Author: Safiu Kehinde
Safiu Kehinde is a Graduate of Mass Communications. He is passionate about accurate reporting and interested in investigating socio-political issues.
Agency Report Some elders in Rivers have strongly opposed the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers, arguing that the decision was made hastily and is not a viable solution to restore normalcy. In a national broadcast, President Tinubu announced the suspension of Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and the state lawmakers due to their failure to resolve political differences. The President also cited the destruction of pipelines by suspected militants as a contributing factor to the declaration. However, High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, a chieftain of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), disagreed with the president’s action on…
Safiu Kehinde Nigerian Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state’s House of Assembly. Falana labelled the President’s suspension of the Fubara-led administration following his declaration of state of emergency in the state as illegal and unjustifiable. This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the renowned lawyer. While admitting to the President’s constitutional authority to declare state of emergency, Falana however held there is no provision in the constitution that backed his suspension of the executive and…
Agency Report The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDPGF) has advised President Bola Tinubu to reverse the state of emergency declared in Rivers. The Chairman, Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, who made the call in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, described the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers as unconstitutional. Mohammed stated that it was illegal and unacceptable for the president to suspend democratically elected officials of a state. “The PDPGF has noted with concern the suspension of democratically elected officials in Rivers by the president. We state categorically that this is a threat to democracy. “This is…
Blames Fubara for State of Emergency Declaration Safiu Kehinde Rivers State House of Assembly has pledged its support for Vice Admiral Ibokete Ibas (Rtd), the Sole Administrator appointed by President Bola Tinubu following the declaration of state of emergency. Tinubu had on Tuesday night declared a state of emergency on Rivers amid the ongoing political unrest which was compounded by a pipeline explosion on Monday. Following the declaration, the President announced the suspension of the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers Assembly for six months. Reacting to the development, the Assembly, in a statement issued…
Calls on National Assembly to Reject Suspension Safiu Kehinde The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state’s House of Assembly. NPO reported that the President had, at his national broadcast on Tuesday night, slammed six months suspension on the executive and legislative arms of the state following his declaration of state of emergency. In their stead, Tinubu nominated Vice Admiral Ibokete Ibas (Rtd) as Rivers Sole Administrator while retaining the judiciary arm. Reacting in a statement issued by its…
Safiu Kehinde President Bola Tinubu has written to the House of Representatives, seeking their approval on the state of emergency declaration on Rivers State. NPO reported that following the lingering political unrest between the Executive and the Legislature in Rivers, Tinubu, in a live broadcast on Tuesday night, declared a state of emergency on the state. The President suspended the state’s governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu and all elected lawmakers of the State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. He thereafter appointed the former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, as…
Safiu Kehinde The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has described the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers as a “dangerous precedent” for Nigeria democracy. This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the CUPP National Secretary, High Chief Peter Ameh, in Abuja. The party also described it as a “selective application of the state of emergency decree”. Ameh said that by suspending Gov. Siminalayi Fubara and appointing a sole administrator, President Bola Tinubu had flagrantly disregarded the Constitution and undermined the principles of democracy. “The selective application of the State of emergency decree in Rivers State,…
Safiu Kehinde An Essex County jury in the United States has awarded popular Ghanaian investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, $18 million in his defamation suit filed against former member of the Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong. Anas disclosed this in a post shared on his official X on Wednesday. According to the post, the US eight-man jury all ruled in his favour as they ordered Agyapong to pay $18 million in damages to the journalist. “Justice served! Today, a U.S. jury ruled unanimously in my favor, awarding $18M in my defamation case against Kennedy Agyapong. The court found he…
Safiu Kehinde Rivers State Government House has been taken over by the Nigerian military following President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of state of emergency. NPO reported that the President made the declaration in a national broadcast on Tuesday evening following an emergency closed-door meeting with security chiefs. Before the declaration, Tinubu announced the suspension of the state governor governor, Siminalayi Fubara, as well as the Rivers Assembly lawmakers for six months. Barely an hour after the declaration and appointment of Admiral Ibokete Ibas a the Sole Administrator , military personnel stormed the government house. As captured in a now viral video…
Safiu Kehinde Barely three hours after declaration of state of emergency in Rivers state, another pipeline has blown up in Bayelsa. The incident, as captured in a now viral video shared on social media, occured on Tuesday night at Gbarain kingdom. This is also coming barely a day after similar pipeline explosion occured in Rivers state. The cause of the latest, however remain unknown as at the time of filing this report. More details later…