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Tag: Nnia Nwodo

  • Igbos criticize Nwodo over comments on Buhari’s administration

    ….say Ohaneze Leader lack wisdom to lead Ndi’Igbo
    A socio-political organization, the Igbo in Nigeria Movement (INM) has lashed out at Chief John Nnia Nwodo (Jnr), the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo over recent comments on President Muhammadu Buhari.
    In a foul-mouthed attack, among others, Mr Nwodo alleged that the current administration has “become so ethnicised that it has reminded people of their homes”.
    These recent utterances didn’t come as a surprise owing to the Ohanaeze’s leadership failed alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar at the last election.
    However, it appears as though that even Nwodo’s south-eastern brothers are utterly frustrated with his bigotry and sentimental outbursts.
    In a statement signed by the president,  Maxi Ifeanyi Igwe, the IMN frowned at his comments as it is not a true position of the Igbos who wholly supports the president.
    According to the group, Mr Nwodo lacks the requisite wisdom to lead Ndi’Igbo and should desist from making statements that could whip ethnic sentiments in Igbo land and by extension Nigeria.
    “ John Nwodo’s outburst is unbecoming of an elder statesman that is meant to serve as a uniting figure and not a divisive figure in the country and within the people of the South East region in Nigeria. His ethnic agitation is uncharitable and against the wishes of the people of the South East region,” the statement began.
    “ The Igbos in Nigeria Movement thinks that what the country needs at this material time is unity and not division as exemplified by John  Nwodo in his cancerous and unguarded statement.
    “While it is appropriate for John  Nwodo to support the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the recently held general elections, it is, however, inappropriate for him to continue to express his frustrations as that of the generality of the Igbos in Nigeria.
    “ It is, therefore, our considered opinion the ethnic card that is capable of putting the Igbo nation at war with other ethnicities in Nigeria. What Nigeria needs is healing and not war. This Nwodo should know better.
    “ While it is common knowledge that many groups including churches, development partners, religious and ethnic associations, have all come out to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari over his resounding victory at the polls, the likes of Nwodo instead is reminding President Muhammadu Buhari that the Igbos didn’t vote for him and as such does not deserve any political appointment.
    “ INM, views such statements as highly divisive and against the interest of the Igbo race and as such Nwodo must discontinue his attempt to cause disaffection and pandemonium in Igbo land by promoting his personal hateful as that of Ndi’Igbo .
    “ The INM also wishes to remind Nwodo that he is ultimately setting up the Igbos against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, an act that is unbecoming of an elder statesman. It is his game plan that no Igbo should be considered for any sensitive position hence the timing of his outburst.
    “ The INM hopes that Nwodo has not allowed himself to be used by some unscrupulous people to tarnish his image and that of the Igbo race by deliberately whipping up a hornets’ nest that would serve the Igbo race no good.
    “ The Nwodo that we used to know would not engage in acts that would put the Igbo race at grave danger, but we are afraid to state that the recent posturing of Nwodo is strange and inimical to the interest of the Igbo race. This he must retrace immediately.

    Read Also: Group knocks Ohanaeze Ndigbo for endorsing Atiku

    “ Consequently, we wish to state emphatically that the Igbo in Nigeria Movement and all Igbo sons and daughters disassociates from Nwodo’s statement and wishes to place it on record that his views do not represent the thinking of majority Igbo sons and daughters across Nigeria but that of a few in the journey of infamy with Nwodo.

    “ The INM wishes to place it on record that Igbo sons and daughters have decided to come together in total support for the success of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari towards taking Nigeria to greater heights.
    “ It is now a known fact that despite several attempts by Nwodo and his minions to smear the reputation of Buhari in the south-east and the rigging plots by the opposition party, our people still voted for President Buhari   overwhelmingly and will continue to stand by his administration including the security agencies where he has appointed very competent hands.
    “ The likes of Nwodo and his associates should quit polluting the atmosphere with their toxic messages and behave like elder statesmen that are desirous of the continued unity, peace and progress of Nigeria.
    “ And anything short of this would be resisted by the Igbos in Nigeria Movement (INM) as we will mobilize the people to reject them. We also warn that Nwodo only fears people like Nnamdi Kanu who has lost touch with our highly reverend custom and tradition in Igboland.”

     

     

  • Why we endorsed Atiku, by Ohanaeze

    Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has explained it endorsed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar because Ndigbo were completely down.

    President General of the organization, John Nnia Nwodo who made the clarification in a Solid FM radio station programme monitored by our correspondent, said he who is on ground fears no fall hence the decision.

    “We are completely down, he who is on ground fears no fall; they cannot treat us worse than they are treating us now. Ohanaeze cannot be on the sideline,” he stated.

    Nwodo said he sees the forthcoming election as a war to change the status of Ndigbo in Nigeria, banish unemployment among youths in Igboland.

    His words: “It is a war to banish unemployment among youths in

    Igboland, it is a war to have sovereignty on our natural resources, it is a war to be recognized as equal partners”.

    Reacting to arguments the organisation should have applied diplomacy in endorsing a candidate, Nwodo said Ndigbo was completely down.

    Further explaining why the organization took the action, Nwodo said the PDP has given an avowed commitment to restructuring not only in its manifesto but by its presidential candidate.

    The Ohanaeze President General said the PDP Presidential candidate has given his commitment to restructuring not just in his campaigns but also in his speeches in Nigeria and abroad.

    Nwodo further pointed Atiku also chose one of their sons in

    the person of former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, whom he said is not a bench warmer as his running mate.

    Read Also: I will restore investor confidence in economy — Atiku

    Recalling Obi’s achievement as governor of Anambra State, Nwodo said: “He has husbanded the resources of Anambra State so creditably that no governor in Nigeria left the amount of savings he left for his state”.

    The former minister therefore said he does not think that if Obi chairs the National Economic Council of Nigeria, he will be quiet on the economic neglect of the South east.

    “I don’t think Peter Obi is someone who can chair the National

    Executive Council Meeting of Nigeria and be quiet on the neglect of the South east”.

    On the allegations some people were excluded when the decision to endorse Atiku was taken, Nwodo said they sent out circulars to everybody, adding that out of the 24 members of NEC, 22 attended while 21 voted in favour of the decision.

  • Atiku’s endorsement splits Ohaneze Ndigbo

    Chieftains of Ohaneze Ndigbo are split over the purported endorsement of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Abubakar Atiku by the organisation.

    It would be recalled that an arm of the organisation known as ‘Ime Obi’ arising from its meeting on Thursday, declared support for Atiku on the grounds that he was running with an Igbo man, Mr Peter Obi.

    This endorsement is in clear contrast of earlier stance of the Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation of not endorsing any of the presidential candidates.

    However, a former Secretary General of the organisation, Chief Obiora Ozobu, described the move as a hoax and personal invention of the President General of the organisation, Chief Nnia Nwodo.

    Ozobu, who disclosed this in Enugu on Thursday during a media briefing appealed to the people of the area to ignore the endorsement.

    He described it as a mischievous act aimed at causing division among Ndigbo.

    He said that Nwodo lacked the capacity to summon a meeting of ‘Ime Obi’ because his tenure as president general had lapsed.

    He also wondered why such meeting was held on a day President Muhammadu Buhari was in Anambra and Enugu States for his presidential campaign when the Zik mausoleum was inaugurated.

    He said that the leaders of the organisation were expected to participate actively in the inauguration ceremony of the project which was started 23 years ago but completed by Buhari.

    Ozobu said that the meeting could be best described as a meeting of friends of Atiku and did not represent the wishes of the people of the area.

    “The meeting is an attempt to perpetuate Nwodo in office. Granted that there were attempts to extend the tenure of Ohaneze executives to four but such has not materialised,” he said.

    Also speaking, the Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige described the move as unfortunate, adding that the endorsement of presidential candidates had never done anything good for Ndigbo.

    Ngige said that Ohaneze as a socio-cultural organisation had no business endorsing a particular candidate.

    The minister said that it was obvious that Nwodo had divided the organisation along party lines, adding that “we will fight this out.”

    Former Enugu State governor, Mr Sullivan Chime noted that the said endorsement was done by those that had left office.

    “It was not a meeting of Ohaneze Ndigbo but a meeting between Nwodo and his friends. Ohaneze has no business doing what that group did,” Chime said.

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Geoffrey Onyeama, similarly said that it was inappropriate for such a meeting to hold at a time Buhari was in the South East for his campaign.

    Onyeama described the purported meeting as a calculated attempt to exclude a significant number of people from such gathering, assuming it was a meeting of Ohaneze.

    Read Also: Between Ohaneze Ndigbo and Nnamdi Kanu

    “A significant number of the membership was not present at the meeting assuming it was a meeting of Ohaneze. So it is inappropriate to have a meeting of such magnitude,” Onyeama said.

    Former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, said that such a position made no meaning to the people of the area.

    “Our sons and daughters belong to many political parties and our people have never voted as a block but according to their conscience,” he said.

    Nnamani said that such position was not in the best interest of the people and would not stand.

    In a reaction, the Personal Assistant to the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Mr Emeka Attamah, said that everyone was entitled to their opinions.

    Attamah said that Ohaneze Ndigbo had endorsed who they wanted, adding that the people kicking against it were members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said that it was misleading to say that the tenure of the executive members of the organisation was two years, adding that the constitution had been amended to reflect the current four-year tenure.

    “The tenure is four years and they should go to court to contest,” Attamah said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that other chieftains of the organisation at the briefing are the Minister of Science and Technology, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu and Chief Osita Okechukwu among others.

  • IPOB insists on boycott of 2019 polls

    The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Monday reaffirmed its resolve to boycott next month’s election.

    A statement issued by the group’s media and publicity secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful said the IPOB “ably led by our supreme leader and prophet of our time Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will stand on the decision of election boycott in Biafraland on the 16th of February 2019”.

    The statement insists: “The boycott of presidential election next month will showcase our readiness, determination and seriousness in the pursuit for Biafra freedom and sovereignty.

    “It is important we notify our people mostly politicians, clergymen and women including pastors who strongly believe in rebuilding one Nigeria to retrace their steps because Nigeria Government and it’s leadership has been hijacked by Fulani people.

    “Fulanis are parasites and stranger in Nigeria today but unfortunate that they control over 200 million Indigenous Population because of British support to them.

    “Our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu during his weekly radio Biafra broadcast from the holy land of Israel on Saturday evening reaffirmed strongly to the people and gullible Nigerians who still doubt our stand towards boycotting the forthcoming presidential election next month.

    “It is crystal clear that one of our major lethal weapons to achieve this present Biafra demand is civil disobedience, therefore we urge Biafrans, both home and abroad to advise and caution their families not to vote and totally boycott this coming election no matter the level of promises and inducement politicians of this days might have given them.

    “In few days to come IPOB high command will release a blueprint and how this election boycott will be achieved and it’s benefit to Biafrans, IPOB will evoke high level of civil disobedience next month to make it effective so as Biafrans will realize how much determined we are.

    “Federal Government of Nigeria, South East governors mostly Okezie Ikpeazu, David Umahi and Willie Obiano including Ohaneze Ndigbo led by Nnia Nwodo conspired and brought in operation python dance to frighten our people to trigger panic, apprehension and fear in the minds of Biafrans who believe in Biafra restoration project. IPOB will inevitably bring those governors and few Abuja/Lagos based politicians who believe in serving Hausa Fulani caliphate to account in no distant time.

    Read Also: Ohanaeze, others flay IPOB attacks on Ikpeazu, Umahi

    “It is in the light of this recent distortion, twist and adulterated truth and propaganda against IPOB decision by unscrupulous individuals, groups and politicians in our land that prompted our supreme leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to come on air last week Saturday to state unequivocally without mincing words the position of IPOB in Abia and Ebonyi states gubernatorial elections come next month. Okezie Ikpeazu and David Umahi who unbeknown to most people has donated a portion of our sacred land of Biafra to Miyetti Allah cannot support Operation Python Dance and expect the people not to revolt accordingly. IPOB is at the front of this coming revolution next month.

    “The potency of our agitation for Biafra will be made clear for all to see. We remain unwavering and determined as ever to bring this divine and ordained mission to its successful conclusion.

    “Our freedom is paramount therefore ongoing politically motivated abductions, high levels of humiliation, intimidation, abduction, arrest, massacre and sponsored propaganda against a peaceful group like IPOB will not shake our resolve, instead it will make us stronger.“

  • Ohaneze, Afenifere leaders parley in Owerri

    Leaders of apex Igbo and Yoruba socio-cultural organisations, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Afenifere on Monday night met in Owerri, the Imo State capital to forge national unity and peaceful coexistence.

    The groups were led by the respective National Presidents, Chiefs Nnia Nwodo and Ayo Adebanjo.

    Other prominent Igbo sons and daughters were also in attendance.

    Receiving the entourage at the Government House, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha charged the Ohaneze leaders to “take the needed steps to ensure that the rest of Nigerians see Ndigbo as part and parcel of them”.

    He added that “until other Nigerians begin to come to Igboland to invest like the Igbo do in other parts of Nigeria, the gap will continue to exist”.

    According to him, “Ohanaeze is a socio-cultural organisation like Afenifere and Arewa. Ohanaeze could relate and marry these organisations and use them to launch the campaign that would truly make other parts of Nigeria to see Igbos as fellow Nigerians in whom they should be well pleased.

    “We are highly misunderstood and until you come to an Igboman’s house you will not know how hospitable he is.”

    Nwodo said: “Ohanaeze is interested in seeing how our people who are in government have fared. We owe it to our people to tell them who has done well and who has not.

    “We can rightfully say that Owelle Rochas Okorocha has done very well in the area of infrastructural transformation of Imo State as Imo has changed greatly and is now appealing to foreign investors.

    “Rochas Foundation during the government of Chief Igariwe promised to build headquarters for Ohanaeze.

    “One would have thought it was a political statement, and sometimes such promises are not fulfilled but not for a man like Governor Okorocha.

    “As I speak to you now, that headquarters is already roofed, tiles have been erected, doors are been fitted.

    “Only three weeks, he removed the roofs of our hall and redesigned the hall. Right now he is giving us a fence better than that of Government House of Imo.

    “Governor Rochas has a very large heart. It will go on record that no Igbo leader has been as generous to Ohanaeze as Rochas Okorocha. I seize this moment to thank him.”

     

  • Peter Obi visits Ugwuanyi, Nwodo

    Vice Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi arrived the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu amidst a rousing reception by the people of Enugu State.

    The former governor of Anambra State came aboard an Air Peace Aircraft and was received by a high delegation of Enugu State government functionaries.

    Immediately the vice-presidential candidate emerged from the arrival hall, the entire airport was thrown into ecstasy with PDP supporters dancing and gyrating.

    Obi was driven in a long convoy to the Government House Enugu where Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was at hand to receive him.

    At the reception were members of the Enugu State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Edward Nnaji and members of the state Exco.

    Obi also visited the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo was he and his entourage held a closed door meeting.

    The vice presidential candidate told both Ugwuanyi and Nwodo that his candidature was all about Ndigbo and not a personal project.

    While soliciting for their support, he said his success depended on them the Igbo leaders.

    Read Also: Education is key, says Peter Obi

    “I for one I cannot stay there for four years and people will be talking about deplorable Enugu /Onitsha Road, Port Harcourt /Enugu Road.

    “This nomination is about our people. It is an opportunity to readdress our problem. I believe Enugu ‎is our capital. I pay my tax in Enugu. I need your support.

    “I have been visiting our leaders including the governors regarding my nomination. And I am here today to pay courtesy call on the Ohanaeze Ndigbo President General as all of us are under him. I am to intimate him on the development so that we will work as family.”

    Nwodo told the visitor that Ndigbo are pleased by his nomination as the vice presidential candidate of PDP, adding that ‎it will go a long way to address the marginalization of the Igbo.

    He described Obi as incorruptible as he was never invited by security agents on corruption charges after he left office as governor.

    Governor Ugwuanyi described Obi as “indeed iconic son of Igboland as well as a formidable and trusted Igbo man”.

    He said by the grace of God, Enugu State is a PDP state and thank the people of the state for their massive support for the party in 2015 and hope that it would be better in 2019 with Peter Obi.

  • We’ll resist attempts to discredit Ekweremadu – Ohaneze

    Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, said it would resist any attempt to discredit Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu.
    President-General of the group, Chief Nnia Nwodo, in a statement on Thursday, in Enugu, said it was preposterous for the Federal Government to be carrying out unwarranted inquisition into Ekweremadu’s life.
    He said that the allegation that Ekweremadu, the highest ranking Igbo politician in the country, embezzled public funds without any prima facie case was inappropriate.
    Nwodo stated that the idea of asking the Senator to defend himself instead of his accusers showing how he fraudulently enriched himself, amounted to turning the law upside down.
    He observed that Ekweremadu was a revered Igbo son and had attracted a lot of development to his area without any previous accusation of embezzlement.
    “Sen. Ekweremadu is a revered Igbo son whose public image is very high and who has attracted a lot of development to his area; he has never occupied any public office where he was accused of embezzlement.”
    The president-general queried the system of investigation where one was tried for simply belonging to a political party “and is exonerated of an offence he committed for belonging to a political party or being in government’’.

    Read Also: Ekweremadu: Reps tackle special presidential panel

    He cited examples of former and serving military officers who had been let off the hook either through plea bargain or for just changing from one political party to another.
    He also said that a former governor of Enugu State whose property was under investigation was now dining with the Head of State after dumping his former party for the ruling party.
    Nwodo warned that the apex Igbo group would no longer fold it arms while Igbo sons were being systematically singled out for persecution in a country they had contributed so much to build.
    He observed that the cautionary statement by Ekweremadu had been and was still being echoed by many prominent Nigerians and wondered why his case would be different.
    He said that it was such selective justice and marginalization of Ndigbo that fuelled agitations by their young ones for self-determination, adding that restructuring was a first step toward assuaging the situation.

    NAN

  • Ekwueme had impeccable integrity, courage, selflessness – Osinbajo

    Ekwueme had impeccable integrity, courage, selflessness – Osinbajo

    *Ngige: Ekwueme rejected Senate President offer from Obasanjo
    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday said that the late Vice President in the Second Republic, Dr. Alex Ekwueme had impeccable integrity,  courage and selflessness.
    Ekwueme had died in a London hospital last year. 
    Speaking at the Night of Song service organized by the Federal Government in honour of the deceased, Osinbajo said that the late Ekwueme worked tirelessly to build and maintain bridges across the country.
    According to him, Ekwueme understood the symbolism of leaders of the nation to honour God.
    He said,  “Dr. Alex Ekwuene is perhaps  one of the most remarkable persons who have served our nation. Despite being probably one of the most thoroughly educated persons anywhere in the world with degrees in disciplines as distinct as architecture, philosophy, sociology and law. 
    “He possess the profound humility that comes from understanding how much more there was to learn and he demonstrated it by his willingness to listen and to learn at all time.
    “As Vice President he set an excellent example with loyalty, discipline, team spirit and fidelity to the nation. 
    “He was fearless and with the courage of his conviction, he led the G-34, a group of eminent Nigerians who confronted military dictatorship in its darkest and most fiercesome days in Nigerian history.
    ‘In public discourse nationally and regionally as an elder in ECOWAS even in the most emotive subject, he spoke truthfully but maintaining a forthful balance ensuring that his words built rather than destroyed.
    “He worked tirelessly to build and maintain the bridges established across ethnic and religious lines. He never once doubted the validity of one indivisible Nigeria.” he added 

    Also speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige disclosed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, offered the late Ekwueme, Senate Presidency, after the later lost the Jos primaries of the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP ).

    Ngige said he personally advised the late Ekwueme to reject the offer as he was sure that the former Vice President was too rigid to be a Senate President and that he would be impeached within three months.

    He said, “I told Ide (Dr. Ekwueme) that he was too rigid and that he would not be able to do that job.  When the committees come to you and say do this and do that, you will not agree and the next thing they will go and gather signatures and in no time, the will impeach you.

    “Ide was very strict on accountability.  Even when we were campaigning, whenever we returned, he would call you and ask you to give account of how you spent the campaign money.  He will have his paper and pen in his hands.  You know politicians don’t like that.  They don’t like accountability.” he said 

    Ngige also disclosed that the late Vice President, lost the Jos PDP presidential primary ticket because he refused to bribe the delegates.

    He said that Ekwueme failed in bribery and corruption and refused to give false promises, which were the hallmark of typical politicians.

    Stressing that the late former VP was not a religious bigot, as his father was an Anglican pastor, Ngige said that Ekwueme never discriminated against people of other faiths.

    The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, urged Nigerians to learn from late Dr. Ekwueme’s courage, which made him confront late dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, with the G34 initiative.

    He also urged Nigerians to imbibe Dr. Ekwueme’s patriotic zeal.

    He said “We must first see ourselves as Nigerians, irrespective of our religions and tribes.”

    Former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, who was also the former Secretary of the G34 and political ally of the Late Dr. Ekwueme, said that Ekwueme was “a great son of Nigeria, a loving leader, creative designer, first class architect, wise counselor, elder statesman, a great patriot, defender of the people, an advocate of social justice, fairness and equity.”

    He said that Dr. Ekwueme led the G34 which confronted Late Gen. Sani Abacha to stop his self-succession bid, and was at the vanguard of the return to democracy after more than two and half decades of military dictatorship.

    Prof. Gana also revealed that the letter by the G 34 was written by himself and Dr. Iyorchia Ayu but that Dr. Ekwueme, who was the chairman of the group  personally edited and submitted it at the Aso Rock Villa, to ensure it got to Late Gen. Abacha.

    Prof. Jerry Gana described the late Ekwueme as a defender of the people, a political colossus and an advocate of social justice and equity.

    The President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo said he didn’t come to mourn rather to rejoice for the gift of nature from God to Igboland.
    He said, “He was multi disciplinary and distinctive in what he set out to do and loyal in his convictions and believed in his intellectual perception.
    “I haven’t come here to mourn on behalf of the Igbos, I have come here to rejoice that God gave us an exemplary son. 
    “On a night like this what is important is to christenize the distinctive achievements and characteristics of Dr. Alex Ekwueme and I’m the process hope that those of us who are living will derive example from it and create a better society.” 
    He said that Dr. Ekwueme was very loyal to Shehu Shagari.
    He said “Dr. Ekwueme never thought of leaving PDP.  What was important to him was his sense of contribution.  Whether or not he made money from it or not.  Ekwueme was a very humble man.  Chief Nwodo urged Nigerians politicians to emulate.”
    Also speaking, Prof. Uzodimma Nwala who worked closely with the late Vice President said he respected him for his great intellect and not the typical Nigerian politician, adding that he had the carriage.
    He said that Ekwueme came up with the establishment of six geopolitical zones as basis for optical and resources sharing. 
    “We are celebrating a man that had contributed in laying the foundation of unity in Nigeria.

    “The true components of Nigeria is the ethnic nationalities.  We must come back to a loose federation.”

    “Dr. Alex Ekwueme was not a typical Nigerian politician,” and urged Nigerian politicians to take lessons from the departed VP.” he said 

    The former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari represented by his son,  Aminu Shagari said late Ekwueme lived a simple and uncomplicated life and that his father’s choice of Ekwueme as his Vice President was a right choice.
    He said the late former Vice President exhibited tolerance and total loyalty, describing him as patriotic and a statesman.
  • Ekwueme: Fearless, integrity epitome – Osinbajo

    Ekwueme: Fearless, integrity epitome – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday described late former Vice President Alex Ekwueme as fearless and an epitome of integrity.

    He said this in his remarks at the Service of Songs and Night of Tribute in Abuja for the late Second Republic Vice President who died in a London Hospital on November 19, 2017 at 85.

    Osinbajo noted that Ekwueme was the most remarkable person to serve the nation and believed in its indivisibility.

    He said that while alive, the late octogenarian possessed profound humility that came from the understanding of how much there was to learn and demonstrated it by his evident willingness to listen and learn always.

    “As Vice President, he set an excellent example of loyalty, discipline, team spirit and fidelity to the nation.

    Read also: All for Ekwueme

    “He was fearless and with the courage of his convictions, he led the G-34, the group of eminent Nigerians who confronted military dictatorship in its darkest and most fearsome days in Nigeria’s history.

    “He contributed significantly to the return of democracy in 1999,’’ he recalled.

    Osinbajo stated that in national and international discourse, as an elder in ECOWAS even on the most emotive subjects, the deceased spoke truthfully and ensured that his words built rather than destroyed.

    He also said that late Ekwueme worked tirelessly to build and maintain the bridges established across ethnic and religious lines by many through the years.

    “He never for once doubted the validity of one indivisible Nigeria,’’ the vice president said.

    He recalled the late vice president’s incarceration for about 20 months after the Shagari administration was toppled but that he was cleared as having never abused his office.

    Osinbajo said that Ekwueme’s principled and fearless leadership in confronting the military dictatorship of late Gen. Sani Abacha, especially when it chose to succeed itself, was unequalled.

    According to him, the late Ekwueme had principled interventions in many national debates and in all, he epitomised impeccable integrity, courage and selflessness.

    “His values, like himself, remain relevant in every age and time.’’

    Osinbajo said that Ekwueme had remarked that he would like to be remembered as someone who came into public office to render service and rendered it selflessly.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that other dignitaries, including the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo and Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, paid tribute to the late octogenarian.

    Nwodo said he was not mourning Ekwueme, but was rejoicing because God gave Nigeria such a man.

    For Ngige, Ekwueme was a political master who did not disappoint the nation during the 1994/1995 Constitutional conference.

    Former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, represented by his son, Aminu Shagari, in a tribute said he would continue to relish the memorable time he had with his late former Vice President.

    “He lived a simple and uncomplicated life,’’ he said, adding that he nominated to run with him twice because of his high level of discipline and integrity.

    President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Prof. Jerry Ghana, Prof Uzodimma Nwala, and the deceased’s younger brother, Prof. Laz Ekwueme, extolled his virtues.

    A representative of the Ekwueme’s Community, Oko, Anambra, Mr Handel Okoli, thanked the Federal Government for putting all structures in place for the burial of their son.

    He, however, requested that the late former vice president’s name should be immortalised for his vision of nationalism and patriotism to be exemplified.

    NAN

  • Ohanaeze warns FG against obtaining frivolous court order on IPOB

    Ohanaeze warns FG against obtaining frivolous court order on IPOB

    The apex Igbo organization the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has warned courts in Nigeria not to allow themselves to be used to undermine democratic process by granting frivolous orders against the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

    Ohanaeze, in a statement released signed by the President General, Nnia Nwodo, alleged that it has credible intelligence that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the federation Abubakar Malami has secretly approached courts to obtain an order to designate IPOB as a terrorist group.

    The Ohanaeze boss said that such move is not only illegal but aimed at furthering the harassment and intimidation of Igbo youths who have been pursuing their constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human rights.

    Ohanaeze said it has despatched letters to courts to be weary of such spurious moves as it is capable of aggravating the frayed nerves and disrupting the genuine moves Ohanaeze and critical Igbo leaders are making to bring peace and concord in the land.