The Lumine News

Author: News

  • Learn, Unlearn, Relearn Everything…. BY AGBA JALINGO

     

    We learn everything we know how to do because we arrived here only with an empty disc. Not knowing how to even crawl or walk. Even the crying we arrive here with, is learnt here. It is a product of the fear that overwhelms us on arrival in a strange environment. When we arrive here, we begin to learn. We are told by those who arrived here before us billions of years ago, through their customs and traditions, their writings and arts and other forms of legacies that, this is this and that is that. We begin to accept and assimilate what we are learning into our empty disc. As our senses continue to perceive, our disc too begins to populate itself with the things we are learning. The disc is also equipped with capacity to refuse saving some files it detects to be corrupted with malware.

    But as the disc keeps filling it’s space, when there is no more space again, some of the saved files will have to be unlearneds the disc can relearn or better put, accommodate new files. In other analogy, it’s like having grown to become a student, you progress to become a teacher too someday, and grow to become a professor in what you are teaching and begin to profess. You have learned, unlearned and relearned. You become an authority because you can now propound your own prognostications arising from your own research and proven ideas.

    Today, I believe in God not because any person or any book or any philosophy told me so. Yes I was told all my life that there is God. That Christ is the only way to God. I was told about the angels and devil also, as well as heaven and hell. I have also read about the esoteric concepts of the universe and the cosmic. But as I grew up, I climaxed by doubting the existence of God.

    I challenged everything that told me earlier that there is a God and wanted to believe that there is God only if it was from my own personal conviction based on my experience in my sojourn in this world. I wasn’t asking for evidence. I was unlearning. In that course, simple things both in life and in nature, that will not even matter to you or someone else and even the big things that are unimaginable and inexplicable became part of my awe-ing experience.

    I began to relearn that there is a “something” that is remotely controlling the affairs of this green planet and the rest of the stars. That thing is greater than all things perceivable. It is my conviction now. I don’t see God through the eyes of anyone again. Not Mathew, not Mark, not Luke, not John, not Paul, not Mohammed, not Buddha, not Jesus etc. I see God through my eyes. Through the simple things that astound me. I have relearned.

    I learnt all my life that Mongo Park discovered River Niger. I have unlearned and relearned that too. I learnt that the devil is black and the angels are white, I have relearned and unlearned that too. I learnt that “Ojuju Calabar” is coming and will run under the bed, I have also unlearned and relearned that too.

    In this life, there is nothing that cannot or should not be learned, unlearned and relearned. Including questioning the existence of God, your nativity, your belief systems. Question taboos, poke your fingers in the eyes of age long cliches and paradigms. Don’t swallow anything hook, line and sinker, including what you are reading now, unless it is born out of conviction based on your own experience. The truth is that heaven will not fall if you do. Even if it does fall, it won’t fall on your head alone.

    Good morning.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

  • Let’s Join Hands And Digitised UNICAL, VC Tells Committee Of Deans, Directors

     

    The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof Florence Obi, has called on leaders of the University to think and work towards a total digitisation of the university in compliance with technological age.

    The Vice-Chancellor made the call at an interactive meeting with Deans and Directors held at the Council Chamber of the University.

    Prof. Obi said by their position as leaders, they must make things work and liken their roles to that of a commander in military circles.

    She said that with a strategic plan document in place, it is the role of the Deans to guide departments to evolve a workable plan of their own based on the institutional strategic plan.

    She drew the attention of the Deans and Directors to some pivotal key areas in the plan that are critical to the growth and noted that if Management made up of the current assemblage of leaders can achieve 50% of the plan content, then it will be difficult to circumvent its sustained progress.

    She called on the foremost faculty leaders to embrace provisions in the plan that entailed making adequate provision for teaching and learning, mentorship, improved ranking and smart campus.

    On Smart Campus, the VC disclosed that an official statement via circular will soon be issued legalizing online teaching and E-Learning Policy, as she pledged complete digitalization of the University before the end of the year.

    She informed that the convocation of the University billed for the last week in March this year will be unique, adding that the Emir of Kano will be formally installed as the Chancellor and the research fair will assume a bigger status in the proposed one-week event.

    The Vice-Chancellor promised to sustain the tempo of inaugural lectures, attend to outstanding sitting allowances requests, address complaints related to payment of Honorarium in Postgraduate School as well as entitlements of external examiners and external assessors.

    For the Assessment for 2021 promotions, Prof. Obi said all papers will have to go through the Director of Information Communication Technology (ICT) who will handle the repository concerns before submission to the Appointments and Promotion Committee, adding that a memo will be issued to that effect.

    In an earlier address, the Chairman of the Committee of Deans Prof Idongesit Akpabio, commended the Vice-Chancellor for her encouragement and friendly disposition to the committee.

    Prof. Akpabio rolled out the committee’s achievements in the sustained conduct of inaugural lectures, obtaining approval of study leave with pay for 60 staff, securing approval for most academic programmes in the Senate and payment of sitting allowances.

    The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, Prof. Angela Oyo-Ita, in a remark, observed that some carryover courses have not been uploaded and appeal to Deans to work with Heads of Departments to close the gaps as the date for the closure of the portal draws near.

  • The Dwindling Fortunes Of The Political Class And The Travails Of Jimmy Atibile BY DOMINIC KIDZU

    Jimmy Atibile took ill more than one year ago and lies prostrate in the hospital up till today, still ill, still waiting for a miracle, while his wife and children remain hopeful still, even in their helplessness.

    He woke up one morning to find a cancerous growth sitting between his nose and eyes which the doctors called nasopharyngeal cancer. A nice fellow set up a WatsaAp group for the kind assistance of his friends, family and colleagues, but money only trickled into the purse in nickels, pennies, bits and droplets.

    Jimmy, like his late elder brother, Prince Atibile, has been a politician for most of his adult life, therefore most of his friends are also politicians. He is the Chairman, Hawkers Rights Commission. His family and friends are good people, kind and caring too. Grown men, hunch – backed with their own burdens of life who look at Jimmy as he lies helpless in the Teaching Hospital and shed tears for their stricken friend.

    Jimmy’s friends cannot help him because they have no money to spare. The only thing they have enough to spare these days is their tears and that has been flowing freely down their wrinkled jaws like the dews of heaven. They remind me of the saying that men only cry when they have no money to solve the problem.

    And they are all politicians who nolonger have money to help anybody. All they have left today are the honorific titles: “Distinguished”, “Honourable”, “Right Honourable”, “the Chair the Chair”, etc. Their cars are tattered, their houses decrepit and their courage and self belief have long been eroded by the years of steady reduction.

    They nolonger go home to their villages, only the brave can afford the luxury. The politicians have kissed the dust and fallen from their emblematic grace, pomp and pageantry. Only a few of them have been spared the epidemic of lack and suffering. These are the nouveau riche who have ascended their new heights without having to be particularly excellent in any field of human endeavour. The rest are left to clap and chorus and hope against hope.

    And so Jimmy Atibile remains imprisoned in his hospital bed, held captive by an ailment the doctors say can be treated if Jimmy’s family and friends could raise three million Naira (N3,000,000). But alas, Jimmy’s family and friends can only hope that tears were a commodity they could sell to save the life of their daddy and bossom friend.

    Is there someone out there listening to this cry? Is there someone out there willing to help pay for his cure and bring him home to his family and friends?

     

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

  • Sandy Onor Sponsors A Motion To Upgrade And Standardize Traveling Processes At The Margaret Ekpo lnternational Airport, Calabar

    THE URGENT NEED TO UPGRADE INFRASTRUCTURE AND STANDARDISE TRAVELLING PROCESSES AT THE MARGARET EKPO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, CALABAR, CROSS RIVER STATE.

    Sponsor: Senator (Prof.) Sandy Ojang Onor (Cross River Central)

    Co-Sponsors: … Senator Gershom Bassey
    Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe

    The Senate:

    NOTES that the Calabar airport, Cross River State, was commissioned in July 1983, by former President Shehu Shagari and was equipped with modern facilities at the time and was soon raised to the status of an International airport.

    FURTHER NOTES that in the 1980’s and 1990’s, the National Carrier; Nigeria Airways, used to fly regionally from Calabar to Cameroun and Equitorial Guinea. This impacted positively on the economy of Cross River State, Nigeria and the sub-region at large.

    AWARE that the airport had standard facilities at that time, which were being maintained by the Federal Government. Most of these facilities while still being used, are now obsolete and need to be upgraded or replaced.

    FURTHER AWARE that although the airport still has the “international” status, the airport does not operate any international or regional flights anymore. In fact, until recently, only one commercial airline plied the Calabar route.

    WORRIED that if the international status of the airport is not restored, most of these facilities will further deteriorate and waste.

    CONCERNED that the lack of international / regional flights has greatly affected the economy and tourism drive of the state in particular and Nigeria at large.

    ACCORDINGLY RESOLVES TO:
    Urge the Federal Ministry of Aviation and all other relevant agencies to functionally restore the International flight status of the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar.

    Urge the Federal Ministry of Aviation and all other relevant agencies to fix and upgrade existing facilities to meet up with the required international standards.

    Urge the Federal Ministry of Aviation and all relevant agencies to ensure adequate security cover in and around the airport to protect equipment such as the Navigational Aids, lighting cables and the perimeter fence that are constantly vandalised by criminally minded people.

    Urge the Federal Ministry of Aviation and other relevant agencies to provide any facility needed to restore the International status of the airport, such as the Instrument Landing System (ILS) for night landings and the approach lights, which have been vandalised due to inadequate security cover.

    Urge the Federal Ministry of Aviation and other relevant agencies to install the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS). This will aid in restarting the International route programme of the Airport.
    I so move.

  • CRSPHCDA, MOH To Commence National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDS) Across The State – Ekpenyong

    The Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and partners will commence National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDS) across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state Cto combat the Spread of Poliomyelitis.

    The Response which targets children between the ages of 0-59 months will be administered Orally in all Government Health Facilities and designated temporary posts in our various Communities.

    Parents and care givers are admonished to bring out their kids and wards for the vaccination execise as health care providers will be moving from house to house, available in churches, schools, recreational centres, markets and other areas.

    Date: Saturday 29th January through Tuesday 1st of February, 2022.

    Note: The Vaccine is free, safe and effective for all children.

    For enquiry call: 0704 556 3366 or 07036696010.

    This message is brought to you by Dr Janet Ekpenyong
    Director General, Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency

  • Full Text Of Address By Rev Fr Emma Eroh At The University Of Calabar 2022 Solemn Assembly

    UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR, SOLEMN ASSEMBLY HELD ON THE 17TH OF JANUARY 2021.
    THEME: HEAL OUR LAND O LORD 2CHR 7:14
    MINISTER: REV. FR. EMMA EROH

    DEPARTURE:
    I must commend the VC of Unical and her team for trusting and having faith in the power and place of prayers in transforming Unical. It is a noble venture to put a pause to the entire school activities in order to seek the face of God to heal us, our land and bless us. It is my prayers that your reign shall leave indelible Mark’s on the sands of Unical and restore the perforated glory of Unical and stem the trouble in our land in Jesus name Amen. Indeed with God all things are possible Mk 10:27.

    SOLEMN ASSEMBLY
    The bible records myriads of instances where the entire community or nation resorted to prayers either to avert calamity or seek for God’s mercy and healing . In Deut 16: 8 the Lord commanded for a solemn assembly of prayers and impacting God’s blessings on his people. Lev. 23:36 emphasised restraint from work as a critical aspect of a solemn assembly inorder that the significance of the day may impact the people.
    In 2Chron 7:9 solemn assembly preceded the dedication of Solomon’s famous temple in Isreal, where the Lord promised ” to hear their cry and heal the land” 2Chron 7:13- 18. Healing is therefore pivotal and central to the life of a child of God.
    Similarly, King Jehu called a solemn assembly of all the prophets of Baal and exterminated them all and freed Isreal from idol worshipping and charms cf 2kgs 10:18-25. This solemn assembly is not to kill perpetrators of evils, those having a romance with charms and juju men, those using evil powers to influence authorities in their favours etc. No, the target is rather to bring God’s mercy, repentance, blessings and healing on our school via a change of attitude or conversion.
    Prophet Joel in Chap 14:2 called an assembly for prayers inorder to avoid impending doom and anarchy, this is why this conglomeration of various minds and hearts is not only pertinent but crucial, to save our community from doom and bless our Land.

    WHAT IS A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY.
    Solemn assembly is a time for conversion that comes from the heart. It is a moment of casting back your mind to where you have failed and asking for a change of heart.
    In our lead text 2Chro 7: 14 – 18, the Lord stated unequivocally,
    IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME, HUMBLE THEMSELVES, PRAY, SEEK MY FACE, TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, THEN I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND FORGIVE THEIR SINS AND I WILL HEAL THEIR LAND.

    The Lord knows that some of us have abandoned the path of righteousness and humility and are wearing the unenviable toga of pride. We invent our own roles and circumvent laid down principles for success. We have become demi gods that should be worshipped because of the positions God gave us. We have even become untouchable and when we are no longer relevant in that aspect. We have over bloated ego and look down on others. The Lords demands humility as a prerequisite for healing. In Mark 2:1-12, Before the Lord healed the paralytic man he first forgave his sins. This means that sin is an obstacle to God’s healing mercies. The sin of pride can suffocate God’s healing power. Lev 26 :4 humble yourself so that the Lord will bless you. God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. James 4:6-10. In humility count others as better than yourself. Phil 2:3-8, Clothe yourself in humility. Col.3 12-13. God’s divine purpose is to forgive you and heal not only you but your land.

    PRAYERS: Prayers is a vital link with God that can never be over emphasised. Prayer is the key that opens all doors. It is the most powerful weapon on earth, it surmounts that seemingly insurmountable issue; sickness, marital problems, addictions, family scores etc. There’s power in prayers. We can make very little progress without prayers. It is prayers that will catapult us to where we ought to be and rain down God’s blessings of healing and fruitness on us all. We cannot stand up in prayers with grievances against one another and expect God to answer us. That’s why the next stage is pertinent.

    SEEK GOD’S FACE.
    Seeking God’s face entails total commitment in the things of God and abhorrence of worldliness. It is turning away from carnality and the pleasures of the world and submerging yourself into the ocean of God’s mercy that provokes healing. He invites you “come to me all who are over burdened and heavy ladened, and l will give you rest. Matt 11:28. Some of you are labouring under a heavy burden and life is now consistent pain and emptiness devoid of happiness. God’s healing power shall bring RESTORATION. Seek the Lord and you will find him Lk 11:9-10. When you seek me you will find me. Jer 29:13. Those who seek the Lord shall be blessed Ps 69:32. Again, Ps 34:4-5 states ” there shall be deliverance and removal of shame for those who seek the Lord. And the Lord shall save them. Beloved in Christ, this is the time to seek the Lord and activate his power of healing.

    TURN FROM WICKED WAYS. Heb. 6:1.
    Wickedness in the land attracts God’s punishment on his people, but turning away from wickedness brings forgiveness and healing. This Solemn Assembly is a call for repentance, healing and invoking God’s blessings and His ineffable graces on His children. There are aspects of our lives that we need to turn away from.

    AREAS FOR HEALING
    It is essential as those in the academia and adminstration to exhume our consciences which we interred long ago .
    In an academic environment like this, they are some who live a life of debauchery ( like the prodigal son), dissoluteness, turpitude, depravity,loudness, rakishness,perversion, libertinism, immodesty, indecency, impropriety, immorality and lasciviousness cf 1Cor 6:9-11, Gal 5:19-21, Rev 22:15, like the prodigal son, there is absolute need to beat their comatose consciences back to life. We need the healing rays of God to shine through our lives and make us new.

    STUDENTS – SOLEMN TARGETS
    Let me begin the process of disentombment of consciences with students. Your main target here is to excel in academic and MORALS or character and learning, you need solemn focus to fulfill your dreams and face the challenges of the modern world, so why distract yourselves, you need God’s healing mercy on some of your life styles like
    – parties and clubbing
    -cultism
    -fashion
    -immorality
    – cohabitation
    – ambassador of nudity
    -prostitution etc
    You need a solemn focus, and l am convinced you can make it. Some of you have incurred alot of sicknesses because of your lifestyle. God shall completely heal and deliver you in Jesus name Amen. Listen to God speaking to you.

    LECTURERS: SOLEMN CONSCIENCES.
    1. Lecturers who are not committed to their duties need healing.
    2. Those who frustrate students need God’s mercy
    3. Those who lack self control and shamefully romance with their students need healing.
    Hope you realize that you have female children too. Whatever a man sows, that shall he reap. Gal 6:7-8.
    5. Some extort poor students thereby pushing them into different vices.
    6. I heard some fraternise native doctors for charms and amulets. All to gain favour.
    7. Some deliberately scheme to out smart their colleagues and engage in ” pull him/her down syndrome ”
    8. Tribalism and nepotism is said to be a stumbling block to academic excellence. The bile and bitterness in our system need to be healed for absolute blessings from God.
    Hear What the Lord said.
    Eph 14: 19 pursue peace and what makes for mutual up building.
    1Theas 4:18 encourage one another with helpful words.
    Eph 4:13 Eschew all kinds of bitterness wrath, anger, malice, slander etc

    ADMINSTRATIVE STAFF
    – SOLEMN ACCOUNTABILITY.
    The Administrative staff are the engine room and drivers of the University system. It is inundated and saturated with recklessness, sloth, envy, scheming,, we need the healing mercy of God inorder to prosper. You have to be committed to your task and be transparent about it knowing that it is Lord whom you are serving.
    Be truthful in all your dealings. We need God’s healing mercy in the areas of insincerity, eye service, condoling evil, setting each other up etc. Let us ask for God’s mercy and healing.

    PROFESSORS- SOLEMN MENTORSHIP.
    Professors are revered, erudite, cultivated, collegiate, cerebral, cultured, refined, polished, primed and apprized intelligentsia.
    My worry is that we are not getting solemn mentorship emanating from your desk. The anger and bitterness you cast into the system, does not befit the trajectory of your meteoric but painstaking rise to the apex of your career. You need to collaborate with the VC to give her best to the school. We too need divine healing and mercy.

    VC – Solemn Leadership.
    Even in the University system, they are politicians who daily gravitate around the orbit of power. The churn out stories putting the VC at loggerheads with imaginary enemies. The VC should be mindful of this ” tick skinned men and women”, who feel that it is our turn to eat. Keep them far away from you. You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free Jn 8:32.
    Prov 29:2 When the righteous are in power the people rejoice but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.
    Madam VC
    Be firm but courteous
    Be strong but modest
    Be gentle but wise
    Be focused but consultative
    Be an Amazon, but battles are won with a coterie of wise men/ women.
    Be powerful but remember power is ephemeral. We are yesterday’s children.
    In an academic environment like this, they are some who live a life of debauchery ( like the prodigal son), dissoluteness, turpitude, depravity,loudness, rakishness, perversion, libertinism, immodesty, indecency, impropriety, immorality and lasciviousness cf 1Cor 6:9-11, Gal 5:19-21, Rev 22:15, like the prodigal.son, there is absolute need to beat their comatose consciences back to life. This is the focus now.

    EFFECTS OF GOD’S HEALING
    There are myriads of blessings that we will enjoy as effects of God’s healing of our Land
    – Divine favours and promotions.
    – Grooming a future generation that we will be proud of.
    – improved standard of education
    -integrity in our system
    – Divine prosperity and upliftment
    – spirit of contentment
    – witnessing to God by our lifestyle
    – physical healing of our ailments.
    – Blessing on our children to make us proud etc.

    CONCLUSION
    When the prodigal son in Luke 15 :17 realized he had been on the wrong path, he made a  u-turn and headed back home to repair the damage he had done in order to activate God’s healing. He received more than he ever bargained for – royal welcome in an atmosphere of abundance.
    2Chr 7 : 14 This is a call for national or corporate repentance. If we have dishonoured God’s name by our deeds, we must accept the punishment for our sin( every sin has its wages)
    1. You must humble yourself
    2. Pray for the removal of judgement due to sin
    3. Seek God’s face
    4. Renounce you sin and turn from evil ways.
    This will provoke communal mercy;
    -Forgiveness of Sins
    -Conversion
    -Healing of the Land.

    It is our turn now to renounce our sins humbly and activate God’s healing of our land and RESTORATION of then glory of our UNICAL. Let God’s will and reign be established in our school in Jesus name Amen.
    -BLESSINGS
    The Lord Shall promote you in Jesus name
    The Lord shall heal you in Jesus name
    The Lords mercy shall locate you in Jesus name.
    Your dreams shall be fulfilled in Jesus name,
    Evil hands and eyes shall not see you in Jesus Name,
    UNICAL shall be great again in Jesus name,
    God’s hand shall be upon you in Jesus name,
    Your families shall be blessed in Jesus name,
    Your offices shall be blessed
    Our Land shall be blessed in Jesus name.

  • UNICAL Holds Solemm Assembly, Dedicates Academic Session To God

     

    The University of Calabar has held the 2022 Solemn Assembly organised to dedicate the academic session into the hands of God.

    Speaking at the event that attracted academic and non academic staff, clergymen and students, the Vice-Chancellor of UNICAL, Prof. Florence Banku Obi, said that the Assembly was organised by the management of the institution to hand over the proceedings of the academic year to God Almighty.

    She said that it was important to start the academic session with God in view of the many challenges that abounds in all sectors of human endeavours.

    The VC, who solicited the support of staff and students of the institution for her administration, urged them to join hands with her in moving the institution forward.

  • JUST IN: PDP Sets Feb 3 As Date For Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency Bye-election Primaries.

    The People’s Democratic Party PDP has fixed Feb 3rd for primaries election for the Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency bye-election.

     

     

     

     

  • The Sponsored Shenanigans And Illegal Suspension Of Hon Aboli Enang

     

    By Efa Sunday

     

    TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL- a global civil society organization aimed at putting up a fight against corruption, defined corruption as an abuse of entrusted power for private gain. Corruption erodes trust, weakens democracy, hampers economic development, and further exacerbates inequality, poverty, social division, and environmental crisis. This crisis is exactly what the State House of Assembly, through the ABI Local Government Council is sponsoring.

     

    Recently, I woke up to what I term “political rascality”, “sponsored shenanigans”, absolute abuse of legislative processes, and an “illegal suspension” of the Councillor representing Imabana Ward 1, Hon. Aboli Enang.

     

    Aboli, a dogged politician, highly respected and one who has registered his favored place in the hearts of not only Imabana people but the entire well-meaning ABI sons and daughter, was suspended because he refused to decamp to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the PDP, as against the not-so-well brandished lies that he violated section 34 subsection 1&2 of the Local Government Law.

     

    Now, before you begin to say I am being biased in my writing, here is what the portion of that section says:

    (1) “The legislative council shall sit for a period of not less than 120 days in a year.

    (2) “A Council shall vacate a seat if, without just cause, he absents himself from the meetings of the Legislative Council for a period amounting the aggregate to more than one half of the total number of days during which the legislative Council meets in any one year.”

     

    From subsection 1 above, from my findings, it was discovered that for the whole 2021 legislative year, ABI Local Government Council only sat for nine (9) times. Out of the nine sittings held, Hon. Aboli Enang was present for five sittings, absented thrice, and took an excuse for one, and a message was passed across to the Leader of the House, Hon. Iteh John.

     

    Again, Sub 2 from the above, the house is supposed to sit at least 2-3 times a week to complete the 120 times in a year. It, therefore, means the house and its leaders, i.e the speaker, deputy speaker, and the house leader should be questioned, and if possible queried. Constituents should also take note, and begin a recall process if possible to pull out those people who lack leadership capacity but are only interested in dancing to money and food on the table tunes.

     

    From the number of times, the house sat, Hon. Aboli sat for an average of 55.6 percent, which is more than half. Therefore, on what basis was he suspended? Is it because he refused to decamp to APC? Or because the other 8 Councillors are too ashamed to see the conquering face of Hon. Aboli, who refused to betray his people over a morsel of food as they all did?

     

    On behalf of the good people of Imabana 1, we are making this clear to you all, that we and Hon. Aboli Enang see the suspension as a wasted effort and an attempt to intimidate us, and we are neither ruffled nor shaken at all. You all will have to try harder to get to us.

     

    We sent Hon. Aboli on this Councillorship mission, because we know He can deliver and that He has been doing, and at no time have we communicated to the council that we want him recalled. Therefore, any more spiteful move on the person of Hon. Aboli is a call to an all-out war from the good and peace-loving people of Igbo Imabana Ward 1.

     

    We, therefore, call on the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eteng Jones William and the Executive Governor of our dear State, Senator Prof. Ben Ayade to look into this brewing trouble, before it goes out of hand. For now, Hon. Aboli will keep attending sittings because to us in Imabana 1, we have not yet replaced or removed him.

     

    Long Live Imabana Ward 1!

    Long Live ABI LGA!

    Long Live Cross River State!

    Long Live Nigeria!

     

    EFA SUNDAY IS A JOURNALIST, A SOCIAL AFFAIRS ANALYST AND SHE WRITES IN FROM CALABAR

  • Communique Issued By The PDP Governor’s Forum At The End Of Their Meeting In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, January 17 2022

    COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE PDP GOVERNORS’ FORUM AT THE END OF THEIR MEETING IN PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE, JANUARY 17, 2022.

    The PDP Governors’ Forum held its regular meeting crucial to the sustenance of our Democracy on Monday, 17th January, 2022, at the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt, the first in the new year. The meeting once again reviewed the state of the States, the state of the nation and THE PDP and issued the following Communique:

    1. The PDP Governors congratulated the entire PDP family for conducting a smooth and credible National Convention that led to the emergence of the highly acclaimed Senator Dr. Iyorchia Ayu-led National Executive Committee and commended the new PDP NWC for hitting the ground running with respect to repositioning the PDP into a credible vehicle for RESCUING and REBUILDING Nigeria which has been battered by bad economy, insecurity, unemployment and other social ills by the incompetent and inept APC Administration.

    2. The PDP Governors requested the National Assembly to quickly conclude deliberations on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill either by overriding Mr President’s veto or deleting areas of complaints. The meeting advised that the option of sustaining Mr President’s veto would lead to a quicker resolution and would deny Mr President the opportunity to once again truncate a reformed Electoral jurisprudence for Nigeria. An early concluded Electoral Act is vital for credible elections.

    3. The meeting lamented the continued state of insecurity in the country, the persistent and ceaseless flow of Nigerians’ blood on a daily basis in many parts of Nigeria, the near collapse of the security situation in Nigeria. The strategies to confront terrorists, kidnappers, bandits and other criminals is still a major problem of the APC administration.

    4. The meeting expressed regrets that Mr President is unwilling, from his recent comments discountenancing the proposals for state policing, to participate in reviewing the structural problems of tackling insecurity in Nigeria and urges Mr President to reconsider his position and consider decentralisation and restructuring of the security architecture as the most viable solution, together with proper arming, funding and training requirements for Security Agencies.

    5. The Nigerian Economy has continued to deteriorate and Nigerians have become numb and accustomed to bad economic news as exemplified by the inconsistent and differential exchange rate regime, high interest rates, unsustainable unemployment figures and borrowing spree some of which have not been applied to important projects, and other bad economic indicators. In particular, it is clear that the APC Government is a massive failure when compared with the records of PDP in government. The PDP handed over a $550 billion economy (the largest in Africa), but under APC, Nigeria is the Poverty Capital of the world. In 2015, under PDP, the exchange rate was N198 per Dollar, it is now under APC almost N500 to a Dollar; In 2015, unemployment rate was 7.3% under PDP, it is now 33%, one of the highest in the world under APC; In 2015, the Pump price of Petroleum was N87 per litre, it is now N165 per litre and climbing under APC. Debt Servicing now under APC takes over 98% of the Federal budget. The tales of woe is endless.

    6. The PDP Governors noted that the management of our Oil and Gas resources, the administration of Federation Account remittances have remained opaque, confusing and non – transparent. In addition, the transition to NNPC Ltd under the Petroleum Industry Act has not been properly streamlined to ensure that the interests of all the tiers of Government are protected, consistent with the 1999 Constitution.

    7. The meeting urged eligible Nigerians of all walks of life, particularly the Youths, to register en masse with INEC to exercise their franchise in the 2023 general elections. It further noted that the next election is a very consequential election that should be used to end the dominance of very youth unfriendly APC Government; a government that had the arrogance to deny Nigerian youths of the use of TWITTER, a business friendly tool for the young, for over a year. The youths should empower themselves to determine who leads them.

    8. The PDP Governors congratulated the Chief Host, His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, for the very high standards of hosting and for the great leadership performance he has entrenched in Rivers State.

    9. The PDP Governors wished Nigerians and PDP Members a happy new Year.

    In attendance are:
    Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR- Sokoto State – Chairman
    Gov. Udom Emmanuel – Akwa Ibom State – Member
    Gov. Sen. Douye Diri – Bayelsa State – Member
    Gov. Samuel Ortom -Benue State -Member
    Gov. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa – Delta State – Member
    Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi – Enugu State – Member
    Gov. Nyesom Wike, CON – Rivers State – Member
    Gov. Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde – Oyo State – Member
    Gov. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri -Adamawa State -Member
    Gov. Bala Mohammed -Bauchi State – Member