Politics
Rivers Guber Primaries: Omehia Not Ready For Challenge – Wike
The Amaechi 2011 re-election campaign organisation has described the withdrawal of Celestine Omehia from the governorship race on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State as an expression of lack of confidence in himself and a sure sign that he would have failed woefully in the primaries.
Chairman of the Amaechi 2011 Re-election Campaign Organisation, Chief Nyesom Wike stated this while reacting to statements credited to Omehia that his withdrawal was as a result of lack of transparency in the process that led to the election of delegates for the primaries.
Addressing newsmen at a press briefing in Port Harcourt, Wike said: “Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have reacted to Omehia’s withdrawal, he picked his intent form to contest the January 9 PDP governorship primaries and has a right to withdraw or remain. What we are reacting to is what he said about the process of election of delegates being marred by irregularities. The Amaechi campaign organization has prepared overtime knowing that we have to mobilise people to vote.”
“This is why we embarked on a tour of Local Government Areas and districts to consult and seek the support of delegates for the primaries.”
“It baffles us to know that the same man who is talking about this had prepared a list of his own delegates and petitioned the party’s national secretariat, unfortunately his list was turned down because you cannot have a right to conduct primaries without the national body recognising the panel in charge of that election.” Wike said.
“The same man who says he wants to contest the election has filed several suits at the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt. So, the issue becomes, what are you seeking for, was he prepared for this election? Certainly not.”
“You are aware that in 2007, this same man who is talking about transparency never picked an intent form to run for primaries to be governor of Rivers State, yet after the emergence of Rotimi Amaechi as the candidate of the PDP who scored over six thousand votes in that primary, somebody who never picked an intent form was later chosen to be the candidate of the party, he never questioned that there was no transparency, he never questioned that that process was wrong.”
The Director-General further described Omehia’s withdrawal on Friday as a way of saying that he is not up for the challenge. “We wanted a stiff competition but he has chickened out. We, however, thank him for withdrawing and urge him to still remain in the party but if he feels otherwise, we are still willing to challenge anybody at the polls.”
“With Governor Amaechi’s precedence and performance, it is even obvious that the PDP would not make the mistake of opting for another candidate. Even other parties have said that with Rotimi Amaechi as the PDP candidate, they will not contest the election. Rivers people are all waiting for him to get the flag so that they will all come out and vote for him in April.” Wike said.
Responding to allegations that the delegates’ election process was hijacked by some PDP chieftains or marred by some irregularities, Wike explained that it only takes honesty and maturity for people to concede to defeat. “Anybody who loses will always find one excuse or the other to hold onto. Nobody is saying that you must have a hundred percent, but at least to the best of our knowledge, there is a radical change from what used to be; now people have subjected themselves to elections. If they are sure of their story, they should come out and name those PDP chieftains and not to generalise.”
“There is also an appeal process within the party where aspirants can take their complaints to.”
“If we had participated in such irregularities, we would not have wasted time to go round the 23 local government areas mobilising and seeking the delegates support.
Civil Society Coalition for Good Governance, Budget and Accountability has condemned the defection of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Executive Secretary, Civil Society Coalition for Good Governance, Budget and Accountability, Amb. Emmanuel Nkweke, who said this in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt also described as illegal all legislations passed by the defected lawmakers.
Amb. Nkweke described the defection as “monkey politics’, queried the rational behind the action of the lawmakers few months after being sworn into office, adding that members of the civil society community were yet to be told reasons for the defection.
“Up till now, we are yet to be told why they defected just few months of being sworn into office. For me, that is monkey politics”, he said.
He urged the lawmakers to go back to their former party and beg Rivers people for forgiveness, adding that if that is done, they may be welcomed back.
Amb. Nkweke also cautioned the lawmakers not to allow themselves to be used to do the bidding of an individual, adding that the present administration in the state needs the support of all to move forward.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the group has commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for giving civil societies the latitude to operate freely in the state.
He alleged that civil societies were caged in the last eight years, adding that there was no breathing space for civil societies in the last eight years in the state.
Amb. Nkweke described civil society as the engine room of democracy as it engages in sensitisation on the policies and programmes of government, regretting, however, that their inputs were never taken into considerations.
“Civil societies give signals, civil society creates the awareness and sensitize the people towards achieving a reliable democracy.
‘’i want to let you know, very frankly, that civil society space in Rivers State, for the past eight years, was suffocated. There was no breathing space, they didn’t breathe. Civil society was dead completely”, he said.
Amb. Nkweke said the situation also affected upcoming activists as some of them had to operate from hideouts.
By: John Bibor
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on President Bola Tinubu not to condone incompetent personalities in his government.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, NANS President, Comrade Pedro Obi, expressed concerns about the competence of the Minister of State for Youth Development and the SSA to the President on Student Engagement.
Comrade Obi, after staging a peaceful protest at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), reiterated that the NANS will not be intimidated and will continue to fight for the interests of Nigerian students.
He said, “The message is very simple, we have incompetent people who have been appointed to offices. It’s unfortunate and it’s not the President’s fault, of course he believes in Nigerian youths and has also given us the opportunity to showcase our capacity in various roles that he has given us.
“We have the SSA to the President on Student Engagement, who has shown incompetence. He cannot continue to hold that office and we are calling on Mr. President that he should be sacked with immediate effect.
“Also we have the Minister of State for Youth Development. We are also calling that immediately he should be sacked, because he has left what he ought to do and has dabbled into the affairs of NANS.
“These people have displayed incompetence and are destroying the youth community. There are so many competent youths that President Tinubu can pick from.
“NANS can never be intimidated. This is an organisation that we grew up to meet and we will continue to protect the dignity of this organisation.”
Receiving the NANS on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office in the SGF, Dr. Maurice Nnamdi Mbaeri, assured the NANS of relaying back their complaints to the SGF which he said will land on the listening ears of President Tinubu.
According to him, “I have listened to the complaints you raised. I assure you that your complaints will get to the listening ears of Mr. President.
“Let me assure you that I’m happy this was also re-echoed in the NANS President’s speech that President Tinubu has indebt love for the youths of Nigeria and also for the students of Nigeria. This has been demonstrated by polices that (has) been put in place for the youths.
“I want to assure you that the President has your concerns in his heart and he’s always ever ready to attend to your needs.
“With this, I am going to report back to my boss the SGF, who will take up the matter with the President. I urge you to continue to maintain peace and tranquillity. Don’t do anything that will make Mr. President feel bad about you.”
Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyiorchia Ayu, has withdrawn the court action he instituted against the party over his controversial removal from office barely two years into his four year term.
His action has removed legal impediments likely to militate against the emergence of his replacement from the North Central.
Several meetings have been held and being planned following this new development.
On Tuesday, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) passed a vote of confidence on the Ag. National Chairnan, Amb. Umar Damagum, whom members said has discharged his functions creditably.
It was gathered that the North Central Caucus of the party had long before now started mobilizing to ensure that the zone produces Ayu’s replacement to complete his tenure which expires in 2025.
In a related development, Amb. Damagum has held series of meetings with various groups to perhaps shore up his chances of retaining his seat as acting chairman.
He led the members of the NWC on Wednesday to interact with the PDP National Ex-officio ahead of the NEC meeting.
Immediately after the meeting with them, he led the NWC members to another meeting with the State Party Chairmen from the 36 States, including FCT, Abuja.
The meetings were held at the NEC Hall, PDP National Secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, in Abuja.
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