News
Only AA can redeem Imo, now a killing field – Ogunewe *Receives more endorsements
Lincoln Keyonemere Jack Ogunewe, has promised to rid Imo States of bloodthirsty elements who have turned it into a killing field in recent years, saying the November 11th governorship election would be another watershed that would determine its fate.
Ogunewe, a retired General and candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), who spoke while receiving the leadership of the Imo State Redemption Group (ISRG) made up of the 27 local government area coordinators and woman leaders in his Reset Imo Campaign Office, located at Port Harcourt Road, Owerri, Imo State on Tuesday 8th August, 2023, promised to tackle the menace without fear.
Bemoaning the orgy of violence accentuated by bad governance which has turned Imo villages into extra-judicial killing fields thus making it an easy theatre of assassinations, arson and mayhem, he frowned at the ugly situation where Imo villages were now deserted, with children abandoning school in many of them, saying they posed enough concerns that demanded quick attention.
Maintaining that the restoration of peace to ensure security of life and property remained the primary responsibility of government, he went debunked the impression now being spread that the state was in good hands, describing it as propaganda, adding that the contrary was the case, as the situation had now worsened to the extent that many families, were now burying their deceased ones in foreign lands for fear of being killed in their villages. While stressing that dialogue and negotiation remained key to solving security challenges, he urged every Imo indigene and residents alike to support the party in the November polls, stating: “We will not act cowardly. I will campaign everywhere. Insecurity will not deter us … I will ensure that every single vote counts and is protected … What is motivating me to run is the suffering of the masses, lack of justice, and fairness.”
Cautioning the electorate to beware of cloners, whose merchandise was in cloning other people’s hard earned identity, he said: “There is only one General in the race, and that is, Maj. Gen. Jack Lincoln Keonyemere Ogunewe Rtd. Peter Obi is not contesting the Imo governorship election and should not be dragged to it.”
The leader of the delegation, Comrade Stanley Igbo, who said he appreciated the decision of the Ogunewe to contest the election to redeem the situation of the impoverished, less privileged, insecure, and other ordinary Imo citizens and its occupants in the state, highlighted the efforts of the group in mobilisation and sensitisation and promised to explore other strategies to ensure the victory of AA in the 306 electoral wards of the state, adding that his adoption was based on his credibility, capability, integrity, emotional intelligence, and confidence.
In their contributions, the delegation, including the coordinators of the three senatorial districts in the state also took time to eulogise the charismatic qualities of the AA candidate, saying he was the best man for the task of redeeming state from the suffering they had encountered over the recent years.
Uche Eze, Director General of the campaign organisation, who appreciated the efforts of the group, promising to engage them fully during and after the campaign, expressed optimism to the victory of the retired general.
On his part, the Deputy Governorship candidate, CMC Onuoha, who expressed delight that that such a group, existed advised that restoring peace, progress, and unity in the state must be prioritised above money politics, imploring the electorates to view themselves as being in the race as it could only be by a concerted effort that victory could be guaranteed.
Hillary Nwauzoije, Publicity Secretary of the group, while stating that the ISRG, convened by Hardy Biaduo, was none partisan, stressed that being an apolitical pressure group, its goal included, leadership and mentoring, advocacy for good governance, organisation of empowerment programmes for the youths, women and the less privileges, as well as advocacy for equity and justice for all, adding that it also had numerous members in the diaspora.
Peter Obi, candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has given assignment to Nigerians to put all those aspiring to take up political positions in the country through the grill to ascertain their level of integrity, saying it was required as a sine qua non for the job they seek.
Obi, who has been a subject of discussion in the polity since the allegation of corruption was levied against him by Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesman of his campaign in 2023, over the conduct of the party’s primaries to choose candidates for the 2027 general elections, said the grilling must start with his own person.
A guest in an interview on a podcast with Rufai Oseni, a popular television anchor, the former Governor of Anambra State, stated that it was actually for this reason that he had now sworn to see the litigation he instituted against Okonkwo through.
His take is that the Nollywood actor should use the courtrooms to give all the details of bad behaviour, following his threat to expose him fully, after alleging that he was collecting money from aspirants in the said election for electoral favours.
Hear him: “The issue of taking Kenneth Okonkwo to court wouldn’t have arisen if he had stopped at those allegations. But he claimed he still has more he would expose about me in the future. So, I am very happy to take him to court so that he can expose me publicly, alongside other Nigerians. If any of them has any criminal allegations against me, they should bring them to court.
“Not just Kenneth, everybody should now say those things they know that is bad about me or I did that is wrong because it’s good for the system, it’s good for the society,” Obi said.
“So, if you know that when we were in primary school, this man was cheating or didn’t go to the primary school, didn’t go to secondary school, didn’t do, if you know this man has done something criminal somewhere, this is time to bring it up.”
For the umpteenth time, Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned about the dangerous implication of using state institutions, particularly the judiciary to destroy Nigeria’s democracy, saying it is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good.
Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), speaking on the heels of Tuesday’s verdict of the Court of Appeal, halting the de-registration order by the Federal High Court, insisted that judicial officers must not lend themselves to any act capable of undermining the nation’s democratic process.
The appellate court had ordered a stay of execution on the order made on Monday by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court Abuja, for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC alongside four other political parties).
A totally scandalised Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, had taken umbrage, sparing no hard words in upbraiding the lower court judge, stating that his likes were unfit to sit on the bench.
In a unanimous ruling by a three-man panel, the court held that Lifu’s action was “the highest form of judicial impertinence”, stressing that the Supreme Court previously held that a judge who acted in such a manner.
Describing his conduct as the height of judicial rascality, the upper court, stated: “Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This Court has supervisory authority over the trial court.
“The decision of the lower court to proceed with the judgment despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution.
This court has the duty to invoke its powers in ensuring that its orders are obeyed. The application for a stay of execution is here yet granted. The enforcement of the judgment is stayed.”
Atiku, who hailed the position of the higher court, which restored his hope to be on the ballot as presidential candidate in the 2027 election, also noted the role of INEC as “significant.”
He said: “I welcome the Court of Appeal’s decision to stay the execution of the Federal High Court judgement seeking the deregistration of our great party, the ADC, and four other political parties. It is particularly significant that INEC itself initiated the application for the stay.
“The development reflects growing public concern over judicial contradictions and politically charged rulings within the judiciary. “Any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s hard-won democracy through judicial manipulation is a grave danger to the Republic. If our democracy suffers further injury, history will demand accountability from those entrusted with dispensing justice.
Outside ADC, Lifu’s order, also included: Action Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), similarly slammed for allegedly failing to meet the constitutional requirements for continued registration and participation in elections.
“He is running in contempt of the court. Justice Lifu should be arrested because he is acting in contempt of the court which is a criminal act,” were the exact words with which the African Democratic Congress (ADC), demonstrated its angst over the court ruling on Monday, ordering its de-registration as a political party in Nigeria.
A furious Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the party, told his host while appearing as a guest on Monday’s edition of Politics Today, a public affairs programme on Channels Television that the judge of the Abuja Federal High Court who gave the order was actually playing with fire because of the consequences.
Directly accusing him of playing the script of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to ensure that President Bola Tinubu emerged the sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election, the party spokesman, was emphatic that the plan would not work, as head or tail, ADC must be on the ballot in all the elections.
Hear him: “There is a Court of Appeal order saying don’t hear this case until October 27. So, on what basis? You can’t place something on nothing. The Court of Appeal said don’t act on this until I hear it on October 27. So, on what basis did he deliver the judgement
“So, for us in the African Democratic Congress, what we’re convinced and they know is what they have done has no leg to stand on legally. What they want to do is to create doubts in the minds of the people that this ADC has too many legal cases, can we actually run on this? And to distract us. But we’re not distracted.
“We’re very clear. It was in spite of all they have done since ADC came on board that we ran one of the best and one of the most comprehensive direct primaries in the history of democracy in Nigeria. So, we are strong enough to withstand this. And that’s why I’m saying that we are going to contest in 2027. We’re ADC. We don’t buckle before dictatorship.”
Stressing on the implication of the judgement, which also affected Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for allegedly failing to meet constitutional and electoral performance requirements, following a suit by the National Forum of Former Legislators, he said it portended grave danger.
He added: “We are not surprised. We know that the Nigerian people believe that there is a problem with the judiciary, but what we did not expect is the level of judicial rascality that was demonstrated today.
“What we are saying is that we reject it in its totality, and we are saying that the people behind this are playing with fire. Hundreds, if not thousands, have obtained nomination forms and contested elections and emerged as candidates on the platform of the ADC.”
-
News4 weeks agoBREAKING: US-Nigeria troops slaughter 175 ISWAP fighters
-
Columns4 weeks agoDear General Gowon: That apology you’re running from is your nemesis
-
News2 weeks agoBREAKING: Terrorists strike Ibadan again! Abduct ex-Minister’s sister, twin children
-
News4 weeks agoBREAKING: Wait over! Arsenal are CHAMPIONS! Win EPL after 22 years hiatus
-
Columns3 weeks agoSee Tinubu’s terrible damage on Option A4 and its precious memories
-
News4 weeks agoBREAKING: Jonathan emerges presidential candidate *Gets automatic PDP ticket!
-
News2 days agoBREAKING: Troops rescue wife of kidnapped General! *Terrorists flee scene
-
News4 weeks agoPresidency: Obi met all requirements – NDC *Cleared to contest primaries