Senator Suemo Chia, an elder statesman and one of Nigeria’s surviving First Republic senators, has made an emotional public appeal to meet with Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, expressing a heartfelt desire to offer his counsel before passing on.

The emotional appeal came during a thanksgiving mass held at NKST Church, High Level, Makurdi, to commemorate the second anniversary of Governor Alia’s administration.

Senator Chia, now in his 80s, was seen seated quietly at the church entrance, waiting for an opportunity to see the governor.

However, security protocols and the massive turnout of worshippers and supporters made it impossible for him to gain access.

“I cannot see well again,” he said in a frail but determined voice. “I have come to see Alia. I saw him once, and when I tried to see him at the Government House, they blocked me, as if I was looking for a political appointment.”

The elder statesman, who has over the years provided counsel to several past governors of Benue State, stressed that his intention was not political but deeply personal and borne out of duty.

“I want to offer my advice to him before I die,” he declared.

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North Senatorial District, has insisted that the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu, cannot be a “holder and beholder”.

Sen. Kalu, who stated this in his country home while fielding questions from newsmen on Tuesday, said if Ben Kalu wishes to run for governor, he should come out in the open and declare it.He added that he has advised his brother against contesting Benjamin Kalu.

“I have asked my younger brother to back off. He and Ben Kalu cannot run together. So if Benjamin Kalu wants to run, let him come out and declare he wants to run for governor so we prepare to win the governorship. If he is not running, let him go back and run for his House of Representatives seat. But he cannot be a holder and a beholder; that is where I stand.”

When he was asked if he would support the deputy speaker, He replied that he would pull the trigger(lay down anything) to support anyone from his party. Therefore Benjamin will have his full support if he decides to run for Governor of Abia

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in 2023, Peter Obi, has decried the high level of insecurity and hardship across Nigeria, describing the country as a “crime scene” in need of urgent fix.

Speaking during the presentation of a book – ‘Obi: The Political Change Agent’, in Abuja on Tuesday, Obi expressed concerns over the hardship Nigeria citizens are facing, implying that although Nigeria is not officially at war, many citizens live like refugees, both inside and outside the country.

“Today in Nigeria, we’re not officially at war, yet Nigerians are living in IDP camps in their own country. Nigerians are refugees in Chad, in Cameroon. And the only reason is because we don’t have a government that cares for them,” he said.

He cautioned on the current system of the country stating it unsustainable and dangerous, urging Nigerian to actively work hard to detach from what is called a crime scene of a country.

“Some people are dancing while the ship is sinking. When it finally goes down, it will consume everyone rich or poor. I’ve seen this before in places like Beirut and Afghanistan. Crisis does not discriminate,” he warned.

He further criticized the nation’s priorities, pointing out that while government buildings are being renovated and parties thrown, women continue to die during childbirth and millions of children remain out of school.

“We use public resources to paint offices and build mansions, while women die trying to give birth. According to a recent report, one woman dies every seven minutes in Nigeria during childbirth. That’s what we want to dismantle,” Obi stated.

The former Anambra State governor emphasized that many of Nigeria’s problems stem from a lack of leadership and value creation.

“Our leaders in government and business are producing poverty. When people hoard money without creating value, they are fueling poverty. A functional economy must be built on the exchange of real value,” he said.

On currency devaluation, Obi supported the idea but stressed the need to eliminate corruption first.

“Yes, I support removing fuel subsidy, but only after removing the criminality in the system. If we build confidence in the market and clean up corruption, the naira will stabilize. It’s happening in Ghana and Angola, why not here?”

He also lamented the collapse of Nigeria’s infrastructure, citing a trip to Kafanchan where he didn’t see a single trailer transporting goods, a sign, he said, of a broken, unproductive economy.

“Colonial masters built railways to move goods cotton, granite, ginger. Today, they’re gone. We have no trains, no trailers, nothing. And we wonder why people are hungry?”

Obi called for a new wave of leadership, especially in the National Assembly, urging voters to elect leaders who are committed to peace and service rather than personal gain.

“We must not allow people who want to make money from politics. If that’s your goal, you are part of the problem,” he declared.

“This time, we will vote. The votes will count. We will be everywhere.”

Obi ended his remarks by thanking supporters and urging them to remain committed to the cause of national transformation.

Earlier, Professor Sam Amadi, former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), described Peter Obi as the ideal leader to spearhead a necessary democratic revolution.

“A successful revolution is defined by democratic civilization and democratic diplomacy. Peter Obi possesses the profile, pedigree, personality, and passion to lead this change,” Amadi said.

He noted that while Nigeria’s challenges are vast, they can be overcome with the right leadership, commitment and collective sacrifice.