Abakpa: Enugu most horrible slum

The saying “cleanliness is next to godliness” is not binding to the residents of Abakpa in Enugu East Loacal Government Area of Enugu State.

With a population of about 750,000 residents, Abakpa is a commercial settlement with relatively affordable apartments.

Some neighborhoods like Ugbo-oye, Housing Estate, Atani and Imo Rivers. Others include Odo-Ozo close, Umuagu, Nike Road and Ukwu Aki junction.

We observed that the condition of live in these areas is so horrible and is extremely detrimental to the healthy living.

Although Abakpa occupies a setting of magnificent natural beauty, rather poverty and urban sprawl have spawned the densely populated neighborhood.

In Abakpa, hardly would you see a neighborhood without being greeted by wastes heaped on the road, littered streets and black water gushing from homes.

Some of the residents that spoke to us expressed their desire to see a better environment and are pleading on Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to come to their aid.

Below are  pictorial view of Enugu’s most horrible slum.

More on this story will be coming your way in our next edition. There you will discover what it looks like to live in Enugu most horrible slum.

Kudos to Nigerian Army: Boko Haram finally defeated

The Nigerian military has finally recaptured Gwoza, the last town under Boko Haram control situated in North Eastern Borno State.

The Defence Headquarters, in a tweet, said the town was recaptured on Friday morning by troops.

Troops this morning captured Gwoza destroying the Headquarters of the Terrorists self styled Caliphate,” the DHQ said Friday morning.

Gwoza, one of the largest towns in Borno, fell under the control of Boko Haram terrorists on August 6, 2014.

The terrorists, after sacking the town, killed many people and displaced others, including the Emir, Muhammed Timta.

The group also erected its flag, declaring the area as an Islamic caliphate.

Just recently on Wednesday  President Goodluck Jonathan, while receiving some International Election Monitoring Groups said the military command had assured him that Gwoza would be liberated on Friday.

He said the liberation of the areas under terrorists attack would pave way for the successful conduct of general elections in all states of the federation.

He also that after the town had be recaptured, a little time will be needed for clean up.

There were reports that Boko Haram was hiding the abducted Chibok girls in Gwoza, but the military hasn’t said if they were found there.

Essential points every Nigerian citizen should consider as we vote in the presidential election tomorrow

My dear good people of Nigeria, as we have few hours remaining to hit the polls and decide on our future as a country, the world is looking at us to see how wise we could be in excising our power through our votes.

We have seen all the candidates for the hottest seat and the most influential sit in Africa, which is the office of the president of Nigeria.

To me, this sit is majorly being contested by two candidates and we all know them, while others are there to just make up the number.

However, my concern now is to finally bring the attention of Nigerians on the basic factors they are to consider in casting their vote tomorrow.

This is a crucial moment for us as a Nation and it requires us to have a critical look into what should guide us in electing who ever that will pilot the affairs of this country for the next four years.

But before I continue, I want to state clearly that I don’t belong to any political party in Nigeria, rather I am just a concern citizen that always wants to stand for the truth and will never be carried away by propaganda.

Age: Age is an essential factor to consider while making that decision on who to vote for.

You cannot compare the efficiency of a man in his 50s and a man in his 70s in carrying out the day to day rigorous job of a Nigeria’s president.

At 70, you can never be as effective as you are required to be.

Sickness comes with old age, and I don’t think we would want to run the risk of having a president suffering from the popular old age related sickness called Alzheimer. Chai, God help Nigeria!!!

Campaign Promises Made: We have heard the two major candidates make so many campaign promises, this covered all the sectors of our economy and social living.

However, to my uttermost surprise, one of the two top contenders has continually treated us all with so much disdain and has finally succeeded in insulting our Intelligence.

How can a right thinking man in Nigeria believe that free education at all levels for all Nigerians is realistic!? We are talking about something that will probably cost the country money running into trillions of naira annually.

A state under their political party that promised free food for just primary school pupils could not sustain it for six months not to talk of providing free education for all Nigerians. Agahh!! General B. we are not stupid!!

Another of such obnoxious promises is that he will make sure that one dollar will equal to one naira under one year in office, of which economically speaking it is not just possible.

The most bizarre of all is his promise to fight corruption while everybody surrounding his candidature is wallowing in corruption.

Even his campaign funding is drawn from a corrupt means.

Therefore, we should watch out for promises filled with deception orchestrated to mislead people so as to grasp power at all means.

After all, they have never meant good for Nigeria. They are only concerned with taking power at all cost and fighting their political enemies at the detriment of our general development.

Political Associates: One of the candidates who happen to be the incumbent has for himself people that have purposefully salvaged this country from the grip of cabals that has for so long held us down.

The evidence is very glare with the giant stride we are recording in agriculture, power, science and technology, transportation, manufacturing etc.

While the other blindly clothed himself with some group of political miscreants who lost out bitterly from the ruling party and are scheming to take their pound of flesh by putting up all sort of odd skirmishes to clinch power. Our God will never allow them, God forbid!

Dear Nigerians, by now we may have made our diverse decisions on who to vote for by tomorrow, but before we sleep over this decisions, I want to conclude by buttering some basic information most are familiar with.

We already have a man that has managed to turn the tides of things in our country under four years even amongst heavy challenges and opposition right from inception, his pedigree speaks for him.

He has that antecedent of peace, gentility, visionary leadership and unity in diversity which has been speaking for him and will always speak for him.

Let’s not forget the saying that “an old dog does not learn new tricks”. The other has been an old general who should have retired to his position as an elder states man; instead he has consciously pushed his luck at the expense of Nigerians.

How can we easily forget the aftermath of 2011 general elections and all his threats to shed blood if he loses in 2015?

Let’s beware of a man who once described the barbaric BokoHaram terrorists as just disgruntled social activists agitating for their rights.

A man who once accused the federal government of committing war crimes by fighting BokoHaram.

Nigerians, please beware and vote wisely tomorrow. We should stand for democracy, truth, fairness and unity.

Come tomorrow, we all will achieve victory for Nigeria. God bless Nigeria!!





signed
Chikezie Ogbonna
Editor, The Narrator

Nigeria shuts all borders ahead of Saturday's election

Nigeria has announced the closure of all land and sea borders ahead of Saturday’s presidential elections, the Interior Ministry announced Wednesday.
All borders will effectively be closed from midnight March 25, to midnight Saturday, March 28, the ministry said in a statement.
The release, signed by the permanent secretary, Abubakar Magaji, said the borders would be closed “to allow for the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming national elections”.
It also said the Nigeria Immigration Service has been directed to ensure that non-Nigerians do not participate in any part of the election process.

Buhari’s escapes disqualification

In what seems to be an escape for Buhari, the Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned hearing in all cases questioning retired General Muhammadu Buhari’s eligibility to contest in the 2015 presidential elections, to the 22nd and 23rd of April.

The court also dismissed the application filed by two other parties one Ebunoluwa Adegoruwa, a human rights activists and another Chukwuma Ochu seeking to be joined in the suit.

Trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola said the applicants are no more than meddlesome interlopers seeking to waste the time of the court and as such their applications concerning Buhari’s eligibility are frivolous and is thereby struck out.

The two parties before the court had approached the court to be joined as defendants in the suit.

While Mr Adegoruwa premised his application on the grounds that he is a pro-democrat who wants to ensure that all parties are granted equal rights, Mr Uwa told the court that his application is on the grounds that General Buhari is his candidate in the 2015 presidential elections and if he is disqualified he will be disenfranchised.

Buhari’s eligibility to contest in the forthcoming elections has been a bone of contention since he emerged the All Progressives Congress’ candidate.

On March 19, the court reserved ruling till  March 23 to decide whether it has jurisdiction to hear the suit filed by one Chukwuwike Okafor and Donald Daunamigba challenging Buahri’s eligibility to contest the 2015 general elections.

At the resumed hearing of two suits filed by Chukwunweike Okafor and Donald Daunamigba, their lawyer Mike Ozekhome (SAN) told the court that he had received a number of preliminary objections and applications for joinder in the suit.

He, however, asked the court for accelerated hearing in view of the fact that the general elections are barely a week away. According to him the court should consolidate all applications in the suit and decide on it, together with the substantive suit.

On March 24, the court ruled that all pending applications and the originating summons would be taken together in the suit challenging Buhari’s eligibility in the forthcoming March 28 presidential election.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Mike Ozekhome, who replied on point of law, argued that the parties seeking to join are interlopers and he canvased for accelerated hearing.

While counsel to the APC, Lateef Fagbemi, faulted Ozekhome’s position, he maintained that the mode of service on his client is faulty, stating that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

Counsel to Muhammadu Buhari , Mr Abubakar Malaki, also aligned with the position of the APC.

After listening to all parties, the presiding Judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, fixed the 25th of March to rule on the application for joinder.‎‎