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Headlines

ADC Rivers Chapter Gain 800 Thousand New Members

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

The Rivers State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) says its membership base has recently grown to more than 800,000, with several prominent politicians defecting to the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking at a press conference in Port Harcourt over the weekend, the party’s spokesman, Luckyman Egila, described the ADC in Rivers as “a beautiful bride,” attracting high-profile political figures from across the state.

Egila named former governors Rotimi Amaechi and Celestine Omehia among the latest entrants, alongside former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.

“These persons have left their former parties and are now full members of the ADC,” Egila said. “You can only become a member when you have registered with the party and been issued a membership card, and all of them have done so.”

Others on the ADC’s growing roster in Rivers include former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Austin Okpara, and former Minister of Transport, Dr. Abiye Sekibo.

Egila said the calibre of politicians now in the party underscores its rising influence in the state’s political landscape.

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Wike and Fubara
Headlines

Wike, Fubara End Political Feud After Tinubu-Led Peace Meeting

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday night confirmed that the political crisis between him and Governor Siminalayi Fubara has been resolved.

Wike disclosed this to journalists after a closed-door reconciliation meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, which was brokered by President Bola Tinubu.

According to the FCT Minister, both camps have reached a final agreement to put their differences aside and work in unity.

“We have all agreed to work together with the governor, and the governor also agreed to work together with all of us. We are members of the same political family,” Wike stated.

He acknowledged that the disagreement had persisted for several months but maintained that Thursday’s resolution marked the end of hostilities.

“Yes, just like humans, you have a disagreement, and then you also have a time to settle your disagreement,” he said. “And that has been finally concluded today, and we have come to report to Mr. President that this is what we have agreed. So for me, everything is over.”

Wike also called on political supporters on both sides to remain calm and embrace unity going forward.

“I enjoin everybody who believes to work with us, to also work together with everybody. There’s no more acrimony. There’s nothing to say,” he added.

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HeadlinesOpinion

The man Wike: The many misconceptions and how he saved Southeast region from ravaging terrorist infiltration

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Ezemuo Wike means many things to different people. Among Ndigbo, Wike is mostly seen as a villain or someone who denied their son Peter Gregory Obi the opportunity to be elected Nigerian President in 2022. Most Igbos hold the view that Wike is anti-Igbo. But is Wike anti-Igbo? Did he save the southeast region from what could have been a devastating infiltration by a ruthless invading terrorist group, disguised as herdsmen? The answer is capital and loudest YES. Hard to believe, you’d say!


It is hardly known in most quarters that Wike saved Southeast Nigeria from a devastating planned infiltration of that axis by a terrorist group, disguised as herdsmen. The personality of Wike reminds me that villains have their virtues too. He is no saint, but he is definitely not the demon many brand him.

Those who know Wike know he wears the face of a Lion; roars, and acts like one. He is a man who has defeated the pangs of fear. Some would even say Wike has many things in common with Donald Trump – Blunt, assertive, impetuous, stubborn and untamed when he sets out on a mission. He loves those he loves and would do everything to protect them. Wike’s assertiveness has earned him fewer friends and more enemies, perhaps. Within the political space, Wike could be said and rightly too to be the most misconstrued political figure in Nigeria today. Amid threats and opposition, the man Wike talks tough; hardly apologetic. He remains defiant.


As an Igbo man, I can say that Barr. Nyesom Wike deserves his flowers from the Igbos if only they knew the role he played during the infamous tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Former President Muhammadu Buhari hated Wike for a reason. That reason was the fact that Wike was a huge hindrance to a mission that had been planned and sealed for execution. During President Muhammadu Buhari’s era, the invading killer-herdsmen have mapped out their infiltration strategy. The plan was to do whatever that could be done to hasten an unholy occupation of the Southeast and South-South Regions. South West was relatively safer, partly because the stakeholders of the region knew the plan and made adequate conventional and nonconventional arrangements to secure that region.

Furthermore, the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari was made possible through the efforts of key political figures from South West, particularly President Ahmed Bola Tinubu. That largely guaranteed the Southwest safety.
Benue State was targeted as a feasible route for this infiltration. What did Wike do? Wike hurriedly formed a strong alliance with former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and the then Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. This alliance was majorly to counter the planned infiltration cum occupation of the target regions (South East and South-South). A move that Samuel Ortom is still bearing the brunt to date.
Unlike Benue and Enugu States, Rivers State enjoyed better revenue inflow. Wike made available all the necessary resources that were needed in that subtle war of infiltration. Wike was the lone oak tree that defied the raging storm at that moment. Wike may be a villain, but his vision, political flexibility and behind-the-scenes activities are great political virtues that cannot be overlooked by any political pundit.

Ndigbo, need I say again, Wike deserves his flowers from us. Villains have their virtues too!


Light Shedrack is an international business ideation specialist and good governance advocate. He can be reached via: lightsheddie26@gmail.com

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Headlines

Tell Nigerians who imported 844 guns, 112,500 ammunition into Rivers — Sani slam Customs

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Former Kaduna central lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has urged the Nigeria Customs Service to disclose the identities of those behind the importation of 844 rifles, 112,500 live ammunitions to Rivers State.

In a tweet on Monday, July 1, Sani commended Customs authorities for the seizure.

“The interception of illegally imported arms & ammunition by the Customs is commendable. In a country infested by terrorists, thousands of lives are saved. Next is to publicly disclose the identity of the chief importer and not just parade the crew of the ship,” Sani wrote.

Leading reporters recall that Customs intercepted a container from Turkey containing 844 rifles and 112,500 live ammunitions.

The service arrested three suspects who are currently in custody.

It also noted that thorough investigation is ongoing to ensure all those involved face the full wrath of the law.

Briefing journalists at Onne Port where the items were seized, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the arms and ammunitions include 764 units of Tomahawk Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles; 10 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmakers Jojef Magnum Silver Pump Action Rifles, 50 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Double Barrel Rifles, 20 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Single Barrel Rifles, Exclusive Series, and Sterling High-Quality Live Ammunition.

The Comptroller General said the duty-paid value of the container is N4,171,710,000.

According to him , eight other containers with falsely declared contents, including used clothes and cough syrup with codeine, have been seized with a total duty-paid value of N13,915,710,000.

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Exclusives

Gov. Wike financial largesse to churches for political support exposed: Anglican, Catholic, RCCG, Eckankar top list of beneficiaries

by Leading Reporters
written by Leading Reporters

An unveiled financial records of Rivers State Government House account No. 1010610151 domiciled with Zenith Bank, Government House Rivers State has revealed how the governor of Rivers State and Presidential aspirant under the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Barr. Nyesom Wike recklessly doles out the state’s funds running into billions of Naira to churches in Rivers State for political supports.

Between 2016 and 2021, it is estimated that Governor Wike has doled out over Five Billion Naira to selected churches and societies in Rivers State without approval from the State House of Assembly.  Anglican Communion, Lutheran Church, and Catholic Church top the list of beneficiaries of Wike’s financial largesse to orthodox churches. These gifts may have validated Wike’s declaration of Rivers State as a “Christian State”.

Wike had, during a crusade organized by the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Church in Port Harcourt, declared that Rivers is a Christian state. A declaration that incurred the wrath of Muslims and many Muslim groups both in Nigeria and overseas. His pro-Christian and anti-Islamic stand would definitely pitch him against the Muslim dominated North where the governor is currently touring, requesting for supports and votes in his presidential quest. Some Muslim stakeholders have always accused Wike of religious bigotry and sectionalism.

Investigation revealed that Wike is not a fan of Pentecostalism. However, available financial records revealed that Redeemed Christian Church received a large chunk of financial gift from Governor Wike. The money showered on churches by Wike is far much more than what has been deployed by the State Governor to develop human capital in Rivers State, according to financial records exclusively obtained by LeadingReporters.

Beneficiary-Churches, donations and dates:

The first religious organization to benefit from Governor Wike’s gift, upon being elected a Governor was Eckankar. Information gathered revealed that Governor Wike doled at the sum of N80,000,000 to Eckankar as donation to the society on 2nd November, 2016.  Christ Apostolic Church and St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Rumudaolu were gifted the sum of N100,000,000 and N70,000,000 on 22nd November, 2016 respectively. On the other hand, Cathedral Church of St. Mathias Diobu was given the sum of N200,000,000 on the 20th July, 2017, while St. Paul Nyemoni Lutheran Church received the sum of N30,000,000 from Wike same 20th July, 2017.

Others include St. Gabriel’s Anglican Church Bolo which received the sum of N30,000,000 on 12th September, 2017. Other beneficiaries include Anglican Church, Diocese of Niger Delta North which received in two tranches of N20,000,000 and N37,435,000 on 5th February, 2018. Another N20,000,000 was given same day to the women wing of Anglican Communion Diocese of Niger Delta North.  Wike also gifted a religious school Jesuit Memorial College via the school First bank account the sum of N100,000,000 and N60,000,000 as donation for Okrika Bible Project Fund Raising respectively on 18th January, 2018.

Rivers Baptist Church received the sum of N80,000,000 from Governor Wike for their conference while Redeemed Christian Church Region 5 bagged the highest donation of N200,000,000 and another N40,000,000 on 18th January, 2018. St. Anne’s Anglican Church Okujagu Rivers State via its First Bank Account received the sum of N30,000,000 from Governor Wike pro-church activities.

On 12th November 2018, Rivers Baptist conference gulped the sum of N150,000,000 from the Rivers State Government Account while a total of N167,170,000 was gifted to different Christian religious organizations on 29th September, 2018, according to findings by LeadingReporters.

The financial records revealed that Governor Wike gifted Bishop and Mrs Winston T. Iwo, via their GTbank account the sum of N10,000,000 and another N10,000,000 on 11th January and 1st November, 2019 respectively, while the Anglican Church Communion, Diocese of Niger Delta North was given the sum of N33,594,400 on the 1st of October, 2019.

Recall that Governor Wike once declared Rivers State a Christian State, not minding the fact that Nigeria is a multi-religious country with Christianity and Islam as major religious sects in Nigeria. However, Governor Wike appointed three muslims in his cabinet an appointment many considered to be a political move to create the impression that Wike is not entirely anti-Islam. Recall that Prof. Ishaq Akintola, the Leader of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has consistently raised alarm against Governor Nyesom Wike’s anti-Muslim position, describing him to have been black-listed to hold any Federal position where Muslims are stakeholders.  

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Exclusives

Insecurity: Group asks FG to probe Wike’s special “Rivers State Command Security Operations Account” domiciled with First Bank Lagos

by Leading Reporters
written by Leading Reporters

A group, League of Patriots has asked the Federal Government and the Nigeria security and intelligence agencies to probe a suspicious account run by Governor Nyesom Wike code named “Rivers State Command Security Operations Account domiciled with First Bank of Nigeria, Lagos, Account No 2022409801. The group said that through its intensive Intel, it gathered that Wike maintains a suspicious account from where he is believed to fund activities that may jeopardize the security situation in the country and thus help him prosecute electoral violence.

The group’s spokesman, Okey Richmond, in a communiqué obtained exclusively by LeadingReporters said that suspicious financial activities on the account with transaction description of “In Favour of Election” suggests that Governor Wike is using State fund to carry out activities that may be at variance with the national security arrangement.

The group said that the time has come to place desperate politicians like Governor Nyesom Ezemuo Wike on surveillance going by his antecedent and his bloodthirsty quest for power. 

“Prior to the emergence of this democratic dispensation, insecurity of this scale was absent in the polity.  But what we are experiencing these days suggests to a large extent that insecurity are politics-induced and that politicians like Wike may not be free from funding activities that tend to devastate the polity for political gain.

The group promised to help the government at the federal level to expose all they know about Governor Wike financial activities that may expose huge perennial corruption in Rivers State.

“He made himself a demigod and runs the finances of the states as if it belongs to his family.  This is time to account for the least money that accrued to Rivers State under Governor Nyesom Wike”.  The communiqué read.

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Headlines

APC National Convention: Ameachi Doles Out $10m To Support Sen. Abdullahi Adamu Candidacy

by Leading Reporters
written by Leading Reporters

The Honourable Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, is allegedly on a spending spree to support his preferred candidate, Senator Abdullahi Adamu who is running for the office of the Chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress.  Discreet information availed LeadingReporters revealed that the Minister is said to have so far availed a whopping sum of N600m as a ‘welcome package’ for All Progressive Congress delegates who are currently in Abuja for the ruling party’s national convention holding in Eagle Square. 

A discreet source who is in the know told LeadingReporters that the cash-spree is to ensure the emergence of Senator Abdullahi Adamu as the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress party.

Amaechi is believed to be one of the presidential aspirants of the party who is believed to be seriously working from behind the scenes towards actualizing his presidential ambition.  

The source said that Amaechi is doing everything possible to ensure the emergence of the former Governor of Nasarawa State,  Senator Adamu Abdullahi, who by Amaechi’s calculation would aid him to seamlessly pick the party’s presidential ticket.

However, Amaechi loyalists and close associates still believe that erstwhile Governor of Rivers State has many hurdles to cross.  One of such huddles is said to be a criminal case leveled against him by Nyesom Wike-led Rivers State Government.  Wike has previously constituted a commission of inquiry to probe into the era of his predecessor.  The commission, after their investigation alleged that Rotimi Amaechi embezzled N96billion and criminally sold Rivers State property unilaterally when he served as Governor.  The Transport Minister was unable to stop the probe, using the instrumentality of the court.  The case is currently in Supreme Court of Nigeria. The apex court has fixed May 2 for hearing on the matter.

Another factor feared may clog the wheel of Amaechi’s presidential ambition borders on certain secret information linked to Amaechi, including a recorded audio tape where Amaechi was heard tongue-lashing President Muhammadu Buhari, and calling him unprintable names.  He was said to have shared very secret information regarding the President’s penchant for foreign loans. Although it was learned that Amaechi was able to suppress the spread of the tape, using a popular Auchi based clergy, there are indication that the information is already in the hands those who may use it as a political weapon come 2023.

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Headlines

APC Convention: Amaechi Presented Deceased Persons, Defectors As Delegates

by Leading Reporters
written by Leading Reporters

The Rivers State chapter of the party is embroiled in a scandal as the Sen. Magnus Abe-led faction of the party has alleged the inclusion of dead persons and those who had left the party on the list of authentic delegates from Rivers State.

The group is accusing the Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, of inclusion of the names even as the leadership of the Rivers APC has described the action as “an obvious overnight”

Abe’s group has already submitted a petition jointly signed by former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Rivers state, Barr Worgu Boms, Senator Magnus Abe and Senator Wilson Ake among others, saying that it observed the deliberate inclusion of deceased persons on the delegates’ list already submitted for the convention by the Minister.

APC Convention: Amaechi Presented Deceased Persons, Defectors As Delegates

“We examined the list and found that it was inflated by adding names of deceased persons and persons who were never principal officers in the Rivers State House of Assembly (two categories of invalidity and nullity of delegates) status are attached to over twenty persons on the list in three broad categories of deceased persons, impostors, and persons who are no longer members of the APC”.

According to the petitioners such names as Chief D.U. Anucha, Hon. Apollos Amadi, Hon Martins Mannah, Hon Andrew Miller and Hon Felicia Tane who are included in the list had since died, yet they were named as delegates for the convention.

In another category, the petitioners stated that some of the names included on the lists were never in the position ascribed to them by the Minister and therefore should be regarded as imposters.

“They were so presented so as to bring them into the delegates’ category since being a member of House of Assembly is not. We do not say that they were not in the state legislature on the dates listed against their names. We state that it is not true that they were principal officers as claimed”.

The Abe faction of the party claimed that members like Hon Samuel Oguru, Hon Bob Fredrick, Hon Victoria Nyeche, Hon Collins Ordu, Hon Onari Brown and Hon Ibroma Kitchner were not principal officers in the Rivers state House of Assembly as described by the list.

Also in that category are Hon Gift Wokocha, Hon Lucky Odili and Hon Ishmael Singer on the delegates’ list in the category of present and past principal officers of the State Assembly.

Others are Hon Maureen Tamuno, Hon Chidiebere Okwu-Worlu, Hon Belema Okpokiri, Hon Charles Anyanwu and Hon John Bazia.

The petitioners said a letter they got from the Clerk of the Rivers state House of Assembly denied the claim that the above names were principal officers of the House when they were members.

Also, the petitioners alleged that three persons whose names appeared on the list had since defected to the PDP, hence are no more members of the APC in Rivers state and wondered why they should be included in the delegates’ list.

Hon Fred Igwe, Hon Aboko Agolia and Senator Osinakachi Ideozu, had since left or were not even members of the APC and therefore calls for questions why such names should be found on the list.

The petitioners however urged the convention committee to expunge such fake names from the list for the sanctity of the convention and the dignity of the party in particular.

Reacting to the allegation, Darlington Nwauju, Deputy Spokesman of Rivers APC described the inclusion of the controversial names as an obvious overnight saying that it was a pity that Senator Abe’s style of painting Rivers APC in bad light has not changed.

He explained: “The State Exco of the APC was only inaugurated on the 7th of February 2022 and inherited a list of delegates which only required to be updated”.

‘What would it have taken Senator Abe as a member of the Accreditation Committee to draw the attention of State Exco to an obvious oversight? Must he and his group of friends always seek media attention?

“We see this as Senator Abe’s way of showing his group’s frustration at the outcome of the party’s decision to adopt the consensus method in choosing party officers in the 26th of March National Convention”, Nwauju stated.

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vaccine
Health

Medical expert urges researchers to use vaccine fund judiciously

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The #10b released by the federal government to support domestic vaccine production for Covid 19 has been described by medical experts and public affairs analyst as a welcome developments if only the funds will be used judiciously.

Our report shows that Nigeria has the capacity to produce the vaccines but urged Nigerians to take the Covid 19 guidelines seriously pending when the vaccine will be out Irene Obuzor, is the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association, she said since the emergence of Covid 19 early last year, there has been measures internationally to contain the spread of the virus and Nigeria is not an exception.

She urged those saddled with the responsibility of producing a vaccine that will effectively take care of the coronavirus to use the funds for what it was meant for.

Obuzor, advised Nigerians to adhere strictly to the Covid 19 protection guidelines, pending when the vaccines will be produced.

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