The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southeast report

  • Imo by-election: youths warn against rigging

    Imo by-election: youths warn against rigging

    The Okigwe Youths Leadership Forum (OYLF) has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) about plans to rig the  Imo North by-election to favour a political party.

    A statement by the National Coordinator, Sidney Christian, urged INEC to be transparent as no form of rigging and manipulation would be allowed.

    According to OYLF, some INEC workers have collaborated with some politicians to carry out the act.

    The statement reads: “We have noted plans to rig and manipulate the Imo North senatorial by-election. We will not tolerate any form of rigging or manipulation.

    “We are surprised that in the wake of calls for a better Nigeria, some INEC officials are a collaborating with politicians to favour a party. In previous elections, our hopes were dashed by the actions of INEC and the judiciary.

    “However, youths of Imo North are available and ready to participate in the process, to monitor and protect our votes, and resist any move that will truncate our democratic practices henceforth.”

  • Open bidding for Obudu airport project

    Open bidding for Obudu airport project

    Cross River State yesterday conducted an open, competitive bidding for the Obudu International Airport Project.

    Six construction firms – Sumec Nig Ltd; CG Engineering; CIBA Nig Ltd; Wokor Services; A&K Construction and Poa Adit Nig Ltd – participated in the bidding.

    Commissioner for Aviation Jacob Enyia said the project was first advertised in three national dailies in February, and opening scheduled for March, but was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting a rescheduling for October 27, which was again stalled by the #EndSARS protest.

    According to him, the airport will boost tourism, grow the economy and create jobs. He added that it was captured in the 2021 budget proposal.

    “We are convinced that the Obudu International Cargo and Passenger Airport holds a lot of promise for us as a government and people determined to raise the bar of industrialisation and tourism in Nigeria,” he said

    The House of Assembly, represented by Chairman of Aviation Nelson Ofem, lauded the transparent bidding process, and urged the executive to ensure the winner delivers quality project.

    The bidding was also witnessed by representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the State Due Process Office.

     

  • ‘I will address legitimate demands/past lapses’

    ‘I will address legitimate demands/past lapses’

    From Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt and Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

     

    The Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Col. Milland Dixon-Dikio (rtd.) has promised to address legitimate demands of the programme’s beneficiaries.

    Dikio, who has been on a tour of the Niger Delta region, also vowed to tackle all past lapses that militated against the scheme.

    The amnesty boss, who spoke after a close-door meeting with Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, said the programme had been restructured to positively impact on the people’s lives.

    He said: “My mission in Delta is to brief the governor on the vision of taking the PAP back to the Niger Delta.

    “The programme that I administer is a DDR programme -Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration.”

    Dikio said the DDR policy of the Federal Government would receive a boost in his tenure, and called for support of all stakeholders to actualise his vision.

    According to him, bursary payment to students from the Niger Delta in institutions home and abroad would be sustained, as well as other legitimate demands that would strengthen peace and sustainable development in the region.

    On incessant protests by ex-militants, he said: “Protest is not the way to go. There are better ways of addressing grievances .

    “We have to be clear that protests upon protests have a negative impact on the economy of the region and so our appeal is that protesters must be conversant with the effect of their protest on the region’s economy.

    “A lot of them are talking about payment of allowances, but some of these allowances are not even documented. They talked about housing allowance that was not envisaged to be a long term thing.

    “There are other legitimate demands which I am looking into. One of the important issues has to do with regular payment of stipends.

    “In the last two months, we have been paying stipends to students in tertiary institutions home and abroad.”

  • Imo promises free movement at Yuletide

    Imo promises free movement at Yuletide

    Imo State has assured commuters of hitch-free vehicular movement during the Yuletide.

    The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Hope Uzodinma on Traffic Management, Saviour Okiro, who addressed reporters yesterday, urged motorists to eschew indiscipline and stubbornness as arrangements were in place for a well-managed traffic situation.

    According to him, the government is synergising with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the police to ensure free flow of traffic during the period. He appealed to commuters to respect fellow road users and cooperate with security agencies.

    Okiro said: “We expect to have a well-managed traffic situation this yuletide. This is why we have continued to sensitise the motoring public and other road users…”

    “We have also synergised with the FRSC and police so that together, we will achieve best results.”

    He also appealed to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to sensitise its members on the effective use of bus stops.

    This, he said, would facilitate ease of movement during the yuletide and improve the state’s good image.

     

     

  • Shekwo: Delta APC condoles with Sule

    Shekwo: Delta APC condoles with Sule

    From Elo Edremoda, Warri

     

    All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State has commiserated with Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule on the death of the party’s state Chairman, Philip Shekwo.

    A statement by the Chairman, Jones Erue, described the late Shekwo as one who stood for the unity of Nigeria.

    It reads: “Chief Shekwo was a partner in progress who believed not only in moving the APC forward, but also in the prosperity, peace and unity of Nigeria. His arguments/contributions in meetings were superb and they contributed to the growth of the body and APC as a party.”

    He urged security agencies to do all within their constitutional powers to unmask those behind the act.

     

  • EEDC warns against bush burning

    EEDC warns against bush burning

    From From Chris Oji, Enugu and Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

     

    The Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC (EEDC) has cautioned the people against indiscriminate bush burning and other acts capable of causing fire outbreak ahead of the harmattan season.

    Head of Corporate Commission Emeka Ezeh, in a statement yesterday, said: “Fire outbreaks have been identified as one of the common risks facing EEDC, especially during harmattan. Because of this, EEDC is reminding her customers of the need to be cautious during this period.

    “Our major concern is those in the rural communities that engage in hunting and so set the bush on fire. We appeal that they exercise caution if they must engage in such, and be coordinated to avoid damaging our installations.

    “We also encourage customers not to take any electrical spark in their homes lightly as they could lead to fire outbreaks. They are advised to engage the services of competent and qualified electricians in carrying out electrical repairs.

    “Overloading of electrical sockets is also identified as a potential cause of fire outbreak and customers are advised to desist from such.”

  • ‘APC can participate in Bayelsa West by-election’

    ‘APC can participate in Bayelsa West by-election’

    Our Reporter

     

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate can still participate in the December 5 Bayelsa West Senatorial by-elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said.

    INEC said this would be possible if the Appeal Court ordered the restoration of the party’s logo and its candidate in the ballot.

    National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, gave the explanation on the sideline of a stakeholders’ meeting in Yenagoa on Monday

    Recall that the Federal High Court in Yenagoa in November disqualified the APC candidate, Peremobowei Ebebi. Consequently, INEC last week excluded the party from the contest.

    Okoye, however, said once the commission was served such a court judgment, it was bound to obey and would restore the party’s logo and its candidate in the ballot.

    He said: “By the provision of Section 285 of the Constitution, the Federal High Court, the State High Court and High Court of FCT have been given the powers and jurisdiction to entertain pre-election matters.

    Read Also: Umahi a great asset to APC – UK chapter

    “Part of that process is that the moment the commission is served with a court order, it is bound to obey. If the Court of Appeal sets aside that judgment, the commission will also obey, but first it will look at the court order, see the statement of the court order and obey.

    “If the court order says APC as a political party does not have a candidate in the election, and the commission should remove the party’s logo from the ballot, we will comply with that. And if the court says restore, and we have the time to do that, we will restore. “If it is at least three days to the election, we will definitely restore and the APC will be on the ballot. If such judgment comes after the election, it depends on the specific order which the court has made; but whatsoever the court says, we will obey.”

  • Union warns against anti-labour policies

    Union warns against anti-labour policies

     Ibrahim Adam

     

    LABOUR has warned entrepreneurs against making workers the sacrificial lambs in an economic crisis.

    President of the Chemical and Non-Metallic Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (CANMPSSAN) Segun David spoke at the 25th Annual National Management/Industrial Relations Seminar in Asaba, Delta State. He decried job losses in the sector through redundancy.

    He said: “It is an open secret that the effects of COVID-19 cut across all facets of life. However, workers should not always be at the receiving end whenever there is a need to cut costs.”

    According to him, the three-day programme was organised to draw attention to the plights of the sector and devise ways of solving the challenges.

    David noted that workers in the sector sacrificed a lot during the lockdown to ensure survival and continuous running of some of their firms.

    Read Also: Union Bank grosses N118.8b in Q3

    He added: “We, therefore, reject being used as scapegoats whenever management is contemplating on cost-cutting measures. There is a need for stakeholders’ (management and workers) to engage in meaningful deliberations that will improve input and output without job losses.”

    General Manager (Human Asset Management) of Dangote Cement, Femi Adekunle, noted that redundancy was not an easy way out for the companies as they valued their workers seriously.

    “Workers are our most essential part; they are the golden hen that lays the golden eggs.  Without them, there wouldn’t be production..”

     

     

     

     

  • Curfew in Delta community over communal crisis

    Curfew in Delta community over communal crisis

     Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

     

    CHAIRMAN of Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State Victor Ebonka has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in Ute kingdom.

    Ebonka, at a news conference on Monday in Owa-Oyibu, said the curfew was with the state’s approval.

    According to him, the curfew will affect Ute-Ukpu kingdom following the unruly behaviour of the youths. He accused them of maliciously damaging properties and threatening the monarch, chiefs and traditional institution.

    Ebonka said the strange deaths attributable to yellow fever is being misconstrued as spiritual attacks by the youths due to their fetish beliefs.

    The curfew, which took effect on Monday, is until further notice.

    Read Also: Four suspected armed robbers shot dead in Delta

    The chairman urged the people to comply with the directive as law enforcement agents will arrest defaulters.

    Recall that irate youths set the local market ablaze, but were stopped from attacking the palace by security agencies.

    Efforts by the government to begin yellow fever vaccination have been largely unsuccessful as many residents shunned the exercise.

    The Nation gathered that some residents are convinced that the cause of the strange deaths was the desecration of communal deities Agba-Egbo and Akpu.

  • Residents protest ‘invasion’ of property

    Residents protest ‘invasion’ of property

     Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

     

    RESIDENTS of Satellite Top Estate, Umunya, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, have protested the alleged invasion of their property by the traditional ruler, Chris Onyekwuluje.

    They called for the state’s intervention to avert a crisis.

    Emmanuel Ubadigbo, who addressed reporters yesterday, said they bought the land from the Nwoye-Ugo family for residential purposes.

    According to him, they spent huge resources, including provision of access roads, electricity and security, to make the place habitable.

    He said: “We were shocked when the king of Umunya wrote to us, through a lawyer, demanding that we provide proof of ownership. It is our refusal that led to the blockage of the entrances to our buildings with heaps of sand.”

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    A representative of the Nwoye-Ugo family, Samuel Nwoye-Ugo, confirmed the claim of legitimacy of the transfer of ownership by the residents.

    But Igwe Onyekwuluje said the land has been a subject of litigation between the Nwoye-Ugo and Onyekwuluje families since 2010. He said the documents being requested by the Onyekwuluje family was to ascertain that the other party actually sold the land when there was a subsisting order against further actions on it.