Nelly's SmartBriefs

The Chairman of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, Dr Enyiada Cookey-Gam, and the Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Amb Chijioke Ihunwo, have restated their support to the state Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and the new Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Edison Ehie, in their efforts to deliver good governance to the people of the state. The duo also congratulated Ehie on his emergence as the authentic speaker of the state House of Assembly after the impeachment of the former speaker, Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule, by 26 members of the House on Monday, October 30, 2023. In their separate statements made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt, Cookey-Gam and Ihunwo said that the time has come for lawmakers in the state Assembly to give peace a chance, and find ways to work together in the interest of the state. They accused detractors of spreading disaffection and discord among members of the Assembly and Peoples Democratic Party faithful, including the former...

President Bola Tinubu on Monday warned government officials and family members against attending the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting without invitation. Tinubu issued the warning before the commencement of FEC meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The President said: “Last week, I noticed people sneaking in and out of this Council. People had access to this place when they should not. That is not acceptable. “I will announce to you here, people who are supposed to be here. “Special Adviser on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Usman; Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga; Principal Private Secretary, Hakeem Muri-Okunola; and Private Secretary, Damilotun Aderemi. “These are the people who are granted the exception to be here when we are conducting the business of the nation. Unless I sent for you, don’t come.” He directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Folashade Yemi-Esan, ...

The authorities of the Rivers State Police Command have assured residents and businesses in the state of their security and safety following eruption of political crisis in the state House of Assembly. The police gave the assurance in a very tarse statement signed by its Spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, in Port Harcourt, on Monday, October 30. The statement comes after the police had barricaded the entrance to the Assembly with over 17 patrol vans and armoured personnel carriers, and also shut teargas canisters on crowd of peaceful protesters who accompanied the state Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to the Assembly in the morning hours of Monday. The police were also reported to have shut water cannons and teargas at the governor while making his way on Moscow Road to the Assembly complex. The governor was said to have walked from Government House to the complex after information had filtered in that part of the complex had been gutted by fire over the night on Sunday, while a cris...

The Rivers State House of Assembly faction led by Rt Hon Martin Chike Amaewhule as speaker, has allegedly served notice of impeachment on the state Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara. The notice of impeachment was said to have been served on the governor on Monday, October 30, 2023, amid political tumoil and crisis that rocked the Assembly in the aftermath of a myserious fire outbreak that razed a section of the complex on Sunday night. It would be recalled that rumours of impeachment attempt on the governor had rented the air at the weekend, raising suspicions that the former governor and Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had mobilised his ardent loyalists to unseat Fubara for inexplicable reasons. The short statement from the Amaewhule-led faction, titled, "RIVERS ASSEMBLY SERVES GOVERNOR FUBARA NOTICE OF IMPEACHMENT, SUSPENDS FOUR MEMBERS INDEFINITELY", read: "At its 84th Legislative Sitting, Monday, 30th October, 2023, the Rivers State House of Assemb...

The member representing Ahoada East State Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Edison Ehie, has been elected the new speaker of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly. His emergence as the new Rivers State House of Assembly speaker came after 26 members of the Assembly elected him during plenary following the suspension of some key officers of the Assembly. Ehie was the deputy speaker of the 9th Assembly and leader of the 10th Assembly before his election in the wake of the crisis that engulfed the legislative arm of government on Monday, October 30, 2023. Briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, the new speaker promised to discharge his duty without fear or favour. He also pledged to be fair and just to all and sundry, and give to his colleagues their constitutional entitlements. "My commitment to Rivers people is that II will be just and fair to all and sundry, I will ensure that the rule of law takes its course, I will not betray my colleagues,  I will not betr...

Full text of Atiku Abubakar Press conference. Being text of a World Press Conference on the Presidential Election Petition Judgement by Atiku Abubakar, GCON, Waziri Adamawa, former Vice President of Nigeria (1999-2007) and Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 Election, at the PDP Headquarters in Abuja on Monday, 30th October, 2023.  Protocol. Gentlemen of the Press. Someone asked me what I would do if I lost my election petition appeal at the Supreme Court. In response, I said that as long as Nigeria wins, the struggle would have been worth the while. By that, I meant that the bigger loss would not be mine but Nigeria’s if the Supreme Court legitimizes illegality, including forgery, identity theft, and perjury.  If the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, implies by its judgment that crime is good and should be rewarded, then Nigeria has lost and the country is doomed irrespective of who occupies the Presidential seat. If the Supreme Cour...

A former Rivers State Governor, Chief Rufus Ada-George and some leaders of Rivers Elders Council, have called on the former governor of the state and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, and his cronies in the state House of Assembly, to let Governor Siminalayi Fubara breath and allow peace to reign in the state. In separate statements on Monday, October 30, in Port Harcourt, Ada-George and the elders warned that the political infighting by Wike and his loyalists against Fubara for standing on the path of honour, service and integrity while striving to deliver the dividends of democracy to Rivers people, was the highest level of disservice to the state. Those who digned on behalf of the elders include, Chief Henry Aguma, Chief Mike Lube, Hon.Ben Ikenza, Mazi Chituru, Comrade Tom Odum, Elder Kinika Aholu, and Elder Emma Owhurodu. In his statement, titled: "A CALL FOR PEACE IN RIVERS STATE", Ada-George said, "I have observed, with dismay, the brewi...

The Leader of Ijaw Nation and National Leader of South-South and Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu, to prevail on the former governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, to immediately stop meddling in the affairs of the Governor Siminalayi Fubara-led Rivers State Government, and focus on delivering on his mandate as minister of the Federal Republic. Clark reminded Tinubu that it would be unfair and unjust for Wike to continue to dictate for and control the decisions and actions of the state governor, even after having served for eight years in the same position and moved on to Abuja. He condemned, in its entirety, the manipulation and conspiracy with some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to concoct, fabricate and orchestrate an impeachment procedure against Fubara, for the mere reason that the governor has decided to take responsibility and be accountable to Rivers p...

Former Vice president and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 election, Atiku Abubakar, has advocated for constitutional amendments. Atiku specifically called for a single six-year term for President to be rotated among the six geo-political zones. Atiku, who made the proposals while speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, October 30, 2023 on the verdict of the Supreme Court that dismissed his appeals against President Bola Tinubu, called for the adoption of six-year rotational presidency. He stated that this will reduce the desperation of incumbents and distractions from governing and also to promote equity and national unity. According to him, “In order to reduce the desperation of incumbents and distractions from governing and also to promote equity and national unity, we need to move to a single six-year term for President to be rotated among the six geo-political zones. This will prevent the ganging up of two or more geo-polit...

The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla has launched a High Endurance Offshore Patrol Vessel (HE OPVs) for the Nigerian Navy at the Dearsan Shipyard, Tuzla in Istanbul, Turkey. This is contained in a statement by the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, on Sunday in Abuja. Ayo-Vaughan said the vessel is one of two 76m HE OPV awarded to be constructed by Dearsan Shipyard on November 3, 2021, while actual construction began on September 16, 2022. Ogalla said the vessels were meant to add to the fleet of the Nigerian Navy and enhance its capacity in the protection of Nigeria’s maritime domain. “Today’s ceremony is, therefore, a solemn one in which the ship is dedicated and committed to the sea, while also praying for blessings of good fortune for the ship, its crew and its passengers. “These ships when fully completed and commissioned into the Service of the NN, would complement and further sustain the efforts of the Fleet in ensuring naval ...