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Obi Aguocha: Deputy Speaker, Kalu did no wrong asking Gov. Otti to rejoin APC

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By Stanley Ohajuruka

Envy is not a virtue. This is perhaps, an admonition most appropriate for the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Obi Aguocha in response to his diatribe and vituperations I read earlier today against the deputy speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu who equally represents Bende Federal Constituency of the State.

Obviously, Aguocha was pretending to respond to a recent interview where the deputy speaker called the State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti of the Labour Party (LP) to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general election, vowing that the party must win Abia in the next election.

While I have no issues with the federal lawmaker from LP disagreeing with Kalu on the submission, I am however worried by the total drift from the issue at stake to an unbridled display of envy and hate.

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Reading between the lines, I could see a man who has been harbouring so much animosity against the person and the office of the deputy speaker. I could also see a man who was only waiting for an opportunity to pull the trigger and incidentally, one happened through the interview and he chose to lay bare his tongue to make lethal utterances.

To say the least, this is very unfortunate and mischievous too. My reading of the situation is that Hon. Obi Aguocha has shown he’s tired of pretending to be Kalu’s friend and ally and decided to show it in most brazenly manner. May I, again, remind, Aguocha that pretence is also not a virtue.

Come to think of it. In the real political sense, what is the offence of the deputy speaker? That he asked the governor of his state to return to his former political party? Come off it. Is that what anyone would do for his party?

May be, Obi Aguocha, a neophyte in political discourse needs some political education to know that Kalu by virtue of his position and the office is a national leader of our party and as such would at any time show predilection for the recruitment of new members into his party.

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Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu is largely concerned about the development of the country. Abia State is a sub national government and Kalu, like any other leader from the area is also interested in the progress of the State. And so, the call to Governor Otti to join APC is purely in the economic interest of the State.

The implication of this is that, both leaders will join hands to work for the good and rapid development of the state.

From every conceivable stance, it is obvious that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has shown serious goodwill in Igbo Land with the recent signing into law of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) bill. And to an appreciable degree, Kalu who sponsored the bill has consciously demonstrated conspicuous affinity with the presidency in a way that will benefit Abia State and the entire south eastern political ecosystem and landscape.

If this can be happen when most of states in the region are in the opposition, it simply means that they can get more from people-oriented, interventionist projects of the federal government should they belong to the same political party. And this is largely what informed the call to the governor to join the progressive party.

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So, Kalu’s comment tilts more towards economic growth of Abia State and by extension, the south east than the deduceable connotations for political manovering ahead of 2027 general elections.

Again, let it also be stated that Kalu wants the best for his state in terms of economic growth and development and nothing more. And because, Nigeria operates a political party system, it can only be natural for any leader of his position to call on his friends, one of whom is Dr. Alext Otti, the Governor of Abia who he said is doing well to join the APC.

Ohajuruka, a former Acting Governor of Abia State, former speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, former member, House of Representatives and APC Chieftain writes from Umuahia.

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I Can’t Feed My Family Again; I Make N20,000 Daily But Spend N17,000 On Fuel — Taxi Driver Laments

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Despite earning N20,000 daily, Ajibaye says he takes home only N3,000 after fuel expenses, leaving him unable to cater to his children and wife.

A commercial driver identified as Wahab Ajibaye based in Ilorin, Kwara State has expressed frustration over the rising fuel prices, saying it has left him struggling to provide for his family.

Despite earning N20,000 daily, Ajibaye says he takes home only N3,000 after fuel expenses, leaving him unable to cater to his children and wife.

He said: “I am buying fuel for N1100 and I make N20,000 (daily) but I take only N3,000 with me to my house (after work). I am the owner of my car but I am no longer making enough to cater to my children and my wife. The All Progressives Congress (APC) government will not end well. Nigeria is becoming worse and we pray God takes away this set of current leaders.”

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Ajibaye blamed the ruling APC government for the hardship faced by Nigerians, saying, “Their government is bringing more suffering. They’re not ashamed, despite many Nigerians cursing them. They should rethink.”

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had recently agreed that the policies initiated by President Bola Tinubu resulted in growing economic hardships in Nigeria.

The party in a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Felix Morka had said this, while responding to a former national vice chairman (North West) of the party, Salihu Mohammed Lukman.

Recall that Lukman had berated the party for bad governance, adding that former President Muhammadu Buhari and incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have failed to deliver on their campaign promises.

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Lukman, therefore, urged opposition leaders to unite and work hard to defeat the APC-led government in 2027.

But reacting, Morka in a statement on Tuesday argued that President Tinubu was taking bold measures to reset the country’s “long broken economy”, explaining that his reforms had increased economic hardship in the country.

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LASG shuts down Idera market over ‘environmental pollution

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) says it has sealed off the Idera market in the Oshodi metropolis.

In a statement on Thursday, Ajayi Lukman, LAGESC spokesperson, said the agency sealed the market due to unhygienic practices and indiscriminate dumping of refuse, which contravened the environmental law of the state.

He said the measure was taken to enforce adherence to environmental cleanliness across registered markets in the state.

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‘‘Our operatives stationed across the Oshodi division during routine market monitoring identified the filth, unhygienic practices, and indiscriminate dumping of refuse around the Idera Market area, which prompted us to seal off the market until further notice,” the statement reads.

Lukman quoted Olaniyi Cole, the corps marshal of the agency, as decrying the level of hygiene at the market, which could lead to an outbreak of diseases.

He said Cole frowned at the inability of the market leadership to provide a valid waste collection contract, which resulted in the heaps of refuse in the facility.

He added that the display of wares for sale on road setbacks, lay-bys, medians, verges, kerbs, street trading, and hawking remained banned in the metropolis.

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The LAGESC corps marshal reiterated the ban on the sales, distribution, and usage of styrofoam in the state, noting that anyone found culpable would be punished decisively.

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Hours to Edo guber polls, major opposition candidate crumbles structure for Ighodalo

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Hours to the Edo State governorship election, the guber candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP)Amb Osalumese Areloegbe on Thursday morning collapsed the structure for the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie Esq.

Addressing journalists at the party secretariat in Benin City, Areloegbe said his decision to collapse the structure for the PDP candidate was because he believed that Ighodalo had all it would take to govern the state to greater heights.

According to him, I urged all my followers and supporters to disregard any information that I have aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo.

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“I am supporting Asue Ighodalo because he is competent, not that I am not competent but I believe Asue is on the forefront. That is my reason for supporting his candidacy.

“My party is aware because they have been having a series of negotiations for us to align with the APC, and I told them categorically that I am supporting PDP. My eighteen local government followers are in full support of my decision, I mean 100 per cent supporting the PDP candidate, Barr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie in this election.

“My choice for Asue Ighodalo is because, apart from myself, I see him as the next better candidate that I can support and I can put my weight on because he has the capacity, mentally, physically and otherwise to pilot the affairs of Edo State to greater heights.

“The national secretariat of my party, APP – they are in Abuja and I am in the state, and know much more of what is happening in Edo State. They are not here and don’t know what is going on here in Edo. And I am in a position to tell them what will be better for the Edo people.

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“There is a parable that says, ‘You cannot shave a man’s head when he is not present’. I am here in Edo State and I know who to support and why I am supporting him. The national leadership might have taken a different tone, but this is what I and my followers have chosen.

“We had a series of other politicians who had made such decisions before. That is why I agreed with the support of my supporters to collapse my structure for the governorship candidate of the PDP Barr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie.”

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