Politics
Akawor Urges Buhari To Sign Electoral Bill
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Rivers State, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill to enable Nigerians have credible elections in 2023.
Speaking when he received members of the National PDP Professional and Business Group, (NPPBG), in his office , on Tuesday, Ambassador Akawor said that Nigerians were looking up to President Buhari to do the right thing by signing the bill to give the country a clear electoral direction.
The PDP state chairman also observed that the delay by the President to sign the bill into law was affecting the release of guidelines for the 2023 general elections by INEC.
He lamented that the same President Buhari who returned the Electoral Amendment Bill to the National Assembly after withholding assent and making observations on it was yet to sign the document after members of the National assembly concluded the amendment and sent it back to him.
“The same government that has two arms of the National Assembly which proposed an electoral law and you said no , there are issues that should be amended, and you sent it back to them. They have done the amendment and now you cannot sign. It is unbelievable. To INEC, it is even a dilemma. They don’t know how to bring up their time table. They just don’t understand. They are confused”.
“The APC too is confused, they don’t know what to do, they keep moving the convention from one month to the other. Now I hear it’s been shifted to March. I pray they don’t shift it again. For us as a party , we’ve already conducted our own, officers have emerged and Dr. Iyorchia Ayu is our National chairman.
“All we are battling now is to do the zoning and have our Presidential candidate ready for the race”.
The State PDP chairman who reitreated that the PDP in Rivers State and South South were demanding that the Presidency must come back to the South, said that the zone would decide which part should produce the presidency after it had been zoned to it.
According to him, the North cannot insist on another four years after somebody from there has ruled the country for eight years.
He stressed the need for a radical, bold and sincere leader who would rescue the country out of its present predicament, saying that somebody like Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State is the right person for the Presidency in 2023.
“I hosted some National Executives of IPAC and after taking them on a tour of the projects executed by the Government, they were asking what are we doing in this county, why are we deceiving ourselves. Nigerians should go and tell Nyesom Wike to run for the President.
“Whether we like it or not we are in a situation in this county where we need somebody who is radical and who takes “A” as A and “B” as B. Wike is somebody if he says let’s build a road from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri it will be built. We are rolling ourselves on the ground as a nation, the day we realise ourselves we will stand up and move”.
While assuring members of the National PDP Professionals and Business group of the readiness of the party to work with them, considering their enormous support and critical roles played for the party, particularly in area of advice, Ambassador Akawor urged them to organise seminars to sensitize the public on development issues.
“I want to sincerely thank you for the visit. For us the door remains open to you and we will want to continue to engage with you. If it is possible for us to have at least a small seminar with this group, the party will support you because if you don’t say I am here, nobody will say you are there. Let us work together to rescue Nigeria from excruciating pains”.
The PDP chairman also spoke very highly of Governor Nyesom Wike’s leadership in River State, emphasising that the Governor had greatly transformed the state through the execution of impactful and people-oriented projects.
‘“You don’t know a man until you give him opportunity. Nyesom Wike is a man of character. He has done excellently so well that some of us marvelled at the strength and knowledge God has bestowed on him. He has restored what Rivers State people used to be on the national scene and also given honour and respect to the PDP”.
He said there was no LGA that he could not mention at least three projects that the administration had done either in road construction, Healthcare, Education, Judiciary or Sports, adding that “the governor has left legacies of infrastructural revolution in the state”.
Earlier, the Rivers State Coordinator, National PDP Professional and Business Group, Hon. John Pascal Nalley, had said that they were at the PDP Secretariat to introduce themselves and pledged their readiness to continue to work with him for the growth of the party in the state.
Hon. Nalley called on professionals in all sectors of society to play active role in politics, noting that their expertise in people’s behaviour and resource management should be better appreciated and utilised.
He maintained that if government embraced the invaluable expertise, and experience of professional groups, development would thrive in society.
The group congratulated Akawor on his emergence as the State PDP Chairman, stressing that his ability to unite all stalwarts of the party to believe in a united Rivers State was unprecedented.
Hon. Nally also commended Governor Wike for his outstanding projects across the state, saying that his efforts had helped in making the work of the State party chairman easier.
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”
Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.