By Jude Opara, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday upheld the MacDonald Ebere led State Executive Committee in Imo state.

Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yakubu Ajaka told newsmen after a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling party.

Recall that on the 15th of June, a letter earlier written by the Deputy Secretary, Festus Fonta recognized the leadership of Hon.

Dan Nwafor.

Ajaka said; “The National Working Committee NWC just finished a meeting now and in their decision rescind that letter.

“So the status quo in Imo remains that the MacDonald  Ebere led state Committee remains the substantive Chairman of the party in Imo state.

“There is no change of leadership, so what happened was just a mere mistake. The Supreme Court judgement was very clear, the current executive of MacDonald was a product of Congress.

“The Congress that produced Nwafor’s group has just elapsed by decision of NEC in 2022. So the current Exco there now is the only recognized leadership in Imo.

“This is the decision of the NWC today”.

When asked why the National Secretary was not in the meeting, Ajaka said that the Deputy Secretary who signed was present at the NWC meeting.

         
The federal commissioner representing Nasarawa state at the National Population Commission Abuja, Silas Ali Agara, has reaffirmed the commission’s plans to conduct a paperless population census using tablets during the 2023 census.


He disclosed this while touring the training centers of enumerators of the trial census across the Karu Local government area, Tuesday.

              

The Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission NPC, representing Nasarawa state, Silas Agara, visited the training centers which include, Karu Local government Secretariat, Government secondary schools Karshi, and that of Pyanko as well as government secondary school Uke among others.


Addressing the enumerators, Silas Agara, said the paperless census is necessary for Nigeria just as other countries like Ghana and South Africa have already adopted it, calling on the trainees to make sure they understand the practical aspect of the training, stressing that at the end of it, some of them would be supervisors and enumerators depending on the recommendations by the facilitators while those with less performance will be on the reserve list.


Agara told them that the paperless work does not matter the qualifications of an individual but how one can handle the machine, urging them to use the opportunity to improve their skills based on the technicality involved in the work and assured them of adequate security and welfare throughout the twelve days training of the enumerators.

He said those that did not receive text messages but their names were captured in the Master list of Five thousand one hundred and ninety-nine names to be reassured that they are part of the program, admonishing them to cooperate with their facilitators to achieve success.

Some facilitators and enumerators interviewed, Amanda Litini Apatak and Felix Ajuda, applauded the National population commission for allowing them to serve, saying that they have learned a lot with two days of their training.

Godwin Okeh, Abakaliki

Ebonyi state deputy governor, Chief Kelechi Eric Igwe has few months to the 2023 general election speaks on his alleged defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Labour Party, LP.

DAILY ASSET reports that, there are rumours making the rounds in the state, that Igwe allegedly dumped APC to LP, to protest the denial of his senatorial ambition by the leadership of the party in the state.

Igwe, in a statement signed and made available to journalists in Abakaliki through his chief Press Secretary, Mr. Monday Uzor, said he has no intention to dump APC for LP, and that, in no account will he (Igwe) abandon his boss, David Umahi at the pick of the expiration of their 8yrs tenure.

He called on the people of the state to ignore the rumours, and warned his rivals to stay clear from heating up the polity in the state, especially as the gubernatorial candidates of PDP and APC struggles to takeover governance from Umahi.

He said: “The attention of the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Eric Kelechi Igwe has been drawn to a social media post alleging that the Deputy Governor is planning to dump All Progressive Congress APC for Labour party.

“The report is not only false but a deliberate attempt to smear the office and personality of the Deputy Governor. It is a deliberate attempt to heat up the polity through dangerous speculations capable of undermining the peace in the State.

“The deputy governor remains a strong and bonafide member of the All  Progressives Congress APC and has no intention of dumping the party whether now or later.

“The Deputy Governor has  enormous responsibilities occupying his time especially, how to assist the Governor David Umahi to successfully anchor the  transition programme.

“The general public and  in particular members of our great party should disregard such unfounded rumour being peddled by those who are envious of the the progress the party is making” he stated.