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Tag: Rivers State

  • APC rejects suspension of electoral processes in Rivers

    The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Rivers state, Tonye Cole has said that the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to suspend the announcement of election results in Rivers State was illegal and aimed to give Gov. Nyelson Wike a soft landing, saying the decision was not covered by the nation’s laws.

    Director, Strategic Communication of the Tonye Cole campaign Organisation, Prince Tonye Princewill wondered why the commission failed to deal with areas where violence was reported, but choose to with hold the result of the entire state when the governorship candidate of the AAC and all others backed by the APC were cruising to victory.

    Princewill said the suspension of the announcement of election results in the state will stop the dethronement of the Wike as the Governor of the state.

    A statement signed by Princewill and made available to The Nation in Abuja reads: “INEC’s decision is illegal because it is not supported by law. Section 26 of the Electoral Act cited in the INEC Press Release is not even applicable because that section deals with a situation where a date has been appointed for the holding of an election, and there is reason to believe that a serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on that date or it is impossible to conduct the election as a result of natural disasters or other emergencies, then the commission may postpone the election.

    “You can see that this provision does not apply to a situation where an election has already been conducted or held, which is the present position in Rivers State.

    “Since the elections in Rivers State have been held Saturday, INEC is bound by virtue of section 27 of the Electoral Act to announce the results. Having admitted in paragraph one of the Press Release that it has conducted elections on the 9th of March in Rivers State, INEC must by virtue of section 27 of the Electoral Act, announce the results.

    “INEC’s decision to postpone the already held elections is ultra vires, illegal and unconstitutional. Such an unlawful decision can now be challenged in court by virtue of section 26 subsection 5 of the Electoral Act. The challenge can be launched by any of the many contestants at a court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction and on such a legal challenge, the decision of INEC shall also be suspended until the matter is determined.

    “Our concerns about INEC and our lack of faith in the REC are continually validated. This was same way they suspended a by election we held a few months ago when it was clear we were winning. Now, the AAC candidate and several house of assembly candidates supported by APC are cruising to victory and they do it again.

    “Can they not just step out of the way and let the will of Rivers’ people prevail?

    Rivers state was largely peaceful. Why not deal with areas where you say you have violence and leave the other results to go through? It’s common sense. Why suspend a whole state? Wike will go. It’s only a matter of time. We always knew this. Now the world knows it too. Not even INEC can save him.”

  • PDP kicks as INEC suspends Rivers elections

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has kicked against the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) suspending the Governorship and Assembly elections in Rivers State.

    Rather, the PDP has called on the electoral body to announce the results of the polls, which it said had already been won and lost.

    The main opposition party described the suspension of the elections as manipulative schemes by the INEC and the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government.

    A statement on Sunday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, flayed the suspension order by INEC, saying the results of the elections had already been collated.

    The statement said: “The PDP alerts that this is a premeditated plan by the APC-led Federal Government to use the instrument of INEC and security agencies to truncate the wishes of the Rivers people as already delivered at the polling units.

    “Our party contends that elections have been concluded in Rivers state; results of the Governorship and House of Assembly polls have been declared at the various polling units, wards and local government collation centres and all returning officers and political parties in the ballot conclusively have the figures.

    “It is therefore directly incumbent on INEC to declare the final results instead of deliberately creating openings for the subversion of the final process; a development, which exposes the Commission’s complicity with the Buhari Presidency and the APC to enmesh the election into unnecessary crisis.

    “Our party cautions INEC to note that a lot of innocent Nigerians have already been killed by the APC in its desperation to forcefully take over Rivers state.

    Read Also: Breaking: Mob sets INEC office ablaze in Imo

    “The commission should therefore save the state from more bloodletting by immediately declaring the results.

    “Furthermore, the PDP calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to reflect on the bloodlettings that have characterized this election, which many Nigerians believe, would have been averted if he had signed the Amendment to the Electoral Act.

    “Mr. President should immediately call the security agencies (who have been annexed as departments of the APC) to end their siege to our electoral process. Any further delay is a recipe for escalation of crisis in our nation”.

     

     

  • Wike votes at Unit 7, Ward 9, Obio/Akpor LGA

    Rivers State Governor,  Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Saturday voted during the Governorship and State Assembly elections,  declaring that he is confident of victory .

    The Governor who was accompanied  by his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike  voted at about 10.47am after he was duly accredited.

    The Governor voted at Unit 7, Ward 9 of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State.

    Addressing  journalists after voting,  Governor Wike said despite  the attempts to manipulate the election in some Local Government Areas,  he is sure of victory.

    “We are hoping that it will Continue  to be like this. Sometimes,  the voting goes on smoothly,  but the main thing is at the Collation Centres.”

  • Polls: Military won’t engage in reprisal attack —DHQ

    The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday assured Nigerians that no reprisal attack would be carried out by the military following the attack on its personnel in Rivers State during the presidential and National Assembly elections two weeks ago.

    The Acting Director of Defence Information, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, however, advised politicians to ensure that there is absolute peace in their domains in tomorrow’s elections.

    An officer and three soldiers were killed during the last elections

    Nwachukwu, who spoke at a media briefing in Abuja yesterday, said the occasion was necessitated by the need to re-emphasise the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, who said that military personnel should carry out their right of voting the candidates of their choice within the ambit of the law.

    He said: “I wish to welcome members of the press to this media briefing on the forthcoming gubernatorial, state House of Assembly and the FCT area council elections.

    “The Defence Headquarters wishes to use the opportunity provided by this press briefing to reiterate that the role of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) in the ongoing elections is to support the Nigeria Police in ensuring that Nigerians are able to perform their civic obligations in a peaceful and secured environment.

    “Let me also add that this role is enshrined in Section 217 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, which stipulates that the AFN could be deployed to assist the Nigeria Police in maintenance of law and order during elections.

    “In carrying out this onerous task, the AFN is guided by the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement (ROE) that have been provided for military personnel deployed to maintain security during elections.

    “It is crucial to re-emphasise the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, that while military personnel have the right to perform their civic duty of voting as provided in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, they must approach their polling units in civilian clothing, devoid of any military accoutrements.

    “Additionally, any military personnel who is not on election security duty found in military uniform on Election Day will be arrested and sanctioned in accordance with the military justice system.

    “Likewise, all military commanders have been tasked to ensure that sanity prevails in their respective Areas of Responsibility.

    “These assigned tasks include arrest of anyone in military uniform who is not on election security duty on the Election Day.

    “Likewise, any civilian caught in military uniform will be treated as an impostor.”

    Nwachukwu commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives during the last Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    He said: “It is imperative to state that no one deserves to lose his or her life during elections, be it personnel of security agencies, civilians, electoral officials or observers, both local and international.

     

  • Polls: Fear of fresh violence grips Rivers residents

    Residents of the 23 local government areas in Rivers State are gripped by fear of another round of violence during today’s governorship and House of Assembly elections. And the residents, particularly those at the ‘war zones’ during the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections, have every reason to panic, considering the avoidable loss of lives and property they had experienced in previous elections.

    Addressing reporters in Abuja on March 5, the Minister of Transportation and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, described as deadly the ambition of his former Chief of Staff and now Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to continue in office.

    Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State and leader of APC in the state and the Southsouth zone, as well as the Director-General of Buhari/Osinbajo Re-election Campaign Organisation, believes that his successor (Wike) is desperate to remain in office at all costs.

    Wike, an ex-Minister of State for Education, however, alleged that his former benefactor (Amaechi), who recommended him in 2011 to the then President Goodluck Jonathan for ministerial appointment, should be blamed for the death and injury of many innocent persons during the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections in the state, no matter the amount of crocodile tears he sheds, describing his former boss as a purveyor of violence.

    On March 6, Amaechi, while addressing members of APC and supporters of the party in Eleme, Eleme Local Government Area (LGA), asked them and other people in the state to massively vote for the governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Awara Biokpomabo, an engineer and a riverine man from Kula-Kalabari in Akuku-Toru LGA of the state, in today’s governorship election.

    The transportation minister noted that although the main opposition APC in Rivers was still in court over the non-inclusion of the party’s governorship standard bearer, Pastor Tonye Cole, an indigene of Abonnema-Kalabari in Akuku-Toru LGA, on the ballot, he stressed that it was pertinent to adopt the candidate of AAC, considering the closeness of the governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    He said: “In the morning of March 6, the leadership of the party met and agreed that we would work with a party called African Action Congress while we are still in court to reclaim our mandate.

    “So, on Saturday (today), we will vote for AAC. You must go home and vote for AAC. There should be no excuse not to vote, because there will be security for everybody. You must prepare and make sure you win the governorship election.”

    Amaechi also assured that the moment the governorship election was won by AAC’s candidate today and he is inaugurated on May 29, 2019, by June this year, there would be local government chairmanship and councillorship elections.

    Wike, however, stated that he and other members of PDP in Rivers State were not worried over APC members’ backing the governorship candidate of AAC, boasting that he would record a landslide victory in view of his developmental projects and his empowerment of the people in the 23 LGAs of the state.

     

    Echoes of violence

    Trouble had started in the state two days to the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections, when the governor raised the alarm that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham, was planning to assassinate him and also help the leaders of APC in the state to rig the polls.

    The GOC, however, described Wike, a lawyer, as a liar and blackmailer, insisting that the allegations were senseless and childish.

    On February 23, a chieftain of APC, Chief Mowan Etete, a two-term Chairman of Andoni LGA, the local government area of the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, was shot dead by political thugs around 9 a.m. in his house in Asarama, Andoni LGA, along with his elder brother. Etete, also a former Vice-Chairman of PDP in Rivers State and former Special Adviser to Wike on Political Matters, defected to the APC last October. The APC chieftain and his elder brother were killed after the gunmen scaled the fence of Etete’s compound and rained bullets on them at close range while they were holding a meeting with some people, some of whom were also injured. The invaders escaped without taking any item from the house. Etete had narrowly escaped assassination a few hours before the February 16 presidential and National Assembly elections, which were postponed till February 23.

    The Public Relations Officer (PRO), Rivers State Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the personnel of the command were on the trail of the killers of Etete and his elder brother, expressing optimism that they would soon be arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrence to other criminals.

    The presidential and National Assembly elections in Rivers State were also marred by sporadic gunshots across the 23 LGAs in the state. There were heavy gunshots in Ubima, Ikwerre LGA, the hometown of Amaechi and another former Rivers governor, Sir Celestine Omehia (of PDP), with voters, residents, journalists and other people scampering to safety. Okrika, the headquarters of Okrika LGA, the hometown of a former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, and Bonny Island also witnessed gunshots, making it impossible for the Electoral Officer in Bonny LGA, Eze Ukachukwu, to distribute voting materials.

    There were non-stop gunshots in Abonnema-Kalabari, the headquarters of Akuku-Toru LGA of Rivers State, the hometown of governorship candidate of APC, Pastor Tonye Cole, and his counterpart in Accord Party, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs. The heavy shootings in Abonnema started in the night of February 22 and continued through out February 23, with the intention of scaring away the electorate and personnel of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    An ally of Wike, Emma Okah, a lawyer, who is the Director of Information and Communications of Rivers PDP Campaign Council and doubles as the state’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, claimed that 15 PDP members were shot dead by soldiers in Abonnema.

    INEC later decided to reschedule the Akuku-Toru and Bonny LGAs’ elections till March 9.

    While reacting to the violence in Abonnema, the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, disclosed that gallant troops of the Nigerian Army fought their way through the siege and, in the process, killed six of the assailants but lost a Lieutenant in the encounter.

    Musa said: “Information reaching the headquarters of the Nigerian Army revealed that troops of 6 Division on a legitimate duty of protecting lives and property of law-abiding citizens and ensuring a conducive environment for peaceful conduct of 2019 general elections in Abonnema, Akuku-Toru LGA, Rivers State, were attacked by some hoodlums.

    “The pre-planned attack occurred between Charles and Bob-Manuel’s compounds in Abonnema town at about 1 pm on 23rd February, 2019.

    “The attackers barricaded a major road into the town and laid an ambush in the adjoining built- up areas, from where they opened fire on our unsuspecting troops when they attempted to remove the barricade. Preliminary investigation indicated that one Rowland Sekibo the Chairman Akuku-Toru LGA, Omodo the CSO Akuku-Toru LGA and Kenneth of Kula currently at large (all of PDP), were the masterminds of the unexpected/unprovoked attack.”

    The army spokesman also stated that the perpetrators of the ambush would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

    Responding at a news briefing in Government House, Port Harcourt, Wike accused Amaechi, the GOC 6 division and Commander of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Rivers State, Akin Fakorede, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), of being responsible for the February 23 violence; an allegation they denied outright.

    Wike said: “All our fears and concerns for the peaceful conduct of the general elections in Rivers State were completely vindicated as the army literarily took over the conduct of the general elections and aided armed thugs of the APC to prevent distribution of election materials, disrupt voting, snatch election materials and chase away PDP agents from collation centres across the state.

    “In Abonnema, a criminal declared wanted by the state, christened Don Pedro, led a band of APC armed thugs to the Local Govern ment’s Registration Area Centre (RAC) to forcibly stop the distribution of election materials to the various wards and units of Akuku-Toru LGA.

    ” The people of the community (Abonnema) resisted and insisted on having the opportunity to exercise their rights to vote for the party and candidates of their choice.

    “However, instead of disarming and arresting the APC armed thugs to prevent the general elections from being scuttled, the soldiers intervened on the side of APC militia, and in the ensuing confusion and confrontation, killed 15 innocent persons and wounded several others.

    “The soldiers are ravaging the entire Abonnema community and killing young men found in their homes.”

    On February 26, the GOC, 6 division, paraded Wike’s Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Dr. Reason Onya, and the representative of Ahoada West constituency in Rivers House of Assembly, Nwanaka Okpokiri, also of PDP, for rigging February 23 elections in the state.

    The Camp Commandant of Government House, Port Harcourt, Oyoku Ifelle, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP); Major Akpoge Peter Ubah of 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt and 31 others, including policemen, thugs and ad hoc staff of INEC, including two women, were also paraded on February 26.

    The GOC disclosed that a lot of manoeuvres by political actors were witnessed in the division’s Area of Responsibility (AOR), covering Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states, during the February 23 polls.

    Maj.-Gen. Sarham said: “Equally of grave concern is the daring attempt by the Governor of Rivers State to compromise security agencies, particularly troops of 6 Division, with hefty financial inducements to help him in his illegitimate act of thwarting a free and fair electoral process to his favour, while accusing the Nigerian Army and its command hierarchy of bias daily.

    “Apparently, Governor Wike must have underestimated the Nigerian Army’s commitment to being professionally responsive in the discharge of our constitutional roles.

    “The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has over time reiterated and demonstrated the Nigerian Army’s resolve to being apolitical, neutral and unbiased. He (COAS) has also left no one in doubt of our total and absolute loyalty to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the President/Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (President Muhammadu Buhari).

    “No amount of cheap blackmail and unsubstantiated allegations will make us bulge. While we do not intend to take issues with anyone, however, it has become expedient to bring to the notice of the general public the actual reasons behind Governor Wike’s attrition against the Nigerian Army and its leadership, with the hope that he will finally sheathe his sword and publicly apologise to the Nigerian Army, as we present the shocking discoveries.”

    All the 35 suspects were handed over to the Deputy Commissioner in charge of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of Rivers Police Command, Ahmed Kontagora, who represented Rivers Commissioner of Police, Usman Belel.

     

    Tales of electoral fraud

    On March 1, at 6 Division, a youth corps member, Tuatimi James Powell, revealed how leaders of PDP in Rivers State sent thugs who forced him and 10 other colleagues (corps members) at gunpoint to Greenside Hotel in Bodo-Ogoni, Gokana LGA of Rivers to rig the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections.

    Powell, who was a Presiding Officer (PO) of INEC, said he and other youth corps members had horrifying experiences in the hands of the PDP thugs, who bundled all of them into a waiting bus amid sporadic gunshots and moved them to the hotel while still shooting.

    The youth corps member revealed that on getting to the hotel, the PDP leaders and their thugs forced them, at gunpoint, to fill fictitious results on INEC’s result sheets forcibly taken from him and other corps members, while also forcing them to sign the documents.

    Corroborating Powell, an Assistant Presiding Officer (APO) of INEC, Michael Kponeh, disclosed that the ad hoc staff and other officials of INEC were held hostage by the PDP thugs in Bodo-Ogoni in Gokana LGA and made to do their bidding at gunpoint.

    The 11 corps members were paraded along with 42 other suspects, totalling 53, by the GOC 6 Division, who was represented by the Garrison Commander of 6 Division Garrison, Brig.-Gen. Adeola Kalejaiye, and assisted by 6 Division’s Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Aminu Iliyasu.

    Maj.-Gen. Sarham said: “Items recovered from the hotel were 34 ballot boxes loaded with ballot papers, three card readers, ten bags containing electoral materials and a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number: Lagos: EQ 171 KRD.”

    The GOC also disclosed that 13 political thugs were arrested in Harris Town, Degema LGA, Rivers State on February 21, ahead of February 23 elections.

    Also paraded on March 1 was Gogo Meshack of Asarama in Andoni LGA of Rivers State, who was arrested with 142 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and other electoral materials by troops of 6 Division, Nigerian Army on February 24, on his way from Asarama to Port Harcourt.

    All the 53 suspects were handed over to Victor Onyeugo, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Rivers Police Command, with Onyeugo assuring that personnel of Rivers State police command would ensure further investigation of the suspects and prosecution of the indicted ones.

    On March 5, the GOC again paraded 14 more suspects who were arrested for violence in Akuku-Toru and Obio/Akpor LGAs during the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections, with the suspects received by Onyeugo on behalf of the state’s police command. Exactly a week after the Lieutenant was killed in Abonnema, two more soldiers, who were part of the troops stationed to maintain peace in the Kalabari City (Abonnema) were gunned down by hoodlums at the Obonoma-Abonnema Junction, with the criminals carting away the soldiers’ rifles.

    The Coordinator of APC’s Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers State, Pastor Tonye Cole, accused Wike of being hell-bent on clinging to power at any cost, even taking human lives. He also assured that the Federal Government would seek justice for the families of persons who were killed on February 23 across the 23 LGAs, no matter how long it would take.

    Cole, who is also the Rivers governorship candidate of APC, at a news conference in Port Harcourt, expressed condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the Niger Delta state during the presidential and National Assembly polls.

    He said: “Over the past few days, Rivers State has once again been in the headlines globally for all the wrong reasons. It has been my personal plea and mantra, as well as that of the APC that the violence meted out to our members and citizens of the state in 2015, and immediately thereafter, has no place in any modern society, especially one that desperately needs to grow economically and develop for the betterment of its people. We have called for peace and peaceful elections at every stage.

    “I have been shocked and saddened by statements and comments attributed to Wike that Prof. Charles Dokubo-Quakers (Coordinator of Presidential Amnesty Programme/Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs), Prince Tonye Princewill (APC chieftain) and I are responsible for the carnage and deaths in Abonnema on February 23. These malicious and unfounded allegations are being investigated and our lawyers will advise on possible libel suits to take against those who have peddled these wicked falsehoods.

    “For anyone willing to expose the truth, the task is relatively easy and the motive particularly clear. Nigerians in their vast numbers were shocked to learn of militant kingpins that were rewarded for their roles in the 2015 elections with positions in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Local Government Councils and State Government appointments by the Rivers State Government. This is common knowledge and the names of these individuals are known to many.

    “In Akuku-Toru LGA in particular, Hon. Rowland Sekibo, currently at large, is the Chairman of the LGA, and under his watch, Abonnema was brazenly under the control of several deadly cult groups. Like in several LGAs across the state and operating under the cover of the Local Government Authority, militarised cult groups have held Akuku- Toru LGA hostage over the past few years. And in the run-up to these elections (presidential and National Assembly), intelligence reaching us was that strict directives had been issued to the Chairman (of Akuku-Toru LGA) not to permit APC to deliver the local government of its gubernatorial candidate (Cole) and in particular, his polling unit and Ward 12.”

    Cole, a co-founder of Sahara Group and billionaire businessman, declared that the people of Rivers State were sick and tired of Wike’s government which he said had been promoting fear and intimidation, extolling  violence as a virtue and would only come around during election times to make promises it had no intention of keeping, noting that Rivers people were now awake and insisted that APC candidates in the state would always emerge victorious in free, fair, peaceful and credible elections.

    The governorship candidate of Accord Party in Rivers, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, also alleged that “jittery” Wike was desperate to be sole governorship candidate in the state, in view of his poor performance and failure to deliver real dividends of democracy to the people in the state.  The oil magnate (Lulu-Briggs), who until September 28, 2018, was a governorship aspirant on the platform of APC, also accused Rivers governor of using primitive tactics, especially by sponsoring Mr. Precious Baridoo, who is claiming to be Accord Party’s governorship candidate in the state, and trying to cause confusion in Accord Party by sponsoring litigation at Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Obile, as he earlier did in APC, where he sponsored many court cases against Cole.

    Wike, through Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Emma Okah, who doubles as the Director of Information and Communications of Rivers PDP Campaign Council, however, denied causing confusion in Accord Party, APC and other political parties, claiming that his “impressive” performance across Rivers’ 23 LGAs would earn him re-election.

    The House of Representatives’ candidate of the APC for Okrika/Ogu-Bolo constituency of Rivers state, Mrs. Maureen Tamuno, assured that in spite of the challenges and court cases, members of the party in Rivers were preparing for the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    She hinted that ahead of March 9 polls, there would be the need for realignment, to be directed by the leader of APC in Rivers and Southsouth zone (Amaechi).

    Tamuno, a former Chairman of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Council, stated these on March 3 at a thanksgiving service at St. Martin’s Anglican Church, Ogu, the headquarters of Ogu/Bolo LGA of Rivers, to appreciate God on the victory of President Buhari.

    She said: “We did our best and our contributions brought about the victory for President Buhari. We are celebrating and rejoicing. We know that President Buhari will not forget the people of Okrika/Ogu-Bolo federal constituency who have stood strong for him, despite all the problems that we are facing.”

    Tamuno assured that APC members in Rivers would exercise their franchise on March 9.

    Rivers governor, however, asked APC’s leaders and members in Rivers to accept the reality that their party would still not be on the ballot for today’s elections in the state.

    Wike said: “Truth be told, the Supreme Court has spoken. INEC has confirmed. It is the will of God and there is nothing anybody can do to return the APC to the ballot for the 2019 general elections in Rivers State.

    “But this, I believe, is not the end of life for the APC in Rivers State. There is always another day and as political leaders, we must have the courage to accept the reality, know when to stop fighting for nothing and tell our followers the simple truth, even if it may sound bitter.

    “I would therefore advice my brothers in the

  • Rivers:Army probes invasion of commissioner’s residence by security agents

    The Nigerian Army said on Friday that it would investigate the alleged invasion of residence of the Rivers State commissioner of education by some security agents.

    Its spokesman, Colonel Sagir Musa said in a statement that the Army would not hesitate to punish any of its personnel involved in any such act as they have been told in clear terms the rules of engagement regarding the on going democratic process in the country.

    The statement reads :”The Nigerian Army (NA) has observed some CCTV footages in circulation on social media and other online platforms, allegedly showing soldiers of the NA and other security agents invading the residence of the Rivers State Commissioner of Education, Hon. Dr. Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja.

    “The NA has started conducting a comprehensive forensic investigation of the footages to authenticate the validity or otherwise of the claims to guide its further actions.

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    “In the view of these allegations, the NA, for the umpteenth time, categorically reiterate its position in the entire conduct of the 2019 General elections as severally and consistently espoused and directed by the Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen TY Buratai which is – “NA is apolitical, neutral, impartial and will not compromise its constitutional roles under any guise”.

    “For RE-emphasis, NA’s responsibility in the entire electioneering process is only to assist civil authority, Nigeria Police and other relevant security agencies to – “provide a secure, peaceful and enabling environment for the successful and transparent conduct of the election”.

    “Anything beyond this is not authorized and therefore totally unacceptable by the leadership of the NA.

    “Any military personnel confirmed to be involved in any professional misconduct, such a person/s would be dealt with decisively in accordance with the law.

    “To this end, the NA wishes to request well-meaning Nigerians to always forward genuine complaints and evidences of professional misconduct against any of its personnel for investigation and necessary action.”

  • Community seeks more for Belemaoil

    The people of oil-rich Kula Kingdom in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State have urged the Federal Government to approve operatorship licence of more Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) to indigenous oil company, Belemaoil Producing Ltd.

    The Paramount Ruler of Kula Kingdom,  King Kroma Amabibi Eleki (JP) (Sara XIV), made the call at a one-day  Special Prayer and Thanksgiving event in the community organised by Kula Council of Chiefs in honour of their illustrious son, Jack-Rich Tein Jr, an engineer, who is the founder and president of Belemaoil Producing Limited.

    Kula Kingdom is one of the core island communities of Rivers State, located right behind the sea, sharing boarders with their neighbouring Bayelsa State.

    Kula, like other riverine communities, has no access road, hence their only means of transportation remains boat ride but the area is rich in oil and gas, and plays host to Anglo-Dutch multinational company, SHELL, for over 50 years.

    However, the area is grossly neglected, with the land and people highly impoverished.This was evident in the absence of government presence in any part of the communities.

    The young and old, chiefs, men, women, youths and children came out in their numbers to give thanks to God for the gift of  a son like Tein Jr. and to also pray to God to  continue to bless and protect him, his family and business from all evil and enlarge his business coast.

    Speaking at the event, King Eleki said the special prayer was a way to express profound thanks and appreciation to God for the unprecedented developmental projects Belemaoil has carried out in the area within a short period of operation in the area.

    The monarch said of Tein Jr: “I am filled with joy and laughter because God has answered our prayers of many years as our illustrious son, Engr Jack-Rich Tein Jr. has wiped off tears from our eyes. For that we thank him and we thank the Almighty Father who has blessed him to bless us.

    “Even in the bible the parable of the talents, those who were given five, they turned it to ten, those who were unable to do something to what they had, even what was given to them was taken away from them.and added to the other person that prove resourcesfulness, going by this bible principle, I think since he (Tein Jr) has been able to double what was given to him, the government should give him more OMLs to operate in the Niger Delta so that he will do more for oil bearing communities in the region.”

    He approved the requests by the company to renovate and upgrade some of the existing health facilities in the area as he declared, “I grant you permission to renovate people’s dispensary hospital where you can develop and it will serve you people and they were negotiating for land for this project, we have all agreed to provide land for Belema oil to execute this project and for that we have signed papers for them for this project.

    “In addition he will provide two giant generators for the community and also wire the whole community that  should have been done by Jan 31st both because the equipment are not available they have to be ordered from abroad… I thank you very much may God continue to bless and protect your founder.” he informed the crowd.

    He further called for unity and cohesion among the people and appealed for more support and the cooperation of the Host Community for Belemaoil for better improved lives in the communities.

    Corroborating the monarch, another Paramount Ruler, in the area, His Highness, King Boudillon Ekine Oko, (OKO XXVIII), equally admitted that the Tein Jr. has greatly improved the wellbeing of the people of Kula with meaningful projects that have direct bearing on the lives of the people.

    King Oko added that host communities of other oil blocks in Kula Kingdom should be given the right of first refusal by the federal government in the divestment or approval of operatorship licence of oil assets in the area.

    “Every kingdom that has the privilege and the honour to enjoy such opportunities as have given us by Belemaoil will want that the presence of such company to remain in the area, and we are not exception, hence if there are other presence of such opportunity that need to come to the territory we will still want Belem oil to inherit that opportunity,” he said.

    King Oko went on: “Belemoil is not just a son but a  Messiah sent to us by God to make the men happy, make the kings happy,  make the chiefs happy, make the women happy, even the politicians are happy, everybody in the communities are happy.”

    He agreed with the otjer speakers that Tein Jr.  is a gift to the body of the kula people and prayed against anything, person or group that would want to bring to a halt the good things that has begun to come to the community through Belemaoil, and those that are yet to come, “we will all in a perfect match rise up to say no,” he assured.

    The Manager, External Affairs of the company, Samuel Abel Jumbo, called on the Kingdom to eschew bitterness and rancor among themselves for the prosperity of the community.

    He said the company has provided over 1,000 jobs to youths across the host communities. He outlined some projects which Belemaoil is currently carrying out and those it intends to carry out in the near future to include; the 85KM Kula Road to Port-Harcourt, the Belema Atlantic Island, Belema Industrial Base, Belema Atlantic Office, Billionaire Atlantic Island, Belema Trading Island, amongst others.

    “We cannot imagine the thousands of employments which these projects will generate for our people in Kula. We also cannot imagine the jobs and contracts that will be available for our business men and women who will be huge beneficiaries of this projects.All these shall happen in our life time.

    “And so, our dear fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, at this time in our history, I will implore you all on behalf of Belemaoil Producing Ltd., to eschew bitterness and rancor, and embrace peaceful coexistence and togetherness which has kept us together and made us the envy of our neighbours,”he said.

    He hinted the community about the passion of their son to open up the Island area for investment and tourism,

    ”As a very young company with a little over two years in operations, and, with a very strong filial bond with our host communities- Kula being one of them, our determination to radically develop our host communities is of very paramount interest to us given the fact that these communities are the basis upon which our operations are successfully carried out.

    “Indeed, our relationship with our communities can only be compared to that of a Siamese twin. And this reinforces the reason  in our very short history, we are grateful to God Almighty for using us as a vessel to impact very positively in the lives of our communities in such a way that has led to this Farthering.

    “In collaboration with the Federal Government, we have commenced preliminary work and approvals for the commencement of the construction of the 85Km Kula-Port Harcourt Road, which will link up all our satellite communities and settlements of Belema, Robertkiri, Luckyland, Boro, through Idama Kingdom and Degema. This multi-billion-naira project shall, when completed, not only guarantee the security of our lives and properties as we will no longer be preys to marauding pirates on our seas and water ways.

    “Through our investment and development affiliates: J+G Global Gas and Oilfield Ltd and Jack-Rich Tein Aid Foundation the Belema Industrial zone has already taken off the drawing board with the on-going reclamation work at Roberkiri for the citing of a world class Airport which will stimulate the attendant developments and additional projects and business opportunities that will be attracted to the Community, which shall include amongst others.” among other projects mapped out by the firm.

    In his sermon, the pastor of one of the Pentecostal churches in the community, Revd. Victor Iyaye, lauded Tein Jr. for being kind to the poor and the people of under developed oil bearing communities, and assured him that he will be rewarded by God, he appealed to him not to relent in the good job.

    He prayed for rapid growth and expansion of investment for Belemaoil in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

    The President Kula Youth Organisation, Christian Eleki, assured of the support of the youths for the success of the firm’s presence in the area, noting that youths of Kula have benefited immensely from the company, especially in the area of employment and empowerment.

  • Accord party guber candidate declares support for Wike re-election

    The Rivers State Governorship Candidate of Accord Party has declared his support for the re-election of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.

    Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt on Thursday, Sir Precious Baridoo said his support for Governor Wike is because he has performed exceptionally during his first term.

    He said: “We have a Governor in Rivers State who has done exceptionally well for our State and our people for the last four years or so.

    “A great, peace-loving and democrat per excellence, River State has never had it so good in education, healthcare, road infrastructure, rural development, sports and security under the watch and direction of His Excellency Nyesom Ezenwo Wike CON, GSSRS, POS as Governor.

    “Fortunately, His Excellency Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has again offered to serve the people of Rivers State for a second term as Governor under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)”

    “As a political realist, I believe in continuity, especially when the performance of an incumbent is widely applauded by the generality of our people.  Furthermore, Governance is a serious business; it is not for pretenders or infantile and jobless political predators.

    “Taking all the circumstances into consideration I have come to the conclusion that the interest of our dear Rivers State will best be served with the re-election of His Excellency Ezenwo Nyesom Wike as Governor for the next four years.

    “Therefore, it is with all sense of patriotism and responsibility that I, Mr. Precious Baridoo hereby declare my total support for the re-election bid of His Excellency Ezenwo Nyesom Wike CON, GSSRS, POS as the next Governor of Rivers State”

    He urged all members of Accord Party across Rivers State to vote for Governor Wike. He also condemned the clampdown on PDP members in the state by security forces.

    “I call on members of the Accord Party and all my teeming supporters across the State to vote for His Excellency Ezenwo Neysom Wike and all other candidates of the PDP during the Governorship and House of Assembly elections on Saturday 9th March 2019.

    “I join well-meaning Nigerians to condemn the ongoing security clampdown and harassment of political leaders of the PDP in the run-up to the elections and call on the law enforcement agencies to provide adequate security for Rivers people to peacefully vote for the candidates of their choice before, during and after the Governorship and House of Assembly election”, he said.

    He further explained that he remains the authentic Governorship Candidate of the Accord Party following the Federal High Court judgment.

    “Recall that the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on the 27th of February 2019 nullified the nomination of Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs as the Rivers State Governorship Candidate for Accord Party and in his place declared me as the duly nominated Governorship candidate of the party having contested and emerged victorious from the party’s primary.

    “As at today 7th March 2019, that judgment is still subsisting and effective having not been set aside or stayed by any superior Court of law. Consequently, I remain the authentic and lawful Rivers State Gubernatorial candidate of the Accord Party for next Saturday’s rescheduled Governorship elections”.

  • APC chieftain wants state of emergency declared in Rivers ahead of election

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Ibrahim Emokpaire has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in Rivers ahead of the elections.

    The Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections have been scheduled for March 9.

    Emokpaire made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

    The APC chieftain said the call had become necessary following the insecurity and killings that characterised the Feb. 23, Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

    Emokpaire, a former APC National Chairmanship aspirant, particularly condemned the killing of soldiers in the state.

    He noted that this was not the first time soldiers and other security agents would be killed in Rivers.

    According to him, there wi no justifiable reason for soldiers and even ordinary citizens to be killed no matter the provocation.

    “There is no country in the whole world where military personnel will be mowed down and the Commande-In-Chief will take it lightly with perpetrators of such heinous crime,’’ Emokpaire said.

    He said that irrespective of the immunity of Rivers State Governor Nysome Wike, the Federal Government should declare a state of emergency in the state.

    This, he said was critical to deter others who think they could kill soldiers and other citizens and get away with it or without consequences.

    “The men in uniform that are protecting the country cannot just be mowed down without consequences. These are people that have committed their lives to protecting Nigerians.

    “Nobody, however, highly placed either with immunity or no immunity from any part of the country has the right to kill soldiers without consequences,’’ he said.

    He, therefore, tasked relevant agencies to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators of such killings.

    Emokpaire said that such action must have consequences, saying “we cannot take anything for granted, we cannot turn everything upside down in the name of democracy.’’

    He noted that even in the United States of America, with the largest democratic process in the world, would not tolerate one of its soldiers being killed by anybody.

    “Even when a soldier was attacked and killed by a terrorist on a street in London, the perpetrator was apprehended immediately.

    “Everybody connected with the crime and the perpetrator was apprehended and locked up for interrogation, the house of the terrorist was shut down completely,’’ Emokpaire recalled.

    NAN reports that Rivers had become the most volatile state in Nigeria since after the Feb. 23, Presidential and National Assembly elections as residents of some communities in the state are beginning to leave their original aboard to seek safety elsewhere. (NAN)

  • Police debunk alleged plan to kidnap Rivers REC

    The Commissioner of Police (CP), in Rivers state, Usman Belel has debunked the alleged plan to kidnap the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in the state ahead of Saturday’s governorship and state House of Assembly elections.

    The state government through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media, Simoen Nwakudu in a statement on Tuesday had raised an alarm on an alleged plan by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state to kidnap the State REC ahead of the polls to push for the postponement of the exercise in the state to a later date.

    But the CP who apparently felt embarrassed by the development in a statement he signed in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Tuesday described the allegation as unfounded and unverifiable urged members of the public to disregard it.

    He assured the people of the state that the command and other security agencies in the state are on top of the security of the state during the elections, insisting that nothing will go wrong.

    The state security Boss said, “The attention of the Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to a Press Statement Signed by Simon Nwakudu , S.A to the Governor of Rivers State on Electronic Media , on the planned kidnap of the Resident Electoral Commissioner and  subsequent Postponement of the Gubernatorial and House of Assembly Elections Scheduled to hold on Saturday 9th March, 2019.

    “The Nigeria Police Force being the lead Agency in Internal Security and on Election Security Duties is disturbed by this unverifiable, unfounded, baseless and malicious allegation and hereby wishes to refute and condemn the allegation in the strongest terms and to allay the fears and apprehension generated by that unnecessary and alarmist report by the Rivers State Government,” he said.

    Read also: APC, PDP ready for elections in Zamfara, as INEC distributes materials

     

    Speaking further said, “To this end, it has become increasingly necessary to refute that phantom allegation and herein State as follows:-

    “The Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security    (ICCES) headed by the Commissioner of Police, ahead of the 2019 Elections met severally and fashioned out modules on the Security of the entire Election process, which was largely responsible for the successful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly Elections in the State.

    “The Committee remains irrevocably committed and untiring in its efforts to ensure that the Gubernatorial and State Assembly Elections scheduled to hold on Saturday are peaceful, credible and devoid of violence.

    “The Rivers State Government, is levying this weighty allegation on the Security Agencies at this crucial moment, is indeed sad and unfortunate, when in actual fact, the Security Agencies should be encouraged and prayed for by all and sundry, to entrench a credible process that will stand the test of time.

    “The allegation of kidnap of the Resident Electoral Commissioner and postponement of the Elections, are all serious issues that touch on State Security, hence they will be thoroughly investigated, to ascertain the veracity or otherwise and bring anybody or group found complicit to Justice.”

    Belel appealed,  “Consequently, may I at this point appeal to the Residents of the State to remain calm and go about their normal activities, as there is no cause for alarm.

    “The allegation, for all intents and purposes, is politically motivated and only intended to heat up the polity and create unnecessary tension in the State.

    “It is further noted, albeit, regrettably, that, the  allegation is a calculated attempt to undermine and overreach the Security Agencies and the  Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), hence I call on the good people of the State  and the public at large, to disregard and discountenance same, as lacking in merit .

    “Finally, I want to use this medium to reiterate our commitment to serve you better, remain professional, focused and provide a level playing field for all the Political Parties and the Electorates to exercise their franchise.” he pledged.