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Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2022 — 11<br />
By Chimaobi<br />
Nwaiwu<br />
NNEWI—THE Indigenous<br />
People of Biafra, IPoB,<br />
yesterday said contrary to<br />
insinuations that the group and<br />
Eastern Security Network, ESN<br />
are behind insecurity in South<br />
East, they have helped to curb<br />
alleged state sponsored armed<br />
militia activities in the zone.<br />
IPoB also said its reason for<br />
forming ESN is to safeguard<br />
South East territory from the<br />
terrorists masquerading as<br />
herdsmen in bushes and forests<br />
in South East and not to attack<br />
and terrorize the people.<br />
A statement by IPoB's Image<br />
Maker, Emma Powerful, among<br />
others, said "IPoB and ESN<br />
rather, without doubt, helped to<br />
curb the spread of state sponsored<br />
armed militias in the South East,<br />
who are the cause of the<br />
insecurity in the zone. Our aim<br />
of forming ESN outfit is to<br />
safeguard our territory from the<br />
marauding Fulani terrorists<br />
masquerading as herdsmen in<br />
our bushes and forests in<br />
Biafraland.<br />
"In their effort to blackmail<br />
IPoB, Nigeria government and<br />
their Politicians sponsored<br />
criminal armed groups in the<br />
South East to create insecurity<br />
so as to blame IPoB and ESN,<br />
including making money from<br />
Federal government.<br />
"It is heart-warming that our<br />
people now know the truth and<br />
they commend ESN for securing<br />
our farm lands. Today many of<br />
our bushes are safe and secure<br />
and our farmers are happily<br />
going to farms without the threat<br />
of being butchered like wild<br />
animals or our women and ladies<br />
raped in their farmlands.<br />
"IPoB is applying diplomatic<br />
and strategic moves in handling<br />
the barrage of blackmail and<br />
media propaganda against us by<br />
the Nigeria government. Nigeria<br />
government unlawfully<br />
proscribed IPoB and tagged us<br />
terrorists for seeking self<br />
determination of our territory. It<br />
is shameful of them that when<br />
we sued them over the<br />
proscription, they refused to<br />
come to answer the case and<br />
charges in their own court, what<br />
a shameless people. It gladdens<br />
our hearts however, that the<br />
International governmental<br />
bodies and other countries in the<br />
world know us as a peaceful and<br />
nonviolent movement seeking<br />
for freedom of our people.<br />
"Nigeria government is still<br />
working hard to brand IPoB as a<br />
violent movement before the<br />
International community.<br />
Fortunately for us, this is the<br />
:Vanguard News<br />
We've helped in curbing sponsored<br />
criminalities in S-East —IPoB<br />
information technology age not<br />
1967. The International<br />
community has its Intelligence<br />
sources that give it accurate<br />
information devoid of Nigeria<br />
government's propaganda.<br />
Despite their proscription,<br />
arrests, torture, and forceful<br />
abductions in Biafra and Nigeria,<br />
IPoB still maintain good<br />
reputation with the International<br />
community, unlike the lawless<br />
Nigerian government."<br />
"What infiltrators, saboteurs,<br />
agents of provocateur and others<br />
paid to tarnish IPoB's reputation<br />
don't understand is that, violent<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
TRADE FAIR: From left: President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Dr.<br />
Olawale Cole; Dangote Industries Ltd., Group Chief Commercial Officer, Rabiu Umar;<br />
Dangote Suger Refinery Plc. Retail Sugar Customer, Adedamola Funke; LCCI Vice President,<br />
Gabriel Idahosa; GED, Dangote Industries Ltd., Kunut Ulvmeon; Vice President, LCCI,<br />
Abimbola Olashore, and Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc. GM, Sales & Marketing, Bello Saddiq,<br />
during Dangote Group Special Day at the 2022 Lagos International Trade Fair.<br />
Imo PDP stakeholders reject Atiku's<br />
campaign council<br />
By Emmanuel<br />
Iheaka<br />
O WERRI—SOME<br />
stakeholders of the Peoples<br />
Democratic Party, PDP, Imo State,<br />
have rejected the recently<br />
announced list of the party's<br />
presidential campaign council for<br />
the state.<br />
The state secretary of the party,<br />
Nze Ray Emeana had released the<br />
list on Sunday, with the immediate<br />
past governor of the state, Emeka<br />
Ihedioha, as chairman of the<br />
council.<br />
Addressing journalists in Owerri,<br />
the stakeholders described the list<br />
as an extension of Ihedioha's<br />
campaign council.<br />
Speaking on behalf of the<br />
stakeholders, Ngozi Ogbu, said<br />
there was no consultation before<br />
the constitution of the list,<br />
dismissing it as fake and product of<br />
imposition.<br />
Ogbu who is the Director<br />
General of Divine Mandate<br />
Movement, a campaign structure<br />
of the National Secretary of PDP,<br />
Senator Samuel Anyanwu, said<br />
stakeholders of the party were<br />
summoned to a meeting at the<br />
secretariat to discuss the<br />
composition of the campaign<br />
council, but were surprised to<br />
behold an already composed list.<br />
Also speaking, Myke Ikoku<br />
corroborated Ogbu's claim and<br />
called on the National Working<br />
Committee of the party and its<br />
presidential candidate, Atiku<br />
Abubakar to redress the issue.<br />
The stakeholders said: "We the<br />
Imo PDP stakeholders reject the<br />
fake Presidential Campaign<br />
Council list purportedly announced<br />
today, November, the 13th, 2022<br />
by the State Secretary of the party,<br />
Nze Ray Emeana.<br />
"We wish to use this medium to<br />
inform our Party that the<br />
movements usually don't get a<br />
round table discussion or<br />
audience with the International<br />
community. Have you ever seen<br />
any terrorist group having legal<br />
representation and engaging<br />
with global audiences?<br />
"We have global attention<br />
because we are not violent,<br />
neither are we terrorists as<br />
Nigeria government and its<br />
compromised officials unjustly<br />
tagged us, while shielding their<br />
brothers who have rendered the<br />
whole of Northern Nigeria<br />
unsafe.<br />
Anybody killing, kidnapping,<br />
snatching of cars and collecting<br />
stakeholders in Imo State were<br />
summoned to a stakeholders<br />
meeting to discuss the composition<br />
of the Presidential Campaign<br />
Council and Campaign<br />
Management Committee, but to<br />
our surprise and chagrin, the<br />
Secretary of the party proceeded<br />
to read out a list of members of the<br />
Presidential Campaign Council<br />
and Management Committee list.<br />
"This led to fracas and the vast<br />
majority of stakeholders rejected<br />
and opposed the announcement<br />
due to lack of consultation and due<br />
to imposition."<br />
"Members frowned at an<br />
attempt to use the Presidential<br />
Campaign Council as an<br />
of ransom in the name of doing it<br />
for IPoB or Nnamdi Kanu, is an<br />
enemy and has no part with IPoB<br />
struggle to restore Biafra. We all<br />
need to join hands with IPoB and<br />
ESN, to root out both sponsored<br />
and individual criminals in our<br />
land because criminal activities<br />
are an impediment to our<br />
freedom.<br />
"The good relationship IPoB has<br />
maintained with the<br />
International community even<br />
with all the heavy lobbying<br />
against us is a major problem for<br />
Nigeria. That is why till today<br />
Nigeria government is still<br />
accusing some countries of<br />
supporting IPoB to destabilize<br />
Nigeria, but their efforts are<br />
exercise in futility.<br />
extension of Ihedioha's<br />
Campaign Council.<br />
"The Party Stakeholders reject<br />
the imposition of a governorship<br />
aspirant, Emeka Ihedioha, as<br />
Chairman of the Presidential<br />
Campaign Council, and the<br />
directors of his campaign team<br />
as heads of the various<br />
Presidential Campaign<br />
Directorates.<br />
"It is instructive that the<br />
members of Imo PDP Elders<br />
Committee boycotted the<br />
stakeholders meeting due to the<br />
above stated reasons.<br />
"We therefore call on the<br />
National Working Committee<br />
and the Presidential Candidate<br />
of our Party, Atiku Abubakar, to<br />
arrest the situation urgently to<br />
ensure victory for our Party".<br />
Etiaba, epitome of loyalty, good<br />
conscience in Anambra —Ngige<br />
THE MINISTER of Labour and<br />
Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige<br />
, has extended his felicitations to<br />
former Deputy Governor Dame<br />
Virgy Etiaba, on her 80th birthday<br />
anniversary, describing her as "an<br />
epitome of loyalty, fidelity and<br />
good conscience in the state."<br />
The one-time Acting Governor<br />
of Anambra State clocked 80 years<br />
on Saturday.<br />
Ngige, a former governor of<br />
Anambra State, in a statement<br />
in Abuja, also described Dame<br />
Etiaba as "an accomplished<br />
educationist, seasoned<br />
administrator, and consummate<br />
public servant, who rendered<br />
selfless and meritorious service to<br />
Anambra State and the country<br />
in general."<br />
He praised her candour,<br />
honesty, integrity, forthrightness<br />
and boldness, describing her as a<br />
role model, especially for women<br />
in the Nigerian society.<br />
According to him, as the<br />
matriarch of the elite Etiaba<br />
family in Umudim Nnewi, Dame<br />
Etiaba instilled in her children and<br />
relatives, the good virtues of hard<br />
work, good work ethics, and fear of<br />
God, adding that the seeds she<br />
planted in her children have<br />
germinated.<br />
Ngige said, "Today, your children<br />
are shinning lights in their<br />
chosen careers, including Law,<br />
Accountancy among others. You<br />
impacted on the lives of many in<br />
the society as a teacher in<br />
different parts of the country<br />
before retiring from acting service<br />
at Okongwu Memorial Grammar<br />
School Nnewi, where you taught<br />
Agricultural Science among other<br />
subjects for several years.<br />
"After you left the services of<br />
Anambra State Government in<br />
1991, you founded the Bennet<br />
Etiaba Memorial Schools Nnewi,<br />
named after your late husband<br />
and legal luminary, and the<br />
institution has blossomed till date,<br />
providing the country with some<br />
of the best brains in medicine, law<br />
and other professions."<br />
Prelate to politicians:<br />
Avoid comments capable of<br />
setting Nigeria on fire<br />
By Gabriel Olawale<br />
THE NEW Prelate of Methodist<br />
Church Nigeria, His Eminence<br />
Dr Oliver Ali Aba, has called on<br />
candidates of various political<br />
parties and their supporters to<br />
desist from making comments<br />
capable of setting the nation on<br />
fire.<br />
Speaking in Lagos during his<br />
investiture as leader of Methodists<br />
in Nigeria, Aba said "electioneering<br />
campaigns should be more civil and<br />
issue-based considering the fact<br />
that the singular purpose of<br />
governance is to serve and bring<br />
succour to citizens who are<br />
suffering and are desirous of a<br />
better living conditions.<br />
"We must address the<br />
challenges confronting our Nation<br />
with prayers and more prayers.<br />
While it is the responsibility of<br />
governments at all levels to<br />
develop policies capable of solving<br />
the mirage of problems facing us<br />
as a country, we as citizens have<br />
the corresponding responsibilities<br />
UKODO—SECOND<br />
in<br />
Command of Ibori Political<br />
Dynasty, IPD, and Delta Central<br />
Senatorial District candidate of<br />
the Peoples Democratic Party,<br />
PDP, in Delta State, Senator<br />
Ighoyota Amori has again stated<br />
that former governor James<br />
Onanefe Ibori, has thrown his<br />
political weight behind the<br />
party's governorship candidate,<br />
Sheriff Oborevwori, the Ukodo<br />
of Okpe Kingdom.<br />
Amori gave the assurance in<br />
Kokori last Thursday and<br />
reechoed it again while speaking<br />
to newsmen at the Ward-to-Ward<br />
Campaigns by the party's Guber<br />
candidate, Oborevwori, in Abraka,<br />
Ethiope East Local Government<br />
Area on Friday 11th November,<br />
saying that the Supreme Court<br />
judgement in Edevbie v<br />
Oborevwori put an end to all political<br />
and emotional frictions in the party.<br />
He disclosed that Oborevwori was<br />
and still a star product of Ibori<br />
Political Dynasty, and remained the<br />
political son of James Ibori, pointing<br />
out that the PDP Ethiope Federal<br />
Constituency candidate in the<br />
forthcoming 2023 general elections,<br />
Mrs Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu is the<br />
daughter of former governor Ibori,<br />
of praying for them not to be<br />
derailed by selfishness and greed.<br />
"While it is right to pressure them<br />
and demand good governance, we<br />
cannot take away the place of<br />
prayer and this we must do<br />
intently, with purpose and without<br />
ceasing. As Nigerians, we cannot<br />
afford to give up hope at this time.<br />
Rather, we must hold tenaciously<br />
to our belief that with God, all<br />
things will turn around. I urge the<br />
political class especially in this<br />
season of electioneering<br />
campaigns to inspire the citizens<br />
not only with words but with their<br />
actions and deeds because<br />
Nigerians are getting tired."<br />
Aba in a statement by the<br />
Media, Public Relations and<br />
Strategic Communications<br />
Advisor, Methodist Church<br />
Nigeria, Oladapo Daramola, said<br />
that the church will join hands with<br />
other religious leaders and<br />
stakeholders to continue to pray<br />
for the well-being of the Nation<br />
and Nigerians everywhere.<br />
Delta decides: Oborevwori's Ibori's<br />
political son —Amori<br />
and that it was and still absolutely<br />
impossible for Ibori to align with<br />
any other political entity for the<br />
elections other than the PDP.<br />
Senator Amori who is also the<br />
Otota of Mosogsr Kingdom in<br />
Ethiope West Local Government<br />
Area of the state, further disclosed<br />
that the bloc vote of his LGA<br />
including the votes of Ibori's Oghara<br />
town is for candidate Oborevwori<br />
and other candidates of PDP on a<br />
five over five basis.<br />
"The statement I made in Kokori<br />
about Ibori's full support for<br />
Oborevwori is the true position of<br />
things. Ibori is in full support of the<br />
PDP family.<br />
"Ibori is in full support of<br />
Oborevwori becoming the governor<br />
of Delta State, come 2023. The<br />
disagreement has come and gone.<br />
That matter has been put to rest by<br />
the Supreme Court and we have<br />
no other choice than to support the<br />
governorship candidate.<br />
"And that is what I said that James<br />
Onanefe Ibori is in full support of<br />
Oborevwori becoming the governor<br />
of Delta State in 2023.<br />
"Oborevwori is a political product<br />
of James Onanefe Ibori. We served<br />
in government together under Ibori<br />
and he remains his political son.<br />
2023: Army assures Nigerians<br />
of safety<br />
By Efe Ondjae<br />
AGOS—THE Nigerian Army<br />
Lhas assured the safety of<br />
Nigerians come 2023 elections,<br />
saying modalities had been put in<br />
place to ensure that.<br />
The Commander 9 Brigade of the<br />
Nigerian Army, Ikeja Cantonment,<br />
Brigadier-General Isangubong<br />
Akpaumontia, gave the assurance<br />
while delivering a lecture tagged ‘<br />
The<br />
Military<br />
and.Leadrtship,:Lessons for a<br />
growing democracy ‘ at a Town and<br />
Gown Seminar organised by the<br />
Faculty of Leadership and<br />
Development Study, Covenant<br />
University, Otta, Ogun State .<br />
He disclosed that an operation<br />
known as Excercise Still Waters was<br />
launched recently , with the aim of<br />
maintaining safety of Lal Nigerians<br />
during the general elections..<br />
He said: “the Chief of Army Staff,<br />
Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya<br />
, is also putting in much effort to<br />
curb insecurity most especially in<br />
the northern part of the country .<br />
Nigerians can see there has been<br />
much improvement in the North<br />
and North West”<br />
He was also quick to remind the<br />
audience comprising students and<br />
lecturers of the faculty that the<br />
Nigerian Army had no right to<br />
change the government .<br />
Rather, he said change would<br />
only be done with the ballot boxes<br />
and not with barrel of guns.<br />
Brig. Gen. Akpaumontia stated<br />
that election according to the<br />
constitution, “is by votes people<br />
cast and not by the barrel of the<br />
gun. The Military have nothing to<br />
do with who becomes the next<br />
president or governor, it is the people<br />
that decide. The Military know that<br />
political positions are determined<br />
by civilians<br />
“My advice is that you can learn<br />
from the Military.Like I pointed out<br />
, there are things that you can<br />
learn from the military and<br />
commitment and national out look<br />
are two keys that the politicians<br />
can learn from the military”.<br />
While giving a historical<br />
background on the emergence of<br />
the Nigerian Army, he threw more<br />
light on Military Leadership,<br />
Military in politics, challenges of<br />
Nigeria democracy and possible<br />
solution for democratic leaders.<br />
Also speaking, the Dean, College<br />
of Leadership , Professor Charles<br />
Obulugo, said ,“ we teach leadership<br />
. We know leadership is not isolatory<br />
but cumulative and it is a game<br />
played across the table.<br />
“We can not say we have<br />
leadership without touching on all<br />
sector. Today ,we have the privilege<br />
to bring the number one person in<br />
Lagos to come speak with us, so to<br />
us it’s an extension of our leadership<br />
mandate.“