Politics
I’ll Continue To Uphold Christian Virtues In Governance -Fubara
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured the people that his administration will continue to uphold Godly virtues in the governance of the State.
Fubara gave the assurance yesterday, while speaking as a Special Guest at the Synod General Thanksgiving Service of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Province of Niger Delta, Diocese of Evo, held at St Philip’s Anglican Church, Oro-Igwe, Obio Akpor Local Government Area, of the State.
The governor, who read the only lesson at the service, thanked the Evo Diocese for their prayers and support during his electioneering period. He said he was happy to attend the 2023 edition of Synod in the Diocese in his capacity as Governor of Rivers State.
“ About this time last year when we had Synod, we were preparing for elections. The Lord Bishop and the Rt Hon Speaker called me but I refused to attend; the guests were dragging for space, but I didn’t want to drag for space. When you have Jesus, you don’t have to struggle for anything. I’m happy to be here today to look at your faces to assure you that I’m with you. Election is over, what we are doing now is governance and everybody is carried along”, he said.
The governor said his administration, in response to the enormous task of governance in the State, started on a strong footing with the commencement of the landmark Port Harcourt Ring Road project.
“About our administration, we started with a very gigantic project for the expansion and development of a better Rivers State. We will also do other things in terms of new development in the areas of agriculture and others”, he added.
While assuring that he will also embark on the development of other critical sectors of the economy, Fubara frowned against the unpatriotic acts of some people who delight in de-marketing the State, and urged the Church to be good ambassadors by portraying Rivers State in good light.
“I want to appeal to you as a Church, please, we shouldn’t just leave the crusades for the government and party members, but everyone of us should try to market our State. We have some leaders whose mission is to talk down on Rivers State, they will tell you it’s Rivers of blood, but meanwhile they are living here, they’re coming here every night; Rivers State is peaceful, we are doing our best.
“ While you are doing your Church work, also be crusaders to tell people that in Rivers State, we have a better mission, that against what they are telling you, Rivers State is a place to invest”, he stressed.
The Governor also drew attention to the increasing drive of the youth towards social vices as a result of the negative impact of technology and urged the Church not to rest on its oars to inculcate morals in the youth.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Bishop of Evo Diocese and President of Synod, Rt Rev Innocent Ordu, thanked the Governor and his entourage for attending the Synod.
Also, the guest preacher and Bishop of Diocese of Esan, Rt Rev Gabriel Elabo, during his sermon said ultimate authority and power can only be found in the name of Jesus Christ and urged Christians who are politicians to rely completely on Jesus Christ for their breakthroughs and not to search for powers elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, on Wednesday, declared that his administration would not take the mandate of Rivers people for granted but work for the development of the State.
Addressing the organised labour in the State, who went on a protest to Government House, the Governor, represented by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Hon Chidi Amadi, said he feels the pains experienced by workers and the masses at large as a result of subsidy removal by the Federal Government.
Fubara commended the workers for their peaceful disposition during the protest and assured them that their complaints would be given due consideration and channelled to the appropriate authorities.
He said his administration had already rolled out transport buses in the state to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal.
By: Beemene Taneh
The Rivers contest is expected to draw heightened attention in the oil-rich state, as political actors position for influence in a district long regarded as strategic to the balance of power in Rivers State.
INEC disclosed that the by-elections will hold concurrently with the Ekiti State governorship election, underscoring what promises to be a politically charged day across several parts of the country.
Beyond Rivers, the electoral body listed other affected constituencies to include Nasarawa North Senatorial District, Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency in Kano State, Ondo South Senatorial District, and Enugu North Senatorial District.
The vacancies, according to INEC, arose from a combination of deaths, resignation, and other constitutional developments. In Nasarawa, the demise of Senator Godiya Akwashika has left a gap in a district considered a stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In Enugu, the passing of Senator Okey Ezea has set the stage for a competitive race in the South-East.
Similarly, the Ondo South seat became vacant following the resignation of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, who now serves as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, while the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa seat in Kano opened up after the death of Hon. Muhammad Danjuma Hassan.
Analysts say the Rivers South-East by-election, in particular, could reshape political alignments in the state, as parties jostle to fill the void left by Sen. Mpigi and consolidate their foothold ahead of future electoral contests.
Stakeholder from Bayelsa East Senatorial District, on Monday, endorsed the incumbent Senator representing them to run for a second term.
Leading the stakeholders, the former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism and Special Adviser to Governor Douye Diri on Political Affairs (iii), Dr Iti Orugbani, said the reason for the endorsement was based on the federal lawmaker’s trajectory of good deeds and massive execution of projects across communities of the Senatorial district.
Dr Orugbani highlighted some of the projects to include landing jetties, telecommunication masts and town halls amongst others, noting that Sen. Agadaga’s performance has exceeded those of others who hitherto represented the oil rich area.
Bayelsa East Senatorial District comprises Ogbia, Brass and Nembe Local Government Areas of the State.
The Governor’s aide who called on the State’s Eastern political enclave to respect the 2022 new zoning agreement, which guaranteed second term for Senators from the District, stressed the need for political tolerance and peace in the forthcoming 2027 polls.
“In 2022 the leaders and stakeholders across party lines from Bayelsa East held a meeting and altered the old single term for Senators from the district’s agreement and signed that begining from 2023 any Senator emerging from the district must serve for a minimum of two terms.
“In 2023, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, then an incumbent Senator representing the Senatorial district under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was given a second term ticket by the party. Though he lost to the PDP.
“Now that the entire state is now APC and the District has an APC Senator in the person of Benson Agadaga from Ogbia LGA, why not also give him a second tenure?
“The stakeholders in 2022 changed the old political agreement because they saw that it wasn’t beneficial to the district any longer. And so, because it was Ogbia Local Government Area that started the old zoning arrangement by producing the first Senator in 1999, I want to plead that let Ogbia also begin the new two terms zoning agreement”, he said.
Also speaking, the duo of woman leader of a support group, ‘Agadema Women’, Mrs. Owadaba Jokori and the Information Officer of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Central Zone, Comrade Ikio, stated that the incumbent Senator has done well for the district in the past three years that he has been in office.
They lauded the federal lawmaker for his infrastructure projects, especially the construction of landing jetties in select communities of the three local government areas of the district, commending stakeholders for supporting the lawmaker in his second term bid.
In his remarks, Senator Agadaga thanked the stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and the endorsements he has received lately from constituents and admirers across political parties.
The lawmaker noted that within the past three years that he has been Senator, he has delivered dividends of democracy to his constituents across the Senatorial District, emphasizing that the call for him to be senator from the Brass Senatorial District came to him as a surprise, noting that he accepted the clarion call when the clamour became so loud.
“I was Chief of Staff to the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, when various groups from the zone came calling on me to contest the 2023 Senatorial polls.
“Ever since winning the elections as a senator, I’ve continued to deliver on my mandate in both representation, lawmaking, oversight, project execution and support for constituents when called upon. And I shall continue to do more if elected for a second term”, the Senator said.
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has set May 15 as deadline for definite hearing in a suit filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The judge on Monday shifted the hearing date following the absence of the plaintiff, Mr Jideobi, and his lawyer in court without any information.
Apart from the absence of the plaintiff, who is a legal practitioner, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, who are 2nd and 3rd defendants in the matter, were also not in court.
Following the absence of the plaintiff and the two defendants, Chris Uche, SAN, representing Dr Jonathan, applied to the court to strike out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution.
Having joined issues with each other, Mr Uche said, the suit is liable for dismissal with a N5 million cost to be awarded against the plaintiff and payable to Dr Jonathan.
He argued that from all indications, the plaintiff has abandoned the suit and ran away upon sighting the preliminary objections raised against the suit, adding that the court is a busy place and not for unserious matters.
Justice Lifu, however, noted that there was no evidence of service of hearing notice on INEC and AGF to appear in court for the suit, adding that lack of service of hearing notice is fundamental.
The judge said rather than striking out the suit, he prefers to bend backward to accommodate the plaintiff and the two defendants for the last time.
While adjourning the matter to May 15, Justice Lifu ordered that hearing notice be served on the plaintiff and the 2nd and 3rd defendants who were not in court on Monday.
The plaintiff, Mr Jideobi, had filed the case seeking an order to restrain Dr Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as an aspirant for the 2027 election.
He is also asking the court to stop INEC from accepting, processing or publishing Dr Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.
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