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Tag: Ken Nnamani

  • Omo-Agege gets backing for deputy senate president

    The Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) has appealed to senators, President Muhammadu Buhari and party leaders to endorse Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as sole candidate for the deputy senate president.

    The President-General, Joe Omene, who addressed reporters at Mosogar, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, said the Southeast has had its fair share in the leadership of the senate so Omo-Agege from the Southsouth should be supported.

    According to him, the likes of Senators Adolphus Wabara, Ken Nnamani, Evan Enwerem, Chuba Okadigbo, Anyim Pius Anyim and others, have been Senate President, before Ekweremadu. He wondered why Senator-elect Uzor Kalu is now contesting for deputy senate president.

    He said: “It is on this ground we are appealing to all Southsouth senators, irrespective of party affiliations, to come together to ensure the position does not go out of hand. This is not the time to segregate or divide, but to unite to achieve a common goal of the people and growth of the Southsouth.

    “We also know that Mr. President and the party leadership will not fail us in this struggle because it is obvious that Omo-Agege has been tested and his loyalty is not in doubt, it was this we saw that all Urhobos, Deltans and Southsouth are calling on him to come and represent them in that capacity of deputy senate president.

    Read Also: Southsouth APC picks Omo-Agege

    “We are, on behalf of the Urhobo people at home and in Diaspora, appealing to Uzor Kalu and others to pull their weight behind Omo-Agege for the deputy senate president for one good turn deserves another. Tomorrow we will still be there for either Southeast or Southwest, and we have to also reciprocate.”

    But Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, under the auspices of the Niger Delta Democrats, yesterday protested the endorsement of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for deputy senate president.

    The group said the endorsement was a deliberate suppression of public will that must be resisted.

    The spokesman, Comrade Raphael Aliu, said Omo-Agege’s inability to endure the weakness of others would create division in the new Senate.

    Comrade Aliu noted that Nigerians are expecting a deputy senate president who is humble and ready to work with others harmoniously, and not a “self-serving individual who would seek to dethrone the leadership to foster his personal interest against the wishes and expectations of other senators”.

    He said: “We appeal to the senators to disregard the unpopular endorsement of the controversial individual, and choose a more reliable principal officer of their choice who would be loyal and build group confidence through simplicity, cohesiveness, cooperation, commitment and stability.

    “Leadership strength is measured by the weakness of others that you can endure. Inability to endure the weakness of others is the reason for all the rancorous sessions and conflicts in the eighth Senate.

    “Nigeria cannot afford to experience another round of mace snatching with disdain. If such an individual, who has harassed our democracy is given a sensitive position, a damaging precedent would have been sent by the Buhari administration.”

  • Ex- Senate President Nnamani seeks implementation of Uwais report

    Former Senate President Ken Nnamani has called on the federal government to implement recommendations of the Mohammed Uwais Electoral Committee report.

    He spoke on Tuesday in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at the 3rd Oronto Douglas Memorial Dialogue.

    Those in attendance included Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to late President Umaru Yar’Adua, Segun Adeniyi and Special Envoy to former President Goodluck Jonathan,  Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo among others.

    In an address entitled “Towards a more credible, fair and free elections in Nigeria,” the former Senate President urged the Buhari administration to learn from South Africa in the appointment of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Nnamani, who was represented by Mallam Mohammed Bello, urged Nigerians to work for credible elections.

    He said: “It is obvious the Uwais Report represents a high point in the search for an electoral system that will suit Nigeria’s perculiar circumstances.

    “The eminent members of that committee proposed many innovations that could restore credibility and fairness to our electoral system.  Unfortunately, many of these innovative proposals were not implemented.

    “The independence of the election management body is mostly determined by the mode of appointment. In South Africa and some African countries, the process of appointment of electoral management officials is more of competitive recruitment where those appointed will have a sense that they merited the position, not that they are beneficiaries of political patronage.”

    Nnamani, who chaired the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Committee (CERC), also lamented the financial cost of conducting elections in the country.

    He added that despite the huge sums spent on election security, violence remained a challenge for those paid to maintain law and order.

    He said: “We spend so much on providing security yet we continue to witness a high level of violence and electoral crimes.

    “In a Third World country like Nigeria, public offices are very attractive. So politicians have incentive to fight dirty to gain access to these political offices.

    Read also: Unbundle INEC now, revisit Uwais Report, NGO advises FG

    “Until we can reduce the financial rewards of occupying political offices through anti-corruption and accountability measures, we should expect desperation from politicians.

    “We must deal with violence and other electoral crimes through institutional redesigning.”

    On the incessant violence at polls, Nnamani said: “The reason politicians sponsor violence and commit other crimes during elections is because they calculate the benefits of criminal behaviours are more than the costs.

    “To reduce the rate of these crimes, we must reduce the benefits and make it difficult for those who sponsor or commit such crimes to go scot-free.”

    He called for the prosecution of electoral offenders regardless of their status in the society to serve as deterrence to others.

  • Nnamani, Nwobodo, others vow to resist PDP’s proxy candidate

    Former Senate President , Chief Ken Nnamani and former governor of old Anambra state Senator Jim Nwobodo, have vowed to resist any attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to  impose erstwhile governor of the state, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, by proxy as candidate of the party for Enugu East senatorial district in the 2019 general election.

    Speaking during the official flag off of the campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the district, Prince Lawrence Eze, in Enugu, Senator Nnamani, said the action of the PDP is a clear violation of the electoral act and nation’s constitution, and capable of  sending  those involved to prison.

    Former Governor Nnamani, who is currently residing in the United States of  America , was declared winner of the recent  controversial PDP primary election, which the incumbent senator representing the zone, Gilbert Nnaji is presently  challenging in court over alleged manipulation.

    The former Senate president, who is a chieftain of the APC in Enugu state,  wondered how someone who is in America could be declared winner of an election he did not participate in, adding that “Chimaroke Nnamani did not swear affidavit because such sensitive document cannot be sworn by proxy, yet some people went behind to declare him winner of the PDP primary.

    “I know that there is no law in our land authorizing someone to swear affidavit for another person, am saying this because those who perpetrated this fraud may be matching to the prison.

    Read Also: PDP urges Buhari to sign amended Electoral Act

    “This action shows that the PDP impunity is still rearing its ugly head in Enugu East senatorial zone. Our political process in the country as well as the zone are on trial. We are going to resist this undemocratic act, because am an interested party in the matter.

    “We cannot have a senator by proxy, warning that if not properly handled, the development is capable of igniting political crisis in the senatorial district.

    “I’m yet to know why PDP chose to commit such high level of impunity in my own senatorial district.As much as we know,Chimaroke was not seen anywhere. He is still outside the country in his sick bed. Even if somebody filled the forms for him in proxy. The electoral law demands he must swear the court affidavits by himself. The conspirators might go to prison.”

    Chief Nwobodo, in his remarks at the event, described the fronting of ex Governor  Nnamani as candidate of  PDP  as a great fraud which they must all join hands to  resist at all cost.

    The former senate president and Nwobodo, hail from Enugu East senatorial district and at different times represented the zone in the red chambers of the nations National Assembly NASS.

    Nwobodo, and Nnamani,  who had during the event endorsed the APC flag bearer, , boasted that he (Prince Eze), is likely to be the only candidate for Enugu East senatorial election and pleaded to be joined in the suit to seek ex Governor Chimaroke Nnamani’s disqualification from the contest.

    Nwobodo, agreed with all that  Senator Nnamani, said and urged the electorate in the zone to “vote for Prince Lawrence Eze as the next senator of Enugu East senatorial district, just as he applauded  the APC candidate who has been using  his personal resources to  provide various social  amenities for his people, including construction of Asphalted roads in many communities .”

    Prince Eze in his speech, had assured the people of the district that if given the mandate to serve, he would protect the interest of the entire people of the zone, adding that he will also make their empowerment and responsible leadership his watch word.

    “I want to thank all  our leaders  and supporters here present, for your for your continued encouragement, and assure you that I will not disappoint your if vote into office.

  • Buhari, Nnamani meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met behind closed doors with the former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Nnamani said that there are moves to bring those aggrieved during the primaries back to the APC fold.

    He said “We are still harmonizing; in the primaries and the congresses, there were quite a few conflicts and conflicts are common in political arena.

    “Right now, we are grappling with the outcome of the primaries, trying to bring everybody together.

    Read Also: Paramount ruler’s death: Kaduna senators sue for peace

    “We are not asking anybody to go to hell; we are asking them to come together; if you do not do well, there is nothing to cheer; if you do well, everybody will be happy; we are still working on appeasing a number of people so that we can be happy.

    “APC is a national party and we should do everything to integrate our people, so that we can make progress.” he said.

  • Be wary of desperate politicians without second address – Nnamani

    Foreign business group to invest in oil, gas, power

    The former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani on Thursday warned Nigerians to beware of desperate politicians without any second address.

    He spoke with State House correspondents after himself and Chairman of the Chrome Oil and Gas, Chief Emeka Offor, led foreign businessmen to the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s office.

    Nnamani, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), also advised struggling politicians to have a second address.

    To politicians who do not have any other business apart from politics, he said, “I think our problem is that if you enter politics and you have no second address; the chances of your getting in trouble is very high.

    “I am here strictly on business, they are talking about billions of dollars investment in Nigeria and that tells the confidence his company has in our country.

    “I am not just a politician; I was in business before entering politics, so I have a second address and my suggestion to Nigerians who are struggling in politics is to make sure you have a second address; don’t be a desperate politician; desperate politicians do desperate things and we can see the examples.” he said.

    Read Also: Nnamani and Enugu APC

    According to him, he was part of the meeting to observe how the Federal Government would receive the investment proposal, adding that the government was receptive.

    “I am here just to observe how receptive the government is to this; the government is quite receptive according to the vice president; because they have made other investments in Nigeria and they are continuing to do so.” he stated

    The Chairman of Chrome Oil and Gas, Chief Emeka Offor, said that he brought foreign investors from Europe to meet with the Vice President on the investment opportunities in oil, gas, power and electricity.

    He said, “We brought a major investing group from Europe; that’s why we are here; we are looking into investing in oil and gas, electricity power and others.

    “They have seen that the atmosphere in the country is conducive for investments; we are exploring the particular investment region we are going to invest.”

    He said that they were partnering with ELAND Oil and Gas from the United Kingdom and that the investment will be all encompassing and in billions.

    The President of Integra Capita, Argentina, Dr. Jose Luis Manzanita, expressed delight on the investment climate in Nigeria which he said was very conducive.

    He said, “We are very happy being in Nigeria; we like the business atmosphere; there is credibility; we believe Nigeria has material industry but can produce much; we have already invested in Nigeria and we plan to do more.

    “We work close to ELAN, ELAN has been very successful; and we support them and we keep investing with them.

    “The Vice President was so warm and he transmits the trust that the government has in private investment.” he stated

  • ÀPC accuses PDP in Enugu of blackmail

    ÀPC accuses PDP in Enugu of blackmail

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), Enugu State chapter on Monday accused the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state of a strategy to break the ranks of the APC by appointing relations of APC chieftains as either care taker committee chairmen or candidates of PDP in the November 4, local government elections in the state.

    The party said that it has gone ahead to prepare for the poll with the conduct of its primaries on yesterday.

    The chairman of APC in the state, Dr. Ben Nwoye while briefing journalists at the party’s secretariat in Enugu on the success of the exercise, said the party was following all the democratic tenets to ensure internal party democracy as well as free and fair exercise, which he said will guarantee the party’s success at the polls.

    Nwoye used the opportunity to discountenance insinuations in some quarters that APC and the PDP-led government in the state were working together and that some APC chieftains were given the privilege of nominating PDP candidates in the council poll.

    He specifically denied that APC chieftains such as Ken Nnamani, Emperor Chris Baywood-Ibe and Sen Fide Okolo nominated their boys as PDP candidates in Enugu South, Awgu and Nsukka local government areas respectively.

    He said that PDP was trying to be clever by half by nominating or appointing relations of APC chieftains as either local government care taker committee chairmen or PDP candidates for the incoming council poll, and turning around to spread the fake rumour that the APC chiefs endorsed such candidates.

    The APC Chairman also alleged that the PDP propagandists and media consultants had also gone to town with the rumour that because APC chieftains attended a farewell reception which the state Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi held for Nigeria’s Ambassador to India, Gen Chris Eze (rtd), who happens to be his kinsman, it then means APC has endorsed the PDP led government.

    “The little gimmicks will not work. PDP is decimated, they are finished in the state as a political party; they are using this local government election to pitch family against family, brothers against brothers and friends against friends,” he said.

    He boasted that APC will give PDP a run for its money in the council poll and will go ahead and chase the party out of power in Enugu state in 2019 general elections, to show that the antics of PDP did not work.

    “Today is our local government primary election in all the 17 local governments. It is done at the ward level. It is direct primary, we are giving everybody, all the members of our party, the opportunity to come out and vote, unlike the PDP that had adopted a primitive style of selection and imposition of their members.

    “But in midst of that my attention has been drawn to a campaign of calumny by PDP-led government against the leaders of APC, against our national vice chairman, Hon. Emma Eneukwu; against DG-VON, Osita Okechukwu; against former governor of old Anambra state Sen Jim Nwobodo; and the former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani; and even against three time senator, Senator Fide Okolo.

    “And the point is, all these came about by the fact that Gov Ugwuanyi agreed to perform one of his civic responsibilities of giving a farewell reception for an ambassador who happens to be his kinsman, from the same village as Gov Uguwuanyi.

    “And he (Gen Eze) did the right thing as a person and invited leaders; the same man Gen Eze invited our leaders to come to his reception. Being civil people, and being civil leaders, they attended that reception. All that has now been turned around and we are getting suggestions from PDP media houses and media aides that somehow APC and
    PDP are now one, which is far from the truth. We are not one,” he said.

    He advised PDP goons not to equate personal relationship with political ideology, insisting that evaluation and assessment of PDP-led government would be done before 2019 by masses of Enugu State and not APC alone.

    “And this campaign of calumny had been systematically sustained by PDP media house in Enugu state to the effect that they have hired writers and ambush men in media houses suggesting that APC leaders in Enugu state have passed some type of good verdict in PDP-led government in Enugu state,” he said.

  • South East leaders reiterate commitment to united Nigeria

    South East leaders reiterate commitment to united Nigeria

    South East leaders and stakeholders have reiterated their commitment to a united Nigeria where peace, fairness and equality of opportunities are paramount to citizens irrespective of ethnicity or political affiliation.

    The leaders also threw their weight behind the call for full restructuring of the country on the platform of fairness and equity.

    The Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, Gov. Dave Umahi announced in the early hours of Sunday in Enugu while addressing newsmen on the outcome of an interactive forum of stakeholders.

    Umahi, who is the governor of Ebonyi, said that leaders from the zone condemn all manner of hate speeches from any segment of the country.

    He said that they were in consultation with leaders from other parts of the country with a view to engaging the Federal Government in a meaningful dialogue.

    He said that the region was in full support of the 2014 National Conference report and urged the Federal Government to set up structures for implementing same within a reasonable time.

    “We are also in full support of the clamour for the restructure of the country and call on the Federal Government to start a dialogue with Nigerians on the modalities for achieving it,” he said.

    The governor said that the governors’ forum and South East National Assembly caucus would constitute the official organ that would speak for the people of the area.

    Umahi appealed to the Federal Government to take steps that would ensure safety of the people of the area wherever they lived in the country “just as we have guaranteed the safety of those in our domain”.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor of Enugu State, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had in an address of welcome charged the people of the area to forge a common front.

    Ugwuanyi said that moment like that called for love among the people.

    The governor said that nothing would please residents of the state than to remember that Enugu was the venue where the people of the zone gathered to resolve their differences.

    NAN further reports that the meeting which held at the Nike Lake Resort had all governors of the zone in attendance.

    Former Senate Presidents Chief Ken Nnamani and Chief Adolph Wabara as well as the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu was also in attendance.

    Other prominent leaders in attendance included, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, Sen. Gil Nnaji, Sen. Chukwuka Utazi and several members of the House of Representatives from the zone.

    Members of the clergy, traditional rulers and the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo was also represented.

  • No APC member joined PDP in Enugu, says party chairman

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State says none of its members has joined any other political party in the last two years.

    The party said on Sunday that, on the contrary, it had become the new bride in the state as some members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and some others defected to its fold.
    The state Chairman of the party, Dr. Ben Nwoye, made the claim in Aguobu-Owa, Ezeagu Local Government Area of the state, when a former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in the state, Chief Joe Mmamel, defected to the APC from the PDP.
    According to Nwoye, the clarification had become necessary following a recent claim by the PDP that some APC members defected to its fold.

    NAN reports that the state PDP, at a recent zonal meeting in Awgu, announced the defection of 5,000 members of the APC into its fold.

    At the meeting, the defectors wielded brooms which they finally dropped and pledged allegiance to the PDP.
    Nwoye, however, claimed that the action was a panic measure adopted by the state PDP.

    “They have two factions; so, what happened there was phony – PDP members defecting between their factions.
    “There were no faces known to us as our members but we have real PDP members defecting to our party,” Nwoye said.
    Also reacting, a former governor of the state under the PDP, Mr Sullivan Chime, who now belongs to APC, said: “We need to tell our people the truth because the game of politics has changed.
    “When PDP was on ground, there was no other viable party in the state.
    “Other political parties always joined our campaign train but what we hear today is that some people were given brooms to declare for PDP.
    “Not a single person was identified as an APC member.”
    The former governor said that he declared for the APC in his ward, urging that whoever desired to change political party should not hide his identity.
    “I declared for APC publicly in my ward. Former Senate President, Dr Ken Nnamani, and some others did the same thing.’’
    Chime said that the APC had come to stay in the state.

     

  • Buhari, Mark, former NASS leaders meet in Aso Rock

    Buhari, Mark, former NASS leaders meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met behind closed doors with some ex- leaders of the National Assembly.

    Two separate meetings were said to have been held at the President’s office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Those spotted at the Villa included former Senate Presidents, David Mark and Ken Nnamani, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang.

    While Nnamani and Masari arrived the same time, Mark, who is still a current Senator approached the President’s office together with Enang about one hour later.

    But it was not clear whether Mark and Enang actually met Nnamani and Masari at the President’s office as Nnamani and Masari were said to have been taken out from the President’s office’s entrance in a vehicle.

    Nnamani and Masari, who had earlier trekked by the Council Chamber in the clear view of journalists when going to the President’s office, have not been spotted to go out through the same way they came in at the time of filing this report.

    The agenda of the meetings was unknown but may not be unconnected with the soured relationship between the Presidency and the current Senate.

    Mark, who came out after about thirty minutes in the President’s office, did not speak to journalists as he walked through the corridor with one protocol officer.

    His visit to the Villa was the first since he stepped down as the Senate President in the last dispensation.

    No official statement, at the time of this report, has been issued concerning the meetings.

    The current Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who is facing Senate Standing rules forgery trial along with is deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, had recently declared that there was cabal in the Presidency.

  • Buhari meets Nnamani, other South East politicians in Aso Rock

    Buhari meets Nnamani, other South East politicians in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday held a closed- door meeting with some South East politicians led by former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting came a day after members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) held demonstrations in the South East and South-South parts of the country.

    ‎The 18-member delegation, which arrived in a bus belonging to the Ken Nnamani Leadership Institute, came under the aegis of Southeast Group for Change.

    They comprised mainly members of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

    The delegation included  ‎the National Auditor of APC, George Moghalu; former Senators ‎Ifeanyi Ararume and Osita Izunaso;  former House of Representatives member, Sharon Ikeazor and  former Executive Vice-Chairman of Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Ernest Ndukwe.

    Also in the team were the APC National Vice-Chairman (South East), Hon. Emma Eneukwu; member of the APC Board of Trustees, Chief Austin Edeze; Dr. Uzoma Obiyo ‎and Chris Akomas.

    Nnamani and other member of the delegation ‎declined to speak with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.

    As he walked past the journalists, Nnamani only replied the question from journalists on whether the issue of Biafra came up ‎for discussion during the meeting with: “No, no, not now.”

    No official statement has been issued on the meeting at the time of filing this report.