Cross River state’s investments in rice production Tuesday resonated in Abuja as President Muhammad Buhari bestowed on the state governor, Professor Ben Ayade, an Excellent Award in recognition of his government’s effort in that regard.
In pursuit of the agro-industrialization policy of his administration, Ayade has established in Calabar, the state capital, a multi-million naira Africa’s first-ever automated rice seeds and seedling factory.
The factory was commissioned in June 2018 by President Buhari.
Also, an ultra-modern vitaminized rice mill in Ogoja, in the northern part of the state, is completed and awaiting commissioning by the president in March.
The Cross River state governor received the presidential honour at the unveiling of the Abuja Rice Pyramids by the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN.
The event was put together to celebrate President Buhari’s annual rice festival and to flag off the 2022 dry season program.
Speaking while presenting him the Award, President Buhari commended Governor Ayade for his contributions to Nigeria’s rice revolution and rice value chain.
Responding, the governor thanked Buhari for the honour, saying his passion for agriculture has the imprimatur of the President.
“Mr, President I want to thank you for making me a farmer, Mr President I want to thank you for turning my wife, a medical Doctor, into a full-time farmer. I thank you for creating a great future for this country through your policy trust in Agriculture. I thank you for being focused on agriculture, I want to thank you sincerely”, he said.
According to him, “Cross River State has, based on your policy thrust, taken advantage of your robust agricultural road map to provide an alternative to oil as the mainstay of our economy, to focus on the agro-Industrialization revolution which is the basis of any nation that is prepared to industrialize.
“On the strength of that, Cross River State set up the first and the only vitaminized rice mill in Africa.”
The governor used the occasion to remind the President of his promise to personally visit the state to commission the rice mill in March.
He explained that his administration has made rice farming pleasurable by digitalizing the farming process.
His words: “As long as you continue to use manual energy to farm, your yield will be low, as long as you continue to grow rice using seeds, your harvest will be slavish.
“Today, Rice cultivation in Nigeria gives you an average of three to four tonnes per hectare while in advanced worlds like Thailand and China, you are looking at between 10 and 14 tonnes per hectare. That is technology, that is the digitalisation that my administration has brought in”
Presidential Aide, Babafemi Ojudu, has alleged that his life and that of family members have been under threat for not backing the Presidential ambition of former Lagos state Governor, Bola Tinubu.
In a statement titled “Principled Political Choices are not Betrayal,” Ojudu claimed that he had in the past worked with the APC leader and wrote good things about him.
“I and Bola Tinubu have come a long way, and we have been there for each other. So let no one use my acknowledgment of his good deeds and my refusal not to support him in his bid for Nigeria’s Presidency to portray me as a betrayer.
“Tinubu remains my leader and I will forever cherish him and the contributions he made to my Organisation during our fight against the military.
“He, however, knows I don’t follow the herd. I make my choices based on very rigid parameters . He will tell you I am very Independent in my actions and ways.
“Tinubu will tell you that whatever and whoever Ojudu is committed to, he is in for 100 percent commitment
“On this matter of 2023, I wish him well, but I cannot, in good conscience, give him my support or cast my vote for him in the coming primary. It is my right. I am above 60 years of age for God’s sake. I, almost, died seeking this inalienable democratic rights, held up in detention, and severally tortured. Your god is not my god.
“Let no one think he can brow-beat, or blackmail me to do what does not go with my conscience or my ideals. Enough of your phone threats and embarrassment of my family members.
“I know Tinubu. I respect and adore him. Many of his latter day supporters do not even know him. If they do, they won’t resort to emotional and physical blackmail.
“When Tinubu decided to go against Afenifere and the Yoruba elders in 2003 by not supporting President Olusegun Obasanjo, he wasn’t betraying the Yoruba nation or a traitor to Afenifere.
“He made a choice and history has been his judge. Let history be my own judge too.
“When he supported Chief Olu Falae against Chief Bola Ige , our respected leader, who for him to emerge candidate of Alliance for Democracy in Lagos, no one shouted betrayal.
“For the irritants who have been sending threat messages or calling to abuse me for not supporting Tinubu, do know that is not democracy. It is something else.
“I spent my youth years fighting autocracy and intolerance of the military, and I am still willing and ready, even now, to stand up for what I believe, even if it will cost me my death.”
Mike Ozekhome, a senior advocate of Nigeria, SAN is now to lead the legal team of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB Nnamdi Kanu. He took over from Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who the magazine leant will still remain a member of the legal team to defend the IPOB leader in his treason case against the Federal Government.
The development comes on the heels of the federal government decision to file fresh charges against the ontroversial IPOB leader who was arrested in Kenya last year and has since been put on trial by the Buhari administration.
On Monday, the federal government amended the seven count charge it prefered against the IPOB leader to 15 in his ongoing trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Ejiofor had last December, said efforts were being made to fortify Kanu’ s legal team during a visit to Kanu in custody of the Department of State Services, DSS. He said the decision was taken in order to give the IPOB leader good legal representation.
But the magazine learnt that Kanu had personally demanded that his team be fortified to include senior lawyers in order to get maximum result, particularly following the perceived flip flop so far witnessed in the efforts to secure his bail from DSS custody.
Ejiofor had said, “I want to assure you, Umuchineke, that our legal team, is, presently, more fortified than ever to do battle in Court, and God being on our side, victory is assured. We paid our routine visit to our untiring, unwavering, unrelenting, rock-solid and noble client, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, at the DSS detention facility at Abuja.
“The visit, this time, was spectacular and was greeted by an infectious air of camaraderie. Onyendu was particularly enthused by the visit and preferred to describe it as ‘A surprise Christmas Present’. You may not understand the peculiarity of this visit and the how significant it is.
“But in due course, I am certain you will be in the best position to fully appreciate the wisdom that informed it. Suffice it to say that as the lead attorney of Onyendu, I took advantage of the visit to unveil a legal giant, a distinguished and an accomplished member of the Inner Bar, whom I have chosen to fortify our defence team. The learned Senior counsel is an excellent and a consummate learned gentleman, distinguished in academics and in the practice of law in our law courts.
“The reason that informed this arrangement is my unflinching desire to throw in every weapon in our arsenal to ensure that Onyendu gets the best at all times. This latest master stroke, evident in the legal giant that has intervened, came to Onyendu as a big surprise. Although he was not oblivious of my arrangement to enlist the assistance and co-operation of a Senior Attorney, he did not know that I could get a Senior Attorney of the rarest breed”.
Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, on Monday said that investigations into those behind banditry, including some retired military officers, is ongoing, and that banditry in Zamfara State will not end soon because of them.
Speaking to State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Governor Matawalle, said President Buhari will soon do something about security in Zamfara.
Fielding questions from reporters on how to bring permanent solutions to the bandits crisis, he said:
“Well, you know when I assumed duty as a Governor, I used so many options to bring this insecurity to a minimal level.
“First of all, I initiated dialogue and reconciliation between the herders and farmers and during that dialogue, we spent more than nine months without any crisis in Zamfara State. It worked.
“But unfortunately, people use politics, because they have collaborators, of course. So, they went back to those bandits, telling them that the Government is not serious about this dialogue, that we did not give them anything.
“So, the bandits decided to go back to their normal businesses. That’s why I backed out from the reconciliation programme. But definitely, it worked for over nine months. But because this is something that I inherited, that has been going on for almost eight years, and you don’t expect it to end within just two years of my administration. Because it is supposed to be ongoing process.
“So, after I realized that some of them had backed out of this dialogue, then I cut off the programme. I then initiated the cutting off communications, and some logistics that used to go to the bandits from August 2011 to December 2011. And it worked too.
“But sometimes those collaborators who are usually happy with what is happening, who even jubilate when people are killed, they went back and started again, saying that the Government is not serious and instigating some of the public. In fact, they even dragged me to court.
“So you see with the kind of people who we have in Zamfara State, I don’t think this issue of banditry will end very soon because, already, some people are behind it. Some people are using it.
“And all they need is, at least, to show Nigerians that both the Federal and Zamfara State Governments are not serious on the issue of insecurity, despite the fact that some of them are involved in the crisis of this insecurity. But we’re doing our best.”
The Governor said only 58 people were killed as opposed to the figures being bandied by the press.
“I briefed Mr. President on what happened and the next action that we should take and the Government is doing everything possible to make sure that we bring sanity to the state”, he said.
“All the action that we have taken, we have recorded successes within just three days. And you will bear me witness after that attack, there has not been any report any banditry activities in the state until today.
“Yes, I have already cleared the air about the figures because I have seen some reporting that 200 people, 300 people, 500 people were killed. But I went to the community by myself with the security agencies.
“First, we went to Bungudu and we confirmed from the Emir that it was only 36 people that have been killed and two communities were razed by these bandits. And when we went to Anka, we met the Emir, at the time we met him he gave us a list of 22 people that have been killed, making the total numbers of 58 people killed.
“But as I’ve been saying there are some political bandits who have been spreading lies, rumors so that they can achieve some political gain.
“But actually, it is just 58 people that have just been killed. But some people will just go to social media and be writing some figures and I have informed Mr. President of some people who think that with this insecurity they can achieve something out of it.
“Because I wonder how people will just be writing figures without having genuine information from those communities. Someone will just call a media personnel and tell him that look so so number of people have been killed in so so place.
“Some people even swear with Holy Koran that thousands of people have been killed which is grossly misleading but we know all those kind of people do not want peace in the nation but God will prevail Inshallah.
“We are still investigating those that are involved in these activities and we’ll make the public know after the confirmation of the reality of all the information that we have at hand. Because, we are working to make sure that all those who have hand in this insecurity must be brought to justice.
“Therefore, once the investigation is concluded, we’ll inform the public of the result of the investigation of what the security is doing about it.”
On his interaction with President Buhari, he said the President assured him on action that will be taken soon to address Zamfara insecurity.
He further explained: “You know I do initiate some actions to be taken and if I initiate some actions, I do inform Mr. President, and I’ve been getting support from him.”
That was a thorny question one of my sisters was asking emotionally as the undertakers were lowering the casket bearing the remains of my father last Friday afternoon. I was shaken that I would not see the ‘Baba Aladura’ again.
Every one of the ten surviving children was sobbing, muttering nonsensical things as we were bidding him goodbye at the graveside.
The question: ‘who will pray for me again? re-echoed while the Pastor who prayed for the family in the house reminded the widow about the significance of that emotional outburst when he (the Pastor) reminded me and the widow about how to fill the gap my father left behind as the Chief Priest for the family.
All the testifiers from neighbours, through relations to the children recalled at the modest but remarkable wake-keep on Thursday Papa’s unique role as a prayerful father and arrowhead. As soon as you appeared before him over the years, his first assignment was a word-based prayer: he always prayed directly from the word of God especially in Psalms. He demonstrated in his prayers, at all times, that our Creator should be praised and adored first before asking for anything.
Yes, he knew how to praise God in most of the names the scriptures have revealed to us. We were always ever willing to kneel before Him to hear more names of God.
My dad knew the power in praise more than prayers for material things. As that my sister, Itunu asked that question, who will prayer for her again, I realised too that there would be no one to pray for me in Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs and the exact words of Christ from His sermon on the Mountain.
Uundoubtedly, we will all miss the man who taught me how to manage my emotions even in the face of crisis. Yes, Pa Michael Oloja Lemikan was never angry about anything. Even when you deprived him of anything and even cheated him, he would only smile and ask God to be with you.
No one heard any harsh words from him. He was always quite witty. He was a clean man who also cherished a good dress-ence. He would always remind you about a clean God who would not tolerate dirty environment.
Before returning to the significance of my father who just left me to my devices, I would like to thank friends and relations who made me realise that despite the harsh environment that our duty bearers have just imposed on us, there is still love in my country. My friends and relations, most of whom were never invited honoured me in my modest town, Ajagba, which is about 30 minutes away from Ore where the civil war ended in 1973 in today’s Ondo state.
I would like to be grateful to the late Olusegun Agagu who, as Governor of Ondo State, opened up the Ore-Irele-Omi-Ajagba-Agadagba axis road networks.
May the good Lord continue to bless the memories of Agagu who also made our neighbours, the Ilaje to be able to drive to their ancestral homes since creation.
Anytime I travel home I pray for the repose of the soul of Agagu. May the good Lord continue to bless his family.
My guests from Abuja and Lagos could not lament getting to my town In Irele Local Government. They got there on good roads. I hope more Governors could get accolades when they are no longer there. I hope more people in power would learn to number their days so that they could apply their hearts to wisdom – that there will be the judgment of men too here on earth before they face their Creator for the consequences of their stewardship. May Agagu’s soul continue to Rest In Peace!
Sorry about the digression, no thanks to the way Agagu actually broke the power of road transportation darkness over the old Okitipupa Division.
I can’t continue to mention all the names of those who were there physically. I would also like to say, Thank you’ to those who sent messages to me across digital platforms. I thank those who inquired about the promised virtual participation. There were technical hitches, which made that impossible.
Accept my sincere apologies.
I am still overwhelmed by emotions including those from my national media family.
And The Guardian family’s pleasant surprise…
Who am I that The Guardian family has been mindful of me? They came to Ajagba, they saw my sleepy, modest town and painted the place red. They helped me to pay my father the last respect. I had never seen anything like that before: 55 of them from all the departments of the flagship of the Nigerian press were there.
They contributed and bought a cow for me. They organised without leaking it to me. They brought the cow live through our Ondo State Correspondent. The Lagos and Abuja integrated newsroom did this to me. The Business Operations situation room also did wonderful things. Some individuals in the same commercial sections contributed to bring their preservation facilities with food items from Lagos.
They also brought Plan B drinks – just in case of their ‘anti-social’ chief servant’ could lack in capacity to play host to too many people. They brought the day’s newspaper issue. I was sober. They made me realise the significance of an ancient word that there are some friends who stick closer than brothers. I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love by the ‘The Guardian’ great family.
All I can say is that I am very, very grateful to the Board that made this happen. I will forever remain grateful to the Alex-Uruemu Ibru family that built this great media empire, which has remained credible and influential. I will forever remain grateful to the God of all flesh who has supplied the grace to sustain One Love that has kept us together. The covenant-keeping God will not allow us to fail. He will not allow us to falter. He will not allow us to fall from grace. His grace will continue to be sufficient for us in Rutam House where we have all pledged to work together for the rise and rise of ‘The Guardian’.
Who am I really that ‘The Guardian’ family rose for me at the weekend in a remote village? I will continue to probe the question: who am I that my people in Rutam House were mindful of me this last weekend?
My Significant Dad
My father wasn’t a prominent person but he was part of those Rick Warren would like to tag as significant persons who don’t have to be prominent anyway as so many prominent people in this our broken world are not significant to God and mankind.
He was born some 93 years ago to the family of Pa Eyinmonoren Lemikan and Mama Medunrunmonen Lemikan, both of Blessed memory. They were peasant farmers. Principally, Elder Oloja was literate to some extent.
Pa Oloja was a farmer, hunter, a trained local medicine dispenser and an itinerant chemist who would keep his medications in a box. He was a local musician and a very artful dancer. He served as Chairman of the Parents Teachers Association of Local Authority Primary School, Gboroye, Ajagba (I attended) for so many years before relocating to Ode Ajagba. He was a community leader of some sort.
My father became a Christian very early in life by joining a Baptist Church in Gboroye Village and used his knowledge of the scriptures to serve God. He was indeed a devout Christian who dedicated himself to cultivating peaceful relationship with people across ethnic groups, which resulted in extending his friendship beyond ethnic and tribal groups.
My dad could speak English, Edo, Urhobo and Itshekiri, among others.
He was a compassionate father to all his children and younger ones within the nuclear and extended family settings. He was not just a preacher of the word, he was a peacemaker and dispute resolution expert throughout his lifecycle.
Note this: my dad never used forceful words or arms on anybody. There is a sense in which we can conclude that he was busy throughout. There was no dull moment for him even in his old age, in his house.
He got married to the late Mrs Alice Oloja as his first wife and later married Mrs Ruth Oloja Lemikan, the only surviving wife. He left behind ten children, many grandchildren and great grand children. In his prime time, he kept four bossom friends outside his community.
They were Aghonenbaren from Kiribo, a town in present Ese-Odo Local Government Area in Ondo State, Elder Kosoko from Igbekebo in the same Ese-Odo LGA, Elder Peletu from Igbotu in the same Ese-Odo and Uwenmajega who hailed from the Urhobo-speaking Delta state. They were always exchanging visits when they were younger. I believe this was why my dad’s favourite delicacy till his demise was unripe plantain cooked with pepper-soup source made of dry or fresh fish.
But all the aforementioned friends of my dad had died earlier. My father joined them on September 14, 2021.
My dad who had a sobriquet ‘Bebebokaja’ for his dexterity in dancing would be sorely missed as a man who didn’t like chieftaincy titles either in the Church or in flesh. He hated anything that could be interpreted to mean worshipping of idols or other gods he regarded as the works of men. That was why all of us, his children, could have asked that question: who will pray for us now that our prayer warrior had gone to be with His creator? Certainly, as the Lord liveth, I think as the firstling (the one who opened the womb of the wife of his first love) the answer should not blow for too long in the wind. Thank you all for your messages of love and hope. May the God of all grace teach us in the end to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
I can’t forget all the Ministers of First Baptist Church Ajagba, Ode Irele, Akotogbo, especially Pastor Babafemi Omolade Aiyela who is the Minister-in-Charge of First Baptist Church, Ajagba for their services at the wake-keep and the final funeral service. Thank you all.
Good Night my significant dad!
Oloja is the Editor-in-chief/Managing Director of the Guardian Newspapers
Timi Alaibe, grassroots politician, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and the Governor of his home State, Bayelsa, Senator Douye Diri, have reconciled. They are back together, not just in the same political camp, but as close friends and brothers.
For those still in doubt, Alaibe, in a statement he personally signed, confirmed he and his friend and brother, Governor Diri, have picked up their relationship from where they left it in 2019/2020.
Both men were great friends and brothers. But in 2019/2020, they fell apart, badly. Politics tore them apart. Their friendship could not withstand the politics of who became the Governor of the State.
Both men wanted to be Governor, to succeed then Governor Henry Dickson, now a Senator. The power of incumbency was behind Diri, even though Alaibe’s popularity was not in doubt. Dickson, clearly, was behind Diri.
Things came to a head during the Primary for the ticket. Diri came tops. But Alaibe cried foul. He said the exercise was corrupted. He felt, strongly, that he had been brazenly cheated. He was at pains. And, he wanted justice. So he went to Court.
But the Courts, including the Supreme Court, upheld the Governor.
Since then, for two years running, Alaibe gave Diri space. They became political enemies, so to say.
But on Sunday, January 16, both men put all that behind them. Politics took the back seat. They came back together as close friends.
Diri described the day of the reconciliation as a great. He was hip about it. He was excited. And so was Alaibe who said he reconciled with his brother and friend for the progress and development of the State.
He said his political relationship with Diri spanned over 20 years. They had been in the struggle together. It was a deep relationship, and Alaibe said he knew that one day, they would get back together.
That came through on Sunday when he, along with some of his associates, visited Diri at his residence at the Government House where the Governor and his associates received them with hearts full of joy.
Following is Alaibe’s story of the reconciliation, in his own words, titled:
We Are Back!
“After repeated interventions by mutual friends, business partners and political associates, I finally considered it necessary to put an end to the ugly past, drop political differences and re-establish age-old friendship with my brother and State Governor, Douye Diri.
“That happened on Sunday January 16.
“Let me state here that Governor Diri and I have come a long way. We have not only been political partners, there is a deep sense of brotherhood in our relationship. Somehow, in 2019, political differences thrust a sharp knife into that bond; and as the late Chinua Achebe would say, things fell apart and the centre could no longer hold.
“But then, blood is thicker than water. We both knew that what happened was temporal. Our mutual friends decided to wade in; especially those who knew what happened and believed that Governor Diri could not be held directly responsible. He only had favour thrusted upon him.
“I must admit that out of a deep sense of humility and friendship, Governor Diri had, at several times, shortly after taking office, personally reached out to me.
“I chose to remain silent as I reviewed the situation. But all that is now history. Time has healed the wounds and I have chosen to do the right thing.
“There is no doubt that the reconciliation will surprise a lot of people; particularly some political jobbers who profited from our temporary silence. What has happened might also be misinterpreted and given various colouration by different people. But the truth is that I have chosen to listen to the voice of wisdom and re-establish a cherished relationship; which politics tried to destroy.
“To demonstrate the sincerity of my intentions and reciprocate the same humility, which Governor Diri had displayed previously, I refused to meet him on a neutral ground. Instead, in company of close friends, I went to the governor’s official residence in Yenogoa and I was warmly welcomed by him and his team.
“I am thoroughly impressed by the sincerity displayed of my Governor.
“So, the past is behind us. Politics has taken the backstage. Friendship and the collective interest of Bayelsa people are in the centre-stage now. We are back to work together in love and unity. Join us.
The National Working Committee, (NWC) of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), has confirmed receipt of protests on Saturday’s Ekiti Ward Congress.
A statement, on Monday, by the party’s spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, explained that the NWC would ensure amicable resolution among parties.
The statement reads “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has today, Monday, January 17, 2022 received the report of the Ekiti State Three-man Ad-hoc Delegate Ward Congress conducted on Saturday, January 15, 2022.
“The NWC has also received petitions and complaints from stakeholders on the Congress.
“The NWC assures that the report as well as the petitions and complaints will be comprehensively reviewed while all concerns raised will be carefully considered for amicable resolution in the overall interest of the Party.
“The NWC urges all governorship aspirants, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our Party in Ekiti State to remain calm, united and focused for the task ahead.”
Protest against the outcome of the Congress continued on Monday in Ado Ekiti by supporters of the aggrieved aspirants.
They accused former Governor Ayo Fayose of being brain behind the fraud which trailed the exercise to favour his annoited aspirant.
Spokesman of the Bisi Kolawole Campaign Group, Lere Okayinka has accused those containing of being lazy as they stayed away from their wards while the Congress was ongoing.
I like to briefly define the template of this engagement. Our nation is entering a new phase of a very crucial Presidential Election in 2023.
All kinds of aspirants are already throwing their hats into the ring. This is the way it should be in a democratic system. Every qualified citizen has the right to aspire to any leadership position in a true, genuine democratic order. That’s the beauty of the democratic enterprise.
While it is legitimate and valid for those who are interested in governance to openly declare their aspirations, it is also incumbent upon the rest of us, as citizens of this nation, to inquire, to scrutinize, to investigate, to examine in totality the qualities of those who seek our mandate.
We must sift between jesters and pretenders. We must separate the robber barons, the brazen treasury looters from the selfless vanguard who have come to truly serve our people.
If the democratic process must endure, if the rule of law must be protected from degenerating into nepotistic caucus or a sheer kakistocracy which is the system of Government composed of the least qualified and the most aberrant set of people, Nigerians must start asking questions about everyone who seeks our votes.
It is our inalienable right to examine the pedigree of all the aspirants. What are their antecedents? What are their educational backgrounds? What is their family provenance? Who are their friends? What do they hold as defining valuable doctrine? What is their mission and vision?
What is the source of their wealth? Are they legitimate tycoons with visible investments or they are mere mercenary buccaneers with their eyes greedily set on looting our commonwealth?
These are legitimate enquiries we must all make to ensure that well known looters, criminally-minded nepotistic agents are never allowed to preside over our nation.
We know those who have blatantly looted some States. We know those who have reduced the wealth of some hapless States into an obscene private appropriation. We know the recklessly greedy who have turned governance into family affair, sharing the wealth of the people among themselves , their acolytes and their unconscionable friends.
Is it not fair and just that those who wish this nation well must speak out loud and clear before our nation is reduced to a private fiefdom of these megalomaniacs?
Is it not fair and just that we, the people, must ensure that our future and the future of unborn generations are not mortgaged by our silence in the face of injustice ?
I agree with Dante Alighieri, the great Italian poet and philosopher of the Middle Ages who said: “The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crisis maintain their neutrality.”
It is unconscionable to be neutral in the face of evil. This is why i speak out.
Do I have a prejudice against anyone? No. Am I biased against a particular aspirant ? No. Am I waging a personal vendetta against anyone’s ambition? Again, no!
But will I keep quiet in the face of established, observable, proven larcenous character who has gutted the treasury of my state? Never! Will I keep quiet when an individual who lies blatantly about his age, who tells us he is 69 years old while his daughter is 60 years? Never.
Will I keep quiet when an individual is ashamed of his origin, when the same individual cannot tell us the primary school he went to, when his secondary school and university are opaque ? Never. Will I keep quiet when a patently wobbly, incoherent, psychologically unfit character parades bullion vans on Election Day and openly boasted that he can do anything he wants with his money ? Never !
I speak out without bias. I speak out without fear or favor. I speak out only in the interest of my nation and my dear State. And I will continue to speak out and fight for what is right and for what is just.
I will be the drum Major for justice, for truth for peace and righteousness. So help me God.
Chief Olabode George, a retired Navy Commodore, is the Atona Odua of Yorubaland
The People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) Governors’ Forum which met in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Monday, has called on the National Assembly to act fast on the electoral bill in the interest of Nigerians.
This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting attended by eleven Governors.
The communique, read by the Chairman of the forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, stated that “The PDP Governors congratulated the entire PDP family for conducting a smooth and credible National Convention that led to the emergence of the highly acclaimed Senator Dr. Iyorchia Ayu-led National Executive Committee.”
The forum commended the new PDP NWC for hitting the ground running with respect to repositioning the PDP into a credible vehicle for rescuing and rebuilding Nigeria, which has been battered by bad economy, insecurity, unemployment and other social ills by the incompetent and inept APC Administration.
“The PDP Governors requested the National Assembly to quickly conclude deliberations on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill either by overriding Mr President’s veto or deleting areas of complaints.
“The meeting advised that the option of sustaining Mr President’s veto would lead to a quicker resolution and would deny Mr President the opportunity to once again truncate a reformed Electoral jurisprudence for Nigeria.
“An early concluded Electoral Act is vital for credible elections.
“The meeting lamented the continued state of insecurity in the country, the persistent and ceaseless flow of Nigerians’ blood on a daily basis in many parts of Nigeria, the near collapse of the security situation in Nigeria.
“The strategies to confront terrorists, kidnappers, bandits and other criminals is still a major problem of the APC administration.
“The meeting expressed regrets that Mr President is unwilling, from his recent comments discountenancing the proposals for State policing, to participate in reviewing the structural problems of tackling insecurity in Nigeria and urges Mr President to reconsider his position and consider decentralisation and restructuring of the security architecture as the most viable solution, together with proper arming, funding and training requirements for Security Agencies.
“The Nigerian Economy has continued to deteriorate and Nigerians have become numb and accustomed to bad economic news as exemplified by the inconsistent and differential exchange rate regime, high interest rates, unsustainable unemployment figures and borrowing spree some of which have not been applied to important projects, and other bad economic indicators.
“In particular, it is clear that the APC Government is a massive failure when compared with the records of PDP in government.
“The PDP handed over a $550 billion economy (the largest in Africa), but under APC, Nigeria is the Poverty Capital of the world.
“In 2015, under PDP, the exchange rate was N198 per Dollar, it is now under APC almost N500 to a Dollar; In 2015, unemployment rate was 7.3% under PDP, it is now 33%, one of the highest in the world under APC; In 2015, the Pump price of Petroleum was N87 per litre, it is now N165 per litre and climbing under APC.
“Debt Servicing now under APC takes over 98% of the Federal budget. The tales of woe is endless.
“The PDP Governors noted that the management of our Oil and Gas resources, the administration of Federation Account remittances have remained opaque, confusing and non – transparent.
“In addition, the transition to NNPC Ltd under the Petroleum Industry Act has not been properly streamlined to ensure that the interests of all the tiers of Government are protected, consistent with the 1999 Constitution.
“The meeting urged eligible Nigerians of all walks of life, particularly the Youths, to register en masse with INEC to exercise their franchise in the 2023 general elections.
“It further noted that the next election is a very consequential election that should be used to end the dominance of very youth unfriendly APC Government; a government that had the arrogance to deny Nigerian youths of the use of TWITTER, a business friendly tool for the young, for over a year.
“The youths should empower themselves to determine who leads them.”
Eleven Governors that attended the meeting are Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Sokoto State, Chairman; Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom State; Douye Diri, Bayelsa State; Samuel Ortom, Benue State.
Sokoto State Governor and Chairman, PDP Governors’ Forum, Aminu Tambuwal, has called on the rulling All Progressives Congress, APC, members who consider themselves patriotic to join the the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in its bid to rescue Nigeria.
Speaking at a Gala Night/ Dinner hosted in honour of PDP Governors by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Port Harcourt, Tambuwal said Nigeria has been divided into those who benefit from the status quo and those who want to rescue the Country.
According to him, the PDP Governors are working towards the rebuilding of the party.
“All Nigerians of goodwill who believe in this country, who believe Nigeria is going the wrong direction, ought to join us.
“And like I always say, there are two divides in Nigeria today. Those who are happy with the confusion because they are benefiting from what is happening at the centre, and those of us who are truly patriotic enough to disagree with the way our country is being governed and being run.
“I appeal and beseech every Nigerian, even those in APC that are patriotic enough to join hands with us as we continue to march towards rescuing Nigeria together.
“I believe it is our responsibility to do so, not for ourselves but for our younger ones and generation unborn,” he concluded.
Present at the gala night were, Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Mohammed Bala (Bauchi), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
Others are the Deputy Governors of Rivers and Zamfara, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo and Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed Gusau; PDP National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu, and several other party stalwarts.
