Politics

Rivers 8th Assembly: Two Years After

Published

8 years ago

June 26, 2017

Precisely June 1, 2015, the
8th Rivers State House of Assembly (The current Assembly) was inaugurated after April 17th and 18th, 2015 legislative elections in the state.
Representatives of the Assembly were elected from 32 constituencies of the State with members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the majority.
Shortly after the inauguration of the Assembly, the House elected it’s officers with the lawmaker representing Andoni Constituency, Ikunyi-Owaji Ibani emerging as the Speaker of the 8th Assembly.
The emergence of Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani placed him on record as the 9th Speaker of the State House of Assembly since the inauguration of the Assembly in 1979.
Other house officers elected include Hon. Marshal S. Uwom (Abua/Odual constituency), Deputy Speaker; Hon. Martin Amawehule (Obio/Akpor Constituency 1), Leader of the House; Hon. Loolo Dinebari (Khana constituency 1), deputy leader; Hon. Evans Bipi (Ogu/Bolo), Chief whip; and Major Jack representing Akuku-Toru constituency 1, Deputy Whip of the Assembly.
The House, in the election of its officers in 2015, skipped the position of minority leader as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had swept all the state constituencies, except Eleme Constituency that was won by Hon. Josiah Olu, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Subsequently, the 8th Unicamera Assembly also constituted 31 committees to carryout oversight functions of the House.
However, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, without prejudice piloted the affairs of the Assembly.
Notable among the bills passed into law under his leadership in 2015, was the 2015 supplementary budget of N104 billion, the budget he passed on the very day he stepped aside as speaker of the House.
Apart from the bills passed into law, there was over six bills pending in the Assembly when he stepped aside for undisclosed reasons.
The bills spilled over to the same 8th Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Adams Dabotorudima, who replaced Ibani on December 19, 2015.
Two days after Ibani stepped aside, the Appeal Court in Abuja sacked 13 members of the Assembly, majority of whom were of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State.
The 8th Assembly later had 19 members to be presided over by the then new leadership of the House, Rt. Hon. Dabotorudima.
Though, two out of the 19 were sworn-in following a court order and alleged absentism.
The two lawmakers included Hon. Victoria Nyeche, representing Port Harcourt Constituency 1, and Hon. Andrew Miller, representing Opobo/Nkoro constituency whose election was later voided by the court. He was later replaced by Hon. Adonye Diri of the PDP.
Nonetheless Rt. Hon. Dabotorudima piloted the affairs of the House from December 19, 2015 to December 30, 2016, when he resigned as Speaker of the House.
Within the period of Rt. Hon. Dabotorudima leadership as Speaker, the Assembly passed several motions and over four bills into laws, resolved petitions, and also carried out over sight functions.
Notable among the laws were the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, (Amendment No. 2 law, No. 6 law, 2016 (Executive bill), the Rivers State local government (Amendment No. 1) law No. 5 of 2016; and the “Rivers State Violence
Against Persons (prohibiting bill, 2016.
The bill was sponsored by the leader and lawmaker representing Obio/Akpor Constituency I, Hon Martin Amaewhule, and lawmaker representing Emohua Constituency Hon Samuel Ogeh in the House.
The House under the speakership of Rt Hon Dabotorudima also passed in December, 2016, the 2017 appropriation bill of N470 billion. The bill was tagged “Golden Jubilee Budget of 2017”.
The 8th Assembly handled petitions and carried out oversight functions to agencies, companies, and some state’s ministries.
The House, under the leadership of Rt Hon Dabatorudima, organised a 3-Day workshop for members in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State in October, 2016.
The 8th Assembly again changed its leadership on December 30, 2016, when Rt Hon Adams Dabotorudima resigned, and Rt Hon. Ikuinji-Owaji Ibani was re-elected as the Speaker of the House.
The Assembly, on same December 30, 2016, sworn-in additional 12 elected members, whose Certificates of Return were issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winners of the last re-run legislative elections held on December 10, 2016 in the state.
Unlike the 2015 election, the APC was able to clinch six constituencies in the December 10, election, which brought the number of opposition to seven.
While the election of the speakership was smooth the election minority leader sparked off controversy from among APC members.
Nevertheless, the lawmaker representing Asari-Toru Constituency, Hon Ferdinand Anabrabra of the APC was elected to the position.
Between December 30, 2016 and June 1, 2017, when the 8th Assembly clocked two years, the House under the second leadership of Rt Hon Ikuinji-Owaji Ibani passed 10 motions and some five bills into law. They include the Rivers State Education (Return of Schools) Amendment law No. 1 of 2017, the Rivers State Reserve Fund (Repeal) law No.3 of 2017, the Rivers State University law no 4 of 2017, the Rivers State Honours Law No 2 of 2017; and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital Law no. 5 of 2017.
The Assembly in June, 2016 also held colloquium in commemoration of the Rivers State at 50. At the event, the majority leader of the House, Hon. Martin Amaewhule, said the 8th Assembly has so far passed a total of 17 laws and taken resolutions on 66 motions.
Also in June, the Assembly, through its committee on environment, held the Port Harcourt Environmental Summit in conjunction with the State Ministry of Environment and the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RWAMA) to create awareness on the need for a sustainable environment.
Speaking with The Tide, the speaker of the 8th Assembly, Rt Hon Ikuinji-Owaji Ibani said the House embarked on the summit to have a first-hand-knowledge that could provide a frame work for a bill to preserve and sustain the state’s environment.
Apart from the summit, the Speaker said the Assembly passed legislative oriented laws and motions that have direct bearing on the Rivers’ people.
On the whole, the 8th Assembly passed a total of 17 laws, 66 motions and entertained over 35 petitions in its two years. 80 per cent of the laws are executive bills, while 20 per cent are individual’s.
The entire 17 laws have since been assented to by Governor Wike.
The Speaker has assured that the Assembly would continue to do more within its powers to enable the state Governor execute more developmental projects and programmes in the state

Politics

Rivers Assembly Resumes Sitting After Six-Month Suspension

Published

3 days ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.

President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.

The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.

The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.

Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.

The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.

However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.

Politics

2027: Bayelsa APC Adopts Tinubu As Sole Candidate … As Lokpobiri, Lyon Shun Meeting

Published

1 week ago

September 12, 2025

The Tide

The Bayelsa State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC) have passed a ‘Vote of Confidence’ on President Bola Tinubu and also adopted him as sole candidate of the party for the 2027 presidential polls.

Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, during the ’12th Expanded Stakeholders’ meeting of the party, the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, stressed the importance of the state’s chapter of the party to its national leadership.

Represented by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu, the National Chairman urged all stakeholders to unite to secure victory for the party, come 2027 general elections, adding that the party will give the state chapter the necessary support it requires to win in all future polls.

He appealed to aggrieved leaders of the party in the state to jettison their differences and tow the path of peace, describing the reconciliatory move as commendable while promising that the party’s national leadership will do all within its powers to ensure its success.

“President Tinubu is a pragmatic leader, and a progressive determined to transform Nigeria for the betterment of all. The developmental strides recorded by the president is attracting governors and National Assembly members from the opposition into the APC.

“We’ll ensure that the interest of the

party is managed. Bayelsa is important to our party, and we must do whatever we have to do, for the victory of the party in the state. We have a very good candidate in the president and that is why the South- South governors are taking the lead to join our party in support of the president for his reelection”, he said.

“Mr. President is on the move to take Nigerians to the promised land, and the only way to achieve this is in unity. The leadership of the party in the state need to show more tolerance and carry everyone along. Other state governors in other regions that are not in our party will soon join us, so that if the president is returned, everything will go smoothly.

“I want the former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, to personally lead the reconciliation so we can achieve the unity we desire. Forget all differences and bring everyone together”, he added.

Also speaking, the leader of the state chapter of the party and former Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, noted that the national secretariat of the party had not treated the state fairly, noting that if the national leadership of the APC had given the state the support it needed, the party would have achieved more.

Chief Sylva called on absentee leaders of the party at the meeting, particularly Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and former Governor-elect of the State, Chief David Lyon, to close ranks and work with other leaders to move the party forward.

“I wonder why the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and former Governor-elect, Chief David Lyon are not here. We’re all Bayelsans, we’re all Ijaw people, they should come and let’s work together for the greater interest of the party. We did well in 2023, but not what we expected.

“2027 is already a done deal, if we have the support of the national leaders of the party. Today we’re more ready than ever before.The only thing we lack is support from the party at the national level. With your support we’ll be the strongest, and nobody will be able to stand us in elections”, Chief Sylva said.

In his remarks, the Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, noted that most people thought the party was no more in existence, but that the NWC could see that the party is alive and kicking.

“Reconciliation is on and those in charge are doing well. The party has members in the state who were ‘victory-hungry”, he said.

Earlier, State Chairman of the party, Dr Dennis Otiotio, said the meeting was to critically appraise the performance of the president and also adopt him as the sole candidate of the party for the 2027 presidential election.

By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Politics

Alleged Smear Campaign Against Yakubu, CSOs Demand Apology From Uzodimma

Published

1 week ago

September 12, 2025

The Tide

The Transparency and Accountability Rights Initiative, a coalition of Nigerian Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), has issued a strong condemnation of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, accusing him of orchestrating a malicious smear campaign against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and development advocate Dr. Chima Amadi.

During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.

The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”

“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.

“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.

The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”

They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”

The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”

The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.

A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.

The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”

“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.

“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.