The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Rochas Okorocha

  • Nkiru Sylvanus dazzles in new photos

    Nkiru Sylvanus dazzles in new photos

    RIDING on the crest of the successful premiere of her movie, The Voice, former aide to Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, actress Nkiru Sylvanus, recently released a new collection of scintillating pictures.

    The photographs, which could best be described as sensual, showed a more sophisticated, refined and rejuvenated Nkiru.

    The actress played the role of Sandy in her recently released self-produced flick, The Voice, which dwells on her ordeal in the hands of kidnappers two years ago.

    Nkiru, who shot to the limelight following her impressive performance as Blessing, aka Ble Ble, in A Cry for Help, is also said to be warming up to take her movie to the U.S. for premiere in September.

    She is reportedly taking this step due to popular demand from her fans abroad.

  • Madumere hails Okorocha for giant strides

    Madumere hails Okorocha for giant strides

    •Urges chieftains to uphold party’s ideals

    Imo State Deputy Governor Eze Madumere has hailed Governor Rochas Okorocha for living up to the people’s expectations.

    In his statement during the inaugural ceremony of the executive members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Imo State chapter, he said members gathered because the governor made them proud, following his giant strides, which he attributed to vision and hard work.

    Madumere urged the APC Chairman, Dr. Hilary Ekeh, not to shirk his responsibility, to avoid betraying the confidence reposed in him.

    The deputy governor, who was applauded by the youths, called for a collective pursuit of the party’s goals.

    He said all hands must be on deck to get the job done.

    Madumere pledged to support the chairman to make him succeed.

    He enjoined others to do same and advised him to run an open door policy.

  • Governors, Saraki Atiku, Balarabe condemned Nyako impeachment

    Governors, Saraki Atiku, Balarabe condemned Nyako impeachment

    The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum and eminent Nigerians condemned yesterday the impeachment of Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako.

    NGF chairman Chibuike Amaechi, the Rivers State governor, described the act as “a sad day for democracy in the country.”

    The APC governors speaking through its chairman Rochas Okorocha, said the action “is bad politics of intimidation aimed at stifling the opposition. “

    He added that it could have a negative effect on the country’s fight against democracy.

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senator Bukola Saraki and second Republic Governor Balarabe Musa, also condemned the removal of the governor.

    Amaechi urged Rivers people and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to remain calm, saying by God’s grace, he would hand over to his successor on May 29 next year.

    The Rivers governor, who spoke through Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, asked the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike; the Rivers Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah, and the six “desperate” lawmakers to give peace a chance in Rivers State and bear in mind that power belongs to God. He urged them to stop their “rascality” forthwith.

    Semenitari said: “The Rivers State Government is assuring the people of the state that the enemies of progress will fail and all the persons plotting to impeach Governor Amaechi and their paymasters in Abuja will be disappointed, because God remains the Almighty.

    “We wish to appeal to all well-meaning people in Nigeria and around the world to please call the PDP leaders to order, before they truncate the nation’s democracy. They are becoming too desperate over 2015, forgetting God.

    “It is now very obvious that the members of the PDP, especially the leaders of the drowning party, have no interest in the peace and stability of Rivers State. Their evil plan will never come to pass. They are afraid, because Rivers remains an APC state and the people of the state, who have not seen any Federal Government project, will chase them away in 2015.”

    The Rivers information commissioner also stated that there would be no hiding place for the six pro-Wike lawmakers, in the 32-member Assembly, while insisting that emphasis must always be placed on the rule of law and due process.

    Semenitari said: “Just on June 19, shortly after Governor Amaechi was held hostage in commando style by soldiers and the Federal Government’s security agents in Odudu, Ondo State, on his way to Ekiti State, where he was to join Governor Kayode Fayemi and other leaders of the APC, for the mega rally before the June 21 election, we informed Rivers people about the move to impeach Governor Amaechi earlier in the day. The six Rivers lawmakers and their sponsors are not relenting, not minding the illegality and unconstitutionality of their proposed action.

    “We wish that the PDP-led Federal Government will address the spate of insecurity in Nigeria, especially the embarrassing Boko Haram menace and suicide bombings, with as much fervor and vigour as it has deployed in plotting against and witch-hunting its political opponents, at a time the over 200 innocent Chibok girls, kidnapped since April 15, are still in captivity.”

    Okorocha, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on media, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, regretted that despite series of discussions and dialogue with members of the Adamawa State House of Assembly to have a rethink, they went ahead with the plot.

    “ The impeachment won’t encourage other nations of the world willing to help us come out of our security problem to take us serious.  To say the least, the impeachment was not the best of actions this time”,  the statement said.

    The Imo Governor added that “What the nation needs most this time should be ideas, unity of purpose and patriotism to deal decisively with the lingering security problems threatening our nationhood and not actions that would further inject bad blood among the leaders of this country and the citizenry in general.

    “The impeachment of the Adamawa State Governor and similar impeachment threats against the governors of Nasarawa, Edo, Rivers and so on, could be explained as bad politics of intimidation aimed at stifling the APC as a party and threatening our nascent democracy.  The impeachment has no iota of value to add to the nation’s growth and development, and even to the progress of Adamawa State”, he said.

    Atiku Abubakar warned against the excessive use of power by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government, a tendency, which he said, was not good for decent democratic practice.

    In a statement by his media office in Abuja, Atiku said wielding the axe of impeachment against elected public office holders to settle scores by the PDP-led Federal Government would needlessly build up tension in the country.

    The former Vice President said the reckless use of impeachment to settle scores could not have been the intention of the framers of the 1999 Constitution.

    He said the frequency with which elective officials were being shot down by impeachment would destroy the whole purpose of inserting the impeachment clause in the Constitution.

    He regretted that the use of impeachment to harass and humiliate perceived opponents by the PDP-led Federal Government would ultimately bastardise the spirit in which the constitution provides for the impeachment clause.

    The former Vice President admonished the PDP-led Federal Government to take it easy in the way they use power, adding that the constitution was not meant to provide ammo to anybody to harass and humiliate opponents or force them out of office.

    He deplored the use of financial inducements to influence the removal of perceived opponents from office. According to him, triumphalism in the suppression of opponents is a bad omen for democracy.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology and Environment, Senator Saraki, described the impeachment as unfortunate.

    He said: “It is very unfortunate and I think we are seven months to the end of the tenure. We all need to look at the bigger picture, look at the stability of our democracy.

    “After Adamawa, I think Nasarawa State governor is being served with impeachment notice and three other states are going to be served.

    “The bigger issue in this country now is the issue of security, and poverty.  Some of the issues raised against the Adamawa State Governor can also apply anywhere and we need to be mature with our democracy.

    “The issue of impeachment should not be our priority at this stage and those of us that love this country will really need to talk to ourselves and be more concerned with the insecurity  before us instead of dissipating our energy on issues that will divide us by overheating the polity and creating problems for ourselves.

    “We should talk about how to improve security and ensure better living conditions of our people. Those who are beating the drums now should know that it will come back to them.”

    Balarabe Musa described the impeachment of as a desperate act by the PDP

    He said he was not surprised by the news of the impeachment, saying, he had observed that the PDP was desperate to reduce the All Progressive Congress (APC) to a loyal opposition party.

    According to the elder statesman, who himself was impeached in the Second Republic: “I am not surprised because, the PDP is desperate to reduce the APC to a mere loyal opposition and they have found Adamawa as a soft spot, following the defection of House of Assembly members to PDP.

    “Secondly, the fight among the elite of Adamawa State for power had made it very easy for the PDP to succeed in its plan,” he said.

    The “PDP is mindless, insensitive and practising do or die politics, which is very dangerous for the development of Nigeria’s democracy.”

    I have my doubts if due processes were followed.  I think the impeachment was not an act of the Adamawa State House of Assembly. It appears Governor Nyako is being punished for holding views considered subversive and against the powers that be.

    “To remove a governor is not a small business. It is a serious constitutional duty that must be carried out in accordance with due processes and after affording the governor adequate time and opportunity to defend himself.

    The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) blamed President Goodluck Jonathan of playing ‘politics of dictatorship’ by hunting opposition governors.

    It advised Dr. Jonathan to follow due process.

    It said: “we wish to advise President Jonathan to always adhere to the rule of law and hard core democratic tenets; for we could notice signs of dictatorship creeping into the political landscape. For instance the Maiduguri airport which was closed to pilgrims because of Boko Haram was opened for the man who nurtured the monster, what an irony.”Yesterday, it was Governor Murtala Nyako, today Tanko Almakura, tomorrow another APC governor to be impeached, so no PDP governor is corrupt?”The statement was issued by the CNPP National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu.

     

     

     

     

  • Senate urges Okorocha to reverse ID card policy

    Senate urges Okorocha to reverse ID card policy

    The Senate on Thursday urged the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, to rescind its policy on mandatory issuance of Identification cards to all northerners residing in the state.

    The upper chamber also advised President Goodluck Jonathan to direct security agencies not to cooperate with the governor and the Imo State Government in the implementation of the policy.

    These resolutions followed a motion moved by the Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), entitled: “The Issuance of Identification Card to Northerners residing in Imo State – Urgent call for policy reversal.”

    Ningi in his lead debate urged the Senate to note with serious concern, the recent government policy statement issued by the Imo State Government, directing all northerners residing or staying in the state to be issued with an identification card.

    He argued that the policy contravenes the provisions of section 41(1) and 42(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended which guarantee amongst others, free movement of Nigerians from any part of the country to the other and right of residence without any inhibition or condition whatsoever.

    He insisted that the policy is tantamount to gross abuse of the citizens’ rights.

    He said the development if not urgently checked, could throw the entire country into chaos and threaten the survival of the nation’s democracy.

    Senators in their contributions condemned the action of the governor, allegedly aimed at preventing Boko Haram insurgents from infiltrating the ranks of northerners in Imo State.

    Rising in support of the motion, the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma Egba (Cross River Central), described the policy as wrongheaded, unconstitutional and discriminatory,

    He flayed the governor for ever contemplating such a policy at this time in the nation’s development.

  • Three commissioners, six perm secs take oath of office

    Three commissioners, six perm secs take oath of office

    •Okorocha urges them on productivity

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has urged the newly-appointed commissioners, permanent secretaries and a transition committee chairman to see their appointments as an opportunity to develop the state.

    The governor, who spoke during the swearing-in of three commissioners, six permanent secretaries and the transition committee chairman of Orsu Local Government at the Government House in Owerri, advised them to cultivate the habit of sacrifice to enable them discharge their duties effectively.

    He also enjoined them to shun accumulation of wealth and have the interest of the masses at heart.

    Okorocha said the permanent secretaries’ positions were political appointments, adding that it was the wish of his administration to ensure that every local government had a permanent secretary.

    He urged the relatives of the political appointees to pray for them, especially for God’s wisdom, to enable them perform effectively.

    The governor recalled that Imo State three years ago was in need of a good leadership and there was high rate of kidnapping and ritual killing.

    According to him, his administration had tackled the security problems.

    Okorocha listed some of the projects embarked on by his government as 305 model schools, 27 general hospitals, dualisation of rural and urban roads and transformation of the three geopolitical zones in the state into mega cities.

    Speaking on behalf of the new appointees, Prof. Adobi Obasi, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, thanked the governor for finding them worthy to serve in his administration and promised that they would perform.

    Those sworn in are: Chief Ken Aneme,  Commissioner for Transport and Tourism;

    Prof. Adaobi Obasi, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Chief Frank Chukwuemeka Ibezim, Commissioner for Agriculture.

    The permanent secretaries are: Mr. B.I. Ibebuike, Dr. G.C. Okeagu, Mrs. T.O. Ibeagi, Mr. E.O. Asuonyeigwe, Mrs. N.U. Izunobi and Pastor J.I. Ngoka. Mr. Peter Clinton Ihejiagwa is the Transition Committee Chairman of Orsu Local Government.

    Okorocha has conducted a prayer for peace, progress, unity and development.  The prayer, which lasted for four hours, attracted members of the executive council, traders, the clergy, Keke Napep riders and other indigenes.

    The governor, who said his administration is centred on God, prayed for development.

     

     

     

  • Igbo know how to defend themselves, says Okorocha

    Igbo know how to defend themselves, says Okorocha

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has said Igbo know how to defend themselves when the need arises.

    He urged them to be vigilant, saying the country is facing security challenges, following insurgency by Boko Haram members.

    The governor spoke yesterday when the leaders and members of the Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo, Imo State chapter, visited him at the Government House, Owerri.

    Okorocha said every Igbo man or woman is a member of Ohanaeze.

    He enjoined the group to ask itself a question and that is, when will an Igbo man become the president of Nigeria?

    According to him, Nigerians should show interest in what someone could do in a position and not where he hailed from and that time had come for people to de-emphasise zoning, because it promoted discrimination instead of oneness needed for development.

     

  • Oyedepo visits Okorocha over bomb scare

    Oyedepo visits Okorocha over bomb scare

    •Prays for leaders

    The General Overseer of the Living Faith Church International (aka Winners’ Chapel), Bishop David Oyedepo, yesterday visited the Imo State headquarters of the church over the Sunday bomb scare.

    The cleric, who also visited Governor Rochas Okorocha at the Government House in Owerri, thanked him for intervening to avert disaster.

    He said it was regrettable that the nation was being plagued by the Boko Haram insurgency, which had taken a toll on the citizens’ lives and property.

    The clergyman prayed for God’s intervention and prayed that God should  “give our leaders the wisdom to stop terrorism.”

    Bishop Oyedepo,   who stressed that prompt action was needed by the government to solve the problem, noted that Boko Haram was beyond politics.

    He urged people to cooperate with the government to tackle the menace.

    Governor Okorocha hailed Bishop Oyedepo for the visit and assured that government would not relent in its efforts to ensure the security of life and property.

    “Imo State is protected by the Holy Spirit,” he added.

    The governor lauded the Living Faith Church for uplifting the spiritual lives of the people and promoting education by establishing one of the best universities – Covenant University in Sango Ota, Ogun State.

    Okorocha enjoined Oyedepo to build a campus of the university in Imo State, assuring that the state would provide land.

  • Okorocha launches ‘Operation know your neighbour’

    Okorocha launches ‘Operation know your neighbour’

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, in collaboration with security chiefs, has put in place security measures to ensure the safety of life and property. This followed the three bombs discovered on Sunday by the police at the Winners’ Chapel in Owerri.

    The governor yesterday launched ‘Operation know your neighbour’ at a special security meeting in Owerri. Service chiefs were in attendance.

    He said nobody committed a crime without a collaborator, adding that since those who committed crimes were human beings, they must be living somewhere and their neighbours should know them.

    Okorocha said hotels should install cameras and send the list of their customers to the Director of State Security Service (SSS).

    He said trailers bringing foodstuffs from the North would not be allowed into the state at night and the items would be off-loaded at a designated place in Owerri.

    Residents were urged to be careful with broken bottles, cans, leather bags, parked tankers and vehicles around their homes, in public places and public buildings.

    The governor directed traditional rulers to convene emergency meetings in their communities to discover strange people.

    According to him, uncompleted buildings in the cities without security guards would be taken over by the government because criminals used them as hideouts.

    Okorocha said plots of land left fallow for several years and not used for any economic or gainful purpose, but taken over by criminals, would be seized by the government.

    He banned smoking of Indian hemp and fixed a meeting of non-indigenes.

  • Okorocha: why I dethroned monarchs

    Okorocha: why I dethroned monarchs

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha said yesterday that the dethronement of the two traditional rulers, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya of Obinugu and Eze Cosmas Onyeneke, followed the recommendation of the House of Assembly.

    The governor in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said the action was not a personal matter but a discharge of his constitutional obligations under the Traditional Rulers, Autonomous Communities and Allied Matters in Imo State Law No. 6 of 2006.

    He said: “Following series of petitions to the House of Assembly against the traditional rulers by the indigenes, the Assembly constituted a-five man committee, which investigated the petitions and indicted the monarchs.

    “As a responsible government, we appreciate that the two people involved are indigenes of the state. So we won’t go the whole hog to discuss the findings of the committee. But at the end of the investigations, the committee passed resolutions 376 and 377 that the governor should without delay, remove the duo.

    “But the government kept the resolutions of the Assembly in abeyance and did not dethrone the monarchs as recommended. Before then, Ilomuanya stopped attending state functions in breach of Section 14 of the Imo State Traditional Rulers, Autonomous Communities Law and since three years ago relocated to Abuja where he functioned more as a politician.

    “It is also important to state that by the virtue of the removal of Ilomuanya as the traditional ruler and state Council of Traditional Rulers member, he can no longer parade himself as such because to do so is tantamount to impersonation.”

    The traditional rulers have defied the order of the government, insisting that they remain monarchs.

    A statement by Eze Ilomuanya, who is also the chairman of South East Council of Traditional Rulers, said the announcement by the government purporting to have withdrawn his certificate of recognition was ridiculous and laughable.

  • Okorocha to Jonathan: stop thinking about re-election, fight terrorism

    Okorocha to Jonathan: stop thinking about re-election, fight terrorism

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday urged President Goodluck Jonathan to stop thinking about re-election.

    He said the President should rescue the Chibok girls and fight terrorism.

    Okorocha said the cancellation of activities by the Federal Government was not enough to address insecurity.

    The governor, who spoke at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport, Owerri on arrival from Abuja, enjoined President Jonathan to summon an emergency meeting of governors and stakeholders in Borno State to brainstorm on insecurity.

    Said he: “Nigerians have done enough protests and mourning. What is required now is action to see that the girls are  freed and to curb insecurity.”

    Okorocha noted that despite protests, there have been bombings in Jos, Borno State and other areas in the North, adding that cancelling government activities would not solve insecurity.

    He advised leaders to leave the comfort of their homes, meet and exchange ideas on how to save the nation.

    “This is the time to act rather than thinking about re-election,” Okorocha added.