Politics
Amaechi Hosts Eleme General Assembly
Last week in Government House started on a humanitar
ian note following the donation of skills empowerment equipment to over 200 women and widows by the Obio / Akpor Local Government Council. The wife of Rivers State Governor, Dame Judith Amaechi and Chief of Staff, Government House, Sir Tony Okocha was at hand to handover the equipment.
Dame Judith Amaechi commended the effort of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Obio/Akpor, saying the party was already on the path to victory. She therefore urged beneficiaries of the scheme to be committed in using their crafts to transform their families and society.
On Monday, last week, Director- General Bureau of Public Procurement, Mr Franklin Nlemm briefed Government House Correspondents on the controversy surrounding the purchase of two Automatic Road Analyser Vehicles (ARAN). He said the development has been misconstrued in some quarters, explaining that the law also empowers the agency to act as a regulatory agency.
According to Mr Nlemm, section 50, sub-section three of the law establishing Bopp empowers the agency to call a contractor to order if he or she deviates from specifications. He insisted that the two ARAN vehicles were acquired by the body to further enhance its mandate in ensuring standards in contract execution, especially roads.
In the long run, he believed that the ARAN would improve capacity of road contract execution and at the same time improve quality and save money for the government.
Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon. Chibuike Amaechi returned to the state on Tuesday after attending a Town Hall meeting with Rivers State indigenes abroad in the United States of America.
Before the arrival of the governor, Chief of Staff Government House, Sir Tony Okocha had visited Obio/Akpor Council where he unveiled two new vehicles for the police and another one for non-indigenes in the area.
He commended the authorities of Obio/Akpor Council for assisting the police to fight crime in Woji Community, and for providing means of transportation for non-indigenes in APC within Obio/Akpor area.
Governor Amaechi on Wednesday took time from his tight state schedules to inspect ongoing projects in different parts of the state. Later in the evening, he was at a state banguet in honour of a literary icon, Prof. Wole Soyinka who turned 80 recently.
Describing the Nobel Laureate as a “global adviser,” Amaechi said Soyinka has been consistent in the literary world and continues to bring honour to Nigeria despite its current travails.
He said, “I need to thank you (Prof Soyinka) for accepting the invitation by the Rivers State Government to host you to a dinner. The reason for it is basically the achievements that you have made globally not just in Nigeria”.
Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi who was guest at the dinner also lauded Prof Soyinka, saying Nigerians will not forget his activism as human rights crusader.
Responding, Prof Soyinka thanked the people of Rivers State for the gesture and toasted for democracy, human liberty, freedom, “There for me are the buzz words, believe you me”, he said.
On Thursday, Governor Amaechi played host to the Eleme General Assembly led by the Eleme Monarch, One Eh Eleme, Emere Samuel Ejire and President of Eleme General Assembly, Evangelist Jonah Chujor.
After an address read by Evangelist Chiyor, Governor Amaechi said that government would ensure it brings about lasting peace between Ekporo community in Eleme and Ogu in Ogu/Bolo Local Area.
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.
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