NATIONAL VIBES

By Ibrahim Lawal Esq, The Oyo State High Court of Justice, Ring Road, Ibadan, is the seat of the judiciary, the third arm of government. Apart from the fact that it hosts more than fifteen Court Rooms, the office of the Chief Judge of the State is there. The Judicial Service Commission, a body saddled with the responsibility of taking care of the appointment and welfare of judicial officers, has its office within the premises. It also houses the Probate Registry as well as the Court Registry. This complex, arising from its centrality to the filing of judicial processes and the nature of the services it renders to the members of the public, attracts a constant stream of vehicular and human traffic. It is patently unjust for the Government to leave the whole complex in its present squalid circumstances. It has become urgent for the managers of administrative affairs in the State to address this deplorable situation. A new visitor to the Court premises may be compelled to believe that all...

……NAJUC Blamed, For Not Gaining Access  A Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed Nov. 10 for hearing the application of leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, challenging the competency of the charge preferred against him by the Federal Government. Justice Binta Nyako, on Thursday, fixed the date after counsel to the IPOB leader, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, informed that he had a notice of preliminary objection challenging the fresh seven-count charge filed against his client. Earlier, counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Abubakar, told the court that an amended seven counts had already been filed and he prayed the court for the charges to be read to Kanu to take his plea. Kanu is being charged for offences he was alleged to have committed between 2014 and 2021. Part of the  counts read: “That you, Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu lbeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, being the leader of the IIPOB on d...

 ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, SENATOR DOUYE DIRI, GOVERNOR OF BAYELSA STATE, AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET OF SUSTAINABLE GROWTH 2022 TO THE STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ON WEDNESDAY, 20TH OCTOBER, 2021 PROTOCOL… It is my honour and pleasure to bring before this august House the Bayelsa State Appropriation Bill for the year 2022. Let me preface my presentation by acknowledging with profound gratitude the Most High God for His loving-kindness and tender mercies, which has continued to preserve us. Mr. Speaker, as you recall, the 1st of October this year marked the 25th anniversary of the creation of Bayelsa State. I take this moment to again salute the courage of our founding fathers and to without, equivocation, reiterate that their vision for a prosperous Ijaw nation, that will be the Glory of All Lands, is on course under my stewardship. For this reason, a well-thought-out financial plan, which captures those aspirations, is of utmost importance to this Government of Prosperity. We ...

   ...Infrastructure, Health, Education Top Allocation  Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, on Wednesday, presented a 2022 Appropriation Bill of N310.7 billion to the state House Assembly. It is tagged: "Budget of Sustainable Growth" with the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure having the highest allocation of N51 billion to drive the critical infrastructure programme of his administration.  The Ministry of Agriculture was allotted N12 billion followed by education and health sectors, which got N4 billion each while the Ministry of Finance was allotted N3 billion. A press release issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as stating that the Ministries of Power, Transport and Information, Strategy and Orientation got N1.5 billion each while that of Housing and Rural Development, Special Projects and Ijaw National  Affairs were allotted N1 billion each. The Ministry of Water Resources received N600 million while ministri...

  As part of measures to curtail sea piracy, kidnapping and other criminal activities, Bayelsa State government has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on its waterways. The curfew on water transportation, which takes immediate effect, is between 7pm and 6am. The state government also imposed a ban on the use of 200- horsepower speed boats. These measures were announced on Monday evening at the end of the 12th state security council meeting presided over by Governor Douye Diri in Government House, Yenagoa.  Briefing newsmen on the outcome of the meeting, the Special Adviser on Security Matters 1, Mr. Akpoebi Agberebi, said henceforth no permit would be granted for use of 200-horsepower engines, warning that violators would face the full weight of the law.  He however said there would be concession for emergency movement during the curfew hours while calling on Bayelsans to feel free to report perpetrators to the state security outfit, Operation Doo-Akpo, on its dedicated phone ...

  ……Gov Diri Tasks Agency On Exploring Nigeria’s Space Potential The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NNRA) is to site its South-South zonal headquarters in Bayelsa State. The NNRA Director General, Dr. Yau Idris, disclosed this on Monday during a courtesy visit to Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, in Government House, Yenagoa. Dr Idris, who was accompanied by members of the Bayelsa State House of Representatives Caucus, noted that the agency is a regulatory body in charge of issues relating to radiation. According to him, the NNRA, an agency under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, has 80 per cent of its activities related to oil and gas. The agency is also responsible for regulating radiation activities in the health, mining, agriculture and manufacturing sectors among others. Dr Idris stated that the increase in the agency’s activities agency and the need to expand informed the decision to approach the Minister of State Petroleum, who approved the siting of the of...

  ...Says Party Will Take Over In 2023 Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has described his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) colleagues in the North and South as the best in terms of performance in Nigeria. Governor Diri, who spoke in Adamawa on Saturday as chairman of the PDP National Electoral Committee for the conduct of the state congress of the party, also said the opposition party was poised to take over power at the centre in 2023. The congress, which produced Tahir Shehu, a legal practitioner, with 2422 votes, was held at the Mahmud Ribadu Square in Jimeta, Yola North Local Government Area of the state. Governor Adamu Fintiri and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, were among the delegates that voted at the congress. A statement by Governor Diri's Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted him as urging his party members to remain steadfast and united to ensure PDP returns to power in the next general election. His words: "Nigerians are tired of the AP...

 ....With Beautiful Encomium, Renews Marriage Vows It was a night of celebration at the popular COCKEREL Restaurant located at Treasure island, Abuja Zoological park, area 1 Garki, Abuja as family, friends and business associates joined the CEO of Abuja premier event management company “ Red Sapphire “ and former Media aide to Bayelsa State Governor, Mr Ono Akpe as he celebrated the 50th birthday of his lovely wife “ Mrs. Grace Onome Akpe and the renewal of their 21years marital vows. Mr Akpe described his wife as a caring and God fearing woman and mother who has demonstrated undiluted love, and  tolerance towards him, saying that he feels blessed, happy and joyous to have her as wife. The Abuja based event manager, appreciated God Almighty for sparing the life of his wife who went through a medical procedure this year..He also expressed thanks to God for being alive to celebrate his jewel as she attains the milestone age of fifty years, saying many people could not live to se...

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry Banigo says survivors of sexual abuse must speak up for the perpetrators of the heinous crime to be punished. Dr. Banigo, reiterated this during a sensitization campaign on the theme “Dealing with Mental Health and Sexual Abuse in Unity Schools” organized by the support the Girl Child Initiative Programme of her Office at the Federal Government College in Port Harcourt. Represented by her Senior Special Assistant, Barr. Inegogo Fubara, the Dr. Banigo said the programme was put together because of the importance she attaches to the   mental and psychological health of the young people, adding that it was part of the commemoration of the World Mental Health Day and the International Day of the Girl Child. The Deputy Governor, who urged the students to take this program seriously, said they should see the guidance counsellor of the school whenever they are depressed for proper counselling, stressing that they must speak out wh...

 Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has  welcomed scores of defectors from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.  The returnees to the party are from constituency one to four in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. Speaking in Government House, Yenagoa, while receiving them, Governor Diri appreciated the PDP leadership in Southern Ijaw, who he said has keyed into the ideals of his administration. A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted him as stressing the need for people of the state to shun divisive politics.   Governor Diri stated that Bayelsa was created for it to be developed but regretted that the pull- him-down syndrome crept in shortly after creation to defeat the ideals of the founding fathers of the state.  He assured the returnees that the PDP was a truly democratic party where their views and rights would be respected. The governor expressed opti...

 Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has stressed the need for the South South region to shun politics of violence.   Speaking during a one-day zonal prayer summit organised by the South South zone of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at Saint Patrick Catholic Church, Ovom, Yenagoa, Governor Diri remarked that politics should be seen as a means to develop people and not to kill and disunite them. A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as saying that Christians should not avoid politics as even Jesus Christ was concerned about the welfare of the people, which politics is all about.  He noted that democracy does not require the use of arms but the building of consensus for development and urged people of the region to embrace politics of development.  The Bayelsa helmsman said the South South is blessed with a lot of potential to be great but that greatness can only be achieved if the people were united....

   Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said his administration is committed to connecting Oporoma, headquarters of riverine Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, to the state capital by road before he leaves office. Governor Diri, who spoke during a routine inspection of the 24-kilometre road project at Aguobiri, said the first phase to terminate at Angiama would be completed before the end of his first tenure. The Yenagoa-Oporoma road, which was originally a Federal Government project, was taken over by the state government and inherited from the immediate past administration of Senator Seriake Dickson, had been on the drawing board for about 60 years. The governor, who was conducted round the project by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Moses Teibowei, said he was satisfied with the progress recorded by the contractor and expressed the hope that it would be delivered as scheduled. His words: “In this our first term, we are very sure that Southern ...

 Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said the late Chief Diepriye Alamieyeseigha's name continues to positively resonate six years after his demise due to the developmental projects he embarked on as governor of the state.  Governor Diri stated this on Sunday at the 6th memorial anniversary of the late politician at Amassoma in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state. He said as a visionary leader, one of the legacies of the late governor was the establishment of the Niger Delta University (NDU), which has helped to bridge the manpower deficit in the state. He also stated that another major contribution of  the late Governor General of the Ijaw nation was his advocacy for resource control by oil producing states. While calling on Bayelsans to celebrate their leaders, the governor urged all to work together for the development of the state, adding that the politics of bitterness and division would only pull the state backward. His words: "We came again...