Nelly's SmartBriefs

  The leadership of Ijaw National Congress (INC), the umbrella body of all Ijaws worldwide, has told President Bola Tinubu, to call the former governor of Rivers State and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to order, following Monday's surreptitious moves by his loyalists in the state House of Assembly to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara. In a statement signed its National President, Prof. Benjamin Ogle Okaba, on Monday, titled: "A CLARION CALL BY THE INC ON THE PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES TO PREVAIL ON THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY MINISTER TO DISCONTINUE HIS DASTARDLY ACT IN RIVERS STATE", the body warned that any attempt to undermine the person and office of the governor of the state would be met with fierce resistance.  The statement read in full:  "Following reports of ongoing activities in Rivers State, the ljaw National Congress wishes to state as follows: 1. The attention of the Ijaw National Congress has been drawn to a grand plot mastermi

Former acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dame Ibim Semenitari, has condemned attempts by some political actors to plunge Rivers State into another round of violence, which she described as "unnecessary and avoidable."  Semenitari said this in a statement in Port Harcourt on Monday in reaction to attempts by some state lawmakers to impeach the Governor, Sir Similanayi Fubara, and the despicable role played by security agencies, especially the police in the episode. While she noted that crisis at this or any other time would be of no benefit to the state,  Semenitari called for an immediate stop to the crisis.  Semenitari, who noted that Rivers State had had too many political crises, said that at no time was Rivers State the ultimate beneficiary.  "This state has had too many political crises and was at no time the ultimate winner. At each time, the economy and the people suffered. We cannot continue to whirl in this sad cesspool w

The Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL), the umbrella body of all Nigerian youths in South-South, South-East, South-West, North-East, North-Central, and North-West geopolitical zones has condemned, in strongest terms, the attack on the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Similanayi Fubara, by policemen and other security agents using life bullets, teargas and other weapons, and plot to impeach the dully elected governor using the instrumentality of the Rivers State House of Assembly.  The coalition made the condemnation in a joint statement signed by President General, Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), and Leader of CONYL, Comrade Goodluck Ibem; South-South Youth Coalition (SSYC), Comrade Iniobong Sampson; and Arewa Youth Vanguard For Good Governance (AYVGG), Comrade Junaid Abubakar km Tuesday. The statement read: "The attack on Governor Fubara by security agents with life bullets, teargas and other weapons is a confirmation that there were on a mission to assassin

The Sim Media Volunteers has condemned police attacks on the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and other actions that expose the alleged complicity and compromise of the police in the political crisis that engulfed the state on Monday. In a statement on Tuesday, the group said that such actions of the police, which shot directly at the governor while he was going to inspect the extent of damage done on the state Assembly complex by an overnight fire and explosion, was saddening and unfortunate.  The statement read in full: "The Sim Media Volunteers vehemently condemn the recent reprehensible actions displayed by the Nigerian Police in Rivers State on our principal, leader and Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.  "It is deeply disheartening to witness the unprofessional conduct of the police, particularly the IGP special unit, and the DC Operations who resorted to teargassing and direct shooting at Sir Siminalayi Fubara, the Governor of Rivers State, a

Elder statesman and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has called on warring factions of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in the Rivers State House of Assembly to stop the fight, saying such a thing should not be happening at this time. George, while speaking on Channels TV programme on Monday night, said he was disturbed by the development, describing it as despicable and heart-rendering. His reaction followed a plot to impeach the Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, by some members of the State House of Assembly which reportedly led to the removal of the leader of the house and announcement of the emergence of a new leadership. On Sunday night, hoodlums reportedly armed, had stormed the Assembly complex, breaching security protocols and bombed the Assembly in an attempt to stop plans to unseat the governor. Worried by the development, George called on the elders of the party in state to rise up and resolve the situation before it gets out of hand. “What I

A group of Rivers women has condemned any move to impeach the state Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, by lawmakers in the State House of Assembly. They have also condemned reported attack on the governor by overzealous police officers deployed to maintain law and order at the state Assembly complex on Monday following Sunday night's fire outbreak that engulfed the complex. The women stated these in a statement signed by the Chairperson of Women United for Peaceful Rivers, Dr. Adaku Amadi; and her Vice Chairperson, Ebiere Thomas; in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. The statement read in full: "Women United for Peaceful Rivers, a committed civil society group dedicated to promoting peace, unity, and progress within Rivers State, vehemently condemns any move to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara.  "We express our unwavering support for Governor Fubara, and we are determined to protect the stability and prosperity of our beloved state. "We wish to make it abundantly clear that a

The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, has condemned the attempt by desperate lawmakers and their co-travellers to hijack the state government through a kangarroo impeachment and violent attack on Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Johnson, who spoke with journalists during the protest on Monday said, “I am a lawyer, we live in the principle of verifiable and cogent reasons. So, they must tell Rivers people what the governor has done.  "The governor has urged the police and other security agencies to unravel the mystery behind the sudden explosion at the Assembly building. “It is a fight for Rivers people and Siminalayi Fubara. Rivers people gave him that mandate and it is Rivers people that should decide. Power is not in any man’s hand, it is in the hands of God. So, power must shift and it has shifted.” In his reaction, an elder statesman and former publicity secretary of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, described the

The Rivers State Government has dismissed insinuations in some quarters and social media posts that following Monday's attempts by some lawmakers to cause political crisis in the state, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has sacked members of the State Executive Council, all local government chairmen, among others. The government also discountenanced social media posts claiming that the governor has suspended work on the flagship Port Harcourt Ring Road project. These clarifications were contained in two separate statements signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, in response to media enquiries.  In the statement, Johnson said: "There had been unfounded reports making the rounds on various media platforms about His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, sacking certain categories of his aides and local council chairmen. "This is to clarify that His Excellency has not given me such directive as the official

The House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, to brief the green chamber on the status of the conditional cash transfer programme of the Federal Government to 15 million households. The House, in a motion of urgent public importance on Tuesday, expressed worry about the handling of the programme. The House questioned the lack of transparency in the programme which has led to fraudulent practices. The minister is to give details on the collation of data and distribution of the funds. Mid-October, President Bola Tinubu launched the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer for 15 million households. The President had in his maiden Independence Day broadcast to Nigerians on October 1, 2023 announced the cash transfer programme which he said would target vulnerable citizens. The humanitarian affairs minister had said that the 15 million households represent 62 million Nigerians. She had said that the sum of N25,000 would

The former governorship candidate of Accord Party, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, has tasked the warring factions in the Rivers State House of Assembly, to "maintain the peace", as the state "cannot afford political crisis in times like this". Lulu-Briggs gave the advice on Tuesday while reacting to the attempts on Monday to cause political crisis in the state Assembly by some lawmakers loyal to Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule, who made efforts to remove the leader of the House, and also carry out impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara. In a statement titled, "RIVERS PEOPLE, MAINTAIN THE PEACE WE CANNOT AFFORD POLITICAL CRISIS IN TIMES LIKE THIS", Lulu-Briggs said: "I express deep concern over the happenings in the politics of our dear Rivers State in the last 48 hours. The ongoing rift within the corridors of power in the state is extremely disheartening.  "I am particularly saddened by the news of the damage to the legislative chambers of

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on all actors in the disagreement in Rivers State to sheathe their swords and allow for peaceful and amicable resolution of all the issues. The NWC position was contained in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, in Abuja. The statement read in part: "The NWC urges all PDP members and supporters to be calm and assures that it has commenced processes, using the Party’s internal conflict resolution mechanisms to ensure that all matters and areas of disagreement are addressed.  "The NWC, therefore, charges all leaders, critical stakeholders and members of our great Party in Rivers State to close ranks, unite and focus on the onerous task of governance and delivery of dividends of democracy to the people." Reacting earlier, the leadership of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State called for caution in t

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has clarified that it has no plans to redenominate the country’s legal tender, naira. The CBN Director, Corporate Communications Department, Isa AbdulMumim, made this known in a statement on Tuesday, October 31, 2023. There had been a message in circulation on social media about plans by the apex bank to redenominate the naira by cancelling two zeros from the currency. AbdulMumim, however, said there is no truth in the message. He stated: “The attention of the CBN has been drawn to the wide circulation of a text message suggesting that the apex bank plans to redenominate the country’s legal tender, the naira, with effect from January 2024. “We are concerned that this narrative, which we had refuted before now, appears to be gaining traction with several debates on the implication of such policy to the economy. “We wish to reiterate that the contents of the message are misleading. “The authors, in their mischief, modified text eked from old policy move

The Nigeria Police Council (NPC) has confirmed Dr Kayode Egbetokun as the substantive Inspector General Of Police (IGP). Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State disclosed this after police council meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday. The Bauchi governor also said that President Bola Tinubu, who chaired the police council meeting, intervened in the political and security situation unfolding in Rivers State with the planned impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Tinubu had on Monday, June 19, 2023, appointed Egbetokun as IGP. The new IGP replaced Usman Baba, who was appointed as the IGP by former President Muhammadu Buhari on April 6, 2021. Born on September 4, 1964 from the Egbado South Local Government Area of Ogun State, Egbetokun enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet ASP (Course 16) on March 3, 1990. He would clock 35 years in service by September 2024, according to police rules.

A lawyer, activist and Pan-Africanist, Chetam Thierry Nwala, has alleged that the political unrest in Rivers State followed unfulfillable demands by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. The activist, who soike on Arise Television on Tuesday, alleged that the refusal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to remit 25 per cent of the state’s allocation to Wike, his immediate predecessor, caused the ongoing face-off. He alleged that Wike demanded that 25 per cent of all allocations coming into the state should be given to him. Nwala also alleged that Wike demanded N2billion from the N5billion recently disbursed by the Federal Government to the states as part of palliatives to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal. According to the pan-Africanist, most of the governor’s aides, including commissioners and Chief Security Officer, were appointed by the FCT Minister. He said, “Wike demanded 25% of Rivers State allocations. From what we heard, the governor even offe

The Peoples Democratic Party Governors' Forum has exoressed alarm at the recent developments in Rivers State, and said that the intervention of Mr. President to bring the crises to an end was a welcome effort. The forum said this in a communique issued at the end of a meeting held in Abuja, on Tuesday. The meeting also urged all parties to the Rivers State crisis to sheath their sword, and resort to peaceful means of resolution.  On the national economy, the meeting urgently requested the patriotic intervention of the Federal Government to stabilize the Naira, control inflation, stem the unemployment crises, and bring more succour to Nigerians. The communique read in full: COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE MEETING OF PDP GOVERNORS’ FORUM HELD IN ABUJA ON TUESDAY, 31ST OCTOBER, 2023. The PDP Governors’ Forum held a meeting under the leadership of H.E Governor Bala Mohammed, CON, at the Oyo State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja on Tuesday, 31st October, 2023. 2. The Forum deliberated on

Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has cautioned the former governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over alleged plot to impeach his successor, Sir Siminalayi  Fubara. The umbrella body of all registered political parties and political associations in Nigeria also called the FCT Minister to clear the air on allegations that the scheming for the impeachment of Governor Fubara was fueled by determination of the former governor to continually rake-in a whopping 25% of the state’s federal allocation and internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the oil-rich state. This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the CNPP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, James Ezema on Tuesday. According to the CNPP, “Our democracy will continue to be under threat if former Governors would continue to meddle into the affairs of their state and expecting the incumbents to accept what they did not allow while they were in office.” The CNPP m

                    The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara and some elders in the state, on Tuesday, met in Abuja.  The meeting was for a possible reconciliation of the crisis that rocked the State House of Assembly and the move to impeach the governor. Recall that some elders of the state held a closed-door meeting with Fubara in Government House on Monday evening. The elders were at the brick house, the governor’s official residence to reconcile the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and his political godson, Fubara. Those in attendance on Monday include the Chairman, of Rivers Elders Forum, Chief Ferdinand Anabraba; former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Chief Onueze Okocha, SAN; the Chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council, Chief Ohia Sergent Awuse; the former State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Felix Obuah; a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ken Chikere; among others. The outcome of the meeting with the

Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Muhammad, has announced the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to douse the current political tension in Rivers State. He stated this on Tuesday while briefing State House reporters after a meeting of National Police Council presided over by the president at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Muhammad, who said the president was talking to the parties involved the imbroglio, added that it appeared there would be peace with his intervention. “He (President Tinubu) has shown that he is President for PDP and APC. We are going to work with him.” The Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor who is currently Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, met at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday morning. The duo, who reportedly fell out less than six months after succession, have been in the news since the reported move of the Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach the governor. Fubara had storme

Former representative of the Rivers South East Senatorial District at the 8th National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has condemned the current political imbroglio in Rivers State. The senator, in a statement on his Facebook account on Monday titled: ‘I CONDEMN THE ONGOING UNREST IN RIVERS STATE’, insisted that there can only be one governor of a state at a time, according to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The statement, signed by his Spokesperson, Dr Parry Saroh Benson in Port Harcourt on Monday, October 30, reads; “In as much as I have chosen to remain silent on the political issues in Rivers State, let me make four simple statements: “As seen in trending videos in the media space today (Monday), the direct gun shots and tear-gassing on the person of the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Siminalayi Fubara, who is the Chief Security Officer of the state, was wrong. This is beyond politics, and I publicly condemn it”. Abe, a former minority leader of t

The President of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, has said that Nigeria, as well as certain West African nations, have been crucial in the recovery of over €2million linked to several organised crime syndicates across the world. Al-Raisi made this known on Monday at the 4th edition of the Conference and Retreat of Senior Police Officers at Owerri in Imo State. The INTERPOL crackdown tagged “Operation Jackal” organised between 15 and 29 May, 2023 mobilised police forces, financial crime units, and cybercrime agencies across 21 countries around the world to deliver a targeted strike against Black Axe and similar West African organized crime groups. “Operation Jackal which took place in May of this year tackled West African based organsised crime groups like Black Axe to recover over €2million,” he said. He also stated that more than 200 bank accounts linked to the illicit proceeds of online financial crime were blocked during the operation

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of N2,176,791,286,033 for the second 2023 supplementary appropriation. The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagidu, announced this on Monday while briefing State House reporters after the federal cabinet meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said the draft supplementary budget to be sent to National Assembly for approval would be used to finance urgent issues including N605billion for national defense and security. According to him, “This is to sustain the gains made in security and these are funds that are needed by the security agencies before the year runs out.” Bagudu said the sum of N300billion was also provided to repair bridges including Eko and Third Mainland bridges as well as construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of many roads nationwide before the return of the rainy season. He added that the sum of N200billion was provisi

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has foiled attempt by some compromised police officers who shot at him with the intention to kill while on a visit to assess the extent of damage done in the aftermath of the detonation of explosives and razing of the state House of Assembly Complex by some hoodlums. This was contained in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Governor of Rivers State, Boniface Onyedi, in Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday, October 30, 2023. Addressing Rivers youths, Fubara, who had visited the complex, greeted by well-meaning Rivers youths on Monday, described as unfortunate the attempt by some disgruntled persons to forcefully take over control of the Assembly. He said, “From what I have seen the security agency is even compromised. They were shooting at me directly but it doesn’t matter, somebody will die one day. “When people here ask who is this Fubara? He is that man that was killed for his struggle. I am not against