NIGERIAN NOTCH

By Christian ABURIME  As the 5th democratically elected Governor of Anambra State, Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, remains an enigma to many people. Those close to the governor know him as a workaholic imbued with an unusual energy and a man who loves Ndi Anambra so much that he is irrevocably committed to changing their lives better than he met them. From the day he was sworn in till this very moment, Soludo has not rested. It has been work, work, and more work. Every action taken by him has been top-notch. First, he wasted no time in recruiting those who were qualified to work in his government, going for the best  hands who are value-driven, tested and result-driven! For a man who describes his government as one of an agenda with a deadline, his only desire is to see results, not just in passing but in  concrete terms! His ultimate vision to make Anambra a livable and prosperous homeland has already taken off in full speed.  He has gradually and systematica...

  The signing of the Electoral act  All eyes were on President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the amended electoral act. The new electoral act contained some game changers like the electronic transmission of votes. Many were surprised by the delay of the president to sign the new act taking into cognizance his vow to bequeath a legacy of free, free, and credible elections to Nigerians. It is instructive to note that the President had refused assent to the bill five times citing reasons that ranged from cost of election, insecurity, and drafting errors to proximity to the date of elections. On February 25, the president finally signed the reworked Electoral Amendment bill into law. Before he signed it, the president sought an amendment to the bill by asking the National Assembly to delete Clause 84(12) of the bill. The clause reads, “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the nomination o...

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has advised Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State to end their romance with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State. In a statement on Friday by the National President of the group, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, he said the advice became necessary to avoid regrets.  Okwu said the two governors, who are running for political positions in their respective States, would do themselves great injustice by endorsing a candidate of another political party.  He observed that, “Governor Ugwuanyi is an asset we will need in the Senate as he has the experience needed to attract federal presence to the State. However, should Wike lure them into endorsing another presidential candidate, it could backfire and cost him the ticket.  “We have it on good authority that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, national leadership has concluded plans not just to expel the governors from the party,...

Pele, the magical Brazilian soccer star who rose from barefoot poverty to become one of the greatest and best-known footballers in modern history, died at the age of 82, his daughter said on Instagram on Thursday. The standard-bearer of “the beautiful game’’ had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021 and he had been hospitalized for the past month with multiple ailments. Widely regarded as one of football’s greatest players, Pele spent nearly two decades enchanting fans and dazzling opponents as the game’s most prolific scorer with Brazilian club Santos and the Brazil national team. His grace, athleticism and mesmerizing moves transfixed players and fans. He orchestrated a fast, fluid style that revolutionized the sport — a samba-like flair that personified his country’s elegance on the field. He carried Brazil to football’s heights and became a global ambassador for his sport in a journey that began on the streets of Sao Paulo state, where he would kick a sock stuffed with ne...

  A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has forbidden the Department of State Services, DSS, from arresting and detaining the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele on allegations bordering on terrorism financing and economic crimes. The restraining order issued by Justice M.A. Hassan, the presiding judge, on Thursday, was also extended to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the CBN, who are listed as respondents. The DSS had in an ex parte application marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2255/2022, sought an order to arrest the CBN Governor over alleged acts of financing terrorism, fraudulent activities and economic crimes of national security. But the Chief judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, in a ruling delivered on December 9, rejected the application on the grounds that the DSS failed to provide sufficient evidence to warrant the issuance of an arre...

~  warn of impending danger, if continued  ~ Ask Caretaker Chairman to rescind decisions.  Stakeholders and some  executives of NASPA Nnewi has called on the caretaker chairman of the market to stop forthwith the drainage he is building presently in the market because it will led to flooding in the market when the rains come back.  Hon. Obinna Okechukwu, the former Caretaker Chairman of the market made this assertion in an interactive session with journalist yesterday in Nnewi.  He said " this particular drainage the new chairman is constructing is uncalled for and a total waste of scare resources. The former drainage is supposed to be where it is and not encroaching into the main road. I am totally against it as it will not add value to the market" Continuing, Hon. Obinna Okechukwu lamented the unwanton destruction of already built infrastructure in the market just to do new ones are uncalled for. He said " when I was the chairman of that market, i did a b...

  The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC, EEDC, has warned it's customers and the public against indiscriminate bush burning as the harmattan sets in. The harmattan season is characterized by dryness of leaves and every object/material, including human, which makes it very easy for fire to spread at every given opportunity.  Making this appeal in Enugu on Thursday, the Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, said the appeal is timely owing to the fact that fire outbreak is the most common risk during harmattan. Ezeh recounted the losses the company had borne in the past as a result of uncontrolled!/indiscriminate burning of bushes and refuse dumps and prays that such experience never repeats this season. Our network spans through, bushes, forests, neighbourhoods, farmlands etc, and any form of burning if uncontrolled could lead to a fire outbreak which may damage transformers, feeder pillar units, and the lines with their associated accessories, in additi...

The Police in Imo State on Wednesday arrested one of the notorious IPOB/ESN Commanders, a deserter from the Nigerian Army, Lance Corporal Nwangwu Chiwendu aka “Onyearmy” ‘m’ aged 34 years, a native of Amaohuru Nguru in Aboh Mbaise LGA of Imo State, who has been on the Command’s wanted list and was being trailed for a long time. Disclosing this in a statement, made available to Nigerian Notch in Owerri, the Police Public Relations Officer, Imo State Police Command, Micheal Abattam said the suspect, whose mode of operation is through unleashing surprise terror attacks and going into hiding in neighbouring states was arrested, on 23/12/2022 at about 1030 hours in his home town, Amahohuru Nguru in Aboh Mbaise LGA during the late father’s funeral. According to the police, ”The suspect who sat on a vantage position while his members were on surveillance, on sighting the police operatives,  took to their heels, while he engaged the Operatives in a shoot-out, using the crowd as a shield. T...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has concluded plans to conduct sale of properties which are subject of final forfeiture orders. The spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren said the properties consisting of 61 Units of luxury apartments, Plots of lands and apartments across the country are being offered for sale  in accordance with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, Public Procurement Act, 2007 and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022. He listed the distribution of the properties as: 24 Units of luxurious block of flats at Banana Island, Lagos; 21 units of luxury terrace and block of flats at Thornburn, Yaba, Lagos; 16 units of 4 bedrooms terrace duplex at Heritage Court Estate, Port Harcourt; Others are apartments and plots of land in Lagos State; apartments and plots of land within Abuja metropolis; plots of land and apartment in Anambra, Ebonyi and Gombe States; apartments and plots of Land in Kaduna...

  On behalf of the government and people of Imo state, I, Sen Hope Uzodimma, the Executive Governor of Imo state, sorrowfully announce the passage of a great Son of Imo state and Nigeria, the President General of ohanaeze Ndigbo, worldwide, Prof George OBIOZOR. A renowned academia an exceptional diplomat, statesman and a tenacious patriot, Prof George Obiozor passed on recently after a brief illness. The death of this foremost Igbo leader and former Nigeria ambassador to the United States and the State of Israel is a big loss to the Imo state, the South East and entire Nigeria. I do not doubt that both Nigeria and the international community will miss his profound intellectual contributions and wise counsel on national and global issues. His burial arrangements will be announced in due course by the family  May his great and gentle soul rest in peace. Sen Hope Uzodimma  Governor of Imo state #HopeNewAndElectronicMediaCenter

Military High command has confirmed the killing of top terrorists commanders and over 100 fighters in air and ground operations conducted on December 20, 2022 at Mantari in Gezuwa area of Bama local government area (LGA) of Borno State. A statement by the director public relations and information, Air Cdre Edward Gabkwet named the three notorious Boko Haram terrorists as Khaids Abbah Tukur, Maimusari and Bakura Jega. This is just as the chief of army staff, COAS, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya, and his counterpart, the chief of air staff, CAS, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, arrived Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Sunday morning, to celebrate the yuletide with frontline troops. He said the air strike was authorised after it was discovered that a Boko Haram terrorist commander simply known as Ikirima, had stationed his fighters and gun trucks at Mantari village, alongside other terrorists from other locations who had converged at the same location arrived with motorcycles and bicycles. Followin...