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Tukur Quits, New PDP National Chairman Emerges, Monday …Stakeholders React
Ogoni youths protesting in Bori, Khana Local Government Council of Rivers State last Wednesday
The PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, yesterday in Abuja, formally resigned his appointment following crises within the party.
Tukur‘s resignation was announced by President Goodluck Jonathan at the party’s 63rd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
“We have some internal problems that have been agitating the minds of the people and let us really thank the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) headed by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
“He did not just wake up to be the chairman of our party, he has paid his dues, he has held several offices and worked for this country and he has done very well.
“And for us to make sure that we rest these issues, the party chairman agreed to step aside,’’ the president said.
The announcement of Tukur‘s resignation by President Jonathan was greeted with a standing ovation.
Jonathan said Tukur personally submitted his resignation letter to him Wednesday night even as he handed the letter to the party’s National Secretary, Prof Adewale Oladipo right at the NEC meeting.
“He is not guilty in any way; in fact, I have to give him another assignment that is tougher than handling PDP.
“This is because we need people like Bamanga Tukur to market this country and the PDP.
“He has been doing that in the platform of African Round Table but we need a tougher job than the African Round Table for him,” Jonathan added.
He, consequently, called on Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River to formally move a motion to accept Tukur‘s resignation which was seconded by Sen. Abdul Ningi.
Jonathan further announced that the party’s NEC should take a decision to hold another meeting on January 20 to formally inaugurate a new national chairman for the party.
This, he maintained, would be based on the party‘s constitution, adding that the new chairman would come from the North East, according to the party‘s zoning principle.
“Within this period from now to Monday, we will look among ourselves particularly our leaders from the North East for a new chairman,’’ he said.
The president expressed the need to select someone who would be acceptable to all party members and with the qualities to lead the party to greater heights.
“For that reason, between now and Monday that we will meet, I will meet with relevant stakeholders and see how we can get such a person that will be acceptable by all of you.
“Because when we come here that day, and you say no, there is nothing we can do, that is why we must take time to look for a man or a woman that will lead the party.
“And I believe that those who will consult collectively will not disappoint this house,’’ the president said.
He described as normal the defection of some PDP members to the opposition, adding that the development was not a thing the party should worry itself about.
Jonathan said that as long as the parties continued to work together and do things together, it would remain the best party in the country.
He expressed the hope that from ongoing discussions, some of the members who defected to the opposition would return to the party soon.
He added that the party would henceforth be holding regular meetings, adding that the party‘s governors would now be meeting monthly to strategise on how to improve the party‘s fortune.
He also said that the party’s caucus and the Board of Trustee meetings would now hold every quarter while its NEC would meet more regularly.
“That would make us here at the centre to interact more with the state party chairmen and other party officials as well as the governors to think about the party.
“This is to see how we can collectively drive its machinery.
“The people want to see the PDP very affective because if we are not holding meetings, they will think that people have overtaken us, nobody can overtake PDP,’’ he said.
He assured the gathering that the PDP-led government at all levels would continue to give the people the true dividends of democracy.
The president challenged the opposition to assess the present PDP administration with previous government.
According to him, this government has done very well in the interest of the country.
He said that the PDP government was committed to its vision of ensuring positive change at all levels.
He tasked members to remain faithful, adding that the party would continue to grow stronger.
However, the factional Chairman of PDP in Rivers State, Felix Obuah has confirmed that he was among the state PDP chairmen that passed a vote of no confidence on the embattled National Chairman of the PDP, Bamanga Tukur.
Obuah disclosed that they no longer have confidence on the leadership of Tukur, due to what he described as problems in the party since his assumption of office.
Obuah said it was time for Tukur to step aside, adding that the Rivers PDP stakeholders had no problems in voting against him
According to him, “we feel that the problem of leadership the party has witnessed and the grievances, a lot of acrimony amongst its members he has not been able to address are some of the issues that had been of concern to us. So, we feel that it is right time to call it quits”.
Meanwhile, some members of the House of Representatives, yesterday in Abuja, said that the resignation of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as PDP chairman, would help in repositioning the party.
In separate interviews with newsmen, the legislators said that with the resignation, the party would be repositioned for 2015 general elections.
Rep. Uzor Azubuike (PDP-Abia), said that the decision by Bamanga to resign as the party chairman was patriotic.
He called on those who had defected to APC to make a rethink and come back to the party.
Rep.Gerald Irona (PDP-Imo) said that members of the party had had problems with the leadership style of Bamanga which led to the defection of the five PDP governors and others.
He said that his resignation was a good development for the party as it would save it from eminent danger.
Also speaking, Sen. Abdul Ningi described Alhaji Bamanga Turku, the former PDP national chairman, as the sacrificial lamb for the unity and stability of the party.
He made this known after President Goodluck Jonathan presented Tukur‘s resignation letter to the party‘s National Executive Committee (NEC) members.
Ningi, who seconded Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River motion for the acceptance of Tukur‘s resignation letter, said that Tukur had not violated any section of the party‘s constitution.
He stressed the outgoing party national chairman only sacrificed himself for the party following its recent crisis.
Tukur had before the president announced his resignation, thanked God and the party’s stakeholders for giving him the opportunity to serve.
“It has been a matter of honour for me to have served our party, and indeed, a rare privilege to have become the national chairman.
“I am grateful to the seven deities of good luck with which the Almighty God has endowed me.
“I am delighted to have had the opportunity to nurture and deliver an idea; that is the need for discipline and internal democratic practices within the party,” Tukur said.
Tukur advised the party members to install new national values that were driven less by personal greed and power and more by national interest.
This, according to him, is critical to address the country‘s challenges as well as that of the party.
“As we reinvent the foundation of internal consensus, let us endeavour to flaunt the good works of our various governments at all tiers of governance. We shall overcome,’’ Tukur said.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.