Politics

Wike Pledges More Support To Legionnaires

Published

6 years ago

January 20, 2020

Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebrated last week nationwide and issues relating to Nigerian War Heroes and the welfare of their families, dominated activities in Government House, Port Harcourt , last week.
At the Jumaat Service to kick off the celebration penultimate Friday, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, declared the commitment of his administration to work with the armed forces to promote security of lives and property.
Represented at the service by his Special Adviser, Mohamed Aribitonye, the Rivers State Governor commended the armed forces for their contributions and promised that Rivers State Government will continue to support ex-servicemen and the families left behind by war heroes who paid the supreme price defending the country.
Governor Wike led officials of the state government to an interdenominational church service marking the 2020 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration at St Peter’s Anglican Church, Rumuepirikom, penultimate Sunday where he implored members of Nigerian Armed Forces to be professional and apolitical
Speaking at the wreath laying ceremony Wednesday at Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt, the Governor called on Nigerians to unite and motivate Nigerian Armed Forces to defeat the insurgents in the Northeast.
He donated the sum of N100 million for the scholarship of children of fallen heroes to university level and directed Secretary to Rivers State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, to work out modalities on how the state government could further support the Nigerian Legion and soldiers of Rivers State origin who paid the ultimate price.
Recall that last December, Rivers State Government organised an Emblem Appeal Fund Launch at Obi Wali International Conference Center, Port Harcourt for the benefit of the state chapter of the Nigerian Legion.
Chairman, Rivers State Command of the body, Justice Chichi, praised Governor Wike for his extraordinary kindness towards the welfare and support of ex-servicemen and families of fallen heroes.
Also last week, civil servants in the state had reason to celebrate as Governor Wike officially approved the immediate implementation of N30,000 minimum wage and consequential adjustments as approved by the Federal Government.
Another major event in Government House within the week under review was the visit of the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare 11 to Governor Wike.
The Oba who led other traditional rulers from Edo on the visit, appreciated the cordial relationship existing between the people of Edo and the people of Rivers State.
He stated that his visit was in line with the tradition established by his late father aimed at strengthening friendly and close relationship between the peoples, noting that history has it that some of the tribes in Rivers State, as Ikwerre, Ahoada and Omoku, among others traced their ancestry to Benin.
He lauded Governor Wike for the huge progress made in the state, stressing that the Governor remained one person he listened to with passion whenever on news.
In his response, Governor Wike thanked the Oba for the visit and remarked that Benin culture is a source of pride in the sense that it remains intact in the face of Western incursion that has influenced other traditions in the country.
He urged the Oba to initiate regular interactions with other traditional rulers in the region to protect the cultural heritage and development in the region.
Still last week , a delegation of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) was in Brick House on a courtesy visit to the Rivers State Governor.
NMA President, Dr Francis Faduyile, excited by the impressive performance of Governor Wike, described the Governor as the Doyen of Infrastructural Development In Nigeria”.
Represented by the association’s Vice President, Dr Ofem Enang, the President commended the cordial relationship existing between the state government and NMA.
He said that the visit was to intimate the Governor about the forthcoming Nigerian Medical Doctors Games to be hosted in Port Harcourt and solicited for the Governor’s support.

Chris Oluoh

Politics

LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

Published

1 day 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

1 day 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

1 day 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.”