Politics
Akawor Wants LG Chairmen To Emulate Wike
The Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), Rivers State, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, has charged Local Council chairmen in the state to use the development model set by Governor Nyesom Wike in the state as template for the development of their various local government areas.
Speaking while commissioning the Remodelled Gokana Council Secretariat at Kpor, headquarters of the local government area recently, the PDP Chairman told them that securing second term ticket was a function of their performance in office.
The former Ambassador to South Korea who commended the Gokana council boss for remodelling the council secretariat to world class standard, recalled a bitter experience he had with the old structure during his trip to Gokana as Chairman of the Covid 19 Parliatives committee in the state.
“When l came to Kpor as chairman of the Parliatives Committee, I had the call of nature and was asked to be taken to the Chairman ‘s office. I had the terrible experience of my life managing myself from here back to Port Harcourt with the luggage inside my stomach. But for me to come here today to see the same structure looking like Zenith Bank, l can say that it is only God that can do this.
“Wherever I go, I always say one thing, that it is difficult for lion to produce a lizard. There is a wave of change in this state. God has given us a Governor that has decided to set a standard of which no chairman has any alternative but to key in. For all the chairmen, especially the crop of chairmen we have now, they actually know what it took them to emerge as chairman. They passed through the crucible and that is why virtually in every local government there is one performance or the other”.
While describing what was happening at the local government level as delivery of dividends of democracy to the people at the grassroots, the former Minister of FCT urged local government chairmen to always strive to bring development to their areas, saying that everything cannot be done by the state government.
“The local government as the third tier of government has its own portion of the dividends of democracy to deliver”.
Ambassador Akawor who said unlike the APC, the PDP government in the state had delivered on its electioneering campaign promises, describing the APC as a special purpose vehicles used to remove former President Goodluck Jonathan from office.
He noted that the Saakpenwa-Bori-Kono road which they promised in their campaigns to do and failed is currently being handled by Governor Nyesom Wike while the Bodo-Bonny road is being done by the Nigerian Liquifued Natural Gas, NLNG alone.
He also told the people how the APC-led Federal Government was playing politics with the Ogoni clean up and the Electoral amendment bill.
“We all saw what is happening now with the electoral bill. What is going on with a party that is in charge at the National Assembly. They took a decision and sent it to their President to sign, and after many months the date caught up with him and he refused to sign it and Nigerians are saying this is not what we wanted. There is no promise they have made that they have kept”.
He encouraged Nigerians, particularly the people of Gokana to stand with the party in whom they had absolute confidence that it would fulfill its promises to them, adding that in 2023 all Nigerians have a date with destiny.
The State PDP Chairman also praised Gokana sons serving in Governor Wike’s administration for their loyalty and support as well as the people of Gokana for believing in the PDP.
Chairman of Gokana Local Government Area, Confidence Dekoo, said he decided to embark on the project to give the council a befitting secretariat.
He thanked the state PDP Chairman , Ambassador Desmond Akawor, for coming to perform the commissioning ceremony and assured him that his tenure would witness a boom in project execution in the local government area.
The Tide source reports that the committee, reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, is making moves to reclaim the Wadata Plaza headquarters months after it was sealed following a violent clash between rival factions of the party.
Senior officers at the FCT Police Command told our source that while they had not received an official briefing, police personnel would be stationed at the secretariat and other key locations to maintain peace.
The Acting National Secretary of the Mohammed-led committee, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, announced last week that the secretariat would reopen for official activities on Monday (today).
He dismissed claims that ongoing litigation would prevent the reopening, saying, “There are no legal barriers preventing the caretaker committee from resuming work at the party’s headquarters.”
However, the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) has fiercely rejected the reopening move, insisting that Sen. Anyanwu and his group remain expelled from the PDP and have no authority to act on its behalf.
Speaking with The Tide source, the committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, declared: “They are living in fool’s paradise. The worst form of deceit is self-deceit, where the person knows he is deceiving himself yet continues with gusto.
“Even INEC, which they claim has recognised them, has denied them. They are indulging in a roller coaster of self-deceit.”
Mr Ememobong further revealed that letters had been sent to both the Inspector-General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police, stressing that the matter was still in court and warning against any attempt to “resort to self-help.”
“The case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the expelled members. They cannot resort to self-help until judgment is delivered,” he said.
He warned that reopening the secretariat would amount to contempt of court.
A senior officer at the FCT Police Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that officers would be deployed to the area to avert a repeat of the November 19 violence that led to the secretariat’s initial closure.
“The command would not stand by and allow a breakdown of peace and order by the party or anyone else. Definitely, the police will have to be on the ground,” he said.
Another officer added, “There will definitely be men present at the secretariat, but I can’t say the number of police officers that would be deployed.”
When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said she had not been briefed on the planned reopening and declined to comment on whether officers would be deployed.
Asked to confirm whether the secretariat was initially sealed by police, she responded, “Yes,” but refused to say more about the current deployment plans.
The Kano State House of Assembly has debunked the purported impeachment plan against the Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo.
The Tide source recalls that the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, recently sparked controversy during an interview session with a local radio station.
Mr Waiya called on the deputy governor to resign for failing to follow his principal, Gov. Abba Yusuf, in defecting from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the spokesperson to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Kamaluddeen Shawai, while addressing journalists in Kano on Saturday, described reports circulating in some media outlets about Mr Gwarzo’s impeachment as baseless and misleading, emphasising that no such plan is underway.
Mr Shawai further stated that the House remains focused on its legislative duties and oversight functions rather than engaging in speculative political manoeuvres.
The spokesperson urged members of the public and the media to verify information before sharing it, stressing the importance of accurate reporting in maintaining political stability in the state.
He said, “There is absolutely no motion or initiative within the House to remove the deputy governor.
“These reports are false and should be disregarded by the public. The deputy governor continues to serve in his capacity with full support from the House.
“Our priority is good governance and serving the people of Kano, not circulating rumours.”
She made the declaration during an interview with Nigerian football legend, Mr Segun Odegbami, during a live radio interview on Saturday.
Prof. Obasanjo, who is also former commissioner in the state, ruled out a return to the Senate, stating that her focus was firmly on the governorship race.
“So, moving ahead, I’m not going to be Commissioner. Like I said, I’m not even going back to the same party because I think that’s old and I don’t see the use of it. And I’m not going to go back to the Senate,” she said.
“Like the Americans would say, there’s no need. And this is what I told my associates, when this all started. I said, the only thing I’ll come back to do is the governorship.
“And we have started that journey. We are going to see it through. And so that’s the journey I’m on. And we are very serious about it. I mean we are very dedicated to it.”
The politician also confirmed that she recently joined the APC, explaining that her return to active politics followed persistent calls from supporters.
“Like I told you, a group of people who I did not bring together, have been working, I think, for two years now. And then they started talking to me about a year ago, saying, ‘Look, we think you are the best candidate. We want you back,’” she added.
Her declaration sets the stage for what may become a keenly contested governorship race in Ogun State ahead of the 2027 elections.
-
Sports2 days agoArsenal Women End Man City’s Invincibility
-
Sports2 days agoInsurance Deepen Enyimba’s Trouble
-
Sports2 days agoU-20 WWC: Falconets claim qualifier win
-
Sports2 days agoYouth Olympics preparation Gears up
-
Sports2 days agoTornadoes Set For NPFL exit over Stadium Ban
-
Sports2 days agoCologne Youth Team Set Crowd Record
-
Environment2 days agoRivers State Government Suspend Fire Service Collection Levies
-
Environment2 days agoLASEMA pushes attitudinal change to cut fire outbreaks in Lagos