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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.“

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