The Nation Newspaper

Category: SouthEast

  • Abia LG polls: APC chieftain calls for fairness

    Abia LG polls: APC chieftain calls for fairness

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Abia State Hon Oluchi Erondu, has called on Governor Alex Otti and by extension the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) to ensure a level playing field that will usher in free and fair election.

    ABSIEC last week released a timetable for the local government election that will culminate in council polls holding on November 2, with a run-off election coming up on November 3.

    Erondu, National Coordinator of the Coalition of All APC Women Support Groups, in a statement, said the appeal became imperative to ensure a transparent and democratic process.

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    She emphasized the need for inclusivity, urging the governor to avoid imposing a Labour Party-dominated agenda, but instead guarantee equal participation opportunities for all stakeholders, regardless of party affiliation.

    “We want to see a free, fair, and credible LG election where every voice is heard,” Erondu stated.

    She added that “Governor Otti must demonstrate his commitment to democracy by creating a level playing field for all participants.”

    Erondu encouraged APC faithful to actively participate in the electoral process, adding, “This is our opportunity to shape the future of our local governments. Let’s come out en masse and exercise our civic duty,” she advised.

  • Residents shun Anambra LGA polls, as commercial drivers defy movement restriction

    Residents shun Anambra LGA polls, as commercial drivers defy movement restriction

    • Soludo, Speaker hail polls

    Residents of Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra shunned the 2024 Local Government Elections organised by the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), held yesterday.

    According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) residents were seen within their neighborhood, but failed to proceed to voting points.

    Meanwhile, both the Anambra State governor, Professor Charles Soludo, and the Anambra State House of Assembly Speaker, Somtochukwu Udeze commended the polls.

    The local government election in Anambra was last held 11 years ago.

    Commercial drivers were seen going about their daily business, thereby, disregarding the state order on restriction of movement.

    Speaking, some residents lamented the credibility of the electoral umpires, having failed to meet their demands in previous elections.

    Mrs Chinyere Olisa explained that she was left frustrated when she was told that her name was not among the accredited voters during the 2023 presidential election.

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    A tricyclist, who plied the popular Old Road to Nkpor junction, Samuel Chidi, said that he had been carrying out his business as early as 6:30 a.m. and had no hope of going to cast his vote.

    Chidi said that the people’s votes no longer counted as the electoral umpires had penciled down those they would announce as the winners at the end of the exercise.

    Soludo hails peaceful polls

    Governor  Soludo, on Saturday, commended the peaceful conduct of the exercise.

    Soludo arrived at his Polling Unit, 002 located at Ofuiyi Square, Umueze at Isuofia Ward 13, in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra, and cast his vote at exactly 11:45 a.m.

    Speaking with newsmen shortly after voting, Soludo said that reports showed the polls were going on smoothly and peacefully at the polling units across the state.

    He commended the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) for early commencement of the voting process in the state.

    “This voting exercise is a promise kept. This will be a huge example of Local Government elections being conducted transparently and creditably.

    “From the reports I got before coming to cast my vote, people are voting peacefully, as you can see, the election is going smoothly here and in other parts of the state.

    “From fillers, we are getting, there is massive enthusiasm, everybody endorsing the great work we have done, the only party that fielded candidates for all the 21 chairmanship and 326 councillorship positions

    “For us, what is going on in the state is almost like a mock referendum and we are optimistic that the will of the people will prevail,” he said.

    The governor urged other electorate to come out en masse and participate in the ongoing polls.

     Anambra Speaker hails electorate

    The Anambra Speaker, Somtochukwu Udeze, also commended the people of the state, especially, Ogbaru Local Government Area for peaceful local government elections

    He also hailed Soludo for providing adequate security and enabling the environment across the State.

    Speaking at Atani, Ogbaru Council Area shortly after voting in his polling unit- 007, Udeze expressed satisfaction with the large turn-out of voters in the area.

    He noted that the electorate were happy that democracy and more development projects would be brought to them through the local council election.

  • ‘Okpebholo knows masses’ yearnings’

    ‘Okpebholo knows masses’ yearnings’

    A former member of the House of Representatives and ex- governorship aspirant in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Omosede Igbinedion, has said Edo State governor-elect, Monday Okpebholo and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, were grassroots politicians who knew the yearnings of the masses.

    Igbinedion, in a congratulatory message to Senator Okpebholo, following his victory in the September 21 governorship election, said the mandate was divine and represented the will of the people.

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    The former lawmaker recently joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), thereby breaking away from her traditional PDP family lineage, to support Okpebholo and Idahosa.

    Igbinedion expressed joy that the ‘Ovia Agenda’ she pushed for had finally come to fruition.

    She said the two legislators, from rural backgrounds, would best pilot the affairs of the state.

    According to her, “Senator Okpebholo’s victory is a testament to his humility, effort, respect and commitment to the people of Edo State.’’

  • Ogui Nike communities beg Gov Mbah to stop ESHDC alleged encroachment at Aguowor

    Ogui Nike communities beg Gov Mbah to stop ESHDC alleged encroachment at Aguowor

    The Ogui Nike and Umunevo Ogui Nike Communities of Enugu North local government have pleaded with Governor Peter Mbah to cancel the purported acquisition of their land at Agwowor for sale to the public by the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation (ESHDC).

    Enugu township Communities said that they do not have any other land, even to bury their dead, because they have give all their land for the development of the Eastern Nigeria capital city.

    The Ogui Nike communities said that they were more worried because the State Government agency despite its knowledge that the disputed land is a subject of litigation in the Enugu State high Court, went ahead to encroach on the land.

    In an open letter to Governor Mbah titled “Take over of our communal Land by Enugu State Housing Development Corporation,” the federated Communities through the President General of Ogui Nike, Ifesinachi Alum and the Vice President General of Umunevo Ogui Nike Community, Onyinye Nwankwoani, said: “We are the representatives of the people of Ogui Nike and Umunevo Ogui Nike Communities both of Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

    “We had on two previous occasions written Your Excellency on the above subject matter, the first letter was received by your office on the 5th of August, 2024 while the 2nd letter was received on the 13th of September, 2024.

    “Since both letters have not gotten the required attention, coupled with the fact that the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation are currently defacing the subject matter and selling same to the unsuspecting members of the public, we decided to use this medium, taking into cognizance, that, Your Excellency, may not have seen the earlier letters.

    “While we acknowledge the good work which Your Excellency is doing all over the state, you have also shown us good faith when you flagged off the construction of Enugu Township roads on our Aguowor land, and true to your word, the road was completed and commissioned in record time with street lights. However, we must inform Your Excellency of the actions of certain government agencies capable of tarnishing the image of this administration.

    “The immediate past administration led by Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi forcefully took over our land known as Aguowor Land which has from time immemorial, been the communal land of the people of Ogui Nike and Umunevo Ogui Nike. We have over the years exercised various acts of ownership and possession over the said land. We have made three registered layouts over the area, namely; Owor River Layout, Premier Layout and Premier Layout Extension, with a very large area of land still not parcellated.

    “It is on record that Ogui Nike and Umunevo Ogui Nike, more than any other community, have contributed its vast land to and for the development of Enugu capital, to wit, Ogui Township, Asata, Part of Uwani, Part of G.R.A, Coal Camp, Independence Layout, and Part of Independence Layout Phase 2.

    “Upon the said forceful take over of our land by the immediate past administration and the demolition of our houses, we filed suit number E/555/21 between PAUL ANIKE & ORS V GOVERNOR OF ENUGU STATE & ORS, upon service of the suit on the immediate past administration, they stayed all actions concerning the land.

    “But to our uttermost chagrin, the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, irrespective of the fact, that this administration is led by Lawyers, brazenly entered and started selling to the public, for as much as, N55,000,000.00 (Fifty Five Million) Naira and named it COAL CITY EASTERN EXTENSION ESTATE ALLIANCE, ENUGU, irrespective of the pending suit over the subject matter.

    Read Also: Mbah describes Enugu council poll peaceful

    “The action of the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation negates the concept of Rule of Law and is capable of ridiculing everything your administration stands for and also constitutes a mockery of the Judiciary.

    “We do not question the powers of a State Governor to acquire land but the acquisition should be in line with the law and done for overriding public interest. Finally, our people having lost more than 80% of our communal land to successive governments’ acquisitions, no longer have land anywhere to erect our houses or to even bury our dead.

    “We therefore, as your people who are proud of what you have achieved within just 15 months in office, request that you cancel the purported acquisition in the interest of justice, or in the alternative, direct the government agencies involved to stay all actions pending the conclusion of the suit.”

  • Poll: Oba of Benin leads in prayer

    Poll: Oba of Benin leads in prayer

    Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, is leading Edo State residents in two weeks prayer and fasting to appreciate God for the peaceful conduct of the September 21 governorship election and for warding off evil from the state.

    The first-class monarch and Governor Godwin Obaseki have been at loggerheads over the appropriate place to keep the looted artefacts being returned to Benin from European countries, with the Oba of Benin preferring that the artefacts be kept at the Benin Royal Museum, opposite his palace.

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    Obaseki demolished the over 100-year-old Central Hospital on Sapele Road, Benin and replaced it with Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA), which was later changed to Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), Edo, but Federal Government’s gazette gave the custody of the artefacts to the foremost traditional ruler.

    Oba of Benin yesterday said he and all sons and daughters of Benin Kingdom, as well as other Edo indigenes and non-indigenes living in the state and in the diaspora would take part in the fasting and prayer, beginning from today and ending on October 9, between 6am and 6pm.

  • ‘Ikwerre a distinct ethnic nation’

    ‘Ikwerre a distinct ethnic nation’

    The Ikwerre ethnic group in Rivers State is a distinct ethnic group, who are not Igbo, President of Iwhnurohna Progressive Organisation (IPO), Dr Okachikwu Dibia said yesterday.

    According to him cultural affinity is not a determinant of what an ethnic group, but verifiable piece of history and the innate character of a man speak for his ancestral affinity, Dr Dibia spoke yesterday at a news conference.

    He chided a former Secretary-general of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Uche Okwukwu for threatening to deal ruthlessly with the Ikwerre if they continue to reject the Igbo tag.

    He called the attention of Inspector-general of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun and all other national and international security agencies to the threat of extermination of the Ikwerre people by Okwukwu, who he quoted to have said: “Ikwerre land is the Igbo tongue to the sea and any attempt to excise it out of Igbo land will be resisted with the sword.”

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    He urged Ohaneze to recognise the need to change its antagonistic attitude towards Ikwerre and respect Ikwerre as a distinct ethnic nation, instead of insulting Ikwerre through claims that provoke and promote disaffection between the Ikwerre and Igbo.

    He added: “Ikwerre history has been well written and documented. Ikwerre is not Igbo. Ohaneze should know that it is only a handful of Aro people who were allowed to settle in Ikwerre that can trace their origin to Igboland. Therefore, it is very wrong, preposterous and unacceptable for anyone to say that Ikwerre is Igbo. Henceforth, such offensive, insulting, abusive and insensitive hate-claim should not be uttered by Ohaneze or any other group or individuals from any part of humanity. Iwhnurohna will not tolerate it anymore.”

    Dibia said while the Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality strongly believes in one Nigeria; to realise this unity, it is important for the different composite ethnic groups to enjoy full self-determination.

    The organisation called on Ohaneze to maintain good neighbourliness instead of angling and making subtle desperate moves for unification for a political entity they will dominate and control.

    He pointed out that “domination breeds suspicion, suspicion breeds lack of trust which in turn breeds agitation for freedom. Hence, it is very agonising to successfully build a nation or state based on domination.”

  • Imo LG poll: Election didn’t hold in Aboh Mbaise, APGA’s Amuchie alleges

    Imo LG poll: Election didn’t hold in Aboh Mbaise, APGA’s Amuchie alleges

    The standard-bearer of the All Progressive People Alliance (APGA) Peter Otuechere Amuchie, has reacted to the just-concluded Imo local government election.

    The Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) had hinted elections may not hold in Onuimo, Okigwe and Orsu local government areas due to insecurity.

    Reacting to the conduct of Saturday’s poll, the APGA chairmanship candidate alleged no election was conducted in Aboh Mbaise local government area.

    Amuchie said: “There was no election in Aboh Mbaise, as far as Aboh People are concerned.”

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    Continuing, he explained that neither election material nor any ad-hoc officer of ISIEC was spotted in any of the polling units across the local government.

    “As at 8:00am, up till 8pm on Saturday, the 21st day of September 2024, no election material was spotted in any of the polling units in Aboh Mbaise.

    “No Ad-hoc officer was on ground, no list of Ad hoc officers was published. We went round the polling units in Aboh Mbaise and couldn’t spot any electoral officer or materials.

    “This is a display of shame, negligence to the rule of law and the people, undemocratic, a slap on the face of Mbaise stakeholders and Imo state at large. We, as the people, must stand up against tyranny and uphold democracy,” Amuchie stated.

  • Re: Of formidable Eagle and paper tiger, a reply to Aminu

    Re: Of formidable Eagle and paper tiger, a reply to Aminu

    By Shahada Umar

    The article by one Nasir Aminu entitled: “A Formidable Eagle or a Paper Tiger,” exposes the dangers of a single narrative. But it’s obvious, from the start, that it was deliberate. I have seen many such tainted pieces; smarter ones even try to disguise their motives from the beginning. But not this one.

    In the article, the fellow, supposedly a teacher in Economics and Finance with an interest in ethics, had one agenda: to feed the dangerous narrative that the leadership of certain institutions in the country is the prerogative of one section. Nonsense! 

    Invoking the nostalgia of the Nuhu Ribadu days and the current trial of former governor Yahaya Bello were among the convenient distractions.

    But he didn’t need to hide in plain sight. His scandalous attempt to stretch a weak narrative betrayed his sinister motive. 

    It is not the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, who has invited the drama in former Governor Yahaya Bello’s case. I thought Aminu should know that. The governor, in a desperate attempt to avoid accountability at all costs by manipulating public perception, is responsible. I’m sorry for the Kogi people.

    The incident of September 18, which Aminu pretends to be the basis of his article – and not his jaundiced view – was one of the series of well-scripted shenanigans executed by Bello, without shame and possibly with the collusion of fifth columnists, to undermine the former Governor’s trial. 

    He has been charged, since April, with 19 counts of financial misconduct, including conspiring to divert public funds for personal gain. If he had any respect for the people of Kogi who elected him, he would have long submitted himself to court to answer these grave charges.

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    The EFCC, I believe, is determined to follow through with Bello’s trial. It does not need to be Aminu’s or anyone else’s tiger to do its job. The commission has recovered over N150 billion and secured over 2000 convictions in the last year. It cannot progress if it cherry-picks from Aminu, whose ethnic agenda and intention to instigate resentment in the commission are apparent but whose vested interests we don’t yet know.

    It is shocking that a teacher who should have called out Bello’s disgraceful conduct at the premises of the EFCC is using the disgusting drama to advance his ethnic agenda at the commission and stir trouble within.

    Alhaji Shahada Umar, Northern Region Coordinator of the GLOBAL PEACE MOVEMENT INTERNATIONAL (UK), writes from Kaduna State

  • South-south Youths urges Fubara to provide operational vehicles for NSCDC

    South-south Youths urges Fubara to provide operational vehicles for NSCDC

    The South-South Youths Initiative (SSYI) has appealed to Rivers State Governor, Siminialayi Fubara to supply operational vehicles to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) command in the state. 

    The initiative argues that this support is crucial for the NSCDC to effectively fulfill its mandate of securing lives and property, especially during the upcoming local government election.

    The National President of the youths, Imeabe Saviour Oscar, emphasised in a statement that enhancing the NSCDC’s capabilities is vital for maintaining security during the elections. 

    “We want to remind His Excellency of the need to give the NSCDC the necessary attention in terms of providing operational vehicles,” Oscar stated.

    He pointed out that previous administrations have prioritised the police in vehicle provision: “While the focus on the police is good, we request that the same attention be extended to the NSCDC,” 

    He highlighted the NSCDC’s longstanding neglect, which hampers its ability to operate effectively.

    In addition to supporting the NSCDC, Oscar urged the governor to consider the needs of other security agencies to ensure a peaceful electoral process. 

    “We call on all parties to conduct themselves peacefully during this electioneering period,” he said, stressing that governance is felt at the grassroots level through elected officials.

    Oscar also criticised the current political climate in Rivers State, suggesting it has hindered economic progress. 

    Read Also: Why Fubara suspended Rivers council chairman

    He remarked that: “The nature of the political situation here has taken Rivers State backward,” 

    He urged the governor to prioritise governance over political struggles, emphasising the need for resources to be used for development rather than political gain.

    Addressing concerns about outgoing Caretaker Committee Chairmen, Oscar said: “Most of them did nothing to better the lives of the grassroots,” and urged that future candidates be chosen based on their commitment to public service.

    The youth leader called on all stakeholders to unite for the betterment of Rivers State, advocating for economic growth and stability. 

    “We should not always be known for violence and bad politics. This is the time to work for the peace and progress of our dear state.”

  • Community lauds Nwifuru on peace

    Community lauds Nwifuru on peace

    The people of Umunnato in Owutu Autonomous Community in Edda Local government area of Ebonyi State have hailed Governor Francis Nwifuru for restoring peace and security to the local government area.

    They said this in an address at the thanksgiving ceremony of their son, Ogbonnaya Nkama Ude who was appointed as a Member of the Management Committee in the council.

    The community noted that before the coming of the Nwifuru administration, Edda was becoming notorious for various acts of violence and insecurity leading to killing and maiming of innocent residents ​

    “But now we can sleep with our two eyes closed. Our sons and daughters, who have out of fear refused to come back home now regularly visit to celebrate and be with us”, they said.

    They noted that with the appointment of an Edda son, Okenwa Ụkah as the Special Assistant on Security to the governor for Ebonyi South zone the community has become relatively peaceful. 

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    Praising the governor for the appointment of Mr Ude, the people urged the governor to also look into some areas of need in the community, which included: electricity,job creation, functional secondary school, amongst others. 

    The celebrant, Mr Nkama Ude who distributed wrappers and other items to the women at the event pledged to work with government at all levels to bring more development to the people. 

    Also speaking, the SA on Security, Ebonyi South Zone, Mr Okenwa Ụka noted that the community has become too large and deserves to be made an autonomous community. 

    He pledged to join hands with other leaders to make case for the creation of an additional autonomous community in the area. 

    He used the opportunity to donate two motorcycles to two members of the community whose motorcycles were recently confiscated by a high ranking local government official. 

    He urged the people to continue supporting the government of Governor Francis Nwifuru. Ends