NIGERIAN NOTCH

_Nkechi Cynthia Enuma_ The ever contentious Anambra State governorship race is heating up. No less than thirty-persons are aspiring to govern the State come 17 March 2022. Among them, are some knowns, some unknowns and some rookies in partisan politics. The race is full of billionaires, one would think Anambra is up for auction. The parties that lead with the highest numbers of aspirants in Anambra are the People's Democratic Party(PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance(APGA) and the Young Progressives Party (YPP). By the close of June 2021, this large number of aspirants would have been reduced to four- the so-called candidates from the major parties. Unfailingly, only one of them will become Governor. The slate of governorship aspirants include a few women. This reality has changed the political terrain and equation. Unlikely as it may seem, the options remain open that a woman might emerge as Anambra’s next Governor. One of t...

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of five new Permanent Secretaries into the civil service of the federation. This followed the recent successful conduct of the selection process of permanent secretaries. The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan made the announcement in a statement by Mr AbdulGaniyu Aminu, Director Press and Public Relation, HOCSF, in Abuja. The names of the permanent secretaries are as follows; Mr Adebiyi Olufunso, (Ekiti), Mrs Maryann Onwudiwe, (Enugu State), Mr Yusuf Ibrahim, (Katsina state), Mr Ogunbiyi Olaniyi, (Lagos State) and Mr Ibrahim Kana, Nasarawa State. According to Yemi-Esan, the date of the swearing-in and deployment of the appointees will be announced in due course. NAN

Nigerian business mogul Valentine Ozigbo's bid for the governorship of Anambra State got a massive boost on Monday, June 14, 2021, when he received the endorsement of a respected elder statesman, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, the first executive governor of Anambra State Dr Eziefe, popularly known as Okwadike Ndigbo, announced the endorsement when he played host to Mr Ozigbo at his Asokoro residence in Abuja. Ozigbo is the first aspirant in the Anambra governorship race to receive such a high profile pre-primary endorsement.  Present at the event were the former Anambra first lady, Mrs Grace Ezeife, Air Vice Marshall Canice Umemwaliri (Rtd), a former information minister; Pro (Arc) Favour, the general overseer of Covenant of Love Ministry; Mrs Ifenyinwa Ezenwa, a market leader; Hajia Halilu, National Market Woman Secretary-General, Tagbo Okeke, Engr Nwachukwu Okeke, Engr Ebubedike Ezeife, son of the former governor; Engr. Chris Umenwaliri, and High Chief Edozie Ezeugwa.  ...

  The Commander of NDLEA yesterday paid a courtsey call on the Hon. Commissioner of Health Akwa Ibom to intimate the Commissioner on the need for the agency and ministry to form a strong synergy to fight against unwaton use of narcotics in the state. NDLEA Akwa ibom state commander Mrs Obot Bassey however thanked the commissioner for her efforts so far in seeing to the fact that the use of hard substance in the state is curtailed to the barest minimum. She said the courtesy visit to the commissioner of health Prof Augustine Vincent Umoh,with some of her principal officers the state secretariat was inline with the agency proactive efforts to reduce the use of hard drugs in the state, and to form an alliance to ensure that abuse of drugs is reduced.  In his response the Commissioner for health in the state, Prof Augustine Vincent Umoh promised to work closely with the NDLEA to steem the tide of abuse of drugs in the state to ensure that the youths chart a noble cause for their l...

Earlier today, His Majesty Igwe Dr Robert C Eze ( Okofia Vi) Igwe Ukpo & Clan Head of Dunukofia, on the invitation of the Assistant Inspector general of police in charge of Zone 13 Police zonal Command- AIG Muhammad Garba Mukaddas paid a historic Visit to the Zonal Command today, being June 17, 2021 at 3pm. The Igwe and his Team were received by the AIG Muhammad Garba Mukaddas incompany of DCP Echeng Echeng ( ZCID ), DCP Chris Aimionowane ( ZDOPS ),ACP I M Miringa ( AC Admin ), ACP Akin Fakorade  (AC ZCID), CSP Dilichukwu Omenma, PHD ( OC, ZIB ), CSP Vivian Aworonye ( OC, Legal ), DSP Nkeiruka Nwaode ( ZPPRO ) among others. The Igwe in the course of today's Visit, formally handed over a copy of the request for the takeover of Police Secondary School Ukpo facility by the Nigeria Police earlier sent to the IGP, to the AIG and implored him to see to approval of his request. He also assured that the host Community is ever willing to provide conducive atmosphere for the effective Op...

The senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, has emerged as the candidate of Young Progressives Party (YPP) for the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State. Speaking to newsmen after he was declared candidate of YPP, Ubah doused the fears of Nigerians that the South East crisis would disrupt the election coming up on November 6th 2021.   Ubah said the current insecurity in the region would not affect the conduct of the polls and that his party would emerge victoriously. Ubah noted that the party was not behind the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)in the state, contrary to insinuations in some quarters. “If other parties are having crisis it means their processes are not right. As you can see in YPP we are moving with the speed of light,” he said.   He recalled that YPP gave APGA and PDP a hot chase and came out victorious during the...

   - as DSS assures uzodimma of critical intelligence in Imo State As part of the peaceful restoration move by the Shared Prosperity administration, His Excellency the Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma expressed the readiness of his administration to work in synergy with the Department of State Security (DSS) in the areas of inteliigence gathering and maintainance of internal peace across the state. His Excellency made this known during his visit to the State Command of the security agent today in familiarization. In his words, "I extend to you my full hands of partnership as this State deserves peace and tranquility".  The Governor commended the DSS for rising to the occassion in discharge of their duty, contributory to the restoration of peace and order in the state, stressing that it is the desire and wish of the Imolites for a continous synergy across board for the overall interest of the citizens. Speaking earlier, the Director of DSS Imo State Command, Dr. Idamina...

- IMO PDP AND IPOB WORKING AGAINST THE PEACE AND SECURITY OF IMOLITES  This is the very height of political misdemeanor for a party that claims to be the number one opposition party in the state to reduce themselves to becoming a channel for the dissemination of information from a group that terrorized and killed innocent Imolites and security operatives. Events of these past weeks have shown that the Imo PDP are sympathizers and apologists of these enemies of the state and the truth is not far that due to their bitterness that Gov. Hope Uzodimma have surpassed their expectations and dwarfed their intentions, they have ran out of stock of blames and now speaking for the proscribed group. The recent copy and paste publication made available by IPOB and being circulated by Imo PDP wherein Gov. Hope Uzodimma was ignorantly accused of been the only reason for IPOB restiveness exposes the brazen ignorance and vile nature of the Imo PDP that is being masked from the public. While it is u...

By CJ Ubaka and Ima Matthew In Anambra State, the coasts keep getting clearer for Valentine Ozigbo, the frontrunner in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the November 6, 2021 governorship election. By the grace of God, the good people of Anambra State are about to witness, once again, what it means to have a competent governor who takes the mandate of his people with a high sense of responsibility. The leadership black hole created by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) led by Governor Willie Obiano is now unbearable for the citizens. As it stands now, it is either we go for a complete change and elect a competent candidate on a brand new slate or face another cycle of backwardness, darkness, and cruelty from Agu Akwa. One of the common excuses people give for enthroning incompetence is the scarcity of competent hands in the field. This is because, all too often, the real capable people who can bring the needed quality in governance prefer not to come out to seek the se...

Senator Hope Uzodinma, the executive govenor of Imo state has set in motion plans to establish an insurance policy that will help boast the moral of police officers serving in Imo State. The Governor disclosed this when he paid a condolence visit to the Command on Tuesday.  Expressing his sadness over the murder of officers on duty by Unknown gunmen, he said  ” Government will not let you do this work alone,we will support and supply all logistics and requirements needed, because we want our people to sleep with their two eyes closed. We will bring up an insurance policy in the State for all police officers in the State which will benefit their relations, this is to boost their moral in service delivery”.   ” if the police is challenged the entire  nation will be challenged” He however thanked President Muhamadu Buhari for his support during the weeks of  crisis, occasioned by Insecurity in the state. Earlier in his address, CP Abutu Yaro,Imo State Police Commis...

WHY CHUKWUEMEKA NWAJIUBA? At 53,he's a bridge between the young and the old. He has the energy and the strength the office of the Nigerian President demands. He has character,capacity, competence and capability. A lawyer and a politician, Hon.Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba has been in active politics for the past thirty years. Elected three times to the Nigerian House of Representatives where he served as Chairman, House Committee on Works and Housing as well as a member of several other committees. He supported President Muhammadu Buhari in his 2003 Presidential bid under ANPP and later emerged the IMO State Governorship Candidate of ANPP. He later joined President Muhammadu Buhari in 2010 to form the Congress for Progressive Change,CPC and later became the IMO State Governorship Candidate of the party(CPC)in 2011. In 2014,he represented CPC in the Constitution Drafting and Merger Committee of  All Progressive Congress, APC. In 2017,he became the first South Easterner to be appointed...

The centenarian, Mrs. Margaret Nwuelo, has dragged Dr Cletus Ibeto the billionaire from Nnewi, and 14 others before an Anambra High Court Nnewi, presided over by Justice Denis Maduechesi ,for alleged land grabbing. The 104-year-old woman,in her statement of claim/writ of summons asked the court to cause the defendants to pay about N1.5bn for disturbing her peace over a piece of land she claimed to have bought with her late husband in 1957. She instituted the action on behalf of the representatives of the family except the 12th defendants ( her grandson’s wife) and her offspring. She sought amongst other things from the court an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents, privies or any other person howsoever described from further trespassing on her land at No 136-140 Abel Okoye Road, Egbu, Umuenem, Otolo, Nnewi. She also asked the court for ” a declaration that by the invasion, trespass, demolition and subsequent actions of the defendants on the 1...

Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara has said that his administration will deal decisively with bandits and their sponsors terrorising the state. Matawalle made his position known in a statewide broadcast he made in Gusau on Saturday following renewed attacks by the hoodlums in the state. Bandits in their hundreds riding on motorcycles had attacked Kadawa village in Zurmi Local Government area of the state on Thursday night where they were said to have killed some people. The governor reaffirmed his commitment to deal ruthlessly with all those behind the killings that took place in the past and now. “In recent weeks, the act of banditry has reverted to the ugly dimensions it had,  prior to the coming of my administration. “The marauders kill without regard for any rules of sanity. “Women, the elderly, and children are not spared. “As a result, a large number of people have been displaced in nearly every town in the state. “You are witnesses to what we have accomplished from the beginnin...

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Saturday in Benin described the recent attack on Bendel Insurance Football Club players and officials as barbaric. The Insurance players and officials were allegedly attacked by fans and officials of Remo Stars Football Club of Sagamu during a 2020/2021 Nigeria National League (NNL) match in Ikenne. Obaseki, shortly after visiting the team’s five players and five officials who were hospitalised after the attack on them, said the attack was barbaric and not in the spirit of sportsmanship. “You can not in a game maim the other players like this. I am shocked and disappointed, more than a week after the incident at Ikenne in Ogun. “The managers of the league haven’t come up to spell out the appropriate sanctions with this type of horrific behaviour from the other side. “As far as I am concerned, I don’t think we can continue with the league until the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) brings out those who injured our players. “More importantly, they must also ...