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Non-Indigenes Drum Support For Dakuku
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers State chapter, on Saturday declared the game over for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with regard to the February 2015 general elections.
This followed the endorsement earlier in the day, of APC Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), and the Rivers State APC Gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, by non-indigenes in the state. The more than 950,000 non-indigenes in Rivers State spoke through their various representatives during an epochal rally organised by the Non-political Indigenes Forum (NIPF) and attended by over 15,000 non-indigenes at the Sharks Football Stadium in Port Harcourt.
Speaking at the rally, NIPF Leader and Rivers State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr. Chuma Chinye, declared: “No non-indigene in Rivers State will vote for PDP or any other political party as we are not ingrates considering all that Governor Chibuike Amaechi has done to improve our lot. Today, one of us –my humble self – is a member of the highest ranking governing body in Rivers State, the State Executive Council, while others such as Chief Ade Adeogun is the chairman of the sanitation and environmental company of the state, Mr. David Iyofor is the chief press secretary to the governor, amongst other strategic positions of our people in government. Our kids are paying the same fees with indigenes at the various strata of education. We must appreciate all these by ensuring that we vote APC in all the elections to avoid those who have vowed to deal with us once they come to power.”
In separate speeches, Dr. Williams Ubeka for the South-East, Chief Joseph Ijede for the South-South, Alhaji Ahmed Adisa for the South-West, Alhaji Sulaiman Hussaini for the North-Central and Alhaji Tanko Yusuf for the North, while Mrs. Chief Ijede for the women, restated their readiness to support APC at all levels in the elections.
The speakers highlighted all the good things non-indigenes have enjoyed under the administration of Governor Amaechi, and contrasted it with the evil they suffered when Chief Nyesom Wike, the PDP governorship candidate, was chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government, when he introduced various taxes to scare away non-indigenes from Rivers State.
They maintained that if the non-indigenes have any enemy in Rivers State, Chief Wike is the chief tormentor of non-indigenes.
They promised to ensure that he does not smell the Brick House for the sake of Rivers people, whether indigenes or non-indigenes.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Dakuku Peterside reassured the non-indigenes of the commitment of his administration once elected to continue the legacies of Governor Amaechi, “including empowering all Rivers State people through my Four-Point Agenda titled ‘Road Map to Prosperity’ for the people of Rivers State.” He explained that the Four-Point Agenda aimed at taking Rivers State to the next level, include public sector accountability and security of lives and properties; employment generation and wealth creation; social and human capital development and empowerment; as well as institutional and physical infrastructure development and food security. I will sustain the policy initiated by my mentor and leader, Governor Chibuike Amaechi, to make the non-indigenes group the 24th Local Government Area of Rivers state. This unit is to cater for the welfare and interests of all non-indigenes in the State,” he said.
The Rivers APC Chairman, Dr. Ibiamu Davies Ikanya, described the event as unprecedented in the annals of electioneering in the state.
“This large number of non-indigenes has never gathered to endorse a particular political party and candidates. With what I am seeing, the 2015 general election is already lost by PDP, and I expect Peterside to set in motion the shape of his government and prepare for his swearing in ceremony come May 29, 2015 as with the support of these great Nigerians, APC in Rivers State is unstoppable on its way to Brick House,” Ikanya said. Dr Ikanya described PDP as ‘Politically Dead Party (PDP).’
Senator Magnus Abe, who spoke on behalf of other APC candidates, described Dr. Dakuku Peterside as a symbol of unity, equity, continuity, progress and hope for not only Rivers State but for the future of the Nigerian nation.
He urged the people of Rivers State to vote massively for Buhari, Peterside and all the candidates of APC, “and avoid those that promote violence as a way of life, if we intend to have an egalitarian and progressive Rivers State.”
Other political heavyweights that graced the event include the Rivers State APC Deputy Gubernatorial candidate, Hon. Honourable O Asita; Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, a member of the Board of Trustees of APC; Chief Victor Giadom, Director General of Rivers APC Campaign Organisation; APC Senatorial flag-bearer for Rivers East Senatorial District, Hon. Andrew Uchendu; as well as House of Representatives and state House of Assembly candidates.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

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
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

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.
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