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‘Odili Left Crisis-Ridden PDP To Amaechi’
Dr. Dakuku Peterside, APC governorship candidate in Rivers State addressing political and opinion leaders in Elemeland during his visit.
Former River State Governor, Dr Peter Odili’s statement that he regretted supporting the election of Governor Rotimi Amaechi, has been described as that of a man who lacks what to say in the face of glaring evidence against him.
President, Rivers Success Movement, Godstime Orlukwuh, said Odili, having abdicated his throne and abandoned his responsibilities for almost eight years, is trying to save his face and point accusing fingers in the wrong direction.
Orlukwuh wondered why Odili was finding it hard to own up to his failure to lead a united PDP after his exit as governor adding that Odili should have been bold enough to admit that he handed over a crisis-ridden PDP to Amaechi.
The statement reads further: “The problem with the party started during the succession period when he allowed members of his immediate family to meddle with the choice of who becomes his successor. That set the tone for a major divide within the Odili political family of PDP.
“That eventually snowballed into the monster that almost denied Amaechi of his mandate as the elected candidate of the PDP. All those who had their hopes raised by Odili’s family members became enemies of the governor as they were disappointed. This can be confirmed in Odili’s book titled, ‘My Conscience’.
“Prior to this period, the party was bedevilled with internal crisis which led to the exit of the likes of Late Chief Marshall Harry to the rival ANPP. Many other elders of the party particularly those from the Riverine and Ogoni areas were practically chased out from the party. The circumstances which led to the deaths of Marshall Harry and Chief A.K. Dikibo, two founding fathers of the party, of Ijaw extraction are very much closely associated with the crisis in the PDP.
“As for supporting Amaechi to become governor, it was unfortunate that though he began with him, after some time, Odili reneged on his promise. He didn’t finish with Amaechi, barely few weeks into the suit at the Federal High Court. It was Odili who later contracted Emmanuel Okala, SAN, as counsel for Celestine Omehia, this was after helping Amaechi retain the services of Lateef Fagbemi, SAN as his counsel in the matter.
“While Nyesom Wike and Uche Secondus sought to hijack the party structure from Chief G.U. Ake, Odili’s benefactor, what was the former governor’s reaction? He watched and waited until the party crumbled. Odili probably was happy during the NGF face-off with the President because that would afford him the opportunity of slipping to the camp of the President with the help of Wike.
“As for Odili’s statement on respect for elders in the party during his time as the leader of the party, I must ask whether he referred to the likes of Chief Marshall Harry, Chief A.K. Horsfall, Chief Bekinbo Soberekon, Chief Sergeant Awuse, Alabo Graham Douglas, Chief Anabs Sara Igbe, Chief Ombo Isokrari, Chief Monday Mgbor, Chief Rufus Ada George and several others he chased away from the party.
Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has received 119 stolen artefacts from the Netherlands.
The Oba who disclosed this on Wednesday in Benin, the Edo State capital, said plans by some international cartel to re-loot the artefacts were thwarted after he prayed to God and the ancestors.
He said, “I thank President Bola Tinubu for supporting and committing to the efforts former President Buhari put in place to ensure the artifacts are not re-looted because there were groups in this country believed to be an international cartel that had all sorts of conspiracy to re-loot our artifacts.
“They stole and burnt our Kingdom. They killed my people and tried to kill their spirit and their morale. Today, the boldness, courage, and bravery of the Benin people are still there. Events of 1897 reduced that to a significant level that Sometimes when I see my people, they are afraid of the unknown.
“The return of these objects has reawakened the courage we had in our people. We do not want modern-day politics and partisan politics to diminish the courage of our people.
“The Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments has been doing wonderful work. His predecessor was part of the conspiracy to re-loot our artefacts. We had a running battle in this hall.
“I addressed my Chiefs in Benin language, and I said these artefacts belong to my ancestors, and I will not sit on the ancient throne and watch the artefacts re-looted. They would rather remain where they are than be re-looted. I thank the government of the Netherlands for working with us. This is part of the efforts to reawaken the morale and spirit of my people.
“After 1897, the kingdom was reduced. There was a government in this state that wanted to reduce the kingdom more and scatter it. I am angry when I speak about it. Why would anybody want to scatter the kingdom.
“The youths were courageous like the youths of those days. They were not afraid of anybody. I vowed that it would not happen. Not in my reign. Not while I am sitting on this throne. God heard my prayers. My ancestors heard my prayers. This throne is not partisan, but I should support what is good for my people.
“I urge the youths to be tough and strong in the face of adversity. This is not for anybody else. It is for my ancestors.”
The Benin Monarch further prayed for the return of more artefacts.
The NCMM DG, Olugbile Holloway, said the commission and the Benin Royal Palace were working hard to ensure more artefacts were returned.
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, who was represented by the Secretary to State Government, Barr. Musa Ikhilor said his administration would continue to build necessary infrastructure to preserve the returned artefacts as well as collaborate with the Federal Government to improve the storage system for the artefacts.
The General Director of the Wereld Museum, Marieke Van Bommel, said, “The artefacts are looted, and we have a policy in the Netherlands to bring them back. We are bringing back 119 artefacts. We don’t have more. These are the collections in the Netherlands. There are more collections in Europe, but that is not up to us. They have been with us for over 100 years.”
The Nigeria Education Loan Fund said its Student Loan Application System has now been fully digitised to streamline and accelerate the student loan processing experience for institutions and applicants.
“With this upgrade, all accredited institutions are now required to request access to SLAS to verify and upload student data related to loan applications. This is a critical step that ensures the timely processing and disbursement of approved student loans,” NELFUND said in a statement by its Director of Corporate Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi.
The Fund also said that institutions that have not yet onboarded the system are kindly requested to send an access request to registration@nelf.gov.ng without delay.
He said once granted access, institutions will be able to view a real-time dashboard of their students’ loan applications, verify submitted data, and track the status of each application.
“We urge all institutions to take immediate action in the interest of their students, as verification and data upload by the institutions are mandatory steps before final approval and disbursement can be completed,” the statement said.
The implementation of the student loan scheme is President Bola Tinubu’s flagship project in the education sector.
Barely a month after his inauguration as president, Tinubu signed the Access to Higher Education Act, which creates a legal framework for granting loans to indigent or low-income Nigerians to facilitate the payment of their fees in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The law, reenacted, created the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
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