TheNewsGuru

Tag: Anambra State

  • PDP rejects Anambra LG election results

    PDP rejects Anambra LG election results

    The Peoples  Democratic Party(PDP) Anambra Chapter has rejected the outcome of the Saturday Local Government Council elections in the State. Chief Chigozie Igwe, the chairman of PDP in Anambra said this in an interview on Awka on Monday.

    Mrs Genevieve Osakwe, Chairman,  Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), Sunday night declared chairmanship and councillorship candidates of  ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) winners in the 21 local government councils and 326 wards.

    Osakwe while declaring the results described the election as free, fair, credible and peaceful.(

    Nut Igwe, who described, t he exercise as a charade said the PDP did not boycott the election like other political parties did, adding that it, therefore was on good stead to deplore its outcome.

    The PDP chairman said the party was still studying the detail of the exercise, vowing that PDP would challenge it.

    “They gave us one month to prepare for the election, within the period we sold forms, screened nominees, conducted primary, campaign and met all the conditions.

    “But on election day, ANSIEC sent materials and officials to where they liked, no result was released to anywhere including Zikdton primary school, Nza Ozubulu where I voted.

    “They conducted a charade I’m the name of election, so we are rejecting whatever result they released,” he said.

    Igwe said the PDP would ensure that the autonomy of the local government areas in Anambra was not compromised.

    He said that local government funds should be applied at levels for the development of the communities.

    “Local government autonomy has come to; we will make sure any chairman who misuses local government money is prosecuted and sent to jail

    “As the leading opposition party in Anambra, the PDP is going to stand for the people and ensure that the principles of layers of government are  respected,” he said.

  • Why we will not use BVAS for Anambra LG election – ANSIEC

    Why we will not use BVAS for Anambra LG election – ANSIEC

    The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) says it would not use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), for the Local Government elections on September 28.

    Mr Anthony Nnalue, Commissioner in charge of Information and Logistics, ANSIEC, made the disclosure at a sensitisation programme organised by the International Peace and Civil Responsibility Centre (IPCRC), on Thursday in Awka.

    The programme was organised for accredited election observers and media personnel.

    Nnalue said that the BVAS was unreliable following disappointing performance of the device in previous elections in the country. He said the commission would deploy manual accreditation, saying that it was more reliable.

    “We will not use BVAS but manual. BVAS is not reliable; it has distorted the electoral process in Nigeria. We do not want a situation where election results are tampered,” he said.

    Nnalue also assured early arrival of election materials, saying the era of delayed arrival of material was over in the state. He said that non sensitive materials were already on the way to the local government councils and 5,720 ad-hoc staff have been trained to conduct the elections across the state’s polling units.

    ”We are fully prepared and ready for the Saturday election, in terms of security, materials and other logistics.

    “Elections will not be held in Nnewi South, Orumba South and Idemili South. Voters from those areas will be voting at the council headquarters. We do not want to risk the lives of both officers and voters.

    “We urge the electorate to come out en masse and vote, your vote will count,” he said.

    Also speaking, Mr Chris Azor, Coordinator of IPCRC, urged politicians and electorate to be vigilant and shun vote buying, violence, gender discrimination, and over-voting.

    Azor called on security agencies to maintain neutrality while respecting human rights and the rule of law. He also announced that the organisation would establish a Situation Room in Awka for real-time coordination and reporting.

    “As accredited observers, we are committed to ensuring a free, fair, credible, and peaceful local government election in Anambra state,” he said.

  • BREAKING: Gov Soludo declares free education in Anambra

    BREAKING: Gov Soludo declares free education in Anambra

    Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has announced free education for students of public senior secondary schools in the State. Soludo made the announcement in Awka during a meeting with principals and head teachers in public primary and secondary schools.

    Recall that Governor Soludo had on September 21, 2023 announced free and compulsory education from nursery to junior secondary in public schools in line with his Solution Free Education policy.

    Speaking during the meeting with principals and head teachers in public schools on Thursday, Soludo noted that from next week, the free education policy would be available to students of senior secondary in public schools.

    He said this would further increase children’s access to education and ensure effective development of their personality, talents, mental and physical abilities.

    “I want to assure you that even with the resource constraint; our administration will continue to work very hard to deliver on its mandate. I am giving a directive that students in senior classes, who have already paid their N5,000 tuition fees for this term should be refunded,’’ he said.

    He reiterated his administration’s dedication to human capital development and promised to continue making strides in this area. Soludo also said that the government would commence payment of the N70,000 minimum wage in October.

    “We remain committed to investing in our people and this new minimum wage and free education initiative are testaments to our resolve. This move is expected to have a significant impact on the lives of workers and students in Anambra, improving their standard of living and access to quality education,’’ he said.

  • APGA will sweep Anambra LG election – Gov Soludo boasts

    APGA will sweep Anambra LG election – Gov Soludo boasts

    Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has expressed confidence in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) securing a landslide victory in the 28 September council elections.

    Soludo, also APGA’s National Leader, said this at the APGA mega rally held in Awka on Saturday.

    He noted that out of nine contesting parties, only APGA fielded candidates for all 21 chairmanship and 326 councillorship positions.

    Soludo stated, “APGA is fully prepared for the elections, and I assure you, there is no opposition or competition to challenge us.”

    He urged residents to vote en masse for APGA, promising free, fair, and transparent elections.

    APGA National Chairman, Sly Ezeokenwa, highlighted Anambra’s 18 years of progress under the party, urging voters to ensure continuity by supporting APGA.

    In his remarks, Former National Chairman, Victor Oye, described the candidates as men and women of integrity who would deliver.

    A symbolic presentation of the party flag was made to the 21 chairmanship and 326 ward councillorship candidates.

  • Unknown gunmen strikes, kill three policemen in Anambra

    Unknown gunmen strikes, kill three policemen in Anambra

    A group of unknown gunmen on Monday bombed a police station in Anambra State, leaving over three policemen dead in the process.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the incident occurred at Orumba South Local Government Area of the State.

    Joint Security Force, including the Military, Police, Navy, Civil Defence, and Vigilance groups, arrived the scene, recovering five unexploded bombs.

    Reports indicated that the assailants, suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), were attempting to enforce the Monday sit-at-home order when they clashed with security personnel.

    While eyewitnesses reported three fatalities and additional injuries, Tochukwu Ikenga, the spokesperson for the state police command, confirmed that two policemen were killed in the attack.

    He said, “The Joint Security Forces comprising of the Police, Army, Navy, Civil defence and other Security Agencies recovered five unexploded improvised explosives and are on the trail of arsonist and armed successionist group members, who in the early hours of today 16/9/2024 attacked the Umunze Police Station.

    “The suspected Armed Proscribed Group invaded the Police Facility with improvised explosives, shooting sporadically and fire caught part of the Station.

    “Unfortunately, two of the Police Operatives on duty during the gun battle in a bid to resist the assailants from causing more havoc paid the supreme price. Their bodies have been recovered and taken to the morgue.”

  • Labour Party to boycott council polls in Anambra East

    Labour Party to boycott council polls in Anambra East

    The Labour Party (LP) in Anambra East Local Government Area (LGA) has threatened to boycott the September 28 Local Government Elections in the area. The LG Chairman and Secretary of the party, Mr Chidi Chinwuba and Mr Onyeka Aghadiuno, made the threat in a statement issued in Awka and made avaliable to newsmen on Friday.

    The statement urged the public to disregard any list published by the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) that included any LP candidate in the LGA. According to the statement, the list did not originate from the party. It explained that LP neither conducted any primaries to nominate candidates nor submitted any names to ANSIEC.

    The two party chieftains, therefore, charged the commission to delist any flag bearer purportedly on LP’s platform for the polls in the area. They further threatened legal action against the commission should it go ahead to publish any LP candidates’ names in the area for the exercise.

    “LP Anambra East Chapter wishes to disassociate itself from the September 28 LG elections in the state. The party, through its rightful leadership, has issued a statement that we, as a party, are not participating in the election. The general public is hereby urged to disregard the list published by ANSIEC as the names attached to the LP in Anambra East did not originate from the party,” they stated.

    They further warned that “anyone dealing with these individuals does so at their own risk,” adding that the party in the area would not be held liable for any negative occurrences. They alleged that including the party’s candidates for the polls by ANSIEC “suggests a desperation to involve parties in an already compromised election.

    “Those responsible for this are mischief makers seeking to deceive the innocent and law-abiding citizens of Anambra East LGA and Anambra State,” the statement added.

    It further disclosed that the state chapter of the party was already in court, challenging the election process, hence, will not participate in the exercise.

    ANSIEC Chairperson, Mrs Genevieve Osakwe, had on September 11 released the final list of qualified candidates for the council polls. Osakwe said that the candidates and political parties for the elections should begin their campaigns, adding that the list of candidates had been published as required by the Electoral Act.

    She urged the public to visit ANSIEC headquarters or the LGAs to verify the names of the candidates contesting for various positions. She assured Anambra electorate that the election would be free, fair and credible.

  • Frustrated wife, children beat 75-year-old man mercilessly in Anambra

    Frustrated wife, children beat 75-year-old man mercilessly in Anambra

    A 75-year-old man, Mr Romanus Obidigwe has ran to the Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare for help over the constant physical abuse by his wife, Esther Obidigwe, a middle-aged lady, and her two children, Ozioma and Obuka.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the Anambra State Police Command arrested Esther Obidigwe and her children  in response to a report filed by the victim, Obidigwe.

    Recounting his ordeal at the Women ministry, the retired senior public official, Obidigwe claimed  he had suffered greatly at the hands of his wife and children, including sexual denial.

    “My family has been in the habit of beating me. In this particular incident, my daughter, Ozioma, sold my firewood without my consent and when I accosted her, she, her mother and brother pounced on me, tied me up, and used a rod to inflict injuries on me.

    “It took the intervention of a neighbour before they stopped, after which they locked me out of my compound.

    “They have since stopped feeding me which I accepted in good faith, yet, they usually steal from me, especially my first son. He even went to the extent of claiming my benefits at the Local Government Area I retired from.

    “Just for peace to reign, I submitted to my wife’s compulsory ‘no sexual relationship’ from the year 2000 till date’’, he said.

    Responding to the claims, the victim’s first son, Obuka, denied being present when the act occurred, while his wife, Mrs Esther Obidigwe, admitted to the crime.

    The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Ify Obinabo, in response, condemned the act and promised to ensure justice for the victim, saying that her ministry was established not just for women and children, but also for the social welfare of all people.

    The commissioner stated that the suspects had been turned over to the police for further investigation and possibly prosecution.

  • LG election: APGA aspirants ask for fresh primaries in Anambra

    LG election: APGA aspirants ask for fresh primaries in Anambra

    Some chairmanship aspirants of the All  Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra, has urged  Gov. Charles Soludo of the state, to call for fresh primaries for the area.

    The three aspirants — Mr Chukwuma Akajiobi, Mr Onyebuchi Obi and Promise Egbeji — made the plea on Thursday in Onitsha at a meeting. They alleged imposition of the incumbent Transition Chairman, Mr Emeka Orji as APGA chairmanship candidate for the Sept. 28 local government elections in the state at the primaries.

    Addressing the crowd at the meeting, APGA aspirant, Akajiobi, pleaded with Soludo to dismiss claims of conduct of primaries that purportedly brought out Orji as winner. He noted that there was no APGA primary, rather it was an alleged imposition of Orji.

    “Our governor is a product of democratic process. We plead that primaries be conducted for us in Onitsha South Local Government prior to the council poll. We commend the governor for his commitment in delivering democracy dividends through strategic infrastructural development to good people of Onitsha South,” he said.

    Another chairmanship aspirant, Obi, also alleged imposition, urging the stakeholders at the meeting not to relent in their support for democracy. He said that the nomination of Orji for the forth coming local government election was not democratic.

    In his contribution, Egbeji, who is also a chairmanship aspirant, explained that he had touched a lot of people in the local government through his foundation. Egbeji stressed that his aim for aspiring for Onitsha South Local Government Area chairmanship seat was to support the Anambra government by taking the message of “Solution Government” to the grassroots.

  • Labour Party threatens to boycott Anambra LG election

    Labour Party threatens to boycott Anambra LG election

    Labour Party (LP) Publicity Secretary in Anambra State, Mr Theo Egbe has said the party will not participate in the September 28 local government area election scheduled to hold in the State. Egbe said that the party would also challenge the electioneering process in court over alleged inability to abide by the electoral guidelines. Egbe said this in an interview in Awka on Thursday.

    “Labour Party will not play alongside the identified irregularities which is inability to follow provisions of the Electoral Act when conducting council polls. The state’s  template for the proposed election should be inline with  the Independent  National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines for conducting elections,” he said.

    Egbe said that areas in the amended act which regulated conduct and management of political parties, party disputes and collation, was worrisome and; these among others,  were  reasons why the party would  boycott the election. He urged the government to reschedule the election to meet with INEC election standards which entailed providing fair play-ground for all contestants.

    The LP scribe alleged that the party state office was sealed on Aug. 27 without prior notice or notice of offence committed by the party. Egbe alleged further that the party offices located at the Udoka Housing Estate in Awka were sealed off by suspected agents of the state government.

    He, however, appealed to LP members, supporters, sympathisers, stakeholders and Anambra people not to take laws into their hands. But the Special Adviser to  Gov. Charles Soludo on Political Matters, Dr Alex Obiogbolu, refuted the LP claims on sealing of the party offices.

    Obiogbolu said that the matter was a case between the state housing corporation and the landlord of the place, having nothing to do with the state government. He advised the party to excuse the state government and address its challenges instead of heaping blames on the state government.

  • Anambra govt seals APGA faction secretariat

    Anambra govt seals APGA faction secretariat

    The Anambra Government on Tuesday sealed the state secretariat of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) faction loyal to Mr Edozie Njoku.

    Mr Tony Ezekwelu, Deputy National Chairman, South East of the party, who represented the Njoku faction of the party, told journalists that the APGA led-government of Anambra was trying to intimidate them.

    He said: “We came here this morning and people were going about their normal duties and coming to buy their expression of interest forms for the forthcoming local government election.

    “Around 10:00 a.m, a team from Anambra Housing Development Corporation came and sealed off our office.

    “Luckily, I was here in Anambra  because I have been around on official duties to monitor the sale of expression of interest forms.

    “When we asked them why, they said it is an order from above and that the reason was that this place is originally meant to be residential area and we converted it to party secretariat.

    “This place has always been used for party business and we are just the recent people using this. Too many politicians have used this place and we are not the owners of this property, so we have reached out to the owner of the property,” he said.

    Ezekwelu said they moved into the building two months ago and they were not served any eviction notice.

    “We know that this is political and the intention was just to intimidate us, so we did not obstruct them. We allowed  them to perform  their duties because we are law abiding people.

    “We view this as an act of intimidation and suppression. This is impunity.

    “But for the records, Njoku faction of APGA remains the most authentic, and we are ready to accommodate others,” he said.

    Reacting, Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra, described the crisis in the APGA party as a minor family misunderstanding, which would be settled soon.

    Soludo said: “Under our leadership, APGA has never been stronger than what it is today.

    “You asked this question about crisis because of the things you see in the media about our party but I know that things like these are normal in the  run-up to election.

    “I know someone else is claiming that he is the national chairman of the party, and that is through a court order, and I have not seen that court order myself.

    “This is just a family problem that will be sorted out soon and sooner than later, everyone will come into the same big tent. I do not see any division in APGA,” he said.