₦airaland Forum

- PDP suffers huge setback in Rivers as over 2000 members of the party join APC in Degema local government area




- An APC chieftain Dr. Sokonte Davies describes his party as the only party that is capable of meeting the aspirations of Nigerians

- The defectors say their decision to quit the PDP was informed by the leadership style of the APC leaders at all levels which they described as people oriented



Over two thousand members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Degema local government area of Rivers state have defected to the main opposition party All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The defectors were welcomed on Monday, June 26, at Tombia, Degema local government area, during an empowerment programme.

On hand to welcome the defectors, Dr. Sokonte Davies, a chieftain of the APC in Rivers and a former member of the House of Representatives representing Degema/Bonny constituency, described APC as the only party that is capable of meeting the aspirations of Nigerians, The Nation reports.

According to him, the APC is a party every member should be proud of, in view of its commitment to the people and abhorrence to violence.


Davies, who is also the Executive Director Marine and Operations of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), urged APC members to remain committed to the party as he assured other politicians wishing to defect to the party of a level-playing field.

Speaking also, Kesibo Gogo-Abite, the chairman of APC in Degema LGA noted that the defectors took the right decision of joining the focused party.

He said APC had a transformatory mission to reposition Nigeria for accelerated development.

Gogo-Abite also urged the defectors to remain steadfast and work tirelessly for the progress of the party in their various communities, the LGA and Rivers state.

He noted that the defection marked a new chapter in the political history of the area.

Two of the defectors, Rev. Obubeleye Waribo and Madam Trust Davies, in their separate speeches, stated that their decision to quit the PDP was informed by the leadership style of the APC leaders at all levels, which they described as people oriented.

The defection in Rivers comes weeks after a former Kebbi state PDP Chairman, Bello Doya, and 25,000 other members of the party including key party stalwarts decamped to the APC.

Governor Atiku Bagudu, APC executives, and hundreds of supporters from the 21 local government areas of the state were on hand to receive the decampees, among whom were Isah Argungu, the former director general of the campaign organization of former governor Saidu Dakingari and the 2015 PDP gubernatorial candidate, Bello Sarkin-Yaki.

Fani-Kayode Extols Jonathan’s Virtues …As GEJ, Wike Harp On National Unity






Former Minister of Aviation, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, has said that former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan still has so much to offer Nigeria.
The former minister said this when Jonathan hosted a delegation of former ministers still in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and served between 1999 and 2015.
Fani-Kayode described the former president as a great leader who had encouraged many Nigerians.
“You still have so much to offer this country. The future is great for us, for PDP and this country,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Jonathan had called on Nigerians to pray and work toward the nation’s unity, as Muslims celebrate Eid-el-Fitr.
The immediate past president said that no nation’s economy could grow where there was no peace.
“We should always use this period to know that the unity of the country is paramount.
“We cannot develop as a nation, no matter how people demonstrate, and no president can do magic, if there is tension in the land.
“This is because, immediately there is sense of insecurity in any country, investors will go back, and when investors go back, of course, the economy will dwindle.
“What improves the economy is confidence, and what makes investors to have confidence is peace.
“Nobody wants to invest where there is no peace, except those that invest in arms and ammunition.
“We should all pray and work toward that peace, that is the only way we can grow our economy,” Jonathan said.
He also commended the former ministers for forming the forum and for finding time to celebrate Sallah with his family.
The former president said that he was elated for seeing the former ministers coming together under a unique platform.
“We should begin to reduce the cleavages and fault lines, and form a political body that will look at things with national interest,” Jonathan said.
He, however, congratulated all Muslim brothers and sisters in the country for the successful completion of Ramadan fast and the Sallah celebration.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the forum, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, said that the delegation comprises former ministers from 1999 to 2015.
Turaki said that the visit was to avail them the opportunity to share with Jonathan issues of national interest.
“Nigerians are beginning to appreciate the efforts you made in moving this country forward.
“Nigerians are still getting more aware of the enormous sacrifice you made to ensure that Nigeria remained together as one indivisible and indissoluble nation,” he said
Meanwhile, the former President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has appealed to all Nigerians to see the unity of the country as a paramount issue that must not be toyed with.
Jonathan made this appeal while playing host of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Former Ministers’ Forum in Abuja, last Monday.
The former president noted that no country can develop under the atmosphere of insecurity and threat to its existence.
He, therefore, stressed the need for Nigerians to live peacefully with one another, adding that this would help in building the nation’s economy by attracting more investors.
Similarly, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has stated that nobody has the right to issue quit notice to other Nigerians, saying that the country was indissoluble.
Wike stated this while receiving the Rivers Muslim community at the Government House, last Monday during their Sallah courtesy visit.
Nyesom also stressed that despite the social challenges, Nigeria remains united.
The governor said every Nigerian has the right to reside in any part of the country, stressing that nobody was empowered by the law to issue any ethnic group quit notice.
The governor stated: “Nigeria must be one. All of us will live together. All of us are free to do business anywhere in the country. Whether you are from the north, you are free to stay here and do business.
“Nobody should threaten anybody. All of us own this country. We must be our brothers’ keepers”.
Wike said that the unity of the country is necessary for the rapid development of the country.
The governor assured the Rivers Muslim community that he will continue to sponsor them for Hajj as his administration believes in the spiritual upliftment of the people.
He said: “Government will continue to give you support, but we cannot use state resources to build a mosque.
“During the Ramadan, I sent items to all the mosques in the state. We are all worshipping one God, even though we serve him in different ways”.
He stated that the essence of inviting the Muslim leaders to Government House, and particularly the leader of Muslims in Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar to the 50th Anniversary of Rivers State was to show respect for the contributions of the Muslim community to the peace and development of the state.
He added that he will be paying a Sallah visit to the Sultan, yesterday (Tuesday).
In his response, the leader of the delegation of Rivers State Muslim Community and Vice President, Council of Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Awelebe Nasir Uhor, expressed appreciation of the community to the Rivers State Governor for his monumental strides in efforts to develop the state.
He commended the governor for promoting religious tolerance in the state.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana



http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2017/06/28/fani-kayode-extols-jonathans-virtues-as-gej-wike-harp-on-national-unity/