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Supreme Court Verdict’ll Resolve PDP Crisis – Chieftain
National Vice-Chairman (South-South) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Emmanuel Ogidi, said impending Supreme Court verdict rather than political solution would resolve the party’s leadership crisis.
Ogidi told newsmen that the expected ruling would help to lay to rest, many issues that could re-emerge and trouble the party in future.
“To tell you the truth, there will be no political solution to the problem, because there are so many grey areas. “If we didn’t take this to the Supreme Court, too many things would have come back to haunt the party, so it was wise we went to the court.
“The political solution is just a family thing. Sometimes people think it can be easy, but in this case, there is no way. “That is why each time they keep saying let’s go for political solution, some of us know that it is going to be difficult and short-lived and therefore, look forward to the court verdict,” Ogidi said.
He said that though the court of Appeal Court already gave a judgment, true PDP members and leaders believed that Supreme Court, as the conscience of the ordinary man would right the wrong. PDP “It is the Supreme Court judgment that we are waiting for.
I believe it will do the right thing. “One man cannot call a convention and cancel it; no one is given such kind of power. Even the President does not have such power.”
The party chieftain said that the stay-of-execution filed by the party against the Court of Appeal judgment was still on course, and accused the National Chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff of not implementing judgment.
According to him, the court ruled that the party should revert to status quo ante as it was before May 21 convention in Port Harcourt, but Sheriff is appointing people into the National Working Committee (NWC).
“He appointed deputy chairman and publicity secretary in disregard to the ruling and contrary to the party’s Constitution.
“He has no such powers and all the people he has appointed are aliens to us.” He also accused Sheriff of going about, changing elected executive committees of the party in the states “even when he has no NWC to make decisions for the party”.
Ogidi called on party members who know the truth to speak up, saying that the party was ready for Sheriff and his sponsors. “PDP is us; we have a lot at stake in PDP. We cannot allow one man to destroy it.”
On Sheriff’s decision to hold on to Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa’s Reconciliation Committee’s report, Ogidi said that the report of was still open to suggestions and modification. “Dickson was advised to talk to all stakeholders and the committee is going round.
They have even said that they were going to make some adjustments to the recommendations. “It is a recommendation that has to be `sold’ to all organs of the party.
So, Sheriff cannot say that is the final,” Ogidi said. He dismissed Sheriff’s advertisement for vacancies at the party’s National Secretariat, saying that he had no power to sack the workers there and replace them.
He said that Sheriff could not compel the staff to work with him because they workers did not know his strange members of NWC.
Ogidi maintained that PDP members in the South-South remained committed to the decisions of the May, 2016 Port Harcourt and loyal to the National Caretaker Committee constituted by the convention.
He advised all members and supporters to remain calm as genuine leaders of the party were pursuing the course of justice to its logical conclusion.
National Vice-Chairman (South-South) of People Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Emmanuel Ogidi, said outcome of Thursday’s stakeholders’ meeting revealed that National Chairman, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, lacked capacity to lead the party.
Ogidi stated this in an interview with newsmen yesterday in Abuja.
He said that walking out on former President Goodluck Jonathan, governors, Board of Trustees (BoT) members and other prominent party leaders at the Abuja meeting “revealed the character of Sheriff and spoke a lot about him”.
According to him, Sheriff’s conduct on that occasion was not just disrespect for Jonathan but a proof that he cannot be trusted.
Sheriff had told newsmen that he walked out of the meeting convened by Jonathan to find solution to the party’s leadership crisis because he was not allowed to address the session in his capacity as national chairman.
Ogidi said that Sheriff had obviously showed that he was not competent to lead the PDP “and even to be chairman or head of a village meeting”. He said exhibiting such action in the presence of Jonathan who granted him a waiver into the party was condemnable.
“Sheriff showed that he is not a PDP member or a party man. Sheriff did not know what PDP went through for 16 years. “Who is Sheriff and when did he join PDP? It was the same Jonathan that he disrespected that day, who gave him a waiver to join.
“He is not a member of the party; he does not understand how the party works. “The former president convened a meeting, and by his status and capacity, everybody responded.
“Former Senate Presidents, David Mark and Adophous Wabara and others, including former national chairmen, were all there. Who-is-who in PDP were there as well as the founding fathers of the party.
“If Sheriff was an intelligent man, he shouldn’t have done what he did. Even the small supporters he had, he disappointed them; some of them felt so bad. “If he was a party man he wouldn’t have done that.
“Let us take for granted that we in PDP offended him, is that how to treat the party? “I haven’t seen where a man is bigger than the party. Your community can offend you but you cannot do anything to your community,” Ogidi said.
He recalled that PDP had in the past had issues with its national chairmen at different times, even at conventions, and they were resolved amicably. “Even when Chief Audu Ogbe, a former chairman of the party, had issues with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, he didn’t behave like this.”
Ogidi said that Sheriff was acting national chairman, whose substantive position was being recommended by the National Executive Council for endorsement at the May, 2016 national convention.
“He was never a chairman,” he said. He, however, urged members of the party to rise now and speak up, saying “this is the time to speak”.
A Professor of Human Anatomy, with specialty in Physical and Forensic Anthropology at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Gabriel Sunday Oladipo, has expressed delight over the successful delivery of the 207th Inaugural Lecture of the university, describing it as a significant milestone in his academic career.
This is even as he commended the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Owunari Georgewill for his tremendous support in achieving the feat.
Speaking in an interview following the lecture in Port Harcourt, the scholar said presenting an inaugural lecture represents one of the highest achievements in a university career, particularly after attaining the rank of professor.
“I feel good. It is a form of achievement. An inaugural lecture is one of the peaks of an academic career in the university, especially after becoming a professor. By the grace of God, I was able to achieve that and also let the world know my area of specialization and what we have been doing over the years. It makes me feel elated,” he said.
Prof Oladipo, who was elevated to the rank of professor in 2018, noted that the journey to the inaugural lecture was built on years of focused research and dedication to his field.
Tracing the motivation behind his research trajectory, he explained that his interest was sparked and rekindled as far back as 1998 during his undergraduate studies.
According to him, he observed that much of the data used in his area of medical research were sourced from foreign populations.
“I noticed as a medical student that most of the data we used were foreign data. I felt we needed local data that are ethnicity-specific. That was the genesis of the whole journey,” he explained.
He said the realization guided his academic pursuits through his master’s and PhD programmes, as he consistently worked towards generating research findings relevant to local populations.
On the reception of his inaugural lecture, the professor expressed satisfaction with the feedback from colleagues and attendees.
“I was happy because I was able to drive home my points, and people clearly understood my presentation. I also received very encouraging commendations from some colleagues,” he said.
The academic also acknowledged the support of the university’s leadership, describing the Vice Chancellor as “highly supportive” of his aspirations and professional growth, saying, “the way the university system runs, if the Vice Chancellor does not approve your inaugural lecture, you cannot present it.”
Inaugural lectures at the University of Port Harcourt provide a platform for newly appointed professors to formally present their research contributions and academic journey to the university community and the wider public.
Prof Oladipo, however, clarified that the Head of Department(HOD) of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Port Harcourt currently functions in acting capacity, in the person of Dr J S Hart.
The Africa Global Development For Positive Change Initiative (ADIAfrica), in collaboration with Stephen Igwe and Judith Igwe International Educational System, has concluded a free eye screening outreach for residents of Rivers State.
The outreach, which was flagged off in Port Harcourt, targeted more than 300 individuals with various eye conditions. Speaking at the event, the International President of ADIAfrica, Prince Dan Mbachi, said the initiative was designed to provide access to essential eye care services for underserved communities.
According to him, the first phase of the exercise commenced in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and is expected to extend to Etche and Ikwerre Local Government Areas, while the second phase will cover other parts of the state.
Mbachi described the outreach as part of the organization’s commitment to promoting quality healthcare, equity, human dignity, and sustainable development. He emphasized that vision challenges go beyond medical concerns, noting their impact on education, economic productivity, and family wellbeing.
“At ADIAfrica International, we recognize that vision is not merely a medical issue; it is also economic, educational, and social. A child who cannot see clearly struggles to learn. A trader with impaired vision struggles to work. When sight is compromised, opportunity is limited,” he said.
He explained that the exercise provided eye tests, medications, visual field assessments, eyeglasses, contact lenses, and related accessories, stressing that the intervention was aimed at transforming lives rather than serving as a mere charitable gesture.
Mbachi further noted that the initiative aligns with ADIAfrica’s broader mission of advancing sustainable development through practical and people-centered solutions.
Also speaking at the event, a chief from Rumueme Kingdom in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Chief Livingston Akaninwo, commended the organisation and its partners for supporting vulnerable members of society. The traditional ruler expressed concern that many people with eye conditions suffer silently due to poverty and limited access to healthcare.
He called on the government and well-meaning individuals to support ADIAfrica’s efforts to enable the outreach to reach more communities across the state.Some beneficiaries, including Mrs. Veronica Peters Olera Pere, expressed gratitude to the organizers for the initiative and appealed for the programme to be extended to other parts of Rivers State to benefit more residents.
By: John Bibor
A three-day intensive training programme aimed at empowering adolescent girls with knowledge, life skills, and advocacy tools to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and promote their wellbeing has ended at Okogbe Community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The programme, which held from February 26 to February 28, 2026, was organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation. It brought together adolescent girls aged between 10 and 19 years drawn from five communities in the area, including Ubeta, Okogbe, Okaki, Akinima, and Akoh.
The training was designed to reactivate and strengthen girls’ clubs across Ahoada West, Abua/Odual, and Emohua Local Government Areas, with a strong focus on ending harmful traditional practices and equipping participants with knowledge to improve their health, safety, and social wellbeing.
Throughout the three days, facilitators engaged the girls in interactive sessions covering a wide range of topics such as menstrual hygiene, puberty education, communication skills, gender-based violence, child rights, personal hygiene, emotional intelligence, and the importance of empathy and peer support. Particular attention was given to the dangers and long-term consequences of FGM, which experts described as a serious violation of the rights of women and girls.
One of the facilitators, child protection advocate, Inyingi Irimagha, specifically of the Child Protection Network(CPN), emphasised the need to challenge harmful cultural practices that negatively affect girls, noting that culture should evolve when it threatens human dignity and health.
UNICEF Desk Officer at the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Victor Iseberetonma, also stressed that empowering young girls with knowledge and confidence remains one of the most effective strategies for eliminating FGM.
He attributed the successful organisation of the programme to the doggedness and commitment demonstrated by UNICEF, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Lauretta Davies-Dimkpa, and others in making sure that no stone was left unturned for the smooth take-off of the programme, and particularly thanked UNICEF for the great work it is doing in the State.
Other facilitators, including Mr Unah Uchenna and Miss Lucy Uzodinma shared similar sentiments, and called for total elimination of FGM in the society.
Many of the participants described the training as enlightening and transformative, saying, it exposed them to important life lessons they had never received before. One of the girls said the programme helped her understand not only the dangers of FGM but also how to support others emotionally.
“It has educated us about what is wrong, especially about FGM and other issues affecting girls.
“We learned how to talk to people, how to empathise, how to console someone, and how to make others feel relaxed and understood,” Morrow Onisokien Burebure said.
Another participant explained that the programme went beyond discussions on harmful practices to include personal development and daily living skills.
“We learned about our values and how we should live our lives,” she said. “They taught us about menstrual hygiene, how to use sanitary materials properly, how to keep our bodies clean, wash our hands, and how to be friendly even with people we don’t know,” said Dowel Victory Bakewari of Community Secondary School, Akinima.
The participants also pledged to become advocates for change in their communities. One of them stated that she would share the knowledge gained during the training with others back home.
“I will tell people about the effects of FGM and how to stop it.We need to create awareness so that people will understand why it should not continue,” Ake Beauty enthused.
Another participant noted that the training gave her a better understanding of her body and the responsibilities that come with adolescence.
“It is good because we were taught what we need to know about our bodies as girls,” she said. We learned things we should do and things we should not do, and the dangers of FGM. I will tell people in my community that they should stop practising it,” Ebere Testimony Kenneth of Akala-Olu Community Secondary School, Ula-Upata said.
Some participants also expressed appreciation to the organisers for bringing the programme to their in communities, describing it as a life-changing opportunity. One of them simply said, “We thank the organisers for what they have done so far. They have helped us learn things that will protect our future.”
Facilitators at the programme explained that FGM remains deeply rooted in cultural traditions in some communities, which makes sustained awareness and community engagement essential. They noted that while culture plays an important role in society, harmful practices must be abandoned once they are recognised as dangerous.
According to the organisers, the programme successfully met its objectives by equipping participants with practical knowledge, leadership skills, and the confidence needed to speak out against harmful practices. They emphasised that the girls trained would serve as peer educators and change agents within their communities.
The organisers furthermore reaffirmed their commitment to continuing advocacy in efforts, strengthening girls’ clubs, and expanding grassroots awareness campaigns across Rivers State.
As the programme came to a close, the atmosphere was filled with optimism and determination. For the young participants, the training was not just an educational exercise but a call to action — one that has placed them at the forefront of effort to protect the rights, health, and future of girls in their communities.
By: Donatus Ebi
