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‘Restructure Nigeria To Six Geo-Political Zones’

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An evangelist and social activist in Lagos State has called for the restructuring of Nigeria, the practice of true federalism and the promotion of productive competition among the federating units as the panacea for peace and unity in the country.

The current six geo-political zones, according to him, should become the administrative units of the country under the restructing in order to drastically reduce the financial cost of administering the country under the 36 states and 774 local governments of the present arrangement.

Mr John Ogwai author of the book: Vision 2015 Super Super Nigeria stated this in an exclusive interview in Lagos.

Ogwai, who described himself as a missionary for social reformation  said he first got the revelation for the return of Nigeria to the six geo political zones administrative arrangement during the General Sani Abacha regime in Nigeria.

The vision, he said was revealed to him again during the Chief Olusaegun Obasanjo government.

He said that while the governors should be reduced from 36 to six (corresponding with the geo-political zones) executive powers should be removed from the local councils whose chairmen and councillors should be part-time appointees who earn allowances.

The new arrangement, he said would take available about 83 per cent of the national budget for infrastructural development, agriculture, education, health, energy, transportation and social services.

Ogwai w ho advocated that the six geo-political zones administrative structure should take effect by 2015, challenges the present government , the nation’s law makers and political parties to work to bring it to fruition , saying the revelation was a true message from heaven to bring unity, peace and development to Nigeria.

He also called for moral re-armament of our youths and leaders to enable them offer selfless service to move the nation forward.

According to him, if the principle of 50 per cent derivation I reestablished and a high spirit of productive competition among the geo-political units of governance and true federalism, were encouraged, the nation will develop, as according to him, there was no geo-political region that cannot survive without oil.

Ogwai, who is a prince of Benin kingdom, studies in Nigeria and England, worked for 24 years with Mobil Oil Producing Unlimited where he was founder and first chairman of the Mobil Oil branch of Petroleum and National Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

Widely travelled in Europe and America, Ogwai began his Christian ministry in 1994 when he left Holy Ghost Assembly where he was member to start his soul-winning evangelism through writing and distributing tracks.

He told The Tide on Sunday that copies of the book Vision 2015: Super Super Nigeria has been forwarded to senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The foreword to the book was written by Moses O. Ihonde, a former Nigerian Ambassador to the US and ex-speech writer to General Yakubu Gowon

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Call For Rivers CTC Chairmen’s Arrest Illegal -Commissioner, Others

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Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Joe Johnson, and other stakeholders have condemned the call by the embattled Martin Amaewhule-led members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for the arrest of Local Government Caretaker Chairmen in the state.
The Commissioner, who made his position known in a voice note he sent a live radio discussion programme in Port Harcourt, described the call as illegal.
He explained that the Local Government Caretaker Committees were empowered by the State Local Government law of 2018, stressing that since the amendment made to the law by former lawmakers in their tenure elongation bid was dismissed by the court, the 2018 law is still subsisting.
According to the Commissioner, the 2018 law provides a window of 90 days for caretaker committees in the event that election could not be held and urged the public to discountenance the call.
Meanwhile, the Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Johnson Thoughts (CORSLOT), a socio- political organisation, has joined in condemning the call.
Convener of the Coalition, High Chief Sunnie Chukumele, described the call as an act of brigandage.
He said the call is not only unconstitutional but also capable of causing disaffection in the state.
Chief Chukumele argued that Martin Amaewhule lacked the locus standi to make the call since he was no longer a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“CORSLOT condemned the call, and we want to warn Martin Amaewhule against causing crisis in the state”, he said.
He said as elders of the state, the Coalition will continue to speak out against evil.
Also reacting, a former Organizsing Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Andoni Local Government Area, Elder Blessing Tiko, said the call was coming from someone that is seeking for relevance.
He also said Martin Amaewhule and the 25 former law makers had no locus standi to make such call as their positions were being contested in court, urging the police to ignore the call.

John Bibor

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Speak Directly To Electorate, Edo Govt Challenges APC’s Okpebholo

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As the campaign for the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State heats up, the Edo State Government has challenged the candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Monday Okpebholo, to address the electorate directly and not through the over 150 spokesmen who speak on his behalf.
Addressing a press conference, Wednesday, the duo of Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, and Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, said that it was embarrassing that in the last three months, Senator Okpebholo had not addressed the people directly.
They therefore challenged the APC candidate to address the people of the state in any language of his choice, for, at least, five minutes.
Speaking, Mr Nehikhare noted that the APC had in the last three months issued over 150 press statements without one of the statements mentioning what the party intended to do for the people of Edo State, if elected.
Mr Nehikhare, who said that Governor Obaseki should be commended for the maturity he displayed in handling the violence that broke out in the state penultimate Thursday, bemoaned a situation where the APC had not deemed it necessary to mention one line item it planned to execute should it be elected in the forthcoming election.
“We led the charge for the N70,000 minimum wage, which the APC Federal Government has copied. Our candidate, Asue Ighodalo, has said that he would review it upward if elected. The APC has not said what it intends to do. The APC has not shown any innovative way to involve itself in the minimum wage.
“Since September last year, we introduced the free bus ride scheme, and we have extended it to November. Nowhere from the APC have we heard what it wants to do. We have employed over 5,000 people into the civil service, apart from the teaching service; there has been nothing from the APC,” the commissioner stated.
According to Mr Nehikhare, “The APC candidate is the only one with over 150 people speaking for him and none has said anything about what the APC candidate will do for the people. Is that how to do it? Won’t the candidate speak for himself?”

 

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PDP Chieftain Drums Support For Rivers LG Polls

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A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Dr.John Okoroafor, has called on Rivers people, especially supporters of the PDP, to commit to the success of the forthcoming local government elections in the state.
Addressing newsmen recently in Okehi, headquarters of the LGA, on his readiness to contest the chairmanship seat of the council in the scheduled October 5, 2024 Local Government polls, Dr Okoroafor urged supporters of the party to remain calm, steadfast and supportive to Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration.
On political crisis in the state, he enjoined the people not to yield to threats of those he described as “enemies of Rivers development and progress,” but rather stay committed and proactive in their support to both the Governor and the PDP as it affects the coming elections.
Dr Okoroafor, a lawyer and Deputy State Coordinator of a political pressure group in the state, the PDP-Grassroots Support Base of Nigeria (PDP-GSBN), stressed that, “We should not allow ourselves to be intimidated or terrorised to fail in this civic responsibility.”
He said this is necessary so that leaders and loyalists of the party in the state would not be harassed, intimidated and arrested by security agents even on the day of election.
The PDP Chairmanship hopeful in the area also hinted that the opposition plans to engage in electoral violence and all manner of distractions.
“In all of these, be civil, calm, tolerant and focused, as the best is around the corner for us all”, he admonished.
The PDP chieftain appealed to Etche electorate in particular and Rivers voters in general to rise up to vote massively for all the PDP candidates in the polls.
Dr Okoroafor enjoined them not to vote in anyone that is opposed to the Governor Fubara -led government, arguing that the opposition lacked credibility and does not mean well for them.
He assumed Etche people that if voted in to power as Chairman, he will facilitate more development projects to the LGA, including jobs and other dividends of democracy.
Meanwhile, Dr Okoroafor said it had become necessary to encourage unemployed graduates to engage in skills acquisition rather than roaming the streets for employment opportunities, that do not exist.

Bethel Toby

 

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