The Imo State Government has concluded plans to relocate about 5,000 shoemakers, of its indigenes resident in Aba, Abia State back to Owerri to run the state-owned shoe industry.
The state’s Commissioner for Industry and Non-Formal Sector, Mrs. Ugochi Nnana Okoro, announced this at a media briefing in Owerri, the state capital. She said the move would make the state a destination of choice in shoes industry, just as the state government has also advocated for the abolition of federal ministries in the states for their none viability.
Mrs. Okoro, who is also the supervising commissioner for Agriculture, said the arrangement would also encourage locally- made goods as well as boost the economy of the state.
According to her, all products made in the state must be labeled “Madein- Imo.’. She said government had acquired modern equipment to run the Standard Shoe Industry owned by the state. The commissioner said the industry had been producing high quality sandals for primary school pupils in the state.
She said that due to the numerous projects being executed by the current government in the state, it was not possible for the government to establish more industries.
Okoro said that some of the moribund government- owned industries would be reactivated and leased out to the private sector. Source

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State yesterday described as unfortunate, the claim by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that it lost the chance to produce the governor of the state in 2011 by mistake.

Addressing reporters last night in Government House, Owerri, the governor said the PDP has not really won any election in Imo since the time of the former governor Chief Achike Udenwa.

According to Okorocha, “I beat them in 2011 even though they controlled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the police and other security agencies”.

Imo PDP staged a sensitization/grand rally on Saturday to welcome defectors from other political parties to the party. The event was attended by President Goodluck Jonathan.

But in reaction to the defection of some members of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the state state back to the PDP fold, Okorocha described the defectors as “expired politicians”, adding that “it is painful that the president spent over N5 million to buy a product that is not worth N1 million. They must have lied to the President. They didn’t want the president to travel by road, they would have seen what we have done. I am happy they didn’t say this government is not performing”.

He said, “If Achike had 15,000 followers as he claimed, he would have won the senatorial seat of Orlu. Udenwa is not even a registered member of the APC. The crowd that came there today was because of the presence of the President; none of the people joining them can attract any people to listen to them”.

The governor said it was sad that despite the 1.3 million votes that the state gave to Jonathan in 2011, the president has not taken time to thank the people of the state for their support. “Instead of thanking them, they have come to ask for more votes in 2015. What have we got to show for the votes we gave him? They have not thanked us and now they are asking for support in 2015. Three years after, they are telling us that what we are good at is voting. The projects that they are claiming that they did are our projects”, he fumed.

Even though governors elected on its platform have declared that they would send delegates to the forthcoming national conference, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is insisting that as a party, it will not send delegates to the conference.
It said that it’s major grouse about the bad timing for the conference remains unchanged.
The modalities of the conference provides for political party representation based on their presence in the National Assembly. They are to send two delegates each. The parties eligible to send delegates are the Peoples Democratic Party, the All Progressives Congress, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, the Accord Party, and the Labour Party.
Speaking for the APC, the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Lai Mohammed said the party will not send delegates but will not stop its state governors from doing so for their states, adding that the view of the party will not be imposed on everybody.
“APC as a party will not send representatives. But the governors, since they are not governors of APC members alone, can appoint delegates to the conference. When a man is in charge of a state, he also leads members of other political parties in the state; they (APC governors) can appoint whoever they want to appoint. We, in APC, hold our partisan views and we have been consistent on our stance on the national conference. But the governors are leaders and citizens of
their states. We cannot impose our views on everybody.” he said while
speaking to SUNDAY PUNCH.

By Paul Osas

Owerri, the Imo State capital was yesterday shut down as President Goodluck Jonathan visited the state to attend a sensitization rally organised to welcome back some party faithful who left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the past.
Early in the morning, major roads around the metropolis were condoned off, leaving only VIP movement around the city, particularly along the popular Wetheral Road that leads to Dan Anyiam Stadium, venue of the rally.
Leading the list of returnees to the PDP were former Governor Achike Udenwa, Senators Ifeanyi Ararume, Senator Chris Anyanwu, former Secretary to Imo State Government (SSG), Chief Cosmas Iwu and Chief Mike Ahamba, who was in the ANPP.
At 11:45a.m, President Jonathan’s chopper landed at a school playground opposite the stadium from where he rode into the stadium in a presidential motorcade. Jonathan arrived in the stadium with the Chairman of South East Traditional Rulers, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, millionaire businessman and PDP stalwart, Chief Arthur Eze, Senator Hope Uzodinma – all clad in milk colour Igbo traditional attire uniform with the red cap to match.
Before the president’s arrival, Vice President Namadi Sambo and Senate President, David Mark had arrived at the stadium by 11:15am.  At 12 noon the crowd went hysteric as Jonathan went round the stadium to acknowledge cheers from thousands of party supporters who thronged the stadium before returning to the podium to observe the national anthem, which officially signaled the beginning of the ceremony.   Dignitaries at the event included Governors Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Godwill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), TA Orji (Abia), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Jonah Jang (Plateau), Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, former Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, PDP Women Leader, Ambassador Kema Chikwe, PDP BoT Chairman, Chief Tony Anineh, PDP BoT member, Chief Emmanuel Iwuayanwu, PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iwuala, Power Minister, Prof Chinedu Nebo, Health Minister, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, former governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metu, former Imo governorship aspirant, Chief Peter Orji, Foreign Affairs Minister, Prof Viola Onwuliri, former PDP state chairman,  Chief I.D. Nwoga, PDP state chairman, Nnamdi Anyaehie, among others.
In his remarks, the president thanked the people who came out to witness the unity rally.  He said the day marked the reunion of party faithful in the state, saying that the PDP had come back strong again in Imo.
Jonathan said that the PDP is the only party that can unite the country, pointing out that since 1998 when the party was formed, its ideology had remained the same. He promised that the PDP would ensure that democracy in the country would be entrenched, saying that one does not need to be a moneybag to be in the party.
The president noted that consistency in the party had made it to remain intact irrespective of occasional misunderstanding.
“We are not here today for campaign but to welcome our former members who left the party because of internal wrangling in 2011,” he said, adding that the returnee members now know that there is no other place their interests would be accommodated other than the PDP, where there is rule of law.
He said that with the kind of reception given to him by the people of the state, the people had spoken eloquently.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Dr Godswill Akpabio said the transformation leadership of Jonathan had touched the Imo people and that made them turn out in their large number to receive him.
Akpabio said it had been revealed to him that PDP would sweep Imo in 2015 in all electoral positions.  He begged Jonathan to return to Imo to commission federal projects scattered all over the place before the APC government in the state would claim them. Also the PDP chairman in Imo State, Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie said the PDP in the state was now ready to do battle to reclaim the state, thanking Jonathan for federal presence in the state.
In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha noted that PDP made mistakes in the past and was now ready to reclaim Imo.
“Those who left the party are back to strengthen their hand; I therefore beg that they be accommodated at all levels of the party for them to launch back to the Government House in 2015.”
He told Jonathan to count on the support of the Imo people who he said had always supported him. Also Senate President, David Mark said Imo is PDP and PDP is Imo, adding that Imo has returned fully to the party kitty with the caliber of returnees. He looked forward to when they would return to the state to smoothen the move to recapture the state.
Senator Chris Anyanwu speaking on behalf of the returnees said it was a great day in the state as they returned to the PDP before all the gladiators of Imo politics. With their return, she said Imo political bigwigs are now complete under one umbrella, stating that the various tendencies had collapsed into one for Jonathan. Anyanwu urged the President and other party faithful to open their arms to welcome their brothers and sisters who were coming back and never allow them to go out again.  Also, former Imo State governor, Chief Achike Udenwa said the people were deceived in 2011 with promise of a rescue mission that has been a ruse, saying they are now out to properly rescue Imo.

From CHIDI NNADI and GEORGE ONYEJIUWA, Owerri

The tribunal, however, refused to strike out Mr. Ngige’s suit.
The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Awka, Anambra State, has dismissed a motion filed by Chris Ngige which sought additional exhibits and witnesses to prove his petition against Willie Obiano.
The tribunal in its ruling delivered in Awka on Wednesday by a member of the panel, Justice Akintola Akiniyi, held that the documents sought to be added were sourced outside the designated INEC office.
Mr. Ngige, a senator, was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the elections, while Mr. Obiano was the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The counsel to INEC, Mr. Obiano and Victor Umeh’s faction of APGA, Adegboyega Awomolo, Onyechi Ikpeazu, and Patrick Iweto respectively had opposed the motion.
“All the computer generated documents from the law office of the applicant sought to be added by counsel to Ngige, Chief Olarotimi Akeredolu were produced outside the order of the tribunal.
“This, however, has affected the credibility of the documents and cannot be accepted.
“Accordingly, the application to file, serve and rely on the additional witness statements cannot be granted and hereby dismissed,” the tribunal held.
The tribunal further held that the dismissal would not affect the validity of other evidence to be relied upon by the petitioner.
Mr. Ngige is challenging the election of Mr. Obiano in the governorship election held in Anambra in 2013 on grounds of electoral malpractice.
In another ruling read by Justice John Viko, the tribunal dismissed, for lack of merit, consolidated motions which sought outright striking out of the petition at the pre-hearing sessions.
It held that the motion which sought the striking out of specified paragraphs of the various petitions would be heard and determined during pre-hearing.
“Those seeking outright dismissal of the petition will be heard and determined along with the substantive petitions.
“This tribunal views the innovation introduced by paragraphs 12 (5) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act, 2010 as a step towards promoting peace, substantial justice and ultimately enhancing a healthy policy.
“It allows aggrieved members of the society to ventilate their grievances free from legal technicalities,” the tribunal said.
The tribunal in another petition adjourned till February 25 ruling on a motion filed by Chike Obidigbo seeking to be joined as a respondent in all the petitions.
Similarly, the tribunal adjourned till February 25 ruling on motions filed by counsel to INEC, Mr. Obiano and APGA seeking to strike out some paragraphs of the petition filed by Tony Nwoye.
It also adjourned till February 24 for Mr. Akeredolu to reply on motions filed by counsel to INEC, Mr. Obiano and APGA seeking to strike out some paragraphs of Mr. Ngige’s petition for being vague, imprecise and generic in nature.
The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ishaq Bello, expressed the hope that the tribunal will conclude pre-hearing on February 25.
He solicited for the cooperation of all parties to achieve this.
(NAN)