Politics

Fight-to-finish: Fubara Orders Fresh LG Elections, Directs Heads Of Administration To Take Over

Published

6 months ago

March 3, 2025

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has announced that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) will conduct fresh elections for local government councils following recent Supreme Court judgments on the state’s lingering political crisis.

In a statewide broadcast on Sunday, Governor Fubara stated that while his administration disagrees with the court rulings, it remains committed to upholding the rule of law. He assured that once the certified true copies of the judgments are obtained—expected by Friday, March 7, 2025—his government will study and implement them accordingly.

As an interim measure, Fubara ordered the Heads of Local Government Administration to immediately take over the governance of the 23 LGAs, pending fresh elections. He also directed the outgoing local government chairmen to hand over power by Monday, March 3, 2025.

“Given the outlawing of caretaker arrangements in the local government system, I hereby direct the Heads of Local Government Administration to immediately take over the administration of the 23 local government councils pending the conduct of fresh elections by RSIEC,” Fubara stated.

The governor urged residents to remain calm, assuring them that his administration is working to stabilize the situation and continue delivering on its responsibilities.

“Although our dear state seems to be back in trying times, I urge everyone to remain calm and peacefully go about their legitimate daily activities,” he said.

The announcement comes amid heightened political tensions in Rivers State, as various factions await the implementation of the Supreme Court’s verdicts and the scheduling of new local government elections.

Read Full Speech Of Fubara’s Broadcast Below:

STATEWIDE BROADCAST BY THE GOVERNOR OF RIVERS STATE, HIS EXCELLENCY, SIR SIMINALAYI FUBARA, GSSRS, ON SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 2025, ON THE RECENT JUDGMENTS OF THE SUPREME COURT.

1. My dear people of Rivers State, we are all aware of the recent Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements regarding aspects of the lingering political disputes in our dear State.

2. Although we disagree with the judgments, we are bound to obey the orders made therein as a law-abiding government.

3. Since inception, we have conducted the affairs of government within the framework of our Constitution, due process and the rule of law.

4. While we are not above mistakes because we are humans, we believe that we have not, as a government, done anything deliberately to trample on the rule of law or the hallowed principles of constitutional governance.

5. Accordingly, I have had a meeting with my team of lawyers, and they have assured me that the certified true copy of the judgments may be available to them by Friday, 7th March, 2025.

6. I assure you that upon the receipt of certified judgments, we shall study their ramifications and implement them without reservations to move the State forward.

7. Furthermore, given the outlawing of caretaker arrangements in the local government system, I hereby direct the Heads of Local Government Administration to immediately take over the administration of the 23 local government councils pending the conduct of fresh elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.

8. I further direct the outgoing local government chairmen to formally hand over the levers of power to the Heads of Local Government Administration by Monday, 3rd March 2025.

9. Although our dear State seems to be back in trying times, I urge everyone to remain calm and peacefully go about with their legitimate daily activities as we continue to do everything in our power to advance our responsibilities to the citizens.

10. Thank you, and may God bless Rivers State.

Politics

I’m Not Ready To Go Into The Gutters With Anyone – Makinde

Published

1 day ago

August 21, 2025

Editor

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Thursday, said he is not ready to “go low with anyone who decides to go into the gutters.”

He made this statement while addressing journalists shortly after the South-West zoning consultative summit of the Peoples Democratic Party, held in Lagos.

He said, “Personally, when people go low or go into the gutters, I don’t go with them. Some people are now going into the gutters. We will reach out to them. That is democracy.

“I can disagree with people, but there shouldn’t be anything personal here. It should be about what we are giving to Nigerians because they are watching.”

The governor added that despite challenges, recent elections had shown that the PDP remained a formidable force.

“In all our states, they showed last Saturday that PDP is not dead. In most other places of the 12 states, PDP came second. It is an indication to us that if we continue to work hard, we can reclaim the confidence of Nigerians,” he said.

When asked about discussions on zoning of the PDP presidential ticket to the South, Makinde said the party was not yet at that stage.

“We haven’t even gotten there. We need to have a party first before you start talking about presidential candidates. If we don’t have a party, anything you are trying to do will fall flat.

“Our efforts right now are directed towards having a vibrant and united PDP that Nigerians will be proud of and believe in again,” he said.

Dignitaries at the meeting include the Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, Chairman of the party’s National Zoning Committee and Bayelsa state governor, Douye Diri; Governors Ademola Adeleke of Osun state, Peter Mba of Enugu State, represented by his deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai; former Osun Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Bode George; and Monsurat Sunmonu.

Others were 12 of the 17 PDP National Assembly members and key stakeholders of the party from across the southern states.

Politics

2027 Presidency: Idahosa Reiterates Okpebholo’s Promises Of Delivering Edo To Tinubu

Published

3 days ago

August 19, 2025

Editor

Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa on Tuesday reiterated the promise of Governor Monday Okpebholo of delivering the state to President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

The deputy said that the just concluded by-elections in the state was an affirmation of that promised made by his principal.

Idahosa stated this in a press statement sogned by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Friday Aghedo, and made available to newsmen.

He said Okpebholo did not just make the promise of delivery the state to the APC, but that Edo will secure 2.5m votes for the President in 2027.

He commended the leadership of the party across Ovia federal constituency for their providing the leadership that made a APC victorious on Saturday.

He, however, noted that there was more room for improvement ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, “after the victory, we called the leadership of the Ovia federal constituency to review and evaluate our performance at the poll, to observe areas where we need to work on next time.

“The bye-election was a litmus test for the 2027 presidential election. We are fully ready.”

Idahosa also used the opportunity to sensitize the people on the ongoing continuous voters registration and revalidation process by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He also reeled out measures in place by the party to get new registered members for the exercise when commenced on Monday.

“We are going to constitute subcommittees to mobilize people who have not yet registered to enable us actualize on the promised votes to the president,” he said.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives member elect, Omosede Igbinedion, promised to deliver on her campaign promises to the people.

“Ovia Federal Constituency should expect nothing but the best, in terms of representation and also in terms of developmental strides.

“We will come through, in anything we can do, from the federal level to complement the governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and the tremendous work he is doing at the state.

“Ovia is looking very bright. The deputy governor, Dennis Idahosa, has laid a good foundation we will build upon that foundation,” she said.

Politics

APC Disowns Members Calling For State Secretary’s Resignation

Published

4 days ago

August 19, 2025

Editor

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State has urged members of the public to disregard those calling for the resignation of the state secretary, Engr. Lawrence Okah, saying they are not members of the party.

Recall that a group named Oredo Local Government All Progressives Congress Concerned Group had yesterday, Monday August 18, 2025, during a press conference, called for the resignation of the state secretary of the party over alleged marginalisation.

The group, led by its coordinator, Osamuyi Osadiaye had during the press conference alleged that Okah had arrogated all political positions allocated to Oredo LG to his Ward 7, thereby making the remaining 11 wards in the local government area irrelevant.

But in a swift reaction in a statement made available to INFO DAILY, Osamudiamen Osarenkhoe and Magdalene Isekhure, Oredo APC Chairman and Secretary respectively, alleged that the people behind the call were sponsored by the opposition, insisting that they are not known to the APC in the local government.

The duo, while calling on the general public to disregard the call for the secretary’s resignation, noted that Okah is a “reputable party man who has put everything humanly and constitutionally possible to ensure that APC remains the party to beat in Edo state and Nigeria as a whole.”

The statement partly reads: “The leadership of APC in Oredo Local Government area views the activities of those involved in the illicit campaign as one that is sponsored by opposition political parties.

“Firstly, the group members connected to the media statement coordinated by one Osamuyi Osadiaye are not known members of the APC in Oredo Local Government Area.

“They are impostors and interlopers trying to create trouble in the local government chapter of the APC.

“Members of the public are hereby called upon to disregard the Press statement in its entirety as everything said by the fake APC members are all lies from the pit of hell.”