Category: Southeast report

The Concern Group for Igbo Presidency (CGIP) has urged political parties participating in the 2023 general election to zone their presidential tickets to the South with a particular interest to the Southeast.

National Chairman Chief Elendu Orji, who addressed reporters in Owerri, maintained that the decision of the parties to zone the opportunity to South would maintain peace in the country. He also said zoning the ticket to the Southeast would end the agitations from various secessionist groups in the country.

He added: “The best minds from the Southeast should be elected and appointed to serve as president and other key positions, so as to bring the desired development to Nigeria. If this happens, it will unify Nigeria and end the agitations for secession.

“Again, any Nigerian leader who does not support the aspirations of the Igbo to produce the next President is self-centred and unfit to rule Nigeria.”

Orji also advised former President Goodluck Jonathan to resist temptation and avoid being used to jeopardise the Igbo presidency by the North.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has admonished its members to always exhaust internal mechanisms provided by the party’s constitution to address issues rather than rush to the court.

Publicity Secretary Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie said yesterday that the admonition was necessary because the party constitution was clear on ways members could seek redress over issues.

Uwadiae-Igbinigie was reacting to the originating processes in a suit brought against one of its aspirants for the House of Representatives, Billy Osawaru, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Osawaru’s qualification to contest for the National Assembly.

The suit was instituted by another APC member, Eric Uwubamwen, who accused Osawaru of registering by proxy and not being a bonafide member of the party, thereby not eligible to contest any election.

Uwadiae-Igbinigie said: “While the party cannot say anything about the suit because it is subjudice, but it is in the interest of its supporters to set the records straight. It is a far cry from the truth that Billy Osawaru registered by proxy in the last revalidation exercise done by the party.

“It is manifestly proven, without any iota of doubt, that Osawaru did his registration physically, as evidentially shown from the manifest fixtures in the registration slip and the content of the register of the party in his Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State.

“It is without doubt that Osawaru has been a financial member of the APC in Uhunmwonde council, before the revalidation exercise. This is without any contradiction, as evident by his humongous contributions to the 2020 governorship election.

“The party wishes to state unequivocally and without reservation that Uwubamwen’s is not only overreaching the intent and spirit of the APC constitution, but a deliberate move to undermine the party’s norms and practices. This is because APC, as a party, has internal mechanisms of dealing with issues of this nature, without recourse to the court.”

The secretary enjoined Osawaru to continue his campaigns in the most decorous and civilised manner, while awaiting the outcome of the case in court.

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has urged the Federal Government to stop governors from engaging contractors in the payment of pension.

NUP said the Fed Government should deploy extant laws surrounding pensions to prevent governors from hiring contractors in pension payment.

The National President, Godwin Ikechukwu, addressed reporters yesterday after the Southsouth/Southeast regional meeting of the NUP in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. He lamented that pensioners in many states earn as low as N600, as against the N30,000 minimum wage.

Ikechukwu, who blamed the governors for the cruelty against the senior citizens, said many contractors slash their pensions. He described the act as ‘disturbing and wickedness against the pensioners who have laboured for the nation for many years’.

He added: “Recently, governors who do not want to pay pension now created payment through contractors, and from there the contractors take their cut, leaving little or nothing for the pensioners.

“We call on the Federal Government that is fully in charge of the payment of pension in Nigeria, under Section 1733 of the constitution, to stop payment of pension through contractors.”

State Chairman Obong Ekpo lamented that the union in Akwa Ibom, for over 20 years, had been denied access to the governor to discuss issues pertaining to retirees.

Ekpo said because of their meagre pension, majority have died of hunger and avoidable sicknesses.

He praised forerunners of the pension scheme and its timely increase, but lamented that today’s generation lacks respect and care for aged people.

Management and staff of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital (FNHE), Enugu State, have lauded the Federal Government for the deliberate funding of the hospital.

The workers, who spoke during the third anniversary of the Medical Director, Prof. Monday Igwe, said the investment has led to the development and expansion of services at the hospital.

Igwe, who addressed a news conference yesterday, gave an account of his stewardship. He said the government’s support to reposition the institution and psychiatric healthcare delivery was unprecedented.

He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the COVID-19 intervention projects ‘which have changed the institution’s narrative for the positive’.

The medical director listed about 40 projects, programmes and training executed in the last three years. He noted that the greatest achievement was the restoration of peace and harmony between management and various cadres of staff in the hospital.

“Water remains a big challenge as we have to buy water used by staff and patients daily. Another challenge is that of distraction by faceless, baseless, unverifiable and fictitious online publications,” he said.

Chairman of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) Comrade Friday Odobu noted that there has been a lot of infrastructural development in the hospital under Prof. Igwe.

“These are evidence of the peaceful atmosphere in the hospital. The new management team sees the welfare of workers as paramount,” he said.

Odobi advised aggrieved workers to re-examine themselves and check if they were bridging due process.

“But as a leader of the workers, I call tell you that the workforce is happy with the management under Prof. Igwe. Service delivery to patients is adequate. Can you imagine that the 2022 promotions have been done and fully implemented in last month’s salary and even the arrears of January to March paid alongside,” Odobu added.

Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) has said its doors are shut to any presidential aspirant defecting from any of the major parties after the primaries.

Chairman of the party in Imo State, Levi Ekeh stated this yesterday during the House of Assembly primaries in Owerri. He said it will amount to ‘recycling old and corrupt politicians which ZLP is against’.

According to him, ZLP has rejected names of prominent politicians because ‘they lacked integrity’.

Ekeh added that the party’s primaries will hold its presidential primaries on June 1.

“Zenith Labour Party is peaceful; we have all it takes to win the state; we have many presidential candidates carefully selected already, and we have rejected prominent names, we don’t need moneybags, all we are interested in is to return the glory lost by the state and nation.

“That is why we have said we would look at our conscience, anybody who is defecting from any of the major political parties who is corrupt would not be allowed, we do not want corrupt politicians.

“The most important thing is whoever that we will accept and allow to join the party must be have character and track record of responsibility, not somebody that has filthy things in his closet, because the public office is a public trust,” he said.

Ekeh added that the ZLP is giving out its ticket to women, youths and physically challenged free to encourage all-inclusiveness.

The Petroleum Technology Training Fund (PTDF) has shortlisted over 8,000 candidates for its  2022/2023 Overseas Scholarship Scheme (OSS) selection interview.

The scheme is part of its programme of action leading to the award of the Overseas Scholarship for the MSc/PhD category for the 2022/2023 academic session under its Strategic Partnerships with 18 Universities in the United Kingdom, Germany, France China and Malaysia.

Manager of the Overseas Scholarship Scheme Bello Mustapha said 26,000 candidates applied for the scholarship but 8,000 were shortlisted for the test.

Mustapha described the PTDF as an organisation that is saddled with building capacities, capability, and technology manpower in the oil and gas industry, in line with the requirements of the mandate of the fund.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chief Nnodim Ewelukwa has appealed to Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, to concede the Anambra South Senatorial ticket to Ihiala.

The APGA chieftain urged the governor to ensure equity and fairness in the distribution of political positions.

Ewelukwa, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said the only way Governor Soludo would build peace and unity, especially in Anambra South, is to ensure fairness and equity.

He said: “It is on record that Anambra South Senatorial District has three distinct blocs – Old Aguata Union (OAU), Nnewi and Ihiala. The OAU bloc has represented Anambra South for 12 years, through Dr. Ugochukwu Uba (2003-2007) and Senator Andy Uba (2011-2019). Nnewi has also represented the zone for 12 years, through Senator Nnamdi Eriobuna (1999-2003), Ikechukwu Obiora (2007-2011) and Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, (2019-2023).

“After representing the zone in the last 24 years, it is only fair and proper that OAU and Nnewi blocs should support Ihiala to represent Anambra South in the Senate.

“It might interest you to know that among the three persons that purchased APGA nomination forms for the senate – Ben Nwankwo (OAU), Chris Azubogu (Nnewi) and Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo, (Ihiala), it was Nwankpo that spent his resources and time to lead the ‘Let’s Go South campaign’ during the 2021 governorship zoning crisis in the state.”

Ewelukwa reminded Governor Soludo that if Anambra people respected zoning to elect him, it will not only be unfair, but also a grave injustice to Ihiala people to deny them the opportunity to represent Anambra South in the Senate.

“Ihiala has thrown up an eminently qualified candidate in the person of Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo, who stepped down for Soludo in the governorship election. It would be unthinkable that OAU should occupy the governorship office and still eye the senate,” he added.

Embattled chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State, Silas Onu, has said he remains the party chairman despite a purported court ruling sacking him.

He clarified that the Court of Appeal’s order to stay the execution of his swearing cannot stand as the said action had already taken place and ratified by the party.

Onu also noted that PDP has withdrawn from the joint appeal it filed with the other applicant in the matter, Tochukwu Okorie, and so effectively rendering the matter dead.

Reports had circulated yesterday that an Appeal Court in Abuja sacked Onu and restored Okorie as party chairman.

Okorie was declared winner of the election but was sacked by an Abuja High Court last month after Onu challenged his election.

The lower court had ruled that Okorie was not qualified to stand for the election, and ordered that Onu, who came second, be sworn in as chairman, an order which was immediately carried out and implemented by the party.

But Okorie and the PDP appealed the lower court’s decision and there were reports yesterday that the Appeal Court had sacked Onu as chairman.

But Onu debunked the news, saying the Appeal Court has not ruled on the substantive matter filed by Okorie and the PDP. He clarified that what the court ruled on was a motion for stay of execution of the lower court’s ruling, adding that the order has already been carried out.

He said: “There is no judgment by the Court of Appeal so I wonder how it sacked me. It is an interlocutory application of Stay of Execution it heard and granted them their prayer for stay of execution. You will ask yourself what is being stayed, is it the completed act that is being stayed? The Court of Appeal said I have not been given certificate of return; it is not in PDP’s constitution to give certificate of return. Does Okorie have certificate of return?”, he queried.

Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, Sunday Ikwe, has served a writ of summon and motion of notice at the High Court in Isiokolo, restraining the State Chairman, Enemokwu Afamefune and INEC, from conducting the primary election.

Ikwe is also asking the court to restrain one Lydon Ogbume from parading himself as APGA chairman in Ethiope East council, as well as all ward chairman imposed by the second defendant, pending the hearing and determination of the suit on May 26.

The applicant is seeking an order of court restraining the third defendant (INEC) from conducting any primary election of APGA for the House of Assembly, senatorial, House of Representatives, governorship and presidential primary fixed for May 24, 26, 28 and 29 2022, with names of ward congress delegate contained in the party result sheet conducted on May 10, 2022.

The suit has been approved for hearing on May 26 at the Asaba High Court 3.

Ikwe said it is unacceptable for a party he brought to Ethiope East for over eight years to be hijacked by Ugbome and his APC members.