By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja

The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde has called on members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to fix the internal crisis in the party as the PDP is capable of fixing the country.Makinde, who spoke yesterday at the inauguration of the Board of Governors and Unveiling of Roadmap for the Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI), said that as the nation approaches 2027 for another general election, it was clear that the PDP has the capacity to provide direction for Nigerians.

The Oyo State Governor, who was the special guest at the occasion, asked rhetorically, “What would you want to be remembered for? This is a question every politician who has had to serve at any capacity in our great nation should ask themselves. Because players would come and go.”The situation is so dynamic, but you have to be remembered for something.”From 2019, I’ve been benefitting from PDP. So, I want to say thank you to our great party, and all the stakeholders gathered here today, for giving me the opportunity to get not one, but two mandates, back to back, under this umbrella.”The only thing I can promise you is that since I have fetched water from that well I have been drinking since 2019, I will not pollute the well when it is time for me to exit that position.”The journey to this day has not been all smooth, but I’m thankful that we are able to overcome all the obstacles along the way.”On the PDI, Makinde said that with inauguration of the institute Board of Governors, the PDP is moving a step closer to defining the ideology that the party stands for, and cementing what the party as a whole will want to be remembered for.He said, “Let me especially thank all the people that are members of the party that has put aside grievances, and played a role in the re-establishment and revitalisation of the PDI” recalling that the institute was formed during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.”So, one will take a pause and say okay, what happened during the 16 years of PDI in power nationally? “You can see that with the PDI, there is a pivotal rule, and during those years, we can rightly refer to as the golden years, because since we are working through the plan, we got debt forgiveness, we were interacting with everybody around the world, we were not in pariah relations,” he said.He called on members to rally round the party and set aside their differences, saying there was need for true reconciliation and unity to wrestle power from the APC in Ondo State, whose governorship election has been slated for November 16, 2024.In his contribution, former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, noted that parties are built on ideas, philosophies and policies, stressing the need to move away from building ideas on self and ambition.Sakari said: “We cannot have an ambition if we don’t have a party. We cannot have a party if we don’t have ideas. This is where it starts from. This is the foundation that is important. “Let us desist from talking about who is running for councillor, or who is running for governor, or who is running for president in 2027. Let us talk about what PDP is. What does PDP represent? What are the issues and policies that we must take into account?”This is what is important for us. This is what Nigerians outside want to know. This is what is important.”Earlier the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Amb Umar Damagum ,who was represented by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Hon. Umar Bature, said there needed to reposition and unite the party to play its opposition role.

From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday said the Media has a duty to hold the elected and appointed officials accountable and ensure that they do their work in a manner to strengthen democracy and not weaken it.He said in any thriving democracy, the roles of the government and the media are intertwined, both essential in serving the public interest.

Saying the alignment enables us to achieve common goals that benefit society at large. Tinubu who was represented by the Minister of Information and National Orientation Hon. Mohammed Idris handed down this during the 20th All Nigeria Guild of Editors Conference at the Banquet Hall in Yenagoa the state capital.He said in the room are many veteran journalists who played very important roles in ushering in the age of enduring democracy in Nigeria. “I salute your individual and collective efforts not just at that time, but even right through to today, as we celebrate a quarter of a century of unbroken democratic experience”.This year’s theme which was titled:”Economic Growth and Development Strategies in a Resource-Rich Country” had in attendance media moguls across the federation.According to the president, “Indeed, our roles are most effective when they are not adversarial but cooperative.By viewing each other as allies in nation-building, we can create an environment where transparency, accountability, and mutual respect thrive. Together, the government and the media can empower citizens, strengthen democratic institutions, and build a more informed and resilient society”.”As editors and media managers, your role in national development cannot be overemphasized. You are the custodians of public perception, the gatekeepers of information, and, importantly, the voice of the people. You have the power to shape narratives that inspire, inform, and engage Nigerians positively and productively. We count on you to report truthfully and to engage constructively to help the public understand not only what this government is doing but also why we are doing it.With a united effort from government, citizens, and the media alike, we can build a resilient, diversified economy that offers security, opportunity, and hope for all Nigerians”.In his opening speech, the host governor senator Douye Diri said, the significance of the media in democratic governance has been recognised since the 17th century. Speaking as the fourth pillar of democracy, the press educates, informs, and entertains, shaping public agenda and debate. Democracy relies heavily on the press to thrive.According to Diri, as ethnic nationalities and diverse interests vie for attention, “your work serves as a beacon of hope, promoting understanding and unity. In these turbulent times around our nation and the world at large, your role as guardians of truth is more critical than ever”.He said integrity remains the cornerstone of the profession, building trust with the public and fortifying the foundations of a healthy democracy.“Economic Growth and Development Strategies in Resource-Rich Country,” your theme for this conference, is both relevant and timely. Therefore, we implore you as editors and influential voices, to advocate for policies that prioritise sustainable development and empower local communities.In his goodwill message, the former governor also of Ogun state, Chief Olusegun Osoba urged the NGE before they leave to set up a committee to look into the crisis brewing in the NUJ, “they are supposed to hold their annual conference but some people are saying that the president has overstayed his tenure and they took him to court. “You are the only united group after the NPAN to intervene in that crisis brewing in the NUJ”.

In his speech, the chairman of conference Chief Nduka Obaigbena said, the time is hard but Nigeria journalists are harder so they have to be tough to cope with the time.He said, Nigeria needs to be fixed first if we want to get it right, saying that it is the first thing to do and work hard to ensure that we also protect our Industries.”Are we going to protect Dangote refinery from cheap imports? If Dangote fails then we all have failed. If we are going to use whatever means to deal with the oil mafias, we should keep our refinery alive. If you say you want to stop monopoly then the four refineries must work””Let that four refineries be completed with Dangote so that they can compete. We challenge the Minister of information to get the refineries working. Everybody is feeling the pains in the country”.In his welcome address, the president of Nigeria Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba said, the biggest threat to media survivors today is availability of resource materials. Saying they are here because they recognize the critical role that both a strong economy and a resilient media sector play in fostering a prosperous, informed and democratic society.”Today, as editors, we stand at a crossroads where our decisions, priorities and strategies will shape the future of our country and journalism. The growth of our nation’s economy directly influences every sector, and our industry is no exception. A strong economy fuels consumer spending, drives innovation, and creates opportunities for media organizations to expand and thrive. Yet with opportunities come new challenges.”Media organizations face mounting pressure to adapt to modern trends while staying financially viable and maintaining journalistic integrity. Now, we thought the only challenge facing the media will be adapting to modern trends. But the biggest threat to media survivors today is availability of resource materials to produce our papers or to broadcast on our TV stations.”The growth of our nation’s economy directly influences every sector, and our industry is no exception. Today’s economic landscape demands that we be agile and innovative.”Many media houses are devising different ways to survive. However, as we exploit these strategies, we must keep sight of our mission to provide accurate, trustworthy and independent information to our audiences.”Sustainability is about more than economic survival. It’s about preserving the values and principles that make our profession a pillar of democracy. And there is a constitutional guarantee for that.Section 22 of our constitution challenges us to hold the government to account despite the poverty in our profession today because we are struggling to meet demand conditions.”The Constitution builds on us to hold the government to account. So at the same time, we must consider how we as editors can contribute to broader economic growth. We know that reliable media support informed citizens, foster accountability and encourage investments in democratic institutions.”An informed public is empowered to make decisions that spur economic growth, create jobs and promote sustainability, in this our work is essential not only to our audiences but also to our economic and social fabrics of our country.”

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike on Thursday revealed that President Bola Tinubu has approved the dualization of kuje-Gwagalada road.The FCT Minister stated this while inspecting the ongoing road projects in Kuje that are handling by Arab Contractors (linking road from Kuje to Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport and Kuje internal road, by Gilmor Contractor, in AbujaHe said Gilmor is handing over the project by December 2024 and the Arab contractor would have finished the earthwork.

According to the Minister, “What is most important is that the promise Mr President made is being carried out to the letter, particularly as we came in from the airport to the Kuje community, the work is going on very well as I expected, by Arab Contractors.”They have promised that by the end of 2024, they would have finished everything pertaining to earthwork. So, the work is going on fast and here in Kuje, as per the dualization of this carriage road, we believe that by this December, the contractor, Gilmor, would have handed it over.”We have also directed them to continue the dualization from Kuje to Gwagwalada and that will ease off transport difficulties and also reduce travel time when going to Gwagwalada. So, people who have no business along the Giri-Airport axis will now come to town.”Everybody in Kuje who is going to Gwagwalada will also go straight and I know the economic implications these will trigger. Mind you, all these constructions include streetlights. We think that it will change the landscape of the entire city. People do not need to leave Kuje to go and live in the city to go to work. It will be within 20 to 25 minutes and you are already in the city and that is what everybody hopes for. We thank God that we are keeping to the promises made by this Administration”.Wike therefore urged, “This is a public road, not a private road. It is to be used by everybody for the interest of the public. The transmission company will accordingly be told to expedite actions so as to relocate their electrical installations. We are going to make sure that every stakeholder understands the importance of the quick handover of that road”.Responding to questions on funding, he said, “It is a matter of strategy and a matter of being prudent with available resources. No government or institution can say they will have all the required resources to be able to carry out every service. But what is important to us is that we try to make sure people pay their taxes. One thing I can tell you about Nigerians is that when they see that the taxes they pay are being utilized, they reciprocate that by making sure that they pay their taxes but when they see that they pay taxes and nothing is done with it, they will be reluctant to pay.”We are trying as much as we can to continue to increase our IGR. It is our IGR that we are using to pay. There is no other money coming from anywhere. And again, we are strict on the number of projects and we ensure that we have gone far before awarding another project and that the funding is available so that it does not become an abandoned project. So, it is not that we have much money but it is just that we are trying to prudently manage what we have and apply it to the best interest of our people”.