Politics
Rivers NASS Caucus Backs Wike On IPOB
Members of Rivers State caucus of the National Assembly, last week declared their total support to the re-inforced ban of the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike on the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB.
The leader of the caucus, Senator George Sekibo who disclosed this on Friday when the group paid a courtesy visit to Governor Wike in Government House, Port Harcourt also affirmed that they unconditionally stand with Gov Wike on every actions he has taken to protect lives and property of all residents in the state.
Sekibo explained that while the governor had ensured that the EndSARS protest was peaceful, intruders and enemies of the state, masquerading as the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB decided to cause mayhem , kill innocent residents, especially security officers in Oyigbo, Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas of the state.
“As a caucus, we want to state our unalloyed support for your re-affirmation of the proscription of the IPOB in line with the categorisation of the group as a terrorist organisation by the federal government.
“ We also want to unequivocally state that Rivers State cannot and will not be annexed by any group, organisation or persons whatsoever, as we are Niger Delta people and will always stand for the cause of the Niger Delta”.
Governor Wike had in a state- wide broadcast to the state, announced that he had signed an Executive Order to re-inforce the ban on IPOB and its activities in the state.
The governor said while Rivers State remains the home to all tribes, and ethnic nationalities , the state government is opposed to the presence and activities of the legally proscribed IPOB and whatever it stands for in the state.
The governor said: “ Let it be understood that we have nothing against all or any specific tribe and will continue to live in peace with people of all other tribal extractions residing or doing business in River State.
“ But we have everything against the presence and the activities of the legally proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra IPOB and whatever it starts for in Rivers State.
“ This is clearly terrorist group which existence , creed, mission and activities are strongly denounced even by the government and people of South- Eastern states of the country”.
The governor held a crucial meeting, last week Monday with the 23 council chairmen in the state, Community Development Committees and youth leaders in Government House, Port Harcourt during which he charged them to fish out members of the proscribed IPOB in the state.
He warned that any council chairman that allows IPOB to hold processions and hoist its flag within their jurisdiction in Rivers State would be sacked.
“ There is one terrorist group they call IPOB. I didn’t declare them terrorist group, the court declared them terrorist group, not me. The federal government declared them a terrorist group. IPOB cannot use Rivers State to be a place where they will be launching attack. If you allow that, your future, your children’s future is gone”, he said.
He expressed dismay over the unlawful activities of the group in the state, especially its involvement in destruction of public and private property, burning of courts and police stations as well as killing of security personnel in Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state and called on people of the state to be vigilant and report any attempt by the group to hold any of its activities in any part of Rivers State.
Governor Wike , on Wednesday,paid a condolence visit to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan and families of the slain policemen allegedly killed during the EndSARS protest in Oyigbo Local Government Area.
The governor announced that the state government would pay the sum of N20 million compansation to each of the families of the soldiers and policemen killed by the proscribed IPOB in Oyigbo Local Government Area.
In addition, the governor promised to rebuild the police stations burnt down in the area.
Another major event in Brick House in the week under review was the courtesy visit to the Governor by the leadership of the Nigeria Guild of Editors( NGE) .
National President of NGE, Mustapha Isha, thanked the Governor for his support to the body especially for sponsoring it’s annual conference back to back.
He equally commended the Gov for his massive infrastructure which according to him has transformed the state, good handlitof the COVID-19 pandemic and peaceful handling of the EndSARS.
The Governor charged members of NGE to always hold public officers accountable to the people instead of singing their praises when they are not even performing.
According to the Governor, by holding them accountable, they would sit up and discharge their duties in the interest of the populace.
The NGE delegation was taken round to sites of some ongoing projects in the state.
At the last Executive Council meeting held last Wednesday, the council approved the employment of 5000 youths into the Rivers State Civil Service.
The youths who should not be above 35 years would fill existing vacancies in the service.
The council further approved the resumption of duties by civil servants from Grade Level 1 to 10 who were directed to remain at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They were directed to resume work from Monday.
The council also announced a minor cabinet reshuffle .
By: 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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