By David Owei,Bayelsa

Secetary-General of the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), Ambassador Winston Cotterel Amain and Six others have emerged candidates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the State House of Assembly elections in Bayelsà State.

Ambassador Winston Cotterel Amain emerged as candidate of the Party to contest for the Nembe Constituency 1 seat.

Also cleared for the State Assembly ticket of the party are Ikioumoton Frederick Ugo (KOLGA 2), Joel Ebiegberi Ilebiri (Southern Ijaw 4), Chief Damiebi Asoh (Sagbama 3), Disney Desire Obakimo (Yenagoa 3), Alfred Iniedimo Apoh (Yenagoa 2) and Pastor Bokolo Eluan (Yenagoa 3).

The APGA State House of Assembly primary panel led by Hon. Obiene Onaemi Ibirino and Panel Secetary, Barr. Philip William Soroh supervised the primaries in company of the State Chairman, Brisibe Kpodoh.

Speaking with newsmen after the primary, Ambassador Winston Cotterel Amain, said he is out to effect a change in the lives of his constituent and ensure equitable distribution of wealth among all the constituencies in the states through motions and laws on the sacred floor of the House.

Amain, who is a founding member of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) and member of MOSIEND, noted that his decision to join politics is to effect change in the lives of the people of Nembe and ensure that the Local Content Act is domesticated in the state,” when it is domesticated the oil multinationals can no longer take our resources as crude oil and located their operational offices outside the state”

He said ” I felt this is the time to apply activism to politics to agitate for better life for my constituent. My people should be proud that am going to defend them on the floor of the House of Assembly.”

“My plan to ensure that Nembe benefit more from the dividend of democracy. Today,if you go to Nembe, you will see that governance have not been demonstrated in the lives of the people and communities.”

“In my constituency,I want to ensure that the vest opportunity we have is evident in the life of the people. I will work with other Assembly members and the State Government to bring companies and effect development in the area.”

“Our people need to have jobs,other opportunities in the oil and gas industries. Women and youths need to be trained and skills acquired.I will ensure that the Oil Multinationals are accountable to the people. We will ensure that resources available to Nembe is commiserate with resources taken from the communities. It must be equitable.”

Earlier, the State Chairman of APGA, Hon. Brisibe Kpodoh assures the party flag bearers of the issuance of certificate of return at a scheduled gathering in Anambra state under the Leadership of the State Governor, Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR.

Kpodoh charged all party flag bearers against anti-party activities and induced defections from the party.

He also warned APGA candidates against acts of stepping down for opposition candidates during general elections,” APGA is for the betterment of the people. You need to sit up and work for the progress of the people.”

By George Mgbeleke

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) is alarmed by the rapidly deteriorating economic conditions confronting millions of Nigerian families and is therefore calling on the Federal Government and all State Governments to immediately declare a National Family Economic Emergency in response to the suffocating cost of living crisis currently gripping the country.

Across Nigeria, citizens are being crushed under an unrelenting wave of inflationary pressure marked by constant increases in the prices of essential commodities, petrol, cooking gas, electricity tariffs, transportation costs, and basic food items. These escalating hardships have pushed households to the edge of survival, with millions of families unable to afford basic necessities of life.

Equally troubling is the widening unemployment crisis, particularly among young Nigerians, alongside stagnant or non-commensurate wages for those still in formal employment. The result is a deepening cycle of poverty, frustration, and economic despair across all regions of the country.

HURIWA in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko,further observes with grave concern the collapse and inefficiency of key interventionist institutions and ministries established to cushion poverty and vulnerability. These include, but are not limited to, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as the Ministry of Women Affairs, which has shown limited capacity to respond effectively to the scale of national distress currently unfolding.

The prominent Pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA also decries what it describes as a glaring lack of strategic direction and innovation within critical economic sectors, particularly agriculture and livestock development. The inability of relevant ministries to create an enabling environment for farmers to produce efficiently has continued to undermine food security and deepen inflation in food prices nationwide.

More alarming is the worsening security situation across the country, which has further crippled agricultural productivity and rural economic activities. Vast territories are increasingly becoming ungoverned spaces, with armed groups and terrorists reportedly imposing levies on farmers before access to farmlands is granted. This dangerous development has effectively disrupted farming cycles, reduced output, and worsened hunger across the nation.

HURIWA notes that this convergence of economic mismanagement, institutional inefficiency, insecurity, and policy inconsistency has created a national emergency situation that threatens the survival of millions of Nigerian families. The Rights group warns that without urgent, coordinated, and sustainable interventionist policies, Nigeria risks a full-scale collapse of household economies and a deepening humanitarian crisis.

Accordingly, HURIWA is calling on the Federal Government and State Governments to urgently adopt extraordinary measures aimed at stabilising prices, expanding social protection, restoring security in farming communities, revitalising agricultural productivity, and ensuring that economic policies directly translate into relief for suffering citizens.

HURIWA insists that the time for rhetoric has passed. What Nigeria urgently needs is decisive leadership anchored on compassion, competence, and emergency economic thinking to prevent millions of families from sinking further into multidimensional poverty.

Now is the time to act. Now is the time to rescue Nigerian families from economic suffocation and restore hope to a nation under pressure.

By Uthman-BabaNaseer,Minna

The people’s Democratic party PDP Niger State Chapter has expressed shock and disappointment over the recently concluded Local government elections describing it as a show of shame and mockery of Democracy.

The state Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party PDP, Hon Aliyu Mohammed Halidu, stated this in a press release made available in his reaction to the recently conducted local government elections,to Aljazirah Newspaper in Minna.

“We members of PDP in Niger State have unequivocally condemned the reckless abuse of power, impunity and blatant compromise exhibited by NSIEC in the conduct of 1st November 2025 local government elections”

Halidu emphatically further disclosed that PDP rejects in totality the so called local government elections.and will not be recognised as free and fair or credible democracy process, “it’s a disgrace to democracy a flagrant disenfranchisement to the people of the state.”

According to the Chairman, who was also in the National assembly in 1992 and 93, said the entire process was characterised by total disregard to due process and the law by the electoral umpire and it’s agents.

Halidu observed that it is regrettable that over 50 percent of the voting population of Nigerlites were denied their constitutional right to vote as the electoral body deliberately under supply ballot papers and other sensitive materials in virtually all the pooling units in the 25 Local government areas.

“In several areas,more than half of the voting materials never get to the polling stations,in Rijau local government materials were supplied but electoral officials failed to turn up and winners were declared,”the Chairman stated..

He decried the wanton disregard to the rule of law in the election by the NSIEC, sensitive materials, result sheets and ballot papers were delayed in some cases were withheld or diverted in polling units perceived to be the strong hold on PDP.

According to him, these actions amount to voter disenfranchisement and violate section 24(1) of the electoral Act,2022,which mandates INEC to ensure equal access and opportunity for all voters.

In Shiroro local government area,the PDP Chairmanship candidate intercepted seven vehicles conveying electoral materials meant for wards around Kuta were diverted to Minna,but the police instead detained the candidate along with 16 others.

While in Muwo-Gbajibo ward after the PDP candidate was declared winner security operatives tear Gass the PDP supporters and was denied victory,also In Chanchaga L G, two persons were shot, while in Kontagora one person killed two others injured.

The statement added that the relocation of some polling stations was understable due to security particularly in Shiroro,Munya and Mariga local government areas,but was deliberately to disenfranchise the majority of voters in violation of section 47 (1) of the electoral Act of 2022.

“Notwithstanding PDP remains confident in its popularity with the overwhelming support of the people across the state,we reaffirm our commitment to peaceful, transparent and credible elections but shall resist through legal and constitutional means any attempt to subvert the will of the people”.Halidu concludes.