PDP GOVERNORS' FORUM

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has assured that the content of the report of the Abia State Post Covid-19 Recovery Committee will form the key pedestal upon which Abia will launch into a new economic world.      Governor Ikpeazu who said this while receiving the report of the committee headed by elder statesman, Professor Anya O. Anya, at his Umuobiakwa country home, restated his vision and commitment towards launching Abia into a new economic order that will be self sustaining.      The governor thanked Professor Anya O. Anya for his level of commitment to the development of the state and noted that the greatest of the state remains the ingenuity of Ndi Abia. He recalled the role played by tailors in Aba in the mass production of locally made facemasks as their own way of supporting the government in containing the Covid-19 pandemic, and promised that a convocation of Abia elites will take place to chart the best way of implementing the report to its fullest. ...

  Kola Oredipe The joy that followed the announcement of the creation of Bayelsa State on October 1st, 1996, was no doubt ecstatic. The eventual creation came after years of collective struggles and hard work by the passionate founding fathers. Bayelsa, as a state no doubt was a dream come through to satisfy the yearnings of all Ijaw people, arguably the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria. The story of the creation of the homogenous Ijaw state remains very inspiring and emotional, which has given the people a more defining identity in the Nigerian State. The young, women and men participated actively in the long processes that led to the birth of Bayelsa State by the instrumentality of the authority of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha. The efforts of the heroes and heroines of the creation will continually be acknowledged in the annals of history of Bayelsa State. Indeed, sacrifices were made by some founding fathers who made huge contributions in one way or the othe...

  By Constance Omo Ikosomi Walking through the streets of Yenagoa today, those who knew how the capital city was when Bayelsa State was created 24 years ago will not but celebrate in their hearts about the level of transformation the state has witnessed over the years. Indeed, there is a lot to take pride in.  There are however still few people who do not share this sentiment.  In some quarters, some have expressed the concern that as a state, we are not there yet. They contend that the various sectors of our state are yet to meet the expectations of the people, and the dreams of the founding fathers. Everyone, by the logic of thought, are on the same page that Bayelsa as a state has left the Egypt of underdevelopment but certainly still far away from the Promised Land of well-rounded development.    The truth is that development is a process. Nation building takes time, patience, energy, commitment and cooperation of both the leadership and the followership. Th...

Cross River State Governor, Sir Ben Ayade, has cancelled the annual parade and public celebration of Nigeria’s independence anniversary as the country marks sixty years of nationhood.  A statement issued in Calabar on Wednesday by Mr. Christian Ita, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, said the cancellation was as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the need to avoid community transmission that is often associated with large gatherings.  While regretting the development, it said the governor was more concerned about protecting the people from the pandemic than holding any public spectacle in celebration of the independence anniversary. The statement, however, urged Cross Riverians who may want to celebrate the day, to do so in their homes. “For those who may wish to celebrate the day at home, I urge them to do so observing all the COVID-19 protocols and other safety measures as announced by government,” the statement quoted the governor as saying. N...

In line with his administration's commitment to improve the healthcare delivery to the people, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri Wednesday in Mubi flagged off rehabilitation and upgrading of all Secondary Health Care facilities across the state. The project will commence with construction of Out Patient Department, OPD, Maternity and Laboratory complexes as well as rehabilitation of theatre complex at Mubi General Hospital which will be completed in six months. In his address at the event, Governor Umaru Fintiri explained that the upgrade of the Mubi General Hospital has become more compelling in view of its strategic location as an International gateway. The governor added that it is the only facility providing health services for millions of the citizens in the entire northern zone of the state into the southern part of Borno state.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has commended the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba Akpolokpolo Ewuare II, for his apolitical stance during the Edo State governorship election. Governor Wike made the commendation when he led his counterparts from Edo, Governor, Godwin Obaseki,  Sokoto, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Oyo, Seyi Mankinde and Adamawa, Ahmadu Fintiri on a thank you visit to the Oba at his palace in Benin. The governor who is the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council for the Edo election, stated that the visit was in fulfilment of the party's promise to visit the royal father if they win the election.  He thanked the Oba for his prayers for peaceful elections and assured him of the party's continued respect for the traditional institution. "We made a promise when we came on a courtesy visit during the flag off of the PDP campaign in Benin that by the grace of God if we win the election, we will come back again to say thank you." "On ...

No fewer than 219 traders who lost their goods to the March 2020 inferno that rocked Otukpo main market have Tuesday, September 29th, 2020 recieved incentives (Cash) as palliative to cushion the effect of the fire outbreak on them.  Recall that His Excellency, Governor Samuel Ortom, during his visit to Otukpo moments after the fire incident, promised to assist the victims with N50 million.  Rt. Hon. George Alli, the Executive Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, disclosed earlier today Wednesday, through his Deputy, Hon. Bako Eje that Gov. Ortom has released part of his N50 million pledge to the Council to be distributed to the affected traders.  In his words: "It will interest you to know that our Governor, H. E, Samuel Ortom has made available some funds to be disbursed to those affected by the last fire outbreak at the Otukpo main market." "The funds available is meant to be shared to traders, tenants and occupiers of the affected shops who lost their goods to th...

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has stressed the need for Niger Delta governors and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) to work together to move the region forward.  Speaking in Government House, Yenagoa, when he hosted the PANDEF delegation led by its National Chairman, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (Rtd), Governor Diri noted that over the years, individuals from other regions had exploited the division in the Niger Delta to further impoverish the people. He emphasised that time had come for Niger Deltans to speak with one voice.  In a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, the governor lauded the formation of PANDEF, which he said would help unite people of the region and foster development.  He further stated that the synergy between the governors and PANDEF would address the developmental challenges of the region.  He appealed to elders of the region to intervene in the conflict between Ijaw communities in Bayelsa and neighbouring Rivers Stat...

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has advocated a new revenue sharing formula that will make the states get more money for development. Governor Wike made the suggestion when he received a delegation of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission on a courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt. The governor pointed out that the states bear more development burden and would require more money to cater to the needs of the people. "There cannot be a Federal Government without the states. So, we advocate a new revenue formula that should take more revenue out of the Federal Government and given to the states."   "This is because the burden is more on the states than the Federal Government. So,  the states should have more revenue to cater for the people," he said. The governor described as unfortunate comments by the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, over ownership of Soku oil well. Governor Wike said Soku oil well belongs to Rivers stat...

Cross River State Governor, Sir Ben Ayade, has implored the people of South south geographical zone to come together and speak with one voice on the injustices of the ceding of the Bakassi Peninsular and the attendant suffering its inhabitants are facing. He rued that the region lays the golden egg yet suffers unspeakable deprivation in the Nigeria project. The Cross River State governor spoke in Calabar while receiving his Edo State counterpart, Godwin Obaseki, to his office. The Edo State governor was in Calabar in continuation of his thank you visit to South south governors who rallied behind him during the electioneering campaigns leading to the  September 19, 2020 Edo governorship election. His victory now makes the South south a wholly PDP- controlled region. Ayade said, "The South south is in crisis. We are the greatest generators of the revenue of this country, yet you cannot come from Uyo to Calabar by road. You have to fly because within that 45 minutes  journey you ...

  Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, Tuesday swore in Barrister Kenneth Achabo as his Special Adviser and assigned him to Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. Barrister Achabo who hails from Gwer West Local Government Area replaces Elder Jerome Tor Shimbe who answered God's call and was laid to rest last week in Naka. He charged the new Local Government Bureau Adviser not to breach his oath of office but work according to its dictates and he would not have any cause for alarm. Governor Ortom also charged other appointees who had taken oath of office to read, reflect and assimilate the covenant they had made with God and humanity, stressing that a breach of it attracts the wrath of God. While congratulating Barrister Achabo on his appointment, the governor charged him to work harmoniously with council chairmen for the desired result, even as he also tasked council chairmen to support him to succeed. He said his appointment was based on merit and competence and refle...

  Delta Governor, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, has urged Nigerians to support the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to take over governance in the country in 2023. The governor made the call on Sunday at a thanksgiving service by Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta, Chief Kingsley Esiso, in Sapele. He said the PDP would do everything possible with the support of the people of Nigeria to win the 2023 presidential election and restore good governance, including infrastructural development in the country.  Okowa stated that the party was working very hard to win more states in the country as a precursor to getting back control of the presidency which it lost in 2015. According to him, with the abysmal performance of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government, Nigerians are already convinced on the imperative of voting back PDP to power in 2023. While congratulating Esiso for his re-emergence as the Chairman of PDP in the state, the governor urged him to b...

- Bayelsa Govt To Shut Sub-standard Private Institutions  Sequel to the flattening of the COVID-19 pandemic curve in the state, the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has directed the reopening of all public and private schools from Monday, October 5. The directive covers public and private tertiary, secondary and primary schools across the state. The primary and secondary schools would resume for their third term.  This was disclosed on Monday by the Committee on Safe Re-Opening of Schools after a meeting with Governor Diri in Government House, Yenagoa. Speaking to journalists, the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mr. Ayibaina Duba, said the government decided that resuming for the third term would redeem the time lost by the students as a result of the pandemic, which necessitated the closure of schools since March this year. His words: "The third term and session would terminate on December 18, 2020 and a new academic session would commence i...