The Movement for Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) on Saturday urged the Presidency to ignore ongoing campaigns of calumny targeted against Chief Timipe Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
The group noted with dismay that some unpatriotic individials envious of the performance of some political office holders have resorted to cheap blackmails to discredit them.
Mrs Kezia Uwak, the estranged wife of a former House of Representatives member, Hon. Robinson Uwak, has asked him to stop chasing shadows and face the case she instituted against him in court.
Kezia gave the advice to his ex-husband in a statement on Wednesday and reminded him his attacks on political foes rather than face the accusation of beating her and his in-laws in addition to alleged forceful kidnapping of their little twin children were diversionary and mischievous.
She equally reminded Uwak that opportunities abound in court for him to prove his allegation of infidelity which she instituted against him.
Uwak had recently alleged that Kezia was having an extra-marital affairs with Hon Benjamin Kalu, the Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs.
Uwak, the former lawmaker who represented the Oron/Mbo/Okobo/Ure-Offong/Oruko and Udung-Uko Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State at the 7th National Assembly, had maintained that he would not apologise to Kalu over the allegation of an amorous relationship with his wife.
Kezia advised the former lawmaker to stop jumping from one media house to another in his quest to divert attention from the case against him that is pending in court.
She said: "I don’t know how a man that beats his wife regularly without provocation will be making frivolous allegations of infidelity against her, even as the case of kidnapping of our children is still hanging on his head.
"It is baffling how a former lawmaker in the Federal Republic of Nigeria will be dragging his political misfortune into his failed family affairs.
"He should be man enough to separate the two by confronting his political enemies with issues that affect his political life and avoid dragging his marital failure into issues that should not be associated with anyone outside both of us.
"I wish to reaffirm that during my marriage to Robinson Uwak, I never had anything to do with any other man, not via communication, no physical meetings and absolutely nothing whatsoever with any other man.
"I was a stay at home wife for Hon Robinson Uwak as he didn’t allow me to do any work but to always be indoors to take care of the house, which I did without hesitation.
"I got pregnant two months after our wedding with our twins and considering how challenging a twin pregnancy can be, I was practically at home throughout the period of the pregnancy. After the successful delivery of the twins through Cesarean Section (CS), it took a while for me to recover from the surgery and was fully engaged with the task of taking care of our babies.
"During that period of body healing, I was deprived of sleep, always stressed and not eating well. Being my first child bearing experience with twins, my entire life was dedicated to the care and well being of our new twin babies.
"With all those sacrifices of staying at home and nursing new babies, it was a huge embarrassment to be accused of cheating by Robinson, which was unimaginable.
"Due to Robinson’s physical violence and abuse, the househelps we employed to assist me then kept leaving the job, as they were always looking very uncomfortable and scared in the house which forced the babies and myself to live all alone during those formative periods.
"Still, Robinson usually came back home to his new family within the early hours of each day without any form of assistance or support to me and the children.
"Even with his violent character, I equally managed to endure all the pains and sufferings just for the sake of the family and the love I had for our children.
"In my efforts to build a happy family, I tried to do everything he asked of me until one morning that Robinson strangled me without any provocation. In order to save my life and that of our twins, I had to leave his house in search of safety somewhere."
The estranged wife said it still beat her imagination how her ex-husband was dragging his failed marriage into an already failed political life knowing that the National Assembly is not a family court where marital issues are handled.
She said: "Uwak should be ready to defend himself in court instead of sending petitions to the National Assembly or his sponsors who are interested in using our private life issues as a tool to their personal political advantage.
"Hon Robinson Uwak should face the law by providing evidence within his disposal to prove his case of infidelity against me, instead of painting me black using the media platforms."
Mr Azibaola Robert, an Environmental Rights activist, on Monday canvassed tree planting and conservation of the rainforests of the Niger Delta to protect the biodiversity of the region.
The environmentalist
spoke during a bonfire night at his Otakeme community in the Ogbia Local
Government Area of Bayelsa.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Bayelsa, Reuben Wilson on Tuesday advised candidates who emerge winners at the party's primary elections for the State and National Assembly to embrace those who lost
Wilson, who is the founder of Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability, an APC support group, gave the advice and congratulations to winners in a statement issued in Yenagoa.
He urged all candidates of the party to shun enmity and segregation, but embrace all those who contested with them of they want to win at the general elections in 2023.
The APC chieftain called on those who participated in the party's primaries but lost not to see themselves as losers or failures, but rather take it as a stepping stone to their political victories for tomorrow.
"In the process of selection, it is only one person that will always emerge as the party's flag bearer. That doesn't mean that the person was better than the rest, but time and chance happeneth to them all."
"So, there was no victor, no vanquished. Everyone should stay calm and remain faithful in the interest of the party.
"The party's flag bearers should also work hard to break the cleavages of political sentiments and factions that have eaten the fabrics of the strength of our dear party, APC in Bayelsa." Wilson said.
According to him, the only way the party can win all seats, ranging from the Statr House of Assembly, House of Reps and Senate at the general elections in 2023, is for them to bring everyone together.
"We are facing an opposition in the state, so, there is the need for the candidates to go the extra mile to settle with the aggrieved persons in their respective constituencies and woo a massive support from within and outside our party to win at the general elections.
"The Pastor Reuben Initiative is primarily formed for this purpose, that is to sue for unity which it has been doing and galvanizing members within and outside the APC from all nooks and crannies in the state to enable the APC in Bayelsa State win all the seats at the general elections." He stated.
He added that the Initiative is open to all candidates of the party for synergy.
The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) says it has received reports of gas leak which has engulfed into a fire in Emene, Enugu State.
Mr Idris Musa, Director-General of NOSDRA, said on Thursday that the gas leakage was caused by water drilling activities which hit a gas reservoir at Emene in Enugu.
Musa, who described the flammable gas discharged as natural gas, said that emergency response efforts were underway to avert disaster from the incident.
“There is a natural gas problem at a borehole drilling point at Caritas University, Emene, Enugu.
“In the course of drilling very deep to reach the aquifer, the drilling hit the gas level.
“The Chief Executive of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commision (NUPRC) has been notified.
“The Zonal Head of National Emergency Management Agency has secured the assistance of both Federal and State Fire Services
“Efforts are ongoing to secure more technical assistance to bring the situation under control,” Musa said.
The Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa has restrained the Federal Government from issuing licences for marginal oilfields in the Niger Delta pending determination of a pending suit.
Some Ijaw leaders had in 2020 approached the court seeking to halt licensing of marginal oilfields located in their domains, but following setbacks and delays suffered by the suit, the bid winners were announced on June 1, 2021.
According to the court order, sighted on Thursday in Yenagoa, presiding Justice Isa Dashen granted the injunction order in favour of the plaintiffs.
Plaintiff in the suit marked No. PHC/YEN/CS/81/2020 are Chief Brown Agu (Opu Agu VIII), Mrs Rosemary John-Oduone, President Ijaw Women Connect and Mr Femowei Friend on behalf of themselves and the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality.
On the other hand, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources are defendants in the suit.
The reliefs sought and granted by the court are: "That the respondents be restrained from further advertising and receiving bids in respect of the marginal fields.
"The defendants are also restrained from approving licences in respect of the marginal fields,"
It will be recalled that Dashen inherited the case from Justice Abimbola Awogboro following her transfer to the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court
The case has been fixed for June 8 for continuation of hearing and ruling on pending motions before the court.
Meanwhile, a coalition of Ijaw groups in a reaction to the development in a statement issued on Thursday, urged the parties in the shit to obey and comply with the order of court.
"It has come to the attention of this coalition of Ijaw interest groups that following a suit filed by some patriotic Ijaw sons and daughter, the Federal High Court has granted an injunction restraining the Minister of Petroleum/Federal Government from proceeding any further with the award of marginal oil field licences pending the conclusion of the lawsuit.
"It is our expectation that all citizens and corporate organizations abide by this ruling," the coalition said.
The statement was signed by Efiye Bribena, Secretary, Ijaw Elders Forum (IEF), Lagos, Ben Okoro, Moderator, Ijaw Nation Forum (INF), Chief Amagbe D. Kentebe, BOT Chairman, Embasara Foundation, Hon. Iniruo Wills, President, Homeland Chapter Ijaw Professionals Association (IPA)
Others are, Tari Ekpebu President, Ijaw Professionals Association (IPA), Lagos, Ms. Annkio Briggs , BOT Chairperson, Ijaw Women Connect (IWC)
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Thursday applauded moves by indigenous shipping company, Temile Development Company to build a Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessel.
Temile on Wednesday signed a contract with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) for the construction of a new 23,000 cubic meters LPG Carrier Vesse to boost domestic gas utilisation.
l.
The indigenous company also signed a separate agreement with NSML - an integrated maritime services subsidiary of Nigeria LNG Limited for the construction supervision of the vessel.
The LPG carrier vessel is the second that is being constructed by Temile sequel to the first vessel which was constructed in 2018 and is currently chartered to Nigeria LNG Limited for domestic LPG supply.
A statement by Mr Dan Ki!ile, Manager ,Corporate Communications at NCDMB said NCDMB commended the development in a video message he delivered to the agreement signing ceremony held at the sidelines of the 2022 World Gas Conference in Daegu, South Korea.
The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote saluted Temile Development Company for its bullish initiative in investing in an area that is regarded as off-limits for local players.
He described the accomplishment as evidence of significant growth in capacity and confidence of local companies to play in the international arena and in complex areas of the oil and gas industry.
The new 23,000 cubic LPG/NH3/VCM Carrier to be constructed is a high-end specification vessel that has been designed by NSML in accordance with bespoke requirements using HMD’s highly efficient eco-design.
The new LPG carrier is expected for delivery on 26th July 2023 at HMD in Ulsan, Korea.
Wabote stated that the agreement signing event and subsequent construction and supervision of the contract aligns with the Board’s strategic plan of maximising the potentials in the Midstream and Downstream Sectors of theoil and gas sector.
According to him, the oil and gas industry strives to actualize the Decade of Gas policy of the Federal Government.
“This project clearly supports our LPG penetration initiative in Nigeria and will further close the gap in LPG penetration in Nigeria.” the statement quoted Wabote as saying.
He stated further that the project will bring invaluable local content opportunities in technology and innovation, human capital development and research and development.
Wabote commended Hyundai for the work it was doing at the Brass Shipyard and other investment projects in Nigeria that will support the repair of vessels.
He also applauded NLNG for the strategic initiative of deploying 100 percent LPG to the local market to close the gap in respect of LPG penetration in the country.
He said that the efforts by the NLNG has helped in reducing cost of cooking gas as well as creating a cleaner source of energy for Nigerians.
The statement quoted Temile’s Chief Executive, Mr. Alfred Temile as saying: ‘’We are delighted to execute the construction of our new LPG carrier with HMD.
"It is bringing onboard NSML to supervise the construction, as an indigenous company this demonstrates our commitment and support to the Nigeria Local Content Act.
"It will as well establish our confidence in local capacity to deliver international acceptable standards.
"Haven taken delivery of our first LPG carrier vessel which is currently chartered to Nigeria LNG Limited for domestic LPG supply, we look forward to taking delivery of this new carrier in July 2023 to make an addition to the global gas supply industry.”
“Working with HMD again makes us feel in very safe hands as we are confident that this eco-design / cleaner fuel vessel shall be constructed in line with International best practices.
"It will comply and industrial regulations thereby creating a space for the vessel in the international gas supply value chain.” Temile stated.
