Edo PDP suspends governorship aspirant for ‘associating’ with Sheriff

The Edo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, a governorship aspirant, for alleged anti-party activity.

The state chapter of the party took this decision at the end of its meeting on Sunday.

It accused Iduoriyekemwen of teaming up with Ali Modu Sheriff, a factional leader of the PDP, to work against the “tenets of the party” after he had lost the governorship primary election in the state.

The party also accused him of working with Adams Oshiomhole, governor of the state and APC member, to destabilise the party.

“You will recall that Edo PDP had its gubernatorial primary on the 20th June 2016 and three aspirants participated. The process which was adjudged free, fair and transparent, was watched live on national television and chaired by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State,” a statement issued by Chris Osa Nehikhare‎, Edo PDP spokesman, read.

“Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was declared winner with 584 votes, while Matthew Iduoriyekemwen scored 91 and Chief Solomon Edebiri 38 votes.

“With the successful completion of the primary, the party immediately activated its post primary conflict resolution mechanism by reaching out to the losers of the election in order to assuage their loss in the democratic contest.

“In as much as we tried, we discovered that one of the aspirants was adamant in working against the tenets of our party. His behaviour and utterances immediately after his loss have become not only embarrassing to the party but also to the vast majority of Edolites who are yearning for a change of government and party in Edo state.

“He has teamed up with the embattled former national chairman of our party and even gone ahead to purchase a kangaroo nomination form for the same governorship slot which he lost just a few days ago. His behaviour is unacceptable, irresponsible and selfish.

“This conduct is not surprising as the state working committee has uncovered his unholy alliance with the Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led government of Edo State to destabilise Edo PDP in their desperate attempt to retain power in the forth coming gubernatorial election.”

The party said that at the state working committee meeting held on Sunday, June 26, 2016, the following revelations were made:

“All members of the party in the state are enjoined to disregard the antics of Alhaji Modu Sheriff and Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwen in their desperate attempt to discredit the outcome of the governorship primary held on 20 June, 2016 at which Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was duly nominated as the candidate of our great party.

“The conduct of Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwen in associating with Alhaji Modu Sheriff with the intention to destabilise the party in the state amounts to anti-party activity. Consequently, Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwen is hereby suspended from the party for one month, pending further disciplinary action in accordance with chapter 10 of the Peoples Democratic Party Constitution of 2012 (as amended). “

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HRH EZE EJIKE WALI AT THE FINALS OF THE NURSS WEEK 2016 FOOTBALL COMPETITION

HRH, Eze Ejike Wali, the Eze Oha Okporo 1 and the Paramount Ruler of Egbuesilaru Community has been described as a friend to the students due to his ceaseless supports towards Education.

The paramount ruler who bagged three international awards recently, yesterday 24^th of June, 2016 attended the final football match between the Ogoni ethnic nationality and Ikwerre ethnic nationality, at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST). 

The Ogoni ethnic nationality defeated Ikwerre ethnic nationality by 1:0 to lift the cup.    

The football match was part of the activities of the ‘NURSS WEEK 2016’ tagged ‘We are treasured when we are one’ in honour of the Royal Highness, Eze Ejike Wali and organized by the National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS).

The football match started on Monday 20th June, 2016 with all the ethnic nationality participating in it, including the non – indigenes. (Ikwerre, Okrika, Etche, Orashi, Ogoni, Abon, Folks and Non – indigenes).

Below are the score lines:

Orashi 1 vs 0 Abon  
Non- Indigene 0 vs 0 Ogoni
Penalty was played and it ended 5:4 in favour of Ogoni.
Ikwerre 0 vs 0 Okrika  On Penalties Ikwerre won 3:0
0 Folks vs Etche 3

Semi finals
Orashi 2 vs  5 Ikwerre
Ogoni 4 vs 2 Etche
Finals
Ogoni 1 vs 0 Ikwerre

The Eze while speaking, congratulated the Vice Chancellor of The Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Professor Blessing C, Didia on his confirmation as the Vice Chancellor of the institution by the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON. Eze also thanked the Dean of students affairs, Dr Zed Obipi who represented the Vice Chancellor and student advisor NURSS, Dr Barrister Osaro for gracing the occasion.

He further advised the students to stay away from social vices such as; hard drugs, cultism and take their studies very serious. 

The cup was officially presented to the to the Ogoni ethnic nationality by Eze Ejike Wali who also promised that the football competition will be a yearly event.

The winner will get Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200, 000) and the runner up, One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100, 000).

Eze was accompanied to the event by some of his associates and one of his sons, Master Brandon Chimaruoke Wali whom he said is in love with soccer.

HRH, Eze Ejike Princewill Wali, is truly the friend of the students.

Newest Rivers Reporters

newestrivers@gmail.com

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National Power Grid Collapses, As 4 States Are Now In Total Darkness

The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHED, has notified electricity consumers in Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom States that the National Power Grid has collapsed.

The Head of Corporate Communications of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, Jonah Iboma revealed that PHED is now receiving zero power from the national grid as a result of the collapse which occurred on Sunday, 19 June.

He said the implication of the collapse of the national grid is that most cities in the four states are now witnessing blackout.

Iboma added that PHED would source for power from other alternative sources to mitigate the impact of the collapse of the National Grid on electricity consumers in Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom States.

He also said PHED would distribute the little power it is able to generate from alternative sources within this period to only customers who are willing to pay.

PHED oversees electricity supply to the four States of Akwa-Ibom, Cross Rivers and Rivers, Bayelsa.

In Rivers State consumers have started experiencing insufficient power supply, especially in areas that power supply was adequate.

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Governor Obiano Swears In Mark Okoye As A Commissioner!

The Youngest Commissioner in Nigeria sworn in Anambra State

Mark Okoye II, flanked by his wife, was moments ago 20th June, 2016 sworn in as the Honourable Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget Development at the Executive Council Chamber of Anambra State.

With this, Mark becomes the youngest commissioner in Nigeria presently.

Mark is one of the numerous youth who make up over 55% of the political appointments made by the Gov. Willie Obiano led Administration.

BRIEF PROFILE: Mark Okoye II holds a B.Sc. Finance from the prestigious George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA and is an alumnus of several executive education courses and programmes, including Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, Euromoney, Dubai, UAE.

The 30-year-old Mark Okoye possesses a unique combination of experience spanning governance, policy formulation, public sector financing, public budget analysis and corporate finance. Prior to his current role, he served in his current capacity for twenty (20) months during the last administration.

Mark also served as a senior member of the investment banking division at Afrinvest (West Africa) Limited where he was instrumental in executing numerous capital raising and financial advisory transactions.

Before becoming a Commissioner, he was appointed the Special Adviser to the Governor on Economic Planning and budget

Key transactions include the restructuring of UBA Plc in line with new Central Bank of Nigeria banking guidelines (2012), US $80mm debt and equity capital raising for Kano Shopping Mall (2012), the first and largest shelf registration in Nigeria, US$2.3bn Lagos State Government bond issuance program (2011).

Hon Mark is one of the numerous hardworking youths appointed by Africa’s Most Youth-friendly leader, Chief Willie Obiano who’s government comprises over 55% of Young People.

Mark is married to Phillipa Okoye.

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Enraged civil servants close down finance ministry over poor welfare

Civil servants at the Federal Ministry of Finance on Monday shut down the headquarters of the ministry in Abuja over what they described as poor welfare since the assumption of office of the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun.


The workers in their hundreds expressed disappointment over the non payment of the entitlements due to them, adding that except their demands are met, they would not stop the protest.

They locked all the entrances to the ministry and prevented vehicles and other visitors from gaining access to the premises.

They alleged that unlike in the past where they were entitled to overtime allowances, training and other welfare packages, such were no longer forthcoming.

One of the protesting workers who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation said,”Things have not been going on well at the ministry, overtime had not been paid to us as well as other entitlements.

“A lot of people in this ministry are not happy because of poor staff welfare condition and that is the reason why we have all come out to protest for the world to know what has been going on in this ministry.”

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Our Love for the Niger Delta - By Soty Ray

Yesterday was father's day & the kind of love I saw on social media really got me thinking.......... really long thoughts.

My contact is majorly people from the Niger Delta Region & if we truly express love the way we do on social media platform then this world will be a better & peaceful place for us all to live in.

This picture should be a concern for us all in this region.

The average yoruba man respects his elders & have genuine love for his people, they protect their own whether related by blood or not.

For the hausas, unity keeps them. An average hausa man will never join to work against his fellow hausa irrespective of party affiliation, religion, background etc.

Here in our region the reverse is the case which is why our area is as can be seen in the picture. It's not marginalisation as some think, it's fully our own making.

If we can love the way we express on father's/mother's days as well show respect like the Yorubas & be united like the hausas then this would change.

It's only in this region that I see people who represent their communities negotiate with oil & other companies not to bother with any community project but can settle them with even if it's 10% or less of what would have been used for developing the community.

It's also only in this region you see youths stop ongoing work for the development of their communities & ask to be settled before commencement of any project. This is why we are so underdeveloped.

While working in the bank, I had the privilege of monitoring some projects in various states.
One of the projects failed in a community in Rivers State because the youths seized all the equipments & asked to be settled (a project that would benefit them & the whole community) so the company packed their remaining tools & left never to return again.
In Akwa Ibom state, a company asked them to get a project worth about N50m for them to carryout as part of their contribution to their host community but the community leader asked the company to settle him with N5m & forget about the project. The company agreed because this leader was ready to work against them if they didn't.
In Oyo state on the other hand, a project was to be executed in a community & the people were so excited, made provision for breakfast daily for the workers & gave them all the assistance they needed till the successful completion of the project.

I remember Dr. Emi Membere during the RIMA programme talked deeply on the negative effects of the youth restiveness on our economy, he mentioned why our port isn't functioning & why the Apapa Wharf is being used & Lagos state is booming. He also said all the major companies have relocated to Lagos & Abuja because of the issues they encounter down here. He said a lot that got me thinking & worried. I just wish our people can listen & desist from all such practices drawing this region backwards.
Until we change our mentality & orientation, we won't come out of this.

Kidnapping, robbery & other vices are worse in this area than in the Western & Northern regions because those people have regards for elders. They come back here & spoil our people against each other.

One of the thieves who robbed us (from Bayelsa, 1 from Ogoni, another from Eleme, one Akwa Ibom & an Ibo boy - all Niger Delta small boys) saw me the other day & was begging for forgiveness that it's the work of the devil & he's from a poor background. Who's from a rich background? I asked him. According to him, an hausa man will bring drugs from the north & give to them, they too will take & start working against their people. He claimed an hausa guy encourage them to steal & bring to him. That same hausa man who is doing this in our state cannot do same in his own state. Our people cannot even try that in their states but we allow them because we don't have regard for our own.

You see a child who doesnt have regard for his/her father or a wife who nags always show much love. If only we can practice some of the good things we see, write or read.

May God help our region. I go with the minister Ibe Kachukwu not to stop any good thing coming to this region as I plead with my people to embrace peace.

We need peace if we want to be developed, we need peace so that the investors will return & employ our people. What our people don't know is that when they burst oil pipeline, our people suffer because those that work as contract staff get sacked as their services will no longer be needed.

I believe in dialogue. I believe in peace. I believe in love. I believe in unity. I believe that someday we will get there. We surely will by God's grace.
So help us God!!! Amen

Soty Ray

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Reduction of N1.04 Trillion MTN Fine – Senate Expresses Dismay

MTN NigeriaThe Senate has summoned the Attorney General, Governor of Central Bank, Minister of Communication and Accountant General of the Federation to come and explain their roles in the slash of MTN fine from N1.04 trillion to N330 billion.

The fine which was imposed by the Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, last October, for failing to meet the deadline fixed by the NCC to disconnect the subscribers not properly registered, the MTN was fined $1,000 per each of its affected 5.2 million subscribers, totaling $5.2 billion approximately N1.03 trillion

Meanwhile the Minister of Communication, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, at the venue of an Achiever’s Award ceremony in honour of Senator Lekan Balogun, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, weekend, said there was need to give foreign investors impetus to continue investing in the country and that the reduction was one of those strategies.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Communications, Senator Gilbert Nnaji, expressed dismay over the settlement agreement of N330 billion reached with MTN, out of a whopping N1.04 trillion.

He said: “As a Committee and representatives of the Nigerian people, we are saddened about this development at a time when the Nigerian economy needs all the available capital infusion to bolster it.

“It is our strong opinion that Nigeria has been shortchanged in this whole process on account of the ridiculous settlement payment plan; coupled with the disparity in the exchange rate regime when the fine was imposed ab initio compared with the current prevailing exchange rate when it was agreed to cut the fine to N330 billion.”

Senator Nnaji lamented very strongly that “NCC could engage in such a negotiation that is tainted with a lot of questionable conclusions without the knowledge of the Committee.

“The committee is worried about this development because it is on record that during our last investigative meeting with all the relevant parties to this matter on Thursday, March 10, 2016, the Committee was informed that the case was still in court and that it was adjourned till March 18.

“The committee was not aware of the outcome of the court case neither was it privy to any active negotiation that led to the fine being reduced to N330 billion.

“It is our concern that Nigeria has been shortchanged in this whole process on account of the ridiculous settlement payment plan; coupled with the fact that parties involved in the negotiation were either oblivious of the exchange rate value of the Naira to the Dollar when the sanction was meted out originally, compared to current exchange rate regime when the value of the Naira is now on the downward slide.”

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PORT-HARCOURT LITTER CONTROL PROGRAM...... - By Ichemati Ezebunwo

PORT-HARCOURT LITTER CONTROL PROGRAM NOW IN ELEKAHIA AND ABA-ROAD AXIS OF PORT-HARCOURT.

The Port-Harcourt Litter Control Program Initiated by The Caretaker Chairman Of Phalga SIR SAM SONI EJEKWU today stormed the Elekahia and Aba-Road Axis of Port-Harcourt.

SIR SAM said that keeping our environment clean is necessary because it guarantees fresh air and that an unclean environment leads to a bad condition of a society, arrival of diseases and many more health risks for humans.

The Phalga Boss stated this during the litter Control exercise in Elekahia. He advised commercial vehicle drivers to always have in their possession waste-bins and to also caution their passengers to drop their dirts in the car rather than throwing it outside the vehicle.

He frowned at the act of some persons throwing huge dirts into drainages instead of bagging their dirts and dropping it at Government designated areas.

"People most of the times throw litter on roads and drainages instead of throwing it in dustbins. This is how slowly the litter accumulates and transforms to huge garbage, if the garbage is not cleaned, it further smells and people are affected by it. If we don't keep our environment clean there would be many consequences or problems which will be faced by the society and everyone that live in that environment " the Mayor Said.

Do not litter your Environment and Always bag your dirts. This Message is from SIR SAM EJEKWU, MAYOR OF PORT HARCOURT.

Ichemati Ezebunwo
SON OF REBISI KINGDOM.

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The Fraud called N-Power

No wonder the Application Site went off just after some hours of commencement of the online Application process.

We were meant to believe that the N-Power Application process is an online process only.

But today, we see people going about with a hardcopy form marked APC at the top right corner for the same N-Power Job Application.

Was the whole thing a scam, or is it that APC members have a quota to bring for the job?

They would have clearly told the people.

Newest Rivers Reporters approached one of the persons we saw with the form, and he said it was their party leadership in their ward that gave it to them; to fill and submit urgently!

Welcome to change abi na Chain!

Make una fear God ooo!

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