Politics

Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho And His Kpuum-kpuum-kpa-o-gele Harmony Groups…

Published

2 years ago

April 20, 2024

Ekwutos Blog

Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho

By: Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, April 20, 2024.

While growing up in my ancestral land at Aboh Mbaise, there was a very popular moonlight musical genre that we danced to as children and we call it kpuum-kpuum-kpa-ogele and it goes like this: onye na achu ogele ogele ogele nta, kpuum kpuum kpa ogele, ogele e ogele nta — it would swing from Nwaogwugwu to Taa or Bee ee (may his soul continue to rest in peace) and to the next person as it keeps swinging as we sing.

That aptly describes what I may call the games of swings by this very respected elderstatesman in the person of the former Minister of the federal republic, Chief Emmanuel Iheanacho, a retired Merchant Navy Captain who was appointed Nigerian Minister of Interior on 6 April 2010, when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan announced his new cabinet.

In his games of swing, our respected Ndaa Iheanacho is going about whatever he is doing as though he is dealing with people with zero sense of history to appreciate one’s peculiar antecedents to our political trajectories as a people.

From his ancestral lands of Owerri North, Ndaa Captain Iheanacho is singing obtrusive songs of equity and charter and like the man who wants to write his own stories using his pen bought from the ancestral market of Eke Ukwu Owere, Ndaa Iheanacho is playing the roles of both the striker, that of wingers, defenders and equally the goal keeper in a tournament where he is the sole arbitrator while feigning loving kindedness to the collective goals of Owerri Zone people.

Largely to his infamous credits of betrayal and unwholesome attributes to conspiring against the Owerri Zone agenda, like they say; leopards hardly change their spot and I daresay an agadi Nwanyi can never get old to dance the tunes prevalent at her youthful days.

In the first quarter of 2024 in the year of our lord Jesus Christ, Ndaa Captain Iheanacho is selling himself as an altruistic lover of the Owerri Zone cause while masquerading as an Apostle of charter of equity.

In 2023 during the election year when well meaning sons and daughters of Owerri went to the nooks and crannies of our zone selling the concept of the new Imo charter of equity to our people, we did not see anywhere where Ndaa Captain make a case for it.

Ndaa Captain remained largely at large as we never read in any of the newspapers or new media taking all the available spaces on their front pages as he is currently doing with his Kpuum Kpuum Kpa Ogele Harmony Group canvassing for Imo charter of equity; those who never supported us in the open to canvass our position do not have any moral rights to come out now wanting to benefit from what they never supported.

Ndaa Captain’s later day love and advocacy for Owerri Zone is suspicious as he has never in true spirits and reality shown any in practice.

Ndaa Captain is one of the single greatest players in the present political dispension (since the return of democracy in 1999) who have set Owerri Zone 20yrs backward in the political equity, yet we have not heard of any apologies from him.

Instead of polluting the tranquilized state of Owerri Zone with Kpuum-kpuum-kpa-o-gele Harmony songs, Ndaa Iheanacho should have used same energy in seeking for forgiveness from the good people of Owerri Zone he betrayed their political interests in 2011.

If people like Captain Iheanacho had not sold off Owerri Zone by working with an Orlu Zone candidate (Rochas Okorocha of APGA) in 2011 instead of allowing the Okigwe zone’s incumbent Governor Ikedi Ohakim to complete his second term, it would have been Owerri Zone if Gov. Ohakim had completed his second term….but Ndaa Captain played the game against us.

Ndaa Captain popped champagne the day Rochas Okorocha defeated Gov. Ikedi Ohakim after Ndaa Captain and fellow brothers of Emekuku heavily bankrolled Okorocha and helped him deliver Owerri North against a party that benevolently made him Minister, first he had never been before.

You did that to Owerri Zone, and without any remorse, you are out again singing Kpuum-Kpuum-Kpa-Ogele with perhaps, fellow sellout of Owerri Zone agenda.

And you want us to forget this painful aspect of our political history as a zone and now want us to start gallivanting with you?

From your kind of anti progressive politics, you have never meant well for Owerri Zone agenda as you have been a clog on the wheels of our political progression.

And true to your character and political antecedents, you have set forth again, but this time, aligning with some cursed characters like Willie Amadi out again to undo the Owerri Zone agenda.

You cannot say you mean well for the people yet you are with what makes the people sad.

The very notorious Willie Amadi whom you seem to have commissioned to be your town crier was the same person whom Owerri people declared persona non grata after he metted out wickedness upon them, even to his own people while in office and was indeed one of the sad commentaries of the administration of Gov. Ohakim till date which further provoked the masses against the then administration.

How can one claim to heal some bruises on a knee of his kinsman and he chooses to use salts in treating the wound, who does that?

Any campaign or political movement where notorious characters like Willie Amadi are championing is first of all headed to first class failure and when your Kpuum-Kpuum-Kpa-Ogele harmony group started on such footing should tell every right thinking person where they are headed to.

Infact, whatever group being orchestrated by such characters is dead on arrival because first, his odious notoriety is public knowledge which is still heavily resented by the masses, and he openly worked against the interest of the governor during the elections which is equally a public knowledge.

In this accident bound voyage of your Kpuum-Kpuum-Kpa-o-Ogele harmony group, why have we not heard you call for restraint from those fighting against the ruling party at the Tribunal?

We are therefore left to conclude that your Kpuum-Kpuum-Kpa-o-Ogele harmony group is only out to destroy whatever chances the Owerri Zone may have wielded before now in respect of the 2027 governorship in the state, like your highlighted antecedents points out, hence we are left to believe this Kpuum-Kpuum-Kpa-o-Ogele harmony group is anti Owerri Zone agenda.

Any group that is hitting up the polity, distracting the peace and concentration of the new administration to deliver dividends of democracy to the masses and not advising those in the tribunal fighting against the election our people donated freely to the #PeoplesGovernor even when the governor has given all assurances of handing over to us in Owerri Zone with all the state power and official apparatus…. Such a group is Anti Owerri Zone Agenda which must not be totally ignored but ostracised by the people.

We need peace and tranquility to actualize our agenda in 2027 and that must be done within the framework of the ruling party — it is only a fool who has been handed with salt to go and feed his kinsmen with and on his way going, he pays rain makers to draw rain for him!

Owerri Zone is at an advantaged position — for both declared and undeclared considerations: no true Owerri Zone man or woman want to start making troubles when the coast not never been this clear….

Ambrose Nwaogwugwu is an Owerri Zone Stakeholder, he wrote from Aboh Mbaise.

Politics

OHANAEZE YOUTH COUNCIL REPLIES NORTHERN ELDERS FORUM: YES, IGBO YOUTHS WANT BIAFRA

Published

10 hours ago

February 5, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

By Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka

President OHANEZE YOUTH COUNCIL

The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has formally replied to the recent statement credited to the Northern Elders Forum, wherein they suggested that if Igbo youths truly desire Biafra, the Nigerian government should not stand in their way.

While we acknowledge this rare moment of honesty, OYC states clearly and unequivocally:-Yes — Igbo youths want Biafra. And this desire is not born out of hatred, but out of decades of injustice, exclusion, and systemic oppression.

The agitation for Biafra is the direct consequence of Nigeria’s persistent failure to build an equitable and inclusive federation.

WHY IGBO YOUTHS ARE DEMANDING BIAFRA

Our position is anchored on undeniable realities:-

*1. Political Differences:-Nigeria’s political structure has consistently marginalized the Southeast. Since the return to democracy in 1999, the Igbo nation has been deliberately excluded from key leadership positions, particularly the Presidency and critical security offices. Federal appointments, resource control, and political representation remain grossly imbalanced against Ndigbo.The so-called federal system operates more like a unitary arrangement where certain regions dominate while others are reduced to spectators.*

*2. Social Differences:-Social integration in Nigeria has collapsed. Igbo citizens face profiling, harassment, and selective enforcement of laws across different parts of the country. Peaceful protests in Igboland are met with military brutality, while violent extremism elsewhere often receives negotiation and amnesty.This double standard has deepened alienation among Igbo youths.*

*3. Cultural Differences:-Our language, traditions, and values are neither protected nor promoted within the Nigerian framework. Instead, Igbo culture is routinely undermined and treated as inferior. A nation that fails to respect the cultural identity of its people cannot claim unity.*

*4. Religious Differences:-Religious intolerance has become normalized. Christian communities in the Southeast feel increasingly threatened in a country where religious bias influences policy, security response, and governance. The absence of genuine religious neutrality further widens the divide.*

*5. Ethnic Hate Against Ndigbo:- Anti-Igbo rhetoric has been openly displayed in national discourse. From threats of expulsion to hate speeches and coordinated attacks, Ndigbo have become targets within their own country. Properties belonging to Igbos are often destroyed during crises, with little or no compensation or justice.This persistent hostility sends a clear message;we are not wanted.*

*6. Systemic Marginalization:- From abandoned federal roads to exclusion from major infrastructure projects, from poor seaport development to economic strangulation, the Southeast remains deliberately underdeveloped. Igbo youths graduate into unemployment, poverty, and despair while watching other regions benefit disproportionately from national resources.*

*This is not accidental. It is structural.*

*OUR MESSAGE IS SIMPLE*
*Igbo youths are not asking for war.*

*Igbo youths are asking for dignity.*

*Igbo youths are asking for freedom.*

*Igbo youths are asking for self-determination.*

*If Nigeria cannot guarantee justice, equity, and equal opportunity for all, then the call for Biafra becomes not just legitimate — but inevitable.*

*To the Northern Elders Forum: we appreciate your acknowledgment. Now let the Nigerian state also have the courage to respect the democratic will of a people.*

*You cannot force unity where there is no justice.*

*Powered by OHANAEZE YOUTH COUNCIL (OYC)*

Politics

FULL LIST: Nigeria now has 21 registered political parties

Published

13 hours ago

February 5, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved two new political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, raising the total number of registered parties in Nigeria to 21.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), announced the approval of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Abuja on Thursday. While DLA met all statutory requirements, NDC was registered following a Federal High Court order.

Full list of registered political parties in Nigeria:

All Progressives Congress (APC)
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
Accord (A)
Social Democratic Party (SDP)
Labour Party (LP)
All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
African Democratic Congress (ADC)
Boot Party (BP)
Action Democratic Party (ADP)
African Action Congress (AAC)
Action Alliance (AA)
National Rescue Movement (NRM)
Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)
New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)
Allied Peoples Movement (APM)
Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)
Action Peoples Party (APP)
Young Progressives Party (YPP)
Youth Party (YP)
Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) – new
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) – new

INEC said the new parties were registered as part of efforts to deepen democratic participation and broaden political choices for Nigerians.

Politics

Nnamdi Kanu appeals conviction, faults terrorism trial

Published

1 day ago

February 4, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu. Photo: X/Aloy Ejimakor

The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a notice of appeal challenging his conviction and multiple sentences imposed by the Federal High Court in Abuja, insisting that the trial was riddled with fundamental legal errors and amounted to a miscarriage of justice.

In the notice of appeal dated February 4, 2026, Kanu said he was appealing against his conviction and sentences on seven counts, including terrorism-related offences, for which he received five life sentences and additional prison terms after being found guilty on November 20, 2025.

“I, Nnamdi Kanu, the Appellant, having been convicted and sentenced… do hereby give notice of appeal against my conviction,” the document stated.

Kanu was convicted for offences including “committing an act preparatory to or in furtherance of an act of terrorism,” “making a broadcast… with intent to intimidate the population,” and “being the leader and member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a proscribed organisation in Nigeria,” among others.

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered the judgment on November 20, 2025, sentencing Kanu to five life terms for terrorism-related offences, 20 years’ imprisonment for being the leader of the proscribed IPOB, and five years’ imprisonment with no option of fine for importing a radio transmitter without a licence.

In his grounds of appeal, the IPOB leader accused the trial court of failing to resolve what he described as a “foundational disruption of the original trial process” following the 2017 military operation at his Afara-Ukwu residence.

“The learned trial judge erred in law by failing to resolve the procedural and competence consequences of the foundational disruption of the original trial process in September 2017,” Kanu argued.

He also contended that the court proceeded to trial and judgment while his preliminary objection challenging the competence of the proceedings remained unresolved.

“The learned trial judge did not hear or determine the objection,” the appeal document stated, adding that judgment was delivered “while the objection remained pending and undetermined.”

Kanu further faulted the court for delivering judgment while his bail application was still pending, arguing that this affected the fairness of the trial process.

He also claimed that the trial court convicted him under a law that had already been repealed, stating that “the learned trial judge erred in law by convicting and sentencing the Appellant under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013, notwithstanding its repeal by the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, prior to judgment.”

Kanu further argued that he was subjected to double jeopardy, contrary to Section 36(9) of the 1999 Constitution, after being retried on facts he said had earlier been nullified by the Court of Appeal.

He also complained that he was denied fair hearing, claiming that he was not allowed to file or present a final written address before judgment was delivered.

Among the reliefs sought, Kanu asked the Court of Appeal to allow the appeal, quash his conviction and sentences, and “discharge and acquit the Appellant in respect of all the counts.”

He also informed the appellate court of his desire to be present at the hearing of the appeal, stating, “I want to be present at the hearing of the appeal because I may be conducting the appeal in person.”

Kanu is currently being held at a correctional facility in Sokoto State, after his application to be transferred to a different facility in either Niger or Nasarawa State was denied.