The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has rejected a bill proposing the creation of a new state in the Southeast.
IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful on Thursday, June 6, emphasised that the Igbo people are seeking a referendum to leave Nigeria, not an additional state.
The bill, which passed its first reading in the House of Representatives, was introduced by Ikenga Ugochinyere, representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency in Imo State, along with others, and is now moving to its second reading.
The draft bill proposes an amendment to the 1999 Constitution, increasing the total number of states in the federation from 36 to 37 by creating Orlu State.
This new state will be formed from parts of Imo, Abia, and Anambra states, with Orlu designated as the capital.
According to Punch, the IPOB spokesman said, “We don’t want more state in Igboland; creating more state in Igboland means creating more confusion and hatred among the Ndigbo. The already existing states have not been well managed by Nigeria, and now they want to create more confusion.
“The cost of governance is increasing on a daily basis in Nigeria; certainly, the new state will not be well managed like others.
“Most of the existing states in the country are not viable, and they want to add more confusion and problems.
“The creation of more states is not our problem. All we want is a total referendum to determine whether the Ndigbo would like to remain in Nigeria or not. The Ndigbo want total freedom, and that is what we insist on.”
A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George has urged Nigerians to give President Bola Tinubu an additional year to deliver on his promises and fix the country’s challenges.
Speaking on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Friday, George acknowledged that Tinubu, as a first-time president, needs more time to implement his policies and convince Nigerians of his vision.
George reasoned that Tinubu’s lack of prior experience in the presidency warrants a grace period, citing that even former President Olusegun Obasanjo needed time to adjust in his first year in office.
“He (Tinubu) had never served at that level (presidency). Well… you will say he was part of the party (APC) that formed the government (of Muhammadu Buhari), but it’s a hell of a different thing taking over and now leading the team.
“To be fair to my conscience, he has had that one-year holiday of trying to study the failures of the past administration. I have given him that one year of grace because now he has seen it and lived there.
“I expect his ministers to have come back in one year with those areas of lapses. Even when Baba (Olusegun Obasanjo became president in 1999, he was still trying to figure out what happened there or vise-versa in his first year. Let’s give him more time,” he said.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT), sitting in Abuja, on Friday, June 7, awarded a fine of N150 million against MultiChoice Nigeria Limited for disrespecting its jurisdiction by flouting its order.
A three-man panel led by Thomas Okusu gave the verdict on Friday, June 7. The tribunal had previously blocked Multichoice from raising subscription fees without proper notice, based on a lawsuit by Barrister Festus Onifade who claimed the eight-day notice given for the price increase was inadequate.
Onifade had sued DSTV, accusing the Pay-TV of unjustly increasing subscription fees without one month’s notice to customers and leveraging on it to seek interim orders.
However, the tribunal, in a unanimous decision by its three-member panel, equally ordered MultiChoice to provide Nigerians with a one-month free subscription on its DSTV and GOTV services.
The tribunal subsequently fixed July 3 to hear the substantive action that was instituted against the company.
Former Ghana football star, Nii Odartey Lamptey has revealed the depth of his emotional turmoil upon discovering that the three children he raised with his ex-wife, Gloria Appiah, were not his biological offspring.
In a recent interview, Lamptey said the revelation drove him to the brink of despair, even contemplating the use of a gun in his anguish.
Lamptey, speaking with Dan Kwaku Yeboah TV on YouTube in an approximately 10-minute-long video, explained the feelings.
He also spoke about how he was smuggled to Belgium with a Nigerian passport.
PUNCH Online reports that the video was uploaded earlier this month but was translated from Ghanaian language to English by Pulse Ghana on Tuesday.
The 49-year-old former Anderlecht and Aston Villa forward revealed the harrowing moment he discovered that the three children he raised with his ex-wife were not biologically his.
With a gun in his car, Lamptey contemplated drastic action but ultimately decided against it after reflecting on his future.
The revelation came in 2013 when DNA tests confirmed that Lamptey was not the father of the children, leading to his separation from his ex-wife, Gloria Appiah.
The matter resulted in the collapse of their 20-year marriage, but disagreements between the couple over the compensation to Miss Appiah led to a protracted legal tussle.
Four years later in 2017, PUNCH Online reported that the footballer won a lawsuit in which his wife claimed 50 per cent of his fortunes.
Then, an Accra High Court ruled that Gloria Appiah (Lamptey’s ex-wife) committed ‘adultery’ when she gave birth to three children outside wedlock and subsequently nullified her request to be given half of her ex-husband’s wealth.
Justice Cecilia Don-Chebe Agbevey who presided over the case also ordered Lamptey’s estranged wife to vacate the footballer’s plush seven-bedroom apartment in East Legon within 30 days.
However, it ordered Lamptey to settle her with his four-bedroom house at Dome in addition to a car and an amount of Ghc200,000, Pulse Gh reports.
Meanwhile, Odartey Lamptey is now happily married to actress Ruweida Yakubu, and together they are blessed with three children.
The amount proposed as the new minimum wage by the minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun to the president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been revealed.
The new minimum wage template proposes a new minimum wage of N105,000 (approximately $220 USD) per month for Nigerian workers.
According to the report, Tinubu is currently reviewing the proposal, and an official announcement would be made soon.
It would be recalled that the Labour Unions went on strike action on Monday after their meeting with the National Assembly leadership could not yield satisfactory result.
The strike grounded virtually all economic activities in the country including the closure of the International airports, schools, courts, banks and hospitals across the country.
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, says his administration is working very hard to clean up the business environment and make it conducive for new investments as well as bring back old ones that had left the state in the past due to unhealthy government policies.
Governor Otti said that capital, by way of investment, is devoid of emotion and sentiment and only goes to places where the environment is conducive for it to thrive and flourish.
“You may choose to relocate abroad in search of capital, but foreign capital will not come until you have created the conditions to attract it. No matter how much of preaching you do, no matter how much of platitudes, capital has its own sense, it doesn’t have emotion, it’s not sentimental, it just moves to where the environment has been prepared because the reward for capital is profit,” Governor Otti said, while recalling an article he had written as a newspaper columnist.
The Governor spoke on Wednesday when he received a group of investors, led by Dr. John Nwankwo, Chief Executive Officer of Comfort Stevens, who are promising to rewrite the story of Abia State, indeed Nigeria, in the footwear business.
The Governor, who assured the investors that his government would support them in realising their dream of completing their factory located in Owerrinta, Isialangwa South Local Government Area of Abia, said he would always allign with projects geared towards meeting his agenda of providing job opportunities for the teeming unemployed Abia youth.
“I want to congratulate you for not giving up and I’m happy that you have gotten to this level that you are hopeful of commissioning by December.
“If there’s anything that we can do to support you to make that December a reality, please don’t hesitate to ask,” Governor Otti assured.
The Governor, while underscoring the importance of local manufacturing, noted that no country has ever developed on the back of consumption of imported products without production.
He disclosed that his government is working very hard to support existing businesses and also attract new investors through favourable policies, adding that supporting the Geometric Power company to come on stream and the various infrastructural upgrades going on in the State, including the dualisation of the Imo River-Umuikaa-Umuene road in Isialangwa South, are all geared towards industrialisation of Abia.
The Governor expressed joy that one of the company’s plans is to train and upskill existing local shoe manufacturers in Aba and promised that his Government would partner the company in that regard.
“The major problem a lot of them have is finishing. A lot of them are impatient, a lot of them don’t have the right tools, a lot of them don’t have the right skills; so it would be interesting to have Comfort Stevens double as not just producers but also as a training and finishing school for our young ones.
“Go to shoe plaza and see what the young men and women are doing there with bare hands, then you’ll understand that if you introduce them to technology, they will give you much more,” Governor Otti said.
Dr. Nwankwo, who led the team of investors from the United States, China, and Brazil recounted the ugly experience he and his team had gone through under the previous administration in trying to realise their dream of establishing a world class shoe factory in Abia.
He told the Governor that their company, Comfort Stevens, in the last one year of the new government has made tremendous progress that they decided on the visit to formally introduce to the Governor their large scale industrial footwear project, which will be commissioned by December 2024, and thereafter start production.
Nwankwo, who presented different samples of high quality shoes to the Governor, said that the fifteen thousand daily footwear production capacity factory will not only produce complete shoes but also shoe components such as gum, soles, insoles, strings, among others.
He said that the mission of the company with its partners from US, China and Brazil is to produce quality footwears that can compete favourably in the global market, adding that machines for the production of high quality footwears and its components have arrived its facility in Owerrinta for installation before the end of June.
Dr. Nwankwo congratulated Governor Otti for his impactful one year in office and the unimaginable progress that has taken place in Abia under his watch, which, according to him, is an eloquent testimony of the Governor’s sincerity of purpose and passion towards the industrialisation of the state.
Governor Otti was joined by the Commissioner for Trade, Commerce and Industry, Dr. Chimezie Ukaegbu; Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade, Commerce and Industry, Chief Nwaka Inem; among other government functionaries in the meeting, which was facilitated by the Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, also in attendance.
KAZIE UKO
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
Abia State
Government House, Umuahia
June 6, 2024.
This is the time for all of us to take objective decision. Pass vote of no confidence on Tinubu Administration now!
Nigeria politicians are among the worst world over. Like in Animal Farm , they consider the ordinary Nigerians as animals in their farm . They are so insensitive that they care less of the basic needs the ordinary people require to survive on daily basis. But , shamelessly,they accumulate wealth for their children generations ,moving around with retinue of personal assistance and security guards. The Nigeria constitution has legalized criminals in political power, they have immunity to steal as many billions of naira as they desire without accounting to the public . They are infact demigods!
Nigeria Politicians in Executive arm of government have pocketed two other arms in their pockets with enormous resources at their disposals. They have divided the oppositions and weaponized the masses with the instrument of poverty. A country where about 110 million youths are unemployed is heading towards slaughter house!
President Tinubu is not serious ! He has no plans to improve the standard of living for the poor Nigerians. If he has , there are many things to be done to redistribute the enormous resources in Nigeria. One of them is using National identification Numbers to induce consumption, savings and investment. This is what is done elsewhere . Politicians have excess money to steal because of ignorant of the Masses in animal farm. In Uk,Children are paid £102 monthly (N188k) just for being children. If you were working but stopped, Ireland pay €232 weekly as job seeker’s allowances. A month is €928 (N1.41m) for being jobless! That is the meaning of ‘distribution of common wealth’. These are countries that do not have what Nigeria has in terms of natural resources. What they mostly have is good leadership and people-oriented policies.
Meanwhile, in these difficult times, apart from wardrobe allowances and other luxuries, our senators receive N1.2m monthly as newspaper allowances. Is this not demonic corruption?
You will never understand how wicked Nigerian political class are, if you don’t travel abroad to normal countries with normal leaders.That is why Nigerians in diaspora are angrier than our compatriots back home. They have seen both sides of the world and they know that Nigeria is directly opposite of what happens in normal societies.
Sadly, those back home seem to have conditioned themselves to the uncommon hardship. They only complain online .
Only a massive revolution will reset Nigeria when Nigerians are ready to take back their country.
Following the total shutdown of economic activities across the country on Monday as a result of organised labour’s strategy, the federal government has invited the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) to an emergency meeting at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The meeting, according to organised labour, was called to broker solutions to the issues that led to industrial action and eventually get the labour to end the strike.
The President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Comrade Festus Osifo, and his Deputy, Comrade Tommy Etim Okon, confirmed organised labour attendance at the meeting.
Osifo said, “We are heading there now.” When he was contacted, Okon, on his part, said, “We have been invited to an emergency meeting to address the issues bordering the strike. We are attending the meeting.”
Asked if the strike would likely be called off after the meeting, he said, “The end will justify the means.”
A senior member of NLC also confirmed the meeting. “The president and others are heading to the meeting. We hope that the outcome of the meeting will be positive.”
Meanwhile, the Tripartite Committee on the New Minimum Wage (TCNMW) has invited the leadership of the organisation to a meeting tomorrow, June 4, 2024.
In a later signed by Ekpo U. O. Nta, Esq. Member/Secretary, the invitation to NLC and TUC said, “I respectfully invite you to attend the 8th meeting of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage scheduled as follows: Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Venue: Nicon Luxury Hotel, Area 11, Abuja. Time: 10
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof Joseph Ikechebelu, has been announced to oversee the office of the Vice-Chancellor as Prof Charles Esimone’s tenure ends today.
Esimone became the Vice Chancellor of the University about this time five years ago.
Having served out his five-year tenure, it only became natural that his deputy should take over pending the appointment of a substantive Vice Chancellor in due course.
The announcement for Ikechebelu to take over was made at the special Senate meeting held at the University Auditorium today June 3rd, 2024.
Prof Ikechebelu, being the only Deputy Vice-Chancellor in the institution, was announced in accordance with the NUC’s circular to Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities recently.
The NUC circular dated May 28, 2024, titled “RE: END OF TENURE OF SOME VICE-CHANCELLORS OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES,” directs outgoing Vice-Chancellors to nominate a Deputy Vice-Chancellor, as recommended by their Senate, to temporarily oversee the office of the Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Esimone is scheduled to officially hand over to Prof Ikechebelu later today as Acting Vice-Chancellor.
Fielding questions from journalists, Ikechebelu promised that there would be a new dimension in administration of the institution.
He said there would be a defined pathway of excellence in steering the wheels of the institution in areas such as lighting up UNIZIK, addressing insecurity, digitalizing of the institution and Beautification of the institution.
He promised that efforts would be made to tackle the power challenge as a matter of necessity, adding that his administration would come up with a programme aimed at securing the institution while also promising that the digitalization of the institution will transit from the point of admission to graduation for the students of the institution right to the point of collection of transcripts.
He also affirmed that one attribute of a good institution is in its ambiance which will propel the beautification of the institution
Ikechebelu rose the through the ranks to become a professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology in the University in 2008. His research has distinguished him as a renowned fertility expert and Gynaecological endoscopic surgeon par excellence with over 150 scholarly publications in reputable national and international journals. He is listed in the Scopus First 500 scholars in Nigeria in 2020 and among the first 10 academics in UNIZIK Awka in 2021 based on article citations and publications.
His outstanding achievements besides his numerous Awards and Recognitions include his sterling performance as Director of Academic Planning (2019-2021) and Dean of Medicine (2012-2014) of the University which earned him the accolade “Digital Dean” for his innovative digital transformation of the Faculty of Medicine and Academic planning unit of the University respectively.
He holds the membership of notable societies and associations including International College of Surgeons, World Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons, European Society of Human Reproduction & Embryology, American Society of Reproductive Medicine. He is a Life Member of Society of Gynaecology & Obstetrics of Nigeria and West African College of Surgeons. He is also the pioneer president of Association of Gynaecological Endoscopy Surgeons (AGES), Nigeria.
He pioneered the establishment of Minimal Access Surgery (Laparoscopy) [2006] and provision of prevention of Mother-to-child transfusion of HIV (PMTCT) [2003] services in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi. These are twin services that he has continued to lead and train manpower for the Hospital and Nigeria. He also pioneered the establishment of Assisted Reproductive Technology Services in Anambra State [2010] with the delivery of its first IVF conception (aka Baby Joseph) on 6th August, 2011. Today, he has delivered over 300 babies from this Technology at Life Fertility Centres of Life International Hospital Awka and Life Specialist Hospital Nnewi.
Prof. Ikechebelu with his Team has trained over 300 Doctors (including Gynaecologists, Surgeons, Anaesthesiologists and Medical Officers) and over 40 Peri-operative Nurses in the field of Minimal Access Surgery as the founder and Course Director of Life Institute for Endoscopy [since 2010]. He is also the initiator and promoter of Always Life Fountain initiative (ALFI) since 2012. Through this organization, he offers scholarships to school children, indigent University Students and support to widows. Currently has about 25 persons on ALFI Scholarships.
He is the Editor-in-chief of Journal of HIV and Human Reproduction, Deputy Editor-in-chief of Nigerian Journal of Surgical Sciences and Special assistant to the Editor of Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice.
He is the Chairman of Faculty of Obstetrics & Gynaecology of West African College of Surgeons (WACS) since 2019 and serve as the Chief Examiner to all its Primary, Membership and Fellowship examinations for doctors specialising in Obstetrics & Gynaecology.
In pursuit of his dream to mentor the next generation, he has successfully supervised 5 MSc thesis and over 30 Fellowship dissertations for consultants. Five of his mentees have progressed to Professorial cadre in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Joseph Ikechebelu believes he could do all these through Jesus Christ. He surrendered his Life to Jesus after hearing the message of salvation (and got born again) on 23 January 1983 in his first year in the University and has enjoyed a loving relationship with our Lord. Many years down the lane, his trust in God remains unshakable. God is good if you serve Him in righteousness, in spirit and in truth. He has served the body of Christ in several capacities and he is currently a Trustee and Chairman of the National Administrative Board of Grace of God Mission International and Chairman of the Governing Board of Grace Theological Institute Onitsha.
Prof Ikechebelu is an astute administrator, an erudite professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, a Minimal Access Surgeon, a fertility expert, an accomplished entrepreneur, a philanthropist, a humble and silent achiever, a man of excellence, and above all a man after Gods own heart
