By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has suspended its Chairman in Rivers State, Sorlebari Sampson, for alleged anti-party activities during the just-concluded local government elections.

It said it would explore legal options against the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and other agencies of the government that conducted the poll for failing to ensure a free and fair electoral process.

The State Working Committee (SWC) in a communiqué after its meeting in Port Harcourt yesterday said the suspended chairman erred for endorsing the poll as credible against the general position of the party that the election failed a credibility test.

The communiqué was signed by the Publicity Secretary, Egila Luckyman; Secretary, Eke E; Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) Liaison Officer, Richard U; State Legal Adviser, Victor Chukure; Youth Leader, Emmanuel Deinma; Welfare Officer, Ogbanga Sherry and Woman Leader, Irene Jumbo.

The SWC asked the party deputy chairman to assume the responsibilities of the chairman pending completion of its investigations.

Reading the communiqué, Luckyman said the suspended chairman traded off the party during the election for his personal gains.

He said: “In accordance with the party’s Constitution in Article 16 Page 45 on Discipline of Members, the State Working Committee of our great party hereby suspends the Chairman, Sorlebari Sampson, with immediate effect.

“The state Deputy Chairman, Ode Lawrence Egbagiri, is to take over in acting capacity pending

investigations into some weighty allegations levelled against him (chairman).

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“The suspended chairman endorsed the April 17 local government election as free, fair and credible, on April 19, which is not the position of the ADC.”

“Without consulting any organ of the party, he took up an appointment as the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Rivers State, a few days to the local government election.”

Luckyman said the suspended chairman also fielded members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as candidates of the ADC for the election, adding that the development plunged the ADC into disrepute.

He described the council election as a sham, noting that the rules of the election were undermined to favour the ruling party in the state.

Luckyman said: “We state for record purposes that the April 17 local government election in Rivers State was far from being free, fair and credible, as there were cases of no result sheets across the councils as confirmed by our party agents in the field.

“Even our candidate in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Bright Abali and his team peacefully protested and went to the Police Area Command in Omoku on the election day, seeking the right thing to be done, and in Degema Ward 16 Bille, election materials were returned to the local government.

“The party is collating evidence and will meet with its stakeholders to discuss and come up with a position to challenge the election at the tribunal, and take every step to seek redress against the appropriate authorities for extorting money from our party candidates, who spent their hard-earned money in obtaining nomination forms, tax clearance and campaigning, only to meet with a big shock of electoral fraud.”

Cross River State Government has warned head teachers of secondary schools against extorting pupils. It said they should not demand from them beyond approved government charges.

The Special Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade on Education, Mr. Castro Ezama, in a statement yesterday in Calabar, said the government received complaints from parents that pupils were asked to pay more than the approved charges.

”Available information said this money is paid to head teachers of some secondary schools across the state.”This is to sound a note of warning to all involved to stop forthwith, not forgetting that the governor’s policy on free and compulsory education for pupils in primary schools still holds.

”Accordingly, head teachers are mandated to display approved charges on their schools’ notice boards.

”More measures will be taken to ensure the curbing of these ills. Let’s be guided,” he said.

By Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Anambra State chapter, has described as politically-motivated, threats by some groups to disrupt the coming governorship election over non-conduct of the local government poll.

The President, Chikwelu Adigwe, speaking at a news conference at the weekend, said there were selfish interests behind such protests, which he noted would soon fizzle out.

He said: “These groups are politically- motivated. When they’re in power, they’ll just go to their bedrooms and sleep. Local government election is long overdue in the entire 36 states of the federation.

“That’s why NULGE is advocating local government autonomy. If it’s granted, our election will be conducted at the same time by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and not even state electoral commissions.

“The motive behind some of the groups’ threats must be considered. When their political party is in power, their agitations will cease. If their agitations are actually genuine, there are many ways to drive a process.

“During constitution amendment, such agitations can be raised and be joined in the financial autonomy clamour. Sensitisation is key in this struggle. Once the market women, for example, know the importance of local government autonomy, then other things will fall in place.”

Adigwe also berated a bill sponsored by the House of Representatives member, Mr. Bob Solomon (PDP, Rivers State), seeking to abolish the third tier of the government.

He said the lawmaker, by such move, was indirectly biting the finger that fed him, adding that it was the local government system that provided the platform through which he attained his position.

Adigwe said: “I’m aware that the motion is being championed at the House of Representatives by Mr. Solomon representing Ahoda East Constituency in Rivers State. A reasonable person should be talking about scrapping the state government and not the local government.

“Local government is the government at the grassroots because it’s the closest government to the people. Talking about scrapping local government is like scrapping kinsmen of a community, which is the bedrock on which the community stands.

“Without the local government there won’t be the state government. If local government is scrapped today, then Solomon won’t be in the House because we’re the ones that provided the vehicle that carried him there.

“If we have local government structure in place, they can create their own local police, vigilance group and other security outfits. Taking away the local government is like taking away the communities. If we’re practising true federalism, we must practise it to the letter.”

By Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

Bayelsa State Government has warned those engaged in gunrunning to desist from the practice or face the full wrath of the law.

Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo gave the warning while addressing the chiefs and people of Peretoru community at a resumed meeting at the Government House in Yenagoa, a statement by his media aide, Doubara Atasi, said yesterday.

Ewhrudjakpo said the meeting, held last Thursday and Saturday, was geared towards resolving the leadership tussle between two factions over the chairmanship of Peretoru Development Committee.

He said the warning became imperative in view of rumours pertaining to stockpiling of arms in some communities, including Peretoru community in Ekeremor Local Government.

He advised parties in disputes or individuals whose rights might have been violated in any form not to resort to self-help by taking the law into their hands, but should rather approach the courts for justice.

Ewhrudjakpo assured the people that the Governor Douye Diri administration would leave no stone unturned in its determination to maintain and improve on the prevailing security in the state.

He warned gunrunners and their sponsors who are bent on causing chaos and instability in communities to turn a new leaf, stressing that the government would not hesitate to wield the big stick against such criminals.

He said: “I want to tell everybody from Peretoru community that the capacity of the government should not be tested by any individual or group. I’m saying this because of the reports at our disposal.

“This government will not allow anybody to pile up arms in our communities for the purposes of destroying our communities. If anybody thinks he has some support from anywhere, we will move against that person and his sponsor.

“This government has that capacity. So, take this warning seriously. If you know you have one godfather or ‘juju-father’ anywhere that is encouraging you to stockpile firearms, we must come for you.

“The idea of people taking to arms at the slightest provocation has to stop. You must know that we are a government. If your rights are breached, you go to court.”

The Amananaowei of Peretorugbene Federated Community, Chief Timi Odikeme and the President of its Welfare Association, Mr. Famous Daunemughan, narrated the remote and immediate causes of the crisis rocking the community.

Speaker after speaker, including the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Civil Service Commission, who is the former president of Peretorugbene Welfare Association, Dr. Peter Singabelle, thanked the government for its intervention and called for the deployment of security operatives in the community.

The meeting, which had representatives from the state command of the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services (DSS) and Joint Task Force (JTF) in attendance, was adjourned till Thursday for the government to deliver its position on the conflict.

By Bassey Anthony, Uyo

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Heartland Alliance, has expressed worry about the alarming HIV infections in Nigeria, currently at 100,000 per day.

Mr. Michael Akanji, a resource person, speaking at a media roundtable organised by the NGO and the AVAC 2020/2021 Fellowship Programme at the weekend in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, decried the continued high rating of Akwa Ibom in HIV Prevalence Rating in the country.

He said Nigeria’s mode of transmission had risen to 83 per cent, while the prevalence among the general population stood at 1.4 per cent.

Akanji said homosexuals (MSM) had risen to 22.9 per cent, while that of female sex workers (BBFSW) at 19.4 per cent had increased to 2.8 per cent among people staying at correctional centres and other restricted spaces.

He regretted that the government’s continued funding policy and emphasis on treatment of infected persons rather than prevention had been counter-productive, but hoped that with results of recent researches and studies, emphasis would soon shift to more funding for prevention.

Akanji urged stakeholders to increase their advocacy in the area of prevention by discouraging cultural and medical practices, which tend to discourage prevention of infection among the populace.

Speaking about new biomedical prevention methods, the anchor of the AVAC 2020/2021 Fellowship Programme, Ms Josephine Aseme, listed limited prevention technology options, low coverage, increased incident and poor funding as some of the reasons for lack of access to new prevention technologies.

She said the long-acting injectable prep remained the most advanced and most potent prevention strategy and involved receiving an injection of the antiretroviral cabotegravir every two months.

“The results of HPTN 083 released in 2020 showed that this method is safe and effective at reducing HIV risk, especially among gay men and other men who have sex with men and transgender women.

“A sister study HPTN 084 also released early results in 2020 showing efficacy among cisgender women. Both are continuing as open label studies, while the product undergoes regulatory reviews,” Aseme said.

She advised the media to focus more on increased public enlightenment, gender and diversity responses, increased budgetary access to prevention techniques and sustainability options.

The AVAC 2020/2021 Fellowship Programme is a community-centred and policy change advocacy focusing on advocating Supportive Policy and Programmes for effective PrEP and other HIV prevention implementations for key population in Nigeria to ensure that proven available HIV prevention options are accessible by all persons at the risk of acquiring HIV in Nigeria without cost or any form of stigma.

The meeting was aimed at delivering the importance of government and donor agency commitment in endorsing newly approved and recommended biomedical prevention tools and utilisation of media platforms to create awareness of available service delivery points to actualise increased uptake of HIV prevention and testing services for a better coverage.

It also focused on the importance of GON and donor commitment to a wider array of biomedical prevention options as a game-changer in reducing new infections (Oral PrEP, Dapivirine ring and injectable PrEP) and investment in community HIV prevention messaging tools across media platforms and entertainment channels.

By Shola O’Neil, Port Harcourt

Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has said the state is better positioned to deal with the current economic crisis ravaging the country and other parts of the world because of strategic thinking and planning.

He said his support for trade, commerce, agriculture, small and medium scale enterprises since his inception as governor in 2015 was borne out of his knowledge that Nigeria could not suffer financial tremors from its mono-economic status.

He spoke in Aba during an interactive session with members of the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE).

The governor noted that the majority of the over 114 road infrastructure done by his administration, especially in Aba so far were of economic value to the state and were constructed to redeem the image of Aba as the economic hub of the Southeast/Southsouth regions.

“For the first time in 30 years, this administration has created multiple good access to Ariaria International Market.

“A lack of sufficient planning and deep study accounted for the failure of most of the roads done by previous administrations in Abia State,” he said.

Dr. Ikpeazu said the quality of roads done by his administration accounts for the gradual return of investors to Aba, adding that before long the state will start reaping the dividends in full.

On education, the governor said besides building 620-classroom blocks and four model schools, his administration has through the instrumentality of the Continued Teacher’s Training Programme improved the academic content of teachers while working to give a boost to technical education.

According to the governor, his administration is working towards making Abia a value addition hub for agricultural products and has concluded plans to establish more cottage industries in the 17 local governments, using six councils as pilot for the initiative.

“These six pilot cottage industries will be inaugurated for use in the next two months,” Ikpeazu said.

He said his government identified market, power, funding and automation as key factors militating against the growth of SMEs and had tackled the factors head on.

“The ingenuity of our people is the greatest gift God has given us; the can do spirit of an average Abian is the driving force behind our success story in the SME sector, which has the capacity and potential to conquer the world.

“Our leather and garment industrial cluster, also coming on board, has the capacity of providing over 1,000 jobs for the people”, he said.

The governor told his guests that despite the level of insecurity across the country, Abia remained the safest as the state had not experienced any case of bank robbery since 2015.

”The time has come for us to address the obvious injustices and imbalance in our national life through the instrumentality of roundtable,” he said.

NGE National President Mr. Mustapha Isah thanked the governor for the transformational work he is doing in the state.

By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

Kinsmen of Senator Magnus Abe in Ogoni, Rivers State, have denied claims that their decision to host Governor Nyesom Wike at a grand reception on May 15 is motivated by their 2023 governorship interest.

The people, at a town hall meeting at the weekend to conclude arrangements for the programme, said they came up with the idea to thank Wike for the projects he had completed in their area.

The leadership of KAGOTE, the highest Ogoni socio-cultural union comprising four councils, namely Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme, said there was no political undertone in the reception.

The President of KAGOTE, Emmanuel Deeyah, urged Ogoni indigenes, despite their political affiliations, to come out en masse to receive Wike and thank him for his developmental strides in the area.

He said Ogoni monarchs had decided to confer on the governor a chieftaincy title on that day, adding that appreciating the governor would motivate him to do more for them.

Deeyah said: “We are receiving Wike to show appreciation for all he has been doing for us. We feel he has done a lot for us. Everyone knows that the best thing when you want to ask for more is to say thank you.

“People will say he is elected as governor to do these projects. If he spends the number of years he has and decides not to do the jobs, will he be removed from office? No, he will complete his tenure.

“If we are saying thank you for the little he has done, we believe it will make him to do more.

“We are talking about the Sapenwa-Bori road. Those of us from here found it difficult to go home because it was a nightmare travelling from Port-Harcourt to home. But now he has done the road, the first phase.

“He has also paid the contractor and mobilised him to start the second phase of the road, which is taking the road to Bodo.”

He said the governor also gave their people employment.

The Chairman, Mobilisation Committee, Fred Kpakol, said the grand reception was devoid of 2023 politics.

“What we are doing here is to appreciate the governor for what he has done. It has no political undertone. It is neither PDP nor APC; all the parties are in line. Every person from Ogoni land is involved here. We are just appreciating him for what he has done,” he said.