Nollywood actor and lawyer, Kenneth Okonkwo has debunked claims that he was disqualified from the governorship primaries of the Enugu state All Progressive Congress.
The outspoken actor noted that what is being circulated is fake.
Okonkwo made this known in a chat with Pulse.
“I want to state categorically that they are fake news. My attention has been drawn to a lot of publications about me since the nomination process of our party APC.I want to state categorically that they are fake news.
“I have not made any statement or granted any interview, political or otherwise, to anybody since the beginning of the nomination process. At the appropriate time, I will make my position known.
“Kindly disregard and discountenance every statement credited to me as the work of mischief makers. Best regards and God bless,” he disclosed.
Back in March 2018, Kenneth Okonkwo, declared his intention to run for the office of governor of Enugu state.
The actor made the announcement on Instagram, sharing photos of himself alongside other APC party members at a function where he made his declaration to run for office.
“Just declared my intention to contest for the governorship candidate of APC in Enugu state.
“It was heartwarming to receive the blessings of the immediate past Governor of Enugu state, His Excellency, Gov Sullivan Chime. To God be the glory.”
Tag: Enugu
-
Enugu APC Primaries: I have not been disqualified- Kenneth Okonkwo
-
24-year-old commits suicide after smoking marijuana
The Police Command in Enugu State has commenced investigation into an incident that led to a 24-year-old man committing suicide after an overdose of marijuana.
The spokesman of the command, SP. Ebere Amaraizu, made the announcement in a statement on Saturday in Enugu.
He said the incident happened on Aug. 22 at Ameke Village in Enu-Oduma Community in the Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Amaraizu identified the dead man as Ebube Chukwu.
He said that Chukwu was reported to have committed suicide after taking his usual and hourly wraps of marijuana, popularly called ‘Igbo’.
“It was gathered that the victim had allegedly committed the act by hanging himself on top of a tree inside a forest at Obokolo, which is between Amorji and Ameke Oduma.
“It was further gathered that the victim was always in the habit of smoking marijuana, which may have caused the unfortunate incident.’’
Amaraizu said that investigation had commenced with a view to ascertaining the actual cause of death.
NAN
-
Enugu will witness transformation under APC, says party chieftain
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Mrs Juliet Ibekaku-Nwangwu, says Enugu will witness accountable and all-inclusive governance under the party ’s administration.
Ibekaku-Nwangwu, who is the Special Adviser to the President on Justice Reform Sector, said this in Enugu while addressing party faithful in the state.
She said that the APC in the state was well positioned to fill the void created by poor representation by political office holders from the state.
The National Coordinator of the Open Government Partnership said that the 2019 general elections would offer residents of the state another opportunity to “ right the wrongs of the past.’’
She appealed to members of the party in the state to carry on with the good governance principles of the Federal Government.
Ibekaku-Nwangwu appealed to the party faithful and others to keep faith with the developmental strides of President Muhammadu Buhari.
She also urged members of the party to be guided by the anti-corruption principles of the present administration.
The current leadership of the party led by Mr Adams Oshiomole, she said, was poised to reposition the party before the 2019 elections.
On an appeal for her to seek election to represent Enugu West Senatorial District, Ibekaku-Nwangwu said she would give it a thought.
She said there were pressures by friends for her to join the senatorial race.
Ibekaku-Nwangwu said though some friends had commenced activities designed to ensure that she would not decline their request to contest, she would respond at the appropriate time.
The presidential aide said that she was more preoccupied with galvanising support to ensure that the party had a successful outing in the 2019 elections at all levels.
-
Enugu Police Command warns Liverpool, Real Madrid fans ahead of UCL final
The Enugu State Police Command on Friday warned fans of Liverpool and Real Madrid football clubs to control their emotions notwithstanding the outcome of the UEFA Champions League final in Kiev, Ukraine.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that large numbers of fans of the two clubs will be watching the European Champions League final live on Saturday at 7.45 p.m. in hundreds of viewing centres in Enugu State.
The Command’s spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, told NAN in Enugu that residents should watch the match bearing in mind that “football is meant for peace and promotion of love’’.
“Do not allow your emotions to cause commotion.
“Football is a game primarily meant to promote peace, love and oneness among people.
“Residents should not turn around the noble objectives of the beautiful round leather game to the negative.
“We are urging all to watch the match and make new friends notwithstanding the outcome as surely one of the clubs must win,’’ he said.
According to him, police personnel will be on ground with constant patrols in the metropolis and its environs to nip any form of disturbance in the bud.
“The police patrol teams will ensure that distress calls are attended to,’’Amaraizu, who is also the Sports Officer of the command said.
-
UPDATED: Explosion rocks home of Nwodo, President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo
The country home of the embattled President General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo at Ukehe in Enugu State, was on Sunday rocked by bomb blast.
Recall TheNewsGuru had published series of reports that Nwodo’s leadership of Ohanaeze has been enmeshed with serious crisis for several months now.
According to the Enugu State Police, the blast emanated from an Improvised Explosive Device, IED, which was thrown into his house by unknown persons from outside his compound.
The explosion, which destroyed part of his building, left the the ceiling and windows of the house shattered.
Media Adviser to the President General, Chief Emeka Attamah, who confirmed the attack said that the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Danmallam Mohammed, accompanied by the Area Commander for Nsukka Police Command and the Divisional Police Officer for Igbo Etiti LGA, were there to inspect the scene of the blast which created a crater in the compound.
Addressing the people who tripped to Chief Nwodo’s home, the Commissioner enjoined them to always be vigilant and to report any strange faces to security operatives.
Danmallam who described Enugu State as very peaceful, wondered why some miscreants would be after the life of Chief Nwodo who he said is only serving his people.
He added that what happened was a sign for the need for greater security around him.
The Commissioner ordered that security be beefed up in and around Chief Nwodo’s compound and promised that the perpetrators would soon be identified and brought to justice.
Earlier, the Commander of the Bomb Disposal Unit, DSP John Aniche, had briefed the Commissioner and Chief Nwodo on the items they collected from the scene, including batteries, pellets and other materials used in preparing the IED.
He said that they would be carefully scrutinised and analysed.
Meanwhile, Nwodo has expressed surprise that anybody would be after his life but added that the incident would not deter him from leading his people.
In his speech, he had thanked the Commissioner of police for his prompt response to the incident.
Also speaking, the traditional ruler of Umudele in U kehe, Igwe Lawrence Aroh, thanked God for saving the life of the President General.
The monarch wondered why some bad elements would constitute danger to others in a country bountifully endowed by nature.
He assured the Commissioner that the people would be extra vigilant and that any such attempt in the future would be nipped in the bud.
The Enugu State Director of DSS, Mrs E A Likiyon, was also at the scene.
-
Police nab suspected armed robber in Enugu, recover stolen tricycle
The Enugu State Police Command said that it had arrested a suspected armed robber, who specialised in snatching tricycle, popularly known as “Keke Napep’’ within Enugu metropolis.
The command’s spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, via a statement issued on Thursday in Enugu, said the suspect was arrested on April 8, and a stolen tricycle recovered him.
He said that the operatives from the Central Police Station, Enugu, acted swiftly after receiving a tip-off from members of the public.
“It was gathered that the suspect alongside his cohorts now at large, had allegedly at gun point robbed their victim of his tricycle with registration number UWN 418 QK at Mbanugo Coal Camp axis of Enugu and escaped.
“ Through a distress call received, police operatives swung into action and gave the hoodlums hot chase which paid off as one of the hoodlums was promptly nabbed while others escaped.
“Recovered from the suspect is the said tricycle,’’ he said.
The spokesman said that the suspect had been helping police operatives in their investigation, while manhunt on the fleeing members of his gang members is continuing.
Police arraign woman for allegedly stealing 7-month-old baby
-
Police confirm 7 persons dead in multiple auto crash in Enugu
The Police in Enugu has commenced investigation into a multiple motor accident that claimed seven lives in Ugwuoba Community, Oji-River Local Government Area, along Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
The Command’s spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, said in a statement on Wednesday that the incident, occurred on Sunday, April 8 at about 8 p.m.
“It was gathered that an articulated vehicle with registration number; KTU 31 XA collided with one Mitsubishi bus with registration number XE 911 JJT.
“The bus in turn hit another Mitsubishi bus with registration number FGG 233 XG, and as a result, both vehicles crash landed on the truck.
“No fewer than seven passengers were confirmed dead including an eight-month-old baby who later died at a nearby hospital during medical attention,’’ he said.
Amaraizu noted that the identities of the deceased persons were yet to be ascertained.
According to him, other victims who sustained various degrees of injuries were rushed to Salvation and Faith Hospitals in Oji River for treatment.
“The deceased bodies have been deposited at the General Hospital Mortuary in Oji River,’’ he added.
NAN
-
Police arrest suspected herdsman with AK-47 in Enugu
The Enugu State Police Command says it has arrested suspected cattle herder with one AK-47 riffle and 7.62 ammunition at Isigwe Ugbawka community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, said in a statement in Enugu on Saturday that the suspect was arrested on April 4 at a farmland in the area.
“The suspected herder is now helping the police operatives in their full scale investigations,’’ he said.
He said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Danmallam, had visited the community where he commended residents for their timely and useful information which led to the arrest and arms recovery.
Amaraizu said that the police boss used the occasion to further release all the state command’s distress/emergency numbers to further strengthen police-public partnership.
Responding, Chairman, Nkanu East Local Government Area, Ikechukwu Ubagu, said that “there is no tension in the area as farmers are still in their various farmlands’’.
“The council is assuring the commissioner of its continual partnership with the police,’’ he said.
-
Police investigate fire outbreak in Enugu timber market
The Police Command in Enugu State has begun investigation into the fire outbreak in the Enugu Timber market which destroyed goods worth millions of Naira.
The command’s Spokesman, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu that the command had already deployed a team of investigators to the scene of the incident to unravel the cause of the inferno.
Amaraizu said the command had also deployed some police patrol teams from the Uwani Division to constantly patrol the market and its adjoining streets to ensure that hoodlums did not cause further loss.
“The command has deployed patrol teams and a detachment of mobile policemen to the market to ensure that hoodlums and criminals do not wreak havoc on any stall in the market.
“We are still continuing with our deployment of police personnel on ground and on patrol especially our patrol teams from Uwani Division and other nearby divisions,’’ he said.
The spokesman assured traders not affected by the incident of the safety of their goods in the market.
In a related development, the South-East Amalgamated Market Traders’ Association (SEAMATAS) has sympathised with the affected traders, their families and the Enugu State Government.
The President-General of SEAMATAS, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, told NAN that the union thanked God that no life was lost in the inferno.
“We are saddened that this incident befell our members at this financially critical time.
“SEAMATAS is appealing to Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to, as a matter of urgency, come to the aid of these traders and give them some palliatives,’’ Ezenwankwo said.
-
2019: Enugu APC endorses President Buhari for 2nd term
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Enugu State Chapter, on Sunday, endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office as the 2019 General Elections draw close.
The party equally passed a vote of confidence on the president and Dr Ben Nwoye, led executive committee of the party in the state.
The unanimous decisions were taken during the state’s APC’s enlarged State Executive Council and stakeholders meeting held at the party’s secretariat in Enugu.
Addressing the executive members and stakeholders, State Chairman of APC, Dr Ben Nwoye, said that the party would field candidates in all elective positions in 2019.
According to Nwoye, the Lion Building (Enugu Government House) is our target, and in doing that, we must also make ensure that President Buhari gets the highest votes that will be cast in the state.
“We have the power and all it takes to confront the PDP in 2019,’’ he said.
He, however, cautioned against sabotaging the plans of the party by some members.
“If there is anybody here who will support the election of a PDP candidate, this is not the place for you, you should leave us; what we want is purely candidates of APC extraction.
“We must drop our egos and focus on winning elections in the interest of the party,’’ he said.
Nwoye used the occasion to appeal for peace in the party and apologized to party faithful whom he might have offended during the crisis in the state.
“I tender unreserved apology to those I may have offended by my words and actions.
“By the same token, I have forgiven those who offended me through their conducts. These include those who filed false cases against me in the DSS, EFCC, courts, among others,’’ he said.
In his remarks, the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, (VON), Chief Osita Okechukwu, called on the party in the state and South East to support President Buhari for a second term in office.
“We need to vote for President Buhari in 2019 because it is the closest possible gateway to Igbo presidency in 2023,’’ he said.
“What the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership could not do for the South-East throughout its 16-year leadership was now being done by the APC government.
“Ndigbo have hope in APC, if we support President Buhari to complete a two-tenure in 2023; Ndigbo will have golden opportunity to produce the president because equity and justice will be on our side,’’ he noted.
The immediate past Governor of Enugu State, Mr Sullivan Chime, stressed the need for members to embrace peace; saying: “APC does not have the luxury of crisis’’.
Chime applauded the decision of the APC NEC to extend the tenure of its national leaders noting that it would have been the opportunity for enemies to scatter the party.
“As things are now, what is before us is more important,’’ he said.
On the choice of the party’s governorship candidate, the former governor said it was necessary to choose credible candidates that would deliver.
“I pray that we won’t have difficulty in choosing who will be our governorship candidate in 2019,’’ he said.