Politics
Wike Promises New Security Architecture
For outstanding performance in the discharge of their duties, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, honoured some security officers in Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas.
The governor gave the honour last Monday, during a meeting with chiefs and security officials from Ahoada East and Ahoada West at Government House, Port Harcourt.
The honour, he said, was to encourage security operatives for their outstanding efforts towards peace in the communities .
“ Today, we are honouring the Area Commander of Ahoada East and Ahoada West and the JTF Commander of Ahoada.
“ They have placed their lives on the line to defend our people. It is not easy. Now that they are alive, it is for us to appreciate them”, he stated, adding that the gesture would encourage others to secure the state.
He disclosed that the state government was working out a new security architecture that would soon improve peace in all parts of the state.
The Governor said: “ Very soon we will roll out a comprehensive security architecture for the state to improve security in all communities in the state”.
Also last week, Governor Wike directed the state Ministry of Justice to forward the Rivers State House of Assembly, the bill reflecting a change from the name Port Harcourt Polytechnic to Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, for passage and subsequent accent.
He gave the directive last Friday when the Governing Council of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Port Harcourt.
The governor also directed the release of funds for the construction one of the major structures abandoned in the institution since 1992 as well as approval of 65 years as retirement age for all polytechnic staff in the state in line with recent establishment regulation.
He directed the board to forward the financial implications of the new employment that the school requested, for his consideration.
He remarked that employment into the polytechnic and the Rivers State University would be strictly based on merit so as to guarantee quality standard of both academic and nonacademic staff.
Chairman of the council and leader of the delegation, Senator Lee Maeba commended the governor on his reelection victory and listed efforts made by the council so far, and challenges confronting it.
Also within the week under review, Governor Wike restated the position of the state on the issue of cattle colony, Ruga and clarified that the state does not have land for the settlement of Fulani herdsmen.
He further restated that Rivers State is a Christian state because over 99 per cent of the people are Christians.
“ As a Governor of the state, this is a Christian state. When you take a population count, 99 per cent of our people are Christians. I have no apology to anyone, Rivers State is a Christian state “, he maintained.
He made the clarification Friday during a courtesy visit by the Founder and President of Throne-Room Trust Ministries, Apostle Nuhu Kure at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
Governor Wike declared that Nigeria requires divine intervention to overcome her present developmental and security challenges.
The delegation was in Government House to inform the Governor that the ministry would hold an emergency prayer summit to pray for the survival of the country.
He called on the Federal Government to immediately arrest the northern youths who issued other Nigerians ultimatum over the Fulani herdsmen settlement programme, stressing that if the government cannot call the youths to order, it means we do not have a government but a lawless society.
He praised Governor Wike for his ability to simultaneously defend his people from oppression and also work for the development of the state.
Another major development last week in Brick House was the setting up of a 46- member committee for the accreditation and approval of private schools in the state by the governor.
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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