Rivers
APC Shuns ABOLGA Stakeholders’ Parley
As the Independent Na
tional Electoral Commission (INEC), gears up for the rerun legislative elections on 30th July, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers state, has shunned a stakeholders’ meeting called by the electoral body to discuss how to ensure smooth and violence-free polls in the area.
The parley, held last wwek in Abua Central, headquarters of the local government, was attended by the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon Marshall Uwom; the state Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs Ukel Oyaghiri; the LGA CTC Chairman, Chief Oye Fubara Igenewari; the LGA PDP Chairman, Mr Optimist Wariboko; and representatives from other political parties in the LGA.
Speaking at the event, the Electoral Officer, Mr Emmanuel Ebifa, expressed shock that the All Progressives Congress chairman and representatives were absent, stating that invitation letters were sent to all the political parties and stakeholders in the same manner, and wondered why the APC was absent in the meeting.
Ebifa further informed those present at the meeting that he even called the APC chairman in the LGA, Hon Gift Igoma, while the meeting was ongoing, and that the chairman, in response, promised to send a representative.
The electoral officer, however, stated that the upcoming election scheduled for Saturday, 30 July, 2016, will hold only in wards 11 and 12 of the LGA, and appealed for the co-operations of all to ensure a smooth exercise.
Speaking, the Abua/Odua Council Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Oye Fubara Igenewari commended the security agencies for their untiring efforts at sustaining the existing peace and security in the area but denounced their activities in the last rerun election.
According to him, “I stand here as the head of government of this place, and we are to provide, in conjunction with the security agencies, a level playing field. We are not known to be partisan when it comes to security, and it is also my complaint that during the last election, I was treated as if I was not holding the office I am holding in this place.
‘’I was not recognized as the chief security officer of this LGA. At some point, I was even molested,” he said.
He, however, appealed for a change of attitude, and called on the electoral officer to clarify which wards and units the election would take place in the LGA.
On his part, the Deputy Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Marshall Uwom also commended the security agencies for the sustained peace in the LGA but frowned at the indiscriminate arrest of members of a particular political party in the area during the last rerun election.
Uwom appealed for their cooperation to ensure that the upcoming exercise was smooth, free and fair.
The state Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs Ukel Oyaghiri, appealed to INEC to ensure quick and timely distribution of election materials and personnel in view of the difficult terrain of the affected wards and units.
In an interview shortly after the parley, Mr Emmanuel Ebifa, told newsmen that election will take place in wards 11 and 12, adding that “for other units, the head office will confirm to us and we shall inform you in the same way we have called for this meeting.”
In a communique signed after the meeting by all political parties present except the APC, the parties agreed to refrain from violence on, before and after the elections.
The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Engr Obi Fortune, a renowned philanthropist, has donated 80 desks to four secondary schools in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. The donation is part of his commitment to advancing education in the area.
The schools that benefited from the gesture includes- Community Secondary School Umuoye.
Community Secondary School Akwa- Government Secondary School Ozuzu and Community Primary School Okehi 2 and all the schools got 20 units each of the desks.
Speaking during the brief handing-over ceremony held recently in okehi recently, Engr Obi stated that the donation fulfills his promise to use proceeds from his book sales to procure desks for schools in the LGA.
He disclosed that more desks will arrive soon and expressed his continued commitment to supporting education in the area.
Obi urged the schools to make good use of the desks and called on other individuals to contribute to the educational needs in the area.
This gesture demonstrates Engr Obi’s dedication to improving education in Etche LGA.
A professor of social and political philosophy at Rivers State University (RSU ) Nkpolu Oroworukwu port Harcourt, Prof Agha Eresia _Eke has emphasized that citizenship participation is crucial for achieving true democratic government. He stressed that citizens’ involvement in exercising their basic rights, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, is essential for a democratic institution to thrive.
Eresia _Eke stated this while presenting his inaugural lecture at the 111 university’s inaugural lecture series with the topic “Nigeria Democratic practices:a contextual paradox”held at the university senate auditorium in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
According to him, core democratic values which include:,- Respect for individual rights and freedoms, Protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, Equality before the law, Freedom of speech, assembly, and association, Protection of privacy and personal autonomy.
“Through out history, the problem that has agitated social and political philosophers has been to work _out a model for the realization of the common good of man.
Man has always sought and developed methods and systems of organising himself according to his true nature as a rational being.”he stated.
Eresia-Eke notes that Nigeria is not practicing a true federalism and highlights the importance of a pragmatic approach to democracy, where ideas and solutions are tested and refined in real-world environments.
He emphasized that citizens must hold their leaders accountable and demand respect for human rights, stressing that by doing so, citizens can undertake their civic obligations and responsibilities, strengthening society as a whole.
Earlier in his address, the Vice chancellor of the university, Prof Zeb _Obipi commended the lecturer for his brilliant performance, adding that he has justified and proven that he is a professor in his area of specialization.
The VC averred that the university has been consistent in the inaugural lecture monthly and assured that his administration will continue to continue to keep the trend.