By ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA

A pressure movement known as ‘The Green Alliance’ (TGA), has called on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Godwin Emefiele, to contest the 2023 Presidential election, with a pledged to purchase the nomination and expression of interest forms for him.

The group made the call today while walking round the streets of Asaba, the capital of Delta State, in a roadshow like calling on Nigerians to add voices to the persuasion for the CBN Governor to join the 2023 presidential race. Telling everyone that Emefiele’s achievements in CBN were numerous and cannot be quantified, so they were appealing, pleading and persuading Emefiele to declare for the presidency.

In his speech, the convener of the group, Wale Fapohunda, who disclosed that The Green Alliance movement was right now the biggest movement in Africa 🌍 with over 6million members, that their social media handles keep getting requests on a daily basis, noted that TGA believe that what the country needed was a man who has experience in steering the economy in the right direction, hence their call for Emefiele to join the race in 2023.

While saying ‘MEFFY 2023- PEACE PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY” was the group slogan, the TGA Convener said: “Our followers and membership recorded over 800,000 people who joined our movement across the 36 States of the Federation, promising to go all the way with us until Dr. Godwin Ifeanyichukwu Emefiele yields to our clarion call, and to further reinstate our love, commitment and confidence in what this distinguished Nigerian can do if he eventually yields to our cry, we at the TGA have decided and offered to purchase the expression of interest and nomination form for Dr. Godwin Ifeanyichukwu Emefiele to contest the 2023 presidential elections under the platform of the APC.

“This selfless gesture is borne out of the conviction we repose in his capacity, his dodgeness, his developmental prowess, his financial and economy expertise to deliver good governance to Nigeria 🇳🇬 and Nigerians.

“It will also interest you to know that many of our members in diaspora are also calling for Dr, Godwin Ifeanyichukwu Emefiele to please kindly yield to our call and take on the bull by the horn.

“He has done it before in the business world, we believe he can deliver excellently if given the opportunity to serve his fathers land”.

Fapohunda said TGA want Emefiele as President because he will be a bridge builder, that the former MD of Zenith Bank and now CBN Governor has pushed through measures that has halted importations and moved the nation’s agricultural sector to a great height.

Also speaking, the co-founder of TGA, Mr. Valentine Gabriel, the movement women Leader and director of mobilization, Angela Ajufor and TGA national legal adviser, Akin Osomo all said they were begging Emefiele to contest for President in 2023 that they would mobilize Nigerians to support him.

“The man stand above other contestants. He has the capacity to develop the country better than others. Emefiele is a detriabalize man and he will handle the nation’s economy same way he handled CBN.

By: Palmer Ogheneyole Nathaniel

Thousands of supporters of the Majority Leader and Honorable Member representing Isoko South Constituency II in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Chief Ferguson Onwo, yesterday passed a vote of confidence in him for his sterling performance in his first tenure, urging him to contest for same position in the 2023 general election.

The people who thronged the Lawmaker’s country home in Olomoro in their numbers, said Onwo has within a short period of representing them, demonstrated that truly government can work for and in the interest of the common man.

Speaking during the event, a former Leader of Isoko South Legislative Arm and current Special Assistant to the Governor, Hon. Chief Emamusi Obiodeh, said, “We have seen the Majority demonstrate true leadership both at home and in his support for the Speaker in the management of the affairs of the House. We are proud to see our son hold a position as strategic as that of the leader of the House. “

“During this short period of his representation, we have witnessed development first hand across all the wards in the Constituency. Even as a first timer Hon. Onwo has been able to execute at least 2 projects in all the 6 wards of our constituency. His emergence as the Majority Leader which is something very unusual in the political permutations, indicates that he is a man highly favored by God,” he added.

On his part, a Port Harcourt-based Lawyer and philanthropist Barr. (Chief) Afahokor Duncan who spoke on behalf of his Umeh community, said Hon. Onwo as a representative had during his electioneering campaign in 2019, promised the people of Umeh Community some projects. He said several of the projects has been completed and others are currently ongoing.

Afahokor who is the Administrator of the pan-Isoko advocacy page on Facebook, declared that himself and other constituents across the wards in the constituency has resolved to purchase the nomination and expression of interest form for the Lawmaker to further indicate the level of seriousness and support for his second term agenda.

In his response, the Majority Leader who doubles as the Chairman, House Committee on Information, said he was overwhelmed by the commendations and supports, thanking the people for the huge confidence reposed in him. He said the mammoth crowd that gathered in his honour was a rare privilege which he would never take for granted. He appealed to the people to give him more time to consider their requests as he is presently occupied with the mandate given to him in 2019.

“I have actually thought of presenting my scorecard to constituents very soon to unvail what i have achieved so far in this period of my administration but I’m overwhelmed today hearing leaders recounting some of my projects in their various wards which shows a sign of contentment, however on the part of calling me to run for second term i want to state here that a day is coming that I’ll respond to the call, i want to appeal to you all to allow me some little time even as I cons=tinue to serve in the mandate you willingly gave me in 2019.

Among dignitaries that graced the occasion were Chief Daniel Jamaho, Chief Gabriel Erueme, Barr. Mrs Rose Uwhubiti and Chief Sunny Akpotu,

Leading the local Government legislative arm to the event was the Deputy Leader of the House, Hon. Dickson Osifo. Other councilors present include, Hon Blessing Emiakumor representing Igbide Ward 07B Majority Leader Isoko South Legislative Arm, Hon. Silver Onuje Ewhese representing Igbide Ward 07B, Hon Tony Osima- representing Aviara Ward, Hon Joyce Emuakpor representing Uzere Ward 05, Hon Millo Ojobor- Erowa/Umeh ward, Hon Godspower Odhomi- Olomoro Ward 09, Hon Kingsley Oghenemaro Ologbo representing Olomoro Ward 10, Hon. Samson Ovunuwerodi representing Okpolo/ Enhwe Ward 09, Hon. David Ezede supervisory councilor for works Isoko South LGA.

The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, has secured the overwhelming endorsement and unanimous approval of his people and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency of Delta State, to re-contest the House of Representatives seat, in the 2023 general elections.

Elumelu’s endorsement was sequel to his consultation visits over the weekend to the critical stakeholders of his party, the PDP, in the four Local Government Area of the Federal Constituency, where he formally declared his intention to re-contest for the seat in the 2023 general elections

Elumelu, who currently represents Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, was accorded a resounding reception befitting royalty, by the Party leaders and critical stakeholders in each of the Local Government Areas of Aniocha North, Oshimili South, Aniocha South and Oshimili North respectively.

Addressing the leaders of the Party, Elumelu noted that the timing of the consultative visit followed the approval of the PDP guidelines for the 2023 general election by the Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

“Having approved the guidelines by virtue of the Electoral act and having so complied, it becomes very imperative and a must for us to pick up our forms. Of course, I cannot pick up the forms when you have not given me the mandate to do so. We have only between Thursday 17th and Sunday 20th to do that and that why I have come to consult with you in that regard.

Elumelu revealed how the Principal Secretary to the Delta State Governor single handedly purchased the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for him but that he decided not to pick the forms until he had received the approval of his people; a mandate which was overwhelmingly given to him in the four Local Government Areas.

The federal lawmaker used the opportunity of the massive gathering of his people to brief them of his activities in the House of Representatives. He also explained in details, the three gender bills which the House of Representatives has returned for reconsideration.

The bills include those on indigeneship by marriage, citizenship by marriage for foreign women married to Nigerian men as well as Affirmative action which seeks to amend section 223 of the constitution to provide 5% affirmative action to ensure women occupy at least 35% in political party administration.

On Affirmative action, the Minority leader said that the Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has already commenced with the implementation in the State.

“I am happy to inform you that your Son, His Excellency the humble and working Governor of our dear State has started implementing it one by one. Today, we have more women now as councilors in the Local Government in Delta State and it is compulsory for a woman to be Local Government Vice Chairman in our State.

“So, I told them that in Delta State we are already practicing it, but for the purposes of making it universal, we will support the bill to scale through,” the Minority leader assured.

On who takes over from the incumbent State Governor in 2023, Elumelu pleaded with the critical stakeholders to be circumspect and united in searching for a suitable candidate who can leverage on the achievements of Governor Okowa to further lift the State forward

While commending his constituents for their continuous prayers and support for him, Elumelu affirmed that his representation, particularly his intervention in infrastructural and human capital development, has in no small measure, put the Aniocha/Oshimili in the front burner of socio-economic and political development in Nigeria.

He also affirmed that his empowerment programme for 2021 is ready and awaiting a date by Governor Okowa, who is expected to hand over the empowerment items to beneficiaries.

“The empowerment we did last year was for 2020. The 2021 empowerment is ready. We are going to march to the Cenotaph in a few days to collect our empowerment items,” he announced.

Stakeholders in the four Local Government Areas, all applauded Elumelu’s impressive performance in the National Assembly and collectively endorsed him to contest for re-election into the House of Representatives in the forthcoming general election.

While unanimously endorsing him to re-contest under the PDP, the critical stakeholders appreciated Hon. Hillary Ibegbulem for helping the people of the Federal Constituency to procure the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the Minority Leader.

They mandated Hon. Elumelu to, without delay, accept the forms, while assuring his of their support at every level of his aspiration

Elumelu was overwhelmingly received at each of the Local Government Areas by party leaders, ward executive members, Local Government Executive members, leaders and members of the Legislative arms and massive turnout of youths in the Federal Constituency.

It was a resounding display of competence and capacity to govern Delta State on Friday when a leading aspirant for the 2023 governorship race in the state, Hon Efe Ofobruku, met with the committee constituted by the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, to interact with the governorship aspirants from Delta Central Senatorial District.

The committee, headed by the UPU President-General, Olorogun Moses Taiga, comprised of representatives from the academia, clergy, women and chairman of the forum of Urhobo President-Generals.

Ofobruku, a two-time lawmaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and immediate past Special Adviser to the Governor on Legislative matters told the committee that part of what he intends to do differently is to change the narrative as regards the economy and social development of the state is putting in place a system of government he termed “Entrepreneurial Governance”.

“Bearing in mind all of these that, we will be able to key into the existing development plan of the state government having served in different capacities in the state. We will be re-engineering the system and processes in the state.

“We will run a system of government whereby government creates the enabling environment and the private sector drives the economic activities of the various sectors of the economy hence creating jobs, creating wealth and making taxes available to the government.

This is because by creating jobs the people will pay tax, by creating wealth those who are creating wealth will pay tax for the government to have funds to work with to address other socio-economic issues that are the responsibility of the government,” said Ofobruku.

The outspoken politician from Uvwie Local Government Area seized the opportunity of his meeting with the UPU committee to address the issue of ‘One Belle’ and youths begging all over the streets of Asaba.

“The existing government has designed a template already for wealth creation by making sure that people acquire skills but this time around we intend to take it to a new level by setting up a TASK TEAM that will first and foremost, interact with those shortlisted before they embark on the Skills acquisition programme.

“When they are shortlisted, before they are trained, they will have to pass through the TASK TEAM.
I have personally realised that some people who are sent on these Skills acquisition trainings are not interested.
So, we have a situation where people go for Skills acquisition, they are given Starter Packs and they sell them.

“The TASK TEAM will filter out those who do not want to acquire skills and take a step further to know their area of interest and strength so as to integrate them into the system through other means.

“On the issue of most of our youths getting involved in Yahoo, Yahoo or Yahoo Plus. What we call Yahoo is hacking; they hack into the databases of banks, individuals, large corporations and transfer funds.

“We intend to set up Delta State model of Sìlicon Valley where these young men with such skills will be brought together so that the hacking skill can be harnessed.
Because we believe that if they can design the algorithm to hack, with minimun training they can also create the algorithm that will serve as antidote which in the information technology world is called a Firewall to block hacking and secure data.
Such firewall can be licensed, patented and patent right paid to the developer by which both the youths and government will be making money.”

Continuing, Ofobruku told the UPU to be wary of some gladiators that are in the field now saying some of them have pending court cases, on the watchlist of EFCC, have cases of forgery and even lying under oath.

He said, “Among those who are gladiators in the race, I present myself as the only one without blemish.
It will be a disaster and a great disservice to the entire Urhobo nation if, at the end of the day, we get a candidate, who wins the primary and is disqualified either after the primary or after winning the general election.

“So, if we must go to the battle, we must go with a candidate that has taken time to prepare for the job, that has read, that has also cut his teeth politically. Among all those who are aspiring today, I am the only one that has won elections under the most difficult circumstances in the state.

“Let UPU look at the credentials of some these gladiators ahead of time and if possible they can reach out to the relevant authorities and check if actually, these people have what they are parading.”

Following the brilliant presentation of Ofobruku, the UPU PG, Olorogun Taiga and his committee members who were overwhelmed intermittently clapped for Ofobruku during the interaction due to the fact that among those who presented themselves to the committee he was the only one who could address every issue using the Urhobo dialect and English Language perfectly.

This was very instructive to the UPU committee because some of the governorship aspirants who have appeared before it could not articulate issues using the local dialect and some even struggled with speaking English Language.

The UPU PG prayed for Hon Efe Ofobruku, wished him well and hoped that his party leadership and members and indeed Deltans will decide in his favour.

By ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA

Ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries for the 2023 general elections, the Aniocha North Local Government Area (ANLG) of Delta State Chapter of the Party, have unanimously resolved not to adopt any gubernatorial or legislative aspirant, unless the leader of the Party in the State, Governor Ifeany Okowa gives a direction.

The PDP leaders/stakeholders in ANLG, who added that any leader /stakeholder doing otherwise, would be doing so on his or her own without their support, disclosed this in a 10-point communique raised and duly signed by 28 leaders including some aspirants after two enlarged stakeholders meetings held at the country home of Prof. Sylvester Monye, MFR, Senior Policy Adviser to Governor Okowa, in Onicha-Ugbo.

The communique disclosed that the PDP in Aniocha North retrospectively considered their past performances in primaries and general elections that were characterised by intrigues, group clashes, infighting, alleged rigging and near permanent enmity which had always resulted to low voters turnouts, as a concomitant effect of the apathy at polls, thereby performing poorly in overall elections in the State.

The communique, which was signed by, Prof. Sylvester Monye, Emma Bazim Chinye, Jaunty Okwudi, Dr Val Okafor, Barr. Callistus Nwawolo, Dan Okenyi, Engr. Modungwo Austine, Andy Offor, Dr. Michael Nwoko, Adam Anyasi, Barr. Tonnie Nwaokwu, Paul Nmah, Engr. Fidel Onwordi, Prince Uzoma Idaboh and others, rejected any consensus arrangement for the House of Assembly under any guise.

See Communique:

“The two editions of Aniocha-North PDP Leaders/Stakeholders meeting held at the country home of Professor Sylvester Monye, MFR, the Senior Policy Adviser to His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa retrospectively considered our past performances in both primaries and general elections, characterized by intrigues, group clashes, in-fighting, alleged rigging and almost permanent enmity which have always resulted to low voters turn-out as a concomitant effect of apathy at the polls, thereby contributing very little to the overall fortunes of the party in Delta State.

“In the two meetings, which were also well attended by aspirants of mostly House of Assembly, unanimously resolved as follows:

That we shall not rush to adopt any gubernatorial aspirant, unless the leader of PDP in the State, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa gives us a direction. Any leader or stakeholder doing otherwise will be doing so on his or her own without our support.

2. That for House of Assembly primaries, we shall no longer accept any form of consensus arrangement under any guise.

3. That we shall no longer accept any form of manipulation, geared towards rigging.

4. That all aspirants who have purchased nomination and expression of interest forms from PDP shall be entitled to participate in the primaries.

5. That the primary election shall be free, fair and transparent.
6. That all aspirants shall undertake to support whoever emerges from the primaries.

7. That all aspirants shall continue to support PDP in all activities whether they lose or win.8. That leaders/stakeholders shall continue to support PDP by upholding her policies, guidelines, directives and the Constitution of the party.

9. That this communique shall be transmitted to the following:

i. The Governor of Delta State, Send. Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa.
ii. The Chairman, PDP, Delta State.
III. The Chairman, PDP, Delta North Senatorial District.
iv. The Chairman, PDP, Aniocha North LGA.
v. All PDP House of Assembly aspirants.

10. That this communique shall be endorsed to buttress its validity by the following Leaders and stakeholders, including aspirants for the State House of Assembly.