Politics
Lawmaker Cautions Okorocha Against Negative Utterances
The Chairman, Imo House of Assembly Committee on Public Safety, Intelligence and Securities, Barr. Frank Ugboma has cautioned Sen. Rochas Okorocha, the immediate past governor of the state, over utterances of anarchy in ImoState.
The former governor had last Friday said his arrest order by Imo State government was an open invitation to anarchy and fracas in the state.
Okorocha, representing Imo West at the Senate, was reacting to a call last Thursday by the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Mr Uche Onyeaguocha for Okorocha’s arrest over an alleged assault of a government official at Okorocha’s residence.
A video trending online captured some thugs flogging Mr Jasper Ndubuaku, Chairman, Imo Committee on Recovery of Government Property at Okorocha’s residence in Owerri.
Angered by the development, the SSG told journalists that Okorocha was now on Imo State government security watch list.
But Okorocha in a release, said such order would only cause disaffection in Imo State because people of the state would always come out to protect him any time he was under siege.
“The arrest order only added to their disrespect for me as the past governor and this is a very bad precedence which the government of Governor Emeka Ihedioha is creating,” okorocha had said.
Ugboma however told newsmen in Lagos last Sunday that it was wrong of Okorocha to question constituted authority in the state.
The lawmaker representing Oguta constituency of Imo, said that beating of the committee chairman of recovery of government property was wrong as he was on an official assignment for the state.
“In 2011, when Okorocha took over from Chief Ikedi Ohakim as Imo governor, he made Dr Placid Ekwueme, his recovery committee chairman and no one attacked him even when he attacked and took away things from people.
“Ekwueme went to homes to recover alleged stolen property and nobody stopped him. Why is Okorocha bitter and angry now.
“Okorocha’s reaction is an afront on a sitting governor and his statement an insult on all of us.
“It is also a disservice in his office as a lawmaker of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a past governor of the state.
“The office of a governor in a state is an exalted one which Okorocha also occupied. His anarchy statement is barbaric because we are not in a military era,” he said.
According to Ugboma, Okorocha is free to seek redress if he feels aggrieved rather than make utterances that may lead to anarchy in the state.
“There are so much challenges of security in the land and leaders must be careful to avoid statements or actions that may further compound the situation.
“Any action or statement that may incite the people must be taken and treated seriously as treason of sorts considering the state of security in Nigeria,” he added.
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.