News

INEC Blames Inconclusive Polls On Politicians …Reschedules Rerun For July 31

Published

9 years ago

June 15, 2016

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has accused Rivers State politicians across party lines as being responsible for the non-conclusion of the March 19 re-run elections in the state, even as the commission has hinted that the cancelled or suspended elections may be conducted in the state on or before July 31.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC, Elder Aniedi A. Ikoiwak, made this assertion during a consultative meeting with critical stakeholders and 28 political parties at the state Police Officers Mess, Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Ikoiwak stated that the idea behind the meeting was for the commission to find out from the politicians and the various political parties if they were ready for the conclusion of the remaining elections in the state.
He stated that elections would be conducted across the three Senatorial Districts of the State in all the 2,011 Wards with a total of 947,424 votes expected to be cast.
The election for Federal House Constituencies would be conducted in 169 Wards with a total of 820,974 votes as well as in the state constituencies.
He opined that the undue interest of the politicians during the election resulted in the non-conclusion of the elections, complaining that INEC was not allowed to perform its duties by the politicians and their supporters.
According to him, INEC cannot work in isolation but in partnership with the various stakeholders, and urged them to help the commission by being peaceful.
“Politicians must allow us do our work. RAG Centres were created to solve the problem of late arrival of materials to the polling units on the day of election. If you have any reasons why any RAG centre should not be where it is, write to us, we will consult the various security agencies and take decision.
“We will occupy those FAG centres this time. Don’t prevent our personnel from doing their jobs. We have taken stock of the 2016 elections. You people should also face your own stock,” he stated.
The State INEC Resident Commissioner assured all the candidates and the various political parties of INEC’s non-partisanship, adding that all the elections results collated during the batched elections were intact and will be counted and announced during the rescheduled elections.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner of Police and Chairman of Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in the state, Musa Kimo, said the essence of the meeting was for all stakeholders to interact and agree how best to achieve success in the next round of Election without violence.
Represented by the ACP Operations, Mohammed Ali, the Police boss maintained that the security agents were ready at anytime to ensure free and fair Elections in the state.
In their various contributions, the All Progressives Congress (APC), represented by the State Chairman, Hon. Davies Ikanya, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), represented by Senator George Sekibo, lauded the INEC for the meeting, and reaffirmed their readiness for the conduct of the election in the state.
They urged the commission to go beyond mere appeal, and punish the violators of the election guidelines, adding that such would serve as a deterrent to those who commit violence during Election.
High point of the event was a minute’s of silence observed in honour of those who lost their lives during the re-run elections.
All the Service Chiefs in the state were present including the Customs, NSCDC, Prisons, FRSC, NDLEA and NOA.

News

HYPREP Tightens Security At Project Sites

Published

4 hours ago

November 30, 2025

The Tide

Following the rupture of the ground tank of its water facility in Ebubu Community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has tightened security across all its project sites in Ogoniland.

HYPREP, which dropped this hint in a statement signed by its Head of Communications, Dr Enuolare Mba-Nwigoh, said the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey had given the directive for security to be tightened across all its project sites in Ogoniland.

Mba-Nwigoh noted that the tightening of security across the project sites has become necessary to forestall interference with the facilities.

He further disclosed that following the rupture of the ground tank of the Ebubu water facility, a team led by HYPREP’s Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi has visited the scene of the incident to assess the situation, stressing that the water facility has been cordoned off for public safety.

The statement indicated that following the incident, HYPREP has henceforth barred non-project personnel and non-facility staff from gaining access into any of its active project sites in Ogoniland without authorisation.

While appealing to residents of Ebubu Community and the public to remain calm, the Head of Communications assured them that the Project is taking prompt steps to restore water to the community, saying, the cause of the unfortunate incident is being investigated.

He equally noted that the Chief Security Officer of HYPREP has been directed to immediately tighten security across all its project sites in Ogoniland.

The statement said HYPREP is deeply concerned about the incident, stressing that despite the setback, the Project reiterates its commitment to delivering sustainable cleanup in Ogoniland.

News

198 UNIBEN Students Bag First Class

Published

7 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

A total of 198 students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN ) Edo State, bagged a First Class degree out of 14,083 students to be awarded first degree at the institution’s 51st Convocation and Founder’s Day ceremony.

Vice Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, disclosed this on Monday in Benin at a pre-convocation press briefing.

He said 4,217 students bagged a Second Class Upper, 7, 928 got a Second Class Lower, while 578 bagged a Third Class degree.

He said 15 new approved programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC) would commence in the 2025/2026 academic session.

According to him, “The wheel of progress is on course and moving steadily in the University of Benin. This administration is poised to deliver on its mandate of effective, practical teaching, sound learning, result-oriented research and impactful community service.

“We must applaud the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for establishing NELFUND, and by so doing significantly reducing the financial stress of students in the process of acquiring tertiary education. We enjoin students and their parents to take full advantage of the federal government’s benevolence in instituting the fund.”

Prof. Omoregie disclosed that Nigeria’s Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, would deliver the Founders’ Day lecture with the topic, “Reforms for a Shared Prosperity”.

The UNIBEN VC said Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and Former Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, would deliver the Convocation Lecture on the theme, “Making Our Universities Great”.

News

Bayelsa Education Fund, British Council trains tra 1,000 teachers

Published

7 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The last batch of 400 public school teachers in Bayelsa State on Monday commenced training under the sponsorship of Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) and the British Council.

This batch will bring to 1000 the number of public school teachers in the state who have benefited in the partnership arrangement.School supplies

The EDTF, British Council and Teachers Training, Registration and Certification Board collaborated in the capacity development programme.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the five day capacity building program, Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah reiterated the commitment of the Bayelsa government to training and capacity of teachers in the state.

He noted that the improved teaching methodology in the state was responsible for the state producing the best student in the 2025 West African School Certificate Examinations.

Prof Ebimiowei, Executive Secretary at EDTF, noted that the collaboration is aimed at improving learning outcomes for pupils and students of public primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa.

“You will agree with me that until the cutlass is sharpened, it will have no impact on the hands of the farmer and so it is with our teachers., you need to be sharpened very well to give good delivery in your various classes and schools.

“Let me at this juncture appreciate the British Council for accepting to train 1,000 teachers, 50 education managers and 60 trainers for Bayelsa,” he said.

On his part, Chairman of the EDTF board, High Chief Fidelis Agbiki expressed appreciation to the Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah for his supportive role to the fund.

Agbiki urged the beneficiaries to justify the enormous resources invested by the government of Bayelsa by being dedicated within the five days the exercise would last.

He said; “This board will not operate on business as usual but on business unusual as we will push the frontiers outside the box to ensure that we get value for money,” Agbiki said.

Chairman of Development Partners Committee of the EDTF applauded the commitment of the partners for the successful completion of the programme, urging them to sustain the tempo

Speaking on the programme, Mr Fwanshishak Daniel, Head, English and Schools, British Council noted that the Bayelsa government had shown exemplary commitment to educational development.

He explained that the commitment has enabled the British Council and Bayelsa government to achieve within one year greater milestones that took other states three years to achieve.

He explained that the resources of the British Council have been made available to Bayelsa with the training of 60 resource persons from the state who will in turn train other teachers to improve education.

According to Daniel, the training will lay emphasis on new teaching methods, use of digital tools for self development and access to school amongst others.

Dr Peremoboere Ogola, Acting Chairman of TTRC, which facilitated training, thanked the EDTF for supporting training of teachers in Bayelsa with world class resources of the British Council.

She noted that another batch of newly recruited teachers are currently undergoing training at State government owned University of Africa, Toru Orua, Sagbama LGA in Bayelsa