A prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Ikechukwu Damian, has alerted Governor Peter Mbah about an alleged plot by Hon. Anayo Onwuegbu, the member of the House of Representatives representing the Awgu/Oji-River/Aninri Federal Constituency, to remove all the elected ward executives of the party in the area.

Damian raised the alarm in a statement released to journalists on Thursday, accusing Onwuegbu of working to replace the current ward executives with his own candidates.

He claimed that the lawmaker had recently met with the PDP state chairman, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike, to seek his support for the removal of the ward executives.

“It has been noticed with surprise that Onwuegbu, whom they spent their energy and resources to deliver during the election, is lobbying the Enugu State chairman of the PDP, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike, to remove and replace the ward executives with his preferred candidates,” Damian stated.

He continued, “At first when the news filtered in, we took it with a pinch of salt, but as the days passed by, it dawned on us that there is no smoke without fire.”

According to Damian, the situation became clearer when Dr. Uche Ugochukwu accompanied Onwuegbu to meet with Dr. Chukwunweike last week to further their agenda.

Damian claimed that Chukwunweike responded by saying he would consult with the Chief of Staff at the Enugu State Government House before making any decisions.

“We gathered from a competent source that the PDP Enugu State chairman, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike, in his response, told Onwuegbu and Dr. Uche Ugochukwu that he would consult with the Chief of Staff at the Enugu State Government House and revert to them,” Damian said.

He also expressed concern over Onwuegbu’s failure to engage with Oji River stakeholders, despite his election to represent them.

“The worry of the newly elected ward executives is that Engr. Anayo Onwuegbu, since being elected, has not called a meeting of Oji River stakeholders or even Oji, Awgu, and Aninri people to brief them on the mandate given to him by them,” Damian pointed out.

“All his efforts and stock in trade since his swearing-in as member representing Oji River/Awgu/Aninri has been to further divide the zone into tiny groups.”

Damian argued that instead of attempting to remove the ward leaders, Onwuegbu should be guiding them for the benefit of the party.

He questioned whether Onwuegbu’s “Christmas gift” to the Oji River PDP was to destabilize the party by removing its ward executives rather than offering them tangible support, such as providing gifts like his counterparts.

“Does it mean that the Christmas gift Engr. Onwuegbu has for the Party in Oji River LGA is to remove the ward executives instead of giving them bags of rice like his counterparts?” he asked.

Damian also reminded Onwuegbu that the same ward executives in Oji River were involved in electing the current local government executives, as well as the state party leadership under Dr. Chukwunweike.

He emphasized that if Onwuegbu refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the Oji River Local Government ward executives, he would be rejecting the wider party structure.

“Engr. Anayo Onwuegbu (Omeiheukwu) should be informed that the same ward executives of Oji River LGA participated and elected the newly elected OJI RIVER Local Government executives. They also participated and voted for the current executive chairman of Oji River LGA, Greg Anyaegbudike. The same way they also participated and voted for the current PDP Enugu State executives under the leadership of Dr. Martin Chukwunweike,” Damian stated.

“If he does not recognize the Oji River Local government ward executives, he should also reject the Zonal and State excos of PDP in Enugu State.”

He continued, “The law says that once you identify with the whole, you have already identified with the parts.”

Damian urged Governor Mbah to pay attention to these undemocratic actions, which he warned could undermine the party.

He called on the state party chairman to resist any efforts to destabilize the party and disrupt its unity.

“We bring the attention of the governor of Enugu State, His Excellency Dr. Barr Peter Mbah, to these undemocratic tenets, which would not augur well for the party,” Damian said.

“We also call on the state party chairman to resist these destabilizing plans by those who do not mean well for the party and the state in general.”

Damian also cautioned Dr. Uche Ugochukwu to distance himself from any actions that could harm the party.

“For Dr. Uche Uzochukwu, our advice to him is to make hay while the sun shines by dissociating himself from things that will destabilize the party,” he said.

“Anybody taking any action that will throw the party into confusion is engaging in anti-party activities and should be so guided.”

As of the time of this report, efforts to get a response from Hon. Anayo Onwuegbu had not been successful.

Dr. Doyin Okupe, a former spokesperson and ex-Director-General of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, has argued that the South, not the North, should produce the next president in 2027.

Okupe made the statement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos, asserting that fairness demands that the South complete its eight-year term, similar to the North before the emergence of President Bola Tinubu.

Although he acknowledged that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 PDP presidential candidate, is highly qualified to run in 2027, Okupe said that geopolitical factors would make it inappropriate for him to succeed Tinubu.

“Atiku failed in 2023 not because he was unqualified, but because many believed a northern Muslim should not succeed another northern Muslim after eight years,” Okupe explained.

“If Atiku contests in 2027, he has the right to do so, and he is one of the best we have, but geopolitics is a factor,” Okupe added.

He emphasized that after eight years of a northern presidency, it is only fair for a southerner to take over for the next four years, even though this is not stipulated in the constitution.

“The North cannot now terminate the tenure of the South in 2027. It is not going to work,” he said.

Okupe also acknowledged that Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, could run for president in 2027, given that he is from the South.

However, he expressed skepticism that Obi could unseat Tinubu, given the current president’s progress in office.

“Obi can contest. He is dynamic and ambitious, but geopolitics matters in a country that has not achieved full unity. Tinubu, a southerner, is doing well. It’s going to be an uphill task for Obi,” Okupe stated.

When asked about potential alliances in the 2027 election aimed at unseating Tinubu, Okupe expressed doubts about their success, citing past failures of political coalitions.

“I have been in this game for over 40 years, and I’ve seen many alliances crumble because we lack the maturity to make necessary concessions,” Okupe explained.

He added that even in private business, most partnerships fail within the first three years, and political alliances are no different.

Reflecting on the alliance that helped elect former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, Okupe highlighted Tinubu’s crucial role in its success. “Tinubu made significant concessions to make the alliance work.

He had grown beyond selfishness and naivety,” Okupe said.

He doubted that opposition leaders such as Atiku, Obi, and Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso would be able to show similar maturity in 2027.

Commenting on President Tinubu’s leadership, Okupe praised the president’s clarity of purpose and direction.

“Nigeria is fortunate that Tinubu won the 2023 election. He has a clear vision and the determination to move the country forward,” he said.

Drawing a comparison to Singapore’s transformation under Lee Kuan Yew, Okupe emphasized the importance of progress over politics.

“It took Lee Kuan Yew 31 years to build Singapore into a first-world country. We must choose whether we want to move Nigeria forward or continue playing politics at the expense of our children’s future,” Okupe concluded.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria’s First Lady, has provided N50 million to assist 250 elderly residents of Enugu State through her pet project, The Renewed Hope Initiative’s Elderly Support Scheme (RHIESS).

Each of the 250 beneficiaries received N200,000 in the initiative, which took place in Enugu.

The program, themed “Total Wellness: Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous Lifestyle,” focused on enhancing the well-being and dignity of elderly citizens aged 65 and above.

Representing the First Lady at the event, the wife of Enugu State’s Governor, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, highlighted the importance of health and self-care, encouraging the elderly to eat well, stay hydrated, exercise, and cherish moments with their loved ones.

She also emphasized the significance of maintaining mental health by engaging in joyful activities and nurturing family connections.

Senator Tinubu expressed her commitment to ensuring that elderly Nigerians live their later years in comfort and dignity, stressing that while their needs may evolve, their desire for respect and compassion remains unchanged.

In addition, Mrs. Mbah announced that the Enugu State government, under Governor Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, would contribute an additional N50 million to the initiative, expanding its reach to more beneficiaries and reaffirming the importance of supporting the elderly.

During the event, Mrs. Mbah also distributed bags of rice to the elderly participants and thanked Senator Tinubu for initiating the program. She commended the RHIESS coordinators and partners for their contributions to the success of the scheme.

The event featured a comprehensive medical outreach, including free eye examinations, vital signs checks, malaria testing, common ailment diagnosis, and the distribution of free medications for treatment.

Dr. Doyin Okupe, a former presidential spokesman, has described opponents of the proposed Tax Reform Bills as enemies of Nigeria, asserting that the bills are designed to benefit the poor and foster national development.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Okupe emphasized that no rational individual could oppose reforms intended to safeguard the poor and tackle corruption.

“Any right-thinking human being who has had the opportunity in these last two months or so to listen and to read what the tax reforms are all about and goes against it, is an enemy of the country,” Okupe said.

He further explained that the reforms aim to ensure that the poor are not overburdened by taxes, questioning how anyone could oppose a policy that exempts the poor.

“We are saying that majority of poor people should not pay tax, how can anybody be against that?” he asked.

The reforms, according to Okupe, also propose fairer tax structures for companies, saying they will no longer be taxed arbitrarily.

“These reform bills are saying that companies that are not making money cannot be taxed arbitrarily. Their taxation will be based on revenue that they have generated and profit that made, not on turnover.”

He also highlighted a key aspect of the reform, stating that companies with a turnover below 50 million are exempt from taxes, and questioned anyone who would oppose this.

“If your turnover is below 50 million, you are exempted, should anyone oppose this?” he said, stressing that passing these bills would help curb corruption in the country.

On the Northern opposition to the Tax Reform Bills before the National Assembly, Okupe dismissed their concerns as unjustifiable.

He pointed out that Nigeria’s reliance on oil revenue, rather than taxation, has been unsustainable.

“Nigeria’s democracy has been based on oil and not on taxation, which is not sustainable, hence the need for a reform,” he stated, arguing that taxes should be the primary source of revenue for any government.

“Go and look at all countries in the world, the major source of revenue for government is taxation, but we don’t consider tax as an issue because we just take the oil, and then look at what are we going to get in the next 12 months for budget,” he added.

Okupe also commended the efforts of the First Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), noting the strides it has made in revenue generation over the past year.

However, he expressed concern about Nigeria’s low tax-to-GDP ratio, which is among the lowest globally.

“Our tax to GDP ratio is one of the lowest in the world, and here is a country that requires immense amount of money and revenue for development,” he said, emphasizing that Nigeria’s large population and vast landmass necessitate a robust revenue generation system.

He further explained that the tax reforms are designed to ensure that those who are wealthy enough to afford taxes are the ones shouldering the burden, rather than the impoverished.

“There are young people who are making money, who go to clubs and spend N3million, N4 million and so on in a night. Those are the people that need to be taxed, not the man at the door earning N70,000 monthly,” Okupe said.

Okupe also criticized the concerns about the timing and speed of the bills, stating that issues causing significant economic damage require swift action.

“Whatever is causing economic and financial hemorrhage must be given the speed it requires,” he said, expressing confidence that the tax reforms would boost internally generated revenue for states and improve the living standards of citizens.

In conclusion, Okupe urged President Bola Tinubu to oversee all revenue-generating agencies to root out corruption and ensure that the nation benefits fully from the reforms.

He also called for the use of emerging technologies in agencies such as Customs, Immigration, Nigerian Communications Technology, Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), and NIMASA to effectively combat corruption.

“When these reforms that Bola Tinubu is introducing, when they come on-stream, corruption will go,” he added.

DAILY GAZETTE recalls that on October 3, President Tinubu requested the National Assembly to consider and pass the Tax Reform Bills, which include the Nigeria Tax Bill, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill.

Speaking during a presidential media chat on Monday, Tinubu reiterated that the reforms aim to “eliminate colonial-based assumptions” in Nigeria’s tax environment.