Politics

Fubara Reveals Secret Behind PDP’s Overwhelming Victory In Rivers

Published

3 years ago

July 24, 2023

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara- has attributed his overwhelming victory at the last governorship elections in Rivers State to early preparations by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.
Governor Fubara disclosed this when the Inter- Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Rivers State, led by the Chairman, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, who is also the Chairman of the PDP, paid him a courtesy visit at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Port Harcourt, last Thursday.
The Governor said it was easier for the party in Rivers State to coast home to victory because of the wide acceptability and intense presence of the PDP across the 23 local government areas of the State.
“Before the elections, we started a programme to buy into the new electoral law signed by the former President. We were prepared for the elections, it’s only our party, the PDP that went round the 23 LGAs to sensitise the people, not only to register but collect their PVCs. IPAC was part of that process. What we have now is a product of that earlier preparations. We wouldn’t have succeeded if we hadn’t created a contact with the people”, he said.
Governor Fubara, who assured that he will run an all inclusive administration, declared that “with the elections over, it is now the joint responsibilities of all stakeholders in the State, irrespective of party affiliation to join hands to promote the business of governance.”
While thanking the IPAC delegation for the solidarity visit, Governor Fubara cautioned against politics of bitterness, saying his administration will be open to constructive criticisms to deliver on its key mandate of protection of lives and property and improved welfare of Rivers people.
“I’m happy that you are here. We are working towards laying the right foundation for the development of the State. We will work together for the best interest of the State; Rivers State is one family”, he stressed.
Earlier in his address rendered on behalf of the body, the Secretary of IPAC, Omangima Harry, congratulated the governor over his victory at the last governorship elections in the State, and expressed confidence in his ability to deliver good governance in the State.
He said the election that brought him to power was devoid of violence that had previously marred electoral processes in the State, noting that the governor has started governance in the State on a good note by commencing the monumental Port Harcourt Ring Road project with 75 percent commitment of payment of the contract sum.
The IPAC secretary also hinted that the emergence of Sir Fubara from the Rivers South East Senatorial District, which had not produced a governor, has brought political justice in the State.
The Rivers State Governor, also last Thursday, reaffirmed that the foremost priority of his administration is the security of lives and property in the State.
Governor Fubara, who spoke while receiving the Assistant Inspector General of Police(AIG) in charge of Zone 6, comprising Rivers and Bayelsa States, Ben Okolo and his entourage on a courtesy visit in Government House, Port Harcourt, said meaningful development in Rivers State depended on the provision of adequate security and conducive business environment.
The Governor assured that his administration will partner the Police and other security agencies by providing vehicular support and other incentives to make them carry out their work effectively.
AIG, Ben Okolo, who was accompanied by the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Nwonyi Policarp Emeka, and other top Police officers from the Zone on the visit, congratulated the Governor on his electoral victory and promised to explore ways of partnering with the state government to ensure that the mandate of security is achieved.
In a related development, Governor Fubara, on Friday, called for a stronger synergy between International Oil Companies,(IOCs) and the government to promote a thriving business environment in Rivers State and better the lots of the people.
Speaking at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Port Harcourt, while hosting the outgoing Managing Director/ Country Chair of Total Energies EP, Nigeria limited, Mike Sangster and his team on a courtesy call, Gov Fubara said “governance is about making the people happy. When there is a synergy between the IOCs and the state, there will be a much more better business environment and economic divestment in the state.
“So we’ll give you all the necessary support and encouragement, because if you don’t do your business, you won’t pay our taxes, and the tax is what we use to develop the state”.
Outgoing Managing Director, Country Chair of Total Energies, EP, Mike Sangster on his part thanked the governor for the audience and sought government protection of the company’s pipeline facilities in the state.

By: Taneh Beemene

Politics

Alleged Defamation: Umahi Directs Legal Processes Against Tracy Ohiri

Published

5 days ago

March 23, 2026

The Tide

Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has directed his legal team to resume all court proceedings against Mrs. Tracy Ohiri over her repeated allegations of indebtedness and other claims against him.

Mrs Ohiri had publicly accused Senator Umahi of owing her N280 million for campaign materials from his tenure as party chairman in Ebonyi State.

The allegations went viral on social media, where she also accused the Minister of sexual harassment.

Security agencies arrested Mrs Ohiri, and she was subsequently prosecuted. Her lawyer, Barrister Marshall Abubakar, intervened, leading to the deletion of all posts and a public apology, which also gained widespread attention online.

However, days after the apology, Mrs Ohiri resumed her claims against Senator Umahi.

In a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, Senator Umahi said he had informed Barrister Abubakar during the intervention that if Mrs Ohiri could provide verifiable evidence, logs, and communications from the period in question, some of his associates were willing to contribute a sum of One Billion Naira (N1billion) to her, evidence which, he said, she had yet to provide.

“The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, has been monitoring the ongoing public discourse surrounding the claims and counterclaims by Mrs. Tracy Ohiri.

“Ordinarily, this would have been ignored, but in the interest of truth and public clarity, it is necessary to address the issues directly”, the statement read.

The statement clarified that Barrister Abubakar acted in good faith and without any financial interest, motivated solely by a desire to assist Mrs Ohiri.

At no point did the lawyer discuss or negotiate any payment with the minister, although some well-meaning associates independently offered support”, the statement added.

Senator Umahi reiterated the conditions for resolving the matter: either the claims must be tested in court, or Mrs Ohiri must provide credible evidence, including all relevant communications, to substantiate her allegations.

The minister emphasised that Barr Abubakar conducted himself with integrity throughout the process.

“Following the failure to meet these conditions, particularly the inability to provide verifiable evidence, the Minister has directed his legal team to proceed with all court processes to ensure the truth is fully established,” the statement said.

Senator Umahi said despite years of public provocations and attacks, he chose to remain silent, focusing on national and state services.

He thanked Nigerians who had taken time to assess the facts and noted that “not everyone who presents themselves as a victim truly is one, and in some cases, narratives are deliberately inverted.”

The Minister affirmed that he will not be distracted by Mrs Ohiri’s allegations and remained committed to his mandate at the Ministry of Works.

“The focus remains on results, service, and ensuring that Nigerians continue to benefit from projects that improve connectivity, economic growth, and national development. This administration will continue to pursue its transformation agenda with dedication, transparency, and an unwavering sense of responsibility,” he concluded.

Politics

COURT ADJOURNS RIVERS PDP LEADERSHIP SUIT TO APRIL 14

Published

5 days ago

March 23, 2026

The Tide

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has adjourned proceedings in a suit filed by three aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to April 14, 2026, for the hearing of all pending motions.

Justice Stephen Jumbo made the pronouncement during a recent sitting in Port Harcourt.

The suit, which borders on the legitimacy of the party’s leadership structure in the state, was instituted against the factional State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Aaron Chukwuemeka, alongside the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and other respondents.

Also joined in the matter are the PDP as a corporate entity, the Rivers State Government, as well as Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt City and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas, including their respective Vice Chairmen and Councillors.

The claimants, Enyi Uchechukwu, Wisdom Kalio and Uche Amadi, approached the court via an originating summons seeking judicial interpretation on the validity of actions taken by the Chief Chukwuemeka-led state executive committee of the party.

Central to the dispute is whether the said executive committee, whose emergence the claimants contend has been nullified by a subsisting court judgment, retains the legal authority to act on behalf of the party in critical electoral matters.

The plaintiffs specifically urged the court to determine whether the factional leadership could validly submit a list of candidates to RSIEC for the purpose of participating in local government elections.

They further questioned the legitimacy of the PDP’s participation in the August 30, 2025 local government elections, contending that any list purportedly submitted by the factional leadership was invalid and of no legal consequence.

In addition to the declaratory reliefs sought, the claimants also prayed the court to grant consequential orders addressing the outcome and conduct of the said elections across the affected local government areas.

At the resumed hearing, counsel representing the PDP and the affected local government councils informed the court that they had only recently been served with the originating processes and accompanying documents.

The defence team, comprising several Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), disclosed that service of the court processes was effected on March 13, 2026, leaving them with limited time to adequately prepare their responses.

Consequently, the defence counsel applied for an adjournment to enable them study the processes and address the legal issues raised, particularly as they relate to jurisdictional questions and points of law.

Counsel to the claimants, Glory Chizim-Chinda, did not oppose the application, following which the presiding judge granted the request and adjourned the matter to April 14, 2026, for the hearing of all pending motions, with a possible ruling expected ahead of the substantive suit.

By: King Onunwor

Politics

NIGERIA HAS NO VIABLE OPPOSITION, RIVERS EX-LEGISLATOR LAMENTS

Published

5 days ago

March 23, 2026

The Tide

A former state lawmaker in the old the Rivers State, Professor Alex Eseimokumo, has described Nigerian opposition political parties as mere preposition political parties.

He also advised the country’s electorate against selling their votes during next year’s general elections.

The former legislator, who is also the president of the Institute for Peace, Conflict Resolution and Entrepreneurial Research, said this in an exclusive interview with The Tide on the sidelines of an event organized by the institute in Port Harcourt.

He said opposition political parties in Nigeria have been reduced to preposition political parties as most of them are not only dinning with the government but advising government on what to do to win election.

“The problem in Nigeria is we are not practicing politics the way it is supposed to be.The opposition are more in preposition.

“You see, opposition is supposed to find out things that are wrong in government but in our present day politics, you see opposition even dinning with the other group. So, there is basically nothing like opposition in Nigeria “, he said.

He lamented a situation where some individuals within the opposition are allegedly working hard to prevent their parties from fielding presidential candidates in the forthcoming election, adding that such individuals were only there to protect their personal interest.

Prof. Eseimokumo said as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he could not wish his party to fail in the election, even though nothing is impossible in Nigeria.

He noted that though the government in power has been trying it’s best, there was more to be done.

In his words, “I’m an APC member, so I don’t have the right to criticize my party but a word of advice: we still need to do more, more people oriented leadership where everybody will feel carried along.

“For now, I’m campaigning for APC to be re elected and if I stand here to say APC is not doing well, I’m not being fair to myself. But I think, with God all things are possible, there can be changes”.

On his assessment of the performances of governors of the Niger Delta states, Prof Eseimokumo said the governors were doing well within the limit of their resources.

” I don’t know what is given to them as allocation, but if what we are seeing in terms of window dressing is not window shopping, then they are doing well”, he said.

Meanwhile, Prof. Eseimokumo has advised Nigerian electorates against selling their votes during the forthcoming elections.

He said credible election could only be achieved when the electorates refuse financial inducement during the elections.

According to him, though Nigerian voters had been difficult to persuade, the time had come for them to stop selling their votes.

Prof. Eseimokumo said the forthcoming elections will serve as a litmus test for the Nigerian electorate to demonstrate their desire for changes in the country, stressing that free and fair elections will continue to be a mirage in the country until the was a change in the attitude of the electorate.

“If you want your vote to count, don’t take money from anybody; if you want your votes to count, don’t collect money for your vote. The moment you collect money for your vote, you have sold your conscience”, he warned.

He said his institute will continue to work for peace, not just in the Niger Delta region but across Nigeria.

By: John Bibor