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… Describes Situation as ‘Recipe for Crisis’ The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described yesterday’s declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu as an “utter violation of the 1999 Constitution.” In a release signed by Its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the party rejected the Emergency rule in Rivers State, insisting that President Tinubu has no powers to suspend a democratically elected governor. According to the release, the PDP “outrightly rejects this attempt by the President to override the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and undermine the votes…

A Niger Delta Group, Niger Delta Intelligentsia Team (NDIT) has fingered the political upheaval in Rivers State as responsible for the Monday explosion of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP). The explosion which occurred at Bodo community in Ogoniland resulted in huge spill of crude oil on the environment with an associated inferno,. It is widely feared that the sad incident which happened on the heels of threats by some Niger Delta groups and individuals who are moving against attempts by political gladiators to impeach the governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara in the heat of the ongoing political crisis.…

… Urges Tinubu to ‘Caution Wike’ By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa The Ijaw Socio-cultural group, the Ijaw Nation Development Group (INDG) otherwise known as the Ijaw People’s Assembly, has slammed former Governor Nyesom Wike over “his recent inflammatory remarks and open disregard to the authority of the sitting governor of Rivers State.” According to the INDG, “Ijaw patriots played a pivotal role in the creation of Rivers State, and we will not allow our contributions and sacrifices to be dismissed or disrespected and It is particularly disheartening that Mr. Wike, who rose to power through the benevolence and support of the…

By Mandy Tina Following the environmental degradation, pollution and increased poverty rate in oil-producing areas, host communities have been urged to take ownership of the Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs). This call was made during a CSO/Media Town Hall Meeting organized by BudgIT Foundation with support from Oxfam, where community members were sensitized on the importance of the Trust fund and how to access it. Rivers State Officer, BudgiT Foundation, Eze Eberechi, emphasized the need for every community in the state to access the fund for development. According to her, most communities in Rivers State are still ignorant or lack…

By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa Kalawei-ama Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on Saturday elected and swore in a new paramount ruler, His Highness Lloyd P. Sese and His deputy, His Highness Arthur Frank, to oversee the affairs of the community. The people gathered at the town hall of the community to elect their new traditional leaders. His Highness Lloyd who served as deputy paramount ruler of the community for over 30 years, polled 61 votes, while his deputy, His Highness Arthur, also polled 61 votes. While declaring the results of the election, the returning officer, Chief…

By Ehichioya Ezomon  As the three-man Election Petitions Tribunal (EPT) reserved judgment in the petitions against the declaration of Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State, we’re reminded, as per Muhammad JSC, in Olonade vs Sowemimo (2014) LPELR-22914(SC), 27 – in explaining the meaning of the standard of proof in civil cases, (and) the balance of probabilities – that: “The court decides which side’s evidence is heavier, not by the number of witnesses called by either party or on the basis of the one being oral and the other being documentary, but by…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP; has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Mr. Godswill Akpabio over the failure to reverse the unlawful suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as the purported suspension was based on the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of expression. The Senate president was sued for himself and on behalf of other members of the Senate. The Senate recently suspended Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, after she spoke without permission and refused her new seat in the Senate chamber. Her salary and allowances have also been withheld for the duration of the suspension,…

… Proposes Global Sanction for Polluters By Amos Odhe The governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has again taken his campaign against environmental degradation and the impact of climate change on communities in the Niger Delta to the international arena. The Bayelsa governor on Monday advocated for the imposition of sanctions on polluters of the environment as well as a fund to compensate communities negatively affected by climate change in the region. Governor Diri, who stated this while delivering a keynote address on the first day of a four-day maiden DeltasUnite Summit of the United Nations Convention on Conserving…

The deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has assured members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and workers of state-owned tertiary institutions of the state government’s commitment to their welfare..Senator Ewhrudjakpo gave the assurance at separate meetings with the executives of the state’s branch of the NMA and representatives of the various tertiary institutions in Government House, Yenagoa. A statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, at the weekend, quoted the deputy governor as saying that the Governor Douye Diri-led administration has never treated issues concerning workers with levity right from its inception…

Lucky Baratuapre has scored the first hattrick of season seven of Nigeria’s biggest grassroots football showpiece, the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament tagged the Prosperity Cup. Playing at the Twon Brass centre in Brass Local Government Area on Wednesday, Baratuapre’s hattrick helped Water Strikers FC to whitewash New Strikers 6-0, thereby also sending a clear signal of intent to all the participating teams. Lucky Baratuapre’s three goals came in 4th, 8th and 10th minutes as Kingboy Inanumo increased the tally four minutes later to compound the woes of New Saints FC. Having put up a dominant display at half time with…