Politics
Wike Marks Supreme Court Victory With Thanksgiving
Activities opened in Government House, Port Harcourt,
last week, with a special thanksgiving service organized by the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, as mark of gratitude to God for his victory at the Supreme Court on a litigation challenging his eligibility to contest the 2019 gubernatorial election.
The event which took place last Tuesday at the Chapel of Everlasting Grace, Government House, was graced by members of the State Executive Council, top members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Permanent Secretaries, members of the State House of Assembly, local government council chairmen, heads of government agencies, staff of the Government House, amongst others.
Governor Wike who took the first Bible reading, later narrated how one Achinike Wobodo, an aide to the former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, filed a suit at the Federal High Court and lost in 2018, only for him to return in 2019 to file same eligibility suit against him, with another person as the plaintiff while he (Wobodo) served as counsel.
The Governor said that Chibuike Amaechi and his cohorts had taken unimaginable steps in his desperate efforts to frustrate the development of the state but all those efforts failed because God continued to intervene in the affairs of Rivers State.
He regretted that inspite of extending an Oliver Branch to political opponents, they have continued unnecessary political battles that will not benefit t he state. He restated the need for all to join hands with this administration to build the state irrespective of party differences stressing that all efforts to demarket that state must stop.
The Chairman of Eleme Local Government Council, Barr Philip Okparaji hailed Gov Wike on his victory at the Supreme Court and said the victory was not only for Gov Wike but for Rivers State and Democracy.
The new Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura was in Government House, Wednesday, on a courtesy visit to the state chief executive.
While receiving the commissioner, Gov Wike expressed worry over what he termed frequent change of security chiefs in the state, saying such development makes it difficult to plan for the improvement of security in the state.
Wike regretted that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division of the Nigerians Army, Major-General Jamil Sarham has not been transferred despite the mass transfer of officers across the country by the Army High Command.
Wike said he was surprised that despite the ugly and shameful role the GOC played during the past elections in the state, the Army High Command chose to retain him in Rivers State.
The new commissioner of police lauded Wike for the huge support he has been giving to all security agencies in the state particularly for recent donation of 50 patrol vans to the Rivers State Police Command.
Dandaura assured the governor that he would remain politically neutral and professional in the discharge of his duties. The police boss implored sister security agencies to work in synergy with the police to improve security in the state.
In the week under review, Governor Wike approved the appointment of the Emir of Lafia, His Royal Highness Sidi Bage as the chancellor of the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.
Wike relied on section 3 and schedule 1 of the Rivers State University Law, 2017, which gave the governor the impetus to make the appointment. The appointment took immediate effect.
Another major event in Brick House, last week, was the security Town Hal Meeting, Governor Wike held at Choba on Friday. In the meeting were security chiefs in the state, chiefs of Choba as well as leaders and youth groups in the area.
At the meeting, the governor recounted some ugly security situations that unfolded in Choba in recent time particularly the killing of a prominent son of the area and a director in the state civil service.
Wike said, “We have made some arrests and police have commended investigation on the security situation. Anybody who is linked to the killing in the area would be brought to justice”, adding that any person detained in connection with insecurity in the area would be brought to justice.
He said that Choba used to be a peaceful community until this recent time and warned that enough is enough.
Wike enjoined the traditional head of the area to convene a meeting with chiefs and other stakeholders in the area to see that peace is restored in the area.
Governor Wike on Saturday announced the establishment of Educational Trust Fund in honour of late Colonel Ken Elemele, a son of the state who fell in Boko Haram, ambush between Yobe and Borno recently. He said that fund would help train the four children of the late officer.
He described the death of late Elemele as a sad loss to the state and the entire country.
Wike who was represented to the event by his chief of staff, Engineer Chikwuemeka Woke, said that the Education Trust Fund would take off with an initial seed money of N30 million.
On same Saturday Governor Wike embarked on an inspection of ongoing projects in Port Harcourt and its environs. Among the projects visited were the Rumuwoji Market popularly called Mile One Market, the Fruit Garden Market and Judges Quarters.
The Governor expressed satisfaction with the quality and speed of work on the project sites and said he was confident that the projects would be inaugurated in the first one hundred days of his second term.
Chris Oluoh
Politics
FCT COUNCILS’ ELECTIONS: PDP WINS GWAGWALADA CHAIRMANSHIP AS APC SECURES AMAC, BWARI
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.
Politics
Group Hails Tinubu’s Swift Assent To 2026 Electoral Bill
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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