The newly elected Senator representing Imo North senatorial district, Chukwuma Frank Ibezim has been sworn in. He was elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress in a bye-election. His election was a subject of controversy until the Supreme Court delivered judgment in his favour on Monday, 5th April, 2021. In arriving at its decision, the apex court in a unanimous judgment voided, nullified and set aside the concurrent judgments of the Federal High Court in Abuja and that of the Court of Appeal which nullified the candidacy of Ibezim on the ground of perjury. Justice Emmanuel Agim…
Author: Ifeanyi N.
A rights advocacy group, Concerned Nigerians, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign. The group anchored its claim on the failure of the economy and killings in the country. The Deji Adeyanju-led group stated this in a series of tweets on its verified Twitter handle. According to the group, the President has failed to protect basic human rights of Nigerians among other things, hence should vacate his office. The tweets read: “We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign now. “Enough is Enough. “Lives are being lost everyday. Economy is in shambles. “Our unity is being threatened. “President…
In the wake of continued attacks by terrorists and other criminal elements across the country, the ruling All Progressives Congress APC has expressed the determination of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to deal decisively with such criminal elements. National Secretary, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe made the promise in a statement issued Monday in Abuja. The party noted that the issue of insecurity in the country has found expression in terrorist and criminal activities of Boko Haram, bandits, kidnappers, rustlers and recently the highly condemnable attacks on security formations in some states. “These are…
The Kano State governorship candidate of Green Party of Nigeria, GPN, Abdulsalam Abdulkarim Zaura, at the weekend, defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kano. This was made known in a statement signed by Media Consultant, A.A Zaura Foundation, Al-Amin Ciroma, where it explained the essence of the decision of A.A Zaura as he is popularly called to dump GPN for the ruling APC, which according to him is a youth-friendly platform. He also called on other chieftains and members of his former party, to join him in APC. The statement reads in part, “The former Kano State governorship…
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olumide Aderinokun, has said President Muhammadu Buhari was not doing enough to stop the rising cases of killings, kidnapping and banditry in Nigeria. Aderinokun, who expressed sadness over the killing of three students of Greenfield University in Kaduna by bandits, advised the Federal Government to employ Information Communication Technology (ICT) in tackling insecurity. Speaking in Abeokuta on Monday, Aderinokun maintained that “the gruesome killing of both civilians and security agents in different parts of the country is becoming more disturbing and unspeakable,” saying “the government needs to wake up.” “The President…
The Director-General of the National Inland Waterways (NIWA), Dr George Moghalu has advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure it holds a free and fair primary election to choose the candidate of the party for the Anambra governorship election. Moghalu spoke yesterday, during a meeting with the Anambra APC elders forum in Awka. “The party has released its guidelines for that primary election, but they are yet to release the modalities. “I don’t want to tell them what modalities to adopt for the election because if I do, people will say I’m an interested party. “But I want to…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that enemies of Imo attacked the residence of Governor Hope Uzodimma and other public facilities. The party, in a statement on Monday, condemned the target on security personnel and formations in Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Anambra and Rivers States. John Akpan Udoedehe, National Secretary of the APC Caretaker Committee, commiserated with agencies and families over the loss of law enforcement officers. Udoedehe said breaking into the Governor’s residence was an attack on democracy and constituted authority. The scribe said the party was in shock over the ugly turn of events after learning there were…
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has condemned Saturday’s fire that razed the house of Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State. Dr Kayode Fayemi, the NGF Chairman and Governor of Ekiti State, in a statement he issued on Saturday in Abuja, described it as criminality taken too far. Recall that Uzodinma’s country home in Omuma, Oru East Local Government Area (LGA), of Imo, was on Saturday destroyed by fire. Fayemi sympathised with the Imo Governor and commiserated with all those who were injured or killed as a result of the incident. The NGF Chairman called on all good citizens to cooperate…
Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, weekend, reiterated that the All Progressives Congress, APC would sack the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP from some States in the South-South region in 2023. Omo-Agege who stated this at Illah in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, shortly after inspecting the rehabilitation work on Asaba-Ugbolu-Illah road which he said would be completed within a week, said Delta State is like a low hanging fruit for APC to pluck. Noting that the dividends of democracy provided by the APC-controlled Federal Government to Deltans would attract votes from the people in…
The recently concluded congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Southwest has presented another opportunity for its leadership to get to the drawing board and work out new ways of managing some challenges confronting it. The elections to the regional positions may have come and gone, with winners having emerged. But to some party leaders, an internal election where a faction out of two won all seats by narrow margins coupled with the implication of winners-take-all, has thrown up new challenges must be well managed. Before the congress, Southwest PDP was divided. Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde led a…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the presidency’s reaction to the terrorism allegations against Dr Isa Pantami, the minister of Communication and Digital Economy, showed President Muhammadu Buhari-led government patronises acts of terrorism. There have been calls on the president to sack Pantami following a flurry of revelations in which he made pro-terrorist comments in the past. Despite the calls by Nigerians for the removal of Pantami as communication minister, the presidency on Thursday, April 22, 2021, threw its weight behind the embattled minister in a statement. According to the statement by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the…
Former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Kalu, has said that he has no ambition to become Nigeria’s President. Kalu, however, said he will not reject the offer if he was given, adding that he is capable mentally and otherwise to lead the country. Uzor Kalu also insisted that it is the turn of a Southeasterner of Igbo extraction to become President if Nigerians want to be fair. The former Abia Governor spoke during an interview with Channels Television on Sunday, adding that he does not believe that prophecies will take him to Aso Rock. He waved aside prophecies from…
There are indicators that the real test for Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s leadership acumen would unfold in two years’ time. By 2023, the Enugu State governor would be rounding off his second term in office as the state chief executive. Recent events in the state showed that Ugwuanyi’s succession plan would be a subject of great contestation between his Enugu North Senatorial District kinsmen and the people of Enugu East Senatorial District. The informal power rotation arrangement among the three Senatorial districts has run a full circle, with the incumbent taking the slot of Enugu North or Nsukka zone for the…
Ahmed Bakare, a public commentator in Zamfara State has alleged that the APC Governor’s Forum has a hidden agenda, considering their constant sympathy visit to the state. In an exclusive interview with the media in Gusau, Bakare explained that there have been many occurrences in some APC controlled states but the APC Governors Forum has not cared to visit those states. “It is not surprising that since 1999 that Nigeria regained democracy from the military, Zamfara State belonged entirely APC. The PDP did not form a government there except through the Supreme court intervention in 2019″. Bakare said the ”APC…
A member of the Anambra House of Assembly, Hon Nonso Okafor says it is untrue that Governor Willie Obiano endorsed an aspirant for the party’s ticket in the November governorship election. Okafor, a chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) stated this yesterday, during an interactive session with journalists at the Godwin Ezeemo Press Centre, Awka. The lawmaker was reacting to insinuations that the governor has endorsed the former Central Bank Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo for the party’s ticket. Okafor said, “I don’t understand what people mean by body language. People should stop dropping the name of the governor…
The Pan Nigeria Presidency of Igbo Extraction Coalition (PANPIEC) has advocated for all political parties to zone their 2023 Presidential seat ticket to the southeastern part of the country. The coalition said shifting power to the east would engender confidence, a sense of belonging, as well as erase the agitations in the southeast. The socio-political organization called on all stakeholders to work towards the realisation of Nigeria Presidency of Igbo extraction. PANPIEC made its position known in a statement jointly signed by its Director of Planning and Strategy, Pat Anyanwu and Assistant Director, Contact and Mobilization, Prudence Uchebuakor and made…
The Noble Youths Mass Support Association (NYMSA) has endorsed former presidential aide, Doyin Okupe, for the 2023 presidency. The Coordinator, Godwin Onmonya, told NAN that the group believes in hope in the ex-National Publicity Secretary of the National Republican Convention (NRC). Okupe worked with former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan. Onmonya described Okupe as a reliable and credible choice for the office of the president. NYMSA said Okupe will create an enabling environment for businesses, restore respect for the rule of law and provide job opportunities. “He is a thoroughbred grassroots politician, who understands Nigeria, Nigerians’ challenges and can…
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is reported to have registered about 2.5 million members during its just concluded registration and revalidation exercise in Lagos. The exercise, which started in February ended on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. Dr Muhammad Bashiru Ruwangodiya, Chairman of the APC Lagos Registration Supervisory Committee, said about 2.5 million registered during the exercise across the 20 local governments in the state. Ruwangodiya said, “So far, so good; members were registered and it was a complete success. We have no record of assault or wherever. It was a fruitful and wonderful exercise that I will live to…
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi is an outspoken monarch who has been criticised for his position on many issues. In this interview he discusses issues ranging from politics, traditional institutions, secession and the 2023 general elections. Excerpts: There have been agitations for secession and self-determination. IPOB in the South-East is calling for the Biafra Republic, while the South-West wants Oduduwa Republic. What is your take on these agitations? My take is that there should be devolution of powers; the center has to be weak, and the states given more responsibilities. State Police should be allowed. With the…
In response to the worsening Insecurity in the Southeast zone, governors, political, religious, traditional and other leaders from the region are currently in a closed-door meeting. The meeting is believed to have been convened as a response to Saturday’s attack on the hometown of Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma. On the same day in Imo State, the commander of the IPOB’s Eastern Security Network, ESN, Ikonso, was also killed by a combined team of security operatives. TheInfoStride reports that the meeting is ongoing at the Enugu Government House. Already in attendance are the Chairman of the Forum and Ebonyi State…