[dropcap]D[/dropcap]eputy National Chairman, North ,Senator Lawal Shuaibu, All Progressives Congress (APC) , has called on the party’s National Chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole to resign for allegedly failing to add any value to the APC since his election.
Shuaibu, in a letter dated May 27 and addressed to Oshiomhole, accused the chairman of incompetence, high handedness and immaturity in his handling of the affairs of the party.
In the letter made available to newsmen at the party’s National Secretariat on Tuesday in Abuja, Shuaibu noted that the APC had lost control of seven states under Oshiomhole,
“I am a critical stakeholder in the APC project and therefore, have a stake for which I reserve the right to write this letter to you.
“This is however, in addition to my being a legitimately elected Deputy National Chairman, North at the last National Convention, and not because I have any higher stake in APC than any other member.”
According to him, Oshiomhole lacked the capacity and necessary composure to lead the party.
He noted that the respect and sympathy the APC used to enjoy among its members and sympathies before Oshiomhole emerged as its Chairman had been eroded.
“It is my honest opinion that your ability to ensure this party flourishes is deficient as you lack the necessary composure and you also don’t possess the capabilities and requisite experience to run a political party.
“The respect APC was commanding among its members and sympathisers have been completely eroded, while the goodwill has equally evaporated,” he stated.
This, he added, was especially so because of Oshiomhole’s attitude of threats to party members, including governors, senators, ministers and other government officials whose functions did not fall within his jurisdiction.
Shuaibu stressed that the party and government were supposed to cooperate and collaborate to ensure that government programmes were implemented in line with the party’s manifesto.
He descried the attitude of shouting and giving marching instructions to government officials on television and on the pages of newspapers by  the APC national chairman.
He, however, said he was not criticising Oshiomhole’s conduct and style of leadership because he wanted to be the party’s chairman, but because of the love he has for the party.
He added that even if he wanted to be the APC national chairman, he could not be as long as President Muhammadu Buhari is in office, having come from the same North West geo-political zone.
“In advanced democracies, people who failed to add value or build over and above what they met on assumption of duty show some civilised examples, they honourably bow out.
“In that connection therefore, I want to advise you to take the path of honour, to step aside.
“I have nothing personal, except that I love this party and cannot keep quiet seeing it being brutally murdered,” Shuaibu said.
He argued that Oshiomhole’s resignation was critical to allow the party to embark on reconstruction and rehabilitation in states it was weakened by the effect and manner of the last primary elections,
According to him, the party is on the path of extinction in some states following the conduct of its last primaries.
This, he said, included the loss of a sitting APC government in Zamfara, where according to him, Oshiomhole directly created the problem that led to the complete loss of APC’s electoral fortunes in the state.
“All these are uncontestable facts; you cannot exonerate yourself from blame on what happened to APC in Zamfara, thereby destroying the hopes and aspirations of 534,541 APC members and supporters.
“Apart from the President, more than 60 per cent of members including those that contested elections under the APC in 2019 are not happy with the process as it left a lot to be desired.
“We have court cases in every state, by far much more than it was in 2015 and I wonder how much money the party is likely to spend on litigations arising from mistakes of the national chairman,” he said.
Shuaibu noted that the strength of every political party was on the number of states it won during elections, adding that the APC had 23 states in 2015, but lost seven after the 2019 elections.
Efforts to get Oshiomhole’s reaction through his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr Simon Ebegbulem, proved abortive as he did not pick his call.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]eam SMART  Okowa’s free extra mural lesson is yielding commendable fruits, the seed is already  making impact in the lives of the less privileged to acquire education through the establishment of extra mural classes sown by the Team SMART Okowa has grown and yielding commendable fruits.

Started in 2015 as an idea to make contributions that will be impactful with a positive turnaround effect in the lives of children who for financial reasons could not fulfill their dreams of attending lessons after normal school hours, the Team SMART Okowa began a programme, the Okowa Free Extra Mural Lesson.

The programme which is being organized in all the 15 local government areas of Delta State has seen no fewer than 6,000 students pass through this programme, Mr. Sunny Orisedare, the Director General of Team SMART Okowa revealed.

Yesterday, May 24, 2019, the group held an awards session for the beneficiaries of the free lesson at an impressive gathering at the Uzoigwe Primary School, Nnebisi Road, Asaba, with awards given to the student who emerged as the overall best student in the Senior Secondary category, Miss Ekweoba Calister, of Zappa Mixed Secondary School,  the second person, Master  Amazon Ikechukwu, while  Miss Mbanabor Faith from Asagba Mixed secondary school, Asaba  came third.

At the event in which the Head of Service, Mr. Reginald Bayoko, a major pillar of the Okowa Free Extra Mural Lesson in Delta State was represented by Mr. H.N. Odum, Orisedare regretted the attitude of  non-challance displayed by the political class to the programme.  “My message is that the political office holders in the local government areas should have a rethink and support this programme. We asked them to separate the programme from politics because it is to help build a future for the children who are the next generation.

The Chairman of Oshimili South Local Government, Mr. Uche Osadebe, who was on hand to present one of the awards to the brilliant students commended the programme saying that “It is a nice thing people who could not afford education can come in to acquire.”

Answering questions from journalists, Mr. Osadebe pledged to help move the programme forward. He called on the leadership of Team SMART Okowa to be in touch with us. ‘We expect that they will write to us so that we can be able to drive it.”

The State Director of Studies of the Okowa Free Ectra Mural lesson in the State, Olisa Ben Uche told the audience that the Extra mural lesson is an initiative of the Team SMART for Okowa in collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, to give free lesson to students of JSS 3 and SS 3 preparing for the certificate exams such as BECE, WASSCE, NABTEB, JAMB (UTME) etc., across Delta State.

Pointing out that the lesson is to complement the fourth key word in S.M.A.R.T Agenda which is relevant health and educational policies of Okowa administration, he said the programme commenced in April 2017 with pilot centres in Oshimili South, Asaba in Uzoigwe Primary School, Zappa Mixed Secondary School and Ahabam Primary School.

“The Okowa Free Extra Mural Lesson is sponsored by the Team SMART in conjunction with elected office holders, political appointees and philanthropic individual from all the respective local government area. By the grace of God, the lesson is operational in 15 centres across the state as at January 2o18. These centres are located in these local government areas – Oshimili South LGA, Ika North East, Ughelli North, Patani, Aniocha North, Oshimili North, Ndokwa West, Okpe, Ukwani, Ethiope East, Isoko North and Sapele,” Uche said.

According to him, the programme is co-ordinated by a monitoring team from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and Team SMART Education Board, following the approval by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Asaba.

To ensure standards in the programme, experienced teachers were selected from both public and private schools within the localities where these Centres are located to teach the students. “This was further strengthened with regular deployment of Corpers by the directorate of NYSC, Delta State after inspection and assessment of its benefit to the students, parents and the state generally,” the Director of studies disclosed.

Listing the benefits of the Okowa Free Extra Mural Lesson, Mr. Uche said:

• To compliment government efforts towards improving the academic performance of the students.
• Assist parents and students who ordinarily could not afford or pay for lesson elsewhere.
• Unite students/children from different schools, background and perhaps political parties towards their achievement of educational, social and political stability.
• Create room for competition among the students from different schools and background.
• Bring integration between students of various secondary schools in each local government area.

He said: “within the period, 9,863 students have passed through the programme while 14,648 students are currently participating in the programme with lots of testimonies of how the programme has helped students to perform excellently in their external, internal and certificate examinations. Parents are not left in their testimonies of the benefit which include engaging the students/wards after the normal school hours and also safe-guide them against possible negative social vices. In the words of a parent, ‘With this lesson, we now know where our children go to after school hours’,  thanks to Okowa Free Extra Mural Lesson

Therefore, like the Director General of the programme, Mr. Orisedare, Mr. Uche also pleaded with philanthropists and the State government to support the programme for the benefit of “our children” in Delta state who are in dire need of such help. “The government should please take up the sponsorship of the programme and endeavour to plant a centre in each local government area,” Uche said.

He thanked the Head of service, Mr.Reginald Baoko for the support given to the Centre in Uzoigwe Primary School, and to the Director General Mr Orisedare for the human capacity building initiative that would ensure excellent outing for the students in future examinations.

Present at the event were Mrs Joan Nwanji, the Chief Inspector of Education for Oshimili South who represented the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary education, and Pastor Philip Orubisi, a Patron of Team SMART for Okowa. Highlight of the programme at the event was the presentation of awards to Mr. Bayoko, the DG as well as live performance entertainment presented by the students.

[dropcap] C[/dropcap]hief (Mrs) Shimite Bello the Executive Secretary, Delta state Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (DMSMA), says that as a proud daughter of Anioma, she is blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Speaking today, Tuesday, May 14, 2019 shortly after she was conferred with the Distinguished Award of Excellence for Outstanding Performance in Public Service (Micro credit/Small Medium Scale Enterprises Development), given to her by the Anioma Media Associates (AMASS).

While acknowledging that it is a commendable thing to be appreciated by her people, she said however  that what is important is what one does behind the scenes away from the glare of the public that matters.

“I love people; I’m not happy to see people in poverty. I may not have money, but I may be able to give advice of encouragement. Being where I am today is not that one is spectacular, or better than anyone else, it is just the opportunity that God provided for one,” she said.

The Akpeli Ugo fufu 1 of Ebu Kingdom, a chieftaincy title conferred on her recently by His Royal Majesty, Onu Paul Odilil of Ebu Kingdom, Oshimili North Local Government of Delta State, she said: “I am particularly a proud daughter Anioma. I will identify with everything that is Anioma.”

She continued: “I am blessed to have the opportunity to work in the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, a thorough bred technocrat and a man of integrity.”

The graduate of political science from Nigeria’s premier ivory tower, the University of Ibadan announced that her vision is to contribute her quota to the development of the human person, pointing out that it would gratify her to be counted among people that have impacted on people’s lives.

Chief Bello disclaimed being a part of those in the female gender that indulges in pulling down other women, pointing that is excited to see other women excel in their talent areas, even as she believes that there is space for everyone to grow and make a mark at the appropriate time.

The conferring the award on her, the National Co-ordinator of Anioma Media Associates, Prince David Diai to the Executive secretary that the group is a body of made up of indigenous media publishers and practitioners, and other top media professionals in the print, electronic, online and related engagements of Anioma extraction that operate in Delta and the Diaspora. “Our aim is to connect with our brothers and sisters in every sphere of the socio-political endeavour and ultimately promote, project and celebrate the Anioma essence, interests and agenda, through a dedicated and vigorous media initiative, driven by the diverse media publications and portals of Anioma Media Associates and other media platforms,” Diai said.

He continued: “Ma’am, we are indeed greatly impressed with the tremendous work you have done in managing and effectively monitoring the Micro-Credit Scheme, especially in sanitizing and streamlining the Small and Mediaum Scale sector for greater efficiency and optimal utilization of resources in line with the brilliant SMART Agenda of His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Executive Governor of Delta state, for the benefit of Deltans and delivery of more prosperity to the people operating at the grassroots.

“It is in recognition of your sterling attributes, as well as your brilliant administrative skills, your human disposition and indeed your uncensored humility and simplicity, coupled with the strategic latitude you have exhibited in rejiging and expanding the MSME sector,  delivered through robust, result oriented initiatives, dynamic, hands-on astuteness and strategic operational acumen, all of which have translated beautifully into an award winning programme acclaimed nationally and globally, that we most respectfully confer on you, the Distinguished award of excellence for outstanding performance in public office (Micro credit/Small and Medium Scale Sector), 2015-2019.

“Your exceptional track record even before assuming responsibility as the head of DSMSDA speaks volumes and you have emerged in the last four years, not just as one of the great pillars and success stories of the SMART Agenda, but indeed as a great Anioma Ambassador in Delta State, nationally and internationally.

“Of course, we know that as a public officer, your constituency is the entire Delta State but we have recognized the good works you have been doing for Deltans since your appointment and this award, just like your prestigious chieftaincy title in Ebu Kingdom, is to express our satisfaction with you that as an Anioma Ambassador in the Delta State Government, you have not let us down. We are proud ouf you, Ada Anioma.

“Let us also express our undiluted appreciation to His Excellency, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, the Executive Governor of Delta state for giving you the opportunity to serve Delta State as one of our Anioma representatives in the Delta State Executive Council.

“We have no doubt whatsoever that the brilliant work you have done over the years, coupled with your charming and charismatic personality, your gorgeous, breathtaking panache, the excellent blend of ethno/cosmopolitan disposition you exude and your acceptance as a cerebral beacon of hope and trust in national and global conclaves and communities, have all recommended you with distinction and positioned you favourable for continued service to our dear state,” David Diai declared.