Author: Eileen Peters

THE Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly and the faction loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara have initiated a fresh round of crisis in the state. On Tuesday, the Amaewhule faction declared the seats of four of their colleagues loyal to Fubara vacant. The Appeal Court in Abuja recently granted legality to the Amaewhule leadership of the Assembly. In its reaction, the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led pro-Fubara lawmakers insisted Amaewhule and his group had ceased to be lawmakers in the state. The group called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a by-election to fill the vacant seats. The new power…

A DIVISIONAL Police Officer attached to Agbarho police division has been killed by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers in the Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. A spokesman for the Delta State Police Command, Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident on Monday. He said the gunmen also shot at the DPO of Ororoekpe Division who sustained injury and was rushed to the hospital for treatment. Edafe said the two DPOs were on an operation with some officers when hoodlums laid ambush and shot at them, adding that the police are already on the trail of the hoodlums, promising that…

THE Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Edo State, Olumide Akpata, on Saturday said he won’t challenge the result of the September 21 gubernatorial election. Akpata emerged third with 22, 763 votes in the election. He lost to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, who raked in 291,667 votes to defeat PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, who came second with 247,274 votes. Three weeks after the contest, Akpata said he wouldn’t approach the Tribunal, despite citing irregularities and electoral malpractice in the exercise. “My decision not to contest the election results at the tribunal is not an indication of compromise;…

AS the world observes this year’s International Day of the Girl Child, a member of the International Association Of World Peace Advocates IAWPA has addressed the globe on the need to educate the Girl Child inorder to give girls the capacity to fulfill their potentials. In a video sited by our reporter, Amb. Miss Crystal Enato Sam-Ogbuku said every girl has a dream, voice and a talent that needs to be heard and recognized. She said the world should be bold enough to use the observance  of the international day of the Girl Child to say enough is enough in…

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) executives in Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State, have announced the suspension of key party members, including the Minister of State for Petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and the 2019 governorship candidate of the state, David Lyon. Two serving commissioners in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-led Bayelsa State government, who are also APC members were among those suspended. The suspensions were reportedly due to anti-party activities and alleged factionalisation of the party at the state level. The Chairman of APC in Ekeremor Local Government Area, Mitin Eniekenemi, confirmed the suspension of Senator…

THE United Nations Association of Africa (UNAA) has appointed Amb. Sylvester Okafor as its new President General, marking a significant milestone in the organization’s history. The appointment which was  made in Abuja Nigeria during the celebration of the 64th anniversary of Nigeria joining the United Nations, witnessed several dignitaries including tge World Peace President Amb Per Stafsen from the Kingdom of Denmark A statement by the Chairman Board of Directors of the association Amb Emmanuel Nkweke said this esteemed position is a testament to Amb. Okafor’s tireless efforts in promoting global peace, development, and humanitarian causes. He said as the…

A FORMER Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has expressed frustration with the general public’s apparent calmness amid severe economic hardship. Speaking during an interview with ABN TV, Amaechi questioned why Nigerians are not more vocal in their outrage, pointing to rising costs and the inability of many to afford basic necessities such as fuel. The former governor of Rivers said even he can no longer afford diesel. Amaechi said he expected youths to storm different streets and protest against the high cost of living. He said: “I’m angry with the citizens. I have said it several times. You can see…

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State says the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has agreed to move the inspection of election materials to Thursday to allow the party prepare itself. The chairman of the APC in Edo State, Jarret Tenebe and the legal counsel, Victor Ohiosumwan, confirmed to journalists that they did not come with all the necessary materials because of a mix up in the inspection process. Tenebe said, “They are supposed to start with inspection of register and we were not aware of it. INEC had already given us register which we were supposed to compare…

THE Edo State Independent National Electoral Commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (INEC REC) Anubgum Onuoha, has denied complicity in the allegation against him by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that he resisted request to gain access to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) inspection before the just-concluded gubernatorial elections in the state. A statement issued by Onuoha on Tuesday described the PDP allegation as “baseless, misleading and devoid of the truth”. Onuoha said he never denied any political party, agents or representatives access to the BVAS ahead of the contestation in courts to inspect the BVAS. He acknowledged that it is…

THE newly elected Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government, Israel Abosi has taken over the council secretariat in Isiokpo. The takeover comes less than 24 hours after the secretariat was burnt by arsonists on Monday. On Tuesday morning, Abosi was seen accompanied by his deputy, the newly elected councillors, and a crowd of supporters including some vigilante members who were brandishing guns and firing gunshots in the air. They were chanting solidarity songs and daring their political opponents to come to the council secretariat. Both Ikwere and Emohua Local Government Council secretariats were set ablaze yesterday following the withdrawal of the…

GOVERNOR Siminalayi Fubara has urged his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, to let go of any grip he desire to have over Rivers State as the state is his now, therefore Wike should allow peace reign in the oil-rich state. Fubara, who stated this on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday monitored by News Point Nigeria, said he does not regret conducting local government election in the state last Saturday despite the resistance by Wike’s men in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC). “I have all the guts to do these things,” the governor said, asking…

A SECTION of the Eleme Local Government Council secretariat has been set ablaze by unknown thugs. According to a phone conversation with former Ambassador Oji Ngofa who hails from Eleme, the newly elected chairman Brain Gokpa came to the council secretariat accompanied by his councilors and supporters but discovered that a few of the buildings in the council had been set ablaze. The new council chairman, his councilors, and supporters have vowed to take over the secretariat come what may. In Emohua council, some unknown individuals have barricaded the entrance to the secretariat. They’re resisting the resumption of the new…

THE Rivers State Police Command has unsealed all 23 Local Government Area Secretariats in the state following the election and swearing in of new chairmen. This was confirmed in a statement by the Command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko earlier on Monday morning made available to News Point Nigeria. She said the newly deployed Commissioner of Police, CP Mustapha Bala acting on the orders of the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun has ordered the immediate withdrawal of all police personnel previously deployed to seal and safeguard the council secretariats in the state. The development was after Governor Siminalayi Fubara had sworn in 23 newly…

AMID opposition protests especially from Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has overwhelmingly won the local government elections across 30 of the 31 councils in Akwa Ibom State. The Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC), Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, who declared the outcome of the Saturday:s contest on Sunday, said the ruling PDP won in all the councils except Essien Udim LGA, hometown of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, where the All Progressives Congress (APC) won. However, Akpabio, who lamented the PDP’s sweeping victory, recalled that during his era as Governor (2007-2015), he never…

ON October 5, residents of Rivers State came out to vote for the next set of representatives that will govern them at the grassroot level. It was an election that had generated a lot of controversy before its commencement over its legitimacy, however ,the Action Peoples Party(APP) emerged victorious sweeping 22 of the 23 LGAs. The state electoral umpire suspended the declaration of results for Etche Local Government Area (LGA) because the collation is ongoing. Declaring the results on Saturday in Port Harcourt, the Chief Electoral Officer of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Adolphus Enebeli, said that announcement…

THE Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has announced that the office of the First Lady of the State will continue functioning, with Helen Eno Obareki as the coordinator, to immortalize his deceased wife, Patience Eno. Governor Eno announced while receiving the wife of the President, Oluremi Tinubu, who was on a condolence visit at the Government House, Uyo, on Friday, to commiserate with the Governor and people of Akwa Ibom State on the demise of the state’s First Lady. He assured his administration will continue to sustain and broaden the visions and programmes initiated through the Office of the…

THE Action People’s Party (APP) has won 22 chairmanship positions out of 23 in the just-concluded local government election in Rivers State.  The Chief Election Officer of the  Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) Adolphus Enebeli declared the results on Saturday in Port Harcourt. However, the state electoral umpire suspended the declaration of results for Etche Local Government Area (LGA) because the collation is ongoing. The RSIEC chairman also said that announcement for the 319 councillorship seats will be announced alongside that of the Etche Chairmanship position when collations are concluded. He described the election as free, fair, and credible,…

AS the Rivers State local government election progresses across the 23 Local Government Councils of the state, there were reports of sporadic gunshots in Port Harcourt. Some unidentified individuals in a black Toyota Corolla vehicle were seen firing gunshots around the Wimpy area, not very far from the home of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike. As of the time of filing this report, there is no report of any casualties and the police have yet to comment on the incident. Explosion had earlier rocked the secretariat of the Rivers State All Progressives Congress led by Tony Okocha. The…

THE Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has cautioned River State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, from making “unfounded allegations” against him. This newspaper had reported how Fubara accused Egbetokun of working with his opponents, vowing to hold him accountable if there is break down of law and order in the state. Fubara made the allegation after intervening in an incident at the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office on Friday morning. According to the governor, he prevented an alleged attempt by the police to remove materials meant for the upcoming local government elections. Egbetokun, while reacting in a statement on Friday…

THE Vote Count Campaign Organisation says it will be deploying over 1,000 Observers to observe tomorrow’s Local Government elections in the state. The President of the group, Amb. Emmanuel Nkweke said the action was to observe any form of rigging, voter intimidation or vite buying among others during the course of the elections. He said the organization will also be deploying 30 drone systems as well as open its situation room to observe the elections. Amb. Nkweke who briefed newsmen in the state  called on the people of Rivers State to be law abiding before, during and after the elections.…