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Sekibo, Ideozu Win Senatorial Polls …As PDP, Others Reject Abe’s Declaration …Urges INEC To Release Other Results
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the immediate release of the results of last Saturday’s elections in Rivers State, saying that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was withholding the results in order to allow the All Progressives Congress (APC) manipulate the results.
In a statement issued in Abuja, before midday, yesterday, the spokesman of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said the party was in possession of all the results as announced at the polling units and it was clear that the PDP had won.
The party also rejected the declaration of Senator Magnus Abe as the winner of Rivers South East Senatorial District, saying, no election was held in the area.
“The only result that has been released which declared Magnus Abe of the APC winner, is an unprecedented massive manipulation of the electoral process in active connivance with the security agencies. The whole world knows that elections did not take place in the Rivers South East Senatorial District.
“We, therefore, reject the declaration of Magnus Abe with the fabricated results, and demand INEC to conduct election in that constituency. We promise to avail ourselves every opportunity to seek redress on this matter in the interest of democracy and that of the constituents who are denied their right to vote” the statement noted.
Making further clarification on results still being awaited, Adeyeye said they include those of Rivers West and East Senatorial Districts, Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency and Andoni State House of Assembly Constituency.
“We have the results declared at the various polling units which show that, Senator George Abiye Sekibo of the PDP won the Rivers East Senatorial District while Senator Osinakachukwu Ideozu also of the PDP won the Rivers West Senatorial District, respectively.
“Equally, we make bold to state that Hon. Abiante and Ikunyi Ibani both of the PDP won their respective elections into Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency and Andoni State Constituency, respectively.
“INEC is currently withholding these results in cohort with security agencies to pave way for the APC to manipulate the outcome of the elections. We urge INEC to immediately release the affected results intact.
“Anything short of this is unacceptable and the INEC, security agencies and the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi should be held responsible in whatever manner the people of Rivers State decide to react for robbing them of their votes.
“We again condemn in totality, the adverse role of the Nigerian Army, the Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other security agencies during this rerun elections in Rivers State. It was a nightmare and a complete reversal of their constitutional mandates of safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country and the protection of lives and properties.
“There are incontrovertible evidences that the security agencies worked for the APC against the interest of the Rivers people. They followed the directives of the APC Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun and Governor Ganduje of Kano State during the mega rally of the APC.
“They killed, they maimed, they harassed all in the desperate need to help the APC win at all cost. Very sad!
“It is trite that the Army dishonourably left their primary assignments and worked assiduously with INEC in collusion with the APC leaders in Rivers State led by the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and mindlessly wrote the results that produced Senator Magnus Abe in Rivers South-East Senatorial District. This action depicts sheer rape on democracy.
“It is no gainsaying that this rerun elections in Rivers State was not only a contest between political parties but mostly the PDP in contest with the Army, the Police, the INEC, the APC, and the Federal Government of Nigeria represented by the Honourable Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and cohorts.
“We, therefore, call on all Nigerians to rise up to this challenge and stop the Federal Government, the APC and INEC from organizing undemocratic elections as witnessed in most part of Rivers State and other previous elections in the country since the assumption of this government. If Nigerian elections travesty continues, it is goodnight to democracy”, the statement noted.
But shortly after the statement, INEC declared the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Rivers East Senatorial District, Senator George Sekibo, winner of the Rivers East Senatorial District seat contested in the December 10th rerun elections.
INEC stated that Sekibo defeated his rival, Chief Andrew Uchendu of the All Progressives Congress, to claim the seat.
The returning officer for the senatorial district, Orji Onu Okumenkama, said Sekibo polled 93,098 votes to defeat Uchendu who scored 34,193 votes.
Sekibo’s victory was followed by a protest by APC leaders in the state, who maintained that they would not accept the result.
There was commotion at the Port Harcourt Local Government Secretariat before the result was announced as security agents shot sporadically into the air.
It was gathered that a PDP collation agent, who is the state Commissioner for Urban Development, Chinyere Igwe, was arrested at the secretariat by the police.
INEC also declared Senator Osinakachukwu Ideozu of the PDP as winner the Rivers West Senatorial District rerun election.
Ideozu was certified winner yesterday afternoon with 107,166 votes to defeat Otelemaba Amachree of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who garnered 48,898 votes.
With the development, PDP now has two senatorial districts – Rivers East and West.
Rivers West Senator-elect, Ideozu, was a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, representing Ahoada West between 1999 and 2003.
Afterwards, between 2003 and 2007, he represented Abua-Odual/Ahoada East Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives before his appointment as commissioner for education.
Earlier, Senator Magnus Abe of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been declared winner of the Rivers South East Senatorial District rerun election.
He was on Sunday night declared winner after Saturday’s rerun by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
The senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers South-East, Senator Magnus Abe, has won the legislative rerun election in his senatorial District.
The Returning Officer, Prof. Gideon Onukwuisi, declared Abe winner on Sunday after announcing the result at the collation centre in Bori, Khana Local Government Area.
Abe polled 125,938 votes to beat his opponent from the Peoples Democratic Party, Olaka Wogu, who got 25,394 votes.
Onukwuisi explained that out of the 154,703 votes cast, 152,706 votes were valid while 2,627 votes were invalid.
Dedicating his victory at the poll to God, Abe, who later addressed journalists, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the election.
The senator-elect also expressed gratitude to his party supporters for having confidence in him and pledged to give them a better representation.
Also, a House of Representatives candidate of the APC for Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, Maurice Pronem, was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Pronem won the election with 68,219 votes to beat his closest rival, Dumnamene Deekor, who polled 20,329 votes.
The Returning Officer, Prof. G.G. Osuagwu, stated that out of the 91,533 total votes cast, 90,485 came out valid while 1,048 were rejected.
Friday Nkeeh has been declared winner of the Rivers State House of Assembly seat for Khana Constituency 2.
Nkeeh polled 15,000 votes to defeat Dinebari Loolo of the PDP who scored 4,000 votes.
For House of Representatives, Maurice Pronen of the APC scored 68,219 votes while Dum Deekor of the PDP scored 20,329 votes for Khana/Gokana constituency.
Prof. G.G Osuagu of Michael Opara University is the returning officer for Khana Local Government.
Dr. Innocent Barikor of the APC has been declared winner of the election with 24,624 votes in Gokana State Constituency.
Also, Dr. Barry Mpigi of the APC declared winner of Tai/Oyigbo/Eleme Federal Constituency. Mpigi won with 48,760 votes while his opponent, Jacobson Nbina of the PDP polled 11,737 votes.
A PDP candidate for Bonny State Constituency, Abiye Pepple, was declared the winner of the election with 6,610 votes to beat the APC candidate, Henry Amangi, who got 2,330 votes.
In Omuma LGA, PDP won in the House of Representatives election with 6,100 votes while the APC came second with 3,100. For the Senate, the PDP polled 6,000 while the APC had 3,050.
But in Rivers East Senatorial District, the results released in six local government areas indicated that PDP won in Etche, Obio/Akpor, Ogu/Bolo, Okrika, Omuma and Port Harcourt.
The results from Andoni, Eleme, Emohua and Ikwerre local government areas were still being expected as of the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State says it vehemently rejects the results as announced by the presiding officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaring APC candidates, Magnus Abe, Barry Mpigi, Friday Nke-Ee, Innocent Barikor and others, winners of their respective offices in Rivers South East Senatorial District.
A statement by the state Chairman of the party, Bro. Felix Obuah and signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needam, said the rejection of the results stems from the fact that election never took place in the whole of the Rivers South East District.
The PDP challenged the APC, INEC, Army, Police or other security agencies to show proof that there was election in the zone, adding that whoever lays claim to results in the area or claims that election took place was a criminal.
Obuah explained that what happened on Saturday, December 10, 2016 was nothing short of war declared on the people of the Rivers South East by Magnus Abe, Barry Mpigi, Army, SARS, policemen and APC thugs dressed in Army uniform.
The state PDP chairman further added that what happened on the Saturday rerun election was like scenes from a classical movie where military might was brazenly deployed to over-run a hapless and defenseless people.
The PDP said the situation became most unfortunate when it recalled the series of outcry raised by the party on Saturday on the unwholesome activities of some chieftains of the APC in Ogoni including Executive Director Finance/Administration of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Derrick Mene, who connived with the INEC, military, SARS and APC thugs to hijack the process, regretting that these outcries fell on deaf ears as the same INEC, police and military, who were expected to arrest the situation turned blind eye.
Painfully retrospecting on the events of last Saturday, Obuah said the PDP had raised alarm over the invasion of some communities in Tai Local Government Area of the State by the combined forces of the army, police and scores of identifiable thugs imported by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He lamented the arrest of over 200 innocent citizens while scores were shot at and one killed by the army allegedly sponsored by Barry Mpigi, candidate of the APC for Tai/Eleme/Oyigbo Federal Constituency.
Obuah also recalled that in Barako, Gokana LGA, army invaded the community on the orders of the Senatorial candidate of the APC for Rivers South East, Magnus Abe, and whisked away scores of persons including one Chief Awindi Dughor, a chieftain of the PDP to an unknown destination.
Another disturbing case, according to the PDP, was that of the Director of Finance and Administration of the NDDC, Derrick Mene, who with the connivance of security agencies stationed along the road at School- to- Land axis of Wiiyaakara in Khana Local Government Area, hijacked materials meant for Wards 8, 9, 18 and other wards.
Obuah said Mene took the hijacked materials to his hotel at Wiiyaakara where they thump-printed and wrote results, and that he called on the Inspector-General of Police and the army authorities to move in immediately and recover those materials.
The PDP also recalled that the private residence of Magnus Abe was used as the Collation Center for collating of Gokana results.
The PDP chairman stated that the party having reviewed the entire exercise last Saturday came to the conclusion that there was no election in Khana LGA, calling on INEC to cancel the rerun elections in the LGA as it was been marred by irregularities and orchestrated violence by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against members of the PDP.
The PDP drew the attention of INEC, APC and its collaborators namely Army, SARS and police, which mortgaged its conscience to declare Magnus Abe, Barry Mpigi and the other APC candidates in Rivers South East winner to the consequences of going to equity with unclean hands.
“If Magnus Abe knows God, he cannot lay claim to stolen results. Thieves are not Christians, unless he is telling us that he is a thief. It’s very ungodly to steal. Magnus Abe and his cohorts have robbed the people”, Obuah declared.
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) said over 17 million Nigerians travelled out between 2023 and 2024.
This is as the association announced that it would be organising a maiden edition of Eastern Travel Market 2025 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital from 27th to 30th August, 2025.
Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone, Hope Ehiogie, disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
Ehiogie explained that the event aims to bring together over 1,000 travel professionals to discuss the future of the industry in the nation and give visibility to airlines, hospitality firms, hospitals and institutions in the South-South and South-East, tagged Eastern Zone.
He stated that the 17 million number marks a significant increase in overseas travel and tours.
According to him, “Nigerian travel industry has seen significant growth, with 17 million people traveling out of the country in 2023”.
Ehiogie further said the potential of tourism and travel would bring in over $12 million into the nation’s economy by 2026, saying it would be a major spike in the sector, as 2024 recorded about $4 million.
“The potential of tourism and travel is that it can generate about $12 million for the nation’s economy by 2026. Last year it was $4 million.
“In the area of travels, over 17 million Nigerians traveled out of the country two years ago for different purposes. This included, health, religious purposes, visit, education and others,” Ehiogie said.
While highlighting the potential of Nigeria’s tourism, he said the hospitality industry in Nigeria has come of age, saying it is now second to none.
The Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone further said, “We are not creating an enabling environment for business to thrive. We need to support the industry and provide the necessary infrastructure for growth.”
He said the country has a lot of tourism potential, especially as the government is now showing interest in and supporting the sector.
Ehiogie emphasized that NANTA has been working to support the industry with initiatives such as training schools and platforms for airlines and hotels to sell their products.
He added, “We now have about four to five training schools in the region, and within two years, the first set of students will graduate. We are helping airlines sell tickets and hotels sell their rooms.”
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NANTA, Stephen Isokariari of Dial Travels, called for more support from the industry.
Isokariari stated, “We need to work together to grow the industry and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
“With the right support and infrastructure, the Nigerian travel industry has the potential to make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.”