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″.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate dissolution of the Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) on the Alienation of Federal Government Properties, ending the operations of a body that has overseen the privatisation, sale and lease of federal assets for more than two decades.
The decision was announced in a statement issued on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, President Tinubu directed that all matters relating to the committee’s activities will henceforth be handled by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.
The PIC was established in 2000 under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to supervise the disposal of Federal Government landed assets under the monetisation policy.
The committee was chaired by the then Minister of Housing and comprised representatives of the Ministries of Transportation, Justice, Health and Agriculture, as well as the Nigeria Police Force. Professor P.T. Ahire served as its pioneer secretary, while members were drawn from both the public and private sectors.
The statement recalled that the Federal Executive Council approved the establishment of a Panel of Inquiry on March 22, 2001, to produce a White Paper guiding the implementation of the committee’s recommendations. The panel worked for 21 months before submitting its report.
Explaining the decision, Onanuga said the Federal Government concluded that the committee had outlived its usefulness, as its activities had extended beyond its original mandate and resulted in multiple litigations across the country.
“After careful consideration, the Government has noted that the activities of the PIC had extended beyond its original mandate, resulting in multiple litigations across the country, and the continued existence of the Committee is no longer justified,” he said.
President Tinubu also directed that, with effect from November 5, 2025, all outstanding matters previously handled by the committee be coordinated by the Attorney-General of the Federation.
In addition, the former Secretary of the committee, B. S. Dutsin-Ma, was directed to immediately cease acting on behalf of the dissolved committee and the Federal Government on related matters.
The Presidency said the move is aimed at streamlining the management of issues relating to the alienation of Federal Government properties under the supervision of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
By Chinedu Sabastine
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and Afrinvest have urged Nigerian clubs to embrace digital transformation, saying strong online presence, quality data and commercial partnerships are key to financial sustainability.
Speaking at a seminar for media and marketing officers of NPFL clubs in Enugu, NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owunmi, challenged clubs to improve their digital platforms or risk missing sponsorship opportunities.
To underscore the importance of data, Owunmi offered a ₦100,000 reward to any club with a functional website containing comprehensive statistics from the just-concluded season, including player profiles, goals, match records and attendance figures.
He lamented that many clubs either lack functional websites or operate platforms with little useful content, stressing that data and digital engagement have become major revenue drivers in modern football.
“Our Gen Z audience lives online. If clubs are absent from the digital space, they cannot reach young fans, attract sponsors or benefit from e-commerce opportunities,” he said.
According to Owunmi, potential sponsors now demand audience and performance data before committing funds, but many clubs are unable to provide credible figures due to poor data generation.
He urged clubs to reduce dependence on government funding by strengthening their media and marketing departments, citing Rangers International’s ₦200 million sleeve sponsorship deal and other commercial partnerships as examples of what effective branding can achieve.
Owunmi also disclosed that from next season, the NPFL will introduce measurable digital benchmarks for clubs, including website functionality, quality content and social media engagement.
Afrinvest Manager, Emmanuel Eleojo, said the company’s partnership with Rangers International and the NPFL is anchored on its “Finance Meets Football” initiative, which promotes corporate investment in football.
He said Afrinvest’s support for Rangers since 2023 has boosted youth development, led to the establishment of the club’s academy and contributed to two league titles in three seasons, while producing players for the national team.
“When finance meets football, we see growth. We see progress. We see trophies won,” Eleojo said.
One of the lead paper presenters at the seminar, Mr George Isitua-Onukwu, who spoke on ‘Monetising NPFL Clubs Through Marketing, Sponsorship and Brand Investment’, harped on the need for the clubs to adopt a clear and timed approach to branding and marketing.
According to him, NPFL sponsors report hesitation because clubs cannot yet guarantee the consistent visibility and production quality brands ask for.
“Clubs without a structured calendar for renewals, activation briefs, and reporting are, by definition, always reacting,” he further stated.
The seminar brought together media and marketing officers from the 20 NPFL clubs to strengthen capacity in digital marketing, branding, content creation and data management aimed at improving the league’s commercial appeal.
A socio-political organization, Forum of Abia Democrats (FABD), has lauded the sterling leadership qualities of Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa.
Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa is the Nigeria Democratic Congress State House of Assembly candidate for Isiala Ngwa South Constituency of Abia State
Forum of Abia Democrats (FABD), whose membership is drawn from the seventeen (17) local government areas of Abia State in a statement on Thursday, hailed
Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa’s resilience and commitment to nation-building and development.
The statement by the forum was signed by the Chairman, Surveyor Samuel Azubuike and Secretary General, Victor Mbanaso.
While noting that Dr Michael Chiemezuo ‘s invaluable contributions towards deepening democracy in Abia state and Nigeria cannot be overemphasized, Forum of Abia Democrats(FABD) also noted that Dr. Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa has remained unwavering in her pursuit of gender equality in the country.
The pro-democracy forum further noted that Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo’s continued support for human empowerment, community development, and as well passion for good governance.
“Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa has remained committed to public service and also dedicated to the advancement of democratic values in Abia state and larger Nigeria. And this illustrious son of Abia state has continuously demonstrated his desire to contribute to societal building and development, having chaired and coordinated professional bodies effectively and efficiently.
Forum of Abia Democrats (FABD) therefore threw their weights behind Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa’s House of assembly bid, describing his recent emergence as the NDC State House of Assembly standard-bearer for Isiala Ngwa South state Constituency as a beginning of a new chapter of progress and purposeful leadership in Isiala Ngwa South.
The forum expressed confidence in the ability and capacity of Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa in driving even development and uplifting local communities across Isiala Ngwa South Constituency through attractions of government’s provision of critical infrastructural amenities and projects when elected into the Abia State House of Assembly come 2027.
According to the ethnic-nationality body, aside from attracting meaningful socio-economic and infrastructural projects across IIsiala Ngwa South Constituency, we believe Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa equally possessed the wherewithal to pursue and make impactful laws that strengthen all statutory and relevant institutions of democratic governance in Abia State.
“Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo has remained a defender of justice and advocate for the rights and welfare of average Nigerians.
“The confidence and widespread acceptance he enjoy among the electorates in isiala Ngwa South state constituency will turn into electoral victory for NDC in the coming general election next year,”the forum noted.
Forum of Abia Democrats (FABD) pledged to rally bulk votes for NDC State House of Assembly Candidate, Dr. Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa to ensure his total victory in the upcoming election in 2027 in isiala Ngwa South Constituency by the independent national electoral commission (INEC).
The southeast forum also used the medium to call on all eligible Nigerian citizens to participate in the ongoing nationwide voters registration exercise by INEC, so as to enable them exercise their franchise in next year’s general election in the country.
“Every eligible imo citizens should ensure it register and collect their permanent voters cards (PVC), because, it is the only weapon and power vested on citizens by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to effect a change in government, and vote in credible people to mount leadership saddle in all levels in the country,”They stated.
The Service stated this in a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday.
According to the NIS, the only authorised platform for passport payments by Nigerians, both within the country and in the diaspora, is its official passport portal.
It added that foreigners seeking Nigerian visas should use only its official visa portal for embassy applications or the designated e-visa portal for electronic visa applications.
It said, “The Nigeria Immigration Service wishes to reiterate that the only authorised platforms for passport payments for Nigerians (at home and in diaspora) is https://passport.immigration.gov.ng.
“For foreigners wishing to apply for visa, https://visa.immigration.gov.ng (for visa at the Embassy) and https://evisa.immigration.gov.ng (for e-visa) are the official links.
The NIS urged applicants who require clarification or assistance with passport or visa applications to contact its verified communication channels.
It listed its official X accounts as @nigimmigration and @InquireAtNaija, while its verified Facebook and Instagram handles are @nigimmigration.
The Service also provided WhatsApp numbers 09160878000 and 09117717772 for enquiries and support.
The statement reiterated the Service’s commitment to ensuring secure and transparent passport and visa application processes, urging the public to avoid fraudulent intermediaries.
The US Department of State said the move is aimed at centralising routine visa services in regional hubs to enhance national security, reduce government spending, and ensure greater consistency in visa screening, vetting and adjudication.
In a statement on the US Department of State website on Wednesday, the department said the reorganisation aligns with the President Donald Trump’s administration’s priority of placing America’s interests and security first.
“The Department of State is constantly evaluating its overseas operations in order to advance America’s priorities as efficiently and effectively as possible. This includes a visa process that maintains rigorous standards of security screening and vetting and aligns resources and operational capacity with America’s national interests.
“The Trump administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans, and the State Department will continue to provide Americans with appropriate consular services and assistance at diplomatic posts around the world,” the statement read.
Besides Abuja, the affected diplomatic posts are located in Asmara, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, Freetown, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Libreville, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane, N’Djamena, Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou and Windhoek.
It also emphasised that all diplomatic missions will continue to provide consular services and carry out their regular functions on behalf of the United States.
The department further assured travellers that the policy does not invalidate visas that have already been issued.
The United States periodically reviews its global diplomatic operations to reallocate resources and streamline consular services.
Under the new arrangement, applicants in countries affected by the policy are expected to access routine visa services through designated regional processing hubs, while embassies and consulates continue to provide other diplomatic and consular assistance.
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