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Join Politics To Improve Lives, Not For Personal Gains-Wike
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, says the essence of joining a political party should be to improve the well-being of the people and not for pecuniary benefits.
The governor has maintained that there is still no alternative to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which has been working conscientiously to improve the quality of life of Rivers’ people.
He stated this at the grand reception in the honour of former director general of Tonye Cole campaign organisation, Dr Chidi Lloyd, on his return back to the PDP at Elele-Alimini in Emohua Local Government Area.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Emeka Woke, Wike, said he was excited that Lloyd, whom he described as a man of character and principle, has decided to return to the PDP.
“Some of you who are here may not know when all of us agreed that we are standing for Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, Chidi was standing alone, he was the lone voice crying in the House of Assembly.
“Some of you may have forgotten in a hurry the screening of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission then, nominated by Sir Celestine Omehia, led by one Dr Ogboda, he stood by Rivers people. He stood for the law and he defended the law passed by Rivers State House of Assembly.”
Wike explained that the whole essence of joining political party or supporting a political party should not be for personal or pecuniary benefit, but to improve the wellbeing of the people.
The governor said when Lloyd initially joined the APC, he had erroneously assumed it was the right thing to do at the time, until he realised the futility of joining a party that does not care about the wellbeing of his people.
“He has turned back and we have to receive him because we know he is a man of character, we know he is a man of integrity”, he said.
Wike noted that since 2015, both the PDP and the APC have campaigned in Elele, but only the PDP has fulfilled its electioneering promises to fix all internal roads and develop human capital in Elele community.
The state PDP Chairman, Amb Desmond Akawor used the occasion to assure the people that Wike would resist any attempt to cede any part of the state to the South-East geopolitical zone in order to advance the presidential ambition of any individual.
“We didn’t know that when they said they were going to run for presidency, under the South-East, under the Igbo extraction, we didn’t know they have managed to cave some areas (of Rivers) into Igbo land. Unfortunately, Ubima didn’t work for them. I don’t know what they will do. I am sure they will come with another map to include Ubima to actualise what they are planning.
“But for Rivers State and the governor of Rivers State, he has said no inch of Rivers State will be ceded to another place. Whatever they have done, our brother Nyesom Wike will fight to the last to ensure that judicial processes are followed, to ensure Rivers lands are recovered. Their tactics will not work. They cannot enslave our people just because of their singular ambition.”
Akawor noted that before Lloyd joined APC, he had as a PDP member attracted quality projects to his people.
He said all that had ceased when Lloyd embarked on a futile hunting expedition in the APC.
But, with his return to the PDP, his people have once again begun to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
On his part, Lloyd explained his decision to return to his kith and kin in the PDP was because of Wike’s unparalleled developmental strides.
He stated that before the 2015 and 2019 general elections, the APC knew that Wike, whose capacity was not in doubt, would defeat them.
According to him, all the negative campaign against Wike were mere political machinations.
The Chairman of the occasion, Chief Sergeant Awuse, said Lloyd, who represented Emohua constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly between 2003 and 2015, remains an asset to the PDP.
He urged the Ishimbam political bloc in Emohua constituency to remain steadfast ensure they maintain their political relevance as a political bloc.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.