The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ‘internal

  • Internal, external factors behind security challenges, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday blamed internal and external factors for the security challenges facing the country.

    He made the remark while receiving security report of Course 40 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    According to him, the security challenges bequeathed to his administration in 2015 were threatening lives and properties.

    He said the NIPSS was commissioned by his administration to have a holistic view of the country’s security problems towards finding a sustainable solution to the problem.

    The President said: “In November 2017, I tasked the management of NIPSS with the responsibility of strengthening the nation’s internal security framework through community policing by proposing borders, policy, offence and strategy. And I think this is what the report is all about.

    “The decision of the government was borne out of sincere desire to find sustainable solutions to the many security challenges inherited by this administration. These challenges not only threaten the security of lives and property of our people, but also the sovereignty, territorial integrity of our country.

    “We are confronted by Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast, worrisome conflict with respect to farmers and herdsmen which has resulted in wanton destruction of lives and property across the country. Furthermore, there is the crisis of separatist agitation in the South East, and militancy in the Southsouth.

    “The government is convinced that these security challenges are rooted in both internal and external factors. Most importantly, the government is also convinced that finding sustainable solutions to these challenges will require the support and collaboration of security agencies and communities.”

    The NIPSS’s report, the President noted, was timely as it came at the time his government was overhauling security strategies.

    He promised to study the report and its recommendations, assuring the NIPSS that the Ministry of Budget and National planning will work towards providing necessary funding for the institute.

    This, he said, will allow the Institute to play its role of a think-tank and prepare the country’s leaders to plan and implement innovative ideas.

    He explained: “I’m pleased that the participants under the leadership of the management and faculty of the national institute took their task very seriously.

    “Your report is coming at a time when we are changing the national security strategy by placing much emphasis on the well-being of Nigerians.

    “I’m using this occasion to direct relevant government agencies to carefully study the report with a view to implementing its recommendations.

    “I’m aware of the funding challenges of the institute in view of the need to encourage it to continue the play the role of a think-tank and also prepare leaders who will plan and implement innovative policies for the present and future of the country the Ministry of Budget and National Planning would work towards providing necessary funding for the institute.’’

    NIPSS’ acting Director-General Jonathan Juma said that the process leading to the report involved series of lectures, workshops, and presentations at plenary, with resource persons drawn from directing staff, research fellows and participants.

    The participants, he said, undertook study tours of 12 states, six Africa countries and six other countries outside Africa to obtain a clearer perspective of internal security issues.

    Juma said: “I am proud to inform you that this Report is a product of thorough band painstaking engagement with relevant stakeholders and critical analysis of the issues and challenges of the nation’s internal security framework.

    “We are hopeful that the recommendations will be adopted by government as part of strategies to checkmate the mutating internal security challenges in the nation and to mobilise citizens to appreciate security as a collective responsibility.”

  • Internal security: Navy trains personnel on smalls arms handling, firing

    Internal security: Navy trains personnel on smalls arms handling, firing

    To ensure proficiency in the handling of small arms during internal security operations, the Nigerian Navy (NN) yesterday took over 100 operatives through a refresher firing exercise.

    Organised by the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC)  at  Owode, Nigeria’s border community with Benin Republic, the Small Arms Firing Exercise (SAFEX) saw the personnel shooting weapons such as AK47, FN Riffle and Shooters and Gear (SnG) from 100 and 200 metres radius.

    According to the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) NAVTRAC, Rear Admiral Obi Ofodile, the training was necessary giving that naval operatives rarely handled light weapons.

    By nature of their constituonal roles, Ofodile said naval operatives were used to handling big weaponry, which are mounted on warships.

    Ofodile said the aim was to prepare a formidable military, proficient in weapon handling and marksmanship, especially in the light of internal security challenges.

    He said: “SAFEX is a part of NN schedule of events for 2018. Also, the Chief of  the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas has made it clear that all commands and units must be proficient in the firing of small arms.

    “It is assumed that at the point of entry in the navy, whether as an officer or the other ranks, we were taught to fire.

    “However, given our different deployments, we might not have been given the opportunity to continue to handle such weapons all the time.

    “So, this exercise would improve our proficiency in small weapons handling because by the nature of naval vessels, guns are mounted.

    “The navy basically has big guns onboard our warships like the 127MM and the 40MN that are onboard the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Aradu. But when it comes to internal insecurity, small arms are more useful and so, our men must be up to their game at all times.

    “This is because the navy is very much involved in confronting these security challenges and weapons used are such as the FN rifle, AK47 and the SNG.

    “For you to be proficient and skillful in handling such, the importance of SAFEX comes to bear. Some of us finished our targets within the allotted time. However, even if you are 100 per cent good, you still need to brush up your skills.”

    Senior officers who took part in the exercise included Commander, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base Service Group, Air Commodore Mike Olatunji;  Commander NNS WEY, Commodore Patrick Yekwe andCommander Special Boat Services (SBS), Commodore Ibrahim Shettima.

     

     

     

  • Secondus promises internal democracy

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship aspirant Prince Uche Secondus has promised to guarantee internal democracy, if elected.

    Secondus, according to a statement by his media office, said: “Internal democracy strengthens a political party; it is the essential oil for the survival of any party organisation

    “We will not joke with the rights of our members to decide on issues in line with the constitution of the party.

    “We will ensure the party constitution is adhered to in both letters and spirit. As a leading opposition party ,this mantra of internal democracy is a must for us, especially in our drive to take over governance of the country by 2019.We need all leaders and members on board to build a mass movement that will unseat this failed government.

    “We are fully aware of the state of our party, especially across the state chapters. We will consolidate on the good and make amends on what is bad. Our members will have their voice respected from the smallest of decisions to the biggest. Never will our members be taken for granted under my leadership.”

    He lauded the pact of unity signed in Enugu, saying: “Any living being like an organisation must place the will of its members as sacrosanct, we have a pact apart from the one signed in Enugu.

    “It is a pact with PDP members nationwide that Prince Secondus will be a chairman for all and sundry, for the rich and the poor, for the week and the strong, for the high and the low. We hold this pledge to be very dear to us because that is where our path to victory and return to power lie,” the statement noted.

  • Questions for Haier Thermocool over internal leakage in freezers

    Questions for Haier Thermocool over internal leakage in freezers

    Conspicuously below the company’s name, Haier Thermocool, is a rider ‘Always There For You’; addressing customers directly. That is one of the brand’s selling points. That is one of the promises that draw consumers like bees to the brand.

    But are they there for customers? They Awere not there for Mrs. Theresa Njoku, Bassey, Uche and many more, who after spending so much have been denied the satisfaction of the products they bought.

    On the company’s website, www.thermocool.com.ng/repair-servicing, they proudly stated, “At Thermocool, we are always there for you. No matter what you need help with, our dedicated customer service team are available to support you”.

    Perusing further, “If your product is out of its warranty period, any costs associated with the repairs will be agreed with you before any work takes place”.

    Further down the line, the company states boldly, “No matter the problem, our trained team will work with you to agree a solution. At Thermocool we are always there for you”.

    However, it seems those services are offered only on the company’s website as in reality, it seems not to exist.

    Mrs. Theresa Njoku, on the 15th of August 2012, bought a HTF 146 Thermocool Chest freezer directly from the company’s office at Plot 1, Block B Isolo, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Toyota bus stop. “There are many retail shops selling the brand in my area but I decided to buy directly from the company in order to avoid fake products and buy an original product that will last, but how wrong I am,” regretted the bitter consumer.

    Narrating her ordeal, Njoku said that the freezer which came with a 3-year warranty stopped cooling last month, just barely four years after usage. She said she decided to take it back to the company instead of a road side technician so as to get the real solution.

    Being aware that it no longer has warranty, she took enough money to make sure she pays for the cost of repairs. As her car was not big enough to accommodate the freezer, she hired a vehicle, all in a bid to get to the manufacturer and get professional services.

    However, on getting to the company’s Service Centre along  Apapa- Oshodi Expressway, Toyota bus stop, with the freezer, last Monday, March 10th,  after the freezer had been checked by the company’s technician, she was informed by a lady official identified as Mariam that the freezer was not cooling because it had internal leakage.

    Baffled, Njoku asked for more clarifications and what could have caused the internal leakage. She was informed by Mr. Ade, another official of the company, that it was due to an internal pipe that ruptured because of electric power fluctuations, the type of material or any other thing.

    Listening to the explanations, Njoku pointed out that the problem was manufacturer’s defect as superior standard pipe was not used in making the freezer in the first place and as such the company should not have even put it out for sale.

    In any case, as she wanted her freezer repaired  by the so-called trained technicians and having incurred so much cost conveying it from her home in Alimosho LGA to Isolo, she asked them to repair it as she was ready to pick the cost. That was when the bubble burst.

    To her consternation, Mariam told her that the company does not repair freezers with internal leakage. On what to do, the lady official told her that she has to take it back home. Does taking it back home solve the problem? Looking for succour or support from somewhere else, she went back to Ade who is obviously a more senior official, but to her dismay, he repeated the same thing the lady official said.

    Struggling to comprehend what they said, she listened to Ade further explain that due to the challenges of rectifying problems associated with internal leakage in freezer the company made a policy not to work on them.

    “If the manufacturer of a product, who knows the product and has the spare parts cannot repair it, who else can?” Njoku asked the duo of Mariam and Ade. “Is it the road side technician she has been trying to run away from?”

    Exasperated, she demanded to speak to a more senior official but was given only the Customer careline, 07008437662665. Calling the number, a lady who said her name was Ifeoma responded without giving any satisfactory solution.

    Seeing her predicament and wanting to take advantage of the situation, some of the company’s technicians approached her to solve the problem privately for her if she would pay N40,000.

    According to them, they will replace the aluminium pipe the company used with a superior copper pipe. What a shame, within the premises of Thermocool Service Centre?

    Njoku was disappointed that a big brand cannot live up to expectations of customers but is instead creating avenues and encouraging their technicians to exploit customers even within the company’s premises.

    Littered within the Service Centre premises were many of the company’s products which aggrieved customers brought back for repairs.

    Mostly visible were fridges and freezers of various sizes. The ones still going through repairs were inside the warehouse while those beyond repair were stacked outside within the premises. Major problem of those products was internal leakage.

    Further enquiries from the technicians revealed that most of the abandoned freezers and fridges were from the fortunate customers who noticed the internal leakage while the product warranty was still active.

    That much Njoku gathered from Ade who explained to her that sometimes there may be out right exchange if a product still has warranty.

    “But that is a very bad way to treat a customer,” said Engineer Abel Okie, Head of Operations, of a manufacturing multinational company operating in Nigeria. “In my company, as long as that customer took the pains of bringing the product back, we would not let her go without working out a solution. At worst, we will give her another brand new freezer and demand she pays a little extra.

    “Freezer is not something you buy every other day. It is not shoe or cloth. It is not a product you just discard. They are manufactured to be durable. It’s not something you use for one or two years and discard, so the people saying you should take it back home should go for more training in customer service.”

    Meanwhile, the last has not been heard of the story as Njoku is not cowing down. We will keep you abreast as the story unfolds. Please we will appreciate it if you can share similar experiences with us.

    Follow us on our Facebook, Consumer watch-The Nation and also on Twitter; @jillokeke

  • Search for internal democracy in parties

    Search for internal democracy in parties

    Following the curriculum recently developed by the Political Parties Leadership and Policy Development Centre of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), party leaders have expressed views on how to maintain internal democracy, reports Tony Akowe, Abuja

    The lack of internal party democracy is no doubt one of the major problems facing the current democratic dispensation. It has been used as a campaign weapon by political parties. It was a sing song of the All Progressive Congress (APC) during campaigns for the 2015 General Election and the party has continuously insisted that it is the only major party in the country that practices internal democracy. Many believe that the crisis rocking the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today is the absence of internal democracy which led the party to impose candidates on the people for elective positions in the past.

    Worried by this development, the Political Parties Leadership and Policy Development Centre of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) developed a curriculum for the administration of political parties in the country in 2013. Acting Director-General of the institute, Jonathan Mela Juma, believe that after the 2015 General Elections, which saw the change in government from one political party to the other, there was the need to review the curriculum to accommodate new views that will help move forward political governance in the country and boost the capacity of the political parties. He also believes that with new officials elected for Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), there was also the need to include them in the scheme of things. Juma said the 96-page document, which was produced with support from the Democratic Governance for Development Project of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP/DGD II) is to be used to train the leadership and other key stakeholders of the parties to deepen democracy and participatory governance in the country. He also disclosed that donor agencies have been responsible for the sponsorship of the training of the political leaders since inception of the centre in 2013 to2015 and that the present effort was sponsored by the Federal Government due to the need to deepen democratic value in the country.

    However, leaders of some of the political parties in the country believe that the current democratic practice does not in any way encourage opposition and growth of smaller political parties. National Chairman of Labour Party, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, condemned a situation where the party in government is allowed to use government money to suppress the opposition to the extent that they are not able to raise their head. According to him, the party in power hardly allows the opposition political parties breathing space and do everything to muscle them. He also condemned the idea of making the President the leader of the parties at the national level and governors leaders of the party at the state level, adding that the current crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party was partly created by such action, saying, once there is no President, the party collapses.

    On his part, the National Chairman of the Citizen Popular Party, Chief Sam Eke, said “Money politics will always come into play since there is no electronic voting. I want to see a curriculum that will provide for electronic voting in the country. Many of the parties should be encouraged to go into merger talk with the sole aim of producing one candidate to contest elections rather than the army of candidates we have contesting elections today and making no impact. A lot of the parties will begin to have electoral success once this is done.

    “I also want to see a curriculum that will provide for computerized party registration because it will discourage a situation where a single individual will buy up party membership cards and sharing same to his supporters. Party financing should also be part of the curriculum. People now pay for votes. Is that part of democracy?”

    For Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), building a curriculum for the political parties should not only lay emphasis on internal party democracy and how to achieve it, it should also focus on party administration and party financing. According to him the curriculum should focus on three key areas: These are party administration, capacity building and how party leaders emerge; party financing which should centre on how the party gets its funds because the current system is very expensive and is like running a government. You must have offices in all local government headquarters, the state capital and the federal capital with each manned by officers. It should also focus on internal democracy within the parties.

    Presently, there is no more inter-party crisis like it was during the first and second republic. What we have now is intraparty crisis because of lack of internal democracy. But Godson Okoye, National Chairman of United Democratic Party said “Nigerians work and operate with different purposes in mind. We must work with the national interest at heart. There must be something that people are working toward in the national interest, something that everybody identifies with. If we don’t, no curriculum will work in Nigeria.”

    The curriculum developed by the institute argued that as political parties take an increasingly high profile in public affairs and governance, it is very important that the parties reflect the democratic principles that they espouse in their political campaigns. It said “while many parties call for a more democratic character of the state, an equal number struggle to guarantee that their internal practices reflect the democratic principles that they publicly champion so strongly. Some ways in which parties can enhance internal democracy and also build more democratic participation through activities outside campaigning for office and taking power need serious examination”. It stressed that “principles of internal democracy and democratic participation are not only important as ideals, but also as they meet the interest of political parties to build themselves as attractive and inclusive institutions over time”. The document stressed the fact that most political parties recognise both the challenges of organising free and fair internal party elections and the importance of creating a party that allows equal opportunities for aspiring leaders and candidates to contest election for leadership positions. According to the booklet, “in a situation where parties are relatively fluid and have limited sense of who their actual membership is, organising democratic internal party elections is especially difficult. Likewise, direct primaries for candidates are challenging, given a situation of limited resources and the interest of powerful individuals in the party intent on influencing the election towards their candidate of choice.” It suggested the creation of a clear set of rules on how internal party elections are to be conducted, with the appointment of a neutral and credible party electoral commission or equivalent body to oversee these elections. It also wants the adoption of a clear cut policy on who is allowed to participate in party elections, preferably through the establishment of a national party register containing a list of all eligible voters or, if the primary is open, clear rules for how voters are to be identified and validated.

    The curriculum described managing internal democracy in a party as a work in progress as certain individuals will have interest in manipulating democratic processes to their advantage. It stressed that closely monitoring how democratic processes might be subverted is essential to protecting democracy, pointing out that internal party democracy can be subverted through the manipulation of party membership list. This, it said, can be done through individuals acquiring party identity cards, producing fake copies of party membership list, altering the existing party membership list in a biased way, setting illegal qualification for becoming members, among others.

  • UACN drives growth with internal funding

    UACN drives growth with internal funding

    After many failed attempts to raise new equity funds from existing and new investors, the board of UAC of Nigeria (UACN) Plc has suspended new equity issues and opted to finance ongoing restructuring and investments within the group with internally generated funds.

    At the annual general meeting of the company yesterday at Golden Tulip Festac, Lagos, chairman, UAC of Nigeria (UACN) Plc, Mr. Dan Agbor, said the group decided on internal funding after attempts to raise new equity funds from strategic investors and existing shareholders were frustrated by the slowdown at the Nigerian capital market.

    He said the group had sequel to approval by the shareholders at the annual general meeting in September 2015 made efforts to raise new equity funds, especially with a view to attracting a strategic investor or investors and obtain equity control that would be used to drive growth in certain subsidiaries.

    “Following your approval of a one for 12 rights issue of 160.07 million ordinary shares, your board and management made all necessary arrangements to launch the issue. Unfortunately, the weak performance of the Nigerian capital market has made it impossible to raise the requested capital on optimal terms and at the end of March 2016, a decision was taken by the board to discontinue the rights issue. Your board and management will now undertake the needed investment and financial restructuring of those subsidiaries using internally generated funds,” Agbor said.

    He added that the group decided to retain the larger part of its net earnings in 2015 to ensure that it remains in a position to participate in new equity issues that might be launched by its subsidiaries.

    According to him, the board had recommended total dividend of N1.92 billion for the 2015 business year while being mindful of the need to conserve funds so that the group can participate in the rights issues to be undertaken by three of its subsidiaries, including UACN Property Development Company Plc, Livestock Feeds Plc and Portland Paints & Products Nigeria Plc.

    Key extracts of the audited report and accounts of UACN for the year ended December 31, 2015 showed that group turnover dropped by 14.6 per cent from N85.6 billion in 2014 to N73.1 billion in 2015. Group profit after tax dropped by 52.6 per cent from N10.9 billion in 2014 to N5.2 billion in 2015.

  • Plateau NRA Boss: Internal bickering the bane of Plateau Utd

    Plateau NRA Boss: Internal bickering the bane of Plateau Utd

    Chairman of the Nigeria Football Referee Association, Plateau State branch, Jibrin Bancir has expressed concern at the inability of the state owned club, Plateau United to become the focal point in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) due to bickering within major stakeholders in the state.

    Bancir stated this at the Rwang Pam Stadium on Thursday evening when he met with the acting General Manager of Plateau United, Pius Hemwan during their final training session before the first league game of the season against Niger Tornadoes slated for today.

    He revealed that if all the major stakeholders had closed ranks and eschewed violence Plateau United would have ranked in the same light with other top clubs in Nigeria.

    Bancir, however, challenged them to put their differences aside and support the state’s darling team so that the good old days when Jos was noted for celebrating greatness and accomplishment.

    Earlier, the acting General Manager of the club, Pius Hemwan had solicited for the support of all critical stakeholders in the game in the state to enable him succeed.

    He urged the state NRA to see his task as a Plateau State project and not hesitate to draw his attention whenever he is going astray so that together they can ensure that the team is counted as a formidable force in the premier league.

    The NRA state boss expressed delight with Hemwan’s visit and assured him of the association’s unalloyed support to ensure a successful campaign in the top-flight and that his doors are wide open at anytime whenever he needs their advice.

    Hemwan also met with the supporters of Plateau United where he pledged to work closely with them while appealing to them to eschew all acts of hooliganism as the team returns to the premier league.

    He informed the supporters club that the LMC has come out with a deliberate policy to reward any team that attracts 5,000 fans or more to the stadium while imploring them to mobilise fans to the stadium.

    Hemwan reminded the supporters club that he is no greenhorn to the new assignment adding that he would repair the team’s old bus to convey them to their away matches as the management’s support for their loyalty to the club all these while.

  • ASSBIFI ends internal crisis

    ASSBIFI ends internal crisis

    The intra union crisis rocking  the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and Union Bank /United Bank for Africa (UBA) Units of ASSBIFI was been successfully resolved on August 1.

    The crisis which started 11 years ago, immediately after the national delegation conference held in Benin city, was as a result of the outcome of the election which was not accepted by both the leadership of Union Bank and UBA.

    Speaking during a meeting of the leadership of the group held at the ASSBIFI office, Alausa Ikeja, the National President of ASSBIFI, Comrade Olusoji Salako said the two units, both  Union Bank and UBA were very formidable members of the association and they actively participated at the 2004 national delegates conference but were aggrieved with the outcome of the election and therefore stopped attending activities of the national body.

    “There were some well meaning friends of the association that tried to settle the dispute so that ASSBIFI would remain one. There was a  step in this direction in 2007 at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja when an agreement was duly signed as out of court settlement by parties. Despite this move, the dispute remained unresolved

    “Indeed, we would like to say that the resolution of the crisis on August 1, 2015 was made possible mostly because of the disposition of the current leadership of Union Bank and UBA units, who discovered that it was sheer foolhardy to continue the litigation at the detriment of our teeming members who have been at the receiving end since 20014 ,” Salako said.

    Salako said the court upheld the  agreement signed by both parties in 2007 and that the agreement have been duly implemented now. He added that the units have been remitting their check-off duty with effect from August 2015.

    Salako said the resolution will makes ASSBIFI stronger so as to be able to fight for their members.

    He said for instance, the issue of casualisation and unreasonable target setting will be look into by the association.

  • Slow in China’s growth not a result of internal factors: economist

    China’s economic growth has been slowing since the first quarter of 2010 and the major reasons behind it are not internal structural factors, an economist said.

    As a developing country going through transformation, China definitely has structural problems, but declining growth in the past 18 quarters was caused by the external environment, said Justin Yifu Lin, former chief economist of the World Bank.

    He made the remarks at the forum Opportunities for Chinese Enterprises under the New Normal of Chinese Economy held by the National School of Development at Peking University.

    Citing examples of countries that have experienced similar trajectories in the past, including India, Brazil, the Republic of Korea and Singapore, he said that the economic growth rate in Brazil, for example, was 7.5 per cent in 2010, but only 2.2 per cent in 2013, namely it went through a similar slowdown as China, but more violently.

    “You cannot blame China’s internal factors for their dropping growth rates,” Lin said, believing that there are external reasons for the countries to go through such similar growth trajectories.

    He said that China can achieve its 7.5 per cent economic growth target this year, based on its investment opportunities on industrial upgrading, infrastructure, environment and urban management.

    He said that China’s annual growth must average 6.8 per cent to achieve its target of doubling its economy from 2010 to 2020. The annual growth should be at least 7.3 per cent however, to achieve its other goal of doubling per capita income over the same period, he said.

    China’s economic growth rate will stay between 7 per cent to 7.5 per cent in the coming five years or even longer, Lin forecast, adding that in this case, China’s enterprises face two opportunities: overseas mergers and transferring labour-intensive businesses overseas.

    China’s economy grew 10.4 per cent in 2010, 9.3 per cent in 2011, 7.7 per cent in 2012 and 7.7 per cent in 2013.

  • ‘Internal democracy our survival strategy in Abia PDP’

    ‘Internal democracy our survival strategy in Abia PDP’

    The Abia State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has promised to ensure that those joining the party follow its internal democracy to sustain the prevailing peace and loyalty.

    Its Chairman, Senator Emma Nwaka, spoke in Umuahia, the state capital, at the expanded caucus meeting of the party.

    Major PDP stakeholders, including Governor Theodore Orji, members of the national and state assemblies, as well as appointed political office holders attended the meeting.

    Nwaka said it is through an uncompromised internal democracy that the party can survive.

    He said: “As party leaders, we want to assure you of our determination to maintain a level-playing field for all those who desire to use our platform. The era of imposition of candidates is over for good in this party.”

    The party chairman stressed that Abia PDP is not only united but has also become the beautiful bride of politicians.

    Nwaka said this has enabled it to enjoy an influx of people seeking membership of the party.

    He added that Orji has become the “selling point” of Abia PDP because of his sterling performance.