Orji emerges chairman of South-East govs forum

Sun News Online – Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State has emerged as the new Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, succeeding Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra. Announcing Orji’s emergence in Enugu on Sunday, the outgoing chairman of the forum, Gov. Obi said he was elected after consultations and agreement among the governors. Obi called on the new chairman to ensure effective cooperation for the development of the zone. In his acceptance speech, Orji promised to do his best to project issues concerning the zone in order to take it to greater heights. “I know it is a very big task but with the cooperation of my colleagues, the task will be easy to…

President, Governors lose immunity

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his Vice, as well as the Governor of a State and Deputy can now face prosecution in criminal matters while still in office, following the expunging of the Immunity Clause that used to protect them from Nigeria’s statue books. This controversial clause that had been debated for several years was finally laid to rest Wednesday by the House of Representatives.  Two clauses on the immunity of the National and State Assemblies were dropped. The Lower Legislative Chamber also granted autonomy to Local Government Councils and approved the split of office of the Attorney General of the Federation and that of the Minister of Justice.  It places…

Angry Youths Disrupt Okorocha’s Convoy

The convoy of Governor Rochas Okorocha’s was yesterday attacked in Oguta LGA of Imo State by angry youths purportedly hired by a candidate for the postponed Imo House of Assembly elections scheduled for next week. Report has it that the Imo State Governor Okorocha, who was in Awa community in Oguta LGA to drum up support for the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) – Chief Walter Uzonwanne for the upcoming election scheduled for next week met with opposition candidate driving into Awara on his way out of the community. An eyewitness reports that one of the motorcyclists on the campaign train of the PDP candidate was knocked down by one of the…

Corruption: The 37th State of Nigeria

There is a cloned hydra-headed monster on a tiny-lined white thread seen with the third-eye only making up the 37th State of Nigeria.  It is CORRUPTION.  On May 27, 2012, the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Owerri Diocese, Most Rev. Anthony Obinna celebrated a thanksgiving Mass for the State Government to mark its one year in office at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral Owerri.  In his homily, the Archbishop called for an alternative Nigeria. The alternative Nigeria, he explained would be “Nigeria that is just and fair, a Nigeria where there is rule of law and respect for justice and fairness, a Nigeria where the leaders will shun double standard life and enthrone good governance…

Democracy Day not for Celebration – Obi

Governor Peter Obi said that Democracy Day should ideally be used to reflect on the real meaning of democracy and ask ourselves if democracy is beneficial to all the people in the country, including the rich, the poor, the sick and the underprivileged. Governor Obi who was speaking when he visited and interacted with inmates of Oji-River Leprosy Centre. Obi said he visited the centre on the invitation of the Archbishop of Enugu Province and Bishop of Oji-River Diocese, Most Reverend Amos Mmadu, especially on the realization that the inhabitants of the centre cut across the States of the South-East, especially Anambra State (Ayamelum and Anambra West Local Government Areas). This was confirmed by the…

NIGERIAN GOVERNORS FORUM: WHICH WAY NOW?

When the Chief Executives of the 36 states of the federation formed the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) soon after the return to civil rule in 1999, Nigerians welcomed the idea as a laudable development capable of strengthening the then fledging nascent democracy. The Forum, as a coalition of the elected governors is a non-partisan association which seeks to promote unity in governance and better understanding among states to ensure a healthy and beneficial relationship between the states and other tiers of government.  It is on record that the Forum has played useful role at certain critical moments of crisis in the country by trying to wedge the country from drifting down the precipice. The Forum…

2015: Obasanjo Dumps Jonathan

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo reopened what is arguably Nigeria’s most critical issue – leadership.  “You know you can help somebody to get the job, but you cannot help him to do it.  If somebody cannot do the job, we have Sule Lamido who we are confident can do the job”, he told a crowd of would-be investors, dignitaries and ordinary folks in Dutse, capital of Jigawa State on Wednesday. It was at the opening of the First Jigawa State Economic and Investment Summit at the Sir Ahmadu Bello Hall at the state secretariat. Obasanjo did not elaborate on his statement and it was not immediately clear whether he was talking about the 2015 election.  Jigawa…

CAN backs emergency rule

  President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration of a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states has received the blessing of the Christian Association of ngieria (CAN), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) . But the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and its National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected the decision. CAN President Ayo Oritsejafor said the decision vindicated its position that only force could end the insurgency. The Christian body called for the immediate scrapping of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue. Pastor Oritsejafor, in a statement in Abuja said: “With the declaration of a state of emergency in the three states, the amnesty committee is no longer relevant…

Jonathan imposes emergency rule on Adamawa, Borno, Yobe

President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.  However, the governors of the affected states are to continue in their constitutional roles.  In a nationwide radio/television broadcast on Tuesday, President Jonathan ordered the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, to deploy more troops to the affected states for more effective internal security operations. The soldiers had been given full orders to take necessary action, within the ambit of their rules of engagement, to end the impunity of insurgents and terrorists. Full texts of the President’s broadcast on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 reads. It has become necessary for me to address you on the recent spate…