News

Again, PDP Drags AP Assembly Candidates To Court

Published

3 years ago

September 14, 2022

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has, again, dragged the state House of Assembly candidates of Accord Party to a Port Harcourt High Court for alleged non-compliance to electoral guidelines in the conduct of the party’s primaries.
This recent suit challenging the eligibility of the state House of Assembly candidates comes after the PDP had also dragged party’s National Assembly flagbearers to a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt for same offence.
Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed of Federal High Court 5, yesterday, adjourned to September 23, 2022, after listening to arguments from the plaintiffs and defendants’ counsel on whether there was proper service on the defendants in line with the laid down High Court rules.
Speaking to journalists outside the court room, counsel to the 3rd to 27th defendants(Accord State House of Assembly Candidates), Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), said, “we have to come in obedience and respect for the court, notwithstanding that there have not been proper service or actual service on some of our clients, and on getting to court, today, the court checked if, indeed, we were served. Record of the court indicated that an order of service was made but there were issues whether we were served.
“Since we all have duty of cooperation in matters of this nature, the other side offered to effect proper service on us, and we indeed, accepted service. Effectively now, we are in the case for the 3rd to 27th defendants.
“In the next adjourned date, we will have our appropriate response. The defendants are actually candidates for party state House of Assembly in Rivers State. The case was adjourned to September 23,2022 for appearance”.
Also speaking, counsel to Accord Party, Abdulameed Mohammed (SAN) said, “this is a suit that is very unusual by a political party challenging the primaries of another political party.
“We look at the processes. We are objecting to the jurisdiction of the court, the competence of the suit and the competence of the court to entertain the suit.
“We filed notice of preliminary objection to serve them, and they reacted. We filed counter-affidavit, and you can see this morning, we were trying to highlight what we filled. There are other processes which we applied to INEC, which we obtained. We need to file further affidavits in reaction to the originating summons. So, this is where we are. We are hopeful that this matter will be dismissed”.
On his own, counsel to PDP, Dike Udenna, said the fact of the matter was that the primary conducted by Accord Party was not in compliance to electoral guidelines as the election for the state House of Assembly candidates did not hold in the respective constituencies but in one venue.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt will on September 23, 2022 deliver judgement on a motion for joinder filed by the Peoples Democratic Party against the Accord Party in a suit seeking to disqualify Accord’s National Assembly candidates from the 2023 general election.
The court will also on the same date deliver a ruling on a motion by counsel to Accord seeking to strike out the suit by the PDP which is said to have sued the wrong party instead of Accord.
When the matter came up for hearing, yesterday, counsel to PDP, Dem Nwigwe, SAN, moved his motion for some additional defendants to be joined in the suit.
Justice Daylop-Pam, after listening to arguments from the counsel to the plaintiffs and defendants during the resumed sitting, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, reserved ruling on the application to the next adjourned date of September 23,2022.
Speaking to journalists after the court sitting, counsel to PDP, Den Wigwe(SAN), said his clients filed the suit against Accord Party because they produced new set of candidates all-together against the initial ones, adding that PDP was working to give opportunity of being heard to those excluded in the process.
Wigwe said PDP believes the presence of the new set of candidates would affect their position on the matter.
In an interview with newsmen, Counsel to the Accord Party’s National Assembly candidates, Owonikoko Abiodun(SAN) said, “on our own part, we needed to regularise our response to the main suit, which, because of lack of proof of service the last time, was adjourned till today. So, the court has taken that application and has granted it. So, all our responses and defence to the suit are in”.
According to him, “we filed an application; the plaintiffs responded to the application. What we are saying is that they sued Accord Party, and we said that such name is unknown to us, and is unknown to law; and we say that the name(Accord Party) should be struck out from the suit. We exhibited the certificate of incorporation duly certified by INEC that, that name is not known to any person.
“Is like you are suing nobody.So, we are asking the court to strike it out, and the judge adjourned for ruling”.
Meanwhile, the Guber candidate of Accord Party in Rivers State, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, who was in court, described the action of PDP as misnomer.
Lulu-Briggs said it was a deliberate plot by the PDP to distract Accord Party during the political campaigns which are drawing close.
He maintained that Accord Party and its candidates could not be distracted, adding that Rivers people would have an opportunity to elect people who would represent them at all levels.

By: Amadi Akujobi

News

Don Lauds RSG, NECA On Job Fair

Published

19 hours ago

January 26, 2026

The Tide

The National Coordinator of Embedded Ai -EU Erasmus Project in Nigeria, Prof. Bourdillon Omijeh, has commended the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Rivers State Government for their strategic partnership in organizing the Job Fair 2026.

The Job Fair with theme: “Addressing Youth Employability for Prosperity,” took place at Obi International Conference Center, Port Harcourt, last week.

Speaking as Special Guest, Professor Omijeh stated that result-oriented human capital development and trainings focused on relevant skills is the most effective solution to reducing the high rate of graduate unemployment in Rivers State.

He noted that Nigeria is firmly in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), driven by technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Machine Learning, Big Data Analytics, Internet of Things, Virtual and Augmented Reality, and 5G.

According to him, these emerging technologies offer enormous employment and entrepreneurial opportunities across critical sectors, including agriculture, power, Telecommunication, oil and gas, healthcare, and security.

He emphasized the growing shift from job seeking to job creation, explaining that youths equipped with 4IR skills can become innovators, solution providers, and founders of startups and new industries.

Professor Omijeh further stated that Nigeria is richly endowed with talented youths capable of competing globally when properly empowered with the right skills, support, and enabling environment.

He called for sustained collaboration between government, the private sector, and educational institutions to build a future-ready workforce and drive inclusive economic growth in Rivers State.

To the over 4000 teeming youths present, Professor Omijeh said, according to Bill Gate, that “Being born poor is not a fault, but remaining poor in a world of opportunity and skills is a responsibility that must be consciously addressed.

“Don’t allow your current circumstances define your destiny. There’s a seed of greatness in you. Sieze any and every opportunity to develop yourself and acquire the requisite skills.

He passionately urged the Rivers State Government to intentionally invest and fund result-oriented training programmes through the strategic Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment and Ministry of Youth Development to increase employability and reduce the rate of graduate unemployment in Rivers State.

He thanked the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and the Honorable Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Dr. Chisom K. Gbali, for this laudable initiative with NECA.

Professor Bourdillon Omijeh is the National Coordinator of the Embedded Artificial Intelligence (EAI) -EU Erasmus Project in Nigeria; Immediate Past Director of Centre for Information and Telecommunication Engineering Uniport, NCC-Chair Occupant on ICT Uniport; TensorFlow four (4) times award winner on Capacity building on Ai & ML -(2021-2024), CEO-Bourdillon Omijeh Foundation.

As a Professional Mentor, he has facilitated the training of thousands of youths on 4IR- Skills with relevant certifications and evidential engagements.
Follow Prof Bourdillon Omijeh on LinkedIn.

News

Explore Opportunities, Become Employers, Fubara Urges Rivers Youths

Published

4 days ago

January 23, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has urged youths in the state to take advantage of the vast opportunities available to become employers of labour and contribute meaningfully to growth and development.

Fubara said global trends increasingly favour entrepreneurship and innovation, stressing that youths in Rivers State must not be left behind in harnessing such opportunities.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Benibo Anabraba, the governor stated this while declaring open the 2026 Job Fair organised by the Rivers State Government in partnership with the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

Speaking on the theme, “Addressing Youth Employability for Prosperity,” the governor acknowledged the responsibility of government to create jobs for its teeming youth population but noted that it was unrealistic to absorb all job seekers into the civil service.

“As a government, we recognise our duty to provide employment opportunities for our teeming youths. However, we also understand that not all youths can be accommodated within the civil service.

“This underscores the need to encourage entrepreneurship across diverse sectors and to partner with other stakeholders, including the youths themselves, so they can transition from being job seekers to employers of labour,” he said.

Fubara further urged participants to continually sharpen their skills and explore opportunities within their immediate environment and the global space through digital platforms.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustaining peace and providing an enabling environment for youths to develop their potential and thrive.

In a goodwill message, the Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Dr Chisom Gbali, said the job fair was designed to equip youths with contemporary skills, innovation and mentorship needed to transform them from unemployable to resourceful individuals.

Gbali disclosed that the ministry had rolled out various training and capacity-building programmes in areas such as ICT and artificial intelligence, oil and gas, maritime, and the blue economy.

Delivering the keynote address, the Head of the Department of Human Resources Management, Rivers State University, Dr Chris Biriowu, advised participants to remain informed about evolving sources of employability.

He said the labour market was dynamic and shaped by industry-specific demands, technological advancement, management practices and other emerging factors.

News

King Jaja Impacted Beyond Rivers -Deputy Gov

Published

4 days ago

January 23, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Professor Ngozi Odu, has poured accolades on late Amayanabo of Opobo, HRM Dandeson Douglas Jaja V, saying his footprints went beyond the State.

Speaking during a condolence visit to the wife of the late king, Prof. Odu said the late monarch contributed meaningfully beyond the shores of Rivers State.

“He contributed not only to Opobo, not only to Rivers State, but to Nigeria as a nation. We all know the various positions he held until his passing. For us as a Commission, we are really going to miss him greatly, especially at this time when his guidance was most needed,” she stressed.

She described the late king as a distinguished traditional ruler whose life and service contributed immensely to the development of Rivers State and Nigeria at large.

The deputy governor, who also serves as Chairman of the Rivers State Boundary Commission, noted that until his demise, King Jaja was an Ex-Officio member of the Commission, representing Rivers South East Senatorial District.

According to her, the late monarch actively participated in several meetings of the Commission and played an important advisory role.

“He actually participated with us in a couple of meetings. It was with great shock that we received the news of his passing. We saw daddy as someone who was very strong, healthy and athletic,” Prof. Odu said.

Prof. Odu explained that the Commission relied heavily on the wisdom of traditional rulers like the late monarch to ensure that its responsibilities were carried out properly and conscientiously.

She assured the family of the Commission’s continued support, saying they will remain close to the family throughout the burial arrangements and beyond.

Addressing the widow, Queen Prudence Dandeson Douglas Jaja, Prof. Odu said the visit was to commiserate with her and encourage her during the period of mourning.

“Please accept our condolences. Please be strong and put your hope in God. The God who watches over widows will never abandon you,” the deputy governor prayed.

“We cannot question God. What has happened has happened. All we can do is to pull ourselves together. That is why we are here to pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen you, that God will turn your sadness into joy and clothe you with a garment of beauty,” she added.

Responding, Queen Jaja described her late husband as a gentle, humble man who was deeply committed to the progress of Rivers State, and Nigeria at large.

She expressed gratitude to the deputy governor and other members of the Boundary Commission for identifying with the family in their moment of grief.

“We are praying that his soul will rest in perfect peace. I thank you very much for coming to console me at this trying moment. Seeing you here has given me comfort. God bless each and every one of you,” she said.

She also offered prayers for the delegation, wishing them a long life and good health.

Highlight of the visit was the presentation Letter of Condolence from the Rivers State Boundary Commission to Queen Jaja.

Kevin Nengia