Author: Editor

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has released the names of its governorship candidates submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the 2023 polls in 19 states. According to the list signed by the National Organising Secretary of the party, Mr Ifeanyi Mbaeri, Professor Greg Ibe is APGA’s flag bearer for Abia State. Others include: Ekpo Ita, Akwa Ibom State; Yahaya Cholli, Adamawa State; Joseph Waya, Benue State; Great Ogboru, Delta State; and Professor Benard Odoh, Ebonyi State. The list also shows Frank Nweke Jnr as the governorship candidate for Enugu State; Elleman Ahmed, Jigawa;…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Former Director General of the National Directorate of Employment, Chief Chuku Wachuku, has knocked political office holders who give out tricycles and motorcycles to youths as empowerment tools, describing such attitude as wickedness and mockery to youths. Wachuku who is a Small and Medium Enterprise, SME, expert, decried the harm “KEKE and Okada empowerment” had done to many youths. “Sharing KEKE and wheelbarrows to youths in the name of empowerment is mockery and recipe for poverty,” he regretted. He argued that skill acquisition remained the best form of empowerment as “it takes care of the whole family.”…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Immediate-past Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uche Ogah, has insisted that he is the authentic governorship candidate of the party in 2023. Ogah who spoke through the Spokesman of his Campaign Organisation, Sir Joshua Ogbonnaya, dismissed the purported reconciliation meeting of APC factions on Saturday at Ikwuano as a gathering of people without electoral values. At the reconciliation meeting, various gladiators from the two waring camps met and declared ceasefire and collapse of their structures into one united APC under the leadership of Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu as the state Chairman. They also recognised…

Stephen Ukandu, News & Features Editor The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been stopped from ending the on-going Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, on 30 June 2022, as earlier announced by the Commission. This is sequel to an order by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday, in a suit jointly filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP; and 185 concerned Nigerians. Honourable Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of Court 10, Monday, granted an order of interim injunction brought by SERAP against INEC. The plaintiffs asked the court to “declare unconstitutional, illegal, and incompatible with international standards the…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has been advised not to endorse any candidate or party for the 2023 presidential election as doing so would be politically suicidal. A concerned Igbo simply identified as Nwachinemere in an open letter posted on Izu Umunna platform to the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor George Obiozor; and Secretary, Ambassador Okay Emuchay, respectively, said Ohanaeze should remain neutral. He argued that endorsement of any candidate or political party by the Ohanaeze would send the wrong signals to other tribes, urging the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation to leave its doors…

By Owei Lakemfa Femi Soyinka, Professor of Medicine, may not be known much outside the medical field or outside the university system where he taught for thirty years. Certainly, he was known in the world of HIV/AIDS where he worked tirelessly to bring succour to the victims. He is of course far less known than his famous elder brother and Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka. But like his brother, he was a humanist and advocate of social justice. Many of us who were in the University of Ife, UNIFE, now Obafemi Awolowo University in the 1980s knew Femi Soyinka quite…

Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri A suspected escapee of Imo prison break whose name was given as Justice Anukam on Sunday allegedly stabbed a pregnant woman, said to be from Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of the state to death. The incident happened at Umuejechi Nekede autonomous community in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State. An eyewitness who spoke to newsmen said the suspect stabbed the pregnant woman said to be coming back from the church after the suspect mounted force on the victim to surrender what she had including her money and she refused. It was said that the suspect…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Ebonyi State, Professor Benard Odoh, has called on the people of South-East to close ranks and liberate the region. According to him, the people of the region should ensure they vote in credible leaders who will be committed and champion development and unity of the region irrespective of political parties. He said this is the only way the region would be taken seriously in national politics. He stated this at the All Saints Anglican Cathedral Abakaliki, capital of the state while receiving an outstanding leadership award from…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Donatus Nwankpa-led faction of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Abia State; and the Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu-led leadership of the party, have finally agreed to sheath their swords and work together for the sake of the state. Both divides who have been in the trenches since 2019, held a reconciliation meeting  at Ntalakwu Oboro, Ikwuano Local Government Area where they agreed to forge a united front ahead of 2023. The gladiators, stakeholders and party members at the meeting, adopted Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu as the authentic Chairman of the party in the state, and Chief Ikechi Emenike…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Contrary to media reports and speculations in some quarters, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, has said that its presidential flag bearer, Rabiu Kwankwaso, will not contest the 2023 Presidential elections as running mate to his counterpart in the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi. NNPP refuted reports that Kwankwaso was to run as Obi’s running mate, saying that such matter was never discussed. National Publicity Secretary of the party, Dr Agbo Major, who made the explanation Sunday in Abuja, said Kwankwaso could not have accepted to be Obi’s running mate. According to him: “NNPP has never at…