Politics

Protests Greet Rivers Govt House

Published

12 years ago

May 12, 2014

Last week, Rivers State Government House was
innundated with protests. As at the last count, not less than five groups visited the Brick House to register their grievances over issues of state and national concern.
Some of the groups include women, civil rights groups who registered their grievances over the abducted Chibok school girls in Borno State.
On Monday, last week, Chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Council, Hon. Augustine Ahiamadu addressed pressmen during which he accused Supervising Minister of Education, Barrister Nyesom Wike for sponsoring youths and a rebellion to remove him from office.
He alleged that the steps taken by Wike include the circulation of a letter from the Presidency authorizing the suspended community development committee and the youth body to take over the activities of the council.
On Tuesday, a group known as Egi Traditional Rulers Council protested against the closure of the conucil and for a new local government area.
They expressed worry that the crisis was a ploy to attack their son and chairman of the Council, Mr. Ahiamadu.
High Chief Shedrack Orikoha led the traditional rulers on the protest, alleging the attack and closure of the council by some hired thugs by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The group was addressed by Permanent Secretary, Government House, Mr. Fortune Oguru. He called on all parties, especially the youths to maintain peace, “follow peace and abhor violence”.
Returning to the state on Wednesday, Governor Chibuike Amaechi presided over the weekly Executive Council Meeting from where he proceeded to receive Senate Committee on Privatization led by its Chairman, Senator Olugbenga Obadara.
He used the visit to enumerate the State’s investments in power sector. He expressed dismay over the situation whereby the State generates power while the Federal Government collects the revenue and never remit any to the state.
He urged beneficiaries of the government privatized agencies to employ people as exemplified by Indorama Eleme Petrochemical to solve the problem of restiveness.
In the words of Governor Amaechi, “I believe that one solution to this insurgency is education and employment. The easiest employment is farming, because a large number of them are not educated and unskilled. I applied it here in Rivers State and it worked”.
On Thursday, the governor took time off to visit ongoing projects in the state. Someof the project visited include the Woji/Elelenwo Link Road currently being expanded. He also inspected the level of work at the Dr. Odili/Woji/Akpajo bypass.
On Friday, the governor conducted two swearing in sessions during which the judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the Chairperson of the State Internal Revenue Board was inaugurated.
The Rivers State Chief Executive charged the new Revnue Board boss, Mrs Orila Obele-Oshoko thus, “we believe that in the two months, we should see substantial improvement. You don’t need to increase taxes.
If you plug all those loopholes where people are stealing money from and reduce the number of touts that hang around, you will see a substantial increase in the IGR. I think that there are still so many holes that you need to close up so that we can get more money”.
She said, “Don’t pay cash to anybody. It is very important, so even when you go to the bank, go to the bank, we have the pay direct, you get there, you tell them that you want to pay revenue to Rivers State Government, the banks will attend to you because this money that we are collecting … is going to government”.
Shortly after the searing-in ceremonies at the executive Chambers, the governor moved to the Banquet Hall to declare open the monthly Inter Government Forum.
From there he proceeded on project inspection at Tai Local Government Area in company of Shell Petroleum Development Company Managing Director, Mr. Mukiu Somonu and Commissioner for Envrionment, Dr. Nyema Wali.
After a tour of the State Waste to Wealth Plant the governor spoke to the press on the N3.2 billion recyclying plant.
On Saturday, the governor attended the birthday thanksgiving service of Venerable Jolly Ndubuisi at St. Barnabas Anglican Elekahia, Port Harcourt. He thanked God for the life of the Anglican priest who was among men of God who prophesied of him becoming the governor of Rivers State.
He later on proceeded to the new International Conference centre along Chief Ake By Pass for the 7th birthday of Former Minister of Sports, Alabo Tonye Graham – Douglas.
He said of the Kalabari Chief “He is a great man. The only Rivers man who has been minister four times. He has been a Commissioner and a Chief of the Kalabari Kingdom”.

Politics

LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A former National Organising Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Clement Ojukwu, has expressed regret that the several legal cases brought against the party since the 2023 general elections have impacted the party’s performance.

Mr Ojukwu, who recently returned to the interim National Working Committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, noted that the party had 34 elected members in the House of Representatives, eight Senators, and 80 members at the state Houses of Assembly after the 2023 general elections.

“Now we lost all of them,” he said. “I don’t think we have as many as five members in the National Assembly.”

The former national officer of the LP talked to journalists in Abuja and said he chose to join the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi-Usman because they are now the officially recognized leaders of the Party.

“I chose to work with the caretaker committee to help save the Labour Party, for the benefit of the party. I also want to use this chance to ask my colleagues at the national, state, and local government levels to come together and help rebuild our party.

“Another election is around the corner. We lost everything we have. They have left to other political parties. So I’ll reach out to all my friends in the other group to get together and work on making this party stronger again.

“The caretaker committee has formed a reconciliation committee. Let’s come together and talk so that we can restore the first opposition political party in Nigeria.”

Mr Ojukwu, who was part of the Julius Abure’s group, said there are no more factions in the LP.

He added, “There is a court ruling, and since it is valid, the right people are in the correct positions.”

He urged Barr Abure and others to drop the legal cases they have filed because they are not helping the party.

“Litigations are killing political parties”, he said. “They’ve seen many political parties disappear because of legal battles, and the Labor Party is losing support every day, which makes me feel sad.”

Mr Ojukwu said he did not think joining the Senator Nenadi-Usman’s NWC was a betrayal of the Abure group, describing himself as “the oxygen” of that faction.

“I’m with this group because of the verdict. But I never betrayed anybody. Rather, I was betrayed,” he added.

Politics

2027: NIGERIANS FAULT INEC ON DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP REGISTER DIRECTIVE

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A number of Nigerians have strongly criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its directive to all political parties in the country to submit digitalized membership register within 32 days.

It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following it’s reversed timetable, directed all political parties in the country to submit their digitalized membership registers within 32 days.

Speaking on the reversed timetable in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, respondents said the directive amounted to disqualifying opposition political parties from fielding candidates in all the elections next year.

They said if the directives by the commission is implemented, only the All Progressives Congress (APC) would participate in the elections since it started it’s digital membership registration since February, last year.

Responding, an elder statesman in Rivers State, Chief Sunnie Chukumele, said the revised timetable was okay, but the timeframe for submission of digital membership register was being made at the wrong time.

Chief Chukumele said, for the past two years, all opposition political parties have been battling various issues in court, adding that they did not have the time to embark on membership drive, talk less of digitalizing their membership registers.

“My reaction is that the only issue with this revised timetable is the timeframe given by INEC for parties to submit digitalize memberships register in all the states of the federation, while giving notice of Congresses and convention. That is not possible”, he said.

He said only the ruling APC is likely to meet up with the directive, since it began its registration since last year.

Chief Chukumele, who is also the National Coordinator of Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thought (CORSLOT), alleged that the directive of the electoral body may have been targeted to prevent other parties from fielding candidates for the elections next year.

“When you say all the parties should submit digitalized registers of membership in 32 days, how will that be possible to conclude it in 32 days”, he queried.

He noted that “APC used one year ago to do, so APC has one year in the kitty plus 30 days. This is highly regrettable”.

The CORSLOT national leader urged the election umpire to do away with stringent conditions that will make it hard for opposition political parties to field candidates in the elections.

Also speaking, Mr Jacob Enware from Edo State queried the rationale behind the directive, especially when some opposition political parties are still having cases in court.

In his words, ”What opposition political parties are you talking about, is Labour Party not in court or PDP that is yet to resolve their issues?

”For me, INEC should provide a level playing field for all, because aside the APC, no party can meet up this criteria.”

In his own response, Mr Nathaniel Ebere said he was not prepared to vote for anybody whether INEC provides a level playing field or not.

He alleged that his vote would not count, “so I will not waste my time”.

By: John Bibor

Politics

IT’S A LIE, G-5 GOVS DIDN’T WIN ELECTION FOR TINUBU – SOWUNMI

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, has expressed reservations about the political stance of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, while calling for reconciliation among key party figures.

Otunba Sowunmi made the remarks during a television interview on Saturday, when asked about the relationship between Gov. Makinde and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.

He said, “I don’t believe Seyi Makinde. Because I know them all. I’ve been in this party since it was registered. And I’ve been loyal, faithful, diligent with this party from the get-go, and I’ve never left.”

He underscored his longstanding commitment to the PDP, referencing prominent figures who had exited the party at different times: “I’ve had the grace, and the honor, and the dignity of watching even my father, Obasanjo, shed his card. As much as I love him, I didn’t leave the party”.

He added, “I’ve had the privilege of watching my beloved senior brother, Governor Gbenga Daniel, leave the party a few times. As much as I respect his vision and his ideas, I’ve never left. I’ve watched my former principal, Atiku Abubakar, leave a few times. I’ve never left.”

Otunba Sowunmi stressed that his comments were rooted in deep involvement with the party: “So when I talk about PDP, I’m not talking as an outsider, I’m talking as one of their totems, who was actually carrying them.”

He disclosed that he wrote to Makinde during the governor’s last birthday, urging reconciliation among a bloc of five governors who had formed a movement during the 2023 elections.

“At Governor Seyi Makinde’s last birthday, I wrote him a letter where I tried to say, look, you guys, the five of you, succeeded to the extent of creating a movement of your own”, he said.

He added, “And you fought very hard to make a point in the 2023 election. Although I don’t believe you won the election for the president, that’s a lie. They contributed, but I hate when people take the glory of other people’s work.”

Otunba Sowunmi warned that unresolved differences among the group could weaken the party: “You guys, you must go back to your four friends, your five friends, and you guys go and sort it out. Because not sorting it out with your five friends is going to leave the party worse off.”

He added, “But now that you’re fighting, or you’re not agreeing with yourselves, why don’t you go back to that same energy that allowed you to agree, so that you can use that energy inside to agree, and then we can lead the party.”