By Sunday Apah

In a defiant and unyielding response, the Campaign Council for Rt. Hon. Rev. Francis Ejiroghene Waive has categorically rejected calls to halt the lawmaker’s third-term ambition, declaring that his electoral fortunes have never rested on “turn-by-turn” arrangements but squarely on proven competence and performance.

The Council’s Director-General, Chief Bunor Agbomedarho, issued the stern rebuttal during a telephone interview, reacting sharply to demands by a political pressure group known as the Consultative Forum for Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency (CF-U3).

The group had urged constituents to resist Waive’s re-election bid, claiming it would deny others the opportunity to serve.

“Waive has never campaigned on the basis of rotation,” Agbomedarho fired back. “We campaign on the record of performance—nothing more, nothing less. When you have an effective representative, you retain him. When you have a failure, you replace him. The decision belongs to the electorate, not to any vested interest.”

He touted Waive’s achievements, citing tangible projects—including classroom blocks, solar street lights, and transformers—delivered across 30 of the constituency’s 32 wards. Beyond infrastructure, Agbomedarho emphasized the lawmaker’s excellence in core legislative functions: lawmaking, oversight, and representation, where he claimed Waive scored “above 80%.”

Dismissing tenure limits as constitutionally non-existent, the Campaign DG pointed to other Delta lawmakers serving multiple terms with fewer accomplishments. “Rev. Waive is not only a performer but a unifier. He is not afraid to face anyone in a contest. Let the people choose.”

The Council now urges voters to disregard what it labels “divisive propaganda” and instead rally behind Waive’s 2027 re-election bid to ensure continuity of development and effective representation.

By Sunday Apah

ASABA – Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has stated that the crumbling public confidence in the judiciary poses a catastrophic threat to the very fabric of society.

He warned that desperate citizens, stripped of faith in the courts, could descend into violent self-help, plunging the state into utter lawlessness.

The governor stated this on Wednesday during the high-stakes swearing-in of six new judges—a ceremony he framed as a critical last stand for justice. With the eyes of the state upon them, the newly minted justices were urged to become unshakeable pillars of probity, courage, and absolute impartiality or risk presiding over a descent into anarchy.

Anointed to the hallowed benches of the Delta State High Court are Justices Otite Jonah Akpobaro, Jereoma Sam-Oligida, Irene Boeye Ukuli, and Otome Benjamin Adamidenyo. Ascending to the Customary Court of Appeal are Justices Bridget Onome Ojeikere and Stella Ovuorieroro Okah.

Governor Oborevwori noted that the survival of democracy itself hangs in the balance, resting solely on a judiciary that is not only credible and independent but is seen to be so. “Justice must be blind, fearless, and favourless,” he declared, asserting that only such unwavering integrity can salvage public trust and guarantee social harmony.

The appointments, he revealed, followed a razor-sharp constitutional process, with candidates brutally vetted by the National Judicial Council after nomination by the state’s Judicial Service Commission.

While congratulating the judges on their elite elevation—a testament to their perceived knowledge and integrity—Oborevwori delivered a spine-chilling caution. He branded judges as being perpetually “on trial in the court of public opinion” and demanded they resist any temptation that could shatter judicial independence.

Highlighting a sweeping, high-tech overhaul of the state’s justice system, the governor unveiled shocking reforms: a futuristic Delta State Criminal Information System for biometric criminal tracking, virtual courtrooms beaming from maximum-security prisons, and plans for automated court recordings. He heralded these as weapons in a war against court congestion and delay.

In a historic revelation, Oborevwori announced that the state’s own Solicitor-General, Mr. Omamuzo Erebe, had shattered ceilings by attaining the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2025—a first for a Delta civil servant.

Speaking for the newly sworn justices, Justice Bridget Onome Ojeikere accepted the grave mantle, pledging to serve with ironclad integrity, without fear or favour.

The ceremony, a tense gathering of the state’s most powerful figures from all government branches, underscored the monumental stakes: the very peace of Delta now rests on the scales of justice these six individuals will hold.

By Sunday Apah

ASABA – Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has conveyed profound grief upon learning of the passing of Mr. Sunday Ndidi, father of Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi.

The elder Ndidi tragically lost his life in a fatal road accident in Umunede, in Ika North East Local Government Area of the state.

In an official condolence message disseminated by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, Governor Oborevwori characterized the death as an abrupt, distressing, and significant loss, impacting not merely the Ndidi family but also the Umunede community and the wider Ika Nation.

The Governor expressed his sincere sympathies to Wilfred Ndidi, the grieving family members, and the residents of Umunede, encouraging them to find comfort in the meaningful life and enduring legacy left by the deceased.

Reports indicate that Mr. Sunday Ndidi, a retired military officer, perished in a roadway collision on Tuesday. He was promptly transported to a medical facility in Agbor, where he was subsequently pronounced deceased.

This sorrowful event has attracted extensive commiseration, including from Wilfred Ndidi’s professional football club, Besiktas, which acknowledged the occurrence in a formal statement published on its official X platform (formerly Twitter).

Governor Oborevwori supplicated for divine strength to sustain the family through this irreplaceable loss and for eternal repose for the departed soul.

By Abdullahi Alhassan

KADUNA – As the National Assembly resumes legislative duties for the 2026 session, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has called on the 10th National Assembly to refocus on governance, accountability, and critical reforms, warning against the dangers of early electioneering ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), described 2026 as a defining year for both the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration and the current legislature, stressing that Nigerians now expect tangible outcomes from policies and programmes introduced since 2023.

“While citizens have shown patience in the early phase of this administration, often attributing prevailing socio-economic and democratic challenges to teething problems of a new government, 2026 naturally marks a period of maturity,” Rafsanjani said. “This is the stage at which policies must begin to deliver visible and measurable benefits to Nigerians, and the role of the National Assembly in achieving this cannot be overstated.”

CISLAC expressed concern that 2026 precedes the 2027 General Elections, a period historically associated with declining legislative productivity due to heightened political activities.

The organisation warned that public anxiety could be further deepened if the proposal to conduct general elections as early as November 2026 is pursued.

“Nigerians are worried and rightly so that governance may once again be sacrificed on the altar of politicking and electioneering,” Rafsanjani noted. “At a time when the country is grappling with economic hardship, worsening insecurity, rising public debt, governance deficits, and declining public trust in institutions, Nigeria cannot afford a distracted or compromised legislature.”

According to CISLAC, the current national challenges demand a fully functional, responsive, and accountable National Assembly, rather than one perceived as absentee, politically distracted, or a rubber stamp for the executive.

As part of its expectations for the 2026 legislative year, CISLAC outlined key priority areas for lawmakers.

First, CISLAC urged lawmakers to remain committed to plenary sessions, committee engagements, and oversight responsibilities, cautioning against frequent absences and unnecessary recesses driven by political ambitions.

Second, the organisation called for the fast tracking of critical legislative reforms, particularly electoral, economic, security, and governance related bills. Drawing lessons from the 2023 general elections, CISLAC stressed that electoral reform remains a core demand of Nigerian citizens and must not be delayed.

Third, CISLAC emphasised the need for strengthened legislative oversight to promote transparency and accountability, especially in budget implementation, public procurement, and the management of public funds.

Rafsanjani warned that failure to exercise robust oversight would further entrench public perception of the Assembly as a rubber stamp institution.

Finally, CISLAC cautioned the National Assembly against becoming an early casualty of the 2027 election cycle.

“Nigerians elected lawmakers to legislate and provide oversight, not to abandon governance long before the official campaign period,” Rafsanjani said. “The legislature is the backbone of any democratic system, and in 2026, the National Assembly must rise to this responsibility with integrity, discipline, and a clear commitment to the public interest.”

CISLAC reaffirmed its readiness to engage constructively with the National Assembly and other stakeholders to advance reforms that strengthen democracy, accountability, and good governance in Nigeria.