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LG Polls: No Imposition Of Candidates In PDP -Wike
As political parties strategise for the forthcoming June 16 local government elections in Rivers State, the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will fight against any attempt by any Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader in the state to impose any candidate on the people.
Wike stated this while spelling out the template of how the party would approach the elections to achieve credible, free and fair polls at an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting of PDP held, last Saturday in Government House, Port Harcourt.
The governor said PDP primary elections must be transparent, adding that people in whom powers reside must be allowed to elect candidates of their choice.
Wike stressed that the party must present popular candidates to win instead of imposing candidates on the party or the people by few party leaders.
The governor said: “I urged the state chairman to call this meeting so that everybody will hear from us directly, so that people will not go and misrepresent facts.
“I don’t want where five people from one local government will go, and say what was not said. So, it is better you hear it directly from us”.
Wike stated that “irrespective of how old one’s membership in the party is, any member who thinks that he or she is popular is free to contest for any position of his or her choice”.
He said that the era when people stay in Government House to decide who will run and who will not run for elections was over, and urged members who feel they are popular and qualified to run to mobilise people, contest and win.
Wike remarked that party leaders should work in tandem with peculiar circumstances in communities and where rotational systems obtain, they must agree with the people since they were voting or electing those to represent them.
He said, “if the party had not gotten it right in any way before, this time, it must get it right as it mobilises to bring a change to Nigeria”.
The governor described council polls as crucial, insisting that Rivers State would conduct a free and transparent election to show Nigeria how to organise credible elections.
Wike, who stressed that he will personally supervise the primaries, advised party leaders against conducting all the local government primaries in one day to give room for thorough supervision.
He also said that women must be given opportunity to participate, and stressed, however, that such stance does not mean that positions would be given to women freely.
Wike, who stated that the election must not be a do or die affair, stressed that as general elections approach, it was imperative for PDP to showcase strong and popular candidates with capacity to represent the party to win.
He said the era when people who reside in Port Harcourt were made council chairmen such that they only go to office when allocation comes was over.
The governor said the All Progressives Congress (APC) does not have the capacity to win elections due to the party’s woeful performance, alleging that the only plan of the party was to rig the elections without the support of the people.
Wike said, “PDP will insist on transparent polls and is confident of victory”.
National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus lauded Wike over his declaration for free and transparent local government elections, and disclosed that at the national level, PDP was being rebranded to ensure that power returns to the people.
“Power must be decentralised. That’s the new way. We shall return power to the people. Let them make their choices”, he said, adding that at all levels, the party will not condone impunity.
He said that while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies may not be with the party, the greatest asset of PDP remains the people, adding the party was ready to rescue Nigerians.
Secondus further said that the focus of the party was on youth and women, and pointed out that when youth and women are given opportunity, criminality will be checked in Nigeria.
He commended the governor for the great things he was doing in the state, and urged PDP members in the state to support the governor in his passion for free, fair and credible elections.
Chris Oluoh
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
