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Eight Years Tenure For Fubara Not Negotiable, IYC Declares …Urges Akpabio, Wike To Mind Utterances …Warns Against Heating Up Rivers Polity
Going by the statement credited to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, urging Ogoni people to work together to produce the next governor for Rivers State in 2027, the apex Ijaw socio–cultural group, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Eastern Zone, Opobo-Ibani Clan, has vowed to stand by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and protect his interest with its last blood to ensure that in 2027 Governorship election, he would be re-elected to complete his eight years tenure, which is not negotiable.
This is contained in a statement by the group in Port Harcourt and signed by its Chairman, Clinton Ogolo; Coordinator, Ibitamuno Cookey-Gam; and Secretary, Emmanuel Diri; shortly after IYC enlarged National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
The group, which is a crusader of quality service delivery, noted that the Ijaws in the state had been neglected and relegated over the years by successive administrations.
According to the group, “Our support to the governor for the soul of Rivers Brick House in 2027 is not negotiable as there is no vacancy until after 2031, when Fubara might have completed his government’s eight years of productive leadership, same way we supported former governor and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike for eight years.
“Today, we stand our ground to back Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Even if it happens to any other person, we in Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) will show the same support. IYC will continuously support the person the same way we stood with Wike, where many of our members lost their lives,” it stated.
The group used the opportunity to admonish Governor Siminalayi Fubara to keep all distractions at bay and continue in his people-oriented development programmes in the state.
It appealed to the governor to consider the involvement of IYC in the scheme of things in the state, expressing happiness that their agitation for an Ijaw Governor has come to stay, adding that at the end of the day, the wish of the people, particularly Rivers-Ijaw will finally prevail.
IYC lamented that it has been subjected to all manner of threats on the allegations that it was vehemently supporting the State Chief Executive in the political crisis rocking the state.
“No amount of the threats, intimidating statements will make us in IYC to turn our back in supporting the present dispensation under the watch of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“We are assuring that the same support we gave to Wike during his reign as governor remains the same support we are giving the incumbent Governor Fubara.
“Siminalayi Fubara remains a River-Ijaw indigene. He is eminently qualified to be the governor, and we will stand by him and protect his interest with our last blood,” IYC declared.
The group charged Rivers people to shun the ranting of Godswill Akpabio, Nyesom Wike and their cohorts during a thanksgiving service in honour of Dr. Barinada Mpigi re-election victory at the Supreme Court in Tai LGA recently, and redouble their support for Governor Fubara, stating that he has the excess capacity to deliver on his administration’s mandate in providing the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
The group called on Fubara to carry all and sundry along in his government policies and programmes, while urging opposition in the state to sheathe their warring swords, and give the governor all the needed support as was accorded former governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for eight years.
“We stand to declare that the IYC will ensure that Governor Fubara governs the state for two tenures of eight years,” adding that their stance remains non-negotiable.
“This is something we cannot negotiate. Governor Siminalayi Fubara is going to run Rivers State for eight years. It is sacrosanct, it is certain. It is not negotiable. After his eight years, he will bow out and another person will take over,” it declared.
Meanwhile, the group has cautioned Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike and others of their cohorts who don’t mean well for the progress of the state to distant themselves from the administration of Sir Siminalayi Fubara, who has come to right the wrongs of the past administrations as headed by Chief Nyesom Wike or be ready to face the wrath of Rivers youths.
The IYC warned Akpabio, Wike and their cronies to shun negative political propaganda, stressing that “further negative utterances and attempt to heat up the polity in the state will be resisted by IYC, no matter whose ox is gored.”
It added that, “only Rivers electorate after God Almighty remain the provider for the governor in the state, and not the business of either Wike, Akpabio or their faceless and shameless cronies”, IYC submitted.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.