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Tag: Abia State

  • Headache for LP as Tribunal fires 3 HoR members , orders rerun

    Headache for LP as Tribunal fires 3 HoR members , orders rerun

    The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia North local government area, the Abia State capital, on Monday sacked three House of Representatives members elected on the platform of the Labour Party (LP).

    A panel of the tribunal led by Justice Adeyinka Aderebgbe, sacked the member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal constituency Mr. Ibe Okwara Osunwa, for non-compliance with the electoral act 2022, in a petition filled by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC ) in the election, Chief Daniel Okeke.

    The tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Osunwa and issue a new one to Okeke.

    Another panel led by Justice Hajaratu Hajjo Lawa nullified the election of Munachim Alozie, representing Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency.

    The court also ordered for a rerun within the next 90 days according to the constitution.

    The tribunal noted that the LP candidate was declared winner in error and therefore cannot stand.

    Reading out the judgement, Prof. Muhammad Mahmud on behalf of the three-man panel headed by Lawal, said the number of lead of the LP candidate was more than the number of voters who were disenfranchised in some polling units that collected their Permanent Voters Cards.

    The candidate of the Young Progressives Party, Ibe Michael Nwoke, had approached the court after the declaration of Alozie as winner of the February 25th elections demanding its nullification.

    Nwoke prayed the court to among other things nullify the election of LP’s Alozie as he was not duly elected and his election invalid based on the margin of lead.

    While counsel to YPP’s candidate adjudged the ruling as fair, the LP’s counsel insists on appealing the case.

    Another panel of tribunal nullified the election of the member representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency Mr Emeka Nnamani, for certificate forgery.

    The tribunal declared the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA) in the election Chief Alex Ikwueche as the winner of the election and ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Nnamani and Issue a new one to Ikwecheghi.

  • Abia Govt dismisses report on sack of 10,000 workers

    Abia Govt dismisses report on sack of 10,000 workers

    The Abia Government has dismissed a report on the sack of 10,000 civil servants.

    The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, made this known in an interview with news men in Umuahia on Wednesday.

    “The report on the sack of Abia workers by Gov. Alex Otti is fake and unfounded,” he said.

    He said that the government introduced certain measures to address the issue of ghost workers, adding that in line with its agenda to sanitise the civil service removed names of ghost workers from the payroll of the government.

    “Some workers whose names were thrown up during the verification embarked upon by government as illegally employed were affected too.
    “This group, comprises of those who were illegally employed from December 2022 up until March and April this year,”Kanu said.

    He said that some of the civil servants that fall in this category had their appointment letters backdated.

    “The employment of these individuals can be best described as surreptitious and a bait used to pile underserved pressure on the present administration, adding that no responsible government would allow such a situation to continue,” he said.

    Kanu also said that there were no waivers applied in the employment of workers from December to April.

    He said there are established processes for the employment of workers into the Civil Service in Abia.

    He said that due process was not followed with regards to the employments and urged the people of Abia to disregard the fake story about the alleg sacking of 10’000 Abia workers.

    Kanu said that the commitment of the state government to the welfare of the workers both those working now and the retired ones, remains unwavering, and further, reiterated the resolve of the government to pay all salaries and pension arrears.

  • FG discovers illegal crude oil connection in Abia

    FG discovers illegal crude oil connection in Abia

    An oil theft situation assessment delegation deployed in the Niger Delta by President Bola Tinubu discovered an illegal oil connection on Saturday.

    From the illegal connection discovered at Owaza in Abia, Nigeria loses an average of 7.2 million dollars monthly, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. stated on Sunday.

    It added that clandestine refineries, illegal bunkering operations and environmental devastation the team saw collectively translated into severe economic losses for the nation.

    The delegation, led by the Minister of Defence, Malam Muhammed Badaru, has service chiefs, and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri as members.

    Other members are the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperipe Ekpo, the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, and the Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd., Malam Mele Kyari.

    Also in the team are Commander of “Operation Delta Safe’’, Rear Adm. Olusegun Ferreira, operatives of security agencies and chief executive officers of regulatory agencies in the oil and gas sector.

    The team visited the Trans-Niger Pipeline Right of Way in Owaza, Abia where an array of dismantled illegal connections were observed.

    “We are ready to do whatever it takes for a peaceful Niger-Delta. Cease and desist from crude oil theft and economic sabotage,’’ Malam Badaru advised at the site.

    In his remarks, Kyari said while oil theft in vessels could be tracked, oil-bearing communities must play a vital role in curbing oil theft within their communities.

    “Oil theft is one of the reasons why Nigeria cannot meet her OPEC daily production quota,’’ he said.

    Also speaking at the site, Chief Security Officer of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Ltd., Mr Patrick Godwin, said some arrests had been made and culprits arraigned.

    In his comments, Ribadu applauded security agencies, community security contractors, and NNPC Ltd. for stepping up the fight against oil theft and economic sabotage.

    “The environment and livelihoods are being destroyed while the federation is deprived of revenue capable of shoring up the economy and strengthening the Naira,’’ he said.

  • Asset recovery: How Ikpeazu is making desperate efforts to stop probe by panel- Otti

    Asset recovery: How Ikpeazu is making desperate efforts to stop probe by panel- Otti

    The governor of abia state, Alex Otti  has revealed how his predecessor, Okezie Ikpeazu, is allegedly making desperate efforts to avoid probe by procuring court order to stop the Judiciary Panel on the Recovery of Government Properties and Funds belonging to Abia State.

    Otti in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kazie Uko, said:”Twice, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) former Governor had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja for ex parte order to restrain the Judicial Panel, from doing its work, but on the two occasions he was rebuffed by the courts.”

    The statement reads:”The two attempts were rejected because he failed to put the state government on notice as directed by the courts.

    “A source conversant with details of the two futile moves by Ikpeazu puts it in proper perspective:

    “Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, the immediate past Governor of Abia State, had instituted Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/907/2023 DR. OKEZIE IKPEAZU & 3 ORS VS GOVERNOR OF ABIA STATE & 8 ORS in the Abuja division of the Federal High Court and same was assigned to his Lordship Hon. Justice Omotosho J.

    “In that suit, Dr. Ikpeazu sought (by way of an Ex-Parte application) to secure an Ex-Parte order to restrain a Judicial Panel of Enquiry set up by the Government of Abia State to recover government properties and funds. His Lordship Hon. Justice Omotosho J. refused the Ex-Parte application insisting that the respondents be put on notice.

    “He immediately withdrew the suit and filed a fresh one FHC/ABJ/CS/945/2023 Ikpeazu Vs INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE (IGP) & 8 ORS which was assigned to His Lordship Hon. Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who, also refused the Ex-Parte application to restrain the proceedings of the panel and gave the Claimant 2 (two) days to put the respondents on notice. He once again quickly withdrew the suit

    “It is obvious that by withdrawing both suits and also refusing to put the Abia State Government on notice as directed by the court, it is clear that this is a subterranean exercise and patent manifestation of bad faith and a desperate attempt to use the court as a shield for the alleged criminal activities of his administration in Abia State.”

    Otti who vowed to recover every dime stolen from the state, said that his predecessor had not given up on his desperation to avoid probe.

    “We have it on good authority that Ikpeazu is shopping for another court that would possibly give him the order to stop the probe.“

  • Just in: Abia gov suspends HoS, all Perm Secs

    Just in: Abia gov suspends HoS, all Perm Secs

    Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has suspended the state Head of Service (HoS), Mr Onyii Wama, and all permanent secretaries in the state.

    This is contained in a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Kazie Uko, and made available to newsmen in Umuahia, on Thursday.

    It states, “following the inauguration of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on the Recovery of Properties and Funds belonging to Abia State Government, the Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has directed the immediate suspension of the Head of Service (HOS) and all Permanent Secretaries in the State civil service.”

    It states that the Clerk of the House of Assembly, Mr JohnPedro Iroakazi and the Solicitor General Mrs. Uzoamaka Uche-Ikonne were exempted from the suspension.

    It directed the suspended permanent secretaries to hand over to the most senior directors in their respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

    The statement revealed that Otti had approved the appointment of Mrs Joy Maduka, a director in the Ministry of Education, as the acting Head of Service.

    Credit: PM NEWS/NAN

  • It’s wrong to say Ikpeazu left nothing for Otti – Iroha

    It’s wrong to say Ikpeazu left nothing for Otti – Iroha

    A former media aide to former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Ikechukwu Iroha, has said that it is wrong for the administration of Governor Alex Otti to say that his former boss left only debts without leaving any cash or near-cash assets behind.

    Iroha, who claimed he decided to speak out, said he needed to do so not because of anything but to carry out personal unsolicited intervention just to put the records straight to the best of his knowledge.

    According to him, at the time of Ikpeazu’s exit from office, the state was not owing any commercial bank including temporary overdrafts, adding that Ikpeazu paid off all.

    “Abia State under the watch of Dr Ikpeazu invested $5,000,000.00 in Geometric Power Company. That’s a near-cash asset”, he stated.

    “As of Friday, 9th June 2023, the state received Twenty-Four Billion Naira (N24,000,000,000.00) through the Nigeria Governors’ Forum as part of a total of N48b standing to the credit of the state. The money was earned under the watch of Dr Ikpeazu.”

    Iroha said that Ikpeazu’s administration perfected a Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000.00) World Bank facility at a 0.06% interest rate with 10 years repayment moratorium for the construction of more than 500km roads including extremely dilapidated Port Harcourt Road, Aba.

    He added, “The implication is that the current administration can commence drawing down on that facility from day one to construct critical roads in Abia State and will not have to repay the money over the pendency of its tenure, assuming it is up to 8 years.

    “African Development Bank facility of Two Hundred Million Dollars ($200,000,000.00) processed by the Ikpeazu administration is also ready for the new administration to access for construction of rural roads.”

    Iroha said that while the Ikpeazu administration superintended over the state for most of May 2023, it is the current administration that will receive the FAAC allocation for that month.

    He said that similar to the above, internally generated revenue for the month of May 2023 is also available to the new administration.

    “Prior to the exit of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu from office, Abia State Government and the office of the accountant general of the federation reconciled their accounts with N6,000,0000,000.00 standing to the credit of the state.

    “What that also says is that the Ikpeazu administration was not owing the federal government but rather it was FGN that owed the state. The current administration has access to that additional fund of N6b.

    “While we are still expecting the new administration to give the detailed composition of the alleged debts left behind by the Ikpeazu administration, it is safe to say that they are mostly long-term development facilities, contractor debts and possibly outstanding payments to pensioners and salary earners.

    “It is my candid view that the new administration in the state can smoothly take off and service state liabilities with what it has without screaming or yelling.”

  • Abia state police command rescue abducted Chinese national

    Abia state police command rescue abducted Chinese national

    A Chinese national Mr Li Peiyin, who was abducted by gunmen in Abia state has been rescued by men of the state police command.

    The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka, confirmed the release on Wednesday

    He said that the Chinese national,  abducted on May 31, was rescued by a joint security team in good condition on Monday.

    Peiyin, who was the site Manager of a quarry in Lokpanta, Umunneochi Local Government Area, was driving in a Caterpillar without security escort when he was abducted.

    Chinaka said that the joint security team had sustained a manhunt for the abductors.

  • Gov. Alex Otti freezes State accounts, dissolves boards, makes appointments

    Gov. Alex Otti freezes State accounts, dissolves boards, makes appointments

    Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has directed the immediate freezing of all the State Government accounts and those of agencies domiciled in banks and other financial institutions in the country.

    Otti’s directive is contained in a statement issued in Umuahia on Tuesday by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma.

    Ekeoma stated that with the notice, “all banks and other financial institutions in the country are directed to immediately cease from honouring any cheques, documents, instruments or directives of any kind not expressly approved by or emanating from him”.

    He also stated that the governor directed the immediate dissolution of all boards of the government agencies and parastatals and subsequently ordered the chief executives of those organisations to hand over to those next in line to them.

    Otti, a former bank chief, assumed office on Monday, May 29, as the fifth democratically-elected governor of Abia on the platform of the Labour Party.

    Ekeoma further disclosed that the governor had approved the appointment of Prof. Kenneth Kalu as the Secretary to the State Government.

    Other appointments include Dr Caleb Ajagba (Chief of Staff to the Governor), Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo (Special Adviser, HealthCare Delivery Services), Ferdinand Ekeoma (Special Adviser, Media and Publicity).

    The rest are Mr Kazie Ukoh (Chief Press Secretary to the Governor), Mrs Njum Onyemenam (Accountant General) and Mr Ogbonnia Okereke (Head, Special Taskfore on Emergency Cleanup of Aba & Umuahia).

    According to the statement, all the appointments take immediate effect.

  • What Alex Otti said after swearing in as Governor

    What Alex Otti said after swearing in as Governor

    Dr Alex Otti of Labour Party (LP) has been sworn in as the fifth democratically elected Governor of Abia State.

    Otti was sworn in by the Abia Chief Judge, Justice Lilian Abai, at exactly 12:31p.m. after his Deputy, Mr Ikechukwu Emetu, took oath of office by 12:11p.m.

    The swearing-in took place at the Umuahia Township Stadium in Umuahia on Monday.

    Otti, who had in 2015 and 2019 contested to become Governor of Abia on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), was able to clinch the position on his third attempt on the platform of the LP.

    Otti, a native of Nvosi community in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of the state, scored 175,465 votes to defeat his closest rival, Chief Okey Ahiwe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who had 88,529 votes during the March 18 governorship election.

    In his inaugural speech, Otti said that he was committed to  bequeathing a better Abia to his successor, adding that task forces had been set up to evolve a vision and roadmap for further development of Abia.

    He said that his emergence as governor marked the beginning of an era of rebuilding the values, infrastructure and fiscal coffers of the state.

    “Today I stand before you, my good people of Abia State, to declare once again, boldly that in line with my campaign theme you should ‘Weep No More, Help is Here’.

    “My task is to dry your tears and help you to rediscover who you are and lead you back to the pathway of sustainable growth,  development and prosperity,” he added.

    He said that his administration would establish a harmonious relationship with the legislative and judicial arms of government, considering their roles as critical to the  success of the government and prosperity of Abia.

    He said the state government would work with the media,  traditional institutions, faith-based institutions, to build harmony and understanding in the state for the good of the people of Abia.

    Otti said that under his watch, as Governor of Abia, there would be zero tolerance for corruption and  Abia Government would not be a “government of excuses”.

    “We have a treasury that has been criminally ravaged to the extent that we have an alleged N50 billion in unpaid salaries, gratuities, and pensions.

    “Our local and foreign debt overhang is reported to be in the region of N200 billion, in addition to other debts to contractors.

    “We have a poorly motivated workforce, extreme youth unemployment, collapsed physical infrastructure, a terribly frail primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare delivery system.

    “These are in addition to a broken educational system, urban waste disposal crisis and a large army of citizens, especially civil servants who feel blatantly betrayed by successive administrations that wilfully and unconscionably abandoned them.“

    Otti extended an arm of fellowship to members of opposition political parties and urged them to join him in delivering good governance to further improve the standard of living in Abia.

    He commended the officials of the  Independent National Electoral Commission (lNEC) that showed courage and commitment to preserve democracy and ensured that the will of the electorate prevailed.

    Otti thanked Mr Peter Obi, the LP Presidential Candidate and the party’s leadership for projecting the ideals of transparent and good governance.

    He also thanked the people of Abia for their support and promised to serve the people of Abia and  meet their high expectations.

    The dignitaries that graced the event included Dr Ahmed Datti, LP Vice Presidential Candidate, Mr Julius Abure, National Chairman of LP, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, former Vice President of Nigeria.

  • Abia Governor-elect, Otti not sacked by court – Aide

    Abia Governor-elect, Otti not sacked by court – Aide

    Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Abia Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti, on Friday, urged the public to disregard the purported sack of his principal by a Federal High Court in Kano.

    Ekeoma made the request while reacting to the media report at a news briefing in Umuahia.

    He described the judgment of the court as “baseless, unfounded and misleading”.

    He further described the process as a “legal coup”.

    He said that “the perpetrators were not courageous enough to confront Otti in the open.

    “Otti was never joined as a party for fear that his eminently qualified lawyers would take the perpetrators to the cleaners,” he said.

    Ekeoma further said that the court did not issue any Order on Abia LP candidates nor Otti “because it was conscious of its powers and careful not to fall into the booby trap set for it by the perpetrators”.

    “The court specifically stated in Clause 9 of the judgment that the candidates that participated in the election in Abia are not parties before this court and as such the court lacks the jurisdiction to make an order for the issuance of Certificate of Return to them.

    “The Federal High Court in Abia had entertained similar cases as  pre-election matters involving some PDP candidates versus LP candidates, and  the matters were adjudicated upon to the Supreme Court.

    “In all the cases, LP won at the Federal High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

    “The case brought by the petitioners is a pre-election matter and under Section 285(14)(a) of the Electoral Act, the petitioners have no locus standi as they were not  aspirants in LP,” he said

    He also argued that the Court  in Kano lacked the jurisdiction over Abia, arguing that it was impossible for any decision emanating from it  to have effect on Otti.

    Ekeoma urged the people not to panic.

    “Otti in the next few days will be sworn in as governor to enable him to commence the process of rebuilding the state.

    Recall that a section of the media reported that the court, presided over by Justice M.N Yunusa, nullified the candidacy of all those that participated in the 2023 General Elections on LP’s platform in Abia and Kano.

    The suit was filed by one Ibrahim Haruna against LP and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

    The court had ruled that the LP’s failure to submit its membership register to INEC within 30 days before its primaries, amounted to a violation of the Electoral Act.