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Tag: Rivers

  • APC on a rescue mission in Rivers, others, says Peterside

    APC on a rescue mission in Rivers, others, says Peterside

    The representative of Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency of Rivers State in the House of Representatives, Dakuku Peterside, isthe Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) and ex-Rivers State Commissioner for Works. In this interview with Bisi Olaniyi at his coastal Opobo hometown, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    H ow do you feel, coming home to register as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC)?

    I feel very elated. Today, we have made yet another history. Some years ago, I was elected to represent the people of Andoni, Opobo and Nkoro, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but a lot has happened since then and I have changed party platform. I am now a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Today, I have formalised my membership of the APC. That is why I said history is being made today.

    We are reintegrating our people back to the mainstream of national politics. At the time we fought and agitated for democracy, we did not subscribe to repressive government. We did not subscribe to any government that will take our natural resources. We did not subscribe to corruption. We did not subscribe to repression, intimidation and lawlessness, but that is our lot, under the leadership of the present government in Nigeria. And so, we are on a rescue mission, to ensure that the people do not continue under this style of governance that represents corruption, represents repression and represents the fact that people can take away that which belongs to us. We have since moved on.

    The beauty of democracy is that people must have choices. People must have options. The beauty of democracy is freedom to belong to any political party of your choice. The beauty of democracy is the freedom to express your opinion and to associate with whomever you want to associate with.

    Under the present circumstance, led by the PDP, our people cannot enjoy those constitutionally-guaranteed rights of freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of movement. Those fundamental freedoms that make us, in the first instance, to cherish democracy, cannot be guaranteed under the present arrangement. That is why we have opted for a platform that will guarantee the rights of our people, that will secure our commonwealth, that will restore hope to our people again. A platform that will galvanise the aspirations of our people and a platform that will meet the yearnings of our people. I can assure you that the APC is that platform that will meet the aspirations of our people and can of course, restore hope in our people.

    I believe that the journey of a thousand miles starts with the very first step. Today, we have started the very first step. In 2015, we will elect an APC president for the country and APC governor for Rivers state, but that on its own is not an end. It of course marks the beginning of good governance. It will mark the beginning of prosperity again and the development of all our people and of course our state and nation. We are very optimistic that when the change in government will come, it will signify a new beginning for our people and I believe that APC is the vehicle that will take us to that new beginning.

    How do you react to violence in some parts of Rivers State, during the membership registration of the APC?

    It is most unfortunate. Again, it is the hallmark of the PDP. They have championed violence against the same people, who gave them their mandate, some two, three years ago. They have championed violence against the same people who gave them over two million votes. They have been at the forefront of intimidation of the people. Democracy is a matter of choice. You cannot intimidate us into belonging to a particular political party, especially one that does not protect our interest. Politics is a game of interest. It is clear that the PDP, as it is presently constituted, cannot protect the interest of Rivers people and indeed cannot protect the interest of Nigerians. On the issue of violence, everybody can see clearly the hand of the PDP, wherever you experience violence. They are scared about the fact that the masses have embraced the APC. They are scared of change, but change is inevitable.

    How will you react to the February 6, 2014 redeployment of Mbu Josepn Mbu and how will you advise the incoming Rivers Commissioner of Police, Johnson Tunde Ogunsakin, an indigene of Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State?

    Mbu is only a symptom of an ailment. Mbu is not all about the problem. He is not the fundamental problem. The fundamental problem is to guarantee the rights of Rivers people to associate freely. The rights of Rivers people to gather when they so choose to. To make choices. That is the issue. Mbu is only a vehicle that they have abused.

    The police force is established by our constitution and they have rights. It is funded by tax payers’ money. They have rather abused the institution of the police force. Whether you change Mbu or not, is not the issue. The President is under oath to guarantee the freedom of all Nigerians. He is on oath to protect lives and property. Are lives and property protected? The answer is no.

    For me, when there is breakdown of law and order, when you continue to go on with lawlessness, it is the first sign of a failed state. We are advancing to that point. We must do something drastic to halt the decline that we are currently experiencing.

    We must do something very fundamental to stop the lawlessness that pervades the land. Until we stop the lawlessness, then there is no hope for our people. Our people will take their destinies into their own hands. They will stop this impunity by their votes. Of course, February 2015 is by the corner.

    Our people are tired of this lawlessness. They are tired of this impunity. They will use their votes and stop this madness. Whether Mbu comes or Mbu goes is immaterial. The Nigeria police should keep themselves to their constitutionally-guaranteed duty of enforcement of law and order. Whether it is Mr. White or Mr. John, we are not excited.

    What we want to see is the fact that the police force must be impartial, must be fair to all manner of people, protect lives and property and ensure the maintenance of law and order. That will be our ultimate joy and will be the ultimate joy of our people.

    How do you react to the Friday, February 7, 2014 Supreme Court’s judgment, in the suit involving Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Sir Celestine Omehia?

    We have always known that Omehia has no business trying to join a case for which he is not a party to, ab initio, and for which he has no stake.  The Supreme Court said he simply could not have his cake and eat it and that he is a pretender. Justices of the Supreme Court reprimanded him.

    We have always had confidence in the judiciary. That is why we have never resorted to violence or self-help. We have absolute confidence, first in God and secondly, that the institution of the Supreme Court would be able to do justice according to law and that it is not about emotions. It is not about sentiments. And so, we are glad that the Supreme Court did not disappoint the people of Nigeria.

    That the Justices of the Supreme Court, by their action, have deepened democracy and our people, once more, are very hopeful, very optimistic and they look to a glorious and very bright future and all of us will have the opportunities to enjoy the good things that constitutional democracy guarantees all over the world. Ours cannot be an exception. So, we are actually elated.

     

  • APC condemns disruption of membership registration in Rivers

    APC condemns disruption of membership registration in Rivers

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned ALLEGED attacks aimed at disrupting the party’s ongoing membership registration in Rivers state, saying that it represents a shot to the heart of democracy and a breach of the country’s constitution.

    “People’s participation is at the core of democracy, while the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees the right of citizens to associate with any party of their choice.

    “These deadly attacks hinder people’s participation in democracy and violate the fundamental rights of the affected citizens,’’ the party said in a statement issued in Ilorin by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed yesterday.

    It said the attacks allegedly masterminded by the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) and the PDP in Rivers State, was aimed at covering up the glaring rejection of the PDP by the people of the state.

    “We have no doubt that these attacks, during which at least one person was shot dead, would not have been possible without the collusion of the police.

    “Therefore, we appeal to the incoming Commissioner of Police in Rivers to stop the Mbu-era misuse of the police as the enforcement arm of the PDP in the state,’’ APC said.

    The party wondered why the deadly attacks aimed at disrupting its ongoing membership registration would occur only in Rivers when the exercise is going on simultaneously in all the 36 states as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

    “Some partisan analysts and uninformed critics have challenged our directive to our lawmakers in the National Assembly not to cooperate with the Executive until peace returns to Rivers. But are they not surprised that it is only in one state – Rivers – that our membership registration has been disrupted? Is Rivers the only state where we have PDP members?

    “Again, we ask President Goodluck Jonathan to rein in his supporters in Rivers and stop them from setting the state and the country on fire. We urge him to remind his supporters in Rivers, led by his overzealous Minister, Wike, that his ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian,’’ it said.

    Detailing some of the attacks by armed and sponsored hoodlums in Rivers, APC said the worst was in Degema, where one Andy was shot dead while six APC supporters suffered bullet wounds; and the party’s Supervisory Committee Chairman for Degema for the registration – former Chairman, Rivers State Civil Service Commission, Mr. Ben Orugbani – escaped death when his house was shattered with bullets in the old Bakana.

    There were also attacks in Phalga Wards 11, 14 and 16, where one Vandam and Noso led 50 other hoodlums to shoot sporadically and hijack the registration materials, handsets and cameras; Ward 9 in Obio/Akpor the ward of Wike, where hoodlums were hired to beat up registration officers and hijack registration materials; and Ward 6 in Woji the area, where Chief Timothy Nsirm, the Terror Executor in charge, led 30 hoodlums who manhandled our supporters and shot one of them, Chibuchi Ogbonda, who is now battling with his life in hospital.

    “The question to ask these hoodlums and their sponsors, including the GDI and the PDP, is why are they worried about people who want to register as APC members if they are indeed convinced that the party (APC) is not on ground as they have claimed? Where in the world are people prevented from joining the party of their choice by hoodlums? What is democracy without the people having the right to associate with any party of their choice?

    “The arrowheads of the GDI and the PDP should be ashamed of themselves for using force to undermine democracy in Rivers, and we call on their masters to immediately put them on a leash and allow peace to reign in Rivers,’’ the party said.

  • One killed as thugs attack registration centres in Rivers

    Suspected thugs, believed to be members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State killed a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Andy.

    The deceased was allegedly killed when the hoodlums stormed the party’s registration centres in some wards in the local government.

    The attacks started at Degema Ward 5, where Andy was killed.

    Gunmen also attacked the home of Mr Ben Orugbani, Degema Supervisory Registration Committee chairman. The building, in the old Bakana Woji Ward 6 in Obio/Apor Local Government Area, was riddled with bullets.

    It was learnt that Orugbani was not hurt in the attack.

    Two other wards in Okrika were also attacked.

    Orugbami condemned the killing of Prince Andy, saying it was barbaric.

    A resident of the ward, Ebeleme Michael, identified the body of the deceased.

    Efforts by our reporter to get details on the late Andy were unsuccessful last night.

    Police spokesman Ahmad Mohammed, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), did not answer the calls to his mobile phone last night. He also did not reply to the messages.

    A resident of Adoni Ward 9, unit 5 in Adoni Local Government Area, David Naterniel, was shot in his right hand. The bullet injury affected his right eye.

    An eyewitness and resident of Adoni, Premowei Briggs, said many members of APC were injured when the attackers attempted to hijack the membership registration forms.

    Briggs said: “We were registering at the unit when we saw masked men. They entered the centre and disrupted our activities. The intruders ordered us to leave. They carted away the registration materials. We don’t like what is happening not only in Okrika but in other parts of the state where registration is going on.”

    The APC State Interim Chairman, Dr Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, who monitored the exercise in Port Harcourt, Obio-Akpor, Eleme and Ikwerre local government areas, was happy with the large turnout of people.

    He urged the registration officers not to fear.

    The APC interim chairman urged the police to protect the party members and other innocent residents, who wish to register with APC, from hoodlums.

    Ibiamu said: “With what I saw today, the PDP is truly dead in Rivers State. The revolution started by Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in the state will surely be sustained, even after he leaves office in 2015 by the APC administration.”

    But the Media Assistant to the state PDP Chairman, Jerry Needam, said the allegations that the party’s members attacked APC members were false.

    He said: “APC should stop lying against the PDP. APC is an ethnic group and an Islamic party. Rivers people cannot register in an ethnic party and religious party. Any party that belongs to one religion doesn’t promote the unity of Rivers State and Nigeria.”

  • Why Rivers’ll take N100b bond, by official

    Rivers State Commissioner for Finance Chamberlain Peterside explained yesterday why the government is going to the capital market to obtain a N100 billion bond.

    Peterside made the clarification to lawmakers at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

    He said it was to enable the government carry out development projects.

    The lawmakers asked the commissioner to explain what the bond of the same amount they approved last year was spent on and what the government intends to do with the new one.

    The lawmakers maintained that the House owes Rivers people an explanation on how their money is being spent.

    Peterside told the lawmakers that the bond approved for the government last year was not taken “because of documentation problem”.sss

    He said just as what happens in obtaining bank loan, a lot of documentations were involved and by the time they got through with that, the time had elapsed.

    The reason for this new one, the commissioner said, is because the government wants to carry out a lot of projects but the state’s geographical nature leaves it with three months of dry season.

    This, he said, is why the government wants to start accessing the loan now.

    On the one billion naira compulsory monthly savings in the state’s reserve fund, Peterside said: “So far, only N53 billion has been saved.”

  • Rivers… Relief to come after the 2015 elections

    Rivers… Relief to come after the 2015 elections

    With the tensed political situation in Rivers State, Bisi Olaniyi in Port Harcourt writes that the people of the Niger Delta state may only heave a sigh of relief after the 2015 elections.

    In spite of the ban on political activities by the controversial Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, are still battling each other over 2015.

    Mbu, fondly described as “Super Cop” by the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers chapter and recommended for redeployment in Borno or Yobe State by the Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, and the Rivers APC Chairman, Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, on February 3, banned political rallies in Rivers State.

    Rivers police commissioner declared that the ban would affect the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), which has Wike as the grand patron and the pro-Amaechi’s Save Rivers Movement (SRM) and the Rivers Leadership Advancement Foundation (RIVLEAF), as well as other political groups, until 90 days to elections. He cited the Electoral Act as his authority.

    The ban on political activities by the police in Rivers has been condemned by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), GDI, the APC, SRM and allies of Amaechi and Wike.

    The Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, expressed shock over the ban, at a time the APC was commencing registration of members nationwide, which he described as a ploy by the police to prevent members of the party from participating in the important exercise.

    The Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, reminded Mbu that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria allows for freedom of association and freedom of expression, warning the police against double standard.

    The Rivers PDP said it was not satisfied with the ban on political rallies and protests in the state, alleging that the Rivers police command had succumbed to the pressure and blackmail by the Rivers government, SRM and the APC.

    While appearing on Channels Television on February 3, Wike declared that Amaechi had lost focus and never contributed to his rise in politics or his nomination for ministerial appointment, stating that the monorail in the Rivers state capital is a waste of funds and abandoned.

    The NGF chairman, however, described the supervising minister of education as a liar, who is distorting facts and should be ignored, insisting that the outbursts were completely false and misleading, while maintaining that he remained focused and determined to develop Rivers state and adequately empower the people, with work ongoing at the monorail site.

    With the declaration by the minister of state for education, most persons are finding it difficult to believe that two-term Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers state (Wike), is a former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt and the Director-General of Amaechi Campaign Organisation in 2011.

    The Rivers governor declared that the supervising minister of education and a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Austin Opara, betrayed him and connived to fight him for personal and selfish interests.

    Amaechi, at an interactive session with journalists, at the Government House, Port Harcourt, also declared that the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience, wanted to micro-manage governance in the state, but he refused.

    He said by the time the First Lady, an indigene of Okrika, the headquarters of Okrika LGA of Rivers state, where the ex-leader of the Niger Delta Vigilance Movement, Ateke Tom, hails from, brought out militants, Rivers state had almost got to zero point of no kidnapping in Port Harcourt.

    Amaechi declared that it would be difficult for the PDP to win the presidential election in 2015, while assuring that more PDP governors would soon leave for the APC.

    He described the PDP as a drowning, chop-I-chop party, while referring to the APC as the change agent, which he said was gradually forming government and gave an assurance that before March 2014, the opposition party would take over the Senate, having become the majority in the House of Representatives, with the defection of many federal lawmakers.

    The NGF chairman maintained that the APC would not take Nigerians for granted, like the PDP, with the opposition party to do things differently and better, stating that he never cared about the activities of the GDI, describing the members as very hungry people.

    Wike, while responding, declared that Amaechi was confused, a dictator, who would not be able to deliver Rivers for the APC, having lost control, while maintaining that the GDI members were not hungry.

    The minister said: “It is not new to us that Amaechi is saying GDI members are hungry. Amaechi’s father was not the Managing Director of Shell or Agip or owner of any bank in Nigeria or West Africa. He is of a humble beginning.

    “It baffles me whenever Amaechi says GDI members are hungry. It is unbecoming of a governor. Prince Chibudom Nwuche (a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, from Ahoada East LGA of Rivers State) has challenged Amaechi to report him to the police or the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission).

    “Amaechi is very corrupt. He has lost control of Rivers State. It is unfortunate that Amaechi could describe PDP as chop-I-chop party. PDP made him Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly and Rivers Governor. He is an ingrate. He is a dictator.

    “PDP is not a drowning party. Amaechi, now a member of the APC, cannot win any election in his Ubima Ward 8 (Ikwerre LGA). Amaechi is involved in a show of shame. He is a liar. He is deceiving Buhari, Tinubu and other APC’s leaders. Amaechi cannot deceive Rivers people.”

    He said Rivers State would never belong to the opposition, stressing that the PDP would continue to win the Niger Delta state.

    Wike urged his teeming supporters, other Rivers people and Nigerians to continue to support the “performing” President Jonathan, whom he said was determined to transform Nigeria and to ensure his re-election in 2015.

    Amaechi stated that another reason for leaving the PDP was the Rivers oil wells, ceded to the neighbouring Bayelsa state, where President Jonathan hails from, which he described as the height of injustice.

    He said: “They took Soku oil wells from us and they took 41 oil wells from Etche to Abia State. Should I remain in that kind of party that is denying Rivers State its resources?

    “If you keep quiet to injustice, you will be visited with more injustice. But if you fight back, then when they are meeting, they will say this man will cause trouble, give him his own. Let us punish others. That is why Rivers people must rise.

    “The problem with most Nigerian politicians is that they do not know the meaning of truth. They do not care, because you do not care. Because you do not hold them accountable, they just do anything they like.

    The NGF chairman also stated that he was not bothered about the activities of the GDI and Wike.

    Amaechi said: “I do not talk about those people who call themselves GDI. For me, they are not important, because that is not the fight. Those people do not even have the same agenda as the President (Jonathan). Their agenda is they cannot survive poverty.

    “What they (GDI members) are trying to do is how to win Rivers State and share the money. They are not fighting for President Jonathan. What is driving them mad about Obio/Akpor LG Council? I did not know that individuals working in my government were sharing Obio/Akpor LG council’s money and they were not ashamed.

    “The day you ask your subordinate money from his office, that is the day you lose your respect. Once you steal one million, your subordinate will steal some too. You will lose your voice, character and respect. I do not care about the GDI people. They are very hungry.

    “They (GDI members) cannot survive poverty. They are thieves and I have evidence that they are thieves. They were given contracts, which they abandoned. The road from Eneka to Rukpokwu (in Port Harcourt), of over one billion, somebody who was in my government, who is now in Abuja, took that contract and abandoned it. 2013 Christmas, he sent wrappers to them. Where did he get the money from? From their road. Let them come for a debate.

    “I called Chibudom’s (Nwuche, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, from Aboada East LGA of Rivers State) name, because he has been confronting me. I gave him contract to build schools and I paid him. He cannot show evidence that he has completed the schools.

    “He (Nwuche) was deputy speaker, he could not do road to his village. I am now doing the road. As Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, I made sure there was a road to my village (Ubima in Ikwerre LGA).

    “I brought light (electricity) into Ubima. I did streets’ roads in Ubima, even as Speaker and I did a road from Isiokpo (Ikwerre LG headquarters) to my village, as Speaker. Chibudom was Deputy Speaker and enjoyed being called tiger. Tiger does not make noise.”

    Amaechi also described his defection from the PDP to the APC as a step in the right direction, in order to move Rivers State and Nigeria forward.

    He said: “If I have to offer Nigerians good governance. If I have to defend democracy, then I have to go to a better party, not a party that will take Nigerians for granted. As far as PDP is concerned, whether you like it or not, you have already finished voting. They will only announce the results in their favour.

    “They know that what we (APC leaders) are preaching is that Nigerians must defend their votes. If you are a farmer, you will go with your machetes, vote and defend your votes. Once they see you like that, even policemen will be careful. Once people start defending their votes, all these thieves will run away.

    “Projects coming to Rivers State are now being taken to the President’s State (Bayelsa). The Zonal Air Force Base that Yar’Adua brought to Rivers State is now in Bayelsa State. Soku oil wells have gone. Only people who do not like Rivers State will remain in the PDP.

    “The Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Company (on Bonny Island in Rivers State) is even the worst. The members of the board and management of the NLNG came to me and pleaded with me to speak with the NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) to allow them to do Train Seven in Bonny, that will employ 10,000 Rivers people and others.

    “I approached the NNPC and I went to the Petroleum Ministry. I do not want to call names, because most of them are my friends. They told me no. I thought it was a joke. That time, there was no quarrel between me and President Jonathan, because we had just finished elections (2011) and we were still chummy-chummy.

    “I met with President Jonathan to kindly speak with officials of the NNPC and the Petroleum Ministry to allow NLNG to build Train Seven in Bonny, Rivers State. President Jonathan said he wanted them to finish Brass LNG in his Bayelsa State, before they could build Bonny NLNG’s Train Seven. Mr. President said no and that he directed the officials of the NNPC and the Petroleum Ministry to say what they said.

    “Mr. President said right from when he was the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, he had been trying to get the Brass LNG and wants to get it now that he is the President. You cannot force investors. So, we must wait for Bayelsa State before Rivers State can grow.

    “The implication is that Rivers State will not grow until Goodluck Jonathan finishes his Presidency. Is that a good government? Is that a good party? Should I remain there? If I was lying, they would have replied me. What is Southsouth President? There is only one thing in politics, which is interest. You cannot play politics of Nigeria with religion or ethnicity.”

    The NGF chairman also described himself as a detribalised Nigerian, who had never and would not play politics with religion or ethnicity.

    He said: “President Jonathan is a member of O. O. Obu (Olumba Olumba Obu, with headquarters in Calabar, Cross River State). Is it not a Christian group? I am a very proud Catholic. President Jonathan is a member of O. O. Obu. I heard he attends Anglican Church now.

    “If they invite me tomorrow to O. O. Obu, I will go and dance there. That does not mean we should not relate well with our brothers who are Muslims.

    “They denied Rivers people water, because Governor Amaechi is quarrelling with President Jonathan. Is that fair? World Bank and AfDB (African Development Bank) are ready, but they are playing politics. I will not blame the President. I am surprised about the attitude of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Finance Minister), because she belongs to an international organisation (World Bank).

    “I drink free bottled water. Even if I want to bathe with bottled water, I will bathe with it, but they are denying Rivers people the opportunity to have water in their homes.

    “They impounded the Rivers State Government’s plane and also impounded the two surveillance/security helicopters bought by the Rivers State Government, with President Jonathan’s approval.

    “The helicopters would have been flying round Rivers State in 24 hours, so that when crimes are committed, the criminals will be picked. The day we showed it to the President, he was so happy. The oil companies were also happy, that it would reduce crude oil theft.

    “The monitors of the helicopters will be in Government House, Port Harcourt, and also with the navy, air force, army, police and SSS (State Security Service). Nobody can deny that they did not see the criminals.

    “We held series of meetings with the oil companies on maintenance of the helicopters. They all agreed. The Federal Government has refused to allow the helicopters to be brought into Nigeria from the US. We are paying tax now on the aircraft. Rivers State should suffer because the President is quarrelling with Governor Amaechi.”

    The Rivers governor also stated that governance should not be based on sentiments, while assuring that the APC would bring about Nigeria of the founding fathers’ dream from 2015, while insisting that the state was not broke, but had financial difficulties, making it to be under immense pressure.

    As a man of peace, Amaechi said he had privately met with President Jonathan, before going public with their quarrel, while insisting that he needed to take action, in the interest of Rivers people.

    He insisted that he did not make any demand to President Jonathan, before defecting to the APC, noting that the defecting governors had made up their minds to leave the PDP, in order to fight impunity.

    The NGF chairman stated that the disagreement between him and the President was not personal, while still respecting him, but maintained that Rivers interest must be protected.

    He stated that if a former Head of State, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari or a Southsouth person emerged as the presidential candidate of the APC in 2015, so be it, while noting that there would be no imposition of candidates or zoning and the processes would be transparent and different from that of the PDP.

    Amaechi reiterated that all attempts to remove him had failed; stressing that change was needed in Nigeria democratically, to reduce the level of corruption, while admonishing the Rivers people and other Nigerians not to listen to the deceit of the leaders of the PDP and the GDI.

    When officers and students of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Plateau State visited Amaechi at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, he declared that the desperation by Abuja forces over 2015, was the cause of insecurity in the Niger Delta state.

    He also attributed the dwindling fortunes of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Rivers state to the rising insecurity in the state.

    The Rivers governor said the insecurity came at a time when desperate politicians resorted to power-play at the national level, ahead of the 2015 elections and the recent influx of political thugs and miscreants, that were chased out of the state when he assumed office in 2007.

    He said: “Things were improving before now, with the Army, Police and the State Security Service (SSS), which enabled us to arrest the insecurity in the state. But recently, because of the power-play at the national level, ahead of the 2015 elections, the security of the state degenerated badly, that one is wondering whether we should not differentiate between politics of election and politics of leadership.

    “It is also important for you to know the economic interest of the people, and our private interest too. Now, people are being kidnapped. Because of the elections (2015), the Abuja front has released all the people (militants) we chased away out of Port Harcourt back into the state again.

    “Now, you have young men carrying arms like soldiers to picture what it used to be in 2006 and 2007, because at that time, soldiers were being killed. When we came to power, we took over the situation. Even at that, we do not expect those, whose duty it is to protect us and serve the people, to be the same people who will bring them back to create insecurity. This has also impacted on our IGR, outside the oil theft and has emboldened those doing oil theft.

    “If not for the insecurity in the state and if all companies that were here before had remained to operate their business, we would have been generating up to N10 billion monthly. Most of the companies ran to Lagos and some of them came to Port Harcourt, and later also ran back.

    Amaechi also described the reckless disregard for the protection of lives and property in the state by men of the Nigeria Police Force as a serious lacuna, as enshrined in the nation’s constitution.

    The NGF chairman said: “You are aware of the running battle between the Rivers State Government and the Police. We used to have a strong relationship with all security agents, including our Security Council meetings every month. Now, we do not have any of the meetings at all. Because, they say they are taking instructions from Abuja.

    “You have a state in Nigeria that is helpless, in terms of security, whose citizens are not protected, just because of the 2015 elections. If they tell you that is not true, I will certainly give you names of those who have been kidnapped.

    “I can recall that when I took over office in 2007, if there was a case of kidnap, within a short time of say two days, we would have rescued that person, because we have security equipment that can locate you and get you out. The military and the Police were ready to co-operate.

    “It may interest you to also know that if I call the Rivers Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, he will say, ‘Governor apply,’ it is ridiculous. When some high-ranking police officers come here and they hear it, they get very angry. But, before they get out of here, they will be ordered to come back to Abuja.”

    The Rivers governor also told the officers and students of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College how his administration worked out feasible modalities that suddenly increased the state’s IGR from N2.5 billion to N6 billion monthly, shortly after he assumed office in 2007, without introducing new taxes.

    Amaechi said: “When we took over power in 2007, we came to the conclusion that oil is not in the hands of the Rivers people. So, we need to run a different economy that we can give back to our people. We decided to diversify the economy to what we called the education economy. We felt we should reform the education sector and we felt we needed to do an overhaul of the primary education system.

    “At this time, primary education by law or the Constitution, is the responsibility of the local government councils. We realised that we could not have made any progress in education, if we do not have the basics. So, we went into partnership with the local government councils, who were willing to handover the primary education system to the Rivers State Government. We took over the salaries of teachers, which was up to N2 billion per month.

    “For the local government councils, they save N2 billion to pay the teachers monthly. We decided also to build new schools and demolished old ones. Teachers were poorly trained and we got the British Council involved to train our teachers.

    “We have so far completed about 300 of the Model Primary Schools. 100 are under construction, while about 200 are nearing completion. Our target is 750, but we have financial problem now. The Federal Government said, it is oil theft, but whether it is oil theft or not, the effect has affected our oil revenue and it has depreciated so badly. Sometimes, our IGR aids us to do social projects.”

    The Rivers government, the APC and the PDP also disagreed on the financial status of the Amaechi’s administration.

    The Rivers government, through the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, and the APC, through its Interim Rivers Chairman, Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, insisted that the state was not broke.

    PDP’s Pastor Jerry Needam, the Special Adviser, Media to the Rivers Chairman of the party, Chief Felix Obuah, insisted that the state was broke, in view of its inability to meet its financial obligations.

    Semenitari and Ikanya urged Rivers people to ignore the PDP’s claims, which were described as misleading, frivolous and ridiculous.

    Rivers PDP, however, maintained that available evidence showed that the Amaechi’s administration could no longer meet its responsibilities, since it was broke.

    PDP said: “We wonder how the Rivers Commissioner for Information will deny this glaring fact, in the face of the failure and collapse of almost all the social and public agencies in the state.

    “The Commissioner’s brazen denial is laughable. We want Mrs. Semenitari to explain why the Rivers State Government still owes officers and men of the Rivers State Road Transport Management Authority (TIMA-RIV) for about six months.

    “The newly-recruited 13,000 teachers are also owed six months’ salaries, roads and other infrastructural projects have been abandoned and there is delay in the release of the N300 million Christmas bonus meant for the civil servants in the state.

    “The PDP also demands explanation from the Rivers Information Commissioner to justify the reason for the denial of funds for the full implementation of the 2013 budget by the various ministries, if the state is not broke.

    “The revelation that the Rivers students abroad, on the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) sponsorship are stranded and at the verge of being thrown out by their universities, is a confirmation that the state’s treasury is empty.

    “We still wonder in disbelief, why officials of the Rivers State Government will continue to deny the facts that are available at the doorposts of the people. A responsible government should be courageous enough to tell its citizens the truth, at least on the affairs of the state.

    “If the state is not broke, let the pensioners receive their full gratuities, rather than the piecemeal, a style of payment which has never happened in Rivers State, except now that the state is in financial distress.”

    The Rivers government has accused Mbu of attending political meetings in the houses of the leaders of the PDP and the GDI.

    Wike, according to the chief of staff, Government House, Port Harcourt (Okocha), is campaigning to be the Rivers governor in 2015, but using President Jonathan as a smokescreen.

    The Rivers commissioner for information and communications, when she appeared on Channels Television, also accused the Rivers police commissioner of hobnobbing with politicians who were opposed to the Rivers government and Amaechi.

    Semenitari also stated that the Rivers police commissioner had restricted his job area to the protection of only members of the PDP and the GDI.

    Jonathan, his wife, Dame Patience and Wike will want the PDP to win Rivers state in 2015 at all costs, because of the 2 million votes, but the NGF chairman will prove to them that he is still in charge of the politics of the state and a force to reckon with, by delivering Rivers to the APC.

    Only time will tell where the pendulum will swing in 2015, but peace must be given a chance in the volatile Niger Delta state.

     

  • IGP to appear before Senate over Rivers crisis

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, will appear before the Senate on Tuesday, February 11th.

    Senate Leader, Senator Ndoma-Egba said that the appearance of Abubakar followed the resolution of the Senate that the police boss should appear to tell the lawmakers what he knew about the unending political crisis in Rivers State.

    Sources however said that the resolution was informed by the report of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs on the alleged shooting of the Senator representing Rivers South East, Magnus Abe, by the police at a rally.

    Findings showed that the committee report claimed that contrary to wide spread reports the Nigeria Police does use rubber bullets.

    It is not yet known whether Abubakar’s submission will be made in public or at a closed door sessio

  • Amaechi…Rebel with a cause

    Amaechi…Rebel with a cause

    When the Presidency decided to take on Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, it perhaps did not bargain for what it is getting. Amaechi has proved to be a fighter. His appearance at the Bori rally of the Save Rivers Movement (SRM) has further confirmed his image as ‘a rebel with a cause’, writes Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

    The battleline was long drawn between the pro-Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s Save Rivers Movement (SRM) and the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), which has as grand patron, the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike.

    GDI leaders and members have been moving round the 23 local government areas of Rivers State with full police protection and without attack by militants, unlike the rallies of the SRM.

    Wike insisted that the GDI leaders were moving round the state for thanksgiving and inauguration of the wards and LGAs’ executives of the GDI, as well as sensitising the members of the socio-political organisation and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to support President Goodluck Jonathan, whenever he declares to seek re-election.

    The Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, who doubles as the Political Adviser to Amaechi, who is the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), insisted that Wike was busy with his 2015 governorship campaign and using President Goodluck Jonathan as a smokescreen.

    Okocha stated that Wike is too desperate to be the next governor of Rivers state, in spite of being an Ikwerre like Amaechi. The NGF chairman is from Ubima in Ikwerre LGA, while the minister of state for education hails from Rumueprikom in Obio/Akpor council.

    The Rivers political crisis actually commenced when the youthful Rivers governor declared that it would not be proper for another Ikwerre person to succeed him, having been the Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly for eight years (1999 – 2007) and to be governor for eight years in 2015.

    Amaechi prefers somebody from another ethnic group or senatorial district to succeed him in 2015, which the supervising minister of education was not comfortable with.

    Wike is a former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt and doubled as the Director-General of Amaechi Campaign Organisation in 2011, before the Rivers governor recommended him to President Jonathan for appointment as a minister, which he (Wike) denied in a recent interview in his newly-built mansion, behind the seat of power in the Rivers state capital, when his friends and associates organised for him a surprise birthday party.

    The Supervising Minister of Education is a two-term Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and an ex-National President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).

    Amaechi told journalists in Port Harcourt that he facilitated the re-election of Wike as Obio/Akpor LG council chairman, declaring that his people rejected him for second term for poor performance, arrogance and lack of respect for elders, but the governor said he personally intervened and had to plead with the people to allow him.

    The NGF chairman maintained that the minister of state for education betrayed him, in spite of his contributions to his political career, especially when President Jonathan rejected his (Wike’s) ministerial nomination, for not being well known to him the President), with Amaechi still vouching for him (Wike).

    Wike, however, insisted that he got the ministerial appointment on merit and not based on Amaechi’s nomination or efforts, wondering why as the governor’s Chief of Staff and Director-General of his campaign organisation, he could be made just a Minister of State, instead of a substantive minister, if the governor was that influential.

    He said Amaechi should be grateful to him, for fully supporting him to be the Rivers governor on October 26, 2007, after the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court the previous day, which sacked his cousin, Sir Celestine Omehia.

    He noted that with the ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo declaring that Amaechi’s governorship candidature had K-leg, at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt in early 2007, while presenting PDP’s flags to other governorship candidates; it became obvious that the ex-speaker must fight hard to regain his stolen mandate.

    Trouble started brewing when Okocha (chief of staff); the President of the SRM, Charles Aholu, a legal practitioner; and the group’s Coordinator, Igo Aguma, a former member of the House of Representatives from Rivers state; began a week earlier to announce on many radio and television stations, including newspaper advertisements, that Obio/Akpor LG rally of SRM would hold on January 12.

    Since Wike is from Obio/Akpor LGA, political watchers were actually envisaging crisis, for the minister of state for education to prove that he is still in charge of the politics of the council and to impress President Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience, an indigene of Okrika, headquarters of Okrika LGA of Rivers state.

    On January 11, the canopies, chairs, tables and podium had been arranged at the playground of the Rivers State College of Arts and Science, Rumuola, Port Harcourt, to avoid any hitch during the elaborate SRM inauguration for Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the following day.

    As early as 4 am, policemen, on the orders of Mbu, invaded with Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), many patrol vehicles and battle-ready personnel, the Rivers College of Arts and Science and upturned the canopies, chairs, tables and podium, dispersing with teargas and gunshots, the people who were putting finishing touches to the arrangements.

    Okocha and the representative of the Rivers South-east Senatorial District, Magnus Ngei Abe, were contacted by their associates on the ground and they quickly moved to the venue of the rally, with the dualised road already barricaded by the police and teargas canisters still being shot, but they were undeterred.

    Overzealous policemen, however, shot twice on the chest with rubber bullets, Abe, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), while the chief of staff was also injured by the policemen on the leg and still unable to walk very well, with worshippers and passersby having heavy dose of teargas and disturbing noise of sporadic gunshots on the Sunday.

    The pro-Amaechi’s rally was later relocated to the Civic Centre at Rumuigbo, Port Harcourt, on the dualised and ever-busy Ikwerre Road, with policemen again taking over the new venue and scattering the white plastic chairs, with passersby forced to raise their hands.

    In order to show their displeasure over the action of the policemen, youths in Rumuigbo made bonfires on Ikwerre Road, especially at Obi Wali Road Junction, which was littered with broken bottles, stones and other missiles, but policemen later cleared them.

    Amaechi was billed to attend the SRM’s disrupted rally at the Rivers College of Arts and Science or the Civic Centre at Rumuigbo.

    Abe, 49, from Bera-Ogoni in Gokana Local Government Area, who is an ex-Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), is still recuperating in a London hospital.

    Rivers Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ahmad Mohammad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), however, claimed that members of a rival group (GDI/PDP) invaded the Rivers College of Arts and Science, while engaging the SRM members in a supremacy battle and policemen decided to disperse them with teargas, to prevent the breakdown of law and order, which the chief of staff described as false and misleading.

    Okocha said: “About few minutes past 12 am on Sunday (January 12), I received a call from somebody, highly placed, informing me that the Rivers Commissioner of Police (Mbu) had been reached by the Supervising Minister for Education, Nyesom Wike, and that he had accepted a huge sum of money to dislodge our people and I could not place it.

    “SRM is an organisation that insists that Rivers State must be saved, out to salvage the state from political buccaneers, who want to put Rivers State into their pockets. That is what we are doing. We are in the business of sensitising our people from LGA to LGA.

    “You are aware of a group called the GDI. The members go through all the LGAs with convoys of police, giving them all kinds of protection, including the Commissioner of Police (Mbu). He (CP) is always in the convoys, providing security for them and ensuring that all the things they do in the LGAs are trouble free.”

    The supervising minister of education, in his reaction, stated that persons dragging his name to the police’s action should be ignored and that the SRM’s rallies were not enough proof of the popularity of Amaechi or to win elections in the Niger Delta state.

    Wike was earlier the same January 12 at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, to receive Dame Patience Jonathan, who was travelling to Bayelsa State.

    A former Petroleum Minister, Prof. Tam David-West (from Buguma-Kalabari, the headquarters of Asari-Toru Local Government Area ), expressed worry over the worsening political climate in his Rivers state, while condemning the shooting of Abe, whom he described as a complete gentleman, whom he said never deserved the treatment he got from the police.

    The lawyer to the SRM, Ken Atsuwete, a renowned human rights activist, insisted that the police were informed in writing of the group’s rallies in Obio/Akpor and Khana LGAs, while hinting that the Bori rally would go on as planned, on January 19, which became worse.

    Militants backed by policemen, amid sporadic gunshots, on January 19, disrupted the pro-Amaechi’s SRM rally again at Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoni land and the seat of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers state.

    The Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), George Feyii, an Ogoni; Okocha and many allies of Amaechi narrowly escape death, with their vehicles riddled with bullets and some were vandalised.

    Two persons were feared shot dead by the rampaging militants, who started shooting from 4 am and took over the venue of the SRM rally at the playground of the All Saints’ Anglican Church, Bori, not far from the Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori-Ogoni.

    The NGF chairman, who planned to attend the SRM’s January 19 disrupted rally at Bori, later in an interview at the Government House, Port Harcourt, after inspecting the shot and vandalised vehicles, declared that President Jonathan’s government was worse than the regime of the late dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha.

    The Rivers governor also accused that Federal Government of desperation over the 2015 elections, declaring that President Jonathan wanted to win at all costs, even if all the human beings die.

    Amaechi insisted that the disrupted Bori rally of the SRM must be repeated on Saturday, January 25, while declaring that he would attend and available to be shot.

    Some Rivers commissioners, Amaechi’s allies, top Rivers government officials, leaders and supporters of the SRM had to scale the high fence and run into the bush to prevent being shot by the rampaging militants, with their vehicles abandoned and vandalised, while Bori people and students scampered to safety.

    Police, however, gave protection to the rally by the GDI at Degema, the headquarters of Degema Local Government Area on the same January 19.

    The Rivers PDP, through its Spokesman, Pastor Jerry Needam, accused the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) of resorting to violence.

    The Rivers police spokesman claimed that the pro-Amaechi group (SRM) did not apply for police protection, while Wike’s GDI leaders applied for police protection and was granted, stating that the shooting at Bori was being investigated.

    Aguma and Atsuwete, however, described Muhammad (PPRO) as a liar, insisting that the SRM notified the police of the Bori rally and applied for police protection, since obtaining police permit is illegal, as confirmed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana.

    The SRM rally was fixed for 2 pm on January 19, with the canopies, chairs, tables and podium arranged and the chief of staff was in Bori on January 18, to ensure hitch-free arrangement, but upturned by the militants, who turned the venue into a theatre of war.

    The Channels Television was billed to transmit the rally live, but its Mercedes Benz Outside Broadcasting (OB) van (Lagos FST 928 BX) and a Toyota Hiace bus, with registration number: Lagos: AGL 250 AP, were vandalised, while the organisation also lost an expensive camera, with the crew members, who were setting the OB van, losing valuable items and cash to the attackers.

    Some of the vandalised and shot vehicles are: Toyota Fortuner, with registration number: Rivers KRK 396 BX and two Toyota Landcruiser V8, with registration numbers: Rivers ES 353 PHC and Lagos AAA 448 AA.

    Other shot and vandalised vehicles are Lexus LX 570, with registration number: Rivers KNM 815 AA, Brilliance salon car, with Abuja ABC 830 AL as registration number, Toyota Tundra: Abuja ABJ 587 AE and Chevrolet Avalanche: Lagos EH 193 LSR.

    Besides the divisional police headquarters, Bori has police area command, while there is MOPOL 56 at nearby Saakpenwa-Ogoni, but all the security personnel looked the other way, while the attackers, who were sponsored by desperate politicians, were having a field day.

    After the masked militants had visited thrice with guns and machetes, the All Saints’ Anglican Church, venue of the January 19 rally of SRM and left, policemen later barricaded the main Hospital Road that leads to Kono Waterside and sealed off the expansive premises.

    Amaechi said: “When they say President Obasanjo (Olusegun) is lying about snipers and one thousand names, they say Nigerian Police have no rubber bullets. From where did the rubber bullets come? Is it one of the snipers that shot at Magnus (Abe)? Could it be that they were aiming it at me? For the first time, I will want to expose myself. I will be there (Bori’s rally). I will be there on Saturday (January 25), let them come and shoot.

    “There is serious danger for democracy. What you are seeing here (in Rivers State) is close to what Abacha was doing. This is an Abacha’s government. Tell me the difference. Lives were being lost, people were being shot. Journalists were being arrested. This is worse, because even governors were not arrested under Abacha, but as a governor, hmmnn!

    “Officers of the Rivers State Police Command met at the Police Officers’ Mess and Mbu declared war against the Rivers State Government and Rivers people. That he is determined to ensure that they are not protected and he warned them (policemen) in advance not to come to protect anybody at the rally.

    “The implication of that is that he (Mbu) knew there was going to be an attack and he must have been part of the process of the attack. If not, when the people started shooting, what did the police do.”

    The NGF chairman also stated that the rampaging militants would have killed the journalists, who covered the rally, but managed to escape from the gunshots at Bori.

    Amaechi said: “Is President (Jonathan) saying he has lost control of Mbu? He cannot remove Mbu. He cannot tell Mbu what to do or is it that Mr. President had directed Mbu to kill me and kill others?”

    True to his earlier promise, Amaechi attended the rescheduled rally of the SRM in Bori-Ogoni on January 25, and as usual, did not spare the Federal Government, President Jonathan and Mbu.

    The Rivers governor stated that the militants his administration chased away with the military were now back in the state, fuelled by the Rivers police commissioner and his “cohorts” in Abuja.

    Amaechi spoke amid tight security provided by the police, at the same venue (the playground of the All Saints’ Anglican Church, Bori) where the hired militants were a week earlier shooting sporadically, with the rescheduled rally well-attended and the inauguration of the Khana LGA chapter with 19 wards, of the SRM, performed by Aguma.

    The NGF chairman, who attended the SRM rally for the first time, was accompanied by the representative of the Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro constituency of Rivers state in the House of Representatives, Dakuku Peterside.

    Shops, business outfits and corporate organisations in Bori were shut on January 25 by apprehensive persons, who envisaged a repeat of the violence of January 19. It was gathered that some militants still shot sporadically in Bori in the early hours of January 25, but were repelled by the police.

    The Rivers chapter of the PDP, through Pastor Jerry Needam, the Special Adviser, Media to the state Chairman, Chief Felix Obuah, however, urged Amaechi to do the right things at all times and save himself of avoidable embarrassment.

    Mbu had earlier insisted that he remained a professional police officer, not taking sides and not a politician. In spite of the calls for Mbu’s redeployment for acting like a politician, by the NGF chairman and separate resolutions last year by the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, said the Rivers police commissioner had been told to be a professional police officer.

    Abubakar is now under intense pressure to redeploy Mbu, especially with the call on President Jonathan by the members of the National Assembly to remove him (IGP), who has (Abubakar) been summoned by the senators to come and explain his roles in the Rivers crisis.

    Amaechi said in Bori on January 25: “I always tell my Priest that the Bible is a very versatile book. There is nothing you are looking for in the Bible that you will not see. Bible enjoins all of us to be peaceful. The same Bible says the kingdom of God suffereth violence and the violent taketh it by force.

    “I do not want to come back to Ogoni to hear that you were shattered. I do not want you to take the law into your own hands, but I want you to make sure that nobody shoots at you. They (gun-wielding militants) are all human beings. They are not ghosts. They are neither angels nor devil. They are human beings like you. If a man slaps you and gets away with it, tomorrow, he will come back.

    “I will allow members of the SRM to continue with their rallies. Anything that requires the law, they must comply with the law. I do not have to be part of the rallies. The only reason why I came to today’s (January 25) rally is because I need to prove to you, not to Nigerians, that you should not run away from violence.

    “You do not go to war carrying white handkerchiefs. If a man is carrying AK-47, you will carry machine gun. Then, he will say let us talk peace. As much as possible, I will not support violence, but I do not want you dead. Stay alive, because if you die, nobody will vote for us. I wish you God’s blessings and I will assure you, I will stand by you.”

    The NGF chairman also berated the Rivers Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, an indigene of Cross River State, who has put in 30 years into the police service, for taking sides and not acting like a professional police officer, but a politician.

    Amaechi said: “PDP claims to be the biggest party in Nigeria. APC is the fastest growing party in Nigeria. Then, there was no ACN, no CPC, only PDP in Rivers State. Now, they have seen another party, why are they afraid? Why are they fighting? Why are they shooting? Why are they using policemen? They should allow voting to take place.

    “Let me start by apologising to you, on behalf of Mbu and those who came here (Bori) to shoot guns last Sunday (January 19). From here, I will go to the hospital to see one of the persons they shot. Mbu said nobody was shot. I am going there to see the person myself.

    “As the Governor of Rivers state, I am governor for every Local Government Area. Nobody can stop me from coming to Khana Local Government. Not even those children that issued press statement, threatening and they said they would shoot me and I said ‘let me come and be shot’.

    “This (January 25) morning, many persons called me and said ‘do not go (to Bori)’ and I told them to give me reasons why I should not go. I should send over 3,000 persons to Bori, for them to be shot and I will not be there to be shot. Will that be fair? If they are going to shoot you, they should shoot me first.

    “I want to thank the IGP. I had to call him and I told IGP that I would be going to Khana LG and I thank him for sending security. I reassure him that Rivers people are peace loving.

    “Mbu said he did very well in Oyo State. I have spoken with the Governor of Oyo State (Abiola Ajimobi) and he said Mbu did not do well. Whatever he was doing there was a smaller scale. Why he is doing a larger scale here is because there are very important people in Abuja that are fuelling him. He is making me say it in public. Mbu cannot say he has done well. He has done nothing.”

    The Rivers governor also berated an ex-militant General, Solomon Ndigbara, aka Osama Bin Laden, an Ogoni, whom he said was behind the shootings of January 19 in Bori.

  • Day of honour for Rivers youth leader

    Day of honour for Rivers youth leader

    The Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Ambassador Sukubo Sara- Igbe Sukubo, drew crème de la crème of the Nigerian youths circle to Port Harcourt when he threw a lavish party to mark his 29th birthday ceremony.

    Youth leaders from all the ethnic groups in the state, the Niger Delta, South-South Youths Assembly and NYCN graced the event, which was held at the celebrant’s residence in Ada-George Road area of the city. The opening prayers were said by Christian and Muslim clerics. Some of the youth leaders who spoke to Niger Delta Report said the mammoth crowd at the birthday party was a testimony of Sokubo’s dynamic leadership and his cordial relationship with the youths and his contribution to the youth’s assembly in Rivers State. Comrade Mike Worlu, a youth leader from Elele community said Ambassador Sukubo had made a remarkable contribution to the youths in the state even before he became the state chairman of National Youth Council. He said, “He came from a royal family in Akuku-Toru Local Government. He is an open-minded person with the little fund available to him he uses it to assist those around him especially the less-privilege. That is the kind of person he is before he became the state youth leader.” For his part, Comrade Japheth Ogbueri the youth leader of Etche ethnic nationality, said he mobilized his youths to be at the birthday party because “Sukubo is a man that associate himself with progress and youth development.” The South -South Youths Assembly (SSYA) led by the National Secretary Comrade Ayisire Lucky presented an Award of Distinguished Icon of Hope and Inspiration to the celebrant. He said his commitment to diligent service stood him out for the award. “His total commitment to diligent service of the administration of youths’ assembly in Rivers State and South-South has contributed to the building of a united youth in Rivers State and Nigeria at large. His sensitisation programme towards collective empowerment for youth in Rivers state, especially his commitment to build a forensics laboratory to improve the ability of the police to investigate crime in Rivers state, is worthy of emulation. “The award became necessary after the fact-finding committee of the South-South Youth Assembly recommended that Ambassador Sukubo should be awarded the prestigious distinguished Icon of hope and inspiration. By the presentation of this Award the leadership of the South-South Youth Assembly wishes to assure the recipient that we will always stand by him.” Comrade Ayisire said youths have realised that leadership is not base on the level of school or degree, but all about how you can affect people positively. “The youths are the manpower of every economy; they need to be given the enabling environment to thrive. The lack of employment for the teeming youths in the South-South region has propelled the youths to engage in all kinds of anti-social activities such as militancy, crime and hostage taking and since the task of providing employment for the youths cannot be achieved by government alone.” Responding, the celebrant expressed delight at the reception according him by his colleagues, stressing that he was humbled by the huge turnout of guests. He said, “I took the responsibility of touching lives, not because I am a youth leader in the state, but it is my own way to honour God who has made it possible for me to see this day. I want to thank the youths who are represented here tonight especially the South-South Youths Assembly who presented me with an award, a special one indeed given to me at the day of my birthday, I sincerely thank you. ”

    The celebrant was assisted by his family members and some youth leaders to cut his birthday cake.

  • ‘Jonathan and his wife are destroying everything about Rivers’

    ‘Jonathan and his wife are destroying everything about Rivers’

    A member of the defunct National Renewal Committee of the former Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Wilfred Ogbotobo, speaks to MIKE ODIEGWU on  APC in Bayelsa State and the Rivers State crisis.

    How do you view the struggle for APC leadership in Bayelsa?

    It is normal for people to struggle for leadership especially in a scenario like the emergence of a great and powerful political party as the APC with its promise and prospects. It is normal and healthy for democracy, particularly in the context of Bayelsa politics. It is also expected that external antagonistic force would also want to attempt to destabilise “the Bayelsa Ark” at this stage just to keep the state perpetually on slow motion. These are some aspects of the struggle for the leadership of the party in the state. But no cause for alarm. Once an “Ark” always an “Ark”.

    Don’t you think APC does not stand a chance in Bayelsa State if it begins with crisis?

    I am not aware of crisis in the Bayelsa APC. Meetings and consultations have been ongoing smoothly in different places and on different levels, awaiting the forthcoming inauguration of the state interim exco. there are clear guidelines to manage every stage of the process. Some anomalies discovered in the case of the CPC’s representation on the interim exco, have been relayed to the Zonal interim exco for correction. At this stage, much enthusiasm and excitement, in diverse ways, is playing out and it is wrong and malicious to refer to this frenzy as crisis. I think it is instructive to urge the public to disregard the statements credited to Gov. Dickson and the Bayelsa PDP as the wild vituperation of a haunted government and an equally bankrupt, big-for-nothing political party. APC is at peace in Bayelsa state.

    Are you comfortable with the activities of of the loyalists of the former Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Timipre Sylva, who joined the party from PDP?

    Nobody is born to be comfortable with the actions or activities of others, but, as humans we have the ability to adapt to every material situation and condition. Obviously, these people have evolved from a particular political culture and peculiar ways of conducting the game of politics. They have also passed through circumstances which, I believe, have enriched their experiences. I should think that a synergy would ensue, at the end of the day, to strengthen not only individual readiness but also our collective commitment to the philosophy, rules and values of our great party, the APC.

    Bayelsa is known to be a PDP state, how can APC survive in the state of President Goodluck Jonathan?

    Bayelsa is not a PDP state. On the contrary, Bayelsans, in spirit and truth, are far removed from the PDP. PDP is not anchored in the hearts of Bayelsans. The relationship between the party and the state could be likened to a band of marauders terrorizing a gold-rich colony – careless, reckless and insensitive to everything about the colony except the gold and power.

    APC’s survival in Bayelsa would not ride on the crest of PDP’s apparent failure or the general disenchantment with Goodluck Jonathan’s lackluster performance. Rather, we are going to task our human ingenuity to chart a 21st century course that would engage every Bayelsans and, every community toward productivity. The “Bayelsa Ark” is already teeming with young, educated Bayelsans excited by the freedom and opportunities, offered by the APC, to impact their society. Surely, APC would have a smooth sail in Bayelsa.

    Bayelsans, young and old are fed up with poverty and ignorance, division and sentiments which PDP has successfully built into our brotherhood and values. The obsessions of PDP in Bayelsa, since 1999, are almost always not the paramount worries of the average Bayelsan. Enough is enough.

    How strong is the APC in the Southsouth?

    If the APC is not strong in Bayelsa state, Gov Seriake would not have embarked on his hurried tour of LGAs in the state, recently. If the APC is not strong in Rivers state, what is happening to Gov. Amaechi and, the trauma of the Rivers people would not have taken place. If APC is not in the hearts of the people of Delta state, Nigeria would not have commenced discussions with the UK authorities on prisoner exchange. Edo state is safe in our hands already. Our political seismologists have predicted great quakes in Cross River sooner than later. There is only one cock crowing in Akwa Ibom while others have discreetly booked for the “Ark”.

    APC would not recruit thugs, criminals, hooligans and guns to do our work. Our approach is to, responsibly, win back the hearts of the people for the collective task of uplifting our humanity in this 21st century. APC has firmly anchored in the South-South.

    How do you view the crisis in Rivers State?

    I strongly call on all God-fearing sons and daughters of the Ijaw nationality to prevail on President Jonathan so that he could realise the futility of his actions in Rivers State. The President and his wife are systematically destroying everything about Rivers State. I cannot see anything that Amaechi has done wrong. Amaechi, an Ikwerre and as governor of Rivers state, should even be commended for fighting a cause for our fellow Ijaws, the Kalabaris of Rivers State. In 2011, Nigerians overwhelmingly voted Jonathan without all this nonsense that is happening in different parts of the country. He should go before irreparable damage is done. Ijaws will not benefit, in any way, from these happenings.

    The Niger Delta is not in order and, nobody can predict the dimension in the event of any conflagration. The PDP, since 1999, has created so much distrust, bitterness and hatred in the system, even in an enclave like Bayelsa. Our values have been shattered to smithereens. Our communal systems have been pauperised.

  • NSF 2014: Coach tasks Rivers on early release of funds

    Reginald Briggs of the Rivers Weightlifting Association has pleaded with the state government for early release of funds, to ensure adequate preparation for the 19th National Sports Festival (NSF).

    Briggs, Head Coach of the Association, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday that adequate provision for coaches’ training and camping of athletes would ensure a good outing at the fiesta.

    Tagged the “Paradise Games’’, the sports festival would hold in Calabar from Nov. 23 to Dec. 3.

    “We will stand a better chance to excel at the festival if the state government will look at the sports’ direction, and make resources available to trigger early preparations.

    “The principal thing is to make sure that the technical officials of all sports go through thorough refresher courses, to put them in a better shape to train the athletes.’’

    Briggs also urged athletes and technical officials of the various associations not to relent on their individual training, adding that such training would assist them in camp.

    “There is no doubt that technical officials and athletes are warming up for the festival, which is highly commendable, because they are gradually laying the foundation for the fiesta,’’ Briggs said.

    According to him, early preparation in previous festivals contributed to the state athletes’ impressive performances, which must be encouraged ahead of the Calabar Games.

    The coach also called for a better welfare package for the athletes, to enable them to give their best at the event.

    “Athletes are prone to sustain injuries during training; so, there must be good medical facilities to care for them, including good training facilities.’’