Anambra Guber: Ekwueme, Ohaneze, Ezeife Endorse Anambra North

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohaneze Ndigbo, former vice president of Nigeria, Dr. Alex Ekwueme and former governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, have zoned the governorship seat of the state to the Anambra North senatorial zone.

The trio called on aspirants from other zones gunning for the position in different political parties to withdraw their aspirations.

In a news briefing, Tuesday, in Awka alongside over 15 traditional rulers in the state, the president of Ohaneze in Anambra, Chief Damian Okeke Ogene, announced that it was the decision of all the stakeholders.

Ekwueme, who was also at the briefing threw his weight behind zoning of political offices in the state, saying that in addition to guaranteeing good neighbourliness and sustenance of peace in every political sphere.

He said zoning political offices would eliminate rancor, acrimony, disunity among others in the state.

He recommended that each senatorial zone occupying the governorship seat at any time should be allowed to retain it for a consecutive eight year period.

Ezeife added that, “a political entity performs best in the atmosphere of peace and unity which is generated by equity, justice and fairness.”

He recommended that each senatorial zone the governorship seat was rotated to, should be allowed to retain the seat for eight years which comprises of two four year tenures.

The state Ohaneze chairman said “Based on the foregoing therefore, the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Anambra state chapter has resolved that since the north-senatorial zone is currently occupying the position, the zone should be allowed to produce the next governor of the state during the forthcoming gubernatorial election fixed for November 18, this year. This is to enable the zone complete its eight year uninterrupted tenure as recommended here.

“The leadership of Ohaneze Ndgibo, Anambra state chapter hereby appeals to all political parties and Anambrarians to adopt this zoning arrangement as a permanent policy of zoning system for our dear state.

“Furthermore, we hereby urge all the political parties contesting in the forthcoming governorship election to embrace this zonal initiative by choosing their respective candidates for the election from the North senatorial zone.

“In the same manner, we solicit the support of all Anambrarians, especially the electorate to support this zoning arrangement in all elections henceforth.

“Based on this popularly adopted zoning arrangement after the north senatorial zone, the governorship slot will be zoned to the south senatorial district which will also retain the seat for eight years consecutive period and thereafter the central senatorial district will occupy the position for the same period,” Ohaneze said.

The new zoning arrangement in Anambra state as listed by Ohaneze and the stakeholders were as follows, Anambra North 2013-2021, Anambra south 2021 – 2029.

Others were Anambra central 2029 – 2037, Anambra north again, 2037 -2045 and Anambra south 2045-2053 and so on.

By Joe Chukindi

Biafra: I Will Do Whatever Former VP Ekwueme Tells Me – Nnamdi Kanu

Former Vice President, Chief Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Wednesday, assured of his fatherly support to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Ekwueme made the pledge when the IPOB leader visited him at his Enugu residence, with a promise that he would listen to advice from the elder statesman.

Kanu has since he was released being paying thank-you visit to prominent persons and organizations, with a vow that he would never give up on Biafra.

He had told Ekwueme that “I have come to tell you that we find you invaluable in our advancement of our people and in our course also to make life better for the public and for the masses.

“So, I am humbled and delighted to be here and also to bring you up to speed as to what we have been doing, what motivated me; what motivated the IPOB to do what we have been doing.

“It is more or less today an expression, a political expression to the yearnings and aspirations of the society; that’s what we are trying to do.

“The sum total of the struggle by the IPOB, which I’m leading is to ensure that there is dignity of life.

“And for us to fulfill that very mandate, we must be diligent, we must be focused, we must be sincere.

“So, I have come here to brief my father as to why we‎ do what we do and to get his blessings; anything he tells me is what we are going to do, in so far as it advances our political course as a people.”

Responding, Ekwueme said it was a pleasure receiving the IPOB leader after all his travails, stressing “I thank God that he is free and able to move around.”

“I will make my best counsel available to him in his very onerous task of leading an organization that is committed to bringing justice and equity among people, especially for our people”, he added.

DAILY POST recalls that the IPOB leader had on Monday visited several persons and groups in Enugu, including the Eastern Consultative Assembly, ECA.

The former Vice President, Ekwueme, is a patron of the ‎ECA.

By Emmanuel Uzodinma

Obiano To Present “The Compendium”, To Anambarians On April 18

A new publication listing men and women of Anambra extraction, who set the pace for Nigeria and Africa’s emancipation is ready for public presentation. Gov. Willie Obiano is expected to present the compendium to the Anambra people on April 18 in Awka. 

The editorial advisers of the publication, include Igwe Gibson Nwosu, Prof. Pita Ejiofor, Prof. Pat Utomi, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, Prof. C.C. 

Anene, Chief S.N. Okeke, C. Don Adinuba and Mrs Ifeyinwa Anazonwu. Anambra, which prides itself as “The Light of the Nation” currently has no fewer than 1,500 billionaires.

 It has the lowest poverty rate in Nigeria with a Gross Domestic Product of $11.83 billion.

The state’s per capita income currently stands at $1,615, according to official records. The publication, known as “Icons of Anambra State,” lists among others, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, cited as the most famous pan-Africanist of the 20th century and Dr Alex Ekwueme, Nigeria’s second republic vice-president. 

The iconic compendium, authored by an entrepreneur and researcher, Mr Uchechukwu Elugu, traces the engaging life and times of some great Nigerians of Anambra extraction, who showed the light so that Africa could find its way. 

Among other pacesetters listed in the publication are Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, the billionaire father of Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. Emeka, an Oxford-educated historian, led the Biafra war in the late 60s. 

The younger Ojukwu, who is also celebrated in the publication, has enjoyed a cult of following even in death. Other outstanding achievers celebrated in the compendium are Sen. Nwafor Orizu, who was Senate President and Acting President of Nigeria when the first military occurred in 1966 and Prof. 

Chike Obi, a leading mathematician. Obi, who was famous for his work on non-differential equations also developed a special solution for Fermat’s Last Theorem. lso celebrated in the publication are Prof. Chinua Achebe, Africa’s most famous novelist and Prof. Kenneth Onwuka Dike, a leading historian and first African Vice-Chancellor of Nigeria’s premier university at Ibadan.

 Other “Anambra State Icons” are the blessed Cyprian Iwene Tansi, Dr Pius Okigbo, Sir Louis Mbanefo, Chief Jerome Udoji, Prof. Dora Akunyili and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the first black Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations. Also in reckoning are Lt.-Gen. Isaac Obiakor, Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prof. Lawrence Dim, Mrs Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, Mr Oscar Onyema, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Dr Olisa Agbakoba and Mrs Oby Ezekwesili. The icons also include Prof. Alex Animalu, Prof. P.N. Okeke, Prof. Elo Amaucheazi, Dr A.B.C. Orjiako, Dr Emeka Okwuosa, Mrs Uju Ifejika, Prof. Charles Soludo, Chief Chris Ezeh and Mr Mustafa Chike-Obi. The others are Mr Otis Anyaeji, Chief Simon Okeke, Chief Fabian Nwora, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Chief Cletus Ibeto, Dr Cosmas Maduka, Dame Virgy Etiaba, Mr Peter Obi and Mr Allen Onyema of Air Peace Airlines. 

The book, the publication of which was sponsored by three leading Nigerian banks, is aimed at stimulating hard work, enterprise and resilience among upcoming generations, according to the publishers.

This was first published on Vanguard