Politics
PDP accuses Gov Uzodinma of using ENTRACO against Imo residents
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Imo State chapter, has accused Governor Hope Uzodinma of using the Environmental Transformation Commission, ENTRACO, against the citizens of the state.
The accusation followed the recent demolition of Toronto Junction Market in Owerri North LGA where goods and properties were destroyed with many people injured.
The party alleged that ENTRACO, under the Uzodinma administration, has become a terrorist organization in disguise, warning that if nothing is done urgently to address its present activities, it may snowball into something more dangerous.
Parts of a statement issued by its spokesperson, Lancelot Obiaku, read, “What happened along Toronto/MCC Road, few days ago, as captured by a CCTV camera, is nothing short of terror. We watched as men armed with cutlasses, bottles, and other dangerous weapons pounced on motorists and traders.
“We make bold to say that this is not enforcement. It is violence. Any armed group that unleashes fear and bodily harm on citizens, no matter the name it bears, fits the description of a terrorist organization. And our fear is that these men operate under the protection of the Government.”
The party, while condemning the activities of the commission, asserted that ENTRACO was never designed to be aggressive in its operations.
PDP noted that the Commission was established in 2008 for the sole purpose of beautifying and maintaining a clean, green and healthy environment in the state, including overseeing sanitation, cleaning of gutters, planting of flowers and trees, and other efforts targeted at creating an environment healthy for human habitation.
The party recalled that during the administration of Governor Ikedi Ohakim, under whose watch the Commission was established, that the city was clean, and the people were at peace with the agency’s activities.
It regretted that lately, since the appointment of one Mr. Anyahie as Chairman of the Commission, the agency has drifted from its founding purpose.
“Instead of cleaning and beautifying the State, it has become a source of daily torment to motorists, traders, and small business owners.
“Imo PDP wonders how the Imo State Traffic Management Agency, ISTMA, which already exists and which is empowered by law to handle traffic and parking violations will be in operation, while ENTRACO takes up the business of wielding cutlasses and chasing drivers across the city and state,” the statement added.
The party expressed worry that as if what ENTRACO is doing is not enough, the state governor also empowered one of his aides to move about with fierce looking men who wield all kinds of weapons in the name of monitoring and evaluation.
PDP alleged that with the current moves, the government is indirectly encouraging banditry and cultism.
*We hope that when they metamorphose to full blown terrorists, the government will not turn around and accuse the opposition parties of sponsoring terrorism in the state, as it has always, irrationally, done.
“We insist that if by any means the government has given ENTRACO authority they must carry out their duties with respect for human dignity. The use of violence against citizens runs contrary to the oath the Governor took to protect lives and property in Imo State and the law establishing the Commission.”
PDP further recalled that just two months ago, Naze youths blocked the ENTRACO office in protest over the killing of their brother in an accident caused by the operatives of the Commission.
It pointed out that in other states and cities, traffic offences are curtailed without cruelty.
“The Abia State Harmonized Task Forcr, ASHTF, enforces order firmly but humanely. Their officials are trained, and they listen. You can reason with them. They do not behave like street thugs, cultists and terrorists.
“It is therefore a shame that the same cannot be said of ENTRACO officials who seem to derive joy from inflicting pain. This is not good for a State once known for its civility and love for education.
“Let us make it clear, the brave resistance of youths along MCC Road, which unfortunately led to bloodshed, should serve as a warning.
“When government agencies become a source of oppression, the people will eventually rise in self-defense. If nothing is done to check the excesses of ENTRACO, we fear that one day the situation may escalate beyond control,” the statement stressed.
PDP called on the governor to stop ENTRACO from harassing and destroying the businesses of petty traders who do business without obstructing movement.
PDP maintained that victims of the activities of the Commission are people only trying to fend for their families but regretted that they are constantly chased, beaten, and stripped of their trades.
In addition, it called for the employment of right people and proper training of officials employed for any kind of enforcement in the state, advising that if any government agency must enforce a policy, it must approach it through engagement with the people directly affected and all stakeholders.
“This is what the PDP will do if it were in power in the state. The idea of waking up one morning to commence the destruction of people’s means of livelihood must be shunned.
“Imo people only want to live in a clean and orderly city, yes, but not in fear. They want to respect the law, but not at the cost of their dignity and safety. ENTRACO must, therefore, be reined in and redirected to its original duty which is environmental transformation, not intimidation.”
Former lawmaker, Dino Melaye Esq, has raised concerns over the Senate’s reported rejection of the electronic transmission of election results.
The move, according to Melaye, is a clear endorsement of election rigging and an indication of a sinister plan to rig the 2027 elections.
In a statement on Friday, the former lawmaker criticized the Senate’s decision, stating that it undermines the credibility of the electoral process.
The African Democratic Congress, ADC chieftain, also stated that the move opens the door for electoral manipulation and fraud.
He further warned that the rejection of electronic transmission of results is a step backwards for democracy in Nigeria.
Melaye called on lawmakers and citizens to stand up against “this blatant attempt to undermine the will of the people and ensure that future elections are free, fair, and transparent”.
Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has said Nigerians have every reason to be mad at the Senate over the ongoing debate on e-transmission of election results.
Ezekwesili made this known on Friday when she featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Morning Show’ monitored by DAILY POST.
DAILY POST reports that the Senate on Wednesday turned down a proposed change to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the Electoral Amendment Bill that aimed to compel the electronic transmission of election results.
Reacting to the matter, Ezekwesili said, “The fundamental issue with the review of the Electoral Act is that the Senate retained the INEC 2022 Act, Section 60 Sub 5.
“This section became infamous for the loophole it provided INEC, causing Nigerians to lose trust. Since the law established that it wasn’t mandatory for INEC to transmit electoral results in real-time, there wasn’t much anyone could say.
“Citizens embraced the opportunity to reform the INEC Act, aiming to address ambiguity and discretionary opportunities for INEC. Yet, the Senate handled it with a “let sleeping dogs lie” approach. The citizens have every reason to be as outraged as they currently are.”
Politics
Electoral act: Senate’s action confirms Nigeria ‘fantastically corrupt’, ‘disgraced’ – Peter Obi
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the Senate’s refusal to make electronic transmission of election results mandatory, saying the move further exposes Nigeria as a fantastically corrupt and disgraced country.
Obi expressed his views in a statement shared on X on Friday, where he accused lawmakers of deliberately weakening Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He explained that his reaction came after a brief pause to mourn victims of a deadly tragedy in Kwara State, where over 150 people reportedly lost their lives.
“Let us first pray for the souls of the innocent Nigerians lost in Kwara. That painful incident is why I delayed responding to the shameful development surrounding our electoral system,” he wrote.
Describing the Senate’s decision as intentional and dangerous, Obi said rejecting mandatory electronic transmission was not a simple oversight but a calculated attempt to block transparency.
“The Senate’s open rejection of electronic transmission of results is an unforgivable act of electoral manipulation ahead of 2027,” he said.
According to him, the action strikes at the heart of democracy and raises serious questions about the true purpose of governance in Nigeria.
“This failure to pass a clear safeguard is a direct attack on our democracy. By refusing these transparency measures, the foundation of credible elections is being destroyed. One must ask whether government exists to ensure justice and order or to deliberately create chaos for the benefit of a few.”
The former Anambra State governor linked the post-election controversies of the 2023 general elections to the failure to fully deploy electronic transmission of results, insisting that Nigerians were misled with claims of technical failures.
“
The confusion, disputes and manipulation that followed the 2023 elections were largely due to the refusal to fully implement electronic transmission,” he said.
He added that the so-called system glitch never truly existed.
Obi compared Nigeria’s electoral process with those of other African countries that have embraced technology to improve credibility, lamenting that Nigeria continues to fall behind.
“Many African nations now use electronic transmission to strengthen their democracy. Yet Nigeria, which calls itself the giant of Africa, is moving backwards and dragging the continent along.”
He criticised Nigeria’s leadership class, saying the country’s problems persist not because of a lack of ideas but because of deliberate resistance to meaningful reform.
“We keep organising conferences and writing policy papers about Nigeria’s challenges. But the truth is that the leaders and elite are the real problem. Our refusal to change is pushing the nation backwards into a primitive system of governance.”
Warning of the dangers ahead, Obi said rejecting electronic transmission creates room for confusion and disorder that only serves the interests of a small group.
He also recalled past remarks by foreign leaders who described Nigeria as corrupt, arguing that actions like this continue to justify those statements.
“When a former UK Prime Minister described Nigeria as ‘fantastically corrupt,’ we were offended. When former US President Donald Trump called us a ‘disgraced nation,’ we were angry. But our continued resistance to transparency keeps proving them right.”
Obi warned that Nigerians should not accept a repeat of the electoral irregularities witnessed in 2023.
“Let there be no mistake. The criminality seen in 2023 must not be tolerated in 2027.”
He urged citizens to be ready to defend democracy through lawful and decisive means, while also calling on the international community to closely monitor developments in Nigeria’s electoral process.
“The international community must pay attention to the groundwork being laid for future electoral manipulation, which threatens our democracy and development,” Obi stated.
He concluded by expressing hope that change is still possible if Nigerians take collective responsibility.
“A new Nigeria is possible but only if we all rise and fight for it.”
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