Nation

2023: PDP Needs Urgent Rejigging, Coalition Alerts

Published

5 years ago

July 12, 2021

A socio-political group, the Peoples’ Democratic Party Coalition (PDPCO), has written to the National Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, for an urgent need to constitute a harmonization drive to address the pressing problems confronting the party with particular reference to mass exodus of members to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a letter signed by its National Coordinator, Chief EmekaKalu, and addressed to Secondus, the PDP Coalition stated that the party’s leadership needs to take swift action to save the successfully achieved blueprints from hitting the wall due to misguided happenings and other forms of engraved grudges.

The letter was made available to newsmen in Aba, Abia State, yesterday.

The PDP Coalition opined, “The manner and speed with which party members decamp to APC after being elected into various political offices is highly alarming and regrettable. That means something is wrong somewhere and we cannot afford to lose all our active members in a twinkle of an eye for reasons which I think are not beyond the party leadership to address. Defectors are also admonished to note that it is a mark of betrayal and distrust for them to bite with reckless abandon the hands that had once and in several occasions fed them.

“The APC platform you are moving to is never a sure way of restoring hope and promoting national development nor does it show honour to the electorate that voted you into offices. It depicts signs of having polluted conscience and disregard for the sufferings of helpless Nigerians who are currently in dire need of redemption from the yoke of insecurity, hunger, inequalities and other anomalies”.

It lamented, “We have lost Ebonyi, Cross River and Zamfara states’ governors to APC, and we also saw how four Green Chamber members of ZamfaraState extraction and 80% of the same state assembly lawmakers followed suit. Recall that one of the serving senators of this 9th Assembly elected under the banner of PDP, Delta State had divorced his marriage with our party and remarried APC. As it stands in the Federal House of Representatives,40% of duly elected legislators under the party umbrella have defected to APC which gives the party an uttermost concern for a re-think and re-planning”.

It added, “That is why it is pertinent for the party under the watch of PrinceUcheSecondus to immediately convene an urgent harmonization meeting of all the National Working Committee (NWC)members, party chieftains, state executive officers and all parties involved for a closed door deliberations where grievances will be poured, addressed and a way forward pragmatically outlined on a clean template for reconciliation and revamping.

“I confidently wish to affirm that the future of this country is in the hands of PDP as the hungry and distressed Nigerians are looking up to the party to salvage the nation come 2023.We need to comport and organize ourselves in a way that would convince Nigerians that PDP is their future hope and source of relief from the shambles of lopsided leadership daggering their hearts.

“Without batting an eyelid, this is just the truth capable of harnessing the party and equipping her with bundles of lively feathers to fly without getting weary now, come 2023 and ahead. It is a simple analogy of fact that solidarity is the cornerstone of victory in politics. I also besiege aggrieved party members to shit their swords and tow the path of oneness in order to move this country forward”.

The coalition commended all the party faithful and the teeming supporters for remaining calm and focused as there was no cause of action in life that yields good results without experiencing ills and backlashes.

According to the political group, “It is time to right the wrong, it is time to pick the pieces and mend them, it is time for re strengthening to do exploit, and it is time to give Nigerians the good news being waited for. One love, all hails as this call is treated and given due deserved attention”.

Nation

Rivers Deputy Governor Hails PH City One Love For Humanitarian Gesture

Published

1 day ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.

Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.

She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.

Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.

The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.

Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.

He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.

Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.

He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.

According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.

Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.

Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them

John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah

Nation

We’ll Partner Private Sector to Industrialize Rivers State – Fubara …Hints Revitalization of Ahoada, Trans Amadi Industrial layout

Published

1 day ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor , Sir Siminialayi Fubara says the industrialization of the state remains a key drive of his administration.

Speaking through Director General of the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside at the Shell Gas Limited and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria(MAN) Investors Forum held in Port Harcourt, Fubara stressed that public /private partnership is key to revive production in the state.

“We are ready to partner Shell Gas Limited to revive manufacturing in Rivers State at Ahoada Industrial Park, and the new Port City project, including the proposed Bonny Industrial Park which will grow industries along the Bonny corridor” he declared.

Part of the scheme, he further stated is to collaborate with Shell Gas Limited and the private sector to transform Rivers State into a major manufacturing hub in the South of Nigeria.

Commending Shell and MAN for leading the frontline, Sir. Fubara said,” the time to act is now and thank God Shell is taking the lead to prioritize gas.”

The governor opined that the gas sector provides huge investment opportunities to drive the state economy as the world is gradually shifting towards gas and other environment friendly energy, while urging stakeholders to evolve an actionable gas policy for the state.

Earlier in his remarks, Shell Gas Limited Head of Gas Distribution, Mr. Chukwuka Amos-Ejesi said it is high time the state utilized its huge gas resource.

“Today gas offers investors opportunities and raises the value chain as it boosts production for industry users,” Amos-Ejesi said.

The Shell Gas Distribution executive said the company seeks to support manufacturing by adopting a user friendly approach that allows manufacturers to grow profitably with affordable cheaper energy.

He explained that natural gas provides huge potentials and aligns with federal government policy of gas utilization.

Chairman of MAN Rivers and Bayelsa Branch, Elder Vincent Okugu described gas as the backbone of manufacturing.

He said the forum has become timely and key to address the pressing energy provision to boost production in the sector, as he lamented the high costs borne by manufacturers in sourcing energy alternatives.

In her remarks, Chairperson of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Chinyere Ngozi Nwoga commended Shell for the forum which she described as a bridge to reduce gap of energy provision for manufacturers.

Ngozi Nwoga said the transition to natural gas has become imperative, stressing that pipeline gas offers cheaper and smooth energy provision for industries.

Former MAN chairperson for Rivers and Bayelsa States, Mrs Emilia Akpan was of the view that the quest to provide cheap energy should be driven with technical manpower, as she emphasized need for Rivers State to recreate its economy.

By Kevin Nengia

Nation

SheVentures Open Zero-interest Loan Applications for Women Entrepreneurs

Published

1 day ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to N10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from N500,000 to N5 million under a general category, and N5 million to N10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Yemisi Edun, said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively. Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

“This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs”, Edun said.

Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo said access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs.