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Gov, BOT Saved PDP From Implosion, Wike Affirms
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, says the resolution of the internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has allayed his initial fear of possible implosion in the party.
He noted that the convivial manner in which PDP governors and Board of Trustee members resolved the crisis has given Nigerians hope that the party was prepared to take over the reins of power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.
Wike made the assertion while speaking as a guest on the Africa Independent Television’s Programme, ‘Focus Nigeria’, in Port Harcourt, last Friday.
The governor explained that it was not uncommon for a political party to experience internal squabble in view of the forthcoming poll and varying interests, but commended PDP governors for coming together to speak with one voice to end the differences.
“I used to be afraid of possibility of an implosion, and that could have been the end of the party. But what I saw on Monday gave me a lot of confidence for the first time. I have never seen that happens, the way the governors came together and spoke in a convivial manner with no dissenting view. I was impressed.”
Wike, who dismissed insinuations that he has personal disagreement with the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, stated that his primary concern had been to salvage the PDP from an impending doom occasioned by an inert leadership.
“Everybody believed that whatever the national chairman was doing was dictated by Wike and must have the backing of Wike. I believe when you support somebody, support him to succeed. But when things are also going wrong, if you don’t speak out, people will believe you are part of it. Therefore, I owe it as a duty to say things are not going right.”
The governor accused some members of the National Working Committee (NWC), particularly, the National Organising Secretary, Col Austin Akobundu, of stirring crisis in the party because of his governorship ambition.
He warned that the PDP should be wary of agents of the APC, whose stock in trade was to cause division and destabilise the party.
According to him, some of these persons are some former governors and ministers.
The governor stated that he does not have problems with the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubarkar, and was not aware if Atiku wants to contest the presidency in 2023 because PDP has not yet zoned the presidency.
Commenting on the recent court judgement that it was Rivers State Government and not Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) that should collect Value Added Tax (VAT) and other related taxes in the state, the governor said the state approached the court to seek an end to perceived infraction of its rights and powers.
Wike, who accused the Federal Government of emasculating states by usurping their constitutional rights and powers, revealed that the FIRS had surreptitiously written to the National Assembly to amend the Constitution and make collection of VAT exclusive to the Federal Government.
“The Federal Inland Revenue Service wrote a letter to the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to make VAT to be in the Exclusive List. So, we intercepted that letter and brought it to court because they know that under the law, it is not within their powers to collect these taxes. And in order to solve the problem, they wrote a letter to the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to make them have the exclusive right. If they were right, they wouldn’t have done that.”
The governor revealed that he has already sent a bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly to empower the state government to collect VAT and other related taxes in the state.
He stated that Rivers State felt betrayed by former governor of Imo State, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, for masterminding a plot to take over some Rivers State oil wells.
The governor described as unfortunate the attempt by the incumbent Imo State Government to compromise the National Boundary Commission to cede Rivers State oil wells to Imo State.
“We filed a suit at the Supreme Court in 2020 believing that Imo State Government will file their defence, but as I speak to you, they have not filed their defence. I have never seen a very corrupt commission like the boundary commission. Unknown to us, instead of the Imo State Government to file their defence, they went to the boundary commission, met with them to adjust the boundary, but we got the information.”
On the issue of the recently amended Electoral Act, the governor charged President Muhammadu Buhari to reject the bill passed by the National Assembly to prove that he was committed to credible elections in 2023.
He stated that by rejecting electronic transmission of election results, APC members in the National Assembly had planned coup against Nigerians.
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Rivers Capable Of Delivering Massive Votes For Tinubu, Chinda, Others -Fubara …Charges APC, Rainbow Coalition To Embrace Team Work
Fubara, who stated this yesterday at the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Port Harcourt, said the surest path to victory is for the members of the Presidential Campaign Council drawn from the APC and the Rainbow Coalition to embrace the spirit of teamwork.
He said what the state was witnessing in the current political season is a repeat of the successful mobilization done in 2022 and 2023, when a large campaign council worked in unity to deliver victory for him and for President Tinubu.
He added that the present council is bigger, wider and better coordinated and should therefore achieve even better results.
He noted that the beauty of the new council is the fact that some persons who were in the opposition camp during the previous elections are now part of the team, saying their inclusion has made the task easier, provided everyone works as one team and with sincerity of purpose.
The governor thanked the Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council for Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, and other leaders who worked tirelessly to bring the council to fruition, stressing that nothing is impossible especially when people work together for a common purpose.
He expressed optimism that with seriousness and commitment, the state would record a higher number of votes than it recorded in 2023.
Fubara, while congratulating members who made the list, appealed to those whose names were omitted not to be discouraged, as there are still sub-committees to be constituted and the list can still be updated, even as he warned against double loyalty.
He said the state has gone past the stage of division and is now looking to the future and what God holds for Rivers people, expressing confidence that with the strategy already put in place, the APC and the Rainbow Coalition would come out victorious in 2027.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Coordinator of the Campaign Council, Chief Nyesom Wike, while inaugurating the Council, lauded Fubara for finding time to attend the ceremony and other engagements of the Council in spite of his busy schedules.
Wike, who is also the National Leader of the PDP/ Rainbow Coalition, reminded members of the Council that they were chosen based on their capacity to participate in the activities of the group and deliver positive results.
He charged them to work hard to win votes for the candidates of the APC and the Rainbow Coalition for the Presidential, Governorship, National Assembly as well as State House of Assembly elections next year.
He disclosed that apart from the Presidential Campaign Council and its sub-committees, the Local Government Campaign Councils will soon be inaugurated to ensure better coverage of the grassroots during the current campaign season.
The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.
He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.
He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.
“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.
Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.
The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.
On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.
Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.
With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.
He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.
Kevin Nengia
This is according to a campaign timetable released by the APC Campaign Council last month.
The Tide reports that the APC presidential campaign kicked off in Kaduna on October 24 with President Bola Tinubu in attendance.
The campaign train later moved to Cross River, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Ekiti on November 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima representing the President at the rallies.
President Tinubu is personally scheduled to attend 12 states including Rivers, Kaduna, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos.
The Rivers State rally, scheduled to hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, is expected to witness a large crowd of party supporters drawn from a coalition of political parties in the State.
The party is expected to round off its presidential campaign in Lagos State on January 9, 2027.
The Tide reports that Tinubu has not visited Rivers State as President since he assumed office in May 2023. His last physical visit to the State was before his inauguration on Wednesday, May 3 – Thursday, May 4, 2023, when he was hosted by then Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt to commission the Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrates’ Court Complex.
Tomorrow’s visit will be his first to the State since assuming office.
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