•It’s devolution of powers or N’Delta Republic –ex-militants insist  •Disown Clark, Diete-Spiff, others

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye and Fred Itua, Abuja

STAKEHOLDERS from the Niger Delta, under the aegis of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), after the meeting  with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, last night withdrew their November 1 ultimatum in which they urged the Federal Government to meet their 16-point agenda or they withdraw from the peace talk.

Speaking to State House Correspondents at the end of the close to five hours meeting, the leader of the group, Edwin Clark, described discussion as “honest, truthful and forthright,” adding that they were “very very satisfied.”

He said: “No more ultimatum. We agreed on many things. They came with their own address; the ministers all spoke, presented their cases and at the end, the Acting President rounded it up. We saw his genuineness and forthrightness; he is a gentleman. We are satisfied. We have agreed to work together and the issue of dialogue must take place. 

“The message we are sending back home is that we had the opportunity to meet with Mr Acting President and we discussed our 16-point agenda and government’s 20-point agenda, and we are all satisfied. We all agreed that everyone should maintain peace.”

He denied that the people of  Niger Delta were  not speaking with one voice, insisting: “We are speaking with one voice.”

On  MEND disassociating itself from PANDEF, Clark replied: “MEND was in the meeting. Jomo Gbomo does not exist as a human being, that is a ghost name, fake name. Other organisations were here. I am the leader of the Niger Delta and every leader you can think of, from Cross River to Ondo State, were all here today.”

Minister of Petroleum, Ibe  Kachikwu, who also addressed newsmen, said the environment of the meeting was not that of ultimatum, and that the group had pledged its loyalty to the government.

He said: “We discussed how far we have gone with the implementation of the 16-point agenda. Several issues relating to the university, the development of the region, amnesty programme, NDDC operations in the Niger Delta. It was very exhaustive.

“Today’s was environment of peace, calm, friendliness and mutual dialoguing of issues, where we are coming from and most pressing issues that they have.

“There is more consensus; it is not an alarm meeting that we are going to pullout of the negotiations. They did, in fact, pledge their loyalty and their willingness to continue to work with us.

“I didn’t see an environment of ultimatum here.”

Those at the meeting include: Amayanabo of Brass, Alfred Diete-Spiff, Victor Attah, Senator Ndoma Egba, Don Etiebet, Timi Alaibe, Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, Tony Uranta, Hosa Ogunbor, Stella Omu, Godknows Igali, Graham Douglas, ministers of Petroleum, Kachikwu, Niger Delta, Usani Usani and Coordinator of Amnesty Office, among others.

The FG/PANDEF meeting nothwithstanding, a new group, the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators (CNDA), has issued a fresh set of demands to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, warning that failure to adopt full devolution of power and fiscal federalism, they would declare Niger Delta Republic.

The agitators also disowned the PANDEF led by Chief Edwin Clarke.

In a statement signed by their different heads, the agitators said they would work with similar groups in the South-East and South-South to ensure that their objective to actualise the Niger Delta Republic.

Those who signed the statement included General John Duku of the Niger Delta Watchdogs and convener, Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators; General Ekpo Ekpo of Niger Delta Volunteers; General Osarolor Nedam of Niger Delta Warriors and Major-Gen. Henry Okon Etete of Niger Delta Peoples Fighters.

Others were Major-Gen. Asukwo Henshaw of the Bakassi Freedom Fighters; Major-Gen. Ibinabo Horsfall of the Niger Delta Movement for Justice; Major-Gen. Duke Emmanson of Niger Delta Fighters Network; Major-Gen.

The 113 Chibok schoolgirls still in Boko Haram’s custody will be released “very soon.”

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo gave the assurance, yesterday, when he received members of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

On April 14, 2014, Boko Haram insurgents abducted 276 girls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

The sect released 82 of the girls in May, in a prisoner-swap deal with the Federal Government, and 21 were let go in October 2016.

But since then, little has been heard from the Federal Government concerning the 113 still being held by the insurgents.

Osinbajo, who was represented by Babafemi Ojudu, Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, said government’s silence was only strategic.

He reassured the group that government had been meeting with service chiefs concerning the abducted girls as well as others in Boko Haram custody, and that efforts were being intensified to secure their release.

“I’ve been directed by the acting president to assure you of the support of the government concerning your agitation for the return of all the girls that were kidnapped by members of Boko Haram,” Ojudu said.

“He said he heard you loud and clear. On the issue of the policewomen that are being held and even concerning the girls, on a daily basis, the acting president has been meeting with security chiefs and making contacts with negotiators across the world, who have helped in the past to secure those that have been released.

“We have not, at any point, forgotten the children who could be anybody’s children. The acting president has asked me to reassure you, this afternoon, that he is with you, and that your cries are his cries.

“And the fact that we are not coming out to say what is being done is strategic and, also, for security reasons. He also said I should tell you that very soon, more of the girls, if not all of them, will be brought back home.

Oby Ezekwesili, co-convener of the BBOG had urged the government to restrategise its anti-terrorism approach to ensure that all the girls, as well as the policewomen and oil workers abducted by the sect are released.

“We thought the government had figured a way to get back our girls, so we estimated that the remaining 113 would return in lesser time it took the 82 to come home.

“If only one voice remains, that would continue to demand the release of our Chibok girls, it is good enough. It’s enough to re-echo our voice across the universe,” she said.

Meanwhile, the acting president charged governors of all states controlled by the ruling the All Progressive Congress (APC) to think out of the box in meeting up with social welfare of the people. Osinbajo, who stated this yesterday in Birnin Kebbi during a parley with Progressive Governors’ Forum, noted that the present administration promised better life for Nigerians and urged them to deliver on it.

“That is why in the budget, we have N500 billion for social welfare. If States think out of the box, like Lagos, Kebbi, Jigawa and other States who used their initiatives, we can improve their lives.”

Osinbajo noted that APC States must support the Federal  Government to fight corruption which he described as an endemic disease.

“If we don’t killed corruption, corruption will kill us, ” he said.

SOURCE: DAILY SUN

Tell those interested in Biafra to go, while others in love with Nigeria remai

Chairman of  The Coalition of Northern Youth, yesterday, said it has relaxed the quit notice it issued to Igbo living in the North.

Chairman of the group, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, who made the disclosure, said: “Those who believe in Nigeria should remain where they are and be assured of their safety. But to those who don’t believe in Nigeria, we cannot guarantee their safety. So, if you want to go to your Biafra country, you can go and stay there. But if you believe in Nigeria, we intend to work side by side with you to build the nation of our dream,” Shettima said.

This was even as the former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, said there was nothing to be worried about.

Arewa youths, after a meeting in Kaduna, had given the Igbo living in the North an October 1, 2017, deadline to quit the region. The quit notice, which took the nation by storm, had generated diverse views across the length and breadth of the country.

Speaking with journalists when he held talks with Kalu in company of four other leaders of the Coalition in Abuja, Shettima said the meeting with the former Abia governor was not the first, saying they had held series of discussions since the ultimatum was issued.

Shettima said Kalu’s worries and concerns were basically on the issue of how to maintain the unity of Nigeria in line with the present situation of things in the country.

Shettima said: “Only those blind or ignorant would say the unity of this country is not being threatened. It has been threatened, but you have prominent Nigerians like him (Kalu) who have shown a lot of concern over the situation.

“We strongly believe Nigeria belongs to everybody and we are all equal in this project. And we will not, in anyway, accept anybody who wants to undermine the unity of this country.

“And that basis prompted our first frustration when we gave the quit notice. But events and time changed a lot of things. And this is one of the reasons why, today, you see us also having a meeting.”

Shettima continued: “We have held several meetings with prominent leaders from our regions: the likes of the Sultan of Sokoto; the Northern Governors, under the leadership of Kashim Shettima, the present governor of Borno State, and so many prominent Nigerians  have engaged us on this issue and how we can resolve it amicably.

“We are proudly Nigerians, we want the unity of this country and we want to associate ourselves with those who believe strongly in Nigeria, and Dr Orji Uzor Kalu is one of those we have a lot of respect for, not only because he grew up in the North or because he schooled in the North, but his antecedents, actions and inactions have clearly demonstrated that he is a man who believes strongly in Nigeria.

“And on that basis, we don’t attend to people who we are not too sure of their commitment to the unity of this country. But, to him, of course, a lot of us can attest to that. We saw him when he was a governor; we saw him when we were younger, as students and we have seen what he has been demonstrating. He has never changed from believing in one Nigeria.

“It is on that basis that we are here, today. We have discussed extensively since morning and, in fact, our discussion was very fruitful. We have assured him of our commitment to one Nigeria; we have assured him that we will work within the framework to ensure that at no point will we allow anybody to hold the country to ransom. We will ensure that we build a Nigeria of our dream, a Nigeria that all of us would be proud of.

“But we need to do a lot of consultation now. We are likely going to consult our Northern region before we finally review our position.

In his remarks, Kalu thanked Shettima and other members of the Coalition and affirmed that the discussions were very fruitful.

He added that the diversity of Nigeria is the strength of the country, noting that both the diversity and the demography of Nigeria were very beautiful and  essential to the talks.

Kalu said: “People who think that any part of the country has nothing to contribute to its development are making mistakes.

“If this country is serious, agriculture can make more money than anything on earth. And the second thing that Nigeria can make money from is tourism. I would like to traverse from the Sahara desert  to the Atlantic Ocean. This is the only country that can proudly boast of having the two. Some countries are asking God to give them one of it. But we have the two.

“I want to thank Yerima Shettima for first agreeing to come to this meeting. We have been talking for a very long time. All through last week, I was in China and everyday, I called him and he would call me and we discussed about these issues. And we are getting to a common ground. There is no need of letting the cat out of the bag.

“When they say Igbo, many people are in the North, you don’t know who are Igbo and who is from Urhobo or from Bayelsa. All of them are Igbo as far as I am concerned. So, I want to assure the southerners who are living in the northern part of Nigeria that we will continue to put in our effort. Nothing would happen. Nigeria will be safe, our country will prosper,” Kalu said.

Model and former beauty queen, Chidinma Okeke, is determined to make her mark in the Nigerian music industry.

Signed to OUK Records, the Sociology undergraduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, dropped her debut single, ‘Friends’ in May, and it has since been making waves.

In this chat with Entertainer, Okeke opens up on her career, dreams and plans to empower the girl child among other interesting issues.

What inspired your debut single, Friends and what has been the response?

Wow! Friends was inspired generally by what we go through in life, most especially our dealings with friends. It is also a message to people out there to be careful with people they call friends. Since it was released, the response has been mind-blowing. We have received a lot of positive reviews and a lot of people are interested in working with me.

How did music begin for you?

Growing up as a child, my biggest dream was to entertain people, do music and lots of good stuff in that direction. So, I would say the passion has been there since I was six-years-old or thereabout. As little as I was back then, I realised that my mum had a great voice and she would lead praise worship at home. So, I guess mum influenced me tremendously. And then, I would stand before the mirror presenting, dancing and entertaining my siblings and myself.

Tell us about growing up. Are you born with a silver spoon?

Hmmm… I am the last of six kids and growing up was nothing but sheer excitement and bliss. I want to thank God for that. I must confess that I am from a privileged background and never lacked anything. I attended the best of schools and my parents made sure my siblings and I had the very best. Because I was the last child, I was not brought up the way others were brought up. My parents pampered me a great deal because they gave birth to me at their old age. So, I had everything going for me. My elder brothers and sisters bought me stuff and everybody was always fusing over me and kind of did everything to make sure I was happy.

As an up and coming singer, what are your challenges?

The challenges are legion. I have to work on myself and keep trying to improve on my game, because this is a very tough industry. There are thousands of talented kids out there doing their stuff and hoping for that big break. There is a lot of competition and you have no choice but to always be on your feet. In this industry, the need to stand out and be unique cannot be over-emphasised. You need to keep improving with every performance. As a female artiste, you have to work 10 times harder than your male colleagues to be noticed.

When did you write your first song and what inspired it?

Wow! Shout out to my music producer, Dapiano. I wrote my first song this year and I did it with the help of my producer, and like I said earlier, it was borne out of my experiences.

As a student of Sociology, how do you balance your academics with your music career?

It could be hectic I must confess. But I have a very reliable team at OUK Records. They’ve got my back; they always have me covered.

You talk with so much intelligence and understanding. Do you have any political ambition?

SOURCE: DAILY SUN

THE DIRECTOR RADIO BIAFRA
SUPREME LEADER
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF BIAFRA(IPOB)
Umuahia, Abia State
Nigeria.

Dear Mazi,

It is a great pleasure to reach  your esteemed self through this medium. It became necessary at this critical time of the year when  governorship electioneering campaign is  set to commence in my darling state Anambra. I could not have reached you through no other means than the open letter having failed largely due to the high walls erected by over zealous inner caucus members of your group IPOB. I was also denied your telephone contact by disciples and apostles with Baltic claims of guards almost always in the habit of shielding you away from suspected people of opposite stance.

Mazi, I sincerely write you this minute, firstly, to congratulate you on your dogged effort to give Ndigbo a true sense of belonging in the burgeoning political irrelevance since 2015 general elections, unfortunate era of political blunder witnessing  majority of our people who believed Dr Goodluck Jonathan was Azikiwe of the erroneous moment. when all the eggs laid in one rickety basket got smashed and the catastrophic aftermath.

Through  unpatriotically orchestrated media onslaught against the Federal Government of Nigeria, Mazi you have overwhelmingly succeeded in rejuvenating the centurion call to end the brazen marginalization of the Southeastern Nigerian. Now, powers that be are looking eastwards and paying greater attention to our needs, yearnings and aspirations as legitimate constituent members of the federation. Events of the moment have objectively rekindled the fire of brotherhood once lost amongst Ndigbo, that it appears we are speaking undoubtedly in coordinated voices of late.

Much as I would like to continue pouring sincere encomium on your recent profound achievements as an activists(because I don’t know you as a separatist) permit me to beckon your attention and  redirect your focus on issues capable of erasing the hard earned and wildly celebrated accolades enrooted in the struggle to better the lives of the people of Igbo origin.

while in London championing the Radio Biafra activities, Mazi your stint in broadcast greatly influenced the thoughts and lifestyle of your audience who quickly keyed into your laudable project and rendered massive support in kind and cash for the IPOB cause. Critics had posited that It was vulgarity and hate speeches on Radio Biafra that shutdown Igbo elites and revered intellectuals interest in the IPOB cause. This was evident when you were thrown into jail, awaiting trials.

Mazi,  I remember with nostalgia in 2013 when the Radio Biafra transmitter meant for Enugu was procured and you were shopping for the Director, you got connected to me through one Lady Rita Anigbogu your  former deputy (now Leader of MOBIN) who was a strong member of Igbo cultural ambassadors in Lagos. Severally,  you engaged me on phone urging me to get in involved in Radio Biafra activities, even proposed that I handled the Enugu Station,  which I declined after listening to your live broadcast via links you sent. Obviously, I  was quite uncomfortable with your  confrontational mannerisms as carelessly exhibited on air.

Unarguably,  the self- determination gospel  was clear  but the approach and methodology was  uncouthly, the style archaic, and the struggle a hard buy. Soon, it became a battle for survival, the long arm of the law was visited on you, and co travellers. Many of us though not comfortable with your style began to cry out for your freedom. I still recollect and vividly too a YouTube video that went viral demanding for your release. Yes I had to make the demand to persuade a fast tracked litigation processes (see Anambra APC GUBER ASPIRANT CALLS FOR MAZI NNAMDI KANU RELEASE on YouTube). Eventually, you were released on stringent bail conditions as it were, but you have thrown caution in the wind and relapsed into your stereotyped style of agitation.

Mazi,  you should know by now  that Ndigbo have risen in demand for equity and  freedom from the firm grip of injustices meted on the region by past and present political leadership in Nigeria. Also,  You should  know that Ndigbo cannot settle for another civil war because we are yet to recover from the last mortal combat that sucked innocent bloods. You should know that in politics, it is better to dialogue than to fight.

Demanding for ‘Referendum’ that is presently not enshrined in the Nigeria constitution cannot be attained without due dialogue, and enduring intellectual gymnastics cum political persuasions. You should know by now that the crowd you are talking to at every rally cannot lobby for the attainment of the set goals. They  know nothing more  than  ‘give us Biafra. Yes they sleep it, walk it, talk it and eat it but cannot provoke strategical and tactical means of achieving it.
You should know that majority of your fans who now claim IPOB membership need to be given the right orientation for it has become clear to everyone that they are ignorant of what referendum is and the procedural approach. You should know that character attributes and dispositions of your fans and fanatic followers are getting issues hugely complicated. It’s high time you called them to order and let them know what you know.

Mazi, when you told your fans and fanatic followers to boycott elections in Anambra, and they went about town shouting “no election  does that not tell you what lies ahead is defeat against the original plan, against the struggle , against the dream of a better Nation devoid of injustices, inequities, and unfairness. Don’t you think your strategy this time will set you against the rights of people supposedly being fought for? Don’t you think your inability to step down  from the emperor stool  and dialogue with relevant Igbo associations, think thanks ,elder state men, Leaders of thoughts, seasoned legal luminaries, traditional rulers,  clergymen, would give a clearer direction?

Truth be told , your fans and fanatic followers need to be enlightened on the best and surest way to make the dream of a better nation possible. It is not late to call them to order and explain better in the language they understand. No one is more Igbo than the other. No one is more BIAFRAN in spirit than the other. There is no family in Igbo land without a scar of Nigeria/Biafra Civil war. Call your ardent  followers to order. Civil disobedience is mostly better  observed and or practised by civil minds!

I hope that this letter will get to you  before the commencement of  electioneering campaigns in Anambra this September. I’m quite optimistic your fans and unrepentant followers have their benefactors in the race for Guber seat. Surely, they will do the needful to remain relevant, in the general scheme of things.

God bless you for reading this letter from a core BIAFRAN in Nigeria.

Regards

Comr Eze Harris Chuma
Ogene Ndigbo
Ezeomenani

27/07/2017

PRESS STATEMENT

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY REJECTS ‘RESTRUCTURING’ BILL

CG-IPOB is not surprised that the bill to decentralize power from the centre has been discarded, atleast for now. 48 Senators voted against the bill while 46 voted in favour. The rejection followed threat from Arewa Youths that Northern Politicians must frustrate any move that would lead to restructuring the Nation’s polity. Note that Arewa Youths have total control of the northern politicians, perhaps they understand the political game and could never threaten election boycott.

What do our people want? While our elites want a restructured Nigeria where equity, fairness and justice are enthroned, the masses on the street want a brand new Nation-Biafra.The question is : Do our elites have what it takes to lobby for a favourable political and economic structures in Nigeria? CG-IPOB understands the skewed structures of Nigeria political and economic  system,hence the need to think outside the box in achieving desired  results. It is with the full knowledge of near impossible task of restructuring Nigeria through the political process that made CG-IPOB to vie into legal and diplomatic strategies to corner the needed International supports. Many do not understand the intrigues and power play that surround resource control. It requires utmost tact and intellectualities and this is why many could not appreciate the sensitive job being executed by CG-IPOB.

CG-IPOB appreciates all groups that are working hard to ensure that our voices are heard, however, all groups are advised to remain focussed as freedom movement is never a child’s play.

Ndubuisi Anaenugwu

Director-Directorate of Information,CG-IPOB

1.                 To avoid having  confusion, contention and trouble when God gives us  

         Our own Nation-Biafra.

2.                 To show Nigeria and the world that we are prepared and ready for

         independence.

3.                 To educate and prepare the minds of our people towards the actualization of

          Biafra independence.

4.                 To harmonize all pro Biafra groups and bring them under an organised platform recognized by Nigeria legal system in order to speak with one resounding voice.

This directive is necessary, compulsory and mandatory, for the most high, the sovereign Lord of the universe, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Gad and Eri, even the God of our ancestors have taken over the battle.

 The Lord has said that the battle for the emergence of Biafra as a nation is not by power, nor by might, but by his spirit.

The independence of Biafra will come with mighty signs and wonders. I ,therefore use this opportunity to appeal to the Nigerian government to stop harassing, ,intimidating and killing of the Indigenous people of  Biafra.

I also appeal to the Nigerian Government to release all Biafrans in Nigerian Prisons, who are being incarcerated as a result of their involvement in the Biafra struggle.

I expect the Nigerian authorities to honour this appeal and release our people in their prisons and police stations within seven day of this publication or get ready for the wrath of God, for no one can battle with the Lord.

Furthermore, I appeal to all Biafrans both in Nigeria and abroad to use the May 30^th Biafra remembrance day and seek the face of God, and cry unto Him to be merciful unto us, forgive, wash and cleanse us of our sins .

Let us use that day as a national prayer day. May the mercies of our eternal father envelope all Biafrans as we prepare ourselves for the declaration of Biafra independence sooner than we expect.Amen.

Apostle Nduchem Mbazurike

Ag Deputy Director,Religious Affairs,CG-IPOB.

The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday, July 26, 2017, rejected the call for the restructuring of the country.

At the plrnary session, the Senators also voted against the decentralization of powers from the federal to the states.

In an electronic voting process, 48 Senators voted against the devolution of power while 46 voted in in support of the planned restructuring.

75 of the lawmakers voted in favour of the submission of names of nominees for ministerial nominations thirty days after the President resumes office.

88 of the Senators also voted for Local Government autonomy.

82 lawmakers also voted for independent candidature that allows individuals vie for elections without being members of a political party.

Here is a timeline of votes so far:

1.Authorization of Expenditure

Yes: 93

No: 1

Abstain: 1

Total: 95

2. Devolution of Powers

Yes: 46

No: 48

Abstain: 1

3. Composition of Members of Council of State

Yes: 95

No: –

Abstain: –

4. Financial Autonomy of State Legislature

Yes: 90

No: 5

Abstain: 0

5. Distributable account for LG’s to have their own special account

Yes: 84

No: 8

Abstain: 1

6. Democratic Existence funding and tenure of LG council

Yes: 88

No: 7

Abstain: 1

7. State creation and boundary adjustment

Yes: 47

No: 48

Abstain: 0

8. Immunity for legislators for Acts in Course of Duty

Yes: 93

No: 1

Abstain: 0

9. Political Parties and Electoral Matters : Time to conduct Bye Elections and Power to de-register parties

Yes: 90

No: 0

Abstain: 0

10:  Presidential Assent

Yes: 95

No: 1

Abstain: 0

‪ 11: Time frame for submission of names of ministerial nominees

‪Yes: 75

‪No: 19

11b: Submission of Ministerial Nominees with their Portfolios

Yes: 78

No: 16

11c: 35% affirmative action for women as ministers

Yes: 49

No: 43

Abstain: 2

11d:  Submission of Commissioners Nominees with their Portfolios

Yes: 84

No: 7

Abstain: 0

11e: Submission of names of office of commissioners shall be attached with portfolio

Yes: 87

No: 8

Abstain: 0

11f: 35% Affirmative action for women as States Commissioners

Yes: 61

No: 35

Abstain: 0

12: Appointment of Minister from the FCT

Yes: 77

No: 12

Abstain: 3

13: Change of names of some LG councils: Ebonyi, Oyo, Ogun, Pleateau and Rivers.

Yes: 84

No: 2

Abstain: 2

14: Independent Candidacy

Yes: 82

No: 5

Abstain: 3

15: The Nigeria Police Force to become Nigerian Police

Yes: 87

No: 2

Abstain: 1

The Directory of Information,CG-IPOB wishes to clarify that no date has been fixed for referendum.This clarification becomes necessary in view of hundreds of telephone calls and SMS messages from well meaning Biafrans asking to confirm the validity of online news report that President Trump has issued certificate of Referendum to some Biafran agitators in Washington DC with a new date fixed for September, 2017.