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Rivers APC’s Uncharitable Attack On Wike’s Laudable Development Policies

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Our attention has been drawn to a mischievous statement made by the spokesperson of the moribund Rivers  State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in an online publication intended to undermine the lofty even developmental agenda being religiously executed under the NEW Vision of the Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike’s administration in Rivers State.
The APC has through its mystified spokesperson, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke accused the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of deliberately embarking on a development policy that promotes ethnic agenda and is making nonsense of past efforts made by Rivers Governments to nurture and ensure even development of the State.
In summary, Ogbonna Nwuke and his APC’s opprobrium was hinged on the myopic notion  that there could be no justification for the Rivers State Government to continue  with its rapid infrastructural development of the State particularly the decision to build a 9th flyover bridge in Rumuepirikom and the Cardiovascular Hospital within the State capital which the APC contends are of ethnic colouration and of no economic value to the people of Rivers State. The party, in further demonstration of its lack of capacity in governance went ahead to query the rationale behind the well articulated payment methods of the Rivers State Government to facilitate unhindered and scheduled delivery of signature projects.
May we, for the upteenth time sound it into the seeming empty minds of Ogbonna Nwuke and the reminants still holding on to the fast sinking ship of the APC that unlike the leadership of the moribund APC, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike did not jump into governance. He is and remains a visioner who believes in listening and giving to the people what they want. In 2015, he engaged all stakeholder groups and launched the NEW vision blueprint. All the stakeholder groups in the state were consulted and the result is a collective vision of Rivers people, but there is a visioner in the person of His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. The robust engagement of stakeholders is what has resulted in the rapid infrastructural development currently witnessed in all parts of the state.
In spite of the repeated attempts by the disgruntled Ogbonna Nwuke and his masters in the APC to fan the embers of ethnic  disharmony in the state, we are encouraged by the fact that Rivers peopler are aware that the Rivers State Government under the pragmatic and visionary leadership of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is embarking on rapid infrastructure development to change the landscape of the state through the execution of key signature projects particularly in the area of road infrastructure, to accelerate robust economic activities within the urban centres and their environs.
Using the various media infrastructure in which a wide range of debates take place and variety of viewpoints represented, the Rivers State Government led by His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has continued to deliver projects that impact positively for the socio-economic betterment of Rivers State and her people.
The indisputable fact remains that between late last year and the whole of the first quarter of 2021, Rivers State was on the global map as eminent citizens of Nigeria joined Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike to commission projects in eleven (11) Local Government Areas of the State. This unprecedented development coming at a time when most leaders were hiding under the cover of the Covid-19 pandemic to cover their ineptitude will surely remain legendary and has remained a mystery to these agent provocateurs who have assembled themselves in the disguise of a political party called APC desperate to sow and  promote ethnic divide.
There is no gain emphasising the fact clearly stated by Governor Nyesom Wike recently when the Vice President of Rotary Club of Port Harcourt,  Rotarian Obiageli Ejezie led other leaders of the association to the Government House, Port Harcourt, to confer on him the “2019/2020 Good Governance Award” for his outstanding achievements in project execution in Rivers State that in 2015, APC convinced Nigerians that they were going to offer better governance than the former President Goodluck Jonathan. But having taken over the realm of political leadership,  the APC has continued to drive the country on the path of retrogression.
“There can’t be good governance without security and this is based on rule of law. All of us are living witnesses in 2015 when it was alleged that the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan, could not perform.  So Nigeria needed a change. What has happened to the change? They have taken Nigeria back by 50 years.” These were the indisputable facts clearly stated by the Governor.
Governor Wike wondered how long the APC-led Federal Government will allow the needless killings and abduction of innocent Nigerians to continue. The governor obviously expressed the opinion of well meanig Nigerians that it is no longer acceptable for Nigerians to wake up daily to such ugly news of killings because they expect the government to guarantee security.
Today, Nigerians wake up every morning,  students are being kidnapped in both secondary schools and universities across the country, tens and thousands of people have been killed in all the states. So, it has become a norm that you wake up in the morning and the first thing you will see on the front page of dailies is 10 people have been kidnapped in Niger State; 20 have been killed in Zamfara State, 5 have been killed in Imo and this happens virtually every day. We think this clear failure of the APC’s governance of the country should disqualify the party in Rivers State from objective criticism in the state.
Ogbonna Nwuke and his cotravellers in the failed APC government should bury their heads in shame that despite all their efforts to instigate disharmny amongst the peace-loving people through their evil plots in the guise of pursuing the actualisation of riverine Governor, the Rivers State Government under the visionary leadership of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has done everything possible to secure lives and property of all residents in the state through the resuscitation of the C4i security outfit, the operation of the Neighbourhood Watch and equipping of the nation’s security agencies in the state.
Governor Wike has emphasised his administration’s readiness to partner with security agencies and other voluntary organisations to improve the wellbeing of Rivers people. He said, “This is because when Nigeria is bad, Rivers state will be bad since we are all component units of the country.  But as a government, we will continue to partner with voluntary organisations like Rotary Club to improve the wellbeing of our people.”
May we gladly inform these agents of distraction that the government of Governor Nyesom Wike is elated  by the fact that many social commentators across the country have opined with convictions, that the only person who can realistically beat the milestones laid by the Governor Wike government’s impressive record is Governor Nyesom Wike himself, especially when the next phase of projects commissioning would commence soon, which will unveil some of the most amazing and marvelous legacy infrastructural projects ever seen in Rivers State, such as the multi -billion naira Cassava Processing Company at Etche, the Kono-Opobo link road amongst others.
On that occasion, the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt, a notable development driven non- governmental organisation, Vice President of Rotary Club of Port Harcourt,  Rotarian Obiageli Ejezie said Rotary Board of Directors approved that Governor Wike is best suited for the 2019/2020 Good Governance Award for his sustainable projects.
Her words: “Many laudable and sustainable development projects of your government scattered across Rivers State. We note particularly your projects and achievements in the areas of urban renewal,  road maintenance,  construction of flyovers,  education, health care and others. The proactive manner your Excellency has managed the covid-19 pandemic has been serving the desired purpose of saving the lives of a considerable number of residents. “
Of course, the delivery of quality projects to the people is not new to Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. Everyone who has followed the trajectory of his administration objectively, will agree that he hit the ground running from the first day he assumed office in 2015, fixing roads and bridges, reorganizing institutions and establishments, opening up clamped down spaces and courageously mending a broken, dysfunctional and deliberately abandoned state by his predecessor who milked the State dry within eight years of wasted leadership.
Even against the backdrop of noisome buzzing of a seemingly jobless, fragmented and confused opposition in the state, project commissioning has become synonymous with the Governor Wike administration in the last five years.
One important fact which the APC and other objective critics will admit and even concede to is that the construction of infrastructural projects like road, bridges, jetties is not a one day job. Quality projects require careful planning, expert handling and many months of hard work and prudent management of resourses to ensure that projects are delivered to specification and on time to serve the people for a long time. This is what the Rivers State Government under Governor Wike has achieved with class, panache, tremendous success and a lot of goodwill and appreciation from Rivers people who will be the beneficiaries of these projects.
 Atangaye  is  spokesman, Rivers Unity Initiative. Port Harcourt.
By: Obakam Atangaye
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We Are Here To Mend And Heal The Nation-Tinubu

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Being a text of the inaugural address of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his inauguration ceremony at the Eagle Square in Abuja on Monday, May 29, 2023.
My fellow citizens, I
stand before you honoured to assume the sacred mandate you have given me. My love for this nation is abiding. My confidence in its people, unwavering. And my faith in God Almighty, absolute. I know that His hand shall provide the needed moral strength and clarity of purpose in those instances when we seem to have reached the limits of our human capacity.
This day is bold and majestic yet bright and full of spirit, as is our precious nation.
As a nation, we have long ago decided to march beyond the dimness of night into the open day of renewed national hope.
The question we now ask ourselves is whether to remain faithful to the work inherent in building a better society or retreat into the shadows of our unmet potential.
For me, there is but one answer. We are too great a nation and too grounded as a people to rob ourselves of our finest destiny.
This nation’s journey has been shaped by the prayers of millions, and the collective sacrifices of us all.
We have endured hardships that would have made other societies crumble.
Yet, we have shouldered the heavy burden to arrive at this SUBLIME moment where the prospect of a better future merges with our improved capacity to create that future.
To the surprise of many but not to ourselves, we have more firmly established this land as a democracy in both word and deed.
The peaceful transition from one government to another is now our political tradition. This handover symbolizes our trust in God, our enduring faith in representative governance and our belief in our ability to reshape this nation into the society it was always meant to be.
Here, permit me to say a few words to my predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr President, you have been an honest, patriotic leader who has done his best for the nation you love. On a more personal note, you are a worthy partner and friend. May history be kind to you.
For many years, Nigeria’s critics have trafficked the rumour that our nation will break apart, even perish.
Yet here we are. We have stumbled at times, but our resilience and diversity have kept us going.
Our burdens may make us bend at times, but they shall never break us.
Instead, we stand forth as Africa’s most populous nation and as the best hope and strongest champion of the Black Race.
As citizens, we declare as one unified people devoted to one unified national cause, that as long as this world exists, Nigeria Shall Exist.
Today, Fate and Destiny join together to place the torch of human progress in our very hands. We dare not let it slip.
We lift high this torch so that it might shine on every household and in every heart that calls itself Nigerian. We hold this beam aloft because it lights our path with compassion, brotherhood, and peace. May this great light never Extinguish.
Our administration shall govern on your behalf but never rule over you. We shall consult and dialogue but never dictate. We shall reach out to all but never put down a single person for holding views contrary to our own.
We are here to further mend and heal this nation, not tear and injure it.
In this vein, may I offer a few comments regarding the election that brought us to this juncture. It was a hard fought contest. And it was also fairly won. Since the advent of the Fourth Republic, Nigeria has not held an election of better quality.
The outcome reflected the will of the people. However, my victory does not render me any more Nigerian than my opponents. Nor does it render them any less patriotic.
They shall forever be my fellow compatriots. And I will treat them as such. They represent important constituencies and concerns that wisdom dare not ignore.
They have taken their concerns to court. Seeking legal redress is their right and I fully defend their exercise of this right. This is the essence of the rule of law.
Over six decades ago, our founding fathers gave bravely of themselves to place Nigeria on the map as an independent nation.
We must never allow the labour of those who came before us to wither in vain but to blossom and bring forth a better reality.
Let us take the next great step in the journey they began and believed in.
Today, let us recommit our very selves to placing Nigeria in our hearts as the indispensable home for each and every one of us regardless of creed, ethnicity, or place of birth.
My supporters, I thank you. To those who voted otherwise, I extend my hand across the political divide. I ask you to grasp it in national affinity and brotherhood. For me, political coloration has faded away. All I see are Nigerians.
May we uphold these fitting and excellent notions as the new Nigerian ideal.
My fellow compatriots,
The Nigerian ideal which I speak of is more than just an improvement in economic and other statistics. These things are important; but they can never convey the fullness of our story.
Our mission is to improve our way of life in a manner that nurtures our humanity, encourages compassion toward one another, and duly rewards our collective effort to resolve the social ills that seek to divide us.
Our Constitution and laws give us a nation on paper. We must work harder at bringing these noble documents to life by strengthening the bonds of economic collaboration, social cohesion, and cultural understanding. Let us develop a shared sense of fairness and equity.
The South must not only seek good for itself but must understand that its interests are served when good comes to the North. The North must see the South likewise.
Whether from the winding creeks of the Niger Delta, the vastness of the northern savannah, the boardrooms of Lagos, the bustling capital of Abuja, or the busy markets of Onitsha, you are all my people. As your President, I shall serve with prejudice toward none but compassion and amity towards all.
In the coming days and weeks, my team will publicly detail key aspects of our programme. Today, permit me to outline in broad terms a few initiatives that define our concept of progressive good governance in furtherance of the Nigerian ideal:
The principles that will guide our administration are simple:
* Nigeria will be impartially governed according to the constitution and the rule of law.
We shall defend the nation from terror and all forms of criminality that threaten the peace and stability of our country and our subregion.
* We shall remodel our economy to bring about growth and development through job creation, food security and an end of extreme poverty.
* In our administration, women and youth will feature prominently.
* Our government will continue to take proactive steps such as championing a credit culture to discourage corruption while strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the various anti-corruption agencies.
Security
Security shall be the top priority of our administration because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence.
To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security Doctrine and its Architecture.
We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number. We shall provide, better training, equipment, pay and firepower.
The Economy
On the economy, we target a higher GDP growth and to significantly reduce unemployment.
We intend to accomplish this by taking the following steps:
First, budgetary reform stimulating the economy without engendering inflation will be instituted.
Second, industrial policy will utilise the full range of fiscal measures to promote domestic manufacturing and lessen import dependency.
Third, electricity will become more accessible and affordable to businesses and homes alike. Power generation should nearly double and transmission and distribution networks improved. We will encourage states to develop local sources as well.
I have a message for our investors, local and foreign: our government shall review all their complaints about multiple taxation and various anti-investment inhibitions.
We shall ensure that investors and foreign businesses repatriate their hard earned dividends and profits home.
Jobs
My administration must create meaningful opportunities for our youth. We shall honour our campaign commitment of one million new jobs in the digital economy.
Our government also shall work with the National Assembly to fashion an omnibus Jobs and Prosperity bill. This bill will give our administration the policy space to embark on labour-intensive infrastructural improvements, encourage light industry and provide improved social services for the poor, elderly and vulnerable.
Agriculture
Rural incomes shall be secured by commodity exchange boards guaranteeing minimal prices for certain crops and animal products. A nationwide programme for storage and other facilities to reduce spoilage and waste will be undertaken.
Agricultural hubs will be created throughout the nation to increase production and engage in value-added processing. The livestock sector will be introduced to best modern practices and steps taken to minimize the perennial conflict over land and water resources in this sector.
Through these actions, food shall be made more abundant yet less costly. Farmers shall earn more while the average Nigerian pays less.
Infrastructure
We shall continue the efforts of the Buhari administration on infrastructure. Progress toward national networks of roads, rail and ports shall get priority attention.
Fuel Subsidy
We commend the decision of the outgoing administration in phasing out the petrol subsidy regime which has increasingly favoured the rich more than the poor. Subsidy can no longer justify its ever-increasing costs in the wake of drying resources. We shall instead re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, health care and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions.
Monetary Policy
Monetary policy needs thorough housecleaning. The Central Bank must work towards a unified exchange rate. This will direct funds away from arbitrage into meaningful investment in the plant, equipment and jobs that power the real economy.
Interest rates need to be reduced to increase investment and consumer purchasing in ways that sustain the economy at a higher level.
Whatever merits it had in concept, the currency swap was too harshly applied by the CBN given the number of unbanked Nigerians. The policy shall be reviewed. In the meantime, my administration will treat both currencies as legal tender.
Foreign Policy
Given the world in which we reside, please permit a few comments regarding foreign policy.
The crisis in Sudan and the turn from democracy by several nations in our immediate neighbourhood are of pressing concern.
As such, my primary foreign policy objective must be the peace and stability of the West African subregion and the African continent. We shall work with ECOWAS, the AU and willing partners in the international community to end extant conflicts and to resolve new ones.
As we contain threats to peace, we shall also retool our foreign policy to more actively lead the regional and continental quest for collective prosperity.
Conclusion
This is the proudest day of my life. But this day does not belong to me. It belongs to you, the people of Nigeria.
On this day, Nigeria affirms its rightful place among the world’s great democracies. There, Nigeria shall reside forever.
The course of our past and the promise of the future have brought us to this exceptional moment.
In this spirit, I ask you to join me in making Nigeria a more perfect nation and democracy such that the Nigerian ideal becomes and forever remains the Nigerian reality.
With full confidence in our ability, I declare that these things are within our proximate reach because my name is Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and I am the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
May God bless you and May He bless our beloved land.

 

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CAN Congratulates Tinubu, Hints At Challenges Ahead

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The Christian Association of Nigeria on Monday congratulated President Bola Tinubu on his inauguration, describing it as a momentous occasion.
The organisation told him that with the plethora of challenges facing the country, it was clear that “there is much work to be done in order to ensure that Nigeria can reach its full potential.”
The President of CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, made the remark in a statement titled, “Tinubu’s inauguration: A new chapter for Nigeria.”
The Tide source gathered that this was the first official congratulatory message from the religious body to Tinubu since he emerged victorious during the February 25 presidential election.
Okoh said, “On behalf of the Christian Association of Nigeria, I would like to extend our warmest congratulations to the new President of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as he assumes office today.
“This is a momentous occasion for Nigeria, and we wish President Tinubu well as he takes on the responsibilities of leading our great nation. Nigeria is facing a number of challenges that require strong and decisive leadership.
“From security concerns to economic struggles, it is clear that there is much work to be done in order to ensure that Nigeria can reach its full potential. We urge President Tinubu to prioritise these issues and to work tirelessly to find lasting solutions that will improve the livelihoods of the people of Nigeria.”
Okoh said Nigerians must come together as a people with a spirit of unity and a great sense of accommodation to form a potent force.
“To this end, we believe that as His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu engages the active participation of all Nigerians regardless of their political, ethnic and religious leanings, Nigeria can overcome all obstacles to emerge stronger than ever.
“Once again, we congratulate President Tinubu and wish him all the best as he begins the onerous task of leading Nigeria at this time of our national history,”  Okoh added.

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Ibori Mourns Dokpesi, Says Death Huge Loss To Nigeria

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Former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, has expressed sadness over the death of the Chairman of Daar Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi.
Ibori’s condolence was conveyed in a statement he personally signed on Monday.
Dokpesi, who was a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, died at the age of 71 in Abuja on Monday afternoon.
Ibori, who said he received the news of Dokpesi’s death with shock, described his passage as a monumental loss to the nation, the media industry and the PDP family.
According to him, as one of the pioneers of Nigeria’s media industry, Dokpesi’s vision, doggedness and diligence transformed and inspired a generation of media entrepreneurs in the country.
He said, as a loyal and dependable member of the PDP family, Dokpesi, who served as the Deputy Director-General Technical and systems of PDP Presidential Campaign Council for the February 25, 2023 presidential election, contributed immensely to the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria.
Ibori prayed the Almighty God to be with the deceased’s family, associates and staff and grant them the fortitude to bear what he described as a huge and irreparable loss.

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