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Prevail On APC To Obey Rule Of Law, PDP Urges EU

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the European Union (EU) to prevail on the Federal Government to adhere to the rule of law and adopt best global practices in its war against corruption.
National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, made the call when he received the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Amb. Ketil Karlsen, who visited him at the party’s National Secretariat yesterday in Abuja. Secondus said that what the party had observed under the All Progressives Congress (APC) federal administration was harassment and intimidation of its members in the name of war against corruption.
“What we have observed is that the government is taking marshal steps to harass and intimidate opposition members. “We believe in the rule of law. Let them take to the rule of law which is very key, to the growth of democracy.
“Without the rule of law there is no democracy; there will be impunity. National Assembly members and leaders are being framed. This will not go well for our democracy.
“So, the responsibility is for international community to advice the government to adopt the best practices as it is all over the world,’’ he said. He said that it was because of PDP’s belief in the rule of law that made it to conduct credible elections and handed over power to the APC in 2015.
“We did not go to court neither did our candidate at that point go to court. We obeyed the choice of the people. We believe in the mandate of the people.
“Nigerians have given the mandate to the APC; let them talk to Nigerians who have given them mandate whether they are ready to renew it. “Nigeria as the largest black nation in the globe cannot afford crisis because of the huge effect it would have in the continent and the entire global democratic community, if democracy is truncated in Nigeira,’’ the chairman said.
Secondus announced PDP was prepared for Ekiti governorship elections in July, and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the election was free and credible.
He advised that technology should not be used to manipulate the election as that could breed problem, saying that the same technology could be manipulated. “We knew what happened in America, but let it be the technology that will enhance the delivery of credible, free and transparent elections.
“Let it not be the technology of the software to manipulate elections. So, we urge INEC to abide by the rule of the game.’’
Secondus added that the PDP was mobilising its members and other Nigerians ahead of the election through its rebranding project that targeted youths and women.
Earlier, Karlsen said the visit was part of EU’s efforts to reach out to all key stakeholders, including political parties, ahead of 2019 general elections.
He said it was important to reach out and intensify dialogue with all political parties as elections approached. “This is what we have done today with the PDP just like we met with the president last week.’’
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.