Author: Emmanuel Obe

…calls for urgent intervention from international community, democratic institutions Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has raised the alarm over shrinking civic/democratic space and increasing threat to a free press in Nigeria.In a statement issued on Thursday ahead of it’s public presentation of the 2024 Journalism and Civil Space Status Report, the centre said the civic space in Nigeria was “shrinking and increasingly violent.”The statement, which was titled, “A nation’s voice at the crossroads: An urgent call to defend Nigeria’s civic space and journalism,” was signed by Motunrayo Alaka, the Centre’s Executive Director and chief executive officer.It said, “Core…

A prominent community stakeholder and National Public Relations Officer of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Joseph Obele, has faulted the decision of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to retain ownership of the Port Harcourt Refining Company while preparing to privatise the Warri and Kaduna refineries. In a statement made available to journalists, Dr. Obele described the move as a misguided strategy that contradicts national interest, community development, and economic efficiency. “This is not good news,” he declared. “The decision to exclude Port Harcourt Refinery from privatization is deeply concerning, especially given NNPCL’s…

Leaders of host ethnic nationalities in the Eastern Corridor of Nigeria’s oil-producing belt have commended Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) for its role in securing the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) and other oil and gas assets, calling for the renewal and expansion of the company’s contract with the Federal Government. At a world press conference held in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, representatives of the Ijaw, Ekpeye, Ikwerre, Eleme, Ogoni, Andoni, Bonny, Egbema, Ukwa, Oguta, and other ethnic nationalities described PINL’s engagement since 2022 as transformative, crediting the firm for restoring oil production, reducing unemployment, curbing pipeline vandalism, and enhancing peace…

Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RISIEC, has fixed the local government election for Saturday, August 30, 2025.The Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Michael Ekpai Odey, declared this on Monday during the stakeholders meeting held at the head office of the Commission in Port Harcourt. Odey said in arriving at the new date, he had to use his powers conferred by the RISIEC Law 2018 to cancel the previous date set for Saturday, August 9, 2025 because of incontrovertible evidence against the initial date set by the dissolved RISIEC board of the Commission.Members of the Commission were earlier introduced to the…

A Niger Delta-based group, Buckingham Palace Group, has condemned recent calls by a faction of ex-agitators for the termination of the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), describing the allegations leveled against the company and the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, as baseless and inflammatory. The group, in a statement jointly signed by its Public Relations Officer, Kenny Amgbare, and Vice President, Festus Ederekumor, faulted the claims made by a group known as Aggressive Niger Delta Freedom Fighters Forum. The ex-agitators had, in a widely circulated social media statement, urged the Federal Government…

The University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) on Saturday conferred a total of 934 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees and honoured four distinguished Nigerians with honorary doctorate degrees during its 35th convocation and 50th anniversary celebration. Among those awarded honorary degrees were the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike; Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Masari; and Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. The ceremony, held at the Chief Nyesom Wike Convocation Arena, Choba campus, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, marked a significant milestone in the…

‎‎***pledges housing project at UNIPORT, gets double honour‎ ‎Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has implored universities to embrace technology in order to produce innovators for Nigeria. Governor Diri also challenged policy makers and education managers to develop and update curriculum at all stages of learning to meet realities of the digital age. He called on universities to lead the way in research that optimise made-in-Nigeria inventions and products.‎A press release by his spokesperson, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said the Bayelsa governor stated this on Friday at his alma mater, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State, while delivering the…

…call for President Tinubu’s intervention The delay in the completion of the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery is causing serious concern for the petroleum products retailers and the host communities. In a press statement issued on Wednesday, the Eleme and Okrika Host Community Bulk Petroleum Retailers Association said the prolonged delay in the completion of the project has already taken a devastating toll on the economy and business activities in and around the host communities. The statement was signed by High Chief Sunny Know ( Leader of the Delegates), Chief Zephaniah Sample (Okrika Community Coordinator), Dick Obelley, Dr. Joseph…

…call for government commitment, concerted actions by all Stakeholders on sexual and gender-based violence have called for more commitment from the Rivers State government and concerted effort from all, towards effectively addressing the menace which is on the rise in the state. Those were part of resolutions taken at the end of a one-day multi-stakeholder meeting put together in Port Harcourt on Tuesday July 22 by Healthy Life Development Initiative, a non-governmental organization. Essence of the high-level gathering was to deliberate on strengthening Sexual and Gender-based Violence response systems and establishing Local Government Area synergy in Rivers State. Venue was…

The Nigeria Police Force has cautioned against the politicisation of the planned peaceful protest by retired police officers over their pension entitlements, warning that certain individuals are attempting to exploit the situation to discredit the government and undermine police leadership. In a strongly statement issued on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, the Force acknowledged the legitimacy of the retirees’ grievances but condemned the injection of “misinformation, emotional manipulation, and calculated distortions” into the ongoing discourse. “It is disheartening to observe how certain actors have chosen to politicise a…