Politics
Units Mobilisation, Key To PDP’s Victory In Rivers – Wike
As part of measures to ensure total victory for all candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State in the forthcoming general elections, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has emphasised the need for effective mobilisation at the various units to sensitise voters on where to cast their votes.
The Governor also stated that the conduct of the election through electronic accreditation and transmission of results will check the tendencies of ballot box snatching by election riggers and called for vigilance on the part of the electorate to ensure that their votes count.
The Governor who gave the charge during the Rivers State PDP campaign rally at Akinima Town in Ahoada West LGA last Tuesday, urged the people of Ahoada West to vote massively for candidates of the PDP in Rivers State to attract more developmental projects to the area.
Governor Wike also took a swipe at the national leadership of the PDP for showing no concern to the plight of the people when the LGA suffered a devastating flooding, stating that there was no moral justification for the national leadership of the PDP to seek the vote of the people.
Similarly, the Rivers State PDP campaign team led by the Rivers State Governor held it’s rally in Port Harcourt LGA last Wednesday. Speaking at the rally which held at the Elekahia Primary School field in Port Harcourt, Governor Wike expressed dismay over what he described as the compromising security situation in the state and accused the Rivers State Police Command of aiding instigators of electoral violence.
The Rivers State Governor urged the Police and other security agencies in the state to act statutorily, professionally and apolitically to safeguard the state from a break down of law and order, orchestrated by some political actors in the state, noting that the Rivers State Government would not hesitate to deploy the Neighborhood Security Watch to protect the state from sliding into lawlessness.
On Thursday, the Rivers PDP campaign train moved to Degema LGA to canvass for the votes of the people. Governor Wike disclosed that his administration has executed many developmental projects in the area in appreciation of the overwhelming support of the people to his administration.
He pointed out that Degema will experience more developmental transformation when they elect Siminialayi Fubara as the next Governor of the state, and urged the people to vote for all PDP candidates in the state in the forthcoming general elections.
Governor Wike also used the event to clarify why the Rivers State Government cancelled its earlier approval of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for the use of the PDP Presidential Campaign rally, stating that the decision was to protect the facility from being vandalised.
Okrika LGA also, on Friday, hosted the Rivers PDP campaign rally. Addressing the mammoth crowd of party faithful at Comprehensive Secondary School, Ibaka Town, Governor Wike said Okrika would have proper recompense for their mandate in terms of developmental projects when they vote for Siminialayi Fubara as the next Governor of the state and also elect other PDP candidates in the state.
The Governor expressed concern over the pains associated with the new naira re-design policy on the masses, stating that some cabal was behind the anti-people policy, and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reconsider the policy to save Nigerians from the stress and hardship inflicted on them.
The Rivers PDP capped its campaign rally for the week under review at Opobo/ Nkoro LGA on Saturday. Speaking at the event, Governor Wike who described Sir Siminialayi Fubara as a seasoned administrator and technocrat who will not fail Rivers people, urged the people of Opobo not to undermine the opportunity of having their son as the next Governor of Rivers State.
He therefore urged the people of Opobo to vote for Fubara and other candidates of the PDP in Rivers State.
The Senate yesterday received the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Bola Tinubu, marking the formal launch of the 2026 federal budget cycle.
In a letter addressed to the upper chamber, Tinubu said the submission complies with statutory requirements and sets out the fiscal parameters that will guide the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He explained that the MTEF/FSP outlines the macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and spending priorities that will shape Nigeria’s fiscal direction over the next three years.
The letter was read during plenary by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the document.
“It is with pleasure that I forward the 2026 to 2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for the kind consideration and approval of the Senate.
“The 2026 to 2028 MTEF and FSP were approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 3, 2025, and the 2026 budget of the Federal Government will be prepared based on the parameters and fiscal assumptions therein,” the President stated.
Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved the fiscal projections, pegging the oil benchmark price at $64.85 per barrel and adopting a budget exchange rate of ?1,512/$1 for 2026—figures expected to significantly shape revenue forecasts and expenditure planning.
After reading the President’s letter, Jibrin referred the document to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), with a directive to submit its report by Wednesday, December 17.
The Senate adjourned shortly after to allow committees to commence scrutiny of the fiscal framework and continue the ongoing screening of ambassadorial nominees.
Tinubu’s communication to the Senate came less than 24 hours after he transmitted the same MTEF/FSP documents to the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The letter was read on the House floor by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who also urged timely legislative action as required by law.
The MTEF and FSP are statutory instruments mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act and serve as the blueprint for Nigeria’s annual budgets.
They outline the government’s fiscal stance, macroeconomic assumptions, revenue frameworks, projected deficits, and sectoral priorities over a three-year period.
The Tide reports that approval by the National Assembly is a prerequisite for the executive to present the Appropriation Bill for the next fiscal year.
In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.
The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.
He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.
“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.
“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.
According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.
“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.
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