Politics
Rivers: FG deploys 10,000 troops against vandals as opposition, NLC protest
The Federal Government has deployed 10,000 Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel to curb further attacks on oil pipelines against the backdrop of the blasts at oil installations in Rivers State between Sunday and Tuesday.
The NSCDC spokesperson, Afolabi Babawale, confirmed the deployment of anti-vandal operatives on Wednesday, stating that the operatives were tasked with protecting critical infrastructure and preventing pipeline vandalism, particularly in the Niger Delta.
“The NSCDC hereby warns against destruction and vandalism of critical national assets and infrastructure across the Niger Delta as over 10,000 operatives have been deployed to collaborate with other security agencies to provide adequate peace and security of lives and property,” Babawale said.
This came as the opposition lawmakers and Organised Labour protested the imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.
Tinubu in a national broadcast on Tuesday announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu and the state assembly members.
He also nominated Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (retd.) as the state’s sole administrator.
Ibas, who was sworn in at the Aso Villa on Wednesday, will administer the state for an initial period of six months.
Before the declaration of the emergency rule, the political atmosphere in the state was charged, leading to three explosions within two days.
The explosions followed threats by Ijaw groups against the push to impeach Fubara, as they vowed to disrupt oil production and cripple the economy if lawmakers removed the governor.
On Monday, the Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly, loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike, listed 19 infractions committed by Fubara in a misconduct notice, setting the stage for his impeachment.
Before the notice was served on both the governor and his deputy, there was an explosion on Sunday at the Trans Niger Pipeline in Aluu, in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.
Security agents on Wednesday recovered a corpse at the scene of the explosion, while a suspect was arrested in connection with the blast.
An official said the suspect was arrested following credible intelligence from Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited’s covert team operating in Aluu.
The PINL staff member, who gave his name simply as Ebikeme, said, “On Sunday the 16th day of March 2025, there was a blast on the TNP Pipeline Right of Way in Aluu – Zone 5 and a suspected vandal was found dead at the site of the incident from the effects of the blast.
“Upon further investigation, a suspected vandal was apprehended in connection with the incident. The suspect is currently in the custody of the Nigeria Police while further investigation is being carried out to nab all the perpetrators.”
Speaking on the deployment of 10,000 armed personnel of the NSCDC to curb pipeline vandalism, Babawale said the commands nationwide are on high alert to protect the nation’s vital assets, particularly in the Niger Delta.
Babawale stated, “The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has a statutory mandate as the lead agency in the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure.
“In this regard, the corps across the federation have placed the commands and formations on red alert to forestall all acts of economic sabotage, pipeline vandalism and destruction of government utilities.
“However, it is a notable fact that no security agency has the monopoly of strategies in tackling crime and criminalities, hence the NSCDC is working in collaboration with other sister security agencies in the protection of lives and property.”
More soldiers deployed
On Wednesday,Governor Fubara moved out of the Government House in Port Harcourt.
The governor’s destination could not be confirmed. It was unclear if he retired to his private residence in Port Harcourt or his hometown in Opobo.
However, more soldiers were seen in patrol vans trooping into the Government House.
One of our correspondents observed three Armoured Personnel Carriers at the entrance of the building.
Also, the movement of persons and vehicles into the Government House was being subjected to heavy security scrutiny.
An aide to Fubara who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that the soldiers were occupying the Government House.
He stated, “As I speak with you, more soldiers are entering the Government House. This afternoon, over 15 came in. They are believed to be an advanced team of the Sole Administrator who is still expected to resume duties. This evening, some more soldiers came in.”
The aide could not account for his principal’s whereabouts as of the time of filing this report.
N’Assembly debates today
The National Assembly has slated today to debate the legality of the emergency rule declared in Rivers State by the President.
The Senate and House of Representatives shifted the debate to today amidst a groundswell of opposition to the decision.
On Wednesday, House spokesman, Akin Rotimi, announced that the President had transmitted a letter to the National Assembly on the Rivers State crisis, saying that it would be read on the floor.
That was, however, not to be.
Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso has dismissed suggestions that his exit from the African Democratic Congress has created a damaging split in the opposition.
He said he and Atiku Abubakar may yet work together before the 2027 general election.
Kwankwaso spoke in an interview on Arise TV on Monday, responding to concerns that his move to the Nigeria Democratic Congress alongside Peter Obi had effectively divided the opposition into two competing blocs ahead of the polls.
“Now, we may still work together before the election. I personally, and I think even Obi himself, decided to leave ADC not because we are fighting with Atiku or anybody there. We decided to leave that party because we realised that there are some issues,” he said
He said the ADC was contending with three major unresolved problems that he believed would make it difficult for the party to field candidates, without specifying what those issues were.
“Whether they will be able to field candidates in that party or not is just a matter of time. It’s not like we had a primary election,” he said
The remarks come after Atiku recently claimed on Arise TV that Kwankwaso’s popularity was confined to Kano State and further divided there by Governor Abba Yusuf.
Atiku, who is seeking the presidency on the ADC platform, also described himself as the most popular politician of northern extraction, saying none of his contemporaries, including Kwankwaso, Aminu Tambuwal and Nasir El-Rufai, commanded a voter base across the North as wide as his.
Kwankwaso did not engage the slight directly, but made clear he bore no grudge.
“Politics is just like a game. I’m not fighting anybody and I’m not expecting anybody to fight me. I have no issue with that. I think we are past that level now,” he said.
He challenged those predicting a vote split in Kano to wait for the election result before drawing conclusions.
“Let’s wait for the election and see whether votes are split in Kano or not,” he said.
Kwankwaso also acknowledged a history of working with Atiku, recalling that he served as the former vice president’s northern coordinator during the 2019 presidential election.
“There was an election in 2019 in Port Harcourt. He won the election. I was his coordinator for the north. We worked for him,” he said.
He traced his broader relationship with Atiku to the 2015 APC presidential primary in Lagos, where he placed second behind Muhammadu Buhari, with Atiku third.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expelled 30 members of the party for instituting legal actions against the party.
The affected members include some aspirants for the National Assembly, and their expulsion may disqualify them from participating in the party’s primary elections.
Disclosing this shortly after the meeting of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party, the State Publicity Secretary, Dr. Sir Valentine Iyiegbu, told reporters that the decision was in line with Section 21, Subsection 5 of the party’s constitution.
“The party discussed those who took the party to court, and many of them are contesting for the House of Representatives tickets of the party,” he said.
“The matter comes up tomorrow, and the SEC stated that what the party constitution stipulates would be followed, which is outright expulsion from the party under Article 21, Subsection 5.”
“The SEC actually ratified their expulsion because they did not exhaust all the internal avenues provided by the party to resolve their grievances,” he added.
Iyiegbu noted that the only reprieve available to the expelled members would be for them to withdraw their court cases.
“It is only when the matters are withdrawn from the court that the party can consider listening to them,” he said.
Speaking on the party’s primary elections, he explained:
“In the case of those contesting for the tickets of the Federal House of Representatives, all the eleven positions have aspirants, while for the Senate, the three positions are also being contested. The screening committees were here to perform their duties,” he noted.
The party also ratified the appointment of a five-man Primary Elections Committee headed by Sir Izuchukwu Okeke, the State Organising Secretary of the party.
By PETRUS OBI
Frontline aspirant for the Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River Federal Constituency seat, Anayo Onwuegbu, has successfully completed the screening exercise conducted by the All Progressives Congress House of Representatives screening panel in Abuja ahead of the party primaries scheduled for Friday, May 15, 2026.
Speaking after the exercise, Onwuegbu expressed satisfaction with the screening process, describing it as a reflection of the party’s commitment to internal democracy, transparency, and credible leadership selection ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The aspirant, who is seeking to represent Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River Federal Constituency under the platform of the APC, stated that he remains focused and prepared to continue to offer quality representation to the people of the constituency.
According to him, “The process once again highlights our party’s commitment to internal democracy, transparency, and the emergence of credible leadership as we prepare for the 2027 general elections.”
He reaffirmed his dedication to the development of the constituency, pledging to serve the people with commitment and purpose if elected.
The APC House of Representatives primaries are expected to hold nationwide on Friday as aspirants battle for the party’s tickets ahead of the 2027 elections.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Ten communities that make up Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State are set for a showdown with their traditional rulers following the alleged suspension of the zoning arrangement for the Anambra State House of Assembly elections.
Recall that on April 7, 2022, the traditional rulers, in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), resolved that the House of Assembly seats for Anaocha I and Anaocha II constituencies would rotate among the ten communities, with each town occupying the seat for two terms.
The traditional rulers further resolved that the rotation would subsist irrespective of the political party through which lawmakers emerge, noting that the arrangement was aimed at ensuring that all ten communities have the opportunity to produce members of the State Assembly in the interest of equity and fairness.
However, the Anaocha Equity Forum, shortly after its meeting, expressed concern over the alleged suspension of the zoning arrangement.
Speaking, the Convener of the Anaocha Equity Forum, Mr. Valentine Okoye, said the forum would not take kindly to what it described as acts capable of destabilising the council area, adding that any such move would be resisted.
“This is a Memorandum of Understanding signed by our traditional rulers, and it has been respected until now. We in the Anaocha Equity Forum see this as a slap on the sensibilities of the ten communities that make up the area,” he said.
“We urge members of the public, political parties, and stakeholders to disregard the alleged position of the traditional rulers, as it does not represent the views and aspirations of our people.
“Our traditional rulers should be mindful of their roles as fathers of their respective communities. They should also understand that they would be held responsible for whatever backlash or consequences may arise from this recent position.
“We call on Governor Charles Soludo to call the traditional rulers to order so that the peace currently enjoyed in Anaocha Local Government Area will not be disrupted,” he stated.
The exit of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, two prominent opposition figures, has weakened the African Democratic Congress across both chambers of the National Assembly.
The National Democratic Congress, which received Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso on Sunday, recorded its biggest gains on Tuesday with the addition of 17 House members and a senator. Weeks earlier, its ranks expanded when Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa West, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to join the party.
The development comes a few days after several opposition parties resolved to present a single presidential candidate against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
The wave of defection to the NDC occurred 48 hours after Obi and Kwankwaso, two of the ADC’s most prominent figures, formally exited the party. These moves have significantly altered the opposition landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections, setting the stage for shifting political alliances.
Additionally, the latest defectors, drawn from Kano, Anambra, Lagos, Edo, Rivers, and Kogi States, cited internal disarray within the ADC as a major factor that influenced their decision.
While reading their letters on the floor of the House, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary session, said the lawmakers blamed the party’s instability for their departure, noting that the crisis remained “unresolved starting from the ward to the national level.”
The defectors to the NDC are Yusuf Datti, Sani Adamu, Zakari Mukhtari, Kamilu Ado, Harris Okonkwo, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Peter Anekwe, Emeka Idu, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, and Afam Ogene. Others include Lagos lawmakers Thaddeus Attah, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, George Olwande, and Jese Onuakalusi, as well as Murphy Omroruyi from Edo and Umezuruike Manuchim from Rivers State.
In a separate move, Kogi lawmaker Leke Abejide defected from the ADC to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The coordinated nature of the defections is widely interpreted as a show of loyalty to Obi and Kwankwaso, whose switch to the NDC is already reshaping opposition dynamics.
Both men are influential political figures with strong regional bases—Obi in the South-East and Kwankwaso in the North-West—and their exit from the ADC appears to have triggered a ripple effect among lawmakers aligned with their political structures.
The ADC’s current troubles did not emerge overnight. In recent months, tensions within the party escalated over leadership struggles, strategy disagreements, and competing ambitions among top figures.
The situation worsened amid reports of irreconcilable differences between Obi, Kwankwaso, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was also a central figure in opposition coalition talks.
Efforts to build a united front ahead of 2027 reportedly broke down due to mistrust, zoning disagreements, and control of party structures.
Their eventual defection to the NDC marked a turning point. Seen as a more viable platform for consolidating opposition strength, the NDC quickly became a magnet for lawmakers and political actors seeking stability and clearer leadership direction.
With the departure of key figures and a steady decline in its legislative strength, the ADC now faces a daunting struggle to maintain political relevance.
The loss of national figures like Obi and Kwankwaso, combined with the defection of lawmakers across multiple states, appears to have weakened its structure and electoral prospects.
Only last week, the party boasted 24 members of the House of Representatives, but it is now left with six.
Once the dominant opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party may equally struggle to retain its status.
Though still officially the most formidable opposition in the House, the PDP currently has 29 members in the Green Chamber, down from 116 members in its ranks at the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023.
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