IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

Rivers State Governor and presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nyesom Wike, has pledged to protect the interests of Igbos if elected as Nigeria’s President in 2023. He made the pledge on Saturday during a visit to the PDP delegates in Abia State where he also met with the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu in Umuahia.

According to Wike, he is the only PDP presidential aspirant to publicly declare Igbos’ interest with courage. The Rivers governor also stated that he is ending his presidential campaign ahead of the opposition’s primary slated for May 28. “I am coming to run for President, not just on account of my own, a lot of my friends put heads together to say ‘look it is important that you lead this battle to rescue Nigeria’” he said.

“I say so with all amount of seriousness and I challenge anybody who is from the southern part of Nigeria, the South-South or South-East. check all of us, who can even defend the interests of Ndi Igbos?”

In his remark, Governor Ikpeazu told the delegates that Wike has paid his dues and will not abandon the PDP even if the primaries do not work in his favour. He said, “Governor Wike has paid his dues, he has fought for this party, he has stood for this party. He has never changed parties and he will not change parties despite the outcome of the convention whenever it comes. 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that it will go ahead with its primaries scheduled for Sunday, May 22. This information was contained in a brief communique by Hon. Umar Bature, the PDP’s National Organizing Secretary.

Hon Bature revealed to aspirants to various elective positions in the 2023 general election, delegates and teeming members of the party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the primaries to nominate candidates for the 2023 general elections will commence as officially scheduled.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the State Houses of Assembly Primaries to elect our State House of Assembly candidates will hold on Sunday, May 22, 2022, the House of Representatives Primaries to elect our House of Representatives candidates will also hold on Sunday, May 22.”

However, Hon Bature stated that the Senatorial Primary to elect the Senatorial candidates will hold on Monday, May 23. He noted that the National Working Committee has approved that in the event of unforeseen logistic situations activities of the Senatorial Primary may extend to Tuesday, May 24, 2022.

France forward Kylian Mbappe has agreed to stay at Paris St-Germain, turning down a move to Real Madrid. He has signed a lucrative new three-year deal with the French champions. The 2018 World Cup winner, 23, had been heavily linked with a move to Spain but has committed his future to PSG.

Spain's La Liga reacted angrily to the news, calling the deal "scandalous" and announcing it plans to file a complaint to Uefa as well as French and EU authorities. "This type of agreement threatens the economic sustainability of European football," read a La Liga statement, adding that it put "hundreds of thousands of jobs and sporting integrity at risk in the medium term, not only from European competitions, but also from our domestic leagues".

According to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, writing last month, PSG were prepared to offer Mbappe a 150m euro signing-on fee to keep him for another two seasons. He had agreed a financial package with Real months ago for a potential switch to Spain, but has decided not to join Carlo Ancelotti's side.

Mbappe said he was "very happy" to stay at PSG after he and club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi announced the striker's new deal on Parc des Princes pitch before his side played Metz in their final Ligue 1 match of the season.

President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to the country from the United Arab Emirates. The President left Nigeria on Thursday to pay a condolence visit to the new President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on the passing of his predecessor, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

During the visit, President Buhari expressed his condolences and that of Nigeria to Sheikh Mohamed and congratulated him on his election as President. He assured the new UAE leader of his determination to do more to ensure the growth of the strategic partnership between Nigeria and the Asian country.

President Buhari also hopes that under Sheikh Mohamed the two countries will continue to actively champion a vision of sustainable security, strengthen counterterrorism cooperation, facilitate trade and investment, and promote prosperity and development.

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to “widely publish the reports on the accounts and balance sheet of every political party submitted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the National Assembly since 2015.”

SERAP urged him to “urgently examine the books and records of financial transactions of political parties, and to make public the outcome of any such examination.” SERAP also urged him to “provide details of the guidelines, and steps that INEC is taking to prevent vote buying in the forthcoming elections in Ekiti and Osun states and 2023 general elections, and to prosecute vote buyers and other electoral offenders.”

Recently, the All Progressives Congress (APC) collected N100 million for its presidential form while the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) collected N40 million for its presidential form for the 2023 election. Some leading political parties and politicians also spend between N250 to N14,000 to buy votes. In the letter dated 21 May, 2022 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Nigerians have the right to know about the accounts and financial transactions of their political parties, especially the major parties with a strong possibility to assume government in the future.”

According to SERAP, “transparency and accountability of political parties is important to achieve greater transparency in public life, curb the influence of money in politics, promote a level playing field, and remove the risks to the independence of political actors and would-be public office holders.” SERAP also said, “It is both immoral and illegal to pay citizens to vote for a particular political party or candidate. Unpunished cases of vote buying and related electoral offences would continue to undermine good governance, the rule of law, moral values, as well as hinder citizens’ participation in elections.”

By Kelechi Uzoma 08064075316

Ahead of the APC primary election this week, I have decided to look at factors that will influence the Okigwe Zone APC Delegates to choose the current Senator Frank Ibezim that represents the good people of Imo North at the Red chamber of the national Assembly.

It will be a thing of joy for the wonderful people of Okigwe Zone APC to return Senator Frank Ibezim as it's flag bearer in the next week primary election because of what he has done within the short period of one year at the national Assembly.

Handing the APC party ticket to Senator Frank Ibezim will not only be the gain of APC as a party but the entire Okigwe Zone as the federal lawmaker has shown himself able and capable of leading the zone to the promised land.

The federal lawmaker has been consulting wildly with the people and strengthening relationship, as well as building bridges for new ones having known that the destiny of Okigwe zone lies in his hands to consolidate on the numerous impacts he has made within this one year in office.

It is also important to bring to your notice that the first tenure of every legislator is seen as a period of legislative education in which the first timer isn't allowed to perform certain duties or occupy sensitive positions but his case is different as he has within the short period endeared himself to his colleagues at the national Assembly.

He has performed his duties both as a new senator mastering the art of legislation and it will be an uphill task to send someone who will begin to learn the process all over again 

Senator Frank Ibezim has used the past few month at the national Assembly, to gather legislative experience which will be very useful to him and his constituents in 2023.

If Senator Frank Ibezim is elected for a second term, he has the chances of emerging a ranking senator of the national Assembly which will benefit our people more than when you send a novice.

The people of Okigwe zone will  make the greatest mistake  if a political neophyte or green horn is allowed to go into the national Assembly in 2023. 

The consequences will be unbearable to our generations yet unborn.

Senator frank Ibezim remains the answer for the long wait for the people of Okigwe zone Senatorial district to produce not just a ranking senator but a principal officer at the national Assembly in 2023.

The people of Okigwe zone Senatorial district should not make the mistake of sending a first timer to go and begin to learn the rope when Senator Frank Ibezim has already mastered the terrain and had made good use of his being a member of the national Assembly to better the lives of the people of Okigwe zone.

Let me cease this opportunity to inform the delegates of Okigwe zone that it's only senator frank Ibezim that has the capacity to sustain the campaign against whoever the PDP will present in 2023.

The election will hold in February next year and methink that the people of Okigwe zone needs Senator frank Ibezim to use every available resources to sustain whatever the Opposition will bring on board.

Senator frank Ibezim has a sustainable youth empowerment programmes ongoing in the whole of Okigwe zone and it's will only be wise to allow the man complete the numerous projects he has keyed Okigwe zone into.

Senator Frank Ibezim has facilitated Federal Government Employment of so many of his constituents, apart from obtaining their appointment letters, not less than 300 persons are programmed to undergo documentations for various federal jobs in Aviation, Ministry of Education, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Road Safety and National Task Force among others.

While he's preparing for the take off of the construction of Okigwe Power Transmission Sub Station which his first motion catalyzed, Senator Frank Ibezim has been able to facilitate the  construction of a Solar Power Plant for Ehime Mbano and Ihitte Uboma LGAs and another, targeted for Okigwe North is on the way.

Attracted Five Federal Government Intervention Funds Which Benefitted People Variously  Across The 6 LGAs Of Okigwe Zone.

Established Constituency Offices Which Have Employed Officers And Given Training To Constituents On Different Areas Of Entrepreneurship.

Secured Federal Government Jobs(Employment) To Quite A Number Of His Constituency Members And Contracts To Others.

Donated Classroom Libraries To 18 Primary Schools, Motivated Teachers With Stipends, As A Pilot Program To Its  National Spread and Sensitized The Pupils/School Community Against Drug Abuse Particularly The Methamphetamine Hydrochloride Called  Mkpurummiri In Igbo Parlance.

Attracted The Installation Of The First Solar Power Plant For Use By Okigwe South Component Of Imo North At Ihite Uboma LGA While That For Okigwe North Is Being Worked Out.

Launched The Senator Frank Ibezim Football Academy For Support To Talented Football Enthusiasts Of The Constituency Which Engagements Already Started.

Gave Different Levels Of Financial Support To Constituents And Partnered with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to visit with support the Amauzari Community, Market and Victims Of The Flood Disaster.

Donated Transformers And Boreholes To Some Communities.

Facilitated The Visit Of The Inspection Teams Of  The EEDC, NERC, NDDC  and TCN   To The Okigwe Power Transmission Sub Station Site, Down To Ohiya, Umuahia Power Station.

It is on record that the NDDC is currently drawing a direct line from Ohiya, Umuahia Station to Malaysia Market, while EEDC takes it up through Ihitte Uboma to the Open University at Ezeoke Nsu in Ehime Mbano decongesting Obowo for service to its sorroundings while the commitment of the  TCN is secured to expeditiously  install a full capacity mobile Power Transmission Station at the Okigwe Power Transmission Sub Station site, along the Okigwe- Umuahia area of the Enugu- PorrHarcourt Express Road,  to serve Okigwe, Onuimo, Isiala Mbano, Arondizuogu and part of Orlu to free the Egbu Station to effectively serve Owerri axis.

This breakthrough in power supply by Ibezim is a historic milestone deserving our applause.

*Partnered with  the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to sponsor  a 6- Day Free Medical Outreach in  18 Centers in Imo North Senatorial District.

I am of the strong opinion that if he could achieve this much and solving the agelong power supply problems in Okigwe zone, he deserves to return to the Senate to consolidate the achievements and use his ranking status to do more for Imo North Senatorial District.

Kelechi Uzoma is a practicing journalist and public affairs analyst based in Owerri, the Imo State Capital.