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Tag: Ateke

  • ATEKE’S ALLY NOMINATED FOR NOLLYWOOD EUROPE AWARD

    GENERAL Ebi Chimezie, one time second commander to former Niger Delta warlord High Chief Ateke Tom has been nominated for a prestigious Nollywood Europe Golden Awards.

    According to the nomination letter, signed by Heidi Ivangs-Kariuki on behalf of Ehizoya Golden Entertainment, the award, which will be the climax of Nollywood Film Festival Germany (NFFG) 2016 scheduled September, 9 and 10, is in appreciation of those who have contributed immensely to entertainment industry.

    Nollywood Europe Golden Awards (NEGA) is organized by a consortium of renowned Europe based African entertainment promotion outfit, Ehizoya Golden Entertainment in alliance with Hessen State Film forum and other partners.

    The letter also noted that award goes to some of those special people who have done Nigeria and indeed all Africa proud and promoted African culture to the rest of the world in no small way.

    Responding, General Ebi Chimezie who has contributed to the empowerment of youths in the region especially in entertainment industry said he is glad to have been nominated for the ward.

    He said it was with great pleasure and honour that he received the nomination for the prestigious Nollywood Europe Golden Award.

    “It is a privileged that some people are monitoring our contribution to the society. I have nothing to say than to tell you that the Award would encourage me to do more and I am glad to be one of those nominated for the Award,” Ebi said.

  • Ateke to NDA: shun violence

    Ateke to NDA: shun violence

    former Niger Delta militant leader, High Chief Ateke Tom, has told the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) that his agitation was devoid of criminality and heartlessness.

    Tom, who spoke in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, recalled that he never got involved in criminal activities during his peiod of agitation.

    He said his struggle led to the development of the Niger Delta.

    Cautioning the NDA to shun violence and avoid dragging him into the renewed crisis in the region, Tom said he was surprised that the new militant group attempted to tarnish his reputation by dropping his name in its activities.

    The NDA, in a recent statement, accused Tom of supporting the Federal Government, adding that his struggle and that of his close associates was based on criminality.

    But Tom, who is the leader of Niger Delta Vigilante Force (NDVF), said his agitation increased political participation in the area, adding that former President Goodluck Jonathan was a beneficiary of his agitation.

    The former militant leader urged NDA to stop the destruction of oil facilities.

    The NDVF leader said NDA’s activities were causing untold hardship among the region’s residents.

    He said his struggle was  an agitation for true federalism.

    Tom added that it paved the way for the emergence of more educated youths from the region through the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

  • Ateke Tom happy

    Ateke Tom happy

    Former Niger Delta ex-militant leader Ateke Tom yesterday hosted his kinsmen to celebrate Governor Nyesom Wike’s victory.

    They rolled out drums and there were much to drink and eat. Some women and youths left their houses at 10.30 am to assemble at Ateke’s family home at  Ngeme-Biri Komju in  Okrika Local Government of Rivers State.

    Appreciating Ateke for his role in ensuring peace in the area, Mrs. Veronica Amakiri, one of the women leaders, said: “The victory of Wike is the victory of Okrika people.”

    Ateke said the best way to celebrate the Supreme Court judgment was to go to church and thank God.

    He said Wike’s victory was a manifestation of God’s mercy and grace.

    Ateke said: “I have suffered so much to restore peace in this area; that is why we are happy today over the victory because with the judgment of the apex court, Rivers State will have peace again.

    “This is not a time to speak much grammar, but to celebrate the judgment of peace. As for me, this is the time to come together and work as one Rivers people for the progress and unity of Rivers State.”

  • Ateke: Ex-N’Delta militants’ll not return to creeks

    Ateke: Ex-N’Delta militants’ll not return to creeks

    The ex-leader of Niger Delta Vigilance Movement, “General” Ateke Tom, has stated that the Niger Delta former militants, who embraced the 2009 amnesty offer of the Federal Government will not return to the creeks despite the defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on March 28.

    He assured that the ex-warlords would also support the administration of Gen. Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from May 29, 2015, just as they were doing for the government of President Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The former militant leader, an Ijaw, who hails from Okrika, the headquarters of Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, as the wife of President Jonathan, Dame Patience, declared that he believed in the Ijaw cause, but urged the people of the state to vote for candidates of their choice during Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    Ateke spoke at his Okrika residence, in an interactive session with reporters, while admonishing Nigerian youths, especially those from the Niger Delta, to shun violence and thuggery, stressing that children of politicians would mostly be studying or working overseas, while the public office seekers would prefer to expose the children of other parents to danger as thugs, thereby losing their lives in the process.

    The Rivers governorship candidate of the APC, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, an Ijaw, is an indigene of coastal Opobo, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro LGA, while his counterpart of the PDP, Chief Nyesom Wike, is an Ikwerre from Rumueprikom (upland) in Obio/Akpor LGA of the state.

    The leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, shortly after the loss of President Jonathan, threatened that the freedom fighters would return to the creeks, over what he claimed was a gang-up by other Nigerians, especially in the North and Southwest, against their “son” (Dr. Jonathan), making the votes from the Southsouth and Southeast zones not to be adequate to prevent the humiliating defeat of an incumbent President at the poll.

    Ateke, however, said: “We (Niger Delta’s ex-militants) are ready to work with Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. We believe in Gen. Buhari’s ability to perform well and move Nigeria forward. Nobody will return to the creeks to fight or break pipelines. I am one of the top fighters in the Niger Delta. Nobody should follow anybody to the creeks. The boys (youths) should embrace peace.

    “I wish to congratulate Gen. Buhari on his victory. We want good leadership. Gen. Buhari is the President-elect and he deserves the cooperation of all Nigerians, including the Niger Deltans. We will work with him to succeed. God will give Gen. Buhari the wisdom to do the right things and take Nigeria to the next level. Gen. Buhari should treat us (Niger Deltans) well. We are fully ready to work with him.

    “Only few components of the Niger Delta amnesty programme, initiated by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2009, have been implemented. The government of Gen. Buhari should look into the core issues in the amnesty programme and continue with the initiative, to ensure a lasting peace in the Niger Delta.

    “I congratulate Prof. Attahiru Jega (the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC). He is trying and ensuring free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria. President Jonathan should also be commended for conceding defeat, even before the announcement of the final results by Prof. Jega, which went a long way to douse tension in the country.”

    The ex-“General” also expressed optimism that the April 11 elections would be peaceful throughout Nigeria, especially with the assurance of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, and the service chiefs.

    Ateke said: “No youth should carry guns to shoot during and after the April 11 elections. Do not die for politicians, whose children are overseas. Use your sense.

    “I believe in the Ijaw cause, but Rivers State is a Niger Delta State. I will not ask Rivers people to vote for Dakuku or Wike. Vote for anybody that u like. Rivers State is our own.

    “I was not part of the recent mayhem in Okrika, during the APC’s governorship campaign rally. The First Lady (Dame Jonathan) did not direct me to shoot APC members at the rally in Okrika. My boys (supporters) too were not involved. APC members know the persons who were behind the Okrika mayhem. Okrika is peaceful. I no longer have guns. I submitted all my guns in 2009 to the amnesty committee. God is keeping me alive.”

    The leader of the NDVM also admitted that he liked the courage of the Governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi, because “all the things he is dragging are good.” and he mentioned his battle with the Federal Government on the ceding of the Rivers oil wells to neighbouring Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia and Imo States, as well as the state governor’s ban on the use of commercial motorcycles, popularly called okadas, in Port Harcourt and its environs, which he said greatly reduced armed robbery and other criminal activities.

    He, however, claimed that Amaechi, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), hated and lying against him, while admonishing the Rivers governor to learn to always listen to people, assuring that whenever he would be meeting Amaechi, he would hug him, despite their disagreement.

    Ateke noted that in spite of the defeat of President Jonathan during the March 28 poll, Niger Deltans, especially Okrika people, would not reject “Mama Peace” (First Lady) and would organise a befitting reception for her, after the end of her husband’s tenure.

  • Wike, Ateke unite for 2015 at Okrika rally

    Okrika, the headquarters of Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, is the hometown of the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience and a former Minister of Transport, Dr. Abiye Sekibo.

    The ex-leader of the Niger Delta Vigilance Movement, “High Chief” Ateke Tom, also hails from Okrika, which can be accessed both by land, from Eleme and water, mostly from the Marine Base waterfront in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

    The Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, is also the grand patron of a socio-political organisation, the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), with the minister and his loyalists moving round the 23 LGAs of the state.

    The Supervising Minister of Education has been claiming that he and his allies are involved in thanksgiving and inauguration of wards and local government executives of the GDI, as well as mobilising support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election in 2015.

    The Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, however, declared that Wike had started his 2015 governorship campaigns.

    In Okrika, Ateke and ex-militants in their hundreds, took over the rally by Wike, a former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt and the Director-General of Amaechi Campaign Organisation in 2011.

    The minister declared at the Okrika rally that the Rivers Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, had left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Wike alleged that Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), wanted to cause confusion in the PDP, while urging his teeming supporters not to be distracted.

    The supervising minister of education spoke at the thanksgiving and inauguration of wards (12) and Okrika LG executives of the GDI at the playground of the National Secondary School, Okrika.

    Amaechi, however, asked Wike to face the problems in the Federal Ministry of Education, especially the strike by the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), since July 1 and stop his 2015 governorship campaigns.

    The Rivers governor, who spoke through Okocha, also called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, to call Wike to order, for flouting INEC’s rule of no campaign until 90 days to elections.

    The NGF chairman, while commenting on the presence of Ateke and other repentant militants at the GDI’s rally, said: “Illegality is being legitimised. Nigerians are wiser,” insisting that he remains a member of the PDP.

    The minister of state for education got to the arena at 2:50 pm, danced round to greet his teeming supporters, who were already seated under the canopies and he sat on the front row of the seats reserved for eminent personalities.

    Ateke and the ex-militants stormed the arena at 3:10 pm, with the programme temporarily halted because of the loud noise, accompanied with drumming, singing and dancing round the expansive premises.

    The former “General” then joined Wike; the Rivers PDP Chairman, Chief Felix Obuah, and other leaders of the PDP, while the patron of the GDI (Ateke) sat near the supervising minister of education.

    When Wike was asked at 4:23 pm to address his supporters, the Master of Ceremonies urged Ateke to have handshake with the Minister of State for Education, which took some minutes.

    The ex-warlord was also given a full page in the programme for the event, with his photograph with brown suit, white shirt and red tie on page 9.

    Wike said: “All our leaders who are here, particularly the freedom fighter, Comrade Tom Ateke (followed with loud ovation by his supporters), let me sincerely thank everyone of you that has gathered here today. Do not be provoked. Be calm. Our time will come. Nobody will stop it.

    “When you are provoked and you take action, what you may want to achieve, you may not realise it. I will continue to plead with all of you to be calm and be focused. Our agenda is to make sure that by the special grace of God, in 2015, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan returns to Aso Rock.

    “They have told you that they will take away the party structure from the Chairman (Chief Felix Obuah) and his committee. If you have not done anything, let me tell you one thing that you have achieved. You have put the governor of a state to start making arrangements to leave the party.

    “Let him (Amaechi) bring his money and change the structure (of the PDP in Rivers), it will not work. They are doing one leg here, one leg there, trying to distract us, so that we will not be focused. We must be focused. It is very obvious they are leaving the party or they have left the party. What they are doing now is to cause confusion. Do not be distracted.”

    The supervising minister of education also insisted that there was only one PDP, led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, with President Goodluck Jonathan as the leader of the party at the national level, while maintaining that the PDP remained the only party in Rivers state.

    Wike said: “If they are popular, do not be postponing that they are consulting. What are you consulting? Do not consult. We are saying leave today, we will do thanksgiving. We thank the governor (Amaechi) for misbehaving.

    “If he (Amaechi) did not misbehave, most of you would not have had the opportunity (of returning to the PDP). The day he finally leaves, we will say God thank you, for letting problem leave us alone, because the governor and his people are problems to us. Let them leave, so that we can have our peace.”

    The minister of state for education also urged his supporters to continue to work hard and not to be distracted, stressing that the people had agreed that by 2015, they would make sure that Rivers PDP would totally deliver President Jonathan.

    Wike admonished his loyalists to continue to work together, while describing the GDI as a family within the PDP, to mobilise the people for the success of 2015.

    The Rivers PDP Chairman, Chief Felix Obuah, noted that nobody stoned Amaechi during the recent burial of the mother of the First lady in Okrika, while lauding the people for showing maturity.

    Obuah also urged Okrika people and other members of the PDP in Rivers state to continue to support President Jonathan and his wife.

    The representative of Rivers East Senatorial District, George Sekibo, said he and other members of the PDP would not be afraid, and would be ready to fight at anytime and anywhere, while lauding Wike for leading the battle.

    A former Transport Minister, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, said mud that was rubbed on the faces of Rivers people must be cleaned, while insisting that the people of the state would stand by their daughter (Dame Patience) and support President Jonathan’s re-election in 2015.

    An ex-Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Austin Opara, alleged that Amaechi wanted to be vice-president in 2015, while he and other members of the PDP would ensure the re-election of President Jonathan, declaring that: “Time for battle has come.”

    A former Rivers governorship candidate, Chief Sergeant Awuse, aka Bulldozer, accused the NGF chairman of deceit and lies, insisting that President Jonathan would win again, while lauding Wike for opening the door for more PDP members and thanked Amaechi for misbehaving.

    The self-acclaimed Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, Evans Bipi, of Ogu/Bolo constituency, declared that: “Amaechi cannot stop President Jonathan’s re-election in 2015,” stressing that the Assembly’s key was in his pocket and would open the complex at anytime.

    The President-General of the GDI, Bright Amaewhule, described the socio-political organisation as the only movement that could bring about positive change in Rivers state, while urging the people to stand by the supervising minister of education, to ensure better governance.

    The GDI’s Coordinator in Okrika LG, Adams Dabotorudima, alleged that inept leadership, despotic tendencies and reactionary stance of the Amaechi’s administration, made the Rivers people to lament in supplication to God for a change, with Wike chosen as the champion of the desired change.

     

  • Ateke, other ex-militant‘Generals’ lead anti-Amaechi protest

    Ateke, other ex-militant‘Generals’ lead anti-Amaechi protest

    Former militants – ex-leader of the Niger Delta Vigilance Movement, ‘General’ Ateke Tom and ‘General’ Solomon Ndigbara, aka Osama Bin Ladin; yesterday led many protesters on the streets of Port Harcourt, the River State capital, asking Governor Rotimi Amaechi to resign.

    The protesters, under the aegis of the Rivers Peoples Assembly (RPA), from the 23 local government areas of the state, wore white T-shirts, and carried banners with various anti-Amaechi inscriptions. They moved from the Isaac Boro Park to the Government House amid singing, drumming and dancing.

    The protesters, who declared that they were not sponsored, said they were not happy about the deepening crisis in the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party. They expressed displeasure over alleged bellicose attitude of Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), towards President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Shortly after the protesters dispersed, Rivers Police Commissioner Mr Mbu Joseph Mbu, announced that public protests have been outlawed in the state.

    Ateke, who wore a black fez cap, with ash T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans trousers, declined to speak with our reporter at the Isaac Boro Park.

    Banks and offices located between Isaac Boro Park and Lagos Bus Stop on Azikiwe Road, hurriedly closed shops. Traffic was at a standstill, while commercial activities were paralysed by the “peaceful” protest, especially with the presence of a large number of ex-warlords. Commuters trekked long distances.

    There was heavy presence of riot and regular policemen and operatives of the State Security Service (SSS), in many Toyota Hilux patrol vans, to prevent the breakdown of law and order.

    The protesters got to the gate of the Government House at 12: 46pm and waited for over two hours, without any government official to address them. They insisted on not leaving the ever busy road, until Amaechi or any top government official came to speak with them.

    The leaders of RPA also hinted that the protest would continue on a daily basis, until Amaechi quits, which they said was the only condition for peace in the state.

    The PDP crisis pits Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, who is backing new Rivers PDP chairman, Felix Obuah, against Amaechi.

    The protest coincided with the visit of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 6, Calabar, Mr. Jonathan Johnson.

    Some of the white T-shirts worn by the anti-Amaechi protesters bore the following inscriptions: “EFCC, probe Amaechi”, “Amaechi, who owns the jet?”, “Amaechi, you have failed Rivers people”,”Amaechi must go.”

    The banners bore the following inscriptions: “Rivers People Assembly: Amaechi, who owns the jet?”, “Amaechi, where are the two jets Odili left behind?”, “Amaechi must go”, “Amaechi, you constructed 1 km of road with N1.5 billion.”

    Amaechi, who spoke through the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said: “The protesters are not a true reflection of Rivers people. We know Rivers people. They want to ruin the economy of Rivers State. God will not allow them.”

    While speaking with The Nation, Ndigbara, aka Osama Bin Ladin, said: “This is the right time that God wants to do something for Rivers people, because we have been silent for some time. The governor does not respect anybody.

    Another youth leader, Bob Uelor Ukue, alleged that Rivers people did not want Amaechi again. A former militant leader, Pastor Nature Dumale Kieghe, who is now the General Overseer of the Light of Glory Youth Outreach, said: “We are here because there is a reaction in the atmosphere. I see what is happening in this place as more spiritual than a physical thing.

    “When you pay evil for good, evil will not depart from you. As you can see, the atmosphere looks tense. The people are reacting and the evil seed that has been sown is coming back to them.

    Another youth leader, Legborsi Daanwi, expressed displeasure that Amaechi had been hunting ex-militant leader, Ndigbara, which he described as very unfortunate, stressing that he was the first “General” to come out of the creeks to embrace amnesty.

  • Floods: Ateke Tom flays diversion of relief materials

    •Says it will attract God’s wrath

    Diverting relief materials meant for victims of floods in Rivers state and others will be criminal and attract God’s wrath, a former militant leader in the Niger Delta, Chief Ateke Tom, has declared.

    He spoke yesterday in Ahaoda West after donating relief materials worth millions of naira to victims of the disaster in the area.

    He warned those diverting relief materials meant for the poor and displaced victims to desist, expressing displeasure over the act.

    The deputy governor, Tele Ikuru, had admitted to newsmen that relief materials, which cost the state over N300million, were being diverted.

    Ikuru, who is also the Chairman of the Rivers State Flood Relief Committee, declared that the criminal diversion of relief materials by leaders of communities would not be tolerated.

    Akete, who was represented by his senior aide, Mr. Richard Akinaka, pleaded with persons diverting relief materials to fear God.

    He said: “When you divert what is given to the poor to survive, whatever prayer made in anger by the displaced poor people on the matter will be answered by God. You cannot take away food from a hungry man and expect him to be happy.

    “Dubious people exist everywhere. You cannot take away unscrupulous human elements from every society. But I advise that it is necessary to be wary of stealing from the poor.

    “It is bad to hear that those who are supposed to give to the poor are the same people taking the materials given to the poor.”

    Ateke donated items of 50 bags of rice, eight bags of beans, 15 bags of salt, cartoons of soap, 200 litres of palm oil and groundnut oil.

    The camp coordinator, Mrs. Caroline Okpokiri, identified lack of big pots to cook food items for the displaced people as one of the major challenges facing the camp.