The leadership of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, has said that the party is re-strategizing to take over governance in Anambra come November 8; to enable it unleash people-oriented programs in the state, adding that the party is geared towards breeding a new set of leaders through “ballot revolution”.

Speaking at a press conference in Awka, the YPP leadership, including the National Chairman, Bishop Emmanuel Amakiri, represented by the National Secretary, Barrister Vidiyeno Bamaiyi, Anambra State leader of the party, Chief Dr Chinedu Umeadi, Agunechemba, and the state Chairman, Honourable Prince Moses Obi, noted that the party did well in the last political outing in the state; resulting in increase in its followership, and has re-strategized to make more impact in future outings.

On 2025 Anambra governorship position, the party announced March 1 as date for commencement of sale of nomination and expression of interest forms, adding that it has no zoning arrangement, and that sale of form for the election is free for women as special incentive.

On the by-election for Anambra South Senatorial District, the party said the chance to produce late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah’s replacement should have been given to them unchallenged.

On state of Anambra affairs, the YPP leader in the state, Chief Dr Umeadi, declined comment, but wished Governor Chukwuma Soludo well in office, even as he promised to support any candidate of his YPP party in the coming Anambra governorship election.

Asked what they will do different, the YPP leadership said the party will better than APGA in all aspects.

On possibility of supporting APC because of the late Senator Ubah, the said no, adding that the late Senator was right in his decision, and still has respect of YPP members.

Earlier at a meeting of YPP members from across the state, a minute silence was observed in honor and appreciation of the late Senator Ubah, whom Dr Umeadi said was the reason he entered YPP.

While calling for membership drive to strengthen the party, Dr Umeadi explained that the more stakeholders, the more grounded the party is for any meaningful outing during election, and charged members to be consistent and make serious commitment for success of the party.

He said he is open to discussion with people across party lines, even as his membership of YPP remains certain.

The member representing Oyi Constituency at the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Innocent Ojike has frowned at the attitude of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Air Vice Marshall (AVM) Ben Chiobi and Senior Special Assistant on Security, Hon. Mazi Chukwuma Okparaezechukwu foru sing their positions to harass and intimidate his people.

Hon. Ojike in a petition addressed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo against Chiobi and Okparaezechukwu, stated that the two appointees of the Anambra State government have abused and ridiculed their exalted offices by using their positions as paid agents to torment, threaten, harass, intimidate and wrestle the communal land of his people.

The lawmaker revealed that Chiobi and Okparaezechukwu used different security outfits such as State Vigilante, Anti-Tout and Agụnechemba to intimate, harass, torment and threaten his people in a very lawless manner to ensure that the market project is executed even in contravention of a lawful order of the Otuocha High court.

According to Hon. Ojike these individuals are appointees of the state government who are supposed to uphold the rule of law, order and best democratic practices.

“The matter had been determined and Appeal entered in 2013 at the Court of Appeal Enugu, now Awka- Appeal no CA/AW/446/2013.

“The land in dispute has a valid STAY OF EXECUTION ORDER in suit No: . OT/50/2009.

“The matter is still pending at the Court of Appeal Awka till date. The order of Injunction issued by Anulude J in January, 2014, is still valid”. The lawmaker stated.

A community leader in Anambra State, Barr. Nonso Madu has again eulogised Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his giant strides and unprecedented achievements in all sectors of the State economy.

Speaking to Government House correspondents in Awka when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor soludo, Madu said he personally came to thank the Governor for his continued efforts to improve the security of lives and property in Anambra State.

He thanked Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his recent on the spot visit to assess the improving security situation in Owerre- Ezukala, Ogbunka and Umunze.

Barr.Madu who is a native of Owerre-Ezukala, also assured the Governor of the willingness of the people of Owerre- Ezukala to assist the government to flush out the criminal elements that have set up crime camps in the bushes in the community.

Speaking further, Madu stated that the good people of Owerre-Ezukala are happy with the efforts of the Governor to restore order to the community and assured the Governor of his continued support.

Barr.Madu further congratulated Gov soludo for winning the prestigious Sun Newspaper Man of the year award for his outstanding achievements in Anambra state.

By Victor Agusiobo

Popular Anambra Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Emma Obimma aka Ebube muonso is in a dog/cat relationship with his governor, Charles Soludo.

On the face of this apparently non cordial relationship are issues bordering on the security of the state. But there seems to be more to their rift that gestures at ego.

Doubtlessly, the two personalities have some elevated sense of their own importance. Soludo, a professor, a former CBN governor, a first class graduate of Economics and now a governor of a sophisticated state like Anambra has every reason to be haughty.

Ebube muonso on the other hand is a Catholic priest, very well respected if not adored by many of his congregants. His name alone, the aura of the holy spirit suggest the prowess he has been able to achieve in his vocation of proselytizing. Not a few of his admirers believe that he has the powers to pray with some efficacy, listen to both old and young confess their shadows, recommend absolution and cure different languors. The Padre himself has openly avowed that he is a servant of God who hears regularly from Him. In what language he does that is still not decipherable. But suffice it to say that political candidates aside wanting to tap from the sheer multitude he controls also troop to him to ascertain the mind of God regarding their ambition or simply for him to bless them.

Soludo was once a beneficiary of such spiritual largesse.

So, in ways big and small, the Padre has become powerful. For such a man with these multi-dimensional attributes, real or imagined, arrogance is not likely to be a rare vice in and about him.

So, when few weeks into the Soludo administration, the Padre went upon this communion with the heavens, something dastardly was revealed to him. What was that?

A bunch of blood sucking persons who looked like the Fulani had attacked the governor’s convoy and there was so much blood everywhere resulting from the massacre.

It seems upon hindsight now that Ebube muonso must have miscalculated what was to be Soludo’s response to that dream or call it prophecy. But the response did come with a mischievous and deflating bite.

Soludo simply dismissed what looked a prophecy of doom by reminding the Padre that the power that revealed it to him should as well have revealed where the potential assailants were to aid their easy capture. Keen observers strongly believe that Padre Obimma did not forgive the governor for that seeming assault on the integrity of prophecy that spewed forth from a man of God said to have the ears of God on the affairs of men.

When therefore the government allowed the security situation to slide almost to the point of bedlam and a number of priests became victims of kidnap and occasional death, the ground was set to remind the government of her insufficiency.

That job, beautifully timed was spear headed by Fr. Ebube Muonso. His torrents of criticism against the apparently poor handling of security were very well appreciated and received by the Anambra populace. The aptness of the criticism heightened the hollowness in government attempt to put up a defense or even attack the Padre.

In a twist of pleasurable coincidence, the determination by government to give insecurity a good chase matched with the crescendo of Ebube Muonso’s harangue on the Soludo administration.

Thus far it’s been a win win situation for the two very popular sons of Anambra State. What is left is usually not taught in schools namely a sense of moderation and emotional intelligence. For the Padre, the aggressive criticism which many believe helped to usher in the new security efforts should now be mellowed to enable the citizens distinguish the part of his call that is altruism, vendetta and politics.

For the governor, he must be reminded of the thoughts of a leader in our profession, Joseph Pulitzer who once said: ‘the only position a person can successfully occupy without any form of training is the position of an idiot’. While for now the Agu na eche mba security may be making some progress, the level of training of the members is still of concern. Yes, when one is down, the only place to go is up. Anambra was indeed down, so anything was better than nothing. Usually in situations where a thief is set to catch a thief, if eventually the thief is caught, what happens to the predator thief? The Bakassi experience are still fresh for good lessons on the absence of effective monitoring and supervision.