₦airaland Forum

Orji Hails S’Court Judgment, Says Win for Ikpeazu is Victory for Abians

The immediate past governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji, has urged Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to be magnanimous in victory irrespective of an agonising campaign of calumny he suffered from the opposition.

Orji, who represents Abia Central senatorial district in the Senate, also praised the aptness of the judiciary especially the Supreme Court, saying their precedents have contributed immensely to sustenance and preservation of the nation’s democracy since 1999.

In his congratulatory message to governor Ikpeazu signed by his Media Adviser, Don Norman Obinna, Orji said those who seek redress in court of law in a perceived “injustice” did nothing wrong as it is their inalienable right to do so.

According to him, “there is neither victor nor vanquished in this contest as victory for Ikpeazu is victory for all Abia State indigenes.”

He, however, enjoined the opposition and other aggrieved members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to take the judgment of the Supreme Court in good faith and support Ikpeazu in his toil to take Abia State to her next level of development.

WHY THIS FALLACY IN DR ORJI UZOR KALU'S '400 BEDROOM' MANSION?
By Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP
Okwubunka of Asa
Executive Director, Centre For Equity And Eradication Of Rural Poverty
13th May, 2017.
One of the most prominent wisest men ever recorded in the history of man in the last five thousand years, I guess if not believe, is King Solomon of Judah. Please, do not mind my using the verb is here.
From biblical records, after spending all the time he could afford to spend acquiring knowledge in almost every field of learning, putting into work all endeavour to acquire wealth, conquering all neighbouring Nations around his and, among many other things, having the best of women as wives and concubines, the king only ended up lamenting that all those acquisitions were vanity upon vanity!
The animal called man does not learn from the past. This is more prevalent in the world of the black man.
In 1965, Dr Kingsley Ozurumba Mbadiwe; popularly known in Nigeria as The Man Of Timber And Calibre, had invited the then Prime Minister of Nigeria, late Sir Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa to commission the architectural edifice he had built in his Ndianiche Uno in Arondizuogu in present day Imo State. He had called it The People's Palace of Arondizuogu.
It was, in every ramification, a beautiful site to behold. But when it was the turn of Sir Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa to speak, I am sure to the least expectation of his host, he observed that the house was indeed a very beautiful place to possess if only it were to guarantee eternal rest but he quickly expressed deep doubt that it was too earthly to lead to that.
Today, The People's Palace of Arondizuogu has ceased to be relevant. It did not in any way add value to the people within its environ.
The worst irony that befell The People's Palace, as I had been made to believe, is that the children of the Man of Timber and Calibre even did not show much interest in the Palace. Each built his own house, ironically not as gigantic as that of their father. Vanity upon vanity!
Some time this week that is ending today, an online medium I hardly fail to open three times a day; Naij.com, carried a report on the 400-bedroom Mansion of a former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu.
According to the report, the mansion built at his home-town of Igbere in Bende Local Government Area of Abia North is named Neya Camp. It is supposedly named after his daughter, Neya.
After reading the report, I did not try bordering myself with such questions as,(1)what is the essence of a man building a 400-bedroom mansion?,(2) Is the man that built such an expanse of mansion, in the first instance, sane at all?, (3) what is the cost implication of such a project? (4) what was its source of funding? and (5) was there any opportunity cost(s) as a result of such a project?
In a way to evade being termed controversial, I deliberately avoided delving into these questions.
But what I tried as much as I could but failed to ignore was where the owner of the mansion tried to deceive the reading public by spuriously claiming to have built the mansion before becoming governor in 1999. He also claimed the mansion was commissioned by the Military Administrator that governed Abia State from August 1998-May 1999; Col Anthony Obi, in 1999.
This is one lie that should not be allowed to stand by men of conscience in Abia State.
I worked closely with Chief Orji Uzor Kalu in many political organizations. I was with him in his Reality 96, Reality 97 and Reality 98. When elections could not take place in 1998 following the sudden death of Gen Sani Abacha, which led to the emergence of Gen Abdulsalami Abubarkar as Head of State, I was the one that originated the idea of naming his political outfit Reality Organization.
In my thinking, I had reasoned that since no one was sure when elections would be conducted by the Military, it was better the outfit was named without any suffix attached to it. Hence Reality Organization.
Again, I worked with him and his mother in the defunct United Nigeria Congress Party, UNCP.
When UNCP and other Political Parties of Abacha period were proscribed following the death of Sani Abacha, new political associations were formed. One of them was New Era which Chief Wilfred Olabode Olajumoke combined with other political stalwarts like Orji Uzor Kalu to form before fusing into the later to-be-formed Peoples' Democratic Party. I also worked with Orji Kalu in New Era.
When PDP was formed, even at its formative stage, I did not only work with Kalu, I was also one of the twenty-one political leaders that convened the Party in Abia State.
As the State Organizing Secretary of the Party in 1998/99, I was close to Kalu. Most of our strategic meetings were held in his house at Igbere.
The house, which was on Imo Iboko Street, was just a modest duplex. As it was not a large building, it could not accommodate more than twenty guests per night, even if they managed to sleep three per room.
What happened each time we had a meeting at Igbere, which usually was nocturnal, was that Chief Kalu booked accommodation in a Quest House in Igbere called Onyeafia. That hotel was allegedly raised down during an eternal squabble in the community following the mysterious death of the traditional ruler of Igbere.
At times when kalu's residence and Onyeafia would not accommodate all, some of his guests would be asked to be accommodated by some of his Igbere kinsmen. On one such occasion, my fellow Asa man, Chief Felix Ebere and myself had had to sleep in the house of Chief Obike(Ome Udo) on the day we had accompanied Kalu to Arochukwu for the burial of late Mrs Onyeador, mother-in-law of the late Ikemba, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu.
After his governorship election result had been released in December 1998, election that took place on a Saturday, the trio of late Dr Sam Eke, Barr C S L Nwosu and my humble self furiously drove to that his Igbere residence the following day which was a Sunday to inform him that he had won the election. On our arrival, he was distributing Xmas gifts to a good number of Igbere people who had organized themselves in line for his show of magnanimity.
I have taken time to narrate this story just to justify my claim that I had related closely with the Kalus before he became Governor of Abia State.
The Mansion he claimed to have been built and commissioned in 1999 was started and completed only when he had become governor of Abia State.
Col Anthony Obi(rtd) is a personality that should command the respect of his fellow Nigerians, especially the Igbo. If his name would be allowed to be used to support lies and he keeps sealed lips, then there will be no basis to accord him any iota of respect. Rather on my part, I would silently classify him as one of the worst enemies of the Igbo and progress.
Executive Director.

His Excellency, Dr Okezie V. Ikpeazu
Executive Governor of Abia.

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE.

On 12th of May 2017, the Supreme Court unequivocally reaffirmed your nomination and election as the authentic governor of our beloved state, Abia.

I have always been a law abiding citizen and will continue to be. My challenge of your nomination was borne out of a genuine desire for clarity and to see that things are put in its right perspective and today our apex court the final arbiter have spoken.

As the legal battle comes to an end with the Supreme Court declaration, I'm exceedingly happy today that in the course of this struggle, I never resorted to self help nor encouraged my supporters to indulge in any form of violence.

My interest in politics is not for fame or personal aggrandisement but to impart positively on the lives of the common man and to make our dear state, Abia the envy of other states.

My dear brother, it is worthy of note that my desire to see our home state in the right footing, developmentally and economically is not in doubt and a course I can put everything within my reach to see to fruition.

Finally, from the depth of of my heart, I wholeheartedly congratulate you and pray the almighty God to guide you right in the enormous task of building a new Abia state where peace and tranquillity reigns.

Long live Abia state
Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah (OON

MUCH ADO ABOUT CORDINATOR:
By Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP
Okwubunka of Asa
Executive Director, Centre For Equity And Eradication Of Rural Poverty.
10th May, 2017
The English word 'cordinate' has many synonyms. For purposes of contextual application, two would suffice here. Organize and regulate come to mind.
If one is asked to organize or regulate any event, it is as good as saying one will be held responsible for whatever comes out of it.
Those of us who are not lawyers try to thread with caution each time a matter bordering on constitutionalism takes the centre stage.
Otherwise, one would be tempted to think that as long as President Muhammadu Buhari, before departing for his second missionary, no, medical journey, to London had transmitted a letter to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representativesin adherence to section 145(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, whether the authors used 'Acting President' or 'Cordinator' the constitutional requirement has been met.
It may not be ruled out that by using the misnomer 'cordinate', the authors of the letter could have intended hiding under ambiguity to ferment mischief.
How be it, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, in my humble opinion as a lay man, has automatically become, for the second time, Acting President of Nigeria.
Nigerians need not overflog this issue. This is because the mere fact that section 145 of the Constitution was mentioned in the letter transmitted to the National Assembly has evoked the full weight and intendment of that section.
Besides, the man in question; Yemi Osibanjo, is an erudite Professor of Law. Apart from his professorial credentials, he had been the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, a State which is known to be the most advanced, sophisticated and viable State in not only Nigeria but the whole of Africa.
During President Buhari's first medical vacation, Nigerians observed remarkable improvement in governance under Prof Osibanjo as Acting President.
Centre For Equity And Eradication Of Rural Poverty demands that the Acting President should take the bull by the horn and save Nigerians from their present critical economic deterioration and hardship.
Executive Director.

Abia, Ebonyi in peer review of development programme










UMUAHIA—IN line with the decision of the South East Governors Ebonyi State cooperate and partner each other in the area of development, Abia and Ebonyi State have agreed to work together in the areas of Commerce, Internal Revenue Mobilization, Peace and e-Governance.

This was one of the decisions reached during last week’s 2-day working visit by the Ebonyi State Governor and Chairman of South-East Governors’ Forum, Chief Dave Umahi, and some members of his cabinet to Abia State.


Speaking when he was received by Governor Ikpeazu, Governor Umahi explained that his team was in Abia for a number of reasons, among which were to tap from the ingenuity of the Abia Governor in commerce, internal revenue Mobilization, Peace and e-Governance.

“We are here to tap from you, your ingenuity in commerce, your ingenuity in internal revenue mobilization, your ingenuity in governance, your ingenuity in peace and e-governance in the State”, Umuahia said.

According to him, they where in Abia to learn how to produce shoes, garments and other Made in Abia products because his team were ready to tap from Abia’s ingenuity in production and manufacturing.

Umahi said that Abia has made a lot of positive news, especially in the area of Made in Abia products and Ebonyi would be pleased to tap into that, and urged Governor Ikpeazu to support his state to succeed just like Abia is succeeding.

He also commended the Abia State Governor for his infrastructure development strides, noting that it’s not easy to govern a very enlightened state like Abia and yet focus and push forward with many people oriented programs that are visible to all.

Umahi also commended Ikpeazu’s relationships with security agencies in the maintenance of peace, cordial relationship with Abia workers as well as his support for the presidency without regards to partisan differences.

Press Release
Ikpeazu meets Aba shoemakers over Chinese investors
...as 100 Aba shoemakers are set to go for training in China
Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, today convened a heart to heart meeting with the leadership of various shoemakers in Aba, under the aegis of Omenka Shoemakers covering over 14 shoe clusters in Aba, including Ariaria.
According to a press release by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Enyinnaya Appolos, the thrust of the meeting held at the Governor's lodge Aba, was to brief Aba shoemakers on the gains of having Chinese investors in the Aba shoe industry.
The Governor assured the shoemakers that their business interests will be protected by the government, and challenged them to take advantage of the coming of the Chinese to improve on their skills and learn new ways of doing business.
While stressing that the state government will do everything to protect the business interest of Aba people, he also warned that the government will do everything to counter attempts to frustrate its efforts to attract foregin investment in the state.
"I invited you here to brief you on the outcome of my recent trip to China, where I took our made-in-Aba campaign to. I must commend you people for holding forth strongly in the leather and garment industry in Nigeria. I promised when I was campaigning to be governor in 2015 that I will promote made-in-Aba goods. I have been doing that and I am ready to take it a notch higher to make in Aba.
"When I went to china, I met with a major investor in the shoe industry who indicated interest in investing $1.5b in our economy, and the investor- Mr. Zhang Huarong of Huajian Shoe Factory Guangdong, China, visited Abia State last Sunday and I took him to some industrial locations within Aba, where we think he can site his industry.
"As those in the business, I must brief you and also assure you that his coming will not in anyway affect your business negatively. As your brother and your governor, it is my duty to protect your interest and that I must do. But let me also challenge you to take advantage of his coming to improve and upgrade your processes and systems in the industry.
"This government will do everything to protect your business interest and also do everything to thwart any plan to frustrate foreign investment into the state."
The Governor told them that 100 shoemakers from Aba will be going to China any moment for further training in modern ways of shoemaking that will impact positively on their output and quality.
Responding, Chairman of the Omenka Shoemakers Aba, Mr. Okechukwu Williams, thanked the Governor for finding time to brief them, and also for dousing their fears over the coming of the Chinese investors, which they had thought will take away their businesses.
He, on behalf of members, thanked the governor for promoting their products vigorously in an unprecedented way since they started producing shoes , and also promised to take advantage of the coming of the Chinese investors to improve on their business processes and systems with a view to competing favorably.
They pleaded with the Governor to ensure that only members of the Omenka shoemakers in Aba will make the list of 100 persons that will go to China for further training.
Enyinnaya Appolos
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
02/05/2017

TSUNAMI IN YORUBA ROYALTY?
THURSDAY 27TH APRIL, 2017
Yesterday at Lagos, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN, hosted a World Conference of Banking Institute .
It was, as would be expected, a gathering of Who is Who. The Oba of Lagos; Oba Rilwan Aremu Akiolu was there. The ever charismatic Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe was also royally seated.
A bizarre drama was, however, to happen. The Ooni of Ife; Obaluan Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwesi, Ojaja 11, historically and traditionally the most ancient of Youruba royalty, majestically walked in and out of humility walked over to exchange pleasantries with the two other Royal Majesties who were already seated.
The nearer to him was the urbane Obi of Onitsha. He had a quick but courteous one with him.
The Ooni then proceeded to greet the host Oba of Lagos. Imagine what happened!
The young dynamic peace-loving and seeking Ojaja 11 received the worst humiliation of his life. Oba Akiolu publicly snubbed the Ooni. He refused to have a handshake with Ooni and rather dismissed him with a captured insulting wave of the hand.
What a sacrilege!
Recall, it was the same Oba Akiolu who in 2015 insistently threatened to throw Nd'Igbo into Lagos Lagoon if they failed to vote for APC in the governorship election.
Has the Oba gone round the bend?
Okwubunka of Asa.

IKPEAZU, HUARONG MEAN BUSINESS AFTER CONDUCTING CHINESE SHOE MAKERS ROUND SOME PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL LOCATIONS IN ABA ENVIRONS, GOVERNOR OKEZIE IKPEAZU, WHILE SEEING MR ZHANG HUARONG AND HIS TEAM OFF TO SAM MBAKWE AIRPORT IN OWERE, ALSO DECIDED TO GIVE MR HUARONG HOME TREAT AT UMUIKEA JUNCTION WHERE ABIA WOMEN ARE SELLING CORN...MR HUARONG MUST HAVE A TASTE OF OUR FOOD JUST LIKE WE TASTE CHINESE FOODS AT THEIR RESTAURANTS.

AGAINST THE RUN OF PLAY', A MOST INCONVENIENT PUBLICATION:
By Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP
Okwubunka of Asa
Executive Director, Centre For Equity And Eradication Of Rural Poverty.
29th April, 2017
As a person, I have some passion for the immediate past President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Being vocal, I had made my stand known to many on several occasions.
Passion as used in this context portrays that I am just human. That is, however, by the way.
The book; 'Against The Run Of Play', by Olusegun Adeniyi is the latest publication within Nigeria's book space.
Though I am yet to read it, peripheral commentaries by some individuals and groups give a clue to what the book is all about.
If I am asked to give the book a caption, I would not hesitate to suggest, Goodluck Jonathan's Voyage To A Brick Wall. This is purely a personal opinion which I think I am entitled to, no matter how wrong others might think I am.
I do not intend to use this platform to express my assessment of Jonathan's Presidency. It is entirely a different ballgame.
What made me become passionate about Dr Jonathan was his attitude and comportment in defeat.
In the preamble to this essay, I mentioned passion. I was not unaware of the fact that passion bothers on feelings rather than thoughts. Again, that is by the way.
As the Igbo that I am, any action or inaction taken just to save the Igbo, no matter where they are, attracts applauds from me.
In Nigeria, the Igbo are known to be in large numbers outside their home region. If you go to the West, the Igbo are next only to the indigenes of the area. The same applies to the North. The Igbo, as long as Nigeria is concerned, are the most adventurous and itinerant.
It goes beyond doubt that the Moslem North is the most volatile in Nigeria. The slightest thing that would attract no attention from any body from the South is capable of sparking cataclysm that can leave thousands dead in the North.
Nigerians may not have forgotten the fate that befell the Igbo living in the North in 1988. In that year, Salman Rushdie, an Indian American, had published a book he titled The Satanic Verses. The book had pointedly questioned some verses in the Islamic holy book of Koran that instruct Moslems to go on killing rampage against people of other faith.
Salman Rushdie is not an Igbo but Moslems in the North killed thousands of the Igbo living up North just because of a book written by someone who is neither their kinsman nor known to them.
In 2011 when General Muhammadu Buhari lost his third presidential election, Northern Moslems descended heavily on the Igbo in the North. Thousands were butchered and their goods and property vandalized and stolen.
If Jonathan had rejected the outcome of the 2015 presidential election, Buhari having already threatened that the society would be soaked with the blood of monkeys and baboons should he lose, the carnage on the Igbo living in the North would only have compared with the slaughtering they suffered in the North in 1966.
Jonathan had before the election stated that his aspiration was not worth the blood of any Nigerian. Knowing that the Igbo would be the main target of the attack, he willingly accepted the result. By so doing, he saved Nd'Igbo from another holocaust. My Passion!
Despite my passion for Jonathan, I consider the publication of Adeniyi's 'Against The Run Of Play' as not only ill-timed but equally unnecessary.
My reasons for taking this position may sound awkward to some. All the same, I have the right of freedom of thought.
In the first instance, this publication will expose Jonathan to a barrage of criticism, from both local and international fronts. His hitherto dignified silence should have continued.
The Presidency that has been managing to accord him some level of respect could now feel it has cause to go for a full blast on him.
Assuming the publication was even in any way necessary, the timing is very inconvenient. Buhari's presidency, even though he is overwhelmed by sickness, is still fresh. He has not even exhausted his first two years. He could resort to using his presidential powers maximally against him.
Hoping I am concluding this piece, Jonathan laid the foundation for his failure in 2015. He had no moral justification, whatsoever, running as presidential candidate of the Peoples' Democratic Party in 2015. Equity simply demanded that a Northerner should have run.
Executive Director.

PRESIDENT BUHARI SHOULD RESIGN NOW:
By Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP
Okwubunka of Asa
Executive Director, Centre For Equity And Eradication Of Rural Poverty
30th April, 2017.
Today is not only the last Sunday of April 2017, it is also the last day of the fourth month of the year. We have only eight months left in the year 2017.
As a Christian Knight, civil society activist and patriotic citizen of Nigeria, if there is no day I should be bold enough to say the truth, no matter how bitter it would sound, this Sunday is an exception.
Our President, Muhammadu Buhari, is sick and incapacitated! Thrice he had consecutively failed to show up in the Federal Executive Council!!
Nigerians know General Buhari as a very committed islamic adherent. Any sickness that is capable of deterring him from observing his Juma'at service on any Friday is one that is capable of taking any life. Buhari is so incapacitated that he could not make himself available for last Friday's Juma'at service.
Like his wife; Aisha, had long shouted aloud, a cabal has taken over the Presidency. The cabal does not give a damn to Buhari's health. It is only interested in what it can make out of power.
By the calculations of the cabal, taking Buhari out of the country for medical treatment again would mean playing into the hands of the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osibanjo, who had breathed fresh air into the Presidency while Buhari was away on medical vacation in the United Kingdom for fifty days.
We have been informed that the terribly ailing President had requested that official files be brought to him for his actions.
The questions are, who is sure the President is in a good state to treat files? Who is sure it is not the cabal that treats the files in the name of Mr President without the latter knowing that there was even a movement of any file?
As things are now, it will take a very long process of conviction before Nigerians would believe that the Vice President is even allowed access to Mr President.
The State of health of the President can best be imagined through the spontaneity of the retort of the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF; David Babachir Lawal, when he questioned, who
is the Presidency?
Our Constitution dictates that in a situation like Buhari's, the Federal Executive Council, on a two-third majority, can initiate the process of easing him out.
But I do not believe President Buhari should wait only to be disgraced out of office. He can toe the path of honour by resigning now.
We are groaning under the excruciating pressure and pains of recession. A Buhari Presidency as sickly as it is now will surely worsen our crisis. Please, let Mr President resign.

Executive Director.

HOW NOT TO MUZZLE THE NIGERIAN PRESS:
By Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP
Okwubunka of Asa
Executive Director, Centre For Equity And Eradication of Rural Poverty.
25th April, 2017
When we were growing up and passing through various schools, we were told and made to believe that the Press is the mirror and conscience of the society.
In adulthood, those teachings have become more practical than theoretical. This is especially more in public leadership where individuals are expected to adhere to set out norms of public service code.
A public servant would always be mindful of what the Press can do should he deviate from the ethics of public service.
Without the Press, especially a fearless but responsible one, the human society would be a total calamity. Conscience would be suppressed and lost.
Even during the tyrannical days of the Nigerian Military, it was the Nigerian Press that consistently fought against its draconian tendencies and disposition.
One of the reasons why Nigerians rejected Gen Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential elections of 2003, 2007 and 2011 was the apprehension that being a former military dictator, he would stand in strong opposition against the tide of democracy.
In 2015, he was, however, given the benefit of the doubt. Whether the much feared dictatorial traits in him are still evident or otherwise would be a subject of discourse for another day.
But yesterday, Monday 24th April, 2017 an incident that was similar to the Buhari era of fascism played out in Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
The Chief Security Officer of Mr President; Bashiru Abubarkar, crudely withdrew the accreditation of the Correspondent of Punch Newspaper, Olalekan Adetayo. Having done that, he walked him out of the Villa.
Adetayo's only offence arose from his write-up last Sunday, in which he raised alarm, I mean anxiety, over the State of health of President Buhari.
According to him, which is no secret to Nigerians, the President, since his return from the United Kingdom on March 10 on medical vacation, has hardly been seen in public functions except on Fridays when he manages to appear in the Jum'at prayers in the Villa. He went further to say that most of the presidential duties have been delegated to the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osibanjo.
Is this enough justification for the Chief Security Officer to withdraw the accreditation of a Journalist? Who, in Nigeria, does not know that the President is, indeed and regrettably, sick. As Nigerian citizens, we are praying for our President to fully recuperate and live up to his constitutional responsibilities for which he was voted and for which also he is very heavily paid.
Wednesdays are set out for meetings of the Federal Executive Council which the President presides over.
On Wednesday 12th April, 2017 the President did not attend the Executive Council meeting. It was the Vice President that presided over the meeting. The reason Nigerians were given for his absence was that the items on the agenda for the meeting were not so serious that his Vice could not handle. I hope this reason was not derisive!
The next Wednesday was 19th April. On this day, the meeting could not hold at all. Reason for a whole Federal Executive Council; Nigeria's highest policy-making body, not to convene was equally laughable. The Easter holidays, as we were told, made it impossible for the Executive Council Secretariat to despatch Minutes of the previous FEC meeting to Members of FEC. Oh Nigeria!
Many Nigerians are of the belief that President Buhari is being held hostage by a selfish and heartless Cabal in the Presidency. The Cabal only wants the physical presence of Mr President in the Villa, whether seen or unseen, in order to maximize its exploits of power.
The Cabal is not interested in the good health of the President as long as it is able to achieve its hidden goals.
Nigerians did not vote for Buhari to be held hostage. We did not vote for him to be estranged and incommunicado. He was not voted for so that his duties would be delegated on a near permanent basis.
Centre For Equity And Eradication Of Rural Poverty strongly advocates that our President be retrieved from the Cabal and flown back to the United Kingdom for continuation of his medical treatment. Every Nigerian should be concerned about the health of our President.
In addition, even though the Director-General of Department of State Service; Mallam Lawal Daura, had restored the accreditation of the Punch Correspondent, the bestial conduct of the Chief Security Officer is one that Nigerians will not like to hear again. The Press should not be muzzled for whatever reason.
Executive Director

AN INDIGENE OF ASA NOMINATED AS ABIA REP ON BOARD OF NDDC:
BY SIR DON UBANI; KSC, JP
OKWUBUNKA OF ASA
Executive Director, Centre For Equity & Eradication of Rural Poverty.
30TH MARCH, 2017
After a long period of patience, Asa people today have relief as one of their own has been nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari as a Representative of Abia State on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
Mr Nwogu N Nwogu is from Obibor, Obuzor-Asa in Ukwa-West Local Government Area of Abia State. The President has magnanimously forwarded his name, among those of Imo and Ondo States to the Senate for confirmation.
I am sure Asa people, where ever they are now, are happy and grateful to President Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Senator Enyi Abaribe, Hon Uzoma Abonta and the leadership of Asa Development Union.
It would be recalled that an intruder had attempted to usurp that position earlier but Asa people successfully rose in unison against that deceitful and condemnable act.
Asa people,under the auspices of Asa Development Union, have been meeting and brain-storming over the NDDC Representative.One of the major resolutions reached is that whoever that emerges as Mr President's nominee, as long as the person is an indigene of Asa, would receive total support of Asa people.
Asa people resolved that no Asa man or woman should write any petition against any Asa person that would be nominated by Mr President.
Now that Mr Nwogu N Nwogu has been nominated, it is our prayer that all well-meaning Asa indigenes would give him one hundred percent support.
By the time Nwogu scales through the hurdles of screening at the Senate, Asa people could then meet with him, congratulate him and tell or remind him why previous Abia NDDC Representativeshad failed woefully beyond retrievial.
To God be the glory.
Executive Director.

The Vice President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Your Excellency,

SUBMISSION ON THE PLIGHT OF OIL-PRODUCING PEOPLE OF ASA (UKWA –WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA) IN ABIA STATE
Observing protocol and courtesy, I write on behalf of the Centre For Equity & Eradication of Rural Poverty. On behalf of our organization, I join the tens of thousands that are here to welcome you, Sir.
This meeting today in Umuahia could be compared to when our late Leader; Chief O .C Ememe, led Asa people to Lancaster House in London to present our fears of marginalization before the Sir Harry Willinks Commission of Enquiry on the fears of the Minorities of Nigeria in 1957.
Ukwa West is the political cum administrative name of Asa people. Ukwa West Local Government Area is, for now, the only oil and gas producing area in our dear State of Abia. After oil was discovered in Olobiri in Bayelsa State in 1956, the next place oil was discovered was in Owaza Asa in 1957. While oil has since dried up in Olobiri, many more oil wells have been discovered and remain functional in Owaza, Uzuaku, Umuorie, Umuahala and Isimanu communities in Asa.
Fifty-nine years of oil exploitation in Asa land have instead of bringing development and succor to the people of Asa land (ukwa west), brought environmental degradation and devastation of our agricultural potentials and chances.
For these number of years, the people of the oil –producing area of Asa completely have nothing to show for all her contributions to our national economic development.
There is no federal institution in Asa land, except a police force division. The youths of Asa land are not found in federal civil service. Roads in Asa land are the most dilapidated and inaccessible in south-east.
Despite the very devastating conditions the people have found themselves in youths of Asa land have been incomparably calm and peaceful.
The Centre Of Equity And Eradication of Rural Poverty humbly but vehemently recommends that the Federal Government declares a state of Emergency in Asa Land with emphasis on development and employment. There is no Higher Institution of learning in the whole Asa land. Yet their children deserve education. The patience of the people, we pray, should not be taken for granted.
So far, scholarship slots given to Indigenes of Abia State by the Niger Delta Development Commission have continued to elude our youths on flimsy grounds of unacceptable quota on merit.
As at now, Abia State has no representative on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission. The Niger Delta Development Commission was established by an Act of the National Assembly. The Act emphatically stipulates that an oil-production state shall be represented on the Board of the Commission by a person who hails from an oil-producing area. Like we have established, Asa is the only oil-producing area of Abia state. It is passionately recommended that an indigene of Asa be appointed on the Board of NDDC in accordance with the Act establishing the Board.
A lot of projects abandoned by both Niger Delta Development Commission and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs litter Asa land. Owaza-Azumini road by Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Umuiku-Ukor to Ariaria road, Ugwati-Obokwe-Uratta road, Igwurula-Owaza roads are amongst the roads abandoned by NDDC.
One stanza in our National Anthem admonishes us not to allow the labours of our heroes past to be in vain. Mr Vice President, Sir, the founding fathers of Asa land, a good number of who were not only illiterate but were stark illiterate, tasked themselves in the late fifties and built the first secondary school in Asa land and named it Asa Grammar school. During the Nigerian/Biafran War, the school was occupied by 167 Bomber Battalion of the Nigerian Army.
At the end of the war, returning students and fresh ones shared the school compound with the soldiers, with its attendant consequences. But in 1972, reason had to prevail when General Yakubu Gowon compassionately ordered that the soldiers be removed from Asa Grammer School in order not to allow the labours of the heroes of Asa land to be in vain. Asa Grammar school, which the Government of defunct East-Central State, under late Mr. Ukpabia Asika as Sole Administrator, renamed it as Asa High School, regained its status as an all students’ secondary school.
Between 2009 and 2010, a good number of youths of Asa, strictly out of disgust over marginalization and total deprivation, became armed militant agitators. The aggression inherent in the agitation was so much that the Federal Government had to bring in a battalion of the Nigerian Army to quell the situation. 144 battalion of the Nigerian Army took over Asa High School and remain there till date.
The people of Asa want their school back. If the Federal government is sympathetic with our plight, Asa High School could serve as a University instead of its abrupt confiscation as an Army camp. Luckily enough, a large expanse of land has been earmarked for the Army barrack, stretching from Ogwe, Ugwati to Obokwe, all in Asa land. If this request is granted, it will go a long way to save Asa people from their present bottled psychological trauma.
Finally, Sir, the Nigerian federation is made up of more than two hundred and fifty ethnic nationalities that were coerced into one entity by the British Colonial Government. There is too much concentration of power at the Center at the moment. There is need for devolution of power to the federating units. This means there is need for fiscal federalism as was the case under the Republican Constitution of 1963.
Okwubunka of Asa

A SYMBOLIC MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING:
By Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP
Okwubunka of Asa
Executive Director, Centre For
Equity & Eradication Of Rural Poverty.
21st March, 2017
Reports have it that the Abia State Government will; today, Tuesday 21st March, 2017 sign a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with a private company for the establishment of a Technology-driven Multi Vendor Platform, covering thirty-two countries, for the marketing and sales of made in Aba shoes and garment.
Obviously, this is a welcome development. Without necessarily wanting to over emphasize it, Aba has been known for its ingenuity even as long as its formal establishment about 1903.
During the Nigerian/Biafran war when the people of the defunct Eastern Region had been barricaded in all fronts so that no external aid could come their way, the ingenuity of Aba people kept sustaining the survivalist struggle of the people against genocide and ethnic cleansing targeted at the Igbo.
It is quite unfortunate and regrettable that due to ethnic prejudice against the Igbo, the Nigerian government refused or failed to tap into the unique resourcefulnessof the Igbo after the civil war in 1970.
This is unlike what happened immediately after the Second World War in 1945. After The Great Britain, America and the Allied Forces defeated Germany, Japan and Italy, they quickly established a pool of the scientists, technologists and even technicians who fought on the side of Germany and her allies. This broadmindednessgave an unprecedented boost to both British and American technology. Much blame should not be apportioned to the Nigerian government because being African, especially Black, it could not have deviated from its characteristic ethno/tribalistic inhibitions. That is by the way.
When late Chief Sam Mbakwe was elected Governor of Old Imo State, knowing the Aba Metropolis as one of the most specially gifted and resourceful groups of human-beings, his government decided to encourage the people by creating the enabling environment To Help grow their unique attributes.
Dee Sam Mbakwe, as we fondly called him, embarked on massive road Infrastructure.Even though he came from Okigwe zone of the old Imo State, Obowo to be precise, he did not suffer from the pettiness of inexplicable geo-sectional hatred. He did not only love Aba but convincingly proved he had passion for the Enyimba City.
I would not recall any day Dee Sam, as Governor, came to Aba with more than seven Police men. Aba roads were among the best in Nigeria during his regime. Ofcourse, Dee Sam was an 'Aba Man, Nwa Aba'. After the Nigerian/Biafran war, with the obnoxious Abandoned Property Law in Rivers State which 'legitimately' disposessed the Igbo of their property in Rivers State, Dee Sam had to relocate to Aba as a lawyer and from there put up relentless legal battles against the inhuman confiscation of the property of the Igbo in Rivers State, under the teleguided watch of Major David Mark.
The irony in Port-Harcourt today is that, at least, sixty percent of buildings built in that Garden City since after that war belongs to the Igbo. Honestly, I do not know what stuff the Igbo are made of. The resilience in them is unparalleled.
I am sorry for that deviation. Back to Aba, because Dee Sam had created the much-needed enabling environment; good access roads, stable electricity, attractive tax policy and water-tight security, the Aba ingenuity blossomed. Merchants came from not only different parts of Nigeria but the entire West and Central Africa to purchase goods made in Aba, even though Aba artisans would hardly label their products Aba.
With the overthrow of the Second Republican Government of Shehu Shagari in 1983 by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, Mbakwe's government ceased to be.
It took another stretch of sixteen years before the Military unwillingly accepted to relinquish power in 1999.In this essay, I carefully decided to avoid commenting on Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida's 'a little to the left and a little to the right'.
By the time democracy returned in 1999, most of the roads constructed or reconstructed by the Mbakwe administration which were not maintained by the Military had succumbed to forces of dilapidation. Electricity in the town had become epileptic while insecurity became an integral part of the town.
Unfortunately, between 1999 and 2015, there was a deliberate policy by the administrationsthat governed, not governed but ruled, Abia State to make sure Aba died a natural death. Aba was totally neglected and abandoned for sixteen consecutive years. Aba consequently became a shadow of itself.
Unlike former Governor Sam Mbakwe who would come to Aba with less than ten Police Men and would be heralded into the Enyimba City as the People's hero, subsequent civilian governors would spend more than fifty million Naira to get into Aba for less than a two-hour visit. In their convoy, there must be two Armoured Personnel Carriers, more than twenty Hilux Vans loaded with both Soldiers, Navy, Mobile Police and many other security agencies.
The funniest aspect of the visits of intimidation was that on each occasion, Aba residents, not minding the heavy presence of those security forces, would jeer and hoot at them. The simple truth is that if any governor in Abia State shows hatred against Aba, automatically he incures the odium of the people.
At times when a governor is booed at Aba for non-performance, instead of admitting his incompetence, he would vindictively transfer his aggression to his commissioners from Aba zone. He could suspend the innocent commissioners for three months. Yet a few of the Commissioners from the zone had consistently drawn the attention of the Governor to the decay that Aba had degenerated into.
By the way, many governors do not like persons who tell them the truth. They would always prefer sycophants who deceive them by telling them that all is well only for them to bitterly realize during the next election that all is, indeed, bad.
Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, Ph.D, is now Governor of Abia State. Probably because he is from Aba zone, he has been manifesting quantifiable signs of commitment to infrastructuralrecovery of Aba. It is a welcome development. As the Ngwa man that he is, if he fails to recover Aba, I would wonder who else he thinks could do it for him.
Before his emergence as governor, his kinsman, Senator Enyi Abaribe, had committed time and resources to promoting Made-in-Aba goods. He has still not relented.
Governor Ikpeazu has, however, added value to the promotional drive. His infrastructuralturn-around in Aba surely adds credibility to the promotion. He has also taken some artisans from Aba to Turkey for practical exposure in shoe manufacturing and expertise in garment industry.
Still not relenting and being appreciative of the importance of power in the economic significance of the Enyimba City, Governor Ikpeazu has led some key economic stakeholders in Abia State to the President of African Development Bank in Cairo, Egypt, Dr Akinwumi Adesina in order to fast-track the take-off of the incumbered Geometric Electricity Power Project for Aba.
At the instance of the Governor, the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osibanjo, SAN, then as Acting President, had visited Abia State during which he enthusiastically and excitedly watched an exhibition of Made-In-Aba products at Aba Sports Club's Golf Field.
Besides, the Governor has made a very strong case for the Nigerian Military to concession the manufacturing of their uniforms; dresses, belts, caps and shoes to producers in Aba. This drive, which has already started succeeding, would create a lot of employment, generate income for both the individuals and the government. It would also reduce poverty, hunger and crime enormously.
By the time this Memorandum of Understanding is finally signed today, another ray of hope would have been beamed on the Aba Industrial metropolis.
While I can not suppress my natural inclination to thank Governor Ikpeazu and Senator Abaribe, I would advise that the Governor does not rest on his oars in the pursuit for reliable source of electricity for the Aba industrial recovery. He should also continue with his negotiations with the Bank of Industry for financial relationship with artisans in Aba. They need money with which to procure modern machines and tools for good results. Security in Aba, Abia State in general must be given top priority, otherwise all these efforts would be in vain.
On the side of the traders, I urge them to continue to be ingenious and innovative in their drive. Above all, they should realize that what makes a brand sell beyond frontiers is honesty. Once honesty is injected into an enterprise, it generates goodwill. It is goodwill that sustains and expands relationship.
If on the contrary, even in the politics we play, dishonesty is associated with a commitment, it dies a natural death.
For Made-In-Aba products to stand the taste of time, they must be diligently and solidly made. Any thing short of this, would regrettably amount to deceit and eventual collapse.
Okwubunka of Asa.

restoring the city’s lost glory
Ugochukwu Ezenwa

Aba! Our Aba. A town commercially and economically endowed that is likened as the Japan of Africa, whose residents could fabricate anything to mimic its originality.

Aba attracts people of diverse ethnic groups and interests because of the burgeoning of trade and commerce there.
A typical day in this Enyimba city starts by 5 a.m. and terminates by 11 p.m. when most of the traders would have satisfied themselves of having made a good day. Aba, indeed, is a business delight. And this is where the problem comes.
Aba-Ngwa as it is often referred to is a city in a hurry; a city where liquid cash accompanying the merchandizing of goods and services flows with unrestrained gush, thus pushing this commercially-oriented city to the edge of assuming the toga of a land where only money speaks.
Discipline was the core value then when hygiene was regarded as sacrosanct. Sanitary inspectors inspected not only the sanitary lanes but houses referred to as “Yards”. Indeed, the fear of sanitary inspectors then is the beginning of your escape from the wrath of law; and so every resident kept to the sanitation code of the then Aba County Council; cleaning the drainages and carting away wastes (refuse) to the designated points. No one dared to build structure on unauthorized place. No one dared to build structure on it. Then, Aba was sweet and habitable as its population density was low and manageable.
But things got out of hand when after the civil war; people of all hues displaced in their formal abodes as a result of the war made the town their new residence. Population increased geometrically and deterioration of the city started. Aba began to witness despicable defacing as structures were built on unauthorized places. The sanitary lanes were converted to shops, stalls and rooms to let, thus jettisoning the gradual developmental process the colonial masters had introduced.
By 1990s, Aba had deteriorated in physical outlay that it had become a huge jungle so to speak. Current of water that usually flowed freely in the drainages and terminated in the Aba River found their way on the roads and streets which helped in damaging them.

In this confusion, government after government abandoned their civic responsibility of restoring the city’s lost glory. In 2015, shortly after his swearing in, Dr Okezie victor Ikpeazu carried out a major intervention in Aba that resulted in
Reconstruction of Ehere Road Obingwa L
Reconstruction of MCC/Umuojima Road Osisioma, Reconstruction of Owerrinta Road Aba Reconstruction of Week’s Road Aba, Construction Echefu Road, Reconstruction of ENUC Road, Reconstruction of Umule Road
Reconstruction of Ommne Drive

Bent on putting Aba in the economic map of the world, Gov okezie began the rehabilitation of public schools, pipe-borne water abandoned in the 1970s, and other roads in this city.
The roads that received his attention and got his Midas touch are Umuocham Road,Umule Road, Jubilee Road, Ehi Road Aba,Azikiwe Road Aba etc.
It will be noted that no government since Abia was created in 1991 took it as a priority to embark on any damage control in the city. In fact, the regime presiding Dr okezie administration, particularly the administration of Orji Uzor Kalu , encouraged the construction of market stalls in unauthorized places. It is appalling that the greatest critic of Dr Okezie administration is the very man that presided over a regime that saw to the monumental dilapidation of Aba.
Now, after the first attempt to recover the city through the reconstruction of some major roads is ongoing the Abia state governor has begun another massive programme on building of Fly over for the Very first time . But the indiscipline in the town became the bane of the developmental process in the city.

Despite the several warnings that the drainages and sanitary lanes so blocked were the reasons of the continued flooding, the residents saw no sense in this well researched counsel as they continually build on the drainages with reckless abandon.
However, unlike other administration that ruled the state with deceit, lack of cognate planning and corruption, cheap propaganda, uncoordinated approach to administering of Abia etc, It is worrisome that those sponsoring mischief and undue criticisms against the Dr Okezie victor Ikpeazu administration were the very people that caused Aba’s decay which Dr okezie is trying to clear. If they had lain the foundation for the recovering of Aba as Okezie is doing now, Aba would have been a lot better.
But the okezie administration is taking the recovery of this commercial town in strides; first the roads, the waste disposal and then the water provision. No administration, no matter how magical and richly endowed financially, would embark on any reconstruction of a city that is in ruins in one fell swoop. Even if the Abia administration would have loved to do so, the insufficient allocation from the federation account as well as the deficient internally generated revenue (IGR) would not allow it.
Consequently, it will be wrong for anyone to single out a particular road or roads as basis of judging the Dr Okezie administration in Abia state. If such roads, the enemies of government are banding about as dilapidated, have not been reconstructed, it is simply because the rehabilitation process is yet to get to them. Ngwa road Ohanku, Obohia et al roads are some of the roads that will soon benefit from subsequent phases.
As the government is rebuilding the roads and cleaning up Aba from wastes and rubbish heaps, so also the administration is embarking on the provision of Health care facilities not only in Aba but the entire state. All these projects will materialize before the expiration of the tenure of the government. What is required is patience and cooperation of the people.
However, whatever the government of Dr Okezie does in Aba could still be glossing the problem of the city because the poor financial status of the state will not allow it to carry out a marshal plan that will comprehensively suit such a mega city. In this instance, the federal government should take over or at least ensure the total recovery of Aba from social and economic decay which could lead to its collapse.
Aba is a major commercial town, like Onitsha, Kano and Lagos. If Aba is allowed to die because of neglect, a major component of the entity called Nigeria has died. It is in the public domain that Abia administration currently does not have the financial capacity and capability to rehabilitate the city.

Recently The Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osibanjo during the Southeast maiden edition of Nationwide Micro Small and Medium Enterprise Clinic held at Aba
According to him, He said that “you can’t do much for manufacturing without coming to Aba,” and adding that Aba traders, artisans, tailors, shoemakers and others “are the bedrock of our economy.” the Nigerian government agenda is to create sustainable platform through its relevant agencies that would ensure that businesses in the country that produce locally made goods are given adequate support and wider spectrum to grow.
This approach should also involve experts that should drive the process. If possible, a marshal plan for Aba should be produced in this intervention process. This is what the fifth columnists and the armchair critics of Dr Okezie should be advocating and not to misinform the public on the state of Aba with dubious and skewed pictures of different scenario of the town.
Aba residents themselves must be law abiding and disciplined. Lawlessness introduces anarchy which brings under development. No tangible recovering process can be achieved if the people continue to disobey the environmental and urban laws. In every organized city, it is said, the discipline of the system and of the people creates room for enhanced services, service delivery, security and progress. Indeed, there is no alternative to this maxim. For the Enyimba city to be recovered as the government of Dr Okezie victor Ikpeazu is proposing, people must work in liaison with the government.

Ugochukwu Ezenwa from Uratta

THE SOCIAL MEDIA AS AN AVOIDABLE SNARE:
By Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP
Okwubunka of Asa
19th March, 2017

I must confess that the rate at which science and technology have progressed in America, Europe and Asia is quite astonishing and overwhelming.

While we are busy in Africa, especially West Africa, Nigeria inclusive, dissipating the whole of our energy on electricity as our major, if not our only source of power, the other parts of the globe are almost on the verge of migrating from Solar energy to Wind energy.

As we are busy having as a national discourse collection of custom duties on imported cars into the country, a large chunk of which are vehicles already used over ten years in their countries of manufacture, the whites are launching vehicles that are self-driven. Oh, the Black Man!

At a time we were self excited, with all elements of corruption, blowing our trumpet on privatization of our national communication system, the whites came with their innovations on Global System of Mobile Communication. The good thing about this technological initiative is that while you could make or receive calls from wherever you are, you can also craft a reasonable length of message, using the mobile phone. Letter writing has almost been expunged in our national life.

In a no-holds-barred all conquering spirit, the whites have diligently developed the Social Media. Unlike the traditional media; print and electronic, the social media can convey reports on any given event spontaneously, even with video clips on the subject of report.

Social Media has given rise to community journalism. It has created the emergence of reporters, feature and opinion writers whose either professional or literary pedigree has no trace. This means that any illiterate trader at Ochanja market in Onitsha whose phone has such applications as Facebook, Twitter and(or) WhatsApp can report on any happening within his vicinity.

As with the human factor, some use it in the best interest of humanity while some others deploy it for mischievous purposes. I have the vision that with time, governments, without necessarily censoring or gagging the press, would create appropriate legislative environment for the operation of social media operators.

Contemporarily, activities of various arms and tiers of government are copiously reported on the social media. Unlike what happens in the traditional print or electronic media, no editor proof reads or vets what the author writes and posts on the social media. Therefore, writing and editing of materials posted on the social media are entirely the responsibility of the writer.

As I write, there are too many emergency Media Advisers and Assistants in the polity. A high percentage of them are quite young and inexperienced. In order to please their principals, they rush with their posts to the social media for immediate publication.

It may not take more than thirty minutes before such posts go viral. Because of a combination of impatience, carelessness and(or) incompetence, many of these posts appear nauseating, arising in the main from grammatical inarticulation and incoherence.

Not being even mindful of this inadequacy and avoidable flaw, some social media writers display their linguistic defect by constantly engaging in wild and crude altercations. They forget that the more they quarrel the more they expose their weaknesses in the use of English language. They, by so doing, subject themselves to public ridicule and opprobrium.

The Social Media has definitely emerged as a public domain with a very lengthy reach. As it is expected, if you are not sure of your onions, you could get a competent person to assist you vet your write-up. In the alternative, you can hold your peace.

This my piece of advice should not be glossed over. It does not require insults, even though at my age, stage and exposure I have become immune to display of such traits that are only synonymous with indecent parental upbringing.

The point I have laboured, I hope not in vain, to make here is that those of you who are one media assistant or another to some Chief Executive Officers at any level or department of government ,you dare not forget that there are many other young people, like you, who are waiting for you to display incompetence and they would quickly cash in on that to convince your boss that they can very competently and effectively take over your job.

Let me sound it here, loud and clear, no principal that is worth his salt retains an incompetent aide. Doing that would amount to placing sentiment above reason. We have gone beyond that era.
Happy Sunday.

Okwubunka of Asa.

ETHICS DEMAND THAT LAI MOHAMMED RESIGNS NOW:
BY SIR DON UBANI; KSC, JP
OKWUBUNKA OF ASA
CENTRE FOR EQUITY & ERADICATION OF RURAL POVERTY.
11TH MARCH, 2017
Code of Conduct for public officers dictates that an officer paid with the aid of the tax payers' money should not, at any given time, deceive the public. He or she should say the truth and nothing but the truth at any given time. Where he or she believes saying the truth would create some embarrassment, if ever, silence could be a temporary alternative.
Nigerians would recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had transmitted a letter to the National Assembly, informing her of his intent to proceed on a ten-day leave in The United Kingdom, starting from Thursday January 19, 2017. He was, therefore, billed to return on Monday February 6th, 2017.
No sooner had the President flown out of the country than the Nigerian media, especially social media, became awash with the news, was it speculation?, that Mr President was, indeed, sick with an undisclosed ailment. The rumour became so persistent that many felt the Man had even kicked the bucket.
Meanwhile, the Presidency continued to feed the Nigerian masses with the information that all was well with Mr President.
However, on Sunday 5th of February, 2017 and being the eve of Mr President's anticipated return, a letter came from Mr President, extending his leave indefinitely.
According to the letter to the National Assembly, the purpose of the extension was to enable Mr President 'undergo further tests and have more rest'.
This second letter was a sharp contradiction to the deliberate falsehood the Presidency was busy doling out to the public.
The most disturbing aspect of the network of falsehood and deceit was woven and disseminated by the Hon Minister of Information & Culture; Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
As a Minister on oath to inform Nigerians the truth on whatever national development that is on ground and who is paid with tax-payers' money, Lai Mohammed has no justification, whatsoever, telling the Nigerian people lies on the health situation of Mr President.
Nigerians may not have forgotten when late President Musa Yar'Adua was sick in 2009 and Lai Mohammed was the National Publicity Secretary of defunct Action Congress of Nigeria.
It was Lai Mohammed who vociferously insisted that the Presidency was under obligation to inform Nigerians of the day to day state of health of the late President.
In the case of President Buhari, Lai Mohammed repeatedly hushed at Nigerians that they had no need demanding to know the President's condition of health. He continued deceiving the Nigerian public that the President was not at all sick.
Even on Monday February 27th, 2017 when he led four other Ministers to Umuahia to launch his 'Change Begins With Me' campaign and also have a Town Hall meeting with the people of Abia State, Lai Mohammed, in response to my question on the State of health of President Buhari, deceitfully stated that Mr President was hale and hearty. He emphatically maintained that the President was not in any hospital and, so, there was no cause for alarm.
Yesterday; Friday 10th March, 2017 the President returned to Nigeria. Any body that saw Mr President observed that he had emaciated conspicuously, looked pale and weak. He could not even fix his seat-belt by himself on the presidential chopper in which he flew from Kaduna to Abuja.
At the Aso-Rock Presidential Villa, where he had a closed door meeting with some members of his cabinet, the President thanked Nigerians, both Christians and Moslems for praying for him to recover from his sickness.
The President, true to self-confession, said he would not remember when he was as sick as he had just experienced, even as a young man, including during his turbulent days in the military.
President Buhari, in recognition of his true state of health, has asked his Vice; Prof Yemi Osibanjo, SAN, to continue in his acting capacity.
Yet, Lai Mohammed had been persistent in his chosen path of official falsehood and deceit.
Since Mr President has himself told Nigerians that he was, indeed, sick contrary to what Lai Mohammed had ditched out to Nigerians, it has become clear that Lai Mohammed is a Liar and is, therefore, not fit for public confidence. He should, therefore, resign.
The Centre For Equity & Eradication of Rural Poverty may not hesitate to seek legal option for his removal as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where he refuses to resign.
Executive Director.

XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS ON NIGERIANS IN SOUTH AFRICA:
BY SIR DON UBANI; KSC, JP
OKWUBUNKA OF ASA
2ND MARCH, 2017.
The word xenophobia is not new in the English lexicon. It is as old as the language itself.
Frequency of word application is determined by circumstances that demand it's use. Xenophobia means deep-rooted fear of any person or thing perceived to be foreign or strange.
Xenophobia may not be used often because it's application is very offensive and rare.
The English language has many other words that may be slightly similar to xenophobia. Such words may include racism, apartheid, segregation, negritude and discrimination.
A deep margin of difference, however, exists between xenophobia and the other words. While the the impact of the other words are expressed mainly in their psychological context, xenophobia combines physical aggression with psychological humiliation.
Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been under attack by their hosts, especially the youths.
It is reported that their places of business and even residences are being violently attacked by South Africans.
In diplomatic relationship, this development is capable of marring ties between Nigeria and South Africa. If the ugly situation is not brought under control, I foresee a situation where Nigeria would recall her High Commissioner to South Africa and South Africa would have no alternative than to do same.
In such a situation, it is not only the two countries that would lose. The whole of Africa would lose. Nigeria and South are the economic giants of the Continent. Once there is a break in diplomatic ties between the two, it would not augur well for the African continent.
Nigeria is certainly shocked at the xenophobic attacks on her citizens by South Africa. This shock could be justified taking into critical consideration the untiring roles it played in order to liberate the majority South Africans from the excruciating grip of apartheid.
The South African High Commissioner to Nigeria; Mr Lulu Mnguni, says South Africans have the belief that their means of livelihood is under threat by the presence of Nigerians and other nationals in their land.
In response to an official mission by the Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Foreign Affairs and The Diaspora; Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the South African Minister of Home Affairs; Mr Malusi Gigaba, stated that Nigerians had also killed a good number of South Africans.
He emphasized that Nigerians were in the habit of breaking the laws of their country. From his narrative, many Nigerians were into drug business and prostitution in Rosettenville in Johannesburg.
The solution to this problem does not lie in reprisal attacks here in Nigeria. The South African businesses in Nigeria are legitimate and sources of employment to our people.
The Nigerian Government should look inward and know how best to address this problem. Of course, no nation should expose it's territory to people who come in and continuously break their laws and commit all manner of crime.
Okwubunka of Asa.

MY ENCOUNTER WITH ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED: BY SIR DON UBANI; KSC, JP, OKWUBUNKA OF ASA
1ST MARCH, 2017
The 5000 capacity International Conference Centre at Ogurube Layout in Umuahia was filled to capacity. No seat was vacant. Yet many invitees could not help but stand.
This reminds me of one of my 'motions' in the Abia State Executive Council in 2014 when the International Conference Centre was being rounded off. I had moved that, taking into consideration the global publicity the city of Umuahia had received through the various writings and publications of Chinua Achebe that the Conference Centre be named 'Chinua Achebe Conference Centre'. Unfortunately, no body supported me. This is just by the way.
As for date, it was Monday 27th February, 2017. The purpose of convergence was a Town-Hall Meeting that would also witness the launch of 'Change Begins With Me' at the instance of the Honourable Minister of Information & Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
Lai Mohammed did not come unaccompanied. With him were the Ministers of Trade & Investment; Dr Okechukwu Enelama, Labour & Productivity; Dr Chris Ngige, Agriculture; Dr Audu Ogbe and their counterpart in the Ministry of Mines & Solid Minerals.
Apart from display of videos that portrayed 'war against corruption' which were shown on a power-point, each of the Ministers spoke on how the moribund national economy could be ameloriated through patriotism, dedication and transparency. Their speeches were not in any way different from regular rhetorics Nigerians in such heights speak each time people gather.
As a concerned citizen and in my capacity as the Executive Director of Centre For Equity And Eradication Of Rural Poverty, I had wanted to take advantage of the interactive nature of the meeting to ask four questions that have been agitating my mind. I was, however, restricted by contraction of time. The Moderator limited questions by an individual to one and not more than two.
The questions I had lined up in my mind for the Hon Minister of Information and Culture to answer were; (1) Why has the Federal Government of President Buhari been nonchalant each time illegally but sophisticatedly equipped Fulani herdsmen not only attack but butcher Christian farmers in Nigeria, especially in Southern Kaduna, even in the midst of much publisized fifty-five thousand police men sent to check the killings in that zone? (2) When you (Alhaji Lai Mohammed) were the National Publicity Secretary of Action Congress of Nigeria during which period late President Musa Yar'adua was sick, you consistently demanded that Nigerians should be informed of his state of health on a daily basis but today that President Buhari is sick, why would you not want Nigerians not even to know the State of health of their President but to ask what is wrong with their President? (3) Why has the APC Federal Government of President Buhari militarized our democracy? To expatiate on this question, I had intended to remind the Hon Minister of what happened in governorship elections under Buhari in Edo, Ondo, Rivers Legislative Rerun Elections and the latest Federal and State Constituencies' rerun elections in Eche/Omuma In Rivers State. (4) Why is the Buhari/APC Federal Government opposed to restructuring of the Nigerian Federation, a federation of more than two hundred and fifty ethnic nationalities that were coerced into one only by brutal force of arms but which had started making remarkable advancements based on the 1963 Republican Constitution, which emphasized fiscal federalism, a development that became truncated by Hausa/Fulani domination of the Military in governance for twenty-nine years?
Out of the four questions I had had in mind, I was only able to ask the first two. As it is usual with him, Lai, mind you I did not say Liar, fidgeted up and down only to end up saying that President Buhari is 'hale and hearty and that he has just spoken with him'. What a 'beautiful way of thinking he could deceive Nigerians'
As for my question on Fulani herdsmen, he asked Dr Audu Ogbe to answer it. I sympathized with the Honourable Minister of Agriculture who knows the truth but could not say it as it is because saying the truth would bring him into a head-on collision with the Fulanis.
Okwubunka of Asa.

MAKARFI VS SHERIF; HOPE STILL ANCHORED ON THE RULE OF LAW
BY SIR DON UBANI; KSC, JP
OKWUBUNKA OF ASA
Executive Director
Centre For Equity And Eradication Of Rural Poverty
18TH FEBRUARY, 2017

The importance of the Judiciary in any democratic setting needs not be over-emphasized. That the Judiciary is the last hope of the common man is simply a testimony to the overriding significance of the rule of law.

Under the rule of law, the accused remains innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction and, interestingly, the onus of proof is the burden of the prosecution.

Equally interesting is the very assuring fact that administration of justice in a democracy is calibrated in such a just system that there exist the Magistrate Court, High Court, Appeal Court and the Supreme Court.

Even though Justices are, by virtue of their training and orientation, expected to be outstandingly disciplined, transparent, impartial and just, those who conceptualized the doctrine of the rule of law did not lose sight of vulnerability of man. Hence, the sequential calibration of justice administration in such a way that if justice is perverted at a judicial stage, the upper level, otherwise known as the Appeal, could correct and restore justice.

I have always told myself and others that could listen to me that the world would have been a total bestiality if there had been no rule of law. It simply could have been a jungle of injustice where only the strong and powerful would have been fit to live.

I have always reminded myself that no condition is permanent. Many years ago, I was a federal civil servant. I would later become a teacher. Once upon a time, I was a Commissioner for Information and Strategy. I had also occupied the post of Commissioner for Petroleum and Solid Minerals' Development. Long before then, I had been State Chairman of defunct United Nigeria Congress Party, UNCP. I also had the rare privilege of being one of the twenty-one Convener of PDP in Abia State.These positions have come and gone.

Like the late famous Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe; the first and only ceremonial President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, reminded late Mr Ukpabia Asika; one and only Sole Administrator of defunct East Central State of Nigeria, I am now Ex this! Ex that!!

Whoever that does not appreciate that life and everything associated with it are transient, is only living a false life and, therefore, deceives himself or herself.

We also have what we call vicissitude of life. This refers to fortunes and misfortunes that accompany life.

Michael Henchard in Mayor of Casterbridge had been seen selling his wife for liquor in a trade fair only to rise, through hard work, goodwill and favorable weather conditions, to become the Mayor of Casterbridge. But at the close of the narrative, we saw Michael Henchard degenerating to penury. This is life! No condition is permanent!!

This is the more reason why people in positions of power should not allow their earthly positions take the better part of them.

The Peoples' Democratic Party came into existence in October 1998. It was a Political Party founded on the basis of mass movement. The motto of the Party was and remains 'Power Belongs To The People'.

From 1999 to 2015, the Party controlled power at the Centre and in majority of the thirty-six States of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja. Sixteen consecutive years of hold on power is an unprecedented record in Nigeria.

The Party was meant to be the equivalence of South Africa's African National Congress and the calculations of the founding fathers of PDP were that the Party was to hold on to power in Nigeria for, at least, sixty years.

Unfortunately with time and age, persons who did not know when the Party was formed, making effective but dangerous use of pretence, sycophancy and deceit, walked their ways into strategic areas of the Party and the next thing we saw were impunity, greed, misgovernance, subversion of the will of the people and mischievous destruction of the largest Political Party in Africa and the Black World.

The Party was defeated at the 2015 general election. For sentiments some of the leaders of the Party say they are regretting now, a former Governor of Borno State; Alhaji Ali Modu Sherif,was brought in to lead the Party.

Constitutionally or otherwise, he was made Chairman of the National Executive Committee of the Party.

But when it became obvious that Sherif was not the man they had imagined, the same leaders that Wooed him into leadership decided to do away with.

Regrettably, Ali Modu Shrif is like an albatross. He has vehemently refused to be dumped.

His recalcitrance has resulted to litigations upon litigation, immediately after the Party's National Convention of May 21, 2016 at Port-Harcourt.

In his judgment on July 4, 2016, Justice Mohammed Liman of Federal High Court, Port-Harcourt upheld the National Convention of the Party that produced the Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee on 21st May, 2016.

On the contrary, a Federal High Court in Abuja of concurrent jurisdiction and precided over by one Justice Okon Abang, nullified the National Convention of the Party that installed Makarfi as National Caretaker Chairman of the Party. He affirmed Sheriff as the authentic Chairman of the Party until some time in 2018.

Yesterday; Thursday 17th February, 2017 a three-man Court of Appeal that sat in Port-Harcourt handed down a split verdict in favour of Ali Modu Sheriff.

A lead judgment read by Justice Bitrus Sanga and supported by the Chairman of the Court; Justice Abubarkar Gumel, constituting a majority ruling and premised on Article 47(3) of the Constitution of PDP, upheld Sherif as the Chairman of the Party.

On the other hand and to the beauty of the rule of law, a minority judgment by one of the three Justices; Theresa Orji-Agbadua, relying on Article 31(1), disagreed with the Majority Judgment. She ruled that the processes that produced Ahmed Makarfi are constitutional, legal, lawful and legitimate. She, therefore, upheld the legitimacy of Makarfi's position.

Meanwhile, the PDP Governors' Forum ably led by the Governor of Ekiti State; Ayodele Fayose, has rejected the lead judgment of the Court of Appeal and has rather

applauded the Minority Judgment given by Justice Theresa Orji-Agbadua.

The PDP Governors' Forum has equally indicated her constitutional right to appeal against the judgment of the lower court.

It is the prayer of well-meaning Nigerians, especially those that know that a robust Opposition Party is needed for our democracy to attain it's pride of place, that the Supreme Court will rise above sentiments, ethnic, religious and mundane considerations in giving justice it's due place in this very crucial and sensitive matter.

As for members of the Party, this is an uncommon opportunity for you to exhibit loyalty, love and commitment to your Party.

If you hurriedly desert your Party now, you would simply be regarded as a sell-out, an opportunist and a food-is-ready politician. If the new Party you would decamp will never take you seriously.

Don Ubani.

GOVERNOR IKPEAZU'S POLITICAL WILL GUARANTEES ECONOMIC STABILITY IN ABIA STATE:
By Sir Don Ubani, KSC, JP
Okwubunka of Asa
1st February, 2017

Leadership is all about commitment to vigorous pursuit of vision.

Any person at the helm of affairs of his or her people who lacks knowledge of what the foundation of their problem is, could be described as a ruler or at best an interloper. Such a person does not qualify as a leader.

Leadership revolves around fundamental inept appreciation of a people's challenge and the intellectual cum pragmatic application of relevant principled and, of course, timely solutions towards addressing them.

Any leader that is worth his or her salt is never driven by sentiments. He or she must be vehemently committed to his or her dreams of leadership.

Even, as it is in most cases, if it requires temporarily hurting the misconception of the comfort of the led.

Any consumer anticipating enjoying omelette, must be prepared to break eggs. No success comes without sacrifice on the part of the leader and the led.

For the economy of Abia State, just like that of Nigeria, to come out of the woods, radical policy decisions must have to be initiated and executed, no matter how they bite.

I must say, for the umpteenth time, that any nation that derives joy from its dependence on a foreign economy is for ever doomed.

The first index to be used in determining the true independence of any state or nation is it's ability to feed itself.

That Nigeria spends billions annually on rice importation is one development that makes the world regard her as a write-off. This is more worrisome when it is beyond doubt that Nigeria has land in surplus and rain all year round. There is also abundance of affordable labour.

It is, therefore, very heart-warming to know that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has successfully insisted that his government will not import any quantity of rice from any where outside the shores of Abia State.

Last Sunday 29th January, 2017 the political will of Governor Ikpeazu was made manifest when hundreds of bags of rice given by his government were distributed to stakeholders in Ukwa-West and they turned out to be rice cultivated and produced by indigenous farmers in Bende local government area of the state.

The Governor has said it for the umpteenth time that agriculture remains the most veritable source of our economic recovery.

Investing in agriculture has many attractions to Abia State. In the first instance, it would bring about self confidence. It would create massive employment for our teeming youth. It would also help us save foreign reserves and at the same time increase our gross domestic product.

Farmers in Bende Local Government Area have the potential of producing enough rice to carter for the domestic need of consumers in Abia State and at the same time supply enough for the entire South-East zone.

What the farmers need is motivation from government. Happily enough, Governor Ikpeazu is strongly thinking in this direction.

After all, the only difference between our Bende rice and that of Thailand lies in the processing.

Once our farmers are able to procure efficient rice milling equipment, the idea of imported rice would become a thing of the past.

While waiting for government's intervention, our Bende and Ntigha rice farmers could form co-operative associations. As we say, two good heads will always be better than one.

Okwubunka of Asa.
Executive Director
Centre For Equity & Eradication Of
Rural Poverty

The Honorable Commissioner for Works Abia State , Rt Hon Eziuche Ubani, on behalf of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, the government and people of Abia State welcomes the Honorable Minister for Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN to Abia State tomorrow, February 2nd, 2017 on a two day working visit.

This visit is very significant to our people because it will afford the Hon. Minister a first hand opportunity to see the extremely deplorable state of federal roads littered across the state.

While we thank the Honorable Minister for the resumption of work on the Isiala segment of the Enugu PH highway, we believe that urgent works need to commence on the following Federal roads -

1. Aba Owerri Road
2. Port Harcourt Road
3. Ikot Ekpene Road

These are internal roads within Aba.

Then the following Federal inter state roads which connect Abia with neighboring states which have completely collapsed-

1. The Enugu PH highway
2. The Umuahia Ikot Ekpene highway
3. The Aba Ikot Ekpene highway
4. The Ohafia Arochukwu highway

The total collapse and abandonment of these key roads have subjected our people to untold suffering and agony, and have destroyed our economy which survives on patronage from people who come from outside the state.

We also believe that the visit will be an opportunity for the Honorable Minister to revisit the Geometric Power issue and probably visit the site of the project at Osisioma to see for himself the hundreds of millions of dollars lying waste there. This is a project that has the capacity to turn the economy of Aba and the entire state around.

We look forward to solid pronouncements and possible resumption of work on these projects.

The Honorable Minister will also use this opportunity to see the modest strides recorded by the Ikpeazu administration in road construction in the state and as a former Governor of Lagos State will appreciate the crucial need for the support of the Federal Government to our state.

Of course we know that that Minister will get from Governor Ikpeazu, that big MADE IN ABA box filled with the finest Aba made products.
Don't worry Sir, we already have your shoe, cloth and cap measurements, plus Madam's even your kids.

Honorable Minister, we wish you a happy stay in Abia, God's Own State.

Ibiala Eh? Ulo kwanu?
Kaa Sir. Jookwa Sir .
Ma nma Sir.

OVERSTRETCHING A PEOPLE'S PATIENCE FOR NO JUST CAUSE:
By Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP
Okwubunka of Asa
29th January, 2017

Ambition is a common character-istic associated with man. It is man's nature to aspire to higher and better standards of life. He pursues his ambition through many fields of endeavour, including education, commerce, science, technology, law, medicine, agriculture and politics .

Successful legitimate pursuit of ambition, backed by God's grace, brings about social mobility. The son of a poor peasant farmer could, by dent of hard work, become a teacher, doctor or attain any height in the society .

It is not an offence for one to nurse an ambition. One must however, draw a demarcation between normal ambition and inordinate ambition.

Students of Shakespearean history would seamlessly recall that it was inordinate ambition that made some Romans, including Cassius and Brutus, conspire against their great General, Julius Caesar and unjustifiably stabbed him to death.

Governorship election took place in Abia State in April 2015. Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu of the Peoples' Democratic Party, having clearly won the election, was sworn in as Governor of Abia State on 29th May, 2015.

Litigations arising from the said election quickly reared up their heads. Dr Alexander Otti, a native of Arochukwu who had contested on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance and lost, took his protest to the Election Petition Tribunal but lost at the court of first instance.

Feeling brutalized and badly wounded, he approached the Appeal Court that sat at Owerri and obtained a favourable judgment on the 31st December, 2015.

As would be expected, Governor Ikpeazu, Ph.D , took his case to the Supreme Court. On the 3rd of February, 2016 a seven-Man Panel of the Court, including the Chief Justice of Nigeria; Mohammed Mahmoud, in a lead judgment read by erudite Justice Suleiman Galadima, upheld the election of Dr Ikpeazu as the duly elected Governor of Abia State.

It is an expression of inordinate ambition that after having lost his aspiration both through the ballot box and at the Supreme Court, Otti still went to the Supreme Court asking to be joined in Uche Ogah's case against Governor Ikpeazu, in which Ogah is relying only on a non-constitutional tax information to become governor of Abia State, even when he knows that he never participated in the April 2015 guber election.

Granted, the Supreme Court has given impetus to his application to be joined in the Ogah versus Governor Ikpeazu suit, the truth remains that vaulting ambition beclouds good judgment.

Again, lack of patriotism has led Otti to unbearably overstretch the peaceful and patient disposition of Abia people.

Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP
Okwubunka of Asa
State Publicity Secretary
PDP, Abia State

A HOSPITABLE PEOPLE.......
ABIA STATE IS THE PLACE.

The wife of the Governor of Abia State Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu presenting Abia home grown fruit called UDARA to the acting president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, professor Yemi Osinbanjo (SAN) on his visit to launch the maiden edition of the Micro Small and medium enterprise in Aba Enyimba city, Gods Own State.

Osinbajo lauds Aba artisans, says FG’ll remove bottlenecks militating against SMEs


ACTING President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has described Aba, the commercial city of Abia State as “easily the manufacturing and smallscale business centre of Nigeria”, saying that the Federal Government would do everything possible to encourage small business operators in the country.

Consequently, Prof. Osinbajo said the Federal Government was committed to removing all bottlenecks militating against the growth of small and medium scale enterprises in the country.

Osinbajo, who spoke yesterday, in Aba, while launching Federal Government’s nationwide Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Clinic, in Abia State, noted that artisans in Aba are showcasing the real creativity which Nigerians are known for.

According to him, “When I was small and people when would say made in Aba, I never believed it but it has manifested today and the nation is in true need of them.”

He said that the diversification crusade being canvassed by the Federal Government would only be achieved through the encouragement of locally manufactured products.

The Acting President said that the process of diversification of the economy could successfully be realized through improved locally manufactured goods and services.

Osinbajo, who took time to inspect various goods and services made by the SMEs in Aba, commended the creativity of the Aba business community, adding that the Federal Government would continue to reduce pains being experienced by manufacturers in the country.

He explained that the essence of the clinic was to bring together the SMEs and agencies of government who would assist them in growing their businesses.

Prof. Osinbajo used the occasion to admonish government agencies like NAFDAC, SON, among others that their aim was not to kill or scare away the SMEs but to assist them to grow.

Earlier in his speech, Abia state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, explained that artisans in Aba are enterprising and need the support of the Federal Government to thrive in the area of registration of businesses and incentives to encourage growth.

Ikpeazu promised to grant the request for land by any Federal Government agency seeking to build offices in the state.

AVOIDING RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE
BY SIR DON UBANI; KSC, JP
OKWUBUNKA OF ASA

I am not an authority in matters of religion. I do, however, know, through the two religions; African traditional religion and Christianity that I am conversant with, that whatever we, as human-beings, sow, we are bound to reap.

The Bible emphasizes this time-held and honoured reality while my Asa traditional cum Cultural existentialism takes it as given.

I am yet to see any man or woman who disadvantageously exploited and extorted his or her fellow beings that did not end up having his or her children pay very costly for it.

In Nigeria, for instance, majority of the children of Police men whose stock-in-trade is to extort money from innocent citizens, end up as drug addicts, common criminals and irrecoverable pipsqueaks.

This is resultant of curses placed on such dishonest and fraudulent officials by their victims.

The same applies to political office holders who divert public resources to personal and selfish investments. It has always told painfully and badly on their children who ignorantly and erroneously they think they are busy accumulating unnecessary wealth for.

Not intending to deviate from the theme of this essay, my sense of history makes me recall that on the 17th day of January, 1968, the ruling military government of Nigeria heartlessly bombarded refugee camps in both Awka and Umuahia in the then Biafran enclave.

It was a calamity of immeasurable magnitude. Death toll exceeded that recorded by America's hydrogen bombardment of the two Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

Of course, the sentiment then was driven by tribal irredentism and reckless impunity. As long as the refugees that were being slaughtered through Nigeria's government were Igbo, it meant that no life was being lost.

Being helpless to avenge the spell of massacre that confronted them, the Igbo only resorted to God in prayers.

God, as I believe, has always been patient and forgiving. He, again as I believe, however, does not suffer from the human frailty of amnesia.

I have in some of my thoughts expressed the need for the government and people of Nigeria to tender unqualified apology to the Igbo for the unlimited catastrophe they avoidably visited upon them from 1966 to January 1970.

The blood of innocent Igbo people, especially pregnant women whose wombs were brutally ruptured by the people of Northern Nigeria during the civil war is still waiting for appeasement and cleansing.

It is, therefore, not a mere coincidence and surprise that the same Nigerian government that, contrary to the global rules of engagement, bombarded refugee camps in Awka and Umuahia on 17th January, 1968 repeated the same act of colossal disaster on the 17th of January, 2017, 49 years later but this time not against the Igbo but against people of Northern extraction in a camp hosting internally displaced persons, IDP.

According to speculations making the round, the bombardment was in error, resulting from false intelligence. I think nature must have had a hand in this deadly blow.

Who says there is no retributive justice? What we sow is what we reap!

Okwubunka of Asa
Executive Director
Centre For Equity & Eradication
Of Rural Poverty.

CRUDE AND OILY INJUSTICE OF MONUMENTAL PROPORTIONS

The discovery of crude oil in Owaza Community of Abia State has brought nothing but CRUDE AND OILY pains to the people. Apart from being crude and oily, the pains are sticky and slippery like crude oil.

Two days ago, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ikpeazu, Enyinnaya Appolos and I led a team of journalists from various media agencies to Owaza Community in Ukwa West LGA of Abia State.

This fact finding mission was a follow up to the visit the day before by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to the Community to witness first hand, the unimaginable level of injustice meted to the people of Owaza Community and by extension, Abia State by Oil Companies.
The Governor instructed that we go there, see things for ourselves, tell the world what we saw as a prelude to the series of very decisive steps he plans to take going forward on the issue.

Owaza Community is located off the Enugu PH Expressway. It's off the Obehie junction on the right when heading towards Port Harcourt from Aba.
Inside this community, one is confronted with gory tales and faces that depict despondency, hopelessness, frustration, sadness and anger.

Oil prospecting started in Owaza in 1958 when the then SHELL BP dug it's first oil well there. Oil was found in commercial quantities in 1961 and ever since then, oil has been mined from that community on a daily basis till date. Inside the community is littered several oil facilities including well heads (the famous CHRISTMAS TREE), flow stations, storage facilities and others. Of course, the entire soil in the community has buried in it, a complex network of pipelines crisscrossing the entire community which are used to ship crude oil from the community for export. Some of these pipelines are up to 32 inches in size.

In addition to crude oil, Owaza produces gas. The Nigeria Gas Company Ltd, a subsidiary of the NNPC has an imposing presence in Owaza.

Owaza has two major well heads - The Imo River 1 and The Imo River 3 with a combined total production of 116,000 barrels of crude oil daily.
In terms of gas, these two well heads produce a combined total production of 7.7 million Standard Cubit Feet of natural gas per day.
Companies like the Nigerian Breweries, International Glass Industries Ltd, the then Aba Textile Mills Ltd and indeed most industries in the South East relied on gas shipped by the Nigerian Gas Company Owaza for their operations.
This is what Owaza Community has given to this country daily since 1961.

But what has Nigeria and the oil companies given to Owaza?

Nothing! Absolutely nothing!

Owaza is a developmental paradox which signposts man's inhumanity to man. What I saw was a deliberate and well thought out scheme to destroy not just a people but to break down down their will power and strip them of every ounce of their humanity.
Owaza is an ecological disaster with an ecosystem that reminds one of the precarious state of existence which the people have had to contend with over more than half a century.

The injustice here is two dimensional in nature. First to the people of the community themselves and secondly to the government and people of Abia State.

First, I saw that there is no functional hospital in the entire Owaza Community. Not one. Yet Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd maintains several gigantic oil installations and have so maintained since 1958! They have several workers who ply their trade in these installations.
Meanwhile, the people grapple daily with the dangers of gas flaring. It is important to note here that a greater majority of the gas produced in Owaza are flared into the environment. You will see several flare sights burning and emitting dangerous gaseous substances into the atmosphere. There are several of them. They are visible to the eyes.
When we visited the Palace of one of the Traditional Rulers in the Community, he brought out a big carton filled with drugs which he takes daily to help him stay alive in the face of the assault on their atmosphere.

Owaza has only one secondary school, yet the place looks abandoned and decrepit. The only decent structures there and the renovations there are the ones done by the government of Abia State through ASOPADEC.

The soil there has been destroyed by oil activities. Crops cannot grow again. You will see agricultural crops struggling to find sustenance from a soil that has little or nothing to offer. Economic trees like palm and others are shriveled and dead...some dying.

I saw what used to be the Owaza Community Fish pond which has now been completely destroyed and turned into a huge sand dune owing to relentless oil prospecting activities.

The most thriving business in Owaza is Okada riding. Most of the youths, rely on this for survival. The level of economic activities in the place is unbelievably low.
Our investigations show that since 1958, only TWO indigenes of the community have worked in Shell as full staff and this was in the 1960s. Since then till date, no Owaza son nor daughter has worked in the company as a staff. What they do mostly is to hire youths from the community to do manual labor for them. Yet every day, they see a convoy of air conditioned buses carrying their fellow Nigerians and foreigners guarded by heavily armed soldiers who drive into their community to work at these installations and still leave every day.
In terms of infrastructure, its shockingly non existent. There a few improperly tarred roads done by the NDDC and what looks like a caricature of street lights. There are no proper water schemes and no light. This is a community that produces millions of standard cubit meters of gas everyday used to power and give light to other parts of the country!

Another thing i witnessed is that the only good and solid roads are the one that lead to oil facilities.

It was a most distressing tour for me.

The only decent public building I saw in that community is a church!
Owned by the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star...Olumba Olumba Obu (OOO).

Yet, you will never hear of militancy nor destruction of facilities nor disruption of oil activities here. It's an amazing anti climax.

To be continued...
The sorry is only beginning.

-Onyebuchi Ememanka

LET DESPERATION AND PARTISANSHIP NOT DERAIL NIGERIA'S DEMOCRACY :
BY SIR DON UBANI; KSC, JP OKWUBUNKA OF ASA
I have written severally that one of the greatest gifts humanity got from the Greek civilization is democracy.
The joy of democracy is that it is anchored on the rule of law. Simply put, the rule of law dictates that every human-being is equal before the law.
Also of importance is the fact that the accused is assumed innocent until proven otherwise. It goes on to emphasize that the onus of proof is that of the prosecution.
The experience Nigerians had during the twenty-three years of military dictatorship in the country makes them raise alarm each time they perceive threats of dictatorship among their elected leaders.
President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress came into power on his canvassed mantra of change.
Based on prevailing economic circumstances at that time, Nigerians gave him benefit of the doubt.
Twenty-one months into his administration, Nigerians are in a position to say for themselves if Buhari's change is better for them or worse than where he met them.
Apart from the economic strangulation they have been brutally subjected to, Nigerians are becoming increasingly victims of political desperation and partisanship.
The APC government of President Buhari is hell-bent on wiping out opposition in Nigeria.
It wants to achieve this undemocratic feat by sheer intimidation of the main opposition Party, Peoples' Democratic Party and lack of respect for the rule of law.
Nigerians must have taken notice of the level of desperation the APC displayed during the Rivers State re-run legislative election on 10th December, 2016.
Despite the overwhelming presence of all the national security apparatuses the APC government deployed in order to over militarize the State and cow down the opposition, the federal government came out badly shattered and humiliated.
Not done with what it had done in Rivers State and in order to send stern warning to the opposition against 2019 general election, the APC federal government of Buhari has done the unthinkable.
Six Police officers that were attached to the Governor of Rivers State; Barr Nyesom Wike, have secretly been tried and dismissed by the Police authorities merely on trumped up charges of professional misconduct.
I think that President Buhari and his APC Federal government are wasting too much of our scarce resources trying to heat up the polity.
If former President Goodluck Jonathan's PDP had done what Buhari's APC is doing today in Nigeria, I do not think APC would be in power.
President Buhari, even if he now suffers from senility as a result of superannuation, should not forget that the conditions he claimed Nigerians were subjected to in 1983 for which he overthrew the legitimate government of the then President Shehu Shagari had, by far, become more tolerable than what Nigerians are suffering from today.
I pray that President Buhari should take it easy and respect the sensibilities of Nigerians. For goodness sake, he should uphold the rule of law.
A stitch in time saves nine.
Sir Don Ubani
8th January, 2017

Abia targets N2.5b monthly IGR from December 2017

Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, said the state is targeting N2.5b monthly Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from December 2017.

The governor who spoke during an interactive/dinner session with some Abians in the diaspora at the Banquet Hall, Governor's Lodge, Umuahia assured that the target will be met.

Governor Ikpeazu told the gathering that to enable the state meet this target, his government is committed to improving revenue collection processes to block leakages as well as ensure rapid improvements in road infrastructure at Aba and Umuahia as additional incentive for citizens and residents to pay all statutory revenue.

"Our target for 2017 is to hit N2.5b monthly IGR. When we came in, the internal revenue profile of the state stood at N500,000 monthly. We have been working very hard on this, especially in Aba and as at today, we have hit N1b. We are not satisfied yet. Our immediate target is to hit N2.5b by December 2017, so that we can be able to pay salaries without going to Abuja."

He added: "A businessman from Abia State is collaborating with the State Government to develop and commercialize the large cashew plantations around the Umunneochi area. This man plans to establish cashew plantations across the state and build cashew processing plants to produce cashew for consumption".

The Governor appealed to Abians in the diaspora to support his government by investing at home, promoting made in Aba goods/services and representing the state well at their countries of residence.

Governor Ikpeazu further implored them to avoid engaging in crimes as "crimes offer no sustainable benefit and as people of God's own state we must live exemplary lives for others to emulate".

UCHECHUKWU OGAH Vs. Dr OKEZIE IKPEAZU & Ors

An Opininion piece by Prof Ikechukwu Mgbeoji

It has been nearly 4 weeks since the Supreme Court decided the appeal in re: Joe Agi SAN vs. PDP & 2 Ors (SC/256/2016). This is the appeal in which Ayade was accused of presenting 3 different birth certificates and three of which were said to be forged. Agi's contention was that Ayade was ineligible to contest the governorship of Cross River State because he (Ayade) presented false documents on oath on a matter concerning Ayade's age. Despite the salience and pertinence of that judgment to the appeal lodged by Uche Ogah against the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu's qualifications to vie for the governorship of Abia State. This judgment is probably a pointer to the forthcoming decision in re: Ogah vs. Ikpeazu.

Here is the deal: The Supreme Court affirmed the election of Prof. Ayade and dismissed Agi's appeal on the ground, inter alia, that the allegations of presenting false documents or making false declarations under oath by Prof. Ayade to PDP in FORM CF001does not operate to disqualify an otherwise qualified candidate.

Rather, the purport and object of Article 14(b) of the PDP Guidelines "is to ensure compliance with the CONSTITUTIONAL requirements ...for the office of a candidate who seeks to contest for the office of a Governor." (Emphasis supplied).

Permit me to quote the Supreme Court in extenso:
"By the provision of section 31(5) of the Electoral Act, the position of the law is well established that where a candidate makes a false declaration in his Form CF001, a person aggrieved may seek redress. However, the purport of s 31(5) is not designed to disqualify a candidate who is otherwise qualified to contest the relevant election under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I seek to say further that even in situations where a governorship candidate makes inconsistent statements in his form CF001 and such a candidate is nevertheless qualified to contest the election under the provisions of section 177(b) of the Constitution, he will not, notwithstanding the inconistencies in his form, be disqualified to contest the election." Per Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi at page 74.

A fortiori, as payment of taxes if NOT a constitutional requirement for contesting the governorship position of a state, allegations of false declaration on tax payment are IRRELEVANT.

The electronic version of the judgment is available online.

UCHECHUKWU OGAH Vs. DE. OKEZIE IKPEAZU & Ors

An Opininion piece by prof. Ikechukwu Mgbeoji

It has been nearly 4 weeks since the Supreme Court decided the appeal in re: Joe Agi SAN vs. PDP & 2 Ors (SC/256/2016). This is the appeal in which Ayade was accused of presenting 3 different birth certificates and three of which were said to be forged. Agi's contention was that Ayade was ineligible to contest the governorship of Cross River State because he (Ayade) presented false documents on oath on a matter concerning Ayade's age. Despite the salience and pertinence of that judgment to the appeal lodged by Uche Ogah against the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu's qualifications to vie for the governorship of Abia State. This judgment is probably a pointer to the forthcoming decision in re: Ogah vs. Ikpeazu.

Here is the deal: The Supreme Court affirmed the election of Prof. Ayade and dismissed Agi's appeal on the ground, inter alia, that the allegations of presenting false documents or making false declarations under oath by Prof. Ayade to PDP in FORM CF001does not operate to disqualify an otherwise qualified candidate.

Rather, the purport and object of Article 14(b) of the PDP Guidelines "is to ensure compliance with the CONSTITUTIONAL requirements ...for the office of a candidate who seeks to contest for the office of a Governor." (Emphasis supplied).

Permit me to quote the Supreme Court in extenso:
"By the provision of section 31(5) of the Electoral Act, the position of the law is well established that where a candidate makes a false declaration in his Form CF001, a person aggrieved may seek redress. However, the purport of s 31(5) is not designed to disqualify a candidate who is otherwise qualified to contest the relevant election under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I seek to say further that even in situations where a governorship candidate makes inconsistent statements in his form CF001 and such a candidate is nevertheless qualified to contest the election under the provisions of section 177(b) of the Constitution, he will not, notwithstanding the inconistencies in his form, be disqualified to contest the election." Per Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi at page 74.

A fortiori, as payment of taxes if NOT a constitutional requirement for contesting the governorship position of a state, allegations of false declaration on tax payment are IRRELEVANT.

The electronic version of the judgment is available online.