Politics

Wike Passionate About Rivers Dev – Don

Published

6 years ago

December 30, 2019

A university teacher, Ken Nweke, has lauded Governor Nyesom Wike over what he described as his passion in bringing about development in Rivers State, just as he called for the establishment of an Oil Minieral Areas Development Commission.
Nweke who is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, made the commendation when he appeared as guest on a live radio programme in Port Harcourt, monitored by The Tide.
He explained that establishment of such commission will enable the communities derive benefit from the oil resources on their land, noting that it was wrong to play politics with development.
According to him, “I want to advise further that the States in the Niger Delta should begin to buy into establishing Oil Mineral Areas Development Commission so that the 13 per cent that is coming to the States, same should be deployed to those areas so that the development in those communities that produce this thing that we are playing politics will have a part of it.
“How does politics that is playing out in the South-South affect these ones that actually produce the oil? If we have Oil Mineral Areas Development Commission spread around the states of the Niger Delta, it will also bring development to these ones that are suffering degradation, poverty and lack of infrastructure that we are talking about in the Niger Delta. That will also complement efforts at all levels,” he stated, noting that it was rather sad that States in the Niger Delta were interested in what comes to them as opposed to what also goes back to those areas that actually produce this oil,” he said.
The university don further backed Governor Wike for insisting that he will protect what belongs to the State, saying, “the contestation of who gets what, how and when as far as oil is concerned in the South-South, gave the right to protect what belongs to them.
“The Governor of Rivers State has the right to protect what belongs to Rivers State as he rightly says that he will not compromise what belongs to Rivers State and am in full support of that,” Dr. Nweke said.
Nweke further said though the Oil Mineral Areas Development Commission was in existence in Imo and Delta States, he expressed doubts as to the extent they were being funded by the States that created them.
“Since in the law today we have 13 per cent derivation to the States, the States can also make their own laws to establish this oil mineral areas development commission and take 13 per cent that comes into their coffers to deploy to these areas that actually produce this oil to enable government do what it ought to do, while the firms that are also engaged in development activities would ordinarily complement the activities of government.
“Going into 2020, the States in the region need to begin to sit and say how do we help to cushion the effect of underdevelopment in our region? Because I see the passion in the Governor of Rivers State in developing Rivers State. So he (Wike) can take a further step doing this and his name will be written in gold. It is not just establishing a commission without funding the commission or bringing men that have the passion.
“Let me give you an instance, the Governor of Rivers State has passion for the development of Rivers State. I am not just saying it, anybody can challenge me. Successive Governors too in Rivers State have also proven to also have passion for the development of Rivers State.
“If we have governors like our own that have passion to develop Rivers State, if as such a commission is also established, they will ensure that that commission live up to expectation. That DESOPADEC in Delta State failed, does not mean that if one is established in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River or Edo, or Bayelsa, that such commission will fail. If we have governors that have the political will to deliver like we have in Rivers State, such a commission will live up to its expectation,” Dr. Nweke stated.

Politics

LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

Published

8 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A former National Organising Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Clement Ojukwu, has expressed regret that the several legal cases brought against the party since the 2023 general elections have impacted the party’s performance.

Mr Ojukwu, who recently returned to the interim National Working Committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, noted that the party had 34 elected members in the House of Representatives, eight Senators, and 80 members at the state Houses of Assembly after the 2023 general elections.

“Now we lost all of them,” he said. “I don’t think we have as many as five members in the National Assembly.”

The former national officer of the LP talked to journalists in Abuja and said he chose to join the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi-Usman because they are now the officially recognized leaders of the Party.

“I chose to work with the caretaker committee to help save the Labour Party, for the benefit of the party. I also want to use this chance to ask my colleagues at the national, state, and local government levels to come together and help rebuild our party.

“Another election is around the corner. We lost everything we have. They have left to other political parties. So I’ll reach out to all my friends in the other group to get together and work on making this party stronger again.

“The caretaker committee has formed a reconciliation committee. Let’s come together and talk so that we can restore the first opposition political party in Nigeria.”

Mr Ojukwu, who was part of the Julius Abure’s group, said there are no more factions in the LP.

He added, “There is a court ruling, and since it is valid, the right people are in the correct positions.”

He urged Barr Abure and others to drop the legal cases they have filed because they are not helping the party.

“Litigations are killing political parties”, he said. “They’ve seen many political parties disappear because of legal battles, and the Labor Party is losing support every day, which makes me feel sad.”

Mr Ojukwu said he did not think joining the Senator Nenadi-Usman’s NWC was a betrayal of the Abure group, describing himself as “the oxygen” of that faction.

“I’m with this group because of the verdict. But I never betrayed anybody. Rather, I was betrayed,” he added.

Politics

2027: NIGERIANS FAULT INEC ON DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP REGISTER DIRECTIVE

Published

8 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A number of Nigerians have strongly criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its directive to all political parties in the country to submit digitalized membership register within 32 days.

It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following it’s reversed timetable, directed all political parties in the country to submit their digitalized membership registers within 32 days.

Speaking on the reversed timetable in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, respondents said the directive amounted to disqualifying opposition political parties from fielding candidates in all the elections next year.

They said if the directives by the commission is implemented, only the All Progressives Congress (APC) would participate in the elections since it started it’s digital membership registration since February, last year.

Responding, an elder statesman in Rivers State, Chief Sunnie Chukumele, said the revised timetable was okay, but the timeframe for submission of digital membership register was being made at the wrong time.

Chief Chukumele said, for the past two years, all opposition political parties have been battling various issues in court, adding that they did not have the time to embark on membership drive, talk less of digitalizing their membership registers.

“My reaction is that the only issue with this revised timetable is the timeframe given by INEC for parties to submit digitalize memberships register in all the states of the federation, while giving notice of Congresses and convention. That is not possible”, he said.

He said only the ruling APC is likely to meet up with the directive, since it began its registration since last year.

Chief Chukumele, who is also the National Coordinator of Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thought (CORSLOT), alleged that the directive of the electoral body may have been targeted to prevent other parties from fielding candidates for the elections next year.

“When you say all the parties should submit digitalized registers of membership in 32 days, how will that be possible to conclude it in 32 days”, he queried.

He noted that “APC used one year ago to do, so APC has one year in the kitty plus 30 days. This is highly regrettable”.

The CORSLOT national leader urged the election umpire to do away with stringent conditions that will make it hard for opposition political parties to field candidates in the elections.

Also speaking, Mr Jacob Enware from Edo State queried the rationale behind the directive, especially when some opposition political parties are still having cases in court.

In his words, ”What opposition political parties are you talking about, is Labour Party not in court or PDP that is yet to resolve their issues?

”For me, INEC should provide a level playing field for all, because aside the APC, no party can meet up this criteria.”

In his own response, Mr Nathaniel Ebere said he was not prepared to vote for anybody whether INEC provides a level playing field or not.

He alleged that his vote would not count, “so I will not waste my time”.

By: John Bibor

Politics

IT’S A LIE, G-5 GOVS DIDN’T WIN ELECTION FOR TINUBU – SOWUNMI

Published

8 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, has expressed reservations about the political stance of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, while calling for reconciliation among key party figures.

Otunba Sowunmi made the remarks during a television interview on Saturday, when asked about the relationship between Gov. Makinde and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.

He said, “I don’t believe Seyi Makinde. Because I know them all. I’ve been in this party since it was registered. And I’ve been loyal, faithful, diligent with this party from the get-go, and I’ve never left.”

He underscored his longstanding commitment to the PDP, referencing prominent figures who had exited the party at different times: “I’ve had the grace, and the honor, and the dignity of watching even my father, Obasanjo, shed his card. As much as I love him, I didn’t leave the party”.

He added, “I’ve had the privilege of watching my beloved senior brother, Governor Gbenga Daniel, leave the party a few times. As much as I respect his vision and his ideas, I’ve never left. I’ve watched my former principal, Atiku Abubakar, leave a few times. I’ve never left.”

Otunba Sowunmi stressed that his comments were rooted in deep involvement with the party: “So when I talk about PDP, I’m not talking as an outsider, I’m talking as one of their totems, who was actually carrying them.”

He disclosed that he wrote to Makinde during the governor’s last birthday, urging reconciliation among a bloc of five governors who had formed a movement during the 2023 elections.

“At Governor Seyi Makinde’s last birthday, I wrote him a letter where I tried to say, look, you guys, the five of you, succeeded to the extent of creating a movement of your own”, he said.

He added, “And you fought very hard to make a point in the 2023 election. Although I don’t believe you won the election for the president, that’s a lie. They contributed, but I hate when people take the glory of other people’s work.”

Otunba Sowunmi warned that unresolved differences among the group could weaken the party: “You guys, you must go back to your four friends, your five friends, and you guys go and sort it out. Because not sorting it out with your five friends is going to leave the party worse off.”

He added, “But now that you’re fighting, or you’re not agreeing with yourselves, why don’t you go back to that same energy that allowed you to agree, so that you can use that energy inside to agree, and then we can lead the party.”