Author: Editor

By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu In 1968, Stanislav Andrzejewski, the former Polish soldier and prisoner-of-war, who later founded the Sociology Department at the University of Reading in England, coined the word ‘kleptocracy,” which he defined as “a system of government (that) consists precisely of the practice of selling what the law forbids to sell.” He saw in the system of Nigeria’s First Republic, “the most perfect example of a kleptocracy” in which “power rested on the ability to bribe.” According to Andrzejewski, the defining characteristic of a kleptocracy “is that the functioning of the organs of authority is determined by the mechanisms of supply and…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Ward Chairman of Young Progressives Party (YPP), Nanka Ward 1 has been killed by unidentified persons. A source said he was killed by political thugs of an emerging force in Nanka in the Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The source said, ”he was killed last (Saturday) night after organising a meeting between the member representing Orumba North and South in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon Princess Chinwe Nnabuife, and her Nanka constituents. It was gathered that Hon Nnebiife was warned not to step into Nanka for the court-ordered rerun election in some polling…

Ugo Nosiri, Owerri Imo State is generally calm while few supporters of the APC are seen celebrating within the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as Chief Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has been declared winner of yesterday’s governorship election in the state. Senator Uzodimma who is the incumbent governor of the state, polled a total of 540,308 votes to defeat Senator Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party who scored 71,503 votes to emerge second. The Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor Federal University Oye-Ekiti Ekiti state Professor Fashina Abayomi while making the declaration at…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu The South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO) and ActionAid Nigeria, on Saturday, donated 30 combined seats and desks to three rural community primary schools in Enugu State. The donation was made to three communities in three Local Government Area (LGAs), where the Non-Governmental Organisations had been working for years, which include: Ihenyi community in Isi-Uzo LGA; Ameke community in Aninri LGA and Igga community in Uzo-Uwani LGA. Making the donation to Central Primary School, Igga in Uzo-Uwani, the Programme Manager of SSDO’s Local Rights Programme (LRP), Miss Priye West, said that the donation was necessitated by discovery…

Ugo Nosiri, Owerri Collation of results for yesterday’s governorship election in Imo State started around 02:30am on Sunday in Owerri, the state capital. The Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Professor Abayomi Fashina, called on stakeholders to maintain decorum during the process. As at the time of filing this report, all 27 Local Government results had been collated with Governor Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winning all. Meanwhile the exercise was repeatedly interrupted by agents of the opposition parties who repeatedly called for the suspension of the collation to enable the Returning…

Gov Uzodinma in early lead as collation begins in Imo guber poll By Stephen Ukandu, News & Features Editor Results trickling in from Imo State after Saturday’s governorship election, indicate that the incumbent Gov. Hope Uzodinma and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is in the early lead. Uzodinma according to the results so far collated in 90 polling units, polled 22,113 votes. Labour Party candidate, Senator Athan Achonu; and his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, counterpart, Samuel Anyanwu; trailed behind with 1,658, and 1,452 votes respectively. More results are expected to come in Sunday morning as collation continued at…

LP candidate, Achonu calls for cancellation of Imo guber poll, alleges irregularities By Stephen Ukandu, News & Features Editor Labour Party (LP) candidate in Saturday’s off-season governorship election in Imo State, Senator Athan Achonu, has called for the cancellation of results from some polling units in the state, alleging massive irregularities. The former Senator made the call during a press conference in his hometown, Umulumo, in Ehime Mbano Local Area. According to him, reports from his agents in a number of polling units “were that of hijack of ballot boxes and other electoral materials.” He also alleged that the exercise…

Stephen Ukandu, News & Features Editor Security operatives, Saturday, reportedly arrested the Chairman of Igalamela Local Government Area of Kogi State, James Onoja, with lots of cash and ammunition stocked in ‘Ghana Must Go’ bags. The Council boss was picked up with some youths with the money and ammunition believed to be meant for use during the off-season governorship poll in the state. A trending video shows the suspects sitting on the ground at a military checkpoint, pleading for pardon. Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dino Melaye, has called for cancellation of elections conducted in…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has felicitated Dame Virgy Etiaba on the occasion of her 81st birthday celebration. Dame Virgy Etiaba, a native of Nnewi, was former Governor of Anambra State from November 2006 to February 2007, making her the first woman to serve as Governor of a Nigerian state. Governor Soludo congratulated her on behalf of the state and its citizens, for reaching this amazing milestone and for her dedicated service to the state. Governor Soludo in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, further noted that “birthdays are special moments to treasure…

Ugo Nosiri, Owerri The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault of the person of the president of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero. The order has come belatedly about a week after the alleged assault, and on the heels of labour’s threat to embark on nationwide strike action in protest of the brutalization of its leader in Owerri by thugs allegedly loyal to the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma. The force Public Relations Officer, force headquarters Abuja, ASP Olumuyiwa Adejobi while addressing the press at the force…