In 2007, while seeking to legally recover his stolen mandate, the cabal in the PDP expelled Amaechi from the party using the non-existing candidature of his cousin, Celestine Omehia. Amaechi won the legal battle, became governor, and eventually won again as his membership in the party was restored through the courts.
Fast forward to 2014, some political buccaneers tried to use Wike to end him politically in PDP. Rather than being suffocated, he moved to APC and together with other Progressives, and for the first time in the history of Nigerian politics, an opposition party toppled a sitting government.
Following his rising profile, enemies within his party who didn’t like his rising profile and wealth of power yet again started another clandestine move to undermine him and further render him politically incapacitated.
This time around, the willing tool was a close ally and politically beneficiary Sen. Magnus Ngei Abe.
Rising from the experiences of yesterday, Rotimi Amaechi stood his ground to protect and secure his political dynasty, which led to years of political wars sponsored by Wike and executed by Abe.
The end has justified the means. Magnus Abe has finally been chased out of APC by his undesirable ambition and has forcefully stopped his ownership claim of the APC while shopping for a willing horse, even a dead one in the SDP.
He failed his sponsors this time for lack of tact to execute and achieve their destructive agenda against the party that gave him some national prominence in the Red Chambers. No thanks to Amaechi, anyway!
It’s politically correct to say for Rivers APC and Amaechi, “Once bitten twice shy.”
Written by Meinyie Okpukpo, a political commentator and analyst from Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP), Member of the APC Legacy Projects Media Team and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Eze Chukwumeka Eze has cautioned the Director General of the Tinubu Campaign Organization, Mal. Adebayo Shittu to be mindful of his choice of words in responding to sensitive issues, warning that careless misstatements propelled by hubristic sentiments and inordinate emotional attachment has the propensity of rapidly widening the great conflagration that has already heated-up the polity.
Mal. Shittu, a former Minister of Communications, had taken a swipe at former Presidential aspirant, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, over his revelation that many of those who were induced with money during the APC presidential primaries are now regretting their action. The former stated that he found the utterances of Amaechi unbelievable.
He said, “Who is regretting what? Can Amaechi isolate himself from those he claimed to have induced delegates for votes? He, just like other aspirants at the APC primaries, cannot point fingers at others without implicating themselves.
“What does he mean by delegates are regretting they collected bribes for votes? Is he indirectly saying the governors who brought them collected bribes and expressing regret too? I wish to have an opportunity to square up with him on this kind of issues.”
“Amaechi’s outburst, just like few other noticeable ones, were obviously done out of frustration. I understand that when one loses an election, one is bound to hold grudges. You can’t rule that out. After all, we are human beings and Nigerians,” he added.
Reacting to Shittu’s discordant bashing, Chief Eze said the former Communications Minister merely succeeded in exhibiting his trait of stack ignorance over a matter of fact at the public glare in an attempt to justify the gale of bribery and heavy monetization deployed to sway voters and pervert the will of the people.
Shittu, by his statement seems to be feigning ignorance of the simple and clear purport of the statement made by the erstwhile Minister of Transportation and this, Eze said beats ones imagination and forces him to wonder whether the Mallam is operating from the moon as to not know about the state of things in the country.
What exactly did Amaechi say that is confusing to haters to warrant the type of utterance from Mal. Shittu.? Amaechi said that those delegates that allowed themselves to be enticed or induced financially to swerve their conscience against voting accordingly are roaming in a pool of regrets. And that statement clearly represents the undisputed reality as at today.
“Since after the convention what is the condition of those delegates? Are they better off? Are they still not facing the embarrassment and shame we are facing where most of our key actors are leaving the party in droves?. Eze queried.
“Who in Nigeria today is happy with the APC? Instead of the likes of Shittu acting as a concerned party member by assisting the APC flag-bearer to succeed, he is rather smoking issues for him by attempting to malign the person and personality of one of the greatest Pillars of the party in the person of Amaechi.” His type of sycophancy is what the country is battling today.
“Did Amaechi mention anybody’s name when he made that statement? So if Tinubu’s people feel they are guilty, so be it. Everybody saw what happened on that day, and even most of the delegates confirmed that they were given money to vote,” he said.
Furthermore, Eze said the personality and weight of Amaechi in the scheme of things in the party and country cannot be overstated. He led the party to victory in 2015 as DG., of the APC Presidential Campaign and unseat President Goodluck Jonathan and the People’s Democratic Party. He replicated the same victory for the second time as Campaign DG. in 2019 when President Buhari was returned as President in a landslide, beating other contenders to clinch victory.
Eze squarely cautioned Shittu and those playing the music for him to desist henceforth from making any further unguided utterance against the former Presidential aspirant and South-South leader of the All Progressives Congress, whose legacies reactivated public confidence in government.
Instead of Shittu to help in mapping out strategies on how to face a dreaded presidential candidate like Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and the raging fire of Obi of the Labour Party, he is busy for noting, chasing shadows in an attempt to cast aspersion on a committed party member as Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
…Insists Amaechi, Cole not on Trial but Wike’s Arrogance & Ignorance
Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, member of APC Legacy Projects Media Team and erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze has hinted that Gov. Wike and the People’s Democratic Party in Rivers State have never won any election under an atmosphere that conforms with the tenets of participatory democracy or reflects the will of majority.
In a statement made available to media houses in Port Harcourt, Chief Eze said the legal ambush and witch-hunt by the Governor and his party against other political parties in Rivers State with a clear intendment of denying them participation in the 2023 elections in a bid to give their unsellable candidate a free ride to power exposes the cowardice of the Governor and his party who are afraid of going into a free and fair contest with other candidates and parties.
“What the world should know about Rivers State Politics and how Governor Nyesom Wike has retained power in Rivers State since 2015 is that there has not been any proper democratic or free electoral contest since 2015 in Rivers State to test the true relevance of Wike. His fear for proper and free electoral contest has always lured him to ensure that every strong opposition to his misguided governance of the State is quashed or dismantled. He did it in 2015 and by 2019 he perfected it by ensuring through the help of his stooge, Senator Magnus Abe and others that the APC is stopped from fielding candidates and contesting the 2019 general elections.”
“Sadly, he has adopted similar unholy tactics to see if he can stop other political parties from participating or contesting the 2023 general elections.”
Chief Eze said Gov. Wike started manifesting his evil intention by alleging a case of misappropriation of State Funds by the administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in order to stop Pastor Tonye Cole, the APC Flag-Bearer for the 2023 general elections from contesting, knowing very well that no Rivers State funds was either misappropriated or misplaced as the said funds were not only captured in the 2014 budget of the State but were also duly paid into the account of the State Government.
“The noise over this in order to demean or destroy the credibility of Pastor Tonye Cole is a clear exercise in futility as it is the arrogance and ignorance of Governor Wike that is on trial and not Amaechi or Pastor Cole.
As if his trial of Tonye Cole was not enough, Eze revealed that Gov. Wike has gone ahead to seek the disqualification of the Governorship Candidate of the Social Democratic Party and Accord party.
According to report that has gone viral, “the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has instituted a suit seeking the disqualification of Accord Party, and the Social Democratic Party SDP governorship and other candidates from the 2023 election in Rivers State. Also joined in the suit is the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
PDP had in the suit asked the court to disqualify Dumo Lulu Briggs, the governorship candidate of Accord Party, and Maurice Pronen of SDP in the 2023 general elections for alleged non-compliance with the new Electoral Act b
It is rude, un-African of Wike calling Atiku a liar, tagging Babangida, Lamido his attack dogs – Eze
… Cautions Wike to play down on public speaking, as he’s overheating polity
… Says his ambition can’t be bigger than PDP
… Appeals to Atiku to reconcile with the governor without succumbing to his evil schemes
Despite his progressive inclination and current political leaning as a foundation member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP) and member of APC Legacy Projects Media Team, Chief Eze Chukwumeka Eze, has voiced his displeasure over the bizarrely primitive and aggressively self-assertive characteristic of Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, whose notoriety in the use of very harsh condemnatory and fowl languages against perceive political foes and more recently, former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and other notable Nigerians who have made serious sacrifices for the domestication of democracy, nauseate every right thinking member of society.
“Not minding my present political affiliation with APC, as a patriotic Nigerian I cannot stand aloof and watch helplessly as one of the political institutions in Nigeria is decimated and desecrated by Governor Nyesom Wike who was a mere student activist when Atiku Abubakar was playing actively to champion the enthronement of genuine democracy in Nigeria.”
In a statement made available to media houses in Port Harcourt, Chief Eze said Wike’s truculent criticisms and barrage of uncultured invectives since the announcement of the result of the PDP presidential primaries exposes him as a troubled man with a streak of sadism in him.
At times in public utterances, people should be careful and do the best they can to study and understand some of the characters against whom they discuss and stop running down leaders who they know very well they cannot be better than.
Acknowledging whatever Governor Nyesom Wike may have claimed to contribute with public funds in sustaining the PDP, Chief Eze said it is impious for the Governor to allow his dusky garrulousness to take a better part of him, making him to behave like a deposed emperor especially towards a nationalistic political organization like the PDP which he knows very little or nothing about how it was formed.
The Governor cannot scheme the same primitive style of politics he uses in Rivers State where public institutions and very significant individuals including Traditional, Religious and Political Leaders are treated like a conquered species and conditioned to a pattern of behavior peculiar only to the times of slave trade. Such exhibition of lordly disdain and inhuman uppity coupled with an embarrassing entitlement mentality must have to be dismantled and not tolerated at this critical moment of our national life.
Particularly unsettled by the the adjectival phrases deployed by the Governor to describe Atiku Abubakar over his comment on what informed his choice of a running-mate, Eze said for Wike to describe the former Vice President whose inputs towards sustaining the growth of Nigeria’s nascent democracy, especially for fighting the third term Agenda of erstwhile President of Nigeria, General Olusegun Obasanjo, as a Liar for stating the obvious, he will live to regret the consequences of his unguarded diatribes.
“Atiku Abubakar is not his age mate or political mate notwithstanding the fact that the situation of things has made him to continue to relate with dubious characters like the Rivers Governor whose style of politics and self-centered leadership model is abhorrent and grossly antithetical to the new Nigeria envisaged in 2023.”
Recall that Chief Eze had earlier-on emphasized that Gov. Wike had nothing to tell Nigerians about Atiku and PDP when he boasted in the public glare that he would speak soon. “I have told the world that Wike has absolutely nothing to tell Nigerians or the world about Atiku Abubakar or PDP that key watchers and political followers in Nigeria do not know yet he went further to ridicule himself and demean the values for which the great people of Rivers State are known.
“What exactly did Atiku say to warrant being called a liar before the general public?” Eze queried. “This is just to show how disgruntled Gov. Nyesom Wike has become. This is not the culture of the good people of Rivers State, not of Africa where we hold elders in high esteem.”
“How can one call great leaders like Sule Lamido and Aliyu Babangida, who were Governors before he dreamt of becoming a Governor “War Dogs of Atiku Abubakar.” This is most sad, unfortunate, UnAfrican and unacceptable. After following his political development these past sixteen years, Eze said he remains highly disappointed with his political maneuvers that have diminished everything remaining of his relevance in the political space.
He recalled how the Governor wasted billions of Rivers money in pursuit of his elsuive Presidential and Vice Presidential ambitions all of which he lost on both counts.
Eze joins His Excellency Sule Lamido the former Governor of Jigawa State to counsel Wike to learn from Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan etc and his predecessors in the state, Dr. Peter Odili and Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who showed maturity when they lost the presidential tickets of their parties.
Sule Lamido went further to state, “A day to the PDP’s presidential convention, which Peter Odili of Rivers State was bound to win and was also bound to win the presidential election, he was stopped by the party which went on to nominate President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who did not even show interest.
“He was promised a vice presidential ticket and yet he was not given. He took everything as the mature man he is. “Look at the APC, Vice President Osinbajo was humiliated; the Senate president was also humiliated and even his countryman, Amaechi was given the same treatment; they took it as mature men and did not go about complaining as Wike is doing. This is called maturity.
“Do you know why? This is because the party is supreme. You cannot be bigger than your party. Party is organic. The convention has come and gone. Osinbajo, Lawan and Amaechi have shown maturity because their party has spoken. If Wike is in the APC will he be talking and behaving as he is doing now?
Having pointed out why Wike failed the Presidential ambition and why Atiku Abubakar or any other sound leader cannot make the deadly mistake of accepting him to deputize for them, Chief Eze said should his counsel make no meaning to the Governor, then at least he should read through the recent interview of Ambassador Wali and learn how to conduct himself in his future dealings.
Accordingly, Amb. Aminu Wali highlighted, “Everybody has got his own way of assessing people and trying to see how best they fit into a context. I don’t know Okowa personally. I only met with him at the National Executive Council
Read Nigeria Project, a nationwide chain of reading events administered by Adwinsa Publications (Gh) Ltd and Abeokuta Book Club has set aside 13th day of August, 2022 to host eight Abeokuta-based writers, Darasimi Adeoye, Demola Ayomide Miracle, Lade Ajayi, Joseph Oluwayemi, Kolapo Mariam, Stephen Ezekiel, Esther Ogunsakin and Quadri Yahya in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State.
A statement issued by the Coordinator and Secretary of the club, Darasimi Adeoye and Kolapo Mariam said the fourth phase of the sensitization reading would take place at AAC Secretariat, beside NIPCO Filling Station, along MKO Abiola Way, Abeokuta, Ogun State by 12PM prompt.
Read Nigeria Project is a nationwide chain of events administered by Adwinsa Publications (Gh) Ltd and Abeokuta Book Club. It is a project devoted for readers and lovers of books across Nigeria to celebrate and honour some selected important personalities who have contributed meaningfully to the learning and reading culture of the country.
The project also hopes to promote book reading through different events like book bee, quiz contests and other mediums across the country irrespective of tribe, color, sect, age, religion and gender.
Adwinsa Publications was established in March 1977 in Madina, a suburb of Accra, the capital of Ghana in West Africa. The young business at the time began in the CEO’s house. During the late 1980’s Adwinsa went from a small location to Accra Newtown, also in the Capital City. During this time we also embraced “desktop publishing” (which was also an industry in its infancy) as well as commercial offset printing. From the year 2000 to 2014, we have added multiple high-speed printing machines that propelled us into a new level of high-quality offset printing. We also built and expanded our services by putting up an office complex in Agbobga in Accra, Ghana.
The publishing firm is considered expert in Junior and Senior High school syllabus-based textbooks in Ghana. The firm focuses on books for the Basic, secondary and tertiary institutions that have been largely acknowledged locally by students, parents, governments and the international community. As a family-owned company, one of Adwinsa Publications’ strengths is its focus on the family and its desire to see families succeed in education, especially in the long-term development of every child in the family.
Abeokuta Book Club is an initiative of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW). It was founded in 2011 by SYNW in order to contribute its own quota to the growth and development of Reading Culture in Ogun State.
The Abeokuta Book Club consists of a group of people who meet periodically to discuss the book they have read and exchange those books. Club members encourage each other and learn to read with a critical mind, articulating their opinions about a particular book with others. Certain types of books not available or read receive attention through the book club.
MEET OUR GUEST WRITERS/READERS
DARASIMI ADEOYE
Darasimi Adeoye is a content creator, public speaker and a writer. She is a graduate from Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, where she studied English/ political science. She is currently running her degree program at the University of Ibadan, where she is studying English Education. Darasimi is a lover of books. She is a passionate writer and story writer, and most importantly a teacher.
LADE AJAYI
Lade Ajayi is an educator, reader and writer. She hails from Badagry, Lagos State in Nigeria. A graduate of Yoruba Language from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, she writes in both Yoruba and English Languages and in all genres.
KOLAPO MARIAM
Kolapo Mariam is a Wildlife Management graduate from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She uses her writing to effectively express and enlighten through the use of inspiration to help people reflect, understand, and learn about life and it’s phenomenal. She is a pencil artist and textile designer who specializes in portraiture, Adore and Batik making. She loves to read autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs because they serve as a means of seeing other people’s world through their experiences. She has read a lot of books authored by Maya Angelou. I know why the caged bird sings, Philip Knight; Shoe Dog, Oprah Winfrey; What I Know for sure, Malcolm Gladwell; Outliers, Tara Westover; Educated, Lisa Brennan Jobs, Larry Sloman and Mike Tyson; Undistributed Truth, Maya Must; A woman makes a plan and many more. One of her most cherished goals as a writer is to author an authobiography.
ESTHER OGUNSAKIN
Esther Ogunsakin is a Christian and a budding writer| content editor and also event planner. She is a graduate of English Studies at the Premier University, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State. She specialises in Morphology, Syntax and Grammar in her editing skills.
She possesses the capacity to solve problems and also can manage significant workloads. Her strength is to make research to proffer solutions to mankind through her writing. She is the CEO of Divine Events. She loves to bake and decorate event locations to make the event a remarkable one for her clients.
Esther Ogunsakin started writing before she gained admission to University in the year 2015. She sees writing as a means to reach out to humans all over the world. She has written copious academic theses, term papers and Christian articles with a successful outcome.
In the year 2021, she started to develop an interest in content editing and proofreading skills. She believes that the beauty of every content is to be free of errors. Within the short period, she has edited and proofread a few Christian and non-fictional manuscripts. Though, she’s working as a volunteer content editor and proofreader.
Esther Ogunsakin is still growing and learning more in this her career and she believes she will reach her height in this field very soon by the grace of God.
ADEMOLA AYOMIDE MIRACLE
Ademola Ayomide Miracle is a writer, nutripreneur and a public speaker.
He is an alumnus of Federal Polytechnic, Ede where he earned a diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics, he is currently a final year student of Federal university of Agriculture, Abeokuta, serving as the president of the department.
Ayomide is affiliated to many reputable organisations such as Mohammed Bin Rashid University Of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, Red Cross Society, Junior Chamber International (JCI), ENACTUS, TEDx, ISERH, Nutrition Gladiators, Hult Prize, YALI, Society of Young Nigerian Writers, National Society of Campus Writers, Green Academy, Microsoft Agro-tech among others.
As a writer he has written two books, several articles, and has featured in anthologies both as a contributor and an editor.
He is a brilliant young man who has served in several leadership roles in secular and religious settings and he is committed to making Nigeria and the world in general a better place.
JOSEPH O. OLUWAYOMI
Joseph O. Oluwayomi is a Nigerian writer; his works had appeared or are forthcoming on: Poemify Magazine, Brittle Paper, SpringNG, Art Lounge Journal, and elsewhere. He is an aspiring Novel writer. Whenever he is not writing, he is probably scoring some musical piece (piano, voice, violin et all) nor making research. You can reach him on Facebook @Joseph O. Oluwayomi and Telegram @Joepoetry.
STEPHEN EZEKIEL
Stephen Ezekiel, popularly known as The Celebrity Writer, is an award-winning writer and author, content creator, ghostwriter, editor, book project consultant, and writers’ coach.
He helps writers and writers-to-be hone their skills to become authorities in their various niches. He guides broke writers through navigating their way into becoming profitable and highly paid. He also holds aspiring authors through the process of turning their raw ideas into bestselling books.
Stephen is the founder of Proficient Writers and Entrepreneurs Network (PWEN), a network of people who are ready to embrace their pen and share their message with the world.
QUADRI YAHYA
Quadri Yahya is a campus journalist. He loves reading, African literature especially.
SPEECH DELIVERED BY RT HON YAKUBU DOGARA, GUEST SPEAKER AT THE APC NORTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERS SUMMIT, ABUJA 2022 ON THE THEME, “RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS A NATION, BUT SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE”, HELD ON FRIDAY 29TH JULY, 2022 AT THE NICON LUXURY HOTEL, ABUJA
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 14:34
Protocols:
1. I consider it great honour and privilege to be invited as the Guest Speaker at this all-important August summit of eminent religious leaders and top-notch politicians from across all the States of the Federation. Permit me to start by profusely thanking all those involved in putting together this summit and all the delegates who have sacrificed time and their busy schedule in order to honour us with their presence, which we do not lightly esteem. I understand we are here to talk about our nation and how political choices may impact our faith and likely exacerbate the escalating parlous security situation and stymie our match towards an inclusive, peaceful and prosperous nation.
2. Not a few have expressed concerns about national outlook on all presidential tickets. Also, not a few worry that the debate was becoming corrosive, and of course, with this kind of spitting of bilious views into the political wind, there was bound to be lots of nerves in the air.
3. When we talk about a Muslim-Muslim ticket; God forbid that we should be understood to be objecting to Muslims or that we don’t want Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to be president. It is not about Senator Kashim Shettima either, but it about what is right and what is wrong. It is about justice, fairness and equity. It is about Nigeria; it’s diversity and how it can be harnessed in an inclusive manner for the greater good of all of us. Be that as it may, some of us really wanted Asiwaju to be president because he has sacrificed much for our Party, the APC and for what he represents to so many people. So, our position cannot be against Muslims or Islam. That fact cannot be denied in any way.
4. But when it comes to choosing between the love and admiration I have for an individual and what is right and what I believe represents my vision for Nigeria, my choice will clearly be for the latter. After all, my rise to the position of Speaker was never going to be possible without the support of some Muslim members who believe that our diversity must be reflected in national positions for the unity, peace and advancement of our dear country. What gives me more hope about the Nigeria project is that there are many of our Muslim brothers and leaders who did not only warn the APC, but have had to call out the APC for adopting a Muslim-Muslim ticket which resulted into the Party ructions we are witnessing today.
5. In 2015, when we were called “janjeweed party”, my response was usually very simple. I could then say that, HE John Oyegun was the chairman of my party and my Vice-Presidential candidate was Pastor Yemi Osinbajo. We don’t enjoy that luxury anymore as the President, Senate President, Speaker and his deputy; Senate and House Leaders; National Chairman and the Deputy National Chairman; Presidential and the Vice-Presidential candidates are all Muslims, leaving the Christians with just the position of VP Osibanjo and Deputy Senate President Omo-Agege at that level in a Country whose population is fairly split between Muslims and Christians. Granted this scenario, can any God-fearing Muslim, Christian nay even the amoral and the atheist say this is fair, just and righteous? Does this represent the act of a just God? This is the real context of objections from the Christian community not just the Presidential ticket and the VP slot.
6. For me, it is a rude awakening and I am so happy it happened sooner than later. The very fact that they said we should not worry about a Muslim-Muslim ticket while a Muslim-Christian ticket gave them sleepless nights should make you worry the more. To worry about a Muslim-Christian ticket while counselling others not to worry about a Muslim-Muslim ticket is the very textbook definition of cognitive dissonance and an attempt at gaslighting gullible Christians. Truth must be told that anyone who is not bringing us together is consciously tearing us apart.
7. Furthermore, I do not want to speak to the argument that there is no Christian competent enough to be Vice-President because as we all know, that is hogwash. It only speaks to the need to deliberately exclude – whereas the need now is for inclusion.
8. The other funny argument in the media is the claim that without a northern Muslim on the ticket, elections cannot be won. The implications of that argument are quite unambiguous; Northern Muslims don’t vote for the South – even if the candidate is a Muslim like them – and, of course, don’t vote for Christians. However, nothing can be further from the truth. If you stretch this argument further, it may lead to questions such as, “if Muslims in the North don’t trust a southern Muslim for any reason(s), why should Christians in Nigeria trust a Muslim from the South and North?” These are the kinds of arguments I hate to engage in and which we must avoid if we hope not to injure the health of our Republic.
9. Other unhelpful framings of the debate by the so-called pundits posits that Christians in the North are so small in number that their votes don’t count. This strange argument seeks to reinforce the satanic agenda of dividing the church in Nigeria into North and South, and also ignores the fact and reality that Nigeria is evenly split on religious lines. These pundits are still not smart enough to tell us what is in the Muslim-Muslim ticket for southern Christians. The argument also ignores the fact that our official policy excludes religious affiliation from census data. There is therefore no scientific basis for these bizarre conclusions. Let us now look at a model for managing diversity.
10. If the UK offers any example, in 2005, the Tories had only two non-White MPs. Just within over a decade, this has changed dramatically – all the way to the top ranks of the party, including the last three chancellors of the exchequer in a row: Javid, Sunak and Zahawi. In addition, Patel was home secretary; Javid – health secretary; Kwasi – business secretary and; Zahawi – education secretary.
11. Before the pruning down of candidates for the Conservative Party leadership to two; six of the candidates were members of ethnic minorities. Braverman, Sunak and Javid are the children of immigrants while Chisti and Zahawi were born outside of the UK: in Pakistan and Iraq respectively; and our own Kemi was partly brought up in Lagos. All these happened in the conservative UK where the entire population of minority ethnic group is a paltry 14% – thanks to David Cameron under whose leadership the Tories embraced the idea of “sponsored mobility” which was thought to be good for the country because it will help prevent politics from polarizing along racial lines.
12. As we speak, the UK may well be on the verge of becoming the second major Western democracy to have a non-White leader in Sunak. Sunak who took the oath of office as Chancellor with his hand on the Bhagavad Gita and placed Diwali candles on the steps of his office on Number 11 Downing Street, shares the same faith with just 1.03 million Britons representing just 1.6% of the U.K’s total population. This is how democracies all over the world are managing diversities within their borders. Compare this to the US under Trump where the Republican Party was and is still in danger of becoming the party of White grievances and White reaction against an increasingly diverse America. Is it in vain that the Democrats had to settle for a woman and a black VP in Kamala Harris? Women issues are treated as minority issues and what percentage of US population is black? Just 13.4% in case you don’t know. In these two, we have two models to borrow from; either to play the politics of exclusion which the Muslim-Muslim ticket represents or to make politics all-inclusive in order to heal our national fault lines and unite our disparate peoples for nation building. The latter must be the choice of every patriotic and sensible Nigerian.
13. Why do I consider the decision by the APC to settle for a Muslim-Muslim ticket not a bold but bad decision? There are ample reasons but I will highlight a few for want of time and space.
a) It is a bad decision because it fuels inequality. We must always bear in mind that the liberty we enjoy is as rare as it is fragile. Inequality has a way of upsetting the balance due to the universal law of cause and effect. Throughout history, every revolution has been waged to either consolidate or destroy inequality. Just like all revolutions, they first seem impossible and then improbable until they become inevitable.
i) When you think of revolutions, what comes to your mind? Is it the pictures of savage invasions, crushing battlefield defeats, sacked cities and unlucky rulers put to death or a cascading series of minor, individually unimportant failures which are now replete in our polity? You may not understand the structure of revolutions until you trace the progression of the Nazis from an unpopular fringe group to the most powerful political party in Germany. Those who are dismissive of those who built conflict generating structures such as the Muslim-Muslim ticket in a pluralistic society always end up as enablers of revolution or violent changes. That was how Nazism was dismissed as a fringe idea that will never make it into the mainstream of civilized Germany until it led to the death of an estimated 40 million people.
b) It is a bad decision because it breads division which is counter-productive to our collective aspirations for a united and prosperous nation. My last check reveals that the word division is a construct of the word “vision” with a prefix “di” which means double in Latin. Just imagine what double vision does to an individual, much more a Nation. Our national creed or motto if you like, is unity and faith, peace and progress. Embedded in this great idea is the fact that unity precedes peace and progress. The question therefore is, how do we unite our disparate peoples in a manner that ensures peace and progress? This is not the only question, it is every question.
i) Of course, our strength is not in numbers but unity. You are not strong because you are many, you are strong because you are united. Nigeria cannot survive if we merely tolerate each other or if the happiness of one group is the unhappiness of the other group. But if we are united, we will be indomitable. And if all of us: Muslims, Christians, atheists, the old, the young, women and men work together and pray together in unity: believe me; we will be invincible. On the corollary, many are the Nations and Empires that could not withstand divisions.
ii) The largest construction project ever on earth – the erection of the Tower of Babel came to an abrupt halt due to divisions. The almost 3200 years long recorded history of the Egyptian empire collapsed due to divisions when Cleopatra the last Pharaoh killed her brother Ptolemy the 13th who was a joint heir to the throne and married another of her brother, Ptolemy the 14th before she had him also killed so that her son can succeed her as the pharaoh. The all-powerful Roman Empire just like the British Empire after it, decayed and died not on account of invading armies but just because they could not withstand the contradictions within. Need we say more about Yugoslavia and the USSR?
iii) The US too is currently struggling and if they don’t invent ingenious ways to heal divisions, the US dominance, just like all the other empires before, might soon become history. If we think we can encourage divisions in the scale we are witnessing and not see what those Empires and Nations saw, then we are of all men and women most miserable.
c) In addition, the inability to distinguish the Nigeria of 1993 from 2022 gave me cause to fret the more. An indispensable attribute of a leader in crisis is to be able to recognize a departure of events from routine to novel. The inability to spot an infliction point in moments of gripping visceral fear across the nation represents an irredeemable fatal error of judgment. There has never been a time in our history that we are as divided. We are battling terrorism, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, secessionists and all manner of challenges.
Consequently, anyone who thinks that events in Nigeria in 2022 are not novel but routine as they were in 1993 is totally incapable of finding solutions to challenges currently ravaging our dear nation.
14. As for the nodding dogs who have sold themselves to lying spirits by deliberately believing in lies or are refusing to accept the truth, rebuke them in love. We may, after all, be dealing with fallen angels. We must never forget that every generation has its own Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses; its prophets of Baal who withstood Elijah; its Sanballats and Tobiahs who withstood Nehemiah; it’s Esaus whose profanity will drive them to sell their birth rights; its Gehazis who will surrender to seducing spirits in order to feed their greed; its Hamans who will plot to annihilate Gods people: the list goes on. On this class of people, the scripture has already placed a curse, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20. But just as those they withstood overcame, we will also overcome if we faint not.
15. The harder they try to make us bow to the golden image of greed, the more we should chant to their chagrin the answer given by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – who said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up”.
16. In closing, let me reiterate the fact that we are here to talk about what is right and what is wrong. To my mind what is right is not just to win elections but to unite Nigerians both now and after the elections so that we can collectively build a Nigeria that works for all regardless of creed. As President Obama warned, “if you have to win a campaign by dividing people, you are not going to be able to govern them. You won’t be able to unite them later” This is spot-on because anyone who wins an election by dividing us would have to keep us divided in order to govern us. This is not what any reasonable and peace-loving Nigerian wants.
17. As long as God remains the God of justice, may we continue to resist injustice to our sinews, no matter who is for or against it because it is the requirement of the just God. Let us go out from this summit with the resolve to seek out our Muslim brothers and sisters who believe in unifying our people in order to usher in the much need peace and advancement for Nigeria to unleash her true potentials. I am sure we will jointly agree on a platform that would advance our collective search for unity, peace and development. Believe me, the only alternative is the road to Yugoslavia. God forbid! If we want to see Nigeria exalted, we must insist she does the right things.
18. Thank you for listening. God bless you and may God bless Nigeria.
As the 6th democratically elected governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, has literally brought governance from its high horse to the down-trodden. Within a short period of four months the people of Anambra State are feeling the positive impacts of Soludo’s people’s oriented government
In Security, Law and Order. He Created a new Ministry of Homeland Affairs (for homeland security) to signal the emergency and utmost priority placed on homeland security.
Massive consultation, mobilization and sensitization of the citizens and critical stakeholders— including security agencies, the clergy, traditional rulers, town unions, youths, civil society organizations, businessmen and women, agitation groups, etc.
Worked with South East Bishops to organize prayers; offered amnesty/carrot to repentant outlaws; etc. The people are united in fighting against the lucrative criminal enterprise and its idolatrous energizer which had held the entire South senatorial zone plus Ogbaru local government hostage.
The criminals masquerading as agitators have been exposed, and the nexus between crime, idolatry and hard drugs has become evident. The narrative is changing and the people are seizing the conversation and initiative.
Declared zero tolerance for criminality and drug abuse. Took the war to the criminals in Anambra State.
Put in a place a cohesive operational team with the State Security Council to enhance operational capabilities.
Created Anambra State Vigilante Central Strike Force to complement the security forces to keep our forests and homeland free of the criminals.
Successful deployment of Direct Labour Intervention to rebuild the washout section of Onitsha – Enugu Federal Highway opposite Chisco Park at Onitsha as well as the Amansea section of the Enugu – Onitsha Federal High way (entry section of Anambra), at a very cost effective rate.
Engineering design and procurement process completed and contractors has completed the dangerous portions of two federal high ways which experience massive flooding each year, drowning unsuspecting commuters. The Ekwulobia- Nnobi federal road (Igboukwu/Isuofia boundary) and the Ogbunike – Ogidi section of the Enugu – Onitsha Road (old road) will follow soon
De-silting of 1km of the Obodoukwu road, Okpoko to Idemili River end of the Sakamori storm water discharge. Same to the Fegge/Nwangene end of the discharge drain.
Hydrological studies and hydraulic designs of storm water discharge channels as well as engineering designs almost completed for over 220 Kilometres of roads scattered all over Anambra state and these roads will all be flagged off for construction before the dry season commences.
In Power and Water Resources: Thrre has been Reinvigoration of the Anambra State Power Committee, which also has the EEDC as a member. The Committee recently finished a Retreat and is finalizing details of the plans and programmes (including the legal/regulatory framework) to align all the stakeholders in the electricity market in Anambra and ensure optimal performance and delivery of government’s target.
Rehabilitation of the water facilities at the Jerome Udorji Secretariat for civil servants. The Secretariat has not had water running in the offices for over eight years. Today water runs freely at the secretariat
Completion of the Urban Water generation at Amuko-Uruagu, Nnewi.
Achievement of Open Defecation Free (ODF) status for Aguata LGA. This is the second local government, after Anambra East LGA to achieve such a status.
In Agriculture: Successfull launch of new Agro-economic transformation along the Oil-palm and coconut value chains, with the target of planting one million seedlings per annum. Over 30 Communities, institutions and investors have been profiled to plant over 2.5 Million seedlings, in partnership with the State government. This is designed to re-start from where Dr. M.I. Okpara stopped and to maximize our potentials in these highly profitable agro value chains – to create jobs, wealth and revenue to government.
Creation of 14 task teams to aggressively drive the agro-transformation agenda of this new government at all levels
Reactivation of the Ministry of Agriculture E-platform for data gathering, hosting and dissemination, to enable R&D, tech-driven monitoring and evaluation
Restoration of the image of Anambra State as a responsible, trustworthy recipient of development programmes by World Bank, African Development Bank, UN, JAPAN, FGN etc by paying Counterpart funding
Adoption and Declaration of Regenerative Agricultural Systems as a state policy.
Embarking on the decongestion/removal of obstructions along major roads (Amansea to Head Bridge, Upper Iweka to Amorka & Awka to Ekwulobia, etc), market encroachments/trading activities on the roads & sustenance of free flow of traffic. To achieve this, state government has completed the cycle of Public Service Announcement and Town Hall meetings with Transport Unions/Associations
Identification/Assessment of public parks in the State
Central Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Teams at Zonal levels have been constituted.
In Culture, Entertainment & Tourism:
Hosted a high-profile research team from the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture for the possible enlistment of the Ogbunike Cave at the UNICEF World Heritage Site.
Three designs from notable Architectural firms have been shortlisted for further consideration for the building of a world class Entertainment and Leisure Park, at Agulu Lake.
Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC) has given approval for the deployment of Anambra Tourism System Statistics, a globally approved strategy which will provide automated/digital monitoring and regulation of the Tourism and Hotel Industry among other sectors. This will boost and standardize Hospitality, Hotel and other related businesses.
Lands: The Evaluation and Service Delivery Committee is a new innovation introduced under the present administration. The Committee is charged with the responsibility to, among other things; ensure expeditious action and quick service delivery in every documentation process within the time frame stated in the Ministry’s Timeline for Execution of tasks. The Committee also ensures strict compliance with the time limit assigned to every department/unit in the Timeline for efficiency and quick service delivery.
Land Disputes Resolution Committee has been set up to review land disputes
Issued public notice directing holders of Certificate of Occupancy issued on or before the 31st day of December, 2018 to pay up their outstanding ground rents. The Ministry also intends to announce the proposed revocation of the Right of Occupancy of those who fail to pay within a particular time.
The implementation of Geographic Information Service (GIS) to enhance effective land administration and increase revenue has been approved by Anambra State Executive Council.
The launching of Land Transparency Initiative and Setting up Partnership Forum with Private Sector Investors and Operators in Land and Property Sectors is ongoing.
Begun to engage with host communities on acquisition of 1000 – 2000 acres of land for the building of the World Class Entertainment Resort akin to Disney World.
A trial run on Implementing Fast Track Mortgage Transaction Acceleration Programme, in the Ministry of land has commenced.
The Anambra State Land Reform Committee has been constituted. The Committee is to review the procedures, parameters and purposes for land acquisition, allocation and revocation.
Technology—ICT: Anambra Digital Tribe; Initiative ready for launch and activities will commence within the next 90 days.
Standardization of Internet Assets; the process of hosting all MDAs under the same domain has begun. All Government assets will gradually be migrated to the Internet domain name anambrastate.gov.ng as we finalize our Cloud Strategy.
The Anambra Cloud; a public cloud service just finalized. It will consolidate the numerous cloud providers being used by MDAs today.
State Digital Assets SOPs; Released the Digital asset SOP based on the naming convention approved by Mr Governor, which is currently being adopted by all MDAs.
36: Last-Mile High-speed fiber optic internet provision; In line with the Manifesto of providing high speed broadband, the State is in final negotiations with a PPP partner which would ensure a dig-once policy and the laying of fiber-optic cable in ducts. This project will attract thousands of direct and indirect jobs, as well as help launch Anambra fully into the global economy.
37: Public WiFi Proof of Concept; the concept and proposal for a public Wi-Fi for the state is being finalized and upon deployment would ensure that select Public areas would be powered with Wifi.
40: NITDA’s Planned Innovation Centre; the National Information Technology Development Agency ( NITDA) has expressed interest in launching an Innovation Centre in Awka – the First of its kind in the South Eastern Part of the Country. Land will be allocated for the project shortly.
Baseline Study of e-government in Anambra State; the ICT Agency undertook the study, which showed the state of e-government infrastructure in the state. This will serve as a basis for the development of our Civil42 service into a Digital workforce.
GovTech preliminary strategy; The state participated in a World Bank subnational Government GovTech Maturity Index survey and based on the preliminary results of this survey and the baseline study, the state has designed a first draft gov-tech strategy which advises the government on the relevant infrastructure to put in place, for a transition to e-government.
Education: Completed Phase 2 of screening of over 40,000 candidates who applied for teaching job in the primary and secondary schools. The next phase of interviews for the last 6,000 candidates will soon commence.
Reviewing the state of Anambra tertiary institutions with a view to aligning them to global best practices and responsive to needs of the State and Nigeria..
Launched “operation bring back our school/Adopt a School Programme” to support Government effort in improving our Educational system.
Students successfully completed their WAEC exams despite the insecurity challenges
Health: Ground breaking ceremony of Coordinated Wholesale Center, Oba has been achieved. The project was jinxed for six years. When completed, it will be the largest drug distribution hub in West Africa.
Introduced andlactivated drug revolving fund in the State hospitals.
Achieved a rapid response to measles outbreak in 13 LGAs. Currently the outbreak has been contained in 12 LGAs out of the initial 13
Fixing of the State ambulances to aid emergency responses with a toll free number boldly displayed
51: Ongoing Massive recruitment of health workers in our General hospitals
52 Activation of Endoscopy unit at General Hospital, Onitsha.
Activation of dental units in General hospitals, Enugwu-Ukwu, Umueri and Ekwulobia.
Optimization of laboratory department of general hospital Agulu and general hospital Nnobi with haematology analyzers.
Introduction of Anambra State hospital Inspection team.
Zero Malaria Initiative: In collaboration with the Malaria Consortium flagged off the distribution of 3.8 million Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN).
In collaboration with the State government, the Global Fund is building a new Oxygen plant at Onitsha.
Women and Social Welfare; Rescued a total of 13 Children from agents of human trafficking.
Establishment of a situation room for Sexual Gender Based Violence and Data collection in the State.
Budget & Economic Planning: Submitted the 2022 revised budget to the State House of Assembly tailored to meet the state governemt’s ambitious infrastructural and other capital development, especially roads.
Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AIRS)
a. Completely digitalized our revenue collection to remove leakages and widen the bracket to meet our set targets (ANSIDD has been replaced with ASIN which ensures a dynamic Biometric Data collation structure).
63.New Digital structure would ensure long term and user friendly channels and we have commenced pilot schemes on the use of POS , USSD, Web and App channels and the payments into Banks and Bank ordered agents which ensures that those within the informal sector especially, can make payments seamlessly.
Commenced wide scale engagements with the various markets and Transport Unions to ensure that the leakages are plugged.
Local Government, Chieftaincy and community Affairs
a. PwC reviewed the operations of the local government and submitted report for
government action
Resolved 15 community disputes which include re-instating 4 Presidents General through the rule of law; resolved 11 community crises and successfully conducted 15 Town Union Elections
Egagement with key stakeholders in the communities with a view to resolving the crises
Environment.; Embarked upon the clearing/cleaning of mountainous waste dumps in Onitsha, Okpoko, Awka, Nkpor, etc which had impeded flow of traffic, undermined commercial activities and constituted health hazard.
b. De-silted over one kilometre of drainage preventing the impending flood that faced the residents of Okpoko and environs.
c. Revised and launched a framework for the collection and evacuation of solid waste within our state, and selected waste management contractors for the 31 zones specified in the State.
Launched the tree planting campaign designed to make Anambra the greenest State in the country.
Others
Updating the social register which is a social protection net for the poor and elderly in
Anambra state. It was last updated in 2017.
UNDP/UN System is back to Anambra and an office space has been given to them with other logistics support to enhance their functionality.
Ongoing engagement to implement the Ease of Doing Business programme in Anambra with support from the Office of the Vice President
Ongoing Development of Economic and Social Database with the Statistical Office
Establishment and inauguration of the Truth, Justice and Peace Committee to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the agitation and violence in Anambra/South East; seek a restorative justice approach for truth-telling or real facts; for the healing of the victims of the violence, accounting for responsibility and accountability of the actors, conditional mercy for the repentant perpetrators, restitution for certain losses and rehabilitation of the perpetrators, for the overall aim of restoration of peace and justice as well as the promotion of development in the State/region.
Declared zero tolerance for touting (Agbero) which has endeared the government to transport owners, operators and stake holders. More programmes and projects will be unveiled in due course particularly to retrain and empower the former touts.
Citizen participation has been emboldened. We have created an avenue for connecting with the people by the provision of seven phone lines for citizens to reach the security managers of the state. There is a flood of actionable intelligence and the security forces are prompt with response.
Declaration of 6 p.m. to 6 a.m curfew on motorcycles (okada), tricycles (keke), and shuttle buses in 8 Local Government areas is a short term security measure that will be lifted in no distant time.
Work is ongoing to restructure and strengthen the community security architecture and deployment of technology in security.
Declaration of emergency on traffic management and the Anambra Road Traffic Management Agency (ARTMA) is being strengthened to deliver.
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has called for speedy trial of inmates in the nation’s Correctional Facilities
Governor Soludo made this call when he visited the Awka Correctional Centre to mark his 62nd birthday with the inmates. The Governor also used the occasion to announce plans to grant prerogative of mercy to three inmates in the Nigerian Correctional Service within the jurisdiction of the Awka Custodial Center, next week.
According to the Governor, who disclosed that the review is still ongoing, the pardon, he said is an offshoot of the review which ended in May. He stressed that another review will be concluded to pardon those who truly deserve it after spending a reasonable period of time in the Correctional Centre.
Governor Soludo also said that the Executive and Judiciary arms of Government are already synergizing to make for speedy trial by exploiting the option of virtual sessions, so that those awaiting trial could easily be served justice.
While pointing out that it is heartbreaking for people to await trial for many years in custody, without conviction, the Governor reiterated that justice delayed is justice denied.
He promised to fix the roof of the Center’s health clinic, provide a central solar power and cable television subscription, while the review of conditions of inmates continues.
The Governor disclosed to the inmates of his administration’s plan to build a liveable and prosperous smart mega city, asking them to join hands with him in whatever way they can, to make the state and society at large, a better place to live, work and enjoy.
The Controller of Correctional Centre, Anambra State Command, Mr. Pat Chukwuemeka eulogized Governor Soludo as a man who honours his words whenever he makes promises.
The Controller reiterated that notwithstanding the fact that Governor Soludo came at a difficult time when the polity was troubled, he has made outstanding successes within the very short period
He pledged to keep supporting his administration’s policies for the overall development of the state.
Food items were distributed to the inmates during the visit which also witnessed the presence of the Governor’s wife, Mrs Nonye Soludo, among other dignitaries.
The importance of taxation cannot be overemphasized. And, the most important purpose of taxation is to raise resources for governments to deliver essential public services. Therefore, Governments use them to build or pay for many of the things that are fundamental for the good functioning of the countries, namely, health care, schools, roads, other government projects and social services. That’s the social contract, between the governments and their citizens. Most economists observe that “It is important to look at both sides of the equation – not only taxes collected, but also how the money is spent to improve lives and well-being of the citizenry.”
Anambra State’s new tax directions made news headlines within the past few days, following innovative tax policies initiated by the four-month-old administration of Gov. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR.
The tax reforms in a revolutionary manner made tax payment and collection easier, more accountable to the people and lesser challenging to the people. It also makes citizens pay lesser in a novel ‘win, win’ that favours the populace and the government.
The governor, a renowned professor of Economics and man of global repute and former Governor of the Central Bank, CBN who took the mantle in Anambra State on the 17th of March 2022 brings his experience and reputation to bear on the reforms. As one whose stewardship at the apex bank was marked by many ‘firsts’, administratively and economically, he shows his grasp of development and economic issues in the new directions in taxation in Anambra.
An informed peak into the reforms will enable better understanding and lampoon the reasons for the protests, which suddenly came almost simultaneously from two opposing groups on the matter under discussion. Good consideration of the larger picture of what Anambra really needs and the Soludo government’s determination to pursue its administrative dreams will buttress the grounds for the new policies.
The tax reforms for instance entail a complete overhaul of the tax payment method in the state, where individuals who often times are not even state actors gained the system. They were hired to collect and also enforce the payment of internally generated revenue from businesses, persons and others. Under the falsehood that they were “remitting the collected sum” to the government purse, they lined their pockets and defrauded citizens. The collectors or their agents either diverted part of the sum to some private accounts as well as other areas of their own interests or never credited the tax payers appropriately. Taxpayers did not even know what they were expected to pay and which government agency they were to pay to duly.
In a bid to cut off the practice that enthroned dubious proxies and multiple taxation that were existed before Soludo’s era, the new government took a bold step in the new order. First, the government published exact figures of taxes meant for bodies and groups such as transporters in the state. For instance, a breakdown of what the commuters will be paying as taxes henceforth is contained in an official release made by the Anambra State Internal Revenue Services (AIRS). In a release signed by Mrs Silvia Tochukwu-Ngige of the Head, Taxpayer Education and Enlightenment Team of AIRS, operators in the sector are expected to pay significantly lesser than what they used to pay. They are also saved from the brutality and bloody extortion of roadside, motor park thugs (Ndi Agbero) as well as the violence and accidents they are exposed to by the pre-existing situation. In a development that represents radical reduction in the amounts the operators pay, it is calculated that the commercial motorcyclist, Okada, rider will now pay N300.00 daily which a…
The Lawmaker representing Nnewi North Constituency in Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Nonso Smart Okafor has called for the urgent intervention of the state government in Ukwaka bridge which has collapsed.
Hon. Nonso Smart Okafor made the appeal through a motion moved under ‘Matters of Urgent Public Importance’ urging the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, to direct the Commissioner for Works to reconstruct the collapsed Ukwaka-Umudim bridge.
Moving the motion during the House of Assembly plenary of Thursday, 21st July, 2022, Hon. Nonso Okafor urged the Governor to come to the aid of the people of Nnewi by reconstructing the collapsed bridge.
He said that the bridge which was constructed during Dame Virgy Etiaba’s administration has collapsed thereby causing hardship for road users and affecting economic activities for residents of the area.
The Lawmaker who is seeking to represent his federal constituency under the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC) noted that the bridge when reconstructed will bring a sigh of relief to Nnewi residents, as the road is a very strategic in Nnewi.
Ụkwaka River Bridge is located at Umuezena Umudim Nnewi.
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