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Stop dragging entire Ijaw nation into your personal political survival, Eradiri tells Diri

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By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi,Abuja

A former President of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Engr. Udengs Eradiri, has told the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri to stop dragging the entire Ijaw nation into his fight for political survival in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Eradiri, a former Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Bayelsa said, Diri should go and grind his political axe with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, and stop making it look like the Ijaw was at war with Wike.

He said it was unfortunate that the likes of Diri were attempting to drag the entire ethnic group into unnecessary bad blood and the bad book of the Federal Government with their ethnic posturing in pure political matters.

Eradiri, a former Commissioner for Youths and later Environment in Bayelsa clarified that he was neither a Wike’s man nor looking for the Minister’s endorsement recalling that he tried to get Wike’s nod as a candidate of the LP during the last governorship election in Bayelsa, but that some persons around the Minister blocked him.

He said: “I guess it was the game at the time because a Wike’s endorsement would have perhaps made the outcome of the governorship election different as evident his support led to the victory of Douye diri because if not for the cancellation of Chief Timipre Sylva’s stronghold made possible by Wike’s support, things would have been different.

“This is why I am talking about the hypocrisy in display today. When Douye Diri, ‘Governor-General of the Ijaw Nation’, went down to kneel down for Wike to collect power he used in ijawland to win Sylva and myself where was the Ijaw pride they so profess today?”

Eradiri queried the whereabouts of today’s so-called Ijaw lovers, when Wike splashed N5bn on the dilapidated Law School in Yenagoa, which was abandoned by those claiming to love Ijaw more than others.

He asked those fighting Wike to take a trip to Port Harcourt in Rivers and behold the magnificent Law School Wike built in Ikwerre land.
Eradiri asked persons, who claimed Wike insulted the Ijaw nation to replay the Minister’s statements and judge for themselves without biases if what the Minister said there was not bitter truth.

Eradiri said: “As usual, our people don’t read or listen. They simply went to the ijaw square to sentence Wike. Without even knowing what the issues were, they jumped into bandwagon of crucification.
“Lets even ask ourselves, this our ijawness, why is it not in the development and progress of our nation and people? Why always solidarity at war but not for development?

“Look at Yenagoa, the capital of ijaw nation, like a place where mad people reside replete with abandoned projects courtesy of some ijaw leaders, yet no solidarity is shown for the development , light up and progress of ijaw nation.

“Our airport is moribund and our schools are a disgrace to education. Young talents are deliberately not encouraged to stardom; jobless youths roam the streets due to visionless leadership; no hope of survival but you are very active for solidarity to fight political battles of those impoverishing them.

“There are herdsmen in our bushes killing and destroying our crops yet no solidarity to deal with such a menace but same youths can gather against a speech of fact from deputy governor but they cannot gather for their progress but easy to gather against a perceived political enemy?”

Eradiri said Wike suddenly became an enemy of Ijaw simply because he took the PDP from Douye Diri and his colleague governors.
“When did ijaw people choose PDP as ijaw party? Diri should go and deal with his issues in PDP and stop dragging ijaw people into what does not concern us”, he said.

Eradiri insisted that the incompetence of the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, caused the crisis in his state and asked the governor to stop ethnicising the impasse.

He said: “As for Governor Siminalayi Fubara, he is incompetent and that is what has brought all this negative energy. He should not involve ijaw in his political issues and affairs. Let him tell us how he has supported the ijaws or ijaw activities?

“How many ijaws of Rivers State did he empower that he is demanding Ijaw support now? How many of the IYC comrades in Eastern zone were LGA chairmen, commissioners and appointees in his government?

“Or are all the ijaw youths of Eastern Zone only good at supporting political fights but not good enough for appointment and empowerment? When Chief Wike visited Abalama, how much did Fubara mobilise his people? Wike is a fighter and i like his style.

“I advise Fubara to go and kneel before Wike and beg for forgiveness. Those, who are deceiving him have no balls. They go cap in hand kneeling and begging same Wike when they get it they come in the open to claim ijaw lions.

“Now, Fubara is the one outside, they are there ranting. Mr. President used the state of emergency to save Fubara and the ijaw nation the embarrassment of impeachment. He should go thank and appreciate President Bola Tinubu.”

Eradiri recalled that when Wike singlehandedly made Fubara Rivers governor, no ijaw gathered or even went to thank him.

“Fubara did not buy form or even spoke a word during campaigns. Why should he now be disobeying and reneging on agreement? Men are those who keep their words and abide by agreements”, he said.
Eradiri criticised the way and manner the Ijaw National Congress (INC) handled the Rivers crisis and warned the body against ethnicizing political issues, insisting that the INC brought the Rivers embarrassment on the Ijaw nation.

He said: “The INC failed to realize that those supporting Wike are ijaws too, Abalama chiefs and youths lined up to welcome Wike, are you saying they are no longer ijaws? George kelly and the numerous ijaw sons empowered by Wike are they not ijaws?

“INC should not be romancing governors’ egos. The institution is bigger than them and once you belittle the INC before these incompetent governors then the institutions will be ripe for ridicule and insults. Nobody is more ijaw than any other, so INC should protect all interest and stay away from politics.

“Non of these governors have empowered ijaw nation more than Wike , the peanuts they give to our platforms cannot be mentioned anywhere as support. Cant you see how Wike developed his people and empowered them? If they want challenge they should brag with their work on ground. Wike’s work is visible for the blind to see even in our ijawland.

Eradiri said the NDDC Forensic Report revealed that those so-called lovers of ijaw nation looted the commission and stole moneys meant to develop same ijawland, adding that they got paid for contracts but refused to execute them.

He said they deliberately underdeveloped the only ijaw state, noting that they collapsed the educational system and resorted to sending their children abroad.

Eradiri said: “Just look at the Atala Marginal Field, the one owned by ijaw state but taken away from ijaw youths and sold to outsiders by ijaw leaders to the detriment of ijaws. We lost jobs and opportunity for economic growth of the same ijaw nation.

“See the darkness in ijaw land no power to drive growth, if not for the NDDC led by Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, who is not in their league but they continue to fight to bring him down, all our communities will have still been in darkness at night.

“Please, lets stop ethnicising political issues, Diri and Fubara should go fight their political party battles and leave ijaw nation out of politics. When it favors you you laugh and dance in thanksgiving , when it doesn’t favor you it becomes ijaw affair. Wike is not the ijaw enemy, you people are the real enemies”.

General News

Kiloshele lauds NANS Leadership Under Babatunde For peaceful protest for release of Abducted Students, Teachers of Oyo State

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By David Owei
A forefront NAUS Presidential Aspirant, Comr. David Aladesanmi popularly referred as Mr. Kiloshele, has lauded the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), *Akinteye Babatunde Afeez GCNS*, for his exemplary leadership and unwavering commitment to the welfare of Nigerian students.

He particularly commended the *NANS President* for peacefully mobilizing and coordinating efforts towards the abducted students and teachers in Orire Local Government Area. According to Mr. Kiloshele, the mature and responsible approach adopted by the student body under Akinteye’s leadership demonstrates the power of unity, dialogue, and constructive engagement in addressing national challenges.

Mr. Kiloshele further praised NANS for its consistent advocacy for student safety and security across educational institutions nationwide. He emphasized the need for all stakeholders, including government agencies and security operatives, to strengthen security measures in schools to safeguard students, teachers, and learning environments.

He called for sustained collaboration between student leaders, educational authorities, and security agencies to ensure that schools remain safe havens for learning and development, while applauding NANS, NAUS & sister bodies for standing firmly in defense of Nigerian students.

“Leadership is best measured by service, courage, and results. He conclusively, called upon media agencies to give this movement a worldwide publication as days is given to return our students, teachers back to thier schools and make Nigeria safe & safer for our education.

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Nigeria’s milk self-sufficiency will be won at states, LGs, not in Abuja -Expert

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Prof. Demo Kalla

By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

Nigeria’s journey to dairy self-sufficiency must shift from federal policy documents to deliberate action by states and local governments, a member of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee, PLRIC, and Acting Director of the TETFUND Centre of Excellence on Dairy Research and Development, ATBU Bauchi, Prof. Demo Kalla has said.

Kalla spoke during a panel session on “Mainstreaming Dairy Development Policy at the Sub-national Level for Self-sufficiency: Opportunities, Challenges and Way Forward” as part of activities to mark the 2026 World Milk Day.

The session was moderated by a Radio Nigeria presenter Rita Ene Okwanihe while other panelists included Mr Snorri Sigurdsson, Head of Raw Milk Production, Arla Foods Nigeria; Dr Ishaq Bello, Special Adviser to the Minister of Livestock Development; Mr Brighton Ochieng, Chief Technical Officer, Promasidor Nigeria; and Hon. Adamu Mammagi Abdullahi, Commissioner for Livestock Development, Niger State.

Setting the context, Kalla said mainstreaming dairy development at the sub-national level means making dairy a deliberate part of state and local government planning, budgeting, investment promotion and rural economic strategy.

“In practical terms, it means moving dairy development from being viewed as a federal livestock initiative to becoming a priority economic sector owned and driven by states and local governments,” he stated.

He described it as “the missing link between Nigeria’s enormous livestock potential and the realization of dairy self-sufficiency.”

“Given that milk is produced in communities, not in policy documents, the success of Nigeria’s dairy transformation agenda will ultimately depend on actions taken at the state and local levels,” Kalla added.

He urged states and local government areas to domesticate the National Dairy Policy and create frameworks to attract investors, while promoting milk as a “super food for nutritional security.”

On the role of academia, Kalla said universities, research institutions and extension services are “the backbone of sustainable dairy development” because they generate knowledge, adapt technologies and build human capacity.

“Our mandate is to solve immediate local problems at the sub-national level. They must become active partners in the dairy transformation agenda by supporting state governments, dairy cooperatives, processors, and producers with evidence-based solutions,” he said.

He listed three immediate priorities: demand-driven research, technology transfer through demonstration farms and digital platforms, and capacity building and skills development.

“The dairy industry we desire will not emerge from investments in infrastructure alone. It will be built on knowledge, innovation, skills, and partnerships,” Kalla stressed.

Announcing a practical step, the expert said the Dairy Research and Development Centre, DRDC, stands ready to serve as a national platform for dairy science research, capacity building, innovation and knowledge sharing.

He called on the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development to strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration to accelerate Nigeria’s path to milk self-sufficiency, improved nutrition and rural prosperity.

Earlier in his goodwill message, the Special Adviser to the President on Livestock Development, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said dairy development is a strategic economic enterprise that can create jobs, improve nutrition and reduce Nigeria’s import dependence.

Jega, who is also Co-Chairman of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee, PLRIC, said
this year’s theme is “Celebrating Women Dairy Farmers: Promoting Fresh Milk Consumption for a Healthy Nation,” stressing that it recognizes the pivotal role women play in milk production, processing, marketing and value addition across Nigeria.

He noted that the United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, IYWF 2026, underscoring women’s contributions to food security and economic growth.

“For Nigeria’s dairy sector, it reinforces the imperative of empowering women dairy farmers through improved access to productive assets, finance, technology, skills development, markets, and leadership opportunities,” he said.

The presidential adviser added that under President Bola Tinubu, the ongoing livestock reforms have placed dairy development at the heart of efforts to transform the livestock economy.

According to him, promoting fresh milk consumption is both a public health and economic imperative, saying “every litre of locally produced and consumed milk strengthens domestic value chains, creates opportunities for farmers and processors, improves household incomes, and contributes to national food and nutrition security.”

He said PLRIC remains committed to sustainable dairy development through policy reforms, investment promotion, breed improvement, pasture development, One Health, infrastructure expansion and stronger public-private partnerships.

Jega called on state governments, development partners, financial institutions, processors and investors to collaborate in mainstreaming dairy development at the sub-national level.

He concluded that a competitive dairy subsector will create wealth, employment and deliver nutritious fresh milk for a healthier and prosperous Nigeria.

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Tinubu commissions Jahi CNG Station as Rolling Energy leads clean fuel drive

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

By Olugbenga Salami

President Bola Tinubu has commissioned a state-of-the-art Compressed Natural Gas Daughter Booster Station in Jahi, Abuja, in a fresh push to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on costly petroleum products and unlock the value of its gas reserves.

Tinubu, who was by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Gas, Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the facility as a centrepiece of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said the agenda places domestic gas utilisation at the heart of Nigeria’s industrial and economic future.

Nigeria holds about 215 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves. Yet for decades, much of the resource has been exported while Nigerians grapple with expensive and polluting fossil fuels.

The Tinubu administration is now moving to reverse that trend. The Jahi commissioning is one of four gas infrastructure projects unveiled simultaneously nationwide.

Similar facilities were launched by Ibile Oil and Gas and Portland Energy in Lagos and Owerri respectively.

“This facility marks another important milestone in our collective drive to deepen gas utilisation, expand access to cleaner energy solutions, and strengthen Nigeria’s gas value chain,” Ekpo declared at the event.

At the forefront of the transformation is Rolling Energy Limited, the private firm behind the Jahi station which developed the project in partnership with the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, MDGIF.

Chairman of Rolling Energy, Mubarak Umar Dambata, said the company’s footprint extends beyond Abuja.

He disclosed that Rolling Energy is rolling out CNG mother stations, daughter stations and Liquefied Natural Gas facilities in Kaduna, Kano and Borno states.

The firm has also partnered with the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles to convert over 8,000 vehicles to gas-powered systems.

The initiative is designed to translate policy into direct savings for commuters, tricycle operators and businesses.

The Jahi facility has a sales capacity of 1,000 Standard Cubic Metres, SCM, per hour.

It features two CNG tube skids with a combined storage capacity of 17,000 SCM.

The station also houses a Mass Conversion Centre that can convert up to 20 vehicles and 25 tricycles daily.

Since commercial operations began, it has been serving 350–400 vehicles per day.

Projected capacity is to serve more than 1,000 CNG vehicles and 100 trucks daily across the FCT and surrounding regions.

Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicles, Ismahil Ahmed, said the removal of fuel subsidies created urgency for alternative energy.

“CNG offers a cleaner and more economically viable option,” Ahmed argued. He urged investors to move quickly into a market where demand for gas infrastructure is rising.

Presidential Adviser Sunday Dare said the administration has commissioned 25 projects nationwide to mark its third anniversary, with clean energy and gas infrastructure featuring prominently.

With regulatory backing from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and financial support from MDGIF, officials say the foundation for a CNG-powered Nigeria is now in place.

For truck drivers, tricycle operators and factory owners, the promise is lower costs, cleaner air and greater energy reliability.

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