Politics
Wike Creating A Truly Oil, Gas Capital Of Nigeria – Danagogo
Being excerpts of an interactive session by the Secretary to Rivers State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo with journalists in Port Harcourt recently.
Some persons are commending the governor on his developmental strides and others are of the opinion that the flyovers are too concentrated in Port Harcourt, almost all within the Port Harcout-Aba Express Road. Why is this so?
The drastic roads, flyovers and inter-changes show that His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike, has a vision to accomplish an infrastructural developed Rivers State.
The Governor is looking at where Rivers State should be in the next 10 years and beyond. The dream of the Governor is to make Rivers State and Port Harcourt a befitting oil and gas capital of Nigeria like Texas and Houston is to the United States. If you want Rivers State to be the capital of the oil and gas sector, then, you must understand that more inter-changes and infrastructural development for the state are needed to the extent that anyone who drives into the state or to its critical facilities will see that indeed, Rivers State is a 21st century city that can compete with any city.
The International Oil and Gas Conferences which should hold in Port Harcourt are always held in Abuja, and they claim that there is too much traffic congestion and security challenges in Port Harcourt. The Governor is here to create a State that can truly be the oil and gas capital of Nigeria.
I have no doubt that when the flyovers and interchanges are completed and most of the interconnections between the capital city and our inter-cities are completed, people will appreciate him for what he is doing. Most of us are still praising and enjoying the development the first Military Governor of Rivers State, Alfred Diete-Spiff brought into Rivers State. Those complaining about the flyovers, what kind of Port Harcourt City do they want? Do they want a city that will remain the same way as it was in the 80’s and 90’s? Let me ask you about the one-lane Rumuola and CFC flyovers being reconstructed now, did you feel happy when you used those flyovers? We have all had stressful experiences enduring traffic because of vehicle breakdown on those flyovers. My joy is that right thinking people are grateful for what the Governor is doing for the state. Because they have a bird-eye view of the vision he is pursuing. He has a great vision to make Rivers State the 21st century city of Nigeria.
Governor Wike is transforming Port Harcourt and also the rural areas. In the riverine communities, the Governor is doing massive sand filling to provide more land space. The Trans-Kalabari Road, Saakpenwa-Bori-Kono Phase 2 Road, Omoku-Ahoada Roads constructions are all part of the rural-urban development. The massive construction is on because he is the Governor of Rivers State.
What is your take on the recent outburst of asari dokubo claiming that rivers state is part of biafra secession? as a son of kalabari, what is your take?
Ordinarily, I should not respond when ex-militants, miscreants or people who call themselves warlords begin to make statements. Every discerning member of the public should know that these parochial and attention-seeking declarations are not serious talks that government of Rivers State should respond to. The people you are talking about are not speaking on behalf of any ethnic nationality or Rivers State.
Alhaji Asari, Egberipapa and their likes do not have the capacity to speak about where Rivers State belongs. They are merely seeking attention. The media should be able to tell them they are wrong, just as we expect that if someone commits crime, the law enforcement agencies should be able to arrest and prosecute such a person. These parochial, selfish and attention-seeking declarations are not serious talks that Government of Rivers State should lose sleep about. Kalabari people have traditional rulers, very prominent elites, business tycoons, academicians, etc., who can properly speak for us. Certainly, ex-militants can’t be the representatives of our ethnic nationality. The Governor has stated repeatedly that Rivers State is not part of any secessionist agenda and the Kalabari people firmly stand by the Governor.
Governor’s security outlet such as operation sting has considerably helped the security situation of the state, but the governor keep referring to himself as the chief logistics officer rather than chief security officer, why is this so sir?
The Governor is doing excellently in terms of security. As soon as he returned to office in his second tenure, he launched Operation Sting to curtail security challenges within the state. We were to begin our security summit before the outbreak of the global pandemic, Covid-19. The Chief of Army Staff, recently in Port Harcourt commended the Governor for his logistics support despite being in an opposition government.
The Governor does not waver in his support for the security agencies. As long as it is to enhance the security of the State, he will never waver. If the political atmosphere allowed him to truly be the Chief Security Officer as he should be, Rivers State should have been an Eldorado in terms of peace. He keeps referring to himself as the Chief Logistics Officer because of the particular way this government runs. When you are an opposition government in this particular government, the Army, police don’t take directive from you as the chief security officer. Rather they are taking directives from the leadership of the ruling party of the country. The lack of cooperation we receive from the security agencies is unprecedented. You saw how the military was used to carry ballot boxes during the 2019 general elections. This is why the Governor looked at the situation and said he is a chief logistics officer.
In spite of the political challenges, you can testify that the security situation has tremendously improved in the state. By the grace of God, no matter the obstacle, he is very courageous and strategic to achieve his result in the areas of security
There has been recent fire outbreaks in the city, people complain of lack of fire equipment. What is your take on this?
If anyone says there are no fire trucks or gadgets, I don’t think that is true. Our people should understand that because you have a Governor, it is not the Governor that should do everything. The Governor has provided the fire trucks and necessary logistics. The fire men are being paid to render service. Sometimes it is lack of zeal and patriotism that is our problem. In such departments, we need men with zeal and patriotism to achieve result. That is why I always tell, those in civil service, you are not working for the Governor. Always know that you are working for God and for humanity, your people.
Politics
Senegal: Faye Set To Become Youngest Elected African President As Rival Concedes Defeat
Senegalese politician, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, (44), is set to become the youngest elected leader on the African continent.
While Faye’s main rival, Amadou Ba, from the ruling coalition had said a run-off might happen to determine the winner, at least five of the 19 candidates in the race had issued statements to congratulate Faye as of early Monday.
“For our part, and considering the feedback of the results from our team of experts, we are certain that, in the worst case scenario, we will go to a run-off,” Ba, a former Senegalese Prime Minister, had said.
But as Faye’s lead got wider, Ba called to concede victory in Sunday’s presidential elections, BBC quoted a government official to have said.
Faye’s lead had spurred his followers to troop out in celebration on the streets of the capital, Dakar, on Sunday.
Reports revealed that millions took part in a peaceful day of voting to elect Senegal’s fifth president after three years of unprecedented political turbulence that triggered violent anti-government protests and bolstered support for the opposition.
Faye is a Senegalese politician and a former tax inspector, who also served as the General Secretary of dissolved PASTEF.
He contested the highest political position in the West African country in place of disqualified candidate Ousmane Sonko.
Senegalese voters had a choice among 19 contenders to replace Sall, who is stepping down after a second term marred by unrest over the prosecution of opposition leader Sonko.
The incumbent was not on the ballot for the first time in Senegal’s history. His ruling coalition picked Ba, 62, as its candidate.
In a country of over 18 million people, 7.3 million people were registered to vote, and about 71 percent voter turnout was recorded, Senegal’s State TV reported.
Politics
Writing Judgment For Presidential Election Tribunal Allegation, FG Arraigns One
The Federal Government has arraigned one Chike Ibezim for allegedly defaming Babatunde Fashola, former Minister of Works and Housing.
Ibezim is one of three individuals who alleged that Fashola had written the judgments of the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) that dismissed the petitions by the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ibezim was arraigned on Monday before a federal high court in Abuja on a six-count charge.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/434/2023, borders on criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, and defamation, among others.
The matter is before Bolaji Olajuwon and has been adjourned till April 15 for continuation of trial.
Count one of the charges reads: “That you Ibezim Chike Victor, male with Jackson Udeh, Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim and Reportera.ng (body corporate) now at large on or about 05/08/2023 at Abuja, did commit an illegal Act to wit: criminal conspiracy; when you jointly agreed to publish a defamatory statement of false allegations in your online social media, the reportera.ng news, against His Excellency Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, CON, without justification, you thereby commit offence punishable under Section 27(1)(b) of the Cyber-crime Prohibition, Prevention Act 2015.”
However, Fashola said the allegation was “baseless and defamatory”.
The former minister described those behind the allegations as “agents of destabilisation”.
Politics
Soludo’s Performance Assessment, APGA Tackles LP Chieftain
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has faulted a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), Valentine Ozigbo, over his comments that the performance of Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, after two years in office, was “not impressive.”
Mr Ozigbo, who was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2021 Anambra State governorship election, now a chieftain of the LP, stated during an interactive session with journalists last weekend that he was not impressed about Governor Soludo’s performance and has therefore decided to contest the 2025 governorship election in the state.
He said, “We have seen the leadership of Soludo in two years, and some of you may be impressed, but I am not. After the last election in 2021, I called and wished him well and moved on, and we have never spoken again. My decision was to assess him after two years, and having seen it, I am not impressed, and I want to start holding him accountable.
“I am here to share my thoughts with you, what I think, and no matter how you see what he (Soludo) is doing, you will be more proud when I mount the saddle.
“We need to change the narrative and look for a way to survive. We must fight to rescue Anambra. I am a non-transactional politician. I have several things I can do, but my worry is how we can recover the state and put her on the path of development.
“Zoning is a good thing. But it must be combined with competence to make sense. Don’t pick a renegade just because he is from a certain zone, and don’t pick the best, when you know you can pick one that is better.”
Mr Ozigbo said further, “I respect zoning, and I will be making a case for a single term of four years. Anyone who sees what Alex Otti is doing in Abia State will know that four years is enough time to do a lot of work.
“I will honour that principle of zoning, and I will not need anyone’s push or prompting to do otherwise. I will be ready to do an agreement and do an undertaking that I will do just one term. I also wish to tell you that Peter Obi has been consistent that a southerner who emerges will only do one term.
“It is a settled matter that I intend to run for just one term. I intend to keep faith with the agreement.”
But reacting to the development in a telephone interview with The Tide’s source on Monday, APGA spokesman, Tony Olisa-Mbeki, dismissed Mr Ozigbo’s utterances, insisting he has nothing to offer the people of the state.
Mr Olisa-Mbeki said, “He is a political stooge. What could he possibly bring in? Last I checked, he only managed Transcorp Hotel. Is that a qualification to be a governor in Anambra State? Soludo runs an inclusive government in Anambra; that is why he holds town hall meetings with different sectors. What other approach to governance is Ozigbo talking about?
“Anambra State governance is not for learners like Ozigbo. Ozigbo can’t even give a good lecture; he would be better suited working as a PA to any governor. Ozigbo’s aspirations in the previous gubernatorial contest in Anambra found him trailing in third place under the banner of the PDP, despite the staunch endorsement from former APGA governor, Peter Obi.
“That alone should tell him that APGA is like an apostle’s creed to Ndi Anambra. However, what reforms could Ozigbo propose? Anambra State, under Governor Soludo’s leadership, is a testament to political and socio-economic ingenuity.”
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