Politics

Rivers Rerun: The Asari-Toru Example

Published

10 years ago

December 19, 2016

While the December
10, 2016, national and state legislative rerun elections have come and gone, the dust raised therefrom is not likely to settle anytime soon. Indeed, the brutal and murderous intrusion of security operatives in the electoral process has remained the most talked about issue arising from that exercise.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and the All Progressives Congress, APC and their adherents have also not ceased from trading accusations and counter-accusations over the conduct of their members and the federal forces especially. Other political parties which participated in the contest and civil society organisations which monitored the exercise have also not shied away from making their voices heard on the brazen display of federal might and its overall effect on the outcome of the polls.
Unfortunately, lost in the cacophony of this unfortunate narrative is the fact that in greater part the state where the same elections held, the story was that of free, fair, peaceful and credible conduct. One of the shining success stories is that of Asari-Toru Local Government Area.
It was in this LGA that electoral violence claimed, among others, the life of a Peace Corps member during the botched March 19, 2016 exercise. A former chairman of the council and stalwart of the APC, Hon. Ojukaye Flagg-Amachree is presently standing trial for alleged killing in related circumstances in the run up to that contest.
Fast forward to December 10,2016 and the story is a radical departure from the past and a sign post of an ideal poll.
“This is the first time, since 1999, that we’ve had an election that is peaceful in Asari-Toru, no death was recorded, no injury was recorded,” Alabo-George Kelly told The Tide in Port Harcourt.
According to Alabo-George Kelly who is the leader of the PDP in the local government area, “people voted and we ensured that there was no single case of violence in Asari Toru. There was no gun shot, not even a knock out shot in the whole of Asari Toru.”
While giving God all the glory, the seasoned politician acknowledged the concerted painstaking efforts of the political class and the traditional institution for the success achieved in the area.
“At the level of my local government and at the level of the state, political leaders discussed while planning for the election,” he said, adding that “Especially the PDP, we told ourselves that as much as possible, we’ll avoid violence” and adopt peaceful means of resistance in the case of any attempt to rig or to steal the mandate of the people by anyone else.
The PDP stalwart attributed the peaceful and orderliness that characterised the polls in Asari-Toru and most parts of the state to the resolution of his party and blamed the major drawbacks of the polls on the lack of restraint by the opposition in the state and the unwholesome involvement of the security agencies.
“It was quite tasking, it was quite expensive but we give God the glory that it worked out and we had a very peaceful and hitch-free election,” he noted, and thanked “the political leaders in Asari Toru Local Government Area and the entirety of the Kalabari ethnic nationality. I also thank the Amayanabo of Kalabari and his Council of Chiefs that worked with us to strategise and ensure that peace was possible.”
Confirming most of the claims of Alabo-George Kelly in a separate interview, a voter in Ward 12 of Asari-Toru Local Government Area, Amos Peters noted with delight that “this is the first time I’m seeing an election where there was not even a stone thrown among ourselves. The materials came and they came complete. We did the accreditation and voted. All through the day, there was peace. At the end of the day, the ballots were counted before everybody and the result was declared at the ward level before the Ward Collation officer took it to the LGA.”
“For the first time, I also saw members of opposing parties mingle together without fighting, eating, drinking and chatting together,” Mr Peters said and expressed gratitude to God while appreciating the effort of the political class as well as the traditional rulers.
“I was made to understand that the King (Amayanabo of Kalabari) caused town criers to go round, gathered the people, talked peace to them and reminded them that there was no need for anybody to lose their lives. I think that the people themselves have realised that they need the peace. Based on our past experiences in the previous elections, we’ve seen that anytime there is elections, it is our sons that we’re losing. Anybody dying is not from any other part than from the local government,” Mr Peters said.
“Of course, the kudos also goes to the politicians because it is obvious that the gladiators also talked to their followers to calm down and let’s get it right this time around,” he volunteered, adding that “if election is always like this, there’s nobody who will not come out and vote. If election is always, like this, nobody will say I don’t like election. This one in Asari Toru, the one I experienced now, I think is a good thing and I think we should continue and strengthen it in subsequent elections,” he said.
In the same vein, Alabo Goerge Kelly expressed the hope that the gains of the last electoral exercise in Asari-Toru Local Government Area will be sustained and built upon as a standard for subsequent polls in the area.
“I also want to thank the people of ASALGA for cooperating with us to have a peaceful and hitch-free election. And I want to enjoin all of them that in subsequent elections, we should make it this way. I don’t consider it an electoral victory even if one life is lost. I consider it victory when it is peacefully done, nobody is wounded, no life is lost,” he emphasized.
“With the cooperation of the Asari Toru people and the council of chiefs, this is going to be a standard for subsequent elections going forward. We will do all we can to ensure that every other election follows this pattern,” he pledged.
The veteran politician identified desperation among some politicians in Rivers State as a major cause of violence that had attended electoral contests in the state and admonished all to tow the path of dialogue and constructive engagement of the electorate in soliciting for their mandate.
“How can you begin to spill blood haphazardly, using security agencies, just because you want to get a senatorial seat that will last for two years?” he quarried, adding that “when you bend the hands of the people and steal their mandate, there’s one God somewhere that will take it back from you at the right time.”
According to him, political leaders in the state have no need to orchestrate violence, but to properly connect with the people in order to win their confidence and their votes, arguing that it was no use planning to kill the same people they were canvassing to lead.
“The advice I have for the political class is not to play the politics of desperation but to play the politics dialogue and popularity. If you have done things for your people, they’ll follow you. If you live an exemplary life style and you’ve impacted on them positively, they’ll have a good reason to follow you,” he said adding that “I will also advise those politicians that prefer to hire militants and thugs and criminals to cause mayhem, to unleash terror on their people to stop doing that.”
“I am looking forward to a Rivers State that will be militants-free,” he declared while calling on his fellow political leaders to ensure that elections in their areas are peaceful and every avenue is exploited o give the youths “a re-orientation and redirect their path and conscientise them.”

Opaka Dokubo

Politics

Parties’ Deregistration: How Justice Lifu Overruled Appeal Court Justices

Published

3 days ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday brushed aside the order of the Court of Appeal in Abuja which ordered him to stay proceedings in a suit that sought deregistration of the African Democratic Party (ADC), Accord Party and three others.
The Court of Appeal in a unanimous decision of a panel of three Justices had on May 22, 2026 directed the Federal High Court Judge not to proceed with the suit until an appeal pending before them and filed by Accord Party is resolved.
In a Certified True Copy Enrol Order of the Superior Court, Justices Mohammed Danjuma, Adebukola Banjoko and Oyejoju Oyewumi asked the lower Court Judge to stay proceedings until all issues on the appeal filed by the Accord Party were resolved
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State had, through the Accord Party, applied to justice Lifu to join him as a defendant in the deregistration legal battle instituted by a group of former legislators.
The contention of the Osun State governor was that he had a stake in the Accord Party, being the platform he was seeking re-election in the August 15 gubernatorial poll in the state.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu on April 27 ruled against the Osun State governor, rejecting his request to be joined in the suit to defend his own position and interest.
Not satisfied with the Federal High Court decision, the Osun State governor, through his lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), moved to the Court of Appeal in Abuja where he challenged the Justice Lifu decision to refuse to allow him join the suit.
After listening to the argument canvassed, especially that he has interest to protect as Accord Party gubernatorial candidate for Osun State governorship election, the three Justices of the Court of Appeal, unanimously directed Justice Lifu to allow them look into the grievances of the governor.
In specific terms, the Court of Appeal Justices directed Justice Lifu not to proceed further with the matter and fixed October 27 to determine the interlocutory appeal of the appellant.
However, when the certified enroll order and notice of appeal were served on Justice Peter Lifu by Mr Adetunbi (SAN), the judge rejected it on the ground that it was a ploy to arrest his judgment in the matter.
Although the judge had adjourned his judgment delivery in the matter indefinitely, he finally made a dramatic turn around on Monday and proceeded to deliver the judgment that has now proscribed the five political parties.

Politics

ADC: Okonkwo Rejects Amaechi As Presidential Running Mate, Withdraws Support

Published

3 days ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

Actor turned politician, Mr Kenneth Okonkwo, has rejected the choice of former Rivers State Governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, as the running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a statement on Monday, Mallam Bolaji Abdulllahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, announced the party’s choice of Mr Amaechi.
However in a statement, Mr Okonkwo said that the choice of Mr Amaechi from the South South strengthens the continued marginalization of people from the South East.
According to the former spokesperson of the Labour Party, any arrangement that would not factor a person from the South East either as president or vice president in the party is anti-Igbo.
He contended that Chief Raph Nwosu, who founded the ADC in 2005 and willingly surrendered it’s leadership to Senator David Mark did not do so to entrench Igbo marginalization in the party.
The former actor said: “I heard from the social media that ADC has picked its vice presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East.
“This geo-political zone has neither produced a president or vice president since 1999. To deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the president or vice president in the ADC in 2027, will amount to perpetuating the marginalisation.
“The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu from the South-East in 2005. He made the sacrifice to give up the party in 2025 for the coalition to usher in a better Nigeria. He couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people.
“I did not join the coalition to assist in marginalisation of my own people further. I am of the opinion that if we made a sacrifice to give up the national chairman and the president, it will amount to unpardonable injustice to deny us the vice president in 2027.
“I joined politics to fight for a better Nigeria where no region, geo-political zone, or person will be marginalised.
“The only favour I asked Atiku Abubakar, who openly declared that he is the pathway to the presidency of the South-East, is to show it by choosing someone from the South-East to be his vice.
“If it is confirmed that he has chosen a candidate from the South-South, I wish him well. I am not favourably disposed to campaigning for any presidential ticket that does not have a person of South-East origin as president or vice in 2027”

Politics

2027: Tinubu’s Projects Give APC Edge In South East – Yilwatda

Published

3 days ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, on Monday said that the numerous projects being executed by President Bola Tinubu across the states in the southeast will give him upper hand over other presidential candidates during next year’s general elections.
Prof. Yilwatda stated this at the Abakaliki Township Stadium during a mega rally organized by the Ebonyi State government and Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, during which President Tinubu and other APC candidates for the 2027 general elections were adopted.
According to the APC National Chairman, no President had done for the southeast region what President Tinubu has done for them and expressed the confidence that the president would not only win in Ebonyi State but in the entire South East.
Prof. Yilwatda also used the occasion to address growing insinuations in some quarters that Ebonyi State had been conceded to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dismissing the claim, Prof. Yilwatda said the state would not allow the PDP to win any position in the forthcoming general election.
“We will return President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Francis Nwifuru as Governor of Ebonyi State in 2027.
“We want to return all APC senators, members of the House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates in 2027.
“Nobody has conceded Ebonyi to the PDP. Therefore, there is no vacancy in Ebonyi State. Ebonyi PDP has no place, and there is no vacancy at all in the Government House come 2027,” the APC National Chairman declared.
He commended the people of the state for their support for President Tinubu and urged them to re-elect him in the next presidential election in appreciation of what he has done for the state and the entire South-East through infrastructural transformation and human capital development.
Governor Francis Nwifuru, who also spoke at the event, said the state had no other presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections apart from President Tinubu.

He declared that Ebonyi remained a stronghold of the APC and vowed that the party would deliver the President in the state.

Gov. Nwifuru said President Tinubu had shown exceptional commitment to the state and deserved total support for appointing Senator Umahi as Minister of Works, a role he said Senator Umahi had performed creditably.

“Ebonyi has no other presidential candidate apart from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and we will return him in the presidential election.

“We are standing here today to tell the whole world, especially those using the President’s name to orchestrate division and confusion in this great state, that we have only one party, and that is the APC.

“This statement became necessary because some people are going around claiming they have discussed with Mr President and that he has handed Ebonyi over to the PDP. They are also saying that Chief Nyesom Wike is their leader and that Wike said the President has given Ebonyi to him.

“Ebonyi is not for sale. We are restraining ourselves because the people are with us. Nobody should push us because we have what it takes to confront anyone trying to destabilise us.

“We want to tell Mr President that he has earned our votes. He gave us what we had never had in Eastern Nigeria — the office of the Minister of Works. And this Minister of Works is not sitting idle; he is working,” he stated.

Senator Umahi, in his remarks, said President Tinubu had done what no other President had done for Ebonyi State and the entire South-East by executing numerous projects across the state and the region.

“Ebonyi State is a one-party state under Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. We are not going to repeat the mistakes of the past.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done a lot, not just for Ebonyi State but for the entire South-East and other geopolitical zones,” he said.