Rivers State Administrator, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), has firmly rejected a substantial cost variation proposed by Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, which would have raised the contract value of the Port Harcourt Ring Road project from ₦195.3 billion to ₦367.5 billion.

According to sources, Julius Berger submitted a request seeking an additional ₦171.8 billion, representing an 87.77% increase over the original contract.

Ibas reportedly dismissed the request outright, calling the figure excessive and vowing to safeguard state resources.

The 62.64km Port Harcourt Ring Road, a flagship project initiated by suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and flagged off by former Governor Nyesom Wike on July 19, 2023, was awarded to Julius Berger with a completion timeline of 36 months.

Designed to include six flyovers, one river-crossing bridge, and 19 roundabouts and intersections, the project had already seen ₦150 billion paid upfront, covering 77% of the original cost to avoid future variations, Wike had noted at the launch.

However, midway through the timeline, Julius Berger submitted a demand for the additional ₦171.8 billion, which would bring the total cost to ₦367,451,428,344.66.

Ibas, however, insisted the contractor adhere strictly to the original terms, highlighting that only ₦40 billion of the initial contract sum remains outstanding.

The administrator reportedly stood his ground, declaring the variation unjustifiable.

The rejection has sparked speculations, including claims that Julius Berger had pulled out of the construction site in protest over the administration’s stance.

But Ibas dismissed such reports, labeling them “misleading and malicious.”

In a statement issued by Hector Igbikiowubo, the Senior Special Adviser on Media to the Rivers State Government, Ibas criticized the narrative presented in a publication titled “Julius Berger withdraws from Rivers’ project sites”, authored by Bertram Nwannekanma.

“Nothing could be farther from the truth. The Rivers State Government has consistently and dutifully met all its contractual obligations to contractors, including Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, which has received all payments due since the declaration of Emergency Rule in the state,” the statement read.

“This baseless report is nothing more than a campaign of calumny orchestrated after failed attempts to pressure the Rivers State Government into approving an exorbitant and unjustified variation request for the ongoing Ring Road project.”

Further detailing the figures, the government reiterated:

“The original contract sum for the Ring Road project was ₦195,695,980,239.61 billion.

“Julius Berger submitted a variation request demanding an additional ₦171,755,448,105.05 billion, representing an 87.77% increase in project cost.”

“If approved, this would raise the total project cost to a staggering ₦367,451,428,344.66 billion.”

Reports suggesting that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is in crisis like other opposition parties are misleading, according to the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo.

He emphasized that the party continues to operate smoothly and peacefully.

Recently, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, announced that the vacancies for Deputy National Chairman (South), Deputy National Chairman (North), and National Financial Secretary had been filled.

The appointed officials were Ugochukwu Ubah, Alhaji Shehu Musa, and Bello Ado Hussain.

However, just two days following the announcement, the National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, who chaired the meeting where these appointments were made, issued a statement denying that the appointments had taken place.

This contradictory information raised concerns that the SDP might be heading toward internal conflicts similar to those seen in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) since the 2023 elections.

Speaking in a televised interview, Adebayo attributed the situation to a minor disagreement among members of the National Working Committee (NWC), which is being managed internally.

He highlighted that what should have been a minor issue is attracting undue attention because politicians are already gearing up for the 2027 elections.

He explained, “I don’t see any crisis in particular. The party is running normally. Now that many people are starting early to talk about 2027, there’s a kind of unusual attention paid to something that’s a simple matter. We have not started using the word crisis.”

Describing the meeting in question, Adebayo said, “I think there was a meeting at the end of NWC. There were 12 of them. They are supposed to be 15. From what we gathered from both sides of the discussion, 11 people attended, including the chairman, secretary and all the rest of them.”

“Now, the majority of them said they took a decision to fill three positions in the NWC and I think there is a minority that said they were not happy with that decision.”

“But I am not getting involved in that because I’m not a member of the NWC and no member of the NWC has come out to speak. So, I think they’re trying to work it out among themselves.”

He also warned Nigerians to carefully consider their sources of information, noting that much of the talk about crisis comes from those outside the party leadership.

“Most of the comments you get are coming from people who are not in leadership. Some who have just joined the party like to hug the media, but I can tell you, even in this latest discussion, the national chairman has been quite mature.”

“He’s not issued any statement. The national secretary has also been quite mature. He’s not issued any statement and I think from what I gather at their meeting, they are working things out.”

He reminded that the National Working Committee is the party’s most active body and that it was granted authority at the convention to make decisions on behalf of the convention and the National Executive Committee (NEC) pending their meetings.

“So, I think they will work it out. It’s an intra-NWC discussion and they’re not telling outsiders what they disagree about. But, I think they made a decision and they’re working on it.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is under scrutiny for allegedly delaying the registration of over 100 political groups, including a new opposition coalition aiming to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

Sources confirmed that 104 applications were submitted following the 2023 general elections, as various groups sought to expand the nation’s political alternatives.

However, months later, INEC has yet to act on any of them.

Among the applicants is the National Opposition Coalition Group, which plans to contest the 2027 general elections under a new platform called the All Democratic Alliance (ADA).

The group has rejected collaboration with existing parties, which it claims have been infiltrated or compromised by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Despite what applicants describe as urgency, Daily Trust reports that INEC has not moved forward with the verification process.

Some accuse the commission of intentionally stalling.

Comrade Salihu Lukman, former APC National Vice Chairman (North), voiced concern over Nigeria’s current political structure, saying it has failed to offer true representation.

“All the potential platforms are in danger,” Lukman said during an interview on Trust TV, referencing internal crises within the APC that led to his exit.

“More than 70 groups have submitted applications to INEC. But INEC is sitting on them.”

He added that the coalition has considered two strategic options, one of which is to register a new political party.

However, the delay by INEC threatens that plan.

“Acknowledgement letters are not even being issued. That’s a violation of the law,” Lukman said.

“The Electoral Act mandates INEC to act within a 90-day window after acknowledging applications.”

Lukman further linked INEC’s inaction to a broader pattern of “state capture,” where supposedly independent institutions like INEC and the National Assembly are allegedly under political influence.

Another applicant, Barrister Okere Kingdom Nnamdi, representing the Patriotic Peoples Party (PPP), confirmed he submitted the party’s application on March 28, 2025, but received only a vague response in May.

“Await the opening of the registration portal,” was INEC’s reply, which Okere described as ambiguous and lacking accountability.

In a formal letter to the commission, he asserted that the PPP had fulfilled all requirements under Sections 221–224 of the 1999 Constitution and Section 75 of the Electoral Act 2022, demanding a proper response or risk legal action.

Coalition members argue that INEC’s delay is robbing new parties of the time needed to prepare for the 2027 election cycle, with primaries expected to begin in early 2026.

But not everyone is optimistic. Barrister Kenneth Udeze, National Chairman of the Action Alliance (AA), questioned the practicality of registering new parties so close to the next election.

“Legally, no party can be registered within 12 months of a general election,” he stated, suggesting that mid-2026 could already be too late.

Unnamed INEC officials told DAILY GAZETTE that the commission is still reviewing applications and has responded to many within the legal timeframe.

They revealed that a digital portal is being developed to streamline the registration process and will launch soon.

One official dismissed rumors that INEC is hesitant due to fear of litigation from deregistered parties.

“The commission hasn’t made any decision on deregistration yet, but any action taken will follow legal guidelines,” the official said.

This comes amid memories of INEC’s 2020 deregistration of 74 political parties for failing to win at least 25% of votes in any state or local government area, or secure any elected position during the 2019 polls.

At that time, INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu justified the move as a way to streamline the system, leaving only 18 parties, later joined by Youth Party (YP) and Boot Party (BP) via court rulings, totaling 19.

Critics argue that many of the remaining parties are largely inactive, with only a few playing significant roles in national politics.

Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, clarified that all applicants must meet defined standards.

“If there are issues with their documents or information, they must be resolved. Applicants are free to seek updates from the commission,” he said.

Experts remain divided on how far INEC’s powers should extend when it comes to political registration.

Prof. Adele Jinadu, a former president of the International Political Science Association, affirmed that democracy permits unlimited party formation as long as applicants meet legal thresholds.

Dr. Dauda Garuba of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) concurred, arguing that compliance with the law should be the only requirement for participation.

But Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu, Executive Director of the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), expressed concern over the growing trend of forming parties just for influence trading.

“The right to associate is constitutionally guaranteed. INEC’s responsibility should be limited to setting criteria for appearing on the ballot,” he said.

He criticized many of the aspiring parties as Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) lacking real political infrastructure.

“Parties don’t need to go national. They can focus on local elections. Most lack the capacity to manage a national campaign anyway,” he added.

As the 2027 elections inch closer, pressure is mounting on INEC to provide clarity and transparency on the fate of the pending applications, especially from those who see their platforms as the last hope for genuine political reform.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has refuted claims that there is division within its leadership concerning plans for opposition figures to use the party’s platform in the 2027 general elections.

This clarification came from Nkem Ukandu, deputy national secretary and spokesperson for the party’s National Chairperson, Ralph Nwosu, in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.

Reports had suggested that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai are collaborating to adopt the ADC as the vehicle to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next presidential election. Some media outlets claimed this development caused internal discord, with certain state officials allegedly opposing giving way to new political entrants.

Mr. Ukandu, however, dismissed these reports as “misleading, inaccurate, and a deliberate attempt to sow seeds of discord within the party.”

He emphasized the ADC’s openness to working with “all progressive-minded Nigerians,” highlighting that the party had even amended its constitution “to accommodate partners who are equally passionate about national development.”

He added, “Handshake has always been in our DNA, not out of desperation, but because we believe in inclusive governance and coalition-building based on shared values. We are a party built on clear ideological direction and structured leadership.”

Further stressing the unity within ADC, Ukandu revealed that the party undertook wide consultations and stakeholder engagements across different zones before reaching what he described as a ‘consensus’ on the coalition strategy.

According to him, the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) had unanimously endorsed the coalition strategy during a meeting held last year at the NICON Luxury Hotel, which was observed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Following that, we held additional NEC meetings, including one in October of the same year. In total, we convened over four NEC meetings, all focused on solidifying our position.”

“In some of these gatherings, coalition partners were admitted as observers, and INEC’s statutory presence reaffirmed the legitimacy of the process,” he explained.

He went on to affirm that “no dissenting voice was recorded during National Working Committee (NWC) meetings, reinforcing the party’s internal cohesion and shared vision.”

Additionally, state and zonal chairpersons aligned themselves with the coalition strategy during the ADC global summit on May 14.

“This party is united in purpose, and we are fully committed to building a credible coalition to rescue Nigeria from its current challenges,” Mr. Ukandu concluded.