*say Governor’s Performance Despite Distractions Remain APC’s Selling Point in Rivers

No fewer than twenty five (25) groups have come together to refund the fifty million naira fee for the purchase of nomination form for Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The nomination and expression of interest forms were earlier procured for Governor Fubara, who is seeking a second tenure under the APC, by some elders and stakeholders of the party.

Addressing newsmen on Friday, a Member of House of Representatives, Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante, said the move was a collective efforts of Rivers Stakeholders and it was done in the overall interest of the state.

But despite purchasing the forms already for the Governor, the groups, under the Coalition of Greater Nigeria Groups (GNG), vowed to refund the fee to the Governor, saying, they had fixed May 2 to move in glamorous rally to the APC point of purchase and get the forms for Fubara, but the APC stakeholders beat them to it.

The Coalition, made up of pro-democracy and good governance groups; Human Rights Activists; Nigeria Young Professionals Group; APC Support Groups and other Civil Groups, both in Rivers and National; said the gesture was to encourage the Governor to continue with his good works, knowing that Nigerians are strongly behind him, both home and abroad.

“Delegation of executives of our various groups have arrived Abuja ahead of the purchase of the nomination forms for His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Saturday, but then, the Rivers Stakeholders beat us to it by picking the form yesterday.

“In spite of that, we shall go ahead and make a refund to the Governor. We must be part of this great history. Let the Governor be aware that Nigerians, both home and abroad love and support him, not only in Rivers”, Comrade Jinadu Suleiman, the Spokesman of the Coalition said Saturday morning, while addressing newsmen in Abuja.

The Coalition argued that, the performance index of the Governor, in the face of distractions and intimidations, was the selling point, saying, Fubara would win convincingly at the polls.

According to the Coalition, the gesture reflects confidence in the Governor’s leadership and a desire for continuity. They stressed that Fubara’s achievements in less than 3 years surpassed what Governors are doing in other states, while expressing optimism that the Governor would win his reelection, even from any party.

“Aside the prompt payments of salaries and pensions in the state, the Coalition affirmed that the Governor takes the welfare of the workers and entire citizenry seriously, the more reason he undertook the renovations of the long abandoned Secretariat Complex, which had become a dead trap for civil servants; commissioning of Government House Staff Quarters; construction of RIVTAF 20,000 Housing Estate Project; launching the ₦4 Billion SME Loan Scheme in Partnership with the Bank of Industry; amongst others.

“The Governor is also at home with the security architecture in the state. Recently, he procured a surveillance helicopter for the Nigeria Air Force; donated 100 Utility Vehicles to the Nigeria Police Force; donated a Fire Truck to NAAN; 12 Security Trucks to NSCDC; six Gunboats and Construction of Personnel Quarters for the Nigerian Navy.

“Not also forgetting the construction of 10.9km Aleto-Eteo-Ebubu Road; Emohua-Tema Road; Egbeda Internal Roads; Trans-Kalabari Road Project; Port Harcourt Dual Carriage Ring Road; 33.5km Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Dual Carriage Road; 5km Okania-Ogbogoro Road; Eberi-Umuakali-Omodu Road, which has helped linked Rivers to Abia States; as well as other wonderful constructions ongoing, to link the riverine areas to the city centers.

“These and more, our Coalitions compiled and we were convinced that, if a man who was not allowed to settle down in the office could achieve this in just two years and some months, then he deserves another term, where much would be expected of him”, the Coalition added.

The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria [NCSCN] has pushed back against recent allegations of “data theft and fraudulent billing” leveled against Mobile Network Operators by activist Omoyele Sowore, revealing that the Nigerian Communications Commission issued a directive for direct consumer compensation as far back as March 29, 2026.

In a press conference held Thursday in Abuja, NCSCN Executive Director Amb. Blessing A. Akinlosotu said the NCC’s *Consumer Compensation Framework* mandates all MNOs to repay subscribers affected by network glitches, failures, or poor service — a full month before Sowore’s public campaign.

“While we agree there are occasional, genuine consumer complaints, a balanced judgment requires full disclosure of regulatory actions already taken,” Akinlosotu stated.

The Council confirmed that MTN has begun complying with the directive. “We can confidently confirm MTN has started paying some consumers. I am among the recipients so far,” Akinlosotu disclosed, adding that proof of payment would be released after the briefing. He stressed that the payments predate Sowore’s press statements.

Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and former AAC presidential candidate, had accused MNOs, specifically MTN, of “economic sabotage” and called for nationwide protests and picketing of the NCC and telco offices.

NCSCN revealed its leadership attended one of the protest planning meetings, where the NCC was accused of complacency and MNOs were condemned for “deliberate defrauding” of subscribers.

The Council, however, urged caution. “We see nothing wrong in unavoidable peaceful protests,” Akinlosotu said, “but we insist on exhaustive dialogue and unbiased consultations before resorting to confrontation. Dialogue should only fail before protest begins.”

a standing forum of CSOs, consumer associations, and service providers — as the appropriate channel for resolving grievances.

According to NCSCN, the NCC’s March 29 directive requires telcos to compensate affected users from fines imposed for quality of service breaches. Payments will come as airtime credits, calculated using subscribers’ average spending and their location in LGAs where outages occurred.

The framework runs alongside existing sanctions that impose monetary fines on erring operators. “This latest move aims to directly benefit end-users who experience dropped calls, slow data speeds, or extended outages,” the Council explained.

NCSCN called on stakeholders to focus on monitoring implementation and transparency rather than inflaming tensions. “The NCC has acted. The compensation mechanism is in motion. What is needed now is sustained dialogue,” Akinlosotu concluded.

Attempts to reach Comrade Sowore for comment were unsuccessful as of press time.

The Northern Coalition for Justice (NCJ) has criticised comments by Atiku Abubakar on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s stance on insecurity, describing the remarks as “politically driven and insensitive to the plight of victims.”

In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its President, Mallam Mustapha Alhassan, the group said Atiku’s reaction not only misrepresents the government’s efforts but also “amounts to a subtle mockery of victims of insecurity across the country.”

The Coalition argued that while national grief over insecurity is real and must be acknowledged, exploiting such tragedies for political criticism risks trivialising the suffering of affected communities.

“It is deeply concerning that comments of this nature, rather than offering solutions, appear to weaponise the pain of victims for political advantage. In doing so, they inadvertently mock the very people whose suffering is being cited,” the statement read.

Mallam Alhassan said the administration of President Tinubu has demonstrated commitment to addressing insecurity through sustained military operations, improved inter-agency coordination, and increased investment in security infrastructure.

He noted that the country’s security challenges are longstanding and complex, requiring time, consistency, and collective effort to resolve.

“No responsible government will abandon its duty to protect lives and property. What is required now is unity of purpose, not commentary that deepens division or diminishes the sacrifices being made to restore peace,” he said.

The group also faulted the “emotional and exaggerated framing” of insecurity statistics, warning that such narratives could create panic and undermine public trust in ongoing efforts.

According to the Coalition, political leaders have a responsibility to contribute constructively to national discourse, particularly on sensitive issues such as security.

“Leadership demands empathy, but it also requires responsibility in communication. Public statements must aim to heal, not inflame; to unite, not divide,” Alhassan added.

The NCJ further stated that the President’s remarks reflect determination to confront insecurity rather than indifference to the suffering of citizens.

It said resilience and steadfastness are necessary qualities in leadership, especially in times of national challenge.

“The President’s position should be understood as a commitment to stay the course and confront these challenges head-on. It is not, in any way, a dismissal of the pain experienced by Nigerians,” the statement said.

The Coalition urged political actors to rise above partisan considerations and support efforts aimed at strengthening security institutions and protecting lives.

It also called for greater collaboration between government, opposition leaders, and citizens in addressing the root causes of insecurity.

“At a time when the nation is confronting serious threats, unity is not optional; it is essential. We must all contribute to building a safer Nigeria,” the group said.

The NCJ reiterated its support for the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies, commending their sacrifices and expressing confidence in ongoing operations.

It urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and supportive of security efforts, while rejecting narratives that could undermine national cohesion.

“Security is a shared responsibility. We must stand together in defence of our country and in solidarity with the victims; not use their pain as a tool for political scoring,” Mallam Alhassan said.