Asaba, and indeed all of Delta State, was Tuesday practically shut down as the State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took its turn to host the party’s presidential standard-bearer, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and running mate and Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, to the 2023 Presidential Campaign Rally.The PDP candidate pledged to support Delta and other Niger-Delta states in every way because of the unflinching support he has received from the people of the area have greatly helped his political career since 1999, assuring that a place contributing so much to the ecpnomy of the country should get commensurate development.Atiku restated his determination to lead his party to rescue, reset and relaunch Nigeria on the path of economic development for a prided place in the comity of nations, stressing that his plans are encapsulated in a five-point agenda.He listed the the areas of focus of the agenda to include education while lamenting the poor situation of the education sector in the country, saying his government would ensure that a no-strike regime was established in the nation’s University system bastardized by the All Progressives Congress -led Federal Government.He said that a PDP government under him would work assiduously to forge a truly united country where every part of Nigeria had a sense of belonging irrespective of ethnic, cultural or religious leaning. “How do we restore the unity of Nigeria?” is a question often agitating his mind, he said, noting that a son of Delta State would be beside him to help fashion out a new Nigeria that is restructured for real progress as the vice-president.Atiku, while promising to tackle the country’s economic challenges exacerbated by the dismal performance of the Buhari administration through a well-planned economic blueprint, urged the people of Delta to look nowhere else as the PDP in the state has made visible progress.In his remarks, an excited Governor Okowa, who spoke in Pidgin English throughout, said that he was reassuring Nigerians that Atiku Abubakar has administrative capacity through experience and willingness to effectively undertake the onerous task of rescuing and rebuilding Nigeria.The PDP vice-presidential candidate lamented the high levels of inflation in the country, wondering how the masses would survive with a bag of rice selling for almost N50,000.He advised the people to support Atiku because he is experienced and knows the path to pegress for the country. “The man sabi; so, follow who sabi road well-well”, Okowa said.While thanking the people for massively turning out for the campaign rally, Okowa restated that the APC government has failed Nigeria and urged the people to punish the party with their PVC at the polls. “I’m very happy today because Delta is solidly behind me. Please use your PVC on election day to sack the APC government at the centre,” Okowa said.The PDP national chairman, Dr Ayu urged the people of the state to continue to stand solidly behind the PDP as they have done since the restoration of democracy in the the country 1999, saying Delta as a loving people have also had a succession of “performing governors” under the PDP since then.Ayu revealed that the outstanding performance of the Okowa administration was a major criterion for his choice as the vice-presidential candidate of the party, saying it was common knowledge in Abuja and across the country that Okowa has had many core projects inaugurated under his government than any other state in the country.The former Senate president expressed delight at what he called unprecedented turnout of Deltans for the campaign rally, urging them to translate the enthusiastic support into votes by using their PVCs on election day.Ascending the podium, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan said that the PDP presidential candidate made a wise choice in Governor Okowa as his vice-presidential candidate, saying Delta remained Atiku’s second home because he has numerous friends in Delta State where massive votes could be assured.“Thank you for picking Governor Okowa as your running mate, he is a very smart person; because of that, in Delta we are going to give you massive votes in the February 25, 2023 election”, Uduaghan said, adding that there were many federal projects in the state that need restoration and reconstruction.National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, was joined by hundreds of party leaders, including the Chairman, Presidential Campaign Council, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, the Director-General, National Campaign Management Committee, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Delta PDP Governorship Candidate, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori as well as members of Delta State Aitku-Okowa campaign committee and support groups.Notable political personages that witnessed the carnival-like event included the Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Adolphosus Wabara, former vice-president Namadi Sambo, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, former Delta governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, Delta State PDP Chairman, Kingsley Esiso and Senator Dino Melaye, who thrilled the audience with popular songs deriding the APC and glorifying the PDP.Hours before commencement of the event at about 12.45pm, the Stephen Keshi Stadium Asaba was filled to capacity and overflowing with people, most of who traveled far and wide from across the 25 local government areas of the state, with hundreds of people having to trek several kilometers before they could access the Keshi Stadium.Some defectors from other parties, including the state APC Secretary, Nick Ovuakpore, were presented to the national chairman by the Delta State PDP Chaidrman, Kingsley Esiso.
Rivers Governorship: Diaspora Group Endorses APC’s Tonye Cole
A group of Rivers State indigenes under the aegis of Rivers Diaspora Network (RDN) has endorsed the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Tonye Cole, for the March 11, 2023 Governorship Election in the State.
Membership of RDN which is made up of Rivers State professionals, social and ethnic groups across North America, Europe, Asia and South America, believe Cole is the right man to occupy the number one political office in Rivers State come May 29, 2023.
The decision to endorse Cole was reached after an enlarged stakeholders virtual meeting of the group held recently in Maryland, thevUnited States of America.
A 10-paragragh communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the United Kingdom coordinator of RDN, Sobere Opusunju and Chief Abani Iloni, who joined the meeting from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, noted that the group decided to throw their weight behind Pastor Cole because he has shown strong commitment to the development of Rivers State.
According to the group, the APC candidate has demonstrated zeal, passion, enthusiasm and the will to serve Rivers People, saying if given the opportunity to be Governor, he is going to entrench a new governance order that will positively transform the State for the benefit of the people.
“We have unanimously endorsed Pastor Tonye Cole as the next Governor of our dear State, Rivers. Tonye Cole is an illustrious son of Rivers with a resounding track record of excellence and distinction in both private and public practice. We have no doubt in our minds that he will bring his wealth of experience to bear in the politics and governance of the State if elected in the forthcoming governorship election. Tonye Cole is a fine gentleman, intelligent, hardworking, resourceful, young and energetic. He is the person Rivers State needs at this time to engineer the process of restoring the lost glory of the State. We urge all Rivers sons and daughters both home and abroad to look the way of Pastor Cole and give him the overwhelming support he deserves to win the election”, the group said.
RDN said its endorsement of Pastor Cole is without sentiment, noting that a State such as Rivers, that has been seriously polarised by the incumbent governor, needs a man like Cole to unite the people and lay a solid foundation for rapid development.
“Rivers State needs a leader whose personality inspires peace, away from the overweening and combative style of leadership we have witnessed in the last seven-and-the-half years. It is time to put one of our best forward”, the communique added.
The endorsement is coming barely a month after Cole’s engagement with members of Rivers Diaspora Network, RDN in Washington DC, during his recent visit to the United States of America where he was invited to attend the USA-Africa Leadership Summit hosted by President Joe Biden.
According to a statement released in Maryland, USA after the Summit by the TCCO diaspora group chairman, Tex Wariboko, Cole’s invitation and attendance of the Summit was a major boost and moment of pride for sons and daughters of Rivers State which is widely known to parade resourceful and innovative people with creative and entrepreneurial abilities.
“Tonye Cole is a very brilliant fellow who has made presentations at various intellectual fora across the globe. So, we were not surprised that he was invited to the United States to participate in USA/Africa leadership summit organised by President Joe Biden. A man with such intellectual depth and exposure fits the bill to become the next governor of Rivers State. He has both the international exposure and a strong grassroot connection. Imagine what Rivers State stands to benefit with this man in the saddle”, Tex Wariboko said.
Amao: NAF Expects Delivery of 27 Fighter Jets, Attack Helicopters to Boost Fight against Terrorism
Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao, yesterday said the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) was expecting the delivery of additional new platforms, which President Muhammadu Buhari approved for the service.
Amao, who made the disclosure during an operational visit to the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Safety and 209 Quick Response Group, Ipetu-Ijesa, Osun State, stated that the NAF had effectively operationalised the usage of new and modern platform in the battlefield.The expected air assets include: Two Beechcraft King Air 360, four Diamond DA-62 surveillance aircraft, three Wing Loong II UCAVs and 6 T-129 attack helicopters.
He further disclosed that there were ongoing acquisitions of 12 Agusta 109 Trekker multi-role helicopters and 24 M-346 attack aircraft.He added that some of the additional platforms are expected to be delivered to the NAF before the end of first quarter 2023.
This, he said, would further boost NAF’s air power employment and projection capabilities as well as air combat training.He said the new and modern air assets were instrumental to the successful bombing campaign against terrorists and insurgents.Air Marshal Amao, attributed the successes recorded by the NAF in the theatres of operation to the newly acquired JF-17 Thunder aircraft, A-29 Super Tucano aircraft and the Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAV).
He maintained that the Nigerian military was winning the war against terrorism in the country, with the aid of these modem platforms. He emphasised that “more still needed to be done to completely decimate and flush out the remnants of terrorists still preying on soft targets”.
He, however, warned that being complacent at this point would be harmful to ongoing operations and called for more focus, vigilance and caution.Commenting on the upcoming general election, the CAS urged NAF personnel to remain apolitical but only exercise their legal franchise, which is the constitutional right to vote for any candidate of their choice. “We must continue to maintain our integrity and neutrality as a Service,” the CAS added.
He further urged NAF personnel to remember that as custodians of Nigeria’s constitution, they must ensure that public perception of the NAF and the Armed Forces of Nigeria remained positive and unblemished.The CAS was accompanied by the Air Officers Commanding Special Operations Command, Air Training Command, some Branch Chiefs and Directors from Headquarters NAF.
