₦airaland Forum

Abia State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC has called on the state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to immediately appoint Commissioners in his government, warning that the state is not a hamlet where he can rule anyhow he may choose to.

The party expressed displeasure that four months after the disengagement of the Commissioners, retaining only the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner for Information, and the Commissioner for Health, the Governor is yet to name his full cabinet members.

In a statement signed by the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Benedict Godson, made available to ABN TV, the APC wondered how the allocations meant for the ministries in the 2021 fiscal year are being spent, warning that the state government should not derail from how a government should operate.

The statement titled 'Gov. Ikpeazu must realize that Abia is not a hamlet where anyone can govern anyhow' This partly reads, "Everyone in Nigeria is aware that Gov Ikpeazu, dissolved Abia State Executive Council in January, retaining only the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner for Information and the Commissioner for Health.

"This decision of the Governor to dissolve the Executive Council retaining only 3 Commissioners was wildly reported. It actually means that about 23 Commissioners were removed making such positions vacant since January 2021.

"How can this be? Majority of them are meant to execute all what's approved for their ministries in the 2021 Budget. They made inputs on how those ministries will be run this year, why are we derailing from how government should operate?

"The most embarrassing of all these dramas is that the Governor still goes about referring to some of the people he never announced that he retained as Commissioners.

"We have heard him of recent talking about Commissioners for this and that especially for works when it was obvious that he never announced their reinstatement.

"This Press Statement is meant to ask the Gov Ikpeazu to tell Abians what kind of shadow Commissioners he's using in Abia. It is also meant to remind him that Abia is not a hamlet he can administer as he feels.

"If the previous Commissioners are people of questionable characters, are there no other qualified Abians you can replace them with?

"Why is Gov Ikpeazu finding it difficult to replace them? What's holding him? Is 4 months not enough? Is there something happening behind that Abians need to know? Gov Ikpeazu please tell us?

"Yes, as a Governor he has right to remove any of his employees, but courtesy demands that he administer Abia as a state, not a Social Club where he owes nobody any explanations."

A UK-based lawyer, Barr. Chukwuma Obidike has dissociated himself from an online publication in which his name was mentioned in relation to a planned attack in Igbere, home of Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu, Chief Whip of the Senate.

The name Chukwuma Obidike was in the said publication referred to as a member of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB who singled out home of Sen. Kalu for attack.

The said publication reads; "Sen. Abaribe Allegedly Incites IPOB To Attack Orji Uzor Kalu’s Country Home"

But in a chat with ABN TV, Mr. Obidike said he has no link with any planned attack in Igbere, Sen. Kalu's country home.

According to Obidike who said he never spoke with any news medium, neither did he reach any agreement with Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, the alleged sponsor of the attack.

He described himself as a simple lawyer who has been living all his life in UK without any interest in Nigerian politics.

He called on members of the general public to ignore said publication, insisting that he has no connection with the publication neither has he any link with any move to attack Sen. Kalu’s home.

Policeman, Driver Killed As Robbers Attack Vehicle Conveying Money In Umuahia
@abnews247 @PoliceNG @GovernorIkpeazu pic.twitter.com/B3jONrL8Za

— ABN TV (@abnonlinetv) May 21, 2021

Spokesperson of House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu has clarified that the move by the House to legalise the use of Indian hemp in the country is not to encourage smoking among the populace but for industrial and pharmaceutical reasons, as well as for the purpose of boosting production of over 50 products.

Describing Indian hemp as one of the products needed across the world, the Bende federal constituency representative said if legalised, the agricultural produce can help in production paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, beverages, personal care products, fuel among others.

Speaking on Tuesday on a radio programme, Ben Kalu Mandate streamed live by ABN TV, he said legalising cannabis is not a leeway to encourage smoking, maintaining that as a born-again Christian, he has not engaged in smoking or any other form of intoxicant since birth and will not encourage it.

He revealed that according to verified market research, the global industrial hemp market in 2019 was valued at $5bn, saying it is projected to reach $36bn in 2026.

While adding that Nigeria could be a big exporter of cannabis if the right steps are taken, Hon. Kalu urged Nigerians to apply critical thinking to innovations instead of attack.

While adding that other countries are legalising the growing of industrial hemp, he advised that Nigeria must not be left behind.

In line with UN Single Treaty, he added that the product will be limited to few people, saying unauthorized access will attract sanctions.

Hon. Kalu insisted that at a time when the entire world is moving away from fossil fuel, transiting into alternative power sources to power vehicles and others, Nigeria must not be left behind.

On the medicinal benefit of cannabis, he stated that the World Health Organization, WHO December last year recommended that the United Nations, UN should remove cannabis from schedule 4 of 1961 single convention on narcotic drugs and be classified as a therapeutic and medicinal substance.

Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, met with members of his cabinet in Aba on Monday to deliberate on additional measures needed to ensure protection of lives and property in the state following recent attacks on police stations by yet to be identified hoodlums.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting which was attended by the Deputy Governor, Rt Hon Ude Oko Chukwu, and other members of the state executive council, the Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, stated that the state government was set to organize a security roundtable involving key stakeholders in the state to review the prevailing situation and recommend measures to further improve security in the State.

According to him, the roundtable which is expected to last for 36 hours, will hold in Umuahia the state capital, and is expected to bring together serving and retired security officers of Abia origin, Chairmen of Local Government Areas and Traditional Rulers with a view to recommending lasting solutions to the challenges of insecurity affecting the state in particular and the nation in general.

According to him, “the Governor prefers to manage security issues proactively and he is ready to do whatever is necessary to protect law abiding citizens as well as visitors to the state”.

On when the current curfew regime in the municipal and other vulnerable local government areas of the state will be lifted, the commisisoner assured that government was continuously reviewing the situation and will lift the curfew as soon as security improves. He appealed to the people of the state to comply with the curfew and give information to security agents that could enable them end the spate of attacks which he described as sad and unfortunate.

Chief Okiyi also informed that the Governor has set up an inter-ministerial implementation committee to midwife the early realization of the dry port project in Isiala Ngwa North LGA under the supervision of the office of the Deputy Governor. The committee which is led by the state Commissioner for Finance, Dr Aham Uko, will have the Attorney General and Commissioner for justice, Barr Uche Ihediwa and Commissioner for Works, Elder Bob Ogu as members.

Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has said his administration is according priority to the construction of a dry port in Ntigha, Isialangwa North Local Government Area of the state, even as he underlined that the state will no longer embark on airport project just because others are doing so.

The Governor said when completed, the dry port will help in facilitating ease of doing business in Aba and the state at large.

The governor made this known during a zoom meeting organized by journalists in the state under the aegis of Abia Media Forum.

The Governor said, “we are looking at viability here, economy is key. Only about 5% of our population have interest in flying while the other 95% use road to move their goods and services.

"We must look at the needs of our people before embarking on any project”, he said.

He also stated that his administration is prioritizing the needs of the people in terms of infrastructure development of the state.

According to him, resources of the state must be properly channeled to address fundamental needs of the people.

The governor also said his administration is working closely with sister States to address the issue of insecurity in the region. He reiterated the importance of the Ebubeagu Security outfit and said it would help address the security challenges faced in the region. He informed that the idea behind the Ebubeagu Security outfit is to collaborate and maximize the comparative advantage in each state of the region, enable the region procure modern technology to facilitate monitoring of movement of persons, and to effectively tackle the challenges headlong. Dr. Ikpeazu said the launch of the new security outfit couldn’t have come at a better time and that the State already had in place the Homeland Security Unit with a mandate to protect lives and property of people of the State.

While stating that the state was deepening the Ebubeagu security outfit by recruiting at the ward and community levels citizens who would help in the area of information and intelligence gathering at the grassroots level, the State Chief Executive said "the State will soon organize a stakeholders forum which will have in attendance all stakeholders in the security sector.

"We are bringing together stakeholders in the security sector to help us evaluate the template we have; this will enable us tackle the security challenges we are faced with. Our target is to create a security architecture robust enough to secure our state.”

While addressing the issue of criminal herdsmen in the State, the Governor said his administration took proactive measures by enacting a bill through the State Assembly to ban open grazing in the State. This he said has helped the state in addressing the issue of herders and farmers clashes in the State.

“We have a law on open grazing. Aside Benue State, Abia was the first to pass the Anti-Open Grazing law in the country. We are tackling criminal herdsmen from other parts of the country and sub-region. We are enforcing the law", he said.

He called for the decentralization of the nation's security architecture and the creation of State Police to enable states tackle their peculiar challenges.

While reiterating the need to address the issue of perceived injustice in the country, the Governor said there are complaints of injustice, lopsidedness in appointments, lack of consideration of the feelings of those occupying the Nigerian territory in critical decision making of the country etc, he called for inclusiveness in the appointment of personnel: For example, in our security architecture of the country, the southeast doesn’t have any security representative in the security council meeting. There is a need to have an all inclusive government in order to assuage the feelings of those agitating.”

Governor Ikpeazu used the occasion to reiterate his government’s mission to leave Abia State better than he met it. “I want to be remembered as someone who came and tackled intractable issues; I want to be remembered as the Governor who tackled unworkable roads like Faulks, Ama Ikonne, and the governor who added to the road infrastructural stock of the state.

"Most of the roads we constructed are still standing and would stand the test of time. We have affected positively all facets of state infrastructure: education, health care, road, agriculture, SME, etc. Our aim is to leave the state better than we met it,” he concluded.

Abia State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has announced a 6pm to 6am daily curfew on Umunneochi and Bende local government areas of the state, ABN TV reports.

This is squel to the subsisting curfew imposed by Abia State Government between the hours of 8pm-6am in Aba, Umuahia, Ohafia and Arochukwu.

Though no reason was given for the extension of the curfew to the two local governments, it may not be unconnected with the escalating insecurity challenges in the state where security personnel and formations have come under vicious attacks in recent times, leading to burning of several government facilities around the state.

A statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Chris Ezem gave the details of the new curfew regime as follows;

"Aba and Umuahia municipal areas: 8pm to 6am daily.

"Ohafia, Umunneochi, Bende and Arochukwu LGAs: 6pm to 6am daily."

He also added, "Only those on essential duties with proper identification are exempted from the curfew.

"Furthermore, all Executive Chairmen of the 17 Local Government Areas are by this notice directed to urgently deploy local Vigilante Groups in their domains to support conventional security agencies to enforce the curfew and effectively safeguard lives and property in their respective LGAs."

The Minority Leader of Nigerian Senate, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe has said that there is suspicion that those who perpetrate insecurity in the South East region were imported to create the impression that the region is not safe, wondering why the once peaceful region has suddenly become volatile.

The Abia South Senator in a radio interview on Friday monitored by ABN TV said this among other things is aimed at scaring investors from the region and create an atmosphere of poverty and hunger among Ndigbo, insisting that this is not what the people want.

"We are very surprised at how all of a sudden, the South-East that was very safe and secure area is now made to be unsecured.

"In another interview, I had had cause to say that I really doubt if it is somebody from the South-East doing this because we are not known as people who destroy. We are known as people who build.

"We also have our traditional etho. There is nobody in the South East who is Igbo that doesn't know we revere life and from time immemorial till this time, we do not do mindless murder and destruction of property. That is not in our DNA. We are very surprised at what is going on.

"This leads us to the suspicion that this is being imported into the South East in order to get another agenda of saying that the place is very very unsafe.

"Now, once the place is unsafe, you will not get investment coming there. You will not have people building. You will not have any development going on there. And all that it will lead is poverty and increasing poverty and that is not what they want" he said.

He also assured of his support to the Southeast governors in bringing peace in the region especially with the recent creation of Ebube Agu security outfit.

While calling for further consultations, Sen. Abaribe called for legal backing to support the outfit.

The last is yet to be heard about the students of Abia State University Uturu who allegedly escaped from kidnappers along Okigwe-Uturu road as one of them whose identity could not be verified said their abductors vowed to slaughter them and watch their cows step on their (victims) intestines.

Narrating her ordeal in a viral audio recording obtained by ABN TV, the escapee victim said the incident happened at about 8pm.

Trouble started when she along with other passengers numbering about 9 in total boarded a newly acquired Sienna vehicle belonging to their friend, Chris who was incidentally going their direction.

She said the journey was smooth until they reached a point riddled with many potholes, causing their driver, Chris to slow the speed at which he was moving.

According to her, it was at this moment that heavily armed men numbering about 10 came from the push, threatening to kill them.

She further noted that in an attempt to escape, their vehicle ran into a ditch, causing the doors to shut, making it difficult for them to escape.

Luck however ran out of them as their abductors broke the car windows, harvesting them one after the other.

Her saving grace however was when she lied on the floor, weeping and begging the abductors to spare her, offering her phone and money which they rejected, insisting that they don't want anything from them.

Even their threats to kill could not make her go into the forest where they have taken others to.

When they could not bear her delay, they left her.

She further said around 4am the next day, she called her friend who was among those kidnapped.

Her friend identified as UG told her that they were lucky to escape when their abductors fell asleep.

She added her friend UG told her that from the point where their abductors took them to, they were only a shouting distance from Enugu.

The Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe has taken a swipe at the APC-led federal government for inability to rise up to the escalating insecurity in the country, accusing them of doing 'going to, going to' after spending six years in office.

The Abia South Senator who spoke on a radio programme The Platform monitored by ABN TV said the opposition in the National Assembly had to challenge the President, Muhammadu Buhari to lead from the front to stop the country from collapse instead of operating only in the realms of planning on what to do.

According to Sen. Abaribe, a recent alarm raised by Niger state governor, Abubakar Sanni Bello, an APC governor that four local governments in his state are under the control of terrorists calls for concern.

He said as a Minority caucus of the National Assembly, PDP and other political parties had after a meeting recently bared their minds, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to do more to ensure that Nigerians are protected.