Politics
Wike Inaugurates Law Revision Committee
The one week long conference of the African Bar Association (AFBA) took the lead among other activities in Government House last week. As Chief host and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, declared the Confab open last Monday.
Accompanied by his Sokoto State counterpart, Chief Wike said AFBA has a huge task in recreating the image of Africa to the outside world.
With over 1,000 lawyers attending, Wike charged them to be the shining light in the continent and to help reshape it for good of the people. He said, “it’s against this background that we note with satisfaction the decision of AfBA to organise this Conference”.
Later in the evening, Wike hosted the lawyers to a state Banquet in Government House. While welcoming them to Port Harcourt, Chief Wike said AfBA members can help to promote and sustain democracy in the African continent.
Same last Monday, the governor through his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, announced the relief of appointments affecting four local government areas. They are those Gokona of Asari-Toru, Emohua and Ogu/Bolo. The governor thanked caretaker committee chairmen and wished them well in their future endeavours.
Last Tuesday, the governor at the Exco Chambers of the Government House inaugurated the State law Revision Committee.on. He tasked the body to complete its task in six months from the date of execution of the instrument. He said the last time that laws of the state were revised was in 2003 under the Chairmanship of Late Justice Fiberesima.
On the same day, Governor Wike swore-in the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Tai Local Government Area, Mr Sylvester Mgba. He charged the new caretaker chairman to prioritise the payment of salaries and support for security agencies.
Shortly after inaugurating the law Review Committee and swearing-in of Tai LGA Caretaker Chairman, Chief Wike, received the–management and selected students of Jesuit Memorial College, Mbodo, Aluu. He used the visit to explain the rationale behind the state new policy to shut down schools that are not approved in the state. He said, “We have told parents of children at the 1886 schools shut down by the state government to relocate their wards before the commencement of the next academic session. By September, we shall fully implement measures aimed at strengthening the state education sector”.
On the evening of last Tuesday, Chief Wike played host to the House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Currency and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He stated that already his administration has started working with the apex bank on how to revive SMEs.
Despite the measures by the administration to revive and empower Small Scale Enterprises (SMEs), Wike noted that the CBN has denied the state so many fund and schemes that will drive economic activities in the state, adding that CBN was starving Rivers State economy due to federal politics.
Last Wednesday, Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, in a statement decried the failure of INEC and other federal agencies to prosecute those who were caught printing ballot papers and fake electoral materials last year. She lamented that the matter was being swept under the carpet.
Also last Friday, the Deputy Governor, in a statement, assured residents that the state was ready to tackle any incidence of Lasa Fever and called on people not to panic over recent developments.
Last Saturday, the Governor, Deputy Governor and other members of the PDP were in Abuja for the non-elective convention.
Alhaji Mohammed Kasim, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has won the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Philip Akpeni, the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced the results on Sunday morning.
Alhaji Kasim polled 22,165 votes to defeat Alhaji Yahaya Shehu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 17,788 votes.
Alhaji Biko Umar of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) scored 1, 687 to come in third place.
“I am the returning officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Gwagwalada chairmanship held on Feb. 21, 2026,” Akpeni said.
“That Mohammed Kasim of PDP, having certified the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
In the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Maikalangu, the APC candidate, was declared the winner of the chairmanship poll with 40,295 votes.
Andrew Abue, the Collation Officer for AMAC, said Hon. Maikalangu, who is the incumbent AMAC chairman, was returned elected having scored the highest number of votes cast.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) came second with 12,109 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 3,398 votes.
According to Abue, the total number of valid votes in the chairmanship poll was 62,861, while the total votes cast stood at 65,197.
He added that the number of registered voters in AMAC was 837,338, while the total number of accredited voters was 65,676.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mr. Joshua Ishaku of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Bwari Area Council Chairmanship election.
Announcing the result on Sunday in Bwari, the Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Mohammed Nurudeen, stated that Ishaku polled a total of 18,466 votes to emerge victorious in the February 21, 2026 poll.
“I am the Returning Officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Bwari chairmanship held on Feb. 21, 2026. That Joshua Ishaku, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Nurudeen said.
According to the results declared, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secured 4,254 votes, while the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) polled 3,515 votes to place second and third respectively.
The declaration adds to the series of results emerging from the 2026 FCT Area Council elections, as political parties assess their performance ahead of future contests.
INEC UPLOADS 2,602 OF 2,822 FCT CHAIRMANSHIP RESULTS ON IReV
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had uploaded 2,602 out of the 2,822 expected polling unit results from Saturday’s chairmanship elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as at 5:55am on Sunday, data retrieved from its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) showed.
According to The Tide source, the figure represents an overall upload rate of about 92.2 per cent across the six area councils of the territory.
A council-by-council breakdown indicates that Municipal Area Council recorded the highest number of submissions in absolute terms, with 1,309 of 1,401 polling unit results uploaded, representing 93.43 per cent.
In Gwagwalada Area Council, 330 of the expected 338 polling unit results had been uploaded, representing 97.63 per cent — the highest upload rate among the six councils.
In Bwari Area Council, INEC uploaded 463 of 485 polling unit results, translating to 95.46 per cent.
In Abaji Area Council, 129 of 135 polling unit results had been uploaded as at 5:55am, representing 95.56 per cent.
In Kwali Area Council, 164 of the expected 201 polling unit results were available on the portal, representing 81.59 per cent.
In Kuje Area Council, 207 of 262 polling unit results had been uploaded, representing 79.01 per cent — the lowest rate among the six councils as at the time of review.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa, and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, the group described the swift assent as a clear demonstration of political will to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We see the decision by President Bola Tinubu to sign the reworked 2022 Electoral Act into law within a few hours of its passage as a demonstration of political will to ensure an improved electoral process which the new law envisages,” the group said.
The TMSG expressed confidence that the development would enable the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to quickly align its operations with the new provisions in preparation for the 2027 polls.
The group noted that the provision for electronic transmission of results had been contentious but described its codification in the law as a significant step forward.
“So, for the first time, the country’s electoral law would be recognising the use of the Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the result viewing portal, IREV, which were just INEC guidelines in 2023,” it stated.
According to the TMSG, although the Act provides for electronic transmission of results from polling units to the IREV portal, it also makes room for manual transmission of Form EC8A result sheets as a backup in the event of technological failure.
“Unlike some Nigerians, we do not see anything wrong with the fallback plan but we agree with the President that no matter how beautiful a process is with improved technology, the onus lies on the people manning it to show good faith and ensure that the votes of the people really count at the end of the day,” the statement added.
The group highlighted other key provisions in the amended law, including the streamlining of party primaries to either consensus or direct primaries, early release of funds to INEC, reinforced measures against over-voting, and stiffer sanctions for electoral offences such as falsification of results.
It also pointed out that the mandatory notice period for elections has been reduced from 360 days to 300 days, giving INEC more flexibility in adjusting the timetable for the 2027 elections, especially where it may clash with Ramadan.
The TMSG further observed that the President’s decision to sign the bill days before the forthcoming Area Council Election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) underscores his desire for the law to take immediate effect.
“And by signing the amendment bill a few days before the Area Council Election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is obvious that the President is keen on ensuring that the 2026 Electoral Act takes immediate effect.
“Nigerians would also have an opportunity to see some of the key provisions of the new electoral law become operational, especially the electronic transmission of results,” it said.
The group expressed optimism that the current INEC leadership would leverage the new legal framework to deliver a more credible and widely acceptable electioneering process than in previous electoral cycles.
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