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2015: Vote For Change, Not Party, Amaechi Tells Nigerians

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Civil Servants during the Civil Service week in Port Harcourt, recently. Photo: Obina Prince Dele

Civil Servants during the Civil Service week in Port Harcourt, recently. Photo: Obina Prince Dele

Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has emphasized the need for Nigerians and Rivers people to vote for change to usher in a performing government that will guarantee the protection of lives and property in the state and the country.
Amaechi spoke Monday while declaring open the Nigeria Girls Guild Association National Camp and 95th Anniversary Celebrations at the Archdeacon Brown Education Centre in Port Harcourt.
The governor urged Nigerians to begin the process of assessing democratic and visionary leaders by their performance in office to establish change in the system; and advised Rivers people to shun any political interest that do not place the people first.
He said, “Assess all of us by our performance, not by religion.  Always ask the political leaders, what is the outcome of what the people voted you for? If you do that and you vote for the right people, it will lead to change. And for me, I think we need change.  Vote for your conscience, I didn’t say vote for me. If you feel that a PDP person is better in performance than the APC person, please vote for that PDP person, and if not, reverse it for a change. All I am asking for is change.”
Amaechi also called on women to guide their children and wards to be of good behaviour and resist all acts of impunity, propaganda and intimidation by those in authority who fail to follow democratic norms and values to choose credible leaders to form the right government.
“For you our mothers, we should not only guide the children to good behaviour. Good behaviour for me is that we must go home and tell our brothers that we should choose the right government, if not hunger will kill us.
According to him, “What we should do now in Rivers State is to do what the people of Osun State did.  Do you know what they did?  Three to four days before the election, law enforcement agents were shooting to scare people away from preparing to vote in the election. I hear that while the people were shooting, instead of the people to run into the bush, they were running towards the direction of the gun shots and singing ‘APC Aregbosola, APC Aregbosola.’  I was impressed by that boldness.  And the essence of releasing the gun shots was to intimidate voters from coming out to vote at the polls.
“I charge you Rivers people to carry your chairs and come out on the day of election and seat down at your polling units and vote for credible candidates of your choice.  If the queue is long, please, remain on the line until it is your turn to vote,” Amaechi said.
He decried the lapses in the current administration, stating the utmost importance of an oath of office and allegiance of a serving governor or president which is the commitment of protecting lives and property in their domain.
“Let me tell you about the oath of office of a serving governor or president. The oath of office is not that he will provide you with light, hospital or road.  The oath of office is that the governor or president will protect lives and property. What about the lives of the Chibok girls? What have we done with their lives?
Meanwhile, Amaechi condemned the mayhem unleashed by the radical Boko Haram sect against innocent and law-abiding Nigerians in the North-Eastern part of the country, and equally warned desperate politicians to stop the attempt to divide the country.
“Boko Haram is after everybody, they care even after themselves.  They are a group of people murdering people in the name of Islam. Some politicians are beginning to divide the country into Muslims and Christians. We cannot cover the failure of government with our religions, if not, there will be trouble. There is no difference between the Muslim in Yobe and the Muslim in Ekiti State. If Boko Haram had focused on killing Christians alone in the North-East, there would have been war by now, and the country would have been divided. It is only people who are not intellectually prepared that delve into religious bigotry,” Amaechi said.
He also explained the role played by his administration in providing economic infrastructure to tackle the problems of poverty and unemployment which incidentally triggered militancy in the Niger Delta region.
“As governor of Rivers State, what I did when I assumed office in 2007 was to think on how to put food on the table of our people as an alternative to militancy. And what I did was to build an economic infrastructure and you can see those infrastructures yourselves.  In every school we built, we employed 50 persons and we have built about 500 model primary schools.
“And for every health centre we built, we employed a minimum of 50 persons and we have built 140 Model primary health centres. When we came, our hospitals had only 200 medical doctors, and we employed 200 more to make it 400. We knew that 400 will not be enough, and we employed another 200 to make it 600 medical doctors. With these plans we were able to reduce poverty and employment,” Amaechi stated.
Presenting an award of good governance to Governor Amaechi at the event, Chief Commissioner of the Nigerian Girls Guild Association and wife of former Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dame Christie Toby said, the association found Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi worthy of his performance in office as governor, especially, the priority on education, including the building of several model primary and secondary schools and the free education policy of his administration.
In her keynote address, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Bene Willie Abbey urged the Nigerian Girls Guild Association to strengthen their volunteer services towards making girls and women to be productive elements in nation building.
As part of activities marking the Nigerian Girls Guild Association 95th Anniversary in Rivers State, Governor Amaechi led members of the association tour of ongoing and completed projects in the State, including the ongoing Woji bridge and road construction, model primary and healthcare centre at Elekahia, Ambassador Nne Furo Kurubo Model Secondary School, Ebubu, Eleme, the Afam Power Gas Turbine Station and the Songhai Farms Rivers Initiative.

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Rivers DPOs Receive Awards For Outstanding Performance In Crime Prevention …As Students, Media Group Honour CSP Worgu, CSP Yusuf

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Two Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in Rivers State have been honoured by separate groups for their contributions to security, crime prevention and improved community-police relations in their respective areas of responsibility.

The beneficiaries are the DPO of Afam Police Division, CSP  Endurance Worgu and his counterpart at Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf.

CSP Worgu was honoured by a group of students under the aegis of Rivers State Graduate Students Associations for what they described as his commitment and outstanding performance in the discharge of his duties.

The students, led by  Chidi John Enyie, Esq. said CSP Worgu was selected based on his track record and status as one of the longest-serving young DPOs of Rivers State origin.

According to the group, CSP Worgu has made significant contributions to the protection of lives and property in the area since assuming office following the #EndSARS period.

The students said they were particularly impressed by the improvement in community-police relations under his leadership, noting that professionalism had remained a key feature of his service.

Enyie represented by Comrade Briggs Soku, said the students community was pleased to identify with a Rivers indigene who had distinguished himself in the police force.

He said the students considered it necessary to encourage and celebrate CSP Worgu because of his achievements as a young Rivers man excelling in a profession that many people from the state were often reluctant to join.

Receiving the award at his office in Afam, CSP Worgu expressed gratitude to God and the students for finding him worthy of the honour.

The DPO said the recognition had boosted his morale and encouraged him to sustain his efforts towards maintaining peace and security in the area.

He said he least expected the honour, particularly because it came from the students, adding that the recognition would further motivate him to serve the people better.

CSP Worgu assured residents of Afam that the police would sustain the existing peace in the area.

He appealed to members of the public to support the police by providing credible and timely information, stressing that useful information from residents would make the job of security personnel easier.

Meanwhile, the Ikwerre/Etche Media Association has also honoured the DPO of Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf, for his efforts in tackling criminal activities in the area.

The media group presented the award following the swift tracking and arrest of five suspected kidnappers who had allegedly terrorised residents of the Kom-Kom axis and other parts of Oyigbo.

The group commended CSP Bello for what it described as his determined efforts to restore confidence and security in the affected communities, particularly Kom-Kom and Obeama.

According to the group, the arrest of the suspects demonstrated the DPO’s commitment to tackling criminality and safeguarding residents.

The media association said residents had received the development with relief, noting that the police action had sent a strong message to criminal elements operating in the area.

Responding, CSP Yusuf appreciated the group for the recognition and reaffirmed that there would be no room for criminality in Oyigbo.

He also commended the media for its role in disseminating credible information to the public, saying the media had remained supportive of the police in the fight against crime.

CSP Yusuf warned criminal elements operating in Oyigbo to leave the area or be prepared to face the full weight of the law.

He assured residents that the police would continue to pursue criminals and work to dismantle their hideouts, regardless of where they might be operating.

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College Of Bishops Endorses Tinubu, APC Candidates  For 2027 Polls

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The 5000 Achievers Christian Forum and Colleges of Bishops, Archbishops and Apostles, a Christian interdenominational organisation, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State for the 2027 general elections.

International President of the forum, Archbishop Lucky Aroh, disclosed this during the ordination and consecration of three new Bishops, as well as an award ceremony held in Port Harcourt.

Aroh said the performance of the APC-led Federal Government had endeared the party to the organisation, prompting the forum to declare its support for President Tinubu and other APC candidates in Rivers State.

He said the forum would support all APC candidates in the state during the 2027 elections and urged Nigerians to vote for the party.

Aroh, who is also the General Overseer of Caring Peoples Church, Port Harcourt, charged the newly consecrated Bishops to see their new positions as a great responsibility and dedicate themselves to the advancement of the kingdom of God.

He cautioned them against conduct capable of bringing their offices into disrepute, stressing that their activities would be closely watched by members of the public.

“As Bishops, the eyes of the public are on your activities. You must therefore conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of your calling,” he said.

Also speaking, the International Coordinator of the forum, Bishop Saint Robinson, urged the newly consecrated Bishops to work diligently towards winning souls for the kingdom of God.

Robinson, who was the guest speaker at the event, stressed that the activities of Bishops must at all times be guided by godly principles.

He also called on members of the church to support and cooperate with the newly consecrated Bishops in the discharge of their responsibilities.

The Secretary of the College, Apostle Elizabeth Ayadi Abaye, said the organisation was established to advance the kingdom of God and promote spiritual development.

According to her, the forum has organised several crusades, conferences, prayer meetings, ordinations, consecrations, enthronements, empowerment programmes and other spiritual development activities across the country as part of efforts to win souls for Christ.

Abaye said the organisation has members across the world and disclosed that more programmes had been scheduled to promote the spiritual development and wellbeing of humanity.

The three Bishops consecrated at the ceremony were Prince Alban Chike, Testimony Omenihu Shedrach and Prince Ifemena.

Among those honoured at the event were the Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Abali Community, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Manuchimso Prince Lemmy Wopara, and Clifford Oko Jaja, Coordinator of the 5,000 House-to-House for President Tinubu.

By: John Bibor

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Police Arrest Fake Soldier, Others For Armed Robbery, Kidnapping

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The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a 49-year-old suspected fake soldier, Andrew Atausi, and several other suspects in connection with various criminal activities, including kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, one-chance robbery and the alleged murder of police officers.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, recently during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, where he said the arrests formed part of the operational achievements recorded by the Command between June and August 2026.

Adepoju said Atausi was arrested on August 10 by police operatives along Ada George, Port Harcourt, while dressed in military uniform and driving a Toyota Hilux painted in Army colours.

The Commissioner said investigation revealed that Atausi was not a member of the Armed Forces, adding that he was suspected to be a serial car snatcher, with three suspected stolen vehicles recovered from him.

He said the recovered vehicles included three Toyota Hilux vehicles without registration numbers and a Toyota Corona Premio with registration number BNY 380 ES, noting that the chassis and engine numbers of the vehicles had allegedly been tampered with.

Adepoju added that an axe and military accoutrements were also recovered from Atausi, as investigation continued into the circumstances surrounding the vehicles and other items recovered from him.

On the June 29 attack on police officers at Aluu Division, the Commissioner said three members of the gang allegedly responsible for the incident had been arrested by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU-AKU.

The suspects, identified as Maduabuchi Emeka, 34, alleged gang leader; Doctor Chinedu Owhor, 42, and Kamachi Joe, 28, alleged armourer, reportedly led operatives to their hideout at Omagwa where two AK-47 rifles stolen during the attack were recovered.

Adepoju recalled that two police officers were killed during the Aluu attack, while others were wounded and one officer had his leg amputated, stressing that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fourth suspect.

On kidnapping, the Commissioner said five members of a suspected kidnapping syndicate were arrested in Oyigbo Local Government Area, adding that they allegedly confessed to operations in Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities.

He said two other suspects from the same network, Anele Ogbogu, 35, alleged to be the gang’s armourer, and Kenneth Eke, 38, were arrested on July 27, with one AK-47 rifle and one SMG rifle recovered.

The Commissioner further disclosed the arrest of suspects in connection with alleged firearm offences, armed robbery, cultism and one-chance robbery, with firearms, ammunition and other exhibits recovered during the operations.

Adepoju assured residents that the Command would sustain intelligence-led, proactive and community-oriented policing in collaboration with other security agencies, while urging members of the public to continue providing credible information that would assist the police in combating crime across Rivers State.

By; King Onunwor

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