Category: Politics

The last has not been heard of the allegation by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike that the list of returning officers for the re-run elections next Saturday had been doctored.

Governor Wike made the allegation during a meeting at the Government House in Port with a delegation from the University of Port Harcourt, led by the Vice Chancellor,

Both Doctor Otu Ekpeyong and Rivers APC House of Representative candidate, Doctor Dawari George who were mentioned by the Governor have since denied the allegation.

However; the Coalition of Akwa Ibom State Youth Groups in Rivers State has risen in defence of Doctor Ekpeyong, backing up their position with his impeccable track record that had earned him several awards.

The leadership of the organization said it received with great displeasure the allegation leveled against one of the illustrious sons of Akwa Ibom State, and wishes to dismiss the claims as unfounded and baseless.

The Coalition of Akwa Ibom State Youth Groups said Doctor Ekpeyong was a nonpartisan public servant, adding, however, that the allegation by the Rivers State Governor had exposed him to unnecessary security risk.

The Akwa Ibom State Youth coalition condemned in strong terms the allegation against their son and demand that the Rivers State Governor should ensure the safety of Doctor Ekpeyong.

A communiqué released by the group noted that Doctor Ekpeyong has been rendering services to the Independent National Electoral Commission on behalf of the university community, including the 2015 general election that produced Governor Wike.

The communiqué was jointly signed by the President of UniPort Chapter of Ibibio Student’s Union, Ukpono UDO; and the President of UniPort Post Graduate chapter of the National Association of Akwa Ibom State Students, Iddy Ekpo.

Also joined in signing the communiqué is the Director of Publicity and Mobilisation of the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Nigeria Youth Alliance, Emem Jackson.

The group noted that Akwa Ibom people were peaceful and law-abiding citizens and would continue to support the Rivers State government to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people as long as Governor Nyesom Wike continues to pilot the affairs of the state without threat, victimization and discrimination among the non-indigenes.

Rivers re-run elections: Akwa Ibom indigens warn Gov. Wike over INEC list

The last has not been heard of the allegation by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike that the list of returning officers for the re-run elections next Saturday had been doctored.

Governor Wike made the allegation during a meeting at the Government House in Port with a delegation from the University of Port Harcourt, led by the Vice Chancellor,

Both Doctor Otu Ekpeyong and Rivers APC House of Representative candidate, Doctor Dawari George who were mentioned by the Governor have since denied the allegation.

However; the Coalition of Akwa Ibom State Youth Groups in Rivers State has risen in defence of Doctor Ekpeyong, backing up their position with his impeccable track record that had earned him several awards.

The leadership of the organization said it received with great displeasure the allegation leveled against one of the illustrious sons of Akwa Ibom State, and wishes to dismiss the claims as unfounded and baseless.

The Coalition of Akwa Ibom State Youth Groups said Doctor Ekpeyong was a nonpartisan public servant, adding, however, that the allegation by the Rivers State Governor had exposed him to unnecessary security risk.

The Akwa Ibom State Youth coalition condemned in strong terms the allegation against their son and demand that the Rivers State Governor should ensure the safety of Doctor Ekpeyong.

A communiqué released by the group noted that Doctor Ekpeyong has been rendering services to the Independent National Electoral Commission on behalf of the university community, including the 2015 general election that produced Governor Wike.

The communiqué was jointly signed by the President of UniPort Chapter of Ibibio Student’s Union, Ukpono UDO; and the President of UniPort Post Graduate chapter of the National Association of Akwa Ibom State Students, Iddy Ekpo.

Also joined in signing the communiqué is the Director of Publicity and Mobilisation of the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Nigeria Youth Alliance, Emem Jackson.

The group noted that Akwa Ibom people were peaceful and law-abiding citizens and would continue to support the Rivers State government to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people as long as Governor Nyesom Wike continues to pilot the affairs of the state without threat, victimization and discrimination among the non-indigenes.

Rivers re-run elections: Akwa Ibom indigens warn Gov. Wike over INEC list

After 56 years of independence, Nigerian leaders still can’t deliver “ordinary” electricity, water, home-refined petroleum products, transportation – road, rail, water and air – infrastructure. Yet we are like the highest producer of crude oil in Africa without nothing tangible to show for it.

We are the giant of Africa by mere size. How will Donald Trump not rubbish us?

Here’s a quote from Donald Trump, a front-line US presidential contender:

“Look at African countries like Nigeria or Kenya for instance, those people are stealing from their own government and go to invest the money in foreign countries.
From the government to the opposition, they only qualify to be used as a case study whenever bad examples are required.
How do you trust even those who have run away to hide here in the United States, hiding behind education? I hear they abuse me in their blogs but I don’t care because even the internet they are using is ours and we can decide to switch it off from this side.
These are people who import everything including matchsticks.
In my opinion, most of these African countries [like Nigeria] ought to be recolonized again for another 100 years because they know nothing about leadership and self-governance.”

After 56 years of independence, Nigerian leaders still can’t deliver “ordinary” electricity, water, home-refined petroleum products, transportation – road, rail, water and air – infrastructure. Yet we are like the highest producer of crude oil in Africa without nothing tangible to show for it.

We are the giant of Africa by mere size. How will Donald Trump not rubbish us?

Here’s a quote from Donald Trump, a front-line US presidential contender:

“Look at African countries like Nigeria or Kenya for instance, those people are stealing from their own government and go to invest the money in foreign countries.
From the government to the opposition, they only qualify to be used as a case study whenever bad examples are required.
How do you trust even those who have run away to hide here in the United States, hiding behind education? I hear they abuse me in their blogs but I don’t care because even the internet they are using is ours and we can decide to switch it off from this side.
These are people who import everything including matchsticks.
In my opinion, most of these African countries [like Nigeria] ought to be recolonized again for another 100 years because they know nothing about leadership and self-governance.”

The Federal Government has apologised to Nigerians for the poor power situation witnessed in the country over the past few weeks.

In a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja today, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, blamed the power situation across the country on gas shortage and vandalism.

He also said all efforts were being made to rectify the situation and ensure a gradual improvement in the power situation.

The minister said at a time, the routine maintenance by the Nigeria Gas Company had affected the supply of gas to power stations, forcing down power supply from an all-time high of 5,074 MW to about 4,000MW.

He added that a combination of unsavoury incidents further crashed the power supply to about half that figure.

Mohammed said, “There will be a decent improvement in the power situation from this weekend, thanks to ongoing remedial efforts that will double the current power supply to 4,000WM. Getting back to the 5,074MW all-time high that was reached earlier will take a few more weeks.

”The vandalism of the Forcados export pipelines forced oil companies to shut down, making it impossible for them to produce gas. Then, workers at the Ikeja Discos, who were protesting the disengagement of some of their colleagues after they failed the company’s competency test, apparently colluded with the National Transmission Station in Osogbo to shut down transmission.

”Finally, the unfortunate strike by the unions at the NNPC, over the restructuring of the corporation, shut down the Itarogun Power Station, the biggest in the country.

“Due to these factors, only 13 out of the 24 power stations in the country are currently functioning. It is this same kind of unsavoury situation that has affected fuel supply and subjected Nigerians to untold hardship.”

The Minister strongly condemned the situation in which some Nigerians, under the guise of the various unions in the oil and gas sector or vandalism, continuously sabotage the country’s power infrastructure.

He added, ”The bitter truth is that for as long as these groups of Nigerians continue to sabotage the power infrastructure, Nigerians cannot enjoy a decent level of power supply.

“We therefore admonish all Nigerians who may be agitating for their rights in whatever form to refrain from any action that will further hurt the same people they claim to be protecting.”
~Punch

The Federal Government has apologised to Nigerians for the poor power situation witnessed in the country over the past few weeks.

In a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja today, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, blamed the power situation across the country on gas shortage and vandalism.

He also said all efforts were being made to rectify the situation and ensure a gradual improvement in the power situation.

The minister said at a time, the routine maintenance by the Nigeria Gas Company had affected the supply of gas to power stations, forcing down power supply from an all-time high of 5,074 MW to about 4,000MW.

He added that a combination of unsavoury incidents further crashed the power supply to about half that figure.

Mohammed said, “There will be a decent improvement in the power situation from this weekend, thanks to ongoing remedial efforts that will double the current power supply to 4,000WM. Getting back to the 5,074MW all-time high that was reached earlier will take a few more weeks.

”The vandalism of the Forcados export pipelines forced oil companies to shut down, making it impossible for them to produce gas. Then, workers at the Ikeja Discos, who were protesting the disengagement of some of their colleagues after they failed the company’s competency test, apparently colluded with the National Transmission Station in Osogbo to shut down transmission.

”Finally, the unfortunate strike by the unions at the NNPC, over the restructuring of the corporation, shut down the Itarogun Power Station, the biggest in the country.

“Due to these factors, only 13 out of the 24 power stations in the country are currently functioning. It is this same kind of unsavoury situation that has affected fuel supply and subjected Nigerians to untold hardship.”

The Minister strongly condemned the situation in which some Nigerians, under the guise of the various unions in the oil and gas sector or vandalism, continuously sabotage the country’s power infrastructure.

He added, ”The bitter truth is that for as long as these groups of Nigerians continue to sabotage the power infrastructure, Nigerians cannot enjoy a decent level of power supply.

“We therefore admonish all Nigerians who may be agitating for their rights in whatever form to refrain from any action that will further hurt the same people they claim to be protecting.”
~Punch