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Tag: Ikpeazu

  • Why I’m running against Ikpeazu again in 2019 – Otti

    Dr. Alex Otti, a former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the 2015 general elections in Abia on Friday declared his interest to run again in 2019.

    Otti, a former banker and renowned financial expert, told a mammoth crowd of his supporters at the Ngwa High School, Aba, venue of the formal declaration, that he would seek election as governor in order to restore Abia to the path of growth and socio-economic development.

    “I have decided to contest again for the governor of the state because the Pharoahs of Abia must be forced to let Abians go free.”

    Otti debunked the rumour that APGA had two factions, saying that it was sponsored by the enemies of Abia and APGA.

    He gave a detailed narration of how the mandate given to him in 2015, was allegedly stolen but warned that such daylight robbery would never happen again.

    He appealed to the electorate, especially the youths, to rise to the challenge and defend their vote in 2019.

    “You all should rise to defend your vote. This is a collective responsibility. When you do your bit and we do our own bit, it will be impossible for anyone to rig the election.”

    Otti said that the outcome of the election in Ekiti last Saturday showed that it had become difficult for anybody to rig elections in Nigeria again.

    According to him, “the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has improved on the electoral process and has made it difficult for anybody to rig elections again.”

    He decried the inability of the Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu-led administration to address the infrastructure deficit in the state and ensure regular payment of pensions and salaries.

    In his speech, the former National Chairman of APGA, Sen. Victor Umeh, said that it was obvious that Abia people gave their mandate to Otti and APGA in 2015.

    Umeh alleged that the mandate was stolen but assured the electorate that the 2015 experience would not happen again.

    He said that APGA was strategic for Ndigbo because it was the only party that would bring enduring development to the area.

    “Igbo land must be made better through the placement of respected and upright men and women in positions of political leadership in the zone.”

    He urged the Abia electorate to be vigilant in 2019 “so that you do not allow the electoral robbery of 2015 to repeat itself.”

    The Deputy Governor of Anambra state, Dr. Nkem Okezie, who represented Gov. Willie Obiano at the rally, thanked the Abia people for their relentless support to Otti and APGA.

    Okeke promised that the people and government of Anambra would rally support for the party in Abia in order to ensure its victory at the polls in 2019.

    The state Chairman of the party, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, said that the party would leave no stone unturned in 2019 “to reclaim its stolen mandate.”

    He said that the party would put an end to godfatherism in Abia as it did in Anambra.

    “This is to ensure that the state moved forward like its sister-states in the South East.

  • Supreme Court affirms election of Ikpeazu, fines Nwosu N4m

    The Supreme Court on Friday in Abuja dismissed an application filed by Mr Friday Nwosu, praying the court to disqualify Mr Okezie Ikpeazu as democratically elected governor of Abia.

    Nwosu, a governorship aspirant in the 2014 PDP governorship primaries had challenged the nomination and emergence of Ikpeazu as the state governor on the grounds that he submitted “false’’ tax papers to INEC.

    He had urged the court to nullify the election of Ikpeazu and declare him (Nwosu) the governor of Abia.

    Justice Amina Adamu-Augie, in the lead judgment, described the appeal as “frivolous and lacking in merit’’.

    The Justice awarded fine of N4 million against the appellant (Nwosu) to be paid N1 million each to four respondents to the appeal.

    The respondents in the suit are Mr Samson Ogah, the Peoples’ Democratic Party, (PDP), Ikpeazu and the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).

    The lead judgment was read on behalf of Justice Augie by Justice Sidi Bage.

    Nwosu had, in his appeal, challenged the judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri which declined jurisdiction in the case.

    The appellate court panel of five Justices presided over by Justice Jimi Bada had ruled that it lacked the jurisdiction to hear and determine the appeal.

    Specifically, the court held that Nwosu’s appeal was similar to the suit also filed against Ikpeazu by Uche Ogah which the apex court had decided on May 12, 2017.

    Nwosu, who contested the Dec. 8, 2014 PDP governorship primaries had accused Ikpeazu of submitting false information and fake tax documents to INEC.

    He had instituted the suit at the Federal High Court, Owerri, presided over by Justice A.L. Lewis.

    Justice Lewis had on July 8, 2016, dismissed the suit for lacking in merit.

    Dissatisfied with the verdict, he proceeded to the Court of Appeal and finally, the Supreme Court.

  • Proposed Enyimba Economic City will be Nigeria’s Dubai – Ikpeazu

    Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State on Saturday affirmed that the proposed Enyimba Economic City in Aba will be Nigeria’s “Dubai”.

    Besides, he said that the “City” would be a business community that would close the economic gaps in the South-East and South-South.

    Ikpeazu, who disclosed this when he featured at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja said the economic city which he described as “audacious project’’, would be private sector-driven.

    “The Enyimba economic city is conceptualised and designed to close the gap in terms of the economy of Port-Harcourt and that of Aba.

    “They are two economically energetic centers in the South-East and South-South.

    “If we close the gap, it means that there is a fusion and there will be an explosion in terms of creating a new hub that can compare with what you see in Dubai today.

    “When I started my campaign about “made-in-Aba, after a while we changed gear and I said I have moved on from made-in-Aba to “make-in-Aba’’.

    “Whether we like it or not, the white man now knows that Aba people and Abia people and Nigerians are capable of producing things.

    ‘’So, we are now saying come and make, come and produce in Aba; we have created an environment that we can beat our chest and say is good enough.

    ‘’Abia is the third safest state in Nigeria today; that is what the Police report says.”

    The governor said that infrastructure that would be provided in the city included narrow gauge railway line that would link Abonima wharf and Onne wharf in Port-Harcourt to Aba.

    He said that the city is situated on a gas basin, adding that Abia was richer in gas deposit than oil.

    The governor said the city would also entail the creation of an entertainment center, a manufacturing hub, residential areas, ultra-modern hospitals and school.

    This, he explained, were designed to ensure an integrated city that would give investors opportunity to do business and export the products they would be manufacturing.

    “We are looking for 11 anchor companies and about four or five have indicated interest and we are encouraged by the response we are getting from China and other parts of Asia.”

    Ikpeazu said the Enyimba economic city also had the potential of becoming the most attractive and viable export processing hub in Nigeria.

    “It is driven majorly by Crown Realities and they did the concept design as they did in Singapore.

    “It has one other unique factor which is that it is not owned by Abia Government, because there is a law in the state today that it is entirely private sector-driven enterprise which will outlive my administration.

    “So, anybody coming to invest has the comfort of the assurance that even if he is quarrelling with the governor, he can still do business in the city.

    “We are bold to invite Nigerians to come and own a piece of the cake; it belongs to them,” he said.

    On a similar project, Obuaku Economic City, abandoned about 15 years ago, the governor said the project failed because the conceptualisation was bad.

     

  • NJC condemns Ikpeazu’s removal of Abia Chief Judge, suspends acting CJ

    The National Judicial Council has condemned and described as illegal the removal of the chief judge of Abia State,Theresa Uzokwe, by the state’s House of Assembly last week.

    The council also queried and suspended Obisike Orji, the newly appointed judge (acting).

    The regulatory body, NJC, made its decision known in a statement on Wednesday.

    The statement reads in full:

    PRESS RELEASE

    National Judicial Council declares the suspension of Hon. Justice T. U. Uzokwe, Chief Judge, Abia State unconstitutional.

    It queries and suspends the State sworn-in Acting Chief Judge.

    The National Judicial Council under the Chairmanship of the Honourable, Mr. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, GCON, at its Emergency Meeting which held today, 31st January, 2018, considered the recent suspension of the Abia State Chief Judge, Hon. Mr. Justice T. U. Uzokwe and the swearing-in of Hon. Mr. Justice Obisike Orji as the Acting Chief Judge of the State by Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu and agreed that the decision to suspend the Chief Judge and the swearing-in of an Acting Chief Judge without the input of the National Judicial Council is unconstitutional, null and void.

    It noted that its attention had been drawn to the crisis in Abia State Judiciary by petitions written against Hon. Mr. Justice T.U. Uzokwe and the one written by the Chief Judge against Hon. Mr. Justice C. U. Okoroafor, but in the course of the investigation by the Committees set up by Council, some elderly Judicial Officers of Abia State Judiciary waded in and pleaded with the Committees to allow the matter to be resolved amicably by them, which was granted by Council at its plenary.

    At the last Meeting of Council which was held on 6th December, 2017, Council directed the Committees to continue and conclude with the petitions before them if there were no reports of the settlement by the peace makers. While this was going on, the problem escalated and Council was informed of the suspension of Hon. Mr. Justice Uzokwe and the swearing-in of Hon. Mr. Justice Obisike Orji as the Acting Chief Judge.

    In view of the foregoing, Council resolved as follows:

    1) The suspension of the Chief Judge of Abia State by the State House of Assembly without a prior recommendation by the National Judicial Council violates the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    2) Consequently, the subsequent act of appointing and swearing-in of Hon. Mr. Justice Obisike Orji as the Acting Chief Judge is invalid for being unconstitutional.

    3) Furthermore, the conduct of Hon. Mr. Justice Obisike Orji in presenting himself to be sworn-in raises potential questions of misconduct that Council is now looking into.

    4) Council therefore resolved to query and suspend the Hon. Mr. Justice Obisike Orji pending the outcome of its investigation.

    5) In view of the recent escalation, Council, in the interest of the smooth administration of justice in Abia State, resolved to direct the Chief Judge, Hon. Mr. Justice T. U. Uzokwe, to stay away from duties pending Council’s final decision after consideration of the report of its Panels.

    6) In the prevailing circumstance, whereby the National Judicial Council has directed the Chief Judge not to perform his duties, and the next most senior Judge is suspended, the Governor of Abia State shall appoint Hon. Mr. Justice Onuoha Arisa Kalu Ogwe, the next most senior Judge to act as the Chief Judge of Abia State, pending Council’s final resolution of the matter.

    SOJI OYE, ESQ.

     

  • SERAP calls on Abia governor to restore suspended CJ

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has threatened to take appropriate legal actions to seek remedies if Justice Theresa Uzokwe is not restored as the Chief Judge of Abia.

    In a statement on Sunday in Lagos, the human rights group said that it would employ the National Judicial Council (NJC) and United Nations special procedure mechanisms to seek justice.

    It called on the state Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu to withdraw appointment of Justice Obisike Orji as the Acting Chief Judge of the state and restore Justice Theresa Uzokwe as the Chief Judge.

    In the statement signed by its Deputy Director, Mr Timothy Adewale, SERAP described Orji’s appointment as illegal.

    The Abia House of Assembly had on Jan. 26, passed a resolution suspending Uzokwe over allegations of misconduct.

    The house led by Mr Chikwendu Kalu set up an eight-man ad-hoc committee to investigate allegations.

    Kalu asked Ikpeazu to appoint an acting chief judge pending completion of the committee’s investigation.

    SERAP said that suspension of Uzokwe without the involvement of the NJC was unlawful.

    “The purported suspension of Justice Uzokwe violates Sections 292 (1)(a)(ii) and 21(d) Part 11 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

    “It amounts to a blatant attack on the integrity and independence of the judiciary.

    “No judge anywhere in Nigeria can be removed without the involvement of the NJC no matter the level of allegation of misconduct against that judge,’’ it said.

    SERAP also claimed that suspension of Uzokwe was politically motivated, and cautioned that it would set a bad precedence for other state governments.

    It added that Uzokwe’s suspension constituted a threat to the independence of the judiciary.

    “The benefits of the integrity of the judiciary should never be supplanted by the temerity and excessiveness which political powers often breed.”

    “An independent judiciary is the foundation upon which the entire structure of our constitution rests.

    “The suspension of Justice Uzokwe is a serious threat to this independence, and any impression that this principle is being improperly eroded should be directly and speedily addressed,’’ it said.

    According to SERAP, a judge is in no sense under the direction of the executive.

    “The judiciary is in a place apart, and constitutionally independent.

    “It is of supreme importance, not only that justice be done, but that litigants before the court and the public generally understand that it is being done and that the judge is beholden to no one but God, his or her conscience and the judicial oath.

    “The framers of our constitution sought to establish the judiciary’s independence and remove undue influence by both the executive and legislative branches by prescribing due process of law for removal of judges,” SERAP said.

    The rights group said that restoring Uzokwe would be consistent with the 2012 Supreme Court decision in the case of Raliat Elelu-Habeed and another versus Attorney General of the Federation and Attorney General of Kwara State.

  • Herdsmen saga: Ikpeazu rejects colony proposal by Nigerian government

    Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has rejected the Federal Government’s proposal of establishing colonies for cattle herders in Abia State.

    Ikpeazu stated that Abia state will not cede any part of her territory to Fulani herdsman as colony for cattle.

    The governor, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Enyinnaya Appolos,said, ”We reject any plan to establish cattle colonies for herdsmen in Abia State.

    “We don’t have enough land for our agricultural activities and our people want more land.

    “Giving away any part of Abia land as a colony to herdsmen, wherever they may be from, will be most unjust and unfair treatment to Abia State and her people who are largely farmers.

    “Such alien land occupation will also cause unrest and crisis that may grow beyond what we can handle when it happens, so the best thing I think we should do is to reject such plans so that those behind it will know that Abia State is not party to it.”

  • 2019: I won’t seek re-election if I fail to achieve my goals for Abia state – Gov Ikpeazu

    Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, says he would only seek re-election in 2019, after successful completion of projects initiated by his administration across the state.

    Ikpeazu disclosed this while speaking in a political programme “Osinachi”, at the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia monitored in Aba on Friday.

    “There are a few things which I am saying if we are able to finish by the grace of God, in the future I would think that we can answer the call to seek for re-election in 2019,’’ he said.

    He named some of the ongoing projects as the construction of Ifeobara basin, the reconstruction of Arochukwu road, the Osisioma interchange as well as the revival of the School of Nursing in Aba.

    Ikpeazu said that since leadership is linked to achievements in office, he can be sure of matching any other candidate after completing the projects.

    He said that government had so far invested about N325 million towards upgrading facilities at the Enyimba Stadium with a view to making it “world class’’.

    Ikpeazu said two billion naira had been released to Setraco Construction Company for the reconstruction of the Aba-Port Harcourt road, adding that his administration had also done well in promoting made-in-Abia goods by patronising the products.

    He said that his administration had also recorded successes in its agricultural projects especially in Aba which was aimed at improving the life of the people.

  • Abia Governor hails NDDC’s new spirit of collaboration

    The Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has commended the Board and Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission for imbibing a new spirit of collaboration in the development of the Niger Delta region.

    Governor Ikpeazu spoke when members of the Board and Management of NDDC paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Umuahia on Monday.

    The visiting NDDC team included the Chairman of the Governing Board, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, the Managing Director, Mr. Nsima Ekere, the Executive Director Finance and Administration, Mr Mene Derek, the Executive Director Projects, Engr. Samuel Adjogbe, and other directors of the Commission.

    Governor Ikpeazu declared: “We are excited by the new spirit in the NDDC. There seems to be a reinvigoration and a new spirit. People now see NDDC in a better light. The previous experience where NDDC projects are looked at with suspicion appears to be over. ”

    “We are happy with the work the present board and management of the NDDC is doing. The expectations of Nigerians are very high knowing the pedigree of the Chairman and the Management team.”

    The Governor said he was excited by the vision of the new board. “I assure you of the full cooperation of the people of Abia State. We will tell the story that this NDDC Board and Management are running a new agency of development.” he said.

    Governor Ikpeazu said that interactions with the stakeholders in the Niger Delta should be more regular, as it would make for better collaboration in the execution of projects. When we collaborate, we will get better results,” he said.

    He made a special case for the Ohanko-Aba Road, which he said was critical to the state.

    The Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Senator Ndoma-Egba told the governor that the Commission was working with a new attitude of cooperation and collaboration.

    Senator Ndoma-Egba said that one of the first decisions taken by the board was to make a case for the re-activation of all dormant organs of the Commission. One such important organ, he said, was the Advisory Committee made up of all the governors of the NDDC member states and two other members appointed by Mr. President.

    Senator Ndoma-Egba noted that it was necessary to revive the Advisory Committee because the NDDC must work with the government of the member states to ensure that they took ownership of its projects and programmes, as well as check the duplication of projects.

    The NDDC Chairman said that the Commission was going around to meet with governors because, according to him “we are now operating with a new spirit of partnership. We must move the region forward, and we can only do this by cooperating.”

    He stated that it was necessary to revive the Advisory Committee because the NDDC must work with the government of the member states to ensure that they took ownership of its projects and programmes, as well as check the duplication of projects.

    The Chairman said: “we believe that our projects must be monitored, not only by us but, by outsiders. We want to earn the confidence of our stakeholders. That is why we are auditing our systems to ensure that we are transparent.

    “We are thinking beyond oil, because oil is a finite resource and we all know that one day it will dry up or it will be overtaken by technology. So we have started the process of setting up a Niger Delta Development Bank. We must begin to see how we can fund development in the region from sources other than oil,” he declared.

    Senator Ndoma-Egba said that the Commission was also preparing to build an Internet Network across the Niger Delta, stating that NDDC must be futuristic in planning for the development of the Niger Delta “We want to ring the region with a fibre optic network to deepen internet access,” the Chairman said.

    He said that the Commission was implementing an innovative 4-R strategy which entails: “Restructuring the balance sheet which currently has about N1.2 trillion worth of on-going projects; Reforming the governance systems to ensure that as an organization we comply with extant rules and regulations and prevent mistakes of the past from recurring; Restoring the core mandate of the Commission by ensuring we have a properly prepared set of Master Plans for the 9 States; Reaffirming our commitment to doing what’s right and proper”.

     

  • Shoot your movie in Abia, get N10m bonus, Ikpeazu tells NFC

    As part of the efforts to develop tourism sites and promote tourism potential in Abia, the state Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has pledged N10 million as grant for any film shot in the state.

    Ikpeazu made the pledge when he received Dr Chidia Maduekwe, the Managing Director, Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), in his office in Umuahia.

    A statement signed by Mr Brian Etuk, the Head of Public Affairs, NFC, in Jos on Friday, quoted the governor as saying that the production `should be 100 per cent shot in Abia.’

    The statement said that the governor charged film practitioners to improve on the quality of their production so as to compete with the global market.

    It stated that Ikpeazu promised that his administration would participate in the capacity building offered by NFC, saying that Abia played a key role in the revolution of the market and sales of Nollywood movies which has had multiplier effects on the nation economy.

    “We have a policy to open up our market to genuine investors, private and public agencies amongst others through promoting `Make in Abia` instead of Made in Abia, proliferating more industries in the state,’’ the statement quoted Ikpeazu.

    The statement said, Maduekwe had commended the governor for approving office accommodation for the organisation’s South-East Zonal office in the state.

    It noted that Maduekwe said the gesture would create more employment opportunities for the youths, saying that corporation was also working toward establishing two more zonal offices in the North-East and South-South.

     

  • I don’t know where Nnamdi Kanu is – Gov Ikpeazu

    Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, has said that he does not know the whereabouts of the missing leader of the now-outlawed secessionist group, Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.

    Kanu who is standing trial for treason, is expected to be in court today, October 17th, for the resumed hearing of the case.

    Governor Ikpeazu while speaking to newsmen in Abuja at the weekend, said it would be unfair for anyone to ask him of Kanu’s whereabouts.

    “I don’t think that is a fair question. I don’t have the capacity to determine where Kanu is. I have never visited him. I have never called him on phone and he has never taken me into confidence as to what he does, where he goes.
    So, those who are close to him would answer. I don’t have the capacity to monitor him and know where he is, maybe Journalists through investigative journalism will know.” he said
    Speaking further, the governor said the people of the South-East believe in Nigeria more than any other part of the nation.

    “Fundamentally speaking, I think that if the question we ask in this country today about whether there are inequalities, whether there are gaps or there are people who don’t feel that they have been fairly treated either as an individual or as a family or as a geopolitical zone, the answer is yes.

    There is agitation in the northeast, there is an agitation in the south west, of course there is agitation in the south east but I dare say that there is no other ethnic group in this country that has as much faith in the Nigeria as a country, one united country than the people of the south-east, that is why they are in Sambisa.

    You can count how many big businesses belonging to the southwesterners that are in Aba. You can count how many big businesses belonging to the people from the northeast, north-west, north-central that you can find in Owerri.

    You cannot find a four-storey building belonging to somebody from the northeast anywhere in the south-east. But if you go to Kano, you don’t count three hotels before you count that of somebody from the south east. What it means is that we are the people that have demonstrated faith in the united Nigeria’.
    Continuing, the governor said “Post war experience is that everybody started receding and then we started moving everywhere and then at the end of the day, our people are beginning to feel that we are not being trusted enough with certain strategic positions despite the fact that we have demonstrated in particular times that we love Nigeria more than anybody.

    We have faith in this country more than anybody. That coupled with the fact that there is huge potential energy within the youth community in Nigeria that is unused because of the problem of unemployment in Nigeria, for me, as a biochemist, I look at it as mismanagement of energy; people have too much energy but can’t use it anywhere.

    If you have a 2year old child in this house today and that child doesn’t go to school, he doesn’t go anywhere, before you go out and come back, you will discover that somebody with a lot of energy is residing with you here. So, the idea is that all these agitations bottled up and all that created what you call IPOB.
    And then the federal government over time started watching from the sideline because IPOB was getting money from elsewhere, setting up radio stations, indoctrinating people, all that went on.
    But while that was going on, at a point, the leadership of the south-east through Ohaneze, through the governors started engaging Nnamdi to say we know that there are issues.
    Can we find alternative channels to discuss them? Can we make a studied and intellectual presentation and confront the federal government with these arguments? But he felt that his own strategy was better and all that.

    So, I think it got to a point when the federal government began to feel that the red line was threatened and unfortunately some of us as governors were not taken into confidence as to the details and plans and intentions of the federal government and it is the irony of this thing they governors chief security officers; chief security officer but you are not controlling the CP, the soldiers around you, the navy around you, you cannot tell them to stop, you cannot tell them where to go and all that.

    So, that clash came upon us in Abia state and I was confronted as a leader to make a choice between the oath I swore, what was politically expedient and what was right and I think what was right was for me to do everything to protect the lives and properties of Abians and those that are doing business in Abia.

    So, all that I did, the press releases, my actions, all that I did was geared towards fulfilling my mandate which was to protect lives and properties of not only Abians but of everybody that was within Abia doing business.