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  • Twists, turns in enduring battle for soul of Rivers

    Twists, turns in enduring battle for soul of Rivers

    Experts count costs of Wike/Fubara clash

    The collapse of the presidential peace deal in Rivers State has cast confusion, desperation and uncertainties on the ongoing political crisis ravaging the oil-rich state. President Bola Tinubu’s fatherly intervention on December 19, 2023 was designed to halt the crisis, which erupted among members of the same political family in October the same year, spreading tension and foreboding across the state.

    The agreement was crafted in a tone designed to reboot the state into a factory setting by immediately dumping all issues that generated the unexpected and sudden hostilities into the dustbin of history. But the actions and inactions of the parties to the crisis drove a death knell into the pact, forcing the deal between the camps of the state governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, to collapse irretrievably.

    By all indications, the collapse of the agreement closed the chapter of seeking a political resolution to the crisis and opened the judicial phase of the impasse, such that all eyes are now on the judiciary to resolve the multiple suits brought before it by the parties and decide the political fate of the state.

    Most of the legal suits instituted by the camp of the governor targeted the two major political structures in the state – the elected local government chairmen and the members of the House of Assembly. The two camps are locked in a legal battle for the control of these two major political assets to guarantee their political survival. While the camp of Wike is fighting to retain control, that of Fubara is battling to dislodge all loyalists of the minister from the structures.

    To take full control of the local government areas, the governor wielded his power and refused to conduct the local government elections before the expiration of the tenures of local government chairmen and councilors, who are majorly loyal supporters of the FCT Minister. The House of Assembly controlled by Speaker Martins Amaewhule and loyal to Wike predicted the governor’s body language and amended the state’s local government law extending the tenures of the elected councils’ officials by six months.

    The succession conflict tore the state apart and created tension ahead of the expiration of the tenures of the elected local government officials on June 17. Threats and counter threats were issued from the two camps.

    On May 21, the chairmen under the auspices of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), led by their Chairman, Allwell Ihunda, met in Port Harcourt and insisted they would not vacate their offices in June.

    The Legal Adviser of ALGON and Chairman of Andoni Local Government Area, Dr. Iraatus Awoto, said their decision was hinged on the new provision of the state’s Local Government Amendment Law passed without the assent of the state Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, by the Speaker Martins Amaewhule-led lawmakers.

    Awoto said: “Yes, we got elected in 2021 and our tenure is to expire in June. But by now LG elections ought to have been concluded and the winners awaiting swearing in.

    “The Assembly has seen that no action has been taken in respect of conducting an election and in their wisdom knows there shouldn’t be any vacuum, and we have to maintain democratically elected chairmen as the local government law until elections are done, this chairmen will stay in office for another six months in the interim”.

    Despite the judgment of the state High Court which seemed to have weakened their resolve to remain in office, the chairmen were adamant, citing Justice Omotosho’s judgment. The High Court, declared the new amendment unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect.

    The court judgment also declared the six-month tenure elongation provided for in the new amendment as invalid. The judgment was based on a suit filed by the chairmen of Bonny and Opobo/Nkoro local government areas seeking nullification of the new law.

    In the judgment, Justice Diaketima Kio held that the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly overreached itself and that its actions were contrary to the provisions of the amended Nigerian Constitution.

    But the chairmen, especially the Executive Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Samuel Nwanosike, insisted that they would remain in their offices on June 17. Amaewhule also warned that they would not accept any form of caretaker committees to run the affairs of the state, declaring such arrangement an aberration.

    The state government, however, insisted that the chairmen must vacate their offices on June 17. Fubara told the occupants that their days were numbered and that they should be prepared to leave after June 17. Fubara’s loyalists also vowed to resist any attempt by the elected local government officials to extend their tenures beyond June 17.

    The supporters under the auspices of the Supreme Council for Sim Worldwide (SCSW) rejected the move to extend the tenures of the LG chairmen. The co-chairman of the group, Amb. Oji Ngofa, asked Fubara to send names of caretaker committee chairmen for local government areas to the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led lawmakers for screening and confirmation.

    Ngofa said: “The tenure of local government councils ends on June 17, 2024. The Supreme Council for SIM Worldwide denounces the local council chairmen that disrespect the office and person of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.”

    Immediately their tenure expired on June 17, pro-Fubara youths invaded most of the councils and took over their secretariats. Some local government chairmen, who tried to enter their offices on that day were chased away. Others mobilised their supporters and still reported to their offices amid the tension. There was hullabaloo, violence and confusion in the state, culminating in the death of a policeman and a member of a vigilant group.

    The governor through the Oko-Jumbo led lawmakers inaugurated caretaker committees and caretaker chairmen and ordered them to run the affairs of the 23 local government areas. But the chairmen and their supporters vowed to stop the caretaker committee chairmen from taking over the secretariats.

    Sensing looming violent clashes, the police immediately ordered their operatives to take over the local government secretariats to avert bloodshed. The police were said to have relied on the Court of Appeal’s order that the parties should maintain the status quo, to occupy the secretariats. But the governor asked the caretaker committee chairmen to run the affairs of their councils outside the secretariats.

    The action of the police agitated workers’ unions, who organised protests against the occupation but later changed their minds. But the local government chairmen and their loyalists marched to the councils’ secretariats to declare their support for the actions taken by the police to avert danger in the state.

    The recent judgment of the Supreme Court on local government autonomy touched on many issues hampering the councils across the country, including outlawing the use of caretaker committees to run local government areas. The judgment gave the ousted chairmen in Rivers the impetus to continue their fight for tenure elongation. But it has not discouraged the ongoing operations of caretaker committee chairmen in the state with many analysts in the camp of Fubara insisting that the judgment was solely on the financial autonomy of local government councils.

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    The state governor has already scheduled October 5 to conduct the local government elections. But the electoral process is already encumbered by litigations, though the Rivers Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC) has vowed to continue with the exercise.

    Therefore, who controls the local government structures between Fubara and Wike will be determined by the outcome of all ongoing legal tussles on Rivers councils including the tenure elongation being contacted by the ousted chairmen and the results of the forthcoming local government elections.

    House of Assembly Structure

    In fact, the death of the presidential peace deal ignited a fresh war on the House of Assembly. Prior to the peace deal, a former pro-Fubara Speaker, Edison Ehie, had declared the seats of Amaewhule and 25 others vacant following their purported defection from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC). But in the spirits of the presidential intervention, Fubara convinced Ehie to resign his membership of the Assembly. He later made him his Chief of Staff.

    At the resumption of hostility between the governor and the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly after the collapse of the deal, Victor Oko-Jumbo became the second pro-Fubara Speaker to replace Ehie. Oko-Jumbo is leading other three lawmakers who formed the pro-Fubara House of Assembly to tackle Amaewhule and 27 others.

    Oko-Jumbo immediately filed a suit at the state High Court and secured an order barring Amaewhule and 25 others from parading themselves as speaker and members of the state House of Assembly.

    The Interlocutory Injunction of the High Court sitting in Port Harcourt recognised Victor Oko-Jumbo as the speaker. Justice Charles Wali of the State High court ordered Amaewhule and 24 others to stop sitting as speaker and lawmakers of the state House of Assembly.

    The order became a major setback to the Wike camp. No matter how they described it as unimaginable, they were compelled to obey the directive. Amaewhule and lawmakers loyal to him stopped sitting. The governor leveraged on the order to enroll most of his decisions. While his enemy camp was in pains struggling to vacate it, Fubara ran government business relying on Oko-Jumbo-led lawmakers.

    The governor through Oko-Jumbo screened and confirmed chairmen and members of the caretaker committees of local government areas. He also through his recognised speaker inaugurated commissioners.

    But Martins Chike Amaewhule and 24 other lawmakers approached.the Court of Appeal, praying it to vacate the order to allow them return to their functions as the state lawmakers. The Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, while refusing to stay execution of the order, decided to hear the matter and give judgment.

    The three-member Appeal panel comprising Justice Jimi Olukayode Bada, Justice Hamma Akawu and Justice Balkisu Bello Aliyu, however, ordered the parties involved in the crisis to maintain the status quo.

    On July 4, the Appeal Court delivered its judgment. It set aside the interlocutory injunction barring Amaewhule and others from parading themselves as the speaker and members of the state House of Assembly and asked the parties to maintain the status quo. The appeal court held that the court of first instance lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case and issue the order.

    The camp of Wike celebrated it as victory for democracy. However, the judgment was interpreted differently by the camp of Fubara. The governor’s camp believed that the court only ruled on the jurisdiction of the state High Court and not on the merit of the matter. Therefore, Amaewhule and the affected lawmakers resumed their sitting at the Auditorium of the legislative quarters located off Aba Road, but the governor continued to conduct the government business with the Oko-Jumbo-led lawmakers sitting at the Admin Block of the Government House.

    The governor and his camp are not backing down on the Crux of the matter. They are at the Federal High Court contesting the legal statuses of Amaewhule and others as speaker and members of the state House of Assembly.

    “The court will have to decide whether Amaewhule and the lawmakers actually defected to the APC before delving into the legality of the declaration of their seats vacant. If the plaintiffs failed to establish their defections in the eyes of the law, it would render the declaration of their seats vacant defective and would become a significant blow on Fubara and his camp as it may lead to the official impeachment of the governor.

    If otherwise proven, Amaewhule and other lawmakers will vacate their seats and pave the way for the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct elections to fill their seats.

    Amaewhule-led lawmakers deliberated on the actions of Fubara in their recent sitting and concluded they were in breach of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered, extant laws and judgments of competent courts of law.

    The lawmakers told Fubara that he had yet to present the 2024 Appropriation Bill of the state to the duly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly in line with the provisions of Section 121 of the Constitution and in compliance with the judgment of Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court. They resolved to give the governor seven days from the date of the resolution to present the appropriation bill to them.

    The lawmakers further drew the attention of Fubara to his alleged breach of Section 192(2) of the Constitution. First they said the governor inaugurated purported members of the State Executive Council as commissioners. They accused Fubara of breaching Section 7 (1) of the Constitution and the Rivers State Local Government (Amendment) Law, 2023 by inaugurating certain unelected individuals to manage the affairs of the 23 local government councils in the state.

    According to them, the actions of the governor are in flagrant disobedience to the Constitution and judgment of Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court. Amaewhule particular decried a situation where the “governor in total disregard to the Constitution and judgments of courts” transacted legislative business with three suspended members of the Assembly parading themselves as House of Assembly of the state.

    He said that the purported screening and confirmation of commissioner-nominees, caretaker committees and other approvals  by the “three impostors” had been declared null and void by the recent Court of Appeal Judgment, adding that the governor and his co-travellers were in contempt of the orders of the court.

    He called on Fubara to do the needful without further delay, insisting that the constitutional breaches constituted gross misconduct and abuse of office.

    But Fubara told Speaker Martins Amaewhule and 24 other lawmakers that their seats at the state House of Assembly were declared vacant since December 13 and had remained so. The governor rubbished the seven-day ultimatum the Amaewhule-led lawmakers issued to him to re-present the 2024 Appropriation Bill, saying his administration was already preparing the 2025 Budget.

    The governor said the lawmakers were gone for good and would eventually return home for voluntarily choosing to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the platform on which they won their elections, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The governor dismissed their claims as noise-making from delusional folks. Describing the 25 lawmakers as former, he asked them to wake up from their slumber to see the ship of governance in the state sailing smoothly. Fubara also said his administration had started preparing details of the 2025 Appropriation Bill with priority placed on education, healthcare and agriculture.

    He said: “Let me assure you that agriculture is an area that we have promised the very special and peace-loving people of Rivers State that our 2025 budget, which we have already started preparing, will address. Don’t bother about those people that are delusional. They think we are still sleeping. Let me tell you people so that they can hear anywhere they are.

    “I wanted to help them sincerely because I know them. And I have said it before, these are people that I have helped. I paid their children’s school fees. I paid their house rents. So, I wanted to help them.

    “We all knew what happened when they crossed (defected), and how did they cross? Because of our God, for them to make that mistake, they crossed! They are gone, and they are gone. Now, let me tell you: when I wanted to help them, I accepted to help them because we are all one. We disagree to agree as it is said.

    “But they thought they are smart. What is holding them is the declaration of their seats vacant that was done on December 13, 2023. That is what is holding them. We are not doing any budget to nullify that decision. It is what will send them to their villages.

    “For me, as I am talking to you, I have started preparing my budget for 2025, which I am going to present very soon. And, in that budget, my key areas will be education, healthcare and agriculture.”

    At the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum, the Amaewhule-led lawmakers reconvened for another plenary and barred the governor from further spending money from the state’s Consolidated Revenue Fund. They also wrote to financial institutions to stop transacting businesses with the state government. But the Oko-Jumbo-led lawmakers held a counter sitting and asked the governor to go ahead and spend money.

    But Fubara is not joking with the threats of the Amaewhule-led lawmakers. He moved immediately to avert any plot by the lawmakers to initiate his impeachment.  He recently secured a fresh court order restraining the Chief Judge of Rivers State and the Clerk, Rivers State House of Assembly from having any dealing with the 27 lawmakers led by Martins Amaewhule.

    The ex-parte order for interim injunction was issued by the High Court of Rivers State presided over by Justice D. Jumbo Stephens. It originated from Suit No PHC/2177/CS/2024 filed by the Attorney-General of Rivers State and the state Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara.

    In fact, all eyes are on the judiciary to decide the fate of the crisis rocking Rivers State. But no matter how the decision goes, there must be casualties that will change the political trajectory of the state. It is believed that the final pronouncement of the court will make one camp rejoice and the other to cry blue murder.

    Certain developments have, however, caused concerns in the state especially with the recent attack on the state Secretariat of the All Peoples Party (APP) by hoodlums, who detonated explosives suspected to be dynamites in the facility. The entrance of the APP into the crisis is fueling suspicion about the political destination of Fubara.

    The PDP is firmly under the control of Wike. A faction of the APC led by Tony Okocha is also under his control. The governor is garnering grassroots support through his caretaker committee chairmen, who are undertaking various empowerment programmes to bring Fubara’s government closer to the people

    There are indications that the governor, who earlier thundered that the PDP had failed the state, is shopping for another party. Is the governor and his emerging teeming supporters on their way to the APP? Time will tell.

    But with the reinstatement of the Emeka Beke’s leadership of the APC in the state by the court and the resolve of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to stick with Okocha, there are more developments ahead in the crisis rocking Rivers.

    Counting the cost of the crisis

    Undoubtedly, the crisis in Rivers has impacted negatively on the development, the economy and socio-political activities of the state. It has thrown the once-peaceful Rivers into a theatre of political warfare with looming violent clashes between the rival camps.

    Tension has become a constant feature of Rivers. On three different occasions, bombs were set off at various political infrastructures of the state. While two of the explosions significantly damaged institutions and symbols of democracy, one of them almost killed the bomber.

    The first explosives suspected to be dynamites went off in October 5th at the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The explosion announced the beginning of the impasse. It destroyed a large section of the chambers and burnt historical democratic memoirs, relics and documents. The chamber was later declared unfit for the lawmakers to conduct the business of the House and was later bulldozed by the state government.

    Indeed, the bulldozing of the Rivers State Assembly complex widened the dispute and was considered a waste of the state’s resources. The government later approved N19.6bn to construct the legislative chambers, constraining the state to bear the cost of the political disputes.

    The second explosion occurred along the Port Harcourt -Aba Expressway on June 25th during a protest by the anti-Fubara faction. The incident almost created a bad blood between the police and the state government, but the police insisted on investigating the matter to know the motive behind it. Through the assistance of some officials of the state government, the bomber, who sustained serious bodily injuries, was arrested while he was receiving medical treatments in a health facility owned by the government.

    The police later identified the suspect as a 40-year-old Preye Josiah aka Metusah, who hails from Kabiama community of Sagbama Local Government Area. The police said the suspect had been on the wanted list of the police for participating in some high-profile bank robberies led by one Daniel Gogo alias Full Payment between 2012 and 2016, where three AK-47 rifles and other weapons were recovered in Bayelsa.

    The revelations of the police have shown that the crisis brought out many criminal elements previously in hiding. Such elements are on the prowl to take advantage of political camps’ rallies, processions and protests to unleash their angst on the people.

    While security agencies were investigating Josiah’s alleged criminal records, another explosive was set off at the All Peoples Party (APP) Secretariat located in Tombia Extension GRA Phase 2, Port Harcourt on August 12th. The dynamites damaged a section of the party’s secretariat and caused fresh tension in the state.

    The rising speculations that Fubara, and his teeming supporters were plotting to defect to the Action Peoples Party (APP) was said to be the reason behind the attack of the party’s Secretariat on Monday morning, sources said.

    Sources said the suspicion became widespread after the secretariat recently underwent a facelift.

    “After the renovation, the speculation became widespread that the governor and his supporters are seeking refuge in APP because the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been hijacked by the former Governor, Nyesom Wike, and his loyalists.

    “Some persons are not happy that the governor has divided the political family that brought him to power and is planning to move them to another party. This is the reason for the bombing”, a source, who spoke in confidence said.

    Though Fubara had not publicly announced any plan to dump the PDP, the governor had earlier berated the PDP accusing it of failing the state. But during the week, Fubara said his hope on PDP had been reinvigorated with the visit of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) members led by a former Senate President, Adulphus Wabara.

    Wabara and his BoT team were in the state to assess the political crisis in the state and seek permanent solutions to it. Fubara during his interaction with the BoT members said he once doubted his membership of the PDP, but that with the BoT’s assurances, members of his camp would remain authentic members of the PDP in the state

    Without mincing words, the PDP has been polarized in the state. Even the crisis has divided members of the APC in the state. The state’s APC faction led by Emeka Beke, whose state chairmanship was recently reinstated, is working with the Fubara’s PDP’s camp. However, the APC faction led by Tony Okocha is working with the PDP’s camp loyal to Wike.

    Therefore, in Rivers, politicians are either hobnobbing with Fubara in his Simplified family or working with Wike in his PDP’s camp. But Wike’s men and foot soldiers are maintaining firm grip of the PDP structures in the state.

    Experts believe that the crisis has affected the developmental trajectory of the state. It has altered the compass of development set by the PDP during the rare smooth transition between Wike and Fubara. Most of the plans were dropped as the governor seemed to have gone back to the drawing board to chart a new blueprint for his administration.

    Besides, the crisis has further diminished the value the state had hoped to attract from the federal government following the earlier unique relationship the former governor and Fubara established with President Tinubu.

  • Rivers kicks off construction of new mega city to decongest Port Harcourt

    Rivers kicks off construction of new mega city to decongest Port Harcourt

    Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has kicked off the construction of a new mega smart Port City in Eleme Local Government Area of the state.

    Fubara said the Port Smart City, a joint venture between the state government and the Rainbow Heritage Group, was important to realign the state with modern developmental realities and decongest Port Harcourt, the capital city.

    The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, explained that the development of new cities, urban renewal and development control was core to his administration’s strategy to ensure even development in Rivers.

    He said: “The development of new cities and urban renewal is at the core of the programme of this government. Now development is following a new pattern where government and developers come in to partner with communities to ensure there is an orderly and well planned development system.”

    He recalled that Port Harcourt, popularly referred to as the Garden City, had become a shadow of itself following over-population and a one city model development system.

    Fubara said: “Port Harcourt used to be referred to as the Garden City of Nigeria because it was properly organized with roads, trees, and amenities. There was an imminent decay due to overpopulation and successive government thought on what to do.

    “Former Governor, Dr. Peter Odili introduced the Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning; former Governor Chibuike Amaechi introduced the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority (GPHCDA). This project marks the beginning of the new phase of the GPHCDA.”

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    Fubara said that modalities were already in place to expand the GPHCDA to the New Cities Development Authority to encourage development spread across the state.

    He said: “We will ensure that there will be new cities springing up all across the state so we no longer have one city syndrome and decaying infrastructure but have several smart garden cities. We have already started one at the twenty-thousand TAF City development.

    “The Port City is another, and talks are already on to construct yet another smart city also in Eleme LGA. We want to bring about a new and modern way of living in the state.

    “Eleme Kingdom occupies a special place in this government. Do not see the project as only a project of Rivers State Government. It will bring along a lot of other industrial and commercial activities, which will galvanise the development of other businesses, industries, and towns around the project. Own the project so that it will be completed within the set time and continue to support our administration because more development is coming to Eleme.”

  • Steer clear of Rivers crisis, focus on your legislative duties, group tells lawmaker

    Steer clear of Rivers crisis, focus on your legislative duties, group tells lawmaker

    Arewa Youths for Peaceful Coexistence has told the House of Representatives member representing Ideato Federal Constituency of Imo State, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere to steer clear of the political crisis in Rivers State and focus his energy on provision of better legislation for his Imo State constituents and Nigeria.

    The Northern youths’ group in a statement issued on Saturday by its National Chairman, Hon. Haruna Bature, alleged that, Hon. Ugochinyere’s sudden moves in defence of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, was a plan to milk the cash resources of Rivers State.

    In a viral video, Hon. Ugochinyere, was seen addressing his constituents and giving reasons he is interested in the political affairs of Rivers State.

    The Northern group noted with dismay that, “It is very sad and most unfortunate that the Politics of Rivers State has suddenly turned to become a major part of the Legislative functions of Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere.

    “This obvious misplacement of priority and abuse of the mandate of the People of Ideato Federal Constituency calls for serious questioning and a possible recall of Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere by his constituents.

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    “In that video, Hon. Ugochinyere alluded to the choice of Governor Sim Fubara by the Hon. Minister of the FCT, Chief Barr. Ezebuwon Nyesom Wike and the Hon. Minister’s interference in appointments made in the State.

    “The moral questions begging for answers here are: was Governor Sim Fubara not chosen by the Hon. Minister from among these politicians who also worked for Fubara’s victory at the polls? Why should Fubara choose to destroy the political careers of politicians who have sacrificed for him to be chosen as governor above them?

    “The defenses relentlessly and shamefully canvassed by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere for Governor Fubara typifies “Birds of Ingratitude flocking together”. We wonder why these defenses and efforts are not channeled towards canvassing for better legislations and support to improve the wellbeing of his constituency, state and nation if not to milk the cash resources of Rivers State.

  • Rivers council poll will hold as planned, says RISIEC

    Rivers council poll will hold as planned, says RISIEC

    The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC) has refuted claims that the October 5th local government poll has been postponed pending the resolutions of all litigations against the exercise.

    RISIEC in a statement signed by its Chairman/Chief Electoral Commissioner, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd) insisted that the elections would go on as scheduled.

    Enebeli in the statement dated July 13th said there was no time he made any statement suggesting the postponement of the October elections.

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    He said: “The general public is hereby advised to dismiss and discountenance the article in its entirety as same is false, baseless and unfounded.

    “And for the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby declared that the Rivers State 2024 Local Government election timetable is still on course and the 5th October election date is sacrosanct.”

  • JUST IN: Why hoodlums targeted APP Secretariat in Rivers – Sources

    JUST IN: Why hoodlums targeted APP Secretariat in Rivers – Sources

    The rising speculations Rivers Governor Siminialayi Fubara and his teeming supporters are plotting to defect to the Action Peoples Party (APP) may the reason behind the attack of the party’s Secretariat on Monday morning, sources said.

    The Secretariat located at the GRA area of Port Harcourt came under dynamite attack on Monday introducing a new dimension to the ongoing political crisis in the state.

    Prior to the explosions, speculations were rife that the Governor and his supporters were on their way to the party.

    Read Also: BREAKING : Rivers APP Secretariat bombed

    Sources said the suspicion became widespread when the secretariat recently underwent a facelift.

    “After the renovation, the speculation became widespread that the governor and his supporters are seeking refuge in APP because the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been hijacked by the former Governor, Nyesom Wike, and his loyalists.

    “Some persons are not happy that the Governor has divided the political family that brought him to power and is planning to move them to another party. This is the reason for the bombing,” a source, who spoke in confidence said.

    Though Fubara had not publicly announce any plan to dump the PDP, the Governor had berated the PDP accusing it of failing the State.

    Details Shortly…

  • BREAKING : Rivers APP Secretariat bombed

    BREAKING : Rivers APP Secretariat bombed

    Explosions suspected to be dynamites have rocked the Secretariat of the Action People’s Party (APP) along the GRA axis of Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

    It was gathered that the secretariat was attacked around 1am on Monday by unknown persons.

    Rivers APP Chairman, Sunny Wokekoro confirmed the development and said he was on his way to assess the damage done by the explosions.

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    A party official, who spoke in confidence, said the incident was politically motivated.

    He said: “Yes, I’m a member of the APP. I was informed of the attack about 3am today.

    “This is politically motivated and there is no two ways about it. They know tha the APP is a fast growing political party in the state. We call on the police to investigate this and arrest the culprits.”

  • Rivers, firm sign 30-year agreement on mangrove restoration

    Rivers, firm sign 30-year agreement on mangrove restoration

    The Rivers State Government, Serendib Capital, Eight Versa, and Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) have signed a 30-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a large-scale mangrove restoration and conservation project in Rivers.

    It was gathered that the mangrove restoration project would cover 240,000 hectares of sea grass and would become the world’s largest blue carbon project, integrating mangrove restoration, seagrass conservation next to 170,000 hectares of mangrove, sustainable agriculture, tree planting, biochar production, among others.

    The project was said to be part of a larger mangrove marine ecosystem restoration programme known as Delta AZURE.

    Speaking after the signing the MoU, in Port Harcourt, Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources in Rivers State, Maximus Uchechukwu Nwafor, said that the project would benefit the state and increase its revenue.

    Read Also: Rivers protesters obstruct Fubara’s convoy

    Nwafor said: “We have signed an MoU with Serendib Capital, which will benefit our state and increase our revenue. I would like the Managing Director to further acquaint us with the project’s details.

    “We have requested that they provide us with all necessary requirements, including security and other aspects. Once we receive this information, we will ensure the project’s success.”

    The CEO of Serendib Capital, Rafat Rizvi explained that the collaborative effort would drive transformative environmental and socio-economic gains in Rivers State, serving as a model for future mangrove restoration projects globally.

  • Airstrikes destroy 12 illegal refining sites in Abia, Rivers

    Airstrikes destroy 12 illegal refining sites in Abia, Rivers

    Airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircrafts destroyed 12 illegal refining sites and two reservoirs in Abia and Rivers states. 

    The airstrikes were conducted on Friday July 26, according to NAF spokesperson, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet in a statement on Sunday July 28.

    Gabkwet said at Umueze in Abia State, armed reconnaissance undertaken by the aircraft revealed several illegal refining sites situated in many fenced households.

    The NAF spokesperson said the information from the armed reconnaissance was subsequently relayed to ground troops for further exploitation and action. 

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    He said: “Heading towards Owaza, three illegal refining sites were observed hidden under thick vegetation, which were subsequently destroyed. 

    “Thereafter, the crew followed the river line down to Komkom and Okoloma in Rivers State, where nine illegal refining sites and two reservoirs were discovered and destroyed. In total, 12 illegal refining sites and two reservoirs were destroyed.”

    He said the sighting of illegal refining sites in fenced living environments by oil thieves was “indicative of the sophistry of the illegal oil refining trade that would require other means beyond air strikes to checkmate.”

    He said: “Those engaged in these acts, especially in fenced living environments, are again reminded of their danger to human lives and health as well as the environment. 

    “However, armed reconnaissance missions as well as destruction of illegal refining sites will continue unabated until crude oil theft and other forms of economic sabotage are reduced to the barest minimum.”

  • Rivers caretaker committee chairmen distance selves from protest

    Rivers caretaker committee chairmen distance selves from protest

    Rivers caretaker committee chairmen, who came under the auspices of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Rivers Chapter, have dissociated themselves from the planned hardship protest scheduled for August 1 across the country.

    Speaking in Port Harcourt on Friday, the chairmen of caretaker committees in the 23 local government areas of the State, said that they were totally against the planned protest because it was capable of being hijacked by hoodlums to loot and destroy valuable properties and cause breakdown of law and order.

    Speaking on their behalf, the Caretaker Committee Mayor of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council, Prince Ichemati Ezebunwo, said that the state had been peaceful and that it was unnecessary to allow agents of destabilisation to plunge Rivers into instability, anarchy and chaos with needless protest and disorganized demonstrations.

    Ezebunwo also reiterated the unalloyed support and commitment of the members to the implementation of the key objectives of Mr President’s policies and programmes as enunciated in the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.

    He said: “Sequel to the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting of June, 2024, where intense deliberations were held and resolutions reached on measures to adopt in improving the lives of our people at the grassroots, and the swift release of allocations due the local government councils, we, the members of ALGON, Rivers State Chapter, state”, that” we thank Mr President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the timely and unhindered release of allocations for the various local government councils.

    “We want to thank our peace-loving Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, who has instructed us to remain peaceful in the face of unwarranted provocation, and to dispense the local government funds in line with the local government laws for the overall benefit of our people.

    “ALGON, Rivers State, dissociates itself from the planned protest from August 1, 2024, by faceless individuals against the government and policies of President Tinubu.

    “We state categorically that we are committed to cascading the key objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President in our various local government areas.

    “We hereby call on the people to discountenance any planned protest as measures are being put in place to cushion the effects of the economic situation in the country today”.

    They also expressed worries at the alleged involvement of police officers in the escalation of hostilities against members of the caretaker committees and peace-loving and law-abiding Rivers people by the immediate past chairmen of local government councils.

    They said the intention of the former local government chairmen were to cause anarchy and engineer a climate of lawlessness in the state.

    While condemning the rising attacks on CTC chairmen and supporters of the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, they cautioned those involved in perpetrating acts of violence and intimidation in the state, to desist forthwith, and toe the path of peace, saying that their desperation was becoming unacceptable to the generality of Rivers people.

    They said: “We recall that earlier today, the immediate past local government chairmen made inciting statements bordering on claims to perpetuating themselves in office they had constitutionally ceased to occupy at the effluxion of time on June 17, 2024.

    Read Also: Kaduna CSOs back out of August protest, say mission ambiguous

    “We hereby warn these impostors to desist forthwith, and also call the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, to call them (immediate past LG chairmen) to order.”

    The caretaker chairmen urged the police to be professional, apolitical and neutral in the discharge of their duties, and avoid compromising themselves by aligning with some impostors and desperate politicians to destabilise the state.

    They also condemned, in strong terms, the dastardly attacks on their members in Ikwerre and Obio/Akpor local government areas, where they alleged that the immediate past chairmen and a former lawmaker led armed thugs to inflict deadly harm on their members, and vulnerable people in the communities.

    They specifically mentioned the incidents in Omerelu in Ikwerre Local Government Area, and Eliozu in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, where they said pregnant women, vulnerable children and people with disabilities were ferociously attacked, teargassed, and injured while vehicles and valuable medical consumables and hospital equipment were damaged.

    They said that it was callous for the past local government chairmen to hire thugs and mindless policemen to attack law-abiding people, who were reportedly responding to a key Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda programme aimed at providing healthcare services to the people at the grassroots.

    They wondered why any politician and former elected public office holder should disrupt a Federal Government-sponsored primary healthcare programme designed to improve the health status of rural dwellers, who they had claimed to serve.

    They warned that the police must not deliberately create an atmosphere of crisis by openly or clandestinely showing support for and protection to the immediate past chairmen.

    They also called on the Inspector General of Police, and the Commissioner for Police, to respect the will and the fundamental rights of the people at the LGAs by allowing legitimate workers at the local governments unfettered access to their offices to perform their lawful duties unhindered.

    They argued that by denying the local government workers access to their offices to carry out their legitimate duties, the police were deliberately allowing themselves to be used to deny the people at the grassroots the opportunity to enjoy the dividends of democracy and good governance.

  • Rivers lawmakers crisis rages on over state fund

    Rivers lawmakers crisis rages on over state fund

    The supremacy battle between Victor Oko-Jumbo-led members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and 27 lawmakers, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, continued yesterday.

    The three-,member House presided over by Oko-Jumbo raised a counter-resolution against the previous resolutions by the 27 lawmakers barring Governor Siminalayi Fubara from further spending money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state.

    At their plenary, the three legislators said the Amaewhule-led House lacked the power to bar the governor from spending money.

    Speaker Amaewhule had sent a letter to the governor on Monday intimating him with the resolutions of the 27 lawmakers.

    But objecting to the resolutions, the three lawmakers  sent a letter to Fubara to disregard the directives, describing the 27 members of the House as former lawmakers.

    Copies of the letter were sent to the deputy governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu; Secretary to Rivers State Government, Head of Service,   Accountant-General, Auditor-General,  Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Chairman, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Accountant-General of the Federation, Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank PLC,  and Managing Director of the Access Bank Group.

    Read Also: Court affirms Amaewhule, 24 others as Rivers lawmakers

     The Court of Appeal in its judgement had set aside an order of the state High Court, which removed Amaewhule and 24 others as lawmakers, for want of jurisdiction.

    Although the court affirmed Amaewhule as Speaker, Oko-Jumbo and his two colleagues have insisted that the 27 had ceased to be lawmakers, following their purported defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Oko-Jumbo, who signed the letter, said Amaewhule and 24 others had no legal and moral basis to pass a resolution stopping the governor from withdrawing money from the consolidated fund.

    He said it was wrong to pass a resolution that threatened a shutdown on government expenditure, pending the presentation of the Appropriation Bill for the 2024 fiscal year.

    Oko-Jumbo said there was no basis for directing ministries, commissions, agencies, departments and extra-ministerial departments to desist from spending taxpayers funds, pending the passage of the budget.

    He explained why Amaewhule and 24 others were not qualified to hold sittings and give orders to the governor, insisting that their seats had been declared vacant.

    Oko-Jumbo said: “On December 11,  2023, at the 87th Legislative sitting of the House, former Speaker Martin Amaewhule and the 24 former members defected from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

     “By virtue of Section 109(1)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, which are self executing, and consequent upon their defection, on the 13th day of December, 2023, Rt. Hon. Edison Ogerenye Ehie, as the then duly recognised Speaker of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly, by virtue of a court order granted by Hon Justice Danagogo on the 12th day of December, 2023 in Suit No. PHC/3030/CS/2023, and pursuant to Section 109(2) of the 1999 Constitution, declared their seats vacant.

    “Consequent to the above constitutional provisions and the declaration of their seats vacant, the recognised 10th Rivers State House of Assembly is the one led by Rt. Hon Victor Oko-Jumbo. Thus, the Rivers State Government has ceased paying any form of salaries, allowances or statutory remuneration to the former members.”