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Rivers: APC Governorship Candidate Denies Withdrawing Petition From Tribunal
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has denied media reports that he has withdrawn his petition from the State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
Cole is challenging the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Siminalaye Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state.
In a short video clip posted on social media on Monday night, the APC governorship candidate assured his supporters and party members in the state that the petition remained “sure and steadfast”.
Pledging to pursue the matter to a victorious conclusion, Cole said he was working tirelessly to ensure that his voice and those of his supporters were heard.
He stated that despite attempts to undermine the petition, he was undeterrerd and committed to it until there was justice.
The APC governorship candidate said: “I wish to formally denounce the false rumors that have been circulating regarding our petition against the results from the Rivers State governorship election. I want to assure you that our petition remains firm and steadfast, and we will not waiver in our pursuit of justice.
“Despite attempts to undermine our efforts, I want to emphasize that we are working tirelessly to ensure that our voices are heard. We remain undeterred and resolute in our efforts to fight for what is right until justice is served.”
Meanwhile, the APC Campaign Council in Rivers State, has clarified that it was the national leadership of the party, and not the local chapter, that withdraw from the tribunal.
Spokesman of the campaign council, Sogbeye Eli, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the withdrawal followed the refusal of the local chapter of the party to accept Henry A. Bello as the party’s counsel.
The statement reads in part: “The
stories making the rounds since last night of the withdrawal of the petition by Architect Tonye Patrick Cole, 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, by Sahara Reporters and other mainstream media houses refers.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the true and factual position of the status of that petition are as follows: Tonye Cole as the 1st Petitioner on record is still before the Court.
“The All Progressives Congress as the 2nd Petitioner on record withdrew yesterday through her legal representative, Solomon Umoh, Esq.
“The withdrawal of the 2nd Petitioner yesterday follows the objection by the local Chapter of the party to being led at the Tribunal by Henry A. Bello, Esq of Counsel.
“The facts forming the grounds for the aforementioned objection bother on trust and are not unconnected with the concomitant effect of the decision of the High Court of Rivers State in the case of Ibrahim Umah & Ors v. APC in 2018 on the party’s fortunes at the 2019 general elections.”
The Federal Government has inaugurated the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Reform Committee to review existing policy documents and propose comprehensive reforms to ensure the scheme remains effective and responsive to current national needs.
Minister of Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday during the inauguration of the committee.
He noted that the NYSC had long been a pillar of national integration, promoting unity across Nigeria’s diverse cultures while providing young Nigerians with valuable life experiences.
“Today signifies an important step forward in our collective journey to improve one of Nigeria’s most valuable national institutions dedicated to unity, empowerment, and development,” Olawande said.
He emphasised the vital role the NYSC had played in fostering national unity and youth development since its inception in 1973, but stressed that it was now time to reassess and modernise the scheme to reflect contemporary realities and challenges.
“As the nation advances, we must improve the institutions that support its development.
“While the NYSC has made remarkable progress, it also faces significant challenges, particularly concerning the safety of corps members, infrastructural deficits, and questions about the scheme’s relevance in a changing socio-economic landscape,” he said.
Olawande explained that the committee’s mandate includes conducting a comprehensive review of the scheme, assessing its current operations, and proposing reforms to make it more secure, innovative, and impactful.
“Our goal is to transform NYSC into a platform that offers youth better opportunities in skill acquisition, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and career development,” he added.
“The committee will also review existing policy documents, laws, and reports guiding the NYSC; engage in consultations with stakeholders nationwide; and recommend legal, policy, and institutional reforms, including improved funding and monitoring frameworks.
“A comprehensive report is expected to be submitted to the Minister of Youth,” he said.
In her remarks, Hajiya Hadiza Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, stressed the need to restructure technical and vocational training in alignment with academic development.
She said such reforms would enable young people to make long-term contributions to their communities and the country.
Also speaking, Minister of State for Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, proposed the creation of a Teachers’ Corps and Medical Corps for NCE-certified graduates and healthcare professionals, especially those willing to serve in rural areas for a voluntary two-year period.
He said the Teachers’ Corps would help address educational gaps and offer a path to government employment, while the Medical Corps would strengthen healthcare delivery in underserved communities, particularly in maternal and child health.(NAN)
Nigerian government has called for decisive and unified action to unlock the country’s vast natural gas reserves.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, disclosed this while delivering a keynote address at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference hosted by Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) on Tuesday in Houston, Texas, U.S.
Ekpo reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming Nigeria into a globally competitive, gas-powered economy.
The theme of the session is: “Harnessing Nigeria’s Gas Potential for Domestic Utilisation and Global Export Market”.
“Nigeria holds over 210 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves; Africa’s largest and among the top ten globally.
“This resource is a divine gift, but it comes with a responsibility—to use it for sustainable development, job creation, industrialisation, and global energy security,”Ekpo said.
He said that “potential alone does not generate growth, action does.
The minister commended PETAN for showcasing Nigeria’s innovation on the world stage and emphasised that the country’s Decade of Gas initiative, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, is central to national energy transformation.
According to him, government is investing heavily in gas infrastructurepipelines, processing plants, and distribution systems, to make gas widely accessible for electricity, manufacturing, transport, and home use.
He said that barriers to industrial gas use were also being dismantled, with incentives created for sectors such as fertiliser production and modular gas hubs.
He also spotlighted innovative solutions like Floating LNG (FLNG), and new regional agreements such as the Nigeria–Equatorial Guinea Gas Pipeline, which aim to commercialise stranded gas and boost exports.
Ekpo stressed that innovation and technology, including digital oilfield solutions, low-carbon gas processing, and emissions monitoring, will be key drivers in this transformation.
He called for greater investment in R&D and closer collaboration between academia, startups, and the private sector.
Addressing the financing challenge, the minister noted that Nigeria must make its gas projects bankable and ESG-compliant to attract global investment amid shifting energy transition priorities.
He commended the efforts of Nigeria’s regulatory agencies, the NMDPRA and NUPRC, for fostering investor confidence through transparency and efficiency.
Ekpo emphasised the need for indigenous companies to take the lead in this new energy era.
“The future of gas in Nigeria is not just for multinational corporations, it belongs to every capable Nigerian entrepreneur ready to act.”
“Nigeria’s gas potential is vast, but it is only through decisive, collective action that we can transform that potential into prosperity—both for our people at home and for our position on the global stage,”he added. (NAN)
A Zamfara-based group, Zamfara Concerned Citizens, has called on Governor Dauda Lawal to cease blaming his predecessor, Bello Matawalle, for the state’s challenges and focus on delivering on his 2023 campaign promises.
The group also urged Matawalle, now Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, to contest the 2027 governorship election, citing his efforts in tackling insecurity nationwide.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the group’s publicity secretary, Aliyah Dan-Musa, accused Governor Lawal of failing to address critical issues such as hunger, poverty, and healthcare in Zamfara.
“Dauda has failed the mandate entrusted to him by the good people of Zamfara,” Dan-Musa said.
“Instead of fulfilling his promises, he is looking for someone to blame, and Dr Bello Matawalle is his target.”
The group claimed that Lawal’s administration has run out of ideas and is resorting to scapegoating Matawalle to deflect from its shortcomings.
They further criticised the governor for allegedly squandering state resources on international trips with family and associates, rather than tackling the state’s pressing needs.
Zamfara Concerned Citizens called on residents to reject Lawal in the 2027 governorship election, accusing him of betraying the trust of the electorate.
“The governor has not done anything to address this ugly situation,” Dan-Musa stated, pointing to ongoing economic and social challenges in the state.
The group praised Matawalle’s tenure as governor from 2019 to 2023 and his current role as Minister of State for Defence, where they claim he has made significant strides in reducing insecurity across Nigeria.
“We have seen what he has done in Nigeria by reducing insecurity, and we are happy with what he is doing,” Dan-Musa said.
They urged Matawalle to run for governor in 2027, expressing confidence that his leadership would restore stability and attract investment to Zamfara.
“Zamfara will be much better and safer where civil servants will be smiling again and no more half salary,” the statement read.