Imo Elders Council alerts Presidency, cautions PDP chieftains over security breach

 NNAH DOUGLAS Abuja

The Imo state Council of Elders (IMSCE) has alerted the presidency even as it warns the ruling People’s Democratic Party’s stalwarts in the state for several security breaches and unwarranted attack on Governor Rochas Okorocha.

The Council has therefore called on President Jonathan to call his party men and women to order to avoid the escalation such security breaches especially as the 2015 general election comes close.

In a press statement made available to Daily Newswatch yesterday in Abuja, Chairman of the Council and a former Deputy Director General, State Security Service (SSS), Okey Israel Njemanze (Esq) however, exonerated President Goodluck Jonathan from the allegations, but called on him to take decisive steps to prevent the escalation of security breaches in the state as efforts to prosecute the culprits were always suffer setback.

Prince Okey Israel Njemanze (Esq), said although the security agencies in the state have performed creditably well to maintain peace, there is looming danger in view of the security breaches by some PDP politicians from the state.

On the Oguta inconclusive Local Government Poll, Prince Njemanze, blamed the Presidency for INEC’s refusal to declare the inconclusive Oguta election which remained only 5 out of 198 wards, noting that the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) the then Governor’s party had won the declared results with 2011 votes.

The IMSCE chairman wondered why INEC had refused to declare the results causing the area to remain unrepresented in the state Assembly for a period of three years.

Njemanze also called on President Jonathan to stop the abuse of siren and use of outriders in the state by some PDP faithful in the state as the country approaches the election year.

 The NSO Deputy DG equally expressed worry at the incessant attacks against Governor Okorocha and breaches of protocol in the state, citing the incident where a clash between the Governor Okorocha’s convoy and that of Senator Chris Anyanwu’s was merely averted.

He also alleged that several thugs loyal to the PDP candidate in the Oguta election had at one time accosted the Governor’s convoy, pulled down the outrider and disarmed a policeman attached to him.

The Elders also recalled another breach at burial of Justice Chukwudifu Oputa when a microphone was snatched from the governor’s hand while dignitaries present including the officiating Priest Bishop Hassan Kuka looked on.

According to the Elders Council, the presidency seemed to be backing the lawlessness of Eze Cletus Ilomuanya who despite being dethroned as the Chairman Imo Council of Traditional Rulers has continued to parade as a delegate to the national conference.

The IMSCE Chairman was of the view that if the situation persists as electioneering nears, there might be possible blood bath among aides loyal to different political giants in the state. 

Day Imo First Lady donated building to indigent widows during August Meeting

From: Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri

This year’s Annual August Meeting in Imp State was one with a difference. It came with surprise gift from the wife of the State Governor.

Yearly, Igbo women congregate in their town halls across the five states that made up of South-East to take the stock of the year and proposed new projects to take care of women in the states.

So when this year’s annual ritual, popularly known as August Meeting, it came with much fanfares and ceremonies.

  The wife of the Imo State Governor and founder of the She Needs a Root Project’ (SNARP), Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha use the occasion to re-emphasized  her commitment  to  tackle  the plight of indigent widows in the state through  her pet project.

Mrs. Okorocha who gave the reassurance told newsmen on her planned activities  slated for the 2014 ‘August Meeting’  and said that a total of  131 poverty ridden widows  had so far benefited from the pet project  with two bedroom bungalows  well furnished at a total cost of N391 million .

As  part of the strategies to ensure that the project is not  hijacked by politicians  to launder their  image, the wife of the  governor explained that an independent  investigating  team had been put in place to  navigate the  27 LGAs of the state and fish  out those actually  in need of the shelter and who as a matter of fact must be indigent  widows.

“There is no modicum of favouritism in the implementation of SNAPRS, because no government functionary is involved in it and it is clearly on merit”, she stated.
She assured that funds for the execution of the project are
entirely from complemented voluntary donations from interested individuals. The First lady expressed optimism that the largesse would be sustained after her tenure as the Imo First Lady.

 “My office does not receive allocation from the state government and I channel the little I have to solve the problems of the poor and the down -trodden in the society”, she added.
While calling for continued support and cooperation from all in the execution of government policies and programmes, Mrs. Okorocha vowed to remain resolute and undaunted in her humanitarian activities.

It would be recalled that during the official inauguration of ‘Nneoma women’, her pet project, which is designed to reach out to the rural women of the state, said that the philosophy behind her pet project, ‘She Needs a Roof Project’ (SNARP) was to ensure total eradication of shanties in the state.

Mrs. Okorocha stated this at the inauguration ceremony of the first phase of the well-furnished ultra-modern bungalow she built for three widows: Mrs. Udochukwu Franca, Mrs. Charity Nwosu and Mrs. Regina Okwara of Umuoma Egwedu Njaba Local Government Area, Abazu Ogwa in Mbaitoli Local Government Area and Ikeduru Local Government Area respectively.

She expressed her happiness over the construction of the buildings and thanked God for using her as an instrument for transforming the lives of the indigent widows who now have shelters over their heads.

The governor’s wife used the occasion to call on people to remain steadfast in the Lord; even as she assured them that the Lord who answered the prayers of the beneficiaries of SNARP would surely not forget them in their misery.

In their respective addresses, the Sole Administrators of Njaba Local Government Area, Hon. Uche Rajis, Mr. Emma Iheanakwe of Mbaitoli Local Government Area, and their Ikeduru Local Government Area counterpart, poured encomiums on the wife of the governor, saying it is a dream come true and not some internet projects which some past administrations were noted for.

The sole Administrators prayed God to sustain this goodwill of Mrs. Okorocha in the total transformation of the state. They pledged their continuous support and loyalty to the rescue mission of Governor Okorocha.

The people of Umuoma Egwedu in Njaba, Abazu Ogwa in Mbaitoli and Iho in Ikeduru LGA could not hide their happiness in thanking the wife of the governor as some beneficiaries of the SNARP emerged from their area. They promised their support and solidarity to the rescue mission of the governor.

For the beneficiaries, Mrs. Udochukwu Franca, Mrs. Charity Nwosu and Mrs. Regina Okwara, it was a miracle done in their life hence they were full of praises and prayers for the wife of the governor. The event which attracted people from different walks of life featured the unveiling of the plague of the buildings, cutting of tape for the inauguration of the houses and freewill donation in support of the SNARP project in which the initiator vowed that about 270 of such buildings would be completed in the state before the end of the year.

“We, Women of Divine Destiny are like intercessors after the heart of Esther, who interceded for her people and they were freed from slavery; Moses who interceded for the Israelites and God’s punishment for them was averted. In the same vein, let us intercede for the well being of our families, for our Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha to remain focused and be able to accomplish all the laudable projects he is doing in the State and for peace to reign in our State so that every Imolites will be a shining star in their different field of endeavours,” the First Lady admonished.

“Prayer as we believe is the key to progress and achievement. It is your prayer that is working miracle in this administration. Within eight months of stay in office, every corner of the State is echoing the goodness of the Lord as a result of the developmental structures springing up here and there under the supervision of my humble husband, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the Governor of Imo State,” she said.

Day Uyio Ikpaisong Ibibio task their sons on industrialization

It was special day for the people of Ibibio indigenes and their traditional rulers in Akwa Ibom State.

On that day, the apex Ibibio traditional rulers’ council and the foremost sociocultural and ethnic nationality groups in Ibibioland and Annangland communities met to iron out their plight in the political, social and economic development of the communities as they gathered to reflect on their problems to their people aspiring political positions in Nigeria and the state in particular.

Uyio Ikpaisong Ibibio, which comprises of nine of the 14 Paramount Rulers in Ibibioland, Akwa ESOP Imaisong Ibibio and Afe Annang, respectively owned up to those consulting them for their ambitions in the coming 2015 elections.

On hand was the immediate former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Nsima Ekere, who disclosed that massive industrialization of the state and sustainable development would be his priority when elected Governor. Mr. Ekere spoke when he consulted and received the crucial royal blessings of recently.

At each stop, Mr. Ekere was prayed for, blessed and given the nod to vie for the governorship ticket of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking during those remarkable consultation visits, Mr. Ekere emphasized his human development plan through a ready-made industrialization blueprint for the state which, according to him, was designed to build on the massive infrastructure put in place by Governor Akpabio.

“Governor Akpabio, my friend and brother, has put in place world-class infrastructure. But we must, as a necessity, begin to build the people,” he declared.

Speaking on the level of neglect of the areas, Uyio Ikpaisiong Ibibio-in-Council in Etinan, the Uyio Ikpaisong and Paramount Ruler of Etinan Local Government Area, Edidem Ime Dickson Umoette, who led the prayer and blessing session, likened Mr. Ekere to the Biblical Moses who was ejected from Pharaoh’s palace so that God’s plan in his life could be fulfilled and lauded his industrialization programme for the state.

The Paramount Ruler of Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, Okuku Ime Udousoro Inyang, prayed for Mr. Ekere’s success to and advised him to remember the Ibibio race when he became Governor.

Ntisong Ibibio III, Obong Essien Ekidem, who leads Akwa ESOP Imaisong Ibibio, told Mr. Ekere, during a consultation visit to the group in Uyo, that he was impressed by the former Deputy Governor’s wisdom and experience in both the private and public sectors and prayed God to bless him and open doors for him in the gubernatorial race.

Otuekong Sunny Jackson Udoh and Chief Ukata Akpan, who also spoke for the group, lauded Mr. Ekere’s qualities.

Itai Afe Annang III, Okuku Pius Effiong Eside IV, who also received Mr. Ekere and his mammoth team of elders, youths and women in Essien Udim, said Annang people were willing to stand by him as a knowledgeable man capable of building on Governor Godswill Akpabio’s achievements and legacy.

He commended Mr. Ekere for not disrespecting the person and office of Governor despite his resignation two years ago, and reasoned that the former Deputy Governor’s exit was divine as God had a better plan for him.

Okuku Effiong, who doubles as the Clan Head of Ikpe in Essien Udim, Governor Akpabio’s home Local Government Area, lauded the Governor for supporting the popular cry for zoning of the governorship seat to Eket Senatorial District and predicted that Mr. Ekere would benefit from the process of power shift which he (Effiong) and Ibibio leaders championed in 2006.

Other speakers such as Engr. Gabriel Udo Umoh, Obong Michael Afangideh and Obong Emmanuel Umanah, described Mr. Ekere as a competent and humble material and his visit as divine as Afe had never recorded that huge turnout to receive such a guest. The Member representing Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo/Mkpat Enin Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Dr. Akpan Micah Umoh, urged the people of the state to rally round Mr. Ekere as a worthy successor to Governor Akpabio.

 Member representing Urue Offong/Oruko State Constituency in the House of Assembly, Barrister Bassey Etienam explained that he was supporting Mr. Ekere after assessing all the aspirants and finding him a man of peace, the kind of Governor Akwa Ibom needed in 2015.

Others who spoke in support of Mr. Ekere’s bid were Engr. Joseph Effiong, the Chairman of Steering Committee of Akwa Ibom Consolidation Project and other prominent citizens of Akwa Ibom.

The immediate past Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State and leading governorship aspirant in the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Nsima Ekere KJW, has promised to institute a welfare scheme for the elderly in the state as part of his people’s development programme if elected Governor next year.

Addressing a cross-section of Ikot Abasi people, recently, during a consultation visit, Mr. Ekere explained that such a scheme, which would be patterned after what obtained in the Western World, would take care of elders of 65 years of age and above.

He disclosed that he was also planning to develop world-class human capital in the state to build on the world-class infrastructure put in place by Governor Godswill Akpabio.

To this end, Mr. Ekere stated that he had already fashioned out an industrialization blueprint for the state.

“We have built the infrastructure,” he said. “Now is the time to build our people.”

He revealed that he had consulted far and wide in the last one year on the possibility of running for Governor and that the outcome of the consultations was positive but explained that he has not commenced campaign since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was yet to lift ban on campaign which power was invested in it by the Electoral Law.

The former Deputy Governor thanked the stakeholders of Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency for adopting him as their sole candidate and pledged to do them proud.

In his remark, the member representing Urue Offong/Oruko State Constituency in the House of Assembly, Barrister Bassey Etienam declared his support for Mr. Ekere and commended him on his plan for human development after Governor Akpabio’s infrastructural development.

The Assemblyman said that Mr. Ekere’s victory in the governorship race was certain and charged Ikot Abasi people to rally round and support him.

His Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo counterpart, Mr. Uduyok Aboh, expressed happiness that the former Deputy Governor was back for the good of Akwa Ibom people.

A former State Deputy Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Engr. Johnson Essien Ibok, commended Ikot Abasi people for realizing that Mr. Ekere was the answer to the challenges facing the state in 2015.

The Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Akwa Ibom Consolidation Project (AKCP), Engr. Joseph Effiong, said, from the field observation of the group, it was clear that Mr. Ekere enjoyed the massive support of Akwa Ibom people and urged Ikot Abasi people to remain united in supporting their son.

The Chairman of Ikot Abasi PDP Elders’ Forum, Obong Obot Etukafia, described Mr. Ekere as a well-known personality and lauded him for starting his governorship bid with prayers.

Others who spoke at the occasion were Mr. Mathias Idiong, for elders, Princess Ekaette Umana, for women, and Mr. Mfon Umana, for youths. They all hailed Mr. Ekere as the best governorship material and pledged to stand by him. Mr. Ekere received a tumultuous welcome into Ikot Abasi by ecstatic palm frond-wielding youths and balloon-throwing maidens.