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Gov. Diri Pays Tribute To Mpigi, Says Late Senator Impacted Lives

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Gov Douye Diri of Bayelsa State flanked by members of late Senator Barinada Barry Mpigi

By David Owei,Bayelsa

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has said the late Senator Barinada Barry Mpigi was a man whose life left a lasting impact on people and communities.

Speaking during the outing and thanksgiving service held in honour of the late federal legislator at the Beth-El Anglican Church, Koroma Deanery in Tai local government area of Rivers State on Sunday, Governor Diri urged Nigerians to nurture and value relationship, noting that good memories and legacies were the consolation of the living.

He expressed regret over his inability to attend the his funeral activities due to official commitments, including the recent hosting of the President.

He said: “Senator Mpigi was a friend and a brother. Though I could not be present earlier due to conflicting state engagements, I made it a duty to be here today to honour his memory and speak to his family.”

Reflecting on the inevitability of death, the Bayelsa helmsman stated that while it was the collective wish of many that Senator Mpigi lived longer, fate had taken its course.

He recounted his long-standing relationship with him, which he said began during their time in the House of Representatives and continued into the Senate.

Diri said Mpigi, who represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District until his demise, was courageous, lively, and deeply committed to the development of the Niger Delta region.

“We would have loved him to be with us, even to bury his aged father and not the other way round. But who are we to question God, who knows the beginning from the end.

“We cross-pollinated ideas and worked together for our region while we were in the National Assembly. Barry was always part of us. We became not just colleagues, but brothers,” he said.

The governor emphasised that beyond political office, it is relationship and contributions to humanity that defined a person’s legacy.

“It is not the offices we occupy that matter. Offices are temporary. It is the relationships we build and the value we add to lives that endure.

“Whatever anyone has done to you, learn to forgive. If we do not forgive, how can we expect forgiveness from our Heavenly Father?”

He encouraged the bereaved family, especially the father, the widow of the deceased, Mrs. Patricia Mpigi, and the children to take solace in the impactful life the senator lived.

On behalf of the government and people of Bayelsa State, the governor expressed his condolences to the Mpigi family and prayed for strength to bear the loss.

He pledged to donate a bus to the church, which was built by Mpigi, and a car to the resident minister.

On the governor’s entourage were Senator Konbowei Benson (Bayelsa Central), Hon. Fred Agbedi (Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency), Hon. Ebizi Ndiomu-Brown (Sagbama Constituency 3), the Commissioner for Youth Development, Alfred Nimizigha, and the Special Adviser on Ijaw Affairs, Chief Erasmus Patrick.

Also present at the service were Senator Magnus Abe and other serving and non-serving national and state legislators from Rivers State among others.

Politics

President Tinubu Flags Off 2027 Campaign In Kaduna, Seeks Renewed Mandate

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

By Our Correspondent

The All Progressives Congress,( APC) has flagged off its campaign for the 2027 general elections on Saturday in Kaduna, with President Bola Tinubu seeking a second term on the strength of his administration’s record.

President Tinubu the declaration at the Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna, saying that it was a great honour to return to the historic city where Nigeria’s early leaders converged before independence.

Tinubu thanked Kaduna voters for the victory they gave him in 2023, saying he had come to thank them and seek their mandate for a second term to fulfil his promises of prosperity, continuity and progress.

He dismissed opposition talk about hunger, saying “Who created it? They did. We are trying to eradicate it,” noting that his administration and APC governors now pay salaries regularly and are developing their states.

The President urged supporters to get their Permanent Voter Cards, (PVCs), and come out en masse on January 16, 2027 to re-elect APC at all levels. “Fuel subsidy is in our past. No more corruption, no more falsification of invoices, no more smuggling. We are ushering in a new era,” he said.
Vice President Kashim Shettima said Nigerians elected Tinubu in 2023 not because he was richest or best speaker, but because the alternative was calamity, and he urged Kaduna people to renew APC’s mandate.

Shettima listed gains in Kaduna, including Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, Federal University of Education, Zaria, vocational institutes in Rigachikun, Soba and Samaru Kataf with over 4,000 graduates, and NELFUND support for students.

He said Tinubu has identified with the North for years, recalling how he gave political succour to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in 2007, supported Nuhu Ribadu in 2011 and stood behind late President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and 2019, describing Tinubu as a man of honour.

Director-General of APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, said Kaduna is the spiritual centre of Northern politics and that all northern governors were present to show support.

Yari said Tinubu’s economic record, from exchange rate reforms to subsidy removal and trade balance, shows improvement, adding that APC will campaign with its records in infrastructure, health, education and cash transfers.

Yari declared, “Northern Nigeria is 101 per cent for you, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, by God’s grace.”
Governor Uba Sani, who welcomed guests, paid tribute to Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu for their love for Kaduna and the North, saying Renewed Hope Agenda has brought massive interventions in transport, education, healthcare, agriculture and security.

Sani recalled that Tinubu defied security advice to travel to Birnin Gwari in December 2022, and has now fulfilled his promises, with N117 billion released for the 123km Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road abandoned for over 40 years, and restoration of security on the corridor.

He also cited ongoing Zaria-Soba-Pambegua road, the $865 million Kaduna Metropolitan Red Line with $300 million already mobilized, N84 billion NELFUND benefit to North-West students, and 95 percent completion of N740 billion Abuja-Kaduna-Kano expressway.

Sani challenged the “so-called Northern candidate” to show track record of 200km of road while in office, noting that over 1,000km of roads have been constructed in the North under Tinubu and Shettima.

He warned supporters to be vigilant, alleging opposition has upgraded its campaign “from Facebook and Twitter to AI.”

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APC Flags Off 2027 Campaign In Kaduna, Tinubu Seeks Renewed Mandate. From Cyril Mbah, Abuja. The All Progressives Congress, APC, on Saturday flagged off its campaign for the 2027 general elections in Kaduna, with President Bola Tinubu seeking a second term on the strength of his administration’s record. Speaking at the Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna, President Tinubu said it was a great honour to return to the historic city where Nigeria’s early leaders converged before independence. Tinubu thanked Kaduna voters for the victory they gave him in 2023, saying he had come to thank them and seek their mandate for a second term to fulfil his promises of prosperity, continuity and progress. He dismissed opposition talk about hunger, saying “Who created it? They did. We are trying to eradicate it,” noting that his administration and APC governors now pay salaries regularly and are developing their states. The President urged supporters to get their Permanent Voter Cards, (PVCs), and come out en masse on January 16, 2027 to re-elect APC at all levels. “Fuel subsidy is in our past. No more corruption, no more falsification of invoices, no more smuggling. We are ushering in a new era,” he said. Vice President Kashim Shettima said Nigerians elected Tinubu in 2023 not because he was richest or best speaker, but because the alternative was calamity, and he urged Kaduna people to renew APC’s mandate. Shettima listed gains in Kaduna, including Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, Federal University of Education, Zaria, vocational institutes in Rigachikun, Soba and Samaru Kataf with over 4,000 graduates, and NELFUND support for students. He said Tinubu has identified with the North for years, recalling how he gave political succour to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in 2007, supported Nuhu Ribadu in 2011 and stood behind late President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and 2019, describing Tinubu as a man of honour. Director-General of APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, said Kaduna is the spiritual centre of Northern politics and that all northern governors were present to show support. Yari said Tinubu’s economic record, from exchange rate reforms to subsidy removal and trade balance, shows improvement, adding that APC will campaign with its records in infrastructure, health, education and cash transfers. Yari declared, “Northern Nigeria is 101 per cent for you, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, by God’s grace.” Governor Uba Sani, who welcomed guests, paid tribute to Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu for their love for Kaduna and the North, saying Renewed Hope Agenda has brought massive interventions in transport, education, healthcare, agriculture and security. Sani recalled that Tinubu defied security advice to travel to Birnin Gwari in December 2022, and has now fulfilled his promises, with N117 billion released for the 123km Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road abandoned for over 40 years, and restoration of security on the corridor. He also cited ongoing Zaria-Soba-Pambegua road, the $865 million Kaduna Metropolitan Red Line with $300 million already mobilized, N84 billion NELFUND benefit to North-West students, and 95 percent completion of N740 billion Abuja-Kaduna-Kano expressway. Sani challenged the “so-called Northern candidate” to show track record of 200km of road while in office, noting that over 1,000km of roads have been constructed in the North under Tinubu and Shettima. He warned supporters to be vigilant, alleging opposition has upgraded its campaign “from Facebook and Twitter to AI.”

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

By our correspondent

As the 2027 election draws close, the All Progressive Congressive,(APC) on Saturday flagged off its campaign for the 2027 general elections in Kaduna, with President Bola Tinubu seeking a second term on the strength of his administration’s record.

The President who made this declaration at the Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna, President said it was a great honour to return to the historic city where Nigeria’s early leaders converged before independence.

Tinubu thanked Kaduna voters for the victory they gave him in 2023, saying he had come to thank them and seek their mandate for a second term to fulfil his promises of prosperity, continuity and progress.

He dismissed opposition talk about hunger, saying “Who created it? They did. We are trying to eradicate it,” noting that his administration and APC governors now pay salaries regularly and are developing their states.
!
The President urged supporters to get their Permanent Voter Cards, (PVCs), and come out en masse on January 16, 2027 to re-elect APC at all levels. “Fuel subsidy is in our past. No more corruption, no more falsification of invoices, no more smuggling. We are ushering in a new era,” he said.
Vice President Kashim Shettima said Nigerians elected Tinubu in 2023 not because he was richest or best speaker, but because the alternative was calamity, and he urged Kaduna people to renew APC’s mandate.
Shettima listed gains in Kaduna, including Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, Federal University of Education, Zaria, vocational institutes in Rigachikun, Soba and Samaru Kataf with over 4,000 graduates, and NELFUND support for students.
He said Tinubu has identified with the North for years, recalling how he gave political succour to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in 2007, supported Nuhu Ribadu in 2011 and stood behind late President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and 2019, describing Tinubu as a man of honour.
Director-General of APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, said Kaduna is the spiritual centre of Northern politics and that all northern governors were present to show support.
Yari said Tinubu’s economic record, from exchange rate reforms to subsidy removal and trade balance, shows improvement, adding that APC will campaign with its records in infrastructure, health, education and cash transfers.
Yari declared, “Northern Nigeria is 101 per cent for you, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, by God’s grace.”
Governor Uba Sani, who welcomed guests, paid tribute to Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu for their love for Kaduna and the North, saying Renewed Hope Agenda has brought massive interventions in transport, education, healthcare, agriculture and security.
Sani recalled that Tinubu defied security advice to travel to Birnin Gwari in December 2022, and has now fulfilled his promises, with N117 billion released for the 123km Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road abandoned for over 40 years, and restoration of security on the corridor.
He also cited ongoing Zaria-Soba-Pambegua road, the $865 million Kaduna Metropolitan Red Line with $300 million already mobilized, N84 billion NELFUND benefit to North-West students, and 95 percent completion of N740 billion Abuja-Kaduna-Kano expressway.
Sani challenged the “so-called Northern candidate” to show track record of 200km of road while in office, noting that over 1,000km of roads have been constructed in the North under Tinubu and Shettima.
He warned supporters to be vigilant, alleging opposition has upgraded its campaign “from Facebook and Twitter to AI.” Flags Off 2027 Campaign In Kaduna, Tinubu Seeks Renewed Mandate.
F

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Sea Incursion: Senate Demands Urgent Shoreline Protection As Ayetoro Community Faces Extinction

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By

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio

By our correspondent
Senate on Thursday called for immediate and comprehensive shoreline protection to save Ayetoro community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State from being wiped out.

The call followed a motion moved on Thursday by Senator Dayo Faduyile (Ondo South) on the urgent need to save the historic coastal community from sea incursion.

Presenting the motion, Faduyile told the Senate that homes, livelihoods, cultural heritage and public infrastructure in Ayetoro are being progressively destroyed by ocean surges, with recent reports indicating that about 80 per cent of buildings in the community have been lost to the sea.

He said the destruction has devastated schools, healthcare facilities, places of worship and traditional institutions, displacing thousands and disrupting fishing and other economic activities.

“Continued destruction of homes and community infrastructure has displaced families, threatened access to safe water and healthcare and put the future of the historic community in grave uncertainty,” he said.

The lawmaker expressed concern that previous shoreline protection interventions have faced implementation challenges, including reported delays in earlier Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) contracts, necessitating verification of project status, expenditure and outstanding obligations.

He noted that the scale of the crisis exceeds the capacity of residents and requires urgent intervention by the Federal Government, Ondo State Government, relevant development agencies and international development partners.

Faduyile added that the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) has indicated that substantial financial resources are required to address the crisis, underscoring the need for adequate funding, sound engineering and sustainable protection measures.

He warned that further delay may result in additional loss of lives, property and livelihoods, while exposing vulnerable groups, particularly women, children and the elderly, to worsening humanitarian and environmental conditions.

The Senate, in its resolutions, called on the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Environment, the NDDC and other relevant agencies, to work with the Ondo State Government and OSOPADEC to implement an adequately funded shoreline protection programme for Ayetoro.

It also called for a transparent review of all ongoing shoreline protection contracts for the community, including their funding status, outstanding obligations and completion timelines, and for necessary remedial action to be taken.

The upper chamber urged the Federal Government to explore budgetary provisions and climate adaptation financing to support sustainable coastal protection, including construction of embankment where technically appropriate, and restoration of essential community infrastructure.

It further urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant authorities to provide immediate humanitarian assistance, safe water, healthcare and temporary shelter for residents whose homes and livelihoods are threatened.

The Senate mandated its Committees on Environment, Niger Delta Development, Ecology and Special Duties to liaise with relevant ministries and agencies on implementation and report back within four weeks.

It also mandated the Committee on Legislative Compliance to monitor implementation of its resolutions and report accordingly.

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