News
Tam-George Tackles Rivers APC …As PDP Calls For Amaechi’s Job
The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to yet another scurrilous statement by the Rivers State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging that Governor Nyesom Wike had a hand in the judicial scandals that have engulfed Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transport.
Governor Wike categorically denies any role in Amaechi’s disgraceful plight.
Governor Wike had refrained from making public comments on this subject, because the people of Rivers State feel sadly vindicated by these latest scandals swirling around the Transport Minister.
In the run up to his screening by the Senate for the post of Minister in the federal cabinet in 2015, Nigerians were warned about Amaechi’s egregious antecedents in public office.
As governor of Rivers State, Amaechi left a shameful record of waste and dysfunction. His thoughtless policies and mismanagement of public funds literally broke the economic spine of Rivers State.
After his tenure in Rivers State, Amaechi was indicted for stealing public funds by a court-approved panel of inquiry.
Amaechi has of course always protested his innocence. But even chieftains of his party, the APC, including serving governors, have publicly praised Amaechi for bankrolling the party’s presidential campaigns in the 2015 general elections, and for sponsoring candidates in that election.
Amaechi’s financial contributions to the APC, estimated to be in billions of Naira, constitute serious financial crime against the people of Rivers State.
The allegations made against the Transport Minister by the justices of the court are therefore hardly surprising, because the scandals fall within a pattern of his moral turpitude in public life.
Rather than blame others for Amaechi’s woes, Nigerians expect the APC to ask the Minister to step down from office, in order to allow for a dispassionate inquiry into the serious allegations against him.
All the federal anti-corruption agencies have so far treated the serious allegations against Rt Hon Amaechi with the moral timidity of Lucifer’s wife.
Meanwhile, The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that for President Muhammadu Buhari to convince the nation that he is fighting corruption, the state’s former governor and current Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Ameachi, must be arrested and prosecuted over corruption charges.
The government spoke in reaction to the allegations made by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to the effect that Wike and some Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) big wigs, were the ones who asked some judges to implicate Amaechi.
It would be recalled that the APC Chairman in the state, Dr Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, had accused Wike, former Akwa Ibom State governor and Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, Incumbent Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmmanuel, and Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, of conspiring to allegedly tell judges to frame up Amaechi in the judiciary corruption scandal.
Two of the Supreme Court judges, John Inyang Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta, whose homes were raided by the operatives of the Directorate of State Service (DSS), had fingered Amaechi, as being responsible for their travails, for allegedly refusing to yield to his (Ameachi) bribe offer, for the purpose of influencing judgments, in two states, in favour of the APC.
Reacting to Ikanya’s statement, Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr Austin Tam-George, said, “the attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to yet another scurrilous statement by the Rivers State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging that Governor Nyesom Wike had a hand in the judicial scandals that have engulfed Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transport.
“Governor Wike had refrained from making public comments on this subject, because the people of Rivers State feel sadly vindicated by these latest scandals swirling around the transport minister. But all the federal anti-corruption agencies have so far treated the serious allegations against Amaechi with the moral timidity of Lucifer’s wife.
“In the run up to his screening by the Senate for the post of a minister in the federal cabinet in 2015, Nigerians were warned about Amaechi’s egregious antecedents in public office.
“As governor of Rivers State, Amaechi left a shameful record of waste and dysfunction. His thoughtless policies and mismanagement of public funds literally broke the economic spine of Rivers State.
Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to emulate the judiciary by asking ministers accused of corruption to step aside for proper investigation.
The party made the call in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Dayo Adeyeye, at the weekend in Abuja.
The National Judicial Council (NJC) had last Thursday announced its decision to suspend justices facing corruption charges.
The justices are Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court, Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Mohammed Tsamiya, and Kano State High Court Judge, Justice Kabiru Auta.
Others are Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja; Justice I. A. Umezulike, former chief judge of Enugu State, and Mu’azu Pindiga of Federal High Court, Gombe.
The PDP publicity secretary said that Justices Ngwuta and Okoro had alleged that they were the targets of a witch-hunt because they refused offers of inducement and bribes from two ministers.
They had named the ministers as those of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and his Science and Technology counterpart, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.
He said the ministers allegedly tried to offer bribe to the judges to subvert the course of justice in appeals against the decisions of lower courts in election petitions in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Ekiti and Rivers.
“In order to allow for a fair and independent investigation, it is incumbent on President Muhammadu Buhari to ask these ministers to step aside pending the conclusion of investigation into the allegations.
“The judiciary has set a very good example in its quest to fight corruption,” Adeyeye said.
“It has proven that it is ready to reform itself, and we commend the NJC for taking this bold step.
“Likewise, we call on the administration of the president to emulate the NJC,’’ he said, adding that anything less would confirm the belief that the administration considered itself as “above the law’’.
Adeyeye added that it would be a wrong signal, if the ministers were retained in the face of the serious allegations against them.
According to him, if such action is not taken, it will imply that the entire judicial corruption saga was a deliberate attempt to blackmail that arm of government.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has tasked troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD to dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the North Central region.
Shaibu gave the directive yesterday during his maiden operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North Central (JTF-NC), at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin.
This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, in Abuja, yesterday.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army would remain resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, stressing that troops must sustain pressure to decisively deny criminal elements freedom of action.
He assured personnel of continued deployment of combat enablers and operational resources to enhance clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.
The COAS reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, noting that improved welfare remained critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
He urged the troops to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, JTF-NC Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership and support.
Yahaya assured that troops would remain committed and steadfast in restoring peace and stability in the region.
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding training and infrastructure to address emerging security threats and strengthen operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, spoke during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, said the projects reflected significant progress made by the navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others were the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
“With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base.’’
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
In addition, NAVTRAC distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area of Rivers.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
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