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Presidency Jittery Over PDP Governors’ Visit To Amaechi …Four Northern Govs Seek Mbu’s Sack; Ogonis Condemn Attack, Hail Amaechi; Attack, A Threat To Democracy -Semenitari, Rep Berates Violent Politicians
There were jitters in the presidency over the visit of governors of Adamawa, Jigawa, Kano and Niger to Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon Chibuike Amaechi in Port Harcourt, yesterday .
Members of the Nyesom Wike’s campaign organisation -Grassroot Democratic Initiative GDI, had mobilised hoodlums to disrupt the visit. Chanting solidarity songs in favour of the presidency, they attempted to attack Governor Amaechi and his team.Wike had boasted after the failed impeachment attempt at the Rivers State House of Assembly that he would set Rivers State ablaze and render it ungovernable. A four litre keg suspected to contain some acid was found beside the mob. Rivers State Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu denied knowledge of the mob’s presence although the police stated that the airport is a public place and everyone has a right to visit freely and unhindered. This portends grave danger and has far reaching implications for our fledgling democracy says Ibim Semenitari, Rivers State Commissioner of Information and Communications.
Four Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) governors from Kano,Adamawa, Niger and Jigawa states had yesterday defied protesters alleged to be hired by the Grassroot Democratic Initiative(GDI) to besiege the Port Harcourt International Airport ahead the visit.
The four governors including, Dr. Babangida Aliyu of Niger, Dr. Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano and Murtala Nyarko of Adamawa State, had visited the state for a solidarity visit to Governor Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of Nigeria Governor’s Forum.
But before their arrival, Governor Amaechi had arrived earlier in the morning to wait for his guests who later arrived in the midst of the protesters that thronged the arrival lounge of the airport.
Attempts by some of the protesters to bar the visiting governors as they pelted vehicles in the convoy with stones and iron proved abortive as the visitors left the airport to visit some of the developmental projects executed by Governor Amaechi before entering into a closed door meeting by noon in Government House.
After their meeting ended 3pm the four governors issued a joint press statement and visited few other project sites before heading back.
Part of the statement reads:’’ We have come to visit with our colleague and brother the Governor of Rivers State, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi, chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum.
‘’The visit is to ascertain for ourselves some of the things we have read in papers, seen on television and heard on radio which are threats to peace, security and democracy.
“ We are pleased to notice the peaceful atmosphere in town and that people in the state are going about their normal business and that the governor and government are in charge. This is especially reassuring as opposed to the organised protest by a handful of persons at the Port Harcourt Airport when we arrived.
“ We commend the House of Representatives for its proactive leadership in the crisis and appreciate the Senate committee’s thoroughness in addressing the matter. We wish to call on the Inspector-General of Police to hearken to the voice of reason and immediately redepoly and discipline Commissioner Mbu. His actions smirk of unprofessionalism and political partisanship which is unbecoming of his office.
‘’ With the way the police is being used and abused and with officers like Mbu in the force , we do not see the need for state governments to fund an antagonistic police and may be forced to reconsider our position on the financial contribution of the states towards the funding of the Nigeria Police. Arising from the actions of the police and Mr. Joseph Mbu in Rivers State, the call for state police as a constitutional provision has become a necessity.
“ We note that events in Rivers State have again brought to the fore the question of true federalism and the need for institutions derived from constitutions be allowed to function without undue interference .
As federating units we must be allowed the space to guarantee our people sustainable development as provided by the constitution. We acknowledge the great work Governor Amaechi and his team are doing in Rivers State and commend his maturity and calm even in face of apparent persecution.
Meanwhile, Pan-Ogoni group, the Ogonis in the Diaspora Organsation (ODO) has condemned the attack on the visiting governors.
Executive Director of the body, Chief Ambrose Kii, who reacted to the attack, yesterday described it as an act of desperation and cautioned against the extremities in the on-going crisis in the state, which he said, was engineered by a joint force of repression against the state.
He cautioned against the inordinate drive for 2015 in the state, and noted that leadership succession in the state should be based on equity and not greed as only those groups that are yet to produce the governor of the state should have justified claim and urged the people of Ogoni to remain supportive to the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi who he described as a true democrat.
Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari said attack on the convoy of Governor Chibuike Amaechi during the visit of the Northern governors yesterday at Port Harcourt Airport is a threat to democracy.
According to the commissioner, the protesters were targetting to cause breach of peace that may lead to the declaration of state of emergency in the state.
“ Their action lay credence to the fact that some people are anxious to have a state of emergency in Rivers State, especially when you go by the utterances credited to certain persons in certain quarters who have sworn that they will make Rivers State ungovernable,’’ she remarked.
While praising Governor Amaechi and his supporters for being calm even in the face of aggression, Semenitari wondered what would have happened if both anti and pro-Amaechi supporters had clashed, “ I think by the facts available to me, they have been paid to come there. They were paid to come to the airport but my worry is that this is very disconcerting, and it is rather curious politics at play. And we must not throw away the baby with the bath water because we have democracy that we have all fought so hard for and the last thing we should do whether as politicians or Nigerians is to throw away that democracy’’.
She confirmed that the protesters on seeing that the governors which include Aliyu Babangida of Niger State, Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano and Murtala Nyarko of Adamawa states defied their presence bashed some vehicles in the Amaechi’s convoy, but lamented that she was yet to hear of any police arrest over the incidence. Meanwhile an influential Rivers State political figure and Chairman House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and representative of the Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency of Rivers State in the House of Representative, Hon Dakuku Peterside has described as barbaric, sadistic and dangerous the hiring of thugs and ex-militants by desperate Rivers politicians to deliberately embarrass Northern Governors who were in Port Harcourt to pay solidarity visit to Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State.”When did we degenerate to this Hobbesian and primitive state, “the highly cerebral legislator asked?
“Those who are fanning this ember of discord must be ready to reap the whirlwind. They should reflect on the events of Western Region Parliament in Ibadan that eventually led to the end of the First Republic and the disputed Ondo State election in 1983, and decide if this is the path they want to go,” Peterside warned.”I wonder why the police in Rivers State under the Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu chose to play politics with safety and security of the people of Rivers State and tarnish the image of Rivers people who are naturally friendly and hospitable,” he said.
Taneh Beemene
L-R: Govs. Rabi’u Kwankwaso of Kano State; Sule Lamido of Jigawa State; Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State; Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, and Murtala Nyako Of Adamawa, during the Northern governors visit to Governor Amaechi in Port Harcourt , yesterday
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DEPLOY YOUR CAPACITY, TECHNICAL KNOWHOW TO REVITALISE SONGHAI FARMS, FUBARA TELLS TASK FORCE
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that diversifying the economy of the State has become inevitable because of the need to solve the problem of food shortages while also providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
These, he said, are the reasons why great care has been taken to critically look at the prospects of revitalising the Songhai Integrated Farms, which is located in Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Governor Fubara insisted that if the problem associated with food shortages is tackled with good intent and purpose, about 40 to 50 percent of current problems of economic hardship plaguing the country and its people would have been solved.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while inaugurating the Chairman, Mr Biedima Oliver, and members of the task force saddled with the responsibility of supervising the revitalization of Songhai Integrated Farms by its partners: Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Other members of the task force included, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii; Commissioner for Finance, Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara; Dr Ayebaesin Beredugo; and Mr Maurice Ogolo.
The Governor explained that it took him time to approve the constitution of the task force being inaugurated because of the ugly experience with the previous group that shown such interest.
Governor Fubara stated that a process was initiated and driven halfway into the handing over of Songhai Farms on concession to an interested partner who latter showed a total lack of the needed capacity to undertake such task.
He said, “As a matter of fact, if few of you could remember, we even conceded the place to an investor who came in after he had made his presentation, and we, believing that he has the capacity, we said okay to him, and we had already signed up.
“But something happened. He came back to tell us that he wanted us to give him a N5billion bank guarantee. We then asked him, why? If we have the N5billion, why do we need you to come and even revitalize Songhai Farms? We would have put that N5billion there ourselves. For that reason, we cancelled that arrangement.”
Governor Fubara said now that two separate companies have come together to indicate interest and given the assurance of having the needed capacity to drive the process, he is delighted to see them meeting that expectation.
Governor Fubara pointed to the expectation of the people who want to see the Songhai Farms back on stream on a sustainable basis.
That expectation, he insisted, is also what his administration wants to see actualised within its lifespan.
He noted, “We want to see food sufficiency, because we know when Songhai Farms comes on board, there will be food, which is one of the problems we are having in this country. If we are able to tackle the issue of food, 40 to 50 percent of our problem will be solved.”
Governor Fubara also stated that although he believes in the presentation made by the group and has taken their assurance to heart, but warned that he would not tolerate a repeat of what happened before.
The Governor said, “I hope your story will not be (end) halfway too. I hope you have the capacity and all the technical knowhow to handle it. It is not when we start now, after we had finished inaugurating the task force, you will come back to tell us that you need $2million. If we have $2million, we won’t need you. We will invest it by ourselves.”
Governor Fubara, however, praised the capacity of the Chairman of the task force, Biedima Oliver, saying that incidentally, he was one of the personnel that convinced the then administration to develop the Songhai Farms, and had worked with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to manage the project.
He said, “He knows and understands the workings of Songhai, and now that we are making you the chairman of the task force, we want to believe that you will make that place come back to life.
“I don’t have any doubt in your capacity. A few things you’ve touched, you turned them to gold. Please, bring it back to what we used to see in Songhai. Bring it back with the help of your committee.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration will remain committed to providing all the necessary support that they may require to make their assignment a success.
He added, “So, I hereby inaugurate you. Your task is very simple: Do everything within your powers and with our support to make sure that Songhai becomes operational to the benefit, not just the people of Tai, but to the entire Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Task Force to Supervise the Revitalization of Songhai Farms with Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, Mr. Biedima Oliver, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the opportunity and confidence reposed in them to revive Songhai Farms.
Mr. Oliver assured that they will deliver the expected goal on Songhai Farms, and doing so on time and on target so that the good people of Rivers State can eventually be happy and also benefit from the huge investment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that all the policies and programmes of his administration are tailored towards the protection of interest of Rivers people, especially the youths.
This, he said, is borne out of the importance his administration attaches to youths’ development and empowerment as leaders of tomorrow.
Fubara, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, disclosed this when he received the youths of Emohua Local Government Area under the auspices of “Emohua Youths For SIM” on solidarity visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He said that his administration has put in place modalities that will boost the livelihoods and well-being of Rivers citizens, which youths of Emohua will also benefit when they materialise.
The governor, who spoke through the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, pointed out that the recently awarded Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Road, the ongoing Emohua-Kalabari Road, reinstatement of illegally sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Area and the approval for electrification of the area, are part of deliberate measures to open up the area to make life conducive and more meaningful for the people.
According to him, “Everything about the governor is putting the interest of Rivers State first. He is looking at and taking action on those things that we need to do to restart the wheels of progress in Rivers State.
“There are many things the governor has planned and is already doing that will boost the life and welfare of every citizen of Rivers State, but most importantly the youths.
“Growing up, I learnt that Egbeda is one of the biggest communities in the whole of Ikwerre, and it’s predominantly an agrarian community. They have food in Egbeda, they have food in Ubimini, they have food in Omudiaga and other natural resources. The whole world is tilting to agriculture, and this is the way to go.
“The Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Omoku road, when completed, will open up the area for real development. Your food and everything you produce there will now have value, they will no longer be thrown away. In all these, you the youths are going to be the utmost beneficiaries.”
He added, “Same will be applicable to the Emohua-Kalabari Road which will also, trigger development in the area, and you will be the greatest beneficiaries. When the LGA is also electrified, you will be having 24 or 20 hours of electricity, and those things the youths can do with electricity, you can stay at home and create wealth for yourself and children.
“All the totality of what the governor is doing, when they are completed, or even as some are completed now, the youths are going to be utmost beneficiaries.”
While acknowledging that youths are the true leaders of tomorrow and any government that fails to carry them along in the scheme of things is doomed to fail, the governor assured them of his administration’s commitment to always address issues concerning youths and ensure that they are part of his government.
He commended the youths for toeing the path of truth by identifying with his administration, urging them to sustain the tempo and shun evil, as his government will ensure that the trend whereby politicians turn youths to beggars are over.
He said, “Youths are, indeed, the leaders of tomorrow. The time of youth is a very important time. It a time that your parents or whoever is your leader at that time have to make the greatest investment in you. And any Government that decides to only carry the elderly, chiefs aling and abandon the youths is bound to fail,” he asserted.
“But I am happy that Governor Fubara has concentrated his energy on everything that will benefit the society, especially the youths.
“And based on these, I want to thank you for recognising what is good and calling it good, for shunning what is evil, for saying the Governor is standing for you.
“Let me tell you, you are on the right direction. Let me tell you again, Rivers State is the bride of Nigeria. The whole Nigeria is looking at what will happen here. As they look here and see you standing on the path of truth, this is a very important step that you have taken to right all the wrongs of the past, to make Rivers State stand on the tripod of justice, peace and security. That is what we are going to gain through the governor, taking all the wise actions that he has already initiated.
“The projects the governor is embarking on are meant to prepare nets for the youths to fish and put food on their table, hence you should continue to follow him.
“The SIMplified Movement brought upon by the governor will ensure that Rivers youths stop the habit of going to bow down before politicians, pledging loyalty before they can eat.”
Earlier, spokesman for the Emohua Youths for SIM, Comrade Ovamale O. Ovamale, had said that the visit by youths from the 14 political wards in Emohua Local Government Area was to thank the governor for the award of the Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku road, the approval for electrification of the area and reinstatement of sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Council, of which the youths were mostly affected.
According to him, “Siminalayi Fubara of recent has given Emohua Local Government road that links Elele to Omoku, which comprises over four communities in the local government.”
“Emohua Local Government has also been in darkness for eight years. No community in the local government that has light. But, of recent, because of the passion and love the governor has for the people of Emohua, he has approved the electrification of the local government.
“Also, the illegal sack of Emohua Local Government workers, for which the youths were mostly affected and without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission, the governor, in his compassionate nature, has reinstated them, and that is why we said we must come and thank His Excellency”, he said.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will collaborate and continue to consult widely in delivering a liberated State experiencing enduring peace.
Fubara said, in doing so, he would not operate as a dictator but as a member of a team that has the best interest of the State at heart and determined to leave a lasting legacy that can be celebrated.
The governor spoke during the formal presentation of Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Michael Tom, as first class tradition ruler, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Fubara stated that, during the Sixth State Executive Council meeting, N80.8billion was approved with 50 percent contract value paid already as the Government awarded the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road.
He said the project will be funded from the savings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to underscore his administration’s prudence without also borrowing to complete the project.
“We are at a crossroad in our State where we all need to stand for what is right. It happens once in a life time. So, for now, be one of those people that will be in the course to liberate and free our dear State.
“And I know strongly that having the support of a peace-loving Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, having the support of the wonderful Council of Chiefs, having the support of the great people of Rivers State, we will bring peace in our State. We will do those things that are right to develop our State.
“We will continue to consult. We will not act as dictators. We will act as people who know that one day, we will leave, and when we leave, the way we have acted will speak for us. We will not force people to talk good about us. Our legacy will be a signature for how we led”, the governor said.
Fubara explained that he acted within the ambit of the law to upgrade the traditional stool upon which King Ateke Tom sits in recognition of his efforts in promoting peace in Okrika, and indeed, the State, and urged him to continue to do justice to everyone.
In his speech, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon Charles Amadi, congratulated King Ateke Tom for being formally presented with the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office as first class traditional ruler.
Also speaking, former Transport Minister, Chief Abiye Sekibo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise of upgrading the traditional stool of Okochiri Kingdom, and pledged the support of Kirike Se people to his administration.