COVER
Ayu Reads the Riot Act, Says PDP ‘ll Condone Factions
By Jude Opara, Abuja
The Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Walid Jubrin, Thursday predicted that the ruling – All Progressives Congress, (APC) will die a natural death from 2023.
In his welcome remarks at the first Consultative Meeting of the party which held at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja, Jubrin said the PDP was on the march to greatness because all party stakeholders including the entire people of Nigeria have accepted the Ayu- leadership.
Jubrin noted that the election of Ayu did not come as a surprise given his proven track record of diligence in service to the nation, adding that Ayu was also part of the few Nigerians that came together to form the PDP in 1998.
According to him, the ruling -All Progressives Congress (APC) will die a natural death in 2023 given the fact that the PDP has positioned itself to rescue and rebuild Nigeria from the “inefficient and clueless APC-led federal government”.
He urged the National Chairman of the party to use his wealth of experience to reposition the party and also reconcile all aggrieved members, pledging that all BoT members will work with the NWC to reposition the party.
Speaking earlier, the NAtional Chairman, PDP, Senator Iyorchai Ayu disclosed that the National Working Committee (NWC) under his watch, will not encourage any form of factions in the party.
He noted that it was a great honour for him to be chosen by the party stakeholders from across the country to lead the PDP especially at a time the country was yearning for credible leadership.
“I have no personal interest and I will not support any faction in the party. I know that the leadership of the party at times do take sides and that is the genesis of crisis in the party.”
“It is a great honour for me to be at the helm of affairs of the PDP at a national at a trying time like we have today. We need the support of every member of the party to ensure that by 2023, the PDP will cease to be referred to as an opposition party,” he stated.
Ayu who is also a founding member of PDP said the fortunes of the party started dwindling in 2011 when it had only 11 governors, and assured that very soon the PDP will be where it is supposed to be.
On how the BoT was conceptualized, Ayu said the organ was formed to function as the conscience of the party, adding that the organ has over the years tried to reposition the party.
On the other hand, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Director-general, Voice of Nigeria, (VON), Osita Okechukwu, has lampooned the PDP, saying that the country was yet to recover from an alleged “lack of planning, impunity, recklessness,” imposed on it by the PDP.
Okechukwu was the keynote speaker at the APC Press Corps Second Annual Public Lecture on the topic; “APC Beyond 2023-the Tasks Ahead: The Role of Stakeholders” held in Abuja.
The DG VON further stated that despite the rising spate of insecurity in the country, and the alleged failures of the present government that the APC will still win the 2023 presidential election because of what he said was the solid infrastructural development the Buhari government has introduced across the country.
“We are yet to recover from PDP’s culture of impunity, planlessness and squandermania, despite the infrastructural revolution of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“My dear countrymen, for those who daily accuse us of blame game, it is pertinent to remind us that not only is yesterday today’s architecture; but most importantly that PDP has mortgaged our future by the agreements they weaved in favour of tenants against Nigerians while manning the federal government of Nigeria. Such agreements skewed badly against the federal government have made it near impossible to truly transform our power sector. We are in liberal democracy where you inherit both assets and liabilities, thus cannot easily cancel unfavourable agreements.
“Many have not asked the tangle holding the Mambila Power project, over the years despite the huge gains of over 3,000 megawatts it will add to our national grid and irrigation of swathe of land. Or how the less than competent Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) hampered economic development and why it was herculean task to birth the Petroleum Industry Act.
“Another ignoble punishment meted to Nigerians was less than transparent sale of state-owned enterprises and frustration of foreign investors leading to annual loss of over $15 billion subsidy paid for the importation of refined petroleum products arising from the failed three greenfield refineries and petrochemical plant contract awarded on 13th of May 2010, by President Goodluck Jonathan to Chinese State Construction and Engineering Corporation Limited (CSCEC), at $23 billion, meant to be located at Bayelsa, Kogi and Lagos States. When this fiasco was going on, Nigeria’s Excess Crude Account had over $40 billion in the kitty.
“Let us pardon PDP, for they are waking up from deep slumber, after failing in 2013 to stop the registration of APC, via haul of all manner of stump cum obstacles. One of such stumps was how PDP covertly registered an amorphous association dubbed African Progressive Congress, just to stymie our mass movement. “And even after the registration of APC the PDP covertly goaded the Department of Security Services (DSS) to invade and close our Membership Biometric Data Base in Lagos on trumped up charges,” he said.
Reacting to anxiety in some members of the APC that the opposition party is favoured to win the 2023 presidential and general elections, Okechukwu said: “Nigerians will not in a hurry forget the state of the nation before the party came to power in 2015.”
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja Federal Government says it will consider using private sector funds through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a funding option for certain key projects in the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.This was disclosed when the Director General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr Uche Nnaji.
The meeting which was at the instance of the ICRC DG, sought partnership between the two government bodies to harness PPPs to advance critical projects that can boost the economic and technological growth of the nation. Speaking during the meeting, Dr Ewalefoh said that science and technology, if properly deployed, can serve as a key driver of the economic growth and progress of Nigeria.“Many countries around the world have used Science and Technology to drive the economic growth and prosperity of their country and people.“We are here to brainstorm with you and find ways by which we can deepen the usage of science and technology for the advancement of our country.“Over the last two decades, countries and businesses have harnessed technology and innovation for upscaling their economy and improve the efficiency in their service delivery.“That is where we want our country to go, and we believe that is the vision you are championing under the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.“It is, therefore, my aspiration that your ministry will partner with the ICRC to see areas where we can champion private sector funding through Public Private Partnership to develop some of the projects specific to the ministry,” he said.The DG informed the Minister that there was already a collaboration with an agency under its purview but stressed that there were other key areas where PPP could be harnessed to deliver laudable projects in the Ministry.He added that the commission has streamlined its processes to accelerate PPP project delivery and deliver important services to the Nigerian people, pointing out that some key private sector operators have already verbalised their desire to work with the Ministry in a PPP arrangement.In his remarks, the Minister expressed his excitement at the appointment of Dr Ewalefoh as the DG of ICRC, saying that the DG’s wealth of experience will revolutionise the PPP sphere in Nigeria, adding that, indeed, a square peg has been placed in a square hole.The Minister emphasised that the Ministry served as a key enabler of economic growth and has had the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu demonstrated through major approvals granted the Ministry.He said that the President had given approval for methanol production, saying that although the implementation process were still being finalised, foreign direct investments for the project has reached over $1.5 billion.“We want to go into beneficiation of raw materials and we have the presidential executive order number 5 to back it, such that we don’t have to export our raw materials, but process it to a level before exporting. We are looking at doing green hydrogen, too,” he said.He stressed that Nigeria could make a lot more from cassava export than it was currently making if the raw cassava was processed before export.“We believe that with ICRC, we will partner in doing things right and enabling us to forge a better outlook for most of these projects.“In methanol, we are going to involve ICRC more closely to see the way forward and how it can benefit the country better.“I am happy that you are here; coming here shows that you know what you are doing. You are taking services to those that need it,” he said.
From Attah Ede, Makurdi
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani armed militia, on Wednesday night, reportedly invaded Anyiin town in the Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.
Multiple reports indicated that no fewer than 15 persons were killed in the attack, leaving several others with varying degrees of injuries while yet to be ascertained number were missing.
The attack, which was said to have been launched at about 6:30pm by the well-armed Fulani herders, caught the community unawares as the invaders reportedly emerged from different locations shooting at everyone in sight.
The attackers, who were said to be numbering about 200, were reported to be wielding AK-47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons, operated for about three hours.
An eyewitness and community leader in Anyiin town, Chief Joseph Anawah, said the armed herders overwhelmed security operatives stationed in the town because of their large numbers.
He said it was a coordinated operation, stating that the alleged Fulani terrorists took residents of the town unawares, surrounded the town and shot sporadically.
Anawah said some of the villagers who ran for their dear lives were caught in an ambush laid by the invaders.
He listed some of the victims to include: Mr Orihundu Ati, a retired primary school supervisor and the son of a kindred head.
Also killed was a son to a Chief of Staff to a former Logo council chairman, Tordoo Suswam and a relation of a late District head of Ukemberagya, Zaki John Chembe.
Anawah listed Ukemberagya, Tswarev, Mbawar, Gov, Mbainange, and Tombo among neighbouring communities earlier displaced by the invaders and whose residents were taking refuge in Anyiin before the latest attack.
The community leaders appealed to the federal government and the Benue state government to revive an abandoned Mobile Police barracks project along Akwana-Anyiin-Wukari road to secure the lives and property in the communities.
They lamented that farmers in the affected communities could not harvest their crops because they were being killed and abducted on their farms by the armed invaders.
According to them, communities along the Benue-Taraba border are the worst hit by the marauders’ incessant attacks.”This is the second attack in one month by the Fulani terrorists. On Oct. 9, they attacked Ayilamo town, the headquarters of Tombo Council Ward and killed scores of people. As I speak, people are deserting Anyiin town for fear of the unknown”, Chief Anawah said.
By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas yesterday described growing malnutrition and food insecurity as great threat to Nigeria’s economic stability and public health.
Inaugurating the Local Organizing Committee for the National Assembly summit on nutrition and food security in Abuja, the Speaker reiterated the urgent need for legislative action to restore the country’s productivity and public health.
Abbas who was represented by Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Okezie Kalu noted that Nigeria’s rate of malnutrition is among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.
He noted that malnutrition, especially among children, stunts physical and cognitive development, impacting long-term educational and economic potential and contributing to broader societal challenges.
The Speaker assured the lawmakers’ full support for the committee’s initiatives, urging collaboration with State Houses of Assembly to create a unified approach to combating food insecurity.
He said, “The need for this National Summit on Nutrition and Food Security has never been more urgent.
“This organizing committee’s mission is to foster collaboration across ministries, engage both public and private sectors, and create a platform for lawmakers, experts, and community leaders to address the root causes of food security challenges.”
The chairman of the committee, Chike Okafor said there is malnutrition across Nigeria, particularly in the north spiking by 51 percent among children.
He described the situation as a humanitarian crisis exacerbated by recent floods in Adamawa, Maiduguri, and Jigawa, which have disrupted food supplies nationwide.
According to him, the summit will help to in the formulation of policies to tackle food insecurity.
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