Politics
Wike Flags Off More Projects
Last week, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike rolled out more projects across the state.
Wike stormed Etche Local Government Area on Wednesday to flag off Odufor-Akpoku-Umuoye Road and said the 23.3 kilometers road will link rural communities in Etche and expand economic opportunities of the people.
Noting that the road was the fifth major road project in Etche by his administration, Wike said: “This is to show that politics must not be deceitful. If you make promise, you are under obligation to fulfil the promise”.
He said the project was in fulfilment of the promise he made to Etche people, describing Etche as key and important to Rivers State.
Wike regretted that Etche was relegated by past administrations and promised the commitment of his administration to reposition the area.
The governor also flagged-off the reconstruction of Eleme-Oyigbo Road in Alesa-Eleme, Eleme Local Government Area last Thursday.
According to the State Commissioner for Works, Mr Dum Dekor, the 11:5 kilometer road which could provide 540 direct employment opportunities has nine months to be completed.
Wike who commended the people of the area for their mandate and strong support to his administration, said the project was the dividend of their electoral mandate and promised to visit the area with more projects.
He charged Nigerians to hold elected and appointed political leaders accountable to them and refuse to accept excuses for failure.
He said: “My charge to Nigerians is that they must hold all public officials accountable. In 2019, before anyone campaigns, he must first show what he has done with his present office.
“Gone are the days when people listened to flimsy excuses. This is not the time for empty promises”.
The governor equally flagged off the reconstruction of Oyigbo Market Road in Oyigbo Local Government Area on Friday.
He also kick-started the construction of TAP to Iriebe Road and declared that time has come for the people of the area to witness the full transformational power of his administration.
Governor Wike stated that “aside these two road projects being flagged off, today, the Mbano Camp to Iriebe Road is nearing completion”.
In continuation of his project rollout across the state, Governor Wike was in Omuma Local Government Area, Saturday to flag-off the reconstruction of Umueze-Umuogba- Umuokpurukpu-Umueke-Umunju-Umuellechi-Eberi Road project.
The governor who had on some occasions stated that Omuma was one of the few local government areas that needed to benefit from projects said Omuma would continue to benefit because of their contribution to his administration.
He remarked that his administration had linked the area to the National Grid and commended the member representing Omuma in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Kelechi Nwogu for his contribution and commitment to his administration.
Governor Wike last Tuesday told journalists that he will never betray the trust of Rivers people. He stated this while inspecting the ongoing reconstruction of Tourist Beach, the cultural centre, Captain Amangala Street, Produce House and Bonny-Bille-Nembe Jetty projects.
He said; “The love of the people who gave me their mandate is enough motivation for me to work hard”.
Another major event, last week in government house, Port Harcourt was the hosting of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni women who had paid the Brick House Landlord a thank you visit in appreciation of his restoration of peace in the area.
The group lauded Governor Wike for his superlative performance in the state and pleaded with the governor to seek re-election.
Caretaker Committee Chairmen of some local government areas were also sworn in by governor Wike last week in Government House.
Chris Oluoh
Politics
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar
A press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Cross River State Governor, Mr Linus Obogo, disclosed that the Calabar Centre — designated as Centre B — will host representatives and stakeholders from Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.
The public hearing is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Transcorp (Metropolitan) Hotel, Calabar.
The initiative, according to the statement, is designed to promote inclusive dialogue and capture the aspirations of Nigerians from all regions.
It aims to serve as a platform for citizens to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing national efforts to refine and strengthen the country’s legal and institutional frameworks.
“Citizens, civil society groups, professional bodies, traditional rulers, and other interest blocs are invited to participate in this landmark engagement aimed at advancing a more just, equitable, and responsive Nigerian Constitution,” the statement read.
The hearing forms part of the broader review process of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and is seen as a strategic move toward fostering national unity and addressing structural legal issues within the federation.
For the first time since 2022, when then-presidential aspirant Alhaji Bola Tinubu declared he made former President Buhari Nigeria’s President in 2015, Mr Mustapha dismissed the claims, stressing that the merger only contributed about three million votes in addition to Buhari’s existing 12 million votes in the North.
He insisted that former President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to the breakthrough, not the three million votes from the merging parties, which he described as insignificant.
Speaking on the role of the merging parties, particularly President Tinubu, the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr Mustapha, who was the keynote speaker at the launch of the book ‘According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience’ authored by Mallam Garba Shehu, described the impact of the votes from other merging parties as very insignificant.
In attendance were former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, chair of the event; immediate past Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; SGF George Akume, who represented President Tinubu; PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar; former Chief of Staff to Buhari Ibrahim Gambari; elder statesman Babagana Kingibe; former governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Chris Ngige (Anambra), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Raji Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); former ministers Solomon Dalung and Sunday Dare; former Army Chief Tukur Buratai, and Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s spokesman, among others.
According to Mr Mustapha, “I do not intend to stir up any controversy. The merger in 2013 was midwifed to create a Buhari presidency. Let us look at the statistics. In the 2003 election, it was the Obasanjo-Buhari presidential contest where Buhari recorded 12.7 million votes. In 2007, it came to 6.6 million, and it went back to 12.2 million in 2011.
“When we were conceptualising the merger, what would give us a headstart? Obviously, it was at the back of our consciousness that the merger with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), though it had only one state, the ACN had six states, ANPP three states, and when you sum up the total votes that we had as the presidency in 2015, the aggregate of the total votes was 15.4 million.
“So, basically, what we brought to the table after the merger outside the Buhari 12.5 million votes was three million. Before turning to that presidency, it is important to recognise the former President’s role in reshaping Nigeria’s political trajectory.
“In early 2013, as the leader of the CPC, Buhari formally requested and supported the creation of a CPC merger committee, part of a broader coalition-building process that brought together the ACN, ANPP, APGA faction, and elements of the ruling party through the breakaway ‘new PDP’ group. His endorsement and participation, along with other party leaders such as President Tinubu and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, lent credibility and direction to the merger, helping to unify disparate party factions under the banner of the APC. That coalition-building paved the way for the first democratic defeat of an incumbent ruling party in Nigeria’s history.
“President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to that breakthrough. No account of President Buhari’s tenure would be complete without acknowledging the extended periods he spent on medical leave. These moments, while politically delicate, were also telling of his leadership philosophy and personality,” he said.
In his remarks, President Tinubu promised to build on the legacies of former President Buhari, stressing that “nation-building is a relay. The efforts of one administration lay the foundation for the next.
“In this regard, I acknowledge the efforts of my predecessor, President Buhari, and assure all Nigerians that the reform-oriented path he initiated will be consolidated and strengthened under this administration. Our Renewed Hope Agenda is inspired by the desire to build a resilient, just, and inclusive Nigeria—a nation that delivers dividends of democracy to all its citizens”.
Speaking during an appearance on live television on Wednesday, Mr Omokri alleged that Mr Obi’s statements were misleading and damaging to the country’s economic prospects.
Mr Omokri said some investors currently operating in Nigeria were considering exiting the market due to Mr Obi’s remarks.
“That is not true. He doesn’t rile me up. I rile him up. The reason why I came here is because I’m a patriot. Peter Obi lied. You know, foreign direct investors are watching your programme, who are making investment decisions not to come to Nigeria. There are foreign investors in Nigeria that are making investment decisions to leave Nigeria because of the lie he told.
“One of the lies he told is that President Tinubu has borrowed more than the administrations of Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari. That is a blatant lie”, Mr Omokri said.
To buttress his claims, Mr Omokri referenced figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO), maintaining that President Tinubu had actually reduced Nigeria’s external debt burden since assuming office.
“I have here with me data from the Debt Management Office, and Nigerians who are watching can go to DMO.com and search Debt Management Office, Nigeria State of Indebtedness 2015.
“As of 2015, Nigeria was owing a total of $63 billion. When Buhari was leaving office, Nigeria was owing $113 billion. Today, from the DMO, our debt has gone from $113 billion to $97 billion, meaning that Tinubu has reduced our debt by over $14 billion.
“We should be appreciating this man. Yet Peter Obi came here and lied to the Nigerian people. He took the debts and translated them into naira to make it look like the debts have increased”, he said.