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PDP Must Resolve Crisis To Win 2023 Polls, Wike Insists …Urges Dredging Of Rivers Benue, Niger To End Sufferings Of Nigerians

Published

3 years ago

October 17, 2022

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has again urged the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to do the right thing, if the party must win the presidential election in 2023.
The right thing, Wike insisted, was the resignation of Senator Iyorchia Ayu as PDP national chairman, in order for a southerner to occupy the seat within the principle of equity, fairness and justice.
Wike restated his position during a live interactive media chat in Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He emphasised that any leader of a group who causes crisis within the group that he leads, truly lacks the requisite skills to navigate affairs of such group.
“This is the time to show leadership skill on the part of those who are leaders of the party. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is the presidential candidate. He is the one who feels the pain.”
Wike made reference to the party’s Constitution that spells it out in Section 7 (3) (c) that all political and elective positions must be zoned.
He wondered why it was now so difficult for Ayu to respect the Constitution or even keep to his promise and quit the office, if a northern was elected as PDP standard bearer.
“We have not held the presidential primary before the national chairman of the party said if the presidential candidate emerges from his area, he will quit.”
Wike also accused Ayu of collecting N100million, first from a certain governor to renovate the party’s democratic institution, and later went to PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to collect exact amount for the same purpose.
The governor also dared Ayu to deny the allegation.
“In fact, let me also tell you, Ayu collected N100million from a governor that he was going to renovate our democratic institution, and then, he went back to the PDP NWC, and took the same N100million for doing the same work.”
He further added, “What kind of system is that? I am telling you all these are facts. Let him (Ayu) say ‘no’ first, and I will tell you (those he collected money from).”
The Rivers State governor pointed to the importance of the mission of rescuing Nigeria expected of the PDP by Nigerians.
But the mission, he said, required a leader with proven integrity to lead the party.
“For God’s sake, knowing that you are in a party that wants to take over the reign of governance in the country, we know Nigerians know the problems confronting the country.
“If a leader does not have integrity, forget it. We need a man who will tell his people this; a man who will be firm, a man who will be courageous to do those things that even people find it difficult to do.
“You are presenting a man who is the head of the party, the chairman of the party, who has no integrity to lead the campaign to take over the reins of governance.”
Wike explained that the chairmanship position of the party should go to the South before the elections.
According, if Alhaji Atiku Abubakar wins in February presidential election, the hawks around him won’t wait until May to take major decisions.
“Who is there to decide for the South? Why will you tell me until when you finish election that’s when a southerner will emerge as chairman?”
Wike described as untrue the report in the media that some former PDP governors, including Dr Peter Odili, were sent to him to resolve the crisis in the party.
Speaking further, Wike decried the perennial flooding experienced in parts of the country as a result of lack of initiative on the part of the Federal Government to dredge the River Benue and River Niger, respectively.
Wike asserted that one way of solving the ravaging yearly flooding situation, is to pay attention to the sources of water flow and end the suffering of Nigerians who become impacted every year.
“I asked what is this problem that we can’t dredge River Benue and River Niger? Each time I fly over Benue, the sight makes me cry. We won’t have had so much problems to this extent, if we dredge them.
“But the politics, I do not know. Who is interested for River Benue, River Niger not to be dredged, and that has caused so much hardship for our people.
“How can government from time refused to dredge the rivers and I heard, sometime, that they awarded the Calabar River. What happened, where is the money?”
Wike imagined why the Federal Government would award an all-important contract like the dredging of Calabar River and would not demand its execution, even when communities continue to suffer from such negligence.
The governor also informed that the taskforce on flood set up in the state was directly supervised by him to ensure that the impacted victims directly benefits from the relief materials that they would eventually require.
He dismissed insinuation that Sir Celestine Omehia was derecognised as ex-state governor of Rivers State by the state lawmakers because he is supporting Atiku.
According to him, the lawmakers took their decision based on Supreme Court judgement that sacked him.
Wike dismissed claim by the management of Africa Independent Television (AIT) that the company acquired the land from the state government.
According to him, when the state House of Assembly started deliberation of the land, AIT until date failed to provide any letter of allocation to claim ownership of the land that was supposed to house its regional office in Port Harcourt.
Wike also mentioned that he desired to construct a ring road that is estimated to cost N70billion.
The road, he said was planned to start from Okrika Town axis through Eleme to the Port Harcourt International Airport and terminate at Choba town.
He stated that since the tenure of his administration would end in May, 2023, he would recommend to the incoming administration to execute the project because of its importance.
The Rivers State governor said the appointment of 50,000 Special Assistants by him has provided jobs opportunity for the affected persons.

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Fubara Dissolves Rivers Executive Council

Published

1 week ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, has dissolved the State Executive Council.

The governor announced the cabinet dissolution yesterday in a statement titled ‘Government Special Announcement’, signed by his new Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi.

Governor Fubara directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.

He thanked the outgoing members of the State Executive Council for their service and wished them the best in their future endeavours.

The three-paragraph special announcement read, “His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, has dissolved the State Executive Council.

“His Excellency, the Governor, has therefore directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.

“His Excellency further expresses his deepest appreciation to the outgoing members of the Executive Council wishing them the best in their future endeavours.”

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INEC Proposes N873.78bn For 2027 Elections, N171bn For 2026 Operations

Published

1 week ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday told the National Assembly that it requires N873.78bn to conduct the 2027 general elections, even as it seeks N171bn to fund its operations in the 2026 fiscal year.

INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, made the disclosure while presenting the commission’s 2026 budget proposal and the projected cost for the 2027 general elections before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.

According to Amupitan, the N873.78bn election budget covers the full conduct of national polls in 2027.

An additional N171bn is needed to support INEC’s routine activities in 2026, including bye-elections and off-season elections, the commission stated.

The INEC boss said the proposed election budget does not include a fresh request from the National Youth Service Corps seeking increased allowances for corps members engaged as ad-hoc staff during elections.

He explained that, although the details of specific line items were not exhaustively presented, the almost N1tn election budget is structured across five major components.

“N379.75bn is for operational costs, N92.32bn for administrative costs, N209.21bn for technological costs, N154.91bn for election capital costs and N42.61bn for miscellaneous expenses,” Amupitan said.

The INEC chief noted that the budget was prepared “in line with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the Commission to prepare its election budget at least one year before the general election.”

On the 2026 fiscal year, Amupitan disclosed that the Ministry of Finance provided an envelope of N140bn, stressing, however, that “INEC is proposing a total expenditure of N171bn.”

The breakdown includes N109bn for personnel costs, N18.7bn for overheads, N42.63bn for election-related activities and N1.4bn for capital expenditure.

He argued that the envelope budgeting system is not suitable for the Commission’s operations, noting that INEC’s activities often require urgent and flexible funding.

Amupitan also identified the lack of a dedicated communications network as a major operational challenge, adding that if the commission develops its own network infrastructure, Nigerians would be in a better position to hold it accountable for any technical glitches.

Speaking at the session, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) said external agencies should not dictate the budgeting framework for INEC, given the unique and sensitive nature of its mandate.

He advocated that the envelope budgeting model should be set aside.

He urged the National Assembly to work with INEC’s financial proposal to avoid future instances of possible underfunding.

In the same vein, a member of the House of Representatives from Edo State, Billy Osawaru, called for INEC’s budget to be placed on first-line charge as provided in the Constitution, with funds released in full and on time to enable the Commission to plan early enough for the 2027 general election.

The Joint Committee approved a motion recommending the one-time release of the Commission’s annual budget.

The committee also said it would consider the NYSC’s request for about N32bn to increase allowances for corps members to N125,000 each when engaged for election duties.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Along, assured that the National Assembly would work closely with the Commission to ensure it receives the necessary support for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.

Similarly, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Bayo Balogun, also pledged legislative support, warning INEC to be careful about promises it might be unable to keep.

He recalled that during the 2023 general election, INEC made strong assurances about uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing portal, creating the impression that results could be monitored in real time.

“iREV was not even in the Electoral Act; it was only in INEC regulations. So, be careful how you make promises,” Balogun warned.

The N873.78bn proposed by INEC for next year’s general election is a significant increase from the N313.4bn released to the Commission by the Federal Government for the conduct of the 2023 general election.

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Tinubu Mourns Literary Icon, Biodun Jeyifo

Published

2 weeks ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu yesterday expressed grief over the death of a former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and one of Africa’s foremost literary scholars, Professor Emeritus Biodun Jeyifo.

Jeyifo passed away on Wednesday, drawing tributes from across Nigeria and the global academic community.

In a condolence message to the family, friends, and associates of the late scholar, Tinubu in a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, described Jeyifo as a towering intellectual whose contributions to African literature, postcolonial studies, and cultural theory left an enduring legacy.

He noted that the late professor would be sorely missed for his incisive criticism and masterful interpretations of the works of Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

The President also recalled Jeyifo’s leadership of ASUU, praising the temperance, foresight, and wisdom he brought to the union over the years.

Tinubu said Jeyifo played a key role in shaping negotiation frameworks with the government aimed at improving working conditions for university staff and enhancing the learning environment in Nigerian universities.

According to the President, Professor Jeyifo’s longstanding advocacy for academic freedom and social justice will continue to inspire generations.

He added that the late scholar’s influence extended beyond academia into political and cultural journalism, where he served as a mentor to numerous scholars, writers, and activists.

Tinubu condoled with ASUU, the Nigerian Academy of Letters, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Oberlin University, Cornell University, and Harvard University—institutions where Jeyifo studied, taught, or made significant scholarly contributions.

“Nigeria and the global academic community have lost a towering figure and outstanding global citizen,” the President said.

“Professor Biodun Jeyifo was an intellectual giant who dedicated his entire life to knowledge production and the promotion of human dignity. I share a strong personal relationship with him. His contributions to literary and cultural advancement and to society at large will be missed.”

Jeyifo was widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential literary critics and public intellectuals. Among several honours, he received the prestigious W.E.B. Du Bois Medal in 2019.