Abba community in fear over police arrests

By O’star Eze

Abba Community in Njikoka Local Government Area has cried out against the alleged incessant arrest of its indigenes by the Nigeria Police. The community claimed that the arrests were aftermaths of a protest its members conducted, June 19, 2019, stemming from a land dispute with Ukpo community.

According to some Abba indigenes who spoke to press on the basis of anonymity, the arrests were part of a grand ploy to create fear in the community and intimidate them to relinquish their inheritance to their neighbors.

In their words," The way the police has been arresting our people since we protested is not fair. We gathered that the Ukpo people provide the police with list of our people ot arrest. They are doing this to cow us into relinquishing our inheritance. Three persons were arrested two weeks after the protest on July 3.

“One of them was a widow from Ire Village, Mrs Nkechi Okafor-Meluba who was arrested at her shop. There was also Mr David Umeano of Okpuloji Village and Mr Samuel Okafor of Ire Village who were arrested and taken to Abuja but were brought back days after,” the sources claimed.

Continuing, the Abba indigenes said that that the arrested persons were charged with conspiracy, attempted murder and engaging in acts capable of causing breach of public peace.

In their words, “The charge sheet of the arrested persons bore Conspiracy, attempted murder, engaging in acts capable of causing breach of public peace and obstructing court bailiff from enforcing court judgment.

"On the 17th of July, two weeks after, the persons were granted bail after being arraigned at Magistrate Court, Ukpo.

"The most recent, is the case of Hon Obinna Chukwuma, a former Counsellor from Abba who was arrested on the 19th of July at Ukpo where he went to purchase some items for his business.  His crime was simply speaking up against the injustice being meted out to our people. 

“Recall that Hon Chukwuma's wife was among the first 14 persons arrested. He also spoke clearly in appeal to the state government to come to our rescue when our people took our problem to the State Government House in Awka. That's his crime and we wonder why.

“Honourable Chukwuma has been transferred to Abuja from the state command,” the sources said.

According to them, more names in the community have been penciled down for arrest.

A visit to the parcel of land in question showed that all signposts bearing Abba Junction, Njikoka LGA have been replaced with those with Ukpo, Dunukofia LGA. There was also a heavy presence of operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in the area.

It was also gathered that since the June 19 protest, Abba women have not traded in the Oye Abba market for fear of being arrested.

Explaining the position of the police on the matter to the press, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr John Abang stated that the presence of police was in line with standard procedure of the force whereby policemen are deployed to perceived areas of conflict to avoid breakdown of law and order.

In his words, "the Abba-Ukpo Land dispute is one of the easiest in our hands now. It is just a matter of two communities with different court positions. We are working on something now and in no distant time, we will invite both parties and put an end to this issue. It will be addressed."

It would be recalled that Ukpo Community had won a court case over the ownership of the land but when the matter got to the Supreme Court, it was found that records of the proceedings were missing.

In January this year, the Supreme Court gave its position on the matter where it said that "any judgement that records of proceedings are missing from the trial court, cannot be enforced".

It therefore directed both communities to go back to the trial court.

The matter was slated for opening at the State High Court, One, Awka on the 8th of July, but was adjourned till Friday, the 26th of July, 2019.

Pro Okorocha groups threaten to occupy streets of SE states

By Our reporter

South East Professionals and Presidential Support Committee (SE) are two groups that have questioned the decision of the Independent National Electoral Committee, INEC to withhold Rochas Okorocha's certificate of return after pronouncing him winner threatening to occupy the streets of the 5 Southeast states if it is not reversed. They also condemned in strong terms the declaration of Emeka Ihedioha as the governor elect of IMO State in the just concluded general elections.

Speaking through a press statement signed by Emeka Ugwu for South East Professionals and Maxwell Okoye, for Presidential Support group, the duo group alleged that Emeka Ihedioha did not meet the minimum requirement of the constitution to be declared.

"That from the results purportedly declared, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha did not meet the minimum requirement of Section 179 (2&3) as he did not secure the mandatory 25% votes casts in 18 out of the 27 Local Government Areas of Imo State. Rt. Hon. Ihedioha only secured 13 local Government Areas Only," the statement read in part.

They insisted that the act allegedly perpetrated by the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Francis Chukwuemeka Ezeonu, in conspiracy with the State Returning Officer, Prof. Francis Otunta. They therefore called for the removal of the REC and the investigation of both the REC and the Returning Officer of conspiring with the People's Democratic Party to rob Okorocha and his son-in-law of their mandate.

They then called on the INEC National Chairman to hand over the certificate of return to Okorocha and hold a run off guber election for Imo State threatening to occupy the streets of the five States of Anambra will be occupied if they don't heed their call.

"Finally, we call on INEC, as a matter of urgency, to issue a Certificate of Return to H.E. Owelle Rochas Okorocha as Senator-Elect, Imo West Senatorial District; and to conduct a runoff election in line with Section 179 (4) of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

In the event INEC refuses to do the needful by end of business Monday the 18th day of March, 2019, the streets of the five States of the South East will be lawfully occupied.

Team Oderaigbo meets Godwin Ezeemo“Obi took us somè steps forward but Obiaño has taken us several steps backward”- Ezèemo

Report and interview conducted by Val Ulasi for TEAM ODERAIGBO

Team Oderaigbo; Can we meet you Sir?

Chief Ezeemo: My name is Godwin Chukwunenye Ezeemo from Amanasaa Umuchu in Aguata L.G.A. in Anambra State. I attended St Thomas Anglican Primary School Umuchu, St Peters Secondary School , Achina and Federal Polythecnic Ilaro in Ogun State where i obtained OND and HND in Marketing.

I am a businessman and has so many business interests ranging from Shipping,Farming ,Media, Haulage, hospitality, e.t.c. I have lived in Nigeria for some years and in United Kingdom for so many years.

Team Oderaigbo: What actually drew you into politics?

Chief EZEEMO: Well I came back to Nigeria from the UK in 2012 and after comparing what used to be obtained over there and how far behind we are in Nigeria, I decided that the best way to bring about that positive change which I dream about is by joining politics.I left my comfort zone in England where I had not to struggle to put diesel in my generator, where I use to enjoy everything freely without having to carry my gas cylinder to go and refill. I had to forgo them because no sacrifice is greater than that.

I joined politics for the purpose of assisting ourselves, offering a service that our ppeople purely deserve. Our leaders have failed us. Can you imagine after all these years, people still fly their sick ones to America, UK, And recently India?

Why can’t we lay the foundation and have those things here? We have our younger ones graduating from universities as medical practitioners in various disciplines coming up stronger everyday. Where will they offer their services? Can we afford not to develop them for our benefits? Is it not better for us instead of importing what I know we can offer but because we lack sincere leadership, leadership devoid of making money out of everything…purely service to humanity. My point is too important to be made and that is why I am in politics.

Team Oderaigbo: Can we know your antecedents sir?

Chief Ezeemo: Well, my antecedents are not hidden. I will look at my antecedents first from the perspective of being Onye Anambra and then to my local which is Umuchu.
As a media person,I felt bad that Journalist do not have a secretariat in the State hence -: I

i: built the NUJ secretariat in Awka,
ii: built a twin 3 bedroom flats at the General Hospital Umuchu,
iii: fenced the Girls Secondary School Umuchu,
iv: built Doctors Quarters at General Hospital Umuchu.
v: built, furnished and donated Divisional Police Headquarters building Umuchu
vi: Sunk Water Borehole and laid reticulated water pipelines in Umuchu
vii: built, furnished and donated the building structure of the church and vicarage of St Peters Anglican Church (Zion City)
viii: assisted in the construction of over 10 Catholic Churches in the State.
ix: Donated big Engine speed boats to Igbokaenyi Community, Olu Mbanasa in Anambra West LGA.
x: Built more than 4 km roads in Umuchu
xi: assisted in the construction of over 12 Anglican Churches in Anambra State.
Just to mention but a few
Most importantly, the language me and you speak today which is Igbo Language is going extinct because nobody cares about developing it which is the main stay of our Culture.

On my arrival here in 2012, I was faced with that problem and good a thing, a former VC of UNIZIK; Prof. Pita Ejiofor founded a group known as “Otu Subakwa Igbo”, I approached him and started financing most of their programmes and I have doing that till date.

Generally, I have exhibited love to almost every segment of our society especially in Anambra West LGA where I had to board a boat to ferry me across just to go and give e less-privileged ones some sense of belonging. In addition, when I came back here and attended church service, and coincidentally, Church project collection was announced and I could not stand it watching these women unfolding their wrappers to bring out #20, #50 that were rumpled. That was the point I decided to take up that task and removed that burden of building the church from them.

I built that Church with a parsonage fully furnished .

I have a couple of manufacturing outfits here in Umuchu, I created jobs and helped in pulling some of our youths off the streets , at long run contributed in having a secure Anambra which we now enjoy.

Team Oderaigbo: Do you think that your party PPA is the best platform to defeat an incumbent?

Chief Ezeemo: Cuts in; The choice of PPA is not by mistake. It is a prominent party in the Southeast among the Ndi Igbo. Infact, PPA has received more Certificates of Return in election more than APGA which they mistake as an Igbo party, yet 100% owned by individual and that is why it only exist in Anambra. Having said that, I believe its high time people start appreciating and evaluating individual capabilities and not party.

What can the individual offer? Can he make a difference irrespective of the party? The point is that Emphasis on the political parties have not helped us. We need to start saying Mr A, we know his antecedents, we know his history and also his character and we also know what he can do, let him go for us.

Parties have failed us. They have sold monkeys in place of Chimpanzee , in our local dialect we say “elesiri anyi enwe n’onu adaka”.

It is not a must one must go through APGA or PDP or APC to win election in Anambra State. It is not good for us. It does not give people opportunity especially people with capacity but cannot compete with the Cult-like Party selection instead of election .

We will be at advantage if political parties stop being the determinants of who goes for us rather they will only be used as a vehicle for achieving political offices..

We keep repeating what we did in 2003, we repeated it in 2007, repeated it in 2011, repeated it in 2015 and keep getting the same result.
We need a better result and that means we should do something different this time around.

The past governor His Excellency Mr Peter Obi made few steps forward but as I speak, we have gone several steps backwards under His Excellency Chief Obiano.

Team Oderaigbo: “Willie Is Working”; is this a Fact or fiction?

Chief EZEEMO: clears throat; that is a sort of propaganda and as far as am concerned, any propaganda that does not have any atom of truth in it is deceit. In any propaganda, there must be something that is concrete then you bloat it to a propaganda and then it works for you..

Is somebody working and in the whole of Anambra South Senatorial zone; there is no single road built in three years? Is somebody working and in the whole of Anambra Central Senatorial zone, no road was built in the last three years? then in Anambra North, the roads that were built there are not commensurate with the volume of monies that have accrued to Anambra from the Federation Account, IGR, Paris Fund refunds and monies he met non assumption of office in the last three years. Even the roads he claimed he constructed, how many kilometres are they? Let me take you back to the second tenure his predecessor His Excellency Mr Peter Obi. He took people round all his projects on a facility tour and people were convinced. Can His Excellency Chief Obiano take us on a facility tour? He can not and any other thing he will do, the citizens will throw sachet water on him because he will go and claim projects already existing before he came.

Let me also tell you this, the cost of billboard littering every corner of the State saying “somebody is Working” can comfortably build 30 km of roads. If somebody is working; what will speak for him is his works and not lies.

Team Oderaigbo: Sir presently, the citizens of the State woke up to see barriers being mounted on the newly constructed flyovers in AWKA, how do you react to that.

Chief EZEEMO: thank you for that important question. All over the world, flyovers are built for a purpose especially to decongest traffic on the roads. But the truth is; how many vehicles do we have in Anambra? If I were the governor, there is no way I will do that flyover because the money can never be gotten back from the FG. What I would have done is to do a Service lane on the right and another on the left from Amaobia down to Regina Caeli junction so that people can make U-turn and FG will pay for it because I did not raise additional structure and thus is where the technicalities I can officer comes into effect.

Normally, I created barriers on the private roads I constructed in Umuchu to avoid heavy Duty trucks from using them.
But His Excellency Chief Obiano is creating barriers on a bridge that is not yet completed. This is because the Awka Flyovers were never properly designed, no proper quotation and documentation. I am sorry, no amount of beautification can change that bridge.

I will give you an example. I went to Ebonyi State and I saw a bridge constructed by their governor and you won’t need anybody to to tell you that their governor has an excellent sense of aesthetics…modern Flyover! Under their flyover provides another rendezvous where people gather in the evening to look at themselves and you can rent it out as a source of IGR too. If it were in Paris, it is called “markea”…they will make their music in the evening and people will enjoy themselves and ease off the pressures of the day. But if you see the Flyover at AWKA; you will not help but yell who designed this? Who approved this? Does it mean that somebody coming to look after a State does not have the tinniest sense of aesthetics? Look at it from any angle, the bridges are colossal waste of scarce resources and a wrong priority. We have a hundred and one road that needed to be done in AWKA and that money would have been used but too bad, such monies wasted there can never be refunded.

Team Oderaigbo: There is this news on the social media that you organised some hooligans to go and obstruct the convoy of the Wife of the Governor which on a visit to Umuchu...?

Chief Ezeemo cuts in; you see, when statements are made, you can know what that person thinks of you. I am a free man, that is why I live and walk freely in the locality here since 2012. If I am a troublesome person, the 12 villages of Umuchu should have known before now. Go and raise a Vote of “yes or No” for me out there and I bet you, you will get 99% for me and I know that will speak volume for you.

With all sense of modesty; my background is that of a western world. I am a black man but an oyibo in character….in terms of how I handle and attend to issues. There is no need for friction, if there is friction, somebody will be hurt.

What happened was that people were trooping into Umuchu( remember Umuchu is “Alonso”) to be sure of what we are talking…is it true or are we still being told “Willie is Working” and coincidentally, the wife of the governor is also in a visit to Umuchu that same day and in the process of seeing them going to inspect some projects I did, they saw them and thought they came for war.
I thank God for the type of Heads of Security Agencies we have in the State. The CP called, the Director of DSS called, the DPO who was at the scene and also the PG of Umuchu told them that nothing like what they heard on social media happened.
Funny too, the person spreading the news quickly recanted after making a mess of himself. I will not like to talk anybody down….I will leave everything to God. But all I can say is that if you see strength in somebody, build him up, if he gets up there, he is not going enjoy all the benefits alone, but if you see strength in someone and talks him/her down, that person can not influence anything even within his inner circle.

You can tell our brother, he is from Umuchu that he needs to have a rethink on his approach to issues.

Team Oderaigbo: What is your message to Ndi Anambra as you we go into the elections?

Chief Ezeemo: My message is simple, you can not be doing the same thing over and over again and expect to get a different result. Its time we do things differently for the future of our children. INEC will soon start the process of Voters registration and I plead with all and sundry to avail themselves of that opportunity and get registered so that their choice will be heard. The people should also de-emphasize Political parties and concentrate on what the individual can offer based on his antecedents.
I have what it takes to drive the wheel of Anambra to the promised land and I have offered myself as an agent of that change and God’s willing, the sky will be our starting point. Thank You and God bless.

Team Oderaigbo: Your welcome sir, please do oblige us when next we come calling.

Cheif Ezeemo: Always welcomed.

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APGA faithfuls endorse Godwin Ezeemo for governor

The Maxi Okwu led faction of All Progressive Grand Alliance known as Movement for Greater Anambra State, MOFGAS, came out enmasse today to declare APGA bastardised as they endorsed Ezeemo and People's Progressive Alliance, PPA as the credible leadership that would move Anambra forward.

Speaking during the event of endorsement which saw more than 200,000 MOFGAS members converge on Emmaus House, Awka, Obi Okafor, Onowu Okpuno, chairman of event (MOFGAS stakeholder) alleged that APGA has more than 10 court cases and has kept on bastardising the noble ideals of the founding fathers. He then described Ezeemo as a gentleman to the core that has a reputation of keeping his words.

He said the Maxi Okwu faction is adopting Ezeemo as their candidate. He said that as humans, we always seek improvement. He observed that the restiveness in the south east is because the down trodden are neglected. " Igbos have investment in other cities, but Ezeemo brought his own home. In line with Ojukwu's admonition. If Ezeemo becomes the governor I know that all of us will smile," he enthused.

Comrade MI Okeke, Convention committee chairman, MOFGAS said that the group is a benchmark of excellence and sole promoter, advocate of good governance and leadership development in Anambra State. He narrating how the group was etched out of APGA attributing it to the present government's ineptitude, rascality and extravagance. He said that the group has identified Godwin Ezeemo as the only candidate with a precedence of matchless passion for Anambra having contributed immensely to the economic growth of Anambra State.

He therefore said that MOFGAS has endorsed Ezeemo and would move on from the event to commence issue based progressive campaign aimed at redeeming Anambra State and people.

"We will address the moral deficit and Gestapo-like government that has led to the breakdown of our value system, causing slow pace of development in the State," he said.

Edwin Okonkwo, PPA National Deputy Chairman said he was enthralled at the personality of Ezeemo. He said that Ezeemo had inspired him to put group interest over personal interest in politics and called Ezeemo, the best thing that can happen to Anambra State.

Ezeemo said that his purpose is to sincerely attend to the basic needs of the people. He reiterated on his consuming love for his black brothers and intention to use Anambra State as a case in point in achieving an organised and comfortable as well as inspiring society. He promised that he would always be reachable and transparent when he becomes governor of Anambra State.

Raising up Ezeemo's hands by the National Chairman of PPA and the National Secretary of MOFGAS marked the Highpoints of the event, and Shedrack Anakwue, MOFGAS state chairman's summon of the thousands of MOFGAS Anambra faithfuls present to gather around Godwin Ezeemo in solidarity.

Ezeemo to inspect Anambra prisons

Godwin Chukwunaenye Ezeemo, PPA gubernatorial candidate, has pledged to assist Civil Society Network in carrying out an impending prison inspection tour in Anambra state.

Speaking during a courtesy call of the civil rights group, Ezeemo expressed concern over the reports of injustices, human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings by law enforcement agents and prison wardens. He said that the program is in line with his passion for his state; to restore sanity and order to all its sectors.

In his words, “Part of why I came back to sojourn in Nigeria and get fully involved in the development of my society is because I am repulsed by the longstanding wrong conception about black men that they cannot be successful without engaging in fraud. I have sworn to change this ideology and prove it wrong both in words and in deeds.

“My concern over the checkered state of my society got me involved. We moved two steps forward and then ten steps backwards in the last two dispensations.”

He shared the sentiment of the group that indeed our prosecution and imprisonment system leaves much to be desired and promised that his administration will be more preventive in approach to crime by effectively empowering the youths and providing basic amenities to all, thereby reducing the gap between the rich and the poor.

Given the deplorable state of our prison system; alleged human rights abuses and wanton killings, Civil Society Network had sought and gotten the approval of Anambra State Police Commisioner and Chief Judge to carry out an intensive inspection tour of all the prisons.

Explaining earlier, the state chairman of the group, Elvis Okoli said that the group has involved a team of lawyers and journalists to take part in the exercise and would feature looking into the case files of inmates to identify those ones who are not supposed to be in jail. Also all the excesses of the prison wardens will be identified and necessary actions taken to stop them.

In his words, “It is quite disheartening that some police men have turned themselves into judges. There have been several  reports of the police imprisoning suspects without trial for years just because they could not pay for their bail, allegations of extrajudicial killings and dumping of dead bodies with the living inmates for days.

“We as a civil society seek to address this and we need all the help we can get to do this.”

The group, while extolling the outstanding works of Godwin Ezeemo, promised to aid in sensitizing the people to vote in Godwin Ezeemo who has proven from his antecedents that he has genuine love and compassion for all the people of the state.

High points of the visit were the occasion of Nneka Ezeemo, wife of the gubernatorial candidate and member of the civil society group, pledging to give the group airtime and space on Orient Mega FM and Orient Daily newspaper/ magazine respectively to vent their message of a civilized society; a tour of the various production plants at the Umuchu cluster of Ezeemo Group of companies.

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RUMOUR CONFIRMED: IFEANYI UBAH IS NOW WITH APC

Following the recent rumours making rounds that Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah has joined APC in preparation for 2017 Anambra gubernatorial election, Jimmy Chinedu Nwankwo,  chairman APC, Nnewi North was intercepted in IFEANYI Ubah's Nnewi residence and he confirmed the speculation adding that his party has since issued party card to Ubah. 

However, Ifeanyi Ubah's special assistant on media, Ikechukwu Onyia, was quick to direct that Ifeanyi Ubah is a true Nigerian and political animal who is presently making consultations in view of upcoming elections and is justified for any decision he deems necessary in ensuring that Anambra gets the best governor in the next election. Onyia said that so far Anambra has been doing alright but is yet to tap into her full potentials as a state. In his words,  "there are very many resources and economic potentials wasting away in this state due to the incompetence of the powers that be. IFEANYI Ubah is aggrieved about this and would want to address this, especially in the aspect of human resource development. It is the people that build the society and not vise versa, therefore we need to invest more in human capital development in this state. This is what Ifeanyi Ubah is demonstrating as an individual in many ways. A case in point being the Youth Fiesta today that converges all great musical artistes of Anambra origin to entertain and mentor Anambra youths for free."

Onyia also said that his principal has lofty plans to revolutionalise agriculture in all the agro communities in the state through effective international partnership, not the "ritual mode of sharing money to individuals in the name of agric loan" being demonstrated by the present administration.

"ONYII SOUTH" on the prowl; NEW KING OF HIGHLIFE/HIP HOP

By O’star Eze

His name is Onyema Emmanuel Nwachukwu, and goes by the stage name, "ONYII SOUTH" He is a musical artiste who hails from Anambra state, Nigeria and is based in South Africa, which explains the suffix attached to his name.

Onyi South has been in the music industry for quite a while now and has recently re-invented his music genre to reflect the much loved blend of hip hop and highlife, a harmony that is trending after the likes of Nigga Raw and Phyno popularized it.

Onyii South has usurped the title of "KING OF HIP HOP HIGHLIFE MUSIC" and has his single titled "NWA OGBENYE BUTE IKE" (A poor man has been lifted) as evidence.

He challenges all and sundry to check this song out and be the judge.

In his words, “I have decided to display my versatility and professionalism in bringing back high life music in the industry again”

Listening to his tunes, one would have no other choice but to agree that this is one young man that has resolved to put in hard work and dedication towards perfecting his passion. What, with a memorable voice strength and punch line delivery of a pro, nicely packaged courtesy of the technical management of HILLSTIX, melodious harmonization of GRANDMIX & KEZYKLEF, Onyii South is one artiste to watch out for. His craft is one of a kind and you can access this highly controversial song on “Nwa Ogbenye Bute Ike” on www.naijaloaded.com www.notjustok.com www.smash9ja.com to mention but a few. You can book him for appearances and performances via Catch Fire Entertainment; +2349075755587