The Rivers State Government has announced the dissolution of six councils Caretaker Committees in the State.
The sudden dissolution was announced in a statement by Kenneth Ubani, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor.
He advised the affected Caretaker Committee Chairmen to handover all council property to the Local government Permanent Secretaries.
Details soon…
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday challenged Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to either provide adequate security in the state or resign from office.
The minister, who is also a former governor of the state, said this in an interview with State House correspondents after a meeting he had with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He was reacting to the killing of 21 residents of the state on their way back from New Year’s crossover service.
“It never happened when I was governor. We (the security chiefs and myself) ensured that we didnt sleep at night. We stayed awake for the citizens to sleep. I think the governor needs to do much more than that or quit the office,” he said.
The minister said the governor needed to be more serious and stop encouraging the militant groups in the name of politics and election.
He said while the issue of the 21 residents was in the public domain, two other persons were killed in Akutoru.
He alleged that similar scenario played out in other local government areas in the state.
Amaechi added, “I think there should be much more than age to qualify to be a governor because it takes much more than age.
“I was governor of Rivers State, I did not play PDP/APC politics. Life is life, it has no symbol. Nobody has APC life or PDP life.
“The first responsibility of a governor which is what the oath of office requires, is that you swear to protect lives and property.
“When you don’t protect life and property, what do you do? It is impeachment. Unfortunately, there is no House of Assembly in Rivers State.
“There is too much noise coming from Rivers State. The governor just wakes up and starts shouting, abusing people. That is all he does. Mr. Project painting roads.
“The first thing you do is human capacity development and keeping human beings and we are losing lives every day.”
The minister said Wike had no reason not to secure the state because he has everything working for him.
“I just don’t know because the things are there for him to work with. He is not like me when during my second term, President Goodluck Jonathan took away Police, SSS. The Army brigade commander couldn’t visit me.
“But in his case, everyone is disposed to him. He can see the Commissioner of Police, director SSS, unlike my period but we fought insecurity.
“But because he needs these people for election purpose that is why they are still there, that is why they are killing, we need much more than that.
“Unfortunately, I swore not to be talking about Rivers anymore but you don’t keep quiet in the face of 21 lives, you can’t just keep quiet.
“I have said it that nobody should criticise his successor. But a successor that watches the lives of people go like that and does not care? God will bless him, ” he said.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Tuesday promised to give N200 million reward to anyone who can give information that will lead to arrest of the suspected gunmen who attacked Moku, Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area of the state on New Year day.
The gunmen in the early morning attack killed at least 16 persons leaving the community in mourning.
The Governor in reaction to this attack promised to reward anyone who can identify the perpetrators with the sum of N200 million, Channels tv reports.
Wike, who visited the community, alongside heads of security agencies in the state on Tuesday assured the victims of government’s support and also vowed to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.
One of the victims of the attack, who lost her husband and child in the attack told the Governor that the hoodlums stormed her home on the day of the attack and suddenly started shooting anyone in sight.
A combined team of the army, the Police, DSS and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC) have since wung into action to ensure arrest the suspects behind the attack.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Friday visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The governor after the brief meeting with the President disclosed to State House correspondents that the decision of his colleagues in the Nigeria Governors Forum to allow the federal government withdraw $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account, ECA, is illegal.
He, however, indicated that he supported the decision because the motive was that the money would be largely used to fight the Boko Haram insurgency.
The government has said the money is to be used in the fight against Boko Haram and insecurity across the country.
The decision by the NGF has generated controversy even among the governors with one of them, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, challenging the decision in court.
In his words: “Even though for me it’s illegal, however, we are told we are fighting insurgency and no right thinking person in the country will say that he would not support the government in fighting against insurgency.
“But on the other hand too, I believe that when you are talking about environmental issues in the Niger Delta particularly the Ogoniland, I believe that we can also take money from there (Excess Crude Account) to solve the problem of Ogoniland and other Niger Delta areas. That is my position,” he said.
Mr. Wike said his meeting with Mr. Buhari centred on security matters in his state, adding that he was happy with the discussion.
The governor, who described his relationship with the president as cordial, said their discussion also bordered on other developmental issues in the state.
“I’m happy with the discussion and I believe that something has to be done about (security) it. It is nothing political just security issues that affects the state and things that may lead to the breakdown of law and order. We talked on security challenges and he received me very well.
“We don’t have any bad relationship, I come here when he asked me to come,” he said.
On the allegation that he manipulated the recently held National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to install his preferred candidate as chairman of the party, Mr. Wike said it was impossible for an individual to install a party chairman in Nigeria.
“It is impossible for one person to own a party. The only thing is that people are vibrating and the ruling party is jittery about it,” he said.
Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike has declared that he will accept the numerous endorsements by different ethnic nationalities when he receives their firm assurance that they will defend their votes in 2019.
The governor said with its failure in all areas, the APC-led federal government would seek to rig the election, hence the need for the people to defend their votes.
Speaking during the civic reception organised in his honour by the Apara Kingdom on Saturday in Port Harcourt, Wike said: “I will declare when you assure me you are ready to protect our votes.
“The way Nigeria is going today, the APC federal government is only prepared to write results. But this time, the results will write them.”
He said the APC has failed Nigerians, stating that the current fuel scarcity is a sad confirmation of the suffering that the citizens face under their leadership.
“Even if there is fuel, there is no money to buy fuel. Today, the exchange rate of the dollar to naira has degenerated and prices of foodstuffs have gone beyond the reach of Nigerians. They deceived Nigerians with all kinds of lies, but today they are compounding the problems of the people,” he said.
He assured the people of Apara Kingdom that he will not let them down, saying he will continue to churn out developmental projects.
He said: “I will continue to remain focused. Some people did not expect us to perform very excellently, but we have been able to put them to shame.”
The former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has withdrawn from the race.
George, who announced his withdrawal from the race in Abuja yesterday evening, less than 24 hours to the party’s national convention, said the PDP has lost its soul.
The former Deputy Chairman (South) of the PDP cited the refusal of the party leadership to micro-zone the chairmanship to the Southwest geopolitical zone as one of the reasons why he withdrew from the race.
George accused some stakeholders, particularly Governor Nyesom Wike, of monetising the exercise, adding that the party has resorted to a mercenary agenda.
In an address entitled, ‘The Yoruba people, PDP and the future of the Nigerian Union’, which was delivered with moral indignation, George described the process leading to the convention as brazen fraud and absolutely preconceived, monetised, mercantilist convention.
Said he, “The zoning principle, which was publicly reinforced last year in Port Harcourt, had specifically and rightly affirmed the South-West as the zone to produce the National Chairman. This binding proclamation was based on equity, fairness and natural balance that hold any organisation together.
“But this old, legitimate and morally sound micro-zoning principle has now been trashed, dumped in the waste bin, flung into the gutter by very little men who have compromised the pivotal moral anchor of civilised engagement for temporary selfish gains.
“Everywhere you look, the Yoruba people are now being brazenly insulted. The very traditional fiber of our founding fathers are now being trampled upon, debased and soiled by external forces and mercenary traitors within.
“It appears the PDP is now bent on self destruction. It has obviously allowed money moguls to dictate its thematic largeness. The party has lost its soul. It has lost its principled beginning and the predications of righteousness. It has traded the finer principles of democratic guidance and equity for the squalid, dirty and shameful resort to mercenary agenda where nothing matters save the putrid, oafish gains of the moment.
“I cannot be part of this screaming aberration. And as the Atona of Yorubaland, I do not expect any well-meaning, well-disciplined, forthright, sincere Omoluabi of Yorubaland to continue with this deceit and shameful theater.
“The Peoples Democratic Party has now mangled and distorted its soul and spirit. There is no morality here anymore. There is no sanity or any sense of enlightened civility.
“As a result of these observed aberrations wherein the position of the National Chairman has been apparently sold and auctioned to the highest bidder, I as an Omoluabi and as an authentic Atona of Yorubaland, I will not partake in this charade.
“I hereby withdraw from this brazen fraud and absolutely preconceived, monetized, mercantilist convention. The Yoruba people have been openly maligned. The Yoruba have been savaged, tormented, treated with contempt, scurried, scoffed at, humiliated and denigrated by little men whose sun will soon set.
“As a Yoruba patriot and the pathfinder of Yoruba land, I will stand by our people, I will stay with them thick or thin, I will fight for their good cause without compromising any ethics.
“Since the ancient days when the Yoruba people began their historical challenges on the plains and the hills of Ile-Ife, we have always been defined by our instinctive integrity, our methodical industry, our consistent loyalty and our steadfastness in protecting and defending the truth.
“It is in all these characterization that I have personally lived my life. It is in all these summative portraits that I have pursued my personal and political engagements, strengthened in the resolve that truth, sincerity of purpose, fearlessness, equity, ethical balance are the basic ingredients of a purposeful life.
“I have gone through many travails in my life. I have climbed the highest hills and I have been through the lowest valleys. But in all, I have been guided by the holiest of heart’s affection, the genuine and the utmost surrender to the will of the Lord.
“But I have never been afraid of a good fight. I have never disengaged from a meaningful challenge. I have always committed myself to any struggle with absolute dedication and unflinching, resolute vision.
“It is in this spirit and clarity of selfless engagement that I decided to run for the National Chairmanship position of our great party. I did not enter the contest for any personal benefits. I did not throw myself into the fray because of some pecuniary benefits.
“I have come to serve.I have come come to offer myself because I believe in the greater glory of our party and in the growth and development of our nation. I have served continuously for ten years in various high level positions in our party administration, including the second highest echelon of Deputy National Chairman.
“With all sense of humility, I can say that I know the workings and all the administrative processes and the tools of making our party work. That shattering and very divisive crises of the last two years have made our party very vulnerable, weak and basically tottering on the edges of the cliff.
“Less than one year before the next general election, our party must now elect new managers to direct our affairs. The foremost of these new managers is the position of the National Chairman.
“In this highly challenging scenario, the party naturally needs an experienced, trusted, proven, reliable and astute administrator who can guide our party to the land of redemption and the land of triumphant rebound.
“It is in this vein that I have offered my humble service to lead our party. But more importantly, I have entered the contest on the fundamental predication of the micro-zoning principle as laid down by our founding fathers.”
Faulting the decision of the Ahmed Makarfi leadership not to micro-zone the chairmanship position to the Southwest, George accused the party of breaching the principles of equity, fairness and natural balance that hold any organisation together.
Continuing, he said: “The zoning principle which was publicly reinforced last year in Port Harcourt had specifically and rightly affirmed the South-West as the zone to produce the National Chairman. This binding proclamation was based on equity, fairness and natural balance that hold any organisation together.
“But this old, legitimate and morally sound micro-zoning principle has now been trashed, dumped in the waste bin, flung into the gutter by very little men who have compromised the pivotal moral anchor of civilized engagement for temporary selfish gains.
“Everywhere you look, the Yoruba people are now being brazenly insulted. The very traditional fiber of our founding fathers are now being trampled upon, debased and soiled by external forces and mercenary traitors within.
“As a Yoruba patriot and the pathfinder of Yorubaland, I will stand by our people, I will stay with them thick or thin, I will fight for their good cause without compromising any ethics.
“The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike must as a matter of priority and ethical importance tender unreserved apology to the people of Yoruba land for his unguarded utterances on national television this morning. It was a show of shame.”
Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike is set for a major falling out with the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB following media reports that linked the governor with the recently designated terror group.
Mr. Wike and IPoB have been accused of being behind the mass panic caused by hoaxes about soldiers coercing school children to receive killer vaccines that spread the Monkey Pox virus.
The Federal Government and experts have debunked reports of the story as false.
A reliable source in IPoB told our correspondent that the group, which is agitating for the restoration of the erstwhile Biafra Republic, has become suspicious of Wike’s continued commitment to their cause. The source, who did not want to be identified because IPoB has been outlawed, accused the Rivers State Governor of exploiting his group for his selfish ends while threating members like mentally incapacitated people. According to him, the monthly subvention of 50million naira has been stopped over what the Governor allegedly described as lack of accountability in the running of IPOB affairs.
He said, “Some of us think we can no longer trust this man. When Operation Python Dance II started clamping down on our members, we had thought that we can carry out reprisals in Rivers state since Governor Wike as a strategic partner should give us cover as someone in the opposition with a common enemy.
“The man has stopped dropping the agreed sum and for over 2 months no one has heard from him which is a further proof that he is practically playing games with the movement after achieving his aim.
“We were however jolted when Wike started saying things like IPoB are not welcome in Rivers or IPoB should not come to Rivers state, IPoB should stay away. Much as some of us initially thought that his attitude was to cover the relationship he has with us at that time, we have now become suspicious since the October 17 court date when the Federal Government failed to produce our Supreme Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in court.
“The thing is that most of us now think that Wike knowingly allowed the APC (All Progressives Congress) to know that he was connected to the Monkey Pox vaccine message that we were sending around. It was a surprise when APC linked Wike to it and later some CSOs even provided details that should only be known to those that planned the strategy. If we did not reveal the secret, which we know we did not, then it could only have been the Governor.
“He has betrayed us when they decided to say IPoB was a terrorist organization, he betrayed us when our leader’s house was invaded by soldiers, he betrayed us when our leader was not provided in court and he has again let us down by exposing the way we frustrated the criminal medical outreach of the Nigerian Army. It will not only be stupid to continue trusting Governor Wike but it is also dangerous since he may one day decamp to the APC and completely give away our strategic secrets.
“We are now having to go back to the drawing board because we cannot give up on our quest for Biafra just because of a sellout, which is why it was agreed that there should be no official IPoB statement on Governor Wike’s betrayal. It is not even as we are worried about him because when you have a cause that the comments of someone like former President (Goodluck) Jonathan tallies with then you don’t allow little setbacks to hold you,” the source explained.
Mr. Wike’s spokespersons have not commented on the IPoB allegations that he betrayed them as they have not answered calls to their mobile numbers while text messages sent to them were not replied.
Wike had last month dismissed claims that the opposition, including himself, were sponsoring IPoB. He said “Who are those being affected by the activities of IPOB? Are they not those in the opposition states? In the hay days of Boko Haram, does the Inspector of General of Police (IGP) mean it was the opposition then that was sponsoring Boko Haram just to distract the government then?
There is apparently no peace between Rivers State Government and the Commander, of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, [SARS], Akin Fakorede, ever since the latter was accused by the state government of kidnapping and hijacking ballot boxes during elections.
TheNewsGuru.com has on Friday obtained a notice of eviction served by Obio-Akpor Local government to SARS command to vacate the Obio-Akpor International Market, Rukpokwu, in Obio-Akpor Local government area of Rivers State, which may not be unconnected to the ongoing feud as earlier mentioned.
The eviction notice was signed by the Legal Adviser of Obio-Akpor Local government council, Victor Owhonda Wokem.
In the notice, the council gave SARS one month to vacate the property, with emphasis to leave on or before the 30th of November this year.
The Obio-Akpor Local government Council said the decision to evict SARS was to allow for major renovation work to be carried out on the property.
Copied in the quit notice are the Rivers state government, the Inspector General of Police and the Rivers State Commissioner of Police.
Speaking with TheNewsguru.com on the condition of anonymity, a source said the ongoing brawl between Wike and SARS boss is due to the governor’s inability to control the security outfit.
“Recall that Wike has served two terms as the Chairman of Obio-Akpor Local government council, he holds sway there and it is part of his arm-twisting tactics, to get SARs out of the state.” He said.
Read the notice:
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has distanced himself from posters in Abuja, which insinuated he is bidding for the vice president position in the 2019 presidential poll.
The governor urged Nigerians to disregard the posters which he described as “handiwork of mischief makers.”
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, the governor said the posters were from political mischief makers who forgot in their haste that nobody runs for the office of vice president.
“We urge Nigerians to disregard these posters as they have no link with the Rivers state governor.
“Nobody runs for the office of vice president.
“The Rivers state governor has the mandate of the good people of Rivers state and he is focused on delivering quality projects and programmes for the people.
“Governor Wike will not be distracted by the antics of misguided politicians who want to mislead Nigerians,” he said.