The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Abians

  • Abians lambast INEC over election postponement

    IN anticipation that the Presidential and National Assembly elections would hold on Saturday February 16, Aba the commercial hub of Abia State became boisterous with economic activities as people made last minute purchases of what they would need at the weekend.

    Many went as far as stocking food ahead of the day owing to the threats from the members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) who had said in a statement that they were going to treat anyone that came out to vote on the days of the elections as saboteurs.

    Despite assurances from the Police and heads of other security agencies, some members of the public, including members of IPOB, had decided that they were not going to vote because of the sit-at-home order and the anticipated fears associated with elections in the country.

    Relief however came barely 24hrs when the leader of IPOB; Nnamdi Kanu announced cancellation of the planned boycott, urging members of the group to go out and vote, stressing that the group has reached an agreement with yet-to-be known source over the demands of the group.

    But some of the voters who were willing to defy the threat to vote were devastated when the news of the election postponement to February 23, hit the social media.

    Some of the residents of the two major cities and its environs who apparently weren’t aware of the latest development after arriving early to some of the polling centers became devastated when they learnt about the cancellation.

    A visit to different parts of the state, including Aba North and South, Ugwunagbo, Ukwa West, Umuahia North and South, Isiala Ngwa North and South show that economic and business activities were at their lowest ebb as most of the residents of the cities had gone to their various villages in preparation of the voting exercise because of the travel ban expected to last between 6am to 6pmn yesterday.

    Some of the markets in Umuahia and Aba, including Ubani Market, Ariaria, Eziukwu, Ahia Ohuru among others show low turnout of traders and buyers in various markets.

    While the gates of Ariaria International Market were opened for business, the gates of Shopping center were still under lock and key as at the time of our reporter’s last visit to the market.

    Lazarus and Onyekwere who corroborated each other described the postponement as national embarrassment and called on INEC to ensure that they get it right within the next seven days that the elections have been shifted to.

    Others who spoke to our reporter on the cancellation believed that it would be better to have the elections delayed and to get it right than conducting an election in a hurry and at the end of the day, the commission would be inundated with a lot of litigations as a result of the election.

  • Free transport for Abians to vote at home

    The Concerned Citizens of Abia in Diaspora (CCAD) has promised to provide free transportation for Abia State indigenes to return home to vote.

    The group spoke at a news conference in Akure, Ondo State capital, at the weekend.

    Spokesman for Ohanaeze Ndigbo Southwest and National Coordinator CCAD, Prince Erondu Uche, said: “The political developments in Nigeria and Abia State, and the need for more political awareness and participation ahead of the elections, is the rationale for this news conference.

    “The high number of uncollected Permanent voter cards (PVCs) at INEC offices nationwide calls for concern. The end result is that citizens disfranchise themselves from partaking in the voting process, thereby denying the country their constitutional obligation of electing good leaders. Ironically, this same group of people want good governance, but do not participate in producing the desired leadership. The best time to plant a tree is 25 years ago, the second best time is now.

    “I, therefore, urge Nigerians and Abians, at home and abroad, who are yet to collect their PVCs to do. I also use this medium to advice Abians to shun violence before, during and after the election, and not to get involved in vote-buying and selling.

    “Research has shown that most electorate in diaspora who registered in their indigenous states may not be able to vote in such areas because of the cost implication involved, after returning from the yuletide. To encourage Abia State indigenes residing outside Igbo land who registered in Abia, I will provide free transportation for the exercise. Eligible voters of Abia origin outside Igbo land, who have their PVCs, will enjoy free ride to and fro during the elections.

    “To access this offer, Abians are to link up with state and zonal coordinators of CCAD in their area. I assure Abians in diaspora that we would be actively involved in this year’s election in Abia State.”

  • Ikpeazu dedicates victory to Abians

    Ikpeazu dedicates victory to Abians

    Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has dedicated his victory over Uche Ogah at the Supreme Court to the people of Abia state, who, he said, stood by him during the period of litigations.
    In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Enyinnaya Appolos, Ikpeazu said the victory was a re-affirmation of the mandate given to him by the people, and now twice confirmed by the Supreme Court.
    He said only God will take glory for the victory. He commended the judiciary for standing firm on the side of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
    Ikpeazu called on Abians to join hands with him to ensure accelerated growth and development of the state.
    He said: “The time for politics is long over, and I have forgiven all those that were bent on distracting me. Let all well meaning Abians, including my opponents, come and join us to grow and develop our state without distractions as we ultimately have stakes in the growth and development of our state and people.”
    “Today, there is the work of Abia to do and history will judge us by how much of that work we do, not by how much politics we play. My doors are open to all, my ears are open to hear and my eyes are strong enough to read suggestions on how we can best deliver greater dividends to those who really matter: the great people of Abia State.”

  • ‘Appeal Court verdict a victory for Abians’

    A former Special Assistant to Second Republic Vice President Dr Alex Ekwueme, Mr Ben Onyechere, yesterday described the Court of Appeal judgment which validated Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s election as a victory for Abians.

    The appellate court set aside the judgment of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sacking Ikpeazu as the governor, calling it “a rape of democracy”.

    Onyechere, in a statement, said there was a desperate move to remove Ikpeazu, adding that his victory at the polls was no fluke.

    “The governor’s mandate was faultless and his victory overwhelming. In other words, the plot to reverse his mandate was an onslaught against the sensibilities of Abia voters whose right of choice was put to question,” he said.

    He praised the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Mahmoud Mohammed, for building a courageous and clean judiciary that cannot be bought.

    “The judgment of the Appeal Court confirmed further the excellence and decorum which adorns the appellate courts of Nigeria particularly under the present CJN who has speared no effort in sanitising  the judiciary,” Onyechere said.

    According to him, Ikpeazu will not be distracted by those he described as desperate politicians seeking cheap popularity ahead of 2019.

  • Ikpeazu to Abians: I remain your governor

    Ikpeazu to Abians: I remain your governor

    The Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has called on Abians not to panic, but remain clam over the judgment of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Abuja delivered Monday in favor of Mr. Uche Oga against him, in the case of alleged falsification of tax receipts.

    In a release by his chief Press Secretary, Enyinnaya Appolos, Governor Ikpeazu, who said that he has faith in the judiciary and rule of law, added that he will appeal the ruling as he has instructed his lawyers to file an appeal immediately against the said judgment.

    The Governor noted as an appointee of the Abia State Government from 2011 to 2014, when he served as the General Manager, Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme (ASPIMSS), and first Deputy General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) Aba and Environs respectively, before his resignation in October 2014 to contest the Governorship election in the state, that within the period  his taxes were deducted at source, and when he had need of his tax clearance in 2014, he applied to the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue, and was duly issued with his tax receipts for the period in question.

    He maintained that he remains the Governor of the state according to law and will await the final determination of the matter by the appellate courts.

  • PDP alleges plan by APGA to misinform Abians

    PDP alleges plan by APGA to misinform Abians

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State have alleged that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state of plans to misinform the people of the state and Nigerians in general that the
    state tribunal members were compromised to deliver their judgment.

    The party said that the members of the governorship election petition tribunal based the judgment of the tribunal on the evidence before them as the petition brought before them by APGA was dead on arrival.

    Speaking with newsmen in Umuahia the legal adviser and legal research officer of the party, Gab Igboko and Hagler Okorie said APGA had earlier held a meeting in Enugu which was presided over by a sitting deputy governor from the zone who lives in the coal city.

    The duo said that the party later moved to Owerri where the meeting continued and was presided over by a sitting governor from the zone with the plan and assurance that they will reach the justices of the
    Court of Appeal to compromise them.

    Igboko said that APGA is deliberately misinforming and abusing the mind of the public in the state and Nigerians to the effect that the judges of the governorship election petition were compromised to
    arrive at the well considered judgment of that tribunal.

    He said, “The meeting in the two states was towards the arrangement for the said Governor to possibly interface with the justices of the Court of Appeal to influence the outcome of the intending appeal by
    APGA, having failed to achieve same with the tribunal in Abia in their bogus card reader accusation”.

    Igboko said that the petition of the opposing party was doomed from the onset as there were many viruses embedded in their petition, adding that during the proceedings that they were unable to prove
    their case but rather decided to ask for more time.

    In his own contribution, Okorie said that APGA asked for seven days to present and prove their case, “Which they were not able to do but instead asked for extra time which the panel in their wisdom refused to grant because of time.”

    Okorie noted that the law on is very clear on certain matters especially the case involving election petition matters which is time bound, stressing that if the stipulated time is exhausted that the
    case will be thrown out.

    He explained that the judgment of the election petition tribunal was arrived at after much deliberation and in-depth analysis of the evidences before them, stressing that they Justices could not have
    done otherwise based on facts before them.

    The PDP legal research officer said that during the proceedings that the opposition party asked the tribunal to allow them present sixty witnesses, “But when the time came they were only able to present
    twenty witnesses who could not prove their allegations beyond all reasonable doubt.”

    He explained that the evidences APGA brought before the election petition tribunal was not enough for them to win their petition, “There was no way they could have won their case with the virus
    infested evidences they brought before the tribunal”.

    The PDP legal team therefore advised members of the public to be alert on the antics of the party they described as disgruntled and desperate politicians and be wary of being deceived by them.

  • The choice before Abians

    SIR: Recently while addressing a group of women who paid him a courtesy call, former Head of State Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was quoted as saying “Good governance comes from the selection of leaders. It is up to you to decide who you casts your votes for, because if you throw away your votes you have lost out’’.

    I guess he should have said “if you allow your election to be rigged after casting your vote, you have lost out mightily”.  True words indeed nevertheless except that as usual, it was coming from a notable Nigerian who like other past office holders, only become paragons of virtue after they have left office.

    In the next few weeks, Abia State like the rest of the country will be conducting its governorship elections after its first real campaign since the creation of the state. I use the word “real “literally because Abia  has never had what you might call a real campaign or election, hence what we have had in the past were coronations. Orji Uzor Kalu while leaving office picked his successor and coronated him. Now his replacement T.A Orji (Ochendo) is attempting to coronate his own successor in the person of Okezie Ikpeazu. If we should let them succeed we might as well declare Abia State a monarchy. This is why the choices we Abians make in this election will be the most momentous of our political lives.

    The Abia electorate cannot get it wrong again by allowing the imposition of another handpicked member of the Ochendo family because if we do we will have no one to blame but ourselves. Past electoral exercises in Abia informs us that they were somehow rigged. Not that it was absolutely necessary for them to do so, since all the four elections Abia were basically one-party affairs, once under PPA and later PDP. They were more or less no contest elections. The opposition was non-existent.

    While it will be wrong for us to sit back and let Ochendo and his group steal the elections, I believe also that we may be giving them too much credit for their rigging prowess in view of the fact that the political environment in the state has changed dramaticallyfrom what it was four years ago. For instance, this time around, there are real campaigns by two formidable candidates. While one candidate, Alex Otti is formidable on the basis of his intellect and administrative antecedents, his opponent’s only claim to formidability is the billions of state money being spent on his behalf. The electorate are also more aware, and if I am right, determined to fight to secure and protect their votes.

    It is highly improbable that the PDP will not attempt to rig the election. This is because as one Havard scholar Biodun Jeyifo recently asserted, “the PDP will never attempt to clean up the augean stables of filth and rot it has created, but rather attempt to rig itself into perpetuation and misrule” and as is the case with Abia State. If they succeed in doing so, they will be emboldened to raise impunity to new levels and we the citizens of Abia will be astonished by new forms of monumental corruption, waste and mismanagement as we have never seen before.

    This is our chance to make things right as we may never get a chance like this again for another eight years.  We must listen to the words of Obasanjo when he recently said” Find out the track record of achievements of those you want to vote for. What have they achieved in the past and not what they have said”.  We know Alex Otti. We know his record of achievement in the past.  We know of his excellent academic credentials, his managerial expertise and his determination and resolve to bring change to Abia State. Voters must vote right and vote for change. Change they believe in, as Obama would say. They also must not leave their vote to chance or expediency. As Henry David Thoceus once said “A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance”.

     

    • Nnanna  Ijomah,

     New York