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How Soludo, Peter Obi, Ifeanyi Ubah, Ekwunife shaped Anambra politics in 2023

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How Soludo, Peter Obi, Ifeanyi Ubah, Ekwunife shaped Anambra politics in 2023

A few personalities and events shaped the political landscape in Anambra in the outgoing year, 2023.

Some of these events and personalities included the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, the governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo and many other political actors.

Even as the year draws to a close, events showing that things are no longer as they used to be are still manifesting.

General elections and the Peter Obi factor

In November 2021, Anambra State went to the polls and elected Prof Chukwuma Soludo as governor. Soludo was later sworn-in on March 29, 2022.

With a government in place, and knowing that the major elections in Nigeria are usually the election of State Chief Executives, one may say that Anambra was not a state of focus.

But the involvement of the former Anambra State governor, Mr Peter Obi in the 2023 general elections as the candidate of the Labour Party, changed many things for Anambra’s participation.

Obi is one of Anambra’s governors reputed to have performed so well; besides that, his calm mien, courage and openness endeared him to many people, such that even though Anambra was not electing a governor, the politicking in the state grew enough to attract attention.

In Anambra particularly, the fear was majorly because many hoped that Obi using his popularity may sweep the legislative positions, both in the National Assembly and state assembly at the detriment of Soludo, and sweep Anambra votes in the presidential election. This didn’t totally come to pass, but more than half of that was achieved.

The permutations aroused the interest of Soludo who was hitherto sleeping, hoping that Anambra was an APGA state. At the last minute when Soludo realized that a delay may mean LP lawmakers dominating the state assembly, he moved fast and was able to secure 17 seats in the assembly out of the 30 state constituencies.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, won 17 seats in the 30-member legislature, while the Labour Party, LP, won eight. The YPP won three seats, while the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won two in the state assembly. APGA also won two out of the three Senate positions.

This was however not after Soludo had been accused of spending a whooping N3.5 billion during the House of Assembly election in the state.

There were allegations that the state government spent the amount in vote-buying to enable the APGA win a majority of seats in the state legislature.

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (INTERSOCIETY) had, before the governorship and House of Assembly elections, alleged that 20 states would spend about N50 billion for vote-buying during the polls.

The organisation had, in a statement by its Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, and others, said Anambra was projected with N2 billion to N2.5 billion lavish spending, while the three higher spending states were Lagos (N10 billion), Rivers (N6 billion to N10 billion) and Delta (N5 billion-N6 billion).

The Soludo Factor

Soludo was a serious factor in Anambra politics in 2023. Though he was of APGA stock, many wondered why he was so opposed to the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi. Instead of being known for his support for his party’s presidential candidate, Prof Peter Umeadi, Soludo was rather associated with the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Soludo’s open letter titled: ‘History Beckons, I won’t be silent’, which was authored in 2022 November was one thing that guided many in gauging the thinking of the governor. Many accused him of showing so much hate in the letter, even though he was known to be an ally of Obi. While many were condemning Soludo for being so hard on Obi, supporters of the governor took precautions, having deciphered where their principal stood, and also acted in the same line by defending him. This further heated the state polity and polarized it.

Defections and APC’s Gains

As the year draws to a close, and politicking winds down for 2023, one party in Anambra that will go home counting its gains is the All Progressives Congress, APC. From a party which was known as ‘Fulani party in Anambra State for a long time, the party is gradually gaining acceptance.

In all the years of APC’s participation in Anambra politics, it has hardly been able to make any impact, both in state assembly, governorship or National Assembly elections. In the last election, the party and her candidates failed to secure any seat.

But what they couldn’t win in the polls, they are now getting through defections. The latest defectors are Senators Ifeanyi Ubah and Uche Ekwunife, who are believed to have an alliance that can give them the governorship of Anambra in 2025. Currently, the APC members in Anambra are in high spirit, and have strong belief that they will oust Soludo in 2025, given their unity and the caliber of politicians that have joined them.

PDP’s death in Anambra

No one can exactly talk about politicking in Anambra without acknowledging that the once largest party in black Africa, PDP, has almost gone extinct in the state. Currently, the party has no leadership in the state, owing to several litigations. Also, the once influential party in the state cannot today name its stakeholders, as they are fast disappearing into other political parties.

POLITICS

Female banker reportedly commits suicide over ‘economic hardship’

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Female banker reportedly commits suicide over ‘economic hardship’

A female staff of Globus Bank in Lagos, Ikorodu, Amarachi, has reportedly committed suicide.

The deceased in a suicide note she left behind cited the degenerating economic situation in the country for her actions.

According to reports, the young staff took her last breath after consuming a dangerous chemical.

Reports claim the late banker indicated that nothing was working in her life and her future looked bleak alongside extreme hardship and a depleting economy.

She wrote that rather than continue to struggle, she chose to end things while apologising to her family and friends for her decision.

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Police arrest notorious arm robbery suspect, one fake soldier, recover AK-47 rifle

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Police arrest notorious arm robbery suspect, one fake soldier, recover AK-47 rifle

The Nasarawa State Police Command says its operatives have arrested one suspected notorious armed robber, Kabiru Alhaji Yusuf.

A statement issued on Thursday by the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel said the arrest was carried out on Wednesday by the command’s anti robbery team.

According to the PPRO, the operatives, during an intelligence led patrol along Fadaman Bauna area of the state., intercepted a group of three young men suspected to be armed robbers riding on an unregistered Bajaj Motorcycle.

He said the criminal elements abandoned the motorcycle and took to flight upon sighting the police officers but were given a hot chase leading to the arrest of Yusuf.

The police spokesman said after a search was conducted on the suspect, one AK 47 rifle and a motorcycle were recovered as an exhibit.

In another development, Nansel said one fake soldier identified as Muhammed Haladu of behind Ozas Hotel, Karu Abuja was arrested on full military camouflage at Awe LGA by two army officers and handed him over to the Police at Awe Division.

“The suspect claimed to be a soldier attached to 231 Battalion Biu, Borno State, but investigation proved otherwise. The criminal defrauded unsuspecting members of the public under the pretext of securing employment into the Nigeria Army.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect attempted to join the military but couldn’t, thus, went to military barracks to purchase the uniform he’s using for his nefarious activities”, the statement added.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Shehu Nadada, while commending the officers, tasked them not to relent in the fight against criminals in the state.

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Court slams police inspector N5m damages over unlawful arrest of keke rider

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Court slams police inspector N5m damages over unlawful arrest of keke rider

An Akwa Ibom State High Court has ordered a Policewoman in the State Police Command, Inspector Iniobong Umoren to pay a tricyclist, Jeremiah Sunday Udo N5m for his unlawful arrest and impoundment of his tricycle, which he bought on hire purchase for the sum of N1.9m.

The Court presided by Justice Ntong Ntong gave the order, Thursday, in a judgment on an application for the enforcement of the fundamental rights brought by the applicant, Jeremiah Sunday Udo, a native of Ikono Local Government Area.

Justice Ntong also ordered the first respondent, Mr. Udoka David, a friend of the keke rider to pay the tricyclist another N5m for instigating the Police to arrest and detain him for five days without food and water.

The Court, however, extricated the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Police Command, Mr. Olatoye Durosinmi who was joined in the suit as the third respondent, but advised him to warn his officers and men to always carry out their duties within the ambit and purview of the law.

The tricyclist, who is a resident of Ifa Ikot Idang in Uyo, had told the Court that he has been fulfilling the hire purchase agreement with the owner of the keke, Mr Udoka David from his neighbouring village in Ikono to pay him N20,000 every week until last year when the Naira policy crippled the economy resulting in him owing a week returns of N20,000.

He said he was surprised to be ambushed and arrested on the 12th of February, 2023, after he had so far paid eight hundred and eighty-five thousand Naira (N885,000) out of the N1.9m agreed in the hire purchase for full recovery of the tricycle.

Justice Ntong in a one-hour judgement wondered why “Inspector Iniobong Umoren quickly impounded the tricycle and handed it over to the first respondent without an order of court which has the power to interpret the terms of hire purchase agreements between parties and enforce its terms and conditions.”

He said, “The first respondent, Mr. Udoka David took the law into his hands and lured the Policewoman, who also allowed herself to be led into jettisoning the rule of law using the name of Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police to authenticate her unlawful act” which the Court described as “satanic, nefarious and unwholesome antics against the applicant.”

Justice Ntong said, “Because of greed, Inspector Iniobong Umoren usurped the role of the Court and became a law unto herself, having encroached on the fundamental rights of the keke man, the law is there to protect the tricyclist from heartless people like Inspector Iniobong Umoren and Mr Udoka David.”

The judge said he “read all the processes filed by the parties and discovered that the evidence and documents including the bail bond, the petition and the statements exhibited by the first and second respondents, are doctored and fabricated to mislead the Court.”

The Court therefore ordered “Inspector Iniobong Umoren and Mr. Udoka David in the name of God Almighty, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Inspector General of Police to release forthwith, the applicant’s tricycle pending when a Court of competent jurisdiction will order otherwise under the hire purchase agreement”.

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