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Rivers ACN Crisis Deepens …I Am Chairman; Insists Esuku
The crisis rocking the Action Congress of Nigeria ( ACN ) in Rivers State has taken a new dimension as the State acting Chairman, Esuku M. Esuku, has insisted that he remains the authentic chairman even as the national leadership of the party has accepted the resignation of a leader of the party in the state, Dr Abiye Sekibo.
The acting chairman of the party, who stated this in an interview in Port Harcourt last Friday said those causing problems in the party in the state had started leaving the party , denying that he had collected financial inducement from the state government to register members for the proposed African Progressive Congress ( APC).
Esuku, described the allegation by Mr Jerry Needam as stupid, unreasonable and unfounded, stressing that there was no time Governor Chibuike Amaechi or his agents had meeting with him to discuss matters concerning registration or for him to work for them.
According to him , ‘’I and Governor Amaechi were friends during the days in National Republican Congress (NRC), believing that the governor can not attempt to offer bribe to anybody.
‘’ Those spreading these rumours are doing so out of ignorance and stupidity ’’, he said
Commenting on embezzlement of party funds , the embattled state chairman said there was no time the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) or the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission paid the sum of N8million to any of the political parties in the state to run elections, either in cash or by cheque.
He explained that all funds from RSIEC were paid through the party’s account,which he was not the sole signatory to.
“For any withdrawal then, the signatures of other members of the executive must be there. The party stakeholders were always aware of any money being withdrawn from the party’s account which also followed due process as stipulated in the party constitution, he said.
He, however, said the money received from RSIEC was spent in the last local government election and legal matters.
On the suspension of Hon Kenneth Kobani and four other members of the party, Esuku explained that Hon Kobani’s matter was before the National Executive Committee of the party, while Jerry Needam, Lolo Ibieneye, Nancy Nwankwo and Alali Green remained suspended from the party.
According to him, the four members remained suspended pending when the party would set up a panel to investigate their matter which involves anti-party activities with the factional executive of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),headed by Brother Felix Obuah.
He alleged that Mr Needam and three others were petitioned to have violated the party’s constitution to support a faction of the PDP in Rivers State.
“Jerry Needam and others were identified at the Port Harcourt International Airport with other members of the PDP to welcome and receive Felix Obuah-led PDP executive which many considered to be purely party affairs,’’he said.
He went further to explain that Mr Jerry Needam and other three members names were mentioned in the committees of Obuah led faction of the PDP in the state, an indication and confirmation that they were involved in anti-party activities.
Esuku noted that Mr Amonibia Akolo and Mr Hope Onyeche have no powers within the constitution to suspend him, adding that the persons who signed the purported suspension were not members of the executive and that the suspension was not in accordance with the rule and regulation of the party.
The chairman disclosed that Mr Akolo, who was the former secretary of the party in the state was sacked due to his inability to write and read minutes in addition to his inconsistency in the party.
He called on the party loyalists to remain faithful and not to be distracted by the fake rumours of his suspension, stressing that he still heads the party in the state as the chairman.
Enoch Epelle
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.