The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Seriake Dickson, has criticised the activities of the OK Movement, warning political support groups affiliated with the party against operating as parallel structures or competing with it for control.

Dickson spoke while receiving former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, into the NDC.

“Support groups don’t compete with the political party that is sponsoring candidates. Support groups don’t compete for supremacy, for space. Support groups are what they are: support groups.”

He added, “Support groups don’t play the role of a political party. They don’t sponsor candidates. They provide grassroots support, mobilisation, and support. They don’t convert themselves to become critics of the political party sponsored.”

Dickson said the NDC has made room for support groups, noting, “The NDC from day one made it clear that we have a huge place, an important place for all support groups. I’ve actually held meetings with Obidient groups.”

He stressed that several groups could operate under the party, saying, “We have thousands of support groups, and many more are welcome.” He added that the party has a department responsible for coordinating and managing them.

According to Dickson, support groups should not attack their sponsoring party or establish competing campaign structures.

“They don’t attack the political party sponsor. They don’t do that. Never in the history of political election, everywhere in the world.”

He said, “None of them will dare say they are setting up a campaign, presidential campaign council. It’s unheard of. Nonsensical.”

Dickson said support groups could be “gentle” or “more active,” but remained support groups, adding that their role was to mobilise at the grassroots and promote the party and its candidates.

He urged them to “confine themselves to their role” and focus on “providing support for our candidates, galvanising support at the grassroots level, propagating the candidates and the party.”

Photo caption: Vice President Kashim Shettima, Governor Fubara and other Nigerian delegates arriving in New York for UNGA

Governor Siminalayi has said that Rivers State will take centre stage at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) in New York, as his administration moves to showcase the State’s huge investment potentials to the world.

Sir Fubara said the UNGA platform provides a unique opportunity to market Rivers State as Nigeria’s number one investment destination in oil and gas as well as other critical sectors.

Speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the conference in New York, the Governor said the essence of his participation at the global meeting is to give visibility to Rivers State and showcase its economic endowments and woo investors to the state.

“The issue is very simple. We’re trying to give visibility to the state and also showcase the areas where God has really endowed us in the oil and gas sector and other aspects of the state.

“I strongly believe that at the end of this conference and other side meetings, business opportunities will be made open and presented to interested investors who might have very serious and immediate needs to come to our dear state, knowing full well the position of Rivers State in the oil and gas industry.

“I also strongly believe that we are also going to make some inroad into financing and investors opportunities for our dear state,” he stated.

According to Onwuka Nzechi, Chief Press Secretary to the River State Governor,  Fubara explained that the investment drive at UNGA 81 is in sync with the deliberate economic reforms of his administration, particularly the establishment of the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency (RSIPA) as a one-stop shop to facilitate and protect investments.

“This is not different from what we have already done before in establishing what we call the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency. What we are doing here will also aid the programme of that agency.

“Overall, I will say that Rivers State will be visible and prominent in this conference and we will come home with some good investments for our dear state,” he stated.

Onwuka in a statement quoted Governor to have  assured investors that Rivers State remains peaceful, stable, and open for business, with vast opportunities in oil and gas, agriculture, blue economy, manufacturing, and renewable energy.

Rivers State is among the few Nigerian sub-nationals participating actively at UNGA 81, with engagements lined up with development finance institutions, multinational corporations, and diaspora investors.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) is advancing a national digital platform intended to give farmers, livestock keepers and agricultural advisers more reliable access to location-specific weather and climate information. The NiMet Data Hub, developed with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and Crea2Solutions, has moved from design and mock-up review to an advanced Minimum Viable Product, with NiMet weather and climate services now under testing.

Work on the hub began in February 2026 under the Climate Services for Youth (CS4Y) and AGRA programmes. By July 2026 the project had progressed from early design to a testable product. The initiative is intended to improve access to historical, monitored and forecast climate information and to support risk analysis, seasonal planning and climate-informed decision-making.

Officials and partners have described the hub as a response to persistent weaknesses in agricultural climate services, including fragmented data, limited coordination among information providers, and the difficulty of turning technical forecasts into timely, practical advice. Stakeholder engagement co-hosted by NiMet and ILRI has focused on mapping Nigeria’s agro-meteorological data and advisory landscape, identifying information and delivery gaps, strengthening institutional linkages, improving last-mile communication, and supporting gender and social inclusion.

The platform is expected to serve farmers, pastoralists, extension professionals, researchers, government institutions and private advisory providers. NiMet resources such as online map rooms and agricultural climate products are expected to feed the system, enabling the development of context-specific agro-weather advisories. ILRI’s contribution is aligned with its wider work of organising research data, developing digital tools and making information more usable for partners and decision-makers.

The project is consistent with the food security, climate-smart agriculture and digital service priorities of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. By seeking to place usable climate information in the hands of producers and advisers, the hub is intended to support preparedness, reduce climate-related losses and strengthen agri-food livelihoods.