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2015: I’ll Not Support Ikwerre ‘Guber’ Candidate – Amaechi
Catholic Pope Francis embraces a cardinal as he leads the general audience in Saint Peter’s square at the Vatican on Easter
Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon. Chibuike Amaechi has assured that the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state would toe the line of justice and fair play not to field any APC governorship candidate from Ikwerre ethnic nationality for the 2015 governorship poll.
He gave the assurance when he played host to chiefs and elders from Ogu/Bolo Local Government at the Government House, Port Harcourt, at the weekend.
He harped on the importance of rotational governorship in the state, insisting that apart from the Ikwerre ethnic nationality, any other ethnic group in the state could contest next year’s governorship election.
Having himself ruled the state as governor from Ikwerre ethnic group, Amaechi said it would be unfair for yet another Ikwerre son or daughter to aspire to become governor of the state next year.
He described those from Ikwerre ethnic nationality warming up for next year’s governorship election in the state as desperate politicians, and called on the people to vote out the PDP.
“Now what I want to tell you is that I am now fighting, to give the Okrika man, the Ogu/Bolo man a voice after we leave office. I can tell you why I say so. If PDP is bringing an Ikwerre man to run for governorship when an Ikwerre man has run for eight years, it means that what PDP is trying to do is to use the advantage that Ikwerre has about 1.1 million votes in the four local government areas to dominate the governorship of the state. It means that you will never have a chance of being governor again, that’s what it means.
“ I have told Ikwerre people that that young man whose ambition is blinding him must be thrown out. All Ikwerre people must rise against him and vote for a candidate from another ethnic group,” Amaechi said.
“If you people allow him and he succeeds, then forget your children, they will never be governor again from other ethnic groups. All it will take is when he finishes, another Ikwerre man takes over and Ikwerre people will back him. So, we must show justice and ensure that it is equitably distributed even if you are one ethnic group of 20,000 persons, you have a right to the governorship of the state.
“So, Ikwerre people have had their turn and I’m an Ikwerre son, my mother is Ikwerre, my father is Ikwerre”, he added.
He said Ikwerre people and other ethnic nationalities should work together to vote out the supposed Peoples’ Democratic Party governorship aspirant from Ikwerre ethnic nationality for next year’s election.
He gave assurance that the access road to Ogu/Bolo would be completed soonest as he promised to mobilize local contractors this week to complete the project and other ongoing projects in the state.
He also pledged to build a new model secondary school in Ogu/Bolo to advance education.
Earlier, High Chief Jonah Tamuno on behalf of Ogu/Bolo chiefs and elders thanked Governor Amaechi for his inspirational and courageous leadership.
He expressed appreciation that the governor has demonstrated high level of liberality in providing democratic dividends for all Rivers people.
While commending Governor Amaechi, High Chief Tamuno as well as Chief Frederick Anga and Chief Marshall Oforibo Kakaka who gave goodwill messages, assured the governor, that the people of Ogu/Bolo, are firmly in support of his administration and leadership direction, especially as next year’s election approaches.
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.