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Wike man of contractions forced on Rivers by Jonathan – Clark
Wike man of contractions forced on Rivers by Jonathan – Clark
Leader of the South South, Edwin Clark, has said former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, pleaded with the Rivers people to support Nyesom Wike to become the state governor in 2015, even though it was the turn of the people of Ijaw.
According to the elder statesman, the biggest players who supported Wike to rise to his political level today are the Ijaws, including himself.
He added when Rotimi Amaechi’s government (as Rivers governor) came to an end in 2015 after eight years, the Ijaws insisted that it was their turn to take over governance in the state and that the consensus was general among the people.
He said the Ijaw people under the leadership of four-time minister, Alabo Tonye Douglas, insisted on an Ijaw man taking the lead as this was only fair and just.
In an Open letter dated June 9, 2024, to Senator George Sekibo, the senator who represented Rivers East and made available to journalists on Sunday in Abuja, Clark warned him on the need for caution in overstating the role of Wike in Rivers politics with regard to the Ijaws. He recalled that the people of Ijaw emphasised that it would be unfair for them, being the majority, to be shut out for a period of 16 years and another Ikwere man taking power to make it 24 years.
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According to him, former President Jonathan pleaded with them to give Wike a chance during an election year in which he was seeking to return to office at the centre.
The leader of Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) wrote Sekibo in response to his press briefing recently in Yenagoa, Bayelsa, where he (Sekibo) and others visited the Ijaw National Congress, leader, Prof. Benjamin Okaba.
The open letter was also copied President Bola Tinubu; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume and Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
Recall that Sekibo who spoke on behalf of the leaders had said the Rivers Ijaw People’s Congress was in support of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nyesom Wike, having reportedly demonstrated his love for the Ijaw nation contrary to claims in some quarters arising from the political crisis rocking Rivers.
Clark noted that it was a shock to the entire Ijaw people in Rivers State and in all the other states, but they had to soft pedal and support Wike to contest in respect for Jonathan and his wife as well as for the sake of peace, said as at that time, Wike’s highest position before coming to Abuja was as local government chairman and later Chief of Staff to Amaechi, who was his kinsman.
According to the Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, in subsequent times, Amaechi appealed to Jonathan to make Wike a minister, which led to his emergence as Minister of State, Education and later acted as the minister when Prof. Ruqayyah Rufa’i was removed as the minister.
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Executive Order: NAFDAC praises Tinubu for advancing drug and health security
Executive Order: NAFDAC praises Tinubu for advancing drug and health security
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing an executive order to strengthen drug and health security in Nigeria.
In a statement on Saturday, NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Moji Adeyeye highlighted that the executive order is designed to transform Nigeria’s health sector. The order focuses on increasing local production of healthcare products, reducing healthcare equipment and consumables costs, and promoting local investments.
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Prof. Adeyeye emphasized that this move paves the way for a sustainable and high-quality healthcare system for all Nigerians. She noted that the executive order demonstrates the administration’s dedication to transforming the health sector and aligns with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) and the Presidential Initiative on Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), which was approved in October 2023.
Prof. Adeyeye also mentioned that NAFDAC has been implementing measures to enhance the local manufacturing of drugs and other health commodities over the past six years. She stated that the Tinubu administration has created an environment where local manufacturers can excel and compete effectively.
Executive Order: NAFDAC praises Tinubu for advancing drug and health security
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Food Security: Saudi Arabia plans farm equipment manufacturing plants in Nigeria
Food Security: Saudi Arabia plans farm equipment manufacturing plants in Nigeria
Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture, announced that Saudi Arabia has shown interest in establishing manufacturing plants in Nigeria for farming equipment.
Kyari disclosed this in a statement on his Twitter account on Saturday following a meeting with stakeholders from the Middle Eastern state. He highlighted that the objective is to enhance Nigeria’s agricultural sector through mechanization by locating these plants within the country.
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Additionally, Kyari mentioned that Saudi Arabia has committed to purchasing 200,000 metric tons of red meat annually from Nigeria and one million tons of soya. He emphasized that this initiative will bolster the agricultural sector and the nation’s production capacity.
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Release Nnamdi Kanu now, Peter Obi urges FG
Release Nnamdi Kanu now, Peter Obi urges FG
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last general election, Peter Obi, has called on the Federal government to release Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Speaking to journalists at his residence in Onitsha, Anambra State, Obi described Nigeria as being on the brink of failure and emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law. He called on the Federal government to release Nnamdi Kanu promptly, citing court rulings that granted him bail.
“My take on Nnamdi Kanu is that I don’t see any reason for his continued detention, especially as the courts have granted him bail. The government must obey the court. The rule of law is an intricate asset that we must cherish and live with. I use this same opportunity to plead with the federal government to ensure that all those who are in similar conditions are released and discussed. We are in a democracy, and we should not be doing things that are arbitrary and not within the law.
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I want to use this opportunity to say that all those who are being held because of one protest or the other should be released. Whether it is freedom fighters, End Sars protesters, or even because of freedom of speech, be it journalists, let them all be released immediately.
We are a democratic country, and people have rights under the constitution to express themselves freely. They also have the right to peaceful protest, and we must listen to them. We must listen to those who say they are not happy, that is why it is a democracy. We should stop acting dictatorial and behave as if this is not a democratic country.” he said
Release Nnamdi Kanu now, Peter Obi urges FG
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