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Stop Fubara From Presenting Budget Afresh, Rivers Elders Tell Court

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Some elders in Rivers State have filed a motion ex parte urging the court to stop Governor Siminalaye Fubara from presenting the 2024 budget afresh to the state House of Assembly.

The governor had in December presented an N800bn 2024 budget to a faction of the Assembly, comprising four lawmakers.

Following the passage of the budget by the lawmakers, Fubara subsequently signed the budget into law.

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The Rivers Assembly became factionalised following a move by 27 lawmakers loyal to ex-governor Nyesom Wike to impeach Fubara.

The crisis saw the destruction of the Assembly complex with an explosive on the night of October 29.

READ ALSO: Rivers Elders Write Tinubu, Fubara, Say Presidential Intervention Death Sentence

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The weeks after revealed that the relationship between Fubara and his political godfather, Wike, had become strained.

President Bola Tinubu, however, waded in in December and summoned the parties to a meeting in Abuja on December 18, where they signed an eight-point resolution to settle the political crisis.

Among the resolution was that Fubara would present the 2024 afresh to the pro-Wike lawmakers, led by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule.

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Another important item on the resolution was that the 10 pro-Wike commissioners who resigned from Fubara’s cabinet in the heat of the crisis would be screened afresh by the Assembly and reabsorbed.

The resolution was, however, criticised by the Rivers elders, who said it was skewed in favour of Wike against Fubara.

READ ALSO: Rivers Lawmakers Withdraw Impeachment Notice Against Fubara

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They also faulted the role played by President Tinubu, saying it was unconstitutional.

In their fresh suit, they listed as defendants, President Tinubu; the Attorney General of the Federation, Fubara, the Rivers Assembly, Speaker of the Rivers State Assembly, and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

The plaintiffs, led by a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly representing Bonny State Constituency, Victor Jumbo, are Senator Bennett Birabi, Senator Andrew Uchendu, Rear Admiral O.P. Fingesi, Ann Kio Briggs, and Emmanuel Deinma.

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They had in December 2023 asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to declare the purported peace agreement Fubara entered into at Abuja meeting as unconstitutional and “an usurpation, nullification, and undermining of the extant/binding relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution.”

The matter has not been heard.

The Rivers elders, through their lawyer, Kayode Ajulo (SAN), in the motion exparte, called on the court to restrain the state House Assembly and the Speaker of the House from allowing the 27 lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to participate in the plenary.

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READ ALSO: No Regrets Making Fubara Governor – Wike

They want “an order of interim injunction restrainingthe Rivers State House of Assembly and Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, their agents, loyalists, privies or representatives by whatever name so called from passing another 2024 fiscal budget of the Rivers State government pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”

Ajulo particularly urged the court to take cognizance of the motion on notice attached with the suit and stop the holding of plenary sessions by the 27 members of the state House of Assembly out of the 32 members.

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Meanwhile, in fulfilment of the Abuja resolution,the Rivers Assembly, on Wednesday, conducted a fresh screening and confirmed the 10 pro-Wike commissioners from resigned from Fubara’s cabinet for reabsorption into the cabinet,

The commissioner nominees, who appeared before the lawmakers led by the Speaker, Amaewhule, on Wednesday morning, were given a clean bill of health after they made a brief introduction of themselves.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Threatened, Imposed Resolution On Fubara, Says Ex-Rivers Commissioner

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This followed a motion moved by the House Leader, Hon. Major Jack, who said since the nominees had been screened previously it was needless to do so a second time and craved the indulgence of his colleagues to allow them ‘take a bow and go’.

The Speaker then directed the Clerk of the House, Emeka Amadi, to forward the names of the commissioners’ designate to the governor for action.

Amaewhule disclosed that Governor Fubara had written a letter to the House requesting the screening of the nine commissioners’ nominees.

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The commissioners-designate, who are loyal to Wike, are Prof. Zacchaeus Adango, (SAN), Dr. Jacobson Nbina, Dr. Gift Worlu, Mrs Ineme Aguma, Chukwuemeka Woke and Prof. Chinedu Mmom.

Others are Dr Des George-Kelly, Isaac Kamalu and Auten Ben-Chioma.

The Speaker explained that the re-screeni g of the nominees was in line with the presidential proclamation following the intervention of President Tinubu.

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Amaewhule, however, fumed that Fubara had yet to respond to some correspondences sent to him by the Assembly.

The Speaker threatened that the Assembly would reject further correspondences from the governor if the trend of not responding to their letters continued.

“It is important we make this very clear that we need to work for the interest of the people of Rivers State, mindful that it is the people who will gain or lose when we choose not to do what we are supposed to do in line with the Constitution,” the Speaker remarked.

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N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

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First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

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Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

READ ALSO:I’ve Been Blacklisted In Music Industry For 13 Years – Seun Kuti

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

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Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

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Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

READ ALSO:My Beef With Wizkid Is For Life – Seun Kuti

By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

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Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.

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Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria

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Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to retaliate against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government should consider revoking the working license of South African owned companies such as MTN and DSTV.

He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as persistent hostility against its citizens.

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READ ALSO:South Africa To Investigate ‘Mystery’ Of Planeload Of Palestinians

“I am not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It is an economic struggle,” Oshiomhole said.

He argued that while some South Africans accuse Nigerians of taking their jobs, Nigerians should return home and take over employment opportunities created by major South African companies operating in the country, including MTN and DSTV.

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When we hit back, the President of South Africa will not only talk but will also go on his knees to recognise that Nigeria cannot be intimidated.

READ ALSO:South African Ambassador Found Dead Outside Paris Hotel

We will not condone any life being lost. If a crime has been committed under the South African law they have the right to bring any such person to justice, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” Oshiomhole added.

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DAILY POST reports that several Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been attacked, and their businesses destroyed, in ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

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IGP Orders Officers Display Name Tag On Uniform, Gives Update On State Police

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The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Tunji Disu, has ordered all police personnel to always have their name tags on their uniforms for easy identification.

Disu disclosed that only police personnel who are undercover are exempted from displaying their name tags.

Speaking on Tuesday, Disu said: “All police officers should have their name tags. All of us on the high table have our names apart from the undercover among us so if you look at all the Commissioners of Police we have our name tags, so it’s not our standard.

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All the Commissioners of Police are here and that is why we called this meeting, we have list of things like this that we will want to discuss with the Commissioners of Police, we have told them earlier and we will still let them know that every that happens within their area of jurisdiction falls under their control.”

On the issue of state police, the IGP said: “Since we got the signal that the Federal Government of Nigeria intend to establish State Police and since we are the federal police, we decided to take the bull by the horn and put down our own side of what we believe on how the state police should be run.

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“A lot of things were taken into consideration, a lot of comparative analysis was done and it has been transmitted to the National Assembly.”

 

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