Politics
Rivers budget: Fubara’s supporters ready for showdown in fresh clash with Assembly
He, however, told his supporters, especially youths, to remain unperturbed, adding that the time had come for Rivers people to take their destinies in their hands.
The latest confrontation comes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s February 28, 2025, ruling, which reinstated the 27 lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The apex court also ordered the seizure of the state allocation and nullified the October 2024 local government poll conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
At their first sitting since the ruling, the pro-Wike legislators demanded that Fubara present the 2025 budget, titled, ‘Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development,’ within 48 hours.
The demand directly challenged the N1.1tn budget Fubara had signed into law on January 2, 2025, following its passage by the now-defunct Victor Oko-Jumbo-led Assembly.
The Supreme Court’s ruling ended months of leadership tussle in the state House of Assembly, with both factions previously laying claim to legitimacy.
However, the reinstated lawmakers wasted no time in asserting their authority, insisting that Fubara’s budget must be formally presented in line with constitutional provisions.
Amaewhule also criticised Fubara’s directive on local government administration, arguing that the Supreme Court had expressly ruled against non-elected officials administering councils.
The resolution of the Assembly lawmakers, sitting at the official legislative quarters along Aba Road in Port Harcourt, on Monday, followed a motion by the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol.
In his summation during plenary, Amaewhule kicked against Fubara’s directive for the LG chairmen to hand over to the heads of council administration, saying it was against the ruling of the Supreme Court.
“It is actually in flagrant disobedience to the judgment of the Supreme Court last year, particularly that judgment in SC/CV/343/2024 where the Supreme Court specifically said that Heads of Local Government cannot administer local government.
“Only elected officials are permitted by the constitution, by the judgment of the Supreme Court and of course the Rivers State Local Government Amended Law 2023, to administer our local government,” he asserted.
He also spoke on conducting the LG election in the state.
“Honourable members, you know that the Electoral Act amended by the National Assembly has made some adjustments to matters concerning elections and our LG Law and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law which says how local government elections should be conducted in Rivers State definitely needs amendment, so that these two laws can now conform with the Electoral Act.
“These will be a prerequisite to any plan to conduct further local government elections in Rivers State. Once this House is done with this process of amending these two laws, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission can, on the basis of the new law, commence preparations for fresh local government elections,” Amaewhule pointed out.
The assembly also announced that the lawmakers would proceed on a 12-week recess from Friday, March 7, but standing committees would be expected to continue statutory functions.
The government had earlier said it expected the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment by March 7, following which it would issue its positions on the apex court verdicts.
But the lawmakers, on Monday, resolved “That the House would proceed on a 12-week recess as from Friday 7th March 2025, but standing committees would be expected to continue statutory functions.
“Please be informed that our resolutions are geared towards a quick fix to the current financial quagmire occasioned by the absence of an Appropriation Law for Rivers State. We do not want the Rivers State people to suffer. We, therefore, urge you to act fast and do the needful in the best interest of the good people of Rivers State.”
The assembly then addressed its resolutions to the governor, with copies sent to the Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Odu; the state Accountant-General and the RSIEC chairman.
Fubara, however, remained defiant, asserting that his administration would not be coerced into actions that contradicted legal interpretations.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Rivers State Government House Staff Quarters in Port Harcourt, Fubara reassured his supporters that governance in the state would continue despite the political turbulence.
The staff quarters located along Forces Avenue (opposite Government House) in Old GRA, Port Harcourt, were reconstructed by the administration.
Fubara said he had never subscribed to violence or asked the people to indulge in lawless acts, but warned that his administration would not look away when haters of the state struggled to unleash violence in the state.
He said, “No matter how we’ve been fooled in this state, it has gotten to a point when the people have to decide to take their destinies into their hands. Since I don’t subscribe to violence when the time comes for us to make a decision, I will lead the course for that decision.
“Let me say it again: I am not scared of anything. The worst that will happen is for me to leave the office. Am I leaving the earth? Is it going to stop me from existing? So, I am not even bothered about that. But the right thing must be done and must be said when the opportunity is given to us.
“Let me thank everyone, especially our youths. Be strong, don’t be perturbed. I assure you, at the right time, you will hear from us.”
He added that despite the unceasing antagonism against his administration, the course of governance was irreversible, as he assured his supporters of victory.
The governor noted how the news of the judgment of the Supreme Court dampened the spirit of Rivers people and charged them to brace up for what was ahead.
He said as humans, they may have felt disturbed by the apex court’s pronouncements but advised them to realise that God had their back.
“I want to thank you for your support and assure you that, if there is one person on this planet Earth that will continue to stand by you, I will be that person.
“I assure you that I will lead you with honour, I will lead you with respect, and I will lead you with integrity, knowing that when I leave here, I will have questions to answer if I am called upon 20 to 30 years from today.
“I want to be proud to defend my position. So, I thank you and assure you that I will not disappoint you,” he assured.
The governor expressed delight that his administration was foresighted to have conceived the project, executed it and, by the special grace of God, dedicated it to the glory of God for the use by the workers.
“When we came on board, this building was a dilapidated building, completely uninhabitable. We felt we must add value to what we met, and we decided that, look, our staff can’t be living in an uncomfortable place, they can’t live like animals while I live in a comfortable place.
“How would I get efficiency from my workers if they are not happy? That’s why the government decided to embark on this project. I am happy that the contractor delivered it within the time limit,” he said.
Fubara thanked the elders of the state who had continued to provide support and stand with his administration.
He assured them that he would not disappoint their expectation of providing good governance to the state.
Govt defends decisions
The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, speaking on Monday, countered the stand of the lawmakers on the budget presentation.
Speaking on the 48-hour directive by the pro-Wike lawmakers to present the budget, Johnson said the government had yet to receive the CTC of the Supreme Court judgment, insisting that the state would act accordingly when received.
He described the language of the Amaewhule-led Assembly as undemocratic and disrespectful to the governor.
He said Fubara had shown good faith by directing the sacked LG chairmen to hand over to the HLGAs in the 23 LGs.
“I insist that we can only do as much as we can on that judgment when we receive the CTC.
“But to show good faith, the governor has even gone ahead to direct the LG chairmen to hand over to the Heads of Local Government Administration in their councils.
“And they (outgoing chairman) are handing over already. It will sound disrespectful to say the governor will do this. I’m not the governor. I’m just the commissioner for information. Let us wait, Friday is just here,” he said.
He faulted the lawmakers for ordering the governor to submit the budget within 48 hours.
“The issue of saying the governor has been ordered sounds too military. It is not a democratic language. Nobody orders anybody. By Friday, we will get the judgment, look at it and I will personally call the media to say this is what we have and this is what we are going to do. It is enough to say Au revoir,” he added.
Speaking on the council administration, Johnson said, “If there is no democratically elected official, shouldn’t the councils administer themselves? When you remove a commissioner, for instance, I’m the commissioner for information, if I’m removed, the next person to take over is the Permanent Secretary; true or false? So I leave that to the court of public opinion,” he said.
A former spokesperson of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest and investigate the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over his reported pledge of N10 million to each of Rivers State’s 319 councillors for delivering their respective wards to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
Sara-Igbe described the alleged pledge as a threat to the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process, insisting that Wike’s position as a serving minister should not shield him from investigation.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, reportedly made the promise during a media chat last week, urging the councillors to ensure that President Tinubu wins their respective wards in the 2027 elections in exchange for N10 million each.
With 319 councillors representing the state’s 319 wards across 23 local government areas, the proposed financial commitment would amount to N3.19 billion if fully implemented.
Speaking in an interview with The Southern Examiner, Sara-Igbe questioned why the FCT Minister had not been invited for questioning by security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the reported statement.
He argued that the alleged pledge raised serious concerns about compliance with electoral laws, particularly provisions relating to financial inducements and electoral malpractice.
“We are not in a banana republic where anything goes, no laws. Our security personnel must prove to Nigerians and the entire world that our laws are not implemented haphazardly, depending on who is involved,” he said.
The Kalabari elder also criticised INEC for what he described as its silence over the matter, insisting that electoral regulations must apply equally to all Nigerians, regardless of their political influence or official positions.
Sara-Igbe, who acknowledged that Wike was once his close associate, said Nigeria’s democracy could only develop when citizens rejected injustice, unfairness and inequality.
He warned that political statements capable of encouraging financial inducements could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“Utterances such as the one Wike spewed out from his mouth could truncate our hard-won democracy and expose our nation to public ridicule. This is why the matter should not be swept under the carpet. Wike must be made to pay for such an unguarded statement,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sara-Igbe denied allegations that he was involved in instigating the renewed political disagreement between Wike and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
He also dismissed claims that his position was motivated by ethnic considerations, maintaining that his disagreement with Wike was based on political principles and what he described as the need to protect Rivers State’s interests.
He accused Wike and his supporters of attempting to undermine Fubara’s administration, arguing that the governor should be allowed to exercise his constitutional mandate without undue political interference.
Sara-Igbe further disclosed that his political position informed his decision to support the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and the party’s Rivers State governorship candidate, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, ahead of the 2027 elections.
He described Lulu-Briggs as a candidate with the capacity to pursue economic development in the state, highlighting proposals to decongest Port Harcourt, develop other urban centres such as Ahoada, Omoku and Bori, and harness Rivers State’s tourism potential.
He also criticised the Rainbow Coalition over what he described as the introduction of ethnic considerations into the search for an APC governorship candidate in Rivers State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed November 28, 2026, for a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The exercise is aimed at testing upgrades to the commission’s Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic results transmission ahead of the polls.
The development comes as INEC disclosed that it had commenced the distribution of non-sensitive election materials to some states in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), announced the planned mock exercise on Thursday during a dialogue at Chatham House in London.
The event, organised in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative, was themed, “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot.”
According to a statement issued in Abuja and signed by the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, Amupitan said the exercise would simulate the presidential election and enable the commission to assess the efficiency of its accreditation and electronic results transmission systems.
“On the 28th of this month, we will conduct a mock accreditation and voting exercise across all states of the federation to simulate the presidential election and verify that we have gotten both accreditation and electronic result transmission right,” the INEC chairman said.
Amupitan also disclosed that the commission had introduced additional technical safeguards to prevent inaccurate polling unit results and figures indicating over-voting from being uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal.
He said the measures were part of efforts to strengthen the credibility, transparency and reliability of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Deputy National Organising Secretary of All Progressives Congress, Chief Emeka Okafor Esq, has called on Voters of Igbo Extraction living in Ondo State to come out in their numbers and vote massively for APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 16th of January 2026.
Chief Emeka Okafor made the call in Akure during the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Rally which took place in Akure, Ondo state.
The Deputy National Organising Secretary stated that South East and Ndi Igbo have benefitted massively from the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and All Progressives Congress. He opined that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu meant well for the Country and the President’s reform is yielding the necessary results.
Barr Emeka Okafor stated that Ndi Igbo has always been part of National Party. “Being with the Party at Centre has always been beneficial to Ndi Igbo and 2027 will not be an exception. He urged Igbo Voters in Ondo to support APC and Mr President’s re-election bid.
The chieftain also urged stakeholders to support all APC candidates for the National and State Assemblies in the forthcoming elections, saying party members must work hard to deliver the desired results.
Barr Okafor made the appeal as He joined the Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, other APC leaders and stakeholders at the party’s campaign rallies in Akure, the Capital of Ondo state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned political actors against the use of the controversial slogan, “Rig and Die”, ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that such inflammatory rhetoric could trigger electoral violence and endanger innocent lives.
The Commission also warned that electoral officials, including ad hoc staff, who compromise the integrity of elections would face prosecution in accordance with the law.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, gave the warnings during a media engagement forum for journalists and media executives from the South-East, South-South and South-West geopolitical zones held in Enugu.
Haruna expressed concern over the increasing use of inflammatory political statements and threats, noting that such utterances could put the lives of presiding officers, electoral ad hoc personnel, party agents and election observers at risk.
He urged political parties and their supporters to embrace peaceful participation, stressing that grievances arising from election outcomes should be addressed through established legal channels, including INEC, security agencies and the courts, rather than through violence.
The National Commissioner also called for stronger collaboration between INEC and the media to promote credible, peaceful and transparent elections in 2027.
He described the media as an indispensable partner in the electoral process, noting that public confidence in elections depended largely on accurate, balanced and professional reporting.
Haruna warned journalists against publishing unverified results, manipulated videos, misleading projections and sensational political narratives capable of misleading the public and undermining confidence in the electoral process.
He specifically cautioned against premature result announcements, insisting that only INEC, through its duly appointed returning officers, had the authority to declare election results.
“Results are declared only by the Commission through its duly appointed returning officers. Projections and unofficial figures must be clearly labelled as such,” he said.
He further advised media organisations to verify allegations against the Commission through appropriate channels before publication and exercise caution when reporting electoral incidents.
Haruna also advocated inclusive election coverage, urging journalists to give adequate attention to women, youths and persons with disabilities, particularly the challenges affecting their participation in the electoral process.
He encouraged media organisations to intensify voter education on Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), accreditation procedures, electronic transmission of results and peaceful participation.
Journalists Urged to Uphold Professional Ethics
In a separate presentation on ethical and professional standards in election reporting, resource person, Mr Osaretin Imahheyierobo, urged journalists to familiarise themselves with the Electoral Act 2026, INEC’s election coverage guidelines and the Nigerian Broadcasting Code.
He expressed concern that some journalists covering elections were not sufficiently conversant with the legal and regulatory frameworks governing electoral reporting.
Imahheyierobo urged media organisations to establish dedicated election desks, develop editorial guidelines and strengthen fact-checking mechanisms ahead of the 2027 polls.
He also stressed the need for journalists to understand INEC’s technological innovations, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), to ensure accurate reporting of accreditation, voting and result-management processes.
He warned media practitioners against compromising professional ethics for financial inducements, commonly referred to as brown envelopes. He maintained that political candidates should be subjected to objective scrutiny rather than having their claims and manifestoes amplified without proper examination.
The resource person also called for equitable media coverage of all political parties and candidates, noting that voters relied on credible information to make informed electoral decisions.
Earlier, the Enugu State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, disclosed that INEC had received approximately 35,000 Permanent Voter Cards for distribution across the state’s 260 wards.
He appealed to journalists to support public enlightenment campaigns to ensure that eligible voters collected their PVCs ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Chukwu described the media as a strategic partner in voter education, public opinion formation and institutional accountability, warning that misinformation could erode public confidence in the electoral process.
While acknowledging the media’s independence and watchdog responsibilities, the REC urged journalists to uphold accuracy, objectivity, fairness and professionalism in their coverage of electoral activities.
He assured stakeholders that the Commission remained committed to conducting credible, transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections in 2027, adding that it was open to constructive criticism and recommendations from media practitioners.
NUJ Raises Concerns Over Election Logistics
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council, Comrade Obinna Ogbuka, commended INEC for organising the engagement but regretted that the initiative had not commenced early enough to accommodate more journalists before the election cycle gathered momentum.
Ogbuka also raised concerns over the apparent lack of adequate budgetary provisions for journalists’ logistics during election assignments, stressing that media practitioners required sufficient support to perform their duties effectively.
He further called on INEC to take deliberate steps to rebuild public confidence in the Commission ahead of the 2027 elections.
Participants at the engagement commended INEC’s preparations but urged the Commission to address weaknesses observed in previous elections, particularly the technical challenges that affected the electronic transmission of results during the 2023 presidential election.
They also called on INEC to recognise journalists as critical stakeholders in the electoral process and involve them more meaningfully in its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended his promise to reward councillors with ₦10 million each for delivering their respective wards ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the offer is a reward for political commitment and not an attempt to buy votes.
Wike made the clarification on Tuesday during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, dismissing criticisms of the proposed incentives.
He argued that rewarding political mobilisers for their hard work and electoral performance should not be confused with inducing voters to influence election outcomes.
The minister had reportedly pledged ₦10 million to each councillor who successfully mobilises support and delivers their ward, a promise that sparked concerns over the possibility of vote-buying ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Responding to the criticism, Wike said he never instructed the councillors to share money among voters in exchange for their votes. Rather, he challenged them to demonstrate commitment and deliver the expected electoral results.
“I didn’t tell them, ‘Take this money and go and buy votes.’ I said, ‘Go and work. Show commitment. Demonstrate that you really mean what you are talking about. When you win, come and we are going to reward you,’” he said.
To justify the offer, Wike compared the proposed political incentive to rewards given to athletes who win international competitions, arguing that such promises motivate people to achieve outstanding results.
He cited instances where athletes are promised houses and other benefits for returning from competitions with trophies, questioning why similar incentives in politics should automatically be considered bribery.
The FCT minister also faulted sections of the media for what he described as their failure to distinguish between legitimate performance-based rewards and vote-buying.
He argued that political parties and candidates routinely spend money on campaign advertisements without attracting similar criticism.
Wike challenged journalists to examine the distinction between financial inducements intended to influence voters and rewards promised to political organisers for meeting mobilisation targets.
Meanwhile, the minister expressed satisfaction with the progress of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, including Interchange Section 2 (ISEX 2), the Southern Parkway and the S1 Road, which incorporates a fire station.
He said the projects were expected to be completed by December 15, ahead of the January 16, 2027 general elections.
Wike further argued that the infrastructure achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration would provide a strong basis for its re-election campaign.
He maintained that his support for Tinubu was driven by the administration’s development agenda rather than party affiliation, insisting that Nigerians who genuinely desire progress should support policies and programmes aimed at national development.
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