South Sudan says it shoots down Sudanese jet

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JUBA, South Sudan—South Sudan says it shot down a Sudanese fighter jet Wednesday after two military planes dropped bombs around its oil fields, but Sudan denied it had lost such an aircraft.Military spokesman Col. Philip Aguer said the downed plane was a Sudanese MiG-29 jet fighter flying in South Sudan’s Unity State, but Sudan’s army spokesman denied any Sudanese jets were downed, saying the claim by the south lacked evidence.

“This is not right, and a claim that lacks evidence and proof. We affirm this is talk for media consumption only,” Col. Sawarmy Khaled said.

He later told the official Sudan news agency that his forces came under attack, but they had not been using MIG jets.

“We would like to stress here that we have been the subject of attack by (southern) military groups, attack on our positions and we dealt with (the source) of the attack by artillery shelling,” he said. “Talk about downing a plane is out of the question, because we did not use such a (MIG) plane which they say they have shot down.”

Aguer said he had seen the confrontation and the downed Sudanese MiG was one of two flying over the Naar and Toma South oil fields. He said the two MiGs had dropped “many” bombs since morning.

South Sudanese forces shot down the MiG with an anti-aircraft gun, he said.

The Sudanese “don’t know that we have the capacity. They underestimate the SPLA,” he said, referring to South Sudan’s forces, the Southern People’s Liberation Army.

In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner urged both sides to stop fighting, ensure the safety of civilians, and let the African Union negotiate an end to their dispute. “We’re obviously very concerned,” Toner said when asked about the downing of the warplane.

South Sudan split from Sudan last year after decades of civil war. But the two sides never agreed on where exactly the two countries’ border is and how to share oil revenues. The south now has most of the oil but must pump it through a pipeline that runs through Sudan.

South Sudan says that Sudan stole much of its oil, and the south shut down production earlier this year, depriving both countries of needed government revenue.

Hostilities between the two sides have grown in recent months, even as the south has said it is trying to avoid a return to war. A planned meeting between the presidents of Sudan and South Sudan scheduled for Tuesday was canceled by Sudan.

Aguer was part of a delegation led by South Sudanese Oil Minister Stephen Dhieu Dau to see a tie-in pipeline allegedly being built by Sudan. The south says the tie-in pipeline is a way for Sudan to steal South Sudan’s oil.

Dau said the incomplete pipeline would be able to pump between 15,000 and 30,000 barrels of oil per day if linked up to Sudan’s oil fields.

“They want take our oil even when we are shut down,” Dau said.

This is not the first tie-in pipeline that has been unilaterally built by Khartoum. Another was built in January to link a pipeline in South Sudan operated by oil-consortium PetroDar to refineries in Khartoum. The pipeline was revealed shortly after Khartoum announced it would take oil “in kind” from South Sudan in lieu of an agreement on how much South Sudan should pay to use Sudan’s pipelines.

In late January South Sudan accused Khartoum of stealing nearly all of its oil and ordered oil fields to halt operations.

According to Dau, the new tie-in pipeline was discovered just over a week ago during the border clashes between the two nations. Dau said SPLA forces found the pipeline when they pushed Sudanese Armed Forces back from Teshwin into the Heglig area on March 26.

“The pipeline was less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) from being complete,” said Dau.

Wednesday’s bombings are the latest in a series of open confrontations between Sudanese and South Sudanese troops that have world leaders on edge. President Barack Obama urged South Sudanese President Salva Kiir earlier this week to exercise maximum military restraint.

But according to Aguer, the fighting has been “a daily thing here on the front line” since the initial confrontation. Aguer said that almost 80 people have been killed—mostly military forces—since the fighting began.

While the region has been quiet since the downing of the MiG plane earlier, the border is tense. According to Aguer, South Sudan is “expecting ground troops to attack at any time.”

———

Associated Press reporter Moahmed Osman in Khartoum, Sudan, contributed to this report.

BREAKING NEWS: Bomb-laden car uncovered in Kano, residents panic

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Security operatives in Kano have uncovered a plot by the extremist Boko Haram sect to detonate a deadly explosion in Kano today.

The Joint Task Force, an interagency team overseeing security in the ancient city, has just issued a statement saying it had found a car, laden with explosive, on Zaria Road area of the city.

A spokesperson for the JTF, Lieutenant Ikebechi Iweha, therefore urged residents of the city to avoid the area while efforts were being made to remove the car and detonate the explosive.

The statement, which are being read repeatedly on radio stations in the city, has sent panic round Kano with some residents scampering home for safety.

Deadly explosions had rocked Kaduna and Jos Sunday leaving scores of people dead and many others injured.

Spokesperson of the Kano Police Command could not immediately be reached for comment.

—

Source: Premium Times

Oil above $123 on Iran supply disruption concerns

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Oil rose above $123 a barrel on Thursday, bouncing from sharp falls in the previous two sessions, on growing concerns over Iranian oil supplies being disrupted due to Western sanctions.

In a move that could lead to a near standstill to Iran’s crude oil exports ahead of its European Union ban from July 1, a major Chinese ship insurer will halt indemnity cover for tankers carrying Iranian oil from the month.

Brent crude oil futures rose $1.03 to $123.37 a barrel by 0825 GMT. US.gained 82 cents to $102.29, after falling $2.54 in the previous session. AFP

Brent crude oil futures rose $1.03 to $123.37 a barrel by 0825 GMT. US.gained 82 cents to $102.29, after falling $2.54 in the previous session.

Volume was moderate for both contracts ahead of public holidays in Europe and the United States.

Oil had fallen by more than $3 over the last two sessions due to the drop in the global stock market, a sharp increase in US oil inventories and fading expectations for more monetary stimulus from the US central bank.

“The stock market and oil both moved lower yesterday. Oil is recovering because of geopolitical risk over the long weekend,” said Christopher Bellew, broker with Jefferies Bache.

Explosions shut on Thursday both of the two pipelines bringing crude from Kirkuk in Iraq to the Turkish port of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean, a Turkish energy official said.

It was not immediately clear what had caused Thursday’s blasts but sabotage is common on oil and gas pipelines leading into Turkey from Iran and Iraq, where Kurdish separatist militants operate.

China is the top buyer of Iranian crude and the insurance move is the first sign Chinese refiners may struggle to obtain the shipping and insurance to keep importing from OPEC’s second-biggest producer.

This comes days after industry sources told Reuters Japanese refiners planned to cut crude imports from Tehran yet again in April as they shy away from renewing annual contracts.

Analysts also pointed out technical charts showed a floor for Brent oil of around $121.50-$122.50 level since March.

ECONOMIC OPTIMISM

Later in the day, the market’s focus will shift to jobs data from the United States, the world’s second largest energy consumer after China.

The key jobs report for March from the US Labor Department is expected to show a gain of 203,000 jobs, including a rise in private payrolls of 218,000.

Prices were also supported by fresh signs of a recovery in the US economy and easing fears of a sharp slowdown in China.

A report showing US businesses added 209,000 jobs in March slightly beat expectations and raised hopes for a positive non-farm payrolls report last Friday.

Sentiment over China’s economic prospects also strengthened after the services sector expanded again in March and business confidence hit an 11-month high, though overall activity remained below its long-term average, a private sector survey of purchasing managers said on Thursday.

Iran Advises Neighbors to Stay Away from US, Israeli Missile Shield in Persian Gulf

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TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi on Wednesday called on the neighboring states to avoid joining a US-Israeli project for deploying a missile shield in the Persian Gulf.

“This missile defense shield (in the Persian Gulf) is a US-Israeli project and everyone should pay attention to the fact that anyone who gets involved with this project is, in fact, implementing the US and Israel’s plot,” he said.
“Since the very beginning we have rejected this project as we saw it against the regional security, and we have recommended our friends not to enter such fields (of activity),” he noted.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last Saturday promoted the missile shield idea at a Persian Gulf-US security forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Washington has been seeking hard to portray Iran as a threat to the regional states, specially the Arab countries on the rims of the Persian Gulf, but many Arab leaders in the region stress that they do not see Iran as a threat.
US officials have said it is their “priority” to help the six Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) states build “regional missile defense architecture” against Iran.
Clinton stressed Washington’s “unwavering” commitment to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, all longstanding US allies.
In reply, Iranian officials said that the US plan to establish a missile shield in the Persian Gulf is a source of “tension”.

Delta Police Invades Publisher’s Family Home, Arrests Brother

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By: Our reporter, Delta state

 

Officers from the Delta State Police Headquarters, Asaba at about 9:20am on Saturday 17th March, 2012 invaded the family house of publishers of a local newspaper, Zion Nationale Newspapers in Okpanam to fish out one Jude and Chris Obiemenyego whom they alleged to be publishers of Zion Nationale Newspapers.

 

The officers who were three in number on arrival demanded for the identities of Chris and Jude Obiemenyego, but based on the ground that they could not identify Jude or Chris, they immediately arrested one Mr. Henry Obiemenyego (publisher’s brother) whom the police officers alleged to be the Publisher of Zion.

 

Sources confirmed that the officers who arrested Henry Obiemenyego came in a Mercedes 190E Saloon car and bundled him to unknown destination. The officers claimed to be from the legal department of the command.

 

Investigations revealed that for over one week, the officers have been coming to the family house, telling the people they met that they were friends of Chris and Jude, even one of them claimed to be David by name.

 

However, when contacted, the O/C Legal said he was not aware but will find out, while the PPRO’s telephone number was not going as at the time of filing this report.

 

It could be recalled that on the 20th February, 2012, Jude Obiemenyego was arrested by men of the Delta State Police Command while on investigation of a story, which was published in another newspaper, Rural Front Newspaper Vol. 1 No. 1, March 2012, Urhobo Times Newspaper, March 8, 2012, PM News March 7, 2012, Fresh Angle online March 8, 2012, Zion March 2012 Vol. 3 No. 13, National Point Newspaper, March 20, 2012 and several other newspapers and online news outfits.

 

Meanwhile, concerned Deltans have condemned the arrest and illegal detention of an innocent citizen, Mr. Henry Obiemenyego by the Delta State Police Command.

SSS manhandles man over a plot of land

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UDUAGHAN MEETS DELTA TRADITIONAL RULERS

By: Our reporter, Delta state

 

The officer in-charge of operations in the Delta State Security Services (SSS) Asaba, one Mr. Chinedu was alleged to have used his position to manhandled one Mr. Maxwell Okonkwo Ezechie over a controversial land in Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area.

 

The controversial land which was alleged to have belonged to Ezechie’s family measuring 40 x 100 located at Akwaukwa area near Asaba International Airport was sold to one Mr. Paul Ezediuno on the 4th January, 2012 at the cost of N400, 000.00.

 

According to Maxwell Ezechie, while he was at home in Okpanam, a neighbouring town to Asaba, he saw Mr. Chukwumerije who identified himself as SSS officer alleging that the land he sold to Ezediuno was sold to him by one Mr. Diamond in 2007 and ever since, has not gotten time to go to the site.

 

It was learnt that sequel to the controversy on the land both parties were invited to the SSS office for clarification. On arrival, Ezechie was meant to tender documents related to the land which he did. But surprisingly, after tendering the document, the O/C Operations seeing that they were not making headway on their mission, he forcefully seized the photo and original copies of the documents related to the land to enable his colleague (Chukwumerije) reclaim the land in question.

 

Mr. Maxwell also said the O/C operations quickly authorized his boys to torture him where he sustained injuries on his body. “During the manhandling, under gun point in the office of the O/C operations, I (Maxwell) was meant to sign under taken under duress to refund N400, 000 to Paul Ezediuno to enable the SSS officer Chukwumerije forcefully reclaim the land”.

 

Speaking to our correspondent on the issue, Mr. Paul Ezediuno who said he leaves in No.7, Ezenei Street confirmed he bought the said land from Maxwell Ezechie with receipt and other documents issued to him.

 

According to him, at the SSS office after much questions and explanations, photo and original copies of the documents related to the land were seized by men of the SSS after dealing with Maxwell squarely.

 

He appealed to Concerned Deltans and other rights thinking people to come to his aid because SSS as an institution has no dealing with land matters only Court of Law.

Mr. Stephen Dada Okolie Ezechie who is the father of Maxwell told our reporter that the land belongs to the Ezechie’s family only that the SSS officers are using authority over them and that there is Court order on the Land.

 

When contacted the O/C operations, Mr. Chinedu, said: “We never manhandled Maxwell Ezechie. The man has been terrorizing the community. He must face the law because nobody is above the law”.

Don’t paint church ‘gift’ issue with religious, ethnic brush, ACN warns

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The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said its reaction to the
bribery allegation against President Goodluck Jonathan, over the
construction or ‘renovation’ of a church in his village, has nothing
to do with religious or ethnic considerations.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity
Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the issues involved are
those of ethics, constitutionality and the rule of law, saying anyone
or group that attempts to make it a religious or ethnic issue is doing
a great disservice to the nation.

It also urged religious leaders in particular and other opinion
leaders in general to always rise above politics and primordial
considerations in commenting on such issues.

”Sadly, since the bribery allegation came to the fore, we have seen
otherwise respectable religious leaders joined the fray and used
uncomplimentary words just to be seen to be defending the President.
We have seen how they attempted to use religion to divide
Nigerians. This is unfortunate and must never repeat itself.

”Like these unwary religious leaders, we have also read comments from
some ethnic jingoists making it look as if the criticisms of the
President’s solicitation and acceptance of a church ‘gift’ from a
foreign construction company doing business with the government he
heads is targeting the South-South or the Niger Delta.

”All these developments confirm what we have always known: That this
is President is the most divisive Nigerian leader ever, and he and his
‘supporters’ will not hesitate to play the religious or ethnic card
even when the issues involved have nothing to do with that. Any
criticism of his actions is immediately interpreted as an attack on
the Ijaw, the Niger Delta, the South-South or Christians. This is not
the stuff of good leadership,” ACN warned.

The party went on: ”The last time we checked, President Jonathan was
voted into office by people of all ethnic and religious groups. He is
not the President of the Niger Delta, neither is he the President of
Christians or Muslims, but the President of all Nigerians. He should
always remember this.”

It wondered where the religious leaders now rushing to the President’s
defence were when this same ACN campaigned rigorously
for him to be sworn in as Acting President, when his boss was ill and
he was marooned; or why they never came out to defend the late
President Umaru Yar’Adua when we criticized his administration’s policies.

”We will like to put it on record that our reaction to the issue was
based on published reports that the President himself admitted
soliciting
and accepting the church gift. We maintain that this is an impeachable
offence and that the National Assembly should investigate it and take
the necessary action. Whether the National Assembly does so or not
will not mitigate the rightness of our stand,” ACN said.

Kalu, Orji and Image

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Written by Odimegwu Onwumere

It was a fixation to read in some of the newspapers of 6th April 2012 that Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State had directed the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NEPAD) coordinators in the 17 Local Government Areas of the state to get on a project/programme that would be of profit to the bucolic natives. What made it grubby was that the programme was tagged, “Social Subsidy Scheme”. And that no fewer than 1,200 poor residents of the state had been shortlisted for empowerment.

 

 

Orji, speaking through his Special Adviser on NEPAD, Prince Emeka Nwachukwu, said that the aim was to ensure that the rural people felt contact of governance. Ekputu! Imagine where a government is opening two sites in Aba and Umuahia for an unbolt market where commodities, especially food stuffs, fruits and crops, would be sold. Is this not laughable when the people are not supposed to be pityingly treated as if they are beggars? They said that they were opening the market to avoid the involvement of market unions whom they believed influence the hike in prices of goods. Humbug!

 

 

This project makes the allegation of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) untouchable that Orji was commissioning non-existent projects. Please see newspapers of Friday, 30 March 2012. The party described the government of Orji as media government, where commissioning of projects was not on ground and that one of such projects was to be commissioned in Aba on Friday of that time. Was this the market?

 

 

Even though that the party made its claims on the ground of allegation, some of us investigative journalists who have taken independent tours of such projects, as the party called on us to do, have found out that the party was not just making defamation of Orji-led government but rather, the government is paper tiger indeed.

 

 

According to the Chairman of the party in the state, Onapuruagu Prince Ukaegbu: “APGA, Abia State chapter, decry Governor Orji’s obsession with the incident of February 28, at the Aba sports stadium and the attendant mania to reverse the humiliation which he claimed he suffered as a result. This has clearly led to governance coming to a halt in the state, as all efforts of government have been concentrated at soothing the governor’s bruised ego. It is this same obsession that led to the attack on our liaison office in Aba and money meant for developmental projects has been wholly consigned to one form of propaganda or the other with officers of state struggling to outperform each other in this gory drama at ingratiating self to the governor. APGA Abia State chapter calls on the political editors, journalists and media practitioners who have been contracted by the state government for the great makeover, to, while on the assignment, veer off from the well choreographed route and go on their own tour of vital roads like: Ngwa, Obohia,Eziukwu, Omuma, Uratta, Osusu, Ukaegbu and Emelogu, just to mention a few. It is then that the true picture can be ascertained.”

 

 

These areas and beyond are pits of hell! True. But it is only a buffoon that chases the rat while his or her house is on fire. There is no sensible person that would like to be identified with any case of shame be it robbery, scandal, rape, etc., but Orji did. Please, see newspapers of Sunday, 18 March 2012. Orji intervened in the shamefaced Oteh-Reps face-off, whereas his state was crying of abysmal representation and governance.

 

 

No one could tell what Orji wanted to gain in such intervention. Does he want to choreograph it as well? Is this not the case of a man who has lost focus to good governance? Whereas his people of Abia State wanted him to wade into construction and reconstruction of the many decayed infrastructures in the state, but cockily he was here engaging in the rotten smelling face-off between the Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Aruma Oteh, and the House Committee on Capital Market.

 

 

Either that Orji’s aides were not professionals or they wanted to be in the news at every given bad or good opportunity, if not, how could in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ugochukwu Emezue, Orji was calling on both Oteh and the Reps to embrace peace, whereas Abia State had people representing them in the House, and was not at peace at home, either. This is a case of overzealousness of a governor. In the Nigerian parlance, it is called, Busy Body. Ho! Ha!!

 

 

Orji even insisted that Oteh-Reps face-off was the differences that could be reconciled, whereas the act involving the Oteh was condemned by even a neophyte in the discourse of Nigeria when properly explained to understand what the problem was. A snake must beget snake!

 

 

It was only a governor like Orji that could have intervened in such apologetic case of Oteh because she’s from Abia. Hear him: “Having watched with studied silence the development, which seems to have created some verbal exchange between the committee and the DG who is an Abian, it is time to intervene”. You may call him a lawyer, when he added that if the Oteh had made any distasteful proclamation during the scenario, “it was as a result of the way the committee’s chairman handled the issues at stake”. Bad mouthon a bad case!

 

 

He even argued the idea of passing a vote of no confidence on the Oteh, saying that she had a proven integrity. Hmmmmm! If Orji maintained that Arumah Otteh was not the Director-General when the market crashed, then, who can he say is the governor of Abia State that has crashed under his stewardship. Kettle calling pot black? Bunkum!

 

 

We suggest Orji should learn from Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, ex-Governor of the state and his political mentor, whom many ndi-Abia have seen as their choice. In an unconfirmed rating during Kalu’s presidential ambition in 2007, one observer said that we are hungry of Kalu ‘because of some positive changes he had created in his rule in Abia State”, which the observer said include: 1. Proven unity by demonstrating that Christians and Muslims are brothers and sisters. In one of his posters, I saw him wearing Muslim robe. 2. Proven he is coming to bring development in Nigeria by the impact he has been able to create in his rule. 3. Proven he has the knowledge to rule even the world by his involvements in making peace among tribes, villages, countries and lots more. 4. He has proven that he is kind-hearted by so many helps he has rendered to the needy in Nigeria (of which Governor Orji was among the beneficiaries). 5. We know that “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh”, variably, he has made so many promises which he will accomplish if voted for presidency. 6. He has proven that he is a dynamic leader. He has touched many areas for instance, in the development of infrastructure like free medical care, free education in Abia State, even in football excerpt; leading Enyimba Football Association to her great height.

 

 

Just imagine! This is to mention only but a few things that Dr. Kalu has been doing for Nigerians. Kalu has been doing this for a better Nigeria, which has given him a reputable image. Measuring his image with that of Orji anywhere in the world is like measuring Imo Hill with Mount Everest. Kalu represents the latter. What we have got under Orji is such statement as “The state planned to set up three functional Skill Acquisition Academy in each of the senatorial districts for training of unemployed in various trades”. He wants people to go and trade (which is not bad), but only his wards should go to school for hiking school fees in Abia State?

 

 

In earnest, Orji should stop making noise, upon noise and noise and maybe corruption, without good governance. He was supposed to be a blessing in that state, but badly timed, he preferred the opposite, expertising in erecting bullet proof residences, which is not joyous in the real sense of governance and democracy. His, is a bad image.

 

Odimegwu Onwumere, writes from Rivers State. Email: apoet_25@yahoo.com

Abatemi-Usman calls for speedy completion of Abuja/Lokoja/Okene road

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Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman representing Kogi Central Senatorial District has reiterated his call for the quick completion of the dualisation of Abuja/Lokoja/Okene road to ease vehicular movement during festive periods and prevent accidents.

Abatemi-Usman, who spent about 15 hours to travel from Abuja to Okene on Easter Friday due to gridlock, lamented the pains Nigerians are made to go through on the road.

According to the Senator, who trekked for about 30km while actively assisting in the control of traffic, the only solution to the problem is for the Federal Government to ensure that the contractors handling the project are adequately mobilised to complete the dualisation of the road.

In a statement signed by Michael Jegede, the Senator’s Media Assistant, Abatemi-Usman was quoted as saying that, “it is unimaginable the kind of pains the good people of Nigeria are subjected to on this road at every festive periods because of traffic congestion. This is why I think the Federal Government has to see to it that this road is completed in due course. It will equally go a long way in reducing the rate of accidents along the route which has claimed many lives because of its deplorable condition.”

He, however, cautioned motorists to always exercise patience, as according to him, impatience on the part of drivers equally contributed to the hold-up situation.

Governor Orji and the parasites of Abia State

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We the undersigned, who are key officials of the Youth Wing of the All Progressive Grand Alliance in Abia State, wish to bring to your notice how some “parasites” have been feeding fat on the resources of Abia State, with the indulgence of the Governor of the state, Chief Theodore Orji, who does not want to do any good for the state but to pursue his 2015 ambition to become either the vice president or the president of the Senate.
As have been stated very clearly since Orji came into office, there is nothing significant that he has achieved. He has only been spending the state’s resources at the expense of the ordinary citizens who should be benefitting from the dividends of democracy and sharing the money with those he feels could help his ambition to move up the political ladder though he is a failure.
Here is a list of those who are gratified monthly by Governor Orji from Abia State treasury:
General Ike Nwachukwu – N25 million
A former Senate president – N25 million
Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife- N25 million
Chief Chukwu Nwachukwu – N5 million
Chief Obiwa Onwuta- N5 million
Chief Mawu, former member House of Reps – N1 million
Elder Abaelu – N5 million
Senator Uche Chukwumerije- N10 million
Senator Nkechi Nworlu – N10 million
Senator Emma Nwata- N15 million
Chief Orji’s wife and son – N250 million
The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan – N300 million
A journalist, Emeka Obasi – N2.5 million
The Chief of Army Staff – N50 million
Bishop Ikechi Nwosu, the Anglican Bishop of Umuahia – N1 million
Rev. Charles Nbauwuike – N250,000.
Jerry Kalu -N250,000
Chief Joe Irukwu -N5 million
Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe – N10 million
Onyema Ugochukwu –N5 million
Chief Vincent Ogbulafor – N5 million
Igboko Igboko –N200,000
He also gives huge sums of money monthly to security agencies to keep his enemies silent. And they have been doing this perfectly.
Given the background that this is a government that has earned close to $10 billion since coming into office less than five years ago, how do you justify the poverty that has become the lot of our people except for this wastage of our commonwealth? We find this very disturbing especially in the light of the fact that the rest of the money is used by Governor Orji in the purchase of houses in the state and outside it. He is at present removing the roof of the house he recently bought in Umuahia for new fittings that will befit his status,
Yet, Governor Orji has not paid the salaries of civil servants for six months. Most of the projects he is commissioning were projects executed by local government chairmen over five years ago. The bridge he recently commissioned in a higher institution in the state was constructed by the Education Trust Fund.
So, what are we benfitting from this government led by Chief Theodore Orji? Nothing. It is time for him to vacate that seat.
—
Innocent Okechi, President, APGA Youth Wing
Okoro Justice, Secretary General, APGA Youth Wing.
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