The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Port Harcourt

  • Suspected robbers terrorize Rivers residents

    There was palpable fear and panic among residents of Ogbumnuabali area of Port Harcourt, in Port Harcourt City Local Government of  the Rivers state Monday night as suspected armed robbers stormed the area.

    The incident happened in Ogbuga and Ogbundah streets in the area around 7 in the evening, saw the entire community which is usually beehive of activities, being a known commercial area known for computer and electronic business to go deserted within seconds, as people scamper to safety.

    A source close to the area told the Nation that the assailants who were heavily armed young men and teenagers shot sporadically as they de-possess their victims of their valuables, including phones, cash and others.

     He said that the community has been under siege by the hoodlums for a while now, with nothing being done about it.

    Collaborating the source,  a cap driver also told a story of how he stormed into them last week about the same time also,  causing his vehicle to be discharged of passengers who ran out of the car for hideout.

    Read Also: APC: CCTV captured Rivers bombing

    They men of the underworld were reportedly armed with guns and other dangerous weapons and they robbed some petty traders of their money and phones forcing some other shop owners to lock their shops and run for safety.

    A residence who spoke to our reporter on the matter  is now on a daily basis “we are just living in fear now, if we hear noise, we go run for our lives because they can come at any time, I no go fit dey my shop reach 9’o clock for night again because of fear, we no dey safe again even to sleep for night, na one eye we dey carry sleep” she said.

    According to another resident who pleaded anonymity “they even go as far tearing window nets to steal whatever they can lay their hands on, this place is no longer what it used to be, we are pleading with the state government to provide security for us especially this election period”.

    The hoodlums reportedly depossess  the residents of their property ranging from cars and other valuable on daily basis and terrorizes the  area freely without  fear of apprehension or challenge by anyone, including security operatives.

    It is suspected that the assailants are residents of the area who are well knowledgeable of the environment.

    Rumour mills however said that some persons have been arrested in connection with the attack,  but the police could not confirm it as at the time of filing this report.

    Efforts to reach the spokesman of the state police command,  Nnamdi Omoni,  a Deputy Suprindentent of Police failed. He did not answer calls made to his handset mobile phone, neither did he return the calls.

  • PDP Convention: Wike meets Atiku in Port Harcourt

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Tuesday held a consultative meeting with PDP Presidential aspirant and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar at the Government House Port Harcourt.

    The Presidential aspirant arrived Government House Port Harcourt in company of former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and other campaign officials.

    Governor Wike and Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar thereafter went in for a meeting at the conference room of the Government House.

    Read Also: Primary: Gombe PDP governorship aspirant rejects results

    The former Vice President Atiku Abubakar visited Governor Wike to canvass for delegate votes ahead of the 6 and 7 October, 2018 National Convention in Port Harcourt.

    Also in attendance at the meeting were the Former Rivers State Governor , Sir Celestine Omehia, Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah and Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Governor, Engr Emeka Woke.

  • Osun rerun: Observer condemns poll

    …says it is a rape of main poll

     

    Reactions has continued to trail the last Thurday governorship rerun elections in Osun state, as an independent observer of  the polls describing it as a complete shift from the transparent and credible  exercise held September 22, 2018.

    The candidate of the Peoples’ Democratice Party (PDP),  in the election, Senator Ademola Adeleke described it as a scam, even as some others out rightly said that it was marred by intimidation and security thuggery.

    The founder and Executive Director of “The Integrity Friends for Truth and Peace Initiative”(TIFPI), -a civil society group,  Livingstone Wechie in a statement released in Port Harcourt,  the Rivers State capital on Saturday.

    Wechie in the statement said, “Our organization was duly accredited by INEC as a domestic independent Observer for the Osun 2018 election.

    “The election in Osun was a major experience with two sides of the coin. The September 22 election was the best organized election under INEC arguably ever with too many laudable innovation by the Commission.

    “As early as 6:30am across most of the poling units in the 30 LGAs of the state people had come out enmass to be accredited and cast their vote which commenced at 8am across the state. This is one lesson that the rest of Nigerians must learn come 2019 in terms of coming out to own the process. The Osun voters never left the poling units until votes were counted from 2pm  and results declared at the Units levels and this is commendable.

    “This indeed was like a festival of votes as demonstrated by the politically conscious Osun people in the keenly contested election.

    It was a substantially peaceful process with relatively insignificant observation of vote buying which was an initial fear except for the Rerun experience.

    Read Also: Osun governor-elect Oyetola unfolds agenda

    “Hence the ban on use of smart phone which INEC employed was a huge success. Security was of a very professional disposition putting on human face without doubt. The worry was as to where and at what point things went wrong leading to the cancellation of elections in 7 poling units resulting in the supplementary election which held on Thursday 27 2018.”

    Speaking on the rerun Wechie said, “The mundane conduct of desperate politicians in the Osun rerun election was a clear rape of the gains of the September 22 election despite all genuine efforts by INEC and huge investment of tax payers monies.

    “It further raises concerns in terms of justifying the huge investment of public funds on these elections and those of independent observers who put in so much in terms of logistics and other risk factors given the unfortunate actions of these desperate politicians who are bent on derailing the process for self-serving purposes never minding public interest.

    “The election was a direct opposite on all sides compared to the widely celebrated September 22 election. We observed widespread violence, intimidation of voters, Observers, Party Agents,  journalists by security agents and political thugs.

    “We observed cases of mass vote buying and open identification of prospective voters who were only permitted to vote only if it was in favor of a choice political party.

    “Observers and journalists from AIT, Premium Times, Sahara Reporters and channels TV were either assaulted or arrested and refused access to cover certain parts of the affected poling Units including Orolu and some places.

    “Very worrisome and as clearly noted by most observers, the various factors that led to the cancellation of the 7 poling units of the September 22 election more than reared their heads again in higher proportions,  yet results were announced. Further explanations may be needed here by the appropriate authority.

    “We observe that the election was seriously compromised by desperate politicians and their thugs from various fronts aided by security agents. This obviously undermined the credibility and integrity of the entire process.

    “Our worry is that this Osun election is not a good signal for the 2019 general election if steps are not taken by critical stakeholders to reassure Nigerians of a free fair and credible election particularly on the security aspects.”

    He however appealed to any party that was not satisfied with the outcome of the polls to approach the judiciary to investigate the rerun exercise with the view of ensuring that the choice of the people takes over the state.

  • Saraki, Bafarawa, chides Buhari over Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges

    The duo of Senate President, Bukola Saraki and former Sokoto state governor, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, both aspiring for the endorsements of PDP delegates for election as Presidential candidate of the party, have blamed the policies and programs of President Buhari’s government as responsible for the present economic and political downturn being experienced in the country, and promised to do ‘’damage control’’, if elected

    Both Presidential hopefuls were respectively in Katsina to campaign for votes from the party delegates to the National convention slated for Port Harcourt, Rivers state on Saturday October 6

    Saraki further advocated generational change in the leadership of the country adding that Nigeria was in need of young and courageous leaders that would bring about the needed socio-economic transformation people are yearning for.

    He said politics at the global level today was centered on youths as leaders, and that Nigeria would be wise to tow such line during the forthcoming general elections.

    He said ‘It was due to this that I decided to offer myself to Nigerians as a viable candidate for Aso Rock, on platform of the PDP.

    “Nigeria needs strong and courageous leaders. Politics in Nigeria today requires tested and courageous people. It is time for the youths to rule the country,”

    Saraki said he was confident of delegates from the state casting their vote for him for the party’s presidential ticket.

    He said his confidence was based on his strong relationship with several PDP stakeholders, particularly the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua as well as ex-governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema.

    Read Also: APC presidential primary: Buhari polls 98% in Zamfara

    He assured that if elected, he would give priority to addressing the problem of poverty in the country, as well as ensure proper representation for the people as nation’s president.

    He said Katsina PDP was first in the country to elect a consensus candidate in person of Senator Yakubu Lado Danmarke that would fly the party’s ticket for the governorship polls in the state.

    He called on party members to elect candidates of the party come next general election s, so that the country would be free from the challenges APC had created.

    Bafarawa on his part said as state governor for eight years, he did not receive any salaries, but could afford to purchase a nomination form in the range of President Buhari’s.

    He wondered why the president would need anyone to buy him the form, even though he had been nation’s leader and occupied various juicy posts in the past.

    On his campaign, Bafarawa said he had traversed through 30 states in the country by road to meet with delegates on his presidential ambition.

    He said if elected, he would carry out what he described as “damage control” to take the country out of the malaise the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) had put her into.

    He said as president, he would not bother about probing into what the APC government had done or refused to do, but would work out ways the nation can move forward socio-economically.

    He however called on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to allow for fairness and level playing field for all its aspirants during its presidential primary and express confidence in the delegates from the state casting their vote for him for the party’s Presidential ticket.

    Speaking, the party’s chairman in the state, Salisu Majigiri condemned the ruling All Progressive Congress-led (APC) government of flouting court orders.

    Majigiri said the APC has little regard for the rule of law, and was in habit of not giving the National Assembly (NASS) the recognition it deserved.

    He called on party members to elect candidates of the party to come out next general election s, so that the country would be free from the challenges APC had created

  • Convention venue: PDP bows to Wike

    The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has decided to hold its national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

    This was one of the key decisions taken at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held yesterday at the Abuja secretariat of the PDP.

    The party reportedly agreed to hold the convention in Port Harcourt, after Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, tendered an apology to the leadership of the party and other stakeholders at the meeting.

    An inside source said some party chieftains also apologised on behalf of the Rivers Governor, adding that he was sober and contrite while tendering his apology.

    Governor Wike had on Wednesday, gone on air, threatening to “teach the PDP a lesson” if the party failed to hold the convention in Port Harcourt.

    The governor’s threat was in response to a statement by the chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin.

    Jibrin had, at a stakeholders meeting on Monday, dismissed reports that the PDP convention would hold in Port Harcourt, saying that the party hadn’t taken a decision on the venue.

    Speaking with journalists, shortly after the meeting, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, confirmed that the issue of venue was amicably resolved by all stakeholders.

    Saraki said, “We all agreed  to hold it in Port Harcourt. Some of the issues that we are having before, which were reported in the newspapers were discussed.

    “Everybody decided that we should stay with the party. Where tempers were flared, people apologised and everybody felt that yes, there was a commitment to assure everybody that there will be free and fair primaries. So today has been a very good day”.

    All the aspirants were said to have collectively assured the meeting that their initial fears over the Port Harcourt venue for the convention had been allayed by the leadership of the party.

    They reportedly reposed confidence in the ability of the leadership of the party and the convention committee to conduct a seamless exercise.

    However, the convention, where the party’s presidential candidate will be elected, has been shifted from October 5-6 to October 6-7.

    No fewer than 3,619 delegates across the country are expected to vote to elect the party’s presidential flag bearer at the convention.

    Other resolutions arrived at included a written commitment of all the 12 presidential aspirants to a bond accepting the outcome of the primary election and to join forces with the eventual winner to form a united front.

    The party on its part, pledged to ensure transparent, free, fair and acceptable primaries that will be acceptable to all the aspirants and their supporters.

    The PDP also expressed readiness to engage democratic stakeholders all over the world towards achieving a credible free and fair general election in February 2019.

    The meeting, which was presided over by the national chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, was attended by all its presidential aspirants, the party’s governors, members of the National Assembly among others.

  • PDP to hold convention in P/Harcourt as Wike apologises

    3619 delegates to elect presidential candidate

    The leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has finally decided to hold its national convention in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    This was one of the key decisions taken at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Friday at the Abuja secretariat of the PDP.

    The agreement to hold the convention in Port Harcourt was reached after the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, was said to have tendered an apology to the leadership of the party and other stakeholders at the meeting.

    An inside source said some party chieftains also apologized on behalf of the Rivers Governor, adding that he was sober and contrite while tendering his apology.

    Governor Wike had on Wednesday, gone on air, threatening to, among others, “teach the PDP a lesson” if the party failed to hold the convention in Port Harcourt.

    The governor’s threat was in response to a statement by the chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin.

    Jibrin had, at a stakeholders meeting on Monday, dismissed reports that the PDP convention would hold in Port Harcourt, saying that the party had yet to take a decision on venue.

    Speaking with journalists shortly after the meeting, the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, confirmed that the issue of venue was amicably resolved by all stakeholders.

    Saraki said, “We all agreed to hold it in Port Harcourt. Some of the issues that we are having before, which were reported in the newspapers were discussed.

    Read Also: Why PDP is crying foul, by APC

    “Everybody decided that we should stay with the party. Where tempers were flared, people apologized and everybody felt that yes, there was a commitment to assure everybody that there will be free and fair primaries. So today has been a very good day”.

    All the aspirants were said to have collectively assured the meeting that their initial fears over the Port Harcourt venue for the convention had been allayed by the leadership of the party.

    They were also said to have reposed confidence in the ability of the leadership of the party and the convention committee to conduct a seamless exercise.

    However, the convention, where the party’s presidential candidate will be elected has been shifted from October 5-6 to October 6-7.

    No fewer than 3619 delegates across the country are expected to vote to elect the party’s presidential flag bearer at the convention.

    Other resolutions arrived at included a written commitment of all the 12 presidential aspirants to a bond accepting the outcome of the primary election and to join forces with the eventual winner to form a united front.

    The party on its part, pledged to ensure a transparent, free, fair and acceptable primaries that will be acceptable to all the aspirants and their supporters.

    The PDP also expressed the readiness to engage democratic stakeholders all over the world towards achieving a credible free and fair general election in February 2019.

    The meeting, which was presided over by the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus was attended by all the presidential aspirants, the party’s governors, members of the National Assembly among other stakeholders.

  • Amaechi, Cole promise to assist victims of Port Harcourt fire

    The Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and billionaire businessman, Pastor Tonye Cole, have promised to assist traders who lost goods worth billions of naira in Thursday evening’s fire at the fruit market on Kaduna Street, D-Line, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    Amaechi, a former Rivers Governor, and Cole, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, also assured the traders that they would liaise with the APC leadership in Rivers to assist them financially.

    Transportation minister, while speaking yesterday with victims of the fire at the scene, said: “What we will do is to assist you. You should reach the Rivers State Chairman of APC (Ojukaye Flag-Amachree) and let us know what level of assistance we can give to you.”

    Cole, a co-founder of Sahara Group, while also speaking, described the incident as very sad.

    Read Also: Amaechi’s men accuse Wike of plotting against primary

    The Pastor of Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG (Cole) said: “Your (traders’) Chairman will take record of the number of stores affected by the fire, to enable us to compensate everybody that lost their goods.

    “Let us know how much you have lost and the number of persons affected by the fire. We know you need money to survive, we would give some amount of money to your chairman for all of you.”

    Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Thursday night, visited the burnt market and promised to rebuild it and to also assist the traders.

  • Airtel to create more entrepreneurs in Nigeria — CEO

    The management of Airtel Nigeria has assured Nigerians of its commitment to create more entrepreneurs and “connect more people with their dreams’’ in the country.

    Mr Segun Ogunsanya, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, gave the assurance at the flag-off Airtel’s 4G LTE in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

    According to him, Airtel which rolled out the product in February 2018 is also determined to maintain its position as “the largest and the fastest of the 4G network in Nigeria’’.

    Ogunsanya, who also described his organisation as the most modern communication network in Nigeria, said he was proud that the network “works all the time’’.

    He also noted that the deployment of 4G in Port Harcourt was a testimony of the telecommunication company’s commitment to partner and empower the good people of Rivers.

    “4G comes with tons of benefits: it will accelerate economic and commercial activities; it will boost personal and professional productivity; it will help in creating more entrepreneurs.

    “It will offer the youth a big leverage to express their creativity and talent; it will improve the overall quality of life and connect more people to their dreams.

    “With 4G, Airtel will also power people, businesses and aid governance through Technology,” he said.

    Read Also: Airtel’s 4G Internet service for Delta

    The event was attended by King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, Treaty King Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Opobo Kingdom and King Leslie Eke, Eze Gbakagbaka of Evo Kingdom among others.

    Ogunsanya had earlier during a visit to the Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers, said Airtel had rolled out its 4G technology in major cities across Nigeria to make the organisation the largest 4G network.

    “We bring our 4G Network to you and the people of Rivers State! I make bold to say we have the best and largest 4G Network in Nigeria.

    “It is a sign of our regard for and commitment to the government and people of Rivers State that we have chosen this state and indeed this city, as one of the early and biggest beneficiaries of this innovative system of mobile telecommunications.

    “We are not resting on our laurels as we are still connecting more cities and towns in Nigeria to our 4G network,’’ he said.

    Wike also commended Airtel for its 4G roll out and assured that his administration would continue to provide a conducive environment for investors and corporate organizations.

    “We want to partner with you (Airtel) and give you all the necessary support.

    “Rivers State abhors multiple taxation and we will do everything to protect investors, corporate organisations and businessmen and women,’’ he said.

  • ‘Notorious cyber criminals’, others paraded in Port Harcourt

    The Rivers State Police Command yesterday paraded three “notorious” cyber criminals who specialised in buying items from shops and sending fake bank alerts to their unsuspecting victims.

    The suspects are: Gordon Elenwo and Boniface Wisdom.

    The syndicate was burst by members of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris Monitoring Team, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Bennett Igwe.

    Five plasma television sets the suspects allegedly stole through this fraudulent means were reportedly recovered from their receivers: Onyekachi Umeononihu, Elijah Isaac and Uchenna Umesuonihu.

    They were paraded in Port Harcourt, the state capital yesterday by Police Commissioner Zaki Ahmed.

    Also paraded were suspected members of a car-snatching syndicate, from who four Hummer buses and two Hilux vans were recovered.

    The suspected car thieves were allegedly responsible for most car theft in the Garden City and its environs.

    They were said to specialise in robbing vehicle owners at gunpoint.

    Addressing reporters before the parade, Ahmed said the hoodlums were arrested following a tip-off.

    The police chief gave the names of the suspects as: Barisuka Bira, Smart, Sunny Agbo, Ignatius Ogbenu and Adamu Yunusa, who received and paid for the Hummer buses and other vehicles stolen by other suspected thieves.

    He said the suspects confessed to the crime, adding that the leader of the gang, Barisuka Biira, led the police to apprehend his gang members.

    Ahmed said: “Men of the IGP Monitoring Unit, while acting on credible information, burst a gang of car-snatching syndicate that specialises in snatching cars in Port Harcourt and its environs.

    “Following a tip-off, the team arrested Barisuka Biira (aka JJ), 32, who is the leader of the gang. Biira, on interrogation, confessed and led the police to where others were arrested.

    “One of the gang members, Ignatius Ogbenu (aka IG), and other members of the syndicate were arrested at Obinze in Owerri, Imo State. Their further confession led the police to Lagos where four Hummer buses and two Hilux vans were recovered.

    “They are helping us in our investigation as efforts are at advance stage to recover more snatched vehicles and their operational weapons.”

    Also paraded was a notorious kidnapper, Chimeze Nwagwu (aka Gasak), who was reportedly arrested after a shootout with the police in a kidnappers’ hideout at Royal Park Estate, Eneka, Port Harcourt.

    Ahmed said a member of the gang, Casmir Nwagwu, was killed in the crossfire, adding that one of the fleeing suspects, Morgan Alex, was later arrested after another round of gun battle with the hoodlums in Imo State.

    “Exhibits recovered from them are: three English pump action, one SMG rifle, one Jericho pistol, 63 live ammunition, 16 rounds of 9mm, 12 rounds of 7.62mm.

    “Investigation is ongoing as the suspect (Morgan Alex) is still making useful confession, and efforts are on to arrest other members of the dreaded gang,” he said.

     

  • Wike, Abe conspiring to defame me – Amaechi

    The Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has stated that his successor, Nyesom Wike, and the lawmaker representing Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, are conniving and conspiring to disparage and defame him. 

    He declared that Rivers State governor (Wike), a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Abe, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were plotting to use his former cabinet members to tell fake, concocted and distorted stories to the media that were meant to denigrate him, impugn his unblemished integrity and paint a very terrible image of him to members of the public.

    Amaechi, the Director-General of Buhari/Osinbajo Re-election Campaign Organisation, who is also the leader of APC in Rivers state and the Southsouth zone, stated this on Friday in an online statement by his media office.

    The immediate past governor of Rivers state revealed that the plot against him was already far-gone and persons were being coached on what to say and how to say it. 

    Wike, a lawyer, was the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt between 2007 and 2011, when Amaechi was governor of Rivers state, while the then governor also appointed the former Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council (Wike) as the Director-General of Amaechi Re-election Campaign Organisation in 2011, before later recommending him the same year to the then President Goodluck Jonathan for ministerial appointment.

    Abe, also a lawyer, was appointed by Amaechi as Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) from 2007 to 2011, before proceeding to the Senate in 2011. The former Rivers Information Commissioner (Abe) aspired to be the standard bearer of APC in 2015, but a former member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, emerged as the candidate of the then ruling party (APC), but he was “defeated” by Wike in a massively-rigged and bloody election.

    Amaechi, on September 16 this year in Port Harcourt, accused Wike of sponsoring unnamed APC members to cause confusing in the party, but he declared that the Rivers governor would be sacked next year by the state’s electorate, to put an end to his poor performance and bad governance.

    Read Also: Amaechi to Abe: ‘I am not your leader’

    The senator (Abe), who earlier inaugurated a parallel secretariat of APC at Waterlines Bus Stop in Port Harcourt, on September 17 in the Rivers state capital, said: “Whoever God has said will be governor of Rivers State will be governor of Rivers State and there is nothing Amaechi can do about it.

    “I am not being sponsored by Governor Nyesom Wike. I decided to fight for my right, not only as a citizen of Rivers State, but as a member of the APC. Amaechi also fought for his right up to the Supreme Court to be governor in 2007 and we stood by him. The then Governor Peter Odili never accused Amaechi that he was a betrayer or being sponsored by anybody.

    “I am fighting for my right. I want to be governor of Rivers State. I will fight in any way that is constitutionally allowed, both by the party (APC) and our Constitution. Whatever God says at the end, I will accept in good faith. Nobody can deny me the right to fight for my right.”

    The transportation minister, however, insisted that Abe was not sincere with his claims.

    Amaechi said: “I am aware that two former commissioners who served in the State Executive Council when I was governor have been procured by Wike and Abe, jointly and collaboratively, to carry out the hatchet job of ‘hack Amaechi down’ campaign. The plan is to throw as much dirt at me as possible and rubbish my image.

    “While one (former commissioner) is being coached in Rivers State Government House (Port Harcourt) of what to say to the press and how to say it, to do maximum damage; the other one is busy distorting, concocting and fabricating fake screenshots, text messages, documents and all sorts in Senator Abe’s Freedom House campaign office in Port Harcourt; that they intend to release to the media to tarnish my image.

    “I want to alert the media and members of the public of the smear plot by these two political collaborators (Wike and Abe) to unjustly discredit and smear me for their selfish political reasons.” 

    The former Rivers governor also stated that he would not be distracted by any cheap and fake smear campaign of calumny against him, while urging Rivers people to pay no heed to the desperate attention-seeking duo of Wike and Abe and all of their fabricated lies, but to focus on the goal of ensuring that Rivers state gets a better leader that would turn around the fortunes of the state and its people for good, in 2019.

    The transportation minister insisted that no amount of sabotage and fake stories would deter him and all genuine APC members, supporters and Rivers people from changing and voting out the inept Wike’s government in Rivers State, next year.