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Bayelsa Poll: APC Flags Off Campaigns
Former Governor of Bayelsa State, now Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva has described the Governor Seriake Dickson’s administration as insensitive and corrupt.
Sylva handed down the accusation during the week at the gubernatorial campaign flag-off of the All Progressives Congress, APC, which held in Ogbia town, headquarters of Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.
According to the petroleum minister, in Governor Dickson’s eight years of governance, the latter has received from the federation accounts allocation committee no fewer than N1.6 trillion without any corresponding development in the state.
The minister said,” sometimes I wonder when my friend, Governor Dickson tells Bayelsans that he has spent N30b on the Opolo-Elebele road project, he also said he has spent N60billion on the Bayelsa International Airport project at Amassoma. This makes it the most expensive Airport project in the world. But he who said he has built an Airport is not even flying through it. Governor Dickson for eight years received N1.6 trillion as allocation and other accruals to the state but Bayelsans is there development? Do you have light? students are your bursary paid?’’
Calling on Bayelsans to vote out the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on November 16th, National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole lauded the party’s guber candidate, Chief David Lyon for his humility and unassuming disposition, describing him as a consummate business man with a listening ear.
The former Edo State governor noted that stet led APC government would create jobs for youths and secure lives of citizens as well as secure their properties. The Party bigwig maintained that the APC candidate even as a business owner has in his payroll more than 5000 employees across the state working in his company which protects and secures National Assets, earning him respect and admirations within and beyond the state.
In his campaign speech, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo –Agege took a swipe on the PDP led government in the state, saying it is surprising that upon their arrival to the state, the amount of allocations the Dickson’s administration is known to have received from the Federal Government is not in tandem with development on ground.
Omo-Agege urged Bayelsans to vote en masse for the APC candidate in the forthcoming governorship election so as to usher in fresh ideas geared towards the development of the state.
The senator noted that the state is blessed with both human and natural endowments which when adequately harnessed would give the state and its people a face lift.
In his acknowledgment to the Ogbia people, Lyon promised to, amongst other things, overhaul the Imiringi gas turbine to restore uninterrupted power supply to Ogbia communities and other parts of the state just as he said the security challenges in the state and unemployment would be curbed.
Lyon said, “Ogbia is a great land in Ijaw Nation. Our Father Late Chief Melford Okilo did well. The gas turbine he built to give light to Ogbia would be made to work again so that Ogbia Kingdom and other parts of the state can be connected with electricity 24hrs. Goodluck Jonathan too is from this great land, infact he was the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and is respected all over the world. This land is blessed”.
The Governorship hopeful solicited for votes from the Ogbia people, stressing that a vote for him is a vote for development and empowerment.
Meanwhile, the traditional rulers, Chiefs and opinion leaders of Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area (KOLGA) of the state have thrown their weight behind Lyon’s candidacy.
This is coming just as the APC campaign train arrived the ancient towns of Kaiama, Odi and Sabagreia for its governorship campaigns.
Addressing people of the area, Lyon pledged to bring his wealth of experience in the private sector to bear in the governance of the state, stressing that the local government is known to have produced great sons and daughters of the state.
The Ologbobiri-born politician called on the Kolokuma/ Opokuma electorate and party faithful to vote for him, assuring them that he would run a populist and humane government if elected into office as governor of the state.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.