Amaechi Praises Late Gu Ake’s Values, recalls ‘I was governor by divine mandate’

Amaechi Praises Late Gu Ake’s Values, recalls ‘I was governor by divine mandate’

Former Rivers State Governor and Minister for Transportation Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has hailed former Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party in Rivers State, Late Chief GU AKE as a peace loving man who contributed immensely to human capital development.

Amaechi stated this at Erema, Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Area of the state, during the burial ceremony of the Late Chief Godspower Umejuru Ake, on Friday. The late Chief Ake was an ally of the Transportation Minister. He was also a former member of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the first Republic.

Amaechi who also acknowledged the role played by the Late Chief G.U Ake in his guber ambition explained that many whom the elder statesman assisted in life turned against him before his death.

“Chief was a very peace loving man and a peaceful man; the way he walks and the way he talks you will know that he never liked violence. A lot of us seated here today have benefited from chief in one way or the other. Starting from Chief Rufus Ada George and Dr. Peter Odili, my former boss. After God, Chief contributed in making Dr. Peter Odili deputy governor and contributed to also making him governor. So chief helped to make governors after God”.

“After Dr. Peter Odili became governor, Chief helped to make me governor. I will tell you one lesson I learnt from chief. He said people will continue to betray you so let it not worry you. A lot of people that were chief’s friends betrayed him. Chief taught me that where there is no God there will be no peace. I thought Chief would die when Felix Obuah “Go-round” betrayed him. If you all remember “Go round” was shot in his privates, the first man that rushed to me was Chief G.U Ake, he gave me an ultimatum that I must fly him (Go- round) out to South Africa for treatment and I brought the money, he was flown abroad and was treated, but today “Go round” has betrayed Chief.”

“We must look at what has happened to our own leader, our own father. A child in Omoku (Chief’s home town) went to court and lied against Chief, and removed him because they had power of the Presidency. I know chief very well and was close to him, chief was a good adviser, he was not greedy, and he died a Rivers man. All those he helped are not here. I owe him nothing than this respect and to continue to be a member of his family,” Amaechi said.

 

Recalling his victory as the then Governor of Rivers State, Amaechi said his victory was through a divine mandate and not by shedding of human blood, adding that one of his greatest successes recorded as governor was that Rivers State did not experience killings and human massacre as it is currently prevalent under the present administration.

He said, “See Onelga, the beauty of the country. See how bad the road is. See Omoku, a desert. People are being killed and slaughtered everyday, and there is a government in place.”

“One thing I am proud of is that as a governor, both my enemies and opponents stayed alive. They have killed so many of Chief’s supporters and are still killing chief’s supporters.  All you people owe chief is to chase out all these people in 2019,” he said.

Withhold Assent to Amended CCB/CCT Act - CNPP Urges Buhari

Withhold Assent to Amended CCB/CCT Act - CNPP Urges Buhari

…Urges NLC, TUC, Others To Join Forces Against NASS’ Action

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has strongly condemned the amendment to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Act by the National Assembly (NASS) and urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to sign the amended Act.

The CNPP also called on well meaning Nigerians and the Civil Society groups in the country, including the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), to mount pressure on Mr. President to withhold his assent to the said amendment.

The umbrella body of all the registered political parties and associations in the country, in a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, noted that the CNPP's decision was taken after a careful study of the amendment and the circumstances surrounding the controversial move.

Parts of the statement read: “We are taken aback that just months after it initially suspended the move to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Act, the National Assembly subtly passed the amendment Bill into law.

“When the plan by the National Assembly to amend the Act first became known to members of the public, there was deafening outcry, which forced the lawmakers to suspend the move.

“The CNPP, just like many other Nigerians had thought that the National Assembly by the suspension of the earlier move to amend the CCT/CCB Act was a sign of good days ahead where the lawmakers respect the majority opinion of their respective constituencies.

“But the subtle passage of the amendment Bill is an indication that the National Assembly is serving the interest of its principal officers, and not that of the Nigerian people who unfortunately elected this crop of lawmakers, so insensitive to the core issues bothering the ordinary citizens”, the CNPP observed.

The Conference also noted that “The speed with which the amendment was carried out at a time some principal officers were accused of false declaration of assets is an indication of the interest it intended to serve.

“We therefore urge President Muhammadu Buhari to withhold his assent by not signing the amended Act into law as the circumstances surrounding the amendment shows it was done in bad fate and the action of the National Assembly amounts taking over executive powers to the detriment of the Constitutional principle of separation of powers. It must be noted that appointment of the staff of the CCT and CCB are clear executive powers, which the National Assembly cannot be allowed usurp.

“We equally call on the Civil Society groups and all well meaning Nigerians to mount pressure on Mr. President not to sign the amendment as doing so would mean that the National Assembly would become a place of refuge for former governors and political officeholders who make false assets declarations. It then means that all they need to evade prosecution would be to be elected as Senators or as Members of the House of Representatives.

“CNPP, therefore, condemns the amendment in strongest terms as we regard it as a rape on the principle of justice and an ambush on the ongoing trail of some principal officers of the National Assembly over alleged false assets declaration fraud.

“This same National Assembly that have delayed the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which could create jobs for many unemployed Nigerians was quick to amend the CCT/CCB Act, arrogating to itself the power to control both the CCB and CCT, because it serves their interest”, the CNPP said.

Bad Governance Retrogressing Rivers Fortunes -Dakuku

Bad Governance Retrogressing Rivers Fortunes -Dakuku

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 elections in Rivers State, Dr Dakuku Peterside says bad governance by the Governor Nyesom Wike-led administration was retarding the progress of the state.

Dr Dakuku who stated this during the formal reception and public declaration of former Executive Director (Finance and Administration) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Henry Ogiri for the APC at Abua/Odual last weekend, said Rivers people were already tired of the government in the state.

According to him, “Rivers state is in reverse gear because of bad governance. The bad governance in the state is telling on the people and they are aware that this government is not for them.

“Ogiri got to the top and saw the bad governance in the state and decided to return to his original political fold to meet with his friends and those who he played politics with earlier.

“Ogiri was part of those who helped PDP in the 2015 elections in many ways than one and they know it.

“The coming re-run and 2019 elections will prove that the government of Rivers state is not leading the people well, which is why Ogiri left them.” 

Dakuku, who is also the Director-General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) berated the Wike-led government of being unable to maintain several infrastructural facilities built by the immediate past administration of former Governor Chibuike Amaechi 

“Wike cannot maintain the infrastructure Amaechi put on ground. Look at the health centres and schools, the overseas scholarship, among others. Instead he has introduced tax regime in secondary schools that are supposed to be free. Rivers state is indeed retrogressing.

“Companies are not here anymore. They are packing and leaving in droves because of bad governance, hi

gh tax and insecurity. The people are aware of this downturn in the fortune of the State and have consequently rejected Wike’s government.” 

At the event, Dr Ogiri, who decamped with more than 2,000 supporters, tore his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) membership card and campaign cloths of Governor Nyesom Wike, saying it was over for him as far as the PDP was concerned.

Former Governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, who was represented by Senator Magnus Abe, blamed Gov. Wike  for introducing violence into politics in the state but assured that it will no longer be a lucrative venture.

The former governor said Ogiri had made the right decision in joining the APC.     

Source: Dakuku Peterside Media Office

“Drop Rtd Justice Ndu, Wali from NJC Ethics C’tee or face mass action” – APC warns NJC

“Drop Rtd Justice Ndu, Wali from NJC Ethics C’tee or face mass action” – APC warns NJC

The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has noted with shock the recent appointment of two well-known PDP sympathisers, foot soldiers and close associates of Gov. Nyesom Wike as members of the 10-man Judicial Ethics Committee of the National Judicial Council (NJC) with a mandate to review the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers in the country.

The APC in a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Senibo Chris Finebone identified the two individuals as Retired Justice Iche Ndu and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Bar. Okey Wali SAN.

The statement reads: “The APC vehemently rejects the inclusion of these two individuals in a critical committee such as the Judicial Ethics Committee of the NJC charged with an all-important task of reviewing the code of conduct for judicial officers. Indeed, their inclusion underscores the unwillingness and unpreparedness of the NJC to buy into the anti-corruption drive of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. The APC views this action by the NJC as the height of insensitivity and brazen resistance to the efforts by the government to sanitize the Nigerian judiciary.  

“The Chairman of NJC and Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed and the rest of the Council members cannot feign ignorance of the overt political leanings of Iche Ndu and Okey Wali as PDP and Gov Nyesom Wike’s political facilitators whose activities and influence on judges are presently under investigation. We make bold to state that this obvious display of indiscretion by the Honourable Chief Justice and the NJC smacks of inexplicable thoughtlessness, befuddles the mind and sears through good conscience.

“For the record, retired Justice Iche Ndu and Okey Wali are unarguable ardent supporters of the Rivers State governor who have been variously named in petitions bothering on compromising of various judges and the petitions are subject of ongoing investigations. Therefore it is disturbing that the NJC would blatantly ignore the unfolding events around the two individuals and perniciously appoint them into a very sensitive job of reviewing code of conduct for judicial officers. 

“Therefore, the APC calls on the NJC and its Chairman, Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed to drop retired Justice Iche Ndu and Bar. Okey Wali SAN from the NJC 10-man Judicial Ethics Committee without delay. The APC hereby serves notice to the NJC to do the needful immediately or face a well-mobilised and long-drawn protest by the APC which will include occupying selected locations in Port Harcourt and Abuja.” 

Princewill Does It Again, Breaks More Records with the Movie 76’

Prince Tonye T.J.T Princewill’s soon to be released (Nov 25th) Nollywood production, “76” has once again made headlines.

“The highly anticipated movie had it’s equally eagerly anticipated European premiere at the BFI London Film Festival held over the weekend and just like the experience in Canada, tickets were sold out days before the screening. Prince Tonye was during the same period, a guest on BBC’s Focus Africa. No Nollywood movie has done Toronto and London back to back in the same year, until now. Showing made in Nigeria, can truly go global” said Wabiye Idoniboyeobu, Chief Media Aide to Prince Tonye  Princewill in a statement today.

76′, according to the statement “being the only Nollywood movie selected for the festival represented Nigeria in style and got great reviews from a host of local and internationally recognized movie critics. The stars came out in glittering form in the London’s West End to celebrate the launch of a film that has been described by the UK press as “visually textured, educational, and thoroughly entertaining; a movie not to be missed.”

The film stars many renowned and notable Nollywood megastars Rita Dominic, Ramsey Nouah, Chidi Mokeme, Ibinabo Fiberesinma, Memry Savanhu, Daniel K Daniel (two time African best actor 2016) and the awesome Ada Ofoegbu in her groundbreaking role as “Aunty Mary”. Additionally attending were Executive Producers Adonijah Owiriwa (also in the movie) and Popular Politician himself, Prince Tonye Princewill with his family in tow and a host of other glitterati from the elite London red carpet circuit.  At the centre of this very gripping romantic thriller is the charismatic, ‘Captain Joseph Dewa’, played by Ramsey Nouah who is indicted by the military for his alleged role in the notorious failed Nigerian coup of 1976.

“The evening was well attended and witnessed a crowd reaction of delight, full appreciation and immense satisfaction.  Without a doubt, the highlight of the evening was the last minute arrival from Heathrow Airport of the movie’s respected Director – Izu Ojukwu, who only just got his visa and made it in the nick of time to attend the post screening Q and A session, to rapturous applause.

“The Toronto and London film festivals are a build up to the Grand Premiere of the movie holding on the 3rd of November in Lagos. It has also been selected as the closing film on the 18th of November at the African Film Festival also holding in Lagos. The move is set to hit cinemas in Nigeria and the rest of Africa on the 25th of November and has also been specially nominated to show in major festivals in Germany, Dubai, South Africa, India, the US and other parts of the world” the statement concluded.