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Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Federal Government has commenced the process appointing substantive Accountant General of the Federation, Ikengaonline can authoritatively report. President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Anamekwe Nwabuoku in Acting capacity following the suspension of the former AG, Ahmed Idiris, over N80 billion financial fraud. The commencement of the new process is contained in a circular by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi. According to the circular, all Accountants in the mainstream federal civil service with grade level 17 are eligible to apply. However, anyone undergoing any form of investigation is excluded from the opportunity.…

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Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri The Coalition of Southern and Middle belt youth leaders on Wednesday called on the Army Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, to arrest and prosecute the suspected Fulani herdsmen behind the reported killing of 16 Timber traders at Udei and Yelwata communities in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, last Monday. The group made this call in a statement to newsmen in Owerri, signed by the Coordinator of Forum of Middle Belt Youth presidents, Terrence Kuanum, Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders, Goodluck Ibem, South-West Youth Leaders Forum, Shittu Waheed and Coalition of South Youth Forum,…

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By William Clowes The fight against corruption has been a top campaign issue in Nigeria’s last two presidential elections, but the history of graft allegations surrounding the two main candidates means neither is likely to raise it in the run-up to February’s vote. Front-runner Bola Tinubu, who secured the ruling party’s nomination earlier this month, was being investigated by the country’s anti-corruption agency as recently as last June. Three decades ago he fought a lawsuit in which the US government accused him of laundering the proceeds of heroin trafficking and eventually reached a settlement. Atiku Abubakar, his chief rival, brought tens…

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By Nnamdi Elekwachi  The generally held notion that the Igbo are inherently apolitical is receiving a sharp contrasting twist with the Peter Obi presidential candidacy. Even Nigerians of other ethnic affiliations, mostly the youth who held no PVCs before now, are radically joining the ranks too, showing their overwhelming support for the Obi candidacy. Of late, there’s an unheard-of level of mobilisation among the hitherto ‘apolitical’ Igbo that is now moving them, their entire consciousness and collective aspiration to the centre – a centripetal pull one might say.   Not Obi himself could tell how all of a sudden he became such…

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Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Contrary to reports that the Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, has been extended by 60 days, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said the June 30 deadline for the exercise remains sacrosanct. The electoral umpire, however, said that despite its deadline, voter registration might continue following the court injunction asking the commission not to end the exercise yet. INEC National Electoral Commissioner for information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, who made the explanation on Wednesday, urged members of the public to ignore the fake reports. According to him: “No. We have not extended anything. The June 30…

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Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia After weeks of speculations and lobbying, the governorship flag bearer of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia State, Professor Uche Ikonne, has nominated the member representing Umunneochi state constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Okey Igwe, as his running mate. The former Chairman, Umunneochi Local Government Area, is the Publisher of the Oracle Newspapers Ltd. Igwe, 49, who hails from Umuogele, Amuda Isuochi in Umunneochi LGA was based in the United States of America before he became Council Chairman in 2016. Meanwhile, the PDP has congratulated the lawmaker on his nomination, describing…

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Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has described as laughable and malicious the recent allegation attributed to President Muhammadu Buhari that IPOB was involved in pipeline vandalism in oil producing areas of the country. President Buhari had in an interview with Bloomberg, a foreign media outfit, asserted that members of IPOB are responsible for the vandalization of pipelines in the Niger Delta and asked the nation’s Western allies to designate IPOB as a terrorist organization. He attributed Nigeria’s inability to meet its OPEC quota in crude production to the criminal activities of the secessionist group in the…

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Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia As intrigues and political re-alignments ahead of the 2023 general election continue, the presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, Wednesday, visited Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State. The duo held a closed door meeting at Wike’s private residence in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital. When they emerged, none of them talked to the press on reasons or outcome of the meeting believed to be about 2023 presidential project of the Labour Party flag bearer. The visit is coming days after the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, also met with Wike behind closed doors. Speculations…

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Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia. The dust raised by the conduct of Arochukwu state constituency primary election in Abia State is yet to settle as one of the concerned delegates, Chidindu Kalu, has dragged the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia. He urged the court to mandate the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to recognise anybody as PDP’s flag bearer for the constituency, claiming that the party did not conduct any primaries in the constituency. Kalu queries the purported emergence of a candidate when there was no primaries, claiming that delegates including himself and others…

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Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, has confessed that there is so much disenchantment in Nigeria against the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC; and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ahead of the 2023 general elections. The Governor who made the confession in a viral video while speaking on the outcome of the just-concluded Ekiti State governorship election, said that the failure of the PDP to come second at the poll was a danger signal that Nigerians are tired of the two major political parties. Alluding to the presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party, Mr…

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