TheNewsGuru

Tag: East

  • Zone presidency to South-East for fairness, national healing, Adeyanju urges Buhari

    Zone presidency to South-East for fairness, national healing, Adeyanju urges Buhari

    Activist Deji Adeyanju has written to President Muhammadu Buhari on the need for the ruling government to zone the 2023 presidency to the South-East region of the country in the spirit of fairness and equity.

    Adeyanju who made the call in an open letter he personally signed and released to newsmen on Wednesday urged Buhari to use his influence in positioning a consensus All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential candidate of Igbo extraction as he did in the case of former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu who emerged the chairman of the party on consensus arrangement.

    He added, “It is inexcusable that the Igbos have been denied a shot at the highest office in the land for so long. Additionally, picking a presidential candidate from the South East will go a long way to disabuse the mind of the citizens of the anti-Igbo perception currently being associated with your name. It can therefore be said that President Buhari did what any of his forebears failed to do!”

    The letter reads: “OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI ON THE NEED TO ZONE APC’S PRESIDENTIAL TICKET TO AN IGBO PERSON

    “As a preliminary point, please accept my commendation for your leadership role in the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries. Considering the almost Siamese relationship between political parties and governance in the country, it was a huge relief to note that the two leading political parties successfully conducted their respective conventions and elected national officers without crisis.

    “As you may be aware, the Independent National Electoral Commission recently released the timetable for electioneering activities towards the 2023 general elections. By the said timetable, all political parties would have picked their presidential candidate not later than 2nd June 2022. Sequel to the above, it is common knowledge that the APC has zoned its presidential candidacy to Southern Nigeria.

    “However, I am using this medium to urge you to leverage on your influence in the party towards zoning the office of the president to a candidate from the Igbo Tribe of Nigeria, whether from the South East or South South of the Nation. I am sure that your highly successful template of electing a consensus APC party chairman can be deployed towards electing a consensus APC presidential candidate of Igbo extraction.

    “There are numerous reasons why a presidential candidate from that part of the country is most ideal at this time of the nation’s development. Since General Aguiyi Ironsi’s unfortunate demise in 1966, no person of South Eastern extraction has governed Nigeria. Sadly, this undeniable and systematic exclusion has created a largely subconscious and increasingly permanent feeling of disenchantment amongst the Igbos. In a country where tribe and ethnicity continue to play important role in our daily affairs, it is inexcusable that the Igbos have been denied a shot at the highest office in the land for so long. Additionally, picking a presidential candidate from the South East will go a long way to disabuse the mind of the citizens on the anti Igbo perception currently being associated with your name. It can therefore be said that President Buhari did what any of his forebears failed to do!

    “Furthermore, the Igbos are known for their business acumen. An Igbo presidential candidate will be able to repair our badly damaged economy and continue the path of restoration that you have started. In addition to the foregoing, our country needs national healing. We cannot heal our fault lines if we continue to deny one region the right to produce a president. Since 1999, the Yorubas have occupied the office of the president and vice president for 15 years. They have also been Speaker of the House of Representatives for 8 years. It will, therefore, amount to a great injustice for a Yoruba candidate to succeed you in office and stay for another 8 years. Indeed, if a Yoruba person were to succeed you in office, that would mean they would have been President for a period even more than the entire northern Nigeria since our return to democratic government.

    I understand that a lot of pressure is being mounted on you, at this time, to pick political convenience over national unity. However, I am optimistic that you will use this opportunity to repair your legacy and retire as a respected elder statesman.”

    Nigeria needs an Igbo president in 2023!

  • IPOB accuses Imo State govt of creating unknown gunmen

    IPOB accuses Imo State govt of creating unknown gunmen

    The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Wednesday accused the government of Imo State, under the watch of Hope Uzodinma, of creating unknown gunmen.

    IPOB further accused the Imo State govornor of presently using Ebubeagu security outfit to accomplish his aims “to eliminate our innocent citizens and youths in the state”.

    According to them, members of the Eastern Security Network, ESN, are not unknown gunmen.

    The group opined that southeast governors created unknown gunmen to demonize the group, ESN, and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    IPOB asserted that its militia arm has no hands in the recent attack at the Isu Local Government Area Divisional Police Headquarters by unknown gunmen.

    A statement by IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful reads: “We, the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wish to reiterate once again to the general public that IPOB volunteers and ESN operatives are not unknown gunmen contrary to allegations by the Nigeria Army, Police and DSS agents.

    “We have warned Nigeria security agencies to stop linking ESN operatives and IPOB volunteers or members with the hoodlums behind the kidnappings and snatching of cars in the region.

    “It is absolutely clear to all and sundry that Nigeria Government and security agencies and their evil politicians created the unknown gunmen in the region particularly in the Imo State because the state government wants to demonise IPOB and our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    “I wish to reiterate once again to the general public that IPOB volunteers and ESN operatives are not unknown gunmen contrary to allegations by the Nigeria Army, Police and DSS agents.

    “We have warned Nigeria security agencies to stop linking ESN operatives and IPOB volunteers or members with the hoodlums behind the kidnappings and snatching of cars in the region.

    “It is absolutely clear to all and sundry that Nigeria Government and security agencies and their evil politicians created the unknown gunmen in the region particularly in the Imo State because the state government wants to demonise IPOB and our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    “We have also, severally explained that our ESN operatives stay in the bushes and forests safeguarding our mothers, wives and sisters who have been the victim of rape and killings by Fulani terrorists masquerading as herdsmen.

    “ESN had no hands in the recent attack at the Isu LGA Divisional Headquarters of Police by unknown gunmen. Those attacking them are those they created to demonise IPOB and its leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    “Ironically, the monster they created to destroy ESN has turned around to hunt them. They should leave IPOB and ESN out of their problems.”

    Ebubeagu is now the major cause of death in Imo State. They were recruited and given orientation to harm our people and blame it on IPOB and ESN. But they will not succeed in this evil mission.

    “Nigeria police should go and look for those who attacked them at Isu LGA, not IPOB. The worst thing is that they know where those attacking them are staying but they keep on mentioning IPOB and ESN members.

    “We are well ahead of them, and police cannot humiliate us with their fallacious and laughable allegation and media trial. We cannot accept that garbage.”

  • INEC declares PDP candidates winners of Rivers East, West Senatorial election

    INEC declares PDP candidates winners of Rivers East, West Senatorial election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Sen. Thompson Sekibo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the Rivers East Senatorial Election.

    Mr Edwin Enabor, INEC Head, Voters Education and Publicity in the state disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Port Harcourt.

    Enabor said Sekibo won the election held on Feb. 23 after polling 283,759 votes.

    He said Mr Apiafi Jocelyn of the PDP also won the Rivers West Senatorial poll with 159,215 votes.

    Enabor also declared Mr Dagogo Fara of the PDP, winner of Degema/ Bonny federal constituency election with 30,422 votes.

    Others are Mrs Nwankwo Promise of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who won the Oyibo state constituency seat with 26,675 votes.

    Mr Anthony Soberekon of PDP who won the Degema constituency seat with 10,976 votes, Mr Bariene Deleyah of PDP who won in Khana 1 seat with 64,269 votes and Mr Prince Ngbor of the PDP who won the Khana 11 seat with 39,681 votes.

    He said the state House of Assembly outstanding supplementary election would hold on the April 13.

    He said the election would hold in 20 polling units in Opobo/ Nkoro, 47 polling units in Ahoada West among others.

  • Patronise Eastern ports to decongest Lagos ports – NPA advises importers, exporters

    Patronise Eastern ports to decongest Lagos ports – NPA advises importers, exporters

    The Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) has appealed to importers and exporters to patronise ports in the Eastern flank of the county to decongest ports in Lagos.

    The NPA’s Managing Director, Mrs Hadiza Bala-Usman, made the appeal at the NPA Special Day at the ongoing 29th Enugu International Trade Fair in Enugu on Saturday.

    Bala-Usman said that patronising the Eastern ports would reduce trucks traffic on Lagos roads as well.

    ‘‘I wish to use this medium to appeal to importers and exporters to patronise the ports in the Eastern flank of the country, namely: Warri, Rivers, Onne and Calabar ports as this will decongest the ports in Lagos,’’ she said.

    The managing director said that NPA had remained resolute in its drive to ensure that the nation’s ports remain safe, secure and customer-friendly, while delivering efficient port services.

    ‘‘I am glad to inform you that NPA is implementing with vigour, the Presidential Order on Ease of Doing Business in the nation’s ports.

    “This is with a view to eradicating all bottlenecks to business transactions in the nation’s seaports.

    ‘‘We will like port users and stakeholders in the nation’s maritime sector to take advantage of this development,’’ Bala-Usman said.

    She maintained that the authority had continued with its vision statement of being the leading port in Africa and making our seaports a pride of the nation in service delivery.

    ‘‘We have made improvement in our port infrastructure, navigational aids and channels with 24 hours port operations, both for berthing of vessels and discharge of cargo,’’ the managing director said.

    Bala-Usman said that NPA had been adhering to policies and strategies as they affect ports operations in ensuring speedy clearance of cargo, improved infrastructure and equipment.

    She said that the authority would continue to improve intermodal transportation systems to encourage speedy transfer of goods from the sea ports.

    ‘‘We anticipate that government’s policies geared toward the diversification of the Nigerian economy will make our ports to attract transshipment of cargoes, which will help to boost our revenue,’’ Bala-Usman said.

    Earlier, the President of Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Chief Emeka Udeze, commended NPA for always partnering with the chamber to educate members of the public on port operations and the ease of shipping their goods.

    Udeze said: ‘‘We are not unmindful of the various measures to decongest out ports.

    ‘‘We say that a lot still need to be done, because importers, especially from this part of the country are still experiencing undue delay and unwarranted bureaucracy in clearing their goods at the ports.

    ‘‘We don’t know when the apportioning of blames amongst operators in the sector will cease.

    ‘‘We believe that what we need to do is to evolve more pragmatic and proactive approaches in resolving these negating issues in the maritime sub-sector, which have continued to be clogs in the wheels of our progress and development.’’