Politics
How Rivers Assembly Fared In 2017
The eighth Assembly kick-started in earnest in 2017 after the re-run elections of December 2016. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recorded massive victory as 26 out the 32-member Assembly returned.
As the year wore on, intrigues started with the choosing of a Minority Leader which further divided the ranks of the opposition in the House.
Member representing Eleme Constituency, Hon Josiah Olu had engaged in a long battle with member representing Akuku-Toru 2, Hon. Benibo Anabraba who finally won.
The issue of who selects a Minority leader took a legal dimension when a high court sitting in Port Harcourt upheld the position of Hon Benibo Anabraba as minority leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Justice C.D. Green of High Court 20 in his ruling that lasted over 30minutes ruled that the election of Hon. Anabraba who represents Akuku-Toru Constituency 2 was constitutional and in line with the standing orders of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Arguments arose whether it was an exclusive pressure of the opposition or a joint House decision. This controversy may have led both the opposition and majority party members to partake as Anabraba carried the day.
But before the election of a Minority Leader, the House Speakership had reverted to its usual zone. Former Speaker who took the mantle during the period of the massive tribunal rulings that removed most of the legislators, only about six members seat from the PDP were spared.
Rt. Hon. Adams Dabotorudima, 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.
However, 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 elections were 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 some oversight functions.
In order not to allow a leadership vacuum, the House evolved an expedient measure as the former Speaker, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani was affected. Adams Daboturodima from Okrika took over as Speaker.
He however relinquished the position early last year when Rt. Hon Ibani won his seat and returned to the House after the r-run elections. The smooth handover of the House speakership set the tone for the various landmarks witnessed in the legislative chambers this past year.
Many bills were passed and debated upon during the year under review.
But key five bills were signed into law while order bills are still under various stages of deliberations and passage. Among those signed into law are the Rivers State Education (Return of Schools) Amendment Law number 1, Rivers State Honours law number 2 of 2017,Rivers State Reserve Fund Law Repeal number 3, Rivers State University law number 4 and Rivers State Teaching Hospital law number 5 of 2017, and the Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic bill 2017.
Also within the year, the House raised alarm over what it described as “deliberate marginalisation of the state”, following failure of the federal authorities to give relief materials to the state over flooding. Majority Leader of the House, Martins Amaewhule also picked holes in the neglect of federal roads in the state. He cited the example of the East West Road leading to Eleme and the Aba/Port Harcourt Express Road both of which are in a state of disrepair.
As part of its legislative functions to screen commissioner nominees and Special Advisers, the House in June approved fresh list of Commissioners and Special Advisers. But before the screening of the Commissioners, the legislative chambers had equally screened about five sets of Caretaker Committee Chairmen for the local government councils.
Some oversight functions conducted by the House in compliance to its mandate include the Committee on Environment visit over the soot, the House Committee on Works and the House Committee on Finance. However, it was that of the House Committee on Finance that featured prominently.
The committee had threatened to sanction any ministry, parastatal or board that fails to appear before it. The Committee on Finance conducted several accountability fora that covered Ignatius Ajuru University, Rivers State Microfiance Agency, Rivers State Hospital Management Board, Rivers State Pilgrims Board and Post Primary Schools Board.
As the year drew to a close, activities in the House equally took a dive with fewer sittings and proceedings.
Before then, member representing Ikwerre Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Azubuike Wanjoku, was suspended by the House over alleged denigrating comments made against the hallowed chamber.
The House said Wanjoku’s suspension took immediate effect until he explained the reasons for his actions against the assembly where he currently serves.
Leader of the House, Martins Amaewhule, who raised the complaint, said the decision of the House was based on comments made by Wanjoku and published on a national daily.
Amaewhule said Wanjoku, who is one of the few members representing the All Progressives Congress in the House, violated sections of the rules of the assembly.
In his ruling, Speaker of the House, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani said actions and comments of Azubuike Wanjoku were capable of putting the Rivers State House of Assembly in disrepute.
“Honourable Azubuike Chikere Wanjoku is hereby suspended as a member of the Rivers state House of Assembly. You cannot belong to this House and disparage our image.
“He is banned from participating in any activity of the Assembly until he appears before the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
“We will not tolerate any act of indiscipline from any member of the Assembly.
Also, there was an august visit by the governor, Chief Nyesom Wike who commissioned in November and unveiled the State Assembly Service Commission Complex initiated and built by his administration to address accommodation challenges.
The governor also announced that the State Government will undertake the total rehabilitation of the State Assembly Complex.
Speaking during the commissioning programme, Governor Wike commended the management of the commission for the proper implementation of the project.
He said: “This is the executive intervening in the rehabilitation of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex. I will always do what is right for the state.
“I will personally supervise the rehabilitation. The level of degeneration of this complex is not acceptable”.
He said that despite the economic downturn, the state government was executing projects because of prudent management of scarce resources.
He said the immediate past administration in the state despite the funds available to it, failed to execute key projects and sold state assets to her cronies.
The governor assured the workers of the Assembly that his administration would take care of their welfare issues.
Earlier, Chairman of the Rivers State Assembly Service Commission, Mr Chidi Amadi said for the first time after more than 10 years, a major project had been initiated and commissioned at the Assembly.
He said that the complex had resolved the accommodation challenges of workers of the commission.
Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Ikunyi-Owaji Ibani praised the governor for his development projects.
The special valedictory sitting in honour of its former member representing Opobo/Nkoro Constituency dampened the atmosphere in the Assembly. Fortunately, no current member died but rather some recorded positive milestones, such as Hon. Sam Ogeh of Emohua who was called to the Nigerian Bar, as a lawyer.
Rt Hon. Abbas secured the party’s ticket through an affirmation exercise conducted across the 13 electoral wards in the constituency.
The wards involved include Kwarbai A, Kwarbai B, Limancin-Kona, Unguwar Fatika, Unguwar Juma, Dutsen Abba, Gyallesu, Kufena, Dambo, Wuchichiri, Tudun Wada, Tukur-Tukur, and Kaura.
The exercise, which began simultaneously in all wards at about 10 a.m., recorded large turnout of APC members who gathered at various party offices across the constituency.
At Kwarbai B Ward, the Speaker’s ward, the process was conducted peacefully under the supervision of the ward APC Returning Officer, Malam Iliyasu Muhammad Balarabe, in the presence of Rt Hon. Abbas.
According to the ward APC secretary, Nafiu Sabo, the ward has over 10,000 registered members, but 220 members were accredited for the exercise.
Before the affirmation, Mallam Balarabe informed members that Rt Hon Abbas was the only aspirant who purchased nomination forms, underwent screening, and was cleared by the APC national leadership to contest the Zaria Federal Constituency seat.
Following a voice vote by accredited members, the Speaker was affirmed as the party’s candidate in the ward, a process replicated across the remaining 12 wards.
At the constituency collation centre, the APC Returning Officer for the House of Representatives primary in Zaria Federal Constituency, Dr. Hamisu Ibrahim Kubau, announced that 1,376 APC members across the 13 wards endorsed Rt Hon. Abbas as the party’s flag bearer.
He explained that although thousands of party members participated in the exercise, only accredited delegates were allowed to vote.
Dr. Kubau declared: “There are 13 wards in Zaria Federal Constituency, and only one aspirant purchased a form, was screened, and cleared. He is Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen. After due process, we conducted affirmations across all wards.”
He added that the process was peaceful and monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and party representatives.
Chairman of the APC House of Representatives Primary Elections in Kaduna State, Senator Yakubu Oseni, described the outcome as a reflection of the Speaker’s popularity and acceptance among constituents.
He expressed confidence that Rt Hon Abbas would secure victory in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking after his declaration, Rt Hon. Abbas expressed appreciation to APC members for reaffirming their confidence in him.
The incumbent Reps including Emily Inyang and Godwin Offionio, in separate interviews
protested the handling of the primaries conducted by the leadership of the party in the state, saying it was skewed against them.
The aspirants further described the primaries as a charade and an embarrassment to the state.
According to them, the House of Representatives primaries fell short of the provisions of both the Electoral Act as amended in 2026 and the party’s constitution.
They accused the leadership of the party in the state, backed by Governor Bassey Otu, of violating the party’s constitution in the conduct of the House of Representatives primaries across the state on Saturday.
Hon. Godwin Offiono, representing Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, particularly expressed disappointment with the primary that allegedly disenfranchised registered members of the party in his constituency.
Hon. Offiono asserted that having failed to arrive at a consensus, the party leadership opted for a direct primary to decide the candidate for the 2027 election.
“But what I witnessed today was not only alarming, but quite disheartening that our electoral system have not shown any improvement, especially now that we have a man of God in the person of the governor as the leader of the party.
“How do you declare a result by 9:00am even when the electoral materials were yet to arrive at Yala.
“As an aspirant, I couldn’t even vote or see the materials for my own primary at my Okuku ward in Yala Local Government Area, where I come from. But no matter what happens I am still in the race and have not stepped down for anybody.
“The governor had all the time in the world to drive the process of consensus but he never did. As a representative, I cannot even see my governor. I called, no response. I sent text no reply. I am treated as an out cast,” he lamented.
In an emotion laden tone during a telephone interview, Hon. Offiono further said: “I could not believe that first term NASS members like me can be treated in this shoddy manner even when I don’t know my offence.
“I have been a loyal party man. I appeal to the governor to do the right thing, follow the Electoral Act and party constitution in electing representatives.”
Similarly, Hon. Emil Inyang of Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency said he still remained in the race and had not stepped down for anybody.
According to him, “If this shenanigan called primary is allowed to stand, it would affect the party’s fortune in the general elections.
“My appeal to the governor is to allow the people to decide. And if they so voted against me, I will rest and not fight over anything.
“There was no stakeholders meeting held to decide on anything before now, and someone can not be unilaterally imposed on us all in the name of compromised primary,” he stated.
A coalition of support groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) has protested the disqualification of former presidential aspirant, Mr Tein Jack-Rich, from the Rivers West Senatorial race ahead of the party’s primaries for the 2027 general elections.
The groups, in a statement issued on Saturday morning in Abuja, described the action of the party’s screening committee as unjust and capable of worsening internal divisions within the APC in Rivers State.
The statement, signed by the coalition’s National Coordinator, Dr. Bilal Galadima, and General Secretary, Hon. James Ogenyi, accused the party leadership in Rivers State of favouring politicians loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, while sidelining long-standing members of the APC.
The coalition alleged that only aspirants aligned with Chief Wike were cleared to contest for elective positions in the state.
“How can our party allow only one man who is not a member of our party to make decisions or dictate the direction of our party?”, the group queried.
The coalition specifically faulted the exclusion of Mr Jack-Rich, describing him as a loyal party member who had supported the APC for more than 13 years and previously contested the party’s presidential ticket.
It also questioned the alleged clearance of Chief Felix Obua, whom it described as a recent entrant into the party and an ally of Chief Wike.
“How can our party disqualify Jack-Rich, a former presidential aspirant who has been loyal and supported our party for the last 13 years, only for our party to choose Felix Obua, a Wike loyalist who only joined the party three months ago?”, the statement read.
The group warned that failure by the APC leadership and National Working Committee (NWC) to address the matter as it could weaken the party’s structure in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 elections.
It called on party leaders to uphold internal democracy, reward loyalty and ensure a level playing field for all aspirants.
INEC TO BEGIN MEMBERSHIP VERIFICATION AS POLITICAL PARTIES SUBMIT REGISTER
All 22 registered political parties have successfully submitted their membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the Commission has said.
In a statement issued on Friday, Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Mohammed Haruna, said the submission followed the extension granted by the Commission after political parties raised concerns during a meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, regarding the timeline provided in the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 general elections.
He said, “The Commission is pleased to note that all registered parties submitted their registers as of 8th May 2026, two days before the extended deadline.”
He recalled that following a meeting with political parties, the Commission, in a statement issued on the 27th of March, 2026, adjusted the deadline for the submission of party registers from 21st April 2026 to 10th May 2026 to align with the provisions of Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the actual dates fixed by political parties for their primaries.
Mr Haruna noted that political parties were accordingly allowed to conduct their primaries within the approved period from 23rd April 2026 to 30th May 2026, while the register of party members was required to be submitted to the Commission not later than 21 days before the conduct of their respective primaries.
He added, “INEC wishes to state that all registered political parties complied with the requirement within the extended timeframe and will subject the submitted registers to the necessary verification processes in line with the law.”
The Commission restated its commitment to the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections.
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