News
Abia assembly holds parallel sittings as rift depends
The rift and supremacy battle rocking the Abia State House of Assembly deepened Wednesday, as the two camps in the opprobrium held parallel sittings in different locations.
While the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji and those loyal to him reportedly sat at the Assembly complex amid tight security; the parallel Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chukwudi Apugo, and lawmakers in his camp, met at an undisclosed location in Umuahia.
Recall that some lawmakers had Tuesday met outside the assembly chambers and impeached the Speaker, accusing him of insensitivity over the welfare of the members.
But the Speaker held a sitting in the House and impeached the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ifeanyi Uchendu who presided over his purported impeachment.
He also suspended nine of the lawmakers who participated in the sitting where he was purportedly removed, dismissing the impeachment as a nullity.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Wednesday, member representing Aba South state constituency, Hon Obinna Ichita (APGA), who is in Apugo’s camp, denied insinuations in some quarters that the lawmakers opposed to Orji were being sponsored by the Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.
He said it would be strange for him to be bought over by the Governor who he had had frosty relationship with following his critical stance on his administrative style.
” It’s easy for people to engage in propaganda. Are we sponsored by the Governor to do what?
” If somebody tells you that the Governor is sponsoring me won’t you be surprised? You know how my relationship with the Executive has been, and if you hear that the Governor is sponsoring me – Obinna Ichita, won’t you be shocked? To the best of my knowledge, there is nothing like the Governor sponsoring us.”
The opposition lawmaker explained that the reason behind Orji’s impeachment was because of his refusal to convene the House which had been under lock and key for four months.
” Which House of Assembly in Nigeria has been under lock and key for four months? It’s not proper for you to lock the House of Assembly for the past four months. So, for the past four months, the House hasn’t sat, and that’s not appropriate.
“The Judiciary has collapsed and you want the legislative arm to also collapse. And we have a struggling Executive arm.”
The opposition lawmaker further said there were some burning issues of urgent importance that the House needed to attend to, hence, it made no sense not reconvening the House.
“We have a lot of businesses to treat. We have heard so much. Members felt the former Speaker needed to convene the House so we can demand answers to the following questions:
” Why should Abia workers not be paid even when the state receives statutory allocations?
” Why Board of Internal Revenue reported N6.2 billion in the first quarter of this year. If we have this kind of money why can’t we pay workers?
” Why is it that we are reading a planned local government election in the state on the pages of newspapers? We heard that Commissioners have been appointed into the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission, ABSIEC, and the House never screaned person in accordance with the law.
” We also heard that the Executive has secured a loan of 50 million US dollars. Who gave the approval for such a facility? From which institution was the facility secured? What are the implications to Abians?
” So, there are lots of questions that needed to be answered and it made no sense locking the House when you have such issues to tackle.
” This is as transition period. Shouldn’t we make sure that things are in order for the in-coming administration to have a seamless take off?”
Hon. Ichita also spoke on some of the far-reaching decisions taken by the lawmakers led by Hon. Apugo when they met at the plenary.
” We met today ( Wednesday) and changed the Majority Leader, Hon. Solomon Akpulono. He was also suspended.
” The impeached Speaker and all seven of them who met yesterday were suspended.
” We suspended them for engaging in a purported plenary yesterday. They didn’t have the quorum. They were only seven.
” The new Speaker has also dissolved all the standing committees of the House, and reconstituted the following committees:
” Committee to review the activities of the House in the past four years headed by the Speaker of the sixth Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kanu; Committee on Appropriation chaired by Kennedy Njoku; and the Committee on Anti-Corruption and Public Accounts headed by myself, Ichita.
” We are swinging into action immediately because we have two weeks to review what happened”.
Asked where the lawmakers loyal to Apugo met, and why they chose to sit outside the House of Assembly, Ichita said the venue of meeting for lawmakers did not matter.
” Section 92 of the Constitution that talks about the impeachment of the Speaker did not make mention of the venue. It’s silent about that.
” It’s just like the election petition tribunal that has relocated from Abia to Abuja. Does that in anyway invalidate any pronouncement of the tribunal? The law is silent on the venue. What the law emphasises is quorum. We are 16 lawmakers on our side and we are not joking.”
Asked if they had a mace which is the symbol of authority in their sitting, the lawmaker said:”If Hon. Orji says he is not happy with his impeachment what he should do is to approach the courts, and not to say he doesn’t accept it”.
Prodded further to disclosed the venue of their meeting, saying that they were advised by security agencies to keep it secret.
“We have been advised by various security heads in the state to ensure that we don’t take any action that might lead to the break down of law and order. We understand that some of the suspended lawmakers have hired thugs, and we don’t want our supporters and their own supporters to clash.”
He said there were no going back on the resolutions of the House.
“The House is an Honourable institution, and once it takes a decision, it’s only the courts that can reverse it. But unfortunately, the judiciary in Abia is on a total lockdown.”
When contacted the Speaker denied locking up the House for four months, explaning that it was the collective decision of the lawmakers to go on break.
The Speaker who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Jude Ndukwe, said the splinter lawmakers were only looking for excuses to justify their unlawful actions.
He insisted that he remains the Speaker of the Assembly describing his “purported impeachment and suspension by suspended lawmakers” as ridiculous.
” The action is neither recognized by law nor convention. You cannot sit in somebody’s parlour or dinning room and say that you are holding a plenary while plenary is holding in the Assembly complex.
” If they say what they are doing is legal let them come to the Assembly complex and not in a hiding.”
On not convening the House he said: “It was an agreement among them not to convene the House. Realise that these people just ran election and some of them failed and traveled on vacation. Some are still abroad where they went on vacation.
” If they said they were pressuring the Speaker and he refused to convene the House, why didn’t they call a press conference to tell the world than embark on illegality. They just want to give a dog a bad name in order to kill it”
The Speaker equally said that eight and not seven members attended the plenary he presided over on Tuesday where the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Uchendu was impeached and the nine lawmakers in Apugo’s camp suspended.
He insisted that a quorum was formed, maintaining that every decision taken at the plenary was binding.
The Speaker also said that he presided over another plenary at the Assembly complex on Wednesday where the House confirmed the newly appointed Auditor General of Local Governments.
Asked who he suspected was sponsoring the fued in the House, he said he would not speculate.
” The sponsor is in the realm of speculation and I wouldn’t like to speculate.
” But the Speaker said today that there are people behaving as if they are the Governor or Assistant Governor.
” It’s possible that they are the people sponsoring the unrest in the House but such sponsors have failed woefully”.
Meanwhile, Ifeanyi Umere, the Chief Liaison Officer to the Speaker’s father, Senator Theodore Orji, had earlier quoted the Speaker as saying that:” will not be part of those plotting to add landmines to the incoming government that will take power come May 29th, 2023″.
The Federal Commissioner representing Kaduna State at the National Population Commission (NPC), Hon. Sa’adatu Garba Dogonbauchi, has presented letters of permanent and pensionable appointment to three youths drawn from different local government areas of the state.
The presentation, according to a statement issued by Dogonbauchi, is aimed at expanding employment opportunities for young people and supporting youth empowerment in line with the Federal Government’s development objectives.
The beneficiaries are Shamsuddeen Abdulaziz Bagi from Igabi Local Government Area, Abdulfatah Abdulwakil from Kaduna South Local Government Area, and Aisha Adamu from Birnin Gwari Local Government Area.
Speaking during the presentation, Dogonbauchi described the appointments as more than an administrative exercise, saying they provide beneficiaries with an opportunity to build sustainable careers in public service while improving their economic prospects and contributing to national development.
She said the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises employment generation, economic empowerment and improved living standards for Nigerians.
The NPC commissioner expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve and represent Kaduna State, pledging to continue supporting programmes that create opportunities for young people and strengthen public institutions.
She also acknowledged Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen, and Hon. James Abiodun Faleke for their support, which she said contributed to her appointment and service.
Dogonbauchi urged the new employees to discharge their duties with discipline, integrity and professionalism, while adhering to public service rules and serving as worthy representatives of their communities.
She congratulated the beneficiaries and encouraged them to justify the confidence reposed in them through excellence, accountability and dedication to public service.
Hon. Obi Aguocha, member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, is facing mounting criticism and backlash over his video in which he is seen singing and vibing to a sexually vulgar and demeaning song against women.
In the video, which is currently making the rounds online and in Ikwuano/Umuahia WhatsApp groups, Aguocha is clearly seen singing and enjoying the Ogele cultural song, whose lyrics reduce women to objects of sexual gratification.
The footage was reportedly recorded at a public gathering that had families in attendance, including children, a detail that has intensified the backlash.
The song, performed in the Ogele cultural music tradition associated with communities in Abia State, has sparked outrage among women and women’s groups who say the lyrics are not just vulgar but deeply degrading.
“This is not culture. This is humiliation dressed in tradition,” said Mrs. Ngozi Ibe, a women’s leader in Umuahia North. “We have watched the video. The words used against women in that song are not the kind of thing any serious leader should be associated with. A lawmaker representing our constituency should be defending our dignity, not promoting content that strips women of it.”
Another woman, a trader in Umuahia South who identified herself simply as Madam Grace, said the video had caused deep anger among market women.
“We heard about it and we watched it. Many of us were shocked. You cannot claim to represent women and then be seen singing and vibing to a song where women are being insulted in the most vulgar way. We are not laughing. We are insulted,” she said.
A coalition of women’s groups in the constituency, under the aegis of the Ikwuano/Umuahia Concerned Women’s Forum, also issued a statement condemning the video.
“The lyrics go beyond ordinary expressions of affection. They employ vulgar sexual references that reduce women to objects and make our sexuality the subject of degrading entertainment. For a serving federal lawmaker to be seen actively singing and enjoying such content is a serious indictment on his judgment and his respect for the women he claims to represent,” the group said.
The women’s forum also expressed concern over the presence of children at the event.
“What message does it send to our children when a leader they look up to is seen celebrating a song that reduces women to sexual objects? This is not the kind of example we should be setting for the next generation,” the statement added.
“Ogele is our heritage. But heritage is not a licence for vulgarity. Culture should uplift, not humiliate. We call on Hon. Aguocha to explain his involvement in this video and to apologise to the women and families of Ikwuano/Umuahia,” the group said.
The controversy raises questions about the judgment expected of a public officeholder and the appropriateness of associating with content that many women and families could reasonably find offensive and humiliating.
Aguocha has not responded to requests for comment as of press time.
News
National Assembly Receives Proposals for New LGAs as Lagos Seeks 37, Akwa Ibom Missing from Lis
The National Assembly has reportedly received proposals for the creation of additional local government areas (LGAs) across Nigeria, with Lagos State seeking 37 new councils, while Akwa Ibom State is conspicuously missing from a published list of submissions.
The proposals, according to a report by The Insight Lens Project, cover various communities across the country’s six geopolitical zones and reflect demands for administrative restructuring, improved grassroots representation and better access to government services.
However, the complete list of submissions has not been independently verified, and the proposals do not constitute approval for the creation of new local government areas.
In the North-East, the reported requests include Bidoma and Michika South in Adamawa State, Boi-Tapshin in Bauchi, Banki in Borno, Cham in Gombe, Gudi in Yobe and Wukari in Taraba State.
In the North-West, the proposed areas reportedly include locations in Jigawa, Piriga in Kaduna, Dankama in Katsina, as well as Moriki and other communities in Zamfara State.
The North-Central zone also features in the reported submissions, with proposals covering Agasha and other communities in Benue State, alongside several areas in Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau states.
In the South-East, the list includes Abiriba in Abia State, proposed councils around Obosi in Anambra State, several communities in Ebonyi State and numerous proposed local government areas in Imo State.
The South-West proposals reportedly include Eso-Obe and Gbonyin in Ekiti State, Ogijo and other areas in Ogun State, as well as additional proposed councils in Osun and Oyo states.
Lagos State stands out with a reported request for 37 new local government areas, although the published report did not provide the names and proposed boundaries of all the councils.
In the South-South, the reported proposals include Akassa and other communities in Bayelsa State, Ughievwen in Delta State, several areas in Edo State, and Ataba, Evo and Alesa in Rivers State.
Cross River State is also listed, with proposed councils around Mbube and Calabar. Akwa Ibom State, however, has no clearly identified entry in the published list, raising questions about whether the state submitted proposals or was omitted from the report.
Constitutional Requirements
The creation of new local government areas is governed by Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, which prescribes a series of procedures involving consultations, a referendum, legislative approval and the submission of relevant records to the National Assembly.
The constitutional process must be completed before newly created councils can be recognised and reflected in the relevant constitutional schedules.
Consequently, proposals submitted by states or communities do not automatically translate into legally recognised local government areas.
The reported development comes amid broader constitutional review efforts by the National Assembly. In October 2025, the legislature reported receiving 278 requests for additional local government areas and 55 proposals for the creation of new states.
Nevertheless, the specific state-by-state submissions contained in the latest published list, including Lagos State’s reported demand for 37 additional councils and the absence of Akwa Ibom, remain subject to confirmation through official National Assembly records.
The proposals, if confirmed, could reopen discussions on administrative boundaries, grassroots governance and the constitutional procedures required for the creation of additional local government areas in Nigeria.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Mayor of Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ezennia Emelie Ibekwe, has issued a stern warning to traders and residents against indiscriminate dumping of refuse and blockage of drainage channels, threatening sanctions against those who fail to comply with sanitation directives.
Ibekwe, who handed down the warning during an inspection of Ajasa Market, expressed displeasure over the deteriorating environmental conditions in parts of the commercial city, describing the situation as unacceptable and detrimental to healthy living and business activities.
During the inspection, the Mayor observed that refuse and other waste materials generated from market activities were being dumped into drainage channels, obstructing the free flow of water and exposing traders, residents and their properties to flooding.
“This practice contributes to flooding whenever it rains, putting traders, residents and their properties at risk.
“An environment of this nature is not conducive to business and healthy living. It does not speak well of a commercial city that houses one of the largest markets in sub-Saharan Africa,” he stated.
Consequently, Ibekwe directed traders and other persons responsible for the blocked drainage channels to ensure their immediate clearance, giving them until the following day to comply.
He further announced that he would return to the market for another inspection to ascertain the level of compliance with the directive.
“People should be alive to their responsibilities by ensuring a clean and healthy environment. Government alone cannot handle this effectively without the active participation of residents and traders.
“I am going to come back here to see what you have done,” he warned.
The Mayor stressed that the sanitation directive was not restricted to Ajasa Market but extended to all markets within Onitsha North Local Government Area.
He consequently charged market leaders to take responsibility for enforcing environmental sanitation regulations within their respective markets, warning that the council would no longer tolerate practices capable of worsening flooding and environmental degradation.
“It is not only Ajasa Market but all the markets in Onitsha North Local Government Area. Market leaders should ensure that this directive is not compromised,” Ibekwe declared.
The Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, has commissioned a community market in Afi, Ikom II State Constituency, as part of his commitment to sustainable development and improved living conditions in rural communities.
The project, facilitated and completed by the Speaker, was identified as one of the priority needs of the community following consultations by the Constituency Needs Assessment Team established by Ayambem to evaluate infrastructure and identify projects that would directly benefit the people.
The team was mandated to identify critical infrastructure capable of improving the livelihoods of residents and promoting sustainable economic growth across the constituency.
According to community members, the absence of a suitable trading environment had been a major challenge for years, forcing traders to conduct business under harsh weather conditions, including rain and intense sunshine.
Speaking on behalf of the community, the village head, Chief Etta Ekawor, commended Ayambem for the intervention, describing the market as a miracle and a blessing that would transform the fortunes of the people.
In his remarks, Ayambem expressed appreciation to the Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, for his continued support for people-oriented projects and development initiatives across rural communities in the state.
He also thanked the people for their patience, support for his leadership and commitment to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Speaker was accompanied by the member representing Yala I State Constituency, Hon. Brian Odey; the Vice Chairman of Ikom Local Government Area, Hon. Maurice Ndome; and the Assistant Financial Secretary of the APC in Cross River State, Hon. Akanya Agbor.
Other stakeholders from Nde Ward who attended the commissioning included the former Vice Chairman of Ikom Local Government Area, Hon. Asinya Ntan, and the Community Relations Officer, Hon. Abang Neji.
Matthew Okache
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker
October 22, 2026
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