The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southeast report

  • Wike: I’m not concentrating development in Port Harcourt

    Wike: I’m not concentrating development in Port Harcourt

    By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has debunked insinuations that he was only developing the capital city at the detriment of other local government and rural areas.

    Wike challenged persons accusing him of bias in locating projects to tell him the council lacking the presence of his administration.

    He said: “I challenge anyone to tell me which local government is lacking government’s presence. I can tell you exactly what we’re doing in each local government.

    Read Also: Nyesom Wike: Celebrating a trail blazer

    “People say all your development is in one area. I say fine, it means there’s development, however concentrated in one area. I should be happy that I have come to develop that part of the state. When you come too, you can develop another part. No one person can develop the whole areas.”

    A statement by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, said Wike’s criticism of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should not be misunderstood to mean there was an irredeemable crisis in the party.

    According to the statement, Wike spoke when friends and political associates visited to felicitate with him on his birthday.

    He said since he couldn’t join another political party, particularly, the All Progressives Congress (APC), he would continue to speak out against perceived abnormalities in the PDP to ensure it did not die.

  • Swiss educational consortium eyes Cross River’s British-Canadian school

    Our Reporter

    Swiss educational consortium, Rainbow Unlimited GMBH, has indicated interest in taking over the management of the British-Canadian school in Obudu, Cross River State, as the school nears completion.

    Governor Ben Ayade described the school as ‘an African school with international connectivity’. He described it as a fusion of educational cultures of four countries – Britain, Canada, Switzerland and Nigeria.

    Managing Partner of Rainbow Unlimited GMBH Thomas Seghezzi, during a tour of the school, said the beauty and topography makes it ‘spontaneously look like home in Switzerland’.

    Seghezzi promised that his consortium will bring the unique Swiss educational system to bear on it.

    Ayade promised that the school, expected to begin academic activities next year, will create a paradigm shift in education in Africa.

    “We have a role to create and set a standard, we want to change the nature, character, opinion, and international perception of the black man, and this school is the beginning of that journey…”

  • 27 per cent fail UNIBEN Post-UTME

    27 per cent fail UNIBEN Post-UTME

    By Bisi Olaniyi, Benin

    Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) Prof. Lilian Salami on Monday said 27 per cent of candidates failed the 2020/2021 post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) screening.

    The results was presented to the vice chancellor by Chairman of the Committee on Post-UTME, Prof. Ehimwenma Omoregie. He explained that 19,987 candidates sat for the examination, while 14,515 (72.62 per cent) were successful.

    He added that of the 802 candidates affected by the technical hitch of December 8, 99 per cent returned to re-sit the examination, while the less than ten candidates yet to re-sit got another date through their e-mails and telephone numbers.

  • ‘Wike not plotting to destabilise APC’

    ‘Wike not plotting to destabilise APC’

    By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

    Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications Paulinus Nsirim has described allegations that Governor Nyesom Wike is plotting to destabilise the All Progressives Congress (APC) as hilarious and ridiculous.

    Former Publicity Secretary of APC, Chris Finebone, had said Wike and other agents of the government were planning to initiate frivolous court actions to cripple the APC nationwide.

    He said the plot was being hatched by Wike, some moles in the APC and unnamed chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    According to him, part of the plan was to file all manner of cases against the APC to create further crisis in the party ahead of the 2023 elections.

    But Nsirim, in a statement by his media aide, Amieyeofori Ibim, described Finebone’s accusations as ‘a more sinister, disturbing template already deployed in previous circumstances, with the dubious intent to heat up the polity ahead of the 2023 elections, and ultimately provoke and instigate unnecessary conflict across the state’.

    The statement reads: “Finebone’s statement is ridiculous in context and hilarious in its contained allegations, especially when placed against the backdrop of a political party that has mired in endless internal litigations, and whose key figures have been intent and tenaciously insistent on testing the authenticity of their demands in court.

    “Rivers APC should first remove the log in its eye before accusing any other party, or even the government, of attempting to destablise it. There must be something fundamentally wrong with a party like the APC, which nurses a morbid phobia for any attempt to test the legality of whatever decision its godfathers and dictators foist on its members, through legitimate due processes.

    Read Also: War in PDP as Wike blasts Secondus-led NWC

    “The lame excuse of always alluding to ‘tendencies within the APC in Rivers State that have been working in cahoots with the state’ jangles like the repetitive chorus of a broken record.

    “Neither Governor Wike nor the PDP will waste time engaging in any legal battle with a party that has already self-destructed because of its own uncontrollable appetite for legal battles.”

    The APC has vowed to sack the PDP ahead of the 2023 elections.

    Caretaker Committee Chairman Isaac Abbot-Ogbobula spoke at the weekend in Port Harcourt when he inaugurated the party’s caretaker committees in the 23 local government areas.

    Abbot-Ogbobula said he was inaugurated as state caretaker chairman by the National Caretaker Committee following the dissolution of all party structures.

    He described the development as a new foundation to re-launch the party, and urged the local government chairmen to inaugurate a similar structure at the ward levels.

    Abbot-Ogbobula said: “I urge you to abide by the party’s constitution in the discharge of your duty. Be firm and do not perform your duties with favour or prejudice. You are required, directed and mandated to go back to your councils and swear in caretaker committees.

    “There is no crisis in APC Rivers State. We are together under the leadership of Rotimi Amaechi. We have disagreements, but we don’t have crisis. We have just one APC in Rivers State and one APC in Nigeria.

    “The party will take over the Government House in 2023. The APC will produce the next president of the country come 2023. Igo Aguma is inconsequential. There is no faction in APC…”

  • ‘I’m quitting politics to give way for youths’

    ‘I’m quitting politics to give way for youths’

    Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia

     

    SENATOR Theodore Orji (Abia Central) has promised to quit politics in 2023.

    He also vowed to resist pressures to seek positions that will keep him in active politics beyond 2023.

    Senator Orji would be completing his eight years in the senate at the dissolution of the ninth National Assembly in 2023.

    The former governor spoke at a traditional wedding in Umuajatta Olokoro, Umuahia South Local Government Area. Orji said he was quitting active politics in 2023 to allow the younger generation take over power.

    He said: “Your future as Abians is bright. I have since decided to quit politics in 2023 to give way for you all.

    “If I don’t quit, there won’t be space for you. But I have to quit so that you can take over. I’ll support you in every way possible.

    “You have all been supporting me since the inception of my political career, thank you so much for that; it’s time for me to support you in your own careers too.”

  • PDP greets Wike at 53

    PDP greets Wike at 53

    Our Reporter

     

    THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike on his 53rd birthday.

    A statement on Sunday by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party recognised Wike’s contributions to its development, as well as his administration’s development strides which has earned him the sobriquet ‘Mr Project’.

    The party wished Wike well and prayed God to grant him peace of mind and many more years ahead.

  • NANFACOS hails Abia governor on agric development

    NANFACOS hails Abia governor on agric development

    Our Reporter

     

    THE National Executives of the National Apex of Nigerian Farmers Cooperative Societies (NANFACOS) has hailed Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu and farmers in the state for their contributions to the development of agriculture.

    National President of NANFACOS, Chief Nwogwugwu Uzoma commended Dr. Ikpeazu for supporting him to emerge president and for developing agriculture to an enviable height.

    The president, who spoke to newsmen just after the first national meeting of the cooperative body in Abuja, said Abia state would soon be the agricultural hub of the South-East and South-South.

    Chief Uzoma, who is the first indigene of Abia to head NANFACOS as national president, said farmers are ready to collaborate with the state government to boost agricultural activities.

    The national president promised that farmers in each state will concentrate on agri-businesses which they have comparative advantage to collaborate with their state governments in boasting food production and security.

    According to him, the time has come when farmers should be keeping records of their expenditures which will decide on sales of their produce and products.

    He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for giving high priority to agriculture by creating better policies and programmes for agricultural growth in the country.

    Read Also: Ikpeazu presents N132b budget for 2021

    Chief Uzoma said that no administration had paid attention to agriculture as the Federal Government under President Buhari has been doing.

    He said: “We commend Abia state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu for being steadfast in the promotion of agricultural activities in the state. Abia state will soon become the agricultural hub of the South-East and South-South geo-political zones by creating agricultural programmes and projects ever seen in the state.

    “The governor is the first in Abia to lead over 200 farmers to foreign countries to learn modern techniques of farming, empower the Abia State Apex of Farmers Cooperative Societies (AFCOSOL) in attending agricultural seminars within and outside Nigeria and most importantly, financing and throwing his weight to see that Abia State produced the first president of NANFACOS.”

    While commending the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, George Akume, the NANFACOS president urged the minister to consider its members on the planned distribution of 2, 000 buses nationwide.

     

  • ‘Demarcating councils without local guides risky’

    ‘Demarcating councils without local guides risky’

    Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

     

    THE National Population Commission (NPC) in Anambra State has warned officers involved in the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) against embarking on the exercise without local guides.

    Federal Commissioner Chidi Ezeoke spoke while kicking off the Phase II of the EAD, comprising Orumba North, Orumba South and Awka North Local Government Areas.

    According to him, the local guides are critical to the exercise to ensure data and information provided is accurate and reliable.

    He said: “We insisted that our host communities must provide us with sensible local guides who must be familiar with the terrain; not those who smoke hemp and can abandon the officers in the field.

    “We also appeal to them to take the security of both our personnel and materials seriously; provide accommodation for them and sensitise their people that our officers are not Boko Haram insurgents.

    “We have cautioned our demarcators against going to the field without a local guide, not just for security, but so they don’t document wrong information, either over or under estimation of persons in each household.”

    Ezeoke added that some freshly retired but not tired workers of the Commission had been engaged as Community Interface Assistance (CIA) to boost mobilisation and enlightenment efforts to ensure the community assumed full ownership of the project.

    State Director of NPC Joachin Ulasi said 18 teams of about 121 functionaries would be involved in the exercise which was the last in the series of training for the demarcators and supervisors.

    “We’re starting on December 19 till January 20, 2021. We’ve already covered seven councils, with 14 left. After this phase, we’ll take a week break to continue another phase. Hopefully, in seven months, we’ll be done with the paperless demarcation,” he said.

     

  • Police burnt house, abducted two friends in Abia, victim tells panel

    Police burnt house, abducted two friends in Abia, victim tells panel

    By Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia

    An auto mechanic identified as Emeka Obasi Kama has narrated to the Abia Panel on Police Brutality of how his friends, Uchechi Agwu Kalu and Ndubuisi got missing after their encounter with some police officers from the Anti-Kidnapping Squad in Aba.

    Speaking at the sitting of the panel led by retired Justice Sunday Imo, Emeka alleged that police officers identified as Edet and Yellow serving at Azuka police station, Ogbor Hill, Aba, at the time of the incident, were responsible for the disappearance of his friends on August 11, 2020.

    According to Emeka, he went to Uchechi’s house on the said date and saw two people namely Ifunanya and Ndubuisi and joined them inside the house.

    He said after a while, some policemen came inside the house and started beating them without any reason.

    Read Also: ‘We found SARS’ victim’s corpse in a container, says Yabatech Deputy Registrar

    “As we were being beaten, Uchechi shouted Edet, I didn’t do anything to you but healed you of a deadly skin disease; “atuere.”

    “As Uchechi was shouting, they took me, Ifunanya and Ndubuisi outside, but Uchechi, Edet and two other officers were left in the room.”

    Narrating further, Emeka said, “I don’t know what Ndubuisi did, he was shot as we were lying down outside.”

    Emeka told the panel that the policemen carried Ndubusi into their mini-bus and sped off.

    He said the policemen returned later and took Uchechi away.

    “As they were taking Uchechi away, one of the policemen poured fuel on the house and set it ablaze.”

    Emeka narrated that since then, the two men had not been seen.

  • LG election: APC berates ABSIEC for disqualifying its candidates

    LG election: APC berates ABSIEC for disqualifying its candidates

    By Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia

    All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State has berated the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) for disqualifying some of her candidates from contesting the forthcoming Local Government elections in the state.

    This is even as the immediate past secretary of the party in the state, Perfect Okorie said ABSIEC’s action amounted to contempt of court.

    An Abia High court sitting in Aba had penultimate week restrained ABSIEC from disqualifying any candidate of APC from contesting the election.

    However, while the matter was still pending in court, ABSIEC went ahead to disqualify some chairmanship and councillorship candidates of APC.

    Read Also: INEC: Court will decide winner of Imo North bye-election

    The APC in a statement issued by its caucus public relations officer in Abia North Senatorial Zone, Chibuike Jonas, described the action as unconstitutional, stating it was dead on arrival.

    In the statement which reads in part, the APC said: “ABSIEC has once again shown not just Abians but Nigerians in general that they are not ready to conduct a free, fair and sincere election through the disqualification of some candidates of the APC.

    “As party, we need to state categorically and to remind Prof. Mkpa and his team that ABSIEC has no right to disqualify any candidate.

    “This is stated clearly in the provisions of sections 31(1) and 83 of the Electoral Act, which provided that INEC cannot disqualify or reject a candidate nominated by a political party for an election.