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Rivers Rerun: Police Smash Fake Result Sheets Printing Syndicate …INEC Has Hidden Agenda -Wike
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) of colluding with a syndicate caught on Saturday printing fake election results sheets.
This follows the arrest of one Mr Atonye Peters and others on Saturday with fake INEC result sheets at a private printing press in D-Line axis of Port Harcourt.
Wike, who briefed newsmen in the presence of party stakeholders yesterday in Government House, Port Harcourt, said the bursting of the contracted printer has shown that the electoral umpire was colluding with the opposition, the All ProgressIves Congress(APC) to rig the upcoming re-runs slated for December 10th following a National Assembly resolution.
He expressed worry that until now no information or meeting has been scheduled with stakeholders by INEC on the units, wards where the rerun elections will be conducted, but rather the electoral body was busy scheming with the opposition on how to rig the elections.
The Rivers State governor said the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not fold its arms to watch glaring theft of the peoples mandate saying the sensitive material caught with the printers show that INEC is already compromised.
Aside that , he reasoned that INEC has contrived a fresh ploy to shift the elections again,” I will not be surprised if INEC goes ahead to postpone the conduct the elections…We know their antics we know what INEC would want to do.”
According to Wike, the plan is to swap original result sheets with the fake they printed so they can win in the upcoming election but said, “ we are not in Edo this is Rivers State.”
On the claims made by APC that the printer and those caught duplicating INEC sensitive materials as the handiwork of the PDP to malign the opposition, Wike said the evidence is glaring noting that the printer is the cousin of APC guber candidate in 2015 elections and also a card carrying member of the opposition party.
Insisting that the evidence is overwhelming against the APC, Wike displayed the printer, and the other sensitive materials seized from the culprits adding that, “ if the police fails to prosecute them, we will help ourselves, but as law abiding citizens we will want police to their job.”
Wike has also disclosed of plans by the police to bury the matter following the involvement of prominent APC chieftains in a fake result syndicate caught on Saturday in Port Harcourt.
The Rivers State governor in a chat with newsmen yesterday said, “ the police must go and arrest Emma Chinda the evidence is overwhelming against him.
The fake result printer when he was interrogated alleged that Emma Chinda gave them the contract to print the materials.
But Wike warned that the party will write to President Buhari as the matter is a dent to his administration’s quest to fight corruption.
“ I’am aware that if Mr President hears this he will never support it, because this is corruption,” the governor maintained.
The Printing Press, Help-Mate Consult, located at #12, Isiokpo Street, D-Line, Port Harcourt, was printing fake result sheets for seven local government areas of the Rivers South-East when the police stormed the facility following a tip-off by a concerned Nigerian.
The Director of Help-Mate Consult, Atonye Petersides, a prominent member of the APC from Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, claimed that the printing contract was given to him by an APC chieftain and former commissioner for agriculture under Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi-led administration, Emma Chinda.
According to him, the printing press has already completed two sets for two local government areas before the police got wind of the illegal act.
He was arrested alongside three of his staff, Richard Koko from Okrika, Nanee Godday from Khana and Tammy Garrick.
Items recovered by the police at the printing press, include state-of-the-art printing machine and computers.
The police also recovered Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Sheets Serial Number Booklets, which the printer used to authenticate the result sheets.
In an interview, Rivers State Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Bro Felix Obuah said the arrest of the fake printers of rerun elections result sheets has vindicated the body on the plan INEC and APC have to rig the forthcoming rerun elections.
The Rivers IPAC Secretary and Chairman, Accord Party, Sir Precious Baridoo, also condemned the plot to use fake result sheets to rig the rerun elections, warning that both the APC and INEC would be resisted.
Also speaking, Hon. Uchechukwu Ichenwo urged the police to prosecute all INEC and Rivers APC officials involved in the printing of the fake rerun elections result sheets.
In their remarks, both the Chairman, Social Democratic Party, Engr Worlu, and Chairman, Nigeria Peoples Party, Deacon Princewill, said that on no account should the matter be swept under the carpet by the federal authorities.
Also, Rivers Police Command said yesterday that it had arrested three persons for allegedly printing fake ballot papers for the re-run legislative election in the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed December 10 to conduct the election in the state.
A DSP and Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Nnamdi Omoni, told newsmen that the suspects were arrested on Saturday at D/Line area of Port Harcourt.
He said personnel of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) made the arrest.
“ I can confirm the arrest of three suspects. The matter is with us and the Commissioner of Police has ordered discreet investigation.
“ I can assure you that it is being given adequate attention and at the end of investigation, we will come out with our position,” he said.
Omoni said that the state CID was currently handling the matter while the command would make its findings known at the end of the investigation.
He urged the people to give police useful information that would assist it fight crime in the state.
News
RSG Moves To Diversify Rivers Economy …As Farmers, Others Laud Ibas Over Implementation Of RAAMP
The Rivers State Government has restated its readiness to diversify the economy of the state from oil to Agriculture.
This is as farmers and other stakeholders have commended the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Retd) for approving the implementation of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing project (RAAMP) in the state.
Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this during a meeting on implementation of RAAMP in Ikwerre, Eleme and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas.
Ogolo said the programme would create an agricultural industrial hub in the 23 local government areas, and urged the people to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, rural farmers and other stakeholders in the State have lauded Ibas for approving the implementation of RAAMP in the State.
RAAMP is a world bank program with support from the International Development Association ( IDA), the French Development Agency and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
According to a statement made available to newsmen, the programme aims to strengthen the institutional and financial base for sustainable management of state and rural networks, fostering historic development to enhance food security, creating access in rural communities to boost agricultural processes through creation of durable access roads and agro logistics centres/hub.
Tide source confirms that the program has been in operation since 2020 with 19 states benefitting.
The benefitting states are Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Bauchi.
Other beneficiaries are Plateau, Kwarra, Ondo, Niger, Gombe, Anambra, Cross River, Taraba and Benue states.
The source said that 12 new states including Rivers State recently completed their requirements for inclusion into the RAAMP 3.
Speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting at Isiokpo, Nchia and Omoku, headquarters of Ikwerre, Eleme and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government areas respectively, a cross section of farmers described the programme as timely as it would boost food production as well as create markets for agricultural produce.
At Eleme, HRH Emere J D Nkpe warned against politicising the project.
The people also complained against incessant destruction of crops by herdsmen and called for it to be checked.
Also speaking at Omoku headquarters of Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area,Eze Allison Dan and Barrister Lola Nwaribe commendation the government for the program but warned against it going the way of other programmes.
For Barrister Nwaribe Women in the area needs assistance to break free from subsistence agriculture
Speaking at the three ocal government areas Ogolo said Rear Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas rtd needs to be commended for approving the implementation of the program in the state.
Ogolo said the program is aims at diversifying Rivers economy from oil to Agriculture.
He said the program will also enable farmers to move from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture, adding that access roads will not only be created to farms but markets will be built for farmers to sell their produce.
He listed other benefits to include creation of employment for the youths and helping small traders to boost sales.
Also speaking the state RAAMP Coordinator,Mr Joshua Kpakol said the “the essence of this project is to provide rural access roads and improve agricultural marketing systems across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state”
Kpakol said the project is divided into three components which are improvement of Rural Access and Trading Infrastructure, Sector Reform,Asset management and Agro logistics performance Enhancement and Institutional Development, Project Management and Risk Mitigation.
He urged farmers and traders to embrace the project as it would go along way in changing their fortunes.
At Ikwerre and Eleme local government areas respectively, the sole administrators of the two councils Hon Isaiah Christian and Dr Gloria Obo Dibiah said the councils will work towards the success of the program.
They commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Sole Administrator of Rivers state for ensuring that their respective councils benefits from the programme.
John Bibor
The FCT High Court in Abuja, yesterday, granted the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, bail in the sum of N50 million and one surety who must be a person of reasonable integrity resident in F.C.T Abuja and owns a landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
The trial judge, Justice Chizoba Orji, made the declaration in a ruling after taking arguments for and against the bail application from the parties in the suit.
The Attorney General of the Federation, in a three-count criminal charge marked CR/297/25, accused Akpoti-Uduaghan, the sole defendant, of making defamatory statements against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during a live television broadcast.
The charge, which lists Akpabio and the former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, as nominal complainants, alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed Bello had conspired with Akpabio to orchestrate her assassination outside Abuja, disguising it as a mob or local attack.
According to the Federal Government, these allegations were made during a live broadcast on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025.
The Federal Government claimed that Akpoti-Uduaghan knowingly or recklessly made these imputations, fully aware that they could harm the reputation of the individuals involved.
The charge alleged that she said, “Let’s ask the Senate President, why in the first instance did he withdraw my security, if not to make me vulnerable to attacks? He then emphasised that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi. What is important to me is to stay alive, because dead men tell no tales. Who is going to get justice for me?”
The charge also cites her statements during the programme as saying, “That you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on or about the 3rd day of April 2025, during the same Politics Today programme on Channels Television in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, made the following imputation concerning Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.
“It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night, to eliminate me. When he met with him, he then emphasised that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi. You knew or had reason to believe that such imputations would harm the reputation of Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.”
The senator is also accused of making defamatory statements about Akpabio during a telephone conversation with Sandra C. Duru in Abuja on March 27, 2025.
The alleged statement is as follows, “That girl that was killed, what’s her name, umm…. Imoren Iniubong, her organs were actually used for the wife, because the wife was really ill… when they killed the girl, and her organs were used for the wife.”
The Federal Government contends that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan knew or ought to have known that this claim would harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Meanwhile, the Senate President, Bello, and four others have been listed as witnesses in the trial.
The arraignment of Akpoti-Uduaghan was initially scheduled for June 3, 2025. However, the strike action of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria stalled the arraignment.
Meanwhile, a similar matter is also lodged before Justice Muhammed Umar, of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
While Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was slated for arraignment before Justice Umar, she, however, did not appear for the arraignment since the prosecution had not been able to serve her as stated in court.
The prosecution, however, applied for a bench warrant to be issued on the suspended senator, which the court refused.
At the commencement of the hearing, the counsel to the Attorney General of the Federation, David Kaswe, told the Court that the matter is for arraignment of the defendant (Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan).
Natasha was docked, and the three-count read to her. She pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team, led by Professor Roland Otaru (SAN), afterwards informed the Court that a bail application filed on May 27 has been submitted to the court.
Kaswe, however, informed the court that the Federal Government is opposing the bail application and called the attention of the judge to a counter-affidavit filed before the court to this effect.
He proceeded to ask the court to remand the Kogi Senator in prison as she poses a flight risk.
He said, “In view of the charge, we will be asking for a remand in a correctional facility.
The defence counsel, however, interjected, stating, “We already filed an application for bail. We are in a court of law for Justice. We have a motion on Notice dated May 27, 2025. You represent the Ministry of Justice, not the Ministry of Injustice.
“If your lordship graciously will, we urge your lordship to grant the bail application. This is a case where your lordship has the discretion to grant bail, and nobody can query it, not even the president can query it. Even on self-recognition because it is not a case of murder.”
Referencing the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, Otaru added that anybody who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty. “And she pleaded not guilty. As she is standing there, she is innocent until proven otherwise,” he added.
Justice Chizoba Orji, after listening to both arguments, however, granted Natasha bail in the sum of N50 million, with one surety who must be a person of reasonable integrity resident in F.C.T Abuja and owns a landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has received 119 stolen artefacts from the Netherlands.
The Oba who disclosed this on Wednesday in Benin, the Edo State capital, said plans by some international cartel to re-loot the artefacts were thwarted after he prayed to God and the ancestors.
He said, “I thank President Bola Tinubu for supporting and committing to the efforts former President Buhari put in place to ensure the artifacts are not re-looted because there were groups in this country believed to be an international cartel that had all sorts of conspiracy to re-loot our artifacts.
“They stole and burnt our Kingdom. They killed my people and tried to kill their spirit and their morale. Today, the boldness, courage, and bravery of the Benin people are still there. Events of 1897 reduced that to a significant level that Sometimes when I see my people, they are afraid of the unknown.
“The return of these objects has reawakened the courage we had in our people. We do not want modern-day politics and partisan politics to diminish the courage of our people.
“The Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments has been doing wonderful work. His predecessor was part of the conspiracy to re-loot our artefacts. We had a running battle in this hall.
“I addressed my Chiefs in Benin language, and I said these artefacts belong to my ancestors, and I will not sit on the ancient throne and watch the artefacts re-looted. They would rather remain where they are than be re-looted. I thank the government of the Netherlands for working with us. This is part of the efforts to reawaken the morale and spirit of my people.
“After 1897, the kingdom was reduced. There was a government in this state that wanted to reduce the kingdom more and scatter it. I am angry when I speak about it. Why would anybody want to scatter the kingdom.
“The youths were courageous like the youths of those days. They were not afraid of anybody. I vowed that it would not happen. Not in my reign. Not while I am sitting on this throne. God heard my prayers. My ancestors heard my prayers. This throne is not partisan, but I should support what is good for my people.
“I urge the youths to be tough and strong in the face of adversity. This is not for anybody else. It is for my ancestors.”
The Benin Monarch further prayed for the return of more artefacts.
The NCMM DG, Olugbile Holloway, said the commission and the Benin Royal Palace were working hard to ensure more artefacts were returned.
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, who was represented by the Secretary to State Government, Barr. Musa Ikhilor said his administration would continue to build necessary infrastructure to preserve the returned artefacts as well as collaborate with the Federal Government to improve the storage system for the artefacts.
The General Director of the Wereld Museum, Marieke Van Bommel, said, “The artefacts are looted, and we have a policy in the Netherlands to bring them back. We are bringing back 119 artefacts. We don’t have more. These are the collections in the Netherlands. There are more collections in Europe, but that is not up to us. They have been with us for over 100 years.”