Niger Delta

Bayelsa Lawmaker Defects To APC

Published

10 years ago

April 27, 2015

A Bayelsa state House of
Assembly lawmaker, representing Yenagoa Constituency 1, Mr Alfred Egba has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress, (APC).
Egba’s defection did not come as a surprise to political watchers as he has been nursing grievances against the party which denied him a return ticket to the House.
The lawmaker has became the first of the prominent members of the PDP who had planned to move into the APC because the rising political profile of the former Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva and the rising disenchantment by members of the PDP over the disciplinary stance of the State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson over alleged anti-party activities.
Further check revealed that the early defection and regrouping by loyalists of the former governor, Timipre Sylva is based on the battle to unseat the PDP in Bayelsa during the Governorship election in 2016.
While most of Sylva’s former aides are considering ways to seek forgiveness from their former boss over alleged political betrayal after his removal as Governor, others are seeking defection to the APC as part of an alleged plot against the second term bid of the Bayelsa Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson.
Alfred Egba announced that he moved to the APC with his supporters and associates, including a former special adviser on special duties to the former governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, Chief Sonme Ogilogi and a former commissioner in the State Independent Electoral Commission, Chief Tom Egba.
Further check revealed that the early defection and regrouping by loyalists of Timipre Sylva is based on the battle to unseat the PDP in Bayelsa during the Governorship election in 2016.
Alfred Egba, who had served on the State House of Assembly Committee on Appropriation and a close ally of the former governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, said in a statement issued last weekend in Yenagoa, that he decided to leave the PDP because the party could no longer give him the needed covering and that the PDP’s centre could no longer hold due to the raging crisis in the state leadership of the party.
According to him, “the PDP is clouded in series of controversies with parallel structures of leadership. The party is surrounded by the emergence of a factional chairman of the party, while another person still claims to be in charge of the party leadership in the state.”
“The PDP has been hijacked and there were many occasions when I was never aware of developments in my constituency and the PDP in the State. Even with my prominent position as a member of the State House of Assembly under the platform of the PDP.I have consulted with stakeholders and also seek the face of God before deciding to quit the party,” he added.

Fyneface Aaron, Yenagoa

Bayelsa State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Inirou Willsthe, briefing newsmen after inspecting SPDC oil spill sight on Edepie, Imiringi-Otuasegha Road in Ogbia Local Government Area, recently.

Niger Delta

Diri To Deliver UNIPORT’s 35th Convocation Lecture July 25th … As UNIPORT’s Mgt Visits Bayelsa

Published

4 days ago

June 20, 2025

The Tide

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, will deliver the 35th convocation lecture of the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State on July 25, 2025.

The State’s Chief Executive gave his consent during the courtesy visit of the institution’s management led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, to Government House, Yenagoa, last Friday.

Prof. Georgewill said the institution was proud to have the Governor as an alumnus, stating that the State under Governor Diri was experiencing rapid transformation as virtually all sectors of its economy had been positively affected by his administration.

The VC also said the institution was pleased to be associated with the Governor and that it was a huge privilege having him as a product of the school.

He appealed to the Governor to consider a legacy project as a way of giving back to the institution, which he noted will also help it cope with the rising number of students and staff.

While accepting the offer, Governor Douye Diri said as an alumnus, he was bound to be part of the institution’s activities.

He commended the UNIPORT management for maintaining excellence in the institution, stressing that education was crucial to development of society.

The Bayelsa number one citizen noted that leaders who fail to invest in education would have to deal with the consequences of crime and criminality, restating his administration’s commitment to developing the sector, noting that society would not progress without education.

The State’s helmsman explained that Bayelsa had shifted focus from paper qualification to science, technical and vocational education, and that the government had already completed tuition-free technical colleges in six out of the eight Local Government Areas, with the contract for the other two awarded.

“If you ignore education, then you have to build more prisons because crime will soar. For us as a government, education is a priority.

“Those of us that had the opportunity must provide space for others. In Bayelsa, we are moving from paper qualification to science and technical education so our people can have skills to be employers of labour rather than being thrown into the labour market.

“We are building science and vocational colleges in every local government area as a policy of this government. School fees, feeding and accommodation are all free. Our educational curriculum needs to meet the needs of our society.

“Coming to your requests, I will be happy to deliver the convocation lecture. If I did it in other institutions, UNIPORT’s should not be different. I also approve your request for a legacy infrastructure in our institution”, he said.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Niger Delta

C’River Commences Inquiry Into NDDC’s Project Inauguration Disruption

Published

4 days ago

June 20, 2025

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has constituted a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the alleged disruption of the inauguration of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) sponsored project in Calabar.

The five-member commission, which has Justice Emilia Ibok as Chairman, was mandated to ascertain the truth from the divergent narratives in the public domain regarding the disruption.

It has two weeks to submit its report.

The Tide’s source reports that the incident had sparked off intense faceoff between Sen. Asukwo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River Senatorial District, and the State Government over the ownership of some projects in Calabar metropolis.

The acrimony, however, took a dramatic turn, when some youths, allegedly on the orders of the State Government, disrupted the inauguration of one of the projects slated to be performed by the Minister of Regional Development, Alhaji Abubakar Momoh, last Friday.

The fracas that ensued pitched Ekpenyong’s supporters against those of the State Government.

Meanwhile, Ekpenyong has blamed the State Government for the ugly incident.

Reacting to the accusation, the State Government quickly announced the constitution of a judicial commission of inquiry to look into the issue.

The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Owan-Enoh, said that “following a deluge of allegations of disruption of some projects unveiling hosted by the NDDC, the Governor had constituted a judicial commission of inquiry.

“The commission shall identify the perpetrators and make appropriate recommendations for further disciplinary and/or criminal proceedings to be pursued against identified perpetrators.

“The commission is to conclude its inquiry and submit a report on or before July, 1,” Owan-Enoh said.

Niger Delta

FG Lauds Oborevwori’s Bold Initiatives In Delta

Published

4 days ago

June 20, 2025

The Tide

The Federal Government has praised Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for what it described as his proactive approach and bold steps in facilitating key infrastructural projects across the state.

The Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, who stated this during an inspection of the Second Niger Bridge access road, commended Governor Oborevwori for his support in the successful realization of the Second Niger Bridge access road and other critical infrastructure developments in the State.

Speaking to journalists in Asaba during the inspection, Umahi, a former Governor of Ebonyi State, lauded Governor Oborevwori for gazetting the right-of-way for the Second Niger Bridge access road extending to Issele-Azagba, and for personally overseeing the revocation and compensation processes related to affected properties.

“Let me commend, very, very highly, the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, because he has gazetted the right-of-way for the Second Niger Bridge access road to Issele-Azagba.

“He has revoked the necessary properties and he is paying compensation himself”, Umahi stated.

The Minister urged other governors in the country to emulate Governor Oborevwori’s collaborative approach, noting that state-level support could accelerate federal projects and deliver quicker results to local communities.

He said: “I also want to appreciate the synergy between the Delta State Government and the Federal Government on ongoing projects in the state. The proactive approach by the Delta State Government in taking over the payment of compensation to affected individuals has been instrumental in fast-tracking these projects.

“I am confident this collaboration will yield positive results, and I assure the state government that the Federal Ministry of Works will honor its commitments”.

He also commended Governor Oborevwori for the ongoing construction of three flyovers and road expansion projects in Effurun, describing them as “very beautiful” and praising their unique design.

“I love the curves, and I have stolen that design and I am going to use it”, he said, highlighting the innovative flair seen in the projects.

Describing Oborevwori as a man of vision and progress, Umahi said, “he (Oborevwori) has a very large heart and a very progressive mind. No wonder he is with us now. So, I commend him very highly.”

Earlier, during a visit to the Warri-Benin-Asaba Road, Umahi expressed concern over the slow pace of work on the Effurun-Sapele section and urged the contractors to increase their speed to meet the project deadlines.

“Timely completion is crucial, and I expect all contractors to work diligently towards achieving this goal”, he said.

Speaking on behalf of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to a mutually beneficial partnership and ongoing collaboration with the Federal Government.

He commended the Federal Government for the 17.6km access road from the Second Niger Bridge linking Delta State, and the proposed concrete rehabilitation of the four-lane, 5km road from Summit Junction to the bridgehead.

Emu emphasized that the economic impact of these projects, once completed, cannot be overstated, and thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Works for their commitment to delivering them.