Politics
PDP’ll Restore Peace In Rivers -Party Stalwart
Irked by the current political crisis rocking Rivers State, a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Eleme Local Government Area, Sir Godwin Owaate, has assured that his party would soon restore peace and deliver even development to the State, as Governor Siminalayi Fubara is poised to run an all-inclusive government.
Speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Sir Owaate urged all factions in the impasse to embrace peace for development to thrive, noting that of all the political parties that took part in the 2023 general elections, only the PDP could guarantee a peaceful atmosphere for good governance.
He emphasised that as the party that currently occupies Rivers ‘Brick House’, there was need for the PDP to be cohesive, arguing that only a peaceful political party can dispense quality governance with the interest of the masses in mind.
The ex-PDP boss expressed the hope that the Governor Fubara-led administration in the state will usher in a focused and vision-driven dispensation that will transform the state by executing development projects.
“What I am saying is that we as the good people of Rivers State have had enough of these crisis-ridden situations through our various political parties.
“I believe that the leadership of Governor Siminalayi Fubara remains the appropriate administration that will take all of us to greater development pedestal through the demonstration of maturity and experience in governance that will meet the yearnings and aspirations of our people in the cities, rural communities, towns and villages across the state.
“Let us forget about internal wranglings that are generating news from court cases for the media, rather than making news about initiating laudable projects and commissioning of completed projects.
“The PDP will guarantee news from executing projects and not from court cases. I am sure that the choice of Sir Siminalayi Fubara as Governor is not a bad omen. I am also certain that the Governor will perform creditably well when we all join forces with him and the party to build an egalitarian state”, Sir Owaate stated.
He commended the zeal of the Governor to develop the rural areas abandoned by successive administrations, adding that once the rural communities of the state are fixed, the state’s economy would have been re-engineered and repositioned for the common good of the people.
The PDP stalwart pointed out that no fewer than 250,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are spread across the rural communities of the state, describing them as the engine room for the massive economic activities that could revolutionise the transformation of the rural communities and the state in general under the watch of Governor Fubara.
Concerning youths and violence, Sir Owaate admonished youths in Rivers State to be agents of peace and shun violence, noting that, “There is need for youths of the state to join hands with the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara in his quest to develop them and the state, instead of allowing themselves to be used by desperate politicians and mischief-makers, who are bent on derailing the government from achieving set goals”.
“As youths, you need to promote peace, harmonious relationship with the government, because without peace, governance cannot thrive. Remember that as youths, you are critical stakeholders, this is why politicians use you to cause violence.
“Let me tell you that violence has no gain but destroys lives and property. You should be aware that this is a period for us to participate in the business of governance for the well-being of all of us”, Sir Owaate submitted.
Bethel Toby
Politics
INEC To Display Voters Register April 29 As CVR Phase II Closes Nationwide
The Commission disclosed the figure in its weekly update for week 14 of the second phase of the exercise, which ended on Friday, April 17, 2026.
According to the breakdown, 2,259,288 Nigerians completed their registration through the online pre-registration portal, while 1,489,416 finalized their registration physically at designated centres nationwide.
INEC noted that the figures remain preliminary and are subject to further verification and data cleaning processes to ensure accuracy ahead of the consolidation of the national voter register.
With the conclusion of the registration phase, the Commission has now shifted focus to the display of the Register of Voters for Claims and Objections, a statutory stage aimed at strengthening the credibility and integrity of the voters register.
The display exercise is scheduled to hold from April 29 to May 5, 2026, across designated centres nationwide, providing citizens the opportunity to verify their details and raise objections where necessary.
The Commission urged all registered voters from the concluded phase to take advantage of the exercise to confirm the accuracy of their information and assist in identifying ineligible entries, including duplicate registrations, deceased persons, and non-citizens.
INEC explained that the Continuous Voter Registration exercise is being conducted in phases, with the first phase running from August 18 to December 10, 2025, while the second phase commenced on January 5, 2026 and ended on April 17, 2026.
The Commission further stated that the date for the commencement of the third phase will be announced in due course.
Reaffirming its commitment to credible elections, INEC stressed that maintaining a clean and accurate voter register remains central to ensuring free, fair, and transparent electoral processes in Nigeria.
Politics
Ekiti 2026: IPC Trains Journalists On Election Coverage
The Executive Director of IPC, Mr Lanre Arogundade, informed the journalists that the dialogue was sponsored by the European Union, under the auspices of the EU-Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN II), Component 4: Support to Media.
According to the veteran media practitioner, the programme is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the media to promote credible elections through factual, accurate and fair reporting.
He explained that the programme is part of a broader five-year intervention designed to support democratic governance and improve the role of the media in Nigeria’s electoral process, stressing that fact-checking and inclusive reporting are critical responsibilities for journalists, especially during electioneering.
He described the media as a central role agent with regard to upholding transparency and accountability in the democratic process.
A resource person and Director of Journalism Clinic, Lagos, Mr Taiwo Obe, enjoined journalists to embrace the evolving technology so that they would not be in the backwaters in the practice of the profession.
He advised journalists not to downplay Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their bid to remain relevant in the media environment by being abreast of the changing patterns of news consumption.
The journalism teacher explained that with digital transformation of the media industry, it had become imperative for journalists to constantly upgrade and update their skills, stressing the fundamental place of attitude and self-development and underscored the dynamic nature of media consumption in the digital age, thereby compelling journalists to embrace tools and platforms, but without much reliance on AI.
In his lecture, a Professor of Mass Communication at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Adebola Aderibigbe, advised journalists in Ekiti State to ensure that coverage of the upcoming governorship poll is issue-based rather than dwelling on personalities.
He added that sensationalism should not occupy the front-burner of any discussions concerning the 2026 election, admonishing that sustenance of democracy is anchored on responsible journalism.
”Journalists must prioritise accuracy, fairness and balance in their reports by verifying facts and giving all parties involved in political matters the opportunity to present their views”, he said.
According to the university don, the election will not be defined by personalities, but by issues. ”Let issues be the pivotal ring upon which every discussion should be made. Sensationalisation of issues should not be the bedrock of discussions in the 2026 election”, he added.
“Do not hear from Party A without hearing from Party B, otherwise the report will be skewed to one side and once issues of elections are skewed, problems will naturally arise”, he stressed.
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