GOVERNOR EMMANUEL TO PROVIDE MORE ACCESS ROADS TO IBOM SEAPORT

GOVERNOR EMMANUEL TO PROVIDE MORE ACCESS ROADS TO IBOM SEAPORT

Governor Udom Emmanuel has reiterated his resolve to connect every part of Akwa Ibom State to the proposed Ibom Deep Seaport coastal line area to stimulate economic activities in the Seaport and other industrial projects earmarked for the area.
He has therefore sued for more support from the people of the state to enable the lofty programmes of his administration to materialise, maintaining that every project executed in the state is for the benefit of the citizens.

Governor Emmanuel stated this while exchanging views with the executive members of a foremost youth socio - cultural organisation, Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, who called on him at Government House, Uyo.

Governor Emmanuel explained that the industrialisation programmes of his administration would engage the youths and divert their attention from criminality, restiveness and other anti- social activities and appealed to the organisation not to relent in its duty of checkmating divisiveness and enforcement of decorum in the society.

He explained that the programmes of his administration “are geared towards expanding the economic base of the state to allow for an investment- friendly environment where investors would explore the resources of the state for business growth and sustainability of the state’s economy "
The governor added that he was evolving a sustainable economic foundation that would generate employment, create wealth and enliven business activities in the state.

Earlier, the International President of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, Akparawa Monday Etokakpan, who led other Executive members of the group on the visit, said they were in Government House to interact with the Governor on issues of sustainable developments in the State.
He commended the giant strides of the administration, saying that Governor Udom has executed projects that have impacted meaningfully on the lives of the citizenry.

Akparawa Etukakpan described the Governor as a leader who has been able to successfully apply his professional ingenuity in the management of the state’s resources at this critical time that the country is challenged by economic recession.

These, Etokakpan highlighted to include prompt payment of salaries and other entitlements to workers, embarking on capacity building programmes, and several capital projects currently being executed in various parts of the state.
The Ibibio youth group boss appreciated Governor Emmanuel for his commitment to free, compulsory and qualitative education and most recently his efforts at the commencement of a Command Science Secondary School in the State.
Akparawa Etokakpan however appealed to the Governor to address the problem of high tariff by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company saying the charges has brought untold hardship on the consumers.

It would be recalled that a super highway to connect all the coastal communities from Ibeno, Esit Eket, to Uya Oro has been approved while another dual carriage way from the airport in Okobo to Oron is already under construction by the state government.GOVERNOR EMMANUEL TO PROVIDE MORE ACCESS ROADS TO IBOM SEAPORT

Governor Udom Emmanuel has reiterated his resolve to connect every part of Akwa Ibom State to the proposed Ibom Deep Seaport coastal line area to stimulate economic activities in the Seaport and other industrial projects earmarked for the area.
He has therefore sued for more support from the people of the state to enable the lofty programmes of his administration to materialise, maintaining that every project executed in the state is for the benefit of the citizens.

Governor Emmanuel stated this while exchanging views with the executive members of a foremost youth socio - cultural organisation, Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, who called on him at Government House, Uyo.

Governor Emmanuel explained that the industrialisation programmes of his administration would engage the youths and divert their attention from criminality, restiveness and other anti- social activities and appealed to the organisation not to relent in its duty of checkmating divisiveness and enforcement of decorum in the society.
He explained that the programmes of his administration “are geared towards expanding the economic base of the state to allow for an investment- friendly environment where investors would explore the resources of the state for business growth and sustainability of the state’s economy "

The governor added that he was evolving a sustainable economic foundation that would generate employment, create wealth and enliven business activities in the state.

Earlier, the International President of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, Akparawa Monday Etokakpan, who led other Executive members of the group on the visit, said they were in Government House to interact with the Governor on issues of sustainable developments in the State.
He commended the giant strides of the administration, saying that Governor Udom has executed projects that have impacted meaningfully on the lives of the citizenry.

Akparawa Etukakpan described the Governor as a leader who has been able to successfully apply his professional ingenuity in the management of the state’s resources at this critical time that the country is challenged by economic recession.

These, Etokakpan highlighted to include prompt payment of salaries and other entitlements to workers, embarking on capacity building programmes, and several capital projects currently being executed in various parts of the state.

The Ibibio youth group boss appreciated Governor Emmanuel for his commitment to free, compulsory and qualitative education and most recently his efforts at the commencement of a Command Science Secondary School in the State.
Akparawa Etokakpan however appealed to the Governor to address the problem of high tariff by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company saying the charges has brought untold hardship on the consumers.

It would be recalled that a super highway to connect all the coastal communities from Ibeno, Esit Eket, to Uya Oro has been approved while another dual carriage way from the airport in Okobo to Oron is already under construction by the state government.

Trump Lashes Out At Media

U.S. President, Donald Trump’s spat with the media has continued as he has lashed out at them while defending his record during his first weeks in office.

Mr Trump, who addressed a press conference on Thursday, accused reporters of dishonesty, especially regarding their coverage of his campaign’s alleged contacts with Moscow.

He went on to denounce stories that his campaign was constantly in contact with Russia, describing it as “fake news”.

“I have never seen more dishonest media, frankly than the political media.

“The leaks are real. The leaks are absolutely real. The news is fake because so much of the news is fake,” Trump said.

He added that his policy on travel ban is part of the fulfillment of his campaign promises.

Sheriff Meets Jonathan On PDP Unity

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has met with former President Goodluck Jonathan to seek how to unite the party.

After the meeting held on Monday behind closed doors in Abuja, Dr. Jonathan and Senator Sheriff told reporters that the current leadership crisis in the PDP would soon be settled.

PDP Will Become Stronger

The former president said “the ability of resolving these differences is what makes us human beings and what makes us leaders. I’ve met with sheriff and leaders of the party.

“I’ll meet with others and at the end of the day, PDP will become stronger so that we will be able to do what is expected of us as a political party”.

On his part, Senator Sheriff declared that there is only one party, and that they are working hard in ensuring that the party is united once again.

“There’s only one PDP and there is only one national chairman; so we are putting everything together to make sure the party is united.

“We are not fighting with anybody; it is not time to join issue with people; we need everybody to come back,” said the former Borno State Governor.

It is the second time in one week that leaders of the party are meeting with the former president on how to resolve the leadership crisis in the PDP.

Dr. Jonathan had hosted the leadership and Strategy Review Committee of the PDP at his home in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The visit was to inform the former president of the issues surrounding the party’s leadership and winning elections convincingly under the current leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Dr. Jonathan expressed belief that the loss of power at the centre was only temporary, insisting that the PDP would do better in the next general elections.

President Buhari to Nigerians : President Says He Needs More Time To Rest

The President, Muhammadu Buhari has said that he needs more time to rest before returning back to the country.

By Unyime LEO

This is according to a press statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in an update on  Buhari’s health.

“President Buhari wishes to reassure Nigerians that there is no cause for worry.

“During his normal annual checkup, tests showed he needed a longer period of rest, necessitating that the President stays longer than originally planned.”

“Thanks to millions of Nigerians who have been sending good wishes and praying for his health and well-being in mosques and Churches throughout the country.

“The President is immensely grateful for the prayers, show of love and concern”.

The president left the country in January 2017, on an annual leave and a medical vacation which he wrote to the National Assembly of his intentions to extend.

Its now about 32 days since he left Nigeria.

Akwa Ibom state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel has said PDP will bounce back to power, urging members not to be distracted by the recent Appeal Court ruling that recognised the factional leader of the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the authentic Chairman of the party.

PDP will bounce back to power ---Gov. Emmanuel

Akwa Ibom state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel has said PDP will bounce back to power, urging members not to be distracted by the recent Appeal Court ruling that recognised the factional leader of the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the authentic Chairman of the party.

Emmanuel who said the judgement was a temporary setback noted that it should not dampen the collective will of the people to forge ahead knowing that something good is about to happen in the PDP. According to him “ when something good is about to happen, there must be hurdle that you must overcome. That judgment is only an hurdle but we will overcome it to reach our destination.

Emmanuel who was giving his goodwill message in Abuja during the emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the party led by Ahmed Makarfi assured that once the passion is right, nothing is impossible and overcoming whatever hurdle to recapturing power at the center in 2019 is not an impossibility.
Emmanuel who called on members of the party to remain resolute, United and committed to the party said with all members remaining focused, the party was sure to come back to power in 2019.

Emmanuel who miffed at the ruling of the Appeal Court asked rhetorically “ if you give a judgment to a party, with no senator, no governor, no BoT members, who then did the judgment given to?
Earlier, the Minority Leader of the Party in the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio said the senators have absolute confidence in the Makarfi led National Caretaker Committee. He noted that PDP remains the only veritable political platform that Nigerians were waiting for.

According to him “ let me assure you that we stand on the decision taken at the Port Harcourt convention. The convention committed has not been resolved. Nigerians know that PDP is the only veritable political platform to belong to and even the aggrieved members of the APC are waiting to join us while APC as a party is also waiting for us to take over power in 2019.

It would be recalled that the meeting was hurriedly moved to the residence of the Chairman of PDP Governor’s Forum and governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose following the sealing off of the International Conference Centre, the original venue for the meeting by men of the Nigeria Police Force.

Sheriff faces stiff hurdles as judgment nullifying his election stays

AS stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) meet on Monday, strong indications have emerged in Abuja that its newly reinstated National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu, may yet be hamstrung because of a subsisting court order which nullified the process leading to his emergence as the party boss.

An Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Valentine Ashi, had in June 2016, declared as “null and void” the process that produced the former Borno State governor as the National Chairman of the party.

The judge had faulted the amended PDP Constitution in 2014, which led to the emergence of Sheriff following the resignation of former Bauchi State governor, Adamu Muazu.

The amendment had zoned the office of the national chairman of the party to the North-East, but in his ruling on the matter, Justice Ashi held that the amendment was a violation of the Electoral Act.

He described the actions of the PDP leaders who participated in the amendment of the document as illegal. Sheriff has not appealed the court’s decision since then.

Top party sources told  in Abuja on Sunday that the National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi will make that a focal point in its effort to prove that Sheriff is not eligible to be the National Chairman despite getting a favourable decision from the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt.

According to the sources, the case decided by the Court of Appeal was purely on the legality of the May 21, 2016, national convention of the party and has no bearing on the nullification of Sheriff’s emergence as the national chairman.

Party elders loyal to the National Caretaker Committee were due to meet in Abuja on Sunday night as a prelude to the enlarged stakeholders meeting scheduled for Monday.

It was learnt that before approaching the Supreme Court over the Court of Appeal judgment, they will posit that since Sheriff did not appeal the court decision that voided his election, the judgement stands and so, he cannot claim to the National Chairman of the party.

“This is going to be a focal issue. Before we appeal and there’s a stay, we are going to remind ourselves that the judgement that voided his election still subsists,” our source said.

Noting that the window for appeal of the judgment has already lapsed, the source said Sheriff can however seek for leave to appeal and will get it under fundamental right.

“That will mean going back to the Court of Appeal and it will take months to decide,” the source added.

But Makarfi’s camp is confident that if the Port Harcourt Appeal Court judgment is taken before the Supreme Court, the apex court would do an expedited hearing of the case because it is tied to elections.

“Whether we like it or not, party leadership is tied to elections and there are nationally conducted elections every now and then. Once you approach it with that sound argument, they know that this is not a matter to be allowed to linger because it can cause a denial of representation by the PDP,” the source added.

Meanwhile, some politicians fear that the recent Court of Appeal judgment that nullified the powers of the national convention has grave implications for party supremacy and democracy in Nigeria.

A top PDP source volunteered: “Forget about PDP. Going forward, this is a decision that will be cited. Should political parties agree that their conventions have limitations? What is the power of a political party at its convention? Can an individual unilaterally stop a convention? These are fundamental issues arising from the judgment of this Court of Appeal.

“You must clear them for the sake of democracy; you must answer and clear them. This is beyond Sheriff, it is beyond Makarfi. It has touched on some fundamental political party activism which invariably affects the development of democracy.”

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STUDENTS KILLED IN GHASTLY ROAD ACCIDENT

STUDENTS KILLED IN GHASTLY ROAD ACCIDENT

Seven students have been confirmed dead, while the injured are still receiving treatment

At least  Seven students from the University of Witwatersrand were killed and six others were injured when the minibus taxi they were travelling in collided with a trailer along the N1 south near Mokopane on Sunday night, Limpopo emergency medical services said.

Speaking to newsmen, Spokesperson Kagiso Mootane told reporters the Monday night crash occurred about 20 kilometres from the Nyl Toll Plaza a little after 23:00. She said the students were travelling back to Johannesburg from a Zion Christian Church (ZCC) pilgrimage they had attended in Moletjie, just outside Polokwane in South Africa.

According to News24, a truck had broken down along the highway earlier and part of trailer was still on the road. When the taxi carrying the students approached, the driver, who was allegedly driving at a high speed, did not see the trailer because there were no visible reflective signs warning him.

“He hit the trailer, lost control of the vehicle and then he hit some trees before the minibus caught fire,” Mootane said.

She added that eight people, including the driver, had been confirmed killed while the six injured were taken to nearby hospitals for further treatment. Some of the students were burnt beyond recognition.

The ill fated bus lying on its side after the crash

Wits Vice Chancellor Adam Habib, Dean of Students Pamela Dube as well as members of the Student Representative Council were in the province to assist with the process.