Biden falls on stage during Air Force Academy graduation, quickly recovers

Biden, 80, received aid from Secret Service agents and stood back up quickly. When the president was back up and standing he pointed to a black sandbag where he had stumbled and fell, then walked off of the stage on his own power.

Biden announced in April that he will be seeking a second term in 2024 as president. He is the oldest U.S. president in history.

The president fell forward, caught himself with his hands, then got up on one knee helped up after he’d finished shaking hands with graduates. He walked back to his seat unassisted.

After Biden was helped up, he pointed behind him, seeming to indicate what he tripped over. He mingled with other officials afterward, smiling and giving a “thumbs up” sign.

White House communications director Ben LaBolt tweeted that Biden was “fine.” “There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands,” he explained.

Biden has been dogged by questions about his age and his fitness to serve, and his missteps have become fodder for political rivals as he campaigns for a second term in 2024. He has stumbled before going up the stairs and onto Air Force One and he once got caught up in his bike pedals while stopping to talk to reporters near his home in Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Biden’s personal doctor said after the president’s most recent physical exam in February that Biden “remains a healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.” Dr. Kevin O’Connor also documented the president’s stiffened gait, which O’Connor said was the result of spinal arthritis, a previously broken foot and neuropathy in the Biden’s feet.

Biden is far from the first national political figure to stumble in public.

President Gerald Ford fell down while walking off Air Force One in 1975. GOP Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas, the GOP presidential nominee at the time, fell off the stage at a campaign rally in 1996. President Barack Obama tripped walking up the stairs to a stage at a 2012 event. “I was so fired up, I missed a stair” he told the crowd.

President Donald Trump’s gingerly walk down a ramp at the 2020 West Point commencement also sparked concerns about his health.

1 June 2023

Red Media Africa shines bright with multiple wins at the prestigious Pitcher Awards 2023 

Leading media and communications agency, Red Media Africa has been awarded two of the highly-acclaimed Pitcher Awards for its unwavering commitment to excellence, unparalleled creative prowess and dedication to delivering impactful campaigns.

Presented at a ceremony held in Lagos, Nigeria, the two Awards — Silver award in the PR and Reputation Management category and Bronze award in the Use of Insights and Strategy category — were awarded to Red Media Africa for its excellent work with Access Bank PLC and Maltina, respectively.

The Silver award in the PR and Reputation Management category was in acknowledgement of the agency’s exceptional ability to navigate the complex landscape of public relations and deliver high-impact results for Africa’s largest retail bank, Access Bank PLC.

“Our tremendous achievements with Access Bank PLC would not have been possible without the amazing team that puts in the work every day,” remarked Ayodeji Razaq, Group CEO, Red For Africa. “Their profound understanding of Access Bank’s vision, innovative communication techniques and strategic approach to storytelling have created a strong and positive reputation for one of Africa’s leading financial institutions and made this Award possible. I dedicate this Award to them and the phenomenal work they do.”

Red Media Africa’s win in the ‘Use of Insights and Strategy category’ was given in recognition of the agency’s dexterity in leveraging insights and strategy to create an emotive and impactful campaign titled ‘Together Happiness Happens’, capturing Maltina’s essence and resonating with the brand’s audiences.

“At Red Media Africa, we believe in the power of creativity to drive change and inspire audiences,” commented Ayodeji Razaq, Group CEO, Red For Africa. “These awards serve as a testament to our relentless pursuit of excellence and our commitment to delivering campaigns that truly make a difference. We are immensely proud of our team’s dedication, passion, and unrivaled talent.”

As Red Media Africa basks in the glory of these well-deserved awards, the agency remains steadfast in its mission to raise the bar of creativity, inspire generations, and contribute to Africa’s growth story. Its success at the Pitcher Awards 2023 serves as a reminder that creativity has the power to ignite change, foster meaningful connections, and transform the world.

Subsidy removal will damage Tinubu govt – Primate Ayodele

The leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele has said the subsidy removal would damage President Bola Tinubu’s government.

To this end, Ayodele said his administration would not be good until 2026 if God decides to show him mercy.

Primate Ayodele said it’s not yet time for Tinubu to remove the fuel subsidy because it will affect his government.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, the clergyman said there will be serious economic hardship and things will only get better through God’s mercy.

Primate Ayodele explained that the President didn’t address the issue of subsidy well.

He said: ‘’No matter how you want to put it, It is not yet time to remove the fuel subsidy, it will damage the present government. They should work on the subsidy technically.

“There is no way things won’t be hard, there is no way we won’t face economic hardship.

“Tinubu will not get this government better until 2026 if God decides to show mercy.

“There’s nothing bad in removing subsidy but the method of removing it is what is causing issues now.

“Sincerely, Tinubu didn’t address the issue well. Nigerians should not expect so much from Tinubu within his first four years in office.’’

I was forced to sign election result sheets, Atiku’s witness alleges in court

Capt. Joe Agada (rtd), the first witness of the  Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku told the Presidential Election Petition Court, (PEPC) that he was allegedly forced to sign the result sheet of the presidential election.

Agada also told the court that  other agents of the party were equally forced to sign the result sheets of the presidential election at their separate polling units and at the state level.

Agada, giving his evidence-in-chief before the court on Thursday in Abuja said that he was the Kogi Collation Officer for PDP in the Feb. 25 presidential election.

He alleged that ballot papers and result sheets were manipulated by compromised electoral officers in collusion with agents of other political parties.

Led in evidence by Atiku’s lead counsel, Mr Chris Uche SAN, the witness alleged that he was present in several polling units where Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines (BVAS) were manipulated.

Agada told the court that he visited over 20 polling units in the state and watched as PDP agents were being forced to sign the result sheets as a condition for the agents to be given a copy of the result sheet.

Under cross examination by INEC’S lawyer, Mr Abdullahi Aliyu, SAN, the witness claimed to have voted at Ogugu in Olamaboro but that he was allowed to move round to monitor the election because of the special election duty tag provided by INEC to party agents.

While being cross examined by Mr Akin Olujimi, SAN, counsel to President Bola Tinubu, the witness insisted that he signed the result sheet only because it became clear that INEC would withhold it if he didn’t sign.

Agada, who admitted giving evidence for Atiku in 2019, told the court that he did not put his grievances against the election in his witness deposition on oath.

When being cross examined by Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the witness admitted to relying on the information given to him by other agents of the party to draw his conclusions.

For his part,  Mr Solarin Adekunle, the second witness for the petitioners and the Ogun Collation Officer said that he refused to sign the collated results in protest against electoral malpractices.

Adekunle specifically alleged that election results were inflated  prompting him to decline signing the result sheets.

For his part, Rep. Uzoma  Abonta told the court that the election was a nullity  on the grounds that there were so many irregularities, discrepancies and non compliance with rules of the electoral act.

Abonta said that because INEC failed to electronically transmit election results, what was declared did not reflect the genuine wish of the people of Abia where he is from and where he voted.

Having called three witnesses, the petitioners asked for an adjournment.

Justice Haruna Tsammani adjourned  further hearing in the petition until Friday.

Tinubu reads riot act to Security Chiefs, says working at cross purposes will no longer be condoned

President Bola Tinubu in his first meeting with the nation’s security chiefs, read a riot act, saying, a situation where security agencies work at cross purposes will no longer be condoned going forward.

He made it clear that he will not accept a situation in which the nation’s fortunes keep declining. According to him, in his own trajectory, national security has to be coordinated, there must be a clearing house going forward.

Addressing State House Correspondents at the end of the two hour meeting, National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Mungonu (retd),also said President Bola Tinubu said: “All agencies must work to achieve one single purpose. Working at cross purposes and colliding with each other is not something that he will condone.

“He has made it very, very clear that all the security agencies must comply with the demands of coordination, with the demands of frequent consultations and also timely reports which must be acted on.”

President Tinubu also mandated the security agencies to come up with a blueprint declaring that he doesn’t have the luxury of time, saying that whatever changes that has to be made will be made as soon as possible.

The President also has decided that what ever ventures the armed forces are going to be engaged in henceforth, they must carry along those operatives in the theatre. “They must be well fed, well kitted, motivated and given all that they require”, he said.

The full text of Mungonu’s briefing read thus: “Ladies and gentlemen of the press, the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces has just concluded a meeting of the general security appraisal committee consisting of the Chief of Staff, service chiefs, Inspector General of Police, and heads of the intelligence agencies.

“This is the very first meeting he’s had with the heads of the security agencies. The meeting last two hours.

“Having been briefed by the participants of the meeting, Mr. President, addressed prevailing issues confronting the nation in terms of insecurity and also mentioned his own philosophy towards dealing with national security issues.

“First and foremost, he appreciated the armed forces and intelligence agencies and the wider paramilitary agencies for the work they have been doing in the past couple of years. Their sacrifice, their loyalty, and he also paid tribute to those who died in defending this country, from the great big menace of terrorism, insurgency banditry, oil theft, sea robbery, piracy, etc.

“The President has made it very, very clear that he’s determined to build on whatever gains have been made and to reverse misfortunes and turn the tide in our favour.

“As far as he’s concerned, this country should not be on its knees struggling while other countries are walking and achieving greater heights.

“The President has revealed that in moving this country forward he needs the security agencies to redouble their efforts. And he’s also pointed out that his own philosophy is one of contemporary security measures dealing with the requirements of the time.

“He has made it very clear that he will not accept a situation in which our fortunes keep declining. And his own trajectory is that national security has to be coordinated, there has to be wherever whatever it says whether it is a basket system, but there must be a clearing house.

“All agencies must work to achieve one single purpose. Working at cross purposes and colliding with each other is not something that he will condone. He has made it very, very clear that all the security agencies must comply with the demands of coordination, with the demands of frequent consultations and also timely reports which must be acted on.

“He is going to embark on a lot of reforms in terms of our security architecture, he is going to take a closer look at our misfortunes in the maritime domain, focusing particularly on the issues of oil theft, that is not going to tolerate. Wherever the problem is coming from it must be crushed as soon as possible.

“He has already mandated by the security agencies to come up with a blueprint as far as he knows, as far as it’s concerned, he doesn’t have the luxury of time. And whatever changes will be made have to be done as soon as possible.

“The President also has decided that what ever ventures the armed forces are going to be engaged in, they must carry along those operatives in the theatre. They must be well fed, well kitted, motivated and given all that they require.

“President has said clearly that he will do whatever is within his powers to enable the operational elements but the intelligence agencies must also make their work easy for them by providing the type of intelligence that they require to carry out the assignment.“

The service chiefs were led to the meeting by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor.

Those present were chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.

Others are the Director-General of the Department of State Service(DSS), Yusuf Bichi; the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

EFCC grills ex-Ekiti Gov Kayode Fayemi over N4bn

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on Thursday in Ilorin grilled ex-Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi for alleged N4 billion fraud.

Ilorin zonal office of the anti-graft agency was said to have in a letter dated May 12 invited the former Governor to its office on May 18 over allegations bordering on money laundering and misappropriation of public fund.

EFCC source said the former Governor asked for time to honour the invitation.

It added that Dr. Fayemi arrived at the EFCC facility around 10am and was drilled by its operatives.

The source said that “EFCC is interrogating the former governor over allegations of misappropriation of N4 billion and money laundering”.

ECA calls for an Inclusive Tax System as Part of a Global Deal to Secure Sustainable Development Goals

Addis Ababa, 31 May 2023 – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has called for an inclusive international tax system and an overhaul of the global financial system as part of a global deal to secure the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and enable African countries to focus their resources on sustainable and inclusive development.

Speaking at a meeting of the Second Specialized Technical Committee on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning, and Integration of African Union whose Sub-Committee on Tax and Illicit Financial Flows is in session, Acting Executive Secretary Antonio Pedro made this call while highlighting the challenges facing African countries in generating domestic resources for economic, social, and environmental investment. According to Pedro, “the fiscal deficit in Africa is estimated at 5% of GDP in 2022 and expected to remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.”

Pedro stressed the need to raise additional resources as African countries face multi-faceted challenges, adding that a double-digit growth rate is needed to rescue the SDGs and accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2063. However, the question remains, where does this growth rate come from?

Noting that the international financial architecture remains grossly inadequate for low-income countries, especially in Africa, to respond to the imperatives of the SDGs and transform Africa’s economies, he said that multilateral financing “is increasingly becoming inadequate and unfavourable and that international private financing is equally challenging and costly owing to poor credit ratings stemming from structural issues and systematic bias.”

Reiterating the UN Secretary-General’s recent call for a global deal that enables developing countries to focus their resources on sustainable and inclusive development and avoid a breakdown of the global order, he called for “a complete overhaul of the global financial system, the creation of an operational debt relief and restructuring framework, strengthened domestic resource mobilization and an inclusive international tax system.” He also stressed the need for concerted efforts at the national, regional, and global levels and lauded the set of reforms currently being advocated by the African High-Level Working Group on the reform of the global financial architecture.

Pedro further underscored the importance of “an inclusive international tax system to ensure the taxing rights of African countries and the need to formulate an African Position on the UN Tax Convention.” This, he said, stems from a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2022 to begin discussions on the possibility of developing an international tax cooperation framework.

“With this backing, member States will be able to begin intergovernmental discussions on ambitious reforms to the global governance structure to curb global tax abuse by multinational corporations,” he said.

“As a first step, ECA, in collaboration with the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), is supporting 10 African countries in estimating tax expenditures using a benchmarking methodology to examine the lost opportunities of tax revenues given as tax incentives and other perverse practices that could have been used for sustainable development,” he added.

Pedro also highlighted the need to address illicit financial flows (IFFs), which continue to siphon critical financial resources away from the continent. While progress has been made to bridge the data gap by developing harmonized methodology for estimating IFFs on the continent, he said more needs to be done on accelerating implementation.

Present at the meeting were Albert Muchanga, African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, Raymond Nazar, Chair Experts, Bureau of the Second Specialized Technical Committee on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning, and Integration, Logan Wort, Executive Secretary, African Tax Administration Forum and Maurice Ochieng, Programme Manager GIZ-GFG.

-Ends-

HOW OKOWA RESHAPED, REFOCUSED AND REPOSITIONED DELTA PDP IN EIGHT YEARS*

By Dr. Ifeanyi M. Osuoza

On December 8, 2014, Senator, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, emerged victorious in the Delta State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP primary election, when he was elected to fly the Party’s flag, by a resounding majority of the delegates that participated in the primaries, which was held at the Cenotaph, in Asaba, the capital of Delta State.

Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who at that time, was the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, defeated 17 other contestants who physically took part in the contest, out of about 25 aspirants who had indicated interest to contest the primary election, to clinch the party ticket.

He won with 406 votes to trounce his closest rival, Olorogun David Edevbie, who received 299 votes. Victor Ochei, former Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly received 185 votes, Ndudi Elumelu, a House of Representatives member, got 50 votes, Godsday Orubebe, a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, garnered 49 votes. Godswill Obielum, a retired Police Commissioner, received 22 votes.

Other top PDP aspirants in the contest, included; Prof. Sylvester Monye, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, Dr. Ngozi Olejeme, and the late Sam Obi, who all received 10 votes each. Peter Okocha, a business mogul, received 6 votes. Festus Okubor received 5 votes. the late Tony Obuh, earlier presented as the favoured candidate of the Incumbent Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, received 5 votes. Charles Emetulu received 4 votes. Gabriel Oyibode and Johnson Opone both received 3 votes each.

Serial contestant Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi received 2 votes, while the relatively unknown Mike Uwaka received 1 vote. The Deputy Governor of the State at that time, Prof. Amos Utuama had earlier withdrawn from the primary, which had 1,121 accredited delegates, drawn from the 25 Local Government Areas in the State.

The primary election itself had been free, fair, credible, and peaceful, but it was the drama which preceded it, laced with high-tension intrigues, alignments, disagreements and the hovering uncertainty that the rotational power arrangement that had already seen two major Senatorial zones out of the three in the State, take their turns at governance, was going to be truncated, that eventually paved the way for the reshaping, refocussing, and repositioning of the PDP, in the next Eight years.

Senator Okowa’s convincing victory at the primaries was overwhelmingly applauded by the party as it had laid to rest, any doubts that the power rotation agenda was going to be scuttled and most importantly, it restored the credibility and integrity of the PDP as a Party that always stood for the principles of equity, fairness, and justice in its operations.

Prior to the December 2014 primaries, Delta PDP had been enmeshed in what was shaping up to explode into a sort of leadership conflict, when erstwhile State party Chairman, Peter Nwaoboshi, had relinquished the position, to contest for the Delta North Senatorial zone ticket.

In line with the Party’s constitution, the highest ranking member of the Party’s State Executive Council, SEC, from Nwaobishi’s Federal Constituency, would be elected to replace him, after an acting Chairman had been nominated to fill the vacuum for a specified period, before the election.

Chief Edwin Chukwunweike Uzor, the State Auditor of the party and a seasoned, loyal, and very committed long-standing party man, who was also the highest-ranking EXCO member from the Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency at the time, was appointed as Acting Chairman for the 14 days period, which then prompted some high-level political maneuvers by very critical and concerned interests, to shop for their preferred candidate(s) for the position.

However, the Party, in its wisdom and by the consensus of a majority of the stakeholders and members, decided to settle and stabilize the leadership conundrum, especially ahead of the coming party primaries, with the official election of Chief Edwin Uzor, who had already satisfied all the requisite criteria required for the position.

Uzor’s election was in line with the party’s constitution that stipulates that should the party Chairman resign before the expiration of his term, the replacement should come from the same Federal Constituency that produced the former Chairman. It was also conducted democratically at an expanded stakeholders meeting of the party, following a motion of nomination moved by Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai, a member of the House of Representatives, and was seconded by the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Peter Onwusanya. The motion was put to a voice vote and the house unanimously endorsed and elected Chief Uzor as the new Delta State PDP Chairman.

It was only natural therefore that the party, following the successful election of its substantive State Chairman, would unanimously and resolutely rally round the rotation agenda and ensure that the unanimously accepted, favoured and preferred aspirant from Delta North, would eventually pick the party’s gubernatorial ticket, despite the obvious shenanigans that threatened to derail the Anioma Agenda and power-sharing arrangement.

There was no doubt whatsoever, that Senator Ifeanyi Okowa was the matrix on which all the pro-power rotation advocates congregated. He was the beacon of light which gave illumination and direction not only to the party, against the backdrop of the intrigues that were frantically being executed by certain interests which were even potentially damaging to the Party’s chances of victory in the coming general election, but indeed to the actualization of the Anioma Agenda, which was the desired aspiration in the power-sharing convention, amongst the three Senatorial zones in the State.

With the primaries thus settled and the party now speaking with one resounding voice, the campaigns for the general elections commenced in earnest and the overwhelming support and acceptance of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as the next Governor of Delta State, was incredible and amazing to behold.

Okowa had already endeared himself to the PDP faithful across the three Senatorial zones in the State, after his staggering performance in the PDP Guber primaries preceding the 2007 elections, as well as his fearless, unshakable resolve against manipulation in the Delta North Senatorial primary election, that heralded his victory to the Senate in 2011. He was a well-known and beloved champion of the party going into the 2015 Gubernatorial election and Deltans loved and trusted him unconditionally.

The PDP won the Delta State Governorship election with a landslide victory and a margin that had never been recorded in the electoral history of the State before. The 2015 Delta State Gubernatorial election, which was the 7th in the State, was held on April 11, 2015, and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa scored a whooping 724,680 votes to defeat Great Ogboru of the Labour Party who got a measly 130,028 votes into a distant second position.

Much has been written and said about the outstanding achievements of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration in the last Eight years, especially in the creation of over 100,000 Jobs through STEP, YAGEP, PPSP, and other entrepreneurial initiatives; the prompt and regular attention to payment of workers salaries, increments, the pension scheme and other welfare packages like the life-saving contributory health scheme, the monumental infrastructural development and the delivery of legacy projects including over 2,000 kilometres of roads, across all the three Senatorial zones in the State.

There were the storm drainages to mitigate the incessant flooding in the two capital and commercial cities, the bridges of unity connecting hitherto inaccessible communities, the audacious transformation of the Education sector with three new Universities amongst others, the major interventions in sports, healthcare delivery, the aesthetically breathtaking urban renewal transformation of Asaba the capital city with the massive upgrading of the Airport and reconstruction of the Stephen Keshi Stadium to real international standards, the recalibration of interventionist agencies, like DESOPADEC and the Micro, Medium and Small Enterprises Agency to fully deliver on their proper mandates, and most importantly in the sustainable peace which has been established across the State, all encapsulated in the brilliant and cerebral SMART AGENDA blueprint.

Suffice it to say however, that one of the more accomplished successes of the Eight years of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration is the masterful, strategic, and all-inclusive approach with which he handled the affairs of the party in Delta State.

As Governor of the State and leader of the Party, he consolidated on and ensured that Party was Supreme in all decisions that involved maintaining and sustaining the internal democracy of the party. His clarion admonition to all party faithful was very simple: Power must return to the people at the grassroots and the people must be allowed to elect their leaders. No more imposition.

He also charged them to elect only popular candidates who were the choice of the people and had the capacity to deliver on the mandate of the party.

Governor Okowa equally embarked on a robust effort to unite and harmonize the party across the three Senatorial zones and typical of his leadership style, he encouraged and consistently supported consensus building which has always been the strength of the party, and ensured the regularity of zonal stakeholders meetings, which brought party faithful together in a convivial atmosphere where hatchets were buried and members wined, dined and made merry like one big happy family. These meetings were always greatly anticipated and well attended by members even at short notice.

Another major initiative of the Okowa leadership master plan was that the Vice Chairmanship position in all Local Government Councils must be given to women and this has become the norm across all the LGAs in Delta State.

On May 10, 2016, Okowa undertook one of his major tasks since he assumed office as Governor of Delta State and the undisputed leader of the party, which was to midwife the emergence of a new Party Executive.

Following his emergence as Governor from Delta North Senatorial zone and in line with the Party’s constitution, the Chairmanship would subsequently rotate to another Senatorial zone, this time to Delta Central, after the expiration of Chief Uzor’s completion tenure, for Delta North.

At the congress which was conducted by an 11-man team from the PDP Secretariat in Abuja, led by Dame (Mrs) Uzo Nwandu and supervised by a team of officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barr. Kingsley Esiso emerged as the Chairman of the party while Barr. Val Arenyeka was elected as Deputy Chairman.

Others who emerged victorious in the congress which was free, fair, transparent, and devoid of any form of rancour were, Mr. Moses Iduh, Vice Chairman – Delta North Senatorial District; Chief, Dr. A.P Fovie, Vice Chairman – Delta Central Senatorial District; Hon. Emmanuel Amgbaduba,  Vice Chairman – Delta South Senatorial District; Chief Godday Nzete – Secretary; Mr. John Okoroloko, Assistant Secretary; Hon. Deighan Macaulay, Treasurer; Hon. Tony Anuku, Assistant Treasurer; Mr. Ralph Azeh, Financial Secretary; Dr. Ifeanyi Michael Osuoza, Publicity Secretary; Mr. London Owofasa, Assistant Publicity Secretary; Mr. Sunday Onoriode, Organizing Secretary; Barr. Odior Bernard, Legal Adviser; Barr. Hessington Okolo, Assistant Legal Adviser; Chief J. J. Scott, Auditor; among others.

The harmonious understanding and symbiotic working relationship that existed between Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the party equally resulted in the seamless conduct of Local Government elections where popular candidates were elected as Chairmen and Vice-Chairpersons and Councillors across all the LGAs. This smooth relationship also ensured that all party Chairmen and executives at Local Governments, Wards, and Units were chosen by party members at the grassroots and not imposed.

It was therefore little wonder that on September 30th, 2018, in the PDP Governorship primary for the 2019 general elections, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was adopted and endorsed as the sole candidate of the party, but in his typical style of making sure that things were done according to due process, he insisted that a proper primary election process be conducted.

The exercise was supervised by the PDP election panel, headed by Mrs. Uzo Nwandu, who announced that Dr. Okowa polled 3,252 votes after delegates from the 25 Local Government Areas, including former Governor, Chief James Ibori, who was among the party’s delegates, voted during the primary, which held in Asaba, the State capital, to see Governor Okowa emerge the re-elected winner. Okowa also retained his Deputy, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, as his running mate for the 2019 election.

The Governorship election which took place on March 9, 2019 also ended in a landslide for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the PDP. Governor Okowa won in 23 of the 25 Local Government Areas in the State while his closest rival, Chief Great Ogboru, this time flying the flag of the All Progressives Congress, APC, won only two Local Government Areas.

Official results from all 25 LGAs released by INEC showed that Okowa and PDP polled 925,274 votes while Ogboru scored 215,938 votes.

On Saturday, August 8, 2020, Olorogun Kingsley Esiso and the entire State Executive Committee of the party were returned unopposed for a second term at the helm of affairs in the party and PDP, despite not being in control at the centre, maintained its dominant supremacy in the State, even winning virtually all the bye-elections conducted in the period under Governor Okowa’s astute, strategic leadership.

The 2023 general election was however, not only going to provide a major watershed in the political and electoral trajectory of both Delta State and Nigeria, it would also test and task the resoluteness of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in his unwavering resolve to stand firmly on the path of equity, fairness and due process, in the determination of who would eventually pick the PDP Governorship ticket as his successor, in 2023.

The two major principles which have guided him unerringly since he assumed office in 2015, were to serve him well again in the run-up to the 2023 electioneering season. The first was his unflinching belief that power comes from God alone and his implicit trust and confidence in the divine guidance of God in the selection of who would succeed him as the PDP flag-bearer. The second was his long-standing belief that power belongs to the people; _vox populi, vox Dei_ , and they must be allowed to determine who they will choose as their candidate, either by consensus or by the majority in a proper, free, fair, transparent, and credible primary election, conducted on a level playing field for all the aspirants.

This was the exact scenario that played out on May 25, 2022, when the PDP conducted its Governorship primaries and Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, who was the choice of the majority of the delegates, which also automatically made him Okowa’s choice as well, emerged victorious with a landslide that was even greater than when Governor Okowa himself contested the remarkable similar acrimonious December 2014 primaries.

Declaring Oborevwori as the winner of the primary election, with 597 votes, the Chairman of the panel, Mr. Ndubuisi Nwobu said the closest challenger, David Edevbie scored 113 votes, Senator James Manager got 83 votes, Chief Fred Majemite had 6 votes, Barr Peter Mrakpor, 9 votes, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, 9 votes, and both Mr. Abel Esievo and Chief Ejaife Odebala, had 2 votes each.

Nwobu who described the election as a family affair, adding that the primary election was free and fair, confirmed that the election committee accredited a total of 824 delegates for the primary elections, out of which 821 votes were cast, with three voided votes.

It is also important to note that following his declaration as the winner of the Delta PDP Governorship primary, an avalanche of intrigues, threats, litigations, misleading propaganda, and other sponsored attacks, particularly from within the party and by opposition elements, were unleashed on the person and candidacy of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, with the primary intent to disqualify him from contesting the Governorship election as the PDP Flag-bearer and even the more sinister agenda of completely removing the PDP from the ballot.

But, one by one, all the plans failed, all the plots were botched, and even the litigations which were decided before the election were all in Sheriff Oborevwori’s favour. With the colossal failure of all the adversarial attacks, the plotters had no other choice than to show their true colours by defecting to the opposition in the hope that this would be the joker and game changer that would weaken and possibly sink Governor Okowa and PDP in the Guber election. But, the inspirational saying goes in Delta, “God Pass them”

Indeed, while the high voltage power play was going on in Delta PDP, Governor Okowa, who was also the Chairman of the PDP South-South Governors Forum, had quite fortuitously, been picked by the PDP Presidential candidate, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, to be his running mate on the joint ticket of the party for the February 25, 2023 Presidential Election, despite another extremely acrimonious power end game which had played out at the National level and was embellished with some bitter, misleading and deliberately pedalled falsehoods. The rest, as they say, is history, which is still unfolding.

The March 18, 2023 Governorship election was indeed much closer in margin than previous elections, but Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and the PDP coasted home to victory with a substantial votes difference which still underscored and consolidated the supremacy of the PDP as the number one party in Delta State, inspite of the best efforts of the detractors.

Declaring the result at the INEC Collation Centre in Asaba, the INEC State Returning Officer Prof. Georgewill Owunari, Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said Sheriff Oborevwori of PDP polled 360,234 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress, APC Candidate Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who scored 240,229, while the Labour Party candidate, Kennedy Pela came a distant third with 48,047.

Oborevwori and PDP also won in 21 out of the 25 Local Government Areas of the State leaving the APC with four Local Government Areas, to make him Governor-elect of Delta State for which he has already been presented with his Certificate of Return.

It must be placed on record categorically that the last Eight years of the party under Governor Okowa’s leadership, has been the longest period in the history of Delta PDP, without any mutiny, insurrection, or restiveness by angry and disgruntled members to topple or sack the leadership of the party; a scenario which was quite synonymous with the party in the past, and there was no major upheaval or angry protestations to disrupt, scuttle or truncate the timetable of the transition congresses and Local Government Elections.

The last Eight years was the first time that elected PDP lawmakers did not rebel against the leadership of the State Assembly where they were in the majority and the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori not only completed the tenure of his predecessor but commenced and is now poised to complete his own full tenure as the number one legislator in the State, with the unalloyed support of his party members.

The last Eight years of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the leader of the PDP witnessed the most peaceful era in the history of the party where issues were resolved with tact, discipline was established by due process and the party defended and acquitted itself with cerebral decorum, matured responsibility, tolerant and understanding accommodation, and admirable equanimity.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the last Eight years, has reshaped, refocussed, and repositioned the party to do MORE exploits and achieve MORE successes in the years ahead.

© *Ifeanyi Osuoza, Ph.D., is the State Publicity Secretary, Peoples Democratic Party, Delta State.*

PRESS STATEMENT

29th May, 2023

DELTA PDP CONGRATULATES OBOREVWORI ON SWEARING-IN AS GOVERNOR

Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) warmly congratulates His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on his successful swearing-in as the 5th Governor of Delta State. We also congratulate the new Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, as they, proudly fly the flag of the PDP, assume the mantle of leadership of our dear Delta State.

Delta PDP equally expresses our sincere gratitude to His Excellency, Senator, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, and his Deputy, Deacon Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, for the accomplished and exceptional leadership, delivered under the SMART Agenda, which has ensured a Stronger, more prosperous Delta State for all Deltans.

We have no doubts whatsoever that His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, will not only consolidate on the outstanding legacies of the former administration, but is poised and ready to do MORE for Deltans and Delta State.

CONGRATULATIONS.

God Bless Delta State.

PDP! Power to the People!

Dr. Ifeanyi M. Osuoza

State Publicity Secretary,

PDP, Delta State.

RELEASE

01st June, 2023

DELTA PDP CONGRATULATES EMU, OTHERS ON APPOINTMENTS, APPLAUDS GOVERNOR OBOREVWORI

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Delta State, congratulates Dr. Kingsley Eze Emu, on his appointment as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, the Executive Governor of Delta State.

PDP, in a statement by the State Publicity Secretary, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, also felicitates the other notable Party faithful; Hon. Johnson Erijo on his appointment as Chief of Staff to the Governor, Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo as Senior Political Adviser to the Governor and Barr. (Mrs) Lyna Aliya-Ocholor, as Principal Secretary to the Governor.

The Party specially expressed gratitude to the Governor for his insight and valued consideration in picking the appointees, who have discharged themselves creditably in various spheres of assignments.

Dr. Kingsley Eze Emu is a brilliant scholar and painstaking technocrat. The mix of his highly prized background both in the private sector and public sector, stands him in good stead. The skill and dexterity garnered over the years in service, having served in various cabinet capacities in previous State Executive Councils, are strong assets that he will hopefully deploy in the discharge of his new assignment as SSG.

The Party speaks in similar dimension for all the other appointees who, as notable figures, have distinguished themselves in various capacities and assignments thrust on them by providence.

This is a strong team and we applaud His Excellency the Governor, for the foresight in picking the right calibre of appointees, who are also loyal PDP members.

While expressing pleasure in their good fortune for the well-deserved appointments, Delta State PDP urges them to remain steadfast in their support for the Party by giving their best in their respective offices, in serving the State Government, the PDP, and Deltans well, thereby justifying the confidence reposed in them by the Governor.

Once again, congratulations.

PDP, Power to the People.

Dr. Ifeanyi M. Osuoza,

State Publicity Secretary,

PDP, Delta State.

Ebireri Henry Ovie Mobile: 2348036977194.

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

GOVERNORS FORUMS’ LEADERSHIP: PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES ABDULRAZAQ, UZODINMA, OTHERS

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated governors who recently emerged as leaders of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and Progressive Governors Forum (PGF).

The President’s felicitation was contained in a statement from the State House on Thursday.

“I congratulate the Governor of Kwara State, His Excellency Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, on his emergence as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), and the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency Hope Uzodinma, on his election as the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF).

“In the same vein, I also congratulate His Excellency Seyi Makinde, the Governor of Oyo State, and his Kaduna State counterpart, His Excellency Senator Uba Sani, on their elections as deputy chairmen for the two respective forums,” he said.

“Being called upon by their peers to lead them is a testament to the trust and confidence reposed in them by the governors,” President Tinubu added.

The President tasked the new leaders to use their tenures to advance the peace, unity and socioeconomic development of the country and join hands with his administration to engender the Renewed Hope agenda.

“As chief executives of states, governors are critical to the overall success of our administration and the desire for a Nigeria that works for all.

“As an important fulcrum in our journey to a more prosperous and safe country, what states do or do not do matter a lot. I am therefore obliged to ask the new leaders to use their good offices to bring about a convergence of vision between the Federal Government, under my leadership, and governments at the state level.

“It is my prayer that you acquit yourselves diligently in discharging the responsibilities bestowed on you through this election,” President Tinubu added.

Abdulaziz Abdulaziz

June 1, 2023.