Featured

Saraki, Tambuwal, Fatai, Others To Dump APC For PDP

Published

7 years ago

July 20, 2018

The mood at Wadata, the edifice housing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, was that of excitement owing to what a source described as the imminent defection of prominent politicians “very soon,” including Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and Governors Aminu Tambuwal, Samuel Ortom and Abdulfatai Ahmed of Sokoto, Benue and Kwara States, respectively, among others.
In a chat with newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, the source credited the PDP Contact and Integration Committee and the Reconciliation Committee led respectively by former Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke and Bayelsa State Governor, Hon Seriake Dickson for a job well done, noting that leaders across the various political parties were unanimous that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration should be voted out of power in 2019.
Asked if the party regards the imminent return of the aforementioned as sufficient compensation for its loss of Ekiti to the APC; the source said, doing so would amount to acceptance of fraud as a way of life, adding that the PDP has already taken a decision to reject the governorship election results which saw the declaration of Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the APC as winner.
He also called on Nigerians to expect more defections into the fold of the party in the months leading to the general election, arguing that the past three years of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has left the country more divided that it has ever been “since the attainment of independence in 1960.”
He said: “By now, Nigerians are aware that Senator Saraki and some governors are perfecting plans to return home. Mind you, I didn’t say returning to a party because I believe and they know that the PDP is their home. They belong here and this is where they can be what they want to be, politically.
“It is not just these governors but more governors and members of the National Assembly, both from the Senate and the House of Representatives and state Houses of Assembly. This is good news for Nigerians who have watched their country drift toward anarchy and despondency in the last three years.
“The Ekiti episode is being addressed but I don’t want to think that we need lose one to win two or three as the case may be. What happened was robbery as attested to by local and international observers. But in the meantime, we are making inroads into the polity that will position the party on a solid footing to win the Presidential elections in 2019.”
It would be recalled that, last Wednesday, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus alongside River State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal and Presidential hopeful, Sule Lamido, met with Saraki and Kwara State Governor, Ahmed AbdulFatai in Ilorin as part of efforts to woo the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) members back to PDP formally.
Meanwhile, Secondus, Lamido, Baraje and others have held secret talks on the way forward.
The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki; the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus; and a presidential aspirant of the PDP, Alhaji Sule Lamido, last Wednesday night, held a private meeting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, had on Tuesday said it was premature for him to declare whether or not he would contest for president in the 2019 general election.
Saraki, while on his first visit to Kwara State since his Code of Conduct Tribunal victory at the Supreme Court, had also said it was not time for him to declare whether he would defect to the PDP or any other political party from the APC.
Other notable politicians who attended the meeting behind closed doors included the Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed; his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom; a former PDP Chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, who also led the new PDP bloc of the All Progressives Congress; and the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, among others.
Also present at the meeting were the Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal; Senator Lawal Shuaibu and Senator Barnabas Gemade.
According to sources at the meeting, though some of the politicians had joined the eighth Fidau prayer for Baraje’s late mother, Aishat, they later converged at Saraki’s house, where they were joined by other politicians, including Lamido, Secondus and others who reportedly could not attend the Fidau.
The sources said they strategised on the 2019 election politicking. There were also unconfirmed reports that the politicians discussed strategies for the speculated defection of Baraje, Ahmed, Saraki and his loyalists from the APC to the PDP.
Ologbondiyan, who confirmed the meeting, claimed that though it was a brotherhood meeting, they also discussed political issues.
According to him, they discussed how to move Nigeria forward.
He said, “It was a brotherhood meeting. Our leaders met and they shared thoughts on the future of Nigeria and how to improve the living condition of Nigerians and how to make Nigeria a better place for all to live in.”

Featured

PANDEF Hails Tinubu For Lifting Emergency Rule In Rivers

Published

2 weeks ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has hailed the lifting of the State of Emergency in Rivers State, effective midnight, Wednesday, September 17, 2025.

In a statement signed by Board members and National Executive Committee members, yesterday, PANDEF commended President Bola Tinubu for rectifying what they described as an anomaly.

The statement was co-signed by Co-Chairmen, PANDEF Board of Trustees, Alfred Diette-Spiff and Obong Victor Attah, National Chairman Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali, and National Secretary, Beks Dagogo-Jack.

Tinubu declared a State of Emergency in Rivers State on the 18th of March, 2025, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Deputy Governor, and members of the state House of Assembly for six months in the first instance.

In place of the governor, the President appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd) as Sole Administrator.

However, Tinubu announced the suspension of the Emergency Rule on Wednesday, stating, “It therefore gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State shall end with effect from midnight today (Wednesday).”

The Forum commended Fubara’s unwavering perseverance and “faith in the divine will of Almighty God,” while also commending the Deputy Governor, Professor Ngozi Odu, the Speaker, and members of the House of Assembly, who were equally affected by the suspension.

“The Board and National Executive Committee of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, the apex socio-political organisation representing the South-South geopolitical zone, joins millions of Nigerians in welcoming the lifting of the state of emergency in Rivers State, effective midnight, Wednesday, September 17, 2025.

“While PANDEF had expressed strong reservations regarding the erstwhile emergency rule, we commend His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for taking this bold step to rectify the anomaly.

“We welcome Governor Siminalayi Fubara back to his elected office and salute his unwavering perseverance and faith in the divine will of Almighty God. We extend similar commendations to the Deputy Governor, Professor Ngozi Oduah, the Speaker, and members of the House of Assembly, who were equally affected by the suspension,” the statement read.

Addressing Rivers people, the forum declared, “Light has returned to the state and a new glorious dawn has come. A moment in which the bitter pains of the past months will inspire all to rededicate themselves to true mutual forbearance, new alignments and forward movement.”

They urged political leaders and citizens to put the past behind them and work towards the collective good of the State, while pledging to support Rivers’ developmental trajectory under Fubara.

“All hearts and hands must therefore be joined together to put the past behind us and work towards the collective good of the state.

“We look forward to the State’s return to normalcy and the resumption of its developmental trajectory under the leadership of Governor Fubara and his team. PANDEF reiterates its commitment to supporting the government and people of Rivers State in their pursuit of progress and development,” the statement added.

Featured

RSG Approves Full Rehabilitation of State Secretariat …Unveils Housing Scheme for Civil Servants, Honours Veterans

Published

3 weeks ago

September 12, 2025

The Tide

Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Eteh Ibas (Rtd), has approved the complete rehabilitation and modernization of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex to enhance efficiency and productivity in the civil service.

Ibas made the announcement at the 2025 Civil Service Week Gala and Awards Ceremony held at Banquet Hall, Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday,.

He disclosed that “initiative is designed to transform the secretariat into a modern, efficient and conducive work environment, directly supporting the civil servants who form the backbone of the state’s governance.”

The Administrator also approved the provision of 106 housing units for civil servants in the State.

Ibas paid glowing tribute to retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries, describing them as the bedrock of the state’s administration.

He stated that the awards ceremony was a symbol of deep appreciation for decades of sacrifice, resilience, and commitment.

“These interventions are designed to not only recognize your service, but also to improve your welfare in tangible and lasting ways,” the Administrator stated.

“We must build an administration that is efficient, effective, and truly citizen-centric,” he added.

The Administrator urged serving officers to draw inspiration from their predecessors and strive to make a meaningful impact in the lives of citizens.

He emphasized the importance of embracing innovation, technology, and continuous training to build a civil service equipped for the future.

The Acting Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyingi Brown, in her welcome address, described the civil service as the “engine room of government” and expressed profound gratitude to the Administrator for his unwavering support and commitment to its modernization.“

“A society that does not honour its heroes is not worthy of emulation,” Dr. Brown remarked, lauding the retirees as torchbearers of discipline and loyalty.

She pledged to build on their legacy through reforms and innovation, projecting that the Rivers State Civil Service would become a model of efficiency and transparency by 2030.

Speaking on behalf of the retirees, President of the Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries, Sir Promise Njowhor,

expressed heartfelt appreciation for the historic recognition.

“For once, since the creation of the State, we are being honoured,” Njowhor said, adding, “Our morale has been lifted.”

He pledged the association’s continuous support for government programmes, describing the body of experienced retirees as a resource available to contribute to state development.

The rehabilitation of the State Secretariat and the new housing scheme represent a major investment in the infrastructure and dignity of public service in Rivers State, signaling a new era of support for the civil servants who drive the government’s policies and programmes.

The Tide reports that the Administrator also conferred awards of meritorious service on retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries in the State

Featured

Rivers LG Poll: APC Wins 20 chairmanship seats, PDP Clears Three

Published

1 month ago

September 1, 2025

The Tide

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won 20 out of the 23 local government areas in the just concluded local government election in the State, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clinched three local governments.

According to the results released by the Rivers State independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), yesterday, the APC won the chairmanship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Opobo Nkoro, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana local government areas.

APC also won in Gokana, Tai, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche, Omuna, Akuku Toru, Asari Toru, Degema, Ikwerre and Emohua local government areas.

The Commission, however, said the PDP won in Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, and Ogba Egbema Ndoni local government areas.

Chairman of the Commission, Dr Michael Odey, who announced the results at the Commission headquarters in Port Harcourt, said Ofori Owolabi of the APC scored 28,755 votes to emerge winner of the election for Abua Odual while Solomon Ochomma, also of the APC, emerged chairman elect for Ahoada East after scoring 54,509 votes.

Odey said Eugene Epelle also of the APC scored 84,125 votes to emerge winner in Ahoada West, while Bob Fubara was elected the chairman-elect for Akuku Toru after scoring 63,593 votes.

Similarly APC chairmanship candidate Lucky Otuo Promise emerged chairman-elect for Andoni after scoring a total of 126,181 votes, APC’s George Onengiyeofori emerged winner in Asari Toru after scoring 56,383 votes, while Pepple Blessing Abinye garnered 13,543 votes to emerge winner in Bonny Local Government Area.

Other APC candidates elected include Michael John Williams who scored 16,536 votes to emerge chairman-elect for Degema Local Government; Obarlllormate Ollor (77,452) for Eleme; Dr Chidi Julius Lloyd (114,380) for Emohua; Njoku Boniface (100,649) for Etche; Confidence Deekor (96,478) for Gokana, while Wobodo Charles got 62,746 votes to emerge winner in Ikwerre Local Government Area.

Other APC winners from the APC include Akuro Tobins (32,285 votes) for Okrika; Hon Obasi Uchechukwu (38,530) for Omuma; James A James (38,822) for Opobo Nkoro; Vincent Nemieboka (36,374) for Ogu/Bolo; Hon Mbakpone Okpe (70,080) for Tai LGA, while in Oyigbo, Okechukwu Akara scored 101,495 votes to emerge winner.

Meanwhile, the RSIEC chairman announced Dr Gift Worlu of the PDP with 328,823 votes to emerge winner in Obio Akpor; Shedrack Ogbogu, also of the PDP, scored 51,051 votes for Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area, while in Port Harcourt City, Sir Alwell Ihunda garnered 235,054 votes for PDP to emerge winner.

The APC also cleared the councillorship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche,Tai, Khana Opobo/Nkoro and Degema local government areas.

Similarly APC councillorship candidates also emerged winners in Asari Toru, Degema, Akuku Toru, Gokana and Khana while PDP cleared the councillorship seats in Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt city, and Ogba Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Areas

Meanwhile, the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions has passed a vote of confidence on the just concluded local government election in the State.

National Chairman of the forum, Hon. Mamman Nda Eri, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt.

Eri said all the chairmen across the country were in Port Harcourt to monitor the election as well as gain experience in an election under emergency rule.

John Bibor & King Onunwor