Category: Southeast report

THE apex Urhobo socio-cultural group, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), weekend, said it has picked David Edebvie for the Delta State governorship.

It said although, all the aspirants were qualified and suitable for the job, it picked Edebvie for his impressive public sector experience.

It said in a signed statement “after thoroughly examining and analysing all the aspirants, we have, however, reached a consensus that Olorogun David Edevbie,  is the best person for the job at this time.Over time, he has acquired impressive public sector experience, both locally in Delta State and Federal Government, and prior outstanding international development finance experience.”

The group appealed to Governor Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to forgive Olorogun David Edevbie for any perceived transgression.

It added that to forgive is divine as no individual is perfect.

The group appealed to Governor Okowa to allow the Urhobo Nation to choose the candidate of their preference.

The group pledged to “act as sureties of Olorogun David Edevbie while in the office, if by the grace of God, he wins the governorship elections in 2023.”

It also appealed to Urhobos to support David Edebvie for the collective interest of Urhobo Nation.

The statement further read, “We hereby plead with all our sons, and prevail on them all to support and collaborate with the consensus choice of UPU Worldwide, for the collective interest of our dear Urhobo Nation. We ask for their understanding at this critical and trying time in the history of the Urhobo Nation.”

It said the UPU will interact with all Urhobo aspirants in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Labour Party (LP) or any of the other parties, with a view to fielding the most suitable for the primaries in those parties.

STAKEHOLDERS under the auspices of the Niger Delta Professionals (NDP) have attacked the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) for asking the Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi to resign his appointment following his declaration for the presidential election.

The President of NDP, David Sikpa, in a statement in Port Harcourt at the weekend, described the position of the youth council as sponsored, saying nobody had indicted Amaechi for any wrongdoing.

Sikpa said: “The NYCN has never had any issue with the performance of Amaechi in office until he declared for the 2023 presidential election. Going through the statement, it could be seen by all Nigerian youths that the statement is one of hand of Esau, voice of Jacob.

“It is clear that NYCN has allowed itself to be used by weak persons, who feel threatened by the daunting personality and giant performance by the honourable Minister of Transport.”

Sikpa said Amaechi demonstrated his humanity when he immediately along with security agencies, visited the scene of the Kaduna train attack and commiserated with the victims.

He said the people felt the pulse of Amaechi’s sadness, which he said was an indication that the security and safety of travelers had always been a priority to him.

Sikpa noted that President Muhammadu Buhari had confidence in the minister adding no amount of sponsored campaign would derail Amaechi’s loyalty, which earned him the traditional title of “Trusted Son of Daura.”

He said: “Rather than attack Amaechi aimlessly, the leadership of the NYCN should engage the minister on his achievements and his experience and capacity to lead the nation.

“The National Youth Council of Nigeria seems to be constituting itself as an enemy of the president by attempting to discredit the president and our gallant security agencies but pretending that its attack is on Amaechi.

“Security agencies should investigate the activities of the NYCN and its leadership to unmask who is using them against the goodwill of the President Buhari’s administration.

“The NYCN instead of allowing itself to be used against other aspirants, it should seek to engage every aspirant as a non-partisan group it ought to be but I doubt they would as they have allowed themselves to be used for selfish gains.

“So, we call on all well-meaning discerning youths and Nigerians in general to disregard the statement by these political charlatans pretending to be non-partisan.”

A legal practitioner in Anambra state, Mr Gerald Ezeuko has raised the alarm over alleged lawlessness of some federal government agencies, particularly the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) in Anambra state.

He therefore urged the federal government to call NIWA to order over some of its activities, particularly in Onitsha, the commercial city of the state to forestall a breach of public peace.

The lawyer’s complain followed alleged use of Police, Army and Navy by the Agency to claim the property of Lake Petroleum Limited Onitsha, a matter that was decided by Federal High Court, Awka against it.

He also appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Naval Staff, to deploy their personnel to perform their constitutional duties rather than provide protection for NIWA while appropriating people’s property in the waterside area of the town.

Speaking to newsmen yesterday in Onitsha, Ezeuko, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) described as worrisome NIWA’s alleged disrespect to court judgement and orders, regretting that a body that should assist in peacemaking was involved in activities capable of leading to break down of law and order.

“No doubt, there is pervasive lawlessness in Nigeria, and in most cases are promoted by certain activities of some Federal and State government agencies, but once a court judgement is obtained in a matter, it is sacrosanct that it ought to be respected and obeyed even by a mad person,” he said.

Pressed further, he said, “We obtained a court judgement against NIWA at the Federal High Court Awka, presided over by Hon. Justice N.O. Dimgba, with the Suit No. FHC/ AWK/CS/51/2020, Lake Petroleum Limited, as plaintiff and National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and Chris Orajekwe as defendants.

“The court ordered that, “A declaration is hereby made that the defendant, which is NIWA, has no statutory power/right of any kind to appropriate/expropriate the private property of the Plaintiff, which is Lake Petroleum Limited, for its own use.

“The court also made another declaration as follows, “A declaration is hereby made that the act of the defendant in claiming ownership of the plaintiff’s private property is unconstitutional, ultra vires, null and void.

“A declaration is hereby made that the right of way as conferred on the defendant by NIWA Act, does not disturb/interfere with the right of ownership vested on the plaintiff.”

“An order is hereby made directing the defendant to desist forthwith /immediately from appropriating the Plaintiffs property.

“The sum of N5million is hereby awarded in favour of the plaintiff against the defendant as a general damages.”

AN environmental rights focused group, the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), has concluded the training of scores of residents of oil bearing communities in Bayelsa and Delta states on environmental monitoring.

The volunteers were drawn from Gbarain/Ekpetiama in Bayelsa and Iwhrekan in Delta, two oil-bearing communities believed to have been suffering over the year’s gas flaring, environmental degradation and endangered means of livelihood.

Speaking to participants during a capacity building workshop yesterday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, Executive Director, HOMEF, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, noted that a safe environment was fundamental to support life and livelihood.

He said that there was the need for people who reside near oil and gas fields to remain vigilant and observant to conserve the environment and ensure that the economic interests of investors do not threaten the environment.

Speaking to participants, Mr Alagoa Morris, an environmentalist and Head of Environmental Right Action and Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), said that monitoring the environment demanded factual and evidence-based data collection, recording and reporting.

Also,  a civil society activist and environmentalist, Mr Ken Henshaw, who examined the imperatives of the divestment by oil firms from onshore assets and the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), urged communities to brace for challenges in the new era.

The Project Lead, Fossil Politics and Climate Change at HOMEF, Mr Cadmus Alake-Enade, took the participants through the steps and procedures in environmental monitoring and reporting.

Alake-Enade urged them to be observant about changes in their environment and record same over time to establish a trend.

DELTA state governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa at the weekend, lashed at Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege over his governorship declaration speech, describing it “as empty and uninspiring.”

Okowa accused Omo-Agege of failing to tell Deltans and Nigerians what he intends to do differently if he becomes governor.

Okowa who spoke through the State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu told reporters that the emptiness of Omo-Agege’s declaration speech shows that he lacked the capacity to govern a state like Delta.

He said that Delta was made up of men and women of integrity and wondered why a man who occupies a sensitive position as Deputy President of the Senate would organise such a declaration programme without a clear cut plan on how he intends to govern the state if given the opportunity.

According to him, “We were surprised that somebody at that level can organise a declaration which we do not hold against him because it is his democratic right but that he does so, so emptily is our concern.

“Delta is made up of men and women of integrity and we expect that any of our own irrespective of political party cannot lower the banner by coming up with such emptiness.

“It is important that we advise him to up the ante and not to make members of the general public who are not Deltans to think that our level of understanding of issues is waning.

“We remain number one in the country and that is why we say ‘Delta noh dey carry last’ and we do not want somebody that is supposed to occupy a very responsible position to lower that very enviable position that our state has occupied in the scheme of things either politically or otherwise.”

Aniagwu described Omo-Agege’s attacks on the Okowa administration and the PDP as petty and an indication that the Delta Central Senator was being economical with the truth for political reasons.

There was confusion yesterday at the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State; following claims by 32 aspirants that the state chapter of the party refused to give them expression of intent and nomination forms after payment.

But the party countered the allegations, saying there was no record that the aggrieved aspirants paid money into its account.

The aspirants, who brandished their bank drafts, besieged the secretariat in the morning and vowed to remain there until they were issued their forms.

They complained that despite satisfying the requirements, the PDP leadership refused to give them their forms.

One of them, an aspirant for the House of Assembly, Kinikanwo Ogbu, said having paid for the forms and obtained their bank drafts, the party was expected to give them their forms.

He said the protesters were vying for the House of Assembly and National Assembly elections.

Ogbu said: “We are all law-abiding members of the PDP in Rivers State. We have our bank drafts showing that we have paid into the party’s coffers to obtain our intent and nomination forms. But on getting here this morning, we could not find any party officer to do the needful for us to get our forms.”

He wondered why the party officials were not on ground to give them their forms, especially as the purchase deadline would expire on Thursday.

He said: “All that we want is that they should give us our forms because we have paid into the party’s account. When the last day for sale of the forms elapses, we will go back to the party and lodge a complaint.

“As a party faithful, I have purchased forms and I wonder if they will not give us the forms? We demand that whoever is holding the forms should give us our forms.”

Another aspirant, Augustine Nwigbarale from Khana Local Government, said the party had no excuse to deny them the forms.

He said: “We have fulfilled the party conditions by paying to the designated bank account. We have our bank drafts here.

“We were asked to come to the party secretariat as the situation demands to pick up our forms and fulfil every administrative logistics, which we are ready to comply with, only for us to get here and discover that we are being played upon.”

The Publicity Secretary of the state PDP, Tambari Sydney Gbara, said they had no records of the protesters’ transactions with the party.

He said: “The true situation is that we don’t know where they got those documents from, because they didn’t pay into the party’s account. They never came to us to say they wanted to buy forms.”

“Those who came to the office, we issued them a note, they went to the bank, paid into our account and brought the teller back to us. We then issued them a receipt with which they obtained the forms.

“These people, we have not seen them before and we don’t know where they pay their money. If they said they paid into the PDP Rivers State account, they should be able to show us evidence. Wherever they paid money to, they should go there and get what they are looking for.”                                                                                                                                                                                       

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Owerri Zone has decried proliferation of universities by federal and state governments.

It queried the rationale behind establishing new universities when existing ones were being starved of funds.

The Federal Government recently announced establishment of six private universities across the country, bringing the total universities in Nigeria to about 176, both public and private.

Addressing reporters yesterday at the ASUU Secretariat of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, ASUU Owerri Zonal Coordinator Uzo Onyebinama accused the Federal Government of politicising university education.

He alleged that the new universities recently announced by the government were for 2023 election campaigns.

Onyebinama, however, said the body was making efforts to ensure the National Universities Commission (NUC) reviewed its act to empower it to control the rate of establishing universities by governments.

He said: “We’ve been asking the Federal Government in our conferences to stop creating universities, when they can’t fund the existing ones, which can absorb as many students as the new ones can take, if funded with expanded facilities.

“But you know, as politicians, given that we’re approaching 2023, they want to have something for their campaigns. It’s not about opening universities, but funding and sustaining them. The ones on ground are mere shadows of themselves.”

“Truth is, the same new universities will tomorrow join other old ones to lament underfunding. Yet, another government will come up to establish theirs.

“Both federal and state governments are guilty of this. That’s why we’re demanding that proliferation of universities must stop. We call on Nigerians to come to the rescue. It’s an ongoing struggle.”

Onyebinama accused the Federal Government of deliberating delaying the signing and implementation of the 2020 renegotiated agreement, as well as deployment of University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a payment platform.

He identified acceptance and signing of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, which embodied the conditions of service for academic staff in public universities as part of outstanding issues yet to be addressed in the 2020 Memorandum of Agreement.

Among ASUU branch chairpersons present at the meeting included Okey Aniebo of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Chinedu Ihejirika of Federal University of Science and Technology (FUTO) and Odinakachukwu Ejiogu of Imo State University (IMSU).

Others were Chike Ugwuene of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), as well as former chairpersons Chinyere Echendu of MOUAU and Christopher Echerobia of Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).

A Federal High Court in Abuja has voided the election of Tochukwu Okorie as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed, in a judgment yesterday, held that Okorie was not validly nominated to contest the election held on October 16, 2021.

Justice Mohammed, in the judgment on a suit by Silas Onu, held that Okorie acted in contravention of the guidelines for the election when he submitted his nomination form outside the prescribed period.

The judge noted that Okorie was indolent in submitting his nomination form and could not be allowed to benefit from his wrongdoing.

Justice Mohammed held that the second defendant (Okorie) was not validly nominated, having submitted his nomination form on October 4, 2021 as against the October 1, 2021 allowed under the guidelines for the conduct of congresses.

He added that having acted outside the election guidelines, Okorie was not qualified to have contested in the said election held on October 16, 2021.

Mohammed said: “It is the opinion of this court that the 2nd defendant, who was indolent in submitting his nomination form as provided in the guidelines issued by the PDP, who in spite of this failure, was still declared and returned elected, cannot be allowed to benefit from his wrongdoing.”

The judge directed the PDP to accept Onu as the only lawfully nominated candidate to participate in the election and issue him a certificate of return as the duly elected chairman of the PDP in Ebonyi State.

Justice Mohammed declared that Okorie was not qualified to participate in the election for failing and refusing to submit his nomination form on or before the fixed deadline of October 1, 2021.

He further declared that Okorie’s participation in the said election was contrary to the clear and unambiguous schedule for the conduct of state congresses, therefore rendering such participation null and void.

Earlier, the judge dismissed the preliminary objection filed by the PDP where it alleged that Onu did not exhaust the internal mechanisms available for resolving such party matters before heading for court.

The judge said that the application failed because the PDP was silent on when Okorie submitted his nomination form.

He said he found the defendant’s failure to deny the allegation of the plaintiff that Okorie submitted his nomination form on October 4 instead of October 1, 2021 as admittance of wrongdoing.

The judge added: “The consequence is that the 2nd defendant’s nomination form submitted on October 4, 2021 instead of October 1, 2021 was submitted out of time.”

Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has said one of the most important legacies he will leave is the socio-political stability enjoyed under his administration.

He said he would also leave an enduring peace.The governor spoke yesterday when he received a delegation of the leadership of the State Traditional Rulers Council and the chairmen of the 17 local governments’ traditional rulers’ councils, at his country home, Umuobiakwa, in Obingwa Local Government.Describing the atmosphere of peace and security as God’s special gift to him as the governor, and the people of the state, Ikpeazu said no development could take place in any environment where there were insecurity and unending political feud.

He noted that the ranking of Abia State as the 3rd highest in the country in the attraction of foreign direct investments by the National Bureau of Statistics, was an evidence that peace and socio-political stability were enablers of development.

The governor urged the royal fathers to preach the virtues of peace in their domains and challenged them to read and digest the Abia Charter of Equity of 1981. He informed the monarchs that on May 29, five major infrastructural projects, including the Osisioma Flyover, would be inaugurated, adding that they would be part of the event.

The Chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Joseph Nwabeke, told Ikpeazu that the traditional rulers came to see him to show their solidarity with him and thank him for the work he had been doing in the state. The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Christopher Enweremadu, was part of the meeting.Rivers PDP,

Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has been urged to honour the presiding judge of the Federal High Court, Warri Judicial Division, Okon Effreti Abang, for diligence in his duty.

A monitoring and advocacy group, the Warri Advocacy Network (WAN), made the call in a letter dated April 11 and addressed to the governor.

The letter, signed by the group’s Project Director, Martins Otuedon and Secretary, Dennis Mene, said despite the poor working condition of the court, the judge had remained steadfast.

The letter noted that there had been progress of cases, given the extra hours of work put in by the judge.

“As monitors and advocates of the socio-economic welfare of the people, with special focus on the state of our courts in the Niger Delta, we write to bring to the attention of Your Excellency, the exceptional dedication to duty and sacrifice by the underscored judge of the Federal High Court, Warri Judicial Division, who relative to the very poor infrastructural state of the court and humongous number of cases, earns our commendation for 2021/2022 recognition year.

“It is no doubt that Warri is the only city in Nigeria with a Federal High Court outside any state capital, yet, the only one with a judge assigned to tackle the very litigation thick city.

“We have watched for some time now as an advocacy group and can confirm that his lordship, Abang Okon Effreti, works sacrificially, most times beyond 4pm and with candle lights due to the poor power supply in the area.

“Although we have already written to our parent body for a nomination of His Lordship for a special international award. We have also resolved to notify Your Excellency of this worthy sacrifice of a fellow Nigerian and humbly request that Your Excellency visits the said court to verify our claim, as there is now a discernable difference in the progress of cases,” the letter said.

WAN urged the state government to provide “supportive power supply, designated parking lot and waiting room for lawyers and litigants,” to aid administration of justice in the court, as well as pay an “unannounced visit to the court for an on-the-spot assessment and verification” of their claims.