FOLLOWING the keenly contested general elections that many, there are concerns that some “misguided political actors” are planning to bring an Interim Government to power. Spokesman for the Department of State Services (DSS), Peter Afunanya, confirmed the plot on Wednesday. Here are six things we know so far from the communique and other things we know from history. 1. Some key players identified The Service in its broadcast stated that it has identified some key players in the plot for this proposed Interim Government in Nigeria. Most of the planners are politicians and they have had several meetings to this…
Author: Gloria Lamar Johnson
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GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State says he won’t leave office on May 29, 2023 to “run away” from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s strongman said he has nothing to fear if the anti-graft agency comes to probe his administration. Wike, whose eight-year two-term will end on May 29, 2023, directed his successor and Rivers State Governor-Elect, Siminlalayi Fubara to show EFCC his many accomplished projects in Rivers if the anti-corruption commission comes for investigation. He spoke on Wednesday at the commissioning of Rumuigbo Internal Road Network in the Obio/Akpor Local…
THE Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has expressed satisfaction over the ouster of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu. Umar Damagum was announced on Tuesday as Ayu’s replacement in an acting capacity. This comes barely two days after the Executive Committee of the PDP in Igyorov Ward, Gboko Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State suspended the former chairman with immediate effect. Ayu had been embroiled in a bitter feud with some high-ranking PDP members led by five governors identified as the G5: Wike, Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and…
A FORMER Information and National Orientation Minister Labaran Maku has admitted many saw the ‘Obidient’ movement and the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi as a joke. Obi, a former Anambra State governor, took the nation by storm when he emerged as a third-force candidate. Despite being dismissed as lacking a political structure, the LP candidate who enjoys a huge youth following scored over six million votes and won in 11 states to finish third in the just-concluded exercise. But while fielding questions on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily monitored by News Point Nigeria, about the outcome of the 2023 elections,…
A HIGH Court in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, has restrained embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu from parading himself as chairman of the party pending the determination of the substantive suit which has been adjourned to April 17, 2023 for hearing. News Point Nigeria reports that, a member of the PDP from Benue, Terhide Utaan, who is the plaintiff before Justice W. I Kpochi, obtained the order restraining Ayu from parading himself as national chairman of the party. Ayu was suspended late last week for anti-party activities in the wake of the party’s loss…
GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said he is in support of the suspension of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu. The Executive Committee of the PDP in Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, suspended Ayu on Sunday, after passing a vote of no confidence on him for anti-party activities. News Point Nigeria reports that, speaking on the issue, Wike who was a guest on Sunrise Daily on TV, stated that he supports the move because Ayu played a major role in the colossal failure of the PDP in the…
THE ongoing dramatic crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues as the Executive Committee of the PDP in Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State has suspended the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, with immediate effect. News Point Nigeria reports that they suspended Ayu for anti-party activities after passing a vote of no confidence on him. While reading a resolution, the secretary of the party in Igyorov ward, Banger Dooyum, said Ayu’s anti-party activities – alongside his allies – contributed to PDP’s loss in his ward and local government in the governorship election. Ayu…
A FORMER Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; his wife, Beatrice; and their doctor, Obinna Obeta will be sentenced on May 5. News Point Nigeria reports that, this followed their conviction for organ trafficking on Thursday in the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act. Ekweremadu, 60; his wife, Beatrice, 56; and Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, were found guilty of facilitating the travel of a young man to Britain with a view to his exploitation after a six-week trial at the Old Bailey. However, the lawmaker’s daughter, Sonia, was cleared by the court. The jury said Ekweremadu, his…
GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has faulted the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the suspension of the former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, over allegations of anti-party activities. Briefing journalists in Port Harcourt on Thursday, Wike argued that the party’s NWC does not have the power to suspend Mr Fayose, nor refer Mr Ortom to a disciplinary committee. The governor also faulted the decision of the NWC to summon the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, to appear before a disciplinary committee for a similar allegation of anti-party activities. According to him,…
A FORMER Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; his wife Beatrice and their doctor have been convicted of organ trafficking, in the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act. Ekweremadu, 60; his wife, Beatrice, 56; and Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, were found guilty of facilitating the travel of a young man to Britain with a view to his exploitation after a six-week trial at the Old Bailey. They criminally conspired to bring the 21-year-old Lagos street trader to London to exploit him for his kidney, the jury found, according to UK Guardian. The prosecutor Hugh Davies KC told the…
RIVERS State Governor, Nyesom Wike has berated the Peoples Democratic Party National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu for failing to deliver his polling unit and his state, Benue for the PDP. Wike and Ayu have been at loggerheads following the former’s demand that the latter relinquish his position. In the build-up to the February 25 presidential election, Wike’s G-5 failed to back the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Besides Wike, other members of the aggrieved PDP governors include Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu). Their argument is that both the party’s Chairman and flagbearer cannot…
THE governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has rejected the results of the just concluded election in the state, saying the mandate of electorate in Rivers State have been stolen. Cole made his position known on Monday night at a joint press conference with the candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Sobomabo Jackrich; and African Democratic Congress (ADC), Tonye Ibraye. Earlier, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Siminalayi Fubara, the winner of last Saturday’s governorship election. Fubara, the “anointed” candidate of Governor…
SIMINIALAYI Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been declared the winner of the Rivers State governorship election. State Returning Officer, Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh announced the result late Monday night at the end of the two days collation at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Head Office in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. The PDP candidate polled 302,614 votes to defeat his closet rival Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 95,274 votes while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Senator Magnus Abe, and Labour Party (LP)’s, Beatrice Itubo came a distant third and fourth…
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Cross River, Bassey Otu as the winner of the March 18 poll in the South-South geopolitical zone. Otu, a former federal lawmaker, scored 258,619 votes to defeat his closest contender and a serving senator, Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 179,636. With his declaration as governor-elect by the electoral umpire, Otu will succeed the incumbent governor and APC party man, Ben Ayade whose eight-year two-term will end on May 29, 2023. So far, the results of 18 governorship polls have…
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Caleb Mutfwang has been declared the Governor-Elect of Plateau State. The Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state, Prof Idris Amali declared Mutfwang as the winner having scored 525,299 votes to defeat his closest rival, Nantawe Yilwatda of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 481,370 votes while Patrick Dakum of the Labour Party (LP) came a distant third with 60,310 votes. The PDP candidate secured 43,929 votes higher than the APC candidate who was anointed by the incumbent, Simon Lalong. The PDP scored the highest votes in 10 local…
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the collation of the remaining three local government areas till Monday morning This is as the All Progressives Congress (APC) has won in 12 local government areas of Cross River State out of 15 results declared so far by the Commission in Calabar. The election results, which were declared at the State Headquarters of the Commission in Calabar, were presided over by the State Returning Officer for the election, Prof Teddy Charles of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State. The Commission will be reconvening on Monday at 9 am to complete the…
THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Akwa-Ibom has won 17 of the 18 Local Government Areas in the governorship election results announced so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
THE Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Yakubu Sanda, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has lost his bid to return to the hallow chambers. He was defeated by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mrs Happiness Matthew Akawu, in last Saturday’s elections for the Pengana State Constituency seat. The PDP candidate scored 9,926 votes to defeat the Speaker who polled 7,936 votes. While the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) scored 6,721 votes, the Labour Party raked in 1,028 votes. Find the Pengana State Assembly results below: APC – 7,936 PDP – 9,926 PRP – 6,721 LP…
GUNMEN have shot dead the All Progressives Congress Campaign Coordinator in Ahoada-West Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chisom Lennard, hours after he was abducted. Lennard was reportedly kidnapped by the gunmen dressed in police uniform while voting during the governorship and state House of Assembly elections at Ibagwa polling unit 2, Ward 10 in Ahoada West LGA. The APC chieftain, it was gathered, had tried to stop the gunmen from snatching election materials when he was whisked away in a commando fashion. The state APC Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju confirmed the incident to our correspondent. Nwauju stated, “He was…
WIDESPREAD voter turnout marred Saturday’s governorship and Houses of Assembly polls with some governors and other notable Nigerians lamenting the situation. Findings showed that low turnout was recorded in many states as more voters boycotted the governorship and state assembly polls compared to the presidential and National Assembly polls held three weeks ago. In Lagos State, this newspaper observed that at Polling Unit 085, Ward 3, Ikeja, where the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, voted, only 50 out of the 324 registered voters came out to vote. Tinubu, who voted around 9.30am alongside his wife, Oluremi, however, did not speak with…