Author: The Lumine News

  • 2023: APC Delegates Should Seek Victory First Before Cash: BVAS Will Be Used BY JUSTIN OBONGHA

    2023: APC Delegates Should Seek Victory First Before Cash: BVAS Will Be Used BY JUSTIN OBONGHA

     

    Glorious greetings from God Most High and Happy Sunday to All Progressives Congress members and our dear DELEGATES. We are edging closer to our party’s primaries and I think it’s imperative we get to understand better, how the general elections especially Governorship in Cross River State may look like.

    As we begin to assemble delegates and entreat for support for our different aspirants, please do well to always let them know a few things that should guides their decision, thoughts and choice. Do well to tell them that, if they supports and eventually vote a wrong aspirant, our party will fail woefully in the GENERAL ELECTIONS.

    Tell the delegates that no bad candidate can win elections even by rigging. There’s a new technic that makes it impossible for rigging. It’s called BVAS. Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) is a device that replaced the smart card reader, which was used in 2015, with the dual capacity for fingerprint and facial authentication. BVAS is a technology solution based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and is only as good as both the age of the data and the training that the algorithms receive.

    The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, is designed to inject technological impetus into our electoral system which makes it almost impossible to rig elections and had further reduced the power of incumbency.

    BVAS is designed to give our electoral system credibility and given the voters hope that their votes will begin to matter. As a DELEGATES, we should be careful with who we VOTE as CANDIDATE.

    2023 Governorship elections will be keenly contested. Our only advantage, will be fully dependent on the charisma, and likeliness of our candidate and not even the cash some aspirants are banking on.

    Electoral corruption, cutting corners in the electoral process, snatching ballot boxes and ballot papers would never easily be done in 2023 elections. The by-election in Ogoja, Yala and Akpabuyo LGAs should be like a litmus test and the results I think wasn’t to our party’s favor. If not for the NAME, JUDE NGAJI, APC would have failed woefully.

    So, let me say it very clearly that the BVAS as a form and mode of accreditation has come to stay, and the Commission isn’t ready to compromise it standard. And jettisoning of results will not be possible anymore. If the party gives ticket to someone whose victory will be dependent on rigging, or money, then we should be prepare for the worst.

    Secondly, tell the DELEGATES that the strength of the opposition, is almost the as the same both in popularity, cash and otherwise. And the personalities PDP are parading as aspirants can’t be easily defeated except the APC present a candidate who is loved and extremely outstanding in popularity and likeliness.

    We all know that Cross River State has for more than 20 years been ruled by the PDP and our people are deeply drunk with the name. So APC needs a candidate that is as old as PDP and more popular than the PDP as a party. Anything less, will be catastrophic to our victory.

    Aspirants will come with money; some 200k, 300k, 500k and others may tempt you with even a million naira as a DELEGATES just to vote him to become CANDIDATE of our GREAT party, but be guided with the fact that the general elections has changed and we won’t enjoy the power of incumbency and therefore, we cannot rig elections.

    Be it your brother, friend, master, boss, father or whatever relationship you share with any of the aspirants, be true to yourself, to them and to the party. Out collective interest as a party, is to win elections and continue to be the RULING party in the State.

    This is my wise counsel to the DELEGATES and PARTY members.

    Justin Obongha.

  • Caterpillar Movement Debunks Rumors Of Sandy Onor Picking Senatorial Form, Called On Supporters To Remain Unperturbed

    Caterpillar Movement Debunks Rumors Of Sandy Onor Picking Senatorial Form, Called On Supporters To Remain Unperturbed

    CATERPILLAR MOVEMENT

    PRESS STATEMENT

    We, in the Caterpillar Movement have come across a fictitious newstory by one Citizen Ekanem Essien purporting that our Principal, Sen. Sandy Ojang Onor has ” technically withdrawn ” from the Gubernatorial contest by picking dual forms for both the Gubernatorial and senatorial elections as a contingency in the event of failure.

    We wish to outrightly debunk this malicious rumor by stating that Sen. Sandy Ojang Onor has never been one to shy away from a fight, especially one that is done with the public interest at heart.

    Furthermore, Our principal, Sen. Onor would never venture into a course with double minds or cold feet to the extent of cowering by attempting to contest for two positions at once.

    For the records, we wish to state clearly that only the Gubernatorial Nomination form was purchased by our Principal because he believes strongly in his credentials, competence and capacity to emerge victorious. The unwholesome act of buying two forms at a time is a practice set aside for losers to showcase their cowardice by being unsure about their political aspiration.

    Our Principal is decisive, precise and Lucid enough about his intentions to rescue Cross River state from the shackles of maladministration currently experienced and is therefore reticent to subscribe to political gimmicks.

    Let those who are cowards continue to be indecisive and at a quandary but we in the Caterpillar Movement are solely only interested in the Gubernatorial Position. We are confident that victory is sure.
    Once more, we enjoin our supporters to continue to remain peaceful and unperturbed by this deliberate distraction by the true enemies of our dear State .
    Again they have failed and will continue to fail.

    God bless us all.

    Joe Obi Bisong (Hon. Chief)
    Director General

  • Barr. Imah Nsa Adegoke Declares Gubernatorial Ambition, Canvass For Power Shift

    Barr. Imah Nsa Adegoke Declares Gubernatorial Ambition, Canvass For Power Shift

    PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY CROSS RIVER STATE

    20th April 2022.

    Press Statement:

    Barr. Imah Nsa Adegoke Declares Gubernatorial Ambition
    ……canvass for Power Shift.

    Yesterday, Tuesday 19th April 2022, the State Executive Committee and members of our party received in audience a gubernatorial aspirant, Barr. Mrs Imah Nsa Adegoke. The campaign team led by the aspirant arrived the party Secretariat around 3:45pm.

    Speaking during the consultative meeting, the Gubernatorial aspirant thanked the party for receiving her team. Declaring her intention to join the Gubernatorial race, Barr. Mrs Adegoke canvassed for a power Shift in the Politics of the State.

    “My name is Barr. Mrs Imah Nsa Adegoke. I am officially declaring my intention to run for the Governorship position of this state. I believe in democracy, which is a government of the people, for the people and by the people, not a government of the elite and the privileged few. As a lawyer with almost 40years’ experience, I had as a lawyer to NUPENG from 1988 to 1996, negotiated better working conditions for oppressed junior oil and gas workers with Integrity, refusing offers to sell out their interest. This experience drives my passion to ensure that under my Government, we will aggressively combat the recalcitrant conduct of labour employers in the state. Driven by my passion as Chairman of Bonny Environmental Consultants’ Committee from 1997 to 2002 with power to negotiate with Nigeria LNG, Shell Petroleum Development Company etc, on behalf of Bonny Kingdom, I led negotiations and ensured transparent compensations to impacted Communities. I will bring same commitment and passion to bear in Cross River State by ensuring that all companies extracting our resources Commit to ensuring that the rural Communities benefit from an approved and robust Corporate Social Responsibility budget”

    On insecurity, the legal practitioner advocated the deployment of forensics in tackling Security challenges. While summarizing her manifesto under the acronym “SHIFT”. On Zoning, the aspirant enjoined the party to give all aspirants a level playing ground while assuring the party that she’s not running on the basis of gender as she believe she’s the best for the job.

    Reacting to the comment, the state Chairman of the Party, Barr. Venatius Ikem eulogized the aspirant for taking the bold step to declare, while assuring her of a level playing ground.

    “I want to thank you for speaking so eloquently like a gentleman of the bar. You left no one in doubt. All the women that came here to consult have been exceptional but you have come to top all of them. I want to assure you that the party will give all Aspirants a level playing ground. It is only in PDP that you will come yesterday and we guarantee you a level playing ground because we are a democratic party. I want to also thank you for not talking about North, South or Central. We need a Candidate that can deliver. I am happy you did not talk about zoning”

    Signed
    Prince Mike Ojisi
    (State Publicity Secretary)

  • Police Raids Hotel Where Underaged Girls Trafficked From Rivers State Are Used As Sex Slaves In Delta

    Police Raids Hotel Where Underaged Girls Trafficked From Rivers State Are Used As Sex Slaves In Delta

     

    Operatives of the Delta State Police Command has raided Fagboma Hotel where underage girls trafficked from Rivers State are used as sex slaves and rescued the victims.

    Focus Naija can report that the sting operation was carried out on Friday, 15th April, 2022, after the command received information that the hotel located at Aragba in Otokutu Town, Ughelli South, Delta State was been used as a brothel for underaged prostitution.

    According to the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Ari Mohammed Ali during a press briefing at the Command’s Headquarter in Asaba, investigations revealed that a woman simply identified as Joy trafficked the victims from Rivers, took them to Patani to forcefully swear an oath then brought them to Otu-Jeremi and handed them over to the owner of the brothel by name, Edwin Etareri.

    He said that the owner of the hotel is currently at large but his wife, Grace Etareri is currently in custody alongside ten men and ten suspected prostitutes that were arrested during the raid.

    The press briefing goes thus;

    “On 15/4/2022 at about 2330hrs, the Command received information that Fagoma Hotel located at Aragba in Otokutu in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State is being used as a brothel where underage children are trafficked and used as sex slave. The command upon receiving this disturbing information raided the brothel and the following underage girls were rescued:

    1.Happiness Johnson ‘f’ age 13yrs
    2.Esther Godspower ‘f’ age 21yrs
    3.Angel John ‘f’ age 22yrs
    4.Miracle Bishop ‘f’ age 19yrs
    5.Happiness Isreal ‘f’ 19yrs

    “Investigations revealed that one Joy ‘f’ surname unknown now at large trafficked the underage girls from Rivers State took them to Patani where they were forced into taking an oath before they were brought to Otu-Jeremi and harbored by one Edwin Etareri the owner of the said brothel and his wife one Mrs Grace Etariri currently in custody. Ten other male suspects and ten female suspected prostitutes were also arrested during the raid. Investigation is ongoing.”

    Source: https://www.facebook.com/100041566351018/posts/838414320887439/?d=n

  • Caterpillar Movement Describes A Non-existent Online Poll By Delegates Of The PDP In C’River For The Gubernatorial Primaries As Misleading And False Graphic Presentation

    Caterpillar Movement Describes A Non-existent Online Poll By Delegates Of The PDP In C’River For The Gubernatorial Primaries As Misleading And False Graphic Presentation

    THE CATERPILLAR MOVEMENT

    Press Release

    Our attention has been drawn to a spurious,
    misleading and false graphic presentation on social media detailing a non-existent online poll by delegates of the PDP in Cross River State for the Gubernatorial Primaries.

    As we all know, elections have never been won from social media postulations and ” online polls” but in the interest of full disclosure, we in the Caterpillar Movement wish to state categorically and emphatically that the circulated graphic is nothing but a figment of the imagination of a particular political interest group skewed heavily to favour their candidate while at the same time attempting to create a psychological mind game on the mind of delegates in the party to think that they have some phantom advantage when in truth, our Principal, Sen. Prof. Sandy Ojang Onor is , by every standard, the leading and preeminent candidate for the position of party flagbearer.

    We believe that this fantasy, packaged as an online poll is nothing but the last kick of an obviously dying horse hell-bent on not only destabilizing our well meaning party delegates but also on being bad losers since it has become obvious that their aspiration shall not see the light of day.

    Accordingly, we urge all our teeming supporters to remain calm and unperturbed by this false development while also urging them to continue to spread the gospel of our Principal and his intentions to liberate the state from this current chokehold.
    It is our belief that come May 21st, we shall emerge victorious at the only real and legitimate polls available to us; The PDP Gubernatorial Primary Election.

    God bless the PDP
    God bless Cross River State
    God bless the Caterpillar Movement.

    Joe Obi Bisong ( Hon. Chief)
    Director-General

  • Godwin Agbor Declares Intention To Contest Obudu State House Of Assembly Election

    Godwin Agbor Declares Intention To Contest Obudu State House Of Assembly Election

     

    A front line contender to represent Obudu State Constituency in the Cross River State House of Assembly, Dr Godwin Agbor has formerly declared his Intention to contest the election under the All Progressive Congress APC.

    The declaration was held on Monday 18th April, 2022 at his home town, Ukpada – Utugwang, Obudu Local Government Area as part of the Easter celebration with his ward party members, leaders, councillors, ward Chairmen and Secretaries, chapter Chairman and Vice Chairman.

    Declaring his intention, Dr Agbor stated that he has consulted the leadership of the party at all level and he is still consulting and so decided to formerly declare his intention to contest election.

    He assured that which ever modality the party will adopt for the selection of its flag bearer, he will emerge victorious by God’s grace.

    Dr Agbor averred that his loyalty to the party is evidently clear and that most of those who parade themselves as loyal members of the party do so because they are in the payroll of his Excellency, if you remove the salary from them, they may want to leave the party.

    “I have a lot of bills to bring to the table for good governance which will take care of the youths, the women and the elders. If you liken our political sojourn to Catholicism, you will realize that I have done my baptism, I am only waiting for confirmation. Most of those who have indicated interest are preparing for baptism” Said Agbor.

    He assured that most of his bills will come from his constituents through town hall meetings.

    Agbor maintained that he has capacity, qualifications and has impacted his people through community services and that the people are witnesses to his impact.

    Agbor maintained that the party now more than ever needs credible candidates that will be accepted across party lines to win the general election.

    Responding, Mr Agorye Ajang commended Dr Agbor for the initiative and bold step to contest the election, having consulted the relevant stakeholders.
    He advised Dr Agbor to avoid having issues with other aspirants, as they will support whoever the party chooses to fly the flag.

    The Ward Chairman of Utugwang North, Mr Paul Akpanke thanked Dr Agbor for his boldness and advocated for primaries which will offer them the opportunity to participate in the process, as they will not have any role to play if the process is going to be by consensus.

    In his vote of thanks, the Councilor representing Utugwang Central, Hon Emma Adinyang commended Dr Agbor and used the opportunity to call on the party to explore the direct or indirect mode of primaries as the use of consensus post potential danger to unity of the part.

    Dr Agbor is the Medical Director, Omega Agbor Clinic and Maternity, Boki, Cross River State and currently the General Secretary, Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners, ANPMP Cross River State.

    He is a practising Catholic and a Knight of St Molumba Nigeria, Sub Council Physician. He is married to Mrs Adeline Agbor and is blessed with Children. He was the Coordinator and Supervisor for the APC registration and revalidation exercise in Obudu. He was the APC flag bearer in the December 2020 Obudu State Constituency bye-election to replace the late Hon Godwin Akwaji.

     

  • GFO Orim Foundation Begins Construction Of Delapidated Culvert Linking Ofambe And Okiro In Obudu

    GFO Orim Foundation Begins Construction Of Delapidated Culvert Linking Ofambe And Okiro In Obudu

    The Chairman of GFO Orim Foundation, and Chief of Staff to the Cross River State Governor, Hon Martin Orim an illustrious son of Alege/Ubang, has commenced a total overhaul of a delapidated culvert linking Ofambe and Okiro, Ubang in Obudu.

    Reports has it that the Chief of Staff has instructed the contractors not to leave the site until the culvert is fully completed. He has insisted on the use of quality materials and also given directives to allow people of the community monitor the progress and quality of work being done.

    The construction work is a collaboration of the GFO Orim Foundation and the Okiro community. The community requirement is to provide sand and gravel while other requirements is provided by GFO Orim Foundation.

    As at today, work on the said culvert is at top speed, and the contractors are poised on delivering a quality culvert in record time, to beat the later part of raining season.

    This development comes on the heels of the outcry by Mr Emmanuel Abua on the 24th November, 2021during his ward tour of the People’s Democratic Party PDP. Lots of attention was drawn via his verified Facebook page about the dilapidated culvert linking Ofambe to Okiro, the last village in Ubang.

    In the widely circulated Facebook publication, Emmanuel had cried of neglect of the people of Okiro and had called on leaders to help in constructing a culvert for the community.

    When contacted, Emmanuel Abua commended the Chief of Staff to the governor for the prompt response and assured that such collaboration is needed most now than ever for the good of the people, and maintained that criticizing government is never a bad thing, but rather calls government attention to areas where they need to take action.

    GFO Orim Foundation has undertaken a lots of projects for Alege/Ubang ward of Obudu Local Government Area including human capital development of the youths.

  • Southern Senatorial District Group Presses For Chris Agara To Take Over From Ayade In 2023, Sees Him As The Right Person To Continue With Ayade Legacy Of Development

    Southern Senatorial District Group Presses For Chris Agara To Take Over From Ayade In 2023, Sees Him As The Right Person To Continue With Ayade Legacy Of Development

     

    A group from the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State has called on Mr. Chris Agara to step into the race for the governorship of Cross River State to take over from Senator Professor Benedict Ayade come May 29, 2023.

    The political support group which has membership across the seven Local government Areas of the district known as “Southern Senatorial District Standing for Agara and Continuation of Governor Ayade Legacy,” (SSDSACAL), through a statement signed by the group Chairman Comrade Asuquo Asuquo Etim, dated April 11, 2022, said the political group has chosen to pull all its resources Chris Agara without ethnic or religious sentiments.

    Mr. Etim who is from Akpabuyo LGA emphatically asserted that Chris Agara is the right person to take over from Senator Professor Benedict Ayade to continue with the laudable development projects and programmes, especially the industrial revolution on going in Cross River State and that their position is without ethnic or senatorial sentiments, but for the progragress of Cross River State.

    “Southern Senatorial District Standing for Agara and Continuation of Governor Ayade Legacy want to emphatically state without ethnic or senatorial Biase That Chris Agara is the right person to take over from Senator Professor Benedict Ayade to continue with the laudable development projects and programmes, especially the industrial revolution on going in Cross River State,” Etim maintained.

    The group through the  Chairman further stressed that Chris Agara has been with Governor Ayade for a long time and take part in the great industrial and other projects and programmes development right from. The inception and actually understand the mind set of the initiator, Ayade and  completely share in that vision.

    Etim went on to explained that the business of taking  Cross River State from obscurity to indusrial heights and to an all round developmental transformation at this moment goes beyond the issue of rotational argument to a man who possess the know-how to continue with the aggressive development  pedigree which Governor Ayade has set in motion in the state.

    “We understand and appreciate the argument that in 1999 the governorship started from the South, went to the Central and then the North, then it should return to the South, an idea which the governor himself is strongly behind. However we asa group look beyond this argument to the general interest of the state and the continuity of the great  development blueprint of Ayade,” he stressed.

    Arguing further, Etim explained that it is still the same” if Chris Agara finishes his terms, we know that the South will take its two terms and them reverse to the North since at this time both the Central and South had taken their two terms leaving only the North with one round and will need to go for its own second round. ”

    The SSDSACAL Chairman called on Chris Agara to come out frontally to contest for the 2023 number one political position in Cross River State and that the groupyand other similar groups will do everything within the ambit of the law to ensure that Chris Agara emerge as the winner of the governorship race and be sworn in on May 29, 2023.

    He therefore appealed to all Cross Riverians to file behind Chris Agara desire to take over from Ayade next year to continue with the development projects and programmes of Governor Ayade.

     

  • The Leading Presidential Aspirant In PDP, Nyesom Wike Will Be In Calabar Today – Joe Obi Bisong

    The Leading Presidential Aspirant In PDP, Nyesom Wike Will Be In Calabar Today – Joe Obi Bisong

     

    Dear partners, this is to officially inform you that our own His Excellency Barr Nyesom Wike Governor of Rivers state and leading Presidential Aspirant will be in calabar today by 11am
    We are expected to mobilise in our numbers to the calabar Airport by 10am to recieved and accord our August visitor a resounding welcome to calabar.
    Give this information very wide publicity. Thank you and God bless you all.

    Joe obi Bisong
    DG

    Caterpillar Movement

  • Cross River 2023: In Search Of Mr Integrity As Tag Team Partner BY JERRY EKPO

    Cross River 2023: In Search Of Mr Integrity As Tag Team Partner BY JERRY EKPO

     

    The die is cast. 2023, another year of political transition is here with us. Cross River, like most states in Nigeria, is bracing up for a fresh governorship election and contenders for the two topmost political positions in the state are not in short supply.

    A candidate shall definitely emerge in the All Progressives Congress,  APC. But what is also critical, is who will play the deputising role for the governor?

    For the sake of argument, they are those who have been parroting the claim that as a party now in power in the state, it has not won a major election, except for the recently conducted senatorial by-election in the Northern Senatorial District of the state. However, before then, the APC won Abi-Yakurr federal seat as an opposition.

    So as the APC warms up for what will no doubt be its first major election for the office  of the governor come 2023, the choice of a tag team partner with the governorship candidate of the party is key, as whoever is chosen should be one with something to bring to the table.

    It is against this background that the name Anthony Odey Ochicha is a fit and proper one for deputy governor.

    Odey Ochicha has become a recurring decimal on the lips of a broad spectrum of Cross Riverians of like-mind who insist that there is an inextricable nexus between integrity and good governance.

    For the good of Cross River, recruitment and enthronement of quality leaders that will take over the baton from His Excellency, Governor Ben Ayade on May 29, 2023, is one task that must not be shirked or treated with levity,  thus John Quincy Adams’ treatise on leadership ready comes to mind here.

    In climes where good governance and service delivery are the meat of democratic ethos, Quincy’s prescription forms the fulcrum upon which the leadership selection process rests.

    According to Quincy Adams, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

    This timeless quote clinically mirrors the character traits of Anthony Odey Ochicha. It also offers a veritable barometer to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Cross River to hinge on while carefully sieving through the galaxy of gladiators in its fold currently angling for the two topmost political positions in the state- Governorship and Deputy Governorship.

    While zoning arrangement in Cross River APC may have technically precluded Ochicha from gunning for the number one position, even though he flew the party’s flag in the 2015 gubernatorial election,  his wealth of experience, patriotic fervour, selflessness, rock-solid integrity and unflinching loyalty to the party highly recommend him for the Deputy Governorship position.

    Cross Riverians are desirous of leaders who are well acquainted with the socio-political and economic anatomy of the state, ones that know the nitty-gritty of governance and are committed to consolidating the gains of His Excellency, Governor Ayade’s administration. Ochicha perfectly fits this bill.

    There is no doubt that if paired with whoever the APC eventually endorses as flagbearer, Ochicha will provide a robust bulwark against maladministration.

    Here is an incorruptible character,  a man who places integrity, honesty and morality above self-aggrandisement.

    A few years ago, as a senior staff of NAPIMS, a subsidiary of the NNPC, before he resigned to vie for Cross River governorship, Ochicha refused to do what most public servants would have gleefully done.

    He was supposed to travel to the US for a training program on the bill of his employers (NAPIMS)

    NAPIMS had already paid him millions of Naira upfront as travel allowance to cover his stay there. However, knowing that his mind was already made up for politics, he declined to attend the training because he wanted to attend a scheduled APC meeting in Lagos, Ochicha promptly returned the humongous travelling allowance to NAPIMS.

    As is the lurid norm in the public/civil service, Ochicha, if he had wanted, could have decided not to return the money as others that did not attend the training program oversea did but it was not in his character to swim in corruption.

    In all he does, Ochicha puts Cross River first. For him, love of the state transcends political and pecuniary benefits which was why shortly after Ayade, his main challenger in the 2015 governorship election, was declared the winner of the exercise, he wasted no time in conceding defeat and congratulating the winner.

    Of course, moving the state forward rather than dissipating energy on legal tussle or toxic opposition was paramount to him. Like the governor himself, Ochicha’s political philosophy is rooted in the principle of politics with ethics.

    A consummate party man, his fidelity and loyalty to the APC contributed to a large extent the reason the party didn’t go into extinction following the debilitating crisis that rocked it before and after its defeat in the 2019 guber election.

    Even when it became fashionable for some chieftains to switch allegiance to the then ruling party in Cross River, the PDP, Ochicha hugged the APC tightly, helping to navigate it through that perilous phase to its current position of strength as the ruling party following the entrance of Governor Ayade.

    Ochicha’s unwavering loyalty to the party was to catch the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari hence he was appointed by Mr President to serve his fatherland as Chairman of the governing Board of the Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji, Ondo State.

    However, the President, knowing Ochicha’s pedigree, no doubt will be happy to see him serve Cross River as Deputy Governor.

    A native of Bekwarra local government in Northern Cross River, in the spirit of equity, fair play and natural justice, Ochicha’s Deputy Governorship will go a long in assuaging the hurt that the local government has felt over the years following its mindless marginalisation politically as well as unexplained denial of basic amenities.

     

    Jerry Ekpo, a chieftain of the APC, wrote in from Abuja