The Nation Newspaper

Category: South East

  • Enugu orders fresh election in community

    Enugu orders fresh election in community

    Enugu State Government has ordered fresh election for the Igweship throne of Akama Oghe community in Ezeagu Local Government.

    The Igweship stool of Akama Oghe community is being contested by Ozo Christian Akpata and Onyeka Ofodile, who have been laying claims as the authentic Igwe-elect for the throne.

    The matter also generated litigations in court, thereby stalling any possibility of crowning any particular individual as the Igwe Dimeze IV of Akama Oghe.

    But, addressing the warring camps and stakeholders of the community to resolve the lingering chieftaincy tussle in the community, Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Deacon Okey Ogbodo, announced the cancellation of the elections or selections of the two contenders, noting that the state government did not witness whatever happened in the past in the name of Igweship election.

    The commissioner ordered that all matters relating to the Igweship tussle be withdrawn from the courts, to enable the town union organise an election that would be monitored by the government and acceptable to all parties.

    Read Also: Aiyedatiwa orders arrest of thugs destroying opponents’ billboards

    He said Governor Peter Mbah was committed to ending the crisis rocking the community and many others, with similar crisis over vacant royal throne and town union leadership.

    “We decided to call the stakeholders of Akama Oghe to have understanding among ourselves. We believe this will end up uniting Akama Oghe.

    “Governor Mbah is interested in restoring peace to communities to help him solve our insecurity problems resulting from herdsmen attacks, because without a united community leadership, our communities will be porous security wise.

    “It’s important that the town union and Igweship elections are monitored by the government.

    “For this reason, I will beg you two things: first is that you will withdraw all litigations if you want peace and progress of Akama Oghe. Igweship throne should not be a do or die affair. Court judgments do not guarantee peace in the community. Even any judgment by a third party doesn’t guarantee peace. It’s only the spirit of give and take that will guarantee you peace and this is what is needed at Akama Oghe.

    “Second, the only option left for us is for fresh election to be organised for you to choose who becomes your next Igwe,” Ogbodo said.

  • Otti, Ikpeazu’s aides at war over Abia’s 5% equity share in Geometric Power Ltd

    Otti, Ikpeazu’s aides at war over Abia’s 5% equity share in Geometric Power Ltd

    Aides to Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Otti and his predecessor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, have taken to conventional and social media to attack one another over claims by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Geometric Power Ltd, Osisioma, Aba, Prof. Barth Nnaji, that he was to receive payment on the proposed five per cent equity of the state government in Geometric Power Ltd.

    Nnaji, a former minister of Power, had during a news briefing at the headquarters of the company last weekend claimed that the out-gone government of Dr. Ikpeazu was yet to remit to the company, their part of financial commitment to the project.

    Rising in defence of his boss, Mr. John Okiyi-Kalu, who served as both commissioner for Information and Trade and Investment in the last administration, said: “I was at the Abia State Executive Council meeting chaired by the then governor, Dr. Ikpeazu, wherein approval was given to Abia State Ministry of Finance to invest $5million in Geometric Power Company as payment for five per cent equity contribution on behalf of Ndi Abia.

    “As at the time the investment was authorised, Abia State Government insisted on paying the Naira equivalent, using the prevailing official exchange rate of N395/$ as agreed with the management of the company.

    “According to information available to me, the state government was expected to pay N1,975,000,000.00 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Seventy Five Million Naira Only) to the company as the equivalent of $5million for five per cent equity in the project.“

    But in what appeared as an attempt to set the records straight, the Special Adviser to Governor Otti on Media, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, addressing reporters in Umuahia, at the end of the State’s Executive Council (SEC) meeting at the Government House Press Unit, said contrary to the claims by aides to the Ikpeazu-led government, the Otti-led administration did not receive any document during the transition process, indicating that the state committed any amount of cash to the Geometric Power project, which was inaugurated by Vice-President Kashim Shettima on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    As correctly reported in the attached budget performance report, I am aware that the state government under the leadership of Dr. Ikpeazu actually transferred N1.42billion to the bank account of Geometric (possibly Stanbic IBTC account) and it was acknowledged by no less a person than Prof Nnaji in his capacity as ‘Chairman/CEO’ of the company via an official letter dated 24th August 2022.

    “In that same acknowledgement letter that I was aware of at the time, Prof Nnaji requested the payment of the balance of N565million to complete the agreed total of N1.975billion, representing $5million investment.

    “Among other things, in that acknowledgement letter, which was addressed to Governor Ikpeazu by Prof Nnaji, he appreciated the efforts of the governor and the support rendered to Geometric Power in ensuring that the Aba IPP project is completed.

    Read Also: Otti seeks US economic support for Abia

    “Obviously, Nnaji was not only speaking to the equity investment, but also the focused and unflinching promotion of the company before international investors in Africa, including AfDB and AFREXIM Bank that later gave a facility to the company with which they completed the project as well as the amicable resolution of the long standing imbroglio with EEDC.

    “I am not aware of whether or not the balance of N565million was paid to the company, but I guess the Commissioner for Finance and/or the Accountant General of the state at that time would know. I am certain of the payment of N1.42billion out of the N1.975billion from the state account.

    “In the light of the above facts known to me, I am shocked to read that during a recent interview, Prof Nnaji was asked about the $5million investment by the past administration and he reportedly responded that ‘there is nothing like that’, further claiming that ‘nobody has given us any dollar.’

    “As a citizen of Abia State, I wish to call on Prof Nnaji to immediately clarify the statement credited to him to the effect that he did not receive in part or whole the agreed equity contribution made by Abia State Government in lieu of five per cent share for the people of the state in Geometric Power project in Aba.

    “If I see any written official denial of the above facts stated by me from our respected Prof Nnaji, I will proceed to publish documentary evidence available to me in order to safeguard the interest of our people, after confirming from my lawyers that I will not be breaching any law by doing so.”

  • ‘Ethnic tension brewing over Akwa Ibom’s remapping’

    ‘Ethnic tension brewing over Akwa Ibom’s remapping’

    Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has raised the alarm that the proposed remapping initiated by former administration in Akwa Ibom State is posing threats to the lives of the Ijaw in Ibeno Local Government.

    IYC National President, Dr. Theophilus Alaye, in a statement in Abuja yesterday, alleged that in the past few weeks, neighbouring communities of Eket and Esit Eket have directed physical and verbal threats towards Ibeno.

    He alleged that the threats included social media publications; unlawful trespassing into Ibeno land; demolition of Ibeno labour task force building last week by indigenes of Esit Eket and also tampering with electricity lines that supplied light to Ibeno communities.

    Alaye said: “The attention of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has been drawn to the ongoing unrest in Akwa Ibom State, which has put the lives of the Ijaw in Ibeno Local Government in danger.

    Read Also: Akwa Ibom settles 84-year-old land dispute

    “We wish to state categorically that this avoidable crisis, created by the proposed remapping, engineered by ex-Governor Udom Emmanuel, is producing that unfortunate result of destruction of property and loss of lives in Ijaw communities in the state.

    “It is worthy of note that the people of Eket allocated Ibeno land to themselves, while the land in question is before a court and there is an injunction restricting them from accessing the land.”

    “These provocative actions have been treated with kid gloves by the governor and we see it as a move to promote ethnic war between the Ijaw and their neighbours in the state.

    “The Ijaw nation will and cannot fold their arms when their sons’ and daughters’ lives and property are under attack by other ethnic groups.”

    He alleged that the council was also aware of top politicians, who were indigenes of Eket and Esit Eket, using their influence to manipulate the reconciliation of the conflicts.

    He alleged that some politicians had been working in the past few weeks in a build-up to a joint attack by Eket and Esit Eket.

  • Uwazuruike to Igboho: you can’t speak for Igbo

    Uwazuruike to Igboho: you can’t speak for Igbo

    The leader of Biafra Independence Movement (BIM), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has said nobody, including Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemi alias Igboho, can speak on behalf of Ndigbo over the current hardship in the country.

    Speaking yesterday in Owerri, Uwazuruike urged Igboho not to sympathise with Ndigbo on the current hardship in the country.

    He advised people from other regions, including Igboho, not to sympathise with Ndigbo over the current hardship.

    Read Also: Uwazuruike to Igboho: you can’t speak for Igbo on protests

    Uwazuruike, also the founder of Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), said the Igbo had suffered for too long in Nigeria, adding that they did not need any sympathiser from the Southwest or North to survive.

    Uwazuruike in a statement by the Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha, said the current suffering was caused by many years of bad leadership and wrong economic policies of Nigerian leaders, which did not begin with the current administration.

    He urged Ndigbo to learn to endure the hardship and learn from it.

  • IPOB denies existence of ESN camps in Southeast

    IPOB denies existence of ESN camps in Southeast

    • Accuses security agencies of infiltration

    Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday refuted claims by the military that they have destroyed an Eastern Security Network (ESN) camp near Eke Ututu market at Orsumoghu, in Ihiala Local Government of Anambra State.

    The pro-separatist group said it has no such camps in the communities where the military claimed they have destroyed.

    Read Also: Troops rescue 10 kidnap travellers, kill IPOB fighter

    Spokesman Emma Powerful said individuals identified as ESN operatives and IPOB volunteers in the area were agents of the Nigerian government and were not affiliated to IPOB.

    “IPOB said it before now that we don’t have camps for ESN operatives at Orsuihiteukwa, Ihitenansa in Imo State and Ihiala, Nnewi South local governments, Okija, Isseke, Mbosi,  Orsumoghu and Azia communities in Anambra State.”

    He said Nigerian government and military “have been using these infiltrators to discredit IPOB and ESN, but their true intentions have been exposed due to their criminal activities.”

  • Stop spreading lies against Fubara, Rivers PDP warns APC

    Stop spreading lies against Fubara, Rivers PDP warns APC

    Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned the Caretaker Committee Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Chief  Tony  Okocha, to stop spreading lies against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

    PDP in a statement yesterday by its Publicity Secretary, Sydney Gbara, told Okocha that Rivers people were satisfied with the performance of Fubara because the governor was meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

    Gbara said: “Fubara is a household name in the state due to the commitment he has shown in bringing development, good governance and happiness to the people.

    “In less than six months in office, Governor Fubara has embarked on a number of people-oriented projects cutting across the length and breadth of the state.

    “Among the projects ongoing in the state are the multimillion naira Port Harcourt Ring Road, a major project that will cut through six local governments, thereby easing movement of commerce and improving economic activities in the state. The Elelenwo and Bori internal roads, the Ogoni- Andoni-Opobo/ Nkoro Unity road, among several others.”

    Gbara said Fubara’s administration, in partnership with a real estate developer, was embarking on the building of 20,000 housing units for low income earners.

    He said: “Such a government that is delivering services for the people of Rivers State cannot be referred to as lacking in governance. Chief Okocha is only trying in futility to downplay or whittle down the excellent performance of the Fubara administration.

    “The governor had proactively put measures in place to better the lives of Rivers people in the face of the current economic hardship and hunger experienced in the country,  which Rivers State Government is not responsible for.

    “To boost food production, Sir Fubara had paid an inspection visit to the abandoned Songai farm in Tai Local Government, Buguma fish farm in Asalga Council, Garri processing factory in Oyigbo Local Government, with a view to revamping and putting them to use to ensure food sufficiency.

    “Governor Fubara also revived Rivers State Micro Finance Agency, released N4billion to the agency as loans to Rivers people interested in pursuing micro, small and medium scale businesses.

    “What about the payment of N100,000  to each civil servant, promotion of civil servants who were not promoted for eight years by the previous administration and other largesse to Rivers people during the Christmas celebration? Implementation of N30,000 minimum wage to local government workers, plus the ongoing employment into the Rivers State Civil Service.”

    Gbara said the PDP was amazed that Okocha was angry at Rivers women for staging a protest to drum up support for the governor and express their displeasure about the needless antagonism towards Fubara’s administration by enemies of the state.

    Read Also: Be patient with us, Speaker Abbas appeals to Nigerians

    He said: “Okocha should be reminded that women protesting half-clad happens all over the world and is a recurring decimal in politics. In 2019, Okrika and Kalabari women protested half-clad to protect the votes of the former governor from being hijacked by the Army.

    “What every responsible Rivers man and woman should be concerned about is the message the women came out to convey and how to address it. In the mist of these uncommon achievements by this administration within this period, only a politically blind and deaf person that has been bitten by the bug of ignorance and insensitivity will come out to criticise it.

    “We advise the NNDC representative once again to concentrate on his job or to always cross check facts before coming out to embarrass himself in the media.

    “PDP restates its confidence in Rivers people to stand firm with Governor Fubara, who has shown enough capacity and competence to give them purposeful leadership.”

  • Court dismisses police objection against Fubara’s CoS

    Court dismisses police objection against Fubara’s CoS

    Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has dismissed preliminary objection by the Nigeria Police, challenging its jurisdiction to hear the fundamental rights’ suit filed by Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff (CoS) to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

    The court told the counsel for the police, Celestine Dickson, that his preliminary objection lacked merit.

    The presiding judge, Justice Sika Aprioku, in his ruling, assumed jurisdiction of the matter and held that the none joinder of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in a matter that the Commissioner of Police was a party to, could not render the suit incompetent.

    The judge said the application by the police lacked merit and dismissed it with a cost of N100,000 in favour of Ehie.

    Aprioku also granted the prayers of Ehie’s lawyer, Damian Okoro, restraining the police from arresting, detaining, harassing or inviting Ehie based on the allegations contained in the suit filed by Martin Amaewhule, linking the Chief of Staff to the destruction of the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

    Read Also: Be patient with us, Speaker Abbas appeals to Nigerians

    The judge said: “The preliminary objection raised on the issue of jurisdiction lacks merit and is hereby dismissed.

    “That a declaration be and is hereby granted restraining the respondents howsoever from arresting the applicant based on the trumped up charge in charge number FHR/A BJ/CR/25/2024 used as a tool to settle political scores and vendetta against the applicant at the behest and instigation of Martins Amaewhule, over the burning and destruction of the hallowed chamber of the Rivers State House of Assembly is illegal, unwarranted, unconstitutional and constitutes an infringement against applicant’s fundamental rights.

    “An order of injunction be and is hereby granted restraining the first and second respondents whether by themselves or through their subordinates, agents, privies, or any person howsoever described from inviting, demanding the applicant’s attendance at the first and second respondents’ offices or anywhere harassing, intimidating, arresting, detaining the applicant in connection with the arson on the Rivers State House of Assembly in gross contravention to the applicant’s rights to personal liberty.”

  • Ijaw youths threaten protest against  cement price hike

    Ijaw youths threaten protest against  cement price hike

    • Urge Fed Govt to address cost of living crisis

    The umbrella body of Ijaw youths, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, has decried high cost of cement, saying the situation has further unleashed more sufferings on Nigerians.

    In a statement yesterday by spokesman Binebai Princewill, the group promised to head for a showdown with cement producers over hike in the price of cement across the country.

    Princewill said before now, some cement brands manufactured in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in the Niger Delta, were doing well and far cheaper, but some producers with monopolistic tendencies used their connections with the government to drive them out of the Niger Delta market, thus making lives more difficult for the people.

    The spokesman claimed that the ‘political monopolisation’ of the cement industry in favour of some producers was a problem good spirited Nigerians must deal with.

    He said: “We cannot continue to bear the brunt of a system not interested in the development and progress of the Ijaw and Niger Delta people.

    “It is on this premise that IYC will be taking action against cement manufacturers in the coming days.“

    “We reiterate that this statement should be seen as a warning, as it is not going to be business as usual. We cannot continue to be peaceful when life is unbearable to our people and the government is appearing to be insensitive to the plight of the masses. There is going to be dire consequences if things continue like this.”

    The IYC spokesman urged the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government to ameliorate the deteriorating conditions of living faced by the Ijaw and Nigerians in general.

    He said after consultations with stakeholders in the Niger Delta over the current cost of living crisis, Ijaw youths might be forced to embark on ‘mother of all protests’ against the government if the biting inflation and hunger were not well addressed.

    Read Also: Be patient with us, Speaker Abbas appeals to Nigerians

    Princewill said: “We are using this medium to inform our few Ijaw sons in the Tinubu cabinet that they should not be surprised to see thousands of Ijaw people storming the streets in demand for a better living condition for our people since they are appearing to be insensitive to the plight of our people.

    “It should be noted that when the protest will start, there will be no sacred cows and they cannot claim not to be aware.

    “Government has really pushed the Ijaw to the wall from the surreptitious sale of Nigerian Agip Oil Company, to another oil company,  the political manipulation of the Ijaw people, the wiping out of  Ijaw sons and daughters from holding key offices in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), attempted sale of onshore assets of Shell without giving our people the right of first refusal, the non-clean-up of our environment before their purported divestment and the continued refusal of the Federal Government and IOCs to relocate their headquarters to their bases in the Niger Delta.

    “We are equally uncomfortable with the rising cost of living in Nigeria, the free fall of the Naira against the US Dollar, hike in pump price of fuel and abnormal prices of commodities at markets.”

  • Akwa Ibom settles 84-year-old land dispute

    Akwa Ibom settles 84-year-old land dispute

    Akwa Ibom State Government has settled an 84-year-old land tussle between Ikot Itie Idung/Ikot Edong in Nsit Atai Local Government and Ekpene Ukim in Uruan Council.

    A ceremonial tree planting exercise signalling the end of the dispute, which reportedly began in 1940, was held to demarcate the boundaries between the communities.

    Speaking at the event, the Deputy Governor and Chairman of the state Boundary Committee, Sen. Akon Eyakenyi, hailed stakeholders from the communities for their decision to embrace peace, noting that the Governor Umo Eno administration remained committed to ensuring peace.

    Describing Nsit Atai and Uruan as key local governments in the development of the state, the deputy governor said the peace deal would create room for economic development and youth employment in the two councils.

    Sen. Eyakenyi acknowledged the roles played by the transition chairmen, paramount rulers, village heads, youth leaders and other stakeholders from Uruan and Nsit Atai local governments in ending the age-long boundary dispute.

    Read Also: Be patient with us, Speaker Abbas appeals to Nigerians

    She described the trees as potential revenue sources for the communities, saying the road, which showed the demarcation between both councils, would be properly tarred, while the land would be utilised for agricultural purposes by the government.

    The member representing Nsit Atai State Constituency, Prince Aniefiok Attah and his Uruan counterpart, Dr. Itoro Etim, thanked the chairman and members of the State Boundary Committee for being alive to their responsibilities.

    The Transition Chairman, Uruan Local Government, Iniobong Ekpenyong, a surveyor: and that of Nsit Atai, Emem Ibanga, were grateful to the state government for ending the land crisis, which they noted led to loss of lives and property.

  • Ex-agitators’ leaders hail reforms in PAP

    Ex-agitators’ leaders hail reforms in PAP

    Leaders of ex-agitators have hailed reforms in the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), implemented by the Interim Administrator, Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu (Rtd).

    Speaking in Calabar, Cross River State, during an interactive session facilitated by the PAP office for leaders of PAP Phase Two, the leaders bared their minds on the programme and called for sustained implementation of the scholarship initiative, as well as the recently initiated cooperative programme.

    Ibena Rufus, a beneficiary of PAP Phase Two and spokesman for ex-agitators’ leaders’ forum, noted that  PAP had made a lot of progress under the tenure of Ndiomu.

    He said the area that gave previous administrators of PAP challenge was reintegration, which the current interim administrator had addressed.

    Ibena recalled that PAP started with disarmament and demobilisation, which were successful, but ran into issues when it got to the reintegration aspect.

    “The previous administrator could not tackle issues of reintegration, but the current administrator has demonstrated capacity to tackle it.”

    He praised the interim administrators for restructuring the programme and taking it back to the people.

    Olutu Wanemi, the chairman of PAP Phase Two, said none of the PAP administrators thought of empowering the entire 30,000 beneficiaries of the programme before the coming of the present interim administrator.

    He said the cooperative initiative introduced by the interim administrator is a welcome development.

    Wanemi said: “None of the leaders had thought of empowering the entire 30,000 beneficiaries, but we were shocked when the interim administrator came on board and introduced cooperative scheme to accommodate everybody.

    “This is a welcome development for the beneficiaries and the right thing to be done. I appeal that the interim administrator should be reappointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

    Corinne Hart, another delegate at the meeting, said with the reforms in place, things are getting better.  “Within the past year, over 80 per cent of the issues in the programme have been addressed. This is reflected in the relative peace in the region.

    “The amnesty programme was not really working for many leaders, but recently with our brother there, we are beginning to feel the impact of the programme.

    “Almost eighty per cent of the issues in the office have been handled by the current interim administrator and he has been harmonising the leaders, talking with them and doing necessary things that should be done,” he said.

    Major Marshall Akpor, the agency liaison 0fficer, who represented the interim administrator, said the essence of the programme was to interact and discuss with the delegates.

    Read Also: Be patient with us, Speaker Abbas appeals to Nigerians

    He said PAP wants to hear from the delegates, in order to get their feedback and improve the programme.

    He disclosed that the Presidential Amnesty Cooperative Society Ltd is aimed at giving an alternative livelihood to the ex-agitators.

    “Also the platform created for scholarships is aimed at ensuring that only real delegates benefit from the scheme.”

    The Head of the Reintegration Programme of PAP, Mr. Wilfred Musa, said under the PAP scholarship scheme, over 10,000 people had benefited since its inception and there was a monitoring and follow-up initiative on beneficiaries.

    “So far a good number have graduated and have taken jobs in places.”