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Delta APC describes Okowa as clueless, says VP nomination only exposes his incompetence

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The Delta APC Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation has described the Ifeanyi Okowa-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) administration as the worst in the history of the state, and that his nomination as Vice Presidential Candidate of the opposition PDP has brought his sheer incompetence to national focus.

In a statement by the Director, Communications and Media Strategy of the Delta APC Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation, Ima Niboro, the organisation accused the PDP government of running a clueless and shortsighted administration with an agenda to impoverish the people and make life difficult for all but a few favourites in the state. 

Niboro, who was reacting to a statement credited to the governor in which he said the APC had poor knowledge of governance, noted that key economic data and self-evident facts attest to PDP’s deep-rooted irresponsible governance of Delta state.
He therefore charged the PDP to begin preparation to vacate Delta Government House after 2023 general elections.

Specifically, the campaign organisation spokesperson lamented that state institutions have been reduced to personal estates, adding that Deltans are witnessing the most cruel, insensitive and clueless government in the history of the state.

“Okowa is a clueless governor who fiddles while Delta burns. Under his watch, Delta has become the Keke capital of the world. Under his watch, Delta is ranked 31st amongst the 36 States of the Federation in fiscal performance and responsibility.

“We are the fourth most indebted State in Nigeria and there are no infrastructural developments to justify the endless reckless borrowings. We are now at a major crossroads of unprecedented sociopolitical and economic decline.

“Despite our huge revenue-generating potential, a paltry N59.73 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) was reported in 2020. We are also one of the States that depend most on federally distributed revenue. Our local economy has no capacity to withstand even the slightest national economic shock.

“Rather than invest our wealth in our people and modernize our public infrastructure, all we have is constantly growing fiscal recklessness, waste of public resources and mediocrity,  while deploying cheap propaganda and lies to cover them up. Indeed, governance in Delta all about the politics of exclusion, clannishness, impunity, sleight of hand,and of playing tin god without the requisite track record to do so. It is governance by incompetence and mindless greed,” he said.

The former Presidential spokesman cited a recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which indicated that the state did not attract any foreign investments in the first quarter of 2022,

He lamented that despite the huge oil and non-oil earnings, rich human capital and potentials for wealth creation, Delta State is backward, undeveloped and burdened with serious unemployment,huge debts, rising crime rate, decayed infrastructure and widespread poverty.

According to him, despite being a cabinet member of successive administrations in the state since 1999, Okowa evidently had no plans when he was elected seven years ago.

“No administration in Nigeria has surpassed Okowa’s abysmal record of irresponsible wastage, squandering and frittering away of scarce and declining resources. This government has not only failed spectacularly but will be remembered as the worst administration in the state since its creation in 1991.

“It is therefore quite intriguing that such a government can attempt to lecture anyone on the tenets of governance. Let Okowa produce his track record of seven years and the N2.5 trillion that has gone down the drain. What is his report card? What legacy projects can he point to?

“Is tarring one and two kilometre roads his legacy, or owing pensions and gratuities to the old and retired, the veritable weakest among us his bequest? Can he compare himself with any of his colleagues in the South South, even those that receive a token of what Delta gets every year?

“Rivers State glistens under Governor Nyesom Wike. Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Edo and Cross River are undergoing infrastructure and socio economic revolutions as we speak. In Delta, it is the same old decrepit infrastructure, mud and sludge, blood and brine, yet Okowa seeks to lecture anyone on governance?“ he wondered.

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Senator Natasha Urges Collective Action After Kogi Boat Tragedy Devastates Local Traders

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Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

The senator representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has called for urgent support following the tragic boat mishap in Kogi State that claimed the lives of several women, petty traders, and artisans.
The accident occurred along the Dambo-Ebuchi section of the River Niger, as the victims traveled to the Katcha weekly market in Niger State.

Expressing deep sorrow, Akpoti-Uduaghan described the victims as the backbone of the local economy.

“Their untimely deaths leave a profound void in their families and the wider society,” she said.
Chief Press Secretary to the senator, Arogbonlo Israel in a statement on Monday, quoted her to have emphasized the need for government intervention, private sector involvement, and philanthropic support to assist grieving families.

“These hardworking individuals played a vital role in sustaining our communities. I urge the government and all concerned Nigerians to come together to provide the necessary assistance,” she added.

The Senator’s plea highlighted the importance of unity and collective action in the face of tragedy, as the region mourns the loss of those whose dedication fueled local commerce.

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Tinubu: Fuel Subsidy Era Was a ‘Fake Good Life’ for Nigerians

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Bola Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has described the era of fuel subsidies in Nigeria as a “fake good life” that masked the country’s looming economic crisis.
Speaking at the 34th and 35th combined convocation ceremonies of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State, Tinubu emphasized that removing the subsidy was a necessary step to safeguard Nigeria’s future.

Represented by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Wahab Egbewole, SAN, the President explained that both the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of exchange rates were strategic moves to avert economic disaster.
“As you know, we inherited an economy burdened by heavy debts due to fuel and dollar subsidies,” Tinubu said. “These subsidies, meant to help the poor, ended up enriching the wealthy while the nation’s economy spiraled downward. The good life we thought we had was a false one that could have led to collapse.”
He noted that the economic policies implemented by his administration were already showing positive results. Tinubu stressed that Nigeria’s economic framework is shifting from consumption to production and assured citizens that recovery is underway.
“There is light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “These challenges require patriotism, but brighter days are coming. After the rain, there will be sunshine.”
The President also expressed concern over the rising emigration of Nigerian youths, emphasizing the detrimental impact of brain drain on the country. “Our highly trained intellectuals and professionals are leaving when their expertise is most needed. Leaving is not the solution. We were made Nigerians for a reason, and we have the wisdom to rebuild our nation,” Tinubu stated.

In her address, FUTA Vice Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji, announced that 6,405 students graduated from the institution across nine schools in the combined 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions. She noted that 519 students earned First Class honours, with 3,408 receiving Second Class Upper degrees.

“Our mission is to provide quality education, impactful research, and innovative solutions for societal development,” Oladiji said, highlighting FUTA’s contributions to national progress.

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‘I Had No Idea You Secretly Pleaded for My Life During Abacha’s Regime’

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Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed surprise and deep appreciation to former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd.), for secretly pleading with the late General Sani Abacha to spare his life during the 1995 coup trial.
Speaking at the Plateau Interdenominational Unity Christmas Carols and Praise Festival in Jos, Gowon revealed how he sent a personal letter to Abacha through his wife, urging the dictator to show mercy to Obasanjo, who had been sentenced to death for allegedly plotting a coup.
“I felt so bad about it,” Gowon said. “I wrote to Abacha, reminding him that God made him a leader to do good, not harm. I asked him to reconsider, and I sent the letter through my wife to Abuja in the middle of the night.” Gowon expressed gratitude that Obasanjo was not only released in 1998 after Abacha’s death but also went on to become Nigeria’s president in 1999.

Reacting the following day, Obasanjo admitted he had been unaware of Gowon’s intervention.
“I want to acknowledge my boss, General Yakubu Gowon. Yesterday, he made a revelation I had never heard before,” Obasanjo said. “When I came out of prison, I went around thanking those who appealed for my release, but I didn’t know you wrote a personal letter. Thank you for that.”
Obasanjo also praised Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang for his peace and development initiatives, encouraging him to continue his efforts for the state’s progress.
The gesture is particularly remarkable given that Obasanjo and the late Murtala Mohammed had overthrown Gowon’s government in a coup in 1975, underscoring the depth of Gowon’s statesmanship and forgiveness.

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