Niger Delta

Delta PDP Moves To Reconcile Agrieved Members

Published

2 years ago

February 28, 2024

The Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that it has begun move to reconcile all aggrieved members of the party
This accordijg to The Chief of Staff to the state Governor, Honourable Johnson Erijo ,reconciliation of aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State after the 2023 gubernatorial election is ongoing.
The former member of the state House of assembly spoke on the Nigerian who to newsmen on the issue said that one of the aspirants, who was backed by a former governor in the state, Chief James Ibori, in the party primary, Olorogun David Edevie and others have not been appearing in the state public functions since May 29, 2023.
Erijo said that Edevie and other aspirants have put issues of the election behind them to join hands with the current government to take the MORE agenda of the administration to greater heights.
He said: “It is not only Edevie that was an aspirant in the PDP primary. You see prominent aspirants like the former deputy Governor, Kingsley Otuaro. You have been seeing him in state functions. You have been seeing James Manager, high ranking senator in public functions.
“Probably at the moment Edevie may not be in the country, so just one person of the lot; you wouldn’t say you have not been seeing them in state functions. You have been seeing majority of them.
“If you count the various stalwarts that indicated interest in the PDP race, majority of them have been coming around so of the lot, it may not be total but I don’t think it is anything untoward.
“For Edevie, a very strong PDP member, I haven’t heard from him lately, maybe he is out of the country. You know he used to shuttle, maybe he is taking a break and thereafter, he would be back. But one thing I know is that the PDP family in Delta is unbreakable, we are still very much intact.
“The reconciliatory effort is still very much on course and like I said, there is no way Edevie could be more aggrieved than people like James Manager, who was the founding PDP chairman in the state.
“So if Manager, could put aside whatever difference or ambition and has come back, working tirelessly as he did in the general election, I don’t think if there’s anyone else who cannot put behind any development to join hands with the current government.”
The Chief of staff said it was noteworthy that former governor James Ibori congratulated the governor after his Supreme Court victory.
Recalled that Chief Ibori and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, the immediate past governor of the state were in different boats while the 2023 election lasted.
While Okowa presented Oborevwori for the primary election, Ibori stood behind Edevie a situation that almost tore PDP apart.
However, the Chief of staff said members of the same family were bound to quarrel and thereafter settle for progress.
“They will all still inhabit their natural abode. Whatever has happened attest to the fact that everything is fine with PDP members in the states.
“ I am sure you are aware that Ibori’s daughter ran under the platform of PDP and is now at the national assembly under the platform of the party.
“That Ibori sent kind words to Governor Oborevwori is a clear indications that all is well with us as a family.”
On palliatives to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal, Erijo said the state government has taken enduring measures to ameliorate the burden confronting workers and indeed the people of the state.
According to him, aside allowance to workers, the governor had approved other measures one of which is the use of CNG buses.
“Particularly, the CNG buses, they are not things you just pick from the shelves. Government is taking those measures to ease transportation, I know the ministry of transport is already working in that direction on the approval of the Governor in ensuring that those long and lasting measures are put in place to cushion the effects of hard the economic situation we are facing in the country.
“We need to build the stations , import the CNG vehicles …all these processes are in place as the governor has graciously approved.”
He said the construction of three flyovers in the oil city of Warri and Effurun showed the seriousness Gov Oborevwori has towards ensuring the fulfillment of his electoral promises and his MORE agenda.
“You will recall that during his inauguration, he emphatically announced he was going to ensure Warri comes back to life as a commercial nerve center of the state.
“ Some of those serious measures he has taken are in the direction towards fulfilling those promises and I think Deltans are happy for it. The entire country has applauded the very bold initiative of engaging the giants of construction ,Julius Berger ,and to ensure that not only the infrastructure are put in place in Warri but as well ensure that the infrastructure are lasting, of high standard and that is why he engaged Julius Berger.
“Not just that, there is an agency saddled with the development of Warri /Effurun and environ. Only recently, the state Executive Council meeting approved the construction of the third phase of storm drainage project and other axillary projects. There are lots of other projects that are going on. When he starts the phase of project commissioning to mark his first year in office, we shall unveil most of the achievements .”
Speaking on the bolstered numbers of aides to the state governor, the former lawmaker opined that the people he engaged as aide are not people from outside Delta State .
He said it was all meant to shore up the economy of the state even as he lashed those critiques on why a governor should have too many aides.

Niger Delta

CSOs, Bille Community Urge Solution To Persistent Underwater Gas Eruption

Published

2 days ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the people of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State have called for government’s urgent intervention to end the suspected underwater gas eruption in the community.

The groups, under the aegis of the Environmental Rights Action and Social Action, made the call during their advocacy visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), in Port Harcourt.

The Programme Manager of Environmental Rights Action, Mr. Kentebe Ebiaridor, said the visit was to seek clarity on the response efforts of the regulators to the development in the community.

Ebiaridor expressed concern over what he described as “inadequate response from regulatory agencies and the government concerning the incident”.

He said discussions with some officials revealed that there was still no clear timeline for action to address the situation.

According to him, in the absence of clear ownership of the facility linked to the incident, companies operating within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 should be held accountable.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) had in a statement issued on March 20 by its Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the commission had commenced an investigation into a gas bubbling incident in Bille Community.

Eyesan said the commission expressed concern over the development and assured residents of its ongoing efforts to address the situation.

Also, the Resource Justice Manager of Social Action, Dr. Prince Edegbuo, warned that the situation could escalate into a public health emergency, if urgent steps were not taken.

Edegbuo called on relevant authorities to release the results of the tests reportedly conducted in the area, stressing that residents had the right to know the condition of their environment.

He also said CSOs were prepared to intensify advocacy on the matter, urging the development of emergency response measures, including possible evacuation plans.

A legal practitioner and community stakeholder, Mr. Commission Deinbo, had, on March 20, said residents had continued to witness unusual signs on the waterways in the area.

Deinbo said the signs included boiling and bubbling from the ground and river, sometimes within residential areas, as well as fire outbreaks, which the residents had always managed to contain.

He appealed to relevant authorities to come to their aid and find a lasting solution to the problem.

In a response, the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of NOSDRA, Mr. Bello Augustin, assured the community that he would relate its concerns to the appropriate quarters.

Augustin also commended the CSOs for their advocacy and concerns to community development in the state.

By: Wokoma Emmanuel & Theresa Frederick

Niger Delta

Police Detain 7, Recover Arms In A’Ibom

Published

2 days ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has detained seven suspects and recovered firearms after raiding a criminal hideout in Ndiya Mfia, Ikono Local Government Area.of the State.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, made the disclosure in a statement in Uyo on Wednesday.

John said that the breakthrough which occurred at about 6.00a.m on Wednesday, followed credible intelligence from members of the public.

“We reliably gathered that criminal suspects were hibernating in a compound disguised as worshippers.

“In a decisive operation, our personnel conducted a thorough search of the premises which led to the detention and recovery of arms,” she said.

According to her, the operation was in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police to decisively combat crime in the country.

The police spokesman further said that two locally made double-barrel guns, five expended cartridges, four motorcycles and three generators were recovered during the operation.

She also listed 10 mobile phones, one police crest, four jungle boots, one peak cap, saw blade, spanner, number plates, machetes, a special force vest as other items recovered.

“We also found bottles of suspected spiritual oil and one enlarged photograph linked to an ongoing investigation,” she said.

John said that preliminary investigation suggested that the location was being used as cover for criminal operations.

She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, has directed a comprehensive investigation on the matter in order to apprehend the principal suspect.

John expressed the commitment of the Command to rid the state of crime, and urged members of the public to always support the police with timely and credible information.

Niger Delta

Otu Launches Grassroot Security Network In C’River

Published

2 days ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has launched a grassroots security intelligence network, named, ”Homeland Safety and Security Agency,” to strengthen community-based surveillance and enhance safety across the state.

Otu, who inaugurated the agency’s office in the Southern Senatorial District of the state on Monday, in Calabar, said similar offices were being inaugurated in the Central and Northern Senatorial Districts.

The Governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Emmanuel Ironbar, said the officials of the agency would serve as first point of call before matters would be escalated to main security architecture in the state.

He described Homeland Security as an intelligence-driven structure focused on neighbourhood monitoring and early threat detection through coordinated local efforts.

He said the initiative constituted the directors and field operatives, tasked with gathering and forwarding intelligence to relevant security agencies for prompt action.

Otu noted that the network would serve as a first point of contact before intervention by conventional security agencies.

“It is important that we enhance monitoring of movements across our communities, border areas, and riverine zones to identify suspicious activities and enhance security response.

“The state government will provide necessary gadgets and communication tools to improve efficiency and real-time intelligence sharing,” he said.

Otu called for public cooperation, stressing that ‘’security is a collective responsibility requiring timely information from residents.’’

He said, ‘’to ensure that the security outfit works like a model unit, proper screening would be conducted on the volunteers to weed out undesirable elements from the system.’’

The Tide’s source reports that the Governor handed over 14 motor bikes to the agency’s southern Senatorial district office to enhance their efficiency.

On his part, the Director-General, South of the agency, Mr. Michael Nsan, said the volunteers had played key roles in reducing crime through coordinated patrols and intelligence sharing.

Nsan said over 1,300 volunteers currently supported the operations with additional informants providing critical information across communities.

“Crime rates dropped significantly during the last festive period due to our collaboration with law enforcement agencies in the state,” he said.

The Director-General said volunteers would undergo training and screening, with plans underway for formal recruitment through a government employment portal.

According to him, communication tools, including walkie-talkies, and patrol motorcycles had improved rapid response to security incidents.

He commended the governor’s commitment, noting that the initiative would further strengthen security architecture and community safety across the state.

The source reports that some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion were traditional rulers and government officials.