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Tag: Imo

  • 2019: Okorocha shuns Imo APC guber campaign, allegedly blocks access to stadium

    2019: Okorocha shuns Imo APC guber campaign, allegedly blocks access to stadium

    The governorship campaign of the All Progressives Congress(APC) kicked off on Friday in Owerri with Imo State governor Rochas Okorocha conspicuously missing.

    But the National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomole led other national officers of the party to the event.

    Members of the State Executive Committee of the party were also absent at the scantily attended ceremony.

    The usual crowd that attends APC gatherings in the state was missing as only supporters of the governorship candidate, Hope Uzodinma, gathered at his Campaign Headquarters along Okigwe road where the event held.

    Oshiomhole, who has been in a running battle with the Imo governor, accused him (Okorocha) of frustrating the APC candidate, an action he described as anti-party.

    He stated by denying the APC candidate use of the stadium, the governor has shown he is working against the party.

    But the Okorocha swiftly described claim he locked the stadium as false.

    Oshiomole said the stadium was built with tax payers’ money and not Okorocha’s personal fund, recalling how Okorocha cried out in 2011 when the then governor, Ikedi Ohakim, stopped him from using the stadium for his campaign.

    Oshiomhole also accused the governor of neglecting the people of the state with his style of governance.

    He said: “Let me appreciate the members of the National Working Committee for coming to join the governorship candidate of our party, we approach with one simple message.

    “It is a message of Hope, not a message of lamentation. I want you to listen because for me campaign is not about entertainment.

    “Today, we have come to deliver the message of Hope although things have gone wrong in the past.

    “We have come to return the government of Imo state to the great people of Imo state.

    “We have come to tell you that we have respect for you people. The next governor in the person of Senator Hope Uzodimma will restore all that have been destroyed.

    “Please Imo people cool temper. Today is a day to pass a message of Hope. Today we desire to talk to the young people especially to my fellow colleagues the civil servants.

    “The days are gone for a governor who will look at people and say there is money to do other things and not to pay civil servants”.

    He went on: “I want to tell you that those governors that were given money including the governor of Imo state that did not use it for that purpose will be retrieved.

    “Buhari has adopted Hope Uzodimma as the governor of Imo state. I want you to go and tell people what I said.

    “Nigeria needs to produce political leaders that have political concentration.

    “How will you believe that an APC governor will lock the stadium against an APC, governorship candidate?

    “It is the tax payers’ money that is used to build that stadium and not his personal money”.

     

  • 2019: APC dissolves state, LG, ward excos in Ogun, Imo

    The All Progressives Congress has dissolved the executive committees in Imo and Ogun states.

    Also dissolved were the local government and ward executives in the two states.

    Their dissolution formed part of the resolutions reached during the National Working Committee meeting presided over by the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, in Abuja on Tuesday.

    In their place, the NWC would inaugurate caretaker committees that would superintend over the affairs of the party in the two states ahead of the general elections.

    Oshiomhole emerged from the meeting on Tuesday around 7pm and quickly entered his waiting vehicle to avoid journalists who had waited the whole day for a briefing.

    When approached by journalists at the entrance of his car, the former Edo State governor said the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, who had earlier left the venue of the meeting, would brief them.

    “The NPS will brief you,” he said.

    Recall that Governor Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) and his counterpart in Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, and Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, had vowed to work against governorship candidates in their states.

    However, a member of the NWC who spoke on condition of anonymity said confirmed the development while stating that the meeting decided to dissolve all the party structures in Ogun and Imo states to stem the conflict of ideas being promoted by the two governors.

    He said, “The two governors have sponsored their preferred candidates on the platform of other political parties while they are holding on to the APC’s senatorial tickets.

    “We see this as a conflict of interest which could jeopardise the party’s efforts to win the two states.”

     

  • Retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, wife murdered in Imo

    A retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Innocent Brown and his wife were in the early hours of Thursday, assassinated in their home in Umuoke community in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State.

    Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Superintendent of Police, Godson Ikeokwu, said that he is aware of the incident but has not been properly briefed.

    He stated that because of the sensitive of the case, a thorough investigation to ascertain what transpired will be conducted before any further information is released to the press.

    However, bodies of the deceased have been deposited in Umulogho Mercy Hospital Mortuary in Obowo.

    Meanwhile the incident has thrown the community into mourning, with youths of the area threatening to go on a violent protest if the perpetrators are not apprehended.

    The details of how the former cop and his wife were murdered by the unknown gunmen were still sketchy as at the time of filling this report.

     

  • Okorocha suspends Imo AG, orders immediate arrest of two bank managers

    Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo on Friday suspended the Accountant-General of the State, Mrs. Stella Udogwu over the non-payment of the November salary of Local Government Workers.

    The governor also ordered the arrest of the Branch-Managers of Ecobank and Access Bank where money for the payment was lodged, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo, stated in a release on Friday.

    The governor said that the suspension of the accountant-general would take effect immediately directed that the Chief of Staff appoint an acting accountant-general pending the appointment of a new person to the office.

    Okorocha said before now he had directed that the October and November salaries of workers in the state be paid at the same time in October.

    He said he was dismayed that the directive was not carried out until he was informed at the 40th Anniversary ceremony of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Owerri on Friday.

    “I had released the salaries of every worker in Imo State since the second week of October and so if Local Government workers are being owed, then somebody must take responsibility for it and will be dealt with according to law.

    “This is a criminal act aimed at disgracing this government; what they do is that they take the money and put in the bank and collect the interest.”

    The governor said he assumed the directive was carried out but was surprised to be told by the leadership of NULGE during the celebration that the workers had not been paid.

    He further directed that the November and December salary of workers be paid on Monday since Dec. 1 and Dec. 2 fell on a weekend.

    “Your salary must be released and your December Salary shall be paid immediately. All the interests from the salary kept in the bank must be collected and shared to the Local Government workers who are the owners of the money,” the governor said.

    also announced that each worker would get N10,000 as Christmas bonus and that each local government director of administration and general services would receive N2.5m as car allowance.

    He also said that staff of Local Government Service Commission could rise to GL 17 without having to convert to be staff of the ministry to get to the grade.

    “From today there won’t be any need for any Local Government worker to try to convert to the Ministry to be able to get to level 17 or become a permanent secretary.

    “Today, I have officially lifted the embargo on Local Hovernment staff getting to level 17. Henceforth, staff of the Local Government Service Commission will be promoted to level 17 when they are due for it.”

    Earlier, the South -East Vice-President of NULGE, Mr Patrick Igwe, expressed appreciation for the reprieve granted 3,000 workers listed to be sacked.

    “This is uncommon in our chequered history. When others were negotiating on how to pay N18,000 minimum wage, you went further to pay N20,000 and we know that once agreement is reached on the new minimum wage, you will be the first to pay.”

    The President of Imo State Chapter of NULGE, Mr Richard Eze, pledged the support of the Local Government employees in the state for Mr Uche Nwosu’s governorship ambition in 2019.

    Nwosu is the son-in-law of the governor whom he has been insisting is the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress for the election.

  • JUST IN: Police arrest alleged kidnappers of corps members in Imo

    The Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Imo State Police Command has arrested the alleged kidnappers of five corpers.

    The victims were kidnapped on the Umuapu axis of the Owerri/Port Harcourt expressway on October 23 on their way to the NYSC orientation camps in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.

    Their kidnappers had accosted the vehicles they were travelling in.

    The policemen who were on duty around the area of the incident intervened and rescued the victims same day.

    The state Commissioner of Police, Dasuki Galadanchi, told our correspondent on Wednesday that the suspects were arrested following investigation which was launched on the abduction.

    The CP, who described the abduction of the corps members who were traveling from Ibadan, Oyo State, said that the Tactical Unit of the command was activated to achieve the feat.

    The CP alleged that the suspects had been involved in other kidnap incidents, armed robbery and murder cases.

    He gave the names of the suspects as Wisdom Nwobodo, 22, from Ikwerre in Rivers State; Okoro Emenike, 20, from Apani, also in Ikwerre: Chukwu Wisdom, 19, from Umuapu in Imo State; and two others

    He said that the suspects were arrested on October 28 at Nkaraha junction on the Owerri-Port Harcourt expressway by his gallant officers.

    Galadanchi said, “We intercepted the suspects with 16 different types of handsets, three different ATM cards, some charms, one television set, compact disc with two speakers, one red mask, one Access Bank cheque book, and a small quantity of Indian hemp.

    “During interrogations, suspects confessed to cultism, kidnapping around Ohaji axis of Imo State and killing of one Augustine Ejimebu, 69, from Apani in Ikwerre, Rivers State.

    They also confessed to being responsible for the kidnap of the five corps members who were traveling from Ibadan, the Oyo state capital to Rivers and Akwa Ibom states for the NYSC orientation programme.”

    The CP, who ascribed the breakthrough to the community policing strategies of the Inspector General of Police, which his command was implementing, said that the suspects would be arraigned in court.

     

  • More problems for APC as Imo chapter rejects Issa-Onilu as party’s spokesman

    The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress on Thursday took a new twist as the Imo State chapter on the party rejected Lanre Issa-Onilu as the National Publicity Secretary.
     
    A statement issued by APC publicity secretary in Imo State, Onwuasoanya, said that Issa-Onilu of the party did not meet the criteria to occupy the position.
     
    The statement said that going by the constitution of the party, the only person who is legally qualified to speak for the party as the national publicity secretary is Yekini Nabena.
     
    The statement read, “It is important to inform the general public that a certain Lanre Issa-Onilu, who parades himself as the National Publicity Secretary of our great party, is not and will not be recognised as such.
     
    “This position is drawn from the provisions of the All Progressives Congress Constitution (October 2014 as amended),which clearly stated how officers of the party may emerge in Article 20(a) thus:
     
    “All party posts prescribed or implied by this Constitution shall be filled by Democratically conducted elections at the respective National Convention or Congress subject, where possible, to consensus, provided that where a candidate has emerged by consensus for an elective position, a vote of “Yes” or “No” by ballot or voice shall be called, to ensure that it was not an imposition which could breed discontent and crisis.
     
    “Going by the provision of our constitution as quoted above, the only person who has the constitutional right to speak for our party at the national level is Mr. Yekini Nabena, who is the duly elected Assistant National Publicity Secretary and who has to, in line with the provisions of our constitution, act as the National Publicity Secretary, following the resignation of the duly elected National Publicity Secretary.”
     
     

  • I’m more qualified, competent than Okorocha – Imo Deputy Governor

    The Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere, has said that he is better qualified and more competent than his estranged principal, Governor Rochas Okorocha.
    He declared that he would run the state better than the governor if given the opportunity.
    Madumere said: “I have tried hard not to join issues with Governor Okorocha. All I can tell you is that I am more qualified and have better pedigree to govern Imo State than Rochas Okorocha; and I will do better as a Governor than what Rochas Okorocha has done. As a deputy governor, I rightly chose to take the side of the people than the side of the Okorocha family.”
    He was reacting to Okorocha’s interview on BBC Igbo Service, where he claimed that one of the reasons he chose his son-in-law over others was the issue of competence.
    Okorocha and Madumere have been at loggerheads over the primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
     
    The deputy governor had wanted to succeed the governor, but Okorocha prefers his former Chief of Staff and son in-law, Uche Nwosu for the APC gubernatorial ticket.
    Madumere said that Okorocha would not have been where he is today, without his tutelage and grooming.
    He explained that without him, there would not have been today’s Rochas Okorocha who, of course, would not have become governor.
    The number two citizen regretted that Okorocha could blackmail and talk down on members of cabinet who helped him attain success.
    He wondered why Okorocha would have the temerity to insult him, describing him as incompetent when he was the one that actually developed Okorocha from his crude state to what he is today.
    He disclosed that he had refused to join issues with the governor for obvious reason of not destroying what God has used him to build.

  • Imo APC primaries: Okorocha gets senatorial ticket, son in-law, Nwosu, emerges gov candidate

    The immediate past chief of staff to Governor Rochas Okorochaa of Imo State, Uche Nwosu, has been declared the governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state.

    His father-in-law and incumbent Governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha, was also elected as the party’s senatorial candidate for Imo West Senatorial District.

    This is coming after the National Working Committee had cancelled the earlier primary which produced two aspirants — Senator Hope Uzodinma and Nwosu — as candidates and ordered for a rescheduled primary on Saturday.

    Announcing the results of the rescheduled primary at the APC Secretariat in Owerri in the early hours of Sunday, the chairman of the electoral panel, Ibrahim Agbabiaka, said that Nwosu polled a total of 269,524 votes to defeat eight other aspirants.

    According to him, the primary held in the 305 Independent National Electoral Commission’s wards across the state.

    Agbabiaka said that other aspirants, Uzodinma, got 2,729 votes; the deputy governor of the state, Eze Madumere, 2,646 votes; Jude Ejiogu, 3,656 votes; and Chris Nlemoha, 925 votes.

    Peter Gbujie, according to Agbabiaka, scored 4,855 votes; George Eche, 2,445 votes; Chima Anozie, 3,248 votes and Chuks Ololo, 6,428 votes.

    Agbabiaka said, “With the powers vested in me as the state returning officer, I hereby declare Uche Nwosu as the winner of the 2018 governorship primary in Imo State for the 2019 general election.”

    Uzodinma and five other aspirants, Madumere, Gbujie, Nlemoha, Eche, and Ejiogu had, on Saturday, announced that they would not be taking part in the rescheduled primary, saying that they were sticking to one of the results of the first contentious primary which was cancelled by NWC.

    The panel also announced that Governor Okorocha polled 141,117 votes to defeat Uzodinma and Osita Izunaso, who garnered 1,359 and 24 votes respectively.

    They also announced the immediate past commissioner for information in the state, Prof. Nnamdi Obiaraeri, as the winner of Imo North senatorial primary.

    The panel disclosed that the professor of law got 67,438 votes to defeat the incumbent senator for the zone, Benjamin Uwajumogu, who got 5,743 votes.

    Emma Ojinere was declared the winner of Imo East senatorial primary, having scored a total of 41,562 votes, as against Chima Anthony who got 37,815 votes and Max Igwe’s 275 votes.

    Nwosu, in his speech, shortly after he was declared the winner, said that he would immediately commence the process of reconciling with all the aspirants who lost out to him in the primary.

    He said that what was utmost now that the primaries had come and gone was to make sure that APC wins the general elections in the state.

    He declared his emergence as a major political milestone in the annals of political history in the state, saying, “To my fellow youths, I am holding this mandate in trust for you. I shall not let you down.

    “Together, we shall move into Government House in 2019.”

     

  • APC Governorship Primaries: Oshiomhole addresses Lagos, Imo crises

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday described the results being circulated as the outcome of the Imo governorship primaries as fake.
    Mr Oshiohmole stated this while fielding questions from State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.
    The APC chairman also revealed that the party had disbanded the Ahmed Gulak-led Committee that conducted the party’s governorship primaries in Imo State.
    According to him, another committee will be set up immediately for the conduct of fresh primaries in the state before the end of the week.
    “Imo was not too good news for today, but not surprising they have to learn to begin to comply with rules, they have two fake results, none of them is genuine.
    “We will disband and we will appoint a fresh committee (electoral panel) that will conduct transparent direct primaries that reflect the will of members of APC in Imo regardless of the interest and powers that are behind any of the groups.
    “The truth does not require supporters club to stand, it has its hands and legs and we will do just that”.
    Mr Oshiohmole, who said he was in the villa to update President Buhari on the developments in the APC, ruled out the possibility of honouring parallel results from states.
    On the conduct of the APC primaries in Lagos State on Tuesday, the APC chairman disclosed that the National Working Committee (NWC) was in charge of the primaries and that every situation had been put under control.
    “I told the president that the primaries held as planned and everything is being done to ensure there is no violence because democracy doesn’t flourish with violence.
    “Nigerians must begin to learn how to differ in opinion and in choice without fighting; this is something people have to acquire over time.
    “For me, I’m excited that if we can do it in Lagos it can be done anywhere.
    “Everything that is being done is done under the control, supervision and direction of the NWC.’’
    Mr Oshiohmole maintained that no matter how highly a member may be, he or she must subject himself/herself to the constitution of the party.
    It would be recalled that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) panel had on Tuesday announced the cancellation of the Lagos governorship primary election, saying the preparatory process for the election had just been concluded.
    The Chairman of the panel, Clement Ebri, made this known when he spoke at a news conference in Alausa, Ikeja.
    He said: “The preparatory process had just been concluded for the primaries. The primary is to begin anytime soon.
    “There was no election. Election materials are being sorted.
    “The stage is set and election begins anytime from now. We have guidelines and we will stick to the guidelines.
    “Because of the political tension in the state, we decided to be very careful, very methodical. As party men, peace is more important to us than victory.
    “We want a kind of victory that will be celebrated by both parties.
    “We want an election that will be credible and in line with the guidelines, the extant rules and the laws of the country.
    “And that is what we have done. We are ready to go to the field and execute this so that at the end of the day, we will not be accused of partisanship. Lagos is very important to us and it is a flagship of the APC.’’
     
     

  • Panic in Imo as angry youths set Magistrates’ court on fire

    Panic in Imo as angry youths set Magistrates’ court on fire

    Ther was pandemonium at the Magistrates’ Court in Olru, Imo State, as angry youths numbering above 15 set the court building on fire.

    According to a report by The Punch, the fire destroyed all the documents in the court before it could be quenched.

    The Magistrates’ Court is on the premises of Orlu High court.

    The Police spokesperson in the state, Andrew Enwerem, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent in a telephone conversation, said that it was a case of suspected arson.

    Enwerem said that the Commissioner of Police, Daduki Galadanchi, had mandated the Area Commander in charge of Orlu zone to commence full investigations into the matter.

     

    Details later…