Two of the senators representing Anambra State, Stella Oduah and Ifeanyi Ubah, shunned the Senate Committee on Science and Technology Committee headed by Uche Ekwunife as they stormed the State for a two-day workshop.

Ubah represents Anambra South zone, while Oduah represents North and both are contesting in 2023.

The two day workshop by the Senators, saw the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo SAN, former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim and Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo in attendance.

Some other States, including Delta and Bayelsa, sent their deputy governors to the event in Anambra.

In his address, Osinbajo called for the reappraisal and rebranding of the national innovation ecosystem to drive technological and socio-economic development in the country.

It was during the opening of a two-day National Innovation Workshop with the theme – ‘Promotion of Inventors of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI)’

The event was held at the 12,000 capacity International Convention Centre ICC, in Awka, which was built by the immediate past governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano

The workshop was organised by the Senate Committee on Science and Technology and the Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology.

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Osinbajo was represented by the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Henry Ikoh.

“The way to go to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich is through thinking out of the box, innovation and commercialisation of thoughts.”

Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, said there was the need for a national policy to promote STI, saying, it is the new way of life.

“Without STI, nothing happens. In Anambra we recognised this fact and we have been taking proactive measures to make Anambra the home of talents for STI in the country.

“The policy will also mandate Nigerians and the Nigerian government to promote indigenous inventors and innovators by patronising them. If they innovate and invent, and nobody patronises them, their ideas will die,” Soludo stressed.

Former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, delivered the lecture.

He said there was an urgent need to draw attention and to prepare the country for the 4th industrial revolution.

“We need to groom and nurture Nigerian youths into the path of science, technology and innovation to key into the opportunities that the 4th industrial revolution will present and place our economy on a sustainable path for growth, “Anyim said.

Chairman of the Committee, on Science and Technology, Uche Ekwunife, said the workshop was to connect innovators, inventors, academia, policy makers, entrepreneurs, tech companies and students from across the country.

By Nsa Gill, Calabar

The First Lady, Mrs. Aishat Buhari, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and top chieftains are expected in Calabar, Cross River State capital, tomorrow for the Southsouth women rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dr. Linda Ayade, wife of Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade, made this known yesterday in Calabar.

He told reporters that women in the Southsouth had been mobilised to embark on a rally for the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

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Mrs. Ayade said women in the geopolitical zone backed the APC standard-bearer and would prove their support tomorrow with a large turnout.

She said: “Women have the political will and population and Cross River State has no security challenges. Women across Cross River and other states are safe and will bring their husbands and children of voting age to the rally.

“Women are the managers of families and anywhere they go, they take along their husbands and children. We are expecting them tomorrow to come along with their families to fill Calabar Stadium.”

Dr. Ayade said the sterling qualities of Asiwaju Tinubu had endeared him to the women, which was why they were mobilising and were ready to vote for him.

• Enugu West LP candidate’s substitution reversed

A Federal High Court in Abuja has voided the nomination of a House of Representatives member, Chris Azubogu, as the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for Anambra South Senatorial District in next year’s election.

Azubogu is a member of the House of Representatives, representing Nnewi North/ Nnewi South/ Ekwusigo Federal Constituency on Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) platform.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment yesterday, held that Azubogu was still a member of PDP when, in June this year, he participated in the primary election held by APGA for Anambra South Senatorial District.

Justice Ekwo ordered that Ben Nwankwo’s name be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the lawful candidate of APGA for the senatorial district.

He restrained Azubogu from further parading himself as APGA’s candidate for the senatorial district.

The judgment was on the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/909/2022, filed by Nwankwo, who argued, among others, that Azubogu was unlawfully nominated.

Justice Ekwo held that Azubogu violated sections 65 and 68 of the constitution.

The judge upheld the plaintiff’s contention that Azubogu ought to have resigned, defected or cross carpeted from PDP to APGA before he could lawfully qualify to participate in the primary of another political party.

Justice Ekwo held that Azubogu ought to have relinquished the seat if he had actually resigned his membership, defected from PDP to APGA or another political party.

He further held that without complying with the mandatory sections 65 and 68 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 27 of the APGA guidelines for primary election for 2022, there was no way Azubogu could have lawfully participated in any primary election of any party other than that of the PDP.

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Justice Ekwo found that as at June 1, when APGA conducted its primary election, Azubogu was not qualified to participate.

He held that any action taken in contravention or breach of the 1999 Constitution was unconstitutional, null and void, adding that Azubogu, having not been a member of APGA at the time he purportedly stood for the primary election of the party, could not be lawfully nominated by APGA.

In another judgment yesterday, Justice Ekwo reversed the unlawful substitution of Chukwuma Amadi as the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for Enugu West Senatorial District.

The judge held that Amadi remained the candidate of the party unless he either withdrew his candidacy or in the event of death.

The judgment was on the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1194/2022 filed by Amadi to challenge his purported substitution by the LP.

Justice Ekwo ordered the removal of Uchenna Ekwe, who was unlawfully nominated by the party in the place of Amadi.

Justice Ekwo invoked sections 29, 31, 32, 33 and 34 of the Electoral Act to nullify the substitution of the plaintiff.

The judge held that by Section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2022, political parties were not allowed to change or substitute their candidates, whose names had been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under Section 29 of the Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by the candidate.

He said: “I find that the plaintiff is neither dead nor had withdrawn his candidature as the senatorial candidate of the Labour Party for Enugu West Senatorial District in the 2023 general election.

“Having so found, I state that this case is not about the primary election of the Labour Party that produced Uchenna Ekwe, but about whether or not, Amadi,  the plaintiff in this case, withdrew his candidature after having won the primary election that produced him for the same party”, he said.

The judge, therefore, dismissed the argument of Labour Party and Uchenna Ekwe that the plaintiff had no locus standi pursuant to Section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022 because he was not an aspirant in the second primary election that produced Ekwe.

Justice Ekwo ordered Ekwe to henceforth, desist from parading himself as a candidate of LP in the coming election and the party from dealing with him in the capacity.

The judge added: “I will say that Ekwe has been duped by those who deceived him that there can be another primary election for Enugu West Senatorial District when Amadi was neither dead nor had withdrawn as a candidate.

“It is clear that those who contrived the purported letter of withdrawal by Amadi merely deceived Ekwe and nothing more.

“It is the law in Section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2022 that a political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its candidate whose name has been submitted under Section 29 of the Act except in the case of death or withdrawal,” the judge said.

The Southeast women on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have said they would marshal out plans on how to deliver the candidate of the party in 2023 presidential election, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The women, led by the Vice Chairman, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Lady Uju Ohanenye, a lawyer, said women will  play a pivotal role in Tinubu ‘s government if elected next year.

Read Also; Tinubu is 2022 Media Friendly Person

Ohanenye, the only female APC presidential aspirant, told The Nation yesterday that Tinubu would work with the National Assembly to pass a legislation promoting female employment in ministries, departments and agencies.

Ohanenye, who renamed the APC presidential candidate (Chinemeze Tinubu- God makes Kings), said the APC leader was committed to the development and empowerment of women.

The main gate of University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), Calabar campus has been locked, following protest by occupants of the female hotel over frequent robbery of students.

The protest started at the female hostel, through the main gate, where male students joined, chanting: “Our girls deserve better security”.

A male protester said: “The girls are angry and feel insecure in the hostels.”

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A source said: “Robbery on the campus is now a normal thing. The school management and Cross River State Government pay less concern about the insecurity on the campus.

“It’s obvious we need well trained and qualified security guards on the campus, especially at ETF, staff quarters, male and female hostels.”

Another student, who pleaded anonymity, said hoodlums attacked Hall 2 of the female hostel last night and stole phones.

The protesters appealed to the school management to tackle the insecurity.

A group, CaringHeart Foundation, has raised the alarm over alleged plot to re-arrest the senatorial candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Linus Okorie, and slam fresh charges against him, using government apparatus.

Okorie was taken away by gunmen on October 17 while driving out of his Abakaliki home, heading for Onicha Local Government, where he was to meet his supporters.

His whereabouts were uncertain throughout that day until news filtered in the next day that he was allegedly arrested by members of the Ebubeagu security outfit, in liaison with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), over alleged illicit drug dealings.

But the NDLEA State Commandant, Iyke Uche, denied knowing the whereabouts of the senatorial candidate, saying the agency neither met him nor arrested him.

However, Ebonyi Police Command, same day, said the LP chieftain was arrested on the grounds of illicit drug involvement.

It said he was not kidnapped.

Okorie has been in detention at the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) for the past one month.

The accusation is coming on the heels of the intrigues that played out within and outside the Federal High Court, Abakaliki premises, last week, when he appeared for hearing on his bail application by his counsel.

Read Also; Gunmen kill three policemen, two others in Enugu, Ebonyi

It was reported that when the detained LP chieftain was taken back to the prisons custody, the Service’s vehicles were allegedly intercepted at PRESCO Flyover and later at Udensi Roundabout, in Abakaliki metropolis, by men of the Ebubeagu security outfit.

Ebubeagu commander in Ebonyi State, had since last week, denied the allegation, describing it as unfounded.

But sources said it took the intervention of men of the Department of State Services to let the vehicles conveying the suspect and the prisons warders off the hook of the state security outfit.

This latest allegation is contained in a statement issued by the foundation’s Director, David Ogbonna, alleging that the suspect was no longer safe at the NCS prison custody.

Okorie is set to appear in court again today for hearing on the bail application, after the case was adjourned last week.

Reacting, Governor David Umahi described the allegation as laughable and baseless, saying he didn’t need underhand tactics to defeat Okoro at the polls next year.

His Special Assistant on Media and Strategy, Mr. Chooks Okoh, spoke yesterday.

He said: “It is laughable to say Governor Umahi is unpopular in Ebonyi South. Very laughable. Which politician, living or dead, can point to his or her achievements in the zone or state more than Umahi? Campaigns are based on antecedents of the players.

“What will any other contender point to as achievement placed side by side with Umahi? He does not need underhand tactics to win an election that is already his. As for the case of the Labour Party candidate, I certainly cannot comment on a matter that is clearly sub judice. It is before several courts. As for the senatorial seat, Umahi’s achievements will take him there.”

The police command could not be reached for comment at press time.

Police Commissioner C.P. Aliyu Garba told our correspondent that he was in a meeting.