BUHARI AND BIAFRANS

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div id="entryContainer"> <div class="entry entry-content" itemprop="articleBody"> By Obi Nwakanma<br /> Dr. Chu S. P. Okongwu in his 2004 tributes to Ukpabi Asika, took an aside in his eulogies to emphasize the following: “The generation born after the civil war will not know that the former Eastern region, comprising East-Central State, South-Eastern state, and Rivers state, enjoyed a highly developed road network, with probably the highest quality road density in sub-Saharan Africa. These had been damaged or neglected during the war. Ukpabi Asika planned to reconstruct and modernize these.<br /> <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Biafra-e1447532743142.png"><img alt="Biafra" class="size-full wp-image-582000 alignleft" height="412" src="http://cdn2.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/412x412xBiafra-e1447532743142.png.pagespeed.ic.QGp7raegZ3.jpg" width="412" /></a>Action was also taken to upgrade and transfer to central government responsibility some trunk ‘B’ roads (1, 240 kilometers) and introduce some new federal highways and alignments… .” Dr. Okongwu was East Central State’s Commissioner forEconomic Planning from 1970-1975, and presumably has the data. But that’s besides the point. The real point is that assertion that the East had the “highest quality road density in Sub-sahara Africa” before the damages of war and neglect ruined it all.<br /> The terrible state of roads and interchanges in the old Eastern region, particularly in the current areas now known as the South East zone, remain even now, a sore point; and hard evidence of the neglect of the East by the Federal government since the end of the civil war in 1970. Those who have challenged the current agitation for Biafra, talk of equal opportunity misrule of the federation. But Biafrans present evidence of a specially targeted form of neglect.<br /> There was no reason for agitation for a Biafra from 1970-1983, because in those intermediary years, the East was in recovery mode, and its key intellectual and political leadership, and its highly trained bureaucracy was still intact, and they had the requisite institutional memory to mediate some of the more difficult and challenging obstacles placed on the Eastern states, through both strategic negotiation and initiative. I do recommend Dr. Okongwu’s tributes to Asika to readers of the “Orbit” for a really good context, and a closer understanding of “where the rain began to beat us.” From 1983, a strategic neglect of the East became more pronounced.<br /> Every effort of the past made to rebuild it; including investments in new industry, new skills, and so on, were stripped deliberately, almost as if to stifle the resurgence of its people by Federal authorities. Two marked examples for me includes Dr. Okongwu’s claim that the East Central State’s Data Processing Center, the first of its kind presumably in the continent, long before the current IT craze, was stripped and moved to Kaduna following the 1975 military coup.<br /> Here are Chu Okongwu’s words: “Immediately there was dispatched to East-Central State a mandatory pro-consul in the person of the late Colonel Anthony Aboki Ochefu. His assignment: the dismantling of the East-Central state. Colonel Ochefu dismantled the public service of East Central state.<br /> For good measure he declared that the mainframe computer of the Eastern Data Processing Center was unnecessary madness, beyond the needs and interests of the state. It was summarily dismantled and relocated to the Ahmadu Bello University where it found a necessary sane and needful home. Everybody in East Central state, except Col Ochefu, elements of the army of occupation and their touts, was a thief; the hounding campaign was underway. Cheer leaders and Coryphaei were not wanting in East-Central State.” Buhari was a member of the Supreme Military Council of that regime in 1975.<br /> The same scenario played out following the December 31, 1983 coup at which Buhari was head. A little drama played out in Owerri when, according to close associates of the late Governor Sam Mbakwe, he held out at the Governor’s lodge, Owerri, prepared to call out a mass demonstration starting with street protests from Aba to resist the coup, until he was finally persuaded to give up that move. Buhari appointed his own proconsul, in the person of the then Brigadier Ike Nwachuwku. Again, his assignment: dismantle the gains made in Imo under Mbakwe. Ike Nwachukwu’s first declaration, under what he called the “Imo Formula”  was to dismantle all the 42 industrial installations embarked upon by Sam Mbakwe, which were at various stages of development, and to which financial commitments had been entered.<br /> Nwachukwu’s “achievement” was to consolidate the Imo state university under a single campus at Uturu, near his ancestral home, from the five-campus design which had been envisioned on a model of the State of New York University system, by Mbakwe and his team, to evolve into beautifully designed network of university campuses to stimulate strategic development, and carter to a wider range of students and skills development in the long run.<br /> The effect of these was to stultify development in the East and drive a growing population of highly educated and skilled youth out of the East, into the wilderness. Kids who grew up in Government Reserved Areas in the East, for instance, suddenly found themselves living with rats in the ghettoes of Lagos because all the systems created to afford them the opportunity of living productive lives in the East on equal terms with their peerselsewhere in the world were strategically dismantled.<br /> It is called diminution. Divestments, and lack of investments in both industry and infrastructure in the East, especially by the federal government has led to this moment. What these examples suggest is that Nigeria’s postwar domestic policies have, it has always seemed obvious to Easterners, especially the Igbo, been directed towards subduing, rather than reconstructing the East. Even now, Buhari is talking about billions of naira to be earmarked for the “reconstruction of the North-East.”<br /> What about the East that has suffered from a devastating civil war levied against it, and from the mindless exploitation of oil that has rendered what was the entire Eastern region, one of the world’s great ecological disasters, with incidents of new cancers, the result of massive pollution, possibly the highest currently in the world? Easterners consider themselves victims of state-terror. There must be both reconstruction of the East and reparation for the years of discrimination.<br /> These facts will continue to drive the agitation for Biafra. And this is the point that Ohaneze and the South East governors meeting last week in Enugu failed to acknowledge, and which continues to make them irrelevant to the solutions for these agitations.<br /> The governors in the East and Ohaneze may make ex-cathedra claims, but they do not yet speak for these young people, who have clearly defied them in staging their protests. Again, whoever is advising this president must be plain in telling him that this generation considers him a great part of the Igbo problem, because under his watch as military head, progress in the East was stifled; and the East was isolated in his administrationfrom 1983-85; and as a member of the SMC in 1975, the first postwar moves to “dismantle” the East was set in motion. The onus is on him to show good faith, and dissuade the agitators, or he could show further proof, as some have suggested, that Buhari is rigid and does not listen.<br /> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2t5uJORrcoeDpHrqi5RP-MmZCH8jSnbtBybj_y6bydJceRiTl1ZDm7VT68dhPJuLhLopL1F4RqK0QF4nNOlmV_H2I1x19Vj_G98AGvx4xnqXJu-PFGsYSeX9X1dMTPwEhs9YnKmQWvBg/s1600/260x194xIgbo-men-260x194.jpg.pagespeed.ic.iMGIOBq2GD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2t5uJORrcoeDpHrqi5RP-MmZCH8jSnbtBybj_y6bydJceRiTl1ZDm7VT68dhPJuLhLopL1F4RqK0QF4nNOlmV_H2I1x19Vj_G98AGvx4xnqXJu-PFGsYSeX9X1dMTPwEhs9YnKmQWvBg/s1600/260x194xIgbo-men-260x194.jpg.pagespeed.ic.iMGIOBq2GD.jpg" /></a></div> </div> </div>

BUHARI AND BIAFRANS

By Obi Nwakanma Dr. Chu S. P. Okongwu in his 2004 tributes to Ukpabi Asika, took an aside in his eulogies to emphasize the following: “The generation born after the civil war will not know that the former Eastern region, comprising East-Central State, South-Eastern state, and Rivers state, enjo…

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BUHARUI AND BIAFRANS

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div id="entryContainer"> <div class="entry entry-content" itemprop="articleBody"> By Obi Nwakanma<br /> Dr. Chu S. P. Okongwu in his 2004 tributes to Ukpabi Asika, took an aside in his eulogies to emphasize the following: “The generation born after the civil war will not know that the former Eastern region, comprising East-Central State, South-Eastern state, and Rivers state, enjoyed a highly developed road network, with probably the highest quality road density in sub-Saharan Africa. These had been damaged or neglected during the war. Ukpabi Asika planned to reconstruct and modernize these.<br /> <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Biafra-e1447532743142.png"><img alt="Biafra" class="size-full wp-image-582000 alignleft" height="412" src="http://cdn2.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/412x412xBiafra-e1447532743142.png.pagespeed.ic.QGp7raegZ3.jpg" width="412" /></a>Action was also taken to upgrade and transfer to central government responsibility some trunk ‘B’ roads (1, 240 kilometers) and introduce some new federal highways and alignments… .” Dr. Okongwu was East Central State’s Commissioner forEconomic Planning from 1970-1975, and presumably has the data. But that’s besides the point. The real point is that assertion that the East had the “highest quality road density in Sub-sahara Africa” before the damages of war and neglect ruined it all.<br /> The terrible state of roads and interchanges in the old Eastern region, particularly in the current areas now known as the South East zone, remain even now, a sore point; and hard evidence of the neglect of the East by the Federal government since the end of the civil war in 1970. Those who have challenged the current agitation for Biafra, talk of equal opportunity misrule of the federation. But Biafrans present evidence of a specially targeted form of neglect.<br /> There was no reason for agitation for a Biafra from 1970-1983, because in those intermediary years, the East was in recovery mode, and its key intellectual and political leadership, and its highly trained bureaucracy was still intact, and they had the requisite institutional memory to mediate some of the more difficult and challenging obstacles placed on the Eastern states, through both strategic negotiation and initiative. I do recommend Dr. Okongwu’s tributes to Asika to readers of the “Orbit” for a really good context, and a closer understanding of “where the rain began to beat us.” From 1983, a strategic neglect of the East became more pronounced.<br /> Every effort of the past made to rebuild it; including investments in new industry, new skills, and so on, were stripped deliberately, almost as if to stifle the resurgence of its people by Federal authorities. Two marked examples for me includes Dr. Okongwu’s claim that the East Central State’s Data Processing Center, the first of its kind presumably in the continent, long before the current IT craze, was stripped and moved to Kaduna following the 1975 military coup.<br /> Here are Chu Okongwu’s words: “Immediately there was dispatched to East-Central State a mandatory pro-consul in the person of the late Colonel Anthony Aboki Ochefu. His assignment: the dismantling of the East-Central state. Colonel Ochefu dismantled the public service of East Central state.<br /> For good measure he declared that the mainframe computer of the Eastern Data Processing Center was unnecessary madness, beyond the needs and interests of the state. It was summarily dismantled and relocated to the Ahmadu Bello University where it found a necessary sane and needful home. Everybody in East Central state, except Col Ochefu, elements of the army of occupation and their touts, was a thief; the hounding campaign was underway. Cheer leaders and Coryphaei were not wanting in East-Central State.” Buhari was a member of the Supreme Military Council of that regime in 1975.<br /> The same scenario played out following the December 31, 1983 coup at which Buhari was head. A little drama played out in Owerri when, according to close associates of the late Governor Sam Mbakwe, he held out at the Governor’s lodge, Owerri, prepared to call out a mass demonstration starting with street protests from Aba to resist the coup, until he was finally persuaded to give up that move. Buhari appointed his own proconsul, in the person of the then Brigadier Ike Nwachuwku. Again, his assignment: dismantle the gains made in Imo under Mbakwe. Ike Nwachukwu’s first declaration, under what he called the “Imo Formula”  was to dismantle all the 42 industrial installations embarked upon by Sam Mbakwe, which were at various stages of development, and to which financial commitments had been entered.<br /> Nwachukwu’s “achievement” was to consolidate the Imo state university under a single campus at Uturu, near his ancestral home, from the five-campus design which had been envisioned on a model of the State of New York University system, by Mbakwe and his team, to evolve into beautifully designed network of university campuses to stimulate strategic development, and carter to a wider range of students and skills development in the long run.<br /> The effect of these was to stultify development in the East and drive a growing population of highly educated and skilled youth out of the East, into the wilderness. Kids who grew up in Government Reserved Areas in the East, for instance, suddenly found themselves living with rats in the ghettoes of Lagos because all the systems created to afford them the opportunity of living productive lives in the East on equal terms with their peerselsewhere in the world were strategically dismantled.<br /> It is called diminution. Divestments, and lack of investments in both industry and infrastructure in the East, especially by the federal government has led to this moment. What these examples suggest is that Nigeria’s postwar domestic policies have, it has always seemed obvious to Easterners, especially the Igbo, been directed towards subduing, rather than reconstructing the East. Even now, Buhari is talking about billions of naira to be earmarked for the “reconstruction of the North-East.”<br /> What about the East that has suffered from a devastating civil war levied against it, and from the mindless exploitation of oil that has rendered what was the entire Eastern region, one of the world’s great ecological disasters, with incidents of new cancers, the result of massive pollution, possibly the highest currently in the world? Easterners consider themselves victims of state-terror. There must be both reconstruction of the East and reparation for the years of discrimination.<br /> These facts will continue to drive the agitation for Biafra. And this is the point that Ohaneze and the South East governors meeting last week in Enugu failed to acknowledge, and which continues to make them irrelevant to the solutions for these agitations.<br /> The governors in the East and Ohaneze may make ex-cathedra claims, but they do not yet speak for these young people, who have clearly defied them in staging their protests. Again, whoever is advising this president must be plain in telling him that this generation considers him a great part of the Igbo problem, because under his watch as military head, progress in the East was stifled; and the East was isolated in his administrationfrom 1983-85; and as a member of the SMC in 1975, the first postwar moves to “dismantle” the East was set in motion. The onus is on him to show good faith, and dissuade the agitators, or he could show further proof, as some have suggested, that Buhari is rigid and does not listen.<br /> <br /> KEEP VISITING AUSTINEBLOG. <br /> </div> </div> </div>

BUHARUI AND BIAFRANS

By Obi Nwakanma Dr. Chu S. P. Okongwu in his 2004 tributes to Ukpabi Asika, took an aside in his eulogies to emphasize the following: “The generation born after the civil war will not know that the former Eastern region, comprising East-Central State, South-Eastern state, and Rivers state, enjo…

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umahi sacks 13 council chairmen,64 coordinators

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> Umahi Sacks 13 Council Chairmen, 64<br /> Coordinators<br /> Ebonyi State Governor, Engr Dave Umahi<br /> Re-presents 2015 budget<br /> Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki<br /> Ebonyi State Governor, Engr Dave Umahi on<br /> Monday sacked the 13 Caretaker Committee<br /> Chairmen and 64 Development Centre<br /> Coordinators appointed by the former Governor,<br /> Chief Martin Elechi.<br /> He made this known during his re-presentation<br /> of the 2015 Appropriation Bill to the state House<br /> of Assembly.<br /> Tagged Budget of Repositioning, the governor<br /> proposed an estimate of N75.8 billion, which<br /> was 11 percent lower than the N80.017 billion<br /> earlier presented by the former governor.<br /> The initial budget had failed to succeed in the<br /> state House of Assembly.<br /> Before the sack, the governor had called on the<br /> Chairmen to make available the public funds<br /> they allegedly stole to be free from their on-<br /> going probe by members of the state House of<br /> Assembly.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvrqhup3aP3mD5hvr7pbxR_Y5tPWtW1r3DIohO_G8F6h5c5pjvIkYkwOvCASRhY5r4hA0xjDI8mLw3_s0P-1-I4TP69300Joy8m4wOQDBSmzcUU4yVSdOT6QoVS2MgHI_NdUkTeksZSAF/s1600/221214F-Dave-Umahi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvrqhup3aP3mD5hvr7pbxR_Y5tPWtW1r3DIohO_G8F6h5c5pjvIkYkwOvCASRhY5r4hA0xjDI8mLw3_s0P-1-I4TP69300Joy8m4wOQDBSmzcUU4yVSdOT6QoVS2MgHI_NdUkTeksZSAF/s320/221214F-Dave-Umahi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> </div>

umahi sacks 13 council chairmen,64 coordinators

Umahi Sacks 13 Council Chairmen, 64 Coordinators Ebonyi State Governor, Engr Dave Umahi Re-presents 2015 budget Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki Ebonyi State Governor, Engr Dave Umahi on Monday sacked the 13 Caretaker Committee Chairmen and 64 Development Centre Coordinators appointed by the former Gov…

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2015 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS SO FAR ON AUSTINE BLOG'S

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <h1 class="news__open_caption" itemprop="name headline"> 2015 Presidential Election Results So Far</h1> <div class="news__open_author" datetime="2015-03-29T16:11:24+0000" itemprop="datePublished"> THIS NEWS SHOWS UP FIRST ON AUSTINEMMAHI.BLOGSPOT.COM </div> <div class="news__open_author" datetime="2015-03-29T16:11:24+0000" itemprop="datePublished"> Ajomole Helen, 1 hour ago </div> <div class="news__open_share clearfix"> <div class="news__open_share_big clearfix"> <a class="social__big_em" href="mailto:?subject=2015%20Presidential%20Election%20Results%20So%20Far&body=http://www.naij.com/411554-2015-presidential-election-results-so-far.html?pk_campaign=ush" title="Send this article to a friend!">Email</a> <a class="social__big_ggl" href="https://plus.google.com/share?url=http://www.naij.com/411554-2015-presidential-election-results-so-far.html?pk_campaign=ush" target="_blank">0</a> <a class="social__big_twtr" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=http://www.naij.com/411554-2015-presidential-election-results-so-far.html&text=2015%20Presidential%20Election%20Results%20So%20Far&tw_p=tweetbutton&url=http://www.naij.com/411554-2015-presidential-election-results-so-far.html?pk_campaign=ush&via=naijcom" target="_blank">258</a> </div> </div> <strong>Counting of ballot papers has commenced in different states across the country and was still continuing into the late hours of Saturday, even as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended voting until Sunday, March 29, in states where card readers failed.</strong><br /> <strong>PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS RESULT IS NOT THE FINAL RESULT OF THE ELECTIONS, AS IT COULD BE UPDATED ANYTIME</strong><br /> Results from different local government areas across the country so far.<br /> <strong>LAGOS STATE</strong><br /> <div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_412210" style="max-width: 499px;"> <img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="wp-image-412210" height="374" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/DswTBdWNrRrnSuvpxZb54DHU.jpg" width="499" /><div class="wp-caption-text"> Buhari (APC) 444 273.<br /> Jonathan (PDP) 300 836</div> </div> The collation of results of Saturday’s election in Lagos is still ongoing at the various collation centres across the state. At the state INEC secretariat in Yaba, few people are seen moving around in the premises. But there are over a dozen armed security agents stationed around the secretariat. An official said the place would become a beehive of activities in the evening when final results from all the centers would start coming in.<br /> <strong>OGUN STATE</strong><br /> <div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_412212" style="max-width: 499px;"> <img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="wp-image-412212" height="198" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/hEVEYBcJ0IzBn7B4vYcAV0Tq.jpg" width="499" /><div class="wp-caption-text"> Ogun state preliminary results: Buhari (APC) 120 034<br /> Jonathan (PDP) 84 435</div> </div> <strong>OSUN STATE</strong><br /> <div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_412214" style="max-width: 499px;"> <img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="size-full wp-image-412214" height="456" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/ccUuBmbQWotLLWfza2BsnQ91.jpg" width="499" /><div class="wp-caption-text"> Osun state votes: Buhari (APC) 281 320. Jonathan (PDP) 212 455.</div> </div> <strong>BORNO STATE</strong><br /> <div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_412215" style="max-width: 499px;"> <img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="wp-image-412215" height="202" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/S3LzH1KqlV0fTZbPCATiXBgh.jpg" width="499" /><div class="wp-caption-text"> Borno state preliminary results: Buhari (APC) 42 612. Jonathan (PDP) 3698.</div> </div> Most of the votes in the above-given LGAs were casted in internally-displaced persons’ camps across the state.<br /> <strong>EKITI STATE</strong><br /> <div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_412221" style="max-width: 499px;"> <img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="wp-image-412221" height="264" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/xOvBclDzeC71Gt5cSqKDl218.jpg" width="499" /><div class="wp-caption-text"> Ekiti state results: Buhari (APC) 93 103. Jonathan (PDP) 139 133.</div> </div> <strong>KADUNA STATE</strong><br /> <div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_412228" style="max-width: 499px;"> <img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="wp-image-412228" height="101" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/vXgIBYj1ZsQHcNqfVj2ylJol.jpg" width="499" /><div class="wp-caption-text"> Kaduna state interim results: Buhari (APC) 83 805. Jonathan (PDP) 21 281.</div> </div> <strong>KANO STATE</strong><br /> <div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_412227" style="max-width: 499px;"> <img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="wp-image-412227" height="180" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/IMaTm7rnKqtThOl2IQrEd3rm.jpg" width="499" /><div class="wp-caption-text"> Kano state first results: Buhari (APC) 254 028. Jonathan (PDP) 34 708.</div> </div> <hr /> Below, see some of previous results that emerged in the morning of Sunday/ night of Saturday<br /> <strong>PU 061 Agege Lagos.</strong><br /> Presidential APC – 101, PDP – 44,<br /> SEN: APC – 95, PDP – 58,<br /> Reps: APC – 88, PDP – 58.<br /> <img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="alignnone wp-image-411821 size-large" height="600" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/0ZYO8WF7513qNegSUQJoGwrR.jpg" width="800" /><br /> <strong>Ibeju Lekki Ward. Ibeju 1</strong><br /> Presidential: APC – 223, PDP – 201. PUs Reported: 3.<br /> <strong><em>Unit 047</em>, Alausa, Ikeja</strong>, where Mr. Tinubu voted.<br /> President APC – 180 PDP – 55<br /> Senate APC – 181 PDP – 53,<br /> Reps APC – 178 PDP – 53.<br /> <strong><em>Polling Unit 008</em> Epetedo, Igbosere Street, in Lagos Island:</strong><br /> President APC – 62, PDP – 61.<br /> Senate APC – 70, PDP – 52.<br /> Reps APC – 61, PDP – 52.<br /> <strong>Eti-osa Lekki</strong><br /> House of reps: APC – 105, PDP – 91, KOWA – 1, PPA – 1,<br /> Senate: APC – 101, PDP – 99, AD – 2, Labour – 1,<br /> Presidential result: APC – 103, PDP – 99, AD – 1.<br /> <strong>Ward 09, PU 013 Sabo, Yaba</strong><br /> Presidential: APC – 83, PDP – 38, Void – 1.<br /> <strong>Ifako-Ijaiye Ward C, PU 032</strong><br /> Presidential: APC – 83, PDP – 77,<br /> Senate: APC – 88, PDP – 72,<br /> Reps: APC – 78, PDP – 66.<br /> <strong>Ile Agege PU 003</strong><br /> Presidential: APC – 84, PDP – 31,<br /> Senate: APC – 79, PDP – 32,<br /> Reps: APC – 84, PDP – 28.<br /> <strong>Akowonjo Egbeda – Lagos</strong><br /> Presidential results: APC – 18,907, PDP – 2,691, Kowa – 71.<br /> <strong>Rogo bustop – Ishaga Lagos</strong><br /> Presidential result: APC – 614, PDP – 23.<br /> <strong>Unit 32 (aladesuru street,papa ajao mushin)</strong><br /> House of reps: APC – 52, PDP – 40,<br /> Senate: APC- 55, PDP – 37,<br /> President: APC- 56, PDP – 29.<br /> <strong>Ikoyi (Musiliu Obanikoro Polling Unit in Ikoyi)</strong><br /> Reps: PDP – 38, APC – 56, APGA – 1,<br /> Senate: PDP – 44, APC – 58,<br /> Presidency: APC – 62, PDP – 38.<br /> <strong>Ademuyiwa (Lagos mainland)</strong><br /> Presidential: –  APC – 107, PDP – 56.<br /> <strong>Ward 006, Aguda Surulere</strong>:<br /> House of Reps: APA – 1, APC – 59, PDP – 156,<br /> Senate: APC – 57, PDP – 159,<br /> Presidency: APC – 63, PDP – 156. Igwe Isaac<br /> <strong>PU 034 Theo Okunnusi Street, Alapere, Ketu (Accredited 149)</strong><br /> President: APC – 109, PDP – 36,<br /> Senate: APC – 109, PDP – 36,<br /> HoR: APC – 111, PDP – 34.<br /> <strong>Ota Ward II, Afobaje Unit</strong><br /> Total Votes count: 380.<br /> Presidential: PDP: 291. APC: 87. Void: 2.<br /> <strong>Oyemekun Street in Ogba (Unit 16)</strong><br /> Voting commenced 4pm and counting ended 7:30pm.<br /> Presidential elections: APC – 120, PDP – 95.<br /> <strong>Nepa Bustop Jakande Estate Isolo</strong><br /> Presidential election: PDP – 87, APC – 400, Kowa – 2.<br /> So far, APC is leading  in Lagos State.<br /> <strong>Ekiti</strong><br /> PDP has won 15 LGAs out of the 16 LGAs in Ekiti State in the presidential election. Senate and Reps to be declared at the councils affected.<br /> PDP   5,699 APC   3,103<br /> <strong>Ido Osi LGA</strong><br /> APC  7,433 PDP  12,479<br /> <strong>Moba LGA </strong><br /> APC 7,492  PDP 8,687 ACPN 22 AD 26 ADC 19<br /> <strong>Oye LGA</strong><br /> APC  8,574, PDP 11,262<br /> <strong>Ikere LGA</strong><br /> APC 7,990 PDP 14,091<br /> <strong>Ileje Meje LGA</strong><br /> PDP 3,799 APC 3,000<br /> <strong>Irepodun Ifelodun</strong><br /> APC 7,970 PDP 11,395<br /> <strong>Emure LGA</strong><br /> APC 5,352 PDP 6,822<br /> <strong>Ado Ekiti</strong><br /> APC 14,414 PDP 25,411<br /> <strong>Ekiti South West LGA</strong><br /> APC   7,195 PDP 10,220<br /> <strong>Ekiti West LGA</strong><br /> APC   8,001 PDP 10,003<br /> <strong>Ise Orun Local Government</strong><br /> APC 5,675 PDP 9,158<br /> <strong>Ikole LGA, Ekiti</strong><br /> APC 10,036 PDP   13,306<br /> <strong>Gboyin LGA</strong><br /> APC 6,334 PDP 8,792<br /> <strong>Unit 09, Ward 11, Isan Ekiti</strong> [Former Governor Kayode Fayemi's polling booth]<br /> Presidential Election: APC – 140, PDP – 24<br /> Senate: APC – 135, PDP – 21<br /> House of Reps – APC – 142, PDP – 22<br /> <strong>Ijero LGA</strong><br /> PDP 13,420, APC 9498<br /> <strong>KOGI</strong><br /> <strong>Shabayaji old market polling unit Lokoja</strong><br /> Presidential: APC 416, PDP 32<br /> Senate: APC 355, PDP 41 Acord 28.<br /> Rep: APC 375, PDP 46, Accord 17.<br /> <strong>Idanuhua polling unit 11 Adavi local gov</strong>t<br /> Presidential: APC 215, PDP 43<br /> Senate: APC 205, PDP 48<br /> Rep: APC 205, PDP 48<br /> <strong>Idnuhua polling unit 6 Adavi LG</strong><br /> Presidential: APC 133 PDP 19<br /> Senate: APC 83, PDP 57<br /> Rep: APC 79, PDP 72<br /> <strong>BAYELSA</strong><br /> Collation is still ongoing in some LGA across the state, as we await the digits, we shall keep you updated.<br /> <strong>Nembe Ward 3, unit 4</strong><br /> REPS: APC-3; PDP-39; Void votes-5<br /> SENATE: APC-15; PDP-32<br /> PRESIDENCY: APC-1; APA-1; ACPN-1; PDP-44; Void-Nil<br /> <strong>NEMBE WARD 3, unit 6</strong><br /> REPS: APC-12; PDP-82; Void-5<br /> SENATE: APC-35; Labour-1; PDP-59; Void-4<br /> PRESIDENCY: APC-3; NCP-1; PDP 94; Void-1<br /> <strong>WARD 3, UNIT 2</strong><br /> REPS: APC-9;Labour-1,PDP-101; Void-3<br /> SENATE: APC-30;Labour-4; PDP-79; Void-1<br /> PRESIDENCY<br /> APC-5;CPP-1;Labour-1; PDP-106; Void-1<br /> <strong>WARD 2,UNIT 4</strong><br /> REPS: APC-11; PDP-287; Void-2<br /> SENATE: APC-20; PDP-278; Void-2<br /> PRESIDENCY: APC-1; PDP-297; Void-2<br /> <strong>WARD 2, UNIT 13</strong><br /> REPS: APC-7; PPA-2; PDP-42<br /> SENATE: APC-11; PDP-41; Void-Nil<br /> So far PDP Leads in all LGA areas in Bayelsa<br /> <strong>Ogun</strong><br /> Counting of votes has commenced in many polling units in Ogun State. As at 4.30 p.m., many of the centres had started collation and counting of the votes while voters waited patiently to witness the process. Agents of the various parties were also seen at the polling units. Long queues of voters were, however, still seen in some polling units at 4:45 p.m.<br /> According to PM news, All Progressive Congress won in four councils while the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP won in the remaining three.<br /> <strong>Ijebu Ode</strong><br /> APC 14,043 PDP 8,972.<br /> Total valid votes in the area was 23,473 with voided votes recorded 1,160.<br /> <strong>Obafemi-Owode</strong><br /> APC: 15, 207 PDP: 5,786<br /> Valid votes in the area were 21,708 and the voided votes were 897.<br /> <strong>Odeda local government</strong><br /> APC: 11, 102 PDP: 4,456<br /> Total valid votes was 16,152 with 775 votes voided.<br /> <strong>Ewekoro local government</strong><br /> APC: 9, 626 PDP: 3,227<br /> Valid votes were 13,189 and the void votes was 504.<br /> <strong>Imeko-Afon</strong><br /> APC: 7,657 PDP: 12, 153<br /> The valid votes in the area is 20,466 with 1,122 votes voided.<br /> <strong>Sagamu</strong><br /> PDP: 17, 263 APC: 15, 761<br /> <strong> Remo North local government</strong><br /> PDP: 9, 278 APC: 6, 164<br /> So far, Buhari has polled 79,560 votes to Jonathan’s 61,135 votes.<br /> <strong>Osun </strong><br /> <strong>Ayedire LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 8,280; PDP 6,323<br /> <strong>Obokun LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 10,506; PDP 9,325<br /> <strong>Ilesha West</strong><br /> Presidential APC 11,714; PDP 5,145<br /> <strong>Ayedade LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 13,560; PDP 9,466<br /> <strong>Olaoluwa LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 8,125: PDP 5,910<br /> <strong>Oriade LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 12,724; PDP 10,490<br /> <strong>Egbedore LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 9,577; PDP 6,507<br /> <strong>Ifelodun LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 17,040; PDP 9,847<br /> <strong>Irepodun LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 12,485; PDP 7,750<br /> <strong>Isokan LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 10,187; PDP 6,974<br /> <strong>Orolu LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 8,466; PDP 6,360<br /> <strong>Odo Otin LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 13,351; PDP 10,230<br /> <strong>Ife East LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 12,513; PDP 15,532<br /> <strong>Olorunda LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 23,342; PDP 7,958<br /> <strong>Atakumosa West LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 6,639; PDP 4,734<br /> <strong>Ife South LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 9,793; PDP 9,283<br /> <strong>Ife North LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 8,369; PDP 7,921<br /> <strong>Boripe LGA</strong><br /> APC 12,152; PDP 7,457<br /> <strong>Ila LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 11,576; PDP 7,647<br /> <strong>Ifedayo LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 3,824; PDP 3,786<br /> <strong>Atakumosa East LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 8,668; PDP 5,418<br /> <strong>Ilesha East LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC 13,229; PDP 5,740<br /> <strong>Oyo</strong><br /> Result at Unit 32, Ward 2 Ibadan South West LGA<br /> House of Reps: APC – 23; LP – 9; ACD – 3; PDP – 9; Accord – 20; AD – 2; null and void – 6.<br /> Senate: Accord – 25; PDP – 8; Labour – 8; APC – 25; null and void – 6.<br /> Presidency: APC – 39; UPP – 1; AD – 3; AA – 1; ACPN – 4; PDP – 19.<br /> <strong>Nasarawa</strong><br /> <strong>Keffi LGA</strong><br /> PDP: 9,735 APC :26,797<br /> <strong>KEBBI STATE</strong><br /> So far, results from 7 LGA in Kebbi state has been turned in.<br /> <strong>Pampo in Ribah , Danko/Wasagu Local Government,</strong><br /> Presidential APC polled 112, PDP 13<br /> Senate APC got 108, PDP 23<br /> House of Representative APC: 109 and PDP: 16.<br /> <strong>Rafin Zuru PU,one of many in Zuru LGA</strong><br /> Presidential: APC: 568  PDP: 16<br /> For Senate APC: 533, PDP: 54<br /> Reps:  APC: 527, PDP: 40<br /> <strong>Shadadi 2, Wuro G PU,result in Kalgo LGA</strong><br /> Presidential: APC has 92 and PDP 1<br /> Senate APC 85, PDP 5<br /> House of Representative: APC 82, PDP 11<br /> <strong>Sunday Kola Tarasa PU, Badarariya, in Birnin Kebbi</strong><br /> Presidential APC: 907, PDP: 37<br /> Senate APC: 616, PDP: 140<br /> House of Reps APC: 807, PDP: 93<br /> <strong>Basaura/PU: Babban G in Jega LGA</strong><br /> Presidential APC polled 526, PDP 4<br /> Senate: APC 325, PDP 209<br /> Reps: APC 329, PDP 199.<br /> <strong>Dandi Marafa II/PU: Tudun W, in Arewa/Dandi LGA</strong><br /> Presidential: APC 118, PDP 11<br /> Senate: APC 79, PDP 51<br /> Reps: APC 83, PDP 33.<br /> So far is 7 LGA in Kebbi State, APC is leading with huge pace.<br /> <strong>ABUJA</strong><br /> <strong>AP plaza polling unit PU 37/06/04/180</strong><br /> Reps: -161 APC-232 APGA-21 FRESH-1 LABOUR PARTY-11 APA-1 ADC-1<br /> Senate: PDP-178 APC-237 APGA-5 ADC-1 PPA-1<br /> Presidential:  APC-235 PDP-200 KOWA-1<br /> Abuja Polling Unit 017 in Life Camp, Abuja. Voting has been concluded but counting could not continue because of darkness. But a patriotic voter volunteered his generator. Lighting has been set up and ballot sorting underway.<br /> <img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-411727" height="296" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/wuecadEZcbumlUYIBrvF6bqK.jpg" width="526" /><img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-411726" height="296" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/d1ZBgFAp815iWJZreDnd3u2g.jpg" width="526" /><img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-411725" height="296" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/tijS9O5yI3CS2CAq7yYNcFyI.jpg" width="526" /><br /> <strong>Benue</strong><br /> <strong><em>Polling Unit 004 </em>HUDCO II North Bank Makurdi, Benue State HOR</strong><br /> Reps: APC: 164 PDP: 73<br /> Senate: APC: 171 PDP: 75<br /> Presidential: APC: 178 PDP: 65<br /> <strong><em>Anshange Apa polling station</em>, Gboko</strong>:<br /> REPS (APC:190, PDP:22)<br /> SENATE (APC:186, PDP:28)<br /> PRESIDENT (APC:187, PDP:23)<br /> <strong>Akwa Ibom</strong><br /> <img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-411729" height="349" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/JtsXRdXJ9P8CXW3jDIbxMy3k.jpg" width="349" /><img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-411728" height="349" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/7xOc6dP8DDcnvIRN6SAmTZCL.jpg" width="349" /><br /> <strong>OYO</strong><br /> <strong><em>Result from Unit 26</em>, ward 11 Ibadan north east‎ LGA</strong>.<br /> Presidential: Apc 155; Pdp 39; SDP 1.<br /> ‎Senitorial: ‎Apc 112; Pdp 25; SDP 8; LP 16; Accord 56‎.<br /> House of Rep; ‎Apc 116; Pdp 34; SDP 4;Accord 42; LP 8<br /> <strong><em>At Unit 9</em>, ward at Sabo, an Hausa community,</strong><br /> Presidential result is APC 152, PDP 28.<br /> <strong>Result from Unit 26, ward 11 Ibadan north east‎ LGA.</strong> Counting of result ended by 8: 05pm.<br /> Presidential: Apc 155; Pdp 39; SDP 1.<br /> ‎Senitorial: ‎Apc 112; Pdp 25; SDP 8; LP 16; Accord 56‎.<br /> House of Rep; ‎Apc 116; Pdp 34; SDP 4;Accord 42; LP 8<br /> <strong>KATSINA</strong><br /> <strong>Daura LGA, Katsina State, Buhari’s LGA</strong><br /> President APC 69,632, PDP 117<br /> <strong>Mai’adua LGA, Katsina State</strong><br /> President APC 51,003, PDP 214<br /> <strong>Baure LGA, Katsina State</strong><br /> President APC 43,691, PDP 109<br /> <strong>Misau LGA, Bauchi State</strong><br /> President APC 38,330, PDP 1167<br /> Senate   APC 30,565, PDP 7816<br /> Reps   APC 30,221, PDP 7596<br /> <strong>KADUNA</strong><br /> Nasir El-Rufai wins own polling unit [<strong>Polling Unit 024 Anguwar Sarki Ward, Kaduna North]</strong><br /> Presidential Election: APC-430, PDP-11, APA-1, AD-1, VOID – 3<br /> <strong>BORNO</strong><br /> Collation of results of Saturday’s presidential election is underway at the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital. Residents of most of the local government’s areas, which results have been announced, voted at the internally displaced people’s camps in Maiduguri.<br /> The result for the two major contending parties -APC and PDP is as follows<br /> <strong>Marte Local government</strong><br /> Presidential: APC scored 4262 and PDP got 242 votes.<br /> <strong>Kala Balge local Government area</strong><br /> Presidential:  APC – 1766; PDP – 98 votes<br /> <strong>ASKIRA-UBA Local government</strong><br /> Presidential: APC – 5220 and PDP – 1308 votes<br /> <strong>Ngala Local government</strong><br /> Presidential:  APC 2,764; PDP -241 votes<br /> <strong>Kukawa Local government</strong><br /> Presidential: APC scored 5662; and PDP – 230 votes<br /> <strong>Mobbar Local Government</strong><br /> Presidential: APC polled 4487; PDP – 108 votes<br /> <strong>Abadam Local government area</strong><br /> Presidential:  APC scored 2657; PDP – 70 votes<br /> <strong>Nganzai Local government</strong><br /> Presidential: APC got 3,521; and PDP got 211 votes<br /> <strong>Kaga Local government area</strong><br /> Presidential:  APC scored 6133; PDP got 202 votes<br /> <strong>Mafa Local government area</strong><br /> Presidential:  APC polled 7,140; and PDP got 178 votes<br /> <strong>Sokoto</strong><br /> <img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-411742" height="333" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/A0vk9KWSGBqtEeGKPcEON7pn.jpg" width="333" /><br /> <strong>Jigawa</strong><br /> <img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-411732" height="315" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/klgAOcY0rwjATkXBqkzv5Z4V.jpg" width="526" /><br /> <strong>Gombe</strong><br /> <img alt="2015 Presidential Election Results So Far" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-411731" height="349" src="http://i.cdnnaij.com/o/ALSJJder2ZHa6cIOu4AgWi4Z.jpg" width="262" /><br /> For live updates of the election, click >>> <a href="http://www.naij.com/410808-presidential-election-nigeria-chooses-its-leader-today.html" target="_blank">http://WWW..AUSTINEMMAHI.BLOGSPOT.COM</a></div>

2015 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS SO FAR ON AUSTINE BLOG'S

2015 Presidential Election Results So Far THIS NEWS SHOWS UP FIRST ON AUSTINEMMAHI.BLOGSPOT.COM Ajomole Helen, 1 hour ago Email 0 258 Counting of ballot papers has commenced in different states across the country and was still continuing into the late hours …

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Impeachment: Panic grips Elechi * Negotiates senatorial ticket for son

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> Godwin O. Agala wrote:<br /> <br /> Impeachment: Panic<br /> grips Elechi<br /> * Negotiates<br /> senatorial ticket for<br /> son<br /> * Agrees to collapse<br /> LP structures for PDP<br /> By Uka Felix,<br /> Correspondent,<br /> Abakaliki<br /> Ebonyi State Governor,<br /> Martin Elechi, appears to<br /> be confused as to<br /> whether he should<br /> openly defect to the<br /> Labor Party (LP) or<br /> continue to be loyal to<br /> the Peoples Democratic<br /> Party (PDP), as the<br /> impeachment process<br /> initiated against him will<br /> continue if he fails to<br /> succumb to PDP’s<br /> terms.<br /> Governor Martins Elechi<br /> of Ebonyi State<br /> A reliable source<br /> revealed that the<br /> governor in exchange<br /> for dumping the LP,<br /> negotiated that his son,<br /> Elechi Elechi, who is LP<br /> senatorial candidate for<br /> Ebonyi Central, be given<br /> the senatorial position<br /> for this month’s<br /> election.<br /> According to the source,<br /> the governor who did<br /> not want to be<br /> disgraced out of office,<br /> agreed to the terms to<br /> save his face, political<br /> career.<br /> The source said: “On<br /> the orders of President<br /> Jonathan, Elechi<br /> negotiated for his son<br /> to go to the Senate in<br /> exchange for collapsing<br /> Labour Party in favour<br /> of Dave Umahi and the<br /> PDP to avoid<br /> impeachment.<br /> “The pressure has been<br /> mounting on Elechi to<br /> either make a clean<br /> break and defect to<br /> Labour Party or be a<br /> good party man and<br /> support PDP candidates<br /> in Ebonyi State with real<br /> and genuine<br /> commitment. That is<br /> the only way he can<br /> truly ensure substantial<br /> victory for Goodluck<br /> Jonathan. Otherwise, he<br /> cannot be saved from<br /> the threat of<br /> impeachment.<br /> “Elechi is said to be<br /> devastated because<br /> the National Chairman<br /> of PDP, the BoT<br /> Chairman, the director<br /> of PDPCO, Sen Ahmadu<br /> Ali, the Vice President,<br /> and most importantly,<br /> the President are fed up<br /> with his antics and have<br /> not shown any<br /> sympathy for him, save<br /> for Chief Tony Anenih,<br /> who tried a bit to help<br /> him. His fellow PDP<br /> governors have also<br /> advised him to embrace<br /> his deputy and make<br /> peace.<br /> “If Elechi abandons Edon<br /> and all the other Labour<br /> Party candidates, in<br /> order to send his son to<br /> the Senate, I don’t<br /> know what it will mean.<br /> They have promised his<br /> men appointments and<br /> also promised to plead<br /> with the House to<br /> relent on impeachment<br /> threat, believing that<br /> these are tremendously<br /> good deals for the<br /> governor.<br /> “The alternative is his<br /> impeachment, arrest<br /> and prosecution by the<br /> Economic and Financial<br /> Crimes Commission<br /> (EFCC) and total<br /> ruination of his legacy.<br /> Elechi is understood to<br /> have held emergency<br /> meeting in Govt House<br /> with his kitchen<br /> cabinet.”<br /> According to the source,<br /> “They have advised him<br /> to resign from PDP and<br /> join Labour Party fully.<br /> But this is unlikely to<br /> save him because the<br /> interim injunction he<br /> secured to prevent the<br /> process of his<br /> impeachment will either<br /> lapse or be vacated<br /> shortly, leaving him<br /> vulnerable for the final<br /> assault by the House.”<br /> However, another bone<br /> of contention, will be<br /> whether the governor’s<br /> supporters will be<br /> willing to adhere strictly<br /> to the agreement<br /> reached by Governor<br /> Elechi in order to save<br /> himself from being<br /> impeached in the weeks<br /> ahead.<br /> President Goodluck<br /> Jonathan had last<br /> Wednesday summoned<br /> Elechi, Secretary to the<br /> Government of the<br /> Federation, Anyim Pius<br /> Anyim and the PDP<br /> governorship candidate<br /> for Ebonyi State, Umahi,<br /> as well as some PDP<br /> leaders to a meeting at<br /> the Presidential Villa,<br /> Abuja, with a view to<br /> addressing the political<br /> situation in the state.<br /> The meeting, which<br /> lasted over five hours,<br /> also had in attendance<br /> Vice President Namadi<br /> Sambo and some PDP<br /> governors led by the<br /> chairman of their forum<br /> and Akwa Ibom State<br /> Governor, Obong<br /> Godswill Akpabio,<br /> Governors Sule Lamido<br /> of Jigawa State and his<br /> Benue counterpart,<br /> Gabriel Suswam.<br /> The state House of<br /> Assembly had on Friday,<br /> last week, served Elechi<br /> an impeachment notice,<br /> following an eight-point<br /> allegation of corruption,<br /> fraud, gross<br /> misconduct, and<br /> executive rascality<br /> among others, against<br /> him.</div>

Impeachment: Panic grips Elechi * Negotiates senatorial ticket for son

Godwin O. Agala wrote: Impeachment: Panic grips Elechi * Negotiates senatorial ticket for son * Agrees to collapse LP structures for PDP By Uka Felix, Correspondent, Abakaliki Ebonyi State Governor, Martin Elechi, appears to be confused as to whether he should openly defect to the Labor Party (LP) …

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Plot to impeach Elechi stalled as court restrains lawmakers March 6, 2015 Austine blog Times

By Ogo Anioke The plot by some members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly to impeach the State Governor, Martin Elechi, on Wednesday suffered a setback as a High Court sitting in Abakaliki granted an interim injunction restraining the lawmakers from continuing with the impeachment. The court restrained the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chukwuma Nwazunku, 14 other lawmakers and the State Assembly from continuing with the action without serving the governor an impeachment notice. The court, presided by John Igboji, also granted an injunction restraining the Chief Judge of the State, Alloy Nwankwo, from constituting a panel of seven persons to investigate the allegation of improprieties levelled against Mr. Elechi pending the determination of the substantive application. “That an interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the 1st-3rd respondent from howsoever continuing with the impeachment proceeding against the Applicant without causing the Applicant to be served with notice of impeachment pending the determination of the substantive application,” the court ruled. “That the 4th Respondent is hereby restrained from constituting a panel of seven persons to investigate the allegation of improprieties leveled against the Applicant pending the determination of substantive application.” The judge after granting the injunction adjourned the matter for the substantive hearing to Tuesday, March 10, 2015. Meanwhile, the State Governor through his Chief Press Secretary, Onyekachi Eni, commended the judiciary for standing against injustice and regretted the media publications alleging that the state governor has already been served a notice by the House of Assembly. The Ebonyi state lawmakers accuse Mr. Elechi of corruption and have vowed to remove the governor from office. Last week, the assembly passed a resolution to commence the impeachment of the governor by serving him a notice.

Plot to impeach Elechi stalled as court restrains lawmakers March 6, 2015 Austine blog Times

By Ogo Anioke The plot by some members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly to impeach the State Governor, Martin Elechi, on Wednesday suffered a setback as a High Court sitting in Abakaliki granted an interim injunction restraining the lawmakers from continuing with the impeachment. The court rest…

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Plot to impeach Elechi stalled as court restrains lawmakers March 6, 2015 Austine blog Times

By Ogo Anioke The plot by some members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly to impeach the State Governor, Martin Elechi, on Wednesday suffered a setback as a High Court sitting in Abakaliki granted an interim injunction restraining the lawmakers from continuing with the impeachment. The court restrained the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chukwuma Nwazunku, 14 other lawmakers and the State Assembly from continuing with the action without serving the governor an impeachment notice. The court, presided by John Igboji, also granted an injunction restraining the Chief Judge of the State, Alloy Nwankwo, from constituting a panel of seven persons to investigate the allegation of improprieties levelled against Mr. Elechi pending the determination of the substantive application. “That an interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the 1st-3rd respondent from howsoever continuing with the impeachment proceeding against the Applicant without causing the Applicant to be served with notice of impeachment pending the determination of the substantive application,” the court ruled. “That the 4th Respondent is hereby restrained from constituting a panel of seven persons to investigate the allegation of improprieties leveled against the Applicant pending the determination of substantive application.” The judge after granting the injunction adjourned the matter for the substantive hearing to Tuesday, March 10, 2015. Meanwhile, the State Governor through his Chief Press Secretary, Onyekachi Eni, commended the judiciary for standing against injustice and regretted the media publications alleging that the state governor has already been served a notice by the House of Assembly. The Ebonyi state lawmakers accuse Mr. Elechi of corruption and have vowed to remove the governor from office. Last week, the assembly passed a resolution to commence the impeachment of the governor by serving him a notice.

Plot to impeach Elechi stalled as court restrains lawmakers March 6, 2015 Austine blog Times

By Ogo Anioke The plot by some members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly to impeach the State Governor, Martin Elechi, on Wednesday suffered a setback as a High Court sitting in Abakaliki granted an interim injunction restraining the lawmakers from continuing with the impeachment. The court rest…

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ELECHI HAS ACCUS ANYIM PUISE FOR. UNDERMINING JONATHA, MASTERMING IMPEACHMENT

Senator Anyim<br />  Pius Anyim As Ebonyi house of assembly serves him impeachment notice Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State has accused the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF) Senator Anyim Pius Anyim of undermining the re-election programmes of President Goodluck Jonathan as well as masterminding his impeachment. This is as 15 members of the State House of Assembly ratified constitutional breaches allegedly committed by Elechi and therefore served him impeachment notice. In a state-wide broadcast to the people of Ebonyi State yesterday morning, Governor Elechi declared that though he had been reading about the rumours of his impeachment on the pages of newspapers, recent developments both in the state and at Abuja had shown that the SGF was behind the whole political crisis in the state. Elechi added: “It is no longer secret that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, recently made a frantic effort to get the enlarged caucus meeting of the PDP pass a resolution for the impeachment of Chief Martin Elechi, the Governor of Ebonyi State. “It is also common knowledge that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria and National Leader of the ruling PDP, stoutly opposed such a measure and preferred the path of reconciliation. “What is important is not the clamour for Elechi’s impeachment, which can happen like any other event; what is important is that the people of Nigeria in general and the powers that be, in particular, should be properly informed as to whose role is working adversely on the President’s electoral fortune”. “The Ebonyi Chief executive traced the genesis of the crisis bedeviling Ebonyi State chapter of the party, stressing that when the former State chairman, Prince Ugorji Ama-Oti, resigned his position as chairman on October 20, 2014 to enable him contest election, his deputy, Onwe Joseph Onwe, was allowed to act as chairman, pending the election of a substantive chairman. “The Governor noted that after President Jonathan announced his intention to contest the 2015 presidential election, he organised a mammoth rally at Abakaliki Sports Stadium on November 22, 2014 to solicit support of Ebonyi people to President Jonathan’s election bid regretting that the rally in Abakaliki was boycotted by Deputy Governor and governorship aspirant, Chief Dave Umahi, his campaign organisation, the Speaker of Ebonyi Assembly, the Senatorial aspirants of Ebonyi Central and North Senatorial zones as well as the SGF. “Following the huge success recorded in the outing, these same absentees from the rally placed an advertorial in a national newspaper, claiming the glory and self- congratulations for the success of the rally “organised by them’’; it was clear that the battle line had been drawn,” Elechi declared. The governor lamented that no day passed without one or more national dailies reporting the thickening of impeachment plot against him adding that the reports border on efforts to assemble sufficient number of signatories or investigation to justify the impeachment, He added: “It is interesting for Nigerians to know that the decision to impeach the Governor preceded the finding of justifiable reasons to do so; simply a case of giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it…But because there have been no justifiable reasons, many honourable members of Ebonyi State House of Assembly received threat messages to either append their signatures or risk assassination and or kidnap of their family members. “Others are coerced from the National Headquarters of the PDP to give their bank particulars so that (inducement) money will be paid into them. The accused agents in this regard are, respectively, Uche Secondus, (Deputy National Chairman) and Olisah Metu, (National Publicity Secretary). In consequence of the foregoing, many members of the Assembly have either fled the State or are in hiding”. In an eight count charge signed by fifteen lawmakers and read on the floor of the house by the Acting Leader, Ogbonnaya Nwifuru, the lawmakers contended that the alleged gross misconduct was a clear violation of the constitution, which prompted them to endorse the notice of impeachment on the governor. THISDAY gathered that the notice of the impeachment was not a surprise in the state following the lingering rift between Elechi and the state legislators. The lawmakers posited that contrary to and in breach of the express provisions of Sections 7 and 8 of the Ebonyi State Local Government Councils and Development Centres (Amendment) Law No.007 of 2007, Elechi appointed and inaugurated twenty eight persons as coordinators of the centres without prior screening and confirmation by the simple majority of the state house of assembly. The embattled governor was also alleged to have appointed and inaugurated the 13 Chairmen Caretaker Committees of the various local government councils and appointed chairmen and members of the state Independent Electoral Commission, Local government Service Commission, Secondary Education Board, Universal Basic Education Board and others without the confirmation by the state house of assembly. The house also accused the governor for obtaining a loan of N3 billion in August 2014 from First Bank of Nigeria Plc repayable within 11 months to be completed in May, 2015 on behalf of the state government without obtaining the necessary consent of the state house of assembly. They also alleged that the state government spent N 6,617,000 in incorporating the Ebonyi Oil and Gas Development Co. Ltd with two hundred million ordinary shares in 2013 and allegedly allocated 100, 000, 000 controlling shares to Edon (Nig) Ltd, represented by Edward Nkwegu; 25, 000, 000 shares to Elechi’s son, Nnanna; 25, 000, 000 shares to Best Southern Global and “surprisingly given the financier which is the state government a minority shareholding of 50, 000, 000”. The lawmakers further alleged that Edon, a contractor abandoned the Ebonyi International Trade Center, which Elechi had allegedly approved its over-inflation to N2, 475, 114, 9998.50 and the sum of N790, 221,833.25 paid to Edon and notwithstanding the purported abandonment, Elechi went ahead to award the construction of the International Market to Edon at a whopping sum of N3, 676,942,825.70. According to them, the governor also allegedly approved the increase of the contract sum by an additional sum of N39, 204, 44.00, yet “the contract remains abysmally performed and is far from completion”, which its completion date was fixed for October 2013. The other allegation was that the state government allegedly spent several millions of naira carrying out exploratory core drilling aimed at ascertaining the quality and quantity of limestone suitable for cement production and 175, 000, 000 controlling shares were allocated to Edon; one Chief Linus Nwamba got 25, 000, 000 shares while the financier, the state government got the minority shareholding of 50, 000, 000 and “neither Edon or Nwamba paid for their shares and yet directors thereof. Moving the motion, Obasi Odefa said that Elechi should be served the impeachment notice on ground of gross misconduct through publication in any national dailies, local tabloids, announcement in radio, Television including reporting of proceedings, through courier services, through Elechi’s office or pasting the notice at any public notice board in any of the ministries. Odefa contended that any of the above means could validate the constitutional requirement to serve the governor. The motion was seconded by Frank Onwe, representing Ohaukwu North Constituency. The Speaker of the house of the assembly, Chukwuma Nwazunku further adopted and announced that he shall serve the governor through any of the means and it shall stand that the governor has been duly served.

ELECHI HAS ACCUS ANYIM PUISE FOR. UNDERMINING JONATHA, MASTERMING IMPEACHMENT

Senator Anyim  Pius Anyim As Ebonyi house of assembly serves him impeachment notice Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State has accused the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF) Senator Anyim Pius Anyim of undermining the re-election programmes of Preside…

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