Connect with us

Politics

Why I Wanted Ikonne As Successor — Ikpeazu

Published

on

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has said that his preference for the late Professor Uche Ikonne as his successor was because he saw in him the strength of character, zeal and commitment to actualise the dreams of the founding fathers of the state.

Ikpeazu who gave the explanation during a colloquium in honour of the late governorship candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the Michael Okpara Auditorium Umuahia, lamented the demise of the late Professor of Optometry.

Professor Ikonne who was the immediate- past Vice Chancellor of the Abia State University Uturu, died on January 25 following an ailment that put him out of circulation for nearly two months.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Abia: IPOB First Attacked Our Men With Weapons – Police

Gov Ikpeazu who expressed pain over the demise of Ikonne, said he supported his emergence as the PDP flag bearer because he needed a successor “who is courageous and committed to the realization of the dreams of Abia founding fathers.”

The Governor who said he had desired to hand over to a competent successor, said Abia was the biggest loser of Ikonne’s unfortunate death.

Advertisement

”Because I swore I must hand over to someone with these qualities, after a long search, I found from among other aspiring contestants, that late Professor Ikonne was the most qualified.

” By his death, we have lost a rare gem. We shall keep him in our hearts hence he did not die in vain”.

READ ALSO: Abia Vigilante Kills Man Over Alleged Missing Company’s Phone

Advertisement

He urged the family and all those affected by his demise to be condoled by his numerous enviable legacies.

Speaking earlier, the Keynote Speaker and Chairman of the late Ikonne’s Ngwa High School Aba Old Students Association, Chief Mike Ahamba, SAN, described the late Ikonne as a colossus who believed so much in productivity.

Ahamba who spoke on the theme “Preserving the Abia Dream”, said Abia needed selfless and transformational leadership, and said Ikonne was a great achiever.

Advertisement

The legal luminary harped on the need for strong institutions to deepen democracy in the country.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Labour Party’s Alex Otti Wins Abia Gov’ship Poll

In a remark, Vice Chancellor, of ABSU and late Ikonne’s successor, Professor Onyemachi Ogbulu, registered the condolences of the university community over Ikonne’s death.

Advertisement

He described the late Ikonne as a character moulder, lamenting that his legendary achievements in the university will forever be appreciated.

The colloquium was attended by eminent personalities including members of the academic community.

According to the burial arrangements, the late Professor Ikonne will be buried on Friday in his Agburuke country home, Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area.

Advertisement

Politics

Ambassadorial Nominees: Ndume Asks Tinubu To Withdraw List

Published

on

By

Ahead of the Senate’s screening and confirmation of the ambassadorial nominees sent to the Red Chamber by the Presidency, former Senate Leader Ali Ndume has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to withdraw the list from parliament.

The federal lawmaker declared that the composition of nominees was in clear breach of the Federal Character principle, as enshrined in the Constitution.

Checks revealed that while certain states have three and four nominees, states like Gombe have no representation, while the only nominee from Yobe, Senator Adamu Garba Talba, died last July.

Advertisement

The entire North East state has 7 nominees in the list.

Further checks revealed that the South West geopolitical zone has 15 nominees, while the North West and South East have 13 and 9, respectively.

READ ALSO:Full List: FG Releases Names Of 68 ambassadorial Nominees Sent To Senate For Confirmation

Advertisement

North Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominees, while South South region has 12 nominees.

The Senate President at plenary on Thursday formally read the list of nominees and referred it to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for further legislative action.

The Senator representing Borno South in a statement issued on Saturday maintained that the list of nominees was in clear breach of Section 14(3) of the Nigerian Constitution which mandates that the composition and conduct of the federal government must reflect the “federal character of Nigeria” to ensure national unity and loyalty.

Advertisement

The section reads: “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few State or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.”

READ ALSO:Tinubu Submits Fresh Ambassadorial List To Senate, Ibas, Dambazau Make Cut

The former Chief Whip of the Senate admonished President Tinubu to avoid taking decision that will fuel ethnic tension and promote distrust in the country, amidst the wrong narrative being promoted by the Western world against his administration.

Advertisement

He said: “My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical time in the life of his administration, he should avoid missteps that could endanger national unity and promote ethnic distrust.

“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholders in the country.

“He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on Federal Character Principle that government’s structure and operations must represent the diverse states and peoples of Nigeria.”

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Politics

PDP Issues Certificate Of Expulsion To Wike, Fayose, Anyanwu, Others

Published

on

By

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it has issued certificate of expulsion from the party to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and other 10 members earlier expelled from the party.

The party National Chairman, Tanimu Turaki, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen after the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.

The other members, according to him, include the embattled National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, the Legal Adviser, Kamarudeen Ajibade, former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.

Advertisement

They also included Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa, Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Amah Nnanna, George Turna and Chief Dan Orbih, expelled during the party National convention in Lagos.

READ ALSO:BREAKING: Drama As Wike-backed PDP Expels Makinde, Mohammed, Dauda

Turaki said that the original copies of the certificate had been dispatched to the owners through a courier service to serve as proof that they were expelled from the PDP.

Advertisement

“We have taken note of the fact that Nigerian law frowns on dual membership of political parties, and so we have sought to make it easy for them.

“Now that they are no longer members of our party, and now that the National Convention, which is the highest decision-making organ of our party, has expelled them, we have decided to issue them certificates of expulsion.

“So, when they go to register with other political parties in Nigeria, they will show these certificates as proof that they are no longer members of the PDP.

Advertisement

“By that, those parties will not accuse them of trying to belong to more than one political party,” he said.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: PDP Axes Wike, Fayose, Anyanwu, Others For Anti-party Activities

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, and other government agencies, to take note.

Advertisement

“Very soon, members of the society will be informed via proper disclaimers that any person henceforth who decides to do business with them, any or all of them, does so at his or her own risk.

“They are no longer members of the PDP. They have been expelled,” he added.

He added that the NWC also reviewed some of the cases filed against the party and lawsuits instituted by the party, particularly the one that related to the “unlawful and illegal” closure of the party’s national Secretariat, the Legacy House, and the Wadata Plaza.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:Protest Rocks PDP National Secretariat As Wike-led Faction Takes Over

The brief we received from our lawyers is that we are on sound ground, and that very soon, the law will take its course,” he said.

Turaki said the NWC was prepared to be saddled with the responsibility of performing its functions as the leading opposition party in Nigeria.

Advertisement

“We are going to provide a credible alternative to Nigerians. We are going to provide credible leadership to Nigerians by the special grace of God from 2027,” he said.

Continue Reading

Politics

Adebayo Adedamola Wins Osun PDP Governorship Primary

Published

on

By

Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola, popularly known as FRYO, has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for the August 8, 2026 governorship election in Osun State.

The primary election took place in Osogbo on Tuesday amid heavy security presence.

Announcing the result, chairman of the primary election committee, Humphrey Abba, stated that Adebayo secured 919 votes out of 957 accredited ballots, giving him a clear victory in the contest.

Advertisement

Explaining that there were 20 void votes following the withdrawal of one of the candidates, believed to be Governor Ademola Adeleke, Abba added, “The candidate that got the remaining votes is Adebayo Adedamola with 919 votes and he stands elected and returned.”

READ ALSO:Davido Reacts As Gov Adeleke Dumps PDP

DAILY POST reports that despite announcing his resignation from the party, Adeleke’s name appeared on the ballot paper for the PDP governorship primary.

Advertisement

Party officials said the exercise was conducted in accordance with established guidelines, with accredited delegates participating in the voting process.

Adeleke announced his resignation in a letter dated November 4, 2025, and addressed to the PDP leadership at his ward.

On Monday, Osun PDP chairman, Sunday Bisi, had announced that the governorship primary slated for Tuesday, December 2, 2025, has been postponed due to leadership crisis at the national level.

Advertisement

But a faction of the party went ahead with the exercise in Osogbo on Tuesday.

Continue Reading

Trending

Exit mobile version