Front Pix
Buhari Promises To End Corruption, Insecurity …Police Confirm Attack On APC Supporters In Rivers
The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd.) has identified corruption, insecurity and poor economy as the three major problems facing the country and promised to tackle them, if voted into power in February, this year.
Buhari told the mammoth crowd that witnessed his presidential flag-off campaign yesterday at the 40,000 capacity Adokiye Ameseimaka Stadium, Igwuruta-Ali in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, that the level of corruption in the country was intolerable and therefore should be checked.
The APC Presidential standard bearer assured that if voted into power, he would assemble a team of competent Nigerians to work with him to proffer solutions to the numerous problems plaguing the nation.
“The problem we are facing today is the problem of security and economy. We have gathered competent hands to manage the economy and tackle insecurity.
“The level of corruption in Nigeria is intolerable and we will make sure we succeed in fighting corruption when we get there. I wish Nigerians the best of luck and we believe in one indivisible Nigeria”, he said.
Buhari urged eligible voters to collect their permanent voters cards (PVCs) and use them to make a change in the affairs of the nation.
He said, “I appeal to you to mobilize yourselves to ensure that the end justifies the means. I also urge you to collect your PVC to enable you vote to bring in the change we have been talking about”.
The former Head of State commended the Rivers State Governor; Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for his ability to mobilize people which, according to him, earned the governor the Director-General of the APC Presidential campaign.
“We congratulated the governor of Rivers State profusely for being the Director General of the presidential campaign organisation.
I thank you very much for accepting the responsibility to work with our great party.
“Amaechi has made enormous sacrifice. He earned it, he worked for it and I thank him for accepting it. He got it through a lot of hard work. The way Amaechi mobilizes people shows that he is the right choice”, Buhari stated.
Also speaking at the flag-off campaign, the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun described General Buhari as the agent of change, assuring that the APC presidential candidate would straighten the economy and wipe out corruption and insecurity in the country.
“Take a look at him (Buhari), he is as straight in character as he is in figure. If you want corruption wiped out, if you want insecurity tackled, if you want indiscipline eradicated, vote for Buhari”, Oyegun said.
The APC National Chairman said that General Buhari and his running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo were carefully selected as the party’s presidential flagbearers based on their integrity.
Earlier, Governor Amaechi had told the cheering crowd that a group of persons had money to remove him from office but they did not succeed.
He also condemned yesteday’s attack on APC members from Khana and Asari-Toru Local Government Areas of the state who were on their way to the party’s presidential flag-off campaign.
Amaechi said, I thank God for this opportunity. I never knew I would be governor.
Today, I am governor by the grace of God. I have stayed in office till 2015. By this time last year, the men who thought they were God, thought I would have been out of office.
‘By this time last year, men had collect money to remove us from office, but the God we worship never allowed it to happen.
“I want to thank all of you and thank Rivers people, as accepting to make me your governor.
I may not have been the best governor you have ever seen. I am not a perfect man at all, because I am human.
“When we came, we addressed insecurity.
In the past, we could not have had our rally here. We are gradually going back to that. I hear today that members of the APC from Asari-Toru and Khana Local Government Areas were shot at on their way to this place.
“The fact that they shot you brings to the fore the argument we put forward that currently, the government in power cannot protect you and I . why were we shot at? Who bought guns for those people? Who shot at our members?”
Amaechi urged Nigerians to collect their PVCs and vote for all candidates of the APC beginning from General Buhari.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives and guber flag bearer of APC in Sokoto State, Amimu Tambuwal has defended his defection to the APC.
Until October last year, the Speaker was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but he explained at Buhari’s flag-off campaign in Port Harcourt, that he believes Nigeria deserves a better leadership.
“When I defected to APC, many people were surprised but from a very privileged position what we saw was mind boggling,” Tambuwal declared.
He insisted that Gen Buhari candidacy holds better future for Nigeria based on the records of the former military head of state, as he expressed hope that Rivers people will decide to make a good choice to move the country forward.
Hon Tambuwal said the number of supporters who attended the rally was a testimony that the party will win in the state.
The Speaker commended the Governor of Rivers State, Rt.Hon Chibuike Amaechi for making his colleagues, Hon Dakuku Adol Peterside and Hon Asita Honourable as the APC governorship flagbearers in the state.
According to him, “Rivers State will be another National Assembly and we shall support them.
“When I defected to APC, many people were surprise, how can I leave a ruling party to an opposition, on the privilege position of the House of Representative that I presided for three and half years, what we saw and still seeing is a blind government”.
“According to information available to us, we do not deserve the current government and leadership. Nigerians deserve a better leadership. As God may have it we shall have an exemplary leadership led by General Muhammed Buhari come May 29”.
The speaker noted that General Buhari has character and discipline that would restore security in the nation and wipe out corruption in the country.
According to him, “When General Buhari served as minister, we know what he did, when he served as Head of State, his purpose was very clear, today, we have insecurity and corruption in the country, with these people of Rivers State here we have known where they will cast their votes.
He commended the people of the state for their support for change, assuring that APC would end the sufferings of the people.
Other dignitaries at the campaign rally included Lagos, Ogun and Imo State governors, Babatunde Fashola, Ibwkunle Amosu and Rochas Okorocha, respectively.
Others are former FCT Minister, Mallam Nagir el-Rufai, former PDP Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbe and some past and serving National Assembly members.
In a desperate attempt to stop supporters of APC from attending the rally, some masked gunmen in the early hours of the day shot at supporters from Kaani in Khana Local Government around Saakpenwa axis.
The Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Chibuike Amaechi, in his opening speech, accused the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of masterminding the attack.
“They have guns, but we have God and people. We’ll confront them with our determination for change,” he said.
It was also learnt that those who sustained bullet wounds have been rushed to undisclosed hospitals for treatment.
Comrade Celestine Akpobari, a prominent Ogoni and environmental rights activist told newsmen that “I’ m not only confirming that gunmen ambushed some Ogoni people going to APC rally in Port Harcourt, I’m telling you that about five persons sustained injuries from bullet wounds. They have been rushed to natives who specialised in bullet extraction in Ogoniland. The state government has ordered that after the extraction of the bullets they should be taken to the state owned hospital for treatment.”
Akpobari lamented that elections have not started but some people have started spilling other people’s blood.
“No politician is worth anybody’s blood. If you kill everybody, who will you govern,” he queried politicians who send people to kill their opponents.
Also, our correspondent learnt that there was a report about another attack by masked gunmen on APC supporters in their buses.
They were coming from Akuku-Toru and Degema local government areas when the gunmen opened fire on them at Okpo in Asari-Toru Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, the Rivers Police Command has confirmed that unidentified gunmen attacked All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters travelling to Port Harcourt to attend the party’s presidential campaign.
The presidential campaign flag off was held yesterday in Port Harcourt.
DSP Muhammad Ahmad, the command’s spokesman, said in Port Harcourt that the unknown gunmen “opened fire on the APC supporters”.
Ahmad said that the supporters were travelling in group from Buguma in Asari-Turu Local Government Area of the state for the rally.
According to Ahmad, the initial report had shown that there were no casualties.
Ahmad said the command had commenced investigation into the incident, assuring that it would get to its root and bring the suspects to justice.
Boye Salau,
APC Presidential flagbearer, Muhamadu Buhari (middle) with Rivers State flagbearer, Dr Dakuku Peterside (right) at the party’s presidential campaign flag off, in Port Harcourt, yesterday. With them is presidential running mate, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
Enoch Epelle & Ike Wigodo
Front Pix
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.