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Niger Delta Leaders Give Govt Ultimatum To Restructure, Hold Dialogue

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Why Jonathan Avoids PDP - Clark

There were renewed calls for the restructuring of the polity as Niger Delta leaders met in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

They issued a three-month ultimatum to the Federal Government to restructure the country and convene a national dialogue comprising representatives of ethnic groups in order to chart a new course for the country.

This position was contained in a communique issued at the end of a South-South zonal conference held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Friday.

The conference which had critical stakeholders and representatives of ethnic nationalities in the region was organised by the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development in partnership with Agape Birthrights Development Initiative.

Elder statesman and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, was represented at the event by Chief Obiuwevbi Ominimini who read his address.

Others also at the conference included career diplomat and Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Czechoslovakia, Dr Godknows Igali; and the National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Senator Emmanuel Ebok-Essien.

While restating the urgent need for restructuring and devolution of more powers to states, they said oppressive and repressive tendencies against the Niger Delta region and its people would no longer be tolerated and urged the apex government to stop selling out their resources to the Chinese and others.

The stakeholders cutting across the nine states of the region said at the expiration of the three months deadline, the Niger Delta people would commence the process that would guarantee their freedom and progress.

The communique read by prominent Niger Delta activist and President of Agape Birthrights Development Initiative, Ms. Ann Kio-Brigss partly stated: “We the people of the Niger Delta hereby give the Government of Nigeria a three-month window, within which to cordially address our concerns towards re-federalizing the polity, by convening a national dialogue of the representatives of the ethnic groups in Nigeria to chart a new course for the country.

READ ALSO: Why We Are Returning To The Creeks – Niger Delta Militants

“At the expiration of this three months window, we the people of the Niger Delta will commence the process that will guarantee our freedom and progress.

“Our people should mobilize all human resources to see that fiscal federalism and devolution of powers are included in the constitution. There should be internal justice amongst us- charity begins at home.

“We the people of the Niger Delta hereby reaffirm their commonality, unity and oneness despite our multi-ethnic diversities.

“The Niger Delta people who are the breadwinners of Nigeria, demand to be heard and fairly treated with equity by the oppressive Nigerian State, and by extension, the insensitive Nigerian political class, as the only basis for peaceful co-existence.

“We the people of the Niger Delta demand restructuring, with the states as the federating units and devolution of more powers to the states

“We the ethnic nationalities of the south-south, affirm the right of peoples to self-determination and to fully control their resource to stop and put an end to further deprivation and despoliation of their environment which they have suffered in the last 60 years.

“The people of the Niger Delta will take all lawful measures to develop an agenda for freedom and liberation and development of the region.

“The Niger Delta ethnic nationalities hereby demand that the governors of the South-South immediately set up security outfits in their respective states and network with each other in the region to protect our territories against terrorists, criminals, land grabbers and other criminals who often operate as bandits and kidnappers.

“Niger Deltans demand that the governors of the South-South region immediately set up community-based defence forces in all Local Government Areas of the South-South.

“The ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta demand the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately discontinue the selective appointments, posting and deployment of mainly non-middle-belt and Southern Nigerian security officials to the Niger Delta to the oppression of our people.

READ ALSO: Nigeria Will Collapse Soon Without Restructuring, New Constitution – Leaders

“The Niger Delta demands equal representation, control and headship of all relevant security and military organizations in the country.

The Niger Delta demands and expresses the desire for a provision in the Nigerian constitution for the exercise of the inalienable right to self-determination through a referendum in line with international laws.

“The Niger Delta demands total ownership rights to lands, natural resources, seas and waters by communities wherever such is located in the region.

“The Niger Delta has resolved to put an end to all oppressive and repressive tendencies by the Nigerian State against our region and warns that we shall no longer tolerate same from other nationalities.”

 

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‘Governor Abiodun Committed To Rule Of Law, Democracy’

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Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun

The commitment of the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun in Ogun State to ensure the preservation of the rule of law, battle corruption and, protect the tenets of democracy in the country has again been reiterated.

According to a top functionary of the government, apart from prioritising the welfare of the people, the administration is working hard to deepen the people’s beliefs in the nations democratic process.

Kayode Akinmade, a Chief Consultant on Media to the governor, who spoke while answering questions on a television programme on Friday, said as a law-abiding leader, the governor has always taken recourse to the judiciary to seek redress for himself and his administration whenever the need arises, rather than engage in self-help.

Akinmade stressed that the decision of the governor to approach the court over the matter between him and the impeached chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area, Wale Adedayo, is a demonstration of his belief in the rule of law and his indisposition to ‘rule of force’.

Adedayo appeared before a Magistrate’s Court at Isabo, Abeokuta, on a petition filed by the state government against him over an earlier allegation of diversion of funds meant for Council Areas in the state. Governor Abiodun is insisting that the former Council boss must prove his allegations against his administration or face the wrath of the law for falsely inciting the people against the government.

Adedayo was arraigned on a two-count charge. According to Akinmade, it is wrong for people to rush to accuse the governor of persecuting Adedayo, who according to him, has “severally apologised to the governor in private while continuing with his ill-motivated misinformation in public.”

“The governor believes that taking Adedayo before the court will deepen our democracy and entrench the rule of law.

“Unlike some other people in Governor Abiodun’s shoes who would readily recourse to sending thugs after and unleashing other forms of violence on those who accused them rightly or wrongly, our governor decided to seek redress in court. I think he should be commended by all and sundry for this. What he is doing is giving Adedayo a chance to prove his allegations,” Akinmade said.

On the allegation by the impeached chairman that the governor is behind his removal, Akinmade said Adedayo was already facing removal from office before he raised the false alarms against the governor. “He has already been accused of several impeachable offences before he wrote the letter alleging that the governor diverted council funds. He had already reached out to the governor and other leaders of the party to help him stave off his removal. It was when he realized he may not survive the impeachment move that he connived with some other unscrupulous politicians in the party to malign the governor and discredit the APC in Ogun State,” Akinmade said.

The media chief added that claims by Adedayo that he got zero allocation since he became chairman of his local government were proved wrong by the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) in the state when the House of Assembly looked into his petition. He recalled that other council chairmen in the state also debunked the allegation and even brought Adedayo with them to apologize to the governor for the wrong allegations.

“But in spite of all these, he didn’t stop his scripted plot to tarnish the image of the governor. Hence, Governor Abiodun approached the court for redress,” he added.

Speaking further, Akinmade recalled that the impeached council boss has been in office for more than two years before making his frivolous and unfounded allegations. “One then wonders why he is raising this alarm now. He claimed zero allocation, but he has been collecting his monthly N3 million security votes regularly. Local government staff in his LGA are not being owed, and primary school teachers there are paid as at when due. We all should be asking him to explain what he meant by zero allocation,” he said.

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BREAKING: Kaduna Guber Tribunal Nullifies Election Of Governor Uba Sani

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Kaduna State Governor UBA Sani

The governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Kaduna on Thursday declared the election of Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as inconclusive and thus nullified the exercise.

The tribunal made the declaration while delivering judgement via Zoom in a petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Isah Ashiru, challenging the election of Sani in the March 2023, election.

The tribunal ordered that fresh election be conducted in seven wards in four LGAs of the state.

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In Shakeup Of FCT Administration, Wike Sacks Agencies, Parastatals Heads

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BREAKING: Wike Dares Ayu To Stop Elections Of Ortom, Others
Federal Capital Territory Minister Nysom Wike

In a decisive shakeup of the administration of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), its Minister Nyesom Wike, has sacked the heads of 21 parastatals, agencies, and government companies.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Director of Press, Office of the Minister, Anthony Ogunleye, in Abuja on Wednesday.

Ogunleye identified the affected heads of the agencies as follows:

1. Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abuja Investment Company Ltd

2. CEO/Managing Director, Abuja Markets Management Ltd

3. MD/CEO, Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company

4. CEO/MD, Abuja Property Development Company

5. CEO/MD, Abuja Technology Village Free Trade Zone Company

6. CEO/MD, Abuja Film Village International

7. CEO/MD, Powernoth AICL Equipment Leasing Company Ltd

8. MD, Abuja Broadcasting Corporation

9. MD, Abuja Enterprise Agency

10. General Manager, FCT Water Board

11. Director-General, FCT Emergency Management Agency

12. Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Healthcare Board

13. DG, Hospital Management Board

14. Director, Abuja Environmental Protection Board

15. Director, FCT Scholarship Board

16. Director, FCT Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board

17. Director, Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board

18. Coordinator, Abuja Infrastructure Investment Center

19. Director, FCT Health Insurance Scheme

20. Coordinator, Satellite Towns Development Department

21. Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council

The director of the press said that the affected appointees should hand over the affairs of their offices to the most senior officers in rank.

He added that appointments in the offices would be made in due course.

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