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Tag: Anambra State

  • No regrets dumping PDP for APC – Nwoye

    No regrets dumping PDP for APC – Nwoye

    Former Governorship candidates of the  People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra state and member representing Anambra East and West federal constituency, Tony Nwoye says there is no regret dumping the party for   the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    He said while addressing the women and the youth who trooped out in the morning, that APC had shown that it had all it takes to move Nigeria forward with President Mohammadu Buhari on the saddle.

    He declared this Friday in Nsugbe, Anambra East Council area of Anambra state while hosting and thanking his constituents for their support over the years.

    Nwoye, who had already marshaled out plans to empower his constituents in August, with sewing machines, dryers, motorcycles, grinding machines among others, said he left PDP exercise of the numerous crises in the party in Anambra.

    He blasted the National Publicity Secretary of (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh for the party’s woes in Anambra state, adding that he had seen that (APC) was a place to be.

    However, he told reporters after addressing the mammoth crowd at Nsugbe yesterday that he had implicit confidence in President Mohammadu Buhari to fix Nigeria, adding that people should give him the chance to achieve it in no distant time.

    “Metuh is the problem of (PDP) in Anambra state and that is the reason why many of us have joined (APC), he is the major contributor to what happened to PDP and I’m telling you now that I loved the party but it is unfortunate I’m no longer with them”

    “Our president, may appear rigid to some people on the way he handles issues but I am telling you now that he means well for the  country, what people should exercise is patience for the country to be well again,” Nwoye said.

    Already the House of Representatives member had lined up activities for his people in Anambra East and west, where he begins tour of the East, with committees set up in each of the two local government areas to pilot the empowerment.

    Also, the women, widows and the less privileged in the area would be empowered between August and September 2016, especially those who were doing all sorts of businesses to beef up their trades.

    According to him, “this is exactly what the APC government stands for. I am using my salary for now to please my people and I have no regrets what so ever,” the former governorship candidate of (PDP) in 2014 election in Anambra said.

    On whether the preparations were for his governorship ambition in APC, he declared, “what I’m doing has no political implication; you should know that the current governor, Chief Willie Obiano is my brother, only the people will decide whether he has done well or not.”

     

  • Confusion as Anambra PDP holds parallel congresses

    Confusion as Anambra PDP holds parallel congresses

    It was confusion galore Tuesday at the marble Arch Hotels in Awka, Anambra state, when the faction of the people’s Democratic party PDP held its state congress.

    But the other faction led by Chief Chris Uba at the Emmaus house was well organized without any form of rancour.

    However, notable absentees during the exercise Tuesday were former Governor of the state, Chief Peter Obi and national publicity secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh.

    The confusion began at the hotel when one of the candidates presented a court order to the chairman of the group’s congress committee chairman, Hon Ladi Edun, disqualifying his opponents Mr Ngozi Agudosi and Emeka Small from the race.

    Other positions were done by voice vote except the chairman, which returned Prince Ken Emeakayi as the chairman.

    The marble arch congress was attended by some PDP chieftains such as Senators Andy Uba, Stella Oduah, the national Assembly lawmakers and other members

    However, the congress conducted at the Emmaus house was attended by Senator Annie Okonkwo, Chief Chris Uba, Senator Ugochuwu Uba, former minister of transport, Prince John Emeka and state house of Assembly members.

    The congress was conducted by Alhaji Abubarka Mallam( Shettima gwandu) with other members.

    The Nation gathered that the PDP congress committee sent to the state divided itself to conduct the exercise

    Speaking with reporters Tuesday after the congress, the chairman of the committee, Abubarka Mallam said they conducted the congress based on the constitution and guidelines of the PDP

    For Annie Okonkwo and Prince John Emeka, there was no other committee except the one headed by Shettima Gwandu

    After the congress, the chairman of the committee, declared Chief Ejike Oguebego as newly elected chairman, while, Edun declared Emeakayi winner of the congress also.

    In their separate speeches, Oguebego and Emeakayi thanked members of their party for electing them, promising not to disappoint them.

    Also, the two committee chairmen claimed being the authentic group sent to the state by the National leadership of the PDP.

  • PDP crisis deepens over congresses in Anambra

    PDP crisis deepens over congresses in Anambra

    The crisis tearing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP apart in Anambra state is yet to abate, as different groups sing discordant tones over the botched ward congresses at the weekend.

    While the chairman of the party in the state, Ejike Oguebego who addressed reporters on Sunday, said the congress did not hold anywhere in the state, some of the opposition members said it held.

    The chairman of the eleven man congress committee, Hon. Ladi Edun was said to have absconded leaving behind the other members of the committee in Awka, Anambra state.

    The Nation gathered Monday that the two senators representing the state, Stella Oduah and Andy Uba are in the same camp, while Senator Annie Okonkwo and Chief Chris Uba are in the other camp.

    It was also gathered that the national publicity secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh is also fighting in favour of the two senators while former Governor, Peter Obi is sitting on the fence.

    Furthermore, it was gathered that Edun made away with the electoral materials to please his sponsors, while the members of his committee and PDP members who had come out for the exercise were left stranded in the state.

    As at the time of filling this report yesterday, the congress committee chairman’s line was not going to ascertain the reason behind his action.

    But a senior member of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who spoke with The Nation in Awka Monday, said the commission did not monitor any congress in the state.

    The INEC officer, who spoke in confidence, said they were tired of the antics of PDP in Anambra state, adding that the commission was ready to monitor their congress anytime it was fixed.

    However, PDP state chairman, Oguebego called the national leadership of the party led by Alhaji Bunu Sheriff to send another person to conduct the congress in the state.

    He said the members of the party were ready for the exercise, as they equally came out in their numbers last weekend without success.

    Oguebego, however appealed to the members to be law abiding, adding that they should not do anything that could ridicule the party.

     

  • FCET Umunze gets new SUG excos

    FCET Umunze gets new SUG excos

    A new set of Student Union Government (SUG) executives have emerged from the 2015/2016 SUG elections at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze in affiliation with Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka.

    The elections, which was held on Tuesday, 1st March 2016, saw Okoye Augustine, a 300 level Industrial student, emerge President in the election.

    He defeated four other contestants.

    Okeke Grace emerged Vice President, unopposed while Okoli Chinonso was also elected Secretary General, unopposed.

    Ezeokafor Tinatamar emerged Assistant Secretary General, defeating Uwaeke Chukwuemeka. Uka Barnabas emerged Treasurer, unopposed.

    Ebubeoha Jane emerged Financial Secretary defeating three other aspirants while Nnadi Goodluck was elected Public Relations Officer defeating his closest rival, Mokwugwor Vivian.

    Okafor Kenechukwu emerged Director of Socials defeating three other aspirants.

    Others elected are; Madu Emmanuel (Director of Health and Sanitation, unopposed) and Ibeh Innocent (Director of Transport, unopposed)

    The SUG election is coming years after the ban for Students Unionism was lifted by the current Provost of the College, Professor J.O Ogbuagu since it was banned in the 2012/2013 Session when the students embarked on a peaceful protest due to some misunderstanding between the students and the management in the late 2013.

    Since the ban, Student Union Caretaker Committee has been adopted by the Institution to pilot the affairs of the Students.

    The Dean Students Affair Unit, Okafor C.U alongside the outgoing Student Union Caretaker Committee Chairman, Ezeonyedika Raphael made sure that the SUG election was a success.

    With the new development, the students of the Institution were very pleased with the management for restoring the Student Unionism.

    Nnadi Goodluck, Public Relations Officer elect of the Student Union contributed much ado to this important report.

     

  • FRSC mulls psychiatric test for motorists in Anambra

    FRSC mulls psychiatric test for motorists in Anambra

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has threatened to make psychiatric tests compulsory for motorists violating the rule on one-lane traffic in Anambra.

    The Sector Commander of the Commission in the state, Mr. Sunday Ajayi, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday, in Awka.

    He said that the traffic violators would soon start going for psychiatric tests if the existing penalties failed to serve as a deterrent.

    “We have equally identified especially in Awka that one-way or counter-flow or road violation, whichever way you understand it is on the increase and because of that we have quickly engaged in robust enforcement to stop it.

    “Anybody driving against traffic seems to have something wrong with him.

    “So, we want to say that anybody caught in this act will not be spared because we don’t want to be carrying corpses and injured people on our roads.

    “If the enforcement that we have put in place will not make effect, then we begin to introduce the issue of psychiatric check on drivers that are found committing this infraction.”

    Ajayi also urged motorists to install the speed-limit device which has been introduced to check excessive speeding and curtail the spate of crashes.

    The commander said that the April 1 deadline for motorists to install the devices in their vehicles remained sacrosanct while warning that enforcement would be total.

    “Having realised that most of the crashes or more than 60 per cent of the crashes that occur on our roads is caused by over speeding, then the decision of the federal government to introduce Speed Limiter is a good one and we have already commenced advisory enforcement on it.

    “By first of April 2016 the real enforcement will come, so we are using this opportunity again to remind the general motoring public, especially the fleet operators to get a vendor and begin to install speed limiter in their vehicles.”

     

  • Anambra: Okonkwo opposes re-run election

    Anambra: Okonkwo opposes re-run election

    • Demands issuance of certificate of return

    The last has not been heard of the crisis in Anambra State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a Senator from Anambra Central Senatorial Zone; Annie Okonkwo has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him a certificate of return.

    Okonkwo’s request is hinged on a recent Supreme Court’s judgment, where it upheld the legitimacy of the Ejike Oguebego-led executive of the PDP in the state. Okonkwo’s name was on the list of candidates submitted to INEC by the Ejike Oguebego-led Executive, but was later dropped based on a Court of Appeal Judgment.

    Although the Court of Appeal, in a recent decision, nullified election of Anambra Central and ordered a rerun, Okonkwo is of the view that such rerun was unnecessary.

    Okonkwo, in a letter written by his lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN), to the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, argued that the right decision for INEC to take was to issue him with certificate of return in respect of Anambra Central Senatorial zone and not ‎to conduct a re-run election.

    Okonkwo said ‎the effect of the Supreme Court judgment consequently was that all those who were not part of the List of Candidates produced by the congress/primary elections that the Ejike Oguebego and his Executive Committee participated in, and monitored by INEC ought and must vacate the positions they presently occupy having not been validly nominated.

    “We hereby reiterate our demand in our earlier letter to you that our client Senator Clement Annie Okonkwo be issued with Certificate of return in respect of Anambra Central Senatorial Zone. Anything short of this is unacceptable,” the letter reads.

    Part of the letter dated February 3, 2016‎ reads, “By the decision of the Supreme Court in SC.37/2015 allowing the appeal and setting aside the decision of the Court of Appeal, parties are back to status quo which is the point where the names of successful candidates had been published by INEC including that of Senator Clement Annie Okonkwo of PDP for Anambra Central Zone.

    “This was as at 13th January 2015 being the last date for INEC publication of list of nominated candidates for National Assembly (see INEC time table attached as annexure 2). See also section 34 of Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    “His name and that of other successful candidates of PDP were uploaded in INEC website in compliance with the Federal High Court Order. It will be noticed that your commission indicated that our client’s name was published pursuant to ‘court order’‎.

    “However when on 6th February 2015, the Court of Appeal set aside the said judgment of the Federal High Court, your Commission quickly removed the name of our client from the publication as candidate and replaced same with other name, Uche Lilian  Ekwunife who was subsequently issued with Certificate of Return by your Commission after the election.

    “It is pertinent to note that when your Commission removed our client’s name, there was no Consequential Court Order made by the Court of Appeal to that effect, but your Commission relied on the necessary implication of the judgment of the Court of Appeal.‎”

    Incidentally, INEC on February 3, published an advertorial in which it included Anambra Central Senatorial zone among the re-run elections fixed for 5th March 2016.

    Okonkwo said he was one of the beneficiaries of the Supreme Court judgment in Appeal No. SC. 37/2015 and should be allowed to enjoy the benefit of that judgment.

    He reminded INEC that his name was the number one on the valid list of Anambra State’s candidates for election into the National Assembly.

    He exhibited a copy of the list in the letter to the commission.

    According to him, he is a product of the only validly held primary election conducted by the PDP to produce their candidate and the only primary election monitored by INEC.

    He also drew the commission’s attention to the decision of the Court of Appeal Enugu Division in Appeal No. CA/E/EPT/28/2015 which is an election appeal between Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh & Anr Vs INEC, Uche Ekwunife & Ors.

    Okonkwo contended that Ekwunife’s disqualification was personal to her and not to the PDP and that since PDP won the election and he been the validly nominated candidate should be issued with the certificate of return.

  • INEC urged to release certificate of returns to Chris Uba, others

    INEC urged to release certificate of returns to Chris Uba, others

    Chief Chris Uche, (SAN) has written to  the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) demanding the  release of certificates of returns to Chief Chris Uba, Senator Annie Okonkwo, Senator John Emeka and 41 others.

    This is coming on the heel of  last week’s Supreme Court Judgment which resolved the leadership crisis in the  Anambra State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the favour of the Ejike Oguebego faction which conducted primaries for the affected persons.

    The apex court, in a unanimous judgment by a five-man bench upheld Ejike Oguebego led executive committee of the party against the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

    Uche was the counsel to the Oguebego faction at the court.

    In his letter addressed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, titled “Compliance with judgement of Supreme Court Anambara state PDP National Assembly Candidates SC/37/2015-Ejike Oguebego and Anor vs Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)” dated 29th January 2016,  Uche stated that the effect of the Supreme Court judgment is that those who were not part of the list of candidates produced by the congress/primary elections under the watch of Oguebego and his executive committee ought and must vacate the positions they presently occupy on the ground that they were not validly nominated.

    Already, there is confusion over the fate of the present members of the National Assembly on the list of the other faction of the party.

    The names of Chris Ubah, Annie Okonkwo and 42 others were replaced following the Appeal court judgment of 6th February 2015, prior to the 2015 general elections.

    Uche who is the counsel to affected candidates on the list of Oguebego in his letter to the electoral body stated further that now that the apex court has finally settled this matter, it was the responsibility of INEC to enforce and comply with the said judgement.

    Uche who also copied the Chairman, Legal Service Committee, INEC Headquarters, Abuja; Ibrahim Bawa, (SAN), Director, Legal services department INEC and Hassan Liman, SAN INEC Lead Counsel stressed that there was no other primary election conducted by PDP to produce any candidates other than the one that produced his clients.

    The letter reads in part: “the effect of the Supreme Court judgment consequently is that all those who were  not part of the list of candidates produced by the congress/primary elections that the Ejike Oguebego and his executive committee participated in, and monitored by INEC ought and must vacate the positions they presently occupy having not been validly nominated.

    “In the light of the foregoing, we therefore demand that your commission complies promptly with the said judgment of the Supreme Court by issuing forthwith Certificates of Returns to our clients as the authentic and legitimate candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party for Anambra state who won the election, the entire gamut of litigation having been exhausted.

    “We look forward to your timely cooperation and compliance.”

  • Supreme Court judgement: Stop deceiving Nigerians Chris Uba tells brother

    Supreme Court judgement: Stop deceiving Nigerians Chris Uba tells brother

    The controversy generated by last Friday’s judgement of the Supreme Court recognizing the Ejike Oguebego faction of the Peoples Democratic Party in Anambra State and sacking Senators Andy Uba and Stella Oduah from the senate is taking a new dimension as Chris Uba has asked his brother and others to stop deceiving Nigerians and vacate their seats in the National Assembly honorably.

    Chris Uba also declared himself as the Senator representing Anambra South in the Senate, pointing out that he will be leading other beneficiaries of the judgement to INEC on Monday to demand their certificate of return.

    Uba who was the candidate of the PDP for the election was replaced by his elder brother following a decision by the Court of Appeal which set aside the decision of the lower court.

    Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, Chief Uba warned his brother, Senator Andy Uba, Ms. Stella Oduah and others to stop parading themselves as representatives of the people of Anambra state in the National Assembly.

    He said that last Friday’s judgment by the Supreme Court which affirmed an earlier High Court verdict recognising the Oguebego executive as the state’s authentic leadership, advised the affected ‘former’ senators and House Representatives members to accept their fate and honourably step down.

    He said he would be leading other members of the party who emerged as candidates under the Oguebego monitored primaries to the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday to demand for their certificates of return.

    Andy Uba and Oduah had faulted the assumptions that the Supreme Court judgment effectively removed them from office, arguing that they were not party in the suit which basically had to deal with issues of leadership crisis in Anambra PDP.

    Chris, who described himself as “Senator representing Anambra South” said he was shocked that those who should be conversant with the laws of the land could be deceiving the public regarding their true status after the Supreme Court failed to recognise the dubious way through which they got to the Senate.

    He said: “The time for substitution had passed and we were busy doing our campaigns when, one week to the election, the Andy Uba faction went to the Court of Appeal and set aside the judgement of the High Court.

    “Based on that, they took the judgement to INEC and their names were used to substitute our own. We cried foul then, insisting we were not party to the suit but INEC insisted that our names were initially published based on an earlier court order and that we should go on appeal.

    “We appealed to the Supreme Court and the verdict on Friday clearly vindicated our position as the Supreme Court set aside that judgement of the Court of Appeal, agreed with the judgement of the High Court and even granted all our five prayers.

    “Now, they (Chris Uba and Oduah) went on air and issued press statements to deceive the public that the order from the Supreme Court did not affect them because they were not a party to the suit. The question is: when our names were removed by INEC and replaced with theirs, were we party to the suit?

    “Now they are shouting and trying to misinterpret a clear judgment that has removed them and given us victory. They are just deceiving the public. We will demand for our certificates of return from INEC on Monday because the judgement is clear. We do not need to seek for any further clarifications.”

    Uba said further: “When the whole exercise wanted to start, INEC wrote a letter to the PDP headquarters to avoid confusion, telling the PDP that the Ejike Oguebego exco was the one that it would recognise based on court order of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

    “Unfortunately, the PDP ignored that letter and, instead, set up a two-man caretaker committee to come to Anambra State to conduct primaries. Of course, there was no room for that caretaker committee to operate in the state because the key to conducting the primaries is the 3-man delegates from the 326 wards in the state.

    “It was obvious that without the state exco, the caretaker committee cannot be functional because the people who are supposed to organise the state congress were expected to liaise with the state chairman. From there, they would set up a committee to go to all the wards where the delegates would emerge from for electing candidates into the National and state assemblies.

    “So when they set up this caretaker, the Ejike Oguebego exco went to court and got a judgement recognising it as the right exco therefore making null and void the caretaker committee.

    “The judgment also instructed INEC and the PDP to conduct all the electioneering exercise under the Ejike Oguebego exco including all the candidates who were participating. So, we obeyed the court order and did our primaries as instructed. The exercise was duly monitored by INEC and all the relevant papers were signed.”

    He said it would amount to injustice if the court had ruled in favour of the other group comprising Andy Uba, Stella Oduah and others who allegedly did not undergo any primaries nor visited Anambra.

    “They just sat in their houses in Abuja. INEC and the PDP got copies of the results of our primaries and even sent our names to INEC and that was why the list containing our names was published as candidates before they went through the backdoor to remove it,” he stated.

  • Fire outbreak claims over 20 lives in Anambra 

    No fewer than 20 persons were confirmed dead Thursday in Nnewi, Anambra State, when fire outbreak gutted a factory belonging to Chikason group of company.

    As at the time the gas station belonging to Chikason group caught fire all the buildings around the gas station were vibrating.

    The Nation gathered that many Nigerians hustling for their daily bread with little or nothing lost their lives while many others were injured.

    Chikason Industry is one of the leading Local Industries in Nigeria and most of his companies are situated in Nnewi, Anambra State.

    Chikason is a leading Job provider in our economy.

    Zico Prince, an eye witness, who spoke with Nation Thursday said; “It’s a pity. Thank God for saving my sister and her family from the incident.”

  • Obiano under pressure over council polls

    Obiano under pressure over council polls

    Anambra state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano is under pressure from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), council chairmen and local government heads of administration over local government elections in the state.

    APGA has intensified its lobbying of the Governor to putting transition committees in the council areas, for the party to be relevant when the tenures of the current chairmen expires in January 12, 2016.

    But the current council chairmen who were elected during the twilight days of former Governor, Mr. Peter Obi’s tenure are not relenting as they are lobbying for extension from Obiano.

    Apart from these two groups, also the local government heads of administration are looking towards the Governor to hand over the administration of the 21 council areas to them.

    Their reason, according to The Nation investigation, is that they would save a lot of money for the state, the way it happened during the era of Obi.

    This, according to them would raise enough money for the second term project of the Governor.

    However, The Nation gathered that the pressure is giving the Governor sleepless nights, as he would not want to offend any segment in order not to ruin his second term bid.

    As a result, the Governor has been weighing the option of using sole administrators in all the 21 local government areas of the state.

    The Governor’s argument is that the sole administrators would head the councils without members to cut cost, as the state is already grappling with economic woes that had affected most states.

    According to a chieftain of APGA who pleaded anonymity, “the best option for his Excellency right now is to appoint transition committees which will embrace a lot of people who will help in the 2017 second term project.

    “But from what we are seeing, the Governor is rooting for sole administrators like the way late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s son Emeka (Jnr.) was appointed in Nnewi North.

    “We do not believe such arrangement will help our course because we know that People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) still have their eyes on the seat,” the source said.