Category: Southeast report

Our Reporter

OBONG of Calabar Edidem Ekpo Okon (Abasi Otu V) has declared his full support for Governor Ben Ayade and his administration.

The monarch spoke yesterday when Ayade visited his private residence in Adiabo, Odukpani Local Government Area.

Okon described the governor as ‘my brother, my friend, the great Governor of this state’.

He said: “You are our own son, you are with us and we will work to make sure this state is rebuilt. Rest assured that we love you and want you, no matter how people are trying to divide us.”

Ayade thanked Okon for his numerous fatherly advice and support for his administration, saying he would continue to hold the monarch high.

Read Also: Ayade presents N277.7b budget for 2021

He said: “The Obong of Calabar was personally in my hometown for my thanksgiving in 2015 after my election as governor. The monarch was at the forefront of my re-election and was with us at the Calabar International Conference Centre, making a strong declaration that Ayade must have a second term.

“The Obong of Calabar stool is one of the most eminent stools in this country and you can never undermine that position.”

 Nwanosike Onu, Awka 

TWO persons have been arrested by the police in Anambra State for the alleged murder of Governor Willie Obiano’s wife’s brother in August.

The suspects are Osita John (21), from Ifite Ogwari, Ayamelum Local Government Area, and Achewa Musa of Abinsel, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, but lives in Garki, Awka South council of Anambra State.

Mrs. Obiano’s brother, Azubuike Ekwegbalu (43), was murdered at his home in the Commissioners’ quarters in Awka on August 9, about 1.30am. He hailed from Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area.

Read Also: Obiano plans N140.8b budget for next year

Police spokesman Mohammed Haruna said: “The suspects were arrested after monitoring them; they voluntarily confessed to have scaled into the deceased house and stabbed him on his lower abdomen before stealing two of his mobile phones.

“Exhibits recovered from them include the two android phones and one knife allegedly used in perpetrating the act. They were today (Tuesday) charged to court and subsequently remanded.”

 Damian Duruiheoma, Owerri

IMO State High Court in Owerri yesterday declined an application by former Governor Ikedi Ohakim for some policemen and a business woman, Ms. Chinyere Amuchienwa-Igwebe, to be imprisoned.

Ohakim filed a suit to enforce his fundamental rights. According to him, the respondents disobeyed a September 10 court order for them to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit.

His lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, said the former governor, on September 10, got a restraining order against officers – DCP. Kolo Yusuf; SP. Mohammed Yusuf; Stanley Nwodo; Orji Kanu and Commissioner of Police Tuesday Osayemo, all of whom are of the Prosecution Section of the police headquarters in Abuja.

Ejimakor said the order was duly served on all the parties. He noted that the police, acting through the officers and on apparent prompting from Ms. Amuchienwa-Igwegbe, proceeded to file charges against Ohakim and caused the charge to be published in newspapers and the social media.

The lawyer noted that subsequent summons for Ohakim’s alleged arraignment on November 11 was also published in newspapers but was not served on him. It was in view of the developments that he applied to the court for committal on the officers involved.

He said: “The business of the court today is form 49 which has been filed and served. It was served on November 4. We’re trying to restrain the police from doing anything.

“However, we proceeded with the form 49 since it has become clear that the order has been disobeyed. We have also served the police.”

Lawyer to the police and its agents, M. O. Omosun, and that of Ms. Amuchienwa-Igwebe, I. O. Nwaeze, opposed the application, saying the order had been varied and already expired as at September 25.

Nwaeze drew the court’s attention to Order 9 rule 1 of the fundamental right enforcement procedure rule 2009, which states that nothing should stop the hearing for breach of fundamental right.

Read Also: Police probe dirty fight between Ohakim, woman

He thus applied that the counter affidavit of the fifth respondent (Amuchienwa-Igwe), which was filed out of time, be regularised so that the matter of fundamental right would be taken.

Justice I. G. Chukwunyere, who refused to grant the complainant’s application, said the substantive suit needed to be looked into.

“Pursuant to Order 9 rule 1, and also Section 36 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, and having critically considered them, I therefore grant leave to the fifth respondent to regularise the application,” Justice Chukwunyere said.

The judge adjourned the definite hearing for fundamental right till December 3.

 Bisi Olaniyi, Benin 

EDO State Governor Godwin Obaseki on Tuesday presented a budget of N153.4 billion for the 2021 fiscal year to 10 of the 24 members of the House of Assembly.

The presentation was done inside the Government House.

The ‘Making Edo Great Again (MEGA)’ budget represented a 9.7 per cent increase from the revised 2020 budget. It allocated N94.8 billion for recurrent expenditure and N58.6 billion for capital expenditure.

Speaker of the Assembly Marcus Onobun hailed Obaseki for prioritising the people’s welfare and assured him of the House’ support in his quest to make Edo great again.

The House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the 2020 revised supplementary budget of N139.8 billion.

Read Also: ‘INEC lacks power to disqualify Obaseki for forgery’

The house in July revised the N179 billion budget to N128.8 billion, representing a 30 per cent reduction. Governor Godwin Obaseki sent the bill to the House on November 9.

Deputy Speaker Roland Asoro (Orhionmwon South) moved a motion to dissolve into the Supply Committee to consider the law. The motion was seconded by Majority leader Henry Okhuarobo (PDP –Ikpoba/Okha).

The recurrent expenditure was revised from N79.4 billion to N76.5 billion while capital expenditure was adjusted from N49.4 billion to N63.2 billion, with a difference of N13.8 billion.

Onobun directed that clean copies of the law be sent to the governor for assent.

From Bisi Olaniyi, Benin 

HEAD of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2020 Alaghodaro Summit in Edo State, Mrs. Ifueko Alufohai, has said Governor Godwin Obaseki will make Edo great again.

She assured the people that the Alaghodaro investment summit, which would be held with Obaseki’s second term inauguration, would open the state to exciting economic opportunities.

Mrs. Alufohai addressed reporters yesterday on preparations for the annual summit, which is in its fourth edition.

She added that Obaseki would, during the summit, unveil his administration’s programmes and policies in the next four years. She noted that that the programmes would consolidate on the achievements recorded by the administration in the first term.

She said: “More local and international investors, as well as businesses, are coming into Edo to take advantage of the business-friendly environment which the Obaseki-led administration has created in the last four years.”

Over 2,500 youths are expected to participate virtually in the summit, Obaseki’s media aide, Crusoe Osagie, has said.

In a statement on Monday, Osagie said the summit would provide opportunities to evaluate how the policies, programmes and initiatives of the Obaseki-led administration had benefitted youths in the first four years, and to identify areas that require improvement.

Read Also: Obaseki to hold low-key inauguration

The statement reads: “The governor has assured that youths would play key roles in government, going forward. The summit will provide a platform to assess the impact of the Obaseki-led administration’s policies and programmes on job creation, youth empowerment, basic and technical education, and youth participation in governance, among others, in order to identify areas to be improved upon.

“Governor Obaseki is committed to prioritising the needs of youths and harnessing their energy and innovativeness, in his drive to grow the state’s economy and engender sustainable development.

“This is one of such platforms to deliberate on the roles of the youths in the actualisation of the governor’s ‘Making Edo Great Again’ agenda.”

 Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt 

RIVERS State Governor Nyesom Wike has signed an executive order prohibiting hawking, trading and parking of vehicles close to the newly-inaugurated Rebisi Flyover in Port Harcourt.

The Executive Order RVSG -23 2020, Pursuant to Sections 1,3 and 9 of the Rivers State Street Trading, Illegal Markets and Motor Parks (Prohibition) Law 2019, takes effect from November 9, the governor said.

The order declared ‘illegal, all forms of street trading, operation of motor parks, markets, roadside vulcanizing and mechanics on, under, or along the Rebisi Flyover within 100 meters from the foot of the Rebisi Flyover on both sides on Aba Road, Port Harcourt’.

The law prohibits traders or hawkers from displaying goods outside or in front of any building along or within 100 meters from the flyover.

Read Also: South-East Govs, Wike meet over IPOB

The order reads: “No landlord or caretaker of any building or premises shall permit, approve or encourage the display of goods outside or in front of any such building or premises along or within 100 meters from the foot of the Rebisi Flyover (on both sides) on Aba Road, Port Harcourt.

“Any landlord or caretaker of any building or premises who violates the Provisions of Paragraph 4 of this Order shall forfeit his building or premises to the state and same shall be acquired for overriding public purpose.”

 Bassey Anthony, Uyo

SECRETARY of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Caretaker Committee Senator John Udoedehe has warned party members in Akwa Ibom State to stop fighting over the 2023 governorship ticket.

Udoedehe said he remains the party’s authentic candidate.

The party chief, who addressed a news conference in Uyo yesterday to mark his 57th birthday, said those who fought him before he joined the APC have regrouped to fight again over the party ticket in 2023.

He said: “When I led the opposition many years ago, those fighting me were in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I told them that change would take over the country and they never believed. Those who fought me are in APC now and they have perfected their plans to fight me again, even in APC that they hated.”

The senator advised the people to vote for APC in 2023 to attract development to the state. He also blamed the youths for plans to outsmart their elders by floating a juvenile party against the elders in 2023, saying such moves were counter-productive.

Read Also: PDP governor likely for APC this week

“When I became the chairman of Uyo Local Government Area at 33 years, I never stopped my elders. As a Senator, I was the Chairman Senate Committee on Privatisation without smiting my elders. Why should the youths plan to bench their elders now?, he queried.