The Nation Newspaper

Category: Kogi/Bayelsa 2019

  • Jonathan’s mother endorses Lyon, prays for his victory

    Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

     

    Eunice, the mother of former President Goodluck Jonathan, has endorsed Chief David Lyon, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the November 16 election in Bayelsa State.

    The mother of the former President granted her blessings to Lyon in Otuoke, her community in Ogbia Local Government Area when the candidate led his campaign train to her residence and other Ogbia wards to solicit for votes.

    Lyon was led to the home of Eunice by Ogbia leaders and Jonathan’s kinsmen including a grassroots mobiliser and former Chairman of Bayelsa Environmental Sanitation Agency, Chief Robert Enogha, who recently left the government of Seriake Dickson to join the APC.

    The APC candidate, who exchanged pleasantries and held brief discussions with Madam Jonathan, bowed before the woman for prayers and blessings.

    Jonathan’s mother, who spoke in Ogbia dialect, was seen beaming with smiles as she received the candidate and his team.

    Translating what the mother of Jonathan told Lyon, a kinsman of Jonathan in the entourage, Wisdom Ikuli said: “David my son, on behalf of my entire family, I have blessed you, almighty God want to use you to change the story of Bayelsa State”.

    Further confirming the development, Ikuli, who is an actor and activist said: “The great and most blessed people of Otuoke Community did not only speak, they acted and also matched their words with action. They told the incoming Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief David Lyon that he has secured their blessings.

    “In order to further confirm the above, they formally handed him over to our great Mother, Mrs. Eunice Jonathan, mother of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who blessed him with so much blessings.

    “David Lyon has taken the blessing from the community, any other blessing will be like that of Esau. Congratulations to Chief David Lyon. Any Diaspora blessing outside Otuoke even by our father, leader, hero, legend and living deity, President Goodluck Jonathan will not be effective”.

    Lyon, who was received by crowd of Otuoke residents at campaign ground in the area lamented the abandonment of the water project in Ogbia by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He promised to give the reactivation of the water project priority when elected a governor and to bring the Imirigi gas turbine back to life.

    He said the abandonment of the gas turbine had thrown the Otuoke community into perpetual darkness and vowed to restore light in Jonathan’s local government area.

    Read Also; I’ll present Diri, running mate to Jonathan, says Dickson

    Lyon said it was unacceptable that there were no good roads leading to Otuoke and other communities in Ogbia saying the local government area would witness tremendous development under his administration.

    Speaking to the crowd, he said: “They have kept you poor and have concluded that you can be easily bought during the election, if they give you money, collect it and vote them out. I assure you that I will use the resources of the state judiciously to develop Bayelsa”.

    At Otuokpoti community, Lyon promised to solve the problems of erosion,which had been washing away the community.

    He commended the late Melford Okilo for the shore protection of the community, but said it was regrettable that the Okilo’s project was abandoned by the PDP.

    Speaking to his people, Enogha appealed to them to vote for Lyon and the APC for development and better future.

    He said: “I cannot insult Dickson, but as one of those who engaged in the fasting and prayer he organised, it was revealed to me that the next governor of Bayelsa state would be one David, who has been taking care of people in the bush. Lyon is like the Biblical David ordained to be king over Israel. Let’s come out and vote for the APC.

  • PDP preparing money to buy votes, says Lyon

    Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

     

    The Bayelsa State Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief David Lyon, has accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of planning to resort to vote buying in its desperate attempt to win the November governorship election.

    Lyon, who took his campaign team to different wards in Yenagoa, the state capital, said having seen that it stood no chance to win the poll following the general acceptance of a progressive movement in the state, the PDP intended to induce voters and compromise the process.

    The candidate, whose campaign train was received by mammoth crowd at Igbogene, Agudama, Opolo, St Peters Down Yenegoa and Amarata, said the PDP’s reign was over in the state and no amount of money would save the party from defeat.

    Addressing the crowd at Agudama-Epie Ward 4, Lyon asked the people to remain focused in their decision to vote for him and the APC at the poll.

    He appealed to the people to collect their money, which the PDP would share at the poll but to vote the ruling party out to enable the APC correct all the mistakes of the PDP.

    He said: “I have already promised you that the Bayelsa money is not David Lyon’s money. Bayelsa money is for the development of Bayelsa and solving the problems of our people.

    “Today, you can see how some people are carrying Bayelsa money as if it is their own. Have you noticed that as we started the APC campaign, workers are now receiving their salaries earlier? Despite the fact that the money was there, were they paying like that before?

    “This is deception and PDP has been deceiving us in this state. They are planning to bring a lot of money to buy votes at the poll. Remember it is your money they want to give you. If they give you the money, collect it and vote them out”.

    Read Also; Court rules in Lokpobiri, Lyon case November 14

    Lyon said the APC would end the perpetual darkness, insecurity and usher in the era of industrial revolution and empowerment of women and youths.

    The candidate promised to drastically reduce school fees of tertiary institutions especially that of the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU) increased by the current government.

    He said: “This government has joked with us for about eight years. David Lyon is a humble servant. I and my team want to serve Bayelsans and we depend on you all to vote for APC. Our government that is coming will empower women and give women appointments. We will not disappoint women.

    “Youths be rest assured that your interest will be protected by our government. I was once a youth president. So, this is the right time for youths to wake up. At the poll, the PDP may give you N10,000. But what is N10,000 compared to your future?

    “We will provide good empowerment programmes. Can you imagine that they increased the school fees of our university, the NDU? But when we come on board, we will bring all the school fees down. For close to eight years that they have been in power, have they paid student bursaries? I will clear all the bursary arrears when I become governor”.

    At the palace of HRM. Godwin Gurosi Igodo, Ebeni-Ibe Atissa Kingdom, in Obogoro community, where he received royal blessings, Lyon mentioned different communities he had lived in Yenagoa since 1985, before finally settling down at Igbogene, Yenagoa.

    He told the monarchs that he had become an indigene of their kingdom having lived and grown up in the area. “I consider myself an Epie-Atissa man, and would work towards developing Yenagoa”, he said.

    He insisted that Yenagoa had been in pathetic condition under the PDP administration lacking all basic amenities and infrastructures such as water, electricity, modern markets, security and many others.

    Lyon said there was a need for the traditional rulers to partner with the APC government when elected to drive the development of the capital city and the entire Bayelsa.

    “We need to work together as a family because Bayelsa is a family. I believe it is God that made it possible for ordinary man like me, a local man like me to have aspired lead Bayelsa”, he said.

    Receiving different defectors to the APC, the Alternate Director-General, APC Campaign Council, Prof. Seifa Brisibe, described the APC as the light and urged people from the PDP to join the APC.

  • Kogi 2019: Senatorial candidates endorse Bello, step down for Adeyemi

    By James Azania, Lokoja

     

    Barely eleven days to the Kogi governorship election and the Kogi West Senatorial rerun, the coalition of Kogi West Senatorial candidates has endorsed Governor Yahaya Bello and his running mate, Edward Onoja.

    They also said that they have stepped down for Senator Smart Adeyemi in the Kogi West Senatorial rerun scheduled to hold on the same day as the governorship election.

    The candidates, including Olabode Adeyemi African Democratic Congress (ADC), Princess Roseline Ibitoye (Accord Party), Chief Samuel Atteh (PPA), Olasunkanmi Aina Olayinka (CAP), Noah John Abiodun (PPN) and Olasunkanmi Aina (PT), at a joint press conference, on Tuesday in Lokoja, said that their decision to step down was informed by current political exigencies.

    They also said it was based on the needs to alter the one direction political reality of Kogi State since 1992, which has always produced successive governors from one ethnic group, and for five uninterrupted terms since the creation of the state.

    They described the cling to power by one section as inequitable, unjust, unfair and demanding the concerns of all, thus the need to bury their aspirations.

    They said that the election of Bello has automatically reversed the one ethnic group dominance of the governorship seat and established a process for equitable power sharing that is fostering unity, fairness and equity.

    Read Also: Kogi polls: We ‘ll retire Bello, Adeyemi from politics – PDP

     

    Speaking on their behalf, Olabode Adeyemi of the ADC said that having weighed the factors that will inform voting on the November 16, took a decision they consider will be best for the state.

    According to him: “As important stakeholders to the November 16 governorship and the (Kogi West) senatorial election, we have reviewed the obvious realities, appraised the political journey of the past and have resolved collectively, to defer our ambitions till future election years and support the All Progressives Congress in the elections.

    “By this decision, we have instructed our agents in all the polling units, canvassers and coordinators across board to campaign, work, mobilize and vote for all the APC candidates for the November 16th election.”

    The candidates met with the governor, who was represented by his running mate, Edward Onoja, Speaker Mathew Kolawola; the Director General Smart Adeyemi Campaign, Hon. Fancy Jimoh and others.

    Onoja described the endorsement as a reflection of the thinking of the new direction of Bello, saying his re-election will be the best way to unite Kogi people.

    Kolawole explained that the decision is one that will guarantee total victory for the APC.

  • Kogi 2019: PDP campaign council demands CP’s removal

    James Azania, Lokoja

     

    The Kogi State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Campaign Council said it has passed a vote of no confidence in the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Hakeem Busari.

    The Deputy Director, Public Communication of the Council, Austin Okai Usman, on Tuesday, in a forwarded message, said that with Busari’s presence in Kogi, the November 16 governorship election cannot be rancour-free.

    According to him: “Police activities under the current CP has been reduced to taking instructions from the APC-led administration in the state.

    “The council noted with serious concern that the activities of the state police command under the current CP has reduced the contest of November 16, to a battle between the police and PDP.

    “This is a clear indication that virtually all government officials in Kogi and top APC members and their thugs are being protected, and at the same time using the state police commissioner’s men to chase, harass, intimidate; and threaten to kill PDP members across the state

    “Specifically, the council noted with serious worry, the activities of Governor Bello’s spokesman, Kingsley Fanwo, in Mopa Moro local government; Ndamodu Ali, former commissioner of local government in Ofu; clampdown of its supporters in Dekina, Ankpa, Bassa, Idah, Olamaboro; and the concluded plans to spread across the state, with the aid of the state commissioner of police, his men and the fake uniformed men, including those imported by Yahaya Bello, and engaged in dirty and illegal duties in Kogi.”

    Read Also; Kogi 2019: Court adjourns Abubakar/Wada case till after election

    The council urges the Inspector General of Police (IG), to effect his removal without further delay, “to avoid breakdown of law and order in the state.”

    It expressed reservations over the continuous detention of DCP Ejeh Suleiman Abutu (retd.) in SARS custody.

    The PDP appealed to the IG to remove the police commissioner in the interest of fair play, security of lives and property, and to “avoid reprisal attacks from any side of the political divide, particularly the PDP.”

    It alleged of the plans by the state government to enlist and incorporate the army on special operation, “into the unholy desire to retain power at all cost.”

    It called on the Commandant of the Army Records, to closely monitor the activities of his men, so as to insulate them from the ongoing infiltration of security agents by the state government.

  • I’ll probe Bello if elected, says Wada

    By James Azania, Lokoja

    The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State, Musa Wada, has said he will probe the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello if he’s elected governor during the November 16 election in the state.

    Wada said he’s determined to unravel the alleged sharp practices currently going on in the state.

    He said it was because of the fear of such a probe that the present leadership in the state had become desperate to retain power so that the people of the state would continue under such maladministration.

    Wada, who stated this on Sunday, said he would beam a thorough searchlight on the four years of the Governor Yahaya Bello administration in the state.

    Read Also: ‘Why Bello does not deserve second term’

    The PDP standard bearer told the people of the state not to leave any stone unturned so as to bring to book the darkest four years in the life of Kogi State, where salaries and pensions had become a privilege.

    He urged the people to vote out the present leaders, who never meant well for them, but using their platforms as APC members to defraud the people.

    According to him: “What is bad is bad, as the pretence of paying salaries to cleared staff of the government, leaving those owed for over 40 months as part of the election fever that has confronted the present administration. The worst will happen when re-elected.

    “As far as I am concerned, I will probe the four years administration of Governor Yahaya Bello and his cohorts, as I will be determined to unravel many sharp practices of the present administration.”

    The PDP candidate also cautioned the organised labour not to allow the administration to drag them into taking decisions that were inimical to the interest of the workers.

    Wada added: “Kogi State Government has been going round to cajole the labour leaders into unholy agreement to support their cause to return to Lugard House. The issue is beyond the leaders in the current order.

    “There will be no Otukpa or Onyagede Accord, and agreement between the labour and the state government, or rather any political bigwig, as we will collectively resolve to install a new government.

    “Gone are the days when politicians will be dragged to neighbouring states of Benue, Enugu, Kwara, Ondo and Edo to negotiate the fate of Kogites, as enough is now enough.

    “Gone are the days when projects will be inaugurated and not completed, or haphazard virements, all in the name of diversion. We must tidy up our records for public scrutiny.”

  • Give peace a chance, group tells electorate

    By James Azania, Lokoja

    Less than two weeks to the governorship and Kogi West Senatorial elections, a group, Kogi Coalition of Umbrella  Development Associations (KOCUDA), has called on the electorate to give room for peaceful elections.

    KOCUDA is made up of the Igala Cultural and Development Association (ICDA), headed by Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq; Ebira Peoples Association (EPW) led by Dr. Adeiza and Okun Development Association (ODA) led by Femi Mikikan.

    The group during a press conference yesterday in Lokoja said the forthcoming governorship election should not be allowed to degenerate into anarchy, as no meaningful development could take place in a violent atmosphere.

    Read Also: Kogi 2019: Tuface, nine other artistes headline peace concert

    They explained that the aim of forming the association was to douse the tension caused by ethnic polarisation and animosities that had always bedeviled the state at every turn of election.

    They said it was instructive for leaders of thought to start thinking of the future of the state.

    “Ethnic nationalism and mediocrity have become blind to our development and peace. Coming together, therefore, is an attempt to redirect our focus on development,” they said.

    Mikikan said the objective of KOCUDA was to complement the efforts of the state government and other bodies in the state in consolidating the gains so far recorded in promoting peace, unity and understanding across the geographical divides of the state.

    According to him: “This becomes even more imperative if we bear in mind that these associations; EPA, ICDA and ODA truly represent the aggregate interests and aspirations of their people.”

  • PDP: let polls be credible

    By Our Reporter

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use Kogi and Bayelsa elections to demonstrate its commitment to free, fair and credible elections without being influenced or manipulated.

    PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said this in a statement in Abuja while reacting to INEC’s deployment of extra National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) from other states to Kogi and Bayelsa for the November 16 governorship elections in the two states.

    Read Also: PDP accuses APC of planning poll rigging in Bayelsa

    He said the PDP already had a due diligence report on each of the deployed commissioners.

    “Our party recognises that while some are of clean records in their previous responsibilities, there are others who are known to be of questionable characters and fared far below expectations in their responsibilities,” he said.

    He cautioned INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to note the deployment of  officials with known integrity issues was capable of triggering crisis and jeopardising the credibility of the electoral process.

    The PDP spokesman advised INEC to allow the will of the people to prevail.

  • Visually impaired get training on voting

    By Our Reporter

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has trained visually impaired persons on the use of new technology called ‘Braille Ballot Guide.’

    The training was aimed at aiding them in casting their votes in the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa.

    The state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Monday Udoh, stated this while declaring the training open in Yenagoa on Monday.

    He explained that the initiative to introduce the device was to make people living with disabilities to be part of the election.

    Udo, however, urged the over 100 visually impaired persons, who attended the training, to endeavour to go out on the election day and exercise their franchise.

    Read Also: INEC deploys three national commissioners, seven RECs

    He said: “This initiative is to make sure that those with disabilities are part of the Nigerian election.

    “We, the Bayelsa INEC, thank the development partners that collaborated with us to ensure that persons with disabilities now have a voice to be heard.

    “We are grateful to those who have been able to bring the initiative for people to use the Braille Message Guide.

    “We have arranged that in every polling unit a physical challenged person attends he/she must be given first chance to vote, he/she must be given a different line to queue; that is to show our passion to make them to be part of the election.’’

    INEC’s Deputy Director of Civil Society Organisations Division Mrs. Lakunuya Dorothy said the sensitisation would help those not versed in Braille.

    She said the training became necessary because voting could be difficult “and the potential for error is high as ballots are not produced with disability in mind.”

    The Chairman, Joint National Association of People Living with Disabilities, Bayelsa State chapter, Mr. Ikilowei Eric, commended INEC for giving the physically challenged persons a sense of belonging through the training.

  • Court rules in Lokpobiri, Lyon case November 14

    By Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

    A Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has fixed November 14 for judgment in a suit filed by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri challenging the emergence of Chief David Lyon as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

    The judgment will be delivered two days to the governorship election in the state.

    In the suit, Lokpobiri, who is the immediate past minister of state for agriculture and rural development, applied for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the APC from presenting Lyon to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s candidate for the November 16 election.

    He further prayed the court to give an order of perpetual injunction stopping INEC from accepting and publishing David Lyon as the flag bearer and an order barring INEC from excluding him (Lokpobiri) as the APC candidate.

    Read Also: Diri better than Lyon, says Dickson

    Lokpobiri also requested orders stopping Lyon from parading himself as the APC candidate and INEC from recognising Lyon or putting his image on the ballot paper as the party’s governorship candidate.

    He, however, further asked the court to compel INEC to treat him as the lawful candidate of APC and to accord him the rights and privileges of a candidate of APC in the gubernatorial election.

    Lokpobiri averred that a governorship primary election committee was constituted by the National Secretariat of the APC under the chairmanship of Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, and that the committee in compliance with the directive of the party, conducted the primary poll through direct primary procedures.

    He noted that the primary election was conducted throughout the state with the involvement of local government and ward chairmen of the party with six governorship aspirants, including himself, participating in the process.

    Lokpobiri claimed that he won majority of lawful votes in five local government areas comprising Ekeremor, 48,113; Sagbama, 24,890; Ogbia, 13,349; Yenagoa, 18,258 and Kolokuma/Opokuma 6,809 votes.

    He said he won the primary poll with 111,439 to defeat Lyon, who polled 326 votes , but unlawfully declared the winner.

    Speaking after court proceedings, lawyer to Lokpobiri, Fitzgerald Olorogun, said his client  was done with the case and was hopeful to reclaim his stolen mandate.

    “We presented our cases, canvass our arguments and we are hopeful that Heineken Lokpobiri will reclaim his stolen mandate. We have confident in the court’s ability to do justice, and the facts are very clear, a lot of documents to show where the justice of the matter will take and my lord will respond. The parties involved have canvassed their cases and it is now left for the court to give judgment on the 14th of November,” he said.

    But counsel to APC, Sydney Ibanickuka, said they filed many preliminary objections challenging the competence of the suit.

    He said: “We on our side as respondents have filed several preliminary objections challenging the competence of the suit and sundry other issues, because of the nature of the suit itself. The court has said in its usual procedure for the adoption of all filed processes; the court will during judgment trash them one after the other.”

  • INEC deploys three national commissioners, seven RECs

    By Agency Reporter

    Ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday approved the deployment of three of the commission’s national commissioners and seven Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to the state.

    Head, Voter Education and Publicity Department in the Lokoja office of INEC, Alhaji Ahmed Biambo, disclosed this to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    He said the three national commissioners include Alhaji Mohammed Haruna, Chief Solomon Soyebi and retired Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Mu’azu.

    Read Also: EU group: How INEC can conduct credible poll in Kogi

    According to him, the affected RECs are Malam Ibrahim Abdullahi, Prof. Riskuwa Sheu and Mr. Emeka Ononamadu from Bauchi, Kano and Enugu states, respectively.

    Biambo said that the three RECs had arrived in Lokoja earlier to join the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. James Apam, preparatory to the state governorship election scheduled for November 16.

    He said that the remaining four RECs would arrive in the state on November 9 to join their colleagues.

    They are REC Benue State, Dr. Goshe Yilwatda; REC, Lagos State, Mr. Sam Olumekun; REC, Rivers State, Mr. Obo Effanga, and REC, Gombe State, Malam Umaru Ibrahim.

    Biambo said they were deployed to strengthen staff on ground to conduct a free, fair and credible election.

    He also assured the people that their vote would count during the election, but urged them to be peaceful and avoid negative actions before, during and after the poll.