Politics
RIVERS APC CALLS FOR THE DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State is calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria to declare a “State of Emergency” in Rivers State, as a result of the current spate of lawlessness across Rivers State, occasioned by the broadcast made by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Executive Governor of Rivers State on Monday, 17th June, 2024, in which he directed the Heads of Local Government Administration in the State to take over the affairs of the councils, and await “further directives.”
Sir (Chief) Tony C. Okocha, DSSRS, JP, the Leader/Chairman of the APC in Rivers State made the call earlier today in a press briefing at the Rivers State Secretariat of the APC in Port Harcourt, on “The State of Affairs in Rivers State”, following the violence that erupted in several local government areas in the State after the broadcast of Governor Siminalayi Fubara by the supporters of the Governor.
Speaking to newsmen during the press briefing, the Rivers APC Leader/Chairman said, “l want to use this opportunity to absolve the members of the APC in Rivers State.”
“We are not part of the ongoing war in Rivers State. I also want to absolve the innocent citizens of Rivers State, who are going about their legitimate businesses to put food on the table.”
“They are not part of the war. The war is between Governor Siminalayi Fubara versus Governor Siminalayi Fubara. That is the war in Rivers State. The Governor is unteachable. He doesn’t take wise counsel”, he added.
“The Chief of Staff to the Governor is the one leading armed thugs – Non State Actors – who are brandishing guns to various local government areas, and causing mayhem.”
“The Federal High Court, and the State High Court am told cannot sit. Young men are brandishing all manner of guns everywhere like it is their right now, and they’re doing it at liberty.”
“The boys have been let loose on the innocent citizens of Rivers State, and the people living and doing business in the State. The Police is helpless, and the Governor himself is also helpless.”
“In Omuma local government area, a Police officer was shot dead. A Vigilante Member was also shot dead. Was that necessary”?
“A boy in Ahoada was also shot dead. He was a former Students’ Union Government (SUG) President of the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, here in Port Harcourt. That boy died yesterday. He was carrying and waving “Asawana flag”, and was saying Asawana is not a love song. He is gone. These are the ones that are reported.”
Speaking further, Sir (Chief) Tony C. Okocha said, “We are in a trouble in Rivers State. We are in a state of war, and it is because the Governor is unteachable and doesn’t listen to wise counsel, even the counsel of Mr President .”
“The APC in Rivers State, the APC that I represent today is asking and demanding for a State of Emergency in Rivers State, so that Rivers people will live in peace because it will be too late to cry when the head is off.”
“The reasons and the indices of war, full blown war are palpable and clear. The Federal Government of Nigeria should do what they should do so that the situation does not degenerate into a situation that we will be seeing fire everywhere. This is our position as a party in the State.”
On the submission by Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers State, who was the immediate past Minister of Transportation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that 84% of Nigerians doesn’t like the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Sir (Chief) Tony C. Okocha said, “We distance ourselves from that personal expression of his idiosyncrasies. It is not our position as the APC in Rivers State, it is his own position.”
“We support, whole and entire, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and we have passed a vote of confidence on him, consistent with what was done by the South-South leadership of the APC in a meeting that held in Calabar, the Cross Rivers State capital on Sunday, the 16th day of June, 2024,” Sir (Chief) Tony C. Okocha said.
Amb. Vincent Gbosi,
Special Assistant on Media to the Chairman,
Caretaker Committee (CTC),
All Progressives Congress (APC),
Rivers State.
June 19, 2024.
A faction of Accord Party has held its own governorship primary, where Mr. Clement Bamigbola emerged as the faction’s governorship candidate for the 2026 Osun State election.
This is coming just four days after the emergence of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the party’s flag-bearer.
Recall that the party under the leadership of Maxwell Mgbudem, on Wednesday, held a similar exercise which produced Governor Ademola Adeleke as the party’s candidate.
However, a faction of the party rejected his emergence, insisting that Barrister Maxwell Mgbudem is not the legally recognized national chairman of the Accord Party.
In a fresh development on Sunday, about 300 delegates of the Accord Party from across Osun State elected Bamigbola as the factional candidate during a primary held at Regina Suite, Osogbo.
Bamigbola emerged through a voice vote conducted by the delegates, after which the Chairman of the Primary Committee, Hon. Olufemi Ogundare, declared him the party’s candidate for the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
President Bola Tinubu and leaders of ECOWAS countries are currently meeting in Abuja.
The 68th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government is taking place at the State House Conference Centre, in Abuja.
Leaders of West African countries at the meeting include President Julius Bio (Sierra Leone, ECOWAS Chair), President Patrice Talon (Benin), José Maria Neves (Cabo Verde) and Alassane Ouattara (Côte d’Ivoire).
Others are Adama Barrow (The Gambia), John Mahama (Ghana), Umaro Embaló (Guinea-Bissau), Joseph Boakai (Liberia), Bassirou Faye (Senegal) and Faure Gnassingbé (Togo).
The meeting is coming against the backdrop of five turbulent years for West Africa, which saw coups in Mali (2020, 2021), Burkina Faso (twice in 2022), and Niger (2023).
The latest incidents include an attempted coup in Benin on December 7, 2025, and renewed instability in Guinea-Bissau.
At the time of filing this report, details of the meeting are yet to be disclosed.
Politics
Breaking: Diri Orders Autopsy on Bayelsa Deputy Governor’s Death, Warns Against Politicisation
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death of the state’s Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
Governor Diri gave the directive on Saturday while receiving former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Government House in Yenagoa.
Reacting to the incident, the governor condemned what he described as widespread misinformation and speculation on social media, warning against any attempt to politicise the deputy governor’s death.
“I want to make an appeal. I have seen people politicise his death. In Ijaw land, there is no enmity in death. Let nobody politicise the passing of our dearly beloved deputy governor,” Diri said.
“If anyone truly loves him, this is the time to show it. I have directed that an autopsy be carried out to reveal the cause of his death. There is a lot of nonsense going on on social media.”
The governor further urged the public to focus on mourning and honouring the late deputy governor, noting that the state government had declared three working days of mourning in his honour.
“If anyone is issuing statements to eulogise him, let it end there. Let us mourn him because Bayelsa State is in a mourning mood,” he added.
Governor Diri also called for unity and love among the people, reminding them of the inevitability of death.
Speaking during the condolence visit, former President Goodluck Jonathan described the late Ewhrudjakpo as a committed and dedicated individual who played a key role in the activities of his foundation.
“For me, he was someone my foundation and I will never forget. He represented the governor in all our programs,” Jonathan said, adding that Ewhrudjakpo worked tirelessly in that role, even more than when he served as deputy governor.
The man who tackled a gunman to the floor and saved people from getting sh0t at Bondi Beach in Australia has been identified as Ahmed al Ahmed.
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