Category: Southeast report

The Abia State chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has called off the three day strike embarked upon by the union over nonpayment of salary arrears and implementation of agreements made with the state government.

Rising from the union’s deliberations with the state government, the union said her decision to call off the strike stems from the renewed commitment of the state government to workers welfare and her quick intervention to resolve the issues raised by the striking workers.

Assistant General Secretary of the union in Nigeria, Comrade Chris Onyeka while addressing journalists in Umuahia, the state capital, admitted that though there were varying degrees of issues raised by workers in the state he is optimistic that the state government is committed to ensuring a more worker friendly environment as work returns to normalcy in the state with industrial peace restored.

The Conference of United Political Parties, CUPP, has commended the people of Enugu State for their peaceful conduct during the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, saying they spoke through the ballot.

CUPP spoke at a press briefing in Enugu where it described the victory of many Labour Party candidates as historic.

The group urged the people of the State to brace up for the governorship election on March 11, 2023, noting that the choice would be based on track record not on any political party.

Chairman of the CUPP, Ogbonna Festus Okafor, who hailed the turnout of the electorate, said the fallout showed that it was no longer business as usual.

According to him, “What it means is that Enugu people are now very much politically active. May we, therefore, start by congratulating the people of the State for the outcome of the exercise.

“Without mincing words, the outcome of the National Assembly elections in Enugu State is a clear testament to the fact that power indeed belongs to the people.

“Before now, elections in Enugu were highly predictable. But all that changed; all permutations were made nullity by the outcome of the polls.

“We at the CUPP make bold to say that the success is well-deserved, considering that the people have yearned for change since 1999. It has not been wonderful that a particular set of people dominated the political space since 1999.

“We say congratulations to the Enugu people; they are the winners; they are the real heroes of democracy. To the winners, we urge them to be magnanimous in victory; they should learn from what happened during this election. It is no longer business as usual.

“Those in positions of authority must be responsible and accountable to the masses. For Ndi Enugu, they have written their names in history for deepening the country’s democracy. History will never forget those who were part of this positive move.”

The CUPP also dissociated itself from the claim of endorsing a particular governorship candidate, saying such claims should be ignored.

By Polycarp Orosevwotu, Ughelli

The All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, governorship candidate, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, yesterday assured the people and traders in Okpe and Ughelli South local government areas of human, capital and infrastructural development if elected as next governor of Delta state.

The APGA governorship hopeful, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, who gave this assurance when he visited Okpe and Udu local government areas, said the APGA Jubilee agenda if implemented after his triumphant victory come March 11th, will no doubt transform the face of Delta state.

Ogboru while in Orerokpe, Osubi, Okuokoko markets and Udu communities said what the Jubilee agenda has to offer Deltans includes, health, education, agriculture, empowerment of youth, food security, human, capital and infrastructural development, environment, investment in the comparative areas, equal opportunities to local government areas to develop their area by themselves and others.

The APGA governorship hopeful, Chief Great Ogboru assured Deltans of a brighter Delta state.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi was at Ajah Nwachukwu off Bourdilon, Ikoyi, Lagos yesterday, the residence of Sen Annie Okonkwo where he congratulated the senator’s son Hon Uche Okonkwo who won the Idemili North/South Federal Constituency election.

Obi said: “Congratulations! congratulations!! Congratulations,” commended Uche Okonkwo for putting up a good fight which saw him emerged the winner of the contest.

The young Okonkwo who contested the election under the Labour Party platform, defeated
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) two time incumbent, Obinna Chidoka, the APGA candidate,
Ike Cubana and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Ifeanyi Ibezim, in the tension-soaked contest.
While reacting to his victory, Okonkwo said: “God bless Peter Obi and all Obidients from Idemili North/ South Federal Constituency and accross the country for their love and support before, during and after the polls.

The lawmaker elect reassured to deliver dividends of democracy to his constituents to improve lives. “God has heard our voice that to rescue Idemili is a mission possible and anointed.”

But Sen Annie Okonkwo on his part, commended the Labour Party presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi for his amazing performance at the February 25 polls, saying that he made Nigerians proud and proved the critics wrong.

Anambra state government has dissolved leadership of Oko Town Union in Orumba-North Local Government Area of the state following crisis rocking the community over appointment of its representative into Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko.

Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Tonycollins Nwabunwanne, in a letter sighted by our correspondent, said petitions from stakeholders in the community showed the town union election was married by protests, adding that the community had been in crisis since after the leadership came into place.

He said, “After investigation and critical appraisal of the petitions before this office, it was revealed that the 11th January, 2021 town union election was married with crisis and protest at the election venue.

“The state government has already constituted a caretaker committee to run the OPU, ensure peace in the community and make appropriate arrangements to conduct a free, fair and transparent town election for the community in December, this year.”

The Nation gathered that sacked OPU executive unilaterally midwifed the appointment of former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Sopuru Ezeonwuka as representative of Oko community without consulting the traditional ruler of the town, Igwe Prof Laz Ekwueme.”

Younger brother to the late former Vice-president Alex Ekwueme, it was also gathered had been having estranged relationship with the Okopoly management and the federal ministry of Education for accepting Ezeonwuka.

The monarch had petitioned ministry of Education, conveying his non-approval of Ezeonwuka’s nomination.

When contacted, Igwe Ekwueme said the matter was being looked into, adding that he would not want to speak further on the issue.

Transition committee chairman of Orumba-North said the dissolution of the OPU executive stands because “it is the decision of the government, so it is a superior directive” adding” all those involved have been communicate

Labour Party (LP) Uche Harris Okonkwo, has clinched the party’s seat to  represent the Idemili North/South Federal Constituency, Anambra State,  in the lower chamber of the National Assembly.

He defeated the incumbent People’s Democratic Party  (PDP)candidate Obinna Chidoka, APGA’s Ike Cubana and All Progressives Congress candidate, Ifeanyi Ibezim.

In his reaction, Okonkwo said: “God bless all Obidients  from Idemili North and South. You have spoken loudly and  wisely. God has heard our voice that to rescue Idemili is a mission possible. Thank you  for standing firm behind your convictions and trust on me.

“We have by the courage of our hearts and the might of our votes struck down the terror of riggers. We have proved smarter than their chariots of thugs and platoon of criminals.  We have effectively turned the table of poor representation in Idemili.

“Now our work is simple, to do what we promised and what you voted for. We shall pursue relentlessly with every fibre of our common resolve from day one, I guarantee you. I thank my opponents too for a testy run and extend to them assurances of collective positive accommodation to the good work that must start in earnest for all our people.”Okonkwo is the scion of Senator Annie Okonkwo’s political heritage.

The Abia State Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dispatched sensitive materials to the 17 local government areas of the which would be used for the 2023 national assembly and presidential elections on Saturday, February 25.

Our correspondent who was at the INEC headquarters in Umuahia the state capital reports that security in the area housing both INEC, Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) and the Central Bank Of Nigeria has been beefed up with security operatives from the major government security outfits in the state.

The BIVAS, Ballot Papers and among other sensitive materials were among the Saturday’s election materials dispatched to the local government areas.

Efforts to speak with the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner to the state, Prof. Uzochukwu Chijioke could not sail through at the time of filing the report as he was engaged with protocols that would ensure that the Saturday’s electoral materials were dispatched to their locations.

Visit to commercial Banks in the state has it that the banks witnessed huge crowd who thronged the bank premises to make withdrawals as major banks in the state closed operation by 2pm Friday.

The police authorities have deployed no fewer than 5,000 operatives to Bayelsa State for Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Election Monitoring, South-South, Moses Jituboh, made this known in Yenagoa on Friday during an election lecture with officers and men of the Bayelsa State Police Command at Police Officers Mess.

DIG Jituboh said the police were fully trained, prepared, gingered and ready for the general elections.

He stated: “We are over prepared, we have been gingered, we have been trained and we are ready, so we have come, we have seen and we are going to conquer.

“We are going round but for threat analysis, I don’t think we are doing badly. Everywhere that is perceived to be flashpoints are being covered. So, I don’t think we have any except there will always be unforseen circumstances but I must assure you that we are ready.

“The police is apolitical; we are not in any party, the police is a national institution, our own neutrality is protection of lives and property and to defend the Constitution of the country, so we are neither here nor there but we are straight to do our work.

“We are close to 5,000 officers men deployed to Bayelsa State for the general elections.”

Also speaking, Mr. Ari Mohammed, Commissioner of Police (CP) Election in Bayelsa State, said a lot of preparations had been going on before most of them arrived, noting that on arrival, they met very agile and hardworking AIG that had been piloting the affairs as far as the elections were concerned.

Mohammed said: “We have been brainstorming from one angle to the other with other sister agencies. Other agencies are collaborating with us massively and we have actively patrolled all the nooks and crannies, both on land and waterways.

“Bayelsa State as we all are aware have 65% cultural activities done on the waterways; the waterways are fully covered not only by the police but by other agencies and support of other sister agencies.

“At Igbogene, I met with the Commanding Officer, the person of Rear Admiral Al Hassan and I had a session with him on how to collaborate with them because of the enormity of responsibilities that have been zoned to us in view of the waterways to know how best we can tackle the waterways.”

On his part, AIG Counter Terrorism for Bayelsa, Amechi Elumelu, reiterated that the police had close to 5000 officers and men deployed in the state.

The Local Government Council Chairman of Calabar South in Cross River State, Mrs. Esther Bassey is dead.

She reportedly died around 2.am on Friday from a sudden health challenge yet to be disclosed.

Confirming the demise of the Council Chairman, the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade took to his verified social media page and said, “It was with a rude shock and disbelief that I received news of Mrs Esther Bassey’s sudden demise.

“Her death is a tragic and monumental loss to Cross River State. It is a painful loss,” the governor said.

Adding, “as a government, we are hurt by Mrs Bassey’s passing because she was not only a strong partner in building the Cross River State of our dream, but an astute administrator who was also a Servant-Leader, who led from the front. Her giant strides as Calabar South Local Government chairperson bears testament to this.”

Ayade said “Esther was indeed the ‘Queen of the South’ as her admirers fondly called her. Her genial mien, her openness, her friendliness, her forthrightness and her integrity were the unassailable virtues that endeared her to all.

“Her death has robbed our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) of a pillar, our government a loyal, dependable ally and Cross River state a hardworking and diligent daughter. Indeed, our dear sister was a rare gem.

“The state is saddened by Mrs Bassey’s death, as a people of faith, we cannot question God. We can only pray for the peaceful repose of her soul.

“On behalf of the people and government of Cross River state, I condole with the Bassey family, her immediate community and the people of Calabar South.”