Politics
Dep Speaker Tasks Youth On Democracy Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly,
Hon. Leyii Kwanee last week urged the youths in the state not to appraise democracy within the perspective of what transpired at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) elections held last month.
He made the call as he played host to a delegation of the Niger Delta Students Union Government (NDSUG) led by its National President, Obada Akpomiemie, in his office.
Hon Kwance explained to the students why they should not view the nation’s democracy in light of the outcome of the NGF election in which he said the state Governor, Rt Hon. Chibuike Amaechi won by a higher vote, but with Jonah Jang’s supporters forming a faction with parallel secretariat in Abuja. He expressed worry over the thought that children and the youth would perceive democracy from the outcome of the NGE election, a situation capable of corrupting their minds and hence might spell doom for Nigeria in the future. He stated that elections and democracy were not subject to manipulations, while expressing optimism that at the end of the day, democracy would prevail, in spite of the activities of what he called anti-democratic forces.
The Deputy Speaker, who is also the chairman of the Parliamentary Exchange and Mentorship Programme of the Pan-African Parliament, noted that Nigeria was passing through a turbulent time, urged the youth to note that democracy was the best system of governance. He charged them to shun any act capable of derailing free and fair elections, and ensure that they do things right as leaders of tomorrow and the hope of the nation.
The Deputy Speaker was responding to an earlier condemnation of the outcome of the NGF election by Akpaniemie. The NDSUG President had decribed it as a mockery of democracy, saying that its shameful and unexpected. On Friday, a Port Harcourt High Court presided over by Justice Adolphus Enebeli fixed July 29, 2013 to deiver judgment on a suit between the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Otelemaba Dan Amachree and the State Police Command.
The suit, filed by counsel to the Speaker, Mr Emenike Ebete, is seeking a court order to restrain the police from arresting and interrogeating the Speaker over his concerns on alleged plots to assassinate the State Governor and cause instability and disorder in the state.
In his submission, Mr Ebete urged the court to sustain his application, while quashing the counter affidavit filed by counsels to the defendants for lack of evidence.
He argued that the open letter to the president, on which the defendants based tier counter-affidaut was not signed by anybody, and hence could not be used to investigate the speaker.
While acknowledging that the police had the constitutional right to investigate anybody, Ebete emphasised that there must however, be a provable allegation against the person.
He also submitted that the police were already biased in the matter and so should not be the ones to investigate the matter, alleging that the Feix Obuah –led PDP was using the police to compel the Assembly to reverse its suspension of the Obio/Akpor chairman and councilors, a matter, which he said bordered on abuse of fundamental human rights.
Meanwhile, as had been the case since the House adjourned since die in March, 2013 following the lingering crises in the state chapter of the ruling PDP, there had been a lull in all other activities in the Assembly complex. The usual smartness and seriousness with which people went about their daily chores in the complex and missing.
From the security personnel at the gate, through the security details attached to the complex by the state police command, to the various workers in the complex, it has been all dull moment. One does not need a soothsayer to know that the long absence of the legislators has taken its toll on all other activities in the complex. Occasionally, groups of two, three, and above gather to analyse the situation. Most of the discussions last week hinged on what they called presidential interference in the affairs of Rivers State. Some blamed the development in the state as a microcosm of the nature of power usage of Nigerian’s politicians.
This later group blamed the development on the reluctance of the ruling class to make the constitution supreme for fear of losing the control accorded them by virtue of the power they wield through the positions they occupy. They belief is that if the constitution was surpreme, it will guide everybody at all levels.
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has revealed that the reforms initiated and implemented by his administration led to the saving of the sum of N2.3 billion for the local government councils.
The governor disclosed this recently at the opening ceremony of an orientation programme organised for newly-elected local government council chairmen, vice chairmen, councilors and principal officers at Perdis Hotel, Akenfa.
Gov Diri stated that on assumption of office in 2020, some local government councils were highly indebted and unable to pay salaries but his administration took measures that resulted in regular payment of salaries, execution of projects and saving of funds.
The Bayelsa State Chief Executive restated his call on the Federal Government to create additional local councils in the state, saying it was injustice for some states to have more than 40 councils and receiving monthly allocation from the Federation Accounts Allocation Commission (FAAC), while the state had only eight.
He charged the newly elected local government officials to make good use of the two-day workshop to equip themselves with the requisite knowledge to carry out their responsibilities.
The governor also called on them to work as a team to ensure that development was felt at the grassroots.
“Local governments as at 2020 were unable to pay salaries, particularly Nembe, Ogbia, Ekeremor and Sagbama. There was some form of dissatisfaction in the system.
“After I went through the recommendations of the Deputy Governor, whom I entrusted with investigating the local government, I wasted no time in approving the recommendations.
“The recommendations included the ban on loans from any source by local government chairmen without approval of the governor; compulsory savings by every council; and the division of balance after payment of salaries into 60 and 40 per cent respectively. One part was for compulsory savings and the other to project implementation and immediate commencement of computerisation of their payroll as well as compulsory quarterly award of projects by each council chairman.
“We found a lot of fraud in the local government system. But as it stands today, our councils have N2.3billion as a result of the combination of the factors of reforms and proper supervision of that tier of government.
“The breakdown is N400million compulsory savings while N1.9 billion for capital projects. This is aside from the one done by caretaker committees in terms of project execution within the short period they stayed”, the governor said.
Gov Diri assured of his administration’s commitment to support the councils to achieve their goals and expressed confidence that the new officials would meet the expectations of the people.
“We firmly believe that good governance begins at the grassroots level. That is precisely why we have gathered here to equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to improve our local government administration and enhance service delivery.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Eze Oruamara/Regent of Okwuzi Kingdom in Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the State, Eze Victor Afaka, has sued for peace among the political class in the State.
Eze Afaka made the appeal while speaking with The Tide on the sidelines of the governorship victory thanksgiving service by the Ogba Egbema /Ndoni Chapter of the Simplified Movement in Omoku.
He said Governor Fubara should be allowed to display the vision that God has given to him to govern the state.
According to him, since every administration has its term and tenure, the man presently at the helm of affairs in Rivers State must be given the opportunity to complete his own term and tenure.
“I advise politicians to sheathe their sword and allow peace to reign. Politics and governance have their terms and tenure. When it is your tenure, you have your vision to display; when you conclude that vision God has given you as a leader of your community or of a state, you step aside and leave the next person to display the vision God has given to him” he said.
The traditional ruler said he and his people, including the youth, women and the Ogbakor Egbema, decided to attend the service because of the excellent vision of Governor Fubara
“We are happy, Okwuzi people are in full support of the government, the government of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara”, he added.
He said that the governor’s peaceful disposition to governance has endeared him to His Kingdom, noting that Okwuzi kingdom was already a beneficiary of the present administration’s purposeful governance as the Omoku/Okwuzi road abandoned 10 years ago, was nearing completion.
“ONELGA, Okwuzi are benefitting from his government.The road that was abandoned for ten years is being completed right now and we know that there are so many other things he will do for us”, he said.
While urging the state government to give desired attention to the Okwuzi General Hospital that is in a state of dilapidation, Eze Afaka entreated Governor Fubara not to be distracted, but to continue to promote peace and development across the State.
John Bibor
A group of North Central stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has stormed the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, demanding the resignation of the National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the protesters said their demand followed his recent suspension by a faction of his ward executives and the alleged bribery allegation levelled against him by the Kano State government.
While they chanted solidarity songs and displayed several banners some of which read, “Ganduje must resign” and “Return the APC chairmanship to North Central,” the protesters appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, to consider returning the leadership of the party to the North Central.
Only on Tuesday, the Forum of APC State Chairmen had passed a vote of confidence on Ganduje, affirming their unalloyed support to him.
The protesters under the aegis of Concerned North Central APC Stakeholders lamented that the continued stay of Ganduje in office was a clear violation of the zoning principle in the party.
Mohammed Saba, who led the protesters, said unlike the 37 APC state chairmen, his people in the North Central have passed a vote of no confidence on the national chairman and equally demanded his immediate resignation.
Saba reiterated that the people of North Central felt betrayed when the position of APC national chairman was hijacked from them following the exit of Senator Abdullahi Adamu despite giving Tinubu the third highest votes after North West and South West at the 2023 presidential election.
He said, “We, the North Central APC Concerned Stakeholders, have resolved to unanimously agitate for our right and reclaim our mandate which was handed unto us by the National Convention of our great Party in 2022.
“Various sections of our constitution have established the procedure of replacing an executive member at all levels of the party in the event of death, resignation, incapacitation or expulsion from the party by any executive member.
“It is a fact that the emergence of Dr. Umar Ganduje as national chairman was done against the spirit and soul of the APC which is the constitution of our great party. This singular act has impacted negatively on us as a people in the North Central.
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