The Lumine News

Author: The Lumine News

  • Caterpillar Movement Congratulates Usibe, Expresses Confident That Justice Will Be Done To This Grave Injustice Perpetuated By The Government Of The Day

    Caterpillar Movement Congratulates Usibe, Expresses Confident That Justice Will Be Done To This Grave Injustice Perpetuated By The Government Of The Day

    CATERPILLAR MOVEMENT
    28th Feb, 2022

    Dear, Hon. Michael Ede Usibe
    Member Elect,
    Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency,
    Cross River State

    CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR EMERGENCE
    On behalf of our principal Sen Sandy Onor and the entire Caterpillar Movement political family we wish to Congratulate you on your resounding victory at the just concluded By-election in your Federal Constituency held on the 26th February, 2022.

    Despite the militarisation and violence that was unleashed to intimidate law abiding, harmless and armless voters, your people spoke with a loud voice through the ballots that, they have great confidence in your leadership and our great party, the PDP. We are confident that justice will be done to this grave injustice perpetuated by the government of the day. Not too long, you shall assume office as the elected representative of your people.

    We, the Caterpillar Movement family will continue to support you and your people to ensure that the dividends of democracy is enjoyed by all and sundry. Do accept the assurances of our warm regards as you proceed to rendering effective representation.

    Once again, Accept our congratulations.

    Joe Obi Bisong Hon Chief
    Director General

  • Ogoja/Yala Bye-election: Ogoja Has Totally Rejected APC, Bekwarra is aggrieved, Obanliku is unhappy, Obudu And Yala Cannot Secure Ayade A Return To The Senate – Ntamu

    Ogoja/Yala Bye-election: Ogoja Has Totally Rejected APC, Bekwarra is aggrieved, Obanliku is unhappy, Obudu And Yala Cannot Secure Ayade A Return To The Senate – Ntamu

    OGOJA/YALA BYE ELECTION AS A LITMUS TEST.

    The much anticipated Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency bye election has finally come and gone. The uncertainties surrounding the outcome, whether the result as announced by INEC is final or there may be a redress at the Election Petition Tribunal is left for the future.

    The election may have been concluded and a winner declared by INEC, but a good look at some facts and figures may leave us with a different impression other than the earlier assumption that the party who emerged winner determines the overall outcome of the 2023 election.

    From what was declared by INEC, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief Jude Ngaji scored a total of 22,778(52.5%) to beat his closest rival, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Hon. Mike Usibe who scored 20,590(47.5%). The percentage margin between the candidates is just (5.05%).

    Judging by the fact that the candidate of the APC is a very popular personality and someone who is contesting for the second time in less than four years, 5.05% is rather a margin too insignificant to celebrate, especially by a ruling party. The implication of this is that, only Chief Jude Ngaji who currently enjoys goodwill across parties can win any election for the ruling party.

    Again, it is on record that Ogoja/Yala currently constitute over 65% of the state appointees in Northern Senatorial District, with Yala LGA dominating in some key strategic appointments. Having people such as; the former DG of Due Process, now APC Chairman, the sacked senator, returned as SUBEB Chairman, CRUTECH Vice Chancellor and other high profile appointees all from Yala. One would ordinarily have expected a landslide margin, but the reality at hand is rather shocking.

    The most recent appointment which was released on the eve of the bye election numbering up to 93 appointees had Ogoja/Yala topping the list as always. Some of us expected the new appointees to show appreciation by harvesting adequate votes. But the lean margin of 5.05% is a clear indication that the Governor’s concentration of his appointment in his preferred location has not yielded bountifully.

    In 2023, APC members in places like Bekwarra must brace up for a tough time. As currently constituted, Bekwarra sits at the lowest rung on the list of appointees.With just two Commissioners, a Senior Special Adviser and other appointees of Bekwarra origin occupying the basest offices. It is clear that Bekwarra has not been in the reckoning of Ben Ayade’s Government. Glaringly, Ayade has scant regard or disdain for Bekwarra, same place he has claimed his grandmother hails from all in attempt to scam the people into aligning with him politically.

    The marginalisation of Bekwarra people continues when he left Bekwarra out without any viable industry, except the reported groundnut milling oil factory, which he has been trying grudgingly to complete. With this stark reality, Bekwarra would have no option than to seek a new realignment as the 2023 general election beckons, with Ayade believed to be seeking a return to the senate.

    This is why the just concluded House of Representatives bye election is an eye opener. From the outcome of the election Ogoja has totally rejected APC, Bekwarra is aggrieved, Obanliku is unhappy. Consequently, Obudu and Yala cannot secure him a return to the senate.

    The Nigerian Police Force whose contribution in intimidating electorate largely influenced the actualisation of the lean margin of 5.05% won’t afford the luxury of sending over 5000 officers to each Local Government of Cross River State in 2023. And because it would be a general election, the possibility of having a police helicopter hovering over of every Local Government is very much unlikely.

    Those planning to hide under state powers and the security for intimidation as recorded at many instances across Ogoja and Yala would be disappointed.

    If the Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency bye election was a litmus test, then APC and Governor Ayade have their work cut out for them.

    Equally, the trouncing of the APC by the PDP in Akpabuyo State bye election sums up the acceptability deficit of the power of the party in the state.

    Agaji Adie Ntamu (SAT)
    Is a Strategic Media Consultant,
    and a Seasoned Teacher.

     

    Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are strictly that of the author, Agaji Adie Ntamu and does not represent TheLumineNews or the organization the author works for.

  • PDP Appoints Jarigbe Agom Secretary, Lagos State Congress Appeal Committee

    PDP Appoints Jarigbe Agom Secretary, Lagos State Congress Appeal Committee

    The senator representing Cross River Northern Senatorial District, Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe has been appointed alongside six others to serve in the Appeal Committee for the Lagos State Congress.

    In a release signed by the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Hon Debo Ologunagba and sighted by TheLumineNews, indicates Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe is to serve as Secretary while Aldophus Wabara PhD is to serve as Chairman of the committee.

    The release reads in full *March 2, 2022 Press Statement PDP Constitutes Lagos State Congress Appeal Panel.

    “The National Working Committee of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has constituted the Lagos State Congresses Appeal Committee to consider appeals arising from the conduct of the State Congress in Lagos State. The members of the Committee are:

    “1. H.E. Sen. Adolphus Wabara, PhD.- Chairman.
    2. Dr Akilu Indabawa – member
    3. Hajiya Inna Maryam Ciroma – member
    4. Chief Emmanuel Ogidi – member
    5. Hon. Aro Bamidele – member
    6. Barr Oji Zawo member
    7. Dist. Sen. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe – Secretary.

    “The exercise is scheduled to hold on Thursday, March 3 to Friday, March 4, 2022 at the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja. Signed: Hon. Debo Ologunagba National Publicity Secretary”.

  • Ogoja/Yala Bye-election: Cross River PDP Rejects Result, Alleges Rigging

    Ogoja/Yala Bye-election: Cross River PDP Rejects Result, Alleges Rigging

     

    The Peoples Democratic Party in Cross River State has rejected the result of the February 26 bye-election for the Ogoja/Yala Federal House of Representatives seat.

    Speaking at a news conference in Calabar, on Tuesday, the state Chairman of the party, Venatius Ikem, said the election was marred by malpractices and violence, insisting that the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mike Usibe, won the election.

    He accused some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission of compromising the electoral process in favour of the All Progressives Congress, whose candidate, Jude Ngaji, was declared winner by the returning officer, John Edor.

    According to him, “We reject in totality the results announced by the Returning Officer in the Saturday, February 26, bye-election for the House of Representatives seat for Ogoja/Yala, in which the APC candidate was wrongfully declared a winner, because he did not score the majority of valid votes cast in that election.

    “The bye-election was characterised by massive irregularities, including violence, orchestrated by the APC-led government and her officials who snatched ballot boxes and other election materials at will at gun point and manipulated the results to their advantage.”

    He also alleged and demanded “as a matter of urgency the disbandment of the Special Police units under the Chief Security Officer of the Governor, which he is using for thuggery and political purposes, raining mayhem on innocent voters, contrary to all expectations of a neutral state security outfit.”

    Ikem also made other demands, among which is “that the Independent National Electoral Commission investigates its staff, especially one Mr. Toyin, an Assistant Director or Deputy Director in the Commission’s office in Calabar in charge of the IT unit, with a view to unravelling his interference with the BVAS machines deployed for the election, which he claimed that 5 units were missing
    before the election, and which were alleged to have suddenly emerged at election centres.

    “We demand that Mr. Festus Okoye (National Commissioner) be equally investigated and never again posted for election duty to Cross River State, because he has shown clearly that he comes
    here at the behest of Governor Ayade and to do his dirty work of subverting the will of the electorate in the state.

    “Most importantly, we demand that INEC should produce all BVAS machines used for the election to ascertain if the accreditation recorded in the machines corresponds with the number of votes declared by the Returning Officer in the February 26 bye-election.”

    He said the party has evidence to prove that the election was rigged in favour of the All Progressives Congress and hoped that the result will be upturned through legal processes in favour of the PDP.

    Video clips of the alleged violence and ballot box snatching by the APC officials were shown to journalists at the venue of the event.

  • Emulate Wife of the President, NYSC DG Tells Stakeholders

    Emulate Wife of the President, NYSC DG Tells Stakeholders

    The Director General of the National Youtg Service Corps, Maj. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim has called on well-to-do individuals and Corporate Bodies to take a cue from Her Excellency, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. (Mrs) Aisha Muhammadu Buhari by donating well equipped ambulance vehicles for the operation of NYSC mobile clinics Nationwide.

    The DG, who spoke through the State Coordinator of NYSC Cross River State, Mr Zemoh Andrew made the appeal during the swearing in ceremony of the 2022 Batch A stream 1 Corps Members at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Obubra. He requested for support from stakeholders for the success of the Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme of the NYSC which is aimed at providing easier access to free and qualitative health care especially for the rural poor.

    Gen Shuaibu also challenged the corps Members to take skills acquisition and Enterprenuership training of the NYSC, seriously, adding that the training is meant to prepare corps Members for self employment and wealth creation through vocational and Enterprenuership training as well as linkage with financial institutions and other funding source for business start-up financing.

    The NYSC helmsman used the occasion to thank the house of Representatives for the progress made so far in the legislative processes on the bill for the establishment of the NYSC trust fund as well as spirited individual support for the proposed trust fund especially during the Public hearing conducted by the be house committee
    Earlier, a Total of 1,700 Members of the Corps were sworn in by the Administrative Judge of Obubra High Court Hon Justice Emmanuel Obua, who represented the Chief Judge of Cross River State, Hon Justice Akon Ikpeme.

     

  • Ayade’s Plan To Use Military And Police To Disrupt By-election: An Act Of Political Banditry – PDP

    Ayade’s Plan To Use Military And Police To Disrupt By-election: An Act Of Political Banditry – PDP

    PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY CROSS RIVER STATE

    24th February 2022

    Press Statement:

    Ayade’s Plan to Use Military and Police to Disrupt By-election: An Act of Political Banditry

    We have received intelligence information about the plan by the failure-ridden APC to collude with the military and some Units of the Police Force to disenfranchise voters and cause mayhem in Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo Local Government Area. We have it on good authority that the Governor is currently mobilizing the military, Operation Akpawu and the Sting Unit attached to the Governor’s office to militarize the by-election and dissuade eligible Voters from coming out to vote.

    Aware of the imminent failure awaiting the APC, the Governor and his bloodthirsty party has resorted to Political banditry against the good people of Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo. To this end, we call on the Security agencies, especially the Army and the Police to show high level of discipline and professionalism in the discharge of their duties and resist any attempt to be use by self-serving Political bandits to carry out anti-people and anti-democratic electoral malpractice. We call on the good people of Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo Local Government to resist any attempt by the broom-wielding bandits in APC to disenfranchise them or rig the election.

    As a party, we are confident that power revolves around the people and we call on the people to come out and vote massively for the people-oriented PDP. Cross River State belongs to all of us and together we shall rescue, reclaim, rebuild and restore it.

    God bless Cross River State.

    Signed:
    Prince Mike Ojisi
    (State Publicity Secretary)

  • Rivers PDP Replies Alphonsus Eba, Describes Him As A Political Piece-of-furniture Character

    Rivers PDP Replies Alphonsus Eba, Describes Him As A Political Piece-of-furniture Character

    PRESS BRIEFING OF THE STATE CHAIRMAN OF PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), RIVERS STATE CHAPTER, AMB. DESMOND AKAWOR ON THE 23RD OF FEBRUARY 2022 AT PDP SECRETARIAT, RIVERS STATE.

    “The Unwarranted Outcry of Cross Rivers State APC and her Impossible Demands: a Case of Timidity, Confusion and Resignation to Empty Threats”

    Our attention is drawn to the rather lackadaisical, callous, and unconstitutional speech given at a press conference by the Cross Rivers State APC Chairman, one Alphonsus Eba, who sounded the politically and legally dumbest in the year 2022. But not to worry, the year is still young to give a prize.

    Just like the saying “when the thing greater than the cricket enters its hole, the cricket runs for fear”. It does not in any way presuppose that the thing which entered the cricket’s hole had entered with the intention of causing chaos. It is only an impulse felt by the inferiority of the cricket, and it acts in sheer timidity. This adage aptly describes the visit of His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike CON, GSSRS, POS Africa, “Mr. Quality Project” to Cross Rivers State.

    Alphonsus Eba went on and ahead to expose his ignorance at the political and local grand schemes, by stating quite shamelessly that the visit of His Excellency, Nyesom Wike, was to intimidate and bully him and his fast-eroding party, and then he committed the most unforgivable fallacy; daring to declare the Dike Ohna 1 of Ikwerre and Governor of Rivers State a security risk, and warning him off the terrain of Cross Rivers State.

    Firstly, if we should lend some credence to his rather foolish words and consider it on the merits, when has a mere visit for a political rally become such as to incite violence in the State nor on Mr. Eba and his cancerous APC party? It goes to show the foundational pillars upon which APC builds: political intolerance, zero democracy and zero conformation of opposition participation. Otherwise, why is the Cross Rivers APC wailing and crying wolf over a mere legally and morally justified political rally of the PDP in Cross Rivers State? Are they allergic to opposition activities? That has never and can never be the PDP.

    The PDP is a political party whose blueprint is that of democracy, inclusion, and condonation. If the PDP had ever in the records of history been like the APC currently is, then the APC would not have seen the light of power. What exactly are they afraid of? Is it not that which is bound to happen? It is indeed advisable that the APC begins now to ready their crying handkerchiefs, as more tears are bound to flow.

    Again, who is Mr. Eba, a rather political piece-of-furniture character, to declare a sitting governor a security risk? The millipede challenges the elephant to a dance because it thinks it is a contest for the one with more legs.

    May we bring it to the knowledge of Mr. Eba that his speech is suggestive of the fact (which is ostensible) that his political party also exists in flagrant disregard of fundamental rights, right to expression, right to movement, right to franchise, right to association. May we also add that these rights are constitutional, legal, transboundary, and do not change because Cross Rivers State is concerned.

    His Excellency, Nyesom Wike, an illustrious chieftain of PDP, a political lifesaver, the Rivers rock of Gibraltar, and an upright leader by all means, had visited Cross Rivers State for her By-Elections for the Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo State Constituency billed for Saturday, 26 February, 2022.

    It was a rally for campaign flag off. It will be recalled that the police had in the earlier hours of Saturday barricaded the Calabar Sports Club, the venue for the flag-off of PDP’s campaigns for Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo State constituency bye-elections. It was obvious the Governor of Cross Rivers State, through the instrumentality of the Police, was bent on frustrating the planned PDP rally. Unfortunately for Gov. Ben Ayade, Governor Wike threw this plan overboard, and Mr. Eba, the APC chairman who’s also an aide to the Cross Rivers State Governor, ran to the media to cry out his frustrations in the form of spewed trash.

    Why would Gov. Ben Ayade, a sitting governor, for mere federal constituency elections, forestall the activities of the state citizens whose offense is simply rejecting the meal of the devilish APC? Does that in any way show democracy and government of inclusion? Does that suggest that the ensuing elections were planned to be free and fair?

    May it also be noted, especially since the annals of history remain accessible and public, that this is not the first of a kind of visit Governor Nyesom Wike, and indeed any governor at all, would be visiting another state in solidarity with his political party, ahead of any elections in that state. The elite, civilly sound, appealingly democratic and politically sophisticated Nyesom Wike was at Edo State as Chairman of PDP National campaign council that re-elected Governor Obaseki. Edo State did not become a field of war. Again, just last year, the peaceful but resilient Governor Wike was at Lagos State to witness the defection of an APC Chieftain known as Dr. Olajide Adediran aka Jandor. Lagos did not leave its place and relocate into the Atlantic. He was yet again at Bayelsa recently to commission a project. He was welcomed with civility (as it should be). Heavens remained in its place, and peace prevailed in all these states that Governor Wike had visited. Then one visit to Cross Rivers State and toothless bulldogs began cackling, with tales of shame, fear, and timidity.

    It begs the question, what is the precious plan the Governor of Cross Rivers State and his boy Mr. Eba had up their sleeves regarding the by-elections? Why are they uncomfortable with free citizens exercising their God-given fundamental rights? I believe the answers are glaringly undoubted at this juncture.

    Lastly, may we state categorically that Mr. Eba, the now APC Chairman of Cross Rivers, a very unstable politician of no viable repute, who hitherto left PDP in 2010 to ANPP after being denied House of Assembly ticket, returned in 2012, and defected again to APC in 2021, and who is acting the script of his paymaster the Governor, cannot and does not have the capacity to stand Governor Nyesom Wike in all ramifications. The dear PDP members in Cross Rivers State are by this encouraged to fly the Red, white and green flag in high mast, fearlessly and in defiance of toothless barkings of political touts, as they hold no water, and would never hold any, in the grand scheme of things.

  • Cross River State APC’s Position on Governor Nyesom Wike: Hallucinations Of Defeat. – PDP

    Cross River State APC’s Position on Governor Nyesom Wike: Hallucinations Of Defeat. – PDP

    PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY CROSS RIVER STATE

    23rd February 2022.

    Press Statement:

    Cross River State APC’s Position on Governor Nyesom Wike: Hallucinations of Defeat.

    Yesterday, 22nd February 2022, we watched with amusement the lamentation treatise sent out by the loquacious factional Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Cross River State, Alphonsus Eba, in which the cheap braggart inexplicably accused Governor Nyesom Wike of several baseless, tenuous, unsubstantiated imaginations of his not-so-fertile brain of conspiracies to destabilize Cross River State. The utter disrespect which underlines the press briefing granted by the factional Chairman of APC, Alphonsus Eba, establishes, beyond doubt, the pre-election trauma being faced by the failure-ridden APC ahead of the by-election on Saturday, 26th February, 2022.

    Aware that Governor Nyesom Wike’s visit to Cross River State on Saturday 19th February for the PDP by-election flag-off rally ruffled not a few feathers in APC, we understand the pain and agony in the camp of the APC, which has resulted to an expression of schizophrenia and defeatism.

    We challenge the APC chairman to organize a similar event and attract such a personality like Governor Nyesom Wike in his party to attend. We challenge them to invite their party leaders in South-South to Cross River State.

    It is incongruous that Alphonsus Eba in his howler and humdrum ridden press briefing had the temerity to accuse Governor Nyesom Wike of trying to import Political “cannibalism” into Cross River State. Pray someone should please interpret what exactly this means in English language. I thought cannibalism refers to species that feed on their type, in simple language.

    For a green-horn in Party administration that was imposed on the party by Governor Ayade without any experience whatsoever in political party administration, who is only pretending to be running the party because most of the prominent stakeholders have been sufficiently intimidated into submission to Governor/Emperor Ayade, how would such an uncouth fellow be elevated to such a position? That APC Leaders in the state have been reduced to grovelling sycophants is why a greenhorn monster like Alphonsus Eba so enthused in empty, boisterous talk and bitterness over his loss of the Party chairmanship position in PDP can prat around for lack of knowledge as to what to do to win an election and resort to unproductive press conferences.

    Alphonsus Eba should be reminded that at his so called reception in his ward there was bloodletting that remains unexplainable until date because of his alleged predilection to occultism and consequential bloodletting, which he could not even spare his kinsmen in his desperation for power and money.

    That a man who sleeps with, eats and breathes violence and cannibalism, can have the temerity to accuse his superiors of “cannibalism” is a display of his bad upbringing and unfitness for a public office that entails leading and persuading responsible citizens into believing in his party platform. We find such pedestrian remarks about Governor Nyesom Wike, highly condemnable and unnecessarily inciting and we hereby condemn such.

    We further condemn in strong terms the attempt by APC to stoke the embers of anarchy and violence in the State at every point during the campaigns towards the by election of February, 26, 2022. We call on all security agencies to note the consistent attempt by the APC in Cross River State to incite violence in the belief that they can use the machinery of Government and official security outfits to intimidate the PDP because they are conscious of the fact that they cannot win the by-election in a free and fair contest.

    It is further instructive to say that those who the gods have destined to destroy, they first make mad. For Okadigbo, whose life is characterized by thuggery and criminality to address Governor Nyesom Wike as a “motor park tout” shows the depth of his mental and intellectual ineptitude. We are bemused that a party like APC, with Governor Ben Ayade that superintended over the killing of Cross Riverians at Ogoja and Yala local Government Area during the Northern Cross River Senatorial by-election primaries could have the moral rectitude to talk about Political “cannibalism”. It is on record that a young Cross Riverian was shot and killed inside the house of a serving APC Commissioner in Yala Local Government Area, while Alphonsus Eba ordered the sporadic shooting of his own kinsmen at Echomofona. What else can be more cannibalistic than shooting your own kinsmen for Political relevance?

    As we approach the by-election day, we call on Cross Riverians, especially the good people of Ogoja/Yala to remember the many sins of APC in Cross River State and resist the occultic party by voting overwhelmingly for the people-oriented PDP.

    As a party, we refuse to be intimidated by the unwholesome shenanigans of the occultic cabals in APC, whose god is their belly.

    On the laughable attempt to label Governor Nyesom Wike— a sitting Governor with immunity— a Security threat in Cross River State, we call on the APC to stop embarrassing rational and reasonable Cross Riverians by their show of gross ignorance and pettiness. Who is Alphonsus Eba to declare a sitting Governor a security threat? Must Alphonsus Eba dance naked in the market square always just to ingratiate Governor Ben Ayade before he can qualify for crumbs off Governor Ben Ayade’s table?

    As a party, we sympathize and condole with the APC on the imminent loss awaiting them on Saturday, 26th February, our prayers and thoughts are with them in this trying moment of their political life.

    We call on our party faithfuls to remember our brothers and sisters beleaguered and beguiled in APC, in their prayers for God to open their eyes of understanding.

    We believe in the Cross River Project, and we are solely determined to rescue, restore, reclaim and rebuild Cross River State!!

    God bless Cross River State.

    Signed
    Prince Mike Ojisi
    (State Publicity Secretary)

  • Wike, Udom Leads Campaign Council For Ogoja/Yala Federal And Akpabuyo State Constituencies Bye-election

    Wike, Udom Leads Campaign Council For Ogoja/Yala Federal And Akpabuyo State Constituencies Bye-election

    February 22, 2022

    Press Statement

    PDP Constitutes Campaign Council for Cross River Bye-Elections

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approved the nomination of the following party members as members of the National Campaign Council/Election Management Team for the Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo State Constituency bye-elections scheduled for saturday, February 26, 2022 in Cross River State

    The members of the committee are;
    1. H.E Chief Nyesom Wike – Chairman
    2. H.E Emmanuel Udom – Co. Chairman
    3. Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu – Member
    4. H.E Sen. Liyel Imoke – Member
    5. H.E Donald Duke – Member
    6. Prof. Stella Effah-Attoe – Member
    7. Rt. Hon. Patrick Nathan Ifon – Member
    8. Chief Ferdinand Alabraba – Member
    9. Sen. Gershom Bassey – Member
    10. Sen. Prof. Sandy Onor – Member
    11. Sen. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe – Member
    12. Hon. Daniel Asuquo – Member
    13. Hon. Essien Ekpenyong – Member
    14. Hon. Friday Okpeche – Member
    15. Hon. Effa Esua – Member
    16. Hon. Aniekan Akpan – Member
    17. Hon. Solomon E. Agwana – Member
    18. Hon. Ikem Venatius Ayabie – Member
    19. Hon. Barr. Kingsley Esiso – Member
    20. Dr. Tony Aziegbemi – Member
    21. Amb. Desmond Akawor – Member
    22. Chief Dan Orbih – Secretary

    The Directorate of Organization and Mobilization shall serve as Secretariat for the Council.

    Signed:

    Hon. Debo Ologunagba
    National Publicity Secretary

  • UK Supports Nigeria Clean Energy Transition Efforts With £10m

    UK Supports Nigeria Clean Energy Transition Efforts With £10m

    By Inyali Peter

    The United Kingdom (UK) has announced the provision of up to £10 million of concessional aid to reduce the risk for pension and insurance funds to invest in energy access projects, and support Nigeria’s COP26 commitments.

    UK Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford said that the financing will help Nigerian investors focus on low carbon energy, supporting off-grid, low-carbon energy projects.

    While explaining that the £10 million will be blended to de-risk transactions and mobilise domestic institutional investment from local pension funds, insurance firms and other local institutional investors, she added that it will also help scale up domestic financing for eligible off-grid clean energy infrastructure, such as solar mini-grid and home systems, clean cooking infrastructure and SME cold storage infrastructure in Nigeria.

    According to her, “The UK is committed to increasing both renewable energy and energy access in Nigeria, driving clean, sustainable and resilient growth. As the world looks to transition to clean growth, we are witnessing an era-defining opportunity for the private sector. This transaction is particularly exciting as it brings together UK government support with the institutional capital which is essential to grow the sector at scale.”

    She added that the innovative blended finance initiative will provide affordable long-term financing from local investors for the low carbon energy sector to support scaling up of off-grid low carbon energy projects in unserved and underserved communities.

    Continuing, she explained that the initiative will support the implementation of Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions plan, which Nigeria submitted to the UNFCCC before COP26, its Energy Transition Plan, which was presented by the Nigerian government at COP26, and Nigeria’s plans to increase energy access including the Solar Naija programme.

    Also speaking, Honourable Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu said that lack of access to local currency financing is a major setback towards the efforts to unlock private sector activities in the clean energy transition initiative.

    The Minister who was represented by the Honourable Minister of State, Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba, OFR, said that local institutions such as pension and insurance funds have key role to play because there are the institutions with the scale of local currency liquidity required to accelerate the transition.

    Aliyu narrated that “Nigeria Kickstarted its clean energy transition as far back as 2014 with the first Solar Hybrid Projects executed across Lagos, Kaduna and Borno States. Since then, we have continued to raise ambition by putting requisite regulations and policies in place, developing investor-grade data for project development, and securing the $550 million NEP facility from the World Bank and African Development Bank-this is currently the largest clean energy access programme across the continent “.

    He added that” this trajectory culminated in the development Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan at the end of 2021, with the support from the UK Government’s Energy Transition Council. This plan showed the pathway to an energized economy and carbon neutrality by 2060, and highlighted the need for additional investment of $410 billion above business as usual over the next 40 years”.

    Also speaking, Uche Orji, Managing Director of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), and Chairman of InfraCredit, said that, “infraCredit is pleased to be working with FCDO to mobilise private investment from domestic pension funds and other institutional investors into such an important developmental area as low carbon energy access”.

    Orji maintained that “this programme is aligned with NSIA’s other clean energy initiatives which aims to deliver up to ‪250-500‬MW of renewable energy capacity in Nigeria that will reduce annual CO2 emissions, alleviate poverty, create jobs and support local economic growth.”