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Waripamowei Dudafa and his band of detractors

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I have read with great sense of awe and pity for the promoters of recent propagandas against Dr. Waripamowei Dudafa a onetime Special Assistant to Ex-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. These media attacks against Dr. Dudafa has been promoted and piloted by no other person or persons than the incumbent governor of Bayelsa state and his media goons.

Before I go on, it is imperative that I quote the Bayelsa state governor on the said Dr. Dudafa who they have found worthy of maligning. This statement was made on the day of the occasion of conferment of Doctor of Phillosophy Degree on the former Commissioner for Chieftaincy and local government affairs in Bayelsa state. Hear the governor-“Dr. Dudafa in his relatively young life has served Bayelsa State with distinction and consummate industry in every capacity in which his worthy endowments had been required at both the legislative and executive arms of governance… it is important that he is not losing sight of self-improvement, despite his commitment to serve Bayelsa State and Nigeria”

After reading and rereading this statement by the governor, I was forced to posit that politics is really a funny game which is hinged on opportunism if not how can one explain the fact that the same man who made the above comment can suddenly discover that the man whom he was praise singing has suddenly lost all the attributes that was ascribed to him.

The truth is that Dr. Waripamowei Dudafa has not lost the said attributes rather it is the media goons of the state governor that have lost touch with rationality and reality on ground. Dudafa still represents the positive side of Bayelsa state and sill command high regard and respect in the state especially amongst his followers. His love for the progress of the state and commitment to the people has not been an issue for question. It is rather unfortunate that politics can make a rational mind lose his or her sense of rationality but we cannot belittle ourselves always all in the name of politics.

The Bayelsa gubernatorial election is by the corner and all political jobbers have been mobilized by all the stakeholders in the political firmament of the state but it is imperative that we understand that decorum in politics is a virtue that must be kept. Dr. Waripamowei Dudafa has as a matter of decency kept his cool despite all the attacks but such should not be taken as weakness. He has made his position clear as a responsible citizen of the state by distancing himself from the governor’s reelection bid. This he did base on principle and no matter the psychological pressure on him by equating his principled stance with disloyalty for his former boss whom he has the utmost regard for will hold water.

The developmental needs of Bayelsa are huge and enormous. Instead of looking at how to tackle these pressing needs in the state, the state government has been on a wild goose chase against perceived political enemies. This chase has in all sphere belittled his administration in the eyes of the public.

That the former President and his amiable wife are supporting his reelection bid is understandable especially from party perspective but from another perspective especially from a private citizen like Dr. Dudafa, his position on the governor should be respected also. His principled stance cannot be wished away especially considering the level of acrimony against him by the underperforming governor.

As I round up this piece I must stress once again that Dr. Dudafa remains a respected man in the state and in the country at large. His contributions to the state and the country cannot be wished away by mere propaganda. It will take more than the propagandas of the renowned Josef Goebbles and other notable propagandists in this world to achieve such.

As Special Assistant to the former President, the experience he brought to bear in the running of the office was nothing short of efficiency and effectiveness encapsulated in sagacious management of the affairs of his office. This is evidenced in the words of President Jonathan on the said day he was conferred with the Doctorate degree by the University of Port Harcourt.

Hear him “It is my hope that your acquisition of a doctoral degree will not only inspire you to loftier aspirations but also further enhance your capacity to continue to render worthy service to our dear nation, especially at this point when the country is in dire need of the re-commitment of men and women of good will to our national transformation efforts.”

With the word of a great leader like this on Dr. Dudafa, I wonder what his detractors will say to counter this position.

 

 

By Messiah Nwokoma

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House Of Representatives Issues Warrant Of Arrest On Central Bank Governor, Cardoso, Accountant-General, 17 Others

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The House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Petitions has asked for a warrant of arrest to be issued on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Oluwatoyin Madein, and 17 others over refusal to appear before it to answer questions on their operations.

It was gathered that the issuance of the arrest warrant was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved by Fred Agbedi, representing Ekeremo/Sagbama Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the committee’s hearing on Tuesday.

Agbedi, while moving the motion, said that the arrest warrant had become imperative following the attitude of the invitees, adding that the parliament worked with time and the CEOs had been invited four times but failed to respond to the invitations.

Agbedi said that the CBN Governor, the AGF and the rest of the invitees should be brought to appear before the committee by the Inspector General of Police through a warrant of arrest after due diligence by the House Speaker, Rep Tajudeen Abbas.

The Chairman of the Committee, Micheal Irom (APC-Cross River), in his ruling said that the Inspector-General of Police should ensure the invitees were brought before the committee on December 14.
It was gathered that the petitioner, Fidelis Uzowanem, had earlier said that the petition was anchored on the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) 2021 report.

Irom said, “We took up the challenge to examine the report and discovered that what NEITI put together as a report is only consolidation of fraud that has been going on in the oil and gas industry.

“It dates back to 2016 because we have been following and we put up a petition to this committee to examine what has happened.

“The 2024 budget of 27.5 trillion that has been proposed can be confidently funded from the recoverable amount that we identified in the NEITI report.

“It is basically a concealment of illegal transactions that took place in NNPCL; they have been in a sink with some oil companies where some companies that did not produce crude were paid cash core, an amount paid for crude oil production.”

 

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FCTA uncovers illegal oil refining warehouse in Abuja

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In continuation of the city cleaning exercise, Authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) with operatives of security personnel have uncovered an illegal oil refining warehouse in Mabushi, opposite Mobile filling station on Ahmadu Bello way in Abuja.

 

The Director, Department of Development Control, FCTA, Mukhtar Galadima after the operation on Thursday, said the illegal refining site was discovered during the continuation of the city cleaning exercise.

 

According to him, about three to four plot of lands designated for commercial purposes have been converted to an area where oil and diesel are being adulterated and circulated to other parts of the city.

 

Galadima explained that the city sanitation task force will look into the provision of the law and make necessary recommendations to the FCT Administration for further actions on the plots used for the activity.

 

He said there was no arrest but the items used in carrying out the illegal refining have been impounded.

 

Galadima said, “During the continuation of our city sanitation exercise in Mabushi opposite Mobile filling station on Ahmadu way, we discovered an illegal refining site where oil and diesel are being adulterated, we have done the needful by moving the items to Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

 

“From what we have seen so far, about three or four pilot of lands designated for commercial purposes have been converted to unapproved activities, which we believe the owners are fully aware, there will be consequences.

 

“We are going to look at the provision of the law and make necessary recommendations to the FCT Administration”

 

He said the administration will continue to go tough on activities being carried out without government approval,  especially revocation of the titles.

 

Collaborating, Head, operations FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Service (DRTS), Deborah Osho said the city management team during the exercise also discovered that most of the areas in the Nation’s capital have been converted to illegal car mart and motor parks.

 

She disclosed that fifteen vehicles have so far been impounded since the operation commenced about two days.

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Central Bank To Freeze Accounts Without BVN, NIN From April 2024

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said on Friday that it will freeze accounts without a Bank Verification Number (BVN) or National Identification Number (NIN) from April 2024.

This is according to a Friday circular by the apex bank which said a BVN or NIN verification will be “conducted shortly”.

It also said all BVN or NIN attached to accounts/wallets must be electronically revalidated by January 31, 2024, according to the circular by the CBN Director of Payments System Management Department Chibuzo Efobi, and the Director of Financial Policy and Regulation Department Haruna Mustapha.

More details later….

 

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