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  • A’Ibom 2023: Arewa community drums support for PDP’s Umo Eno 

    A’Ibom 2023: Arewa community drums support for PDP’s Umo Eno 

    By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo

    The Arewa Community in Akwa Ibom  have endorsed the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno and his running mate, Senator Akon Eyakenyi ahead of the 2023 election.

    At a grand endorsement rally in support of the PDP Gubernatorial hopeful yesterday in Uyo, Chairman, Arewa People’s Assembly, Mr. Emmanuel Ogbole and the Sarkin Hausawa, Alhaji Hassan Sadauki, who is the Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Council for Islamic Affairs, pledged their total support for Pastor Umo Eno and his running mate, promising to deliver bloc votes for the PDP Governorship candidate and other candidates of the party in the 2023 election.

    They hailed the current administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel for fostering peace in the State, saying the Hausa Community were desirous of the sustenance of the peace and have absolute confidence in Pastor Umo Eno’s ability to drive the peace sustenance efforts and as well consolidate on the development strides of the Udom Emmanuel administration in other sectors of the state’s economy.

    In his speech, the Arewa Leader said the Community which is a conglomeration of Northerners from the 19 Northern states in Nigeria resident in Akwa Ibom, decided to file behind Pastor Umo Eno’s aspiration, as they have found Umo Eno worthy in character and capacity to succeed Governor Emmanuel in 2023.

    “We, members of Arewa Community in Akwa Ibom State are solidly behind you. I am standing as a collateral, surety and guarantor to assure you that we will deliver bloc votes for you and to all the candidates of the PDP. He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world.

    “This is a cross section of Arewa Community from 19 Northern states in Nigeria, across religious and cultural affiliation. We have come here today to attest to the fact that we have found you capable, because we can attest to your competency, character and personality and competency. You are an accomplished entrepreneur. We know you as a detribalized Nigerian. 

    “ We have mobilized our people already to vote for you. We know that with the completion agenda of His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel, by the time you become Governor in 2023, Akwa Ibom will become the Dubai of Africa.” Ogbole said.

    On his part, the Sarkin Hausawa, Sadauki said the Muslim Community in the State were confident in Umo Eno’s capacity, and would vote accordingly to ensure his victory at the polls.

    “We believe that by having you at the helm of affairs in the State, the bond of unity between the Muslim Community in Akwa Ibom and our hosts would deepen.” He stated.

    Others who spoke in support of Umo Eno’s candidacy including, the Deputy Sarkin Hausa, Alhaji Mohamed Ajawaji, Deputy State Imam, Mallam Ya’haya, the Sarkin Hausawa of Eket, Alhaji Ibrahim Iliya, Mrs. Deborah Usman who spoke for  the Women, affirmed their resolve to mobilize support for across board for the victory of the PDP in the forthcoming election.

    Reacting, the PDP Gubernatorial candidate, Pastor Umo Eno thanked the Arewa Community for endorsing his ambition, and promised to run an all inclusive administration and protect their interest once elected as Governor come 2023.

    He commended  members of Arewa Community for living peacefully in the State, and contributing to the development of the state, enjoining them to maintain the tempo but cautioned against engaging in acts capable of undermining the peace being enjoyed in the State.

  • 2023: Arewa group urges APC, PDP to Support Igbo Presidency

    2023: Arewa group urges APC, PDP to Support Igbo Presidency

    A group under the aegis of Arewa Support Group for Igbo Presidency has called on the All Progressive Congress and Peoples Democratic Party to support the South East in the 2023 presidential election.

    The National Coordinator for the group, Mustapha Imam, made the call at a news conference in Kano on Thursday evening.

    He said the call was necessary in order to promote national unity and ensure peaceful existence and progress in the country.

    Imam said, “We engaged with several interest groups, opinion, and all other stakeholders towards finding a stand on whom to support at the coming 2023 general election.

    “At the end of our consultations, we arrived at the decision for the sake of equity, justice, unity and progress of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to support the South East to produce the next President.”

    He noted that since the inception of this democratic process from 1999 till date, all the regions had produced the President except the South East.

    Imam said the group would continue to engage other sister organisations and Forums across the country to seek their assistance and support for the South East to produce the president in 2023.

    He said the group is ready to support any credible and competent candidate from the region irrespective of his political inclination.

    “The Arewa Support Group for Igbo Presidency is ready to support any credible and competent candidate who can deliver irrespective of his political alienation,” he said.

  • Arewa group demands identity of Gulak’s killers, tasks IGP on ethical policing

    Arewa group demands identity of Gulak’s killers, tasks IGP on ethical policing

    The coalition of Arewa Civil Society Organizations (CACSO), on Sunday, called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alkali Usman Baba, to reveal the identities of those behind the gruesome murder of Ahmed Gulak, 8 months ago.

    The coalition also demanded the true identity of the Police officers who masked themselves to abduct Chief Uche Nwosu in a Gestapo style from an Anglican Church service in Imo State, in December 2021.
    It was reported that Gulak, a former Political Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan and a Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), was assassinated in Owerri, Imo State capital on 30th May 2021, by “unknown gunmen”.

    In a press statement made available to newsman Sunday morning and signed by Dr. Haruna Jagindi and Amb. Danjuma Shetima, on behalf of the coalition; the group said it was important to let the world know “of the actions and inactions of some elements within the police that are constituting themselves as a threat to the citizens of this country”.
    They said the murder of Gulak was painful to all Nigerians, especially, Northerners, whose illustrious son he was, adding that the nation needed him now, to “overcome its myriad of challenges”.

    “That the true identity of those who assassinated Honourable Ahmed Gulak should be revealed, including their sponsors and their motives, because reports confirm that Gulak was not the only occupant of the vehicle when he was assassinated”, the group said.

    On the arrest of the son-in-law of Chief Rochas Okorocha, the statement reads: “the situation in Imo State was further compounded by the Gestapo style of some police officers who invaded an Anglican Church during a service in an acclaimed bid to arrest Chief Uche Nwosu, former governorship aspirant in the state.
    “These elements did not just invade the Church, but they did while fully masked up just like the popular unknown gunmen that we have in the state.

    These elements had nothing to identify or differentiate them from criminal elements as they were neither in uniform nor having any form or means of identification on them to prove they were security agents as required by operating standards all over the world.
    “Eyewitnesses had no other option than to conclude that Chief Uche Nwosu had been kidnapped because they could not point to anything tangible or evidential to identify his abductors as security agents.

    “This scenario filtered into mainstream and social media for several hours before a counter statement by Imo State Police Command revealed that what happened in the Anglican Church was not a kidnap but an arrest.

    “The long period that it took the Spokesperson of the command to talk to Nigerians especially family, friends and associates of Chief Nwosu on what actually transpired is a pointer to the fact that there is a bridge of professional conduct in his arrest and also the fact that there is a wide communication gap among police hierarchy in Imo State, hence the need for discipline and stringent punitive measures to serve as a deterrent and also rekindle the faith and trust of the citizens in the efforts of the police and our security agencies in tackling the menace of insecurity in Imo State and Nigeria as a whole”.

    While demanding that the motive behind his arrest be made public to Nigerians; the group also insisted that “the armed men who invaded the Church be unmasked and adequate sanctions be meted out to them, having engaged themselves or allowed themselves to be used illegally and to break professional ethics as stipulated in The Nigeria Police Act of 2020”.

  • Governor Lalong Delivers 11th Arewa Lecture, Canvasses For Reduction In Cost Of Governance To Fund Development

    Chairman of Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong says all tiers of Government in Nigeria must as a matter of urgency cut down on the high cost of Governance in order to fund critical areas of development that will address challenges of Nigerians. 

    Governor Lalong said this while delivering the 11th Annual Memorial Lecture in honour of late Sir Ahmadu Bello at the Arewa House, Kaduna. 

    Governor Lalong whose lecture was entitled “Reducing the Cost of Governance for Inclusive Growth and Youth Development in Post COVID-19 Northern Nigeria” said the high cost of governance has further increased the inability of the governments at all levels to meet the basic needs of the people. 

    He said factors such as corruption, insecurity, large number of Government appointees, high salaries, corruption, among others are among some of the factors that drive the high cost of governance in the country. He insisted that this must be addressed immediately to change the trajectory of growth in Nigeria and the North in particular. 

    Lalong said the high cost of governance has worsened the standard of living in the Northern part of the country which continues to battle with infrastructure deficit, poverty, illiteracy, culture of patronage laziness, diseases and insecurity. 

    He said the Northern Governors Forum has seriously examined the economic situation in the region and is working in unison to address the high cost of governance and other obstacles to development. 

    Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari who represented President Muhammadu Buhari said the Federal Government has continued to implement various cut-cutting measures to reduce the cost of governance and free resources for development. 

    He said so far, the results are positive and the Federal Government will work with State Governments including those of the Northern region in adopting measure that will reduce huge spending and wastages so that funds will be available for development. 

    Chairman of the occassion, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu said the discourse is timely as the nation needs to prioritise its spending and get more resources towards addressing the problems of the common man.

    The Lecture was attended by many dignitaries from across the country as well as Governors from the northern region. 

    Awards were bestowed on six former Governors of the Northern region who served meritoriouly and founded the Arewa House. Among them is former Governor of Benue Plateau State, late Joseph Gomwalk.