Rivers State Government has assured the people of Eleme Local Government Area that their losses arising from the recent flooding have not gone unnoticed.

The Deputy Governor of the State, Prof. Ngozi Odu, gave the assurance recently while presenting relief materials to flood victims in the local government area at Aleto Secondary School, Aleto Nchia, Eleme.

Represented by the Head of Service, Dr. Inyingi Brown, the deputy governor, who is the Chairman of the 2026 Flood Prevention and Management Committee, said experts have been assigned to study the area’s flooding patterns and recommend appropriate measures.

 She said, “The flood that ravaged your houses and your properties, the government of Sim Fubara, being a people-oriented government, a government that solves the problems of his people, heard about what happened and decided to bring some items to cushion the effect of the flood you have suffered, and that is why we are here to present these materials.

“These materials include perishable and non-perishable items.

“For the non-perishable items, we have 200 mattresses, 200 pillows, 100 blankets, 50 bedsheets, 200 towels, 200 plastic buckets, 200 bedroom slippers, 200 creams, 200 soaps, 200 toothbrushes, 200 pieces of toothpaste, 50 packs of washing soap detergent, 200 serving plates, 200 sanitary soaps, and 200 tablespoons.

“For food items, we have 150 bags of 25kg rice, 500 bags of 10kg beans, 30 bags of 25kg salt, 40 gallons of 10 litres palm oil, 14 cartons (196 packets) of seasoning cubes, 5 cartons (300 packets) of groundnut oil, 107 bags of 25kg garri, and 200 cartons of Indomie (40 pieces per carton). These are just some of the items the Governor has brought to you.

“It cannot solve the problem completely, but to cushion the impact of the flood on you and your family.

“I will take back the message the King has said about the road and assure you that the State Government is thinking about you; your welfare is paramount to him.”

Odu disclosed that experts from the Flood and Erosion Department of the Ministry of Environment had been assigned to work with the local government authority to study the area’s flooding patterns and determine appropriate measures.

The relief materials were subsequently presented to the Chairman of Eleme Local Government Council, Hon. Obarilormate Ollor, who was represented by his Vice Chairman, Hon. Virtue Ekee.

Receiving the items, the chairman thanked the governor for considering the plight of flood victims and providing relief to affected residents.

Also speaking, the King of Eleme, HRM King (Dr.) Philip Osaro Obele, expressed joy over the relief materials, and thanked the governor and the local government chairman for assisting the flood victims in the area.

The king, who was represented by the Paramount Ruler of Nyada Community, Chief Engr. Isaac Osaro, said, “In Akamu area in Aleto, every building is flooded, properties worth billions have been lost, the people are suffering with no food and water.

“What the governor has done today by giving us relief materials will go a long way to lessen our suffering.

“I want to thank the governor and the local government chairman; they have done enough but there is still more to be done.”

He, however, appealed to the governor to come to their aid by constructing the road leading to Akamu community.

Mr. Bennett Paagoe who spoke on behalf of the victims, expressed appreciation to the State Government and members of the Flood Prevention and Management Committee for their prompt responses.

Kiadum Edookor

The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice  Simeon Amadi, has launched the Rivers State Plea Bargain Guidelines, aimed at strengthening the administration of criminal justice and ensuring fair, timely and efficient dispensation of justice in the State.

Justice Amadi, represented by Justice Augusta Kingsley-Chuku, spoke at the launch organised by the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council, Rivers State, at the Rivers State High Court Complex, Port Harcourt, recently.

He said the guidelines would help reduce unnecessary delays in criminal proceedings and promote better utilisation of judicial and prosecutorial resources, stressing that efficiency must not be pursued at the expense of fairness.

According to him, the plea bargain process must be guided by transparency, accountability, due process and respect for the rights of all parties, adding that properly applied plea bargaining was not a compromise of justice.

The Chief Judge said plea bargaining remained a recognised mechanism for facilitating the timely and efficient resolution of appropriate criminal matters, while ensuring that the interests of justice were adequately protected.

Also speaking, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Ibisoye Lolomari-Nwankwo, said the guidelines were designed to promote consistency in the exercise of prosecutorial discretion and provide clear direction to stakeholders involved in plea bargaining.

Lolomari-Nwankwo called for effective cooperation among the Judiciary, Ministry of Justice, law enforcement agencies, Correctional Service, the Bar and other stakeholders, stressing that such collaboration was necessary for successful implementation of the guidelines.

She commended the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council for its commitment to criminal justice reform, noting that the guidelines were the product of extensive research and efforts aimed at improving justice administration in Rivers State.

The Executive Secretary of the Rivers State Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council, Chief Magistrate Ilanye Brown, said the guidelines would provide a structured framework for prosecutors and defendants to negotiate the resolution of appropriate criminal cases.

Brown explained that plea bargaining could prevent appropriate criminal cases from remaining in court for several years, where the conditions prescribed by law for the process were satisfied.

She, however, stressed that plea bargaining is subject to legal conditions, particularly in cases involving serious offences, adding that the court must be carried along whether the process was initiated before a charge was filed or while a matter was already before the court.

The Executive Secretary urged criminal justice stakeholders to study and comply with the new guidelines, stressing that their provisions must be translated into practice to achieve speedy resolution of criminal cases and improve the overall efficiency of the criminal justice system.

King Onunwor

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated winners of the legislative by-elections held yesterday across Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and Delta states.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) won four of the five seats, while the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) secured the remaining seat in Bauchi State.

The President’s congratulatory message is contained in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, in Abuja, yesterday.

The successful APC candidates include Kallamu MaiJama’a, Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency, Gombe; and Husseini Datti, Dawakin Kudu State Constituency, Kano.

Others are Okolosi Ator, Udu State Constituency, Delta; and Yakubu Ali, Disina State Constituency, Bauchi.

Adamu Yakubu of the APM won the Sakwa State Constituency seat in Bauchi State.

Tinubu said the victories recorded by APC candidates demonstrated the confidence Nigerians reposed in the party’s capacity to govern effectively and deliver shared prosperity.

“I am encouraged by the support Nigerians at the grassroots continue to show for our party and for the difficult but necessary reforms our administration has implemented over the past three years,” Tinubu said.

He urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in their support for the APC and resist being swayed by political opportunism.

“I urge Nigerians to remain steadfast and not be swayed by political opportunism. The benefits of these reforms will become increasingly evident as we enter the next phase of our programme,” he added.

The President urged the winners to justify the confidence their constituents had placed in them through diligent and effective representation.

He also encouraged other candidates to accept the outcomes in good faith and continue contributing to the democratic process.

Tinubu commended voters and security agencies for maintaining peace and order during the elections.

He also applauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for successfully conducting the polls.

The President urged INEC to build on the progress recorded in the by-elections and address identified shortcomings ahead of future polls.

He particularly urged the commission to strengthen preparations for the general elections scheduled for January and February 2027.