[dropcap]T[/dropcap]wo former House of Representatives members, Messrs Bassey Etim and Esio Okwong, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom.

Etim and Okwong represented Uyo and Oron Federal Constituencies at the National Assembly between 2003 and 2007. The APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, received the duo along with more than 2,000 with over 2,000 of their followers on Saturday during the inauguration of Akwa Ibom party secretariat in Uyo.

Oshiomhole was represented by the National Vice Chairman, South-South of the party, Mr Hillary Eta.

Welcoming the defectors, the national chairman assured them that they would be given all rights and privileges as accrued to all members.He urged them to join the old members of the party and work to ensure that APC was victorious in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

“You are all welcome to our great party. You will enjoy all rights and privileges as members of this party.

“You are expected to use your wealth of experience to ensure the success of All Progressives Congress come 2019,’’ he said.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Etim, who contested for Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial seat under the PDP in 2015 general elections, said that he was happy to join the party of progressives. Etim said that they would work hard to enthrone APC in the state and ensure the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

“I am very happy to join the party of progressives today. We have over 2000 of our members who are coming with us to join the progressives. They were all members of the PDP in the state. “We will ensure that the party will not only win, but they will sweep the state come 2019,’’ Etim said.

Earlier, former Sen. James Akpanudoedeghe had moved a motion seconded by Mr Nsima Ekere, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission, that the Secretariat along Ikot Ekpene Road be inaugurated and used as the state party secretariat.

Speaking before moving the motion, Ekere said that the secretariat was significant, recalling that in 1998 the same secretariat was used by patriotic Akwa Ibom indigenes to install the government in May 1999.

According to him, the same feat will be replicated in the upcoming general elections.

He urged all Akwa Ibom patriotic indigenes to join hands with the APC and strategise to win the 2019 general elections. (NAN)

[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ollowing the recent flood in Asaba Delta State Capital, the state Commissioner for Works, Mr. James Augoye, has said that people should not expect total result in flood control in this year’s rainstorm in Asaba. The Commissioner, who stated this while addressing newsmen in Asaba over the recent surging flood, noted that until the channelling of rainstorm is properly achieved especially with the construction of drainages on Okpanam road and other parts of the capital city, the state will still experience same flooding like that of last season. The drainages, he explained will be completed in February 2019.

Besides, he noted that the state will still contend with certain challenges because the roads have not been completed. Augoye appealed to residents around cornerstone corridor to desist from dumping refuse on the drainage to allow free flow of water through Okpanam drains to discharge at a channelled point.

Meanwhile, the drainage construction of DLA, Jesus Saves that cuts across Agric is 80% completed as well as DBS road, 40%, the commissioner noted.

Source News Express

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he proactive National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has described the September 22 Osun State governorship election as a walk-over for the party, saying APC is confident to emerge victorious.
Oshiomhole told State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday, that “APC has no political challenges in Osun as Governor Rauf Aregbesola is at home with the people”.
According to him, Aregbesola is a mobiliser, an organiser and an astute politician, capable of winning elections for the party in the state. He added that “as for Osun State, we are even much more confident because we have a governor who is at home with his people, a mobiliser, an organiser and an astute politician.
“We have also decided that in order to give people a more sense of ownership in the electoral process, we will use direct primaries, which means that every card-carrying member of APC will participate in choosing who should fly the party’s flag.
“The method will give more people a sense of ownership and a sense of commitment to the candidate that they have all chosen.
“It will also return the party to the grassroots so it can have new sense of renewed ownership, renewed sense of participation and inclusion by itself and a value that will make the actual election easier.
“So, we are confident that the great people of Osun State will vote for our party because the candidate that will emerge will be the candidate chosen by the party members and not the party oligarchy. That makes a lot of difference.”
On reported threat of mass defection from the APC, Oshiomhole dismissed the reports, saying it was the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that suffered from mass defection.
He said: “I think it is something you should ask the PDP. They are the ones who suffered huge, huge mass defection even of the so called founding fathers.
“I mean, in those good old days, people like Professor Jerry Gana will tell us, we are the founding fathers.
“People like President Obasanjo will tell us, you know I was the first President. All of these people are gone.
“I think the media need to get more engaged and scrutinise us, those of us who are political players when we speak from both sides of the mouth or we are turning the story upside down.
“Just few months back, you know that a good section after their convention, people like Prof. Adeniran, Prof. Jerry Gana and a host of others who can be said to founding fathers of that party, they left to form what they call SDP or ADC or both.
“So, they broke out and then, when it dawned on them that even together we defeated them just four years ago, and now further factionalised, what can they do?’’
He said that members of the opposition were only interested in power, not the welfare of Nigerians.
According to him, the PDP just want to capture power for the sake of power.
“So they say, even though we have already broken the house, can we for the sake of power come together? Does it make sense?
“In the morning, you broke away from PDP to SDP and then to ADC.
“And there is no better proof than that old man who is going round as an organising secretary recruiting people, looking for tired players to continue with a third term agenda which Nigerians have rejected.
“By whatever form they come in, Nigerians have spoken. They are not going to return to the era where Central Bank and NNPC security money is shared to people based on PDP philosophy ‘share the money’. We won’t do that, if they have forgotten.
“It is quite easy for robbers to forget easily the robbery they just did but it is not easy for the victim of the robbery to forget,’’ he said to further buttress his point.
On the conduct of APC congresses in Imo as directed by the court and the subsequent court injunction, Oshiohmole said he was not aware of any court injunction against the conduct of fresh congresses in the state.
He said: “There is no stay of execution. A stay of execution is not something that is secret. If anybody has one, he should show it to you.’’

[dropcap]F[/dropcap]or the fourth time in his political life, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is once again seeking to contest the 2019 presidential election under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party’s, PDP, but the journey promises to be a tough one

FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar has never hidden his ambition to rule Nigeria someday. For the fourth time since he left office in 2007, the former Customs boss has tried and failed to make it to get the plum job. He wants to try again.

Unlike last time in 2014 when he failed to get the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, ticket to contest, Abubakar wants to be the presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party. It is believed the same ambition to get on the ballot in the 2019 presidential election drove him from the APC in November 2017 to join the PDP, having realised that President Muhammadu Buhari will be running for a second term in office.

In any case, returning to the PDP is like a home-coming for Abubakar who had been vice president to President Olusegun Obasanjo. But he also knows that getting the PDP presidential ticket will not be a walk in the park. As the former vice-president declares his ambition on Saturday, July 21, he must have also realised that he has an uphill ahead of him.

Since his return to the main opposition party in November last year, Abubakar has been singing about his intention to win the PDP presidential ticket. He has also been on the road meeting with prominent and not so prominent Nigerians, making many policy statements about what he will do if elected president.

For instance, while he was in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Tuesday, July 17, he declared as intolerable the spate of killings going on in the country, and promised to bring the insurgence to an end if voted in as president.

Nevertheless, he blamed the incessant killings on the alleged insincerity in the management of the national security, especially in the fight against Boko Haram, saying if given the opportunity, he will solve the problem without delay.

He said: “I was flying about 35,000 feet over Borno and Yobe states few hours ago, and all I could see were nothing but open plain lands; yet someone on ground will be telling me that he cannot see where Boko Haram insurgents are.

“I hereby promise you all that should I be elected as president, the issue of insecurity will become a thing of the past. I know there is insincerity in the management of the country’s security.”

Similarly, Abubakar promised to enthrone economic prosperity and put an end to unemployment of the Nigerian youths and as well provide healthcare services, among others.

He said: “Today, our schools and our healthcare systems are not functioning; our youths are roaming the streets jobless; yet there is a government in place. We must also recall that this is the same Nigeria whose security forces had been able to fight a civil war and kept the country united in just about two years and six months only. And most of the soldiers that fought on the side of Nigeria are from the north.”

The former vice-president, who has been a leading light on the campaign for the restructuring of Nigeria, has also been taking his campaign around the country, visiting prominent PDP leaders including governors elected on the party platform to solicit their support for his presidential ambition. In the past few months, Abubakar has taken his campaign to several parts of the country including in the South-East, South-South, South-West and North-East.

During his visit to Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State on June 19, Abubakar told Governor Seriake Dickson and the enlarged members of the PDP in the state, that he had come to the state for consultation, and to ask for their support for his presidential ambition to better the lives of Nigerians.

After many hours of a closed-door meeting with Dickson, Abubakar disclosed his mission to the state. He said among others, that he had been following the advocacy of the governor on the issue of restructuring. “I agree with you and to let you know that I have been advocating the issue of restructuring since 2004.  I want to invite you to join me to work together with me ahead of 2019 so that we can do it together,” he said.

The former vice president later presented a book written by him on the need for proper restructuring to Dickson. In his remark, Dickson, who described the former vice-president as a veteran in politics, noted that the 2019 presidential election will be a referendum through which the Nigerian voters will decide who governs them. He called on PDP members nationwide to rise up to the challenge of taking power from the incumbent government.

During a similar visit to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State in Port Harcourt, in March, Abubakar said he is offering himself to set the country on the path of growth, after the serial failure of the APC government under Buhari.

All these occurred at the Government House, Port Harcourt, during Atiku’s visit to consult with leaders of the People’s Democratic Party in the  state.

Abubakar said he is offering himself to set the country on the path of growth, after the serial  failure of the APC and that since 2015, the APC-led federal government has destroyed the education, health and infrastructural sectors through poor budgetary allocations  and releases.

He argued: “Since 2015, we have not seen a 100 kilometres constructed by the APC federal government anywhere in the country.”

The former vice president has also blamed the ruling APC of destroying the foundation of unity and cohesion of Nigeria. “I have never seen Nigeria so divided along religious, ethnic and regional lines. This division is as a result of the mismanagement of the APC,” he alleged. The former vice-president called on Rivers State PDP stakeholders to support his ambition to emerge as the party’s presidential candidate.

That notwithstanding, Wike urged the PDP members, irrespective of their status, to ensure that the party produces a candidate with a track record capable of returning the PDP to Presidential Villa.

Similarly, he appealed to all the PDP presidential aspirants to contest within acceptable limits, arguing that the race is not a do-or-die affair but a movement to oust the APC.

Wike said: “Every presidential aspirant must see himself as a member of the larger PDP family. We must do everything  to ensure that PDP returns to the presidential villa in 2019.“Only one aspirant will become a candidate. We will do everything to ensure that the party comes out with a candidate that has a track record to upstage the APC,” he said.

Apparently being careful not to commit himself or the state to any candidate, Wike disclosed that he had received a similar request for support from Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa State. Thus, he assured that other aspirants would be offered the platform to consult with Rivers PDP members.

“God will make sure that the right candidate emerges. When the right candidate emerges, we will team up and remove this bad government. There is no benefit that Rivers State has gotten from this APC federal government. All the APC federal government is doing is plotting to rig the 2019 elections,” Wike added.

At another forum in the United Kingdom, Abubakar promised that if voted to power, he will achieve restructuring of the country in six months. Answering questions from an audience at Chatham House on Tuesday, April 24, the presidential aspirant promised to offer a matching grant of $250 million each to the 36 states of the federation to challenge them to enhance their Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.

He said: “It is doable. In fact, what I’ve told many Nigerians at home is that if you give me six months, I know I will be able to achieve a fast level of restructuring, otherwise the concurrent list issue.

“It’s very easy to deal with it because there is no state that you will call and say ‘I want to give you this responsibility together with the resources’, and will say ‘no’.

“I want the people of every state to be able to hold their leaders accountable because, at the moment, the federal government is being accused of everything, even when it’s not in its area of responsibility. I want to be able to resolve that so that citizens can hold their local leaders responsible for lapses and maladministration.”

Apart from engaging in vigorous consultation in various states and making pronouncements of what he will do to move the country forward, if given the opportunity to govern the country, Abubakar is also getting involved in humanitarian services.

The Atiku Care Foundation, ACF, his non-governmental humanitarian programme, has been visible in some of the troubled states, especially in the North East. The group has been donating relief materials to internally displaced persons, IDPs. The foundation has given foods and cash, among others to the IDPs in states such as Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Zamfara sates.

Nevertheless, Abubakar knows that he will not have an easy ride in his quest to get the party ticket. Apart from Lamido, some other aspirants have also announced their intention to fly the party flag at the next presidential election. They include Ahmed Makarfi, former governor of Kaduna State and Ibrahim Shekarau, a former governor of Kano State. Also being speculated to be in the race, but yet to formally move from the ruling APC to the PDP are Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State.

With the likes of Lamido, Makarfi, and Shekarau in the race for the party ticket, Abubakar is obviously facing some formidable opponents.

Lamido, a former minister of Foreign Affairs in the President Olusegun Obasanjo regime, has  experienced of more than 30 years. He is a loyalist to Obasanjo. He was one of the G-7 governors who rebelled against the PDP ahead of the 2015 general elections, but he and Babagida Aliyu, the then governor of Niger State did not join the APC because he was reportedly advised by Obasanjo against it.

Apart from his political experience, another thing that gives Lamido an advantage over Abubakar, is arguably, is his closeness to Obasanjo who has been supporting his presidential ambition since he finished his term as governor of Jigawa State.

In a press said interview, Obasanjo once expressed confidence in Lamido as capable of ruling the country. He said: “Given his background, performance and credibility, he is competent. With his exposure, he can stand shoulder to shoulder with anybody.

“If it is the wish of the people, it is okay. He did not tell me he is wishing but being the wish of the people let’s wait and see. Based on his track record, would you say he is not competent?”

Another aspirant for the ticket is Shekarau. The former minister of Education formally declared his intention to contest for the presidency in the 2019 general elections on the platform of the PDP in a letter sent to the party.

In the letter made available to journalists on Monday, April 30, Shekarau said that his decision to seek for PDP’s presidential ticket was based on clarion calls from Nigerians and after wide consultations.

The letter said in part: “As you may be aware, for quite some time now, since after the 2015 general elections, there have been various calls made by individuals and groups from many quarters, nationwide, urging my humble candidature for the contest of the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the next general elections due in 2019.

“I strongly believe that the people are doing so out of their conviction of contentment and satisfaction based upon the modest successes recorded while I served as the governor of Kano State (2003 to 2011), and also as a minister of Education (July 2014 – May 2015).”

In response to the calls, Shekarau said he consulted across the geopolitical zones and different interest groups, who examined and appraised the issue and advised me accordingly. Based on the advice, he had decided “to accept the clarion calls, and will in due course and in accordance with the guidelines of my party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, offer my humble self for the contest of the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during the forthcoming 2019 general elections,” Shekarau said.

Although Shekarau does not have a good father like Obasanjo to support his ambition, he is believed be a grassroots politician who can mobilise support for his ticket.

Perhaps, in the same mode is Makarfi. The former governor of Kaduna State, who once led the PDP as the former chairman of the party’s Caretaker Committee, declared his presidential ambition when he spoke journalists at his residence in Kaduna on Monday, June 18. He said after series of consultations, he had decided to seek for the party ticket to contest the presidential election in 2019.

Makarfi expressed belief that his record in public service should be enough to persuade his party men and women to vote for him.

Indeed, all the aspirants are seen to be eminently qualified to seek to for the party ticket, but only one is going to get the nod. But in terms of charisma, mobilisation, politicking and financial strength to prosecute the ambition, Abubakar appears to be the candidate to beat. At a function recently, Okwesilieze Nwodo, former Enugu State governor, poured encomiums on Abubakar as “a detribalised Nigerian, with the capacity to rescue the country.”

Nwodo, who is a member of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council and former PDP national chairman, said the former vice-president is what the nation needs to stop the spate of killings going on in the country and to restore hope again. “Another four years at the point where we are today, this country will cease to exist,” Nwodo said.

He also dismissed allegations against Abubakar on corruption. He challenged anyone with a shred of evidence against him to come forward with it, and lamented that thus far, no one has approached any of the anti-corruption agencies in that regard. “People say he is corrupt but he has challenged us to blow the whistle on him. We are waiting for a whistle to be blown. He has never held a position where he can approve monies,” he said.

Another supporter of the former vice-president is Isa Dansalla, one of the founding leaders of the APC, who recently defected to the PDP. Dansalla, a one-time chairman of Kajuru local government area under the ruling APC in Kaduna State, said the former VP posses the charisma to defeat the incumbent APC as well as restore Nigeria to its past glory.

He said in an interview: “Atiku is a partisan politician who has demonstrated maturity and patience in keeping the country united. He respects the rule of law which will in turn bring about fairness and justice to all citizens.

“He believes in God’s willingness upon his life, that is why he has always accepted any outcome of elections he participated with good faith since the time of the late Yar’adua and MKO Abiola.”

Besides, Dansalla saluted Abubakar’s courage to challenge the injustice of the third term bid of Obasanjo. “He is the highest employer of labour and has the technical knowhow to move the economy of Nigeria forward…

“As a founding member of our great party, PDP, he deserves to lead us and the entire nation to the promised-land and fix the problems we are facing today under the current administration,” he said.

But whether Abubakar will be fourth time lucky is a question for providence. His aspiration for the ultimate political pinnacle dates back to 1992.

Abubakar, a freshly retired Customs boss, first contested for the presidential ticket of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, one of the two parties created by General Ibrahim Babangida, the then head of state. He was sponsored then by Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, a retired general, in 1992. He came third in the convention held in Jos, Plateau State. The primary was won by Moshood Abiola, the eventual winner of the controversial June 12, 1993, presidential election.

Despite his political sagacity and war chest to prosecute his campaign, Abubakar seems to have some moral issues that may work against him during the PDP primary election. This has been his third time to return to the party. The former VP had left the PDP in 2006 when it became obvious that Obasanjo was working against his ambition and even wanted him removed from office as VP.

Thus, he left the PDP and joined the defunct Action Congress, AC, in 2006. He used the platform to contest the presidential election. After losing the presidential election to the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2007, he returned the PDP. In October 2010, he announced his intention to contest for the presidency. But he eventually lost to the then President Goodluck Jonathan, prompting him to leave the party again and returned to the AC, which had then become Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. The ACN and three other parties subsumed to become APC in 2014.

Abubakar contested for the APC ticket along with Buhari, Kwankwaso, Governor Rochas Okorocha Imo State and Sam Nda-Isaiah, a newspaper publisher. Buhari eventually won, while Abubakar came third behind Kwankwaso.

According to an insider, Abubakar would have won the primary election of the APC if not for the last minute campaign in which his loyalty to the ACN was queried. He was accused of abandoning the party and returning to the PDP when he lost the presidential election and that when he lost the PDP primary election to Jonathan, he found it convenient to return to the party.

Even now that he has vowed that whether he loses or wins, he will remain in the party, will anyone believe him?

Besides, with the kind of influence that Obasanjo still has in the PDP, it seems unlikely that the former president will support his candidature. In any case, at 71 year-old, age does not seem to be on his side to wait another term. So, for Abubakar it is now or never!

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Political crisis rocking the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Delta State Chapter has taking different dimension as Delta State police stepped in to prevent blood bath by sealing the premise of the party headquarters at Asaba,Delta State ahead of today’s inauguration of the state exco members and Local Government Area exco members, loyal to the Prophet Jones Erue’s faction.
Our reporter’s fact-finding mission at the party’s state Secretariat registered the presence of men and officers of the police force.Attempts by our reporter to secure an interview from the officers met a brick wall as the officers politely turned down our questions.
Reluctantly, an officer who spoke briefly to our reporter, just said their team was stationed there to maintain peace, save lives and properties here, that was all from our friendly police officer. Another source confirmed that the pro-Chief Ogboru led faction was supposed to gain entrance into the party as authentic party leaders but were denied access into the office.
A brief engagement with a local government area exco member of the party, loyal to Prophet Erue faction maintained that it wad their faction that invited the intervention of the police.
Another pro-Erue supporter affirmed that they are confident that their event will still hold, as they are sure that their faction’s leadership will mobilize more security operatives so that their function can hold.

He also maintained that their faction’s proactive action was predicated upon the premise that they were hinted that the Chief Ogodo led faction has perfected plans to use political thugs to disrupt their function.
Our leadership is democratic and believe in peaceful political engagement, hence, the invitation for police intervention, our source hinted.
Some party faithful were seen hanging around the party Secretariat, ready to cash into unfolding realities as time rolls forth.

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]midst claims by some aspirants in Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Aniocha North local government area chapter of Delta state that they have the support of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the leaders and political stakeholders of the party, have warned that there would be no automatic ticket for any aspirant in the party.

Arising from a crucial meeting held Tuesday, at the party’s secretariat in Issele-uku, headquarters of the local government area, leaders and political stakeholders of the party emphatically echoed the pronouncement and avowed commitment of the state governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to ensuring a level playing field for all party aspirants ahead of the party primaries slated for later date in 2018.

The crucial enlarged stakeholders meeting, which was attended by top stakeholders of the party in the council area including; Mrs. Nkem Okwuofu, Mr. Dan Okenyi, Mrs. Ada Josephine Kachikwu, Mr. Krees Njiokwuemeni, Mr. Victor Egbune, Mr. Val Okafor and the Aniocha North council chairman, Mr. Chuks Oseme, amongst others, resolved categorically that the party’s structure needed to be strengthened so as to give PDP an edge in the 2019 general elections.

The stakeholders equally condemned any attempt to subvert or disregard the resolutions reached after the last peace meeting, held at the instance of the state chapter of the party, in which it was resolved that all bonafide members of the party in local government who are interested in vying for any elective position, should do so in line with the governor’s admonition and directive of ensuring a level playing field during the primaries.

The meeting therefore urged all party members to be united and eschew politics of acrimony, noting that anybody who flaunts the governor ‘s directive by working against or sabotaging the provision of a level playing field for all aspirants during the primaries, will be brought to book and disciplined according to party rules.

Some of the leaders who spoke with newsmen after the crucial meeting, seriously advised those fanning the embers of disunity by their utterances, to desist forthwith, even as they also condemned the purported attempt by some intending aspirants, to drag the name of the governor’s father, Arthur Okowa, into Aniocha North politics.

“By alleging that the well respected octogenerian had promised automatic ticket to some particular aspirants in the state, in clear violation of the vow of the National party chairman, Chief Uche secondus, who had already pledged to organize an all inclusive party primaries that will not only guarantee a level playing field for all aspirants, but would also ensure total victory for the PDP at all levels, in the 2019 elections.”

It will be recalled that prior to the 2015 general elections in Aniocha North, the lingering issues surrounding the Delta House of Assembly primaries for the constituency ticket, could not and had not been resolved amicably, due to allegations that the primaries had been shrouded in questionable secrecy, thus leading to litigations among the aspirants, after the polls.

Our correspondent reports that it is however hoped that the new resolve to give a level playing field to all contestants, will make the party in Aniocha North more united and virile to overcome all hitherto faced challenges ahead of the 2019 general elections in the local government area.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) has condemned in strong terms the threat to life of one its members Mr. Albert Ograka, a Journalist and Publisher of BLANK NEWS ONLINE by agents and officials of Delta State Government over a publication bordering on an alleged financial scandal at the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

The publication which revealed that Mrs. Pat Ejeteh, the former Chairman of the board had been arrested for questioning by the Nigeria anti-corruption agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over fraud related matters, immediately led to life threatening messages and calls to Mr. Ograka from some officials of the Delta State Government

According to Ograka who quickly informed DOPF of the red alert on his life following the publication said that, he was called by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Mr. Charles Ehiedu Aniagwu from his phone number 080332…at 05:36 pm, 05:37 pm and 06:32 pm respectively (Nigeria Time) on Tuesday, July 17, 2018 with threat that if the request to pull down the story and apologize is not immediately carried out, he will allow the use of operatives of the Nigeria Police and Department of State Security (DSS) to arrest him.

“The CPS to the Delta state governor, Mr. Charles Ehiedu Aniagwu had argued that the story was false and that Mrs. Pat Ejeteh was his relative and could not have been arrested without his knowledge.

“I requested that a rejoinder should be written by Mrs. Pat Ejeteh, if she thinks the story was false, instead I was reminded by Mr. Charles Ehiedu Aniagwu that one of the sons of Mrs. Pat Ejeteh who presently serves in the Nigeria Navy is angry and would not hesitate to deal with me, adding that he (Charles Ehiedu ANIAGWU) is also not happy with me because of the story.

Culled from www.Asabametro.com

[dropcap]C[/dropcap]ross River State plays home to dozens of projects initiated by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Sadly, about 80 per cent of them are abandoned, some of which the contractors have been fully paid up and issued certificate of completion by the commission. Expectedly, the state government is not happy with the development, as revealed in this interview with the Special Adviser to the Governor on NDDC, Victor Effiom Ekpo. 

NDDC is an agency of the Federal government cutting across 9 states in Nigeria. How will you access its structure in the Niger Delta region?

Each of the Niger Delta states that made up NDDC has a representative. Some Governors do have Special Adviser to the Governor on NDDC Affairs. There are 9 state representatives and we work together as a team; that is how we operate. That is the structure that gets across the 9 states.

How are NDDC projects in Cross River State faring?

Our Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade is a Digital Governor. He created this office and we work closely with the NDDC office, Port Harcourt and the grassroots too. We have cordial relationship and close communication with the Liaison Officers, communities. For example, if there is a job to be done by NDDC in Cross River State, we will make sure we know the contractor, get the details of the project and we hand it over to the Community Liaison Officer, (CLO) to follow up to make sure the project is successful because we are the owner of the project.

What can you say about some abandoned NDDC projects in the state and how much is involved?

About 80 per cent of NDDC projects in Cross River State are abandoned. And in the last two years, the projects amount to 72, and the total amount appropriated for NDDC projects in the state for 2015 and 2016 is over N40 billion. The problem is that some contractors mobilised to site, while some did not at all. Another set of contractors even collected some money and later got certificate of completion, without even mobilising to site at all. This kind of situation, where the NDDC and contractors use Cross River State as a place to make money from without doing anything or giving commensurate service is very worrisome because these projects are supposed to better the lives of Cross Riverians, through NDDC as the intervention agency. So, let it be known that some contractors, who were awarded contracts in Cross River State do not even mobilise to site, but will find their way around NDDC, obtain their certificate of completion, get their full payment and walk away.

Some traditional rulers even came out to say that for the past one year, they have not seen contractors handling the jobs in their domain. Some communities went a step further by approaching the contractors, who claimed they abandoned the projects owing to paucity of funds. When I got the document on performance of the projects, I saw that some of the jobs were 60 to 70 per cent completed. That prompted me to visit the project sites, where I discovered that some of them had been abandoned for over one year. So, what we do is that we call the contractor handling the project to go back to site and complete the job.

Have you been able to prosecute any contactor who abandoned project given to him in Cross River State?

No, we do not have the legal power to prosecute any contractor rather we compel the contractor to go back to site because we send a letter to the NDDC Boss telling him not to pay contractor without our clearance from our office. We are on ground so we go there to see what the contractor has done and if what we see is up to 30%, we recommend payment accordingly. So that is how we operate.

NDDC acts as an intervention agency in the region concerned. Are there particular areas NDDC focus on in terms of development?

NDDC has the power to do anything be it infrastructural development, human capacity building, Health sector development, etc. Infact, any area at all that any community in the Niger Delta region needs attention, NDDC is always there to intervene so long as we get authentic information from the community concerned. For example, NDDC can build school or hospital, or sink borehole in areas they are needed after which they hand it over to the community. The community will then manage it and maintain it from time to time.

Does NDDC supervise the community projects after handing it over to the community?

Well, NDDC does not supervise rather it withholds contractor’s 10% as retention money and if after one year of monitoring the project it is found to be substandard; the contractor will be recalled and if he refuses to comply, then we re-award the contract and use the retention money as a lever to persuade the new contractor to correct any defects.

As the Special Adviser to the Governor on NDDC Affairs in Cross River State, can you say that NDDC has effected change in the state?

NDDC has done nothing in Cross Rivers State but we are hopeful that change will be effected in the state soon because when the NDDC boss, Mr Nsima Ekere came to Cross River state, he promised that NDDC will partner with the state government in the construction of 20km out of 267km Cross River State Superhighway. There are so many other projects coming into the state which will unfold with time.

What can you say about the NDDC Boss?

Mr Nsima Ekere is a distinguished personality, very sincere, transparent, hardworking and focused man. He is someone you can access anytime; attends to your problem almost immediately. Hopefully, I am convinced he will take NDDC to a greater height.

Tell us more about your political life.

Actually, I am a man who has been into politics. I worked with a Nigeria Ambassador to Egypt as a Political Adviser for about 2 years before I got a job to work with the wife of the Former President of Nigeria, Late Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua for a very short time. I have also worked with some other persons before taking up this assignment as the Special Adviser to the Governor on NDDC Affairs in Cross River State.

Can you tell us more about your “Digital Governor”?

Our Digital Governor, His Excellency, Sen (Prof) Ben Ayade is a man with deep vision; who loves innovations. He is among the few governors in Nigeria that pay salaries before time because as a former lecturer, he understands the plight of civil servants financially. He has transformed Cross River state into an industrial hub within a short while as we have Ayade Industrial Park in the state. His achievements are undeniable, insurmountable, and laudable. In Cross River State, we can boldly say that the civil servants are not hungry as salaries remain paid as and when due, the garment factory, which has provided employment for Cross Riverians has since commenced production, and the 21 megawatts power plant to boost electricity supply within Calabar is nearing completion. The plant which is located along Parliamentary Extension in Calabar Municipality, is expected to become operational soon. The state government in keeping with its resolve to provide potable water for the rural communities, His Excellency, Sen (Prof) Ayade purchased a Seko Hammer cum Rotary mounted drilling rig for RUWATSSA. The rig is capable of drilling to a depth of 450ft and has a mounted 15HP mud pump plus a Cummings engine compressor 1100CFM of 330psi.It is therefore compatible for both air and water drilling. The Motorized machine has the capacity to drill a borehole within 2-4hours. Also, the Cross River state government has keyed into the implementation and sustenance of the Federal Government’s Zero-oil Plan through diversification of the economy by establishing Automated rice seed and seedlings factory, Ultra Modern mill in Ogoja, the Banana plantation in Odukpani, and the Cocoa factory in Ikom. The Governor had also reached an agreement with a Chinese firm, for the provision of technical manpower for the cultivation of cotton. The Governor recently also disclosed plans by his government to establish a vegetable oil factory in Bekwarra Local Government Area which he unveiled during his inspection of vegetable oil factory in Beijing, China. These and so many others projects are lined up for Cross Riverians. My governor is “TALK NA DO”

You just mentioned Ayade Industrial Park, how does the government plan to achieve industrialisation aimed at increasing state’s revenue?

The governor and his deputy as you know are Professors. So they have what it takes to plan towards it. In most of these projects, the government goes into partnership with investors. We do either Build-operate and transfer or Build –operate and share depending on the Memorandum of understanding, MoU between the two parties and this has drastically reduced unemployment rate in the state. For instance, we have not less than 300 Cross Riverians working in the Garment factory currently and over 1000 Cross Riverians working all over the industries established by this government.

What is your advice to the electorates on getting their PVCs and 2019 elections?

People are encouraged to arm themselves with PVCs in Cross River state to make sure that the Digital Governor, His Excellency, Sen (Prof) Ben Ayade is returned come 2019 because of his giant strides and massive development he has brought to the state. Cross Riverians are already aware of these achievements and that is why when the governor held a program recently, he was endorsed by the elders, traditional rulers, party chieftains both from our party and opposition.

What is your legacy?

In my time also, about 5 to 10 NDDC abandoned projects have been completed as we compelled the contractors to go back to site. I will be very happy if NDDC constructs the 20km out of 267km superhighway in my regime. I want to be remembered for hardwork.