Headline

Anambra Decides: Between Soludo, Ozigbo and Uba

Published

3 years ago

November 7, 2021

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

After much heightened tension as regards the Anambra State Governorship Election, the exercise took off though without attendant fears as exhibited by reduced turn out.

It must be noted that prior to events leading to the November 6 date, it was a case of to be or not to be. But finally, the day came, and the people of Anambra State thronged out to elect the governor of their choice to replace the outgoing Willie Obiano, whose tenure ends in March 2022, after eight years of stewardship.

Earlier, the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), which has declared ‘no election’ in the state, had retracted their decision. The group, known as ‘outlawed’ by President Muhammadu Buhari- Federal Government, had said that the regular Monday Sit-at-Home order be resumed on Friday, November 5, 2021 to last through to November 12, 2021. This was aimed at frustrating the election.

Much as the government responded with beef up of Security in the state, a cross section of those who spoke to The Boss confided that they would come out even as the government has given assurance that lives and property of citizens are safeguarded.

“So you want me to be in the middle of IPOB and Police crossfire. No. I will stay in my home. A dead man don’t tell tales,” a respondent told the Boss.

“Where were the security agencies when many buildings, outposts and public places were being destroyed, including lives. Wisdom demands one respects himself,” another respondent volunteered.

But events turned out for good when on Thursday, November 4, 2021, IPOB released a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, stating that the Sit-at-Home order has been revoked, and as a result everyone was permitted to engage in the Civic responsibility.

The group said they listened to voice of reason as presented by elders in the South East.

Consequently, about 18 candidates had stepped, thrown their hats in the ring to vie for the number position of Anambra State. These 18 personalities cut across different and diverse political parties.

However, analysts and stakeholders have, after thorough consideration, narrowed the chances of winning to three individuals from the notable political parties.

They include Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Chief Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Stakeholders have unanimously agreed that the next governor of Anambra State will come from among the above individuals and parties.

Below are the strength and weaknesses of the contestants

CHARLES CHUKWUMA SOLUDO (APGA)

Born on July 28, 1960, Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR is an accomplished economist and a former governor and chairman of the board of directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Chukwuma was named governor on May 29, 2004. He is also a member of the British Department for International Development’s International Advisory Group, and is reputed for land breaking policies that regularised and strengthened the naira.

Soludo is a core professional in the business of macroeconomics. He obtained his three degrees and then professorship at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka, Enugu State, where he graduated with a First Class Honours degree in 1984. He also has an MSc Economics, obtained in 1987, and a PhD in 1989. It is worthy of note that he won prizes for the best student at all three levels.

Soludo was appointed to the position of Professor of Economics at the University of Nigeria in 1998, and became a visiting professor at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, USA the following year.

In 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari, appointed him as a member of a newly formed 8-member Economic Advisory Council (EAC) which would report directly to the President.

He is reputed as the best among the candidates, and has an edge as he belong to the party in power in the state, APGA.

VALENTINE OZIGBO (PDP)

Fondly called Val, Valentine Chineto Ozigbo was born on July 20, 1970) is a Nigerian politician and business executive. He is the immediate past President and Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria plc (Transcorp), a diversified conglomerate with strategic investments and core interests in the hospitality, agribusiness and energy sectors. He was appointed to the position in 2019.

Ozigbo also worked as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria-based hospitality company, Transcorp Hotels Plc, where his prowess remains a testimony. He also worked in the banking sector, gaining over 17 years of experience with NAL Merchant Bank, Diamond Bank, Continental Trust Bank, FSB International Bank, Standard Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa and Bank PHB.

He is reputed as a good under whom the fortunes of Anambra can change for the better. However, his tortuous road to emerging the party’s candidate slowed him down towards amassing the requisite followership, and may affect his chances.

ANDY UBA (APC)

Born Emmanuel Nnamdi Uba on December 14, 1958, the APC candidate, who is better known as Andy Uba served as the elected Senator for the Anambra South Senatorial District of Anambra State in April 2011 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform. He defected to the APC in February 2017.

UBA is married to Pastor Faith Vedelago of Faith Miracle Center Abuja and they have two children together. Many believe that his closeness divinity via the status of his wife will give him the leverage to rule with the fear of God.

Andy Uba’s chances have a backlog of abnormalities as many has continued to accused him of masterminding the kidnap of Dr. Chris Ngige, a sitting governor, many years ago.

Whoever emerges victory in the November 6 election is expected to continue on the path established by Mr Peter Obi and sustained by Willie Obiano.

Headline

Peddle Drugs and Die: NAFDAC Goes for the Jugular

Published

2 days ago

February 10, 2025

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Drug peddlers and their sponsors are in for a harder time if recommendations and proposal of death penalty, by the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs Mojisola Adeyeye, sails through.

The formation of NAFDAC was inspired by a 1988 World Health Assembly resolution requesting countries’ help in combating the global health threat posed by counterfeit pharmaceuticals

Speaking bitterly at a live television show on the hard-heartedness of peddlers, whose actions, direct and indirect, have caused the deaths of not a few Nigerian children, and in some cases, adults.

According to the Director-General, only stiff penalties will deter peddlers, especially when it leads to the death of children.

She noted that “Somebody bought children’s medicine for N13,000 or something like that, another person was selling about N3,000 in the same mall,” the NAFDAC chief said on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

“That raised an alarm. Guess what? There was nothing inside that medicine when we tested it in our Kaduna lab. So, I want the death penalty.

“Because you don’t need to put a gun on the head of a child before you kill that child. Just give that child bad medicine,” Adeyeye said.

The NAFDAC DG is also seeking the cooperation of the judiciary and the National Assembly to make such a move a reality. According to her, the agency is open to partnering with lawmakers and other stakeholders on the matter.

“You cannot fight substandard, falsified medicine in isolation. The agency can do as much as it can but if there is no deterrent, there’s going to be a problem,” she said.

“Somebody brought in 225mg of Tramadol that can kill anybody, fry the brain and you give a judgment of five years in prison or N250,000. Who doesn’t know that that person will go to the ATM and get N250,000?

“That is part of our problem. There are no strict measures to deter [people] from repeating the same thing. We can do as much as we can but if our law is not strong enough, or the judiciary is not strong enough to stand up, we’re going to have a problem.

“So, our judiciary system must be strong enough. But we are working with the National Assembly to make our penalties very stiff. But if you kill a child by bad medicine, you deserve to die,” she said.

While NAFDAC has a lot on its plate in stemming drug peddling, Adeyeye decried the shortage of manpower in the agency.

She believes with about 2,000 staff members nationwide and limited funding, NAFDAC is constrained in carrying out its activities.

“So, when it comes to staffing, you’re right on the point. We are short-staffed and I am hoping things will be better,” the NAFDAC DG said.

It would be recalled that in times past, and in recent times, the deaths of children from medicine intake has been rift, prompting a form of emergency in the medical sector to checkmate the activities of the saboteurs, who are bent on reaping gains at the expense of life and wellbeing.

Mrs Adeyeye has promptly toed the lines of former NAFDAC DG, the late Dora Akinyuli, who declared an all out against drug peddlers and couriers.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is a federal agency under the Federal Ministry of Health that is responsible for regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sale, and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, and packaged water established in 1993 under the health and safety law.

The establishment of NAFDAC was to counter the production and sales of adulterated and counterfeit drugs, which has become a menace in Nigeria, and to Nigerians. It would be recalled also that in one incident in 1989, over 150 children died as a result of paracetamol syrup containing diethylene glycol, among a list of other horrifying incidents.

At a certain stage, fake drugs issue was so severe that neighbouring countries such as Ghana and Sierra Leone officially banned the sale of drugs, foods, and beverage products made in Nigeria.

Headline

El-Rufai Lacks Capacity to Win Even Senate Seat – Presidency

Published

5 days ago

February 7, 2025

Eric

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, has stated that the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the lacks the influence to “unsettle” President Bola Tinubu.

Bwala made the remarks during an interview with TVC News on Thursday, stating that former Kaduna State governor does not have the capacity to win even a senate seat.

He emphasized that President Tinubu is not troubled by El-Rufai’s ongoing criticisms of his administration.

Bwala also noted that el-Rufai only gains political prominence when aligning with a strong, revolutionary leader, adding: “Let me tell you something about my elder brother, el-Rufai, and whether we should be concerned.

“There’s a dynamic around him. El-Rufai needs a solid revolutionary figure to thrive. On his own, El-Rufa’i might not even secure a Senate seat.”

Headline

Reps Propose Creation of 31 More States

Published

6 days ago

February 6, 2025

Eric

The House of Representatives Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution has proposed the creation of 31 additional states in the country.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who presided over plenary on Thursday read a letter from the committee containing the proposed states.

If approved, this will increase the number of states in Nigeria to 67.

The letter read: “This is to inform members that the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), has received legislative proposals for the creation of states and local governments in the following order:

NORTH CENTRAL

1. BENUE ALA STATE from the present Benue State.
2. OKUN STATE from the present Kogi State
3. OKURA STATE from the present Kogi State
4. CONFLUENCE STATE from the present Kogi State
5. APA-AGBA STATE from Benue South Senatorial District
6. APA STATE from the present Benue State.
7. A 37th state, namely FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

NORTH EAST

8. AMANA STATE from the present Adamawa State.
9. KATAGUM STATE from the present Bauchi State.
10. SAVANNAH STATE from the present Borno State.
11. MURI STATE from the present Taraba State.

NORTH WEST

12. NEW KADUNA STATE and GURARA STATE from the present Kaduna State.
13. TIGA STATE from the present Kano State.
14. KAINJI STATE from the present Kebbi State.
15. GHARI STATE from the present Kano State

SOUTH EAST

16. ETITI STATE as the sixth (6th) state in the South East geopolitical zone.
17. ADADA STATE from the present Enugu State of Nigeria.
18. URASHI STATE as the sixth (6th) state in the South East geopolitical zone.
19. ORLU STATE from the South Eastern Region of Nigeria.
20. ABA STATE from the South Eastern Region of Nigeria.

SOUTH SOUTH

21. OGOJA STATE from the present Cross River State.
22. WARRI STATE from the present Delta State.
23. BORI STATE from the present Rivers State
24. OBOLO STATE from the present Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.

SOUTH WEST

25. TORU-EBE STATE from the present Delta, Edo, and Ondo States.
26. IBADAN STATE from the present Oyo State.
27. LAGOON STATE from the present Lagos State.
28. IJEBU STATE from the present Ogun State.
29. LAGOON STATE from the present Lagos State and Ogun State
30. IBADAN STATE from the present Oyo State.
31. OKE-OGUN and IFE-IJESHA STATES from the Present-day Ogun, Oyo, and Osun states.

The request for states’ creation can only materialise if at least “the third majority of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives (National Assembly) and the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and the Local Government Council in respect of the area is received by the National Assembly.”