Politics
What Wike Brings To The Party
Beyond any modicium of doubt, it is crystal clear to everyone that Nigeria is in a desperate search for the person with the right leadership qualities to save her from her present social, political and economic predicament.
In fact, some say the country has never been in such need for a leader with the requisite mix of virtues that could rescue a nation that is deeply fractured and seemly gasping for life. Many believe that it is this dire reality that occasioned the deluge of people aspiring to be President in 2023, such as the nation had never experienced in her political history.
As the process of picking out that all important compatriot with the right answers to the discomfiting questions of the nation continues, even after the conclusion of the primary elections and the emergence of flagbearrers of the variouspolitical parties in the build up to the 2023 general elections, the home of the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has become a pilgrimage of sort for not only the top brass of his political family, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but as well those of other frontline political parties in the country.
Among those who had travelled far and wide to meet with the former foremost presidential aspirant at his country home in the past few days include the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, himself a former frontline presidential aspirant of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Also at the Rumuepirikom private resdence of the Rivers State Chief Executive were Mr Peter Obi, the presdential candidate of the Labour Party, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, presidential flagbearer of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); and Alhaji Bala Mohammed, Governor of Bauchi State and former presidential aspirant under the PDP.
Even though the meetings had been held behind closed doors and no press statements issued in the end, Mr Peter Obi said he had visited Port Harcourt to confer with Governor Wike on vital issues of national interest.
The Labour Party presidential candidate wrote on his verified Twitter handle, “ Earlier today (Wednesday), I visited Port Harcourt, to confer with H.E. Gov Wike on vital issues of national interest.”
While some have found it intriguing that the Rivers State governor who came second to Atiku Abubakar for the PDP presidential ticket and was also denied the position of Vice Presidential candidate is desperately being sought after, many see the trooping to his house by top ranking political heavyweights across party lines as an eloquent testmony of his high calibre political potential and value needed to achieve success in the task of rescuing the country from her present socio-political and economic woes.
Speaking with The Tide in an exclusive interview in Port Harcourt recently, the Degema State Constituecy Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)in the forthcoming 2023 general elections, Disciple Peter Abbey, gave an insight into why Governor Wike is such a consumate politican that Nigeria needs to bring about the desperately needed change in the affairs of the country.
Disciple Abbey, who was the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Degema Local Government Area until recently, described Governor. Wike as a developer of men and materials; a man of will that is firm and decisive to deal with the nagging security challenges of the nation; and a man with tested and proven capacity to transform the country in ways that Nigerians yearn to see.
“This is why we talk of Wike. We don’t talk of Wike because we’re partisan”, he declared, arguing that given the precarious situation Nigeria finds herself at the moment, the country needs Governor Wike who possesses the right leadership ingredients required to save her from her cataclysmic slide and return her to the path of peace, stability, growth and development on all fronts of national life.
“Let me come from a personal perspective and then we take it up. Wike afforded me as a young politician, and not just me, many of my colleagues, he has afforded us a voice”, he said, adding that Governor Wike as a mentor has maintained an unbroken relationship with his friends and close associates throughout his political journey while deftly steering clear of situations and circumstances that could compromise his service delivery to the people in the discharge of his mandate as the chief executive of the state.
Disciple Abbey, who is also the local government area coordinator of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) for Degema Local Government Area, described the number one citizen of Rivers State as one who gets angry like every other human being but does not bear grudges and is not vindictive.
“Wike is not someone that bears a grudge. The Bible says that your anger should not last overnight. So, Wike, by the grace of God, is one that will talk to you but does not put it in his mind. He is not a vindictive person”, he said.
Disciple Abbey dismissed insinuations of vindictiveness and highhandedness of a Wike presidency as unfounded allegations aimed at discrediting the high flying presidential hopeful, affirming instead that a Governor Wike leadership of Nigeria will engender inclusiveness, national cohesion and even development of parts of the country.
“He is an all inclusive person, I can tell you that. He affords you a platform to air your views, your mind, but he is firm and he is a developer.
“I’m telling you that with Wike, the refineries will work. He is not someone that delegates and goes to watch you from the sidelines. He will delegate and he follows up”, he said.
The State House of Assembly hopeful noted that Governor Wike’s capacity to transform Nigeria can be seen in the way he has transformed Rivers State through the delivery of transformational projects of mass appeal to the delight of the people of the state.
He said it was significant that the governor is maintaining a dedicated commitment to keeping his promise to complete all projects started by his administration, intoning that Nigerians can trust him (Wike) to keep every promise he makes to them, just as he has faithfully delivered, and even exceeded expectations, on all the electioneering promises he made to Rivers people.
According to Disciple Abbey, Governor Wike’s success story in the security sector in Rivers State stands him out as one who has the winning formula against all the traumatic incidences of terrorism, insurgency and sundry security challenges that are threatening to bring Nigeria to her knees.
He said, “ For some years now I have not heard a gun shot apart from ceremonial gun salute. Go to my community in the riverine, very peaceful.
“I was telling someone the other day that now when you’re walking on the road, there is no more ‘die it’ as you will hear before. You know how it used to be when you see the boys”.
He said that even though security infractions may still be heard once in a while in the state because some people can’t just do
By: Opaka Dokubo
Politics
2024 Budget: Funds Were Shared Among Senators -Abaribe
The lawmaker representing Abia South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has explained how the Zonal Intervention Project funds were shared among senators.
Recall that the senator representing Cross River North, Agom Jarigbe on Tuesday revealed that ranking senators got N500 million each while he got nothing.
Senator Jarigbe made the revelation on the floor of the Senate while speaking on allegations of budget padding raised by the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, Senator Abdul Ningi.
The lawmakers who have spent at least four years in the Senate are regarded as ranking senators.
Speaking on the development on a live television interview on Wednesday, Senator Abaribe denied receiving N500 million as alleged by Senator Jarigbe.
Senator Abaribe said he got N266 million from the money allocated to lawmakers in the six geo-political zones.
According to him, lawmakers from some zones, like the Northwest, which has seven states, would expect to get less than what he got, as his Southeast zone has only five states.
He said, “I have been saying that all fingers are not equal and by privilege of office, certain people will get but not every Senator gets an equal amount.
“These are six zones in the country, and every zone gets its own N10 billion in intervention. Now, if you are from the Northwest zone, because you have seven states, the senator will get less than me who comes from the five-state zone.
“My state, Abia, gets N2 billion and if we break it down for both the Senate and the representatives, the Senate is getting 40% and the House gets 60%.
“I got about N266 million as zonal intervention. The person in the Northwest who has seven states, will necessarily get less, about a hundred million and something.
“So it’s not correct when we say every constituency must get an equal amount.”
Politics
Dump PDP, Enhance Your Value, APC Woos Gov Mutfwang
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has been advised to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) so that his good works and value can appreciate more.
The call was made on Wednesday by the North Central APC Forum in Jos, the Plateau State capital, during the forum’s first quarter of the year meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, the APC Forum Chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, said they were meeting to review the state of the party in the region as well as the region’s economic and security situation, adding that the position of the Plateau State Governor was vital in the overall development of the region.
Zazzaga, who was also a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in the last election, commended Governor Mutfwang for carrying the citizenry along in his developmental efforts, noting that his approach to boost peace and security of the state as well as his calm personality was impressive.
However, he said for the governor to attain a robust and exhaustive achievement of his agenda, policies and the development of Plateau State, he should defect to the APC.
He said the governor’s defection would not amount to relegating his former party to the background, but would rather strengthen him more to develop Plateau State.
According to the Chairman, the FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, is a good example of someone who seeks development for his people and the nation at large, using any vital and handy platform or party to advance his cause.
“Governor Caleb Mutfwang has so far shown that he is a progressive governor through his works, words and deeds since assuming office. But for him to advance more, he should consider joining the APC.
“This is because joining the APC will put him on the same page with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu who has the interest of Plateau in his heart and has been doing his best to advance it.
“Besides, Governor Mutfwang will be on the same page with his other counterparts in the North Central who are of the APC, and together they will have a common ground and work for the interest and development of the region in general and their specific states in particular.
“Also, most of the legislators from the state are in APC, and they can work hand-in-hand to move the state forward, because the relationship between the executive and the legislature cannot be overemphasized in the pursuance of progress and development.
Politics
Step Aside Over Alleged Budget Padding, PDP Urges Akpabio
The Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) on Wednesday demanded that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, immediately steps aside and allow for an independent investigation into the allegation that a staggering N3.7 trillion was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects.
In a statement released by Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary, the main opposition party also demanded that Akpabio immediately report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the pending case relating to N108 billion belonging to the people of Akwa Ibom State, allegedly looted under his watch as the governor.
The party similarly told the Senate President to speak out on the reported N86 billion contract scam that allegedly occurred in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) during his tenure as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
The PDP condemned the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in the Senate “without a detailed inquest into the issue of budget padding which he raised.”
Recall that Ningi blew the whistle on the alleged unexplained N3.7 trillion inserted into the budget, leading to his suspension from the chamber for allegedly disparaging the legislature.
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