Top Nigerian financial, accounting and management professional, Chief Charles Nenyiaba, has called on Deltans to embrace Olorogun David Edevbie as the best choice to serve the interest of all ethnic groups in the governorship of the state.
Speaking with journalists in Asaba during the week, Nenyiaba who recounted his experiences working with him in the Delta State Ministry of Finance pointed out that Edevbie is the most detribalised Nigerian and Deltan he has ever come across and one of the most visionary politicians and professionals available not only in Delta State but across the country.
“I worked with Edevbie and I know him very very well. He is extremely detribalised. He believes in competence, performance and delivery of goals. He approaches issues professionally and objectively without regard to tribal sentiments.
“When he came into office as Commissioner of Finance and Economic Planning under Chief James Ibori, he got two of us, myself and Clement Ufuani, as his Special Assistants. I am from Ika and Clement is from Aniocha. We were his core team. What does that tell you?
“I came from Kaduna where I had been practicing accountancy for years. I was not part of the political system, I didn’t know him before then. When he interviewed me, it was all about the practical job, he never asked me which tribe I came from.
“His secondary staffs, mostly civil servants, were from Ndokwa, Ukwani, Ijaw, Itsekiri and so on. The office was like United Nations. You would never know which tribe the boss was from because there was never any suggestion of Urhobo sentiment or domination in the running of the ministry.
“When we came in, the office was in such haphazard nature. The whole system was analog. David started the transformation of the office to bring it to the standard of what he was used to overseas. That was how we started the computerisation of our operations, centralised the payment system and also introduced the Cash Budget System.
David Edevbie
“The innovation he brought gave great confidence to all service providers and eliminated apprehensions. People could predict when their payment would be ready and can transact with their banks without fear. The system gave no room for influence peddling, whether you are a big man or small man or whether you are from this or that ethnic group. Everybody was treated equally and served efficiently.
Olorogun David Edevbie
“It was from the successes of the innovations that David introduced that we proceeded to develop Project E-Delta which I headed, to computerise the operations of various ministries, departments and agencies of Delta State.
“His strategies helped the state to increase its revenue base rapidly because once he introduced order and efficiency, all other things began to fall in place seamlessly. That was how the government was able to access funds to embark on the capital projects for the development of the state.
David Edevbie
“That is David for you. He is an agent of change, modernisation and high performance.
“I am an Agbor man but I plead with all Deltans not to make any mistake in this matter. With David as Governor, Delta State will see a more modern governance, Deltans will experience a leap in development and we all will be the happier for it.”
Olorogun David Edevbie is a good product and a good product is not difficult to market. You can only envy it but you cannot competite with the product. That is what Olorogun David Edevbie stand for, and in the determination of who succeeds His Excellency, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, to sustain his legacies and further drive the development and growth of Delta State, we cannot substitute such for lesser quality.
For those who suggest that Chief Onanefe Ibori brought him into government merely based on friendship, we wish to remind them that Governor Ibori, indeed, HEAD-HUNTED Edevbie from the Commonwealth Development Corporation when he was an investment officer for Asia and the Pacific Region, responsible for the development of investments in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Philippines and other Asian Tiger countries, and that he sacrificed his corporate career to serve his home state and country, which he has done excellently.
As Commissioner of Finance under Governor Ibori, he grew the revenue and budget of the state by over 1000 per cent in just four years, from N6b in 1999 to over N60b by 2003.
He led the Commissioners of Finance of the oil-producing states to pursue and actualise the payment of the 13% Derivation, which provided a special and extra revenue for the Niger Delta states. These are verifiable facts for all to see.
These foundations laid by David Edevbie account for Delta State’s revenue growth, capacity to fund various capital projects across the state and its relative financial stability and progress.
While we have Chief Ibori to thank for identifying and bringing such a talent to serve Delta State and the nation, we wish to make it clear that President Umaru Yar’adua did not appoint Edevbie his Principal Secretary merely by the nomination of Chief Ibori.
For the records, Edevbie was identified to Governor Umaru Yar’adua by a former colleague, Tanimu Yakubu, founding President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and then Katsina State Commissioner of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, through their interactions as Finance Commissioners of their different states.
Recognising his qualities, Yar’adua requested Chief Ibori to avail him of Edevbie’s services as Director of Finance and Strategy for his Presidential Campaign.
In appreciation of Edevbie’s excellent performance, Yar’adua further appointed him as his Principal Secretary in 2008.
Working in the Presidency, Edevbie contributed in crafting some of the policies that saw Yar’adua’s government set up Nigeria’s first Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).
Teaming up with other key officials of government, Edevbie contributed greatly in working out the Presidential Amnesty Programme that led to ending the Niger Delta crisis and boosting the country’s crude oil output from 800,000bpd back to 2 million bpd.
We are proud to note that while our Niger Delta youths survived the invasion of Odi and Choba and intensified militancy, while our elders are rightly still in the agitation for restructuring, Edevbie utilised his time at the Presidency and employed his professional skills to contribute towards the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the establishment of the Presidential Amnesty Programme which, to a large extent, have not only accorded more resources to the Niger Delta, supported skills acquisition and employability of Niger Delta youths, but have also ensured relative peace in the region.
Having demonstrated such enormous capacity and clout, both in private and public service, to add value and deliver effective governance, peace and development, he is just the right person to govern and modernise Delta State.
Deltans cannot mortgage such quality and the prospects of economic advancement he presents, on the altar of primordial political and sectional sentiments.
Edevbie is truly a good product that is easy to market and can not be destroyed.
Let the best do it for the good and glory of all Deltans.
A Chieftain of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and a Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Development, Comrade John Ochuko Oberhonobe has identified the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Desopadec, Chief Barr John Obukowho Nani as a purposeful and result oriented grassroot politician, who has displayed uncommon feat in the political hemisphere of Delta State.
Oberhonobe made this assertion while speaking to newsmen when the leadership of a noble body, PDP Grassroot Youth Leaders Forum paid him a congratulatory visit over his reappointment into the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa administration at Okpara waterside recently in Ethiope East local government area.
The former PDP youth leader in Ethiope East LGA described Chief Nani as a leader per excellence, a quintessential and resourceful grassroot politician whose leadership quality and human kindness towards the fulfilment of the yearnings of his constituents and beyond is unmatched, undoubted and excellent.
“He said, going by the exceptional nature of Nani’s leadership prowess, project oriented ideology and grassroot mobilization capacity, as well as his premium concern for civic responsibility in service delivery, he remains remarkably second to none in Delta Central”
Oberhonobe emphasized that his interest for younger generation to build and develop self in societal leadership, value, economic reliance and skills acquisitions is awe, as it’s the basic tenets to command leadership respect and drive confidence, he added.
Reiterating Nani’s community development quest and social justice is unprecedented. Noting that, his good governance policy, accountability and economic empowerment schemes have not went unnoticed across the Delta Central and the State in general.
He however thanked His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa for his kind and rare heart of building young people in government, noting that his reappointment was at of God’s divine will and agreement.
The SA to Gov Okowa also appreciated his brothers and sisters of PDP Grassroot Youth leaders Forum for the solidarity and love shown. Thus, he encouraged all party leaders and members to support and rally round Chief Barr John Obukowho Nani for Senate as we approach 2023 general elections, he concluded.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Delta State Chapter has dismissed the latest Press Release by the State All Progressives Congress, APC, titled “DELTA APC REJECTS ASTRONOMICAL HIKE IN SCHOOL FEES IN DELTA STATE BY PDP-LED OKOWA ADMINISTRATION”, describing it as cheap and dangerous propaganda to mislead Deltans with the intent to score cheap political points.
PDP
A statement by the Delta PDP State Publicity Secretary Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a spurious and totally provocative, misleading drivel signed by a certain Dr. Omene Odafe, who claims to be the Director of Publicity, APC Delta State.
“We do not wish to join issues with this Dr. Odafe who postures as the new so-called APC Delta Director of Publicity, for the simple reason that we have actually lost count of the very many claimants, charlatans, and pretenders to this title, that we have had to engage in the past four years which, on its own, is a clear affirmation that the APC is still a party in name, without form, structure, and Identity.
APC
“Nevertheless, we equally recognize the desperate effort of this so-called Dr. Odafe and the dire need for him to attract some relevance to justify the fugitive, yet transitory and evanescent nature of his new status, and thus, it behoves us, as a responsible political party to clear the air and doubts on the misleading issue of ‘hike in school fees’ just to humour him, by setting the records straight for Deltans.
1. The erudite, dynamic, and performing Vice Chancellor of Delta State University, the distinguished Professor Andy Egwuyenga, has already cleared the air and set the records straight on the issue of new fees with his statement thus: “The adjustment is only for incoming students. No increase for stale students. There’s too much ignorance about the emergent issues involved.
”DELSU is still among the least fee-paying universities in Delta State. Some people have made it a sign of heroism to insult me. I take them in good faith. In time to come, the farsightedness in DELSU’s decision will become obvious. DELSU is on the rise and now very competitive as a University. We must swallow the bitter pill now for a sustainable higher education.
Delta PDP
”To cushion the pains, we now have installment payment of fees and Students work-study program for indigent students to earn extra money while studying. 50% of the work-study is reserved for new students, whose fees have been increased. As for the doctored audio, people can choose what to believe.”
2. It is also on record that amongst all the State-owned Universities across the Country, Delta State Universities are amongst the few least fee-paying institutions in the Country for new intakes, stale students, indigenes, and non-indigenes. We, therefore, advise Dr. Odafe, as he embarks on his new onerous and thankless assignment as the latest, interim APC spokesperson, to at least bring some credibility to his status, by doing a little bit of research before rushing to publish in the public space.
3. In fact and from available, incontrovertible facts, APC States are currently charging far more than DELSU for universities and we want to warn Deltans to beware of APC hypocrisy in its statement, because like universities in APC controlled States, they plan to charge even more, if they manage to achieve the impossible, by smuggling themselves into any kind of position of power and authority.
4. It is obvious that the APC is completely ignorant of the fact that the Higher Education system is largely autonomous and, like is the best practice worldwide, the management of these institutions evolve policies to sustain and upgrade their standards, without being dictated to by the government.
5. Sadly again, is the unfortunate situation that APC is merely playing politics with education and not concerned about facts on the escalating cost of higher education, especially at the Federal level, where the APC led government’s mismanagement of education is glaringly manifested and it is part of this incompetence that has led to perennial and unending strikes in Universities, which Nigerian students and parents are now suffering.
6. Let us equally state categorically here, that the establishment of new universities by the government has democratized higher education and opened access to more Deltans and this is one of the major reasons Deltans will continue to reject APC, because it has no good plans for our children and people.
7. For the avoidance of doubt, let’s state it clearly once again, that the PDP government in the State is still and will continue to support higher education far more than other State Governments.
8. We wish to also draw the attention of the ignorant APC to a well-circulated official press statement from THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, STUDENTS UNION GOVERNMENT, DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY, in which the very articulate students’ union leader, Amb. Cyprian Odifili, set out in very brilliant and unambiguous clarity, the efforts of the students union body, to dialogue with all parties including the obviously sponsored “concerned citizens”, as well as the management of DELSU, which are already yielding excellent results.
9. As for the other silly innuendos and flippant gibberish by the loquacious APC, on the sterling, well documented, and universally applauded performance of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the delivery of legacy infrastructural projects and unparalleled good governance, we just want to say that we have heard it all before and we didn’t expect less from Dr. Odafe, who is obviously in a frenzy to impress his new masters that he is equal to the task of promoting a shapeless, formless political party that is confused, fractured, factionalized and completely non-existent, except in name alone.
It is a shame that, in this day and age when Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have been embraced wholeheartedly across the globe as major economic initiatives to create entrepreneurs, and most growing economies are now private sector driven, the hapless APC still has the analog mindset of creating white-collar jobs in a 21st-century economy, instead of applauding the postmodern initiatives of STEP, YAGEP, PPSP, the Micro Credit Scheme and other skills training and support programmes which have created hundreds of thousands of young Delta entrepreneurs already.
Finally, let us assure the APC in Delta State that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa (Ekwueme) is not and will never be distracted by these puerile and kindergarten efforts of the APC, to rake up futile and unnecessary misinformation about the issue of fees in Delta State Universities, in the collective effort towards building and consolidating a #StrongerDelta for Deltans.
Delta State
Those who value education will soon realise that in the fullness of time, some of these measures will begin to yield results and like the eminent Prof. Egwuyenga said: “In time to come the far-sightedness in DELSU’s decision will become obvious. DELSU is on the rise and now very competitive as a University. We must swallow the bitter pill now for a sustainable higher education”.
APC should therefore stop inciting unsuspecting Deltans to violence, actions capable of breaching the peace and allow genuine well-meaning stakeholders to employ dialogue, which is already ongoing, to address and resolve any and all grey areas.
Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu has said that with the remarkable achievements recorded by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, it would be very difficult for any political party to compete with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Speaking on Arise Television “The Morning Show” monitored in Asaba, Aniagwu said he can beat his chest to say that no political party can compete with the PDP in view of the many accomplishments in infrastructure development across various communities, youth empowerment programmes as well as urban renewal projects in the state.
Aniagwu Charles
He said in nearly seven years in the saddle, Governor Okowa has constantly paid workers’ salaries as at when due, built over 1600km of road infrastructure and drainages, human capital development and uniting the peaceful people of the state.
He said Okowa has built bridges of possibilities connecting communities particularly in the creeks.
“If you come to the state capital today, you will see our brand new state Secretariat which is now called the ‘workers city’ when you get there you will see that there’s nothing in this part of the world that can be compared to it”.
“It is a Secretariat that’s called an ‘intelligent building’ that possess a whole lot of facilities to ease work and work related activities within that territory”.
“Beyond that if you come to the state capital today you will see a whole lot of change starting from our airport that was built by the previous administration but upgraded by this administration where we now have a whole numbers of airlines coming in and going out of the state”.
“Delta is now home to the entertainment industry, Asaba is now the headquarters of Nollywood and we are building a world-class film village and leisure park that will make the state capital a well packaged entertainment hub”.
“But beyond that which is the major thing that I see as our major achievement, we were able to take a whole lot of youths off the street through our various job and wealth creation programmes,”
Responding to a question on the alleged onslaught coming from APC and Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Aniagwu said the PDP in the state had done well to defeat any other political party in any election.
According to him, Delta is one of the states in Nigeria that can be classified as educationally advantaged. What that means is that Deltans are that informed as to be able to take a wise decision.
“As the saying goes, ‘Delta no dey carry last’ (Deltans will never be found wanting). The question is those you think are coming with an onslaught, what are they going to put on the table?
“I have mentioned what the PDP in Delta State have put on the table. We now have a much better State capital, we are working on controlling flood in places like Warri which will make way for a better road network, we now have bridges of possibilities linking up communities, we have a workers city, we have a more functional Airport.
“We have headquarters of Nollywood in the country, we have been able to take a number of youths off the streets on account of different interventions in job creation and empowerment that the government has initiated,” he said.
He said the Okowa administration came on board with a five point agenda code-named SMART, which entails policy priorities aimed at creating prosperity for the people of Delta.
“To the best of my knowledge and a good number of Deltans can testify that, much have been achieved in that direction, a number of Urban centers have been built and we put all these things on the table.
“So we ask those who would want to aspire to become Governor, which the law allows, to bring on board what they represent and let Deltans access who means well and who have done well so far.
And so we are not disturbed because we believe that we have performed and Deltans themselves will judge PDP base on performance, Deltans will judge Okowa base on performance.
“The reason why we beat our chest even when we showcase what we are doing in Delta State, we said we are not going to showcase anything that looks like prototype.
“We will show exact programmes and projects that are on ground. And when you come anytime any day you will see them.
“When we tell you we are building interchange in the Koka junction which will link other parts of Asaba from Ibusa to the main city in Asaba here in the Capital city, you will see that the bridge is being built.
“When we tell you that we have built floating market in Ogheye, bridge in Effurun-Otor-Ovwor-Olomu, even in the riverine communities, and that we are building nineteen bridges to link up our brothers and sisters in the Trans-Warri areas and that we have been able to transform Ode-Itsekiri and that we have built very long roads even in the creek particularly in Burutu axis and Warri South-West, you will see these projects on ground.
“These projects are the things we will put on ground for Deltans. So anybody who is coming will have to showcase what he or she has done.
“Let me tell you the challenge they are having at the moment. The challenge of how to criticize Okowa is a major challenge for those in the opposition because the Governor has performed creditably well and it would be difficult for any party to defeat PDP in Delta,” Aniagwu stated.
On 2023 Governorship election, Aniagwu said Deltans are looking forward to a stronger Delta, a Delta where the hopes and aspirations of the people will be met.
“Deltans will vote for competence, ability to unite us the more and continue with the laudable programmes of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa,” the Information Commissioner stated.
On zoning and ethnic group sentiments, Aniagwu said the ethnic groups do not exist in isolation, they exist in the senatorial districts so anybody you choose must belong to one senatorial district whether Delta North, Delta Central, or Delta South.
“There is no written agreement as to where you are to zone to, usually what happens is that the leaders come together and look at the sentiments and begin to think that there is the need for inclusive governance.
“There are a whole lot of very credible Deltans that are taking a shot at the seat, particularly from Delta Central and Delta South, and these individuals are individuals who can hold their grounds any time and any day and have played their role one way and the other towards the advancement of the developmental agenda of the State since 1999.
“Whether it is Delta Central or Delta South, Deltans are going to be the ones to decide but what is going to be the most paramount is the need to sustain the development of the state.
“There will be primaries where members of the party from across the three senatorial districts will gather and then elect who is going to be the flag-bearer.
“What is going to happen in 2022 is not going to be different. Everybody who is interested in law will be allowed to contest nobody is going to stop anybody, it is up to the electorates at the end of the day to decide whom they are going to cast their ballot for.
“But I am very convinced that at the end of the day, Deltans are going to vote for competence, Deltans will vote for the ability to unite us the more, Deltans will vote for the continuation of the many good things Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa is doing and that is most paramount and on that premise, I can assure you Deltans will vote and they will vote very wisely,” he stated.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Saturday, touched the lives of his constituents again at the Surulere 1 Federal Constituency in Lagos State, where he distributed several items to beneficiaries.
At a constituency outreach programme held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, education grants were given to a total of 351 students in public tertiary institutions across the country, while 1,020 secondary school principals and teachers were given laptops for ease of teaching.
Also, 145 automobiles, ranging from fully equipped medical ambulances, security vehicles and gadgets, new school buses initiative and e-hailing cars were distributed to some beneficiaries.
The event, attended by the Lagos State APC Chairman, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi, the former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Femi Pedro, former Minister, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, and members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), witnessed the presentation of financial support to 1,596 existing/prospective small scale entrepreneurs and business owners in the Surulere 1 constituency.
This came 24 hours after the speaker inaugurated several ICT centres and newly renovated school buildings around Surulere.
Speaking at the occasion, Gbajabiamila said the event was organised to appreciate and witness the benefits of the interaction between a legislator and his constituents.
“Our responsibility as legislators is to feel the pulse of our constituents and work to address their needs. I have always had a passion for education and have tried to focus on touching the lives of students and teachers in our constituency.
“This follows the numerous infrastructural projects we have attracted to this constituency and neighbouring constituencies. From roads to new hospitals, from ICT infrastructure in all public tertiary institutions to facilitating numerous employment for our youth, as well as numerous political appointments for improved representation of our people in government.”
He added that: “We have also succeeded in lighting up all the streets in Surulere thereby improving the night-life economy, security and safety of our constituents. In the area of sports development, we have facilitated the construction of numerous mini-stadia. We are working to do more and attract more projects to our constituency and beyond.”
The speaker paid tribute to one of his constituents, Mr Saheed Okunu, who was a beneficiary of an e-hailing car at the last outreach in 2020, and who “has used that car to improve his life, purchased another car from his thriving e-hailing business and I am glad to use him as a shining example to some of you who might have conceived the idea of selling your cars.”
He announced that Mr Okunu would be encouraged with another e-hailing car to boost his growing business.
“E-hailing cars have become a popular enterprise around the world and even in Nigeria, it is proving to be very popular and a means of growing income”, Gbajabiamila said.
He also expressed satisfaction that all the secondary school teachers in the Surulere 1 constituency had the benefit of the e-learning gadget distributed at the event.
“My prayer is that these interventions will, in one way or the other, not only positively improve the lives of our people but also our future.
“I remain committed to the attraction of more laws and interventions that will improve the lives of citizens, as well as more infrastructural projects, employment and empowerment of our people,” he said.
Dignitaries at the event, who gave goodwill messages l, were full of praises for the speaker whom they saluted for all he had done for the constituency.
A former Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, Dr. Edna Mogekwu, has been sentenced to jail for refusing to honour invitations on allegations of corruption from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Dr. Mogekwu, who was sentenced to a two-year, one-month jail term, as well as three principal officers of the institution who were also convicted, were charged before Justice Marshal Umukoro, of the Delta State High Court, Asaba, by ICPC over their failure to appear before investigators to clear themselves of allegations of corruption.
The principal officers convicted alongside the Rector by the court to one-month prison term each are a former Registrar, Collins Onyenwenu, a former Bursar, Andy Ughusuena and a former Director of Works of the Polytechnic, Joseph Idabor.
ICPC had earlier filed a 5-count charge against the convicts before Justice Umukoro, in which it accused them of repeatedly refusing to honour invitations from the Commission.
ICPC Counsel, Ogochukwu Iwoba, had told the court that the Rector and her accomplices who were under investigation for acts of corruption by the Commission failed to appear for interrogations when they were required.
The offences, allegedly committed in 2015, also consists of their refusal to honour an order to produce documents required by investigators of the Commission, contrary to Section 28 (1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 28 (10) of the same Act.
Justice Umukoro, at the conclusion of trial, found them guilty on four out of five counts and therefore sentenced the trio of the Registrar, Bursar and Director of Works to one-month imprisonment accordingly.
The Rector was found guilty on counts one, two and three out of the five counts by the court. Justice Umukoro ruled that she would therefore serve one year imprisonment for counts two and three and one month’s jail term for count one. The sentences will run concurrently, the court ruled.
The All Progressive Congress (APC), in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State has passed a vote of no confidence on its LGA Chairman, Hon. Matthew Chinye leading to his indefinite suspension from the party.
The suspension of the embattled party Chairman was contained in a letter titled, ‘Notification of Indefinite Suspension’ dated 15th February, 2022, and signed by 20 members of the party’s executive in the LGA, which was addressed to the Delta State APC Chairman, Olorogun Omeni Sobotie.
According to the letter made available to Journalists in Asaba, by the LGA Party Publicity Secretary, Hon. Morrence Emefiene, “the suspension of Hon. Matthew Chinye which takes effect from Monday, February 14, 2022, became necessary for reasons related to Gross Misconduct, Anti-Party Activities and several Breaches of the provisions of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Constitution which had adversely affected the growth and development of the party in the Party in the Local Government Chapter.
“Sir, While a 7 (seven) man Committee has been set up to examine the various allegations leveled against Hon. Matthew Chinye in line with APC’s Constitution, the Executive Committee of the Party in Aniocha North LGA resolved in the said meeting, to place Hon. Matthew Chinye on an indefinite suspension pending the submission of the report of the 7 (seven) Man fact finding/disciplinary committee set up by the Party with respect to the said allegations leveled against him”.
The letter also disclosed that the Party’s Vice-Chairman in the LGA, Chief Mrs. Mary Ebeigbe, has been appointed as the acting Chairman pending the final resolution of the suspension of Hon. Chinye.
“We therefore wish to bring this development to your attention as well as solicit for the cooperation of your office in this effort to save the party in Aniocha North LGA from total destruction and collapse”. The letter added.
In a chat with an obviously disenchanted APC Executive member in the Local Government Area (name withheld), he expressed his disappointment with the suspended chairman saying; “Matthew Chinye sidelined critical EXCO Members and leaders of our party in the running of the affairs of our party in Aniocha North.
“He created another group for himself and runs the party as his personal entity. The situation displeased majority of APC members and leaders who felt that the chairman’s action and attitude is unreasonable and unfair to the generality of members.”
Sources also hinted that effort by an APC leader, and former State legal adviser of the party, Barrister Cyprian Ashibuogu who called a meeting where he tried to prevail against the resolution suspending the embattled chairman was rebuffed.
Many faulted Ashibuogu’s moves for being devoid of the statutory stipulations of the APC constitution, and insisted that the action suspending Mr. Matthew Chinye as LGA chairman was legal as it was in line with the stipulations of the party’s constitution.
The sources revealed that Party leaders in the area such as Dr. Ik Odikpo, Chief Jerry Nkeweshe, Chief Bazim Bioseh, Chief Mrs Mary Ebeigbe, Chief Bolum Okwuchi amongst others were not at the meeting called by Barrister Ashibuogu and said he do not have the locus and the mandate of the Leaders to discredit the suspension of the embattled Party Chairman in the area.
Efforts by our correspondent to reach the former Delta State APC Legal Adviser, Barr. Cyprian Ashibuogu, on his verified cell phone number, for his side of the story did not yield any result before publishing
I attended an inter House sports event sometime back at Main Grammar School, Ekiagbodo, in Delta State.
At a side event organised outside the school, some Ijaw boys were organising a drinking competition. “How many litres of real Ogogoro can you consume at a go?” One smallish guy took in almost 4 litres and was still beaming with smiles!
Not long after, another young man within the audience, who was not part of the drinking, got terribly drunk and had to be rushed away.
A friend tapped my shoulder and advised that we leave the environment. “They can transfer the drink into an innocent bystanders’ body” he cautioned. “How can that be possible?”, I queried.
That was over 30 years ago. Long before the manifestation of our present day Bluetooth technology. But our father’s technology has those capabilities. Come to think about it You can Xender your files from one phone to another by Bluetooth.
By definition, Matter is anything that occupy space and has mass. The files you are sending are ‘Matter’ because they occupy spaces in your phone and has mass!
Matter exists in three states; Solid liquid amd gas. These states can interchange. Hence water can change from solid, to liquid and evaporate into a gaseous state with the application of heat!
Also, some matters can change states with the application of hydrogen or other compounds.
Back to our father’s application of this Bluetooth technology. Imagine that our fore father’s have the technology, to transform the Ogogoro from its liquid state, to a gaseous state and then Bluetooth it to another body. Would that not be explainable by science? Yet, we call it Voodoo or Witchcraft!
This phenomenon has not been innovated hence you are likely to call it evil. But Imagine where a patient in the hospital has serious health challenges. The nurses or doctors have no way of tracking the veins to administer intravenous medication.
Imagine that you decided to take the medication and transfer it to the body of the patient.
Would that be an evil usage of our forefathers technology?
Me think that our fore fathers technology require innovation. When the Western world invented the telephone, it was not as convenient as it is today; It was not mobile.But later generations improved on it. So is the steam engine as a fore runner to the fossil fuel engine of today.
Therefore, the failure has been from our generation. Calling such technologies Voodoo or Witchcraft is just excuses for our laziness and failures to add value to our ancestral technologies; failure to innovate!
I think we ought to shelve the mentality of always condemning our indigenous solutions and embracing Western ways. Otherwise, we may never find true development. My humble take!
The attention of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has been drawn to a spurious publication on some dailies and online news channels by some Ijaw Youth Group, alleging that the NDDC has paid the sum of N20 billion naira to ghost contractors by their spokesperson one Ebilade Ekerefe in Yanagoa Bayelsa State.
NDDC
The NDDC, wants to state categorically that it did not pay any N20 billion naira to any ghost contractor or any one for that matter as demonically alleged by the group.
The said sponsored group who claim to be Ijaw Youth further call for the probe of monies that were never spent by the Commission is not only laughable but most unfortunate.
The pubic is hereby put on notice, that these spurious lies are being masterminded, fabricated and orchestrated by persons who are positioning their relatives and associates for ultimate appointment into the Board of the NDDC.
These individuals, who are hell bent on using all manners of gimmicks to arm twist the President into appointing their relatives, cronies or associates into the Commission’s board, feel that the only way they can achieve their selfish desire is by using false allegations and blackmail against the hardworking Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the Interim Administrator in order to get the attention of Mr. President.
NDDC
The Commission for the umpteenth time states without mincing words that it never paid N20 billion naira to any ghost contractor and therefore challenges the authors and fabricators of these malicious allegations to come out with proof or name the Companies of these “ghost contractor.”
The NDDC under the Interim Administration and the supervision of the Hon, Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, will continue to be focused and prudent in the management of its resources for the benefit of the people of the region and will remain committed to the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Commission, therefore, urges all well-meaning Niger Deltans and Nigerians in general to disregard these self-seeking elements and the concocted figments of their blurred imagination.
Dr. Ibitoye Abosede
Director, Corporate Affairs
Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)
