News
Rivers Crisis: Judicial Commission Of Inquiry Invites Warring Parties …Moves To Publish Memos
The Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Rivers State Government to look into the crisis in the state assembly has invited all the parties involved to appear before it.
The invitation has also been extended to non-assembly members.
The Chairman of the commission, Justice Biobele Georgewill, said in Port Harcourt yesterday that the body would uphold justice and ensure that peace returned to the state through the evidence of every party that was involved in the crisis.
Georgewill also urged those without memoranda to appear before the commission to make presentations.
He assured all those without memoranda that the adviser to the commission would guide and direct them in their presentations.
The judge said that the commission was prepared to take all necessary steps to ensure that all parties in the crisis were given equal opportunity of fair hearing.
“Therefore, from Tuesday, there will be no adjournment, we want to sit daily and round up the proceedings of this commission.
“We are taking all the steps we can to ensure that everybody is given opportunity to be heard.
“The law requires us to do that and nothing more than that, so we plead and we still say any person affected by that crisis needs not be a member of the House of Assembly.
“Anybody at all that was affected by that crisis, come before us, even if you do not have a memo, come we have a counsel, who is also a commissioner in this commission and our duty is to ensure that every fact that needs to be placed before us is placed before us,“ Georgewill said.
He said that by getting to the root of the matter, lasting peace would be achieved in the state.
Meanwhile, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the crisis that led to the fracas on the floor on the Rivers State House of Assembly on July 9 and 10, 2013, has directed that all memoranda so far received by the commission should be published in a local newspaper circulating within the state.
Chairman of the commission, Justice Biobele A. Georgewill, gave the directive during the sitting of the commission, yesterday, at the new High Court Complex in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Justice Georgewill said that the commission resolved to publish the memoranda in the newspaper at great cost to ensure that all persons and organisations mentioned as having played any role in the crisis in the memoranda so far submitted were given fair hearing.
According to him, this is one of the twin pillars of the fundamental concept of fair hearing under the laws of the country.
Georgewill said that “the commission has taken this step to ensure due notice of the allegations made against some named persons and organisations through the publication in a newspaper”, adding that those whose names or organisation were mentioned in the memoranda would seize the opportunity to respond through the commission’s secretariat at the High Court 11 on or before 12noon, Tuesday, August 20, 2013.
He said that hearing of the evidence of those who have submitted memoranda to the commission would continue on a day-to-day basis until the public sittings are concluded, and re-affirmed the commission’s resolve to be fair to all the parties in the matter.
Georgewill said, “following the refusal by some persons and organisations mentioned in the memos so far submitted by some affected persons to the commission of inquiry, and forwarded to them by hand and through both NIPOST, EMS and Courier Services, which copies were returned to the Secretary of the Judicial Commission, the Judicial Commission, has directed the publication of the entire memos so far submitted to the Judicial Commission together with a hearing notice in a special edition of one of the local newspapers circulating within Rivers State, particularly the Port Harcourt metropolis.”
The commission later adjourned sitting to Tuesday, August 20, 2013.
News
Tinubu Appoints Four Nominees Into NCDMB Governing Council

President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
News
NDDC To Construct Hostels, Roads In UNIPORT – Ogbuku

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
News
Senate Rejects Motion To Rename INEC Headquarters After Humphrey Nwosu

The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.