Politics
PVC, Vote Buyers Commit Same Offence – Fubara … PDP Boss Assures On Ogoni/Andoni Unity Road Completion
The Peoples Democratic Party’s, (PDP) gubernatorial candidate for the 2023 general elections in Rivers State, Amaopusenibo Siminialayi Fubara, has admonished the electorate not to give any information about their PVC to anyone.
The PDP standard bearer gave the admonition in his address at the Grassroots Development Initiative’s (GDI) Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) Collection Sensitization Rally that held at Mogho in Gokana Local Government Area.
AmaopuSenibo Fubara said very soon some persons would approach them with all sorts of empowerment packages in order to get their PVCs, but warned that under no circumstances should they compromise by giving them the PVC or information on the PVC.
“Some people will come and promise you empowerment. These are people who have not remembered you for these many years. Don’t give your PVC information to them. Safeguard your PVC.
“The person that will give you money for your PVC commits the same offence as the person that will give you money for vote. Please don’t fall for them for any reason “, he warned.
He thanked the people of Gokana for their support for the GDI,assuring that the support would not go unrewarded.
Describing the mammoth crowd that attended the occasion as ‘Gokana Earthquake’, the Chairman of the PDP in the state, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, said he decided to attend the rally at Gokana in order to visit his friends, especially those in Ward 16.
Ambassador Akawor, who is also the chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), expressed gratitude to the GDI for what it is doing in enlightening the people of Rivers State on the need to collect their PVCs while thanking Gokana people for their impressive turnout.
In his own remarks, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Engr Emeka Woke, advised media houses to be objective in their reportage and avoid sensationalism.
He said he was at the event to confirm if GDI had no supporters in Gokana as was being speculated in the media but noted that the body still commands enormous support in the area.
He thanked the people of the area for believing in the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike, which has brought development to them.
The rally which attracted the creme de la creme of the Gokana political elite including Chief Kenneth Kobani, Dr Fred Kpakol, Chief /Mrs Priscillia Vikue, among others took place at Central State School field, Mogho.
The mammoth crowd at the rally from the 17 wards of Gohana was intimidating, an indication of the overwhelming support Gokana people have given to the Grassroots Development initiative, as confirmed by the stakeholders in their solidarity speeches.
The stakeholders assured GDI and, by extension the PDP, that their support remained is irrevocable.
High point of the event was a procession by the 17 wards in the local government area .
Meanwhile, the GDI PVC Collection Sensitization train landed in Andoni Local Government Area on Monday with the PDP Chairman, Ambassador Desmond Akawor assuring the people of the area that the Ogoni-Andoni Unity Road project remained a top priority project of the Wike led administration.
Ambassador Akawor who stated this while addressing the people of Andoni during the sensitization program held at State School, Asarama, said though the road is one of the most expensive projects, the present administration was determined to complete it.
While announcing that the contractor would soon move to site, IPAC Chairman in the state appealed for the cooperation of the people of the area so that the project could be completed as planned.
“The Ogoni-Andoni Unity road is one of the most expensive projects in Rivers State. The Governor has made commitment that the road must be completed. This is the desire of the Governor of Rivers state.
After the construction, Andoni will no longer be a riverine community, Andoni will become upland”, he said.
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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