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We’ve Never Been At War With Igbos, Okocha Reminds Critics

The former President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Onueze C.J. Okocha, has posited that Rivers State has never been at war with the Igbos of the South-East.
Okocha, who was reacting to the curfew imposed on Oyigbo Local Government Area by the state government, in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday, asserted that the decision of the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, based on advice of the State Security Council, was constitutional and done in good faith.
He described the incident that happened in Oyigbo, where members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), killed 10 security operatives, leading to imposition of curfew in the area, as unfortunate.
He said that Rivers State and the Igbos have always enjoyed cordial relationship in areas of marriage and trading, adding that the two groups were not ready to be dagger-drawn.
The SAN stated that over 60 per cent of businesses in the state were owned by the Igbos, regretting why some individuals would be fanning embers of war among the two groups.
He said, “Our relationship is very cordial, it is only these political boundaries of states of the federation that have tended to divide people. Igbos control 50 to 60 per cent of commercial activities in Rivers State. I have many of them as my friends.
“I wonder why anybody will raise this banner of ethnic jingoism. We have never, as Rivers people, had problem with Igbos. Most of us, including myself, my mother came from Onitsha, which is one major kingdom in Igboland.”
Okocha noted that many Igbos have been appointed to serve in the state as commissioners, special advisers and heads of ministries of government under Governor Nyesom Wike, wondering why some people would claim that Igbos were hated by the state.
“So, why should anybody begin to allege oh, some of us don’t like Igbos, and I heard that unfortunate label being labelled as an accusation that our governor hates the Igbo. How can? There are Igbos in his government who are serving in Rivers State. How many Rivers people are in any government, cabinet, in that matter, anywhere else apart from Rivers State?
“But Igbos are serving in the governor’s cabinet, Yorubas are on his advisory council, are on his executive council, and many of them are activists here in Rivers State. We even have a political organisation called Indigenes Without Borders (IWB),” he said.
The legal luminary explained that the governor had the constitutional right to impose curfew on any part of the state under him, if there were threats of breakdown of law and order, to avert anarchy.
Okocha said that it was wrong for the banned IPOB members to cause public unrest in the state, having been proscribed by law, adding that the governor acted in defense of law and order, as it was a constitutional responsibility of government to do so.
“So, it is totally unlawful for anybody to begin to carry that banner of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and begin to wreak the kind of havoc that we saw play out in some parts of Port Harcourt: Mile One, Mile Two area, Emenike, Ikokwu axis, and then, in Oyigbo, a place which is the neighbouring town between us and Abia State. Most unfortunate!
“Lawlessness and unlawful assemblies ought not to be tolerated in a country that is working to have law and order, and peace to face the development of our country. So, it was very unfortunate.”
He explained that in any part of a state where there is breakdown of law and order, a governor was constitutionally obliged to impose curfew, which was exactly what Governor Wike did.
“But he has assessed the security situation, and based on the advise he got from the security agencies, I believe he was perfectly justified to impose curfew in those parts of the state where there was total breakdown of law and order,” he stated.
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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.
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