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PHC, Oyigbo Monarchs Restate Support For Peterside
The King of Port Harcourt City, Eze Victor Woluchem, has charged governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, to build an altar for the Lord when he becomes governor, come May 29.
The monarch said he is happy that the APC candidate is driving his campaign on absolute faith in God, entering churches across denominations and seeking God’s help in places of worship in towns and communities.
He described Peterside as a man of faith who, despite his earthly accomplishments, continues to be humble, God-fearing and simple in his dealings with people.
The King made the remarks during a courtesy call on him by the Greater Together Campaign Organisation in Port Harcourt, the state capital
“I have seen a lot of posters in this election period but none compares to your own. I discovered from those posters and billboards that you are a praying man. I have also read and seen reports of how you pray in churches as you campaign in our towns and villages. I want to encourage you to build an altar for the Lord in Government House when you become governor.
“Today, you have come to the palace to seek blessing. If you leave here, your campaign will surely be energised. And let me assure you that the soil you are walking on now is the mother soil of the Government House.
“I am not about political parties; I don’t know their colours or logos. But I know about individuals. Anybody who knows Rivers State very well knows that after Okilo, we have not had any government that affected the state like we have today. Any traditional ruler that is sincere will say the same thing. We saw development like we have never seen in years. But the unseen hand, that unsung personality is somebody who was commissioner of works. If not for him, we will not have had this unprecedented development, and that person is Dakuku Peterside.
“When I heard about your entry into this governorship race, I concluded that there was no contest. Discerning Rivers people, irrespective of party affiliation, know that you are the most acceptable, and I know you are not surprised about the support you are receiving across the state.
“This is why we are all behind you, but please, don’t let politics change you. Be the man you have always been, be that man we have always known because politics will come and go. I assure you, success is yours. For other youth like you, the future is already here and I am happy you are taking the lead”, Woluchem said.
The royal father later prayed and blessed the candidate and handed a copy of the Holy Bible to him.
In his speech, Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Rivers State, Boms Wogu, described Peterside as a blessing to the people of the state.
He said gradually, supporters and admirers of the APC candidate are moving from prayer to thanksgiving, an indication that God’s purpose for this state will be accomplished soon.
Responding, Peterside, who is also a preacher of God’s word, said he will do more than just building an altar for the Lord come March 29.
He added that his reign will glorify God, assuring that he will be fair and committed in his service to the people of Rivers State.
Meanwhile, the Eze Oba Oyigbo in Oyigbo LGA,His Royal Majesty, Eze Mike Nwaji, has described the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, as a humble and God-fearing man who is fulfilling God’s promise for the people of Rivers State.
He said the overwhelming support trailing Peterside’s campaign train today is divine, the reason he is the only candidate of choice and consensus in Rivers State.
The royal father, therefore, called on Rivers people to support God’s programme by avoiding any unholy act capable of circumventing God’s plan for them.
He made the declaration when the APC candidate and Greater Together Campaign Organisation paid him a courtesy call during their ward rallies in Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state.
“Peterside is a humble leader who has a listening ear for everybody, irrespective of status. Everybody prays for leaders who care and listen, that is the direction the world is headed now. At a personal level, I can call Peterside at anytime and he answers. This is why I am calling on everybody to follow Peterside because God has ordained him”, he said.
“Anytime I talk about this forth-coming election, I insist on APC and their candidates because they are the people I know. Besides, we are not looking for a ruler, all we want is a leader, and Peterside is that leader, which is why everybody must support his candidature.
“We all appreciate the saying that the voice of the people is the voice of God. Today, we have spoken and God is a witness. It does not matter how many people go to battle with you because our God is a God of minority. What matters is God’s plan. Once your name is mentioned anywhere, God will protect you because He has chosen you for this race. Everybody wants you and I can assure you that you are already there.
“Let me give you a secret. Most people in PDP say they will vote their choices but for governorship, they will vote for that Peterside, the APC candidate who is humble and as beautiful as a woman.
“Your strength as far as I am concerned in this election is that you are humble, God-fearing, respectful and compassionate. Please may these qualities abide with you even in Government House”, he added
Peterside, in his response, said he cannot afford to disappoint traditional rulers and chiefs, men, women, religious leaders, professional bodies and young people who have supported him since he emerged as a candidate.
He promised to continue to uphold qualities of humility, respect, compassion and fear of God in his dealings with fellow men.
He contended that service at any level is a privilege, adding that for that reason, public office holders must be conscious of the fact that in the fullness of time, they will give account to God.
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
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.
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