NATIONAL VIBES

The Peoples Democratic Party has congratulated the newly elected Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Monday Bubou Obolo. The State Secretary of the party, Chief Godspower Keku, commended the members of the House for the peaceful way in which the change of leadership in the House was carried out in a statement on Monday. Keku also hailed the members of the Assembly for their loyalty and adherence to the unifying ideals of the party in their dealings. He described the new Speaker who represents Southern Ijaw 2, as a man of integrity and good party man with the capacity to lead the House of Assembly especially at this crucial period. The PDP Scribe urged the members to give the necessary support to the new Speaker to enable him to succeed in the important task of making laws for the development of the state. He also advised the new speaker to provide effective leadership to Assembly ensure the confidence reposed in him by the members. The Bayelsa St...

The PDP Youths Front has said that the former Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Tonye Isenah, was a mole who betrayed the trust of his party for a contract of N750 million with the All Progressives Congress. The Coordinator of the Forum, Mr. Willy McDonald, alleged in a statement on Monday that the APC leaders have already released N500 million to the former Speaker to destabilize the party while pretending to me a member and leader. Mcdonald said that Isenah defied all meetings with the PDP leadership because of the desperation to do the biddings of his new found political paymasters. He said that the events immediately preceding the removal of Tonye Isenah revealed the underhand dealings that culminated in the removal of Isenah as the Speaker. According to McDonald, the two APC members, who were present in the House during the moves to impeach Isenah, Hon. Wilson Oyakpo, Timi Agala, left the House in solidarity with him. He said that the fraternit...

... Says former Speaker was a paid agent of the APC The Peoples Democratic Party Youths Network has commended members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly for their display of maturity and firmness in effecting a leadership of the Assembly on Monday. The Secretary General of the Group, Comrade James Oputin, said that the membership of the Assembly deserved commendation for averting bloodshed and violence planned by the leaders of the opposition All Progressives Congress and the impeached Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tonye Isenah. Oputin said that the action of the Assembly confirmed the fears of the youth group across Bayelsa that Isenah was a mole of the All Progressive Congress occupying a strategic position in the PDP to sabotage the efforts of the party in the forthcoming election. According to him, the PDP leadership particularly the Assembly acted well to identify Isenah and to take him out to avert the plan of the APC to use him against what would have been an unsuspecting PD...

... Says Boycott of APC Rally by Lokpobiri, Aganaba, Seibarugo, Angaye shows that the party has failed Posted by Tony Okechukwu The Peoples Democratic Party Youth Network has lauded the decision of the leadership of the party to shift its flag off campaign earlier scheduled for Saturday to Monday to avoid clash with the opposition All Progressives Congress. The group in a statement by its Secretary General James Oputin, said that the PDP leadership displayed a commendable level of maturity by averting the plan of the APC  to use a non existent clash of rallies  to unleash mayhem on the state. The group said that the APC planned to cause civil disturbance with thugs  imported from  neighbouring states to cause civil disturbance at the venue of the PDP rally. Oputin posited that APC lacks capacity to win free, fair and credible election in Bayelsa state He stressed the party's stock in trade was violence which played out during its kangaroo primary which...

Posted By Tony Okechukwu The attention of the Board of Directors and Management of the Bayelsa Oil Company Limited  (BOCL) has been drawn to a news report on an online medium wherein unfounded allegations were levelled against the Managing Director of our company. The report, sadly, ignored the time honoured journalistic best practice of crosschecking facts and getting potentially opposing views before publication. The said medium quoted copiously from a letter allegedly written by Consider Oruah to the Chairman of the Board Of Directors Of BOCL wherein the petitioner complained about a purported sale of interests in BOCL and its assets. Though we are currently in negotiations to alter our relationship with existing partners and in discussion with prospective investors, the allegations in the publication are false. Besides, I did not receive any such letter from the said Consider Oruah. BOCL has also not sold its shares or property. BOCL embodies the aspirations of the ...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youths have called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other relevant security agencies to probe the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) over the N90 billion scandal. The call followed the allegation by Timi Frank, a former Deputy Spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who alleged that the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo started having issues when the presidency discovered that he mismanaged N90 billion allegedly made available by the FIRS for 2019 election campaign purposes. Even though the FIRS had denied making N90 billion available to the Vice President for election campaigns, the youths said there is more to the allegation. The youths, under the aegis of PDP South South Youth Vanguard said that the Inland Revenue must tell the nation what really transpired and stop denying the allegation. The youths, in a statement by its National Chairman, James Efe Akpofure said that the issu...

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel has sent a message of condolence to the family of Obong Ufot Ekaette, a one-time Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and pioneer Minister of the Ministry of  Niger Delta Affairs. According to a release by his Chief Press Secretary Ekerete Udoh, Governor Emmanuel  celebrated the contributions of the departed Elder Statesman to the development of Akwa Ibom State in particular and Nigeria in general.  “He was a thoroughbred public servant who was transparent, honest and a stickler for excellence, qualities he brought to bear in the execution of the key offices of public trust he held in the course of his illustrious career. "The Government and the people of Akwa Ibom State are grateful for his contributions to the development of our State where he once served as the Deputy Governor. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. He will be greatly missed.”

A Youths Group has cautioned Bayelsans against a mysterious campaign salt in circulation in Bayelsa State believed to be provided by the Gubernatorial ticket of All Progressives Congress. The Secretary General of the Group, Chief James Oputin, said that the salt branded with the faces of the APC Candidate and his running mate should be avoided because of obvious spiritual implications to the consumption of salt from highly suspicious and tainted quarters. He said that the Group was in possession of credible information that the salt in circulation was a covert spiritual plan to arrest the minds of the unsuspecting Bayelsa citizens for undeserved political benefits. He said that the love and passion for the development of Bayelsa must be genuine  and of sterner stuff beyond temporary instruments of deceit and deception by desperate politicians for ulterior motives. Oputin saw that what the good people of Bayelsa needs was not food or salt but a visionary leadership drive...

The management of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been urged to caution AGIP Petroleum Company from interfering in the forthcoming Bayelsa State Governorship Election scheduled for November 16. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youths, under the aegis of PDP South South Youth Vanguard, made this call Tuesday, less than two months to the state governorship election. The youths said it has become imperative to call on the NNPC because of the implication of AGIP backing a particular candidate in the state election against other candidates. Recall that last week the group had warned AGIP against such move, adding that such action is capable of causing crisis in Bayelsa State. The youths, in a statement by its National Chairman, James Efe Akpofure called on the management of NNPC to take urgent steps in addressing this development. The youths, which had earlier called on the Bayelsa chiefs, elders and stakeholders to warn the oil company to...

…Says Cynthia is a serial fraudster out to extort. Posted by Tony Okechukwu A federal lawmaker, Uju Kingsley Chima, has reacted to the allegation that he raped a woman, Nkeiruka Cynthia Kamalu, in 2015 and promised to pay her N20 million if her husband abandons her. Chima is the House of Representatives member representing Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru West Federal Constituency of Imo State. He said the woman was a liar and serial fraudster out to extort money from him. The lawmaker claimed that Mrs. Kamalu was also trying to divert attention from her two N40 million fraud cases at a high and magistrate’s court in Owerri, the Imo State capital. “It is a pure case of fraud, someone who has been defrauding for years. Pure case of fraud! She even defrauded my friend to the tune of over N10 million. (There is) evidence, complete evidence!”, Chima told the Nation. “Now, you are a man, let me ask you a question: somebody that said you raped her in 2015, and in 2018, the sam...

...EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER LITIGATION BY AGGRIEVED MEMBERS ....SAYS DISAGREEMENT OVER IMPOSITION OF DAVID LYON TEARING PARTY APART Posted Tony Okechukwu The All Progressives Congress Youth Alliance in Bayelsa State has called on the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshimhole to intervene in the crisis rocking the State Chapter of the party less than three months to the November 16, 2019 gubernatorial election in the state. The Coordinator of the APCYA, Dr. Joseph Ikileka Temple, said in a statement on Saturday that the manner of the primaries that threw up Security Surveillance Contractor, Chief David Lyon as the gubernatorial candidate of the APC had polarized the party. He said that the anger and resentment which followed the declaration of David Lyon as the party’s candidate on September 5, 2019 has pitched some leaders and critical stakeholders against him. Temple said that the APC Youth Alliance was bothered by the deluge of cases which have been filed by...

*Says Relationship With Jonathan Cordial Posted by Tony Okechukwu Being excerpts of remarks and response by the Bayelsa State Peoples Democratic Party (PPD) governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri, during a recent interactive session with senior journalists in Abuja. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS I am from a humble background in Sampou community in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. I went to primary school in Sampou and Odi before attending Government Secondary School, Odi, where I obtained the West African School Certificate in 1981. I proceeded to the College of Education, Port Harcourt, and got the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) in 1985 before attending the University of Port Harcourt where I obtained a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree in Political Science in 1990. Thereafter, I became a teacher. I taught in rural secondary schools in the old Rivers State before Bayelsa was created. At that time, the issues about state creation and othe...

Posted by tony Okechukwu Workers in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service who took part in the 2017/2018 Promotion Exercise have another cause to celebrate alongside the 32nd State Anniversary as the State Governor, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, has approved the release of their promotions. The Governor's decision was communicated by the Head of Civil Service, Elder Effiong Essien in his office in Uyo. Essien said the Governor has also approved the release of funds for the scheduling of the pre-promotion examination seminar and subsequent conduct of the Administrative and Professional Officers Compulsory Class Examination (APOCE) and other promotion formalities. The Head of Service described the Governor's gesture as another demonstration of his usual sincere concern for his Workers. He acknowledged with appreciation, that in addition to regular payment of salaries and gratuities, the state government is also constructing affordable Houses for Workers at two Housing Estates l...

Posted by Tony Okechukwu The Peoples Democratic Party Youth Network has called on Bayelsans to ignore a wild rumour being peddled by unscrupulous characters about a purported meeting between Governor Dickson and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva. The Secretary General of the PDPYN, Mr. James Oputin, urged Bayelsans to ignore the unfounded rumour which he described as a product of mischief. He said that the politicians behind the rumour were scared of the growing internal cohesion within the PDP ahead of the November 16, 2019 gubernatorial election in the state contrary to their expectations. Oputin also advised the members and supporters of the PDP to ignore the false story designed to malign the leadership of the party in Bayelsa. He said that the surreptitious design to put unnecessary doubts in the minds of well meaning supporters of the party in the state should be resisted. The PDPYN Scribe said that Governor Dickson and the leadersh...

AGIP, an oil company operating in Bayelsa State, has been warned to stop interfering in the forthcoming governorship election in the state. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youths, which gave this warning in Abuja, called on the federal government to caution the oil company. The youths, under the aegis of PDP South South Youth Vanguard, noted that AGIP’s interference in the forthcoming election is capable of causing crisis in the State. The youths, in a statement by its National Chairman, James Efe Akpofure also called on Bayelsa chiefs and stakeholders to warn the oil company to face the business that brought them to Nigeria. Specifically, the youths noted that AGIP is sponsoring a particular candidate in the forthcoming coming election and has already empowered him. The youths further noted that the action of the oil company is capable of destabilizing the state just because of vested interest. The PDP Youth Vanguard said: "Our investigation revealed that AGIP is...

-        Thanks the good people of Akwa Ibom State By Tony Okechukwu Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel has dedicated his victory at the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Uyo to God and the good people Akwa Ibom State. In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Ekerete Udoh, Governor Emmanuel said “Today, the overwhelming victory that the good people of Akwa Ibom State gave me at the March 9, 2019 gubernatorial election was again reaffirmed by the Election Petition Tribunal. Let me use this opportunity to thank our ONLY GOD who saw us through the campaigns, the elections and the victory without any loss of lives. This could only have happened, because we believe in God and His presence and guidance has never departed and will never depart from this State. To you my dear and great Akwa Ibomites, thank you for the love, faith, belief and trust you have shown me, your prayers and hope in my capacity to take this St...

BY Pat PA Okon It is incontrovertible that leadership is the capacity to positively affect the led or institutions. This has been one of the major areas of drawbacks for the leadership of continental organizations like the African Union Commission. This can easily be explained from the prism of lack of attention to the concern for merit and competence in selecting the leadership of various continental organizations in Africa. This fact is hidden in the reality that, you gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. And, this can only happen, if competence, gained through experience and knowledge is prioritized over other considerations in leadership selection or nomination. In terms of robust reservoir of competent human capacity supply, Africa is not lacking behind, most especially, Nigeria, which has been globally acclaimed to be a nation of immense human capacity gain. As the process for who repres...

For some time now, I have kept quiet about this issue and will be seen to be doing my people the greatest disfavour if I don't remove this burden from my conscience by revealing the grand deceit being perpetrated by the leader of the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa, Chief Timipre Sylva, against the good people of our state. As events in the past few weeks have shown, the sudden entrance of Our own Chief David Lyon into the gubernatorial contest and his eventual emergence as the APC governorship candidate has thrown up a number of issues. While many have celebrated his declaration as the candidate of our party in the November 16, 2019 governorship elections, quite a number of party leaders and members are angered by the observed irregularities that greeted the process of his emergence. Aspirants who contested against are known leaders of our great party like Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri and Engr Preye Aganaba and are aggrieved as they hold the view that Chief Timipr...