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Tag: Anambra

  • Anambra APGA gets campaign director

    Anambra State Commissioner for Information Joe Martins Uzodike has been appointed as the campaign director for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, William Obiano.

    APGA National Chairman Victor Umeh and Governor Peter Obi picked Uzodike at a meeting on Sunday but Obi announced the decision at the Executive Council Meeting on Monday.

    Billboards of governorship candidates are being pulled down as a result of non-payment by the candidates.

    It was gathered that the billboards of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Chris Ngige, had been dismantled.

    But Uzodike said it was not targeted at any individual. He said every candidate, including Obiano, must pay between N150,000 to N250,000 per billboard depending on the size.

    “If a person can pay N11 million for a nomination form, then what is N150,000 or N250,000 for billboards. We want to stop this nuisance. Some of the billboards are causing accidents, politicians should pay,” Uzodike said.

     

  • Anambra to employ 6,000

    The Anambra State government has announced the recruitment of 2,000 civil servants and 4,000 primary and secondary school teachers.

    The decision, approved by the State Executive Council (EXCO), was announced yesterday by the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Joe Martins Uzodike.

    Ten thousand applicants have stormed the State Civil Service Commission, leading to a stampede but there were no casualties.

    Uzodike said the government had extended the date of collection and submission of forms from September 18-26.

    The jobs, according to him, were for only the indigenes.

    The commissioner said: “We want to make it clear that 2,000 civil servants will be employed in this exercise and only those who have relevant qualifications should apply.”

     

     

    “We will employ 2,000 primary schools teachers and another 2,000 for secondary schools.”

  • Anambra 2014: CPC is part of APC merger in Anambra , says APC Chieftain

    Anambra 2014: CPC is part of APC merger in Anambra , says APC Chieftain

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State, Sir Chijioke Achu, has said that the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the state in particular and its national body in general were fully involved in the merger agreement that formed the APC, few months ago.

    Speaking with newsmen yesterday in Onitsha, Anambra State, in reaction to a press statement credited to the former chairman of the defunct CPC in the state, Prince Chuba Ikeagwu, that CPC in Anambra State was never in the merger agreement that formed APC, Achu noted that although as an individual, Ikeagwu has the right to say his own opinion, but the truth remained that by virtue of the merger, all CPC members have automatically become members of APC.

    According to Achu, “Ikeagwu and his allies are free to move to AP or PDM instead of saying that the entire defunct CPC in the state, which had melted into APC with the national body and other states, are moving to PDM and no longer APC, as agreed by all at the national convention

  • Anambra: Court oders PDP, INEC to recognise factions

    A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt on Thursday ordered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and INEC to recognise and deal with the two PDP factions in Anambra.
    The presiding Judge, Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa gave the order in Port Harcourt, while ruling on a motion by a factional chairman of the PDP in Anambra, Ejike Oguebego.
    Oguebego’s faction had filed a motion, praying the court to declare Sen. Andy Uba as the party’s candidate for the Nov. 16 governorship election in the state.
    The faction also prayed the court to direct INEC and National Working Committee of PDP not to recognise, Ken Emeakayi’s faction of the PDP in the state, which produced Tony Nwoye as its candidate for the election.
    Nganjiwa in his ruling, directed that the order should stay pending the determination of a suit.
    The judge also ordered the two factions to maintain the status quo and obey the order made by a Federal High court in Akwa, Anambra, on May 31
    The National Working Committee of the PDP had recognised the Emeakayi’s faction of party that produced Mr Tony Nwoye as its governorship candidate for the Nov. 16 election.
    Mr. Jude NNodum, counsel to Andy Uba’s faction of PDP, said Ken Emeakayi had been suspended from the party and lacked the power to conduct a primary election that produced Nwoye.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the judge had after giving the order, announced that he was handing off the matter.
    He said his decision was due to a petition he received from Ekem Ekem law firm on Thursday, adding that he would inform the Chief Judge of Federal High Court and await his directive.
    “I will not hear this matter again until I see my chief judge,’’ Nganjiwa said.
     Mr. Mmecha Kanu, counsel to PDP said the judge should continue with the matter, having made the orders and described as it ‘’far reaching’’.

    Nganjiwa, however, adjourned the case to Sept 17.

  • Anambra PDP crisis: Court hears motion today

    A  Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, will today hear the application on interlocutory injunction by the factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, Ejike Oguebego and Senator Andy Uba on the governorship primaries held in the state.

    This followed an oral application by the plaintiff’s lead counsel, Jude Nnodum (SAN), for extension of time to regularise their court processes, following the new party joined in the suit on August 30.

    Nnodum told Justice H. A. Nganjiwa that they were unable to meet the seven-day period given parties to regularise their processes to include the new party.

    The defence objected to the application, but the court upheld it and urged parties to ensure they complete filing applications and service before 10am today.

    The defence counsel kicked against the arrangement by the court on how to hear the motions.

    They believed that the motion challenging the court’s jurisdiction ought to be taken first.

    But the court maintained its position, saying it was acting based on the provision of Order 21 (1) of the Procedure Law.

    Two parallel primaries were held by two factions; the one conducted by Oguebego produced Uba as its candidate and the other by Ken Emekaya which produced Tony Nwoye.

    Uba approached the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt to seek for recognition as the authentic candidate.

    He asked the court to restrain the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting the result produced by the Emekaya-led faction.

    Justice Nganjiwa, in an interim order, granted Uba’s requests and urged PDP and INEC to recognise him as the rightful candidate and restrained the party from accepting the election result submitted by Ekeanyi, pending the determination of the motions.

    Rather than obey the court order, the party suspended Uba and Oguebego and presented a return certificate to Nwoye.

    The matter took a twist last Thursday, when Judge Nganjiwa abridged time to vacate his earlier order to the defendants to recognise Uba.

     

  • Anambra council poll postponed

    •To hold Dec 14

    Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) has postponed the local government elections scheduled for October 6.

    The new date for the polls is December 14 as announced yesterday by the Acting Chairman of the commission, Sylvester Okonkwo.

    Addressing party leaders at the commission’s headquarters in Awka yesterday, Okonkwo said this was done in order not to bring bad blood in the state.

    He said the commission had been inundated with phone calls and petitions to cancel the election because of the November 16 governorship election.

    The chairman said parties refused to start their campaigns or submit their lists of candidates, 24 days to the proposed date.

    Okonkwo said 17 parties indicated interest to contest the election, but a few weeks to the date, nothing had been heard from any of them.

    “We considered all the variables during the stormy session of our meeting yesterday, we have the money but you know that money is not everything, if we go ahead with the election, we may not be able to satisfy everybody.

    “We have prayed, we do not want a violent election and we do not want anything to spill over to November 16.

    “Therefore, the commission decided to call off the local government election scheduled for October 6 and the new date for the election is December 14,” he said.

  • Anambra NNPP gets governorship candidate

    A businessman, Prince Leonard Uchendu, has emerged as the gover

    norship candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for the

    November 16, governorship election in Anambra State.

    Uchendu, who was the sole aspirant in the primary election held at the party’s secretariat, Awka, polled more than 95 per cent of the votes to emerge as the candidate.

    The National Chairman of the NNPP, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, who spoke through the party’s National Secretary, Major Gilbert Agbo (rtd) before the election, told the delegates from the local government areas that, although Uchendu was the only candidate cleared by the Screening Committee, he should be subjected to acceptability test by the party.

    In his acceptance speech, Uchendu thanked the leadership and the party members for the confidence reposed in him and promised not to disappoint them and the people of Anambra State. He promised to make job creation, sound and affordable education and health delivery system and security his focus. He also promised to embark on massive rural and infrastructure development across the 21 local government areas to check rural/urban migration.

    The exercise was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

     

     

    Urhobo leaders endorse Dafinone for Senate

    Prominent Urhobo leaders have endorsed Chief Ede Dafinone for

    the Senate in the Delta Central District. They identified poor quality

    of education, poor healthcare delivery, inadequate and inconsistent power supply, low level of employment opportunities, inadequate housing and poor security of life and property as problems affecting the Delta Central Senatorial District.

    ‘Our children must be properly equipped to make contributions to the wider society. They have the right to go to school, get meaningful employment, raise their families, buy their own homes and live without fear. We must give them these basic rights, and it is only through good governance and effective representation that we can achieve this’ the leaders said.

    In a statement issued in Olomu, Ughelli South Local Government Area by the President of Urhobo Development Forum, Chief Julius Oshevire, the leaders said that Chief Ede Dafinone would protect the people’s rights through professional representation, sustainable economic development, quality education, job creation, improved healthcare services and poverty alleviation.

    ‘He is a democrat, with a firm belief in the supremacy of the will and the choice of the majority. He is a child of privileged background. He is committed to using his vantage position to improving on the quality of our environment and our fellow human resources.

    Emphasizing that Dafinone would bring his professional knowledge and experience to bear on a wide range of public policy issues and topics, the leaders said as a senator, he would focus on the regional impact of legislation and policies, routinely communicating with individuals, business representatives, universities, communities and interest groups in Delta Central.

    PDP crisis embarrassing, says chieftain

    Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Capt. Tunji Shelle (rtd) has reflected on the crisis rocking the ruling party, saying that it is embarrassing.

    He called for an end to the logjam, which he said, could create obsatacles on the way of victory in future elections.

    The politician said observed that the crisis got to a peak at a criticap time when the opposition has also become more vibrant in the country.

    Shelle said in a statement that the crisis can be successfully managed because the aggrieved chieftains have not defected from the party.

    He said: “The news of the parallel NWC is embarrassing to me as a member of the party and I believe every stakeholder in the party should feel concerned by this unfortunate development. I am, however, inclined to appeal to the aggrieved members to allow truce, especially as some notable leaders of the party have risen up to the occasion, with a view to resolving the acrimony”.

    The politician advised the warring chieftains to resort to the internal mechanism of the party to resolve their grievances.

    Shelle added: “Indeed, the fact that the aggrieved persons have not decamped out of the party, but created a parallel NWC, shows that they are still passionate about the party, even as their actions may have been too spontaneous, radical and threatening to the integrity of the party.

     

    Ekiti governorship aspirant unfolds agenda

    Ahead of the next year’s governorship election in Ekiti State, an aspirant

    on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador

    Dare Bejide, has unfolded his agenda, saying economic development will be his priority.

    Bejide spoke at a dinner organised in his honour by friends and associates in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

    The former ambassador to Canada promised to empower the indigenes by promoting the local content policy.

    He said: “As part of government efforts to boost job opportunities and reduce poverty, all government contractors will be mandated to employ the indigenes. No contractor shall bring into the state any material for any construction or any project from other states unless such materials are not available in the state.

    “These requirements shall be mandatory and verified at the point of tender for such contracts and also at the point of payment by the Ministry of Finance. We shall introduce Local Content Compliance Unit at the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Finance.” Bejide promised to promote agriculture and make it an income-yeilding business in the agrarian state.

    He added:“There will be a separate department in the Ministry of Agriculture to undertake financial management and effective utilisation of funds allocated, encourage our farmers to do away with outdated peasant system of agriculture and assist them to embrace simple, cheap and modern agricultural implements to enhance their productivity and provision of highly subsidised inputs including farm tools, chemicals and pest control, fertilizers, improved seedlings, fingerlings and livestock breeds.”

    He noted that various farm produces would be bought by the government at competitive prices to prevent wastages and loss of revenues by the farmers.

    Bejide, described as a “home boy” because of his closeness to the generality of the people of the state, said that he would use his international exposure to attract huge foreign direct investments into the state.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Anambra NNPP gets governorship candidate

    Anambra NNPP gets governorship candidate

    A businessman, Prince Leonard Uchendu, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for the

    November 16, governorship election in Anambra State.

    Uchendu, who was the sole aspirant in the primary election held at the party’s secretariat, Awka, polled more than 95 per cent of the votes to emerge as the candidate.

    The National Chairman of the NNPP, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, who spoke through the party’s National Secretary, Major Gilbert Agbo (rtd) before the election, told the delegates from the local government areas that, although Uchendu was the only candidate cleared by the Screening Committee, he should be subjected to acceptability test by the party.

    In his acceptance speech, Uchendu thanked the leadership and the party members for the confidence reposed in him and promised not to disappoint them and the people of Anambra State. He promised to make job creation, sound and affordable education and health delivery system and security his focus. He also promised to embark on massive rural and infrastructure development across the 21 local government areas to check rural/urban migration.

    The exercise was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

     

     

    Urhobo leaders endorse Dafinone for Senate

    Prominent Urhobo leaders have endorsed Chief Ede Dafinone for

    the Senate in the Delta Central District. They identified poor quality

    of education, poor healthcare delivery, inadequate and inconsistent power supply, low level of employment opportunities, inadequate housing and poor security of life and property as problems affecting the Delta Central Senatorial District.

    ‘Our children must be properly equipped to make contributions to the wider society. They have the right to go to school, get meaningful employment, raise their families, buy their own homes and live without fear. We must give them these basic rights, and it is only through good governance and effective representation that we can achieve this’ the leaders said.

    In a statement issued in Olomu, Ughelli South Local Government Area by the President of Urhobo Development Forum, Chief Julius Oshevire, the leaders said that Chief Ede Dafinone would protect the people’s rights through professional representation, sustainable economic development, quality education, job creation, improved healthcare services and poverty alleviation.

    ‘He is a democrat, with a firm belief in the supremacy of the will and the choice of the majority. He is a child of privileged background. He is committed to using his vantage position to improving on the quality of our environment and our fellow human resources.

    Emphasizing that Dafinone would bring his professional knowledge and experience to bear on a wide range of public policy issues and topics, the leaders said as a senator, he would focus on the regional impact of legislation and policies, routinely communicating with individuals, business representatives, universities, communities and interest groups in Delta Central.

    PDP crisis embarrassing, says chieftain

    Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Capt. Tunji Shelle (rtd) has reflected on the crisis rocking the ruling party, saying that it is embarrassing.

    He called for an end to the logjam, which he said, could create obsatacles on the way of victory in future elections.

    The politician said observed that the crisis got to a peak at a criticap time when the opposition has also become more vibrant in the country.

    Shelle said in a statement that the crisis can be successfully managed because the aggrieved chieftains have not defected from the party.

    He said: “The news of the parallel NWC is embarrassing to me as a member of the party and I believe every stakeholder in the party should feel concerned by this unfortunate development. I am, however, inclined to appeal to the aggrieved members to allow truce, especially as some notable leaders of the party have risen up to the occasion, with a view to resolving the acrimony”.

    The politician advised the warring chieftains to resort to the internal mechanism of the party to resolve their grievances.

    Shelle added: “Indeed, the fact that the aggrieved persons have not decamped out of the party, but created a parallel NWC, shows that they are still passionate about the party, even as their actions may have been too spontaneous, radical and threatening to the integrity of the party.

     

    Ekiti governorship aspirant unfolds agenda

    Ahead of the next year’s governorship election in Ekiti State, an aspirant

    on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador

    Dare Bejide, has unfolded his agenda, saying economic development will be his priority.

    Bejide spoke at a dinner organised in his honour by friends and associates in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

    The former ambassador to Canada promised to empower the indigenes by promoting the local content policy.

    He said: “As part of government efforts to boost job opportunities and reduce poverty, all government contractors will be mandated to employ the indigenes. No contractor shall bring into the state any material for any construction or any project from other states unless such materials are not available in the state.

    “These requirements shall be mandatory and verified at the point of tender for such contracts and also at the point of payment by the Ministry of Finance. We shall introduce Local Content Compliance Unit at the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Finance.” Bejide promised to promote agriculture and make it an income-yeilding business in the agrarian state.

    He added:“There will be a separate department in the Ministry of Agriculture to undertake financial management and effective utilisation of funds allocated, encourage our farmers to do away with outdated peasant system of agriculture and assist them to embrace simple, cheap and modern agricultural implements to enhance their productivity and provision of highly subsidised inputs including farm tools, chemicals and pest control, fertilizers, improved seedlings, fingerlings and livestock breeds.”

    He noted that various farm produces would be bought by the government at competitive prices to prevent wastages and loss of revenues by the farmers.

    Bejide, described as a “home boy” because of his closeness to the generality of the people of the state, said that he would use his international exposure to attract huge foreign direct investments into the state.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘APGA may not participate in Anambra election’

    A Chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has warned that the party may not participate in the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State, despite the emergence of Willy Obianor as its candidate.

    The Publicity Secretary, Bernard Akoma, in a statement yesterday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, said Obaino could be disqualified by the court, if the National Chairman and Secretary, Victor Umeh and Sanni Shinkaffi, endorse him.

    According to him, Umeh was not properly elected while Shinkaffi’s tenure, according to the party’s constitution, has elapsed.

    The statement reads: “Despite the emergence of Obiano as the Victor Umeh/Peter Obi-led APGA candidate, the party may after all not contest the governorship election in the state.

    “Should the Umeh/Obi APGA continue to play the ostrich, they may just be wetting the ground for the aggrieved members of the party, as well as its opponents who are just waiting to sue the life out of the party.

    “The Maxi Okwu faction has sued Umeh, Shinkafi and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), challenging their eligibility to present candidate for APGA in the election.”

     

  • Ngige wins Anambra APC ticket in direct primaries

    Ngige wins Anambra APC ticket in direct primaries

    •Shekarau, El-Rufai, Izunaso taunt opposition

    Senator Chris Ngige yesterday won the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket.

    He defeated his opponent, Godwin Ezeemo, in all the 21 council areas.

    According to the result declared by the governorship election primaries returning officer, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, a former governor of Kano State, Ngige won 63,255 votes to Ezeemo’s 9,564 votes.

    A breakdown of the result is as follows: Awka North – Ngige 3,405, Ezeemo 248; Dunukofia – Ngige 2,426, Ezeemo 76; Ekwusigo – Ngige 1,085, Ezeemo 297; Ogbaru – Ngige 3,086, Ezeemo 772; Ihiala – Ngige 6,938, Ezeemo 1,089; Orumba North – Ngige 2,451, Ezeemo 413; Orumba South – Ngige 3,865, Ezeemo 423; Oyi – Ngige 2,108, Ezeemo 252; Onitsha South – Ngige 1,478, Ezeemo 127; Onitsha north – Ngige 4,878, Ezeemo 162.

    The APC said the primaries were held to bring democracy down to the grassroots.

    Shekarau and other committee members, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and Senator Osita Izunaso, spoke at the Finotel Hotel, Awka.

    The committee told reporters that the primaries were held in the 326 wards using the direct voting process.

    The accreditation of members began at 9:30am while voting commenced at noon and ended at about 3:30pm

    At Alor, Senator Ngige’s ward, the process was orderly

    Voters queued behind the pictures of the contestants. Ngige scored 674 votes in his ward to Ezeemo’s one vote.

    Also, at the Umuchu ward one in Aguata council area — Ezeemo’s ward— Ngige scored 89 votes, while Ezeemo scored 354 votes.

    But the philanthropist disputed the election process.

    Some of the members of the party were not allowed to vote in Umuchu Ward One as some of them were discovered to have cards bearing different local government areas.

    Ngige described the poll as wonderful, adding that the turn-out of People showed the true picture of what would happen during the November 16 governorship election.

    He said: “This is no fight. Ezeemo is my brother, we cannot fight, November 16 is the only D-day. We are brothers, there is no need for us to quarrel over the contest, and November 16 will be a landmark day in Anambra State”

    Shekarau said the process was chosen by the APC to test the popularity of the two aspirants.

    “We are not like other political parties where they fight to select their candidates. What the APC is doing is showing the way for others to follow; ours is not a do or die affair. APC does everything in an open and democratic process”.