02062021 - Attacks on INEC offices won’t stop 2023 polls —BUHARI

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY JUNE 2, 2021 — 13
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HEARING: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (middle) with the Speaker of Enugu State House of
Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi (left), Deputy Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Toby
Okechukwu (4th left), Rt. Hon. Ofor Chukwuegbo (3rd left), Rt. Hon. Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu (4th right), Hon.
Nnolim Nnaji (2nd left), and other members of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review,
during the opening ceremony of the Zonal Public Hearing for Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi States, held in Enugu,
yesterday.
Gulak: Ohanaeze takes on ACF over
advice on travel to S-East
•Berates ACF chair, Audu Ogbeh, says his travel advice incendiary
•Warns against politicizing Gulak's death
•As S-East govs condemn assassination of Gulak
By Anayo Okoli &
Peter Okutu
ENUGU—APEX Igbo so
cio-cultural organisation,
Ohanaeze Ndigbo has
frowned at the travel advice
issued by the Arewa Consultative
Forum, ACF, to Northerners
against travelling to the
South East following last Saturday's
murder of Ahmed Gulak
in Owerri, Imo State.
This came as Governors of
the South East geopolitical
zone, yesterday condemned
the assassination of Alhaji
Ahmed Gulak by unknown
gunmen in Imo State. Their
position was made known in a
communique issued at the end
of a virtual meeting of the
South-East Governors Forum.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo described
the statement by the
ACF as "very inflammatory,
incendiary, unreflective and
unguarded", saying the ACF by
that action was not showing
good leadership.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural
body particularly lampooned
the chairman of ACF,
Chief Audu Ogbe, saying that
"his remarks are capable of
rocking the already precarious
boat".
ACF in the travel advice,
warned Northerners not to
travel to the South-East "unless
such travels are absolutely
necessary and of compelling
nature, like matters of life and
death.”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo said it
"rates the statement by Chief
Ogbe as baleful" and urged
"Nigerian government and
patriots to hold Ogbe responsible
because his remarks are
capable of rocking the already
precarious boat.
"It is strange that the leaders
that have gained everything
from Nigeria are always the
first to set it on fire", Ohanaeze
Ndigbo said.
Reacting to ACF' statement,
Ohanaeze through the spokesman,
Alex Ogbonnia said:
"The attention of Ohanaeze
Ndigbo has been drawn to a
press release by the Arewa
Consultative Forum, ACF, asking
the Northerners to be cautious
of travels to the South
East of Nigeria. It is really
doubtful if Chief Audu Ogbe, a
man who has gained the respect
of many as a detribalized
Northern patriot could issue
such a sinister press release.
"This is a reaction to the heinous
murder of Alhaji Ahmed
Gulak. It is worth repeating
that the gruesome assassination
of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak is
very painful to all and has been
condemned in very strong
terms by Governor Hope
Uzodinma, people of Imo
State and indeed all the leaders
of thought in Igbo land, including
the apex socio-cultural
body of the Igbos, the Ohanaeze
Ndigbo Worldwide.
"On behalf of Ndigbo, we
commend the Chairman,
Northern Governors Forum
and the Governor of Plateau
State, Mr. Simon Lalong, who
admonished that “the awful
incident should be treated as a
criminal act, warning that politicization
of issues surrounding
the death of Gulak could
lead to further violence in Nigeria.
"Evidently, for over a month,
the South East which has been
variously described as the
most peaceful geopolitical
zone in Nigeria is facing sophisticated
security challenges
but nevertheless should not
be isolated from the security
challenges facing the other
parts of the country.
"In the nation's newspapers,
it is reported that over 200
school children were abducted
in Niger State; the North
Central. Benue State in particular,
has turned into a killing
field; Katsina State in the
North West is noted for banditry;
the Boko Haram insurgency
has engaged the North
East for years; etc. One wonders
why the ACF should single
out the South East as a nogo-area
for the Northerners.
"Boko Haram insurgents,
bandits, kidnappers, unknown
gun men, Fulani herdsmen,
etc, have not shown discretion
in their attacks in Northern
parts of the country. They have
not been selective on the state
of origin of their victims.
"On the other hand, several
persons of various ethnic
groups have lost their lives in
the security challenges facing
Nigeria as a whole. The admonition
by Lalong, that the
death of Gulak should not be
politicized is therefore a tribute
to leadership quality.
"The reference by Chief Ogbe
to the the killings of northern
leaders in 1966 that triggered
the events that led to a civil war
that cost the country thousands
of lives and untold sufferings
to millions of innocent people
is to say the least very inflammatory,
incendiary, unreflective
and unguarded.
"It should be noted that Igbos
have suffered immeasurably
in the current Nigerian
dilemma. In Nimbo community
of Enugu State, at about
5.15 am on April 25, 2016,
armed herdsmen numbering
over 500 struck, killing 54 people.
The governor of Enugu
State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
in his maturity, pleaded
with the indigenes to accept the
incident as an act of God. On
March 30, 2021, Egedege
community in Ebonyi State
witnessed a horrendous sight
of 18 persons slaughtered by
the Fulani herdsmen.
"Governor Dave Umahi
could not withhold his tears
when he saw the 18 corpses of
Ebonyi State indigenes killed
spread like fish in the cold
room.
"Today, May 31, 2021, the
Commissioner for Capital
City Development in Ebonyi
State, Onyekachi Nwebonyi,
stated: “we got a very sad news
yesterday morning that armed
herdsmen invaded Izzi land
particularly in a place called
Ndiobashi and killed so many
of our people. The commissioner
added that over 30 bodies
have been evacuated from
bushes around the affected
communities.
"A national newspaper recorded
that “about 50 indigenes
of the area were killed
by the Fulani at the Ndiobashi
mass slaughter. This is the reality
of today 's Nigeria but in
all these, Ohanaeze Ndigbo
and the Igbo leaders have
called for restraint and warned
against reprisal attacks.
"It cannot be denied of the
Igbo that they are the most
outreaching and adaptable, as
well as the most hospitable ethnic
group with insurable interests
in all parts of Nigeria.
By Anayo Okoli
ENUGU—GOVERNOR Ifea
nyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu
State, yesterday in Enugu, declared
open a two-day Zonal
Public Hearing of the House of
Representatives Committee on
Constitution Review for Enugu,
Anambra and Ebonyi States, reiterating
his administration’s
support, “unequivocal and unwavering
commitment to an egalitarian
Nigeria where justice, fairness,
equity and inclusiveness
shall be functional directive principles
of state policy”.
Gov. Ugwuanyi had during the
Zonal Public Hearing of the Senate
Committee on Constitution
Review, held in Enugu, last
week, declared the state government’s
support for amendments
"The Igbo large heart and
magnanimity has variously
been proved beyond reasonable
doubt. For instance, Mallam
Umaru Altine who hailed
from the old Sokoto Province
of the defunct Northern Region
was elected as the President of
the Enugu Branch of the National
Council of Nigeria and
the Cameroons, NCNC. He
was later elected the first Mayor
of Enugu in 1956. Alhaji
Altine stood another election
in 1959 with an Igbo man and
was overwhelmingly voted for.
That is the Igbo spirit for fairness
and universalism.
"Chief Audu Ogbe and the
ACF are reminded that it is
rather the federating capacity
of the Igbo, their equanimity,
fortitude and readiness to
adapt to every part of Nigeria,
as a home, that has served as
the salt without which the concept
of Nigeria becomes tasteless.
"Let it be known that what
binds the established leaders
and the followers in the South
East is the obvious orchestrated
marginalization and existential
threat against them. But
history shows that no condition
is permanent.
"Ohanaeze Ndigbo rates the
statement by Chief Ogbe as
baleful. Nigerian government
and patriots are called upon
to hold Ogbe responsible because
his remarks are capable
of rocking the already precarious
boat.
"It is strange that the leaders
that have gained everything
from Nigeria are always the
first to set it on fire".
in the constitution of Nigeria that
will enhance the nation’s unity
and prosperity “in an environment
where justice, fairness and
equity shall prevail”.
Declaring open the House of
Representatives Committee’s
Zonal Public Hearing in Enugu,
yesterday, the governor further
enjoined all relevant institutions,
civil society organizations, stakeholders
and the entire Enugu
State citizenry “to stand up and
be counted in this important national
discussion”.
While welcoming members of
the House of Representatives
Committee to Enugu State, Gov.
Ugwuanyi extended his administration’s
fraternal compliments
to the leader of the team, the
Deputy Minority Leader of the
S'East govs
condemn
assassination of
Gulak
In the communique which
was signed by the Chairman,
South East Governors' Forum
and Governor of Ebonyi
State, Engr. David Umahi, the
governors assured the Northern
governors of their commitment
towards unravelling
the masterminds of that dastardly
act.
According to them: "In our
efforts to tackle the rising security
challenges in South
East, a meeting of South East
Governors Forum was convened
on Monday, 31st May,,
2021, via zoom to review the
security situation in the zone
and the following resolutions
were therefore reached:
"That South East Governors
Forum condemns in strong
terms the brutal assassination
of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak by
gunmen on Sunday, 30th,
May, 2021 while on his way
to Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport,
Owerri, and stands with
the Governor of Imo
State,His Excellency Sen..
Hope Uzodima and the security
agencies in their efforts
to unravel the masterminds of
this heartless killing.
"That the Forum heartily
commiserates with the immediate
family of Alhajji Ahmed
Gulak, the government and
people of Adamawa State
over the unfortunate killing of
their son.
"That the Forum thanks the
President and father of our
nation for timely directing the
security agencies to fish out
the perpetrators as this will
further strengthen the bonds
of unity and trust with our
Northern brothers and sisters.
"That we thank our brother
governors from the North for
their understanding in the
face of this unfortunate murder
of their son and we assure
them of our commitment in
unravelling the masterminds
of that dastardly act.
"That the Forum sympathizes
with the families of all
those who lost their lives during
this moment of violent
hostilities by bandits in South
East
"That the Forum shall leave
no stone unturned in tracking
and bringing to justice all
those involved in the armed
banditary that is currently
ravaging South East zone.
"That the Forum urges
members of the public to exercise
restraint and allow the
security agencies to continue
with their investigations with
the assurances that all those
who have a hand in the brutal
murder of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak
and other killings in the
zone would be brought to justice."
Diaspora Igbo insists on restructuring, fiscal federation
DIASPORA IGBO group, the
Igbo World Assembly, IWA,
is still insisting on the need to
restructure Nigeria to ensure
true federalism as it was in the
1963 constitution based on regions
or zones respectively.
This is even as the group has
condemned in the strongest
term the Federal Government
position of shooting South East
youths on sight, noting that it
was an act of ethnic cleansing
and commitment of genocide.
The Chairman of IWA, Dr.
Nwachukwu Anakwenze who
stated this in his keynote address
in Abuja at the just concluded
Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Transition
Inter-ethnic peace dialogue
told the gathering that true
Fiscal federalism is needed in the
Nigeria to address issues affecting
the country.
Restructuring of Nigeria , according
to him, should be a
means of tackling the worsening
security situation and the agitation
for secession
“We need a Nigerian political
structure that is based on equity,
fair play, balance and equal
access to political power for the
good of all Nigerians.
“IWA feels that what Nigeria
needs in the long run is true fiscal
federalism which is a system
of government based upon democratic
rules and institutions in
which the power to govern is
shared between National and
Regional/State Governments.
The individual federating units
need to have more control over
their own affairs.
“The regional government
should control their resources
and pay a percentage royalty tax
to the federal government. The
federal government should control
issues in the single exclusive
list such as military or foreign
policy. We should return to
agricultural businesses such as
was practiced in the sixties by
our former leaders.”, Anakwenze
who spoke on a number of
issues affecting Nigeria told the
capacity audience.
According to him, “there is a
need to restructure Nigeria to
ensure true federalism as it was
in the 1963 constitution based
on regions or zones. We need a
Nigerian political structure that
is based on equity, fair play, balance
and equal access to political
power for the good of all Nigerians”
Constitution review: Ugwuanyi backs egalitarian
Nigeria anchored on justice, fairness, equity
House of Representatives and
member representing Aninri/
Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency,
Rt. Hon. Toby Okechukwu
and “other illustrious Representatives
from Enugu State: Rt.
Hon. Ofor Gregory Chukwuegbo
and Hon. Nnolim John Nnaji
representing Enugu South/
Enugu North and Nkanu West/
Nkanu East Federal Constituencies,
respectively”.
“I also acknowledge other
Honourable Members of the 9th
Assembly, to wit: Hon. Akande-
Sadipe Tolulope Tiwalola, Hon.
Ahmed Shehu, Hon. John
Dyegh, Hon. Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu,
Hon. Usman Ahmed
Liman and Hon. Makwe Livinus
Makwe”, the governor added
while wishing them a successful
public hearing.