Politics

Fubara Insists On LG Poll Amid Protests By Wike Allies

Published

1 year ago

October 4, 2024

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Thursday, insisted that the state’s local government election scheduled for Saturday, October 5, will proceed, despite protests from loyalists of his predecessor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The governor warned against any attempts by groups or individuals to disrupt the electoral process, emphasising that he would not tolerate any actions aimed at creating confusion or instability in the state.

The Peoples Democratic Party members loyal to Wike and a faction of the All Progressives Congress led by Chief Tony Okocha (also a known Wike’s loyalist), had earlier announced their decision to withdraw from the election, citing irregularities and a lack of due process by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.

However, the APC faction loyal to former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, led by Emeka Beke, maintained its participation, handing over party flags to candidates in 22 of the 23 local government areas in the state.

The Okocha-led APC faction had taken legal action against the RSIEC at the Federal High Court in Abuja, resulting in a temporary injunction that prevents the Independent National Electoral Commission from releasing the voter register for the election.

The court also restrained security agencies, including the police and the Department of State Services, from providing security for the exercise.

Despite the legal hurdles, the RSIEC expressed its readiness to conduct the election on Saturday, claiming to have access to the voter register, contrary to INEC’s position.

On Thursday, prominent PDP politicians and thousands of their supporters took to the streets to protest against the planned conduct of the election by RSIEC.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House, Governor Fubara criticised the protesters, acknowledging that he was also at a disadvantage because his party (the PDP) was not participating in the election.

“You know, in this election, I am the greatest loser because my party is not participating. But due to the Supreme Court ruling that there must be elected officials to manage the affairs of local governments, as governor, I have to comply,” Fubara stated.

He explained that following the Supreme Court ruling, a meeting was held with President Bola Tinubu, where they agreed to comply with the ruling within a 90-day timeframe. As a result, Fubara insisted that the local government election must proceed, even though the PDP was not involved.

The governor expressed frustration over the resistance to the election in Rivers State, noting that other states across the country had conducted local government elections using the 2023 voter register without such controversies.

“Ten states of the federation have conducted elections with the 2023 voter register. I don’t know why things in Rivers State are always different. Is it that when it comes to the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is interpreted differently for Rivers State?” Fubara asked.

He also alleged that some of the protesters were outsiders brought into the city from boundary towns between Imo State and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, and Akwa Ibom State, to foment trouble.

“No matter the guise or level of ‘aluta continua’ posture that the detractors adopt, the local government election will proceed as planned,” the governor emphasised.

Fubara concluded by urging registered voters and political leaders to be present at their polling units on Saturday to participate in the election and ensure the smooth conduct of the process.

PDP members protest

Earlier on Thursday, the Rivers State chapter of the PDP, led by its Chairman, Aaron Chukwuemeka, staged a protest against the planned conduct of the local government election by the RSIEC, despite a court order restraining it.

The protesters, including current and former members of the National Assembly as well as immediate-past local government chairmen, are allies and loyalists of Wike. Among them were the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda; the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, Dumnamene Dekor; his counterpart representing Etche-Omuma Federal Constituency, Kelechi Wogu; and a former chairman of the PDP in the state and former Nigerian Ambassador to South Korea, Desmond Akawor.

Other notable figures at the protest included a former federal lawmaker, Emma Deeya; a former Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Fred Kpakol; and the immediate-past chairmen of Eleme, Gokana, Andoni, and Emuoha Local Government Areas, Obarimate Ollor, Confidence Deko, Erastus Awortu, and Chidi Lloyd, respectively.

The protest began around 7 a.m. at the PDP secretariat along Aba Road, Port Harcourt, with participants defying heavy rainfall as they marched through the old GRA area to the Department of State Services office to lodge their complaints.

Some of the placards carried by the protesters read: “RSIEC, obey court order,” “Rivers State is not lawless,” “We say no to impunity,” and “Police and Army must not support RSIEC.”

A group of youths among the protesters chanted slogans such as, “Under the rain, under the sun, we will follow Wike,” “No election in Rivers State,” and “On your mandate we shall stand,” as they made their way to the DSS office, where they were addressed by an official.

From there, the protest continued through the streets of Port Harcourt, passing the popular UTC Junction, Azikiwe Road, Bank Road, and Moscow Road, before finally converging at the state police command headquarters.

There, they submitted a petition to a representative of the state Commissioner of Police.

Speaking at the command headquarters, Chukwuemeka stated that the protest was to remind the police about a Federal High Court judgment delivered on September 30, 2024, which restrained RSIEC from conducting the local government poll and directed security agencies not to provide any support for the election.

“We are here to submit a petition to you from the Peoples Democratic Party, led by my humble self, the state chairman, Aaron Chukwuemeka,” he said.

“Attached to this letter is a judgment from the Federal High Court on September 30, 2024. In that judgment, it was expressly stated that RSIEC should not conduct the election. The Independent National Electoral Commission should not release the voter register to RSIEC, and the security agencies were told not to participate in the election.”

Chukwuemeka emphasised that the PDP would not participate in the election and warned that if RSIEC went ahead with the poll, the party would not stand by if it led to a crisis.

“No man is bigger than the law. We as a party are not going to participate, and if they go ahead with the election and cause a crisis, we as the PDP will not fold our hands,” he stated.

Responding on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, Olusegun Adepoju, commended the protesters for their peaceful conduct and for informing the police ahead of the protest.

“I want to thank you for sending the letter earlier regarding this protest, for us to provide security, and for following due process,” he said. “We appreciate you, and we want you to continue like that. I will definitely send your letter to the Commissioner of Police, who will pass it across to the necessary quarters, and we will give you feedback. Please continue to remain peaceful.”

As the protest progressed, the number of participants swelled at the police headquarters, demonstrating the level of support for the party’s stance against the local government election.

Pro-Wike lawmakers oppose poll

Also, the faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Wike opposed the conduct of the LG poll.

The Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly cautioned RSIEC against defying the court order to proceed with the Saturday poll.

During its 55th legislative sitting of the second session on Thursday, the Assembly, comprising 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike, called on RSIEC, chaired by Justice Adolphus Enebeli, to suspend the upcoming local government poll.

In a statement issued by the media aide to the Speaker, the Assembly urged RSIEC to comply with the ruling delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, which directed RSIEC to halt the election until all legal provisions and procedures for its conduct were fulfilled.

The House condemned RSIEC’s refusal to respect the court’s directive, describing it as a violation of the rule of law.

The concern was raised after the Chairman of the Committee on Commissions and Agencies, Barile Nwakor, presented a report on the status of the proposed local government elections.

Speaking on the matter, the Speaker, Amaewhule, expressed disappointment over the development, stating that under Governor Fubara’s leadership, the state risked being seen as a “Banana Republic” due to RSIEC’s apparent disregard for judicial orders.

While reiterating the Assembly’s support for conducting the election, the Speaker stressed that the process must strictly adhere to the legal framework and relevant laws governing the exercise.

Following deliberations, the Assembly unanimously voted to send a formal letter to the RSIEC Chairman, urging the commission to suspend the Saturday poll in compliance with the court’s ruling.
PUNCH

Politics

PDP Reacts To Fubara’s Defection To APC

Published

2 days ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

The Kabiru Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the defection of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi FubaraGovernor, Siminalayi Fubara, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as a “self-inflicted injury” and a culmination of choices the governor “willingly embraced.”

Fubara on Tuesday defected from the PDP to the ruling APC.

He announced his decision during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. Fubara joins several of his colleagues who have also switched to the APC this year.

Recently, 17 members of the House of Assembly, loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike and led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, announced their defection from the PDP to the APC, thereby altering the balance of power in the legislature.

In a statement issued Tuesday night by National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the PDP said Fubara’s exit merely affirmed the legal maxim volenti non fit injuria—”to one who is willing, no harm is done.”

According to the PDP, the governor’s political troubles and eventual departure were products of his own decisions.

“Everyone who has followed developments that culminated in this uneventful defection will recall that the Governor willingly travelled the path that took him to this destination,” the statement read.

“Having done so voluntarily, he cannot turn around and accuse our party or any person or group of failing to protect him.”

The party insisted that at every stage of the crisis that engulfed Rivers politics over the past year, civil society groups, democratic actors and Nigerians across political divides stood in Fubara’s defence until he “capitulated.”

Politics

JUST IN: Fubara Dumps PDP For APC

Published

2 days ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, dumping the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Fubara announced this at a stakeholders meeting at the government house in Port Harcourt.

“We can’t support President (Tinubu) if we don’t fully identify with him, not just backyard support.

“Our decision this evening is that we are moving to the APC,” Fubara said as he announced his defection from the PDP to the APC.

The development comes amid political tension in the oil rich Niger Delta state.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu on Monday
held confidential discussions the with the Governor.

The engagement, held at the State House in Abuja, came against the backdrop of escalating political friction in Rivers State and ongoing uncertainties regarding Fubara’s standing within the PDP.

Politics

Tinubu, Six APC Governors Hold Closed-door Meeting At Aso Villa

Published

3 days ago

December 8, 2025

Editor

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday met with six governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a closed-door session at the State House, Abuja.

The purpose of the meeting was not immediately disclosed, and details of its agenda remained unclear at press time.

In attendance were governors Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Monday Okpebholo (Edo), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Usman Ododo (Kogi,) Aliyu Sokoto (Sokoto) and Dr. Nasir Idris (Kebbi), who arrived at the Presidential Villa separately.

The meeting, held in the President’s office, lasted almost two hours.

Although no Presidency official offered insight into the agenda, the consultations come amid rising security concerns across the country and ongoing political engagements within the ruling party.

The governors declined to speak to journalists after the meeting.

President Tinubu has recently intensified his focus on national security by convening a series of high-level meetings involving key security stakeholders, including the service chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as intelligence coordinators and senior officials from various security agencies.

This increased engagement comes in response to a worrying upsurge in banditry, kidnappings, and violent crimes that have spread across multiple regions, causing widespread public concern and escalating pressure on the federal government for urgent and effective intervention.

These strategic meetings, frequently conducted in secrecy to ensure confidentiality and candid discussion, have aimed to undertake a comprehensive review of ongoing security operations nationwide.

Discussions have prioritised enhancing coordination and communication among military, police, and intelligence units to foster a more unified and cohesive response to security challenges.

In addition, the sessions have explored innovative and tactical measures that leverage intelligence gathering, rapid deployment, and community engagement to dismantle criminal networks and restore order.

Throughout these consultations, President Tinubu has underscored that safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians is paramount.

He has called on the security apparatus to move beyond reactive measures and adopt more preventive, intelligence-driven strategies that anticipate threats before they escalate.

The administration’s renewed approach signals a commitment to reinforcing national security architecture and improving the operational effectiveness of all agencies involved in the fight against crime and insurgency across Nigeria.

In other news, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has expressed optimism that the security challenges – terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crime – Nigeria has been facing for almost three decades now will be overcome.

The NSA described those behind the “painful and unnecessary” challenges as “evil” and vowed they would be defeated.
Ribadu made remarks during the opening of a one-day dialogue organised by the National Peace Committee, in partnership with the delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and the U.S., on “a whole-of-Society Approach to the Prevention of Violence and Conflict in Northern Nigeria,” on Thursday in Abuja.

“This (security challenges) also shall pass. We are going through tough times. This will also go.

“But it’s very, very painful, what we are going through. It’s unnecessary.
They are very unfair to us, those who are responsible for this. They are evil.

“But they will be defeated. It’s a matter of time, and peace will be restored. That one we can assure you. Because there are people who are working, not necessarily making noise.

“There are people who are making sacrifices. Every single day, we go to bury our own deaths. Painful as it is. But most people don’t talk. Sacrifice is ongoing,” the NSA said.