Politics

Wike Declares 28 Opposition Members Wanted, Cole, Abe, Lulu-Briggs, Others Kick

Published

3 years ago

March 17, 2023

The governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress, Tonye Cole, Social Democratic Party, Magnus Abe, Africa Democratic Congress, Tonte Ibraye, Accord Party, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs have led hundreds of their supporters in Rivers State on a protest to the headquarters of police in Rivers State alleged intimidation by the state government.

This was coming as the governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, in his statewide broadcast, Thursday, declared 28 persons who are in opposition to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, wanted.

Wike declared wanted, Dr Leloonu Nwibubasa, Gabriel Pidomson, Bright Nwinyoodee, Barika Bareh, Friday Sinee, Dumbari Deezua, Neeka Ikina, Giobari Poiba, Barisi Bonikoo, Mike Amachree, Paul Lawrence Paul, Anosike Odua, Mr. Ogbams, Ojimah, Kenneth Chinda Smiles Azundah.

Others are, Gift Welebe., Nwobueze Amadi, Chidi Wosa, Ugochukwu Wosu, Ndidi Erim, Lucky Mmai, Baridi Edmund Katara, Solo Filiman, Charles Anyanwu, Christian Don Pedro,Iworiabo Amachree and Arokosimiya Ikalama.

The aggrieved opposition governorship candidates and their supporters in the protest raised the alarms over activities of Local Government Council Chairmen in collaboration with security agencies who have been allegedly instructed to execute the orders of arresting members of the opposition parties.

Speaking, the Governorship Candidate of APC, Tonye Cole, urged the Inspector General of Police to instruct that no political arrest must happen and those arrested must be released immediately.

Cole expressed concerns that the secuity has been compromised, adding that the governor is using the police to intimidate supporters of other political parties in the state.

Cole said: “We are here based on some disturbing things we are seeing in the political settings in the state. This is a multi-party decision. We have on good record that we are being victimized, intimidated our members are being arrested.

“The governor, Chief Nyesom Wike have an instruction to all local government chairmen to intimidate the people of Rivers State. This will not happen.

“As we speak now party members across board are being arrested. We came to the command, we met the CP briefly. He said will go out and be back in an hour, but we have waited patiently he is not back.

“We told him what the situation was. But he said he is not aware of what is happening in the state. There is an AIG posted for this election, who does not know that people are being arrested in this State. Election cannot hold under this situation.”

Similarly, the candidate of Accord, Chief Lulu-Briggs urged police to ensure that citizens were given a secured atmosphere to peaceful vote their choice.

He said: “I want to ask the police to make sure that people have confidence in the system. After the 25th February election there were a lot of complains by young people asking us as if we were INEC, what happened to their votes.

“Rivers State will not continue to be a hot bed whenever there is an election. All focus will always be on Rivers State because of violence. That has to be changed.”

However, Candidate of the SDP, said poor policing during the Saturday’s poll would only cause insecurity, urging the police to give equal playing field to all parties.

Abe said: “I want to draw attention to a few salient points, that motivated me to join this effort. Last night the governor of Rivers State made a broadcast. In that broadcast he named several persons who are to be arrested and ordered the police to declare them wanted, arrested and prosecute them immediately.

“Most of the persons named in that broadcast are simply those who have been campaigning for other political parties. A lot of them are members of SDP including a Nigeria citizen who just flew into this country just to participate in this election. Because he put up bill boards and campaigned SDP his name was included as somebody who should be arrested.

“It is instructive that Rivers people should note that we are in this state. Dynamites have been thrown into the houses of prominent of Rivers sons. One of it is the case of the young man who went to throw bomb into the home of Good Jaja. He was shot there and his GDI and Taskforce ID cards were found and he is known. Up till today the police has refused to say anything about it. He was allowed to bleed to death. Non of his colleagues or accomplices were arrested. Nobody was declared wanted.

“This kind of policing will only breed insecurity. The governor has no constitutional right to declare any citizen wanted.”

Related Topics:Abe Cole Lulu-Briggs Rivers Wike

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Politics

Fubara Sacks Commissioners, Others

Published

1 day ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has sacked all commissioners and other public office holders serving in his administration.

The decision, according to a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday evening by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, takes immediate effect and followed the recent Supreme Court judgment.

The governor, during a valedictory session with his cabinet to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary at Government House, Port Harcourt, thanked the outgoing officials for their services and contributions to the state’s development over the past two years.

The statement read in part, “Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has thanked members of his cabinet for their services and contributions to the development of the state in the last two years.

“The governor highlighted the significance of Nigeria’s Independence, and called on all Nigerians to work together with Mr President to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous country and a brighter future for all.

“Furthermore, the Governor has relieved all Commissioners and other public officers affected by the recent Supreme Court judgment of their appointments with immediate effect.”

Fubara also reiterated his commitment to serve the state “with renewed vigour,” while expressing gratitude to Rivers people for their support and wishing Nigerians a happy Independence anniversary.

Recall that the immediate past administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), upon assumption of office during the emergency rule imposed by President Bola Tinubu, suspended all commissioners, special advisers, and assistants appointed by Fubara. Ibas also dissolved boards and suspended heads of parastatals he met in office.

Since Ibas exited the state on September 18, the fate of Fubara’s appointees had remained uncertain. The Rivers State House of Assembly, at its first sitting after the lifting of the emergency rule, had called on the governor to submit a fresh list of commissioner-nominees for screening, alongside the 2025 budget for passage.

Politics

2027: Crisis Rocks Kaduna ADC Over Power Tussle

Published

2 days ago

October 1, 2025

Editor

The Kaduna State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is enmeshed in crisis as a fierce power struggle among leading figures threatens the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections.

ADC stalwart, Malam Salihu Lukman, raised the alarm on Wednesday, warning that the party may not make a meaningful impact at the polls if the internal rift persists.

In a statement, Lukman alleged that some party leaders have aligned with certain aspiring candidates for the 2027 elections to the exclusion of others.

He called on former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Malam Jaafaru Sani, Alhaji Bashir Saidu, and other opposition leaders in the state to halt what he described as “the madness” of candidates bent on hijacking party structures.

According to him, “anybody who is not ready to work as part of a united opposition in Kaduna State is consciously or unconsciously working for the APC.”

Expressing concern over the infighting, Lukman said his efforts to mediate had largely failed.

“The fact that Senator Musa Bello is aggressively seeking to control structures of ADC in Zone 2 is a reflection of my failure, largely because I am associated with him.

“Senator Lawal Adamu (Mr. La) has avoided all my requests to meet him. I have met Malam Jaafaru Sani on this matter and had discussions with Malam Nasir. Sadly, we are not united, and the perception is that I am part of the problem.”

Lukman stressed that he has no political ambition but remains committed to building a united front. “As a citizen from Kaduna State, I am willing to make every necessary sacrifice to move our state forward. Without sounding immodest, I made every sacrifice to contribute to forming the coalition and negotiating the agreement with ADC.

“May I therefore appeal to Malam Nasir and all our leaders to please seek to unite us. It is only if we are united in ADC that we can unite our people in the state to defeat the APC in 2027. We must bear in mind that it is not just about defeating APC but about producing a government controlled by our party based on collective leadership.

“We need to put an end to the era when we produce emperors as governors. Anything short of a government managed by collective leadership under ADC will be unacceptable.”

Politics

Ondo PDP Spokesperson Resigns, Gives Reason

Published

3 days ago

October 1, 2025

Editor

The Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State, Mr Leye Igbabo, has resigned from his position, citing an unfriendly and hostile environment.

Igbabo’s resignation letter was addressed to the state secretariat of the party and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Akure.

He alleged that the working environment has become “hostile” to him, hence the need for him to resign.

“It is disheartening to know that the secretariat has become hostile to me, and this is affecting the effectiveness and efficiency of my duties as the Director of Media and Publicity.

“I note with pain, utter deceit, huge compromise, and gross indiscipline that there is no more sincerity of purpose, and under such circumstances, I do not want to be labelled as an incompetent official.

“My continuously staying in such an unproductive environment amounts to a precious waste of my time and energy.

“I, therefore, resign my appointment as the Director of Media and Publicity of PDP in Ondo State with immediate effect,” he said.

(NAN)