Recently, some Northern elders under the aegis of Northern Elders Forum declared that the north regretted voting for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Forum stated this through its spokesman, Abul-Azeez Suleiman: “The North made a mistake in voting Bola Tinubu to the presidency in 2023, and it is unlikely that they will repeat the same error in the future.” “They have learned from their past misstep and will strive to select a candidate who can unite the country and govern in the best interests of all Nigerians. “Moving forward, the North will be more cautious in selecting a candidate for…
Author: Jude Ndukwe
The early days of March have not been pleasant for Nigeria. It will seem as if the northern part of the country has remained under perpetual and unbreakable siege imposed by kidnappers, bandits and terrorists. On the 4th of March, about 200 internally displaced women in Ngala, the headquarters of Gamboru Ngala in Borno State were abducted by some bandits while fetching firewood in the fields. This is a most pathetic scenario for the women. First, they must have been displaced from their original homes as a result of activities of these bandits. And while suffering the painful fate of…
The now former coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria left the job after his contract with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) expired at the end of February. His exit has created a familiar debate usually associated with such circumstances: should we seek another foreign coach or should we settle for an indigenous coach to take over from him? While some have argued that the next coach of the Super Eagles should be hired based on competence, track record and merit irrespective of where he comes from, others have said that they would prefer an indigenous coach to take over…
Sometime in 1999, Students’ Union Government (SUG) executives of the University of Uyo, led by Comrade N. Udom visited the office of the then Dean of Student Affairs, Prof D. Wilson. I was the Secretary-General of the SUG at the time. Our only reason for the visit was to ‘compel’, the Dean to help rein in some students who had made it their pastime to boo and jeer at us at every turn. We had gone with the confidence that our demand would be complied with as such behaviour which we considered atrocious were beyond the borderlines of good behaviour expected of…
Recently, the Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo through his Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr Tonycollins Nwabunwanne, announced the suspension of the Traditional Ruler of Neni Kingdom in Anaocha Local Government Area of the State, H.R.H Igwe Damian O. Ezeani. The controversial suspension which has since divided public opinion in the state is also a subject of criticism of the governor as the suspension is considered by a section of the people as shocking, arbitrary, autocratic and highly demeaning of the traditional institution especially as it was predicated on the conferment of a befitting chieftaincy title…
It has become a tradition for some people to always attempt to talk down on Christians who celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December of every year. The worst culprits are those of the Christian faith who, in their opinion, claim that that date was not the date our Lord Jesus Christ was born, and that it used to be the date set aside for the festivities of a pagan god, therefore, not fitting for such an occasion even if there is any need for it at all. Indeed, 25th of December was the date set aside in ancient Rome…
Nigeria’s participation at the climate change summit, COP28, in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is still a subject of disagreement and criticism among analysts and politicians in the country. Top on the agenda of the criticism is the size of Nigeria’s delegation to the summit as led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It was alleged among other issues that the Presidency sponsored the third highest number of delegates, 1,411 alongside China only after the host country UAE with 4,409 and Brazil with 3,081. The Labour Party presidential candidate at the last general elections, Mr Peter Obi had lent his…
Defection by politicians from one political party to another has become a common feature in Nigeria’s political landscape since the beginning of the 4th Republic. It gained so much traction that it was a source of worry for parties who lose their heavyweights to rival parties just at the drop of a hat. To curb this rather unpleasant political phenomenon fueled mostly by greed and driven by personal interests as against the interest of the people, the national assembly took the bull by the horn by passing a law that gave some conditions that must be passed before a defection…
As a matter of urgency, Africa must begin to, consciously and deliberately, start the urgent and inevitable journey of divesting itself of the agelong imperialistic atavism of the West and which the West, in its bid to continue to hold on to it, has, even in this modern era, initiated some of the most heart-rending and horrific crimes against humanity. They have executed some of the most barbarous missions reminiscent of an era which Africa struggles to forgive and forget. Not few governments in Africa have been toppled by puppets created and sponsored by the West just because heads of…
By Jude Ndukwe Recently, Geometric Power finally acquired the Aba ring-fenced area from Integrated Electricity Ltd, a core investor in EEDC thereby ending a nine-year legal bout over the rightful owner of the power project. With that bout over and ending in favour of Geometric Power, regular power supply is assured for the city of Aba and its environs which have grown even more famously as the commercial nerve centre and technological hub of not only the southeast but also that of entire Nigeria under Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. This enviable fame which has made Abia the destination of choice…
With the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and its devastating effect on humanity, the world was obviously caught unawares and became distraught. People of this generation had never witnessed such a devastating pandemic of monumental proportions as this. So there had to be an “explanation” for it even if it meant concocting one just to defend the vulnerability and the unpreparedness of the entire world. That was quite understandable! However, no matter the theory anyone is propagating as the reason for the outbreak of the coronavirus and the vulnerability of the human race to it, such a theory should be…
A leading sociopolitical organization in Abia State, Abia Unity Forum (AUF), has condemned what it calls the media trial of the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, and his father, the former Governor of Abia State, Senator T. A. Orji. In a press statement signed by its president, Prince Paul Enyioma Okpanku, Esq, secretary, Barr. Chimereze P. Onuigbo and publicity secretary, Ambassador (Comrade) Chidiebere Kanu, the Group described the blaze of publicity given to the allegations against them as “an elaborate attempt made to hoodwink the gullible into believing what more sober individuals have…
I have just read the position of the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire & Miracles Ministries, Dr Daniel Olukoya, on Christmas, followed by an official statement from the church’s Public Relations Officer, one Mr Collins Edomaruse, strengthening that position, and wish to state that it is sad, painful and unfortunate that such a man held in otherwise high esteem among his followers as a “preacher” could exhibit such level of ignorance and hypocrisy. But before I continue, let me reproduce the response of another Christian leader, Fada Chinenye Oluoma, concerning the issue as posted on his Facebook page: “I…
When Adekunle Gold dropped his hit song “Ariwo Ko”, one would think he had Abia State’s politics in mind particularly its brand of opposition politics as played by Alex Otti, the failed APGA gubernatorial candidate at the 2019 general elections. In his song, “Ariwo Ko”, Adekunle Gold said inter alia: Oh music ooenu o se enu o se (words are not just enough)ariwo ko ni music oo (noise making is not the same as good music)empty barrel lo ma pariwo (empty barrel makes the most noise)ariwo ko ni music oo enu ose enu oseariwo ko ni music ooempty barrel lo…
A prominent Igbo socio-cultural group, Igbo Bu Igbo (IBI), has condemned in strong terms the recent attack on the immediate past Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Nuremberg, Germany. The Group described the attack on Ekweremadu as “a callous act of ingratitude” considering that Ekweremadu was the same person who rallied other leaders to save Nnamdi Kanu from languishing in jail, saying that, “In Igboland, the hen does not raise its beak against the one who gave it shelter during the rainfall!” In a statement signed by the Group’s Chancellor,…
Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Chinedum Orji MNSE, has assured staff of the Assembly of better days, saying that their welfare is of utmost concern to him. Rt Hon Orji stated this at his first interactive session with the Assembly staff since he assumed office as Speaker of the 7th Abia State House of Assembly. The Speaker said he thought it wise to meet with the staff of the Assembly before embarking fully on their task as legislators. He further assured the staff that with him as Speaker, other Principal Officers and Honorable Members of…
Since the emergence of Hon Chinedum Orji as member representing Umuahia Central State Constituency at the Abia State House of Assembly, people of his constituency have come to realize that despite having experienced democracy for 20 years there could possibly not have been a better representative at the Abia legislative house other than the one currently representing them right now. In a clime where legislators are mostly accused of doing little or nothing to lift the standard of living of their constituents, Hon Chinedum Orji has proved to be a shiny exception as he has taken great responsibilities upon himself…
As Dr Okezie Ikpeazu commences his “Second Missionary Journey” as Executive Governor of Abia State from May 29, 2019, people of the State already seem to know what to expect from their governor. With the resoundingly successful performance in his first tenure, and the promise to cover more ground, the people had no hesitation whatsoever to keep faith with him when it was time for the 2019 governorship election, and did so in an overwhelming manner to the extent that his closest opponents came distant 2nd and 3rd respectively. It was indeed one election that has been adjudged the freest,…
Rotimi Amaechi’s recent declaration that the Igbo should forget about the presidency in 2023 “For refusing to support the APC…” is both self-adulating and hypocritical, and must be treated as the rant of a drowning and diminished political gladiator. Such asinine statement can only come from a man who has been dealt a political sledgehammer blow beyond ‘below the belt’ straight to his fragile scrotum by his own people in Rivers State at the last general elections. Nobody should blame Amaechi for making such a statement concerning the Igbo and the 2023 presidency. Nobody is subjected to the kind of…
Following submissions made by the legal team of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Presidential Election Tribunal that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is not a Nigerian by birth following the plebiscite conducted in 1961 for the people of the present day Adamawa State, questions have been raised as to the relevance or otherwise of the issue to the matter before the tribunal considering that this is an issue that calls the nationality of some and the patriotism of others to the Nigerian nation. Let me start by…
The March 9 governorship poll has come and gone in Abia, and the people have since moved into post-election mood and activities. They have also since resumed their normal businesses after the rigours of what was an intense campaign period for some and simply a test of popularity for others. The final result as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is as follows: PDP: 261,127; APC: 99,574; APGA: 64,366 The good news about the governorship election in Abia is that while some other States are still at it, grappling with needless violent deaths of not few Nigerians starting…
It was not easy, but Nigerians braved the odds, including intimidation and threats to their life, to come out and cast their votes for their preferred candidates at the 2019 presidential/national assembly elections, it is now the turn of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to live up to its billings by announcing the results immediately as they come in so as to avoid the immense and intense pressure being allegedly mounted on them by leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC to manipulate the entire process including result collation and announcement, in their favour and against the will of…
The sudden postponement of the 2019 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, came to Nigerians as a very rude shock and triggered justified anger against INEC and the APC which many Nigerians accuse of being the invisible hand behind the postponement following fears that Nigerians were ready and eager to vote them out at the polls. They therefore opted to use their advantage as the party in power to further inflict needless and avoidable hardship on Nigerians, hardship that has become their signature project for the past four years. Just like the thief in the Bible that…
Right from his earliest appointments, Nigerians have complained about President Muhammadu Buhari’s penchant for largely looking the way of the north and his religion in choosing government officials, heads of security agencies and most MDAs without recourse to the principles of equity and federal character. This is not surprising as President Buhari has never made his bewildering preference for appointing people of same ethnic stock and religion as he into a vast majority of national offices at the expense of the other regions and religions despite Nigeria being a multicultural, multi-religious and multiethnic nation whose unity stands precariously on the…
