NIGERIAN NOTCH

By Agunwa Emeka Nzeribe_ I marked my 53rd birthday on Sunday, September 20, 2020 with my immediate family. It coincided with collation and declaration of Edo State Governorship Election results. As usual, some people had expected to read my contributions and updates to that effect. This was not possible due to sober reflection, praises and thanksgiving to my creator for His abundant grace and infinite mercies.  The Edo State Governorship Election has come and gone with candidate of the PDP who is the incumbent governor declared re-elected. In every contest, there must be a winner and a loser. The Edo election did come with many lessons learnt. The exercise is remarkable in the sense that it was an election where nobody called President Muhammadu Buhari names. He was rather hailed for ensuring an enabling playing ground for the  contestants. The election will go down in history as an one were the opposition praised Mr. President, the INEC and security agents whereas, the ruling...

Benin –  Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godswill Obaseki, has been declared re-elected for another four-year term. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having won 307,955 votes in yesterday’s governorship ballot as against 223,619 by his main rival, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He was declared winner at about 2:00 p.m. by the Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Akpofure Rem-Rukeh.   Obaseki beat Ize-Iyamu including in the later’s home local government area, Orhionmwon. The election held yesterday was generally peaceful and witnessed high turnout of voters.

Anambra Progressives, a group of committed and prominent citizens from Anambra state, convened by Senator, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah has handed over an ultramodern medical and isolation center to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi (NAUTH)  In his opening remarks, the Grand Patron of Anambra Progressives, Dr. Cletus Ibeto, (CON) stated that the group  embarked on the project about four months ago, because of the shock and health challenges, created by the coronavirus pandemic, which almost brought every activity around the world to a standstill. Dr Cletus Ibeto, was all thanks to members of Anambra Progressives for their passion and commitment, stressing that the center, will not only be of great support to the Teaching Hospital, in the fight against Coronavirus, but will also boost the Teaching Hospital strength, in their fight against other infectious diseases.  Dr Cletus Ibeto, however, commended Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah for convening the group and ...

The Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District at the Red Chambers, Senator Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, today reassured the public of his continued commitment towards providing necessary support, which is geared towards sustainable community development, irrespective of religious differences or creed. Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah made this known in his remarks at the 2020 Nnewi Diocesan Synod, which held at Cathedral Church of St. Mary, Uruagu Nnewi, today. The Senator thanked the Nnewi Anglican Bishop, His Lordship Rt. Rev. Ndubuisi Obi for his achievements since he became the new Bishop of Nnewi Diocese.  Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah informed congregants that his commitment to the  promotion of community development is sacrosanct and should be a task for all regardless of the religious creed one belongs to.  Senator Ubah however stressed that he had been providing huge support for various churches including those within the Anglican Communion and promise...

........ Bars Security Aides from accompanying VIPs and Political appointees on Election Day   In line with efforts at ensuring apt coordination of security arrangements towards a hitch-free election in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State slated to hold on September 19th, 2020, the Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A. Adamu NPM mni has deployed DIG Adeleye Olusola Oyabade, mni, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Research and Planning to supervise the general security arrangement for the election in the State. He will be assisted by an Assistant Inspector General of police, AIG Karma Hosea Hassan psc (++) Assistant Inspector General in charge of Federal Operations at the Force Headquarters Abuja and eight (8) Commissioners of Police.   The DIG, with the assistance of the AIG, will superintend over the entire security architecture and ensure effective monitoring of the election and due enforcement of all electoral laws in the State. Other senior Pol...

The Federal Government says it has not come to a point where it is convinced that schools should be reopened for academic exercise after their closure due to the Coronavirus pandemic. This was disclosed  in Abuja on Thursday by the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, at a meeting of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 with the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee (NTLC) on National Primary Health. Presided over by the Minister of Information and Culture on behalf of the Chairman of PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, the meeting was to seek the support of the traditional rulers towards preventing community spread of COVID-19 NAN reports.. Responding to a question from Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Sa’ad Abubakar, on school reopening, Nwajiuba said the federal government is still evaluating the situation. “At the moment, we have not come to the point where we can say we are convinced that schools can manage themselves...

The Nigerian University Commission (NUC) has approved the take off of the Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences in October this year. The approval underscores the efforts which the Imo State government ably led by Governor Hope Uzodimma has made towards the establishment of a second university for the state. It will recalled that recently, the NUC panel was in Imo State to carry out the necessary verification exercises on the state facilities, human and physical infrastructures. It is however, cheery news to Ndi Imo, at the end of the weekly Executive Council Meeting at Government House, Owerri presided over by Governor Uzodimma, that approval have been gotten for the formal take off, of the University of Agriculture and Environmental sciences Umuagwo, Imo state. The Commissioner for Information and Strategy,   Declan Emelumba flanked by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Bernard Ikegwuoha, Commissioner for Health Dr. Damaris Osunkwo and the Chief P...

By Prince MacDonald Enwere In Igbo cosmology, the word "Iseee" is a definite symbolic word as revealed through the Igbo language and culture.  In Igbo tradition, anytime a prayer is offered , the attendants who would want the fulfilment of the prayer by the ancestors will unanimously chorus and affirm the prayer by saying "Iseee"  During breaking of kolanuts , when the person breaking the kola mention the good wishes and expectations of the people from God, the people will unanimously affirm by chorusing "Iseeee!. During libation sacrament, after pouring libation and offering of prayers to the ancestors the people will also affirm by saying"Iseee!"  During breaking of kolanuts or libation sacrament, everyone points his fingers or 'Ofo' to the ground. This proves that the spontaneity of the unanimous drama is a clear indication that"Iseee" is associated with the soil which is represented in the mystic concept as the primordial god. Nu...

The APC Senatorial Candidate for the forth coming IMO North senatorial bye election, Hon. Frank Ibezim has continued to bask in the glory of his recent victory at the primaries. Hon. Frank Ibezim had on the 4th of September 2020, in a keenly contested election won with a wide margin of 13,637 votes to beat other contestants in the primaries. Despite the fact that there were results from other quarters claiming victory to the said election, which though they conducted at places unknown to the party in Imo state, the APC, National Caretaker Committee has since described there elections as a sham.  However, the recent visit of Hon. Frank Ibezim, to the former Senate President, H.E Senator Ken Nnamani, Prince Nlemigbo, the recognized state Chairman of APC and former Deputy Governor H.E Prince Eze Madumere and an APC stalwart,Hon Chidi Nwogu, has further proved that he has the endorsement of the party at the National and state level, which leaves no one in doubt where the pendulum will ...

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has condemned “the patently unfair and arbitrary hike in electricity tariff and fuel price by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is unjust to many people living in extreme poverty, and entirely incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations.” Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP deputy director said in a statement today: “The hike will endanger lives and increase inequality and poverty exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. SERAP will challenge this travesty in court if the Federal Government does not immediately drop these retrogressive measures against the Nigerian people.” “Specifically, the increase in electricity tariff and fuel price clearly violates Nigeria’s obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which the country is a state party,  not to take ‘deliberately retrogressive measures’ unless th...

The Leadership of the Nigerian Army has described Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State as a peace and loving governor whose support to the Nigerian Army is unwavering. The Chief of Army State, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai made the assertion on Monday when the leadership of the Nigerian Army paid a courtesy call on Governor Uzodimma ahead of the opening ceremony of Regimental Sergeant Major Convention 2020 holding in Owerri, the Imo State Capital. Represented by the Army Chief of Policy and Plan, Lt. Gen. L. O. Adeosun, the Army leadership said they were in Government House, Owerri as “mark of respect” for Governor Uzodimma, and in appreciation of all the support he has shown to the Army in Imo State, since he became Governor. The Army leadership also  commended the good people of Imo State under Governor Uzodimma’s watch, describing Imo as “a friendly State to the Nigerian Army.” Lt. Gen. Adeosun, however stressed that the event which brought the Army to Imo is not the first and ...