Politics
‘2019 Rivers Poll Shows Rot In Nigerian Army’
An aide to the Rivers State Governor, Simeon Nwakaudu has insisted that the role allegedly played by the Nigerian Army in the 2019 governorship election in Rivers State was shameful and underscores the rot in the security agency.
Nwakaudu who is the Special Assistant to the State Governor on Electronic Media also described the governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Engr Biokpomabo Awara as a comedian following the latter’s comments during a radio programme in Port Harcourt last weekend.
Recall that Engr. Awara who was a guest on the said programme monitored by The Tide had said that he is loved and accepted by Rivers people as shown by the results of the election.
But Nwakaudu in a statement wondered why Awara was commenting on an election he neither campaigned for nor presented himself to Rivers people, saying the AAC governoship candidate was not known before the March 9. 2019 poll.
The statement reads, “I must say that Amaechi’s boy, Engr Biokpomabo Awara is a comedian of some sort. Imagine him appearing on radio to talk about an election that he never campaigned for and did not present himself to the people for consideration on any platform. In the strictest sense of the word, Rivers people did not know Awara before the March 9, 2019 Governorship Election.
“This is a man who ran under a party that had no House of Assembly candidates anywhere in the state. The party virtually had no agents and had no posters of their Governorship candidate anywhere in the state. It is surprising that the same man continues to play the Ostrich just to please his defeated master.
Nationally and internationally, the truth about the 2019 Rivers State Governorship Election is known. Rivers people won. They stood firm and resisted the criminal alliance that attempted to steal their mandate.
“The 2019 Rivers State Governorship Election was a manifestation of the terrible rot in the Nigerian Army. Soldiers of the 6 Division were captured on video in different Constituencies attempting to rob election results and abduct Electoral Officials.
“In one case in Ogu/Bolo LGA, women were captured on video pulling down a soldier who invaded a Collation Centre. In Okrika, ONELGA, Abua/Odual, Ikwerre LGA similar videos outlined the criminal activities of soldiers.
“The most horrific was the failed attempt by soldiers of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army to invade INEC Headquarters in Port Harcourt. The aim was to abduct the REC and other officials and thereafter manipulate the electoral process. Like other previous attempts, it was foiled by vigilant Rivers people.
Awara has the right to appear on radio to express himself, but he should restrict himself to the financial fortunes that fell his way by virtue of the unfortunate AAC/APC/ARMY ALLIANCE.
“He (Awara) is a wealthy man today on that score. But he should continue to find an appropriate means to do penance for the several Rivers people murdered by the Nigerian Army and F-SARs, simply because they attempted to impose him on Rivers people.
”It is disingenuous to lie about an election where he had no political relevance. Till date, where are the political followers of Awara? Wike’s aide advised Awara to focus on the internal conflict of the AAC, a political party built on anti-people schemes. A party where her leaders are ever willing tools in the workshop of political crooks. In Rivers State, the AAC/APC/ARMY alliance will continue to fail.
Nwakaudu further said that it is shameful that Biokpomabo tried to insult the Judiciary because he lost at the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal, saying, “This is not surprising. He is following the footsteps of his sponsors. Whenever, they lose, they pull down the roofs. They throw around baseless allegations and rant aimlessly. Anyone associated or birthed by the APC is usually anti-Rivers. They strive to destroy the state.”
Dennis Naku
A senator who represented Taraba Central, Mr Abubakar Yusuf, has declared that the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu are not yielding the expected results.
His comment is one of the strongest internal critiques yet from within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The comment underscores the growing dissatisfaction within sections of the ruling party over the direction and impact of the administration’s economic reforms amid rising living costs and fiscal pressures across the country.
Mr Yusuf, who served in the Senate between 2015 and 2023 under the platform of the APC, made the remarks during an appearance on national television.
Responding to a question on whether the administration’s economic direction, often referred to as Tinubunomics, was working, Mr Yusuf answered in the contrary.
“For me, it is not working. I am a member of the APC. I would be the last person to hide the facts”, he said.
He said while the government might be operating diligently within its policy structure, the framework itself is ill-suited to Nigeria’s current realities
“Within the policy framework, yes, they are doing their best, but it is not the framework that is suitable for Nigeria at the point in time that President Asiwaju came into power,” he said.
Mr Yusuf criticised the immediate removal of fuel subsidy on the day the president was sworn in, arguing that the decision lacked sufficient consultation and planning.
“I am one of those who say President Asiwaju ought to have waited. Not on the day he was sworn in to say subsidy is gone. On what basis?”, he asked.
He urged broader engagement before major fiscal decisions are taken.
“Sit down with your cabinet, sit down with your ministers, sit down with your advisers,” he said, dismissing the argument that subsidy removal was justified solely on grounds of corruption.
The former lawmaker identified “structural flaws” in the country’s budgeting system, particularly the envelope budgeting model.
“One of the basic problems is that before you budget, you should have a plan. The envelope system we have been operating has been you budget before you plan. That has been a major issue”, he said.
He argued that allocating spending ceilings without aligning them to concrete development strategies inevitably weakens implementation and delivery.
“If you give me an envelope which is contrary to my plan, whether it is plus or minus, there is no way I am going to implement my plan. It is bound to fail,” he said.
Mr Yusuf called for the scrapping of the envelope budgeting system, noting that he had consistently opposed it even during his years in the National Assembly.
“It is not good for us. It is not going to work well for us,” he said.
He further blamed poor capital releases and persistent deficit financing for undermining budget performance over the years.
“We could not meet 60 percent of our capital budget in all these years. No releases. If you make a budget and the release is very poor, there is no way the budget will be executed”, he stated.
According to him, weak fund disbursement mechanisms and reliance on deficit financing have entrenched a cycle of underperformance.
“Our budget ought to have been a surplus budget, but all our budgets have always been deficit financing budgets,” Mr Yusuf added.
The Nigerian House of Representatives has resolved to reconvene for an emergency session tomorrow February 17, 2026, to deliberate on issues arising from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) release of the timetable for the 2027 general elections.
The decision was disclosed in a statement issued by the House Spokesman, Rep. Akin Rotimi, who described the electoral body’s announcement as one of “constitutional and national significance.”
INEC had fixed February 20, 2027, for the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
According to the statement, members of the Green Chamber were notified of the emergency sitting through an internal memorandum from the Speaker’s office.
The session is expected to focus on legislative matters connected to the newly released timetable, reflecting the House’s resolve to act promptly on issues affecting the nation’s democratic process.
Rep. Rotimi noted that all related businesses would be treated with urgency and urged lawmakers to prioritise attendance in view of the importance of the deliberations.
INEC had on Friday formally unveiled the comprehensive schedule for the 2027 polls, including timelines for party primaries slated for July to September 2026, as well as the commencement of Continuous Voter Registration in April 2026.
The development comes amid ongoing consultations and proposed amendments to the Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As the controversy over the transmission of election results continues across the country, the Defence For Human Rights And Democracy (DHRD), a pro democracy organisation in the country, has criticised the National Assembly for not giving express approval to real time transmission of elections results.
To this end, the group is calling on all civil society organisations in the country to mobilise and push for a better Electoral Reform in the country.
This was contained in a press statement titled, “Defence For Human Rights and Democracy Demands Real Time Election Transmission of Result”, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt.
The group described the refusal of compulsory real time transmission of result results by the Senate as undemocratic, adding that the situation will give room for election manipulation, rigging and voters apathy.
It said that the provision of mandatory real time transmission of election results would have significant improvement on the nation’s democracy.
According to the statement, “Since the return of democracy in 1999 to date, it is 27 years, so our Democracy has metamorphosed from being nascent and as such significant improvement should have been recorded.
“Defence For Human Rights And Democracy (DHRD), is really disappointed at the National Assembly, especially the upper chamber (Senate) for not approving ‘Real Time Electronic Transmission of Election Result’.
“This undemocratic act of theirs, if not tamed, will give room for election manipulation and rigging’”.
Signed by Comrade Clifford Christopher Solomon on behalf of the organisation, the statement further said, “The Defence For Human Rights and Democracy unequivocally supports real time transmission of election result”, stressing that his group will resist any act by the National Assembly to undermine the nation’s democracy.
“DHRD,unequivocally supports ‘True Democracy’, which is Government of the people, by the people and for the people.
“Therefore, anything that will crash the hope of Nigerians to Freely, Fairly and Transparently elect candidates of their choice in any given election should and will be vehemently resisted because good governance begins with leaders elected through credible process. By so doing, leaders have entered a social contract with the citizens to equitably manage their affairs and abundant resources”, the statement added.
It urged the National Assembly to revisit the issue in order to avoid civil unrest.
According to the DHRD, “To avoid civil unrest,voters apathy, election rigging and manipulation, rather to promote citizens participation, advancing our Democracy and entrenching free, fair, credible and acceptable electoral outcome, the National Assembly should amend the electoral act in a manner that will deepen our democracy and boost citizens confidence.
“On this note, The Defence For Human Rights And Democracy (DHRD), is calling on all other civil society organisations (CSOs) to mobilise, organise and push for a better electoral act amendment by the National Assembly”.
By: John Bibor