The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board,( JAMB) has given all tertiary institutions in the country one month to disclose all admissions conducted outside its Central Admissions Processing System(CAPS), prior to 2017.

Dr. Fabian Benjamin, Public Communication Advisor for JAMB, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on behalf of the boards registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, on Sunday, stated that the directive was aimed at enhancing transparency and fairness in the admissions process.

His words, The attention of the Board has been drawn to the predilection of some institutions to admit candidates outside the approved Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) platform and process such through the condonement of illegal admissions window to accord legitimacy.

In order to close this abused window, the Board has decided that: all institutions should now (or never) disclose all candidates illegally-admitted prior to 2017 whose records are in their system within the next one month, beginning from 1st August, 2024; and any admission purportedly given prior to 2017 will no longer be recognised or condoned unless disclosed within this one-month window.

Institutions are advised to comply with this directive as there will not be any further condonement of hitherto unrecorded candidates who did not even register with JAMB not to talk of sitting for any entrance examination.

This move is aimed at curbing illegal admissions and falsification of records, while ensuring compliance with the provisions of CAPS.

He said the decision marks the end of the Condonement of Illegal Admissions window, which previously allowed institutions to incorporate unauthorized admissions into the system.

Benjamin highlighted concerns over institutions colluding with candidates to falsify details for illegal admissions, which has led to fraudulent participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

He said despite warnings, some institutions continue to admit candidates outside CAPS and seek Condonement of Undisclosed Illegal Institutional Admissions (CUIIA).

Consequently, the Board is terminating the aspect of CUIIA process which allows completely unregistered candidates (without registration) to be introduced to the system. CAPS is the only authorized platform for admissions. Those who even have registration but were illegally admitted between the period (2017-2020) would soon be denied the opportunity of the waiver unless they are disclosed within the next one month.

Therefore, all institutions are hereby directed to disclose, for the final time, all candidates admitted illegally within their systems. Moving forward, the Board will not

Speaking further, Benjamin said recent worse discoveries made it imperative for the Board to speak out to save the integrity of the education system.

On the issue of the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions for 2024/2025 session, the board maintained that the minimum age for admission remains 16 years.

For the 2024 admission cycle, candidates who will be at least sixteen years old at the time of admission will be considered eligible. This decision follows the directive from the Chairman of the 2024 tertiary admission policy meeting, who is also the Honourable Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN,OON that the extant policy of 6-3-3-4 be enforced only from 2025 session.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, ( JAMB), has raised alarm over an upsurge in the number of doctored and upwardly adjusted age declarations on NIN slips being submitted by candidates.

The exam body expressed worry that the trend of underage candidates falsifying their age to gain admission into the university has become dangerous, inimical and unnecessary.

JAMB has now insisted that only candidates who will be at least sixteen years old at the time of admission will be considered eligible for admittance into the university.

A statement by the boards spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, said the directive came from the Chairman of the 2024 tertiary admission policy meeting and Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman.

He said the extant 6-3-3-4 on education will be enforced only from the 2025 academic session.

The statement partly read, This position is informed by the discovery of widespread and unwholesome practice whereby some institutions collude with candidates to falsify vital details, such as backdated year of entry and subsequent age adjustments, to utilise certificates of genuine candidates with similar names to facilitate illegal admissions to enable participation of fake candidates in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

Some hoodlums invaded the Living Faith Church in the Daura local government area of Katsina State on Saturday night, stealing approximately 205 chairs, musical instruments, and other valuable items worth millions of naira.

The attacks followed nationwide protests on Thursday, August 1st, which included violent clashes between hoodlums and security operatives.

Emmanuel Micah Yakusa, the pastor in charge of the church, informed newsmen yesterday, that Sunday service was conducted under tight security.

He also revealed that the main auditorium and the accountants office were vandalized before the hoodlums made off with everything in the church building during the protests.

He said: We have two security men working in the church, one was on duty while the other was off. When the protest began around 10:00am, the hoodlums just diverted to the church, many of them in Keke NAPEP (Tricycle), and broke the doors and classes and penetrated the church auditorium.

They packed everything inside the church auditorium, including the wall digital clock, musical instruments, pupit, pastors chairs, plastic chairs, and a desktop computer at the reception, as well as a scoreboard where the accountant usually kept church documents. They scattered everything.

He added that three churches were also targeted but the hoodlums only succeeded in invading the Living Faith Church and Deeper Life Church, but couldnt force themselves into the Anglican Church because of the strong iron protector at the gate.

He also announced that the church has informed the police and the Army about it, and the police told us yesterday that they have made some arrests.

He said: Im surprised by this attack; when we are thinking about ending bad governance, which now escalated to the invasion of churches, it is something that everyone should seriously condemn. It is not food that we store in the House of God. It is a place of worship. Why is it only church? The government should come to the reality they are serving humanity, and God will judge us all, whether political or religious leaders.

My prayer to the perpetrators is that they should repent from what they are doing because for you to enter church, a place of worship, is wrong and you know you are not fighting man, they should seek for repentance. I know God is forgiving and He will forgive them Meanwhile the former state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Very Rev. Nelson Onyekachukus church was also vandalised.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Sadiq Abubakar, confirmed the incident when contacted.

He further assured that arrests have been made while investigations were ongoing

The Former Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has called on the International Criminal Court, (ICC), to look into the activities of security agents and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following the use of live bullets on #EndBadGovernance Protesters.

“I vehemently condemn the heinous act of using live ammunition on citizens peacefully protesting against bad governance, as witnessed today in Kano and Abuja. This is utterly intolerable and reminiscent of the dark days of military dictatorship.

“It is crucial to remind the government and security agencies of their paramount duty to ensure a safe and secure environment where citizens can exercise their right to protest without fear. When security forces open fire on innocent protesters, they do nothing but exacerbate tensions, transforming peaceful demonstrations into chaos. I refuse to believe that inciting violence is the intention of our authorities.

“I urge the international community, including the United Nations and the International Criminal Court, to closely monitor the situation in Nigeria and hold its leadership and security apparatus accountable.

“I reaffirm my counsel to protesters to steadfastly exercise their right to peaceful protest and reject any form of violence. Those engaging in looting and the destruction of public and private property must be isolated and prosecuted according to the law. By indulging in such acts, they undermine the legitimate protests and play into the hands of those who oppose their right to protest.

“President Tinubu must demonstrate true leadership by immediately addressing and implementing the demands of the Nigerian people, Atiku stated.

Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has rebuked President Bola Tinubu’s Sunday broadcast for failing to address police and SSS deployment of lethal force to quell #EndHunger demonstrations, which began on August 1 and are scheduled to last 10 days.

Mr Soyinka, 90, a longtime ally of the president, said Mr Tinubu’s neglect to address the matter in his minutes-long broadcast could be seen as endorsing and empowering security agencies to continue toeing the path of impunity.

My primary concern, quite predictably, is the continuing deterioration of the states seizure of protest management, an area in which the presidential address fell conspicuously short, the celebrated literature icon said in a statement on Sunday. Such short-changing of civic deserving, regrettably, goes to arm the security forces in the exercise of impunity and condemns the nation to a seemingly unbreakable cycle of resentment and reprisals.

Mr Soyinka condemned the use of live rounds to disperse protesters, noting that the protest itself was not unique to Nigeria alone, recounting how similar natuonwide protests took place in France as recently as 2022 and 2023.

Live bullets as state response to civic protestthat becomes the core issue. Even tear gas remains questionable in most circumstances, certainly an abuse in situations of clearly peaceful protest. Hunger marches constitute a universal SOS, not peculiar to the Nigerian nation, wrote the nonagenarian.

Police and SSS operatives fired live ammunition at journalists hanging around the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja to cover the protests shortly after noon on Saturday.

The rear windshield of a Toyota Sienna vehicle conveying reporters from The Punch and Cable was shattered into smithereens after getting shot by the agents.

Mr Soyinka said the nation was long overdue to abandon, permanently, the anachronistic resort to lethal means by the security agencies of governance.

Firing live bullets at peaceful protesters who bemoaned hunger in the land, according to Mr Soyinka, symbolises an ominous retrogression, the kind that precedes upheavals and most likely revolutions.The serving of bullets where bread is pleaded is ominous retrogression, and we know what that eventually provesa prelude to far more desperate upheavals, not excluding revolutions, Mr Soyinka warned.

Imo state Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma has advocated constant dialogue by the government with relevant Nigerian stakeholders, as a veritable means of averting any future disenchantment or protests.

According to him, if the organisers and participants of the recent protests were fully engaged and informed of the gains of the economic reforms by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, there would not have been any need for the protests.

Senator Uzodimma, who was speaking in Arise Television in an extensive interview, blamed lack of information on the real cause of the temporary economic hardship and efforts being made to address them, as the main reasons the protests took place.

Hear him: “I sincerely believe that there was no need for the protests. If Nigerians were better informed of the efforts made by the President to address the issues they were protesting, they would have stayed home.”

The governor noted that it was not just the duty of the President alone to offer such an explanation, adding that it involves all officials of the government at all tiers.

He said: “We have the Vice President, we have the Senate President, we have 360 House of Representatives members, who should have their Constituency offices and attract constituency projects, and we have 109 Senators and governors and commissioners, who collectively should offer explanation to Nigerians on what is happening in government”.

According to the Chairman, South East Governors’ Forum, such a dialogue with Nigerians would help to clear confusion and suspicion, as well as engender trust in government.

He explained that given our culture and tradition, there were means of exhaustively addressing grievances before they snowballed to violence and protests.

Senator Uzodimma said going forward, all the tiers of government should activate regular communication between them and ordinary Nigerians, on what the Federal Government is doing in terms of reviving the economy and ameliorating hardships.

He noted that the economic reforms embarked upon by President Tinubu have temporary consequential impacts, which, he said, will progressively ease off to a robust living condition for Nigerians.

“I have always said it, that what we are experiencing is like the pangs of labour which will soon bring joy as soon as the child is born,” he further said.

The governor however blamed what he described as leadership failure on the part of past administrations, as being responsible for the economic quagmire Nigerians found themselves, saying that it was only Tinubu that had the courage to stop the slide into anarchy.

He, therefore, pleaded with Nigerians to have faith in Tinubu and the government, saying that a country without a stable government was an open invitation to anarchy.

On why the people of the South East did not participate in the nationwide protests, Uzodimma attributed it to the grace of God, which opened the eyes of the people to the futility of the action.

He lamented that Igbo people had often borne the brunt of any kind of crisis in Nigeria, leading to their being killed and their property destroyed.

He said leaders in the Soufh East had also carried out enlightenment programmes, sensitizing the youths, on why they should shun the protests.

He disclosed that within the 14 months in office as President, South East people have felt the impact of Tinubu’s leadership, therefore, would continue to offer him the necessary supports to succeed.

Despite the appeal by President Bola Tinubu, urging Nigerian youths to suspend the ongoing nationwide protests against the high cost of living, protesters in Edo State stormed the road on Sunday morning for a live church service.

The protesters gathered at the Agho junction on Ekenhuan road, Benin City, praying to God for intervention in the several crises rocking the nation at the moment.

President Tinubu on Sunday morning addressed Nigerians on the ongoing nationwide EndBadGovernance protests.

The president, who expressed sadness over the loss of lives and properties after hoodlums hijacked the protest, appealed to the youths to suspend the exercise.

Tinubu while reeling out some steps taken by the Federal Government to alleviate the suffering, said the countrys economy is already on its way to recovery.

His speech was vehemently criticized by Nigerians who claimed that the president failed to address their demands.

Following the recent formation and inauguration of Southern Traditional Rulers Council in Owerri, Imo State capital by Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, HRH Eze Dr. Oliver Ohanweh has described Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State as the pillar of Southern region unification.

Eze Ohanweh who’s the Chairman, Okigwe Elders Global Forum as well as the traditional ruler of Isiama ancient kingdom in Isiala Mbano local government area of Imo State disclosed this on Friday while addressing news men in his Wisdom Palace kingdom, Ihim

The reverred traditional ruler described the inauguration programme as the antidote, needed to cure the nation’s age long disease of disunity among the people of Southern Nigeria region.

” This inauguration is the key needed to institute unity of purpose and progress among the Southerners and history will always remember Governor Hope Uzodimma as the pillar for the re-unification of Southern region.

“Since amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorate on January 1st 1914, by Sir Fredrick Lord Lugard to be a nation called Nigeria by her British Journalist girl friend, Miss Flora Shaw. No day has been like this, in terms of coming together of eminent leaders of the region, it’s a sign that the region and the nation is on the verge of greatness again, under unity of purpose and brotherly love and understanding”.

Ohanweh recalled with nostalgia that the Northern region have their own traditional rulers council and they have been united in every course of pursing their overall interest.

“It’s certain that the inauguration will engineer the needed unity and understanding, expected from the populace of the region and it would snowball into improved socioeconomic and political activities.

He further assured that inauguration would also eliminate the suspicious differences among leaders of the region and institute harmonious relationship among all the interest groups in the region, which are the West, South South and South East geopolitical regions comprising 17 out of the 36 States of the federation.

According to him,”the region is made up of people of high protein and energy and there’s every reason for them to stay together so as to have the expected results of progress, growth, development and transformation and to strongly stand against marginalization.

“It’s a credit to the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that his region is united and working for unity of purpose, hence charity begins at home and we must give Tinubu’s administration all the maximum support and cooperation it needs.

Ohanweh further expressed optimism, that the 17 Southern governors in Nigeria will henceforth be speaking in one voice and all these credits goes to Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State.

The South East Caucus of the National Assembly on Friday described as unfortunate and dangerous the ethnic profiling of Igbos in the ongoing mass protests across the country.

This ugly situation came up during the nation wide protest as several statements such as the Igbo Must Go hashtag started emanating online. Such comment became worrisome especially when Igbos heeded to the advice of their leaders and shun the protest.

The South East Caucus who expressed their concern over the development and quickly condemned the Igbo must go hashtag through a press release signed by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe Leader of the South East Senate Caucus of the National Assembly and the Rt Hon Igariwey Iduma Enwo Leader of the South East Caucus of the House of Representatives.

“For the records, the Igbo nation, in obedience to the advice of their leaders, Governors, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, parliamentarians and others in the private sector- had taken a reasoned and strategic decision not to participate in the on-going nationwide protests.

“This is evident in the relative calm experienced in the five South Eastern states.

“We are, therefore, surprised and disappointed, that Igbos are still made scapegoats, and targeted as instigators of the protests, as shown in several statements (such as the Igbo Must Go hashtag and call by a certain ‘Lagospedia’ X(Twitter) handle) and videos seen online.

“This dangerous ethnic profiling is unwarranted, and must stop. It was such profiling that led to the millions of deaths in Nigeria from the 1950’s to the unfortunate civil war in 1967 to 1970. Elsewhere in Africa it led to the genocide in Rwanda and the xenophobia in South Africa.

“Such should not be our fate again in Nigeria.

“We demand therefore that the security agencies bring to book the purveyors of these hate speeches in line with the cybercrimes act and criminal laws of the country.

“We continue to appeal to Igbos across the country to stay away from the protests, and remain law abiding. The caucus stated
End

By Sampson Uhuegbu

As at the time of filing this report, normalcy had already returned to Owerri, the commercial capital of Imo State- unlike on Thursday, August 1, 2024, when the nationwide protests begun.

Anxiety gripped people of the State who thought that the planned demonstration could be highjacked by bandits to destroy lives and property.

Earlier this week, people of Imo sat at home over fear of the unknown, but presently, businesses have commenced in earnest as commercial drivers, private vehicles were seen in operation, hawkers, food vendors, Point of Service, (POS) operators were also selling.

At the ever- busy Douglas road, Ama Jk and Okigwe road, traders displayed their wares and usual commercial activities were moving as if nothing was happening.

Also, few individuals were sighted in groups discussing the situations in the country and how President Bola Tinubu has remained silent to the plights of Nigerians.

In an interview, the General Overseer of Arm of The Lord Church, His Lordship, Archbishop Steve Grazie, lamented hardship Nigerians are facing and called on President Tinubu to address the challenges.

“So many people are struggling to stay alive. There is so much hardship and that is why collectively people want to speak out”.

Grazie advised the President to address hunger that is ravaging Nigeria, reduce the fuel pump price, tackle insecurity, create jobs for the unemployed graduates and release the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu from detention.

Meanwhile, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, has stated that the Police command was working in synergy with other heads of security agencies across the lengths and breadth of the state to ensure there is no breakdown of law and order.

The CP who spoke in Owerri, during a show of force exercise, said

“No protest of any kind is ongoing in the State. Monitoring continues. Imo is relatively calm and peaceful, residents are going about their lawful businesses”.

He urged people of the State to be security conscious and report any suspicious person and activity within their vicinity to the nearest Police Station.

By Jennifer John

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has expressed unreserved appreciation to people of the South East region for agreeing and resolving not to participate in the ongoing nationwide protest against bad governance, hunger and hardship.

Uzodimma made this appreciation while fielding questions from newsmen over the nationwide protest and situation in Imo State and entire South Eastern States. He said the people relied on past experience which has shown that each time there is violent protest in Nigeria, Igbos pay dearly for it, as the shops looted in various parts of the country during crisis belongs mainly to Igbo people.

The Governor posited that the current agitation was contrived by aggrieved politicians describing it as unnecessary, as according to him, the current hunger and hardship were not of any activity of the current President, whose administration was barely one year old.

“Those behind this protest, some of them have been two times speakers of Houses of Assemblies, some have been Ministers for eight years or more, some have been governors for eight years. One time or the other, they have been in government and the result of their failure, what they were not able to do for lack of courage or selfish interest, is what put us in the current hardship.

Meanwhile, this is the only time we have seen courage to dismantle the cabal in the Oil and Gas Sector, to the extent that Crude Oil is now sold in local currency, dismantled the cabal in the power sector, who were busy increasing the prize of power, without supplying power to Nigerians, and in virtually all sectors of the Nigerian economy”, Uzodimma enthused.

The Imo State Governor concluded by saying it was time for Nigerians to tell themselves the home truth and encourage dialogue, jettison blame game, be productive and develope the country for better prosperity.

Amid a violent protest in the Yauri local government area of Kebbi state, a stray bullet allegedly fired by marine police near the Yauri river has killed a businessman in his shop where he sells plastics.

Our source Malam Umar Bako Yelwa who confirmed the incident said that the protest became violent when protesters blocked the federal highway blocking traffic into Yauri town.

He added that while marine police engaged the protesters to disperse them, they allegedly fired bullets and a stray bullet hit and killed the innocent plastic seller in his shop whose name is yet to be identified as tension rises in Yauri local government.

However, efforts to get the reaction of Nigeria police, Kebbi state Command were unsuccessful as the police image maker, SP Nafiu Abubakar didn’t answer calls made to his line and as well didn’t reply to text message sent to him for enquiries.

Situation in the state Capital remains calm after the protracted protest in some parts of the town of Birnin Kebbi.

There was pandemonium at the Biogbolo suburb of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital during the hardship protest as a group of youths reportedly clashed with protesters along the Chief Melford Okilo Road.

It was gathered that the community youths were against the hunger protest.

The end bad governance protesters who were accompanied by two police vans were allegedly attacked unexpectedly from behind with bottles, planks of wood and other weapons.

But the attack was swiftly repelled by a team of police officers monitoring the situation to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order.

The aggrieved protesters said they were out to demand action from the government to end the high cost of living and hunger.

They chanted solidarity songs and carried placards with various inscriptions such as ‘Restore fuel subsidy and reduce the price of petroleum products now’, ‘We are dying of hunger in our own country’, ‘We are suffering so much now’ and ‘We can no longer feed our children’, among others.

The protesters marched through the Yenagoa-Mbiama Road and the Melford Okilo Road defying the morning showers to register their grievances.

However, there was another set of protesters led by the Secretary of the Bayelsa State Vigilante, Innocent Kalango, in solidarity with the state government.

The protesters, armed with placards, gathered in front of the Government House, and applauded the Governor Douye Diri’s administration for completing the Igbogene-AIT Outer Ring Road, first phase of the Glory Drive, Yenagoa, ongoing Yenagoa-Oporoma road and bridge work at Angiama among others.

Kalango in an interview said: “we came out in solidarity with the Bayelsa State government because of the massive infrastructural projects being done by the present administration. We are just developing in Bayelsa and we will not want to see the structures on ground destroyed.”

Our correspondents who went round town had earlier observed a near zero protest in Yenagoa and its environs.

As early 7.30am security operatives were seen stationed at major junctions and roundabout with residents going about their businesses.

Also, Governor Diri in the early hours of the day led the weekly five-kilometre Prosperity Walk, through the streets of Yenagoa and was joined by other top government officials and Bayelsans for the fitness exercise.

Government offices were opened with some civil servants sighted at their duty posts.

There was also vehicular and tricycle movements in Yenagoa and its environs.

While some banks were closed for business, others rendered skeletal services to customers through the back door.

In the face of the unrest arising from the #Endbadgovernance protest in Kano State, Governor Abba Yusuf has declared a 24-hours curfew in the state with immediate effect.

The Governor who announced this while addressing newsmen at the Kano State government house, said the action became imperative to ensure full protection of lives and properties in the state as hoodlums and thugs have hijacked the protest to embark on looting and indiscriminate killing of innocent citizens.

Governor Yusuf said all security agencies were directed to ensure full and immediate compliance.

Recall that the protest which started peacefully later turned violent as hoodlums and thugs hijacked the protest.

Residents of Ekiti State have distanced themselves from the nationwide protest meant to address pressing issues such as hunger, insecurity, economic instability, and sundry issues.

At Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, residents were seen going about their usual daily activities while security personnel, made up of the anti-riot policemen and their regular counterparts, including a detachment of the soldiers, civil defense, immigration and Amotekun manned strategic locations, such as Ijigbo roundabout, Okesa roundabout, Irona roundabout, and Atikankan, to ensure law and order.

Popular markets in the state, including Oja Oba, Bisi Market, Okesa Market, and Agric Olope, were also bustling with transactions without any disruptions.

Speaking with a trader in Okesa Market, Iyabo Ajayi acknowledged the citizens’ right to protest but added that protests cannot solve the pressing issues, especially in a country like Nigeria.

Opeyemi Iyunloye who opined that Ekiti did not join the protest due to the state governor’s address urged citizens to embrace peace while the federal government works to find a lasting solution to the issues.

Earlier, the governor of the state, Biodun Oyebanji, enjoined youths not to submit themselves to “evil merchants” who might turn the protest from a peaceful demonstration to anarchy.

Oyebanji, who made the call on Wednesday in his special state address, added that the protest might repeat the 2020 saga, from which the state and the country were still recovering.

He said the federal government were working on the yearnings of Nigerians, noting that efforts were being intensified to lessen hunger and end hardship.

The Sole Administrator of Ikeduru local government area of Imo state, Hon Justice Nze has attributed recent positive developments in the Southeast geo-political zone, manifesting in the hosting of the first ever Inauguration of Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council in Owerri, Imo state and signing into law of the very long sought after Southeast Developments Commission by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, after so many years of struggle by Ndigbo, as resounding initiatives of Imo state Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma.

Speaking to newsmen in Owerri, the Ikeduru local government Sole Administrator recalled that prior to this time, Traditional Rulers in the three geo-political zones of Southern Nigeria, Southeast, Southwest and South/South, operated as separate entities and they never worked together as a formidable body.

Nze explained that Governor Uzodinma of Imo state, in his capacity as the incumbent Chairman of Nigeria’s Progressives Governors’ Forum, was able to pull royal Fathers of the three zones together under one umbrella, resulting in the historic inauguration of what is now known as Southern Nigeria Council of Traditional Rulers, in Owerri, Imo State capital on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.

The Local Government Council Boss, who is an avowed adherent of Governor Uzodinma’s 3R government, a strong crusader for peace and good governance, as well as a staunch stalwart of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stressed that the coming together of the Southern Nigeria Royal Fathers as one formidable body, with the Ooni of Ife as Chairman and Eze Cletus Ilomuanya of Imo state as Co-chairman, has placed Traditional Rulers of Southern Nigeria extraction at a vantage position to contributed more positively and meaningfully to the unity of Southern Nigeria and overall development of the dear nation.

Expressing his unreserved happiness that the Imo State Chief Executive, who is also the Chairman of Southeast Governors Forum, Senator Hope Uzodimma as well as Traditional Rulers of Imo State, played leading roles which snowballed into the inauguration of the first ever Council of Traditional Rulers of the entire Southern Nigeria, Hon Justice Nze said, ” my Governor, the Lion of Southeast Geo-political Zone, His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma is a man of ideas and great vision. This is a man who is fully bent on pushing Southeast to the main stream of our nation’s political power and recovering the lost fortunes of Ndigbo. Frankly speaking, Hope Uzodimma is a man, a personality, a character Ndigbo should not ignore or overlook. He is truly on a sacred mission to salvage Imo and the entire Southeast. “On the long-expected Southeast Developments Commission ( SDC ) which has just been signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, after passage of the bill by the National Assembly, the Ikeduru SOLAD, in an outburst declared, ” if you ask a good pilot to lead the way, the journey will be smooth, even on a bad road. The people of Southeast for decades cried and begged for a Developments Commission as obtains in the other geo-political zones of the country. The hues and cries of this particular zone fell on deaf ears. But thanks to our Talk-less and Do-More Governor, Dist. Sen.Hope Uzodinma, who in his capacity as the Chairman of Progressives Governors’ Forum and Chairman, Southeast Governors Forum, pursued this idea vigorously and relentlessly through the National Assembly to the presidency until success was achieved. The result is that Southeast now has a Developments Commission.”

According to Justice Nze, the Southeast Developments Commission which came into fruition at this point in history, under the watch of Governor Hope Uzodimma, would enhance and fasttrack infrastructural and overall development of the entire Southeast region.

The peaceful protest against bad governance has turned violent in Kaduna on Thursday, leaving no fewer than 3 youths dead and many other protesters injured.

Eye witness said the number of protesters mostly youths and the unemployed, which had outnumbered the security operatives, marched from the Rigasa area and from the Abakwa end, towards the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, the official residence and office of the state Governor.

The surviving protester who craved anonymity, said ” we were matching peacefully and no one was carrying any offensive weapon. “

“I think the security operatives near the Government House were threatened by our large number.

Suddenly, a vehicle, that they use in spraying hot water on protesters, came speeding towards us from the Government House axis and sprayed us with hot water, then another security vehicle came on speed from the 44 Reference Hospital end.”

” In the confusion that ensued and as we scampered to save ourselves from being hit by the security vehicles, 3 peaceful protesters were hit and they died. No one carried any weapon, we were just carrying placards and chanted slogans against bad governance,” he said.

Meanwhile, report indicated that the office of the Kaduna State Traffic Agency ( KASTLEA) was touched by the protesters.

Major streets in the state capital were deserted, markets and shops closed due to fear the protest might be hijacked by hoodlums.

Combat ready policemen and other security operatives were stationed at potential flashpoints to forestall any eventuality.

Citizens, majority of who embarked on panic buying of foodstuffs and other essentials the previous day, had remained indoors and monitored happenings on local radio and television.

Schools and other vocational training institutions, also remained closed. There was no response from the Police as at press time, but only a clarification that the personnel deployed were 2,500 and not 25,000 as was earlier reported .

The Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma has said that no state in the South East subscribed to the planned protest, hence the need for Imo indigenes and residents to ignore the call and go about their normal businesses.

“No South East State has yet enlisted in the application of States going for protest,” he said.

The Governor made the clarification at the Landmarks Event Centre in Owerri on Wednesday when he addressed the gathering of Imo Stakeholders, comprising the youths, traditional rulers, faith groups and political Party leaders, Labour leaders, market men and women, academics among others on the State of the Nation, and the need to continue in the struggle for a peaceful and united Imo State in particular and Nigeria in general.

Governor Uzodimma reminded the stakeholders that the political struggle for leadership in Imo State ought to have been a settled matter by now, going by the outcome of the last election, but regretted that those who lost in the last election have refused to tow the line of democracy “because they think if it is not them, there will not be government.”

He bemoaned the resurgence of blood letting of innocent souls which he said is not acceptable by “God and even Satan,” emphasising that the “principles of democracy demand that you wait for the next election to make changes as the killing of human beings is not the culture of an Igbo man and should not be allowed.”

He enumerated the steps taken by the Federal Government to cushion the effects of the current temporary hardships such as distribution of palliatives, the sell of crude oil in Naira to owners of refineries operating in the country, the approval of funds for the most vulnerable in our society among others.

“Other strategy already in place is the release of one trailer load of rice per Local Government in Imo State and 10 trailer loads of fertilizer for farmers in the State as palliatives in the short run”

Governor Uzodimma explained that through strategic partnership with the Federal government, he has garnered a lot of support just as he has continued to enjoy the goodwill of Imo people based on his performance in the last four and half years in office.

He charged the stakeholders to speak to the consciences of their brothers and sisters not to be used by enemies of progress to cause mayhem and distrort the developmental trajectory and policies of the State.

“All over the world, democracy is the best form of Government where, if you don’t like the present leadership, you wait for the next election and approach the ballot box and change the leadership,” he said and urged criminals and kidnappers to allow our people to go to farm so that we can have food on our table.

The Governor noted that “what Imo State people need today is permanent electricity supply, accessible good roads, hospitals and schools,” noting that “in the absence of these, Imo State doesn’t have an economy.”

He insisted that a conducive environment will spike the entrepreneurial spirit of the Igbo man, hence the need for steady power supply cannot be toyed with.

On this note, he thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for granting Imo State an energy and economic free trade zone at the Orashi area of the State, informing that the dredging of the Orashi river to the Atlantic will properly start by September with the conclusion of the hydrographic survey.

He said the multiplier effect of all the efforts from his economic revival policies will be the creation of over 15,000 jobs when they are in place.

Again, the Governor assured that by the first quarter of 2025 Orashi Electricity will be fully in operation and that Imo State will be better for it in terms of electricity generation.

“We need to think good for our place and people, and if the environment is attractive those abroad will come back.”

On the scheduled Local Government Election in Imo State in September, the Governor said: “I am not going to influence the Local Government Election, it will be transparent.

We must go by the rules and ensure that credible people that will serve the people are elected.”

He advised those angling for positions as either Chairman or Councilor to go to their people and sell themselves since they will be accountable to the people at the end of the day.

The Governor hinted that the State has been directed by the Federal Government to collect names of 400 persons per Electoral Ward who will be receiving N50,000 per month to cushion their hardship, indicating that the LGA Chairmen will work with opinion moulders in their area to articulate the names of the those who really deserve to receive the money.

The Governor asked the stakeholders to go home and tell their people that “we don’t need crisis.”

He challenged Community leaders to find out what is happening in their area, what is happening in their farm and to the farmers and make arrangement to protect the farmers.

He canvassed for a better collaboration between the traditional rulers and the President Generals, the Communities and the Local Governments, the State and the Federal Government, as doing so will foster peace, unity, progress, growth and development for the good of the citizens.

He encouraged traditional rulers and Town Union and President Generals to put additional efforts to “stop quarrels and keep the peace by reconciling, showing love, making sacrifices and serving your people.”

The Governor assured that between now and January 2025, the State will revive some of the old industries founded by late Governor Sam Mbakwe, citing the Concord Hotel as one of them.

He also hinted that the government is set to revoke all industrial plots not developed at the Imo State Industrial Layout by those who acquired them after 50 years of allocation.

Present at the programme were the Speaker and members of Imo State House of Assembly, the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Cosmas Iwu, the Chief of Staff, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie and members of the State’s Expanded Executive Council.

Others were Senators and members of the Federal House of Representatives, the Chairman of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Eze Emmanuel Okeke and his colleagues from the State, captains of industries, and many others

By Chris Anucha

Imo State governor, Distinquished Senator Hope Uzodimma, has called for dialogue, instead of the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protest

The governor, in an interview he grated to Arise TV and monitored in Owerri, Imo State Capital yesterday, appealed for a halt to the violent protest witnessed in some parts of country, as disobedience could result to anarchy. The governor stressed the need for government to sit down with the protesters to resolve the problems currently faced by the country.

“This fighting, violence must stop” he said. According to him, in South East, there are cultural and traditional ways of resolving issues, without resorting to violence.

The Chairman, South East Governors’ Forum urged the protesters to Sheath their swords and embrace dialogue, and be obedient to the government of the day, as violent protest has the capacity to cause anarchy.

Uzodimma expressed surprise that those behind the protest were at one time or the other, Governors, National Assembly members, Ministers, among others. According to him, President Tinubu has not done anything wrong to deserve the current protest, having been one year in office.

Instead, he said the governor should be commended for initiating some policies programme, and has taking some steps to revive the further said country’s economy. For instance, Uzodimma explained that for the first time, crude oil will be sold in local currency. “What we need now is to address electicity, rail, others”.

He therefore called on the political class, especially, those in the legislateivearm and those holding political positions, to open Constituency offices, where they could interact with the people and tell them the real situation of things.

“The state and national governal governments have a role to play here.

We must sheath the sword, it is a collective participation, it is about Nigeria and patriotism”. Governor Uzodimma, who acknowledged that there are hunger and sufferings in the land, maintained that the problems would not be solved through violence and destruction of lives and properties.

He accused those he described as cabals of being responsible for the protest.

“We must confront the cabals, bad dealers in the oil sector. The President is trying to dismantle the cabals, Nigerians will rise to fight the cabals”, he said.

Meanwhile, reports from the five Southeastern states indicated that the residents shuned the hunger protest.

In Imo State for instance, people stayed indoors or limited their movements to their various areas and compounds. A visit to some areas in Owerri, Imo State Capital revealed that business activities were halted in places like, the ever-busy Douglas Road.

Douglas Road was deserted while pockets of security men were seen on ground, to ensure that miscreants did not take advantage of the situation to loot people’s shops.

It was also the same situation in areas like, Wethedral Road, Bank Road, Tetlow, Control Post, among others.

According to reports from Anambra, Enugu, Abia andEbonyi, residents of the states also shunned the protest

The Peter Obi Support Network has acknowledged the recent departures of key supporters, such as Doyin Okupe, Isaac Balami, and Kenneth Okonkwo, from the group.

In a press statement on Sunday, co-convener of POSN, Tochukwu Ezeoke, stated that the group respects their commitment to a better Nigeria and recognises their freedom to leave the Obidient movement.

Ezeoke affirmed that the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, remains committed to advocating for a grassroots political party and a decisive leader with integrity.

He added that the Obidient movement anticipates further resignations from the ranks of 2023 campaign leaders. Obis stance is that leadership must avoid actions that could plunge the country into chaos.

The statement follows the recent departure of Okonkwo and others from the Labour Party.

The statement read in part: Peter Obi and the Obidient Movement did not have access to unlimited state resources during the 2023 election, relying instead on the support of Nigerians at home and abroad.

Peter Obi’s primary concern is the safety and well-being of ordinary Nigerians, even above his political aspirations. The stability of Nigeria is more important than the ambitions of any single candidate.