News
Vote All PDP Candidates, Wike Tells Rivers People …Urges Electorate To Resist Godfathers, Defend Vote …As Wike Uncovers New APC Plot To Scuttle Saturday’s Election
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has charged Rivers people to overwhelmingly vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections and ensure they defend their votes.
This is as the leaders of Rivers South-East Senatorial District re-affirmed their endorsement of Wike for a second term.
They spoke at the Town Hall Meeting between Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike and leaders of Rivers East Senatorial District in Bori, last Monday.
Wike urged the people to be peaceful and vigilant to ensure that their votes count.
He said: “Just be vigilant and protect your votes. We have no security with us, but we have the chief security officer of the world on our side.
“If they like they should bring police, Army and thugs from all over the world, we are quite confident that we shall smile on March 9, 2019. Come out and vote for people you can vouch for”.
Wike said it was unfortunate that the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, would imagine that he can impose a politician without pedigree on Rivers State, just because he is desperate.
‘Has Rivers State gone to the level where someone will point at a person and make him governor? He says he will bring anyone even without record.
“Rivers State is not like any other state. We will not allow a godfather to operate here. Our only Godfather is God”.
He urged Rivers people to adopt a peaceful disposition all through the Governorship and state Assembly elections.
Wike said those who plan to use security forces to kill Rivers people should know that the security personnel will come and go, but Rivers State will remain.
“You are not participating in the elections. Why are you killing our people? You should allow the will of God to prevail. Talk to our children to avoid being used for violence.
“Reject violence as being propagated by the APC”, he said.
He wondered why the APC leadership should resort to the promotion of electoral violence, when they ostracised themselves from the political contest.
“Those who want to shed blood in Rivers State will never succeed. I don’t know why they are plotting to destroy the state. We never caused any problems in the APC. APC fought themselves and pushed themselves out of the race. Now, they want to kill everyone in the state. What is the offence of Rivers people, that we must all die because the APC excluded themselves from the ballot?
“Where are the children of the APC leaders preaching violence in Rivers State”, he said.
The governor said nobody in Rivers State ran for the post of President and Vice President on February 23, 2019, yet, the APC visited deaths on Rivers people.
He berated the minister for playing politics of lies and failed promises.
The governor said that the minister had claimed that he believes in the rotation of positions, yet, he nominated himself as minister, sacked an Ogoni man as the executive director of Finance and Administration of NDDC and replaced him with his kinsman from Ikwerre LGA, and also facilitated the appointment of an Ikwerre LGA indigene as a member of Federal Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission.
The governor commended the people of Rivers South-East Senatorial District for voting for all PDP candidates during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
He urged them to step up their votes as his administration will site projects in each of the seven local government areas that make up the district.
Wike called on the security agencies to perform their duties in line with the rules governing elections.
He advised them to conserve their energy to fight Boko Haram and violent crime, saying that those who involved themselves in street protests claiming they will kick him out were merely playing because they have already kicked themselves out of the process because Rivers people have already decided to vote him again for a second term.
The governor said that the Rivers State Government would hold a remembrance service for all those who were killed during the Presidential and National Assembly elections violence at Abonnema.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has charged Rivers people to resist godfathers by ensuring that they defend their votes during the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday.
This is as he called on the people and residents of the state to come out and vote overwhelmingly for the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) candidates at the election.
“If they like, they should bring police, Army and thugs from all over the world, we are quite confident that we shall smile on March 9, 2019. Come out and vote for people you can vouch for”.
Wike said it was unfortunate that the Minister of Transportation would imagine that he can impose a politician without pedigree on Rivers State, just because he is desperate.
“Has Rivers State gone to the level where someone will point at a person and make him governor? He says he will bring anyone even without record.
“Rivers State is not like any other state. We will not allow a godfather to operate here. Our only Godfather is God,” the governor said.
He urged Rivers people to adopt a peaceful disposition all through this weekend’s elections, noting that those who plan to use security personnel against the people should know that elections will come and go, but Rivers State will remain.
“You are not participating in the elections. Why are you killing our people? You should allow the will of God to prevail. Talk to our children to avoid being used for violence. Reject violence as being propagated by the All Progressives Congress (APC),” he said.
“In another development, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has disclosed a plot by the APC, in collaboration with some Security agencies to kidnap the INEC boss in Rivers State to scuttle Saturday’s Governorship and State Assembly elections in the state.
The Governor made the disclosure yesterday at Rivers West Town Hall meeting held at Ahoada East Local Government Area.
Wike said: “ APC and some security agencies are planning to get some persons in uniform to kidnap the INEC officer.
“ That is their latest plan to see that the election doesn’t take place in Rivers State. Since we have known the plot, it will fail”.
The Governor wondered why some enemies of the state who are not running for the Saturday’s election were doing everything to see that the state did not hold the election.
The charged thousands of people from the eight local government areas that make up the Senatorial District to be vigilant and not allow enemies of the state scuttle the election.
Wike restated that the problems that disqualified APC from the gubernatorial election in the state was caused by members of APC and not him the governor or PDP.
“Anybody who plots violence will see be visited by violence. We are prepared for this election that is why we are campaign, talking to people”, he said.
He noted that the party has delivered its campaign promises to Rivers people, campaigned more than any other party for the election and assured that if reelected, more projects would be executed in the district.
He encouraged the people to come out in their numbers on Saturday to vote for candidates of PDC and not to allow the experience of the Presidential and National Assembly elections to discourage them.
He said the district has three Houses of Representatives, and Senatorial elections which were inconclusive as well as the governorship and state assembly elections on Saturday.
He said: “ Nobody should go and kill anybody because I want to be governor.
“ We should not be violent, but we must protect and defend our votes “.
Governor Wike urged traditional rulers to talk to their subjects to make sure that they are not for violence because it does not pay to take one’s live.
Chairman of the occasion, Chief Ferdinand Anabraba, thanked the governor for the honour done to the Senatorial District by nominating a daughter of the district to be his running mate for a second time.
Anabraba described the governor as a man with u limited capacity for work and embodiment of inspiration and courage.
He said the district has benefited from so many projects and political appointments under the present administration and assured that it would vote massively for Wike as Governor and for other candidates of PDP during Saturday election.
He regretted that the senatorial district suffered violence and military intrusion during last election leading to lost of one soldier and over 20 civilians.
“ We are organising a memorial service for those lost in the election and we wish that our sister local government areas will join us”, he said.
He however assured that the evil plans of APC and security agencies will not make them to fail in their promise to deliver Governor Wike and other PDP candidates in the Saturday election.
Speakers from each of the eight local government areas in the district also commended Gov Wike for the massive infrastructure, empowerment as well as numerous political appointments benefited by the people of the area under Wike’s administration.
They assured that the governor would be reelected and other PDP candidates also delivered
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.