Author: The Nation

Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike has told the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to stop raising false alarms ahead of the election.

Wike spoke on Monday at the campaign inauguration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Askari-Toru Local Government Area (ASALGA)

The Governor said Abe resorted to crying foul because he was unable to sustain his quest of soliciting acceptance from Rivers people to actualize his governorship dreams.

He insisted that nobody had stopped any candidate of political parties from campaigning and clarified that anyone intending to use a public facility for rallies must abide by the law and pay the non-refundable security fee of N5m.

The Governor said Abe had a penchant for raising false alarms and recalled that the former senator once claimed to be a victim of gunshots but failed to produce a doctor’s report to substantiate it.

Wike told Abe that the popularity that could win elections would not be secured in the media with false alarms but achieved with levels of direct relationship sustained with the people.

Read Also : Court bars PDP, Ayu from suspending, expelling Wike

He told the people of Asari-Toru Local Government Area to expect his administration to kick off the dualisation of the East-West Road in Emohua to Tema junction in Asari-Toru, before the 25th of February.

The governor said all the promises he made to the Kalabari people when he sought their support between 2014 and 2015 when he was gunning for governorship had been fulfilled.

Wike listed some of the projects as the sand filling project in Abalama town, the reconstruction of Marywood Girls School and phase one of the Tans-Kalahari road project, which would soon be inaugurated.

Campaigning for the PDP consolidation team, Wike urged the people to vote for Sir Siminialayi Fubara, his running mate Prof. Ngozi Odu and other candidates of the party.

Anambra Police Command has confirmed six persons dead in resumed hostilities between Omor and Anaku communities in Ayamelum Local Government Area.

Anambra Police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga in a statement said the incident was caused by a protracted communal dispute between the two communities.

Both communities, over the years, have been involved in a fierce war, which had led to the death and destruction of buildings in the area.

Ikenga identified one Nnamdi Maduneke and his accomplices were responsible for the fresh crisis, saying the Command was on his trail.

He said: “Anambra State Police Command is on the manhunt for Mr Nnamdi Maduneke and cohorts, wielding Ak47 rifles in the early hours of yesterday 6/2/2023.

“According to information received, the suspect and his cohorts without any provocation started indiscriminately in Omar Community, Anyamelum LGA and murdered six persons and inflicted serious injuries on two others.

Read Also : Many feared dead as violence erupts in Anambra communities

“The joint task force team comprising Police and military was deployed in the area. The presence of these security forces have reinforced the security of lives and properties and enhanced the provision of law and order in the area.

“Preliminary information reveals that the cause of the incident is a protracted existing communal dispute between the two communities, Omor and Anaku in Anyamelum LGA.

“Meanwhile, patrols/operations are still ongoing and the situation is being monitored. Further development shall be communicated.”

The Federal Government has blasted some opposition parties for rushing to court for an injunction to restrain President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele from extending the Feb.10 deadline for cash swap.

It accused the parties of playing a political game with the redesign of the naira, claiming the “unscrupulous” parties were against any action that could reduce the pains being experienced by Nigerians.

The Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed took swipes at the affected opposition parties at the 23rd PMB Administration Scorecard series in Abuja.

He said: “Let me use this opportunity to assure Nigerians that the Federal Government is mindful of the inconveniences currently being endured by citizens as a result of fuel supply disruptions and the recent redesigning of some Naira notes.
” The government is working assiduously to restore normalcy to these critical enablers of economic activity and to take added measures, where necessary, to alleviate the pains of Nigerians.

“Recall, ladies and gentlemen, that after his meeting with Progressives’ Governors on Friday, President Buhari urged citizens
to give him a seven-day window to resolve the currency crunch that has emanated from the implementation of the Naira redesign policy.

“Unfortunately, on Monday (yesterday), some opposition political parties ran to court to obtain an injunction restraining Mr. President
and the CBN from extending the Feb. 10 deadline for Nigerians to exchange their old notes for new ones.

“The court action came after a number of opposition parties threatened to boycott the 2023 general elections if the deadline was extended.”

He said the move by the parties amounted to legally hamstringing Buhari.

Read Also: My empowerment scheme held long before CBN cash swap-Hon Mai Wake

Mohammed added: ” These curious actions by the parties concerned are clear evidence that the opposition has turned this whole issue into a political game, preferring to make Nigerians suffer more on the altar of unconscionable political gamesmanship. Or how else can one explain the fact that these unscrupulous opposition parties do not want any action
that could reduce the pains being experienced by Nigerians.

” How else can one explain the fact that they have decided to legally hamstring Mr. President, in particular, from providing any relief for Nigerians suffering from the cash crunch? It is bad politics when you put the
the interest of desperate political parties over and above that of Nigerians, the same Nigerians whose votes you earnestly seek.”

The Minister said the parties have demonstrated that they are enemies of Nigerians.

He said: “One thing is sure though: the desperate actions will not save these sinking political parties as voters have already seen that they are the real enemies of the people and not President Muhammadu Buhari or the All Progressive Congress (APC).
” And despite the antics of the opposition, rest assured, ladies and gentlemen, that the government is willing and able to take decisive steps to bring succour to Nigerians in the shortest possible time.”