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2023: Wike, Diri Preach Peace, Unity Among PDP Govs …Say Party Must Unite To Produce Acceptable Candidate For Presidency

Published

1 week ago

January 12, 2022

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike and his Bayelsa State counterpart, Senator Douye Diri have called on all Nigerians to ensure the peace and security of the country, saying that only unity of purpose and commitment to the indivisibility of Nigeria would guarantee the survival of the country.
They also pledged to work together, in concert with other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors and stakeholders for the party to produce the next Nigerian president in 2023.
Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri at the Government House, Yenagoa, last Monday, urged those fanning the embers of discord over the issue of zoning of presidential ticket and dividing governors, to focus their energy on rebuilding and strengthening the party ahead of the 2023 general election.
“I’ve come to let him know that everybody as PDP members must put ourselves together to build the party. Without the party nobody can be a presidential candidate. There must be a party. So, there is the need for everybody to work together, make the party to be united before we talk about who will be presidential candidate.”
The Rivers State governor reiterated that Nigerians are waiting anxiously for PDP to rescue the country from the poor governance the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has foisted on them.
“We cannot afford to miss this opportunity that Nigerians are giving back to PDP to take over the government in 2023. Everybody must work together as a party. And as governors, we must work together. If we didn’t work together we won’t have had the best convention we have ever had as a party.”
Wike warned that if governors and members of the party are not united, it would be difficult for the party to amicably nominate an acceptable presidential candidate.
According to him, PDP must capitalise on the brewing crisis in the APC to build a more formidable party to wrest power from the APC-led Federal Government.
Wike assured that PDP governors will not be distracted by the antics of those who are fanning the embers of discords in their bid to weaken their resolve to work unison for the PDP to clinch the presidency in 2023.
“We as governors will be united. Nobody can divide the governors because we are determined to work together to make sure PDP produces the next president in 2023.”
He commended Diri, who was the deputy chairman of the PDP convention committee, for the pivotal role he played in ensuring the success of the convention that produced the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
Wike urged the Bayelsa State governor to focus on providing democratic dividends to the people of his state, as that is the best strategy to silence the opposition in the state.
“You must make a difference, silence the opposition. We have silenced them and will continue to silence them because they are looking for where to get Rivers State to fight Bayelsa. They are looking for how they’ll use Bayelsa to fight Rivers. We’ll not allow that.”
In his remarks, Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, lauded Wike for the role he and other governors played in the emergence of a new NWC with a national chairman of proven integrity who would steer the PDP back to power in 2023.
Diri said, “The presidency is one sacred office of our country that we must do everything to protect and to ensure that this time around, our party gets a clinch back. And that can only happen if you and I, not only governors, party structures, elders, leaders and followers alike come together to give Nigerians their expectations.
“We all know here that Nigerians are expecting a change in the Villa. Nigerians are expecting a party to rescue them, and the only party that has that pedigree is our party, PDP. There is no other party. So, I thank you, have seen you going all over preaching the same thing, preaching unity of purpose of our party, preaching oneness, that is the right way to go.
“Going further, you talked about our party and poured encomiums on the 3-man committee, I would like to also return it to you by saying that the governors’ forum takes all the credits for all that we did and you were part of those within the governors’ forum who pushed for the unity of the party.
“If we were not one and the same, we would not have achieved that result.
The Bayelsa State governor commended Wike for his resolve to end illegal crude oil bunkering and artisanal refining in Rivers State.
Diri said the state government has credible intelligence that some of the illegal oil thieves and operators of illegal refineries intend to relocate to Bayelsa State, and warned that his administration would not tolerate their presence in his state.
“Let me use this opportunity to warn that Bayelsa will not condone any of those oil bunkers. Those days are over. We have moved on, and anyone who is planning to leave Rivers State to come and start that illicit, illegitimate, illegal business in Bayelsa, please, have a change of mind and look elsewhere, because we already have a standing committee on that.
“From our State Security Council meeting, we will come down very hard on anyone that will do that illegal and illegitimate business in Bayelsa.”
Diri also spoke on the existing cordial and brotherly relationship between the two states, saying that anyone trying to create discord amongst its peoples would be resisted.
He said, “Bayelsa and Rivers, we are brothers and sisters, historically, culturally, we are one and the same and anyone trying to divide us, we should come against it. And so, I like to appreciate you for this formal visit today, to your state.
“Listening to you, gives me courage and hope, and I believe that, that is the way to go. We were one and the same before Bayelsa was created out of the old Rivers State, and that fact can never be removed from our history.
Those in attendance at the meeting from Bayelsa State were Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere; Secretary to the State Government, Rt. Hon. Benson Konbowei; Chief of Staff, Government House, Chief Benson Sunday Agadaga; members of the State Executive Council, and other top government functionaries.
Those who accompanied Rivers State Governor on the visit were former Rivers State Governor, Sir Celestine Omehia; two former deputy speakers of the House of Representatives, Chief Chibudom Nwuche and Sir Austin Opara; former minister of transport, Dr Abiye Sekibo; and the PDP Chairman in Rivers State, Amb. Desmond Akawor, among others.

News

Rivers Monarchs Begin Another Round Of COVID-19 Vaccination, Today

Published

11 hours ago

January 19, 2022

The Tide

Members of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers will, today, begin another round of COVID-19 vaccination exercise in the state as part of the state government’s policy of ensuring that all Rivers people and residents of the state get fully vaccinated from the pandemic.
A statement signed by the Secretary to the council, Dr. Ogwuokwa Jonah, and made available to The Tide, last Monday, invited all government recognised traditional rulers to turn up at the council’s secretariat in Port Harcourt, for the crucial exercise.
The statement reads in part, “I am directed to invite you to take part in the forthcoming COVID-19 vaccination exercise scheduled for Wednesday,January 19 through Friday, January 21, 2022, at the council’s secretariat.
“Vaccination begins at 10.00am each day. Please, note that there are other free medical examinations that have been arranged for you during the period.
“You are entitled to 15 persons either from your family or area/district council. Kindly attend during the turn of your LGA”, the statement added.
According to the statement, Abua/Odual, Akuku-Toru, Ahoada-East, Ahoada-West, Andoni, Asari-Toru, Bonny and Degemawould receive their vaccinations today.
To be vaccinated tomorrow are traditional rulers and members of their families from Eleme, Emohua, Etche, Gokana, Khana, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor and Oyigbo local government areas.
However, monarchs and their families from Opobo/Nkoro, Ogu/Bolo, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Okrika, Omuma, Port Harcourt and Tailocal government areas are due to get their shots on Friday.
The statement appealed to all affected traditional rulers to take the exercise seriously, and come along with the required number of persons to enable government reach as many Rivers people as possible.

By: Nelson Chukwudi

News

PDP’ll Surely Produce Next President -Ayu

Published

11 hours ago

January 19, 2022

The Tide

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu has urged Nigerians to keep faith with the party as it was poised to produce the next president of the country.
He maintained that the current inept rule of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government, which has pulled the country backwards economically, has to be changed.
Ayu gave the assurance at the gala night hosted by the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike for PDP governors at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Port Harcourt, last Sunday night.
The PDP national chairman emphasised that the APC leadership has been unable to harness the rich diversity of Nigerians into better fortunes that should strengthen the bond of brotherhood and promote peaceful coexistence.
“Unfortunately, a very poor leadership has presented Nigeria at home and abroad as an extremely divided country.
“We must change this narrative, and the only way to change this narrative and harness not just the culture, but the environment and the richness therein, is to back the Peoples Democratic Party which is determined to produce a new leadership for this country.”
Ayu also enthused that Nigeria would bounce back again with the PDP at the saddle because the project of rescuing the country and making it great was realisable.
The PDP national chairman stated that the expected leadership they would offer at the national level would change the negative characteristics associated with the APC that have been used to deepen the divide among Nigerians in the country.
“The PDP will definitely produce the next president and take the country back to the days when we were in power, when we cleared all foreign debts, when we were developing this country at reasonable speed.
“At a time, we became the richest country on the African continent. But today, we are the poverty capital of the world. All that will change”, he said.
In his welcome address, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike said the gala night was a pride to the usual meeting of PDP governors, adding that it was rotational.
He stated that such meetings have always been used to discuss salient issues of economy, politics and others that bother on how to chart a virile Nigerian society.
“It has been ritual for PDP governors to gather and meet and discuss about the welfare of the party. And this has been rotating from one state to the other.”
On his part, the Chairman of PDP Governors Forum and Governor of Sokoto, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal said the PDP governors and other party leaders were already working in synergy towards rebuilding the party.
He said the focus was to rescue Nigeria, which would also require all Nigerians of goodwill to join forces with the PDP to achieve that goal.
“All Nigerians of goodwill who believe in this country, who believe Nigeria is going the wrong direction, ought to join us.
“And like I always say, there are two divides in Nigeria today. Those who are happy with the confusion because they are benefiting from what is happening at the centre, and those of us who are truly patriotic enough to disagree with the way our country is being governed and being run.
“I appeal and beseech every Nigerian, even those in APC that are patriotic enough, to join hands with us as we continue to march towards rescuing Nigeria together.
“I believe it is our responsibility to do so, not for ourselves but for our younger ones and generations unborn.”
Governors present at the gala night were, Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Mohammed Bala (Bauchi); Samuel Ortom (Benue); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
Also in attendance were the deputy governors of Rivers and Zamfara, Dr Ipalibo HarryBanigo; and Aliyu Gusau; PDP National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu; and several other dignitaries.

News

UPTH Begins Transplant Procedures In 2023 …Launches Five-Year Strategic Dev Plan

Published

11 hours ago

January 19, 2022

The Tide

The management of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) has said that the hospital would begin transplant procedures in 2023.
The UPTH said it was its desire and dreams to transform the hospital to a five-star hospital in the region.
The management said the infrastructure for the transplant procedures and Cardiac Unit would be completed soon.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD), UPTH, Prof. Henry Arinze Ugboma stated this during the official Hospital Strategic Development Plan Implementation Workshop and Roll Out held in the hospital Auditorium, in Choba, near Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Ugboma said the Amenity Ward project was also mapped out in its five year strategic plan, which began from June, 2021 to 2026.
He noted that the hospital was ready to begin the transplant procedures as arrangements had been concluded for its take off next year.
Ugboma said as part of the commencement of the project, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited had donated $500,000 to support the hospital.
“Transplant procedures are an important area we need to invest, as a hospital, such will be beneficial to the hospital and the society”.
The CMD said, as part of its capital projects in 2022, the hospital would change its aesthetics and make the hospital more beautiful.
“We shall change the aesthetics of the hospital to attract investors and beautify the environment”.
On the problems faced by the hospital, Ugboma said workers’ poor attitude to duty was a great challenge to the management.
“Work ethics, relationship to patients and visitors are not encouraging and must improve for a better hospital.
“If workers change, UPTH will grow faster.People come to work whenever they like and leave whenever they also like”, Ugboma said.
“You look for files, you will not see, most of our consultants are not always on duty call, there is no handover note amongst them”, he lamented.
He also said that part of the plan was to build residential quarters for staff of the hospital to enhance efficiency and productivity.
Earlier, the Board Chairman, UPTH, Muktar Anka, had appealed to the staff of the hospital to be diligent to duty and shun truancy.
Anka noted that a change in the attitude to work would enhance productivity and efficiency in the hospital.
The chairman insisted that idleness and truancy on duty promote bad attitudinal behaviours and tarnish the corporate image of the organisation.