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Ohanaeze directs Ndigbo not to join ‘hardship’ protest

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1 year ago

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Ohanaeze directs Ndigbo not to join ‘hardship’ protest

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has directed the Igbos all over the country not to join the ongoing protests against hardship.

Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in a statement titled “Message to all Igbos Worldwide,”  urged the Igbos to show their support for President Bola Tinubu. Noting that the hardship faced by Nigerians will soon be a thing of the past.

The statement from Ohanaeze’s president Partly, reads, “I write as your leader at this critical period in our country, Nigeria.

“Events in Nigeria today are no doubt very disturbing. The economy has turned very bad, and a sense of frustration is everywhere.

“I have received many entreaties from many parts of the country requesting me to call Igbos to join in demonstrations and violent action in the country against the government.

“As your leader, I am directing that no Igbo group or community in Nigeria or the Diaspora should join in this action.

“I am still studying the situation. I have asked Nigerians who approached me the following questions: What did they do when the past government disfranchised Igbo land?”

Speaking on the alleged marginalization of the Igbos in the country, the Ohanaeze threatened to take legal action if steps were not taken to correct the “injustice” meted out to the Igbos.

Iwuanyanwu said, “Most of the Igbo are in the South East, and the South East is very sadly marginalized in all ramifications.

“We are the only geopolitical zone that has only five (5) states. This situation has cost us billions of dollars in financial losses. It has also cost us losses in both political appointments and legislative representations.

“In 2005 and 2014, we raised this issue at various political conferences. All men of goodwill at the conference agreed that it was unfair for the Southeast to have only five states and recommended that an additional state be created in the Southeast, but up until today, this has not been done.

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“I have severally drawn the attention of the federal government to this injustice against the Southeast.”

“This statement should serve as a notice that if no step is taken by the federal government and the National Assembly towards the creation of an additional state in the Southeast, I will have no choice but to go to court.

“In the 1999 Constitution as amended, we all endorsed a federal character. Igbos, by nature, would have preferred the free competitive process rather than a federal character paradigm.

“But we realized that Nigeria is a federation comprising so many ethnic nationalities, and as part of our sacrifice towards the unity of Nigeria, we accepted the federal character option, but unfortunately, it has been used to maneuver the Igbo out of most critical positions in government.

“For example, the former President Muhammadu Buhari openly confessed that he didn’t give us our due because we didn’t vote for him.”

Calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, Ohanaeze noted that “youths all over the world are very restive and sensitive to any issue affecting their future. In Nigeria, Igbo youths and youths from other tribes at various times expressed their dissatisfaction with events in the country.

“It is clear to us that when youths from other tribes of the country are involved, they are reprimanded and forgiven, but when the Igbo youths are involved, they are arrested, incarcerated, and even charged for serious offenses.

“For example, the arrest and detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu generated a lot of problems for the Igbos.

“Many Igbos, including governors, members of the National Assembly, religious leaders, traditional rulers, and business leaders, pleaded with Mr. President for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, but without success.”

He added that Igbo monarchs are not being spared in the alleged injustice. “Also, there are many Igbo youths detained in various correctional centers for flimsy excuses. For example, there is the case of Eze Fredrick Nwajiagu, who has been in detention in Lagos without any justifiable reason.

“Since the 2023 general election, Igbos have been victimized over the failure of the APC to win in Lagos and Abuja.

“It has been brought to my attention that there is a conspiracy to cripple Igbo business enterprises in Lagos, Abuja, and other parts of Nigeria. All these are aimed at incapacitating the Igbos from all future political activities.

“In some parts of Nigeria, Igbos who answer Igbo names and who are raised in Igbo culture and tradition continue to deny their Igbo heritage.

“This is because some people outside Eastern Nigeria who assume the monopoly of political power have continued to brainwash this set of people and turned their minds against their kit and kin, the Igbos.

“For example, after the Civil War, which was fought by the entire Eastern Nigeria, this group of people profiled it as if it were a war by a few Igbos, and they influenced our kit and kin in Rivers State to seize our assets in the name of abandoned property.

“Remarkably, the end of the Civil War was based on the 3 Rs: reconciliation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. Most unfortunately, the 3Rs were never implemented in the war-torn areas.

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“History will always record the contributions of General Yakubu Gowon, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, and General Obasanjo towards the peaceful conclusion of the Civil War based on no victor, no vanquished.

“It is regrettable that up until today, despite the efforts of Igbos to demonstrate their commitment to one united Nigeria, Igbos are victimized in many parts of the country, and people profile them wrongly at various times.

“It is clear to me that Igbos must work hard to succeed in Nigeria. It is no secret that most contracts executed by Igbo businessmen in Nigeria are bought from their original awardees.

“In terms of political power, the Presidency of Nigeria was zoned to rotate between the North and the South. We accepted it.

“The last election was a defining moment in the country when, in fact, Igbos generally believed it was their turn to produce a president, but some groups in Nigeria ganged up against Igbos, and we failed in this quest.

“We once again thank all Nigerians who have shown their patriotism and love for one united Nigeria by supporting a very credible Igbo candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.

“These Nigerian leaders are too numerous to mention, but we cannot fail to express our thanks to Chief Dr. Edwin Clark, the leader of the South-South region; Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the leader of Afenifere; and Dr. Bitrus Pogu, the leader of the Middle Belt Forum, for their courage in supporting an Igbo candidate.

“It is important to remind all Igbos that the 2023 presidential electoral matter has reached the Nigerian Supreme Court, where they declared President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR the winner.

“We don’t have any personal issues with him. As governor of Lagos State, he was good and charitable to Igbos.

“We have therefore decided to support him. We expect him to reciprocate this gesture by giving us what is due to the federation. We are not asking for another person’s position.

“The economic crisis in Nigeria is very unfortunate. Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide intends to convene a meeting of Igbo top economists and experts in diverse fields to strategize on how to overcome the hardships.

“We will also offer advice to President Tinubu on the economy. It is important to note that the best thing for us as Igbos is to rally around President Tinubu and do what we can to enable him to complete his tenure. Igbos are opposed to military rule. We prefer a democratic government where we can express our views.”

Ohanaeze directs Ndigbo not to join ‘hardship’ protest

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Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi

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11 hours ago

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March 22, 2025

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Chairman of the Senate Services Sunday Karimi

Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi

Chairman of the Senate Services Sunday Karimi has hailed President Bola Tinubu for the decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.

 He told reporters on Friday in Abuja that the President acted in the best interest of the State and Nigeria, having taken his decision in compliance with the Constitution.

“No President or government worth a name, will fold its arms and watch a political situation deteriorate to what we saw unfolding in Rivers State.

“We saw that bombing of pipelines had begun, and the security situation was getting worse with the tension everywhere”, Karimi stated.

Karimi, who represents Kogi-West on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), recalled the “fatherly role” Tinubu had played in the crisis since 2023 in a bid to get the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara to reach an understanding, to no avail.

He explained: “We were all here in 2023 when Mr President called that truce meeting at the Aso Rock Villa. There was the eight-point agenda for settlement reached between the factions.

“When Nigerians expected that progress should be made to achieve peace, things started deteriorating considerably to a point where the governor demolished the House of Assembly building and administered the state with only three legislators.”

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Karimi observed that with the recent judgment of the Supreme Court, which gave the upper hand to the 27 lawmakers loyal to the camp of the FCT Minister, matters merely got worse in the State as the lawmakers were set to impeach the Governor.

“What did you expect would be the implications? There would have been more destruction, killings and economic losses for the country.

“With the bombings that had already started, it was a matter of time before the whole state would be engulfed in flames. No responsible President would sit, arms folded, and allow that to happen “ he added.

The senator further argued that it took “painstaking efforts” by the administration to raise daily crude oil production to around 1,800 barrels, noting that Nigeria’s economy was already “witnessing a rebound under the renewed hope projects of the government.”

“Allowing the situation in Rivers to get worse before he would act, wouldn’t have helped the state or Nigeria as a country in any way.

“Mr. President intervened at the right time, and his actions are covered by law,” he said.

Karimi also spoke on the emergency declaration  in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and a couple of other states by former President Goodluck Jonathan without removing the Governors from office or suspending the state assemblies.

According to him, the case with those States was not generated by political crises but rather security concerns.

“So, I will advise those comparing the two scenarios to remember that one was purely about security threats resulting from the insurgency caused by Boko Haram, while that of Rivers is clearly political.

“It was the proper thing to do to suspend the political actors in the two factions to allow for tensions to diffuse. Nigerians should appreciate the President for the action he has taken so far,” he stated.

Sen. Karimi also noted that there was no cause for alarm as the National Assembly had indicated that the emergency rule could be reviewed as soon as there were signs that things could quickly normalise in Rivers State.

 

Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi

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Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibas

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3 days ago

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March 19, 2025

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Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibok-ete Ibas 

President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (Retd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.

The administrator was sworn in on Wednesday after a short meeting with the President.

Tinubu announced the appointment of the retired naval chief at a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, when he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor, Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly members.

The President said his decision was based on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he could not continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking concrete action.

The suspension of Fubara and other elected representatives has been rejected and condemned by many eminent Nigerians, legal luminaries, groups such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Femi Falana, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian Bar Association.

However, the emergency rule has been praised by the pro-Nyesom Wike Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule, accusing Fubara of contravening the Supreme Court ruling on the political situation in the state.

Ibas was the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021.

He is from Cross River State where he had his early education.

The new sole administrator went to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979 from where he proceeded to have a successful career in the Navy, rising through the ranks to the very top.

He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management.

President Muhammadu Buhari who appointed him as Chief of Naval Staff conferred him with the National Honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2022.

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Breaking: Tinubu declares state of emergency in Rivers State

Published

4 days ago

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March 18, 2025

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Breaking: Tinubu declares state of emergency in Rivers State

 

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following the protracted political crisis in the state.

Tinubu made the declaration during a nationwide broadcast, saying it is for six months.

He announced the suspension of the Executive Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and all the members of the House of Assembly for six months.

He immediately named an administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Retd), to take charge of the affairs of the state for the six-month period.

Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution interprets a state of emergency as a situation of national danger or disaster in which a government suspends normal constitutional procedures to regain control.

A state of emergency allows the President to immediately make any desired regulations to secure public order and safety. (Channels TV)

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