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Rivers crisis festers as new factional Speaker emerges

Published

2 weeks ago

May 9, 2024

Goodboy Sokari

Rivers crisis festers as new factional Speaker emerges

A new speaker has emerged in Rivers State Wednesday May 8, 2024, to signal the much-awaited showdown in state’s deteriorating political crisis which seems to be here.

Already, hidden cards or fists are appearing every hour to show that both the Nyesom Wike camp and the Governor Siminalayi Fubara camp have been preparing for it.

The Wike camp through the Rivers State caretaker committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by Tony Okocha yesterday gave go-ahead for impeachment action against the governor. The one they one the 27 defected lawmakers loyal to Wike initiated on October 30, 2023, failed when Gov Fubara fought back until a temporary ceasefire was achieved in Aso Rock with an 8-point agreement signed by both parties but largely observed in breach.

Now, it seems both camps have rearmed and may be ready for the final showdown that may make Rivers State tense in the coming days, to say the least.

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The APC has directed that impeachment begin immediately; the next day, the Fubara camp announced their own Speaker, Victor Oko Jumbo from Bonny; same day, hints emerge that screening of LGA caretaker committee members may be going on.

On the other hand, the local councils have staged protests saying their monthly allocations have been withheld. Pressure is thus mounting from that angle covering the 23 local council areas.

The purported screening may lead to appointment of caretaker committees of the 23 LGAs in the state who would get the monthly allocations and hit the ground running.

This action would provoke what the Wike-backed APC group said they would resist. They may begin their own action in the form of impeachment proceedings which the Fubara camp (Rivers State government) said they would resist.

These acts of resistance may plunge the state into violence and make it ungovernable. At that point, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has remained silent since the peace agreement, may unveil the sanctions he had threatened would descend on any person who breached the agreement. Each camp points to the other as the one breaching the agreements. Each clings to Tinubu as the favourite.

The battle seems timed to ensure that the one year anniversary is hindered.

Rivers crisis festers as new factional Speaker emerges

Related Topics:crisis Featured Rivers speaker

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I’ve never taken bribe since joining police in 2005 – Force PRO Adejobi

Published

12 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Trends Admin

Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Prince Olumuyiwa Adejobi

I’ve never taken bribe since joining police in 2005 – Force PRO Adejobi

Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Prince Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has boasted that he has never for once accepted a bribe of any kind since he started active service as a police officer.

Adejobi, who is an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), made this revelation in a post on his verified X account on Sunday.

The Force PRO, while responding to a netizen who asked if he had ever taken bribes before, said accepting bribes is a taboo for him as a royal prince.

According to him, accepting a bribe is not just ungodly but also affects someone somewhere anytime it is taken.

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He noted that the essence of life is to put smiles on the faces of others and not to be the source of their tears.

He further revealed that he has taken it upon himself to preach against accepting bribery to his fellow police officers and other people around him.

He wrote, “No. It’s a taboo for a royal prince to take a bribe. Taking bribe definitely makes someone somewhere cry for many reasons, and it’s ungodly to do so. Your main purpose in life is to put smiles on people’s faces. It’s Godly and rewarding. It’s my personal principle and a call to duty. I preach this to my colleagues and many others always. May we have the grace to remain steadfast and purposeful in life.”

Adejobi, who is a prince from Orile-Owu Community in Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun State, was reappointed as the Force PRO by the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, in August 2023.

I’ve never taken bribe since joining police in 2005 – Force PRO Adejobi

News

Oba of Benin receives 2 looted ancestral stools from Germany

Published

18 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Trends Admin

Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II

Oba of Benin receives 2 looted ancestral stools from Germany

The Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, has received two looted royal stools carted away during the invasion of Benin City in 1897, from the German government.

The artefacts — bronze and wooden royal stools (Ekete), were looted during the reign of Oba Eresoyen and Oba Esigie several centuries ago.

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The returned artefacts were handed over to the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, NCMM, on behalf of the Nigerian government by the German authorities in 2022.

Presenting the items to the Oba of Benin in his palace, the Director-General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mr Olugbile Holloway, pledged to work-hand-in hand with the Benin Royal Court in uplifting and displaying Edo heritage.

He said as the Benin bronzes and other art works are gradually making their way home (Nigeria), adding that the NCMM will join hands with the Royal Court to create a befitting destination for people around the world to come and appreciate these works.

Oba of Benin receives 2 looted ancestral stools from Germany

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Osun: Obaship tussle rages in Iree as court restrains Gov Adeleke again

Published

18 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Trends Admin

Osun: Obaship tussle rages in Iree as court restrains Gov Adeleke again

A High Court sitting in Osogbo has refused the prayer of the Osun State government to vacate the order preventing Governor Ademola Adeleke from issuing certificates, instruments and staff of office to one Prince Muritala Oyelakin as the Aree of Iree.

The state government, Oyelakin and seven others, through their counsel, Kayode Titilaoye, who is the Director of Legal Reform in the state Ministry of Justice, and Dr. D. A. Ariyoosu, had approached the court to vacate the restraining order granted Oba Raphael Oluponle, which stopped the official presentation of staff of office to Oyelakin on May 3, 2024 and to also refuse the interlocutory injunction sought by Oba Oluponle to restrain Adeleke from taking any further step on Aree stool pending the determination of the substantive matter before the court.

At the hearing last week, counsel to Oba Oluponle, Dr Muritala Abdurasheed, SAN, informed the court that the substantive matter was already before the court and parties had been served accordingly.

He urged the court to grant the interlocutory injunction, arguing that taking further steps on the matter before the court was not only contemptuous of the judiciary but also injurious to Oba Oluponle.

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Justice M.O Awe, in his ruling, refused the application of the state government and Oyelakin and granted interlocutory injunction sought by Oba Oluponle and restrained Governor Adeleke from issuing certificate, instrument and staff of office.

The order reads in part: “It is my view that the complainant’s application for interlocutory injunction ought to succeed. Accordingly, the application succeeds and it is hereby ORDERED AS PRAYED. “Specifically, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants/respondents are hereby restrained from installing the 9th defendant and respondent as Aree of Iree and/or present a staff of office to the said 9th defendant /respondent pending the hearing and the determination of the substantive suit that is the originating summon of the claimant pending before the court.

Parties are to bear their costs.”

It would be recalled that the court, on Friday, May 3, 2024, stopped Governor Adeleke from presenting staff of office to Oyelakin at an event scheduled to hold on Saturday, May 4, 2024 in Iree after preparations had been concluded for the ceremony.

The state government, through his Commissioner for Information and Civic Engagement, Kolapo Alimi, in a statement, said the governor had obeyed the court order and suspended the ceremony till further notice and directed the government legal team to approach the court to vacate the interim order.

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Oba Oluponle had been appointed by the former Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s administration and presented with the certificate and staff of office, but Governor Adeleke later issued an Executive Order that he should vacate the palace, without recourse to the fact that a case was pending in court on the matter as of the time.

The government subsequently issued a White Paper nullifying the appointment of Oba Oluponle and ordered that the case which was instituted against his appointment should be withdrawn before the commencement of a new process.