The truth about my battles with Amaechi — Gov. Wike

The empty treasuries at the federal and in many states of the federation is no longer news. The challenge before President Muhammadu Buhari is how to deliver the promises made to the electorate. In this interview, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State explains how he has decided to tackle the challenge of providing infrastructure for the people of his state, as according to him, the people did not vote for him to be giving excuses. He also spoke on a wide range of issues including the rancour between his administration and the immediate past government of ex-governor Rotimi Amaechi and why he has decided to complete projects started by the last administration. Excerpts: By Emma Ujah Abuja Bureau Chief Your predecessor has accused you of a witch-hunt as exemplified in the forceful evacuation of a vehicle belonging to his former commissioner. Why? You can recollect that after our inauguration we went into Government House and we told the whole world, first of all, that there was no handover note. If there was a handover note that would have guided you to say look this is where we started and this is where we ended; these were the things that were given to people as a kind of parting gift or whatever. We later learnt that the Government House had been looted. There was just nothing. The last government said that I sent people to take those things away so that I would award contracts for the replacement. I said I didn’t need to carry anything away before I award contracts. So the issue of removing those ones so that I will go and award contracts is not correct. Why we are retrieving vehicles Now we got information that most of the Government House vehicles are scattered here and there. First of all we got information that most of these vehicles were kept somewhere at Trans Amadi and we sent security men and we discovered vehicles were parked there. Wike and Amaechi Wike and Amaechi Security men helped us to recover those vehicles; it was all over the news. We also got information that a Lexus bulletproof 570 was parked at the house of a former commissioner. We reported to police that one of the Governments House vehicles was at the house of the former commissioner and it was not the vehicle she was using in her office. As a commissioner she can’t use a bulletproof vehicle, a Lexus for that matter which is not less that N60 – 70 million. So we sent in the security men to go and retrieve the vehicle. Initially she said on phone that it was given to her as a parting gift and I said no problem but there should be record to show that this was given to you as a parting gift but we didn’t get such records because they didn’t handover anything to anybody. She later said it was her husband that bought the vehicle. We said if it is your husband that bought it we have no problem, you can come with the particulars of the vehicle that your husband bought to prove that the vehicle was your husband’s vehicle. When I came in here last week I went to Bank of Industry Building and the former Liaison Officer here, not knowing I was around had one of the vehicles we were looking for so we sent the ADC and he retrieved the vehicle and they brought the man and I said ‘Sir why do you have to go away with government vehicles? Is there any paper that says it was given to you’ and he said no and I told him to go and get all the papers and as I speak to you one or two weeks after the papers are yet to be brought here. They said it was monetization It is not correct, there is nothing like monetisation policy there. Let me explain what monetization means. As a minister, no vehicle was bought for me in the ministry. Whatever thing had to be given was built into your salary, even housing. So where did they buy these cars? I worked there so how can anybody say that? The point is very clear. If you didn’t handover anything to me and I am getting information that this is where our vehicles and properties are am I not in the position to see how I can recover those vehicles? On the former governor saying we were out to witch-hunt. Witch-hunt for what? Is this the first time that official Panel of Enquiry has been set in Rivers state? When he set the panel of enquiry was it also a witch-hunt? Nobody was there to explain anything to us. If he had worked with the transition committee, his commissioners would have been asked one or two questions but no transition committee was set up by government. Even police ceremonial vehicle the governor denied us. We had to go to Ondo State to borrow Ondo State ceremonial vehicle. Where in this country will you say that inauguration ceremony wasn’t funded by any state? Government is not a personal thing. As you leave today the other person will also leave tomorrow so there is nothing like witch hunting anybody. The last administration claimed to have handed over to you. It said the Permanent Secretary of the Government House gave you a handover note. That is not correct. Let’s go to the national level; when the president was handing over did he just handover just the villa? Didn’t he handover the entire structure, the system from one ministry to the other, stating where they started from and to where they are now? Then you can ask one or two questions. The Permanent Secretary never one day handed anything to me, that is even the Government House. I am not talking about the Government House, I am talking about the government of Rivers state. So when you say handover I am not the governor of Government House, I am the governor of Rivers State so you can’t handover to me and say Government House; no! That is not correct. What is the state of finance of Rivers state? From what the Accountant-General gave me, first of all, we have what we call the government account and the government account was zero. The other ones are ministries’ accounts and I can tell you in ministry of works two days to our inauguration they were collecting 10 million, 200 million to go and build curves, roads. So I called the perm sec and I said perm sec you mean you people gave someone contract and you paid him cash of 200 million and he said ‘oga I refused but there was nothing I could do. It is so funny. The last administration claimed it left N7 billion in the coffers. Did you see the N7 billion? They say they kept N7 billion, how could you have kept N7 billion and you are owing salary for how many months, what is the N7 billion doing there? For two months they haven’t paid salary; April and May they haven’t paid. Shark, Dolphins and Rivers Angels were owed 8 months. I had to give them their money last week it was just this morning the permanent secretary said he is paying all the civil servants today (Monday). So how can you say you kept N7 billion? Four months refuse contractors where not paid and the whole Port Harcourt was filled with refuse and you said you kept N7 billion. The N7 billion is to do what with it now? And you owe refuse contractor for four months, sharks, dolphin and Rivers angel 8 months, pensioners haven’t been paid up till now since February. If you find any money anywhere it was because we started raising alarm by 26th, 27th of May. Some banks in order for us not be angry with them had to stop some cheques in fact there was one money of N700 million naira, two Skye Bank cheques that didn’t go through because we raised an alarm. Even by 28th of May money was being taken out of some government accounts; how do you justify that? Frankly speaking looking at ministry of works alone of the contracts that were awarded the debt is not less than N150 billion. Just Ministry of Works only I am not talking of Ministry of Health and the others but the one he said he owes Zenith bank is about N15 billion so we are negotiating with Zenith Bank. Zenith bank was deducting 1.5 billion every month but we said no, that will be too much for us, we are just coming. What is the allocation that they will be taking N1.5 billion every month? So we are talking with the bank on how to review it. It has been alleged that there was a deal for you to be remitting money to Mrs. Patience Jonathan monthly. Is it true? In this country we don’t have respect for leadership. It is very ridiculous for anybody to say that I and the former first lady had a pact to be remitting money. It is rather very unfortunate. What can I give to the (former) First Lady? She is from Rivers State, she wanted her husband’s party to win (gubernatorial election in) Rivers State and looked at all the people who were running for the election and said who can actually make her husband’s party to win Rivers State and said Mr. Z can do it and decided to support Mr. Z, then it becomes a bad thing? I can’t understand this country. You were here when they said I was giving her $2 million. It is so ridiculous. That is why we don’t respect leadership. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/the-truth-about-my-battles-with-amaechi-wike/#sthash.x5tD7SK0.dpuf

Senator Nkechi Nwaogu has dumped PDP for APC

Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC claiming that her former party has lost focus. The former senator who represented Abia central senatorial zone for two terms 2007 to 2015 said she had to leave because the party has derailed . In a defection ceremony, which held yesterday at the campaign office of the governorship candidate of the APC in the 2015 election Chief Nyerere Anyim, in Umuahia that brought together some of the party’s chieftains and supporters, Senator Nwaogu said that she waited this long to see if the party could show any remorse. “I had to leave because the party has derailed, because they have been in power since 1999 so they think it will continue like that, they failed to recognise that democracy has evolved and developed over the years and when a democratic party fails to be fair and just then it has derailed”.

Port Harcourt Refinery To Commence Production Soon

The Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited will start refining crude oil and will contribute to petroleum product availability by the end of this month, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has said. It also assured that on or before the end of this week, the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol, will cease across the country. The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha, disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday after inspecting some petrol stations in the city. He said, “Presently, the refineries are undergoing rehabilitation and we are undertaking what we call a new strategy to carry out the turn around maintenance on them. Basically, what this means is that we are carrying out phased implementation of rehabilitation of the refineries. “We are taking the refineries unit by unit and carrying out turnaround maintenance on them. So in other words, the maintenance are being carried out on the run and we started a couple of months ago.

“Most of the refineries have advanced to a certain stage where they will be able to operate very soon. For example, the Port Harcourt refinery, which has reached an advanced stage, will start receiving crude by end of this month and then of course will start contributing to the available products in the country.” NNPC has four refineries, two in Port Harcourt, and one each in Kaduna and Warri. The refineries have a combined installed capacity of 445,000 barrels per day. A comprehensive network of pipelines and depots strategically located throughout Nigeria link these refineries. Dawha said the maintenance exercise on the refineries were spontaneously taking place in all the facilities. He said, “At the end of the target 18 months, most of the refineries would have been rehabilitated to such level where they can actually process crude optimally to make contributions to the availability of products in the country. “I’ve heard some people say we have neglected the refineries, no, farther from that. We hope that at the end of the exercise, these refineries will be fully back into operation and we will minimise some of the problems we have with importation.” He explained that why the refineries were not running was a conscious decision, adding that “we decided that if the refineries were not in good state to process crude for maximum gain, then there was no point sending crude to the refineries. “Therefore what you do is to try and fix it so that by the time you start processing the crude, you will get real value for the crude you are sending to the refineries. We are satisfied with the level of work that has been carried out so far in the Port Harcourt refinery, so that if you start processing crude now you will get real value.” The Managing Director, Pipelines Product Marketing Company, Mr. Haruna Momoh, stated that the NNPC imports 50 per cent of petroleum products into the country. He noted that when the ongoing rehabilitation and turn around maintenance of the Port Harcourt refinery is completed in July, 2015, the plant would run at 80 per cent installed capacity and produce five million litres of petrol on a daily basis. Meanwhile, Dawha called on marketers to start importing PMS, stressing that the distribution challenge of PMS was largely due to the non-involvement of marketers, a development which resulted in the scarcity nationwide. The NNPC GMD said as of Thursday, the PPMC had a stock level of 1.1 billion litres, representing 27 days sufficiency, and noted that the stock excludes volumes with confirmed delivery dates within the next couple of days. “In the last five days, we have brought into Abuja 428 trucks of Premium Motor Spirit, averaging 85 trucks daily, to address the petrol requirement in Abuja and its immediate environs,” Dawha added Punch

Sad News : The Multimillion Naira Finotel Hotel Awka Burnt To Ashes

Verifiable source reports exclusively that the multimillion Finotel Classy Hotel located near Nwa Uzu Junction, Agu Awka, Awka Capital territory, Anambra state this night went up in flames. The cause of the fire is not immediately ascertained but efforts by the hotel management to put off the fire proved abortive.

Bulk of guests were seen scampering for safety but the good news was that it was the old building that got burnt the new building still standing erect.

Senate President, Saraki promises laws to reform oil sector, create jobs, improve security

Sen. Bukola Saraki on Tuesday pledged the commitment of the Upper House to making laws that would boost the economy, following his unanimous election as the President of the 8th Senate. Making the pledge while delivering his acceptance shortly after he was sworn in, Saraki said that the 8th senate would make laws that would create more job opportunities and reposition major sectors of the economy, particularly the oil sector. While thanking his colleagues for electing him, the president promised to be just, equitable and fair.

Senate President, Saraki. He said his election had demonstrated that Nigerians were now more interested in entrenching the tenets of democracy rather than clinching to political parties. “I am most honoured and privileged to be elected to serve as President of the Senate. I accept with humility and respect the honour you have conferred upon me today. “I want to thank all members of the National Assembly for the maturity and patriotism in the exercise we have just concluded in electing the leadership of the 8th Senate. “As the President of the 8th Senate, I shall be guided by the enormity of the responsibilities that this moment imposes on all of us. “This new senate must make laws that will make doing business in Nigeria more competitive.” Saraki thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for remaining steadfast in his defence of the right of the National Assembly to choose its own leaders. He added that Buhari’s position had laid a solid foundation for the stability of the 8th National Assembly. He said that this was the time for the Nigerian people to enjoy the change that they had voted for. “The change that our people voted for is a change from a life of poverty and misery to a life of prosperity, happiness, security and comfort, accountability and respect for democracy. “This is a change that all of us in the National Assembly must strive to justify as Nigerians want to see a proactive National Assembly. “It will be my responsibility to protect the independence of the legislature in the overall interest of our democracy.” Our quest for autonomy must not lead us into pursuing adverse relations with other arms of government. “In the coming days, we shall be converging to hammer out an agenda that will help us focus and deliver on the minimum expectations,” he said. He thanked former Senate President David Mark for the uncommon leadership he had provided in the past eight years, which led to the stability of the Upper House. Saraki charged the legislators to defend the confidence reposed in them by Nigerians in their service to the nation. The Senate, thereafter, adjourned to Wednesday. NAN reports that Saraki elected unopposed with 57 senators adopting him, while other senators were said to be attending a meeting of the APC. (NAN)

Anambra State High Court Today Reinstates Comrade Noble Eyisi As Unzik SUG President.

The Students’ Representatives Council (SRC) of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka (UNIZIK) Friday 22nd May 2015, impeached the embattled Students’ leader Noble Eyisi claiming the reason was as a result of gross misconduct.

The President, Comr. Eyisi never gave up on his dreams to fight for the students as he transcended to Anambra State high court Awka. A source close to the President informed us that the Presiding Judge have given a court order that the SUG President be reinstated immediately. Already the elder brother to the SUG President and an alumnus of the university Comr Rex Eyisi has welcomed back Comrade Noble Eyisi. Let us not forget that Comr Eyisi is a president who has positively impacted in the life of UNIZIK students since his election. Stay Tuned.

APC leaders, Senators peace meeting ends with disagreement, Buhari absent

A scheduled meeting between leaders of the All Progressives Congress, President Mohammadu Buhari and members of the National Assembly, elected on the party’s platform, ended abruptly on Tuesday. This followed the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as President of the 8th Senate. The party leaders and some elected Senators and members of the House of Representatives were at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, waiting for Buhari, when news filtered in that the Senate had been inaugurated and that Saraki had emerged unopposed. As if this was not enough, Senator Ike Ekweremadu of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party defeated Senator Ali Ndume of the APC to clinch the slot of Deputy Senate President. The emergency but belated meeting of the APC was slated for 9am while the inauguration was scheduled to hold at 10am. However, as of 10. 56am, the APC legislators at the ICC were still waiting for the President. The notice of meeting, which was circulated, partly read, “The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, will address all Senators and House of Representatives members-elect of the All Progressives Congress at 9am this morning Tuesday, the 9th of June, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. All concerned must endeavour to attend this meeting.” Party leaders had convened the emergency meeting as part of a last ditch effort to unite the party ahead of the election of principal officers of the National Assembly. All efforts by the party to resolve the conflict between Senator Bukola Saraki and his supporters on the one hand, and Senator Ahmed Lawan and his supporters on the hand, failed. In a shadow election, held last Saturday, the APC announced Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as its sole candidates for the Senate Presidency and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively. It also announced Senator George Akume and Mohammed Mungono as sole candidates for the positions of Deputy President of the Senate and Deputy Speaker respectively. The party leaders of the party had hoped that a pep talk from the President himself could save the day. This was not to be as news of happenings within the National Assembly Complex jolted party leaders as they all rushed into their waiting vehicles and headed for the National Assembly. On his way out of the ICC, National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said he had no comment or reaction on the happening at the Senate. “I have no comment, I have no reaction,” he added. APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said, “We just watched it (on television) but we will address you when the whole situation has been re-examined.”

APGA to hold National Convention today being Saturday in Awka

Awka – As the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) holds its national convention on Saturday in Awka its stakeholders have predicted that the party will come out stronger. Some stakeholders said, on Friday, that the party would elect new national and state officers at the convention slated for the Women Development Centre, Awka. The Governor’s Special Adviser, Political Matters, Mr Chinedu Obidigwe, said the convention would showcase to the world that APGA was a party that blazes the trail in internal democracy. Obidigwe said the state government was glad for the privilege to host the party’s national convention in Awka. He said plans were already in place for unfettered free and fair polls among members aspiring for the various positions in the party’s hierarchy. The special adviser enjoined members to keep faith with the party as APGA was determined to provide good governance in every area of its influence. Chief Mike Kwentoh, who just stepped down as Anambra Chairman of the party, said he looked forward to the moment of transition at the convention. Kwentoh said he was sure that the convention committee would conduct the process according to the provisions of the party’s constitution for credible leadership to emerge at the various levels. He said that he was leaving the party leadership in Anambra stronger than when he assumed office, and expressed the optimism that the incoming leadership would surpass the performance of his team. Chief Nobert Obi, waiting to be formally inaugurated as Anambra Chairman of the party at the convention, eulogised the party leadership both at the national and state levels. Obi expressed confidence that the convention would usher in a new era for the party. He said that APGA had a bright future which the new leadership would help to realise, adding that the convention would go smoothly. “We are ready for that national convention here in Awka, it is our hope that it will be successful. “The leadership of the party at both the national and state levels have done marvelously well in holding the party together in times of serious turbulence. “We appreciate them and hopefully the incoming leadership will surely equal or surpass them. “For those who think they want to move to other political parties, we advise that they should exercise caution, APGA is a great party and APGA is still the best place to be,’’ Obi said. Chief Victor Umeh-led national leadership two term tenure elapses on June 10.

Comply strictly with the recent directive. Obiano tells Commercial Motorcyclists

Governor Willie Obiano, has warned Commercial Motorcyclists in the state to comply strictly with the recent directive by his administration, restricting their operations from specific routes across the state or risk being banned completely in the state. Governor Obiano, gave the warning at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, when he signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Temply SYC Inspection Limited, for the establishment of an Ultra Modern Vehicle Inspection Centres, across the three major city locations in the state. Correspondent Kenechukwu Ofomah reports that the six million United States dollar Memorandum Of Understanding is for the designing, construction and management of Vehicle Testing and Inspection garages at Nnewi, Awka, and Onitsha. The sharing formular for the Inspection fees and profit between the state and the Investor, is forty-eight per cent and fifty-two per cent respectively, covering all the Inspection and road worthiness certificates and largely on the condition that the state will provide land at the three locations, each measuring approximately five thousand square metres. Designed on a build, operate, maintain and transfer basis, the garages, shall revert to the State Government at the expiry of fifteen years, commencing from the date the investor started operations and is subject to the option of renewal for another ten years only on management terms to be negotiated by both parties. Performing the function, Governor Obiano, said the project offers the prospect of great impetus in his efforts to secure the lives and property of Ndi Anambra through road safety. The Governor, who noted that his administration had commenced its revolutionary strides in the state transport sector through sensitization programmes aimed at instilling discipline in the motoring public, said the establishment of Vehicle Inspection Centres, will help reduce accidents on the state roads by ensuring that vehicles that ply them are road worthy. He further revealed that plans are ongoing at resuscitating driving schools and re-introducing road signs on the state roads to equip motorists with the necessary knowledge to safe driving. Governor Obiano, pledged his total commitment towards ensuring that the project is realized on schedule, urging the investor to take off immediately with the signing of the MOU. Earlier, the Chairman of ANSIPPA and Traditional Ruler of Umuoji, Igwe Cyril Enweze, explained that the project seeks to promote road safety and reduce accidents and vehicular emissions, with the associated health and environmental implications. He also said that it will create direct and indirect jobs for the teeming youths in the state, as well as provide some kind of technology and expertise transfer, to the state transport sector as the vehicle Inspection Officers under the project will undergo training on the functionality of the testing system. On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of the Investing Company, Mr Segun Obayenda, extolled Governor Obiano’s genuine resolve to make life more meaningful for the people of the state which he noted is evident in his quick approval for the project and assured that they will deliver on schedule. In a vote of thanks the State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Chuma Mbonu, described the realization of the Memorandum Of Understanding as a milestone in the state transport sector, adding that the centres when fully operational, will strengthen the operations of the state Vehicle Inspection Officers and give more meaning to Governor Obiano’s vision for safety on the state roads.

Anglican Bishop Urged President Buhari To Probe TAN, CAN & Others.

Bishop of the Kaduna Diocese of Anglican Diocese, Most Revd Josiah Idowu Fearon, has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to go after super-rich Nigerians who, during the Jonathan administration, were accused of receiving money for political campaigns. Fearon mentioned Transformational Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in particular, and some public and private office holders, saying Buhari should use the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate them even as he advised the president to sanitize the armed forces, get them well equipped, and flush out Boko Haram insurgents within his first six months in office. The bishop said Buhari cannot afford to fail Nigerians as the situation he has inherited is so bad that he should not expect any period of honeymoon. He spoke in Kaduna during the diocese’s 20th synod. He advised the president to be careful on the composition of his cabinet, adding that he should guard against powerful individuals who would shield him from what is going on in the country, and those in politics to enrich themselves at the expense of the nation. “We want to give the President some ideas for his consideration and action. It is obvious, the stakes are high; Nigerians have a high expectation. You cannot afford to fail by disappointing,”the bishop said. “The situation you are inheriting is so bad that you should not expect any period of honey moon: security is not there, power supply is at its lowest level, queues at our filling stations, hardly ever disappear in spite of the payment of subsidy to those importing fuel, we hear that in some states and some Federal Government departments, salaries have not been paid for months”. Credit : Bilesanmi Olalekan