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Tonye Cole, No Match For Wike -Rivers PDP …Obuah Lauds Gov’s Achievements
Rivers State PDP Campaign Council says the factional governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Arch Tonye Cole is a political neophyte and lacks the requisite public service experience and exposure to govern a multi-ethnic and complex state like Rivers.
A press statement issued yesterday in Port Harcourt by the Director of Information and Communications, Emma Okah said only enemies of the State will prescribe a pupil to a teacher in a contest that requires tact, maturity and expertise to excel.
“Ordinarily, the PDP would not have bothered to campaign in Rivers State if Arch Cole is the APC candidate but the joy of a free and fair contest is the lesson the loser learns. It teaches him that a child cannot be older than his father,” Okah said, noting that Tonye Cole should have started campaigning since 2011 if he truly means to battle a political collosus like Governor Nyesom Wike.
According to Okah, those who love Rivers State can never prefer an unrepentant Lagosian who does not know the cultural and political terrain of his ethnic nationality let alone the state to aspire to govern Rivers State.
“Suggesting that Arch Cole should govern Rivers State at this time is to set the state ten years behind as he would spend so much time learning the ropes, names of the various towns and communities that make up his Kingdom, learn to speak his native language, names of the various local government areas and headquarters, names of key members of his party, names of VIPs in the state etc” the statement added.
Okah said the people of Rivers State have learnt their lessons and would not allow a stooge who cannot be his man to preside over the affairs of the State.
“Rivers people do not want selfish and greedy merchants who would buy off valued state assets at cheap prices but will vote for a man they know and have been seeing. The man who has been council chairman, State Campaign Coordinator, Super Minister, a Bencher and sitting Governor. Governor Wike made promises to develop the state during the 2015 campaigns and three years down the road, he has fulfilled his promises, wining multiple awards and even doing more for Rivers people”
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bro. Felix Obuah has joined millions of Rivers people to commemorate the successful entry into the New Year 2019, even as he applauded the monumental achievements of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
In his New Year Message which was signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needam, the PDP Chairman charged people of the State to embrace the New Year with a grateful heart as God has been faithful in preserving their lives throughout the year 2018.
Bro. Obuah enjoined the people and the teeming supporters of the PDP not to be swayed by the current economic hardship foisted on Nigerians by the wrong economic policies of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled federal government, but rather thank God for keeping everyone alive.
He expressed the hope that 2019 would be fruitful and rewarding, and appealed to everyone to join faith with Governor Nyesom Wike as he strives to improve the lives and wellbeing of Rivers people.
The Chairman described year 2019 as crucial, in view of the General Elections which begin on 16th February, 2019, saying that the general elections provide an ample opportunity to once more reject the APC by voting for all the candidates of the PDP in all the elections.
Bro. Obuah urged Rivers people not to be intimidated by the antics, lies and evil propaganda which are the trademarks of the APC, adding that the party has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that it lacked capacity to govern Nigeria.
The PDP Chairman noted that Governor Nyesom Wike has proven, even to his die-hard critics that good governance is possible in Rivers State, by fulfilling all the promises he made to the people before, during and after the 2015 general elections.
He said it is in recognition of the unprecedented achievements of Governor Wike that the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo called him ‘Mr. Projects’, adding that the nation’s top-rated media organizations like The Sun, Authority, Leadership, Silverbird Television, etc attested to this truism by unanimously conferring the ‘Best Governor Award’ on Governor Wike.
“Time and space may fail me if I begin to catalogue all the achievements of Governor Nyesom Wike in just three and half years in office. He promised to open the courts and he did. He promised to restore the House of Assembly and he did. Befitting accommodations have been provided for judges, doctors, etc.
“There’s massive improvement on infrastructures, excellent road networks, housing development and above all, he has ensured that all sectors of the economy receive adequate attention. Civil servants and pensioners’ salaries are up-to-date”, Bro. Obuah declared.
While urging Rivers people to consolidate on the gains of Governor Wike’s fruitful administration, Bro. Obuah urged them to reciprocate the gesture by voting massively for Wike during the Governorship election.
“That would be a befitting New Year gift for Governor Wike and a good demonstration that one good term deserves another”, he said.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won 20 out of the 23 local government areas in the just concluded local government election in the State, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clinched three local governments.
According to the results released by the Rivers State independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), yesterday, the APC won the chairmanship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Opobo Nkoro, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana local government areas.
APC also won in Gokana, Tai, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche, Omuna, Akuku Toru, Asari Toru, Degema, Ikwerre and Emohua local government areas.
The Commission, however, said the PDP won in Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, and Ogba Egbema Ndoni local government areas.
Chairman of the Commission, Dr Michael Odey, who announced the results at the Commission headquarters in Port Harcourt, said Ofori Owolabi of the APC scored 28,755 votes to emerge winner of the election for Abua Odual while Solomon Ochomma, also of the APC, emerged chairman elect for Ahoada East after scoring 54,509 votes.
Odey said Eugene Epelle also of the APC scored 84,125 votes to emerge winner in Ahoada West, while Bob Fubara was elected the chairman-elect for Akuku Toru after scoring 63,593 votes.
Similarly APC chairmanship candidate Lucky Otuo Promise emerged chairman-elect for Andoni after scoring a total of 126,181 votes, APC’s George Onengiyeofori emerged winner in Asari Toru after scoring 56,383 votes, while Pepple Blessing Abinye garnered 13,543 votes to emerge winner in Bonny Local Government Area.
Other APC candidates elected include Michael John Williams who scored 16,536 votes to emerge chairman-elect for Degema Local Government; Obarlllormate Ollor (77,452) for Eleme; Dr Chidi Julius Lloyd (114,380) for Emohua; Njoku Boniface (100,649) for Etche; Confidence Deekor (96,478) for Gokana, while Wobodo Charles got 62,746 votes to emerge winner in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
Other APC winners from the APC include Akuro Tobins (32,285 votes) for Okrika; Hon Obasi Uchechukwu (38,530) for Omuma; James A James (38,822) for Opobo Nkoro; Vincent Nemieboka (36,374) for Ogu/Bolo; Hon Mbakpone Okpe (70,080) for Tai LGA, while in Oyigbo, Okechukwu Akara scored 101,495 votes to emerge winner.
Meanwhile, the RSIEC chairman announced Dr Gift Worlu of the PDP with 328,823 votes to emerge winner in Obio Akpor; Shedrack Ogbogu, also of the PDP, scored 51,051 votes for Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area, while in Port Harcourt City, Sir Alwell Ihunda garnered 235,054 votes for PDP to emerge winner.
The APC also cleared the councillorship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche,Tai, Khana Opobo/Nkoro and Degema local government areas.
Similarly APC councillorship candidates also emerged winners in Asari Toru, Degema, Akuku Toru, Gokana and Khana while PDP cleared the councillorship seats in Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt city, and Ogba Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Areas
Meanwhile, the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions has passed a vote of confidence on the just concluded local government election in the State.
National Chairman of the forum, Hon. Mamman Nda Eri, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt.
Eri said all the chairmen across the country were in Port Harcourt to monitor the election as well as gain experience in an election under emergency rule.
John Bibor & King Onunwor
The National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) says that Nigeria is accountable for 70 per cent of 11 million illegal arms and light weapons in West Africa,
Mr Alex Ebimiebo, the South South Zonal Director of the NCCSALW, made the remark at the Naval Warfare Course 9 Inter-Agency seminar, organised by the Naval War College in Calabar on Thursday.
Ebimiebo presented a paper themed, “Strengthening Security Agencies Collaboration to Counter Illicit Arms Proliferation for Enhanced National Security in Nigeria.”
He said that the illegal arms dealings were largely responsible for Nigeria’s 2.2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and 26,000 refugees in neighboring countries.
Ebimiebo further said that arms proliferation had led to economic distortions, an increase in violence, crime, and impediment to peace building.
He, however, called for concerted effort from all Nigerians to tackle the menace, saying that NCCSALW would take the fight to the society since security is the responsibility of everyone.
“So, as a result, everybody is a stakeholder, so as such, we need to involve the whole society in this fight and the center has a lot of programmes for collaboration with our sister agencies.
”We also have advocacy and sensitisation programmes that we take to members of the general public from time to time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rear Adm. Akinola Oludude, Commandant, Naval War College, expressed concern on the influx of illicit arms into Nigeria since 2020.
He attributed this to the extensive borderline of about 4,470 kilometers between Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
He also noted that the nation’s maritime domain that extended over 853 kilometers of coastline and of the Gulf of Guinea had also not helped.
The commandant said that the 2021 survey by the NCCSALW revealed that over six million illegal weapons were in circulation in the country.
Oludude said that out of the figure, about 70 per cent were in the hands of non-states actors.
”The impact of this illicit arms proliferation is profound and multifaceted.
”These weapons bred various forms of insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, and armed robbery.
“Inter-agency collaboration is needed to tackle the proliferation of illicit arms and weapons,” he said.
Oludude said that no single agency, no matter how well-resourced, no matter how well-dedicated, could effectively tackle the complex challenge alone.
He stated that the nature of the recent arms proliferation demanded a joint and multi-agency approach.
“Therefore, this seminar provides a vital platform for us to collectively examine the complexities of this complex challenge,” he said.
Also speaking, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, Rear Adm. Kennedy Ezete, urged the participants to translate the discussions and recommendations of the seminar into concrete actions.
He advised the participants to take the knowledge and insights gained to their respective agencies and organisations and implement them
According to him, “we must ensure that the suggestions and way forward developed here are implemented effectively and that the partnerships forged are sustained.
”This requires a commitment from all stakeholders, including the leadership of our security agencies and the wider community.
”Share your experiences, implement the strategies that have been suggested, and continue to work collaboratively to counter illicit arms proliferation.
“We must also continue to invest in training, technology, and intelligence gathering to enhance our capabilities.”
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