Author: Editor

By Our Reporter The Concerned Igbo Stakeholders Forum (CISF), has urged South-East residents not to succumb or be intimidated to shun Saturday polls due to antics of agents of violence. It would recalled that, armed hoodlums on the night of February 22, at different locations, ambushed and simultaneously attacked and murdered a member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) Senatorial Candidate for Enugu East Senatorial Zone, Barrister Oyibo Chukwu. The Leader of the Forum, Mr Chukwuma Okenwa, while reacting to the dastardly act told newsmen in Enugu that CISF was saddened by the gruesome killing of the Enugu East Senatorial…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Good Governance advocate and Nigeria’s former Minister for Education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, will feature as Guest Speaker today (Thursday) February 23, 2023. The monthly virtual Town Hall meeting, according to a statement by the Editor-in-Chief of Ikengaonline, Uche Ugboajah, is slated for 7:00 pm (West African Time) Nigerian time. According to the statement, Ezekwesili who is currently the Chairman, Board of Women Political Leaders (WPL), will speak on the topic, “Women in Politics, East of the Niger.” Ezekwesili took over from former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark, as the WPL boss early this year. The maiden…

By Azu Ishiekwene With all the predictions of Armageddon and doubt about whether Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly polls would hold it does sound a bit silly to contemplate life after. Even those who grudgingly concede a life after fear it might be worse. Optimism is like playing the Ostrich.  Nigeria’s history of electoral violence in the sixties and even in the mid-nineties might justify these concerns. But the last six election cycles in 24 years have proved that in spite of the hysteria about its viability, Africa’s largest democracy defies the odds.  Saturday’s election would, yet again, prove the…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Labour Party (LP), Enugu State chapter has confirmed the gruesome murder of Oyibo Chukwu, the Senatorial candidate of the party for Enugu East Senatorial district. Barrister Casmir Agbo, State Chairman of the party who lamented over the sad situation confirmed the assassination over the telephone in Enugu. “It’s true my brother. Just yesterday (Wednesday) evening. It’s a terrible situation,” he said. Agbo suggested that the incident might not be unconnected with the rising profile of the LP in the state which is sending jitters into the spines of the ruling PDP. According to him, it is an unfortunate and…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has explained why the electoral umpire would not electronically transmit raw election figures in the forthcoming polls. The reason, according to the INEC boss, is  to avoid the possibility of hacking into the system as raw figures are more vulnerable to hacks. Professor Yakubu who made the explanation at a meeting with leaders of Foreign Election Observation Missions in Nigeria, said it was easy to hack raw figures than photocopied documents. He said that Presiding Officers would use the Bimodal Voter Authentication System BVAS to photograph…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Yet-to-be identified gunmen, Wednesday, assassinated and burnt the senatorial candidate of the Labour Party for Enugu East Senatorial District, Mr Oyibo Chukwu. The assassins also murdered five supporters of the senatorial candidate who were with him inside his car during the attack. The incident which happened at Amechi Awkunanaw, Enugu South Local Government Area, has thrown residents of the area into panic. Confirming the incident, LP governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, described it as atrocious and iniquitous. He said that the late Chukwu was  shot inside his car by his attackers before setting the vehicle on fire. The former Commissioner…

Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri The Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, in charge of Logistics and Supply and Coordination South East Geopolitical Zone, DIG John Amadi, has warned police officers deployed for Saturday election to be neutral and comply with human rights in their security services. The DIG, gave this charge on Wednesday at the Imo State Police Command in Owerri, while lecturing officers on election management and security. Imo Police Command Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Henry Okoye, said: “The DIG in charge of Logistics and Supply and Coordinator South-East Geopolitical Zone, DIG John Amadi mni, today, 22/02/2023, visited Imo State Police Command Headquarters,…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Worried over threats by some criminals to stop the forthcoming elections in South-East, a coalition of pro-Biafra groups, has launched a manhunt on those  behind the threats. The coalition  under the auspices of Biafra Land Defenders, vowed never to allow hoodlums to scuttle the bright chances of Ndigbo to produce the Nigerian President. Addressing a press conference in Aba, Abia State, the pro-Biafra groups said they would not sit and watch enemies of Ndigbo to hide under the cover of Biafra agitation to diminish the chances of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi.…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Abia North Political Project Group, Wednesday,  adopted the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Dr Alex Otti, as its consensus candidate. The endorsement is coming barely four months after the group had adopted Bishop Sunday Onuoha as its consensus governorship candidate. Addressing a press conference in Umuahia, the group cited lack of preparedness on the part of  Onuoha as reason for the withdrawal of its earlier endorsement of his candidacy. Director General of the group, Dr Uduma Nnate, who read from a prepared text, said Bishop Onuoha was not prepared for the election. The text which was jointly signed…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says it will on Thursday, begin the disbursement of sensitive materials in Abia State. Head Voter Education and Public Enlightenment, Mrs Rebecca Jim, who disclosed in a chat with Ikengaonline Wednesday at the INEC office, Umuahia, said that commission was fully prepared for the Saturday presidential and national assembly elections. She said that non-sensitive materials had already been deployed to all 17 Local Government Areas in the state. Mrs Jim who also said INEC collation officers were currently undergoing training, said other ad hoc staff had already been trained. She said that by Friday, the…