The Nation Newspaper

Category: South East

‘Peaceful agitation best for Niger Delta development’

Ijaw leader and former President of Izon-ebe Oil Producing Communities Forum, Chief Favour Izoukumor, has called for a paradigm shift in the Ijaw struggle in the Niger Delta for a better deal from the Federal Government and oil multinationals.

Izoukumor, a former Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission official, said non-violent approach, negotiations and dialogues with interest groups within and outside the region had become the better option, adding that it was important for the other parts of the country to understand the plight of oil bearing communities.

The call was contained in a speech he delivered at the 25th edition of the Ijaw Day of Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving, organised by the Izon Christian Fellowship, held in Warri, Delta State, on Sunday.

He said: ”I appeal to our traditional leaders, monarchs and clergymen as leaders of the Ijaw Nation to redefine our approach. It is not enough to lay claim to resources found in our territories that they belong to us alone, for it is through such erroneous claims that there have been vandalism of oil facilities and oil theft, which have led to the depletion of fishing and farming as the livelihood of the Ijaw.”

January 11, 2022
Teachers protest salary arrears in Akwa Ibom

Public primary school teachers, under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Nsit Ibom Local Government branch, Akwa Ibom State, have embarked on indefinite strike to protest the non-payment of their November 2021 salary.

This was against the government’s directive for resumption of academic activities yesterday.

In a notice obtained by our correspondent in Uyo yesterday, the union directed members to stay away from school until their salary is paid by the government through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

The notice, signed by the branch Chairman and Secretary, Ekom John and Michael Ukana, was also pasted at public primary schools in the area.

It was learnt that NUT members had written several times to the SUBEB Chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo, seeking a round-table discussion to iron out issues on the matter, but to no avail.

The notice said: “This is to notify teachers in this school that public primary schools are not yet reopened in Nsit Ibom Local Government until the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) pays the November 2021 salary to us, as they had paid to teachers in other local governments. Until this is done, stay away from this premises till otherwise directed.”

Contacted, SUBEB Chairman Obong Paul Ekpo said no civil servant was being owed.

January 11, 2022
Imo PDP chieftain alleges plot to blackmail him

The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, has raised the alarm of plot by politicians in Imo State to begin a campaign of calumny against him.

He said those who wanted to mount the campaign were the same failed politicians with cosmetic public images, making futile efforts to present themselves relevant as being on ground and in touch with the activities of the party, “when the same people did everything to starve the party in the state.”

“Our joy is that every committed member of the PDP in the state is aware of their antics, which surfaces during election year,” Anyanwu said.

He said in a statement yesterday by his media adviser, Ikenna Onuoha, that the underground plot was designed to portray him as an unpopular leader in the state.

The statement said: “The public is hereby alerted of a smear campaign by disgruntled political elements in Imo State, who have been shopping for pliant online media that will serve as accomplices in their nefarious act.

“The underground plot is designed to portray Sen. Anyanwu as a leader that is neither popular nor in touch with the programmes of his party in Imo State.

“The alleged plot initially, was meant to be fully implemented in the days ahead by a squad of selected online media publishers and social media influencers after being heavily mobilised financially by some political misfits.

“Information available to us indicate that to achieve their game plan, the orchestrators of the move will spend money to procure stories in the media with unsubstantiated claims and consequently sow seeds of discord in the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

January 11, 2022
Ayade: no going back on power shift to South

Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has reiterated his commitment to ensure that power returns to the Southern Senatorial District in 2023.

Speaking at the Governor’s Lodge at the weekend, he said his decision to return power to the South was based on morality.

“During my campaign for a second term, I went to the South. I said if I won I would support the South to take over from me because by natural process, ‘you are the next senatorial district to produce the governor.’”

Ayade said the South had credible people with capacity to be a governor.

According to him, before he became the governor, “there was no chance that the North was capable of credible candidates until l came on board. So, there is no senatorial district that does not have the right candidates to be a governor.”

Ayade, who decried the nature of democracy as currently being practised, said there was need to infuse the sensitivity of the African culture, “because we inherited a brand of democracy which is not afro-centric, neither does it have the sensitivity of the African culture and morality.

“Democracy is so primitively blind that it reduces itself to numbers. The higher your population, the more you win. So, there is nothing like balancing, there is no equity in democracy. There is no moral conscience. Democracy is blind to ethnicity, it is blind to religion, it is blind to fairness, it is repugnant to natural justice.”

He called for a paradigm shift, even as he flayed the lack of opportunities and inclusion for the disadvantaged in the polity.

“So, if you are in the majority population, you can continue to rule forever because you have the higher voting strength. It denies the child of a poor man from one ethnic group who is well trained and has everything to lead the state or the country, from becoming a governor or a president because he is from an ethnic minority. That is a failed society because the chance for my child and your child is differentiated not by their quality or character, not by their content or proficiency, but by just a mere geographical place of birth.”

The governor, who dispelled speculations that he was backtracking on his commitment to return power to the South, said: “So to be able to balance that, as a governor, I still uphold my declaration that my successor will come from the South and indeed, he will come from the South. And for emphasis, yes, he will come from the South.”

Ayade said he could not and would not play God by being specific on who his successor would be.

He said: “To make further statements as to where in the South, l will be acting God and to decide who in the South that will succeed me. I will also be acting God. My role is to be fair. The South had taken turn to produce a governor in Donald Duke, the Central had also produced a governor in Senator Liyel Imoke and the North has produced one in me.

“So, it is common sense that we must go back to the South for equity. Every zone should know that their turn will come one day. But to be blind and leave it to crude democracy, which was not customised to reflect African sensitivity, that if l have had it, and no matter the circumstance, let another too have it.”

January 10, 2022
Delta schools resume today

Delta State schools will begin academic activities today for the 2022/23 academic session.

The Commissioner for Primary Education, Mr. Chika Ossai and his counterpart in the Ministry of Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu, made this known at the weekend in interviews.

Ossai urged head teachers to ensure classrooms and school environment are made conducive for learning, stressing that sanctions await erring school heads.

He warned that “lateness will not be tolerated this academic session, adding that culprits will be sent home.”

Ossai urged parents and guardians to get their children and wards ready for school before 7:30am and ensure that their learning materials are complete.

Ezewu admonished pupils to shun vices and refrain from destroying school belongings.

She advised teachers to embark on revision classes with the pupils that resume.

January 10, 2022
APC ex-zonal vice chair joins governorship race

The former National Vice Chairman, Southsouth, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ntufam Hilliard Etta, has expressed interest to join the race to secure the party’s ticket 2023 governorship election in Cross River .

Etta, who spoke during an interaction with reporters in Calabar at the weekend, said he would soon come up with his plans for the state and make his visions and agenda for the state public.

He said the humility he had over his “aspiration is divine”, and that “if it is based on economic viability or wealth or even connections to people, I will not venture out.”

“My political trajectory has always been divine and I do know that I have the answers to the questions that are raging in Cross River State. And by the special grace of God, He will give me the opportunity to deal with these questions,” Etta said.

He said Cross River State was larger in size and more gifted in resources than most African countries, adding that it was possible to develop the state without depending on oil money or federal allocation.

January 10, 2022
Moghalu: why I went to court against my party’s candidate

The Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Dr. George Moghalu, said yesterday that he would have failed in his responsibility if he had not sought justice over the irregularities that characterised the primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last year’s governorship election in Anambra State.

He said despite the party’s poor performance at the polls, he was satisfied that the right thing was done.

Moghalu, a governorship candidate of the party, had filled a petition in court, insisting that there was no party primary, which the Federal High Court, Abuja had ruled in his favour.

Addressing a news conference in his Nnewi country home, Moghalu said although he had wished his party won, he had never been desperate for power.

He said what should preoccupy the minds of party members was rebuilding the party and winning back people’s confidence.

January 10, 2022
Uzodimma hails Armed Forces for defending Nigeria

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has urged Nigerians to spare a thought for those who paid the supreme prize in their quest to protect their lives and property as well as defend the country’s territorial integrity.

He spoke yesterday at the Assumpta Catholic Cathedral, Owerri at a thanksgiving service to mark the 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day officially slated for January 15.

Uzodimma hailed members of the Armed Forces for paying the supreme prize for the unity, peace and protection of people.

He lauded them for their efforts in Imo State that made it possible for the indigenes and residents to celebrate the Christmas and New Year festivities peacefully and in a conducive environment.

The governor thanked the Archbishop, Most Rev Dr. Anthony JV Obinna and his team for the spirit-filled homily and the take away from the service.

Uzodimma said that the government and the Armed Forces were at the service to show solidarity to the families of the deceased soldiers, “who lost their dear ones while trying to defend our fatherland and protect the lives and property of the citizenry, and to encourage the serving ones to continue their good work to keep Nigeria one and Imo State in peace.”

He said: “The occasion of this nature should be used to discourage those who are not officially authorised to carry arms to drop their arms and stop causing trouble in the society.”

The governor reassured Imo people that he had come “to serve with the fear of God,” reiterating that what he saw on assumption of office was “too bad”, but “by the grace of God, I am making efforts to surmount them.”

He said: “I came. I saw and I will conquer.”

Most Rev. Obinna cautioned the Armed Forces against what he called “unreasonable wickedness, hatred, brutality, enslaving of human beings and use of military weapons to intimidate the people.”

He enjoined them to imitate “God’s kindness that made Him to send His only begotten Son to come and lay His life for us all,” noting that “we all will give account of our stewardship when we come face to face with our creator.”

January 10, 2022
Abia APC gets chairman

The Chief Risk Officer of Banks, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu, at the weekend emerged as the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State.

He will take over from former Chairman Mazi Enyinnaya Habour, who died last year.

A statement by the party said Ononogbu holds a first degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Nigeria Nsukka, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) and PhD from the Walden University, United States.

After completing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 1984, he joined Citibank Nigeria as an Operations Officer. He later rose to the position of Chief Inspector /Auditor of the bank.

He joined Spring Bank as a Deputy General Manager and retired as a General Manger Risk Management in 2009.

Driven by passion to contribute to national development, he ventured into politics by joining the APC.

On Saturday, at a state party congress that drew faithful from the 17 local governments, he polled 1,067 votes to emerge as the Abia State chairman of the APC.

The congress, tagged ‘Special Abia State Congress’, was organised by a committee set up by the national body of the party from Abuja.

The congress was observed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), civil society organisations, security agencies, including DSS, Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Army, Navy and Air Force.

Ononogbu thanked those who made his victory possible and prayed God to reward them.

January 10, 2022
Former minister seeks East-West road completion

The former Minister of Lands and Housing, Chief Nduese Essien, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to complete Section 1V of the East-West road before the end of his tenure.

Essien, who made the appeal at the weekend when he addressed political stakeholders from Eket, said Section 1V of the road, which passed through Eket, ought to have been dualised, not constructed as a bypass as was the case.

He said: “We never wanted a bypass in place of dualisation of the East West road passing through Eket, but the Federal Government thought it wise to open up Eket through the bypass.

“Therefore, it will be criminal for the project to be abandoned, the way it seems. We want that project completed before the end of President Buhari’s tenure in 2023.”

Essien hailed the state government for the infrastructural development of Eket, but requested that the area be industrialised.

“Governor Udom Emmanuel must be praised for the infrastructural development of Eket, especially the Immanuel General Hospital and roads, but it should be noted that Eket used to be the industrial base of the state. We want it to be returned to its former glory,” he said.

“We have entered a crucial year in the political calendar of the state and country; therefore, I implore all of us to play politics with decency and civility. The era of pull-down syndrome is gone; the prevailing peace in the state should not be scuttled by any desperate politicking.

“We should be careful of the people we select into public offices in the coming election. Mediocrity over merit has always been a cog in the wheel of our democratic development. This time, our selection process must place emphasis on competence and credibility,” Essien said.

January 10, 2022