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2019: Vote Buhari, Be Cursed, Benue Indigenes Warned …As Ortom Sacks Cabinet, Plans Defection
President, National Association of Benue State Indigenes (NABENSI), Moses Mwarga Aji, has said that any Benue indigene who votes for President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general elections would be cursed.
Aji, who was reacting to arraignment of former Benue State governor, Gabriel Susuam, by the Federal Government, over alleged illegal possession of arms, challenged Buhari to withdraw his inaugural remarks that he belongs to everybody.
The NABENSI President told newsmen in Kaduna that Buhari’s action and body language has proven beyond reasonable doubt that he belongs to those of Fulani extraction only.
“I think President Buhari should go back and withdraw his Inaugural speech that, ‘I’m for nobody, I’m for everybody’. President Buhari has shown clearly that he belongs to the Fulani extraction, and apart from that, he does not consider any other ethnic group in this county outside the Muslims and Fulani herdsmen,” he said.
The national president, who described the arrest and arraignment of the former governor of Benue State as unfortunate, argued that a lot of people have been carrying arms illegally in the country without any arrest by the Federal Government’s security agencies.
“A lot of people have been carrying arms illegally moving around with sophisticated weapons and nothing is happening to them.
“Where did the Fulani people get AK-47 from, and moving around, busy killing people every now and then but nothing has happened to them; yet Buhari did not comment?
“How many arms were caught with Susuam? They are victimizing him because he’s a staunch member of PDP. But the prayers of the masses will guide him and protect him, irrespective of the frustration and threat being meted out to him as former governor.
“A lot of people possess arms illegally, a lot of people are coming in with arms illegally and nothing is happening to them. Nobody has questioned them. Our borders are porous and people are getting arms in anyhow, why must it be the former governor of Benue State that’s illegal. What Federal Government is doing to him will make him more popular and attract more people’s sympathy with him politically,” he explained.
Aji enjoined indigenes of Benue State to remain calm, be vigilante and peaceful, saying there would be no development without peace.
“But if you’re push to the wall, you have no option than to react. I said this without fear of favour. Buhari has shown to the entire world that he is unfair.
“Miyetti Allah has been making provocative statements and utterances, and later executes them. Can anyone compare lives of human beings with cow? Miyetti Allah has been openly saying that the attacks are retaliatory killings and nobody or DSS arrested them.
“When over 200 were killed in Plateau, nobody was arraigned, it happened in Benue; Miyetti Allah claimed responsibility, and nothing happened to their leaders.
“January 1, many were killed in Benue, January 13th, Miyetti Allah came out and said there will be more bloodshed in Benue, and it comes to pass but nobody arrested their leaders the claimants, so how can anybody say Buhari has been fair to Benue people who voted him massively against their Christian brother, Goodluck Jonathan?
“Let me send him a message to him, which Buhari has lost in the entire Benue State, nobody, will vote for him in 2019. And anyone who vote for him in 2019 will be cursed,” he stated.
Meanwhile, in an apparent move to checkmate perceived disloyalty and insubordination in his administration ahead of 2019 general elections, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has sacked his State Executive Council (SEC).
A statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Anthony Ijoho, SAN, says four commissioners and seven special advisers were, however, to retain their portfolios.
The commissioners, who retained their positions include, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Michael Gusa, Commissioner for Education Science and Technology, Professor Dennis Ityavyar, Commissioner for Finance, Mr. David Olufu, and that of Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals, Mr. Bernard Unenge.
According to the statement, the special advisers, who have also retained they portfolios were those of Development Cooperation, SDGs and NEPAD, Dr Magdalyne Dura, Special Adviser on Education, Mr. Matthew Mnyam, Special Adviser on Gender, Employment and Labour Matters, Chief Ode Enyi, Special Adviser on Government House Administration, Mr. Thomas Anajav, Special Adviser on Media, Information and Technology, Mr. Tahav Agerzua, Special Adviser on Security, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Hemba, retired, and Special Adviser on Special Duties, Mr. Joseph Odaudu.
The statement says “the partial dissolution of the SEC takes immediate effect and the outgoing members of council were to handover to their permanent secretaries or most senior director as the case may be.”
The SSG quotes his principal as expressing profound appreciation to outgoing members of the SEC for their services to the state, and wished them well in their future endeavours.
Meanwhile, all may not be well in the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as there are strong indications that Governor Samuel Ortom may likely dump the party anytime soon.
Our source reliably gathered that the decision of the governor to quit might not be unconnected with the alleged plan to stop him from contesting the 2019 governorship race in the ruling APC.
It was gathered that the Presidency was not happy with the governor for confronting the Federal Government on the killings in the state, and had reportedly decided to replace him in the forthcoming governorship election.
The plan, according to a source, was alleged to have been executed at the APC’s top level by a leader of the party in the state, Senator George Akume.
An impeccable source told our source that a one-time House of Representatives member, Hon Emmanuel Jime, who was denied the ticket of the party in 2015, was being considered to fly the party’s flag in 2019.
The source cited the party’s recent national convention as a pointer to what was to come as T-shirts, posters and customised table water, bearing Jime’s name as well as mobile toilets bearing Jime’s posters for the Benue governorship election flooded the Eagle Square, Abuja.
Akume, whose influence had helped Ortom become governor in 2015, controlled the party structure from ward to state levels in the just concluded congresses.
Ortom had recently told journalists that he came to the party without a structure in 2015, hence he was not bothered about the development.
However, it was learnt that Ortom had constituted his campaign team at ward and local government levels, comprising the names of his loyalists who were detailed to prepare for any eventuality.
One of the aides to the governor told our source in Makurdi, last Friday, that members of the campaign team were those earlier pencilled to take control of party structure at ward and local government levels but were denied.
He added that the same people were to take control of the campaign team which would be used when the governor decides to move.
The source said, “It is true that we don’t want to take any chances because it is clear that the chances of our principal to fly the APC’s flag in the forthcoming election are very slim. It is no longer news that the governor does not control the party’s structure, and there was a glaring signal at the national convention in Abuja a few weeks ago where our governor was reduced to a mere spectator.
“His name was not even mentioned for introduction by the master of ceremony. His days in the APC are numbered; he is just waiting for the appropriate time to move. The campaign team we have constituted is in preparation for the plan to move.”
According to the source, the only delay for Ortom’s defection was the uncertainty around the party he was moving to.
“There is no specific party for now. That is why the governor is taking his time. But he is already establishing contact with the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Some of his supporters are already in the SDP, while chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are also prevailing on him to join them.”
When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Terver Akase, debunked the plans of his principal to defect.
“There may be disagreements between the two leaders, which is natural, but that has been put to rest. The issue of defection is not on the ground at all for now,” Akase said.
Similarly, the state Chairman of the party, Abba Yaro, denied the alleged plans of the governor to defect, saying “he is going nowhere.”
When asked of the party’s plan to bring Jime as an alternative to Ortom, the party chairman said, “There is nothing like that. All those things he did at the Eagle Square in Abuja are a way of exercising his freedom. Let him come to Benue and tell us.”
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.