Category: South East

Africa’s foremost musical equipment and services company, Auxell Musical Equipment has celebrated Valentine’s Day by stepping out of its lush location to show love to the children of the “Arrows of God” orphanage in Lagos.

While social media was agog with pictures of lovers painting the town red, Auxell Musical Equipment, led by the CEO, Mr. Samuel Chukwudebelu, took on a great initiative to spread love in a unique way, making the less privileged children also feel loved and appreciated by donating food items and home essentials.

The company also donated some musical equipment like keyboards, guitars and others with a view to exposing the children to music in their early days and develop their minds.

They were also given a music tutor who would guide them all the way.

Chukwudebelu said: “These less privileged children also need love and affection and while we have so many people show love in the normal conventional way, we at Auxell

“Musical have decided that these children will be our own Valentine’s for this year and that’s why we are doing this.”

The Auxell Musical Equipment company is situated in the Lekki area of Lagos.

It sells all kinds of musical equipment like DJ equipment, studio gadgets, club sound management and many more.

A former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Senator Emma Nwaka, has declared his interest to run for governorship next year.

Nwaka, who was the chairman of the party from 2011 to 2015, declared yesterday at the PDP state chapter secretariat in Umuahia, the state capital after a meeting with the state chairman of the party and other stakeholders.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Obingwa) and Ncheta Omerekpe (Isiala Ngwa North) had earlier declared for governorship.

Nwaka, who represented Abia North Senatorial District in the Third Republic, came in the company of a retired Military Administrator of Cross River State, Navy Captain Chris Osondu, former Commissioner of Trade and Investment, Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe and other party stakeholders from Abia North.

He said the decision to run for the Abia exalted seat was borne out of his desire to serve the people of the state in a higher capacity where he intends to deploy his administrative and leadership skills to better the lot of Abians.

The former PDP chairman begged Governor Okezie Ikpeazu not to bow to the pressure of zoning the governorship ticket of the party to other zones outside Abia North going by the provisions of the Abia Charter of Equity.

He lamented that Isuikwuato is the only zone that has been denied the opportunity of producing the governor of the state since its creation.

The governorship hopeful, who charged the leadership of the party to be wary of people he described as “political moonlighters” that surface during elections and disappear after general elections, emphasised the need for the party to present acceptable candidates with integrity if the party wants to coast to victory in the 2023 general elections.

He said: “If I did not sincerely believe, very deep in my heart, that I am predisposed, everything considered, to add value and make our party and the people of the state proud, I would not have essayed to take on the burden of leadership.

“Talking about our founding fathers, their quest was for a well-developed state with modern amenities.

“In their wisdom, they saw fit to make it clear in the Abia Charter of Equity that none of the constituent districts of the state, old Afikpo (part of Abia then), old Bende, Isuikwuato District and the old Aba District must be left out particularly in the rotation of the topmost job in the state.”

Nwaka said the provision was to foster peace and amity in the state without which the desired even development would be a mirage.

Nwaka said if given the party ticket, he would ensure victory for PDP in 2023.

Chairman of PDP in the state, Asiforo Okere, commended Nwaka for being the first among those aspiring to be governor to intimate the state Exco of his aspiration.

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Enugu State has urged the Enugu State Independent National Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) to ensure a level playing field for parties in the February 23 local government election.

The new Chairman of IPAC in Enugu State, Edwin Alor, gave the advice after he was sworn in to pilot the affairs of the body for the next two years.

He was elected alongside Augustine Nnamani of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Deputy Chairman, Elvis Ugwuoke, the Secretary and Casmir Agbo, the Public Relations Officer, among others.

The election was conducted by the national leadership of IPAC, under the supervision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Alor said the local government remained a very important tier of the government owing to its nearness to the people, stressing that competent people must be elected to man that level of the government.

“I urge Enugu State people to come out en masse and vote for candidates of their choice. The level of apathy our people always show toward elections is not good at all.”

People should not sit in the comfort of their homes and make complaints from there.

“ENSIEC should ensure that the votes count. This is what will encourage more participation of the electorate in future elections,” he said.

Alor said IPAC under his leadership would endeavour to function effectively “in engaging the government of the day with veritable programmes for the development of the state.

“The good news is for us to expect from henceforth, a more virile and viable IPAC that will contribute to peaceful collaboration of the parties towards advancement of good governance and democracy in the state.”

He hailed Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for the good working relationship between his administration and IPAC.

In his remarks after he handed over to the new leadership, the former chairman, Barr. Ike, enjoined them to channel energy towards deepening democracy and governance in the state.

“As the new leadership of IPAC, they should not lose sight of the main duty of IPAC, which is the promotion of good governance,” he said.

Officials of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) have urged retirees of Delta Steel Company (DSC), Ovwian-Aladja to unite, to ask for the payment of their accrued entitlements by the Federal Government.

They gave the advice at the venue of a proposed election for the NUP Delta Steel branch, at the DSC Secondary School, Steel Town 1, in Udu Local Government of Delta State.

The NUP officers, addressing the retired workers, stressed the need for them to be under one recognised body.

Leadership tussle among the pensioners led to the creation of two other factional retiree groups after a massive protest calling for payment of their entitlements in 2017.

It was gathered that some leaders of one of the factions were arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for illegal collection of N3,000 from unsuspecting retirees under the guise of registering them under the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), following a visit by its director general in 2017.

Addressing DSC pensioners, who had gathered for the second time to elect NUP executive members for the branch, spokesman for the NUP, Bunmi Ogunkolade, noted that “strength lies in unity.”

He assured the retirees that efforts were on to reconcile the factions, saying election would be conducted when the house was united.

“The bottom line is that we will come back after we have laid a solid foundation for other groups. Then, all of us will be on a roundtable in one big hall. We will conduct the election to elect proper leaders for you,” Ogunkolade said.

Hoping that entitlements that were still hanging would be paid, he hailed the acting NUP leaders, led by Mr. Akpoteghor Iseakpobeje, for being “steadfast and doing a great job,” in the past years.

Another national officer, Alhaji Ahmed Gazali, said that the essence of having the reconciliation before the election was to ensure that DSC pensioners spoke with one voice when issues were presented to the government.

Reacting to the position of the national officials, the retirees said that the election should be held before any reconciliation.

The Chairman of NUP, Delta State council, Chief Michael Savbede, advised them to accept the position of the national body.

He said it was in their best interest.

Traders at Ogbaru main (relief) market, near Onitsha in Anambra State have given Governor Willie Obiano seven-day ultimatum to cancel their election.

The traders, comprising 203 lines chairmen and secretaries, threatened to protest in Awka if the election was not cancelled at the expiration of the ultimatum.

Briefing reporters yesterday, the Chairman of the Lines Chairmen and Secretaries, Chief Chinyelugo Nnamekwu, described the election as illegal and fraudulent.

He said: “There was no election but selection of candidates by the leadership of markets in the state in collaboration with Chief Ndubisi Ochiogu, the so-called winner of the election.

“Out of 203 lines at the market, 199 did not vote, as we were barred from entering the stadium to vote by ASMATA security operatives deployed to disenfranchise us. We were dumped at the entrance gate of the stadium till the end of the election.

“The commissioner promised us that on the day of the election, 120 lines would be accredited to vote with passports, but on that day, 233 lines were created, out of which 199 lines were barred from voting.

“Those that voted were non-traders brought with about five buses, ASMATA security operatives and women, who could not even identify who they voted for, as they were just ordered to queue up and be counted.

“Fake lines with unknown lines chairmen and secretaries were allowed to go in and vote, leaving the genuine lines chairmen and secretaries to their fate outside the stadium. It is an abomination and we can’t accept this.

“This protest is going to be the mother of all protests in the state. We will ground the state if after seven days the governor does not cancel the result of the election.”

Ochiogu described the claims as false and unfounded, insisting the election was free, fair and credible.

He said: “My victory was a payback by the traders for my achievements at the market. I brought light, water, security and opened account with a bank on behalf of the traders, which no successive governments have done at the market.”

Ochiogu dismissed as false allegation that he picked two people of his choice from each of the market lines and made them chairman and secretary, thereby dumping the genuine lines chairmen and secretaries.

Said he: “I went to the lines like other contestants. I did to know the line chairmen and secretaries, so how will mine be different?”

The Commander of 4 Brigade, Benin, Edo State, Brig.-Gen. Sani Abdullahi, has said the troops of the brigade are making efforts to ensure security in Edo and contiguous states.

He noted that the troops were always displaying professionalism and discipline in their activities, with a determination to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity and move the nation forward.

Abdullahi, yesterday in Benin, through the Brigade’s Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Capt. Yemi Sokoya, reacted to Sunday’s allegations by some displeased soldiers of the formation, who accused two officers of the brigade, Lt. Col. Emmanuel Ayegba and Capt. Eddyson Okakah, of conniving with Internet fraudsters (Yahoo boys) and illegal bunkerers, among other criminal activities, to make huge sums.

The commander said: “The brigade exercises zero tolerance on troops engaged in activities detrimental to service discipline, as defaulters are always sanctioned accordingly.

“The brigade remains resolute in the discharge of its duties, in aid of civil authorities and will continue to apply due diligence, as it conducts its operational engagements, in synergy with other security agencies, to ensure peace and stability in its area of responsibility.”

He said the brigade and its troops would aid civil authorities and ensure the security of lives and property, without compromising professionalism.

Ayegba is the Commander of Operation WABAZIGAN, a security outfit set up by the Godwin Obaseki administration in Edo State, while Okakah is the Officer-in-Charge (O/C) of Military Police at 4 Brigade, Benin.

The protesting soldiers pleaded with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya, to intervene, to restore sanity to the 4 Brigade and the Army.