Category: Southeast report

All Progressives Congress (APC) executive committee in Aniocha North Local Government in Delta State has nullified the suspension order clamped on Ms. Lauretta Onochie by Onicha-Olona Ward 04 executive committee.

A statement yesterday by Messrs. Matthew Chinye and David Onwuamaeze, the party’s local government chairman and secretary, noted that “the ward executive erred by not communicating perceived allegations against Madam Onochie to the local government executive, a body statutorily recognised as the adjudicatory body in the first instance, as enshrined in Section 21 of the party’s constitution, but rather shunted the due process by contacting the state executive committee.”

The statement added that the majority of the signatories to the suspension were impersonators, a situation that violated sections of the party’s constitution.

It said the local government executive committee would set up a fact-finding/disciplinary committee to ascertain the allegations and breaches of due process in the conduct of Ward 04 executive committee.

Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, Sen. Magnus Abe, has said acceptability or rejection by the electorate is tested through free, fair and credible elections and not through rigging and intimidation of voters.

He was reacting to a statement at his Gokana hometown by Governor Nyesom Wike that the candidate (Abe) was rejected by his people, hence the reason they failed to vote for him in the March 18 governorship election.

The two term senator, who represented Rivers Southeast, said popularity and acceptance or rejection of a person could not be tested in the kind of election conducted in the state.

He challenged Wike to listen carefully to know the mind of his Rumuprikom kith and kin, and Ikwerre ethnic nationality in general on the purported elections in the state.

Anambra State Government has hailed United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for its intervention projects targeted at supporting flood-affected communities in the post-flood recovery efforts.
Executive Secretary, State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ASPHCDA), Chisom Uchem, was grateful to UNICEF for the renovation of nine selected Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) in flood-ravaged areas of the state, as well as donation of medical equipment.
PHCs’ renovation for post-flood response was facilitated by UNICEF through funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
Speaking during a supervisory visit to the benefiting PHCs in Anambra West and Awka North local governments, Uchem said the visit was to monitor the status of the renovation of the PHCs as well as facilitate delivery of medical equipment to the facilities.
She listed some of the medical/hospital equipment donated to include stand, infusion, double hook-on castors, hospital standard bed with mattress, labour/delivery bed with access, hospital bedscreen on castors, emergency trolley, drawers, among others.
She said: “The ongoing PHC renovation and delivery of hospital equipment will strengthen the morale of community members on their commitment toward matters relating to their health.
“This will, however, extend to using the existing community structures in building up resilience to mitigate the impact of emergencies on their health systems.”
Health Specialist, UNICEF Enugu Field Office, Dr. Ifeyinwa Anyanyo, lauded government’s efforts and support of their activities through provision of an enabling environment for the interventions to thrive.
Anambra West, Emmanuel Okoye, an engineer, said the centre was among those affected by the 2022 flooding.
He appreciated UNICEF, SIDA and CERF for their donations and grants given to communities and the state towards ensuring the well-being of the people.
The renovated PHCs in five local governments are Umunankwo PHC, Akiliozizor PHC and Ogbakuba PHC all in Ogbaru Local Government; Oba PHC in Idemili South Council; Ugbenu PHC and Ebenebe PHC in Awka North Local Government, as well as Eziaguluotu PHC in Anambra East Local Government, Umueze-Anam PHC and Iyiora Abegbu PHC in Anambra West Local Government.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has urged Ndigbo living in Lagos and other parts of the country to return home to be counted during the forthcoming national population census.

The group said the exercise would enable the organisation to know the population and number of amenities needed in the Southeast.

“We will use the coming census to ascertain the population and the number of amenities we need in the Southeast.”

In a statement yesterday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB offered to provide transportation for everybody willing to come home for the exercise, irrespective of the region he or she resides.

The Port Harcourt Division of the Appeal Court has upturned a Federal High Court judgment, which had awarded over N30billion against Ebonyi State Government and a garnishee order.

The appellate court, in a unanimous judgment, set aside the lower court’s judgment for lack of jurisdiction and proceeded to strike same out.

The Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Stephen Daylop Pam, had on July 15, 2022 delivered judgment against Ebonyi State Government in a suit brought to it by Andrew Bishopton Ltd and two other claimants over a failed/discontinued contract for the recovery of excess deductions from Paris Club loan.

The claimants had approached the lower court to claim, among other things, N30billion and other ancillary claims against the state government as irreparable damages for failure to pay 25 per cent commission on the failed contract, which the Federal High Court granted.

The Appeal Court upturned the judgement for lack of jurisdiction of the court, as well as its lack of merit.

The recent judgment by the Appeal Court was sequel to an appeal filed by Ebonyi State Government and the state Attorney-General being appellants in a suit marked: Appeal No: CA/PH/321/2022.

The state government challenged the judgment of the lower court on the grounds of improper determination of the jurisdiction of the trial court, the facts of the case and circumstances surrounding the suit.

In his argument, counsel for the appellants, Emeka Etiaba (SAN), referring to Section 251(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and the Order 2 Rule 2 of the Federal High Court Civil Rule 2019, submitted that the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt had no jurisdiction to handle the matter.

He contended that the facts before the court were hotly contested by the parties, asserting that the seriousness of the conflict was one that documents could resolve.

Etiaba also submitted that the evidence before the trial court showed that the 1st respondent never recovered any money for the appellants as shown in the available exhibits.

In a ruling on the suit delivered by Justices Gabriel O. Kolawole, Olabode A. Adegbehingbe and Abul – Azeez Waziri, on April 3, 2023, the Court of Appeal unanimously resolved all the issues in favour of the appellants which are Ebonyi State Government and the state Attorney-General.

The lead judge, Justice Waziri, therefore submitted: “With the resolution of the four issues donated by the appellants in their favour, the destiny of this appeal is obvious.

“The appeal is allowed, and the judgment of the trial court is hereby set aside for lack of jurisdiction, same therefore is struck out.

“Parties are to bear their respective costs for prosecuting and defending the appeal,” he said.

Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel has set up a committee to drive the success of national population census, scheduled for next month.

A statement by Information and Strategy Commissioner Iniobong Ememobong said the Secretary to the State Government, Emmanuel Ekuwem, is the chairman of the committee.

The 10-man committee is to interface with the National Population Commission and ensure a smooth census.

Commissioners for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Economic Development, Information and Strategy, Women Affairs and Social Development, Rural Development and Cooperatives, and Special Adviser, Bureau of Political and Social Re-orientation are members of the committee.

The governor has approved the takeover of 15 community schools, bringing the total number of schools taken over by the administration to 34. 

The schools include Community Christian High School, Ikot Oku Usung, Ukanafun Local Government; Ibaka Community School, Ibaka town, Mbo Council; Seat of Wisdom Comprehensive Secondary School, Ibianga, Oruk Anam Local Government; Community Secondary School, Obot Ideng, Ibesikpo Asutan Council; Migrant Community School, Ibakang Nsit, Nsit Atai Local Government; All Saints Secondary School, Ibikpe Uruan, Uruan Council; ETDA Secondary School, Nto Eton, Obot Akara Local Government. 

Others are Abat High School, Abat Town, Etim Ekpo Local Government; Community Comprehensive High School, Obo Atai, Nsit Ibom Council;

Christian Community Secondary School, Okoyo, Ukanafun Local Government; The Apostolic Church High School, Esit Urua, Eket Council;

Ibiono Ibom Community Secondary School, Ibiaku Ikpedip, Ibiono Ibom Local Government; Community Primary School, Atabrikang, Eastern Obolo Council; Itak Peoples High School, Itak, Ikono Local Government and Secondary School, Oku Iboku, Itu Local Government.

•Over anti-party activities

The executive of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Uhunmwonde Local Government of Edo State has suspended a former minority whip of the House of Representatives, Dr. Samson Osagie and 10 other stalwarts of the party, for alleged anti-party activities.

The other suspended stalwarts are Rowland Alari, Simon Uduogie, Felix Alari, Mrs. Esohe Idemudia, Monday Guobadia, Nelson Ise, Festus Iyekeoretin, Jolly lyekeoretin, Evans Ozabor and William Amadi.

Osagie, a two-term member of the House of Representatives, however, described his suspension as laughable, and a gross violation of Article 21 of APC’s constitution.

The suspension was contained in a letter yesterday to Edo Chairman of APC, Col. David Imuse, (rtd.), and signed by the local government executive of the party, including Pius Iyamu and Rebecca Okunbor.