Lagos 2023: South East Groups, Concerned Lagosians, Endorse LP’s Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour For Governor

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Lagos 2023: South East Groups, Concerned Lagosians, Endorse LP’s Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour For Governor

Coalition of South East groups and Indigenous Lagosians galvanised through the full support of the South East Revival Group (SERG), under the aegis of the Concerned True Igbo Stakeholders, Indigenous Lagosians and Non-indigines in Lagos State on Wednesday endorsed the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour ahead of the March 18 election in the state.

Alongside some civil society organisations in Lagos State, the mega endorsement took place during a restricted media briefing in Lagos State by the President and National Coordinator, South East Revival Group (SERG), Chief Willy Ezugwu.

The groups urged Igbos, other Non-indigines, indigenous Lagosians and all residents of the state to come out en-masse and vote for the candidates of their choice on Saturday, saying that they are “aware that a few compromised Igbo leaders, including some in Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State, have collected money against their conscience to sway the votes or look the other way while the election is rigged.

“This is the time to let them know that not all Lagosians are for sale! Money won’t change anything! How much can compensate for another four years of bad governance and destruction of properties?” in the state.

The full text of the press briefing reads:

Gentlemen of the press,
Ladies and gentlemen,

You are all warmly welcome to this all-important press conference on the current political reality in Lagos State, where the Igbos have been singled out by some tribal bigots for attack and all manner of threats to dissociate true Igbos in Lagos from a self-seeking position of some ill-advised faceless persons who recently took a stand on behalf of Ndigbo with regards to the Saturday’s gubernatorial and state assembly elections.

Specifically, it became very imperative to rightly place one Peter Claver Oparah and two others who took it upon themselves to arogate to themselves as the mouthpiece of Igbos in Lagos.

According to the group of three, they claimed that Igbos living in Lagos, made up of traditional rulers, market leaders, market women, youths, civil society organizations, town unions and other categories of Igbo population in Lagos State, purportedly endorsed and pledged support to the incumbent Governor of Lagos, His Excellency, Babajide Sanwo-Olu in his re-election bid.

The group went on to claim that their support for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was “anchored on his performance, competence, cordial relationship with Igbos and his grand vision for Lagos, which has greatly favoured Igbos in the last four years.”

The question is: Where has the Governor been since Igbos are being targeted for attacks, including setting their wares and properties on fire in markets in Lagos?

The Governor, whom they claimed to have had a cordial relationship with the Igbos in Lagos, is yet to arrest and show any form of diligence in prosecuting persons who attacked non-Yorubas, particularly Ndigbo, during the Labour Party presidential campaign rally in Lagos State.

The group naively went on to argue that “Lagos is neither an Igbo State nor a no-man’s land, as some provocatively state.”

The question is: Is there any Igbo contesting in the forthcoming governorship election in Lagos State? Was there at any time that Igbo took arms against the Yorubas to dislodge them in Lagos?
The group ended up fanning the embers of tribalism and sowed a seed of discord between the Igbos and the Yorubas who have been living harmoniously over the years.

The cordial relationship between the Yorubas and the Igbos led to intermarriages, with several sons and daughters of such unions dotting every segment of the Yoruba and Igbo communities.

We emphatically state that Igbos and Yorubas are not at war over the forthcoming governorship election.

Having established that fact, we wish to state categorically that Igbo living in Lagos State have been taxpayers and have continued to contribute to the economic well-being of Lagos State due to their ingenuity and business mindedness.

Therefore, the continued profiling of Igbo people, and other non-Yorubas, living in Lagos State is unacceptable. This political gimmick of an obviously sinking administration of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu will come back to hunt every Lagos resident in years to come.

Right now, the post-election safety of Igbos and all other non-Yorubas living in Lagos State is worrisome due to the current unwarranted politically motivated attacks on Igbos in Lagos State.

We then call on all Lagosians, especially the Igbos, to vote their conscience. We’re aware that a few compromised Igbo leaders, including some in Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State, have collected money against their conscience to sway the votes or look the other way while the election is rigged. This is the time to let them know that not all Lagosians are for sale! Money won’t change anything! How much can compensate for another four years of bad governance and destruction of properties.

For the avoidance of doubts, the issues that will determine whether or not the incumbent Governor returns are:

1. Assurance to the non-Yoruba residents of Lagos State that their lives and property will be guaranteed after the election.

2. Persuading Yorubas resident in Lagos, who have been dying in silence since 1999 when Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu took over Lagos State and turned it and all that are therein, into a personal estate.

3. Getting the buy-in of true Lagosians, whose ancestral lineage are traceable to Lagos parents to support the incumbent Governor.

Among the three categories of Lagos State residents, the born-Lagosians are the most wounded and most troubled since Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu took over Lagos State from them and denied them every opportunity to emerge as Governor of the state as most anointed candidates for the governorship of Lagos State were not Lagosians with traceable ancestors in the state.

Clearly, these are the three categories of Lagos residents who have opted to support the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour in the forthcoming coming Lagos State elections.

We commend leaders of other opposition political parties, including Elder Bode George, whose efforts in the struggle for good governance in Lagos State has remained glaringly unquestionable.

And for the fact that the incumbent has not demonstrated enough political will to protect the non-Yoruba residents of Lagos State, we therefore call on all Igbos and other non-Yorubas in the state to voter en masse fo the Labour Party governorship candidate and all other candidates of the party in the state House of Assembly election on Saturday. This is the only way to guarantee that a Governor who will protect them from the ongoing attacks and arson against Igbos and other non-indigenes.

We commend President Muhammadu Buhari for the level of security during the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25, which created enabling environment for Nigerians to troop out to cast their ballots without fear or favours.

Therefore, for the safety of the non-Yoruba voters, including the Hausa communities in Lagos State, the gubernatorial election on Saturday requires special attention in terms of adequate security in view of the attacks against voters on February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.

Long Live Lagos State!
Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria!!

Signed:
Chief Willy Ezugwu,
President and National Coordinator,
South East Revival Group (SERG), on behalf of the Concerned True Igbo Stakeholders, Non-indigines And Civil Society Organisations in Lagos State.
March 15, 2023.

Why Dogara faults Police for declaring Bauchi reps member wanted

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Why Dogara faults Police for declaring Bauchi reps member wanted

From Ahmad SAKA Bauchi

The immediate past Speaker of House of Assembly, Yakubu Dogara has faulted the Nigerian Police for declaring a Federal House of Representatives member Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi representing Bauchi local Government wanted without following laws of the country properly.

Dogara raised the allegation on Wednesday during a press conference in Bauchi, He said “for a member of the house of representatives to be invited by the police, they know the law, the legislative privileges and immunity act is there, they know how to invite him and the police is supposed to be enforcing the law and not breaking it. For you to invite a sitting lawmaker after just few hours, you declare him wanted, when you know that you are even violating the law in the process of inviting him because any member who is to be invited to appear before any authority, a letter has to be written to the Clerk of the National Assembly and then forwarded to the speaker for approval.The police rushed quickly to judgement on a basis of a mere allegation.:
“Why is the police breaking the law in relation to Honourable Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi?If he has committed any offence, give him that opportunity and follow the law, invite him, let him answer to those accusations.I was there, I saw Yakubu, he was in car, he did not have a dame gun, he didn’t have one single weapon, not even a stick, so why are you accusing him of killing who or for orchestrating what

“Nobody is accusing that they saw him with guns and that he shot people to death, they are saying that he imported some people”

The police had announced a N1 million bounty for anyone with useful information that could lead to the 45 year old lawmaker arrest.

Dogara alleged that the police in the state failed to follow the due of process of arresting a serving lawmaker, instead it went ahead to to declare his arrest, making the whole situation suspicious.

He Said that the allegation levelled against the serving APC member representing Bauchi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Yakubu Shehu, popularly known as ‘Wakilin Birni,’ wanted for criminal conspiracy, disturbance of public peace and culpable homicide were baseless

“We are here to respond to the allegations against Honourable Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi who is being accused of some allegations by the police, everybody knows that he is a sitting member of the House of Representatives and I was once a speaker of the House of Representatives, I know the process of inviting a member who is accused of commiting an offence and this a mere accusation”

“The governor was told some of these things, some of us were there, is not hear say, I was part of the campaign team that went to Alkaleri, the governor’s hometown in Duguri. I want to ask why is it that some of these incidences of violence always happening in particular locations.Air Marshal has gone to all the local government areas of the state for campaigns, but the incidences were isolated and it happened in Akuyam which is the hometown of the Chairman of the PDP, it happened in Warji which is the local government of the present commissioner of Local government and everybody knows that this man has been threatening violence against APC members in all his videos”

“The last incidence of violence was at the hometown of the sitting governor in Duguri. When we set out for campaigns, we started from Tafawa Balewa town, held rallies at different villages.If we were going there to kill people, by the time we got to Duguri, maybe we would have killed a thousand, but the people received us with a rousing welcome and we addressed those rallies with any single incidence of violence”

“Let me say this, I saw it myself, not that I was told, because I was there.When we got into Duguri town proper, apart from the fact that we visited the district head palace, we went to his house for the Muslim brothers to say their prayers, so if we wanted to kill people in Duguri, we would have started from his house.But by the time prayers were said, we went to Duguri town to address the town that gathered at the venue of the rally and we saw this young man holding a loud speaker , he was telling people to come out with weapons to fight the APC members”

“I was there addressing the crowd on the stage when I started hearing gunshots from within the town, so, it is not that somebody told me. The governor is basing all his allegations on hearsay, but I am a witness. The point is that the casualties we took, were used as security details, so does it makes sense for you to now say that it was our own security personnels that were shooting their own colleagues? Does it make sense?so, if you say some people were shot own their own side, then who shot our own people? Where are they? Have they been declared wanted?

He alleged that the police was partnering with the government in order to come hard on members of the APC knowing that the incumbent governor was losing out already, adding that the governor is telling lies in a bid to cover his tracks in which the police is trying to assist him.

Nigeria amongst the 55 nation’s with pressing shortage of health worker’s- WHO infices

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Nigeria amongst the 55 nation’s with pressing shortage of health worker’s- WHO infices

BY SULE TAHIR.

THE World Health Organization (WHO) has rated the country amongst the 55 nation’s globally with pressing shortage of health workers.

The current indices of the Organization on its Health Workforce Support and Safeguard’s indicated.

The global health body stated that the countries face the most pressing health workforce challenges related to universal health coverage.

“In particular, these countries have: 1) a density of doctors, nurses and midwives below the global median (i.e., 49 per 10 000 population); and 2) a universal health coverage service coverage index below a certain threshold,” WHO said in the report released March 8.

“To account for the disruptions caused to health services by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effects on health worker mobility and migration, the threshold for the universal health coverage service coverage index for the WHO health workforce support and safeguards list 2023 has been increased from 50 (the value used for the 2020 list) to 55.”

A total of 37 countries were listed under the African Region category, including Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Gabon.

Others were Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Only Haiti was named under the Region of the Americas category, while the Eastern Mediterranean Region category comprised Afghanistan, Djibouti, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

Under the South-East Asia Region category were Bangladesh, Nepal, and Timor-Leste.

Will Nigerians Change? – By Zaharaddeen Muhammed

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Will Nigerians Change? – By Zaharaddeen Muhammed

The 2023 general elections have exposed many Nigerians to the obvious fact that we are. not ready for the positive changes that we have railed for in the past. Sadly, some, if not all, Nigerians’ minds were wrongly changed on the eve of the election to the so-called “sachet of spaghetti” and cellphone recharge cards in the form of vote-buying.

It is seemingly clear that our blabbering is only a tea spot junction story and not a thorough action to vote competency instead of oppositely. How could we yearn for optimist transformations for a couple of years but, annoyingly, be one day changed by subscribing to daylight electoral malpractice? This only happens in states where ignorance is prevalent.

Nigerians shouldn’t be deluded into thinking that these politicians who make every effort to obtain political power at all costs are doing it for the public good, and this kind of rice politics is what makes it difficult for us as a democratic country to produce competent and committed leaders.

To be honest, the Nigerian political system too needs to be restructured. The high cost of purchasing a ticket to contest the presidential post in the major political parties makes it difficult for responsible and capable poor Nigerians to contest, and the cost of campaigning is also high.
The politicians who spent more to get themselves elected don’t see leadership as a responsibility but as a means by which one enriches oneself. People judge candidates best on how much money they have and are ready to offer it to them during elections, regardless of considering the sources of the money. But to do justice to ourselves, the day we will begin to have leaders that will serve us will be the day we start to give more priorities and emphasis to ability, decency, integrity, and records of leadership performance in the process of electing leaders.

The change we want to achieve most begins with individual change; “we can’t achieve the change unless we act against it.” Because change is an action-oriented phenomenon, the action has to be collective. If you ask the ordinary Nigerian masses, what changes do they want to achieve? They will start mentioning things like; improved health care system, better security, having millions of jobs for various categories of citizens, declined poverty, having nice meals on table and so on but if you ask them that what efforts did you make? The answer will be no, and change was never miraculous. We expect the change to be administered by the government, but it is unknown to us that people like me and you make the government.

Therefore, it can’t be denied that “a development-oriented leader can’t achieve development without having development-oriented laws, for he can’t act contrary to the constitutional provisions in the cause of administering development.” Thus, the constitution too needs to be changed for development, and consequently, we need to restructure our minds too.

Zaharaddeen Muhammed
Writes from Azare
Bauchi State.

Presidential Election: Govindex slams Buhari for intimidating, teleguiding Judiciary

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Presidential Election: Govindex slams Buhari for intimidating, teleguiding Judiciary

…urges Election Tribunal to assert Judiciary’s independence, render justice, rescue Nigeria’s democracy

By Chuks Eke

A good governance group, Govindex Leadership, Empowerment and Development Foundation, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of contempt by attempting to teleguide and intimidate the Judiciary with regard to the on-going litigation over the controversial February 25 Presidential election.

Govindex in a statement issued yesterday also slammed the President for endorsing the results of the disputed election, noting that “his unfortunate comments on the ill-fated election are subjudice and smack of a desperate attempt to legitimise illegitimacy so as to intimidate the Judiciary into rubber-stamping a Presidential mandate stolen by his ruling All Progressives Congress, APC”.

The group in the statement signed by Justice C. Aninworie, of Govindex Legal Directorate specifically referred to Buhari’s endorsement of the election result while speaking at the recent Fifth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries in Doha, Qatar.

According to Govindex, “Following his penchant for disobeying court orders, and dictating court orders by his infamous body-language, President Mohammadu Buhari has again desecrated the sanctity of the Nigerian Nation by comments ascribed to him by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu. Buhari, who was said to have been attending the Fifth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries, a conference his abysmal eight years in office has firmly etched Nigeria as a permanent member by ensuring that Nigeria do not meet minimum standard of ‘developed’ countries, said: ‘Bola Tinubu’s election stands. If you are aggrieved, and you have the locus to do so, go to court’.

“Like the antithesis leader, the President attends international conferences with own-negative sensationalism. The above statement credited to him is inimical to development and falls short of making a developed nation.

“At the wake of the rape of the Nigerian People’s freedom of choice of who leads them by the Independent National Electoral Commission who lured the Nigerian politically-docile populace with bogus promises that votes would count, came international condemnation of the process leading to the declaration of the candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress as President-elect whom the President allegedly pronounced with near almighty declaration to stand, in faraway Doha, Qatar.”

Govindex lamented that, “As if that was not enough, President Buhari, upon his return from Doha, caused his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, to issue a statement on March 14, purporting that the discredited February 25 poll was Nigeria’s best-ever”.

The group described the President’s pronouncements at a time when the Election Tribunal is yet to begin hearing cases lodged by Labour Party Presidential Candidate Peter Obi and his Peoples Democratic Party counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, as “a clear case of executive sub judice, a calculated attempt to over-awe, intimidate and teleguide the Judiciary into endorsing electoral theft”.

Lamenting the rape of the Nigerian people’s mandate, Govindex said: “The People, acting through the assurances of INEC did come out in defiance of politically-sponsored attacks, stood under rain and shine for hours and whole days and nights, casted their votes, counted the votes joyfully, and then, INEC shut the sacred results out of its servers in grave of violation of both their binding moral promises and legal rules. Next, INEC declared results other than the ones obtained in polling units, and posted same through unconventional doors. International Civil Society and election observers delivered damning report of willful breach of own rules by INEC, disenfranchisement by late or non-arrival of electoral materials, violent attack on voters, destruction of ballot cast to diminish opposition votes, and mutilation and swapping of electoral results amongst other vices that characterized suppression of People’s right to elect their leader. Top in the condemnation of the conduct of the February 25th 2023 Presidential election in Nigeria were head of AU observer team who said the election was below minimum standard, the EU observers, The Economist of London, the Financial Times, Guardian of U.K, the Times of London, the New York Times, German Sueddeutsche Zietung, the Washington Post, CNN and local media.”

Govindex appealed to the conscience of Justices handling the election disputes, noting that “their revered Justices have an historic duty to assert the constitutionally-guaranteed independence of the Judiciary by rendering justice in the Presidential election disputes irrespective of desperate efforts by the Executive to intimidate and teleguide it”.

This, the group said, “is the only way to rescue Nigeria’s democracy, convince the people that their vote still counts and that the Judiciary, indeed, remains the last hope of the common man”.

Leadership tussle: New Ngige community helmsman vows to return peace 13 years after

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Leadership tussle: New Ngige community helmsman vows to return peace 13 years after

By Chuks Eke

Henceforth, absolute peace would be restored to Alor community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra state, home town of the incumbent Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, 13 years after chieftaincy and town union crisis in the area.

Newly elected President-General of Alor Peoples Convention, APC, High Chief Emmanuel Ojukwu who made the vow in his post-election speech, said he would wade into the crisis with immediate effect with a view to calming the frayed nerves within a space of time.

Ojukwu noted that he would invoke the power of God to achieve the feat, particularly when he discovered that both parties agreed to step down for him during the town union election that brought him and his new executive into power.

He said that although achieving peace in the area is a herculean task but making him an unopposed candidate during the election was a sign that the community us already at the verge of ushering in a spirit of unity, adding, “my emergence in this election is an indication that we are now heading to one in unity”.

“The magic for my emergence was God. Alor is a peaceful town. It is just a little misunderstanding and arguments. It is a matter of time”.

“My people have demonstrated unity, they have been fighting, but it is time to come together as one indivisible entity and move the community forward”.

“They simply demonstrated it with my emergence, I did not expect the overwhelmed support and understanding by all on my election”.

On his plans ahead to further strengthen the unity of the community, he said: “the vehicle is ready. We have bought tyres and steering and we are picking the passengers, and only the honest passengers that are willing to travel will get on board”.

“But at the same time, we are not chasing anybody, this is not the time to say, this one is on this camp or the other camp. As far as I am concerned, the issue of camp or camps was dead and buried on that same day that the entire Alor person, from whatever side came together and queued behind me”.

“I didn’t know even what happened, I saw it in the video eventually that every person, Chiefs, old and young came behind me in the line. The line was so long that I think, they had to form three lines eventually because the field became too small for them to queue behind me”.

The new President-General thanked the people for the opportunity to serve the constitutional three year tenure, and assured them of running an open-door policy.

Ojukwu pledged to restore peace which has eluded the people for years, adding that he would work with all for rapid development of the community.

”We know the task ahead is enormous. The community has given the new leadership this task and trust,” he said.

He commended the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, the monarch, the electoral committee and the Alor people for the smooth conduct of the election that produced him.

While commending the new leadership, Sen. Ngige had said that he is committed to peace to reign in the community.

Ngige urged Alor Community to accept the outcome of the election, and described Ojukwu as one who will change the story of the community for good.

Also on his part, the Traditional Ruler of Alor Community, Igwe Mac Anthony Okonkwo, said that the 1992 constitution of the community, as amended in 2011 states that the Igwe is the patron of the convention at the town hall and acknowledged the conduct of the election as free, fair and credible, even as he prayed for peace and progress in Alor.

Okonkwo commended Gov. Chukwuma Soludo whom he said has come to bring solution to the problems in his domain and other communities in the state.

The Transition Committee Chairman of Idemili South,v Mrs Obi who expressed satisfaction with success of the election, said that Alor is known for uniqueness, and prayed that God will continue to restore sanity, unity and peace to Alor community.

Also the immediate past President-General of the town, Mr. Uzoma Igbonwa lauded the people for the privilege afforded him and his executive to serve the town and expressed the hope that the new executive will consolidate on the achievements already recorded.

Other members of the new executive are Barr. Ngozi Udodi (Legal Adviser), Nze Martin Udoagwa (Public Relations Officer), Mr. Ifeanyi Ezika (Provost) and Mr Osita Okeide (Provost ll).

Others are, Mr Ubabike Emecheta (Secretary), Martin Akpugo (Assistant Secretary), Chief Ifeanyi Egwuonwu (Financial Secretary), while Mr. Afam Nwudo is the Treasurer.

The election which took place at the town hall Square Alor was observed by the officials of Anambra state government through the electoral committee chairman led by the President, Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) Barr. Titus Akpudo.

Sadiq Abubakar, APC Guber Candidate’s Son, Arrested, Questioned By EFCC  

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Sadiq Abubakar, APC Guber Candidate’s Son, Arrested, Questioned By EFCC  

Information reaching 247ureports.com indicates the son of the former military top boss  was arrested and interrogated by the agents of one of the foremost anti-graft agency in Nigeria.

His son, Captain Nasar Abubakar Sadiq Baba is the son of the former Chief of Air Staff under the Muhammadu Buhari administration was reported by credible sources in Abuja to have been arrested by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC].

His father, Sadiq Abubakar who retired from the Nigerian Air Force as the 20th Chief of the Air Staff on January 2021, is currently contesting for the governor’s seat under the banner of the All Progressive Congress [APC] in Bauchi State.

According to information received, the arrest occurred on Tuesday March 14, 2023 at his home following numerous invitations by the EFCC to the son of the former Chief of Air Staff requesting his appearance at the EFCC office for questioning. Captain Nasar Abubakar Sadiq Baba failed to honour the invitations. As a result, on Tuesday, the agents of EFCC swooped at the home of Captain Nasar Abubakar Sadiq Baba, arrested him and brought him to the EFCC office for questioning where he was later granted bail.

Captain Nasar Abubakar Sadiq Baba was questioned over allegations of his involvement in potential financial crimes over loans issued under the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System For Agricultural Lending [NIRSAL]. Particularly, over an alleged diversion of 2billion Naira of NIRSAL Agricultural Loan.

Details of the of the arrest remain sketchy. The EFCC has yet to be responded to Inquires sent through its spokesperson, Wilson Ewujaren seeking confirmation of the arrest. However members of his father’s [Sadiq Abubakar] gubernatorial campaign have denied the arrest.  They denied he was arrested by the EFCC. In the words one of his aides, “It’s not true. I went to his house. He has not been invited by any anti-graft agency only that the State’s politics is heating up”.

As a caveat, NIRSAL is a US$500million Non-Bank Financial Institution owned by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) created to “Redefine, Dimension, Measure, Re-Price and Share agribusiness-related credit risks in Nigeria”. It was established in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and Nigerian Bankers’ Committee in 2013. NIRSAL’s mandate is to stimulate the flow of affordable finance and investments into the agricultural sector by de-risking the agriculture & agribusiness finance value chain, fixing agricultural value chains, building long-term capacity, and institutionalizing incentives for agricultural lending.

 

DSS Denies Killing Only Son in Anambra State

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DSS Denies Killing Only Son in Anambra State

 

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

The Directorate of States Services (DSS) in Anambra State has debunked allegation that its officer shot dead an only son in Anambra State as a result of mistaken identity.

An unverified report started trending in the early hours of Thursday, alleging that operatives of the DSS killed a man in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The man’s wife was said to have been delivered of a new baby, whom he was preparing to go see in the hospital before he was shot dead by security officials who were said to be chasing after a notorious cultist that ran into his compound. The deceased was also said to be an only son.

The killing was said to have sparked off series of protests in the community as youths of the community blocked the entrance of the Idemili North Local Government Headquarter with the corpse of the deceased, in protest, insisting that they must see the Chairman of the Local Government.

While saying that the man was shot when he excused himself from the family’s morning devotion to go urinate, the youths were said to have also demanded immediate intervention of the government and punishment of the officers for unprofessionalism. They alleged that the act was perpetrated by the operatives of the DSS.

However, when contacted by this reporter, the DSS Director in Anambra State, Mr. Enoch Pawa denied the alleged involvement of his men in the killing.

He said it was officers of the Anambra Vigilante Group (AVG) in Ogidi that shot the deceased, and not the DSS as many allege.

All efforts to speak with the leadership of Ogidi Community for their own side of the story proved abortive, as the phone number of the Traditional Ruler was switched off; while the President-General did not respond to his calls.

Voting APGA Candidates, a Best Way to Repay Soludo’s Good Works —Nwabunwanne

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Voting APGA Candidates, a Best Way to Repay Soludo’s Good Works —Nwabunwanne

 

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

The Administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo has been described as the most favourable to the people of Anambra State, owing to its achievements in less than one year in office.

The State Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr. Tonycollins Nwabunwanne stated this while interacting with newsmen in Awka, the state capital, on Wednesday, where he also opined that voting candidates of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the March 18 House of Assembly election is one of the best ways to appreciate, encourage and repay Governor Soludo for his good works in the state.

According to him, Soludo’s government, which came on board on March 17, 2022, has recorded many great feats more than any government has ever achieved in one year in office in any state in the country.

Hon. Nwabunwanne highlighted some of the sector-by-sector achievements of the current administration, to included ongoing massive road construction and infrastructural facelift across the state, recruitment of over 5000 teachers and over 400 health workers to further boost the state’s education and health sectors; installation of solar-powered streetlights at different communities across the state; increment of workers salaries by 10 per cent, and clearance/regular payment of pensions and gratuities owed to workers in the state since 2018 till date; among others.

While noting that Soludo’s administration is also currently organising an ICT training for local government staff in the state; the Commissioner further revealed that the government has restored an enduring peace in over 83 communities in Anambra, while stable security of lives and property has also returned to the state.

He also gave a general overview of his Ministry’s achievements so far, and gave hints on the smooth operation of State/Local Government Joint Account in Anambra; even as he reassured the people of the state that Soludo’s administration will still conduct local government election in the state as he promised.

The Commissioner revealed that Governor Soludo was also working on linking up the rivers in Anambra State to enhance water transportation in the state, and also noted that the administration has also done well in the tourism sector, youth empowerments, prudent management of available resources, digitalization of governance, and maintenance of law and order in the state, all aimed at making Anambra a liveable and prosperous homeland.

Hon. Nwabunwanne, relying on these achievements of the Soludo Administration, re-emphasized the need for APGA-dominated 10th Assembly in Anambra State, which, he said, will complement the efforts of the state government in delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.

He also re-emphasized that massively voting for candidates of APGA in the coming Saturday House of Assembly election in the state would be one best ways for the people to appreciate and repay the Governor for his good works in the state.

Soludo Responsible for Obi’s Failure, Talks Too much — Anambra Reps Member-elect

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Soludo Responsible for Obi’s Failure, Talks Too much — Anambra Reps Member-elect

 

The member-elect for Awka North and South Federal Constituency, Prof. Lilian Orogbu has accused Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of being responsible for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi not winning the 2023 presidential election.

Prof. Orogbu stated this while addressing some of the constituents during a ward tour head of the forthcoming State House of Assembly election in the state.

According to her, Governor Soludo worked with the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Ahmed Bola Tinubu, to plot and mastermind Obi’s downfall. She also to the supporters that the Governor had repeatedly said that Obi would fail, even before the election.

While describing Governor Soludo as an enemy of ndị Igbo, Prof. Orogbu, who is also a lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, also accused the Governor of talking too much and saying more than required at a given time.

“He is a professor, and I am also a professor; but he talks too much unlike a professor. Professors don’t talk too much. I wonder the kind of professor he is,” she said.

Prof. Orogbu also faulted the recent statement allegedly issued by Governor Soludo, who was alleged to have threatened to oppress anyone who votes for any other House of Assembly candidate other than APGA House of Assembly candidates on Saturday.

She reminded the Governor that it was ndị Anambra who employed him to come manage the state’s resources for the general well-being of the people of the state; and therefore cautioned him not to think he can oppress anyone with the state’s resources, as the resources do not personality belong to him, but to the Anambrarians.

The LP Reps member-elect further urged the people to disregard the said threat by the Governor and come out en masse and vote massively for Labour Party candidates in the state.

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