23052018 - PRESIDENTIAL WAR: Buhari to Obasanjo: After $16bn, where's power?

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2018—13
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Why I threatened to quit PANDEF, by Ikponmwen
By Simon Ebegbulem
BENIN—EDO State
Chairman of Pan
Niger Delta Forum,
PANDEF, Brig-Gen.
Idada Ikponmwen (retd),
yesterday, explained
why he threatened to
quit PANDEF last year,
saying it was as a result
of what he described as
the “Annoying and
unacceptable” posture of
Col. Paul Ogbebor (retd)
Gelegele Seaport: Ijaw gives Edo 21-day
ultimatum to execute demands
By Emma Amaize
WARRI—IJAWS of
Edo State
Emancipation Movement,
IESEM, yesterday, gave
Edo State Government a
21-day ultimatum to
implement six peace
conditions on the Gelegele
(Gelegele-Gbene) Seaport
project or both the
government and its
Chinese partners, China
Habour Engineering
Company, CHEC, will be
treated as raiders of
Ijawland.
The group, in a statement
by its coordinator and
spokesman, Joel
Keniwenimowei and David
Ebipamojo, warned that
“Failure to do so (meet the
conditions), we, the owners
of the land shall have no
option than to treat the
presence of Edo State
Government and its
Chinese Partners, China
Habour Engineering
Company, CHEC, as
enemy invaders in our
land.
“Edo State Government
should provide a letter of
intent with regard to
Gelegele-Gbene Seaport
project; produce and make
available,
an
Environmental Impact
in the affairs of the
forum in the state and
not because of the leader
of the forum, Chief
Edwin Clark.
Ikponmwen, who
vowed to pursue the
objectives of PANDEF
which, according to him,
will not only bring
development and unity
to the people of the
Niger Delta but Edo
State in particular, said
Assessment, EIA, report if
any to the Agadagba of
Olodiama Kingdom and
the Gelegele community.
“Produce and make
available
the
Memorandum of
Understanding, MoU,
entered into by the
government of Edo State
and CHEC to the Olodiama
Kingdom, otherwise the
composition and
recommendation work of
the Gelegele (Gelegele-
Gbene) Seaport Committee
will not be recognised by
us.
“Accord the Gelegele
community and Olodiama
Kingdom, all the rights,
Crude oil spillage wreaks havoc in Delta
communities
By Onozure Dania
A
devastating oil
spillage has
occurred on the 24 inches
Trans Ramos crude oil
pipeline owned by Shell
Petroleum Development
Company, SPDC, affecting
over 50 communities under
Odimodi Federated
Communities in Burutu
Local Government Area of
Delta State.
Following distress calls,
the member representing
Burutu federal constituency
that Chief Clark had led
the forum with all
honesty
and
doggedness since its
inception.
Speaking to Vanguard
in an interview,
Ikponmwen said:
“Sometime last year, I
made a comment about
PANDEF where I angrily
said that some persons
were not comfortable
with me and I even
privileges, benefits and
royalties accruable from the
project operations as
owners of the land; and the
Edo State Government
should immediately shelve
their plan to change the
name of Gelegele Seaport
to Benin River Seaport.
“This plan is borne out of
evil and we shall resist it
with our God- given rights
and by all means necessary.
Gelegele is in Olodiama
Kingdom (Ijawland); the
naming of the port should
reflect land ownership and
recognise the rights of the
indigenous communities.
The public should take note
that Governor Godwin
threatened to quit the
forum. But I want to
explain that I was
reacting to the
provocative and
unacceptable conduct of
somebody who was
arrogating to himself the
leadership of Edo State
PANDEF at a time when
the structure was still
being worked out by the
Central Working
Committee."
VISIT: Immediate past governor of Edo State and aspirant for the National Chairmanship of the
APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole (2nd left), Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki (2nd right) and other
members of the APC Caucus of the Senate, during Oshiomhole's visit to the Senate, yesterday.
in the House of
Representatives, Julius
Pondi, the member
representing Burutu 1
Constituency in Delta State
House of Assembly, Daniel
Yingi and the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP,
Chairman, Delta South
senatorial district, Prince
Emman Amgbaduba,
among others, visited the
community for an on the
spot assessment of the
situation.
Pondi and Yingi who
sympathised with the
Obaseki of Edo State will
be held responsible in this
matter if there is any
breakdown of law and
order.”
IESEM told the governor:
“His Excellency, your secret
visits and those of China
Habour Engineering
Company officials to
Gelegele community on
May 5 and 19, respectively
without a courtesy call on
the Pere (king) in council,
Pere Godwin Ogunoyibo,
the Agadagba of Olodiama
Kingdom is a sacrilege
against the revered Ijaw
traditional institution and a
demonstration of raw power
that tramples on the rights
of the indigenous people
and communities."
communities affected by the
spillage, expressed
concern that Shell had not
shown any commitment to
the plight of the people
since the spillage occurred.
They said though Shell
had put measures in place
to contain the spread and
to recover crude oil from the
damaged pipeline, the
spillage had polluted the
entire area, destroying
aquatic life which has
made fishing which is the
major occupation of the
people impossible.
FG owes us N140bn on road
projects —A-Ibom govt
By Harris-Okon
Emmanuel
UYO—AKWA Ibom
State Government
has insisted that the
Federal Government owes
the state N140 billion, which
it expended on the
construction and
rehabilitation of federal
roads in the state in the last
three years.
It lamented that the
continued delay by the
Federal Government to
refund the money was
hampering the execution of
more road projects in the
state.
State Commissioner for
Works, Mr. Ephraim
Inyang-Eyen, added that
Governor Udom
E m m a n u e l ’ s
administration was
currently handling 44 major
road projects across the
state despite the huge
amount owed by the
Federal Government,
2019: Urhobo nation urged to
support Okowa’s 2nd term bid
By Festus Ahon
A SABA—SPEAKER
of Delta State House
of Assembly, Chief Sheriff
Oborevwori, has charged
the Urhobo nation to
support the second term
aspiration of Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa.
Speaking when leaders of
Urhobo Progress Union,
UPU, paid him a courtesy
visit in his Osubi country
home, Oborevwori said
Governor Okowa meant
well for the state, adding
that the governor was
developing all parts of the
state.
Urging the Urhobo to
support Delta North
senatorial district to
explaining that the non-refund
of the money had
slowed down the pace of
work and number of roads
that would have been done
across the state.
He said: “The
achievements recorded by
the administration in roads
infrastructure and other key
areas is due to Governor
Emmanuel’s transparency
and prudent management
of the lean resources
accruing to the state.
“We are currently
constructing 44 roads in
Akwa Ibom. If the Federal
Government had refunded
even a kobo to us, we would
have done 80. The Federal
Government is owing us in
the region of N140billion.
And from genuine
approvals and verified
positions, they came to the
conclusion that in the first
tranche, they will give us
N70 billion as the first
payment."
complete its eight years
term in the person of
Okowa, he said: “We the
Urhobo need to be united
in our support for Okowa’s
second term bid.”
While thanking the UPU
leadership for the visit, he
appealed to the youths to
remain peaceful and law
abiding.
Speaking earlier,
President-General of UPU,
Olorogun Moses Taiga
commended the Speaker
for the empowerment of his
constituents.
Taiga who spoke through
his Secretary, Mr Ese Gam,
said “The UPU started even
before we were born. We are
prepared to carry on with
the UPU flag.”
2019: Ex-militant leader assures
Buhari of N’Delta votes
A BUJA—EX-
MILITANT leader,
‘General’ Emma Sinaman,
yesterday, said he has
plans to ensure that
President Muhammadu
Buhari gets massive votes
in 2019 from the Niger
Delta region because of
what he was doing in the
region.
Sinaman said: “As the
2019 presidential election
draws closer and with a lot
of politicking going on, I
want to assure President
Buhari that he should not
be troubled because his
achievements are visible in
the country, particularly in
the Niger Delta region.
“I shall lead other exmilitants
under my
leadership in the onerous
task I have assigned to
myself without fear of
intimidation from any
person or group.
“Our people are very
happy with the historic
take-off of the long-awaited
Maritime University. We are
living witnesses of reforms
in the amnesty programme
and appointment of
Professor Charles Dokubo
as Special Adviser to the
President on Niger Delta/
Coordinator of the
Presidential Amnesty
Programme.”
The ex-militant leader,
however, appealed to the
President to complete the
East-West Road for his
name to be written in gold.