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Tag: south east

  • IPOB: South East NASS caucus makes move for release of Nnamdi Kanu

    IPOB: South East NASS caucus makes move for release of Nnamdi Kanu

    The South East Caucus of the National Assembly (NASS) has set up a committee to dialogue with the Federal Government (FG) for the release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Leader of the caucus and Senator representing Enugu West, Senator Ike Ekweremadu made this known in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Ekweremadu, who is also former Deputy President of the Senate, made this known when he briefed journalists at the end of the meeting of the caucus.

    Recall that the Kanu was extradited from Kenya to face trial in Nigeria. His followers ordered a sit-at-home on September 14.

    TNG reports daily activities were disrupted in the South East during the sit-at-home, and school students writing exams in Nkume, Imo state were attacked.

    However, the South East NASS caucus has condemned in the strongest terms the attack on school students.

    Ekweremadu stated that the mandate of the committee was to dialogue with the FG, and find a political solution for the release of the IPOB leader.

    In a communique issued after the meeting, the South East Caucus of the National Assembly resolved to intervene in issue and detention of the IPOB leader.

    “The South East Caucus of the National Assembly held an extraordinary session on Wednesday, September 15, 2021, to review developments in the South East, particularly the security situation in the region vis-à-vis the sit-at-home orders and the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    “The Caucus elaborately discussed the issue of Mazi Nnamdi and resolved to intervene. To this end we resolved to set up a committee to constructively interface with relevant stakeholders, the Federal Government and its relevant agencies towards finding a political solution,” the communique reads in part.

    The South East NASS caucus, however, “noted with delight” the call-off of the weekly sit-at-home in the South East by IPOB.

    “The Caucus reviewed the sit-at-home orders by the IPOB and the mayhem some nefarious elements have seized the opportunity to visit on the lives, properties, and psyche of our people. The Caucus equally reviewed and rued the incalculable economic losses and hardships these have brought upon our region.

    “The Caucus noted with delight that IPOB has called off the Monday sit-at-home order and resolved to ensure that nobody uses them as façades to bring ruination on Igbo land.

    “We call on our people to go about their lawful businesses and enjoin our governors and the security agencies to rebuild confidence in our people by not only ensuring the security of their lives and properties, but also ensuring that our people feel safe as undertake their legitimate businesses”.

    However, while expressing solidarity with the people of the region over what they described as injustices meted to them, the lawmakers them not to allow anyone to destroy what the Igbo built by their sweat.

    “The Caucus expressed solidarity with our people of the South East over the marginalisation of the region in the scheme of things within the Nigerian commonwealth. The Caucus feels the pains of our people and their quest for equity, justice, and protection of their lives and property in every part of the country.

    “We, however, appeal to our people not to allow anyone to destroy the South East region.

    “The post-war South East was not built through government patronage, but largely by the sheer determination and sacrifices of our people, who refused to resign to fate or bow their heads in defeat.

    “It is in Igbo land that you easily find hospitals, schools, roads, and other social amenities built by individual or communal efforts of the people, home and abroad, through the instruments of the town unions and other community organisations such as the age grades, Umuada, etc.

    “The result is the comparative transformation witnessed in every nook and cranny of Igbo land post-civil war. Therefore, as a people, we cannot begin to undermine ourselves or become our own nemesis.

    “Times like these call for introspection. We must also always bear in mind that our people thrive on industry, commerce, and the informal sector. Importantly, most of our people depend on daily income.

    “Therefore, while we must fight for our rights and legitimately express our displeasures over every form of mistreatment, injustice, and inequity, we certainly cannot afford to be the proverbial lizard that ruined his mother’s funeral.

    “Anything that threatens Igbo businesses, the peace, security, and stability of the South East threatens our very existence as a people.

    “Consequently, bearing in mind that if we allow cracks in the wall, lizards will invade our home, we must all pull together as one people to discourage and resist any tendencies and actions, within or without, which pollute our business environments or encourages anarchy and instability in our region”.

    The Caucus equally condemned in strong terms the disruption of examination in Imo State, saying it was not in the character of the region and called on the security agencies to fish out the culprits.

    “We resolved to condemn in strongest terms the disruption of the ongoing Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in some parts of the South East, particularly the incident at Comprehensive Secondary School, Nkume, Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State, where the English examination organised by the West Africa Examination Council, WAEC, on Monday was ruthlessly scuttled by armed men, who chased away the students, teachers, and examiners before setting ablaze motorcycles belonging to the teachers.

    “This is certainly not who we are as a people. We call on the security agencies to unravel the culprits behind these wicked acts and ensure that they are brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others”.

    Meanwhile, they assured that they would “join hands with other patriotic Nigerians across regional, religious, political, and ethnic divides to reconstruct a federal system where our rights, happiness, and prosperity and those of our unborn generations are guaranteed”.

    “We are resolved to continue to fight for a level-playing ground and an enabling federal system where Ndigbo are able to develop their homeland at their own pace and equally pursue their happiness and actaulise their enormous potentials in every part of the country, unmolested”, they added.

  • IPOB sit-at-home does not affect South-East governors – Umahi

    IPOB sit-at-home does not affect South-East governors – Umahi

    Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi State has said the sit-at-home syndrome in the five states of the South-East does not affect the governors.

    Umahi said this on Tuesday in Abakaliki, during the inauguration of his Senior Special Adviser on Religion and Welfare Matters, Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, as the new South-East Zonal Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

    He said the sit-at-home order by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra “amounts to war brought by the people upon themselves.

    “Governors of the southeast have done their best to check the situation and when people sit at home, it is not biting the governors.

    “When you sit at home, there is food for the governors in their homes and some of their children are outside the country,” Umahi, who is the Chairman, Southeast Governors’ Forum, said.

    He said that fears were high about a possible splinter groups emerging in the zone with their own agenda.

    “There have been sit-at-home this Monday and Tuesday and I heard there is another on Friday with the church’s own on Sunday.

    “Another group might come up and declare its own on Wednesday and Thursday, then the end will come.

    “The situation will then be clear to the people but we implore the church to announce the dangers of this practice.

    “The church can intervene through adequate enlightenment on the dire consequences of the sit-at-home order.

    “Other geo-political zones are not sitting at home and we are killing ourselves in the name of agitation,” the governor said.

    He congratulated the new CAN executive and announced a donation of N5 million to it plus a jeep for the chairman.

    The National President of CAN, Rev. Sampson Ayokunle, who inaugurated thd executive, charged the members to use their new offices for the service of God and humanity.

    “You should use the new offices to touch lives as official positions are meant to create impact, make differences in peoples’ lives and enhance productivity,” Ayokunle said.

    In a brief speech, the new Southeast CAN Chairman, Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, pledged that the new leadership would work toward the uplift of the zone and Nigeria in general.

  • Senator Nnamani bares mind on sit-at-home order in South East

    Senator Nnamani bares mind on sit-at-home order in South East

    Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, (PDP-Enugu), Chairman, Senate Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa, has called for an end to the ‘sit-at-home’ order, by the proscribed IPOB in the South East.

    Nnamani, who made the call in a statement he issued to newsmen, on Sunday, in Abuja, noted that the order had brought the economy and social life in the region to its knees.

    The one time governor of Enugu, also condemned the attack on citizens who went about their legitimate businesses, on account of the sit -at- home order.

    The lawmaker said the trinity of the Igbo character was defined by hard work, adding that the sit-at-home was antithetical to this trait and a betrayal of Igbo interest.

    He then called on those behind the order to discontinue forthwith, following the continuous damage to the economy and psyche of the Igbo people.

    ”Most of our people live on daily income. Think of the market women who depend on daily earnings to feed their families. Think of students writing external examinations being denied access to the venues.

    ”How does enslaving our people, denial of means of livelihood, add value to our quest for equity and justice? If others reject us, should we also reject ourselves?

    ”It stands to reason that this sit-at-home cannot be a way forward .We cannot abandon ourselves.

    ”In our struggle for equity and justice in the Nigerian federation, we cannot inadvertently inflict more injuries on ourselves by this sit-at-home order,” he stated.

    Nnamani, therefore, urged all men and women of goodwill to prevail on the protagonists of the sit-at-home order, to restore normalcy in the region.

    He added that with tenacity of purpose and determination, the quest for equity and justice would be realised and not with violence.

  • 2023 presidency: What l will do, feel if APC does not give South East a chance – Umahi

    2023 presidency: What l will do, feel if APC does not give South East a chance – Umahi

    Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, says he will feel bad if the All Progressives Congress (APC) does not give the South-East a chance at the presidency.

    Umahi said this on a monitored Channels Television progamme on Friday.

    “The heartbeat of the people of the South-East is that they should be given a chance whether in the PDP or the APC for Presidency of this country for the reason of equity, fairness and justice,” he said.

    “I took that position in the PDP and one of the reasons why I took that position is because the South-East people have supported the PDP all the way and they have never been given any opportunity to do that.

    “If I follow APC for this length of time, and they don’t give the South-East an opportunity, I will feel bad.

    “I will feel bad if I stay the same length of time as I did in the PDP and that happens. But I can’t say what I will do. It depends on what God places in my mind,” he added.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that after years in the PDP, Governor Umahi defected to the APC in November 2020.

    Meanwhile none of the parties have decided on where to zone the presidency to.

  • IPOB distances self from alleged planned attacks on journalists in South East

    IPOB distances self from alleged planned attacks on journalists in South East

    The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has described as fallacious statement credited to one Petrus Obi, alleging plans by the group to attack journalists in the South East.

    The group explained that it had nothing against the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and would continue to support and defend them, stressing they have been on the side of truth.

    In a statement from the Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB urged the public to disregard the statement which it alleged was sponsored by the Nigerian Government and enemies of Biafra.

    The statement reads in part, “The attention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been drawn to the fallacious statement credited to one Petrus Obi, against IPOB concerning NUJ in the South East.

    “We want to make it clear that IPOB has nothing against NUJ and will support and defend NUJ because they have been on the side of truth regarding the atrocities of Fulani herdsmen, bandits and terrorists in Nigeria.

    “IPOB can never resort to attacking NUJ in southeast because journalists are not our problem, rather they are partners in progress. IPOB remains the most peaceful freedom movement in the world today but detractors and enemies are trying to potray IPOB in bad light to demonise our hard-built images across the world.

    “We reiterate that IPOB is a friend of NUJ, and will never take any action injurious to their interest. Importantly, IPOB is peace-loving and committed to Biafra restoration.

    “The fabricated and fallacious statement from Petrus Obi against IPOB should be ignored and disregarded. We are aware that he is sponsored by the wicked Nigerian Government and enemies of Biafra who are not happy with the reportage of pro-Biafra groups by journalists.

    “Petrus Obi has been in loggerheads with his people in the village as well as NUJ. He now was to get cheaper popularity by attacking IPOB but we will not dignify him with a response.

    “We therefore, caution him to retrace his steps and stop dragging IPOB into his NUJ politics. He is too little to contend with IPOB.”

  • Police arrest female suspect over attacks on security formations in South East

    Police arrest female suspect over attacks on security formations in South East

    The police have arrested a 22-year-old woman in connection with the series of attacks on security formations and other critical national infrastructure in the South-East.

    The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer (DFPRO), Mr Aremu Adeniran disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.

    He said the suspect was arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, working with the military and other security agencies.

    Adeniran said the suspect was arrested over her alleged complicity in the series of deliberate and well coordinated attacks on national infrastructure and killing of security operatives in the South-East.

    According to him, the suspect was arrested following investigations and implementation of Operation Restore Peace.

    He said the operation was to break the information, drugs and arms supply chain to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

    Adeniran said police investigations revealed that the suspect was a member of IPOB/ESN in Imo that worked closely with a male suspect believed to be one of the ESN commanders.

    The DFPRO said the male suspect had earlier been declared wanted by the police for his alleged lead role in planning, coordination and execution of attacks on the police command and other national infrastructure.

    He said the arrest of the female suspect and the revelations from her confession, assisted the police in the arrest of the male suspect.

    “Further investigations by the police revealed that the female suspect took advantage of her gender and seemingly innocuous look to carry out espionage against security personnel on behalf of IPOB/ESN.

    “The suspect also serves as an intermediate person, who receives cash, drugs and weapons on behalf of IPOB/ESN and deliver same to their commanders in their camps.

    “Through her clandestine criminal activities, she actively aided and abetted the multiple acts of murder, arson and malicious damage to both private and public property by the ESN,” he said.

    Adeniran said investigation into the case was being concluded to arraign the suspect in court for prosecution.

    He said the Inspector General of Police (I-G), Mr Usman Baba has commended the security operatives for the unrelenting fight against violent crimes in the country.

    Adeniran said the I-G also pledged the commitment of the police to improve public safety and security.

  • South East: How security forces combating IPOB/ESN militants killed 115 innocent people in six months – Amnesty International

    South East: How security forces combating IPOB/ESN militants killed 115 innocent people in six months – Amnesty International

    Amnesty International alleged security forces committed a catalogue of human rights violations and crimes under international law in their response to spiralling violence in South East.

    In a release by Country Director, Osai Ojigho, the human rights group alleged at least 115 persons were killed by security agencies in the region in four months while 21 security personnel were killed in three months in Imo state.

    He disclosed more than 500 persons were arrested after police and military raids with reported widespread allegations of torture and ill-treatment.

    “In carrying out a repressive campaign since January, the security forces had included sweeping mass arrests, excessive and unlawful force, and torture and other ill-treatment in its response to the violence.

    “Nigeria’s government has responded with a heavy hand to killings and violence widely attributed to the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the armed wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a pro-Biafra movement,” the report said.

    He added the evidence gathered by Amnesty International from January to June 2021 painted a damning picture of ruthless excessive force by security forces in Imo, Anambra and Abia States.

    The statement reads in part: “According to government officials, the ESN killed dozens of security operatives and attacked at least ten public buildings, including prisons, police stations, and other public buildings from January to June.

    “In response, security forces comprising military, police, and Department of State Services (DSS)have killed dozens of gunmen, as well as civilians where attacks have been committed.”

    According to him, Amnesty International carried out an extensive investigation to document the human rights violations and crimes under international law in Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi and Abia States from January 2021.

    “The organisation documented 52 incidents of unlawful killings and 62 cases of arbitrary arrest, ill treatment and torture. Media reports, video and audio recordings reviewed show that the Nigerian security forces also employed excessive force and other unlawful means to address the rising violence

    “From January 2021, gunmen suspected to be ESN militants launched a series of attacks on
    government infrastructure, including prisons and public buildings, killing several police officers.

    “Amnesty International condemned these attacks and called on authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.

    “Nigerian security forces launched security operations in June, primarily targeting ESN militants or those perceived as such to decimate the group.

    “Amnesty International documented at least 115 persons killed by security forces between January and June 2021.

    “Many relatives of the victims told Amnesty International that they were not part of the militants that were attacking security agents.

    “Many of the victims were deposited at government hospitals in Imo and Abia state. According to several hospital sources all the victims deposited by the police had bullet injuries.

    “For instance, in two of the cases documented by Amnesty international, the victims were targeted with no apparent justification:Uguchi Unachukwu, a German-based businessman was killed by soldiers on 31 May at a checkpoint near Owerri airport on his way out of the country.

    “The police are yet to investigate the crime and Mathew Opara, a 45-year-old businessman, was shot by soldiers on 25 May 2021 in Orji, near Owerri. His family said the military acknowledged the killing but did not launch an investigation or offer any apology.

    “In May 2021, the Imo state government announced the arrest of at least 400 people allegedly linked to the violence. Amnesty International’s investigation indicates that most of them were randomly picked up in their homes and off the street and had nothing to do with ESN.

    “Some victims told Amnesty international that they were arrested while walking in the street, at a public bar or simply for having birth marks or tattoos on their body.

    “A 37-year-old man who was arrested by the police at Orji, in Imo state, on 26 May 2021 told Amnesty International that he was arrested because his colleague had a birth mark on his shoulder.

    “The police said the mark was a sign of membership of IPOB. The police arrested us on the road. They asked us to lie down on the road. They checked our clothes to see if we have tattoo.

    “I had none but one of us had a birth mark. He tried to explain but the policemen started beating him. They tied our hands backwards and took us in their van to the police station,” he said.

    “Another 36-year-old man told Amnesty International: “I was arrested on my way back from work. The policemen put me in a bus along with other young men including several students and an NYSC member in his uniform. They labelled us ESN members and took us to their station at the Fire Service. We were severely beaten. They said they will waste [kill] all of us. I told them that I work for the state government. I was asked to pay N20,000. I negotiated and finally paid N15,000. They allowed me to go at about 10.30 pm. I do not know what happened to the other people”.

    “On 23 July, soldiers from the 82 Divisional headquarters of the Nigeria Army, Enugu, invaded Akpawfu, Amagunze and Akpugo communities in Enugu state and arrested at least 20 residents after gunmen killed five soldiers and burnt their vehicle near the community days earlier. Eyewitnesses told
    Amnesty International that dozens of soldiers moved from house to house, arresting youths on suspicion that they had links with ESN militants.

    “What is needed is an impartial and open inquiry to determine what happened and bring to justice all those suspected of criminal responsibility in fair trials before ordinary civilian courts and without recourse to death penalty,” Ojigho said.

  • Ohaneze Ndigbo commends Army for restoring security, peace in South East

    Ohaneze Ndigbo commends Army for restoring security, peace in South East

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has commended the Nigerian Army for its sacrifice in restoring security and peace in the South-East and nation at large.

    The President-General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Prof. George Obiozor, made the commendation on Wednesday, when the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division, Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, visited him in his office in Enugu.

    Obiozor, who expressed delight over the GOC’s visit to the Ohaneze House, said “without peace, nations cannot progress.

    “And without the Armed Forces, we will have more problems. They are the pillars of Nigeria’s unity.”

    The Ohanaeze leader also described the Nigerian Army as one of the best in Africa.

    He urged the various armed forces to sustain their efforts toward ensuring peace and security across the country.

    Responding, Lagbaja described Ohanaeze Ndigbo as a key stakeholder in managing the affairs within the division’s core Area of Responsibility (AOR).

    The GOC said, “Nigerian Army is an instrument of the state that helps to ensure peace, security and stable economic activities.”

    He said the army chose to partner all stakeholders to achieve its mandate.

    He commended the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo for advising against the threat by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra to use force to enforce its planned weekly sit-at-home order in the zone.

    Lagbaja assured the residents of the zone of adequate security, saying the division would not tolerate any acts that would threaten the prevailing peace in the area.

  • Andy Uba: APC albatross in the South East

    Andy Uba: APC albatross in the South East

    From Chuks Collins, Awka

    Perhaps, many citizens, including party leaders, governors and governors at heart, senators and other categories of political actors do not know the aim or purpose for party primaries.

    Else, how can someone or a bunch of highly placed citizens trifle with the governorship primary process of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that supposed to hold on June 26,2021 in the entire 326 electoral wards of Anambra.

    Person after person had returned same report, that no one visited any of the designated centres mapped out for the event on the said date. Yet, a sitting governorship, an “Excellency” who travelled many kilometers to come to Anambra (perhaps for the first time in his life) on the headship of the special panel constituted by the party to supervise the primary sat comfortably in his Golden Tulip Hotel room to read out what was prepared and handed over to him!

    The experience rattled not just his other 13 opponents, including even those he allegedly purchased the Nomination forms for. Their shock was simple and understandable. Just like one of them confided in his political associate, ‘I know it was going to happen, but no one imagined that party members would not be allowed to see the color of the ballot papers. The man had revealed that he was invited to join on the team going to Imo state for the packaging of the result

    The fear is that INEC is watching, the world is watching, and the opponents are also watching.

    Can APC afford to gamble a second time? The party experienced this in Bayelsa, Rivers and Zamfara states. But the most sweeping scenario occurred in Zamfara. The party went to the election, won but lost it because it had no candidate. And the runner-up suddenly became the winner and the greatest beneficiary of that internal administrative blunder. Funny enough they party is yet to recover from the problem till date.

    Curiously, in this Anambra case, INEC has spoken. The Commission allied with the voice of the citizens , that there was no primary anywhere in the state on June 26.

    Was it true that Gov Abiodun was sent to Anambra to extinguish the fledgling light of the party some members like Chief George Moghalu, Sen Chris Ngige, Chief Basil Ejidike and others painstakingly worked to establish.

    Is it not shocking that having given the once non-existent party in the geopolitical zone two states in Imo and Ebonyi, and now rearing to add Anambra apparently in preparation for the 2023 presidential bid by the zone, someone would consciously erase all those hardwork on the alter of party primary election.

    All who is who in APC in the state have said in many and diverse ways that no primary election was conducted in any of the 326 wards of the state on June 26, including Andy Uba’s Uga ward of Aguata Local Government Area of the state. Sen Ngige said it, Moghalu said it, Dr Chidozie Nwankwo said it and Chief Azuka Okwuosa said so too. All other thirteen (13) aspirants were firm and vehement on it. No election of any sort held in any part of the state that day. And no one could even till now guess the color or size of the ballot papers/boxes.

    So, if that was the case, where did Gov Abiodun of Ogun state arrive at the figures he read out. Who are the officers that worked with him? Where and where did any of them operate that day. Who were the local staff that worked with them?

    Who conducted or supervised the election in Nnewi without Moghalu knowing or being allowed to cast his vote. Where did the official visit in Alor that Ngige never cast his vote. Where did the voting point in Oraifite take place that Okwuosa didn’t know, and wasn’t allowed to cast his vote. Where in the entire Oko community did they perform the abracadabra called primary that Nwankwo, a son of the soil who had his primary and secondary life upbringing in the community, didn’t know.

    Without any premonition of the whole drama, Moghalu, Ngige and Nwankwo sent out monitors who fed them minute by minute account of proceedings. And their individual situation rooms recorded a no election in all parts of the situation.

    Unfortunately, it’s doubtful if any of them forwarded those minute minding reports to the WhatsApp or any other social media network of the party either the state or national Headquarters. Because that would have greatly enhanced the ongoing appraisal of all that transpired on June 26,2021.

    And from media reports, it would be nunc dimitis to APC in the state and the geopolitical zone if the fraud of June 26 is allowed to stand.

    Then the battle would be shifted to a new turf; the eligibility turf. Because while APC bicker over the conduct of her beleaguered primary election other opponents have been busy documenting and compiling details. It would therefore not be surprising if APC misses out of the main election because of the primary election brouhaha.

    It’s funny that while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in a report by its Election and Party Monitoring (EPM) Department, testified that contrary to the results announced by the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led Anambra Governorship Election Committee, no primary held in the state on June 26.

    The INEC officials who signed the document included Ibe U. Ibe who led the team, Nkechi Abuh, (Assistant Director) and Modibo Bellel (Principal Executive Officer). The EPM stated that the purported primary, which produced Senator Andy Uba as its winner, was non-existent.

    The report, which was submitted by the commission’s monitoring team who was officially sent to monitor the APC primary didn’t mince words in the report. So it’s now clear that someone is out to embarrass the Anambra state APC out of relevance in the Nov 6,2021 governorship election.

    Again, what manner of detergent would be used to wash off the mess that APC would find herself if things are allowed to stand. The Heritage Bank staff had portrayed Uba as insolvent.

    That is an unpardonable issue to overlook. It’s serious. It’s grievous. Any other candidate, opponent, citizen would simply go to court and get APC disqualified for presenting a defective candidate. Then he would quickly run to the court, but it would be flogging a dead horse, because at the end of the day he would be disqualified and the party will lose out.

    The question would then be, why should someone with a defective process of emergence foist himself on the party and the people. Because he issue of insolvency, whether proven or alleged remains a heavy allegation. That is why it’s constitutional. I mean, that was why the nation’s constitution; the grund norm copiously gave it a whole chapter.

    It’s also why before anyone is given a responsibility, that key question is always asked. ‘Have you ever been declared bankrupt?’
    If Andy Uba is bankrupt as alleged by the purported staff of Heritage Bank who laid siege on his Asokoro Abuja residence the footage of which has been widely circulated, then he should save the state, the APC and her enthusiastic members the heart ache and step aside. It will be more honorable that way.

    Else, the Zamfara experience is vehemently staring Anambra APCin the face because of just one man. And Gov Abiodun need to apologize to the party, Anambra citizens and the nation for the mess.

  • Is South-east truly a DOT and 10.5million citizens lifted out-of-poverty? – Carl Umegboro

    Is South-east truly a DOT and 10.5million citizens lifted out-of-poverty? – Carl Umegboro

    By Carl Umegboro

    INDEED, the Democracy Day – 2021 came with striking episodes. Prior to the date, tensions grew high in the society. Some planned for a revolution and unceasingly threatened that President Muhammadu Buhari must vacate Aso Rock. As a result, a hashtag; ‘BuhariMustGo’ circulated across many social medias for mobilization. Eventually, after realizing that a democratically-elected government has strict procedures from beginning to ending particularly in removal of a president, the fire gradually quenched.

    The architects perceptively realized, along the line that removal of an elected president is exclusively a legislative affair, and not a street affair by masses, thus, not feasible by civil disorders or protests. In fact, it doesn’t end with the Legislature; National Assembly as any impeachment proceedings must be endorsed by a Panel to be set up by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, to proceed as provided in Section 143(5). And Subsection 6 (Sec 143[6]) gives the accused president a right to defend himself of the allegations. In all these, the powers of the masses are only wrapped inside their elected NASS representatives. The Parliamentarians are therefore peoples’ mouths except for peaceful protest merely to draw attention of authorities on pressing issues for urgent intervention.
    Celebrating the occasion, Buhari in his broadcasts to the nation ‘committed’ two blunders in the eyes of many particularly the opposition groups. The first was the claim that his administration “has in the last two years lifted 10.5 million Nigerians out of poverty”. The second was his phrase – “a dot in a circle” while answering questions on activities of IPOB. Many have disagreed with the claims and rated Buhari as an insensitive leader considering the excruciating hardships people have been going through in the country. No responsible leader would politicize agonies subordinates go through.
    Looking at the state of nation with cost of things, foodstuffs on daily rise even when many have no jobs, any reasonable person would be quick to mock the president over such claims. Nobody can deny that hardship is not visible on the faces of the masses. A family that sustains a full-square meal at this terrifying period should show gratitude to their Maker. Nonetheless, reciting the problems is not the goal presently but to curiously trace what gave Buhari the audacity to make the two treacherously hard claims so as to either join to knock or clear him. Of course, it is an indelible right to criticize, but a desideratum when constructive.
    From record, after blocking major leakages through TSA (Treasury Single Account) which tightened the system in his first term, Buhari’s government in the second term introduced ‘Free Registration of Business Names’ and many Skill Acquisition Programmes and Trainings for masses to boost entrepreneurship. Next to it, CBN introduced many financial grants to support small, medium and large-scale businesses. Many sectors were covered; households, enterprises, firms in agriculture, hospitality, aviation, health, manufacturing, trading and other lawful income generating activities.

    Applicants in the category of ‘Households loans’ have a maximum of N3,000,000 (Three million Naira) obtainable without collateral as done in advanced countries. The basic requirement is to have a bank account with BVN (Bank Verification Number). For large-scale businesses, the maximum grant is N25, 000,000 (Twenty-five million naira). There are other schemes designed to support citizens’ businesses particularly helpless masses that lack requisite facilities to meet up for loans from commercial banks. They include a grant of N30,000 as Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Survival Fund to 9,000 artisans in each of the 36 states of the federation and FCT. Those that applied were mobilized accordingly.
    Those not informed were deprived, therefore bitterly disagreed with Buhari’s claims. The blames should go to the elected representatives for not acquainting members of their constituencies of federal government’s programmes meant to empower the masses. This is the primary reason federalism is patterned to have representatives from all constituencies. From records, Buhari’s claim to have empowered 10.5million people stemmed from verifiable records of total number that have so far benefitted from his administration’s various financial empowerment schemes. It is therefore imperative that elected peoples’ representatives should carry the people in their constituencies along to benefit from the Executive’s initiatives as a responsibility irrespective of the political party in power. Government’s target is 100 million beneficiaries, thus, the schemes are not over though in phases.
    On the controversial “dot in a circle” which is going to the extreme, it must be noted that the phrase is a figure-of-speech, and used to describe the few, violently agitating for secession. It’s metaphorical, and not addressed to Igbo ethnic group but the small fraction aggressively taking laws into their hands. So far, leaders-of-thoughts and political leaders of Southeast geopolitical zone have not endorsed secession but restructuring for equitable distribution of national resources. The same goes to Southwest and Southsouth regions. The people of the zones are represented in the Parliament of the Federal Republic of Nigeria accordingly. The governments of the various States are all part of the Nigeria nation alongside their respective governors as members of Federal Executive Council. These are the voices of the people in the states.
    It is therefore a height of absurdity for a “Distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” to join the gullible masses to misconstrue the figure-of-speech and sarcastically, publicly wearing a branded t-shirt inscribed “The DOT-Nation”. This is absurd and unacceptable. Senator Enyinaya Abaribe goofed. Instructively, a dot in a circle is a metaphor, and literally means a paltry portion in a large space. It is self-explanatory. Sensibly, the president wouldn’t have tagged one of three major ethnic groups her people spread globally as a dot in a circle. The great Igbo nation is clearly not IPOB that Buhari was answering questions about its activities. And Igbo leaders have never supported arsons and violent civil disorders, but few misled youths in the region. Public officeholders must always display maturity.
    Umegboro, LLB, ACIArb is a public affairs analyst. 08173184542-SMS only