18042021 - Ex-Gov Aliyu Lied, not all northern govs worked against Jonathan in 2015

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PAGE 18—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 18, 2021 •Chief Benjamin Style, National Chairman, HOSTCOM By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South If the directive of Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to two of his powerful administrators to resolve the differences between Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, HOSCON, and Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, HostCom, when he saw a cavernous crack in their relationship, in 2019, was executed to the letter, the animosity that led to the show of shame at the House of Representatives Committee Hearing Room 028, in January, this year, could have been averted. On the other hand, it could be that the officers, Hon Michael Diden, aka Ejele, currently Chairman, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, DESOPADEC, Bashorun Askia Ogieh, did their best to tackle the matter but because of opposing interests, the dispute remained protracted. Some HOSCON members, indeed, pointed finger at Delta State government, accusing it of taking sides with HostCom in the logjam, an allegation that HostCom dismissed as falsehood. Besides the Delta government, similar efforts by South-South monarchs under the auspices of Traditional Rulers of Oil Minerals Producing Communities of Nigeria, TROMPCON, to end the dispute was also botched. In fact, the monarchs were accused of duplicity and treachery. Okowa’s men met us two times, then disappeared — Iwetan Former Chairman of HostCom in the state, Hon. Benjamin Iwetan, who is demonstrably displeased with the attitude of some HostCom leaders on the issue, told Sunday Vanguard: “In 2019, Delta State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, set up a twomember reconciliation committee comprising of the Chairman of DESOPADEC, Hon Michael Diden, and Managing Director, Bashorun Askia Ogieh. “They met with both parties and promised to call us back, which they never did till date. The reconciliation that Dr. Okowa initiated is for the Delta State chapter, not the •Dr Mike Emuh, National Chairman, HOSCON HOSCON, HOSTCOM HOSTILITY: How Delta govt, monarchs peace moves failed national body of HostCom. “Like I said before, the committee met with my group and Isibelou group twice and never called us again, I do not know why they did not call back. “The fact remains that there are two factions in Delta State Hostcom, which is why the governor asked the Chairman and Managing Director of DESOPADEC to wade in to see how it could be resolved. “When Governor Okowa took office, he recognized the Isibelou faction; he funded their group by providing office building, buses, Hilux vehicle and was giving them funds to run the office until he became aware that there has been leadership problem in Delta State chapter of HostCom. “I am still the state Chairman of HostCom, Delta State chapter until we call for an annual general meeting, AGM, according to the constitution or a third party calls for settlement”. ‘S-South monarchs exacerbated crisis’ He blasted South-South monarchs over its role in the feud between the two groups, pointing out: “What South- South monarchs did in Port Harcourt, Rivers State is unconstitutional and it destroyed the association the more, as it showed they have vested interest when they heard how far Dr. Mike Emuh had gone on the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, gas flare penalty, having oil field for indigenes from this region, etc. “They have Traditional Rulers of Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission, TROMPCOM, as their own association, they can as well resolve their own crisis. “The Oba of Benin called the two factional national leaders and tried to settle them but both parties refused to heed what the Oba advised, so the divide is still there in the association. “Some persons misinformed the monarch in Benin and whatever verdict they claim the Oba gave was not respected by both parties; instead of working together as National Leader and Chairman, one group was trying to outsmart the other by going to the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, to change names of Board of Trustee, BoT, members, while the other one was going to the Presidency to negotiate gas flare penalty payment for the association. “Until we put the interest of our region to be developed and bring our people out of abject poverty first, we will keep having problem of leadership in the association”. The problem between HOSCON and HostCom is complex; it is not what can be resolved in one fell swoop, as both sides stick to their gun on any issue all the time •Governor Ifeanyi Okowa •Okowa’s emissaries met us twice, then vanished —Iwetan •Governor, TROMPCON made blameless efforts for truce —Egedegbe Okowa did his best —Egedegbe Another former chairman of HostCom in Delta State and presently its National Secretary, Dr. Peter Egedegbe, countered Iwetan’s submissions on Okowa’s intervention and role of South-South monarchs, asserting: “These are misconstrued information and a total deviation from the reality. “In the first place, Governor Okowa did not set up reconciliation committee to reconcile HostCom and HOSCON, the governor is not even aware of any issue of HostCom/HOSCON. This issue is national HostCom/ HOSCON affair and it has no local connotation.” He was later to affirm: “Yes, the governor had made efforts to reconcile the two groups, the committee the governor set up met with the state Chairman that took over from me and even including me. Terms of settlement were put before Mr. Iwetan, which he turned down. “I do not know what the governor would have done than what he had already done. HostCom was magnanimous enough to try to identify with a man that sued them to court, defeated him and still bragging to settle with the people he offended”. On alleged inclination of the state government, he deflated the claim, saying: “While I was in office as the state Chairman, Governor Okowa released HostCom budget that my executive fought for in DESOPADEC 2014 budget, which provided the HostCom secretariat that you see today at Plot 11, Uti Street, Effurun. “We had a robust bargain with Governor Okowa to buy buses for the HostCom and he graciously approved, we have the buses today”. TROMPCON’s good intention impaired On TROMPCON, he said: “Like I earlier informed you, the national HostCom/ HOSCON issue has been treated and resolved by the TROMPCON, South- South monarchs and the Oba of Benin where communiques were signed by both parties. “Thereafter, a 16- man committee was set up whose duties are to meet with the Federal Government to bring home the much needed development of the Niger Delta region. “But alas, all that is almost becoming a mirage now with the lack of trust portrayed by some members of the group.” Iwetan fumes, reveals ‘root cause’ of debacle Iwetan, who dismissed Egedegbe’s purported sweeping statement on the crisis, indicated that wicked attempts by some people to undermine the status of the founder of Host Communities and former Chairman of DESOPADEC, Chief Wellington Okrika, was what led to the crisis facing the two rival groups, HOSCON and HOSCOM. “What is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, is Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas and, therefore, HostCom and HOSCON are one body. What led to the fight in Abuja is a leadership tussle between Bishop Dr. Mike Emuh and Chief Benjamin Tamaranebi, the two factional leaders, during the public hearing of the PIB bill by the House of Representatives. “If you look at the video carefully, you will see that Dr. Mike Emuh was attacked by the other group of HostCom. “Chief Dr. W.O Okrika is the National Leader and founder of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas. “It was when Chief Okrika was appointed as DESOPADEC Chairman that he sponsored the registration of the association (Host Communities). “He also pleaded with us as foundational members to entreat the Isoko ethnic group, which the national chairmanship was zoned to, to allow the late Chief Dr. Alfred Bubor, an Ijaw, to be the National Chairman. Chief Ogagarojor of Isoko was gunning for the position then. “The registration of HostCom brought a lot of argument amongst us because those that went for the registration, headed by one late Prince Edewor, put names of their choice as BoT members without considering those of us from the Itsekiri ethnic group that has the highest production quantum in Delta State. “Other state officers were equally not happy that nominees from various states were not part of the BoT. “At the time, we were in Asaba, Delta State capital, to lobby Delta State government for the position of members of the association, it was a fight between Chief Okrika and the late Chief Bubor, and we had to settle that Bubor should be National Chairman while Chief Okrika be National Leader and DESOPADEC Chairman. “After Chief Bubor’s tenure in office, Chief Okirika inaugurated Dr. Mike Emuh to take over from Chief Bubor, but Chief Bubor’s faction inaugurated Chief Benjamin Style, so there has been conflict of interest whenever there is something to agitate by both in the states and the federal government”. Diden, Ogieh ran into stumbling block - Informant Sunday Vanguard reached Ogieh on phone, but he was unwilling to make comments on the matter. Diden was simply unreachable on his cell phone. A source, however, hinted: “The problem between HOSCON and HostCom is complex, it is not what can be resolved in one fell swoop, as both sides stick to their gun on any issue all the time, making adjudication by a third party difficult. “Hon Diden, who we know as Ejele, and Bashorun Ogieh definitely ran into obstacle in reconciling them and may have tactically retreated to evolve better strategic options.”
Buhari's Nigeria By all indices,Nigeria is on fire. Nigeria today seems to be a long way from where President Buhari met it. It is a poorer, sadder, more insecure, and more torn-apart country today. Looking at Nigeria now, the picture is of a truly terminally ill behemoth reeling from the many historical abuses to which she has been subjected. Nigeria is like the subject in that hymn that says: “he that is down needs fear no fall/ he that is low no pride…” Nigeria is on the ground, prostrate and clearly helpless. There is no pride left in this once proud “giant of Africa” that has now turned into Africa’s giant shit. Nigeria is broke; Nigeria is a neo-colonial foot-mat; Nigeria is being shaped as a province of the new Ottoman Empire; and Nigeria is insecure. Nigerians who sit on the fence watching this happen are complicit in its destruction, and they must own it. One of the facts Nigerians now must own up to is the mistake in “electing” the curent government, or in succumbing to the blackmail that brought them to power in 2015.This has set the very stage for what is looking increasingly to be the end of this federation if nothing happens fast to check this. There has never been any other time in the history of Nigeria when every part of Nigeria is up in arms; in active rebellion against the Federal Government. There is mass discontent of the kind never seen before. This current government lacks clear direction.In spite of a massive machinery of lies that continue to insult Nigerians built by this regime, Nigeria continues to regress and bleed. This is the only administration that has invested in an extraordinary office dedicated to online or digital disinformation headed by a young Nigerian that once had great promise, Tolu Ogunlesi. These guys sell a dud; or what folks out in Florida call “lemons.” And they sell it hard. They too will in the fullness of time account to Nigerians for their complicity in prodding up a fascist regime whose clear doctrinal intention was never the elevation of Nigeria as a nation, but the categorical dismantling of the balance of reason that undergird the historical superstructure of Nigeria as a modern, multiethnic nation. This is a regime headed by a Fulani nationalist who is nepostic in his appointments. He does not pretend, nor does he care about what the rest of Nigeria thinks or feels in filling the entire structure of his administration with his kinsfolk. For the first time in Nigeria, under Buhari, where you come from now determines what position you occupy in the federal government. Two examples will just suffice here: when it came to appointing the DSS in 2018, Buhari side-stepped Mr. Matthew Seiyifa, and many other senior operatives ahead of him and appointed Yusuf Magachi Bichi. Last week, he continued the pattern by appointing DIG Usman Alkali as Nigeria’s new Inspector-General of Police, once again side-stepping many fine officers senior to him in the force. These are only two examples, but it is a pattern which Buhari has now established. The politicization of these career positions by Buhari has not only damaged the confidence in the work of Nigeria’s security services, it has introduced something more egregious than the quota system that destroyed merit as the basis of consideration in selections to the higher services. More than once, his own publicists have said that the President is not guided by whatever Nigerians think in making his strategic decisions. So, who does he work for? If he does not care what huge sections of Nigerians think, why is he president? Yes, the president has the power to make appointments. But that power is not absolute. It is power Domestic accident: Former Edo Commissioner seeks N9.5m lifeline By Ozioruva Aliu A former Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism and former Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Hon. Vincent Akhere, has appealed to the public and governments to assist him raise N9.5m needed for his medical treatment . Akhere, who was also a former transition chairman of Esan North East Local Government Area of the state, said he had a domestic accident last year that led to the collapse of his hips and that he needed a Total Bilateral Hip Replacement Surgery (TBHRS) to be able to walk again. He explained that the initial hip replacement There has never been any other time in the history of Nigeria when every part of Nigeria is up in arms; in active rebellion against the Federal Government normally mediated by legislative oversight. But that branch too has failed Nigerians.If Nigeria’s National Assembly were up to its constitutional task, it should have investigated this president for sundry acts allegedly inimical to the wellbeing of the federation of Nigeria. This president has shown himself more concerned with the welfare of Niger republic than Nigeria, the nation that gave him everything. Only recently he authorized, although he has no such constitutional right, the naming of a major road for the President of Niger Republic in Nigeria’s federal capital, Abuja. No Nigerian has any idea what the president of Niger has done for Nigeria. What he means to Nigerians. His relevance to the history of Nigeria to warrant such an honour. Nigeria’s federal capital has no streets that bear the name of Mazi Mbonu Ojike, one of Nigeria’s foremost nationalist figures, who actually fought the British and campaigned for Nigeria’s independence, at a time when the north were collaborators By Henry Ojelu The National Engineering and Technical Company, NETCO, a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC says it is exploring business opportunities in Equatorial Guinea to boost its revenue generation capacity in line with the GMD, Mallam Mele Kyari’s vision to make NETCO the hub of Engineering, Procurement and Construction in the West African sub-region and major revenue earner. Mr Usman Baba, Managing Director, NETCO, made the disclosure during an oversight visit of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) to the company in Lagos. Usman revealed that NETCO was established in December 1988 to provide an Edo North: Anamero Foundation empowers 5,000 farmers In an effort at promoting agricultural practises and also encourage farmers in the country, the Anamero Idofe Anamero Foundation organised a three-day empowerment programme tagged, ‘Food Security: A Panacea for Socio- Economic Development’, aimed at adding value to farmers in Edo North. The event had in attendance a total of 5, 000 farmers from the six local government areas that make up the senatorial district, who were trained by seasoned agriculturists on critical topics which includes cocoa farming value chain, rice farming, agricultural cooperative societies, cashew production and farm produce marketing. In his welcome address, the convener and founder/ carried out failed and that his doctor in Abuja said his two hips have to be replaced. Narrating his ordeal to Sunday Vanguard, Akhere, a lawyer, who is now a shadow self, said his situation has been pathetic since March last year, when he had the accident. He appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to support him raise the N9.5m which, he said, he can not afford as he is on wheel chair battling excruciating pains, all day. “I am now on wheel chair, I hardly go out, where am I going? Whatever I want to do, my children carry me. If I want to sleep in the night, they will carry me on the bed. It has not been easy, only God knows how I have been surviving, he said. Anyone touched by Akhere’s story and wishes to donate to help his cause can Chairman of Anamero Idofe Anamero foundation, Mr. Sunday Dekeri Anamero, said the training became imperative in view of the economic contributions of farmers to nation building. According to him, farmers are critical to the survival of the populace given their enormous contributions to Nigeria’s food security architecture. Speaking further, Anamero stressed on the need to assist local farmers to grow beyond the level of subsistence farming, adding that the foundation would continue to assist them to improve their farming business, as well as enhancing the agricultural value chain for the gain of all. He noted that the task of food security and commercialization is important to the collective do so through his account details:: Vincent Akhere, Zenith Bank account Number 1001844393. • Hon. Akhere survival of the nation, while saluting the courage and commitment of the farmers at producing food and other crops for the sustenance of the country. Going down memory lane on how he started as a young farmer in the 90s, Anamero explained how his commitment to agriculture contributed to where he is today. He therefore urged farmers in the senatorial district to rise above their present level of subsistence farming. Convener and founder, Anamero Idofe Anamero Foundation, Mr. Dekeri Anamero (right), presenting an award to a facilitator at the 3-day agricultural summit. SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 18, 2021, PAGE 19 with the colonizers, rejecting independence for Nigeria. There is no street that bears the name of Nigeria’s leading modernist artist of the 20 th century, Ben Enwonwu, or her leading Mathematician of the 20 th century Chike Obi, or icons of the women’s fight for freedom like Margaret Ekpo, Funmilayo Ransome Kuti or her son Fela, or even the inimitable Israel Ransome- Kuti. This is a federal capital of Nigeria that does not bear a street named for Kola Balogun, or Olu Akinfosile, or Fred Anyiam, or Fred McEwen, or Ladipo Solanke,or Raji Abdallah, or H.O. Davies, or MCK Ajuluchukwu, or Smart Ebi, or Mokugo Okoye, or Pius Okigbo or Aboyade or Abdulaziz Attah; or Adegoke Adelabu; or Stanley Wey or Sir Louis Ojukwu (never mind his son Chukwuemeka who also deserves all the honours available to truly great Nigerians) – so many, many more who actually meant something in the history of modern Nigeria. But the president of Niger?On what account? What strategic significance does he radiate for Nigeria? Granted, there are many hidden facts that inform the diplomatic actions of a country intent on acquiring or securing leverage, but what is Niger republic’s strategic importance to Nigeria? It is quite ironic because this former General of the Nigerian Army campaigned from 2003 to 2015 to be made President of Nigeria. That is a record eleven years and four presidential campaign cycles. Many Nigerians were swayed by his zeal, and by what some began to see as his passion for Nigeria. That zeal and passion clearly turned with his election in 2015 into the horror! The horror we see today in Nigeria. Today, Buhari makes General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and General Olusegum Obasanjo look beautiful and radiant. That’s something. The Obasanjo years for instance, were not altogether trouble-free years. There were troubles in Southern Nigeria. The oil producing regions in the Niger Delta were up in arms on the matter of the inequities in the distribution of oil wealth. Kidnappings were rife. Obasanjo had sent soldiers into Odi who killed a high number of civilians, just during Babangida regime soldiers were sent to kill civilians in Umuechem. Aside from the massacres at Zaki Biam in Benue State and Odi, in Rivers State, there were political assassinations – Harry Marshall, A.K. Dikibo, Uche Orji the ANPP Senatorial contender in Orlu, Layi Balogun, Professor Chimere Ikoku, former V.C. of the University of Nigeria, the publisher of Fourth Dimension Books, Victor Nwankwo, Mr. Funso Williams, the PDP Gubernatorial candidate in Lagos, and of course, Nigeria’s Attorney-General, Bola Ige – under Obasanjo; murders which remain unsolved and are still open cases to date. But in none of these instances was Nigeria under any threat of political implosion as it is today. NETCO targets business opportunities in Equatorial Guinea efficient and reliable engineering base for the NNPC Group and the Nigerian oil and gas industry. According to him, NETCO has been involved in some key projects in the Oil & Gas sector in the last five years including the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Train 7 project, refineries rehabilitation project and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas pipeline project which are ongoing. Baby Efana-Okon emerges Cussons Baby of the year…Wins N2m By Juliet Umeh It was yet another successful finale of the 7th season of the PZ Cussons as Ms Naomi Essienawan Efana-Okon won the Cussons Baby of the year with a N2 million consolation prize. Efana-Okon who beat about 9000 other entrants to the biggest prize is also entitled to a year supply of Cussons Baby products. Baby Ojelade Daphne also emerged as the first runner up, winning N1 million and 6 months’ supply of Cussons Baby products while the second Runner up, Aliu Ayomide got N500, 000 and 6 months supply of Cussons Baby products. The Top 7 finalists were not left out as the 4th-7th position walked away with N100, 000 and 3 months’ supply of Cussons Baby products each, while others got one month supply of Cussons Baby products. Reacting to her wins, the parents of Baby Efana-Okon, who were full of praises for the organisers of the competition said: “When we started this journey we didn’t imagine this end, but here we are, God bless Cussons Baby and PZ Cussons for such a competition and thanks to all those who voted and brought our baby this far, God will reward you all.” L-R: Joyce Coker, Human Resources and Admin Director, Africa, PZ Cussons; Family of the winner of the 7th edition of the Cussons Baby Moments competition, Peace Nwachukwu, Binta Nwachukwu, Baby Naomi Essienawan, Ebere Obi and Daniel Gyefour, Head of Marketing, PZ Cussons at the Grand finale of Cussons Baby Moments 7 held at Lagos.
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18042021 - Ex-Gov Aliyu Lied, not all northern govs worked against Jonathan in 2015

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