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Tag: Imo

  • Woman beats step-daughter to death in Imo

    The Imo State Police Command has arrested a woman, Mrs. Prisca David, for allegedly killing her stepdaughter, Veronica David.

    The incident happened on Friday at Ogwuaga-Abba, in the Nwangele Local Government Area of Imo State

    A resident, Chima Egbu, narrating the incident said Prisca beat the 13-year-old to death, after which she called her husband, who also joined in the assault and connived with her to tie a rope around her neck to create an impression of suicide.

    He said, “The man got married to Prisca after the girl’s mother died. They had always maltreated the girl. They were beating her that Friday morning as usual when she slumped and died.

    “In a bid to escape justice, the husband called John to help them to tie a rope around the girl’s neck so that people would think the girl committed suicide.

    “But neighbours, who suspected foul play, alerted the police at the Nwangele divisional headquarters. The couple were arrested and the corpse retrieved. The third suspect, John, was later arrested.”

    Ozugbo, the landlord of the deceased confirming the development to Punch on Sunday, said he was alerted by a resident that the wife of his security guard, Prisca, allegedly murdered her stepdaughter.

    He said he contacted policemen at Nwangele, who immediately arrested the suspects and recovered the corpse.

    “My security guard called me that his daughter committed suicide and he needed me to pay his salary in advance so he could take her corpse to Taraba for burial. I was worried about how a 13-year-old girl would take her own life.

    “On enquiry, I was told that his wife, Prisca, hit a plank on the girl’s head and she died. A boy in the compound told me that he saw the woman when she did it.

    “I quickly involved the police and the couple were arrested. The boy who said he saw the woman kill her stepdaughter went with them to the police station to put it in writing. The corpse is ready for autopsy. I will ensure that justice is served,” Ozugbo said.

    When contacted, the state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, said he had ordered the homicide section of the command to take over the matter.

  • Imo 2019: Okorocha, PDP fight dirty over endorsement of son-in-law as successor

    The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it will vehemently oppose alleged plans by Governor Rochas Okorocha to impose his son-in-law, Prince Uche Nwosu as the next governor in 2019.

    Recall that the governor had earlier boasted that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will control the state for the next 24 years without any break.

    The governor also frowned on the alleged blackmail by his political detractors and dismissed recent reports that the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Archdiocese, Most Reverend Anthony Obinna, was beaten and manhandled by a group of APC supporters.

    Last Saturday, the Archbishop’s preaching during a requiem mass at Ngwoma in Owerri North Local Government Area of the state was interrupted by a group of persons suspected to be politicians.

    In a press release signed by Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor said, “If the only issue Uche Nwosu has for which he cannot be governor is being Governor Okorocha’s in-law, then we should give America back its democracy since that is where we copied from.

    “The same America, where George Walker Bush became the 43rd President, from 2001 to 2009 after his father, George Herbert Walker Bush had become the country’s 41st President from 1989 to 1993.”

    But the Imo state chapter of the PDP on Thursday said the governor had advanced plans to rig the next governorship election in favour of Nwosu, who is his current chief of staff.

    Addressing a press conference at the party’s secretariat in Owerri, the state capital, the state chairman of the party, Charles Ezekwem, claimed that the party had learnt of the plot and was ready for the governor.

    Ezekwem said, “We have it on good authority that the APC in Imo state is working assiduously on how to subvert the will of Imo people in 2019, having become very unpopular because of its gross maladministration and record of monumental corruption.

    “Its only hope now lies in rigging elections but that cannot happen again. The PDP will put in place a watertight anti-rigging formula that will shock the APC leaders in 2019.”

     

  • APC denies man for dragging party to court over tenure extension

    The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State on Saturday described one Okere Uzochukwu, who took the party to court over the extension of the tenure National Working Committee (NWC) as an impostor.

    Recall that Okere, who claimed to be an aspirant for the chairmanship position in Imo APC, also joined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the suit number FHC/A6J/CS/219/2018, praying the Court to quash the extension.

    A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Imo State governor, Sam Onwuemeodo, reads: “We start our reaction by stating that Okere Uzochukwu is not a registered member of APC in Imo State.

    “We have done our checks and could not locate such name in our official membership registers.

    “It is now left for Mr. Okere Uzochukwu to mention his ward, his registration number and show his membership card.

    “His case would also help the party to expose some untrustworthy politicians who crawled into Imo APC and have been playing their usual hide and seek game.”

    The statement added: “The truth is that no genuine member of the party could wake up one morning and take the party and its National leadership to court without clearance from the leader of the party in the state or clearance from the State exco of the Party.

    “He is an impostor and does not have the support of APC members in the State in his action, especially when he is not a member of the party and since Imo APC is not against the tenure extension for John Oyegun-led NWC.

    “The APC governors Forum, which the Imo governor chairs had pressed that the extension of tenure be made across the board in which the State, Local Government and Ward Officers of the Party would benefit from the exercise and that was done.

    “There is therefore no reason to warrant any Court action since the extension was done in good faith.

    “The leader of the party in Imo, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and the party, its executives and Stakeholders in the State dissociate themselves from the court action.”

     

  • 2019: Okorocha blasts Araraume, says ‘You can never rule Imo’

    Governor Rochas Okorocha has told Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, a governorship hopeful in the state that he can never win the party’s governorship ticket let alone ruling the state.

    Okorocha said this in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo on Tuesday.

    The governor insisted that the former Senator’s ambition as unrealistic, adding that he cannot even win the party primaries, talk less of wining the main governorship election.

    The statement reads: “I want to say this for the sake of emphasis. Senator Ifeanyi Araraume cannot win the ticket of APC for the 2019 governorship election in the State and can never govern the State. So people should not allow themselves to be deceived”.

    “In 2007, Araraume won the ticket of PDP and failed the main election. In 2011, he also had the ticket of ACN and came fourth in the election. In 2015, he also failed the PDP Primary. So what magic would he perform in 2019?

    “Again, if he sees himself as a Political force, let him do what Rochas Okorocha did in 2011 by taking the ticket of APGA that was not on ground and won his election by defeating a sitting governor of PDP extraction and in 2015, when he defiled all the PDP onslaughts with Federal might and joined the Merger that gave birth to APC at the risk of his life and his second term bid and also won his election. Let Senator Araraume pick the ticket of any of the parties, contest and win and we will celebrate him. He should not always be working to undo sitting governors to become governor”.

    It added further that, “some of these people were among those calling Rochas, OkoroHausa, Alhaji in Government House and Buhari-Rochas and accusing him of coming to Islamize Igboland and Nigeria in general.

    “Name-dropping has also become old fashioned in Politics. In 2007 and 2011, it was Chief Tony Aninih’s name that was been dropped. Today, they have begun to drop the name of Chief John Oyegun. Powerful Politicians in the real sense of the word do not drop names”.

    The statement which apparently a reaction to the Araraume’s alleged claim that he was not in support of the elongation of the term of office of the APC National Chairman, noted further that, “it is unfortunate that while we have continued to exercise caution and demonstrate apparent decency and discipline in our media outings even as they concern some of the Politicians and governorship aspirants in the State, few of them have always thrown caution to the wind by thinking that the only way they can make impact or make a headway in their Politics and Political pursuits is by embarking on falsehood and sponsoring cheap blackmail against Governor Rochas Okorocha.

    “As a responsible government and as responsible people we do not trade on propaganda, falsehood and blackmail. We do not tell lies. They have sponsored lies against the governor over the outcome of the APC NEC meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, February 27, 2018 in which the tenure of the National Chairman Chief John Oyegun and others were extended.

    “The governor is the strongest pillar of APC in the South-East and one of the pillars in the Country. And he has remained supportive in all ramifications to the John Oyegun-led National Exco of the Party. And there is no reason anybody should begin to create the impression that Governor Okorocha was against the extension of Chief Oyegun’s tenure.

    “The APC governors who are all members of the APC Governors’ Forum which governor Okorocha heads supported the extension of tenure across the board. And with that, the governors are the greatest beneficiaries of the extension.

    “You may ask where these elements were when the PDP foot soldiers were invading Imo and South-East in general with Soldiers and other Security agents. Rochas made the survival of APC in the South-East possible, having a Senator, three House of Representatives, Majority in the House of Assembly (23 out of 27), and gave President Muhammadu Buhari the highest number of votes in 2015 in the South-East. And APC won that election but the PDP people doctored the whole exercise with the help of Security agencies and INEC then. Time will expose these folks who think that their Political survival lies with blackmail against Okorocha”.

    Meanwhile, the governor has congratulated Oyegun and other members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) of All Progressives Congress, APC over the extension of their tenure by one year.

    The governor also congratulated States, Local Governments and Ward Executives of the party who also benefitted from the extension.

    He noted that “such lofty action would not have been possible without the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, the state governors and key stakeholders in the party who were at the NEC meeting”.

    The governor reminded Chief Oyegun and his team that “by the extension, they have been challenged to do more for the progress and victory of the party at levels”.

    He wished them a successful tenure, and praying that the” good Lord should grant them all they needed to succeed”.

  • Okorocha orders arrest of Indian hemp smokers in Imo

    Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has directed the State Police Command to arrest Indian hemp smokers and other-related drug addicts in the state.

    The governor was quoted as saying, “When arrested, don’t take the suspects to police custody. Rather, take them to the Government House. We have a big cell for them.”

    The governor reportedly gave the directive during the luncheon and award ceremony organised by the state police command in Owerri on Saturday.

    According to him, the rate at which youths in the state smoke Indian hemp will ruin the country if left unchecked.

    He pointed out that if law enforcement agencies failed to checkmate the activities of the youth, described as leaders of tomorrow, the country’s future would be bleak.

    Okorocha noted that the state government would destroy houses where hard drug business thrived in the state.

     

  • Okorocha establishes six new tertiary institutions in Imo

    Okorocha establishes six new tertiary institutions in Imo

    Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo has announced the establishment of six new tertiary institutions in the state.

    Okorocha, who made the announcement in a meeting newsmen in Owerri on Monday, said the step was part of plans to revolutionize the education sector in Imo.

    The new institutions are University of Engineering, Onuimo, University of Agriculture, Aboh Mbaise, Ihitte Uboma College of Education and Ehime Polytechnic.

    Read Also: Why Imo politicians are fighting me, by Okorocha

    He added that National High School Aroundizogu would become a College of Education while Ahiara Technical College would be upgraded to a Polytechnic.

    He also announced plans to change the location of some ministries to decentralise development in the state.

    He said the Ministry of Tourism would be moved to Oguta while the Ministry of Niger Delta would be moved to Ohaji Egbema Local Government Area.

    The said that the Ministry of Agriculture would be relocated to Ngor Okpala Local government Area, while the Ministry of Sports would be moved to Dan Anyiam Stadium.

    He also announced the cancellation of two days off given to workers in the state civil service for farming to help cushion the effects of the economic recession on them.

    According to him, the end of recession in the country has brought about significant improvement thereby ending the need for other avenues to supplement income.

    He advised workers to resume their normal work schedules, adding that failure to comply would result in their immediate dismissal.

    He also advised Imo people to be wise in the election of the next governor of the state and warned them against heating up the polity unnecessarily.

    “Choose your next governor wisely, ensure you know his track record before you elect him; if you elect a greedy, fraudulent or power drunk person, it will surely manifest.

    “Becoming a governor will not change a bad person, it will only bring those attributes to the fore,” he advised.

  • Fire razes residence of Imo’s Deputy Governor [Photos]

    A building in the official residence of the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere was razed by fire on Thursday.

    The fire which is suspected to have been triggered by a nearby bush fire, spread to the visitors waiting hall razing down the building.

    It also destroyed a bus stationed within the premises and other valuables estimated to worth millions of naira.

    The raging inferno would have spread to the main building but for the quick intervention of security attachés who were later joined by officials of fire service who promptly helped to bring the fire under control.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Madumere has called for further investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the incident so as to prevent future occurrence.

    A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Uche Onwuchekwa, said Mr. Madumere while regretting the ugly incident expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost.

     

  • Imo Govt denies renaming street after President Buhari

    Imo Govt denies renaming street after President Buhari

    The Imo state government has denied renaming Assumpta Avenue in Owerri, the state capital, after Muhammadu Buhari.

    A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo on Wednesday in Owerri described it as misinformation from the opposition parties.

    The statement quoted the Governor, Rochas Okorocha, as saying that President Muhammadu Buhari road began from Government House Roundabout, Owerri and terminated at Warehouse Roundabout.

    Okorocha said that the purported claim was to create impression of misunderstanding between the catholic faithful and the government.

    He also said Imo government was not in any war with Catholic Church and urged mischief makers to desist from creating tension in the state.

    According to the statement, the government was shocked when some youths destroyed a brick with the inscription Muhammadu Buhari road at the popular Assumpta Roundabout on Tuesday.

    The youths claimed that Gov. Okorocha was planning to rename the road after President Muhammadu Buhari.

  • BREAKING: Imo Rep, Nnanna Igbokwe dumps PDP for APC

    A member of the House of Representatives from Imo State, Nnanna Igbokwe, has dumped the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

    In a letter read by Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, at plenary on Tuesday, Mr. Igbokwe who represents Ahiazu Mbaise/Ezinihitte, cited division in his former party as his reason for defection.

    He said he joined the APC in January 2017 before the Supreme Court decided on the leadership tussle between the then caretaker committee chairman, Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu-Sheriff.

    Mr. Igbokwe said he stopped attending PDP functions both in his home state and the National Assembly since January when he registered with the APC.

    Present in the chamber to receive him was the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha.

    In a swift reaction, the deputy minority whip, Binta Bello, objected, saying there was no division in the PDP since the Supreme Court had decided on the leadership tussle. She urged the speaker to declare his seat vacant.

    Ossai Ossai also brought the attention of the House of the Supreme Court ruling that solved the crisis of the PDP.

    He cited section 68(1)g where a member would vacate his seat when he decides to leave the party which sponsored him without any division.

    But Speaker Dogara in his ruling said he can only declare a seat vacant when the majority of the House agrees.

  • 2019: 27 Imo lawmakers endorse Okorocha’s son-in-law for governor

    Legislators of the Imo State Assembly have endorsed Governor Rochas Okorocha’s son-inlaw, Chief Uche Nwosu, for the governorship of Imo State ahead the 2019 general election.

    This was disclosed yesterday by Hon. Henry Uzoma Ezediaro member representing Oguta state constituency in the Assembly and House committee chairman on Petroleum, ISOPADEC and NDDC. Briefing newsmen Saturday in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Ezediaro said that following consultations and meetings by the state legislators, they have resolved that election of Nwosu as the state governor in 2019 would ensure the continuation of the programmes of the current administration.

    Ezediaro said, “Without Uche Nwosu as governor in 2019‚ most of the on going projects and laudable programmes of the Okorocha administration in the state would be abandoned by any person who has not been part and parcel of the current administration.