NIGERIAN NOTCH

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has spoken up about the controversial primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State. INEC spokesperson, Festus Okoye, told PREMIUM TIMES the Commission received a damning report on the APC primary from its officials. Mr Okoye, however, said top officials of the electoral body were yet to meet to consider the document and take a decision. “The Commission has not taken a decision on the issue. A political party may conduct primaries and refuse to upload the list and personal particulars of its candidates,” he said. Mr Okoye spoke just as INEC ends the uploading of the list and personal particulars of nominated candidates today (9 July). The governorship election in Anambra State has been fixed for 6 November. The INEC spokesperson said the 18 registered parties interested in contesting the November 6 governorship election gave the commission the statutory 21 days notice of their intention to condu...

His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma today received a high powered 6-man delegation from the Nigerian Navy led by Rear Admiral Odogwu Ezekobe, the Chief of Policy and Plans, on a familiarization visit to the Governor on the proposed Naval Base to be situated at Osse Moto, Oguta LGA. According to Governor Uzodimma “the recent events in the State have proven the need to strengthen security in the state to protect our lands and maritime boundaries and curb the criminal activities of oil bunkers and unknown gunmen at the Imo State waterways which is not just a State issue but a National sabotage, hence the need for the partnership”. The Governor in his statement assured them of every necessary co-operation from the Government of Imo State. Speaking earlier, Rear Admiral Odogwu Ezekobe, disclosed that the partnership can be traced to the good relationship of Governor Hope Uzodimma and the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Zubairu. Rear Admiral Ezekobe stated that...

The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill to expand the jurisdiction of the Federal Capital Territory Customary Court to undertake the trial of criminal matters. The bill titled: Federal Capital Territory Customary Court Act, 2007 (Amendment) Bill, 2021, was sponsored by Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central). The passage of the bill followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters. Chairman of the Committee, Opeyemi Bamidele, in his presentation, said the primary objective of the bill was to amend the Federal Capital Territory Customary Court Act, 2007. According to the lawmaker, the bill when signed into law by the President seeks to, among other things, “expand the jurisdiction of the court to include the trial of criminal matters in order to Seck of the dockets of magistrate courts in the Federal Capital Territory.” “On the whole, the amendment is intended to promote timely dispensation of justice”, the law...

Troops of Sector 2 Joint Task Force Operation Hardin Kai on Thursday 8 July 2021 nabbed a notorious Boko Haram/ISWAP informant, carrying out espionage activities on troops in the general area of Katarko village of Yobe State. The gallant troops also repelled an attack on Katarko village. During preliminary investigation, the informant identified as Abor Kawu confessed to having monitored and disclosed troops’ location and movements to the terrorists. A statement by Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations said, ” He also revealed that more Boko Haram collaborators were deployed in the general area to spy on the troops. “Following this revelation, troops of Sector 2 have been placed on red alert and effort is ongoing to unravel the network of informants within the general area. “Commending the troops of Sector 2 for their vigilance and tenacity, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya charged them to flush out  Boko Haram/ISWAP elements in...

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo has sued for peace following the suspension of six House of Assembly members in the state. Mr Cajetan Duke, Publicity Secretary of the APC in Imo made the call in an interview with newsmen in Owerri on Thursday while reacting to the suspension. Duke described the Assembly as “an independent organ of government”. He called on the suspended lawmakers to desist from acts capable of jeopardizing their public image and the legislative House. He noted that as law-abiding persons, the party would not only respect the independence of the Assembly but also align with any decisions taken by its leadership. “APC respects the independence of the House of Assembly and supports any disciplinary measures that make for decorum. “We urge the suspended lawmakers to resolve issues using internal resolution mechanism,” he said. “He said the nature of the suspension was an indication that it was not a case of political witch-hunt against any political ...

Two chieftains of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), High Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo and one Mrs Okoye Nwabuogo, have commenced legal moves to stop Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo from flying the flag of the party at the Anambra State 2021 governorship election. According to our correspondent, Mr. Eneh Victor Chigozie, Mrs. Nwabuogo, a chieftain of APGA, approached a Federal High Court Abuja, with a suit. Nwabuogo is asking the court to set aside the election and nomination of Soludo as the party’s candidate for the November 6 governorship election. The suit also seeks an order restraining Soludo from parading himself as the validly or duly elected candidate of APGA for the said election. This case has two major issues for determination; The non-compliance to the mandatory 21 days notice on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to monitor the ward delegate congress. In the suit, the plaintiff it is seeking an order of the court to nullify the June 23 go...

African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said it is still consulting widely with stakeholders  to get a formidable Anambra State Gubernatorial team that will meet up with the yearnings and aspirations of the people with a view to bringing great progress and development to the state. The party made this view known yesterday as a Havard-trained entrepreneur and 2011 Forbes' Youngest Most Powerful Women in Africa, Mrs Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli has announced  her unavailability to participate in the race for the Deputy Governorship race on the party's platform.  The media have been awash that  Nwuneli was among ten  outstanding personalities shopped personalities consulted by the party to participate as running mate to ADC's  Governorship candidate for the November 6, 2021 election.  But does investigation by our correspondent, showed that Mrs Nwuneli  has opted out of the race, but has wished the party epp omits endeavour to capture the state's Governm...

…TWO VANDALS ARRESTED IN ANAMBRA STATE The Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC (EEDC) has decried the incessant attacks on its power installations across the South East. This development was expressed by the organisation’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, following the arrest of two suspected vandals in Aniocha, Anambra State, last week. The suspects identified as Odom Sunday, a native of Ozara in Agwu Local Government Area, Enugu State and Okwuchukwu Nweze, a native of Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Anambra State, were both arrested by Akwaeze Vigilante team for attacking Magbuwa 2 Distribution Substation, property of EEDC, located in Akwaeze Village, Aniocha Local Government Area, Anambra State. Ezeh confirmed that the suspects along with the recovered vandalized items and a Nissan Hummer bus used by the suspects for the operation have been handed over to the Police Area Command, Uga, for further investigation and possible prosecution. “The inc...

Hon. Rimamnde Shawulu (PDP-Taraba), has urged the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Uche Secondus, to resign following mass defection from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Shawulu said this a letter addressed to the chairman and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday. He decried the rate at which the party was losing members to the ruling APC in recent times. Shawulu also urged members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to resign. “Today, unexpectedly, four members of the House of Representatives from Zamfara defected from the PDP to APC,” he said. He said unlike before, when leaders of the party at the House usually put up a form of protest, not a whisper was heard or a hand raised in protest against the defection.   “Dear Chairman, Sir, events in the last two years call for sober reflection and sacrifices by both the leadership and membership of the party and it is necessa...

- ROCHAS OKOROCHA SHOULD FACE THE TRUTH AND QUIT THE UNNECESSARY ATTENTION SEEKING Our attention has been drawn to a skewed press release credited to Sam Onwuemeodo, Media Aide to former Governor Rochas Okorocha, wherein he erroneously denied the knowledge of Imo State Government's ownership of Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University, Ogboko and held that the state government has no right over the institution. Ordinarily we would have ignored Onwuemeodo as usual, since we appreciate his present psychological state of mind following the recent recovery of all that his paymaster Okorocha stole from the state and Imolites, but for the sake of undiscerning members of the public, we wish that rather than joining issues with him, he should be brought to speed of the knowledge he lacks about the ownership of Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University, Ogboko. (1) There is a University called Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe at Ogboko which is owned by the Imo State Government. (2) Imo State Governm...

Valentine Ozigbo, the Anambra Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag-bearer for the November 2021 governorship election, on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency, Senator Duoye Diri.  At the meeting which held in Abuja, Governor Diri congratulated Ozigbo on his victory at the PDP primary election, pledging his unalloyed support ahead of the guber election scheduled for November 6, 2021.  Governor Diri described Mr Ozigbo as a “great businessman with a strong capacity to provide effective leadership”, urging the people of Anambra State to rally round the PDP candidate.  Governor Diri further assured Ozigbo that the PDP leadership would mobilise resources and support for him and ensure his victory at the poll.  In his remarks, Mr Ozigbo thanked Governor Diri for his warm reception, kind words, and the pledge of his support for the forthcoming election.  "Your Excellency, I am humbled by the reception ...

Mr John Asein, the Director-General of Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), says the Federal Government had commenced the process of reviewing the 1988 Copyright Act. By Deji Abdulwahab Mr John Asein, the Director-General of Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), says the Federal Government had commenced the process of reviewing the 1988 Copyright Act. “The Federal Government has kick-started the process for the first major reform of the nation’s copyright system in over three decades. “This followed the transmission of the Copyright (Repeal) Bill as approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to the National Assembly for enactment into law,” Asein said in a statement issued in Abuja, on Tuesday. In a signed statement by the Commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr Vincent Oyefeso, the statement quoted Asein as saying that the new bill aimed at overhauling the copyright system in Nigeria. It also seeks to, among others, strengthen the enforcement mechanism for copyrigh...

The Dunamis International Gospel Centre has refuted media reports on its alleged involvement in the arrest and detention of anti-Buhari protesters on Sunday. A statement issued by the Church’s spokesman, Dr Adah Ochowechi in Abuja on Wednesday, stressed that the church had no hand in the arrest neither were the protesters arrested within its premises. It was reported that some alleged anti-Buhari protesters had stormed the church on Sunday and were apprehended and detained by the Department of State Services (DSS). Reacting to the incidence, the church distanced itself from any involvement in the purported arrest, pointing out that it remained resolute in its advocacy for human rights, justice and freedom. “Our attention has been drawn to a misleading caption in the media space about the arrest and detention of youths in our church on Sunday July 4, 2022. “The narrative being peddled is that some youth wearing T-shirt branded with #BuhariMustGo merely came to church and wal...

The Federal Executive Council has approved N7.2 billion for emergency repairs on 32 federal roads in Lagos State. The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said this at the end of the Council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday. According to the minister, he presented three memos to the council, with two on approvals and one as a report on the meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, held in Jos, Plateau. He said: “The other two which are memoranda for approval, was to ratify the emergency repairs of about 32 routes of federal roads in Lagos State emergency repairs carried out between 2017 and 2019. “We were seeking council’s ratification for 32 routes such as Iganmu-Ijora-Isolo, Herbert Macaulay road, Jibowu-Unilag road, old Abeokuta-Egba, Mushin, Falomo and so on. “It was for 7.28 2 billion Naira and the council approved the emergency procurement which had been done...

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has tasked the board of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) on enforcement of deregulation when the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) becomes law. Sylva gave the charge while inuagurating the Board Chairman of the Agency, Mr Obinna Atuonwu, in Abuja, on Wednesday. “You were carefully chosen, and more especially at a good time when the PIB has been passed by the National Assembly. This entails a lot of movement. “There is a provision for deregulation and subsidy removal in the bill, you are going to manage so many things, transiting from subsidy to deregulation. “PPPRA is core in all these as well as the autogas policy which you will also be at the middle of overseeing,” he said. The Minister assured the board that it would work with a competent team, as the reappointed Executive Secretary of the agency had enough expirence and was a technocrat. “You can get a lot from him being a technocrat...

His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma tackled issues bordering immigration within the State as he received in audience the Comptroller of Immigration Service Imo State Command, CIS Okey Ezeugwu who was recently redeployed to Imo State by the Nigeria Immigration Service Head Quarters Abuja. In his address, Governor Uzodimma affirmed that the Shared Prosperity Administration will continue to support efforts and  service in the discharge of securing the borders of the State to further enforce peace and secure the lives and Properties of Ndi Imo . Speaking earlier, the Comptroller of Immigration Service Imo State Command, CIS Okey Ezeugwu commended the Governor for the better situation of things as attested by men and women of the Immigration service in the State and further promised to discharge his duties for the safety of the entire people of the State. Credits: #HopeNewAndElectronicMediaCenter

Former Minister of Aviation, Mr Osita Chidoka, has commended the Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) and Interra Networks, on STORM.ng, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) project in the country. Speaking at the project launch in Enugu on Tuesday Chidoka, described STORM as a well-thought out project that would rave-up digital skills and innovation in the South East and South South Regions. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that STORM.ng ISP project under the Nigeria National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB) Phase I, would cover Enugu, Ebonyi, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Awka, Onitsha and Asaba under its National Fibre Roll Out programme. According to the Former Minister, the STORM project is in the right direction and State Governments need to take it up. “They need to borrow a leaf from it; they need to push the narrative; they need to come out from the infrastructure of the yesteryears and from discussing events of yesterday. “Nigeria’s futu...

Anambra State government has said that it will set up a proper and adequate mechanism to address the issue of touting in markets within the state, owned by Goverment.   The Commissioner for Trade, Commerce, Industry and wealth creation,  Hon. Uchenna Okafor, stated this while conducting the election of executive members of  Anambra State Market Amalgamated, Traders Association (ASMATA) in the state, which was held lady week. He assured that touts are no longer accepted in markets owned by the state government and that they will soon be flushed out of the markets to ensure sanity.   Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu, who was returned as the President General of ASMATA for a second term in office through a voice vote, however expressed happiness at the peaceful conduct of the election, assuring of government’s support to make the markets conducive for commercial activities in the state.

The Imo State Government led by Governor Hope Uzodimma, has recovered 43 Oil Wells formerly owned by Imo State but was ceded Rivers State. Recall that in the twilight of the Shared Prosperity Administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma, it was uncovered that Oil Wells belonging to Imo State were ceded to Rivers State Government. Inline with the 3R mantra, the State Government through the Deputy Governor, Professor Placid Njoku, who by virtue of the constitution is in charge of boundary dispute in synergy with the coordinator of Petroleum and Gas matters to Governor Hope Uzodimma, swung into action in making efforts to return the 43 Oil Wells back to Imo State. According to the Coordinator for Petroleum and Gas Matters to the Governor, Mr. Goodluck Opiah, the Oil Wells were recovered from Mgbede field in Ohaji Egbema Local Government and Akri field in Oguta Local Government, respectively. The recovered 43 Oil Wells signifies the readiness of Governor Hope Uzodimma in correcting the anomali...

..... reject 30% profit share for oil exploration in Northern Nigeria   Southern governors, on Monday, supported the 5% share of the oil revenue to the host community, while  rejecting the proposed allocation of at least 30 per cent of the profit generated by the proposed Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for the exploration of oil in ‘frontier basins’ as identified by Section 9 of the recently passed Petroleum Industry Bill. The bill will regulate the oil sector if signed by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.). Although the proposed law doesn’t identify the frontier basins, a statement by the President in 2019 identified the frontier basins as Chad Basin, Gongola Basin, Sokoto Basin, Dahomey Basin, Bida Basin, Benue Trough, amongst others. Currently, crude oil is obtained from eight states in the Niger Delta region which include: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers States. In a communiqué issued yesterday at the end of their ...

…Intercepts drugs going to US, Australia.  Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a Nigerian woman based in Brazil, Mrs. Anita Ugochinyere Ogbonna, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, with 100 pellets of cocaine concealed in her private part and handbag. The mother of three was arrested on Friday night on arrival in Abuja via Qatar Air from Sao Paulo, Brazil through Doha. Upon a proper search, 12 wraps of cocaine inserted in her private part were extracted while another 88 pellets stuffed in socks were discovered hidden in her handbag. During interrogation, Mrs. Ogbonna who is a mother of three children, all resident in Brazil, claimed she lost her husband three years ago. She confessed she decided to traffick the illicit drug to raise money for the burial of her father scheduled for 22nd July in Imo state. She said one Emeka, alias KC also based in Brazil gave her the drug to deliver in Nigeria for a fee of $3,000. She sa...

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, an anti graft agency, has arrested a former director at Nigeria Intelligence Agency for land certificate forgeries and swindling a client to the tone of Two hundred and fifty million Naira. Discreet investigations has so far showed that Mr. Vincent who resides in Abuja the nation’s capital was arrested three days ago after  information was received that Mr. Vincent was involved in fraudulent land sales. Information has it that Mr. Ifeanyi Vincent Omeokachie forged land documents and defrauded an unsuspecting buyer to a tone of #250,000,000 (Two hundred and fifty MillionNaira). As the time of filling this report the EFCC are still grilling him to resolve the matter.