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Male Leaders Have Failed Nigerian Women -Secondus
National Chairman of the former ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has apologised to women in the country for what he said was male political leaders’ inability to live up to expectation.
He said at a ceremony marking this year’s International Women’s Day at the party national secretariat in Abuja, yesterday that men have failed women in the country and therefore admonished women to challenge men for the highest political office in the country.
The party declared: “Women, on behalf of the men, I want to apologise to all of you, to women in Nigeria, women in Africa because African men have disappointed both the women and the children.
“We need to apologise to them before God Almighty so that God will help us. God loves the women.
“Any nation that ignores the women, that nation is doomed because we all came out from women.”
Secondus predicted that very soon, a woman will emerge as president of Nigeria, saying that the PDP’s constitution already encourages the participation of women in elective positions by making available nomination forms for all posts free of charge for them.
“I can see a country with women participating at the highest level. I can see the picture where one day, whether we like it or not since we have failed as men, one day a woman president will emerge in this country,” he said.
Secondus recalled the role of past prominent women leaders in the country and lauded them for setting the pace for other generations.
According to him, “over the years in Nigeria, there has been the struggle for women emancipation. It started with Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, Magaret Ekpo and many women who have sacrificed for our nation. For all of us here as leaders, it is now time for you to pursue nation-building.
“For us in the PDP, the Beijing Affirmative Action is in the principles, and laws and constitution of our party. And you are aware that in the last 16 years, women played important role in our government.
“I want to challenge you based on the provisions of our constitution, on this day of International Women, that you have kept quiet for too long and that’s why men are misbehaving. You must speak out, leaders of women must speak out.
“You must speak against what is going on in our country today. When women speak, God will hear, not only prayers. The voice of the people is the voice of God. It is time for you to speak out.
“So, we challenge you to aspire to all offices. On this day you must come with a collective resolve to fight injustice and inequality in our nation, in Africa. On this day, you must resolve to speak out, you must resolve to speak against evil on our land. You must speak against the APC government that is harassing our leaders.
“Of course, you know that they are more corrupt than any group in Nigeria.”
The opposition party boss praised Senator Dino Melaye, an APC member representing Kogi state, for his boldness in telling the truth about the ruling party’s penchant for borrowing and delivering little.
He said: “At the Senate yesterday (Wednesday), one of the APC leaders, Dino Melaye, spoke out because you must speak the truth. In 16 years, PDP borrowed six trillion but in three years APC government has borrowed 16 trillion.
“So, who is more corrupt? Did they see the money? Where is the infrastructure? Where is water? Where is light? Where is food? Where is security? So, this government is even more corrupt than any government in Nigeria.
“We have ministers that are corrupt in this government and top government officials that are corrupt. The cabals are corrupt, they are swimming in corruption in this government and yet they are harassing innocent people, to show and portray that your government is clean.
“A senator spoke out yesterday. Is it not clear? The man was tired of corruption within APC. Nigerians should congratulate Dino Melaye for speaking out. They cannot kill him. They cannot kill us. If they attempt to kill us, God will kill them.
“So Dino, we congratulate you for speaking out, for speaking the truth.”
He also challenged women to speak up against the “evil thriving on our land” even as he advised them to be sure to play a critical role in next year’s election.
In her address at the occasion, PDP Woman Leader, Maryam Waziri, stressed the significance of the occasion, noting that women were not fighting for gender equality but for gender equity.
She bemoaned the fate of the schoolgirls recently abducted in Dapchi, Yobe state, by suspected Boko Haram terrorists and called for their speedy rescue and return to their families.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has cautioned parents to closely monitor their children’s craving for cookies and gummies, warning that some of the products may contain illicit substances being smuggled into the country.
In a statement posted yesterday, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said recent seizures by the agency’s officers had revealed attempts by criminal elements to introduce prohibited substances under the guise of everyday snacks.
“As parents, if your kids and young ones always crave for cookies and gummies, you may have to pay a little more attention. There may be more to it than ordinary cookies and gummies,” Babafemi wrote, sharing images of seized packages.
The photos showed colourful pouches of “Cookies Delta 8 Gummies” in flavours such as Hawaiian Rain Pineapple Guava and Thai Mango, labelled as vegan and hemp-derived, alongside the actual gummy products.
The warning comes amid a major interception by the Nigeria Customs Service at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos.
Officers seized two 40-foot containers containing large quantities of cannabis-infused products concealed among legitimate imports such as used vehicles, generators, batteries and fabrics.
The consignment included thousands of Delta-8 cannabis pre-roll cookies, packs of cannabis-infused gummies and other cannabis-infused cookies, with a combined estimated street value of about ?373.8m.
The items were subsequently handed over to the NDLEA.
NDLEA officials described the products, which originated from the United States and were packaged to resemble ordinary vegan snacks with appealing flavours, as an emerging public health threat.
They noted that the attractive packaging could appeal especially to children, students and young people, raising the risk of accidental consumption of concentrated cannabis.
The Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) has announced plans to partner with the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) to strengthen efforts at combating illegal waste dumping and improving environmental sanitation across the state.
The partnership was unveiled during a meeting between officials of RIWAMA and the leadership of the Rivers State chapter of the PCRC in Port Harcourt, recently, where both organisations pledged to work together to restore the Garden City status of the state capital.
In his speech, the Supervisor of Market and Community Sanitation in RIWAMA, Mr. Omereji Ukoha, said the collaboration was in line with the vision of the agency’s Managing Director, Dr. Ibimina Wokoma, and the Board Chairman, Dr. Samuel Nwanosike, to promote a cleaner and healthier environment.
Ukoha described the PCRC as a strategic grassroots partner capable of mobilising communities and driving behavioural change through sustained public enlightenment on proper waste disposal.
He expressed concern over the increasing rate of indiscriminate refuse dumping in parts of Port Harcourt, particularly in New GRA, where blocked drainage channels and illegal shanties have continued to contribute to flooding and environmental degradation.
According to him, the agency is determined to intensify enforcement against environmental offenders, warning that unregistered cart pushers and residents who patronise them would be prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of the RIWAMA Act, 2014.
The RIWAMA official urged residents to embrace proper waste disposal practices and patronise only government-approved waste operators in order to safeguard public health and protect the environment.
Responding, the Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee in Rivers State, Dr. Voke Emore, commended RIWAMA for seeking collaboration with the committee in addressing environmental challenges confronting the state.
Emore said the PCRC would deploy its community-based structures across the state to support public sensitisation and encourage residents to comply with environmental sanitation regulations.
He also called on local government councils to play more active roles in waste management, noting that they collect sanitation levies and should complement the efforts of the state government in maintaining a clean environment.
The PCRC chairman described indiscriminate refuse disposal as a serious environmental and public health concern, stressing that sustained collaboration among government agencies, community leaders and residents remained critical to achieving lasting sanitation goals.
Both organisations expressed optimism that the partnership would promote cleaner communities, reduce environmental hazards and strengthen public participation in efforts to ensure a healthier and more sustainable environment for the people of Rivers State.
King Onunwor
The Rivers State Police Command has arrested five suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate allegedly terrorising communities in Oyigbo Local Government Area of the State.
The State Police Command disclosed this in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, ASP Blessing Agabe, in Port Harcourt, recently.
The suspects were arrested during a coordinated operation at Oyigbo, following directives by the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, CP Olugbenga Adewole Adepoju.
Those arrested were Ezekiel Emmanuel, 44, from Benue State; Chukwuma Mbanefor, 51, from Anambra State; Nicholas Diala, 65, from Imo State; Ndubuisi Uwakwe, 49, from Abia State; and Ifeanyi Nwakwo, 51, from Imo State.
The Command said the arrest represented another significant operational success in its ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating in the State.
According to the Police, preliminary investigation indicated that the suspects were allegedly involved in kidnapping operations within Rivers State.
The suspects, during interrogation, allegedly confessed to their involvement in kidnapping and further admitted participating in several operations carried out in Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities.
The Command said investigation was ongoing, with efforts intensified to identify and apprehend other members of the suspected syndicate who may be connected with the criminal activities.
The Police boss said the operation reflected the implementation of operational directives and the intelligence-driven policing strategy of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc, NPM.
Adepoju reaffirmed the Command’s determination to sustain aggressive intelligence-led operations against kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery and other violent crimes across Rivers State.
He warned kidnappers and other criminal elements operating in the State that there would be no safe haven for them, stressing that the Command would relentlessly pursue, arrest and ensure that those found culpable were brought to justice.
The Commissioner further assured residents of the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, urging members of the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies in the fight against crime.
He appealed to residents to provide the Police with credible and timely information capable of assisting security operatives in preventing criminal activities and apprehending suspected criminals.
The Command urged members of the public who may have useful information on the activities of the suspected kidnapping syndicate or other criminal elements to contact the Police through its emergency lines, assuring that such information would assist ongoing investigations.
King Onunwor