Politics
RSG Harps On Voters’ Registration
Activities to herald the State’s 50th Anniversary heralded Government House activities last week, when the governor through the Secretary to the State Government, Sir Kenneth Kobani participated in a Polo Tournament.
While the State team won the Anniversary Committee team by 3-0 goals, Chief Wike explained why Polo Sport was used to commemorate the anniversary, saying the aim was to popularise the sport.
Last Tuesday, and ahead the Continuous Voter Registration Exercise, the State Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo in a statement called on the people of the state to participate massively in the exercise to enable them vote in 2019 general elections.
The deputy governor enjoined traditional rulers, politicians and other stakeholders in the state to mobilise their subject who are 18 years and above, as well as those who have lost their voter’s cards.
Last Wednesday, the governor played host to Minister of Agriculture Chief Audu Ogbeh in company of Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.
The Minister was in the state for the National Council of Agriculture Meeting being hosted by Rivers State. He used the visit to call on State Government to revive the moribund Agriculture Training School at Onne.
On his part, Chief Wike said they are already working, reviving moribund agric companies owned by the State Government. He identified agriculture as job provider for teeming youths and said Rivers State will soon boast of being food provider for the country.
Chief Wike, last Thursday, declared the National Council on Agriculture open. He reiterated his earlier stance that agric is being made an area of priority for Rivers State.
“The Rivers State Government has, over the years channelled enormous public funds into the development of Agriculture without measurable outcome”, he said his administration will reverse such fortune.
Shortly after declaring the Agriculture Council Meeting open, Governor Wike took former Abia State Governor, Senator Theodore Orji round projects in the state. Senator Orji is the Senate Committee Chairman on Agriculture.
After visiting some projects in Port Harcourt, the former governor said, “this transformation is wonderful. You need to come to Rivers State to see things physically”.
The governor last Friday, was at Onne to donate eight Gunboats acquired by the State for Coastal Security. He emphasised the need to stamp out sea piracy and other criminality on the sea way.
Later on Friday, Chief Wike participated in a birthday ceremony, for Chairman of State Traditional Rulers Council and Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom, HRM Dandison Jaja.
Last Saturday, Chief Wike attended a burial ceremony for late sister of prominent lawyer, Onueze Ikocha (OCJ) at Rumukpakulusi. From there, the governor attended a Building and Fund Raising Event organised by Rumuokwuta Community.
On returning from the events back to Government House in the evening, Chief Wike addressed the press where he disclosed the grand plan by Police authorities to rope him in and raid his private home in Abuja. He says the move confirms an earlier alarm he raised that Federal Government wants to to kill him.
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.