The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ebonyi State

  • Don’t revisit Ruga, Bishop warns Buhari

    Anglican Bishop of Afikpo Diocese, Ebonyi State, Rt. Rev. Paul Udogu on Friday warned against revisiting the suspended RUGA settlement scheme for herdsmen. He said the federal government may still reverse the suspension, warning that establishing it would cause crisis and possibly disintegration of the country.

    In his presidential address/charge at Good Shepherd Anglican Church Ozizza Afikpo, during 1st session of the 5th synod of Afikpo Diocese, Udogu accused President Muhammadu Buhrai’s government of treating herdsmen and their cows specially.

    He condemned activities of armed herdsmen which he described as alarming and alleged that almost all the geopolitical zones of the country are under herdsmen’s siege.

    Read Also: Fatoyinbo’s rape scandal, Senator Elisha Abbo’s assault, RUGA suspension, others top this week News

    He therefore called on President Buhari to rise to the challenge before it becomes too late. “Few days ago, we heard that the federal government has suspended RUGA. We know that when you suspend something today, you can come back to it tomorrow but we want to say without mincing words; enough of that policy is enough.

    “Three days ago, a group of people in Northern Nigeria issued 30-days ultimatum to the federal government for them to reverse back the RUGA programme. But we are trusting God that the federal government will think twice and save this country from disintegration, war, and crisis. The directive to all Nigerians to surrender their guns to the police whether legally or illegally acquired is ambiguous and suspicious. Nigerians expect our security agencies to first disarm the Fulani herdsmen who are moving around with AK47 and other deadly weapons before asking innocent citizens to surrender arms,” he said.

    The Bishop called on the National Assembly to consider the recommendations of 2014 National Conference and to revisit issues of restructuring the nation as way of ensuring justice and equity to various zones in the country. He explained that a determined, sincere, sensitive, focused and unbiased leadership will stop the problems confronting the nation.

  • Ruga: Our deal with herdsmen, by South East Govs

    As reactions continue to trail the federal government’s proposal for establishment of Ruga settlements in some states, the South East Governors Forum has disclosed its proposed deal with the members of the Miyetti Allah as panecea to achieving lasting peace among farmers and herdsmen.

    Chairman of the South East Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, said though there is no plan for any Ruga settlement in any part of South East and South South, the zones can make a very good business with sale of grasses to the herdsmen in exchange for meat.

    Umahi, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, said there will be no part of the South East that will be given out for establishment of Ruga.

    He noted the zone is purely agrarian with limited landmass for farming and therefore cannot accommodate Ruga.

    Umahi, according to the statement, said the zone actually proposed a deal with MACBAN to take their cattle to the Northern parts where grazing reserve was established long time ago and rely completely on the grasses grown in the South for feeding of their cattle.

    Umahi, who was chairman Technical Committee on Farmers and Herdsmen clash carved from the federal Economic Council under the chairmanship of the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo made a recommendation for revamping of the already existing grazing reserve in various parts of the North to enable farmers have unhindered access to their farmlands while herdsmen rely solely on proceeds from the farmers.

    Explaining how the deal will work, the governor said: “The way it works is that the herdsmen will bring down their cows to the South East and sell us as meat while they will load the grasses which are grown here in the same trailer with which they transported their cows to feed their cattle in those grazing reserve which should be made comfortable for them.“

    The statement also quoted Umahi as saying that with this proposed deal, herdsmen are expected to embrace anti- open grazing by returning to the ranches in the north and do their business on the trade- by- barter basis of selling cows to the south and buying grass to feed their cows in the north.

  • Rumbles in states over Assembly speakership

    As the states prepare to inaugurate their new Houses of Assembly, our correspondents report on the intrigues trailing the search for the new Speakers. Excerpts

    Desperate search for the chamber lords

    The plum seats overlooking all the others at the hollowed chambers of the various state Houses of Assembly in Nigeria are simply awe inspiring. Designed to be occupied not by a god, but by one of the elected lawmakers, aptly described by the honourable members as ‘the first among equals,’ the occupant of this unique seat is considered very powerful in the politics of the state, not only because the revered occupant, as the Speaker, is the third citizen in the state, but more importantly because he leads all the most powerful elected officials in the state with the exception of the governor and the deputy governor.

    Also, aside the fact that the lawmakers he leads are the true representatives of the grassroots and that they have the constitutional power to make and amend laws, he and the other lawmakers also have the awesome power to impeach any governor or his deputy if and whenever they deem it necessary.

    Aware of this rather frightening reality, the politics of election of the Speaker and that of the other members of the leadership of each state House of Assembly, like what now obtains at the National Assembly, has become quite intriguing. Not only are the governors desperate to ensure they install their supporters as the Speakers and Leaders of their Assemblies, ruling political parties and other political godfathers in the states are also playing active roles in the intricate game of power.

    We gathered, for example, that even before the May 29, 2019 swearing-in of state governors across the country, the search for the leadership of state Assemblies has taken the centre stage in the politics of the country, though it was then mainly played behind the doors by the then governors-elects and other interested godfathers and stakeholders.

    Today, as the new governors look forward for the inauguration of the state Assemblies in order to kick start the new administration, there is tension as various interest groups move to determine the lawmaker to seat on the powerful plum seat.

    From Abakaliki in Ebonyi State, to Minna in Niger State and Abeokuta in Ogun State, we learnt that governors and other godfathers are not sleeping and are not ready to take chances.

    Reports from our correspondents also show that the issue of who presides over the state Assemblies now goes beyond what the lawmakers want or even what the governors themselves desire as zones and other interest groups within the polity have joined in the politics of State Assemblies.

    Already, powerful aspirants have emerged, but it seems certain that until the day of election and inauguration, nobody is certain of anything. So until then, the tension builds on.

    EBONYI: NWIFURU SET

    TO BE RE-ELECTED

    From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

    IN Ebonyi State, the incumbent Speaker, Francis Nwifuru, is set to be re-elected by his colleagues following the interventions by the State Governor David Umahi.

    15 of the 24 members from the outgoing set were re-elected during the last general election. All 24 members of the House were elected under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which also swept all the National Assembly’s positions in the state.

    A source with inside knowledge of the recent politicking and horse trading over the next Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assemly revealed to The Nation that immediately after the elections, some ranking members of the House began scheming for the speakership position, among them a floor functionary of the House from Ebonyi South Senatorial zone.

    Also, some members of the governor’s kitchen cabinet were said to also be against the return of the Speaker. Their thinking being that Nwifuru, who is alleged to be nursing a serious ambition to succeed Umahi in 2023, will be very dangerous and more powerful to contend with if the powers that be do not support him.

    Some National Assembly members, who are also eyeing the governorship position come 2023, have also made moves to stop his re-election but the governor was resolute and in the end had his way as he was able to convince them all to allow Nwifuru who has been very loyal to be returned when the House is inaugurated.

    One thing that is in Nwifuru’s favour is the zoning structure that has been in place over the years in the state which recommends that the top three positions be shared among the three senatorial zones of the state.

    Umahi hails from Ebonyi South while his Deputy, Kelechi Igwe, is from Ebonyi Central zone. That was why Nwifuru from the North was given the Speaker in 2015.

    Governor Umahi has also been a strong advocate of second term which is why he is backing Nwifuru to be retained.

    Barring any last minute change of mind, the incumbent Speaker, Nwifuru, is set to be re-elected.

    ABIA: A LIKELY

    TWO HORSE RACE

    From Sonny Nwankwo, Umuahia

    The speakership of the Abia State House of Assembly remains one of the most topical issues in the state as intrigues surrounding it is already causing bad blood amongst members of yet to be constituted Assembly, especially of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

    An investigation by The Nation shows that unlike in the past where the position of speakership may have been zoned to a particular part of the state, until the May 29 swearing-in of the re-elected governor into power, there have been serious political meetings going on with some of them ending in crisis.

    It was gathered from a reliable source that the majority of members of the yet-to-be inaugurated from the ruling PDP and other parties are divided between the two major contending candidates; incumbent Speaker of the State House, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu, representing Isiala Ngwa South State Constituency and the Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Chindeum Orji, representing Umuahia Central State Constituency.

    Chinedum Orji, who is the son of the former governor of Abia State, sources at the State House of Assembly said, had allegedly nursed the ambition of becoming the Speaker of the House of Assembly in 2015 but had to drop the ambition after some stakeholders of the party intervened and mounted pressure on him to jettison such ambition.

    Though Jnr Orji and Kalu are yet to make public their intentions to run for the number three seat in the state, their loyalists, however, have taken to the social media canvassing support for their principals and in some cases, throwing banters against one another which is heating up the polity.

    While the two top contenders as at the time of filing this report are eminently qualified to contest for the position, there are factors that could, however, affect their candidacy.

    Apart from the fact that the two contenders are second-term lawmakers, by the PDP zoning formula, both of them come from the same Abia Central zone where the speakership of the State House of Assembly is zoned to.

    Speaking on the two potential Speakership candidates, a political analyst Mr. Godfrey Ikeagwu said “the two candidates are most qualified for the position.

    “Chikwendu is a lawyer and by training, Chinedum Orji is a grassroots politician that is loved by the people around him. He is from Abia Central and is the current Speaker of the House. He has got legislative experience and as a lawyer, he should know more about legislation and legal implications over some laws and policies of government as it has to do with the constitutionality of their actions and inactions.

    “And as it has been the custom of politics in Nigeria and PDP’s way of life, you cannot rule out the return-return syndrome.

    “For Chinedum Orji, I learned that he is one legislature that has touched the lives of people around him, especially the youth population. I have read through the internet, what he has been able to do as a state legislature. To me, he has been able to do what some federal lawmakers haven’t been able to do. I was thinking that he should have contested for the National Assembly seat because we need vibrant and youth-friendly lawmakers like him to be there.

    “But the problem is that the Ngwa bloc is thinking that he might sponsor the impeachment of Ikpeazu if he becomes Speaker. Don’t forget that it was the fear that made people protest in 2015 when rumors had it that he was going to run for the Speakership as at then.

    “Unconfirmed reports, however, have it that though the current State House Assembly Speaker is from the Ukwa Ngwa bloc which should naturally have the blessings of the governor,  Ikpeazu is reported to have endorsed the Speakership of Ikuku as a way of paying him back for seeing to his choice and emergence as the governorship candidate of the PDP in 2015 against the choice of his father, Senator Theodore Ahamefule Orji and some PDP stakeholders in the state that have other candidates such as Dr. Alex Otti, Uche Sampson Ogah, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, Barr. Friday N. Nwosu, among others, including Ikpeazu’s brother-in-law and former Deputy Governor of the State, Chief Eric Acho Nwakanma.

    Commenting on the ongoing leadership tussle, former Senator representing Abia Central at the National Assembly, Chris Adighije, who is an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in the state, said it would be proper for the Speakership position of Abia State House of Assembly, which has been zoned to Abia Central, to be micro zoned to Ikwuano/Umuahia for equity’s sake.

    “Since the governor is from Abia South and an Ngwa man, the Deputy Governor from Abia North, it will be proper for the Ikwuano/Umuahia to produce the Speaker for the sake of balance. Isiala Ngwa North and South are our Ngwa brothers and the governor is an ngwa man.”

    When asked if he has a favored candidate from Ikwuano/Umuahia, he has this to say; “I don’t have a favored candidate, the Ikwuano/Umuahia members elect should be able to choose amongst themselves who they believe has the capacity to do the work effectively,” he said.

    But in what seems to be a morale boost to the speakership quest of Jnr. Orji, ex- Senate President and Secretary, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Adolphus Wabara, has not only endorsed the Speakership position ambition of the son of the former governor of the state and senator representing Abia Central, Chief Theodore Orji, Chief Chinedum Orji, he has equally urged Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu not to interfere in the affairs of the House of Assembly that will lead to the election of Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly come June.

    Addressing select newsmen in Aba on Sunday, Senator Wabara said as the Secretary of BoT of PDP, whose sole responsibility is advisory, the governor should not interfere in the affairs of the State House of Assembly, particularly as it relates to choosing who should be the Speaker.

    He said that in PDP, zoning, which breeds equity is key, adding that it is as a result of zoning that made Ngwa man to become governor in 2015 for the first time in the history of the state.

    While admonishing those who are interested in the Speakership position to be mindful of their utterances, the former Senate President said that fairness and equity demands that the speakership position should be zoned to Umuahia axis of Abia Central and the Deputy Speakership position to Ukwa ethnic nationality.

    “What I am saying is that the governor is from Abia South; Ukwa/Ngwa extraction, the deputy governor, Ude Okochukwu, is from Abia North, then why should the Speakership coming to Abia Central still remain with an Ngwa person? It is not fair.

    Prof Gregory Ibe speaking to news men recently in Amaokwe Uturu his hometown enjoined incoming members of the Assembly to embrace the candidature of Engr. Orji and subsequently work towards his emergence as Speaker.

    But sources said that though Engr. Orji may have been getting the endorsements from people in the state, they warned that the incumbent Speaker in the state would not be a pushover.

    LAGOS: PARTY LEADERSHIP TO DECIDE WHO BECOMES SPEAKER

    By Oziegbe Okoeki, Lagos

    As the countdown to the end of the 8th Assembly of Lagos State begins and the inauguration of the 9th Assembly is around the corner what is uppermost in the mind of political pundits is who will emerge the Speaker of the 9th Assembly?

    Will it remain the incumbent Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who won a return ticket for a record fifth term and oldest member in the Assembly or will there be change of leadership?

    Although for now there seems to be a lot of quietness in the Assembly as to the issue of speakership, it however does not translate to an endorsement of the current Speaker to continue in the 9th Assembly.

    Though on the surface no lawmaker has come out openly to signify interest in contesting for the position, The Nation gathers that this is primarily because, from past experience, the issue of who emerges as Speaker in Lagos Assembly is always decided by godfathers and the party leadership.

    And since none of the lawmakers for now is sure of what the position of the leaders is on the issue, everybody is holding back because if the leadership decides that the incumbent should continue they would not want to be caught on the wrong side because the consequences from the 2015 experiences of those who eventually lost out in the race may be grave.

    However, this is not to say that in a House where you have 4th, 3rd and 2nd termers, they are not eyeing the seat, but for reasons stated above they are not ready to come out openly.

    From our investigations, few who show interest in the seat are actually working underground meeting with stakeholders, which include party leaders, traditional rulers and other influential people in the state to swing the pendulum to their side.

    Like one of such interested lawmaker confided in our correspondent on condition of anonymity, “I will not become the Speaker through the pages of newspaper or on the social media; I know those who can make it happen and I am reaching out to them.”

    This is obviously the attitude and belief of those interested in the race. They are working underground and who knows, there may be surprises.

    But will it be a walkover for the incumbent? It is very unlikely because there seem to be so much unease among the lawmakers, especially the ranking members, because the newcomers are not too familiar with the terrain yet.

    Although there is so much grumbling among many of the ranking members, nobody really wants to speak out on what the problem really is except for some who said it borders on style of leadership and members’ welfare.

    Even a principal figure who is also a major power broker in the House and who was instrumental and played a major role in the emergence of Obasa in 2015, from sources within the Assembly, is also aggrieved. He is actually seen as a godfather in the Assembly.

    Though he is no longer coming back to the Assembly since he has secured a ticket to go higher, he however remains relevant and powerful in the Assembly politics and many believe the party leadership will listen to him when the issue of speakership comes up.

    He is even said to have called a meeting of some prominent ranking members in the Assembly to complain bitterly about his protégé, especially on issues concerning members’ welfare and other sundry matters.

    Even members of the speaker’s kitchen cabinet are said to be aggrieved also and have indeed met, and though they are not averse to his returning as Speaker, they have however detailed out conditions he must abide to and changes in style he must adhere to so as to retain their support. It is however not certain how far they have gone in their quest.

    One of the conditions given is that the Speaker must promise to make lawmakers and staffs’ welfare a priority to gain their support.

    But sources at the Assembly say the Speaker sees this as betrayal and this may have estranged both parties.

    This may account for why the Speaker has opted for another lawmaker who observers in the Assembly will tell you they have never been best of friend’s probably because he contested for the position against Obasa in 2015; as his campaign manager for the coveted seat.  He is not coming back and also lost his bid to go to House of Representatives.

    Definitely, the Speaker has more trust in him, because he is not coming back, than members of his kitchen cabinet who are coming back.

    And the major plank of his campaign manager to the new comer lawmakers as disclosed by one of them when asked who he will vote for is “vote for Obasa, if you don’t vote for him and he wins, he will victimize you because he is very vindictive. I have suffered it in the last four years. I was victimized in the last four years because I did not support him in 2015”.

    That Obasa may have prepared the ground for a smooth return as Speaker of the 9th Assembly is not in doubt. He is said to have been instrumental to the return of many of the returning members, especially those coming for second term and particularly the Peoples Democratic Party defectors, by ensuring that even those who lost out in the party primaries were eventually given the ticket by the party to come back; he is sure of their loyalty.

    He is also sure of the loyalty of some of the ranking members, particularly those who he made chairmen of juicy committees as they would want him back so as to continue to enjoy chairmanship of their juicy committees or at least switch to other juicy committees.

    If the contest is to be decided on the floor of the House, he is almost 100 per cent sure of the votes of these members and some of the new comers whom he has already reached out to.

    But as mentioned earlier, the decision of who becomes the Speaker is neither decided on the floor of the House or by the lawmakers but by the godfathers and leadership of the party. This much the Speaker alluded to in 2015 during the tussle for the speakership position.

    And their yardstick for deciding who eventually emerges as Speaker may be very different from other calculations as seen in the case of out-going governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, who despite his spectacular performance, was denied a second term ticket by the party leadership.

    In the Lagos Assembly who becomes speaker remains a matter of conjecture for now; will it remain Obasa or will another Speaker emerge? Will there be surprises? These questions will only be answered in June maybe days or hours before the inauguration of the 9th Assembly.

    For now, all fingers are crossed as the underground work, campaign and intrigues continue.

    NIGER: HOW NEW MEMBERS’ BAN AFFECTS RACE

    From Justina Asishana – Minna

    The newly elected members of the Niger State House of Assembly are prevented from contesting due to last minute amendment of the standing order of the House which states that fresh and new members will not be qualified to vie for the leadership of the Assembly.

    The Nation gathered that the state government may have already selected a candidate from among the new entrants but with the change in the standing order, they had to shift their focus.

    We reliably gathered that three returning members, including the incumbent Speaker, would be contesting for the number three position in the state.

    These contenders include the current Speaker, Honorable Ahmed Marafa Guni, who is representing Chachanga Constituency, the member representing Bosso Constituency, Honorable Malik Madaki Bosso and the Chairman of the Committee on Information who represents Suleja Constituency, Honorable Shua’ibu Liman Iya.

    The government is leaning favorably in support of the member representing Suleja Constituency, Honorable Shua’ibu Liman Iya who entered into the Assembly under the platform of the PDP but defected during his second year as a member in the House.

    Reasons for the support of Iya is not far-fetched as the government is looking at who will bend to its will, approve their whims and be at their beck and call.

    The current Speaker, Ahmed Marafa Guni, may likely have the support of his fellow colleagues but not the government; this is because the government is not able to bend him to do their will during his four year tenure.

    What possibly put off the government about Marafa may not be far from his inability to get the Assembly to approve the Sukuk Bond which the government wanted at all cost; this ended up in causing a frosty relationship between the government and the legislators.

    Another reason the government is not favorably disposed to him may be his insistence that the governor signs and acts on the bills passed by the House and his usual tendency to call the government to order.

    However, on his part, Marafa says he is not worried about the outcome of the Speakership position as according to him, “position comes from God. I will be comfortable with every outcome, be it for me or against me.”

    Honorable Madaki Malik Bosso’s emergence as one of the contenders is not a surprise because he has been the most vocal member in the Assembly in the past four years, however he is not favored by the government because of his outspokenness and his ability to speak against government policies each time it is not favorable to the people.

    Out of these three major candidates, it seems the current Speaker and Madaki Bosso will be the two most favoured in the battle to get the plum seat. The governor’s will and say over the speakership position has always not been met and this time will be no different.

    CROSS RIVER: GOVERNOR HOLDS THE ACE

    From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

    In Cross River State, the present Speaker of the House of Assembly, John Gaul Lebo, representing Abi State Constituency in the Central District of the state, would not be coming back, given that he lost out in his bid to move up to the House of Representatives in the last election.

    With some kind of unwritten consensus that the speakership be retained in the central district of the state, the position may have been narrowed down to the six local government areas that constitute the district.

    The local governments are Abi, Yakurr, Obubra, Etung, Boki and Ikom. However, it seems due to various factors that would be highlighted here, it still would seem there is a further narrowing down.

    Presently, the 25 member House is constituted of all members of the Peoples Democratic Party and a breakdown of the central district as it would be in the next Assembly would be as follows Abi (Dave Etta), Boki 1 (Itam Abang), Boki 2 (Hilary Bisong), Obubua 1 (Okpeche Friday)

    Obubra 2 (Samson Francis), Etung (Chris Mbu-Ogar), Ikom 1 (Fred Osim), Ikom 2 (Elvert Ekom), Yakurr 1 (Ofem Nelson) and Yakurr 2 (Eteng Williams).

    However favourites among these seem to be the representatives of Boki, who in considering elective positions from the area seem to be lacking.

    There seems to be the feeling that one of these two should present the Speaker for some form of equity within the district.

    For instance Ikom has Chris Agibe who is in the federal House of Representatives member representing Ikom/Boki. Obubra has Mike Etaba representing Obubra/Etung. Abi has Alex Egbona representing Abi/Yakurr. Etung has Sandy Onor as a Senator of the district. Also Yakurr had produced a Speaker before in the person of Bassey Ewa. Abi and Yakurr share the same federal constituency and Abi had just produced the immediate past Speaker in the person of John Gaul. There is also the feeling that Abi has also produced a governor in the person of Liyel Imoke and  Yakurr just finished from the House of Reps in the person of Bassey Ewa, who is to hand over to Alex Ebgona from Abi.

    For some, if fairness and equity are to be achieved, then it should be Boki that should get the speakership, even as those from the area say they gave the governor the highest number of votes in the state in the last general elections.

    Bisong, heading for a second term in office, had achieved some popularity in the last Assembly. He is one of those whose name comes up whenever the matter is discussed, but it should be noted that the governor’s interest would also play a role in who would eventually emerge as the Speaker as it seems the legislature in the state has always been under the influence of the executive.

    The governor is expected to look for someone that it would be able to work smoothly with given that most of his projects would need legislative backing. It is in this regard many feel that Bisong may not be favoured as he is believed to be an independent minded person.

    But sources close to Bisong say he is a team player, who is not coming to challenge the system because he also has a political future and is committed to move the state forward.

    Another strong contender would be Williams from Yakurr, a close associate of Lebo. But there is the feeling that if the governor really wants smooth working relations with the House this might not be the best option because his would be like an extension of Lebo’s speakership, who many members of the House felt did not protect their interests well enough. In fact, it is argued that it is such loss of popularity that made Lebo to lose his bid for the Abi/Yakurr federal seat, which is the only constituency the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) won in all the elections across the state.

    Fred Osim, representing Ikom I, is another name that features for this position although the permutations highlighted earlier may not favour his area.

    As pointed out earlier, in the midst of all these schemings, the person that would make the final decision would be the governor himself. The politics of the state seems to be tied around the apron strings of the governor and whoever the governor decides would emerge. Against this backdrop and given that of course in politics anything is possible, hence pushing it further one may consider the present Deputy Speaker of the House who represents Calabar South 2 from the Southern district.

    This is due to the feeling that Bassey, who would be returning for a third term, is considered to be level headed and diplomatic and that he would be able to build the kind of cohesion the governor would like to pursue his agenda.

    OGUN: UNCERTAINTY TRAILS SEARCH FOR NEW SPEAKER

    From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

    The current state legislative Assembly in Ogun State, presided over by Hon. Suraj Adekunbi, will wind down in June, giving way to another leadership.

    The seat of the Speaker, in the political configuration of the state, had been zoned to Ogun Central since Ogun East has the Governor while the Ogun West has the Deputy Governor.

    The race for the position had since  began, albeit, subtly even before the State House of Assembly election was held last March 9 in Ogun State.

    The duo of Kunle Oluomo from Ifo 1 State Constituency and Elemide Daisy Victor, an Architect, from Odeda State Constituency are the contenders to the office.

    Honourable Kunle Oluomo is being said to be interested in the seat. He is presently the Deputy Speaker and has eight years of legislative experience on his side, a grassroots politician, and mobiliser and often referred to as the grand master of Ifo politics by a section of his supporters.

    Oluomo had a stint in the media. In the last eight years, he has been running people – ariented and welfarist representation for his Ifo 1 State Constituency, providing free school shuttle buses that convey pupils and students to and fro schools in Ifo town and surrounding villages.

    He is making his third appearance at the Ogun Assembly where, of the 26 – member legislators, about a dozen of them are making their first appearances.

    He was an Amosun loyalist to the core, dating back to the time of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP). He was first elected a lawmaker on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), 2011, when he followed Amosun to the party, got re-elected on the ticket of APC 2015 and now in 2019 on the strength of the same party.

    He however fell out with Amosun when his former boss denied him ticket and so he had to align with Dapo Abiodun and Osoba camp to get the ticket to run.

    Oluomo is believed to be banking on the likely support of colleagues who would be returning to the House to clinch the Speakership position when the time comes.

    The odds against him is his connection with Amosun, and even though the relationship between the duo had diverged, political expediency and need for healthy and  stable forthcoming Ogun Assembly may make the choice of Oluomo a difficult path to thread by the decision makers in APC.

    For no fault of his, it is not unexpected for people to assume that he could easily look back to his else while political mentor for tutoring when the chips are down to the hurt of executive – legislative harmony. How he will pull this albatross off his shoulder remained a matter to be seen.

    Oluomo has been paying heavy price on account of what some people ascribed to his severed relationship with the governor while others said his political travails were the manifestation of the people’s discontents with his style of politics.

    He has been attacked on a number of occasions by political foes; his supporters too had equally been spared during such attacks, with some of them gravely injured.

    Recently, he lost what could be regarded as a fleet of busses to hoodlums, who set them ablaze and also torched his constituency office in Ifo.

    Elemide is an Osoba loyalist. An intelligent and calm politician, he was in the House from 2011 to 2015; followed Osoba to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 2015 when Amosun elbowed them out of APC and also joined the camp to successfully fight their way back to the party.

    Elemide appeared to have many things working on his side towards emerging the next Speaker of the Ogun Assembly. He earns the trust of the party chieftains, his people and to a significant extent, that of the party as whole.

    Some of the first time lawmakers too are likely to give him their support on the strength of the series of alliances that brought about the victory of APC in the governorship poll.

    And given the experience of the party leaders and chieftains in the hand of Governor Ibikunle Amosun in the last eight years, particularly in the build-up to the last general elections, it is almost certain that nobody remotely or directly connected to Amosun would be supported to become Speaker.

    This is where Oluomo is most disadvantaged and Elemide seem better favored. And if the rule of ‘Baba so pe’ takes precedence, as it is expected to be done underground, Elemide is likely going to be the next Speaker.

  • Popular prophetess found dead in Abakaliki

    The Ebonyi State Police Command says it is working to unravel the cause of the death of a popular prophetess in Ebonyi State, who was found dead along Ezza Road, Abakaliki, recently.

    Spokesperson Mrs. Loveth Odah, who briefed reporters in Abakaliki on the incident, said investigation is ongoing to ascertain the cause of the death.

    According to police report, the deceased, Mrs. Felicia Agwu, an indigene of Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government, was found dead along Ezza Road area of Abakaliki.

    Agwu was a popular prophetess in one of the new generation churches. Her ministry is located in Ezza North Local Government.

    “A woman in her early 50s was found lying lifeless along the Ezza Road axis of Abakaliki on May 18. A good-spirited Nigerian called the attention of the command, which quickly mobilised to the scene.

    Read Also: Woman in court for allegedly biting neighbour’s breast

    “Our men got to the scene, took the woman to the hospital, where she was confirmed dead by a medical expert.

    “The cause of her death is yet unknown, but we have launched investigation to ascertain the real cause of the death.

    “There were no injuries found on her body to establish a case of criminal attack on the deceased. So, for now we are having a case of ‘sudden’ death until we conclude our investigation.

    “We implore the bereaved family and the public to supply vital information that will help the police in their investigation, to contact the command,” Odah said.

  • Over 2000 Ebonyi indigenes sacked in Cross River

    At least, two thousand indigenes of Izzi local government area of Ebonyi state resident in Ekajiok, Ogoja local government area of Ebonyi state have been sacked from the area.

    The Ebonyi indigenes resident in the area are mainly traders. Their houses and shops were allegedly set ablazed by the Ekajiok people.

    The displaced persons include, men, women, pregnant women, nursing mothers, children and infants.

    The people of Igbeagu community, Izzi local government area of Ebonyi state and their neighbouring Ukele Yala local government area of Cross River state have been at war over boundary matters with many killed and properties worth billions of naira destroyed.

    On Friday, some people from Cross River state were said to have gone to Ebonyi state to mill their rice but two of them allegedly got missing.

    Read Also: Chinese regain freedom in Ebonyi

    Following this, the Ekajiok people allegedly attacked Izzi people living in their area, looting and  destroying  their properties.

    Speaking to journalists at cabinet office government house, Abakaliki where the Izzi displaced persons are currently camping, Chairman of Izzi traders in Ekajiok, Agena Simon who spoke on behalf of the IDPs said he was in front of his shop on Friday when somebody came to him and told him what was happening.

    “He asked me to close my shops first. Within five minutes, youths from Ekajiok in their numbers armed with various weapons came and broke my shops”.

    “They looted everything in the shops, they went round the community and did same thing to all Ebonyi indigenes resident in the community”

    “We have lost all our livelihood and earnings, the shirt I am wearing is the only thing that was saved from the attack. We are crying to our Governor to come to our aid because we have nothing to feed our children and entire families we are dying of hunger.

    “We have no problem with the Ekajiok people to warrant our attack and destruction of our properties. I contacted the traditional ruler of that community on phone when the incident occurred to know why the thing happened to us and he told me that two indigenes of the community who went to mill rice in Ebonyi got missing”.

    On his part, Head of Department relief and rehabilitation of Ebonyi State Emergency Management Agency Prince Chibueze Iteshi who was compiling the names of the IDPs for possible government assistance said  “We got a report that Ebonyi indigenes living in Ekajiok in Ogoja local government area of Cross River state were attacked by the indigenes of Ekajiok.

    “The report we got from Ebonyi people in that Ekajiok is that some indigenes of that Ekajiok came to rice mill in Ebonyi state to mill their rice. Two of their indigenes got missing, they didn’t return”.

    “On getting the information, the people of Ekajiok started attacking all Ebonyi indigenes living in that place. It was the aid of police from Ogoja area command and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo there that fought and ensure that they were safeguarded and brought back to Ebonyi state here.

    “Currently, we are compiling the number of those displaced but we have men, women lactating, mothers, pregnant women, small children, infants in their midst.

    “They came to this state today, immediately they came in SSG directed that SEMA should take action immediately”.

  • To a loyal reader of this column

    I cannot now remember how long Emmanuel Egwu of Ebonyi State  has been a dedicated reader of this column but I have  known him as a constant source of encouragement for the little we try to do on these pages. He has been both a critic and a source of encouragement as he has, week in week out, taken time out to comment on all the articles appearing here in the column. He has certainly been an adrenalin booster for me too but we shall come to him shortly.

    For now, let us deal with a matter of urgent national interest.

    I have lately come to attach less, and less importance, to things emanating from a wing of Afenifere but all that disappeared, however momentarily, after I read Senator Femi Okunrounmu say as quoted below on the maximum thievery going on in the National Assembly which has, again,  just awarded itself N23B as severance package for its members, atop the humongous amount of money they haul home monthly. According to newspaper reports, Senator Okunrounmu was reported as saying: “We have been commenting for years without any appreciable result to show for it. Nigerians are so docile; they are a very docile people who fail to take necessary action to prevent recurrence of an incident like this” “Otherwise, the National Assembly will not embark on this type of journey when Nigerians are suffering. All the recklessness would have stopped if Nigerians cared. The National Assembly can take all the money and Nigerians would keep quiet.”So, my comment would amount to nothing because whatever we say, the National Assembly will still do what it intends to do and get away with it. They make ridiculous budgetary allocations to themselves; they collect money recklessly and spend with impunity”.”We are aware of the kind of provisions they make to themselves regularly. We know what a senator takes home every month compared to what Nigerian workers earn. We have been commenting on this for years, but what have we done about it? “The National Assembly lawmakers know they can do what they are doing and get away with it, hence they are not bothered. We can stop them if only we get on our feet and march on the National Assembly. We must say enough is enough.”

    As I have written severally on these pages when will Nigerians wake up to their own salvation? By the way how many heads do we think Algerians, Sudanese or Venezuelans, have tat they all troop ot against bad governance?. Must we, the people, too look askance if the federal government would not lift a finger towards ending this roguery?

    Any way Fela had long ago sang for the Mumus of Nigeria in SORROW, TEARS and BLOOD when he sang:

    “People self they fear too much

    We fear for the thing we no see

    We fear for the air around us

    We fear to fight for freedom

    We fear to fight for liberty

    We fear to fight for justice

    We fear to fight for happiness

    We always get reason to fear:

    We no wan die

    We no wan wound

    We no wan quench

    We no wan go

    I get one child

    Mama dey for house

    Papa dey for house

    I wan build house

    I don build house

    I no want quench

    I want enjoy

    I no wan go

    Ah!

    So na like this we go dey look?

    God bless the duo of  Monday Ubani and John Nwokwu, two lawyers who  have dragged the Attorney General of the Federation, Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, the Senate and House of Representative before a Federal High Court in Lagos over huge salaries, allowances and remunerations being collected by National Assembly members. Also joined in the suit which was filed on Thursday is the National Assembly Service Commission. In an originating summons filed before the court, the two lawyers are asking the court to determine whether by relevant sections of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the National Assembly members had the power to fix their salaries, wages, remuneration or allowances.

    “In an affidavit in support of the suit, sworn to by Ubani, he contended that based on relevant sections of the constitution, it was illegal for the National Assembly members to continue to collect the sum of N13.5 million monthly as running cost, N750,000.00 as consolidated salary and allowance and N200 million constituency project allowance as revealed by recent newspaper publications.

    Ubani argued that by virtue of relevant sections of the 1999 constitution as amended, RMAFC is the only authority permitted to fixed the salaries, allowances and remuneration of political office holders, including that of National Assembly members.

    He further contended that the actions of the defendants have continuously depleted the national economy, subjected Nigerians into hardship and exposed the country into economic recession.

    He also argued that the defendants by their action connived and colluded with themselves to rob Nigerians of their common patrimonies, wreck economic havoc and economic earthquake on the national economic development. Consequently , Ubani and his co-plaintiff are asking the court to among other things, make a declaration that RMAFC is the  only body responsible for determining, the salaries, remuneration and/or allowances of the National Assembly or political office holders.

    They also want the court to make an order that the each member of the National Assembly should refund to the federation account the sum of N13.5 million and N10 million respectively collected as running cost since 2015 till date,  within 14 days of delivery of judgment”.

    Nigerians would soon know whether the law serves the people, or the mighty.

    Back then to my friend Egwu

    Egwu has been absolutely untiring, commenting, at some length, on each and every one of my articles here. I reproduce below two of his comments which are, however, edited for space purposes.

    On: The mega-scandal of predatory legislature

    “Except that Nigeria is a place where God is always for all, and everyone for himself, your write up on the above subject,  and the stirring argument you appropriately brought to bear on it,  should have been enough for long suffering Nigerians to troop out, en mass , in a redemptive revolution to ensure an end to this brazen legislative banditry, on top of the humongous salaries they haul  home monthly even as millions of Nigerians are not sure as to where their next meal would come from. If only the people would all rise and do  the  needful to stop this cruel enslavement by the NASS, and curtail other excesses in government, I have no doubt, whatever, that the economy would record a massive turn around and our politics will become far less predatory , and killing, since money is at the root of our ugly politics.

    The North: Militancy and banditry and the rest of us

    Thanks for your interactive style which would always make matters more comprehensible, and a lot clearer. The Zamfara mayhem is simply a case of sowing and reaping. The north’s religion, or cultural heritage, permits the existence of Alamjiris, a group of somewhat abandoned children, most of who cannot trace their parents in a thousand years, and therefore, a sitting duck for recruitment by Boko Haram and other vagabond groups now tormenting the North. They go about in search of crumbs falling off from the master’s table just as they  beg for arms and wander about. This they do daily while the rich live in stupendous opulence in the same community. It is unimaginable the rich never thought these people would one day become societal monsters. When they start asking questions about how they grew into a life so nasty, brutish and short, and there are no satisfactory answers, the  result is what we are now seeing in the North

    The answer to all these lies in providing massive incentives for educating the youth both in Zamfara and other affected states. This must be followed up with the provision of quality youth empowerment programmes to engage the youths and the downtrodden of the areas in meaningful ventures. A hungry man is an angry man, and an idle mind will ever remains the devil’s workshop.

    Good governance and people-oriented leadership is the ultimate and enduring solution.

     

  • Four killed in Ebonyi/Benue boundary clash

    Four persons from Ngno community in Ohaukwu local government area of Ebonyi state have been killed in resumed hostilities with neighbouring Agila in Ardo local government area of Benue State.

    The deceased were members of a peace committee set up by Ebonyi and Benue governments to end the age- long boundary dispute between the two communities.

    The intractable dispute has claimed many lives with properties worth billions destroyed over the years

    Last week, Benue Deputy Governor, Chief Benson Abonu and his Ebonyi counterpart, Dr. Kelechi Igwe held a meeting at Government House Abakaliki.

    They inaugurated three committees Inter community peace committee, Ohaukwu/Ado Inter Local Governments Peace Committee and a Technical Committee with members drawn from National Boundary Commission, Office of Surveyor General of the Federation and Surveyors Generals of Ebonyi and Benue states to end killings, maiming and destructions in the crisis.

    But on Wednesday, four members of the peace committees who are indigenes of Ngbo, Ohaukwu local government area of Ebonyi state, were killed with two others injured.

    Read Also: Man, 37 sets self ablaze in Ebonyi

    They were ambushed and killed by warlords on their way to a meeting in Benue state over the crisis.

    Governor Dave Umahi, who was visibly angry, has summoned stakeholders meeting of the area.

    Briefing the Governor at Exco chambers government House Abakaliki where the meeting held, Chairman of the local government, Hon. Clement Odah, said the killings occurred barely one week after inauguration of the committees.

    “Each time we meet and agreed that peace should reign, the Agila people will always breach that peace.

    ‘’This one is one of the cases of those cases of breaches and the effect is that it has left in our place, large number of IDPs,” he said.

    Umahi, while expressing his anger on the killings, said it was not ordinary and accused the stakeholders of aiding and abating the crisis.

    “I am not a fool. These things are done by you people. There is no any other person that did it.

    “It is like you give somebody salt, you give him water. How can you say that these people killed were ambushed? I have asked them to audit all your resources from Ohaukwu local government,” he fumed.

    Umahi ordered police and DSS to arrest stakeholders from the area, including the council chairman, Odah for interrogation.

  • Kidnapped Chinese citizens regain freedom

    Two Chinese citizens who were kidnapped on Wednesday in Ebonyi state have regained their freedom.

    Police spokesman in the State, Loveth Odah told journalists in Abakaliki on Sunday that they were rescued by the police unhurt.

    According to her, their abductors were forced to abandon them in a thick forest near the location where they were kidnapped following pressure mounted on the Police who were closing in on their location.

    “They were rescued on Saturday by 11am. The pressure was so much on the kidnappers that they had to abandon them and flee. They were rescued in a thick forest around the area unhurt. They were not physically tortured but they may be psychologically tortured”, Odah said.

    She called on foreigners in the state to always partner with the Police and other security agencies so that they can be adequately protected.

    “The police in the state has invited the Foreign Nationals to a meeting to sensitize them on the need to liaise with police to always provide them with adequate security”.

    Read Also: Breaking: Masked gunmen kidnap two Chinese nationals in Ebonyi

    The two Chinese nationals, Sun Zhixin and Wang Quing Hu were kidnapped while working on a road project in Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi State by masked armed gunmen.

    They are staff of Tongyi Construction Company.

    It was gathered that the Chinese nationals were in a ditch at a place called Ivo river when the gunmen invaded the place with arms, forced the workers out of the pit and took the two Chinese to an unknown destination.

    The company is constructing the road which links the Ohaozara community called Ogwu with Ivo local government and Okpanku community in Enugu.  ENDS

  • Breaking: Masked gunmen kidnap two Chinese nationals in Ebonyi

    Two Chinese nationals, Sun Zhixin and Wang Quing Hu have been kidnapped in Ebonyi state.

    The two Chinese, both male are staff of Tongyi Construction Company.

    They were working on a road project in Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi State when they were forcefully whisked away by armed gunmen.

    They were taken off the construction site around 3:30pm on Wednesday by a group of masked armed men.

    It was gathered that the Chinese nationals were in a ditch at a place called Ivo River when the gunmen invaded the place with arms, forced the workers out of the pit and took the two Chinese to an unknown destination.

    The company is constructing the road which links the Ohaozara community called Ogwu with Ivo local government and Okpanku community in Enugu.

    Read Also: Man, 37 sets self ablaze in Ebonyi

    Police spokesman in the state, Odah Loveth confirmed the kidnap of the two Chinese.

    She said that police have dispatched its men for possible rescuing of the kidnapped victims unhurt.

    “The State Commissioner of Police, Awoshola Awotinde on receiving information of the kidnap personally led a tactical team to the construction site,  owned by Tongyi group of companies located at Ivo river at the boundary between Ebonyi and Enugu state, where Sun Zhixin and Wang Quing Hu both male, Chinese nationals were forcefully taken away.

    “The area was combed to track down the bandits but no result, a track down rescue team has been dispatched to move on in other to rescue the Chinese nationals unhurt,” she said.

    The spokesman appealed for adequate information from the general public that will help the police in their investigation.

    She expressed shock that the company moved to such lonely site without applying for security from the police.

  • Ebonyi NLC commends Buhari for signing N30,000 Minimum Wage Bill

    The Nigeria Labour Congress, Ebonyi Chapter has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the N30,000 new minimum wage bill into law.

    Ebonyi NLC Chairman, Mr Leo Nkah, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja, said Buhari has proved to be a caring leader.

    NAN recalls that Buhari on Thursday signed the N30,000 new minimum wage bill already passed by the National Assembly.

    Nkah called for quick release of the minimum wage table to enable workers receive the new pay as quickly as possible.

    Read Also: Court sacks Ebonyi Senator, orders fresh poll

    Nkah, who is also, the President, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ebonyi Chapter, expressed the hope that state governors would not hesitate to pay the new wage to their workers, since it was a collective agreement.

    He also commended the national leadership of organised labour for their doggedness throughout the negotiation for the new national minimum wage.

    Nkah stressed the need to continue the fight especially at the state level, to ensure that states adopt salary table released by relevant government agencies.

    NAN