NEWS
Enugu LG Polls: Mbah Woos Support for PDP Candidates
From Sylvia Udegbunam Enugu
As campaigns gradually wind down ahead of the September 21 Council Chairmanship and Councillorship poll in Enugu State, Governor Peter Mbah has urged the electorate to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to consolidate his administration’s development strides.
Mbah, who is also the PDP leader in the state said that his administration was already undertaking over 1,000 projects across Enugu State, with at least N1bn worth of projects for each of the 260 wards.
The governor spoke at the grand finale of the PDP campaign, which was held at the Okpara Square, Enugu, on Wednesday.
Speaking amid fanfare, Mbah said, “When we say power to the people in PDP, we understand where power belongs.
You entrusted your mandate to those who will hit the ground running. We are currently executing over 1,000 projects in our state. And what that means is that you have not entrusted your future to people that will use it for trial and error.“We are building in your various wards, 260 Smart Green Schools and 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres. It is not just about the brick and mortar. It is to ensure that every child has access to quality learning. And it is not just about quality learning. We are talking about robotics, mechatronics, augmented realities, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and computer-generated images. The idea is that 10 to 15 years from now, no child in Enugu State would ever be poor.
“We are spending over a billion naira in every ward. What that means is that we are generating wealth in every community. The bye-products of these activities are employment generation and wealth creation so that our people would no longer be hungry. It is not about giving you handouts. It is about providing you with a job so you can work and get paid.”
He noted that the PDP took conscious steps to elect credible candidates for the council primary election, knowing that the rural communities were the most developmentally challenged.
“If we are feeling the impact of governance of PDP at the state level, it means that we must cascade it to the grassroots because we are only as good as our weakest link.
“We understand that our weakest point is our rural areas and that is why we have gone through our rigorous process of conducting a credible primary that threw up the best of our best to go to our various local governments to serve us.
“The programmes and projects that we are executing need to be consolidated. We need men and women whose track record and integrity cannot be questioned; people who have demonstrated in their various places of work that they are able to deliver; and those are the people we are presenting to you to support come Saturday.
“You must all come out en masse. Take nothing for granted; do not say it is a foregone conclusion, PDP has won. You must come out and cast your vote.
“I am assuring you that these men of integrity and competence that are coming to join us to consolidate the works we are doing in our various communities will not fail you. We are going to make sure that they deliver,” he stated.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the PDP in Enugu State, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike, said the party’s State Executive Committee campaigned in all the LGAs, while the chairmanship candidates campaigned intensively in all the 260 wards, noting, however, that they did not see the opposition campaigning anywhere.
“If you do not campaign, how do you hope to win? It is a walkover. Nevertheless, we urge our supporters to come out and vote en masse to make the needed statement,” he stated.
Other party chieftains, including the Speaker, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu; Senate Minority Whip, Senator Osita Ngwu; Member representing Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji; the State PDP Woman Leader, Hon. Peace Patrick; the State PDP Youth Leader, Hon. Benneth Ajah; and the immediate past Chairman of the Enugu State Chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, and Chairmanship candidate of the party in Nkanu East, Hon. Okechukwu Edeh, stressed that the governor’s myriad of projects across every nook and cranny in just 15 months had already campaigned and secured victory for the party..
Speaking to newsmen, the party’s chairmanship flagbearer in Isi-Uzo LGA, Hon. Obioara Obeagu, said the governor’s numerous projects had liquidated the vestiges of opposition.
By David Torough, Abuja
The remains of elder statesman and President General of the pan-Igbo group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, have been slated for burial on November 1.
Chairman of the burial committee, Senator Ben Obi, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.
Alongside with the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Amb Okey Emuchay and burial sub-committee chairmen, Senator Osita Izunaso, Gen.
Azubuike Ihejirika (retd) and others, Obi unveiled a series of activities culminating into the actual burial ceremony.“Our message today is to convey the dates for the burial of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“Lagos day of tributes, Wednesday 16th October 2024 at Eko Hotels and Convention Centre.
“Abuja Day of Tributes Friday 18th October, 2024 at the National Ecumenical Centre.
“Enugu Day of tributes, Saturday 26th October with a brief stop at Ohanaeze headquarters, 7 Parkland GRA Enugu while the main event will be held at the Okpara Square.
“Owerri Service of Songs Tuesday 29th October 2024. Commendation Service on 1st November in Owerri and Imo day of burial on Friday, 1st November 2024,” he said.
He added that further details will be communicated in due course.
On whether the Federal Government would participate in the burial, Senator Obi said the committee will visit President Bola Tinubu to intimate him about the transition of the statesman and details of his burial.
“We will be visiting President Tinubu to formally announce to him details of this transition and I am sure the President knows all that Chief Iwuanyanwu had done and he will do the needful,” he said.
Asked whether the late newspaper publisher had regrets about his inability to secure the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and ensure the realization of a restructure federation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo scribe said Chief Iwuanyanwu died a fulfilled man because he never shies away from doing his best in the circumstance.
“Chief Iwuanyanwu and I visited Kanu in jail and I think that was his last official assignment before his demise.
“Prior to that, he had never missed any opportunity to call for the release of Kanu.
“On restructuring, he never minced his words on equity, fairness and justice and he knew that he couldn’t do it alone.
“So he operated with the South-South PANDEF, Middle Belt Forum and Afenifere. He asked for parity in the number of states in each geopolitical zone.
“We in Ohanaeze will continue to pursue these issues that were very dear to his heart and we want to give the assurances that we will not fail,” Obi said.
President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly session in New York this year.The President has thus directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation, Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser, Information and Strategy, said in a statement on Thursday.“President Tinubu, who returned to the country last Sunday after his trip to China and the UK, wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding.
“At UNGA 79, Vice President Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement to the General Assembly, attend important sideline events, and hold bilateral meetings,” said the statement.The high-level General Debate, with the theme, “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations,”will run from Sept. 24, to Sept. 28. (NAN)
The National Examinations Council, (NECO) has released the June/July 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination results (SSCE), with 60.55 per cent of candidates securing five credits and above in English Language and Mathematics.
The Registrar of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, disclosed this while addressing newsmen at the NECO headquarters on Thursday in Minna, Niger.
Wushishi said that a total of 1,376,423 candidates, representing 706,950 males and 669,473 females, registered for the exam.
The registrar said that 1,367,736 candidates sat for the examination, representing 702,112 Males and 665,624 females.
He said that 828, 284 candidates had five credits and above, including English and Mathematics, representing 60.
55 per cent.Wushishi said that the number of candidates with five credits and above, irrespective of English and Mathematics, were 1,147,597, representing 83.90 per cent.
He said that there was a great reduction in the number of examination malpractices this year compared to 2023.
“The number of candidates involved in various forms of malpractice in 2024 is 8,437 as against 12,030 in 2023, which shows a reduction of 30. 1 per cent,” he said.
The registrar, however, said that 40 schools were found to be involved in mass cheating during the examination.
” During the conduct of the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), 40 schools were found to have been involved in whole school (mass) cheating in 17 states.
” They will be invited to the Council for discussion, after which appropriate sanctions will be applied.
“A school in Ekiti was recommended for de-recognition for mass cheating in two core subjects and 01 Science subject.
” Similarly, 21 Supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision, aiding and abetting, abscondment, extortion, drunkenness and negligence in 12 states,”said.
He urged candidates that sat for the examination to visit NECO website to access their results.
Wushishi said candidates can access their results on NECO website: www.neco.gov.ng using their examination registration number,” he said.(NAN)
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