Category: South East

Pensioners in Abia State yesterday took to the streets of Umuahia, the state capital, to protest the government’s failure to pay their pension arrears.

The retirees chanted songs to depict their situation and the ‘wickedness’ of the people in government in refusing to listen to their cries. Their protest caused a gridlock in most parts of Umuahia which lasted for hours.

The protesters, clad in black, marched through Bende road, Aba road and terminated their protest at the Government House.

Part of their grief was unpaid 38 months arrears, non-harmonisation of pensions from 1998 to 2010, and unpaid accumulated gratuity for 20 years. They lamented that they have been dehumanised and subjected to unimaginable suffering, saying the situation has resulted in the death of about 15 of their members.

The Coordinator of Concerned Abia Pensioners, Emeka Okezie, appealed to the government to address their pathetic situation.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, who addressed the protesters, assured them of regular and prompt payment of their pension.

Ikpeazu, who was represented by Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Chris Ezem, encouraged the pensioners to ensure their leadership engages government before resorting to protest. He also appealed to them to be patient with government.

Paramount rulers of communities in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State have endorsed the governorship ambition of Senator Magnus Abe.

The monarchs gave their blessings at Giokoo community when Abe visited the Gberemene of Gokana Kingdom, Festus Paago-Bagia, Gberesaakoo XIII.

A statement by Abe’s spokesperson, Parry Benson, said King Paago-Bagia gave the former senator his blessings.

Baggage, who spoke through the Chairman of Gokana Stakeholders Forum, Mene Dougdale Baadom said: “Abe came to the palace to ask for blessings, and the Gberemene of Gokana has given him the blessing.”

Senator Abe admonished Rivers people to choose credible leaders that would put the people first in their activities. He said in the interest of justice, fairness and equity, the people of Ogoni should be allowed to be governor in 2023.

Abe promised to give the people the opportunity to take control of the government if elected as a successor to Governor Nyesom Wike.

Abe challenged the people to choose leaders with impeccable character, who would impact their lives positively, irrespective of political party.

He said: “I challenge Rivers people to choose leaders that will be truthful. If you chose me, I’ll put you (the people) first…”

Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Marcus Onobun, who is aspiring to represent Esan West/Esan Central/Igueben constituency in the House of Representatives in 2023, has promised to think out of the box if elected.

Onobun spoke yesterday at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat after a screening for National Assembly aspirants.

He said: “Over time, when we send representatives to the National Assembly, everybody goes and does what is normal. For me, I want to think outside the box. I want to go there and be a vocal voice, not just for my constituency, but Edo State and Southern Nigeria.

“I will give intelligent representation to my generation, which happens to be the youth. For the first time, let a Southern voice be heard at the National Assembly, to bring about more legislative works that will propel the executive to do the needful.”

Onobun, who described the screening as seamless, simple and effortless, called for a level-playing ground during the primaries so that members can elect candidates with capacity and experience to represent them during the general elections.

The Abakaliki Catholic Diocese has blamed the continuous detention of one of its priests, Fr. Timothy Ngwuta, on an Executive Order preventing any court from hearing matters relating to the Effium/Ezza-Effium crisis.

The Church urged the people to pray that God touch those responsible for the cleric’s continued incarceration to listen to the voice of right conscience.

A statement by Chancellor of the Diocese, Fr. Mathew Opoke, said Fr. Ngwuta was arrested on December 11, 2021, at Mbeke, Ishieke, in Ebonyi Local Government Area, where he had gone to help his friend, Jude Ariom, retrieve his  car.

The statement reads: “On Saturday, December 11, 2021, Fr. Timothy Ngwuta was arrested by the police at Mbeke Ishieke, Ebonyi Local Government Area, where he went to help his friend, Jude Ariom, retrieve a vehicle that was parked there.

“Before Fr. Ngwuta arrived at Mbeke, he obtained a clearance from the police to move the vehicle whose tyres were deflated. The police at Mbeke granted him permission after he had paid their bill for guarding the car for two weeks.

“In the course of inflating the tyres, the local vigilance swooped on him and his companions, demanding further settlements, but Fr. Timothy told them the money with the police was meant to take care of them as well.

“After a while, another set of local vigilance group arrived, leading to some altercations between the two groups. Fr. Timothy and those who came to help him were arrested by the local vigilance, and handed over to the same police who had earlier cleared him to move the vehicle.

“He was transferred to the police headquarters in Abakaliki, where he was tortured and detained for 12 twelve days. He was later released on bail on December 23, 2021, when his health began to fail, but told to report to the station weekly…

“Fr. Ngwuta was however re-arrested in March 2022, and arraigned on allegations of involvement in the kidnap and murder of five construction workers in the area last year, attack on and murder of police officers, aiding escape, arson, promoting inter-communal war, etc.

“The church is worried as to how going to recover a car has metamorphosed into such accusations as contained in the charges against him. Fr. Ngwuta vehemently denies all the charges and sees himself as a victim of circumstances.”

“We urge security agencies to do a thorough investigation and ensure justice is served.

“Efforts to secure his release on bail have been hampered by the Executive Order preventing any court from entertaining matters relating to the Effium crisis. Recently, the motion for bail was refused on the April 12.

“We implore all people of goowill to join us in praying God to touch those responsible for the incarceration of Fr. Ngwuta to listen to the voice of right conscience.”

But the government has denied issuing any Executive Order stopping the judiciary from entertaining matters relating to the Effium crisis.

The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Cletus Ofoke, said: “There is nothing like Executive Order on the Effium crisis. Government can never issue an order stopping the court from doing its legitimate duty. There is nothing like that.”

Commissioner for Information Uchenna Orji also said Fr. Ngwuta is being tried for alleged conspiracy to promote communal war, and only the court will decide whether he is guilty or not.

Orji said: “We have refrained from joining issues because of our respect for the institution the cleric belongs to.

“While we view it as unfortunate that the Rev Fr. could be involved in a suspicious conduct that led to his detention and prosecution, we wish to place on record that Governor David Umahi has no hands whatsoever in the matter; it is purely a serious security concern handled by the community and the security operatives.”

A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State, Senator Julius Ucha, has accused Speaker of the House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru, of threatening his life and property.

Ucha, who made the accusation yesterday in Abakaliki, maintained that he is not stepping down for the speaker who has been endorsed by Governor David Umahi for governor.

He said: “I am contesting to become governor as an aspirant that has been endorsed by his people. I am the only person contesting in Ebonyi Central.

“I have my people who will attack him and attack his property. This is what I have heard that Nwifuru has said. That he will attack me and my property in the state. And maybe attack other aspirants because he has been endorsed.”

Ucha allegations could not be independently verified as at press time as Nwifuru could not be reached for comments. He also didn’t respond to messages sent to him.

His Chief Press Secretary, Leo Oketa, however acknowledged a message sent to him for comment but did not respond. He also did not take subsequent calls to his phones.

A governorship aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State, Wilfred Bonse, has said the party would reclaim its seat in the 2023 elections.

Bonse stated this when he visited the party secretariat in Abuja to submit his nomination and expression of interest form.

According to him, though Governor Ben Ayade defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the PDP still had the structure and capacity to win elections in the state.

The aspirant said he is fully prepared for the primary because he has consulted widely with party stakeholders and his candidacy is widely accepted.

He said: “Our preparations did not start now, we have watched, with keen interest, the retrogression that bedevilled our state, especially with the defection of status from being a PDP to an APC state. The preparations are not in the talking, we are prepared to work that talk. We are ready to do whatever it takes. We have the resources and the intellectual capacity.

“Make no mistake, Cross River is going back to PDP.”

Bonse pledged that if elected governor, he would eradicate poverty by turning the state’s tourism sector around.