Category: South East

The Acting Chairman of the Delta state Phase 2 of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, Gen. Solomon Adu, weekend commended the Interim Administrator of the Amnesty Programme, Maj-Gen Barry Ndiomu (retd) for prevailing on Federal Government reversing her decision to terminate the interventionist programme.

The Delta state chairman of the phase 2 amnesty programme, Gen. Adu, who gave the commendation on behalf of its members, said the Interim Administrator, PAP, Maj-Gen Barry Ndiomu (retd), has proved his worth and competence for the few months of his appointment.

While commending the Federal Government for giving the Interim Administrator of PAP, Maj-Gen Barry Ndiomu (retd), a listening ear, he called on all critical stakeholders in across the Niger Delta region to give Ndiomu the maximum cooperation to pilot the affairs of the programme.

Abia State Governor and PDP Senatorial candidate for Abia South District, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has stated that his vision for Abia South is to bring federal presence to the zone.

Governor Ikpeazu stated this during a special Town Union meeting of the Abirba Communal Improvement Union, Aba held at the Abiriba hall, Aba where the Abiriba people endorsed Governor Ikpeazu and all PDP candidates in the forthcoming elections.

He regretted that there are no federal projects in Aba but emphasised that time has come for Abia South to have a voice in Abuja so as to change the narratives.

The Governor attributed the recent protests and blockage of the Aba -Port Harcourt federal road by trailer drivers to the lack of effective representation and non-attraction of federal presence in Abia South by the Senate representative.

He used the opportunity to stress the need for every contestant in the forthcoming elections to campaign with what he has done for the people.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu traced the development of Aba to Abiriba people, who have always contributed to the economic development of Abia State and described them as resilience, hardworking and people of courage and firm character.

Ikpeazu said he is relying on his relationship with Abiriba people and other residents of Aba to win his senatorial bid and assured the he will keep his promise and covenant with them.

The State Chief Executive, who urged the Abiriba people and all Abians to support all PDP candidates to victory, recommended that the best thing to do in the State is to vote Prof. Uche Ikonne, saying he is reliable, adding that a vote for Prof. Ikonne is a vote for the Abiriba community.

In their separate speeches the member representing Aba central Chief Abraham Oba, his Ohafia North counterpart Chief Mandela Obasi and Chairman Governing Council Abia State University, Uturu, Chief Mba Ukariwo assured that they will mobilise Abiriba people for the actualisation of the senatorial ambition of the governor.

Earlier in their speeches on behalf of the Abiriba Communal Improvement Union, the President, Abiriba Community Improvement Union, Chief Nduka Agwu, the President of Abirba, Abiriba Communal Improvement Union,Aba Branch, Women’s Wing, Mrs. Comfort Abosi threw their weight behind, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s Senatorial bid and that of all the PDP candidates in the 2023 elections.

Relief came the way of Afor Nzerem Obinetiti community in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area, Imo State where indigenes carry corpses on their heads to mortuary due to bad roads as Imo Assembly has shown concern to add the road in 2023 budget.

It was an emotion laden moment as the lawmakers made a case for the Speaker Rt. Hon. Emeka Nduka and his constituents, over the deplorable state of the road in Ehime Mbano.

The Nation reports that due to bad roads, corpses were carried on the heads or conveyed to and from the community through the aid of a motorcade because of the dilapidated Afor Nzerem/Obinetiti/Nkwodioka/Ikpem Road.

The motion was moved by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu.

Presenting the motion, the Deputy Speaker explained that the call for the Road to receive the needed attention came to bear following the deplorable state of the said road, and its economic relevance to the locals.

He beckoned on the governor to consider the residents of the area, especially the Speaker, Emeka Nduka, by adding the said road in the upcoming 2023 appropriation budget.

Prayers of the motion reads, “Whereas there is a massive infrastructural revolution currently going on in Imo State with quality projects being undertaken in the three Senatorial Zone of Imo State by the 3R Administration ably led by the Governor, His Excellency, Sen. Hope Uzodinma.

“Conscious of the fact that some of the internal roads at Ehime Mbano Local Government especially the Afor Nzerem/Obinetiti/Nkwodioka/Ikpem road are in very bad state of disrepair thereby causing the people in the area great hardship and inconvenience.”

Contributing, the Member for Ihitte/Uboma State Constituency, Hon Michael Onyemaechi Njoku regretted that recently, a corpse was conveyed inside the compound through the aid of a motorcade because of the poor nature of the road.

He therefore commented that the Imo State Commissioner for Works should as a matter of importance capture it in the budget.

The Member for Aboh Mbaise, Hon. Eddy Obinna in his statement didn’t mince words when he tagged Uzodimma as “Mr Construction ‘’ who has put smiles on the face of Mbaise People.

He was hopeful the governor would not relent in considering the plights of Ehime Mbano people, just as he did across the State.

Hon Dominic Ezerioha of Oru West concurred with his colleague’s assertion and gave a nod to the motion.

After member’s deliberations, the House resolved thus, “To urge our performing Governor, His Excellency, Dist. Sen. Hope Uzodinma to include the Afor Nzerem/Obinetiti/Nkwodioka/Ikpem road in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area in the 2023 Budget estimates as one of the roads to receive attention in the year 2023 to alleviate the suffering of the communities that ply and use that road.”

The Commissioner of Police in charge of Enugu State Command, Ahmed Amman has described as untrue and unfounded, the viral media report suggesting that the suspected robbers burnt for fleecing point of sale (POS) operators in Enugu were serving policemen.

An angry mob had on Wednesday set ablaze two robbery suspects terrorising point of sale(POS) operators on Bisala Road, Independence Layout, Enugu, the Enugu State capital.

The robbers were caught by a mob after they had successfully robbed a PoS operator and attempted to run away and set them ablaze.

In a viral video before they were set ablaze, one of them was seen with a police identify card as an operative from New Haven police station.

Reacting to the development through the Command’s spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe, the state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Amman, said the victims the act of jungle justice was executed on, were not Policemen serving in New Haven Police Division of the Command. “Contrary to the report, available records only revealed that one of them, later identified as Ogbobe Benjamin, has long been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force as a Police Constable, for acts against discipline. Hence, he can never be seen or said to be a serving policeman as claimed,” Amman said.

While condemning in its entirety, the mob action and extra-judicial killing of the two criminal suspects, by an angry mob, the Commissioner of Police therefore, ordered the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID) to carry out a discreet investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and those involved.

The CP therefore urged citizens of the State to always be law-abiding and assist the Police in the fight against criminals and their activities, especially by arresting and handing over criminal suspects to the law enforcement agencies in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, the amended Nigeria Police Act 2020 and other laws.

He further calls on them to promptly report general acts of crime and criminality to the nearest Police Station or by calling the Command’s emergency hotlines.

•As APC assures Tinubu’s landslide victory

Preparations are in top gear to welcome the All Progressives Congress APC presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Imo State.

Just as the party has put all structures in place including the inauguration of 27 executives in the 27 local government areas, as well as in all the polling units and 305 political wards to ensure a landslide victory for the APC presidential standard bearer.

Disclosing this to The Nation on Friday, the state party Publicity Secretary, Cajetan Duke said that Tinubu will be meeting with Imo based trade associations on 17th of November.

He is also expected to parley with other stakeholders in a town hall meeting, adding that all traders associations in the state are looking forward to interact with the APC presidential candidate.

Explaining further, he said that the meeting is the first of its kind in the history of the state, a clear indication that Tinubu has a well-fashioned manifesto that accommodates all strata of the economy.

“He is coming to engage them and tell them the economic prosperity he has for this nation to be able to market his manifesto to business class and traders. It is a town hall meeting sort of for all categories of traders’ associations and workers unions. He is coming to interact and engage them, communicate with them in the language they will be able to understand.”

Besides, he said the party has been working very hard to ensure victory for its presidential candidate by fixing structures that would ensure total victory for the party in the presidential election.

As part of the strategies to win the forthcoming presidential election, he said that the campaign team led by the state Chairman, Dr. Ebere MacDonald has visited 23 out of 27 local government areas in the state for the town hall meetings preparing the people ahead of the electioneering campaign.

“There is no other political party in the state that is doing what we are doing, there is no other party that has entered into the field to engage the people. So, as I speak to you we have visited 23 local government areas in Imo State for the town hall meeting preparing our people ahead of the electioneering campaign.

He said that “other political parties are still trying to sort their issues, others are still trying to put their house in order and we have grabbed a whole lot and we don’t have post primary crisis in the state, all our political aspirants prior to the primaries are the same page, we have been able to come out of the post primary election stronger and healthy.

“The party scribe assured a resounding victory for the APC flagbearer following. We are not targeting 25 per cent, we are targeting overwhelming victory for our presidential candidate. And our Governor Senator Hope Uzodimma by his phenomenal infrastructural development in the state has made Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory feat accomplished,” he stated.

Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has said an indigenous energy firm, Alternative Petroleum and Power Ltd (APPL), would solve the energy needs of the over 30 industries built by his administration.

Speaking yesterday at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Calabar during a visit to him by the management team of the firm, the governor hailed APPL for choosing the state for its operation.

APPL, which is in partnership with Bergen Engines, Norway and Diesel Electric Services Pty Ltd, South Africa, was allocated land at Odukpani on the outskirts of Calabar, two years ago, to build an energy outfit.

Prof. Ayade said: “We have over 30 industries our administration has built, but our greatest challenge is power, so that you come to provide an alternative source of power, using a very classic technology, which is gas to liquid technology, is a welcome development.

“I thank you for the choice of Cross River State. I thank you for the massive employment opportunity APPL will bring onboard, occasioned by the project.”

He assured the APPL management that it would not regret siting its operation in the state, “because the nature and character of a people where a business is sited determine the success of the business and industrial harmony.

“Your choice of Cross River State for your business will guarantee you industrial peace because the people are peaceful. We will support you back to back.”

The APPL Executive Director, Innovation, Idara Ekpo, an engineer, commended Ayade’s industrialisation strides, saying the governor had performed well.

He said APPL management was at the Governor’s Office to inform him of how far the company had gone in setting up its operations since the state government allocated it 30 hectares two years ago.

Labour Party’s (LP’S) governorship candidate in Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has promised that the planned rally at Ngwa High School, Aba will hold today as planned despite a call by the government for the party to change its venue.

The party had announced that its presidential candidate and his running mate, Peter Obi and Yusuf Datti, including other national officers, would also be at the event where Otti would present his manifesto.

Commissioner for Post Basic Education Israel Mark, in a letter he signed yesterday, which was addressed to the state Chairman of the LP and copied Abia State Director, Department of State Services (DSS) and Abia State Commissioner of Police, said the government advised that the party should seek alternative venues to avoid disruption of academic activities.

He said LP should look for another venue or seek another date when students would not be in school, for its event, adding that the party should be aware that public and private schools, including Ngwa High School, Aba, are in session.

Mark said it would be wrong to “set this bad precedent of chasing away our hard working students and their teachers in order to hold political rallies that will not only disrupt academic activities, but will also predispose school properties to vandalism.”

But the Special Adviser to Dr. Otti, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, slammed the commissioner for Post Basic Education for not being abreast of what was happening in schools under his supervision.

He said the venue of the proposed rally did not belong to the state government, but a private religious institution, Aba-Ngwa North Diocese of the Anglican Communion, which he noted “has since given us approval after payment was made and received.”

Ekeoma said the school was on midterm break, which was one of the things the party considered before the date was chosen.

“We don’t expect the state government to be aware of this because they have no interest in the affairs of the school.

“That the owners and management of the facility, who have better knowledge of the vicinity and who have exhibited moral obligation to protect the welfare and well-being of their students than Abia State Government, understood that our rally would pose no threat to the facilities and students before giving their approval.

“Our governorship candidate, Otti, has proved his love for education. Hence he runs the most professionally-organised and sustainable undergraduate scholarship scheme for indigent students in Abia, unlike the current government that continues to superintend the de-accreditation and destruction of our academic institutions. Therefore the government’s insulting pretence of love for education and welfare of Abia students is hypocritical and provocative,” he said.

The Chairman of Warri North Local Government of Delta State, Mr. Smart Asekutu, has come under fire for allegedly interfering in the process of king selection for oil-rich Egbema kingdom.

Reacting to comments by the council boss over accusations of conniving with and funding a few chiefs of Egbema Traditional Council to “impose Napoleon Egin as the Agadagba (king)-elect” of the kingdom, the Egbema Leaders of Thought (ELOT) warned against perceived injustice being orchestrated by Asekutu and his accomplices.

ELOT, a body concerned with peace and progress of the Egbema people, said it had no preferred candidate, but was committed to upholding justice and truth in the kingdom, regardless of who was involved.

A statement signed by ELOT’s Chairman and Secretary, Elder Edmund Tiemo and E. A. Mawari, said the council boss had in response to allegations against him, including aiding and abetting a factional traditional council of chiefs in the kingdom, tried to confuse right thinking people.

ELOT disputed the chairman’s claim that “the entire Egbema people assembled for a whole day to come up with one name (Napoleon Egin) out of six names,” purportedly submitted by Ogbudugbudu Ruling House and challenged him (Asekutu) to prove otherwise.

Reacting to the allegations, Media Aide to the Council Chairman Silas Toruwei said ELOT was only scheming for the selection of its preferred candidate, Ese Obabiri.

He said the chairman did not support Egin, as alleged, but was rather following the directive of the Egbema Traditional Council of Chiefs, which was saddled with the responsibility of choosing one out of the six names on the list submitted by the Ogbudugbudu Ruling House at a town hall meeting in Ofunama, the headquarters of the kingdom.

The Obong Akan Udofia Campaign Organisation (OAUCO) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of launching a campaign of calumny against the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Obong Akanimo Udofia.

It said Udofia was under attacks ranging from frivolous sponsored litigations in court to vandalism of his campaign billboards and smear campaigns on the social media by PDP agents.

OAUCO, in a statement signed by Iniobong John and made available to The Nation yesterday, said it would not be pushed to join issues with the PDP and its governorship candidate, Pastor Umo Eno.

The statement said: “The past couple of weeks have seen the campaign of the Akwa Ibom APC governorship candidate Obong Udofia come under attacks, ranging from frivolous sponsored litigations in courts to vandalism of campaign billboards and most recently a deliberate campaign of calumny launched by PDP minions on the social media.

“Amid these, the Akan Udofia Campaign Organisation has carried itself with decorum and a deep sense of propriety throughout the current election cycle. This resolve is a reflection of the personality of the principal, Obong  Udofia.”

The organisation said Udofia’s commitment and vision to change the fortunes of Akwa Ibom people would not be compromised.

Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has warned those involved in criminal activities against the people to desist or relocate out of Igboland before the release of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

It said those encouraging crime in the region have no place in its movement, which was formed on truth and honesty.

In a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB said its security outfit, Eastern Security Network (ESN), had no camp at Okigwe in Imo State and Amangwu, Ohafia in Abia State.

It said any group operating from any camp within both axis was not its security operative, warning that nobody should associate it with the actions of any criminal gang in any of the camps.