ANR LAMBASTS ABIA ASSEMBLY FOR PLANNING TO SUSPEND MINORITY LEADER

A political pressure group, Abia North Renaissance (ANR) has berated the Abia State House of Assembly over it's plan to suspend the Minority Leader of the Assembly, Hon chijioke chukwu over alleged uncomplementary remarks against the People's Democratic party (PDP) led Government of Okezie Ikpeazu. Hon chukwu who represents Bende North state constituency in the Assembly, had last week in an interview, condemned those agitating which area of the state the governorship will come from in 2023, saying, they were only trying to shift attention from the inadequacies and maladministration of the present government. The PDP dominated Assembly felt Hon chukwu castigated the governor and urged him to apologise or be suspended. However, ANR in a statement by it's leader, Comrade Kalu Uka said Hon chijioke had not done anything wrong to warrant suspension from the House. Uka made it clear that what the Minority Leader said in the contentious interview could not in any way be compared with what PDP members in the National Assembly, including those from Abia have said against President Muhammadu Buhari and nobody has contemplated suspending them. Uka said any attempt to suspend Hon chukwu will be resisted by his group and other lovers of democracy across the state, moreso, when chukwu's statement was not against Gov Ikpeazu as a person. Uka disclosed that the group has it on good information that the man at the centre of the controversy had boasted before his colleagues how he came to the Assembly with thugs to deal with chukwu, but for the intervention of the speaker. Uka equally said ANR has it on good authority that the same person is considering other options to silence or outrightly assassinate Hon chukwu. The group said it will not sit idly and watch as chukwu is being threatened from different quarters, warning that if anything untoward happens to the lawmaker, it would be met with dare consequences. PIB - REP BENJAMIN KALU ADVICES SOUTHERNERS July 11, 2021 The National Assembly has asked critics of the Petroleum Industry Bill recently passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives to wait till after the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), possibly signs it into law before seeking amendments. Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs,  benjamin   kalu , who noted that no man-made law is imperfect, said the passed PIB is far better than the archaic law presently guiding the petroleum sector. Some clauses in the PIB, which the Senate and the House separately passed on Thursday last week, have generated criticisms. The Southern Governors’ Forum, Southern Caucus and the Peoples Democratic Party Caucus in the National Assembly as well as several regional and zonal socio-political and cultural groups had faulted clauses relating to Frontier Basins and Host Communities in the PIB. In a piece sent to our correspondent explaining the clauses in the PIB,  kalu  described those claiming READ MORE ASEPP COMMISERATES WITH HIGH CHIEF IKECHI EMENIKE ON THE DEATH OF THE MOTHER-IN-LAW June 27, 2021   ASEPP COMMISERATES WITH HIGH CHIEF IKECHI EMENIKE ON THE DEATH OF THE MOTHER-IN-LAW                         By         Iheke Nwachukwu Last Friday, 24 hours before the final burial of the mother-in-law  of the ebullient and widely celebrated Abia politician and International business man, High Chief Ikechi Emenike, Professor Victor Ukaogo,  the convenor of Association of South east professors and professionals (ASEPP) paid a condolence visit  to the business tycoon at his country home. He was accompanied by Mr Chiana Azaribe, the coordinator of Ikechi Emenike Vanguard  Group and Professor Ukaogo's aide. Prof. Ukaogo was one the early callers of the day and had a private discussion with the Abia politician who doubles as the Chairman of Council, University of Nigeria . The Professor of history and International relations condoled with him on the death of his inlaw and prayed that God receives her peaceful and gentle soul. It's uncertain if the duo discussed other issues but it READ MORE NIGER DELTA LEADERS GIVE BUHARI ULTIMATUM June 27, 2021   The South South geo-political zone has raised the ante in the agitation for the restructuring of the country, handing down a three-month ultimatum to the federal authorities to start the process of giving Nigeria a new lease of life. Niger.....