Blog - Abia ThinkTank News

Mar

2025

APC Blames Fubara, Defends State Of Emergency Rule In Rivers

APC Blames Fubara, Defends State Of Emergency Rule In Rivers The All Progressives Congress has defended President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, insisting that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is solely responsible for the political crisis that led to the intervention. In a statement issued on Tuesday, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, accused Fubara of dismantling democracy in the state, citing his demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly and governance without legislative oversight as actions that rendered the state ungovernable. “When he brazenly demolished the Rivers State House of Assembly, Fubara destroyed the…

Mar

2025

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By Abia ThinkTank

PDP Rejects Emergency Rule In Rivers, Says Tinubu Lacks Power To Suspend Elected Governor

News Flash, Politics

PDP Rejects Emergency Rule In Rivers, Says Tinubu Lacks Power To Suspend Elected Governor The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected a state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers state. The opposition party says the president does not have the power to suspend Siminalayi Fubara, an elected governor. On Tuesday night, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political crisis in the south-south state. The president also suspended Fubara, his deputy and the members of the state assembly. The president nominated Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice-admiral, as the administrator of Rivers state. In…

Mar

2025

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By Abia ThinkTank

Meet Rivers’ Incoming Military Administrator, Ex-Chief Of Naval Staff Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas

News Flash, Politics, South South

Meet Rivers’ Incoming Military Administrator, Ex-Chief Of Naval Staff Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas Retired Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, the Rivers State military administrator in the wake of the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu, was born on September 27, 1960. Mr Ibas, a native of Nko in Cross Rivers State, was Nigeria’s 22nd Chief of Naval Staff between 2015 and 2021. He served in the Nigerian Navy from 1979-2021, when he retired. He started primary education at Nko Primary School in 1966 and concluded at Big Qua Primary School, Calabar 1971. Between 1972 and 1976, he…

Mar

2025

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By Abia ThinkTank

Soldiers Hold Fubara, Family Hostage At Rivers Governor’s Residence

News Flash, Politics, Presidency

Soldiers Hold Fubara, Family Hostage At Rivers Governor’s Residence Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his family members are being held hostage at the Government House, Port-Harcourt, by a contingent of heavily armed soldiers Tuesday night, Peoples Gazette has learnt. The development comes moments after President Bola Tinubu invoked Section 180 of the Nigerian Constitution to proclaim a state of emergency in Rivers. The Nigerian leader based his controversial move on a prolonged and rapidly escalating political feud led by state lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike, who commenced impeachment proceedings against Mr Fubara last week to settle scores in his fallout with…

Mar

2025

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By Abia ThinkTank

Text Of The Broadcast By President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander – In – Chief Of The Armed Forces, Declaring State Of Emergency In Rivers State On Tuesday 18 March 2025

FGN, News Flash, Politics, Presidency, Security

TEXT OF THE BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES, DECLARING STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE ON TUESDAY 18 MARCH 2025 Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis. With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought…

Mar

2025

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By Abia ThinkTank

Presidential Aide Clarifies Comment On Corps Member’s Social Media Post

Education, News Flash, Youths

Presidential aide clarifies comment on corps member’s social media post Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has refuted claims that he called for extreme punishment against National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ushie Uguamaye, who recently criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a social media post. Ajayi’s response follows backlash over his initial remarks, in which he suggested that the strictest NYSC disciplinary code should apply to Uguamaye’s actions. In a statement issued on Monday, he dismissed allegations of advocating for measures beyond the established NYSC by-laws. An online news medium, People’s Gazette, had…

Mar

2025

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By Abia ThinkTank

Governor Alex Otti And ABIA State: A Global Investment And Cultural Destination – By Dr. Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia State, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Economy, Good Governance, Tourism

Governor Alex Otti and Abia State: A Global Investment and Cultural Destination UMUAHIA, ABIA STATE — Fresh off sweeping reforms to revitalize security and governance, Governor Alex Otti is hinting an ambitious blueprint to catapult Abia State onto the international stage. Likely to be dubbed “Project Global Abia,” the initiative seeks to transform the southeastern Nigerian state into a magnet for foreign investment, tourism, and innovation, leveraging its entrepreneurial energy, cultural heritage, and strategic reforms. Branding Abia: “Africa’s Home of Enterprise, Culture, and Innovation”At the heart of Otti’s strategy is a rebranding campaign centered on a new slogan: “Abia State:…

Mar

2025

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Petrol Price Hits N8,000 Per Litre In Niger Republic As Nigeria Shuts Boarder Areas Petrol Stations

Foreign Affairs, News Flash, Oil & Gas

Petrol Price Hits N8,000 Per Litre In Niger Republic As Nigeria Shuts Petrol Stations In Border Areas Despite growing complaints from marketers over revenue losses, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) declared on Monday that the stations would remain closed. For about four years, over 400 filling stations owned by independent oil marketers in Nigeria’s border communities have remained shut following the Nigerian government’s directive to curb petrol smuggling into neighbouring countries. Despite growing complaints from marketers over revenue losses, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) declared on Monday that the stations would remain closed. The Customs Service insisted on sustaining the…

Mar

2025

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By Abia ThinkTank

Sowore Accompanies Lagos Corper To NYSC Office Over Viral Video Controversy

Human Rights, Education, News Flash, Youths

Sowore accompanies Lagos corper to NYSC office over viral video controversy Human rights activist and presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Omoyele Sowore, has thrown his support behind Ushie Rita Uguamaye, also known as Raye, the National Youth Service Corps member facing backlash over her viral video criticising President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Sowore, in a video shared on X on Monday, revealed that he had met with Uguamaye in Lagos and would be accompanying her to the NYSC Local Government Inspector’s office alongside a team of attorneys. “The journey with youth Corper, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, has commenced in Lagos.…

Mar

2025

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By Abia ThinkTank

Senate Backs Sam Okwaraji Under-16 Soccer Championship, As Izunaso Chairs Steering Committee

National Assembly, Football, News Flash, Sports

Senate Backs Sam Okwaraji Under-16 Soccer Championship, As Izunaso Chairs Steering Committee The Senate Committee on Sports Development has assured of its support towards the realisation of the Annual Sam Okwaraji Under-16 All Nigeria Secondary Schools Soccer Championship as approved by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF. The Senate Committee on Sports Development gave the backing when it received the Steering Committee of Sam Okwaraji Under-16 All Nigeria Secondary Schools Soccer Championship at the National Assembly in the Abuja. This is even as the Senator Osita Izunaso representing Imo West in the Senate, emerged the chairman of the Steering Committee of…