Politics

Shadow Govt: SSS Won’t Arrest Anyone – Counsel

Published

4 months ago

June 6, 2025

The State Security Service (SSS), also known as Department of State Services (DSS), is not interested in arresting anyone over the shadow government being proposed by a group led by the 2007 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Prof. Pat Utomi, the agency’s lead counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), has said.

The senior lawyer made the declaration on Wednesday shortly after filing a fresh application before the Federal High Court in Abuja for an interlocutory injunction restraining Prof. Utomi from further commenting publicly or engaging in rallies in relation to the subject of a suit pending against him over his announced plan to establish a shadow government in the country.

Mr Kehinde, who spoke with journalists, said: “Our client is not interested in arresting anybody on this matter, having on its own accord submitted itself to the jurisdiction of the honourable court to interpret the Constitution and determine the legality or otherwise of the ‘shadow government’ or any other nomenclature that it may be so named.

“It must be pointed out that our client, under its current leadership, is a very civilized organization with absolute confidence in the rule of law and that is why its leadership or any of its personnel will always approach the court of law whenever it feels that there is any infraction on its statutory duties by anyone or the rights of its personnel like the case instituted against SERAP by some of its personnel, is being compromised. Let the court have the final say.

“Gentlemen, we must all ensure that constitutional democracy and the rule of law have its way in Nigeria.

“It is good that as members of the fourth estate of the realm, you keep watch over the case filed against the formation of the ‘Shadow Government’ by Prof. Pat Utomi and his group.

“The civil suit, as you are aware, was filed by the State Security Service (SSS) in consonance with its statutory mandate of ensuring internal peace and avoidance of any form of insurrection and treasonable felony against the democratically elected government in the country.

“We, as counsel to the SSS, have just filed an application seeking an interlocutory injunction against the defendant and his group pending the determination of the substantive suit.

“The application, being a public document, can be obtained from the registry of the Honourable court.

He continued: “The application is premised on the fact that despite the pendency of the substantive action, the service of same on the defendant and the entry of appearance to same by his counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, the defendant has continued to make inflammatory statements capable of igniting chaos in the country instead of abiding by the hallowed principle that civilized parties before the court are expected to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive matter.

“What our client has submitted to the court is for the interpretation of the Constitution, whether any form of government by whatever nomenclature can be formed or allowed outside the Constitution”.

The new application seeks mainly, “an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the defendant/respondent (Utomi), his agents, privies, associates, servants, workers or any person acting through him from staging road shows, rallies, public lectures or any form of public gathering, newspaper publications, television programs, jingles or any other public enlightenment programme(s) aimed at sensitizing, instigating, propagating or in any way promoting the purported “shadow government/shadow cabinet” or its objectives or goals with the view to establishing the said “shadow government” pending the hearing and determination of this substantive suit.”

The grounds for the application include that, if not restrained, Prof. Utomi’s proposed rallies, road shows and actions “constitute a serious threat to the public order, safety and national unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. ”

The SSS added that as the agency statutorily empowered to safeguard the internal security of the country and prevent any threats to the lawful authority of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its constituent institutions, it was incumbent on it to forestall any threat to public order, safety and national unity.

It stated that before it filed the substantive suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025, Prof. Utomi had, through public statements, social media and other platforms engaged in statements and actions aimed at undermining the outcome of the case now pending before the court, and which he is aware of.

The SSS said it gathered through monitoring and intelligence reports that Prof. Utomi, who is currently out of the country and is due to return on June 6, plans “to stage road shows and rallies under the guise of freedom of speech and association in a bid to cause public discontent in furtherance of his establishment of the purported ‘shadow government/shadow cabinet.’

Politics

Rivers Assembly Resumes Sitting After Six-Month Suspension

Published

2 days ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.

President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.

The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.

The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.

Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.

The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.

However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.

Politics

2027: Bayelsa APC Adopts Tinubu As Sole Candidate … As Lokpobiri, Lyon Shun Meeting

Published

1 week ago

September 12, 2025

The Tide

The Bayelsa State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC) have passed a ‘Vote of Confidence’ on President Bola Tinubu and also adopted him as sole candidate of the party for the 2027 presidential polls.

Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, during the ’12th Expanded Stakeholders’ meeting of the party, the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, stressed the importance of the state’s chapter of the party to its national leadership.

Represented by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu, the National Chairman urged all stakeholders to unite to secure victory for the party, come 2027 general elections, adding that the party will give the state chapter the necessary support it requires to win in all future polls.

He appealed to aggrieved leaders of the party in the state to jettison their differences and tow the path of peace, describing the reconciliatory move as commendable while promising that the party’s national leadership will do all within its powers to ensure its success.

“President Tinubu is a pragmatic leader, and a progressive determined to transform Nigeria for the betterment of all. The developmental strides recorded by the president is attracting governors and National Assembly members from the opposition into the APC.

“We’ll ensure that the interest of the

party is managed. Bayelsa is important to our party, and we must do whatever we have to do, for the victory of the party in the state. We have a very good candidate in the president and that is why the South- South governors are taking the lead to join our party in support of the president for his reelection”, he said.

“Mr. President is on the move to take Nigerians to the promised land, and the only way to achieve this is in unity. The leadership of the party in the state need to show more tolerance and carry everyone along. Other state governors in other regions that are not in our party will soon join us, so that if the president is returned, everything will go smoothly.

“I want the former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, to personally lead the reconciliation so we can achieve the unity we desire. Forget all differences and bring everyone together”, he added.

Also speaking, the leader of the state chapter of the party and former Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, noted that the national secretariat of the party had not treated the state fairly, noting that if the national leadership of the APC had given the state the support it needed, the party would have achieved more.

Chief Sylva called on absentee leaders of the party at the meeting, particularly Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and former Governor-elect of the State, Chief David Lyon, to close ranks and work with other leaders to move the party forward.

“I wonder why the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and former Governor-elect, Chief David Lyon are not here. We’re all Bayelsans, we’re all Ijaw people, they should come and let’s work together for the greater interest of the party. We did well in 2023, but not what we expected.

“2027 is already a done deal, if we have the support of the national leaders of the party. Today we’re more ready than ever before.The only thing we lack is support from the party at the national level. With your support we’ll be the strongest, and nobody will be able to stand us in elections”, Chief Sylva said.

In his remarks, the Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, noted that most people thought the party was no more in existence, but that the NWC could see that the party is alive and kicking.

“Reconciliation is on and those in charge are doing well. The party has members in the state who were ‘victory-hungry”, he said.

Earlier, State Chairman of the party, Dr Dennis Otiotio, said the meeting was to critically appraise the performance of the president and also adopt him as the sole candidate of the party for the 2027 presidential election.

By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Politics

Alleged Smear Campaign Against Yakubu, CSOs Demand Apology From Uzodimma

Published

1 week ago

September 12, 2025

The Tide

The Transparency and Accountability Rights Initiative, a coalition of Nigerian Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), has issued a strong condemnation of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, accusing him of orchestrating a malicious smear campaign against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and development advocate Dr. Chima Amadi.

During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.

The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”

“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.

“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.

The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”

They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”

The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”

The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.

A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.

The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”

“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.

“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.