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No Level Of Sabotage Can Make Me Surrender Our Mandate -Fubara …Promises To Prioritise Development In Education, Entrepreneurship, Agriculture …Asks For Sustainable Peace Across The State
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has asserted that no level of sabotage staged in some quarters will make him abandon the mandate given to him to serve, protect and advance the fortunes of the State.
Speaking while declaring open the 115th and 116th combined Quarterly General Meeting of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers in Port Harcourt yesterday, Governor Fubara reaffirmed his commitment to serve with humility, sincerity of purpose and accountability.
”Although these are trying times, let us not forget that Rivers State is our collective inheritance, presently under my watch, to protect, defend and advance it as the Governor.
”I assure you that I will not fail in this responsibility nor will I surrender our mandate and progress to intimidation, blackmail and deliberate sabotage. I reaffirm my earlier statement and recommit myself to the path of peace as there is nothing to gain in a state of needless crisis.”
Governor Fubara said drastic measures will be taken to strengthen education, healthcare and other social services across the State, so that no part, including the rural areas, will be left behind.
In advancing these human capital development efforts, the governor said the 2024 budget of the state will prioritise and provide sufficient funding to create universal access to affordable and quality education and healthcare services in Rivers State.
”We will also take deliberate steps to unlock the entrepreneurial spirit among our teeming unemployed youths through viable initiatives on skills development, entrepreneurship training and targeted investments in commercial agriculture.”
Sir Fubara urged traditional rulers to be upright and royal fathers of integrity who do not compromise their neutrality.
He also enjoined them to be courageous to speak truth to power so that they do not lose their moral authority and legitimacy before their people.
”We must all be worried about the plight of our youths, especially those in rural communities, most of whom are poor, neglected and almost forgotten in the government’s development plans, policies, and actions.
”As we all know, no human society can progress without peace and security. I will therefore urge you to continue to work tirelessly for the preservation of peace and security to attract sustainable development to your communities.”
The governor also harped on the need for everybody to have faith in the renewed hope agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration at the federal level, asserting that President Tinubu has shown determination to pull the nation out of the prevailing economic nightmare and usher in a new era of sustainable economic progress, which is very reassuring.
In his address, the Chairman of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, Ohna Sergeant Chidi Awuse declared the firm support of the council to the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara who was elected as the best and trusted to lead the State.
Ohna Awuse urged troublemakers who are fanning the ember of discord to cease the acts and allow the governor to concentrate and do the work he was elected to do.
Also speaking, Rivers State Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Charles Amadi said his ministry has continued to maintain a harmonious relationship with the council and will continue to collaborate with them to ease the discharge of their duties in their roles as royal fathers in peace-building efforts in their domains.
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Pa Edwin Clark Propagated National Unity, Says Fubara …Leads Rivers Leaders On Condolence Visit
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that late Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark was a quintessential leader who remained fearless, speaking against acts of injustice, leadership recklessness and marginalization while also propagating national unity.
Governor Fubara made the assertion when he led a delegation of prominent elders, traditional and political leaders of Rivers State to pay a condolence visit to the Clark-Fuludu Bekederemo family residence in Abuja, yesterday.
Chief Edwin Clark died on the 17th of February, 2025, at 97 years.
Governor Fubara stated that late Chief Edwin Clark was not just a South-South leader of repute but truly occupied strategic place in national history for his role in nation-building and pursuit for social justice.
The Rivers State Governor said: “Papa lived very long, 90 plus years is not a joke with full energy, still contributing positively. So, I join the family to say it pleased God at this time for him to leave us. And while he is not here with us, we cherish the wonderful work he did.”
Governor Fubara also said: “I am happy to be associated with such character. He was a father with character of integrity, uprightness; character that is not greedy, self-serving. He was ready to sacrifice everything.
“I want to assure the family, Clark was a father to me. In my most trying time, he stood by me. He spoke truth to power. He wasn’t scared, and I appreciate the role he played and the impact he made.”
Governor Fubara pointed to the reputable leaders of Rivers State that he had led on the large delegation to identify with the bereaved family, saying they were people who had stood, followed, and delivered on their responsibilities at different times to keep the State safer, progressive and united.
Governor Fubara stated: “We came here to tell you that Rivers State feels this pain. we are going to support to make sure that we follow the decision of the family to make sure that we give him a befitting burial.
“We have to immortalize his name. That is the truth. It is not about the South-South. It is all about his contributions to nation-building.”
Governor Fubara advised the bereaved family to stay united to honour their late father whose legacy they must protect, and urged them to be different from some families that recline to scrambling over assets, which is possible, if they stand together to resist such tendencies.
He said, “Be more united now than ever. That is the only way we his children at the other side, will come to support you to make sure that he is given a befitting burial.”
While welcoming Governor Fubara and his entourage, son of late Chief Edwin Clark, Ebikeme Clark, expressed gratitude of the children to the Governor, members of the delegation and the entire State for the support and visit.
He said the family was well aware of the impact of the life of their late father on a lot of people, not only in Delta State where he hailed from but in South-South, Niger Delta, the whole nation and beyond.
He said, “The support Nigerians have showed him over the years is overwhelming. We, his children, appreciate everything you have done. I just want to say thank you, and God will bless you all.”
The Rivers State caucus in the House of Representatives has insisted that Martin Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, have lost their seats, due to their defection to the All Progressives Congress.
The Leader of the House of Representatives caucus from the State and member representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, stated this when he led a delegation on a solidarity visit to the State Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo, in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Expressing their support for the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, the federal lawmakers expressed dismay over the recent visit of some members of the National Assembly to the pro-Wike Speaker (Amaewhule).
Other lawmakers during the visit were the member representing Akuku-Toru/Asari-Toru Federal Constituency, Boma Goodhead; the member representing Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency, Boniface Emerengwa; the member representing Okrika/Ogu-Bolo Federal Constituency, Anderson Allison Igbiks, and the member representing Port Harcourt Federal Constituency 1, Manuchim Umezurike.
Recall that Amaewhule and 26 lawmakers loyal to Wike defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on December 11, 2023, erupting in political crisis that sharply divided the state into Fubara and Wike factions.
Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers, however, denied defecting to the opposition party when faced with the reality of forfeiting their seats.
In the court proceedings to counter their defection, Amaewhule and his 26 allies denied defecting to the APC, saying they remained in the PDP.
But the Rivers State caucus in the House of Representatives, on Monday, said Amaewhule and his colleagues should be ashamed of themselves for denying that they never defected, describing their action as unfortunate.
Barely a fortnight ago, a similar caucus in the Senate, led by Barinada Mpigi, had paid a solidarity visit to Amaewhule in Port Harcourt, whereby he called on Fubara to obey extant court judgments.
Abiante chided the Mpigi-led delegation for “willfully distorting the facts about the Justice James Omotosho judgment.”
He said the judge did not touch on the status of Amaewhule and the other lawmakers who he described as a “committee of friends and former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”
The federal lawmaker said, “Martin Amaewhule and 26 others had lost their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly, following their voluntary defection/cross-carpeting which happened on the floor of the House of Assembly in the full glare of the public on 11th December 2023.”
Referring to related cases at the Supreme Court, he noted that the proper and only interpretation to be given to the provisions of Section 109(1)(g) and Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution of the 1999 Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended is that “an elected lawmaker in Nigeria who, after an election on the platform of a particular political party, defects to another political party, automatically loses his seat in the affected legislative House from the date of his or her defection”
He said the pronouncements of the Supreme Court in the cases, having not been set aside nor overruled in any subsequent judgment of the Supreme Court, remained the law to date on issues of the defection of a member of a legislative House in the country.
Abiante said the legal effect of the provisions and the Supreme Court judgments was that “as of 11th December, 2023 when Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule read out the letters of defection of himself and 26 others on the floor of the state House of Assembly, they lost their seats and automatically and mandatorily became former members of the House.”
He said the only legal implication was that Amaewhule and the 26 others remained former members of the state House of Assembly, and accordingly were no longer entitled to parade themselves as members or to partake in any business or affair of the House.
On whether the state Assembly, as presently constituted, can carry out actual legislative functions, Abiante referenced Justice Walter Onnoghen’s judgment on Plateau State, wherein he ruled that “there is no doubt that there existed in the Plateau State House of Assembly 14 vacant seats as a result of “It is my view that until the vacancies created by the carpet crossing members are filled by the process of by-election, the Plateau State House of Assembly can only transact such legislative duties that require the participation of less than 2/3 majority of all the members of that House, which duties definitely excludes impeachment proceedings.”
In response, Rt. Hon. Oko-Jumbo lauded the caucus for the solidarity visit and promised that the House would continue to make laws for the betterment of the Rivers people.
“Thank you for standing in solidarity with the Rivers State House of Assembly. Your visit has rekindled hope in us.
“The former 27 lawmakers are gone. We have too much at stake to abandon the ship.
“The governor is too focused on delivering good governance to the people. We will continue to stand for what is right and our duties are to make laws for the betterment of our people. That is our focus,” he said.
Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 3.84 per cent in real terms in the fourth quarter of 2024, reflecting an improvement from the 3.46 per cent recorded in the same period of 2023.
This also marked a slight increase from the previous quarter, which recorded an identical 3.46 per cent growth rate.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) stated this in its latest GDP data released yesterday.
The Bureau attributed the expansion to stronger performance in the services sector, which recorded a 5.37 per cent growth rate and accounted for 57.38 per cent of the country’s total GDP.
The report read, “Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 3.84 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms in the fourth quarter of 2024.
“This growth rate is higher than the 3.46 per cent recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023 and the third quarter of 2024 growth rate (approximately 3.46 per cent).
“The performance of the GDP in the fourth quarter of 2024 was driven mainly by the Services sector, which recorded a growth of 5.37 per cent and contributed 57.38 per cent to the aggregate GDP.”
The Tide further gathered that the figures released for the GDP are not based on the rebased methodology.
Despite the overall economic growth, the agriculture sector recorded a slower expansion of 1.76 per cent, down from 2.10 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2023.
The industry sector also experienced a downturn, growing by 2.00 per cent, lower than the 3.86 per cent posted in the previous year.
In nominal terms, aggregate GDP for the fourth quarter of 2024 stood at N78.37tn, marking an 18.91 per cent increase from N65.91tn recorded in the same quarter of 2023.
For the full year 2024, Nigeria’s economy grew by 3.40 per cent, an improvement from the 2.74 per cent recorded in 2023, driven mainly by the non-oil sector.
The oil sector’s contribution to GDP declined slightly, accounting for 4.60 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 4.70 per cent in the same period of 2023 and 5.57 per cent in the previous quarter.
Nigeria’s average daily crude oil production stood at 1.54 million barrels per day, a slight drop from 1.56mbpd recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023 but an improvement from 1.47mbpd in the third quarter of 2024.
The sector recorded a real GDP growth rate of 1.48 per cent, significantly lower than the 12.11 per cent recorded in Q4 2023 and the 5.17 per cent posted in Q3 2024.
However, on an annual basis, the oil sector reported a positive growth rate of 5.54 per cent, contrasting with the -2.22 per cent contraction recorded in 2023.
The non-oil sector, which continues to be the major driver of economic growth, expanded by 3.96 per cent in Q4 2024, outperforming the 3.07 per cent recorded in the same quarter of 2023 and the 3.37 per cent growth seen in the previous quarter.
The non-oil sector contributed 95.40 per cent to GDP, slightly above the 95.30 per cent reported in Q4 2023.
Key industries responsible for this growth include financial and insurance services, information and communication (notably telecommunications), agriculture (particularly crop production), trade, transportation and storage (especially road transport), and manufacturing.
The mining and quarrying sector, which includes crude petroleum, natural gas, and solid minerals, recorded a real GDP growth of 2.23 per cent, significantly lower than the 8.04 per cent recorded in Q4 2023.
Its contribution to GDP stood at 4.84 per cent, slightly down from 4.91 per cent in the same quarter of the previous year.
The agriculture sector, which remains critical for food security and employment, saw its real GDP growth slow to 1.76 per cent, compared to 2.10 per cent in Q4 2023.
Crop production remained dominant, accounting for 90.70 per cent of the sector’s contribution to GDP.
The manufacturing sector recorded a real GDP growth rate of 1.79 per cent in Q4 2024, up from 1.38 per cent in the previous quarter.
However, its share of GDP fell to 8.07 per cent, from 8.23 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2023.
The construction sector grew by 2.95 per cent, slightly lower than the 3.70 per cent recorded in Q4 2023, contributing 3.44 per cent to GDP, compared to 3.47 per cent in the previous year.
The trade sector recorded a real GDP growth of 1.19 per cent, down from 1.40 per cent in Q4 2023 but an improvement from the 0.65 per cent posted in Q3 2024.
Trade accounted for 15.11 per cent of total economic output in the quarter.
The financial and insurance sector was a standout performer, recording a real GDP growth rate of 27.78 per cent in Q4 2024, slightly lower than the 29.77 per cent seen in the preceding quarter.
Its contribution to GDP increased to 6.10 per cent, from 4.95 per cent in Q4 2023.
The information and communication sector, largely driven by telecommunications, maintained its strong performance with real GDP growth of 5.90 per cent, slightly below the 6.32 per cent recorded in Q4 2023.
The sector accounted for 17.00 per cent of total GDP, up from 16.66 per cent in the previous year.
The transportation and storage sector saw a major turnaround, growing by 18.61 per cent in Q4 2024, in contrast to the -29.00 per cent contraction recorded in Q4 2023. Its share of GDP stood at 1.26 per cent.
Meanwhile, the electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply sector contracted by -5.04 per cent in real terms, a sharp decline from the 6.17 per cent growth recorded in Q4 2023. The sector’s contribution to GDP remained at a modest 0.49 per cent.