A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the May 29, 2022 governorship primary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia State.

Justice Binta Nyako also ordered the party to conduct a fresh primary within 14 days.

Chief Chikwe Udensi is challenging the primary, purportedly won by Prof. Greg Ibe. Udensi urged the court to declare him winner of the primary or, in the alternative, order a fresh election.

Justice Nyako noted that the evidence and testimonies of witnesses showed that the May 29 election was marred by irregularities.

Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has promised that his administration will revive moribund industries if elected in 2023.

Omo-Agege spoke yesterday during the ward-to-ward campaign rally in Boji-Boji Owa, Ika North East Local Government Area.

According to him, resuscitating the industries is part of his blueprint to boost economic and business activities in the state. He assured the Ika people that an APC-led government would be fair and just to all.

Omo-Agege also visited other wards in the council and promised that his administration would not abandon any part of Owa Kingdom.

He added: “My administration will return Ikaland to its pride of place in the economy of the Delta. I assure our brothers and sisters that contrary to what you have been told, contrary to rumours they are spreading about me, my administration will be fair, just and equitable to the people of Owa and Ikaland.

“If you have received any benefit, if any at all, we are happy for you. What you have we will protect for you. Nobody will tell the incoming administration of Ovie Omo-Agege and Friday Osanebi that any project being executed in Ika North East should be abandoned. I am saying that if there’s any ongoing project, they will not be abandoned. It behooves on us to complete any project started by any administration, no such project in Owa kingdom and Ika land will be abandoned.”

The governorship hopeful appealed to the people to vote for all candidates of the APC in 2023, assuring them that every vote would count.

The APC Chairman in Ika North East, Ekene Kerri, said the party is prepared to take over power from the PDP. Kerri said it was the turn of the South to produce the next president of Nigeria, adding that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Omo-Agege remained two of the best candidates on the APC platform.

“Tinubu is a reliable politician and we have resolved to support him. APC is fully in Ikaland and we are going to vote for all its candidates,” he said.

•N5.6b for youth empowerment

Anambra State has earmarked N1.3 billion in its 2023 budget to fund the operations of vigilance groups in the state.

Commissioner of Homeland Affairs Chikodi Anara stated this yesterday while defending the ministry’s budget before the House of Assembly Committee on Police, Security and Boundary Matters.

Anara said the vigilance groups have been assisting security agencies in community policing and maintenance of law and order. According to him, the relationship between the police and the vigilance groups was cordial, adding that members of the group take instructions from the police and other security agencies.

He added: “If our 2023 budget is approved, we plan to train the community-based vigilance groups, data capturing of the personnel, purchase security equipment and intensify grassroots sensitisation on security matters.

“We plan to build a rehabilitation centre for youths, which will also serve as correction facility for repented criminals.”

Anara, who restated the government’s commitment to the security of lives and property, added: “I am happy that with the support of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, security has really improved in the state and we wish to sustain it. We are also telling Anambra indigenes resident outside the state that they can come home for the yuletide because Anambra is now peaceful and safe for all.”

Committee Chairman Onyebuchi Offor hailed the ministry for its efforts at improving security in communities across the state. He called for constant training of vigilance personnel on rules of engagement to ensure safety and security.

The government also earmarked N5.6 billion to fund youth empowerment programmes in 2023.

Commissioner for Youth Development Patrick Aghamba stated this while defending the ministry’s budget before the House of Assembly Committee on Youths and Sports Development. According to Aghamba, Governor Soludo’s administration is committed to taking the youths out of the streets and engaging them in meaningful ventures to safeguard their future. He said the empowerment programme was also aimed at taking the state from consumption to productive economy ‘as we plan to create thousands of millionaires every year’.

“The empowerment programme is tagged ‘One Youth Two Skills’, and as at September this year, we have trained about 5,000 youths in different vocations of their choice to make them self-reliant. The training include Igbo Apprenticeship Scheme, also known as ‘Igba Boyi’, metal fabrication, furniture making, aluminum fabrication, catering and Information Communication Technology. They also had training in Cosmetology, Agro-livestock value chain, among others, in their various local government areas.

“The sum of N5.6 billion was budgeted for youth empowerment in 2023 fiscal year and we plan to employ more experts in the selected skills to train more youths next year,” he added.

Committee Chairman Noble Igwe praised the ministry for a good budget performance, and urged it to ensure a balanced representation of youths across the 21 council areas.

The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has called for earnest prayers for the Armed Forces and other paramilitary agencies as they combat insecurity and other crimes.

The monarch made the plea at his palace in Warri Delta State, when an advocacy group, Prayer and Support for Nigerian Armed Forces and other Security Agencies’, visited him.

Atuwatse said there is need to continue to pray ‘for strong sense of professionalism and patriotism devoid of bias or ethnicity’.

The royal father noted that though the Armed Forces, by training, are up to the task, they still require divine support through massive prayers and intelligence gathering from well-meaning members of the public to conquer.

Convener the group Mrs. Mary Fatile listed part of the group’s advocacy mandate as seeking the support of traditional rulers across the country ‘to galvanise community support for our armed forces and other security agencies’.

She explained that this was ‘in recognition of the pivotal role the traditional institution plays in Nigeria as catalyst and agent of mobilisation for policy implementation, review and policy option on peace building and reconciliation, crime eradication, infrastructural development and preservation of our cultural heritage’.

Fatile hinted that as part of efforts to further spread the campaign, the group shall be organising a two-day conference in Lagos, with the theme ‘Security in Nigeria and Civilians Participation’, ‘where Nigerians will be equipped with requisite knowledge on efforts of the military and other security agencies at ending the reign of terror’.

She added: “There is an urgent need to engage and mobilise Nigerians for special prayers and support for our soldiers and other security agents who sacrifice their lives in the defense of Nigeria. The need to cooperate with our security agencies by availing them with information that will enhance intelligence gathering towards eradicating all enemies of peace and tranquility in Nigeria can never be over emphasised.

“To this effect, we humbly request your Royal Majesty to prevail on our youths to join in the campaign, and also to end vandalism, oil theft and other forms of activities that are inimical to the progress of the Niger Delta and the country at large. We have taken this campaign to communities, churches, mosques and parks across Nigeria, and we are optimistic that bringing it to Delta State, it will achieve positive result as experienced elsewhere, with your support sir.”

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has lifted the suspension of a public servant, Eunan Amaeshi, 30 years after.

Amaeshi, from Umuri Anaimo in Ikeduru Local Government Area, was suspended in December 1993, during the administration of former Governor Evans Enwerem.

He was recruited in 1991 as an Administrative Manager in Avutu Poultry Company, a state-owned establishment, but was fired on December 31, 1992, for undisclosed reasons.

The octogenarian was not queried for misconducts, and there were no charges preferred against him in the court, before he was suspended indefinitely. He has in the past 30 years petitioned successive governors for a reversal of the suspension without success.

A statement yesterday by Amaeshi said the governor’s gesture followed a letter of appeal sent to his office. ‘All I asked for was a restoration of my innocence, not even financial settlement,’ he said.

Part of his letter to Uzodimma reads: “I write to bring to your kind attention the injustice clamped on me and executed by the operators of the Imo State government since 1992, about 30 years now. I pray you will be moved by my story to assist me sir, I am innocent.”

Amaeshi said Uzodimma, after receiving the letter, reviewed the treatment by not only lifting the suspension, but also apologising to him.

Uzodimma praised Amaeshi for living with such a burden for three decades. He also apologised on behalf of the government for the wrong doing.

A statement by the governor reads: “I write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 7th November, 2022, which conveyed your plea for justice, in a matter dated back to 1992, (30) years ago. I must commend you for this maturity, maintaining peace and also for keeping faith with the government of Imo State.

“It is on this note that I tender the government’s apologies for the injustice and lack of fair hearing meted to you for three decades. Posterity will remember you for maintaining peace, yet keeping faith and believing in the government of Imo State under my watch, for justice.”