A fresh crisis is brewing in the influential Umuahia Premier Club following a strong-worded statement by the President of its Umuahia Branch, Prem Ako Obioma, accusing the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North and South Federal Constituency, Hon. Obi Aguocha, of ingratitude and abandonment.

The statement, which has leaked and is circulating widely across WhatsApp groups in Ohuhu, Umuahia and Ikwuano, is already generating heated debate.

In the leaked message addressed to “Prem Ebo”, Obioma, who identified himself as Aguocha’s political godfather and sponsor, claimed he was instrumental to Aguocha’s emergence as Labour Party candidate in 2023.

According to him, Aguocha never planned to contest for House of Representatives in 2023 and only got the Labour Party ticket after losing out in the PDP.

“I personally gave Obi Aguocha the ticket for the Labour Party after Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu disappointed us in PDP. My brothers and their associates refused, but at that time, the Labour Party was a family agenda, and Obi’s position was my allocation. Despite that, it took me weeks to convince Obi Aguocha to return for the contest because of the trauma of losing PDP ticket,” the statement read.

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Obioma further alleged that since the 2023 elections, the federal lawmaker has not attended Prem meetings nor paid his dues, except for a recent payment of N500,000 which he said was made after intervention by the national leadership ahead of the 2027 elections.

He also claimed that after the election, Labour Party sent a delegation to his house to thank him for his role in delivering Umuahia South.

“After Labour Party sent their representatives to my house in April 2023, which include Hon Acho Obioma, Prem Mcdee Uba, and Prem Obi Aguocha in attendance to appreciate me for (Wike) role I and my PDP structure played in that first of its kind in Umuahia South election result that gave them victory, Prem Obi Aguocha has never crossed my gate, to talk more of entering my house,” he alleged.

He added that since Aguocha went to the National Assembly, he only briefly entered one meeting convened by Emeka Uta and never attended any other Prem meeting.

Obioma who was reacting to claims that he was jealous and envious of Aguocha, challenged the lawmaker to tell the world the truth about how he became candidate.

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He maintained that Prem has a template for supporting its own which Aguocha benefited from in 2023, and has never endorsed any candidate including Aguocha himself.

“Let any Prem come out and state any instance where we have endorsed any candidate, including Prem Obi Aguocha’s last election. Prem has a template for supporting his own, and we have always applied it, and Obi Aguocha benefited from that template in his last election,” he said.

He added that the fear and hullabaloo in the camp of the lawmaker was due to guilty conscience, noting that at the appropriate time, Ohuhu people and Ndi Nwem will judge who is the ingrate.

“I have publicly come out to say I have forgiven everyone and ask God to judge all of us. Our spiritual father, the ArchBishop Opoko, can attest to all these. However, now that Prem Obi Aguocha has come out to tell the world that his political Godfather and sponsor which I claim and will defend is envious and jealous of him, at the appropriate time, the Ohuhu’s and ndi nwem will judge between me and Prem Obi Aguocha who is the INGRATE and who is JEALOUSING WHO. I rest my case,” he concluded.

The development comes days after the leadership of Umuahia Premier Club, Umuahia Branch, in a rejoinder dated 21st September, 2026 and signed by its President, Premier Ako Obioma and Secretary, Premier Chuka Agomoh, debunked reports that the Club endorsed Aguocha for second term, describing the purported endorsement as unauthorized, null and void.

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Efforts to get Hon. Obi Aguocha’s reaction were unsuccessful as of press time.

By Okey Maduforo, Awka

The First Niger Bridge, which was closed for maintenance three weeks ago, is expected to reopen to motorists next week.

The maintenance work, initially scheduled to be completed within two weeks, was extended by one week following more than a week of sustained rainfall in the area.

Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, who inspected the ongoing work at the bridge after the initial deadline and the subsequent one-week extension, said the bridge would officially reopen to motorists next week.

The announcement came as the Anambra State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Works for the rehabilitation and maintenance work on the bridge.

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Umahi said the Tinubu administration had done considerably well for the South-East, adding that the administration’s projects in the region should be highlighted.

He said the bridge would be decorated with photographs of President Tinubu, while urging supporters of Peter Obi to identify projects the former Anambra governor had attracted to the South-East.

Umahi said: “Once we are done with work on this bridge, I want all the illegal adverts on this bridge removed. Anyone who wants to advertise should apply to the Ministry of Works. For now, the bridge will be decorated with the pictures of President Tinubu.

“The President has worked so hard and we need to reward his hard work by decorating this bridge with his pictures. I want to say to Ndigbo that we should not throw away our votes in 2027. In the last election, we did not vote for him so well, yet he is bringing projects to our region.

“I have a bragging right in Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and I’m proud of him. I will be willing to show anyone who wants to know all that he has done. Peter Obi is our brother and we do not hate him, but we need to be realistic this time. I don’t care about people abusing me on social media; they should only tell us what Obi has attracted to the South-East.”

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The minister also said security agencies would be asked to remove checkpoints located about 200 metres from the bridge, which he said contribute to traffic congestion and could affect the bridge.

“We will be here next week to open the bridge, and I want to say that we will write to the security chiefs to tell them that there would not be need for any checkpoint 200 metres to this bridge because it causes traffic on the bridge, which is not good for its health,” he said.

Umahi further said the Federal Government would write to the governors of Anambra and Delta states to closely monitor scrap activities around the bridge to prevent vandalism of public infrastructure.

He also banned dredging activities around the bridge, warning that such activities could compromise its structural integrity.

The minister expressed satisfaction with the progress of the rehabilitation work, which includes the installation of CCTV cameras and streetlights, removal and reconstruction of asphalt on the carriageway and walkways, replacement of expansion joints and bolts, among other works.

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He said: “We thank the people for their patience. The bridge is not just healthier, but will last longer now and motorists will enjoy driving on it.

“We thank the governors of Anambra and Delta states for their commitment and support to the rehabilitation of the bridge. Anambra had to work with the Ministry of Works for the bypass, and we apologise for the inconveniences, but it was for their good.

“The bolts that were lost have been replaced. Expansion joints have been manufactured and flown in by air and replaced. The company has done beautiful work. We will, however, not be stampeded to open the bridge until the full structural works have been done.”

According to Umahi, additional work will include painting the kerbs and repainting all metal elements on the bridge.

He said the entrance and exit of the bridge would also be reconstructed with concrete.

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“When we open the bridge next week, it will only be for one carriageway until after 21 days. Then we open it and work on the other side,” he said.

The Anambra State APC Chairman, Senator Emma Anosike, said the people of the state were grateful to President Tinubu for responding to the need for the rehabilitation and maintenance of the First Niger Bridge.

“We are grateful to President Bola Tinubu’s administration and to the Minister of Works, Senator Engr. Dave Umahi, for the good work being done at the bridge,” Anosike said.

He added that keeping promises was one of the indices by which governments were measured and trusted.

According to him, the people of Anambra had placed their trust in the Tinubu administration and were pleased with its intervention on the bridge.

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He described the project as a boost for the APC in the South-East, particularly in Anambra State.

The Controller of Works in Anambra State, Engr. Timothy Emenike, who conducted the minister around the project site, commended Umahi for his commitment, hard work and energy, which he said had contributed to the progress of the rehabilitation work.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has ordered filling station operators nationwide to immediately inspect, calibrate and verify their fuel dispensing equipment following renewed concerns over the under-dispensing of petrol to motorists.

The directive is part of an intensified regulatory crackdown on filling stations accused of giving customers less petrol than the quantity displayed and paid for at the pump.

The NMDPRA said it had recorded cases of under-dispensing at retail outlets across the country and described the practice as a serious breach of consumer trust.

In an industry notice issued on Tuesday, the authority directed operators of retail outlets to ensure that their dispensers and totalisers were properly calibrated and functioning accurately.

The regulator warned that any filling station found to be deliberately or otherwise inaccurately dispensing petroleum products would be required to take immediate corrective measures.

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It further cautioned that persistent or serious violations could attract sanctions, including the revocation of the affected outlet’s operating licence.

The latest directive follows a series of enforcement operations by the regulator during which several filling stations were shut for allegedly short-measuring customers.

About 20 filling stations were reportedly sealed by the NMDPRA between 2025 and 2026 over under-dispensing.

The development has also prompted petroleum marketers to step up efforts to ensure that customers receive the quantity of petrol for which they pay.

While some marketers have pointed to the conduct of pump attendants as a possible cause of the problem, others have attributed discrepancies to faulty or improperly calibrated dispensing equipment.

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IPMAN reacts

Reacting to the NMDPRA directive, the Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, said the association had communicated the regulator’s warning to its members across the country.

Ukadike said petroleum marketers operated in a competitive market in which the quality, price and quantity of products were important considerations for customers.

He stressed the need for filling station operators to maintain accurate dispensing equipment and ensure that motorists received the appropriate quantity of petrol for their money.

The NMDPRA said operators were expected to comply with the directive and take responsibility for ensuring that their dispensing systems remained accurate and properly calibrated.

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A university undergraduate has died after floodwater swept the vehicle she was travelling in with her father into a drainage channel in Asaba, Delta State.

The incident occurred on Monday at Okotimi Layout, behind the Asaba Specialist Hospital, following heavy rainfall in the area.

According to reports, the victim and her father were travelling in a Toyota Corolla when floodwater reportedly overwhelmed the road and pushed the vehicle into a drainage channel.

The victim, who was seated in the front of the car, reportedly called for help before she was swept away by the floodwater. Her father was rescued and taken to a hospital for medical attention.

The Delta State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), under the Ministry of Bureau for Special Duties, subsequently commenced a search operation for the missing undergraduate.

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Commissioner for the Bureau of Special Duties, Ejiro Terry Etacherure, said the agency engaged divers in the search, which continued for two days.

The search ended on Wednesday after boat operators around the Otogwu River axis of Anwai Road alerted SEMA to a floating body.

According to Etacherure, a family member was contacted and identified the body as that of the missing undergraduate. An ambulance from the Asaba Specialist Hospital subsequently conveyed the remains to the hospital morgue.

Meanwhile, residents have raised concerns over the condition of the drainage channel, saying the incident was not the first time vehicles had been swept into the canal during heavy rainfall.

An eyewitness said vehicles, including a Mercedes-Benz GLK and a Lexus, had previously fallen into the same drainage channel.

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Residents attributed the recurring incidents to inadequate drainage infrastructure and called on relevant authorities to urgently address the problem.

The deceased’s uncle, Andy Emephia, also appealed for attention to the drainage system, saying the family was devastated by the loss.

Residents have consequently called for urgent intervention to improve drainage infrastructure in the area and prevent further loss of lives and property during heavy rainfall.

By Chinedu Sabastine

ENUGU — No fewer than four communities in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State — Mpu, Okpanku, Ndiabor and Oduma — have been ravaged by severe flooding, displacing residents and destroying houses, shops, rice mills, farmlands and other property worth millions of naira.

The flooding, which began on September 20, worsened on Tuesday and Wednesday, submerging parts of Afor Okpanku, Ivo Bridge and adjoining roads.

More than 10 houses reportedly collapsed on Wednesday, while rice, yam and cassava farms were washed away by the rising waters.

As of press time, residents were evacuating their families and belongings to safer locations as heavy rainfall continued in the area.

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The councillor representing Mpu Ward, Hon. Edwin Ogbuka, described the situation as life-threatening, saying several houses and farmlands had been affected.

Ogbuka called for urgent government intervention and attributed the flooding to the overflow of water from the abandoned Ivo Dam project.

A community leader in Mpu, Mr Chukwu Magnus Dele, said six villages in the community had been affected, with displaced residents taking refuge at Amachalla Town School.

He appealed to the government and relevant emergency agencies to urgently provide relief materials and other assistance to the victims.

Similarly, the Youth Leader of Okpanku, Mr George Ahaefuna, described the disaster as unprecedented.

“Since I was born, I have never seen this kind of flood in my life. The flood has destroyed all we have laboured for this year.

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“It has destroyed our crops, rice and yam farms worth millions of naira. I am appealing to the Federal Government, Enugu State Government, Aninri Local Government, NEMA and SEMA to come to our aid,” he said.

A shop owner at Afor Okpanku Market, Mrs Patricia Chukwu, said goods worth millions of naira had remained submerged for two days.

“This development is devastating. This is the worst flood that has affected Okpanku in my generation.

“If you go inside the villages, you will see houses destroyed by the flood. I urge the government, spirited individuals, the Senator representing Enugu West, the House of Representatives member, the local government chairman and the House of Assembly member to assist those whose houses were destroyed so they can rebuild and return home,” she said.

The flooding was still worsening as of press time, with rain continuing to fall and more buildings and farmlands coming under water.

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Residents said Okpanku had experienced major flooding on previous occasions, with community accounts citing 1939, 1965 and 2026 as major flood years.

Speaking on the incident, the Chairman of Aninri Local Government Area, Prince Ugochukwu Nwanjoku, expressed concern over the disaster, saying flooding occurs twice yearly in some parts of the area due to the uncompleted Ivo Dam project.

He said stakeholders were planning a joint visit to the Ivo Dam to assess the reservoir and explore possible repairs to prevent further flooding.

“I felt sad the moment I heard about the incident. Most communities in Aninri have been submerged by flooding, such as Okpanku, Mpu, Uhuezeoke in Ndiabor and parts of Ezineshi in Oduma.

“Crops, houses and businesses were destroyed. We are assessing the situation to know the level of damage this has caused,” he said.

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Efforts to reach the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) for their reactions were unsuccessful as of press time.