Politics
Wike Knocks NPA Over Neglect
Last week was the busiest in the Rivers State Government House since the inception of the Governor Nyesom Wike’s second term in office, going by the volume of activities in the Brick House.
The management of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) paid a courtesy visit to Governor Nyesom Wike in Government House last Wednesday to congratulate the Governor on his reelection and his contribution to the development of the company.
The Managing Director, Engr Tony Attah, who led the delegation, informed that the company was set to commence the Train seven (7) project with the capacity to provide between 10, 000 and 15,000 job opportunities for indigenes of the State.
The MD also announced that the company has worked out modalities to deliver cooking gas to the State instead of routing it through Lagos, as well as the investment of the firm on community health insurance scheme and eradication of malaria in Bonny.
Attah appealed to the governor to assist NLNG in dredging the Iwofe Waterway to enable the company actualise the projects.
Responding, the state Governor, declared that the state government would support the Train seven (7) project which has the capacity to create between 10,000 and 25,000 employment opportunities for the state.
He equally commended the company for its health and power project and promised that the state government would dredge the Iwofe waterway for actualisation of the company’s laudable programmes.
He charged other companies operating in the state to emulate NLNG’s community development projects.
Governor Wike is set for another prestigious award as the Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE) has nominated him as the Honorary Fellow of the academy.
Secretary – General of NAE, Prof Elizabeth Okeke, announced this last Thursday when a delegation of the academy paid the governor a courtesy visit in Government House, Port Harcourt.
Okeke said that Wike, who is first out of three persons to be honoured got the nomination because of his exceptional contributions in the educational sector.
The NAE Scribe said the essence of the visit was among other things to intimate the governor on the 34th congress of the body scheduled to hold in University of Port Harcourt and appealed for the support of the governor to make the event the best congress ever organised by the academy.
In his reelection response, Wike commended the body for deciding to hold the congress in the state and noted that the event would attract people from all parts of the country.
According to the governor, the delegates who would come would have first hand knowledge of the security situation of Port Harcourt as against the wrong impression by political propagandist that Port Harcourt is not safe.
He assured the delegation of strong support of the state government to make the event successful.
A chief in Eleme Local Government Area, Chief Appolus Chu was cautioned by Governor Wike for speaking on behalf of the Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council, even when he is not a government recognised traditional ruler in the state.
Wike also warned Chu to stop parading himself as the One- eh Eta Ogale. The governor issued the warning during a meeting he had with traditional rulers in Eleme last Wednesday in Government House, Port Harcourt.
He explained that nobody has the authority to dethrone a government recognised traditional ruler stressing that should the circumstance arise to remove any government recognised traditional ruler, they must follow the processes provided by law.
Also in the week under review, Wike restated the need for clergymen to continue to pray for Rivers State in the face of sustained attack by enemies of the state.
He made the call last Thursday when the General Overseer of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry, Pastor Lazarus Muoka led a delegation of the church on a courtesy visit to the governor in Government House.
Muoka who commended the governor on his reelection victory prayed for the state and the administration of Wike to achieve more during the second term.
Wike commended him for coming and urged the church to continue to pray for the state.
He assured the church of the state government’s support in its crusade billed to hold in Port Harcourt.
Gov Wike received the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo last Friday when he came to commission the Port Harcourt Dockyard Liquid Waste Treatment Plant built by African Circle Pollution Management Limited.
Wike used the opportunity to draw the attention of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) neglect to Rivers state.
He told Mr Vice President that NPA entered into agreement to reconstruct the road leading to the Industry Road and that the Federal agency reneged on paying her own part of the counterpart fund but is only interested in collecting rents from tenants .
He called on NPA to dredge Rivers Ports Waterway to increase economic activities at the port and create employment opportunities in the state.
Wike also lauded African Circle Pollution Management Limited for cleaning up environment and Rivers Waterways through the facility.
Gov Wike held a meeting with the management of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, Belemaoil Limited, host community leaders, and security Service Commanders in Government House on Saturday on how to reopen the disputed OML 25.
Chris Oluoh
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
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