Opinion
As Oborevwori Drops The Gavel For The Bigger Mantle.
By Fred Edoreh
This Wednesday, May 24, the 7th Session of the Delta State House of Assembly would wind up with a valedictory sitting.
The Speaker, Rt Hon Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, would preside over the House for the last time in his two terms as he prepares to step up as Governor.
“Seeth thou a man diligent in his duties”, it is Sheriff. Resourceful, calm and calculated, he not only set a record as the longest-serving and only two-term Speaker the Assembly has produced, but with his deep understanding that governance is a team work and his insistence on the ultimate good of the people, he led the House with such maturity and focus that there was no rancour within and no friction with neither the Executive nor Judiciary arms of government.
Most remarkable is that, in his characteristic humility, he did not get carried away with the euphoria of having won election as the next Governor of the state such as to abandon his duties as Speaker. He worked diligently till his last day on the post.
His vision was as clear as his commitment was strong. In his words: “As lawmakers, it is our duty to respond to the yearnings and aspirations of Deltans through bills that drive growth, create jobs and improve livelihood.”
It was in this golden spirit that he has finished on a high with the delivery of very important bills in his last week, which His Excellency, our pace-setting Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has now signed into law.
The Bills include “The Delta State Development and Property Authority Bill and the Delta State Good Government and Accountability Bill.
The first clears the road for unencumbered investments in physical development across the state as it prohibits such social menaces that threaten private individuals, companies and institutional businesses.
The second regulates the financial conducts of government officials to ensure probity, transparency, accountability and international best practices in the management of our resources.
Others are the Delta State Sickle Cell Disorder Control Bill, 2023 which is to foster public health; the Delta State Creative Industry Development Bill, 2023, to promote the development of that strongly emerging sector of music, movies, art and entertainment; the Delta State Polytechnic, Burutu, Bill, 2023, and the College of Health Sciences and Technology Bill, 2023, both of which are not only intended to shore up the educational capacity of the state but also in critical areas of need.
While the High court (Amendment) Bill, 2023, as well as the Delta State Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2023, are normal, not many seem to fully understand the import of the Delta State Thanksgiving Day Bill which was also passed into law.
The United States, Canada, parts of Australia, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and various other nations of the world also celebrate Thanksgiving Days or Holidays, set aside to, in the words of the sage President, Abraham Lincoln, “offer up the ascriptions justly due to Him (Almighty God), with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it (in consistence) with Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.”
It must be pointed out that leaders are not only to exercise the authority of power and law, good leaders must also be teachers and priests who inspire society to righteous living.
It is therefore very assuring to see our leaders ascend such level of spiritual awareness and responsibility to lead the people to God.
With these attributes and consciousness, Deltans can be sure that they are in good hands and on a strong foundation to climb higher grounds in social, economic, spiritual development, unity and peace under Sheriff Oborevwori.
The president of Ijaw National Congress ( INC) Prof Benjamin Okaba has criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his recent apology to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Wike had apologised following a walkout by women during an empowerment event in Port Harcourt, where the First Lady was represented by the wife of the Sole Administrator.
Prof Okaba described the minister’s apology as unnecessary and misplaced.He strongly defended the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, saying the governor had no role in the protest.
He said Wike was the one undermining ongoing peace efforts and was creating roadblocks to reconciliation in the state.
According to prof Okaba, Wike had shown clear signs of dissatisfaction with the peace process and was looking for ways to disrupt it.
He noted that Wike had previously stated that Fubara should have been removed completely, which he saw as evidence of Wike’s unwillingness to accept any compromise.
He also referred to a recent protest by nursing students in Delta State as an example of how people express dissatisfaction without political sponsorship.
Okaba said the Rivers women simply wanted to be addressed by the First Lady herself or the governor’s wife.
Their actions, he explained, were based on disappointment after being told to expect the First Lady, only for the wife of the Sole Administrator to appear.
Okaba stated that the protest was not meant to insult the President or the First Lady, he said the women were reacting to what they saw as a deception and that their actions were aimed at rejecting what they viewed as an illegitimate administration in the state.
He also insisted that the women’s message was clear and targeted only at the Sole Administrator, not the federal authorities.
According to him, the protest was justified and should not be linked to any wrongdoing by Governor Fubara.
“So, for me, it does all show that Wike is the one who is double-tonguing, looking for every excuse to truncate the restoration process.”
“The women only expressed their disgust at the evil perpetrated by one sole administrator. He is an illegality, and nobody is afraid of saying so.”
“So, if they can say that anywhere, then the wife of the sole administrator wants to come and address who? As what?”
“The same women who demonstrated against the sole administrator, will you expect them to go and listen to the ‘rubbish’ that will come from his wife? I support what the women did, and I don’t see any confrontation against the Federal Government,” he said.
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By Admin
Niger Delta, born human rights activist and development advocate, Chief Comrade Mulade Sheriff, has called on political job seekers to stop distracting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and state governors from focusing on good governance to Nigerians.
The renowned peace and environmental justice advocate made the appeal at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, recently to Nigerians, particularly highly influenced individuals whom he alleged were doing so for their selfish interests to protect their political positions.
He said, “I appeal to highly placed Nigerians to stop distracting the President and Governors over 2027 general elections that is still over two years away, because of their selfish interest to protect their positions and contracts, to the detriment of our development.’
Chief Mulade, who is the Ibe Serimowei of the ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South-West council area of Delta state, noted that President Tinubu has only done less than two years in office and is yet to deliver on his mandate, noting that such mischievous endorsements from political jobbers are not helping the President but only serving as source of distraction which he, Tinubu, does not need now.
“It is imperative to state that the President is barely about two years in office, and has not delivered on his electioneering promises, but he is being distracted by persons who are promoting their selfish interest rather than the good of the masses,” he added.
The peace ambassador, therefore, called on all well-meaning Nigerians to rise above personal gains and to beware of actions that are detrimental to the well-being of the masses and the country.
He urged President Tinubu to be wary of eye service supporters and praise singers, and to beam his focus on the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration to end insecurity, hunger, bad governance, oppression of the masses and bad economy in Nigeria. It is worthy of note that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR does not need these distractive and mischievous political endorsements to be re-elected if he delivers on his promises to Nigerians.
Opinion
OPINION: THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE IYC PRESIDENT JONATHAN LOKPOBIRI SNR STATEMENT AND THAT OF GOC GOVERNMENT TOMPOLO EKPEMUPOLO STATEMENT, EXPLAINED.
By Lordy Torus
I’ve listened to Tompolo speak to his people on his 54th birthday celebration, though, through a translator. This is what I had been expecting to hear long before today, given my privilege of understanding Ijaw and the interpreter’s translation into English. I give him kudos for first acknowledging the Ijawness in him, something many privileged individuals in authority have refused to do. He recognized that before politics, there is the Ijaw Nation, and so it shall remain. His mention of Bayelsa State as the homogeneous Ijaw headquarters was another pointer to his recognition of his Ijaw heritage.
He was very deliberate and moderate in addressing the imbroglio between Wike and Fubara, calling on both parties to sheathe their swords. He acknowledged the role Wike played in making Fubara the Governor of Rivers State and admonished Wike, reminding him that the Ijaw people also contributed to his success. He emphasized the need for both parties to bury their differences and bring Fubara back. He went further to say that while he might disagree with the Governor, the Ijaw Nation is sacrosanct.
Tompolo cautioned toying with the emotions of Izon people by Wike wanting to bring his trophy to Bayelsa and he told him in all terms that coming to Yenagoa will not be tolerated, not by way of advice but a straight talk. He then addressed Fubara and Wike to Wike’s advantage though and of course it’s several times acceptable to me.
Jonathan Lokpobiri would’ve been celebrated by the Ijaw people which he leads if only he had made it known that, he is first an Ijaw man, before anything. If he had applied wisdom, he would’ve bashed Wike and those encouraging him to toil with the Ijaw Nation, for bringing the Ijaw Nation into his political games. Rather, he lambasted Ijaws for calling for war, yet could not do anything when the state of emergency was pronounced by President Asiwaju Tinubu. Robbing salt on a very deep injury.
While Tompolo succinctly sent a message to Wike that he should respect the only homogeneous Ijaw State by not bringing his games to Bayelsa, which he as an Ijaw man won’t find appealing. He as well reminded the people that it was Wike who single handedly handpicked Fubara, to be Governor of Rivers State. Thereby giving a fair judgement on both parties. But the President either deliberate or unknownly aggravated the people’s anger, by making it seem like the Ijaw people whom he leads were the trouble makers, making Wike the saint in the whole issue, while the Ijaw people and the Fubara, as the troublemakers.
As Ijaws, your tribe must come first, before anything.
Just like Jonathan, Tompolo acknowledged the fact that the issue between Wike and Fubara is a political issue and can only be solved through Political means. However, Jonathan sinned when he refused to make it bold that Wike should not toil with the Ijaw Nation.
One thing I learnt from this is that, having all the degrees doesn’t make one a harbinger of knowledge. Perhaps, GOC had to wait for everybody to air their opinion, before dishing out his incontroversial statement, to calm down already failed nerves. I can agree with myself that those who were angered by Wike’s unguarded statement, has calmed down and partially forgiven him, pending when Tompolo does his calling for the return of Governor Fubara.
Credit: Benebragha Suoye