Politics

LG Polls: PDP’s Victory Thanksgiving And …

Published

3 years ago

May 13, 2021

Last Sunday the highest level of leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State led its victorious team of chairmanship and councillorship candidates in the just concluded local government elections in the state to a special thanksgiving service in recognition of God’s benevolence to the party and its membership.

Held at the St. Patrick Anglican Church in Port Harcourt, the occasion had in attendance the crème de la crème of the party in the state with the Governor himself leading the throng, being represented by the Deputy Governor and ably supported by the state party Chairman.

Speaking on the occasion, Governor Nyesom Wike, who is also the leader of the party in the state, represented by his deputy, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo expressed gratitude to God for the outcome of the April 17, local council chairmanship and councillorship polls in which the PDP emerged victorious in all 23 local governments executive and more than 300 legislative positions contested for.

“It is not by our power, it is not by our strength, it is not by our making but by the Holy Spirit,” he said, adding: “That is what God has ordained for Rivers State”. He emphasized that Rivers State is a PDP State and would remain so.

In addition to the electoral triumph, the Rivers State Chief Executive said the PDP organised the thanksgiving in appreciation of God’s intervention that ensured a peaceful and crisis-free exercise against the wishes of detractors and those who do not mean well for the party and the state.

Delivering his sermon on the occasion, the Bishop of Diocese of Niger Delta North of the Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Wisdom Budu Ihunwo, entreated the local government chairmen-elect to work to improve the pitiable lot of the people they have secured the mandate to oversee their affairs.

Reading from the Bible book of Proverbs chapter 19 and verse 17 which says: “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again,” Bishop- Ihunwo charged the local councils’ chief executives-elect to create an enabling environment that will reduce poverty in the local communities, noting that the socio-economic circumstances of the people at the rural areas are desperate and in dire need of urgent spirited rescue efforts.

Charging them to see themselves as privileged persons, the clergy urged the soon-to-be-sworn-in chairman of local government areas to render selfless service to the people, warning that selfishness and greedy tendencies in leadership will only take God’s favour away from them. He said only by investing in the people with the sole purpose of lifting them from their present squalid conditions would they (the political leaders) attract and enjoy the kindness and benevolence of God as well.

There is a school of thought which believes that it is superfluous to plead and preach to people who had humbly requested and have been graciously granted the mandate to perform the same task and provided with all the enabling tools. In the thinking of this group of people, the local government chairmen, and indeed all other heads of government at all levels are not to dispense favours according to the dictate of their whims and caprices but to judiciously administer the resources of the people for their (people) benefit under oath.

The job of a local government chairman therefore is much like any other paid employment where persons interested in the job indicate that interest through application, go through screening and are engaged based on impression made and trust built that the job will be done to the satisfaction of the employer under agreed terms and conditions. Often, as long as the employer meets their own part of the bargain, sanctions await the employee if they fall below par in service delivery or take undue advantage of their employment or engage in practices that are detrimental to the employer and their interest.

Simply put, the relationship between the government and the people is a contractual one with obligations to meet and not without consequences if any one defaults or fails in keeping their own part of the terms of the contract. Strictly speaking, therefore, nobody begs or pleads with a contractor to perform their job for which they are paid because they are aware that actions could be taken against them in the event that they don’t deliver on promise or they could be rewarded with more jobs if they prove faithful and worthy.

Perhaps, it is against this understanding that the leader of the PDP in the State, Gov Nyesom Wike has been crying himself hoarse in appealing to the standard bearers of the party at the local government level to emulate his performance at the state level as they prepare to go into office.

Admonishing the chairmen-elect when he received them on a ‘thank you’ visit in his office, Gov. Wike told them not to abuse the opportunity they have been given to serve their people and also avoid the pitfall of helping themselves to the commonwealth of the people.

“Contribute your quota. Make your mark and create impact. Improve on the lives of the people. If God has given you the opportunity, don’t abuse it”, he warned them, while reminding them that the chance exists for them to be called to higher service if they discharge themselves creditably in the opportunity they already have.

As part of tips to guide them for a successful outing, the governor, who himself was a two-term Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area before becoming a Minister of the Federal Republic, advised them to relate closely with the people, identify with their challenges and proffer solutions to them.

“It is a shame that you’ll serve for three or six years and you don’t have any project executed. You may claim you pay salaries. You have to pay salary, of course, but also be concerned about what legacy to leave behind and what you can be remembered for”, he emphasized and asked them to “show how you can enhance the chances of the party in your areas and make it popular. We are doing something at the state level, so do something too”.

Rivers State is a PDP State and that has been established and demonstrated for as long as the present democratic experience has lasted in Nigeria but the chances of the party cannot be enhanced if the incoming council administrators do not consciously and aggressively do something to change the prevailing state of affairs that is characterised by indolence and absenteeism.

The state party hierarchy must therefore, set benchmarks of performance and establish mechanisms to constantly monitor and evaluate the performances of the members the party has worked so hard to bring to power. There needs to be regular engagement between (and among) the party and the elected officials where situations will be reviewed, notes compared, challenges ex-rayed, solutions proferred and resolutions reached to strengthen the party through quality service delivery to the people.

It will not be too much for the party to insist that local government chairmen elected under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State take full time residence in their local government areas while they only pay visits to the state capital. In the alternative, the chairmen should be made to undertake to be going to their offices at the council headquarters at least three times in a week. The party should also insist on having monthly progress report from the councils. The era when LGA chairmen behaved like emperors without being accountable to anyone must be consigned to the past while a new dawn of purposeful, transparent, accountable and responsible and responsive epoch must be birthed.

It is good and commendable that the PDP is thanking God for the favours He has bestowed on the party by the victory He has wrought for it but God will accept the thanksgiving and do more for the party if the party translates the victory into effective positive change in the lives of the people.

By: Opaka Dokubo

Politics

LG Chairman-Elect Blames Insecurity On Parental Failure

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2024

The Tide

Chairman-elect of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Hon. Target Segibo has alleged that the prevalent security challenges in some communities of the local government area could be traceable to parental failure on one hand, and frivolous lifestyle of children and wards involved in crime and criminality in the area on the other hand.
Segibo, who was a pioneer member of the State House of Assembly between 1999-2003, stated this in Yenagoa, the state capital recently while fielding questions from newsmen shortly after receiving his Certificate of Return from the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission (BYSIEC).
He indicated his continued desire to work for the peace and rapid socio-economic development of the local government, noting that having been actively involved in the politics of the area for decades now, he was more grounded in working on modalities towards ensuring enduring peace and unity in troubled communities of the area.
The Chairman-elect who also lauded the state governor, Senator Douye Diri, the state’s leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the electorate for finding him worthy to be elected Chairman of the local government, called on parents/guardiance not to renege on their primary responsibilities of watching over their children and wards, arguing that as the largest local government area in the state, Southern Ijaw should also be noted for peace and development.
“For over 20 years, I’ve been living peacefully with all my neighbours, both at home in Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw LGA and here, in Yenagoa.
“I’ve grown up children, but I don’t give them more than what they needed as students to go to school and stay okay as a father because I discovered that most of the security challenges we’re facing today in the Southern Ijaw LGA, and other parts of the state, is traceable to parental failure and children’s wanting to lead a frivolous lifestyle”, he said.
“As parents/guardians we should be able to know the kind of friends our children/wards keep. We must not pamper them. We must tell them that they have to do something legal to earn a living. We must question any source of sudden wealth and affluence on the part of our children and wards.
“But I want to assure our people of Southern Ijaw that as their incoming Chairman, when I’m sworn-in, having been actively participating in the politics and other activities of the area, collectively we’ll work to ensure enduring peace, unity and development of the LGA”, he added.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Politics

Bayelsa Assembly Grills, Confirms Diri’s Commissioner- Nominees

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2024

The Tide

The Bayelsa State House of Assembly has screened and confirmed the first batch of Commissioner-nominees for Governor Diri’s second term State Executive Council.
The Tide gathered that the State Chief Executive in a bid to form his cabinet for his second tenure had earlier submitted a list of 14 names to the state legislature for confirmation as commissioners.
However, The Tide reports that only 13 out of the 14 nominees attended the constitutional exercise of the lawmakers.
Though no official reasons have been given, the immediate past Commissioner for Sports, who is also a former member of the state Assembly, Hon. Daniel Igali, was conspicuously absent during the screening exercise.
Inline with the House’s rules and Standing Orders, two other former members of the state Assembly who were also part of the nominees, Dr Gentle Emelah, immediate past Commissioner for Education, and Mrs Ebiwou Koku-Obiyai, were simply asked to take a bow and leave.
Following the exhaustive grilling, however, the immediate past Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Mr Biriyai Dambo, SAN, his Finance counterpart, Mr Maxwell Ebibai, were confirmed.
Also confirmed were the immediate past Works and Infrastructure Commissioner, Moses Teibowei, Mrs Koku Obiyai, Dr Gentle Emelah, Ayibakipreye Brodericks, George Ekpotuatein Flint and Komuko Akari Kharim.
Furthermore, Mr Perepuighe Biewari, Dr Jones Ebieri, Barr. Peter Afagha, Mrs Bidei Elizabeth and Michael Magbisa received the nod to be appointed commissioners by the state lawmakers.
In his advice to the nominees shortly after their screening, Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Michael Ogbere, enjoined the Commissioner hopefuls to work as a team with those they will meet on ground, admonishing that they remain loyal to the government at all times.
On his part, Leader of the House, Hon. Monday-Bubou Obolo, said the people of the state expect a lot trom them and that the House will do its best to keep them on their toes through its oversight functions while giving them the needed legislative support where necessary.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Politics

NEC Meeting: PDP’ll Wax Stronger – Farah Dagogo

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2024

The Tide

A former lawmaker representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Farah Dagogo, has described the outcome of the 98th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as another demonstration of the resilience of the party to weather any storm that comes its way.
This is contained in a statement released bythe Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the estwhile federal legislator, Ibrahim Lawal, at the weekend.
In the build up to the NEC meeting, suggestions and permutations had been rife of the likelihood of the PDP running into another round of crises as the party tries to navigate a path for the North Central Zone to produce a substantive National Chairman to complete the truncated tenure of former Chairman, Dr. Iyiorchia Ayu.
Speaking on the sidelines of the NEC meeting that saw Umar Damagum retain his position as the party’s Acting National Chairman until the next NEC meeting scheduled for August, Dr Dagogo said those who genuinely have the best interest of the party at heart made timely sacrifices to keep the party firm and afloat.
The former member of the National Assembly said but for the political maturity and sagacity employed by the party’s National Leader and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, alongside other leaders, before and during the NEC meeting, the party would have ‘played into the hands of some individuals, who wanted the party to implode in order to improve their political fortunes’.
He expressed optimism that by the adjourned date of August, Damagum would have seen that “it is in the best interest of the party for him to vacate the position for a more purposeful and result oriented leadership’’.
“ For me, the outcome of the NEC meeting was a win-win situation. Against all odds, the party came out unscathed and will continue to wax stronger.
“Yes, the Acting Chairman retained his position, but it is obvious to him now and others that it would be in the best interest of the party for him to vacate that position for a more purposeful and result oriented leadership by August.
“The so called tension generated in the build up to the NEC Meeting was actually orchestrated by the inordinate desire of some few individuals who wanted to thwart the sterling call by party faithful for a review of its failing leadership and directionless.
“ The Party however did not play into the hands of those individuals, who wanted the party to implode in order to improve their political fortunes. Thanks in good measure to the political maturity and sagacity employed by the Party’s National Leader and Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, alongside other leaders, before and during the NEC Meeting. We are where we are now because of their sacrifices and dedication to the party, “ he added.