APC’s expansion ambition, Nnamdi Kanu’s health, other top stories from South-east

Here are the highlights of the top stories that made headlines in the South-east region within the past week:

APC’s move to take over South-east

The week began on 14 July with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) revealing their plans to take over the remaining states in the South-east.

The National Chairperson of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, revealed this during the party’s South-east Stakeholders Meeting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

Of the five states in the South-east, only Imo and Ebonyi States are controlled by the APC.

The three other states – Enugu, Abia and Anambra – are controlled by the PDP, Labour Party, and APGA, respectively.

Mr Ganduje told the party members that the APC had begun the implementation of its blueprint for the de-marginalisation of the South-east.

He said the “de-marginalisation” initiative would enable the people of the South-east region to benefit “maximally from the present administration and gain access to the mainstream of national politics.”

Mr Ganduje suggested unity among the APC members, adoption of internal party democracy and aggressive mobilisation of new members as part of the strategies for the party’s “takeover” of the South-east.

Denial of Nnamdi Kanu’s access to medical doctor

Last Tuesday, Aloy Ejimakor, special counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, raised an alarm that the State Security Service (SSS) again denied Mr Kanu access to his medical doctor.

Mr Kanu, who is facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court, Abuja, is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The IPOB leader has been detained at the SSS facility in Abuja since he was rearrested and repatriated to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021.

Mr Ejimakor claimed the SSS authorities refused the IPOB leader access to his doctor the previous day despite being “ill, with shortness of breath, low blood pressure and general malaise” at their facility.

When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, the SSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, declined to speak on the matter.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, barely 24 hours after, Mr Ejimakor confirmed that the SSS had now allowed Mr Kanu access to his doctor.

The lawyer said a doctor who examined Mr Kanu issued a preliminary report indicating “complex medical conditions that require that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu be taken to a hospital for a more detailed diagnosis.”

Vigilante group arrest gunmen terrorising Anambra residents – Official

On Tuesday, we brought you a report that a Vigilante group in Anambra State arrested eight people suspected to be among the gunmen terrorising residents of Awka, the state capital.

The State Commissioner for Homeland Affairs, Chikodi Anarah, who announced the arrest of the gunmen to reporters in Awka, said some arms and ammunition were recovered from the suspects.

PDP governors’ resolution on Rivers crisis

It was a historic day on Thursday when the PDP Governors’ Forum met in Enugu State and announced their resolutions on certain burning governance issues in Nigeria.

Top among them was the governors’ resolution to adopt a political solution in tackling the prolonged crisis between Governor Simi Fubara of Rivers State and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now FCT minister.

Apart from 13 governors elected on the PDP platform, other party top leaders, such as the chairperson of the PDP Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, also attended the meeting.

The governors expressed support for the autonomy of the local governments as declared recently by the Supreme Court.

They also backed the wage raise demand by the organised labour while warning that “agreement must take into consideration the ability to pay (the workers) by the sub-nationals, the federal government and the third tiers of government.”

The governors criticised President Bola Tinubu over the economic hardship in Nigeria, claiming that the APC-led federal government had reversed the gains made during the 16 years of the PDP in power.

Imo assembly asks Uzodinma to sack chief judge

We reported that the Imo House of Assembly last Wednesday asked Governor Hope Uzodinma to sack the state’s Chief Judge, Theresa Chikeka, over allegation of age falsification.

A civil society organisation, the Civil Society Engagement Platform, had petitioned the assembly, alleging that the chief judge falsified her age.

The petition prompted the assembly to begin an investigation into the alleged offence, which the lawmakers said they later confirmed to be true.

Police speak on abduction of many travellers in Enugu

On Tuesday, gunmen abducted many travellers along the Amechi-Idodo Area of the Enugu/Abakaliki Express Road.

The attackers were said to have flagged down the victims’ vehicle and abducted them along Amechi -Idodo Axis in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The police spokesperson in Ebonyi State, Joshua Ukandu, told PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday that he was aware the place had been a den of kidnappers but would not comment on the incident because the area is under the jurisdiction of the Enugu State Police Command.

The police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, did not respond to calls and a text message seeking his comments.

But in a statement on Friday evening, Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, refuted the abduction of 11 travellers.

The police spokesperson claimed only three travellers were still missing after the attack by the hoodlums.

He described the reported abduction of 11 travellers as “misleading, false and mischievous.”

Mr Ndukwe said the operatives, on arrival at the scene, rescued 13 occupants of a Nissan commercial bus attacked by suspected kidnappers.

The spokesperson claimed the three missing travellers had scampered into nearby bushes during the attack.

He said the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has ordered sustained operations to locate and rescue the three missing travellers.

Confusion as Nigerian university ‘sacks’ vice-chancellor

There was confusion on Saturday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Anambra State after the institution’s Governing Council sacked Joseph Ikechebelu as its acting vice-chancellor.

Mr Ikechebelu, a professor and a former deputy vice-chancellor (administration) of the institution, was reportedly appointed acting vice-chancellor in early June to replace Charles Esimone, a professor whose tenure expired on 3 June.

But the university’s Governing Council announced the sack of the acting vice-chancellor in a letter made available to reporters on Saturday.

The letter, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, was signed by the pro-Chancellor and chairperson of the council, Gregory Mbadiwe.

Mr Mbadiwe, in the letter, also announced the appointment of Carol Arinze-Umobi, a professor, as a new acting vice-chancellor of the institution.

The letter said Mrs Arinze-Umobi’s appointment will take effect from Monday, 22 July 2024.

The council chairperson said the appointment, which is for six months, is in accordance with the provisions of Section four of the First Schedule, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Act CAP 139, LFN 2004 as amended by the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amended) Act 2007.

But things took a different twist after the university Registrar, Samuel Ufor, dismissed the sack of the acting vice-chancellor.

In a statement later on Saturday, Mr Ufor claimed the governing council meeting ended in stalemate and that the internal members of the council objected to the letter for not being sanctioned by the Senate.

The registrar explained that the objection was because the Senate was yet to hold its meeting scheduled for Wednesday 24 July, and could not have authored the letter.

But when contacted by PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday the university spokesperson, Emmanuel Ojukwu, refuted claims by the institution’s registrar.

Mr Ojukwu argued that Mr Ikechebelu was never appointed acting vice-chancellor and that the then vice-chancellor only handed over to him to “be overseeing the university” pending ratification by the institution’s governing council in line with directives by the federal government.

The spokesperson explained that Mr Ikechebelu was not ratified as acting vice-chancellor because he had indicated an interest in contesting the vice-chancellorship position.

This newspaper obtained a letter written by the NUC which confirmed the position of Mr Ojukwu.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Mrs Arinze-Umobi assumed office as the newly appointed acting vice-chancellor of the institution.

Nigerian governor calls for Simon Ekpa’s repatriation over killings in South-east

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State called for the repatriation of Simon Ekpa, a controversial Biafra agitator, on Saturday when he received members of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence.

Mr Ekpa, a Finland-based Nigerian is a leader of Auto Pilot, a faction of the IPOB and has been linked to worsening insecurity and enforcement of illegal sit-at-home orders in the South-east.

Speaking to the lawmakers, Mr Mbah accused the Biafra agitator of being a “scammer” who has been “feeding fat” on the suffering of Igbos.

The governor asked the lawmakers to consider repatriating Mr Ekpa to Nigeria for prosecution.

The governor expressed displeasure that the Finnish government has continued to harbour the Biafra agitator while his foot soldiers kill many residents and destroy properties in the South-east.

Despite repeated calls for the repatriation of Mr Ekpa, the federal government appears to be having difficulty in convincing the Finnish government to collaborate with them.

In February 2023, Geoffrey Onyeama, the then minister of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria, in a meeting with the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen, asked for the cooperation of the Finnish government to arrest Mr Ekpa over his threats to disrupt the 2023 general election.

However, Mrs Pylvanainen said that although the Finnish government was concerned about the situation, there was a need to consider Mr Ekpa’s rights given that he is a Finnish citizen.

“So, everything has to be done according to Finnish legislation,” she stated.