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Running mate: How Rivers PDP chieftains worked against me – Wike

Published

2 years ago

August 16, 2022

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Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has claimed that some elders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state worked against him to ensure he did not become running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

He said they did so because they lost in their bids to secure the Rivers State PDP governorship ticket.

He made these comments on Monday, during the 74th birthday reception of a former governor of the state, Peter Odili, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Odili was governor of Rivers State from 1999 to 2007.

Wike recalled how some of the elders, incluing George Sekibo and Barry Mpigi, both senators, visited him in March and made a commitment to work with him as well as accept the outcome of the governorship primary in the state.

“They signed the document prepared by O.C.J. Okocha that whoever I will bring, they will abide to by it.”

He said the lawmakers also urged him to run for president and that in return he asked to produce a candidate who would succeed him.

READ Maiduguri attack: Troops, repel attack, neutralise Boko Haram fighters

“I asked them, those of you who are interested in becoming governor, raise your hands. Everybody raised his hand except Barry Mpigi. I asked why he was not interested, he replied, ‘Sir, let me hold what God has given me. I don’t want to lose the two,” the governor said.

After they lost at the primary, Wike explained, they turned around to allege that he was pursuing a third term bid.

“…they went to Abuja, that I must not be vice president. I also read yesterday, when I was in Paris, one of them saying I told him that if they do to me what they did to Dr. Odili, that I will collapse the system.”

He described Odili as a true leader of men, who groomed and supported many to political limelight.

Reconciliation meeting stalled

Wike’s comments comes on the heels of efforts to reconcile him and Atiku.

Both Wike and Atiku have been at loggerheads after the former lost to the latter at the party’s primary election in May.

READ Adedoyin administered oath of secrecy on us over OAU student’s death – Hotel receptionist

Wike’s further grouse was the refusal by Atiku to pick him as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election. The former vice president instead picked the Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate.

The duo only met physically last week and constituted a committee to commence reconciliation talks.

Although the panel was billed to meet on Monday, the meeting was postponed to a later date.

The panel could not meet because some members from Atiku’s team accompanied him to Yola, the Adamawa State capital for a political event.

Atiku, accompanied by the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu; former Vice President Namadi Sambo and Mr Okowa, among other PDP chieftains, was in Yola to receive some defectors from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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UPDATED: Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as chairman of education loan fund

Published

8 hours ago

April 26, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu has appointed Jim Ovia as the chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, announced the appointment of Ovia, chairman of Zenith Bank, in a statement on Friday.

Ngelale said Tinubu believes that Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience to ensure that no Nigerian student suffers a paucity of funds in the quest for tertiary education.

On April 3, Tinubu signed the student loans amendment bill into law to provide Nigerians with quality and accessible education.

The law will allow Nigerian students in tertiary institutions to access low-interest loans for tuition and other academic needs.

Subsequently, the president appointed Akintunde Sawyerr as the managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of the fund.

Tinubu also appointed Frederick Oluwafemi Akinfala as the executive director of finance and administration, while Mustapha Iyal will serve as the executive director of operations of NELFUND.

READ Insecurity: Wike imposes curfew on Rivers’ boundaries

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JUST IN: Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as chairman of education loan fund

Published

10 hours ago

April 26, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu has appointed Jim Ovia as the chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, announced the appointment of Ovia, chairman of Zenith Bank, in a statement on Friday.

More to follow…

READ Maiduguri attack: Troops, repel attack, neutralise Boko Haram fighters

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ICPC detains TETFund boss ‘over questionable N7.6bn project’

Published

14 hours ago

April 26, 2024

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has detained Sonny Echono, executive secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

Demola Bakare, ICPC spokesperson, confirmed the development on Friday.

Bakare said that Echono was invited by the anti-graft agency on Thursday.

“The executive secretary of TETFund is here with us. He has been invited for questioning. He is still in custody. He was invited yesterday.” Bakare said.

“He was invited on Thursday. He has not been released. He’s still with us. Investigation is still ongoing.”

It was earlier reported that TETfund awarded two contracts to Fides Et Ratio Academy and Pole Global Marketing (PGM) within two months at the cost of N3.8 billion respectively without the approval of the federal executive council (FEC), which is required for the contract size.

The contract was to provide capacity building course and learning management systems to about 2 million students across higher institutions in the country.

READ Maiduguri attack: Troops, repel attack, neutralise Boko Haram fighters

In a rejoinder, TETFund said it did not award N7.6 billion contracts to two companies without due process.

The agency said it was wrong to say they were contracts, whereas they were ICT projects implemented under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which doesn’t require competitive bidding in public procurement.

TETFund further said its disbursement guidelines were approved by the president on the recommendation of the “Fund’s Board of Trustees and concurrence of the Honourable Minister of Education in line with the TETFund Act 2011″.

In an interview with TheCable, Echono said there was no form of irregularity in the N7.6 billion project.