Articles by Emmanuel Masha,New Telegraph

Entertainment

Fubara Targets 2006 Budget Presentation In New Assembly Complex

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed hope of presenting the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the new Assembly Complex currently under construction. Fubara gave this hint on Monday, after he inspected the Hallowed Chamber Complex being reconstructed by Monier Construction Company Limited, expressing optimism that the complex will be ready at the end of December 2025. The governor, who was accompanied by Hon. Boniface Emerengwa, member representing Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency, and the Management of MCC Nig Ltd, said he was satisfied with the work done at the complex. He said that he remains committed to ensuring the completion of the Assembly Complex on schedule to enable the lawmakers to resume sitting at the Hallowed Chamber and for him yoy present the 2026 budget. “We have been working hard to ensure their permanent sitting Chamber is put in place. You know the drama that surrounded our relationship before. “But by the grace of God, now that everything has been sorted out, it is our desire to ensure that the Assembly returns to their normal place of sitting,” he said. “So I came here to ascertain the extent of work done, and I feel very impressed with what I have seen,” stressing that the Contractor informed him that he had already sublet the interior and some external works to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to accelerate work and meet the scheduled timeline to deliver the work. The governor assured that once the main chamber is delivered, the remaining part of the complex will be handled by the Legislature once they resume sitting at the Complex. He pointed out that though the job had been on before the emergency rule, when it was believed that nothing was being done, even though work was ongoing.

Politics

HYPREP Sabotaging FG In Ogoni With Failed Water Projects – Group

The Ogoni Voluntary Projects Monitoring Group (OVPMG) has accused the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) of sabotaging the efforts of the Federal Government in Ogoni by executing substandard projects that fail immediately after being unveiled. Two overhead water tanks that were constructed recently to provide pipe-borne water for the residents of Gwara Community in Khana Local Government Area and Ebubu Community in Eleme Local Government Area collapsed in less than a month’s interval, sparking outrage over HYPREP’s project execution and standards. The group in a communique said that the unfortunate incidents expose the inconsistencies and shoddy deals in the operations of HYPREP and called for a proper investigation and total overhaul of the agency. The group alleged that some old power blocks in the system are using technical failures as a ruse and political weapons against the Minister of Environment, Hon. Balarabe Abbas Lawal, following his resolve to audit, review inflated contracts, and demand transparency. The communique, signed by the group’s coordinator, Rt Hon Lekia Court Nwanikpo and its spokesperson, Mr Precious Maaloo, expressed dismay over the failure of HYPREP to carry out its statutory responsibilities towards the development of Ogoni. The body alleged “power struggles, contract scam, lack of community engagement, use of unqualified contractors and engineers, lack of proper supervision and penchant for publicity to cover up lapses as the major snag in HYPREP operations.” It called for urgent attention to reinitiate the agency to serve its institutional obligation with a sense of responsibility, claiming that the rot in HYPREP demonstrates deliberate negligence, lack of trust, gross incompetence and compromise in service delivery. The communique, which read in parts, stated that, “For many observers, this is no longer about a broken tank. It is about a broken trust, a broken system, and possibly a calculated attempt to shatter the credibility of the Minister of Environment, Hon. Balarabe Abbas Lawal, who is currently pushing the most aggressive reform agenda within HYPREP.” ‘In politics, assassination is not always physical. Sometimes, it is the killing of a man’s credibility. If the Minister of Environment is perceived as failing Ogoni, his authority weakens, his reforms stall, and those benefiting from old systems regain power. “The collapse of two water facilities executed by HYPREP within a short duration is a failure too convenient to be a coincidence. Projects do not fail so dramatically within days unless corners were cut deliberately, oversight was sabotaged, or someone wanted the failure to happen. “The speed of the collapse raises legitimate questions; was this simply engineering or technical incompetence? Or was it a staged embarrassment, timed perfectly to discredit the Minister’s leadership?” The communique added: “How does a multimillion-naira project collapse like toys in communities already frustrated by decades of environmental failure? The failed facilities are more of a political message than an accident ” The group also regretted that: “HYPREP was created to heal Ogoni, yet today, it appears to be falling apart under the weight of its own internal contradictions, which constitutes great disservice to Ogoni people already battered under the yoke of environmental exploitation.”

Politics

Kanu’s Life Imprisonment, Politically Motivated – Ijaw Diaspora Council

The Ijaw Diaspora Council (IDC) has described the life jail sentence handed down to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as a politically-motivated judgment that failed to address the broader issues of justice and self-determination in Nigeria. Kanu was convicted of using broadcasts to incite violence in a bid to establish the State of Biafra, and was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Federal High Court presided over by Justice James Omotosho. The prosecution had sought the death penalty, but the court opted for life imprisonment after charges of terrorism, incitement to violence, and enforcement of sit-at-home orders were brought before him by the prosecution. The Ijaw Diaspora Council, in a statement, lamented that in the Northern parts of the country, some top government officials have been linked to terrorism and violence, but that no comparable legal actions have been taken against such persons, stressing a disparity in justice. The statement was signed by its leaders, Professor Mondy Selle Gold, Professor Edward Agbai, and Professor Emmanuel Tam Ezekiel-Hart. IDC likened the sentencing of Kanu to the sentencing of Major Isaac Adaka Boro to a death sentence in 1966 for treason, lamenting a legacy of oppressive rulings against advocates for self-determination. It called for a political solution, and the initiation of a National Conference to address Nigeria’s root structural challenges, and urged for peaceful advocacy, legal channels, and coalition-building both domestically and internationally to pursue constitutional reforms and self-determination within Nigeria’s framework. Focusing on the broader struggle for political equity, the IDC framed Kanu’s fight not as isolated to the Igbo people but as part of a wider call from marginalised groups in the Niger Delta and Middle Belt for True Fiscal Federalism. “The IDC is advocating devolution of powers and resource control at local levels,” the statement adds, arguing that over-centralisation of Nigeria’s security and governance undermines peace and fuels separatist agitations and violence. The IDC advised the Nigerian government, IPOB, and other stakeholders to prioritise justice, dignity, and national unity. It also called on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rebuild public trust through foresight and structural reforms, warning against ignoring the deep-seated grievances that risk further destabilising Nigeria’s fragile federation. The IDC also expressed concern over internal divisions within the Igbos and warned that failure to engage politically and diplomatically could lead to increased volatility and insecurity in the South-East region. The statement emphasised the importance of true federalism as the viable path for lasting peace and development in Nigeria, noting that Kanu’s sentencing marks a critical moment in Nigeria’s handling of separatist movements and national cohesion, with far-reaching implications for the country’s political future.