Former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uche Ogah, has declared his support for Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, in mobilizing voters and political structures in Abia State ahead of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

During a visit to the Renewed Hope Partners (RHP) office in Umuahia on Saturday, Dr. Ogah announced his readiness to join forces with the Deputy Speaker and other stakeholders to build grassroots momentum for the President’s campaign across the South East.

“My brother and friend, we have always worked together, and I have come today to join forces with you to make Renewed Hope Partners a success in Abia State. We will put in everything we have — our resources, our social capital — to ensure that this renewed hope partnership is a success,” Dr. Ogah said.

He commended Deputy Speaker Kalu for his legislative efforts, particularly the bill establishing the South East Development Commission (SEDC), which addresses decades-long infrastructural neglect in the region.

In response, Rt. Hon. Kalu praised Ogah’s decision to align with the team, stressing the need for political unity and collaboration ahead of the polls.

“We need you on board with all the investments you have made in Abia politics. We are preparing for 2027 and will be touring the South East and beyond to showcase the President’s achievements,” Kalu remarked.

Observers see this partnership as a strategic step in consolidating the Renewed Hope agenda and expanding President Tinubu’s appeal across Abia State and the broader South East region.

Kebbi State Deputy Governor, Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida, has reacted to the Supreme Court judgment affirming Alhaji Muhammadu Iliyasu Bashar as the rightful Emir of Gwandu.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Tafida congratulated the Emir on the verdict and described the ruling as a significant step toward restoring lasting peace and unity in the emirate.

Ekwutosblog gathered that the judgment, delivered on Wednesday, ended a two-decade legal battle that began with the removal of Al-Mustapha Haruna Jokolo in 2005.

The deputy governor urged all parties involved in the dispute to accept the court’s decision and work collectively toward stability and development in Gwandu Emirate.

He also cautioned residents in flood-prone areas of the state to take necessary precautions by relocating to safer grounds, citing the recent flood incidents in Niger State as a warning.

The National President of Igbo Women Assembly, IWA, Nneka Chimezie, has called on the former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, to speak up about the 1966 Coup.

Doing this, she said, will tally with former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida’s statement that the Coup was not an Igbo plot.

Chimezie, who was speaking about the sit-at-home held on May 30 in different parts of the South East, said that there was nothing wrong with the observation of the Biafra Heroes Day, as, according to her, it was used to honour loved ones who were killed during the civil war.

She argued that the continued injustice against Ndigbo gave birth to the renewed agitation for Biafra by youths, advising the Federal Government to engage the agitators in a peaceful dialogue with a view to addressing their grievances, not using force.

The IWA President further said that the revelation by former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, should have earned the Igbos an apology from the Federal Government.

“We have done a lot of research and discovered that the civil war was avoidable. The false narration that the 1966 coup was an Igbo coup, as recently confirmed by Gen. Babangida, has not been addressed,” she said.

IWA renewed the call for the unconditional release of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as part of the healing process for the protracted injustice against Ndigbo.

According to them, Kanu’s release will rather fast-track the return of peace to the South East and not escalate tension in the region.

They also called for unity among Ndigbo but cautioned Igbo political leaders against sacrificing the interest of the race on the altar of their personal gains.