Politics
I Stand For A Kalabari Gov But… – GDI Coordinator
Disciple Peter Abbey, the Degema Local Government Area Coordinator of the Grassroots Development Initiative, GDI, a political pressure group founded by the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has declared his desire to see a Rivers State Governor of Kalabari extraction on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Abbey, who was also, until recently, the chairman of the Degema LGA chapter of the PDP said that while he would love to see a Kalabari man emerge as the party’s candidate for the governorship contest in next year’s general elections, and also emerge as successor to Governor Wike, the ultimate decision of who flies the party’s flag was beyond his personal wishes and aspiration.
Speaking exclusively with The Tide in Port Harcourt, he said that the final and binding governorship candidate decision was that of the party and he as a loyal party man will abide wholeheartedly by the resolution of the party and work with the choice of the party, irrespective of where the person comes from.
He said that the process of choosing a suitable candidate for the party will be a collective one and as soon as the decision is taken, all members of the party will be expected to sink their differences and work together for the overall success of the party, adding that the interest of the party is bigger than any individual or sectional interest.
According to Disciple Abbey, who just got elected as the PDP’s standard bearer for the Degema State Constituency seat in the Rivers State House of Assembly, “the party’s decision is final”.
“On the issue of riverine governor, there is nothing like a riverine governor. Let me say it emphatically, I stand with a Rivers State Governor of Kalabari extraction. That is what I, Peter Abbey, would pray it should be.
“But this is a party issue and Degema is not the only local government that make up Rivers State, and Degema PDP people are not the only PDP people in Rivers State.
“The family (PDP) will sit down, when the family sits down, and they look at it and they say we all agree that it should be here, we will all fall in line as we have always done.
“So, if the system (that is all of us) says let us go like this or like that, we all will queue up. If the system says it should go to the Kalabari area, so be it; if the system says it should not go to the Kalabari area, so be it”, he said.
The Degema PDP House of Assembly hopeful said the party’s primaries do not produce winners and losers but choices that would represent the party with members standing a chance to benefit from the success of the party in the general polls.
“We go for primaries, they vote. You win me? No, you don’t win me because we’re the same party. So, you can not come and say ‘ I don win you’. The issue is that the party has only said you represent us and as a member of the party, I will still benefit.
“So, all we have to do is to come behind you to see how we will work together for the greater good of the party”, he said.
By: Opaka Dokubo
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.