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Overbearing FG Slowing Down Dev Of States, Wike Laments

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The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has stated that the under-developed nature of states across the country remains traceable to an overbearing Federal Government that has dysfunctional agencies and organisations that slow down the pace of development.

He said that state governors should no longer be addressed as chief security officers, but mere chief logistic officers, who only provide logistics for federal security agencies.

Addressing the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 9 at the Institute of Security Service (ISS), Abuja on Wednesday, Wike said, “the Federal Government is simply too overbearing with too much powers and resources at its disposal. We know the recurrent rifts   between the Federal Government and the states over development issues, including revenue   sharing, resource control, excess crude oil account, appointments into federal agencies and arbitrary location or withdrawal of federally-funded projects.”

In his paper titled: “Institutional Weaknesses and Challenges of Development in Rivers State,” the governor argued that Federal Government agencies have been turned against state and local governments as they merely constitute themselves into a stumbling block as they deliberately embark on unconstitutional activities that stall development.

He said that Rivers State has been at the receiving end of the  failures of federal institutions as no new projects have been instituted in the state by the Federal Government for years.

The governor stated: “Given its contributions to national development, Rivers State deserves a special status and consideration from the Federal Government, but it is not.

“Rather,   the  state   has   suffered   sustained   neglect,   marginalization and injustice from successive federal governments and its agencies. Even as no new development project has been initiated in the state for decades, what is most distressing is the failure of the Federal Government to adequately maintain some of the critical federal infrastructure in the state.”

He noted that the centralization  of security  and  the poor use of the security  agencies  have negatively  impacted on the development of Rivers State, with several  anti-people  measures instituted to work against  the peace of the state.

He said: “Developments in Rivers State in the last few months point to the capture of the state’s security system by some special interest groups in their attempt to overawe the state   government and achieve their political agenda.

“Thus, frequent transfer of the CP and other Director of the State Security Services has become a norm. I am presently working with the 5th commissioner of police since I assumed office barely a year ago. Indeed, things have gone so bizarre that senior officers who had had political brushes with me now head every sensitive police formation in the state.”

Wike reiterated that the manipulation of the electoral process by INEC has become extremely  worrisome, with the state denied representation  at the National Assembly while the state House of Assembly has not been fully constituted.

He pointed out that the most shocking is Tai Local Government Area where INEC has plotted to sneak in concocted results for cancelled polls.

“The failure to  conclude the re-run elections in Rivers  State  is  a distraction, which is a development cost the state government is paying on account of INEC’s institutional weaknesses and inefficiencies”, he said.

The governor added that despite the federal stumbling blocks to development, his administration has ensured that Rivers people enjoyed good governance and development.

He said that the state judiciary which was crippled by the immediate past administration has been revived, made more functional and independent.

The governor stated that the House of Assembly enjoys independence while the hitherto moribund civil service has been revived.

The governor called for reforms of relevant federal and state institutions to ensure that they contribute to development rather than impede it.

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Woji DPO: ‘A Police Officer With Impeccable Character’

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The people of Woji Community in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area said CSP Peace Ibekwe, the Divisional Police Officer?(DPO) of Woji Police Station has consistently maintained her professionalism and unwavering commitment to the safety and peace in the Community and Obio/Akpor Local Government Area at large.

A section of Concerned Woji people said this in reaction to what they tagged a biased and unfounded report believe to be sponsored by some detractors and enemies of peace , when they spoke with newsmen in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

 

Despite circulating claims of misconduct at Woji Police Station, they people said she maintains a very high standard as a Public Servant.

 

“It is a cooked story, her office is open to everybody. They have given her award as outstanding DPO”, they said

 

They pointed out that she was focused on keeping Woji crime?free, stating that the community is now calm.

 

 

According to them, the Woji DPO has a clean slate in relation to her core profession.

“She is a straightforward somebody. Her tenure as DPO is characterized by impartial policing rather than personal gain”, they said.

 

 

They noted that during tensions in Woji Market in April 2025, CSP Ibekwe played a constructive role in restoring order.

 

They recalled how she worked collaboratively with His Majesty , the Eze oha Evo III of Evo Kingdom Nyerisi Eli Woji Eze Woji XII Chairman Supreme Forum of Ikwerre Government Recognized Traditional Rulers King Leslie N Eke (JP) Eze Gbakagbaka and his Council of Chiefs, the Woji Youth Council, to de-escalate conflicts and reaffirm law enforcement’s peacekeeping role .

 

 

“The calls for transfer that followed from some residents reflect a community desire for clarity, not confirmed wrongdoing. CSP Ibekwe has encouraged any concerns to be escalated to higher authorities for fair investigation”, they said.

 

 

They however, vehemently exonerated the DPO from all manners of shady deals, and added that is transparent and open in handling official complaints.

 

While residents have voiced fears and rumors, CSP Ibekwe’s track record reflects professionalism, community engagement, and recognition from peers and leaders.

The allegations remain unverified and baseless and added that the people are confidence with her conduct in the area.

This publication gathered that the sponsors of the fake report resorted to such clueless move when their attempt to solicit for illegal assistance at some quarters hit the bricks

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Macobarb CEO Cries Out, Says No Indigenous Contractor Can Win Case Against NLNG Or Oil Majors in Nigerian Courts …As Justice Nwogu Throws Out Macobarb’s N5.74bn Claim

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Justice Chinwendu Nwogu of the Port Harcourt High Court has thrown out the N5.74bn claim filed by Macobarb, an indigenous contractor, against the NLNG for breach of contract and accumulated losses.

 

Shedrack Ogboru, the CEO of Macobarb International Limited, who filed the claims since 2022 as one of the claimants, in suit number HC/2013/CS/2022, has however cried out, saying the fate of indigenous contractors in Nigerian courts is doomed.

 

Ogboru told newsmen outside the court after the shock ruling that the judge abandoned the crux of the matter and the terms of the contract to deny Macobarb the claims.

 

Showing anger and frustration, Ogboru said he felt he presented tight case to the court to show that the NLNG breached terms of payments and that the breaches caused slowdown of the execution of the contract, but regretted that the judge did not agree with any of his arguments.

 

Saying many indigenous contractors have died as a result of injustices in the hands of the oil majors, he said only abroad do communities and local contractors get some form of justice, never in Nigeria.

 

Justice Nwogu had ruled that the NLNG did not breach its contract with the contractor and that the gas company did not unlawfully deny Macobarb payments.

 

The judge said work executed by Macobarb did not amount to ‘work done’ as stated in the contract terms except the NLNG approved it as so, and that the provision mandating the person recognized as ‘contract holder’ nominated by the NLNG as the one to authorize any dealings with the contractor did not mean that he alone could act for the NLNG as relied upon by the contractor. The judge ruled that the ‘contract holder’ was a mere day to day overseer of the project, and that any official mandated by the NLNG can terminate the contract.

 

The judge also ruled that the contract did not provide for ‘standdown payment’ and that the NLNG did not cause delays in the execution of the contract as claimed by the contractor.

 

The judge also ruled that the payment failures by the NLNG that the contractor claimed affected the contract did not amount to an offence or breach of the contract but that the contractor misused the loan he obtained from banks.

 

In the end, the judge ruled in favour of almost all the grounds submitted by the NLNG and none of the grounds by the contractor, and even tongue-lashed the contractor in most of his rulings.

 

Reacting, Ogboru said: “My case is presented 100 per cent, the NLNG’s case is zero; but surprisingly, the NLNG has rather been upheld, and Macobarb denied. I pity indigenous contractors in Nigerian courts. We are doomed.”

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NSE Members Tasked On National Dev

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Members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, have been urged to work hard towards contributing to national development. This call was made at the recent induction of new members by the Port Harcourt branch of the Society. The induction ceremony was used to formally welcome new members and celebrate its elevated new fellows.
Speaking during the ceremony held a in Port Harcourt, the Branch Chairman, Engr. Idaeresoari Ateke Harriet, FNSE, called on members of the NSE to actively participate in the Society’s professional and technical activities in order to contribute meaningfully to national development. He congratulated the new inductees, describing their admission as a testament to their hard work and resilience.
Engr. Ateke also commended the new Fellows for their immense contributions to the engineering profession, reminding them that their elevation is a call to greater responsibility as mentors and role models.
The event featured a lecture by Engr. Prof. Steve Odi-Owei, FNSE, on “Opportunities and Challenges in Nigeria’s Blue Economy.” The Chairman noted that Nigeria’s maritime and aquatic resources remain largely untapped, adding that engineers have a crucial role to play in harnessing these resources for economic growth and environmental sustainability.
He thanked the first female President of NSE, Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, FNSE, other dignitaries, sponsors, and families of inductees for gracing the occasion.
Also, engineers, especially those in Rivers State have been advised to adhere strictly to the core ethics of the profession and to always uphold the professional ethics of the body.
This advice was given by an engineering expert, Basoene Benibo, in an interview with at the sidelines of the  induction ceremony and Fellowship celebration of the Port Harcourt Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
Benibo stressed the need for young engineers in the state to learn and improve on their skills by tapping from the wealth of experience of older professionals in the field to enable them excel.
 Benibo, who is a one-time Chairman of the Port Harcourt Chapter of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, also noted and hailed the efforts of the society in eliminating quackery in the engineering profession.
Some of the new fellows include Prof Jackson Akpa, Pereowei Jose’s and Telema Osima, while the inductees, Engr Mrs Lizzy Onwuso, Engr David Jonathan jnr and Worlu Emmanuel expressed joy in being found worthy to become full NSE members, believing that it would enable them have access to more knowledge, practice rightly and impact the society positively.
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