Today's Headlines: SE leaders beg Tinubu as IPOB leader declares another lockdown, PDP governors meet over party’s crisis

South East leaders beg Tinubu as IPOB leader declares another ‘total lockdown’

Fears have continued to rise in the South East region of Nigeria as the self-acclaimed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Simon Ekpa, declared another sit-at-home order.

According to Ekpa, the fresh sit-at-home with commence from 31st of July to 14th of August.

The ‘IPOB prime minister’ noted that the fresh order was issued to demand the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu, who is currently facing treason charges and detained by DSS.

The letter issued by Simon Ekpa

Meanwhile, political leaders from the South-East region have called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in order to ensure that normalcy returns to the region.

The appeal was issued after the meeting of governors and elected members of the National Assembly from the region held in Abuja on Monday.

PDP governors meet today over party’s crisis

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will meet today to deliberate on the state of affairs in the main opposition party.

The meeting is being convened by the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed.

All the party’s 13 governors are expected to attend the meeting at the Akwa Ibom Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja.

A statement by the Director General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, C. I. D. Maduabum, said the meeting will also discuss recent developments in the nation’s political, social, and economic spheres.

“The meeting will also discuss the state of the forum, the party, PDP and the role of the PDP governors in stabilising the PDP and the nation.

“In addition, the new leadership of the forum may likely unfold their unity and progressive agenda during the meeting,” the statement added.

Today’s meeting will be forum’s first since Governor Mohammed became its chairman and Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara was elected as its vice chairman.

Gunmen abduct Rev. Father, 3 others in Ebonyi

A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Joseph Azubuike and three other persons whose names could not be immediately ascertained, have been abducted by gunmen in Ebonyi State.  

Azubuike was abducted on Monday in Isu, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State close to his residence in the area while returning from pastoral duties.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya could not speak on the matter at the time of filing this report.

But, the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki in the state announced Azubuike’s abduction in a statement by the Diocesan Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Uzoma Opoke, titled: “Call for prayers.”

According to the statement, “Fr. Joseph is the Parish Priest of St. Charles Parish, Mgbalaeze Isu in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

“He was abducted alongside three other people. The abductors are making financial demands but with your prayers, we are going to have them back unconditionally.

“May Mother Mary of priests, intercede for us. Amen. St. Joseph-Pray for us.”

Soludo seeks FG’s intervention on collapsed Onitsha-Owerri Road

Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has1 implored the federal government to take action to repair the damaged Oba axis of the Onitsha-Owerri Highway.

The spokesperson to Mr Soludo, Christian Aburime, said the governor made the call when he visited the failed portion of the road that had been cut off due to massive gully erosion.

The governor, who was represented by his Chief-of-Staff, Earnest Ezeajughi, said the state government was acting on an emergency basis because it could not wait for the federal government’s response.

He said that Anambra was grappling with over 1,000 active gully erosion sites and that the one on the highway was one of the numerous sites which required urgent intervention.

“We are appealing to the federal government to quickly intervene and save this road from total collapse,” Mr Ezeajughi said.

The state Commissioner for Works, Ifeanyi Okomma, described the erosion as “huge”.

Mr Okomma said that the Anambra government had arrested the situation and stopped further progression through some remedial works.

He said, “We have achieved the first objective. The second objective is to stop further erosion slide as we await the federal government.

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