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Anambra guber: NRM faults INEC final list, says we have no governorship candidate

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The National Chairman of the National Rescue Mission, NRM, Chief Edozie Njoku, has declared that the party has no candidate for the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra at the moment.

According to him, the name published by INEC in its final list of candidates for the election on Wednesday was obtained through illegality and cannot stand.

Ekwutosblog reported on January 17 2025, that Njoku, National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, dumped the party and was elected as the new National Chairman of the NRM in an emergency national congress of the party held in Abuja.

His position was affirmed by a Federal High Court in Abuja which ordered the INEC to recognise the leadership of the NRM that emerged from the party’s emergency national convention.

Recall that the emergency convention was held to fill vacant positions in the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, and correct lopsidedness in its composition.

Just as INEC did after the convention was held, the electoral body refused to accept or even appeal the outcome of the court judgement that ordered it to recognize the new leadership of the party.

Justice Obiora Egwatu in a judgment faulted the position of INEC and ordered it to recognize and accept the leadership of Edozie Njoku.

The judgment was on a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/45/2025 filed by the NRM, with INEC as sole respondent.

However, in its final list of the governorship candidates and their deputies published on Wednesday, INEC recognised 40-year-old Ndidi Christy Olieh as the NRM’s flagbearer for the election and Ogbe Ekene Reginald as her deputy.

Addressing reporters in Abuja on Wednesday, Edozie said his political party will not allow the illegality to stand, adding that the party leadership does not know nor does it have anything to do with the candidates listed by the electoral umpire as its flag bearers.

“NRM has no candidate for the Anambra state governorship election,” Chief Njoku declared.

“There’s no candidate at all.

“But INEC now went behind and got the Secretary to bring a candidate,” he said, explaining that all efforts made for the candidates to come from the right channel were blocked by the Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC.

“So how can you tell me that NRM has a candidate?” He queried.

“We’re getting our recognition from INEC sooner than you think, then we’ll be doing the mathematics on that,” he said.

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Imo: Reps seek FG’s intervention over devastating erosion in Ideato federal constituency

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The House of Representatives on Thursday declared Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo state as an erosion and road disaster zone, calling for urgent intervention from Federal Government and relevant agencies intervention to save Ideato from total collapse.
The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere, who solicited for the House intervention.
Leading the debate, Rep. Ugochinyere noted that Section 14(2b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) stated that the primary purpose of Government is to protect the lives and properties of the Citizens.
He also noted the devastating impact of the gully erosion and road disaster in Ideato Federal Constituency, affecting over thirty-two communities including Umueshi, Amanator, Urualla, Isiekenesi, Isiokpo, Umuaghobe,Ozuomee, Obodoukwu, Arondizuogu, Akokwa, Umumaisiaku, Umuobom and surrounding areas.
He expressed concerns that these Communities in Ideato North/South Federal Constituency are currently facing gully erosion and road infrastructure collapse , threatening their lives and access to essential services like healthcare, education, trade and road infrastructures.

Rep. Ugochinyere said: “The House is alarmed that the gully erosion and road infrastructure collapse has worsened, destroying homes, farmlands, causing total road collapse, in Umueshi-Amanator-Isiekenesi road, particularly the Urualla gigantic erosion sites 1, 2, and 3, which is currently threatening to sink the heart of Urualla and Afor Urualla, Umueshi, Amanator, Isiekenesi, Isiokpo, Umuaghobe, Ozuomee, Obodoukwu, Arondizuogu, Akokwa, Umumaisiaku communities and Umuobom Bridge; Recalls that Ideato land is home to influential national figures and patriots like Mbaonu Ojike, K.O. Mbadiwe, Elochukwu Njaka,Collins Obi, Ferdinand Anaghara, and Maduakor, hence the need for urgent intervention to preserve their ancestral heritage.
“The House commends the Federal Government’s previous intervention at the Umuchima gully erosion site, which has been taken over by the Imo State Government.
“The House is aware that the erosion has destroyed lives and properties and if nothing is done urgently to curb the menace more lives and properties will be lost,” he stressed.
Adopting the motion unanimously, the House therefore urged Federal Government to declare Ideato Federal Constituency an erosion and road disaster zone, and take drastic steps to curtail gully erosion and road collapse in the communities in Ideato North/South Federal Constituency.
The lawmakers also urged the Federal Ministries of Works, Environment, Ecological Fund Office, Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to embark on immediate intervention, rehabilitate, reconstruct and remedial works on the Umueshi Amanator- Isiekenesi gully erosion and collapsed Road, Urualla gigantic gully erosion sites 1, 2, and 3, Afor Urualla communities, Isiokpo gully erosion, Umuaghobe , Umumaisiaku, Akpulu, Akokwa, Obodoukwu and Arondizuogu gully erosion and collapsed road, and the sinking Bridge in umuobom.
The lawmakers further urged Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and to provide relief materials for the displaced victims of the gully erosion in Ideato North/South Federal Constituency, Imo State.
To this end, the House mandated the joint Committees on Works, Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Environment Ecological Fund, South-East Development Commission (SEDC) and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to ensure compliance and report within four weeks for further legislative action.

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President Tinubu declines assent to NDLEA Amendment Bill

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President Bola Tinubu has declined assent to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Amendment Bill, 2025, recently passed by the National Assembly.

The bill proposes granting the NDLEA the power to retain a portion of the proceeds from drug related crimes in variance to the current legal framework.

This is communicated to the House of Representatives as read during plenary on Thursday, by the Speaker, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas.

President Tinubu, who cited Section 58, Subsection 4 of the 1999 Constitution, said that the bill, if signed, was a contravention of the aforementioned sections.

Tinubu clarified that under existing law, all proceeds from crime must be deposited into the Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account.

He explained that any disbursement to relevant agencies involved in recoveries must be made by the President, and only with the approval of the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.

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APC suffers heavy blow as Ganduje’s loyalist dumps party for NNPP

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A long-standing confidant of APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has left the ruling party to join the opposition New Nigeria’s People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano.

Mustapha Hamza Buhari Bakwana, a well-known grassroots mobilizer and former political adviser to Ganduje during his tenure as governor officially joined the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) on Wednesday.

This means he has also dumped his role as Senior Legislative Aide to Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibril.

Standing before his loyal supporters in Kano, said, “We gave everything to the APC — time, loyalty, sweat. But what did we get in return? Silence, neglect and betrayal. Enough is enough,” he said.

“We’ve chosen to pitch our tent with Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a man who doesn’t forget his people. He understands the game of politics and plays it with honor.”

Once seen as one of Ganduje’s most trusted strategists in the North West, Bakwana’s departure could signal deeper cracks in the party’s foundations especially as the 2027 elections draws nearer.

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