News

WE’LL RESTORE GLORY OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FUBARA ASSURES PARENTS

Published

2 years ago

June 17, 2024

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will transform the educational system in the state to ensure that parents bring back their children and wards from private to public schools.

Accordingly, the school supervision is to be strengthened to make public schools shining model to achieve desired goals.

Governor Fubara disclosed this while addressing members of the Rivers State Parents Teachers’ Association (PTA) for All Government Schools during a solidarity visit at Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

Represented by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nweake, Governor Fubara noted government’s plans to give public schools a facelift both in terms of infrastructure and content development.

The Governor pointed out that government efforts were aimed at reducing the burden on parents who spent greater percentage of their meager salaries for school fees with a view to making life better for their children.

He said, “We are going to transform the school system in Rivers State. The school supervision is also going to be made stronger.

“Many people are forced to take their children to private schools. We will make our schools to be models whereby there will be an osmotic movement from the private schools back to the public schools.

“Many people, the minimum wage is not enough for them, because they have to pay for private schools’ fees. But when we rebuild government schools in terms of infrastructure, and more importantly the content, people will come back from the private schools.

“When that happens, parents will have less to pay, cost of living will become lower and standard of living will become higher and better economy for us,” he noted.

Governor Fubara also frowned at a situation where parents go to schools to harass teachers who discipline their children and wards, saying his administration will not tolerate such negative trend.

The Governor, therefore, sued for symbiotic relationship between parents and teachers to ensure that parents give teachers the needed support to teach their children properly, while teachers in turn, see their pupils as their own children.

He said, “Government is deserious to turn around the fortunes of our schools. Parents, please allow your children to be taught. I hear that some parents go to schools to molest teachers. This administration will not tolerate that. We cannot, in any way, condone indiscipline.

“When you remove discipline from a child’s upbringing, that child cannot be well brought up. So, when you bring your children to school, allow them to be taught.

“And to you teachers, when parents also bring their children, treat them like your children. There should not be any difference between your biological children and other children,” he emphasised.

While maintaining that the state government had carried teachers along, unlike previous administration, which denied them promotion and failed to assist in the building of their Secretariat, Governor Fubara, admonished parents and teachers to join hands with government to turn around the school system.

He said, “The Government has done much for teachers. All the teachers are civil servants, and I am the Head of Service. I can say authoritatively that all of us received a N100,000.00 each in December, 2023, in addition to our salaries.

“Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) is the body that manages all the teachers in the state. They have a structure they are building somewhere which had stayed there for many years. As we speak, the sum of N250million has been released to finish that building.

“Before now, the previous administration did not care much about what happens in schools. Teachers were using their money to run schools. It’s no longer so now. Money has been released to the Senior Secondary Schools Board to purchase instructional and educational materials which they will use.

“Teachers, you were not promoted for many years. This Governor came and you were promoted and also paid arrears. To him that much has been given, they say, much is also expected. Let every teacher sit up now. Let every parent try as much as possible to cooperate so that we can achieve set goals,” he said.

Governor Fubara assured that with the rightful support and every person doing his or her own part, the government will hand over to our children a state that is better than what it met.

Presenting the address of members of the Parents Teachers’ Association for All Government Schools, the State Chairman, Comrade Boma Watson Allison, said the solidarity visit was to congratulate the Governor for his lofty achievements, people-centric programmes and policies in his first year in office.

Comrade Allison, who listed the Andoni section of the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road, Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road, the Trans-Kalabari Road, Eleme-Old Bori Road, and rehabilitation of RTC as part of the Governor’s achievements, pledged their loyalty and unflinching support to the administration.

He, however, drew the attention of the Governor to some pressing needs of the PTA, including recruitment of teachers, payment of imprest to principals and head teachers, rehabilitation and infrastructural development of schools, and appealed to him to look into the issues with a view to solving them.

News

PDP Kicks As APC Wins FCT Council Polls

Published

1 day ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has inaugurated a special legal team to handle election petitions arising from last Saturday’s Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory.

This comes as the All Progressives Congress (APC) won in Abaji, Kwali, AMAC, and Bwari Area Councils, while the PDP secured victory only in Gwagwalada.

The Tide reports that the council elections were held on Saturday, February 21, 2026, across all six FCT area councils, including Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali.

Results announced so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) show that the All Progressives Congress (APC) won in Abaji, Kwali, AMAC, and Bwari Area Councils, while the PDP secured victory only in Gwagwalada.

In a statement issued yesterday by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party congratulated its candidates, who emerged winners in the chairmanship and councilor elections.

The opposition party acknowledged the victories, noting that the number of wins was lower than expected but significant given the alleged irregularities during the polls.

“We specifically congratulate the Chairman-elect of Gwagwalada Area Council, Mohammed Kasim, and the councillors who have been declared successful by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“This victory, though less in number than we anticipated, is particularly gladdening because it is against the background of unprecedented intimidation, high-powered money politics, and brazen executive brigandage,” the statement read.

Ememobong claimed that there are reports and video evidence indicating voter intimidation and unlawful conduct that influenced the outcome of the elections.

“Reports and video evidence abound where armed security personnel were used to cart away result sheets in polling units, intimidate voters, and unduly influence the outcome of the elections.”

To address complaints and litigations arising from the polls, he said the party has set up a legal team headed by its National Legal Adviser, Shafi Bara’u, Esq.

The statement urged candidates with legitimate grievances to contact the Legal Adviser promptly, as delays could jeopardise their chances in election petition cases.

“The incredible voter apathy in these polls is a direct response to the anti-people Electoral Act 2026, where the people have completely lost faith in the electoral outcomes from elections conducted under this Act.

“These Local Council polls may just be a foreshadowing of the forthcoming general elections in 2027 if changes are not urgently made,” the statement added.

The PDP called on the National Assembly and the President to take corrective action to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy.

News

S’Court Gets New Justice As CJN Swears In Oyewole, Wednesday

Published

1 day ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, will on Wednesday swear in Justice Joseph Oyewole as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The ceremony is scheduled to be held at 2pm at Courtroom Two of the Supreme Court complex in Abuja.

The court urged guests to adhere strictly to the court’s protocols and security measures.

This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Supreme Court’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Dr Festus Akande.

The court described Oyewole’s appointment as a step towards reinforcing the capacity of the apex court to deliver fair and timely judgments.

Recall that Oyewole was, until his elevation, a Justice of the Court of Appeal and Presiding Justice of the Enugu Division, and joins the apex court bench as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the judiciary.

The National Judicial Council recommended Oyewole for the position alongside 35 others for various judicial offices, following its 110th meeting held on January 13, 2026, and presided over by Justice Kekere-Ekun.

The statement partly read, “The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, GCON, will on Wednesday, 25th February, 2026, preside over the swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Joseph Olubunmi Kayode Oyewole, JCA.”

According to the statement, Oyewole served with distinction at the Court of Appeal and as Presiding Justice of the Enugu Division prior to his elevation.

“His appointment underscores the commitment of the Nigerian judiciary to upholding the rule of law, ensuring justice, and strengthening the bench with experienced and dedicated jurists. He brings a wealth of legal expertise and integrity to the apex court to further enhance its capacity to deliver fair and timely judgments,” the statement added.

The apex court further described the swearing-in as “another significant step in rejuvenating the judiciary and ensuring the continued delivery of justice in line with the highest standards of integrity, competence, and impartiality.”

The Supreme Court reiterated its commitment to justice, fairness and judicial independence for the benefit of Nigerians.

News

Fubara Mourns Senator Mpigi

Published

1 day ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed deep shock and sadness over the sudden passage of Senator Barinada Mpigi, the Senator representing South East Senatorial District of Rivers State.

In a tribute to mourn the deceased, Governor Fubara described Mpigi as a brother, a consummate politician and one of the leading lights in Rivers State.

He said that Mpigi died at a critical time when his services were still needed by the people of Rivers State and prayed God Almighty to grant him eternal rest.

The governor commiserated with his immediate family, the Rivers South East Senatorial District and the Senate at large, asking them to take solace in the fact that the deceased lived a good life and impacted positively on the people.

Senator Mpigi died at the age of 64. Until his death, he was the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works.