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Delegates Congress Tears APC Apart

Published

8 years ago

July 31, 2017

Senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, has raised alarm over alleged manipulation of the delegates’ list of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State by some party leaders, saying the state congress that should have produced the delegates last Saturday, did not hold.
Abe, who spoke at the state secretariat of the party on Forces Avenue, old GRA, Port Harcourt, said the committee delegated by the national secretariat of the party to monitor the exercise in the state ended up at a hotel in the state.
“Well, as you can see, there has been no congress in the state. The so-called stakeholders meeting in the state, last Friday, ended in a fiasco.
“The committee from Abuja has not come to the party’s secretariat on Forces Avenue since morning, yet people have been here waiting.
“Nobody should stay in a hotel and concoct any delegate’s list for Rivers people. It is clear there was no congress in the state,” Abe argued.
Also speaking in an interview at the Novotel Hotel premises in Port Harcourt, member representing Eleme/Tai/Oyibo Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Barinada Mpigi, who is among the leaders of the aggrieved members, alleged that the delegates’ list has been manipulated.
Mpigi said that until the national committee addresses the supporters on the development, they would not leave the hotel.
The Tide investigations show that hundreds of aggrieved supporters of Abe had blocked members of the party’s national convention committee from exiting Novotel Hotel, after rumours had filtered to them that the committee and some loyalists of the party leader in the state, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, had concocted some names to bolster their chances at the congress.
The supporters, who stormed the hotel and barricaded its gates to prevent the committee members and other state party leaders from leaving, noted that the committee has refused to distribute the materials meant for the congress election to the 23 LGAs.
They also alleged that the committee had written the results to favour a faction of the party led by Chibuike Amaechi, insisting that officials of the APC had manipulated the list of delegates under the guidance of Amaechi’s associates led by Asita Asita.
It was gathered that the crisis in the Rivers State APC had degenerated to a record low following the mobilisation of armed militants by suspected Amaechi’s loyalists to unleash mayhem on supporters of Abe in Eleme, Ikwerre, Ahoada West, Emohua, Asari-Toru and Degema.
The armed militants, alleged to have been backed by personnel of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), shot sporadically at different congress venues, carting away materials to the homes of Amaechi’s supporters.
Attempts to reach the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, for his comments were unsuccessful as his line was switched off.
The Tide learnt that the current effort was in line with the former governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi’s grand design to cripple the political influence of Senator Magnus Abe.
Amaechi, who had already removed some perceived loyalists of Abe from the leadership caucus of the party in Rivers State, had scheduled the LG congress of the party in the state for last Saturday.
Inside sources revealed that the move was aimed at removing all perceived unit, ward and LG chairmen who are suspected to be sympathetic to the 2019 governorship ambition of Abe.
Speaking after last Friday’s stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, the APC State Chairman, Dr Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, had said that “the party leadership has re-affirmed that the state-wide LGA congresses would hold Saturday, as earlier scheduled”.
Ikanya added that the locations and venues where the congresses will hold in all 23 LGAs of the state have been duly communicated to APC LGA party officers, and assured that necessary arrangements have been put in place to ensure hitch-free congresses across the state.
But The Tide investigations discovered that despite promises of a level-playing field for all contestants for the various positions, most persons selected to lead the local government congress were loyalists of the minister, who were given specific mandate on the results expected from the congresses.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

News

HYPREP Plans 1,500 Jobs, Expanded Skills Training as Ogoni Cleanup Records Progress

Published

5 hours ago

December 22, 2025

The Tide

The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has announced plans to create more than 1,500 direct jobs and provide skills training for over 2,000 Ogoni youths, women and persons with special needs in 2026, as part of the ongoing Ogoni Clean-up Programme.

The Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, made the disclosure on Friday in Port Harcourt during a Project Review Meeting with key Ogoni stakeholders, where the project’s performance between July and December 2025 was reviewed.

According to Prof. Zabbey, the proposed jobs will arise from the next phase of mangrove restoration and shoreline remediation projects, while skills acquisition will cover 10 demand-driven areas and five specialised skills designed for persons with disabilities.

In his presentation, the Project Coordinator outlined key milestones recorded during the period under review. He said Phase 1 shoreline remediation had reached 72.7 per cent completion, mangrove restoration was at 99 per cent, while soil and groundwater remediation of medium-risk complex sites stood at 39.01 per cent.

On potable water supply, Prof. Zabbey disclosed that 16 water facilities with booster stations had been completed, providing water to 42 Ogoni communities, while construction of 29 additional facilities was ongoing.

He also highlighted progress in public health and infrastructure projects, including the ongoing three-year public health studies by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organisation (WHO). He added that the Ogoni Specialist Hospital had reached 78.2 per cent completion, Buan Cottage Hospital 98.5 per cent, the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) 93.5 per cent, while the Ogoni Power Project stood at 61.13 per cent.

On livelihood restoration, the Project Coordinator said additional skills training programmes would commence in January, covering areas such as cybersecurity, commercial diving, GIS and mechatronics. He added that five specialised programmes had been designed for persons with disabilities. Education support initiatives, he said, include the installation of IT and solar equipment in pilot schools, distribution of learning materials and the planned distribution of 160,000 exercise books to public primary and secondary schools from January 2026.

Prof. Zabbey further announced that the list of 500 beneficiaries of Batch 2 of the HYPREP Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme would be released on January 1, 2026, noting that 300 postgraduate students were awarded scholarships earlier this year.

Addressing recent incidents affecting the Gwara and Ebubu water facilities, the Project Coordinator described them as regrettable and disclosed that a Technical Investigation Committee would submit its report within the week. He said water supply had been restored in Ebubu, while efforts were ongoing to restore supply to Gwara.

He identified challenges facing the project to include community land disputes, threats of re-pollution, vandalism and operational constraints, adding that measures were being taken to address them.

Prof. Zabbey attributed the progress recorded to the support of the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, and Ogoni stakeholders, noting that the Ogoni Clean-up Programme remains a priority under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The project status presentation was delivered by Mr. Ifiok Idiyo of HYPREP’s Monitoring and Evaluation Unit. Stakeholders who spoke at the meeting commended HYPREP for the milestones achieved and called for sustained support to ensure the success of the Ogoni Clean-up Programme.

News

RHI, RSG Empower 500 Senior Citizens In Rivers

Published

6 hours ago

December 22, 2025

The Tide

The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.

The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.

The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.

She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.

“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.

On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.

She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.

News

Expedite Action On MBA Forex Operator’s Prosecution, Rivers NUJ Tells EFCC

Published

6 hours ago

December 22, 2025

The Tide

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to expedite the prosecution of the Director of the now distressed MBA Forex Trading, Mr. Maxwell Odum, in the interest of justice.

The Rivers State NUJ made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the EFFC’s Ag. Zonal Director, ACE Hassan Saidu, in Port Harcourt, recently.

The council’s chairman, Comrade Paul Bazia, said the appeal became imperative after it considered the number of Nigerians and others involved in the financial misconduct.

According to him, it has caused hardship among many households in the country and should be given the attention it deserves.

He said that investors cannot come into a country or invest in an economy or nation ridden with fraud.

This, he said, has made it more imperative to arrest, prosecute and convict alleged fraudsters like the MBA Forex Director, who is alleged to have defrauded thousands of unsuspecting Nigerians, to serve as a deterrent to others.

The chairman also requested that while the trial lasts, part of the swindled funds should be given to the victims that suffered loss and trauma as a result of the fraud.

The NUJ reiterated its resolve to change the narrative of reportage from crisis to developmental communication.

According to him, the NUJ’s main focus is blue economy and tourism.

He expressed the readiness of the Council to partner the agency in the area of information dissemination.

“We believe you have a responsibility to fight financial crimes. We also know that you need the Press to publicize your activities and NUJ can provide that,” he said.

Responding, the Zonal EFFC’s boss commended the NUJ’s vision to change the narrative of reporting from crisis to developmental communication.

According to Saidu, the Western world have since imbibed such culture, hence the negative stories about them are carefully sifted to allow only positive ones to be released to the outside world.

As for the trapped funds to be released, the EFCC Zonal Director stated that only the court can authorize such action, stressing that the primary responsibility of the Commission is to arrest and prosecute.

He pledged to partner with the NUJ now that the leadership has visited the Commission.

The Head of the Legal & Prosecution Department, DCE Odiase Stephen, corroborated the Zonal Director’s position and stressed that it was only when the matter has been determined by the court that such funds can be released.

He further stated that once a matter is before a court of competent jurisdiction, it cannot be discussed outside.

By: King Onunwor