Politics
Kudos To Wike Over Projects
In the past two weeks, Nigerian heavy weights have continued to troop into Rivers State to commission one project or the other.
These top personalities cut across party platforms, tribe, religion and any major divide in the country.
The former Head of State, Gen Abdusalami Abubakar, erstwhile Governor of Delta State. Chief James Ibori. Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu Senate Minority Leader and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, and PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus amongst others , were in the state to individually commission various projects executed by Governor Wike.
Last week, Rivers State also played host to the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, as well as the Speaker , House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Yakubu Dogara who came to commission the Abacha Road and the Woji- Elelenwo Dual Carriage Way and Bridge, respectively.
At the commissioning ceremony, each of the personalities had expressed delight at the huge projects especially at a period when economy of the nation is faced with recession.
The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe declared that Rivers people are lucky to be blessed with a governor as Wike, saying the Governor is a man committed to fulfill promises he made to the people.
Wike explained that the feat became possible because of his administration’s ability to prudently manage the available resources in the state and the great love he has for the people of the state who gave him their mandate to be their Governor and promised to continue to give them good governance and more people-oriented projects in return.
Wike, last Friday alerted, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) is inviting the contractors doing projects in the state over the authenticity of the numerous projects, suspecting that the projects are fake.
He also alleged that Federal Government has excluded Rivers State from the refund to States the money they used in executing Federal projects in the various state in spite of the fact that some of the projects he executed in Rivers State are their responsibilities.
Another major event in Government House last week was the investiture of Governor Wike as a Patron of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Rivers State Charter.
The N I P R also honoured the governor with its Honorary Fellow Award.
The National President of the body, Malam Mukhtar Sirajo, who performed the ceremony said the honor was in recognition of the massive infrastructural development being experienced in the state as a result of Wike’s good governance.
Chris Oluoh
Politics
2024 Budget: Funds Were Shared Among Senators -Abaribe
The lawmaker representing Abia South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has explained how the Zonal Intervention Project funds were shared among senators.
Recall that the senator representing Cross River North, Agom Jarigbe on Tuesday revealed that ranking senators got N500 million each while he got nothing.
Senator Jarigbe made the revelation on the floor of the Senate while speaking on allegations of budget padding raised by the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, Senator Abdul Ningi.
The lawmakers who have spent at least four years in the Senate are regarded as ranking senators.
Speaking on the development on a live television interview on Wednesday, Senator Abaribe denied receiving N500 million as alleged by Senator Jarigbe.
Senator Abaribe said he got N266 million from the money allocated to lawmakers in the six geo-political zones.
According to him, lawmakers from some zones, like the Northwest, which has seven states, would expect to get less than what he got, as his Southeast zone has only five states.
He said, “I have been saying that all fingers are not equal and by privilege of office, certain people will get but not every Senator gets an equal amount.
“These are six zones in the country, and every zone gets its own N10 billion in intervention. Now, if you are from the Northwest zone, because you have seven states, the senator will get less than me who comes from the five-state zone.
“My state, Abia, gets N2 billion and if we break it down for both the Senate and the representatives, the Senate is getting 40% and the House gets 60%.
“I got about N266 million as zonal intervention. The person in the Northwest who has seven states, will necessarily get less, about a hundred million and something.
“So it’s not correct when we say every constituency must get an equal amount.”
Politics
Dump PDP, Enhance Your Value, APC Woos Gov Mutfwang
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has been advised to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) so that his good works and value can appreciate more.
The call was made on Wednesday by the North Central APC Forum in Jos, the Plateau State capital, during the forum’s first quarter of the year meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, the APC Forum Chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, said they were meeting to review the state of the party in the region as well as the region’s economic and security situation, adding that the position of the Plateau State Governor was vital in the overall development of the region.
Zazzaga, who was also a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in the last election, commended Governor Mutfwang for carrying the citizenry along in his developmental efforts, noting that his approach to boost peace and security of the state as well as his calm personality was impressive.
However, he said for the governor to attain a robust and exhaustive achievement of his agenda, policies and the development of Plateau State, he should defect to the APC.
He said the governor’s defection would not amount to relegating his former party to the background, but would rather strengthen him more to develop Plateau State.
According to the Chairman, the FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, is a good example of someone who seeks development for his people and the nation at large, using any vital and handy platform or party to advance his cause.
“Governor Caleb Mutfwang has so far shown that he is a progressive governor through his works, words and deeds since assuming office. But for him to advance more, he should consider joining the APC.
“This is because joining the APC will put him on the same page with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu who has the interest of Plateau in his heart and has been doing his best to advance it.
“Besides, Governor Mutfwang will be on the same page with his other counterparts in the North Central who are of the APC, and together they will have a common ground and work for the interest and development of the region in general and their specific states in particular.
“Also, most of the legislators from the state are in APC, and they can work hand-in-hand to move the state forward, because the relationship between the executive and the legislature cannot be overemphasized in the pursuance of progress and development.
Politics
Step Aside Over Alleged Budget Padding, PDP Urges Akpabio
The Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) on Wednesday demanded that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, immediately steps aside and allow for an independent investigation into the allegation that a staggering N3.7 trillion was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects.
In a statement released by Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary, the main opposition party also demanded that Akpabio immediately report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the pending case relating to N108 billion belonging to the people of Akwa Ibom State, allegedly looted under his watch as the governor.
The party similarly told the Senate President to speak out on the reported N86 billion contract scam that allegedly occurred in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) during his tenure as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
The PDP condemned the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in the Senate “without a detailed inquest into the issue of budget padding which he raised.”
Recall that Ningi blew the whistle on the alleged unexplained N3.7 trillion inserted into the budget, leading to his suspension from the chamber for allegedly disparaging the legislature.
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