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Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has emerged the 10th President of the Senate. He defeated former Zamfara State Governor Senator Abdulaziz Yari also of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to emerge. Akpabio has been the anointed candidate of the party with strong support from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Details later….

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The management of Nigeria’s leading aviation firm, Air Peace, has debunked claims by the immediate-past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, in his recent interview on Arise Television. Air Peace in a statement on Monday, dismissed as blatant lie, the claims by the ex-Minister that  it lacked capacity to fly Nigeria-Dubai route. Air Peace also accused the former Minister of blackmail to demarket the firm. Below is a full text of the press statement made available to Ikengaonline: “We watched with dismay the interview granted by former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika to Arise TV on Sunday, June 11,…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the Student Loan Bill expected to culminate into the establishment of an education bank. The bill which seeks to provide interest-free loans to indigent Nigerian students, was passed by the national assembly in November, 2022. The bill  sponsored by the immediate-past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who is now Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, was signed into law at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Tinubu had  during his campaigns, also promised to make provisions for students loan scheme to support education.

Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Intersociety, on Monday called for the arrest of the immediate past Governor of Kadunna State, Nasir el-Rufai, over statements in a viral video  in support of “full Islamic rule” in Nigeria. The Intersociety led by Emeka Umeagbalasi, spoke to newsmen in Owerri, about the el-Rufai’s clip among others. According to Intersociety: “The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law has fully earned the enviable and unrivalled position as Nigeria’s “Nostradamus.” “This is to the extent that we have, again been vindicated by recent revelations by…

Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri The Imo State Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, on Monday called on Imolites to come together and salvaged the state from insecurity. Anyanwu spoke to newsmen in Owerri, in commemoration of democracy day celebration in the state. According to the politician, “Imo State that used to be the number one in the areas of hospitality and security in the entire South-East region has become a shadow of itself, and wondered why the state suddenly turned into a theatre of war for reasons yet unknown. “I am aware that your businesses have…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has appealed to Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State to intervene in alleged land fraud by some officials of the Enugu State Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources. In a petition to the governor signed by Mr Olu Omotayo (Esq), President of CRRAN, the organisation said the officials had approached the Environmental Protection Court of Enugu State  presided over by His lordship H.C. Asogwa Esq. a Chief Magistrate Grade 1, vide an ex parte application in Suit No: EPC/E/01C/2023. Olu said the Honorable Court granted…

Says those who can’t accept defeat don’t deserve joy of victory Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Despite divergent views held by many people, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has claimed that the Nigeria democracy ” is well and alive.” The President who made the claims during his nation-wide address to mark this year’s Democracy Day, argued that the conduct of elections since the return to civilian rule was a confirmation that democracy had gained root in the country. “This year, we held the seventh in the cycle of elections that have become sacred rituals of our democratic practice in this dispensation since…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has identified trust deficit, selfish leaders and impunity as part of the major factors undermining democracy in Nigeria. Obi who stated this in a post on his Twitter handle, regretted that democracy in Nigeria had not been allowed to work. “Regrettably, we are now in an era where these foundational pillars of democracy are undermined by prevalent impunity and pervasive violence and bloodletting. The trust deficit  between the leaders and Nigerians continues to expand. “What we lack, are selfless leaders who are committed to national interest, sustainable…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member and lawmaker representing Ogbaru II constituency, Mr. Somtochukwu Udeze, has emerged Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly. Udeze emerged as the new speaker barely one week after he decamped from PDP to the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the state. He became member of the Assembly as an APGA candidate and later returned to the Assembly as a PDP candidate and won his third election as a PDP candidate but has now defected to APGA. Ikengaonline reports that Udeze was elected by 30 members to lead the lawmakers…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the last general election, Peter Obi, has said that Nigeria’s democracy is deeply troubled and the destiny of the country uncertain and precarious. Obi in a Democracy Day message to Nigerians on Monday lamented the state of affairs of democratic institutions in the country. According yo him, 30 years after the 1993 elections, Nigeria is still in search for a credible electoral system that would command the trust, confidence, and belief of all Nigerians just like June 12 did. He said the conduct of the last presidential elections…