News
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 Coalition of civil society organisations has urged the Federal Government to take proactive steps towards addressing the persistent gas eruptions in Bille, Rivers.
The coalition, made up of the People’s Assembly and Bille Working Group, made the call in an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, and read to journalists in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Reading the letter, the coalition’s convener, Dr Isaac Osuoka, said that the persistent gas eruption in Bille had led to serious environmental and public health challenges.
Osuoka, also the Executive Director, Social Action, urged Tinubu to establish a presidential task force to investigate and contain the gas leak in Bille.
He also called for the immediate relocation of residents to safe shelters, provision of clean water, food and healthcare services.
Dr Emem Okon, the Executive Director, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, stated that gas had been bubbling from the ground, creeks, boreholes and hand-dug wells in the community since October 2025.
Okon said that the gas had triggered several fires and explosions, and that residents of the community had reported respiratory problems, vomiting and other illnesses associated with exposure to the emissions.
According to her, preliminary investigations by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) have yet to identify the source of the gas.
Mr Kentebe Ebiaridor, the Coordinator, Oilwatch International, called for the publication of results from preliminary soil and water tests conducted in Bille for the residents to know the nature and extent of the contamination.
Ebiaridor urged the Federal Government to deploy medical teams to screen and treat affected residents, and immediately commence an independent study on the health impacts of the leak.
He further called for the suspension of oil and gas operations around OML 18 and 24 until the source of the gas leak was identified and the affected areas declared safe.
Ebiaridor urged the government to hold current and former operators of the oil leases accountable for environmental damage on the community.
Another speaker, Dr Bieye Briggs, urged the National Assembly to fast-track the NOSDRA Amendment Bill, 2025 to provide the agency with statutory funding and stronger enforcement powers.
Briggs urged the Federal Government to activate the regional Spill Command Centre, and make the Upstream Remediation Fund accessible for the Bille crisis and other affected communities in the Niger Delta.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has banned drone operations and fireworks in Uyo and announced temporary traffic restrictions ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s visit to the State today.
The state Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, announced the measures yesterday while briefing journalists at the Police Headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo.
He said the restrictions were part of security arrangements to maintain public order, protect strategic locations and ensure the smooth movement of the President’s convoy during his engagements.
“There will be total restriction on the operation and flying of drones within Uyo metropolis throughout the period of the visit. Members of the public, drone operators and service providers are advised to strictly comply with the directive,” he said.
The police commissioner also announced a ban on fireworks, knockouts and other explosive sound-producing devices within the state capital during the visit.
He said the measure would prevent panic and allow security personnel to respond effectively to genuine security threats.
The command also announced temporary restrictions on public access to designated routes and locations in Uyo to facilitate the movement of the presidential convoy.
The affected areas are Airport Road, Shelter Afrique Junction, Oron Road, Nung Oku Junction, Mbierebe Junction and Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
“Motorists are urged to plan their journeys, exercise patience and cooperate with traffic and security personnel deployed along the corridors.
“Members of the public are advised to avoid the routes during the restriction and use alternative routes,” Azare said.
He also urged residents to plan their journeys, exercise patience and cooperate with traffic and security personnel deployed along the affected corridors.
The commissioner said the command, working with other security agencies, had put in place security arrangements to ensure a peaceful and hitch-free visit.
He appealed to residents to understand that the temporary restrictions were necessary security measures and not intended to cause hardship.
Azare urged members of the public to remain law-abiding, avoid restricted areas and report suspicious movements to the nearest police station or through police emergency channels.
Tinubu’s visit to Akwa Ibom is a working visit during which he is expected to inaugurate major infrastructure projects executed by Governor Umo Eno’s administration under its ARISE Agenda. The projects cut across aviation, road infrastructure, tourism, healthcare, land administration and security.
Among the projects scheduled for inauguration are the international terminal building and airport hospital at Victor Attah International Airport, Aviation Village, ARISE Palm Resort, the 14.5-kilometre Nsit Atai–Okobo Road, Ring Road 3, the Command and Control Centre and the AkwaGIS building.
The state government had earlier announced plans for the President to inaugurate projects as part of activities marking Akwa Ibom’s 39th anniversary in September.
The airport projects are particularly significant to the state’s ambition to expand aviation, tourism and investment.
The international terminal is expected to strengthen the airport’s capacity to handle international operations, while the Aviation Village is intended to provide accommodation for aviation workers. The airport hospital is also among the facilities lined up for inauguration.
The road projects are also expected to improve connectivity. The 14.5-kilometre Nsit Atai–Okobo Road links communities in the two local government areas, while Ring Road 3 is designed to improve movement within Uyo and ease pressure on existing roads. The Command and Control Centre, meanwhile, is intended to strengthen security surveillance and coordination in the State.
The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.
He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.
He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.
“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.
Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.
The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.
On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.
Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.
With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.
He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.
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