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Debate Challenge: Wike Busy Thinking Of How To Rescue Nigeria, Nwanosike Replies Umahi
The Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area in Rivers State, Engr. Samuel Nwanosike, has hinted that the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, may not accept the debate challenge from his Ebonyi State counterpart, Engr. Dave Umahi, because Wike was very busy at the moment thinking of how to rescue Nigeria from the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Nwanosike, who is a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), disclosed this, last Saturday while speaking as a guest on Super 93.3 FM’s Point Blank live radio programme in Eleme, and monitored in Port Harcourt.
He reprimanded the governor of Ebonyi State for saying that Wike was packing Rivers monies to himself in the name of executing meaningless projects, revealing that there were various videos online showing where Umahi came to Rivers State to shower praises on Wike over his tremendous infrastructure development.
“Rivers people know who they have as a governor. Rivers people know that this is the governor God has brought to better the lives of the people of Rivers State”, Nwanosike said.
He noted that Umahi’s campaign of calumny against the workaholic governor of Rivers State was as a result of his defection challenge at the court of law, reiterating that nothing would make Wike or the PDP to discontinue the case.
Nwanosike noted that it does not make sense when a man knows the rules governing his game and went ahead to break the rules in order for things to be pleasant for him, while joining Wike in asking the Supreme Court to interpret what it means for an elected public office holder to dump his political party for another when there was no crisis or division in his party.
He said, “So, what Nyesom Wike has said is very clear: I am a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, I want the Judiciary to interpret this law, and to say, is it fair if individuals don’t stand for election? It is the political parties that stand for election, is it fair? Is it going to be nice in the eyes of the law or before every good conscience that a man will run for an election under a platform of a political party, gets victory first term in office, gets victory second term in office, and in the twilight of his governance in the second term in office, he decides to jump ship when there is no crisis in his political party as the Supreme Court has said?
“Court has clearly said that only cogent and verifiable crisis at the national level, not even at the state level, that is the only reason where you can say, based on the divide in my party; I don’t think I am protected”.
Nwanosike said that no amount of name-calling by the governor of Ebonyi State can deter Wike from testing every law of the land at the court.
“So, whether Umahi likes, he can call Wike any name. It does not stop Wike from filing the case in the VAT matter. It does not stop Wike from filing the case on illegal deduction from states’ accounts by the Police Service Commission. It does not stop Wike from testing every of our law which men and women have used as punitive measure to intimidate the people of Nigeria. So, we don’t bother”, he said.
Nwanosike advised Umahi to work hard so as to clinch the APC presidential ticket, which made him leave PDP, saying that is what would propel Wike to have a debate with him.
According to him, “Umahi told us that the reason why he left the Peoples Democratic Party is because he wants to go to a political party that will zone the presidential ticket to South-East, which is the APC; which is not a reason for defection in the law as explained by the Supreme Court.
“So, what we are saying is that if he wants a public debate, he should work very hard in the All Progressives Congress and get the ticket of the All Progressives Congress as the presidential candidate of the APC come 2023. It’s on that level that Nyesom Wike will do a debate with him, live debate, before the people of Nigeria.
“It’s on that level we can now assess both of them and see, based on available records, what you have done in your various states, viz-a-viz the allocation you have generated and how you have managed the welfare of the people”.
He disparaged the Ebonyi State governor for lying to Nigerians that he became a billionaire at the age of 25 years, stressing that Nigerians know people who were billionaires at the age Umahi claimed he was.
“That has just shown to Nigerians that he is a man that speaks from both sides of his mouth. And you cannot hold him to account for anything reasonable”, he said.
Nwanosike said that Wike was not just a lawyer and a Life Bencher, but a Bachelor and Master’s degrees holder in Political Science.
While describing him as a democrat who would keep testing the laws of the country so as to enable people know what they are doing, he charged Umahi to get prepared for a long walk because his sack case would get to the Supreme Court.
Nwanosike dismissed the insinuation that average Rivers person hates PDP due to the leadership style of Wike, saying that PDP was the only loved political party in Rivers State and people in other states desire Wike to govern them due to his outstanding performance.
Speaking on illegal oil refining, he stated that his administration has successfully ended artisanal oil refining in Ikwerre LGA, and was working assiduously to ensure that the LGA would no longer be an exit route for the ones refined in other local governments.
Nwanosike reiterated that PDP in Ikwerre LGA was waxing strong under the leadership of Sir Celestine Omehia, adding that he and the LGA Party Chairman, Hon. Dennis Amadi, were working very hard to see that the flag of the party keeps flying high.
By: Nelson Chukwudi
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.