Author: Editor
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia ABN Television, has announced the postponement of its 2022 service award ceremony earlier scheduled for Abuja, following the apprehension over the recent terror alert by the United States of America of possible terror attack on the Federal Capital Territory. Management of the organisation said it was concerned about the safety of guests at the annual event, hence the postponement to a new date that would be announced in the future. Chairman, Central Planning Committee of ABN TV Service awards, Amb. Alex Nwankwo, who disclosed this at a press conference Monday in Abuja, regretted the inconveniences the shift…
By Owei Lakemfa Incredible! It is a disaster for a Minister of Disaster to rank states affected by a disaster as if it were a sports competition in which medals were being awarded. Her conclusion is primarily based on the number of deaths. So by her logic, since the floods led to 91 deaths with 148 injured in Jigawa, compared to 58 dead and 81 injured in Bayelsa, Jigawa wins the gold medal! Bayelsa State was for weeks submerged by floods which damaged or washed away bridges and roads, homes and farms, power transformers, and hospitals, and displaced 99 percent of…
Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Pro-Biafra agitation group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has said it is not against political rallies in the South-East, because IPOB is not interested in Nigerian elections. The group made the statement against the backdrop of announcement by the campaign council of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who made public that campaign activities for its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, will hold on Monday in some parts of the South-East. It was gathered that the APC did not earlier consider that Monday is observed as a sit-at-home in some areas of the South-East, a situation that had made it to now reschedule…
Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Enugu State Government has expressed concern over lack of interest by youths in the state to enlist into the Nigerian Army to meet the state’s quota in line with the federal character policy. Mr Steve Oruruo, Special Adviser to the Governor on Information, said this in a statement made available to Ikengaonline in Enugu. He said that the Government was deeply concerned over the lack of interest shown by youths of the state in enlisting into the Nigerian Army. In view of this, a team from the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Abuja on Saturday, November 15, visited the state and interfaced…
Stephen Ukandu, News/Features Editor The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has explained that the reason he was in the 2023 presidential race was to put Nigeria back on track as the country has derailed due to mis-governance and leadership ineptitude. Obi who said this Sunday during the presidential debate organized by ARISE TV in partnership with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Guild of Editors, among others, also said he had the panacea to the festering insecurity in the country. This is as the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu; and the Peoples…
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…