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South-East Governors Forum, Ohanaeze Condemn IPOB’s Attack on Ekweremadu

Published

5 years ago

August 18, 2019

Eric

In separate reactions on Sunday, the South-East Governors Forum, the Ohaneze Ndigbo and the Southeast zone of the main opposition party, PDP, have all condemned the attack on former Deputy President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

They noted that Mr Ekweremadu has been at the forefront of championing the Igbo cause for emancipation.

The South-East Governors Forum said the IPOB order to attack the governors was an empty threat.

It also argued that attacking the governors would not solve the problem of their agitation for Biafra.

The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, stated this in a reaction through his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzo.

“They have no such spread and powers to track down South-East governors for attack anywhere in the world. They are too small. I don’t want to say they sound so cowardly, but they can’t see the governors to attack,” he said.

Mr Umahi said that the governors had no problem with the members of the outlawed group to warrant such an order.

According to him, the insecurity in the South-east was a nationwide challenge which could only be tackled by the federal government.

“If there is any issue IPOB holds against the governors, they should come home to settle it in Igboland instead of a foreign land.

“What happened was a security issue which was within the purview of the federal government. Attacking governors in a foreign land is a wild goose chase. We love them because they are our children.

“IPOB cannot achieve Biafra alone, except with the collaboration of all stakeholders including the governors. They don’t need to attack the governors to achieve Biafra.”

The governors warned the members of the proscribed body not to allow political opportunists to use them to destroy the South-east.

“They should come together and work with the governors and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo to achieve the Igbo Presidency come 2023 instead of fighting the governors. We want them to be close to us instead of taking the struggle to the international arena.”

‘Attack dangerous for Igbo solidarity’-Ohaneze

In its reaction, the Igbo sociocultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, condemned the attack on the former deputy senate president.

A statement by the president-general of the organization, John Nwodo, described the attack as divisive and dangerous for Igbo solidarity.

“The assault on Ekweremadu by Igbos in Germany, described as IPOB, is disappointing, grotesque and dangerous for Igbo solidarity.

“This violent, rude, impertinent, divisive and discourteous style of IPOB or IPOB instigated miscreants is damaging to our cause”

“It strengthens the case of those who describe them as terrorists and weaken our case against the infringement of our fundamental human rights,” Mr Nwodo said.

While noting that Mr Ekweremadu negotiated the sureties and securities for Nnamdi Kanu’s release on bail, Mr Nwodo said the senator does not deserve the violence.

“A disgrace to him is a disgrace to Igbo race,” he added.

“Whilst I condemn the attack on our revered son and leader, I call on the law enforcement agencies in Germany to bring to book the perpetrators of this despicable act. It is un-Igbo. It is disgraceful,” he said.

Southeast PDP condenms attack on Ekweremadu

The National Vice Chairman of the PDP in the South-east, Austin Umahi, also condemned the attack.

In a statement from his media office, Mr Umahi frowned at the action of the group against Mr Ekweremadu who he said has been at the forefront of the struggle against the marginalisation of Ndi-Igbo.

Mr Umahi urged Mr Ekweremadu not to be discouraged by the attack but to see it as one of the many sacrifices he has to pay in pursuit for justice and better treatment for Ndi-Igbo within and outside the country.

He also called for the arrest and prosecution of the pepertrators of the attack.

He advised any individual or group that has any genuine reason to agitate, to do so, through the Southeast Governors Forum, the Ohanaeze Ndi-igbo and through other legitimate means within Nigeria; rather than resorting to self help.

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Stay Away from CBT Centres, JAMB Warns Parents, Threatens Arrest

Published

2 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

As this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) begins on Friday, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has vowed to arrest parents found near any Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre during the 2024 UTME exercise.

The directive was issued at the final briefing of the CBT centre owners, which was held virtually on Wednesday, 17th April, 2024.

The spokesman for JAMB, Fabian Benjamin, said this directive became necessary following the intrusive disposition of some parents during the Board’s previous exercises.

Benjamin, who quoted JAMB Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said any parent, who disobeys the order would not only be arrested but his ward would also be disqualified from sitting for the examination.

Oloyede explained that this measure became necessary as it has been discovered over time that many of these intruding parents are facilitators of examination infractions while others have, by their actions, disrupted the Board’s examinations in the past.

He added that some miscreants also disguise as parents to infiltrate the centres to perpetrate all forms of infractions.

“The Board’s helmsman noted that going by the extant national policy on education, a candidate for the examination must have attained the age of 17 years.

“Therefore, it is evident that these parents had not allowed their wards to pass through the classes as defined in the document, hence the desperation to follow their wards to the examination venue with the aim of compromising examination officials.

“At any rate, it is clear to any discerning observer that these parents deserve to be sanctioned as they had obviously ‘smuggled’ underage children into the ranks of those scheduled to sit the examination,” the Board note through a statement.

Furthermore, the Registrar said all arrangements have been concluded for the conduct of the 2024 UTME, which will be held in over 700 CBT centres across the nation.

He disclosed that the Board expects a seamless exercise but it has nevertheless made adequate provision to tackle any technical glitch that might occur in the course of the examination.

He, however, warned that if a session experienced any technical challenge, candidates in subsequent sessions would be allowed to sit their examination as scheduled while the candidates in the challenged session would be rescheduled for the last session for the day or the following day or even further depending on the centre schedules.

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Oyo Govt Demolishes Operational Base of Yoruba Nation Agitators

Published

2 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

The Oyo State government, on Wednesday, demolished a building serving as the operational base of the Yoruba Nation agitators led by Modupe Onitiri-Abiola, in Ibadan.

Onitiri-Abiola, one of the widows of late Bashorun M.KO Abiola, had declared the creation of the so-called Yoruba Nation in a video posted online, which has been widely condemned.

Last Saturday, some armed men in military uniforms invaded the Oyo State Secretariat, with the motive to forcefully take over the State House of Assembly, before they were dislodged by the combined efforts of police and troops for the Nigeria Army 2 Division..

Mr. Fatai Owoseni, Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Seyi Makinde, confirmed the demolition of the house located at Toye Oyesola Street in Ibadan South West Local Government Area.

Already, no fewer than 29 suspects – including a lecturer – arrested in connection with the foiled armed invasion were on Wednesday arraigned by the police before a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan.

In a case with charge number Mi/520c/2024 between the Commissioner of Police and the 29 suspects, they were accused of a seven-count charge of treasonable felony, unlawful society, illegal possession of firearms, and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.

Inspector Bakare Rasaq, the Investigative Police Officer (IPO) at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan, said the offence contravenes, and is punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

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PDP BoT Queries Damagum, Anyanwu’s Continued Stay in Office

Published

2 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party has queried the continued stay in office of the party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.

Recently, many party members have raised concerns about the ongoing tenure of Damagum and Anywanwu in their respective positions.

Previously serving as the PDP National Deputy Chairman (North), Damagum assumed the role of acting National Chairman following the court’s suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, in March of the preceding year.

With the National Secretary being selected as the PDP candidate for the Imo State 2023 governorship election, the South zone has been grappling with nominating a replacement. Despite this, he, along with other party leaders, contested and retained the position of party secretary after losing to Governor Hope Uzodinnma.

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