IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN has assured Nigerians that steps are being taken to provide a permanent solution to completion of section 4 of the East West road measuring 15 kilometres from Onne Port junction to Eleme Port junction in Rivers State. The Minister gave this assurance during a meeting with the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Okon Umana in his office at the Ministry's Headquarters in Mabushi, Abuja.

Due to public concerns the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry who handed over the supervision of the road to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing early this year wrote to inform the Minister of Works and Housing of their decision to do some remedial works on the road through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

However, based on advice of Directors from Federal Ministry of Works and Housing who inspected the road last month and discovered that its cardinal problem is lack of drainage, Fashola decided that a permanent and holistic approach should be taken so that the problem is put to rest because without the drainage whatever work that is done on the road will not last. Already request for additional funding to complete the work has been sent to the Bureau of Public Procurement to obtain a Certificate of No Objection (approval) expeditiously so that the work can be completed.

Fashola assured the people of the area and other road users that the Federal Government is committed to the completion of the road as well as other roads across the Nation, this he opined is President Muhammadu Buhari's Administration's priority to enhance impactful Socio-Economic development and therefore craved the patience and understanding of Communities along the East West road axis.

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state on Wednesday criticised Christians who oppose his acceptance to serve as the Director General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organization, stating that as a Catholic with the highest Papal award, the Pope has not told him what he is doing is wrong.

Since the emergence of Bola Tinubu as the APC presidential candidate, the ex-Lagos governor picked former Borno Governor, Kashim Shettima as his running mate. The development has since generated controversy, especially among the Christian folks including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) who have since rejected the Muslim-Muslim ticket. Despite defending his choice of Shettima as his running mate, critics have remained adamant considering the religious beliefs of Nigerians.

But Governor Lalong backed the idea of the Muslim-Muslim ticket after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja. In a question and answer session, Lalong noted that as an awardee of Knight of Saint Gregory, he remains a staunch Catholic despite his new responsibility to market a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket. Governor Lalong maintained that he has enormous respect for his faith as a Christian, noting that he was elected governor for people of all faiths and non-believers as well.

The Plateau leader said he is therefore not sure where those who claimed to be Christians and stand in opposition to his appointment are from. He reminded that when upon his return to Jos after his recent appointment as the DG, the APC Presidential Campaign organization, the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), welcomed him.

The World Cup is set to start one day earlier than planned on Sunday, 20 November with hosts Qatar taking on Ecuador. The Group A opener was due to be played on 21 November at 16:00 GMT, as the third match of the competition.

The opening match of the tournament was to be Senegal against the Netherlands at 10:00, earlier on the Monday. However, the administrative arm of world governing body Fifa has submitted a proposal to move the Qatar game. It followed discussions with Qatar and their opponents Ecuador, after receiving a request from the South American confederation Conmebol. It fits in with the tradition of either the hosts or the holders being involved in the opening match. 

The final decision will be made by the bureau of the Fifa council, which comprises the six confederation presidents, plus Fifa president Gianni Infantino. If it is approved as expected, it would not change the release dates for players, and Senegal against the Netherlands would be switched to 16:00 on the Monday, given only three games would be played instead of the present four.

England's Group B match with Iran, which is being played at 13:00 on 21 November, would be unaffected, as would Wales' opening match against the United States of America at 21:00 on the same date.

"Kizz Daniel had a gold chain on his neck, yet he refused to perform because the airline had failed to deliver his luggage that contained his other gold chains; insisting he must wear all of it for the show"

The singer had arrived in the country earlier but refused to perform because of unavailability of his clothes.

But in an Instagram Live session with Daddy Freeze after the news of the singer’s arrest by the Tanzanian police went viral, the show promoter, identified Steve claimed Vado refused to perform because the luggage containing his other gold chain was delivered.

According to Uwah, although Kizz had a gold chain on his neck, yet he refused to perform because the airline had failed to deliver his luggage that contained his other gold chains; insisting he must wear all of it for the show.

He noted his manager, Paulo called the singer from America, crying while begging him all night to honour the show but he refused to bulge.

Explaining reason for Kizz Daniel’s refusal to perform at the concert to Daddy Freeze, Uwah stated: “He only said the airline did not bring his bag, that is why he cannot perform because his gold chain is not there and he had a good chain on his neck, one but he wanted everything.”

“And I brought him harmonised skin. I brought in different clothes. So, he said just because the airline didn’t bring one of his bags, he cannot perform without his gold on his neck.

“That show, I spent nothing less than $300,000 because the show was a premium show. I’ll send you a video of that show. That show wasn’t a joke. A table for that show was sold for $5,000 and the highest table was sold for $10,000.

“I have all the contract with Paulo. Paulo is the one who I booked Kizz Daniel directly from.

“Paulo cried all night calling from America trying to beg this guy saying, ‘please go for the show’s, but he refused.”

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that anybody who despises the political capability of the State will be meted with the same treatment.

Governor Wike made the declaration at the inauguration of the Orochiri -Worukwo (Waterlines junction) Flyover that was performed by the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Port Harcourt on Monday.

The Rivers State governor explained that the dynamics of contemporary politics has made it unpopular to just gift votes away without the assurance of derivable benefit for the people.

"If you say Rivers State does not matter, Rivers State will tell you that you don't also matter at the appropriate time. If you don't like us, we will not like you. If you like us, we will like you.

"Nobody will use our votes for nothing. Our votes will matter and Rivers State must benefit from anybody that we are going to support.

"Politics now is no longer just vote for somebody, it is about what you will do for the people of Rivers State."

Governor Wike pointed to how difficult it will be for any conspirators to upset the voting pattern of Rivers State and support for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The governor reiterated that those who looted the treasury of the State will not be supported to become governor of Rivers State.

"My guest from Lagos State, let nobody tell you story that anybody will come here to win as governor of Rivers State. It will not happen.

"Those who looted the treasury of the State will not come here to be governor of Rivers State and I have challenged them.

"I am fully in charge. I am not that kind of governor people will go to Abuja and hold meetings against. I am fully in charge here."

Governor Wike also berated Mr. Yemi Adebowale over his ThisDay publication in which he peddled misinformation in his 'RingTrue' column article titled, " Wike, a Governor Possessed By Spirit of Flyovers."

The governor noted the obvious unhappy mindset of the writer for his dislikes for development and hatred for Rivers people who are happy with the ongoing development strides of his administration.

"First of all, let me state, if there is one State that pays salary regularly, it is Rivers State. Let me also state, every month we pay pensioners. Let me also state since we have been paying gratuity, have you been hearing anybody talking on radio?

Governor Wike also challenged those who are envious of his development strides to rather show what capacity they have by executing projects and invite renown persons to inaugurate them. 

He explained the invitation of the Lagos State governor is not the first time persons of other political parties were invited to inaugurate projects in Rivers State.

He pointed to the overall benefits such invitations have on governance because it served as peer review for them.

The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, who inaugurated the  Orochiri-Worokwu (Waterlines) Flyover, commended Governor Wike for his strong commitment to the delivery of physical infrastructure in Rivers State.

“I would like to specially commend my brother, Governor Wike, for his strong commitment to the delivery of physical infrastructure in Rivers State, a commitment that has been recognized by all and sundry, and which has earned him the appellation of "Mr. Projects" within and outside Rivers State."

Governor Sanwo-Olu said though himself and governor Wike belong to different political persuasions, the invitation extended to him sends a very strong message that  politicians and political leaders, can come together across political and ideological divides, for the good of the people.

"There is also a strong message being made today about expanding our capacity to play politics without bitterness. This symbolic gesture by my friend and brother is one that should become standard practice across Nigeria.

"There is also a lot that we can learn from one another, and experience that we can translate from one part of the country to the other.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu further added: “Ultimately, we are all in governance to touch the lives of the people for good; to deliver to them the dividends of democracy. There is no doubt that Governor Wike has spent his last seven years focused on this, just as we have similarly been doing in Lagos."

Providing the description of the project, the Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dakorinama George-Kelly said the project has been completed on schedule with specified quality.

"The project has an overall length of 840 meters and overall cross sectional width of 17.6meters, 7.3 meters on each lane. It has 1 meter walkway on both sides, and 2 meter of media. We have a total of asphaltic pavement area of 29000 square meters.

"This flyover bridge brings to amend traffic congestion along the Port Harcourt -Aba Expressway because right from the Bori Park Flyover down to Eastern By-pass, there will be no traffic congestion. So, there will be ease of doing business around Port Harcourt and Rivers people will benefit from it."

In his speech, Regional Manager of Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, Juergen Fischer, noted that history had been made with the opening for public use the 7th Flyover awarded to them for construction.

He thanked Governor Wike for the trust reposed in Julius Berger Nigeria PLC to handle such huge projects for the State Government.

The Federal High Court Abuja has fixed September 7, for the hearing of a legal suit seeking the disqualification of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), from contesting the 2023 elections for allegedly presenting the forged certificate.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed fixed the hearing, just as it granted an ex-parte order for substituted service on Tinubu who had invaded personal service of court processes. The Plaintiffs, who are four chieftains of the APC are praying the court for an order disqualifying Tinubu from contesting or participating in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election as a candidate of All Progressives Congress on the grounds of the information he supplied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the presidential candidate of the party.

Counsel to the Plaintiff, Goddy Uche, told the court that substituted service has become necessary because all attempts to serve the presidential candidate have proved abortive as he cannot be reached. In a brief ruling, the Vacation Judge, Justice Mohammed ordered that the Court process to be served on the National Secretariat of APC and that such service shall be deemed as having been properly served on Bola Tinubu.

He further adjourned the case to September 7, for a hearing.