Dickson Charges New LG Chairmen on Transparency, Accountability

From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Honourable Seriake Dickson, has challenged the eight newly elected local government chairmen to promote transparency and accountability in the administration of their councils’ resources.
Governor Dickson gave the charge on Wednesday, at the swearing-in ceremony of the council chairmen and their deputies in Government House, Yenagoa.
Dickson was quoted by his Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, as calling on the chairmen to ensure strict compliance with the Transparency and Accountability Law of the state.
He stressed that legislative sanctions would be imposed on any chairman for misuse of council funds.
According to the governor, council chairmen were expected to carry out their statutory obligation of prompt payment of workers’ salaries and embark on projects to impact positively on the lives of the people.
” To whom much is given, much is also expected. While we allow you to maintain your funds, utilise them in the interest and development of our rural communities.
“We urge you all to show prudence and respect for public funds. We must use our scarce resources to address our multifarious problems as a state. That is what my administration has been doing in the last seven years going to eight years now.
“Last month, no office in this state including mine got overhead. But we are still funding the Ekeremor Road, Yenagoa-Oporoma Road and also funding the nine-kilometer fencing of the airport.
“This is as a result of the discipline and prudence we have been showing. Let me put you on notice that my team will be monitoring your activities.
“Let me also remind you that the House of Assembly has supervisory authority over you. And I will not hesitate to work with the House to exercise legislative sanctions on any of you where it becomes necessary.”
On security, Governor Dickson urged the new administrators of the third tier of government to collaborate with security agents in checking sea piracy, pipeline vandalism, kidnapping and other unwholesome practices in the state.
The governor, who described the council chairmen as field commanders of the Restoration Administration, charged them to lead the party effectively at the local government level.
He enjoined them to work closely with party and community leaders in mobilizing support for the right causes that would foster peace, stability and progress.
The chairmen of the eight councils are Victor Isaiah (Brass), Alalibo West (Nembe), Dengiye Ubarugu (Kolokuma/Opokuma) and Embeleakpo Alale (Sagbama).
Others are Uroupaye Nimizuoa (Yenagoa), Dr. Perekeme Bertola (Ekeremor), Chief Kia Ebidoughabofa-Nigeria (Southern Ijaw) and Ebinyo Turner (Ogbia).


Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi has asked Nigerians to hold him accountable if a new Nigeria fails to emerge with him as president.
Obi threw the challenge in Abakaliki on Friday at his campaign rally.
He pledged to reform Nigeria back from consumption to production.
The LP candidate assured that the country would be restored when most qualified candidates with character, trust and competence were elected.
He maintained that the 2023 general elections must be based on character and not on or and tribe.
“We will offer you a new Nigeria and also secure and unite the country.
“Let no one deceive you with religion or tell you it is their turn. Just vote people that understand governance.
“I am not contesting as an Igbo man, a south-easterner, but as a Nigerian who is most qualified and competent to revive the country,’’ Obi said.
He commended the people of Ebonyi for their solidarity and support for the Labour Party.
He urged the electorate to vote for Mr Edward Nkwegu, the gubernatorial candidate of LP in Ebonyi to build a better nation.
In his remarks, National Chairman of Labour Party, Mr Julius Abure, appreciated the people of Ebonyi for their show of solidarity, support and commitment to the party.
Abure said the LP would produce most intelligent and credible candidates to fight poverty and insecurity in the country. (NAN)

From David Torough, Makurdi
Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has again, won the gubernatorial primary rerun election conducted by the Sen. Bashir Lado led rerun committee.
Alia polled a total number of 219,002 to defeat 12 other aspirants to emerge winner.
Recall, that the court of appeal sitting in Makurdi while delivering judgement in a case filed by one of the gubernatorial aspirants, Prof.
Terhemba Shija directed the party to conduct a primary re-run election in eleven(11) local government areas of the state.While announcing the result at the APC Secretariat Makurdi, which also served as the collation Centre for the rerun, Sen. Lado, Chairman of Benue State Rerun Election Committee stated that the primary election rerun which was won by Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia was not only free, fair and credible but represented the wishes of APC members in Benue State.
Chairman of the party in the State, Comrade Augustine Agada while commending APC members in the state for a peaceful primary election, thanked them for their show of maturity during the rerun and termed the results of the election as no victor no vanquish, explaining that the winner in the election is not only Fr. Alia but for the entire Benue APC family.
In a good will message, Amb. Prof. Stephen Ugba who spoke on behalf of party Stakeholders, commended Benue APC for a successful exercise and called on all those who participated in the primary election to see themselves as winners.
The party immediately after the declaration of results went into a Special Congress to ratify the primary elections.
The Congress unanimously ratified and adopted Rev. Fr. Dr Hyacinth Alia as the candidate of APC Benue state for the position of governor.
The Special Congress was attended by members of the State Executive Committee of the party, Critical Stakeholders, teeming members of the APC in Benue state and members of the press.

Man has allegedly slumped and died in front of a branch of the First City Monument Bank at Ikwerre Road, Mile 1, Rivers Stateon Tuesday.
The man’s death, according, to a Twitter user, Dokubo, Kenneth Promise #EndSARS, who posted it on his Twitter handle @dokubo_kenneth, was due to frustration resulting from hostile treatment meted out on him by the customer service officials of the bank.
According to the report, the man (whose name was withheld) had been trying to withdraw money but could not, as the bank asked him to do an affidavit in order to have access to his money.
Dokubo further said the victim went with his next of kin to the bank as judicial workers had been on strike, jeopardising any process of swearing an affidavit.
Man dies at @MyFCMB in Port Harcourt due to frustration and unfriendly treatment by the customer service attendants of a bank,” Dokubo tweeted.
The man was said to have been vomiting and begging having been in the queue for five hours before he collapsed and died.
“An eyewitness at the scene of the incident disclosed that a man who hails from Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, a customer of (First City Monument Bank) FCMB died in front of the bank.
“He was refused access to his own money since Friday even when he came with his next of kin. He was asked to go to the court to get an affidavit knowing the court is not in session.
“Narrating the event, she added, ‘The man was vomiting and at the same time begging for him to have access to his own money yet he was denied. After he was left unattended to for more than 5 hours, he just died now a few minutes ago at FCMB, Education Bus Stop, Ikwerre Road, Mile 1, she said,’” Dokubo reported on Twitter.