Politics
LG Boss Scores Administration High On Service Delivery
The Chairman of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Council of Rivers State, Dr. Enyiada Cookey-Gam, says his administration is poised to unleash more developmental initiatives in the local government.
Speaking with journalists shortly after commissioning some projects embarked upon by his administration to mark its second anniversary in office, Cookey-Gam said he was ready to drive the council area to another level of industrialisation in the last lap of his government.
Cookey-Gam, who spoke highly of his performance in the past two years, stressed that he will redouble his achievements in grassroots transformation and work harder to surpass the gains of the past years.
“I want to really thank the people for being exceptionally supportive. They are of high capacity and quality in their support to this government. We did so well in our transformation efforts and the quality of service delivery to the local government and its citizens, especially in human capital development”, Cookey-Gam said.
Recounting various economic challenges encountered in the recent past, Cookey-Gam asserted that his administration will work harder to weather every storm in order to move the local government to an enviable height.
He assured that he will embark on more pro-people and life-touching development projects for the wellbeing of Opobo/Nkoro people, who he said have remained supportive through prayers for fruitful results.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cookey-Gam has eulogised members of his cabinet for their laudable contributions toward the development of the local government as well as helping his leadership to provide the needed democracy dividends.
He also berated what he termed sponsored media reports scoring his administration low in performance and called on the public to disregard the reports.
“I carried the youths, women, elderly even stranger elements along in governance. I am emphatically passing a vote of confidence on my cabinet members and the electorate in the area for their good works despite some daunting challenges surrounding the administration.
“We have been able to touch the lives of the people and I am particularly grateful to all of them and pray God’s continuous grace to enable us move the area forward developmentally.
“We did not let our people down as we operate an ‘open-door policy’ administration while in the leadership of the local government as leaders. Our several development projects are scattered across the communities in the LGA. “I am deeply happy that we were able to empower our people, including youths who were empowered with varieties of welfare largesse, among other empowerment programmes which speak volumes for our tenure”, Cookey-Gam said.
By: Bethel Toby
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.