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Guber Election Petition: We Expected Victory At Supreme Court -Wike …Says Petition, Exercise In Futility …As Awara Concedes Defeat
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has emphasised that he expected the confirmation of his re-election by the Supreme Court because the governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Engineer Biokpomabo Awara couldn’t have won an election he did not contest.
In an interview at the weekend, the governor said that from the very beginning, there was no issue because the AAC candidate posed no problem, since he was unknown to Rivers people.
Wike said he only got to know of Biokpomabo Awara about two days to the election, because such a person never existed in the political lexicon of Rivers State.
The governor said: “I expected the confirmation because the law is clear. The man who is challenging us never contested any election. So, he couldn’t have won. It is so painful, but what do you do?
“It is part of life, if he really ran election with us; one can say there could be a problem. A man that I never knew till a few days to the election, how would it have been that the man won the election? So, I expected that the court would do the right thing, which they did”, he stressed.
Wike expressed confidence in the capacity of the Judiciary to always act in the best interest of the nation’s democracy.
He said even though nobody expects perfection, the Judiciary has continued to perform her constitutional responsibilities.
The governor said: “We give God all the glory. Some of us have confidence in the Judiciary, even though you can’t expect perfection. That does not mean that they have not done well. So, I am happy what happened on Friday at the Supreme Court.
“We give God all the glory that all through, He has been on our side for us to continue to do what we are supposed to do for the people of Rivers State. God has given us the opportunity to deliver more dividends of democracy according to the will of Rivers people”, he stated.
Wike said his training as a lawyer has helped him to promote the rule of law at all times, adding that the rule of law was the cornerstone of good governance.
He said: “You don’t talk of governance but you talk of rule of law. When people talk about governance, we talk about accountability. You can’t talk about all these things without adhering to the tenets of the rule of law. So, my training as a lawyer gives me the background that I must follow due process. What the law says, you must adhere, whether it is against you or not.
“The rule of law is very much the backbone of getting to the root of democracy. So, as a lawyer, I feel happy that it has helped me, moulded me, and as my backbone to say, look you have to do what is right.”
Wike said the relative security being enjoyed in the state was a product of investment of the state government and the contributions of all stakeholders.
“It has to do with collective efforts of every stakeholder: the security agencies and the people. If the people are not with you, it will be difficult for you to try to curb insecurity. If the security agencies are not willing to fight insecurity, it will be difficult because one, I am not a security personnel. Mine is to give the necessary logistics to see that they curb these miscreants to the point that they will know that here is not comfortable for them, and this is what the security agencies are doing.
“After the 2019 general election, the security agencies in the state have been working with us, the synergy is so tight, that is why we are achieving what we achieving. It is not a one-man show”, he said.
It would be recalled that the Supreme Court had upheld the victory of Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, in the 2019 gubernatorial election.
The apex court, in a judgment delivered by a panel of three Justices, last Friday, upheld Wike’s appeal against the decision of the Court of Appeal which reinstated the petition of the candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Engineer Biokpomabo Awara.
The Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had earlier in October dismissed the petition of AAC candidate, Awara, declaring Wike winner of the poll, which was later challenged by the AAC candidate at the Court of Appeal.
On Friday, the Supreme Court, in a landmark judgment by three Justices led by Justice Inyang Okoro, ruled that hearing of an abandoned petition amounted to no other purpose than academic, adding that the hearing was an exercise in futility.
Earlier, the apex court also upheld Wike’s appeal against Awara with appeal number SC1111/2019 over a judgment by the lower court dismissing the appeal by the governor over the appointment of counsel to Awara, to file court processes.
Speaking after the judgment, Counsel to Wike, Barrister Ferdinand Orbih, SAN, noted that the two judgments were landmark pronouncements by the Supreme Court.
“Across all the tribunals in the country, the issue has always been what is the relationship between the power of the tribunal to dismiss the petition that has been abandoned vis-a-vis the constitutional provision that says that interlocutory matters bothering on jurisdiction must wait until the final judgment.
“That is the issue that was resolved by the Supreme Court today that when an issue is abandoned, you don’t have to wait until the final judgment before the tribunal can pronounce on it that you are dismissing this petition because it has been abandoned,” he said.
Orbih noted that by the two judgments, the matter filed by the AAC in Rivers State has received its final nail on its coffin, its dead and buried forever.
Reacting to the judgment, Counsel to the AAC, Barrister Henry Bello, disclosed that the two judgments delivered by the Supreme Court cover six appeals namely, SC1111/2019 covers SC1113/2019 and SC1121/2019, adding that the appeal for SC1112/2019 covers SC1114/2019 and SC1122/2019, respectively.
Bello said “the first judgment has to do with abuse of process. At the tribunal in Port Harcourt, there was appeal against a decision of the tribunal at the same time, the same thing in the appeal was also sought to be rectified by the tribunal in another application.
“Our contention at the tribunal was that it was an abuse of court process, and that it should be dismissed. The tribunal agreed with us and dismissed that. They went on appeal to the Court of Appeal in appeal number CA/PH/EPT/375/2019, and the Court of Appeal disagreed with the tribunal that it was not an abuse of court process.
“Today, the Supreme Court has upheld our position that it was an abuse of court process. And moving forward, there was a decision of the Supreme Court on 15th of October in appeal number 1120 where the Supreme Court upheld the appointment of my humble self as counsel to AAC.”
He noted that based on the judgment, counsel to Awara, Festus could not file processes on his behalf anymore, but, however, noted that the counsel defiantly continued to file processes even after he had taken over the conduct of proceedings pursuant to the business of Order 9 Rule 35 of the Federal High Court Rules which is applicable by virtue of paragraph 52 of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act.
“And so, we contended that it was wrong. So, the Supreme Court has by this judgement now set aside all those processes filed on my behalf, and held that those processes were filed in abuse of court process.
“The final judgment in 1112 applies to two other related appeals. In that one, because of the judgment in 1111 that processes filed on my behalf were null and void, one of such processes was application for issuance of the hearing notice filed again on my behalf without my instruction, consent or authority.
“The Supreme Court has today agreed that those processes were null and void, and there was no application for issuance of pre-hearing notice. Now, that has to do with the purpose of paragraph 18 of the First Schedule of the Electoral Act, which says within seven days of completing of pleadings, you must apply for pre-hearing notice to be issued.
“Then, paragraph 18 (4) says if you don’t apply, then your petition is abandoned, and it will be dismissed. Now, Section 285 of the Constitution says you cannot raise an objection to the competence of an election petition.
“So, the contention of Awara is because of Section 285, paragraph 18 is inconsistent with the provision of Section 285 of the Constitution. Supreme Court has told us today that both of them are consistent; they are procedural; one does not offend the other.
“If paragraph 18 had offended Section 285, then, the right given to the tribunal to dismiss a petition that is not properly prosecuted would not have been there. But the Supreme Court has today held that you must be diligent in the prosecution of your election petition. If you are not diligent, the tribunal has the right to dismiss it.
“This is the first judgment in respect of that, and is a serious precedence that will assist us in all election petitions in the country moving forward,” Henry noted.
However, the Governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), in the March 9 governorship election in Rivers State, Engr. Biokpomabo Awara, has accepted the Supreme Court judgment which upheld the victory of Governor Nyesom Wike, and finally confirmed him as the duly elected governor of Rivers State.
Awara reacted to the apex court’s verdict in a statement he issued and signed personally, last Saturday, in which he conceded defeat, congratulated the governor, and prayed for the peace and progress of the state.
He claimed that, “Some party men with unholy and unpatriotic desires clothed with tainted hands overtly worked for Governor Nyesom Wike at the tribunal and all through the appeal process”.
Awara then expressed his indebtedness to Transportation Minister, Chibuike Amaechi and his APC family in Rivers State that adopted him as their governorship candidate in the 2019 general election.
“From the depth of my heart, I say thank you a million times to Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and his APC family in Rivers State as silver and gold, I don’t have to repay them for what they have done to me. It is my humble prayers that God should guide and guard their footsteps unto eternity,” Awara prayed.
The statement titled, “Thank You For Your Support And Prayers”, reads: “It is with joy and happiness that I write to say, ‘thank you’ Rivers people for your doggedness and patient as we together fought through this battle to save Rivers State.
“Just yesterday, the Supreme Court upheld the victory of Governor Nyesom Wike and upturned our collective efforts to liberate Rivers State… But God knows the best.
“The Supreme Court, in their wisdom, set aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal and technically upheld Governor Wike’s victory. Indeed, it’s on good record that my party (AAC) was infiltrated with greed and corruption, and thus, some party men with unholy and unpatriotic desires clothed with tainted hands overtly worked for Governor Wike at the tribunal and all through the appeal process. In the light of the foregoing, the petition I filed was withdrawn.
“Though we lost, but my happiness is that our fight was a good fight of faith….
“Let me also use this opportunity to thank all my party members who stood by me during these trying times and were able to overcome all temptations despite the hunger in the land. But God willing, we fought till the end.
“I wish to encourage you all to continue to be law abiding and pray to God to give us a better and another opportunity to make Rivers people proud again.
“Once more I say thank you all.”
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Fubara Pledges Support For Corporate Organisations In Rivers …Says PPP Business Model Responsible For NLNG’s Success
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has pledged the continued support of his administration for the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited.
Fubara gave the assurance while receiving the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NLNG, Mr Adeleye Falade, who paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt.
He assured that his administration would continue to contribute its own quota in support of the NLNG.
According to him, the success of the organisation is equally the success of the government of Rivers State and the success of the Federal Government.
“Our duty is to make sure that we support whoever is operating in our state. We are the ones here. If we don’t support you and you don’t succeed, we also will not succeed and Mr President will also not succeed.
“So, the success of your establishment is the success of our state, and overall success of Nigeria. So you can count on our support. Wherever you think we need to come in to support you, please do not hesitate to call upon us.
“You just mentioned here that your predecessor left a handover note showcasing the level of support that he got from the state. It is not going to be different in your own case. I can assure you that. I will also ensure that other units of the government will liaise with you when necessary. So even if you can’t get to me, you can always get to them and if there is anything we can do to help your establishment succeed, we will do it for you,” he said.
The governor attributed the success of the NLNG to the Public Private Partnership ( PPP) business model adopted by the Federal Government and the multinational oil companies.
The NLNG is jointly owned by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) with 49%, Shell Gas B.V. with 25.6%, Total LNG Nigeria Ltd with 15%, and Eni International with 10.4%.
The partnership model allows for shared risks, costs, and expertise in the LNG sector.
The governor noted that the NLNG has not only survived the difficult business environment but has made sustained progress in the nearly three decades of its existence.
According to him, the decision of the Federal Government to allow the multinational oil companies who have the needed expertise to run the establishment while government plays a supervisory role over it has largely been responsible for its success.
“I’m very proud to say that if there is one establishment that has shown resilience, that has survived in the face of all the political issues prevalent in this country, it is the NLNG. And what is the reason? The reason is very simple. Government has no business in business. That is the truth. Leave the business for those people who can operate it. Let the government play its supervisory role to ensure that there is compliance with the laws; ensure that standards are maintained and also ensure that the right people with the needed expertise are at the helm of affairs. That’s all. I think that is the reason why we still record a lot of successes in NLNG,” he said.
In his opening remark, the new NLNG boss, Mr Adeleye Falade, who led other top officials of the company on the visit, expressed appreciation to the governor for granting them audience, and appealed to the State Government to continue to support the organisation.
“We appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and deepen this important relationship.We deeply value the support the Rivers State Government continues to extend in fostering an enabling operating environment for businesses. NLNG remains deliberate in its contribution to Nigeria’s development, and Rivers State, our primary host, continues to be central to that commitment,” he said.
Falade said the company has continued to work with its host communities to strengthen their capacity to identify, prioritise, and deliver sustainable development initiatives that create lasting impact.
According to him, communities including Amadi-ama, Abua, Ekpeye, Okrika, Kalabari, and Emohua have continued to benefit from this model.
He said that beyond community infrastructure, the NLNG has sustained investments in economic empowerment through initiatives such as Vocational Innovation and Business Empowerment Scheme (VIBES) and Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) schemes.
These, he said, were designed to support small businesses, build capacity, and stimulate local enterprise across the state.
Among officials of the company who accompanied the Managing Director were General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Dr Sophia Horsfall; Manager, Government Relations, Mr Abdul Umar; Manager, Community Relations, Dr. Yemi Adeyemi; Head of Government Relations, Mr Mike Igoni; Head of Community Liaison and Engagement, Chief Ifeanyi Umeh.
Others are Technical Assistant to Executive Leadership, Mr Hassan Saleh; Senior Media and Publicity Advisor, Mr Emma Nwatu; Government Relations Advisor, Miss Homa Nmegbu; Senior Government Relations Advisor, Mrs Kate Allison, and Audio -Visual Advisor, Mr Dawood Ahmed.
The Federal Government has reassured Nigerians and the international community of the country’s stability following a recent advisory by the United States authorising the departure of non-emergency personnel from its embassy in Abuja.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this in a statement issued yesterday by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim.
According to the minister, public institutions across the country remain fully operational, with no disruption to governance, economic activities, or daily life.
This followed the decision of the United States Mission in Nigeria to suspend visa appointments at its Embassy in Abuja.
The mission’s decision was contained in a post shared on its official X handle, yesterday.
It stated, “U.S. Embassy Abuja is closed for visa appointments. Applicants should check their email for details on rescheduled appointments.”
The mission, however, clarified that visa operations at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos remain ongoing.
The development comes amid a broader security advisory issued by the United States, which authorised the departure of non-emergency staff from its Abuja embassy and expanded its Nigeria travel blacklist to 23 states.
The State Department issued the authorised departure order on Tuesday, alongside an updated travel advisory that added Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger and Taraba to its highest warning category, “Do Not Travel.”
While the overall advisory rating for Nigeria remains at Level 3, “Reconsider Travel,” the department warned that some areas face increased risks due to crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping and limited healthcare availability.
According to the advisory, Americans are often targeted for kidnapping and robbery, while terrorist attacks continue to pose a threat across multiple locations, including markets, religious centres, hotels and public gatherings.
It also raised concerns about the state of emergency healthcare in the country, noting that hospitals often require immediate cash payments, ambulance services are unreliable and poorly equipped, and blood supply systems are inconsistent.
Medical facilities in Nigeria, the advisory said, generally do not meet United States or European standards, adding that evacuation may be necessary in medical emergencies.
The advisory further urged US citizens in Nigeria to enrol in the Smart Traveller Enrollment Programme, avoid large gatherings, vary their routines and maintain evacuation plans that do not depend on US government assistance.
It also recommended that individuals establish “proof of life” protocols with family members in the event of kidnapping.
The blacklist is divided into regional clusters. Borno, Kogi, Yobe and northern Adamawa remain under the terrorism, crime and kidnapping category, with the State Department warning that terrorist groups continue to plan and carry out attacks, sometimes in collaboration with local gangs.
For Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara, the advisory points to widespread banditry, communal clashes and kidnapping, while noting that security operations may occur without warning.
In the South-East and Niger Delta, states including Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo and Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt) are flagged for crime, kidnapping and civil unrest, with armed gangs and violent protests posing significant risks.
The latest update added Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger and Taraba to the “Do Not Travel” list, citing the spread of insecurity into new regions, particularly in the Middle Belt where farmer-herder conflicts have intensified.
The advisory described the security situation in these newly added states as unstable and unpredictable, with counter-operations by security forces likely to occur without prior notice.
Idris, however, described the US advisory as a routine precaution based on internal protocols, stressing that it does not reflect the overall security situation in the country.
“While we acknowledge isolated security challenges in some areas, there is no general breakdown of law and order, and the vast majority of the country remains stable,” Idris said.
He noted that ongoing security operations have recorded measurable gains across several regions, attributing the progress to coordinated military efforts, intelligence-led interventions, and strengthened inter-agency collaboration.
“Our security agencies remain actively engaged in protecting lives and property, and the results of these efforts are increasingly evident,” he added.
According to the minister, recent operations have disrupted criminal networks, curtailed the activities of armed groups, and improved safety in vulnerable communities.
Idris also maintained that Nigeria remains open for business, travel, and investment, adding that ongoing economic reforms are strengthening investor confidence and enhancing the country’s global standing.
He said, “International partners and investors continue to engage actively with Nigeria, reflecting confidence in the country’s stability and long-term prospects.”
The minister urged foreign governments to ensure that their advisories reflect current realities and ongoing progress in the country.
“We encourage our international partners to continuously engage with Nigerian authorities to obtain a more comprehensive and current understanding of the situation on the ground,” he said.
The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to sustaining security improvements and ensuring the safety of citizens and visitors, assuring that Nigeria remains a safe and welcoming destination.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, yesterday extended interim relief measures to the people of Bille Kingdom as the government intensifies efforts to address the ongoing environmental degradation affecting the area.
This was contained in a statement by the Head of Information and Public Relations Unit, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Juliana Masi, yesterday.
The governor, during a working visit to Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area, reassured residents of his deep concern for their health and well-being.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to finding a lasting solution to the persistent gas emissions observed in the community’s land and water sources since November 2025.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dagogo Wokoma, the governor announced immediate interventions to address urgent needs.
Some of the relief measures include the provision of potable water and essential medical services through the release of ?100 million as palliative support for the affected community.
According to the SSG, “Governor Fubara remains deeply committed to the welfare of the people of Bille Kingdom. Although unable to attend in person due to pressing state engagements, he is fully aware of the situation and determined to tackle the root cause of the environmental challenge”.
The governor assured residents that the state government would not relent in its efforts to provide a permanent solution to the gas emissions, emphasizing that the current intervention is only a temporary measure to ease the suffering of the people.
He further urged members of the community to remain law-abiding and continue supporting his administration, noting that he has consistently demonstrated a track record of fulfilling his promises.
Earlier, the Chairman, Council of Chief for Bille Kingdom, Chief Bennet Dokubo, expressed joy over the State visit, describing Fubara as a leader who listens to the plight of the people.
He urged the governor to critically look into the gas emission which he described as dangerous to human health.
“If we take you into the river, we notice that the entire environment is bubbling and smelling.
“We most humbly urge you to critically look into this situation. This is something strange we have never experienced before. It is not good for human health,” the monarch stressed.