Politics
I’ll Leave Office A Fulfilled Man – Wike
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has declared that his administration has within the past eight years kept faith with his social contract with Rivers people by making tremendous impact in the development of critical infrastructure in all parts of the State, and would leave office honorably on the 29th of May a fulfilled man.
Governor Wike,, who made the declaration last Thursday during the inauguration of Rumuesara Community’s internal roads at Eneka Town in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, said he had been consistently guided by the dictates of conscience and deep sense of responsibility in taking decisions concerning the development of the state.
The Rivers State Governor said the major driving force to his administration’s success was the unflinching support of Rivers people throughout his stewardship as the helmsman of the state.
Speaking further, a visibly elated Governor Wike said he was leaving office a happy man, having fulfilled his promises to Rivers people in the delivery of quality projects, defended the interest of the state at all times and projecting the State on a high pedestal of development to national acclaim.
Governor Wike, who decried the delay in the construction of Rumuesara community’s internal roads project by the contracting firm, L&D Nigeria Limited, urged contractors handling various projects in the State to work according to scheduled time frame.
The Rivers State governor expressed disappointment in the delay on the ongoing reconstruction of Government Secondary School Eneka, and directed the contractor handling the project to return to site and complete the project within the next one week or face arrest and prosecution for sabotaging government efforts.
The Governor pointed out that the demolition of the Bayelsa State government dilapidated property on Akasa Street in Old GRA in Port Harcourt had no political undertone but to rid the area of the nuisance it constituted to the urban renewal policy of the state and hideout for criminals.
On further clarification on the issue, Governor Wike said the hostility of the Bayelsa State Government towards Rivers State had stalled all overtures and prospective engagements on the sharing of property of the old Rivers State.
Governor Wike, same day, inaugurated the newly reconstructed Akpabu-Odido road at Odido Town in Emuohua Local Government Area.
Addressing the people, he said the project would improve the standard of living of the people and bring the community to limelight.
He said with the completion of the Odido Road, the people that could not drive into their community are now linked by road to other parts of Emohua LGA easily and also drive to Ahoada West council where they have their kinsmen.
In similar vein, Governor Wike, on Friday, inaugurated the Elekahia internal roads project in Port Harcourt Local Government Area and the phase two of the Okochiri internal link road project in Okrika Local Government Area.
Speaking at the Elekahia Town Hall, Governor Wike took a swipe at critics who accused him of abandoning
Elekahia community in project delivery, stating that such critics were ungrateful people that had been proven wrong with the completion and commissioning of the Elekahia internal roads project, and the official recognition of the stool of the Paramount Ruler of Elekahia.
Governor Wike who attested to his sincerity of purpose in the leadership of the State, said he was not like other politicians who made promises to the people but failed to fulfill them.
Addressing the people of Okochiri Kingdom, Wike said the numerous projects executed in the area were achieved because of the cooperation and support of the people.
The Rivers State Governor who asserted that all Local Government Areas in the State were impacted with landmark projects of his administration, thanked the people of Okochiri, particularly the Amanyanabo of Ancient Okochiri Kingdom, King Michael Ateke Tom for their support to his administration and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State during the last general elections.
It would be recalled that Governor Wike had, during his first term in office, executed the first phase of the Okochiri internal roads project.
By: Taneh Beemene
The Rivers contest is expected to draw heightened attention in the oil-rich state, as political actors position for influence in a district long regarded as strategic to the balance of power in Rivers State.
INEC disclosed that the by-elections will hold concurrently with the Ekiti State governorship election, underscoring what promises to be a politically charged day across several parts of the country.
Beyond Rivers, the electoral body listed other affected constituencies to include Nasarawa North Senatorial District, Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency in Kano State, Ondo South Senatorial District, and Enugu North Senatorial District.
The vacancies, according to INEC, arose from a combination of deaths, resignation, and other constitutional developments. In Nasarawa, the demise of Senator Godiya Akwashika has left a gap in a district considered a stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In Enugu, the passing of Senator Okey Ezea has set the stage for a competitive race in the South-East.
Similarly, the Ondo South seat became vacant following the resignation of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, who now serves as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, while the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa seat in Kano opened up after the death of Hon. Muhammad Danjuma Hassan.
Analysts say the Rivers South-East by-election, in particular, could reshape political alignments in the state, as parties jostle to fill the void left by Sen. Mpigi and consolidate their foothold ahead of future electoral contests.
Stakeholder from Bayelsa East Senatorial District, on Monday, endorsed the incumbent Senator representing them to run for a second term.
Leading the stakeholders, the former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism and Special Adviser to Governor Douye Diri on Political Affairs (iii), Dr Iti Orugbani, said the reason for the endorsement was based on the federal lawmaker’s trajectory of good deeds and massive execution of projects across communities of the Senatorial district.
Dr Orugbani highlighted some of the projects to include landing jetties, telecommunication masts and town halls amongst others, noting that Sen. Agadaga’s performance has exceeded those of others who hitherto represented the oil rich area.
Bayelsa East Senatorial District comprises Ogbia, Brass and Nembe Local Government Areas of the State.
The Governor’s aide who called on the State’s Eastern political enclave to respect the 2022 new zoning agreement, which guaranteed second term for Senators from the District, stressed the need for political tolerance and peace in the forthcoming 2027 polls.
“In 2022 the leaders and stakeholders across party lines from Bayelsa East held a meeting and altered the old single term for Senators from the district’s agreement and signed that begining from 2023 any Senator emerging from the district must serve for a minimum of two terms.
“In 2023, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, then an incumbent Senator representing the Senatorial district under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was given a second term ticket by the party. Though he lost to the PDP.
“Now that the entire state is now APC and the District has an APC Senator in the person of Benson Agadaga from Ogbia LGA, why not also give him a second tenure?
“The stakeholders in 2022 changed the old political agreement because they saw that it wasn’t beneficial to the district any longer. And so, because it was Ogbia Local Government Area that started the old zoning arrangement by producing the first Senator in 1999, I want to plead that let Ogbia also begin the new two terms zoning agreement”, he said.
Also speaking, the duo of woman leader of a support group, ‘Agadema Women’, Mrs. Owadaba Jokori and the Information Officer of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Central Zone, Comrade Ikio, stated that the incumbent Senator has done well for the district in the past three years that he has been in office.
They lauded the federal lawmaker for his infrastructure projects, especially the construction of landing jetties in select communities of the three local government areas of the district, commending stakeholders for supporting the lawmaker in his second term bid.
In his remarks, Senator Agadaga thanked the stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and the endorsements he has received lately from constituents and admirers across political parties.
The lawmaker noted that within the past three years that he has been Senator, he has delivered dividends of democracy to his constituents across the Senatorial District, emphasizing that the call for him to be senator from the Brass Senatorial District came to him as a surprise, noting that he accepted the clarion call when the clamour became so loud.
“I was Chief of Staff to the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, when various groups from the zone came calling on me to contest the 2023 Senatorial polls.
“Ever since winning the elections as a senator, I’ve continued to deliver on my mandate in both representation, lawmaking, oversight, project execution and support for constituents when called upon. And I shall continue to do more if elected for a second term”, the Senator said.
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has set May 15 as deadline for definite hearing in a suit filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The judge on Monday shifted the hearing date following the absence of the plaintiff, Mr Jideobi, and his lawyer in court without any information.
Apart from the absence of the plaintiff, who is a legal practitioner, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, who are 2nd and 3rd defendants in the matter, were also not in court.
Following the absence of the plaintiff and the two defendants, Chris Uche, SAN, representing Dr Jonathan, applied to the court to strike out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution.
Having joined issues with each other, Mr Uche said, the suit is liable for dismissal with a N5 million cost to be awarded against the plaintiff and payable to Dr Jonathan.
He argued that from all indications, the plaintiff has abandoned the suit and ran away upon sighting the preliminary objections raised against the suit, adding that the court is a busy place and not for unserious matters.
Justice Lifu, however, noted that there was no evidence of service of hearing notice on INEC and AGF to appear in court for the suit, adding that lack of service of hearing notice is fundamental.
The judge said rather than striking out the suit, he prefers to bend backward to accommodate the plaintiff and the two defendants for the last time.
While adjourning the matter to May 15, Justice Lifu ordered that hearing notice be served on the plaintiff and the 2nd and 3rd defendants who were not in court on Monday.
The plaintiff, Mr Jideobi, had filed the case seeking an order to restrain Dr Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as an aspirant for the 2027 election.
He is also asking the court to stop INEC from accepting, processing or publishing Dr Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.
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