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Why We’ve Done More Projects In
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has explained why his administration has executed more projects in Kalabari Kingdom than any other area, saying that it was meant to secure an enduring development climate for the various communities in the area.
Wike emphasised that the state government under his watch has provided critical projects across Kalabari land to lay the foundation for the sustainable development of the area for the present and future generations.
The governor gave the explanation when he received members of the Kalabari Traditional Rulers Council, led by the Amanyanabo of Abonnema, King Disreal Gbobo Bob-Manuel, on a ‘thank you’ visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
The governor said while schools have been rehabilitated, roads constructed and reclamation of vast expanse of land from mangrove swamp executed, to provide land for various Kalabari communities, his commitment to accomplishing them was beyond mere politics.
“I’ve done the schools in Bakana, Harry’s Town, and Tombia Town. In Asari-Toru, I have done sand-filling in Abalama Town to provide them hectares of land for developers, including revamping the Kalabari National College. We have awarded the Marywood, and they are doing the bridge there.
“Go to Akuku-Toru, if for nothing, we did the ring road. That road made it easy for guests to Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs burial to ply. It would have been difficult without the road. We have also awarded contract to sandfill 52 hectares of land for them. I brought back Nyemoni Grammar School.
“In Kula, they are doing sandfilling because I know you need land. So, what will anybody say? Even in Okrika, go and see the sandfilling we are doing for them. Go and see the internal roads. Go to Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area. I can stand before anybody and say this is what I had done.”
Speaking on the Trans-Kalabari Road project, Wike charged the people to own the project, and directed the chairmen of the Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru and Degema councils to provide internal security for the contractor.
The governor expressed determination to complete the project within the next 14 months to link communities and open them to development.
“I want you to take this project as your own personal project. I want to warn all the three council chairmen, if anything happens to the contractor, I’ll hold you responsible.
“You must provide internal security for them. Nobody from outside will go and kidnap anybody there. Please, make sure the contractor is allowed to do work so that these communities that have not seen such road in their history will be linked up.
“Let’s finish this phase one of the project in 14 months so that when the next governor comes, he will take the next phase. Like that, the entire Kalabari area will be linked up. God willing, we will achieve it.”
In his address, the leader of the delegation and Amanyanabo of Abonnema, King Disreal Gbobo Bob-Manuel, said monarchs of Kalabari ethnic nationality were apolitical, but would always support anybody who brings development to their land.
He expressed gratitude of the entire Kalabari people to Wike for breaking the jinx that has frustrated progress with the Trans-Kalabari Road project.
“We have heard some sentiments expressed from people of our region that are radically different from what we stand for. It is in our culture and tradition to show gratitude for any gesture shown to us”, he added.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won all 17 local government areas which results of the governorship election that took place last Saturday have been declared so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State.
The main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has maintained a distant second, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is in third position followed by the Labour Party (LP).
The State Returning Officer for the election and Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Petroleum, Effurum, Delta State, Prof Akpofura Rim-rukeh, received the 17 LGA collated results from the various LGA Collation and Electoral Officers.
Rim-rukeh, at exactly 6pm yesterday adjourned collation of results till today since no results were available from any of the remaining six local government areas.
“If there are no other results ready from the other local governments, I will close collation for today.
“Collation of results will resume on Monday”, he announced.
The LGAs whose results have so far been collated are: Tai, Opobo/Nkoro, Gokana, Ogu/Bolo, Eleme, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Etche, Khana, Andoni, Bonny, Ahoada East and Okrika, Abua-Odual, Emuoha and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni.
By: Opaka Dokubo
Officers of the Nigerian Navy – NNS Victory, in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, have allegedly kidnapped over 15 staff of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution (PHED) Plc in their regional office in Calabar, the capital city of Cross River State.
The incident was said to have occurred in the afternoon of March 11, 2023, when 10 men identified to be Naval officials stormed the company’s premises, fully armed and whisked away staff who were on duty.
The Naval officials, it was gathered, carried out the illegal operations at the command of Commodore Vincent Gbaranwi of the NNS Victory Command and Chief of Staff to the Flag Officer in the Command, Rear Admiral Mike Oamen.
The invading officers were said to have stormed the business premises of the electricity distribution company and kidnapped the staff, in protest over the disconnection of Akim Navy Barracks and Atimbo Barracks.
The Naval Command is alleged to be owing the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution (PHED) Plc over N740million in unpaid electricity bills accumulated over the years, and an additional current monthly electricity bill charge of N22million.
Although, the command is said to have countered the allegation of kidnapping, eye witnesses who saw the incident, noted that no warrant of arrest was presented before the action, and no charge has been brought against the over 15 staff of the company whom the officers claim they did not kidnap but arrested, yet they are still incommunicado as at the time of this report.
However, while the officers executed the alleged kidnap, customers present and other members of staff scampered for safety, abandoning their duty posts, work tools and millions of naira they had collected from responsible customers who came to pay their bills.
Unfortunately, a female staff of the company and a nursing mother, Mrs Abigail Omori, collapsed in the process, and was secretly rushed by the officers to the Reference Hospital, a Naval medical facility in Calabar for treatment.
As at the time of this report, the company has not been allowed access to Mrs Omori and nobody is able to tell her condition.
Following this incident, all PHED sub-stations in Cross River State have been shut down, and the state plunged into darkness, out of palpable fear of arrest or kidnap of its workers by officers of the Naval Command, who had announced that they had orders to shoot any PHED staff found around any electricity infrastructure supplying power to the Naval Command.
Meanwhile, the Regional Manager of PHED, Dr. Gabriel Modupe, confirmed the report and insisted that millions of naira collected by staff before the attack were currently missing.
He explained that efforts had been made to engage the command to pay their electricity bills without success.
The matter has been reported to the Nigerian Police and the Directorate of State Security (DSS), respectively, whose attempts to intervene have proved abortive.
1. Tai LGA:
Registered: 76,613
Accredited: 10,393
A: 34
APC: 295
LP: 13
PDP: 9,276
SDP: 508
Total Valid Votes – 10,227
Rejected: 87
Total Votes Cast: 10,314
2. Opobo Nkoro LGA:
Registered Voters: 59,047
Accredited: 13,376
A: 16
APC: 1,426
LP: 10
PDP: 11,538
SDP: 159
TVV – 13,189
Rejected: 142
Total Votes Cast: 13,331
3. Gokana LGA:
Registered Voters: 145,566
Accredited: 40,702
A: 74
APC: 7,410
LP: 97
PDP: 17,455
SDP: 13,840
TVV: 39467
Rejected: 1235
Total Votes Cast: 40,702
4. Ogu Bolo LGA:
Registered Voters: 61,705
Accredited: 9,295
A: 121
APC: 1,524
LP: 34
PDP: 7,103
SDP: 310
Total Valid Votes: 9,155
Rejected: 140
Total Votes Cast: 9,295
5. Eleme LGA:
Registered Voters: 126,111
Accredited: 14,852
A: 67
APC: 2,662
LP: 544
PDP: 8,414
SDP: 2,251
Total Valid Votes- 14,247
Rejected: 382
Total Votes Cast: 14,629
6. Ikwerre LGA:
Registered Voters- 166,079
Accredited: 24,677
A: 138
APC: 7,503
LP: 895
PDP: 13,716
SDP: 1,447
Total Valid Votes: 24,090
Rejected: 584
Total Votes Cast: 24,674
7. Oyigbo LGA:
Registered Voters: 121,815
Accredited: 16,894
A: 147
APC: 2,793
LP: 2,688
PDP: 9,886
SDP: 796
Total Valid Votes: 16,561
Rejected: 322
Total Votes Cast: 16,883
8. Etche LGA:
Reg Voters: 130,757
Accredited Voters:: 26,933
APC: 6,408
LP: 552
PDP: 16,043
SDP:2,586
Total Valid Votes- 26,320
Rejected Votes- 591
Total Votes Cast- 26,911
9: Khana LGA:
Total Registered Voters 183,626
Accredited Voters: 16,836
APC- 620
LP- 57
PDP- 9,475
SDP- 5,846
Total Valid Votes- 16,535
Rejected 401
Total Votes Cast- 16,836.
10. Bonny LGA:
Registered Voters: 183,094
Accredited: 13,815
APC- 3,285
LP-1,292
PDP-8,032
SDP-559
Total Votes Cast: 13,447
Rejected: 368
Total Votes Cast: 13,815
11. Ahoada East LGA:
Registered Voters 90,694
Accredited 20,607
APC- 2,650
LP- 219
PDP- 14,408
SDP- 2077
Total Valid Votes -20,038
Rejected -523
Total Votes Cast -20,561
12: Omuma LGA:
Total Registered Voters: 65,289
Accredited: 12,058
APC-2,127
LP-52
PDP-8,760
SDP-804
Total Valid Votes- 11,925
Rejected-133
Total Votes Cast- 12,058
13. Okrika LGA:
Registered Voters: 86095
Accredited: 15,466
APC- 2,719
LP-231
PDP-10,342
SDP-82.
Total Valid Votes -15,093
Rejected -333
Total Votes Cast -15,426
14. Andoni LGA:
Registered Voters–143,304
Accredited:-13,697
APC-3,149
LP-84
PDP-8,319
SDP-1,185
Total Valid Votes -13,271
Rejected -426
Total Votes Cast-13,697
15. Abua-Odual LGA:
Registered Voters–97,090
Accredited:-17,132
APC-5,738
LP-391
PDP-9,763
SDP-463
Total Valid Votes -16,676
Rejected -446
Total Votes Cast -17,132
16: Emuoha LGA:
Registered Voters–134,975
Accredited:-29,253
APC- 5,916
LP- 505
PDP- 20,600
SDP- 805
Total Valid Votes -28,591
Rejected -662
Total Votes Cast – 29,253
17. Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA:
Registered Voters–168,205
Accredited Voters:- 32,809
APC- 6,811
LP- 1,267
PDP- 17,729
SDP- 3,450
Total Valid Votes- -31,381
Rejected Votes – 978
Total votes cast – 32,359
The six remaining LGAs where results are being awaited are Ahoada West, Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru, Degema, Port Harcourt City and Obio-Akpor.
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