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Tag: Edem Duke

  • Duke, two others protest Cross River APC governorship primary

    Three of the governorship aspirants who participated in Monday’s governorship primary in Cross River state has accused the national Vice Chairman, South South of the party, Prince Hilliard Eta of collaborating with others to create confusion within the party in the state.
    They said  such action is threatening the chances of the party in both the Presidential and governorship election.
    Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, the three aspirants namely former Minister of Culture and Tourism, Edem Duke, John Upan Odey and Prof. Nyong Eyo asked the party leadership to cancel the primary and fix a new date for the conduct of a fresh primary.
    Speaking on their behalf, John Odey said the governorship primary never took place in two of the three Senatorial districts in the state while it was manipulated in favour of Senator John Owan Enoh, adding that allowing such travesty of justice to prevail will amount to denying the party the chance of winning the state.
    Odey said “Our primaries was scheduled to hold on Monday this week. Events leading to that primaries is t(e reason why we are here today to register a string denouncement about what happened in the state.
    “A day before the primary was to hold, the Vice Chairman, South South of the party, Hilliard ETA came to the state and called a meeting of stakeholders. Before that he invited the committee to in his house and told them that the Presidency and indeed the leadership of the party has anointed one us and should be returned.
    “We were disturbed about that and in the day of the stakeholders meeting we asked him if it was true that he was supporting one candidate. He said he had a right to choose one aspirant over others and we felt there was something fundamentally wrong with that for a leader of a party to take sides in the middle of a contest.
    “Arrangement was made for all aspirants to go and inspect the materials which was done and agreement reached for the materials to be moved that night to the various Senatorial zones and local government and to be kept in the police stations in the various places.
    “But shortly after, different people came and collected those materials for the various local government areas and incidentally, they were representatives of one of the aspirant, Senator John Uwa Enoh.
    “Apart for materials for Calabar area that were kept in the police stations till the next day, other materials were taken to an unknown areas. In northern Cross River where I was waiting to vote, the materials never got there. Northern Cross River has five local government with 53 wards and in all these wards, there was no single election that day.
    “We complained about this and later that night, they took ballot papers to the home of one of the key supporters of Senator John Uwa Enoh in Obudu, where they kept those materials and brought people to thumbprint. What I am saying is that in five local government, without contradiction, no election held.
    “In Central Cross River and the south, the materials were just carted away and results fabricated. In the few wards where semblance of an election was going on, very few number of ballot papers were allotted there because some of us had strength there.
    “What we are saying is that the whole process was a fabrication, it was a hijack and we are saying that the right thing should be done in a party like the APC. Before now, three of us were opponents, but right now, we are standing together to fight a joint evil.
    “We had this same problem earlier in the year when certain people tried to hijack the state congress leading to the issue of two state EXCO. We have again found ourselves in a similar situation where one person is again trying to take over the whole party.
    “The APC in cross River state is such a big party that no one person should take and put in his pocket. I am from northern Cross River and my brothers here are from Southern Cross River, while the other person involved is from Central.
    “We represent two out of three Senatorial district and so, we can say that majority of cross rover state is standing here. One person cannot hijack what is meant for all of us.
    “We are here to say that the collusion that has happened between the national Vice Chairman, south south and Senator John Owan Enoh is threatening to derail the possibility of the APC doing well in the governorship and Presidential election next. We are here today to register our protest.
    “Outside our own group, there is also a parable group that purport that the Minister of Niger Delta is the candidate of the party. All these confusion we are getting from Cross River state is from one Senatorial zone, the two of them laying claim t9 the candidacy of the party are from the same Senatorial zone. So, we want the right thing to be done so that we can have peace. We are tired of the same people bringing confusion to the party in the state.
    “We are going to submit a formal petition and if the leadership refuse to listen to us, our supporters will not be encouraged to work for this party. Let me add that in a whole Senatorial zone, there was no election and that is where the current governor comes from.
    “So, we are in a situation. Where the party is not being helped with the activities going on in the state. You become uncompetitive if a party is chased out of a whole Senatorial, district and this is what is happening because the members in that zone did not participate in the voting on that day.
    “The guidelines says that in every ward, there should be committee which should be swapped. But in our own case, nothing like that was done. Materials were just handed out to individuals. In other words, we are saying that the primary should be cancelled and a new date set for another exercise in the state”.

  • No faction in Cross River APC, says Duke

    Chief Edem Duke, former Minister of Culture and Tourism, says disharmony in the state APC is about interests.

    Duke said this on Sunday when he commissioned a new Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “There is no faction in Cross River APC; it is interest by various stakeholders in the party in the state.

    “However, this is good for democracy but we need to come together; reason together; and chart a new course for our great party, ‘’ he said.

    He advised APC faithful in the state to bury their interest and work for the progress of the party, adding that APC would be stronger if all members united and worked towards taking over the state in 2019.

    He urged people who were yet to register for their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to do so before Aug. 31 deadline to enable them to vote in the 2019 election.

    He outlined the achievements of President Muhammad Buhari, particularly the appointment of Cross River indigenes in various positions, adding that this was enough reason for the people to vote him again in 2019.

    Duke said an APC administration in the state would take special care of women and the vulnerable, if elected in the state in 2019.

    APC in Cross River failed to conclude its state congress following litigation by the parallel executives members.

    The party currently has two Chairmen with each claiming to be the authentic leader.

  • 2019: Edem Duke ‘will work with all’ in Cross River

    A governorship aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River, Chief Edem Duke, has promised to work with non indigenes to develop the state, if elected governor in 2019.

    Speaking yesterday in Calabar when the Yoruba community in Cross River visited him, Duke lauded the ingenuity of the Yoruba, describing them as the engine room of Nigeria’s economy.

    He said there was hardly any sector without a Yoruba as front runner, and acknowledged their contributions to the development of the state.

    “I salute the Yoruba in Cross River for their hard work and peaceful nature. Since I was born and lived here in Calabar, I have never heard that the Yoruba community in Cross River had any problem with the natives.

    “If I become governor of this state through your vote, I am assuring you that I will work with you and other non indigenes to develop the state and take it to a higher level.

    “I will create an enabling environment so that you can carry out your daily routines without fear of molestation, ‘’ he said.

    The former Minister of Culture and Tourism restated his resolve to restore tourism potential in the state.

    “I will make sure that Cross River becomes the tourism hub of the sub Saharan Africa because we are endowed from the Northern hills of Obanliku to the southern waters of Bakassi and we have barely harnessed these potentials.

    “We will ensure that the business atmosphere, leisure and hospitality Cross River is known for is completely re-branded and brought back to life,” he said.

    The governorship aspirant said his aspiration was driven by a desire to reposition the state and turn around its fortunes, having seen that the state was not progressing.

    He acknowledged the strength of other aspirants, but noted that with his experience, he has all it takes to provide good governance to the people.

    Edem Duke hailed the Yoruba community for the visit and described it as a bold and unusual step.

    Speaking, leader of the delegation, Mr Ishmaila Osho, said they were proud to identify with the aspirant whose record was “commendable and enough to attract the desired progress to the state’’.

    Osho said the Yoruba community would support him because they believe he would use his position as governor to create an enabling environment for peace to reign and business to thrive.

  • Edem Duke dumps PDP for APC

    Edem Duke dumps PDP for APC

  • NDE, World Bank begin training of 227 youths on entrepreneurial skills

    The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in collaboration with the World Bank, has begun the training of 227 unemployed youths in Cross River under the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO).

    Mr Kunle Obayan, the NDE Director-General, said in Calabar that the programme was designed to empower youths with skills that would help them compete favourably in the labour market.

    Represented by Mr Mfam Eyahanjom, an official from the Directorate, Obayan said that the youths would undergo training on ‘Life Skill Training, Sector Specific Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Skills Training’.

    He explained that after the three months training, the directorate would deploy the beneficiaries to competent private sector operators for a six-month internship/apprenticeship training.

    Obayan said that 6,878 youths were selected from the seven participating states of Bauchi, Niger, Cross River, Kwara, Oyo, Ekiti and Kogi.

    He said that the directorate had verified 4,721 beneficiaries while 227 youths were selected for the training in Cross River.

    “Throughout the nine-months training period, the Federal Government, through the World Bank support, would ensure prompt payment of monthly stipends to beneficiaries who will receive skills training of their choice at no cost,” he said.

    Also speaking, Mr Edem Duke, the NDE Coordinator in Cross River, said that the collaboration with the World Bank was in line with the Directorate’s commitment to poverty reduction.

    Duke said that the training programme would help unemployed youths to access opportunities to become entrepreneurs and job creators.

    “This training is designed to enable trainees to find sustainable jobs, boost institutional capacity building and public private sector partnership.”

    He charged the beneficiaries to show commitment and make proper use of the rare opportunity to chart a new direction for a better future.

    Prof. Ngozi Onyekwe, the World Bank representative, said it was a major milestone for the bank to partner with NDE in the area of unemployment reduction in Nigeria.

    Meanwhile, Mr Balinwo Ofegobi, the Cross River Coordinator of YESSO, said his office was saddled with the responsibility of providing temporary employment opportunities to unskilled and semi-skilled youths.

    One of the beneficiaries, Ms. Doris Ben, thanked NDE and the World Bank for designing the programme which is aimed at equipping them with skills to become self-employed.

     

  • 50 world leaders to attend Buhari’s inauguration

    50 world leaders to attend Buhari’s inauguration

    The Chairman of the Media and Publicity Sub- Committee of the Presidential Inauguration Planning Committee, Chief Edem Duke, on Friday said over 50 presidents and heads of government across the globe will attend the inauguration of President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.

    He made the remark while briefing journalists in Abuja on the preparations for the one week programme, which started on Friday with Jumaat prayer at the National Central Mosque, Abuja.

    According to him, invitation cards have been dispatched to all the 54 countries in the African continent and other countries of the world.

    Duke, who is also the Minister of Culture and Tourism, said: “As we speak the 54 countries of the continent of Africa have been invited. Many of the heads of government will be coming.

    “There has been a huge interest, especially, from head of countries in Europe to attend this inauguration and at the last count I think we must have in excess of about 50 heads of state and delegation expected at this inauguration.”

    Stressing that a high security strategy is being put in place for a hitch-free inauguration, the minister said all invitees for the various segments of the inauguration will be subjected to thorough screening.

    He said some roads in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will be blocked on the inauguration day to ensure smooth movement to and from the Eagle Square venue of the inauguration.

    He said: “The security agencies are working in close concert to ensure that there is absolutely no threat to the security of this inauguration.”

    “Arrangements are been made to screen all the invitees long before they access the perimeters of the location.”

     

  • Tourism Minister denies sale of National Theatre

    Tourism Minister denies sale of National Theatre

    Nigerian’s Tourism and Culture Minister, Chief Edem Duke early Friday morning, denied the purported sale of Nigeria’s National Arts Theatre located in Lagos, as recently reported by some section of the media.

    Sounding very much alarmed in a telephone conversation to the Nation newspaper, the Minister said that, “I have not sold the National Theatre to anyone or organisation as purportedly being written about or talked about.”

    In the last few months, the public have been informed variously by some media organisations that Chief Edem Duke acting in his capacity as the Minister of Culture and Tourism, had entered into negotiations to sell off the National Arts Theatre, a national monument which was built for the Festival of Arts and Culture in 1977, under the government of Lt. Gen Olusegun Obasanjo.

    It was reported that the secret deal “was shielded from the Nigerian media, in spite of a subsisting concession arrangement with the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE.

    But Duke said that, “the media should stop this spread of rumour. I belief that the Nigerian media practitioners are too enlightened to embrace such rumour. The national Theatre I insist is not going to be turned to a hotel. What the Federal Government has been planning to do in the last three years which the media should have followed and monitored to date, is that the fallow land around the National Theatre, is going to be developed to an entertainment city.  And there is a due process in place for that purpose. In the last three years, there have been sequential processes in this direction.”
    Asked when the intended entertainment city would materialise, the Minister told the Nation that the information will be duly passed to the public in due course; being that the process is still on-going. He however added that, “anything that the government is doing, it does in the interest of the nation as a whole. There is no individual who is going to take the National Arts Theatre and pocket it, no individual, I assure you. I do not know why this matter has repeatedly been an issue.”

  • No plan to sack Jega – FG

    The Federal Government has again denied the reports making the rounds that the Presidency planned to sack the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega.

    All Progressive Congress senators had on Friday raised the alarm about a plot to force Jega to go on terminal leave next week.

    The general election has been rescheduled for March 28 and April 11.

    The polls were earlier slated for February 14 and 28 before INEC shifted the dates because of insecurity.

    But the supervising Minister of Information, Edem Duke, who based his defence on the recent assurance made by President Goodluck Jonathan during the last presidential media chat, said government has no plan to remove the INEC boss before the elections.

    Duke, who is also the minister of Culture and Tourism, however told journalists in Abuja that the INEC boss will leave office in accordance with the laid down service rules.

    He said: The issue of the INEC Chairman, I want to align myself with Mr. President on that matter. “

    Duke said it is natural for anybody who reaches the terminal date in service to leave.

     

  • Minister condemns recent Kano blast

    Minister condemns recent Kano blast

    The Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke has condemned the recent bomb blast in Kano, saying the act is against the culture of peace which our culture preaches about.

    Chief Duke a made the statement at a gathering of who-is-who in the creative industry hosted by the president at the prestigious Eko Hotel Suites, Lagos, recently.

    Speaking at the event tagged:”An Evening with the President”, the Minister said security and insurgency are two challenges upper most in the president’s heart.

    He said: “Tonight  the peace of our nation was shattered. People went out to Kano to pray but so many of them never returned home. Let us observe a minute silence to the life that was shattered.”

    He called on members of the creative industry to use their works to advocate peace, saying they possess the tool to influence minds.

  • Minister urges Cross River PDP to resolve differences

    The Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, High Chief Edem Duke, has called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State to sort out its differences.

    Speaking with reporters in Calabar, Duke said the state was the last bastion of stability for the party in the country.

    He said, “We have gone into a season of high political activities and it is important for me especially as a minister with a responsibility for national orientation to make an urgent and passionate call on all players in the political space that it is critical for us to maintain a high sense of decorum in this political season. The political contest is a contest of ideas, therefore it is important especially as we had recorded in 2011, the most peaceful and credible elections in Nigeria.

    “I would like to use the opportunity as minister from Cross River State to reiterate the fact that the state has always being the last bastion of stability in the PDP family all over the country. Therefore as we begin to go into the active seasons of the elections, I wish to use the opportunity of strengthen the call of the President that we must play politics without bitterness. It has never been the character of Cross River politics for violence and unethical utterances.

    “I wish to use the opportunity to say that every state in Nigeria has always envied the agenda of the political family in the Cross River. It is therefore too late in the day for us to change the characteristic of the state politics. I believe that because we have always said that the grace of God is abundant for each and every one and the PDP umbrella is big and comfortable enough to accommodate all players irrespective of our initial desire and ambition.

    “It is therefore my passionate call that a time has come for us to muster the courage to put again forward that characteristic of the PDP in the state which has been the envy of the country. We cannot afford at this critical time when we are facing the challenges of economic and social development, dwindling resources and all kinds of deficiencies.

    “We cannot allow a crack in the PDP family. It is right and appropriate for each and every one of us to aspire to leadership, but from what I have always seen in the state, we have always at the end of the day resolved our differences in harmony.”