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I’ve Nothing To Do With Dead APC – Mpigi …Defects To PDP

The lawmaker representing Tai/Eleme/Oyigbo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Barry Mpigi, has dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mpigi, who officially dumped the APC at his ward in Koroma in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, last Saturday, was a member of the Reformed APC, a splinter group from the mainstream APC.
The defection was witnessed by key members of the PDP, including the local government Chairman, Dr. Jacobson Nbina, Commissioner for Works, Rt. Hon. Dumnamene Deekor, member representing Tai at the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Matthew Nenubari Dike, former Nigerian Ambassador to South Korea and Administrator of Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, Amb. Desmond Akawor, and other top PDP leaders from Eleme, Gokana and Oyigbo local government areas.
Mpigi, who expressed joy at his return to his “real political home”, apologised to those he might have offended while he sojourned in APC, and vowed to deliver the local government areas he represents for the PDP.
He said: “Let me state very clearly that what you’re seeing here today, the membership card of PDP, is a clear indication that I’m done and have nothing to do with the dead APC.
“To some of my friends here who have always been believing I will return home to this family, it has happened today, and we are about to do it in the way we used to do it.
“Within a period of one week from today, I will invite you all and others from my constituency, and by extension, Rivers South-East to gather but for those of you who are here today I just want to say ‘thank you’.
“I want to assure you all that the 93 units in Eleme, 91 units in Tai and 109 units in Oyigbo will deliver a block vote to PDP.
“I want to formerly apologize to some of my friends whom I may have offended during my staying on the other side. I want to let everyone know that as I have moved into PDP today, no other party can build or stand any other party secretariat in this ward, we’re in charge here and will deliver all the polling units.
“Governor Nyesom Wike has asked me to get 10 motorcycles to donate to all our ward chairmen in order to help them go about and preach the good works of PDP to our supporters across the wards and right after now I will deliver the bikes to them all.
“The governor said I cannot come in without mobilizing the party leaders, we are starting from Tai today and definitely we will go round Eleme, Oyigbo and by extension we will go to the entire senatorial zone”, Mpigi said.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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