Politics
“Voting PDP Will Sustain Dev In Rivers” – Wike
Last week in Government House was a mixed vibe of
activities covering courtesy calls, swearing-in of Substantive Chief of the State, commissioning of projects and re-run campaigns in Abua and Ahoada local government areas.
Observing the Mother’s Day Celebration last week Sunday, Governor Wike in a message to celebrate Mothers in Rivers State said the state was founded on productivity and contributions of mothers. The governor described Mothers as critical partners in the state development, and urged them to sustain the tempo.
The governor’s message was re-echoed by his wife, Justice, Eberechi Nyesom-Wike during a church service to mark Rivers State Women’s Mothering Sunday at Christ Anglican Church, Port Harcourt, Justice Wike said Women must seek the cooperation of men to advance women rights in the society.
The governor was represented by his Chief of Staff last Sunday at Rumuji in Emohua during Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally at Ward 13, where 150 members of the All Progressives Congress defected to the PDP.
The governor’s wife, Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike on Monday commenced activities to mark this year’s International Women’s Day by visiting the Port Harcourt Children Home. She harped on the need to provide quality education to children with special needs in order to equip them to live productive life in the future.
On Tuesday, Governor Wike swore-in Justice Iyaye Laminkara as a substantive Chief Judge of the State. This followed her confirmation by the State House of Assembly on Monday. Justice Laminkara is the second female Chief Judge of the State. Shortly after her swearing-in, Governor Wike urged her to dispense justice without fear or favour.
After the swearing-in ceremony, Wike headed straight to flag off construction of Ozuoba-Rumuosi Road. At the ceremony, the governor assured Rivers people that nobody can rig the re-run election once they can stand their ground and resist manipulation.
The governor was represented by the secretary to the State Government Chief Kenneth Kobani at the International Women Day. He challenged Women to rise up and speak for their rights, insisting that deprived and poor women should be assisted through special empowerment programmes.
Rivers deputy governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, joined other top dignitaries to mark the International Women Day. She observed that since the Beijing Conference, Rivers State has been at the forefront of protecting women rights, saying about 84 women have served in government positions since then.
On Wednesday, while receiving the new Managing Director of Total E&P Nigeria Limited, Governor Wike said all efforts were being done to check cult-related killings in the state. He maintained that it was unfair to play politics with the lives and property of Rivers people.
In a statement last Wednesday shortly before the weekly state Executive Council meeting, Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr Austin Tam-George, condemned the statement made by the Acting National Chairman of APC, Mr Segun Oni that Wike was responsible for the killings in Rivers State.
The commissioner later briefed newsmen on the outcome of the Exco meeting and disclosed plans by government to conduct fresh audit of civil servants in the state through biometric data capture in the next four weeks.
Governor Nyesom Wike unveiled the phase one of the Nkpogu Bridge on Thursday and laid foundation for the second phase immediately. He charged the people to vote the PDP to sustain the tempo of developmental projects.
The governor on Friday addressed thousands of PDP faithful at Abua/Odual Local Government Area, calling on them to be vigilant ahead of the re-run elections. The governor reiterated the same call on Saturday at Ahoada Town during Rivers West Senatorial Campaign flag-off. He dismissed claims by the erstwhile governor that the failed to protect lives and property, describing the allegation as a ploy to destabilise the state. Wike submitted that he would make any sacrifice to protect the lives of Rivers people.
Politics
Senegal: Faye Set To Become Youngest Elected African President As Rival Concedes Defeat
Senegalese politician, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, (44), is set to become the youngest elected leader on the African continent.
While Faye’s main rival, Amadou Ba, from the ruling coalition had said a run-off might happen to determine the winner, at least five of the 19 candidates in the race had issued statements to congratulate Faye as of early Monday.
“For our part, and considering the feedback of the results from our team of experts, we are certain that, in the worst case scenario, we will go to a run-off,” Ba, a former Senegalese Prime Minister, had said.
But as Faye’s lead got wider, Ba called to concede victory in Sunday’s presidential elections, BBC quoted a government official to have said.
Faye’s lead had spurred his followers to troop out in celebration on the streets of the capital, Dakar, on Sunday.
Reports revealed that millions took part in a peaceful day of voting to elect Senegal’s fifth president after three years of unprecedented political turbulence that triggered violent anti-government protests and bolstered support for the opposition.
Faye is a Senegalese politician and a former tax inspector, who also served as the General Secretary of dissolved PASTEF.
He contested the highest political position in the West African country in place of disqualified candidate Ousmane Sonko.
Senegalese voters had a choice among 19 contenders to replace Sall, who is stepping down after a second term marred by unrest over the prosecution of opposition leader Sonko.
The incumbent was not on the ballot for the first time in Senegal’s history. His ruling coalition picked Ba, 62, as its candidate.
In a country of over 18 million people, 7.3 million people were registered to vote, and about 71 percent voter turnout was recorded, Senegal’s State TV reported.
Politics
Writing Judgment For Presidential Election Tribunal Allegation, FG Arraigns One
The Federal Government has arraigned one Chike Ibezim for allegedly defaming Babatunde Fashola, former Minister of Works and Housing.
Ibezim is one of three individuals who alleged that Fashola had written the judgments of the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) that dismissed the petitions by the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ibezim was arraigned on Monday before a federal high court in Abuja on a six-count charge.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/434/2023, borders on criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, and defamation, among others.
The matter is before Bolaji Olajuwon and has been adjourned till April 15 for continuation of trial.
Count one of the charges reads: “That you Ibezim Chike Victor, male with Jackson Udeh, Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim and Reportera.ng (body corporate) now at large on or about 05/08/2023 at Abuja, did commit an illegal Act to wit: criminal conspiracy; when you jointly agreed to publish a defamatory statement of false allegations in your online social media, the reportera.ng news, against His Excellency Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, CON, without justification, you thereby commit offence punishable under Section 27(1)(b) of the Cyber-crime Prohibition, Prevention Act 2015.”
However, Fashola said the allegation was “baseless and defamatory”.
The former minister described those behind the allegations as “agents of destabilisation”.
Politics
Soludo’s Performance Assessment, APGA Tackles LP Chieftain
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has faulted a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), Valentine Ozigbo, over his comments that the performance of Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, after two years in office, was “not impressive.”
Mr Ozigbo, who was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2021 Anambra State governorship election, now a chieftain of the LP, stated during an interactive session with journalists last weekend that he was not impressed about Governor Soludo’s performance and has therefore decided to contest the 2025 governorship election in the state.
He said, “We have seen the leadership of Soludo in two years, and some of you may be impressed, but I am not. After the last election in 2021, I called and wished him well and moved on, and we have never spoken again. My decision was to assess him after two years, and having seen it, I am not impressed, and I want to start holding him accountable.
“I am here to share my thoughts with you, what I think, and no matter how you see what he (Soludo) is doing, you will be more proud when I mount the saddle.
“We need to change the narrative and look for a way to survive. We must fight to rescue Anambra. I am a non-transactional politician. I have several things I can do, but my worry is how we can recover the state and put her on the path of development.
“Zoning is a good thing. But it must be combined with competence to make sense. Don’t pick a renegade just because he is from a certain zone, and don’t pick the best, when you know you can pick one that is better.”
Mr Ozigbo said further, “I respect zoning, and I will be making a case for a single term of four years. Anyone who sees what Alex Otti is doing in Abia State will know that four years is enough time to do a lot of work.
“I will honour that principle of zoning, and I will not need anyone’s push or prompting to do otherwise. I will be ready to do an agreement and do an undertaking that I will do just one term. I also wish to tell you that Peter Obi has been consistent that a southerner who emerges will only do one term.
“It is a settled matter that I intend to run for just one term. I intend to keep faith with the agreement.”
But reacting to the development in a telephone interview with The Tide’s source on Monday, APGA spokesman, Tony Olisa-Mbeki, dismissed Mr Ozigbo’s utterances, insisting he has nothing to offer the people of the state.
Mr Olisa-Mbeki said, “He is a political stooge. What could he possibly bring in? Last I checked, he only managed Transcorp Hotel. Is that a qualification to be a governor in Anambra State? Soludo runs an inclusive government in Anambra; that is why he holds town hall meetings with different sectors. What other approach to governance is Ozigbo talking about?
“Anambra State governance is not for learners like Ozigbo. Ozigbo can’t even give a good lecture; he would be better suited working as a PA to any governor. Ozigbo’s aspirations in the previous gubernatorial contest in Anambra found him trailing in third place under the banner of the PDP, despite the staunch endorsement from former APGA governor, Peter Obi.
“That alone should tell him that APGA is like an apostle’s creed to Ndi Anambra. However, what reforms could Ozigbo propose? Anambra State, under Governor Soludo’s leadership, is a testament to political and socio-economic ingenuity.”
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