Oil mogul and philanthropist Tein T.S. Jack-Rich on Wednesday fired a warning shot at “new entrants” in the All Progressives Congress, vowing that legacy members who built the party will not be pushed aside, moments after submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the Rivers West Senatorial District seat on the APC platform.

“Today, I came to submit my form for expression of interest and nomination for the seat of Senate of Rivers West, Rivers State, because I am from Rivers State,” Jack-Rich told journalists in Abuja after filing his papers at the APC national secretariat. He said the move was driven by a long-standing commitment to the party and a desire to deliver “experienced and effective representation” for his people.

But the businessman quickly pivoted from his ambition to party politics, drawing a line in the sand over internal displacement. “What is important to the party is to continue to recognise and honour legacy members who have been there from inception, while also accommodating new entrants for growth,” he said. Balancing inclusiveness with loyalty, he added: “It is important to hold dearly your biological child while adopting new children. That balance must be maintained.”

Jack-Rich, who claims over 28 years in the oil industry, positioned himself as a foundation pillar of the APC. “I have been one of the key supporters of this party at both the state and national levels. I have supported governors, assembly members, representatives, senators and even presidents, and I will continue to do so,” he said.

His tone hardened as he recalled the party’s early struggles. “We were there when they called us names. I was there when they didn’t believe in us and when they tried to stop us,” he said. “Today that we have a president, some people are coming in hard and trying to push us out. We will not accept it.”

While welcoming the “influx of new members” as good for democratic expansion, Jack-Rich cautioned that it “should not come at the expense of those who built the party.” He added, “These new entrants are welcome, as it is good for the expansion of democracy, but they cannot take everything away.”

Despite the internal warnings, the Rivers-born aspirant struck an optimistic note on his chances. “I am happy to say I have submitted my form, and I am going to work hard for the primaries. I believe strongly that I will win the Senate seat. Rivers West will be great again,” he declared.

Jack-Rich also pitched his professional track record as legislative capital. “I have over 28 years of experience in the oil industry,” he noted, saying the expertise would be an “added advantage in legislative duties,” particularly on energy, Niger Delta development, and economic policy.

With his form now submitted, Jack-Rich enters a Rivers West race expected to test the APC’s ability to manage its old guard and new wave under one tent — a balance he insists the party cannot afford to get wrong.

The Northern Ethnic Youth Group Assembly (NEYGA) has rapped the The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) for describing as “a travesty” Tuesday’s judgement of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), awarding N100 million in damages against the NGO.

In addition to the N100 million, the court ordered SERAP to publish apologies in two national newspapers and two television stations to the two Department of State Services (DSS) operatives defamed by the NGO.

Shortly after the court rose, SERAP issued a statement dismissing the judgement as a “travesty,” a “blow to civic space in Nigeria,” and “a troubling pattern under the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of using defamation laws to punish legitimate criticism and suppress accountability.”

However, in a statement issued Wednesday in Kaduna, NEGYA described SERAP’s comments as “deeply troubling and irresponsible for a group that purports to promote socio-economic rights and accountability.”

Noted NEGYA, “We are saddened by the deeply troubling and irresponsible outburst by SERAP in the wake of the Tuesday judgement by an FCT high court. Shocking is SERAP’s attempt to link the judgement to an attempt to gag free speech.” The statement signed by NEYGA’s spokesperson, Alhaji Ibrahim Dan-Musa.

Noted the group, “On the surface, SERAP pretends to live by its name- promoting socio-economic rights and accountability. Deep down, however, it would seem that SERAP would rather every other person or group, but itself, be held accountable.

“Isn’t it hypocritical for SERAP to be hailing the exparte order granted by a Federal High Court against the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), but thumps the judgement of a court of coordinate jurisdiction as ‘a travesty?'”

Continued NEYGA, “To be sure, the socio-economic rights SERAP purports to promote is not the exclusive preserve of the NGO, or of any person or group of persons.

That point was clearly made by Justice Halilu Yusuf. In his judgement, the learned judge stated that SERAP cannot seek to hold others accountable and yet not want to subject itself to the scrutiny of accountability when it defames innocent citizens.

“It is disappointing that SERAP that has over 30 pending court cases against agencies of the Nigerian government, would describe the judgement of a high court as a “travesty ” simply because it didn’t go its way.

“NEYGA advises SERAP to tow the path of civility which, surprisingly, the two DSS officers towed. In times past, the DSS and their officers would have resorted to self-help. This is the first time in Nigerian history that security personnel who felt hurt by the actions of others approached a court for remedy.

“That SERAP, which still has the window of appeal in this matter up to the Supreme Court, can afford to call the judgement of a high court a ‘travesty,’ goes to show how toxic and intolerant the NGO is.

“Finally, we commend the DSS Director General, Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, for offering both operatives the golden opportunity to take the matter to court. The DSS leadership has proven that individuals have a right to protect themselves.

This noble action by the DSS leadership, not only has helped enrich our jurisprudence, but would help other security agencies realize that they, like other Nigerians, have rights which nobody can breach without consequences,” NEYGA declared.

…demands accountability into past investment of $3.5b for PHC, Warri and Kaduna refineries

A coalition of oil sector reform advocates has criticised the latest agreement by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited with Chinese firms to revive Nigeria’s refineries, describing the move as a wasteful recycling of failed strategies and a troubling signal of weak accountability in the management of public resources.

The group, the Centre for Energy Sector Transparency (CEST), made its position known in a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its executive director, Dr Oghenetega Edafe, following the announcement of a new memorandum of understanding between NNPC Ltd and two Chinese companies for a proposed technical equity partnership.

The agreement is aimed at completing rehabilitation work and restarting operations at the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, assets that have remained largely dormant despite multiple rounds of government-funded turnaround maintenance.

Edafe said the development raises serious questions about fiscal discipline, policy coherence, and the absence of accountability for previous investments running into billions of dollars.

“What Nigerians are witnessing is a troubling pattern of policy repetition without reflection. The same refineries that have gulped enormous public funds over the years are once again at the centre of a fresh round of agreements, yet there has been no transparent accounting of what has already been spent or why those investments failed to deliver results,” he said.

The group specifically referenced earlier government approvals of over $1 billion for refinery rehabilitation projects, warning that proceeding with new partnerships without a public audit of past expenditures undermines trust in the system.

“It is unacceptable that after committing over one billion dollars to refinery rehabilitation, the nation is being asked to embrace yet another agreement without a clear and verifiable audit of previous interventions. This is not just about policy failure; it is about the potential erosion of public trust in how national wealth is managed,” Edafe said.

He argued that while the introduction of a technical equity model may appear innovative, it does not absolve the government and NNPC Ltd of responsibility for past inefficiencies and possible mismanagement.

“The idea of bringing in technical partners with equity stakes is not inherently flawed. However, it becomes deeply problematic when it is introduced as a substitute for accountability. Before we speak of new partnerships, Nigerians deserve a full disclosure of how past funds were utilised, who was responsible for project delivery, and why the expected outcomes were not achieved,” he said.

The group also warned that without institutional reforms, the proposed collaboration risks becoming another cycle of investment without sustainable results.

“What is being presented as a strategic shift may, in reality, become another expensive experiment if the underlying governance issues are not addressed. Technical expertise alone cannot fix a system that lacks transparency, oversight, and consequences for failure,” Edafe said.

The Centre called on the National Assembly and relevant anti-corruption agencies to initiate a comprehensive probe of refinery rehabilitation projects over the past decade, including contract awards, disbursements, and project execution timelines.

“This moment demands more than optimism; it demands scrutiny. We call on oversight institutions like the National Assembly, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others to undertake a forensic examination of all funds committed to refinery rehabilitation, including the recent billion-dollar interventions. Nigerians must know what has been done with their resources and why the country is still dependent on fuel imports despite repeated promises of self-sufficiency,” he said.

The Centre added that restoring confidence in Nigeria’s oil sector would require not just new agreements, but a demonstrable commitment to transparency, accountability, and institutional integrity.