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We’re Set For Rivers Re-Run Poll, ’Morrow -INEC …Wike’s Victory Shows Acceptance -Obuah
All is now set for the conduct of the supplementary election in four local government areas of Gokana, Opobo/Nkoro, Ahoada West and Abua/Odual, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), tomorrow, to determine the remaining seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Consequently, the commission has assured that it was 80 per cent ready to conduct the supplementary election in four State Assembly Constituencies in Rivers State.
The INEC Head of Voter Education and Publicity in Rivers State, Mr Edwin Enabor, who gave the assurance while speaking with newsmen at the commission’s head office in Port Harcourt, yesterday, said that the sensitive electoral materials were inspected with the participating party agents at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
He said that the distribution of materials to the affected constituencies had commence, yesterday.
According to Enabor, the commission will mainly use its permanent staff and some students of the University of Port Harcourt as ad-hoc staff to conduct the exercise.
“So far so good; we are almost at 80 per cent ready. We have done training for the ad hoc staff, particularly the supervisors, while training for Presiding and Assistant Presiding Officers are ongoing.
“We have done the stakeholders meeting. The security committee had met at the local government level where the supplementary election will hold,” he said.
The INEC head of voter education and publicity stated that the commission would make use of results transmitted to its national server and accreditation from the smart card readers.
He urged the electorate in the affected constituencies to be peaceful and allow INEC to conclude the conduct of the election in the state.
A statement by the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education and Publicity, Barrister Festus Okoye, in Abuja, had earlier said that 261,683 registered voters are expected to participate in the exercise in 106 polling points, spread across 467 polling units in 45 wards of the affected local government areas.
The statement indicated that the decision to conduct the supplementary election in the affected areas follows a careful review of the March 9 State House of Assembly election in the state.
According to Okoye, “However, supplementary election will be held in the following areas on Saturday, April 13, 2019, in line with the timetable released by the commission: Gokana, Opobo/Nkoro, Ahoada West and Abua/Odual”.
He noted that in Gokana, 129, 086 registered voters would be expected to vote during the exercise in 219 polling units cut across 17 wards, while in Opobo/Nkoro, 7,344 registered voters are expected to vote in 20 polling units spread across five wards.
The INEC director of voter education also explained that in Ahoada West, 36,692 registered voters would vote in 47 polling units cut across 10 wards, while in Abua/Odual, 88,561 registered voters were expected to turn out to vote in 181 polling units cut across 13 wards in the local government area.
Justifying the decision, Okoye said that in Gokana, the election process was largely “disrupted”, thereby giving rise to the rerun while in Abua/Odual, INEC officials were not even allowed to “deploy” materials for the conduct of the exercise on March 9, and therefore, the need for supplementary election.
He further explained that the exercise was “inconclusive by reason of margin of lead” in both Opobo/Nkoro and Ahoada West, and insisted that supplementary election would be conducted in the two local government areas to determine who represents the state constituencies in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Okoye, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders in the state, especially the political parties, the security agencies, election observers, the media, to play statutory roles in ensuring the peaceful conduct of the exercise, while charging the electorate in the affected areas to turn out in their large numbers to vote candidates of their choice into the state legislative arm of government.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bro. Felix Obuah has expressed delight that almost one week after the landslide victory of Governor Nyesom Wike as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), an unprecedented jubilation still pervades the length and breadth of the state.
In a statement in Port Harcourt, Obuah said the unrelenting jubilation was evidence of wide acceptability of Wike by the people of the state.
He said the reason that the post-election celebration has remained endless was because all efforts dissipated by those he called ‘evil forces’ to subvert the will of the people, had failed woefully.
The state PDP chairman observed that never in the history of the state had there been such singular occasion where all strata of the society, including farmers, market men and women, fishermen, civil servants, pensioners, religious groups and even members of the opposition political parties, in one accord, came out to rejoice over an electoral victory.
“How else could a people demonstrate total acceptability of a leader? How else could they express their love for that leader, a man that is passionate about the welfare of the people, a man who has defied every odd to prove that governance is possible? Rivers people have shown that the victory of Governor Wike is well deserved”, Obuah said.
He added that the jubilations also underscored the fact that Rivers State was indisputably a PDP state where no other political party was an option.
“What is happening in Rivers State is that Governor Wike’s re-election has triggered unending joy on everyone. He has touched lives as he used his first tenure to spread development to all the nooks and crannies of the state”, Obuah stated, charging all and sundry to give the governor their unalloyed support to enable him do more for the state in his second term.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.