01062019 - APC lawmakers move against party

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16—SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 1, 2019 SECOND TERM: What Okowa must do urgently in Delta – Mudiada-Odje By Festus Ahon TWO prominent Deltans, Dr Akpo Mudiaga-Odje and Chief Sunny Onuesoke, have said the state made giant strides in the last 20 years of democracy but a lot still needed to be done to improve on the fortunes of the people of the state. Dr Akpo Mudiaga-Odje, a human rights activist and legal practitioner, said: “Delta State needs unity. We need to change our primordial aspirations along ethnic lines and harness the diversity of potentials given to us by God. “Delta has 75 percent of oil and gas onshore and 25 percent offshore. These natural endowments need to be explored with circumspect and quintessence. So, we as Deltans need to change our fixated mindset towards one another and be our brother’s keeper for us to properly develop.” On his part, Chief Sunny Onuesoke said: “So far so good. Delta State has made giant strides in 20 years of democratic experience beginning from 1999 when democracy returned to Nigeria. Although, it is not yet Eldorado one can attest to the fact that 20 years after, we are not where we used to be. We have taken a leap 20 times from where we were when democracy returned. “Our democratic experience has been a story of progress to progress, starting from the tenure of Chief Jame Onanefe Ibori, 1999- 2017, Delta State has witnessed what can only By Emmanuel Unah CALABAR- Professor Ben Ayade, governor of Cross River State is an enigma. He is a man of many feathers: a politician, academic, businessman and an environmentalist. He holds a Ph.D and also LLB in Law. His name did not ring a bell in Cross River State politics until 2007 when from the blues he took a shot at the Senate post for the Northern Senatorial district of the state. He pulled so much stunt in the build up to the primaries for that contest which prompted then Governor, Mr Donald Duke to intervene and save Senator Greg Ngaji, be described as developmental revolution in all spheres of life, specifically in education and infrastructural development. Governor Ibori through his development master plan brought about total transformation of the three senatorial district across the state. “The endearing legacies of the Odidigboigbo of Africa, in transforming the social, political and economic landscape of Delta state is second to none among his peers as governors in the period 1999 – 2007, with giant strides in education, infrastructure and human empowerment which traversed the length and breadth of Delta State. “Building on the success story of the Ibori administration, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan consolidated the developmental strides of his predecessor through his threepoint agenda of peace and security, human capital development and infrastructural development, which became the policy thrust of his government. “Government is a continuum; hence what we are seeing today in terms of developmental strides since the return of democracy is continuity in government policies which is a hallmark of democratic practice. Governor Ifeanyi Okowa haven taken over the mantle of leadership has gone beyond the status quo in the overall social economic growth of the state through the strategic implementation of his SMART AGENDA, prosperity for all Deltans mantra. “The Okowa government has seen huge investment in human capital development, infrastructural development and education. Through the STEP and YAGEP initiatives, the Delta State government has created over 20,000 jobs for young men and women through the wealth creation office. With over 350 roads constructed and other infrastructural development taking place simultaneously, Deltans are indeed grateful for the return of democracy, for it has never been this good for the state before these past 20 years of democratic sojourn. What must be change “The drivers of the biggest economy in the world is the private sector and I think this is where we are lacking as a state. The level of private sector collaboration in our state is virtually at the point of zero if not negative. The failure of the private sector to key into government policies and effort is a major reason why we are still at where we are today. “Reaching our full potential as a state requires the collaborative participation of both the private and public sectors in major government policies. To tackle the youth employment challenges, governments have put in place a range of different interventions such as STEP and YAGEP and yet not fully reaping the fruit it was intended to produce due to lack of private sector collaboration. “But at this level, we have not been able to fully engage the private sector to key into or fully embrace these intervention, hence the minimal result we are getting from these CROSS RIVER: Will Ayade sustain momentum? occupant of that post at the time from being displaced. From then he became a force to be reckoned with in the state particularly in Obudu, his local government of origin where he was able hoist office holders like council chairmen, councilors and other political office holders When in 2011 he threw his hat into the ring to contest for the senate slot, it was an easy ride and he won landslide. During his four years in the Senate he attracted quite a number of projects to the state including personal projects like award of scholarships, rehabilitation of roads, building of palaces for the kings in his district and empowerment of youths. These alongside with the numerous bills he presented on the floor of the Senate made him the obvious choice for the state number one position in 2015 as Senator Liyel Imoke was rounding off his tenure. These sterling qualities may have prompted Imoke to overreach other political associates and aides who jostled for the post and made him his successor judging from the opinion of the people and supported him to become governor in 2015 On assumption of office he initiated projects OSUN: The three-horse race for the speakership By Gbenga Olarinoye The issue of who becomes the next speaker of Osun State House of Assembly is now in the front burner in the state and is generating debate among members of the public and the All Progressives Congress, APC, that has the majority in the coming assembly. The speakership position will likely go to one of the three members that are returning to the assembly. Only Olatunji Babatunde ‘Lekan(Ife North constituency), Timothy Owoeye (Ilesha East constituency) and Babatunde Festus Komolafe (Atakunmosa East/West constituency) are returning out of the 23 APC members. The Peoples Democratic Party, has three memebrs. From all indications, it is, however, very clear that Ife/Ijesa which is in Osun East Senatorial district will produce the next speaker because the incumbent governor is from Osun Central and his vice hails from the West. The battle for the position is mainly between Owoeye and Olatunji. Delta state is second to none among his peers as governors in the period 1999 – 2007, with giant strides in education, infrastructure and human empowerment The APC, being the party with the majority, has a fourth timer who is the most senior and a second timer who some people believe is competent to lead the assembly. However, Owoeye, who is the present leader of the House, is likely to emerge considering the seniority and interest of the former governor, Rauf Aregbesola, who also hails from Ilesa, the constituency Owoeye represents. Owoeye is retuning for the fourth term in the next dispensation and this has been the reason some people say that he is qualified to occupy the seat being the most senior legislator. But some political gladiators have kicked against the agitation that seniority should be considered for a position that is likely to have a profound effect on the success of the governor. Those agitating for Olatunji believe that he is vibrant and talented. Former governor Aregbesola still has grip of the party in the state and it would be too early for Governor Gboyega Oyetola to start having issues with him. However, a social political group “Ife which he called “Signature Projects” meant to fast track the development of the state. These projects include 250 kilometre Superhighway, Bakassi Deep Sea Port, Rice City, Cocoa Processing Factory Garment Factory and many others for which he has visited countries like Sweden, Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom, China, India and United States seek for investors and has in the process signed Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with companies and individuals to raise the needed investment and leverage to actualize. The construction of 250 kilometre super highway linking the new sea port at Bakassi in the southern part of the state to the northern part of the state has since started haven overcome initial obstacles from the Federal Ministry of Environment which insisted on Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, report before it is started. The Garment Factory has since been completed and is currently employing about one thousand women, particularly widows completed while the Rice Mill, Cocoa Processing factory, Calachica, are soon to be commissioned. The area the governor has won the loudest Advancement Agenda” warned the leadership of APC in the state to resist the pressure to further alienate Ife Federal Constituency in the distribution of political offices. The group, in a statement by its convener, David Awotipe, made specific request for the post of Speaker of the House of Assembly to be given to Ife Federal Constituency to douse the rising discontent in the ranks of the ruling party in Ife Federal Constituency. The statement read: “It is of concern to us in Ife Federal Constituency that some people would still be clamouring for the post of Speaker of the next House of Assembly, even when that position seems the last available that should ordinarily be given to a strategic political enclave like Ife Federal Constituency. “In the last general elections, Ife federal Constituency out of respect for APC rotation policy, did not field candidate for Ife/Ijesa •Owoeye interventions. We need a more vibrant, well developed and purposed driven private sector in Delta state to further cement and consolidate government effort in bringing about the 100 percent transformation of Delta Sate, in order to be in comparison with other states in the federation like Lagos, for example. “There is need for a conventional and potentially viable source of revenue for the state government, which will be far from oil. The state is currently benefiting from the 13% oil derivation proceed and hence should show serious effort towards state economy diversification, this can only happen when there is cohesive synergy between the government and the private sector. “Government must begin to approach and engage the private sector with more commitment while the private sector must begin to embrace government policies as a tool for transforming the state. Only when this is done can we say we are indeed getting closer in our journey to Eldorado.” ovation is the appointment of thousands of youth into his cabinet and payment of salaries of civil servants in the state. Soon after assumption of office, he ordered for the payment o the backlog of salaries of civil servants which had accumulated for some months during the era of his predecessor. Subsequently, the workers get alert for their salaries between the 15 th and 20 th of each month which culminated in his being award the “Most Labour Friendly Governor” by the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC in the state ‘My choice of signature projects and actions are based on the understanding of Cross River State as a land enormously blessed that has been tottering for so long which we have to make a break from the past and articulate our role in the world through a realisable business model by reducing all those high sounding terminologies to simple basic processes for development,” Ayade often says He said he sought for elective office to improve lives and has the energy and verve to transform the creative ideas he has accumulated over the years and ensure he adds value to the lives of the people of the state and as well develop infrastructure. His re-election was a forgone conclusion years before the recent general election. His appointment of over 7,000 aides served as the mainstay of his campaign. Many of them, to retain their jobs, were willing to sacrifice anything to see him back to office. The key question now is will the next four years be as eventful as the past four in the state? Many are watching. •Olatunji Senatorial election. Politically, the Ife federal constituency has always proved it’s penchant for progressive politics with it’s unwavering support for the ruling party as attested in the last Governorship election and recent House of Assembly election in the state. The IAA stressed further that,” Ife Federal Constituency have quality lawmakers, that combine length of service and cognate experience in lawmaking and management that could fill the position of Speaker of Osun House of Assembly.
SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 1, 2019 — 17 •Continues from page 18
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