Electoral bill amendment: We have been vindicated - Princewill

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Prince Tonye Princewill has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the amended electoral bill into law.

 

In a statement titled “Electoral bill amendment: We have been vindicated” and circulated to journalists Mr. Princewill said, “If I was to say that I told you so, I would be suggesting I knew for a fact beforehand that the President would sign the bill. What I knew was the President had the interest of Nigerians at heart and he was keen on putting in place a more significant improvement on how we conducted elections when compared to what he met in 2015. With the signing of this bill, he has done just that.”

 

In his opinion, “two observations come to mind. One, the election date will have to be shifted to meet the clause that has imposed on INEC a 360 day timeline to announce the date of elections to the office of President. The other implication is public office holders will have to resign before they contest a primary. That is in contravention with the constitution, as the President has pointed out, so either the lawmakers will amend it or candidates will go to court to challenge it if they are denied the privilege of contesting an election on the grounds that they have not resigned. That leaves it in the hands of the Supreme Court and my money is on the side of public office holders to win, if the National Assembly refuses to heed the advice of their President.”

 

“But make no mistake; this is a historic day in the affairs of our politics. Our Political parties would now be best advised to only choose candidates who are popular with their people. Otherwise Nigerians will do it for them”. Princewill declared

Abia 2023: Isuikwuato District Appeals to produce the next Governor

The Isuikwuato District Welfare Association has appealed for the right to produce the next governor of Abia state in the spirit of equity, justice and fairness, noting that “the extant arrangement of power sharing on the basis of senatorial zones, as had been adopted, since 1999, prescribed that power will return to Abia North, as of right, in 2023. And when that happens, all concerned will consent to ceding the chance to the good people of Isuikwuato district, who are the rightful block to produce the next governor of Abia state.”  

 

In a communique issued and signed by H E, Navy Capt. CI Osondu, Chairman Isuikwuato District Welfare Association and Chief Uzo O. Egbo (PhD) Secretary said, “We are asking to produce a governor of Abia State, from Isuikwuato District extraction, who will govern the entire Abia, to contribute and leave a mark in the even development of the state”

 

Full excerpt of the communiqué is here:

 

We, the people of Isuikwuato District, comprising  lsuikwuato and Umunneochi Local Government Areas, rose from their general meeting, held on this 29th day of January, 2022, at Umuahia and resolved as follows:

 

That we reaffirm our commitment and unalloyed belief in the Abia project and also pledge our continued loyalty to the kinetic government of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu in the state.

 

We reaffirm our resolve to abide by the terms, letters and spirit of equity, justice and fairness, holding our dear state together, as enunciated and encapsulated in the Abia Charter of Equity. We hold that truth as constant in all situations/circumstances.

 

We hold that ABIA was created in 1991 on four distinct flanks of Afikpo, Bende, Isuikwuato and Aba hence the acronym A.B.I.A.

 

We hold that whereas all the contributing blocks, in the Abia project, have had a shot and produced governors of Abia state, at different times, Isuikwuato district is the only block yet to produce a governor.

 

We hold that since the state was created in 1991, we of Isuikwuato District have not been accorded our fair rights in the union: We have never been Governor, Deputy governor, Secretary to the state government, Chief of Staff to the Governor and Speaker of the House of Assembly, as provided in the Charter of Equity.

 

That ours have been a case of unimaginable marginalization, denial and deprivation, especially since the current democracy started in 1999.

 

We hold that Abia was not created on the basis of senatorial zones but on divisions and districts. We therefore believe that it is mischievous of any apologist to make believe that Abia state comprises of only Old Aba and Old Bende divisions, without deferring to the good people of Isuikwuato district who came from the Old Okigwe division, in Imo state, to make up for the population requirement to create Abia, as a state.

 

We hold on to the fact that our people went on to make serious contributions towards making the creation of Abia state a reality and for which they were recognised and rewarded by adding the letter "I" to reflect lsuikwuato District in the name A.B.I.A.

 

We hold that our founding fathers, from lsuikwuato District, who made history by making  the creation of Abia state possible, contributed greatly to build its notable landmark today. The Abia State University Uturu, which was built by our own retired Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, in the spirit and letters of the Abia Charter of Equity.

 

We hold that the extant arrangement of power sharing on the basis of senatorial zones, as had been adopted, since 1999, prescribed that power will return to Abia North, as of right, in 2023. And when that happens, all concerned will consent to ceding the chance to the good people of Isuikwuato district, who are the rightful block to produce the next governor of Abia state.

 

We hold that we are asking to produce a governor of Abia State, from Isuikwuato District extraction, who will govern the entire Abia, to contribute and leave a mark in the even development of the state.

 

We hold that we have an abundance of eminently qualified men and women, who have distinguished themselves in both public and private service and have served, at all levels, with dignity and integrity.

 

We hold that the peace and stability of Abia state is sacrosanct and everything must be done to uphold all the indices, which includes equity and mutual respect for her peoples.