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Group wants ex-IG Okiro Ohanaeze Ndigbo President
A socio-cultural group in Rivers State, ‘Ogbako Egbema Alinso,’ has made a case for a former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, to succeed Nze Ozichukwu Chukwu, as the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
Chukwu was appointed to complete the tenure of Imo State after the demise of prominent politician and businessman, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, with the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, subsequently disclosing the zoning of the exalted position to Rivers State.
The election for the next President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is billed to be held between January 10 and 11, 2025.
While there has been support for the former IGP Okiro, to take on the mantle of leadership of the body, there have also been questions surrounding his ethnic qualifications for the role.
National President-General of Ogbako Egbema Alinso, Francis Igwebuike Ifi, at a press briefing in Egbema in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State on Monday, maintained that Okiro is a bonafide Rivers indigene and enjoys the support of the Egbema people.
Igwebuike Ifi stated, “The insinuation that he’s not from Rivers State is what is doubtful in the minds of people, but today, let it be clear to all and sundry that Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, is an Egbema man from Rivers State.
“This is a social-cultural organization, because of the political divide, we’ve come together to say Egbema is one and we are not bending to any political delineation.
“So, if he aspires to vie for any position in the country, Egbema has asked him today to go ahead. He is qualified for it, he is a Rivers man, let him go ahead and vie for it as a Rivers man.”
Ifi further said, “Let the people who are making such insinuations (that Okiro) is not from Rivers State), let the people who want to denigrate him, please tow another line.
“When a man is qualified to get one thing, give it to him, don’t look at where he’s from. We assure the country that Sir Okiro is a born Egbema man from Rivers State.”
Earlier in his remarks, a monarch and Nzeobi of Egbema, Rivers State, His Royal Majesty, Eze Everistus Amuda, re-echoed Ifi’s stance, saying, “Dr. Okiro is my a member of my palace. He hails from Nzeobi, he never aspired for any position before he was enrolled in Nzeobi of Egbema and all the enrollment is his first involvement in Egbema.
“He hails from Ogba/Egbema Local Government Area. He is qualified to contest for the position.”
Meanwhile, the group has called for an end to what it described as incessant extra-judicial killings along the boundary between Egbema in Imo State and Egbema in Rivers State.
Expressing displeasure at the situation, the President-General of the body said, “The very incessant extra judicial killings at the boundary between Egbema Imo and Egbema Rivers is uncalled for. Who are the persons killing these people along Egbema? Just before the TCC or after the TCC, recently a woman, a pregnant young lady, was shot to death.
“With expertise and the position of our national leader, the Ogbako Egbema has condemned such extrajudicial killings in its entirety and we don’t want it to continue unless they don’t want the existence of Egbema people here.
“Whosoever is involved in such extra-judicial killings should stop, before they kill all of us. The killing has become too much. The Egbema people are tired of the extra-judicial killings along that place.”
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has granted an immediate waiver of fees for the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for the Nigerian Law School’s Abuja campus in Bwari.
Speaking during a meeting with the school’s management in Abuja, Wike also declared an “emergency” on the construction of staff quarters and other critical infrastructure to enhance the institution’s learning environment.
Responding to an appeal from the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Dr. Olugbemisola Titilayo Odusote, Wike expressed surprise that the institution had operated without a C of O since moving to Bwari.
He described the lack of official documentation for government institutions as a trend that his administration is actively correcting.
The Minister directed the Director of Lands to waive all processing fees for the school’s C of O, and issued a firm directive to ensure the document is processed and ready within one week.
He noted that regularizing the land is essential to move the school from what he colloquially termed an “illegal session” to rightful ownership.
Beyond land matters, the Minister committed the FCT Administration (FCTA) to several high-priority projects aimed at resolving overcrowding and improving staff efficiency.
Wike announced that 10 staff quarters have already been completed and will be commissioned as part of the President’s third anniversary.
He further pledged to construct an additional 10 units using existing prototypes to save on design costs.
According to him, work is progressing on two new hostels—one for male students and one for female students—to alleviate overcrowding.
The Minister confirmed he has approved the budget for a new auditorium and questioned why the contractor had not yet moved to the site.
To modernize administrative functions, Wike directed the school to liaise with the FCTA General Counsel, to explore digitization solutions similar to ongoing efforts at the FCT High Court.
Wike emphasized that these interventions are part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader agenda to support legal education and the judiciary.
He noted that the President is currently constructing “presidential apartments” for judges to ensure their security, welfare, and autonomy.
”Anything we can do to help our children, we are willing to do that,” Wike stated, adding that the staff quarters must be treated as an emergency project to ensure rapid delivery.
Earlier, Dr. Odusote congratulated the Minister on his appointment and praised the visible infrastructure developments across the FCT, while highlighting the specific challenges of disrepair and infrastructure deficits facing the Law School.
Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has assured investors that the government will stay the course on economic reforms, declaring that policy reversals will not define the current phase of the country’s economic management.
The Minister stated this while speaking at the launch of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group Private Sector Outlook 2026 in Lagos on Thursday.
Oyedele said the administration is shifting from stabilisation to measurable growth, where reforms will be judged by outcomes rather than intent.
His comments came barely 48 hours after he assumed office, following the exit of Wale Edun from the Federal Executive Council.
“We are not looking back,” Oyedele said, stressing that consistency in policy direction remains critical to investor confidence.
He warned that mixed signals or abrupt reversals could stall progress, noting that “businesses need to know that today’s decisions will still hold tomorrow.”
While pointing to early signs of macroeconomic stabilisation, including a more aligned exchange rate and improved revenue performance, the minister said these gains must translate into tangible outcomes such as job creation, productivity growth and better living standards.
He identified four priorities for driving investment in the next phase which includes, policy consistency, predictability across fiscal and regulatory frameworks, reduction in the cost of doing business, and improved access to capital.
On financing, Oyedele said the government is working to expand credit across the economy, from consumer lending to industrial financing, with support from institutions such as the Bank of Industry, to stimulate growth and unlock private sector participation.
He added that Nigeria must target stronger real GDP per capita growth to make a meaningful impact on poverty, noting that modest growth figures would not be sufficient given the country’s population dynamics.
The minister further described the current stage of reforms as decisive, where success will depend on execution. “Reforms on their own do not create growth. We need investment at scale,” he said, adding that investors respond to stable and predictable environments, not policy announcements.
On the area of productivity, Oyedele said Nigeria must move beyond consumption-driven expansion and focus on improving output and competitiveness in key sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, energy and the digital economy.
He also called for deeper collaboration between government and the private sector, maintaining that economic growth cannot be delivered by public policy alone.
As the country enters what he termed a consolidation phase, Oyedele said the government would continue to deepen reforms, strengthen public financial management and improve coordination across all tiers of government.
He, however, acknowledged risks, including reform fatigue, inflationary pressures from global uncertainties, and political tensions ahead of the election cycle, but maintained that these challenges are surmountable with discipline and cooperation.
“Our task now is execution,” Oyedele said.
“This phase demands focus, consistency and accountability. That is the direction we are pursuing he added
The Federal Capital Territory FCT minister Nyesom Wike is presently holding a meeting with primary school teachers in the Territory over ongoing strike.
Watch:
Wike waives C-of-O fees for Nigerian Law School, orders emergency staff housing(Photos)
We’re not going to reverse reforms, Finance Minister, Oyedele tells investors
FCT minister Wike engages teachers over strike(Video)
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