Politics

2020: Major Events In Govt House (II)

Published

5 years ago

December 30, 2020

RSG, Labour Crisis Resolved The protest by organised labour in the state scheduled
to hold in September was averted at the eleventh hour following an agreement reached between Rivers State Government and the leadership of the union in Government House, Port Harcourt.
President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Waba who read the agreement before newsmen said both parties agreed to sign the agreement on implementation of the New Minimum Wage .He also said that the parties agreed to set up a tripartite committee to resolve the adjustment of pension in line with the Constitution and payment of pension and gratiuty, among other contending issues.
COVID-19 Pandemic
As COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the world, Rivers State Government was the first state in the country to declare a lockdown and also took pragmatic strategies towards controlling the spread of the virus.
The State Executive Council had in March, set up a five man committee mandated to embark on aggressive public enlightenment to check the dreaded Corona-virus.
The committee which was headed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, had as members the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Chike Princewill, Commissioner for Environment, Dr Igbiks Tamuno, Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs, Barr. Eloka Tasie-Amadi, and Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Ohia Prince.
The State Government also initiated a Two Billion Naira (N2 billion) Food Bank. Palliatives were distributed from Ward to Ward.
Wike Unveils More Legacy Projects
Governor Wike whose first tenure was marked by a harvest of people-oriented projects across the twenty-three local government areas of the state, continued with more key projects in 2020.
Within the year, such uncommon projects as Real Madrid Academy, Ultramodern Mother and Child Hospital among numerous others have been completed.
He also embarked on seven flyover projects and even delivered some before the scheduled period using the world class Julius Berger to execute the projects.
The flyover projects include: Rebisi flyover which was inaugurated before the scheduled time, Okoro-nu-Odo flyover, Rumuogba flyover, Rumuola flyover, GRA flyover, the Kaduna Street flyover and the Ikokwu flyover. Most of these projects are at the completion stages.
Apart from the flyovers which cost the state multi-billions of Naira, there were also numerous road projects both in the new and old GRAs in Port Harcourt.
Local Government Elections
The elections of Councillors and Council Chairmen in the 23 local government areas of the state are already by the corner as the State Governor has recently reconstituted the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
According to the time table published by RSIEC on December 21, 2010, elections campaign begins on Friday, 12th March, 2021 and ends on Thursday, 1 5th April 2021 while Local Government Council elections hold on Saturday, 17th April, 2021.
Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) has announced that there would be no automatic ticket for sitting council Chairmen for second term.
Gov. Wike who is the leader of the party in the state also made the pronouncement in several public fora stressing that performance and people’s acceptance would remain the variables that would determine the faith of any chairman aspiring for second term.
RSG Promises 5000 Employment Opportunities
Another remarkable feat of the present administration in the year under review was the decision to employ 5000 persons into the state civil service.
So far, the vacancies have been advertised and interested applicants across the 23 local government areas have also applied for the jobs. The employment scheme which has been extended to non-indigenes has been lauded by the people of the state.
The step, according to many, would equally go a long way in addressing youth-related crimes in the state.

By: Chris Oluoh

Politics

Rivers Assembly Resumes Sitting After Six-Month Suspension

Published

3 days ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.

President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.

The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.

The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.

Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.

The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.

However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.

Politics

2027: Bayelsa APC Adopts Tinubu As Sole Candidate … As Lokpobiri, Lyon Shun Meeting

Published

1 week ago

September 12, 2025

The Tide

The Bayelsa State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC) have passed a ‘Vote of Confidence’ on President Bola Tinubu and also adopted him as sole candidate of the party for the 2027 presidential polls.

Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, during the ’12th Expanded Stakeholders’ meeting of the party, the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, stressed the importance of the state’s chapter of the party to its national leadership.

Represented by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu, the National Chairman urged all stakeholders to unite to secure victory for the party, come 2027 general elections, adding that the party will give the state chapter the necessary support it requires to win in all future polls.

He appealed to aggrieved leaders of the party in the state to jettison their differences and tow the path of peace, describing the reconciliatory move as commendable while promising that the party’s national leadership will do all within its powers to ensure its success.

“President Tinubu is a pragmatic leader, and a progressive determined to transform Nigeria for the betterment of all. The developmental strides recorded by the president is attracting governors and National Assembly members from the opposition into the APC.

“We’ll ensure that the interest of the

party is managed. Bayelsa is important to our party, and we must do whatever we have to do, for the victory of the party in the state. We have a very good candidate in the president and that is why the South- South governors are taking the lead to join our party in support of the president for his reelection”, he said.

“Mr. President is on the move to take Nigerians to the promised land, and the only way to achieve this is in unity. The leadership of the party in the state need to show more tolerance and carry everyone along. Other state governors in other regions that are not in our party will soon join us, so that if the president is returned, everything will go smoothly.

“I want the former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, to personally lead the reconciliation so we can achieve the unity we desire. Forget all differences and bring everyone together”, he added.

Also speaking, the leader of the state chapter of the party and former Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, noted that the national secretariat of the party had not treated the state fairly, noting that if the national leadership of the APC had given the state the support it needed, the party would have achieved more.

Chief Sylva called on absentee leaders of the party at the meeting, particularly Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and former Governor-elect of the State, Chief David Lyon, to close ranks and work with other leaders to move the party forward.

“I wonder why the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and former Governor-elect, Chief David Lyon are not here. We’re all Bayelsans, we’re all Ijaw people, they should come and let’s work together for the greater interest of the party. We did well in 2023, but not what we expected.

“2027 is already a done deal, if we have the support of the national leaders of the party. Today we’re more ready than ever before.The only thing we lack is support from the party at the national level. With your support we’ll be the strongest, and nobody will be able to stand us in elections”, Chief Sylva said.

In his remarks, the Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, noted that most people thought the party was no more in existence, but that the NWC could see that the party is alive and kicking.

“Reconciliation is on and those in charge are doing well. The party has members in the state who were ‘victory-hungry”, he said.

Earlier, State Chairman of the party, Dr Dennis Otiotio, said the meeting was to critically appraise the performance of the president and also adopt him as the sole candidate of the party for the 2027 presidential election.

By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Politics

Alleged Smear Campaign Against Yakubu, CSOs Demand Apology From Uzodimma

Published

1 week ago

September 12, 2025

The Tide

The Transparency and Accountability Rights Initiative, a coalition of Nigerian Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), has issued a strong condemnation of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, accusing him of orchestrating a malicious smear campaign against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and development advocate Dr. Chima Amadi.

During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.

The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”

“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.

“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.

The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”

They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”

The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”

The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.

A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.

The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”

“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.

“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.