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General news

House invasion: We’re behind Umahi, S/East Govs. — Ohanaeze UK

Dr Nnanna Igwe with other Igbo leaders in UK
Dr Nnanna Igwe with other Igbo leaders in UK

House invasion: We’re behind Umahi, S/East Govs. — Ohanaeze UK

Ohanaeze

By Emmanuel Afonne

Abuja, Sept. 12, 2019 (NAN) The Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK and Northern Ireland has said it would continue to support the activities of the South East Governors as they intensify efforts to rid the zone of armed herdsmen terrorizing the area.

The declaration of support came after the invasion of the Abuja residence of Ebonyi Gov. Dave Umahi on Sept. 2, hours after the South East Governors adopted measures to tackle the activities of armed herders in the zone.

A statement jointly signed by Ohanaeze UK and Ireland led by Dr Nnanna Igwe, and Secretary Mr Kingsley Offor as well as the PRO Amb. George Uzonwa, described the invasion as shocking and appalling.

The statement urged President Muhammadu Buhari to order a full scale judicial enquiry into the incident alleged to have been carried out by security operatives with a view to ensuring that the perpetrators were speedily brought to justice.

“Why is this cowardly act coming barely 24 hours after the South East Governors Forum banned herders who move around with AK-47 and machetes and directed security agencies to enforce the order?

“Why did the invaders clearly identified as security operatives subject occupants of the premises and police officers on duty to intolerable harassment and intimidation before thoroughly ransacking the premises of a sitting Governor?

“Why was this reckless and illegal act carried out without a search warrant, again portraying Nigeria as a country that has little or no respect for the rule of law?

“Are there plans for further attacks in the coming days and weeks to other South East Governors and key leaders from the South East worldwide?

“We strongly believe that the purpose of this dastardly and heinous plot is to intimidate, oppress and silence Governor Umahi and his colleagues at the South East Governors Forum and prevent them from discharging their mandate of speaking boldly on behalf of the South East people.

“We strongly and patriotically urge the perpetrators of these heinous plots to desist forthwith to avoid throwing the country into a needless and overwhelming crisis,” the statement read.

According to the group, time has come for the Igbo worldwide to come together to fight a common problem which they said includes marginalisation.

Ohanaeze UK further stated that: “The herdsmen siege on Igbo land, the senseless killings of our people and the destruction of our farm lands are on-going currently.

“The decadence of Federal infrastructure in the South Eastern Nigeria ranging from bad roads to poor schools, poorly equipped hospitals and total lack of commitment to develop the Igbo land is deliberately pursued in Nigeria for decades.

“So, we are very pleased with the meaningful outcomes, resolutions and decisions taken by the expanded special meeting of the South East Governors Forum of Aug. 31, 2019 in Enugu.

“That important meeting was attended by South East Governors, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worlwide, Representatives of the Nzuko Umunna and Security Agencies.

“The meeting was the strongest signal so far of a united and formidable Igbo team ready to address the catalogue of problems deliberately orchestrated against Ndigbo in Nigeria in recent times.

“There has always been the strong belief that Ndigbo will not come together to speak with one voice.

“But the sudden coming together of South East Governors including the Apex Igbo Organisation, Ohanaeze Worlwide with Delegates of Nzuko Umunna has sent shivers to the fabrics of our oppression.

“It is a clear indication of a better future for Ndigbo and signaling the readiness of our leaders to dismantle the destructive dynasty against Ndigbo in Nigeria.

“This is a welcome development and Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK is totally supportive of this dawn of a new era. Keep it up Ndigbo, let’s unite and face our common adversary.”

The Igbo leaders in UK enjoined the South East governors to always pursue ideas that would be beneficial to the zone and also urged them not to succumb to arm-twisting, trumped up charges or intimidation in their effort to ensure safety of lives and property in the zone.

They also called ECOWAS, African Union, the European Union (EU), UK, U.S., Commonwealth of Nations and United Nations (UN) to closely monitor activities in Nigeria especially that of armed herdsmen to ensure they did not throw the country into anarchy.

“Ndigbo believe in supremacy of God in human affairs and also believe in taking our destiny in our own hands.

“The dictum ‘vox populi, vox dei’ has been our guiding principle and underpinning of Ndigbo recent renaissance against repression in Nigeria.” (NAN)

EMAF/DCU

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Edited by Donald Ugwu

General news

NLC commends Gov. Umahi for paying Ebonyi workers’ June, July salaries

NLC commends Gov. Umahi for paying Ebonyi workers’ June, July salaries

Salaries

Abuja, July 15, 2018 (NAN) The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ebonyi chapter, has commended Gov. Dave Umahi for paying June and  July workers’ salaries even without receiving May federal allocation.

Mr Leonard Nkah, NLC State Chairman, in a statement he issued on Sunday, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that “Umahi has proved to be a man of his words.”

He noted that the governor on assumption of office promised that workers’ salaries would be paid by the 15th of every month.

Nkah said that the governor surprised workers, as they started receiving alerts for the July salary on Friday, July 13.

He commended the governor for maintaining the salary payment deadline, adding “God was using the governor to rescue Ebonyi workers from hunger and poverty and enjoin him not to relent.

The NLC chairman said that the governor has demonstrated by words and action that he is “Friend of Workers’’ the title organised labour in Ebonyi bestowed on Umahi.

Mr Chukwuma Onwe, NLC State Secretary, in his contribution, said that Umahi was a blessing to Ebonyi people, especially the workers.

He appealed to workers to reciprocate the governor’s gesture by being dedicated to their duties.

EMAF/OU

Edited by Obike Ukoh

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Politics

2019: APC restates commitment to peaceful, credible elections in Ebonyi

NAN-H-2

Commitment

By Douglas Okoro

Abakaliki, Jan. 6, 2018 (NAN) The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday restated its commitment to peaceful and credible 2019 general elections in Ebonyi.

The state’s Chairman of the party, Mr Eze Nwachukwu, who gave the assurance while addressing journalists in Abakaliki, therefore, appealed to groups and individuals preaching violence and war ahead of the elections to have a rethink.

Nwachukwu insisted that APC would abide by extant laws, rules and regulations guiding peaceful conduct of elections in the country.

He said that the party had at a stakeholders meeting on Friday, reviewed its preparedness for the forthcoming general elections and seen the need to make its position known especially in view of unsavoury comments allegedly made by some politicians in the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state governor, David Umahi, had said that he was ready for the political intrigues that would herald the battle for elective positions in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections.

He said this on Monday while addressing stakeholders of Afikpo North and Ezza South, who paid him a Christmas visit at his country home in Uburu.

In his remarks, he vowed to ensure the re-election of the state and federal lawmakers from Afikpo North and Ezza South Local Government Area of the state.

Umahi had said that there was no vacancy in the state House of Assembly and National Assembly positions in both councils, and that those aspiring for the positions should wait for 2023.

“I am a man of war and ready to war in ensuring that the present occupiers of the positions are re-elected in 2019.

“We all came together on the platform of divine mandate and would complete the mandates together.

“When we all finish our tenures, I will force the present occupiers to vacate the seats to ensure that other aspirants realise their ambitions,’’ Umahi said.

Nwachukwu described the governor’s threat as an indication of acceptance of defeat.

“Gov. Umahi, while addressing stakeholders of Afikpo North and Ezza South, who paid him a Christmas visit at his country home in Uburu, declared himself as a man of war and ready to fight for his re-election in 2019.

“For us in APC, such comments are un-dignifying and unwarranted especially coming from a man occupying the exalted office of Governor.

“Election is neither a war nor a do-or-die affair. It is a free contest that is only decided by the electorate through the ballot hence it is not an act or war.

“Our questions then are: who is fighting who and who is warring against, who since it must take two to fight or to get involved in a war,’’ Nwachukwu said.

“The Governor knows that he has been technically defeated and that is why he wants to threaten and intimidate.’’

Nwachukwu stated that as the largest opposition party in the state, APC believes that power resides with the people and that such power is exercised through their free franchise.

He said that the party would rather seek the votes of the people than preach war.

“For us in the opposition, ours is to mobilize the electorate, canvass for their votes and support and to urge them to actively participate in the electoral process through sustained sensitisation.

“We are letting residents know that we are ready and set to take over power not by hook or crook, but by the laid down legal procedure that enhances peaceful and credible elections.

“We in APC subscribe to the laws of the land and this includes those laws and guidelines regulating conduct of behaviour during elections because in Nigeria there are laws guiding actions and behaviour and our actions,” Nwachukwu added.

He, therefore, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be vigilant and to apply strict sanctions against any political party or candidate for the elections that violates the electoral law or INEC guidelines. (NAN)

ODO /COO/YEE

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Edited by Cecilia Odey/Emmanuel Yashim