The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Rivers

  • PDP wins Assembly’s, Reps’ seats in Rivers

    PDP wins Assembly’s, Reps’ seats in Rivers

    •Returning Officer: Wike humiliated us
    •Governor: we resisted rigging

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates were yesterday declared winners of the legislative rerun elections in Etche, Rivers State.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the results.

    Figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shows Chief Jerome Eke of the PDP scored 15, 221 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ogbonnaya Wuke of the APC, who scored 6, 220 votes.

    Anthony Ejiogu of the PDP scored 4, 162 votes to win the election. The APC candidate, Golden Chioma, had 1, 618 votes.

    The results were announced by Prof. Shola Omotola and Mr Olatubosun Odusanya. But the APC agents rejected the results citing alleged irregularities. About  15,131 votes were cancelled in six wards and 44 polling units.

    Omotola,  a professor of Political Science from the Federal  University Oye-Ekiti, accused Governor Nyesom Wike of humiliating returning officers. He said the governor was at INEC office at midnight to insist on declaration of results.

    He said: “I am not going to deny that the governor was here, (INEC office), last night. I’m not also going to deny the fact that I felt thoroughly humiliated, embarrassed, whatever way you want to describe it.

    “When we left the venue at Etche, we saw tension building. I called the National Commissioner, and appealed to her to inform the military personnel to provide escort for us to move out of that place.

    “To my surprise, we got here (INEC office), a few minutes to 12 midnight and we met the governor already inside here, INEC premises; how he got here I don’t know, but for the fact that we were thoroughly humiliated cannot be denied. It is important I clarify that.

    “It is however also important that I reassure you that yes, the governor used all tricks to force us to declare results. But, we stood our ground. We never declared any results yesterday. What we did when he insisted was on getting a copy of the results we have tallied.

    “He came together with PDP agent; but what I am trying to say is that on the basis of those threats, yield to his demands and again, it is also important that I reiterate the fact that the results that were so presented was as gotten from the LGA.”

    Wike’s media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, in a statement yesterday, said: “As the two INEC  Returning Officers  for the Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency, Prof   Shola Omotola and  Etche Constituency 2, Oluwatosin Odusonya were about to declare  the PDP  winner, military personnel  at the Collation Center  brought a phone to them, claiming that the  call was from the National Commissioner  of  INEC in charge of the election.

    “Upon receiving  the call, INEC Returning Officer  for Etche/ OmumaFederal Constituency, Prof Shola Omotola  stated that all collated results should be  moved to the Port Harcourt office of INEC.

    “Soldiers of the Nigerian Army who stopped the declaration at Okehi moved the collated results alongside party agents and political leaders to Port Harcourt.  They were joined by PDP leaders led by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and the APC Candidate for Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency, Mr Ogbonna Nwuke.

    “At the headquarters, leaders of the two parties insisted that the two INEC Returning Officers  publicly announce collated results  to the media and party agents present.

    “After the announcement, the INEC Returning Officers handed the already  collated results  to party agents.

    “Party leaders  left INEC  by 3.30am on Sunday  morning, while agents  and security  agencies  were detailed to  stay with the INEC  Returning Officers  for the declaration of results  by 9am on Sunday, 26th February, 2017.

    “The Returning Officers claimed that they were directed by the National Commissioner not to declare PDP  winner  of the two elections.  They claimed that the National Commissioner said she must get clearance  from Abuja, before  any further step would be  taken.”

     

  • Rivers rerun: INEC staff abducted, attacked

    Staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abuja, on Saturday narrowly escaped death in Igbo Etche Ward 5, in Etche Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State.

    The Information Communication Technology (ICT) personnel deployed to Rivers for the rerun legislative polls in Etche was reportedly attacked while fixing the Smart Card Reader in readiness for the election when a group of thugs stormed the place and began to hit them with sticks and machetes.
    He later managed to escape and ran to safety.

    The victim whose name could not be ascertained as at the time of this report, has since returned to INEC office in Port Harcourt with bandaged ankle and bruises on the face. He however could not confirm the state of his colleague who was not lucky to escape.

    The INEC Supervisor for ward 14 was reportedly abducted on arrival in the ward at 8 am.

    The INEC staff who sent the signal to the Port Harcourt office also said the official vehicle they went with was also seized by the kidnappers.

  • Landlord families shut down Agip’s oil wells

    The ONELGA Oil and Gas landlords Families in ONELGA in Rivers State have shut down 37 of the oil well heads of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company/NNPC joint venture.

    The association´s chairman Mr. Chikobi Alali, in a statement said the decision to shut down the oil company’s  operations became imperative when several attempts allegedly made by the association to resolve the age long dispute between the landlord families and the company failed.

    It said the association is the ancient owners of OML 60 and 61 on which stand the 150 oil well heads which NAOC operates in the local government area NAOC facilities like the Ebocha oil center, OB/OB Gas injection plant, electrical generating turbines, pipelines, flow lines and other installations.

    According to the group, the latest showdown with  the company was triggered off by NAOC’s alleged  inability to honour the understanding it reached with the association to pay all pending bills as palliative to create harmony in addressing serious problems affecting the communities such as security, corporate social responsibility CSR, and matters relating to the environment.

    “The palliatives are immediate payment of all landlords contractors bills, payment of 1% total amount accrued from deduction made in contracts awarded to and executed by landlord families contractor to the association account, out of court resolution of all pending court cases between the oil and gas landlords families and NAOC including judgment of court in suit no: FHC/PH/CS/1352/2004, compensation of the Ebocha blowout for Egbema communities, and payment of approved legal land rates by government.

    “In December 2016 the association received telephone short messages from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources emanating from NAOC claiming to have made these payments to the landlords contractors. The landlords waited for one week without receiving alert from the banks.

    “This prompted the Minister of Petroleum to send a fact finding team to NAOC office in Port Harcourt and the result according to Mr. Charles Achodo Special Adviser to the Minister of Petroleum Resources on Niger Delta, that the money for the payment has been approved but does not know who it was paid to.

    “ It will be recalled that the ONELGA oil and gas landlord families’ contractors have not been paid for their services for over one year now,” the association stated.

    It said amongst those reached by the association to amicably resolve these issues in the past include the Chairman of ENI Group Ms. Emma Marcegala, Managing Director of ENI Group Claudio Descalzo, vice-president of ENI Group Sub-saharan Africa Mr. Umberto Carrara and Managing Director NAOC/NNPC joint venture Mr. Massimo Insulla.

    Others are the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Minister of Defence, Minister of Interior, Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police who for about a year now have not been able to been able to resolve the disagreement.

    The association called  on the government to come to its  aid as a regulatory authority to protect the interest of the landlords as it has “ become evident that international oil companies (IOC) does not and has no intention of protecting the interest of the landlords.”

     

  • INEC report on Rivers rerun and police

    INEC report on Rivers rerun and police

    SIR: The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a report on pages 1 and 4 of The Nation of February 22 with the above title.

    Consequent on the conduct of the Rivers rerun election of December 10, and the attendant irregularities and violence witnessed during the election, the Nigeria Police Force set up a joint investigative panel made up of Senior Police Officers and Officers of Department of State Security Service on December 22, 2016, to investigate all the misconducts, identified infractions, incidents of violence and other actions and inactions of Police personnel and INEC officials, other security agencies and stakeholders who were deployed for the Rivers rerun election.

    The panel was further mandated to also investigate the prevalence of violent crimes, such as armed robbery, kidnapping/hostage taking, and hijack of election materials and attacks on electorates, INEC members of staff, ad-hoc personnel and other stakeholders that were involved either directly or indirectly in the conduct of the election. The joint investigation panel submitted its report to the Inspector General of Police on February 7.

    The Nigeria Police Force identified and proactively took action against six Police Officers who were indicted by the investigative panel to have compromised, engaged in serious misconduct, misused fire arms, and for other conducts in violation of the Electoral Act and other enabling laws during the Rivers rerun election.  They were arrested, investigated and subjected to internal disciplinary measures and after being found guilty were dismissed from the Force and paraded before the media on January 6 awaiting prosecution. Other agencies whose personnel were also indicted by the Joint Investigation Panel are expected to do the same to their personnel indicted without any further delay.

    Twenty three INEC Electoral Officers and two administrative officials who were indicted by the panel were arrested, investigated and total sum of one hundred and eleven million three hundred thousand naira (N111, 300,000) confessed to have been collected from the His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Barr. Nyesom Wike was recovered from them. They were released on bail to the Director of Human Resources, INEC Headquarters Abuja.

    The report as quoted above is a disservice to the Nigeria Police Force because all the issues raised were discovered by the Joint Investigative Panel and have been dealt with. The story is therefore misleading, malicious and capable of misinforming members of the public on the statutory roles of the Nigeria Police Force in election security, restoration of law and order, and the protection of lives and property throughout the country.

     

    CSP Jimoh O Moshood,

    Force Headquarters, Abuja.

  • Breaking: Major pipeline explosion in Rivers community

    A major pipeline explosion has occurred  around  Eveko community near Rumuji in Emuoha LGA, Rivers state on the East-West highway.

    The explosion occurred a few kilometers from a new gas company under construction in the area around 3:03pm. on Wednesday.
    It sent tremor across the area, including the east west highway. Truckloads of sand were poured several metres from the scene.
    Massive evacuation is ongoing as inhabitants of the communities around the area are fleeing.
    Chinyere, a pregnant woman was seem fleeing with her naked toddler named Chibo. Our reporter had to help evacuate some of the panic stricken residents of the area.
     Casualty figures of the  incident which occurred near a police checkpoint  is not  yet known as jackets and other items of the security men were seen around the scene.
     Kitoye Basutor in a facebook comment to this report wrote ” Its not something to witness, our vehicle had to turn back at the sound of the pressure coming out from the explosion.”
    “People fleeing their homes. From afar, I could see the plantation dancing to the breeze of the gas. Motorists should divert through Elele-Isiokpo as any little spark could result to great fire inferno,” Basutor.
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Rivers PDP members protest ‘unjust appointment’ 

    Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government of Rivers State yesterday protested what they described as “neglect in political appointments”.

    The protesters, who barricaded roads, said the protest was to alert Governor Nyesom Wike to the need for equity and fairness.

    One of them, Senibo Epelle, condemned how party stakeholders were allegedly denied political appointments.

    He alleged members of the local government caretaker committees were appointed without due consultation.

    Epelle alleged those appointed fell short of expectation, adding that party bigwigs must have a rethink and stop giving their drivers, families, relations and friends political positions meant for PDP members.

    He said: ”I thought our former Chairman, Adonye Diri, will be different from others; but he has proved me wrong. One thing is certain; the governor must address this neglect, which we have suffered since his administration came on board.

    “We urge Governor Wike to consider this matter objectively and ensure this situation doesn’t occur again. We want them to know elections have not ended, 2019 is approaching.”

    A PDP chieftain, Senibo Boma Brown, who called for peace, assured the protesters their grievances would be addressed.

    He alleged the caretaker committee was the worst, adding that it comprised people who did not fight for PDP.

  • Rivers police chief Odesanya buried in Lagos

    Rivers police chief Odesanya buried in Lagos

    Tears flowed as the remains of the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Francis Odesanya, were buried at Ikoyi Cemetery at the weekend.

    Odesanya died on January 31. He was 56.

    Speaking at a service at St Dominic Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos,  Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ntom Chukwu, who represented the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, described Odesanya as “a fine and fantastic officer; God-fearing, hardworking and intelligent”.

    He said Odesanya left legacies of dedication, loyalty and commitment.

    Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Commander Akin Fakorede said Odesanya was a gentleman, professional, good leader and a patriotic Nigerian who represented the best the Force had to offer.

    Rivers State police spokesman Omoni Nnandi said the deceased was his mentor, teacher and team leader; a rare police officer, professional and focused.

    A relative, Mrs Abiodun Abimbola, said he would be missed. She described him as “a nice brother, who was always there for the family”.

    Another relative, Tunji Adeyemi, said the late Odesanya was generous and God fearing.

    The priest, Rev Stephen Ogbe, said the deceased made a positive impact in the life of others.

    He said Odesanya loved prayers and had faith, confidence and trust in God.

    “He touched lives in the church and in the country; he had good attitude and character.”

    Ogbe urged the congregation to live right, saying no one knows when he or she would die.

  • Farmers enjoin Rivers to provide facilities

    The Port Harcourt Glorious Harvesters Cooperative Society has enjoined the Rivers State government to provide facilities to farmers to boost rice production.

    The President, Mr. Amos Ogbu, yesterday told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt the government should fix the millers and provide harvesters, plough, and other facilities to assist rice farmers to produce more.

    He said the rice milling machines installed by the ex-Governor Peter Odili administration had become non-functional due to their non-usage for a long time.

    Ogbu told NAN the present situation compelled the group to transport the tonnes of rice it produced during the 2016 farming season to Ebonyi State, for milling.

    He said the cooperative spent over N500,000 transporting the rice to Ebonyi State and this reduced their profit.

    “We paid N30,000 for the milling of a tonne of rice and spent N5,000 to parboil 50 kilogrammes of it. When you add all these to the cost of transport, the expenses become very high,” Ogbu said.

    He said the cooperative planned to sell a 50 kg of rice for N20,000, but later realised the amount would not cover the cost of production.

    Ogbu said the incurred expenses would have been avoided if the mills in the state were in good condition.

    He, however, said the group was not discouraged by the challenges it faced, adding that it had bought rice seeds for the 2017 planting season.

  • Rivers, Norway to partner on agriculture

    Rivers, Norway to partner on agriculture

    The Rivers State government and Norway have agreed to partner on agriculture and economic development programmes.

    Governor Nyesom Wike stated this yesterday when the Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens-Peter Kjemprud, visited him at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

    He urged the Norwegian  government to partner Rivers State in building a ship assembly plant, noting that investing companies will receive tax relief.

    The governor called for partnership in agriculture, saying the government would provide the enabling environment for commercial agriculture investors, both in fishery and crop production.

    He, however, berated federal agencies for trying to blackmail the state to slow down its development.

    According to him, these federal agents are unhappy Rivers, as an opposition state, is leading in project execution.

    His words: “Don’t bother about the politicking. As an opposition state, when you are doing well in terms of project execution and good governance, the Federal Government  blackmails you to drive away investors.

    “We are focused on our goal of developing our state. Therefore, we shall continue to partner foreign and national investors to develop the economy.

    “The establishment of a ship assembly plant will build the skill base of our youths, create employments and enhance the state’s economy. That is why we are happy with the development of this partnership.”

    Wike urged the Norwegian  government to open a visa centre in Port Harcourt to cater for the Southsouth and Southeast.

    Jens-Peter Kjemprud said his country would support human capital development and technology transfer in its relationship with Rivers State.

    “I will be supportive of any project that will enhance  the  economic  development of Rivers State wherein Norwegian companies will be involved,” Kjemprud said.

    He promised that fish farming and aquaculture summits will be held to benefit the state in the areas of fish farming and development of a sound aquaculture.

    The Norwegian Ambassador added that Norway will also collaborate with the government in energy, ship building and manpower development.

  • Wike and the Rivers conundrum

    The situation in Rivers State in the last few years doesn’t lend itself to rationality or even commonsense. The bitter rivalry between leading personalities in the state has blossomed into political, ethnic and even communal feuds the wounds of which would take some time to heal.

    It may be inelegant to state that Rivers over these years, is akin to a gang land enclave but the state is like no other in the land and it has been so for quite some time. It is as volatile as a tinder go. Elections are zero-sum, winner-takes all game. It has been so for some time.

    It is perhaps the most buoyant corner of Nigeria with over five decades of rich crude oil mining. It boasts of a mixed race of Igbo, Kalabari and Ogoni stocks with historical enclaves known as War Houses. But the stupendous wealth occasioned by vast crude oil dollars has seen warlords replace the hitherto well-structured community War Houses.

    In the last two decades, armed gangs, abductors and militants spawned in the paved streets of Port Harcourt have coalesced in the creeks and waters of the oil-rich Niger-Delta from whence they create republics of their own – abducting expatriates, disrupting flow-stations and bursting oil and gas pipes.

    Mercantilist international oil companies in cahoots with weak and narrow-minded leaders have ensured that Rivers State (as epicentre) and the entire delta zone of Nigeria remains a living Golgotha. It is in the light of this grim background that one attempts a review of the state of Rivers State today.

    Exactly six months ago, one had been part of the Nigerian Guild of Editors conference held in Port Harcourt. No few than 200 editors gathered in the heart of the city for about a week brainstorming over the affairs of the nation and the Guild and eventually doing a guided tour of key projects of Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration.

    We were shown huge impressive projects at various levels of formation. Personally, leading editors to some of these sites across the state, the governor was quite boisterous and elated showcasing his busy sites.

    And they were indeed busy and more remarkably, large work sites. He came across to me then as a man who likes his things large and even gross. Bridges cutting through creeks (I still retain images of piles and piles of pipes and iron rods littering various such site); dual-carriage roads cutting through virgin hinterland areas; an expanded and modernised multipurpose sports centre and a vast recreation park.

    These are a few of the images one still remembers after a long day of touring projects. Gov. Wike and his cabinet members were happy with themselves of course; members of the Guild were impressed by what may be descried as an impressive array of work-in-progress. But I was not impressed. I had been inured by numerous such great sights and sites that ended up a farce. Of course I couldn’t bring myself to write on such exploits then. Let’s wait and see, was the self-counsel.

    There was also a much strenuous effort to show that Port Harcourt was secured and safe in negation of rampant reports of violent crimes and kidnapping. We were literaly made to walk about the city-centre unchaperoned- some of us with our hearts in our mouth. But nary one of us hit his foot against a rock.

    It was a tale of glory and triumph as we departed to our various destinations. Governor Rauf Aregbesola was there also and he sang the same pleasant tune about peacefulness in a land marked to be far-removed from paradise. Aregbe’s trepidations must have found succor in the silky embrace of Port Harcourt welcome and hospitality. By his admission he didn’t feel less at home and he was indeed, minded to stay overnight.

    All these happened about six months ago. Who can fathom how much difference a few months can make in the life of an enclave? A most turbulent one at that. Apart from the 2015 general election which can be denoted as a blistering battle of giants, the National Assembly rerun elections last December is no doubt something of a final epiphany which nonetheless is still simmering. Accusations have welled up to counter even more accusations. There was fire and firings; there was blood and blood letting in an epic turf battle that defied method or logic. Rivers is a seething conundrum or cauldron if you like.

    But sandwiched between the gladiators are Rivers people – beleaguered and hapless. Now cannon fodder, now fodder cannon. Strangers in paradise; parched in a land suffused with milk and honey. Who is minding the gap? How adequately?

    The last time one checked with folks in Port Harcourt, the people seem to be happy with their ebullient, rambunctious governor. This is of course a tough call, but residents and those who know Port Harcourt attest to a visible transformation happening at a speed some of them did not expect or imagine – not from a man under a whirl storm.

    It sure would be difficult for people outside Rivers State to accept that anything good would come out of Rivers State now, but the reality, one can confirm, is a pleasant surprise. Zamfara State Governor, Abdullaziz Yari, who is of a different party was awe-stricken upon a recent visit to Port Harcourt the point that he became effusive in his laudation of Wike.

    There is a litany of completed projects – roads especially. Innovations have been imbued the revenue collection system and IGR has reported doubled to about N10 billion, added to Federal allocation, this is enormous cash by any measure – far more than many State earn per annum.

    It is said that adversity brings out the best in us. But whether Wike is driven to work like ‘crazy’ by a chequered environment or he is in his true element, time shall tell. However, of importance is that Rivers people get their ‘deliverables’ delivered.

    More important however, the man in the arena, Governor Wike, has ample opportunity to repair the State and heal her wounds. What’s to be done? Since poverty and privation remain at the root of so much strive and internecine feuds. The governor must do more by being more accountable and transparent. He must adopt an inclusive and integrated approach to the development of the State. What this means is that he must put the local councils at work and make them work furiously and accountably as possibly. The result of this will not only be most salutary to the State but to his career and legacy. Quality governance is the antidote to most of Nigeria’s problems.

    Rivers State needs not be a conundrum; a perpetually boiling cauldron. Can Wike break the duck?

     

    Fashola: The trial of ‘Power Mike’

    This tag is my wife’s special badge for Babatunde Raji Fashola since he was handed three large epaulets in this administration. The immediate past (exemplary) Governor of Lagos State now heads three merged Ministries of Power, Works and Housing.

    Each time power snaps when you are needing it the most, she would exclaim: Power Mike, how far?

    Power supply has been at its nadir in the new year and one has never seen BRF so harried. The more he explains, the more people yell and whimper at the same time. Listening carefully to him though, it is apparent that he is on top of the situation. From BRF’s antecedent, he is not one to sleep and snore when there is a pressing issue at hand. He says many transmission projects are completed or nearing completion; he says government is working on the debt overhang bedevilling the power sector especially in the gas end of the value chain. Suffice to say that if anyone can fix Nigeria’s power sector, it’s BRF.

    Those who are observant can see work going on frantically in the Works sector: not in a long time have we witnessed many highways under construction in Nigeria.