Governor Uduaghan Presents N327.6 Billion Budget Proposal For 2015

December 17, 2014

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan presenting Budget proposal

Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan today, presented a budget proposal of N327.68 for the 2015 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.

Governor Uduaghan gave the breakdown of the budget as comprising N161.6 billion recurrent and N166.07 billion capital estimates, representing 49.32 and 50.68 per cents respectively.

Dr. Uduaghan disclosed that the 2015 estimates was lower than the 2014 fiscal estimates by N123.05 billion, explaining that the decrease was due to the fall in the price of crude oil at the international market.

“I wish to announce a budget proposal of N327,682,982,917(three hundred and twenty seven billion, six hundred and eighty two million, nine hundred and eighty-two thousand, nine hundred and seventeen naira) for the services of Delta State in the 2015 fiscal year.

“This amount comprises N161,606,428,928(one hundred and sixty one billion, six hundred and six million, four hundred and twenty-eight thousand, nine hundred and twenty-eight naira) or 49.32% for Recurrent Expenditure and N166,076,553,989 (one hundred and sixty billion, seventy six million, five hundred and fifty-three thousand, nine hundred and eighty-nine naira) or 50.68%for capital expenditure,” he said.

Sectoral breakdown of the capital estimates revealed that a lion share of N50.32 billion, representing 30.3 per cent went to the economic sector, followed by the social, general administration and environmental sectors while the sum of N34 billion was voted for the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).

Governor Uduaghan said that N68.53 billion of the recurrent estimates was allocated to personnel costs, N51.33 billion for overhead costs with N41.69 billion set aside for consolidated revenue charges.

He gave the sources of funding for the budget as statutory allocation , including mineral revenue derivation, representing 63.74 while internally generated revenue (IGR), is 18.6 per cent, Value Added Tax (VAT), and other capital receipts, representing 13.58 and 3.81 per.

“The 2015 budget is driven by the successes recorded in various sectors of the State’s economy in the past seven years up to the 2014 Budget of Consolidation, Sustainable Economic Growth and Development as the 2015 budget is aimed at consolidating the achievement of 2014 budget as well as completing all on-going projects and programmes that will facilitate the fulfillment of the administration’s goal of making Delta State one of the most industrialized and developed States in Nigeria by 2020.

“Priority is given to the completion of on-going projects in the areas of rural and urban road network and infrastructure, security of life and property (including logistics support for law enforcement), healthcare and education.”

Reviewing the achievements of his administration since 2007, Governor Uduaghan said: “When this administration took over the mantle of leadership in 2007, I pledged to provide a more efficient government that will embody the vision of a politically united, socially integrated, stable, economically prosperous and well-organized State, with equal opportunity for all Deltans and in all modesty.

“I believe we have tried to actualize this pledge given the plethora of infrastructural development and other achievements we have recorded in the socio-economic transformation of our beloved Delta State.”

“Indeed, Mr. Speaker, Honourable members, after a critical review of our performance, so far, it is refreshing to note that this administration has with the cooperation and understanding of all stakeholders been able to meet some of the critical challenges of our shared vision for Delta State.”

Dr. Uduaghan stated, “we can with a good measure of certainty say that this administration has brought peace, tranquility and accelerated development to the state,” adding, “as we prepare to exit office next year, it is the avowed resolve and determination of this administration to finish strong, in this regard, it is gladdening to underscore that Delta State provides viable investment environment given its comparative advantages as a leading producer of oil and gas.

“The State is also strategically located and accessible to other parts of Nigeria by any means of transportation and government has invested heavily in security to create a safe and secure environment, we have a breed of young, educated and active population. Accordingly, we are committed to striving assiduously to deliver on the provision of critical infrastructures which this administration has set out to establish to support investors and improve business environment in our State in pursuit of our vision of Delta Beyond Oil.”

The Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Basil Ganagana assured Governor Uduaghan on behalf of the Legislature that the budget proposal would be given speedy attention to ensure service delivery to Deltans.

Boko Haram May Over-Run Nigeria If… Army Commander Writes President Jonathan

Greenbarge Reporters

December 16, 2014

A Nigerian Army Commanding Officer fighting Boko Haram in the North East has warned in an explosive open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan that both the Nigerian Army and the country will soon crumble under Boko Haram if his advice on how to go about fighting members of the sect is ignored.
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The letter, which was addressed to the President and Senate President, David Mark, detailed several troubling issues that are plaguing the troops who are fighting Boko Haram in the region.
The officer pointed at massive corruption, lack of resources and troops’ motivation as factors militating against the quest for a successful campaign to end Boko Haram’s deadly reign of terror in the land.
The top military officer’s expose which he claims would lead to a threat to his life further warned that if his pleas continue to be ignored by President Jonathan, the situation would be disastrous
“If all issues raised in this letter are not urgently addressed, the Nigerian Army will soon be history and by implication there will be no country called Nigeria,” he said, adding: “no country without a strong army will survive.”
Here reproduced is the full text of the Commanding Officer’s letter to President Jonathan:
PLEASE MR. PRESIDENT SAVE THE MILITARY AND NIGERIA FROM COLLAPSING‬
‪

1. Sir, I am constrain to write you this letter which I consider it a matter of more than great importance for me to inform you and put to record issues that are happening in the North East (Operation Zaman Lafiya). I choose this medium to write you this open letter because I have written similar letter but no action was taken which I believe some forces have blocked it are now after my life. Sir I have served in 7 Division as staff officer and presently I am the commanding officer of 103Bn in the field. My combined wealth of experience as a staff officer and now commanding officer are the disturbing fact that necessitated me to write you this letter. While as a staff officer, I was among those who believed that the commanders in the field are not doing well. But presently, as a commander in the field, I found out that it is not the fault of any commander that the defeat of the so called BOKO HARAM (BH) has not been achieved.
2. First and foremost sir, the Nigerian Army is poorly equipped in the North East, if all the battalions are well-equipped as required; it will not take the Army more than two weeks to flush out the BH. Presently there are four units in my location here in KONDUGA including 21 Armoured Brigade HQ. If all the units are provided with all their requirements, we can advance and flush out BH out of North East. Mr. President sir, the Nigerian Army is well-trained and capable of defending our nation. It has demonstrated the capacity to even successfully enforce peace in other nations. Why not in our own country Nigeria?
3. The fact about NE operation is that we are poorly equipped, understaffed, high corruption from Army Headquarters down to battalion level. Commanders see it as opportunity to make money. My predecessor has complained of the same problem. Instead of ASA addressing the issue raised by him, the army authorities decided to Court Martialled him. All the units in NE are understaffed, but on payroll their strength are complete just to collect more allowances than what each unit is supposed to. The commanders see it as a personal money making venture rather than taking care of men and equipment. This ugly trend led to loss of many officers and soldiers and thereby having adverse effect on the moral (sic) of troops. Majority of soldiers in the operation area wear mufti (civil cloths) under their military uniforms in case there is an attack and the troops cannot withstand the BH, they found it easy to disguise as civilians to enable them escape. This is not the traditional practice in the NA. Though it is lack of adequate equipment and poor administration from the higher authority that resulted to this ugly trend by our troops
4. Sir, another bad and unprofessional act is that soldiers donâ€™t take to orders from their superior officers because they have lost confidence/trust from them. The case of former General Officer Commanding 7 Division Major General A. Mohammed is enough evidence to show that all is not well in the Nigerian Army. It will interest you to note that worse cases has been recorded before that of the former GOC and more are still happening, but nobody is ready to investigate the root cause of problems facing the troops in the field.
5. This brings me to a recent occurrence which is my main purpose of writing this letter. As I mentioned earlier, due to the failure of the authority to address issues that I made mentioned, when a unit is attacked and overran by the BH not because the soldiers are unable to fight, but lack of weapons, ammunitions and communications equipment, the soldiers on many occasions will ran away, and a commander cannot stand and fight alone as a result of this. Presently seventy percent of commanders in the NE are facing Court Martial due to the reasons mentioned. We the commanding officers are very worried over this development. This is because we many soon find our self as victims of this maladministration from our higher authorities.
6. There is no sincerity in this operation; this is because the present acting GOC has never visited any location outside Maiduguri town not to talk of principal staff officers in Army Headquarters or even the COAS. But we keep on hearing all sorts of lies that Generals are leading the fight against BH. These are facts that can be confirmed from officers and soldiers in this operation including those in the 7 Division Headquarters. The GOC is so afraid that even with the Divisional Headquarters; he doesnâ€™t go out and always locked himself inside his office. Infact it is a common knowledge among officers and soldiers in this operation that the acting GOC is here to make his money and earn his promotion to the detriment of the operation. The completion of his mansion at No 8 Gwamna Road in Kaduna which the GOC ignorantly disclosed that when he completed it, will be among the best houses in Kaduna, has turned to be a subject of discussion among troops.
7. The former 21 Armored Brigade commander is facing Court Martial today because the acting GOC does not want to see him and his garrision in Maiduguri town simply because of the huge monthly allocations from the Borno State government to the brigade garrision. He wanted to be collecting his money by using 7 Div Garrison, but in reality 7 Div Garrision does not have troops to claim such money. It is worthy to note that the GOC received 33,000litres of AGO and PMS each, 600 bags of rice monthly from Borno State government. All these items are diverted for his personal use.
8. Recently the newly appointed 21 Brigade commander lead 3 units to flush out the BH, that operation was successful, almost 300 BH were killed, weapons and vehicles were recovered from them, in the process the troops exhausted their ammunitions from the Div, the GOC simply replied that there was no ammunition this made all the troops to withdraw back to KONDUGA.
9. Presently more than 3000 officers and soldiers are either killed in action, deserted, captured as POW or on AWOL. But due to lack of proper administration the army directed that their salary should be stopped. This affect the families of those that are either genuinely killed in action or captured as Prisoners of War. It has also affected some of the troops that are still participating in this operation.
10. Mr. President sir, if all issues raised in this letter are not urgently address, the Nigerian Army will soon be history and by implication there will be no country called Nigeria. No country without strong army will survive. I decided to write you this letter because the life of officers and soldiers trusted in my care are no longer save. My life is also at the stake because the NA authority as usual will say I have communicated directly to you as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and may sanction me. As a citizen of this country and a commander in the operational area, with all the points I have mentioned in this letter, it is clearly that the Military authorities have failed the country, as such they should be held liable for their misdeeds.
I have consulted seasonal constitutional lawyers if writing you this letter will be an offence, but they said it is my constitutional right to inform the C in C about what is happening in the NE and within the military which if not address will affect the survival of Nigeria.‬

[myad]

It Is Turn Of Labaran Maku To Complain Of PDP Back Hand Game

Greenbarge Reporters

December 16, 2014

Labaran Maku who recently resigned from the Federal Cabinet as information minister to contest the governorship position in his Nasarawa state has turned a complainant as he was defeated in the primaries conducted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

In a letter dated 9th December, 2014 and addressed to the Chairman, Governorship Primaries Appeal Panel, Maku said the PDP in Nasarawa State had earlier written to the national secretariat of the party on 28th November, 2014 to protest the sudden change of the list of delegates from Keana,Obi, Lafia, Akwanga, and Nasarawa Eggon Local Governments.

He said that despite the letter of protest, the Chairman of the Electoral Panel, Senator Adolphus Wabara, following protest by aspirants, insisted that he had instructions from the national secretariat to use the altered delegates list for the governorship primaries.

The former garrulous minister wondered why there were separate delegates list for the conduct of state and National Assembly primaries and the governorship primary.

“The difference is clear and there is no reason whatsoever for the sudden change of the list close to the time of the primary election. The question is how did these delegates in Annexure “B” emerged? Who conducted the process that made them delegates? I submit that Annexure “B” was not only concocted for this process but was illegal, unlawful and undemocratic. I urge you to wade into the matter and set aside the gubernatorial election based on this undemocratic and anomalous primary election.”

Maku said the use of the doctored list of delegates outside the original and authenticated list of delegates was not only illegal and unlawful but could not form the basis of any credible and authentic elections, adding: “the candidate who emerged from such an exercise cannot truly be the candidate that represents the aspirations of the people of Nasarawa State and our great party”.

He added that besides that, the conduct of the primary election did not comply with the guidelines of the electioneering as the number of ballot papers far exceeded the number of delegates in Nasarawa State.

Maku complained that the use of threat and coercion was applied to prevent delegates from freely expressing their choice of candidate as voting commenced late and went into the night thereby exposing delegates to danger.

“it is on this premise that I urge you most respectfully to use your good and exalted office to timeously intervene by canceling the gubernatorial primary election held in Nasarawa and to conduct another primary election so as to ensure that a free and fair election is conducted in the state.” [myad]

Zoning Returns To Haunt Shagari, By Garba Shehu

Garba Shehu

December 16, 2014

There was an interesting episode way, way back during the Second World War in Kano City. That time, the colonialists were in power, during which they recruited very heavily from these parts. Our young men were merely given a short training and dispatched to the warfront, mostly in Asia.
An order had come down that all ward heads in the vast city should each submit ten names of able-bodied young men.
Even in those times, you know that the local ruler will not write down his son’s name or that of his beloved in-law.
In this particular ward, there was a young man called Dan Umma – ugly-looking, massively built and aggressive-looking. No doubt about it, he was much hated by the ward-head. For this reason, Dan Umma himself knew that there was no way he could escape this hate list. His was the first name on it. As with the others, he was given his due share of Atampa wax print, a white fabric, ten Shillings and was asked to report at the Polo Ground where the recruitment officer would make his final selection. They lined up in their knickers and the white military officer made the rounds for his choices.
He looked at his young man up and down, then marked “x” against his name on the sheet of paper he held. “Dan Umma,” he thundered, “go home, you are rejected.”
Delighted and relieved, the first stop he made was at the court of the Wardhead. “Dan Umma,” queried the ruler, “you are supposed to report today at the Polo Ground. Why are you here?” The recruitment reject’s answer was that everything has its time.
“You may be my ward head but that is not to say your will must be done. The wish of a ruler is not a law” and vanished from the Court. This is the lesson I wish to take forward.
The out-going Deputy-Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Muktari Shagari has come last in the primary election organized for governorship aspirants in his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and since then, he has not stopped talking about why he feels cheated and that the results be upturned so that he can get the ticket. Shagari claims that he was promised the ticket eight years ago in a deal brokered by the national leadership of the party which, he now says, must be respected.
A report of the Sokoto primary in the Hausa newspaper, Rariya said that the winner, Ambassador Abdullahi Wali obtained 547 of the total votes cast. Senator Abubakar Gada and Minister Yusuf Suleiman came second and third and that Muktari Shagari got just a single vote, the one possibly cast by himself.
Since this incident was reported by this newspaper, it has touched off a chain of online reactions, with many of the commentators asking why Shagari, having lost the election is now crying to the party establishment in Abuja to retrieve the ticket from the winner and hand it over to him. Some are asking: Does he know the party he belongs to? Does honour exist in PDP? Do they keep promises made? Certainly no.
Muktari Shagari claims that eight years back, he won 80 percent of the votes in the PDP to stand as their Governorship candidate. In his manner of doing things, the then President, Olusegun Obasanjo looked at their candidate and party, and convinced himself that they did not stand a chance. He went on to negotiate a deal with a faction of the then All Nigeria’s Peoples Party, ANPP led by now Governor Aliyu Wamakko. And because Wamakko looked more promising upon defection to the PDP, the President gave the governorship ticket to the decampee and that is how Wamakko was made governor and Shagari attached to him as deputy.
It is possible that Shagari was promised the governorship upon Wamakko’s completion of term, but how many promises did the PDP make which they did not fulfill?
PDP is on the record as having broken the major principle upon which it evolved; one that endeared it to Nigerians North and South, the policy of power rotation just so that it could suit the convenience of the sitting President, Dr. Jonathan Goodluck. Who did Mr. Jonathan use as legmen to sell this betrayal of the North to the North? Muktari Shagari was among the outspoken Northern leaders who urged the party on to break its rule and confer the title upon the President in 2011 and they are threatening to do the same in 2015.
When therefore he reeled out his story of the refrigerated or is it archived ticket, it shook many BBC Hausa listeners with laughter over the weekend. That was like rewriting the history in which he played a big part in smashing up. The whole North rose up to speak against the injustice of Dr. Jonathan continuing in office in 2011, that is after completing the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s term. The country said to PDP, keep your agreements, allow power to shift to the North. Muktari Shagari and his ilks made nuisance of these calls even as his boss, the Governor of Sokoto State, Wamakko stood solidly in support of the zoning agreement. Now, Mr. Shagari has become a victim of broken promises by PDP, there he is crying like a lost sheep.
Meanwhile, in total disregard to his cries, the PDP leadership in Sokoto had shrugged and moved on. Their Chairman says that: “any such agreement, if exists, is between you and Abuja. Go there and get its redemption. For us here in Sokoto, we were asked to organize primaries for all the contestants, which is what we just did. The winners have emerged and we are going ahead to submit the list of their names.”
Beyond the outward expression of the state party chairman, the hidden message he is sending to the aggrieved Deputy Governor is that if the man is looking for his promised free ticket, he should go and ask President Obasanjo who gave that promise. When President Yar’Adua died, President Obasanjo pushed to have Shagari appointed as Vice President to acting President Jonathan. Today, not only Obasanjo is out of office, he is equally out of the loop of the political power. He has no ticket to give anyone.
The story of Muktari Shagari is the story of the wheel of God. This man was one of the architects of a shameless chapter in the history of the country’s ruling party. He chose to side with untruth and as the wheel of God turns against betrayers and the unjust, the best action for all decent men and women to take is to watch and remain silent. He enjoyed the deprivation of his people to rightfully take their turn to govern, but cries out that his own turn is being taken away. What kind of selfish person is this? In other communities, Muktari Shagari would have been placed on the permanent blacklist of the betrayers of his community. He deserved his fate.

[myad]

Jonathan Prays To God To Guid And Prosper General Buhari

Greenbarge Reporters

December 16, 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan has written to his political rival for the 2015 Presidential election, General Muhammadu Buhari wishing that God should guid, guard and prosper him as he marches on in life.
In a letter congratulating the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate today on his 72nd birthday anniversary which comes up tomorrow, Jonathan further prayed that God should grant him many more years of good health and personal fulfillment.
“As you mark your 72nd birthday anniversary, I write, on behalf of my family, the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to extend warm felicitations to you.
“I join your family, friends, and well-wishers to thank God for your life and to pray that He continues to guide, guard and prosper you even as He blesses you with many more years of abounding health and personal fulfillment,” President Jonathan wrote.
He wished General Buhari a very happy birthday.
General Buhari is the only strong opponent of President Jonathan in next year’s presidential election.

[yop_poll id=”1″]

[myad]

President Jonathan Re-Presents 2015 Budget Of N4.357 Trillion To House Of Reps Tomorrow

Greenbarge Reporters

December 16, 2014

File photo: Financial Minister, Okonjo Iweala presenting Budget to the national Assembly

President Goodluck Jonathan may formally present the 2015 budget proposal before the House of Representatives.
The budget, which is to be presented on behalf of the President by the minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, will containing
amendments of some parameters of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework in line with present realities.
Okonjo-Iweala had held a closed- door meeting with Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and principal officers of the House where she explained that there was need for the budget be in tadem with the bew price of oil at $65 per barrel as against $77.50 per barrel in 2014.
Oil production for 2015 was pegged at 2.278 million barrel per day against 2.388 barrel per day in 2014, while the exchange rate was pegged at N165 to a dollar against N160 to a dollar in 2014.
The new budget document showed that the sum of N150 billion is for National Assembly, N73 billion will be for National Judicial Council (NJC) and N72.18 billion for Universal Basic Education (UBE).
Also, N62 billion has been earmarked for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), N50.96 billion for transfer to NDDC, N2.50 billion for Public Complaint Commission, while N1.50 billion is for Human Rights Commission.
For debt servicing, Federal Government proposed the sum of N894.61 billion for domestic debt, while N48.39 billion is for foreign debt. The sum of N91.03 billion was proposed for payment of subsidy on kerosene.
The sum of N591.02 billion is expected from 13 percent derivation as Federal Government share of the oil revenue.
For the recurrent expenditure (non-debt), Federal Government proposed N1.801 trillion for personnel costs, N216.56 billion for overheads, N228.81 billion for CRF pensions, while N376.05 billion is for other Service Wide Votes.

[myad]

Makinde, Others Defect From Oyo PDP To SDP

Greenbarge Reporters

December 16, 2014

The crisis-ridden Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Oyo State was further depleted yesterday as an aggrieved leading governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Seyi Makinde, today, defected to Social Democratic Party (SDP) where Makinde picked up its ticket, as its candidate for the 2015 governorship election.
This came on the heels of the defection, by the former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala to Labour Party after the former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin was given the party’s ticket.
Declaring his intention to call it quits with PDP along with his supporters, Makinde said: “After fruitless efforts to ensure that free and fair election prevailed within PDP and witnessing the yearnings of the ordinary people of Oyo State that are asking for change for the reduction of poverty due to poor governance, I find it extremely difficult to shy away from this popular demand to make a difference in lives of our people.”
Makinde asked: “how can this same party have a candidate who claims to have been elected with 167votes which is just about 10 percent of the total number of delegates after the majority or 1, 053 delegates were disenfranchised.
“I am concerned about the level of deprivation of our people. Poverty has dehumanized and debased the quality of lives down to a level that is incompatible with human dignity.
“In my private capacity, I have tried to lift them up but I believe that with the instruments of governance, we can together move farther than any private effort. I have seen in my interactions with people that they believe in what we are doing and they are ready to support us to the best their abilities.”

[myad]

Nigeria Will Never Grow With The Kind Of Politics Politicians Play, Governor Suswam Regrets

Greenbarge Reporters

December 16, 2014

Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue state is obviously angry with Nigerian politicians who are in the habit of crossing from one political party to another simply in search of positions, the attitude he said would not make Nigeria grow.
“If we (politicians) continue to practice politics in that manner, I do not think that we can grow. We will not get anywhere because there is no philosophy behind what we do. We are just operating like pendulum. If it does not work this way, we will move this way. That is not good.”
Governor Suswam, who spoke to newsmen today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, was particularly referring to the former minister from his state who recently defected from PDP to opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Suswam described Nigeria politics as “rather funny,” saying that politicians have no principles and ideologies.
“They just go into politics for what they can get. I find that very unfortunate. The Minister in question has been a great beneficiary of the PDP.” He said that PDP held what he called the most transparent primary in Benue state which is why no one is complaining about the primaries.
He said that some politicians just want position and that once they do not get it, they swing.
“So, I find that very unfortunate. That is why we are having the problem we are having with politics in Nigeria.
“The other parties just wait for the other parties to conduct primaries so that when they have problem, they will just take them in.
“If they don’t get nomination in PDP, they will move to APC and if they do not get in APC, they will move to Labour Party, etc.
“I think that instead of us growing our democracy, we cannot go anywhere with this kind of politics.
They just want position not to serve but for selfish reasons. If you want to serve, if you do not get it today you will wait for the next time.”
Governor Suswam said that this kind of politics come out of desperation for power, adding that it is out of desperation that they move from one party to another.
“If you are not desperate, then what is it. You have been a Senator before. Later you became a Minister. You have been Auditor and you have been everything. Why will you defect from the party that has done so much for you? It is because they are desperate for power for selfish reasons not to serve the people. With this trend, I don’t think that politically, we will grow in this country.”

[myad]

Niger Delta Militant Leader, Tompolo, Allegedly Buys Over PDP With About N500 Million

Greenbarge Reporters

December 16, 2014

Facts are emerging on how ex-Niger Delta militant leader, Mr. Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo allegedly gave Senator Ifeanyi Okowa $3 Million (about N500 Million) to distribut to delegates that led to his emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the recenly conducted governorship primary of the party in the state.
Tompolo, now a billionaire by every standard, was said to have released the money to Okowa on the eve of the primaries. The fund was believed to be the game changer.
While some other aspirants were said to have openly gave delegates $4,000 and N500,000 at the venue of the primaries, Okowa dished out N1 million to each of the delegates.
It was gathered that Tompolo’s support for Okowa was obtained with some promised concessions, one of which was that Okowa’s running mate, who is from Delta North Senatorial District, will be nominated by him.
The ex-militant leader, who recently purchased six warships to implement a security contract awarded to him by the Federal Government, is said to have positioned a candidate for the deputy governor’s slot from his ethnic stock, the Ijaw of Delta South Senatorial District.
It is on record that a few hours before the primaries, the name of Okowa did not feature highly on the list of aspirants favoured to clinch the governorship ticket.
Until about 48 hours before the primaries, the thinking in the PDP was to run with the perceived compromised candidate of the party and former Permanent Secretary in the Delta State Government House, Tony Obuh.
Obuh is from Delta North Senatorial District, which has never produced the governor of the state and was largely regarded to have the backing of the state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Presidency.
A day before the primaries, the name of a former Commissioner for Finance in the administration of former Governor James Ibori, David Edevbie, came up.
Edevbie was believed to have become the candidate of the Presidency after Ibori indicated interest in supporting him.
Though there was no complete compromise, there appeared to be an unwritten agreement before the primaries that Edevbie should emerge the party’s candidate.
However, Okowa emerged the candidate of the PDP.
In the current arrangement, the Ijaws, one of the three major ethnic groups in Delta South Senatorial District, would have to take up virtually all elective and appointive positions for the area.
The other ethnic groups in the senatorial district are the Isokos and Itsekiris.
Already, the chairmanship seat of one of the local government areas in the senatorial district has been conceded to Tompolo’s brother, George, by the PDP.
This has raised dust over the initial person pencilled down for the PDP chairmanship position in the person of Weyimi Omadeli.
However, in order to give room for equity, the leadership of the party had to, a day before the primaries, cede the ticket to George.
At the time, the thinking was that if the Ijaws should produce the chairman of a local government area, an Itsekiri man in the person of Uduaghan would go to the Senate, while an Isoko man would emerge as the deputy governorship candidate to a governorship candidate from Delta North Senatorial District.
But, after the concession of the chairmanship seat to Tompolo, the representative of the senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator James Manager, also of the Ijaw stock, insisted on retaining his seat after his request to be given the governorship ticket failed to click.
Uduaghan, an Itsekiri man, who had initially indicated interest in the Senate seat, was said to have conceded the seat to Manager.
This was based on the arrangement that a governorship candidate will emerge from Delta North Senatorial District, with the Isokos getting the deputy governor’s slot.
Informed sources said the unwritten agreement was for the senatorial seat to be rotated among the Ijaws, Itsekiris and Isokos.
Manager, of the Ijaw ethnic stock, will be returning to the Senate for the fourth time.
And with the push for an Ijaw to emerge as Okowa’s deputy, the implication is that the Itsekiris and Isokos will have no elective and appointive positions in the next political dispensation.

[myad]

We’ll Disgrace Nyeson Wike, Rivers APC Beats Chest

Greenbarge Reporters

December 16, 2014

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that it will disgrace the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nyeson Wike in the 2015 election and that he will not get up to 10 percent of the votes.
The party, in a statement today, said that despite support of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, Wike, who it said emerged in very controversial circumstances as the candidate of PDP after 16 other aspirants were physically prevented from attending the primary election to select the party’s governorship candidate will go no where.
“Wike would have tried to be man enough and allow the G16 to contest and defeat him flatly instead of allowing himself to be imposed as Rivers PDP governorship candidate through what has been generally accepted to be the most fraudulent and kangaroo governorship congress ever in Nigeria’s history. This is a man who is perpetually afraid of competition and who never believes in a free and fair election, hence we are not surprised that he brazenly used his stooges and clowns in PDP to frustrate and rig out the 16 better qualified gubernatorial aspirants.
“To say the least, Wike’s governorship ambition is both ungodly and unholy while his emergence as PDP’s candidate is shabby, dubious, shameful and undemocratic.”
The statement in which was issued by the APC State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, was in response to an earlier one by Wike accusing it of embarking on a propaganda war ahead of the 2015 elections.
APC insisted that Wike’s governorship bid is at variance with natural law, equity, justice and fair play in the distribution of power in Rivers State.
“We still maintain that his emergence is against the principle of zoning after the Upland section of the State has ruled for 16 years through Dr. Peter Odili and Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi at the detriment of Riverine section of the State.”
The party dismissed Wike’s governorship gamble as a doomed venture saying: “Wike is no match in any way to our credible candidate, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, a man of unimpeachable character with a proven record of performance. His chances, which were slim from the very beginning, have been further dimmed by the plot of the G16 disenfranchised governorship aspirants to fight him to a standstill. Besides, the recent smashing of Wike’s rigging plot by the Police, which nabbed his foot soldiers cloning INEC Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in a hotel in Port Harcourt belonging to one of his key supporters, has further weakened eroded the probability of his winning the 2015 governorship polls.
“In view of the above irrefutable facts, coupled with the efforts of both INEC and the security agencies to eliminate rigging during the 2015 elections, we make bold to predict that Wike and President Jonathan would require a miracle to get up to 10% of the votes to be cast during the 2015 governorship polls in Rivers State.”

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