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I won’t stop Rivers Assembly from performing constitutional duties – Wike

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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has said he will not stop the Rivers House of Assembly led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule from performing its constitutional functions.

Wike also blamed the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Dr. Tammy Danagogo, for instigating the main issue that led to the ongoing political crisis in the State.

The minister spoke at Abalama Town where a crowd of Kalabari Ijaw trooped out in their numbers to treat him to a grand civic reception and thanksgiving.

The event held despite protests by some women groups, who tried to block the road to stop people from accessing the venue of the programme.

Security operatives, especially the police fired teargas cannisters at the protesters to disperse them to avoid the disruption of the programme.

Wike, who was cheered by the crowd, said he came because some persons threatened him not to attend the event, noting that the occasion was an indication the opposition was a mere radio noise.

He said: “I heard some people say I won’t come here. Who are they and how many are they? What you have done today is to tell the world all these noise in the radio is not the real thing.

If you are of the Kalabari and of the Ijaw nation and you are receiving me today, God will continue to bless you. I will continue to stand by you and to support you.

”He explained some persons had misunderstood and misinterpreted his recent interview on Ijaw but clarified that he only meant that an Ijaw man becoming a governor in Rivers was made possible and agreement to work together.

He said at the final day of deciding who would be his successor, Fubara said he was not interested and urged them to give the position to his then Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu.

He recalled the process that led to Siminalayi Fubara becoming the Governor adding that Chief Alabraba, Chief Seargent Awuse and OCJ Okocha mounted pressure on him to allow Fubara in the principle of live and let live.

He said: “What I said on my interview people will want to misinterpret it. However they want to misinterpret it is their business. I want to repeat what I said. I said we are all working together if we don’t work together it would have been difficult to produce the governor.

That was what I said. Chief Alabraba did not allow me to rest; he nearly fainted when we were deciding who would be governor.

“Himself, OCJ Okocha and Seargent Awuse and this boy Celestine Omehia when we met, that day was the primary, this governor today said he was not going to run that my Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu, should be the one to run.

Celestine Omehia said it should be Isaac Kamalu that this governor cannot carry out effectively, the functions of the governor.

“OCJ Okocha and Chief Awuse said live and let live. Let us not do something that people will begin to say why must it be only one sided.

What I mean was that it was not because of the strength or the power of Ijaw. It was because we worked together.

“Nobody should associate anything evil to Ijaw. Ijaw people are not evil people. You cannot be saying I will blow pipeline. No.

Engage people intellectually and diplomatically and you get what you want. In the world we are in today we have passed the stage of threatening people.

”Wike said those around the Governor encouraged him to seize the salaries and allowances of the House of Assembly members for over a year telling the governor that nothing would happen.

He said: “They told you to seize Assembly members salaries and allowances for more than one year. They have no income to feed their families and pay their children school fees. And you were jubilating and people were encouraging you and telling you that nothing would happen.

“Now something has happened. I am not going to stop the assembly from performing their constitutional duties. The Assembly should be allowed to perform their duties. People who love peace don’t threaten people.

”I told you that the House of Assembly will not lose their seats. I told you that the shenanigans of local government would not stand. I don’t need to be a governor. I know what is illegal is illegal. We fight it constitutionally and by following due process. What did we do wrong?

“We said all these chairmen and the assembly members suffered, national Assembly members suffered for you to become governor. Therefore, don’t abandon them. But they said I was asking for money.

Has the money come? Those you are sharing the money, how far?

“Remember yesterday. A man is bad, a man is crook and a man is a criminal. But it was that same man that made you against all odds. If I hate Ijaw I wouldn’t have done that and nothing would have happened. I followed my principle of live and let live.

“If you watch all those around the governor are people who are natural ingrates. Nobody who is not an ingrates will associate himself with what is going on.

I told the governor to eat what God had given to him peacefully that it is not good for him to face this crisis. But they told him, you are governor you have money. I agree but money is not everything.

All these people have nothing to offer. See where we are. Now how far?

”Wike highlighted all the projects he initiated and handed over to Fubara to make him popular including the Port Harcourt Ring Road adding that whatever the governor’s team was parading were his initiatives.

Tracing the genesis of the crisis, the minister said: “Who started this problem? Danagogo SSG used his elder brother, who is a judge.

They sat down under ex parte order saying 27 members have defected; ex parte not on notice.

“SSG lured his brother judge to give ex parte order that the government can present budget to three or four people. Secretary is Danagogo, the judge who gave the order is Danagogo.

Look at how people can destroy a state. “That is the genesis of all this crisis; how a judge will sit down under ex parte order saying that people had defected and you can present budget to three people.

This is Danagogo who wanted to be governor.

He was so pained that he was not given.

“He is the one leading you and he will lead you to hellfire. You surround yourself with people who wanted to be governor; who I stopped because they don’t mean well for Rivers State.

They are the ones surrounding you giving you advice. Why do you think you will succeed?

“They will give you bad advice and see what the bad advice is doing to you. This is 2:0 and more will come. I haven’t seen this kind of politics where you surround yourself with those who want your seat.

Will it work? They come they and abuse me and you are happy. You don’t know they are destroying you”.

He remembered that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu invited them for peace but that while he and other leaders got the assembly members to withdraw the impeachment notice they issued to the governor, those around Fubara stopped him from implementing the decision.

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NGE Condemns Arbitrary Closure of Badeggi Radio Station by Gov Bago for allegedly promoting violence

Governor Bago acted outside his powers to order the closure of a radio station.

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• Eze Anaba, NGE President

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) strongly condemned the closure of Badeggi Radio by Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State.

In a statement signed by Eze Anaba, NGE President, and Onuoha Ukeh, General Secretary, they said that the closure of the radio station was a blatant attack on press freedom and democracy in Nigeria.

Ohibaba.com garhered that Governor Bago accused the owner of the Station for incitement of the people against government and directed that the license of the Radio station be revoked.

The governor directed the Commissioner for Homeland Security and the Commissioner of Police to seal the radio station, and emphasised the need for the security operatives to profile the owner of the radio station as his station promotes violence”, Ibrahim Said

According to the Guild, this act of censorship and intimidation undermines the fundamental principles of a democratic society, where free press is essential for holding those in power accountable.

The association referred to section 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) guarantees freedom of expression and press freedom.

The power to sanction television and radio stations only lies with the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) after a thorough investigation of any alleged breach of the Code.

Also, Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which Nigeria is signatory to, also guarantees press freedom and freedom of expression.

Said the statement : ” The closure of Badeggi Radio, a vital platform for public discourse and information dissemination, is a worrying trend that threatens the very fabric of our democracy.

Governor Bago acted outside his powers to order the closure of a radio station.

The power to sanction television and radio stations only lies with the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) after a thorough investigation of any alleged breach of the Code.

We are happy that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris, has pointed this out. This should go beyond observing the anomaly.

The federal government should order the unsealing of the premises of the radio station, while investigation is carried out.

Government officials should know that we are in a democracy and therefore, the act of arbitrary order for the sealing off and closure of a radio station is unacceptable. Arbitrary closure of media houses reminds us of the dark days of military rule, which ended 26 years ago.

Governor Bago’s allegation of incitement of violence by the radio station is a serious issue, which has to be investigated and proven before any action can be taken.

We urge the media to operate under strict adherence to the code of ethics of journalism, with responsible conduct at the back of the minds of the professionals.

We also call on the authorities to take measures to respect the rights of citizens to access information and express themselves freely.

Badeggi Radio should be reopened while the investigation continues.

The Guild reiterates that a free and independent press is essential for a functioning democracy and demands that governments at all levels respect and uphold this fundamental right.”

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NLC rejects FG’s new policy stopping frequent industrial strikes

” We are in shock that from a catalogue of hundreds of workplace issues contained in the National Industrial Relations Policy, the Federal Government singled out industrial strikes as its headache.

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• Joe Ajaero, NLC President

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed concerns over the newly adopted National Industrial Relations Policy by the Federal Government.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja, Mr. Joe Ajaero, NLC President, said the new policy would make embarking on strike a criminal issue and silence trade unions.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja, Mr. Joe Ajaero, NLC President, said the new policy would make embarking on strike a criminal issue and silence trade unions.

NLC considers the statement by the Federal Government that the newly adopted National Industrial Relations Policy is aimed at stopping frequent industrial actions, particularly strikes by trade unions, as very reprehensible.

“The statement was part of the press release by the Federal Government at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, which took place on 31st July 2025.

“We are in shock that from a catalogue of hundreds of workplace issues contained in the National Industrial Relations Policy, the Federal Government singled out industrial strikes as its headache,” he said.

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Olumuyiwa Adejobi Becomes Deputy Commissioner of Police

The promotion, approved by the Police Service Commission, underscores DCP Adejobi’s exceptional service, professionalism, and unwavering dedication to the ideals of policing in Nigeria.

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The Nigeria Police Force has announced the elevation of its Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, from the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).

The promotion, approved by the Police Service Commission, underscores DCP Adejobi’s exceptional service, professionalism, and unwavering dedication to the ideals of policing in Nigeria.

Adejobi was first appointed in acting capacity on 16th February 2022 as a CSP and took over from then CP Frank Mba. He was later confirmed by then IGP Usman Alkali (Rtd).

DCP Adejobi has served as the image maker of the Nigeria Police Force with distinction.

Since his appointment as FPRO, he has led several strategic initiatives to rebuild public trust, improve accountability, and modernize the force’s communication channels.

DCP Adejobi studied Archaeology and Geography (Combined Honours) from the University of Ibadan.

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