General News
Uzodimma Battles Speaker Abbas, Seeks Tinubu’s Intervention On Ugochinyere’s Juicy Committee
Olasunmibo Aboluwade, Abuja
The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, is currently battling the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, for allegedly patronising his political opponent in the state, who is a member of the House of Representatives, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere.
Uzodinma accused Abbas of doing so to deliberately undermine him and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
LEADERSHIP reports that Uzodimma is said to be unhappy with Abbas for allegedly encouraging and promoting Ugochinyere, who is a member of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by appointing him as the chairman of House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream).
LEADERSHIP reporter gathered that Uzodinma, who is chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) had protested the appointment of his arch-rival in the state as head of a grade A committee in the House, since it was made public on July 27.
It was further learnt that the Speaker Abbas incurred the wrath of Uzodinma who believes that the appointment would accord Ugochinyere undue prominence and visibility in the polity.
Besides, it was gathered that the governor considered the appointment of the lawmaker to head the juicy committee as an undue empowerment of an opposition politician and an affront on his status as governor of the state and chairman of the PGF.
Sources within government circle in Owerri, the state capital, said the governor was angry that the appointment of Ugochinyere deflated his ego as governor of Imo State
Uzodimma is said to be unhappy with Abbas for allegedly encouraging and promoting Ugochinyere, who is a member of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by appointing him as the chairman of House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream).
It was gathered that Uzodinma, who is chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) had protested the appointment of his arch-rival in the state as head of a grade A committee in the House, since it was made public on July 27.
LEADERSHIP learnt Speaker Abbas incurred the wrath of Uzodinma who believes that the appointment would accord Ugochinyere undue prominence and visibility in the polity.
Besides, it was gathered that the governor considered the appointment of the lawmaker to head the juicy committee as an undue empowerment of an opposition politician and an affront on his status as governor of the state and chairman of the PGF.
Sources within government circle in Owerri, the state capital, said the governor was angry that the appointment of Ugochinyere deflated his ego as governor of Imo State.
Uzodimma, according to one of the sources, is worried that Ugochinyere’s leadership of the strategic House committee has added value and enhanced the status of the opposition politician in the state’s political firmament.
LEADERSHIP source, a top government official, said Uzodinma’s fears about the perceived undue patronage of Ugochinyere at the federal level was further accentuated by the appointment of his arch-rival as director general of the PDP’s gubernatorial election campaign council in the state.
This newspaper gathered that the governor was irked when PDP’s governorship candidate in the November election, Senator Samuel Anyawu, announced Ugochinyere as the director general of his campaign council.
The source said his principal felt that an undue patronage and empowerment of the opposition elements, especially someone of Ugochinyere’s political standing, by the federal authorities could be detrimental to his re-election bid and fortunes of the ruling party in the forthcoming election in the state.
Though the election of Ugochinyere was later voided by the election petitions tribunal, sitting in Nasarawa State, the lawmaker has indicated his resolve to challenge the ruling at the appellate court.
Ugochinyere remains a member of the House until his fate is determined by the appellate court.
LEADERSHIP gathered that Uzodinma had made futile attempts to persuade Abbas to rescind the appointment.
The House Speaker was reported to have rebuffed the embattled governor.
LEADERSHIP further learnt that already, Uzodimma has dragged Abbas before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the contentious issue.
The warring duo are expected to be invited by the president for a possible truce upon his return from foreign trip.
One of the sources who craved anonymity said, “The governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma and the Speaker of the House of the House of Representatives, Mr. Tajudeen Abbas are in for a serious fight, which has been brought to the attention of the Presidency.
The governor is unhappy that Mr Speaker appointed a cantankerous politician from his state, Ugochinyere as chairman, House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream).
To the governor, this is not a wise decision to take by the Speaker. How can an astute opposition element in Imo State like Ikenga be given such a strategic appointment in the House?
This is an election period and the House is patronising the opposition politicians from the state so that they can have the impetus and resources to fight us.
“This is the same Ikenga, who has been rubbishing the governor and saying all kinds of nonsense about our party, APC and he is the same person they are patronising with this juicy job by a top ranking official of an APC’s government. This is unfair and insensitive. How do we grow a party this way?
“They are giving positions, meant for APC members to the opposition lawmakers. To worsen the situation, the person Mr. Speaker is patronising in Imo state has now been appointed as DG of the governorship election campaign council of the main opposition party, PDP.”
Another reliable source in the Uzodimma cabinet lamented that the appointment has given Ugochinyere undeserved prominence and visibility in the state.
He lamented that Abbas ignored pleas by Uzodinma to rescind the appointment of the outspoken politician.
The source further hinted that the adamant posture of the presiding officer of the House forced the governor to cry to the president.
“The governor has been appealing to the Speaker to withdraw the appointment of Imo Ugochinyere as chairman of the petroleum committee since it was made public on July 27 but he called the governor’s bluff. How can Mr. Speaker humiliate the chairman of PGF this way?
This situation has compelled the governor to bring this development to the attention of Mr. President. We expected the President to call the Speaker to order when he returned from his foreign trip. Ugochinyere must be removed and his ego must be deflated. Continuous patronage of the opposition elements by our leaders at the national level is an attempt to kill the party,” added the source, who craved anonymity.
Uzodimma’s chief press secretary, Oguwike Nwachukwu, in a chat with LEADERSHIP, said his boss was not prepared to glorify Ugochinyere by engaging in a discussion concerning the lawmaker.
Nwachukwu said Ugochinyere was no longer a federal lawmaker having been sacked by the elections petitions tribunal penultimate weekend.
He added that the lawmaker was not qualified to be elected into the federal parliament in view of his antecedent.
“Is Ugochinyere still a lawmaker? Has he not been sacked by the tribunal? He was not qualified to be in the House in the first instance because he doesn’t have the temperament of a lawmaker. He should go and face his challenges in court and leave Uzondima alone,” Nwachukwu said in a telephone interview with LEADERSHIP.
Also, in his reaction, Ugochinyere asked Uzodinma to excuse Abbas from his political travails in Imo State.
The embattled lawmaker, in a telephone interview last night, said he won’t require “the support and empowerment of Mr. Speaker to trounce Uzodinma in the forthcoming election in the state.”
Describing Uzodimma as “Political Lilliputian”, he said, “We are going to disgrace and rubbish Uzodimma in the November governorship election the same way dealt with him in the May elections
Uzodimma is dropping and shouting the name of Mr. Speaker because of inferiority complex.
He is a governor but he is of no political consequence in Imo state today. Was Abbas Speaker when I defeated him and his candidate in the 245 out of 246 electoral wards to win my election in my constituency?
He is afraid and crying wolf because he knew that I will repeat the fate to install a PDP governor to replace him in the November election.
“We don’t need any gratification from the House Speaker and Uzodimma’s imaginary APC empowerment to flush him out of the government house. We have done it before and we are doing it again in November. Let him take Abbas out of his political woes because Mr. Speaker has done no wrong,” Ugochinyere added.
Olasunmibo Aboluwade
The Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda has been appointed as Speaker following the impeachment of her boss, Mudashiru Obasa
The lawmakers are accusing Obasa of multiple statutory and financial infractions.
Lasbat who represents Apapa Constituency was a former Whip of the state Assembly.
Details later
Olasunmibo Aboluwade, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu yesterday said he had no regrets removing fuel subsidy saying failure to do so would have amounted to the country spending the lives of its future generations.
He also said the landmark tax reforms introduced by his administration has come to stay despite ongoing criticisms by some individuals and groups of people.
He also blamed the organisers of the recent food palliative distribution in some parts of the country that led to the deaths of some children
The President stated these during his first Media Chat aired by major television stations and anchored by Dr. Reuben Abati of the Arise News Channel.
Asked whether he regreted his decision to remove subsidy on petroleum, Tinubu declared that he stood by his action and would never regret doing so.
He said, “We were spending our future, We were spending our generations when we claimed we were giving subsidy to Nigerians on petrol. We were not investing.
“We were just deceiving ourselves. That reform (fuel subsidy removal), is necessary. I could see the small glass crashing back.
“This is the way out. The fact that we give out fuel, allow all the attacks. We cannot spend our future generations’ investment up front.”
Asked if he thinks the removal should have been done in phases, Tinubu said it would have worked that way
He said, “Please, no matter how you cut it or you slice it in segments, you stay out of the middle of the deal. So cut your coat, stick it to your side. It’s what we have to manage.
“We have no choice but to pull the handbrake. Otherwise, we are headed for slippery slopes. That could result in financial disaster, not just for us, but our children and grandchildren. Where is the inheritance? Where is the pathway to prosperity?
The President, who cracked a joke about one of his friends have stopped driving limousine cars since the fuel subsidy was removed, urged Nigerians to live within their means.
On the controversial tax bills, President Tinubu said the reform in the nation’s tax administration has come to stay.
He said, “Tax reform is here to stay. We cannot just continue to do what we were doing yesteryears into this economy.
“We cannot retool this economy with the old broken boat. I believe I have that capacity (to govern this country) I believe so.
“ That’s why I went into the race. I have focus, lots of focus, on what Nigeria needs and what I must do for Nigeria.
“It’s just not going to be El Dorado for everybody. But the new dawn is here. I’m convinced.
“You should be convinced. You (the Media) should help propagate that conviction.”
Tinubu scored high with the results already being recorded by his administration based on the economic reforms already being implemented.
He said, “When you look at the petroleum revenue, I can tell you, pushed me to my brag mode. In the last three months, I’m not taking a penny from the NNPC before I meet my other obligations.
“That’s excellent. That’s excellent. I repeat, without falling back to the old order, without going into ways and means, I’ve met all obligations.
Tinubu refused to speak on the Value Added Tax component of the tax reforms when asked to make some comments on it.
He said, “Why do you want to know that today? Tax matters are subject of debates, reviews, negotiations, not huge concessions. That’s all I’m going to say about that. I don’t mind much energy.”
On the tragic incidents that claimed the lives of many children due to a stampede that followed the distribution of food palliative by some nongovernmental organisations, Tinubu described the development as sad.
He blamed the organisers of those events and warned that anyone or groups who doesn’t have enough palliatives to give should not call many people to a single place.
Tinubu said, “I’ve never experienced this kind of incident, because you have to organize, you have to discipline, and if you don’t have enough to give, don’t attempt to give or publicize it.
“Every society, even in America, they have food banks, they have hungry people, in Britain, they have food banks, they have warehouses, they are organized, they take time to be on the queue and take turns to, to collect.
“ It’s unfortunate, we just have to learn from our past mistakes, it’s a reflection in our bus stops, where we don’t even want to be on queue before we rush into the vehicle.
“It is very sad, but we continue to learn from our mistakes. To me, I see this as a very grave error on the part of the organizers. However it doesn’t kill our happiness, but this shouldn’t be.
General News
Consider Deplorable Sate Of Federal Roads In South-South In 2025 Budget, Clark Tells Tinubu
Olasunmibo Aboluwade, Abuja
Prominent Niger Delta Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has noted with dismay, the poor state of major federal roads in the South-South geopolitical zone and pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on them in the 2025 national Budget.
Clark stated this in an open letter to Tinubu and made available to journalists in Abuja, on Sunday.
Part of the letter read, “As leader of the people of the South-South, I have no choice than to write to you on this matter of critical importance and pain to me and my people.
“That is to bring to your attention the very bad state of roads and links within the South-South zone where the revenue of this country come from.
“I was particularly shocked by the fact that the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), which returned from an official errand recently, came back with unpleasant reports of the poor state of South-South roads.
“The high-powered team attended the funerals of late National Chairman (Worldwide) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Nwanyanwu; former Senate President, Dr. Joseph Wayas and the late wife of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor (Mrs.) Kemi Eno,
“The PANDEF, Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali and members of the National Executive had to travel around by road and brought to us a very worrying state of affairs on the roads.
“A few examples will give you some perspectives on the situation:
Benin-Auchi Road. Under normal circumstances, this road takes commuters 2½ hours.
“At present, passengers, on the average, spend seven hours on that road. In some cases, it is so bad that travellers had to go through some rural communities in Ekiti state before coming back to the main road.
“Benin-Uromi-Sapele Road: this road which is at the heart of oil production normally takes commuters one hour. At present, its bad condition subject passengers to three to four hours for the trip.
“Sapele-Warri Road: the distance between these two communities is barely 43 kilometres but due to its bad condition, passengers now spend two hours on a journey that is normally about 30 minutes.
“Port Harcourt-Owerri Road: similarly, the road from Port Harcourt to Owerri is a mere distance of 95 kilometres which in the past commuters could arrive at their destination after 1½ hours. Sadly, with so many bad spots, this now require four hours.
“Uyo-Itu-Calabar Road: the road connecting Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State and Calabar, the capital of Cross River State is about 90 kilometres. Until recently, we cover that road in less than 2 hours.
“However, due to the terrible the state of the road at present, the minimum commuters spend on the road is six hours. In fact, our team described it as the worst road in the country due to its state, more so as it is connecting two important states.
“Calabar-Obudu Road: the distance between Calabar to Obudu the hometown of former Senate President, Dr. Joseph Wayas and where he was recently laid to rest is about 316 kilometres.
“I recall, as a politician, that we use to travel in and out of this road in those days in about four hours.
“ With the current situation, those who traverse this road spend between seven to eight hours on the road.
“The East-West Road: the East-West road which connects the entire region was deliberately conceived and commenced during the time of former president Olusegun Obasanjo as a deliberate intervention to assuage the neglect of the oil producing communities.
“Unfortunately succeeding administrations have paid lip service to completing this road.
“ We note that some efforts is being made to repair sections of the road but there is not much work going and the pace of work is slow.
“It is also noted that some of the contractors do not seem to have the competence to handle the nature of work in a complex water logged terrain as the Niger Delta.
“Mr. President, I realise that resources are lean and demands are many; it is however very difficult to understand why roads in the communities that produces the resources that keeps this country going are in such a terrible state.
“It is already very sad that the Niger Delta suffering from decades of environmental damage which would take us many generations to recover from.
“So, to imagine that we cannot commute among ourselves and daily our region produces billions to the national coffers is difficult to fathom.
“At the current production level of 1.8 million barrels per day, which we the leaders of the region working with government have achieved and are still working to increase this,
“It is difficult to understand why the roads in our region should be in this very deplorable condition.
“With oil prices now at US$73 per barrel, we reckon that we are producing enough and we in the Niger Delta cannot be in this condition. What is required to fix the roads is not even up to a week’s production of oil.
“I am writing this passionate appeal to you to declare an emergency in the coming 2025 Budget and also direct your Minister of Works and its relevant agencies to redouble their efforts to repair these roads.”