POLITICS
Obi Visits Diri, Says I’m Desperate to Make Nigeria Work
From Tayese Mike, Yenagoa
Presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi, has said he is not desperate to be president but eager to see Nigeria work.
The two-term governor of Anambra State and vice presidential candidate of the PDP in 2019 stated this on Wednesday when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Douye Diri at the Bayelsa State Government House in Yenagoa.
Obi said Nigeria was a great country with untapped potentialities, noting that he is desperate to move the nation away from a consumption economy to a productive one.
He stressed that Nigeria was not working because of its unproductive state, which he said was unacceptable to the nation’s young, intelligent and smart population.
The presidential hopeful, who reeled out the statistics of agricultural value chain to Nigeria’s economy as against oil revenue, decried the level of neglect of food production in the country.
Obi asserted that if elected Nigeria’s president, he would end the current oil revenue sharing formula and introduce a production formula, particularly in agriculture and ICT.
He said the $18bn Nigeria gets from oil monthly cannot be compared to Facebook or Twitter, which was just sold for $44bn.
His words: “I am aspiring to lead this country. For me, it is not a desperate aspiration but I am desperate to see Nigeria work.
“This is a great country and I have a simple thing to do. I want to move it from consumption to a productive country. It is not working because it is not a productive country.
“We cannot see our children, millions of young people that are smart and intelligent stay at home doing nothing and we keep quiet.
“I was in Niger State with 76,363sq km of land but the people cannot feed themselves and Nigeria. They are also exporting nothing.
“Whereas Netherlands is 33,100sq km of land, they are exporting agricultural materials of $120bn while we earn only $18bn from oil.
“All we do here is sharing formula. I want to stop it. We must have production formula. Let the people produce the oil and keep it. There are so many things people can do.”
Obi also condemned the incessant borrowing under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government, saying that in four years, the country had borrowed almost $100bn with nothing to show for it.
The presidential aspirant promised to change the country’s debt profile and lambasted the government at the centre for making excuses why Nigeria cannot work.
In his remarks, the Bayelsa Governor, Senator Douye Diri, said Obi proved his worth while he served as governor of Anambra, especially when he saved and handed over N75bn to his successor.
Diri said Nigeria needed well-equipped and knowledgeable people like Obi to rescue the country from those who have failed to fix it.
The Bayelsa helmsman emphasized that anyone voted to lead must take the responsibility of addressing the challenges inherited rather than putting the blame on previous administrations.
The governor commended the presidential aspirant for his bright ideas geared toward fixing the country.
Diri noted that the PDP had eminently qualified presidential aspirants cut out for the job than anyone the ruling party would present for the country’s exalted seat.
He said: “Indeed you cannot doubt it that Peter Obi has proved his worth as a two-term governor who handed over N75bn to his successor.
“Nigeria needs those who will rescue this country as it is going down and we all know it. So our country needs to be rescued from those giving excuses rather than fixing the problems and challenges.
“Our party must unite. We have several of you (aspirants) well qualified. As you stated, anyone of you would be better than anyone from the other side. The experience, intellectual capacity and pedigree that you would bring to bear in correcting the wrongs and inability of the current serving government is not in doubt.”
Governor Diri restated the demand of governors of Southern Nigeria for power shift to the South for the purpose of equity and justice, and called on his colleagues from the North to reconsider their stance on the party’s ticket.
Kunle Idowu,Abeokuta
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has appointed Mr. Tunde Onakoya, the National Master of Chess and the current Guinness World Record Holder for the longest Chess Marathon in history, the Sports Ambassador of the State.
Governor Abiodun, who made this known on Thursday when he received Mr.
Abiodun, who was impressed with the achievement of the National Chess Master at the global stage, said this could not have been possible without determination and resilience and hard work.
“I can see why you continue to be an inspiration to many young people across the length and breath of this country. You have gone further by establishing a foundation called the ‘Chess in Slums Africa’ because you are determined to tell your story and encourage other children and get them out of the slums and give them hope and a future.
“Today, we will be officially appointing you as our State Sports Ambassador. Coincidentally, Ogun State will be hosting the National Sports Festival in the next nine months or thereabouts and we are boasting that we are set to host the best National Sports Festival that has never been held in the history of this country and coincidentally, chess is one of the games that will feature in that event.
“I have decided that because of you and in your honour, we will begin an Ogun State Chess Competition across the length and breath of the state. Since you are now officially our Sports Ambassador and our Chess Ambassador, we will leave it to you to design that competition from the local government all the way to the state level.
“But we as your state, we will have a sponsor in the Tunde Onakoya Prize, for the winner of that competition,” the governor explained.
The governor likened the travails of the Chess Master to that of millions of youths in Nigeria who are struggling to make something out of their lives, stating that his achievements in the face of difficulties is a testimony that life does not recognize where one comes from, place of birth or parent’s status in the society.
He commended the longest Chess Marathon holder in the world, for his resolve to succeed without engaging in dubious activities, noting that with the feat, he has joined the league of illustrious sons and daughters who have done Ogun State proud in their chosen endeavours.
Mr. Onakoya had earlier told the governor of his immense gratitude for the support he received from Nigerians in his march to stardom, adding that he felt proud to be a Nigerian.
He also recalled his challenges while growing up, noting that he saw chess as a way out of poverty and ability to think critically beyond the surface.
Onakoya acknowledged the unpopularity of chess in the country, attributing it to lack of understanding of the value of the game.
He said he has intensified efforts in making the game popular in Lagos, Kenya and other parts of Africa, saying he and his team are trying to bring the game to the grassroots in collaboration with Lufthansa Airlines.
Onakoya said he was determined to break the world record as it was said that no human had played the game beyond 56 hours, but he did it in 60 hours.
He thanked governor Abiodun for the honour done to him and his parents, pledging to work with the government to make the game attractive to the youths.
“I am proud to be a Nigerian and from Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, I felt highly honoured and happy in the way Nigerians all over the world supported me immensely to achieve this feats and the honour accorded me by our royal fathers and His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, my state Governor,” Onakoya said.
By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja
The House of Representatives on Wednesday, threatened to sanction the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPCL), other oil companies and agencies of government, responsible for the environmental degradation caused by the activities of oil companies in oil producing communities of the country.
This is just as the joint Committee of the House probing the matter, summoned the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPCL, Mr Mele Kyari, and others, to appear before it for the probe.
The summon was handed down by the Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Hon Pondi Julius Gbabojor, at an investigative hearing on the need to investigate the service and unprecedented environmental damage within the communities on Wednesday.
Also to appear before the joint committee are the chief executives of some oil companies and relevant government agencies.
The House Committees include Environment, Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Climate Change.
Gbabojor said the matter to be addressed was critical as he threatened appropriate sanctions if those invited failed to turn up.
Besides the NNPCL, oil companies summoned include Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Total Energies, Oando Oil Limited, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited Seplat Energy among others.
Also government agencies summoned include Nigeria Midstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, National Oil Spill Detection Response Agency, National Environmental Standards Regulations and Enforcement Agency.
When the probe commenced on Wednesday, only four out of 35 oil companies and agencies invited for the probe showed up.
The National Environmental Standards Regulations and Enforcement Agency, however sent an excuse through a representative, but the rest did not give any reason for their absence.
The Committee members however complained that even the four that turned up submitted the relevant documents just the previous day, not giving the lawmakers enough time to study it for the probe.
They rued the attitude of the oil companies and agencies saying it impeded efforts aimed at moving the country to a better place.
Gbabojor said, “We will write another letter to everybody. They should turn up to answer questions on issues pertaining to degradation of the environment due to the activities of oil companies.
“They have to be here on the 8th of May. If anybody fails to show up, then we would not decide as a committee on what to do. I want to believe that there was enough time, two letters were sent, there was ample time for them to see the letters and duly honour. But for putting on a human face, we would still give another time to do so,” he said.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, in his opening remarks earlier said it was important to protect the environment.
Represented by the Deputy Minority Whip, George Ozodinobi, he said, “I fully recognize the immense responsibility which befalls us as public servants to protect and safeguard our environment and meet the challenges posed by the ravages of environmental damages, and the need to balance economic prosperity and social responsibility to ultimately achieve equitable development.
“Also as representatives of the people, we must ensure that the voices of those most affected by environmental damage are heard and respected. We have to listen to the fears that are faced by frontline communities, indigenous people, and marginalized groups who usually bear the brunt of environmental injustice.
“It is therefore, for this reason that the House mandated the Committees on Environment, Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Petroleum Resources (Downstream), and Climate Change, to investigate the environmental damage in oil producing communities caused by non-compliance to extant laws by oil producing companies.”
By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will hold its primary election in Ondo State today (Thursday, April 25, 2024) to select a candidate for the Governorship Election in November and has approved a seven-member electoral committee to conduct the exercise.
In a statement on Wednesday, the PDP said the exercise will be held at the International Culture and Event Centre, The Dome, Akure, Ondo State.
The statement listed the seven-member electoral committee as Sen. Ewhrudjakpo Oborawhartevwo, Chairman, Hon. Oluwole Busayo Oke, member, Rt. Hon. Muktar Ahmed, Member, Haj. Hassana Diko, Member, Barr. John Mathew, Member; Hon. Nnena Ikondon, Member and Hon. Dare Adeleke, Secretary.
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