Politics
Wike Begins Construction Of Three Flyover Bridges
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, last week commenced the construction of the three flyover bridges he promised the people of the state in his second term inauguration speech on May 29th 2019.
Agreement for the three flyover bridges contract valued at N21billion was signed in Government House, Port Harcourt last Friday between Rivers State Government and the contracting firm, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC.
The contracts which Wike described as historic would be completed in 16 months and would also provide employment for thousands of Rivers people within the period of the contracts.
He said that 70 per cent of the contract sum would be paid to the company to enable it complete job according to specified conditions stressing that his administration will not accept any form of variation .The contract papers were signed at the Executive Chambers of the Government House by Rivers State Government team led by the state Attorney -General , Dr Zaccheus Adango, while the contractor, Julius Berger team was led by the company’s Managing Director, Dr Lars Richter.
Governor Wike reiterated that he engaged Julius Berger known for quality construction jobs because his administration owes Rivers people the best quality job.
He disclosed that most of the roads had been awarded for construction in both the new and old GRA Port Harcourt. He also said that the Ikwerre Road and some key roads were to be handled by by major contractors.
The Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria PLC , Dr Lars Richter assured that the company would complete the projects in record time and that it would deliver to standard quality.
Another major event that took place in Brick House last week was the visit of the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Army to Governor Wike.
The Brick House landlord expressed regret that the army that has the constitutional role of attending to serious security challenges in the country had chosen to indulge in ballot box snatching as done in Rivers State during the 2019 general election in the state.
The governor noted that the neglect of critical areas of the constitutional responsibility by the Nigerian Army had negatively affected its ability to perform.
He also said: “The Army should be sent to where there are serious security infractions.
“ But the reality today is that every one now has soldiers attached to them while the general security of the country suffers. The role of the Army is to defend the territorial integrity of the country and maintain general security. The army must return to their primary responsibility”.
He, however, commended the army for playing important role in the fight against kidnapping and criminality in the state .
Governor Wike stressed that his administration had given the army, police and other security agencies logistics support more than any state government in the country.
He also decried the N100 billion allocated to the army in 2020 budget, and said it is grossly inadequate.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, commended the Rivers State Governor for supporting Nigerian Army to deliver on its mandate.
Ndume declared that Rivers State is secured due to the collaboration of Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration and the security agencies.
He also commended the governor for the massive infrastructure embarked upon in the state and urged other governors in the country to emulate Wike.
Also in the week under review, the governor inaugurated a committee on Recovery of Government Properties, and the Board members of Rivers State Road Maintenance Agency.
The committee on Recovery of Government Properties which is headed by the Head of Service, Barr. Rufus Godwins , was inaugurated on Monday while the Board of Road Maintenance Agency headed by Prince Timothy Nsirim, was inaugurated last Tuesday.
Last Friday, Wike commissioned Vino Imperium in Port Harcourt. The facility is owned by a prominent Rivers son, Chief Abiye Sekibo.
The Governor said indigenes who invest in the state are those who love Rivers State and people of the state. He said that such investment provide employment to the state and also generate revenue to the state government.
Another major event last week in Brick House was the visit of six state Governors. They are Governors of Adamawa Umaru Fintri, Imo, Emeka Ihedioha, Oyo, Seyi Makinde, Benue, Samuel Orton, Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal, and Zamfara, Muhammed Matawale.
Addressing journalists after a close door meeting Friday with Governor Wike , Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal said they were in the state to celebrate with Rivers people the good governance of Governor Wike as he marks the first 100 days of his second term administration.
Chris Oluoh
The Senate yesterday received the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Bola Tinubu, marking the formal launch of the 2026 federal budget cycle.
In a letter addressed to the upper chamber, Tinubu said the submission complies with statutory requirements and sets out the fiscal parameters that will guide the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He explained that the MTEF/FSP outlines the macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and spending priorities that will shape Nigeria’s fiscal direction over the next three years.
The letter was read during plenary by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the document.
“It is with pleasure that I forward the 2026 to 2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for the kind consideration and approval of the Senate.
“The 2026 to 2028 MTEF and FSP were approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 3, 2025, and the 2026 budget of the Federal Government will be prepared based on the parameters and fiscal assumptions therein,” the President stated.
Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved the fiscal projections, pegging the oil benchmark price at $64.85 per barrel and adopting a budget exchange rate of ?1,512/$1 for 2026—figures expected to significantly shape revenue forecasts and expenditure planning.
After reading the President’s letter, Jibrin referred the document to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), with a directive to submit its report by Wednesday, December 17.
The Senate adjourned shortly after to allow committees to commence scrutiny of the fiscal framework and continue the ongoing screening of ambassadorial nominees.
Tinubu’s communication to the Senate came less than 24 hours after he transmitted the same MTEF/FSP documents to the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The letter was read on the House floor by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who also urged timely legislative action as required by law.
The MTEF and FSP are statutory instruments mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act and serve as the blueprint for Nigeria’s annual budgets.
They outline the government’s fiscal stance, macroeconomic assumptions, revenue frameworks, projected deficits, and sectoral priorities over a three-year period.
The Tide reports that approval by the National Assembly is a prerequisite for the executive to present the Appropriation Bill for the next fiscal year.
In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.
The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.
He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.
“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.
“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.
According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.
“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.
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