Author: Editor

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, has publicly declared support for the presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi. Ortom who is a member of the Gov. Nyesom Wike-led G-5 Governors of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, made the declaration in Benue State during Obi’s presidential rally in the food basket state on Thursday. The Benue Governor who arrived the venue of the event amid thunderous ovation by jubilant and enthusiastic crowd,  said the time had come for Nigerians to jettison political affiliation and loyalty and support credible and competent candidates. Ortom said…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has finally fallen out with President Muhammadu Buhari, who he had strongly supported all along. He publicly countered Buhari’s Thursday morning nationwide broadcast wherein the President re-affirmed his support and approval of the Naira re-design policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Buhari had directed that only N200 old currency note be allowed to remain a legal tender along with the new notes until April 10 and foreclosed the legality of old N500 and N1000 notes. Pained by the President’s position, El-Rufai, who was among the Governors that dragged the Federal Government to…

Nonschukwu Uwa, Owerri The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, on Thursday said that the detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, and another controversial leader of IPOB, Simon Ekpa, would be present at the peace summit of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. The Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Elders council, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri. The elder statesman said the Ohanaeze would appeal to the Federal Government to release Kanu to them for the peace summit, while an invitation would be extended to Simon Ekpa, said to be residing in Finland to come back home to join in…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia There was a crowd of people at the premises of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Umuahia branch, as residents make spirited efforts to deposit the old currency notes in their custody. Canopies were set outside the inner gate of the compound where customers with old currency notes clustered to register for the process. When Ikengaonline visited the CBN premises, people who came to deposit their old naira notes were seen in clusters waiting to be attended to by the few CBN officials around. Most of the people looked frustrated and dejected over the rigour involved in the process…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia A group known as Abia Reformation Movement, has urged voters in the state to reject any political party that violated zoning arrangement as enshrined in the Abia Charter of Equity in its choice of governorship candidate in the March governorship election. Abia Reformation Movement, according to its Founder, Comrade Ibeabuchi Kalu, “is a group of patriotic Abia youths who can no longer stay by the sides and watch selfish leaders under various proclivities to continue to destroy our ancient landmarks and heritage in the name of politics of divide and rule and in the process tend to…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, Leader of the Enugu State House of Assembly, has said that power shift or power rotation, especially in the legislature, does not encourage quality representation. Ezeugwu said this at the official launch of a book on the history of Nikeland in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State written by a former member of the Assembly, Hon. Joseph Ugwumba, at Ugwogo-Nike. Speaking before the launch of the book entitled, Invasion of Indigenous Nikeland by the Igala, Izzi-Okpoto and Aro: Ugwuogo Nike; Past, Present and Future, Ezeugwu lamented that Enugu Assembly lost a quality legislator to power shift…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Uche Ekwunife, has warned politicians to stop inciting statements that would destroy her long existing relationship with Obi after the general election. She declared that she has no political grudges against the Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, winning the February 25 presidential election. She begged her opponents to stop the blackmail against her, pleading that all contestants should be given a level playing ground. Ekwunife, who addressed members of Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ), in Awka, Thursday, also stressed the importance of local government autonomy in the state and the…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Amid concerns over the negative effects of the scarcity of currency and petrol on the forthcoming polls, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said that it has the assurances of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN; and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, that the commission would be availed with enough cash and fuel for its operations during the elections. INEC National Commissioner and Head, Voter Education, Festus Okoye, who stated this Thursday while addressing newsmen in Umuahia, Abia State, said that the commission was fully ready for the polls. He said that the commission was not…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has described the passage of Late Chief Mbazulike Amechi as the end of an era. Governor Soludo was speaking during the funeral mass celebrated by the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev. Jonas Benson Okoye, for the first Aviation Minister held in his Country home, Ukpor, Nnewi South Council Area. Conveying his condolence message, Professor Soludo acknowledged the Late Dara Mbazulike Amechi’s commitment to Igbo culture even as he also lived and died as a Christian. While condemning the resurgence of idolatry in the South-East, the Governor pointed out that it is…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The National Examinations Council, NECO, Thursday, released the result of the November/December 2022 Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE, 57 days after the examination was conducted. This was announced by NECO Registrar, Prof Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, in Minna, Niger State. According to the Registrar, 59,124 candidates sat for the examination, with 31,316 males, representing 52.96 per cent while 27,808, representing 47.03 per cent were female. He said that the number of candidates that sat for the English Language was 58,012 out of which 44,162, representing 76.13 per cent got Credit and above. The Registrar further said that the number of candidates…