NIGERIAN NOTCH

The attention of the Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR has been drawn to several media reports on alleged criminalities involving some police officers in Zone 13 Headquarters Ukpo, Anambra State and the alleged human right abuses by some officers of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, Anambra State Command respectively  Preliminary inquiry has revealed that the Inspector General of Police has set up a Special Investigation Panel to investigate the allegations at the end of which a report would be issued.  Governor Soludo commends the Inspector General of Police for that timely intervention.  Consequently, it has become imperative in the light of the above to await the outcome of the investigations which is expected soonest.  Governor Soludo wishes to assure the entire public that the government is closely monitoring the situation and would ensure that justice is done at the end of the day if anyone is found culpable.  In the mean t...

The Anambra State Police Command has reinforced security in the Idemili North area of the State, following the attack on the Ogidi area command in the early hours of today 18/2/2023, where three police operatives were killed by gunmen . The hoodlums who it was gathered started shooting sporadically on approaching the area command and threw IEDs and petrol bombs, gained entrance before gunning down the slain police operatives. Unfortunately, the buildings in the police facility were affected.  However, the command observed with dismay the loss of life and valuables as a result of the attack. The police is calling for calm in the area as the force is resolute in depriving these criminal elements of the space, they desire, to perpetrate their evil acts and enhance the safety of life and property in the state.  Meanwhile, the incident is being accessed and Police operations are still ongoing. The command however remains resolute to enhance the safety of life and property in the st...

As Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State is making frantic efforts to raise the state's revenue profile, to enable it meet up with demands of development, there are individuals and groups, who seem to have deliberately sabotaged the effort. The chairman of Electrical/Electronics Market, Nnewi, Prince Iloka Somadina, has accused a business man and contractor, Prince Chinedu Orizu; as well as the officials of Nzukora-Nnewi and the Uruagu Nnewi Development Union of collecting revenues that accrues to the state government thereby, sabotaging government efforts to raise its revenue profile. In a press conference in Nnewi, yesterday, Prince Somadina claimed that the trio have made every effort by the market to raise revenue for Anambra government difficult, and unrealistic. He said, "When I was appointed the chairman of the Electrical/Electronics Market, Nnewi, the market was faced with multiple challenges. One of them is that some individuals have bypassed the market leadership ...

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has described some statements made by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State during his broadcast on Thursday as treasonable.  The governor had while faulting President Muhammadu Buhari’s national broadcast, said some persons were plotting military takeover.  He had claimed that the cash crunch was planned along with the fuel shortage existing since September 2022 so that the 2023 elections "do not hold at all, leading to an Interim National Government to be led by a retired Army General". Kano State Governor, Umar Ganduje had also earlier made a similar utterance, alleging of a plot to destroy the country’s democracy.  In a statement on Friday, the National President of Ohanaeze youths, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike said El-Rufai and Ganduje should be invited for questioning.  Okwu, who said there was something sinister up the sleeves of the governors, wondered when they suddenly became defenders o...

The Southeast Zonal Organizing Secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dozie Ikedife (jnr) has said that the current naira note scarcity, and fuel price hike being experienced by Nigerians is a direct efforts by some individuals to sabotage the economy of Nigeria, discredit the APC government, and to frustrate the presidential candidate of the party, Ahmed Bola Tinubu. Speaking to newsmen on Thursday, February 16, in Nnewi, Anambra state, the APC boss lamented that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), came up with the policy when they were not prepared to provide infrastructure to support it. Ikedife also said that the policy is a direct sabotage by some powerful individuals to favour a particular presidential candidate of their choice. He said, "It is obvious that the current development in the country is a direct and deliberate sabotage on the economy of Nigeria and the APC presidential candidate. It is also a deliberate efforts by some powerful individuals to favour a pa...

High Chief Dr Chinedu Anthony Umeadi, the senatorial candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), for the forthcoming general elections, was part of the just concluded 2023 Anambra State Political Dialogue (De Mace Debate) held at Professor Dora Akuyili Women Development Center, Awka. The debate was organized by the Nigerian Union of Journalists, (NUJ), Anambra State Chapter, Radio, Television, Theatre, and Radio Workers Union of Nigeria, Sejup, and Bring It On Africa. The debate gave Dr Umeadi the ample opportunity to address many issues affecting the zone and how best to give the good people of Anambra Central satisfactory and impactful representation as against bad representation, insecurity, lack of quality health care, lack of infrastructural development, high poverty rate, high rate of unemployment amongst our youths, etcetera. Other candidates that attended the debate include Senator Dr Lilian Uche Ekwunife of PDP, Senator Victor Umeh of Labour Party, Chief Kodilichukwu Okel...

The federal government has approved the sum of $53.1 million and N2.1 billion for the procurement and installation of electricity conductors and transformers that will help boost power supply in the country. At the official exchange rate of N450 to the dollar, this amounts to N26 billion. The federal government also ratified a resolution that an electronic cargo tracking device be procured for port operations in the country. Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu disclosed this to State House correspondents yesterday after the  Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. According to him, when installed, the conductors will help address the challenge of constant tripping of circuit breakers due to overloading of electricity lines.

The President yesterday, met with the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The meeting was held at the Residence inside the Villa before the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. Though the reason for the meeting could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, it was believed to be in connection with issues of campaigns and perhaps other prevailing national issues. It was gathered that the president’s lateness to the FEC meeting, besides his meeting with Tinubu, must have been as a result of his decision to stay back to monitor the outcome of the Supreme Court’s case against the federal government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the naira redesign policy, which was eventually adjourned to Wednesday, February 22.

  ~ Asks Supporters in Anambra Central to vote All Labour Candidates A non government organization the mass movement for good governance has endorsed the candidate of Labour Party, Hon. Uche Okonkwo for the Idemili North & South Federal constituency. Hon. Uche Okonkwo is the son of former Senator for Anambra Central Senatorial District Senator Annie Okonkwo. While endorsing him, the founder and converner of the group Hon. Chukwuemeka Peter Erobu (Ochiagha Obosi) with over 5000 verified members in Anambra Central Senatorial District stressed that Hon. Uche Okonkwo is the person with the right faculties to represent Ndi Idemili North and South because of his youthfulness and dedication to serve the people.  He therefore called on his people all over Anambra Central Senatorial District to remember to vote in all Labour Party candidates to help Mr. Peter Obi, when he finally emerges as the President of Nigeria to avoid a repeat of what happened in Anambra when he was governor....

  Anxiety grips Nigerians as the Supreme Court is set to hear the substantial suit on the Naira Swap Policy brought before it by the state governments of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara today. This is as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, has said that the February 10, 2023 deadline for the old naira notes to cease to be in use stands despite the Supreme Court ruling which suspended the currency swap deadline. The CBN had set February 10, 2023 deadline for the old N1,000, N500 and N200 notes to stop being legal tender in Nigeria. “The situation is substantially calming down since the commencement of over-the-counter payments to complement ATM disbursements and the use of super agents. There is, therefore, no need to consider any shift from the deadline of February 10,” Emefiele said yesterday during a visit to the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja to discuss the monetary and currency redesign policy of the apex bank. The CBN governor insisted...

Today, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR commissioned the MCC road, recently reconstructed by the Shared Prosperity administration of His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma. Built with dual carriageway, drainage systems and street lightning, MCC road now offers the best of experience for road users who before now had to suffer the hardship associated with bad roads. President Muhammadu Buhari commended His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma for his commitment to the transformation of Imo State, which has translated to the numerous infrastructural developments in the State. Mr. President therefore called on Imolites to continue supporting the Shared Prosperity administration of His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma as he advances the course of developing the State. #HopeNewAndElectronicMediaCenter

Total premium motor spirit (PMS) also known as petrol, evacuation from various depots across the country rose to 502.21 million litres for the one week period between February 4 and 10.  The data released by the  the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) yesterday, indicated that total PMS  evacuation increased by 51.29 million litres or 11.37 per cent over the 450.92 million litres evacuated the previous week. The data titled ‘Weekly National PMS Evacuation and Dispatch’ report posted on the NMDPRA and Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited official Twitter accounts yesterday, also showed that an average of 71.74 million litres  of petrol was evacuated on a daily basis, compared 64.42 million litres the previous week, while year to date (YTD) daily average was 64.93 million litres. The Authority said that 87 per cent of all evacuation took place at the top 30 loading depots, with minimum evacuation of five million litr...

As the February 25, 2023 presidential election draws closer, a former chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Simon Okeke, has asked the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), and its presidential candidate, Prof. Peter Umeadi, to step down for the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi, and support the later to win the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria. Okeke gave the advice on Saturday, February 11, 2023, during a chat with newsmen in Nnewi, Anambra state. He said, "I want to advice the Victor Oye led All Progressive Grand Alliance to come out open to declare support for Peter Obi of the LP, if not, I don't know what they're in the race for. "Prof Peter Umeadi, who is the presidential flag bearer of APGA, is my bossom friend, and I respect him so much. But my candid advice to him is to come out and tell the world that he has stepped down for Peter Obi, who truly has the massive acceptance and support, capacity, credibility and the will power to ta...

The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has waded into the issues surrounding the 2023 governorship election in Enugu State.  Barr. Peter Mbah, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has been in the centre of the storm, facing allegations of certificate forgery and syphoning of Enugu funds.  A former governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo had last week cautioned that Enugu politics was fast assuming a dangerous dimension.  He said during his active days in politics, together with late C.C. Onoh, he never played the politics of character assassination.  Similarly, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, at a press briefing in Enugu on Monday, urged politicians to desist from playing bitter politics.  Okwu, who said the 2023 guber elections in the State should not be “a do or die affair”, noted that only one person would win the governorship el...