Politics
‘Fakorede, Hasso Must Go’
With rerun elections come and gone, Government
House was suffused with post rerun election matters last week following complicity by the security agencies, who were allegedly caught on video assisting the opposition to rig rerun elections in the state.
Recall that the Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike had weeks before the elections warned that the ploy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was to use security agencies to manipulate the elections in their favour since they were not on ground. And last weeks rerun elections have vindicated the governor.
Against this backdrop, the governor and some party faithful, including chieftains of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) last Monday, marched through roads and streets of the Old Government Reserved Area (GRA) to protest the deliberate delay by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce the results of senatorial elections for Rivers East and West Districts.
The protest last Monday had compelled INEC to release the results shortly after indicating that Senator George Sekibo and Osinachukwu Ideozu were winners of the elections. Last Tuesday was fully engaged with the birthday celebrations of the governor. Activities to mark the special day for Chief Wike began in the morning around 8.00am when the state first lady, Justice Eberechi Suzette Wike sounded a shofar-a kind of horn trumpet to herald the birthday of her husband.
With the Shofar blown by Justice Suzette-Wike, a small gathering of friends and well wishers of the governor gathered at the governor’s official residence for special prayers and merry making with the state’s first citizen. The ceremony was short and modest.
Later on Tuesday afternoon, the governor took time to visit sites of ongoing projects in the state, which include the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park.
Last Wednesday started with some meetings and spill over Chief Wike’s birthday. But later in the day the governor made a special broadcast to the people of Rivers State. He thanked them for the support given during the elections and for remaining peaceful in the face of provocation and oppression by federal forces.
The governor, during the broadcast, disclosed that the rigging play of the APC was well hatched in collusion with governors of Bauchi, Benue, Plateau and Kano doling out the sum of N1 billion each. Chief Wike thanked God that the plan failed woefully, even though the APC forcibly announced results in their favour in few areas.
Last Thursday, the governor, his deputy, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo and top PDP chieftains, which include Chief Abiye Sekibo and Sir Celestine Omehia led a protest to the State Police headquarters at Moscow Road to make official request to remove some partisan police officers and other officials who were caught manipulating elections.
Chief Wike specifically singled out one Mr Fakorede and Hassan Hasso among top police officers who compromised their constitutional duty during last week’s re-run elections and pleaded that they be posted out of the state. The governor also used the protest to express the displeasure of the people over participation and action of security men during the elections.
The state deputy governor, Dr Harry-Banigo spoke at the “Kalabari Day of Thanksgiving on Thursday and lauded the organizers for recognizing God and acknowledging His mercies to them during the year.
The state governor, Chief Wike played host to some national and international, media on Friday and he took them round project sites which include, Government House Phase II, Woji/Akpajo Bridge, the pleasure park and the Elelenwo-Akpajo road expansion.
The journalists spoke glowingly of the state governor for beating the recession and transforming the state. On the evening of last Friday, the governor and state dignitaries participated in the state Christmas carol at Yakubu Gowon Stadium.
Last Saturday, the governor and the team of journalists continued the project tour which took them to the new Federal High Court complex Rumuokwuta Girls School, Tam David West Boularand Sakpenwa Road.
Kevin Nengia
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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