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Tag: Akwa Ibom

  • Umana: APC ’ll rule Akwa Ibom

    Umana: APC ’ll rule Akwa Ibom

    The people of Akwa Ibom gave the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Umana Umana, a hero’s welcome when he returned to Uyo, the state capital, last week. Correspondent Kazeem Ibrahym captures their excitements and hope for power shift.

    There was an upsurge in the broom revolution recently when the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Umana Umana returned home to a rousing welcome last week.

    As early as 11am, Akwa Ibom people in their thousands had thronged the Ibom International Airport to await the arrival of Umana. The car lots at the airports could not contain thousands of cars. The car lots were filled to the brim with different armanda of car brands.

    Tricycles operators, otherwise known as the Keke Napep, who naturally do not ply the airport, were also in their thousands, they parked their tricycles outside to wait for Umana and other APC stalwarts.

    The atmosphere at the airport became electrified with different women groups, students and youths from different local government areas in the state. Some of them sat on the floor. They held brooms, the symbol of the party. The women also entertained themselves with different array of local music.

    The suspense grew among APC supporters each time a flight touched down at the airport; the crowd would rush to see if it was Umana’s flight. The Police had difficulties in controlling the crowd that wanted to catch a glimpse at Umana and other APC chieftains.

    Umana’s chartered flight with registration number 5N-BMH finally touched down at the airport at exactly 3:45pm from Abuja. His arrival ended the long period of wait by the APC supporters. Umana was with his wife, Mrs. Florence, his running mate, Mr. Benedict Ukpong and his spouse, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Sen. Ita Enang, a former deputy governor, Nsima Ekere, Umana’s campaign Director-General, Soni Udom and a host of other party stalwarts.

    From the airport down to Uyo, the state capital, APC supporters were seen brandishing brooms, the symbol of the party. The supporters were led by tricycles operators. The tricycles operators in their hundreds led the way to escort Umana’s convoy to the Nsima Ekere Campaign Organization complex located at Gen. Edet Akpan Avenue (four lane), Uyo, where Umana and other dignitaries were billed to address the APC supporters on the outcome of the judgment of Justice Sadiq Umar-led panel. There

    There was traffic gridlock along the Oron road. The massive crowd lined along the road with broom in their hands. Some symbolically sweeping what they termed the decadent and alleged corrupt PDP brigands out of town.

    On arrival at the venue, the crowd struggled among themselves to catch a glimpse at Umana and other APC chieftains. Two former Local Government Chairmen for Uyo and Itu, Ekerete Ekpenyong and Michael Etim a.k.a Mac Joe also joined the teeming APC supporters.

    The duo served under former Governor Akpabio and incumbent Governor Udom Emmanuel. Their presence at the welcome reception for Umana ended months of speculation on whether or not they are APC members. The duo told the APC supporters that it won’t be business as usual, that the people should be given the opportunity to choose their leader.

    According to Ita Awak, the APC  Publicity Secretary, he explained that despite short notice, Akwa Ibom people came out in their large numbers to welcome Umana and other party chieftains.

    He said: “We were overwhelmed and profoundly heartened by the voluntary mammoth turnout to welcome and receive Umana Okon Umana and to listen and take to heart his reassuring messages. We deeply felt the outpouring of pure affection and love and hope by numberless thousands of Akwa Ibom elders, leaders, stakeholders, men, women, students and youths who assembled at Obong Nsima Ekere Campaign grounds of their own free will and without any promise or expectation of receiving any monetary gratification.

    “Akwa Ibom people came out to hear Umana Okon Umana because they didn’t like the timid verdict of the election tribunal; because they are sick and tired of the serial lies of the PDP government looters of our treasury. Akwa Ibom people came out to hear the voice of hope and the promise for a safer, more inclusive society.”

    Addressing the crowd at the Nsima Ekere Campaign Organization complex, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, threw the first salvo. He declared Governor Udom Emmanuel as illegal governor. He said the election that brought Mr. Emmanuel into government was not valid.

    Enang, who read Section 179 subsection 1 of the Constitution to the APC supporters, said Akwa Ibom governor failed to satisfy the 2/3 majority votes as required by the Constitution.

    He said: “I want to say that we have come to announce that we have obtained victory and the tribunal has decided that the election that brought in the PDP is incorrect, incomplete, illegal and they are not in government. I have brought a copy of the Constitution which says and confirms that there is no proper government in Akwa Ibom state as at today.

    “Since 2/3 of 31 is 21 and election in 18 local government areas have been cancelled, so election that brought in the PDP was not a valid election. So there is no proper government in Akwa Ibom state. The election stands annulled. We shall pursue to the end.”

    Umana in his speech said he was overwhelmed by the support of the Akwa Ibom people and promised not to let them down.

    But, before addressing the people, Umana asked that a minute silence be observed in honour of victims of election violence in the state. He explained that his party decided to appeal the judgment by the governorship tribunal in honour of those slain at polling units across the state in the course of exercising their civic responsibility.

    Umana said: “Also, we are appealing because we are hopeful. We trust in God and know that the judiciary will give the people of Akwa Ibom justice. I believe that at the Appeal Court we will succeed so that we can have 31 over 31.  I thank God because change is coming and I want to thank you for your resilience. You have gone through pain, you have sacrificed so much. It has not easy”, he said.

    The APC governorship candidate added, “I thank you for your resilience; I couldn’t have done it without the people of Akwa Ibom behind me. I assure you that very soon, God will liberate Akwa Ibom from impunity, oppression and imposition. A state that has been so blessed by God, why should our people suffer so much? You must have your own governor.”

    In his address, Ekere called on Akwa Ibom people to reject a packaged governor. Ekere thanked the people for coming out enmasse to receive the harbinger of change in the person of Umana.

    He stated that today, the unprecedented tribunal judgment had vindicated him for leading 21 aggrieved Akwa Ibom sons and daughter to demand for the inalienable right of the people to choose their governor.

    Ekere said: “I thank the judiciary for that unprecedented judgment and I’m certain that with the ongoing legal process the sham election will be cancelled and Akwa Ibom people will eventually choose their governor.

    “Illegal occupant of the government house is going to be chased out. Every Akwa Ibom citizens will say who they want as their governor.”

    For the Chairman of APC, Dr. Amadu Atai, he expressed gratitude to the party faithful and teeming supporters of change across the state. He however pointed out that Akwa Ibom people do not want a ‘packaged and imported’ governor, but a true son of the soil, who has been home grown and understands the needs of the people.

    His words: “Never again shall we allow anybody to use impunity on us and trample of us. We want re-run election in the 31 Local Government Areas.”

  • Two killed as gunmen attack Akwa Ibom fish market

    Two killed as gunmen attack Akwa Ibom fish market

    •Police: only one woman died

    Two women were reportedly killed last Saturday and scores injured when gunmen, suspected to be militants, attacked a fish market at Itu-Itam Modern Market, popularly called T-Junction, in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    Goods worth millions of naira were stolen in the attack.

    The Saturday attack was the second in the last three months.

    An eyewitness and motorcyclist, Mr. Moses Philips, told our correspondent that the militants, who wore military camouflage, arrived the market through a nearby river on two speedboats with machine guns and other weapons.

    He said the gunmen shot sporadically into the air to scare the residents.

    According to him, the hoodlums blocked the roads and other links to the T-Junction Market before looting the market.

    The eyewitness said most of those injured were not hit by stray bullets but while running for safety.

    He said one of the deceased was entering the market when a bullet hit her in the head.

    The eyewitness added that a bullet pierced the other woman’s thigh.

    She reportedly died on the way to hospital.

    Police spokesperson Cordelia Nwawe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), confirmed the attack but denied the number of casualties.

    She said an elderly woman was hit by a stray bullet, adding that she died in hospital.

    The spokesperson said the police command had plans to curtail militant attacks.

    She said the command also contacted other commands to block their waterways against militants’ infiltration into Akwa Ibom.

    Nwawe said: “No arrest has been made. When you say scores injured; that is not true. A stray bullet hit an elderly woman and she died in hospital. As soon as the incident happened, the police were quickly mobilised and repelled the attacks.

    “This is a warning to Nigerians that if you hear any attack by robbers, do not run; lie flat on the ground to avoid stray bullets.”

  • Umana: APC ’ll rule Akwa Ibom

    Umana: APC ’ll rule Akwa Ibom

    The people of Akwa Ibom gave the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Umana Umana, a hero’s welcome when he returned to Uyo, the state capital, last week. Correspondent Kazeem Ibrahym captures their excitements and hope for power shift.

    Where was an upsurge in the broom revolution recently when the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Umana Umana returned home to a rousing welcome last week.

    As early as 11am, Akwa Ibom people in their thousands had thronged the Ibom International Airport to await the arrival of Umana. The car lots at the airports could not contain thousands of cars. The car lots were filled to the brim with different armanda of car brands.

    Tricycles operators, otherwise known as the Keke Napep, who naturally do not ply the airport, were also in their thousands, they parked their tricycles outside to wait for Umana and other APC stalwarts.

    The atmosphere at the airport became electrified with different women groups, students and youths from different local government areas in the state. Some of them sat on the floor. They held brooms, the symbol of the party. The women also entertained themselves with different array of local music.

    The suspense grew among APC supporters each time a flight touched down at the airport; the crowd would rush to see if it was Umana’s flight. The Police had difficulties in controlling the crowd that wanted to catch a glimpse at Umana and other APC chieftains.

    Umana’s chartered flight with registration number 5N-BMH finally touched down at the airport at exactly 3:45pm from Abuja. His arrival ended the long period of wait by the APC supporters. Umana was with his wife, Mrs. Florence, his running mate, Mr. Benedict Ukpong and his spouse, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Sen. Ita Enang, a former deputy governor, Nsima Ekere, Umana’s campaign Director-General, Soni Udom and a host of other party stalwarts.

    From the airport down to Uyo, the state capital, APC supporters were seen brandishing brooms, the symbol of the party. The supporters were led by tricycles operators. The tricycles operators in their hundreds led the way to escort Umana’s convoy to the Nsima Ekere Campaign Organization complex located at Gen. Edet Akpan Avenue (four lane), Uyo, where Umana and other dignitaries were billed to address the APC supporters on the outcome of the judgment of Justice Sadiq Umar-led panel. There

    There was traffic gridlock along the Oron road. The massive crowd lined along the road with broom in their hands. Some symbolically sweeping what they termed the decadent and alleged corrupt PDP brigands out of town.

    On arrival at the venue, the crowd struggled among themselves to catch a glimpse at Umana and other APC chieftains. Two former Local Government Chairmen for Uyo and Itu, Ekerete Ekpenyong and Michael Etim a.k.a Mac Joe also joined the teeming APC supporters.

    The duo served under former Governor Akpabio and incumbent Governor Udom Emmanuel. Their presence at the welcome reception for Umana ended months of speculation on whether or not they are APC members. The duo told the APC supporters that it won’t be business as usual, that the people should be given the opportunity to choose their leader.

    According to Ita Awak, the APC  Publicity Secretary, he explained that despite short notice, Akwa Ibom people came out in their large numbers to welcome Umana and other party chieftains.

    He said: “We were overwhelmed and profoundly heartened by the voluntary mammoth turnout to welcome and receive Umana Okon Umana and to listen and take to heart his reassuring messages. We deeply felt the outpouring of pure affection and love and hope by numberless thousands of Akwa Ibom elders, leaders, stakeholders, men, women, students and youths who assembled at Obong Nsima Ekere Campaign grounds of their own free will and without any promise or expectation of receiving any monetary gratification.

    “Akwa Ibom people came out to hear Umana Okon Umana because they didn’t like the timid verdict of the election tribunal; because they are sick and tired of the serial lies of the PDP government looters of our treasury. Akwa Ibom people came out to hear the voice of hope and the promise for a safer, more inclusive society.”

    Addressing the crowd at the Nsima Ekere Campaign Organization complex, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, threw the first salvo. He declared Governor Udom Emmanuel as illegal governor. He said the election that brought Mr. Emmanuel into government was not valid.

    Enang, who read Section 179 subsection 1 of the Constitution to the APC supporters, said Akwa Ibom governor failed to satisfy the 2/3 majority votes as required by the Constitution.

    He said: “I want to say that we have come to announce that we have obtained victory and the tribunal has decided that the election that brought in the PDP is incorrect, incomplete, illegal and they are not in government. I have brought a copy of the Constitution which says and confirms that there is no proper government in Akwa Ibom state as at today.

    “Since 2/3 of 31 is 21 and election in 18 local government areas have been cancelled, so election that brought in the PDP was not a valid election. So there is no proper government in Akwa Ibom state. The election stands annulled. We shall pursue to the end.”

    Umana in his speech said he was overwhelmed by the support of the Akwa Ibom people and promised not to let them down.

    But, before addressing the people, Umana asked that a minute silence be observed in honour of victims of election violence in the state. He explained that his party decided to appeal the judgment by the governorship tribunal in honour of those slain at polling units across the state in the course of exercising their civic responsibility.

    Umana said: “Also, we are appealing because we are hopeful. We trust in God and know that the judiciary will give the people of Akwa Ibom justice. I believe that at the Appeal Court we will succeed so that we can have 31 over 31.  I thank God because change is coming and I want to thank you for your resilience. You have gone through pain, you have sacrificed so much. It has not easy”, he said.

    The APC governorship candidate added, “I thank you for your resilience; I couldn’t have done it without the people of Akwa Ibom behind me. I assure you that very soon, God will liberate Akwa Ibom from impunity, oppression and imposition. A state that has been so blessed by God, why should our people suffer so much? You must have your own governor.”

    In his address, Ekere called on Akwa Ibom people to reject a packaged governor. Ekere thanked the people for coming out enmasse to receive the harbinger of change in the person of Umana.

    He stated that today, the unprecedented tribunal judgment had vindicated him for leading 21 aggrieved Akwa Ibom sons and daughter to demand for the inalienable right of the people to choose their governor.

    Ekere said: “I thank the judiciary for that unprecedented judgment and I’m certain that with the ongoing legal process the sham election will be cancelled and Akwa Ibom people will eventually choose their governor.

    “Illegal occupant of the government house is going to be chased out. Every Akwa Ibom citizens will say who they want as their governor.”

    For the Chairman of APC, Dr. Amadu Atai, he expressed gratitude to the party faithful and teeming supporters of change across the state. He however pointed out that Akwa Ibom people do not want a ‘packaged and imported’ governor, but a true son of the soil, who has been home grown and understands the needs of the people.

    His words: “Never again shall we allow anybody to use impunity on us and trample of us. We want re-run election in the 31 Local Government Areas.”

  • Akwa Ibom election re-run: Matters arising

    The ruling of the Akwa Ibom Election Petition Tribunal that ordered for a re-run of the April 11 governorship election in 18 out of the 31 local government areas in the state is still far away from becoming a reality.

    It is possible the ruling will not stand – in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party that demands an upholding of the result of the election as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    It is also possible it will not stand – in favour of the All Progressives Congress that wants a total cancellation of the election. The only thing that is certain is that the case will go up to the Supreme Court, as provided for in the Electoral Act.

    This is so because the ruling of the Appeal Court, where the two parties have indicated intention to go, will not satisfy both, for reasons that are well known.

    There are reasons to believe that another election, whether a re-run or a fresh election, may go in favour of the incumbent governor, Udom Emmanuel, whose election is being challenged by Umana Okon Umana, the APC candidate. In the event of an election, the governor would not be going into the competition making promises that would seem abstract.

    He would not be far removed from the people with promises that would seem far-fetched or unrealistic, as any other candidate would be. He would point to concrete achievements in the short period he has been in office as a pointer to what the people should expect in the next three-and-half years or so.

    Emmanuel’s performance after only five months in office has lent credence to the popular belief that the era of professional politicians whose horizon does not expand outside the public sector is long gone. The way to go now is involvement of a different kind of professionals in governance – those who have the pedigree in the private sector to understand the new direction the country must go, if we are to move with the times.

    The governor has proved beyond doubt that his effortless switch from the private sector where he proved his mettle into the public sector, and his eventual emergence as governor, was not happenstance. It takes one that is steeped in excellence and a leader with vision and clearly defined goals to show the kind of direction he has shown in so short a time.

    A meteoric rise up the corporate ladder saw Emmanuel in the hierarchy of Zenith Bank as executive director, as well as a director of the bank’s subsidiaries outside the country, after a stint with Price Waterhouse Coopers, the international accounting giant. It is no surprise that the state’s economy, specifically, industrialisation, is the focus of his administration.

    Interestingly, the governor has gone about the business of governance since assuming office as though he were unaware of a petition against his election, and the probability that he might not be there to see his early efforts come to fruition. He demonstrates the confidence of a man whose conviction on the mandate he received is unshakable.

    With little to worry about in the area of infrastructure, he has channeled his energy into building the structures that would launch the state on the path of industrial revolution. At the last count, more than 50 foreign investors have shown interest in investing in the state; thanks to the effort of a foreign direct investment committee he constituted to be the arrowhead of his administration’s investment drive. But he hasn’t had to wait for foreign investors.

    A hitherto moribund paints industry will soon roar back to life, with all the modern components to make it operate on international standards. With the attitude of one that is running a race against time, the governor has gone about performing ground breaking ceremonies here and laying foundation stones there, to ensure the state drinks from the well of his deep knowledge of the role of industrialisation as the driver of socio-economic development. A prominent project on the cards is an automobile manufacturing company in Itu Local Government Area, which he aptly dubbedOpening the Book of Industrialisation. Also coming on stream soon are a refinery and a fertilizer plant.

    The feeling in Akwa Ibom today is that the choice of a technocrat with rich private sector experience, from the pack of professional politicians and people who have little to show for many years in public service, may not have been a mistake, after all.

    Governor Emmanuel recognised on assumption of office that a strong moral foundation is sine qua non for building the state of his dream, for, no society can expect to achieve greatness with weak moral fabrics. The launch of the Dakkada philosophy was therefore partly meant to achieve the level of moral and ethical transformation that would make the state locally and internationally competitive to investors, as far as adherence to international best practices is concerned. The philosophy also drives home the point that the development of the state must begin with individual development, by spurring in them a new spirit of enterprise.

    But Emmanuel is not the only professional in government. We can point to Lagos and Anambra states where involvement of professionals in government has produced excellent results. For many Nigerians, especially Lagosians, the eight-year tenure of Babatunde Fashola, a lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was outstanding.

    Governor Willie Obiano, a former executive director with Fidelity Bank, has yet to serve a full term. But in the period he has been in office, reports of his achievements tend to create the impression that before him, the state did not have a governor.

    The two states have been beneficiaries of the private sector experiences of their helmsmen. This is what is playing out in Akwa Ibom state today, and what will likely put the governor in good stead for another election.

    Now, can anybody fail to notice, at the federal level, the energy, zeal and commitment with which Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, another lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is going about his duties, with no comparison with any of his predecessors in the recent past? Agreed, his immediate predecessors came from the private sector. But as the old commercial said, “if it is not Panadol, it is not the same thing as Panadol”.

     

    • Ajiri, a business executive, lives in Lagos

  • 10,000 Akwa Ibom youths ‘ll get agric jobs

    The Akwa Ibom State government has said it will create jobs for 10,000 youths in the agricultural sector to sustain the administration’s plan for an agricultural revolution.

    Governor Udom Emmanuel spoke at the weekend in Uyo, the state capital, during an interaction with leaders of major socio-cultural organisations.

    He said his administration was committed to laying a solid economic foundation for the future through industrialisation.

    Emmanuel said for the agricultural revolution’s take-off, 10 modernised cassava processing plants would be established across the state.

    The governor noted that the state was blessed with arable land that makes cultivation easy for all seasons.

    He expressed commitment to exploiting the agricultural potential in the state by ensuring that the vast arable land across the state was cultivated.

    Emmanuel said the job creation plan would make it easier for youths, who were sent to Israel for training on mechanised farming, to maximise their skills in agriculture.

    The governor noted that the move was meant to ensure that indigenes could earn a living rather than beg for it.

    “He said: “If we don’t plant today, there may not be harvest tomorrow to sustain the people as overdependence on oil does not do the economy any good.”

  • PDP, Buhari and Rivers, Akwa Ibom polls

    PDP, Buhari and Rivers, Akwa Ibom polls

    In his response to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) name-calling and blame game over the judicial reversals in Akwa Ibom and Rivers, Lai Mohammed, the All Progressives Congress (APC) spokesman and now minister-designate, suggested that rather than whining, the PDP should rebrand and repackage itself to appeal to the electorate. That was what the APC did last year, swore Alhaji Mohammed, and that was why the party won the 2015 polls. That the APC won the polls is not in dispute; and that it repackaged itself, especially assembling a viable though tentative coalition, is also not controversial. What is in dispute is why the APC won. Indeed, it appears overall that the APC won the poll because the PDP first lost it. Alhaji Mohammed must put things in perspective.

    However, there is no argument whatsoever that the PDP needs to repackage itself in order to reclaim its former appeal. As the APC spokesman correctly observed, PDP’s 16 years in office and four electoral victories were achieved on false foundations. Its ideology was suspect, and its methods, not to say its competence in office, were abysmal. It subscribed to no inspiring ethical mantra, and it had very little vision of where Nigeria should be and its place in the world. It therefore won elections dubiously and malevolently. It muscled the system, corrupted everything it touched, and entrenched a most vicious culture of doing business, practicing law, and securing the country. In fact, the PDP had no pretext to be called a party; and when it ruled, for that was what it did, it also had no pretext to be called a government.

    It is therefore not surprising that in two separate statements last week the PDP blamed everybody but itself for its electoral debacle and its inability to sustain the victories it managed to coax from the country’s compromised law enforcement agencies and lax electoral system. The PDP argument and suppositions, as rendered by both its publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh, and national secretary, Wale Oladipo, are untenable. In Prof Oladipo’s words last Thursday: “The undue interferences by the executive arm of government in the activities of the judiciary, legislature and INEC, using the Department of States Service (DSS), is clearly unacceptable to the PDP as well as the Nigerian people, and the party has resolved to vigorously resist such. The PDP finds it offensive and provocative the judiciary’s handling of cases involving it in election tribunals in some states, particularly Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Taraba, Ogun, Plateau and Lagos. The tainted judgments of these tribunals, which are evidently products of arm-twisting from the nation’s security operatives under the direct command of an APC member, remains unacceptable to us.”

    Advocating and instigating Nigerians “to rise and use all lawful means to resist anti-democratic forces now using the judiciary and security agencies in their desperate scheme to subvert the will of the people and destroy the nation’s democracy,” the more acerbic Mr Metuh further suggested very strongly: “Let it be known, and clearly too, that no matter the strong-arm, threats and manipulations by the APC government, the PDP is not willing to and will never surrender the mandate freely given to us by the people in states where we won in the last general election, neither are the people of those states willing to allow sectional invaders to exert influence on those to be in charge of their affairs.”

    He then adds: “In the last five months, after conceding defeat at the presidential elections and other polls where we lost, Nigerians are witnesses to the fact that the PDP has remained calm and steadfast to its commitment to providing mature, decent and civil opposition with more interest in the peace, unity and corporate interest of our dear nation. However, the ruling party and the APC Federal Government in their dictatorial inclinations are much more interested in playing crude, selfish and sectional politics and trying to use manipulation of judicial processes to forcefully take over states where we genuinely won in the elections.”

    The old guard still directing the affairs of the PDP appears dead set against reality and change. They have sought to divert attention away from their incompetence and unethical politics. They will continue to resist the change, remoulding and renewal their party needs to confront the APC now and in the future. Without reforming itself and restructuring its operations, without changing its leadership in a revolutionary sweep of the Augean stables, it is impossible for the party to midwife the positive outcomes it dreams of. Until a group of idealists within the party —  probably young men in their forties, digitally inspired, brilliant and ethical — take over the leadership of the PDP, the already ossified party will continue to atrophy and die. It is in the interest of Nigeria for the PDP to renew its strength and anchor itself on an inspiring and lofty foundation in order to offer the alternative that many well-wishers think it capable of. The country needs it; the APC, whether it agrees or not, also needs a strong and healthy opposition; and the PDP itself needs to be a healthy and vibrant opposition to sustain its own life.

    Except it tells itself a horrendous lie, most of the victories it procured in past elections were manipulated. The unraveling taking place at the moment is not orchestrated by the judiciary, as the PDP falsely suggests. It is the right thing to happen; and if the PDP will look at the positive side, the process of electoral reversal is helping the party to shed weight and to rediscover its real self and where its strength lies. It does not need the so-called wealthy states of Akwa Ibom and Rivers to function and remake its image. What it needs are the right and revolutionary ideas, bright young men and women able to seize the moment, and a sense of being that is transcendental, unflappable and almost immortal. This column is directly calling for a revolution in the PDP to snatch the party from the hands of the indolent and visionless masters that had constrained its future for far too long.

    The PDP and Nigeria need this change in the opposition party simply because despite the enormous goodwill that swept APC into office a few months ago, the ruling party has been unable to pull its weight. It has proved lax in controlling its men, and its highly vaunted social and economic road map has become an archival document ignored and disdained by its leaders. Its dominance in the National Assembly has led the party, not to lofty deeds, but to opprobrious manifestation of discord and aimlessness. For a party that evinced vigour and audacity late last year and early this year, it has appeared today like a man without a soul, enervated, absentminded and fractious. Its number one citizen, President Muhammadu Buhari, though it is an exaggeration to say he is dictatorial as the PDP argues, has been unable to rise to the pedestal the last electioneering anticipated.

    If the PDP can reform, renew and measure up to the hopes of the electorate, and if the APC is unable to articulate the lofty vision contained in its founding documents, nor redeem the utopia it eagerly philosophised about many months back, then the opposition can indeed flower and offer perhaps the real change that the change party can’t seem to comprehend. It is not true, as the PDP fallaciously reasons, that President Buhari can’t lead as a democrat in a democracy. What is, however, true is that so far, President Buhari seems paralysed by either his anxieties over democracy or inundated by the shenanigans in his party, or both. He will have to come out of his shell, avoid making the kind of plaintive statements he made last week about a broken and fallen economy, and boldly and courageously enunciate the requisite vision and structure that will reinvigorate Nigeria. But if he will not do it, and cannot be compelled, then let a reformed and renewed PDP seize the high ground and orchestrate a new age of enlightenment, the nirvana of Nigerians’ hopes and dreams.

     

  • APC appeals Akwa Ibom State governorship tribunal judgement

    APC appeals Akwa Ibom State governorship tribunal judgement

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has appealed against the recent  decision of the Akwa Ibom State Governorship Election Tribunal that  fresh elections be conducted in 18 local government areas of the  state.

    In the suit filed by its lead counsel, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), at the Court of Appeal on Thursday, the party is seeking a reversal of the verdict of the three man tribunal made up of  Justices A. S. Umar, K.O.M Dawodu and P.T. Kwahar.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also filed its own appeal against the tribunal’s decision.

    The respondents in the PDP appeal are the APC candidate, Umana Okon Umana, APC, Governor Udom Emmanuel, INEC, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and the Nigeria police.

    The APC appeal is based on 20 grounds and is seeking two reliefs from the appellate court.

    The APC is praying the court for an order to allow its 20 ground appeal and also for an order setting aside the part of the decision of the tribunal ordering re-run election in 18 LGA which it complained of.

    The APC submitted that the decision of the tribunal to nullify the results declared by INEC in the petition and order re-run elections is against the weight of evidence.

    It said that the tribunal erred in law when it held that ground one of the petition which alleges that “the election (of the first respondent) was invalid by reasons of corrupt practices and or non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act is not incompetent.

    The party submitted for instance that the tribunal erred in law when it nullified the results of the election in the affected 18 Local Government Areas.

    It argued that the evidence relied upon by the tribunal in nullifying the results for Onna for instance was that of a witness who claimed to be a registered voter and evidence from? other polling units which it contended are inadmissible hearsay evidence.

    The party disagreed with the reason adduced by the tribunal for nullifying the results declared for Ikono Local Government area.

     

  • Akwa Ibom: APC, PDP back to drawing board

    Akwa Ibom: APC, PDP back to drawing board

    From all indications, the battle for the political soul of Akwa Ibom State would be keenly fought if the ongoing undercurrents at play are anything to go by, reports Remi Adelowo

    The die appears cast between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party over the control of Akwa Ibom State.

    For the APC, its hope to dislodge the PDP from the government house was rekindled recently following the ruling of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which ordered re-run elections in 18 local government areas of the state.

    Some of the affected LGAs include Eket, Uyo, Onna, Nsit-Ibom, Nsit-Ubium, Ibimo, Ibeksibo, Nsit-Atai, Etinam and Oron.

    Justice Sadiq Umar, who read the judgment, said the tribunal upheld the testimonies of the petitioners’ witnesses that election did not hold in the affected LGAs.

    Sadiq said the testimony of one of the witnesses, Mr. Don Etiebet, a former member of the PDP Board of Trustees, was convincing and reliable to the effect that election did not hold where he voted.

    The judge held that the allegations of irregularities and non-availability of election materials in the affected LGAs were also proved by the petitioners.

    While the party is not completely satisfied with the ruling, as it had expected the total cancellation of the governorship election held in the state on April 11, the PDP though shocked by the ruling, is not taking anything for granted in the event that the Appellate Court affirms the judgment of the Tribunal or, in a worst case scenario, nullifies the entire election.

    Though the two parties have appealed the judgment of the Tribunal, sources disclosed that the PDP is reportedly jitterier, with many of its leaders reportedly holding the view that the cancellation of elections in 18 out of 31 local governments in the state clearly aligned with the widespread believe that no proper election so called took place in the state on April 11.

    But for the APC, the Tribunal’s ruling though fell short of expectations, marked the first step in its attempt “to liberating the state and the people from the clutches of one man.”

    Chairman of the party in the state, Amadu Atai, said the party was expecting outright cancellation of the governorship election since the Tribunal had nullified the elections held in 18 out of the 31 local government areas.

    “The tribunal has cancelled the governorship elections in 18 local government areas and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct elections in the affected areas. But we are going to file an appeal, because we expected cancellation in more local government areas where discrepancies were pervasive,” he said.

    Atai’s counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Paul Ekpo, described the judgment as confusing, adding that the “the only good thing about the judgment was that the state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, remains in office.”

    The perceived ambiguity of the judgment, which has been interpreted differently by both parties, is another controversy not a few political watchers in the state are hoping the Court of Appeal would resolve.

    With elections cancelled in 18 out of 31 local governments, it was expected that the Tribunal should have declared the governorship seat vacant since the sitting governor, Udom Emmanuel, only secured 25 percent of votes cast in 13 LGs, which constitute less than 2/3 of the LGs in the state put at 21.

    APC strategy going forward

    While the leadership of the party is optimistic that the Court of Appeal would upturn the verdict of the Tribunal and grant its prayers for re-run elections in the 31 local government areas of the state, in addition, it has also embarked on an intensive mobilisation of the people of the state ahead the re-run election.

    Its Publicity Secretary, Ita Awak in an interview with our correspondent last week, said what is currently playing out in Akwa Ibom State, is a collective struggle by well meaning stakeholders to retrieve the state from Akpabio, the immediate past governor, whom he accused of turning the state into a personal fiefdom.

    He said, “What has been happening in our dear state for the past eight years is a policy known as Akpobiosm; an evil policy used in plundering the state to the detriment of our people. For us in APC, the battle to reclaim our state from Godswill Akpabio and the PDP is a battle we are determined to win by all lawful means.”

    Lately, the party has been countering the perceived achievements of the immediate past administration in the state headed by Akpabio, describing the period as the “locust years in the history of Akwa Ibom State.”

    The party claimed that while Akpabio’s predecessor, Obong Victor Attah received about N542billion in his eight years in office, with many landmark projects to show for it, the last administration left many abandoned projects and a whopping debt of over N500 billion despite getting well over N3trillion naira from the Federation Account.

    Another factor going well for the party is the support of influential politicians in the state for its governorship candidate, Umana Okon Umana.

    At a press conference addressed by ex-governor Attah last week Tuesday in Uyo, many former PDP chieftains who had fallen out with Akpabio were conspicuous at the event.

    They included a former Minister for Women Affairs, Mrs. Rita Akpan; wife of the first civilian governor of the state, Obongawan Imoh Isemin; former PDP Vice Chairman (South- South), Edet Nkpubre; former State Chairman, Otu Toyo Ita and a former deputy governor under Akpabio, Nsima Ekere.

    Also at the event are five former governorship aspirants of the party including Effiong Abia, Mike Sebastine, Ime Ekanem, Aniete James Sunday and Ekere.

    PDP’s counter strategy

    Determined to maintain its strangle-hold on the state, the ruling party under the control of Godswill Akpabio, according to sources, has also returned to the drawing board to re-strategise for the battle ahead.

    And the biggest factor working in its favour is the incumbency factor, which it plans to fully deploy to counter the onslaught from the APC, whose candidate, Umana, is known as a man with a deep pocket that can give the PDP a run for its money.

    Testy and interesting times, undoubtedly, lies ahead as the two major political parties gird their loins for the big battle within the next few weeks.

  • Army’s free medical scheme excites Akwa-Ibom community

    Army’s free medical scheme excites Akwa-Ibom community

    Personnel of the 6th Battalion, through its medical unit have held a medical outreach in Ibagwa, Akwa-Ibom State the battalion’s host community as part of their efforts to improve residents’ well-being and also enhance civilian/military relationship.

    The battalion’s Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Ahmed Ibrahim Getso said the objective of the health enlightenment programme was to bring quality health care to the people and also to cement the existing cordial relationship between the host community and the military which has become part of the community.

    Another objective of the outreach, according to Getso, is to provide medical tests so that people will be diagnosed of health cases and then seek early medical attention to avoid complications.

    “The medical assistance to the host community has been on for some time now. The people come to the medical centre in the Barracks and our doctors diagnose them free. They are also given free and less-costly drugs. We have a drug revolving scheme which enables the community to get drugs at very cheap rate. This time, we decided to provide medical assistance for the wider community,” he said.

    The outreach with the theme “Awareness of Some Killer Diseases in our Community,” consisted of two parts. While the first part was about lectures on some killer diseases, mode of contact, transmission and cure, the second part covered conducting series of medical tests and dispensing of drugs, mosquito nets and follow-up care. The outreach took place at the Annang People’s School, Ibagwa, opposite the battalion.

    Military doctors, pharmacists and nurses lectured the people on hypertension, diabetes mellitus, HIV/AIDS, peptic ulcer, malaria, general health, education and family planning.

    Doctors Martins, Julius and Ogunnaike handled lectures on hypertension and diabetes, HIV/AIDS and peptic ulcer while Pharmacist Aliyu Adam Abdullahi lectured the people on malaria. Warrant Officer Grace Eshiet and Chief Nursing Officer Ekaette Ekwere handled lectures on general health education and family planning, respectively.

    The Coordinator of the medical outreach, Lt. Olayemi David Ilori advised the people to take the lectures and the screening seriously so as to be free from diseases. He revealed that contrary to most local beliefs, most deaths that occur in the communities are not caused by witches and wizards but by lack of proper medical information and access to Medicare.

    Dr. Julius stressed the need for the people to seek proper and timely medical assistance whenever any health issues arise. He noted that most killer diseases could be avoided if detected early and treated on time.

    Pharmacist Aliyu noted that the effects of malaria could be devastating, adding that from current statistics, three persons die every minute from the disease in Africa. He emphasised the need for the beneficiaries to keep their surroundings clean so as to avoid stagnant water where mosquitoes which cause the disease breed.

    On how to know when they have come down on malarial attack, the Pharmacist said malaria symptoms include intermittent fever. Other symptoms are body pains, bitter taste in the mouth and severe headaches. He said it is particularly dangerous for pregnant women. He advised them to make adequate use of the mosquito nets provided for them, even as they were advised to register for ante-natal programmes in any good health care facility from two months of pregnancy.

    He also urged them to stop buying drugs from chemists; rather, they should visit a health facility.

    Dr Julius, who handled the lecture on HIV and AIDS revealed that available reports show that 3.1 per cent of Nigeria’s population is infected and that Nigeria now ranks second in Africa in terms of prevalence.

    He disclosed that, contrary to local beliefs, the killer disease is not caused by witches or bad habit but by exchange of blood or other body fluids between an infected person and one that is not.

    On how to avoid contacting the deadly virus, he advised them to stick to one sexual partner or make use of condoms and always insist that new or sterilised equipment are used before injections are administered on them.

    “If by chance you get it, don’t be ashamed, see the doctor and he will guide you and you will live well. If you don’t, the virus will destroy your body defence system,” he said.

    On hypertension, Dr Julius advised them on diet, regular exercise, better lifestyle and regular check-ups.

    Dr Martins said there is no known cure for hepatitis which comes through the same manner as HIV. He advised the people to undergo medical tests frequently and adhere strictly to medical advice.

    Dr Ogunnaike counselled them on the causes and cure of ulcer. He advised them against consumption of foods are capable of causing the disease; avoid smoking, alcohol consumption and self medication, among others.

    The people were also reminded of the need to maintain high degree of personal hygiene.

    The people were tested for hepatitis and others and drugs administered on them.

    Reacting, 59-year-old Madam Margaret Edet said they were surprised at the tenderness shown by the military personnel to the people. She said sometimes some people die as a result of diseases that ordinarily would have been cured, blaming the situation on poverty.

    “We are sick but we cannot help ourselves. Sometimes when we are sick, we only go with N50 to the chemist to buy whatever drugs that we can get. Most of us are old; some of us don’t have children,” she said.

    She appealed to both President Muhammad Buhari and Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa-Ibom State to consider establishing hospital for the elderly in the localities. This, she said, will help preserve their lives.

    Chief Friday Isaiah, a retired teacher and one of the beneficiaries said the community appreciates what the soldiers were doing for them.

    “The military is known for fighting wars but here they are testing and fighting diseases in the bodies of the people of their host community. It is good because it is going to make the host community free from the killer diseases,” he said, adding that if the host community is sick, it may affect the soldiers also because they are now members of the same community.

     

     

     

  • Governorship poll: Re-run in 18 Akwa Ibom councils

    Governorship poll: Re-run in 18 Akwa Ibom councils

    The Akwa Ibom State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has annulled the election in 18 of the state’s 31 Local Government Areas.

    Delivering judgment in a petition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Umana Umana, yesterday, the tribunal ordered a re-run in the councils.

    In the seven-hour judgment, tribunal Chairman Justice Sadiq Umar held that Umana and APC led credible evidence to prove electoral fraud in the councils.

    The petitioners had prayed the tribunal to void the election of Udom Emmanuel  of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because the poll was marred by irregularities.

    The election, they added,  did not comply with the Electoral Act.

    Holding that the petition succeeded in part, Justice Umar held that the petitioners proved that registered voters were disenfranchised in the councils.

    He held that 566,534 registered voters were disenfranchised in the 18 councils, including Uyo, the state capital, during the April 11 election.

    The other councils  are: Nsit Ubium, Nsit Ibom, Ibiono,  Oron, Etinan, Udung Uko, Oruk Anam, Etim Ekpo, Onna, Uruan, Ikono, Ini, Ibesikpo, Nsit Atai, Eket, Ibeno, Ikot Abasi .

    The tribunal was silent on when the re-run should hold and on Emmanuel’s fate.

    But the Constitution stipulates a re-run should be held within 90 days.

    Analysts were also wondering last night whether it would be proper for Emmanuel to remain in office during the re-run.

    Emmanuel’s lawyer Paul Usoro said last night that his client was not sacked.

    But APC Deputy National Chairman (South) Segun Oni said Emmanuel should quit office to ensure a level-playing field for all candidates in the election.

    PDP chairman in Akwa Ibom Paul Ekpo described the verdict as “confusing”.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had claimed that Emmanuel won the election with 996,071 votes; Umana polled 89,865 votes and Labour Party’s Senator Helen Esuene, 86,000.

    If the 566,534 voided votes are removed from Emmanuel’s votes, he will be left with 429,537 votes.

    With 566,534 votes up for grabs, the rerun is an open race.

    Either Umana or Esuene can still win if they do well in the race, but Emmanuel has an edge with 429,599 votes which is five times Umana’s and Esuene’s votes.

    According to the tribunal, petitioners were able to establish that elections did not hold in the affected councils. It said  where there were attempts to conduct the poll, they were marred by irregularities, such as over voting, ballot box snatching and intimidation of voters.

    The tribunal rejected the petitioners’ evidence in relation to the other councils because their “witnesses were not witnesses of truth”.

    It also rejected the petitioners’ expert witnesses’ evidence, noting that the so-called experts were unable to show how they came about their findings in relation to their claim that election did not hold in the state.

    The tribunal discountenanced the evidence on the non-use of card readers for accreditation, saying: “The report on card reader machine tendered by the petitioners was not conclusive” in proving the number of voters that voted on the election day.

    It also dismissed the statement by the INEC headquarters ahead of the April 11 election, indicating that the poll must be exclusively conducted with the card reader and in whichever polling unit the machine failed the election must be postponed till the next day.

    “In view of these, the petition succeeds in part. The first respondent, INEC, is hereby ordered to conduct fresh election in the 18 local governments,” Justice Umar said

    Earlier, the tribunal dismissed five motions on notice by the respondents challenging the competence of the petition.

    There was no jubilation in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, yesterday following the verdict.

    It was learnt that politicians could not immediately come to terms with the judgment.

    Shortly after the verdict, our correspondent, who went round town, saw PDP supporters meeting on Wellington Bassey Way by Brooke Street.

    Before the verdict, there was fear of a possible clash of PDP and APC supporters.

    As early as  noon, armed policemen had taken over major streets in Uyo,

    The Nation learnt that security operatives were on ground to prevent any untoward development.

    A commercial driver, Mr. Effiong Nyong, who spoke with The Nation, said going by the tribunal’s ruling, the PDP still has a lot of work to do to claim victory in the April governorship election.