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Tag: Abia State

  • 2023: Zoning has come to stay – PDP Chieftain

    2023: Zoning has come to stay – PDP Chieftain

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia, Mr Okechukwu Apugo, says no section of the state would be allowed to scuttle existing zoning arrangement for 2023 governorship election.

    Apugo said this in a statement in Umuahia on Sunday, saying that power shift among the three senatorial districts had come to stay in the state.

    He bared his mind against the backdrop of comments in some political circles that the next governor of the state would not be determined by zoning.

    He said that zoning would help promote greater peace, unity and political stability in the state.

    He, therefore, urged political stakeholders and parties in the state to embrace the principle and objectives of zoning.

    “Power rotation has become sacrosanct and must be respected by all political parties and aspirants in line with the Abia Charter of Equity,” Apugo said.

    He said that it would amount to political betrayal for those that had benefitted from power shift to turn around and campaign against it.

    According to him, the governorship position has rotated among the three senatorial districts in accordance with the spirit of the Charter of Equity and should not be truncated.

    He therefore urged those nursing governoship ambition in 2023 outside Abia North “to wait for their own turn”.

    “Equity demands that power should return to Abia north in 2023 in the interest of peace, unity and fairness,” Apugo said.

    He described those behind the plot to disrupt smooth power shift to Abia north as greedy and selfish and “not having the interest of a united Abia at heart”.

    He warned that any attempt to stop power shift to Abia north in 2023 would breed mutual suspicion and distrust among the various sections of the state.

    He further warned against any “sinister attempt” by any person or group to impose the next governor on the people, stating that “Abia youths will vigorously resist it.

    “The era of godfatherism is gone. We will never allow anybody to impose himself or crony on the state.

    “While zoning must be allowed, we insist that candidates must emerge through due process from their respective political parties,” Apugo said.

  • Boundary crisis: NBC renews vigour to ensure peaceful co-existence between Akwa Ibom, Abia

    Boundary crisis: NBC renews vigour to ensure peaceful co-existence between Akwa Ibom, Abia

    In a renewed effort to establish lasting peace and reduce the fears of hostilities amongst border communities, the National Boundary Commission (NBC) in conjunction with the government of Abia and Akwa Ibom states have convened a confidence building conference.

    The conference is part of the strategies adopted by the NBC to promote strong ties amongst the communities dwellers that would give rise to peaceful coexistence between the states.

    Thd DG of the commission, Surv Adamu Adaji while addressing the conference emphasized the need for collaboration between the sister states in the areas of embracing practices and norms that would lead to enduring peace amongst the warring communities.

    Adaji stated that the inter-state boundary disputes between Abia and Akwa Ibom states dates back to several years this he stated caused the Federal Government to promulgate Decree 23 of 1985 in order to adjust the boundary on the recommendations of the ‘Kaloma Ali Boundary Ascertainment Commission.

    Despite the efforts of the Federal Government, he stated that “the differences in claims and counter claims in the boundary alignment and the general perception of the interstate boundary have tended to create antagonism between the people who have blood relationship.

    “The challenges of these conflicts is posing a major concern to the Federal Government, the National Assembly and all well meaning Nigerians”.

    The Director General opined that dealing with these challenges would require the collective resolve and commitment of all the parties involved.

    He further said that the lingering impasse has unfortunately exacerbated over the years resulting in wonton destruction of lives and property due to the delay in the resolution of the boundary.

    He reiterated that the Federal Government was committed and determined in permanently ending the impasse.

    He added that it is hoped that with this conference which is primarily aimed at propping up sincere, pragmatic result oriented ideas, cooperation would be built amongst the boundary settlers.

    “As a government Agency statutorily charged with the responsibility of resolving boundary disputes, we at the NBC strongly believe in the indivisibility of kiths and kind”. The Commission’s efforts over the years had been to reestablish the boundary in accordance with available documents,” he said.

    He therefore appealed for calm and the support of the affected communities and allow peace for the resumption of the scheduled activities urging that they should be guided as a people with common destiny to live together in unity and love.

    The Abia/Akwa Ibom interstate boundary is one of the volatile boundaries in the country and this has posed a high risk of threat to peace in the area.

    There have been recent reports of conflicts involving the people of Ikot Udo in Ika local government area of Akwa Ibom state and Akrika Obu in Ikea local area of Abia state.

    Also, indigenes of Nkari in Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state have been at logger head with the people of Usaka Ukwu in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia state.

    Participants at the event include the Deputy Governor of Abia state, Hon. Sir Uke Odo Chukwu and his Akwa Ibom counterpart, Mr. Moses Ekpo, who are the chairmen of the boundary committee of their respective states.

    Others are states Commissioners, Aides to the Governors and Deputy governors, Local Government Chairmen, Ward Counsellors, religious leaders, traditional rulers, community leaders, youths amongst others.

  • Two officers killed as hoodlums attack police station in Aba, cart away arms

    Hoodlums on Tuesday, attacked and burnt the Abayi Osisioma Ngwa divisional police station in Abia State.
    According to reports, it was gathered that the hoodlums killed an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and a police Corporal during the attack.The attack took place at 2:30 am on Tuesday when the hoodlums took the police unaware, attacked the station and made away with arms.A police source, who spoke to our reporter anonymously, said that the situation has created more tension in the city, as police officers are now working in fear.

    It was gathered that the Police have restricted movements around the burnt police station which is causing so much tension around the housing estate.

    As it the time this report was filed, the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, is yet to react on the incident.

     

     

  • PDP sweeps chairmanship seats in Abia LG poll

    PDP sweeps chairmanship seats in Abia LG poll

    The Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) has declared the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 17 chairmanship candidates, as winners of the just concluded local government councils election in the state.

    Prof. Mkpa Mkpa, the Chairman of ABSIEC, announced the results on Sunday in Umuahia.

    Mkpa said that the Labour party won six councillorship seats, out of the ten in Ikwuano Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, while PDP cleared all councillorship seats in the remaining LGAs of the State.

    He commended the electorate for the peaceful conduct of the election.

    He further commended ABSIEC officials for their commitment to duty during the election,as well law enforcement agencies for their role in maintaining peace and order during the poll.

    The commission’s chairman said that Clinton Ebere of PDP polled 26,321 votes to emerge winner in Aba South, while Prince Ikonne of the PDP polled 29,851 votes to defeat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) who scored 3,492 votes in Aba North.

    He said Ibe Nwoke of PDP polled 79,640 votes to defeat APC candidate who got 5 votes in Obingwa LGA, Kamalu Christian of the PDP polled 26,820 to defeat the APC candidate who scored 10 votes in Osisioma Ngwa LGA

    “In Ugwunagbo LGA , Nnata Chinasaokwu of the PDP emerged winner by polling 28,800 votes to defeat the APC candidate who scored 120 votes.

    “In Ukwa East LGA, Nwagbara Chuks of the PDP won with 6,235 votes, defeating the candidate of the APC, who polled 135 votes, while Kanu Levi of the PDP polled 9,630 votes in Ukwa West LGA to defeat the the APC candidate, who got 804 votes.

    “In Isiala Ngwa North LGA, Ochulor Chinwendu of the PDP won with 18,323 votes against the APC candidate who got 210 votes, while Anyatonwu Ikechi of the PDP emerged unopposed with 17,465 votes in Isiala Ngwa South LGA.

    “In Arochukwu LGA, Dan Kalu of the PDP emerged unopposed with 15,620 votes, while in Bende LGA, Onwuchekwa Emmanuel of the PDP, scored 33,561 votes to defeat the candidate of the APC who polled 2,320 votes,” he said.

    He said that Ugochukwu Njinkonye of PDP won in Umuahia North with 29,931 votes, Benson Humphery of PDP, polled 11,480 votes to win in Umuahia South.

    “Madu Ifeanyi emerged winner in Umunneochi LGA with 6,971 votes, defeating the APC candidate who got 188 votes.

    “In Isiukwuato LGA, Agbaeze Chimaobi of the PDP scored 15,630 votes to defeat the APC candidate who got 1,200 votes, while Ukaiwe Okoroafor of the PDP scored 28,671 votes to defeat the APC candidate who scored 3,520 votes in Ohafia LGA.

    “In Ikwuano LGA, Mpamaugo Stephen of the PDP emerged winner with 8,720 votes against the APC candidate, who scored 110 votes,” he said.

    Speaking with newsmen shortly, Chief John Okiyi-Kalu, the Commissioner for Information, said that the election will help to boost rural development.

    Okiyi-Kalu congratulated the newly elected leaders and urged them to fulfill their campaign promises to the electorate.

  • Abia doctors threaten strike

    Abia doctors threaten strike

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Abia Chapter, has threatened to go on strike over harassment of its members by security operatives.

    Chairman and Secretary of the chapter, Dr Chimezie Okwuonu and Dr Robinson Ugwuanyi, respectively, made the warning in a statement issued in Umuahia on Friday.

    The duo stated that medical practitioners on duty were being harassed by security operatives even as they were exempted from the 24-hour curfew imposed by Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu

    They called on the state government and relevant agencies to address the development and protect members in the line of duty during the period.

    “We can no longer tolerate the insult from the security agents who have been persistently harassing our members on the line of duty.

    “If the government of Abia and her security personnel do not come up with practical and adequate measures to protect our members in the next 24 hours, we may be left with no choice than to ask our members to stay away from work till further notice.

    “We also call on heads of health institutions in the state to liaise with the state government and security agents to end the harassment,’’ they added.

    The chapter would set up an “Emergency Response Team’’ within the next 24 hours to assist in providing appropriate and timely medical interventions during this period, they stated.

    The chairman and secretary urged NMA members in the state to give prompt attention to wounded victims of the on-going protest and encouraged them to be vigilant and to keep safe as they discharge their duties.

    They declared that the association’s “2020 Physicians Week’’, which was billed to hold from Oct. 19 to Oct. 25 had been suspended.

  • NBC moves to resolve Abia-Akwa Ibom boundary crisis

    NBC moves to resolve Abia-Akwa Ibom boundary crisis

    The Director General of the National Boundary Commission (NBC), Surv. Adamu Adaji has pledged commitment to vigorously pursue and resolve issues of internal boundary between Abia and Akwa Ibom States.

    Surv. Adaji made the pledge on Monday at the Joint Meeting of officials on Abia/Akwa Ibom interstate boundary organised by the NBC in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

    According to a statement by the Head of Information in the Commission, Efe Ovuakporie (Mrs), the meeting was convoked as part of efforts to resuscitate the necessary fieldworks in the Abia/Akwa Ibom boundary.

    Ovuakporie quoted the NBC DG as saying the meeting was also in a bid to restore lasting peace and economic growth to the affected areas in line with the federal government’s policy.

    Speaking at the meeting, the NBC boss noted that all attempts to resolve the issues in the past yielded little or no effect despite the decisions and resolutions reached in the past to quickly define and demarcate the boundaries of the states by the previous governments.

    The Director General maintained that “when agreements on programs are not promptly implemented within a time frame it could portend grave dangers and lead to waste of government scarce resources, time and energy as parties concerned may have to meet again and again”.

    Adaji emphasized that the journey towards the demarcation of Abia/Akwa Ibom interstate boundary started since 2013 and has lingered on till date because of the of lack of will to follow through. This he lamented has stalled fieldwork in the areas and in turn affected the targeted date of completion adding that this has further affected the boundary communities.

    He, therefore, appealed to the different states governments to adequately support the state boundary committees to enable their states to actively participate in the exercise to facilitate the definition and demarcation process.

    In his remarks, the Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Abia state Boundary Committee, Rt Hon. Sir Ude Chukwu who spoke on behalf of the two states urged the NBC’s Director General to use his wealth of knowledge to settle all the lingering boundary disputes between Abia state and all its neighbouring states and bring a lasting solution to the affected areas.

    He noted that both states share common traditions but however lamented that the differences of claims by some border communities have tended to create tension between the sister states.

    He therefore called on the affected border communities to embrace peace and allow fieldworks to continue.

    The deputy governor used the occasion to call on the federal government to give adequate support to the NBC to enable it carry out it statutory function whilst pledging the readiness of the two states to support all the efforts of the National Boundary Commission geared towards the quick settlement of all their boundary issues.

    Other participants at the event include the deputy governor of Akwa Ibom state, Moses Ekpo, Surveyor General of the federation, Surv. Taiwo Adeniron who was represented by the deputy director, internal boundary Surv. Duniya Joseph.

  • ASUP petitions Abia govt. over 20 months unpaid salaries

    ASUP petitions Abia govt. over 20 months unpaid salaries

    The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has sent a petition to the National Human Right Commission over 20 months unpaid salaries by Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia.

    Mr Anderson Ezeibe, National President of ASUP, stated this in a letter addressed to the Executive Secretary of the commission and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.

    Ezeibe said that the governor had refused to pay salaries to its members in Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, for the past 20 months.

    “We are compelled to bring to the attention of the Commission the refusal of the Abia State Government (proprietor of the institution), Governing Council and Management of the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba to honour its contractual obligations to our members in the institution for a cumulative period of 20 months.

    “Our members in this institution covering all teaching staff of the Polytechnic are owed salaries from July 2018 to October, 2019 and from March 2020 till July 2020.

    “This is despite several entreaties to the institution’s management, governing council and the Government of Abia State to pay the accrued salaries.

    ”It is noteworthy to point out that since the escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria in March 2020, the members have not received any salary and have been living in serious discomfort as no form of palliative has been extended to them.

    “Our union sees this development as a violation of the fundamental rights of our members in Abia State Polytechnic, Aba particularly as it affects their rights to just and favourable conditions of work guaranteed by the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.

    “This development also undermines our members’ rights to life and the dignity of the human person clearly captured in Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; and by extension has also adversely affected their dependents access to same rights,” he said.

    The union president said that it was the union’s view that the situation should not be allowed to degenerate further as its members’ rights to adequate health care, shelter and food had equally been violated by the activities of the Abia State Government and Abia State Polytechnic, Aba.

    According to him, “we therefore pray the intervention of the commission in the direction of compelling the Abia State Government and the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba to release the 20 months owed salaries of our members.

    “They are also to ensure forthwith the regular payment of salaries of these staff in line with the terms of their engagement,” he said.

  • Anxiety in Abia as Ikpeazu remains Covid-19 positive, weeks after relocating to Abuja for treament

    Anxiety has mounted in Abia State over the health status of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, who is currently battling Covid-19.

    According to a source who spoke with TNG on the condition of anonymity, the people of Abia State are now worried, especially that Ikpeazu has relocated to Abuja for better treatment and is yet to recover from the deadly virus several weeks after.

    Recall that Ikpeazu’s result came out negative following his test on May 30. However, he submitted another sample on June 4, which turned out to be positive.

    Ikpeazu tested positive to the deadly infection as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reported fresh 67 cases of Covid-19 in Abia state on Sunday, June 7.

    On June 8, the sick governor directed his deputy gov to act on his behalf in a brief statement on Abia State Government’s Twitter handle.

    Before his situation got worse, Ikpeazu had reportedly made attempts to be flown abroad but the restriction on international flights ban in many countries around the world and his positive status of the virus put paid to that move.

    Though he is believed to be in a stable condition at the moment, he is said to still be a long way from full recovery.

  • Abia Govt. declares commercial town ‘red zone’ of Coronavirus

    Abia Govt. declares commercial town ‘red zone’ of Coronavirus

    Abia Government has declared Aba, the state’s commercial hub, a red zone and epicentre of Coronavirus following the number of positive samples emanating from the city.

    Chief Okeiyi Kalu, Abia Information Commissioner, disclosed this on Monday while answering questions during a phone-in programme on COVID-19 update in the state.

    Abia which recorded 15 new cases on Sunday moved to the 16th position, with 166 confirmed infections, on the log of states with highest Coronavirus cases in Nigeria.

    Out of this number only three persons were reportedly nursed back to health and released from isolation centre which Kalu said compounded Abia’s case with very few spaces left for confirmed cases.

    Kalu decried Aba residents’ non-challant attitude to the pandemic adding that they vehemently refused obeying governments’ directives on COVID-19 including wearing of face masks and observing of social/physical distancing.

    He said such attitude threw the city into a grave danger.

    He also blamed churches and mosques for refusing to adhere to simple directives or telling adherents what was right to do.

    The commissioner noted that report coming from Aba Central Mosque, on Hospital road, was very dangerous and worrisome for everyone in the COVID-19 era.

    He said that Abia Inter-Ministerial Committee on COVID-19 had directed the Aba South Local Government Transition Committee Chairman to directly enforce regulations at the mosque on Friday and during other prayer sessions.

    Kalu further said that many health workers in Aba might have been infected with Coronavirus as a result of attending to infected people unknowingly without full protection.

    “At the moment, Abia is having more samples than any other state in the South East which is good, because unless we identify where this problem is coming from, we may not be able to deal with it.

    “We’ve done our mapping by local government and one thing is clear, majority of the new cases are coming from the Aba area and it’s alarming.

    “It looks like all the sensitisation, all the efforts made by the media, have not worked because Aba people continued to violate the regulations with regard to face masks wearing, and social distancing.

    “The churches are part of the problem. It looks like Aba is a red location for COVID-19 infection and all hands should be on deck now to stop the spread there,” he said.

    Kalu expressed regrets that people were busy endangering their lives and others instead of working together to stop the spread of the virus.

    He said that the facts emanating from the level of infection of health workers in the city were disturbing hence the government’s unwillingness to unveil all the facts.

    “The rate of infection of medical workers in Aba is very high, which means that a lot of COVID-19 patients are presenting themselves to hospitals and our medics are attending to them without full protection,” he said.

  • JUST IN: Gov. Ikpeazu goes into isolation after death of Commissioner

    Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has directed members of his inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19, who came in contact with late Dr Solomon Ogunji to undergo test and self-isolate.

    The directive is contained in a statement signed by Chief Okeiyi Kalu, Abia State Commissioner for Information and made available to newsmen on Monday in Umuahia.

    Ogunji was the State Commissioner for Environment before his death on May 24.

    Kalu said the family of the late Commissioner, suspected to have died of hypertension on May 24, was tested for COVID-19 and the result came back positive.

    He said the governor had advised Abia Exco members who had contact with Ogunji, before his death, to also observe self-isolation until they had been tested for the virus.

    “Gov. Ikpeazu, who is still in mourning will also subject himself to all other necessary protocols as he has directed his cabinet members, including the Deputy Governor, to do.

    “We wish to call on all Abians to continue to observe relevant regulations issued by the government and health authorities to stem the spread of the disease,’’ the statement read in part.