The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southeast report

  • IYC mourns ex-INC boss Kimse Okoko

    IYC mourns ex-INC boss Kimse Okoko

    From Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt 

     

    IJAW Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has mourned Prof. Kimse Okoko, a two-time president of Ijaw National Congress (INC).

    Sources said Okoko (80) died Sunday in Port Harcourt. His son, Keniebi, died earlier this year.

    A statement by its President, Peter Igbifa, described Okoko’s death as a double jeopardy. He said the deceased was a scholar, leader, father and patriot.

    Read Also: ‘Ijaw communities worse hit by fuel price hike’

     

    It reads: “Okoko’s death, coming a few months after his son’s death, is a double jeopardy and an incalculable loss to the Ijaw nation.

    “Prof. Kimse Okoko was a patriot, a champion of restructuring, an apostle of true federalism and resource control, as well as a fearless defender of the Ijaw nation.”

    “We have lost a great leader. His death has created a vacuum in our struggle. May God give the family and the Ijaw nation the fortitude to bear this loss.”

  • Oba of Benin seeks protection for corps members

    Oba of Benin seeks protection for corps members

    The Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II, has called for the protection of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members that will be deployed for Saturday’s governorship election.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Oba made the call in Benin when he received NYSC’s Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, in his palace.

    The monarch expressed his readiness to join forces with the NYSC in protecting the corps members, who will participate in the election.

    READ ALSO: Edo 2020: IGP deploys DIG, AIG, eight CPs to coordinate security

    “There is need for the corps members to be protected because of the desperate attitude of some politicians.

    “Desperate aspiration of politicians is not worth the blood of any corps member. They must be protected from any attack.”

    Ibrahim noted that the corps members were not partisans, but would only discharge their patriotic duties to their fatherland.

  • Police parade four for allegedly killing officer in Abia State

    Police parade four for allegedly killing officer in Abia State

    By Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia

    Abia Police Command on Friday, paraded four persons alleged to have been involved in the killing of a policeman and injuring of other colleagues in Okagwe, Ohafia Local Government Area of the state.  by a group of heavily armed gunmen.

    The command said it’s intensifying efforts to recover the three AK47 rifles carted away by the gunmen during the attack.

    The hoodlums said to be numbering about 30, at about 1.30pm on the fateful day attacked five mobile policemen at a checkpoint in Okagwe Ohafia.

    READ ALSO: Four paraded in Abia for allegedly killing police personnel

    During the attack, a police Inspector, identified as Princewill Divine, was reportedly killed while a colleague’s wrist was cut off.

    Another policeman was also said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries and has since been hospitalized.

    The State Commissioner of Police, CP Janet Agbede, said the arrested suspects were helping police in investigation and promised that the command would ensure further arrests and recovery of police firearms.

    The CP also  informed that the killer Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)officer, Robinson Otobong Abel, was in police custody.

    While assuring her command will thoroughly investigate the killing of one Onyedikachi Nwogu by Abel, she appealed to residents to avoid acts capable of causing breach of the peace.

  • Abia fears tuberculosis outbreak

    Abia fears tuberculosis outbreak

    From Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia

    Abia State has warned consumers of beef to stay away from cow lungs until a proper investigation is done to ascertain the suspected discovery of Bovine Tuberculosis in a popular abattoir on the Aba-Ikot Ekpene expressway.

    A statement by to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof. Ikechi Mgboji, warned residents against eating cow lungs after the disease was discovered in some cows two weeks ago.

    He said: “About two weeks ago, two cows were found to have Bovine Tuberculosis. So we advise that people should stop eating cow lungs for now until we are able to determine if it is a very exceptional case or a prevalent one. They may however eat the flesh.”

  • Rivers Assembly approves N6.5b loan for Wike

    Rivers Assembly approves N6.5b loan for Wike

    From Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt

    The Rivers State House of Assembly has approved another N6.5 billion loan for the state.

    The money, the lawmakers said, would be used to improve agriculture by providing farmers with loans for improved food production for security, as well as to service and renovate educational facilities.

    Read Also: Nasarawa Assembly suspends Governor Sule’s aide

    This is coming one month after the lawmakers granted Governor Nyesom Wike’s earlier request to borrow N18 billion for flyover, road construction and dualisation of some roads in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

    Wike said the loan would be repaid through the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    All the 22 members present voted in favour of the loan.

  • Uzodimma signs two development bills into law

    Uzodimma signs two development bills into law

     

    Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has signed two bills to improve development of the state into law.

    The first bill is to establish the Imo State Micro, Small and Medium Industries Development Agency and other related matters, and the second is to establish a Bureau to coordinate, supervise and monitor projects undertaken by donors or development partners and other related matters.

    A statement by Uzodimma’s Chief Press Secretary, Oguwike Nwachukwu, said the bills mark another milestone in the administration’s efforts to ensure the state’s development.

    He listed objectives of the bills to include empowerment of local artisans, specification of standards for them and ensuring that products are hygienic and fit for human consumption.

    Read Also: Okorocha’s loyalists back Uzodimma’s bid to unite APC

     

    According to the governor, the bills are necessary to establish a body to supervise local manufacturing, entrepreneurship skills, private sector-driven activity and government intervention.

    He also stressed the need for a bureau that would coordinate all interventions to ensure the proper management and implementation of the policies, and ensure that the state derives the most value for them.

    Speaker of the House of Assembly Chiji Collins, while presenting the bills to the governor, said the bills had undergone all stages of legislative work.

    He said: “The first bill will establish an agency that would be a focal point for rural industrialisation, poverty alleviation and eradication, technology acquisition and adaptation, as well as job creation and sustainable livelihood.”

  • NBA Calabar flays vacuum in Chief Judge’s Office

    NBA Calabar flays vacuum in Chief Judge’s Office

    From Nsa Gill, Calabar

     

    The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Cross River State has condemned the vacuum in the office of the Chief Judge. It said it is unconstitutional to have a State High Court without a Chief Judge.

    The National Judicial Council (NJC) has remained silent over the situation seven days after the tenure of the acting Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Eneji, expired.

    Justice Eneji’s tenure expired on September 2 and he cannot be reappointed having served two conservative tenures of three months each.

    Chairman of the Calabar NBA Paul Ebiala said the absence of a Chief Judge portends danger for the state.

    He said: “The absence of a Chief Judge is like shutting down the system completely, it is just like having a state but no governor.

    Read Also: NBA: cost of throwing the first stone

     

    “A judiciary without a Chief Judge is shut down completely; a similar thing applies to the House of Assembly. Once the Chief Judge is not there, activities of the judiciary are crippled. There will be no one to assign cases, nobody to attend to official or administrative matters.

    “We condemn the non-appointment of the substantive Chief Judge. Whatever needs be done should be done immediately for the Chief Judge to occupy that office.

    “It’s bad that we can’t even go to court because the vacation court cannot sit because there is no one to assign cases which should have been done by the Chief Judge.”

    The judiciary is currently on its annual vacation which will end on September 23. The expectation is to make the most senior judge, Justice Akon Ikpeme, the substantive chief Judge. But her recommendation has been rejected twice on the pretext of her being a non-indigene of Cross River.

    Ikpeme is still in service and Eneji has served out the tenures in acting capacity. The third and fourth in ranking have reportedly declined taking up the position of acting Chief Judge, arguing that the rightful occupant, Justice Ikpeme, be given her due.

     

  • Bayelsa West: APC members join PDP

    Bayelsa West: APC members join PDP

    From Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

    Some members of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa West have defected to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to protest alleged violation of zoning arrangement.

    Led by former Chairman of Ogobiri Youth Association, Ekadi Desire, the defectors were received by PDP Chairman in Sagbama Local Government, Ofoni Oyafikunmo; Vice Chairman Michael Magbisa and Council Chairman Embeleakpo Alade.

    Desire said they left APC because of violation of the existing zoning of political offices between Sagbama and Ekeremor.

    The youth leader said the two National Assembly positions were shared between Ekeremor and Sagbama.

    He said it was provocative for APC to field Peremobowei Ebebi, from Ekeremor, for the senatorial election, when an Ekeremor son, Fred Agbedi, is in the House of Representatives.

    The defector described Ebebi’s emergence as a deliberate and unacceptable oppression of APC members in Sagbama, saying they believed in Dickson’s ability to defend Ijaw interest.

    Dickson said the APC leadership was executing a plan to cause needless division and tension in the senatorial district.

    He thanked the people for their support, and promised that the defectors would be given equal rights as others.

  • APC chieftain: I have not joined PDP

    APC chieftain: I have not joined PDP

    A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Ojukaye Flagg-Amachree, has denied defecting to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Flagg-Amachree said the publication of his alleged defection was the handiwork of quack journalists.

    He said: “There is investigative journalism and I expect any good editor to balance a story. For any editor to feature such important news, I expect such editor to reach the other party to ascertain the truth.

    “I have called the editor to retract the story because it is not true. I have a lot to focus on and PDP is not part of it.

    “Politics and life is all about expansion and contraction, and this is the moment we need to test our fate, level of loyalty and focus. Twenty twenty-three is just beside the corner and I am very convinced that APC will take back the state.

    “I urge my supporters and APC members to endure and be focused to take over the state.”

    A local paper, Port Harcourt Weekly Watch, in its September 7 publication, reported that Ojukaye was set to defect to PDP.

  • NBA condemns vacuum in office of Cross River State Chief Judge

    NBA condemns vacuum in office of Cross River State Chief Judge

    From Nsa Gill, Calabar

    The local chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Cross River has condemned the vacuum in the office of the Chief Judge of the state.

    Justice Maurice Eneji’s tenure as the acting Chief Judge of the state expired on September 2.  Justice Eneji cannot be reappointed having served for two conservative tenures of three months each.

    The National Judicial Council (NJC) headed by the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN) was yet to act on the situation in Cross River State judiciary.

    Speaking in a telephone interview, the Chairman of Calabar branch of the NBA, Dr. Paul O. Ebiala, regretted the non-appointment of a substantive State Chief Judge

    He said the absence of the Chief Judge of the State portends danger and not a healthy development for the state.

    The lawyer said it was unprecedented in the history of the Judiciary in Cross River State to be without a Chief Judge

    “The absence of the Judiciary in Cross River State is like shutting down the system completely, it is just like having a state but no governor.

    “A state that has no governor is shut down completely; the Judiciary that has no Chief Judge is also shut down completely. A similar thing applies to the House of Assembly.

    “In the case of the Speaker of the House of Assembly, we have a Deputy Speaker and we also have a deputy governor but in the case of Chief Judge, there is no deputy.”