News
Dakuku Peterside: The Sad Lamentation Of A Bruised House-Boy
If not for the senseless nature of the APC brand of politics, the 2015 defeated Rivers State APC governorship candidate, Mr Dakuku Peterside would have taken wine to Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for connecting Opobo Kingdom to the rest of Rivers State via the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro Unity Road.
Instead, Dakuku Peterside resumed his forgotten cries of gubernatorial deprivation just to please his Oga, the failed Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
Since Dakuku Peterside was instructed not to purchase the governorship form of the Amaechi faction of the APC, Rivers people enjoyed a long spell of rest from Dakuku’s weekly ranting on several radio stations. Everyone has been happy focusing on key developmental projects of Governor Wike, since the lies of Peterside dried out, due to the shock of exclusion.
However, the 48th Birthday anniversary of Dakuku Peterside provided him with a rare opportunity to enter the house-boy mode, just to please Amaechi who has been complaining at different public fora that Dakuku Peterside has been too quiet since he was locked out of the governorship contest.
On this ill-fated day as reported by APC National Paper, The Nation, Dakuku Peterside heaped insults on Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. He even had the Dutch Courage to call Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, a bad governor.
A visit to the website of The Nation Newspaper would prove to you that the entire country is tired with political crooks like Dakuku Peterside who have failed to see the reality of mass development in Rivers State.
This is an APC controlled website. Nigerians from all walks of life, including those from other states jointly berated Dakuku Peterside for ignoring the outstanding performance of Nigeria’s best performing governor.
Many of the readers embarked on comparative analysis and concluded without equivocation that Governor Wike will get his second term on a platter of performance.
Lewis Afolabi responding to Dakuku’s House-Boy shout on the roof-top wrote: “Wike isn’t my favourite but you guys are not sincere. You just want to control Rivers State’s money and nothing more. Thank God your pressure on Wike has made him to over perform to the advantage of Rivers masses”.
Badu Eze wrote: “He is far more saintly than Amaechi your boss “.
Smith Ekpeyong said: “Our Governor Wike is a great man, full of great stories of development for Rivers people. Mr Project is a man of vision. Mr Peterside, please show Rivers people your own achievements “.
Uchenna Nwoye noted: “Wike has no rival, no opposition “.
Wisdom Jimmy stated: “Peterside, you will never know peace. Wike is the best governor. What has happened to your President? “
Dakuku Peterside played a major role in the total failure of his Oga, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. As Works Commissioner, Dakuku Peterside had no visible achievements anywhere in the state. He could not even complete the road to his home-town.
He was nominated by Amaechi for the 2015 Governorship Election when the Oga printed only one form, but Dakuku lost woefully. The people said they would have nothing to do with a politician who helped Amaechi divert scarce state resources.
Even at NIMASA, Dakuku has failed to deliver. Instead, funds have been diverted and the House of Representatives has indicted Dakuku Peterside for mass fraud in the parastatal.
It is on record that Dakuku Peterside has not attracted any form of development to Rivers State since he was compensated by Buhari for joining Amaechi to betray the entire South-South by using Rivers funds to finance the APC National Campaign.
Dakuku’s inability to work for the people was the principal reason he was defeated in 2015. Since his godfather has joined other Rivers people to reject him, it is high time Dakuku realised that Rivers politics is beyond him. He should focus on his job and help Amaechi amass wealth at NIMASA, instead of talking carelessly at a birthday party were he had too much to drink.
Peterside should come to terms with the fact that he has been rejected. APC has been rejected and Dakuku’s Oga has been rejected. We are tired of hearing the lamentations of a house-boy who believes in crying wolf to attract attention to himself. Rivers State is happy with Governor Wike and the people will re-elect him in March.
Nwakaudu is Special Assistant to Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media.
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, has called for renewed commitment, transparency, and collaboration among stakeholders in the health sector in the State.
The deputy governor particularly urged synergy between the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) and the Primary Health Care Management Board towards improved healthcare delivery in the State.
?Prof. Odu made this call during the 2026 First Quarter Review Meeting of the Task Force on Primary Health Care at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.
?She stressed the importance of honesty and urged all parties to be truthful and open in addressing challenges within the system.
?According to her, transparency remains critical to identifying and resolving underlying issues affecting healthcare delivery, noting that “if we are not truthful, we will not cure the disease, but merely cover it up.”
The deputy governor recounted a personal experience at a Primary Health Center where a patient, despite being duly registered under the RIVCIPP scheme with completed biometric capture, was still asked to make payment for services.
According to her, intervention by relevant authorities later confirmed the patient’s eligibility, exposing a communication gap between the scheme and healthcare providers.
Odu warned that such incidents could discourage community members from enrolling in the scheme, thereby undermining its objectives.
“When this happens, we are disenfranchising our people. The message that goes back to the community is that even when you register, you are still made to pay,” she stressed.
?While commending the leadership and staff of the Primary Health Care Management Board, Ministry of Health, Development Partners as well as other supporting units, for their efforts, ty deputy governor stressed that performance should not lead to complacency.
She urged stakeholders to continuously strive for improvement, raise standards, and leave lasting positive impacts within the system.
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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the opening of examination slip printing for candidates registered for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
JAMB made the announcement yesterday, urging candidates to visit its website to download their slips ahead of the examination.
“Examination Slip Printing is now available. The slip contains details of the venue, date and time of your examination and gives you access to the examination hall,” the board said.
Candidates are to visit jamb.gov.ng and click on “2026 Slip Printing” to print their slips.
The development comes after JAMB dismissed a viral press release falsely claiming the examination had been postponed.
The board described the notice as “malicious and fake” and urged candidates to disregard it.
The 2026 UTME is scheduled to hold from Thursday, April 16, to Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The examination follows a mock test conducted on Saturday, March 28, which recorded technical difficulties at some Computer-Based Test centres.
Of the 224,597 candidates who registered for the mock, 152,586 sat for the test across 989 CBT centres nationwide.
JAMB said over 20 centres were delisted for technical inadequacies.
The board also warned candidates against fraudsters on WhatsApp claiming to facilitate score inflation, describing such claims as “false and criminal”, and threatening cancellation of registration or withholding of results for any candidate found involved.
Over two million candidates, according to JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, registered for this year’s UTME.
News
RSU Unveils Five-Year Strategic Dev Plan …Calls For Collective Commitment To Institutional Excellence
In a decisive step towards redefining its future, the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, has formally unveiled its Third Five-Year (2026-2030) Strategic Development Plan.
The development plan is a comprehensive roadmap designed to strengthen the university’s position as a leading institution in Nigeria and beyond.
The unveiling took place during a high-level engagement with the Governing Council, Principal Officers and the university congregation, at the Convocation Arena, recently.
Delivering his remarks at the unveiling ceremony, the Pro-Chancellor of the university and Chairman of Council, Hon. Okey Wali, SAN, charged all members of the university community to align their activities with the strategic direction of the institution, emphasizing that the success of the plan depends on collective commitment.
He noted that the plan is not merely a document, but a working framework that requires discipline, accountability and unity of purpose.
According to the Pro-Chancellor, only through coordinated efforts from all stakeholders can the university fully realize its vision.
“I hereby invite the Visitor to the University, donor agencies, friends and well-wishers, and all stakeholders to support and fund the implementation of this strategic plan. We are confident that this plan will take RSU to greater heights in the comity of higher institutions,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, described the Strategic Development Plan as a document that would enhance the university’s corporate strengths, mitigate current weaknesses, leverage its corporate opportunities and address perceived existential threats.
“This Five-Year Strategic Plan sets out RSU’s goals, strategic objectives, expected outcomes and impact, including intervention strategies,” he said.
On his part, the Chairman of the Strategic Development Planning Committee, Prof. Emeritus Joseph A. Ajienka, noted that the 2026-2030 Strategic Development Plan represents a bold reaffirmation of the university’s founding ideals of excellence, creativity, innovation and inclusivity, aimed at positioning the institution to respond effectively to contemporary challenges in higher education.
Prof. Ajienka, who is also a member of the Governing Council, disclosed that the plan was developed through an extensive and inclusive consultative process, which he said reflects contributions from Faculties, Departments, Satellite Campuses and Administrative Units.
At its core, the plan seeks to advance the university’s vision of becoming a “unique and uncommon” institution that is structurally and philosophically oriented towards solving practical societal problems and ranking among the top ten universities in Nigeria.
The strategic framework identifies six key challenges confronting the university, including funding constraints, infrastructure deficits, limited research collaboration, and service delivery inefficiencies.
A statement by the university’s Acting Director, Corporate Affairs, Victor G. Banigo, further stated that the university has articulated four broad strategic goals supported by eight targeted objectives.
A central priority of the plan, according to him, is the strengthening of governance and administrative systems, alongside deliberate efforts to expand the university’s funding base. Others include enhanced alumni engagement, strategic partnerships and innovative fundraising initiatives aimed at ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
“Equally significant is the commitment to upgrading physical infrastructure across all campuses. Plans are underway to modernize lecture halls and laboratories, expand student accommodation, improve campus security and deploy advanced ICT systems to support teaching, learning and research.
“Recognizing that human capital is the backbone of institutional success, the university has placed strong emphasis on staff development, recruitment and productivity enhancement. Through targeted training programmes, mentorship initiatives and performance management systems, the plan aims to foster a highly skilled and motivated workforce.
“In addition, the university is poised to deepen its focus on research, innovation and entrepreneurship. By reviewing academic curricula, strengthening industry partnerships and establishing innovation incubation centers, Rivers State University seeks to translate research outputs into practical solutions that address societal needs and drive economic growth,” he said.
The PRO disclosed that the implementation of the strategic plan is projected at ?110 billion, reflecting the scale of transformation envisioned.
“While the university is committed to funding a significant portion internally, additional resources will be mobilized through government support, donor agencies, alumni contributions, and public-private partnerships.
“This multi-channel funding strategy aligns with the university’s broader goal of building a resilient and self-sustaining financial model capable of supporting long-term development,” he explained.
To ensure effective implementation, he said, “the plan incorporates a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework, complete with performance and impact indicators. A mid-term review is scheduled within the first two years to assess progress and make necessary adjustments.
“Furthermore, the establishment of a dedicated Strategic Planning Office will provide oversight, coordination and accountability in executing the plan across all units of the university.”
According to the statement, “As the university embarks on this transformative journey, the message from leadership is clear: the Strategic Development Plan is a collective mandate.
“For staff, students, alumni and stakeholders, it represents an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the growth and advancement of the institution. For the university, it is a pathway to consolidating its legacy while embracing innovation and global relevance.
“With a clear vision, defined priorities and a united community, Rivers State University stands poised to translate this strategic blueprint into measurable progress, advancing knowledge, empowering people and shaping the future of higher education in Nigeria.”