News
Town Union Election: Enugu Community Accuses Commissioner Of Bias
SummitNews gathered that Commissioner Ogbodo has unilaterally slated Saturday, December 14, 2024 as the date of election-by-delegates, which the incumbent Executive and most people in Awhum firmly charged as strange and foreign to the Awhum Town Union Constitution of 1985.
Their Constitution, they said, states, in Section 28, that “election shall be by raising of hands at the assembly of the General Assembly or standing in line behind candidates of choice of each member/voter.”
They wondered where Mr. Ogbodo was bringing his election-by-delegates from since their Constitution had a position which had run from time immemorial or about the era before the Nigeria – Biafra war and the 1970s.
The problem of the incumbent Executive of Awhum Town Central Union, started in early July this year when it formerly wrote and notified the Ministry of impending end-of-tenure on September 15, 2024.
According to the President General, Comrade Ralph Ochubelu, “the letter notifying the government was to first raise awareness on the approach of end of tenure, and secondly for a date to be fixed and announced for new elections before the expiration of tenure.”
The Ministry, our Correspondent gathered, had formally received the memo, stamped and acknowledged it, but strangely, this memo soon got missing until an alarm was raised.
The incumbent Executive and members of the Community soon developed fears that something unbecoming was being hatched as there was still no word from the Ministry.
Their fears were confirmed, September 4, when the Commissioner summoned the PG; members of his Executive Council; Chairmen of Village Assemblies and some stakeholders and, from the blues, announced that he had powers to set up a “Caretaker Committee” or appoint a “Sole Administrator” for the Community.
It was gathered that he was challenged there by one of the stakeholders, an Ex-Commissioner, who told him that he was departing from the path of peace if he allowed some manipulators to lead him into such thing as the Caretaker Committee or Sole Administrator.
“There is no emergency, whatsoever, to warrant a Caretaker Committee or Sole Administrator. The tenure of the present Executive is still running and even if it exceeds by a few weeks, it was not going to be the first, as the immediate past administration had nine months in excess of the tenure. The one before that ran for two extra years. So, why the hurry to talk about Caretaker Committee or Sole Administrator?”
The former Commissioner was said to have firmly stated that only crisis or breakdown in law and order would necessitate the appointment of Caretaker Committee or Sole Administrator, and none of such was in place.
The Commissioner then asked members of the Community to go back to the village and await his announcement on radio. This, the Community felt, was unusual. It was never this way. Much as they had in the past encountered attempts by officials of government to help Candidates in Town Union elections, as elsewhere, this appeared pointing in a scary direction.
Unsettled by this development, the P.G, his Executives and some stakeholders quickly retained the services of BackBond Law Firm, which promptly outlined the legal implications of the Commissioner, and reasons for him to intervene.
Commissioner Ogbodo soon called the Town Executives and stakeholders to announce that the Governor had directed that an election be conducted, according to the Constitution of the Town Union.
He announced the setting up of an Electoral Committee, and named the Members, without the input of the Community, except those for whom he appeared to be working for, to install a Caretaker Committee or Sole Administrator.
In the words of the Deputy President General, Comrade Okey Ngwuagu, he, Commissioner Ogbodo just “announced an Electoral Committee, all by himself, without reference to the Community or their leaders, himself not being from the Community” but believed to be manipulated by some minority elements who are scared of general elections.
He set November 9, 2024 as the date of Election but his Electoral Committee moved it to November 16, without informing the Community.
Our Correspondent gathered that this election produced less than 10 percent of expected results as voting was held only for the office of the P. G, largely due to what one resident described as the “incompetence of Ogbodo’s Electoral Committee and seeming connivance of the officials of the Ministry, on ground.”
“Counting of votes was not well-coordinated,” a Ministry source disclosed.
According to the source, Chairman of the Electoral Committee, a said Mr. James Ugbor, “started the counting from the four and half lines formed by the supporters of the incumbent PG, Comrade Ochubeku, in favour of whom he recorded and announced 671 heads/votes.”
In the case of the opponent, Mr. Okey Okolo, he was observed to be lax with measures to control the crowd or prevent double appearance on the line, “and that was what finally marred the election. People were caught on camera voting multiple times. Some were seen using fuel and other chemicals to remove the ink-marks on their fingers so that they voted again and again. From the two and half lines formed by Okolo’s supporters, the Electoral Committee scored him 633 votes/heads.
Election into that post alone, against several experiences in the past, lasted over seven hours.
Yet, strangely, Commissioner Ogbodo refused to announce Comrade Ochubelu (the incumbent PG) the winner.
Rather, the Commissioner refused any further communications with the Community.
He was also reported to have ignored all the letters written by various lawyers, asking him to act quickly to stem any unbecoming development from his seeming curious interest in installing a Caretaker Committee or Sole Administrator in the Community; or to be guided by the Constitution of the Community in question before he embarked on his “strange” election-by-delegates.
“He ignored all,” our correspondent gathered.
President of the town’s Youth Association, Prince Tyla Onoduenyi, last Saturday, led a demonstration of the youths in the old Nkwo market square, where they sang their disapproval of the Election-by-Delegates, amid brandishing of placards.
He said, “Elections in the Town Union Executive Councils are always by general elections where voters stand in line/s behind their preferred candidates where they were counted, ever so since the 1970s or before, till date.”
The placards bore such wording as “Delegates Election is strange to our Constitution,” “We have never heard of such election before”, “Who will select the delegates?” “By what criteria would the delegates be selected?” “Commissioner do not bring confusion into Awhum”, “It is General Election or Nothing”.
But what has suddenly made a quiet, sleepy community as Awhum so attractive to the Honoruable Commissioner and officials of his Ministry to throw every caution to the wind to interfere in election of mere Executives of the Town Union?
Sources attribute this development to deft moves of operatives of mineral explorers in the vicinity who are said to be ever discomforted with independent locality administrators wherever they operate, except they are their puppets.
However, there is no evidence to back up this claim.
Other sources believe that these interferences arose from the absence of, and the tussle for, the vacant stool of the traditional ruler (Igwe) of the Community. MmThe last Igwe passed away in June of 2018, and the incumbent Town Union Executive Council had almost completed the process of a new one emerging, having narrowed it to one candidate following the withdrawal of one of the two frontrunners.
Some members of the Community, especially believed to have had stints in government are said to be opposed to the 1976 Igweship Constitution of the town already published in Government Gazette of 2010, and which amendment can only be undertaken “if approval by the Governor is first had and obtained.”
“If You Have Evidence Against Stanley Mbam, Charge Him; Otherwise, Release Him” — Oganiru Izzi
A socio-cultural organisation of Izzi extraction, Oganiru Izzi, has challenged Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, to either release the state’s sacked Commissioner for Works, Mr Stanley Mbam, or charge him before a competent court if the government has credible evidence of wrongdoing against him.
The group said the continued detention of the former commissioner without a formal charge raises concerns about due process, constitutional rights and the rule of law.
The leader of Oganiru Izzi, Mr Godwin Mbam, made the demand while speaking with correspondents of National Issue Newspapers at the Crack Department of the Ebonyi State Police Command in Abakaliki.
Mbam condemned what he described as the prolonged detention of Stanley Mbam without allowing a court to determine whether he had committed any offence.
He challenged the state government to produce evidence if it believes the former commissioner committed a criminal offence.
“If there is credible evidence against him, charge him to court and let the court decide. If there is no case against him, he should be released,” Mbam said.
He also appealed to the Ebonyi State Police Command to uphold the Constitution and resist any pressure that could result in unlawful detention.
Vanco Flyover: “We Will Reveal the Full Details”
Mbam also issued a three-day challenge to Governor Nwifuru, declaring that if the former commissioner was not released or charged to court, his organisation would make public what it described as the “full details” of the Vanco Flyover project.
According to him, the proposed disclosure would address issues surrounding the project, including its funding, payments, contractual arrangements and other financial details.
“We will let the world know the full details of the Vanco Flyover and how the funds were utilised,” he warned.
He further challenged the state government to demonstrate transparency by making relevant documents concerning the project available to the public.
“What About the Alleged ₦1.5 Billion Forfeiture?”
The Izzi group also questioned what it described as the selective application of the state government’s anti-corruption campaign.
Mbam referred to allegations involving an account reportedly frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and an alleged ₦1.5 billion forfeiture to the Federal Government.
He questioned why, according to him, the governor had allegedly not taken similar action if the facts surrounding the matter warranted it.
Mbam stressed that he was not opposed to the fight against corruption but insisted that any anti-corruption campaign must be comprehensive, transparent and applied equally.
“If Governor Nwifuru wants to fight corruption, let him fight it holistically. Nobody should be targeted while other serious allegations are ignored,” he said.
“If Nwifuru Says He Knows Nothing, We Will Produce the Facts”
Mbam further challenged Governor Nwifuru to publicly state whether he was aware of alleged corruption issues within the Ministry of Works.
“If Nwifuru publicly claims that he is unaware of corruption in the Works Ministry, I will make public the facts available to me. The facts will shock the state,” he declared.
He insisted that the matter should not degenerate into a political vendetta, arguing that the appropriate place to determine criminal liability is a court of law.
According to him, the people of Ebonyi State deserve clear answers concerning the Vanco Flyover and other issues involving public funds.
“Everybody Should Be Subject to the Law”
The Oganiru Izzi leader maintained that the controversy should be resolved through transparency, documentary evidence and due process.
“If there is a case, charge him. If there is no case, release him. The government cannot claim to be fighting corruption while abandoning the principles of justice and the rule of law,” he said.
Mbam warned that failure to address the issues could compel the organisation to make further disclosures concerning the Vanco Flyover and other matters it considers to be in the public interest.
By Our Correspondent
As Nigeria celebrates its 66th Independence Anniversary, the candidate for the House of Representatives seat representing the Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency, Hon. Chief Kevin Tobias Chukwu, has called on Nigerians to remain hopeful and committed to building a better country.
Chukwu, also known as Ochiri Ozua 1 of Amagu Ikwo, made the call in an Independence Day message to Nigerians, particularly the people of Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency and Ebonyi State.
He described the anniversary as not only a moment for celebration but also an opportunity to reflect on the state of the nation and the responsibilities of leaders in building a Nigeria that meets the aspirations of its citizens.
According to him, Nigeria’s journey since independence has been marked by significant challenges, with millions of citizens currently facing economic hardship, while young people continue to search for opportunities and many communities contend with insecurity and uncertainty.
Despite these challenges, the Ebonyi politician said the resilience of Nigerians remained a source of hope for the country’s future.
“I believe in the resilience of our people. I believe in the ingenuity of our youths, the strength of our women, the wisdom of our elders and the determination of ordinary Nigerians who wake up every morning and refuse to give up on this country,” he said.
Chukwu, however, stressed that hope must be matched by responsible leadership, arguing that public office should be viewed as a responsibility rather than a privilege.
He called for leadership that prioritises the protection of lives, creation of economic opportunities, provision of infrastructure, strengthening of institutions and responsible management of national resources.
The candidate also emphasised the need to create an environment where young Nigerians can pursue successful lives within the country and where hard work, merit and enterprise are rewarded.
He said Nigeria had “come too far to surrender to hopelessness,” urging citizens and leaders alike to remain committed to the country’s progress.
“A better Nigeria is still possible, but it will require responsible leadership, accountable institutions and citizens who refuse to give up on their country,” he said.
Chukwu concluded by expressing optimism about Nigeria’s future, declaring: “Nigeria will rise. Nigeria must rise. And together, we must build the Nigeria we deserve.”
He also paid tribute to the nation’s past heroes, praying that their sacrifices would continue to inspire the country.
“May the labour of our heroes past never be in vain,” he said, as he wished Nigerians a happy 66th Independence Anniversary.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
As Nigeria celebrates its 66th anniversary of independence from colonial rule, democracy in the country has continued to evolve and deepen, the Anambra State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, has said.
Anosike made the observation in a message to mark Nigeria’s Independence anniversary, noting that despite the challenges the country had encountered since 1960, its democratic system had continued to improve under successive administrations.
According to him, since the return to democratic rule in 1999, Nigeria has witnessed relatively smooth transitions from one administration to another, while citizens have continued to exercise their fundamental rights to hold governments accountable for their performance.
“Before the return of the democratic process, it was indeed difficult and near taboo to challenge the leadership of the country, and those who may have attempted it in the past faced grave consequences.
“Similarly, we have had smooth transitions from one dispensation to another, producing five presidents through the ballot and not through the barrel of the gun. These elected presidents were produced by different political parties.”
Anosike said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had sustained the country’s democratic principles and created an avenue for Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, race or religion, to express their views on government policies and programmes.
“Under the stewardship of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigerians have been enjoying the freedom to express themselves over issues, policies and programmes of government, and those expressions have been shaping and guiding the administration of Mr President,” he said.
The APC chairman said Nigeria’s 66th independence anniversary provided an opportunity for citizens to reflect on the country’s journey as a nation and the progress made since independence.
He said President Tinubu’s Independence Day broadcast had offered another opportunity for Nigerians to renew their hope for a greater and more prosperous country.
Anosike also commended what he described as the “enormous infrastructural development” taking place across the country under the Tinubu administration.
He urged Nigerians to continue to support and have faith in the administration as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
An Elder Statesman, Chief Hycienth Ngwu, has called on political leaders and policies formulators to ensure governmental policies and programmes directly touch lives of the people and reduce hardship in the country.
Ngwu, who is a prominent community leader in Enugu, urged Nigerians to maintain peace within neighbourhoods and communities, as no meaningful development can take place without peace.
The statesman made the call on Thursday in Enugu while reacting to the developmental efforts of Nigeria at its 66th Independence.
He said that previous and present administrations had put in place policies and programmes to reset the socioeconomic fabric of the nation.
Ngwu said that while the removal of fuel subsidy, and unification of the foreign exchange had good intentions, their impact is yet to reflect on the lives and livelihoods of vast majority of Nigerians.
He urged leaders to ensure that public resources were properly managed while citizens remained patient with reforms aimed at improving the socioeconomic status of the country.
The elder statesman noted that at 66th independence, the country was still struggling on keeping its peace and co-existence as a country; adding that the founding leaders of Nigeria envisaged a closely united, bonded and peaceful country.
He called for return to policies that promote local production, indigenous industries and entrepreneurship, arguing that excessive dependence on imports had continued to weaken the country’s productive capacity.
According to him, we are yet to achieve economic independence even as we needed to do more on non oil revenue earns as the greater part of the world is moving towards greener and clean energy.
“Greater emphasis should be on skills acquisition, creativity and entrepreneurship education system, as academic qualifications without practical skills could leave graduates dependent on scarce white collar jobs.
“We ought to be economically productive nation capable of producing and exporting goods while developing its human capital,” he said.
Ngwu noted that current insecurity and social instability could be partly attributed to poverty and ignorance, while calling for greater honesty and trust between leaders and citizens.
“Corruption, tribalism and selfishness must be addressed if Nigeria is to achieve peace and lasting progress,” he added.
He also called for the scrapping of state electoral commissions as they have not helped in deepening democracy at that level. The National Election body should take over that responsibility.
As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Day, Macmaduson Concepts Limited, a leading provider of HVACR,industrial parts, sensors, electrical and plumbing materials, has extended warm Independence Day greetings to its customers, clients and business partners across the country.
In a goodwill message to mark the occasion, the company expressed appreciation to its valued customers for their continuous support, trust and partnership over the years.
Macmaduson Concepts Limited, which specialises in HVACR,Industrial Materials, sensors, air-conditioners, refrigerators, cold rooms, chillers, refrigerants, electrical materials and plumbing materials, said the occasion provides an opportunity to celebrate Nigeria and reflect on the nation’s journey.
The company wished Nigeria continued growth, unity, peace and prosperity, while expressing hope for a brighter future for all Nigerians.
The message from the company reads in part:
At Macmaduson Concepts Limited, we celebrate our great nation, Nigeria, and appreciate our valued clients for their continuous support, trust and partnership. May Nigeria continue to grow in unity, peace and prosperity.”
The company concluded its Independence Day message with the theme: “One Nation, One People, A Brighter Tomorrow.”
Happy Independence Day, Nigeria!
Happy 66th Independence Anniversary from Macmaduson Concepts Limited.
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