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Tag: Enugu

  • I‘ll win in Enugu, says APC candidate

    I‘ll win in Enugu, says APC candidate

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Mr. Okey Ezea, has said he will win the election on April 11, if it is free, fair and transparent.

    He claimed that he failed in the past because of rigging.

    Briefing reporters in his Enugu office at the weekend, Ezea, a lawyer, popularly called “Ideke”, said the election would be between him and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

    He said: “I can tell you that  Ugwuanyi is not a popular candidate, but was imposed on the people by the governor. But in a fair, free and transparent election, I will carry the day.”

    The APC candidate alleged that his confidence was based on the fact that Ugwuanyi was not popular.

    He said he has a well- articulated manifesto. ‘’As an individual, I employed over 256 workers. I have the capacity and passion to provide better service for our people.”

    Ezea said: “If I come into office on May 29 by the grace of God, I will declare free and compulsory education up to the senior secondary level. I will pay WAEC and JAMB fees for our children, reduce fees payable at the tertiary institutions, give scholarship to brilliant but indigent students, look after teachers and civil servants, prioritise agriculture and revive dead industries, to create jobs for the unemployed.”

  • Woman ‘kills’ husband in Enugu

    Woman ‘kills’ husband in Enugu

    A housewife at the weekend in Enugu allegedly killed her husband.

    Grace Agbo, was said to have allegedly used a club to hit her husband, Elijah Agbo, on the head.

    The Agbos were said to hail from Imirike Agu village in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State. They live at Mbu Amon in Isi-Uzo Council where the incident occurred.

    Police spokesman Ebere Amaraizu said the deceased was hale and hearty before the incident and was with his 12-year-old daughter, Deborah.

    The body has been deposited at the General Hospital, Ikem, mortuary for autopsy.

    The suspect is in custody at the police headquarters, Enugu.

    He said: “About 9pm, Deborah was suddenly asked by her mother, whose motive was not known, to go to bed.

    “It was learnt that Deborah went into her room, only to hear the sound of a heavy hit. She rushed out and found her father lying in a pool of blood.

    “It was discovered that the mother used a big stick found on the scene to hit the father on the head, which caused him injury that made him to slump. He became unconscious and later died.”

  • Enugu guber: Ugwuanyi’s challenge

    Enugu guber: Ugwuanyi’s challenge

    With the recent ruling of an Abuja High Court, which dismissed Senator Ayogu Eze’s petitions, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has finally won the battle to fly PDP governorship ticket in Enugu State. Sam Egburonu however examines the challenges before him in the actual elections 

    Followingthe recent ruling of Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, the coast is now clear for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to contest the forthcoming governorship election in Enugu State. The reprieve came after Justice Chukwu dismissed the suit filed by Senator Ayogu Eze, challenging the emergence of Ugwuanyi as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state.

    Sources said some supporters of Ugwuanyi in the coal city and other parts of the state celebrated his victory at the court with ceremonial gunshots.

    It would be recalled that Eze had filed the suit against the PDP, its National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Ugwuanyi, who enjoys the support of the national leadership of the PDP, subsequently applied and was joined as an interested party in the matter.

    Both Ugwuanyi and Eze laid claims to the governorship ticket of the party in Enugu, having emerged from two parallel primary elections held on December 8, 2014.

    But Justice Chukwu, delivering judgment on the case, said that from the averments made, it was only one governorship primary election that was conducted in the state on December 8 under the watchful eyes of the national officers of the PDP.

    He said the plaintiff’s suit did not succeed as he failed to show how any section of the constitution or the Electoral Act, as well as PDP guidelines for the conduct of gubernatorial primary election, was breached or violated.

    Earlier in his judgment that lasted for two hours, Justice Chukwu dismissed the preliminary objections filed by the defendants for want of jurisdiction, abuse of court process and locus standi. He however agreed with the defendants that it was only a political party that was in a position to choose its candidate in an election.

    He therefore held that the power to conduct party primaries rested solely on the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party and not the state executive of the party.

    Eze had told the court that PDP conducted ward congresses in Enugu State on November 1, 2014 as a result of which a list of delegates for the conduct of primary election for the governorship candidate of the party emerged.

    According to the senator, the list was sanctioned and authenticated by the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/816/2014, through a judgment delivered on November 24, 2014.

    Ruling on this however, Justice Chukwu said the sister court “never sanctioned any delegate list”.

    The court was of the view that Eze failed to show any evidence indicating that NEC or PDP conducted the primary that he claimed was the authentic one.

    Will Ugwuanyi meet expectations?

    Since the latest court ruling, one question that has been agitating the minds of critical observers in Enugu is if Ugwuanyi will meet the tall expectations of his supporters and the people of Enugu State?

    Many believe that Enugu State, being a predominantly civil servants and low income earners’ state, creates a burden of going beyond just winning elections as there is too much to be done in terms of provision of democratic dividends.

    Since 1999, more especially under the administration of Governor Sullivan Chime, the state has witnessed some level of development and it is in the light of this that so much is expected from Ugwuanyi who, sources said has enjoyed overwhelming support from the people. Many said Chime has excelled in terms of provision of democracy dividends to the people.

    In one of his campaign tours, Ugwuanyi acknowledged the sterling performance of the governor when he said that achievements of the governor had made his electioneering activities ahead of the election much easier.

    Chief Israel Okonma said of Ugwuanyi, the people know the stuff he is made of and that explains their passion for his governorship aspiration. His antecedents speak volumes which include his stewardship in the House of Representatives in the last 12 years, coupled with his humility and candor which have touched the lives of people. The expectation is that Ugwuanyi’s administration will have a human face with many arguing that the combination of all these factors made his candidature more of a movement in Enugu State.

    To crown the situation, many of the governorship candidates in other parties have either stepped down for him or the party deliberately not fielding any candidate for the guber position.

    Not long ago, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state adopted Ugwuanyi for the April 11 governorship election with an explanation that the move was informed by its confidence in Ugwuanyi’s capacity to govern Enugu State.

    According to the APGA chairman in Enugu State, Chief Okechukwu Nkolagu, it would have been an effort in futility if the party had fielded a candidate to challenge Ugwuanyi, adding that it will be difficult for any other party to win the contest with the level of his popularity and acceptance by the people.

    Critical observers are also in agreement that the support the PDP enjoys in the state would be extended to President Goodluck Jonathan. Since 1999, Enugu people have always pitched their tent with the PDP and the coming election will not be different.

  • PDP ‘ll retain Enugu, say Nwobodo, Nnamani

    PDP ‘ll retain Enugu, say Nwobodo, Nnamani

    Former Governor of old Anambra State Senator Jim Nwobodo has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will win.

    Nwobodo made this declaration while addressing a huge crowd of supporters at the PDP campaign rally held at the headquarters of Enugu South Local Government Area.

    He said there is no opposition in the state as far as the election is concerned, adding that members of the PDP that left the party to contest elections in other political parties are wasting their time.

    Nwobodo however urged such people to return to the PDP as the umbrella of the party is big enough to accommodate their various interests.

    The former governor also expressed confidence that the governorship candidate of the party, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi will continue with the good works of Governor Sullivan Chime, having distinguished himself creditably as a three-time member of the House of Representatives, who has held important portfolios, including the position of the Chairman, House Committee on Marine Transport.

    Also speaking at the rally, former Senate President Senator Ken Nnamani decried the antics of fifth columnists within the party, especially in Enugu East Senatorial District, and charged party members to be watchful and not to relent until victory is achieved.

    Nnamani said that Enugu South Local Government Area was a fortress for the PDP, having produced him and Nwobodo, adding that the good works of Chime will make it easy for the party to coast to victory, in the forthcoming elections.

    Hon. Ugwuanyi thanked all the stakeholders that voted for him during the primary election for their overwhelming support, and assured them of his resolve to continue with all the policies and programmes of Chime’s administration for the overall interest of Enugu State.

  • Antibiotics manufacturers forum set up in Enugu

    Antibiotics manufacturers forum set up in Enugu

    A pharmaceutical forum has been inaugurated in Enugu to produce a brand of antibiotics Amoxicillin Dispersible Tablet or AMX-DT, the aim being to make the medication readily available, especially in the Southeast.

    NAFDAC, the nation’s food and drugs agency, set up the forum in collaboration with World Health Organisation (WHO).

    Speaking at the inauguration, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, said the objectives of the forum were to identify and mobilise interested indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturers to produce Amoxicillin DT to increase its availability.

    It was also to foster and accelerate the readiness of indigenous manufacturers to produce quality, safe, efficacious and affordable AMX-DT and to create an information sharing connection for indigenous manufacturers and programme managers on AMX-DT.

    The DG represented by Deputy Director, Technical Services and Focal Person, United Nations Commission on Life-Saving Commodities (UNCoLSC) for NAFDAC, Mr. Ali Ibrahim, disclosed that the agency was working with some indigenous manufacturers towards ensuring the production of AMX-DT in Nigeria.

    He stressed that the forum would provide a platform for more interested manufacturers who would benefit from technical assistance provided by NAFDAC.

    Orhii explained that because Amoxicllin DT has been identified as most effective broad-spectrum antibiotic used for bacterial infections of the ear, sinuses, throat, urinary tract, skin and abdomen, it would be especially useful in the treatment of children with bacterial pneumonia, which he said accounted for 17 percent death of children less than five years.

    He noted that studies showed that Amoxicillin was more efficacious in the treatment of children with severe cases of pneumonia compared to Co-trimoxazole.

    The NAFDAC DG who disclosed that pneumonia accounted for most neglected of the top childhood killer diseases in Nigeria, global map for pneumonia incidence shows Nigeria as the leader after India among the ten top countries mostly affected.

    In a remark, National Pneumonia Coordinator USAID Targeted States High Impact Project, Dr. Francis Ohanyido said that pneumonia was the number one killer of children under five in mostly Africa and Southeast Asia.

    He regretted that Africa accounted for 60% global deaths of under five of pneumonia cases just as he said it has negatively impacted on attainment of Nigeria’s MDG 4.

    He urged manufacturers of pharmaceutical companies to take advantage of the market in the country to go into production of AMX-DT which has been proven to be its drug and reduce the child mortality rate existing in the country.

     

  • Enugu prepares for trade fair

    Enugu prepares for trade fair

    Enugu State, especially its business community, is looking forward to the 26th edition of the International Trade Fair.

    The state’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) is finalising parrangements for the event scheduled to start on March 27 and end April 6.

    The theme of the fair is “Engendering the Nation’s Business Climate for Enhanced Industrialisation, Investment Inflow and Employment Generation.”

    This date was fixed before the postponement of the general elections. The Chamber expressed awareness of the current focus on political campaigns and scheduled elections, saying, “We have strategically designed our action plan for the Fair so that the current campaign and upcoming elections would not affect it in any negative way.”

    “Of course, you know we are concerned on the issue of deepening our democracy as we are also aware that it is only with a thriving economy and free enterprise that our democracy would be well sustained.

    “26th Enugu International Trade Fair by the grace of God is going to be an exciting and result-oriented 10 days beneficial business concourse. We thank you sincerely for being here as we seriously count on you as partners in progress as we share in the vision of the common good.”

    ECCIMA President, Dr. Ifeanyi Okoye while unveiling the plans for the fair, said: “This Fair has been packaged to have meaningful and positive effects and outcome for all stakeholders, particularly for exhibitors and participants.

    “Part of the value addition to this Fair is the erection and availability of over l000sqm marquee air-conditioned dome for corporate and international exhibitors. This is in addition to other existing facilities that will enable enhanced environment for the successful hosting of the Fair.

    “We are partnering with a marketing communications firm based in Lagos to enhance and boost the level of participation and visitors to the Fair through a unique introduction of gift presentations to lucky visitors to the Fair with the support of partnering exhibitors and participants of which the promotional activities is commencing.”

    Okoye said the Enugu Chamber would be work-related, working with the company for improved management of gate ticketing through advance sale of passes and car entry tickets.

    He said the idea was to enable people have early access to entry pass instrument for visiting the Fair and to a great extent decongest as much as possible the usual rush and crowd that besiege the entry point for access to the Fair ground when the Fair commences.

    Okoye said: “We shall be consolidating efforts towards enhancing the special designated area in the Fair complex for the exhibition of new products, prototypes, innovations and research findings for commercialization. Recall, that the idea is to boost technological advancement by bringing researchers, business people and industrialists together. This remains one of the core focal points and cutting edge of the Enugu International Trade Fair.

    “We are hopeful that we are going to receive the support of the Enugu State government towards the rehabilitation of internal roads within the Fair complex for a more amenable atmosphere/environment for vehicular and human traffic. We are happy that efforts in this direction commenced last year including the rehabilitation of access road to ease vehicular movement around the Trade Fair vicinity, and we hope that this would be completed before the Fair commences in March, 2015.”

    Okoye disclosed that the Agriculture Sector would continue to be a major fulcrum in specially designated areas during the Fair towards boosting indulgence in agricultural production and commercial farming.

    “As part of our strategic efforts to boost the success of the Fair, we shall by next week be commencing the sensitization tours and consolidating our marketing with visits to stakeholders both in public and private sector in Lagos, Abuja and across the South East and South/South States.

    “We have equally put in place measures to ensure stable and quality supply of electricity and water. Being conscious of the state of power supply from the Enugu Electricity Power Distribution Company and without prejudice to the genuine efforts to improve supply we have commenced the repairs and maintenance of the two stand-by generator sets in the Fair complex in event of public power failure,” hinted the ECCIMA president.

    According to him, the chamber has commissioned the reinforcement of the distribution network of electricity lines inside the Fair complex including the changing of a good number of wooden electric poles to concrete poles. “This has become necessary as the weak wooden electric poles used in the initial networking had during the last Fair led to the sagging of electric wires which caused power interruptions. We shall continue to gradually replace the wooden poles with concrete poles, particularly those that are weak.”

    Okoye assured that that security during the fair would be tight adding, “we are pleased to note, that we have not had any security breach/problem since we started hosting our Fairs in the Trade Fair complex within the Golf Estate area about five years ago,” and expressed that we shall deepen our human efforts in this direction trusting that God will continue to keep watch over us.”

    He also added that the Enugu chamber was pleased to note that Enugu remains one of the most peaceful state in Nigeria and  prayed that this would be sustained.

    He announced that the Fair would be chaired by oil magnate, Chief Arthur Eze. “May I also inform you that in our efforts as it is incumbent on us to accelerate private sector development, we have strategically designed to have a leading private sector personality who have distinguished himself/herself, chair the opening ceremony of the Enugu International Trade Fair.

    “Interestingly, we shall during this 26th Enugu International Trade Fair have as the maiden private sector Chairman during the Opening Ceremony of the Fair in the person of Engr. Prince Dr. Arthur Eze, Chairman, Oranto Petroleum and Atlas Petroleum International Ltd. “We shall continue to count on the support of the public in the effort to improve the standard in our Fair hosting. It is therefore with singular honour and pleasure that I formally on behalf of the Council of the Chamber present the 26th Enugu International Trade Fair Brochure to the public.

     

  • Cars, tricycles for women in Enugu

    Cars, tricycles for women in Enugu

    A non-governmental organisation, Adadioranma Foundation, has provided various items for no fewer than 1000 women in Enugu State. The items included cars, Keke NAPEP, hair driers, grinding engines, among others.

    Speaking during the event held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, the benefactor, Mrs. Nkoli Imo said she was moved by the suffering of women, especially in rural communities.

    Imo, who said she was not a politician, noted that her action was merely driven by passion to equip the women and use them to touch other lives in their immediate communities.

    She charged those who benefited from the free car initiative to use the vehicle for the good of the people.

    “As I hand over the keys to these beneficiaries today, I urge you to use it for the good of mankind and not for selfish reasons; use it to assist vulnerable people any time you meet them on the road”, she said.

    Turning to those who benefited from Keke NAPEP, hair driers, grinding engines, among others, Mrs Imo said, “as you do businesses, help other people around you; make effort to make other people share in your joy”.

    She, however, charged the over 1000 women to make sure they cast their votes for the right candidate in the February general elections.

    “Collect your Permanent Voter’s Card and vote for the right candidate, especially those who have track records of helping the poor; don’t vote for parties, vote for individuals”, she further advised.

    She equally announced a scholarship to university level and a N200,000 cash award for a teenager, who presented a modem 2-storey building, which he personally constructed.

    The coordinator of the Adadioranma Foundation in Enugu State, Mr. Nnamdi Anigbo and an Abuja based philantropist, Mrs. Theodora Obi-Okeke, described the initiative as “unprecedented in the history of Enugu State”.

    According to Anigbo, “This is the first time an individual, who is not a politician, is distributing Jeeps, Keke NAPEP and many other items, as well as 750 bags of rice to our people”.

    On her part, Obi-Okeke said: “I’m here because I share in her passion; we are equally involved in a similar activity, though in the area of free health care.

    “I commend the donor and urge the beneficiaries to use these items for the overall good of mankind”.

     

  • Group back Ezea for Enugu governor

    Group back Ezea for Enugu governor

    A group, the League of Professionals in Enugu State has unfolded plans to mobilise the people to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Chief Okey Ezea, at the general elections.

    The group described Ezea, a lawyer, as a dependable and committed politician, who has the love of the state at heart.

    In a statement in Enugu, the state capital, the group said that Enugu State is ripe for power shift.

    It added: “We have carefully and critically analysed the candidates who have been presented by their parties for the exercise and come to the conclusion that Chief Okey Ezea of the All Progressive Congress (APC) is the most suitable person to govern Enugu State in 2015.  In reality, the battle is between Okey Ezea and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and these are the candidates we invested much of our time investigating.

    “The other candidates are political jobbers, who are there to fill  the vacuum that may be created by some technicalities.

    “On performance, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2003.  No tangible project has been attracted by him to the communitieshe represents. We could not associate him with any tangible motion or bill throughout the period.

    “Okey Ezea, on the other hand, has been in private business. His business has grown into an internatyional conglomerate.  It is our firm belief, following our findings, that Okey Ezea will transform Enugu State with the same zeal and precision he built his business.”

  • APGA adopts PDP’s candidate in Enugu

    APGA adopts PDP’s candidate in Enugu

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Enugu State has adopted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, as its choice for the election.

    The party said its choice was based on his performance, expressing confidence that with Ugwuanyi as the next governor, there would be a secure future for the people

  • Enugu: Of dreams and realities of power

    SIR: Ask yourself, granted you have the ambition, why would I invest in pursuit of power? By extension why do men, and women, seek power? Power to do what, show what, or just for the fun?

    There are various directions to these questions arising from fancies and a question requesting answer may get answer that may be akin to a man who fancies his looks: to show how far he can conquer.

    But that is what many power-seekers unconsciously focus their gaze.  Of course, a conqueror has unlimited access to the booty of conquest. And this is the root of sleaze in government.

    Very few employ business strategy to achieve optimum result; to make profit and do good. The business philosophy or policy, Management by Objective – MBO – can make government business more rewarding to do good for the government stakeholders – the electorate.

    Soon after his nomination as the All Progressive Congress gubernatorial candidate for Enugu State, Okey Ezea, in close-house dinner conversation with some friends who occasionally held him by the collar demanding why he should get into dirty Nigerian politics rather than face his successful business outfits quipped: “the pursuit for power is to do good just as presiding over business empire is to earn profit, redistribute it and engender peace and harmony among those who have no access to factors of production…”

    He told his guests that he was not seeking the people’s mandate “for the fun of it or a show of telling anybody that I am Okey Ezea, a lawyer and businessman, but to find solution to the poverty in our land…’ He would add that “the situation calls for men of character, with ideas and solutions to recreate the Enugu State of Wawa dream.”

    I am reliving the dinner dialogue, almost a monologue, because the climate is ripe now that contenders to Governor Sullivan Chime’s seat are on the prowl seeking support and endorsement at election.  More importantly, there have been no known manifestos from his opponents detailing what the Enugu people should hold them accountable in default or in assessment.

    He declared: “hold me accountable in pursuit of the change I seek in Enugu… we advocate true democratic governance where government is for the people, by the people and of the people where my social contract with the people is anchored in wealth creation and poverty reduction, improvement of the health sector and health system, infrastructure development, security of life and property, and accountability and good governance.”

    It seems Enugu may get solid and independent helmsman after Senator Chimaroke Nnamani who held sway between 1999 and May 2007, as the governor.

    “I am my own boss, nobody’s godson or lackey… my pedigree is my business sense which I will use to change Enugu state of our dream… I will create wealth, provide jobs and reduce poverty, develop infrastructure and show that government is a continuum… it is indecent for a succeeding government to abandon a project embarked upon with the people’s money simply because there is irritation between the departed governor and the sitting governor… and mark you the project was duly authorized by the state legislature by way of budget approval…”

    Knocking off after the 45 minutes buffet, he was philosophical “… in social engineering, an effective follower-ship is as important as a visionary and dynamic leadership…getting the people to identify with government and its programmes goes beyond propaganda…it flows from providing leadership by example…projecting open, accessible, transparent and accountable government to earn trust… I will restore the Wawa virtues and values by implementing a mixed grill of ethical reorientation programmes built on known pillars of trust…”

    Will this change come? He quipped; “Certainly for the first time in the east, and Enugu in particular, APC government will show the difference and introduce free education up to Senior Secondary School level…  I cross my crest.. “

    •Obieze Ozoagu,

    Enugu