Author: Editor
…Kanu’ll soon regain freedom — Gov Otti Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has hinted at what the South East must do for President Ahmed Tinubu to consider the region’s request for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. This is as Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has assured that Kanu will soon regain his freedom, saying that President Tinubu “is favourably disposed towards releasing him.” Umahi, who gave the hint in Aba while representing the President at the inauguration of several projects executed by Governor Otti,…
By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu When Olusegun Obasanjo took over in the middle of 1976 from the slain Murtala Mohammed as Nigeria’s military Head of State, the regime was already committed as a matter policy to transition power to an elected civilian administration in 1979. This was a big deal alright but not one over which he had much say as such. As military Head of State, General Obasanjo identified two issues to define his personal legacy. One was food security. To address that, he launched “Operation Feed the Nation,” better known by the acronym (OFN). Those were the same initials…
By Mukaila Kareem In one story, palmitate is an energy bearer that dissipates as heat in the active life of West Africans. In the other, it becomes a saboteur, stored and transformed into excess ceramides—the agents of insulin’s broken message in type 2 diabetes. Along the coast of West Africa, palm oil is not merely an ingredient but the foundation of cuisine and culture. In Yoruba villages of southwestern Nigeria, the deep red oil (epo pupa) colors soups like egusi and efo riro and enriches countless stews. Among the Igbo, it is ọfè mmanụ, literally “oil soup,” a name that…
By Vitus Ozoke It is true — Jonathan’s successors, Late Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu, have turned out to be monumental disappointments in their own right. But that’s not an argument for amnesia. We cannot allow nostalgia for a failed leader simply because worse failures followed..” So, Goodluck Jonathan is said to be eyeing a return to Aso Rock — again. You almost have to admire the audacity. The man who presided over one of the most rudderless, corrupt, and visionless administrations in Nigeria’s democratic history now thinks he deserves a second bite of the apple. It’s almost comical, if…
Ben Ezechime, Enugu A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has called on the Federal and state governments to fully implement existing executive orders and the Supreme Court judgment on financial autonomy for Local Government Areas (LGAs). This call was contained in a communiqué issued in Enugu after a one-day training on Economic Literacy and Budget Accountability for Local Government Stakeholders, organised by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room in collaboration with the Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR) and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE). The communiqué stated that participants, including representatives of CSOs…
…As Otti Takes Over Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Federal Highway Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has outlined key infrastructural projects being executed by his administration in the South-East geopolitical zone, insisting that contrary to widespread misconceptions, the zone has not been neglected. The President, represented by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, stated this on Friday in Aba during the inauguration of some projects executed by Governor Alex Otti of Abia State. Tinubu confirmed that the Abia State Government has taken over the reconstruction of 35 kilometres out of the 49-kilometre Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Federal Highway, following a formal request…
Lawrence Ndubeze, Awka Tension flared at the Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum for the 2026 Budget in Anambra State when the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, engaged in a verbal exchange with the traditional ruler of Umueri Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Igwe Benneth Emeka (Okebo II). Trouble began when the Commissioner remarked on the need for greater involvement of Presidents-General of communities and traditional rulers in budget discussions, emphasizing that their roles should not be merely ceremonial. “The beautiful aspect of this forum is bringing critical stakeholders together. But another question is: to what extent will their inputs be taken seriously?”…
…Seeks Tinubu’s intervention, seaport in South East Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has strongly condemned the unprovoked demolition of shops and structures belonging to Igbo people in Lagos. The Deputy Speaker called on President Ahmed Tinubu to prevail on Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to halt the needless demolitions and give Ndigbo living in Lagos a sense of belonging. Rt. Hon. Kalu, who made the appeal when President Tinubu visited Abia to inaugurate some projects executed by Governor Alex Otti, also made a strong case for the establishment of a functional…
Our Reporter, Abuja The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has urged the Federal Government to ensure that the ₦853 billion recently recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is transparently deployed to impact the lives of ordinary Nigerians. Obi, in a statement on Friday, commended the EFCC for the recovery but noted that the amount represented only a fraction of the public funds looted by corrupt leaders. He stressed that beyond celebrating the recovery, what matters most is how the money is utilised. “The utilisation of these funds…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday inaugurated the renovated Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia. Represented by the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, the President urged Ndigbo to emulate the late Dr. Michael Okpara’s political philosophy of aligning with the centre. Tinubu commended Governor Alex Otti for what he described as a “miraculous” infrastructural transformation in Abia State, noting that Umuahia and other parts of the state were witnessing rapid development under Otti’s leadership. “As I was coming, I saw the water project at the Tower. I was part of it as a young engineer, and I…