Politics
PDP Chieftain Scores FG Low On Nigerians’ Welfare … Hails Fubara Over CTC Appointment
Against the current hard ship and hunger being endured by Nigerians, a notable grassroots politician and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, Pastor Joe Opanwa, says All Progressives Congress (APC) administration at the federal level is confused about how to tackle Nigeria’s economic and political challenges, especially poverty and insecurity.
Speaking with newsmen in Port-Harcourt recently, Pastor Opanwa said that Nigeria’s economic and political situation need to be overhauled to bring the expected dividends of democracy to Nigerians.
He maintained that, “This current Nigerian government under the administration of President Bola Tinubu remains a retrogressive one.
“Most of what they claim as growth is but the harsh redistribution of wealth from the bottom to the top.The bottom gets squeezed while the top expands. They are serving us the salad of hardship, hunger, corruption, insecurity and deaths”.
Pastor Opanwa said that the APC-led Federal Government promised peace, economic stability, abundant food, creation of jobs for Nigerians and security of lives and property, but noted that under its’ unwatchful eye’, insecurity, hunger and injustice have grown and Boko Haram/herders onslaught, among other insurgencies has turned large tracts of Northern Nigeria into ‘ no man’s land ‘.
He said that in the face of the economic crunch bedeviling Nigeria currently, there is no need for President Tinubu to continue in 2027 as the country’s president.
Pastor Opanwa, a stalwart of the Simplified Movement in the LGA, who also aspires for the position of Chairman of Oyigbo LGA in the scheduled October 5, 2024 Local Government election, further said that, “As leaders in Nigeria, we intend to pursue dynamic, time- tested and bold policies and programmes that will liberate our people by making sure our wealth works for all of us.”
He stated that Nigerians had become increasingly divided as a people because the APC-led federal government continues to take faulty steps in addressing poverty, hardship, hunger, insecurity, injustice and deaths, adding that, “They have ignored the cause and gone after the symptoms.”
The Chairmanship hopeful of the PDP in the area, urged the Federal Government to apply consistent policies and programmes of targeted law enforcement operations along with active programmes of economic development, negotiations and potential amnesty to lead Nigerians out of the present dire condition.
“The Bola Tinubu government set up multidimensional development committees, but all to no avail. This is symtomatic of a confused leadership.
If there is security in this jumbled policies and programmes of Bola Tinubu’s government, neither we nor the majority of Nigerians can find it”, he said.
He described the fact that those who control the system manipulate elections and governance with such impunity that they now see misconduct without sanction as a normal thing to happen.
Meanwhile, Pastor Joe Opanwa, has commended Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara over the appointment of Engr. Gogo Philip as Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Oyigbo Local Government Area.
He described the appointment as remarkable and a call to service of Oyigbo people for them to benefit from the dividends of democracy that had eluded them previously due to bad leadership in the area.
Pastor Opanwa, however, urged Engr. Philip and his team to operate an open door policy in governance, where quality contributions to the way forward of the LGA and its people can be made.
Bethel Toby
Alhaji Mohammed Kasim, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has won the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Philip Akpeni, the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced the results on Sunday morning.
Alhaji Kasim polled 22,165 votes to defeat Alhaji Yahaya Shehu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 17,788 votes.
Alhaji Biko Umar of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) scored 1, 687 to come in third place.
“I am the returning officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Gwagwalada chairmanship held on Feb. 21, 2026,” Akpeni said.
“That Mohammed Kasim of PDP, having certified the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
In the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Maikalangu, the APC candidate, was declared the winner of the chairmanship poll with 40,295 votes.
Andrew Abue, the Collation Officer for AMAC, said Hon. Maikalangu, who is the incumbent AMAC chairman, was returned elected having scored the highest number of votes cast.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) came second with 12,109 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 3,398 votes.
According to Abue, the total number of valid votes in the chairmanship poll was 62,861, while the total votes cast stood at 65,197.
He added that the number of registered voters in AMAC was 837,338, while the total number of accredited voters was 65,676.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mr. Joshua Ishaku of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Bwari Area Council Chairmanship election.
Announcing the result on Sunday in Bwari, the Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Mohammed Nurudeen, stated that Ishaku polled a total of 18,466 votes to emerge victorious in the February 21, 2026 poll.
“I am the Returning Officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Bwari chairmanship held on Feb. 21, 2026. That Joshua Ishaku, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Nurudeen said.
According to the results declared, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secured 4,254 votes, while the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) polled 3,515 votes to place second and third respectively.
The declaration adds to the series of results emerging from the 2026 FCT Area Council elections, as political parties assess their performance ahead of future contests.
INEC UPLOADS 2,602 OF 2,822 FCT CHAIRMANSHIP RESULTS ON IReV
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had uploaded 2,602 out of the 2,822 expected polling unit results from Saturday’s chairmanship elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as at 5:55am on Sunday, data retrieved from its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) showed.
According to The Tide source, the figure represents an overall upload rate of about 92.2 per cent across the six area councils of the territory.
A council-by-council breakdown indicates that Municipal Area Council recorded the highest number of submissions in absolute terms, with 1,309 of 1,401 polling unit results uploaded, representing 93.43 per cent.
In Gwagwalada Area Council, 330 of the expected 338 polling unit results had been uploaded, representing 97.63 per cent — the highest upload rate among the six councils.
In Bwari Area Council, INEC uploaded 463 of 485 polling unit results, translating to 95.46 per cent.
In Abaji Area Council, 129 of 135 polling unit results had been uploaded as at 5:55am, representing 95.56 per cent.
In Kwali Area Council, 164 of the expected 201 polling unit results were available on the portal, representing 81.59 per cent.
In Kuje Area Council, 207 of 262 polling unit results had been uploaded, representing 79.01 per cent — the lowest rate among the six councils as at the time of review.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa, and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, the group described the swift assent as a clear demonstration of political will to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We see the decision by President Bola Tinubu to sign the reworked 2022 Electoral Act into law within a few hours of its passage as a demonstration of political will to ensure an improved electoral process which the new law envisages,” the group said.
The TMSG expressed confidence that the development would enable the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to quickly align its operations with the new provisions in preparation for the 2027 polls.
The group noted that the provision for electronic transmission of results had been contentious but described its codification in the law as a significant step forward.
“So, for the first time, the country’s electoral law would be recognising the use of the Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the result viewing portal, IREV, which were just INEC guidelines in 2023,” it stated.
According to the TMSG, although the Act provides for electronic transmission of results from polling units to the IREV portal, it also makes room for manual transmission of Form EC8A result sheets as a backup in the event of technological failure.
“Unlike some Nigerians, we do not see anything wrong with the fallback plan but we agree with the President that no matter how beautiful a process is with improved technology, the onus lies on the people manning it to show good faith and ensure that the votes of the people really count at the end of the day,” the statement added.
The group highlighted other key provisions in the amended law, including the streamlining of party primaries to either consensus or direct primaries, early release of funds to INEC, reinforced measures against over-voting, and stiffer sanctions for electoral offences such as falsification of results.
It also pointed out that the mandatory notice period for elections has been reduced from 360 days to 300 days, giving INEC more flexibility in adjusting the timetable for the 2027 elections, especially where it may clash with Ramadan.
The TMSG further observed that the President’s decision to sign the bill days before the forthcoming Area Council Election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) underscores his desire for the law to take immediate effect.
“And by signing the amendment bill a few days before the Area Council Election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is obvious that the President is keen on ensuring that the 2026 Electoral Act takes immediate effect.
“Nigerians would also have an opportunity to see some of the key provisions of the new electoral law become operational, especially the electronic transmission of results,” it said.
The group expressed optimism that the current INEC leadership would leverage the new legal framework to deliver a more credible and widely acceptable electioneering process than in previous electoral cycles.
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