Politics

ONLY GOD REMAINS MY POLITICAL GODFATHER — PIDOMSON

Published

1 hour ago

November 2, 2026

Ahead of the 2027 elections in Rivers State, governorship candidate of of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state, Dr Gabriel Pidomson, has declared that he has only God as his political godfather.

Dr Pidomson, who denounced politics of godfatherism, also warned Rivers people against allowing few individuals to decide the affairs of the state

The governorship candidate said this while reacting to questions during an interactive session with members of The Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thoughts (CORSLOT) in Port Harcourt.

He argued that the vice presidential candidate of the ADC and former governor of Rivers State, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, would not be so much involved in the affairs of governance of the state, if he is elected as the governor.

He pointed out that Commissioners were given free hands to operate during the tenure of Mr Amaechi as governor.

The ADC governorship candidate attributed the alleged slow pace of development in the state to the politics of godfatherism, stressing that Rivers people must never allow it to happen again.

He said he was poised to run an administration that would be anchored on the principle of accountability and good governance, if elected into power.

Dr Pidomson promised to develop tourism and initiate deliberate programme of showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the state.

The ADC governorship candidate further promised to give rural development a boost while agriculture and the blue economy would be aggressively pursued to ensure food sufficiency in the state.

Meanwhile, the Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thoughts (CORSLOT) has advised Rivers people not to vote political parties in the forthcoming guber elections but an individuals whose programmes and intendments, in the views of majority of voters, would serve them truly as a servant leader, not as a boss.

Chairman of the Coalition, High Chief Sunnie Chukumele, said this during an interactive session with the governorship candidate of the ADC in Port Harcourt.

According to him, “rancour hatred, division bitterness has taken the centre stage”

High Chief Chukumele described CORSLOT as a non partisan group that will continue to project the interest of Rivers people.

“This organization was founded on the premise and principles of serving as vanguard and conscience of Rivers State, her people and inhabitants.

“We do advisory, where necessary, to the governor and government of Rivers State as we are a natural feedback loop as citizens in the spirit of the sophist.

“Our members are royalties and traditional rulers, chiefs, academics, professionals, religious leaders, business men and women, bureaucrats, political elites, women and youth leaders.

“CORSLOT is, therefore, strictly apolitical by design and operation”, he said.

By: John Bibor

Politics

2027: RIVERS GUBER CANDIDATES SIGN CHARTER TO PRIORITIZE CITIZENS’ DEMANDS

Published

9 minutes ago

November 2, 2026

The Tide

Five governorship candidates in Rivers State have signed the Rivers 2027 Citizens’ Charter of Demands, indicating their willingness to prioritise the people’s expectations if elected in 2027.

The candidates signed the document at the seventh edition of The Rivers We Want Town Hall Series, held under the theme, “Rivers 2027: The People’s Agenda”, in Port Harcourt, recently.

The candidates that signed the charter included Dr Gabriel Pidomson of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Barr Ivy West of the African Action Congress (AAC), Rev. Minaibim Harry of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Prof. Ben John of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Chief Nature Kieghe of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP).

The charter, which was presented by Dr. Frank Nelson and the Rivers State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Samuel Ogan, outlines citizens’ demands in employment generation, education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, economic growth and environmental protection.

The candidates also presented their respective programmes for the state, highlighting job creation, improved education, accessible healthcare, security and infrastructure development as key areas of attention.

The organisers disclosed that governorship candidates who could not attend the event would also be given the opportunity to review and sign the charter.

About 170 participants attended the dialogue organised by the Rivers Peace Initiative in partnership with Super 93.3 FM, in collaboration with the Centre for Peace and Security Studies, University of Port Harcourt, and the Trade Union Congress, Rivers State Council.

The organisers said the initiative was aimed at keeping the demands of Rivers people at the centre of the 2027 electoral process, adding that elected leaders would be expected to account for the commitments they made to the electorate.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) in Rivers State, Mr Sunny Dada, has called for improved governance, accountability and effective leadership in the state ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Mr Dada made the call while speaking at the seventh edition of The Rivers We Want Town hall Series, held under the theme, “Rivers 2027: The People’s Agenda”, in Port Harcourt.

He identified some of the major challenges confronting Rivers State, particularly in governance, economic development and security, and stressed the need for political leaders to address issues affecting the welfare of the people.

Also speaking, the Convener of the Rivers Peace Initiative, Mr Obinna Ebogidi, said the 2027 governorship election should go beyond political competition and focus on the needs and expectations of Rivers people.

Mr Ebogidi maintained that the electorate deserved a governance process that would place their interests above partisan considerations and ensure that political promises translated into tangible development.

By: King Onunwor

Politics

Atiku Demands INEC Officials’ Probe Over Alleged Voters’ Register Manipulation

Published

9 minutes ago

November 2, 2026

The Tide

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in next year’s election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate and prosecute officials allegedly involved in manipulating the preliminary voters’ register through the introduction of artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other questionable entries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Alhaji Abubakar made the demand following revelations that some INEC registration officers allegedly abused their access to the voter registration system to introduce irregular records into the database.

In a statement issued by his Director of Strategic Communications, Mr Phrank Shaibu, the former vice-president described the development as a serious breach of the Commission’s internal safeguards and raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.

He urged INEC to identify the officials implicated in the alleged misconduct and explain what disciplinary or legal measures had been taken against them.

Alhaji Abubakar also called for an independent forensic audit of the preliminary voters’ register to establish the scale of the alleged manipulation, identify affected records and determine how the questionable entries were introduced into the system.

He further insisted that INEC preserve all relevant voter records, image files, system access logs and electronic audit trails to prevent the destruction or alteration of evidence before an independent examination could be conducted.

The former vice-president also demanded that the Commission disclose the identities of companies contracted to produce sensitive election materials ahead of the 2027 polls, arguing that transparency was essential to building public confidence in the electoral process.

INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode, had earlier disclosed during a television interview that some registration officers across the country allegedly used their official login credentials to introduce irregularities into the voters’ database.

Dr Bayode explained that the Commission’s Automated Biometric Identification System helped identify questionable records and establish how some irregularities entered the system.

He, however, clarified that not all suspicious photographs were AI-generated, as some resulted from poor registration procedures.

The development followed public concerns over suspected AI-generated photographs, alleged duplicate entries and other inconsistencies discovered in the preliminary voters’ register published online on October 26, 2026.

INEC has maintained that the published document is a preliminary register and that it is reviewing questionable records ahead of the certification of the final Register of Voters.

The controversy has intensified calls for greater transparency and accountability in the management of the voters’ register as preparations gather momentum for the 2027 general elections.

Politics

2027: Rivers To Receive Special Attention, Polls To Hold As Scheduled — INEC

Published

1 hour ago

November 2, 2026

The Tide

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said that Rivers State would receive particular attention ahead of the 2027 general elections because of its strategic electoral importance and its position as the state with the highest number of registered voters in the South-South geopolitical zone.

Prof. Amupitan, stated this on Saturday during an interactive meeting with Commission officials and staff members from the six South-South states in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The country’s chief electoral officer disclosed that Rivers State has 3,736,434 registered voters, followed by Delta State with 3,525,988 and Edo State with 2,865,263.

Other states in the region have the following registered voter figures:

– Akwa Ibom – 2,566,198.

– Cross River – 1,928,978.

– Bayelsa – 1,200,691.

The six states collectively have 15,823,550 registered voters, according to the figures presented by the INEC chairman.

Prof. Amupitan stressed that the Commission would pay closer attention to Rivers State to ensure that operational challenges do not prevent eligible voters from exercising their civic rights.

“With the 3,736,434 registered voters for Rivers State, the state leads the South-South. By this, the Commission will put more attention to what happens in Rivers State. It is your duty to ensure that no voter is disenfranchised because of operational failures,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ruled out any possibility of postponing the 2027 general elections, declaring that preparations were already in top gear and the polls will hold as scheduled.

Prof. Amupitan, who addressed Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and other officials of the Commission in the South South geopolitical zone, said the Commission’s statutory timetable for the elections had been established and would not be altered under any circumstances.

According to him, INEC remained committed to conducting credible elections in strict compliance with the provisions of the law.

“Our statutory timeline is fixed. We will not change anything. The election must hold as scheduled,” the INEC chairman declared.

His remarks came amid claims by some political parties that the electoral commission was considering shifting the 2027 general elections.

Prof. Amupitan also disclosed that INEC had published the voters’ register online and at designated locations to allow eligible voters to scrutinise their details and request necessary corrections.

He said the Commission had received more than 5,000 claims relating to corrections, including errors in names and dates of birth, alongside over 600 objections.

According to him, the commission was addressing the complaints and objections to ensure the credibility and accuracy of the final voters’ register.

The INEC chairman announced that the final register of voters would be released on December 15, 2026.

He added that all outstanding issues would be resolved before the deadline.

The electoral chief further revealed that the Commission had initially considered conducting a comprehensive revalidation of the voters’ register following his assumption of office.

However, the proposal was eventually dropped after concerns were raised that the exercise would take place too close to the 2027 general elections.

He explained that the commission considered the timing and potential implications of the exercise before deciding against proceeding with it.

Prof. Amupitan expressed confidence in INEC’s ability to deliver peaceful, transparent and credible elections in 2027.

He said the Commission had continued to draw lessons from recent off-cycle governorship elections, particularly the Osun State governorship election, to strengthen its preparations and improve electoral operations.

The INEC chairman urged officials across the South-South region to demonstrate commitment, professionalism and efficiency in carrying out their responsibilities.

He maintained that the success of the 2027 general elections would depend significantly on the Commission’s preparedness and its ability to ensure that no eligible Nigerian is disenfranchised.