Tag: Soludo

The National Chairman of the African Democratic  Congress (ADC), Chief Ralphs Okey -Nwosu, has threatened to commence legal action against Anambra Governor Chukwuma Soludo and former Governor, Peter Obi over the account of not less than N3trn from the federation account to local governments.

The action, he said, will also include other past  governors  for allegedly, mismanaging Internally-generated Revenue (IGR) in the last 20 years.

 Nwosu also rejected the date of  the planned local government elections in the 21 Councils by Soludo for September 28, 2024.

ADC made this known to reporters in Awka at the weekend, while revealing that it was the usual practice not to conduct local government elections to pave way for a Governor to install lackeys as local government administrators.

 The ADC helmsman alleged the Governors misused more than N1trn within the period  

According to him: “The recklessness must stop; that a Governor with economic background doesn’t want democracy to thrive at the local government  area level. They must not do the 28th September 2024 Local Government level.      

“It’s really condemnable that somebody as learned as Governor Soludo is running away from democracy. The best is to call for a collaborative meeting of stakeholders to iron issues out.

” If Soludo goes the way he’s doing, the local government system will derail, look at the audacity of state governors to oppose the direct remittance allocations from the centre to the councils.”       

Nwosu attributed the amendment and  haste to conduct the council polls to purported pecuniary interest in the federal allocations to the councils

 “The Governors have been intolerant. They don’t want the local government system of administration to succeed.”      

Nwosu said, under the Inter-party Action Committee (IPAC) at the national and State levels, “we’re going to consolidate our support for the move and appeal to the President to sign the bill into law necessitating direct transfer of allocations from federation account directly to the council coffers.  

Read Also: Otti, Soludo, Diri ask youths to heed Tinubu’s call for dialogue

 “IPAC will challenge the  newly-inserted clauses in the just-amended local government elections law and ensure  the reversal of the  Anambra State Electoral (Amendment No.2), 2024.    

The party leader faulted one of the newly-inserted clauses in the Constitution which barred national chairmen of political parties from dealing with issues affecting their parties in the council elections   

 “We’re supporting the National Assembly NASS and other actors with political will in this move to save and revive the local government system to its responsibilities,  and that is why Anambra State Government is rushing to conduct council elections so as to claim that the State has concluded  its elections before they law came into force

“APGA is scared of losing the Governorship election coverage 2025, hence the party has resorted to arm-twisting tactics to use the conduct of the council polls to capture all the  21 local government areas, and use them as launch pad to secure a second term in the next governorship election,” Nwosu said

• …speaker hails initiative

Anambra state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has urged citizens to adopt agriculture as a means of eradicating hunger, rather than resorting to unnecessary protests.

The governor launched the “Farm To Feed Campaign” in Amansea, Awka North local government area, an initiative aimed at banishing hunger in the state.

He emphasised that this programme is a positive step towards advancing the state and country’s development.”

“We are here as part of our own response to the issues surrounding hunger. While others in some places are protesting, Anambra state is not protesting. I want to thank our youths and everyone who is going about their businesses. We are here to take positive steps to move the state and country forward.

“Our people are not participating in the protest, not because they don’t feel the pain, but because they want to be part of the solution. The youths want to embrace their destinies and I want to commend you for that. This is citizens’ action against hunger in partnership with the government. We want to turn our challenges into opportunities.”

The governor revealed that his administration had already distributed over one million palm and coconut seedlings, with a target of ten million seedlings before the end of his government.

“The farm-to-feed campaign is a simple partnership deal to end hunger within the next 12 months.

“The citizens have a lot to do, including public servants. The only job allowed by the constitution for public servants is farming.

“I agree there is hunger in the land…do something about it.

“If everyone starts producing, the pressure on food prices will reduce. Turn every vacant piece of land to farm, rent a space if you can, but plant something.

“Here in Anambra, we will continue to do more and not protest against the government”.

Read Also: Soludo, Umeh, Anambra speaker weep over Iwuanyanwu’s death

“Ndị Igbo aren’t protesting because they believe in hard work.

“We’ve seen far worse conditions before, but we are resilient people, and by a dint of hard work, we shall prevail,” Soludo said.

The Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Somtochukwu Udeze said that Soludo had contributed immensely towards the eradication of hunger in the State through lofty agricultural reform strategies.

He said the launching of Operation Farm to Feed campaign by the governor was part of his efforts in promoting agriculture to improve food production and also enhance their economic profile.

Udeze described Soludo as an Apostle of the former Premier of the defunct Eastern Region, the late Dr. Michael Okpara

He noted that during Dr.Okpara’s regime, agriculture was the major economic base of Igbo and Nigeria at large

The speaker expressed satisfaction that Soludo was replicating the gains of the era in the State.

He called on affluent citizens to complement the efforts of Soludo in fighting hunger in the state through heavy investment

Udeze assured that the State Legislature would continue to give necessary support to Soludo’s wonderful agricultural revolution in the State through bills and motions

Putting our house in order and maintaining peace is of the highest priority, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Edozie Njoku, has said.

He said the party has no plan to suspend Anambra State Governor Prof. Charles Soludo.

Njoku told reporters in Lagos that the suspension of the party’s lone governor would have sounded good for the opposition parties.

He said: “The current peaceful disposition in APGA made it unnecessary for the party. That would have sounded good for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and probably good for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“But, if we suspend Soludo today, who is going to be the beneficiary of that misadventure? It will be other parties,” he said.

Praising the media for being objective in their assessment of the crisis rocking the party, the APGA chair said that contrary to wrong perceptions in certain quarters, “many media professionals are upright”.

He said he was encouraged by the insistence of many reporters on getting the true picture of the party’s struggles to the public.

Admitting that a lot of things happened for as long as the battle for the soul of the party lasted, Njoku restated his commitment to reconciliation, inclusiveness and forgiveness to achieve harmony.

He identified the reawakening of members’ loyalty and confidence of party faithful and supporters as the major challenge for him and members of the National Working Committee (NWC).

Read Also: Soludo, Anambra speaker applaud NBA on Osigwe’s election as president

He said: “There is no party that doesn’t really have a problem. But, peace is crucial. We are reconciling each other and it’s not going to be easy. Nigeria is a place whereby, because of the hardship, we find out that there are so many dissenting views. And when you have dissenting views, you acknowledge that everybody has right to have his or her own views.

“Well, in politics, as you know, people must play politics. Yes, the NWC received suggestion to suspend Governor Soludo from the party. But, that was not resolved. It was discussed and it came to a point that no agreement could be reached on that.”

He noted that the NWC met to review series of reconciliation strategies, while some estranged members have sent messages of goodwill and declared their willingness to return to APGA.

Frowned at attempts by some people to pit him against the Anambra governor, Njoku added that no efforts must be spared in working together to retain the state for  APGA.

Anambra state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and the speaker of the State House of Assembly, Somtochukwu Udeze, have praised the election of Afam Osigwe, as the 32nd president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

In their separate statements, Soludo and Udeze expressed that Osigwe’s tenure would introduce a fresh perspective to the legal profession.

Both leaders from Anambra expressed their excitement about an Anambra-born legal expert leading the NBA in Nigeria.

They emphasised that Osigwe’s election is a testament to his exceptional qualities and dedication to the legal profession.

Soludo conveyed his confidence that Osigwe’s leadership would positively disrupt legal practice in the country, marking a new era of excellence.

He added that like everything Anambra, Osigwe’s tenure would bring about a paradigm shift, elevating the legal profession.

“Mazi Afam Osuigwe SAN we look forward to a distinct and excellent leadership for the Nigerian Bar under your watch.

“Like everything Anambra, I am certain that your tenure shall herald a paradigm shift that will positively disrupt legal practice in our country. Congratulations to you Learned Silk”, the governor said.

Read Also: Tinubu celebrates veteran journalist, Eniola Bello, at 60

For the speaker: “I am delighted to learn about the election of Afam Osigwe, a respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a proud son of Anambra, as the 32nd President-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

“Dear Eminent Jurist, we are excited about your new role and confident that your leadership will bring positive changes to the Nigerian Bar.

“With your dedication and the proud legacy of Anambra behind you, I am sure you will inspire a new era of excellence in our legal system.

“It is also a personal joy to recall our shared experiences as classmates at DMGS, Onitsha. On behalf of the Anambra State House of Assembly, I extend my heartfelt congratulations. We are proud of your achievement and look forward to seeing the great strides you will make”, Udeze wrote

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) Anambra chapter will begin indefinite industrial action in the State on Monday.

The circular to that effect was signed on Saturday in Awka by the Assistant Secretary of the Union  Nwezi Ugochukwu.

The strike, according to the union, became necessary because Governor Chukwuma Soludo, ignored a 21-day ultimatum, which expired on Thursday .

The strike notice was copied to all Directors, Deputy Directors, Assistant Chief Registrars, Registrars in-charge and staff of the Anambra State Judiciary.

 The  Anambra State Government failed to comply with the agreements reached in 2011 and 2015 with JUSUN.

The agreements centered on the full implementation of the Consolidated Judiciary Salary Structure (CONJUS), a peculiar allowance for judiciary staff in the state.

 The Nation gathered that Soludo allegedly refused to see the leadership of JUSUN to discuss the issue before the ultimatum. 

According to JUSUN: “The strike action is indefinite, and all staff of the Anambra State Judiciary have been directed to withdraw their services until further directives from the union.”

It means from Monday, all the courts in Anambra would be shut down if the government fails to address the issue immediately

Two members of the union told The Nation:  “Soludo and his people are taking us for granted, but this time, they would know that “khaki no be leather. 

Read Also: Ban scavenging to curb crimes in Anambra, traders beg Soludo

“The public is advised to take note of the strike action and make necessary arrangements, as all court sittings and judicial activities will be suspended until further notice. 

“JUSUN has vowed to continue the strike until their demands are met by the State Government .

“The indefinite strike action by the JUSUN  is a culmination of the failure of the Anambra State Government to honour the agreements reached with the union. 

“The strike is expected to have significant implications for the judiciary and the public in Anambra State.”

The Anambra state governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, has welcomed the Supreme Court’s judgement granting financial autonomy to local governments, describing it as a great decision that aligns with his administration’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law.

Soludo, who spoke to journalists at the State House, Abuja, after a meeting with President Tinubu Ahmed Tinubu, emphasised the need for resources to reach the grassroots and promote accountability and transparency in public resource management.

“That’s great. I mean, the Supreme Court is supreme, it’s the final authority and am a Democrat. I believe in the rule of law and once the Supreme Court has spoken, it has spoken and I understand the Governors Forum is meeting to review this. 

“I haven’t seen the document myself. I’ve been extremely, very busy all through the day, but I’ve seen snippets of it. But at a fundamental level, yes, we need resources to get down to the real grassroots and we need the people’s money to work for them at all levels, whether at the federal or the state and the local government.

“We need to promote accountability. We need to promote transparency in the utilization of public resources at all levels, to be able to lift the burden off the common man”, he said.

He acknowledged that Anambra State has not held local government elections in a while, but reassured that his administration is committed to fulfilling its promise to conduct elections, having passed the Independent Electoral Commission law and established institutions to facilitate the process.

He, however, noted that lingering litigation had hindered local government elections in the past, but expressed determination to resolve the issue and conduct elections as appropriate.

The governor highlighted his administration’s efforts to ensure resources reach local governments, paying teachers, pensioners, and primary health workers.

Well, we will certainly. I mean when I was elected in office, that’s one of the things I promised our people because in Anambra, we haven’t had, to be honest with you, I think the first local government election we had was in 1998 or something thereabout and then the next one was in 2014 or 2013. And that was it. I mean, finished one and a half years or two years thereabout and even the institutions the place is quiet, not strengthened.

“So for me, I promised the people of Anambra that we’re going to have local government election, and I stated that in my inaugural speech. We’ve just passed the Independent Electoral Commission law of Anambra state and we’re putting together the institutions to be able to organize that. It is a promise I made as mentioned it before, and when I make a promise.

Read Also: Ban scavenging to curb crimes in Anambra, traders beg Soludo

“I am serious about keeping. And even the way that that has been run so far, at least under my administration, the resources of the local government, we’ve made sure that the resources get down to the local governments to address their staff, I mean paying teachers, paying the pensioners, and paying primary health workers and, and so on and so forth.

“So, for my state, I mean, which is the other thing that is peculiar, is that there has been a lingering litigation, for example, that stopped local government elections in the past and that particular litigation is still in the courts, so to speak, we’re going to see how we handle all of that and to organize a local government election as appropriate.

“I’m a believer in having a democratic system. Like I said, I made a firm commitment to that and I don’t say what I will not do”, he said.

A retired teacher, Ike Okoye, has been arrested for allegedly molesting and engaging in same sex activities with young boys in Isuofia, Aguata local government area of Anambra state.

Isuofia community is the home town of Governor Chukwuma Soludo

The suspect was nabbed by Ministry of Women and Social Welfare in conjunction with Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra (OCHA) Brigade, following a report by President-General of Isuofia Peoples Assembly,IPA, Chief Jude Chikadibia-Okeke.

The PG said the suspect was apprehended while having sexual relationship with some boys in the area.

According to him: “The suspect has been molesting and engaging young men in homosexual activities for a long time now but anytime he gets arrested, he usually gets bailed by higher individuals in the state.

“We caught him over the weekend having sexual relationship with lots of boys and young men and quickly put a call through to Women Affairs Commissioner who instructed us to apprehend him immediately.”

But the suspect denied the allegations, describing it as handiwork of mischief makers.

He later confessed he had at some point romanced some of the boys, held their private sexual organs but never penetrated as alleged.

Read Also: Soludo hails Muslims for contributing to development

Two of the victims who pleaded anonymity said they were lured by the suspect with promise of financial assistance.

One of them, 25, said: “He usually comes under the guise of either assisting us with financial issues or allowing us to do his house chores and get paid.

“He first molested me when I was 17 years old and ever since then has been on my case until I decided to involve my mother,” he said.

Another victim, 31, alleged that the suspect usually got satisfied by holding his private part.

He however said he later withdrew from him after feeling uncomfortable with the act.

Both victims alleged that after they left, the suspect kept pressurizing them and even threatened them at some point.

Reacting, Women Affairs Commissioner, Ify Obinabo and Managing Director, OCHA Brigade, Comrade Celestine Anere expressed sadness over the incident.

They assured of government’s resolve in ending child molestation and homosexuality in the state.

The suspect had since been handed over to the Police for further investigations and prosecution.