cover

All Posts in "cover"

Isuikwuato agog as Hon. Nnaemeka Obi empowers Okada riders

It was a celebration of sorts on Friday, September 26, 2025, as one of Isuikwuato’s emerging stars, Hon. Nnaemeka GodsPrince Obi, excited motorcycle riders, popularly known as Okada riders, operating in the whole local government area by ensuring they all got free fuel.

The free distribution was done at Sane Consult International Limited, a Petrol Station located in Ovim.

The Okada riders were not just elated by the free petrol but by the news that the gift would be given out every month.

The information which spread like wild fire went round the whole local government as the motorcycle riders turned out in their numbers, hailing OBI NNAEMEKA FOUNDATION, the organization that handled the petrol empowerment.

Eyewitness account said all the Okada riders had the OBI NNAEMEKA FOUNDATION stickers on their bikes as a sign of solidarity.

Chairman of Okada riders in Isuikwuato, who mentioned his name as Chibuzo, expressed his appreciation for this gesture and maintained that the Patron, Hon Nnaemeka Obi, is a worthy son.

“We are very happy for this gift and we will support him in any way we can, and anywhere he wants to go.”

However, a Foundation member told him that the gesture is selfless and not because he is contesting any elective post.

The Okada operators maintained a show of solidarity, saying they will come out in mass to back him up if he decides to seek any elective post now or in the near future.

OBI NNAEMEKA FOUNDATION, whose motto is”The Light has Come”, is a philanthropic organization designed to lift the less privileged as well as pursue the well-being of Isuikwuato citizens.

Hon. Nnaemeka Obi, the prime mover of the Foundation said that he is a proud son of Umuokogbuo Eluama in Isuikwuato local government.

He said he created the foundation to give back to society. While the activities kick-started with Okada riders, “it will extend to other persons”, he noted.

Picture: Okada riders filing to take their turns.

by DFC Management — September 27, 2025 in Politics 0

Gov. Otti to US Envoy: Abia Wants Partnerships, Not Handouts

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has declared that his administration is more interested in forging partnerships with the United States than receiving aid or handouts, stressing that the state has much to offer in mutually beneficial cooperation.

A press statement signed by Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor said Otti made the remark while receiving the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Umuahia.

The US envoy commended Otti’s leadership style, noting that his reforms in infrastructure, security, and governance had positioned Abia as a model for good governance in the Southeast.

“Your leadership in Abia has brought real, positive change. Your focus on infrastructure and addressing security challenges has transformed the state,” Ambassador Mills said. “The United States values its partnership with Abia and the Southeast. There are tremendous opportunities here for business and investment, especially with your government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and youth empowerment.”

In response, Governor Otti welcomed the endorsement, emphasizing that Abia was not looking for charity but genuine collaboration that would deliver value to both sides.

“In terms of partnership, we don’t believe in grants and aid. We seek real partnerships, knowing there is a lot of value we can create together,” Otti said. “This is the SME capital of Nigeria, and there are many areas—healthcare, education, waste management, technology, and enterprise development—where Abia can work closely with the US to achieve shared goals.”

The Governor described the Ambassador’s two-day visit as a vote of confidence in his administration and outlined ongoing reforms across key sectors to strengthen economic growth and improve the quality of life for Abians.

He was joined in the closed-door meeting with Ambassador Mills by senior members of his cabinet, including the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Kenneth Kalu, Chief of Staff Pastor Caleb Ajagba, and commissioners in key sectors.

Picture: Governor Otti and Ambassador Mills.

by DFC Management — September 27, 2025 in Politics 0

2027: Why North-west support for Tinubu is expected – Olawale

A public affairs analyst, Olaniyi Olawale, has explained why it is expected for the North-West region of Nigeria to rally behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.

He said president Tinubu has done several landmark projects in the region as justification for the support, citing the almost completion of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano roads, the Kano-Maiduguri and other project executions.

Olawale, who doubled as the coordinator of the Progressive Foundation Movement (PFM), said Kano stakeholders, led by the former chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, the lawmaker representing Bichi Federal Constituency and the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abubakar Bichi, and other political heavyweights, rallied support for Tinubu because of his administration’s developmental interest on the region.

“The Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road is almost completed. Kano-Maiduguri sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 are almost completed. The Kano-Katsina project is almost completed.

“And in the next one to two months, Mr President will come to Kano to lay the foundation for the Light Rail project in Kano State.

“That project will cost more than one billion US dollars and, of course, is going to be one of the most important projects in Northern Nigeria,” he said.

by Dan Poster — September 27, 2025 in Politics 0

Ekiti community youths protest alleged plot to impose monarch

Youths in Araromi-Obo, a community in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State, on Friday staged a protest against what they described as a plot to impose a new traditional ruler on the town.

The protesters accused certain people of attempting to manipulate the community’s traditional system through the controversial appointment of warrant chiefs, allegedly to pave the way for their preferred candidate.

Addressing journalists after the demonstration, the President of Araromi-Obo Youths, Mr Sunday Faseluka, stressed that the town already had established kingmakers who had faithfully served for more than two decades.

He listed them as Oisangan, Chief Oluwole Egunjobi; Ejigbo, Chief Joseph Alabi; and Ejisun, Chief Ajayi Sunday.

According to Faseluka, the attempt to replace these chiefs while they are still alive was unconstitutional, illegal, and provocative, warning that such actions could destabilize the peace of the community.

He alleged that those behind the move were acting out of selfish interest and seeking to undermine the integrity of the traditional process.

The group’s secretary, Mr Deji Alabi, also accused the masterminds of plotting to sideline the kingmakers in order to favour Prince Ebenezer Ojo, whom he claimed was being positioned to ascend the throne.

Alabi described the plan as unacceptable, insisting that the people of Araromi-Obo would resist any attempt to subvert their customs and traditions.

“We want to inform the government that Mr Ebenezer Ojo, whom some people are trying to impose on the community, can neither read nor write. In this current dispensation, we do not want an illiterate as a king,” he said.

“What we want is an educated person who can bring development to our town. The appointment of warrant chiefs is only a ploy to favour Mr Ojo, and we, the youths, reject the attempt outright.”

by Dan Poster — September 27, 2025 in General News 0

FAAN To Flag-Off Digital Payment Systems At Nigerian Airports

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would soon roll out” Operations Go Cashless “, a contactless payment solution at airports nationwide.

The pilot phase of the new arrangement, the Authority said, will be flagged off with Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

According to a statement by the airport Authority, the new payment architecture is part of its broader strategy to automate and digitise its operations.

FAAN said the new system will be driven in partnership with Paystack, a financial technology platform

The statement reads:” Effective September 29, 2025, all payments at FAAN’s revenue points, including airport Access Gates, Car Parks, FAAN VIP and Protocol Lounges, will go cashless, which means we will be phasing out the collection of cash at these points.

Travellers and airport users will now enjoy fast and seamless services by using a secure contactless payment option.

This initiative responds to the growing demand for safe, modern, and transparent payment systems while ensuring Nigeria’s airports remain aligned with global digital trends.

” By reducing reliance on cash, FAAN aims to enhance efficiency, improve revenue assurance, and deliver a better customer experience at our airports.

“To ease the transition, trained brand ambassadors have been deployed at access gates and around the terminals to guide users, assist with onboarding, provide demonstrations, and answer questions they may have.

“In addition, passengers can obtain a FAAN Go Cashless Card at any airport access gate in Lagos and Abuja. After collection, users are encouraged to activate and fund their cards immediately.”

by Dan Poster — September 27, 2025 in Transport/Maritime 0

NPA Boss unveils reform agenda for competitive, investor-friendly Ports

Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the authority is working to build a globally competitive port system that will enhance trade facilitation, attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and boost investor confidence in Nigeria’s economic future.

Dantsoho disclosed this while delivering a paper titled “Optimising Digitalisation and Trade Facilitation for Regional Growth” at a side event of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

He said the NPA was implementing reforms aimed at repositioning Nigeria as a hub for maritime commerce in West and Central Africa, leveraging technology and international best practices.

According to him, ongoing efforts include the deployment of port community systems, expansion of hinterland connectivity through rail and inland dry ports, and the entrenchment of a service culture that prioritises efficiency and competitiveness.

Dantsoho stressed that a robust and digitally driven port ecosystem was critical to unlocking the country’s economic diversification agenda and sustaining regional integration.

He added that the NPA remained committed to strengthening partnerships with global stakeholders to ensure Nigerian ports operate at par with leading maritime gateways around the world.

Picture: NPA MD, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho

by DFC Management — September 26, 2025 in Transport/Maritime 0

DESPERATION Taken Too Far: OBINNA ORIAKU Inciting Ethnic Conflict

By Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA

The busy-body, attention-seeking, and desperate former Commissioner for Finance in Abia State, a PDAPC chieftain and the Commissioner designate representing Abia State in the Federal Character Commission, Mr. Obinna Oriaku has taken his petty and hate-ridden cynicism, falsehood, lies, and misinformation in the guise of opposition politics, beyond the boundaries of sanity and acceptable discourse.

In an incitement-laden false alarm on his social media account yesterday, Mr. Obinna Oriaku demonstrated his reckless readiness to endanger and sacrifice his State, the Igbo Nation, the lives, properties, and businesses of our people across the Country, including the peace of the Country, on the altar of desperate and petty opposition politics.

Mr. Oriaku’s inciting and dangerous dimension is more worrisome because he can pass off as an educated elite who understands the prevailing ethnic volatility and mutual suspicion in Nigeria but chooses to ignite a flame that can set the Country ablaze and consume the lives and sources of livelihood of our people in the name of opposition politics and being critical of his nightmare, Governor Alex Otti.

Oriaku’s false alarm, concoction, lie, misinformation, and incitement about banning Fulanis from entering Abia State are not only irresponsible but also dangerous and wicked.

Why would a mammal that eats food and drinks water accuse a detribalised Nigerian like Governor Alex Otti of banning Fulanis from a State where he has not only abolished the indigene policy but also declared that anybody who lives in Abia is an Abian and has demonstrated it, both in words and actions by appointing non-Igbos into positions of authority in the State and hired workers into the State’s workforce on merit irrespective of State of origin, ethnicity or religion? Under Governor Otti in Abia State, where you are from is no longer a part of interview questions.

Obinna Oriaku’s resort to ethnic incitement, clannishness, lies, and blackmail in the name and guise of opposition has further exposed his desperate thirst for political power even at the risk of sacrificing the blood of his own people.

Under Governor Otti, Abia State is open for business to all Nigerians, Africans, and the globe, irrespective of race, tribe, ethnicity, and religion. Gov. Otti as a private sector person has lived and worked in different parts of the Country, and appreciates the fact that every Nigerian is free to peacefully live and work in any part of the Country without restriction or molestation, and can never conceive the idea of banning or restricting any Nigerian in any part of Abia State.

This madness by Obinna Oriaku, which is capable of endangering the lives and properties of Abians and Igbos living in the Northern part of the Country, must be condemned by all men of good faith and lovers of peace. Nigeria must not be turned into a theatre of war, ignited with propaganda and lies, just to satisfy the desperate power thirst of one man.

Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA is Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.

by DFC Management — September 26, 2025 in General News 0