Bayelsa State
Bayelsa election: Governor Diri, INEC ask appeal court to reverse tribunal’s judgment
Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State on Thursday in Abuja asked the Court of Appeal to reverse the decision of the Bayelsa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which nullified the November 16, 2019 governorship poll in the state. Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have also approached the appellate court asking it to reverse the tribunal’s judgement. In their separate appeals, the appellants prayed the court to uphold that the conduct of the governorship election and its outcome which produced Mr Diri as governor complied with relevant laws. Arguing on behalf of Mr Diri, his counsel, Chris Uche, (SAN), told the court that the case of the first respondent (Advanced Nigerian Democratic Party (ANDP)) was statute barred as ...
Bayelsa West: Over 900 defect to PDP due to violation of zoning agreement
File Photo The senatorial ambition of former Deputy Governor, Chief Peremobowei Ebebi, has triggered a fresh crisis within the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Over 900 protesting members of the APC stormed the Toru Orua country home of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Senatorial Candidate for Bayelsa West, Hon Seriake Dickson, the immediate past governor of the state, to defect to the PDP in protest against the violation of the arrangement on the zoning of the National Assembly seats in the Senatorial District. The defectors led by the former Chairman of the Ogobiri Youth Association, Mr. Ekadi Desire, were received on behalf of the State chapter of the PDP by the Sagbama Local Government Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Ofoni Oyafikunmo, the Sen...
Bayelsa Airport: Deputy governor debunks reports, declares N56 billion as total cost
Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has dismissed reports making the rounds that the immediate past administration spent about N100bn for the construction of the state Airport. Describing the claim as “mischievous and evil”, the deputy governor, said contrary to the unfounded reports being bandied about, only N56bn was used in constructing the Airport which is adjudged as one of the best in the country. Senator Ewhrudjakpo disclosed this at the Airport while receiving the Bayelsa-born conjoined twins who were flown back to the state weekend after a successful surgery at the Federal Medical Centre, Yola. He noted with displeasure that, apart from the erroneous figures, some opposition politicians went about spreading and demarketing the state just to score cheap pol...
NCDC certifies molecular laboratory in Bayelsa
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has activated the newly inaugurated Bayelsa State Molecular Laboratory, Research and Diagnostic Centre for COVID-19 testing. The facility, which was inaugurated by Gov. Douye Diri, brought the number of NCDC accredited laboratories in the country to 66 in 34 states. The Acting Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Daniel Alabrah, announced this in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Yenagoa. He said that the NCDC in a letter by the Laboratory Network Advisor, Celestina Obiekea, to the Bayelsa Commissioner for Health, stated that the laboratory had fulfilled the necessary requirements to test for COVID-19. He quoted the NCDC as saying that the state would be responsible for procurement of consumables, equipment and other mater...
APC: PDP rudderless under Uche Secondus
Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been sinking since Uche Secondus became its chairman. The party said this after Secondus criticised the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration. In a statement on Monday, the APC said the main opposition party became “rudderless under his (Mr Secondus) watch” and alleged that party’s stakeholders had detached from its activities. “Under Secondus, the PDP has never had it this bad with the opposition party’s stakeholders detached from the party activities as was witnessed with notable PDP leaders boycotting the party’s 2019 presidential campaigns and the recent Bayelsa State Governorship bribe-for-ticket scandal that indicted Secondus. “Little wonder, the recent months have wit...
PDP: We will not accept rigging in Edo election
Ahead of the Edo State governorship election slated for 19th of September 2020, the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have vowed to resist any attempt by opposition, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to rig the election. PDP made the vow during the flag-off of the incumbent governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki governorship re-election campaign in Benin Saturday. Among those who spoke on the issue were the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus. Mr Nyesom Wike (Rivers State governor) who is also the chairman of the PDP National Council, and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State. National chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, while stressing the need for a free and fair election come September in Edo State, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to provid...
Bayelsa set to pay hazard allowances
The Bayelsa State Government has indicated its readiness to pay special allowances to frontline health workers combating the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic in the state. Mr Doubara Atasi, the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Deputy Governor, stated this in a statement on Wednesday. It would be recalled that Gov. Douye Diri, had given the assurance to pay the allowances on Tuesday. He said it at a meeting with the representatives of the labour unions including the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Association of Resident Doctors in Government House, Yenagoa. Other unions represented at the meeting include the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and Association of Medical Laboratory Sci...
US envoy inaugurates emergency health operation facility in Bayelsa
The US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, has inaugurated a state-of-the-art public health Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Leonard said during the virtual event on Thursday that the facility, which was upgraded by the US, would enable “centralised real-time monitoring and predictive modelling for enhanced coordination of activities.” She commended the federal and state governments as well as other stakeholders for their efforts toward curtailing the coronavirus, stressing that the EOC would also help in making informed decisions about the pandemic and similar public health emergencies. The Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, described the establishment of the EOC as a welcome development that would improve healthcare delivery in the state. He said the cen...
President Buhari authorises N19.67 billion for completion of East-West road
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate release of N19.67 billion to ramp up efforts in completing sections I-IV of the East-West Road project by 2021. The presidential directive was part of efforts to address infrastructure deficit in the Niger Delta region and boost its economy. Mr Buhari had, in his Democracy Day address, said the funding of the sections of the road project would be duly released to better the lot of his people and would be followed by a forensic audit. “I am determined to ensure that development meant for the people of the Niger Delta get to them so I have authorised a Forensic Audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission,” the president said. The road project, which was first conceived in 2006 by the Obasanjo administration, was meant to be completed ...
PDP urges Supreme Court to dismiss Timi Alaibe’s case
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youths have urged the Supreme Court to dismiss Timi Alaibe’s case before the apex court. The PDP added that any contrary decision by the Supreme Court might ignite crisis in the region. The PDP Youths, under the aegis of South South Youth Vanguard, said that they are aware that Alaibe has been making overture to the All Progressives Congress (APC) so that the apex court will favour him. The PDP Youth Vanguard, in a statement by its National Chairman, James Efe Akpofure, disclosed that they are aware that Alaibe has been wooing, telling the leadership of the party that he will join the APC if he wins at the Supreme Court. The group warned the APC not to ignite any avoidable crisis in the state over Bayelsa state governorship election that has already been ...
Bayelsa discharges two coronavirus patients
The Bayelsa State government has announced that two patients that earlier tested positive for coronavirus in the state have been discharged. Newsmen report that the two patients who had contact with the index case were discharged from the isolation centre at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) in Okolobiri. A statement signed by the deputy chairman of the state’s COVID-19 taskforce and permanent secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Inodu Apoku, said “the repeat tests of the remaining cases linked to the index case returned negative. “These patients have also met all other NCDC guidelines for discharge. Consequently, they have been discharged today (Saturday). “So there is only one active COVID-19 case in the state after we discharged the index case and the other four linked c...
Nigeria governors meet Wednesday on quick way out of coronavirus effects
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum says it will meet on Wednesday to review the situation of COVID-19 pandemic in various states, and as well find paths for a quick way out of the effects of the pandemic. The forum made this known in a statement by Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, NGF Head, Media and Public Affairs, in Abuja on Tuesday. Bello-Barkindo said issues to be discussed at the 8th teleconference meeting, according to the invitation sent from the NGF Director-General, Mr Asishana Bayo Okauru, include update from the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. He also listed a new initiative codenamed CACOVID-Volunteer Health Workers Support Scheme to States, including a consideration for a CACOVID–Healthcare Training Proposal, among others. Bello-Barkindo said: “The state governors will also take a...
