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No Evidence Of Demolished Mosque In Rivers, NGF Chairman Confirms …Politicians Fuel Religious Crises In Nigeria -Sultan …As Wike Appoints New Helmsman For Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board …Envoy Applauds Wike On Youth Dev
The Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has confirmed that he could not see any evidence that a building existed on the disputed land in Rainbow Town, Port Harcourt where some persons alleged that the Rivers State Government demolished a mosque.
Speaking with journalists after a joint assessment of the disputed land with Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike at Rainbow Town, yesterday evening, Fayemi described the entire controversy as a storm in a tea cup.
He said: “With what I have seen, I cannot see any evidence of any building that has been demolished here.
“If you are somebody who wants a place of worship, you should find a way to oblige them. I know within your capacity, it will be possible to find a place for them.
“From what I have seen here, I think it is a storm in a tea cup. There is nothing to warrant this kind of media hype that has been given to it”.
The NGF chairman said that his assessment visit was necessitated by a call to Governor Wike after the controversy on the disputed land broke out.
The Ekiti State governor said that when the controversy started, he placed a call to Wike, who pointedly emphasised that no mosque was demolished.
He noted that the Rivers State governor explained the history of the disputed land, explaining that it started during the Chibuike Amaechi administration and that the matter was already in court.
“If they cannot have this place that is contentious, and they have gone to court and you have respected their right to go to court, if they want to come back and seek a request to have another place, I plead that His Excellency should oblige them.
“You cannot allow people to build on a sewer. Even in my state, I will not allow people to build on a sewer. There is no governor that I know that will allow that to happen.
“If they are willing and prepared to have their place of worship elsewhere, that shouldn’t be too much of a request. It is important for us to promote harmony, rather than discord”, Fayemi said.
He said that state governors must continue to interact on sensitive matters before taking a position.
The Ekiti governor said, “All of us should try as much as possible to speak to one another when things like these happen, rather than jump to any conclusion. That’s what brought me here; so that I can see for myself precisely what has transpired, and I want to thank you for granting me the opportunity to visit when I insisted that I want to see the place in contention”, he added.
Responding, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike thanked the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, for exhibiting leadership by visiting the state to see things for himself.
Wike, who noted that the Ekiti State governor, has confirmed that there was no mosque as was wrongly reported, wondered why people politicise everything.
“I want to thank the chairman of my forum for, at least, coming to see things for himself. He called me while he was away, and I told him, you know that I can’t do something like that, and he said okay, when he comes back, he was coming to see me and he has fulfilled that promise. That shows leadership, and from what he has seen, there was no mosque.
“There is no way I will see a mosque and order the Ministry of Urban Development to go and demolish a mosque. Assuming that there is even a mosque and that government doesn’t want it at that location, we will invite them and say look, we don’t want a mosque there, can we find you an alternative place, but there was no mosque. I don’t know why people should make politics out of the issue. It’s not important.”
“So, I thank the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the Ekiti State governor for taking this bold step to come and see things for himself”, he asserted.
The Rivers State governor assured of the state government’s readiness to give an alternative place to the Muslim community if they desire it.
He urged the people not to create discord among the different religions as they worship the same God.
Similarly, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, yesterday, came down hard on politicians accusing them of fuelling religious unrest across the country.
According to him, the political class are to be blamed “for using their selfish ambition to fuel religious suspicious and create religious unrest in the country”.
He said this at Saint David’s Cathedral in Akure the Ondo state capital during a meeting with religious leaders under Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC).
The head of the Muslim sect is in the state on a two-day official visit and being hosted by the Deji of Akure land, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi.
Abubakar, therefore, advised “Nigerians to shun politicians and important personalities who are politicising religions and creating tension across the country.
According to him “the Bible and Quran do not belong to any political party”.
Speaking on the controversy trailing the alleged demolition of a mosque in Port-Harcourt by the Rivers State Government, Abubakar said that the “Nigerian Inter-Religious Council at the national level is already handling the issue for an amicable resolution”.
He noted that, “nobody should claim to love God without loving his or her neighbours who are Muslims and Christians”.
The Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo said that the historic visit by the Sultan was to foster religious harmony in the state.
The meeting was attended by both Christians and Muslims leaders.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) was led by their state Chairman, Reverend John Ayo Oladapo while the Muslims were led by the state Chairman, League of Imams and Alfas, Alhaji Ahmed Aladesawe.
Abubakar had earlier inaugurated the newly constructed mosque at the Deji’s Palace.
However, the Sultan will today deliver the Akure, Ondo State’s 2019 yearly Ulefunta Public Lecture.
This year’s lecture, which is the second edition, will hold at the Main Auditorium of the Federal University of Technology, Akure.
According to the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Prince Adebisi Adeniyi, the lecture is entitled “Our diversity a divine gift and blessing untapped: Wrong path trod and way to peace”.
Explaining the Ulefunta Festival, the chairman said, “It is the brainchild of the Akure monarch, the Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, who began a process of bringing Akure’s culture into modern remembrance, one of which is the traditional period of leave of the Akure king called Ulefunta which is now celebrated to impart its lessons on the modern world”.
Adeniyi said, “The Lecture, which will be chaired by the renowned entrepreneur, Chief Michael Ade Ojo, will also have the governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, as the Special Guest of Honour, and will be attended by prominent traditional rulers, religious leaders, opinion leaders, community leaders, youths and students”.
It would be recalled that the 2018 edition of the Public Lecture was delivered by the current Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah.
Also, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has appointed Alhaji Abdulrazak Deprieye as the sole administrator of Rivers State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board (RSMPWB).
A statement by the Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, in Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, indicated that “the appointment takes immediate effect”.
In a related development, the Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Susan Aderonke Folarin has commended the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for his love for children and investment in youth development initiatives.
While applauding the governor for investing in the development of youths, the envoy also charged the government to ensure that the identified talents were not allowed to waste.
Folarin gave the commendation when she played host to the players of Banham Model School, Port Harcourt, who have been sponsored by the Rivers State Government on a two-week training programme to the prestigious Real Madrid Academy, Spain.
She urged the boys to be good ambassadors of Nigeria wherever the future takes them.
Folarin did not forget to applaud the efforts of their sponsor and Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike for taking unusual interest in youth development and job creation to drive Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
While thanking God for the privileges they have enjoyed, the boys also did not forget to thank the Rivers State Government for investing in them.
With their visit finally over, the boys then headed back to the Real Madrid Academy to continue with their training programme.
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, says Nigeria needs God-fearing leaders for the nation to move in the right direction and make meaningful progress.
The Governor stated this yesterday when he received in audience, the World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler; his wife, Andriene Marques Kohler; daughter Mariana Marques Kohler and a retinue of ministers of the church at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Fubara who hailed the Seventh Day Adventist Church for its contributions to education and the grooming of future leaders in Nigeria, expressed delight that the Church had over the years, been investing in education at various levels and currently runs two universities in the country.
He commended the church for not only using its institutions to spread the gospel of Christianity but to groom future leaders for the country.
According to him, religion should not be just about defending one’s faith, but also making meaningful impact on the lives of the people.
He said that by floating these educational institutions, the church has demonstrated capacity to support Nigeria in the task of producing not only educated people but a breed of God-fearing leaders.
“Our country is where it is today because we lack the fear of God. If you have the fear of God, there should be a limit to what you can do because you understand the supremacy of God. But when God is not in your equation, you’ll go beyond the line and that is what has brought us to where we are today.
“So, I feel very happy that you are contributing to the development of our future leaders in this country. We need the right people being in the right place; prepared properly with good minds; that is what we need, not just in Nigeria but round the whole world.,” he said.
Governor Fubara further observed that the absence of God-fearing people in high places to take the right decisions that could impact positively on the society, has also given rise to other problems such as social inequality, poverty, corruption and criminality. According to him, Nigeria needs a system where the average parent could afford quality education for their children and a guarantee that upon graduation, the average child will have the capacity to compete favourably with anybody, anywhere in the world.
“If we have a situation where the little money that you’re being paid as wage can also afford you quality healthcare and after working at least for 15-20 years, you have a roof over your head, tell me why you should be involved in any kind of crime? At that point, you’ll feel secured and this attitude of insecurity about the future that leads to all the social vices we have today won’t be there,” he said.
Governor Fubara expressed appreciation to the delegation for the visit and for their prayers for Rivers State, assuring them of his continued support for their programmes in the state.
Leader of the delegation and World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler said he was in Nigeria for a special conference of the church during which thousands of the church’s ministers will be undergoing an empowerment programme to further equip them for the task of herding their flocks and serving the society.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for the warm reception accorded his entourage, saying the memory of the visit will linger in his mind for a lifetime.
Kohler disclosed that the Church has over twenty -four million (24,000,000) members and more than 182,000 places of worship, spread across 212 countries of the world.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has approved the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
This reaffirms the lawmakers’ commitment to enacting laws and taking legislative actions geared towards the overall development of the State.
The Assembly gave the approval during its Second Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session held last Friday.
Speaking on the MTEF document during plenary, the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, noted that by the provision of Section 10(1)(b) of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law No. 8 of 2010, the MTEF ought to have been laid before the House in September 2025.
Amaewhule explained that traditionally, the document is expected to be presented four months before the commencement of the next financial year and immediately after the expiration of every three-year fiscal cycle.
He, however, stated that in the interest of the State and its people, the House considered it necessary to deliberate on the document, describing it as a precursor to the 2026 Budget Estimates.
The Speaker expressed concern that the year had already progressed significantly before the presentation of the framework.
During deliberations on the document, members examined the assumptions and projections contained in the MTEF and observed that strict adherence to the outlined fiscal parameters would ultimately serve the interest of Rivers people.
The lawmakers maintained that effective implementation of the framework would promote prudent financial management and enhance developmental planning across the State.
Following the debate and positive consideration by members, the Speaker put the question to the House and members voted overwhelmingly in support of the approval of the MTEF.
Meanwhile, during the same sitting last Friday, the House also received a petition from the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr. Gift Worlu.
The petition was presented by the member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency II, Hon. Emilia Amadi.
According to the petition, concerns were raised over an imminent security breach, threats to lives, destruction of property and alleged forceful takeover of property by some lawless persons within parts of the Local Government Area.
Presenting the petition before the House, Hon. Amadi appealed to the lawmakers to revisit the matter and take necessary steps aimed at safeguarding lives and property in the affected communities.
The House is expected to further deliberate on the petition and consider measures to address the concerns raised in order to sustain peace and security in the area.
King Onunwor
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JUNE 12: Democracy Remains Nigeria’s Strongest Path To Unity, Progress, Says Fubara ….Extols Abiola, Wife
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has reaffirmed that democracy remains the most effective system of government for Nigeria, given the country’s rich diversity of ethnic, religious, and cultural identities.
In a goodwill message to Nigerians on the occasion of the 2026 Democracy Day celebration, Governor Fubara said June 12 represents far more than a historic date; as it embodies the enduring struggle, sacrifice, and collective aspiration of Nigerians for freedom, justice, and representative governance.
The Governor extended warm felicitations to Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora, paying tribute to the heroes and heroines of the democratic struggle, particularly Chief MKO Abiola, his wife, Kudirat Abiola, and countless others whose courage and sacrifices helped secure the democratic freedoms Nigerians enjoy today.
According to him, “June 12 is a reminder of the price paid for the democracy we enjoy today. The sacrifices made by Chief MKO Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, and many other patriots who laid the foundation for the democratic journey we continue to enjoy today. Their commitment to the principle that power must ultimately reside with the people remains a source of inspiration for every generation of Nigerians.”
Governor Fubara noted that thirty-three years after the historic June 12, 1993 election, Nigeria’s democratic experiment has continued to evolve despite challenges and setbacks.
“Our democratic journey has not been without difficulties, but the resilience of our institutions and the determination of our people have kept the nation moving forward. The ability to express differing opinions, engage in constructive debate, and peacefully choose leaders through the ballot remains one of the greatest achievements of our nation,” he said.
Governor Fubara stressed that democracy provides the best framework for managing Nigeria’s diversity and transforming it into a source of national strength.
“Nigeria’s diversity should never be seen as a weakness. Properly harnessed, it is our greatest asset. Democracy offers us the opportunity to build consensus, promote inclusion, strengthen national unity, and create the conditions for sustainable development and shared prosperity,” he said.
Governor Fubara commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda and ongoing efforts aimed at economic revitalization, strengthening security, and deepening democratic institutions across the country.
He reiterated the readiness of Rivers State to continue partnering with the Federal Government in advancing policies and programmes that improve the lives of citizens through infrastructure development, job creation, enhanced security, quality education, healthcare delivery, and good governance.
The Governor further called on Nigerians, regardless of political affiliation, ethnic background, or religious belief, to use the occasion of Democracy Day to renew their commitment to the Nigerian project and the ideals that underpin democratic governance.
“Democracy must not be viewed merely as a periodic electoral exercise. It must be reflected in our daily commitment to accountability, transparency, tolerance, justice, respect for the rule of law, and responsible leadership. As citizens and leaders, we all share a collective responsibility to strengthen our democracy and build a nation that future generations will be proud to inherit,” he said.
Governor Fubara expressed optimism about Nigeria’s future, urging citizens to remain united, hopeful, and committed to the values of peace, dialogue, and national development.
“Together, we can build a stronger, more inclusive, and more prosperous Nigeria where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive and contribute meaningfully to national progress,” he said.