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Ijaw National Congress Condemns Tinubu’s State of Emergency in Rivers State
By Perez Bibaikefie – March 18, 2025
The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State, calling it a “hasty and partisan” move allegedly designed to favor Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
While reacting to questions raised by news men in Yenagoa, the President of INC, Prof. Benjamin Ogele Okaba accused the president of the FRN of ignoring wise counsel and implementing a premeditated plan. According to Okaba, the decision to declare a State of Emergency was triggered by the Ijaw people’s refusal to be provoked into violence during last weekend’s orchestrated thanksgiving on a Saturday and the hosting of Wike in Abalama.
Prof. Okaba stated that the alleged aim of the Abalama event was to incite violence and create justification for the declaration of emergency rule, which failed as ijaw youths heeded the wise council of their elders. He further questioned why President Tinubu had chosen to impose emergency rule in Rivers State while failing to do so in other crisis-ridden states like Plateau, Benue, Borno, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Ondo, where frequent violent attacks have led to the deaths of many civilians and military officers by faceless tribal militia and other criminal minded elements.
“We said it just yesterday in both print and TV media that the political wahala in Rivers State is beyond a battle between Wike and Fubara, but one orchestrated by a bigger political hand. Nigerians have now seen the last straw that may break the camel’s back,” Okaba asserted.
The INC leader also condemned what he described as the selective nature of the emergency rule, pointing out that while Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, the State House of Assembly members, and all appointees were removed, Wike—whom the INC describes as a key figure in the crisis and other federal appointee from Rivers State who support him—remains in office as FCT Minister and federal appointees. Where is justice in this equation?
“How do we explain that, Mr. President’s experimental State of Emergency sacked Governor Fubara and all his appointed persons but did not sack Wike, the major player in this matter, who has continually and boastfully promised mayhem, attacked Ijaw people, and incited violence?” Okaba questioned.
The Ijaw National Congress has called for an immediate Sack of Tinubu’s FCT minister and his cohorts, if the call for the reversal of the State of Emergency by well meaning Nigerians is ignored, warning that failure to do so will compel the Ijaw people to reassess “all the injustices meted upon them since the foundation of Nigeria” and take a firm stance in determining their future.
The Professor of Sociology warned that the safety and security of Governor Siminalayi Fubara must be a top priority following the military’s takeover of power in Rivers State under the declared state of emergency. With the armed forces now in control, concerns have risen over the potential risks to Fubara’s well-being. The INC wonders if a President Tinubu will guarantee the protection of Fubara and his family, insisting that any harm to him would raise serious questions about the intent behind this intervention. The world is watching, and this move increasingly appears to be a case of dictatorship disguised as civilian governance. The Ijaw people, both at home and in the diaspora, must unite and place the President on notice, making it clear that both the removal of and any threat to Fubara’s safety will not and can never be tolerated.
Meanwhile, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ekpo (Rtd.) has been appointed as the sole administrator of Rivers State following the removal of all elected officials. However, critics continue to ask why Wike, who has been at the centre of the crisis, remains unaffected by the presidential decision.
As the political situation in Rivers State continues to unfold, the Ijaw Nation is calling on Nigerians to stand in defence of democracy and the rights of the Ijaw people.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
By Admin
In a major shake-up of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, President Bola Tinubu has dismissed Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Mallam Mele Kyari and Board Chairman Chief Pius Akinyelure, along with all board members appointed in November 2023.
This development was announced early Wednesday in a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga. The statement revealed that a newly constituted 11-member board will now oversee the affairs of NNPC Limited, with Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari taking over as the Group CEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida assuming the role of Non-Executive Chairman.
Additionally, President Tinubu appointed Adedapo Segun, who replaced Umaru Isa Ajiya as the Chief Financial Officer last year, as a board member. The board also includes six non-executive directors representing Nigeria’s geopolitical zones: Bello Rabiu (North West), Yusuf Usman (North East), and Babs Omotowa, former Managing Director of Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), representing North Central. From the southern regions, Austin Avuru (South-South), David Ige (South-West), and Henry Obih (South-East) were also named as non-executive directors.
Further, Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, and Aminu Said Ahmed from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources will represent their respective ministries on the board.
The statement emphasized that “all the appointments are effective today, April 2.” It also outlined Tinubu’s rationale for the restructuring, citing Section 59, subsection 2 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021. According to Onanuga, the move is aimed at “enhancing operational efficiency, restoring investor confidence, boosting local content, driving economic growth, and advancing gas commercialisation and diversification.”
Furthermore, President Tinubu has tasked the newly appointed board with conducting a “strategic portfolio review of NNPC-operated and joint venture assets to ensure alignment with value maximisation objectives.”
Under Tinubu’s leadership, the federal government has been implementing major reforms in the oil sector to attract more investment. In 2023, NNPC recorded $17 billion in new investments, with the administration now aiming to increase that figure to $30 billion by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030.
The government also has ambitious targets for oil and gas production. The goal is to raise daily crude oil output to two million barrels by 2027 and three million barrels by 2030. Likewise, gas production is expected to reach 8 billion cubic feet per day by 2027 and expand further to 10 billion cubic feet daily by 2030.
Additionally, Tinubu has charged the new board with increasing NNPC’s crude oil refining capacity. “The new board is expected to elevate NNPC’s share of crude oil refining output to 200,000 barrels by 2027 and reach 500,000 by 2030,” the statement noted.
The newly appointed board chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, hails from Borno State. A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with a degree in civil engineering, Kida also holds a postgraduate diploma in petroleum engineering from the Institut Francaise du Petrol (IFP) in Paris.
His career in the oil and gas industry began at Elf Petroleum Nigeria before moving to Total Exploration and Production as a trainee engineer in 1985. He later rose to the position of Deputy Managing Director of Deep Water Services at Total Nigeria in 2015. Last year, he became an Independent Non-Executive Director at Pan Ocean-Newcross Group.
Beyond his contributions to the oil sector, Kida is well-known in the sports community as a former basketball player and the President of the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF).
Bashir Bayo Ojulari, the newly appointed NNPC Limited Group CEO, is from Kwara State. Before his appointment, he was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company. His recent efforts led a consortium of indigenous energy firms in the $2.4 billion acquisition of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC).
Ojulari is also a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with a degree in mechanical engineering. His career started at Elf Aquitaine, where he became the first Nigerian process engineer before transitioning to Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd in 1991. Over the years, he worked in various roles in Europe and the Middle East, excelling as a petroleum process and production engineer, strategic planner, field developer, and asset manager.
In 2015, Ojulari was appointed Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO). He also served as chairman and a board trustee member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE Nigerian Council) and is a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the former NNPC board members for their contributions, particularly in overseeing the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries. Their efforts led to the resumption of petroleum product production after years of inactivity. He wished them success in their future endeavors.
By Divine Perezide
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Dr. Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, a former senator from Kwara Central, as the new Chairman of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). The appointment, which took effect on March 11, 2025, is set for an initial term of four years.
The announcement was made by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on Sunday. Dr. Oloriegbe, a seasoned healthcare professional and policymaker, previously led the Senate Committee on Health between 2019 and 2023. He also chaired the Joint National Assembly Committee on Health, where he played a key role in shaping health policies.
Dr. Oloriegbe brings a strong academic background to his new role. He holds a Master’s degree in Coaching and Consultation from the University of Oxford and HEC Paris, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. His professional affiliations include membership in the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), and the International AIDS Society (IAS).
His appointment is expected to strengthen the NHIA’s leadership and enhance health insurance accessibility in Nigeria. This decision aligns with President Tinubu’s boader strategy of appointing experienced professionals to key positions in the health sector to drive meaningful reforms.
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Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa State bans the planned hosting of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike anywhere in Bayelsa State.
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