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Rivers: Fubara hits back over allegations in Tinubu’s broadcast, lists Wike’s ‘faults’
The suspended governor of Rivers State, Similanayi Fubara, has responded to some of the allegations made by President Bola Tinubu in his nationwide broadcast on Tuesday night.
During the broadcast, Tinubu declared a State of Emergency in the state.
The President also suspended Fubara and members of the Rivers House of Assembly for six months.
Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as sole administrator of the state.
Fubara, in a statement signed by Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, denied some of the allegations made in the broadcast.
According to him, the Rivers State House of Assembly complex was not abandoned after it was demolished, but was under 80% completion.
The statement read in part, “First, it is important to clarify that Governor Fubara has nothing to do with the threats by militants and also did not in any way “telegraph” the reported attacks on any oil facility in the State.
”Fubara also claimed that some developments in Rivers State were owing to a controversial remark made by Nyesom Wike, FCT Minister, about the Ijaws.
“It is on record that the reaction of stakeholders in the Niger Delta, especially elders, chiefs, women, Ijaw National Congress, its youth wing, IYC, as well as militants, among others, were triggered by remarks by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, in a live media chat, during which he dismissed Ijaws as a minority of the minorities and powerless in the Nigerian polity, saying that Ijaws are not the only ones that are militants and can blow up pipelines; that Ogonis, Ikwerres, and others are also militants and can as well blow up pipelines.
“Most of the Ijaw groups and leaders even demanded an apology from the FCT Minister, which he rebuffed,” he said.
Fubara “made it clear that his administration was committed to the peace, security, and safety of oil facilities in the State.“
He often recalled his pivotal role as a member of the Presidential Committee on the Protection of Oil Installations in the Region, and repeatedly emphasized the need to protect oil pipelines and other facilities in the State, urging his supporters and the people of the State to avoid acts capable of destabilizing the State or sabotaging the nation’s economy.”
• King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall
News
Alleged N2.2bn fraud: Ngige gets bail, trials continue on January 28
The EFCC alleges that Ngige used his ministerial position between 2015 and 2023 to award contracts unfairly, divert funds, and enrich himself and associates.
Former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has been granted bail by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Gwarimpa.
He faces eight counts of charges bordering on abuse of office, contract fraud, and acceptance of kickbacks from contractors linked to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund.
In Thursday’s ruling, Justice Maryam Hassan adopted the terms of the administrative bail earlier granted by the EFCC.
The court ordered Ngige to produce a surety who must be a serving Federal Government director.
The surety is required to deposit travel documents with the court registrar, as Ngige claims his passport was lost.
The surety must also present landed property with a valid certificate of occupancy within the Federal Capital Territory.
The EFCC alleges that Ngige used his ministerial position between 2015 and 2023 to award contracts unfairly, divert funds, and enrich himself and associates.
The trial is scheduled to commence on January 28, 2026.
News
BREAKING: Senate Confirms Former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, Reno Omokri, Femi Fani-Kayode, and Others as Ambassadors
#The Nigerian Senate has confirmed a list of high-profile non-career ambassadorial nominees submitted by President Bola Tinubu, including former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, social media influencer and former presidential aide Reno Omokri, and ex-Minister of Aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK).
The confirmations followed screenings by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which cleared the nominees amid some procedural debates but ultimately recommended their approval.
Other prominent figures confirmed include former Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Dambazau, ex-governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and several former senators and political allies.
The approvals form part of a broader diplomatic restructuring by the Tinubu administration, with the nominees expected to be deployed to key missions abroad to strengthen Nigeria’s international relations.
Sources indicate that the list, which includes a mix of career and non-career diplomats totaling around 68, addresses long-standing vacancies in Nigeria’s foreign missions.
The nominations had sparked public debate earlier, with critics questioning the inclusion of politically controversial figures, while supporters highlighted their experience in public service and loyalty to national interests.
The confirmed ambassadors-designate will receive their specific postings after formal letters of credence from the president.
This development marks a significant step in revitalizing Nigeria’s diplomatic presence globally.
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