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Replicating Wike Projects Agenda In DELGA

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The Rivers State chapter Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Desmond Akawor, recently re-echoed the governor of the state, Chief Nyesom Wike, when he challenged local government chairmen in the state to positively affect the lives of the people in their various jurisdictions by executing projects that address the needs of the people.
The Rivers State PDP boss was said to have re-emphasised the charge of the state chief executive while representing the governor at the commissioning of the Eke Ukwu Ultramodern market at Ulakwo built by the chairman of Etche Local Government Area.
Amb. Akawor who was reported to have expressed happiness about the project’s capacity to boost economic activities in the area, commended the chairman and encouraged him not to relent in delivering people-oriented projects after the example set by Governor Wike at the state level.
Indeed, the impressive developmental story at Etche Local Government Area is but a tip of the iceberg of what true disciples and political scions of Governor Wike are doing in other local government areas across the state, a shining example of which is Hon. Michael John Williams of Degema Local Government Area who could scarcely wait to assume office before unleashing the Wike trademark of quality projects that directly impact the lives of the people in all the nooks and crannies of the LGA.
The DELGA boss who has not only commenced a string of projects in the area but has also made it a habit to visit work sites regularly, visited ongoing projects in Bakana and adjourning communities, last week.
According to a statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, Daerefa-a Christopher Braide, the Executive Chairman of Degema Local Government Area, Hon. Michael John Williams, condemned the recent vandalisation and carting away of armoured cables at the Bakana Power Station by yet to be identified vandals, warning the perpetrators to quietly return the stolen items or face the full weight of the law.
The Chairman, who made the condemnation while addressing community members after an inspection tour of various project sites in Bakana, also stated that his administration will not sit back and watch anyone or group of persons sabotage government’s huge investments in the LGA.
While urging parents to encourage their children and wards to shun criminality and be worthy ambassadors of the community, the Chairman vowed that the Council authority will not spare any effort at apprehending and bringing to book, perpetrators of the crime.
The Council boss who dismissed critics of the ongoing Ekine Sekiapu Society building, noted that the project was very relevant because the Kalabari Ekine Sekiapu Society were the custodians of the customs and traditions of the people, and are also the local arbitrators of disputes across Kalabari land.
He said that aside the aesthetics the project when completed will add to the community, given its strategic location, it was an aberration for an important traditional institution to be kept in a structure that looked like a shrine.
Speaking on the continued loss of man-hours, occasioned by the perennial low tide lockdown experienced by commuters on the Bakana-Port Harcourt waterways due to accumulated silt, the Chairman assured the people of Bakana that his administration will permanently address the situation before the festive season in December.
While acknowledging the earlier effort of the DAA-3 Cluster Development Board Chairman, Hon. Mpaka Botoye, at finding solution to the problem, Hon. Michael John Williams thanked him for his good intention for the community, adding that the Council will now undertake the project and bring to an end, the continued suffering of the people plying the route.
In the meantime, worried about the inability of the officials of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to adequately enrol Bakana residents in the ongoing National Identity Number (NIN) Registration, the DELGA Chairman extended the exercise by a week.
This, according to the Chairman, was to give the people of the area who daily turned out in their large numbers, the opportunity to be captured by the Commission.
In the same vein, the Council boss also disclosed that his administration would soon embark on the rehabilitation of the dilapidated Bakana Footbridge linking the island on the Oguruama end.
While inspecting the Footbridge, the Council boss stated that the intervention was necessary to avert its imminent collapse, loss of lives and interruption of business activities.
Meanwhile, the Council Chairman has also approved the construction of a security sentry post and lodge for officers of the security Joint Taskforce (JTF) at the new site in Bakana.
The structures, which will be completed before December, is expected to address the perennial pirate attacks along the Bakana-Port Harcourt waterways.
The Chairman, while inspecting the location of the proposed military base, re-iterated his administration’s zero tolerance for criminal elements and their activities across all communities of the LGA.
The LGA Chairman as well visited other project sites including the ongoing Oguruama Community Footbridge and Pedro’s Compound Memorial Hall.
The excited community members on their part, gave glory to God for blessing them with a kind-hearted, proactive, compassionate and projects-oriented Chairman, whom they described as a ‘Godsent’ leader, on a mission to return DELGA to its lost glory.
Indigenes of the area who are closely monitoring the activities of the chairman, Michael John Williams, who is less than two months old in office, commend him for first engaging with the locals and determining their most pressing needs, instead of just throwing projects at them. The people of DELGA are indeed hopeful that an administration that is committed to changing their age-long story of neglect and abandonment may be here after all.

By: Opaka Dokubo

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Makinde Renames Polytechnic After Late Ex-Gov

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Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, in honour of a late former governor of the State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo.
Dr Olunloyo, who died on April 6, 2025, was the pioneer Principal of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, while he also served as Governor of Oyo State between October 1 and December 31, 1983.
Governor Makinde made the announcement at the state interdenominational funeral service held yesterday in honour of the late former governor at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan.
Governor Makinde said Dr Olunloyo lived an eventful life, adding that his attainment and personality could not be summarised in one sentence.
“He was not a man we could summarise in one sentence. He was a scholar, a statesman, a technocrat, a lover of culture and, above all, a man of deep conviction.
“While giving the exhortation, I was listening to Baba Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and he said in 1983, Baba became Governor of Oyo State. Though his time in office was brief, his election victory over a popular incumbent remains a powerful testament to the trust people gave him.
“I talked about preserving and digitising his library yesterday [Wednesday] as a mark of honour to Baba Olunloyo.
“Today, we will be giving Baba another honour to immortalise him. He was the first Principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan; that institution will now be named Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan.”
Earlier in his sermon, a retired Methodist Archbishop of Ilesa and Ibadan, Ayo Ladigbolu, described the late Olunloyo as a role model with intellectual inspiration and unassailable integrity.
The cleric said the deceased also demonstrated leadership in most superior quality during his lifetime.
In attendance were the state Deputy Governor, Chief Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal; wife of a former Military Governor of the old Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Dupe Jemibewon; wife of a former Governor of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Mutiat Ladoja; former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; and former Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi.
Others were the member representing Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency, Hon Abass Adigun Agboworin; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Oyo State Exco members; Chairman of Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun; Chairman of All Local Government Chairmen in Oyo State, Hon Sikiru Sanda; President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Adeniyi Ajewole; religious leaders and family members, among other dignitaries.

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10 NWC Members Oppose Damagum Over National Secretary’s Reinstatement

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Ten members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have countered the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, on the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
The dissenting members, led by the Deputy National Chairman ( South), Taofeek Arapaja, in a joint statement, said no organ of the opposition party could overturn the decision of the 99th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The dissenting NWC members include Arapaja; Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary; Okechukwu Obiechina-Daniel, National Auditor; Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary; Ologunagba; Woyengikuro Daniel, National Financial Secretary and Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Treasurer.
Others are Chief Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman (South East); Emmanuel Ogidi, Caretaker Committee Chairman (South South); Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm, National Woman Leader and Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese, National Vice Chairman (South West).
The group also insisted that contrary to the position of the acting National Chairman, the 100th NEC meeting of the party would be held on June 30 as earlier scheduled.
The statement read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a press briefing by the acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, today Wednesday, June 25, wherein he attempted to overturn the resolution of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for Monday, June 30.
“The acting National Chairman in the said press briefing also reportedly announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume as National Secretary of the party contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which referred all matters relating to the office of the National Secretary to the 100th NEC meeting.
“The pronouncements by the acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention. By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday June 30, is binding on all organs, officers, chapters and members of the party and no organ, group or individual can vary or veto this resolution of NEC.
“Furthermore, the claim by Damagum that Sen Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the party is, therefore, misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, June 30, has not been canceled or postponed.”

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Presidency Slams El-Rufai Over Tinubu Criticism …Says He Suffers From Small Man Syndrome

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The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following the latter’s scathing criticism of President Tinubu’s administration and his 2027 re-election prospects.
In an interview on live television, Mallam El-Rufai said it would take a “miracle” for President Tinubu to be re-elected in 2027, citing an internal poll that purportedly shows a 91 percent disapproval rating for the president across key regions in the country, including the South-East and the North. He also claimed that President Tinubu’s disapproval rating in Lagos stood at 78 percent.
Reacting on Wednesday via a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Onanuga took a swipe at the ex-governor, quoting a harsh assessment of Mallam El-Rufai’s character from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch.
“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological,” Mr Onanuga wrote, citing Chief Obasanjo’s words. “Why does he do it? Very early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir El-Rufai.”
The presidential adviser emphasised Chief Obasanjo’s remarks that Mallam El-Rufai often tries to elevate himself by diminishing others. “He lied brazenly, which he did to me, against his colleagues and so-called friends,” Mr Onanuga continued, quoting the former President. “I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who, in an African setting, was like a foster father to him.”
Chief Obasanjo, who appointed Mallam El-Rufai as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory between 2003 and 2007, did not mince words in the memoir, describing Mallam El-Rufai as suffering from “small man syndrome.”
Mr Onanuga’s post is seen as a direct rebuttal to Mallam El-Rufai’s recent criticism and growing opposition role. The former governor is reportedly playing a central role in forming a new coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
In March 2025, El-Rufai officially dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), intensifying speculations about his 2027 political ambitions.
As the political rift deepens, Mallam El-Rufai remains one of the most vocal critics of the Tinubu administration, while Mr Onanuga and other presidential allies continue to push back against what they describe as “reckless” opposition rhetoric.

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