News

2023: Southern Govs Insist On Zoning Presidency To South

Published

4 years ago

May 4, 2022

The Southern Governors have insisted that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), must thread the path of equity by zoning the presidency to the Southern part of the country.
Chairman of the Southern Governor’s Forum and Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, in a statement personally signed by him in Akure, insisted that, “It is the turn of the Southern part of the country to produce the next President”.
The statement was entitled, “OUR PARTY, APC, MUST TREAD THE PATH OF EQUITY”.
Akeredolu, also said the leadership of the party should have no difficulty in making a pronouncement on the power shift to the Southern part of the country.
According to him “The party leadership should have no difficulty in making a pronouncement on this very important issue, just as it has fixed various fees for the purchase of forms.
“This must be done without delay. The principle of Federal Character is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, as amended. It will be disingenuous for anyone to argue against rotation at this period.
“We must not keep our party men and women guessing on the position of the leadership of the party. This is the time to weigh in and take control of the process.
“No statement must suggest, even remotely, that the party harbours certain sentiments which may predispose it to consider throwing the contest open. This is certainly not the time for equivocation. EQUITY DICTATES THAT WE TAKE A STAND”.
The statement further reads, “Our party, the All Progressives Congress, has started the process which will eventually culminate in the presentation of elected political leaders, who must steer the affairs of the country for another term. We have been able to hold the party’s convention successfully.
“New officers of the party have emerged in a process that is widely acknowledged as rancour-free.
“The level of understanding and maturity displayed by all and sundry has been commendable. Known adversaries have been forced to accept the emerging fact that our party is formidable and ready for the next general elections.
“The current socio-economic crises are surmountable. It is commendable that the government is addressing these issues without drama. The Federal Government and leadership of our great party will come out stronger. We cannot, therefore, afford any internal bickering which holds the potential promise of causing distrust and militating against cohesion, harmony and the zeal to achieve set objectives.
“The current democratic dispensation is anchored on the unwritten convention driven by a principle of equity.
“Political expediency dictates, more appealingly, that while adhering to the spirit and letters of the laws guiding the conduct of elections and succession to political offices, we must do nothing which is capable of tilting the delicate balance against the established arrangement which guarantees peace and promotes trust.
“Our party just elected officers on the established principle of giving every part of the country an important stake in the political calculus.
“The focus has now shifted to the process which will culminate in the participation of our party in the general elections scheduled for next year.
“All lovers of peace and freedom must do everything to eschew tendencies which may predispose them to take decisions which promote distrust and lead to a crisis, the end of which nobody may be able to predict.
“The leadership of the party ensured that the principle of rotational representation guided its decision at the just-concluded convention.
“The party chairmanship position has gone to the North. All other offices have been filled on this understanding. This is the time the leaders of the party must make a categorical statement, devoid of equivocation, on the pattern of succession.
“The party Executive Committee has fixed a fee for the purchase of the nomination form for the office.
“It is expected, fervently, that it will proceed to complete the process by limiting the propensities for disagreement to a region for possible micro-management. It is very expedient that we avoid self-inflicted crises before the general election”.
The governor’s declared that “It is the turn of the Southern part of the country to produce the next president. The party leadership should have no difficulty in making a pronouncement on this very important issue, just as it has fixed various fees for the purchase of forms”.

News

HoS Hails Fubara Over Provision of Accommodation for Permanent Secretaries

Published

3 days ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

The Head of Service (HoS) of Rivers State, Dr. Mrs. Inyingi S. I. Brown, has commended Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, for approving befitting accommodation for Permanent Secretaries in the state.

This commendation was contained in a press release made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt.

According to the Head of Service, Governor Fubara has continued to demonstrate uncommon commitment to the welfare of civil servants in Rivers State, stressing that such gestures underscore his people-oriented leadership style. She urged civil servants across the state to remain supportive of the governor’s administration in order to sustain good governance and effective public service delivery.

Speaking on behalf of the Body of Permanent Secretaries, Dr. Brown congratulated Governor Fubara on the occasion of his 51st birthday, describing him as “a Governor who leads by serving.”

She further praised the governor’s service-driven and people-centred leadership approach, noting that it has significantly contributed to institutional stability and improved efficiency within the state’s public service. Special appreciation was expressed for the approval of a befitting accommodation complex for Permanent Secretaries, which she said reflects the governor’s commitment to staff welfare and enhanced productivity.

As part of activities to mark the governor’s birthday, the Body of Permanent Secretaries announced the sponsorship of 329 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms for indigent students across the state.

A breakdown of the initiative shows that 319 forms will be distributed across the 319 political wards in Rivers State, while five forms are allocated to non-indigenes and five forms to persons living with disabilities.

Interested applicants are advised to contact the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, for further details.

The Body of Permanent Secretaries wished Governor Fubara continued good health, divine wisdom, and greater accomplishments in his service to the people of Rivers State.

By John Bibor

News

Allegation of Disrespect to President Tinubu Unfounded — Rivers Government

Published

3 days ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to a statement credited to an acclaimed Rivers State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), purportedly authored by one Bestman Innocent Amadi, alleging that the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, removed the official portrait of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from the Government House, Port Harcourt.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Rivers State Government wishes to categorically state that there is no policy, directive, or intention on the part of the government or the Governor that disrespects the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or undermines the authority of the Federal Government.

On the contrary, the Rivers State Government, under the leadership of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, currently enjoys a robust, cordial, and collaborative relationship with the Federal Government, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Renewed Hope Agenda—a partnership that is already yielding positive and tangible benefits for the people of Rivers State.

Consequently, the insinuation that the Governor acted out of “ingratitude” or “disrespect” is misleading, irresponsible, inflammatory, and entirely unsupported by verifiable facts, and should therefore be disregarded by the public.

It is regrettable that a body expected to promote youth unity, peace, and responsible engagement would resort to incendiary language, personal attacks, and unsubstantiated claims capable of overheating the polity at a time when Rivers State requires calm, dialogue, and mature leadership.

The Rivers State Government therefore calls on well-meaning members of the public, particularly its esteemed and hardworking youths, to disregard and dissociate themselves from individuals or groups bent on advancing divisive rhetoric and falsehoods for political purposes.

Rivers State belongs to all of us. Political differences must never be allowed to override truth, civility, peace, and the collective pursuit of progress.

Members of the public are further urged to remain vigilant and avoid lending credence to inflammatory statements or the activities of fifth columnists pursuing dubious agendas aimed at sowing discord.

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News

Rivers Government Dismisses Allegations of Disrespect to President Tinubu

Published

3 days ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has dismissed as unfounded and misleading allegations that Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara removed the official portrait of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the Government House in Port Harcourt.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the state government reacted to claims credited to an acclaimed Rivers State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), describing the allegation as false, irresponsible, and unsupported by any verifiable facts.

The government clarified that it has no policy, directive, or intention that disrespects the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or undermines the authority of the Federal Government. It emphasized that Governor Fubara maintains a cordial, respectful, and collaborative relationship with President Tinubu and the Federal Government.

According to the statement, the relationship between Rivers State and the Federal Government has grown stronger under the Renewed Hope Agenda, with tangible benefits and positive impacts already being felt by residents of the state.

The Rivers State Government described insinuations that the governor acted out of “ingratitude” or “disrespect” as deliberately provocative, noting that such claims are capable of misleading the public and unnecessarily heating up the polity.

It further expressed concern that an organization expected to promote youth unity and peace would engage in what it termed incendiary language, personal attacks, and unsubstantiated accusations at a time when the state requires calm, dialogue, and responsible leadership.

The government called on well-meaning members of the public, especially the youths of Rivers State, to disregard the claims and dissociate themselves from individuals or groups spreading divisive rhetoric and falsehoods for political purposes.

Reaffirming its commitment to peace, unity, and progress, the state government stressed that political differences must never be allowed to override truth, civility, and the collective interest of the people.

Members of the public were also urged to remain vigilant and not give attention to inflammatory statements or individuals described as fifth columnists bent on causing division within the state.