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Tag: Ohanaeze

  • ‘Ohanaeze is deceiving Ndigbo on 2019’

    Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Livinus Okwara, in this interview with Musa Odoshimokhe says Ohanaeze is misleading the Igbo on 2019. Excerpts

    Do you see any of the contestants defeating President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 election?

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the main opposition party we have in the country and when you look at what is happening within it, you will see that none among them can achieve what President Muhammadu Buhari has achieved. Nigerians brought Buhari because they were afraid of politicians who will not serve their interest. So, if you look at the governors for instance, who live larger than life, you will agree that politicians cannot be so trusted. Who can stop the governors if they want to do anything, they can do whatever they want to do as far as Nigeria is concerned. That is why PDP was shouting that Buhari was wicked in the build up to 2015 election. As they were doing this, the man was gaining popularity because instead of the PDP to emphasise issues, they were saying the man was wicked. People have tried to justify Buhari’s conduct in office as a military Head of State. I think Buhari won that election because of his image and personal records of being an upright man. I know that when he was overthrown, Nigerians were not happy. He introduced the War Against Indiscipline (WAI) and Nigerians have never forgotten that period of WAI. Suddenly, if you were in Kaduna and Buhari was in Lagos, you thought Buhari was behind you. People were queuing up to do the right thing. Nigerians were doing what was right when he was the Head of State. So, as at now, I cannot see any character that can do that. It may not be so easy to forget all the 16 years of the PDP misrule. They should still be seeking forgiveness from Nigerians and not trying to get power back. I was praying to have a progressive government once in my life time. This was happiness for me when the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the election. This, at least, will usher in governors who are benevolent, that would see people who are suffering and try to impact on them. Let me say it that Buhari can never be defeated in 2019. They are aware of this and that is why they are saying all sorts of things; they should have waited for Nigerians to forgive them first.

    The opposition says the administration has not met the peoples’ expectation in terms of economy and security of lives…

    The PDP is not a good opposition, they are saying that this is not there, that is not there. For 16 years the PDP was there and they did not do anything about the second Niger Bridge which the Igbo have been asking for. After losing the election, former President Goodluck Jonathan was suddenly regretting what he did not do for the Igbo like the second Niger Bridge after receiving their support. It is rather too unfortunate that we did not give Buhari the support. I was with my people campaigning that they should support Buhari, they ignored and told me that the best Buhari would do was to introduce Sharia. Even the governors from the East did not think Buhari would win. We have the Ohanaeze and I want to ask whether Ohanaeze is a political party or a cultural organisation? As at now, what they are doing is to call Kwankwaso and take him round all the local governments, where we have Igbo Ohanaeze, to recruit people and then give them money, so that they will come and vote for him. They are even compelling the people to say that they must deliver their areas. I still remember that they confess that they are the people that helped the PDP to rig the Southeast. The leader of the Ohanaeze was later begging Buhari to forgive them for not supporting him. Ohanaeze is supposed to be a cultural group, to smoothen the relationship between Igbo and other groups. The average Igbo man is a traveler, they go to the villages and you can see that this had affected their population at home; it has decreased. Most of them are either in Lagos, Kaduna and Maiduguri. They are the ones doing businesses in most remote areas and taking care of themselves. One thing I want the Igbo to understand now is that they are the only southern people that have not tasted the presidency. I warn them in the last election not to ask for presidential ticket in 2019; they must ask for it in 2023. That is the time they can ask for it. The north would have served out their eight years by then. What buried the PDP was that they insisted that Jonathan must continue and the north has not satisfied the eight years. Given that they were not happy, they all rallied round Buhari and defeated the PDP. Buhari would definitely assist those who supported him. It is better for them not to repeat the same mistake again because it is their turn in 2023 because the Southwest will not go again.

    What are the guarantees that the Southeast will get it in 2023?

    It is the PDP that is not assuring the people that the Southeast will get it in 2013 because they know that the political point is against them. I want to assure you that the Southeast will get it because Buhari is a man that is reliable and will support them for the position. Look at the way he relates with the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo from the Southwest. He never behaves like former President Olusegun Obasanjo who was always quarrelling with Atiku. Buhari is a plain man and I want to say it that the turn of the Southeast is 2023. They should support the APC because one of the doctrines of the APC is justice.

    If the presidential slot is zoned to the Southeast, do you see them agreeing on a consensus candidate?

    Consensus or not, I want them to be aware of one thing, if you don’t have the support of the north, they cannot go anywhere. If you don’t have the support of the north you are going nowhere. I want to say that Ohanaeze cannot save the Igbo. They did not prevent the PDP from collapsing, so you should not follow Ohanaeze blindly. They are after the money they will make. Do not listen to them, we have a cultural group that preceded Ohanaeze, but when I saw the characters that were there I did not join them. These people, who are there as Ohanaeze are in business, they are not working in the interest of the Igbo. They have never come out to canvass for the Igbo candidate in this build-up to the election for better position. In the past, they supported Jonathan because they wanted contract and money. The Igbo today do not want that because they have had their experiences and would not want what happened in the past to repeat itself. Many of them are now crossing over to the APC in Anambra and other Southeast states.

  • Police raid Edwin Clark’s Abuja residence

    …Afenifere, Ohanaeze, middle belt, Northern elders condemn raid

     

    The Abuja residence of the Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark was raided Tuesday by the police.

    The Police men, numbering six, it was learnt came from the office of the Inspector- General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris.

    They were from the IGP’s ‘Special Tactical Force’ STF, Guzape, Abuja, which reports only to the Inspector- General of Police.

    The 91-old former federal commissioner was at home when the police came calling at about 12.30, in a 18- Seater Hiace Bus and a four Runner Car, with registration number EU 979 ABC.

    Read Also:Open letter: E. K. Clark warns mischief makers against manipulation

    Clark, No 43, Haile Selassie Street, Asokoro residence was turned inside out as the police searched for about two hours without finding anything incriminating.

    The Police men were led by Kolo Yusuf, said that they were with a Search warrant that was obtained from the court.

    Speaking after the incident, Chief Clark said, “I was in the house, in my bedroom when my boys came to inform me that there were police men downstairs and in the parlour, I said what do they want, they said they came from Inspector- General of Police, IGP Tactical Squad with a warrant and with their office in Guzape, So I said what do you want?

    “They said I was selling weapons in my house so that’s why they went to court to obtain a search warrant and they showed me the search warrant, I said, go ahead. So they went down,  searched everywhere, my most important part of it, my secretary, Miss Dorothy Koko  was in the bank, they said they must see that room and her bedroom and the office. So she had to come from the bank to open those rooms for them to search. Then after they came up, searched my wife’s room, my children’s room, my other parlor upstairs and everywhere, this is what happened.”

    On whether the Police at the end of the day discovered arms and Ammunition, Chief Clark said, “They didn’t find anything; they made a statement that they’ve come here with a warrant to search the house for ammunition, but they have searched the house they found nothing and they themselves took away nothing. Three of my people signed it and three of them signed it that’s what happened.”

    When asked if the search could be related to last week’s meeting of Elders and Leaders of various socio- cultural groups in the country, Chief Clark said, “I believe because of the various meetings we’ve been holding about the state of the nation, otherwise why would they expect, am not in Delta where I come from, that militants have come to keep ammunition in my house, but no sensible man will think that a 92 year old man in Abuja, will be keeping ammunition in his house to fight the government, overthrow the government, this is ridiculous, shameful.

    “I am not saying that people don’t keep arms, but am not that kind of person, I speak my mind on issues affecting this country, I believe in advocacy, I believe in peace. When our boys, calling themselves avengers and so on, vandalized  pipelines, I formed an organization known as Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF to stop these boys and I led about 100 people including leaders, traditional rulers, everybody.

    “Since then, there have been peace in the Niger Delta, oil production has increased, is that why I should be treated like this, perhaps this is the time I should mention, it has been the policy of the federal government, the presidency to congratulate Nigerians who have attained certain age, I attained the age of 91 on the 25th of May this year.

    “What I said earlier on, was that I am a man of peace, I believe in peaceful coexistence in this country, I have been doing everything possible to see that Nigeria remains one that’s why we’ve been forming various organisations to keep Nigeria together. I started PANDEF on the 19th of August 2016 to advice the youths who were vandalizing pipelines, to stop them from vandalizing pipelines.

    “Oil production in Nigeria which had gone down low to about 900 barrels per day has increased to over 2 million, everybody knows that. I have led meetings with Mr. President, with our people, I led a total number of 100 traditional rulers, politicians, past governors to meet with the President on the 1st of November 2016, I was looking for peace, but nobody can stop me from speaking my mind or associating with people to see that there is good governance in this country.”

    “It is dangerous to say where we are going, we are moving into a police state.  What worries me is that those who are surrounding Mr. President,  I do not think they wish him well with the way they are going, President Buhari  is the President of the whole Nigeria, not one part of this country. I do not think with his greatest respect and having honored my late friend, Alhaji Maitama Sule, I do not think one police man whether IG would have gone to kano to search his house, Why this type of discrimination, it is very unfair.”

    “I will never, I said it is my top slogan that when you are 70 and above, you are at the Lounge, waiting for your boarding Pass,  I would say I have gotten my Boarding pass, but God has delayed it, NOBODY can do me anything, I will speak my mind on anything that is unjust in this country, against injustice, against oppression, discrimination, religious  bigotry, ethnicity anything that will affect the unity of this country, peace, peaceful existence of this country I will speak against it.

    The elder statesman has not ruled out taking a legal action against the government and the police as he noted that, “My lawyers will look into that.”

    The Policemen on arrival demanded to see the Secretary to Chief Clark, Dorothy Koko who had gone to the bank as that the time they came, even as they requested that they must see her and at this time, a call was made to her to come back to the office which she did immediately.

    According to the source, when Dorothy Koko arrived, the policemen asked her to open her office, she did, they searched, thereafter went to her bedroom and toilet to search for everything, even as the rooms were turned upside down.

    The source said further that soon after they finished with Dorothy Koko, the Police men now climbed up to Chief Clark’s bed room where they also carried out a search in his room, the toilet, his wife’s room, the Children’s room, al, the parlours, among other places.

    At the end of the two hour exercise of putting the residence of Clark into such traumatic and horrifying situation, the Police men left without finding anything incriminating against the Elder Statesman.

    Three Police men were said to have signed a legal document indicating that neither arm nor ammunition was found in the house of Chief Clark or anything incriminating, while three persons from the side of Clark also signed the document before they took it to the office.

    Those who signed on behalf of Chief Clark were Ambassador Godknows Igali; Secretary General of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Dr. Alfred Mulade and Mr. Mac Emakpore.

    Reaction has continued to trail the invasion as Nigerian Leaders and Elders Forum expresses shock over the incident. The Afenifere, Ohanaeze, Middle Belt Forum and Northern Elders forum strongly condemned the police.

    In a joint statement by the groups, the police action was described as shameful.

    The statement was signed by Yinka Odumakin, Prof Chigozie Ogbu, Dr Isuwa Dogo  and   Dr Junaid Mohammed.

    The statement reads: “The Nigerian Leaders and Elders Forum is flabbergasted by the gestapo-like raid on the  Abuja home of 91-year -old elder-statesman and Leader of Pan-Niger Delta Forum(PANDEF) ,Chief EK Clark by men of the Nigerian Police on the spurious allegation  that there were “arms and ammunition” stockpiled in the house.

    “At the end of the shameful invasion of the home of the former Minister and Senator in the worst signal of Nigeria becoming a police state, the police could not find more than a kitchen knife regularly used to slice tomato and onion.

    “We view the provocative search as not arising from any intelligence report but a sheer act of intimidation on a home that has served as meeting point for patriots across Nigeria who are engaged in peaceful consultations to save Nigeria from the edge of the precipice.

    The raid is a sad reminder of the era of full blown dictatorship in 1984 when the home of Chief Obafemi Awolowo was ransacked in Ikenne by solders and officials of the dreaded NSO whose conduct has only been rivaled by the DSS under Daura before he was removed when the President was on vacation abroad.

    “The traumatization of Pa Clark at 91 is yet another proof that mad power has taken over our polity and its desperation now walking on four with all boundaries of decency collapsed for raw display of beastly tendencies.

    The Nigerian Leaders and Elders Forum demands an immediate apology to Chief Clark by the Nigerian Police whose leadership at the moment has shown serial unprofessionalism and dark age policing.

    “We want to sound it loud and clear to the administration that if the object of this intimidation is to send fear signals to patriots who are demanding better leadership for our country ,it has backfired .We all counted the cost before we chose to embark on standing up for the country
    Our battle cry remains : no retreat, no surrender !”

  • ‘Southeast governors, Ohanaeze are cowards’

    The leadership of Biafra Zionists Federation (BZF) has criticised Southeast governors and Ohanaeze Ndigbo for their silence eight days after the group’s leader, Benjamin Onwuka, was arrested.

    Onwuka was last seen after the Zionists made a failed move to besiege Enugu State Government House.

    His whereabouts remain unknown although those arrested with him have been released.

    A statement by the group’s Deputy Leader, Ambrose Ugwu, regretted that “an Igbo man could be kept incommunicado for such time without a word from the governors and the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.”

    He said: “What is happening presently justifies our demand for Biafra, which will never be compromised. Imagine holding someone for eight days without water, food, and visitation? That is why we have no doubt that he is dead.

    “But this can only happen in Igbo land where we have cowards and lily-livered politicians as governors and leaders of Ohanaeze.

    “We have never carried arms; neither have we ever threatened violence against any one, yet we are facing inhuman treatment from security forces, with the backing of weak political leaders we have in this part of the world.

    “This is the same way leader of the Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) Ralph Uwazuruike, was harassed out of the struggle; same fate befell Nnamdi Kanu; now, the last man standing, Onwuka, is being treated in the most cruel manner.

    “We assure the governors and Ohanaeze that no matter how long it takes, a time will come for them to answer for this betrayal of the common cause of Ndigbo simply because of the crumbs they are picking from Abuja as well as the fear of EFCC.

    “We call on the United States of America and her allies, the Amnesty International (AI), and other international organizations, to speak out against this injustice against the helpless people of Biafra whose sin is a demand for freedom in a non-violent way.”

     

  • Ohanaeze fumes over arrest of IPOB women

    •Says: ‘May our endurance not be stretched to the limit’

    The Ohanaeze Ndigbo yesterday deplored the recent arrest of  112 members of the women wing of the  proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)  and their subsequent arraignment in court for ‘unlawful assembly’ and ‘treasonable felony’.

    The Igbo socio-cultural group said the women’s arrest amounted to double standard by government.

    The women were arrested following their protest in Owerri, Imo State, demanding a referendum and the whereabouts of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    They were let off on Friday after the charges against them were dropped.

    However, an unimpressed Ohanaeze said there was no basis to arrest the women in the first instance.

    “Boko Haram loot, plunder, kidnap but the government negotiates with them, spending unappropriated and undisclosed sums! Yet IPOB is proscribed for just speaking up. Arewa youths spoke treason and were defended by Governors and treated with privilege,” President General of Ohanaeze, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, said in a statement.

    Nwodo who said he is currently recuperating outside the country also wondered why IPOB remains proscribed while, herdsmen and their sponsors “move about freely, reeling out new threats, occupying Southern and Middle Belt farms forcibly, with the law enforcement agents either aiding them or intentionally looking away.”

    He added: “churches are invaded, priests killed, yet no one is arrested. Thousands are killed; thousands are rendered homeless, no one cares. IDPS are established only when the displaced come from a favoured section of the country.

    “No wonder our security chiefs are appointed on the basis of where they come from. Any Igbo who is not angry at the situation in the country today must have his head re-examined. Now, they contemplate Operation Python Dance 3 without dealing with the carnage of Operation Python Dance 2 where UN rules of engagement were flagrantly violated. Who won’t be angry under these circumstances?

    “The provocation, double standards, and subjection to servitude far outweigh the denigration their false propaganda subjected us to.”

    Nwodo asked Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State not to allow his anger at IPOB’s verbal provocations override his paternity.

    He said: “Borrow a leaf from me. I am abroad and emerging from theatre for a mild surgery and I have read how it is being said that Ohanaeze and the South East governors masterminded you to detain our sisters, but note that the false propaganda did not stop me from directing Ohanaeze National Publicity Secretary to condemn the detention.

    “The provocation, double standards, and subjection to servitude far outweigh the denigration their false propaganda subjected us to.

    “Never again shall we Igbo, at this critical time, shoot ourselves again on the foot. No matter how provocative, incendiary and unruly IPOB may be, they are our children. Aggrieved children can sometimes lose their guard. May our endurance not be stretched to the point where it challenges Hooke’s law on elastic limit.”

  • Ohanaeze denounces IPOB’s conditions for reconciliation

    The, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has flayed the  Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), for claiming that it has given  conditions for reconciling with the apex Igbo cultural organisation.

    In a statement , the Special Adviser to the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Media and Publicity, Chief Emeka Attamah, regretted that after all Ohanaeze was doing to advance the interest of Ndigbo, IPOB was still recalcitrant and refused to allow peace which is sacrosanct  for progress and the achievement of self-determination for Ndigbo.

    The statement  said that the press hype IPOB was engaging in as preconditions for reaching a peaceful coexistence with Ohanaeze Ndigbo was most unfortunate, especially after the efforts made  by the President General to challenge the Federal Government on all wrongs done to IPOB. Attamah recalled that at his inauguration on the 11th of January 2017, Chief Nwodo had,  in defiance of the obvious hatred and animosity of the federal government towards IPOB, stated that both IPOB and MASSOB were his children and that he would not abandon them because their cause was his cause.

    “The President General was explicit then that there are two approaches to any struggle : violence or dialogue and that he preferred dialogue.”

    The statement further said that at all the peace meetings Ohanaeze had held with IPOB, Chief Nwodo had always explained that the apex body had nothing to do with the proscription of IPOB by the federal government. “On the contrary, Chief Nwodo had confronted the GOC of 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu to carry out investigation and trial of soldiers who went outside the rules of engagement in the killing of members of IPOB during the Operation Python Dance.”

    He noted that  when IPOB was proscribed,  Ohanaeze again challenged the Attorney General of the Federation to show cause why IPOB,  a harmless and an unarmed pressure group, could be proscribed while  the umbrella body of the killer herdsmen was being romanced by the same federal government. Attamah stated that Ohanaeze Ndigbo had restrained itself from engaging in a press war with IPOB because “as Chief Nwodo always says,  a father should not quarrel with his children in the public, but that the truth is palpably in the public domain.”

    He said that this is why all the vituperations being poured on Chief Nwodo by IPOB both on the pages of newspapers and through text messages to his phones had not elicited any challenge from Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

  • Wike, Tambuwal, R-APC, Ohanaeze, senator fault DSS’ siege

    RIVERS State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) and apex Igbo socio-political group Ohaneze Ndigbo have condemned the siege on the National Assembly.

    They spoke in separate statement following the invasion by men of Department of State Services (DSS).

    Wike: action condemnable

     

    Wike declared that the assault on the National Assembly by the security forces was condemnable and has the capacity to truncate the nation’s democracy.

    He  said: “All well-meaning Nigerians should stand up against this dictatorship.  All over the  world, this has never happened.

    “Nigerians should not stand aloof and watch what is going on. This will consume so many  people if we don’t rise against it.”

    Wike called on National Assembly members to stand firm in defence of the nation’s democracy.

    Tambuwal, who applauded the immediate removal of DSS DG from office, described the action as a direct and unacceptable indication of contempt for the sanctity of the legislature as bastion of democracy.

    He said, as a former lawmaker and immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, he  confounded that anyone could contemplate and  carry out such an act, commending Acting President Yomi Osibanjo for his intervention.

    Incident disgraceful, says Ohanaeze Ndigbo

     

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Uche Achi-Okpaga, described the incident as disgraceful and disappointing.

    “Recent events in Nigeria, climaxing in the blockade and prevention of marked adversary senators and House of Representative members from gaining access into the legislative building altogether, are not coming to us as surprises.

    “Instead, they are sprouting in alarming crescendos in crystal vindication of our stand that only a restructured Nigeria can thrive henceforth”.

    “The event of today in particular is raw as it is a clueless brandishing from the executors. Nothing more can be an impeachable offence than this callous desecration of the National Assembly, which is the symbol of democracy,” it said.

    A statement by R-APC National Publicity Secretary Kassim Afegbua said: “We condemn the continued partisanship of the security agencies against the interest of Nigerians. We wish to insist that these categories of persons be denied visas or have their visas revoked on account of their anti-democratic conducts, which have consistently threatened the very foundation of our fledgling democracy…

    “The sacking of the Director-General of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) is good riddance to bad rubbish. Rather than devote energies and synergies into the Boko Haram fight and other cases of insecurity to give Nigerians a new lease of life, the DSS under Lawan Musa Daura has become one of a partisan lot against the collective interest of the State and Nigerians.”

    It said the Acting President should as a matter of urgency sack the Inspector General of Police, who has also shown careless disdain against the Nigerian people.

    “Let us for once instill some sanity in our democratic practices. Let us assume our role as the giant of Africa both in deeds and practice. We cannot afford to continue to tolerate these brazen abuses, invasions and drunken use of raw power against institution of democracy, in a 21st century world where the attraction should be more about development and growth.”

    ‘It’s bad example to other African democracies’

     

    Senator Isa Misau said the siege at the National Assembly was a “bad example to other African democracies”.

    Misau, who represents Bauchi Central Senatorial District, said barricading the gate of the assembly complex and denying some legislators access into their offices was a gross illegality and affront on democracy.

    Misau is one of the senators, who defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People Democratic Party (PDP).

    He told newsmen while stranded at the entrance of the assembly complex that legislators were representatives of the people and were also elected to protect the principles of democracy.

     

     

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  • Ohanaeze cautions against Buhari’s impeachment

    The Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Anambra State, Chief Damian Okeke, has cautioned against any attempt by the National Assembly to plot the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said any plot to impeach the President could plunge the country into deeper political crisis, which could lead to anarchy.

    The warning is coming against the lingering upheaval pitching the Presidency with leadership of the Senate.

    The Ohanaeze Ndigbo chairman, who addressed reporters yesterday in Awka, the capital, urged aggrieved legislators to use their permanent voter’s cards (PVCs) to sack those they want out of office.

    He said: “If you want democracy to grow in this country, I can never support impeachment. It will cause more problems than solution. If you want a stable country, forget about impeachment. If you want the President to be removed, go with your PVC. It is more democratically advised.

    “When you go for impeachment, people will fight back like wounded lions and innocent souls will be lost. I recall what former President Goodluck Jonathan said: that his ambition was not worth the blood of Nigerians.”

    Okeke urged the Presidency and the National Assembly to sheathe their swords and concentrate on delivering democratic dividends, good governance and laws bearing on people’s lives.

     

  • Ohanaeze, Ebonyi NBA, PDP kick against siege

    REACTIONS have continued to trail the alleged siege to Senate President Bukola Saraki’ residence and that of his deputy, Ike Ekeremadu, by Security operatives and subsequent defection of some senators and House of Representatives members.

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo: nothing should happen to Ekweremadu

     

    In a statement by his media office, Ohanaeze Ndigbo President General John Nnia Nwodo has warned that nothing should happen to Ekweremadu.

    Nwodo said the alarm has become necessary following some disturbing reports that operatives of the state besieged the Deputy President’s house this morning for yet undisclosed motives.

    Ohanaeze President said while it would not begrudge the state for doing its statutory duty, it must be within the confines of rule of law, moreso that the nation is in a democracy.

    “In a democratic setting as ours, we expect security agencies to be civil and work within the rule of the law without breaching the civil liberty of any individual,” he said.

    Nwodo said Ekweremadu, being the highest Igbo in this government, is much cherished by his people and is expected that he should be accorded all the respect deserving of his position.

    It’s democracy at work, says NBA chief

     

    Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Abakaliki Branch Festus Nweke, in his reaction, described the defection by former members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the National Assembly as good for democratic experience and growth.

    “It is democracy at work in Nigeria. An unambiguous confirmation that the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of association is working without inhibition. It is good for our democratic experiment and growth.”

    Ebonyi PDP Chairman: it’s victory for democracy

     

    The Ebonyi State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Onyekachi Nwebonyi described the mass defection as victory for democracy.

    He said the outcome of today’s plenary at the National Assembly was a clear indication that the party had gathered momentum to take over power from the ruling APC come 2019.

     

  • Security: Presidency blasts Northern elders, Afenifere, Ohanaeze, others

    The Presidency lashed out yesterday at the Northern Elders’ Forum, the  Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the  Pan Niger Delta Forum  for railing at President Muhammadu Buhari over his handling of security in the country.

    The Presidency dismissed the leaders of the  ”ethnic and sectional groups” as selfish people  who were only shedding crocodile tears.

    It asked Nigerians to ignore them.

    It was reacting to the communique issued on Wednesday by the groups at the end of a conference in Abuja in which they accused Buhari of incompetence in handling the security situation in the country.

    The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said in a statement yesterday that the “unholy alliance by these groups”  was  merely stepping up its  assault on the administration “as it expands its national dominance and moves closer to securing an outright victory in the elections next year.”

    Continuing, Shehu said: “The Presidency notes with dismay that the refrain about President Buhari not doing anything about security in the country had turned into the number one fake news item being peddled in the media.

    “The Presidency refers all the purveyors of falsehood to a State House press release published a few days ago and signed by Special Adviser the President, Femi Adesina, which clearly outlined the government’s major achievements and initiatives in tackling security challenges from January to July, 2018.

    “The press release, which was titled: ’Combating Insecurity in the Country: Lest We Forget – Presidency’ listed out ongoing security operations: (1) Nigerian Army’s Exercise Ayem Akpatuma covering Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger states launched in February to tackle cases of kidnappings, herdsmen/farmers’ clashes, among others; (2) Nigerian Air Force establishment of three new Quick Response Wings (QRW) in Taraba, Nasarawa and Benue states respectively, and deployment of Special Forces personnel.”

    He said that the press release also noted President Buhari’s approval for the establishment of a new battalion of the Nigerian Army, as well as a new Police Area Command, in Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State, as part of measures to scale up security in response to the banditry affecting the area.

    He added:”We advise Nigerians to read Adesina’s statement if they haven’t yet, or re-read it for better understanding of the efforts to ensure peace in the country.

    “It is sad and misleading for anyone to say that President Buhari had not responded to the security challenges in the country.

    “No one can honestly say that President Buhari is doing nothing about security. It’s just a fake news item being peddled by selfish politicians with vested interests in keeping Nigerians incensed, and it risks being entrenched as reality if we don’t educate ourselves with the truth.”

  • 2019: no restructuring, no vote, says Ohanaeze

    The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said it would only vote for a presidential candidate who supports restructuring.

    A statement by a member of the group, Chuks Ibegbu, warned that the political future of Ndigbo lies on God and not on any man. He warned that nobody should play god over the political fate of Ndigbo.

    Ibegbu, who was reacting to insinuations that the Igbo political future in 2023 lies on the level of support for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, said the group has nothing against Buhari and his wish to re-contest, but added that they would restructure the country and exhibit equity in the polity.

    He said: “We have nothing against President Buhari re-contesting, but nobody should threaten or cajole us. The actions, utterances and activities of any Presidential candidate for 2019 will determine if Ndigbo would identify with his or her aspirations in 2019.

    “It is obvious that all sections of the country except Ndigbo have produced Nigeria’s President, and nobody on moral, political and equitable ground should deny them the position at the nick of time.”

    Ibegbu restated the need to create an additional state in the Southeast, re-visiting of the abandoned property issue and the engagement of the pro-Biafran groups in dialogue.