Politics
Wike Tasks Palliative Committee To Focus On Less Privileged
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has charged the committee in charge of the distribution of palliatives to reach out to all the less privileged, irrespective of political party affiliations.
Governor Wike gave the charger last Monday while inaugurating the committee to distribute foodstuffs to Rivers people as palliative to cushion the hardship caused by strategies to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Governor Wike said: “The distribution of these foodstuffs has nothing to do with party membership. It should get to all less privileged people.
“That is why we have clerics, security personnel and other people in the Committee. There should be no application of sentiments in sharing”.
According to the Governor, the sharing train of the committee will reach out to all the 23 local government areas of the state but stressed that Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas with the highest concentration of residents of the state would take the lead.
So far, the Committee which is chaired by the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, has covered parts of Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
Also last week, the state Governor announced the settings aside of N2billion to empower farmers and fishermen in the state to produce food for residents during the period of the lockdown.
In a press conference on Monday, Gov Wike said the committee will purchase all agricultural products produced in the state for distribution to the less privileged.
He said that the step was to ensure that non complains of hunger within this period.
“Ours is to ensure that no agricultural product like yam, plantain, palm oil and fish leaves out state during this period.
“While the farmers and fishermen will make their profits, the less privileged will have enough food supply for their families.”
The 33- member Committee is headed by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo while the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Fred Kpakol serves as the Secretary.
The Brick House landlord, last week declared Carveton Helicopters Persona Non Grata and directed council chairmen to close all offices of the company in the state.
This followed the illegal entry of the company’s helicopter , it’s crew and passengers into the state in contravention of the Executive Order by the governor, closing all land, sea and air borders of the state as a measure to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in Rivers State.
Gov Wike stated that the state Government appreciated the need to to protect business interests and operations in the state and would do whatever that was required to ensure that no business was unduly affected by the measures put in place to combat the coronavirus.
He said: “However, we shall not welcome businesses or companies that value their business activities or profit more than or in clear disregard of the lives and health of our people.
“By it’s actions Carveton Helicopters have already shown that Rivers lives do not matter to it, it is an enemy of Rivers people and is hereby declared Persona Non Grata in Rivers State”.
According to the Governor, the insensitive and provocative actions of Calverton Helicopters took place in the midst of credible intelligence report about plans by enemies of the state to traffic carriers of the dreaded Coronavirus into the state.
The governor said COVID-19 in the state was a matter of life and death, and that the government would not succumb to any blackmail from any person, institution or quarters in its determination to protect the citizens and the state from the spread of the dreaded Coronavirus.
So far, Port Harcourt Chief Magistrate Court No 11 Presided over by Chief Magistrate D.D Ihua- Maduenyi Esq has ordered the remand of 10 passengers who flew into the Airforce Base Port Harcourt on board the Twin- Ottar Carveton Helicopters on 7/4/2020 in contravention of paragraph 8 of the Executive Order RVSG01/ 2020.
The Rivers State Chief Executive, vowed that he was ready to set aside his immunity to testify against those who violate the state’s border closure regulations aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.
Gov Wike, in the week under review, appealed to Christians and Muslims to continue to shun public worship of anything above 50 persons per hall to check the spread of the coronavirus in the state.
By: Chris Oluoh
Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Alhaji Abubakar disclosed his intention to leave the opposition party in a letter addressed to the PDP ward chairman in Jada, Jada Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa state.
Alhaji Abubakar described his departure from the PDP as “heartbreaking”, saying the party has strayed from the ideals on which it was founded.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude for the opportunities I have been given by the Party,” Alhaji Abubakar said.
“Serving two full terms as Vice President of Nigeria and being a presidential candidate twice has been one of the most significant chapters of my life.
“As a founding father of this esteemed Party, it is indeed heartbreaking for me to make this decision.
“However, I find it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the Party has taken, which I believe diverges from the foundational principles we stood for.
“It is with a heavy heart that I resign, recognising the irreconcilable differences that have emerged.
“I wish the Party and its leadership all the best in the future”, he added.
Alhaji Abubakar’s resignation from the PDP comes days after the opposition coalition politicians adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their political platform for the 2027 elections.
Among the coalition leaders are Rotimi Amaechi, a former Transportation Minister; Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election; Nasir el-Rufai, former Kaduna State Governor; and John Oyegun, former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Others include Sule Lamido, former Governor of Jigawa State; Uche Secondus, former PDP National Chairman; Babangida Aliyu, former Governor of Niger State; Sam Egwu, former governor of Ebonyi State; Aminu Tambuwal, former Governor of Sokoto State; and Liyel Imoke, former Governor of Cross River State, among others.
A group, ‘Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders Forum (CBSF),’ has intensified calls on the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The CBSF which comprises members of various political parties, non-partisan citizens and residents of the state also has non-indigenes and people from different religious organisations as members.
Speaking at a world press conference held in Yenagoa, the State capital on Tuesday, the group, through its convener who doubles as Technical Adviser to the Governor on Media/Public Affairs, Snr. Comrade Wisdom Ikuli, passed a confidence vote on Governor Diri, commending his selfless service to the State and the Ijaw nation.
Mr Ikuli averred that there was need for the state to align with the federal government. Citing the benefits of having a government at the centre that can attract development to the state, he noted that the PDP at the national level had been long enmeshed in crisis.
“The current leadership of the PDP under whose platform the governor is leading the state has been hijacked by few individuals. This poses threats to the interest of the state.
“Presently, our state is standing alone as the only PDP state in the whole of the South South region. The above may not be too much an issue. The greatest challenge here is the hijack of the PDP by few individuals and the very dangerous traps that they have set for Bayelsa in 2027, particularly those that intend to fly the flag of PDP.
“There are concluded arrangements to hide under the excuse of crisis and countless court cases in PDP at different levels to work to nullify the nomination of all candidates that will emerge under the party platform. So, we can imagine the pains, agony and disarray that the state shall experience if the state remains in PDP.
“The ongoing Coalition is also an embodiment of people who conspired to deny Bayelsa State and indeed the entire Ijaw Nation, a second term at the Presidency in 2015. Thus, the coalition can never be an option.
“ It is based on the above that we unanimously appeal to the Governor to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to show southern solidarity with other southern governors who are with Mr. President”, the group said.
“But as we move forward, one of the greatest priorities in the alliance with the centre should be the actualisation of the Agge Seaport that will help to boost the state economy and also bring about unimaginable transformation and prosperity. In the next few days we shall begin a daily rally on the streets of Yenagoa to prevail on His Excellency to do the needful.
“Finally, His Excellency should ignore all opposing voices against his defection. We say this because they are all fighting to protect their individual political interest without prioritising that of the state and the entire Ijaw nation.
“ We wish to reassure His Excellency that vast majority of Bayelsans are with him and together, we shall move forward”, the CBSF added.
The group thanked President Bola Tinubu for appointing Ijaw sons and daughters into key positions, including Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources; Chief Samuel Ogbuku as Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); Chief Ebitimi Amgbare as Managing Director, Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), amongst others.
Meanwhile, the CBSF has also charged Governor Diri to prioritize the actualization of the Agge Deep Seaport project, saying it will boost the economy of the state and bring about transformation and prosperity, noting, however, that plans have reached advanced stages for the CBSF to hit the streets of Yenagoa with rallies with a view to prevailing on the governor to defect to the APC.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Speaker made the call on Wednesday while hosting councillors from the 13 local government areas of the State in his residence in Lafia, the state capital.
Rt Hon. Jatau said that a good working relationship among the arms of government at the council level was key to development, hence, the need for his call in that direction.
He appreciated the councillors for condoling with him over the death of his younger sister, Hajaratu Jatau, and prayed to God to bless them abundantly.
“I started as a councillor, and today I am the Speaker. There is the need for a good working relationship between you and the elected chairmen for development to thrive at the grassroots. It is in view of this that I want to call on you to give your elected chairmen all the necessary and needed support to succeed. For development to thrive at the grassroots, you must embrace one another and see yourselves as team players,” the Speaker said.
Rt Hon. Jatau also called on them to coexist peacefully among themselves and continue to drum up support for Governor Abdullahi Sule’s administration to succeed.
Besides, he assured them that the state government would soon organise training for them to deliver effective service.
Rt Hon. Jatau also assured them that the state government would pay them their furniture allowance, as well as other benefits, to enhance their legislative work.
Earlier, the chairman of the Nasarawa State Councillors Forum, Mohammed Madaki, who is the Leader of Lafia LGA Legislative Assembly, said that the visit was to identify with the Speaker over the death of his sister.
The leader of the delegation urged the Speaker to see the death of his sister as an act of God and bear the irreplaceable loss.
Mr Madaki assured the Speaker of their loyalty and support at all times.
The chairman, however, appealed to the Speaker to intervene in the training of the councillors as well as the payment of their furniture allowance.
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