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Tag: Delta

  • ‘I’ll build bridge of trust in Delta’

    ‘I’ll build bridge of trust in Delta’

    An Urhobo political activist and governorship aspirant, Daniel Idonor, has promised to build a bridge of trust among all the interest groups in Delta State, if elected in 2015.

    Idonor, a former President of the Student Union Government (SUG) of the University of Jos, promised to promote unity.

    A journalist, who covered Aso Rock for several years and rose to become the Chairman of the State House Press Corps, he said he would be able to show what real governance is.

    He said: “As a member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party and someone who is always in touch with the people, I will be willing to offer myself to the service of my people to overcome the various challenges of development staring them in the face.”

    He said the indices of underdevelopment become more pronounced in a state, such as Delta located in the most difficult terrain and underdeveloped region of Nigeria.

    He said the various challenges, such as lack of social amenities and infrastructures, insecurity, power, flood, erosion, environments, urban renewal among others, would be a thing of the past, if he becomes the governor.

    While commending the Delta Beyond Oil initiative of the Uduaghan administration, he said more efforts should be channelled towards partnering with the private sector to revive ailing industries and setting up new agro-based and import substitution industries.

    Idonor said: “I know that the vast human and natural resources that abound in the State still remain untapped, a good chunk of our food needs, especially plantain, cassava, fish etc can be sourced from the vast land, long coast line, many rivers and the huge population that exist in the rural areas of the state.

    “My town, Orere, for example has the capacity to produce up to five per cent percent of the total food needs of the state but due to lack of storage facilities and access to market many of the agricultural produce including cassava, groundnut, yams, plantain /banana, palm oil and kernels, seafood, fruits and vegetable are wasted away dailY.

    “There are also challenges that border on increasing the access of the teeming population especially in the rural areas to education and health care, all these I intend to tackle if given the mandate.”

    He said Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has good developmental agenda capable of taking the State on the path of economic recovery and industrialisation in place, adding that he would consolidate on his achievements rather than embarking on new projects.

    He said with what the governor is doing, Delta would be the only state in Nigeria with two international airports at Asaba and Osubi near Warri.

    Idonor said: “The Warri industrial park, the Delta Beyond Oil initiatives to mention but a few are all good developmental programmes by the current administration.

    “I will build on the current efforts of the government, there is the urgent need to open up the entire state in terms of infrastructural development; make every community accessible by motorable road and water, this will curb rural-urban drift that has over the years over-stretch existing infrastructures in the urban areas.”

    He announced that he would soon unveil “The Bridge Movement” a socio-political platform through which he hopes to achieve his political aspirations; and urged Deltans and Nigerians to support the project.

    Idonor said his bright chance in 2015 is not on godfather, but on the belief the people will support him to achieve his mandate.

    His words: “I know the means of achieving it will come from them by God’s grace. I believe that it is possible to apply the Obama model in Nigeria where the high and the low contribute to the overall success of the candidate as long as you get the acts right.

    “My interest and strength in Delta politics is based on the fact that I represent the bridge between the weak and strong, the rich and the poor, the low and mighty, the rural and urban dwellers, the organised private sector (OPS) and public sector, the governments at both the state and federal levels, and the masses. I also represent the bridge between the Urhobos and the Itsekiris, Aniomas, Ijaws and Isokos. And above all, I represent the bridge between Deltans and non-Deltans.”

     

  • Disabled persons protest in Delta

    Disabled persons protest in Delta

    •’We won’t leave until we see governor’

    Physically-challenged persons yesterday disrupted traffic on the ever-busy Benin-Onitsha Expressway in Delta State, following alleged unfulfilled promises by the Emmanuel Uduaghan-led administration.

    More than 200 persons barricaded both sides of the road singing war songs, causing a traffic snarl that stretched for kilometres.

    This forced many motorists to make a detour to the Ogwashi-Uku –Ughelli road and the Asaba-Okpanam road to reconnect to the Benin-Onitsha Expressway.

    The group’s leader, Obrutshe Isaac, vowed that his members would remain on the road to press home their demands, until the governor grants them audience.

    “The main reason why we are here is that we have been working hard to meet the governor but we have not been able to. Several issues affecting us have not been addressed.

    “The issues are free medical health care for persons with disabilities; a bill to establish a commission for persons with disabilities in the House of Assembly is unaddressed; we have the issue of SURE-P in which we were excluded at both the state and local government level.

    “As I speak to you, it is only the chairman of Ndokwa East Local Government who has released N1.5 million to empower our people. The remaining 24 councils have done nothing as regards the SURE-P.

    “Also, the Ministry of Health has not attended to applications from our members in the last two years and as a matter of fact we lost five of them last year.

    “There are some of them who have applied for medical attention but not granted. All efforts to meet with the Commissioner for Health have proved abortive.

    “In Lagos, issues of transportation for persons with disabilities have been addressed and they also have a scheme where persons with disabilities are employed. We also have members who are graduates.

    “Of course, we have confidence in the governor; no doubt he is a listening governor but the problem we have is that those who are representing us are not doing what they are supposed to do.

    “What do you make out of an able-bodied person being a Special Adviser to the governor on physically-challenge matters? The rehabilitation department of the Ministry of Women Affairs where we fall is under the management of someone who is not physically-challenged.

    “We have persons with disabilities in the civil service, will it be out of place if one of them is in charge of that office. All efforts to see that the issues are addressed have proved abortive. Countless letters seeking a meeting with the governor have not yielded fruit.

    “The only thing that would make leave this place is when the governor comes here to address us. We are going to remain here, even if his tenure elapse.”

     

     

  • Delta: Two years of foreign relations

    Delta: Two years of foreign relations

    WHEN, at the commencement of his second term in office, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State moved to establish a bureau saddled with the responsibility of driving the international investment forays of his administration, sceptics who could not see where the medical doctor-turned politician was coming from were perplexed. Now even the most recondite critic is better informed.

    In two years of establishing the Office of the Senior Adviser to the Governor of Foreign Relations, which is headed by versatile journalist and former Commissioner for Information in the Governor’s first term in Office, Hon. Oma Djebah, quite a lot of progress has been made in the Delta State on the international frontier.It has been able to tap into sundry opportunities derivable from strategic global alliances.

    At the inception of the bureau, Djebah, explained in clear terms what he was expected to do particularly in marketing Delta State and its rich potentials to the global community.

    He told journalists at his maiden briefing that the establishment of the office was necessitated by the dynamics of today’s global environment.

    He promised to use and leverage all the positive global linkages and networks available to him to ensure that all of the global development objectives of the Uduaghan administration are fully met for the benefit of the generality of the people.

    He spoke of the “enormous possibility of using the international market place to bring attention to the growing demand of a state like Delta to be an assured player in the policy and development arena and that his office would therefore be working in close collaboration with international institutions and agencies for the positive development of the state.” These he noted would be “engaged to their fullest possibilities in order to maximize the potential of a government that is desirous of bringing Delta state to the world and the world to Delta state”.

    He planned to rely on three critical pillars of international and inter-governmental frameworks- Delta State’s Outreach/Partnership Unit, the Delta State Diaspora Direct Unit and the Delta State’s Direct Global Programmes Unit- to reposition the State as Africa’s leading sub-national government.

    He said: “Although each component is specially designed to work on its own and bring about progress to the State, each has an inbuilt capacity for seamless integration in ensuring the overall success of the work we need to do. The Delta state’s Outreach/Partnership Unit entails building good, credible and highly placed friends, allies and contact for HE, the governor and the state, while the Delta State’s Diaspora Direct Unit – otherwise known as the D3 – commenced work in 2009 and is geared towards building and sustaining positive relations with Deltans in the Diaspora for the overall benefit and development of the state. On its part, the Delta State Global Programme Unit is focussed on ensuring the facilitation of the State government’s active participation in key global programmes across US/Canada, Europe, Asia/Pacific, Africa, the Caribbean, China and the Middle East.”

    Already, results are beginning to flow in from the respective forays and activities of the governor and the bureau. One of these flows from the Governor’s home base: the health sector.

    As a medical doctor, Uduaghan is much conversant with the strengths and weaknesses of the sector. As Governor, he has led his team to improve on the weaknesses that he has seen, drawing upon global best practices and integrating both elements of technology transfer and solid training for personnel replacement. This has led, for example, to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which institutes an enduring collaboration framework between the Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH) and the University of Texas South Western Medical Center, Dallas.

    A multi-level collaboration, the project involves the American establishment supporting its Delta State counterpart through the provision of high level equipment and training of the appropriate medical staff from DELSUTH. In addition, the current project has an emphasis on Nephrology and Kidney transplant, a critical area of need in Nigeria and the Niger-Delta region.

    With a clear understanding of the governor’s vision for the health sector, the Office of the Senior Adviser (Foreign Relations), conceived a holistic and coordinated approach to health solutions in the State which paved the way for a meeting between the Governor and the Director-General of the WHO, Dr. Margaret Chan, in New York on September, 23, 2012 on the sideline of the United Nations General Assembly.

    Dr.Chan who was impressed by the strides the Governor has achieved in the health sector especially in the aspect of primary health care, requested his assistance in rallying the support of his colleagues in other states to help stem the spread of polio in Nigeria. The Director-General accepted the Governor’s appeal for technical assistance to buoy the human and organizational capacities that currently exist in the state. A strengthened partnership between the State and the WHO would undoubtedly ensure that Delta State will attain its health targets under the Millennium Development Goals.

    The Governor’s involvement with several other high-level international bodies has also been accelerated. He is the Current Chairman of the R20 Panel of Governors that hosted a summit on sustainable environmental initiatives at the sidelines of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, last year.

    Under his watch also, the state regularly hosts visits and cooperation sessions involving bilateral and multilateral agencies and missions, who in response to the governor and bureau’s eloquent solicitations, now throng the state to sign agreements, undertake facility tours and consummate the necessary frameworks that ultimately result in even more far-reaching developmental strides within the state. Some of these include visits by officials of UNIDO, UNDP and the US Embassy in Nigeria and the High Commission of the United Kingdom.

    An example is the MoU which UNIDO signed with the state.

    The organisation has since proceeded to set up a centre of excellence for leather works.

    Following various initiatives of the foreign relations bureau, Dr. Uduaghan has led the state delegation to the Second and Third Nigeria Investment Summits held in New York at the margins of the 66th and 67th sessions of the United Nations General Assembly.

    The summits provided seminal occasions for the State to showcase investment opportunities in the region and secure commitments of some US-based construction firms in participating in the State’s infrastructure roadmap.

    The serial events were declared open by President Ebele Jonathan and involved notable personalities, serving and former presidents, global investors and Wall Street portfolio managers. Anchored by the African Business Roundtable, an NGO with Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in conjunction with the Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the event provided the Uduaghan administration with a platform for the exposition of its development objectives, while soliciting further win-win patronage from the well-heeled international business and policy players present at the session.

    Governor Uduaghan has also delivered papers at the Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of the John Hopkins University, Washington DC, USA to spread the message of the ‘Delta beyond Oil’ policy of the state government. Following the interest generated by the lecture among global policy makers, the United State Department of State extended an invitation to the Governor to discuss issues relating to development and security with the region.

    The occasion provided him an opportunity to clarify the security situation in the state; and to seek support in such areas like agriculture, education and infrastructure development. The State Department, represented by Ambassador Donald Teitelbaum and his delegation thereafter announced the interest of the American government in supporting the state’s agricultural initiatives using the “Feed the Future” program of U.S Government. The Feed the Future program is the United States Government’s global hunger and food security initiative which supports country-driven approaches to address the root causes of hunger and poverty and forge long-term solutions to chronic food insecurity and under nutrition. Nigeria has recently been listed as a beneficiary of the initiative which will draw resources and expertise of agencies across the U.S. Government.

    As a result of the partnership project, thousands of Delta State will now benefit from American food project that will target the transformation of the State’s agriculture sectors and help it to sustainably grow enough food to feed the people of the State and beyond.

    And even beyond selling the activities of the state to people in foreign lands, some of these activities have also been brought home to Delta. One such event was the International Literary Session which Gov Uduaghan hosted at Government House, Asaba.

    High level visits from the international community have also become the norm. Some of these have involved the high-level British diplomats, Mr. Hooman Nournei and Mr. Marcus Lenzen even as the state is currently building a partnership with the British Government that will enhance economic growth in terms of environment, agriculture, education and health which are the agent of growth in the economy of a state.

    At a recent interaction with the media, Djebah drew attention to some of the most successful activities of his Directorate in the areas of international programmes like the Diasporas programmes, where prominent Deltans living outside the country bring in their wealth of technical capability, emphasis and contact around the world, to the table in other to advance the course of development of the state.

    In his words: “We also have the global partnership programmes in the UN, USDP, the climate change programme, etc”.

    In the area of health the Governor personally led a team to Texas for the signing of an MOU with the University of Texas on the commencement of kidney transplant operations at the Teaching Hospital, Oghara. “The basis of this alliance was the fact that before then, we did not have the capability and capacity to carry out such major operations. Instead of taking such persons abroad for treatment, we now bring in the experts from Texas to carry out the operations at Oghara,” Djebah said.

    As part of the strategic framework to develop human capital, the state government has in the past six years awarded scholarships to various categories of students and graduates of the State origin to drive the economy.

    Testimonies

    The Political Counsellor at the British High Commission in Abuja, Mr. Hooman Nournei, following an assessment tour of the state acknowledged “such a massive development like the international airport, school structures, agriculture, in Delta State, but now we saw it with our eyes so we can now forward it to the United Kingdom and look at the areas we will partner with the State Government”.

  • The millionaire fishermen of Delta

    With over 14,500 ponds spanning five clusters located on miles of swampy land, the Uvwie Fish Farmers Multipurpose Society in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta owns what is arguably one of the biggest fish farm settlements in the West African sub-region.

    About six to nine tons of catfish is produced daily from the ponds, owned by over 6,500 members. This fish flood the markets of Effurun, Warri and other neighbouring towns. This has helped stabilise the price of fish in the past three years.

    The Chairman of the society, Deacon Henry Ogbodu, told a team of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) recently brought in by the Delta State Ministry of Poverty Alleviation that with technical support and assistance his members could produce catfish to feed a good percentage of the nation’s population.

    Already, he said the intervention of the Delta State Government through the Commissioner, Dr. Antonia Ashiedu in the past four years has boosted production from barely over 1,000 pounds in Ekpan to its present capacity.

    Interestingly, the farm is owned by thousands of hitherto unemployed locals, who decided to take their destinies in their own hands instead of waiting for government to provide job. These entrepreneurs now employ thousands of youths from Ekpan and other communities in Uvwie Local Government Area. This has in turn reduced the restiveness in the crisis-prone kingdom.

    Ufuoma Idama, an Industrial Mathematics graduate of the Delta State University, owns six large ponds. He told our reporter that he gave up on job hunting after several years of scouring the ‘Wanted’ pages of newspapers for opening and hundreds of job interviews ending with promises of “We will get back to you” that never materialised.

    When The Nation visited the massive farm located off Ufuoma Street in Ekpan recently, the young man was bustling with confidence. Why not? He owns six ponds, some of which are ripe for harvest that could yield profit of up to N500,000 each after six just months.

    “It is not all rosy; it takes a lot of hard work because this business is really cabbage in cabbage out. You must invest money, time and your attention to get the best of the farm,” he told our reporter.

    Ogbodu told the team led by UNIDO’s Senior Industrial Development Officers/Chief Rural Entrepreneurship and Human Security Unit, Aurelia Calabro-Bellamoli that fish produced from the farm were as tasty as those from the river because they are bred with water from the nearby river, which is channelled or piped through webs of canal through the ponds. He explained that the six-hourly high and low tide of the river fill and drain the ponds, eliminating stagnancy which is harmful to the fish.

    He commended the government for its support, particularly in the area of providing infrastructure, including tarring the road leading to the farm; technical and manpower development training, which saw the training of over 200 members at the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR) in a train-the-trainers programme that has benefited thousands of its members.

    The most viable support, he said, was the micro credit loans given to member, which led to production leaping by over 1,400 per cent in the past four years. The loan, which has grown to tens of millions over the past two years, he said, has helped members expand to no end.

    Yet, the fish farmer said the society was not without challenges. He listed some of the tests facing his members to include fund for expansion, technical support, particularly in the area of fingerlings, value addition through packaging, smoking and marketing of their products.

    He said: “We need technical support to produce feed to reduce our cost of production. We also need funds for new and improved fingerlings, water treatment. We also need value addition because the local women who buy from us cannot cope with the volume of fish we produce. We want to be able to export to other states and possibly outside Nigeria.”

    He further added, “For instance, our members cannot produce optimally in order not to create glut in the market. We can only harvest about nine tons daily, even though we have the capacity to produce up to 15tons.”

    Of the nine tons of fish produced daily, he said about 10 – 20 percent were smoked by women who have located their businesses in the heart of the farm to provide ready services to consumers.

    However, Ogbodu, whose ponds have increased from two to 200, recalled a sad period when crude oil from a leaky barge wiped ponds of his members in 2011. He said efforts to get the alleged pollutant – neighbouring Chevron Nigeria Limited – to compensate his members who lost millions of naira failed.

    “What was lost as a result of that incident put so many of us out of operation. Credit facilities that were taken for cultivation went down the drain. The issue remains a very bitter experience for us, but we believe that one day justice will be served,” he added.

    Calabro-Bellamoli commended the leadership of the farmers, noting that “in those days the big fish eats the small one, but with cooperation, the small fishes now eat the big ones.”

    While urging the coops member not to sleep, the UNIDO team leader assured that it will work with the Delta State Government to bring the fish farmers “a little ahead through value addition that is sustainable.”

    Other members of the team include Frank Hartwich and Jesse Ojobo, agric experts as well as Jaroslav Cabak, who is a leather product expert. They promised to have more interactive sessions with the farmers in order to find the best form of help to offer them in the areas listed by Ogbodu in his address.

  • Delta school wins in AGIP quiz

    Delta school wins in AGIP quiz

    St. Michael Secondary School, Oleh, Delta State, has won the grand finale of this year’s Nigerian Agip Oil Company-Green River Project (NAOC-GRP) Agricultural Quiz Competition for Secondary Schools in host communities of the company in Port Harcourt.

    St Michael Secondary School scored 33 points to beat Kins Comprehensive College, Omoku, Rivers State, which scored 13 and half points to take the second position in the contest that started on May 2 with 74 secondary schools from the host communities.

    While 30 secondary schools came from the swampy area, 44 came from the land area of NAOC host communities spread across Bayelsa, Delta, Imo and Rivers states. Incidentally, the first and second prize winners are from the land area.

    For coming tops, St Michael Secondary School, went home with a trophy, shield, laptop computers for the students and the teacher, agricultural text books, slashing machine, knapsack sprayer, wheel barrow and spades.

    Kins Comprehensive College, Omoku was presented with a shield, laptop computers for the students and the teacher, agricultural text books, slashing machine, knapsack sprayer and spades.

    Government Secondary School, Ndoni, Rivers State which emerged third position in the semi-final got a plaque, laptop computers for the students and the teacher, agricultural text books, slashing machine and knapsack sprayer while consolation prizes of agricultural text books were given to other schools that participated in the competition.

    The three pupils who represented St Michael Secondary School in the quiz competition were given a one academic year scholarship while Miss Ijeoma Ahiakwo, one of the representatives of Kins Comprehensive College, Omoku, who already has a scholarship from NAOC running is allowed to continue with it.

    The Public Relations, Communication and Government Liaison Manager of NAOC, Prince Nwachukwu Obi, who represented the firm at the event, said the competition which made some of the pupils to shed tears and emotion is an indication of their desire to rise.

    Obi said the contest is channelled towards human development because while the company produced oil, “man cannot use it if he does not know how.”

    Obi noted that no nation working with it government apparatchik can develop the country alone; adding that its concerted efforts by government, organisations and individuals would achieve greatness.

    He also expressed hope that the competition would in future “create greater minds that will not cram but have the knowledge and be able to apply it when need be.”

    He commended the participants’ teachers for imparting knowledge into them. He expressed hope that someday the company would celebrate them since he does not believe teachers reward should be in heaven alone.

     

  • Eight killed, dozens missing in Delta attacks

    There is tension in riverside communities in Warri, Delta State, yesterday when armed youths suspected to be Ijaw warlords attacked their Itsekiri neighbours.

    At least eight persons were confirmed dead and over 40 houses razed when dozens of armed youths stormed Gbokoda and Ajamita in several speedboats yesterday morning.

    The death toll is expected to rise as over 30 persons from the affected communities remain unaccounted for.

    The marauders were said to be armed with Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and launchers, submachine guns, AK-47s, GPMG (General Purpose Machine Guns) and explosives.

    It was gathered that a man was abducted from Ajamita by the gunmen, who tied him and made him watch as his house with at least one child inside was set ablaze.

    The ancient town of Ebrohimi, home of the famous Nana Olomu, and Eghoro were also attacked as were Tisun and Obaghoro.

    Sources in Koko, headquarters of the local government, told our reporter that the attacks were reminiscent of the Warri crisis when armed invaders overran the town and set several houses ablaze.

    It was gathered that two bodies were deposited at a hospital, while several injured men, women and children were ferried to Warri, Sapele and other neighbouring towns.

    “The river is on fire again; the Ijaw are on the rampage. Several Itsekiri towns are on fire as I speak with you now. They are killing and maiming. The soldiers are helpless because the weapons with the warlords are more sophisticated than those in the hands of federal troops,” one of those who fled the trouble scene told our reporter.

    A mass exodus has hit Itsekiri communities in the area. A source said the State Transport Company garage in the town was overflowing with passengers.

    The Itsekiri urged the government and security agents to rein in the militants.

    A former Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) leader, Ezekiel Akpasibowei (aka General Egbema 1), said the Ijaw have no problem with their Itsekiri neighbours.

    The media coordinator of the Joint Task Force, Lt Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, said the Commander in charge of 19 Battalion, Lt. Colonel Etim, has led an operation to restore sanity in the area.

    He said the attacks were carried out by a group of six to eight renegades, adding that it is not a tribal war.

  • Delta 2015: It’s Okowa versus Ochei in PDP

    Delta 2015: It’s Okowa versus Ochei in PDP

    In the last few weeks, several persons have been touted as the most likely successor to Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, in 2015. Out of the lot, two men stand out. Remi Adelowo reports

     

     

     

    About two months ago, some major political stakeholders had gathered at the Isoko country home of the former Chairman of Guinness Plc, Chief Abel Ubeku, in Delta State, for a social cum thanksgiving service.

    Present at the occasion included the Secretary to the Delta State Government, Comrade Ovuozorue Macaulay, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Ochei, to mention but a few.

    As it is common with events of such nature, it soon turned political with the endorsement by a group named Isoko Development Union (IDU) of Ochei’s alleged 2015 governorship ambition.

    But less than 48hours later, another political group based in Isoko dissociated itself from Ochei’s endorsement, while accusing Macaulay, who also hails from the town, as the brain behind IDU’s action.

    Weeks later, Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbare Clark, lent his voice to the ongoing debate on the 2015 governorship race. The elder statesman, in a scathing criticism of Ochei’s purported governorship ambition, accused the speaker of allegedly diverting about N7billion, being the sum of an Integrated Power Project (IPP) contract in Oghara, the hometown of a former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori.

    Known for shooting straight from the hip on issues he is passionate about, Clark also took on the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, who was also reported recently to have indicated his interest to succeed Uduaghan in 2015.

    The former First Republic minister expressed disgust with Orubebe’s alleged ambition, while advising the minister to focus on his current job.

    Not a few people were shocked about his outburst, as he (Clark) is widely believed to be Orubebe’s godfather, who allegedly nominated him as a Minister of State in 2007.

    Ochei has only responded to this allegation through his associates. In a paid advert in a national newspaper recently, the associates urged Clark to ‘refrain from attempts to destroy the integrity and reputation of young and promising politicians who are young enough to be his children and grandchildren.’

    Like Ochei, the minister, through his foot soldiers, urged Clark to face reality that Orubebe has come of age politically, adding that no individual can stop the minister from contesting the 2015 governorship race.

    The above scenarios, observers have pointed out, are a clear indication that the race on who succeeds Uduaghan would be a photo finish among the leading aspirants.

     

    Is Okowa the heir apparent?

    Though he has not spoken publicly about his ambition to contest the governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) next year, The Nation gathered that the senator representing Delta North in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, is alleged to be reinvigorating his structures in preparation for the race.

    Sources close to the lawmaker, who is popularly called Ekwueme by his political associates, is seen by major PDP stakeholders in Delta State as the man to beat for the PDP governorship ticket.

    A medical doctor by training, Okowa has, undoubtedly, paid his dues in the politics of the state. His first political position was as a secretary of a local government before he was elected as chairman during the zero party dispensation in the early 90’s.

    At the inception of the Fourth Republic, Okowa was appointed as a commissioner in 1999 by ex-governor Ibori. Between 1999 and 2007, he was in charge of the ministries of health, and local government and chieftaincy affairs.

    At the twilight of Ibori’s tenure, Okowa contested for the PDP governorship primaries and was reported to have won, beating about ten other aspirants. He was, however, asked to step down for another aspirant, Uduaghan, who later emerged victorious at the 2007 general elections.

    Currently the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Okowa, from Agbor, is said to be embarking on wide consultations in the state before throwing his hat into the ring.

     

    Ochei is no pushover

    In his mid-40s, Ochei, an engineer, is another governorship aspirant from Delta North with a large followership.

    A wealthy and charismatic politician, Ochei is believed to be popular among youth in the state, who see him as ‘one of their own.’

    A source, however, told The Nation that what may work against Ochei is the general feeling across the state, especially among PDP stakeholders, that he lacks the experience to rule the state from 2015.

    Opinion are also divided on the speaker’s ambition, with many of his party members alleging that he is contesting for the governorship ticket as a strong bargaining tool in order to remain relevant in post-2015 politics.

     

    Elumelu, an aspirant to watch

    From Oshimili, the three-term member of the House of Representatives is also alleged to be interested in the 2015 PDP governorship ticket.

    The Nation gathered that his name is being mentioned in certain quarters as a possible consensus candidate if the PDP primaries turn out to be acrimonious and inconclusive.

     

    Can Orubebe upset the apple cart?

    Until he publicly declared his ambition some weeks ago, Orubebe, a staunch associate of President Goodluck Jonathan, has been rumoured to be plotting to succeed Uduaghan.

    Sources say he is banking on his closeness to the president, who is allegedly determined to take more than a passing interest in those to succeed second term governors in Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta states.

    But those conversant with the politics of Delta State say Orubebe’s lack of grass roots structures and support may turn out to be his Achilles heels when the chips are down.

    Unconfirmed reports have it that the minister may be steeping down from his current job in the next few months to enable him concentrate on the governorship project, which allegedly has received the blessing of the president.

     

    The politics of zoning

    One major factor that may also determine the outcome of the election is the zoning formula, an unwritten political agreement which has ceded the 2015 governorship seat to Delta North.

    Since the creation of the state, no indigene of Delta North has occupied the seat, a development which has further increased the agitation of people of the zone to have their turn in the next dispensation.

    If this agreement is adhered to, observers believe that the contest may turn out to be a straight battle between Okowa and Ochei, while Orubebe’s ambition may be dead even before the race gets underway.

     

    Can the Anioma zone reach a consensus?

    There are strong fears that the Anioma zone (Delta North) may fail to reach a consensus on the best candidate to put forward for the PDP primaries, a lacuna which the other zones (Delta Central and Delta South) may exploit to their advantage.

  • Niger Delta students threaten agency

    Niger Delta students threaten agency

    The Niger Delta Students Union Government (NIDSUG) has threatened to disrupt activities of the Nigeria Local Content and Monitoring Development Board (NCDMB), should the agency fail to live up to expectation within a short period of time.

    The union spoke through its president, Tonbara Yalah, during a press briefing in Yenagoa. Tonbara said the union was using the medium as a wakeup call to the agency, whose board he said has been inefficient over the years.

    He equally noted that the board, which was established to improve the capacity of youths in the Niger Delta, had performed below expectation.

    In a the recent national conference held by the union in Yenagoa, students vent their anger on the board members when they visited the agency’s office at Revenue House, Lambert Eradiri Road, Yenogua. Activities at the firm were grounded as the students barricaded the entrance gate, took over the reception room and chanted solidarity songs.

    Mr Eugene Ozolua, Director in the firm, who spoke on behalf of the board’s Executive Secretary, Mr Ernest Nwapa, pleaded with the students to remain calm, promising that the agency would strengthen relationship with the students.

    Obedience Akama, one of the students, said: “The board is better liquidated if it will be inefficient. Each time their workers see any student around the office, they don’t him. They feel too big to even talk to us.”

    The president of the National Union of Izon Ebe Students (NUIS), Godwin Ogele, a student of Delta State University, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to purge the leadership of the board of “bad eggs”.

    Tonbara threatened: “Should the board refused to live up to expectation this time around, we will make sure we disrupt its activities to drive home our point.”

  • Police seize N2.1m ransom in Delta

    Police seize N2.1m ransom in Delta

    •Kill six kidnap suspects

    The police in Delta State said it had recovered N2.1 million from two gangs of kidnappers.

    It seized N920,000 from a 20 man-gang allegedly operating in the Warri/Ughelli axis.

    The police said it also arrested another kidnap gang in Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government as it attempted to collect a ransom of N1.2million.

    Five members of the 20-man kidnap gang were killed in a shoot-out.

    The kidnap gang, it was learnt, allegedly abducted the proprietor of a popular eatery in Udu and a woman in Osubi community, Okpe Local Government.

    Commissioner of Police Ikechukwu Aduba, represented by police spokesman Lucky Uyabeme briefed reporters yesterday in Asaba.

    He said two gang members, who assisted the police, were part of the 20-man gang apprehended at a checkpoint on Warri/Ughelli road after they ignored police stop order.

    He said his men chased the suspects, and N920, 000 believed to be ransom paid by a victim was recovered.

    Other items recovered are two AK 47 rifles, four magazines each loaded with 35 rounds of 7.63 mm ammunition.

    Aduba identified the suspects as Prince Maku, Goodluck Igbo-Oghre .

    Others were Timothy Akpofure, Moses Uba, Ogutua Nanapre Sunday.

    The commissioner said the police also arrested other members of the gang.

    He said the operational bases of the suspects have been marked for demolition.

    Aduba said the police acting on a tip-off stormed the hide-out of the gang suspected to have kidnapped the wife of Prof Mokobia at Ozoro community.

    He said items recovered include the ransom and locally made double barreled pistol and 50 rounds of ammunition.

    Aduba said after a gun duel a suspect identified as Vote Michael was killed and three women were arrested.

    The commissioner said the police rescued Badi Francisca the head teacher of Ethiope East Nursery/Primary School, Eku, Ethiope East Local Government after she was abducted in the school in the presence of pupils.

    The victim was rescued unhurt and her vehicle recovered.

     

  • Court jails ex-council boss for paying wife N110,000 monthly imprest

    AN Asaba High Court has jailed a former Chairman of Patani Local Government Area of Delta State, Austin Bebeteidoh, for three years for paying his wife N110, 000 monthly imprest to buy fuel for a non-existing official car.

    Bebeteidoh, who committed the crime while in office, was also found guilty of converting a N7 million overdraft of the local government area to personal use.

    But the convict was given an option of N400, 000 by the trial judge, Justice G.B. Briki-Okolosi.

    A statement by the Head, Public Enlightenment of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Mike Sowe, said the convict’s trial began in 2007.

    The statement reads: “Austin Bebeteidoh was sentenced to three years in jail for paying his wife a monthly imprest, thereby contravening Section 19 of the ICPC Act.

    “Bebeteidoh was accused of approving for fueling of his wife’s car the sum of N110,000 monthly as imprest, although his wife had no official car.

    “The former chairman was charged to court by the ICPC in 2007 on a seven-count charge of violating sections 16, 19 and 25 of the ICPC Act.

    “He was accused of converting to his personal use N7million overdraft facility he obtained on behalf of Patani Local Government Council from the New Nigerian Bank Plc and another sum of N710, 000, which he purportedly used for hiring a vehicle for official use.

    “Justice G.B. Briki-okolosi, while delivering his judgement on May 16, discharged and acquitted the accused on counts one to five, but found him guilty on counts six and seven.

    “He then sentenced the former local government chairman to three years with an option of N200, 000 on count 6 and another N200, 000 on count 7.

    “Meanwhile, the ICPC has arrested an officer of the Nigerian Prison Service, ASP Ikwuobe Yusuf and his accomplice, Usman Musa, for operating a fake employment syndicate through which they extorted hundreds of thousands of naira from applicants.

    “ASP Yusuf is alleged to have collected N100, 000 from 70 applicants through Usman Musa, who promised to offer the applicants employment with the National Task Force to Combat Illegal Importation and Smuggling of Goods, Small Arms, Ammunition and Light Weapons.

    “The suspects were arrested in Kano and Kaduna and have been transferred to ICPC headquarters for further investigation.”