Renowned Broadcaster, Senator Chris Anyanwu, has been appointed Chairman of the Inauguration Committee for Governor Hope Uzodinma’s second term in office.
The Governor made the announcement in his New Year broadcast to the people of the State.
Anyanwu, an Mbaise daughter, was of the National Television Authority, NTA, from where he was appointed the Commissioner for Information under the Military Administration of the now late Amadi Ikwechegh. Thereafter, he founded the now defunct weekly newsmagazine, The Sunday Magazine, TSM.
She joined politics and was elected the Senator for Imo East, (Owerri Zone) in 2007, under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
In 2011, he was reelected a Senator under the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
Currently, she is the founder and proprietor of the Owerri-based Hot FM Radio Station.
Governor Uzodimma won a re-election for a second term in office on November 11, 2023 in a landslide, defeating his opponents in all the 27 Local Government Areas of the State.
He will be sworn-in for his second term on January 15, 2024.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians to remain hopeful in the café of the economic situation in the country.
The president made this known in his new Year national broadcast to Nigerians on Monday.
According to the president, the current economic situation is very hard on Nigerians, as his administration is trying to turn things around for the better.
He however urged Nigerians to be resolute in the common quest to address the problem, saying “time may be rough and tough, however, our spirit must remain unbowed.”
Tinubu said, “Dear Compatriots, take this from me: the time may be rough and tough, however, our spirit must remain unbowed because tough times never last. We are made for this period, never to flinch, never to falter.
“The socio-economic challenges of today should energize and rekindle our love and faith in the promise of Nigeria. Our current circumstances should make us resolve to work better for the good of our beloved nation. Our situation should make us resolve that this new year 2024, each and everyone of us will commit to be better citizens.”
Since coming to power in May this year, President Tinubu has introduced some belt-tightening measures which have made life difficult for many Nigerians.
The austerity measures include the removal of subsidies on petrol and foreign exchange.
Not a few Nigerians insist that the polices have made life unbearable for them. They urged the government to address the country’s problems with human face.
It gives me immense joy to welcome each and every one of you – young and old- to this brand new year 2024. We must lift up our hands to Almighty God, in gratitude, for his grace and benevolence to our country and our lives in the year 2023 that has just gone by.
Though the past year was a very challenging one, it was eventful in so many ways. For our country, it was a transition year that saw a peaceful, orderly and successful transfer of power from one administration to another, marking yet another remarkable step in our 24 years of unbroken democracy.
It was a year, you the gracious people of this blessed nation, entrusted your faith in me with a clear mandate to make our country better, to revamp our economy, restore security within our borders, revitalise our floundering industrial sector, boost agricultural production, increase national productivity and set our country on an irreversible path towards national greatness that we and future generations will forever be proud of.
The task of building a better nation and making sure we have a Nigeria society that cares for all her citizens is the reason I ran to become your President. It was the core of my Renewed Hope campaign message on the basis of which you voted me as President.
Everything I have done in office, every decision I have taken and every trip I have undertaken outside the shores of our land, since I assumed office on 29 May 2023, have been done in the best interest of our country.
Over the past seven months of our administration, I have taken some difficult and yet necessary decisions to save our country from fiscal catastrophe. One of those decisions was the removal of fuel subsidy which had become an unsustainable financial burden on our country for more than four decades. Another was the removal of the chokehold of few people on our foreign exchange system that benefited only the rich and the most powerful among us. Without doubt, these two decisions brought some discomfort to individuals, families and businesses.
I am well aware that for some time now the conversations and debates have centred on the rising cost of living, high inflation which is now above 28% and the unacceptable high under-employment rate.
From the boardrooms at Broad Street in Lagos to the main-streets of Kano and Nembe Creeks in Bayelsa, I hear the groans of Nigerians who work hard every day to provide for themselves and their families.
I am not oblivious to the expressed and sometimes unexpressed frustrations of my fellow citizens. I know for a fact that some of our compatriots are even asking if this is how our administration wants to renew their hope.
Dear Compatriots, take this from me: the time may be rough and tough, however, our spirit must remain unbowed because tough times never last. We are made for this period, never to flinch, never to falter. The socio-economic challenges of today should energize and rekindle our love and faith in the promise of Nigeria. Our current circumstances should make us resolve to work better for the good of our beloved nation. Our situation should make us resolve that this new year 2024, each and everyone of us will commit to be better citizens.
Silently, we have worked to free captives from abductors. While we can’t beat our chest yet that we had solved all the security problems, we are working hard to ensure that we all have peace of mind in our homes, places of work and on the roads
Having laid the groundwork of our economic recovery plans within the last seven months of 2023, we are now poised to accelerate the pace of our service delivery across sectors.
Just this past December during COP28 in Dubai, the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and I agreed and committed to a new deal to speed up the delivery of the Siemens Energy power project that will ultimately deliver reliable supply of electricity to our homes and businesses under the Presidential Power Initiative which began in 2018.
Other power installation projects to strengthen the reliability of our transmission lines and optimise the integrity of our National grid are ongoing across the country.
My administration recognises that no meaningful economic transformation can happen without steady electricity supply. In 2024, we are moving a step further in our quest to restart local refining of petroleum products with Port Harcourt Refinery, and the Dangote Refinery which shall fully come on stream.
To ensure constant food supply, security and affordability, we will step up our plan to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmlands across the country to grow maize, rice, wheat, millet and other staple crops. We launched the dry season farming with 120,000 hectares of land in Jigawa State last November under our National Wheat Development Programme.
In this new year, we will race against time to ensure all the fiscal and tax policies reforms we need to put in place are codified and simplified to ensure the business environment does not destroy value. On every foreign trip I have embarked on, my message to investors and other business people has been the same. Nigeria is ready and open for business.
I will fight every obstacle that impedes business competitiveness in Nigeria and I will not hesitate to remove any clog hindering our path to making Nigeria a destination of choice for local and foreign investments.
In my 2024 Budget presentation to the National Assembly, I listed my administration’s 8 priority areas to include national defence and internal security, job creation, macro-economic stability, investment environment optimization, human capital development, poverty reduction and social security. Because we take our development agenda very seriously, our 2024 budget reflects the premium we placed on achieving our governance objectives.
We will work diligently to make sure every Nigerian feels the impact of their government. The economic aspirations and the material well-being of the poor, the most vulnerable and the working people shall not be neglected. It is in this spirit that we are going to implement a new national living wage for our industrious workers this new year. It is not only good economics to do this, it is also a morally and politically correct thing to do.
I took an oath to serve this country and give my best at all times. Like I said in the past, no excuse for poor performance from any of my appointees will be good enough.
It is the reason I put in place a Policy Coordination, Evaluation, Monitoring and Delivery Unit in the Presidency to make sure that governance output improves the living condition of our people.
We have set the parameters for evaluation. Within the first quarter of this new year, Ministers and Heads of Agencies with a future in this administration that I lead will continue to show themselves.
Fellow Nigerians, my major ambition in government as a Senator in the aborted Third Republic, as Governor of Lagos State for eight years and now as the President of this blessed country is to build a fair and equitable society and close the widening inequality. While I believe the rich should enjoy their legitimately-earned wealth, our minimum bargain must be that, any Nigerian that works hard and diligent enough will have a chance to get ahead in life. I must add that because God didn’t create us with equal talents and strengths, I can not guarantee that we will have equal outcomes when we work hard. But my government, in this new year 2024 and beyond, will work to give every Nigerian equal opportunity to strive and to thrive.
For the new year to yield all its good benefits to us as individuals and collectively as a people we must be prepared to play our part. The job of building a prosperous nation is not the job of the President, Governors, Ministers, Lawmakers and government officials alone. Our destinies are connected as members of this household of Nigeria. Our language, creed, ethnicity and religious beliefs even when they are not same should never make us work at cross purposes.
In this new year, let us resolve that as joint-heirs to the Nigerian Commonwealth, we will work for the peace, progress and stability of our country. I extend this call to my political opponents in the last election. Election is over. It’s time for all of us to work together for the sake of our country.
We must let the light each of us carries – men and women, young and old – shine bright and brighter to illuminate our path to a glorious dawn.
I wish all of us a happy and prosperous year 2024.
May God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
After a critical evaluation of the year 2023, Governor Hope Uzodimma has assured the people of Imo State that 2024 will be a lot more better than the preceding year.
He also assured that his government will exceed the 2023 performance in the succeeding year.
Governor Uzodimma who spoke during his New year Statewide broadcast said Imo State needs a renewed love, a renewed hope, and renewed economic growth to usher in peace, progress and prosperity for all.
Governor Uzodimma’s broadcast read in full:
“My beloved Ndimo, .another year is here, and to the glory of God, we are alive to witness it. It is with a grateful heart, therefore, that I make this new year broadcast to herald the year of our Lord, 2024.
“First and foremost, I welcome all of us to the new year, and I congratulate everyone who made it to the year 2024. When we consider the fact that many who would have loved to be part of today’s new year celebration could not make it, then we have every reason to be grateful to God for keeping us alive to see this day. Indeed, it is neither by our might nor by our wisdom that we are alive today but by the special Grace of God. So we must begin the new year with profound gratitude to God for the gift of life that has seen us into this year of our Lord, 2024.
“This is why I address you today with a heart full of gratitude to God for His countless grace upon our lives. So with much joy and gratitude to God, I congratulate us all for surviving 2023 in spite of the excruciating challenges that we faced.
“I must admit that the year 2023 was a very challenging year in which many Nigerians battled for survival. As your governor, I shared these pains, and I did the much I could to help alleviate the challenges. But, as I said in my Christmas message, I am confident that the reforms, which are being implemented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to restructure the economy are the right steps in the right direction.
“Besides, they are vital reforms that are essential for repositioning the economy for a more prosperous future. Like most reforms, the initial pains are inevitable. The good news is that there is light at the end of the tunnel. As they say, the darkest hour heralds a glorious dawn. So it is with the pains that came with these needful reforms. I am very confident that the promised glorious dawn is close enough. Thus, I appeal to the good people of Imo State to be patient because the year 2024 will surely herald that glorious dawn, and I am confident that the pains of 2023 will begin to wane in 2024.
“For those of us who may be embittered and genuinely concerned about the hardships or failure to achieve their economic targets in 2023, I wish to remind them that the blessings of God are like rain, falling here today, falling there tomorrow. The most important thing is that we are alive, and with life, hope abounds. We must therefore conquer the fear of failure of the past year and move into the new year with confidence and hope that things will be better in the new year and the years ahead.
“As a government, the year 2023 can be described as remarkable. To the glory of God, contrary to the doomsday prophets who predicted every manner of violence and blood letting in the November 11th election, the election turned out to be one of the most peaceful in the history of Imo State. It was also one of the most credible and freest elections ever held in the state. Before the elections, I made it clear that I was not desperate for power since power comes from God. Just like former President Goodluck Jonathan, I also emphasized that my ambition was not worth the blood of any Imo son or daughter.
“Through the mercy of God, the election was not only peaceful, but you returned me to the office with a landslide victory that cut across the 27 local government areas in the state.
“Let me once again thank all Imo people for that massive show of acceptance and support. Your massive votes spoke volumes: it was a vote of implicit confidence in my government and an unequivocal declaration that, for the first time in the history of Imo State, our people spoke with one voice.
“This bold statement by the electorate has offered us a historic opportunity to run an even more inclusive government that will involve every Imo son or daughter. To signal this new dawn, I am glad to announce to you that I have set up a pan Imo committee to organize my second term inauguration, which is scheduled for January 15th, 2024. The committee is chaired by Senator Chris Anyanwu, while other members are drawn from all walks of life.
“However, the greatest thank you I can offer to the people of Imo State is to continue to run an efficient and transparent administration with equity and justice as its banner. Working harder in the coming years, exceeding my previous efforts, will no doubt justify that confidence. In this respect, I am glad to announce that we are determined to beat our own records in governance.
“Already, the march towards the actualization of that vision has started with the 2024 budget, which I recently signed into law. Out of the budget of N592 billion, N491 billion, or 83 percent is for capital expenditure, while N100 billion or 17 percent is for recurrent expenditure.
“The practical interpretation of the budget is that if we built 20 roads in 2023, we are going to build 40 in 2024. If we empowered 2,000 youths in 2023, 4,000 youths should take their turn in 2024. With this capital expenditure centred budget, there shall be an avalanche of projects in Imo State in 2024. This harvest of projects will always be evenly and equitably sited in the 27 local government areas of our state.
“I am also happy that our people who came home for Christmas from abroad and all parts of Nigeria are bearing testimonies on what this administration has achieved for the state in the last four years. “Aka ekpuchi afo ime” is an Igbo adage.(This literally means that no one can cover or hide pregnancy).What we have done is there for all to see. As they are here, they drive through the roads.
“They also see the new health and educational facilities, and they hear from their kith and kin in the civil service that salaries and pensions are being paid promptly, including a 13th month salary. They have seen that the dredging of Oguta Lake/Orashi is a work in progress. While they are here, they saw and confirmed that Imo State is safe and peaceful. To the glory of God, contrary to the propaganda in the social media, they have not witnessed any serious security breach while they are here.
“Now, they can confirm that the government is working in Imo State. Let me, therefore, appeal to them to endeavour to share the good news when they return to their respective stations. I dare say that with ongoing efforts to ensure that there is lasting peace in the state, by the special Grace of God, the peace we now enjoy shall soon be permanent.
“Now, that the election, which I believe was the remote and immediate cause of the politically contrived insecurity in the state, has been won and lost, I plead with all and sundry to sheath their swords and work in harmony with my administration to deliver more democracy dividends to our people. I reiterate that my administration will be more inclusive and there will be enough room for all. Like I earlier said, we need a renewed love, a renewed hope, and renewed economic growth for our state so as to usher in peace and progress and prosperity for all.
“As outlined in the 2024 budget, Imo is going to witness a tremendous improvement in infrastructure and development in all facets of the state this year. I want Imo people to rest assured that my performance in the second tenure, which begins in January 2024, will dwarf the achievements of my first tenure. Read my lips and hold me by my words.
“This is why my administration will not brook any form of corruption in the public sector. Every kobo belonging to Imo State must be deployed to work for Imo people. Public service must be seen as a call to work for the people and not an opportunity to loot their common patrimony. Public Office holders under my watch must adhere to this simple protocol or be forced out.
“Let me use the opportunity of the new year to urge our religious and traditional rulers to continue to pray and work hard for the sustenance of peace in our state. Those who feel aggrieved one way or the other should embrace peace. We all need to work together for the interest of our state. This is a new dawn where the lines of division or politics shall remain blurred. We are now on the threshold of history, working in concert for the development of our state and our people. Let us come together and work together as one people with one objective, which is to make Imo State better and greater. Let us not forget that this is our one and only state.
“May God continue to bless the works of our hands. I wish all of us a prosperous 2024, the year of renewed economic growth.”
President Bola Tinubu has told Nigerians that current hardship is not par of his Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration
Tinubu, in a national broadcast to mark the new year, acknowledged the high cost of living, unemployment and assured that these are not part of the renewed Hope agenda he promised Nigerians.
The President added, “Over the past seven months of our administration, I have taken some difficult and yet necessary decisions to save our country from fiscal catastrophe.
“One of those decisions was the removal of fuel subsidy which had become an unsustainable financial burden on our country for more than four decades.
“Another was the removal of the chokehold of few people on our foreign exchange system that benefited only the rich and the most powerful among us. Without doubt, these two decisions brought some discomfort to individuals, families and
“I am well aware that for some time now the conversations and debates have centred on the rising cost of living, high inflation which is now above 28% and the unacceptable high under-employment rate.
“From the boardrooms at Broad Street in Lagos to the main-streets of Kano and Nembe Creeks in Bayelsa, I hear the groans of Nigerians who work hard every day to provide for themselves and their families.
“I am not oblivious to the expressed and sometimes unexpressed frustrations of my fellow citizens. I know for a fact that some of our compatriots are even asking if this is how our administration wants to renew their hope.
“Dear Compatriots, take this from me: the time may be rough and tough, however, our spirit must remain unbowed because tough times never last. We are made for this period, never to flinch, never to falter.
“The socio-economic challenges of today should energize and rekindle our love and faith in the promise of Nigeria. Our current circumstances should make us resolve to work better for the good of our beloved nation. Our situation should make us resolve that this new year 2024, each and everyone of us will commit to be better citizens.
“Silently, we have worked to free captives from abductors. While we can’t beat our chest yet that we had solved all the security problems, we are working hard to ensure that we all have peace of mind in our homes, places of work and on the roads.
“Having laid the groundwork of our economic recovery plans within the last seven months of 2023, we are now poised to accelerate the pace of our service delivery across sectors.
“Just this past December during COP28 in Dubai, the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and I agreed and committed to a new deal to speed up the delivery of the Siemens Energy power project that will ultimately deliver reliable supply of electricity to our homes and businesses under the Presidential Power Initiative which began in 2018.
Other power installation projects to strengthen the reliability of our transmission lines and optimise the integrity of our National grid are ongoing across the country.
“My administration recognises that no meaningful economic transformation can happen without steady electricity supply. In 2024, we are moving a step further in our quest to restart local refining of petroleum products with Port Harcourt Refinery, and the Dangote Refinery which shall fully come on stream.
“To ensure constant food supply, security and affordability, we will step up our plan to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmlands across the country to grow maize, rice, wheat, millet and other staple crops.
“We launched the dry season farming with 120,000 hectares of land in Jigawa State last November under our National Wheat Development Programme.
“In this new year, we will race against time to ensure all the fiscal and tax policies reforms we need to put in place are codified and simplified to ensure the business environment does not destroy value. On every foreign trip I have embarked on, my message to investors and other business people has been the same. Nigeria is ready and open for business.
“I will fight every obstacle that impedes business competitiveness in Nigeria and I will not hesitate to remove any clog hindering our path to making Nigeria a destination of choice for local and foreign investments.
“In my 2024 Budget presentation to the National Assembly, I listed my administration’s 8 priority areas to include national defence and internal security, job creation, macro-economic stability, investment environment optimization, human capital development, poverty reduction and social security. Because we take our development agenda very seriously, our 2024 budget reflects the premium we placed on achieving our governance objectives.
“We will work diligently to make sure every Nigerian feels the impact of their government. The economic aspirations and the material well-being of the poor, the most vulnerable and the working people shall not be neglected. It is in this spirit that we are going to implement a new national living wage for our industrious workers this new year. It is not only good economics to do this, it is also a morally and politically correct thing to do.
“For the new year to yield all its good benefits to us as individuals and collectively as a people we must be prepared to play our part. The job of building a prosperous nation is not the job of the President, Governors, Ministers, Lawmakers and government officials alone.
“Our destinies are connected as members of this household of Nigeria. Our language, creed, ethnicity and religious beliefs even when they are not same should never make us work at cross purposes.
“In this new year, let us resolve that as joint-heirs to the Nigerian Commonwealth, we will work for the peace, progress and stability of our country. I extend this call to my political opponents in the last election. Election is over. It’s time for all of us to work together for the sake of our country.
“We must let the light each of us carries – men and women, young and old – shine bright and brighter to illuminate our path to a glorious dawn.”
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has lamented the insincerity of the President Bola Tinubu administration in curbing the insecurity bedeviling the nation.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Candidate in the February 25th, 2023, Presidential Election said that attacks and loss of lives can be stemmed only when the Federal Government shows utmost determination to eliminate the threats by expanding the security architecture.
Atiku, in a statement by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, on Sunday said random and incessant killings and maiming of scores of people across the country such that recently happened in Barikin Ladi and Bokkos Local Government Areas of Plateau State called for tougher action by the government in terms of prompt and proactive measures.
“Those attacks can be stemmed only when the government shows utmost determination to eliminate the threats by expanding the security architecture in the country and fast-tracking the arrest and prosecution of those involved in such dastardly acts to serve as a deterrent, Atiku stated.
He expressed concern about the frequency of these attacks on innocent people by outlaws, noting that under no circumstances should murderous criminal groups be allowed to take life without immediate consequences from the government.
According to Atiku, “the rate at which innocent people are being massacred in Plateau, Kaduna, Zamfara and other areas plagued by insecurity is embarrassing, adding that “only prompt and decisive action by the government can halt this madness.”
He observed that the calls for state police stem from the growing frustration with the government’s seeming helplessness to crush these outlaws.
The statement read in part “The spate of these attacks is also a sad testimonial to decadence in the judiciary because a situation where criminals are set free by the court without diligent trials is capable of dampening the morale of law enforcement officers and other security agencies.
“Atiku warned that abandoning the people to their own fate in the face of existential threats is not an option because protecting the lives and property of the citizens is a primary responsibility of governments anywhere in the world.
“But for his absence, the former Vice President would have visited Plateau to emphasise with the people of the affected communities. He, however, prays for the repose of the souls of the deceased, stressing that no resource should be spared in taking care of the maimed and displaced”.
The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi made a whistle-stop at three strategic spots in the North at the weekend bemoaning situations that send Nigerians to Internally Displaced, IDP Camps.
The Presidential Candidate paid a condolence visit to the home of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon Ghali Na’abba who died during the week and also celebrated with the former Minister of Interior and former Chief of Army Staff Abdulrahman Dambazau whose daughter wedded also in Kano at the weekend.
Obi was accompanied on the two trips by his running mate Dr Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmad and some officials of the Labour Party and Obidient Movement in the state.
On his X handle, Obi said
“I visited Kano State with my brother, Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, where we joined other respected Nigerians to attend the wedding of General Abdulrahman Dambazau’s daughter. General Dambazau, a Former Federal Minister of Interiors, had also served our dear nation as a two-time Chief of Army Staff.
I pray God Almighty to protect and bless the newly wedded couple, grant abundant health and happiness, and bless their union with love, joy, understanding, and peace.
“I was also in Kano State today with my brother, Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed to condole with the family of Late Ghali Na’Abba, who passed on recently.
“Before his death, Na’Abba served our dear nation as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones in this difficult time
“May God Almighty forgive his sins and grant him eternal rest and grant his family, the good people of Kano State, and all of us who mourn him, the fortitude to bear his loss.
According to Obi, after the Kano event he went to the embattled Plateau town attacked on Christmas Day and has this to say.
“Today, after my two major events in Kano State, I paid a solidarity visit to two Internally Displaced People’s camps (IDPs) in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas in Plateau State.
“The camp came as a result of the unfortunate tragic attacks in the area which have claimed over 100 lives and left over 300 people injured.
“I sympathized with the government and people of Plateau State, especially the many families who lost their loved ones to this dastardly act, and indeed with every Nigerian feeling the pain of insecurity. My heart goes out to the affected families. These are very challenging times in our nation, but we refuse to bow to the challenges.
“May Almighty God forgive the sins of those who died grant them eternal rest, and grant their families the fortitude to bear their irreplaceable losses. And for the wounded receiving treatment in the hospital, may God grant them a speedy recovery.”
“I thank the government of Plateau State for their kind and caring intervention for the affected victims, and the security agencies for their efforts in restoring order in the area and for the great work they are doing in securing Nigeria, especially at this challenging time.
“I made a token donation of N10 million and N5 million to each of the two IDPs in both Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi LG Areas.
“I am very concerned about the growing numbers of people seeking refuge in different IDP camps across the country. I have always said that once any Nigerian is internally displaced, every Nigerian is internally displaced.
“I urge governments at all levels, charitable organizations, and well-meaning Nigerians to help our fellow compatriots who are today displaced, in different parts of the country, due to insecurity. We will continue to be our brother’s keeper and united in purpose, we will reclaim our nation from the hands of criminals and set it on the path of growth, peace, and progress.
The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi has said that Nigeria politics must not be left in the hands of transactional politicians, saying that the business of Nigeria is far too important to be left to those involved in transactional politics.
The standard bearer of the Labour Party also warned in his 2024 New Year message to Nigerians that it is dangerous to tilt Nigeria to a one-party state and wants this resisted.
“I am involved in the struggle for a New Nigeria that is Possible and works for all and will remain passionately committed to the crusade. I therefore implore you all who strive for a New Nigeria to remain fully engaged, committed, and resilient as it is and will be Possible.
“My Fellow Compatriots, As we thank God and enter a new year, 2024, I send my heartfelt and warmest greetings to all Nigerians: from my family and I, to you and yours. May the Almighty God bless you all richly and grant your good heart desires in the new year and beyond.
“The events of the past year are now part of our national history. As we trudge on, we remain mindful of the State of our Nation, and that our best hopes and aspirations remain largely unfulfilled.
Obi noted that “Peace and security continue to elude us with the rising level of bloodletting deeply troubling and sometimes beyond a war situation. A situation where hundreds of Nigerians are violently killed in December alone is deeply sad and unacceptable. While we pray for the repose of the souls departed, we demand that the Federal Government must do whatever is required to bring the perpetrators to justice and permanently stop a re-occurrence in any part of Nigeria.
According to Obi in addition to the lamentable security situation, our economy remains confusing and depressing with unemployment, inflation, poverty, inequality, and other key socio-economic variables all negative and worsening. As Nigeria is the only country we have, deeply endowed but lacking in good leadership, we will continue to seek a new Nigeria that we know is possible.
“Nigerians are now very aware and convinced that good governance, inclusive development, and accountable leadership expected in a functional democracy, continue to elude us but we must be consistent and resolute in our demand for rule of law, regulatory quality, and government effectiveness for transformative solutions to a litany of our social problems.
Obi reviewed the political situation in the country in the outgoing year and remarked that “If there is one fundamental threat to our democracy, it is the undermining and weakening of our national institutions and the capture of state affairs and resources by few individuals and private interests. This must stop for Nigeria to move forward and function as an inclusive and sustainable society and nation.
“In a democratic and secular country like ours, there must be full respect for the separation of powers between the three independent arms of government, as well as between the federating units. For instance, the National Assembly should devote time and commit themselves to diligent performance of their functions like the 2024 budget that requires their prudent examination and subsequent patriotic-oriented approval or rejection.
“We must work assiduously to avoid drifting to a one-party state, or a situation, where the Federal government intervenes unduly in the internal affairs of the states, particularly in circumstances where national security is not threatened. We in the Labour Party have undertaken in the national interest and in our undying commitment to a New Nigeria that is Possible, to remain firmly in opposition and as such, must remain focused going forward. Our collective role in nation-building remains fundamental and obligatory.
The LP flag bearer used the opportunity of the New Year message to thank Nigerians for their support “Again, let me use this opportunity to thank all Nigerians who supported our campaign during the 2023 elections and voted for us because they believed in the quest for a New Nigeria. The outcome of the 2023 presidential elections was contested and remains so, on record. But the Courts of law have spoken; so be it.
“I also wish to thank members of the Labour Party, the Obedient Family, friends, and well-wishers of Nigeria for their loyalty, resilience, tenacity, and commitment to true democracy. We will continue ongoing discussions and efforts for the Labour Party to adjust to our new role as Nigeria’s main opposition party. We will continue to constructively engage all Nigerians and our friends, who have now realized the vast implications of the road not taken; and the folly of national interest decisions predicated on sentiments and primordial interests.
Finally, he noted that “Nigeria is our God-given country. The business of Nigeria is far too important to be left to those involved in transactional politics. I am involved in the struggle for a New Nigeria that is Possible and works for all and will remain passionately committed to the crusade. I therefore implore you all who strive for a New Nigeria to remain fully engaged, committed, and resilient as it is and will be possible. God bless you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Happy and Prosperous 2024 – Peter Obi
A Group, under the auspices of Imade Development Association, IDA, has urged Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State to consider an Owo indigene as his Deputy to compensate for the loss of their son, Rotimi Akeredolu.
Akeredolu passed on mid-way into his second term as Governor of the State, and was immediately succeeded by his Deputy.
The Group lamented the loss of Akeredolu, warning against any move that may lead to further polarisation of the people along ethnic and political divides.
President of the Group, Segun Ogunbadeniyi, the Secretary, Femi Fadaisi and Publicity Secretary, Julius Adesola said that Owo as an ethnic group has a strong interest in presenting a candidate for the Deputy Governorship position.
The group said that the interest and preceptive of Owo must be well protected in the scheme of things with the death of Akeredolu, an indigene of the town.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Ogunbadeniyi, said “In our opinion, the joint ticket that expires in February 2025 is Owo/Ilaje.
“We do not understand any calculation outside of it. Whoever picks the ticket of APC or PDP next year can therefore decide which zone to produce the Deputy Governor.
“Any attempt to erase Owo from the calculation until February 2025 by Aiyedatiwa in our opinion, is unfair, not equitable, and can cause division in the body politics.”
According to the mainstream Owo group, “Aiyedatiwa must promote things that would bring peace and unity to the state saying the conflict that brought him has polarized the All Progressive Congress (APC), the legislative arm of government, and the people.
“The battle for the mandate was fought by Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa. It is to the honour of Akeredolu that the ticket must be maintained.
“ Aiyedatiwa must prioritize what will bring peace and unity to the state. The event in the last few months has polarized the state both in body and spirit.
“For us in Owo, we are ready to work with him and bring about unity and prosperity to the state.
” As a kingdom, history has shown that Owo has been making sacrifices for Yoruba nation and Ondo State and Akeredolu’s tireless efforts to protect Nigeria and Yoruba nation came to us at great cost.
“Many of our people have suffered loss and hardship because of this attack. Our sacrifices must be recognized and honoured. Changing the mandate will amount to another terrorist attack on Owo.
“The issue on the ground should be approached with empathy, respect, and transparency to show that Aiyedatiwa is committed to building bridges and finding common ground with all stakeholders.”
It added that there are prominent Owo indigenes that should be considered for the Deputy Governorship slot.
They include Hon. Niran-Sule Akinsuyi who was in the trenches with Akeredolu during the 2016 elections, the leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, Mr. Zach Adetula, and Chief Jamiu Ekungba.
Ogunbadeniyi said “Picking from this list will be a fair deal for all stakeholders.
” The current situation is a joint ticket of Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa which they assiduously worked for. Picking from this list will be an honour to the late governor and a fair deal to the Owo kingdom.
“Political equations are delicate, and any perceived unfair treatment of a particular group can lead to tension and division within the state which could cause further friction and mistrust between different groups in the state.
The group said that “The Governor needs to be mindful of the potential consequences of his actions, and to take steps to address the concerns of the people.”
It is stale news that the fire-eating, yet compassionate, Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, is dead. He will no longer be referred to in the present. From the minute he passed, any reference to him changed to past tense. It is a difficult thing to adhere to, especially for his loved ones And even to his not-so-loved. So, I was not in the least surprised when his former Deputy, now Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, kept referring to him in the present this other day when he visited the Akeredolu family in Ibadan to register his condolences. Given the not-so-cordial relationship between them, I thought Aiyedatiwa would have been eager to refer to his former boss in the past.
This write-up is not about lamentations over Akeredolu passing. Those have been coming like claps of thunder from the minute he passed. But, even though I don’t believe in praising the dead for the fun of it, I will give it to the late Governor that he was fearless, and fiercely protective of the Yoruba. I will give it to him that he loved his wife without boundaries. I will give it to him that he had a lot of respect for his Emeabiam, Owerri, Imo State in-laws who, also revered and loved him in equal measure.
The late Governor was not a Saint. He was not infallible. No human being is. He had his faults. For instance, I was taken aback when, a few days after his return from his medical vacation an impeachment process kicked off against Aiyedatiwa, the man who has now been sworn-in as the substantive Governor. The idea of an impeachment was not a smart one. I felt Akeredolu was in a position to stop it. It was unnecessary. A distraction. An additional stress he hardly needed given the delicate nature of his health at the time.
What I want to do here, however, is to address his very devoted wife, Betty, the Ondo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and some ne’re-do-wells who want Betty on the cross either because she is an intelligent, sure-footed, Igbo woman or because she was very much loved by her husband.
The PDP, Ondo State had no sympathy for the late Governor when he was battling for his life. Its members were so desperate to see Akeredolu declared unfit for office that nothing was beneath them to do.
In all kinds of ways, the Ondo PDP put Akeredolu under intense pressure. Until the day he gave up, he was given no breathing space. The PDP made sure, through a number of, atimes, heartless press statements and releases, that Akeredolu had no rest. He was constantly reminded of his fragile health status. He was constantly told, as if they were his doctors, that he had become incapacitated and so, was no longer fit to govern the State. When he came back from a three-month medical vacation and stayed back at his private residence in Ibadan, the PDP deliberately refused to understand that it could have been on the instructions of his doctors. Its leadership refused to understand that he stayed back in Ibadan to avoid the numerous visitors, including Traditional Rulers, who would stream into Government House, Akure, to see him. Not attending to them would have been considered rude. So, the PDP mocked Akeredolu and his health status no end, put him under constant pressure, and not even his family was spared. But for the pressure on him, Akeredolu could have stayed back in Germany some more before coming back home. Perhaps, just Perhaps, the story could have been different today.
On Akeredolu’s passing, therefore, given their obscene pressure on him, I expected Ondo PDP members to re-enact the scene which played out on the day former Head of State, General Sani Abacha died. In Lagos, led by fiery Lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, some Lagosians trooped out to celebrate. So, I half- expected to see PDP members celebrate Akeredolu’s death. And I thought one of them could have, by now, be sitting inside Government House, Ondo, as the Governor. Whatever happened to compassion?
Then, there is a group of funny characters, cranks, crack heads, who know nothing about the strong bond between Akeredolu and his wife; who know nothing about a loving and peaceful family; who do not care about family; who are haters of a strong bond between husband and wife; who would rather put their wives under their feet and trample on them; who are so bush and uncivilised that they would keep their wives down; who hardly appreciate anything good; who knock heads together; who enjoy knocking the head of one ethnic group against the other; women haters, wife-beaters, who never support their wives to rise or progress; who have a huge complex; a phobia for sure-footed and successful women; who are intimidated by high profile women; who would rather a wife has no say in her husband’s family or her husband’s affairs. They are the ones who went to town in the months leading to Akeredolu’s passing to run his wife down. Since Akeredolu’s passing, they have upped the ante.
Suddenly, Betty who worshipped the ground her husband walked on, was no longer a caring wife. Suddenly, she abandoned her husband in his hours of need, when he was at his most vulnerable. Suddenly she was the one in charge of the Government even when her husband was as fit as a fiddle. Suddenly, she cared more for frivolous things than her husband’s health. Suddenly, she emptied Ondo State’s treasury to develop her village, and turned it to London. These are people who have never stepped into Imo State before, not to talk of Emeabiam, Betty’s village. These are people who know nothing but beer palour gossip. These are Igbo haters. These are people who fan the embers of ethnic hatred. These are charlatans. People without character. People who play to the gallery. To these people, all I can say is: may you never have a sure-footed woman in your lives- not as a wife, a daughter, a sister or a relation. May the women in your lives remain dumb, backward-thinking and with no impact on humanity or their environment.
Finally, a word for Betty. The vivacious Betty. The Betty who lives for the wellness of women. The Betty who lives and breathes girl-child education. The Betty who has produced young female scientists in Ondo State. The Betty who has equipped young girls to think positively and face the world. The Betty who has given hundreds of young girls in the State and beyond self-esteem. But the Betty who feels lost without her man in the face of callous attacks.
It is the usual to ask one not to cry/weep when one loses a loved one. One would be told why one should not cry. “Eh, don’t cry. He/she is in a better place. He/she is at rest at God’s feet. It is God’s wish. He/she will watch over you from there.” And more. But hey, I have seen high profile Clerics shed tears uncontrollably on the death of their loved ones! And my reaction was, why are they going contrary to what they preach from the pulpit?
Then, there are Bible verses which tell us that the dead shall rise again. That we shall all meet at the feet of Jesus Christ on the last day.” I have always wondered about those words of consolation. It has been difficult for me to accept, to reconcile them with the intense pain I still feel in my heart, 25 years since after I lost my younger brother. If “that place” is better, why does everybody, including the leaders of all religions, avoid going there as soon as possible? Why do they go to the best hospitals when they are ill? Why are they not anxious to die si as to be at the feet of Christ our Lord?
My opinion has always been that one should not be given any false hopes about a reunion, or about the dead being happy or being in a better place. One should be allowed to mourn when bereaved. One should be allowed to weep when one loses a loved one. One should not be bottled up. To Betty, therefore, I say weep.
Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu
There are many reasons why she should weep. She and her husband were so much into each other. They were best friends. They were soul mates. He was the man who gave her a free hand and space to fly and break the ceiling. He gave her space to blossom. Her best fan. The man who was not intimidated by her many successes. The man who flaunted his wife’s successes. She and her husband were such great partners, strong partners in the development of Ondo State. In them, Ondo people voted one (Rotimi) and got one (Betty) free.
In every way, she was a very supportive spouse, a listening and effective First Lady. She embarked on a number of programmes to keep the youths busy. She simplified and demystified cancer and made not only Ondo women, but Nigerian women to stop seeing Cancer as a death sentence. She gave them hope. And courage. And support. And created an incredible awareness. And, for the records, she had long embarked on that before she became Ondo State’s First Lady.
It is thanks to Betty that for the first time, the Media knew, and took serious note of the fact that there are other First Ladies in other States aside from that of Lagos State. Before Betty, attention was usually focused on Nigeria’s First Lady and that of Lagos State. Betty stopped all that. From Akure, “she stole the show.” She is computer-savvy, social media savvy. Deep. Brilliant. Innovative. Day after day, week after week, month after month, she had one positive programme or the other for the youths, for the girl-child, for women.
For all her activities, she became the envy of many. Jealousy and bad blood set in. Everything was said and/or done to pull her down, to discourage her. Yet, she ignored all that. And moved on.
With her husband’s passing, the blackmail and the lies have multiplied. They have grown wings. They have risen to high heavens.
But, a strong, focused woman, in the face of the attacks after her husband’s passing, Betty’s response was classic. She posted on her X page, her love life with her husband. She told the story of their first meeting. How both of them fell in love with each other at first sight – a love that endured. She chose to focus on the bright side of life. She chose to remember their times together. That is the spirit.
The appeal to those who are baying for Betty’s blood, who are fanning the embers of ethnic hatred, is to let her be. Allow her to weep and mourn her husband with, and in dignity.
The only crime she committed is that she is an Igbo girl who found love in a Yoruba boy. Both blended. Both bonded. Both produced responsible, successful children who have both Yoruba and Igbo blood in them. And both built a formidable Yoruba-Igbo family nobody can ignore. Let her mourn her husband in peace.
