As the battle for who wears the crown of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo president,IPEC has warn that the candidature of Okiro(Formal IGP) does not follow the Constitution of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo since he hails from imo State.

The Igbo Province Executive council passes vote of no confidence on the coming Ohaneze election; advices Rivers contestant to reconsider their candidacy.

The council maintains that featuring a candidate from the south East in an election whose slot is for Rivers state damages the founding principle of Ohaneze aimed at equity and curbing over politicking hence the rotational presidency.

The council noted that while by Nigerian constitution, it may be considerate for citizenship to be affiliated to the mother’s state, however in Igboland, citizenship is patrilineal (attached to the father) and Ohaneze is going the part that will put many unique aspect of Igbo culture to a test.

The Okpara concept is strong in Igboland. It is only in few Igbo communities that a man is allowed to take up the citizenship of the mother’s community and that is usually when the bride price of the mother is not paid and even at that the said son can’t aspire for certain position in the mother’s community. Again, a candidate with strong ties with the south East will definitely have an upper hand in an election where southeast is responsible for over 80% of the voters.

The council also recognizes the right of full rivers contestants to go ahead with the election if they so desires but noted that they stand no chance against a veteran like former ISP of Nigerian police from Imo state irrespective of how one chose to look at it.

The council cautioned Ohaneze’s Ime Obi to go back to the drawing board and consult elders of AlaIgbo before taking a step that may undermine the very fabric of our culture and threaten the integrity of the institution (Oheneze) due to politics.

The institution also advised against inflammatory statements as the fragile peace in AlaIgbo needs to be preserved. For those who prefer to continue with the contest, best wishes, those who feel aggrieved may use appropriate channels to seek redress.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed displeasure at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited’s (NNPCL) approach to inviting him for a refinery tour.

The invitation, announced publicly, followed Obasanjo’s recent comments about past mismanagement of Nigeria’s refineries and failed privatization efforts during his tenure.

Obasanjo criticized the manner of the invitation, describing it as inappropriate and lacking formality.

His dissatisfaction stems from unresolved issues dating back to his presidency, where efforts to hand over refinery management to private entities were derailed.

Notably, a $750 million proposal from Aliko Dangote to manage the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries was rejected by his successor, Musa Yar’Adua, based on assurances from NNPC that it could handle operations internally.

Despite substantial investments over the years—reportedly exceeding $2 billion—Obasanjo lamented the persistent dysfunctionality of the refineries.

Contrasting this, NNPCL maintained that rehabilitation efforts are yielding results, citing recent operational updates for the Port Harcourt and Warri plants.

Observers have criticized the public nature of the invitation, suggesting it undermines the dignity of a former head of state.

The former president, while speaking through his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, stated that the oil company had not sent any formal invitation to him as of Thursday, January 2, 2024.

“Is that the right way to invite a former president of the country? Who says Baba has even seen the statement or read the news? It is a total disrespect for the office of the former president.

“Ask the NNPCL that as of January 2, have they written to him? Is there any official letter addressed to him, inviting him to the refinery? It is an absolute insult, and the former president cannot dignify such with a response,” Obasanjo’s aide stated.

The White House is flat-out rejecting Donald Trump’s protestations about flags flying at half staff during his historic inauguration to honor the death of Jimmy Carter at age 100.

The answer came in a one-word response from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, when a reporter noted Trump’s concerns and asked if it was a decision the White House would consider reversing or reevaluating.

‘No,’ Jean-Pierre responded curtly and moved on.

It came after Trump raged at President Joe Biden for ordering all the government’s flags to fly at half staff for a 30-day period that includes his inauguration.

Trump, who said the nation owed Carter a ‘debt of gratitude’ after the former president died in his home of Plains, Georgia on December 29, on Friday accused Democrats of failing to love the country while fuming over the flag issue.

‘The Democrats are all “giddy” about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at “half mast” during my Inauguration,’ Trump posted on his Truth Social web site.

‘They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves. Look at what they’ve done to our once GREAT America over the past four years – It’s a total mess! In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast. Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it.’

‘Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’ Trump said.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president was not reconsidering a decision to order flags at half staff to honor Jimmy Carter, who died last month at 100

His last comment appeared to tease the prospect that the flag might fly at full staff when he takes the oath having vowed to ‘Make America Great Again.’

But Biden’s proclamation issued ‘by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States,’ calls for the flag to fly at half staff for 30 days in tribute to Carter.

His proclamation calls it an ‘expression of public sorrow,’ and applies to all public buildings, military posts, naval stations, and naval stations of the federal government in D.C. and around the world.

It also applies to embassies, consular offices, and military facilities overseas.

President Dwight Eisenhower issued a proclamation designating the times when flags would fly at half-staff: 30 days for the death of a president or former president, ten for the vice president, a chief justice of the Supreme Court, or the Speaker of the House.

It established government facilities that would follow the proclamation. Trump presumably could reverse Biden’s order as soon as he becomes president after noon on January 20.

Biden ordered flags at half staff for a period of 30 days

By the book: Jean-Pierre was asked about the flag after Donald Trump raged that flags would be at half staff for his inauguration.

‘In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast. Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it,’ said Trump

President Biden ordered flags be lowered for 30 days. He appeared to take jabs at Trump when he issued remarks on Carter’s death

President Jimmy Carter is dead at the age of 100. President Joe Biden made brief comments about his friend Sunday night from St. Croix telling reporters: ‘I’ve been hanging out with Jimmy Carter for over 50 years’

The Capitol, as the seat of a separate legislative branch established by Article 1 of the Constitution, sets its own procedures and even has its own power plant, but tends to take cues from the executive when flags are ordered lowered to honor officials such as deceased lawmakers or Supreme Court Justices.

It was not immediately known whether Trump was seeking to intervene to have officials in the Capitol intervene on his behalf. The House on Monday reelected Mike Johnson as speaker by a narrow margin after a final push by Trump Friday morning.

Biden appeared to take jabs at Trump when he issued his first public comments on Carter’s death, hailing Carter for his ‘decency.’

‘Can you imagine Jimmy Carter walking by someone who needs something and just keeps walking?’ Biden asked. ‘Can you imagine Jimmy Carter referring to someone by the way they look or the way they talk?’

‘I can’t, I can’t,’ Biden said.

‘In today’s world some look at Jimmy Carter and see a man of a bygone era, with honesty and character, faith and humility… But I don’t think it’s bygone era. I see a man not only of our time but for all times,’ Biden argued.

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