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Tag: Rivers State

“Turmoil at Rivers State Assembly: Police Take Control Amidst Factional Sessions”
By Milcah Tanimu
Rivers State House of Assembly continues to be embroiled in turmoil as police once again assumed control of the complex on Tuesday. Allegedly, lawmakers aligned with different factions conducted separate sessions at various locations.
The assembly complex’s entrance was monitored by four police patrol vans, and movement along the Moscow Road Axis was restricted. An Armoured Personnel Carrier patrolled the area, with numerous armed operatives strategically positioned.
Although the reason for the heightened security was unclear, reports indicated that some lawmakers convened on Tuesday. House Speaker Martin Amaewhule led 25 lawmakers in early deliberations, addressing two issues related to the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria’s strike suspension.
During the session, the lawmakers urged State Commissioner for Police Olatunji Disu to investigate the recent explosion at the Assembly, which resulted in the destruction of the Chamber and several properties. They commended the governor for developmental initiatives and security measures to maintain peace in the state.
In a statement by Legislative Aide Ken Uchendu, the faction expressed support for the governor’s consolidation and continuity agenda. The lawmakers condemned the recent attack on a colleague’s residence and the burning of the House of Assembly. They appealed to the governor to expedite rehabilitation efforts and called on the Inspector General of Police and other security apparatus to investigate and apprehend the perpetrators.
November 21, 2023
PDP, APC Protesters Clash in Rivers State Over Inspection Of Electoral Materials
One person sustained a gunshot injury after being hit by a stray bullet when supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress clashed in Port Harcourt on Monday.
Earlier, some members of the PDP protested in front of the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission along Aba Road in Port Harcourt.
The protesters demanded a joint inspection of election materials by all political parties.
The APC, led by its governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, had last Friday said it would storm the INEC office on Monday to demand the release of Certified True Copies of documents used for the March 18 governorship election to enable the party file processes at the election petition tribunal.
Our reporter who was at the scene reports that while the PDP protests festered, Cole in company of the state APC Chairman, Emeka Beke, and other party leaders showed up at the GRA area of Aba Road and was proceeding to the INEC office when the protesters sited him.
The security operatives attached to Cole immediately shielded him and whisked him into the vehicle, but the protesters continued pelting sachet water in his direction.
Within minutes, soldiers of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, operatives of the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps arrived and shot into the air to disperse the protesters.
However, an eyewitness told our correspondent that one of the security men attached to Cole fired the shot which hit one of the protesters who was advancing towards him.
The man bled profusely on the floor due to a gunshot that injured his leg before friends carried and took him to the hospital.
Sensing that the PDP supporters were more, Cole’s security whisked him away from the scene, while the APC supporters there scampered for safety.
April 3, 2023
Tinubu, Other APC Stalwart Visit Gov Wike Hosts In Rivers State
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, visited Government House, Port Harcourt, after his campaign in Rivers on Wednesday.
The APC flag bearer and his running mate were accompanied by the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu; Governors Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi), Babjide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi).
Others at the meeting include former governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Adams Oshiomhole (Edo) as well as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva; among others.
However, a former Minister of Transportation and ex-governor of Rivers, Rotimi Amaechi was conspicuously absent at the meeting. Also, the APC governorship candidate in Rivers, Tonye Cole was not at the meeting.
Tinubu had campaigned in the state before retiring to meet Wike at the Government House.
Wike, a member of the G5 of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has not been in good terms with his party’s flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar.
The G5 is made up of five aggrieved governors of the PDP in southern Nigeria including Wike, Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
The five governor have been consistent in their demand that Iyorchia Ayu step down as PDP national chairman as a precondition for them to support the presidential ambition of Atiku.
February 15, 2023
Explosion Rocks Rivers, Many Houses Destroyed
Over 200 persons were displaced, with goods and property worth millions of naira destroyed, following a fire outbreak in Elekahia, a densely populated area in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Friday morning.
Our correspondent who visited the scene gathered that the fire which started at about 8:30 am was caused by a kerosene explosion.
Some of the affected residents have traveled for the festivities, while others were out for work when the fire started.
An official of the Federal Fire Service, John Nnemeka, told our correspondent that they arrived early but were unable to access the scene because of the nature of the houses.
Details later….
December 30, 2022
Rivers APC Gov Candidate Disqualified Over Dual Citizenship
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has disqualified Rivers All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Tonye Cole.
Cole’s disqualification was based on dual citizenship suit pressed against him.
The candidate is a citizen of the United Kingdom and Nigeria.
Details Shortly…
November 24, 2022
Court Disqualifies 16 APC Assembly Candidates In Rivers
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has disqualified 16 House of Assembly candidates of the All Progressives Congress from contesting the 2023 elections for non-compliance with the new Electoral Act.
The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Adamu, gave the ruling on Friday, following a suit instituted by the Peoples Democratic Party for non-monitoring of the APC legislative primary by the Independent National Electoral Commission in suit number FHC/PH/CS/152/2022.
The councils and constituencies affected are: Obio/Akpor 1 and 2, Andoni, Okrika, Ahoada west, Khana1and 2, PH 1, 2 and 3, Etche 1 and 2 Oyigbo, Gokana, Tai and Eleme.
In a swift reaction, the spokesman, 2023 Elections Campaign Council of the Rivers APC, Sogbeye Eli, expressed surprised at the judgement, but said party would never break despite it being stretched by anti-democratic forces.
Eli in a statement made available to newsmen urged party faithful and its teeming supporters of its candidates in the affected state constituencies neither to despair nor be agitated.
He stated that the party proceeded on appeal to reverse the judgment and restore the mandate of candidates ahead of the elections, pointing out that the APC would be on the ballot in the state.
The statement read, “The 2023 Elections Campaign Council of the APC received with surprise the news of another judgment of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt this afternoon ordering the disqualification of our candidates for the Rivers State House of Assembly in 16 State Constituencies for the March 11, 2023 general election.
“Delivering judgment in the case brought by the PDP; PDP v. INEC and 33 Others (FHC/PH/CS/152/2022), Justice Turaki Mohammed ruled in favour of the plaintiffs for non-monitoring of the APC legislative primary by INEC in Andoni, Etche Constituency 1 & 2, Tai, Gokana, Oyigbo, Eleme, Port Harcourt Constituency 1, 2 & 3, Khana Constituency 1 & 2, Okrika, Ahoada West and Obio/Akpor Constituency 1 & 2.
“With this verdict, only the candidates for Ahoada East 1 & 2, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni 1 & 2, Emohua, Degema, Akuku Toru 1 & 2, Asari Toru 1 & 2, Bonny, Ikwerre, Omuma, Opobo/Nkoro, Abua/Odual and Ogu/Bolo were spared in the judgment.
“In the circumstance, the Campaign Council is compelled yet again to urge party faithful and millions of Rivers people supporting our candidates in the affected State Constituencies not to despair or be agitated as we proceed on appeal to reverse the judgment and restore our candidates ahead of the elections.
“We recall that the same INEC had led evidence to prove that the Commission monitored the APC primary before another Judge of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Division, in another matter challenging the eligibility of our candidates for the National Assembly (Senate and the House of Representatives).
“The enemies of democracy in our state who are afraid to meet us at the polls are out to break our spirit and force a fait accompli on the Rivers electorate who are backing our candidates.
“But they have failed. We will contest the coming elections at all levels and win after setting aside this judgment as the constitution allows the APC.”
November 11, 2022
BREAKING: Court Nullifies all APC Primaries in Rivers State
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has nullified all the primaries conducted by All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state
Recall that some aggrieved APC members loyal to the Governorship Candidate of SDP, Senator Magnus Abe, had approached the Court challenging the conduct of the Primary election with claims of exclusion from the delegates’ primaries conducted in the State.
Detail later…
October 25, 2022
Gov Wike Appoints 14,000 Political Advisers, 319 Ward Liaison Officers
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike has appointed 14,000 advisers for various political units in the state.
In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri on Tuesday, the governor said the advisers will play a vital role in the administration.
In addition to the 14,000 advisers, Governor Wike has also appointed 319 Ward Liaison Officers and 40 Local Government Area Liaison Officers. He said the appointments are with immediate effect.
As at the time of this report, the identities of the advisers have not been revealed.
In another development, Governor Wike recently enjoined political parties and candidates standing for election in 2023 in the State, to avoid acts or conduct that could instigate political tensions.
The governor also drew the attention of all political parties and their candidates in the State to the Executive Order 21 prohibiting use of public schools for rallies without permission from the State Commissioner of Education, that has been signed into law.
Wike stated that the prevailing atmosphere of peace and security in the State will not be compromised.
He noted that as the campaign for the 2023 general elections begins, political parties and their candidates need to be reminded of their legal responsibility to foster an enabling civic environment for peaceful campaigns and elections.
The governor expressed the need why the forthcoming campaigns should not be characterised by violence, but carried out within legal limits, coupled with a high sense of responsibility.
October 11, 2022
Wike Welcomes Hundreds Of Defectors From APC In Rivers State
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Saturday welcomed hundreds of defectors from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party.
Those at the event in Port Harcourt, the state capital, include PDP Chairman in Rivers, Desmond Akawor; former Board of Trustees’ member of the APC, Sam-Sam Jaja; ex-Commissioner for Sports, Fred Igwe; and hundreds of their supporters.
Other former APC members who defected are Sylver Opusunju, Tele Bethram Ikuru, Princewill Dike, Reginald Onwuka, Bestman Amadi, Amadi Nnokam, Muma Gift, Kennedy Ebeku.
According to the governor, his primary responsibility is to ensure that all candidates in Rivers are elected next year.
“Rivers State is paramount to me first before any other person or any other group,” Wike said.
“All of you who have come back to the family, you have one role or the other to play for the emergence of our governorship candidate,” he added.
The governor said the defectors came at the right time, noting that the 2023 elections “is not for big men, it is not for those who won’t come back home to mobilise their people; they are only interested in being politicians away”.
He stated, “Politicians are (made) at home. I have changed the strategy of this election – no more big men. I am going for those who matter in their various units.
“All those who are decamping are those who you will not be hearing their names but they are the people who do the work. So, we have been plucking them back and all those so-called big men are threatened.”
September 11, 2022
Sen Wamakko Commissioned Ogbunwball Dualized Road Project In Rivers
By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto
Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko Sarkin Yamman sokoto has today Tuesday commissioned the Ogbunabali Eastern bypass dualized road in Port Harcourt city of Rivers State.
The road project was constructed by the administration of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of the state.
Statement sent in by his media aide Bashar Abubakar said Senator Wamakko while commissioning the project described Governor Wike as the performing Governor, dynamic and courageous.
The senator applouded the execution of several projects in Rivers State by the government of Mr. Nyesom Wike.
Senator Wamakko explained that he was happy to be part of the historical moment to come to Rivers and commission this very laudable project.
He commended Governor Wike for executing numerous projects for the overall development of urban renewal program.
Earlier in his address, the host Governor Mr. Nyesom Wike while welcoming his august visitor, senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko said, Nigeria is a one indivisible nation hence the need to come together for the progress of all.
He said he decided to invited senator Wamakko to be part of the epoch making program as a long time friend.
August 10, 2022