Opinion
He Who the Cap Fits; Phillips Omeiza Salawu for PDP National Chairman
BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF.
His Excellency, Phillips Omeiza Salawu PhD, D.Sc, FCA, FCTI, FCS, FFIA, CPFA, ACIB, AICMC, CCrFA, LLB, BL, is the former deputy governor of kogi state for nine years with absolute loyalty to the governor he deputized for, during his tenor as Kogi state Deputy Governor.
That was rare and a record unbroken in recent times between state governors and their deputies since the return of democracy in 1999; 25 years ago.
Dr Salawu served the PDP as its First National Director of Finance and applied his Chartered Accountancy Skills to design and implement the Party’s Accounting and Financial Control systems.
He was thereafter rewarded with a Membership of the PDP’s exalted National Board of Trustees, the BoT.
In all these Portfolios, Dr. Phillips O Salawu had excellent track records of achievements and efficient delivery of services.
He was also a member of the Governing Council of the University of Calabar in his call for further National assignments after his tenure as Kogi State Deputy Governor.
As a loyal party member, Barrister Salawu’s intention to vie for the chairmanship of the People’s Democratic Party, the PDP, remained incontrovertible and desiring, particularly his disposition and administrative acumen displayed from his previous political engagements.
As an ardent, trusted and reliable administrator, his desire to lead the PDP at this critical period is mere coincidence to not only reposition it, but to attract more membership, followerships and supporters to prepare the party for capturing powers in the next dispensation.
What PDP needs now is people with a lot of wealth of experience, brilliant resume, exposure , public acceptability and loyalty; the very potentials already displayed by His Excellency, Dr Phillips Omeiza Salawu.
All hands must therefore be on deck to support the people’s oriented leadership being anchored by His Excellency, Dr. Phillips Omeiza SALAWU.
Already, top PDP stakeholders across the country’s six Geo-Political Zones have thrown their weights behind the ambition of Dr. Phillips Omeiza Salawu as the best man standing for the forthcoming National Chairmanship selection race.
The said race is confined to only the suitable candidates from the North- Central Geo-Political Zone, who under the existing Balance of Power Arrangement within the PDP, has the constitutional privilege to supply the Substantive National Chairman of Party, between now and December 2025.
Ken Nnamani, a former president of the senate, says he did not beg Elisha Abbo, a former senator representing Adamawa north, on behalf of any judge after the ex-lawmaker lost his election case in court.
In October 2023, the court of appeal sacked Abbo and declared Amos Yohanna, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner of the Adamawa north senatorial election.
Appearing on Channels Television on Wednesday, Abbo said he was a victim of “miscarriage of justice”.
The former senator said Nnamani pleaded with him on behalf of a judge after he lost his election case in 2023.
Reacting in a statement, the former senate president described Abbo’s claim as “blatant lies”.
“My greatest surprise was to hear him state that Senator Ken Nnamani visited him to plead with him on behalf of a judge for the miscarriage of justice. This statement is a blatant lie. I do not know how Senator Abbo can boldly fabricate an event that never happened to buttress his allegation of judicial miscarriage against him,” he said.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I have never visited Senator Elisha Abbo at his house or anywhere. Up to this moment, I do not know where he lives. I have never discussed with him about his case, or any case pending or decided by any court of law in Nigeria.
“The only time I met with him was when he visited me in my house. It was more of a social visit by him. At this meeting, we never discussed his case or any case. I recall that when the matter of his political career came up, I advised him to avoid controversies as a young politician.
“The statements Senator Abbo made regarding me and his case are all fabrications. I believe I have had a sterling and distinguished public service career. I am determined to maintain my integrity and commitment to excellence till the end of my life.”
Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources, says the federal government plans to commence implementing the drill-or-drop provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Section 94 of the PIA gives operators a period of three years to begin oil production or relinquish the assets to the federal government.
Speaking during the Cross Industry Group (CIG) meeting held on Tuesday in Florence, Italy, Lokpobiri said it is in the best interest of the country that all inactive wells go to work.
He said the federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has provided every necessary incentive to ensure international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria run smoothly and profitably.
“Now, it is imperative for these industry players to match the government’s efforts with increased investment by announcing final investment decisions (FIDs),” he said.
Furthermore, Lokpobiri discussed “the challenges, expectations, and measures to enhance the sector’s contributions towards domestic energy needs and regional expansion across Sub-Saharan Africa”.
He emphasised that while IOCs have highlighted engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors as a challenge, “EPCs will not come unless they see strong commitments from industry players”.
“The government has done its part to provide the requisite and investment-friendly fiscals, the ball is now in the court of the IOCs and other operators to make strategic investment decisions that will drive increased production and sustainability in the sector,” he said.
“We must also recognise that domestic crude supply is essential to national energy security. The best solution to this challenge lies in increasing production, which will ensure a balance between domestic supply obligations and external commitments.”
The minister further urged industry players to explore collaborative measures, such as shared resources for contiguous assets and the release of underutilised assets to operators ready to invest in production.
The Progressive Students Movement (PSM), a leading Pan-African student body, has commended the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in Ogun State under Commissioner of Police (CP) Lanre Ogunlowo, PhD, for its commitment to security and community engagement.
In a statement released on Thursday, the President of PSM Nigeria, Comrade Ambassador Okereafor Bestman, highlighted the CP’s efforts in strengthening collaboration between the police, stakeholders, and other security agencies to maintain peace and stability in the state.
“It is worthy of note that CP Lanre Ogunlowo, PhD, has further fostered a harmonious working synergy between the police, stakeholders, and other security agents aimed at ensuring peace and tranquility in Ogun State,” Okereafor said.
The student leader expressed confidence in CP Ogunlowo’s leadership, stating that Ogun State is on track to becoming one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria under his administration.
He also praised the professionalism and dedication of the Ogun State Police Command in tackling crime, regardless of its scale.
Additionally, PSM acknowledged the Ogun State government’s continued support for security agencies, particularly in providing mobility and logistics to enhance their operational efficiency.
The commendation comes at a time when security remains a top priority for residents and authorities in the state, with ongoing efforts to curb crime and ensure public safety.