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Tag: Dr Alex Ekwueme

  • Jonathan greets Ekwueme at 84

    Jonathan greets Ekwueme at 84

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated Second Republic Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme who clocks 84 on Friday.

    In a letter of felicitation to Ekwueme, Jonathan described the former Vice President as a foremost architect whose professional footprints are etched on many monuments across the nation.

    Jonathan also commended Ekwueme for what he described as his focused and broad-based disposition to governance in the Second Republic.

    In a statement issued by Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan’s media aide, the former President said: “Your Excellency, I wish to join your family and other well-wishers to congratulate you on your 84th birthday. Long life in good health is an abiding grace from God, and I am pleased that His kindness is upon you.

    “You deserve such favours because you are a national icon who have contributed so much to Nigerian’s development and the growth of democracy in our dear country. As a Vice President, your peaceful,
    focused and broad-based disposition to governance stood you out in the Second Republic.

    “It is gratifying to note that as a statesman, you played a crucial role in the successful return of our dear nation to democracy, after long years of military rule.

    “You also made key contributions to the effort towards forging the pillars for Nigeria’s geo-political stability.

    “As a foremost and distinguished architect you achieved international acclaim, but we are glad that your professional footprints are etched on many monuments across the nation,” he said

  • Abia: ‘Appeal Court will protect electorate’s right to choose’

    Abia: ‘Appeal Court will protect electorate’s right to choose’

    Former special adviser to Second Republic Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, Mr Ben Onyechere, has said the electorate in Abia are confident that the Court of Appeal, will uphold their right to choose who should govern them.

    The appellate court will on August 9 in Abuja, begin hearing on an appeal filed by Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, challenging the June 27 nullification of his election as Abia State Governor by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Onyechere observed that the confusion which followed the High Court ruling had affected the electorate’s franchise but they had placed their faith in the Appeal Court.

    “No amount of conspiracy can deter the wheel and pace of progress in the state and the electorate, whose franchise is being tampered with, are confident that the appellate court will protect their right to choose a governor for themselves,” he said.

    Onyechere lauded Ikpeazu’s effort to ‘re-invent the state’ and ‘upgrade and expand its infrastructural layout’.

    He said: “The governor’s determination to re organise the socio-economic landmarks of the state in all strata is borne out of the desire to extricate the state from a pariah status.

    “Despite paucity of funds the governor has applied wisdom and prudence in priotising the rehabilitation of existing amenities as well as attaining new vistas in construction of roads that have economic and social viability which can stand the test of time.”

    Opponents of the state government had, he added, had dwindled, “because of the manifest sense of purpose and direction injected into the structures of governance in the state,” by Ikpeazu.

    He continued: “The governor’s background and antecedents are well known to me and are characterised by the genuine motivation to bring happiness to the majority of people.

    “Therefore, it is almost impossible to politicise or blackmail his mode of operations which have been laid bare in the public domain and for which the people have exhibited reciprocity by embracing his policies and programmes.

    “The need to re-develop Abia is urgent and as such can neither be compromised nor negotiated by proxy.”

  • ‘INEC chair should resign over Abia tax judgment’

    ‘INEC chair should resign over Abia tax judgment’

    Former special adviser to Second Republic Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, Mr Ben Onyechere, has said Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu should resign for his silence on the Commission’s role in the Abia State governorship stalemate.

    Last month, INEC issued a certificate of return to Dr. Uche Ogah as Governor of Abia State following a June 27 judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which ousted Dr Okezie Ikpeazu.

    Justice Okon Abang held in that judgment that Ikpeazu submitted false information about his tax records to his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the party’s governorship primaries in December 2014.

    Ogah polled the second highest number of votes in that primaries of the PDP.

    But Onyechere argued that the Commission’s ‘activities’ following the judgment had portrayed it in bad light.

    He said: “The chairman of INEC has through the activity of his subordinates in the Abia tax issue cast aspersions on the integrity of his commission as much as on himself.

    “The silence of the chairman in this matter is not golden because he cannot be exonerated from the actions of the commissioner who must have sought his consent before embarking on such a controversial mission which can be regarded as a time bomb in the state.”

    Onyechere said INEC Commissioner in charge of the South-East, Ambassador Lawrence Nwuruku carried out Justice Abang’s order with “rocket speed haste,” despite “that it was served a notice of appeal prior to the issuance of a certificate to Ogah.”

    He continued: “It is not enough to gloss over the issue as the chairman seems to be doing in a matter that is adjudged to be suspicious by the public .

    “The confirmation or admittance by the commission that it was served a notice of appeal prior to the issuance of a certificate to Ogah is more than enough reason to retract it’s action and apologise to the people of Abia and their governor.”

    He urged INEC not to “hide behind the smoke screen of an order of a lower court against the superiority of appellate courts of this country.”

    Onyechere added that Prof Yakubu’s ‘action or inaction’ was suspicious.

    “There is more to the way and manner they executed Justice Abang’s order than meets the eyes of curious observers and as such he should tow the part of honour and resign,” he said.

  • First Lady leads Awka pro-Jonathan rally

    First Lady leads Awka pro-Jonathan rally

    •Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu govs absent 

    THE Governors of Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu States were conspicuously absent yesterday at the Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, during the For Jonathan’s (4J) Political rally in Anambra State.

    The rally, attended by First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, was sponsored by the oil mogul, Prince Arthur Eze, which was also used to empower the widows of South East political zone.

    Some of the items presented to the widows by the wife of the President, Dame Jonathan, included sewing machines, garri grinding machines, tomatoes grinding machines, hair driers, trailer loads of rice, beans, soaps, among others.

    Although the former governor of Anambra State, Chief Peter Obi’s absence was not explained, his wife Margret was, however, in attendance. Also, the wives of the governors of Abia, Ebonyi and Delta States showed up at the 4J rally.

    However, the Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano and his wife, Ebelechukwu, led other dignitaries to the crowded rally yesterday.

    They included, Senator Andy Uba, Margery Okadigbo, Nkechi Wogu, Minister of labour, Chief Emeka Wogu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha.

    Others were former Minister of Women’s Affairs, Josephine Anenih, Kema Chikwe, the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter Party Affairs, Senator Ben Ndi Obi.

    Also, in attendance were the  Anambra State House of Assembly Speaker, Chinwe Nwaebili, wife of the Deputy Senate President Nnena Ekweremadu, Senator Hope Uzodinma, the Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke, former Anambra State Governor, Dame Virgy Etiaba.

    Others were the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, oil magnate, Ifeanyi Ubah, Hon. Uche Ekwunife, amongst others.

    Some of them who spoke with The Nation yesterday said nothing was given to them in such a big rally that drew the highest crowd in the history of rallies in the state.

    Speakers, including Sen. Ben Ndi Obi, state First Ladies, Odochi Orji of Abia, Josephine Elechi of Ebonyi, Roly Uduaghan of Delta, Ebelechukwu Obiano of Anambra all praised the philanthropic gesture of Mrs. Jonathan and Arthur Eze.

    However, Dame Patience Jonathan harped on the need to have peace in Nigeria despite political leanings.

    She commended Eze for supporting the widows with his For Jonathan (4J)Project in collaboration with her project Women for Change Initiative in South-East zone.

    She also thanked the people of South-East for believing in her husband since 2011 and urged them to give him support in 2015 presidential election, explaining that her husband had promised to improve the South-East roads and the erosion menace ravaging the area.

    The Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano said despite the endorsement of President Jonathan by his state and South-East for 2015, that his party, APGA, will contest all the seats in the zone except the presidency during the general elections.

  • Governors shun Igbo Day celebration

    Governors shun Igbo Day celebration

    None of the five governors in the Southeast and political heavyweights from the region attended this year’s World Igbo Day celebration yesterday at the Dr Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

    The two dignitaries at the event were former Aviation Minister Chief Mbazurike Amechi and a former Ohanaeze President General, Dr. Dozie Ikedife.

    One of the organisers, who spoke in confidence, told our reporter that the event flopped because of the national awards President Goodluck Jonathan was conferring on eminent Nigerians in Abuja on the same day.

    The chairman of the event, Prince Arthur Eze, was absent and Ikedife became the acting chairman.

    Various women groups and traditional dancers from the five states were present.

    The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) was represented by Rev. Samuel Audu, who called for the nation’s unity.

    The North’s umbrella group urged other regional groups to work together for the nation’s development.

    Also, the Yoruba Youth Council (YYC) was represented by Husseni Abiola and the Ijaw National Congress (INC) by Ebieridei Charles Ambacowei, its vice-president.

    Few traditional rulers, led by their chairman in the zone, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, attended the event.

    The Anambra State President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Elder Chris Eluemunoh, who doubled as the chairman of the Organising Committee, hailed Governor Willie Obiano for contributing to the celebration.

    He said Nigeria attained 100 years of amalgamation this year, adding that this was significant to the Igbo because they needed to examine their past and plan for a better future.

    Eluemunoh said there was need for an economic empowerment of the Ndigbo to enable them participate actively in the nation’s transformation.

    The President General of Ohanaeze, Chief Gary Enwo Igariwey, noted that for equity and justice, the Ndigbo would vie for Presidency  at the expiration of Jonathan’s tenure.

    He said this had been the position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo since 2010, adding that it remained unchanged.

    Igariwey said the Ndigbo would continue to build bridges with other ethnic nationalities to realise its presidential pursuit.

    He said: “Our strength should come from our demographic weight, spread all over the country. Very soon, after consultation, our people will be called upon to speak with one voice on the issue of president. We did it before and we can do it again.

    “The security situation in some parts of the country has exposed our people to clear dangers in their lives and investments. With the escalating body counts from the violence and incendiary rhetorics from discredited politicians, who continue to fuel the fire of anti-Igbo hatred, the time to think home is now.”

    Also, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) warned its leader, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, that the era of using Biafra or the group to intimidate Ndigbo was over.

    The group spoke yesterday in Awka through its suspended National Director of Information, Uchenna Madi, at the Igbo Day celebration.

    Madu told our reporter that the MASSOB’s struggle for Biafra was not a one-man show but a collective struggle.

    He said MASSOB had been in bondage for 15 years because of the way it was led.

    According to him, the struggle would henceforth involve leaders of thought, Igbo leaders, traditional rulers, among others.