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Bayelsa PDP Jittery As Sylva’s Camp Joins New PDP
All is not well with Bayelsa State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, as a group of influential members of the party loyal to the immediate past Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, has broken away to join the new PDP under the national leadership of Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje.
The faction,led by an Interim Chairman and former Security Adviser to Timipre Sylva,Chief Richard Kpodor, is made up of former chairmen of the PDP in the existing Senatorial Districts and local government areas of the state.
The list of interim leaders of the new faction includes the former Publisher of the Spynet Magazine and close friend of Timipre Sylva,Mr.Sidi D. Godwin, the former Commissioner for Water Resources, Chief K.D.Francis Itiokeife, the former Local Government Council Chairman of Kolokuma/Opokuma, Hon. Ineye Ingbaifegha.
Others include a public commentator and loyalist of Sylva,Sir Tonye Okio,Hon. Alabo Martins,Abel Ogboma,Timi Frank,Abule Okara and Braboke Stanley.
The emergence of the group has generated a lot of jitters in the old PDP as more prominent politicians from all the divide have identified as members of the new PDP .
However, a check on the list of those who have already shown interest revealed that they are mainly those who were dumped at the emergence of the new administration in the state.
A source and a leading member of the Timipre Sylva administration said the “real” PDP members in Bayelsa State are re-grouping and have pledged loyalty to the Alhaji Kawu Baraje and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola leadership of the PDP.
According to him, “you guys are aware of the illegality perpetrated by the President in the state without due recourse to democratic norms. We are ready to fight him to stand still. We want to tell the world that he is not a political weight in his home town.”
Although, the claim that the likes of the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Timi Alaibe is sympathetic to the new PDP could not be confirmed, as he was alleged to be aggrieved due to the shameful treatment meted out to him at the last mini convention of the party in Abuja.
Timi Alaibe’s name, as delegate of the Party from Bayelsa State, was reportedly replaced at the last minute with that of the Special Adviser on Domestic Matters to the President, Dr. Waripamowei Dudafagha. But a close aide to Alaibe said his boss was a private person now and would not want to be dragged into politics of the PDP.
But the duo of the former Deputy President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC),Comrade Preye Agama and Hon. Alabo Martins,whose names were included as signatories in an advertorial in a national daily, denied being party to the emergence of the group.
The group had made publications in a national daily congratulating the new PDP national leadership in which the names of Agama and Martins featured as signatories.
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.