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Showing posts from June, 2025

FRESH DETAILS HAVE EMERGED ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LED TO THE RESIGNATION OF THE A.P C. CHAIRMAN, GANDUJE

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 By John Ollor Obe  Fresh Revelations Have Surfaced Regarding Resignation of Ganduje as National Chairman of the APC - sources link the move to behind-the-scenes political manoeuvrings involving President Bola Tinubu and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Kwankwaso-Tinubu Alliance and APC Strategy According to insider reports, Ganduje's decision to step down is tied to ongoing negotiations aimed at welcoming former Kano State Governor, Senator Kwankwaso, into the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections. The move is seen as part of President Tinubu’s broader plan to reposition the ruling party. Formal Resignation and Interim Leadership Ganduje’s resignation was officially announced on Friday. Ali Bukar Dalori, the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North) from Borno State, has been named the Acting National Chairman pending the election of a substantive successor. In a formal statement confirming the development, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, stated:  “In his le...

THE SELECTION OF ONEH-EH NCHIA FOLLOWS A CLEAR TRADITION - CHIEF ONURA OKEREKE

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW In the wake of the June 13, 2025 Court of Appeal judgment in Port Harcourt, which upheld the High Court ruling validating King Appolus Chu as the Oneh-eh Nchia X, questions have continued to emerge about the traditional processes that govern the selection of the head of the Nchia district in Eleme Kingdom. To shed light on the issue, Eleme Today spoke with Chief Dr. Onura Okereke, the Land Priest of Alesa Clan and Chairman of the Eleme Land Priests Association — a critical institution in the traditional leadership structure of Eleme. In this interview conducted by Nwafor Oji Awala, Chief Okereke gives his view on the judgment and outlines the traditional selection process for the Oneh-eh Nchia. Eleme Today: Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers? Chief Okereke: I am Chief Dr. Onura Okereke, the Land Priest of Alesa Clan. I also serve as the Chairman of the Eleme Land Priests Association. Eleme Today: What is your reaction to the recent Court of Appeal jud...

PEACE RETURNS TO RIVERS STATE AS GOVERNOR FUBARA, LAWMAKERS RECONCILE

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By John Ollor Obe. Peace Returns to Rivers State as Governor Fubara, Lawmakers Reconcile After months of intense political turmoil, Rivers State has finally turned a corner. Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, have reached a political truce, ending a prolonged crisis that threatened governance and stability in the state. The peace meeting, hailed as a breakthrough, marks the end of a bitter political standoff that had plunged the state into uncertainty. Tensions between the executive and legislative arms of government had raised fears of institutional collapse, prompting President Bola Tinubu to impose a six-month emergency measure to safeguard democratic governance. The resolution brings a wave of relief to residents of Rivers State and stakeholders across the nation, many of whom had expressed deep concern over the escalating conflict. With this reconciliation, the path is now clear for the restoration of de...

A RESPONSE TO SENATOR BARINADA MPIGI'S STATEMENT ON THE EAST-WEST ROAD

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From Nwafor Oji Awala of Eleme Local Government Area Dear Distinguished Senator Barinada Mpigi, I write to you with due respect to your person and your office as the Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works. I recently came across your press statement dated June 18, 2025, in which you assured the people of Ogoniland and users of the East-West Road of the Federal Government's unwavering commitment to the completion of all approved works, especially the stretch from Oil Mill Junction to Onne. I acknowledge your role, alongside that of other lawmakers from our zone, in previously drawing national attention to the deplorable state of this vital road and its failing bridge. That effort was commendable. However, Distinguished Senator, permit me to ask: what has changed? When the bridge was visibly crumbling and posed a grave threat to commuters and the economy, you raised your voice. Now that the Federal Government has only ...

LNG-Powered 'Kota Oasis' Makes Historic Docking at Onne Terminal, Marking West Africa’s First Green Containership Arrival

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By John Ollor Obe  Over the weekend, the Onne Multipurpose Terminal (OMT) in Rivers State welcomed the Kota Oasis, a Singapore-flagged containership powered by Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)—the first of its kind to dock in West Africa. In a statement released on Sunday, the terminal’s management highlighted the vessel’s arrival as a major advancement in eco-friendly maritime operations. Operated and owned by Pacific International Lines (PIL), the ship's docking marks a key step toward sustainable shipping practices in the region. “The arrival of Kota Oasis underscores OMT’s commitment to green port operations and reinforces its role as a leading hub for containerised trade in Nigeria,” the statement noted. Measuring 260 meters in length, the Kota Oasis has a gross registered tonnage of 78,501 and can carry up to 8,350 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), according to the terminal's announcement. The ship, which docked at OMT at 10:00 a.m., is equipped with dual-fuel systems that ...

STAKEHOLDERS REJECT APPEAL COURT RULING ON ONEH-EH NCHIA STOOL, DECLARE SUPPORT FOR OKPABI

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By Nwafor Oji Awala  Traditional stakeholders of Nchia District in Eleme Local Government Area convened on Friday at the royal court of Oneh-eh Nchia, Obarijima Palace in Ogale, to express firm opposition to the recent Appeal Court judgment that reaffirmed King Appolus Chu as the Oneh-eh Nchia X of Eleme Kingdom. The gathering, called by His Royal Highness, Emere Godwin Bebe Okpabi, drew together paramount rulers of the clans that make up Nchia, land priests, youth leaders, women chiefs, and other traditional figures. The meeting followed the June 13, 2025 decision of the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, which dismissed all six grounds of appeal filed by Emere Bebe Okpabi under case number CA/PH/370/2023. The court upheld the earlier ruling of the Rivers State High Court, validating King Appolus Chu’s position as the Oneh-eh Nchia and affirming that the process followed aligned with local customs. However, at the stakeholders’ meeting, discontent was widespread. Speaker after spea...

Justice Eludes Ogoni Without Truth: Pidomson Calls for Reckoning over 1994 Killings

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Justice Eludes Ogoni Without Truth: Pidomson Calls for Reckoning over 1994 Killings By John Ollor Obe A former Secretary to the Rivers State Government and respected academic, Dr. Gabriel Pidomson, has called for justice, truth, and reconciliation in Ogoniland, warning that genuine progress for the Ogoni people will remain out of reach unless the region confronts the legacy of the 1994 killings of four prominent Ogoni chiefs. In a statement that has stirred renewed attention to the unresolved tensions within the Ogoni crisis, Dr. Pidomson described the murder of Chiefs Edward Kobani, Albert Badey, Samuel Orage, and Theophilus Orage as a “grievous injustice” that must not be forgotten or excused. > “The blood of the Ogoni 4 cries out for justice,” Pidomson declared. “Until we openly condemn and acknowledge the wrongs done to these great men, true progress and healing will remain elusive.” The four chiefs, often referred to as the Ogoni 4, were murdered in May 1994 during internal str...