Rivers

Primaries: Go To Court, INEC Challenges Lawan, Akpabio

Published

2 years ago

July 11, 2022

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has advised Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan; and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to seek redress in court following their failure to emerge as senatorial candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Yobe North; and Akwa Ibom North West, respectively.
This is just as INEC denied the reports making the rounds that it has published the names of candidates for Akwa Ibom North West, and Yobe North senatorial districts, ahead of the 2023 general election.
Lawan and Akpabio were rumoured to have been published as APC senatorial candidates for Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North West, respectively.
They had vied for the APC presidential ticket but lost to former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, who emerged as the standard-bearer of the ruling party.
However, the commission, in a statement, last Saturday, by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye, said it did not publish the personal particulars of any candidate for the two constituencies, stressing that the “commission is ‘funtus officio’ in the two cases”.
INEC stated: “The attention of the commission has been drawn to speculations circulating online on the outcome of some of the recent primaries conducted by political parties and related issues. In particular, allegations intended to impugn the integrity of the commission have been made in respect of the Akwa Ibom North West and Yobe North senatorial districts.
“To set the record straight, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria mandates the commission to monitor the organisation and operation of political parties, including their finances, conventions, congresses, and party primaries. In line with its constitutional and legal obligations, the commission deployed monitors to the various constituencies and received reports of such exercise.
“In relation to the primaries for the Akwa Ibom North West and Yobe North senatorial districts, the commission stands by the monitoring reports received from our state offices. For this reason, the commission did not publish the personal particulars of any candidate for the two constituencies at variance with the state reports. Right now, the commission is ‘funtus officio’ in the two cases.
“Aggrieved parties are at liberty to approach the Federal High Court and seek redress as provided in Section 285 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Sections 29(5) and 84(14) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
On the issuance of Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents, staff of the commission have been working hard, including weekends, to meet the deluge of requests received. As at Friday, July 8, 2022, the commission has processed 433 requests involving the certification of 1,662,776 pages of documents. Many of them are awaiting collection at the INEC Headquarters by some of the same applicants complaining of delay in issuance of the CTCs.
“Section 29 (4) of the Electoral Act provides that any person may apply to the commission for a copy of nomination form, affidavit, and any other document submitted by a candidate at an election and the commission shall, upon payment of a prescribed fee, issue such person with a certified copy of document within 14 days. Persons applying for CTC of documents should endeavour to act timely and within the ambit of the law.
“The commission will continue to uphold the integrity of the electoral process, including the deepening of the deployment of technology to enhance the credibility of elections,” INEC noted.

Rivers

FG inaugurates PH-Aba Rail Project … As Train Service Begins

Published

5 hours ago

May 8, 2024

The Tide

The Federal Government has inaugurated the 6.2 kilometre (KM) Port Harcourt-Aba railway project, marking the start of train operations between Abia and Rivers States.

The Minister of Transportation, Sen. Saidu Alkali, who said this at a ceremony in Port Harcourt, noted that the project was a crucial part of the 1,443km Port Harcourt to Maiduguri narrow gauge rail project.

He said the Port Harcourt to Aba section of the project was the initial part of the Eastern narrow-gauge railway, aiming to connect five geo-political zones of the country.

“The Federal Government is pleased to inaugurate the train service from Port Harcourt to Aba, a key priority area of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

“We are grateful to God for the completion of the Port Harcourt to Aba section, which will bring succour to the people.

“The Eastern narrow gauge covers five geo-political zones of the country, including South-South, South-East, North-Central, North- West and North-East”, he said.

Alkali said following the completion of the first segment and the start of commercial operations, work on the remaining part of the rail line would begin immediately.

“Shortly, we will take a train ride from Port Harcourt to Aba, which means that from today, passenger train service has commenced.

“We will continue the project from Aba to Enugu and from Port Harcourt to both Onne and Port Harcourt seaports for freight services.

“The ministry is currently in discussion with an investor to convert our locomotive from diesel to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to reduce transportation cost further”, he said.

The Minister assured Nigerians that arrangements were being made with security agencies to ensure adequate security along the rail routes.

He also announced free train rides from Port Harcourt to Aba between May 1 to May 4.

“The train will depart from Port Harcourt to Aba at 8 a.m. daily, while it will leave Aba to Port Harcourt at 3 p.m. daily.

“Full commercial operations will resume on May 7, 2024″, he said.

Muhammad Zakari, the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, said the project when completed would boost trade, enhance mobility and connectivity between the Southern and Northern part of the country.

He said the segment of the project was contracted to Messrs China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) on October 16, 2020, with a 36-month completion timeline.

“But due to technical and contractual issues, the project commenced in March 2022, involving the construction of modern stations and procurement of new rolling stock.

“The railway line will also connect the seaports of Onne, Bonny, and Port Harcourt to facilitate evacuation of goods and sundry freight through the Eastern corridor”, he said.

Zakari emphasised that upon completing the Port Harcourt to Aba railway, the Federal Government would push CCECC to expedite the completion of the 181km Aba-Enugu section of the project.

He said he was optimistic that inauguration of the Port Harcourt to Aba rail service would stimulate economic activities between the South-South and South-East zones of the country.

Rivers

Run Higher Education As Private Enterprise – Don

Published

5 hours ago

May 8, 2024

The Tide

A lecturer at The University of Port Harcourt, Professor Chineze Monica Uche, has advocated that higher education be run as a private enterprise in Nigeria.

Uche, who said this at the 187th inaugural lecture of the University, said higher education should be run as an enterprise and be managed with enterprising leadership skills.

The lecture was titled, “Twenty First Century University Administration in Managing Higher Education As An Enterprise”.

According to the university Don, tertiary institutions need to transform their research products to enterprise and not just for library shelves, offices and homes.

She emphasized that the mantra, “publish or perish”, should be changed to “publish, patent and prosper”.

Professor Uche said “institutions have to be entrepreneurial and investment friendly, internationalized, globalized, ICT compliant, quality assurance driven, engaging in collaboration, partnerships and be anchored on effective and efficient leadership that is enterprising and profitable”.

She emphasized that a 21st century higher education should be quality based and technologically driven, noting that in managing higher education as an enterprise, the adminstrator should be an administrator per excellent and efficient manager.

“He’s a bureaucrat, a friend, colleague, politician and visionary transformation leader. If we manage our work well, be it teaching, research, learning, administration, we will prosper and make profit to ourselves, institutions and society at large. If not, we will be at loss and our stay here will be a waste”, she opined.

Professor Chineze Uche, whose husband, Sir igweka Uche, is a renowned entrepreneur, recommended among others, self development among higher education administrators, saying that “money is key to open doors, strategic innovation and alternative funding method should be involved in curriculum development”.

Peculiar Imegi

Rivers

Christ Embassy Lays Foundation For Tuition Free School In Rivers

Published

5 hours ago

May 8, 2024

The Tide

Christ Embassy Church has laid foundation for the construction of a tuition free school for the vulnerable in Rivers State.

The foundation for the school, which will accommodate over five hundred indigent pupils were laid at Atali in the Obio Akpor Local Government Area.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has pledged to strengthen its partnership with the church in the promotion of education in the state.

The State commissioner for Education, Professor Chinedu Mmom, said this at the ground breaking ceremony of the inner city mission school building organised by Christ Embassy at Atali, Obiakpor Local Government Area.

Mmom, who was represented by a Director in the Ministry, Dr. Austin Ezekiel Hart, said the government will continue to partner with the church in raising children.

While thanking the Inner City Mission of Christ Embassy for the initiative, he said the government and the church will work together to uplift education in the state.

The Commissioner, However, said whatever school built by the church will be regulated by the Government.

Also speaking, the Zonal Pastor of Christ Embassy, Zone 1, Pastor Ameachi Udeaku, thanked the founder of the Church, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, for the vision of bringing education to the doorstep of every Nigerian child.

He said the school, which will be tuition free, will provide quality education to indigent children, not only in Atali Community, but in all other adjoining communities.

According to him, the construction of the school building, which will start immediately, will be completed in the next few months.

In a welcome address, the Director, Inner City Mission for Children Education, Christ Embassy, Pastor Omo Alabi, said the school, which is the 16th globally and the 13th in Nigeria, will cater for the education of indigent children.

Omo Alabi said the school is located in all the geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

According to her, the Atali project was the third so far in Africa within a month, adding that Malawi and Liberia were beneficiaries of the gesture.

She recommended Pastor Chris for the initiative, which, she said, will improve the education of indigent children not only in Africa, but across the world.

In his speech, the Paramount Ruler of Atali Community, HRH T. Eze . A. O. Ejekwu, commended the church for considering his community for the project.

King Ejeku said the school will not only provide education for vulnerable children in Atali and other Communities, but will boost the economy of the area.