Politics
RVHA Tasks IGP On Slain Footballer
The Rivers State House of Assembly (RVHA) in its only plenary session last week moved two motions on matters of urgent public importance.
The Assembly had on Thursday called for an inquest into the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) failure to conduct all pending rerun elections into legislative positions as ordered by various election petition tribunals.
This followed the unanimous adoption of a motion under matters of urgent public importance sponsored by the leader of the House, Hon. Martins Amaewhule at the plenary session in Port Harcourt.
After series of debates on the motion titled, “Non-Conduct of Election in Rivers State”, the House condemned INEC’s inability to conduct the legislative rerun election in the state.
The 8th Assembly also urged INEC as a matter of urgency to conduct the rerun election in the state or face legal action by the assembly.
In his presentation, Hon Amaewhule observed that the failure of INEC to conduct the rerun election in Rivers State breached the Electoral Act and Section 76 of the 1999 Constitution, and that the action of the electoral umpire has continued to deny the people of the state equal representations in both State and National Assemblies in Nigeria.
Ruling on the motion, the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Adams Dabotorudima resolved that the resolution of the Assembly would be passed to the Governor of the State, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for appropriate action.
Respectively at same Thursday’s plenary session the member representing Ahoada-west, constituency Hon Okpokiri Nwanaka moved a motion to condemn the alleged killing on October 16, 2016 by men of Joint Task Force (JTF) of a footballer, Mr Joseph Izu at Okarki Community in Ahoada-West of Rivers State.
Following the motion, the House called on Inspector General of Police and federal government to urgently commence proper investigation into the killing of the footballer in Okarki as well as other killings by the JTF in Orashi region of the state.
Shortly after the plenary session, the House committee on public complaint and petitions led by its vice Chairman, Hon Major Jack hosted the representatives of Ahoada East communities and Niger Delta Petroleum Resort Company (NDPR) at the Assembly’s event hall in Port Harcourt, to resolve the differences between the company and the communities in the state.
After hearing from both parties, the committee resolved that the company should implement the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the host communities in the area.
The committee also resolved that the company should urgently commence employment and construction of the internal ring roads earlier abandoned by the company in the area.
The committee also urged the company to commence work on the uncompleted civic centre in Ahoada-East.
Commending the host communities of the company for their peaceful dispositions, the committee urged the communities to maintain the existing peace and harmony with the company.
Enoch Epelle
The Senate yesterday received the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Bola Tinubu, marking the formal launch of the 2026 federal budget cycle.
In a letter addressed to the upper chamber, Tinubu said the submission complies with statutory requirements and sets out the fiscal parameters that will guide the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He explained that the MTEF/FSP outlines the macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and spending priorities that will shape Nigeria’s fiscal direction over the next three years.
The letter was read during plenary by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the document.
“It is with pleasure that I forward the 2026 to 2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for the kind consideration and approval of the Senate.
“The 2026 to 2028 MTEF and FSP were approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 3, 2025, and the 2026 budget of the Federal Government will be prepared based on the parameters and fiscal assumptions therein,” the President stated.
Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved the fiscal projections, pegging the oil benchmark price at $64.85 per barrel and adopting a budget exchange rate of ?1,512/$1 for 2026—figures expected to significantly shape revenue forecasts and expenditure planning.
After reading the President’s letter, Jibrin referred the document to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), with a directive to submit its report by Wednesday, December 17.
The Senate adjourned shortly after to allow committees to commence scrutiny of the fiscal framework and continue the ongoing screening of ambassadorial nominees.
Tinubu’s communication to the Senate came less than 24 hours after he transmitted the same MTEF/FSP documents to the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The letter was read on the House floor by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who also urged timely legislative action as required by law.
The MTEF and FSP are statutory instruments mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act and serve as the blueprint for Nigeria’s annual budgets.
They outline the government’s fiscal stance, macroeconomic assumptions, revenue frameworks, projected deficits, and sectoral priorities over a three-year period.
The Tide reports that approval by the National Assembly is a prerequisite for the executive to present the Appropriation Bill for the next fiscal year.
In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.
The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.
He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.
“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.
“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.
According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.
“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.
