The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Delta State

  • Delta: Ogodo faction warns party against falling in contempt of court

    The crisis rocking the Delta state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) seemed to have gathered more steam on Thursday as the legal team of the Cyril Ogodo-led faction of the party threatened further legal actions against the party.
    The new threat, hinged on contempt of court and threatened to be filed against the party and its National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, followed an alleged misinterpretation of the Federal High Court, Asaba, judgement of Wednesday, October 17, this year, by the Prophet Jones Erue-led faction of the party and the tendency of the party at the national secretariat to disobey the court order.
    The High Court, presided over by Justice Toyin Adegoke, had issued a restraining order against the party and Comrade Oshiomhole, being the first and second respondents in the matter, to the effect that the party should maintain status quo by refraining to submit any list of candidates from Delta to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), pending the decision of the primary case before the court.
    The legal team of the Erue-led faction had interpreted the order to mean that the status quo to be maintained was asserting that the Erue faction remains the only recognized body.
    However, sounding a note of warning to the first and second respondents in the matter, the leader of the legal team of the the Ogodo faction of the party, Chief Fred Olokor, noted that both the counsel of the respondents and the INEC understood that the status quo ordered by the court meant the fact that the INEC had yet to receive any list of candidates from Delta APC as at the time the court was sitting, thus it should remain so until the preliminary case is decided.
    In a statement issued to journalists in Warri on Thursday, the legal team noted that the court gave the order, having noted that the matter would be given an accelerated hearing and set dates for hearing and decision.
    “The court then inquired from the Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) if any list of candidates had been submitted to INEC as at 17th of October, 2018. The INEC counsel confirmed to court that no list of candidates for Delta State have been submitted to INEC yet.
    “At this point the Honourable Judge ordered that all parties should maintain status quo. The clear meaning and intent of the Status Quo, therefore, is to preserve the res by ensuring that no list of candidates is submitted to INEC until the determination of the substantive matter.
    “This was why the judge ordered for accelerated hearing and fixed November 1st and 2nd 2018 for the hearing and determination of the case. It is therefore pedestrian and mischievous for anyone to suggest or argue that the Federal High Court in Asaba did not restrain APC from submitting any list of candidates for Delta State to INEC.
    “The counsel to the 1st and 2nd Defendants (APC and the APC National Chairman) was in court and clearly understood what the order meant. Counsel will thus be unduly exposing his clients to the risk of contempt proceedings if he allows them to be misled by the mischievous interpretation of the Prophet Jones factional Legal Adviser as is being circulated in the media.
    “Let it be known that anyone who violates the clear orders made on the 17th of October, 2018 stands the risk of having contempt proceedings initiated against them”, the team warned.

  • Delta community gives 14-day ultimatum to Police, NPDC

    To redress alleged Injustice, Impropriety

     

    The federal and Delta state government have been charged to take steps to address two issues of injustice against the people of Udu Kingdom in Delta state before the people resort to self-help.

    The charge was given on Tuesday by the people of the Kingdom during a peaceful protest, involving women and youths of the kingdom against alleged inconsiderate and unjust treatment of the people by both the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

    The people, however, gave a 14-day ultimatum for the police to return the overseeing authority of the area from Burutu council to either Ughelli or Warri, just as it demanded that the NPDC locates a flow station within its land area to compensate its contribution to the nation’s daily crude oil export.

    The protesters, who matched through Otor-Udu, the headquarters of Udu council area of Delta state, had stops at the Udu council secretariat, Otor-Udu, the Delta state Government House Annex, Warri, the Delta Broadcasting  (DBS) studio in Warri and finally at the palace of the Ovie of Udu Kingdom.

    The protest, led by the Youth President of Udu Kingdom, Comrade Sunday Subi, was targeted at rejecting the decision of the Nigeria Police to attach the Ovwian/Aladja Divisional police to the Burutu Area Command and the neglect being suffered by the kingdom as a result of the absence of a flow station in the area, despite the huge quantity of oil drilled from the area.

    According to Subi, “this is to protest the attachment of the police in Udu council to Burutu Area Command, which is in Burutu council area. We totally reject this. As if that is not enough, the NPDC, which has been drilling oil from Udu for more than 30 years decides not to site a flow station here. So this is also to demand for a flow station to be sited in Udu.

    “We were initially with the Ughelli Area Command and they later took us to Warri and now to Burutu. The distance between here and Burutu is between 4 to 8 hours. However, the distance between here and Ughelli or Warri is between 20 to 30 minutes.

    “We are saying that with the number of communities we have in Udu, we are fit to have our own area command, but if they say they can’t give us an area command, they should attach us to either the Ughelli Area Command or Warri Area Command.

    “Our leaders have written petitions before now and this is the last action we will take to let the world know we have been demanding for these things. If after 14 days of this protest and we see no action, we will be forced to go ahead and lock all oil wells in Udu Kingdom”, he warned.

    Also speaking to journalists during protests, one of the leaders of the women, Mrs. Florence Jigbale said the distance between Udu communities and Burutu, which is an Ijaw riverine area, is too much for the people to contemplate.

    “The question is how do they expect us to be going that far? We can’t take this. Udu is big enough to be an area command; we have 36 communities in Udu, why will they attach us to a place that far? To get to Burutu you will go past Ughievwen and Ughelli before we can start the journey to Burutu. Udu won’t agree with them on this.

    “They should give us our own police area command, Udu is big enough, at least the federal government knows the benefits it gets from Udu. The same thing goes for the flow station demand”, she said.

    Meanwhile, attending to the protesters at the Udu council secretariat, the vice chairman of the council, Hon Justice Iyasere, said the issues being protested would be promptly addressed, noting that the chairman of the council, Hon Jite Brown, was already in Asaba with the state governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, and would related their grievances to the appropriate quarters.

  • ‘Lunch to Launch’ conference to hold October 27

    A non-governmental organization, Eagles Wing Motivation has concluded plans to hold its annual leadership conference tagged “Lunch to Launch” on October 27 in Warri, Delta State.

    The convener of the conference, Stephen Ogbolu explained that the dire need of people wanting to project their business to the next level, project their marketing skills has always being a motivating factor for always organizing the conference annually.

    He said: “In my experience in coaching several clients, I discovered that there are people who are in dire need of moving their business, organisation or life to the next level. They want exceptional growth and success but are confused on how to improve their selling skills, network with the right people or even master the art of excellent customer service. With this I came to a conclusion that I’ll do all I can within my expertise and network to help launch my clients to the next level of their dream. ”

    Issues to be discussed at the conference include design thinking, Psychology of sales, job/career/business/leadership efficiency and effectiveness, networking among others.

    Attendees expected include students, chief executives, professionals, consultants, Heads of Departments, sales/marketing representatives, individuals who desire growth in their corporate organization, businesses and personal life, among others.

    Key speakers expected to speak at the event include Management Consultant, Ebuka Anichebe; Business Coach, Abiola Salami; CEO, Mypassionmylife Media, Onye Ubantu, and some other seasoned leaders and business experts from various fields of endeavor.

    Eagles Wing Motivation is a Non-Governmental Organization that’s channeled towards raising young leaders of our generation who will build the mind, nation and future.

    Stephen Ogbolu is a a Life Coach, Personal Development Expert and Nation Builder who helps individuals, businesses and corporate organizations achieve exceptional level of growth and success in their business, organisation and personal life by helping them improve their selling skills, networking skills and excellent customer service.

  • Waive emerges APC House of Rep candidate

    …promises quality representation

     

    A clergyman and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Revd Francis Waive, have emerged winner of the party’s ticket for the Ughelli/Udu Federal Constituency in next’s House of Representatives election.

    Waive was declared as the winner of the primary with 391 votes beating his closest rival, Julius Akpovoka, who had 299 votes with Andrew Orugbo and Rukevwe Ugwumba polling 218 and 22 votes respectively.

    Read Also:Ekiti APC Primaries: Adeyeye others emerge consensus candidate

    The exercise, which was held at Ovwian, Udu local government area of Delta state, was conducted by the Prophet Jones Erue led executive of the party was generally peaceful.

    In his acceptance speech, Waive who thanked God and the delegates for voting for him, said: “This is not a winner-takes-it-all situation. I call on each one of you to join hands with me to win the General elections for our people

    “It is a demonstration of confidence in me by our people, an endorsement of my seven covenants with them and a challenge to provide quality representation which our constituency has not enjoyed since 1999.

    “This mandate is also a challenge to win the General elections. So work is not yet over. I will work at it with everything I am and everything I have. However, I can’t do it all on my own. I need the support of everyone. I call on all our party men & women and indeed all our constituents to join me in working hard to win the General elections.

    “I consider this a huge privilege and a great responsibility. Together we will make the difference and change the narrative,” he said.

     

  • PTI to train 200 in amnesty program

    The Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, for the training of 200 beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the oil and gas sector.
    Speaking at the signing ceremony on Thursday in Abuja, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator, Amnesty Programme, Prof. Charles Dokubo, said it signposts the beginning of an indelible move by the Federal Government towards attaining greater heights.
    “As far as the Presidential Amnesty Programme is concerned, signing this MOU is a clear path to enhancing the knowledge of our people and raising their lives so that they can walk tall and reach the heights of their potentials.
    “Let us make the best of this situation; so that our people will always remember us for good while being grateful to everyone, including the Federal Government that has not set us aside.
    “With time, we will disabuse the minds of our people so that they will know what they are living for.”
    Dokubo urged Niger Delta people, particularly the youth, to fully embrace the Federal Government’s developmental programmes.
    He also gave assurance that the government will continue to maintain lasting peace in the Niger Delta, empower its youths and provide the requisite condition for the people live decently, besides giving the youth educational certificates.
    Head, Vocational Training at the Amnesty Office, Barrister Amazuo Berepreboga, explained that the MOU will ensure the full training of 200 students at PTI in specialised fields in the oil and gas industry, such as oil and gas drilling, instrumentation, mechanical technology, electrical technology and process technology.
     In his remarks, the Principal and Chief Executive of PTI, Professor Sunny Iyuke, commended Dokubo and President Muhammadu Buhari for Federal Government’s support.

    Read Also: Amnesty Office rallies ex-militant leaders for Buhari

    “I thank my fellow Professor and the Amnesty Office for this gesture. I came to PTI with the conviction that this is the right job I should be doing. This is the kind of things I am looking for my students, to make me happy and satisfied.”
    Iyuke, who bemoaned the high level of joblessness among Niger Delta youths, expressed hope that the MOU will not only keep them away from crime but also engage them gainfully and improve their living standards.
    He added that the MOU will also push PTI students to improvement in practical application, especially knowledge of design of modular refineries, which has already paved the way for its legalization, resulting to an increase in establishment of modular refineries and flow stations in Nigeria.

  • Ibori mourns Okogwu, Dafinone

    Former Delta state governor, Dr James Ibori, has expressed sadness over the departure of two Delta men of means; Chief Sunny Okogwu and Senator David Dafinone.

    Chief Ibori, in separate statements issued by his Media Assistant, Tony Eluemunor, described the two men as exceptional, leaving indelible legacies in the lives of Delta state and its various peoples.

    Describing Okogwu, Ibori said  “though Okogwu was every inch a Delta state indigene and was particularly proud of his Asaba root and the town’s title of Ojisi, which he held, he at the same time felt very much at home in the preeminent Northern city of Kaduna. His remarkably picturesque house, the “Ship House” is a tourist masterpiece.

    “Indeed, Chief Okogwu was a political reference point in Kaduna for decades. He achieved this status well-before his brother-in-law, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (rtd) became the President of Nigeria and remained so for the decades after IBB had left office.

    “Okogwu remained very colourful until his death. His press interviews and political statements were always as fiery as they were difficult to decipher. He once said he needed to be first decoded in order to be understood. What was not in doubt was his business acumen; he built his business empire in an area that many Nigerian businessmen and women would rather leave well alone; aviation. He had the dream of training pilots locally and manufacturing aircraft parts.

    “Chief Okogwu, all through his life, always threw his doors open to people from the Mid-West region, Bendel and later Delta states. I experienced his remarkable generosity during my brief stay in Kaduna prison. Chief Okogwu was indeed one of my sureties and he offered his Ship House as a bond to meet my bail conditions. His fragrant memory will always linger in my mind. May God grant him eternal rest”, he said.

    Read Also: Ahmed, Ibori, Kalu sympathise

    Speaking about Senator Dafinone, Ibori noted that he rendered a remarkable service to Delta and Nigeria, describing him as a “Jack of many trades.

    “Though David Dafinone was globally known as a Chartered Accountant, one of the few ones who made it into the Guinness Book of Records – his family has the largest number of accountants in the world, he actually studied Economics. He combined this with part-time professional accountancy examinations as he progressed through the university. As he graduated with a degree in Economics he was also acquiring his professional certificate in Accountancy at the same time.

    “He worked with topflight organisations both as an Economist and Accountant, he and Chief Akintola Willliams became the doyens of Accountancy in Nigeria.  Dafinone’s illustrious spirit had to embrace other challenges – politics, publishing, business, real estate development, etc, and he excelled in all.

    “Dafinone joined the late Chief Jonathan Odebiyi and the late Dr. Olusola Saraki, to form the three most influential Senators of the Second Repblic – authoritative, in debate, carriage and highly respected across all the political parties of that from 1979 to 1983.

    “His Ceddi Plaza, Apapa, is a very visible and highly known Lagos landmark just as the Ceddi Plaza Abuja helps to define the federal capital city’s Central Business District. Not many people may remember that Dafinone owned the encyclopaedic “Who is Who in Nigeria” publication and also published the “Abuja Handbook” for several years”, he said.

  • Flooding: Uduaghan calls for more aids for victims

    …as former governor visits ravaged communities, deliver Aids

     

    Former governor of Delta state, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has called on international aid agencies, religious bodies and public spirited individuals to rise up to assist communities across Nigeria currently being ravaged by floods.

    The former governor, who is also an All Progressives Congress (APC) hopeful for the Delta South Senatorial District seat, made the call Thursday evening during a visit to flood victims camped at an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Emede, Isoko South council area the state, where he delivered food items worth millions of naira.

    The items donated included, many bags of rice, beans, garri, many cartons of tin tomatoes, indomie noodles, several cans of vegetable oil, palm oil and over hundred tubers of yam.

    Uduaghan, who visit many flood-ravaged communities across Isoko land before stopping at the camp, said his mission to the displaced persons and the flooded communities was to draw attention of the world to the situation and to paint a proper picture of the disaster and thereby get more attention to those who need it most currently.

    “What I have come out here to do today is to ensure that people know that this kind of situation is on ground, it is to draw attention of our people to the seriousness of the flooding situation in Delta and other places today, and that people should empathize with those that are affected and try as much as possible to do one thing or the other to alleviate their situation.

    “But you see, we cannot leave everything for the government alone to do. These people, they need psychological support, they need physical support, they need all sorts of support, even spiritual support they need.

    Read Also: Uduaghan in APC: The shape of things to come

    “So, we must as a people who God has placed in various positions and who are not affected by this kind of situation to assist them go through the situation. It is not easy to be displaced from your house or home.

    “You just woke up suddenly and there is water in your home and you have to move to somewhere else, maybe a classroom where you are exposed to mosquitoes, exposed to all sorts of hazards, all you have to do is get a mattress or a pillow where you can lay your head on, it is not easy. You are not sure of where your meal is coming from, a lot of things, displacement is not easy”, he said.

    The former governor, however expressed fears that the situation might not be easing out yet, adding that it might even be worse than what was experienced in a similar disaster in 2012, as a result of the fact that water levels are still rising.

    Uduaghan promised to visit and donate to as many camps as possible across Delta State.

  • Pilot canvasses public private partnership as solution to infrastructure deficit

    Governorship Aspirant in Borno State under the Labour Party and Chief Executive of WestLink Airlines, Captain Ibrahim Mshelia,  has said that Public Private Partnership  (PPP), if handled transparently is a lofty idea and would help the nation  improve on infrastructure deficit.

    Mshelia who is chairman at the National Union of Air a Transport Employees (NUATE) 10th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference holding in Asaba, Delta State made this known when he gave the opening address.

    The aspirant however said the concept is not catching on in Nigeria due largely to shoddy and lopsided agreements that have stalled the development of the arrangement from the controversies that bedeviled Maevis to the one generated in the BiCourtney agreement.

    Mshelia said, “On the surface, this is a very lofty idea. If done transparently, we all should encourage it because that is the modern practice in all fast growing economies across the world. ”

    “However, the PPP seems not to be walking on the fast lane in the Nigerian aviation sector. This is largely due to shoddy and lopsided packages that oftentimes constitute grave and lethal therapy for the growth of the sector. ”

    “Examples fresh in our minds today are the controversies that bedevil the Maevis and Bicortney contracts. There is no gain saying that the sector can only succeed in the drive towards PPP when we have a government that is answerable to the people in place. ”

    Read Also: Senator advocates private, public partnership in ICT

    According to him, a Public Private Partnership  (PPP) arrangement involves the private sector  in aspects  of  the  provision  of infrastructure assets and or Services, new or existing that have traditionally been provided by the government.

    Stating that through such private engagements, governments broaden their options  for  delivering  better  services to its people and  increase  the  economic  multiplier effects while the private sector provides finance and  expertise to  ease  fiscal  constraints  and  increase efficiency .

    He further called on the unions to begin marking out plans to make their umbrella party, the Labour Party (LP) great by working to instal a responsive, responsible, intellectual and worker friendly government, stating that’s why he entered the fray for Borno State Governorship.

    He said,”The upcoming election is around the corner. We need to begin to mark out plans and back them with actions to ensure we grow our own party, The Labour Party (LP), to relevance, so that through that platform we can install a government that will be responsive, responsible and workers friendly. ”

    “Sequel to this drive, I want to implore that as we are looking unto NUATE to turn out a new set of leaders to pilot the affairs of the aviation workers for another four years from this assembly, we must not also loose focus on the ultimate goal of installing our own government and marshal our programs towards that target.”

    “Some of us have already begun the move by taking the bold step to creating the change that we all desire. I am happy to inform you, as my first constituency, that I will be contesting to be the Executive Governor of Borno State under our party, the Labour Party come 2019.”

    “I greet all of you here with the message of hope, optimism and change that can be brought about by purposeful and focused leadership. That is what you and I are offering to our nation. I have this strong conviction that the Nigerian workers have all it takes to drive the country away from this track of perdition.”

  • Air Peace relaunches Asaba route October 8

    ……Adds Abuja to service

    Air Peace has unveiled plans to restart its daily Lagos-Asaba-Lagos flight operations on October 8.

    The airline, which pulled out of the route more than two years ago due to safety concerns with respect to the runway of the Asaba Airport, said it would also add Abuja-Asaba-Abuja flights to the service.

    A statement signed by Air Peace Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah said the airline decided to return to the Asaba route to end the nightmare of air travellers seeking to connect the Delta State capital, Anambra and other adjoining cities.

    Air Peace, the statement assured, was going to offer unparalleled on-time, convenient, safe and affordable flight services on the Lagos-Asaba-Lagos and Abuja-Asaba-Abuja routes.

    Read Also: Air Peace deepens regional operations with night flights

    “We are pleased to announce our return to the capital of Delta State, Asaba starting October 8, 2018. Air Peace had to suspend flight operations to the Asaba Airport more than two years ago due to safety concerns with the facility.

    “Since we suspended our operations to the airport, members of the flying public have inundated us with calls and appeals to return to end their nightmare on the route. While we could feel their pain, there really was not much we could do about it since our decision to pull out was anchored on safety, an issue we could never compromise.

    “We are, however, thankful that the Delta State Government had to intervene to give the airport a facelift. We have been assured that the airport is now safe to operate into and we cannot but move in immediately to end the woes of members of the flying public wishing to travel to Asaba, Anambra and other connecting cities.

    “We are not just restoring our daily Lagos-Asaba-Lagos service; we are also adding Abuja-Asaba-Abuja flights to the offering to meet the yearnings of members of the flying public. It promises to be quite an exciting time once more on the Asaba route beginning from October 8”, the statement said.

  • Ochei: PDP can’t retain power in Delta

    DELTA State All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant Victor Ochei has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot retain power in the state.

    He spoke at Ughelli during an interactive session with the APC faithful in Ughelli/Udu Federal Constituency.

    According to him, “no previous administration in the state has so depleted our commonwealth as this Okowa”s.

    Ochei said it is disheartening that the Okowa administration has inflicted unimaginable hardship on Deltans by scrapping some programmes as the Edu Marshall, Free Maternal Care,, Free Education and selling off Delta Line, the state transport company where over three thousand workers were rendered jobless.

    The aspirant urged party supporters to ensure that this form of governance boosted adding that the first step towards accompplishig the task is to choose him (Ochei) as the APC gubernatorial flagbearer in Delta State.