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Tag: George Thompson Sekibo

  • Rivers APC senator sworn in

    A new senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Chief Andrew Igbonule Uchendu, was inaugurated on Wednesday.

    A former member of the House of Representatives, Uchendu was inaugurated to take over from Senator George Thompson Sekibo.

    The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary inaugurated Uchendu.

    Senator Sekibo was sacked by the Court of Appeal two months ago.

    With the inauguration of Uchendu, Rivers State now has two All Progressives Congress (APC) senators against one Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator.

  • Judgement nullifying my election missing – Senator Sekibo

    Judgement nullifying my election missing – Senator Sekibo

    The Senator representing Rivers East senatorial district, George Thompson Sekibo, Tuesday raised the alarmed that the judgement of the Rivers state elections petition tribunal that ordered his removal from the Senate could not be accessed.

    A three-man panel sitting in Abuja sacked Sekibo and declared Hon. Andrew Uchendu, the petitioner, winner of the senatorial election.

    The Tribunal directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Sekibo and issue a fresh certificate of return Uchendu.

    The Tribunal held that the petitioner won the lawful majority vote cast during the Rivers Re-run legislative election of December 10, 2016‎

    Sekibo told reporters in Abuja on Tuesday that he will appeal the judgement to obtain justice.

    He noted that he and his team of lawyers have made several attempts to the tribunal to obtain the judgment but were told that judgement was missing.

    He said, “I have the right to appeal and we have made several attempts to the tribunal to obtain the judgement but they said it is missing and my judgement is the only one not seen. They have done their best and the onus is on me to appeal the judgement.

    “I want to appeal to the judgement panel to bring out the judgement they delivered on my matter. If my judgement continues to be missing, it is violation of justice and infringement on my fundamental human rights.”

    He said that the judgement was delivered by 9pm on June 28, 2017

     

  • Rivers: Election Tribunal sacks Senator Sekibo

    Rivers: Election Tribunal sacks Senator Sekibo

    The Rivers state elections petition tribunal on Thursday sacked PDP’s George Thompson Sekibo, Senator representing Rivers East.

    The Tribunal therefore declared Andrew Uchendu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the senatorial election and further directed the Independent National Electoral Commission ((INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Sekibo and issue a fresh certificate of return to Mr Uchendu.

    The Tribunal’s decision was hinged on the fact that Mr Uchendu won the lawful majority vote cast during the Rivers Re-run legislative election.‎

    Uchendu had approached the tribunal with a petition asking the court to declare him the winner of the poll, alleging that INEC failed to take into cognisance the results of some wards and polling units before declaring Sekibo the winner of the polls.

    The Tribunal hinged its decision on substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.‎‎

  • Senate inaugurates Abe, Sekibo, Ideozu

    The Senate on Thursday inaugurated Senators Magnus Abe (Rivers South East), George Thompson Sekibo (River East) and Osinakachukwu Ideozu as Senators of the Eight Senate.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, inaugurated the senators following their victory in the December 10 Rivers State parliamentary elections.

    After the inauguration, Senator Abe told journalists that without dutiful security agents, it would have been near impossible for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the election.

    He said some people with vested interest attempted to scuttle the election but for the determination of security agents to see the election through.

    Abe, who was part of the 7th Senate, noted that “coming back to the Senate is a dream come true. I know that if election is conducted in the Rivers South East any time I will emerge victorious.”

    Abe promised to continue promoting the interest of Nigeria above personal interest.

  • Ministerial nomination: Plot to stop Amaechi shifts to Senate

    Ministerial nomination: Plot to stop Amaechi shifts to Senate

    The plot to abort the confirmation of a former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, as minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, shifted to the Senate on Wednesday.

    Amaechi, who was also Director General, Buhari Campaign Organisation, was one of the 21 ministerial nominees unveiled on Tuesday by Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

    Three Senators from Rivers State – George Thompson Sekibo (Rivers East), Olaka Nwogu (Rivers South-East) and Osinakachukwu Ideazu (Rivers West) submitted 88 page petition to the Senate against the nomination and confirmation of Amaechi as minister.

    The petition written by a Non Governmental Organisation, “The Integrity Group” based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, was submitted to the Senate by Sekibo on behalf of two other Senators.

    The petition titled: “Petition against ministerial nominee- Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi: Demand to withdraw and reject his nomination and appointment on the ground of corruption, criminal breach of trust, unlawful enrichment and conversion of over N70 billion Rivers peoples’ monies by the former governor of Rivers State,”  Sekibo said t it was endorsed by one Livingstone Wechie on behalf of the group and thousands of others.

    The submission of the petition provoked spontaneous protest in the chamber by mostly All Progressives Congress (APC) senators who kicked against the petition.

    Although the shout of “No way, No way, impossible” rented the Senate chamber, Sekibo was undeterred until he concluded reading the synopsis of the petition as required by Senate standing rule.

    Sekibo informed the Senate that the petition bordered principally on corruption and criminal breach of trust levied against Amaechi.

    When the protest against the petition subsided, the Senate President referred the controversial document to the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges for consideration.

    Sekibo’s seat was instantly crowded by some interested Senators, while some others followed him to his office apparently to pick a copy of the petition.

    Sekibo later threw more light on the petition when he spoke with reporters.

    He said, “There is this group that is called ‘The Integrity Group.’ They believe in transparency, fighting against corruption, they believe in good governance and effective utilisation of every fund that is allocated to any state government.

    “They are based in Port Harcourt. They went into a research and discovered that over N70billion were transferred from hard currency account to places outside the country.

    “A petition on this note was written to Mr. President. I believe the President has not read it. If he has read it, he may not have hurriedly nominated Rotimi Amaechi to be a minister.

    “Amaechi is qualified to be a minister but when issues of corruption and fraud are openly x-rayed by people, it is necessary for Mr. President to take a critical look and examine the allegations from these people whether they are true or not.”