Author: Editor
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Former Majority Leader of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, has described the current Assembly as “the most docile in the history of Abia State.” Hon. Chukwu, who currently represents the South-East in the North-West Development Commission, was reacting to a recent statement credited to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, in which he said that Governor Alex Otti had “done well.” The Speaker had made the comment while defending the Governor against allegations by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who claimed that the…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia As momentum builds for the October 20 nationwide protest declared by human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, voices of dissent are growing louder across Nigeria. Among the latest to join the movement is the Benue Concerned Citizens (BCC), which has vowed to take to the streets in solidarity. In a statement signed by its Chairman, Michael Oboh, and Secretary, Chief Chris Awo, the group described the continued detention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as “an act of profound injustice that we will no longer tolerate.” For the group, the disparity between how…
Chinwendu Uzoatu, Awka The Association of Marketing Academic Professionals (AMAP), the foremost body of scholars and intellectuals in marketing education in Nigeria, has appointed Professor Promise Chika Oparah, as its new President. Prof. Oparah, a distinguished scholar and Professor of Strategic Marketing at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, also serves as Deputy Director I of the UNIZIK Centre for Capital Market Studies and Coordinator of Logistics and Supply Chain Management. He is a Fellow of the Association of Marketing Academic Professionals of Nigeria and holds several other professional affiliations. Within UNIZIK, Prof. Oparah has held key administrative positions, including Head…
Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The Ebonyi State Government has taken a bold step towards industrial transformation with a landmark investment deal sealed during the recent investment summit in New York City, United States. The delegation, led by Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, participated actively in the summit organized by African Import Export Solutions, one of the leading trade promotion organizations connecting African economies with global investors. According to the Commissioner for Special Duties and Focal Person, State Diaspora Office, Valentine Okike-Uzo, who was part of the Governor’s entourage, the event, which held on September 22, 2025, marked a turning point for Ebonyi’s…
By Vitus Ozoke The news of a “peace deal,” the “first phase” of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, brings a brief, fleeting sense of relief – a gasp that cannot staunch the bleeding. Because the scale of what has been lost – and the scale of what might have been saved – demands more than symbolic gestures. It demands accountability. Since October 7, 2023, Gaza has endured one of the most harrowing human tragedies of modern times. Over 67,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, the vast majority of whom are civilians, including, chillingly, at least 20,000 children. The orphan…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Abia State Government has unveiled plans to launch a comprehensive school-based eye health programme aimed at reaching over 500,000 students and teachers across the state. The government also announced plans to establish a specialized low-vision care unit to support individuals with visual impairments. This was disclosed by the Administrator of the Abia State Eye Health Management Bureau, Dr. (Mrs.) Betty Emeka-Obasi, during a symposium in Umuahia to mark the 2025 World Sight Day. Speaking on the theme of this year’s celebration, “Prioritizing Eye Health: A Collective Approach,” Dr. Emeka-Obasi urged residents to take advantage of…
Our Reporter, Abuja The Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), has thrown its weight behind the planned Abuja rally convened by activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, to demand the unconditional release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, and made available to newsmen in Umuahia on Wednesday, FENRAD described the rally as “timely and necessary,” given what it called the Federal Government’s continued defiance of multiple court orders directing Kanu’s release. The group said it stands in full…
Our Reporter, Abuja The National Council of State has unanimously approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan’s name to the council during its meeting at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday, following the expiration of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure in October 2025. Yakubu had served as INEC Chairman since 2015. According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu described Amupitan as an apolitical individual and the first person from Kogi…
By Uzor Maxim Uzoatu The oil-rich Niger Delta is an open wound on the conscience of the Nigerian nation. As Uthman dan Fodio famously said, “Conscience is an open wound – only the truth can heal it.” It is incumbent on Nigeria to come to terms with the truth holding it at the jugular for the country to make the needed progress. Many Nigerians have conveniently forgotten about Ijaw (Izon) freedom fighter, Henry Okah, who was on January 21, 2013 sentenced to a 24-year jail term in South Africa over two car bombings in Nigeria claimed by the Movement for…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The European Union (EU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have commended the Abia State Government for its transparency in budgeting and implementation of social protection programmes. UNICEF Lead Consultant, Professor Frances Obafemi, gave the commendation while speaking with journalists during a workshop on programme-based budgeting for social protection, held in Umuahia. Prof. Obafemi described the Governor Alex Otti-led administration as “remarkably transparent” in its budgeting process, noting that the quality of openness demonstrated by the state informed UNICEF’s partnership with Abia. “Abia has continued to operate a transparent budgetary system and is also willing to…