Category: South East

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ward 9, Eku, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr Jonathan Oghenemavwe Atigari-Oderhohwo, weekend, lauded the Deputy President of the Senate, Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege and the member representing Ethiope East State Constituency, Hon. Innocent Anidi over their quality representation.

The Eku Ward 9 Chairman, Atigari-Oderhohwo who gave this commendation while speaking to newsmen, said the duo of the Deputy President of the Senate, Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege and the member representing Ethiope East state constituency, Hon. Innocent Anidi at the Delta State House of Assembly are legislators with high legislative experience.

The ward Chairman who described Hon. Anidi as a legislator par excellence, who is abreast with the legislative business of the house, has touched several lives, not only because of his kind heart, but his benevolence nature, pointing out that he has never seen someone who renders selfless service to mankind and believes in doing for others.

He said, “He is man who will say let us do for others instead of me and my family, let me start with myself, for example the car I am driving today was bought by him and not only that, I have also seen a lot of persons who were having so many challenges or the other, some sick, financial challenges, and out of his tight schedule, will come out to meet their needs by providing what they are lacking.

“I can tell you the countless times that he visits the hospital to see the sick, encourage them and pay various hospital bills for people, so many that I cannot mention here, he has bought cars, phones, bikes, Keke for people and so on, sometime last year he bought fuel to over a thousand bike riders and Keke, if you come down to the constituency now you will see his handwriting everywhere.

“His constituency projects are everywhere but unfortunately, he is not the type that sings praises of himself.”

The All Progressives Cngress (APC) Elders Forum loyal to Chief Basil Ejidike as the Anambra State Chairman of the party has begun to strategize to strengthen the party in the State ahead of 2023 general elections.

Chairman of the forum, Chief Innocent Obi told newsmen on Saturday that members decided to meet for the purposes of unity towards forthcoming congress as soon as national headquarters gives nod.

He regretted the current situation of the party in the State, describing it as mere misunderstanding and issue of interest which he said should not be seen as factions in the party.

He said, “We’re here to discuss how everybody would be carried along at the ward, local government and State levels and to be part of the winning team come 2023 presidential election.

“We have only one Chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike. Definitely, you have to realign everybody so that together we will be stronger. We don’t have factions, what we have is interest. Your interest may be different from my own interest.

“All we are working to achieve is to outsmart our opponents outside the party, APC. That is our most important focus, to equip ourselves with all the necessary arsenals to humble our opponents come 2023.

On how the party felt about losing the November 6 governorship election in Anambra, the Chairman said: “You have to go into our position to know how we feel.

“Anyway, we didn’t lose any election but circumstances made it to be so.”

Secretary to the forum, Hon Harry Okongwu said differences were bound to occur in party politics and at the family level as well.

“We have advised them (apparently referring to aggrieved members) to come back and let’s get united to go to the 2023 elections,” he said.

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State was at the Good Shepherd Specialist Hospital, located at Christ Church, Uwani, Enugu, on Saturday, to inaugurate a digital x-ray machine donated to the hospital by Roban Stores Limited, in commemoration of the 65th birthday of the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Sir Rob Onyebuchi Anwatu.

Ugwuanyi, who inaugurated the digital x-ray machine alongside the Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province (Anglican Communion) and Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Emmanuel O. Chukwuma; the Archbishop’s wife, Joyce; Sir Anwatu; his wife, Nwanne; Chief Anayo Onwuegbu; Chief Eric Chime, among other dignitaries, also inspected the medical equipment and other modern health facilities at the hospital.

The Anglican Church seized the opportunity to thank Gov. Ugwuanyi for constructing the internal road of Christ Church, Uwani, Enugu, which leads to the hospital and other interventions by his administration.

The Church equally commended Roban Stores Limited for providing the medical facility for the enhancement of healthcare services in the hospital and beyond.

Speaking after the inauguration, the CEO of Roban Stores Limited, Sir Anwatu, said the gesture was in commemoration of his 65th birthday on January 30, 2022, and also in appreciation to God for His goodness and mercies, stressing that God has been kind to the company in general and his family in particular.

Property worth millions of naira was lost in an inferno that razed a residential building in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

Though no life was lost in the inferno that lasted several hours in the residential building located on Agulu Street by Ibeku Road, Umuahia, it was gathered that the tenants were left devastated as they could not salvage much from their houses due to the rage of the fire.

It took the intervention of the personnel of the state and federal fire service to contain the fire from affecting other adjourning buildings.

Speaking on the incident, the Acting State Comptroller of Abia State Fire Service, Mr. Arua Nnanna, disclosed that the men of both state and federal fire were just returning from a fire incident scene at Okwulehie street stated that they were suspecting that the cause of the fire in Agulu Street could be as a result of power surge.

Nnanna who blamed the occupants of the building for failing to contact the fire service at the earliest stage of the fire, said that they could only stop the fire from affecting other buildings after a passerby alerted them of the fire incident which he said, had gone out of control of the occupants as at the time of their arrival to the scene of the fire incident.

He also disclosed that the men of the fire service attended another fire incident scene at Okwulehie Street off Umuwaya Road in Umuahia North LGA.

The Abia State Fire Service disclosed that the fire incident at Okwulehie was caused by an adulterated kerosene explosion and said that the prompt intervention of the fire men prevented the two storey building from going into flames.

He urged residents of the state to avoid acts capable of igniting fire or helping spread in their vicinity.

The Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Worldwide,  has commiserated  with victims of the fuel tanker explosion that claimed two lives and destroyed 25 houses in Ohoro Community, Uwheru Kingdom, Ughelli North LGA, Delta State last week.

UPU in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Abel Oshevire, yesterday, said, “the UPU, under Olorugun Dr. Moses Taiga (JP) President General of the Urhobo’s extends its sincere condolences to the bereaved families and conveys its sympathy to those who sustained injuries, and those who lost their properties, including residences, to the tragic fire”

According to the statement,  “UPU is grateful to God for the protection of lives all through the period of the inferno, which started in the early hours of the day, while residents were fast asleep. It is a great testimony of God’s mercy and goodness that the minimal loss of lives, despite the widespread fire that destroyed over 25 buildings, shops, goods, and other structures in the community.

“The victims allegedly were directly impacted by the explosion. The life of any individual is precious and more important than any property. We give thanks to God for protecting the lives of our people in Ohoro.”

The group commended Governor Ifeanyi  Okowa for his prompt visit to the scene of the incident to commiserate with the people.

It expressed hope that the governor’s visit  would  cause actions that will ameliorate the plight of the people, especially those rendered “homeless and devastated” by the inferno.

It appealed  to public and private spirited entities and organisation to support the victims of the inferno and community to enable them recover their losses.

The Chairman, Warri North Local Government Council, Hon. Smart Yemi Asekutu, has commended the Delta State governor, Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), Ijaw and Itsekiri leaders for their immense support and contributions in office.

Asekutu stated while fielding questions from newsmen in Sapele ahead of the anniversary of his successful one year in office.

He  said that he owed it a duty to thank Okowa for his continued support in ensuring that there is relative peace and progress in the Warri North Council Area.

Speaking further, Asekutu said Dr. Okowa has been very supportive to his administration, adding that right from day one, the governor and Tompolo have been there for his local government, hence they will remain loyal to Okowa’s administration for all he has done for them and his people.

“I owe my success in the Council to His Excellency, Dr. Okowa. From the beginning, the Governor trusted me. And today, the people are convinced. He has been very supportive of my administration and it is my prayer that I do not disappoint him nor disappoint the people.

“Governor Okowa has shown so much interest in the welfare of the people of Warri North and he will not hesitate to give to us whatever we ask from him. This is why I keep talking to our people to drop the process of violence in demanding whatever they want.

“Okowa is a listening governor and he does not take sides with what is wrong. And if we must continue to get the support of the governor, we must not come with a threat or by giving an ultimatum.

Asekutu recalled how Tompolo intervened to restore peace in the waterways when a notorious bandit and kidnapper, MK, held the council area hostage, killing, maiming and kidnapping people for ransom, describing Tompolo as a peace maker, bridge-builder, compassionate leader and a man of truth.

According to the Council chairman, although Tompolo is not from Warri North, he mobilized his security vigilante team who successfully captured MK and his notorious gang, adding that since then, the area has been very peaceful.

“I’m a beneficiary of his good works and I want to say, thank you, Tompolo. Continue to maintain the spirit of peace in the area. I know that very many people know of his good works. This is the true testimony of the original struggle which he was fighting for.

“Tompolo deserves our commendation and I’m commending him for assisting us in the past one year. And I’m pleading with him to continue to lend us his hand of partnership to work for peace in the area as we also need peace to deliver our promises.”

A former Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Bayelsa State, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, on Saturday described the late Prof. Lawrence Ekpebu, who died on January 2, 2022 as a successful scholar and respected diplomat.

He said apart from his star feat of being the first African graduate of the prestigious Harvard University in the United States, Ekpebu achieved a lot in his lifetime

Iworiso-Markson, who spoke in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, when he visited the widow of the late Ekpebu, said though he died at a ripe age of 90, his passing was shocking, painful and sad.

He said the late professor would forever live in the hearts of all those he mentored in different ways.

Iworiso-Markson recalled that in 2018 while still serving as Commissioner for Information and Orientation; he invited the late Ekpebu to chair one of the days of the week-long inter-ministerial briefing to commemorate the sixth anniversary of former Governor, Seriake Dickson, now a Senator.

“He shared his experience with us then and it was so much of a motivation for me personally and since then we became very close until he passed on,” he said.

The former commissioner said he was always in touch with late Ekpebu and had hinted to him last year of plans to put together a rich literature of all his achievements before his unfortunate demise.

He urged the bereaved family to be comforted by the admirable legacies and footprints he left behind.

Iworiso-Markson also thanked the Bayelsa State Government for indicating its intention to give the illustrious Bayelsan a befitting state burial.