Politics
RSG Begins Another Round Of Projects Inauguration
A release by the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, last week, said another round of projects inauguration would kick-start today with the commissioning of the Okoro-nu-Odo flyover bridge .
The former Governor of Cross Rivers State, Donald Duke will officially Commission the project.
According to the release, Rumuogba flyover will follow suit on Tuesday, 2nd March, 2021 and the former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso will do the official commissioning.
Other legacy projects which would be inaugurated in the state include GRA Phase Two Road Projects, the New Government House Clinic and Press.
He explained that apart from unveiling of completed projects, this week would also witness the flag off of the two newly approved flyover bridges, one at Aba Road/ Rumukalagbor and the second one at Olu-Obasanjo/ Ikwerre Road .
The one week inaugurations would attract top political leaders and other personalities across the country to the state .
Another major event last week in Government House Port Harcourt was the courtesy visit by the new Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Friday Eboka. The Police boss said his visit was to solicit for effective synergy with the State Government which was needed for him to succeed in fighting crimes in the state.
The Commissioner of Police said: “ My duty in this state is to fight crime and criminality. I know I cannot do that work alone without synergy with other stakeholders”.
Eboka also informed the Governor that he had dissolved the E- Crack team of the State Police Command because of the uncanny report agaist it and redeployed the officers to other units.
The Rivers State Chief Executive advised the State Police boss to shun politics and concentrate on his mandate to fight crime without fear or favour.
He said there was so much criminality in the society and urged police officers not to abandon their duties of protecting lives and property. The Governor emphasised that nobody should be above the law and said if any criminal was arrested, such a person should be charged to court.
He further charged the police commissioner to get rid of bad eggs in the command and assured him of the state government support in fighting crimes in the state.
The Governor noted the increase in the level of kidnapping in the state and blamed the unfortunate situation on the immediate past Police Commissioner whom he accused of abandoning his duty.
Also within the week under review, Governor Wike played host to the Senate Committee on Niger Delta led by it’s chairman, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.
The Governor expressed disappointment with the National Assembly for confirming the sacked Service Chiefs as Ambassadors. He wondered why Senators who agreed with Nigerians on the poor performance of the Service Chiefs should turn round and clear them for ambassadorial positions.
Wike lamented the failure of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to achieve it’s core mandate and blamed the situation on National Assembly, the Presidency and the ruling political party.
“ The National Assembly is part of the problem of NDDC. The Presidency is part of the problem of NDDC and the party in power is part of the problem of NDDC, whichever party it is. They don’t allow NDDC to perform. We too in N’Delta are not allowing them to perform. We are enemies of ourselves”, he said.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi lauded Governor Wike for being a strong voice for the region and assured him that the committee would do everything possible within the limits of the Constitution through their oversight functions for them to achieve their objective.
Also last week, the Brick House landlord received the Chairman/ CEO of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier-General Mohammed Marwa (rtd) in his campaign against illicit drug in the country.
By: Chris Oluoh
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
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