News
Our Projects’ll Secure Votes For PDP Candidates, Wike Predicts
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has revealed that more projects being delivered by his administration are an unbeatable strategy to secure winning votes for all candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state in the 2023 general election.
Wike made the revelation at the inauguration of the Ahoada-Omoku Dual Carriage-way, yesterday, which held at the Ahoada State School in Ahoada East Local Government Area.
The governor said while people are talking about vote buying and using money to induce electorate, his administration has remained committed to do more work for Rivers people and to make them feel happier.
“Our own campaign is to do work. When you are talking about vote buying, this is the vote buying. We are using work to make the people to support us. So, people should not bother themselves thinking people are going to carry money.
“See our own here, we are using the Ahoada-Omoku road dualisation, we are using Ahoada-Ekpena Road, we are using the university campus, we are using Ochigba/Ogbologbolo/Ozochi Road. What will they (opposition) come here and tell you again.”
Wike also said that his administration would use the instrumentality of the law to jail politicians who want to disobey the Executive Orders 21 and 22.
The Executive Orders prohibit political parties, including the ruling PDP in the state, from using public school premises for their political rallies without requisite approval and payment of N5million non-refundable security fee.
The governor noted that some politicians were already boasting that with the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Police on their side, the Executive Orders were inconsequential, and therefore, they would disobey them.
Wike dared such politicians to disobey the Executive Orders if they can, and see if they would not be jailed.
“I didn’t say nobody should use primary and secondary schools for campaigns. All I have said is: if you want to use primary and secondary schools for your campaigns, you deposit money.
“So, that when you’ve used the place and spoil anything in the school, government will use the money to repair those things you spoilt and clean up the school. And there are those who say that they would disobey and no person will do anything. If you do disobey, you know where you will be.”
Wike explained that the Executive Orders seek to regulate the conduct of political activities to curb nuisance and promote public peace.
“Some people put their campaign offices in where people are living. Somebody is coming back to his house, he can’t enter his house. Why, because they are holding political meetings. We say this thing has to be regulated. It has to be in a non-residential area. They say they will not, I say you will. If you dare it without approval, you’ll go to jail.”
Commenting on the Ahoada-Omokudualised road, Wike said the phase one has been completed to add to the several projects that has transformed Ahoada into a modern city.
He said the phase two of the project has been approved and it will extend to Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.
He said the phase two of the project has been approved and would extend to Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.
He warned owners of land property who were duly compensated before the road project commenced not to return to build structures on the space left for future expansion work.
Wike said the space now belongs to the state government and directed the commissioner for works to demolish all structures that have already been erected on such land space.
The governor at the event formally recognised Kelvin NgoziAnugwo as the EzeEkpeyeLogbo 111, and said his staff of office and certificate of recognition would be issued to him in Port Harcourt.
Wike also gave a brand new Prado SUV to the Bishop of Diocese of Ahoada Anglican Communion, Rt. Ven. Clement Ekpeye, and said other bishops of the Anglican Church had received theirs.
He stated that before his assumption of office in 2015, there was only one first class traditional ruler in Ekpeye land, but explained that he had reversed this as there were presently not less than six first class traditional rulers in Ekpeye land.
Providing the description of the Project, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr.DakorinimaAlaboGeorge-Kelly, said despite some minor difficulties at commencement of work, the project was completed in good time.
George-Kelly said the administration of Governor NyesomWike has succeeded in transforming Ahoada Main Town to a satellite city through various projects in the area.
He said the administration’s road projects in Ahoada are not just to link it with Omoku Town and create access to neighbouring communities, but also to urbanise Ahoada and make it a municipal in line with the state’s original masterplan of creating new cities.
George-Kelly made the assertion at the commissioning ceremony of the 1st phase of Ahoada-Omoku Dual Carriageway at St. Paul’s State School, Ahoada East Local Government Area, on Wednesday 21 December, 2022.
“The construction of Ahoada-Omoku Road was flagged off last year, there were some minor difficulties at the inaugural stage of the project due to the terrain, topography, and flooding, but all those challenges were eventually surmounted.
“This dualised road is 6.2kilometres long, it has a total of 11.2kilometres drains of various sizes, there are drains of 1,200millimetres by 1,200millimetres, 1,000 millimetres by 1,000millimetres, 750millimetres by 750millimetres, and 600millimetres by 600millimetres. They all have a common wall thickness and base thickness of 150millimetres each.
“For the pavement, we have soil replacement of between 400 and 750millimetres thickness. Then we have 150millimetres thickness of soil cement stabilisation, 5percent soil cement stabilisation, specifically. We have an average of 250millimetres stone base thickness, 60millimetres thickness of binder course, and 40millimetres thickness of wearing course.
“The purpose of this project is not just to create access from Ahoada to Omoku or to create access for the neighbouring communities, it is also to transform Ahoada from a rural status to an urban status, or to a municipal if you like, in line with the original masterplan of the state. The Ahoada we saw yesterday is not the Ahoada we are seeing today,” he added.
According to him, the purpose of the project was not only to create access to neighbouring communities and other local government areas but to transform a rural town into an urban status whose residents can enjoy the trappings of city life.
In his address, the South-South Regional Manager of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Juergen Fischer, commended the Rivers State Government for granting the company the opportunity to part of its urban renewal programme.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 1.63 million pills of tramadol concealed in two long trailers heading for Kano as it intensified efforts to dismantle a transnational drug trafficking syndicate operating along the Togo-Benin Republic-Nigeria corridor.
The agency also arrested an 80-year-old suspected drug dealer in Rivers State, a businesswoman linked to cannabis shipments from Canada, a Chadian woman, a couple and other suspects in coordinated operations across Lagos, Edo, Kogi and Rivers states.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement, yesterday.
According to the statement, the latest intelligence-led operation came barely one week after NDLEA operatives recovered 558,900 pills of tramadol concealed in the false-bottom compartment of a truck that entered Lagos through the Togo-Benin Republic route.
Babafemi said, “Ongoing efforts to dismantle a transnational drug trafficking syndicate smuggling tramadol from Togo, through Benin Republic into Nigeria have yielded another success with the interception of two long trailers used to move One Million Six Hundred and Thirty (1,630,000) pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in fabricated compartments of the trucks across multiple borders into Lagos.”
He added that one of the two trailers was intercepted on July 2 along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, where operatives recovered 853,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in a fabricated compartment beneath the cargo floor.
Babafemi said, “One of the two trucks already heading to Kano was tracked and located on 2nd July 2026 along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway where NDLEA officers recovered 853,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in a fabricated compartment beneath the cargo floor of the trailer and arrested the 22-year-old driver Jabir Kabiru.”
He further disclosed that another trailer was intercepted two days later on the same route.
“Two days later, 4th July, NDLEA operatives acting on processed intelligence successfully tracked and recovered the second trailer from the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway while heading to Kano. A total of 777,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in a fabricated compartment beneath the cargo floor of the truck were evacuated and the 22-year-old driver Muhammed Nuhu arrested,” the statement read.
According to Babafemi, investigations established a link between the three intercepted consignments.
He said, “Investigations revealed that all three trucks and consignments intercepted on 21st June, 2nd July and 4th July belong to the same transnational drug trafficking syndicate operating along the Togo-Benin Republic-Nigeria axis.”
The agency also intercepted 4.70 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
Babafemi said, “Two consignments of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, with a combined weight of 4.70 kilograms have been intercepted at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos. The cargoes, which arrived the Lagos airport from Canada in cartons with ‘Odugwu’ boldly written on them, came aboard British Airways and Ethiopian Airlines flights on 24th June and 3rd July respectively.”
He said two cargo agents, Ali Rotimi Samson and Orimolade Oluwagbenga, were initially arrested in connection with the shipments, while another suspect, Edeh Onyeamachi Stanislus, was apprehended after arriving at a logistics company to take delivery of the consignments.
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has denied claims that it has commenced registration for a purported ?50,000 National Support Allowance.
The ministry, in a public notice posted on its official X handle, yesterday, described messages, links and websites advertising the alleged programme as fraudulent.
It urged Nigerians to disregard such claims and verify information only through official government channels.
“The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has NOT commenced registration for any ?50,000 National Support Allowance,” the ministry said.
It added, “Disregard fraudulent messages, links and websites claiming otherwise. Verify any info only through official govt channels.”
The alert is in response to a circulating scam flyer that falsely claims the program is ongoing under President Bola Tinubu’s directives.
The fake advertisement, which includes text in Hausa and English, directs victims to a suspicious website (kluspz.com) for applications.
The ministry’s warning comes amid heightened concerns over digital fraud targeting vulnerable populations seeking social support.
Similar scams have previously surfaced around programs like N-Power, prompting questions from citizens in replies to the official post.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed its preparedness for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage.
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, hinted at this while making his remarks at the commissioning of the Comrade Godwin Abumisi Pensioners Legacy House and Multipurpose Hall in Abuja.
Ajaero said it is no longer acceptable to discuss the welfare of workers without also discussing the welfare of those who have completed their active years of service.
He advised workers and pensioners to get prepared for the ideological and economic battles that lie ahead.
According to the NLC president, “The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) is one of the proud affiliates of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Therefore, your struggle is our struggle, and your welfare remains a priority for the organised labour movement.
“We are currently in the preparatory stages for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage.
“However, let me state unequivocally that it is no longer acceptable to discuss the welfare of workers without also discussing the welfare of those who have completed their active years of service.
“Accordingly, the Nigeria Labour Congress will not only push for a new national minimum wage but will also demand the establishment of a national minimum pension. It is a historical injustice that men and women who devoted their youth, strength and productive years to the service of this nation should be condemned to live below the poverty line after retirement.”
Ajaero noted that the cost of living has risen astronomically as food, healthcare and transportation have become increasingly unaffordable.
“We cannot continue to allow our senior citizens to survive on pensions that have become poverty wages. Every retiree deserves to live with dignity after decades of faithful service to the nation,” he said.
He urged pensioners across the country to remain united and prepared as the process begins, adding: “This Legacy House should not merely be seen as a physical structure; it should become a centre for mobilisation, strategic engagement and solidarity as we prepare for the struggles ahead.”
The NLC president pointed out that the working class has always understood that “those who exploit workers are united in advancing their interests. We too must remain united in defending our collective interests and ensuring that government fulfils its obligations to both serving workers and retirees.”
He urged pensioners across the country to remain united and prepared as the process begins, adding: “This Legacy House should not merely be seen as a physical structure; it should become a centre for mobilisation, strategic engagement and solidarity as we prepare for the struggles ahead.”
The NLC president pointed out that the working class has always understood that “those who exploit workers are united in advancing their interests. We too must remain united in defending our collective interests and ensuring that government fulfils its obligations to both serving workers and retirees.”
He said the completion of the project should serve as a clarion call to all workers and lovers of the masses.
“We must not only build physical structures but also build a strong movement capable of compelling government to honour its commitments,” he said.
Ajaero further stated: “We will continue to demand the immediate payment of all outstanding pension arrears and the implementation of a pension regime that guarantees every retiree a life of dignity and security.
“Together, we shall continue to fight until every Nigerian worker and pensioner receives the justice, respect and welfare they deserve.”
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