Disabled Biafran Veterans Cry Out For Help

Disabled Biafran soldiers who have been surviving on alms and donations by public spirited individuals have called on the governors of the seven Igbo-speaking states to urgently come to their aid.

The wounded soldiers were relocated from the dilapidated rehabilitation centre at  Oji River, Enugu State to the new centre built for them by the leader of the Movement for the Actuallisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike at Umunamu-Okwe in Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo State recently.

In spite of their relocation to the new center where some decent houses were erected and some stipends paid monthly for their upkeep, the ex-Biafran soldiers lamented that the inmates and members of their families had been living under a very difficult situation.

In a statement signed by Comrades Law Akpu and Festus Mba Onu, President and Secretary General respectively, the wounded Biafran soldiers said: “They took us from Oji  River, Enugu State where we were begging for alms at the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway to Umunam-Okigwe where we are today. To God be the Glory.

“Many of us died at the expressway where we had motor accidents on daily basis.  We are therefore a bit now secured accident wise.”

I’m Still IMSU VC —Awuzie

The sacked Vice Chancellor of the Imo State University, Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie, has said he still remained the helmsman of the university, according to a report by The Union Newspaper.

Awuzie was unceremoniously relieved of his duty early this month by Governor Rochas Okorocha who immediately replaced him with the former commissioner for education in the state, Prof. Adaobi Obasi, who is on acting capacity.

But, speaking with journalists yesterday at the Imo State House of Assembly, Owerri, Awuzie insisted that he still remained the IMSU VC because was not sacked.

According to him, “The letter I have says suspension. So I am happy because am still the Vice Chancellor of the Imo State University. Adobi Obasi is on acting capacity and very soon she will leave”. Asked how he was happy with the way he was suspended without recourse to the university’s senate, Awuzie, who is a former national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, refused to take further questions.

It was learnt that the former VC’s sack might not be unconnected to his open support for former Abia state governor, Ogbonaya Onu’s clamour to be the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. (SGF), ahead of the governor’s main candidate and inlaw, Prof. Anthony Anwuka.

Leave Me Out of NASS Crisis, Ekweremadu Pleads

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu has denied reports making the rounds in the social media and online newspapers in which he was quoted to have tried to explain away the brawls at the National Assembly, according to Thisday Newspaper report.

This is as his kinsmen on Friday dismissed calls for the lawmaker's resignation as a principal officer of the Senate as not only laughable but anti-democratic.
The said report read in part: “Dear Nigerians, please be rest assured that we are all fighting for your interest. We need your prayer and support for a better Nigeria”.

A statement yesterday by Ekweremadu’s Media Adviser, Uche Anichukwu said the report supposedly written from Ekweremadu’s purported Twitter handle was fraudulent and mischievous.
Anichukwu stated: “It would be recalled that this office had cause to issue a statement about a year ago (specifically on June 29, 2014) to the effect that the Senator had since shut down his social media platforms and warned members of the public to disregard any message put out on these platforms supposedly by him. That decision was necessitated by fraudulent and mischievous activities

40 Monarchs Sue Okorocha

….Attorney-General, others too for intimidation

The face-off between Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, and traditional rulers in the state over their alleged support for former President Goodluck Jonathan in the last presidential election has shifted to the court.

New Telegraph Newspaper is reporting that forty of the traditional rulers have filed a suit at the Imo State High Court asking it to declare as illegal, the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, headed by Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri. Among the plaintiffs are Eze Emmanuel Njemanze, Eze Desmond Ogugua, Eze Edmund Njoku and Eze Sunday Okoro who were purportedly suspended by the Council of Traditional Rulers.

They are challenging their purported suspension and the invitation of over 60 other monarchs to face a disciplinary panel, which they perceived as ‘intimidation’ and ‘harassment.’ According to the plaintiffs, Ohiri’s appointment by Okorocha contravenes Section 2, Law No.6 of 2006 (Imo State of Nigeria Traditional Rulers, Autonomous Communities and Allied Matters Law). Besides Okorocha, who is the first respondent, other defendants in the suit are the Attorney General of the state

Otti Laments Campaigns Against His Origin

The  governorship candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the last elections in Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has decried the campaign of calumny against him over his Aro descent, describing it as primordial and laughable, according to Vanguard newspaper reports.

Otti said the campaign being run against him by his political opponents was lame and would only be acceptable to the gullible.

According to him, Ngwa ethnic nationality in Abia is a conglomeration of migrants, essentially from Aro, Akwa Ibom and Mbaise in Imo State.

Otti spoke while receiving scores of lawyers of Ngwa origin who paid him a solidarity visit in his Umuru-Nvosi country home in Isialangwa South Local Government Area of the state.

Otti, in a statement by his campaign organisation, insisted that he was a full blooded Ngwa man and wondered why people left issues of how to develop Abia to focus on primordial issues.

He said his great-grand father originally settled at Umuru-Nvosi, having migrated from Aro,

Otti Charges Abia Lawmakers on Quality Representation

The governorship candi­date of the All Progres­sives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia state, in the just concluded elections, Dr. Alex Otti, has charged members-elect of the state House of Assembly on the platform of the party to make a difference in the House through effective represen­tation of their respective constituencies.

Otti gave the charge in his speech at a two-day retreat organised by the party for the legislators-elect on the theme, “Socio-Economic Regenera­tion of Abia State through Ef­fective Legislation’’.

He urged them to focus on “legislation that will enhance the quality of lives of the peo­ple and overall development of the state.’’

He said that the retreat, which took place between May 25 and 26, was designed to expose the legislators-elect to global best practices in the conduct of the business of leg­islation.

Otti said, “The two-day re­treat is part of efforts being undertaken by the party to en­sure that the legislators hit the ground running for the benefit of Abians.”

He said that the knowledge acquired at the retreat would equip them for the challenges ahead and also enable them to make greater impact in the lives of the people and the state during their tenure.

He assured them that the party would continue to or­ganise similar programmes as part of the deliberate efforts aimed at helping them to up­grade their skills and capacity for legislative functions.

SGF: APC Leaders Root for Onu

Top leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are reportedly appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint the first elected governor of Abia State, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu as Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF).

THISDAY gathered that the clamour for Onu’s appointment began after the presidential and National Assembly elections when the South-east failed to produce any senator on the APC platform for possible election as the Senate President.

It has also emerged that Buhari may appoint a former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige as Minister of Health.

Onu, who was one of the few Nigerians to bag a doctorate degree in chemical engineering

Nine Pregnant Girls Rescued From ‘Baby Factory’ in Enugu

The Enugu state Police Command on Saturday said it has busted a baby factory located within Etiti Amankwo Ngwo of 9th mile axis of Udi local government, where nine pregnant ladies were rescued, according to Thisday newspaper.

The command in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, DSP Ebere Amaraizu said its operatives at 9th Mile Division achieved the feat through their robust intelligence network. The factory is said to be allegedly owned and operated by one Ikechukwu Onoh of Etiti Amakwo Ngwo.

According to the statement, the said baby factory being operated in the private house of the suspect was raided yesterday by the operatives who acted on the strength of intelligence gathered about the baby factory where nine pregnant girls and women with various degrees of pregnancy were seen.

“The pregnant women and girls later gave their names as Stella James 19 years of Ohaozara

My re-election gave S/East sense of belonging— Ike Ekweremadu

Re-elected Deputy Senate President (DSP), Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday, stated that the decision of majority of the people of South-East to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was a  decision they are proud of, according to a report by Vanguard.

He said that given another opportunity, the people will vote in the same manner.

Speaking on arrival at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, where a mammoth crowd of supporters and political allies gathered to receive him, Ekweremadu stated that he decided to take another shot at the position of Deputy Senate President when it appeared the people of the South-East were about to be sidelined in the new dispensation.

The Deputy Senate President, urged fellow senators and indeed all political office holders to settle down for business to deliver dividends of democracy to Nigerians as days of politics were over.

He advised the APC administration of President Muhamadu Buhari  to accommodate all

Obiano Commissions First Ever Functional Borehole in Nanka

*Chief Willie Obiano opens the ta By Rommy Igboanugo-Imah

*Chief Obiano takes a sip of water from the borehole

For the people of Nanka, the years of anguish occasioned by the search for portable water may have come to a happy end with the commissioning of the first ever functional borehole project executed by the government of Anambra State in conjunction with the community at Agbiligba Nanka in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Speaking at the event, Governor Willy Obiano expressed happiness that clean portable water was eventually struck at a depth of 2000 Feet, and described the‎ borehole as an important project carried out to assuage the thirst for clean portable water in the community after several trials thus making it the first functional borehole in the area.

The governor stated that the project which cost N20million is in line with the overall policy of making water available across the state, and noted that not long ago, the greater Onitsha

Foreign Group Donates 30 Wheel Chairs to Mrs. Obiano's NGO

(L-R): Chief (Mrs.) Obiano, in a handshake with the facilitator of the donation, Mrs. Nneka Onwudiwe (in red), Hon Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Victoria Chikwelu(Extreme right) and SSA Donor Agencies, Mr. Ernest Adinweruka at the presentation….

Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ), a pet project of the first lady of Anambra State, Chief (Mrs) Ebelechukwu Obiano has received international recognition and support following the donation on Thursday of 30 brand new Wheel Chairs ‎ by a United States of America-based group, Grace Project International to CAFE at the Governor's Lodge Amawbia, Awka. 

While receiving the mobility aides, Mrs. Obiano expressed profound appreciation on behalf of CAFE for the recognition and support saying, "I am overwhelmed with joy because I wasn't expecting it. I always thought I am alone in my effort but your wonderful gesture ‎has shown that Ndi Anambra and indeed people around the world are appreciative of what we are doing in CAFE. These Wheel chairs are coming at the right time when we are setting up the Old People’s Home in the