Politics

2027: RIVPA ADVOCATE PEACEFUL CAMPAIGNS, JOURNALISTS’ PROTECTION

Published

2 minutes ago

September 14, 2026

The Rivers Independent Publishers Association (RIVPA) has urged political parties, candidates and their supporters across the country to conduct their electioneering campaigns peacefully and in accordance with democratic principles.

The Association made the call in a statement jointly signed by the Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Mr. Ifeanyi Evans Osi, and Secretary, Caretaker Committee, Mr. Augustine Tanee and made available to the new men in Port Harcourt.

RIVPA particularly urged political parties and their candidates to make their campaigns issue-based by focusing on their policies, programmes, records, competence and vision for the people.

The Association advised politicians to avoid character assassination, ethnic and religious sentiments, as well as deliberate dissemination of misinformation capable of heating up the polity.

It also called on all stakeholders to respect the rights of citizens to freely attend political rallies, express their political opinions and associate with political parties of their choice.

RIVPA stressed the need for citizens to be allowed to exercise their constitutional right to vote without fear, intimidation or harassment.

The Association further appealed to all security agencies deployed to provide security during the campaigns to remain professional, impartial and non-partisan in the discharge of their duties.

It urged the security agencies to ensure adequate protection for journalists and other media practitioners covering political campaigns, rallies and related activities.

According to the independent newspaper publishers, journalists play a vital role in informing the public and providing credible coverage of the electoral process and should, therefore, be allowed to carry out their professional duties without intimidation or harassment.

RIVPA also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remain impartial in the discharge of its responsibilities throughout the electioneering period.

The Association said the neutrality and professionalism of both the electoral body and security agencies would be critical to building public confidence and ensuring a peaceful and credible electoral process.

RIVPA called on political actors and other stakeholders to place the interest of the country above partisan considerations, stressing that peaceful campaigns and respect for democratic rights remained essential to the success of the electoral process.

By: King Onunwor

Politics

INEC Unveils Tinubu, Atiku, 16 Others For 2027 Presidential Race

Published

1 minute ago

September 14, 2026

The Tide

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates for the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January, 2027.

The list includes candidates from 18 political parties contesting the presidential election, along with their respective presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

According to the list, signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Secretary of the Commission, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is fielding President Bola Tinubu, 74, as its presidential candidate, with Vice President Kashim Shettima, 59, as his running mate.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presents former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 79, as its presidential candidate, with former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, 61, as his running mate.

Below is full list of the presidential candidates and their running mates:

APC: Bola Tinubu (74) / Kashim Shettima (59)
ADC: Atiku Abubakar (79) / Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (61)
NDC: Peter Gregory Obi (65) / Musa Mohammed Rabiu Kwankwaso (69)
LP: Sunday Chibuzo Okereke (43) / Hajja Bintu Konto (54)
PDP: Sandy Ojang Onor (60) / Umaru Babangida (61)
AA: Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje / Shehu Hussaini
ADP: Aliyu Abbas-Bin / Chinazam Ike
APP: Kabiru Yusuf / Peace Egobia Ofordile
AAC: Omoyele Sowore / Haruna Garba Magashi
APM: Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde (58) / Musa Lawal Daura
BP: Sunday Adenuga / Usman Turaki Mustapha
DLA: Moses Olusoji Adebisi / Nafisat Usaku Abubakar
NDP: Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori / Uchenna Anthony Chukwuemeka
NRM: Nkem Esther Okereke / Nasir Muhammed Sulaiman
PRP: Donald Duke / Kabiru Rabiu
SDP: Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo / Usman Muhammed Bugaje
YPP: Peter Ada Agada / Patience Ndidi Key
ZLP: Daniel Daberechukwu Nwanyanwu / Hassan Khalid

Politics

Alleged Rivers Constituencies Shortfall, Lawyer Drags INEC To Court

Published

1 minute ago

September 14, 2026

The Tide

A Port Harcourt-based legal practitioner, Mr Ugochukwu Okparanta, has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the Federal High Court in Rivers State, seeking an urgent review of the number of constituencies represented in the state House of Assembly.

In the suit marked FHC/PH/CS/140/2026, Mr Okparanta alleged that the present constituency structure in Rivers State falls short of the constitutional requirements prescribed under Sections 91 and 112 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Section 91 of the Constitution provides that, subject to its provisions, a House of Assembly of a state shall consist of three or four times the number of seats the state has in the House of Representatives.

Section 112 further provides that INEC shall divide every state in the federation into such number of state constituencies as is equal to three or four times the number of federal constituencies within that state.

According to the suit, Rivers State has 13 federal constituencies.

The plaintiff argues that by the constitutional calculation, 13 federal constituencies multiplied by three should give Rivers State a minimum of 39 state constituencies.

But the state currently has only 32 state constituencies, leaving what the claimant describes as a deficit of seven constituencies.

Mr Okparanta said the issue was not merely a matter of arithmetic, but one of constitutional compliance, equitable representation and the political rights of the people of Rivers State.

“When seven constituencies are missing from the constitutional arrangement, it necessarily means that seven areas of the state are denied the level of representation contemplated by the Constitution.

“The people of Rivers State should not be made to bear the consequences of an arrangement that appears inconsistent with the clear provisions of Sections 91 and 112 of the Constitution”, he said.

Mr Okparanta said he had earlier served a pre-action notice on INEC in Abuja in June 2026, drawing the Commission’s attention to what he described as the constitutional shortfall.

According to him, the notice urged INEC to take the necessary steps to correct the anomaly without the need for litigation.

He said the decision to approach the court became necessary after INEC allegedly failed to act on the complaint.

“In June 2026, we served a pre-action notice on INEC in Abuja, drawing the Commission’s attention to this constitutional shortfall and urging it to take the necessary steps to correct the anomaly without recourse to litigation.

“Significantly, in that same month, INEC announced the restoration of 22 state constituencies across Benue, Delta, Jigawa and Kogi states, following judgments of courts”, he said.

Mr Okparanta said the affected states had challenged what they considered the suppression of constituencies and failure to comply with constitutional requirements governing the creation and delineation of state constituencies.

He maintained that Rivers State should not be treated differently if the constitutional provisions support its claim.

“Where a constituency arrangement does not comply with the Constitution, affected citizens have the right to demand its correction”, he maintained.

Politics

RIVERS LP ASSEMBLY CANDIDATE VOWS TO MENTOR CONSTITUENTS

Published

1 minute ago

September 14, 2026

The Tide

The Labour Party (LP) standard bearer for Ikwerre State Constituency in next year’s general elections, Hon. Stasi Amadi, has vowed to mentor her constituents, and not torment them, if elected to represent them in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Hon. Amadi made the declaration while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt at the weekend, stressing that leadership should be anchored on mutual understanding and a strong bond between the people and their representative.

She said elected representatives should not create divisions among the people, but should work towards strengthening unity, cooperation and peaceful coexistence within the constituency.

According to her, leadership should be a bonding relationship between the people and their representatives, and not a tearing or separating factor.

The LP candidate said, if elected, she would promote initiatives capable of reviving the old days of communal interaction, when people gathered together during tales-by-moonlight sessions and related with one another as members of one family.

She noted that such communal engagements would provide opportunities for the people to interact freely, understand one another and collectively address issues affecting the local government area.

Hon. Amadi maintained that restoring the spirit of togetherness among the people would not only promote peace in Ikwerre Local Government Area, but would also help to discourage criminal activities.

She called on the people to recognise their shared identity and interests, urging them to reject actions and attitudes capable of creating hatred, division and suspicion among them.

“We must realise that we are one and must discourage all forms of malice among us. That is why I have volunteered to stand in the gap,” she said.

Hon. Amadi said her aspiration was driven by the desire to provide purposeful representation and create a stronger relationship between the people and the office of their elected representative.

She assured the people that her proposed representation would be people-oriented, inclusive and focused on rebuilding trust, unity and a sense of belonging among the various communities in Ikwerre.

The LP candidate, therefore, urged the people to support her aspiration, promising to use the opportunity, if elected, to mentor, unite and serve them rather than become a source of torment or division.