Author: Editor

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The decision by Ebonyi State Government to impose a N5m payment on political parties wishing to use schools and other public arenas of government to hold rallies ahead of next year’s election has attracted condemnations from opposition parties in the state. Two leading opposition parties in the state, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have described the decision as undemocratic and backward. Governor Umahi had signed an executive order last week which stipulates that parties must write to and get permission from the Education Commissioner before being allowed to use any school premises for…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has lamented the increasing rate of smuggling of Nigerian migrants by human traffickers. The Comptroller of Immigration Service Enugu State, Mr Joachim Olumba, stated this in Enugu at an enlightenment campaign on the scourge of Smuggling of Migrants (SOM). The campaign was organised by the Directorate of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in collaboration with International Center for Migration Policy and Development (ICMPD). Olumba described the situation “a worrisome phenomenon” adding that it was alarming that not only the youth, but older generation of Nigerians exhibit interest to leave the country. “This is creating a…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Federal Government seems unrelenting in its “no work, no pay policy,” as it has justified the half salary paid to university lectures who just returned from their eight-month strike in October. Minister for Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has insisted that the half salary paid members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, for their October wage was right and not discriminatory contrary to allegations by ASUU. “They were paid in pro rata to the number of days that they worked in October, counting from the day that they suspended their industrial action. Pro-rata…

By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu When he was appointed Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1993, Yekini Olayiwola Adio had already been on the bench for 17 years. A graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Adio became a lawyer in 1959, subsequently receiving his graduate degree in law in 1964 from the Yale Law School in the United States. In 1975, he became Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice in Western State of Nigeria. When they created Oyo State of the Western State in 1976, the military appointed Adio a judge of…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has criticized the Federal High Court judgment, ordering the interim forfeiture of 40 landed property belonging to the embattled former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu. Ohanaeze argued that the court should have given Ekweremadu the opportunity to defend himself before giving the order which it said, was deficient and hasty. The apex Igbo body in a press statement by its Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, said that the hasty and selective manner Ekweremadu’s case was handled was curious and suspicious. Below is a full text of the statement…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The Senator representing Ebonyi Central senatorial zone, Obinna Ogba, has said he has no plans to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party, contrary to insinuations in some quarters. Ogba had contested the governorship ticket of the PDP, but lost to Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii following the Supreme Court ruling on October 21, 2022, which recognised the latter as the duly elected governorship candidate of the party. He spoke to journalists on Saturday, in Abakaliki, saying, “The outcome of the judgment may not be what we wanted or what we worked hard for and I am sorry that we didn’t…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Igbo youths under the aegis of Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, have warned the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, against endorsing the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Ahmed Tinubu, for the 2023 presidential race. The warning is coming amid claims by the coalition, that it had uncovered plots to financially induce some “unpatriotic Igbo politicians and Ohanaeze Ndigbo chieftains” to endorse  Tinubu during his proposed visit to Anambra and Imo States on Monday. COSEYL in a press statement by its President General Goodluck Ibem, claimed that the intention of those hatching the plot was to…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Stakeholders in Anambra State have appealed to residents and indigenes of the state to actively participate in the 2023 population and housing census with a view to generate accurate data for policy making, planning and other developmental drives. According to them, active participation in the census would also help address political marginalisation, underdevelopment, lack of social amenities, unemployment and other issues. They made the call at Awka, Anambra State capital, during the State Compendium of Localities Workshop organised by the National Population Commission (NPC) in collaboration with other stakeholders to finalise and present the grassroots final list of localities…

By Owei Lakemfa Lula said his performance in office was partly fired by his desire to make a point that people, despite their very low education and  poor origins, can make good leaders. As he left office, he said: “If I failed, it would be the workers’ class which would be failing; it would be this country’s poor who would be proving they did not have what it takes to rule.” Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 77 had done his duty to his long suffering country, Brazil. His origins were rough, like those of his motherland. The product of a…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The suit seeking to sack all candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia State in the 2023 election, was Friday, dismissed by the Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia. Some PDP members and delegates, Mr Ndudi Nwagbara, Egege Ikedichi, Ochulo Ulonam Juniour, Onyedikachi Abaribe, and three others, had approached the court on August 4,  seeking to nullify the three-man delegate ad hoc congress of the PDP in the state. The plaintiffs alleged that the purported congresses were never held, claiming that the names of delegates used for the party’s primary elections were fabricated. They sued the Independent…