Just-ln: IPF fixes February for national elections, appoints Abai Electoral Chairman

The Ijaw Publishers' Forum (IPF) has officially kicked off preparations for its upcoming national leadership election, scheduling it for February and appointing a new Electoral Committee led by Mr. Francis Abai of PENGlobal as Chairman.

The committee also includes Mr. Cletus Opukeme of Daily Watch as Secretary and Mr. Joseph Kanjo of Info Daily as a member.

Meanwhile, a Constitution Review Committee was also constituted, comprising Mr. Tare Magbei of Daily Report Nigeria as chairman, Mr. Ezekiel Kagbala of Focal Point as secretary and Mr. Francis Abai as a member. 

These moves were seen as key to ensuring a smooth transition and strengthening the Forum's internal processes.

However, the current National Executive Council, headed by Comrade Ozobo Austin, is set to step down on February 29, 2026. The IPF views this as a step towards enhancing accountability and democratic participation. 

These decisions were reached in a Congress meeting held on the 15th January, 2026 at the Africa for Peace Games Village and supervised by Chief Sheriff Mulade Ph.D, as one of the patrons.

The statement urged members interested on vying for am executive office in the Forum to pick up nomination forms from the chairman of the electoral committee beginning from Monday 19th January, 2026 and all completed forms should be returned on or before January 25. 

According to the report, the details of the election date and other modalities would be announced at due course.

The Story Behind Tompolo''s Ten Tentacles_By: Dr. Enewaridideke Ekanpou

There are people in Africa who  are culturally rooted, proud and independent but they are thin on the ground. Majorly scattered everywhere like JP Clark's 'broken china' in his poem, 'Ibadan', are hundreds of thousands of people who inhabit a cultural desert, devoid of oasis.They are the marooned. In fact, marooned like Robinson Crusoe on the uninhabited island is the man who is culturally rootless. For the culturally benighted, culture rooted in traditional mysticism is the road to perdition, the road to ungodliness punitively decorated with seven 'HELLS'. That is the threatening danger, the peak of 'CHRONIC benightedness'.

 Sometimes culture speaks mystically without words.

Sometimes culture ululates and echoes in meditative silence. Thoughts of purification and reconnection occasionally channelled without malice harboured for anyone tell a great  story of cultural rootedness, a great story of depth in mysticism that dwells only in the world of the pure-hearted.

Every object has its own orbit however the plane it finds itself. Ill-timed and poisoned objects down the path of Tompolo have habituated themselves to journeying from every conceivable corner of the world as their mastered orbit, laden with verbally improvised explosive devices. Powered by thoughts of dismantlement from visibility as a calculated agenda, the verbally improvised devices journey daily around Tompolo with different seemingly believable stories of wrong doings anchored narratively to wrong-foot him towards the Bermuda-like  abyss. In vain the verbally improvised explosive devices journey around the universally acclaimed development activist because Tompolo is tentacled, with the power of retraction of his tentacles when the circumstances demand it. Over his head the furious waters always pass as they often do whenever they come upon the extended branches of the Epain tree in the river.

Every ten years Tompolo's tentacles tell a reverberating story of foiled dismantlement attempts at his fortified wall that daily houses his tentacles.Tompolo's life is often marked by major events in every ten years, as dictated by the numerological weight of the tenth tentacle. In every ten years Tompolo experiences a proliferation of verbal virulence masterminded by detractors from the lunatic asylum. The current surge of verbal virulence strategically directed at Tompolo is rooted in the numerological mystery traced astrologically to  Tompolo's tenth tentacle. This is a numerological reality likely to dwindle away like soap without being noised when the cacophony of verbal virulence retreats naturally to its calm roost.

Tompolo is an implacable hater of human trafficking, injustice, exploitation, underdevelopment, impoverishment, ritual killing, pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft. However the anti-Tompolo propaganda, he can never become the antithesis of his core beliefs and directional principles. For people battered by afflictions of 'political pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis', they are always pathologically superfragilisticexpialidocious in their observations, comments and analyses whenever volcanoes of mysticism are spotted anywhere on earth, particularly the 'traditional mysticism' championed by Tompolo. They are the perpetually afflicted who are domiciled  in the Republic of Politics as deadwood content creators -  dead to the supremacy of mystical brotherhood pilgrims could find in the Gbaraun Egbesu Temple in Oporoza.

Precisely, like substances methodically poured into a mould, a pattern has emerged. This is a pattern  that could be deployed to extrapolate all the motivations behind the anti-Tompolo moves launched off from the homes of Niger Delta to the homes in Abuja. The methodology is either kinetic or non-kinetic. To dwarf and dim the performance visibility of Tompolo in his avowed national tasks is what the preternaturally charcoal-hearted people set sights on in their privileged existence on earth.Their struggle against Tompolo's functional visibility paradoxically intensifies and foregrounds the vulnerabilities of these charcoal-hearted apes and chimpanzees.

 Between the effortfully dwarfed Tompolo's visibility and their  gaping vulnerabilities there is a parallel; this  parallel  resides in Robert Browning's poem, 'My Last Duchess'. In this poem cast in dramatic monologue, the Duke of Ferrara tries to demarket his late wife before his own emissary in a bid to marry another woman but he ends up revealing his vices as a man who abuses,  objectifies and murders  women. It is quite predictable the Duke of Ferrara would be denied the opportunity to marry the woman whom he seeks because his shortcomings have been revealed in the dramatic monologue. Similarly,  the authorities before whom  the genuine Niger Delta development activist is verbally pounded like pounded yam, always see the virtue and wisdom in choosing Tompolo over their phantom name-killing creations.

Deliberate moves to dim the performance visibility of Tompolo is the licence for Tompolo's visibility because such feeble and infantile attempts only throw up the vulnerabilities of the plotters who are seen by the authorities as people without their heads.For Gabriel Okara in his great novel,THE VOICE, they are narratively characterised as people whose heads are not correct.

The ten tentacles of Tompolo are not mere creations to be deployed geometrically and algebraically within the mathematical space. Embedded in Tompolo's ten tentacles are numerological secrets and significances yoked mystically with astrology  for projection into  the future, though not without accurate alliance with his retraction mechanism. In the life of Tompolo the ten tentacles share numerological and astrological bond with his mechanism of retraction.

Tompolo's ten tentacles are his pair of moral and mystical compass that reveal a given pattern in every ten years. For Tompolo his egregore is deeply buried in the ten tentacles.

Revival of African traditional mysticism and cultural significance occupies a special space in the symmetrically aligned  hierarchisation of Tompolo's ten tentacles. As hierarchically programmed, it is the assigned domain of one of the ten tentacles  to activate, stimulate, procedurally the functional operationalisation of African traditional mysticism and the indigenous cultural practices of Africa without incorporating elements of  self-adulatory mumbo-jumbo and self-exhibitionism. Without markers of puritanism, carrying only pure thoughts inhaled and exhaled as a regular mystical regimen, the assigned tentacle devotedly ploughs the path to facilitate and guarantee meaningful communication with the Divine Intelligence through the established structures built hierarchically around Egbesuism which has its  own codes that promote religious ecumenism across all denominations and centres of worship.

Tompolo is always a tentacled man. A tentacled man is immune to the deficiencies of verbal irrationality, the delusions of power, of materialism, of infallibility, of megalomania, of narcissism, of spiritual purity, of spiritual hegemony, of spatial monopoly, of traditional situatedness and traditional impeccability within the secular space. Such a unique being enjoys in arrears spiritual, traditional, cultural, psychological, philosophical and ecumenical equilibrium. A tentacled man also enjoys mystical and moral fortification.

 When a man is filled to the brim with mystical and moral fortification, the dismantlement exertions of dark-hearted mortals become mere puny exertions that lose their poisonous penetration and potency before the pachydermatous shell of the tentacled Tompolo.

Tentacled as Tompolo is, with his time-tested mechanism of retraction whenever his tentacles psychically detect an approaching lethal encroachment on his SHELLED WORLD, the dismantlement processions and madrigals hymnally invoked are a mere distraction because Tompolo ontologically stands beyond their killer arrows often released higgledy-piggledy into the secular space.

Some personalities have gladly chosen a career as sponsors and promoters of orbital collision within the known space of Tompolo. These are the unchained from the lunatic asylum psychopathically grounded in the activation of verbally improvised explosive devices structured to provoke responsive verbal outburst from Tompolo but the assigned tentacle among the ten tentacles would not be tricked into this verbal boobytrap...

In the life of Tompolo there is an observed pattern of movement of events after every ten years. This is a rhythmic echo from his ten teetotaler tentacles accustomed to advantageous retraction when demanded as a potent machinery to outwit the fixated apostles of orbital collision.

The story of Tompolo's ten tentacles is a long but mystically and philosophically compelling and compulsive one to be told in phases in every century for societal edification and cohesion. Tompolo is not tentacled for exhibition as a zoological artifact. Societal edification, growth, cohesion, integration, cohabitation, cultural harmony, cosmic harmony and governmental recognition are the propellers of Tompolo's tentacled existence, harmoniously dictated to from time to time by the superior commanding voice of the constituents of the ten tentacles. These ten tentacles are mystically weighted and disposed to tackle any societal challenge however the subterranean envy and acrimony malevolently infused into the compositions of the given societal challenge.

The society in which we live becomes an oasis of harmony, growth and development when we are sufficiently awakened to the mystical potentials buried in the tentacled existence of Tompolo because that would mark the end to the proliferation and flight of verbally improvised explosive devices from the verbal armoury in the lethally skillful hands of the charcoal-hearted people who are the 'aborignes' of the lunatic asylum in the Republic of Kimimienseimo.

Dr. Ekanpou writes from Akparemogbene, Delta State.

Just-ln: President Tinubu Urges Wike to Focus on FCT Administration or Risk Sack as Minister

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to focus fully on his duties in Abuja or face possible termination of his ministerial appointment.

The President’s position was delivered through Mr. Ibrahim Ya'u Darazo, Special Adviser to the president on Political and Intergovernmental Affairs during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday January 13. 

While addressing reporters, the presidential aide stated clearly that no political office holder, including the minister of FCT, should continue to “heat the polity” in Rivers State or anywhere else, especially when it distracts from official responsibilities.

According to the Presidency, the directive is meant to reinforce proper conduct, ensure dedicated service to Nigerians, and uphold the integrity of ministerial appointments.

HRM. Asari Dokubo Pledges Support for President Tinubu, Gov. Fubara for Second Tenure

A day After Wike Visit to King Asari Dokubo, This Is The Shocking Massage He Sent To FUBARA.

Speaking live on his facebook page, Asari said that he can not sacrifice Ijaw for anything.

He told the public that Tinubu is his friend and he will give him his 100% support, Siminalayi Fubara is my Ijaw brother and I will stand with him.

All governors in Rivers State alway do 2nd term and Ijaw man will do same.

He said some people did not want me as a King and I did not belive I will be what I am today but, Governor Siminalayi Fubara made it possible be elevating me to 1st class king, I owe him alot, the statement added.

Just-ln: Goodluck Arrives Kampala Ahead of January 15, Republic of Uganda General Elections

" I arrived in Kampala early this morning, as Head of the combined  African Union (AU), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Election Observation Mission, to the scheduled January 15 general elections in the Republic of Uganda.

" I thank the Ugandan officials, as well as the staff of AU and Nigerian High Commission in Kampala for a warm reception.

" I wish the people of the Republic of Uganda a peaceful, transparent and  credible electoral process towards consolidating democracy in the country and improving the course of governance on the continent."

-GEJ

Just-ln: Rivers Political Cr!sis: Lawyers Initiate Recall of 26 Rivers LawmakersOn January 9, 2026, the Association

On January 9, 2026, the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) announced efforts to recall 26 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including Speaker Martin Amaewhule, due to impeachment proceedings against Governor Sim Fubara for alleged gross misconduct and financial misappropriation.

ALDRAP has sent a letter to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) requesting certified true copies of the voters register for all state constituencies in Rivers State. The association argues that many of its members are constituents and have the legal right to begin the recall process. They warned that they would seek court action if INEC does not provide the requested documents.

The letter, dated January 8, 2026, critiques the Assembly members for initiating hostile actions against the governor despite a Supreme Court ruling encouraging peaceful conflict resolution among members of the All Progressives Congress (APC). ALDRAP emphasized that the impeachment notice is fundamentally flawed, highlighting inappropriate language used in addressing Governor Fubara.

Gov. Oborevwori, Diri, Mbah, Lokpobiri, Guwor, Smooth, Omoyibo, Tonlagha, Ejovi, Others Celebrate Marine Magnate, High Chief Wayles at 60, Commends his Distinguished Leadership Style

Governor Oborevwori extols business mogul’s passion for community development at the thanks giving service commemorating at the Anglican Church on Sunday 11th Jan, 2026 in Okpolo - Enhwe, describing him as a Man of Proven Integrity and Asset to the Niger Delta region. 

The Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on Sunday, described him as a true leader,

High Chief (Dr) Emonena Victor Wayles Egukawhore, JP, FCILG, Chairman Dewayle's Group of Companies as a man of proven character, unwavering passion and enduring commitment to community development, as the renowned international business mogul marked his 60th birthday.

Governor Oborevwori spoke at a thanksgiving service held at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Okpolo-Enhwe, in Isoko South Local Government Area to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of the celebrant.

The Governor said attaining the age of 60 was a clear testament to God’s faithfulness, noting that returning all the glory to God through thanksgiving was the most meaningful aspect of the celebration.

According to him, he had known High Chief (Dr) Emonena Egukawhore for many years and had observed that his passion, energy and sense of purpose remained constant and admirable.

“Success is not accidental. It is rooted in divine favour, strong values and respect for one’s roots. High  Chief Dr Wayles Egukawhore has consistently demonstrated these virtues, particularly in his commitment to the development of his people in Enhwe, Isoko and Patani,” Oborevwori stated.

The Governor commended the celebrant for remembering his roots and investing significantly in human capital and community development, praying for continued divine protection, sound health and sustained blessings upon him and his family.

He urged the celebrant to remain steadfast in acknowledging God as the source of wisdom, opportunity and increase.

In his sermon, the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Oleh, Rt. Rev. John Aruakpor, preached from Psalm 139:14–18, stressing that human life is “fearfully and wonderfully made” and fully known to God even before birth.

The Bishop said survival, progress and achievement are products of divine grace rather than personal strength or luck, adding that life is a stewardship entrusted by God for service to humanity.

“We must live purposefully with gratitude, humility and obedience, using our resources and opportunities to bless our communities and society,” the Bishop admonished.

Bishop Aruakpor also commended Governor Oborevwori for his visible achievements in Delta State, particularly in infrastructure development, noting that the projects compare favourably with global standards.

He expressed strong confidence in the Governor’s administration, saying genuine performance leaves little room for political distractions, and urged Deltans to continue to support the government.

The celebrant, High Chief (Dr)  Egukawhore, in his remark said his life had been marked by enduring friendships, meaningful relationships and consistent good deeds, attributing his journey and accomplishments to the faithfulness of God.

He reaffirmed his commitment to service and development, noting that at 60, he remained steadfast in his journey of faith and purpose.

The thanksgiving service was attended by top government officials, traditional rulers, captains of industry and community leaders, including the Distinguished Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the Honorable Minister of State For Petroleum Resources (0il),

Hon Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, Chief Johnbull Ejovi, Chief Eta Enahoro, Engr. Matthew Tonlagha, High Chief Tunde Smooth, Chief Broderick Arigbodi and Chief Daniel Omoyibo, among others.

After the Thanksgiving, the special dignitaries and a Galaxy of stars amongst whom was Davido, and other super stars moved to the Country Home

of High Chief Emonena Victor Wayles Egukawhore for a grandiose and lavish

reception which was a Carnival because the crowd recorded  for High Chief DR Emonena Victor Wayles Egukawhore birthday celebration was the first of its kind in Isoko nation.

All genre of music was presented on stage to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. Present at the reception was Bayelsa State Governor, His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri with key members of the Bayelsa State Executive Council, Representatives of Dr Peter Mbah, the Governor of Enugu  State, Members of Delta state executive council, Captains of Industries, Banks Chief executives  members of the academic community etc who were on ground to add colour and candor to the event.

On ground to make every moment worthwhile was the large array of a Variety of Musicians and Comedians present. For Music we have Davido, Mercy Chinwo, Timi Dakolo etc.

On Comedy we have Ay, Gordons, Whalemouth, Orezi, Richard Obajimi , St Loius and others too numerous to be mentioned.

The highlight of the event at the Country home citadel was the cutting of the Diamond Jubilee cake by the celebrant, High Chief DR Emonena Victor Wayles Egukawhore JP FCILG, assisted Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa, Delta Governor, Reps of Enugu state Governor, Davido, AY, Cordons, Mercy Chinwo and other super stars for the cutting of the Diamond  Jubilee cake.

There was a flow of endless champaign

Which is the Hallmark of Ceremonies organized by the billionaire business Mogul, High Chief Wayles.

The ceremony  lasted

till the wee hours of the morning as all invited quests ruminated in the euphoria of the joy of the moment.

The 60 Diamond jubilee celebration. Was the first of its kind.  The crowd recorded  for High Chief DR Emonena Victor Wayles Egukawhore was the first of its kind in ljaw land and Isoko nation because of his impact in the development of the Niger Delta.

The event may have come and gone but

the sweet memories of the  Birthday celebration of High Chief Wayles Egukawhore is something that will continue to resonate in the public domain of Enhwe People both great and small now and generation to come.

WIKE'S WATERLOO: WHEN THE APPRENTICE RETIRED THE MASTER: HOW APC FED THE MONSTER AND FUBARA LANDED THE KNOCKOUT

Fubara’s quiet wit retires Nigeria’s most overfed political villain – When APC Married Trouble and Fubara Served the Divorce Papers to Wike

When the apprentice retires the master, the story is never a quiet one. In Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has done precisely that: he has delivered, with quiet calculation and disarming composure, the kind of knockout that leaves both the fallen godfather and his enablers staring at the canvas in disbelief. Wike’s Waterloo has arrived, and it has come not with thunderous bluster, but with the measured wit and calm resilience of an Ijaw man who refused to be crushed. The APC which helped to feed and fatten this political monster for its own convenience, now finds itself wincing at the very blows that have retired its once‑celebrated ally.

From the outset, the APC was no innocent victim of circumstance. The party saw Nyesom Wike clearly: his methods, his excesses, his unrestrained appetite for power were all on open display. Yet, in its eagerness to secure short‑term advantage in Rivers State, the APC knowingly clasped him to its chest, like a man who invites a cobra into his home because it promises to chase away rats. Now that the venom has spread and the alliance has turned toxic, the party’s cries of shock ring hollow. You cannot dance with the tiger and then complain when it bares its teeth; you cannot willingly wade into fire and then wail about being burned. By its own deliberate choices, the APC helped to raise, indulge and empower the very creature it now pretends to fear and silent.

Indeed, the party’s present predicament is nothing short of a self‑inflicted wound, a voluntary injury now theatrically presented as persecution. It was the APC that flung wide its doors, rolled out the red carpet and clasped Wike’s hand in triumph when his antics tilted the scales in its favour. At that time, there were no sermons about decorum, no lectures on propriety, no moral outrage. The same unrefined conduct they now decry was then dressed up as strategic masterstroke, as political sagacity, so long as it weakened opponents and strengthened their hold on power. When Wike’s belligerence worked for them, they laughed, applauded and posed for photographs;  Wike's vices  were conveniently ignored, if not quietly celebrated.

Yet, when something is fundamentally wrong, it remains wrong even when it appears to serve your interests. Principles that only surface when the wind changes direction are not principles at all, but mere tactics. The APC cannot suddenly discover morality simply because the monster it fed has begun to nibble at its own fingers. To denounce today what was hailed yesterday, not out of newfound conscience but out of shifting convenience, is the purest strain of political hypocrisy. A party that knowingly and repeatedly feeds a beast cannot protest when it grows fat and bold enough to test the taste of the hand that fed it. The APC must therefore cease its relentless complaining and accept that it is merely reaping the bitter harvest of its own sowing.

At the centre of this drama stands Wike himself, a man whose conduct has long been marred by recklessness, arrogance and a glaring lack of restraint. He has behaved less like a statesman and more like a minor despot intoxicated by his own voice, as if public office were a personal inheritance rather than a sacred trust. His politics has revolved around one fixed point: himself. Personal relevance, personal influence, personal gain – these have been his guiding stars. In his world, loyalty is purely transactional, alliances are disposable and principles are nothing more than decorative robes to be donned or discarded at will. Such a man can only play the villain in the long run, however loudly he may attempt to cast himself as the hero.

It is precisely this unguarded, domineering and erratic behaviour that has become the banana peel under his own feet. A man living in a glass house should not throw stones, yet Wike has hurled boulders in every direction, shattering trust, friendships and alliances along the way. The loudness that once drew crowds now echoes like a tired drum in a hall that is steadily emptying. Serious politicians are increasingly wary of tethering their future to a man whose words appear to carry no lasting weight and whose loyalties shift like sand under a restless tide. His selfishness, his hunger for control, his domineering posture – these are not just minor blemishes, but tragic flaws. Like the classical tragic figure, he struts the stage loudly, unaware that the curtain is about to fall.

However, the twist in this tale is that the curtain call did not come from his opponents alone, but from his own political “son”. Governor Fubara, the man Wike once sought to micromanage as a puppet, quietly rewrote the script. With calm resilience, strategic patience and a disarming public composure, Fubara outmanoeuvred the self‑styled godfather. In a political ring long dominated by noise and intimidation, he chose wit over bluster and strategy over spectacle. You cannot suppress an Ijaw man and expect to go free; history has shown that those who underestimate such quiet strength often discover, too late, that the river they tried to dam has quietly carved a new course.

By standing his ground without descending into Wike’s brand of theatrical confrontation, Fubara has effectively retired his overbearing godfather from the centre of Rivers politics. The once‑almighty enforcer, who strutted like an emperor, now finds himself staring at a political map on which he is increasingly irrelevant. His ministerial appointment in Abuja looks less like a new dawn and more like a sunset – a final posting before the night of political paralysis sets in. His time as governor may well go down as his last truly significant elective office; the corridors of power he once dominated are gradually closing their doors. Step by step, blow by quiet blow, Fubara has dealt a brilliant knockout that has left the once‑feared strongman wobbling on the fringes of relevance.

As the APC begins to pull away from him, Wike stands, politically speaking, in a desolate no‑man’s‑land: formally attached to power, yet substantively unwanted. He is politically homeless, hovering between alliances but firmly rooted in none. The very party that once paraded him as a prized asset is now edging away from him like one might retreat from a fire that has begun to lick the curtains. His former protégés are asserting their independence, his influence is thinning out like smoke in the harmattan sky, and the political stage that once reverberated with his booming voice is increasingly lit by other faces. One by one, his props are being removed, and his shadow, once expansive, is shrinking by the day.

In the end, unchecked excess always sends the bill. Wike’s unbridled utterances, his confrontational style and his inability to temper ambition with wisdom are the very reasons he is drifting towards political paralysis. A machine running at full speed without maintenance eventually seizes and stops; his career is following that same mechanical law. The APC’s folly in enabling and amplifying such behaviour for expediency has merely accelerated the process, but they cannot now wash their hands and pretend to be neutral spectators. They did not just discover the monster; they fed it, defended it and unleashed it. Now that it has turned, they must bear the responsibility in full.

Yet, amidst the wreckage of collapsing godfatherism, one figure emerges as the quiet hero of this saga: Governor Fubara. Without resorting to the crude theatrics that defined his erstwhile patron, he has shown that subtlety can defeat swagger, that quiet steel can humble noisy tyranny. His victory is not just personal; it is symbolic. It sends a message to every overbearing political godfather who believes that a successor is merely an extension of their ego. Fubara’s stand underscores an ancient truth: power is transient, and no throne is permanent.

Ultimately, this entire episode stands as a cautionary tale for Nigeria’s political class. When parties and politicians build alliances solely on convenience, closing their eyes to character in the blind pursuit of advantage, they are merely fattening a beast that may one day devour them. You cannot go on feeding a monster and then feign surprise when you find yourself on the menu. The APC must accept that it is suffering the natural consequences of its own cynical choices. Wike, in turn, is discovering that the same unguarded conduct that lifted him into the limelight is dragging him into the shadows of irrelevance. His political paralysis is not a tragic accident; it is the inevitable outcome of a career built on instability, selfishness and unrestrained ambition. And standing over this fallen edifice, calm and resolute, is Fubara – the apprentice who retired the master with a single, brilliant, history‑defining knockout.

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

New Year: Eyelade-Ogbo Social Club of Burutu Commends Alapala for Effective Representation, Presents Gift ltems

The Eyelade-Ogbo Ere-Ama Social Club of Burutu Community has commended the member representing Burutu North Constituency in Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Anthony Ebitonmo Alapala for his effective representation over the past two years.

The social club women made the statement over the weekend during a new year visit, saying Alapala's representation has been heavily felt and impacted many people in the grassroots positively.

The social club also presented various gift items, such as dry fish, clothes and other locally sourced goods as a symbol of their love, gratitude and appreciation to the honorable member for his good works.

They expressed deep appreciation for his people-oriented leadership style and pledged their total and unwavering support for his continuous service to the community.

In his response, Hon. Alapala Anthony thanked the group for the warm reception and thoughtful gifts, describing the gesture as encouraging and motivating. He reaffirmed his dedication to serving the people of Burutu with sincerity, transparency, accountability and commitment to grassroots development.

The event further strengthened the bond between the lawmaker and the people, reflecting a shared vision for progress, unity, and sustainable development in Burutu Community.

Rivers Political Tussle: PANDEF Calls for Restraint and Forbearance, Sets up High Level Chief Kanu Agabi Reconciliation Committee

The Board and National Executive Committee of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the apex socio-political body representing the people of the South-South geopolitical zone, notes with very grave concern the recent spate of political developments in Rivers State. Regrettably, these developments have now degenerated into the decision of the Rivers State House of Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against the Governor of the State and the Deputy Governor.  

2. This is a deeply disturbing situation that demands urgent attention in order to forestall further escalation and breakdown of law and order. This concern is heightened by the critical importance and strategic centrality of Rivers State to the Niger Delta region and to the broader socio-political stability and economic wellbeing of Nigeria as a whole.

3. In keeping with its non-partisan posture and its overarching role as a unifying and motherly platform for the region, PANDEF calls on all parties involved in the resurgent political imbroglio to sheathe the sword and embrace peace, guided by the principles of give-and-take, dialogue, tolerance, and political equanimity. All stakeholders must place paramount importance on peace, development, and the welfare of the people of Rivers State, as well as the interests of other citizens of the South-South, Nigerians at large, and the sizeable expatriate community resident in the State. We must now focus squarely on good governance and development of the state.

4. PANDEF commends President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), respected elders of Rivers State, and other well-meaning Nigerians for their previous and ongoing efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability in the State.

5. However, in line with its long-standing tradition and proven record in peace-making and peace-building initiatives across the Niger Delta, PANDEF has constituted a high-level team of eminent Nigerians to intervene in the matter, as listed hereunder:

i. Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, CON

(Former Attorney-General of the Federation) – Chairman

ii. Senator Obende Domingo

(Former Senator, Edo North) – Vice Chairman

iii. Rt Hon (Chief) Essien Nduese, CON, (Former Minister of Housing)

iv. Dr. Timiebi Koripamo-Agari, OON 

(Retired Federal Permanent Secretary) – Member

v. Chief Mike Ejiofor (RTD Director, Department of State Service), Member

vi. Mrs. Nella Rabana-Andem, SAN

(Former Attorney-General, Cross River State) – Member

vii. Prince Godwin Okotie

(Deputy National Secretary, PANDEF) – Secretary

6. PANDEF calls on all parties to fully cooperate with this distinguished and highly respected team of senior Nigerians and sons and daughters of the South-South zone, as they selflessly commit their time and experience to this arduous assignment, with the objective of achieving a peaceful, fair, and sustainable resolution through a dispassionate and inclusive process.

KING ALFRED DIETE-SPIFF, CFR

AMANYANABO OF TWON-BRASS,

CO-CHAIRMAN, BOT

OBONG (ARC) VICTOR ATTAH,

FORMER GOVERNOR, AKWA STATE,

CO-CHAIRMAN, BOT

AMB. (DR.) GODKNOWS BOLADEI IGALI, OON

NATIONAL CHAIRMAN

PAP Sends Additional 34 Foreign Post-graduate Scholarship Beneficiaries To UK Varsities

The Presidential Amnesty Programme, on Thursday, deployed additional 34 foreign post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries to various universities in the United Kingdom for the 2025-2026 academic year.

The scholars' programmes include data science, fintech analytics, cyber security, international energy law and policy, construction project management, public health, agri-food technology, electrical and petroleum engineering, among others.

More foreign post-graduate scholars will be sent to UK universities in the current academic session.

In December 2025, nine students, who were the first set of offshore post-graduate scholarship developments by the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for the 2024-2025 academic year, graduated from their various programmes in UK universities.

Otuaro has deployed over 9000 students to universities within and outside Nigeria for different industry-relevant programmes since he assumed office in March 2024.

Speaking at the pre-departure orientation programme for the scholars at the PAP headquarters in Abuja, on Thursday, Otuaro said that the large-scale deployment was aimed at making the Niger Delta a knowledge-driven region.

He said that his leadership reinvigorated the programme to give it a new momentum in service delivery to the people of the region based on the mandate of President Bola Tinubu.

Otuaro said, "We are sending all of you for post-graduate studies in various universities in the United Kingdom.

"The PAP now has a new momentum and direction because of the repositioning and broad reforms that we carried out in line with the mandate of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.

"The objective behind the huge scholarships deployment is to ensure that we develop the needed human capital to transform the Niger Delta and generate knowledge-wealth.

"We want to develop relevant manpower in critical disciplines for our region and by extension, the country, because you are expected to contribute your quota to national development after successful graduation."

The PAP boss, who was represented at the event by his Technical Assistant, Mr Edgar Biu, advised the scholars to study hard to achieve academic excellence in their various fields of research.

According to him, the scholars have an obligation to justify the Federal Government's investment in their education and future.

He reiterated his warning that beneficiaries should not take for granted the opportunity to further their academic pursuits in the interest of the Niger Delta and indeed the country.

Otuaro expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his "enormous interest and support for the Programme", particularly the approval of an upward review of the programme's budget from N65billion to N150billion.

He also expressed gratitude to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his impeccable guidance and supervision of the programme's initiatives.

Otuaro, therefore, cautioned the scholars to obey their host country's laws and the rules and regulations of their various institutions, stressing that they are ambassadors of Nigeria, the Niger Delta and their communities and families. 

Highpoint of the orientation programme was the presentation of laptops to the scholars to help them in their studies.

Signed:

Mr Igoniko Oduma, Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme,

8 January 2026.

ENGINEERING POSITION ON THE AKUGBENE SHORELINE COLLAPSE_By Engr. Yeigagha Henry The current ecological challenge

The current ecological challenge confronting Akugbene Community is a classical case of progressive riverbank failure caused by hydraulic scour, continuous undercutting, and lateral river channel migration. In simple engineering terms, the river current has become highly concentrated along the Akugbene shoreline, generating intense whirlpool actions (eddy currents) that steadily wash away the supporting soil beneath the bank. Over time, this process has weakened the stability of the shoreline, leading to rapid collapse and the development of deep gullies. Gbekebor and Tuomo are suffering same challenge. 

This persistent erosional force has already resulted in the loss of land, destruction of property, and the submergence of critical community infrastructure, including the recently swallowed concrete jetty. If urgent intervention is not undertaken, further collapse may threaten residential areas, public utilities, economic activities, and community safety.

Akugbene’s shoreline failure is not a mere environmental inconvenience; it is an advancing geotechnical emergency that requires immediate government attention, professional engineering intervention, and environmental protection measures. Appropriate remedial works such as river training structures, erosion control systems, shoreline stabilization, and bank protection engineering solutions must be implemented without delay to halt further devastation.

A technically sound and sustainable solution should follow a two-step approach: First is to redirect the River Energy. This is achieved by dredging the opposite riverbank in order to divert and redistribute the concentrated current away from Akugbene. This will reduce the hydraulic pressure presently attacking the shoreline. Secondly, once the current is controlled, the Akugbene shoreline should be protected with well-designed engineering structures such as revetments, retaining walls, gabion systems, sheet piles, riprap armoring, or other shoreline stabilization technologies. These must be based strictly on professional geotechnical, hydrological, and environmental studies to ensure durability, sustainability, and long-term protection.

I, therefore, call on relevant government agencies, environmental authorities, interventionist bodies, Niger Delta development institutions, and responsible corporate entities to treat this situation as a priority emergency. Akugbene Community deserves timely and sustainable shoreline protection to prevent further collapse and safeguard the lives, livelihood, and future of the people.

Akugbene must be protected now before the damage becomes irreversible.

Reactions Trail Prof. Arthur Ekpekpos’s Continued Detention as Questions Mount Over UPU’s Role_By Moses Darah

Public concern continues to grow over the prolonged detention of Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo and other leaders from Okuama, with voices across Urhobo land and beyond asking pointed questions about leadership, justice, and institutional responsibility, particularly the role of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU).

Many commentators insist that Prof. Ekpekpo’s only “offence” was serving as a leader of the Ewu clan. To them, his continued detention without trial symbolises a deeper problem: selective justice and the weakening authority of the courts. Critics argue that when court orders are ignored, the rule of law itself is diminished, creating an atmosphere where citizens lose faith in democratic institutions.

A recurring question echoes across public forums: What is UPU doing? From community elders to youth advocates, there is widespread disappointment that the apex socio-cultural body of the Urhobo people has not taken a more visible, coordinated stand. Some accuse the organisation of being distracted by internal elections and politics while an urgent humanitarian and legal crisis unfolds.

Others draw sharp contrasts in security responses across regions, alleging that military operations are swift and forceful during peaceful protests or communal tensions in parts of the South-South and South-East, yet comparatively restrained in other regions. This perceived imbalance, critics say, fuels feelings of marginalisation and injustice.

Beyond UPU, attention is also turning to elected officials. Questions have been raised about the silence or perceived inaction of the Delta State Government, the Delta Central Senatorial leadership, and representatives at both state and federal levels. Many believe these leaders should collectively engage the military authorities, pursue judicial remedies, and demand due process.

Human rights advocates within the discourse are calling for concrete steps: Immediate legal intervention by reputable human rights lawyers; a coordinated approach involving the governor, legislators, and traditional leadership; and a world press briefing to internationalise the matter and attract global attention.

Underlying these demands is a broader lament about leadership. Several voices argue that the recurring pattern of neglect and silence reflects a leadership vacuum in Urhobo land; one that leaves ordinary people exposed to injustice with little protection. As one commentator put it, “Where there is no leadership, suffering thrives.”

The continued detention of Prof. Ekpekpo and others has thus become more than a single case; it is a test of leadership, solidarity, and commitment to justice. For many, the expectation is clear: UPU must wake up, mobilise stakeholders, and act decisively. Silence, they warn, risks being interpreted as consent. The call is growing louder: #FreeOkuamaLeaders and restore faith in justice through action, not words.

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Stop Paying 13% Oil Derivation to State Governments, Channel Funds to Mega Projects in Niger Delta_Activist, Mulade Tells Tinubu

Renowned Niger Delta environmental and human rights activist, Chief Mulade Sheriff, PhD, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to halt the current practice of paying the 13 per cent oil derivation funds directly to oil-producing state governments, advocating instead for the funds to be channelled into federally coordinated mega development projects across the Niger Delta.

Mulade who is the Ibe-Serimoowei of oil rich ancient Gbaramtu Kingdom in Delta State, made the call in a statement issued on Wednesday January 7th, 2026, argued that the existing system has failed to deliver meaningful development to oil-bearing communities, largely due to corruption, mismanagement, and diversion of funds by some state governments.

According to him, despite trillions of naira disbursed as derivation funds over the years, many Niger Delta communities remain plagued by poverty, environmental degradation, unemployment, and lack of basic infrastructure.

“The 13 percent derivation fund was designed to bring development and relief to oil-producing communities, but sadly, that objective has been largely defeated,” Chief Mulade said. “What we see today is massive diversion, mismanagement and misappropriation of oil derivation funds, with little or no impact on the lives of the ordinary people in the creeks and host communities.”

He urged President Tinubu to adopt a bold policy shift by redirecting the derivation funds into well-structured, transparent, and independently monitored mega projects, particularly in critical areas such as coastal protection, environmental remediation, roads, bridges, healthcare, education, and youth employment.

Chief Mulade suggested that such projects should be executed through special-purpose development frameworks with strong community participation, credible oversight mechanisms, and clear performance benchmarks to ensure value for money.

“This administration has a historic opportunity to correct decades of injustice and waste in the Niger Delta,” he said. “Rather than sharing money that disappears into private pockets, let us invest in visible, life-changing projects that will stand the test of time and create employment opportunities for the youths”

The renowned activist further noted that insecurity, oil theft, and pipeline vandalism in the region are closely linked to underdevelopment and neglect, stressing that strategic investment in infrastructure and human capital would significantly reduce restiveness and criminality.

Chief Mulade also called on the National Assembly to support constitutional and policy reforms that would allow for more effective utilisation of derivation funds in the interest of oil-bearing communities.

He expressed confidence that President Tinubu’s administration, if guided by transparency and political will, could redefine Niger Delta's development and restore public trust in the management of oil revenues.

Gov. Douye Diri Celebrates Wayles Egukawhore At 60

Bayelsa State Governor, Sen. Douye Diri, has extended warm felicitations to renowned marine and construction entrepreneur, Chairman of Dewayles Group of Companies, High Chief (Dr) Victor Wayles Egukawhore, as he marks his 60th birthday on January 6.

Diri, in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Dan Alabrah, praised the Enhwe-Isoko-born business mogul as a shining example of enterprise, integrity and compassion, whose business ventures and humanitarian gestures have positively touched countless lives.

The Governor noted that Egukawhore’s unwavering commitment to corporate social responsibility and charity had earned him the deep appreciation of the government and people of Bayelsa State. He described his contributions to society as both impactful and enduring.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Bayelsa State, I heartily rejoice with my brother and friend, High Chief (Dr) Victor Wayles Egukawhore, on the celebration of his 60th birth anniversary,” the Governor said.

He commended the celebrant for creating sustainable employment opportunities and empowering many to achieve economic independence through his investments across key sectors of the economy.

The Governor maintained that Egukawhore’s generosity, humility and goodwill had endeared him to a wide circle of admirers and supporters across the country, particularly Bayelsa State and Niger Delta region in general.

Diri said; “As you continue to devote your resources and energy to uplifting our people, it is my prayer that Almighty God grants you renewed strength, greater accomplishments and many more years of fulfilled service to humanity”, the statement added.