Connect with us

Politics

I’ll Continue To Uphold Christian Virtues In Governance -Fubara

Published

on

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured the people that his administration will continue to uphold Godly virtues in the governance of the State.
Fubara gave the assurance yesterday, while speaking as a Special Guest at the Synod General Thanksgiving Service of the Church of Nigeria,  Anglican Communion, Province of Niger Delta, Diocese of Evo, held at St Philip’s Anglican Church, Oro-Igwe, Obio Akpor Local Government Area, of the State.
The governor, who read the only lesson at the service, thanked the Evo Diocese for their prayers and support during his electioneering period. He said he was happy to attend the 2023 edition of Synod in the Diocese in his capacity as Governor of Rivers State.
“ About this time last year when we had Synod, we were preparing for elections. The Lord Bishop and the Rt Hon Speaker called me but I refused to attend; the guests were dragging for space, but I didn’t want to drag for space. When you have Jesus, you don’t have to struggle for anything. I’m happy to be here today to look at your faces to assure you that I’m with you. Election is over, what we are doing now is governance and everybody is carried along”, he said.
The governor said his administration, in response to the enormous task of governance in the State,  started on a strong footing with the commencement of the landmark Port Harcourt Ring Road project.
“About our administration, we started with a very gigantic project for the expansion and development of a better Rivers State. We will also do other things in terms of new development in the areas of agriculture and others”, he added.
While assuring that he will also embark on the development of other critical sectors of the economy,  Fubara  frowned against the unpatriotic acts of some people who delight in de-marketing the State, and urged the Church to be good ambassadors by portraying Rivers State in good light.
“I want to appeal to you as a  Church, please, we shouldn’t just leave the crusades for the government and party members, but everyone of us should try  to  market our State. We have some leaders  whose mission is to talk down on Rivers State, they will tell you it’s Rivers of blood, but meanwhile they are living here, they’re coming here every night; Rivers State is peaceful, we are doing our best.
“ While you are doing your Church work, also be crusaders to tell people that in Rivers State, we have a better mission, that against what they are telling you, Rivers State is a place to invest”, he stressed.
The Governor also drew attention to the increasing drive of the youth towards social vices as a result of the negative impact of technology and urged the Church not to rest on its oars to inculcate morals in the youth.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Bishop of Evo Diocese and President  of Synod, Rt Rev Innocent Ordu, thanked the Governor and his entourage for attending the Synod.
Also, the guest preacher and Bishop of Diocese of Esan, Rt Rev Gabriel Elabo, during his sermon said ultimate authority and power can only be found in the name of Jesus Christ and urged Christians who are politicians to rely completely on Jesus Christ for their breakthroughs and not to search for powers elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, on Wednesday, declared that his administration would not take the mandate of Rivers people for granted but work for the development of the State.
Addressing the organised labour in the State, who went on a protest to Government House, the Governor, represented by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Hon Chidi Amadi, said he feels the pains experienced by workers and the masses at large as a result of subsidy removal by the Federal Government.
Fubara commended the workers for their peaceful disposition during the protest and assured them that their complaints would be given due consideration and channelled to the appropriate authorities.
He said his administration had already rolled out  transport buses in the state to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal.

By: Beemene Taneh

Continue Reading

Politics

Rivers Council Polls: Opobo/Nkoro Pledges Support For Cookey-Gam 

Published

on

The people of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area have pledged their support for the re-election of Dr. Enyiada Cookey-Gam come Saturday, October 5, 2024.
The people, under the aegis of Opobo/Nkoro People ‘s Assembly, in a statement in Port Harcourt recently, and signed by its President, Dr. Precious Minimah, Secretary, Rev. Donatus Rufus Amachree and Director, Media and Publicity, Sir Pleasant Uranta, said their decision to support the Council incumbent Chairman, Caretaker Committee, was based on the numerous developmental projects sited in the LGA in the last three years of his government.
“We the members of the group, who are the leaders and representatives of our people, hereby declare our unflinching loyalty and support for Dr Enyiada Cookey-Gam to continue in office come 2024 Local Government elections. We shall work tirelessly to ensure that Opobo/Nkoro cast their votes in favour of Dr. Cookey-Gam and other People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) candidates for the elections,” the statement read in part.
They said that Opobo/Nkoro people would vote for a Chairmanship candidate who would guarantee the security of lives and property in the area, pointing out that the Chairman, Caretaker Committee had over the years demonstrated enough political will to carry along all sections of the LGA in the areas of security of lives and property and equitable spread of projects during his first tenure.
“Cookey-Gam has been tested, trusted and has proven that he has the capacity to manage both human and material resources available in the LGA”, the group added .
The group, an advocate for peace and good governance, noted that it was during Dr CookeyGam’s administration that development projects got to Opobo/Nkoro people who had been living as refugees in various parts of the state and outside since the creation of the LGA.
They equally stated that Opobo/Nkoro, under the present dispensation in the state has witnessed remarkable strides in the management of the Council’s resources and other social developments, saying that health centres, primary schools, skills acquisition centres, maintenance of roads, and bridges among others have been provided to uplift the living condition of Opobo/Nkoro people.

Bethel Toby

Continue Reading

Politics

LP Holds Edo Campaign Rally As Abure Alleges Betrayal

Published

on

Ahead of tomorrow’s governorship election in Edo State, the Labour Party (LP), on Wednesday, held its final mega campaign rally with the party’s leaders, such as Peter Obi, Yusuf Baba-Ahmed, Nenadi Usman, Aisha Yesufu, among others, in attendance, canvassing support for the party’s candidate, Olumide Akpata.
However, the embattled National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, and members of his disputed National Working Committee, were absent.
On Wednesday, the Abure camp, at a press conference in Abuja addressed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, accused Mr Obi and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, of betrayal, following the appointment of a caretaker committee, led by Mrs Nenadi Usman, to lead the party.
Mr Ifoh accused Mr Obi and Governor Otti of teaming up with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to frustrate Mr Abure and his NWC.
Mr Ifoh lamented that rather than stand by the party in its trying moment, the two party leaders betrayed their trust by openly dancing ‘Gwo gwo gwo gwon’ with the electoral umpire.
“Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo” is a popular folk music by nonagenarian highlife artist, Mike Ejeagha, which went viral this year on social media.
Mr Ifoh said, “The party is miffed by the actions of our leaders including our former presidential candidate and our only governor who should be defending the party at this trying moment. They ought to know that the LP is going through challenging times over its role in defending both leaders during the 2023 general election. Our leadership went to the trenches with Obi, cascading through the nooks and crannies canvassing for votes.
“For the benefit of hindsight, not a few Nigerians will forget how we accommodated some of these leaders when they were denied tickets in their former political parties. Many who suddenly sought the head of Julius Abure to be served on a platter were rolling on the floors, begging for tickets. Some couldn’t even afford to pay for the nomination forms.
“The same LP leadership stood by our then governorship candidate in Abia through thick and thin, snubbing all sorts of pressures, weathering the political and judicial storms to ensure that victory was achieved. Today, these leaders are now dancing ‘Gwo gwo gwo ngwo’ with us. What a shame, what a betrayal.”
The drama comes barely one week after the party dragged INEC to court to stop the commission from granting recognition to the newly installed Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee.
Days ago, the media was also awash with INEC’s counter-affidavit to the effect that the tenure of the Abure-led executives has expired to justify its attempt to confer legitimacy on the 29-member committee inaugurated by Mr Obi, Governor Otti and the party’s stakeholders.
But Mr Ifoh vowed, on Wednesday, that the ‘illegal arrangement’ wouldn’t stand, stressing that the committee members were handpicked by factions of the party in the most undemocratic fashion.
He also accused INEC of trying to destabilise the party by taking sides and attempting to undermine the LP leadership.
“As you are aware, the party has since sued INEC challenging its exclusion from the commission’s refresher training for uploading party agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections. However, INEC had in a counter-affidavit, filed in response to our suit argued that the Labour Party’s leadership, including Julius Abure, is invalid, stressing that it does not recognise the party’s March 2024 National Convention.
“Every Nigerian alive knows the role INEC played in the 2023 general election and how the electoral will of the people were dashed. It amazes us that those who suffered from this INEC’s ineptitude in 2023, are now joining forces with the commission against the party leadership. For these leaders, there is no qualm to leverage on the INEC’s standpoint of illegality to attempt to seize the leadership of the party.
“We sincerely want to advise these leaders that INEC is and can never be the model on which to launch their annexation agenda. The 2023 saga is still fresh. In one breath, we demonised INEC. In another, you are seen fraternising with them. I ask, where was this loyalty when INEC failed to protect the will of the people in 2023? Let us not be fooled. INEC has not changed, and come 2027, they will once again serve you the portage with the same dish,” he stated.

Continue Reading

Politics

INEC Deploys 5,000 BVAS, 18,000 Ad hoc Staff For Edo Poll

Published

on

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would begin the deployment of more than 5,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS) machines and other sensitive materials from Thursday (yesterday) for the Edo State governorship election scheduled for Saturday (tomorrow).
Sensitive materials, including ballot papers and result sheets, arrived in Edo State on Wednesday via Benin Airport and were transported to secure storage facilities under tight security.
This comes as the 17 political parties participating in the poll were to end their campaign yesterday.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, Barr Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) are the leading contenders ahead of the ballot.
INEC officials and security personnel supervised the transportation of the election materials to ensure accountability.
Multiple senior INEC officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed to The Tide source that more than 5,000 BVAS devices would be deployed for the election.
“More than 5,000 BVAS devices will be deployed for the Edo State governorship election. BVAS is a sensitive election material. It will be deployed tomorrow (Thursday) with other sensitive materials,” one of the officials disclosed.
INEC is preparing to ensure a smooth and efficient electoral process across the state’s 4,519 polling units and 211 collation centres, which include 192 ward centres, 18 local government collation centres, and the state collation centre in Benin City.
As part of its preparation for the polls, INEC has increased its financial support to transport unions for the election logistics.
Additionally, the commission has been engaging with various stakeholders ranging from political parties and civil society groups to community leaders—to ensure that the electoral process is transparent and inclusive.
It was further learnt that the commission would deploy more than 18,000 ad-hoc staff for the poll.
Based on INEC’s staffing structure, each of the 4,519 polling units in Edo State will require a team of four officers, comprising a Presiding Officer and three Assistant Presiding Officers (APO I, II, and III), totaling 18,076 ad-hoc staff.
In addition to the POs and APOs, INEC will also dispatch Supervisory Presiding Officers to manage operations at various polling units across the state.

 

Continue Reading

Trending