Politics
Electrocuted Boy, 12, Petitions RVHA
Last week, the State Assembly received a petition on a 12- year – old Rivers State indigene and a Junior Secondary School student of Government Secondary School, Oroworukwo, Master Uchechukwu Ewurum who resides at Ojoto Street, Diobu, Port Harcourt with his parents .
The petition, presented on the floor of the House by Hon Augustine Ngo, alleged that Master Uchechukwu is a victim of electrocution, caused by a high tension wire, which got severed from a Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), facility, near their home.
The petition said the wire with high electric current was left dangling until it rested on the handrail of the victims rented apartment.
On the fateful day, the boy had run out to welcome his mother and unfortunately touched the handrail of the apartment electrocuted him.
Although, he is still alive, he has lost his right hand from the shoulder down, has a sore tummy and suffers memory loss.
The parents of Uchechukwu are so poor that they cannot afford to pay the medical bills.
According to the petition, PHCN has not shown any sympathy or interest in the matter and the parents do not have money to sue PHCN for criminal negligence and therefore, appealed to the Assembly to intervene.
Another petition by Prince Chinedu Agu and presented by Hon Irene Inimgba, representing Port Harcourt Constituency II, alleged that a property belonging to the petitioner was demolished by Rev Mina Aprioku and the land relocated to another person.
Mr Agu said he properly acquired the land before erecting a three, bedroom structure on it.
According to him, trouble started when Rev. Mina Aprioku demanded N1m from him to be given to the permanent secretary or risk demolition of his structure. While efforts to seek clarification on the demand for such amount was going on and the inability to raise the money, Rev Aprioku allegedly ordered the destruction of his property under the pretext of directive the State Governors.
Unfortunately, soon after, the land was sold to Mr Boma Obuferibo by Rev Mina Aprioku. He, therefore, prayed the State Assembly to come to his aid as the police that initially intervened following his complaint on the matter had now been bought over.
Speaker, Rt. Hon Otelemaba Amachree directed the House Committee on Public Complaints and Petitions to handle them and report back to the House soon.
An interating source on Wednesday sitting was the appearance of three Commissioners of Environment, Mr Nyema Weli, Speical Duties, Mr Dickson Omunakwe, and Inforamtion, Mrs Ibim Semenitari to brief the lawmakers on their level of preparedness towards the predicted heavy rainfall that would cause flooding.
Responding to questions, Mr Dickson Omunakwe failed to provide necessary details about the 2012 flood handling in the State on the grounds that he assumed office on January 16, 2013.
He, however, disclosed that N30million was approved by the flood committee to produce seedlings and suckers for distribution to farmers in the affected local government areas.
Mr Nyema Weli, who suggested dredging of the Nyer and Orashi rivers to reduce volume of water, however, failed to remember the name of any of the communities affected by flood that he visited.
The Information and Communciation Commissioner, Mrs Semenitari told the House that her Ministry had mapped out plans to use electronicard, print media, bill board, town criers to enlighten the public on the predicted flooding for 2013 by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
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