News

Late Shehu Yar’Adua Anointed Me -Atiku …APC Confused, Bent On Rigging Polls -Secondus

Published

7 years ago

February 8, 2019

As the Presidential campaign train of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hits Katsina State, President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state, the former Vice President and PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has wooed the support of indigenes on the need to elect him the next president and fulfill the unachieved dream of the late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.
Atiku said the late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua anointed him the presidential candidate in 1993, but could not fulfill his dream before his death.
The former Vice President while addressing the party faithful who thronged the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina, told them to help the late Yar’Adua achieve his dream by voting him and making him the next president in the country.
According to him: “I was introduced into politics by late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua of blessed memory and I grew up in politics in Katsina. Later, late Shehu anointed me as the presidential candidate in 1993.
“Today, it is time to fulfill the dream of late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. Would you help Shehu achieve his unfulfilled dream?” Atiku said. The APC-led government have not fulfilled its campaign promises. “The APC, three and half years ago, came here to promise you that they will restore the economy, improve security and unemployment, but they have failed.
“I am assuring you that if elected, we would restore the security, address the issue of unemployment and by the time that is done, we must have addressed hunger in the country. We would closely work with Lado (Katsina governorship candidate) to achieve this together in the state level,” Atiku stated.
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Uche Secondus, yesterday, said the All Progressive Congress, APC, is bent on rigging the forthcoming general elections in the country.
Secondus stated this in Katsina while reacting to the recent statement credited to Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State. Governor El-Rufai had threatened foreign powers whom, he said, may have had the intention to interfere with the coming elections in the country, to jettison the idea or “leave Nigeria in body bags.”
But the PDP Chairman said El-Rufai’s statement meant that the ruling party is confused and bent on rigging the forthcoming through dubious means. He, however, vowed that the PDP and Nigerians would resist any form of rigging in the country.
According to him, “the APC government are confused, they are worried and are adopting all sorts of measures to make sure that they rig this election.
“And you know the spirit of confusion have entered them. One of their governors, Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna State) attacked the International communities, saying that members of the global democratic institutions that are working for a peaceful election in Nigeria would return to their countries in body bags.
“Which means that APC, their leadership and their plan, is to destabilise this election. “Let me remind you that in 2015, the same El-Rufai and other leaders of APC travelled as far as United States to ask for International observers that witnessed the elections. But because they want to rig, they don’t want the international observers to come.
“The will of the people will prevail. Because of the confusion in APC, they have lost all the polls from the international, local and national. And they have lost the victory to Atiku. Atiku is winning and that is why APC is confused.
“They have resorted to redeployment of the Commissioners of Police and destroy institutions like the Nigerian Police Force and the Military.
They want to compromise them to aid them to rig the elections. “You cannot destroy the will of the people and Nigerians. Atiku is the symbol of unity for our country.” Secondus said.
He however urged the electorates to come out en masse to vote for Atiku and Lado just as he urged them to ensure their votes counts.
Similarly, the Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, wooed the electorate to make him the next president to fulfil the dream late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua could not achieve during his lifetime. He said he would work closely with the Governorship candidate in the state, Yakubu Lado Danmarke, to restore security and lost glory in the state.
The party leader in the state, Bar. Ibrahim Shehu Shema, urged the electorates to vote wisely, saying Atiku stands to unify and heal the country. Earlier, the Governorship candidate in the state, Yakubu Lado Danmarke claimed that the APC destroyed sixteen (16) years of PDP achievements.

News

Be Patient With Us, Diri Tells Bayelsans … Inspects New 60mw IPP …Expresses Confidence In Technical Partners, BECL MD

Published

5 days ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has sued for patience on the ongoing installation of the state’s new independent power project.

The Tide gathered that the 60-megawatt gas turbine project, which installation commenced in October this year, was earlier scheduled to be completed by December but suffered logistics related delays.

The governor called on people of the state to have an open mind about the project, which he said now requires a new completion date due to unforeseen challenges.

?The Tide further reports that the State’s Chief Executive who undertook an on-the-spot-assessment of the project at Elebele in Ogbia Local Government Area on Wednesday, said like other citizens of the state, he was also disappointed that the December completion deadline could not be met.

However, he stated that his reaction to the delay had been that of understanding rather than being angry as had been noticed, particularly on the social media.

?”You can see I’ve gone round the whole facility. It was based on the working agreement and information available at my disposal that I gave the December date. But as it is with every human endeavor, we must all have an open mind, when it comes to issues, particularly technical matters like this.

?”I am as disappointed as any other Bayelsan because I believed that we were going to celebrate the 2025 Christmas with our own independent power, but it turned out not to be so.

?”I call on Bayelsans to have an open mind. These technical experts are working virtually 24 hours, but delays like this will certainly come”, he said.

He implored the people 9f the state to appreciate the work of the engineers, stressing that a minor mistake was capable of jeopardising the millions of dollars expended on the project.

?”For 29 years Bayelsa has been in darkness or has endured epileptic power supply. Now that we are getting close to the day of liberation, some people have become impatient.

“Let us not behave like the proverbial tortoise in the prison for years that asked to be released immediately as the place was smelling the moment he knew it would regain freedom the next day”, the governor added.

?The Bayelss Governor gave a thumps up to the technical partners, Jampur Group, and its team on ground as well as the Managing Director of the Bayelsa Electricity Company Ltd, Engr. Olice Kemenanabo, saying they were working round the clock to ensure the job was completed.

?”Those who have been following me on this inspection would know that work has not stopped even for one day since it started. I am sure the job is more than 90 per cent complete. So let us hold our fire.

“Engineer Olice, I am not putting you under any pressure. From the reports I have, Olice is one of the best electrical engineers in Nigeria”, governor Diri said.

The governor, however, hinted that the government was looking at inaugurating the project during its sixth anniversary in February.

The MD of the Bayelsa Electricity Company Limited, Kemenanabo, who also spoke, said the state was on the right track towards actualising the project and assured that the alignment of the entire system, including the gas generator and alternator were on course.

He also stated that the remaining two turbines would be delivered to the project site in a few days.

?Speaking on behalf of the Jampur Group, Mr. Sherrif Abu-Anif said the company was in good position to meet its own end of the bargain and appreciated the state government for playing its part very well.

By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

News

Akpabio Withdraws All Defamation Suits After Priest’s Sermon

Published

5 days ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has directed his lawyers to withdraw all ongoing defamation lawsuits against several individuals, saying he was moved by counsel during a New Year Mass.

Speaking at the Sacred Heart Parish in Uyo, yesterday, Akpabio said he had filed nearly nine lawsuits against individuals he accused of defaming him.

He said, “I had almost nine cases in court against some individuals who defamed me, who lied against me, who slandered my name.

“But I listened to the priest and suddenly realised he was talking to me, so I hereby direct my solicitor to withdraw all lawsuits against them.”

In 2025, Akpabio had filed several high-profile defamation lawsuits, including one against colleague Senator Natasha Akpoti?Uduaghan.

In late 2025, Akpabio filed a N200 billion defamation lawsuit against her over allegations of sexual harassment, which he denied and urged her to substantiate in court.

Earlier in the year, Akpabio’s wife also filed defamation suits against Akpoti?Uduaghan over claims she said had harmed her family’s reputation.

Relations between the two lawmakers soured after Akpoti?Uduaghan accused Akpabio of influencing her suspension from the Senate in March 2025, following her public allegations of misconduct.

The Senator had previously challenged actions taken against her in court, including a N100 billion defamation suit she filed against Akpabio and other defendants over alleged remarks that she said damaged her reputation.

With yesterday’s announcement, Akpabio has formally ended all pending legal disputes arising from defamation claims, signalling closure to the publicised litigations as the year begins.

News

‘Best Way To Show Gratitude Is To Deliver Tinubu in 2027’

Published

5 days ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the best form of gratitude Rivers people owe President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for protecting the interest of the State is to galvanize massive support for the President in 2027.

Fubara disclosed this last Monday during the commissioning of Permanent Secretaries Quarters built by his administration at Elimgbu in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the State.

He said that the State has what it takes to deliver the President during the 2027 general elections.

“We’ve taken a decision,our decision is for the good of Rivers State, our decision is to say thank you for the protection we have from Mr President, our decision is to prove that we have what it takes to deliver Mr President.”

Fubara expressed delight over the completion of the project, stating that the initiative was to provide accommodation, a basic need of life for public servants in the state to improve their productivity.

He explained that lack of effective social welfare was at the root of some incriminating actions that undermine the purpose of governance, noting that the commissioning of the newly built Permanent Secretaries Quarters marks a significant milestone in civil service welfare and institutional development.

“Insecurity begins when individuals are uncertain of what the next hour holds. This situation is especially challenging for family men and women, affecting confidence and decision-making,” he observed.

Fubara emphasized the need for proper maintenance of the facility and urged the beneficiaries to protect the project like a personal property, while directing the State Head of Service to appoint a facility manager to ensure long-term maintenance.

In her remarks, the Special Guest of Honour and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who unveiled the project, expressed appreciation to the governor and Rivers State for inviting her to commission the project.

She commended Fubara for prioritizing the welfare of Permanent Secretaries who are senior public servants and accounting officers, noting that the project reflects purposeful and visionary leadership, and urged other states to borrow a cue from the Rivers State Governor.

Walson-Jack described the initiative as a strategic investment in staff welfare and institutional continuity which she noted is in line with Renewed Hope Initiative on provision of mass housing and social stability.

“The commissioning of these houses reflect a deliberate commitment to the dignity, welfare, and productivity of senior public servants responsible for policy coordination and service delivery,” she said.

In his goodwill message, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibode Bashiru, who led a high powered delegation on a visit to the governor, congratulated Rivers people for aligning with the Pan Nigerian political party, assuring that the interest of Rivers State will be duly protected in the APC.

He described President Bola Tinubu as a detribalised Nigerian who anchors his leadership on equity, fairness and justice, adding that the APC will provide a level playing ground for all.

The APC chief scribe also commended Fubara for providing good accommodation for public servants, stating that it will address issues of sabotage, compromise and disloyalty on the part of public servants.

Giving the project description, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Works, Dr. Austin Ezekiel-Hart, said the estate comprises 29 units, including nine standalone duplexes and 20 terrace buildings.

Facilities feature a water treatment plant, synchronized power generators, CCTV and alarm systems, a gym, recreational areas, and green spaces—designed to enhance comfort, performance, and productivity.

Earlier, the Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, Dr Mrs Inyingi Brown, had thanked the governor for his visionary initiative and unwavering commitment to the welfare of Rivers State Civil Servants, and restated the commitment of the State civil servants to the success of Fubara’s administration.

By: Taneh Beemene