NIGERIAN NOTCH

Indications have emerged that former president Goodluck Jonathan may be called upon to intervene in the face-off between the five opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors and the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. It was learnt yesterday that some party leaders were mulling a high-powered meeting with Jonathan following the intractable crisis. It was gathered that the plan to meet with Jonathan followed the recent outburst by the Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, who accused Atiku of unfair treatment. The move to seek Jonathan’s intervention on the matter, it was learnt, was against the backdrop that the key aggrieved governors were his political scions who worked under him as federal ministers. While the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, worked as minister of Education under Jonathan’s presidency, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom were minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and minister of state Trade and Inves

Hon (Engr.) Chris Obiora has been inaugurated as the new caretaker chairman of Nnewi North LGA of Anambra State.  Hon. Obiora was appointed by Governor Charles Soludo in August, 2022, and his appointment was ratified by the Anambra State House of Assembly last Thursday, before his inauguration at the Nnewi North Council Secretariat, in Nnewi yesterday. While handing over the council documents to the new chairman, the Head of Local Government Administration, Mr. Anthony Chidokwe, congratulated him, and encouraged him to do his best to protray the goodwill bestowed upon him and not to betray Governor Charles Soludo's trust in appointing him. He however advised him to carry everyone along in the administration of the council - saying that two good heads are better than one. In his acceptance speech, the  new TC chairman assured that by the end of his tenure, the council area will be positively transformed far better than the way he met it. Hon Obiora, who stressed that Nnewi as the Ta

A midday explosion rocked Ogbogwu International Market Bridge Head Onitsha, which has claimed many lives while destroying goods worth millions of naira.  Over 5 people were reportedly killed by the explosion, while many others sustained various degrees of injury during the inferno. Many have been rushed to the nearby White Chapel Hospital, Uzodinma Street, Fegge Onitsha South LGA, while others where refered to Nnamdi Azikiwe Hospital Nnewi (NAUTH) Anambra state. The inferno, which started at about 12noon on Tuesday, November 8, destroyed goods and buildings worth over N10 billion; according to a trader in the market, Mr Amobi Okanume. Okanume, who said that the cause of the fire was unknown, said it was the first time the market was suffering fire disaster. The cause of the inferno, which affected a section of the market, is yet to be ascertained although many of the traders suspect that it was a bomb explosion while others said it was as a result of chemical reactions.  Director, Fire

In what appeared to be a formal flag-off of the campaign against their party’s candidate, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, and other G5 governors yesterday launched a political offensive against the presidential flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Wike, his Abia, Oyo, Enugu and Benue counterparts, Okezie Ikpeazu, Seyi Makinde, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Samuel Ortom, declared that the efforts to break their ranks were failing because they are bonded to save Nigeria. They spoke on Sunday night during a dinner organised in honour of the G-5 by Governor Ortom at the new banquet hall of Government House, Makurdi. High point of the dinner, which many consider as a kick-off of the campaign against their own party and candidate, was the bestowing of Honorary Citizen’s Status on his colleagues by the host, Ortom. Speaking at the event, Wike said nobody can break the ranks of the five PDP governors (G5) who have continued to insist on the resignation of the party’s national c

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refused to publicise the audited reports of political parties’ campaign funds, which clearly shows that the commission is shielding parties in the country. Three years since the last general elections and exactly 110 days to the 2023 general election, the Commission is yet to publish the expenditures of political parties. This is clearly in defiance of the new Electoral Act. INEC had earlier established that the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) and the major opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), spent at least three times more than what the law permitted them in the last general election. INEC, through tracking and monitoring, established that the APC spent N4.6 billion (N4,620,144,784) while the PDP spent N3.3 billion (N3,282,206,642) on the last presidential election on billboards, print media advertisements, electronic media advertisements, and coverage (musical performances) during the polls. However, they did

THE Presidential candidates of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi; New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, Chief Kola Abiola; and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who was represented by his Running mate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday, outlined measures they would take to tackle insecurity and reshape the economy, if elected. They spoke at a town hall series with presidential candidates in Abuja organised the Arise Television/Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD in partnership with  Vanguard Newspapers,  Premium Times, Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE and Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ. Yesterday’s meeting was on security and economy. Before the series began supporters of Atiku-Okowa and those of the LP and the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu locked in a hot exchange over representation.  Obi’s supporters protested against Okowa standing in as represen

As Nnewi Community In Abuja Bestows Him With Award Of Excellence Appreciates The Senator For Making Nnewi People Proud With His Giant Strides In Anambra South Senatorial District Yesterday being 5th of November 2022, marked a beehive of activities as Nnewi People from all walks of life assembled at the NAF conference centre ,Kado ,Abuja , to give awards to some.of their illustrious sons as well as unveil the proposed building of a befitting edifice to be called Nnewi House in Abuja. The event tagged the 750 Million Naira Nnewi House Fundraising Dinner And Award Night , was organised by the Nnewi community meeting in Abuja and chaired by Professor Kingsley Moghalu with Professor ABC Nwosu as the Guest Speaker.  In his welcome speech at the Occasion, the Chairman of the Nnewi Community meeting in Abuja ,Architect Ede Ikeotuonye said that Nnewi as a town is long over due to have a befitting building in the Nation's capital ,Abuja.  The Guest Speaker, Professor ABC Nwosu during his spe

President Muhammadu Buhari has advised security chiefs in the country to accept  wrong doings and apologise, rather than try to cover up minor social transgressions, especially if the public is hurt. The president who noted that an apology made voluntarily for causing serious harm or for a mistake made is a moral or ethical act as well as an act of good conscience, stressed that the overall goal of an apology is to restore dignity, social harmony and regaining the confidence of the offended. He gave the advice when state commandants and public relations officers  of all formations of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) converged at the corp’s national headquarters in Abuja for a three-day conference to brainstorm on the theme: “Managing Security Sensitive Information and Developing Effective Strategies for a Successful 2023 Election”. Declaring the conference open, President Buhari, who was represented by his senior special adviser on media and publicity, Mr Femi Ades

~ Decries alleged pattern of persecution, assets stripping of southerners ~ Insists it’s South’s turn to head EFCC Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has accused the Federal Government of masterminding the ordeal of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu in the UK.   Ohanaeze was reacting to the Friday ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja ordering interim forfeiture of 40 properties allegedly linked to Ekweremadu. In a statement on Sunday, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, said it was immoral to attack a man whose hands were tied to his back and unable to defend himself.   Ohanaeze Youth Council lamented what it described as a pattern of persecution and humiliation of people from one part of the country by the EFCC, insisting it was time the monopoly of the agency by one part of country is ended through the immediate appointment of a new EFCC Chairman from the south.   "The ex-parte interi

Students of Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in Nigeria constitute over 40% of Education Stakeholders that have so far signed the online petition launched by the *Joint Education Stakeholders Action Coalition (JESAC)*  on 14th October 2022 calling on Candidates to provide details of their proposed education reform initiatives. The petition was necessitated by the fact that the Education Manifestos so far released by Candidates for Presidential, Gubernatorial, Senatorial, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly provide no specific policies and programmes for addressing specific aspects of the challenges in education which require clear, bold, courageous, visionary, strategic, and out-of-the-box actions plans. Instead they hide behind scant generalizations. The ten most cited problems for which Students are asking Candidates to provide their detailed plans for addressing them include: 1. STRIKES What are the specific proposals for ending or facilitating

 Hurray! Hurray!! Hurray!!! The eagle has landed, and it calls for celebration. 70 successful years on earth is a journey that calls for celebration.  Omekannaya, you have made your name a brand, not just in Nigeria but Africa and beyond. Despite the political challenges, your name and everything you touch, is synonymous with success.  On this your birthday, I wish you better health, longevity and more success in all you do.  Amb. Charles Nwonye (Omekannaya Junior)