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Heed Calls For Restructuring, True Federalism, Wike Urges Buhari

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The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to heed the calls from various geopolitical zones of the country for restructuring and true Federalism so as to douse brewing tension in the country.
Governor  Wike gave the advice last week when he featured as a guest on Channels Television programme, Sunrise Daily monitored from Port Harcourt.
He said stakeholders in South-South and other geopolitical zones that met with the delegation led by Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari had expressed their grievances which must be genuinely addressed.
 Noting that stakeholders in the South-South, on Tuesday in Port Harcourt ventilated their expectations, Governor Wike said what was required was the political will by the President to implement the demands.
He advised President Buhari that whenever the National Assembly carries out constitutional amendment as it concerns restructuring, true Federalism and Resource Control, he should be courageous enough to assent to it.
The victory of Rivers State Government Against the Dutch Oil Shell at the Supreme Court last Friday, was a major source of joy last week in Brick House.The apex court, last Friday affirmed the state’s acquisition of 45 per cent equity stake in OML 11 and the Kidney Island, Port Harcourt.
Recall that the Supreme Court had in January 2019, upheld the judgement of the Court of Appeal, which awarded N17 Billion damages against Shell for a devastating oil spill that ravaged farmlands, rivers, and streams in Ejama-Ebubu in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State decades ago.
In July 2019, Shell which was the operator of the OML11 and Kidney Island Port Harcourt, filed a suit at the Supreme Court to set aside it’s earlier judgement on the ground that the appellate  court did not go into the merit of their appeal before upholding the decision of the Court of Appeal.
But the Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgement prepared by Justice Centus Nweze and delivered by Justice Samuel Oseji, asserted that the appeal filed by Shell was frivolous and lacked  merit.
Another major event in Brick House in within the week under review was the courtesy visit by a delegation of Chiefs, Elders and Women leaders of Opobo led by the Amayanabo of Opobo Kingdom, King Dandeson Douglas-Jaja.
The visit was to inform that Governor and also invite him to be their Special Guest of Honour at the planned Opobo Kingdom Sesquicentenary celebration billed to hold between 24th and 28th December, 2020.
King Jaja who also is the Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers said the people of Opobo Kingdom have lined up several activities to celebrate Opobo Kingdom as they mark 150 years of it’s establishment.
The Governor  directed the State Surveyor-General to commence surveying and measuring of the land recently reclaimed by the Rivers State Government in Opobo kingdom so that the land can be  allocated to the benefitting families.
He commended the Amayanabo and the people of Opobo Kingdom for being very supportive to his administration and urged them not to relent.
 Governor  Wike underscored the importance of the Ogoni- Opobo-Andoni Unity Road to the state and restated the determination of his administration to complete the project before his administration is over..
Also last week, Gov Wike added another feather to the long list of his awards as he emerged the Hallmark Man of The Year 2020.
Business Hallmark Newspaper, gave Governor Wike the award as it recognises outstanding individuals and institutions who have affected national development in productive ways.
Chief Told Adeniyi, a member of Business Hallmark Advisory Board, and Co-chair of it’s Public Policy Forum, said Wike was chosen in recognition of his developmental strides in the state as well as his staunch defense of democracy.
The State Government also imposed a 24 hour curfew  for two weeks on the entire area around the Okoro-nu-Odo flyover in Rumuokoro due to the upsurge of cult activities and related violence.
Governor Wike also received a delegation of the Tiv People living in the state under the aegis of Mdzough U. The delegation which was led by Mr Caleb Yashi.u
By: Chris Oluoh
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Atiku Quits PDP, Says Decision Heartbreaking

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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.

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2027: Group Vows To Prevail On Diri To Dump PDP For APC

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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

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Nasarawa Speaker Advocates Conducive Executive/Legislature Relations 

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The Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Danladi Jatau, has called for a good working relationship between the executive and legislative arms of the State for development to thrive at the grassroots level.
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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