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Rivers PDP Opens Door For APC Members …As NWC, Govs Disagree Over Secondus
The Chairman of Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Felix Obuah has urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to take advantage of Governor Nyesom Wike’s invitiation to join the party in the collective efforts to move the state forward.
The state PDP chairman made the appeal through a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needam, in appreciation of Wike’s resolve to be magnanimous in victory, as the best way to appreciate God for His mercies.
Obuah said Wike’s extension of hands of fellowship to the APC was born out of genuine love for all, irrespective of party affiliations, and a burning desire to lift the state from a primordial base of precarious politics to that directed by progressive and patriotic statesmen.
He therefore, enjoined ward chairman of the PDP to take advantage of the governor’s hand of fellowship by accepting APC members willing to join PDP and move the state forward.
The Rivers PDP Chairman assured that members of the APC, who are willing to join PDP, would be accorded due respect and treated fairly.
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has defied a directive by the party’s governors, asking the Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, to hand over to the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo.
The governors, in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting in Abuja, Wednesday night, had ordered Secondus to hand over to Oladipo pending the emergence of a substantive chairman to be picked from the Northeast zone.
But the party in a statement issued, yesterday by its National Legal Adviser, Mr. Victor Kwom, insisted that Secondus remains the acting chairman.
The statement said, “The NWC of the PDP wishes to assure all members of the party nationwide that there has not been any change whatsoever in the leadership composition of the party at the national level.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the statutory organs of the party, the NWC, National Caucus, BoT and NEC will be meeting next week to deliberate on some developments including the replacement, from the North East of Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, who resigned as the national chairman of the party.”
The statement added that replacement will be in strict adherence to the provisions of the party’s constitution, as specified in section 47(6).
“Until then, the status quo remains, which means the Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, remains as the Acting National Chairman.
“Furthermore, it must be reiterated that all relevant stakeholders of our party, including the PDP Governor’s Forum, National Caucus and the Board of Trustees (BoT) as well as our leadership structures at all levels are united behind the current National Working Committee in the efforts to rebuild, reposition and strengthen our party for the challenges ahead,” the statement added.
However, governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have asked the party’s Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus to step down.
The governors directed Secondus to hand over the leadership baton to the party’s National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo in line with provisions of the party’s constitution.
In a communique issued at the end of a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the governors chided a former presidential adviser, Ahmed Gulak for what they described as his unacceptable conduct.
Gulak had on Wednesday invaded the party secretariat where he declared himself the national chairman of the PDP.
The governors frowned at the refusal of Secondus to respect the judgment of an Abuja high court ordering him to vacate the office for a member from the Northeast zone to take the position.
“We take cognizance of the judgment by the court in Abuja which ordered the acting chairman to vacate office for any other person from the Northeast zone of Nigeria.
“Our party constitution has enough provisions for that and the necessary process has been put in motion,” the communique said.
Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, read the communiqué on behalf of his colleagues.
The governors flayed Gulak’s invasion of the party secretariat where he declared himself national chairman without recourse to the appropriate organs of the party.
“The invasion of the party headquarters by Ahmed Ali Gulak, who reportedly assumed the chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party is regrettable and condemnable,” Mimiko said.
According to the governors, the issue of the chairmanship of the party would soon be resolved to enable someone from the North-East complete the tenure of the last national chairman, Adamu Muazu who resigned in May 2015.
“The appropriate organs of the party will meet soonest to elect a national chairman of the party from the appropriate zone,” he said.
Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr Austin Tam-George (middle), General Manager, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Celestine Ogolo (right),General Manager, RSTV, Pastor Dafini Gogo Abbey (2nd right), General Manager Radio Rivers, Mr Sampson Fiberesima (left) and General Manager, Garden City Radio, Mr Ezekiel Hart, during a press briefng by the commissioner at the Nigerian Union of Journalist Press Centre, Port Harcourt, yesterday
The Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency (RSIPA) has unveiled measures to enthrone ease of doing business and win back the confidence of the business community.
The Director-General of the Agency, Dr Chamberlain Peterside, unveiled the plans at the Breakout Session of RSIPA at the ongoing 18th Port Harcourt International Trade Fair, at the Obi Wali International Cultural Centre, in Port Harcourt.
Dr. Peterside said the agency was poised to free the state from accumulation of wrong narratives that branded it over the years as unsafe for business.
He, however, admitted that many things had gone wrong in the past where regulators joined to make the business environment difficult for investors.
He announced that the agency was rather focused on actions, solutions, and results as adopted in the mission statement of the Board.
“Our task is no mean feat. We are dealing with the perception risk that over several years branded the state as unsafe. We are also faced with the challenges of dealing with the lack of cohesion amongst MDAs, policy inconsistencies, multiple taxation, incessant harassment by miscreants, red tape and delays in obtaining operating permits, high cost of operations and opaque public sector,” he said.
“It is about listening to the investors in the field and ensuring that MDAs are carried along, hence the imperative for the setting up of our One-Stop-Center”, he added.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Warisenibo Joe Johnson, who represented the state governor, said the Fubara administration was ready to listen to the business community to see ways of reducing impediments to investments.
He listed the stages of actions being undertaken by the governor as outlined in his 37-page blue print to revive the economy of Rivers State.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, who was presented at the event as a star investor and promoter of Rivers State reputation, said for the plans of the investment promotion agency to materialize, an enabling law should replace the Executive Order that established the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency.
He said this would insulate the agency from political instability and remove fear in the minds of investors about its sustainability.
According to him, protection precedes promotion and Local Direct Investment (LDIs) is what attracts and promotes Foreign Direct Investment (FDIs).
“It is the rat at home that reveals to the one in the bush that there is fish in the kitchen”, he added.
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?The Mayor of Housing who is also the CEO of the Alesa Highlands Sustainable Green Smart City said that Port Harcourt is like a business empire under lock and key because it is not protecting its own and also not promoting its own enough for investors to come in.
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?In the area of land documentation and inventory, China urged Rivers State Government to borrow a leaf from Abuja and adopt the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in dealing with land and property registration and documentation for ease of doing business.
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?He said Lagos understood the power of business information, adding “this creates the impression that if you are not doing it in Lagos, you are not doing it in Africa.
“We need to shout louder than Lagos, because we need more investments than Lagos and the structural integrity of Abuja. When you marry both, Rivers State would be wonderful and become green with investments,” he said.
In her speech, the President of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), Dr. Chinyere Nwoga, called on the state government to look into the menace of parked trucks now turning Trans-Amadi into a risk zone.
She outlined the activities of the PHCCIMA and invited investors and businesses to the Port Harcourt economic hub, saying peace has returned.
The Director, Investors Relations of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), Mrs Lovina Kayode, urged Rivers State to make haste and catch up on Ease of Doing Business, saying the Council has come to help businesses in the state.
Mrs Kayode, who represented the Executive Secretary/CEO of NIPC, Aisha Rimi, commended the Mayor of Housing and his counterpart, Mr. Oliver Biedima of Rainbow Heritage Group, for their decision to invest in Rivers State, saying it is a proof that Rivers State is safe for investors and their investments.
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In his remarks, Oliver Biedemi of Rainbow Heritage Group urged government to give the private investors chance to develop the economy, saying ordinarily government does not have the funds to develop the economy.
Happy Birthday Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike CON
Honourable Minister Federal Capital Territory
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We’ll Drive Tinubu’s Vision in Rivers With Vigour – Fubara …Inaugurates Dualized Ahoada/Omoku Road ….Debunks Rift With RSHA
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has stated that he will lead Rivers people to galvanize support for President Bola Tinubu to drive the vision and objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda in the State with vigour.
The governor, who joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on Tuesday, explained that his decision to join the APC was not for personal interest but for the overall benefit of Rivers State.
Fubara disclosed these while inaugurating the extension of the dualized Ahoada/ Omoku Express road in Ahoada East and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
He commended the contracting firm, Julius Berger, for timely delivery of the project, saying the project is a campaign promise fulfilled which will bring economic benefits to the people and tackle issues of insecurity associated with the route.
He said his administration has remained focused in delivering democratic dividends in the state despite facing glaring challenges.
The governor thanked the people of Ahoada East and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas for their continuous support, and urged his supporters to remain steadfast and also support President Tinubu who he said, has demonstrated love to Rivers State as a father.
Fubara denied having rift with the Rivers State House of Assembly, stating that his meeting with the lawmakers was stalled as a result of delay in the agreed meeting to be convened by former Governor Nyesom Wike and other stakeholders for him to meet with the state lawmakers.
“I have made every effort to meet with the Assembly members, but it is not within my leadership to initiate the meeting process.
“The arrangement was for my leader, Wike, and the elders led by Anabraba to call for a meeting with the the lawmakers.
“I’m a gentleman and principled. I can’t go behind to call them when we’ve already agreed. Whoever that tell them that I don’t want to meet with them, or I rejected proposal meant for them isn’t saying the truth,” Fubara said.
The Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry Works, Mr Austin Ezekiel-Hart, who gave the project description, said the delivery of the project was a fulfillment of long time dream by the people of Ahoada East and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas.
He said the road was previously a single lane and has now been dualised to 14.6 meters wide, complete with solar-powered streetlights with drainages.
He said the road significantly would reduce travel time between Ahoada and Omoku while improving economic activity in the region.
In his welcome address, Chairman of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area, Hon. Chuku Shedrack Ogbogu, described the road as a symbol of unity, oneness, and development, thanking the governor for fulfilling his campaign promises.
On his part, the Managing Director of Julius Berger, Engr. Peer Lusbash, said the project was awarded to his company in 2023 with a completion period of 18 months which was achieved in best quality.
He added that Julius Berger enjoyed a good support from the Fubara administration, and assured to complete all ongoing projects being handled by Julius Berger on specification, especially the Ring Road project which is a legacy project.
