Politics
LG polls: Protest letters flood Imo APC ahead of primaries
Published
5 months agoon
By
Ekwutos Blog
Protest letters from stakeholders have flooded the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Imo State over alleged imposition of aspirants and violation of zoning arrangement by party chieftains ahead of the party’s local government primaries.
In one of such cases, some stakeholders of the party from Ohaji/ Egbema LGA under the aegis of Ohaji Consultative Forum (OCF) staged a protest to the government house over an alleged violation of zoning arrangement between Ohaji and Egbema blocks.
The group accused a former federal lawmaker, Nana GoodLuck Opiah of trying to drag the Chairmanship position of the Council to his Egbema block, an allegation he has denied.
The group in their protest letter signed by its President, Victor Kelvin Amadi, which was received by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Nnamdi Anyaehie, said that it was the turn of Ohaji block to produce the next Chairman of the Council.
They argued that Egbema block had continuously occupied the position since 2019 and that the current Sole Administrator of the Council is from Egbema.
In a similar development, some stakeholders in Nkwere LGA have also demanded fair and equitable distribution of political positions between Nkwere block A and B.
Speaking on the political arrangement, a stakeholder from the Council area, Chikezie Nwadike pointed out that the current member representing the Council in the State House of Assembly, Chisom Ojukwu is from Nkwere block A and that for equity and fair play, the Chairmanship position of the Council should come from block B.
Another protest letter which came from a group under the aegis of Oru North assembly led by one Stanley Ozo condemned what it described as marginalization of people from Oru north, maintaining that it was the turn of the block to produce the next Chairman of the Council.
He stated that it was wrong for the immediate past Sole Administrator of the Council, Willie Okoliegwo to contest again, having served for four years.
The same allegation was also leveled against the Apex Leader of APC in Mbaitoli LGA, Marcellinus Nlemigbo over an alleged move to zone the Chairmanship position to Mbieri, his own political block.
In another letter addressed to Governor Hope Uzodinma, a group under the aegis of Amucha Consultative Forum (ACF) in Njaba LGA stated that there are five autonomous communities that make up the Local Council, namely: Amucha, Nkume, Atta, Okwudor and Umuaka.
They said of all the communities, Amucha had never tested political positions.
Responding to the developments, the State Organizing Secretary of the party, Ikechukwu Umeh in a media chat with journalists in his office said that the leadership of the Party was taking into consideration all the complaints.
Umeh said that he believed in equity and justice which he said was also in line with the party’s ideologies.
He, however, maintained that the leadership of the party was not ignorant of the fact that some of the agitators were not genuine party faithful.
“Most complainants are not card carrying members; they were planted by the oppositions to destabilize the party and we know them and we are going to handle them accordingly.
“A genuine party member will remain loyal to the party even if the person did not get a political position,” he said.
The State Organizing Secretary further said that some of the agitators came into the party recently and want to be given tickets without regards to those that were there before them.
Commenting on the matter, a political analyst, Chima Isiguzo while interacting with our correspondent, said that if the party failed to address some of the issues raised, it may lead to more crises.
He blamed the leadership of the party for the high price it placed on purchase of forms, maintaining that those who struggled to purchase them would not be happy if they were unfairly treated.
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Politics
Tens of thousands protest across Slovakia against PM Robert Fico’s stance on Russia
Published
3 hours agoon
January 25, 2025By
Ekwutos BlogTens of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Slovakia to voice their opposition to the policies of Prime Minister Robert Rico who they accuse of being pro-Russia.
The latest wave of anti-government rallies was fuelled by Fico’s trip to Moscow on Thursday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, a rare visit to the Kremlin by a European Union leader since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
“Slovakia belongs to Europe, we want to belong to Europe in terms of values. We do not belong to Russia, we do not actually want to collaborate with Russia in any way, and this is our position, which we must express politely but responsibly,” said Marián Kulich, the Managing Director of the Peace for Ukraine organisation, speaking at a rally in the capital, Bratislava.
Fico’s recent remarks that that it was a possibility to change Slovakia’s foreign policy orientation and leave the European Union and NATO were among other recent steps by the prime minister that has sparked anger among protesters.
Friday’s protests took place in 28 locations, more than double that compared to two weeks ago amid heightened tensions after Fico accused organisers and the opposition earlier this week of being in contact with an unspecified group of foreigners who he says are working toward engineering a coup in Slovakia.
Fico linked his accusations to a secret report by the country’s spy service (SIS) that he presented in parliament on Tuesday.
The details aren’t known but Fico publicly said that the opposition plans to occupy government buildings, block roads, organise a nationwide strike and provoke clashes with police forces as parts of the alleged plan to overthrow his government.
“We see a structure that wants to exploit these meetings, these rallies, primarily for a possible clash with the security forces of the state, to escalate tensions even further. To further aggression and then to fulfil the plan that is being disseminated today by the organisers of these protests,” Fico said on Friday.
Slovak leaders said that the situation was serious but the opposition dismissed the report and accused SIS of being misused for political purposes.
The organisers of most of the rallies from the Peace for Ukraine organisation dismissed Fico’s claims and said that he is trying to frighten the Slovak population.
All of the public anti-government protests since Fico’s cabinet was sworn in on 25 October, 2023, have been peaceful.
Organisers say their protest in Bratislava was attended by around 60,000 people and that rallies will continue on 7 February.
Ficos’s views on Russia have sharply differed from the European mainstream.
He returned to power in 2023 after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won the parliamentary election on a pro-Russia and anti-America platform.
Since then, he has ended Slovakian military aid for Ukraine, lashed out at EU sanctions on Russia and vowed to block Ukraine from joining NATO.
Fico is a polarising figure in Slovakia and survived an assassination attempt in May 2024.
Politics
Taiwan’s political divisions weaken defence stance as Trump returns
Published
5 hours agoon
January 25, 2025By
Ekwutos BlogTaipei [Taiwan], January 25 (ANI): Taiwan‘s parliament has voted to freeze billions in defence spending just hours after Donald Trump‘s inauguration, raising concerns about the island’s preparedness against China‘s mounting threats, CNN reported.
The move, backed by the opposition, comes at a time when Taiwan is navigating strained relations with the United States under Trump‘s transactional approach to foreign policy. Critics warn that this decision could jeopardise Taiwan‘s military reformsand send negative signals to Washington.
Taiwan, a major semiconductor producer and democratically governed territory, faces constant threats from China, which claims the island as part of its territory. Despite never having governed Taiwan, Beijing continues to vow reunification, by force if necessary. The United States has been Taiwan‘s main arms supplier and strategic partner, but Trump‘s “America First” policy has heightened fears about whether Washington will continue its support without greater financial contributions from Taipei.
The opposition-led vote to block funding comes as Taiwan‘s President Lai Ching-te struggles with a parliament dominated by opposition forces. Critics argue that this budget freeze could weaken Taiwan‘s Defence capabilities and damage its credibility with the US “If there is not enough budget to consistently improve Taiwan‘s defence reforms and capabilities, the international community will doubt Taiwan‘s determination to defend ourselves,” Lai said in a Facebook post. The frozen funds impact key projects, including the development of indigenous submarines and drones.
Taiwan‘s Premier Cho Jung-tai strongly condemned the opposition’s actions, calling them “suicidal” and warning that they send “the wrong signal to the United States.” Defence Minister Wellington Koo echoed these concerns, emphasising that the freeze could undermine Taiwan‘s military modernisation efforts. Trump, known for his criticism of Taiwan‘s defence spending, previously called for the island to increase its defence allocation to 10 per cent of GDP – a fourfold increase from its current levels.
Taiwan‘s defence spending has faced scrutiny even before Trump‘s return. A backlog of more than USD 20 billion in undelivered US military equipment has hampered Taiwan‘s modernisation efforts. Concerns have also been raised about Taiwan‘s reliance on asymmetric warfare strategies, which prioritise smaller, more mobile systems like drones and portable missiles over conventional military equipment.
Defence experts argue that while progress has been made, much more needs to be done to counter the growing threat from China, which has the world’s largest standing army and spends 11 times more on defence than Taiwan, CNN reported.
Public sentiment in Taiwan reflects growing anxiety over the political deadlock. Residents have expressed concern about how the opposition-led freeze might be perceived by the US “I hope that Taiwan‘s legislature doesn’t embarrass itself and lose face to foreign countries,” said Wang Cheng-yi, a postgraduate student at National TaiwanUniversity. Ms. Hsu, a 75-year-old Taipei resident, emphasised the importance of unity, saying, “Everybody should sit down and talk. Taiwan must balance relations with both the US and China. We are small. We cannot afford to make either big brother unhappy.”
China‘s growing military aggression and diplomatic isolation of Taiwan have added urgency to the island’s defence preparations. Last year, US intelligence suggested that Chinese President Xi Jinping had instructed his military to prepare for an invasion of Taiwan by 2027. While this does not guarantee an invasion, it underscores the escalating threat. The United States has historically maintained a policy of “strategic ambiguity” under the Taiwan Relations Act, which commits Washington to providing Taiwan with the means to defend itself without explicitly promising military intervention.
Taiwan‘s military reforms have faced criticism for their slow pace. Issues such as inadequate reservist training and delays in deploying advanced weaponry have drawn scrutiny. The ongoing debate over Taiwan‘s indigenous submarine program further highlights the challenges. Alexander Huang, head of international affairs for the opposition Kuomintang party, defended the budget freeze, stating, “We are not opposing indigenous weapon system development. However, we emphasise that we need to be very prudent to make sure our self-designed submarine can actually work.”
The political discord also extends to Taiwan‘s infrastructure. Earlier this week, undersea cables connecting Taiwan to the Matsu islands were severed due to “natural deterioration,” disrupting internet services in the area. The digital affairs ministry has warned that further budget cuts could hinder the maintenance of critical infrastructure, leaving Taiwan vulnerable to potential exploitation by Beijing.
Despite these challenges, some Taiwanese remain optimistic. Yeh Hsin-wei, a student in Taipei, pointed to Taiwan‘s semiconductor industry as a key deterrent against Beijing. “The world needs our chips, so I think China wouldn’t risk a war,” he said to CNN. “We need to be prepared, but maybe not worry too much.”
Analysts have urged Taiwan‘s government to focus on presenting a united front, especially in light of Trump‘s return to the White House. “With or without Trump‘s inauguration, with China‘s increasing aggression over Taiwan, it is indeed Taiwan‘s top priority to continue to increase its self-defence budget,” said Wei-Ting Yen, an assistant research fellow at Academia Sinica. “That’s definitely not a good signal.” (ANI)
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info
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Politics
Trump-hating Canadians behind MAGA ‘rival’ hat learn ironic lesson
Published
5 hours agoon
January 25, 2025By
Ekwutos BlogATrump-hating Canadian couple who made a rival MAGA hat learned the hard way they wouldn’t be able to make the product without help from the US.
Liam Mooney and Emma Cochrane, of Ottawa, were watching Ontario Premier Doug Ford respond to Donald Trump’s wish of making Canada the US’ 51st state on Fox’s Jesse Watters Primetime when Ford responded that Canada is not for sale and an idea struck on January 8.
‘We thought: “We have to do some small act of patriotism to respond to this big bluster,”‘ Mooney told CBC.
Alas, the birth of the ‘Canada is Not for Sale’ hat was born, retailing for $45 USD. Beanies go for $40.
Originally, the couple planned on having the hat be entirely made in Canada, but quickly found out the hard way that that was impossible as the country’s textile industry is dying.
Their beanies are sourced from the US, while their ball caps are mainly imported from Vietnam, Bangladesh and China, according to CTV News.
The products are embroidered in Toronto, where they can produce around 1,000 hats a day.
‘The base hat itself we have had trouble finding a supply of baseball hats that are fully manufactured in Canada,’ Cochrane told CDC.
‘Imagine you’re a snake and you’re trying to consume a giant bowling ball. That’s what we’ve been experiencing here,’ Mooney told CTV.
‘We heard from a number of suppliers that it’s not actually something that people come to them with as a request very, very often, because it’s just so much cheaper to make it overseas.’
For weeks now, the couple have approached textile and apparel companies to help them find ways to make the hat fully Canadian-made, but the cost to do so is high and they didn’t think they’d get the demand they did.
The couple do have some hats that are completely made in Canada, but don’t have a long-term solution for it, they told CTV News.
The hats are made-to-order when it comes to embroidery and shipped out of Toronto.
Mooney and Cochrane are still searching for a completely Canadian-made hats for a long-term solution, they told CTV.
Since launching their website, they have been inundated with tens of thousands of orders from Canadians who are proud to say their country won’t be absorbed into their southern neighbor.
The President of Shopify Harley Finkelstein and Ford have since purchased their own Canada is Not for Sale hats, which the latter later being pictured wearing it. The hats are available to purchase on Shopify, which is based out of Ottawa.
Mooney and Cochrane also admitted their red hat is supposed to mimic Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again hats.
Mooney told Reuters he designed the hats as a creative rebuttal to President Trump’s rhetoric, aiming to cut through political discourse with a message of nationalism and unity.
‘It’s an opportunity to bring people together from all of civil society, regardless of political persuasion,’ Mooney said.
Tariffs would cripple Canada’s economy and also raise the price of oil and other goods in the United States.
Trump is threatening tariffs at a time of political turmoil in Canada, with Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau set to resign in March after nearly a decade in power and the opposition conservatives leading in the polls ahead of a federal election later this year.
Trump, speaking via video to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, said he demanded respect from Canada. He has previously addressed Trudeau as ‘Governor.’
‘Our sovereignty is threatened when our dignity is disrespected,’ Mooney told Reuters. ‘We have allies and we have friends all around the world who are ready to rise to the call and defend us and join in.’
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