Politics

‘Igbos Unite Against Criminality’

Published

5 years ago

November 15, 2020

A peace parley between the Rivers State Government and Ndigbos last Sunday, set the tone for events in Government House, Port Harcourt, last week.
The five state governments in the zone were represented in the meeting by either their Governors or Deputy Governors. President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo and other notable personalities of Igbo ethnic nationality were present in the peace meeting.
According to the Chairman of South-Eastern Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, the meeting was requested by the forum and approved by the Governor of Rivers State to seek for peace over the crisis in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State and rumours that Governor Wike was chasing Ibos out of his state because he hates them.
However, when the Ibos living in the state were called to explain how they were being treated in the state, it was commendations and praises on how Governor Wike- led government had treated them as if they were Rivers people.
Governor Wike said Rivers State is home to the Ibos, because of the enduring relationship it has with them and that such cordial co-existence would continue.
He explained that the outlawed Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra (IPOB) killed six soldiers, four policemen, burnt all police stations and court buildings in Oyigbo and that the crisis that ensued led to imposition of curfew by the state government.
He said that the state had nothing against the Ibos but warned them not to take laws into their hands as was done by IPOB, so as to avoid the wrath of the law.
The forum Chairman, Governor Umahi and the President- General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, decried the criminal activities of IPOB and said they were not representing the Ibos. They praised Governor Wike for taking the Ibos in Rivers as his and urged Ibos to be peaceful and to respect the laws of the state.
Also last week, Gov Wike approved the re-opening of the Ikokwu Spare Parts Market.
He however, ordered that security agencies would remain in the area till future notice.
Within the week under review, more prominent politicians defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
A former Director of Finance and Administration in the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC), Henry Ogiri who led those that defected said they were motivated to return to PDP because of the quality of people- oriented projects embarked upon by Governor Wike.
Another major event last week in Brick House was the signing of Executive Order prohibiting street trading, illegal market and motor park around the newly commissioned Rebisi Flyover Bridge.
The Executive Order is titled: “ Executive Order RVSG- 23 202 Pursuant to Sections 1, 3 and 9 of the Rivers State Street Trading, Illegal Markets and Motor Parks (Prohibition) Law 2019.
Also last week , Governor Wike declared open the 2020/2021 Legal Year of the Rivers State Judiciary in Port Harcourt.
At a special court session, part of the activities organised to mark the event open, Governor Wike took a swipe at the Chairman of the Port Harcourt branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Prince Nyekwere for alleging that some persons were extrajudicially killed by the military in the aftermath of IPOB killing of six soldiers, four policemen, and destroyed police stations and court buildings.
He wondered why the NBA that was yet to make a former submission to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the State Government to probe the attrocities of the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) would without evidence allege extrajudicial killings in Oyigbo.
Governor Wike lauded the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Adama Lamikanra for her commitment to the progress of the judiciary in the state.

By: Chris Oluoh

Politics

LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

Published

5 days 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

5 days 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

5 days 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.”