Southern Governors Forum,(SGF) has congratulated Prof Charles Soludo for his successful inauguration as executive Governor of Anambra state.
This was contained in a statement by the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF) and Ondo State Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,SAN, on Saturday.
Governor Akeredolu also congratulated Ndi Anambra for the peaceful transition to another administration.
The SGF chairman charged Prof. Soludo to brace up for the herculean job ahead.
According to him, the security and economic challenges in the Southern part of the country and the nation at large require joint efforts and unalloyed commitment.
“We rejoice with our brother Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo and we welcome him to the Southern Governors’ Forum.
“We are confident of his track records and his ability to provide the right leadership for the people of Anambra State.
“We look forward to his viable and rich contributions to the development of Southern Nigeria because his vast experience, spanning the economy and human capital management is a great assset to behold.
“We have no doubt, therefore, that, he will deploy his wealth of experience for the good of our people.
“We are particularly enamoured by Governor Soludo’s palpable passion for home-grown economic growth through effective mobilisation of resources for development.
“For us in the SGF, a fresh and resourceful addition has berthed for the upholding of our ideals and common course.
“We are confident that owing to his background, Prof. Soludo will expend time and resources to justify the trust of the people of the state who freely gave him the mandate to lead them at this critical time.
“For us at the Southern Governors’ Forum, we see Prof. Soludo as a great asset that will further help drive our forum’s agenda, most especially on the economic well-being of our dear people.
“As a consummate economist, we look forward to drawing from his vast experience in finding a way out of the lingering socio-economic challenges that have pervaded the national space.”
Omo Eko Pataki, a pan-Yoruba group that are indigenous to Lagos, has lashed the State Government over their plan to reopen Lekki Tollgate, describing it as “callous, wicked, vicious and downright evil in the most darkling visage.”
The Lagos State Government succumbed to pressures from Lekki Concession Commission , and fixed April 1 for the reopening of Lekki Toll Gate, which was shut following the fallout of #EndSARS protest in October 20, 2020, after LCC claims they are reeling under N24. 52 billion.
The Government says they will begin with Ikoyi toll axis first.
The Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, during an interview on a National Television, had confirmed the Lagos State position, saying LCC is owing both local and international creditors.
But the Omo Eko Pataki, represented by the General Secretary, Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu, said in a statement: “At a time of great economic crisis when many Lagosians are crushed by various circadian burdens of survival, when many households are diminished by the harsh, bruising realities of an indifferent power, when access to the most basic illustrations of existence is increasingly hard and unreachable, when homes have become penurious hovels, when hunger parades the Lagosian landscapes like stubborn, immovable sentry- Governor Sanwo-Olu in his illogic has decided to add to the Lagosian hellish burden.
“Sanwo-Olu’s attempt to bring back the the Toll gates almost two years after innocent young men and women were mowed down by the agents of the power is callous, wicked, vicious, downright evil in the most darkling visage.
“Pray, are this people ever halted in any conscionable contemplative soberness ? Are they ever restrained by the logic of natural humaneness? Do they feel ? Do they care ? Are they ever contemplative of the finitude of power and the transient essence of the human core ?
“Lagosians are already with a thousand crucibles. The unemployment roll is swelling everyday. The pangs of hunger are visible in the ceaseless parade of the homeless, the urchins, the beggars and the thousands on the wrong side of fate.
“Every day, thousands are stranded at various locations stripped of transportation fares. They wait in the sun . They wait in the rain. They trek endlessly to the roads that lead no where in search of refuge as transporters and food sellers equally triple their costs.
“And yet , with all these challenges, with all these swamping miseries, with the bodies of the young protesters of the Endsars still crying for justice, Sanwo-Olu still wants to reintroduce the very combustible material that almost brought Lagos to its ruins ? I ask, is this man governing at all or being led to an irredeemable bouleversement?”
Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, has explained that the State has the highest figures of lassa fever victims in the country because it was doing more testing than other States.
The Commissioner, while reacting to the figure from Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control (NSCDC), pointed out that “If you follow it now, you will see that this epic week that we are now, the whole thing has started going down.
“Ondo State was leading the chat because we were testing and we had capacity to test, unlike other states.
“If you don’t test, there is no other way you will know. For example if there are states that are not testing now, and even if they have Lassa fever all over the place, there is no way they will know that somebody has it or died of Lassa fever.”
Dr Ajaka said the figures peaked in February, but had been a decline since the beginning of March, 2022.
He added that efforts had been heightened with regards to campaigns in order to get people adopt the highest levels of hygiene.
He also said that two centres were now available for the handling of Lassa fever cases in the state.
According to NCDC, no fewer than 34 persons have died as a result of Lassa Fever in Ondo State since January 2022.
The situation is the same in Edo State where about 20 persons have so far lost their lives within the period.
Despite recording 34 deaths in the last 10 weeks as a result of Lassa fever, the Ondo State Government said the rate of infection and fatalities have started tumbling.
Ondo State has the highest number of cases in the country ahead of Edo State.
NCDC situation report for week eight (February 21-27) showed that of the 90 confirmed cases nationwide, Ondo had a total of 26, and recording three deaths. followed by Edo with 24 cases confirmed with three deaths as well.
According to NCDC, the number of new confirmed cases decreased from 91 in week seven, 2022 to 90cases.
These were reported from Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Gombe, Kogi, Ebonyi, Taraba, Enugu, Oyo, Benue, Plateau States and the FCT.
NCDC also puts the cumulative figures as of week one to week eight, 2022, at 98 deaths with a case fatality rate(CFR) of 18.1% which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2021(22.8%).
Despite the lower case fatality rate this year, the actual figure for fatalities is higher than that of last year. While 31 persons died as of week eight last year, 98 deaths were recorded this year.
Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has congratulated the new Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo on his successful swearing-in ceremony, urging his administration “to focus on delivering good governance to the people of the state.”
In a statement signed by it Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, the CNPP noted that “the mandate given to the governor by Anambra State residents should be seen as a call to duty”, advising Governor Soludo “to kill sycophancy to be able to deliver on your campaign promises.”
“It’s gladdening to see the administration hit the ground from the first day in office. If sustained, this is the only way to ensure that the new administration outperforms the previous administrations in the state.
“The CNPP urges the Governor Soludo administration to focus on its Anambra State transformation agenda and remain in touch with ordinary citizens to continually get the true rating of the government from the masses, not through sycophants.
“While we congratulate the new governor of Anambra State, we urge Governor Soludo to give good governance a new definition”, the CNPP stated.
Former governor of Anambra State Willy Obiano is likely to remain the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC as crack operatives in the agency are now quizzing him on how he spent the N42 billion that acrued to his state while he was governor.
The former governor the magazine recalled was arrested by EFCC officials on his way to the United States on Thursday after personally witnessing his successor, Professor Charles Soludo took over the reigns of government.
Some of his supporters had chided him for not travelling out of the country before his immunity as governor expired, which would have prevented his arrest by EFCC, but others insist that what gave the ex-govenor confidence what a suit he instituted at a high court to stop the commission from arresting him.
“He must have been surprised that he was arrested by the EFCC when he should have jetted out of the country 48 hours before his tenure expired. He was specifically warned not to wait for his immunity to lapse but he didn’t listen. He is now facing the music,” a former aide told the source on Friday, even as his wife, Ebelechukwu has continued to receive knocks for assaulting Bianca Ojukwu, wife of demised Biafran strongman, Odumegwu Ojukwu on Thursday at the inauguration of Prof. Soludo.
Prominent leaders from the South east including Senator Stella Oduah have condemned the former first lady’s describing her action as a disgrace to Igbo and disrespect to the Igbo leader.
The Obiano family as further put on the spot on Friday when Bianca accused Ebelechukwu of being drunk with whisky when she came attacking her.
But the problem seems to have gotten worse for the former governor as feelers indicate that he’s not likely to be off the hook of EFCC anytime soon, as the commission has started interrogating him on what he did with the security vote.
“The former governor has already made useful information to EFCC since he was taken into custody on Thursday but he’s still consulting with his lawyers on what to do next. We will ensue that his fundamental human rights are not abused while he’s with us,” a source in the agency said on Saturday.
Obiano was arrested by EFCC on Thursday night, hours after handing over to the new Anambra Governor, Prof. Soludo.
Barring any last minute change of plans, former Vice President of Nigeria and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in 2019 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, will on Wednesday, March 23, officially declare his intention to contest the 2023 presidential election.
Although the former Vice President and some of his key support groups have been criss-crossing the nation in a bid to consult critical interests, socio-political blocks, opinion leaders and influencers within and outside the PDP, he is yet to make his 2023 ambition public officially.
Indications are that Atiku remains a formidable consensus choice of an overwhelming number of party faithful across board, especially from the South, irrespective of a pocket of opposition to his possible candidacy, within the party.
This critical support base insists that the former Vice President possesses the attributes of a unifier. They also said he is a remarkable wealth creator and broad-minded leader that is at home with the ever changing socio-economic dynamics, which they reasoned, would be an asset, should he become a president.
It is either a coincidence or strategic that the coming declaration coincides with the timeline set by the PDP for the commencement of sales of 2023 elections nomination and expression of interest forms.
While not many would be surprised by Atiku’s decision to join the 2023 political fray, his declaration elicit a lot of interest and conversations around zoning and the delicate South/North political dichotomy ahead of the general election.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), had earlier zoned its presidential position to the South and chairmanship of the party to the North.
The opposition PDP has remained seemingly in a dilemma as regards zoning. Some of its faithful from the northern part of the country, in demanding that the North produces the next president argued that, “it’s a fact that the Southern part of the nation had held sway for over 14 of the 16 years that the PDP had been in office since 1999, through former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo 8 years (1999-2007) and Goodluck Jonathan, 6 years (2010-2015), while the North had only ruled for a little over two years under the late former President Umaru Yar’Adua,” who unfortunately died in office.
Also in recent months, there have been impassioned agitations within the PDP, in the South for the party to decisively zone the position of the president to the South, essentially the South East, as PDP had already produced a national chairman from the North Central.
But from all indications, the party appears to favour leaving the position open to all PDP members irrespective of geopolitical zones.
This approach, according to those in the know in the PDP leadership, is not only expedient, giving the current political dynamics of challenging a ruling party in an election taunted to be very consequential, but will also provide a level playing ground for all PDP faithful, which the sources said is hinged on true principles of democracy.
For Atiku, there have also been noticeable sentiments against his presidential ambition, by mostly from opposition within PDP from both southern and northern interests, in the past months, on account of his age and the fact that he had represented the party in the past without success.
The argument of these set of people is that he should give chance to others in the party to also take a shot at the top job.
But Atiku’s camp has always posited that none of his critics had curiously ever questioned his capacity to lead a 21st century Nigeria out of its current multi-faceted challenges, neither have they doubted his reach, human/material resource management skills, nor his ability to unify the nation.
Atiku’s main interest in the 2023 presidential race, according to a Senator from the South, who is an insider in his camp, “Is to join hands with other well-meaning Nigerians, who have watched in bewilderment, how the current government have turned the nation into a gravely disunited and horribly unsafe entity, which is a negation of our dream nation of a happy, united and prosperous people.”
His message, as he goes about his consultation, according to the source, is simple: According to him, “It is disheartening for me to see the horrendous depth of disunity and mutual distrust, along ethnic and religious lines, our nation has been sadly thrown into, through insensitive leadership of the past seven years of Buhari administration. Under its watch, the current insecurity in the North has degenerated into a disturbing monster that is dangerously intertwined with religion, which makes it increasingly more complicated. If I may be honest with you, leaving such complex security challenges in the hands of any of my brothers from the South to solve, would amount to inviting such a person into a field littered with landmines, on account of the delicate, complex religion intersection, I referenced earlier.”
Restructuring of the country, which would be one of the focal points of an Atiku presidency, according to the ranking lawmaker, would most likely witness similar ethnic/religious misgivings, should a southerner tries to carry out such an agenda at this point of time that the nation is so polarized. So, what Atiku is asking for, in earnest, the source continued, is “not to wilfully take the turn of any of his brothers, among the PDP faithful from the South or North, but for an opportunity to take on those challenges headlong, on behalf of the good people of Nigeria; and save the nation from further descent into the abyss of disunity, economic collapse and insecurity.”
Meanwhile, expectations are high, as Atiku is set to go on the march again.
• Dr Onyekachi Eke, is a financial consultant and writes from Enugu
Have you ever met a religious bigot before? Pray that you don’t. It’s not an interesting experience, irrespective of the faith the bigot professes.
A bigot is obstinately or unreasonably attached to a belief, opinion, and is prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people who don’t share what he believes.
I ask again: have you met a religious bigot before? Pray that you don’t. And if you unfortunately do, don’t argue, don’t remonstrate with such person. Just show a clean pair of heels.
President Muhammadu Buhari is a man that had been serially de-marketed, flagellated and excoriated as a religious bigot. It was a narrative deliberately concocted and conjured by those who were afraid of the probity and integrity he could bring into public office. They tarred him with the brush of bigotry, which hindered the man from attaining the presidency for a long while.
But every lie has an expiry date. A time came when the public no longer bought the jejune argument. Pro-Buhari forces fought back vigorously. One of them was eminent virologist, Prof Tam David-West (God rest his soul). He wrote a book with the title ‘16 Sins of Muhammadu Buhari,’ in which he debunked the lies being told against the former military head of state. One of them was the allegation of being a religious bigot.
A larger number of Nigerians got to understand that the bigotry tag was fake, false, an attempt to give the dog a bad name, in order to hang it. Muhammadu Buhari coasted to office as President in 2015, after three earlier trials.
But there is still a remnant that maintains its entrenched position. And they are the ones who look down on us Christians, for going to “work with a Fulani Muslim, a jihadist who does not want to see Christians at all.” True? False.
Who else can you trust more than the man (or woman) that cooks or serves your meal? Possibly nobody. Buhari has Christian cooks, male and female.
And who can you also trust more than the man that drives you? He can decide to do bad, bad things to you. Buhari has Christian drivers.
I was glad to hear Vice President ‘Yemi Osinbajo touch on the matter early this week. While receiving Senegal-based Grand Khalifa of Tijaniya Movement Worldwide, Sheikh Muhammadu Mahi Ibrahim Niass, he said in seven years of working with President Buhari, he has not had any issues with him, particularly in the area of religion.
Said the Vice President: “President Buhari is a serious Muslim, and I am a pastor. Both of us have worked together for about 7 years, we have not had any issues. The President has shown great leadership, he has shown that he wants a country where people of different faiths live in harmony and with love for one another.”
Well spoken, well proven. And I have stories to tell to buttress what VP Osinbajo has said.
Just two weeks ago, someone who was in the inner caucus when President Buhari was putting together his team in 2015, told me a story. It went this way:
“When the President likes you, he just likes you. I remember in 2015, when they brought three names to him as possible media advisers. They were made of Christians and Muslims. He just brought out his pen, and marked your name. That was all.”
A media adviser is in the inner caucus. You can see your boss whenever you want to, and that was what the President told me the very day I resumed: “Adesina, ensure that nobody keeps you away from me. Whenever you want to see me, just come.”
Bigot? He won’t give such position or latitude to a person of different faith.
Early in the first term, one of my spiritual fathers passed on. Rev Cornelius Obasi had taken keen interest in me as a young man growing up in the Foursquare Gospel Church in Lagos. That was in the 1980s.
He was the Assistant Pastor of the branch I attended in Omole area. The main pastor was Rev Felix Meduoye, who later went on to become General Overseer of the Church for many years.
I had completed National Service, was working as a Current Affairs Officer in Radio Lagos. But I never joked with church services, and soon became a teacher in the Sunday School.
One day, after service, Rev Obasi called me. “Brother Femi, you speak good English. Who are you really?” I told him about myself, and thus began a lifelong friendship.
When he passed on (was it late 2015 or 2016?), a two days funeral was being organized. And I wanted to attend, to pay my last respects. So I went to meet the President.
I asked him for two days off, and told him why I needed it. A religious bigot would never hear of such. But not President Buhari. He told me: “I am happy that you’ve decided to go and give last honors to such a man. Please go. We will be here till you return.” And that winsome smile.
When I returned to Abuja, I went to see him again, to say I was back. He welcomed me, and said something I’ll never forget.
“Adesina (he prefers to call me by my surname), I want to thank you for going to honour a man who contributed to bringing you up spiritually. God will give you lada for it.”
I thanked him and left. But lada, what does it mean?
I sought out my friend, Garba Deen Mohammed, now NNPC spokesman. What does lada mean? I told him the story. He laughed, and explained that lada means reward, or wages. He said the President was praying that God will reward me for attending the burial of Rev Cornelius Obasi.
A bigot? I hear.
Our first Christmas in government. December 2015. I wanted to spend the season in Lagos. And I asked him for permission. By all means, he answered. “I know the Vice President, yourself, and some others are church people. Please go. Spend Christmas and New Year with your families. When you now come back, me too I’ll go for a few days.” And he laughed. Bigot? They never want to hear of Christmas. Since 2015, he would give all Christians working with him time off every Easter and Christmas. I like that kind of ‘bigotry.’
When the Foursquare Gospel Church turned 60 years in Nigeria. I told the President, and he gladly agreed to meet with the leadership. He did. Bigot? Please tell me another story.
The Vice President survived an helicopter crash in 2019. The President publicly rejoiced with him, and then at the next Federal Executive Council meeting, he congratulated the VP again. Jocularly, he said: “I can imagine that when the chopper crashed with a bang, VP as a pastor must have shouted, Jesus!Jesus! Jesus! And fortunately, Jesus was not far away, so He saved him.”
We all laughed. But one instructive lesson. Bigots don’t like Jesus. They never want to hear His name, or attribute anything miraculous to Him. Buhari, a bigot? I beg, comot for road, make I pass.
It is said that as a military commander, he gave opportunity for Muslim soldiers to observe the jumat on Fridays, and Christian soldiers were allowed to go to church on Sundays. A bigot would allow Muslims, and pretend that Christians didn’t exist.
As the administration winds down (in 14 months) I pray for grace to be able to document my experiences with this President. People would then realize how unfair they’ve been to him. A man more sinned against, rather than sinning.
*Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity
“It should be noted that Mrs Obiano and the husband who used the name and pictures of Ojukwu in their Campaign T-shirt to win election via endorsement of his wife, Bianca, never met Ojukwu or discussed with him while he was alive.
“The same ungrateful attitude was what Obiano and Ebere netted out to Prince Arthur Eze who financed the registration and establishment of APGA as a political party”
The Traditional Ruler of Awka Ancient Kingdom, His Imperial Majesty, Eze Uzu 111 of Awka, Obi Dr. Austin Ndigwe, MON, has descended heavily on the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, and his wife, Ebelechukwu.
The Traditional Ruler was reacting to an embarrassing incident which happened in Awka on Thursday, March 17, 2022, during the swearing-in ceremony of Professor Charles Soludo as the Governor of Anambra State.
Mrs Obiano had verbally abused Iyom Bianca Ojukwu, wife of the late Igbo Leader, Dim Emeka Odumegwu- Ojukwu. She, also, tapped her shoulders three times, and attempted to remove Bianca’s headtie.
An embarrassed Bianca had responded by slapping Mrs Obiano. Bianca revealed that Mrs Obiano was drunk at the time, and stank of whisky.
However, most Anambra people and the Igbo in general, have risen up in anger in condemnation of Mrs Obiano for her unbecoming conduct which resulted in the incident which, almost, marred the swearing-in ceremony.
The Obi of Awka, in whose domain the incident took place has called it a sacrilege. He said that verbally abusing Mrs Ojukwu, and calling her cheap, amounted to insulting Ojukwu and the Igbo.
Dismissing Mrs Obiano and her husband as an couple ungrateful, he gave instances of such ungratefulness and said that in the instant case, they went too far. He warned of the consequences of a repetition.
Willie Obiano
“This time, they have gone too far. Igbos are angry. Enough is enough. This is the last time that this kind of disgraceful and shameful act against Bianca Ojukwu would even be imagined or tolerated from anybody, no matter how highly placed”, the Obi said.
He said he would need to perform a sacrifice to appease the land over Mrs Obiano’s conduct, and gave her seven days to apologise to Bianca, Governor and Mrs Soludo, Anambra people and the Igbo.
Following is the full text of the Press Statement which the Eze personally signed.
PRESS STATEMENT BY THE OBI OF AWKA ANCIENT KINGDOM ON THE SHAMEFUL CONDUCT OF MRS EBERECHUKWU OBIANO
“The Obi of Awka Ancient Kingdom, Awka Capital Territory, His Imperial Majesty, the Eze Uzu 111 of Awka , Obi Dr Austin Ndigwe (JP) MON, has given the wife of the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Mrs .Eberechukwu Obiano seven days to publicly apologise to the entire Igbo people or face serious consequences , over her sacriligious action against the symbol of Igbo unity, Bianca Odumegwu- Ojukwu.
“She should also tender an unreserved apology to the new Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo for her disgraceful conduct during his inauguration. The same should go for the Chief Judge of the State who was conducting the swearing in when she descended so low like a mad dog.
“Bianca told me after the incident that what angered her was that Ebere called her unprintable names including prostitute and queried her presence at the swearing in ceremony.
“Unfortunately, This grave sin was commited in the land of Awka which is known for peace and unity.
“Therefore, as the Traditional Ruler of the people and Chief Custodian of our culture, I am under obligation to perform some sacrifices to cleanse our land of this filth and pollution, and to appease the gods.
“A study of the scenario as the incident occured showed that her action was deliberate because as it were she came very much prepared to disrupt the swearing in ceremony . And it is troubling that she began her ignoble actions when the Chief Judge stood up to swear-in the new Governor as she came and sat on his seat, a clear show of shame and lack of respect .
“Even when she was informed that the seat was for the Chief Judge , she refused to vacate the seat, only for her to stand up and move towards the direction of Bianca Ojukwu to start pouring venom on her.
“It must be pointed out that Bianca was not at that ceremony as Bianca, but there as a direct representative of our late father and leader , Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, her late husband who pioneered the All progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and the shining symbol of igbo unity and solidarity. Ojukwu sacrificed all he had for the Igbos to survive, so wherever Bianca goes, she represents and carries the aspirations and personage of the entire Igbo race.
“Therefore, Ebere’s action of casting aspersion on her is an affront on the entire Igbo people. It was indeed on Odumegwu Ojukwu and not on Bianca as a person. This is an insult on Igbo and it must not go unpunished.
“Ebere should realize that this same APGA on whose platform she and her husband have benefitted immensely throughout these eight years was floated when they were not even in the country and they never contributed to its formation.
“It is on record that I took Obiano and this his wife, Ebere to Bianca Ojukwu where they knelt down while seeking the party’s governorship ticket. Bianca endorsed Obiano and called on all APGA members including then Governor Peter Obi to support him.
“It is the same Bianca that Ebere has now publicly insulted. This is a taboo against the tradition of the Awka people and the entire Igbo race who are known for respect and peaceful coexistence.
“It should be noted that Mrs Obiano and the husband Willie Obiano who used the name and pictures of Ojukwu in their campaign T shirts to win election via the endorsement of his wife Bianca never met Ojukwu or discussed with him while he was alive.
“The same ungrateful attitude was what Obiano and Ebere metted out to Prince Arthur Eze who financed the registeration and establishment of APGA as a political party.
“Throughout their eight year tenure, Obiano never showed respect to Prince Eze. This is an indication that Obiano and his wife are pathological ingrates.
“This time, they have gone too far. Igbos are angry. Enough Is enough, this is the last time that this kind of disgraceful and shameful act against Binaca Ojukwu would even be imagined or tolerated from anybody, no matter how highly placed.
“Igbos and non-Igbos from various parts of the country and beyond have been calling to express their shock and anger over the incident and as the custodian of our people’s tradition it is incumbent on me to uphold the customs of our land. Ojukwu’s personage as represented by Bianca can never be denigrated!
“It is shameful that someone who has been First Lady of a State can descend so low. Her conduct shows that she lacks proper training and it shows that she has no respect for constituted authority and even her husband, former Governor Obiano.
“Mrs Ebere Obiano has only 7 days to appologise as demanded and directed or face serious consequences.
“His Imperial Majesty
Chief (Dr) Austin Ndigwe
Eze Uzu of Awka Capital Territory
For and on behalf of the entire people of Awka ancient Kingdom.”
Reprieve has come for political appointees seeking to contest election in 2023 as the Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia has today struck down Section 84(12) of the newly amended Electoral Act.
While signing the newly amended electoral act 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari had written to the National Assembly to delete the section.
Only yesterday, the Attorney General of the federation, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and other political appointees in President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration have approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to file a suit challenging the section of the new Electoral Law.
The offensive section stops appointees from being delegates to parties’ convention unless they resign their appointments.
The move by the appointees followed the refusal of the National Assembly and the Senate in particular to abide by the gentleman agreement with President Mohamadu Buhari to amend the clause considered as being against the provision of the constitution.
It was a total victory for President Buhari and appointees at all levels of government as the court in a judgment delivered by Justice Evelyn Anyadike held that the section was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.
According to the Judge, the section ought to have been struck down as it cannot stand when it is in violation of the clear provisions of the Constitution.
President Buhari, had while signing the amended Electoral Act, urged the National Assembly to delete the provision as it violated Constitution and breached the rights of government appointees.
The President further wrote a letter to both Chambers of the National Assembly seeking amendment by way of deleting the provision and was rejected by the Senate during plenary.
Justice Anyadike in the Suit marked FHC/UM/CS/26/2022 held that Sections 66(1)(f), 107(1)(f), 137(1)(f) and 182(1)(f) of the 1999 Constitution already stipulated that appointees of government seeking to contest elections were only to resign at least 30 days to the date of the election.
The Judge maintained that any other law that mandated such appointees to resign or leave office at any time before that was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal null and void to the extent of its inconsistency to the clear provisions of the Constitution.
Counsel to the Plaintiff Emeka Ozoani, SAN while addressing newsmen stated that by this judgment, the National Assembly is not required to further make any amendments to the section.
The Senior lawyer pointed out that the import of this judgment is that Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act is no longer in existence or part of the Electoral Act.
The Judge thereafter ordered the Attorney General of the Federation to forthwith delete the said Subsection 12 of Section 84 from the body of the Electoral Act, 2022.
Iyom Bianca Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu has made a startling revelation on the state of Ebelechukwu Obiano, wife of the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, when she publicly confronted and attacked her( Bianca).
Iyom Ojukwu, wife of the late revered Igbo leader, Dim Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said that Mrs Obiano was drunk, and stank of alcohol – whisky – that early in the morning. Bianca said she was stunned that Mrs Obiano was so hopelessly drunk so early in the morning.
The two women were involved in an embarrassing physical confrontation during the swearing-in ceremony of Professor Charles Soludo as the Anambra State Governor in Awka on Thursday, March 17, 2022, in the full glare of a shocked audience.
Bianca Ojukwu had responded to Mrs Obiano’s unprovoked verbal and physical attack with a slap. The video of the incident had, since, gone viral, provoking condemnation of Mrs Obiano, and an embarrassment that such an incident occurred.
But explaining what actually transpired, Mrs Ojukwu, in an interview with Arise Television on Friday, March 18, said that Mrs Obiano not only walked up to her and verbally abused her, but proceeded to touch her three times on her shoulder even when she warned Mrs Obiano not to touch her again. She had witnesses.
She said that when Mrs Obiano, who was an hour late to the program approached her, she thought it was for them to exchange greetings. But she was wrong, she said, as Mrs Obiano proceeded to not only taunt and rain insults her, but kept tapping her on her (Bianca’s) shoulder.
Bianca:
“What struck me through the whole episode was the fact that she was clearly intoxicated. I was stunned by the stench of whisky in her breath at such an early hour of the day,” Bianca said:
“As the inaugural ceremonies for Prof Charles Soludo and his deputy began and all guests were seated, the former First Lady of Anambra State, Mrs Ebele Obiano, was noticeably absent.
” She then arrived some one-and-a-half hours later while the ceremony was on. I didn’t pay any particular attention to her arrival.
” Surprisingly, she then walked towards me and I thought she was coming to greet me. Instead, when she got to where I was seated, she verbally attacked me with her voice raised, taunting me and asking me what I was there to do and using unprintable vile language.
Ebelechukwu Obiano
“She asked if I had come to celebrate their last day in office. But I ignored her completely.
” Then, she kept aggressively putting her hands on my shoulders and shouting. While I ignored her verbal onslaught, as advised by those sitting around me, I requested twice that she refrain from touching me with her hands.
“She proceeded to do so yet again and went further to grab at my headtie, which she attempted unsuccessfully to remove.
” This very act is considered a sacrilege to a titled matriarch such as myself in Igbo culture. It was at this point that I stood up to defend myself and gave her a dirty slap to stop her from attacking me.
” As she made towards me, I then pulled away her wig. She held on to her wig with her two hands and tried to take the wig away from me.
” The former APGA chairman, Umeh, told her to leave me and told engaged APGA members that had gathered at the spot to lead her away, which they did and took her to the seat next to her husband Chief Willie Obiano who sat through the entire episode completely speechless.
“What struck me through the whole episode was the fact that she was clearly intoxicated. I was stunned by the stench of whisky in her breath at such an early hour of the day.
” How could a first lady be so drunk and proceeded to turn up in that state at an Inauguration ceremony that began at 9am?
” It is unfortunate that she threw all caution to the wind and imported this kind of melodrama to a state ceremony.
This was highly embarrassing to the Governor who left the venue almost immediately, taking her along with him.
” Luckily, this did not disrupt the proceedings and I stayed back to witness the ceremony to the end after which we were treated to a sumptuous reception at the Government House.”
Bianca is an APGA BOT member.
Meanwhile, the Traditional Ruler of Awka Ancient Kingdom, His Imperial Majesty, the Eze Uzu 111 of Awka, Obi Austin Ndigwe, has given Mrs Obiano a seven day ultimatum to apologize to Mrs Ojukwu, Governor Soludo, and the people of Anambra, for deliberately desecrating the land, and disrupting Soludo’s swearing-in ceremony.
He said that attacking Bianca, Dim Ojukwu’s wife, was a sacrilege, and amounted to attacking all Anambra people and the Igbo. The Eze said he would offer sacrifices to appease the land, and warned Mrs Obiano of the consequences of not apologizing for her unbecoming conduct.
