The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), has appointed Prof. Ibibia Worika as the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

According to a statement from the state government, the appointment, which takes immediate effect, was based on “a rigorous selection process in which Worika’s extensive experience, academic credentials, and policy expertise stood out.”

In a related development, Iyingi Brown has been appointed as the Permanent Secretary for Welfare in the Office of the Head of Service.

She will also act as the Head of Service until a substantive appointment is made.

Her appointment follows the resignation of the former Head of Service, George Nwaeke.

The government expressed appreciation for Nwaeke’s contributions, wishing him “success in his future endeavors.”

While congratulating Brown on her new role, the Sole Administrator reaffirmed his commitment to “maintaining peace and stability in Rivers State.”

The statement highlighted Professor Worika’s vast experience, emphasizing that his distinguished career has spanned academia, international legal practice, and policy advisory roles.

It noted that he is well-equipped to assist the administrator in achieving the mandate set for Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.

“Professor Worika’s wealth of experience in legal scholarship, public policy, and governance will be instrumental in driving the administration’s agenda. His appointment underscores our dedication to excellence in public service,” the statement read.

The Sole Administrator further pledged to “utilize the rich human capital of Rivers State to foster peace, stability, and security.”

Professor Worika, who hails from Okrika in Rivers State, is an internationally recognized scholar and legal expert specializing in environmental and petroleum law.

He holds a Ph.D. in International Environmental and Comparative Petroleum Law & Policy from the University of Dundee, United Kingdom.

Currently, he serves as the Director of the Centre for Advanced Law Research at Rivers State University and was previously the Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Port Harcourt.

His academic career has been distinguished by significant contributions to legal education, curriculum development, and institutional collaborations.

Beyond academia, he has played a key role in shaping global and national policy frameworks.

As a Senior Legal Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, he provided strategic counsel on energy policy, regulatory frameworks, and governance.

His tenure as General Legal Counsel for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Vienna solidified his reputation as an authority in international law, energy diplomacy, and resource management.

Professor Worika has also worked as a consultant for several governments, including Namibia, Malawi, and Guyana, where he contributed to drafting legislation and designing legal frameworks for sustainable development.

His contributions to public administration have earned him multiple recognitions, including the OPEC Secretariat Award for Distinguished Service and an honorary title from the Ogu Council of Chiefs in Rivers State.

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has declared that any prospects of reconciliation between President Bola Tinubu and the Northern region have reached an irreparable point.

Meanwhile, political leaders seeking to unseat the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 have yet to decide on a political platform for their coalition.

Ohanaeze noted that despite Tinubu’s numerous presidential appointments and infrastructural promises, his once-flourishing alliance with the North in 2023 has now crumbled.

In a statement on Monday, Ohanaeze’s factional Deputy President-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, stated that the North had abandoned Tinubu in favor of alliances with South-East and Niger Delta leaders to remove him from office in 2027.

According to Ohanaeze, “it is imperative to convey to Tinubu the stark and unvarnished truth: Without the immediate reversal of critical Federal Government policies and the expeditious implementation of substantial corrective measures, the suffering masses of Nigeria will inevitably gravitate towards the narratives being advanced by opposition coalitions, particularly those spearheaded by Northern leaders, advocating a transformative change in leadership.”

The organization urged the Federal Government to change its approach to governance and conduct a credible national census in 2025.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo urges the Federal Government to undertake a paradigmatic shift in its approach. It is essential to demystify the perceived numerical dominance of the North through a credible national census in 2025. This census must incorporate mandatory inclusions of ethnicity and religious identity, thus unveiling the true demographic realities of our nation.”

Ohanaeze further claimed that the North’s opposition to including these details in previous census exercises “speaks volumes about their awareness of this demographic truth.”

The group outlined conditions for Tinubu to secure their support in 2027, including the creation of a sixth state in the South-East, the revitalization of the Eastern Economic Corridor, and the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement on Monday, former APC National Vice Chairman Salihu Lukman clarified that coalition leaders— including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola— had not yet agreed on candidate selection or zoning arrangements.

Lukman accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of blocking the coalition’s attempt to register a new political party and explained that consultations were still ongoing.

He stated, “Once consultation is concluded, a formal announcement will be made with all the details regarding composition of membership, programme of action towards 2027, and framework for contesting the 2027 elections.”

Lukman emphasized that the coalition’s focus was on securing committed leadership rather than personal ambitions.

“These two issues are carefully being negotiated. While acknowledging that with respect to the requirement for members to set aside personal ambitions, there are strong interests being expressed around issues of zoning by individual leaders. These issues have yet to be formally discussed at any consultation meeting.”

He accused the APC-led government of attempting to turn Nigeria into a one-party state and stressed that the coalition’s goal was to restore democracy and accountability in leadership.

“Rescuing Nigerian democracy is beyond simplistic debates of fielding candidates and the associated debates of the quality and where they come from. Everything must be done to produce elected leaders at all levels who will be accountable in every respect and democratic in their dealings with Nigerians. Everything must be done to close this chapter of democratic national frustrations, which only produces emperors. This is the goal of the coalition, for which we appeal for the support of all patriotic Nigerians. We don’t envisage it will be an easy task, but we are determined to succeed,” Lukman said.

Humphrey Nwosu, 

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said that those who annulled the 1993 presidential election now regret their actions.

Yakubu made this statement while paying tribute to the late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, who served as the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) from 1989 to 1993.

Speaking at the Afternoon of Tributes event held in honour of the late professor at INEC headquarters in Abuja on Monday, Yakubu highlighted Nwosu’s significant role in overseeing the 1993 election, which is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most transparent and credible polls.

The late NEC chairman hailed from the Ajali community in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Yakubu noted that former military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, had publicly expressed regret over the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election during the launch of his memoir, A Journey in Service, describing it as the most difficult period of his life.

He emphasized that despite the annulment, history has recognized the 1993 election as a milestone in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.

According to him, “with the passage of time, the outcome of his effort is now widely appreciated. The election is now celebrated as one of the best in Nigeria. Even those who annulled it have expressed regret.”

Yakubu also credited Nwosu with pioneering key innovations in election management, including the establishment of INEC’s three-tier structure at the national, state, and local government levels.

According to him, Nwosu introduced reforms such as the Open Ballot System, popularly known as Option A4, where voters queued behind their chosen party’s symbol to cast their votes and be counted publicly.

Reflecting on Nwosu’s legacy, Yakubu stated: “Professor Nwosu did his best, which was not always appreciated by many, including those who appointed him under an infinite transition from military rule to democracy, which ended in the annulment of the presidential election held in 1993, resulting in the dissolution of the electoral commission and the emergence of an interim government.”

He further noted that while the presumed winner of the election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, was posthumously conferred with the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) in 2018, and his running mate, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, received the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), Nwosu and the electoral commission that conducted the election were largely overlooked.

“Sadly, the electoral commission that conducted the election, which was personified by Professor Nwosu, received only a muffled commendation as if no one conducted the election.”

“Surely, the election did not conduct itself. It was organised by a commission made up of commissioners and a chairman. If it was an oversight that Professor Nwosu was not honoured in his lifetime, it is never too late for the appropriate authority to do so posthumously,” Yakubu said.

A group of constituents from Kogi Central Senatorial District has formally petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recall their representative, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The petition, submitted on Monday, March 24, 2025, was delivered by Charity Ijese on behalf of the aggrieved constituents and received by INEC Secretary, Rose Anthony, at the commission’s headquarters.

Titled “Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence,” the document cites dissatisfaction with the senator’s performance and conduct.

The petitioners argue that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions amount to gross misconduct, abuse of office, and disregard for due process, which, they claim, have tarnished both the image of Kogi Central and the Nigerian Senate.

Relying on Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and INEC’s recall regulations, the petitioners stated that their move follows a widespread loss of confidence in the senator’s leadership.

They emphasized that the petition had been signed by over half of the registered voters in the district, meeting the constitutional threshold to trigger a recall process.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who secured her Senate seat through an Appeal Court ruling in October 2023, has been embroiled in controversies, including a dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

She had accused Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office before being suspended from the Senate for six months over alleged misconduct.

The petitioners are now urging INEC to initiate the recall process and declare her seat vacant, asserting that her continued presence in the Senate is detrimental to their interests and the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has scheduled April 8 to hear and determine cases arising from the conduct of elections across the 44 Local Government Areas of Kano State.

This decision comes after the court resolved multiple motions that were filed alongside the substantive matters.

Meanwhile, the Kano State House of Assembly has urged the appellate court to overturn the ruling of the Federal High Court in Kano, which had previously halted the elections since October last year.

Represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Adegboyega Awomolo, the House of Assembly argues that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to interfere in matters related to local government elections.

Awomolo further contended that “the suit filed by one Aminu Tiga and the All Progressives Congress (APC) was statute-barred at the time it was filed, and that the two plaintiffs have no locus standing to have instituted the case.”

The Federal High Court’s ruling, delivered by Justice Simon Amobeda on October 22, 2024, had restrained the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission from proceeding with elections for local government chairmen and councillors.

The judge ruled that the electoral body’s members were “established card-carrying members of the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano State, contrary to Section 197 and 200 of the 1999 Constitution.”

Additionally, Justice Amobeda directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “not to release any part of the national voter register to Kano State to conduct the local government polls.”

He also barred the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies from providing security or participating in any local government election in the state.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, the Kano State House of Assembly has now turned to the Court of Appeal, seeking to have the judgment set aside.

The lawmakers insist that “the local government election conduct is entirely the affairs of the Kano State Government and that it is the Kano State High Court that can adjudicate over any matter arising from local government election conduct and not the Federal High Court.”

Administrator Ibas, 

There are growing concerns within Rivers State following reports that the state’s sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, is allegedly planning to announce new Local Government Area (LGA) administrators.

Sources close to the Government House revealed that the move could sideline constitutional provisions and a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming local government autonomy.

Following the Supreme Court’s nullification of the October 5, 2024, local government elections in Rivers State, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara had directed all council chairmen to hand over to their respective heads of local government administration pending fresh elections.

However, insiders, who requested anonymity, claimed that Ibas has finalized plans to appoint new administrators despite constitutional stipulations and the Supreme Court’s verdict.

According to one of the sources, “Nigerians must remain vigilant against this unconstitutional maneuver, as it threatens the foundation of grassroots democracy. Any attempt to impose unelected administrators on LGAs must be met with firm resistance from law-abiding citizens, political stakeholders, and civil society groups.”

The sources further revealed that a list of potential administrators has already been compiled, raising fears of a deliberate attempt to override democratic norms.

Such a move, they warned, could deepen the existing crisis in the local government system and set a dangerous precedent for executive overreach.

Another source questioned the implications of the alleged plan, saying, “Will the rule of law prevail, or will impunity reign? The next 24 hours will be crucial in determining whether democracy holds firm or is trampled upon.”

The alleged maneuver, if executed, would be seen as a direct contradiction of the Supreme Court’s decision, which emphasized that local governments should be led by elected officials rather than appointed administrators.

Political observers say any such appointment could spark fresh legal battles and political unrest in Rivers State.

A political group, Eyes on Democracy, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of using its powers to suppress Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, due to his critical stance against the government.

The group alleged that the EFCC is no longer acting independently but has instead become “a political tool” used to silence opposition figures.

The controversy follows the recent arrest of Sirajo Jaja, the Accountant General of Bauchi State, who was taken into custody by the EFCC in Abuja during a Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting.

The Commission alleges that Jaja was involved in the mismanagement of N70 billion.

During a press briefing on Monday, the leader of Eyes on Democracy, Munir Aska, stated: “We believe that the recent detention of the Accountant General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Jaja, by the EFCC while he was attending the FAAC meeting in Abuja is politically motivated and orchestrated by political adversaries to silence the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, for being the strongest voice of Nigeria’s masses amidst the bad governance of the All Progressive Congress.”

The group expressed strong disapproval of the arrest, labeling it as “a politically motivated witch hunt” aimed at intimidating Governor Mohammed and his administration.

Aska further remarked: “This desperate move is clearly an attempt to silence a courageous leader who has consistently spoken truth to power, refusing to be cowed by the forces that seek to suppress democracy and good governance.”

The group pointed out that the timing of these actions was suspicious, arguing that “these arrests and intimidation of Bauchi State Government officials are happening at a time when Bala Mohammed has remained vocal in challenging the excesses of the presidency and standing firm in defense of the interests of the Nigerian people. His bold stance has made him a target for persecution, and the EFCC is being weaponized as an instrument of political oppression rather than a true anti-corruption agency.”

Aska called for the immediate release of the detained officials, stating that if there were any allegations against them, they should be charged in a competent court of law rather than subjected to what the group perceives as politically motivated harassment.