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PDP’s Dumping Of Zoning Arrangements Worst Form Of Anti-Party -Wike
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) committed anti-party and embarked self destruct when they blatantly dumped the zoning arrangements entrenched in the party’s constitution.
The governor maintained that the decision of the PDP leadership to abandon zoning in clear violation of the party’s constitution, is largely to blame for the party’s catastrophic defeat in the just concluded presidential election.
Governor Wike, made these remarks when the three Rivers senators-elect; the deputy governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Senator Barry Mpigi and Hon. Allwell Onyesoh visited him at his private residence in Rumueprikom, last Wednesday, to present their certificates of return to him.
The governor, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, reiterated that PDP’s Constitution in Section 7(3)(c) states in pursuant of the principles of equity, justice, and fairness the party shall adhere to the policy of rotation of elective and appointive offices. According to him, the decision to jettison this principle is the worst form of anti-party.
“We are proud to have produced the three senators. Out of 13 House of Reps, they have announced ten, and we have taken nine. We believe that when election is done in the other ones, we will also emerge victorious because Rivers State has always been with PDP as regards to the issues of our local elections.
“When our party abandoned the principle of equity, fairness and justice; when our party abandoned the provisions of our constitution , which is the highest anti-party anybody can do, they also have to pay for it. If you see that your constitution says this is what you should do, and you abandoned it, you have committed anti-party more than any other thing. Our own is unity of Nigeria, and that is what we stand for. Unity of Nigeria is far above party interest.”
Governor Wike said the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors deserve commendation for their nationalistic stance that propelled the party to zone the presidency to the south. According to him, the emergence of the president elect of southern extraction was made possible because of the premium APC governors attached to national unity.
“That is why I said that the APC governors are my heroes. They came out openly to tell the world , to tell Nigerians, look, the unity of this country is paramount, we don’t want Nigeria to be divided. In fact, I was shocked when all of them came out and said we have had it for eight years in the north, let it go this way (south) for eight years so that we can have harmony, peace and unity.”
The Rivers State governor said the emergence of a southern Nigerian as president elect in the just concluded presidential election will give the people a sense of belonging and cause Nigerians to live harmoniously together without any sense of alienation.
Governor Wike, charged the senators elect to be nationalistic in the discharge of their legislative duties, by supporting policies of government that will unite the country. He further tasked them not to allow pecuniary interest to sway them from fighting vigorously for the interest of Rivers State.
The governor expressed confidence that the three senators elect will not betray the interest of Rivers State and the country as some former senators did in the past.
“I want to appeal to you when you go to the Senate, talk about Nigeria, not party. Talk about how Nigeria will continue to be one. Support policies of government that will unite this country, and that is where we stand.”
Governor Wike urged the senators elect to return to their various senatorial districts to galvanise massive grassroots support for the PDP governorship candidate, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, whose administration is expected to consolidate on the remarkable successes of the current government in the State.
Senator Barry Mpigi, who spoke on behalf of the senators elect, said they remain eternally grateful to God for using governor Wike to enable them actualise their political aspirations.
“You have fought a battle to prove to us that you love Rivers State. Your Excellency, our mission here is just to assure you and reassure you that we are going to Abuja, not for ourselves but for Rivers interest.”
Similarly, PDP National Vice Chairman (South-South), Chief Dan Orbih, said the victory of the three senators elect is a bold and clear statement that the people of Rivers State are appreciative of governor Wike’s commitment to the development of the State.
“For me, it is a very bold and thank you message to governor Nyesom Wike for the wonderful job he has done for Rivers people. Their election is very clear, the people of Rivers state appreciate everything the governor has done for this state.
“For us in the South-South, we are proud of him. He has done very well, the people are happy with him, the party is happy with him”, he said.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.