Niger Delta

Bayelsa Guber Polls: PDP Adopts New Strategy

Published

14 years ago

January 30, 2012

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bayelsa State has rolled out its blue-print and programme of activities for the open campaign rallies in preparation for February 11 gubernatorial elections in the state.

Towards this end, the campaign organisation of the party’s candidate for the election, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson/Rtd. Rear Admiral John Jonah has adopted the strategy of the ward –to- ward community-based campaign in the eight local government areas of the state.

Decision to this effect was reached at the end of an enlarged PDP Stakeholders meeting held last Monday in Yenagoa and attended by the Chairman of the Campaign Committee Caucus and former Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Timi Alaibe as well as the first civilian Governor of the state, Chief Dieprieye Alamieyeseigha.

The open campaign kicked off last Wednesday in the Yenagoa Local Government area.

According to the time table, the campaign train moved to Sagbama and Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government areas last Thursday, while Ogbia LGA hosted the campaign train last Friday,27th ,while Ekeremor Local Government area took its turn on Saturday,28th January.

The campaign in Brass LGA would hold today while the train moves to Nembe Local Government area on tomorrow and would terminate in the Southern Ijaw Local Government area of the state on Monday,6th of February,2012.

The Campaign Director, Chief Fred Agbedi, said the robust programme approved by the stakeholders and campaign committee caucus would further endear the PDP to the people of the state to win the governorship election.

Agbedi said,”we have adopted the winning and victory strategy. And you know we have the capacity to mobilise to win election. The only party with capacity is PDP, the only party that the people trust in Bayelsa is PDP,the only party that the people in Bayelsa vote is PDP and the only party that has given dividend of democracy for the past one decade over is PDP. You know that the election is won at the end of the PDP primaries”.

The Director of Publicity of the PDP Guber Campaign Organisation,Rt.Hon.Boyelayefa Debekeme,said the party had earlier embarked on the ward-to-ward visit with the candidate, and his able running mate in preparation for the campaign proper.

Chief Debekeme appealed to Bayelsans to come out en mass to vote for the PDP come February,11,2012.

Speaking,the former Governor of the state, Chief Dieprieye Alamieyeseigha, said the party was confident of victory because of the choice of the pair of the PDP Gubernatorial candidate and his running mate.

Also speaking,former Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs,,who is the Chairman of the PDP Gubernatorial Campaign Committee Caucus, said the stakeholders were working together for the purpose of enthroning a listening government that will transform Bayelsa state in all fronts.

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.