18042019 - PRESIDENTIAL TUSSLE:I always beat you in every election, Buhari tells Atiku

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019—15
MASS: Former Gov. of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi (right), with the Auxiliary Bishop of Awka
Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Jonas Benson Okoye (left), during the 2019 Chrism mass at St. Andrew’s
Catholic Church, Adazi-Nnukwu, yesterday.
New varsities, polytechnics not to burden
Ihedioha —Okorocha
...promises hitch-free transition
•As clerics call on INEC to release Okorocha's Certificate of Return
By Chinonso
Alozie & Prince
Okafor
O
W
E R R I —
GOVERNOR
Rochas Okorocha of Imo
State yesterday said that his
newly created six
universities, four
polytechnics and two
colleges of education would
not be a trap for the
incoming government of
Emeka Ihedioha.
Okorocha spoke to
newsmen at Government
House, Owerri where he
also inaugurated a team
headed by Professor Chima
Iwuchukwu to pursue the
take off of the said higher
institutions in the next two
weeks by getting the
approval from the National
Universities Commission,
NUC.
He also promised a hitchfree
transition, saying: “I
will guarantee a hitch-free
transition. I am still the
governor till May 29. It is
not what anybody should
be afraid of. It will be done
according to the
constitution.”
Okorocha noted that part
of the plan of his
administration was to
engage investors in the
education sector under the
Public Private Partnership,
PPP, as backed by the law
established by the Imo State
House of Assembly.
He stated that investors in
the education sector would
partner with the
government to ensure that
standard is maintained in
the new higher
institutions.
According to Okorocha,
“With these institutions put
in place, the dreams of our
people would have been
achieved. Education will
remain the industry of Imo
State. What we plan was to
lure investors into Imo
State. They will come and
invest in our institutions,
under the Public Private
Partnership, PPP,
arrangement to assist us in
the full take-off of the
universities.
“For those of you who are
conversant with the history
of Imo State, education is
one of the viable industries
in the state.
“When I came into office
in 2011, I told Imo people
that my top priority is
education and I want to tell
you that we have done a
lot in this area.
“We have created six new
universities, four
polytechnics and two
colleges of education. By
the time they take off, this
will accommodate
thousands of our children
who go outside the state in
search of admission and in
most cases, they do not get
it. Now, the opportunity is
here for them to take
advantage of.
“We have set up a team
headed by Prof
Iwuchukwu. They have two
weeks to meet with the
NUC to get the approval for
the tertiary institutions.”
Release Okorocha’s
certificate of return,
MPO tells INEC
Meantime, Missionaries
and Pastors Organisation,
MPO, has called on the
Independent National
Electoral Commission,
INEC, to as a matter of
urgency, release the
certificate of return of the
Governor of Imo State,
Rochas Okorocha.
MPO is an umbrella body
of pastors and missionaries
of all denomination in
Nigeria.
However, Archbishop
Onyeagoziri Okeugo of the
MPO, during a press
conference yesterday in
Lagos, said: “Having
watched with keen interest
all the events that took
place during our last
election across the nation,
we want to say kudos to the
Independent National
Electoral Commission for
the work they have done.
But the job is yet to be
completed.
“We are calling upon
INEC to release the
certificate of return of
Okorocha who was duly
declared winner of Imo
West Senatorial District by
the returning officer.
“We believe the right
thing to do is to give the
certificate of return to him
and anybody who is
offended should go to court
which is the hope of the
common man.
“We are calling on INEC
to take note that the eyes of
international community
are watching, even a
common man in the street
knows that politics is being
played somewhere and
could destroy the integrity
of President Muhammadu
Buhari who stands against
corruption.
“I hereby, on behalf of
MPO, call for the release
of Okorocha's certificate of
return and urge Nigerians
to always be ready to stand
up against impartiality.
“It is happening against
Okorocha of the southeast
today; it can happen to
anybody of the south west,
north or anybody across the
nation tomorrow."
It should be recalled that
Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the
Federal High Court,
Abuja, last week withdrew
from the suit filed by
Governor Rochas Okorocha
of Imo State in respect of
his Certificate of Return.
Justice Taiwo announced
his decision to withdraw
from adjudicating on the
matter based on
allegations of bias
against him.
COSCON wants investigation into
Atiku, Buhari’s nationality
It’s national embarrasment—Ohanaeze
COALITION of Civil
Society Organisations
of Nigeria, COSCON, the
umbrella body of all civil
society groups in Nigeria
has called for an
independent investigation
into the allegation that
Atiku is from Cameroon
and Buhari from Guinea.
The group through its
Director of Programmes,
Promise Edomobi,
lamented that foreigners
have been ruling Nigeria
since independence,
finding their way into
political, security and civil
service sectors of the
country.
Edomobi called for a full
investigation into the
allegation saying that if its
found to be genuine, both
persons should be
deported immediately.
In another development,
the spokesman of
Ohanaeze Ndigbo world
wide, Chuks Ibegbu has
expressed worry over the
allegation and counter
allegation that Atiku and
Buhari are not Nigerians.
Ibegbu called for "a full
enquiry into this
embarrasing matter. I am
IPOB, Delta CP disagree
over killings
By Emma Amaize
A SABA—THE
Indigenous People
of Biafra, IPOB, has
alleged that Police in
Delta State shot dead two
of its members during a
peaceful procession,
Tuesday at Asaba, while the
third injured victim died
yesterday in a hospital.
Commissioner of Police
in the state, Adeleke
Adeyinka, who spoke to
Vanguard on phone,
however, said, “There was
nothing like that, police did
not kill anybody.”
IPOB Publicity Secretary,
Emma Powerful who
dismissed the
Commissioner’s denial,
said, “Nigerian Police
killed 2 IPOB members in
Asaba yesterday (Tuesday)
during a peaceful rally in
Asaba, Delta State, while
some were taken to
hospital.
“One of those taken to
hospital was pronounced
Partner with Church for devt,
Obi advises
VICE
Presidential
candidate of the PDP,
Mr. Peter Obi has called on
good-spirited Nigerians to
aware that foreigners infiltrate
Nigeria but this latest
accusation and counter
accusation is worrisome
and we need to get
to the truth and the root."
He also urged the
election petition tribunals to
be dispassionate and rely
on the results from the
polling units to arrive at the
scores of all candidates in
the last election.
Ibegbu further called on
the Federal Government to
take over the treatment of
the woman whose hands
were cut of by a herdsman
at Ogbor Hill in Aba.
dead yesterday (Tuesday)
evening because of injury
he sustained in the course
of attack on the peaceful
movement," he asserted
He gave the names of the
dead as Moses Akarachi,
Delicious Ifeanyi and
Uchenna Oga, noting that
they were on sensitisation
mission for upcoming
Biafra referendum when
police killed them.
He insisted the group did
not invade any police
station, saying, “It is on
record that IPOB does not
go with arms. Since
inception of this great
movement, IPOB members
have not been found or
involved in any violent act.
We are a peaceful
movement and remain so
till Biafra sovereignty is
restored. The whole world
is actually aware of IPOB
as the most peaceful
freedom fighting group".
Powerful said the legal
team of the group has
contacted the police and is
waiting to know the offence
of the arrested members.
Imo doctors begin strike today
By Chinonso
Alozie
O WERRI—THE
Nigeria Medical
Association, NMA, Imo
State chapter, yesterday
announced it’s resolve to
begin an indefinite strike
after its 14-day ultimatum
issued to Imo State
government expired.
In a statement to
newsmen in Owerri by the
state chairman of NMA,
Kyrian Duruewuru and
Secretary, Ogaziechi
Kenneth, the group added
that all doctors both from the
state and federal
institutions would be part
the strike.
The reason according to
NMA was that their
grievances were not given
the desired attention by the
state government.
Duruewuru recalled that
“The NMA Imo State in
line with its resolutions
during it’s emergency
general meeting which
held on Sunday, 31st
March, 2019, at the NMA
Imo State secretariat
Owerri, issued a 14-day
ultimatum from April 4,
2019.”
Their demands included
the call for “immediate
payment of 30 percent
balance of the monthly
salary of doctors which has
accrued for 40 months;
immediate payment of the
three-month arrears of
salary owed doctors
employed in the state.
always support the
Church for meaningful
development. Obi said this
yesterday after
participating at the Chrism
Mass at Awka, Adazi-
Nnukwu and Nimo.
Recalling that Chrism
Mass is a time the Church
set aside for the blessings
of different oils used in her
apostolate and a time the
faithful also show support
to their bishops for the
various work he is doing in
the Diocese and his
numerous charities, Obi
called on the people of God
not to be tired.
Obi who said his
partnership with the
Church, especially in the
area of education and
health was part of the key
to his success when he was
the governor, advised those
in government to partner
with the Church because
they also serve the people,
even with more
commitment.