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Showing posts from July, 2018

Bayelsa Int’l Airport: Gov Dickson Seeks Security, Technical Support, Others From Air Force

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…Says Project Is Bayelsa’s Single Most Ambitious, Biggest Investment By Pat PA Okon Bayelsa State Governor, Honourable Seriake Dickson on Monday, sought the collaboration of the Nigerian Air Force in the area of providing security, technical assistance and other forms of support to facilitate the smooth take off of the state international airport, scheduled for commissioning soon. Governor Dickson, who made the appeal when he received the Air Officer Commanding, Mobility Command, Air Vice Marshall, Napoleon Bali, who paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa, said the partnership has become imperative, especially at a time, when the facility is nearing completion. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Francis Ottah Agbo, quoted Governor Dickson, as describing the airport as the single most ambitious and biggest project in the state, noted that, the airport facility would serve as a gateway to the world and make Bayelsa a hub for business

BAYELSA RECEIVES N10.8 BN ALLOCATION FOR JULY

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By Pat PA Okon The Bayelsa State Government has received the sum of N10.8 billion, as allocation from the Federation Account for the month of July, 2018. The Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Maxwell Ebibai, said in a statement on Monday that, the state earlier received N12.7bn for the month of June. He said that, the receipts from the federation for the month of June showed a shortfall of about N2 billion from that of July. Ebibai said that, the state government would give priority to the payment of workers’ salaries in consonance with the emphasis placed on workers by the Restoration Administration. He stated also that, while ongoing capital projects would also attract priority attention, other state expenses would be treated on their scale of importance. The Commissioner explained that, the government had to brief the citizens of the state on receipts from the Federation Account, in line with the transparency policy of the State Administration. He recalled

FMR. PRESIDENT OBASANJO, LIBERIAN VP, OPRAL BENSON, OTHERS TO FLAG OFF SUMMIT ON MATERNAL MORTALITY IN BAYELSA

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...AS GOV. DICKSON LAUNCHES SAFE MOTHERHOOD INITIATIVE By Pat PA Okon The Bayelsa State Government is set to hold the first summit on Infant and maternal mortality in Yenagoa on Tuesday. The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said in a statement on Monday that, the Governor of the state, the Honorable Henry Seriake Dickson, in company of his wife, Dr. (Mrs). Rachael Dickson, will exploit the opportunity of the event to launch the Safe Motherhood Policy of the Government. Iworiso-Markson said that, the Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, Vice President of Liberia, Her Excellency, Mrs. Jewel Howard Taylor would be the Chairman and Special Guest of Honour at the event respectively. He said that, the state government was expecting other very important personalities from outside the country, including the former Speaker of the Gambian National Assembly/Deputy Speaker, ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay at the

PDP will win 10 northern states in 2019 – Sen. Danbaba

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Posted by Admin The Senator representing Sokoto South Senatorial District, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi Danbaba said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will win 10 northern states in the forthcoming general elections.                                                     Danbaba is among the lawmakers that recently decamped to PDP at the National Assembly. Speaking to some selected journalists in Sokoto on Sunday, he said he did not regret dumping the party that made him Senator because they were not being carried along in the scheme of things.                                                               He further explained that he left the party because of lack of equity, justice and fairness to all members.                                                             "The APC-led federal government has derailed from its mandate and failed to meet the yearnings of Nigerians," he added. Danbaba who is the vice chairman of the House Committee on Army, lamented that th

'PDP Lost Ekiti Because Fayose Took People For Granted' — Owoseni

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Posted by Admin                                                      Former Ekiti State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, has revealed that the PDP house started crumbling under Governor Ayodele Fayose because of his refusal to listen to advice and give room for reconciliation in the party. He added that Fayose’s alleged arrogance, taking the people for granted and stabbing those who helped him back to power in the back, caused the defeat of the PDP governorship candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka. Another factor, according to him, was the mass exodus of leading party members who contributed to Fayose’s victory in the 2014 governorship election which rendered the platform very weak to face a very formidable opposition. Speaking with Journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, Ajayi maintained that the July 14 governorship election won by the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, was free, fair, transparent, credible and would stand the judicial scru

Fmr. Jigawa Governor, Sule Lamina applauds Gov. Dickson for promoting Ijaw culture and traditions

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By Pat PA Okon                                                       Bayelsa State Governor, Honourable Seriake Dickson has been commended for promoting the culture and traditions of the Ijaw people, as well as for being a true ambassador of his people. . A statement by the Chief Press secretary to the Governor,  Mr. Francis Ottah -Agbo quotes the former Jigawa state Governor,  Alhaji Sule Lamido, as making the commendation during the inauguration of a pavilion in the governor's country home of Toru Orua in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state. Speaking at the event, Alhaji Lamido,  who is a People's Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirant, eulogised Governor Dickson for constructing the edifice, noting that, through this singular act,  the governor has endeared himself to the people. He said, he was consumed by the magnificence of the pavilion which is aimed at promoting oneness, adding that Nigerians have the responsibility of promoting integration a

REVIEWING THE HARVEST OF DEFECTION

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By Joe Iniodu         In the last few days, the most used lexical item is the word defection. In government circle, corporate world, market place, political groups, schools and any setting that hosts human community of reasonable mental elevation, the word dominates discussions. This is because the Nigerian politics and the players who are never lacking in drama and razzmatazz have through their actions forced an urgent deployment of the phrase, once again putting our politics into a ding dong mode.         Defection is not a totally new word to the Nigerian political lexicon. The word which was first used in 1546 is a noun which means “conscious abandonment of allegiance or duty to a person, cause or doctrine”. In summary, it means desertion. Its verb form, defect, shares the same meaning but with expanded semantic shift to provide more explicit meaning like “to leave a political party, organization”, etc. But despite its long duration of existence, defection has not been an e

IYC carpets IGP, says APC wants to polarise Bayelsa security

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By Admin The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), has raised the alarm over the recent decision of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to post four Commissioners of Police to Bayelsa State in less than two weeks. The Secretary-General of the IYC, Mr. Alfred Kemepado, said in a statement on Sunday that, it was indeed suspicious for the Force Headquarters to post four commissioners of police to one state, within such a short period of time. The IYC Scribe said that, the action of the Force Headquarters, under the leadership of the IGP smacks of a surreptitious plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC), to use the police authorities to politicize the Security architecture of the state, with the sole aim of causing instability and destabilize Bayelsa State. Kemepado called on the police authorities not to allow themselves to be used by politicians, pointing out that, the removal of CP Don Awunah after working so hard in collaboration with sister security agencies t

Bayelsa Assembly Inspects Airport Project Ahead of Commissioning

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...Rates Gov Dickson High on Resources Management By Admin                                                             The multi-billion naira Bayelsa International Airport, with a 3.5 kilometre runway has been described as strategic to boosting the economy of the state and the entire Niger Delta region. Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Konbowei Benson made the remark on Thursday, when he led other members of the Assembly on an inspection tour of the airport project. Fielding questions from newsmen, Rt. Hon. Benson commended Governor Seriake Dickson for the prudent management of the N40 billion approved by the House for the project, which he noted, has facilitated the completion of the airport. The Speaker, who was visibly elated, expressed satisfaction with the quality of the project, noting that, the airport, which is slated for commissioning next month, would open Bayelsa to the world for business and social activities. His words: "The

"Rally round PDP to rescue the nation..." Gov Dickson appeals to Nigerians

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- Urges Presidential Aspirants to Close Ranks, Work For The Interest of PDP By Pat PA Okon                                                     Bayelsa State Governor, Honourable Seriake Dickson, on Thursday, appealed to Nigerians to rally round the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to rescue the country from its litany of woes. Governor Dickson made the appeal, when he played host to PDP presidential aspirant and former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido and his campaign team in Government House, Yenagoa. A press statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State Governor, Francis Ottah Agbo, says Honourable Dickson described the current security and economic challenges in the country as unparalleled, stressing that, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has failed to deliver on its mandate to the citizenry. The Governor, who noted that the APC has shown gross incompetence in the last 3 years, pointed out that, it is only the PDP that has the ca

PDP Raises Alarm over Plots to Impeach Fayose

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Posted by Admin                                                             The Peoples Democratic Party has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop its nefarious plot to impeach Ekiti State Governor,  Chief Ayo Fayose or attract dire consequences. In a press statement signed by Hon. Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of the party, PDP says the impeachment plot, which is being arranged in connivance with the Police, is a recipe for crisis in the peaceful state. The PDP is aware that the plot is a desperate bid by the APC to rush into the Ekiti Government House to remove and tamper with documents and evidence confirming the rigging of the July 14 governorship election, ahead of the sitting of the election tribunal. Having realized that there is no way their daylight robbery at the poll can stand in the court,  the APC is now employing all desperate means to subvert the course of Justice. This explains why a detachment of the Police can be hurriedly

Coomassie: Governor Dickson Condoles IGP

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                By Admin                                                             The governor of Bayelsa State, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson has commiserated with the Inspector General of Police (IGP),  Ibrahim  Idris on the death of former IGP, Ibrahim Coomassie.                The Governor said the late IGP was one of the finest in the history of policing. While praying God for the repose of his soul, Governor Dickson who himself was a Police Officer,  also prayed God to give the police and his family the fortitude to bear the loss which he said is clearly irredeemable.  A press statement by the Governor's Chief Press Secretary,  Francis Ottah Agbo quoted Dickson as having made the remarks today,  July, 23, 2018 when he paid a condolence visit on Idris at Force headquarters,  Abuja.                                      Coomassie was IGP between 1993 and 1999.                              The IGP thanked Governor Dickson for the visit and commended

Osun PDP Guber Primary: Gov. Dickson Submits report To National Chairman

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By Admin Governor of Bayelsa, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson and chairman of the Osun State PDP Gubernatorial Primary Election has submitted the report of the exercise to the party's National Chairman,  Prince Uche Secondus.  The election which held on Saturday,  July 21 in Oshogbo, the Osun State capital returned Senator Ademola Adeleke as the Guber Candidate for the September 22 election in the state. Dickson said the primary election in Osun was the most keenly contested primary he has ever seen or heard of,  and expressed confidence that if all the PDP leaders and stakeholders bury their differences and work together, the PDP will trounce the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). A press statement signed by the Governor's Chief Press Secretary,  Francis Ottah Agbo noted that the Governor, flanked by former Governor of Niger State,  Babangida Aliya,  former Minister of Water Resources,  Mrs Sarah Ochekpe and other members of the Committee submitted the

RSG WARNS AGAINST PROTESTS AROUND ISAAC BORO PARK AND GOVERNMENT HOUSE AXIS IN PH, CITES SECURITY REASONS

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Posted by Admin                                                             The Rivers State Government says it has placed a temporary ban on protests around Isaac Boro Park and Government House axis in Port Harcourt from Monday 23rd July, 2018 till further notice and warns any person involved to drop the idea or face the wrath of the law. A statement signef by Barr.    Emma Okah, Hon. Commissioner for Information and Communications, Rivers State, said: "This is because reliable security reports show that such protest may be hijacked by hoodlums who are likely to inflict violence on innocent people and cause breach of public peace and order. "The public is hereby advised to heed this warning and remain vigilant and report suspicious characters to the police.

AREGBESOLA HAILS DICKSON FOR CONDUCTING FREE AND FAIR PDP PRIMARIES FOR OSUN

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Posted by Admin                                                             The Governor of Osun State, Alhaji Raul Aregbesola, has commended his Bayelsa State counterpart for conducting a free, fair and credible gubernatorial primary election in Osun State. Aregbesola, who said that he monitored the primaries on the television, said that the process of the election signified improvement in the democratic culture in the country. A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, quoted the Osun State Governor has having made the comment while playing the host to Governor Dickson and other members of the electoral committee in Osogbo on Sunday. He described the primaries as a display of robust democratic process which was free and fair. Aregbesola said that he was anticipating a free and fair Governorship contest in the state on September 22, 2018. He said, “I respect you, a astute advocate of good governance, as well as the

GOV DICKSON URGES STRONGER UNITY IN OSUN PDP BEFORE GUBER POLLS

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...AS SENATOR ADELEKE EMERGES PDP GUBER CANDIDATE By Pat PA Okon                                                             The Chairman of the Osun Primary Election Committee and Governor of Bayelsa State, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, has charged the leaders and members of the Osun State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party  (PDP) to collaborate more and forge stronger unity ahead of the September 22, 2018 Governorship poll in the state. The Governor said that for PDP to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), it must be cohesive: PDP leaders and members must work together,  eschew bitterness and go into the polls as a strong and united people. A statement by Governor Dickson’s Special Adviser on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, quoted him as having made the call in Osogbo, the Osun State capital on Saturday while declaring the result of the keenly contested governorship primary election for the party which was won by Senator Ademo

Dickson faults Lopsided federalism, says killings greatest threat to Nigeria

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By Pat PA Okon                                                               The Governor of Bayelsa State,  Henry Seriake Dickson has described the current spate of violence and senseless killings, particularly in the Northern part of the country as the biggest threat to the nation’s cooperate existence, since after the civil war. He faulted the nation’s lopsided federal structure, over centralisation and politicisation of law and order as threats to contemporary governance in Nigeria.  A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Deacon Francis Ottah Agbo, said Dickson spoke on Friday in Abuja while delivering a lecture entitled: "Cultural Values, National Security and Challenges of Contemporary Governance: Perspective From Bayelsa State Experience”, organised by Institute of Security Studies (ISS). Dickson condemned the recent killings and warned that the country would cease to have a future if President Buhari fails to urgently mobilise the peop

FAAC deadlock will continue unless ―Governors

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Posted by Admin The governors of the 36 states of the federation have vowed that the deadlock in the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) will continue unless the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) remits what is due to the account. The governors under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) met in Abuja on Wednesday night to deliberate on the issue of FAAC, the minimum wage being contemplated by government among other issues. The meeting presided over by its chairman and governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari, resolved that until the NNPC remits what is due to the federation account, the deadlock cannot be resolved. The NNPC had remitted N147 billion into the Federation Account in May, but the governors were not satisfied with it and had insisted that the correct amount is paid. According to them, the money from the NNPC must reflect the current economic realities and prices of oil in the international market. Briefing journalists early on Thursday,

Buhari storms Yenagoa in August as Bayelsa finalises work on Airport project

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By Pat PA Okon                  The Bayelsa State Government says its multi-billion naira international airport is one of the legacy projects that will change the economic fortunes of the state and bring about prosperity for the people. The airport which is over 95 percent complete will be commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari next month. The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson came out with this on Thursday while conducting some journalists around the airport. Iworiso-Markson said the airport will create massive job opportunities for Bayelsans and will be a leading investment destination as well as a hub for business when it becomes fully operational. ‘’There will be more business opportunities, more investment opportunities and more revenue. It is indeed a dream come through for us as a government. We are so excited about this project because of the massive benefits the state and our people will derive from it. ‘’The