Port Harcourt High Court ruling; Need to Remain Calm - Nwuke

Port Harcourt High Court ruling; Need to Remain Calm - Nwuke

Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke has urged members of the All Progressives Congress APC, in Rivers State to remain calm and law abiding, regardless of what has transpired, saying “our resolve to join in efforts to rebuild our great party remains unshaken.”

The APC chieftain gave the advice in a statement while reacting to a Port Harcourt High Court ruling presided over by Justice Chuku which issued a perpetual injunction restraining the Hon. Sokonte led Caretaker Committee from parading.

According to Nwuke, “we have learnt of the ruling of a Port Harcourt High Court presided over by Justice Chuku. Although we are yet to obtain a certified true copy of the said decision, we have learnt that the Court issued a perpetual injunction restraining the Hon. Sokonte led Caretaker Committee from parading.”

The statement further reads: “While we await a full brief from our lawyers, it is necessary to state without equivocation that what is playing out in the Rivers APC is a fight that is between the Caretaker Committee which has the support of the people and those who are seeking to preside over the affairs of our party through the Courts.

“We note that the decision communicated today in line with plea by Hon. Golden Ben Chioma is in utmost disregard of the principled stand of the National Executive Committee (NEC).

“We also wish to state that we are not shocked by the ruling which has come from the State High Court. In fact, like other true members of the APC in this State, we expected the High Court decision to follow a consistent pattern which has been established in the past, and the presiding judge predictably towed that path.

“In the meantime, we urge members of the APC in the State to remain calm and law abiding. Regardless of what has transpired, our resolve to join in efforts to rebuild our great party remains unshaken”

Ogbonna Nwuke,

Statutory Member,

Caretaker Committee,

Rivers APC.

Eze lauds Prof. Okodudu’s appointment as Ag. Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT

.....Congratulates Okodudu, describes him as a consummate administrator

….Appeals to staff, students to cooperate with him

.....Commends Buhari, Adamu for making sound judgment in the appointment

Former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People's Democratic Party (nPDP) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has expressed delight over the appointment of Prof. Stephen Okodudu, a seasoned administrator with proven competence in public service, as Ag. Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt.

In a statement made available to media houses, the party chief expressed an innermost felicitation on his appointment, describing him as an academic thoroughbred with a whopping mastery in strategic managerial skills necessary for the efficient running of the institution for better output.

"I am delighted to felicitate with you my brother and friend Prof. Stephen Okodudu, on your appointment, having risen through the ranks to the zenith of your illustrious career as Vice Chancellor (Ag.) of one of Nigeria's leading higher institutions, the University of Port Harcourt".

Extolling the qualities of  the seasoned academician, the party chief said Okodudu has remained incontrovertibly constant like the "Northern Star" in his life pursuits and professional endeavors, stressing that his tenacity of purpose, remarkable commitment, excellent performance and exhibition of high level professionalism will, no doubt, bring about a paradigm shift in the University of Port Harcourt and reposition the institution for optimum performance with timely results.

"You have so much task ahead and I am confident that the wealth of experience you have amassed over the years in academics and administration will help tremendously in the timely repositioning of the university and I am proud to be identified with you.

Eze stressed that his appointment though in acting capacity means that within six months he will oversee the process leading to the emergence of a Substantive Vice Chancellor.

He counselled the new Vice Chancellor to do his best to:

1. Ensure compliance with the relevant laws in the discharge of his duty.

2. Ensure that all cases of victimization of staff and students by the past adminstration of the University are corrected.

3. Should try to restore the good image of the community through fairness and respect of staff and students rights.

4. Should promote good relationship with the neighboring communities.

5. And finally should remember to make the Visitor and President proud.

Congratulating the new acting VC, Chief Eze appealed to staff and students of the university to accord Prof. Okodudu all necessary supports needed to achieve success and prayed God to direct and grant him divine competence to break new grounds and lead the institution to higher heights.

In conclusion, Eze commended both the Visitor to the University, President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu for making a great and wise choice in the appointment of Prof Stephen Okodudu in this capacity and ensured them and all other forces that made this appointment possible that the new VC will make each one of them proud.

Leave the NDDC alone: An open Letter to the Leadership of the National Assembly

The Ijaw Youth Council has keenly watched the recent happenings going on in the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC). Activities relating to a parastatal responsible for the development of our Ijaw communities is not just a topic of interest for us; monitoring its activities is also part of our responsibilities.

In recent months the various NDDC leaderships have been in series of conflicts with the National Assembly. This is coming at a time when the running of the NDDC has been visibly effective. This is coming at a time when the looting of years past is finally being exposed. The current head of the Interim Management Committee; Professor Keme Pondei is a respected Ijaw son and his safety and well-being is of importance to us. We will in no way tolerate the bullying of any Ijaw son.

We call on the leadership of the National Assembly and the few politicians bullying the NDDC and its supervising minister; to refrain from such.

We appreciate Mr. President for turning his torch light on the activities of the NDDC. With just a few months of this new leadership, the NDDC has been able to complete its headquarters; a project that was abandoned for over 15 years. We also want to thank the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, for his doggedness and resolve to clean up the NDDC.

The revelations coming out from the Forensic Audit, has exposed a lot of wrongdoings. We just hope the Minister has what it takes to fight to the end and expose the corruption that was in the NDDC.

On the accusations made by the former Chairman of the Interim Management Committee, Barr. Joy Nunieh against the Minister of the Niger Delta, we see no evidence of facts; as against the documents members of the IMC have provided, indicting the leadership and members of the National Assembly. We call on all Ijaw sons and daughters to protect agencies set up for our development.

Let us resist these enemies who use propaganda to weaken our institutions. It is now clear that the Forensic Audit of the NDDC is what is shaking the political atmosphere. We are watching.

Signed:

Comr. (Chief) Frank Akiefa,

Chairman IYC Western Zone and

Secretary IYC National Transition Implementation Committee

Corruption Is Fighting Back at Me, says Akpabio

The Honourable Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, has said that the events of the last few days at the National Assembly were a clear indication that corruption is fighting back at him.

Senator Akpabio who was a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and one-time Senate Minority Leader was speaking in reaction to allegations levelled against him by a former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Joi Nunieh. He said he was being vilified for his determination to end the sleaze in the system.

"My decision to reduce the illegal cash flow at the NDDC to corrupt individuals through the forensic audit ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari is the reason for these attacks", said Akpabio.

The Minister noted that the NDDC had bled for too long in the hands of politicians who reduced it to their cash cow, adding that those who are incensed with him and the Interim Management Committee are fighting back to stop further blocking of the leakages in the system.

The NDDC has over the years been enmeshed in a cesspool of corruption and failure to deliver on its core mandate to the people of the Niger Delta region. Consequently, whereas the order by President Muhammadu Buhari to probe her activities in the last 20 years has attracted commendation from key stakeholders in the region, those who are uncomfortable with the reforms are fighting back with everything to destroy or discredit the Honourable Minister and the leadership of the Interim Management Committee led by Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei.

Akpabio observed that in the last couple of months, he and the NDDC IMC have come under a barrage of attacks in a fierce fightback by politicians wounded by the forensic audit. These attacks which manifest in sponsorship of petitions to the National Assembly and media blackmail by politicians who are evidently hurt by the efforts to sanitise the Commission has continued unabated and constitute a huge distraction to the work of the Minister and the NDDC management as directed by the President.

He however assured that he would not be deterred in his resolve to lead the desired change at the Commission to justify the confidence of President Buhari as well as the support and goodwill of patriotic citizens of the Niger Delta region, noting that "forensic, forensic and forensic alone is the way forward to give the NDDC back to the people for which the agency was created".

He concluded on an optimistic note by assuring that with the successful conclusion of the forensic audit of the NDDC, the Commission would in future be free from the profligacy of the past and the Niger Delta itself would no longer be a museum of abandoned projects.

Barr. Sogbeye C. ELI

SA, Technical to Head of Women, Youth, Sports & Culture,

Niger Delta Development Commission,

Port Harcourt.

July 12, 2020.

Edo Deputy Governor returns home, says Oshiomhole called Ize-Iyamu thief

A positive political horizon which signposts the victory of Governor Godwin Obaseki in the September 19 governorship election, rejection of godfatherism, people’s power in politics and the state’s agenda for sustainable development were given at the weekend by Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Phillip Shaibu as the four main reasons for quitting the All Progressives Congress (APC).

‘’I am keeping the tenets of what we believe. Comrade Adams Oshiohmole told us that Godwin Obaseki is a team player and member of the family. He told us Obaseki knows the tradition of the family. I also know the tradition of the family. What is the tradition of the family? Say no to godfatherism, say yes to development. That is the tradition of the family. Our project has become the people’s project. It is not just our project but the Nigerian project because of the victimization we suffered. I am excited. I am happy that I am doing the will of my people. I am happy that the decisions taken so far are decisions that are blessed by my people. I am happy that I have not disappointed them’’ he said.

The deputy governor says the odds are in the favour of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

‘’I don’t think I have opponent in Etsako West. Politics is all about people and for the benefit of the people and the good of the people. Politics that we play now is the politics that is defined as politics of the people and by the people. We returned power to the people. That has been our slogan. Let the people lead. It is that slogan that propels some of us to continually do the will of the people. When you check at Phillip Shaibu being a member of the Edo State House of Assembly, voted for by Etsako West Constituency 11 and you check Phillip Shaibu that was voted for in the House of Representatives and you check the Phillip Shaibu that is the present deputy governor and by the grace of God and the support of the people second term deputy governor and compare Gani Audu, who was a member of Edo State House of Assembly –first term, got second term by luck but refused to be sworn in. Check his records and check my records, check the record of the governor of Edo State. It is the first four years of Governor Godwin Obaseki as a politician. Check the record of his opponent. Adams Oshiomhole has told us all. He has defined us. Oshiomhmole has defined me as a politician. Oshiomhole has defined the governor as a politician and Oshiomhole has also defined pastor as a politician. Without me saying it, Oshiomhole has helped us to say who is popular and who should be voted. Oshiomhole has always said that Obaseki is the best among these two in terms of qualification and doing the will of the people. He is number one and he has always told us that the second man, Ize-Iyamu is a thief. I can tell you Oshiomhole is proud of me’’ he said.

Shaibu told reporters in Uzairue, Etsako West that every taken step so far made had been accepted by the good people of Edo State.

‘’Edo North is the home of development. Edo North is home for politics and Edo North is where we established the new tradition of development when we brought in Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole. When people say I sacrificed a lot to have a government and a system that is working, I say yes I sacrificed a lot to have a system that is working but I can tell you that one of the greatest sacrifices I have made in my political career is leaving the party I helped to build, the party I labored for. I wrote the mission statement of Grace Group that metamorphosed to AC and ACN that merged to now have APC. So you can call me a foundation member. We formed APC. So to leave that party to PDP is one sacrifice that we have to make for the development and the sustainability of the tradition of development in Edo State. That is they joy I have. I did not hesitate to move when we were chased out by the man that is a beneficiary of our collective struggle’’.

He said it was regrettable that Oshiomhole moved away from the family tradition in Edo State.

‘’Adams Oshiomhole threw us out, disqualified us from the party that we formed. Oshiomhole had always told me that when a man throws a stone into your house and you do not show that there is a man in that house, then you are not manly to be called a man. So it was a time to actually show him that a stone has been thrown into our house and that there are men in the house that are capable of dealing with that. That is what we have done by moving to PDP. I am excited about the warm reception we got in PDP. It is the first time and I can tell you that it is the people that made the party, not the party that made the people. I can tell you that the vision that we established in APC has not changed. We are taking it to the next level. I can also assure you that the wealth of experience and that developmental strive are what we are bringing in to PDP. By the grace of God, our people will be the best for it. For us, it is all about the people and the people must continue to lead. We are in PDP and we will make PDP work just like we made APC to work. That we have left APC, the foundation of APC is gone. One man cannot dictate the destiny of Edo North. That is what we fought against. No one man can determine what Phillip Shaibu will be tomorrow. No one man can determine what you will be tomorrow. Leadership must start from the grassroots. The people must decide. The people must lead. I am happy that the man that was a beneficiary of this struggle is still alive and is seeing his children sustaining that legacy which is the tradition of the family that was defined by Oshiomhole’’

Shaibu, in a joyous mood throughout the interactive session with newsmen, thanked the peopleof Etsako West for their support.

‘This period is not the best time for me when it comes to politicking because my style has to do with crowd and direct contact with my people. The corona virus is not giving us that space. That they even came out today shows the love that they have for me. I was only concerned about their health. The crowd is always there and that crowd is what has been keeping me far from coming home because I know there is no way I can control that crowd each time I come. I am deeply excited. I have never doubted their support for me. God has helped me not to disappoint them in all the elections that I have been voted in here’’