Wike of Rivers State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) pulled out of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council last year, insisting that except the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, quits his position, they wouldn’t have anything to do with the campaigns.

Ayu would wield the big stick after the polls to demonstrate the supremacy of the party in line with the PDP constitution.

A member of the PDP National Executive Committee and former governor of a North-West state told our correspondent in confidence that the action of the aggrieved governors infuriated party stakeholders across the board, warning that failure to call them to order would raise a lot of questions from loyal members of the party.

The NEC member said, “We watched every day how these leaders ridiculed the party. Nobody said they had no reasons to be aggrieved, but we generally agreed that there were other ways to speak on the issues than the way they did.

When the elders (Board of Trustees) intervened, we all thought the crisis was over, but it only got worse. We expect some sanctions, although the leadership of the party will set in motion what to do with them.

“At the NEC, it was nothing short of a disgrace to wake up to see governors dancing not in solidarity with their party, but with rival parties to cast aspersions on the same PDP that catapulted them to national prominence.

“It’s a good thing that Ayu is focused on the elections, but we would like to see what happens after that.”

When reached for comment, Ibrahim Abdullahi, the PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, refused to confirm or deny the fate of the Integrity Group, telling our correspondent that “we will wait until it is confirmed” what the party intends to do.

The biggest indication of what lies ahead for the Wike-led group came from the Deputy National Youth Leader of the party, Timothy Osadolor, who told The PUNCH that sanction for the aggrieved governors “is not a question of if but when.”

Osadolor stated, “How else could they have worked against the party than they have already? If they didn’t know that there would be sanctions, they wouldn’t be running to their states’ High Courts to procure ex-parte orders, but they are merely buying time.

“They know that they have erred, and the full wrath of the law will fall upon them. It’s not a matter of if, but of when.”
Osadolor added, “When the dust of elections is over, the party will revisit the issue. The party is supreme. Head or tail, their issue will be treated.”

Following Ayu’s refusal to go and the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s apparent non-interest in the sacking of the former Senate President, the governors have since pitched their tents with their preferred presidential candidates.

While Makinde and Wike were said to be allegedly working for the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Tinubu, Ortom has openly endorsed the candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, even as Ikpeazu and Ugwuanyi are reportedly torn between Atiku and Obi.

Ikpeazu disclosed this at the ‘End GBV summit’ with the theme, ‘Strengthening evidence and referral pathways for gender-based violence project in Abia State’, driven by the Abia First Lady, Nkechi Ikpeazu.

Ikpeazu, who was represented by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Uche Ihediwa, said in no distant time, these courts would be created “as soon as the courts resume,” adding that some Magistrate Courts would be designated to handle GBV matters.

He, however, noted with disgust that “the first challenge is ‘us’”, stating that all were involved in a prosecution, “but the victim will come out to say she is not continuing with the case.”

“If we must deal with GBV once it occurs, we will pursue it to the end or it will continue,” he said, adding that all had roles to play.

He stated government’s resolve not to allow the programme to die, as the state “will hold any incoming first lady accountable.”

He assured that the state government would do everything to ensure that trials on GBV did not last too long and would apportion “extensive budgetary provision for GBV” and to continue to fund it so that over the time, it would be institutionalised.

Earlier in her speech, the Chairman, Gender-Based Violence State Action Committee and wife of the state governor, Nkechi Ikpeazu, had pleaded with the governor to request the judiciary to introduce and implement Family Court and GBV Court Rules in the state.

According to her, “We shall also request that special courts be designated as GBV tribunals for quick dispensation of justice because one of the greatest barriers to reducing GBV is the slow hands of the Lady of Justice.

“We shall also demand that prosecutors everywhere should use the VAPP law to prosecute GBV cases, rather than obsolete legislation.

“We shall further ask that upgraded facilities and equipment be given to the selected primary healthcare centres which have been designated as GBV Case Friendly.

“Our intention going forward is to set up a sexual assault referral centre as soon as possible to help with medical care and evidence gathering so that we can reduce the challenges the police investigators face while trying to build a water-tight case.

“This meeting affords us the opportunity to renew our commitment and refuel our zeal to battle GBV wherever we find it at home, school, workplace, business-places and places of worship.”

In their speeches, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs And Social Development, Deaconess Rose Nna; Commissioner for Post Basic Education, Chijioke Mark; the Programme Lead, Vicar Hope Foundation, VHF Raymond Ukwa; the Project Consultant, Nnennaya Eneremadu; State Director, the National Orientation Agency, Ngozi Okechukwu, and the Technical Lead, VHF Chikamnayo Ojiegbe, extolled the stand of Mrs. Ikpeazu on GBV and highlighted the journey so far that led to resolutions on GBV in the state.

Ezeogo (Dr) Anagha Ezikpe, who died at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, was until his death, the chairman of the Abia Elders Advisory Council. He was also a Medical Doctor.

According to the state Commissioner for Trade and Investment, John Okiyi Kalu, the state Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu who received in audience a delegation of traditional rulers from Abiriba kingdom led by the Enachioken of Abiriba, HRM Eze Kalu Kalu Ogbu at his Aba Lodge, was informed of the death of Dr Ezikpe by his first son, George Ezikpe.

Responding, Governor Ikpeazu expressed deep pains and sadness over Ezikpe’s death and described the late elder statesman as his mentor who taught him many virtues during their meetings.

He said “Ezeogo has no copies available, so where are we going to find another Ezeogo? Where are we going to find people that are so frank, so selfless, so transparent, and so bold, so committed to the service of other people, the community, and the society? such people as Ezeogo are very rare to find and cannot be replaced. A big pillar of support for this state has collapsed”, the governor lamented.

Born 2nd February 1930, Ezeogo Anagha Ezikpe who was one of the founding members of the PDP in Abia State and also one of the founding fathers of Abia State died on Christmas Day after he slumped during a meeting of the Advisory Council and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, where he was later pronounced dead.

He hails from Abiriba, in Ohafia LGA.

Ikpeazu, at the official launch of the scheme at the Governor’s Lodge, Aba, stressed the importance of data in governance and administration, saying that ASSIN would help the Abia government in planning, addressing unemployment issues in the state, demographic distribution of infrastructure and resources, among others.

The identity numbers will serve as a pass that will guide relationships between citizens and the government, Ikpeazu said, adding that the ASSIN would also be required in school enrollment and other businesses citizens have with the government.

The governor said that it had become a civic responsibility of all Abia citizens to enrol in the scheme, which had been made user-friendly for enrolees to register free of charge from the comfort of their homes.

Ikpeazu added that he was looking forward to the digitalisation of the activities of all Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the state, adding that when fully operational, the scheme would make it difficult for civil servants to be paid without the number.

He pledged the government’s support for the scheme in every way, to make it successful as it would improve service delivery.

The Permanent Secretary and Executive Secretary of the Abia State Planning Commission, Dr Nnenna Chikezie, described the ASSIN as an identity management platform that would capture users’ biometrics.

She also said Abia people in the diaspora could enrol on the scheme, using an internet-enabled android phone, explaining further that the need for the scheme was long overdue as it was required for planning purposes, including capturing the state’s developmental strides.

Chikezie added that two million Abia citizens were targeted for capture and registration in 12 months, as the ASSIN would be the identification for anybody desiring services from the Abia government.

She said details on the registration would soon be made public and thanked the governor for initiating the scheme.

It was gathered that the meeting, which would hold eight weeks after the governors met in Asaba, the Delta State capital, would further assess decisions taken in Asaba on the open grazing ban, restructuring, fiscal federalism and the call for state police.

The governors would be hosted by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the meeting which would start by 10 am today (Monday).

Aside from the host governor, others expected at the meeting are Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), Diri Duoye (Bayelsa), Willie Obiano (Anambra), Ben Ayade (Cross Rivers), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), David Umahi (Ebonyi), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), Oluwaseyi Makinde (Oyo), and Nyesom Wike (Rivers).

The governor, however, faulted the strategy being employed by IPOB, advising the secessionist group to explore dialogue and peaceful ways to seek redress.

Ikpeazu, who stated this during a visit to the Osasu Igbinedion pan-African television studio in Abuja on Thursday night, said IPOB had placed all the governors of the South-East under fatwa (death sentence).

He said, “People are beginning to think now that some of the issues raised by Nnamdi (Kanu) are if they were issues of injustice, marginalisation and inequality, any part of society has a right to begin to feel cheated or unwanted. So, some of those things which Nnamdi said are valid. Some of us can see it. We cannot continue to hide behind a finger. But some of us do not subscribe to his style or strategy, because I do not understand where he is going and how he is going and when he plans to pull the break (-up) and what he wants to achieve. If I have a way of conveying my views to the leadership of that group, what I will say is that they should find a way to enter into conversation and let people know. I am under their fatwa now and some of my brother governors. They say, ‘If you see them, kill them. They are fighting in the kitchen; by the time the war in the kitchen ends, mama’s pot of soup would have spilt, there will be no plate to eat and everybody would be hungry and eventually, it would not serve any good purpose. I don’t understand their strategy,”

The governor went into Isolation after testing positive for the novel Coronavirus on June 8.

A statement from the state’s Commissioner of Information, John Okiyi Kalu, announcing the governor’s recovery, reads “To the glory of God, repeat COVID-19 test conducted by Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on samples submitted by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on Thursday, 2nd July 2020, returned negative result on Friday, 3rd July 2020. Governor Ikpeazu is therefore deemed free of the virus according to the extant guidelines of NCDC and the World Health Organization (WHO). Thank you”

The Governor who went into isolation before his test result came back positive has directed the deputy governor, Rt Hon Ude Oko Chukwu to act on his behalf till he resumes duty.

The statement read ”Recall that on Saturday, 30th May 2020, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu volunteered his sample for COVID-19 test and subsequently directed members of the state Executive Council (EXCO) and those of the inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19 to submit themselves for the same test. On Tuesday, 2nd June 2020. The result of Governor Ikpeazu’s test returned negative. On Thursday, 4th June 2020, the Governor submitted another sample at NCDC laboratory for confirmation and the result returned positive. As a result, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has gone into isolation, as required by relevant NCDC protocols, and he is being managed by a competent team of medical practitioners with a view to nursing him back to good health. Consequent on the above, the Governor has directed his Deputy, Rt Hon Ude Oko Chukwu, to act on his behalf pending his full resumption of duties. We wish to urge all Abians to take the fight against COVID-19 serious as the disease is real but not a death sentence. Our state has the resources to manage patients back to good health”

IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said the state governors have been marked for attacks if they dare come abroad for any function.

He said “The Nuremberg IPOB family in Germany, in keeping with the long-standing directive from our leader to hound all instigators of the Operation Python Dance, is glad to report that Ike Ekweremadu was confronted and duly hounded out of a so-called New Yam Festival event in Germany. Despite repeated warnings to the organisers of this jamboree that Enugu, Ebonyi and other parts of ‘Biafraland’ is under siege by the Fulani caliphate and their collaborators within, they went ahead to invite a known traitor, co-conspirator and one of those who worked with Igbo governors to proscribe and tag IPOB a terror organisation while they never raised any voice against the murderous Fulani herdsmen. This should serve as a warning to Nnia Nwodo, Dave Umahi, Okezie Ikpeazu, Willie Obiano and others that any day we find them in a public event abroad, they will be humiliated. IPOB is strategically located in over 100 countries around the world. Anywhere we find them, they will be dealt with.”