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Wike Gets Rare Recognition From Buhari  

By
James Orji
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Nyesom Wike

President Muhammadu Buhari will confer on Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state the “Distinguish Award in Infrastructure Delivery” the presidency has said.

The award is considered by not a few Nigerians as a reward for the giant stride the Rivers governor has recorded since he came into office over seven years ago.

He has also commissioned many life-touching projects than his counterparts in other states, those watching his government said.

According to a letter signed by Dr. Nnamdi Mbaeri, the Permanent Secretary (General Services) in the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF’s Office, and addressed to Governor Wike, the president will on October 21 present the award to the governor at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

The ceremony is part of the forthcoming Nigeria Excellence in Public Service Award by the Federal Government, the SGF office said.

“Tinubu Is Healthy, Ready To Rumble” – PDP Senator, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Chimaroke Nnamani

By Adesina Soyooye

A Peoples Democratic Party’s Senator, Chimaroke Nnamani, has certified Bola  Tinubu, the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, fit, healthy and ready to rumble.

There have been concerns, for months, over the health status of Tinubu. Many insist his health is fragile, and that he suffers from alleged Parkinson disease.

They insist that the alleged disease is responsible for Tinubu’s, atimes, unsteady steps, shaky hands and not too good manner of speaking.

Recently when he went to London, the Social Media was awash with reports that he traveled on medical grounds. His Campaign Office tried to debunk the narrative. Director of Publicity and Communications, Bayo Onanuga, invoked the wrath of God on those carrying the rumour of Tinubu’s ill health.  He said Tinubu went to London, not on medical grounds, but for a short rest in preparation for the grueling Presidential campaign.

Then, as proof, a photograph of Tinubu riding an exercise bicycle was released. This was followed by a dapper looking Tinubu, wearing a suit, posing with two of his grandchildren in London. Then followed a tweet by Tinubu denying his alleged withdrawal from the race, and his rumoured death. “I am not dead, and I have not withdrawn from the Presidential race”, he said.

Now enters PDP Senator Chimaroke Nnamani. A two-time  Governor of Enugu State, Nnamani is a medical doctor, a specialist in the most intricate form of surgery and a great surgeon.

On Monday, Nnamani told Nigerians that from a professional point, Tinubu is in top shape, health-wise, and ready to rumble.

The PDD Senator, whose Party’s Presidential candidate is Atiku Abubakar, assured Nigerians that Tinubu is okay and has the capacity to lead Nigeria.

Chimaroke: “I join millions of Nigerians in welcoming Tinubu home. It is to God’s glory that he returned in superb health.

“I strongly continue to condemn those who wallow in ignorance in celebration of real and phantom infirmities.

“I lend my voice in celebration of his giant strides in governance, reforms and locality administration in all its spheres. I salute his political deftness and sagacity.

“As a medical professional with honour, I attest to Tinubu’s good health and capacity.

“Tinubu has a robust general system, acute awareness of his holistic environment, political and in all ramifications. A bubbling and vivacious personality, his confidence is easily apparent, sharing and transferable. Engaging him clearly demonstrates good health, energy and readiness to rumble.”

Nnamani and Tinubu were colleague-Governors. He has continued to promote Tinubu’s positive credentials even though they belong to different political parties. He says Tinubu is his friend.

He broke the record when his name appeared as a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council. He was number 350 in the 422  member-team. Onanuga first justified it, but later said it was a mistake as they meant to write Senator Ken Nnamani not Senator Chimaroke Nnamani.

The former Governor did not, immediately, distance himself from the APC list. But days later, one of his Aides asked that his principal’s name on the list be ignored as he is running for a third term to the Senate on the ticket of the PDP. This has, however, not changed his absolute belief in Tinubu.

Ogun 2023: Again, Amosun Goes Against His Party; Backs ADC Candidate, Otegbeye, Dumps APC’s  Abiodun

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

Former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has never hidden his dislike for his successor, Governor Dapo Abiodun, even though they are in the  same Political Party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.

During the 2019 Governorship Poll, Amosun backed the Candidacy of Allied Peoples Movement, APM, Adekunle Akinlade at the expense of Abiodun.

Now, he has repeated it as the election towards the 2023 Ogun State Governorship seat draws near.

Amosun has backed the Candidature of African Democratic Congress, ADC,  Biyi Otegbeye, in the 2023 elections, thus abandoning Abiodun who is seeking a second term in office.

Amosun, while he made his choice   known, emphasised he will be backing Otegbeye  against Abiodun, but pledged his support to the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.

He declared his stance during an exclusive interview with BBC Yoruba on Monday.

Amosun said, “For the Presidential poll, I can assure you, both right, left and centre, we are supporting one person (Tinubu). I believe we are supporting one person. On the Governorship poll, that’s a different ball game. I don’t belong there.

“For the Governorship, that is different. I don’t hide behind one finger to fight. That’s why people say to me ‘don’t say that.’ On governorship, my supporters and I, we don’t belong to that side. I do not support APC on that side, Biyi Otegbeye is the person I am supporting, and ADC is the party.”

Amosun’s anointed candidate, Otegbeye, is from Ogun West Senatorial district and is the Managing Director of Regency Alliance Insurance PLC.

Afenifere To Akeredolu: Our Support For Peter Obi Is To Ensure Equity; Insists Other Ethnic Nationalities Back the Position

By
Ayodele Oni
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Peter Obi

By Ayodele Oni

Pan Yoruba socio cultural organization, Afenifere, has insisted that its preference for Peter Obi, Presidential candidate of Labour Party, (LP) is purely based on equity.

Reacting to remarks by Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, Afenifere said that its support for the LP candidate was purely that of the Group and not Yoruba interest. The Group pointed out that it is a principled stance of the Afenifere that the next President of Nigeria should be from the South and for equity, South-east.

A statement signed by Sola Ebiseni, Secretary General of Afenifere, stated that “The attention of the Afenifere has been drawn to the statement credited to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on the Afenifere endorsement of Mr. Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State, for the 2023 Presidential election.

“On the statement widely reported today in the media, the Governor of Ondo State, who is also the South West Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was quoted to have said “Afenifere doesn’t speak for the Yoruba people on the endorsement of the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi and that  Afenifere is divided in respect of the purported endorsement”.

“To start with, we wish to reiterate the principled stance of the Afenifere that the next President of Nigeria should be from the South, and all things equitably considered, from the South East, for which we consider Mr. Peter Obi, by his verifiable records as a two-term Governor of Anambra State, most competent and suitable.

“It is a well considered corporate decision debated for over a year of  regular monthly meetings, validly conveyed in the best tradition of the Organisation.

“While we have our respect for Governor Akeredolu, and his colleagues of the Southern Governors Forum, which he leads, on their stand that it is only equitable that the next President of Nigeria, after the eight years of Buhari of Northern Nigeria extraction, should come from the South.

“We will not lend our support to those who betray that cause for the lucre of Vice Presidential porridge or those who see equity only from the parochial prism of their own ethnic benefits.

“We wish to state for the umpteenth time, that Afenifere is not an apolitical Yoruba sociocultural Organisation but, from its inception, a political machinery as the embodiment of the worldview of the Awolowo School of Thought on how Nigeria, a country of ancient and entrenched nationalities, may best be equitably, inclusively and peacefully governed.

“These thoughts are encapsulated in the theory and practice of True Federalism in its equitable and logical dimensions.

“This philosophy, which has inexorably becomes the Yoruba view, also defines Afenifere’s position, either as the initiator of NADECO, on restructuring and the need not to deny the South East their turn of  Nigeria Presidency.

“Those who strive to abridge or diminish the full effect of this covenant, on the altar of partisan or cheap tribal interests, cannot  claim to speak for the Yoruba and Afenifere is not in competition with them.

“The Yoruba know the Organisation which speaks for them, taking hard decisions which others may initially despise but come round to embrace in the fullness of time.

“Finally, let it be said that Afenifere is not alone in this decision that the next President of Nigeria should be from the South and South East specifically.

“Afenifere conveyed its resolution through a Press Conference on the 26th September 2022, the Middle Belt Forum converged on the Jos Township Stadium on the 28th of September.

“Other ethnic nationality Organisations, particularly of the Southern and Middle Belt Forum of which Afenifere is a member and other well meaning Nigerian leaders are in agreement with this resolution which the nation needs most for an all inclusive sense of belonging and attendant peaceful coexistence.

“Those seek equity that the rulership of Nigeria is not the exclusive preserve of the North must also do equity by not seeking to score the same goal for themselves by foul means.”

Akeredolu had said on Monday, that Afenifere does not speak for the Yoruba.

Why DSS Still Holds IBC Staff In Its Custody – Imo State Govt; Says His Collaborators Are On The Run

By
The Source
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Hope Uzodimma

The Imo State Government has explained why the State Command of the Directorate of State Services, (DSS), is still keeping, in their custody, a staff of the Imo State Broadcasting Corporation, Casmir Chinonye Uzomah.

In the past few days,  the Social Media has been awash with demands for the release of Uzomah who was arrested by the DSS for airing, on the iBC Radio Station, Orient FM, a criminal, libellous and extremely subversive song against His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the Governor of Imo State. Uzomah did this while on duty at the radio station on 4th August; 2022.

The Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, said the DSS wants to ensure that investigation into the reason Uzomah was detained is not jeopardised.

“Some of those ignorantly calling for his release have gone far enough to baselessly claim that he was detained on the orders of the State Government,” Emelumba said.

The Commissioner, in a statement on Monday said: “For the avoidance of doubt, neither Imo State Government nor Imo Broadcasting Corporation is responsible for the arrest of the said Casmir Chinonye Uzomah. He was arrested by the DSS for airing subversive material capable of threatening national security.

“The  DSS has confirmed that upon his arrest he made a written confession that the said offensive and  damaging song he aired was given to him by some collaborators,  in a flash drive, and he duly smuggled same into IBC studio and willfully caused it to be aired, in violation of the terms of his employment and the ethics of the broadcast industry.

“This seditious and highly subversive song described the Governor of the State, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma as a murderer, a vampire and  sucker of blood.  It was as bad as that, and indeed worse.  Yet an employee of the Government had the  audacity to air the song in a State-owned Radio Station. If that does not  qualify for the height of impudence and willful subversion, then nothing else can.

“That was a clear case of  criminal libel against a man who has never been accused of a high crime, nor convicted by a Court of law.

“The aim, of course, was not just to disparage the Governor but to maliciously damage his reputation and to incite the public against the Government.

“Those who glibly talk of freedom and  democracy in this matter are either ignorant of the potential crime of treason committed by Casmir Chinonye Uzomah, or they are being hopelessly mischievous.

“Indeed it may not be far from the truth to conclude that those in the forefront of the clamour for his release may indeed know how he came about the offensive song. This may well explain why they want him out of the hook fast enough so that they can obstruct further chances of getting to the root of who did what and why.

“It is instructive to note that apart from sabotaging his employers, Casmir Chinonye Uzomah also incurred the wrath of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC),which queried IBC for breaching its code.

“These are the weighty issues at stake for which the DSS is carefully trying to get to its remote and immediate motives.

“And from the explanation given by the DSS, the co-conspirators,indicated by Mr Uzomah, in his statement, have been on the run. The DSS insists that they have to be apprehended and questioned alongside Casmir Chinonye Uzomah to establish their sinister motive.

“It is, therefore, important that while we exercise the right to call for the release of a detainee, we must not sweep under the carpet the  need to first establish the motive for the suspect’s action, who his hasty released will most likely jeopardise  investigations.

“A man who, acting in collaboration with some unscrupulous elements, could brazenly use a Government   station to incite the public against the Governor of the State, can as well plan  to do something more dangerous using the same gang.

“This is why we think the  DSS is right in insisting that it’s important and urgent that he should help them track down his collaborators so that the motive behind their action can be unravelled and judiciously rested.”

2023: Tinubu Labels PDP ‘Party Of Termites’; Inaugurates APC Women Wing Presidential Campaign Team

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Inauguration of APC Women Wing Presidential Campaign Team

By Akinwale Kasali

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Candidate, Bola Tinubu has taken a swipe at the opposition Party,  Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, describing it as a “political party of termites.”

Tinubu said the Party was in the saddle for 16 Years and this never metamorphosed into any positive for the country, stressing that there is no way they will find their way back into power.

“Sixteen years of nothingness. Never again shall they come back. A new hope is here,” Tinubu said during the inauguration of the Tinubu-Shettima Women Presidential Campaign Team at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The former Lagos State Governor said that the nation is about to witness a new dawn with him emerging as the President that would take over the saddle from President Muhammadu Buhari.

Tinubu’s statement is coming at a time electioneering campaigns for the 2023 Polls have been declared open since September 28th, 2022, by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Present at the occasion were, at least, 1,250 women members of the APC from across the country, including the President, Buhari, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari.

Others attendance were Tinubu’s running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullah Adamu; Governor of Plateau State and Director General of APC Presidential Campaign Council, Simon Lalong, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, among others.

A source at the party secretariat said that the inauguration of the 944-member team will signal the official kick-off of the party’s campaign.

The source also said the women’s team will enjoy a degree of autonomy to arrange and organise its own programmes at the national, zonal and state levels.

The ruling party had on Independence Day announced the composition of the women’s campaign train with First Lady, Aisha Buhari; Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Hajiya Nana, wife of the vice presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima, leading the pack.

The campaign list, which contained names of 944 high-profile women and wives of prominent APC politicians, was released in the wee hours of Saturday by the campaign media admin, Rinsola Abiola, who is also the daughter of late Chief MKO Abiola.

In the 70-page campaign document, no fewer than 33 Nollywood and Kannywood actors were enlisted for entertainment.

They include veteran thespians such as Joke Silva who chairs the entertainment category, Fausat Balogun, Remi Oshodi, Mercy Johnson, Rose Odika, Sola Kosoko, Lanre Hassan (Iya Awero), Hajiya Nas, Lizzy Jay (Omo Ibadan), Princess Kalihat Bello, among others.

In the list tagged ‘Tinubu-Shettima Women Presidential Campaign Team,’ Aisha was appointed as Grand Patron, Tinubu, a three-term Senator emerged as Chairman; Nana was made Co-Chairman while Lauretta Onochie, Personal Assistant on Social Media to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), also made the campaign train as Deputy National Co-ordinator.

In the category of zonal leaders, the wife of the Kebbi State governor, Dr Zainab Baugudu, will coordinate the NorthWest; the wife of Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo–Olu leads South West; the First Lady of Borno State, Falmata Zulum will be in charge of the North East.

Olufolake Abdulrazaq, the first lady of Kwara State, will coordinate efforts in the North-Central and Mrs Sanwo-Olu, wife of the Lagos State governor, will superintend over the South-West.

While Imo State First Lady, Chioma Ikeaka-Uzodinma, will organise the South-East campaign; her counterpart in Cross River, Linda Ayade, will oversee activities in the South-South.

Peter Obi’s Endorsement: Akeredolu Says Afenifere Not Speaking For Yoruba

By
Ayodele Oni
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Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State
Rotimi Akeredolu

By Ayodele Oni

Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has said that the endorsement of Peter Obi, candidate of Labour Party, (LP) in next year’s election by the Pan Yoruba Socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, is a self serving declaration.

The Governor declared that Afenifere does not speak for the Yoruba people.

Apart from that, Akeredolu noted that Afenifere is divided in respect of the purported endorsement and emphasized that the group’s views do not represent the stance of the Yoruba people.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Richard Olatunde, said Akeredolu made the remarks on Sunday evening while speaking on the topic, “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Business of Nation Building”, during a Twitter Space session.

Governor Akeredolu pointed out that  Tinubu has always remained a progressive despite the prevalence of political prostitution in the country.

“Prostitution in politics is very common. When you have people who stick to their guns and stay in their parties, you must respect them. It is not common.

“We have seen a situation where governors left their parties and go to other parties. For me, it is integrity. Asiwaju has shown integrity. Asiwaju’s form of politics has taught us that political prostitution is unnecessary.”

Akeredolu, identified true federalism as one of the strong pillars that can be used to build a prosperous nation.

Governor Akeredolu said true federalism is important in a diverse nation like Nigeria, adding that it will properly address the fundamentals of nationhood.

He assured Nigerians that the APC Presidential Candidate, will bring a new vista into governance and ensure that true federalism thrives if voted into power.

Governor Akeredolu said the APC Candidate understands the serious issues affecting the wellbeing of the country.

“If voted into Government, Nigerians will see that we have someone in place who had gone through democratic tutelage. He has been Governor. He led a party.

“Asiwaju has deep knowledge about the problems of this nation. He has been part of the struggle to ensure that democracy is enthroned and that a true federal system runs in the country.”

The Governor recalled that Tinubu was part of the founders of NADECO and participated in the struggle that led to the return of civil democratic rule in the fourth Republic.

“Tinubu’s contributions in the NADECO struggle can not be denied. As you know, when the 1993 presidential election was held, MKO Abiola was deemed to have won that election. But the military junta canceled the election and set up an interim government.

“Asiwaju Tinubu and few others felt they weren’t going to take it. They formed the NADECO and fought the military. They stood on June 12.

“Then the whole country conceded that the next President must be from the Southwest. That is why in 1999, only former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Olu Falae ran for the election.

“You can not deny Asiwaju his role. He ran away from the county and set up the Radio-Kudirat. Those were the struggles we had before the Fourth Republic came up.”

The Governor, also, applauded Tinubu for his efforts to build Lagos State when he was Governor, adding that the APC Presidential standard bearer was able to make Lagos State a country within the Country.

He noted that Tinubu promoted national unity by appointing people from different ethnic backgrounds across the country into his government.

“Asiwaju was able to make Lagos a country within country. As you know, Asiwaju was in the saddle for eight years in Lagos. And you will find out that because of Lagos peculiarities, people from virtually all parts of the country were part of his government.

“Asiwaju Tinubu assembled the best brains for the job and these people moved from Lagos to become leaders in their respective states. Aregbesola was there as a commissioner and went from there to become governor in Osun State.

“Everybody has its own part to play. Today, we have people who have been senators in Lagos and gone back to their states to contest. Lagos can be described as a mini Nigeria. An Hausa man can thrive in Lagos. An Igbo man thrives in Lagos.

“Aliko Dangote lives in Lagos and his business is in Lagos and he’s thriving. So many other people thrive in Lagos. Our brothers from the East own the whole of Alaba.

“They have representatives in the National Assembly and Lagos State Assembly . You must give credit to Asiwaju for laying the foundation for such things to thrive in Lagos.”

The Governor expressed confidence that the APC Presidential candidate would make state police happen in the country.

“I strongly believe that the Presidency of Tinubu will give chance for State Police. He is lucky.  Tinubu will give chance. Today, all governors in the 36 states of the federation support creation of state police. That should be a centre piece of his campaign.

“There must be restructuring and Asiwaju is one President that will come and restructure the country in accordance with the APC constitution. I look up to him as a leader who would say come 2023, a state police would happen.”

Polaris Bank: Millionaires To Emerge In Save and Win Promo

By
James Orji
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0

As part of its quest to reward its teeming customers, Polaris Bank has unveiled the ‘Save & Win’ promo.

According to a statement released by the bridge bank on Sunday, the bank urged customers to participate in the promo to emerge winners.

The Innocent C. Ike-led bank stated that four millionaires will emerge aside from the over 4,000 customers who will be rewarded monthly with various cash gifts up to N500,000 per person.

The statement said, “The ‘Save & Win’ promo is aimed at making millionaires of everyday Nigerians by encouraging current customers of the bank to grow their existing accounts by N5,000 in 30 days while prospective customers are encouraged to open and save in their account, a minimum of N2,000 and grow it to N5,000 within a month to qualify for the monthly draws, and stand a chance of winning N100,000.

“For the quarterly draw, existing and prospective customers stand the chance of winning N1 million in rent as the first prize; N500,000 for first runner-up and N250,000 for second runner up within the promo period.

“The first draw, which will herald the first set of winners for the month of October, will be announced in the first week of November. On that day, the first set of winners, 62 in all, will receive N100,000 as their reward in commemoration of the 62nd independence anniversary of Nigeria.

“The same process will be repeated in subsequent months where 100 Nigerians will win N100,000 each.

“In December however, the first quarter of the campaign draw will hold where three winners will go home with N1 million in rent prize: N500,000 and N250,000 cash prizes alongside 100 winners of N100,000 each across the six geo-political zones in the monthly reward draw.”

Speaking on the promo, Adebimpe Ihekuna, Group Head, Product, and Market Development said “Winners will emerge from four routes or reward categories namely, monthly draws, quarterly draws, targeted draws, and special draws through a transparent electronically generated process that will be supervised by relevant regulatory institutions”.

LASG Solicits World Bank Support For Mass Housing  

By
James Orji
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0
Housing Projects
Housing Projects

The Lagos state government has appealed for the World Bank support for the construction of a mass housing projects in the state.

The Governor Babajide-Sanwo-Olu administration said the support is necessary in other for the state to access cheap funds, technology to achieve its goal of mass housing for all.

The appeal, the state government said, has become necessary because of the influx of people from across the country and other neighbouring countries into the state.

Maruf Akinderu-Fatai, the state commissioner for Housing, made this appeal during a working visit by a World Bank team to the ministry. The team was led by Dr. Fuad Malkawi, Senior Urban Development Specialist and the Spatial Planning Community of Practice Leader at the bank.

The commissioner said the state urgently needs a technology that will help the state to deliver quantity and qualitative housing projects for the residents of the state.  its housing for all policy.

Speaking Akinderu-Fatai said, “Uninhibited migration to Lagos from other States of the Federation and some countries in the West Africa region has made the challenge of housing very critical. Given the littoral nature of the State, enormous support is required in the area of housing development.’’

“The required intervention in housing development now is a new technology that can make for a speedy delivery without any compromise on quality and safety.’’

The commissioner pointed out that the limited land in the State can be maximized, while the problem of climate change could be tackled by working in collaboration with the bank.

Akinderu-Fatai appealed to the bank to support its efforts at making available cheap mortgages and loans for low-income earners in the state.

Responding, Dr. Fuad Malkawi, said the bank is ready to work with the state government to achieve its housing for all strategy.

During the commissioning of a housing scheme built by his administration in Victoria Island in August this year, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the state needed private sector support to achieve one of the core objectives of its THEME policy of providing cheap and affordable homes for Lagosians.

The governor said: “I congratulate LSDPC and Asset Brooks and Resources Limited on the successful completion of this edifice. Progress is, indeed, achievable when public and private sector enterprises come together, bringing their core strengths to the table, for the good of the entire society.

“This positive outcome is yet another testimony to the effective collaboration between Government and the private sector in the implementation of our agenda to provide affordable and decent housing for our people.

Rivers: Unchained APC’s Cole, Tackles Wike On Executive Order 21; Lashes Him On Omehia

By
Adesina Soyooye
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0

By Adesina Soyooye

Until now, the Rivers State Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Tonye Cole, has been restrained, indeed quiet. Not a few people attributed it to the criminal charges brought against him and former Governor of the State, Chibuike Amaechi, by the Rivers State Government.

Governor Wike had made so much noise about the two of them defrauding the Rivers State Government to the tune of $50b. He alleged that Amaechi, as Governor, sold a couple of high profile State assets, and instead of paying the money into the treasury of the State Government, Amaechi paid it into the bank accounts of Sahara Energy, a company owned by Cole, who Wike says is, Amaechi’s business partner.

Rivers State Government went to Court. But surprisingly, withdrew the case a few days ago. So the burden has been lifted off Tonye, and he’s woken up, and roaring.

On Sunday, he joined Wike to raise the ante of the political tension in the State, something Wike is adept in doing.

Wike had, in his usual manner, woken up one morning last week, and barred political parties from using the premises of schools in the State for Political rallies. He said any political party wishing to do that must apply, in writing, two weeks ahead, to the Chairman of the Local Government Area, and if approved, pay a deposit fee of five million Naira, in case anything gets destroyed during the rally. He threatened the Heads of Schools of dire consequences if they give out their premises without the outlined due process.

To give teeth to this strange new rule, he quickly signed an Executive Order 21.

Not a few people think the Governor did that to get at opposition Parties in the State. They say his aim is to deny them of venues to hold their rallies. Recall that Wike had, earlier, barred Hotels and Recreational Centres, from hiring out their premises and/or facilities to Political Parties for any political activities, including meetings.  He threatened to shut down such Hotels and Recreational Centers. He has, indeed, shut down two, remarkably, belonging to members of his own political party, but loyal to the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar who Wike is at loggerheads with.

But the Executive Order 21 seems the climax of what is now being perceived as a deliberate emasculation  of opposition Parties.

So, on Sunday, Cole tackled him, and  rejected the Executive Order 21  prohibiting political parties from holding campaigns and rallies using any public facilities unless  the  sum of N5 million security fee is paid. Cole described it as “obnoxious” and an action to stifle the political space for the opposition parties.

Cole: “We have noticed with great dismay the unfortunate attempt by the Governor of Rivers State to stifle the political space, especially for opposition political parties. This is visible in the recent signing into law Executive Order 21, which prohibits the use of public schools, built by taxpayers’ money of Rivers people, for political parties’ events without the prior approval of the state ministry of education (not the school authority vested with the authority to manage the facilities) and the payment of an obscene unrefundable (sic) amount of N5 Million”.

His reaction came through a statement signed by Barr Sogbeye ElI, spokesman for Tonye Cole Campaign Organization. He submitted that the Governor cannot intimidate and crush opposition parties  before the elections proper.

Said Cole: “We state unequivocally that Executive Order 21 is deliberately being orchestrated and part of the plot by the Governor to stifle competition from other political parties.

“Its a manifestation of his penchant to brutally crush and suppress opposition in a multi-party democracy instead of allowing citizens exercise their freedom of choice as enshrined in the Constitution. We are, therefore, not surprised that Wike would tow this path in his resolve to impose a lackey on Rivers State as his successor in office.

“The All Progressives Congress shall campaign with our candidates across the length and breadth of Rivers State as provided under the Constitution and as prescribed by law.”

On the de-recognition of Sir Celestine Omehia as a former Governor of the State, Cole put a lie to Wike’s claims that the House of Assembly only obeyed any Supreme Court judgement.

Said Cole: “The de-recognition came up not as a correction of any past wrong or error, but a display of punitive arrogance which is incompatible with the Rivers State we plan to lead.”

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