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THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2017˾ T H I S D AY
NEWSXTRA
Buhari Pledges to Work with New Leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Okorocha congratulates Nwodo, Opara for election
Tobi Soniyi ÓØ ÌßÔË President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said he looked forward to working with the new leadership of the pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Buhari, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, congratulated Chief John Nwodo on his election as the President-General of the group. The president said he believed that Nwodo was eminently qualified for the job, given his long years of distinguished service to the nation, which included, Minister of Civil Aviation in the Second Republic under President Shehu Shagari and Minister of Information and Culture during the administration of General Abdulsalami Abubakar. The statement said: “As Nwodo prepares to settle down with his team to implement his vision for Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the President appeals to Ndigbo as well as the wider community of Nigerians to support the new leadership to fulfill their mandate in these challenging times.” Buhari said he
looked forward to working with the new leadership and assured Ohanaeze Ndigbo that his administration would continue to be a partner-inprogress in implementing suggestions, measures and programmes to advance the unity, development and prosperity of Nigeria. The president wished the Nwodo-led Ohanaeze Ndigbo a peaceful and prosperous tenure. Meanwhile, Governor of Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has congratulated Nwodo on his deserving election as the new President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and said that the delegates to the election and indeed, Ndigbo in general have made a wise choice. The governor also expressed happiness for the elections of DIG Hilary Opara (rtd) and Mr. Uche Okwukwu as the Deputy National President-General and Secretary-General respectively of the Igbo apex body. He charged Nwodo and his team to bring their wealth of experience to bear in piloting the affairs of the Pan-Igbo organisation and pursue those policies that would quicken or accelerate the development and growth of Igbo land in particular and Nigeria in general.
FG to Introduce New Trade Policy to Disallow Dumping ’Investor confidence on the rise’ James Emejo ÓØ ÌßÔË Nigeria’s Chief Trade Negotiator, Mr. Chiedu Osakwe, yesterday said trade remedies were being drafted to tackle disruptive trade practices particularly dumping of substandard products in the country. He said government was working in collaboration with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to draft both infrastructure and bill that would put an end to current dumping menace. He also said the high governance standards set by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to attract the “keenest and deepest expression of interest” by foreign investors in the Nigerian economy. He would not give details of some of the foreign investors as most of them are still undergoing negotiations. Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, Osakwe, who is also the Trade Adviser to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah, also said the government was working on the review of existing trade policies to reflect the dynamics of the global economy and
accord priority to the emerging digital or internet economy. He said the enhancement of products standards remained a major concern for the current administration, adding that there are several practical work being done towards standards improvement so as to make Nigerian products more readily acceptable in the international market. Such standards would also be consistent with the those set by WTO. He also clarified that the country was yet to ratify the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union adding that Nigeria would not be stampeded into singing agreement which is not in its favour. However, he said the trade document was still being scrutinised. He said: “We need to use trade policy to correct imbalances in global trade. “ He held that Buhari’s leadership was critical to reducing barriers to trade with other countries. He added that the WTO is expected to hold Nigeria’s fifth trade policy review in June, a step that could further boost confidence in the economy.
According to Okorocha, with the outcome of the Enugu election, one can conveniently vouch that the future is very bright for Ndigbo both at home and in the diaspora and that Ndigbo could not have made better choices than
the personalities that emerged in Enugu. He assured the new Ohanaeze executive of the cooperation of the governors in the South-east and added that the unity of Ndigbo including their leaders should
be strengthened now, more than ever before, while ensuring that Ndigbo get their due in corporate Nigeria. The governor also commended Igbo leaders like Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Senator Ken Nnamani, Igwe
Alfred Achebe of Onitsha, Chief Okwey Nwodo, Prof. ABC Nwosu and others, who made the election a hitch-free exercise. He wishes the new leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo a successful tenure.
COURTESY VISIT
L-R: Members, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Etannibi Alemika; Femi Odekunle; Chairman, PACAC, Prof. Itse Sagay; Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Members, PACAC, Bolaji Owasanoye; Sadiq Isah Radda; Bala Usman, during a courtesy visit to the vice president at the State House in Abuja....yesterday
You are Biased, Wike Tells IG’s Panel on Rivers Rerun Ernest Chinwo ÓØ ÙÜÞ ËÜÍÙßÜÞ Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has told the Special Joint Investigation Panel on Rivers Rerun election set up by the Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, that it was established with a predetermined goal, with the aim of assisting the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the election tribunal. Wike also announced that the state government has gone to court to challenge the setting up of the panel, with the Chairman of the panel, Damian Okoro, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, as one of the defendants, hence the people of the state will not participate in the activities of the panel. The governor said the panel is biased, with an agenda targeted against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its members, while shielding policemen used by the APC to commit electoral fraud. Wike spoke yesterday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, when the Nigerian Police Special Joint Investigation Panel on Rivers Rerun paid him a courtesy visit. He expressed regret that the Nigerian Police was
being used to protect the interest of a particular politician in the state. His words: “I must tell you with all honesty that my people and I will not participate in the sitting of this panel. We have challenged the setting up of this panel in court. “Let there be a judicial pronouncement on this matter. It will enrich our jurisprudence. This panel has not shown us that it will not be biased.” He added: “All these activities are orchestrated so that APC will use the materials therefrom at the tribunal. “Even you as the chairman of the panel cannot say from your conscience that you are not biased.” The governor regretted that the Police High Command attempted to deny video evidence of the invasion of Rivers East senatorial district Collation by Akin Fakorede and his SARS personnel. He also wondered why the police has refused to make public how DSP Alkali was killed, simply because the person indicted was a commissioner under the Minister of Transportation. He said: “The same Akin Fakorede who was caught on video after he invaded the Rivers East senatorial
is the one who is arranging witnesses for the panel set up by the IG. “Nobody is investigating the case of Rivers APC printing fake result sheets which the police is trying to sweep under the carpet.” He wondered why the IG set up a panel when he had already made conclusions as enunciated in his letter to the Rivers State Governor. He said since the IG knew those who perpetrated the crime during the rerun legislative elections, why did he go ahead to set up a panel. “We believe that the panel has already taken a decision. We are convinced that the essence of the panel is to witch-hunt our people and we have evidence to show. We
cannot because of one man’s interest, destroy the state. “Already, you have dismissed policemen attached to me without even hearing from me. This is the same panel that claims it is investigating the conduct of all policemen during the rerun legislative elections,” he concluded. Earlier, Chairman of the Nigerian Police Special Joint Investigation Panel on Rivers Rerun, Mr. Damian Okoro, said the panel was in the state to interface with the governor on what transpired before, during and after the rerun elections. He added that the panel would also examine the role of security personnel during the rerun legislative elections.
Angelina Uzoatu Passes on The distinguished educationist and Catholic women organiser, Mrs. Angelina N. Uzoatu, has passed away. Married to the pre-eminent educationist and Odu of Umuchu, Chief Stephen N. Uzoatu who predeceased her, she was born on July 5, 1932. In her career, she trained generations of pupils and led the Catholic women with uncommon distinction. Uzoatu is survived by the poet and journalist Uzora
Maxim, the novelist and businessman Isidore Emeka, and the broadcaster Chinwe Immaculata, presenter of the popular programme “Aguata Ekenenu” on Purity FM, Awka, Anambra State. Uzoatu departed with these famous last words: “With God everything is good.” She will be buried in the Uzoatu family compound in Umugama village, Umuchu, Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State on a date to be fixed by the family.