Headline

Attack on Senator Lee Maeba: Is Rivers Toying with Peace?

Published

3 years ago

December 10, 2022

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

There were times in the distant past, when Rivers State, popularly touted as the Treasure Base of the Nation, was referred to as the unofficial wild wild south, a misnomer of the late 60s appellation for the Western Region, infamously referred to then as the Wild Wild West. This is because of the unquantified amount of politically instigated violence that became the regions hallmark.

Followers of events, with special reference to political events, will attest to the fact that Rivers State had the notorious advantage of militancy, cultism and other vices that set the state on edge, making it a beehive of politically motivated violence, killings and attendant destruction of both national, state and individual infrastructures.

In the time past, Rivers, without an iota of doubt, was a theatre of blood bath from cultist attacks to sacking of communities by militants. This was before the incumbent governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, happened to the state. The coming of Governor of Wike, in the peak of violence, raised and rekindled hope, and made stakeholders and citizens to express wholesome expectations. It is on record that the governor did not fail, but lived up to expectation, cracking the security situation through dialogue, provision of amenities, and sometimes, outright display of fire power. He was applauded. He was cherished. It was like the mayhem known with the state has become a thing of the past.

A report by The Guardian in 2020 quoted SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based research firm, as saying, in one of their reports that there are more than 100 active gangs in the state, with their activities mostly localised in and around Okochiri, Port Harcourt, Ogba Egbema Ndoni Diobu and Emuoha.

The report maintained that data by the firm showed that 639 persons were killed in gang violence in the state between May 30, 2007, and May 26, 2020.

“These cult groups – such as Deewell, Deebam, Icelanders, Greenlanders, Gberesaako Boys, and the Outlaws – individually and collectively have constituted a menace to the inhabitants of the state, causing incalculable human and economic loss in the process.

“The activities of these criminal gangs has not just led to the movement of businesses outside the state leading to a rise in unemployment, but has also affected the property business in the state,” the report attested

The report traced the genesis of gang violence in Rivers to the creation of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity (SVC), also known as the Adventurers or the De Norsemen Club of Nigeria, at the University of Port Harcourt in 1984 by a former member of the Buccaneers Confraternity.

In 1991, Deebam was formed by a member of the Klansmen Konfraternity in Bukuma to serve as a “street wing” of the group. Klansmen Konfraternity was formed in 1983 at the University of Calabar. Deebam was also used to pressure oil companies to pay compensations to their host communities.

Over the years, the number of groups increased with many of them bankrolled by the political class. Apart from spiking rates of kidnap-for-ransom and mindless murder of rival gangs, Rivers’ street gangs are a part of the reasons elections in the state are always a bloodfest.

A 2015 commission of inquiry by former governor of the state Rotimi Amaechi said, on average, 19 persons were killed every month between November 2014 and April 2015. This was before Wike came board. Though the violence has not completely decimated, there are evidence of considerable reduction

But it is imperative to note that the state records the highest occurrence of “thuggery” on the day of the elections, according to a joint report by SBM and Open Society Initiative for West Africa. The prelude to the election day thuggery comes with electioneering as is being witnessed presently in Rivers State, making the general wonder if the militants are being resurrected.

However, not only did Wike dealt with the insecurity, but he tackled the infrastructural backwardness of the state that houses the prestigious Port Harcourt, otherwise known as Garden City. His abilities and administrative dexterity, especially in the provision of needed amenities and social infrastructures has made him a household name as well as a reference point among governors and those interested in administrative acumen. He has been nicknamed Mr. Project, and desirably so, turning Port Harcourt and adjoining cities into the beauty they are now.

But all these are gradually receding into oblivion as militancy seems to be returning to the state. In recent times, attacks have been witnessed in various parts of the state with unknown persons attacking opposition parties. The major victims this time around has been members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose loyalty rest with the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. And they are allegedly at loggerheads with members, whose loyalty are in the kitty of the state governor, Wike.

It is not established however, that the governor has any hand in the attacks, or can it be directly linked to the him, but it is not out of place to say that either his followers have not been reined in as skirmishes of attacks and violence continue to resonate in the state that has hitherto known peace with the coming of Wike or a free space has been inadvertently created for crime and militancy to strive again. Observers have also said that utterances of the governor have not made it easy for fingers not to be pointed to his direction.

It is in the light of the recent happenings in the state that same fingers are being pointed at certain quarters when the home of Senator Lee Maeba, who represented Rivers South-East senatorial district, was invaded and vandalised by people suspected to be government thugs. An eyewitness, who identified himself as Maeba’s brother, said the intruders, armed with dangerous weapons, struck in the early hours of yesterday, smashing windscreens of vehicles and destroying other valuables.

Reports say persons, numbering over 20, invaded his residence in Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Port Harcourt, destroying his personal properties, including cars. The assailants manhandled those found within the vicinity of the property and totally destroyed whatever that was within reach. However, Senator Maeba, who was absent at the time of the attack, escaped assassination as it was said that one of the hoodlums who beat up the senator’s brother, hinted that had the senator been at home, only one bullet would have settled the issue. A PDP press statement on Saturday however, alleged that the thugs, who carried out the attack were sent by the chairman, Obior Akpor Local Government

It is believed that the imbroglio between the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and the presidential candidate of his party, Atiku Abubakar on one hand, and the chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, on the other hand, is the reason for the renewed fracas in the state. Recall that since the presidential primary of the party held in Abuja, where Wike and other presidential aspirants lost the presidential ticket to Atiku, things have not been the same.

Meanwhile, Senator Maeba, who is believed to have been attacked because of his loyalty to the Atiku camp of the PDP, has declared that he will not withdraw his support for the presidential candidate and his bid to become Nigeria’s president come May 2023 .

Confirming the attack, Maeba said: “When they attacked, they were asking: ‘Where is he, one single bullet would have solved this problem. This programme you are using to disturb Wike here would have ended.’ My brother is injured and currently undergoing treatment. So his blood has been spilled for what reason?”

He added: “I am a PDP man, I must ensure the Presidential candidate wins election in my locality, in my state because that is my job. I am doing democracy here. I am not doing thuggery. I have no space for thuggery.

“They came to kill me but only God knows when I will die. And anybody, who planned this, has struck a rock and the result is coming.”

Condemnations have trailed the attack including a former aide to Wike, Mr. Oraye St Franklin, who said: “The attack on Lee Maeba’s residence in Port Harcourt despite its proximity to a police station, is shocking, to say the least, The attack is roundly condemned. Security agencies are called upon to unravel the incident and bring the perpetrators to book.”

In the same way, the Rivers State Government has distanced itself from the attack as the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Chris Finebone, in a statement, asked security agencies to fish out the attackers.

The attack on Maeba followed reports that the Rivers State government sealed off EUI Event Centre in Port Harcourt after loyalists of Atiku held meeting at the venue. But again, the state government claimed that the event centre failed to heed warnings by the government not to allow its activities obstruct traffic without requisite approval.

Finebone said: “The management of EUI Events Centre has refused to refrain from blocking an entire stretch of part of Sani Abacha link Road without government approval. The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Austen Ben Chioma, also confirmed obstruction of traffic as reason for the action.

Stakeholders, however, are of the opinion that the state government are not sympathetic to opposition parties or anyone camping for the presidency of Atiku, and so has decided to frustrate every effort put in place to project the presidential bid of the candidate.

Trouble started in the state after Atiku’s emergence as PDP presidential candidate, and Wike’s demand for the resignation of the party chairman, Ayu, claiming that two persons from the same region cannot be both the candidate and the chairman. All entreaties made to Wike to see reason from the party’s perspective have failed, leading to war of words between the two camps of the party. Wike has successfully recruited four other governors to his side as well as some former governors. The serving governors are Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State. Some of the past governors include Ayo Fayose, Donald Duke and Segun Mimiko. Also in the Wike camp are former party deputy chairman, Olabode George, present deputy chairman (south south) and a host of others.

Claiming that Rivers State will vote according to his dictates, Wike has it clear that Atiku will not enjoy the pleasure of Rivers votes, nor will the state campaign for him, saying:

“The presidential candidate entered Rivers and picked those he wanted to pick without the contribution of the governor. So, they don’t need me to campaign for them, they don’t need Rivers people to campaign for them. Will you force yourself on them?

“I have never seen how people will disrespect a state like Rivers and go choose enemies of the state without contribution from us. So, let’s campaign for those who have told us to campaign for them here in the state, the governorship candidate, the senatorial candidates, and others.

“Politics is a game of interest. If nobody accommodates the interest of Rivers State, then we have nothing to do with such people. If you say that you have no interest in Rivers, Rivers will not have your interest. It is only those who like us we will like.

“I have told people who care that Rivers has voted PDP since 1999. Of this support we have given since 1999 till now, can you mention one thing that we have gotten? Can you mention one road we have gotten? All they care about is to use Rivers to bring votes, after bringing votes, you push us aside. That will not happen again.”

But a good number of Rivers political heavyweights are not buying Wike’s story as they have continually pledged allegiance to Atiku. Some of them are a former governor of the state, who has now been stripped of his former governor title, Celestine Omehia; immediate past PDP chairman, Uche Secondus, former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara, Senator Lee Maeba, whose land had been revoked because of political link, and who is the chairman of the Atiku Presidential campaign council in Rivers State, and George Sekibo, who has been a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria since 2007 among others.

While the Peace Committee of Abdulsalam Abubakar and Babagana Munguno’s NSA battle to keep the peace in the country as the election draws dangerously close, it behooves governors in whose states oppositions are stifled to reciprocate, and consider national interest before anything else.

Rivers, with all the positives vibes Wike has created therein in the last couple of years, does not deserve to be classified as wild wild south. The governor should think again!

Headline

Tinubu, Victim of Historical Amnesia – Atiku

Published

1 day ago

April 19, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

True to political permutations, the National Convention of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) amid Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) derecognition and leadership litigation, set a chain reaction in the political space, including a former Vice President and one of the leaders of the ADC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, berating President Bola Tinubu as lacking a good knowledge of history.

Against all odds, the party went ahead on April 14, to host a Convention, where over 3000 delegates attended, and where the leadership of Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Chairman and National Secretary respectively were ratified.

Since the April 14 event, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted in a manner political stakeholders and analysts categorized as panicky with statements from the presidency, and President Bola Tinubu himself. Though these responses were tagged correctional of ill-made utterances by ADC chieftains, observers have however said they portray comments by a team faced with an ultimately new challenge.

At the convention, the secretary of the ADC, Aregbesola, had dismissed Tinubu’s administration and his renewed hope policy as a scam. He lambasted the administration as a government of “scammers”, urging Nigerians to block it from retaining power in 2027.

“If allowed, this regime will continue to chant renewed hope till eternity. We have a duty to stop these scammers from retaining power,” Aregbesola said.

The former vice president followed up the convention statements, accusing Tinubu’s presidency of attempting to subvert democratic principles and silence opposition voices ahead of the 2027 elections, a position that further set the ruling party on edge, eliciting tons of reactions.

Beyond Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga’s criticism of Aregbesola for failing to reflect on his own record before attacking his “former boss and benefactor”, Tinubu himself made remarks against the person’s of the leaders of the ADC and their convention, calling it ‘street convention’.

“Unfortunately, Aregbesola did not undertake any honest self-reflection on his own record in public office — as governor or as Minister of Interior,” Onanuga stated in his statement.

He alleged that Aregbesola’s tenure as governor of Osun State was marked by hardship and poor economic management.

“His eight years as governor of Osun State were characterised by unmitigated hardship for the people. Under his half-baked socialist policies, civil servants went unpaid for months, and those who were paid received only a fraction of their salaries,” Onanuga said.

Tinubu, on his part, while hosting the Hope Renewal Ambassadors, took a swipe at some opposition figures, especially Atiku, ridiculing and questioning their records for criticising his administration, and saying that many of them have held strategic positions in the past without delivering lasting results.

He boldly retorted that “If you look at one of them, no one without history among them – no one without history. The head was the chairman of the privatisation council of Nigeria in this country one time.

“He privatised the steel industry in Delta. Is it working today? No. Is anything they privatised working today? They want to privatise another man’s political party. That one says no.”

Responding therefore, the former Vice President launched a fierce counterattack on Tinubu, accusing him of hypocrisy, historical distortion, and political desperation.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the President’s remarks as a “reckless tirade” that reflects “a troubling pattern of hypocrisy and historical amnesia.”

The statement began with “Atiku Abubakar’s attention has been drawn to the latest reckless tirade by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu—a performance that exposes not just desperation, but a troubling pattern of hypocrisy and historical amnesia.”

Atiku expressed surprise that a leader facing persistent scrutiny over his own credentials would attempt to discredit others with what he described as well-documented records of public service.

On the issue of privatisation, Atiku’s camp argued that Tinubu’s criticism does not stand up to scrutiny, noting that the President had previously opposed reforms he now appears to be implementing.

The statement maintained that Atiku had long advocated the privatisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the sale of refineries to credible private investors—a position it claimed Tinubu resisted at the time.

It, however, alleged that the current administration is now overseeing a system that has effectively commercialised the national oil company “without transparency, clear valuation, or accountability.”

“This is not reform; it is privatisation without accountability,” the statement said.

Defending Atiku’s economic legacy, the statement cited several companies as examples of the success of the privatisation programme he supervised, including Oando Plc (formerly Unipetrol), Conoil Plc, African Petroleum (now Ardova Plc), Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals, Benue Cement Company, and Transcorp Hilton Abuja.

The statement also took a swipe at the President’s intellectual posture, suggesting that his comments reflect a failure to engage with documented history on Nigeria’s economic reforms.

“It is not our fault that the President does not and cannot read,” the statement said, while also referencing past controversies surrounding Tinubu’s academic records.

It added that Tinubu’s remarks could only have been made in disregard of publicly available records and credible accounts of the privatisation process.

“You cannot oppose reform when it demands courage and then execute a shadow version of it in power,” the statement added.

Atiku’s camp further criticised the tone of the President’s remarks, arguing that resorting to mockery reflects a deeper leadership concern.

“The President’s attempt to reduce a serious economic legacy to ridicule underscores a leadership more comfortable with insults than with facts,” it stated.

The statement also highlighted the current economic situation in the country, pointing to rising cost of living, inflation, and insecurity as evidence of policy failure.

“Across the country, families are skipping meals, businesses are shutting down, and citizens are struggling under the weight of inflation and declining purchasing power. What has been presented as reform has translated into hardship without relief,” it said.

The statement concluded by asserting that Atiku’s record remains “clear, documented, and defensible,” while noting that unresolved public concerns about the President’s background persist.

“A leader who has not fully addressed questions about his own background should exercise restraint before casting aspersions on others,” it added.

The statement ended with a cautionary note: “Nigerians are watching.”

While the ADC is fighting for their life, and an opportunity to feature on the ballot during the 2027 general elections, and APC solidifying their grip on the political space, the atmosphere still exudes evidence of palpable tension. The APC maintains that they are on homerun to victory, ADC counters that nothing will save the ruling party from being defeated in the coming elections.

But as it stands today, both parties are locked in battle of wits recreating the tension and bad blood that was the hallmark of the 2015, and to a large extent, the 2023 elections.

But on April 22, the Supreme Court will rule on the leadership of the ADC; this will set the motion to the credibility of the ADC to participate in the 2027 election.

But fears pervade the political terrain as Tinubu made veiled reference to the judiciary while mocking Atiku and other leaders of the ADC.

“We cannot submit to the disobedience of unlawful orders in court. We must embrace the judiciary, whether it favours us or it doesn’t, we submit to this principle of democracy, separation of powers and understanding of the dynamics of it and the nation that Nigeria is,” Tinubu had said, insinuating that the ADC had gone against the judiciary.

The coming week will determine in totality the direction the 2027 situation will take.

Headline

Supreme Court Fixes April 22 for Hearing in ADC Leadership Crisis

Published

6 days ago

April 14, 2026

Eric

The Supreme Court has scheduled hearing for April 22 in the appeal filed by the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, in relation to the leadership dispute in the party.

Mark’s appeal is against the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which dismissed his appeal against the September 4, 2025 ruling by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja refusing to grant some injunctive reliefs contained in an ex-parte application filed by a chieftain of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe.

A five-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Mohammed Garba chose the date on Tuesday after granting accelerated hearing in the appeal marked: SC/CV/180/2026.

The court ordered Mark’s lawyer, Jibril Okutepa (SAN) to file the appellant’s brief and serve on Wednesday.

It ordered the respondents to each file and serve on the appellant, a respondent’s brief within three days of being served with the appellant’s brief.

The appellant, according to the court, is to file a reply brief, if needs be, within one day of being served with the respondents’ briefs.

Headline

Amid Denials, ADC Reportedly Secures Rainbow Event Centre As Venue for National Convention

Published

7 days ago

April 13, 2026

Eric

Baring any last minute change, the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as National chairman and National Secretary respectively will hold the party’s National convention at the National Rainbow Event Centre in Garki on Tuesday, 14 April 2026.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has being denied two venues without any cogent reasons despite early arrangements, according to sources.

First, it was alleged that the Abuja Transcorp Hilton Hotels, which was initially approached, turned down the ADC request to use it’s facility.

The ADC, having sensed sabotage, has kept the Rainbow Event Center under rap as it’s definite venue.

The last National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party was held at the same venue.

Located adjacent the Nigerian Police Force Headquarters, the event centre will host the second NEC meeting of the ADC and it’s forthcoming national convention.

According to The Guardian’ report, the ADC leadership has communicated the venue to state chapters with the caveat not to escalate it.

The ADC is in a battle of survival against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and has approached the Supreme Court for intervention.

The INEC national chairman Prof Joash Amupitan has suspended recognition of the David Mark-led ADC rendering a leadership vacuum in the party.

INEC said it’s decision was on the basis of an Appeal Court pronouncement that ordered statusquo ante-bellum be maintained.

Reports say that why the venue is being quietly decorated moderately for the event, the ADC intends to fully move in the early hours of Tuesday.

The Guardian