Category: South East

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged Nigerians, especially, the Igbo, to learn how to trust President Muhammadu Buhari.

Kalu, speaking yesterday at his Igbere country home during a meeting with leaders of OUK Movement and Reality Organisation in Bende Local Government of Abia State, said the Igbo should believe and trust Buhari.

The former Abia State governor, who described the President as a disciplined leader, noted that he (Buhari) might surprise the Igbo (against their general perception of Buhari).

According to Kalu, Buhari has done more notable economic projects in the Southeast than other past leaders against the general belief that he (Buhari) doesn’t have regards for the Southeast.

Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano has urged monarchs to shun corruption and encourage unity.

He also advised them to promote peace and carry everybody along in their activities.

The governor spoke yesterday at the Government House, Awka, through his Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Matters, Mrs. Veraqueen Okonkwo, during the issuance of certificate of recognition to the traditional ruler of Abacha town in Idemili North Local Government of Anambra State, Igwe Godwin Odiegwu Ikedim Abachacheleku III.

He said the government was looking up to the monarchs to work in synergy with it to develop rural areas.

Obiano said: “The aim of government recognition of traditional rulers is to partner them to bring development to the grassroots.

“It’s government’s expectations that you work to justify the confidence reposed in you while in office.”

The traditional prime minister of the community, Onowu Paul Omofia, thanked the governor for recognising their monarch, who he noted was chosen by the town.

He pledged on behalf of the traditional council and the community to support the government in its task of doing legacy projects.

EDO State Governor Godwin Obaseki has said his administration will this year complete the ongoing state-wide taxpayers’ enumeration exercise, as part of efforts to improve tax system and boost revenue.

The governor yesterday in an online statement by his Special Adviser on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, said his government planned to undertake citizens’ reorientation programmes, to reinforce a sense of belonging in the citizenry and provide them with the opportunity to understand, participate and contribute to deepening governance.

He said the reforms in tax collection and management, aimed at increasing the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), would strengthen the economy and propel the much-needed growth to engender inclusive development.

Obaseki said: “In the new year, we will complete the state-wide taxpayers’ enumeration exercise and synchronisation of databases at the Edo Internal Revenue Service (EIRS), Ministry of Wealth Creation and Cooperatives, Edo Geographic Information Service (EdoGIS) and local governments, to facilitate the design/implementation of business incentive schemes, tax harmonisation and voluntary compliance.”

He said the 2022 Appropriation Bill, now being signed into law, would help in the realisation of government’s vision to enhance reforms in the administration’s process, stimulate economic prosperity and improve ease of doing business, so as to attract private capital to engender sustainable development.

The governor said: “Our 2022 budget is informed by the government’s Making Edo Great Again (MEGA) agenda, which prioritises the promotion of social inclusion, economic empowerment for the citizens, through the deepening of investments in socio-economic, governance and security infrastructure; and through the implementation of initiatives that guarantee equal access to education, health care and social protection.”

Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has expressed optimism about his administration’s ability to complete the multi million naira Leisure Park and Film Village projects, despite dwindling revenue.

Okowa, who spoke to reporters yesterday in Asaba, said the projects were crucial to his ‘Stronger Delta Vision’, adding that they would continue to receive funding despite financial challenges due to dwindling revenue.

He said the projects would be completed next month.

The governor said the equipment for the leisure park and film village had arrived at the Lagos seaports and would be installed before the end of next month.

Dr. Okowa expressed satisfaction with the pace of work, stressing that he would revisit the site to ensure that the deadline was met.

He said his visit to the projects was his first assignment in the new year, adding that it was a mark of the importance he attached to the twin projects.

Said he: “We have gone round and obviously a lot of work has been done. There is no doubt that there may be one delay or the other, but definitely a lot of progress has been made.

“I have been reassured by the contractors that civil works will be completed by the end of February.

The civil works will be finished by the end of February from what I see, but some environmental works are still going on, the issue of greenery of the area.

“As we walked round, we saw some of the trees that are being nursed for the purpose of planting and I am told that many more are also coming in.

“So, we look forward to the completion of the civil works and the greenery of the area by the end of February.”

Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has flayed the remarks credited to Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, against the Ijaw nation.

The President, Peter Timothy Igbifa, in a statement in Port Harcourt yesterday, said it was sad that Wike, while making his speech during the Ogoni Day celebration, remarked that the Ijaw were behaving as if they owned Niger Delta.

Wike, speaking on Tuesday at Bori, had accused the Ijaw ethnic nationality of trying to appropriate Niger Delta to themselves.

He said the Ijaw had no right to think that everything in Niger Delta belonged to them and that they had the exclusive right to produce critical appointees into key Niger Delta agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

“I must tell you the truth,” the governor said as he condemned protests by the Ijaw against appointment of non-Ijaw people from the Niger Delta into such agencies.

But Igbifa said: “We don’t know where the governor got his impressions from. Whatever he said does not represent our noble ethnic group. The Ijaw died in the 2015 elections that saw the emergence of Nyesom Wike as the governor of Rivers State.”

The IYC boss wondered what the Ijaw Nation had done to Wike to warrant such public outburst against the ethnic group that had supported his administration from inception.

He recalled that an Ijaw man and former President Goodluck Jonathan; an Ijaw woman and ex-First Lady Patience Jonathan alongside other Ijaw leaders picked Wike and made him the governor of Rivers, against other Ijaw aspirants, including the ones they promised ticket.

Igbifa said: “We are disappointed that Wike could stand on a public rostrum and throw tantrums at the Ijaw nation. His remarks were to say the least unfortunate.

“The Rivers governor should have exercised restraints in his public utterances despite his misgivings against the Ijaw, as a mark of respect for former President Jonathan, his wife, Patience, and other Ijaw leaders, who railroaded him into the governorship seat of Rivers State.

“It was by virtue of these leaders that Wike first became a minister and then a governor of Rivers State. His comment is an insult against these leaders and an ungrateful demonstration that he didn’t value the roles they played in his life.”

Wike has given N30 million to the families of three police officers, who died on duty last year.

The deceased, Inspectors Isaac Isodje, Saviour Udeh and Ebenezer Edward, who served under the Diobu division of the command, were killed last November by armed men during a stop-and-search.

Presenting cheques on behalf of the governor, Information and Communications Commissioner Paulinus Nsirim said the gesture was Wike’s demonstration of his commitment to ensure that the bereaved families were not left in misery.

He said: “This is a token of love from the governor to the families. Although money cannot replace a life, it is a way of showing love to officers and men who serve in Rivers State that the government will always be behind them, no matter the situation they find themselves.

“So, the amount here is a token of love from the governor as a man who has the milk of human kindness and compassion to cushion the impact of this great loss.”

Accompanied by his colleague in the Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Mrs. Inime Aguma, Nsirim said the governor recognised the value of service the police rendered to the state and conveyed Wike’s condolences to the police command and the bereaved families.

He prayed God to grant the bereaved families the fortitude to bear the loss.

Police Commissioner Mr. Ebuka Friday described the governor’s monetary presentation to the families of the fallen officers as an uncommon gesture of encouragement.

He expressed the gratitude of the command to the governor, who he said kept to his promise after he hinted him about the death of the officers.

Ebuka recalled that two of the officers were killed while carrying out a stop-and-search operation at Diobu, Port Harcourt, on November 2, while the third officer was killed on November 9 while on an operation to arrest the killers of the two officers.

Responding on behalf of the recipients, Mr. Isaac Okeoghene, son of one of the deceased, thanked Wike for the gesture and prayed that God would reward him.

He described as wrong, Wike’s claims that the Ijaw were behaving as if they owned Niger Delta, following the way some Ijaw expressed themselves in public.

“The governor has boasted many times of the power of Obio/Akpor in the making of governor of Rivers State, making many people view him as arrogant.  But is Wike truly arrogant? No, but he is vocal and this is exactly how he should view the Ijaw people.

“Does that also mean that Ikwerre is claiming ownership of Rivers State? No? We are calling on the governor to change his perception about Ijaw people because we are known for our hospitality anywhere we find ourselves.

“It is wrong for a governor who has always carried himself as a democrat to make such negative remarks against a patriotic nation agitating for the common good of the entire Niger Delta.

“It is the constitutional right of all citizens, despite their locations, to hold peaceful demonstration, unless Wike is saying the constitution has barred the Ijaw from holding protests in Rivers State,” Igbifa said.

He added: “We want to remind Wike that though the Ijaw have never said they own the Niger Delta, we remain grateful to other ethnic groups that joined in making Niger Delta region outstanding. The vocal voice, contributions and agitations alongside our Ogoni, Ikwerre, Urhobo and Itsekiri brothers have been the reason Niger Delta has received global attention.

“These efforts are the main reasons for the creation of the NDDC, the Niger Delta Ministry and the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), which have renegotiated the fortunes of Niger Delta.

“Our contributions in the Niger Delta cannot be downplayed or wished away through the reckless utterances of any leader. We deserve respect from the likes of Wike, whose kernel was cracked by benevolent spirits using Ijaw people, hence, His Excellency should be humble.

“The governor should remember that God made it possible for him and if God says Ijaw will be the next in line, His will, will prevail. Your assertion is contrary to my new year message to Ijaw politicians as I call on them to consult with other ethnic groups in Rivers and Delta with effective grassroots mobilisation, as politics has gone beyond ethnic divide. Why will I give such counsel to our politicians if we claim to own Niger Delta?

“The Rivers State governor owes us an apology for his unwarranted and unprovoked attack against the Ijaw nation. His remarks were to say the least provocative and insensitive.”