Politics
We Will Cooperate With The Youth –Wike
Despite spending two days outside Rivers State, gov
ernance in the state did not slow down with inspection of ongoing construction works and new ones being commissioned by Governor Nyesome Wike in the course of last week.
On Monday, Governor Wike through the Chief of Staff Government House addressed youths who marched to Government House as part of activities to herald the annual international youth week celebrations.
Governor Wike charged the youths to support government’s efforts to revamp the state through infrastructure provision and strengthening security.” Let me once again, assure you that as a government we are prepared to cooperate and collaborate with you, to ensure peace generate employment and make Rivers State free of social vices,” Wike said through Chief Emeka Woke.
On Tuesday, the governor conducted a marathon inspection of projects stretching from Rumuokurusi-Eneka Road, to the dipapidated New Road in Old Port Harcourt Township. The governor was mobbed by excited residents of the area, who lamented that for over five years, they have suffered untold hardship due to the state of the road.
Governor Wike assured them that government was ready to reduce their plight as he directed Julius Berger handling road-rehabilitation in the Old Port Harcourt Town axis, to extend works to the New Road area.
After inspecting the New Road area, the governor branched to inspect the promises of the famous Government Comprehensive – Secondary School in Borokiri and expressed displeasure with the level of decay and encroachment in the school compound. He therefore announced new measures set up by government to revitalize all abandoned government schools across the State.
Before the inspection, Barrister Wike had paid a condolence visit to the palace of the Nyeweli Oropotoma, Eze Wobo Weli Onunwor, and urged the family and community to take solace in the legacies of the late traditional ruler.
The governor was represented by the deputy governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo on Wednesday at the grand finale of the international youth day held at Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt.
On Friday, Governor Wike returned back to the state and continued another pahse of inspection of construction works. Immediately he arrived, he drive to the Rumolemeni/Rumueprikon Road.
While expressing satisfaction with the progress of work done on the route, he warned that government will wield the big stick on any contractor that fails to meet his side of contract, “I want to tell you that if I find any contractor wanting, the law will take its course.”
On returning from the inspection, Governor Wike hosted the new Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas and pledged the State Government’s resolve to partner with security agencies to tackle security challenges.
On the same Friday, the State Chief Executive played host to the Irish Ambassador to Nigeria, Sean Hou assured the readiness of Ireland to help the country in fight against terrorism and oil theft.
On Saturday, while attending funeral service of Late Eze Wobo Weli at St Michael’s Church Rumuomasi, Governor Wike was represented by Secretary to the State Government, Hon Kenneth Kobani represented by governor at graduation ceremony of Naval School Onne.
Kevin Nengia
Politics
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar
A press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Cross River State Governor, Mr Linus Obogo, disclosed that the Calabar Centre — designated as Centre B — will host representatives and stakeholders from Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.
The public hearing is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Transcorp (Metropolitan) Hotel, Calabar.
The initiative, according to the statement, is designed to promote inclusive dialogue and capture the aspirations of Nigerians from all regions.
It aims to serve as a platform for citizens to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing national efforts to refine and strengthen the country’s legal and institutional frameworks.
“Citizens, civil society groups, professional bodies, traditional rulers, and other interest blocs are invited to participate in this landmark engagement aimed at advancing a more just, equitable, and responsive Nigerian Constitution,” the statement read.
The hearing forms part of the broader review process of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and is seen as a strategic move toward fostering national unity and addressing structural legal issues within the federation.
For the first time since 2022, when then-presidential aspirant Alhaji Bola Tinubu declared he made former President Buhari Nigeria’s President in 2015, Mr Mustapha dismissed the claims, stressing that the merger only contributed about three million votes in addition to Buhari’s existing 12 million votes in the North.
He insisted that former President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to the breakthrough, not the three million votes from the merging parties, which he described as insignificant.
Speaking on the role of the merging parties, particularly President Tinubu, the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr Mustapha, who was the keynote speaker at the launch of the book ‘According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience’ authored by Mallam Garba Shehu, described the impact of the votes from other merging parties as very insignificant.
In attendance were former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, chair of the event; immediate past Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; SGF George Akume, who represented President Tinubu; PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar; former Chief of Staff to Buhari Ibrahim Gambari; elder statesman Babagana Kingibe; former governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Chris Ngige (Anambra), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Raji Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); former ministers Solomon Dalung and Sunday Dare; former Army Chief Tukur Buratai, and Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s spokesman, among others.
According to Mr Mustapha, “I do not intend to stir up any controversy. The merger in 2013 was midwifed to create a Buhari presidency. Let us look at the statistics. In the 2003 election, it was the Obasanjo-Buhari presidential contest where Buhari recorded 12.7 million votes. In 2007, it came to 6.6 million, and it went back to 12.2 million in 2011.
“When we were conceptualising the merger, what would give us a headstart? Obviously, it was at the back of our consciousness that the merger with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), though it had only one state, the ACN had six states, ANPP three states, and when you sum up the total votes that we had as the presidency in 2015, the aggregate of the total votes was 15.4 million.
“So, basically, what we brought to the table after the merger outside the Buhari 12.5 million votes was three million. Before turning to that presidency, it is important to recognise the former President’s role in reshaping Nigeria’s political trajectory.
“In early 2013, as the leader of the CPC, Buhari formally requested and supported the creation of a CPC merger committee, part of a broader coalition-building process that brought together the ACN, ANPP, APGA faction, and elements of the ruling party through the breakaway ‘new PDP’ group. His endorsement and participation, along with other party leaders such as President Tinubu and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, lent credibility and direction to the merger, helping to unify disparate party factions under the banner of the APC. That coalition-building paved the way for the first democratic defeat of an incumbent ruling party in Nigeria’s history.
“President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to that breakthrough. No account of President Buhari’s tenure would be complete without acknowledging the extended periods he spent on medical leave. These moments, while politically delicate, were also telling of his leadership philosophy and personality,” he said.
In his remarks, President Tinubu promised to build on the legacies of former President Buhari, stressing that “nation-building is a relay. The efforts of one administration lay the foundation for the next.
“In this regard, I acknowledge the efforts of my predecessor, President Buhari, and assure all Nigerians that the reform-oriented path he initiated will be consolidated and strengthened under this administration. Our Renewed Hope Agenda is inspired by the desire to build a resilient, just, and inclusive Nigeria—a nation that delivers dividends of democracy to all its citizens”.
Speaking during an appearance on live television on Wednesday, Mr Omokri alleged that Mr Obi’s statements were misleading and damaging to the country’s economic prospects.
Mr Omokri said some investors currently operating in Nigeria were considering exiting the market due to Mr Obi’s remarks.
“That is not true. He doesn’t rile me up. I rile him up. The reason why I came here is because I’m a patriot. Peter Obi lied. You know, foreign direct investors are watching your programme, who are making investment decisions not to come to Nigeria. There are foreign investors in Nigeria that are making investment decisions to leave Nigeria because of the lie he told.
“One of the lies he told is that President Tinubu has borrowed more than the administrations of Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari. That is a blatant lie”, Mr Omokri said.
To buttress his claims, Mr Omokri referenced figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO), maintaining that President Tinubu had actually reduced Nigeria’s external debt burden since assuming office.
“I have here with me data from the Debt Management Office, and Nigerians who are watching can go to DMO.com and search Debt Management Office, Nigeria State of Indebtedness 2015.
“As of 2015, Nigeria was owing a total of $63 billion. When Buhari was leaving office, Nigeria was owing $113 billion. Today, from the DMO, our debt has gone from $113 billion to $97 billion, meaning that Tinubu has reduced our debt by over $14 billion.
“We should be appreciating this man. Yet Peter Obi came here and lied to the Nigerian people. He took the debts and translated them into naira to make it look like the debts have increased”, he said.