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Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has said he deserved accolades for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the governing All Progressive Congress, APC, rather than attacks on his person by leaders of the former ruling party.

Governor Umahi insisted that his recent defection to the APC is a strong message that the South East Zone can no longer be taken for a ride, positing that the zone is now ready and willing more than ever to take its destiny by its hands.

Umahi who spoke in a statement made available to us on Friday by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Francis Nwaze, lamented that the neglect of the SouthEast region has taken an alarming proportion.

The Governor further recalled enormous sacrifices made by late former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme, and other notable South east leaders for the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party, insisting that remaining in PDP would continue to deny the region its rightful place in the nation’s scheme of things.

Parts of the statement read,

“Politicians who feel disillusioned, cheated or denied free and fair opportunities, defect to other parties to participate in the elections or benefit from certain prospects. One of the issues that have contributed to party defections in Nigeria is lack of internal democracy within political parties.

In Nigeria, recognition of candidates for nomination and selection for primary elections depends on the strength of the candidate in the area of economic and political power, without any due consideration of the integrity and capability/capacity of the candidate involved and regional spread.

These acts have led to political crises leading to individuals defecting to other parties and/or forming new parties as a result of dissatisfaction with party operation. For instance, the unhealthy power contest and intra-party crisis prompted incessant defections of prominent members of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) between 2013-2015 to the now ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

“As a result of the above scenario, it is important to note that party defections in Nigeria are not restricted to one party, but has become a political norm in Nigeria’s democracy; sometimes in protest of bad governance and marginalization.

The above circumstance is certainly not unconnected to what led to the recent defection of the Chairman of Southeast Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State Engineer David Nweze Umahi from the People’ Democratic Party, PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

“The reason for the bold step was due to the age-long neglect of the South East Zone by the PDP although one of its foremost founding members His Excellency, the former Vice-President of Nigeria Dr. Alex Ekwueme was from the Zone.

Because of the integrity of Dr. Ekwueme, the Igbos of the South East Zone embraced wholly the PDP and rallied around it since the return to Democracy in 1999 but despite supporting other regions to take their shots to the number one plum job in the Federation, the Zone has always been relegated to the background when it comes to consideration for the presidential slot.

“The proceeds of this noble action, therefore, will not just be gargantuan but also bountiful considering that no major decision of national interest will be taken under any pretext without due consultation and representation of South-East Leaders in the country.

This will be more so if other States of the Zone could see beyond the immediate and take action to ensure comprehensive rebrand and reintegration of the South East Zone to its pride of place in the governance of Nigeria”.

He said his crossover to the progressive party, has launched both Ebonyi State and the South East Zone into the bastion of national politics and discourse which is its rightful place in the comity of states and regions in the country.

A 43-year-old post-graduate student has emerged president of NANS after the just-concluded convention marred with violence.

Asefon Sunday, a 43-year-old PGD student of Ekiti State University, EKSU, is the new President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Nigerians do not seem very happy about this and they’ve questioned why young people can’t be trusted to lead the student body.

One Twitter user reacted to Asefon’s win, writing:

“Asefon, 43, President NANS was NANS Coordinator Zone D in 2013 while a student of Ekiti State University, EKSU. 2020, he is still a student of EKSU. 7 years after!”

Another wrote:

“I know Asefon as NANS coordinator when I was in 300L in EKSU.I graduated 6 years ago and the guy is still parading himself as a student.”

Another said:

“95% of NANS excos nordey gree graduate bcz of embezzlement. Dey study frm full time to part time, frm part time to weekend program, frm weekend program to sandwich, frm sandwich to distance learning, frm distance learning to online program…”

“The moment you realize that a youth can’t even win NANS Presidency. So much for posturing,” another wrote. Hon Ben Igbakpa, the Honorable member representing Ethiope in Delta state wrote in defence of Asefon:

“As a PGD student of EKSU, Asefon Sunday is qualified to be NANS President.

Critiquing his emergence because he is 43 years old is an improper assumption he is too old to be a student. I do not know another country where age is the only eligibility criterion. Let’s be objective.”

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Friday reacted to reports of its arrested members affirming attack on a church in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The Rivers State Police Command had paraded some IPOB members who admitted attempting a bomb attack on the church attended by the father of the state Governor, Nyesom Wike, Elder Wike.

However, IPOB described the claims as a lame script by security agencies.

A statement by the group’s spokesman, Emma Powerful said the government was using the suspects to cover its evil deeds.

The statement reads partly:

“The attention of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), has been drawn to the frivolous and fabricated claims by the purported suspects of the alleged attack on Gov. Nyesom Wike’s father’s church who purportedly claimed responsibility for the said attack.

”We have equally heard with utter amazement that the alleged suspects further claimed they were contacted by IPOB to carry out the attack so as to gain recognition.

“This again is too petty and a lame script by the security agencies and their sponsors. The question is: Which recognition is IPOB a global movement that already maintains a presence in over 100 countries still looking for?

“It’s not in doubt what the government and security agencies can do either to cover evidence or establish cause to justify a premeditated evil.

The speed with which the government and police pointed accusing fingers at IPOB even before the commencement of their so-called investigation, raises more suspicion.

It’s only a confirmation that the ridiculous alleged confession of the said suspects was only premeditated just to possibly indict IPOB.

“Wike and his co-travellers should stop ridiculing themselves. IPOB is not a violent but peaceful movement. Bombing a place of worship how much more a church is never part of our signature tune. Most IPOB members have a Christian background and couldn’t have targeted any church for bombing.

“We have no quarrel with Wike’s father let alone innocent worshippers. Assuming but not admitting that we are behind the purported attack, we wouldn’t have done a poor job. If we want Wike we know how and where to get him but we don’t spill blood.”

Contrary to the belief that victims of Boko Haram attack last Saturday in Borno were rice farmers; fresh facts have emerged on Friday that they were informants and logistics suppliers to the insurgents.

About 48 persons were reportedly slain on Saturday morning in Zarbamari, a town in Borno State, North-East Nigeria, by the Boko Haram insurgents, who later claimed responsibility.

The recent attack which was believed by many to be on rice farmers elicited commentaries and condemnations from all spheres of life.

Prof. Babagana Umar Zulum, Governor of Borno State, had also on Thursday, disbursed the sum of N600,000 to family members of each of the slain farmers, while North East Governors donated N20m and North East Development Commission (NEDC) gave N5m to the families.

But Mallam Kabiru Zanna, a local of Zarbamari, who spoke with this correspondent on Friday morning, said those affected were mainly collaborators of Boko Haram who hailed from Zamfara and Sokoto States and not farmers.

“The people that were killed were logistics suppliers and collaborators with Boko Haram. They supply them food and fuel. They also help the insurgents in selling rustled cows”, he said.

Zanna who spoke in Hausa language also gave details of what transpired on the fateful Saturday and how the transaction between the insurgents and their erstwhile collaborators went awry.

“Last week, these same people were on their way to meeting the insurgents for business when they were accosted by soldiers and after the soldiers couldn’t find anything on them they let them go.

“Meanwhile, the insurgents who were waiting saw them with the troops who later killed 5 of them after an ambush, so the insurgents accused those guys of providing Intel to the soldiers. This is the main reason why the terrorists began killing them.

“The insurgents called them to meet on Thursday but they said they wouldn’t be able to make it until Saturday. They agreed to meet early morning 5:00am on that day. They even had their morning prayers there.

“From there, the insurgents began to tell them about those guys who used to supply them food, who also betrayed them by providing Intel to the troops.

“Normally if there are betrayers in a town the entire community would pay the price for such acts. At that moment, the insurgents ordered that everyone be tied. They instructed that no gun should be fired in other not to attract troops.

“That was exactly what happened. Those people mostly are collaborators of the terrorists”, he added.[/i]

Zanna, who has been keeping tabs with activities of Boko Haram in the state, said, though some that were killed were innocent, “but very few of them. I swear most of them are traders with the insurgents. None of them is a rice farmer, they are all in trade with the insurgents”.

When contacted on phone, a Media Aide to Governor Babagana Umar Zulum, Mr. Ahidjo Abdu Likita, confirmed the revelation.

“Yes, it has been confirmed that the victims slaughtered were agents of Boko Haram”, he told our correspondent on phone, adding that, further investigation was being carried to reveal more.

When asked why the Governor went ahead to disburse money to perceived family members of the victims, since they were collaborators, Likita said, “the Governor didn’t know the reality of the scenario till today”.

He said:-

“everybody was thinking it was the real people of Zabarmari village” until the information got to the Governor this morning.