IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck is to step down from his role on 30 June, with co-owner Todd Boehly set to succeed him. American Buck, 76, who had been chairman since Roman Abramovich became owner in 2003, was set to continue in the role after the takeover of the club by a Boehly-led consortium last month.

A change of direction means he will now support the club as a "senior adviser". "Now is the right time to step down and let new ownership build on the strong foundations we have in place," he said.

"The owners have a compelling vision for Chelsea's future, and I look forward to helping them achieve it in this new role alongside our incredible staff, players, coaches and supporters." Chelsea's £4.25bn sale to a consortium led by American investor Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital was completed on 30 May.

Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from ending the voter registration on 30 June 2022.

Justice Olajueom granted an order of interim injunction following the hearing of an argument on motion exparte by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). SERAP and 185 other concerned Nigerians had earlier this month filed a lawsuit against INEC asking the court to “declare unconstitutional, illegal, and incompatible with international standards the failure of the electoral body to extend the deadline for voter registration to allow eligible Nigerians to exercise their rights”.

In the suit, SERAP had asked the court for “an order restraining INEC, its agents, privies, assigns, or any other person(s) claiming through it from discontinuing the continuous voters’ registration exercise from the 30th June 2022 or any other date pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice”.

The suit is adjourned to 29th June 2022 for the hearing of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction. The suit followed the decision by INEC to extend the deadline for the conduct of primaries by political parties by six days, from June 3 to June 9. But the commission failed to also extend the online pre-registration which ended May 30 2022 and the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) ending 30 June 2022.

The governor-elect of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, has faulted the allegation of vote-buying against the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just concluded governorship election in the state. He stressed that neither he nor the ruling party was involved in vote-buying as alleged, saying they canvassed for votes from the electorate which led to their victory at the poll.

Oyebanji stated this on Monday while briefing State House correspondents shortly after he met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. He insisted that he did not witness any vote-buying in the polling unit where he voted, adding that he won the poll based on his previous performance as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in the state.

The APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who accompanied the governor-elect alongside some governors to meet with the President, also reacted to the allegation against the ruling party. He affirmed that the allegation of vote-buying was being sponsored by aggrieved persons who lost at the poll.

Apart from Adamu, Oyebanji was also accompanied by Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, and Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State.

A former Minister of Niger Delta in the Goodluck Jonathan administration, Godsday Orubebe, has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He announced his departure from the party in a letter dated June 20 and addressed to the PDP National Chairman, Senator lyorchia Ayu.

In the letter which was acknowledged by the office of the party’s chairman, Orubebe believes the PDP is not ready to reclaim power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general elections.

According to him, the party should have learned its lessons when it lost to the APC in 2015 and used the period of being an opposition to re-strategise how to return to power at the earliest opportunity. The former minister faulted the emergence of a northerner as the presidential candidate of the party in the coming elections.

Stressing that it was against the PDP’s constitution to have its national chairman and presidential candidate come from the same region, he commended Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for his courage at the primary.

— Calls On Imo Fathers' Continuous Support To The 3R Government 

The Deputy Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu has felicitated with fathers in Imo State on International Father's day, sending heartwarming greetings to all the responsible fathers all over the world.

In his goodwill message, the number 4 Imo State citizen said 'fathers are men who dared to place the world's Hopes on their children' hence deserving to be celebrated not just on special remembrance as this but always. 

Mr. Capacity, as popularly called by admirers and supporters while celebrating the fathers said the roles of fatherhood cannot be overemphasized, stressing that they are the bedrock of the society.

While congratulating the fathers in Imo, he urged them to continue to support the 3R administration of Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma to continue delivering the dividends of good governance to the people.

Assuring the father figures in Imo of favorable legislatives frameworks of the state assembly to continue to partner with the leadership of the house to continue to make laws and motions that will uplift the fathers in the state in order to effectively discharge their fatherly duties.

The Coalitions of Isiala Mbano Students made up of all the Students in IMSU, ALVAN, FUTO, POLY NEK, IMO POLY and IMO STATE UNIVERSITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES & AGRICULTURE met at Concord Hotel, Owerri, the Imo State Capital on Friday 17th June, 2023 and adopted one of their own, Comrade David Achinulo for Isiala Mbano Assembly seat in 2023.

The Students made the following statements;

1. We have seen a young man with excess capacity and political will to drive the visions of the youths and students of the State Constituency in 2023.

2. We know that he has a track record of excellence to change the narratives in Isiala Mbano State Constituency.

3. We know him as a young professional that have come to add value to our people in Isiala Mbano State Constituency.

4. We see  Comrade David Achinulo as the only person that can champion the cause of the Youths and students alike hence, we need him to represent us at the hallow chamber of the Imo State House of Assembly in 2023.

5. Comrade David Achinulo has delivered in every positions he occupied, hence, we need him to be the voice of the students and Youths of Isiala Mbano State Constituency in 2023.

6. We understand that Isiala Mbano State Constituency has been under- represented in the past and that why we want Comrade David Achinulo, the YPP candidate to go for the students zone.

7. We will not allow selfish and crude politicians without conscience to represent Isiala Mbano State Constituency at the Imo State House of Assembly again.

8. We want our aged mothers, fathers, youths, non indigens and the wonderful people of Isiala Mbano State Constituency to abide by this resolutions.

Signed:

Dr. EMELE A. C - ACADEMIC STAFF ADVISER 

Comrade Chukwuemeka Uzodimma - IMSU

Comrade Chima Ndubuisi- FUTO

Comrade Nnamdi Amaechi- ALVAN

Comrade Ikenna Mbah- IMO POLY

Comrade Emeka Onyema - POLY NEKEDE

Comrade Ahamefula Ikechukwu- IMO STATE UNIVERSITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES & AGRICULTURE