Wike; Governor Fubara; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule; members of the House; and other stakeholders for agreeing to amicably resolve all contending issues.

The labour leader said this is the right time for all political gladiators in the State to bury the hatchet, work together and embrace peace and genuine reconciliation in the overall interest of the State.

He described as too hasty the resolution of the House, mandating the Governor to present a supplementary budget to it, and pleaded with members of the House to be calm, to tread with caution, and harmoniously work with the Governor.

He said the return of democratic governance in the State would fast-track progress and development in the State, and enjoined the people of the State, particularly civil servants to continue to give their support and cooperation to the Fubara administration.

Osumah expressed optimism that Governor Fubara would give prompt attention to challenges facing civil servants in the State, being a former civil servant himself, stressing that the workers truly have hope, now that the Governor has returned to office, and knowing the kind of Governor he is.

According to him, he is going to look into the controversial and contentious contributory pension scheme; rehabilitation of the State Secretariat Complex; recruitment into the state civil service; extension of service and retirement years for civil servants; provision of vehicles to industrial unions; as well as provision of befitting staff quarters for civil servants; among others.

News

NDDC Organizes ADR Capacity Building for Staff

Published

5 days ago

September 22, 2025

The Tide

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has organized a one-day sensitization program for its personnel on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) approaches to promote workplace compliance on transparency and due process.

The workshop, themed “Promoting Transparency and Due Process in the Workplace using ADR Approaches in Building a Culture of Accountability and Integrity,” aimed to equip staff with the skills to resolve disputes effectively.

Declaring the event open on thursday in port Harcourt,The NDDC Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, emphasized the importance of using ADR mechanisms to resolve conflicts in the workplace.

Dr. Ogbuku represented by his chief of staff,Rev Omeya Oworibo,noted that ADR approaches can encourage a culture of honesty, fairness, transparency, trust, and reduce conflicts among staff, ultimately promoting efficiency and productivity.

He averred that those disputes and quarrels if not proper resolved can derail the vision and objectives of the commission to the people, noting that the commission must as a team and unity as service provider in order to render a profitable service delivery to the people.

“ADR approach will encourage culture of honesty,fairness, transparency ,trust and reduce back bitting and the workforce, noting that such tendency would in turns promote efficiency and increase results in workplace.

when integrity and honesty becomes the operandi of an organisation and employees begins to trust that their matters will be handled with fairness it will breed team work and increase in productivity.”he stated

He commended the department of DCR for organising the workshop and urged the participants to make good use of the opportunity and imbibe the culture of tolerance, integrity and teamwork in workplace.

Also speaking,the NDDC acting director of DCR ,Mr Godwin Ayewumi Ogedegbe noted that the theme of the captures the core of what the commission seeks to achieve a workplace where every action is expected to be guided by openness, fairness, and a steadfastness commitment to due process, where conflicts are not merely resolved, but prevented through structured,principled processes , and where accountability and integrity are not aspirational ideals but every day practice.

In his keynote presentation on the theme “workplace Ethics and alternative Dispute Resolution Correlation,

Prof. Sylvester Odion Akhaine of the Department of Political Science, University of Lagos, delivered a keynote presentation on “Workplace Ethics and Alternative Dispute Resolution Correlation.” He stressed the importance of due process, transparency, integrity, and accountability in the workplace, noting that these values are essential for productivity and organizational goals.

The workshop aimed to promote a culture of accountability and integrity in the NDDC workplace. By equipping staff with ADR skills and promoting transparency and due process, the commission can build a more efficient and productive work environment.

By: Akujobi Amadi