NATIONAL VIBES

The PDP Governors’ Forum under the leadership of Rt. Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto State has debunked as unfounded, the allegation by the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello while featuring in an interview on Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ on Friday night, that about 10 governors under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are set to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). This was contained in press statement dated 27th June, 2020, and signed on behalf of the forum by its Director-General, Hon. C.I.D. Maduabum. Below is the statement in full: PDP GOVERNORS' FORUM DEBUNKS DEFECTION STORY The PDP Governors’ Forum under the leadership of His Excellency, Rt. Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR, hereby debunks as unfounded, the allegation by the Kogi State G overnor, Yahaya Bello while featuring in an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Friday night, that about 10 governors under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are set to join the ruli...

It is no longer news that, as fallout of the November 16, 2019, Gubernatorial Election in Bayelsa State, the Supreme Court, on February 13, 2020, pronounced Senator Douye Diri and Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, as Governor and Deputy Governor, respectively, of Bayelsa State. And on Friday, February 14, 2020, the duo was inaugurated as such. With this, the Bayelsa Central and Bayelsa West Senatorial District, hitherto occupied by Governor Douye Diri and his Deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, were declared vacant. In accordance with extant laws, these vacant positions will be filled anytime soon. As applicable with every electoral season, it is not out of place to see plethora of aspirants expressing their rights by putting themselves forward to occupy electoral positions and canvassing for support, to represent our people at the red Chamber of Nigeria’s National Assembly. Watching and observing from my privileged vantage position as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ijaw N...

The PDP Governors Forum has congratulated its newest member, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State over Thursday's victory at the party primary held in Benin City ahead of the September 2020 Gubernatorial Elections. A statement dated June 26, 2020, and signed by Hon. C.I.D. Maduabum, the Director-General of the Forum, described his victory in the primaries as an affirmation of the confidence the people of Edo State has in his ability to steer the ship of Edo State positively for another four years and on the record of his sterling performance in office in his current term. Below is the statement: 1. The PDP Governors' Forum under the leadership of His Excellency, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR, congratulates His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki on his emergence as the flag bearer of the PDP in the Edo State governorship election, scheduled for September 2020. 2. His victory in the primaries is an affirmation of the confidence the people of Edo State has in his abili...

Late yesterday, June 25, 2020, my brother and colleague, Governor Godwin Obaseki, was declared winner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in Edo State. This followed his affirmation by the delegates as the consensus candidate in the primary election.  Governor Obaseki's victory is heartwarming. I therefore congratulate him for the opportunity of becoming our great party's standard bearer in the September governorship election just as I congratulate his deputy, Philip Shaibu, for being a dependable supporter of his principal. Clearly, Governor Obaseki's emergence as the PDP candidate is the culmination of doggedness, unyielding determination, political sagacity and the will of God.  Even as I am optimistic of the bigger victory ahead, I implore our party at the national level and in Edo State in particular to continue to work hand in gloves in order to deliver on Governor Obaseki's solid mandate. This is the time to close ranks and b...

The PDP Governors Forum has welcomed the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who within the week dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC), and today formally perfected his membership of the Peoples Democratic Congress (PDP).   In a press statement dated June 19, 2020 and signed by the Director-General of the Forum,  Hon. C.I.D. Maduabum, LL.M, the members under the leadership of Sokoto Governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR welcomed Gov. Obaseki into the Forum.   Below is the statement:   June 19, 2020 His Excellency, Mr Godwin Obaseki Governor, Edo State of Nigeria  Benin City.   PDP GOVERNORS' FORUM WELCOMES GOVERNOR GODWIN OBASEKI   We welcome you to the PDP Governors' Forum under the leadership of His Excellency,  Rt. Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR and all other PDP Governors in the Forum.   2. Your entry into the PDP famil...

Governor Godwin Obaseki on Friday afternoon, June 19, 2020, finally made his long-awaited defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He registered as a member of the party at the PDP Secretariat in Benin City, the state capital, obtaining his membership card to complete the process.‎ Addressing ecstatic party leaders and supporters after completing registration formalities, Obaseki promised to provide effective leadership for Edo State PDP and to lead it to victory during the forthcoming governorship election in the state. Displaying his membership card, he said: “I automatically become the leader of this party. I want to assure all of you (that) I am prepared to provide leadership. “I am prepared to provide leadership that will lead this party to victory. I am prepared to provide leadership that will not only put PDP into office in Edo State but as a ruling party in Edo State, we will make sure that the level of progress, growth and participation in the political sy...

Taraba Governor, Darius Ishaku on Friday assured the people of the state that he will achieve peace in Taraba State at all cost.     Ishaku gave the assurance when the eight man Tiv committee on internally displaced persons (IDPs) paid him a thank you visit in his office in Jalingo.     Ishaku told the delegation that his administration was doing everything possible to ensure that permanent peace is restored in the state and called on the people of the state to cooperate with him to bring permanent peace in the state.     “I am glad you have come to thank me. The act of appreciation is Biblical and it’s good to commend leaders when they do good.     “I will keep telling people to give me peace and I will give them development because without peace, there can never any development.     “I have done a lot and I have plans for the state, but that can only happen when there is peace. Without peace, all the aw...

-Issues Fresh Guidelines For Worship Centres Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has asked the state taskforce on COVID-19 to unseal worship centres that run foul of measures imposed by the state government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the state. He, however, urged the violators to retrace their steps as his administration derived no pleasure in shutting down churches. Governor Diri gave the directive at an enlarged meeting with religious leaders in the state.  At the meeting held at the Executive Chambers in Government House, Yenagoa, Senator Diri charged the religious leaders to partner actively and spiritually with his administration to avert a rise of the pandemic through conscious awareness on the threat of the virus to their congregation. His Acting Chief Press Secretary,  Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as having expressed concern over the daily update from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (...

-  Says; “It’s An Irony That Someone Without Certificate Disqualified Obaseki” Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike has taken a swipe at the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, saying that he had no certificate but disqualified the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki from seeking second term under the party’s platform over his certificate. Wike took to his Twitter Handle @GovWike to point out that it was an irony that Obaseki was disqualified by someone who do not have a certificate. The governor had hosted Obaseki in Port Harcourt yesterday. “Obaseki was disqualified by someone who doesn’t have a certificate, what an irony!”, Wike tweeted. Recall that Professor Jonathan Ayuba led APC screening committee had screened out Obaseki from the June 22 governorship primary of the party over inconsistencies on his certificate from the Institute of Continuous Education and wrongful spelling of his name on his NYSC certificate. The...

- SPDC Donates Medical Equipment To Bayelsa Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has pledged his administration's resolve to cement existing cordial relationship with well-meaning corporate organisations to foster peace, stability and sustainable development.   Senator Diri made the pledge on Monday during the courtesy visit of the Managing Director of Shell Petroleum  Development Company and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor represented by the External Relations Manager, Shell Nigeria, Mr. Igo Weli, to Government House,  Yenagoa.  His acting Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as having expressed gratitude to Shell for sustaining the long-standing relationship with the state that has blossomed over the years.   Senator Diri, who described SPDC and its joint venture partners as strategic partners in the development and progress of the Niger Delta states, stressed the need to continually nurt...

The Governor of Bayelsa Senator Douye Diri has said that his administration support transcended clans, communities, kingdoms and faiths. Diri who spoke during the June 12, 2020 Democracy Day said that he identified many similarities in his emergence as Governor of Bayelsa State and the June 12 saga. “I recall with deep sorrow, the blood of Martyrs of Nembe, innocent lives brutally terminated during the November 16 campaigns by anti-democratic forces – they will forever be recognised as our own heroes of democracy, Diri said. Excerpt is the full text of the Democracy Day Message by Senator Douye Diri, Governor of Bayelsa State Dear Bayelsan and friends, on this Democracy Day, 12th of June, 2020, I am proud and humbled to send you this message on a day set aside to commemorate the restoration of democracy in Nigeria and acknowledge the sacrifices of our many pro-democracy heroes. On this day, 27 years ago, a projected 14 million Nigerians – ignored tribe, religion, c...

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has called for elimination of the factors that led to annulment of the June 12, 1993 election if Nigeria must be taken seriously among nations practising democracy. He said the celebration of June 12 would remain a ruse or mere jamboree if the issues that led to it were not addressed. Senator Diri made the call at a Special Thanksgiving Service commemorating June 12 at the King of Glory Chapel, Government House in Yenagoa. Represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the governor said almost 27 years after the rape on a smooth democratic process, the country was still wallowing in injustice, abuse of human rights, election thuggery, nepotism and total disregard to the rule of law. The governor was quoted by his Acting Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, as saying that the historic day of June 12 is yet to translate into good governance and unity of the country. To this end, Senator Diri re-emphasised his ad...

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has called for joint action among governors of the Niger Delta states in the region's struggle for a cleaner environment. Senator Diri also called on the people not to contribute to environmental genocide in their localities but to shun illegal refining of crude and embrace intellectual approach in the agitation for the clean-up of the region. Governor Diri made the call at the weekend during an online global conference on “The Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on the Aquatic Flora and Fauna of the Niger Delta” to mark this year’s World Environment Day. The Bayelsa helmsman, who was represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, expressed displeasure over the decades-long environmental injustice in the region, said the situation was worsened by the unfair derivation sharing formula of the federal government to the oil producing states. The governor was quoted by his Acting Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, ...

- Stakeholders Declare Bayelsa Most Polluted State Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has lamented what he described as the deliberate despoliation of the Niger Delta environment by oil companies operating in the region. Governor Diri, who expressed displeasure over the decade-long environmental injustice in the region, said the situation was worsened by the unfair derivation sharing formula of the federal government to the oil producing states, which he said does not reflect the sufferings of the people and the damage to the region's environment. The governor stated this on Friday during an online global conference on “The Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on the Flora and Fauna of the Niger Delta” to mark this year’s World Environment Day The conference hosted by the Bayelsa State Ministry of the Environment had discussants simultaneously in Yenagoa, Benin and Abuja. His Acting Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor, who was repres...