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Tag: Southeast

  • Apathy cost Southeast Senate presidency, says Moghalu

    Apathy cost Southeast Senate presidency, says Moghalu

    The National Auditor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief George Moghalu has said that the Southeast could not clinch the Senate presidency slot because of the zone’s apathy to politics.

    Moghalu was speaking in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, during an event to officially welcome a group of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defectors to the APC.

    Moghalu attributed the leadership squabble in the Senate to the inability of the southeast to vote Senator Chris Ngige of Anambra State into a position that was ceded to the Southeast even before the 2015 election was concluded.

    “I remembered clearly when we started supporting APC; nobody gave us a chance to succeed. We were just about eight; Ogbonnaya Onu, Rochas Okorocha, Senator Chris Ngige, Senator Osita Izunaso, George Morghalu, Hon. Emma Onyeukwu and Chineneye Nyerere…And because of our apathy to politics, the thing cost us a serious problem. If we had a senator elected on the platform of this party, today we will have senate president because it was conceded to us even before the election, but since we left a vacuum, we have nobody to be there and that is why the seat has been under contention and that is what created the crisis in the entire structure of the national assembly because we had nobody.

    “If we had voted one of our sons who contested this election as a senator the story will be different and I want to imagine what would have happened if the Igbo had produced the senate president in an APC government. Today what we have to do is to lament”, Moghalu stated.

    The National auditor who called for more support from the members of the party in the state and the entire southeast said it was time that they (APC) members became serious with political activities in the region as they aspire to produce the president of the country in 2023.

    “APC today needs the support and involvement of every Igbo man and woman. If you don’t say you are, nobody will say thou art. We need to come and take over the structures of the party because we desirous of producing a president of Igbo extraction. The laws of natural justice stands in favour of Igboman come 2023.

    “The southwest has done 8years of the presidency before it went to the north briefly for 2years and went back to the southsouth that has done 6years.

    “It has returned back to the north, the maximum they will do is 8years and thereafter, we have every right to claim that it is our turn. My brothers and sisters, power is not given, power is taken. If we sit down and expect that after 8years they will put it in an envelope to come and deliver it in Enugu, we are wasting our time.

    “I have no apologies to preach political hijacking so long as that I am going to be a beneficiary. My appeal therefore is that this is the time to hijack the structure of the APC across the entire southeast and the only way we can do this is for us to be involved in the party and elect individuals into positions where they can negotiate”.

    Moghalu also used the opportunity to reinstate the concern of the Federal Government on the zone and therefore disabuse the insinuations making rounds from the opposition that the party was anti-igbo.

    He therefore assured the new entrants that the party would give them the necessary support they needed and asked them to be part of the change the APC was preaching.

    Speakers among the defectors including Senator Chris Adighije, Chief Tony Ukasoanya, Eze Chikamamnayo (former Abia Commissioner of Information), Senator Ifeanyi Okoroafor said that they left their former party because of the impunity that were going on there and promised that they were going to help APC garner support and capture Abia State.

    In his speech, the chairman of the party in the state, Hon. Donatus Nwankpa described their defection as a sign that APC was the only choice the southeast need to embrace if the zone was to move out from the doldrums the PDP led administration has thrown the state and the southeast zone in their 16 years of rulership.

    Nwankpa described them as people who were capable of taking the party beyond where they met it and urged Abians to keep supporting the party.

  • Chamber urges Southeast governors on export promotion

    The Onitsha Chamber of Commerce has urged Southeast governors to show more commitment to export promotion.

    Speaking on the need to change the trend of business from import to export in the Southeast in Onitsha, the new President of the chamber, Mr Uchenna Apakama, said that the export of agro-allied produce held the future for the economic prosperity of the zone.

    Apakama noted that the governors should involve the organised private sector in all its export programme for the people to take ownership of such programmes.

    “To fast-track the growth and development of non-oil export business in the South East zone, we urge all the state governments to quickly revive, empower and strengthen their various state committees on export.

    “In many states of the federation, their committees on export have successfully facilitated the growth of non-oil export business that runs into billions of naira.

    “The nature of this export committees – made up of relevant government officials and the private sector, is sine qua non for state’s success in export business,”Apakama said.

    He urged the Anambra government to leverage on the structure of the three chambers of commerce in the state to draft its policies and legislation.

    He called on the government to include members of the chambers in government trade and bilateral delegations to expand businesses in the state.

    “As a step toward strengthening Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, we urge Gov. Willie Obiano to assist the chamber to take full possession of its permanent trade fair on the Onitsha-Enugu expressway.

    “This will facilitate a better realisation of the state government’s four-point-development agenda, as they relate to business and the organised private sector enterprise development,” he said.

     

  • Rep decries ‘marginalisation’ of Southeast

    Rep decries ‘marginalisation’ of Southeast

    The member representing Ehime Mbano, Ihitte Uboma and Obowo constituencies of Imo State in the National Assembly, Chike Okafor, has condemned the exclusion of the Southeast in the appointment  of principal offices of the House of Representatives.

    Addressing reporters at the weekend in Owerri, the Imo State capital, the lawmaker urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to address the continued neglect of the zone to engender the genuine spirit of Federal Character.

    He said contrary to beliefs that the party failed in the zone, APC faithful contended against formidable forces at the risk of their lives to ensure that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not repeat the feat of 2011.

    “On Tuesday, July 28, the House of Representatives reconvened and the remaining principal offices were filled, marking the beginning of full legislative business.

    “You may recall that the Southeast APC had nominated me for the post of Deputy Majority Whip, a nomination that was accepted by the presiding officers. But as you already know, the final position is that the Southeast is the only zone that is excluded from the leadership caucus while one zone occupies two plum positions. This is the first time we are having this scenario since 1999.

    “On principle, I accept the outcome of that session in good faith and sincerely congratulate the leadership.

    “However, in view of the realities in the process of constituting the leadership, I am constrained to plead with our party to review its definition of inclusiveness and rethink its perception and treatment of the Southeast.

    “If our ideology of leadership involves, even in the minutest, the integration of every section of our country, then our pontification on Federal Character should go beyond lip service and rhetoric to the practical embrace of every section in the spirit of the change we have promised.

    “The national leadership of our party should not continue to place the Southeast on the fringes in the scheme of things. As far as the Nigerian project is concerned, every region must count if we must get it right,” Okafor said.

  • Southeast governors reject transfer of Boko Haram suspects to Anambra

    Southeast governors reject transfer of Boko Haram suspects to Anambra

     

    Governors from the Southeast have condemned the relocation of Boko Haram suspects to prison facilities in the zone, particularly in Anambra state by the Federal Government.

    The Governors, who met on Sunday in Owerri, the Imo State capital, noted that the relocation of the suspected terrorists is already creating fear and security tension in the zone, especially around the state where the prisons are located.

    Briefing Newsmen shortly after the closed door meeting that lasted for about two and a half hours, the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, said that the Governors have deliberated on the possible consequences of the relocation of the Boko Haram suspects and concluded that it was not in the best interest of the zone.

    He said that even though the decision was purely a security matter, it has a far reaching effect on the psyche of the people in the zone.

    “We are appealing to the Federal Government to have a rethink on the relocation of the of the Boko Haram suspects. If there is any place they should be relocated to it should be Abuja where they have enough security. The issue is already creating security concern in the zone”.

    He however ruled out any plan by the Governors to recall the Igbo in the troubled North, stressing that, “we are all part of the entity called Nigeria and we share in the plight of our brothers in the North East, so it is not the issue of recalling the Igbo in any part of the country but to make sure that they are secured anywhere they find themselves”.

    The Forum according to him, also deliberated on the fate of the Igbo displaced in the North as a result of the insurgency and appealed to the Federal Government to adequately compensate them.

  • ‘Southeast deserves SGF’

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Anambra State, Chief John Onunkwo has said that given the place of the region in the socio-political sphere of the country, the southeast geo-political zone should be considered in the appointment of the next Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

    Onunkwo, who blamed election riggers for the APC’s poor performance in the zone during the last general election, also added that with his track records, experience and leadership qualities, former governor of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige is adequately qualified to be the next Secretary to the Government of the Federation. He said though he was rigged out of the last elections thereby being denied of the chance of being the Senate President in the current dispensation,  Senator Ngige’s forthrightness,  love for the people and fearless stand him out as a good leader.

    “Senator Ngige speaks the truth no matter whose ox is gored, even if it is his relative’s ox. Ngige is a man that believes in fair play and justice,  technocrat per excellence, an all-rounder, a former governor, a senator, a former director in civil service” he said.

    Onunka added that “Ngige’s political and academic paraphernalia could dizzy one’s arithmetic of memory. He is so intelligent that his linguist prowess always calm frayed nerves whenever tensions are high.”

    He described Ngige as “a man who stood in opposition despite the carrots that were jangled at him, despite the numerous offers made to him by PDP cannot be said to be frustrated. You see, sometimes when one appears to be principled and is refusing to budge, then they make all kinds of claims that he is frustrated, that is nonsensical. This is a man who refused to play ball with the so called godfathers in Anambra, who staked his life for the good of the Anambra people. So those saying he is doing this just to get the slot of SGF or a ministerial position are clowns and should be treated as such and I can assure you that these are the antics of a drowning men,” he said.

    On the emergence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President, he said it was so unfortunate that Ekweremadu became a beneficiary of  APC’s victory. “He cannot attend any of the APC’s caucus meetings as a PDP senator. This is someone whose party shamelessly rigged out persons like Senators Ngige and Osita Izunaso who would have been ranking members and most qualified to lead the National Assembly,” he lamented.

    On insinuations that President Muhammadu Buhari is slow and dragging his feet on several matters, he said the President was not ready to take several decisions that may not fix Nigeria’s problems totally. “This is a nation that was bled for 16 years. If you know what Nigerians lost as a result of the PDP’s leadership, if you wish this country well, you would understand that it will require strategic thinking and planning to get this country at full throttle.

    “President Buhari understands these things and he is trying to set things right by understanding the real situation. In due course Nigerians will appreciate this measure”.

  • ‘Consider Southeast in appointments’

    A group, under the aegis of Izu Ndigbo has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to consider Southeast in the appointment of key officials.

    The group said since the inception of the new administration, the zone had not produced any key official.

    In a statement by the group’s National Coordinator and Secretary, Sir Paschal Ahizih and Benjamin Anyanwu, the group said the southeast lost the post of the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, President of the Court of Appeal, Accountant General of the Federation and other key positions.

    The statement reads: “Call it Federal Character, balance of power, being your brother’s keeper, equality among the federating units or no victor no vanquish, all is aimed at trusting each other through fair allocation of engagement and allocation of means of governance and administration in the Nigerian nation-state”.

    The group urged the Buhari-led administration to consider its request by considering the zone for subsequent appointments.

     

  • Southeast APC faults Ekweremadu on zone’s voting for PDP

    Southeast APC faults Ekweremadu on zone’s voting for PDP

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southeast has berated Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu for his statement that Ndigbo will vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) again.

    The party said the Southeast, if given another chance, would not vote for PDP because according to it, ‘impunity will no longer triumph’.

    A statement by the party’s spokesman in the zone, Osita Okechukwu said: “With President Buhari’s program to revamp Enugu coal, build refineries, fix our roads, improve electricity among other projects, we see the Southeast and Southsouth providing the critical supplement to President Buhari’s vote bank in 2019.

    “Whereas, we do not begrudge our dear brother for his re-election, it beats our imagination that he relied on gossip-terrorists in reaching the conclusion that the Southeast and Southsouth will be marginalised; this is miles away from the truth.

    “We are at a loss as to why Ekweremadu chose to play this spoiler game, by wittingly or unwittingly throwing spanner on our wheel to clinch the coveted office of Deputy Senate President. Pundits may grab his unintended headline that we have been settled.

    “To us, without being immodest, one may amass wealth with the office; but Deputy Senate President in real-politics is more symbolic than substantial.

    “For the records we appeal that the Southeast and Southsouth, especially we of the APC stock should not be denied any position due to us because of our brother’s unintended headline that we have been settled.

    “In sum, we re-affirm our implicit confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari will not marginalise or penalise neither the Southeast nor the Southsouth; for Mr. President has repeatedly maintained that he belongs to everybody and that the past is gone”.

  • Why Southeast is underdeveloped, by Ubani

    Former Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja branch, Monday Ubani has said the charlatans elected into offices in the Southeast are responsible for the region’s under-development.

    He said the time had come for the Igbo, irrespective of their places of residence, to be involved in the politics of Igboland in order to restore the regions to its former glory.

    Ubani spoke at a thanksgiving service lecture organised by the Igbo Progressive Leaders Council at White House Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos.

    “The east was one of the most prospering regions and paraded some of the industries that provided the country the revenue it required.

    “Today, what we have as leaders in the east are charlatans elected into offices who have brought nothing other than stagnation, bad roads, poverty and infrastructure decay to the people,” Ubani said.

    He urged the Igbo to respect the real owners of Lagos, noting that it was wrong for the Igbo to go about with the wrong impression that Lagos belongs to nobody.

    He said: “The argument that our brothers are propagating that Lagos belongs to nobody should be discarded. If we apply wisdom in what we do in Lagos we can even produce the governor.

    “When I was elected  chairman of NBA Ikeja branch, it was not only Igbo who voted for me but the Yoruba and other tribes. Wherever we find ourselves, we must not only be concerned about the feelings of the real owners but should look back to the east where the present crop of politicians has made it worse”.

    Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) spokesman, Joe Igbokwe urged Igbo to always consult before making political decisions in the state.

    He said the Igbo have not managed their success in Lagos properly to gain from the political development in the country. He added that APC is a party for the progressive-minded, noting that the Igbo must realign to better their lots.

    “You cannot decide who will be the governor of Lagos State even when you have the numerical strength; you have to understand the politics underlying the election. You must calculate properly to see where the pendulum will tilt and that is why you must consult before you decide,” Igbokwe said.

    Also speaking, Prof Chris Nwaokobia said the Igbo should reach out to their brothers all over to be able to use their strength. He said the Igbo could not do things in isolation, adding that they need the cooperation of other tribes.

    He called for a new thinking and reawakening among the Igbo, stressing that some of the prominent people who have made the country proud are from the Igbo stock.

  • Southeast poll a disaster, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the Southeast as a disaster.

    It said during the polls, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not present result sheets and its members were intimidated with security operatives by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Nnewi, APC’s  National Auditor Chief George Muoghalu alleged that INEC compromised during the polls.

    He said: “What happened in the Southeast was a disaster and should not be allowed to stand. Security operatives, who were supposed to be neutral, became partisan.”

    Muoghalu said what happened in Imo, Edo and Rivers states were cases of intimidation against the opposition.

    According to him, “the elections in Anambra State were held in people’s houses where they thumb-printed. What happened was not a reflection of the party’s popularity.

    “If INEC fails to heed the demand of the populace by cancelling elections in some states, the APC national leadership will meet to decide on the next action.

    “We are preaching peace. This is why we demand free, fair and credible elections. Nigeria is our project, nobody wants violence.

    “What has happened in this election means Nigerians are desirous of change. The only mistake they will make is not to allow the people’s will to prevail.”

    The APC national auditor said the Federal Government violated court order by deploying military personnel, noting that it was not in the interest of the country.

    He said: “I make bold to say that there was no election in Anambra State. The issue of APC not doing well in the state and other Southeast states does not arise.

    “There were cases of voter intimidation by PDP contractors in Anambra. There was the issue of failed accreditation, which was applicable to other states and there was an indication by the PDP to carry out its normal rigging.”

    APC condemned the election conducted in Aguata Local Government, describing it as a sham.

    The party accused INEC’s officials of bias and systematic rigging.

    Speaking with The Nation, APC candidate for the House of Representatives seat in Aguata, Mr. Carl Agbaih, said he would not accept the results.

    His words: “What we witnessed yesterday in Aguata was the return to the days of electoral brigandage. Stories of ballot stuffing, intimidation, connivance by INEC officials, ballot box snatching and improper collation of votes became the order of the day.

    “It is unfortunate; we are toying with the future of this country. People are trying hard to destroy this democracy.

    “A situation where INEC officials acted like party members and refused to do the proper thing, such as collation of results at the ward levels, but moved the collation centres to a house. How do we encourage this?

    “In Aguata, Saturday’s elections were marred by late arrival of voting materials and disenfranchisement.

    “Even in areas where Card Readers worked, INEC officials refused to use them. Instead, they did manual accreditation, which encouraged malpractices.”

     

  • Southeast urges Jonathan to okay Enugu FTZ

    Professional and political leaders of the Southeast zone have appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to approve the implementation of the first free trade zone (FTZ) in the Southeast to industrialisation of the area.

    Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime, President of the Southeast and Southsouth Professionals, Mr. Emeka Ugwuoji, and business partners promoting the facility called for the final approval of the free zone.

    Governor Chime decried the delay in approval of the free zone, saying it is long over-due given the fact that other geopolitical zones in the country already have such facilities. He stated that Southeast is the only zone in the country without such facility noting that out of the 35 free trade zones in the country, none was cited in the Southeast, which is not fair.

    The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr. Jude Akubuilo at the 26th Enugu International Trade Fair, said Jonathan had approved in principle, the establishment of the facility for the people in the zone, and urged him to give effect to the oral approval.

    He said the state government was waiting for the Federal Government to officially communicate it on the approval of the facility meant to be located at an area between Enugu and Anambra states.

    “We want to thank President Goodluck Jonathan for this wonderful infrastructure and for his kind approval for the take-off of the Enugu Free Trade Zone. We plead that, as a matter of urgency, his formal approval be communicated to us so that the Southeast will have the first of such facility,” he said.

    Ugwuoji also called on the President to formally approve the facility to leverage investments that have been mobilised for the Eastern region of the country. He stated that the Enugu Free Trade Zone was critical to a 30 year development plan drawn by the group for the Southeast and Southsouth areas of the country, adding that the delay in establishment of the facility was hindering investments in the area.

    According to him, the Enugu Power and Energy Free Trade Zone (ENPOWER FTZ) has passed all establishment approval criteria set by the Federal Government and should be approved without further delay. Ugwuoji estimated that the industries and business establishments to be hosted in the free trade zone would provide enormous employment opportunities for the region’s large pool of skills.

    Hamex Engineering of India and Enpower Energy, operators of the Enugu FTZ, it was learnt, have signed an investment cooperation agreement that would see establishment of plants in the facility.

    The Chairman, Hamex Engineering, Mr. Saxena Nagendra, noted that industrial activities in the ENPOWER FTZ would boost the fortune of the country’s power sector, ensuring steady and stable power supply in the near future.

    President, Aka Ikenga, Chief Goddy Uwazuruike, said that Jonathan’s promise was sincere and in the best interest of the people.

    He called on the Minister of Trade and Investments, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, to  expedite action on establishing the tax haven, which according to him, aligns with the Transformation Agenda of the government in creating wealth across all spectrum of the society.