Politics
Council Boss Reads Riot Act As Ogoni Communities Resume Hostilities …Vows To Restore Peace
Peeved by fresh hostilities between Bomu and Lewe communities in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chairman of the council, Hon. Paul Kobani has threatened to take harsh measures against trouble makers in a bid to ensure that peace returns to the area.
The fresh crisis is coming eight months after representatives of the two warring communities, comprising traditional rulers and youth leaders signed a peace deal in the presence of some prominent Ogoni leaders with a promise to keep to the pact.
The Tide recalls that representatives of the two warring communities, including traditional rulers and youth leaders had on December 10, 2018 signed a peace deal promising to adhere to the terms of the pact.
Narrating the fresh crisis, an indigene of Lewe told newsmen that armed men dressed in military uniform in company of Bomu people invaded Lewe and started shooting sporadically, destroyed traditional shrines and carted away seven motorcycles, just as he accused the council chairman of bias in handling the crisis.
The source identified as Batom who made the allegation called on the federal government to investigate the role of the military and unmask the armed men dressed in Nigerian Army uniforms.
But Kobani who led a joint military taskforce (JTF) command and the police in Gokana to the scene of the crisis advised both communities to learn to live together in peace even as he debunked allegations of bias in some quarters.
While condemning the renewed crisis, he expressed sadness that the communities were yet to overcome the pains, wounds and destruction they suffered during the last conflicts, saying it will be totally senseless for anybody to anticipate another round of crisis in Lewe and Bomu just as he called on security agencies to deal decisively with anyone causing trouble from either side.
According to Kobani, “It is regrettable that after months of peaceful co-existence between these two communities they have resumed hostilities. I want to condemn this senseless war in its totality. I advise the two communities to live together in peace as brothers and as neighbours because there is no gain in war.
“I have tried my best and I will continue to do what is right with the support of the security agencies to stamp out insecurity in the area and will not be discouraged or soften my stance despite cheap blackmail from certain quarters. There must be peace not only in Bomu and Lewe, but in Gokana as a whole. That is what I stand for” Kobani stated, pointing out that the JTF acted professionally to prevent the crisis from escalating”.
Dennis Naku
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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