News
Presidential pardon to Dariye, Nyame most shameful to Buhari’s gov’t – Gov. Wike
Governor of Rivers State and Presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mr Ezenwo Nyeson Wike has reacted to the presidential pardon granted to the former governors of Plateau and Taraba States.
Wike described as shameful the pardon granted to the two former governors Jolly Nyame and Joshua Dariye of Plateau and Taraba states by the council of state under President Mohammed Buhari.
“The government that claimed to be fighting corruption granting pardon to the governors that stole state funds in bilions. This is the highest level of shameful to be displayed by a government that claimed to be figthing Corruption in the country” he asserted.
He decried banditry and all forms of insecurity in the nation, saying, that the only project that the All Progressive Congress (APC) led government was able to execute in some parts of the Northern Nigeria is armed bandtiry.
He said apart from banditry and high level of poverty and insecurity across the North Central and North West, there is nothing for the APC led government was able to achieve in the last seven years of their maladministration.
Addressing Peoples Democratic Party supporters at the party Secretariat in Minna at the weekend, Governor Wike noted that the APC led administration in the country could best be described as monumental disappointment to Nigerians and he will dislodge the APC administration if given the PDP ticket at the party Congress.
According to him, the APC administration in the last seven years has succeeded in creating fear, hungry poverty and insecurity in the country adding that they have failed the Nigerian people without any tangible project to show apart from bandtiry in the North Central and the North West.
He assured that if given the PDP ticket at the party Congress APC led administration should be prepared to pack out of the Aso Villa ” because I will give them the fight for their money. Just give the party ticket at the Congress, I’m assuring you I will win at the general election in 2023″.
He said he has paid his dues to the Peoples Democratic Party and no amount of blackmail, threat and intimidations will deterred him from aspiring the presidential race of the party, requesting the Niger State delegates to vote him at the party Congress.
“I have been a member of PDP, since 1998. The party has given me everything I want in my life. No matter the provocation, I will never leave the PDP. No amount of threat and blackmail that will deterred me.
“I have paid my dues in PDP. So my delegates in Niger State, I’m requesting for your vote at the convention. So please I need your massive vote at the Congress.” he requested.
He insisted that the day he will be given the party ticket at the Congress the APC administration has come to an end, adding that he will go all to Win the general election in 2023.
The wife of Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), Hajia Aishat has offered cash and food items worth millions of naira to widows and vulnerable women across Dekina local government Councils, promises to take similar gesture across the nine local government in Kogi East.
The exercise which was tagged: “Widows Empowerment”, saw the Senator’s wife distributing cash and food items to cushion the effect of Ramadan.
Items distributed are bags of rice bags of salt, cartons of seasoning, maggi etc, which were evenly distributed to widows and vulnerable women across party lines.
A beneficiary who spoke with our correspondent at Odu in Dekina Local Government Council, Hon Fitumi thanked Hajia for her continuous effort in coming through for widows and vulnerable regularly.
She acknowledged similar gesture by Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), a fortnight ago at Ankpa when youths in their numbers from three Local Government Areas were trained in Agriculture and empowered, stressing that people are now living testimony to the effort of the lawmaker.
“”We are aware of several intervention projects, empowerment and developmental projects of Senator Echocho and we are not surprised seeing Hajia toeing the similar path.
“The distribution of food items and cash today is not only a rekindling of hope to the beneficiaries, but an encouragement that despite their condition, they were not forgotten.
Hajia Labran, and other APC Women leaders who spoke on behalf of women, applauded Hajia Aisha Echocho and pray Allah to strengthen her to carry on, urged others to emulate her sustainable initiatives.
The women advised other political office holders to emulate what is good and just, which they believed would strengthen the party.
As part of the activities to celebrate the golden anniversary of the University of Calabar, the wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Godswill Akpabio was on Saturday, March 22, 2025 conferred with an honorary doctorate degree in Education Management.
The ceremony held at the main campus of the institution in Calabar, Cross River State also saw the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike awarded the honorary doctorate degree in Law.
Other awardees included Major General Moses Bisong Obi (rtd) (Doctor of Peace and Conflict Studies) and Supreme Court Justice, Emmanuel Akomaye Obi (Doctor of Law).
In her acceptance speech after the conferment by the 15th Emir of Kano and Chancellor of the University, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Akpabio thanked the Governing Council and Management of the University for finding her worthy of the honour.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media/communication to the President of the Senate, Anietie Ekong quoted Mrs Akpabio as saying “I am happy to be honoured with this award from the prestigious University of Calabar that I have heard so much about from my dear husband, an alumnus of this great institution.
“I was wondering when I will join him as a great Malabress and that day has come and I am grateful to the University for this honour,” she said.
Mrs Akpabio promised to work with other awardees especially the Minister of the FCT to provide infrastructural assistance to the university.
In a citation the University extolled Mrs Akpabio for her philanthropic and humanitarian efforts towards uplifting the lives of women and the vulnerable of the society through her non governmental organisation, the Family Life Enhancement Initiative.
She was also recognized as a Champion of women’s rights and as one who used her position as the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State to fight for the inclusion of more women in governance.
On his part, Chief Wike said he was honoured to be among the recipients of award. He extolled the Visitor of the University, President Bola Tinubu for working tirelessly to promote tertiary education in the country.
Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed disappointment over the declaration of State of emergency in Rivers State, saying it discredits Nigeria’s image.
The declaration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sent Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara packing for six months, while the elected members of the State House of Assembly have also been suspended.
Jonathan stated this while speaking as the Chairman at the Haske Satumari Foundation Colloquium in Abuja on Saturday.
He said elected officials have been removed from office in a very disappointing manner.
Contrary to Jonathan’s view however, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, expressed support for Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers.
The party said no responsible government will allow a situation to deteriorate before taking decisive action in the best interest of its citizens.
NNPP National Chairman, Dr. Agbo Major, told newsmen: “President Tinubu is the Chief Security Officer of Nigeria.
“The information available to him as president from intelligence sources may not be in the public purview.
“The government in Rivers was suspended and no one can actually say what would have happened by now, judging from the deepening crisis.
“The crisis was further compounded by some leaders who, instead of offering advice or promoting peace during the turmoil, allowed it to escalate before later stepping in to criticize.”
But for President Jonathan, “These actions by key actors in the executive and legislative arms of government paint the country in a negative light.”
He said it was not the norm for former presidents to comment on issues, so as not to heat up the polity.
However, Jonathan said, his comment became necessary after calls from many Nigerians, urging him to speak on the events in Rivers State.
He added that the image of the country and how much investments a country attracts is dependent on the actions of the executive, legislature and judiciary of that country.
Goodluck Jonathan faulted the situation where an individual can dictate to the judiciary, noting that it makes it difficult for anyone to have faith in the judiciary.
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