Category: South East

THE management of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution (PHED) Company has petitioned the police over alleged meter bypass by a politician in Rivers State.

The firm, in a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, said it had lost huge amount as a result of customers who engaged in the fraudulent bypass of meters in the zone. It said it would prosecute the customers.

Speaking about the development, the Head, Corporate Communications, PHED, John Anonyai, said one of the suspects, a high profile politician in Rivers State, was caught in a high-level meter bypass through deliberate diversion of electricity from the main source to his property illegally, with the intention of avoiding payment of bill.

He said PHED is prepared to apprehend anyone caught in meter bypass, irrespective of his status.

“From the investigation by the Revenue Protection Department, it was gathered that the said consumer had been involved in this act of meter bypass for a long time and had constantly denied PHED officials access to his premises for routine check, until he ran out of luck.

“It is important to note that this politician has set a precedent because his action can encourage other persons to engage in meter bypass, as observed from the alarming trend of meter bypass recorded in recent months.”

“Due to this trend, PHED loses over N2.5billion to meter bypass monthly, which is impacting negatively on our operations to distribute electricity to other responsible customers,” Anonyai said.

He recalled that the Managing Director, Dr. Henry Ajagbawa, had appealed to customers through print and electronic media to dissociate themselves from meter bypass, as such atrocious act was a punishable offence under the law.

“Dr. Ajagbawa cited the ESPRA Act (2005), Miscellaneous Offences Act and the Nigerian Criminal Code as enshrined in the constitution to prosecute crimes of meter bypass and other practices inimical to the operations of service providers.

“PHED is prepared to apprehend anyone caught in meter bypass, irrespective of the individual’s status in the society. This will act as a deterrent to others.”

 

An Igbo elite group, the Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), has told the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other pro-Biafra agitators that any attempt to enforce its one-week sit-at-home in Anambra State or any other state in the Southeast would divide the Ndigbo and make them vulnerable.

The group also warned that boycotting the Saturday governorship election in Anambra State would mean providing opportunity for the enemies of the state to be declared winner.

It said the state would suffer immensely, if the election does not hold.

In a statement yesterday by its president, Prof. Uzodinma Nwala, ADF said the sit-at-home order was weakening the economy of the Southeast, promoting anarchy in the region and promoting the conquest of Alaigbo.

The statement said: “Anybody enforcing sit-at-home is doing so to divide our ranks, to weaken our economy, to promote anarchy and make us easily vulnerably. No sane son or daughter of Alaigbo wants the enemy to have his way; that is to say, to conquer us. No sane son or daughter of Alaigbo would put us in the harm’s way and promote the conquest of Alaigbo either by military might or through promotion of anarchy in Alaigbo.

“Yes, they are determined to rig the election, no matter what we do. But it is better for the world to be told that they rigged the election than to be told that we boycotted the election and thereby provide them the opportunity to seize political power in Anambra State.

“As for the sit-at-home (order), said to have been declared by some pro-Biafra organisations, ADF has always held the view that you do not force any person to vote or not to vote. Exercise of franchise (the right to vote) is a voluntary right of any normal human being. That right cannot be enforced one way or the other, not even under a dictatorship…”

 

An independent election observer group, STAGE for Women Development, has said it had deployed more than 500 observers for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.

The group’s Southeast Coordinator, Mrs. Eucharia Adukwulu, gave the figure when she spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Awka, the state capital.

According to her, the deployment is to promote a democratic electoral process in the state.

Mrs. Adukwulu said the observers would track and report activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as those of political party agents and the electorate.

She stressed that the observers would also monitor and report activities of security agencies, involvement of women, youths and persons with disabilities.

“Election observation is basically about civic involvement. Our involvement as observers will help to deter any kind of electoral fraud or even expose it.

“As women group, we would also be watching out for effective and inclusive women’s participation in the process,” she said.

Mrs. Adukwulu urged Anambra State residents to be peaceful and to turn out en masse to vote the candidates of their choice in the election.

 

 

The Anambra State government has declared today and tomorrow (Friday) 5 as work-free days ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

This is contained in a circular by the state’s Head of Service, Mr. Harry Udu.

The directive said the work-free days are meant to enable the residents to move to the locations where they registered as voters.

The directive said Governor Willie Obiano had approved the two days as work-free.

“This will enable public servants in Anambra State to travel to their respective communities to cast their votes on Saturday November 6,” the statement said.

 

The Enugu Depot Community of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has advised motorists and those on election duty in Anambra State to buy sufficient petrol today.

The zone’s IPMNA Chairman, Mr. Chinedu Anyaso, announced this yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka, the state capital.

Anyaso said the decision to close outlets was in line with the directive of the Anambra State government that today and tomorrow should be work-free days to enable workers go to their voting locations.

He said the police had also ordered total lockdown as from today and that marketers would have to abide.

The chairman urged marketers to allow their workers and pump attendants, who were eligible voters, to travel and exercise their civic duty.

Anyaso assured the people that there is enough supply in Anambra State and that those who require products should go to any outlet and purchase to avoid being stranded tomorrow.

 

 

The African Action Congress (AAC) candidate in Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State, Dr. Chidozie Nwankwo, has expressed confidence that he will win the election.

He said the election would be a departure from the past as the residents were tired of those he called politicians who only come out during every election to make empty promises.

In a Zoom meeting with senior journalists on Tuesday, Nwankwo promised to bring integrity and his over 40 years of experience as an employer of labour to bear in running the affairs of the state, if elected.

He regretted that in every governorship election in the state, it is usually the same politicians that are elected and condemned the culture of allowing godfathers take over the helm of affairs in the state.

The businessman, industrialist and philanthropist said he would fight corruption and appoint people with integrity and competence into positions of authority.

He queried: “If I have made huge contributions in building home-grown economy as a private businessman, why can’t I do much better in ensuring good governance as a governor?”

 

Barely three days to the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, visitors to the state are lamenting the difficulty in securing hotel accommodation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the visitors revealed that they have been in search of accommodation for several hours without success.

An electoral observer from Lagos, Ismaila Oke, said he had been stranded for some hours in search of accommodation.

“All the hotels we contacted have no room. So, I have been making calls to see if I can share a room with my other colleagues who came to observe the election,” he said.

Another observer from Delta State, Ms. Eunice Osemene, said she and her group came in on time with a view to secure accommodation before the rush but were unable to secure accommodation.

She said they would keep searching or resort to finding a hotel accommodation outside Awka, the state capital.

Reporters were also seen expressing worry over the situation as they also sorted out accreditation with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials in Awka.

Some reporters accredited to cover the election, who had arrived Awka since Tuesday, also had challenges in getting hotel accommodation.

Some of them were seen at the Press Centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), planning their itinerary and contacting friends for a place to stay.

Also, a visit by NAN to Club Road, Nibo Road and Agu-Awka GRA, revealed that hotel reservations within Awka and its environs had been fully booked by visitors.

 

Candidates in the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State yesterday urged the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) not to disrupt the poll.

The standard bearers advised the group to listen to the pleas by the South East Council of Traditional Rulers and the representatives of Igbo Bishops and Archbishops to sheathe their swords.

In a statement in Awka, the state capital, the candidates also urged their supporters to refrain from violent acts capable of affecting the exercise.

Signatories to the statement are: Godwin Maduka (Accord), Ben Etiaba (AA), Akachukwu Nwankpo (ADC), Andy Uba (APC), Charles Soludo (APGA), Onyejegbu Okwudili (APM), Valentine Ozigbo (PDP), Obinna Uzoh (SDP), Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP), and Obiora Okonkwo (ZLP).

The resolutions read: “We, the candidates in the forthcoming Anambra State Governorship Election, commit unequivocally to non-violence and the maintenance of peace throughout the duration of the election and beyond.

“We urge all our supporters and other stakeholders to commit fully to these ideals and refrain from any act that may imperil the election.

“In order to eschew all acts that may torpedo the forthcoming election, we urge the Federal Government to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to the Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers and the representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops.

“We urge the Federal Government to take urgent steps to demilitarise the Southeast and stem the heightened tension, skirmishes and endless bloodletting between the security agencies and our youths.

“We assure our youths that we have heard your cries and that we feel your pain. We urge our youths to eschew violence and commit afresh to peace.

“Consistent with the above, we urge IPOB not to do anything that would hinder or be seen to be hindering the smooth running of the forthcoming Governorship Election in Anambra State and to cancel all scheduled sit-at-home orders, as these have already caused untold hardship for our people.

“We call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Armed Forces, other security agencies and all stakeholders to discharge their mandates in accordance with law.”

Ex-agitators have warned civil servants attached to the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) to desist from activities designed to frustrate the vision of the scheme’s Interim Administrator, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio.

The National Secretary, First Phase Ex-Agitators, Nature Dumale, said the workers should realise that PAP is a security programme, adding that they should cooperate with Dikio to actualise the programme’s mandate.

Dumale spoke in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday after accompanying Dikio to inspect commercial farms in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, as part of arrangements to roll out training for ex-agitators in agriculture.

He said: “PAP is a security programme and should be treated as such. Salaries and finances should be released as at when due so that the office can run.

“The civil servants there should know that it is not civil service work and must cooperate with the leadership of that office so that they will carry out their projects. They should not be a barrier to the vision of the amnesty boss”.

Dumale warned firms willing to approach PAP for contracts to brace for tough times, saying it was no longer business as usual under Dikio.

He said Dikio had not awarded new contracts since he came on board because he was interested in sanitising the process to actualise the reintegration phase of the programme.

He said the amnesty boss inherited many ex-agitators, who went through training programmes without empowerment, noting that Dikio had evolved a new strategy of Train, Employ and Mentor (TEM) to deal with the shortcomings.

Dumale said only contractors whose proposals and facilities were in line with TEM would be considered for fresh jobs in PAP.

He said: “It is no longer business as usual.  You will not get any contract from the amnesty office except due diligence is properly carried out to the satisfaction of procurement, legal, project and account departments, including the Interim Administrator himself, who is a diligent man.

“The amnesty boss has come up with the vision of TEM, Train, Mentor and Employ. It is a process where any person that comes up to do a contract will know it is not business as usual.

“You are going to do a presentation showing statistics, evidence and proof of the fact that you can take delegates to your company, get them trained, employed and mentored so that at the end of the day they can get job somewhere because they have been  properly mentored.

“After you have done a presentation, the amnesty team will also do a practical inspection of your facility.

So the Niger Delta should know there is hope for the region.”

Insisting that Dikio’s main focus was to address the challenges of reintegration, Dumale said the amnesty boss had identified food security,  waterway security and waterway transportation as areas of interests.

“We are blessed with so much fertile land. This is why he wants to concentrate on agriculture. We can make more than N65, 000 monthly by planting only maize and cassava.

“It is safer and easier to travel by water. So, waterway transportation is very profitable. Look at Port Harcourt to Calabar; it will take you the whole day to travel by road from Uyo to Calabar now. But that same journey by water is less than one hour. The amnesty boss took responsibility to go through the same route by water himself last Saturday to see things himself.

“The Chinese make billions of dollars annually from fishing in our own coastal lines. Why can’t we go into fishing business? Why can’t we buy trawlers and go into fishing ourselves?

“Even in waterway security, we are the best people to secure our environment because we know our environment. So, these are the visions of the amnesty boss in the reintegration phase.”

Dumale appealed to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Ministry of Environment to partner the Amnesty Office to tackle the challenges of the region.

The former warlord warned civil servants at the Amnesty Office frustrating the efforts of Dikio to actualise the mandate of the scheme to steer clear.

 

 

 

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Universal Prayer Fellowship (UPF) have begun intercessory prayers for the success of Anambra State governorship election.

CAN, led by Apostle Chukwuemeka Ezekuel, and the UPF, led by Evangelist Iwuchukwu Ezenwafor from Aguata Local Government Area, organised the prayers at the Ekwulobia Township Stadium.

The facilitators said the election is critical to the corporate destiny and future of Nigeria.

They urged the candidates, political parties, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to save the nation from avoidable setback.

The Christian groups declared that Anambra State, as the Light of the Nation, is a trail blazer and typical example of what a composite state of Nigerian federation should be.

They noted that the quality of the conduct of the November 6 poll would reflect an exceptional improvement and thereby post an unusual credibility record that would revolutionise electioneering processes nationwide.

The Christian groups prayed that all forms of electoral manipulations, impunities and diverse malpractices shall not prosper against the Divine will of God Almighty and the popular will of Ndi Anambra.

They advised the candidates and their political parties to resist the temptation of acting against any or all of the prayer declarations for parochial, selfish intent and purposes because, the clerics warned, the consequences would be eternal misery in multiple ways to violators on earth and in the hereafter.