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‘It’s Time To End Jumbo Pay For Political Office Holders’

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Stakeholders in the South-South have called for a downward review of political office holders’ pay in Nigeria to curtail increasing money politics in the country.

A cross section of those who spoke with newsmen in the zone attributed the rising poor leadership in the country to money politics.

A Port Harcourt-based businessman, Mr Martin Egwe, said the increasing money politics in Nigeria was due to the jumbo pay of political offices holders.

Egwe said high cost of nomination forms and other logistics have also turned politics into a highly expensive venture for only those who could afford it.

“Politicians are ready to part with huge sums of money during electioneering as they are sure of recovering their investments when they eventually take over power.

“This perception has also resulted in unhealthy competition among politicians and they flaunt cash to some gullible voters who are determined to align with them.

“Such voters go for the highest bidder irrespective of his track records and capabilities,” he said.

Another respondent in Port Harcourt, Mr Zovah Bari, said most Nigerians had lost faith in the ruling class and rather exchange their support and votes for money.

“The dangerous practice of money politics has left politicians with no option than go as far as borrowing just to appease the voters.

“Politics has become so competitive and juicy in Nigeria to the extent that very sensitive positions are consistently left in the hands of incompetent politicians.

“Such politicians have already understood how to recouped and profit themselves from constituency and developmental funds,” he said.

In Delta, a human rights lawyer, Mr ChukwukaAnimadu, said that money politics had led to emergence of incompetence leadership at different levels in the country.

According to him, most money-bags in politics lack self-confidence; hence they resort to money inducement to get political power.

“The problem is that when we allow money to rule us against intellectual ability and capacity, we do so to entrench bad leadership to the detriment of our nation’s progress.

“A candidate, who lacks political ideology and philosophy to be a leader, can never be a good leader.

“He rules as it pleases him and as citizens live to lament because they cannot challenge such a leader after all,” he said.

Another lawyer and Executive Director, Young Nigerians Rights Organisation, Mr Victor Ojei, said that money politics has left a big challenge to enthronement of good governance in Nigeria.

Ojei said that the increasing huge spending in politics was the main cause of the country’s problems and a clear indication that the country’s democracy was in crisis.

“The rise of money politics as we are seeing today has been the main factor that has adversely affected Nigeria’s leadership generally.

“The increasing money politics has no doubt helped to consolidate the power of the elite and the political exclusion of the masses.

“Unless the situation is changed, reforms aimed at curbing corruption and improving governance in the country will not produce the desired results,” Ojei said.

He advocated for the amendment of the Electoral Act 2022 to reduce the amount of money politicians could spend during elections.

In his contribution, a former politician, Mr Abel Okitiamu, said money politics in Nigeria portended great danger for the nation’s democracy and made mockery of the nation’s democratic experience.

“What we are seeing now in our political life may be interesting to some people, because their persons are winning.

“But let me tell you that the practice of giving tickets to the highest bidder will in no distant time cause us a lot.

“Because when we mortgage our conscience for monetary benefits, we do great harm to democratic principles. We sell out our future,” Okitiamu said.

On his part, the Chairman of Zenith Labour Party in Edo, Mr Bishop Akhalamhe, said reduction in the allowances and salaries of political office holders would help in checking the trend.

Akhalamhe said that the increase in spending in politics, especially vote buying, had hindered the emergence of quality leaders in Nigeria.

According to him, delegates to political party primaries had become a big problem in the electoral process because they vote for the highest bidder instead of those with good ideas and plans for the country.

“The problems we have in this country are party delegates. It has become so difficult to get quality leaders because of their greedy nature.

“Unfortunately, these quality leaders have no money to spend on delegates. Even the electorate themselves are also involved in this money politics.

“They accept your ideology and plans but abandon you midway because you don’t have money to share,” Akhalamhe said.

The chairman said that if the practice was not jettisoned it would be very difficult to have good leaders.

He said if that was done, patriotic Nigerians who had interest of the nation at heart would be able to emerge and Nigeria would be better.

In Calabar, Country Director, International Training, Research and Advocacy Project, Dr. McFarlane Ejah, said Nigerian politicians would want hunger and poverty to prevail in the country to perpetuate themselves in power.

Ejah said the quantum of money thrown around by politicians in Nigeria during party primaries the way they went about it was absurd and an insult to the collective sensibilities of the citizens.

According to him, this is possible because many Nigerians are hungry and live in abject poverty, making it easy to lure “them to self-destruction by sharing accumulated stolen wealth of the people.”

“Nobody invests to lose; so, when a man picks a presidential nomination form for as much as N100million and bribes delegates with as much as $10,000 to $20,000 each, what will he do when he gets into office?

“The salary of the President for 4 years is just above N50million, but when he buys his nomination form for N100million not counting the ones spent for consultation and bribing of the delegates, there is a problem.

“This portends danger for the country because the rate at which we are going our children have no future, and we are not serious about taking the bull by the horn to redeem the nation,” he said.

A lecturer at the Department of Political Science, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa, Mr Festus Ebimo, Said only self-centred politicians bribed the electorate to have political power.

According to him, politics and leadership are not meant for self-centred people.

He described politics in Nigeria as “who get what at a given time at all cost and in the detriment of the people they are supposed to protect.”

Ebimo said that the last Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primaries was a show of wealth by the aspirants and all about who could pay the delegates the highest amount of money to be voted for.

A respondent in Uyo, Prof. Christopher Ekong, said that bribing delegates in the process of electing candidates during primaries was inimical to the country’s democracy.

Ekong, an aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary in AkwaIbom, said the masses should be blamed for demanding money before voting for candidates.

“The followers are the one creating problem for this country and not the leaders. If you see the way they fight to become delegates, you will marvel.

“A situation where there is a contest and the people you are going to represent are demanding for money before they vote for you to represent them is quite worrisome,” Ekong said.

Also, a chieftain of the APC in AkwaIbom, Mr EsemeEyiboh, “the only way we can get out of this is to change our recruitment process. Those with capacity and ability to perform should be allowed to lead not money bags”.

 

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Rivers DPOs Receive Awards For Outstanding Performance In Crime Prevention …As Students, Media Group Honour CSP Worgu, CSP Yusuf

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Two Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in Rivers State have been honoured by separate groups for their contributions to security, crime prevention and improved community-police relations in their respective areas of responsibility.

The beneficiaries are the DPO of Afam Police Division, CSP  Endurance Worgu and his counterpart at Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf.

CSP Worgu was honoured by a group of students under the aegis of Rivers State Graduate Students Associations for what they described as his commitment and outstanding performance in the discharge of his duties.

The students, led by  Chidi John Enyie, Esq. said CSP Worgu was selected based on his track record and status as one of the longest-serving young DPOs of Rivers State origin.

According to the group, CSP Worgu has made significant contributions to the protection of lives and property in the area since assuming office following the #EndSARS period.

The students said they were particularly impressed by the improvement in community-police relations under his leadership, noting that professionalism had remained a key feature of his service.

Enyie represented by Comrade Briggs Soku, said the students community was pleased to identify with a Rivers indigene who had distinguished himself in the police force.

He said the students considered it necessary to encourage and celebrate CSP Worgu because of his achievements as a young Rivers man excelling in a profession that many people from the state were often reluctant to join.

Receiving the award at his office in Afam, CSP Worgu expressed gratitude to God and the students for finding him worthy of the honour.

The DPO said the recognition had boosted his morale and encouraged him to sustain his efforts towards maintaining peace and security in the area.

He said he least expected the honour, particularly because it came from the students, adding that the recognition would further motivate him to serve the people better.

CSP Worgu assured residents of Afam that the police would sustain the existing peace in the area.

He appealed to members of the public to support the police by providing credible and timely information, stressing that useful information from residents would make the job of security personnel easier.

Meanwhile, the Ikwerre/Etche Media Association has also honoured the DPO of Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf, for his efforts in tackling criminal activities in the area.

The media group presented the award following the swift tracking and arrest of five suspected kidnappers who had allegedly terrorised residents of the Kom-Kom axis and other parts of Oyigbo.

The group commended CSP Bello for what it described as his determined efforts to restore confidence and security in the affected communities, particularly Kom-Kom and Obeama.

According to the group, the arrest of the suspects demonstrated the DPO’s commitment to tackling criminality and safeguarding residents.

The media association said residents had received the development with relief, noting that the police action had sent a strong message to criminal elements operating in the area.

Responding, CSP Yusuf appreciated the group for the recognition and reaffirmed that there would be no room for criminality in Oyigbo.

He also commended the media for its role in disseminating credible information to the public, saying the media had remained supportive of the police in the fight against crime.

CSP Yusuf warned criminal elements operating in Oyigbo to leave the area or be prepared to face the full weight of the law.

He assured residents that the police would continue to pursue criminals and work to dismantle their hideouts, regardless of where they might be operating.

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College Of Bishops Endorses Tinubu, APC Candidates  For 2027 Polls

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The 5000 Achievers Christian Forum and Colleges of Bishops, Archbishops and Apostles, a Christian interdenominational organisation, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State for the 2027 general elections.

International President of the forum, Archbishop Lucky Aroh, disclosed this during the ordination and consecration of three new Bishops, as well as an award ceremony held in Port Harcourt.

Aroh said the performance of the APC-led Federal Government had endeared the party to the organisation, prompting the forum to declare its support for President Tinubu and other APC candidates in Rivers State.

He said the forum would support all APC candidates in the state during the 2027 elections and urged Nigerians to vote for the party.

Aroh, who is also the General Overseer of Caring Peoples Church, Port Harcourt, charged the newly consecrated Bishops to see their new positions as a great responsibility and dedicate themselves to the advancement of the kingdom of God.

He cautioned them against conduct capable of bringing their offices into disrepute, stressing that their activities would be closely watched by members of the public.

“As Bishops, the eyes of the public are on your activities. You must therefore conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of your calling,” he said.

Also speaking, the International Coordinator of the forum, Bishop Saint Robinson, urged the newly consecrated Bishops to work diligently towards winning souls for the kingdom of God.

Robinson, who was the guest speaker at the event, stressed that the activities of Bishops must at all times be guided by godly principles.

He also called on members of the church to support and cooperate with the newly consecrated Bishops in the discharge of their responsibilities.

The Secretary of the College, Apostle Elizabeth Ayadi Abaye, said the organisation was established to advance the kingdom of God and promote spiritual development.

According to her, the forum has organised several crusades, conferences, prayer meetings, ordinations, consecrations, enthronements, empowerment programmes and other spiritual development activities across the country as part of efforts to win souls for Christ.

Abaye said the organisation has members across the world and disclosed that more programmes had been scheduled to promote the spiritual development and wellbeing of humanity.

The three Bishops consecrated at the ceremony were Prince Alban Chike, Testimony Omenihu Shedrach and Prince Ifemena.

Among those honoured at the event were the Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Abali Community, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Manuchimso Prince Lemmy Wopara, and Clifford Oko Jaja, Coordinator of the 5,000 House-to-House for President Tinubu.

By: John Bibor

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Police Arrest Fake Soldier, Others For Armed Robbery, Kidnapping

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The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a 49-year-old suspected fake soldier, Andrew Atausi, and several other suspects in connection with various criminal activities, including kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, one-chance robbery and the alleged murder of police officers.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, recently during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, where he said the arrests formed part of the operational achievements recorded by the Command between June and August 2026.

Adepoju said Atausi was arrested on August 10 by police operatives along Ada George, Port Harcourt, while dressed in military uniform and driving a Toyota Hilux painted in Army colours.

The Commissioner said investigation revealed that Atausi was not a member of the Armed Forces, adding that he was suspected to be a serial car snatcher, with three suspected stolen vehicles recovered from him.

He said the recovered vehicles included three Toyota Hilux vehicles without registration numbers and a Toyota Corona Premio with registration number BNY 380 ES, noting that the chassis and engine numbers of the vehicles had allegedly been tampered with.

Adepoju added that an axe and military accoutrements were also recovered from Atausi, as investigation continued into the circumstances surrounding the vehicles and other items recovered from him.

On the June 29 attack on police officers at Aluu Division, the Commissioner said three members of the gang allegedly responsible for the incident had been arrested by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU-AKU.

The suspects, identified as Maduabuchi Emeka, 34, alleged gang leader; Doctor Chinedu Owhor, 42, and Kamachi Joe, 28, alleged armourer, reportedly led operatives to their hideout at Omagwa where two AK-47 rifles stolen during the attack were recovered.

Adepoju recalled that two police officers were killed during the Aluu attack, while others were wounded and one officer had his leg amputated, stressing that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fourth suspect.

On kidnapping, the Commissioner said five members of a suspected kidnapping syndicate were arrested in Oyigbo Local Government Area, adding that they allegedly confessed to operations in Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities.

He said two other suspects from the same network, Anele Ogbogu, 35, alleged to be the gang’s armourer, and Kenneth Eke, 38, were arrested on July 27, with one AK-47 rifle and one SMG rifle recovered.

The Commissioner further disclosed the arrest of suspects in connection with alleged firearm offences, armed robbery, cultism and one-chance robbery, with firearms, ammunition and other exhibits recovered during the operations.

Adepoju assured residents that the Command would sustain intelligence-led, proactive and community-oriented policing in collaboration with other security agencies, while urging members of the public to continue providing credible information that would assist the police in combating crime across Rivers State.

By; King Onunwor

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