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Abia Polls:”We owe Orji Kalu our votes” says Itumbazor, Umuhu, Bende wards
Following the erection of critical infrastructure and facilitation of human capacity advancement programmes in their communities, people of Bende wards in Abia North Senatorial District have declared that they’re indebted to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu representing the zone at the National Assembly promising to repay him with their votes on election day , February 25th.
Alongside his staff and campaign officials, Kalu flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday stormed Ozuitem, Itumbazor Ward 1, Itumbazor Ward 2, Bende and Umuhuezechi wards to canvass for his re-election to the Senate Chambers.
While arriving at various wards Kalu the Senate Chief Whip received cheers and got endorsements from jubilant Residents and teeming supporters as declared by their district heads and stakeholders.
Various Developmental projects and empowerments instituted by Kalu were mentioned by the community stakeholders as all of them agreed that their Senator has done so much for them and it is their responsibility to repay him with their votes. Kalu urged the people to cast their votes in the ballot paper where the symbol of a broom for them to continue to enjoy peace and good governance in their district.
While at Ozuitem Ward Joy Chukwuma, attested to being a beneficiary of the Federal Government skill Acquisition training facilitated by Kalu. Joy, who spoke on behalf of other participants, disclosed that her selection to participate in the programme alongside over a thousand Abia-North constituents was unexpected as she had no affiliation with the Senator or his political group.
On her part Joy narrated that she was engaged in an all expenses paid training on catering services held in Enugu, adding that they were given catering equipment and start-up funds at its conclusion.
“We are grateful to Kalu for enabling us to participate in the training, most of us were unexpectedly informed via phone call because we are ordinary people with no connection. The programme really helped us to stand on our own. At the end we were given a gas cooker, cylinder and other baking equipment and cash. We know that when goes back to the Senate he will bring more of such, that’s why we are voting for him.
Chieftain of the community, Elder Ogbonna Eke showered Kalu with praises for constructing their road beside which the rally was being held. Eke beckoned Kalu to provide them with another kilometer saying that they had resolved to not only vote him but increase the percentage of votes he got from the community in 2019.
Another notable Youth Leader, Okechukwu Igwe, asserted that Kalu had changed the fortunes of their community since his assumption at the Senate saying that his party APC under his leadership has been more beneficial to the community.
He described Kalu’s Electoral victory as a done deal. He carpeted the State’s ruling People’s Democratic Party for neglecting their community after 16 years after Kalu completed his term as Governor of the state. He challenged the party to prove them wrong by mentioning a single project they had executed apart from the ones instituted by Kalu.
Need to return Kalu’s favour through the ballot was stressed at Itumbauzor ward, Ntalakwu where prominent stakeholder of the APC Nduoma Okoroafor itemised the Lawmaker’s good deeds in their constituency starting from when he was Governor. From the nomination of its Indigene to oversee the LGA as Chairman and the implementation of basic amenities in their ward.
“Orji Kalu has always shown love to us as Governor he appointed an indigene of this community to be Local Government Chairman of Bende.
“You have renovated our community school before then our children used to learn under trees. The Senate is for experienced people with capacity like our Senator, we are very happy with the borehole you have us at Okosi, including Solar lights in our communities.
Kalu attention was drawn to the terrible state of the “Ntalakwu” which he and team passed through before getting to the venue. Nduoma said that situation gets worse off during rainy season as farmers who move to other communities to sell their produce are forced to sell almost 10 times its normal price due to transportation costs.
The party stalwart however expressed that the three year achievements of Kalu in their communities demonstrates his commitment to resolve their problem hence their resolve to vote him again.
An example of how Kalu honoured his 2019 Electoral promise was cited at Itumbazor Ward A in 2019 as told by the Head of the community Chief Jacob Abel. According to Abel , during his 2019 campaign the Senator pledged to build a Secondary school which he later built with the construction of the Ntalakwu Comprehensive secondary school.
Abel said the community would repay Kalu with their votes;
“There’s no way we won’t vote for Orji Kalu with what he has done for us, after giving us the school, he has provided us with running water which is serving not just our community but neighbouring ones. He remains our sole candidate for the Senatorial election.
Kalu got more endorsements at Umuhu where the Leader of Umuhu Clan , Chief Onwukwe recalled how Orji Kalu gave premium appointments and employment to their indigenes pointing out renowned personalities like P.C. Mba.
Onwukwe noted that the existing infrastructures like roads and electricity in the community were those he built as Governor saying that none has been added by any other subsequent administration. He revealed that Kalu has pledged to build the road connecting the community to Ozuitem and Amaeke stating that they had agreed to vote Kalu again.
Orji Kalu empathised with the Ntalakwu on the state of their road , he told them the steps he would take with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to build the 19 Km estimated road.
“The 4km road I built as Governor 16 years ago has deteriorated because of lack of maintenance. This road deserves special attention and must be linked to Akwa – Ibom. The roads I built in this community are nothing compared to what I have in my next Agenda, we have the Bende to Arochukwu road. The only tarred road and electrification was done by my administration; its sad subsequent ones didn’t build on it.
The former Governor told the voters to remain focused and not to be swayed by inducements usually shared by desperate politicians during elections, according to him all electorates needed were simple basic amenities and infrastructures like; schools, water , health care and motorable roads to boost their economic activities.
Overland Airways, Nigeria’s longest serving private domestic airline, in partnership with Niger State Government, is pleased to announce the commencement of flight services to Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport Minna, the capital city of Niger State from Lagos and Abuja, effective April 23, 2025.
Overland Airways will operate three (3) weekly flights on the Minna-Lagos-Minna route and three (3) weekly flights on the Minna-Abuja-Minna route. These flights will be operated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays using Overland Airways’ brand-new Embraer 175 aircraft.
Flights will depart Lagos to Minna at 8am and Minna to Lagos at 3pm. Flights from Minna to Abuja will depart at 9:30am while Abuja to Minna will depart at 2pm.
Capt. Edward Boyo, Chief Executive Officer and Accountable Executive of Overland Airways says: ‘We are excited to commence flight services to Minna from Abuja the Federal Capital and Lagos the Commercial hub of Nigeria. This flight services will facilitate trade, tourism and economic activities in Niger State and its environs and support the Government of Niger State in its quest to attract more direct investments and improve the livelihood of citizens of the State. We thank particularly His Excellency Mohammed Umar Bago, the Executive Governor of the Niger State for his passionate commitment to the growth and development of the State and for making the dream of a connected Niger State come true.”
The Niger State Ministry of Transport in collaboration with the New Niger Development Project (NNDP), jointly stated, “It has been an uphill journey to bring the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport to fruition—from its construction to its operationalization. Today, we are immensely proud to see this dream become a reality. We are honoured to have Overland Airways as the pioneer airline for this project, setting the foundation for expanded air travel connectivity in Niger State. Mr. Governor is particularly proud of this achievement, which aligns with his vision of modernizing infrastructure and boosting economic development in Niger State.”
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the New Niger Aviation, Alhaji Liman Katamba Kutigi, says: “This partnership with Overland Airways will ensure regular and robust flight services from Abuja and Lagos to Minna, Niger State. We are thrilled to partner with Overland Airways, which has a reputation for excellent customer service and reliability, and look forward to working together to reposition the aviation sector and economy of Niger State.”
“Known as the Power State, Niger State, the largest state in Nigeria by landmass and host of major hydroelectric power dams and other businesses, requires reliable air services to drive its economic development and Overland Airways is uniquely positioned to meet this need”, says Capt. Boyo.
Overland Airways service offering has evolved from an all-turboprop fleet to a mixed fleet with the introduction of brand-new Embraer E175 jets. In October 2024, Overland Airways renewed its IOSA safety certification for the 5th consecutive time reaffirming its position as a safe and leading African carrier.
Industry leaders have identified important measures to secure telecommunications infrastructures in the country and ensure that investments in the telecoms space are protected.
They argued that as much as the effective implementation of the Executive Order on the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) is important, the Order cannot solely guarantee infrastructure safety except certain internal and standardisation issues are first resolved by operators.
Speaking at the 7th Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PIAFo) Summit on CNII implementation held Thursday in Lagos, the industry leaders highlighted pressing issues such as infrastructure vandalism, unauthorized installations, and cable theft, while proposing actionable solutions to safeguard the country’s critical national infrastructure.
Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), stressed the importance of proper infrastructure maintenance and installation to prevent vandalism and theft.
He highlighted the widespread issue of stolen manhole covers and poles, attributing the problem to poor maintenance practices. “When properly installed, these components are difficult to remove. However, due to negligence, they are often left unsecured, making them easy targets for theft,” he said.
Adebayo also pointed out that community resistance to infrastructure projects has significantly hindered progress. He recounted instances where local communities prevented trucks from accessing sites due to previous unaddressed damages caused by contractors.
“A diesel supplier was blocked from entering an estate because a previous contractor had damaged their property and failed to make repairs. This lack of accountability breeds distrust and delays crucial projects,” he explained.
He urged stakeholders to foster better relationships with communities to prevent such conflicts.
Another critical issue Adebayo identified was the unauthorized installation of infrastructure without government approval, leading to inadvertent damage during road construction projects.
“Government agencies often damage unregistered infrastructure simply because they were not documented in official records. Proper approvals and collaboration with authorities will ensure accountability and protection of critical infrastructure,” he noted.
He called for improved industry coordination to resolve these challenges internally before seeking external solutions that are promised by the CNII provisions.
Echoing these concerns, Tony Emoekpere, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), emphasised the need for standardisation and better coordination among stakeholders.
He pointed out that Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges go beyond technical issues, extending into environmental and moral concerns.
“We are dealing with a moral challenge. An engineer who switched from diesel to gas generators encountered a new problem—workers began stealing engine oil instead, as they could no longer siphon diesel. These issues require both technical and ethical solutions,” he explained.
Emoekpere argued that standardisation is the key to long-term sustainability. “If infrastructure is deployed in a suboptimal manner, failure is inevitable. We need to establish proper standards that all stakeholders—government, private sector, and the public—can align with,” he stated.
He also emphasized that Nigeria has strong policies, such as local content policies, but implementation remains a major challenge. “We must move beyond discussions and focus on actionable steps, follow-ups, and policy enforcement,” he added.
The importance of addressing cable theft and vandalism was further stressed by Wale Owoeye, CEO of Cedarview Communications Limited.
He described the alarming frequency of cable cuts, which disrupt network operations and drive up maintenance costs.
“Cable theft is a serious issue. Airtel representatives told me they experience a cable cut every six minutes. The assumption that all black cables contain valuable copper leads to reckless vandalism,” he explained.
To combat this growing problem, Owoeye proposed three key approaches, including reorientation, enforcement, and proactive measures.
“We need to engage local communities in their native languages, educating them on the consequences of vandalism. Strict legal penalties, including long-term imprisonment, should be enforced to deter offenders,” he said.
He also emphasized the need for preventive strategies rather than reactive responses. “Prevention is always more effective and cost-efficient than restoration,” he noted.
As a proactive measure, Owoeye proposed the creation of a dedicated fund to support advocacy and awareness campaigns across Nigeria.
To demonstrate his commitment, he pledged to contribute N500,000 quarterly as a seed fund and encouraged other industry players to follow suit.
“This is like planting a seed. With collective effort, we can grow it into a sustainable solution for protecting Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure,” he said.
The speakers collectively emphasised that addressing these challenges requires collaboration among industry players, government agencies, and local communities.
They called for a concerted effort to enforce policies, engage stakeholders, and implement practical solutions that will ensure the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s telecommunication infrastructure.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has confirmed that the representatives of the petitioners seeking to recall the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District have now provided their contact details.
In a statement on Wednesday, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said:
“The contact address of representatives of the petitioners, their telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses have now been provided in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Commission.”
He added that INEC has formally notified the senator about the recall petition.
“As provided in Clause 2(a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, a letter has been written to notify the senator sought to be recalled about the receipt of the petition and delivered to her official address,” Olumekun stated.
He further explained that the same letter had been copied to the presiding officer of the Senate and published on the Commission’s website.
Speaking on the next step, Olumekun said INEC would now verify the signatures to ensure that more than 50% of registered voters in Kogi Central signed the petition.
“This will be done in the coming days. The outcome, which will be made public, shall determine the next step to be taken by the Commission,” he said.
Olumekun reassured Nigerians that the recall process would be conducted in an open and transparent manner.
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