Nigerian Newspapers
APGA crisis: Why Obi won’t reply Umeh
Barrister Vincent Ezenwajiaku is Anambra State Commissioner for Special Duties. A pharmacist and lawyer turned politician, who abandoned a PhD programme abroad to answer the call to serve his people, has remained vocal since the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) crisis started. In this interview with ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU in Nnewi, Ezenwajiaku speaks on some burning issues, including the APGA crisis. Excerpts:
As a commissioner in Governor Peter Obi’s government, which clocked seven years on Sunday, how would you rate his performance?
I am part of the government and would hurt objectivity if I try to judge it. I think the judgment is better left for outsiders to do. Whatever I say would be followed by people saying ‘Ah, as a government official, what do you expect him to say?’ I therefore leave it to you to do the assessment as you all are in the state and are witnesses to what is going on. Even as umpires, you can go out and seek the views of those who are in a position to tell you the brutal truth.
Let us have your views and balance them with those of others.
Giving you my views is very easy. All I am saying is that those views cannot stand even for balancing. People comment about the government of Peter Obi on a daily basis. So, my own is not, in my view, important.
Let me even help you out. As the Governor of Anambra State, one thing we cannot take away from the governor is abundance of energy that I do not know how many people can meet up with. These days, if you read the papers, you would have discovered that due to his policy about education, which saw him returning schools to their owners, he is much in contact with church leaders. I mean credible church leaders who do not have any reason to dissimulate facts.
I read in the papers how Archbishop Valerian Okeke of the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha reviewed what he is doing across all sectors and rated him as the best Governor Anambra State has had. He talked about how Obi is building a future for the state through the overhaul of the education sector, building of roads across the state, attracting foreign investors, rebuilding the health sector, prompt payment of salaries and pensions after clearing the arrears owed for years, among others. He ended up by saying in Igbo, Odi ka Obi akona anyi, meaning ‘May we not lack a person like Obi’.
The other day, I followed His Excellency (Obi) to a function attended by the Catholic Bishop of Awka, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor. The bishop echoed his brother by saying that Obi was God’s gift to Anambra State. Having come down from Ihiala to Awka that day from Dr. Obinna Uzor’s function, the bishop said it took him about 30 minutes to make the trip, whereas in the past, the journey would have lasted three hours because of bad road. What does that show you? The bishop asked God in prayers to give the state a person as good as Obi if he could not give us a person better than him.
Of course you need to listen to Archbishop Efobi of the Anglican Communion. Talking about Obi, he quoted the Bible: “When the righteous are on the throne, the people rejoice.” I can tell you that in Anambra today, everybody knows that Obi has done well. Some people who do not have character may want to prevaricate for one reason or the other. What I am saying is that politicians can see A and call it B.
What, in specific terms, would you regard as his achievements?
Where do we start from? He has tarred more than 700 Kilometres of roads and we are still counting. Almost every day, he flags off road projects, and work is going on all of them. He constructed roads in the most difficult parts of the state where nobody thought about until he came on board. In health, he has built a teaching hospital from the scratch, rehabilitated general hospitals, built new hospitals and health centres, bought hospital equipment and got accreditation for the health institutions. As we speak, he is building, in partnership with the MDG, about 25 structures in missionary hospitals.
It was Obi who built the first secretariat in the state as well as the first and second massive business parks. He bought vehicles for ranking government officials in the executive, judiciary and legislature. He cleared the arrears of salaries and pension of close to N10 billion. He has attracted multinational companies to Anambra State. At the last count, we have about four of them. Some have built facilities, others are coming on board. Under him, Anambra became an oil-producing state after he invested billions in Orient Petroleum.
In the area of education still, even after the return of primary schools to churches, he has given them support to the tune of about N6 billion in cash to rehabilitate the schools. One can go on and on, but the most amazing part of it is that he has not borrowed money from any financial institution nor raised bond as many states are doing in Nigeria.
The President was so excited with his relationship with the Church that he said the centre he wants to help his Otuoke community build through friends would be handed over to the Church to manage. Obi has equally attracted the attention of the World Bank, which has sent people to Anambra to study his revolution in education with the aim of using it as a model for other African countries and developing world to emulate. Paul Collier, a notable Oxford professor, was so excited about this that he has been propagating it to other African leaders.
You mentioned Chief Victor Umeh in an unfamiliar way. But according to newspaper reports, Umeh said he fell out with the governor because of his (governor’s) failure to conduct local government election…
Although I have stopped reading his falsehood, I can tell you that 99 per cent of what the man says is false. Until he started fighting the governor, he singlehandedly brought the names of those who were appointed into the transition committees. What then is the logic in saying that he opposed it? I have noticed that in Nigeria, what professional politicians do is to employ the instrument of blackmail against the person they are not supporting. Umeh was the one who, through his one-man show business in the form of chairmanship of APGA, prevented the party from growing. I think the recent judgment of an Enugu High Court was providential. It will now give opportunity to those who have the interest of the party at heart to restructure it.
Are you saying that Victor Umeh has not contributed to the building of APGA or what?
If you are in partnership business with somebody, how do you measure your gain? It is simply by balancing gains vis-à-vis efforts. In the case of Umeh, the ratio of efforts to gain is about five per cent to 90 per cent. Would you say that such a person has suffered for the party? APGA was largely financed by Peter Obi. It was even his house at Abuja that initially served as APGA’s office. Even when the President asked APGA to get some names for appointment in the spirit of building a national government, Victor brought the names of people he could control.
How do you mean?
I am a foundation member of APGA. In the beginning, Umeh, who now brags about what he is not, was the Personal Assistant to an Anambra politician, Chief Okonkwo (Ofiadiulu). The man is still active in politics. Somehow, he became the treasurer of APGA. When APGA removed Chief Chekwas Okorie, we were having the meeting of Anambra party members, and Obi said that from the experience of betrayals he had had, he would prefer Victor Umeh to be appointed the Acting Chairman. That was how he became the Acting Chairman. But today, surprisingly and incredibly, I hear him say that he made the governor.
Does this allegation remove from the fact that Chief Umeh contributed N4 million to Obi’s tribunal case as reported in a national newspaper?
Who said so?
He said so in an interview he granted the newspaper.
This is the reason why I told you that I do not read what the man says any longer. How can anybody believe this? We know where we are coming from. Before Obi became the governor, he was on the board of about seven quoted companies, including about four financial institutions, by virtue of his investment. The man who said he donated N4 million to Obi’s tribunal case at that time was living in a two-room apartment. At that time, Obi was the one who procured an international passport for him alongside other party members, as well as sponsored his first trip overseas. It was also Obi who bought Umeh his first V-boot Mercedes car. Yet he has the boldness to say he contributed N4 million to tribunal efforts. Can’t you read between the lines? Today from a two-room apartment, he is now living at a palatial home, one of the best in Enugu.
Since Umeh started talking, don’t you think it is ripe for the governor to speak at this point and set the records straight?
I thought you people love the governor?
That is why we need him to speak.
Why would the governor be trading words with Umeh? Who is he? If you are in Anambra, you would have noticed that Obi is one of the busiest governors. As I speak, he is away to Rome as part of the Federal Government’s delegation for the installation of the new Pope. No week passes without him having a meeting in Abuja. He belongs to more than 10 federal committees, besides being the Financial Adviser to the President. He is also the Chairman of South-East Governors Forum as well as the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum. For a person saddled with all these responsibilities to have time to reply people will be tantamount to lunacy.
Away from politics, what is the government’s position on the Ezu River corpses?
Well, we are satisfied with what the governor has done. Remember, he cut his trip short and returned to the state the moment the sad incident was discovered. Since then, he has visited the place four times, personally supervised the removal of the bodies from the river and commissioned an autopsy on the bodies. He also got the entire town fumigated, sent supplies to them and provided the only borehole that is working. I say this because some people pretended they were digging boreholes but nothing has happened. If you go there today, the only boreholes that are working in the town are the two provided by the governor.
Has autopsy revealed how the people were killed?
We are all waiting for the report.
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Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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