Mixed Multitudes Disrupt Catholic Debate In Owerri - Sam iwuji

The gathering of Imo political governorship debate organized by the Catholic church held at the popular ‘Obiri Odenigbo’ premises of the Assumpta Catholic Cathedral was nearly marred by the conduct of an unruly crowd suspected to have been brought into the venue by the Chief Rochas Okorocha, easily some of the most visible candidates at the April 16, 2011 governorship election outside the incumbent, Chief Ikedi Ohakim. Eleven of the candidates took part in the debate which was moderated by the Catholic Arch Bishop of Owerri, His Grace, Archbishop Anthony Obinna. The candidates took turns of 10 minutes each to talk about issues ranging from education, health, infrastructural facilities, housing, security, etc.

When it came to the turn of Governor Ohakim, the reaction of a section of the crowd proved rather hostile prompting the governor to sit back for a few minutes before he returned to speak. Chief Ararume took the next turn amidst an eruption from the same section of the crowd which tended to chorus a well rehearsed refrain as he spoke. He started by criticizing the incumbent governor. But the Archbishop cut him short by asking him to tell Imo people what he would do for them if he becomes governor. But matters came to a head when Chief Rochas Okorocha got up to speak. Even before he got to the podium, the crowd erupted in wild jubilation chanting slogans in his praise. Barely five minutes into his speech, a large number of the crowd began to leave the venue with most of them saying “that’s the person we came to listen to, he has spoken”. But there were others in the crowd who chanted “onye Ogboni aga achi anyi” meaning in Igbo language, an Ogboni man cannot rule over us.

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  Court Reinstates Clever Ikisikpo’s Mandate - Kenechukwu Obiajuru

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja at the weekend vacated the order of Interim Injunction secured by the Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Amange Nimi Barigha on the candidature of Hon. Clever Ikisikpo as the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the National Assembly election.
The Senator representing Bayelsa East senatorial district, Senator Nimi Amange Barigha, had in January obtained a court injunction restraining the PDP from submitting the name of his opponent in the PDP primary for Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Clever Ikisipo, to INEC.

In the suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/99/2011 filed in an Abuja High Court, Amange also prayed that Ikisipo be restrained from parading himself as the PDP Senatorial candidate for Bayelsa East Senatorial District pending the determination of the suit.

The Verite gathered that Hon. Clever Ikisikpo, through his lawyers, Demola Bakare approached the Federal High Court in Abuja secured victory and the court struck out the existing expatriate order and vacate the order of injunction made on the 31st day of January.

Justice A. Abdu Kafarati in his ruling on the suit FHC/ABJ/CS/99/2011, after hearing from the PDP Counsel, Chief Ajanah on the application to withdraw the motion for the discharge of the expatriate order and was not opposed to by the Counsel to Amange, struck out the case and fixed 10 day of March for the adoption of written addresses.

The Counsel to Hon. Clever Ikisikpo, Mr. Demola Bakare Esq. confirming the development at the INEC Secretariat in Yenagoa at the weekend, argued through a copy of the petition submitted to INEC, that the vacation of the order by the Court will lead to the replacement of the name of his client as PDP candidate for the Senatorial district.
 

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Imo Guber; ARPP, CNPP Make Case For Okigwe Zone - Sam Iwuji

The governorship candidates of other political parties who are not from Okigwe geopolitical zone of Imo State have been advised to step down and allow Okigwe zone to produce the governor. The Association of Registered Political parties (ARPP) and the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) had in a release endorsed by their state leaders, Mazi Chukwuemeka Elias and Mrs Ada Mere respectively, made it clear to the people of the state that it remains the turn of Okigwe zone to produce the next governor of the state. Mrs Ada Mere (Aguwaiyi) and frontline politician in Imo State has been at the forefront to ensure the congregation of political parties in Imo State work in one spirit to deliver the best candidate that will make Imo people proud. This she said, she will do until Imo State have peace in the electoral process.

Leaders of the two separate organizations urged governorship candidates from other political parties who are not from Okigwe zone to stand down for Okigwe. CNPP and ARPP maintained that it would not be fair for people from Orlu and Owerri zones to contest the state governorship position with Okigwe zone, stressing that doing so would not be in the interest of equity and fairness. The two associations which said it had not adopted anybody as its consensus candidate, expressed hope that its decision would soon be made public.

Happenings around Owerri and Imo State in general have seen Chief Rochas Okorocha from All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), from Orlu zone campaigning with sporadic wild fire of grassroot campaigns seeking to be governor in 2011, when the immediate past Governor Chief Achike Udenwa from the same zone ruled Imo State with an unbroken record of 8 years. This gave rise to condemnations from other zones that they will be shortchanged if only an Orlu son becomes governor in the 2011 general election. Many appeals to Rochas Okorocha to step down his ambition for Okigwe zone have fallen on deaf ears as his campaign train is spreading without limitations.


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