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EFCC, INEC’s Synergy Targetted At Opposition -Wike …Says He’s Not Vying For VP In 2019
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has declared that the so-called partnership between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor campaign finances ahead of 2019 elections is a witch-hunt targeted at the opposition.
Speaking during a special appearance on Channels Television Sunrise Daily broadcast from the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, Wike described the partnership as a political deception.
He said: “EFCC working with INEC to investigate campaign finances is merely a smokescreen. It is targeted at the opposition party.
“When have you heard that EFCC would come up to say, as regards the ruling party, funds came from the government; I will not be carried away by the so-called EFCC investigation”.
Wike noted that the EFCC is working towards creating an atmosphere of advantage for the ruling party in the long run.
He said: “The fund they want to investigate is only when it has to do with the opposition states. Take for example: EFCC said PDP spent money in the last 2015 elections.
“Has EFCC investigated those states that were APC, like Rivers State at that time that funded part of their election? Who is deceiving who? EFCC is only working to witch-hunt the opposition.”
The governor regretted that since 2015, the APC-led Federal Government has been unable to complete the Port Harcourt International Airport.
He said despite criticising Jonathan, the APC-led Federal Government has refused to upgrade the airport.
“When you look at the whole thing, you see the hatred. How this government does not like the people of Rivers State”, the governor said.
Commenting on the 2019 elections, Wike said that the desperate rigging moves on August 18, 2018 at the Port Harcourt State Constituency Three Elections indicate that the APC is not ready for elections.
“Through the Port Harcourt State Constituency Three Election, they revealed to us what they planned for 2019. They don’t want election. They want to use security to rig”, he said.
Wike denied claims that he drafted a Presidential Aspirant from another political party to fly the party’s flag. He stated that no single governor can achieve that.
“We have 36 States and Abuja. We have about 14 governors. How can a governor of one state lure a particular aspirant to run for the Presidential Election.
“I am not a member of the convention planning committee. I am only providing the venue. I am not going to be a member of any sub-committees, so, where does the influence. In any case, if you like you do the election in Lagos, people will still have influence”, Wike said.
He reiterated his position that certain Presidential Aspirants are funded by the APC and planted in the PDP ahead of the primary.
He said: “As I speak with you, just yesterday, certain Presidential Aspirants and some people in the ruling party met to take some steps to make sure that our convention fails”.
Speaking on the environmental challenge posed by flooding, Wike said that the state government has established an emergency response team to tackle issue.
He added that the state government is working with other stakeholders to end the prevalence of soot in the state.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has declared that he would not be vying for the position of Vice President of the country as being speculated in certain quarters ahead of the 2019 elections.
Wike said though some of the presidential aspirants seeking his support have offered him the position of Vice President in the course of political consultations, he insisted that the interest of Rivers State was paramount.
Speaking in an interview with The Osasu Show at the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, Wike said: “There are aspirants who have promised me the position of the Vice President, but I said I will not seek the position.
“Not even in the dream will I seek that position at this point. I am a first term governor and the National Chairman of PDP is from my State and the South-South.
“These are mere allegations. People can carry rumours, but everything I will do, will be in the interest of Rivers State. Nobody can use Rivers State as a tool. They did that in the past, but not anymore “.
Wike said that the decision to host the October 5/6 2018 National Convention in Port Harcourt was initiated without his knowledge, adding that he eventually attended a meeting where Governors and Presidential Aspirants ratified the resolution.
He expressed surprise that a few presidential aspirants who never opposed the decision to host the National Convention in Port Harcourt, have turned around to sponsor reports against the venue of the convention.
He said: “I am shocked that a few presidential aspirants who never opposed Port Harcourt as a venue would begin the sponsorship of media attacks on the venue of the convention, which was not initiated by us.
“When we say that there are moles amongst the Presidential Aspirants, this is one of the manifestations. A decision that is collectively taken is being contested through clandestine sponsorship.
“But if they want, the National Convention can be held at Maiduguri, Yola, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kano or any other city. A presidential aspirant that would lose would lose.
“All the national delegates that will vote at the National Convention will emerge from the different local government areas of the country and from the statutory delegates list. None will be elected in Port Harcourt. Therefore, it is uncharitable to attempt to create the impression that hosting it in Port Harcourt will influence the outcome”.
Asked to comment on the Lagos State political rift between Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and his godfather, Wike advised him to resist the godfather.
He said: “If it is correct that the godfather is against Ambode, I will tell him (Ambode) to resist it. I will tell him to promote the interest of his state. Godatherism is not good. It negates development.”
He said that in Rivers State, the immediate past governor sold state assets to his business partner, only to turn around to anoint the business partner to contest for the governorship position of the state.
“No more godfather politics in Rivers State. We are not in Lagos State. Rivers State will not accept godfatherism. My concern is to do well for Rivers State.
“For the over three years that we have managed Rivers State, nobody of good conscience will say that we have not done well. We are not threatened because in Rivers State, PDP is a dominant party”, he said.
In another development, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, yesterday, admonished his Lagos State counterpart, Akinwunmi Ambode to resist the practice of “godfatherism” in his state.
Wike, a governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said this while reacting to the alleged rift between Ambode and a National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
Following a reported relationship breakdown with Ambode, Tinubu was said to have anointed one Babajide Sanwon-olu as the next governor of Lagos State.
It would be recalled that the Vice Chairman of the APC in Lagos East Senatorial District, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, has stated that National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu instructed them to work towards the emergence of Sanwon-olu as the next governor of the state.
However, Wike while speaking during an interview with The Osasu Show at the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, said Ambode should negate godfatherism and promote the interest of his state.
Wike said, “If it is correct that the godfather is against Ambode, I will tell him (Ambode) to resist it.
“I will tell him to promote the interest of his state. Godfatherism is not good. It negates development.”
Wike also declared that godfatherism has no place in Rivers State.
“No more godfather politics in Rivers State. We are not in Lagos State. Rivers State will not accept godfatherism. My concern is to do well for Rivers State.
“For the over three years that we have managed Rivers State, nobody of good conscience will say that we have not done well. We are not threatened because in Rivers State, PDP is a dominant party”, he said.
Letters
Obi Should Do More, Discordant Tunes On Minimum Wage, Akpabio’s Unguarded Comment
Obi Should Do More
The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, has continued to voice out his opinion on the happenings in the country. On the budget padding scandal currently rocking the upper chamber of the National Assembly, he has told the Senate to provide Nigerians with some explanations on the matter.
He said the claims and counter-claims over the alleged N3 Trillion which was alleged by Senator Abdul Ningi to have been padded into the 2024 budget, requires proper explanation as to what Nigerians must need to know regarding management of the nation’s, insisting that the suspension of Senator Ningi for three months does not address the issue.
The Labour party chieftain had also expressed his concern over the hunger in the country a few days ago. He raised the alarm that Nigerians were spending all their money on food.
It is commendable of Obi to have stood with the masses at this critical time in the nation’s history and be critical of negative happenings in the country and bad government policies. However, Obi should do more than just criticising. It is said that “a tree cannot make a forest”. Therefore, Obi should galvanise all the law makers both on the national and state levels to tow the same line with him, which should be seen as the position of the Labour Party.
In 2023, there was a revolution in the country. People of all walks of life, of various religions and tribes trouped out in support of the labour party because they believed in Mr Peter Obi. People saw the Labour Party as a needed alternative to the two most populous political parties, PDP and APC. Based on Obi’s personality and popularity, some people who ordinarily would not have won councillorship positions in their communities were elected into state and national assemblies. Many of them won the elections for free, spending no shi shi.
Painfully, after assuming the exalted positions, many of them, especially those in the national assembly seem to have forgotten the masses. It is now business as usual. Among the seven senators and 36 House of Representative members of the Labour Party in the National Assembly, which one of them has moved a strong motion about the hardship currently being faced by the masses and how to address it? How many of them stood by Senator Ningi on the budget padding revelation? What out the exotic cars distributed to them, how many of them advised that they should go for less expensive cars and the excess money channelled into developmental projects? It has become a case of one not talking while on the dining table, right?
Obi should be able to organise his party to form a formidable opposition and a party that does things differently, a party that stands with the people. If the labour party elected political office holders carry on the way they have done since they came into office, they will keep de-marketing their party, forgetting that 2027 is just around the corner.
Ngozi Omeje,
Umuahia, Abia State.
Discordant Tunes On Minimum Wage
I have followed the discussion on the proposed new minimum wage with keen interest and I just hope the leadership of the organised labour will be firm enough to represent the workers and refuse to fall prey to the ploy to disunite them.
It is disheartening seeing workers come up with different amounts as the proposed minimum wage. While the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, demanded that South-West states should pay N794,000 the Trade Union Congress, TUC, asked for N447,000. Similarly, workers in the Federal Capital Territory demanded N709,000, while their counterparts in the North-West clamoured for N485,000.
This idea of singing in discordant tunes is not good for strong unionism. I recall my days as a civil servant in Ibadan, Oyo state. That was during the time of Adams Oshiomhole as the National President of the NLC. The labour union was a force to be reckoned with and whenever the workers barked, the government caught cold. The increase in workers’ wages was fought for as body. There was nothing like federal workers going to the left and the state workers going to the right. Of course then, in 2000, the TUC did not exist as a separate body. The entire workers spoke in unison.
Yes, the states did reserve the right to say whether they can pay the national minimum wage or not but the national body of the NLC was carried along in the negotiation. Please, the NLC and TUC should come together and present a common front in the new minimum wage quest and ensure that workers in the states also get a fair deal. If not, some of the greedy governors will continue to subject the workers to hardship.
Pa Micheal Adeniran,
Rumuogba Housing Estate, Port Harcourt.
Akpabio’s Unguarded Comment
“Today, he’s responding to a remark by the Governor that has nothing to do with him. The opposition is urging the Senate president to be mindful of his utterances. How can he turn the burial of late Access Bank CEO, Herbert Wigwe, wife and first son, such a sad moment, to a political attack?. It’s disappointing. That’s political recklessness taken too far. We, the opposition parties, won’t tolerate such utterances anymore if it continues.”
Above was the response of a member of the House of Representatives and Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, unguarded remark on Gov. Siminalayi Fubara’s comment during the burial of the late Access Holdings Plc GCEO, Herbert Wigwe, wife and first son last weekend.
It is hoped that Akpabio will heed to the advice and learn how to talk in public. Tracing his character as a public servant and political office holder in various capacities over the years, one would notice that the senate president lacks the act of public speaking and carriage.
Was it not recently that he announced that the clerk of the house had sent money to each of the senators’ personal account for their holiday enjoyment only to be called to other and he changed it to ”In order to allow you to enjoy your holiday, the senate president has sent prayers to your mailboxes to assist you to go on a safe journey and return.” What about the “honourable minister off your mic” shameful display.
Whoever wants to die seeking public/political office should go ahead but leave our dear governor alone.
Loveth Opusunju
Minima, Opobo, Rivers State.
Featured
Fubara Promises Rivers Support For Wigwe Varsity …Cautions Political Class On Power Tussle
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has promised the state government’s commitment to supporting Wigwe University.
Fubara disclosed this on Saturday after the funeral service of the late Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, in Isiokpo, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Wigwe, alongside his wife, Doreen, and son, Chizzy, died in a helicopter crash in California near the Nevada border, United States of America.
Also involved in the crash was the Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Abimbola Ogunbanjo.
The governor said, “I want to say our brother has finished his work, though short. We, as a government, will do everything with the Wigwe Foundation to immortalise one thing.
“It is not the bank, the bank might have a new identity, a new boss to run it, other ventures will also have their names; but one thing that has his name is Wigwe University.
“We will do everything within our power to make sure the dream will continue to live just as he has planned it.”
Fubara questioned the mourners as to why they kept chasing worldly desires, stressing the significance of impacting lives rather than struggling for power.
“This one has to do with the political class, what is all these struggle all about? You want to kill, you want to bury, what is it all about?
“This is a man who was not a politician, he made his money through our investments, he had the world in his palm financially, he controlled even the political classes; but today, with all the power financially couldn’t control life. Is it not enough to ask ourselves why are we struggling? Why are we not making an impact on the lives of our people?” he queried.
Dignitaries present at the funeral service include the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Chairman, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria , Sanusi Lamido; Governors Alex Otti (Abia) Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), and Babajide Sawwo-Olu (Lagos).
Other dignitaries are former governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Peter Obi (Anambra), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Bukola Saraki (Kwarra), and James Ibori (Delta), among others.
Featured
Muslims Begin Ramadan Fasting, Today
Muslims all over the world will begin the 30-day Ramadan fasting, today.
This followed the announcement of the sighting of the lunar moon of Ramadan by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, yesterday.
The sighting of the moon paves the way for the beginning of the Islamic 30-day fasting.
The Kingdom announced on its Twitter platform, @Haramaininfo, yesterday, that the Crescent of Ramadan 1445/2024 has been sighted in Saudi Arabia.
The tweets partly read, “Crescent of Ramadan 1445/2024 has been sighted in Saudi Arabia!
“Subsequently, Ramadan 1445/2024 begins tomorrow, 11 March 2024.
“Taraweeh Prayers will begin in the Two Holy Mosques after Isha Prayers.”
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs had earlier announced the tentative dates of March 11 and March 12, 2024, as the commencement dates for the annual Ramadan fast, pending the sighting of the moon after sunset on Sunday, March 10.
In a statement by the Deputy Secretary General of the NSCIA, Prof Salisu Shehu, the Council urged Muslim Ummah to search for the crescent of Ramadan 1445 on the given date, equivalent to 29th Sha’aban 1445 AH.
The NSCIA also urged Muslim faithful who had credible sightings of the crescent to inform members of the National Moon Sighting Committee.
However, as of the time of filing this report, the Sultan is yet to make an official announcement about the commencement of the fasting in Nigeria despite the announcement from Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar have also declared today as the first day of Ramadan, according to Emirati state news agency, WAM.
The starting date of the dawn-dusk fasting month is determined by both lunar calculations and physical sightings of a new moon.
Ramadan is observed by more than 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide and is considered a month of fasting and spirituality.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and is mandatory for all healthy Muslims. However, young children, sick individuals, travelers, and women who are pregnant, nursing or menstruating are exempt.
Muslims have followed the tradition of looking for the crescent moon for thousands of years to determine the start of Ramadan as well as the two major holidays in Islam, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
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