Politics

Wike Imposes Curfew To Check Security Breaches

Published

5 years ago

May 3, 2021

Security dorminated affairs last week in Government House, Port Harcourt. The State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, who made state broadcast twice within the week, imposed a dust-to-dawn curfew restricting human and vehecular movements.
In a state broadcast last Tuesday, Governor Wike announced a night curfew from 8.00 pm to 6.00 am with effect from Wednesday, April 28, 2021.
The Governor explained that the curfew became necessary following the gruesome murder of security personnel on duty penultimate Saturday by some yet-to-be identified blood-thirsty gunmen along Port Harcourt-Owerri Express Way and another similar attack at Abua in Abua/Odual Local Government Area by unknown gunmen which also led to the death of officers and men of Nigerian Army.
“ Consequently, a night curfew is hereby imposed and no person or vehicle is allowed into or out of Rivers State from 8.00 pm to 6.00 am from tomorrow (Wednesday) April 28, 2021 until further notice”, he said.
Governor Wike who was compelled to make another broadcast last Thursday said after a review of the security situation, the security council observed that there was possibility of further deadly attack in the state, hence, the state government had to impose a dust-to-dawn curfew prohibiting human and vehecular movements from 10.00 pm to 6.00 am with effect from 29 April, 2021.
Wike who condemned the unwarranted attacks, demanded that the perpetrators of the attacks be fished out and brought to justice.
On Tuesday last week, the Governor had an interactive session with traditional rulers, political and opinion leaders of Andoni Nationality and stated that the security situation and the unchallenged killings of innocent citizens by outlaws in parts of the country were a clear manifestation of bad leadership.
He charged the delegation to collectively work with the state government to tackle the issue of insecurity in Andoni.
The State Chief Executive assured that the Andoni axis of the Ogoni-Opobo-Andoni Unity Road would be completed by August,2021.
The Okan Ama of Ikuru Town, King Aaron Ikuru, who spoke on behalf of the delegation, said they were in Government House to seek intervention of the state government in the security challenges in Andoni.
Also last week, Governor Wike hosted a delegation from the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Government House Port Harcourt. The Governor attributed the huge success in reducing the rate of malaria infection and HIV/AIDS among the people to the robust partnership between the state government and WHO.
He further remarked that the issuance of Polo free status certificate of clearance to Nigeria was made possible because of the partnership with WHO. He also listed some of the major achievements of his administration in the health sector and expressed surprise that the Health Contributory Bill had not been brought to him to sign into law.
WHO representative to Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi, commended Governor Wike for the remarkable leadership he had continued to provide in the fight against COVID-19 in Rivers State, pointing out that it was leaders like Wike who were committed to counterpart funding that had improved health indices in the country.
Also within the week under review, Governor Wike was honoured with “ Governor Of The Year In Infrastructural Development”, by the Independent Newspapers Limited.
At the event which took place at the Convention Centre, Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos , over the weekend, the Managing Director, Independent Newspapers Limited, Mr Steve Omanufeme, said that Governor Wike had used the construction of roads and other infrastructure to expand the economy of the state.
The State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, who represented Gov Wike at the event thanked the management of Independent Newspapers for recognising the developmental strides of the Rivers State Governor.
Nsirim noted that within the last six years, Gov Wike has redefined governance by embarking on people oriented projects across the 23 local government areas of the state even in the face of COVID-19 which is slowing down governance across the globe.

The former Vice President , Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Gov of Nasarawa State, Engr Abdullahi Sule, Gombe State Governor, Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya, and Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku also received awards .

Another major event in Brick House, last week was the Workers’ Day celebration which was celebrated at the Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt last Saturday.

Gov Wike who was represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, charged workers in the state to be part of the success story of his administration.

The Governor assured workers of the State Government’s willingness to look into their demands when properly channelled as was done in the recent Tripartite Committee meetings.

By: Chris Oluoh

Politics

LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

Published

2 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

2 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

2 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.”