By Nwajiobi Ijeoma, Nnewi

The traditional supreme ruler of Nnewi Community and the longest serving monarch in the world, His Royal Highness Igwe Kenneth Onyeneke Orizu III has thrown his weight behind the Anambra South People’s Democratic Party(PDP) senatorial candidate , Prince Samben Nwosu for the 2027 general elections, offering royal blessings and prayers for the candidate .

Samben Nwosu received royal blessings when he paid homage to the Monarch as part of the celebration to mark his 101st birthday on Friday, October 30.

According to the Palace Secretary who addressed Prince Samben Nwosu and his entourage, he disclosed that the Igwe was expected to make public appearance on Friday, October 30, which is his birthday but broke the protocol to offer his beloved Nephew royal blessings and prayers for his Senatorial ambition.

Igwe expressed his confidence in the PDP Senatorial Candidate’s sincerity, determination and dogged nature in addressing issues, adding that, “he will make a good Senator”.

He prayed for God’s wisdom and direction upon the candidate throughout the journey.

Responding to the prayers and blessings poured, Samben Nwosu expressed his appreciation, saying with the royal blessings, his victory is assured.

“I am happy and fulfilled today because I have been re-energized by our big father, His Royal Highness Igwe Kenneth Orizu III. History has it that prayers by traditional rulers are effective, with this I am fully assured that my candidacy is accepted by the entire Nnewi Kingdom and victory is assured ” he noted.

On the same note, the President General of Ndiakwu Otolo in Nnewi, which happens to be the immediate community of the candidate, Prince Izuchukwu Nwankwo disclosed that in their community, if you count decent people, Samben Nwosu must be among.

He described him as a truthful and transparent person, adding that the PDP candidate is one of the men in their community, they hold in high esteem.

“Prince Samben Nwosu is a man you can trust. Ndiakwu Otolo is in support of his senatorial ambition because we know what he can do if he becomes a Senator.

“He has achieved a lot even as Federal Commissioner for Public Complaints Commission (Ombudsman) and he has helped many to stand in their businesses as a Certified Business Developer, in fact he is the best candidate for the position because he will do better with his wealth of experience” he stated.

Prince Austin Onyekaba, who represented Oga Ndi Oga said he declared his support for the candidate because he is a vivacious young man whose character is as clear as daylight.

“Samben is a good candidate for Senate. I am calling on the seven local government in Anambra South to support him because he is a good man. We are from the same village, Samben I know, will never disappoint us” he declared.

By Tony Chuddy 

The Presidency and opposition presidential candidates have continued to disagree over president Bola Tinubu’s latest trip to Saudi Arabia, barely four weeks after his return from a working leave that took him away in United Kingdom (UK) and France for over one month 

While the presidential candidates of the Africa Democrstic Congress (ADC) Atiku Abubarkar and his Allied People’s Mandate (APM), Seyi Makinde, had rejected presidency’s claim that president Bola Tinubu was travelling to Makkah to pray for Nigeria, Nigerian activist and presidential candidate of the Africa Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has challenged the presidency to give provide the true position of the presidents state of health

Atiku had earlier rejected the religious  obligation claim by the presidency, and challenged to make available daily photographs of the president, while in Saudi Arabia for prayers 

This is as the presidency has insisted that Tinubu’s latest trip to Saudi Arabia, is for religious purposes, including prayers for Nigeria.

 Sowore,  who urged Nigerians to pray for Tinubu while drawing parallels between the President’s foreign travels and the overseas medical trips of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Sowore questioned Tinubu’s repeated visits to France and his reported journey to Saudi Arabia, suggesting that the circumstances surrounding the trips warranted prayers for the President.

“Pray for Tinubu. Like Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who initially sought treatment in Germany before travelling to Saudi Arabia, Tinubu has made repeated trips to France and he’s now heading to Saudi Arabia,” the activist wrote.

However, the Presidency had earlier explained that Tinubu’s planned visit to Saudi Arabia was to perform Umrah, the lesser Hajj, and pray for Nigeria, rather than seek medical treatment.Buy Maps

Special Adviser to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun reiterated the government’s position in a statement posted on his official X account, dismissing suggestions that the trip was connected to medical care.

“President Tinubu is not heading to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment. He is heading to the Holy Land for Lesser Hajj (Umrah), like other Muslims across the world, to offer supplications for the country and commit his re-election journey into the hands of God,” Olusegun stated.

The presidential aide said the visit would provide an opportunity for Tinubu to seek divine guidance for Nigeria and commit his political ambitions, including his re-election bid, to God.

Meanwhile, the President on Thursday departed Abuja for Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform Umrah, the Lesser Hajj, during which he will offer prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and continued progress. 

The President left the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at about 2:20pm, with governors and senior government officials present to see him off.

By Lawrence Ugwoke (Enugu) and Comfort Nweke (Abakiliki)

As Nigerians go the poll in 2027 to elect their new president, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has urged South east voters to vote only for a candidate who spoke s competent and can rebuild the damaged nation, rather than voting on ethnic or religious sentiments

This is as the BDC presidential candidate and his Allied People’s Mandate (APM) counterpart, Seyi Makinde have urged South east voters to reject ethnic and religious divisions 

The presidential candidates, who spoke separately  at Abakiliki and Enugu during their party’s Town hall Meetings emphasised the need to use the opportunity of the 2027 general elections to put Nigeria’s unity at forefront 

questioned President Bola Tinubu’s competence and energy to govern Nigeria, urging him to leave office and rest.

Obi, who spoke at an NDC town hall and stakeholders’ meeting  at the Citi-Hub Centre, Mile 50, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, urged Nigerians to support candidates based on their qualifications and capacity to deliver good governance rather than ethnic considerations.

He cautioned the South-East against division, insisting that voters in Ebonyi and other parts of the country should support him based on his credentials, not because he is Igbo.

He cautioned, “Let nobody divide the South-East. I don’t want the people of Ebonyi to vote for me because I am from the South-East. I don’t want you to vote for me because I am an Igbo person.

“My dear people, I want you to vote for me because I am qualified to be the President of this country. I want you to vote for me because I am the leading candidate.

“I want President Tinubu to come to Abakaliki to tell the people what he has done in the past three years. I want him to come to Abakaliki to tell you what he used the money he has been borrowing to do for the past three years,” Obi said.

He also questioned the President’s reported time spent outside Nigeria, arguing that he should be able to travel across the country to account for his administration’s performance.

“President Tinubu does not have the competence to run Nigeria. He does not have the energy to run Nigeria. He should pack his things, go home and rest.

“We must unite this country. Our pride should not be consideration of employment, this or that. We will operate federal character for all the jobs we have. So, we must unite the country,” he said.

The former Anambra state governor promised to take decisive action against insecurity and pledged to equip security agencies to protect lives and property.

“We will declare emergency in the security of lives and property in Nigeria. We will deal with insecurity decisively. Nobody will be in charge, we will be in charge

“If I am President of this country, kids come to school and somebody takes them into the bush, we will be in the bush with such person. They will not be there alone, we will be there with those kids,” he said.

On corruption, the NDC candidate pledged to ensure that public funds were used for public benefit and that offenders faced prosecution, regardless of their position.

“We will declare emergency in corruption. I will fight corruption like nobody has fought it before. Public money must be used for public good, nobody will steal our money again. If you do it, you will go to jail starting from the President,” Obi said.

He also promised to prioritise education, citing the large number of Nigerian children out of school and pledging to reduce the figure.

“We will declare emergency in education. We have over 18 million children out of school, we must reduce it.

“We have vast lands, our farmers must go back to farm, be able to cultivate, give us what we eat and be able to export

“We will declare emergency in health. We must have a functional healthcare in all the political ward of Nigeria. Every ward must have it, we have the resources to do it,” he said.

Speaking at a separate Town hall meeting at Enugu, the presidential candidate of the AlPM,  Seyi Makinde,  urged voters in the South-East not to allow ethnic and religious considerations to influence their choices in the 2027 general election.

Makinde noted that Nigeria’s challenges affected citizens regardless of their ethnic or religious affiliations.

The APM presidential candidate, who is the incumbent  governor of Oyo state urged Nigerians to reject divisions along ethnic and religious lines, saying the country’s problems required collective solutions.

“Our reset agenda has four major pillars: resetting the economy, restructuring our security architecture, reforming the education system, and resetting the socio-political space.

“When we were coming here, we were almost discouraged. People told us, This is the zone of my friend and brother, His Excellency Peter Obi. The entire South-East is firmly behind him.’ But we said that we would not be deterred. We would bring our message to the South-East and give the people an opportunity to hear what we have to offer,” he said.

Makinde added, “My message to you today is this: Please reject all forms of division along religious or ethnic lines. The challenges we face do not discriminate on the basis of religion or ethnicity.

“What we must do is create opportunities for our people, particularly our teeming youth, so that we can tackle hunger, address grinding poverty and move our people from poverty to prosperity.”

Makinde said sincerity and trust were essential to addressing the country’s challenges, arguing that rebuilding confidence between leaders and citizens could help improve governance.

“Of course, every country faces challenges. There is no doubt about that. However, I believe that 30 per cent of these challenges can be resolved simply by demonstrating sincerity. When we confront these problems with honesty and sincerity, 30 per cent of them will disappear on their own. We will