By Our Correspondent
The sleepy town of Abonnema in Akuku Toru LGA was recently roused from its slumber when prominent members of the PDP gathered at the newly built stadium to commission it and watch as the GbaramatuVoice newspaper bestowed the award of the Best Performing Local Government Chairman in the Niger Delta for the year 2020, on the youthful LGA chairman – Hon. Rowland Charles Sekibo.
The icing on the cake was the presentation of flags to the councilorship aspirants from the 17 wards in the LGA.
Leading the commissioning was the representative of the Rivers State governor – Chief Engr. Emeka Woke who is the Chief of Staff to the Government House, the leader of the Elders’ Council of the PDP – Chief Ferdinand Anabraba, the Secretary to the Rivers State Government – Hon. Dr. Tammy Danagogo, a commissioner – Chief Hon. David Briggs, a Special Adviser to the governor – Hon. Dema Iyalla, Hon. Sam Ohia, Hon. Andy Wanjoku, etc.
In his speech, the chairman gave God the glory for his performance and promised not to let down all who trusted him enough to give him the flag to recontest for a second tenure – the first to receive such a favour since the LGA was created.
Areas he said he would concentrate on next include giving bursary yearly to students as well as giving those in the Oceania axis skills acquisition programmes, among other laudable projects.
He also said the award will spur him to do more and urged all to continue to support the PDP at all levels.
He also commended Governor Nyesom Wike for the different projects he has given his people and pledged to continue to support him.
In his own speech, the representative of the Rivers State governor – Engr. Woke, thanked the chairman for not disappointing them and promised not to disappoint him after apologising for the governor’s inability to be present.
Traveling down memory lane, he reminded all how the previous administration tried unsuccessfully to dissuade the Abonnema people from supporting Wike but failed both in 2015 and 2019 as the people saw the light in Wike.
He went on to list some of the projects that have been given to them and promised more are on the way if the people continue to support the governor.
Others who spoke such as Chief Anabraba, Hon. Briggs, Danagogo etc spoke in similar vein and urged all to continue to support the PDP.
The 3,000 seater stadium was then commissioned to the glory of God after which the GbaramatuVoice newspaper, through its publisher – Mr. Jacob Abai, presented the award to the elated chairman.
Adducing reasons why he was given the award, Abai said he was highly honoured to be giving out the award to the chairman and gave God the glory.
He also posited it was based strictly on his performance especially in the area of educational development and human capital development generally and was not a money-making venture.
He concluded by urging him to do more for the people as soon as he is returned after the forthcoming election and called on all and sundry to rally round him.
Flags were then presented to each of the 17 aspirants from the wards in the LGA and the party leaders urged them to go out and ensure the people came out to vote for them on 17 April and urged them to do their best when voted in.
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