Rivers APC commends Gov. Amaechi on strategies to eliminate Ebola virus

Rivers APC commends Gov. Amaechi on strategies to eliminate Ebola virus

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State (APC) has expressed satisfaction with the way and manner the Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi Administration has decisively tackled the Ebola outbreak in the State, urging people not to panic as the situation is under control. “Governor Amaechi did not only declare war on Ebola but has also stepped up and sustained the war against the disease. We wish to commend him and his administration on this while at the same time appealing to people of the State, including visitors, to fully cooperate with the State authorities on measures rolled out to check the spread of the disease,” Rivers APC said in a statement issued Monday in Port Harcourt by the State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya.

The party condemned the surreptitious way the Ebola Virus Disease was imported into Rivers State late last month by a diplomat and the awkward way late Dr. Iyke Sam Enemuo decided to treat his Ebola patient in a hotel without reporting the case to the appropriate quarters for immediate action.

“Inasmuch as we do not wish to waste time on spilt milk, the seriousness with which Governor Amaechi intervened to arrest the situation gladdens our heart as a political party. As a visionary and focused Government, even before the Ebola outbreak in Rivers State, the Amaechi administration had released the sum of N300 million to the State Ministry of Health to use in tackling the virus in case it eventually arrived the State. Apart from this, the Rivers State Government through the Ministry of Health planned ahead by approving a temporary quarantine site in Oduoha, Emohua Local Government Area of the State,” Rivers APC said. 

The party also commended State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker, and his Technical Team for proving that the APC Government in Rivers State is very concerned about the health and security of Rivers people.

It equally expressed appreciation for the assistance rendered by the World Health Organization (WHO), Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) – also known as Doctors Without Borders – the American Embassy and the Federal Government to ensure that drastic measures are put in place to tackle and eliminate Ebola from Rivers State and the entire country.

The State APC noted with satisfaction that the Rivers State Government in its determination to eliminate this unfortunate scourge has partnered with the World Health Organization. “In this regard, the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and the Country Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), Mr. Rui Vaz, have pledged to work together and join hands in battling the Ebola outbreak in Rivers State. Governor Amaechi and Mr. Vaz made the joint resolve after a meeting in Government House, Port Harcourt. Governor Amaechi assured the WHO Country Representative that his government would do everything possible to contain the disease in the state in collaboration with the World Health body,” Rivers APC said.

The party added that “apart from these steps, the Governor on 28^th August, 2014, made a public broadcast to the people of Rivers State on ways and means of checking Ebola and has had several meetings and interactions with various segments of the society towards fashioning out the best strategies to exterminate the disease from the State. Some of these strategies include the mobilization of all organs of governance in the State, the religious, traditional, inter-government organs, etc. While addressing these groups recently in the Government House, the Governor called on religious and traditional leaders that include the Muslim Community in Rivers State to collaborate and work with the State Government to contain the Ebola virus in the State. Amaechi also warned against stigmatization of people suspected to be infected with the Ebola virus. He said the Rivers State Government was doing its best to contain and eliminate the disease in the state. He urged religious leaders to preach about the disease in their churches and mosques as well as traditional rulers in their various communities. He urged them to encourage those under them to imbibe healthy living and wash their hands regularly; pointing out that Ebola can be prevented and is not a death sentence if properly managed.”

Rivers APC enjoined the people not to panic but to immediately call the Ebola emergency numbers 08167733939, 07036321076, 08033124314 or the State Emergency Call Centre 112 if they see anyone with symptoms indicative of diarrhea, high fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, excessive weakness of the body and unexplained bleeding

Long Live APC!

Long Live Rivers State!!

Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,

SSA Media and Public Affairs to the State Chairman, APC Rivers State

09-09-14   

Rivers APC Condemns TAN’S Pro-Jonathan Rally

Rivers APC Condemns TAN’S Pro-Jonathan Rally

By Nwaorgu Faustinus

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly condemned Saturday’s Pro-Jonathan rally organised in the Rivers State capital, Port Harcourt, by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), a group alleged to be secretly sponsored by the Presidency to promote President Goodluck Jonathan’s third term ambition. 

“President Jonathan and his promoters through the misguided elements in Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) have once again demonstrated their hatred and lack of understanding of the plight of Nigerians, particularly those in Rivers State, by going ahead to organise their senseless rally in Port Harcourt even after being alerted of the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in the State by the Minister of Health and other relevant bodies,” Rivers APC said in a statement issued on Sunday 31 August, 2014 in Port Harcourt.  

According to the party in the statement signed by the State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ikanya, “With this TAN Rally in Port Harcourt, President Goodluck Jonathan and his cohorts have only succeeded in exposing their deep-rooted hatred for the good people of Rivers State, fully aware of the implication of organising such a senseless rally at this period that we are still studying how wicked agents secretly exported Ebola to Rivers State just to endanger the lives of Rivers people. This was after Nigerians had been warned to desist from organising large gatherings. This is the height of insensitivity which will surely spell electoral doom for President Jonathan and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015 and beyond.” 

Rivers APC commended discerning sons of Rivers such as Dr. Abiye Sekibo, Chief Uche Secondus, Chief (Dr.) Doris Fisher and Brother Felix Obuah who, despite being PDP chieftains, refused to attend the rally promoted by Chief Nyesom Wike, the Minister of State for Education and PDP Leader in Rivers State. The party said it had taken note of Chief Wike’s courageous declaration during the rally that President Jonathan has not done anything meaningful for Rivers State and her people apart from approving a school on Oil and Gas which is still on the drawing board.

“We would however have expected Chief Wike to tell the world that Rivers and her people will never vote for PDP, seeing the injustice and wickedness the State has suffered under the PDP-led Federal Government since President Jonathan assumed office,” Rivers APC said.  

The party added: “One thing going for us in River State is that we have a President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP whose hatred for our State and her people is legendary not minding that he is from our sister State Bayelsa and our in-law and we gave him the highest number of votes that made him the President. Our campaign strategy will be centered on this hatred, which has manifested in the hounding of Governor Chibuike Amaechi, the ceding of our oil wells to Bayelsa and Abia states, refusal to direct Akwa Ibom to pay us the proceeds of our oil wells she kept for many years, wicked refusal to implement the UNEP Report on Ogoni and now the deliberate act to worsen the Ebola crisis in the state by allowing a rally in his honour against wise counsel by those who truly care about the health and well-being of Rivers people. Mr. President has left no one in doubt of his deep hatred for Rivers State and her people, so how can we support him or any PDP candidate in 2015? 

“In any case, the feats of the Amaechi administration are enough to give us victory in future elections. These feats, which are well known, include making Port Harcourt the World Book Capital City, eradication of militancy, dogged fight for the oil wells and other rights of Rivers State and her people, as well as award-winning achievements in Education, Agriculture, Health, etc.” 

Dr. Ikanya said that, in addition to all these, “we will ask the good people of Rivers State to make their choice between the characters and vision of those in PDP (insecurity, ungodliness, etc) and the vision and characters of those in APC (godliness, security and concern for the future of our state). These are the issues for Rivers State to use to decide which of the parties governs the State from 2015.” 

Ikanya advised APC faithful in the State not to panic or fear about the future of the party, as “Rivers people have since adopted APC as the party of their choice and there is nothing the doomed PDP or any other party can do about that.” 

Emeka Obasi: I least expected this!

Emeka Obasi: I least expected this!

By Odimegwu Onwumere

I have known Prince Emeka Obasi for over a decade now. We have had numerous phone interactions. He has a calm voice and has the art of advising and making peace. I’m saying this because these are the ways he sounds in any of our conversations. This is the reason I least expected that one open letter to Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu that is signed with his name was coming from him till I was proved right to believe so through many rejoinders and counter-rejoinders in that respect to the said letter.

I’ve known Princes as peacemakers and not those that throw tantrums and take side when there is uproar in a given situation. If actually that my friend Emeka is a Prince by heritage and not by mere choice of name, he would not have started his so-called open letter to Kalu by writing that he read “with a great deal of embarrassment the article that was ghosted in the column you allegedly write in The Sun Newspaper of Sunday 16th August 2014”.

If he knew the ignominy of his sentence he would by now be on his knees asking for forgiveness for infringing on the fundamental right to speech of Kalu.  Obasi could be seen that he was bent on using Hate Speech against the person of Kalu, perhaps oblivious of the level Hate Speech can go.

If he does not know the level Hate Speech could go, he should know it today that it was the Hate Speech of Adolf Hitler between 1941 and 1945 against the Jews that led to the killing of over 10 million people by the German military when the Jews were camped in four different concentration camps. They were burned, shot, cremated, and shown with any forms of bestiality that any sane person cannot think of.

It is not in the position of Princes to throw tantrums when their dukedom is ensnared in the fight of the Titans like our state of Abia is experiencing between the present governor T.A Orji and his predecessor Orji Uzor Kalu of which if Obasi was sincere enough as he sounds on phone whenever we are conversing knew that he benefitted in no-less ways from Kalu in whose administration he served as a commissioner and was appointed to man other portfolios.

I do not want to say that Obasi was an opportunist because I read in one of the rejoinders that Obasi became commissioner through the efforts of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida who implored Kalu to make Obasi commissioner. Obasi knew that IBB is among the many Nigerians that Kalu has Kilimanjaro respect for and he did not waste that opportunity. But today, he is rewarding Kalu with the obverse?

What Prince Obasi should have done was to be preaching and carving out ways to make bring peace between the once two brothers who are now divided by politics, which was occasioned by such gossip like Obasi’s “open letter to Kalu”, because of the lucre for wealth. I do not want to write what I read in one of the rejoinders against Obasi’s position against Kalu that Obasi is a man who can do anything disgustingly depraved because of money; I do not also want to write that a Prince like him was said to had been in enmity with the father before the father died some years ago. I do not want to write that he might not be at peace with himself, so he would not like peace to reign in the state, hence the balkanization.

If we may take the above as political attacks, are we also going to take the position of the Prince siding Governor Orji for the pummel of Kalu as a gimmick because Governor Orji is his clansman?  Obasi did not think otherwise before insulting the personality of Kalu. If his letter were to be a country it’s struggling with economy, insecurity, unemployment, hunger and has threats of a man who was battling with his conscience while penning down those lines that have now smacked a lot of critiques against him.

I remember in November 25 2001 when Obasi was serving under Kalu as the State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, while delivering the press brief about the suspension of the Deputy Governor Chief Eyinaya Abaribe, who was suspended by the State Executive Council in Umuahia the previous day, said, “the decision to suspend Abaribe was thoroughly deliberated on by members and the resolution was unanimous (which Obasi was a member? Mine).

“The Executive Council thoroughly considered the issues raised against the deputy governor which bothered on absenteeism from Exco meetings and office. Council members were particularly aggrieved that he has consistently portrayed them in very negative light.

“His conduct negates the spirit of collective responsibility which underpins presidential system and collegiality which binds members of the state executive council together as a body.”

But this same Obasi is now among those who would insult Kalu with their spiteful comments that Kalu did not ‘get’ it as governor, whereas they were the people calling the shots. Remember that Kalu did not attend the meeting were the likes of Obasi squared up and suspended Abaribe.

I’m not sure what leads people into such behaviour as double-speaking like Obasi has shown in his open letter to Kalu today. I don’t want to believe that my friend Obasi is the beggarly type that genuflects to the side that is rosy today thereby forgetting the past and his stance in those days.

When he was Commissioner under Kalu, he saw Kalu as the messiah that came to Abia State. But now that his “Dede” in the person of Governor T.A Orji is in power, the later has become Obasi’s messiah all in a bid for stomach infrastructure.

What was expected from the Prince was to make peace and not be pointing fingers against his “Dede’s” perceived political foe. If there was any man who benefited from Kalu when he was governor I think that person was Obasi with different portfolios to his credit under Kalu’s administration. My advise to Obasi is that in the ‘scale of preference’ between a cow and road, wise people choose road to cow, because they know that the road would never close, but the meat from cow does not last forever.

Odimegwu Onwumere, a Poet/Writer, writes from Rivers State.

Email: apoet_25@yahoo.com

Coalition moves to make Olejeme governor

Coalition moves to make Olejeme governor

Written By Fidel Njamanze

 A coalition of forces under the aegis of Delta Progressive Movement (DPM) has urged Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and leaders of major political parties to base their choice of the next governor of the state on the core attributes of competence, integrity, courage, initiative and focus.

In a meeting held on Sunday being the 31 of August 2014 in Owa-Oyibu, the headquarters of Ika North East Local Government Area to discuss the political future of the state, the zoning arrangement and to assess the physical, social and institutional infrastructural provisions in the state, the group vowed to put stop to square pegs in round holes in leadership positions in the state.

The group also called for gender change at the governorship level.

 It extolled the uncommon virtues of Olejeme, describing her as pragmatic and winsome.

“Olejeme is suitable for the governorship job. She has devoted her life to humanitarian and philanthropic services. She has provided employment opportunities for the people, especially the youths. She has been one of the most supportive and committed leaders of the PDP in the state”.

Spokesperson of the movement, Mrs. Josephine Nkenchor said Olejeme would address the near absence of infrastructures in some parts of the state, galvanize the people to self-development, energize the economy and also raise the standard of living of the people through adequate inter-village communication such as good road network, electricity, pipe-borne water, recreational facilities, etc. 

“Olejeme will increase the material wealth of the people, establish capacity-building institutions, increase rural output, create employment opportunities and root out cases of poverty, diseases and ignorance”.

The groups also said Olejeme would stimulate rural industries and show the necessary leadership by matching words with action through evolving workable development approaches, proper co-ordination and funding.

“Olejeme has strategies to banish unemployment and insecurity. Her government will bring about sustainable development and progress” the group said.

Over 2,000 members across the 25 local government councils stormed the venue in representative capacity