Category: SouthEast

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has paid N95million for the use of public facilities in the state for its open door campaign, in line with Executive Order 21.

It was gathered that the payment by the PDP was in compliance with the precautionary requirement of N5million per venue stipulated by Executive Order 21.

Other parties in the state, especially All Progressives Congress (APC), have been kicking against the executive orders, describing them as unconstitutional.

A statement issued by the Chairman of the Publicity and Communications Committee of the Consolidation of the New Rivers Vision Campaign Council, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, confirmed that even the ruling party in the state had complied with the law.

He said the party had received an official approval from the office of the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Prince Chinedum Mbom, to use the facilities after meeting the requirements.

Executive Order 21 prescribes the payment of N5million by parties as precautionary fees for the use of public facilities such as schools for campaigns and rallies.

The letter conveyed to the PDP in Rivers State reads: “I hereby acknowledge receipt of your deposit of N95million only into the state government  account, being the required precautionary deposit for the use of your indicated public schools’ facilities in Rivers State. 

‘Sir, Sequel to your compliance with the directive as contained in our letter dated December 6, 2022, I hereby convey to you, my approval of your request for the use of state-owned schools’ facilities as indicated in the annexure to your application.”

Nwuke said with the letter of approval, the PDP was ready to begin its campaigns in public facilities.  

He said: “Prior to this time, we had publicly indicated as a responsible political party that the PDP shall comply with the dictates of Executive Order 21.

“Now that we have received appropriate authorisation, following full compliance with the order, we are prepared to start open air campaigns in Rivers State. 

“Similarly, we attach a photocopy of the letter of approval to show proof that the PDP is not above the law. While thanking Rivers people for their support for our great party, we assure them that our candidates will fulfil the promises made to the electorate. 

“Governor Nyesom Wike has met and gone ahead to surpass the promises made to the people to pursue a clear vision that is transforming the state into the home of infrastructure.

“Siminalayi Fubara and our candidates will consolidate on the dividends of democracy that are being delivered by the PDP. This is our pledge to the masses.”

The Forum of All Progressives Congress (APC) Ward Chairmen in Akwa Ibom State has hailed leaders of the party in the state for the recent reconciliatory meeting held to unite and strengthen the party ahead of the general election.

In a statement by the Chairman of the forum, Frederick Asuquo, in Uyo, the party’s ward chairmen commended the leaders for the move aimed at repositioning APC.

The forum praised the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Obong Umana Okon Umana, for convening the reconciliatory meeting, which sought to resolve the factional crisis that divided and threatened the fortune of the party ahead of the elections.

It also lauded former Niger Delta Affairs Minister Chief God’swill Akpabio, the state Chairman of the party, Mr. Stephen Ntukekpo and other notable chieftains for taking bold steps to settle contending issues and prepare the party for victory.

The ward chairmen said they had been emboldened to work for the party’s victory in the forthcoming elections.

Less than one per cent of the trained ex-Niger Delta agitators are gainfully employed, the Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu (rtd), has said.

 The Interim Administrator, who spoke in Abuja yesterday, explained why the PAP scholarship programme was halted, saying the N7 billion scholarship programme was unsustainable. 

Ndiomu, who revealed that auditing of the activities of PAP was ongoing, however, assured the students currently on the programme that everythng possible would be done to ensure they did not suffer any setback.

 Speaking about the employment status of trained agitators, the retired Army General, who expressed shock at the number of trained ex-agitator gainfully employed, said: “Interestingly, when we look at the data we have for even the ex- agitators and members of impacted communities that benefited from either the scholarship scheme or the vocational training programmes, we realise that less than one per cent are gainfully employed. And I’m not joking, less than one per cent, And that is totally at cross purposes with whatever was intended of the amnesty programme.”

 He also cited the example of the 350 Niger Delta youths, who despite presidential directives, were yet to be absolved by government agencies since 2017. 

He, however, said the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, was already looking into the matter.

 He added that his engagements with heads of government agencies would soon begin to yield positive results that would see more of the ex-agitators gainfully employed.

Men of the Fire Service in Anambra State were on Sunday night attacked by unidentified persons, predominantly youths in Onitsha.

The victims, who were on a rescue mission near Uga junction, by Atani road, following distress call of fire, sustained injuries, while their truck windscreens and side glasses were damaged.

The Nation gathered that the angry youths, who accused the firefighters of late arrival, reportedly pelted them with stones, sticks and irons, leaving some of them injured, and windscreens of their trucks shattered.

Confirming the incident, the Fire Chief, Martin Agbili, an engineer; described it as unfortunate, saying the perpetrators must be arrested and prosecuted.

He said although nobody died, his men, who narrowly escaped the mob attack while the stone pelting persisted, sustained injuries.

Petrol users in Akwa Ibom State have attacked the state government over its failure to intervene in the indiscriminate hike of the product by marketers.

Consumers, especially motorists and commuters, have continued to groan under the hike in petrol pump price, which now sells for between N320 and N350 per litre in most filling stations.

As at last week, fuel was sold for between N250 and N290 per litre, but shortly before Christmas, the pump price increased to N300. It now sells for N350 per litre.

Although there is no reported case of scarcity of the product, The Nation reports that petrol stations have remained shut. However, those dispensing fuel, sell at cut-throat prices.

Checks by our correspondent in Uyo on the fuel situation in neighbouring states indicate that fuel sells for between N250 and N260 per litre in Cross River and Rivers states.

Angered by the situation, consumers, who spoke with our correspondent, blamed the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration for not stopping the incessant hike by marketers in Akwa Ibom State.

For instance, Unwana Assam said: “In the early hours of today, I placed a call to a friend who is based in Abuja and the two others who are in Lagos to ask and confirm how much is the pump price. I received the shock of my life when they both confirmed to me that fuel is sold in the nation’s capital and the business hub at a price below N200.

“Immediately, I paused and asked myself; what exactly is wrong in Akwa Ibom that even the government seems less concerned about the well-being and what affects the people? That, even if you kill someone, roast and hawk on the street, the government will care not until the situation gets out of hand.

“When Akpabio was the governor, I could remember vividly how he used to set up a task force committee to checkmate the distention of pump prices by the petroleum dealers in the state and whoever hikes the price beyond the normal, his/her fuel station will be sealed off by the task force.

“Although the measure did not completely curb the hike of pump prices, at least, dealers were very careful whenever they wanted to increase the price of their product.

“Today, the price of fuel in Akwa Ibom is higher than the prices in other states in the federation. It started on December 1, and it has continued to date, and nobody, not even the government that’s supposed to strictly checkmate this new menace said or done anything about it.”

However, Akwa Ibom State Government has frowned at the hike in the price of petrol by independent marketers in the state and has threatened to deploy a special task force to address the situation.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Petroleum Matters, Sir Victor Etefia, who had embarked on a surprise visit to petrol stations around Uyo metropolis, said the monitoring team would intervene.

He said: “The monitoring team of my office will begin a station to station inspection from tomorrow (Monday, January 2) particularly to stations who have accessed the 1.5million litres sourced by the state government to ensure compliance by marketers.”

Etefia urged the public to report any station found selling beyond N300 per litre to his office for prompt action.

The 2023 governorship project of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Abia State, High Chief Ikechi Emenike, has received a major boost, following his endorsement by 67 traditional rulers of Ikwuano/Umuahia political bloc.

The royal fathers, who converged on the palace of the traditional ruler of Ajata na Igu autonomous community, King Larry Ogbonnaya Agwu, declared their support for Emenike, who they warmly received and prayed to God to grant him success.

“Our collective desire and prayer is for God to lead you to the Government House, Umuahia in 2023. We know your capacity and we believe you will work for Abia and make the people smile,” the monarchs told Emenike.

They urged him to “go for us”, assuring the governorship hopeful that they would rally their subjects across the three local governments – Ikwuano, Umuahia North, Umuahia South – where they held sway to support him at the polls.

Explaining the reason for supporting the APC governorship standard-bearer, the royal fathers whose domains constitute Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency, said they were appalled at the stagnation of Abia and wanted Emenike to save the situation.

All the traditional rulers that spoke at the meeting noted that time had come for them to speak out and take a stand against the way Abia was being run.

They said they had nothing to fear over their decision to join hands in efforts to rescue the state from further degeneration.

The Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Henry Ikoh, hailed the monarchs for their wisdom in adopting Emenike as their candidate of choice, saying he was the best prepared to fix Abia.

He described the development economist as “a strong man”, who had the ideas, will power, passion and know-how to fix Abia and bring the state to the greatness envisaged by the founding fathers.

Ikoh reiterated his unflinching support for Emenike, saying his people of Ikwuano already knew his stand and had joined him in efforts to deliver Emenike and other APC candidates in the coming polls.

Emenike, accompanied by his wife and Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Dr. Uzoma Emenike, told the royal fathers that he entered the governorship race to rescue and develop Abia State.

He said he was not seeking power just for the sake of it as some people were wont to do, but to use it to turn around the dwindling fortunes of the state and reset it for holistic development.

Emenike said Abia “is in serious problem” owing to the bad management of its resources, adding that the monarchs should partner him to rescue and develop the state.

Bayelsa State former governor Senator Seriake Dickson has expressed satisfaction about the performance of his successor, Senator Douye Diri.

Dickson, who represents Bayelsa West, spoke yesterday when Governor Diri paid him a Yuletide visit at his Toru-Orua country home in Sagbama Local Government.

Diri was accompanied by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the lawmaker representing Ekeremor State Constituency 1, Tari Porri, the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Solomon Agwanana, the party’s Caucus Chairman in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government, Chief Isaac Kumokou as well as party chieftains.

Others were traditional rulers from Kolokuma/Opokuma and top government functionaries.

Dickson said he was pleased with the governor’s commitment towards completing the projects inherited from his administration, especially the Sagbama-Ekeremor road as well as the ongoing work on the two other senatorial roads in Bayelsa Central and Bayelsa East.

He thanked the governor for the visit, which, according to him, was a tradition, as he made a similar visit last year.

Dickson noted that Diri had pioneered a culture in the state’s political history by recognising and according him much respect, stressing that such positive gesture would be etched in the minds of their political followers.

The former governor cautioned those fabricating rumours of discord between him and his successor, saying this was counter-productive to the political stability of the state.

He said: “Let me say I am pleased with the work you are doing. With the road projects you have continued, our communities are now being connected. Specifically on this very important project (Sagbama-Ekeremor road) that we toiled for and is a major infrastructure agenda on which we were elected.”