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Rivers Crisis: We’ll Know Who Is In Charge When Time Comes, Says Wike

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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday, visited the National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Victor Giadom, raising speculation of another round of political realignment.

Wike, who arrived in Port Harcourt, was hosted by Giadom in Bera, his country home in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday.

The immediate past Rivers State governor expressed happiness to have mended fences with his estranged friend, Giadom, who was Commissioner for Works under former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

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Wike, in a video seen by our correspondent, boasted that the person in charge would soon be known.

The former governor has been at loggerheads with the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

READ ALSO: Wike Chides Rivers Elders For Faulting Tinubu’s Intervention, Backing Fubara

The situation led to a situation where lawmakers loyal to the minister served the governor an impeachment notice.

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With the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, however, the lawmakers who defected to the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party have withdrawn the impeachment notice.

But during the visit, Wike said, “Forget about these hungry noisemakers on the road. When the time comes, we will know who is in charge and who is not in charge. There is a time for everything.

“This is not time for politics. When the time comes, we will know who is who. If you like, abuse me as you want. If you like, employ everybody on social media. I have never bothered myself one day to know who is abusing me.

“Politics will come. We didn’t contest elections based on social media. We spoke to the people; they listened and believed in us”.

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READ ALSO: Rivers Elders Write Tinubu, Fubara, Say Presidential Intervention Death Sentence

Speaking on his visit to Giadom, Wike said he was not in Bera (Giadom’s hometown) for politics, saying his visit should not be misinterpreted.

He stated, “I came here to visit my friend, Giadom. Let nobody misinterpret why I came here. That is why I came with PDP and APC leaders. It is a private visit to my friend”.

The FCT Minister however explained that Giadom had gathered his people to show he was still politically relevant, stressing that politics was about impacting positively on the people.

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I have never been in doubt about your capacity (referring to Giadom) to relate with your people. Politics is about impact. If you want to be a successful politician you must impact your people so that when you call them they will answer you,” Wike said.

Wike further said he is loved and valued by many across the country because he served the people, which is why many times people want to take pictures with him.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Threatened, Imposed Resolution On Fubara, Says Ex-Rivers Commissioner

On his realignment with Giadom, he said: “Party will come and go and friendship will remain. We have made our mistakes, we are all humans but friendship remains.

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“When I was appointed a minister, Victor Giadom led a team to congratulate me. It does not matter where you belong what is important is the interest of Rivers. If you want to be a successful politician, greedy ones will not like you.

“Nobody has done well in politics without enemies. Those who hate you are in the minority. Those who love you are in the majority”.

Wike stated that it was during his tenure as Rivers Governor that people heard much about the state, even as he vowed to continue supporting the Tinubu-led government.

He added, “When I was governor, Nigeria heard about Rivers State. That is what I have always preached. So, nobody should be afraid. I have no regrets when I stood by with my colleagues and friends that the presidency must go to the south.

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READ ALSO:Rivers Crisis: No Amount Too Big For Peace – Fubara

“There was nothing I was not offered. But I said no. That is why I will continue to support the government of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu. As I am going back home, I am going with the satisfaction that my friend is back.

“This visit I came today will cause a lot of trouble. Some people will start visiting now. Follow who knows the road. Continue to support Victor and all your leaders who mean well for all of you.

“For the first time in history, Ogoni man is the chairman of works. I am happy that Ledum Mitee is a member of the NNPCL. Let nobody do community problems. When you do that development will not come”.

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Speaking earlier, Giadom described Wike’s visit as the homecoming of a brother, a friend and a leader and assured him that they would support a team he would lead in Rivers.

Giadom said, “Today is a homecoming of a brother, a friend and a leader. I stand here on this ground to let you know that we have lived well, paid our dues and contributed to the development of this place.

“Be assured that we will support the team you will lead in Rivers to provide support for our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the main reason we are all here today. This place nobody can challenge any visitor on this soil. We are in firm control of this place.”

Some of the prominent politicians present were, Senator Barry Mpigi, Senator Allwell Onyeso, Senator Philip Adudua, Chief Dan Orbih, Sen Samuel Anyanwu Amb Desmond Akawor

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Senator Sandy Onoh, Ambassador Maurine Tamuno, Felix Obuah, RT Hon Dumnamene Dekor, Hon Felix Nweke, Hon Emma Deeyah and Hon Igo Aguma

 

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Edo Poll: Ighodalo Expresses Concern Over Alleged Deployment Of INEC Officials From Kogi, Imo

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The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate in the Edo State governorship election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo has expressed concern over rumours of the deployment of electoral officers from Imo and Kogi states to supervise the poll.

Speaking in an interview, Ighodalo rejected any such move, saying that he does not have confidence in the capacity of electoral officers to conduct a free and fair election.

“We are hearing rumours that INEC wants to come to our election with officials from Imo and officials from Kogi.

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“We will please implore INEC that we in Edo State want fresh officials from places that have run electoral processes that are free and fair and not places where polls have been questioned.

READ ALSO: FG To Establish Blood Collection Centres In 774 LGAs

“I will please appreciate if INEC doesn’t bring Kogi officials or Imo officials into Edo State.”

On why he doesn’t want officials from the two states, he said: “Question marks have been placed on the processes in those two states. Edo State people are peace loving, they know light from darkness, so they don’t want any process that is going to be subverted or subversive.

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“We want a level-playing field so that the wishes of the people of Edo State is realized on September 21.”

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Gov Aiyedatiwa Appoints Aides, Amid Election Countdown

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The Governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has appointed no fewer than 344 political aides in the state just 10 weeks before the November 16 governorship election.

The aides comprise 28 senior special assistants and 316 special assistants.

According to the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the appointments were spread across the 18 local government areas, 33 local council development areas (LCDAs), and 203 political wards in the state.

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READ ALSO:#EndBadGovernance: Police Arrest Gov Candidate, Others In Ondo Protest

In a press statement issued by the CPS, he said, “In continuation of efforts to enhance governance and service delivery to the people of the state, the Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has approved the appointment of new Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs).”

Meanwhile, a Public Affairs Analyst in the State, Olujimi Adekanle, has berated the governor over the appointments, describing them as unnecessary and a misdirection.

“Who are those responsible for the SSAs and SAs appointments in Ondo State? I am very sure Mr. Governor was misled; tails were given heads and heads were given tails. I saw some personalities who were eminently qualified to be senior special assistants but were relegated to just special assistants.

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“Honestly, I don’t understand the yardstick for these appointments; some people should be respected for their political activities and the offices they held in the past.

“Don’t be surprised if you see scores of newly appointees declining their appointments (hunger may not allow some).”

 

 

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Edo Poll: PDP Campaign DG Mocks Oshiomhole, Okpebholo, Over Federal Roads

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The All Progressives Congress, APC governorship candidate in Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo and former governor of the state, Senator Adams Oshiomhole have been flayed over their alleged indifference to the state of federal roads in the state.

The director-general of the Asue Ighodalo Campaign Council, Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, called out the two APC senators at a campaign rally in Ekpoma just as party chiefs lamented what they claimed as the bid by Oshiomhole to foist an unintelligible governor on the state to achieve his personal desires.

Speaking in pidgin English on the state of the road, Iduoriyekemwen, a former member of the Edo State House of Assembly he lamented the state of federal roads saying that the two APC senators, Oshiomhole and Okpebhello were indifferent to the conditions and as such failed to put them as part of their constituency projects.

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READ ALSO: 17 Days To Edo Poll, Ex-Assembly Member Dumps APC

Look at our federal roads in Edo. All the time I used to travel to Abuja it used to take me five to six hours to travel to Abuja from Benin, but now from Auchi to Benin can take you up to nine hours.

“Oshiomhole is a senator, Okpebholo is a senator instead of them to divert their constituency projects to work on the roads they refused. Now they say that they want to buy our future.”

The rally was also attended by Governor Godwin Obaseki who urged the voters to vote for Ighodalo so he could build on the legacy that his administration had laid.

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READ ALSO: State Police: NEC Gives States Deadline To Make Submissions

According to Governor Obaseki, a blueprint for the development of the state for the next 30 years had been established and he as such vote for Ighodalo who he said was best positioned to sustain the development agenda.

The state PDP chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi also rallied party supporters to be steadfast in their support and not to allow the opportunity of producing the governor slip from them.

In his own address, Ighodalo vowed to ensure that the manifesto which he said was garnered from discussions with stakeholders across the different wards in the state was fully implemented.

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He disclaimed claims by political opponents who he said were using the name of President Bola Tinubu to intimidate voters and state agencies with the intention of rigging the election. Ighodalo said that Tinubu is a democrat who will not use the apparatus of the state to foist partisan political agenda.

 

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