SENATOR Barinada Mpigi, who represented the Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly, has died. News Point Nigeria reports that the lawmaker, whose legislative career spanned more than a decade at the federal level, died at the age of 64. His passing was confirmed on Thursday, February 19, 2026, after a brief illness. Until his death, Mpigi served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, where he played a key role in legislative oversight of federal road infrastructure and other public works projects. Governor Siminalayi Fubara expressed “deep shock and sadness” over the development in a statement…
Author: Eileen Peters
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A CHIEFTAIN of the African Democratic Party (ADC) chief Sunday Ohakwu, has said that there are plots to arrest the African Democratic Congress(ADC) top Presidential aspirant, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. According to him, the party has uncovered the plots which, according to him, are aimed at striking a lethal blow to the party’s readiness to clinch the presidency from the ruling party come next election. He gave the statement in Abuja on Wednesday. According to him, following the undeniable popularity and widespread public acceptance of Amaechi as the right person to take Nigeria to greater heights, some top persons in the…
THE Rivers State House of Assembly has halted impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu. News Point Nigeria reports that the decision was reached during Thursday’s sitting after the impeachment process became entangled in legal and political challenges, which stalled further action pending the outcome of ongoing court cases and consultations. The state assembly members, in January, initiated impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy over allegations of gross misconduct. During the plenary presided over by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, Majority Leader Major Jack presented a notice citing seven allegations against Fubara under Section 188 of…
THE Chairman of the Hausa community in Rivers State, Musa Saidu, has alleged that four northern traders were killed during a recent anti-Northern protest at the Oil Mill Market in Rumuokwurusi, Port Harcourt. News Point Nigeria reports that Saidu made the disclosure on Tuesday while leading northern community leaders on an assessment visit to the affected market, where he said several shops owned by northerners were looted and vandalised. According to him, the violence followed protests triggered by the killing of an indigene of Rivers State, Nchelem Samuel Festus. Speaking to journalists after touring the market, Saidu urged northern residents…
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Labour Party (LP) will not participate in the forthcoming bye-elections in two constituencies of the Rivers State House of Assembly. News Point Nigeria reports that the bye-elections are scheduled to hold in Khana State Constituency II and Ahoada East State Constituency II on February 21. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, Gabriel Yomere, at a media briefing in Port Harcourt on Thursday, said five candidates are contesting in Khana Constituency II, while seven candidates will vie for the seat in…
RIVERS State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has dissolved the State Executive Council. The decision was announced on Thursday in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onwuka Nzeshi. According to the statement, the governor directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most senior officers in their respective ministries with immediate effect. Governor Fubara expressed appreciation to the outgoing members of the Executive Council for their service to the state and wished them well in their future endeavours. The dissolution comes 48 hours after Minister of…
THE Akwa Ibom State Police Command says it has recovered a significant stockpile of live ammunition and arrested a suspect, along with others who obstructed the police in the performance of their lawful duties. This was contained in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Akwa Ibom state police command, DSP Timfon John. “On 23rd January, 2026, at about 2300 hours, operatives of the Command, while on routine stop-and-search patrol along the Calabar–Itu Highway, intercepted a commercial bus with registration number ARR600ZY, en route Calabar,” the statement read. “During a thorough search of…
THE Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has threatened to force entry into the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, alleging that the Rivers State Government denied the Renewed Hope Ambassadors access to the venue for a rally. News Point Nigeria reports that Wike, the immediate past governor of the coastal state, spoke on Friday during the inauguration of coordinators of the group across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State. “We applied to the Rivers State Government for the Yakubu Gowon Stadium. They refused us. But let me say, next time we will do this, if you don’t approve it, we…
THE Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has reaffirmed that Rivers Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is the recognised leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, stressing that ex-governor Nyesom Wike is not a member of the ruling party. Bwala made the clarification on Channels Television’s Hard Copy, a current affairs programme monitored by News Point Nigeria, amid the political crisis in the coastal state which has morphed into the initiation of impeachment proceedings, by members of the Rivers Assembly, against Fubara. “I agree with the point highlighted by the national chairman [Nentawe Yilwatda]…
THE Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon C. Amadi, has declined a request by the Rivers State House of Assembly to constitute a seven-man investigative panel to probe allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Nma-Odu, citing subsisting court orders and a pending appeal. News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Amadi’s position was conveyed in a formal letter addressed to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, acknowledging receipt of two separate requests from the legislature dated January 16, 2026. The requests were made pursuant to Sections 188(4) and 188(5)…
THE Rivers State Police Command has confirmed that one person was killed and eight others injured in a shooting incident in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state. News Point Nigeria reports that according to the police, the incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, along Sambo Street, Omoku. A report received at the Omoku Police Division at around 7:00 a.m. indicated that the shooting took place at about 1:30 a.m. during a masquerade procession by youths in the area. Police said a confrontation erupted between the masquerading youths and Barrister Akpudi Ikechukwu, accompanied by four personnel of…
RIVERS Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has reaffirmed his role as the leader of the coastal state, pledging to uphold peace and security and not support any action that could threaten public safety. News Point Nigeria reports that Fubara gave the assurance on Saturday while speaking as a special guest at the finals of the 2026 Port Harcourt Polo Tournament, held in the state capital. He emphasised that protecting lives and property remains a top priority and reaffirmed his commitment to fulfilling his promises to the people of Rivers State. “What is important is that I am still the governor of Rivers…
THE Lagos State Government has ordered a postmortem on nine-month-old identical twins, Testimony and Timothy Alozie, who reportedly died about 24 hours after receiving routine immunisation at a primary health care centre in the state. News Point Nigeria earlier reported that the incident came to public attention after the twins’ father, Samuel Alozie popularly known as Promise Samuel on TikTok shared videos showing the bodies of his sons in separate body bags while narrating how they died shortly after the vaccination. Speaking in a follow-up viral video on Thursday, Alozie said he took the twins for routine immunisation on the…
EDO State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has sacked his Special Adviser on Youth Mobilisation, Aigbogun Collins. This newspaper reports that Aigbogun’s sack comes amid investigations into the recent violent anti-kidnapping protest in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area, which led to destruction and looting of property. Sources said the former aide was reportedly arrested following the governor’s directive for a probe into the unrest. The governor has approved the appointment of Christopher Udobor Iyase as his replacement. Aigbogun’s removal was confirmed in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, and made available to journalists in…
A RIVERS High Court sitting in Oyigbo Local Government Area has stepped into the escalating political crisis in the state, issuing an interim injunction that temporarily halts further action on the impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Nma-Odu. News Point Nigeria reports that in a ruling delivered in Port Harcourt, the court restrained the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, alongside thirty-two other defendants including the Clerk of the House and the Chief Judge of Rivers State—from taking steps aimed at advancing the impeachment process. Specifically, the order barred the Chief Judge,…
THE Rivers State House of Assembly on Friday intensified its standoff with Governor Siminalayi Fubara by formally calling on the Chief Judge of the state to set up a panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against him and his deputy, Ngozi Odu. News Point Nigeria reports that the lawmakers, acting through a unanimous vote, vowed to continue with impeachment proceedings. The move comes amid a sustained political crisis that has gripped the oil‑rich state since Fubara’s relationship with lawmakers and former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, collapsed. Although Governor Fubara recently defected from…
THE Rivers State House of Assembly, under the leadership of Speaker Martin Amaewhule, on Thursday failed to reconvene plenary as scheduled, further deepening uncertainty surrounding the ongoing impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu. News Point Nigeria reports that the Assembly had, during its first sitting of 2026 last Thursday, initiated impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy over allegations of gross misconduct. Among the allegations cited by the lawmakers were the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, alleged unauthorised expenditure of public funds, and other actions said to have been…
EDO State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has approved the release of persons arrested over the protests in Ekpoma. News Point Nigeria reports that the first set of seven suspects was released. According to the Edo state Commissioner for Education, Paddy Iyamu, who was on the ground to facilitate the release, confirmed that only verified students are to be released. During his meeting with the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, on Tuesday, Okpebholo said the unrest in the area was not organised by students of the school. The governor described the protests that happened on…
RIVERS State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is yet to receive any formal notice of impeachment from the State House of Assembly, three days after 27 lawmakers initiated impeachment proceedings against him and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, over alleged misconduct. Checks at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday evening revealed that no official communication had been delivered to the governor, despite assurances by the Speaker of the Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, that the impeachment letter would be formally served. A senior Government House source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, confirmed that…
THE Edo State High Court, Criminal Court 2, has ordered the remand of some youths involved in the protest that rocked the Ekpoma area of the state at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre. News Point Nigeria reports that this followed the plea of the prosecution for a 14-day remand period. Our correspondent observed that some of the protesters and their relatives, who were present at the court, wailed as those arrested were moved into a waiting vehicle. Some of the protesters and their relatives, who were present at the court, wailed as those arrested were moved into a waiting vehicle. Angry…