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PDP Mocks APC Over Slogan Change …Requests Oshiomhole To Submit Self To EFCC’s Probe …Says Convention Mockery Of Democracy
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, counselled the All Progressives Congress (APC) to perish the thought of deceiving Nigerians with its change of slogan from ‘CHANGE’ to ‘PROGRESS’.
The party described the development as a direct insult on the intelligence of Nigerians, saying the party in the past three years brought nothing but hunger, afflictions and daily bloodletting to the nation.
In a statement released, yesterday, the party asked: “How can the APC think that by changing its slogan, Nigerians will suddenly forget that in the last three years of its administration, the nation has not witnessed the change it promised and that all the campaign promises upon which they rode to power have all turned out to be lies?” noting that “Whereas under the APC misrule all aspects of our national life have witnessed unprecedented deterioration, its leaders are busy thinking of how to beguile Nigerians with a change of slogan instead of preparing their handover notes.
“It is a notorious fact that the APC has nothing to progress with unless they mean the perpetuation of their misrule, violation of human rights, de-marketing of our nation, wrecking of our economy, increased unemployment, instigating of disunity among the people as well as the acute hunger and poverty for which they have become synonymous.”
The major opposition party said what is required today is a new leadership of qualitative Nigerians endowed with sufficient knowledge in the spheres of economy, security and good governance.
The change of the ruling party’s slogan at the recently concluded national convention is seen by many as a marketing strategy ahead of the 2019 elections.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, challenged the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, to immediately submit himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) “over humongous corruption allegations hanging on his neck”.
PDP said Oshiomhole lacks the “rectitude to speak in public as a leader at any level,” adding that this is until he “clears the allegations that he diverted billions of naira meant for the people of Edo state while he was governor.”
In a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the opposition party said since the petition against Oshiomhole at the EFCC was in the public domain, the “newly installed national chairman would do the APC, Buhari Presidency, the EFCC as well as himself a lot of good by quietly submitting himself for investigation and possibly, prosecution.”
The statement added, “Since one of the campaign footstool upon which APC was elected into office is fighting corruption, it will be incongruous for Oshiomhole to go about his new assignment with allegation of corruption, even as tiny as a strand of hair.
“It is also instructive for the new chairman to understand that Nigerians are no longer inclined to sophistry, illogical arguments, deceits, contrivance and recourse to abuse as a method of campaign.
“As such, the PDP would be prepared for engagements that have the potency of rescuing our people from the hunger and starvation which the APC has sunk them.
“However, the essence of Oshiomhole’s emergence as President Muhammadu Buhari’s sole candidate was not lost on Nigerians as the Presidency imposed him as a pliable instrument to frustrate other would-be presidential aspirants of APC extraction and hand the ticket to President Buhari, who obviously is afraid to stand a presidential primary due to his failures in office.
“With Saturday’s charade, APC and its Federal Government, which claims to have zero tolerance for corruption, have eaten their vomits, confirming that they have been hypocritical and trending on lies, deception and propaganda.
“With the outcome of the Saturday’s convention, the APC has kissed internal democracy goodbye in the selection of its candidates at all levels as the national leadership, led by people burdened with corruption allegations, cannot but submit to the whim and caprices of those who granted them official protection from prosecution.
“President Buhari and his handlers should, however, note that manipulating the APC convention and seizing the party’s Presidential ticket cannot help them as Nigerians, are now fully rallying on the platform of the repositioned PDP in their quest for a new President, who truly has the competence to effectively run a united, secure and prosperous nation, come 2019.”
Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the national convention of the dysfunctional All Progressives Congress (APC), last Saturday, as a charade, a mockery of democracy and assault on the sensibility of Nigerians.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that the open intimidation and physical assault on aspirants and delegates to the convention further confirm the desperation by President Muhammadu Buhari’s camp to seize the APC’s presidential ticket, for which they have resorted to imposing pliable officials who had been handed the directives to muzzle other presidential aspirants in the APC ahead of the party’s Presidential primary.
“Delegates and other members of the APC were horrified when aspirants to various party offices were being threatened, harassed and in some cases, paid and handed written orders to mount the stage and announce their withdrawal for aspirants listed by President Buhari, under heavy security presence,” the PDP said.
According to the party, “Nigerians are invited to note that some of the officials preferred, particularly, the national chairman, are individuals overburdened by heavy corruption allegations, and whose expected investigation and prosecution have been traded for a Presidential ticket for President Buhari.
“The world observed with shock how aspirants and delegates who dared to raise questions were manhandled by thugs and intimidated by security operatives.
“It is instructive to state that the APC convention directly reflects the confusion, intimidations, violations and descent to fascism, that have characterized governance in our nation in the last three years.
“President Buhari’s handlers are aware that due to his poor performance, clinching his party’s presidential ticket under a free, fair and credible primary is impossible, hence this resort to intimidation, coercion and escalation of official hooliganism in the APC.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.