Wike lacks capacity to govern Rivers state - Amaechi

Former Rivers State governor and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has accused his successor, governor Nyesom  Wike of lacking the political will and capacity to govern Rivers State.

Amaechi stated this on Sunday at an APC rally in Rumueme, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, ahead of the state and national assembly elections on Saturday.

Justice Lambo Akanbi sacked over judicial misconduct

The National Judicial Council, NJC, in a statement it Abuja, said it has directed Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State to, with immediate effect, proceed on compulsory retirement after Pres. Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, approved the sack of the justice after the  NJC, found him guilty of judicial misconduct.

The NJC said it had at the meeting, considered various allegations that were levelled against Justice Akanbi by Shell Petroleum Company Nigeria Limited and recommended his sack to the President.

According to the Council, the allegation against the judge was that he “unilaterally appointed Mr. Emeka Nkwo of CYN-JAC (NIG) Ltd., who was not proposed by any of the parties as referee or valuer in Suit Nos FHC/PH/CS/434/2012 and FHC/PH/CS/435/2012.

Supreme court throws out suit filed by Wike against Rivers election tribunal

The Supreme court has thrown out a suit filed by Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike against the Rivers state election tribunal. Wike had approached the apex court, asking that the action of the tribunal to relocate from Rivers state to Abuja be regarded as unconstitutional. The tribunal had relocated to Abuja due to security threats in Port Harcourt.

Guber Tribunal Judgement: We’ve been vindicated - Rivers APC

….Urges security agents not to allow Wike escape

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says it has welcomed the judgement of the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which on Saturday, October 24, 2015 afternoon in Abuja annulled the declaration of Chief Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the April 11, 2015 governorship poll in the State.

“We have been vindicated in our persistent claim that the election in Rivers State was a sham and that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) erred in declaring Wike governor. We repeat that there is no way under the heavens that Chief Wike can beat our candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, in a free and fair election,” Rivers APC said in a statement issued in Port Harcourt and signed by its Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya immediately after the Tribunal judgement.

Ministerial Screening: Rivers APC woos senate

 The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the weekend made a strong case for the immediate past governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to be among the few who should be given special consideration by the Senate during the screening of ministerial nominees.

 The party in a statement issued on Sunday in Port Harcourt by the State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, commended the Senate for decision to be thorough in the forthcoming screening exercise but appealed to it not to totally discard the tradition of asking deserving ones to take a bow and go.

 “We wish to respectfully appeal to the Distinguished Senate to put Rt. Hon. Amaechi on the list of nominees to be honoured with the ‘bow and go’ tradition because he is a distinguished former lawmaker and, indeed, the only Nigerian who apart from being the Speaker of a State House of Assembly for eight years from 1999 to 2007, but also meritoriously served as Chairman of the Nigerian Speakers Forum, thereby greatly contributing to the legislative evolution of Nigeria,” Rivers APC said.

We have received more petitions against Anmaechi's ministerial nomination - Dino

Spokesperson of the senate, Dino Melaye, says the senate has received more petitions against Rotimi Amaechi's ministerial nomination asides the petition from Senators from Rivers state which was presented to the senate by Senator George Sekibo yesterday October 7th.

"The petitions from the senators from Rivers state is not the only one that we have received. We will continue to receive petitions after the screening exercise"he said 

Drama in Senate over petition against Amaechi

 Mild drama ensued on the floor of the Senate yesterday when a petition against the former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, was to be tabled on behalf of a group from the state by Senator George Sekibo (PDP Rivers East).

 Sekibo had, in line with Senate tradition, raised order 41 of the Senate standing rules to make presentation of a petition from some of his constituents.

 But the moment he mentioned that the petition written by a group called ‘The Integrity Group from Rivers State’ was against Rotimi Ameachi, one of the ministerial nominees to be screened by the Senate next Tuesday, the APC senators spontaneously shouted him down, saying, ‘No!’, ‘No!’, ‘Dead on arrival!’ etc, with their PDP counterparts, firing back by shouting, ‘Allow him!,’ ‘allow him!’

Wike is spending his last days in office, declares APC

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said Chief Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is spending his last days in office as Governor of Rivers State. 

The party was reacting to the statement credited to PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, who was quoted as saying about the failure of PDP and INEC counsels to appear before the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Friday, September 18: “Even if our lawyers and witnesses didn’t appear at the Rivers Tribunal today and the remaining days, it doesn’t stop us PDP from winning at the judgment. But should we fail at judgment, we shall win even above 1.5 million votes in Rivers State re-run Governorship and other elections.” 

Rivers APC in a statement issued Monday in Port Harcourt and made available to NF-Reports by its Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, dismissed Metuh’s position as mere day-dreaming. 

When will Gov Nyesom Wike constitute his cabinet? – Rivers APC asks

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State has noted with a deep sense of concern what it described, “so-called 100 days celebration” by Governor Nyesom Wike which kicked off with so much self-adulation, distorted facts and misrepresentations in the media by the governor with one question begging for an answer: when will the governor properly constitute the state cabinet by appointing Commissioners?

APC in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone said, “As someone who is focussed and with a clear plan for governance, President Muhammadu Buhari shortly after being sworn in as President announced that he would appoint Ministers in September. Despite the curiosity expressed by some Nigerians and following recent appointments by Mr. President, it has become clear to many that President Buhari has clear strategic and tactical plans of what he is set out to do as the President of Nigeria” , adding that same cannot be said of the governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike. 

The statement reads: 

Nigerian Army uncovers “unprecedented” oil bunkering site in Port Harcourt

The Nigerian Army says it has uncovered a massive illegal oil bunkering site located one kilometre along the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Port Harcourt. Stevenson Olabanji, a Brigadier General and Commander of 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Port Harcourt that thousands of litres of illegally refined diesel were discovered at the site.

He said that army operatives were immediately deployed to the site at Makoba Beach, which is two kms away from the Rivers State Government House.

Appointment: Rivers APC Alleges Gang-Up against Amaechi

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged a gang-up against former Governor Chibuike Amaechi by some powerful forces in the State desperate to ensure that he does not get appointed into the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari. 

“These retrogressive forces led by the State Caretaker Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, are so afraid of the shadow of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi that they are willing to go to any length to ensure that he is not accommodated in President Buhari’s cabinet. They have for months mounted a relentless campaign of calumny against the person of Amaechi, thus biting the finger that once fed them. This is not only shameful but also a clear sabotaging of the greater interests of Rivers State,” the State APC Chapter said in a statement issued on Tuesday in Port Harcourt and signed by its Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya. 

River State: APC is not involved in the current breakdown of law and order

 The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC says its attention has been drawn to a press release by Governor Nyesom Wike, signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah claiming that the present breakdown of law and order in Port Harcourt and environs is caused by the APC.

 The Rivers State APC in a statement signed by Mr Chris Finebone and made availabele to NF-Reports said, “It is mind-boggling to imagine how any individual with full control of his faculties and who understands how the present government in Rivers State came into existence can make such vexatious, obnoxious, false and patently diversionary statement”.

 Continuing, the party alleged that the PDP in Rivers State stole the mandate of Rivers people by arming cult groups and criminal gangs to kill and maim innocent Rivers people and residents, terrorising and making it impossible for voters to exercise their mandate during the last general elections, adding that he quest by the APC to get justice for the people through the tribunals is proceeding apace.

 The state reads:

Number of soldiers killed by pirates in Bayelsa increases to 5 as body of soldiers is found floating in river

The number of soldiers killed by pirates during an attack on a military station in Nembe community in Bayelsa on Friday August 7th has increased to 5. The initial number of soldiers said to have been killed was put at four but just yesterday, some boat operators in the community found the body of one of the soldiers in the community floating in the community river.

Meanwhile the Nigerian military says it has arrest 6 militants, 4 males and 2 females, in connection with the attack on the military station on Thursday August 7th.

The militant's camp at Ke Community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State was destroyed during the arrest while large quantities of Arms and live Ammunition were also recovered from the camp. The arrested militant are in the custody of the JTF and are helping the Task Force in the investigation that will lead to the arrest of other fleeing suspects and their sponsors. Other items recovered from the militant camp include 3 speed boats, communication gadgets and generators.

Rivers State sponsored students in the U.S also cry out in distress

The Rivers state students in the UK say they have been abandoned. The ones in the US are also complaining. Below is what they wrote in;

Imagine staying in a foreign country where due to visa-type, you are not allowed to work as a student and yet you have had to feed and source for accommodation from strangers or squat with friends for about 4 months during the summer break. So far none of us have had to sleep under a bridge to pass a night, but time has come for us to resume school and we need help as we cannot do much to help our predicament. 

Saraki's visit to Maiduguri not for 2019 presidential bid - Senate

The Senate has discredited claims in some quarters that Senate president Bukola Saraki's visit to some IDP camps in Maiduguri, Borno state on Monday August 3rd was geared towards his alleged presidential aspiration in 2019. Speaking through its chairman on publicity, Senator Dino Melaye, the senate said there was no truth in the claim.

“It is myopic to say the visit has a link with 2019. The visit was not the making of the Senate president but the resolution of the Senate during a plenary last week. The visit has nothing to do with the ambition of the Senate president. 

The visit was as a result of the motion moved by Senator George Thompson Sekibo of Rivers East Senatorial District on the Boko Haram insurgency. It was during the debate at the floor that Senate resolved that a delegation led by the Senate president should visit the North East states,” he said.

Dame Jonathan deserves her humiliation at Port Harcourt Airport - Rivers APC

Former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, deserves the humiliation she suffered last week when she was denied access to the Protocol Lounge of the Port Harcourt International Airport, the Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said. The party in a statement issued Tuesday in Port Harcourt and signed by the Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, berated the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for splitting hairs over the issue.

 The party said: “We read with dismay the unwarranted attack by PDP against the Federal Government over the denial of access to the Protocol Lounge of the Port Harcourt International Airport to the former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan. To us in Rivers State, this attack against the Federal Government is unwarranted and not necessary as Dame Patience Jonathan is merely reaping what she sewed while in power. Which Port Harcourt International Airport are we talking about? Is it the airport which Dame Patience Jonathan ensured was abandoned even as other airports whose rehabilitation was started at the same time were completed? Does the present state of the airport, which has become an eyesore, not enough reason not to allow this misguided woman any space in the airport? The sad state of the Port Harcourt Airport is one of the numerous acts perpetrated by the Jonathans to show the level of their hatred and disdain for Rivers State and her people just because Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi happens to govern the State at the time she and her husbands were gods in Nigeria.”

Rivers APC alleges gang-up by INEC, Judges to frustrate election petitions

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has alleged a grand conspiracy between the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and some judges to frustrate the party’s petitions brought before the tribunals in respect of the March 28 and April 11 general elections in the State. 

The party made the allegation following the shocking ruling on Tuesday by the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in the matters of Dr. Dawari George and Mr. Lucky Odili of Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Federal Constituency respectively. Both men had filed petitions challenging the victory of Hon. Boma Goodhead of Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency and Prince Nnam Obi of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Federal Constituency. The Tribunal surprisingly dismissed the petitions on the grounds that APC’s revised notice for the conduct of the party’s primaries for the said elections was not within the stipulated 21 days. 

Rivers APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said in a statement issued on Monday in Port Harcourt: “While the party was still grappling with the seeming partiality of Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt which deliberately denied the 22 elected Local Government Chairmen the right to fair hearing in a matter brought before it by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), another panel of judges presiding over the National Assembly election petition tribunals moved again to create its own laws outside the Electoral Act 2011, denying Dr. Dawari George and Mr. Lucky Odili the right to fair hearing in their petitions against INEC and PDP. 

Court Reinstates Elected LG Chairmen In River State

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike

Reports reaching DAILY POST has it that there has been a new twist to the power tussle in Rivers state as a National Industrial Court in Yenagoa has ordered the immediate reinstatement of elected Chairmen of 22 Local government areas in Rivers state.

The Court also ordered the Inspector General of Police to enforce the directive with immediate effect.

The 22 Local government Chairmen under the auspices of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON had approached the National Industrial court to obtain an order restraining the Rivers state government “and its agents from dissolving” them.

Recall that a Federal High court in Port Harcourt presided over by Justice Lambo Akanbi had set 

aside the Local government election that ushered in the 22 Chairmen.

Photos Of Ongoing Road Construction At Azikiwe Street, Port Hacourt,Rivers State

Governor Nyesom Wike is really doing a great Job in Rivers State.This is rehabilitation of ongoing work at Azikwe street, Rivers State. Wike is such an action Governor, Governor wike assured peoples of Rivers State that he will keep his campaign promises.

See more picture after the cut...

Wike Renames Rivers Poly After Saro-wiwa

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has renamed the State Polytechnic, Bori, after the late author and environmental rights activist from Ogoniland, Ken Saro- Wiwa. Wike explained that renaming of the institution, located in Bori, Khana Local Government Area, Ken Saro- Wiwa Polytechnic was in honour of the late activist’s achievements and legacies. The governor, who disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday, said Saro-Wiwa fought selflessly for the good of the society and humanity. 

He explained that the former Ogoni leader and his achievement should not be consigned to oblivion, saying Saro-Wiwa was known and revered beyond the shores of Nigeria. “In honour of his monumental achievements and legacies, the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has renamed the Rivers State Polytechnic in Bori as Ken Ule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic. “The memories of avatars like the late Saro-Wiwa, who fought selflessly for the betterment of society and humanity should not be consigned to oblivion, more so, when such personalities are revered beyond the shores of the country,” Wike said in the statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Sir, Opunabo Inko-Tariah.