For signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law, President Muhammadu Buhari has written his name in gold, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has said.
Reacting to the signing of the Electoral Bill by President Buhari on Friday, Senator Omo-Agege expressed delight that the country would go into the next general election with a new electoral legal framework.
Mr. President’s assent, he noted, has removed uncertainty concerning the conduct of the 2023 general elections, stressing that the new law addresses many loopholes in our electoral system.
He recalled that although the process under the Eighth Senate was fraught with mutual suspicions and bitterness, electoral reform for the Ninth National Assembly remains a priority in its legislative agenda.
“The 9th Senate had promised to bequeath a lasting legacy to Nigerians. Today’s development adds to the list of historic legislations that have defiled previous Assemblies, which the 9th Senate has passed. They include: the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract (Amendment) Act, Petroleum Industry Act, Company And Allied Matters Act and a host of others.
“Without a doubt, a good legal framework helps to create elections with integrity and electoral integrity helps to enhance democratic consolidation and the preparation and conduct of elections democratically.
“The signing of the bill into law would ensure early release of election funds to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), electronic voter accreditation and transmission of results, procedures for local government elections across the country are regulated by the new Electoral Act, early conduct of party primaries and submission of candidates’ list, early commencement of campaigns among others,” he said.
Evidently, the strategic engagement tour recently embarked upon by Governor Gboyega Oyetola to all the local government areas (LGAs) in Osun State, was a veritable look-back mechanism, which afforded him a rare empirical assessment of the public administration journey so far. It was a good opportunity to have a peep at the status of his performance profile. Also, it was an assessment of reality, a very robust and truthful interaction with the people, and a sociological opportunity to evaluate first-hand and undeniably, the impact of his administration on the governed. It is sociological in that the electorate would remember that the governor came with campaign promises to bid for the Office of the Governor.
On assumption of office, Oyetola went round the state on a _‘Thank you’_ tour. It was from his interactions with the people that he learnt about their preferred and urgent needs. Agitations about policy issues in the state were harvested and pragmatic measures were put in place to address them, towards moving the state forward. Now that he’s winding up his first tenure, he has gone back to them to give an account of his stewardship. For a man to have confidence to go back to the people, it means he has done something worthwhile. Such is the story of the governor’s tour. With this tour, history has absolved him from living in denial or self-illusion when his performance in office is called to bear. But it can only get better!
Oyetola Adegboyega, Gov, Osun State
With regard to the forthcoming Osun governorship election, it is generally believed that nothing will be taken for granted, even, in areas where the party is sure of voters’ sympathy. Yes, the governor cannot be everywhere; but the party is everywhere! So, it is the duty of the party to ensure victory in the election for the governor. Safe for some other important engagements, the crucial work of a political party is not just to recruit members but also to mobilise the electorate towards the objective interest of the party. Once it deviates from this essential function, then, the party ceases to be relevant. Basically, too, the power of incumbency only gives the holder an advantage to organise better than those who are not in power. Anything outside that is a lie! Of course, that’s why the man in power who is seeking another term in office cannot rest until victory is won.
The other area that the Oyetola-led government should be concerned about is the question of the roles that money plays in politics and the entire societal environment. Except we are being economical with the truth, the societal environment, right now, is an enveloping ecology of poverty and deprivation. The dangerous part of it is that poverty makes people do things without thinking. Logic will fly out of the window when poverty is around, biting hard. At that point, nothing else matters!
A time like this therefore demands that APC weighs the options between esoteric and down-to-earth interventions, especially, in a society that has become so degenerated like ours. A political party may be swimming in attractive manifestos, huge financial war chest and an extensive research outfit. It may also have charismatic go-getters as its flag-bearers. Even, the electoral process may be transparent and credible! However, it is after a society has been taken care of – to the extent that pecuniary issues become irrelevant – that politics of issues can take its rightful position. Or what issues will a man who has not yet satisfied the demands of the democracy of the stomach discuss? Talk about restructuring and he will want to know what to restructure when his home has not even been structured!
Discussions about _‘conspiracy at the top’_ mean next-to-nothing to an economically-disenfranchised man who has to live by the day! The late Lamidi Adedibu has shown that even, if the electorate will have to live with their actions, post-election day, the man who doles out N500.00 notes, conveniently immersed in loaves of bread – if he can sustain it for few months – is likely to have sympathisers on the day of election. Since Election Day is just a moment, it therefore behoves Osun APC to find ways of attacking these little foxes as the build-up to the governorship election intensifies, lest they become very difficult to handle.
That said, discreet investigations have revealed that the Oyetola-led government has been confronting these challenges, especially, through the _Osun Food Support Scheme_ and other _Social Intervention Programmes_ (SIP). For instance, at the last count, more than 300,000 vulnerable households in the state have reportedly benefited from the Scheme. Forget the imperfections that may be associated with it! However, the truth of the matter is that, if 30,000 residents of the state are being fed monthly, it therefore implies that no fewer than 3,000,000 households actually need such help. Going by the indices from the _National Bureau of Statistics_ (NBS), those factors can’t be ignored, more especially as they help in swaying the position of votes.
Only last October, 13,566 Osun youths were also said to have been empowered, courtesy of the N-Power programme, with a total of 2,034,900,000.00 having so far gone into their monthly allowances. Also, 798 and 851 non-graduate volunteers were recently engaged under N-Tech and N-Build respectively. Same goes for the Rapid Response Register, which has more than 50,000 applicants from Osun. Thankfully, too, there’s no part of the state that has not benefitted from the massive road construction or reconstruction embarked upon by the current administration. Ditto for the Education, Health, Agriculture and other and sectors, which have witnessed amazing turnarounds.
Oyetola Adegboyega, Gov. Osun State
An ancient philosophy says: _‘if a man can’t find water to drink, he will opt for sand.’_ As July 16 draws nearer, chances are requests will come and demands will be made. Well, these are issues that neither the ruling party nor the government should ignore. Therefore, conscious efforts should be made to address them in the overall interest of the state, lest the opposition should capitalise on them to score cheap points.
Undecided voters are like matters of the moment; they can be easily flipped. Oyetola only needs to maintain his mien and sustain his tempo even as he strives to secure their buy-in. One sure way is for the party leadership to be alive to its responsibilities by educating its members on the dangers inherent in making unguarded statements. Talking amiss usually attracts ruinous consequences.
Since every deed has a consequence, political appointees should be adequately mobilised to reach at to their constituencies – where they hailed from – in the interest of the party. After all, they are (the) people from the grassroots who, by the reason of their births and interactions, can positively affect the swing of voting.
Still on the pranks of the hazardous adversaries, it is widely believed that there’s nothing the governor can do about it. He can only sustain his focus while not ignoring prospects for genuine membership.
Last of all, Governor Oyetola will be giving his second term ambition a great boost if he can take his case to God, for, with Him, nothing is impossible; without Him, nothing is possible!
May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Osun State!
_*Komolafe wrote in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State (ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk; 07087941459 – SMS Only)._
The Movement for Stronger Delta, MSD, wants to state it loud and clear that Nobody can impose anybody on Deltans; not even Godfathers, not ethnic-based political pressure groups, and not even Traditional ruler’s groups or Senatorial based Traditional institutions.
Infact, in the history of Delta politics, it has never happened before and it is not likely to happen this time around. What usually obtains before the primaries, is that these groups identify who they prefer to support and then embark on a serious campaign of consultations, negotiations, and agreements with other contending interests to seek alignments and alliances in the quest to garner as many delegates for their favoured candidate.
Delta State
Democracy is, of course, the government of the people, by the people and for the people and since the voice of the people is the voice of God, it is the people, either in form of nominated or elected delegates for the primaries or the electorate in a general election, that will decide who emerges as the winner at the end of any elections.
It is on the strength and basis of this incontrovertible electoral truism, therefore, that we must continue to appreciate, applaud and reemphasize the clear, unambiguous, and unequivocal statement of our dynamic, unwavering Governor, Senator, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa (Ekwueme), that the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will be free, fair and transparent.
Thus, anybody who intends or nurses the personal ambition to govern Delta State, must take this declaration seriously and consider it as sacrosanct in whatever plans, strategies, and campaign module they chose to employ in the run-up to the primaries.
Of course, we have been informed by impeccable inside sources within certain political parties, that they have concluded arrangements to conduct mock primaries, where they have perfected plans to impose a single aspirant on the rest of the party membership with brazen impunity.
Interestingly, Deltans will recall with unerring accuracy, that no Governorship candidate that was imposed by a political party on its members during its primaries and on Deltans during the general election, has ever won any election in the State.
Those who have followed the political history of Delta State objectively can confirm that even in instances where people have shouted that imposition took place, especially in the PDP, the facts have revealed a totally different picture.
For example, many Deltans have falsely continued to perpetuate the erroneous logic that Chief James Ibori imposed a candidate on Deltans in 2007, for the simple reason that they were cousins, yet they forget that the same candidate would have been disqualified from the primaries completely, if not for a fortuitous, in-the-nick-of-time midnight trip to Abuja, which eventually secured a waiver for many of the aspirants to contest the primaries.
It is even rather unfortunate that those who have been trumpeting zoning with seeming reckless audacity and unjustified, unconstitutional authority, have done a great injustice to the tremendous efforts, humongous funds and extremely exerting and tortuous hard work which these aspirants put in, just to drive and fulfill their ambitions in every election.
We are indeed more disturbed by the fact that some of those who are vociferously advocating for zoning today, even to the extent of invoking cataclysmic repercussions should a particular arrangement not be maintained, have forgotten so soon, the “Uvwiamughe Declaration” preceding the 2014 PDP primaries, where the umbrella body of a particular Senatorial zone decided that they will give block votes to a national party that picks one of their own as its governorship candidate for the 2015 general elections.
This declaration was made irrespective of the political fact that it was only Delta North that had not taken its turn at the Governorship of the State, amongst the three senatorial zones and to consolidate on their position, they went ahead, without any qualms whatsoever, to throw their weight and block votes, to their candidate, even when the so-called zoning arrangement ‘demanded’ that it was Delta North’s turn to govern.
We must continue to extol the remarkable equanimity, political brinkmanship, courageous doggedness, and unparalleled sportsmanship of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who, even when it was obvious that Delta North should take its turn at the Governorship, still campaigned vigorously and admirably on a Pan-Delta mandate, declaring that he was going to be a Governor for all Deltans and not just a Senatorial district champion.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa participated in a robust, free, fair, and transparent PDP primary election in 2014 and the point must be made categorically clear that heavens would not have fallen, peace would have reigned and Delta State would still have continued to exist as ‘the Big Heart’ or even the ‘Finger of God’, if Okowa had lost that election and that Senatorial zone had carried the day with their candidate.
The simple and singular reason for the peace would have been because Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa (Ekwueme), is a man of peace, a God-fearing man, who has always pursued and championed the cause and entrenchment of peace, not just in his personal life but across Delta State. He did it in 2007, he did it in 2011, and he did it again in 2015, when, as Governor, he accommodated many of those who contested against him as Deltans, in the PDP Primary, in his cabinet. Nobody should therefore attempt to intimidate Governor Okowa. He will always do the right thing in the interest of peace, fairness, and EQUITY.
He is indeed a great and Godly man of peace that all politicians, political group leaders, traditional rulers, and institutions should emulate, instead of invoking restive echoes, for a better society and more harmonious coexistence amongst all Deltans.
If we must tell it like it is, then the naked truth that we are running away from or being economical with is the glaring truth that stares us all in the face and that the unambiguous truth that with the mandatory two terms of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa now achieved and winding down nicely, every Senatorial zone in the State has now had its taste of the Governorship, so nobody or zone will now cry or shout that it has been marginalized or short-changed.
This was the dangerous misnomer that nearly happened in 2015, when some people had cynically plotted with surreptitious subterfuge, to ensure that the two major political parties presented Governorship candidates from only their zone. But God intervened because power comes from God alone. Deltans still remember but as a people under the divine leadership of God, we have forgiven and moved on.
However, it must be pointed out in passing, that Delta State is a geographic entity of major heterogeneous nationalities, lumped together rather unfairly now, but in the wisdom of the delineators then, within cardinal Senatorial zones, coexisting in contiguous yet harmonious proximity, all contributing to the growth, development, commonwealth and collective patrimony of our dear State.
The need for us to join Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and embrace the clarion call towards building a #StrongerDelta for all Deltans is what we should all aspire towards achieving as we match steadily and peacefully towards 2023.
That, indeed, should be the SIMPLE Agenda for all Deltans henceforth.
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.
