Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has alleged that he was offered ₦5 billion in October 2023 to orchestrate the governor’s impeachment.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Ehie insisted that he possesses undeniable proof of the offer.

“It was for impeachment. It’s here. I have it recorded, and I have printed it and distributed it, in case, in their evil imagination, they decide to attack me or kill me,” he said.

The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), has described the Trans-Kalabari Road Project as a crucial initiative aimed at addressing the socioeconomic challenges faced by residents of riverine communities.

Ibas made this remark on Monday during an inspection visit to the ongoing Trans-Kalabari Road Project in Rumuolumeni Community, as well as the Permanent Secretaries’ Quarters in Rumuokwurushi Community, both located in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

The administrator emphasized the necessity of completing these projects, highlighting their potential to significantly enhance the economic standing of Rivers State and Nigeria at large.

“We are also very much aware of the very difficult, challenging terrain around here, in terms of communication, and communicating between communities. This project, when completed, I think, will boost the socio-economic life of the state and the nation as a whole,” Ibas stated.

He further urged the contractors to adhere strictly to the project timelines, assuring them that the state government had fulfilled its financial commitments.

“We are hoping and imploring the contractors to make sure they keep to the timelines. I think the state government has been able to meet its obligation in terms of making available resources for them. So we are counting on them to keep to the completion time,” he said.

During his visit to the Civil Servants Quarters designated for Permanent Secretaries, the former naval chief acknowledged the housing challenges faced by civil servants and stressed the importance of providing them with suitable accommodation to enhance their productivity.

“I have civil servants who have challenges with their accommodation. We have been out there to see how far the project is going and I think I was also assured that the accommodation will be delivered on time so that those who require them will be able to settle down to do their work,” he noted.

Reaffirming his commitment to fostering peace and development in Rivers State, Ibas assured that the people of the state would ultimately be the greatest beneficiaries of these initiatives.

The Kogi State Government has called on security agencies to hold Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan accountable if any violence erupts in the state following her recent homecoming rally.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, criticized the senator for proceeding with the event despite the government’s ban on public gatherings, imposed by Governor Usman Ododo’s administration.

“She should be held accountable for her blatant attempts to incite violence and cause unnecessary tension,” Fanwo stated.

The commissioner also alleged that the lawmaker’s visit was a deliberate attempt to disrupt peace in the state.

“She deliberately violated the State Government’s ban on political gatherings, which was put in place to prevent security breaches and maintain peace.

“Instead of respecting the law, she chose to incite chaos, disregarding the safety and stability of the state.”

Despite the government’s restrictions, Akpoti-Uduaghan received an enthusiastic welcome from her supporters and residents of Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area.

As early as 8 am, supporters from across the five local government areas of Kogi Central trooped into Ihima to celebrate the senator’s return.

Local musicians entertained the crowd as they awaited her arrival.

Shortly after, Akpoti-Uduaghan made a grand entrance in a white helicopter, drawing cheers from the jubilant crowd.

Despite a ban on rallies and public gatherings by the Kogi State Government, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Tuesday received a warm reception from her supporters and residents of Ihima in Okehi Local Government Area.

As early as 8 am, crowds from the five local government areas of Kogi Central Senatorial District, which Akpoti-Uduaghan represents, gathered in Ihima to welcome the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) senator.

Local musicians entertained the enthusiastic supporters as they awaited her arrival.

Shortly after, the senator made a dramatic entrance in a white helicopter, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.

Addressing her supporters, she dismissed the ban on gatherings, saying she had done nothing wrong.

“Yesterday, we heard on the news that rallies and gatherings will not be allowed, that roads will be blocked, and convoys leading into the state will not be allowed. I knew that we were the targets. But then I said, this is not political season, this is not campaign time,” she stated.

“We are not having a rally. This is just me, the Senator representing Kogi Central, coming down to her people to celebrate this festive time – the Sallah with you, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am breaking no law. This is Nigeria. We have the right to be free, to express our choice in gatherings and celebrations.”

The senator’s visit came just hours after the Kogi State Government imposed a curfew in Okehi LGA, citing security concerns.

The chairman of the local government, Amoka Monday, reinforced the ban, while the police also advised her to cancel the event.

Despite these restrictions, Akpoti-Uduaghan remained defiant, assuring her supporters that she had every right to visit her hometown.

“Nobody and nothing can stop me from coming home. I’m an Ebira woman; this is my land. I’m the daughter of the late Jimoh Abdul Akpoti. I know my roots; I’m not a bastard, and I’m not afraid of anybody,” she declared.

Ahead of her return, the senator had alleged that any security breach during the homecoming should be blamed on Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and former Governor Yahaya Bello.

Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, representing Ebonyi North, has accused former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, of disrespecting him as a red cap chief after she allegedly told him to “shut up” during a Senate hearing.

The confrontation occurred at the hearing on the sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, raised by the suspended Kogi Central lawmaker, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Nwaebonyi claimed that Ezekwesili not only told him to shut up but also called him a hooligan.

A video of the incident captured Nwaebonyi responding by stating that Ezekwesili was “an insult to womanhood.”

During an interview on AIT’s Kakaaki programme on Monday, Nwaebonyi expressed his displeasure and vowed to report Ezekwesili to traditional leaders in Igbo land.

He said, “As a person, I can’t talk to my wife like that in public. I can’t talk to my driver like that in public. I can’t talk to any woman like that, I have never done that in my life. I respect women.

“I am one of the people that has been championing the rights and privileges of women.

“As a legal practitioner, I won so many cases for women that were denied their rights of inheriting their father’s properties because their father had no male child.

“I won so many cases pro bono. The facts are there. If you go to Ebonyi, you would see them.

“I am one of the leaders from the south-east that has a programme for building houses for widows, sponsoring their children in school. I have over 300 of them. All these are to show the respect, and regard, and love I have for women.

“But, for a woman to get up in public, and tell me to shut up my mouth and call me a hooligan, a red cap chief in Igboland that has made his mark…

“I have made my contribution. I stood for election, I had the votes of over 500 people to be in the Senate.

“And for somebody who has never won a ward councillorship election to come to my office and tell me to shut up my mouth and call me a hooligan… this is unacceptable.

“I am going to take her up within the Igbo traditional leadership because it has never happened.”

Former Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, George Nwaeke, has accused the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara of overseeing an unprecedented theft of public funds.

However, his kinsmen from Omuma Local Council have distanced themselves from his allegations, calling them an attempt to destabilize the state.

In a press briefing over the weekend, Nwaeke, who recently resigned as Head of Service, stated that he would provide evidence to security agencies when required.

“I cannot also give all my evidence to the media; some are sensitive. I will give details to the proper authorities when required of me,” he said.

“The level of stealing of public funds and assets witnessed in the last two years is mind-boggling. I have never experienced it in the history of the state, as we also had the highest allocation ever within this period.”

During an earlier briefing in Abuja, Nwaeke alleged that Fubara instructed his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, to burn down the Rivers House of Assembly.

Reacting to the allegations, Fubara dismissed them, stating that Nwaeke had been “compromised” and was being “coerced” into making false claims against him.

Speaking with journalists on Friday evening, Nwaeke’s wife, Florence, said she had lost communication with her husband after he granted an interview about the Rivers political crisis.

She alleged that he had been kidnapped and that his interview was given under duress.

Nwaeke, however, refuted claims that he was forced to make the allegations, stating, “Fubara did not address the allegation of plotting to bomb the Assembly Complex.”

He further added that his wife was not in a position to speak for him regarding state civil service matters.

Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of Omuma stakeholders, Maximus Nwafor dismissed Nwaeke’s allegations as false and unfounded, pledging loyalty to Governor Fubara.

“A sad day for the people of Omuma and Rivers in general as Dr George Nweke displays his true nature. It is with a heavy heart that we, as Omuma stakeholders, address you today in reaction to the actions of one of our sons.

“We are not all together astounded by Nweke’s recent propaganda against our dear governor, Fubara. We never imagined that it would take this dimension of peddling blatant falsehood against an innocent man who is his benefactor and who has prioritised the well-being of Omuma after eight horrific years of the last administration.”

The immediate past Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources alleged that Nwaeke had sought financial assistance from the governor and his Chief of Staff shortly after his resignation.

“We are in good authority that Nweke, who a few days ago had reached out to the Chief of Staff and governor for financial assistance, out of impatience, sought other means to get it, including blackmailing the governor and some top officials in the state.

“From his press briefing, it is obvious that he has been compromised to proclaim this level of falsehood. We state categorically that there is no element of truth in all Nweke said in his press briefing, as he was not a member of the local government inner caucus, much more being part of the state caucus.”

Picture from the scene, 

The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria (CSSLN) has strongly condemned the lynching of 16 northern travelers in Uromi, Edo State, describing the act as horrific and a serious violation of human rights.

In a statement released on Monday and signed by CSSLN Chairman and Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, the speakers denounced the mob violence, stressing that it undermines the rule of law and poses a threat to societal stability.

“The CSSLN strongly condemns the horrific lynching of 16 northern travelers who were, on transit, accused of possessing dane guns (local firearms),” Ogundoyin stated.

“These individuals were tragically killed by a mob in Uromi, Edo State, on Friday, March 28, 2025.

“The actions of the so-called Vigilante group members responsible are barbaric and unjustifiable.

“Such extrajudicial killings undermine the rule of law and contribute to the erosion of societal values.

“We commend the prompt response of the Edo State government and security agencies in addressing the situation, but we urge them to intensify efforts to ensure that those responsible for this heinous act are swiftly identified, arrested, and prosecuted in accordance with the law.”

The CSSLN also called for greater oversight of state-backed community policing efforts to prevent abuse of power.

“It is essential to ensure that these local security operatives operate with professionalism, respect for human rights, and in line with the rule of law. Effective oversight will safeguard the integrity of these initiatives and ensure they do not become instruments of injustice.”

Suspended Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that the ongoing political crisis in the state will ultimately strengthen the people rather than weaken them.

Speaking when he received Muslim leaders from 20 Islamic-based groups, including the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, at his private residence in Port Harcourt during an Eid-el-Fitr visit, Fubara acknowledged the distress caused by the current tensions but expressed faith in divine intervention.

“This season is one of love, sharing, and sacrifice. You have come to share in our pain and have made a great sacrifice through your prayers. As Christians, we believe that everything happens for a purpose, and I strongly believe that this situation is leading us toward a greater purpose,” he said.

Fubara also cautioned against falling into the trap of those trying to instigate violence, urging his supporters and the people of Rivers State to resist provocation.

“Their goal is to create problems and deny people their means of livelihood. We will not allow that. We will continue to operate peacefully and respect constituted authority to ensure that our state remains a model for others in Nigeria,” he stated.

Reaffirming his commitment to justice and equality, Fubara emphasized that his administration stands for fairness.

“We believe in egalitarianism, and if our beliefs bring us some pain, so be it. The most important thing is that we stand on the side of truth and righteousness,” he said.

While regretting his inability to formally reach out to the Muslim community during their celebrations, Fubara assured that the relationship between religious groups and the government would be strengthened once the current uncertainties are resolved.

He also promised to address their pending requests after the crisis subsides.

“If God could be patient with Noah to allow even the snail to enter the Ark, then patience remains an essential virtue in our struggle,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of the Muslim Ummah, Alhaji Nasir Awhelebe Uhor reaffirmed their support for Governor Fubara, assuring him of their prayers during this challenging period.

According to Uhor, the majority of Muslims in Rivers State stand with Fubara due to his inclusive leadership, which contrasts with the previous administration’s declaration of Rivers as a 100% Christian state.

Encouraging the governor to remain steadfast, Uhor emphasized that patience is rewarded in Islam and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider the emergency rule in Rivers State, restoring full authority to Governor Fubara.

He noted, “The Governor has been performing effectively despite the crisis, and we urge the federal government to ensure justice prevails.”