Category: South East

Five oil firms operating in Akwa Ibom State face imminent shutdown if the threats by the Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) are anything to go by.

Indications emerged yesterday after the inauguration of MOSIEND clans’ executives of five local governments of Oron extraction.

Those inaugurated were Okon Okon, Osung-Oron clan chairman;  Godgift Edet Inyang, Urueoffong/Oruko clan chairman; Nathaniel Kingsley Etifit, Mbo clan chairman; Gideon Effiong Unananwi, Udung Uko clan chairman and Victor Okon Uyah, Okobo clan chairman.

The socio-economic, cultural and political crusaders decried the alleged high level of marginalisation, neglect, deprivation and oppression being meted out to the people of Oro ethnic nationality by the multinational oil firms.

Inyang, who spoke on behalf of other chairmen shortly after the official inauguration, said that in spite of the numerous oil companies exploring oil and gas within their communities, there was nothing to show for it.

He claimed that their concerns were about the firms’ zero compliance for corporate social responsibility (CSR), lack of employment quota for their people, doing all employments and contracts in Lagos as well as allowing underdevelopment and poverty to ravage their entire communities.

Inyang also alleged that there was a total disconnect between the companies and communities as well as the alleged refusal of the Federal Government to intervene and give justice to the people of Oro.

He warned that if the oil companies failed to address the environmental injustice and neglect of their communities, they would be left with no other option but to shut down their activities in the state.

Inyang urged the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, and GMD/CEO NNPC Limited, Mallam Mele Kyari, to prevail on the oil firms to begin the implementation of Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) without further delay.

He hoped that the recently signed PIA would be tailored towards accelerating the socio-economic development of the oil-bearing communities in the Niger Delta.

The High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has set aside March 23 and 24 to hear and decide on preliminary injunctions to the N50billion suit filed against the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

A couple and employees of Shell, Emeka and Stella Okoli, filed the suit seeking damages for medical negligence by Shell Hospital in Port Harcourt during an appendectomy operation on their child, Chinazam.

Chinazam, the only son of the claimants, suffered brain damage and remained incapacitated, confined to a wheelchair following the alleged negligent surgical procedure by the Shell hospital and its doctors.

Those sued alongside Shell as second and third defendants are Dr. Alexander Dimoko and Dr. Dafe Akpoduado, who performed the appendectomy surgery on Chinazam in September 2016.

The defendants, through their lawyers, are labouring to stop the court from hearing the substantive matter through their applications on technicalities involved in serving processes.

When the court resumed yesterday to consider the preliminary objections, the lawyer to the claimants, Prof. Akin Ibidapo-Obe, informed the presiding judge, Justice Weli Chechey, of his fresh applications to amend the writ of summons and to increase the damages to N60billion.

The counsel for Shell, Cyriacus Orlu and that of the second and third defendants, Michael Amadi, told the court that their separate applications were hinged on an argument that the writ of summons used in commencing the action was incurably bad.

They said the writ was not in line with sections 97 and 98 of the Rules of Sheriff and Civil Processes Act and that the suit should be dismissed.

But Ibidapo-Obe insisted that he already raised a motion to amend the writ of summons and asked the court to be guided on the priority of hearing the applications, saying the defendants could not depend on the Sherriff Act to declare a writ incompetent.

Chechey adjourned the matter till March 27 and 28 for further hearing.

Edo House of Assembly yesterday confirmed eight of the nine commissioner-nominees sent to it by Governor Godwin Obaseki on February 1.

They were screened and recommended for clearance by the three-man ad hoc committee led by the Majority Leader, Mr. Henry Okhuarobo.

Obaseki had in a letter, dated January 25, and addressed to the Speaker, Mr. Marcus Onobun, requested the House to screen and confirm the nominees as commissioners.

Those on the list included: Chris Nehikhare, Omololu Ojehomon, Afishetu Braimoh, Stephen Idehenre, Osasere Evbuomwan, Donald Ojemeh, Okojie Newton and Jonathan Lawani.

The Committee Chairman, Okhuarobo, presented a report on the screened nominees to the House for consideration.

Presenting the report at the committee of the whole, he told the House that one of the nominees, Bamidele Obaitan, could not be screened due to unexpected emergency on the part of the nominee.

According to him, the nominees are physically fit and educationally qualified for the assignment.

The committee recommended that the nominees, having been found to be eligible, should be confirmed as commissioners.

Thereafter, the House unanimously, in a voice vote, confirmed the nominees as commissioners.

Onobun hailed Obaseki for giving youths like Okogbe Donald and Jonathan Lawani the opportunity to represent young people in his administration.

Speaking after his confirmation, Okogbe pledged to help redirect, reengage and refocus the youth’ energy for national development.

Imo State Council of Elders has urged Governor Hope Uzodimma not to relent in his efforts to recover properties belonging to the government and individuals, including the land looted or unlawfully converted to private properties by the ex-Governor Rocha Okorocha administration.

The council under the chairmanship of the Obi of Obinugwu, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, also unanimously passed a vote of confidence in Uzodimma for his massive infrastructural and agricultural development of the state, noting that his efforts at protecting lives and property were commendable.

These, among others, were contained in a communiqué by the council at the end of its inaugural meeting in Owerri.

The communiqué was endorsed by Cletus Ilomuanya and Dr. Maxwell Duru, chairman and secretary.

According to the communiqué, the council appreciates the efforts the governor is “making to enhance security as well as the bold steps being taken to recover stolen public and private property, including land, by the previous administration.”

The council described its establishment as a “remarkable decision by Uzodimma.”

The governor said: “The council was established to serve as a watchdog on his administration”, and pleaded that the council should speak up when necessary, in the interest of the state.”

Bayelsa State is agog ahead of activities marking the second anniversary of Governor Douye Diri.

He will be two years in office on February 14, but the anniversary activities begin today.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, former President Goodluck Jonathan, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors and the party’s National Chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, are among the personalities invited for the celebrations.

Others are former governor of the state, Sen. Seriake Dickson, members of the National Assembly, religious and traditional leaders.

A statement by the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ayibaina Duba, who is also the chairman of the Media/Publicity Committee, said the two-week programme of activities involves inauguration of projects by Dr. Jonathan, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, his counterparts, Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Sen. Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto).

Others are Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and Ayu.

Osinbajo will perform the launch of a bridge construction project linking Oporoma, the headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government with Angiama community on the Yenagoa-Oporoma road on February 17.

The projects scheduled for inauguration include the Bayelsa mega media complex housing the state radio and television stations, the newspaper corporation,  Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme complex, Yenagoa City link bridge and access roads, Igbedi community road, Elebele bridge and Nembe unity bridge.

Also slated for inauguration are the Igbogene-Okarki road, transport terminal building and lecture halls and laboratories at the Bayelsa Medical University.

Other activities include groundbreaking ceremonies of the Smart Learning Centre housing the Diri Industrial Skill and Entrepreneurial Training Centre and that of the new commissioners’ quarters as well as launch of the dry season farming and made-in-Bayelsa agric expo.

As part of the anniversary, the state will host a two-day meeting of the PDP governors in Yenagoa on February 13 and 14.

Elder statesman and former old Anambra State governor Sen. Jim Nwobodo at the weekend clarified his position on the governorship seat of Enugu State, ahead of the 2023 general election.

Nwobodo, who spoke to reporters in his Amechi Awkunanaw country home after a closed door meeting with the member representing Enugu South/Enugu North Federal Constituency and 2023 governorship aspirant, Ofor Chukwuegbo, said he did not have power to stop any aspirant from contesting the coveted seat.

Chukwuegbo was in Nwobodo’s home to seek his blessings to run for the governor.

The lawmaker was said to have lobbied the elder statesman to change his position on micro-zoning of the governorship position in the Enugu East Senatorial District.

Speaking with reporters after the meeting, the ex-governor said his position on supporting Nkanu East Local Government to produce the governor in 2023 had not changed.

He said: “I welcome everyone who visits me. As an elderly man, I gave my blessings to him because I have a right to say no.

“But I told them that I have not changed my position on Nkanu East. And I don’t have the intention to reconsider my position on that

“Chikwuegbo is my closest relation and came to talk with me as his father. He, just like any other person, has a right to aspire to any position. All powers belong to God. But I can’t take back my words on Nkanu East. My position is for equity and justice and I will like the rest of the state to give them the opportunity this time to govern the state.”

Speaking through Chiene I. Chiene, the director general of his campaign organisation, Chikwuegbo, accompanied by the greater Amechi Awkunanaw leaders, said he came to seek Nwobodo’s blessings to run for the governor.

Chiene said: “We’re here to see the father of politics in Enugu. Our visit here is to inform him of the ambition of our brother, Chukwuegbo, to be governor of Enugu State in 2023.

“We came to seek his blessings and we got that. This is why we’re leaving happily. He is our brother, our father, a trailblazer and a light bearer.”

An Urhobo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pressure group, DC-23, yesterday said it picked three Urhobo PDP governorship aspirants in its bid to secure the governorship position to Delta Central Senatorial District in 2023.

Reacting, Delta PDP Chairman, Kingsley Esiso, said the PDP had not taken a position on zoning and was not averse to any ethnic group’s aspirations.

He said he would not comment on the activities of ethnic groups pursuing their interests in the race for the governorship seat.

He said: “The party has not decided on who will be the next governor, so I cannot comment. But very soon the party will come up with a position. We are not averse to any ethnic group aspiring to the governorship position. But I will not comment on what any ethnic group is doing because they are free to do what they wish. Let’s wait for the party.”

It is unclear if the party will go outside the handpicked aspirants to pick its standard-bearer in the 2023 governorship election.

It said the three persons after its screening exercise are ex-Minister of Education (State), Chief Kenneth Gbagi, Delta Speaker, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori and ex-Chief of Staff, Olorogun David Edevbie.

Others who did not make the list include former Managing Director, NDDC, Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo and ex-Delta Works Commissioner, Chief James Augoye.

Delta PDP leaders have failed to agree on zoning after a deadlock at a meeting that included ex-Gov James Ibori, ex-Gov Emmanuel Uduaghan and incumbent Governor Okowa in Asaba.

A 13-member committee led by  Prof Nyerhovwo Tonukari was inaugurated  October, 2021 to prune the number of Urhobo PDP aspirants.

Its with terms of reference include acceptability, accessibility, integrity/credibility, capability, development strategy and Pan-Delta disposition.

Committee Secretary, Prof. Sunny Awhefeada, said it recommended the following persons in alphabetical order of their surnames: Chief David Edevbie, Chief Kenneth Gbagi and Rt. Hon. Chief Sheriff Oborevwori

The National Chairman of DC-23, Chief Ighoyota Amori, commended the committee for the success of the assignment.

He urged aspirants who didn’t make the list of three to accept the committee’s report and recommendation in good faith.

He said that the five aspirants who participated in the exercise “are all heroes and winners”.