By Chinelo Obogo
The All Progressives Congress, (APC) governorship candidate, Dr. Tony Nwoye, has expressed delight over the decision by the Federal ministry of Power, Works and Housing to order the contractors handling the abandoned Onitsha – Enugu Expressway, back to site.
Speaking after a courtesy call on the minister, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, on Monday morning, Nwoye said the ministry has ordered the contractors to move to site within two days to resume work on the road which had been abandoned for some time now.
“I have the assurance of the minister that the contractors would move to site within two days,” Nwoye was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his spokesman, chairman Media sub-committee of his campaign organisation, Nonso Madu.
“Even before I became the candidate of the APC, that road had been on my agenda and it was by God’s grace and with the assistance of my colleagues in the House of Representatives that I was able to put it in the 2017 budget of the Federal Government.
“The importance of that road to the socio-economic well being of the people of the South-east cannot be over-emphasised and it is my hope that once the road is completed, business and other socio-economic affairs that had been affected by its terrible conditions would be boosted,” Nwoye added.
He further said that “the minister received me because I was the central player that pushed the project into the 2017 budget and also because I have an enhanced platform as a governorship candidate and for this I am grateful to the people and also to the minister.
“This also is a demonstration to all those who have confidence in our political project that as governor I would be able to do more for our people.”
Daily Sun recalls that at the flag off of his campaign penultimate Friday, Dr. Nwoye had asked Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to order the contractors handling the project to immediately go back to site.
We’ve put in place adequate security for election –CP
From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
Ahead of the November 18 Anambra State governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Consultative Security Committee on Election, yesterday said it has put in place adequate security measures to ensure a violence-free election.
Chairman of the Committee and Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Garba Umar made this known as part of the preparedness of the committee to newsmen shortly after the committee’s meeting at the INEC Headquarters in Awka.
He asked the people to feel at home and carry out their legitimate businesses without fear.
Umar who was represented at the meeting by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Mr. Mike Okoli, further assured the people of the state of adequate protection before, during and after the election, just as he urged them to come out en-masse to participate in the election.
Also speaking to newsmen, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, represented by the Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Leo Nkedife said the commission was fully prepared for the election as it had concluded all necessary arrangements.
According to him, all the non-sensitive materials had been received and distributed accordingly while the distribution of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) was on-going and appealed to the people to ensure they collect theirs.
The commission, he disclosed, had employed the needed ad-hoc staff for the exercise and was currently training them.
The REC also said that the commission would receive sensitive materials on the eve of the election and plead with the people to support INEC in making the election successful.
We have no pact with APC –APGA national chairman
Says Obiano will win election with over 85%
From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
The National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Oye yesterday debunked the rumour that APGA has signed a pact with the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the November 18 Anambra governorship election.
Oye who spoke to newsmen in his Amawbia country home said that there was no pact with APC as there was no need for that, assuring that his party and candidate, Governor Willie Obiano were flying very high with a message that has been accepted by the people of the state and that Obiano would win the election with high margin of about 85 per cent.
He said the rummour and others like it were the handiwork of their detractors whom he said wanted to disorient the people and cause confusion but was happy that they were meeting brick walls.
“The campaign has been very challenging and at the same time rewarding because our people are responding to our message and the message is to sustain the current developmental initiatives of the government particularly in the areas of security, health, regular payment of salary and agriculture.
“Don’t mind what the detractors are saying, they want to disorient the people, create confusion, the fact is that this government has delivered on its promises in three and half years and the people are very positive about what we are doing and are confident with what we are doing. You can see the level of security in this state even the federal government cannot attain it in its own areas of control. This government has been able to develop the security architecture in such a way that we in the next 30, 40 years we keep improving on what we have no matter who comes into office, because this administration is building strong institutions,” Oye added.
Oye said as the national chairman of the party he was not aware of any pact with APC, saying, “Where? You cannot sign a pact when I am not part of it. Which pact? Did you witness the pact or the gentleman agreement? That is speculation; there is no pact with APC.”
On whether the party was afraid of former Governor Peter Obi’s campaign against Obiano, Oye said, “Peter Obi has no grasp now, does he has a party? Which PDP which faction? They have five factions. We are not instigating anything, we have a lot of work to do in our own party, the truth is that many people have seen the truth where the pendulum is likely to swing and that’s why they are rushing in. Apart from that, even common morality tells you that every sensible Igbo man should be in APGA.
“Peter Obi is a man I respect because as a former governor he should be respected. As a Knight of the Catholic Church I was the chairman of the committee for his knighting, I chaired his meetings for four months, I raised all the money that was used without asking Peter Obi to give me any dime, Peter did not give us one kobo. I did everything because we should respect constituted authorities that was the way I was brought up.
“Insulting a serving governor when you have already done your bit, is uncharitable, is unfair and unjust. Imagine what could have happened when Peter Obi was going for second term if somebody had taken it upon himself to insult him the way he insults a sitting governor? It doesn’t happen anywhere in the world, it is only in Nigeria, we should do business with decorum.
“Nobody is afraid of Obi, who is Obi? Peter Obi cannot win Agulu his home town, quote me, this election is all about issues and not name calling”, Oye said. 
“We should not be talking about federal might in an election, what do you mean by federal might? Let me tell you, APC cannot get up to 10 per cent votes in this election. There is what is called emotional attachment, every Igbo man including those who do not want to show it up, they know that APGA is the only thing they have today politically. That Igbo man is still talking about restructuring whatever is because there is APGA.
“I am the national chairman of APGA, I am on ground and know the configuration of the states in the south-east, immediately Obiano is announced the winner on November 18, you will see a groundswell of activities towards 2019,” Oye said.
Anambra cannot afford governor with stolen mandate –Anglican Bishop
From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Anglican Bishop of Ihiala Diocese, in Anambra State, Prof. Israel ‘Kelue Okoye has cautioned against rigging during the Anambra guber polls, just as he expressed worry over the desperation of some politicians and party candidates to win at all cost.
The Bishop while presenting his presidential Address/Charge during the First session of the Third Synod of the Diocese at the Cathedral Church of St. Silas, Ihiala at the weekend said the major interest of all lovers of God and Anambra State is to have a free, fair and credible election where the best that has the interest of the people of the state would be elected to serve.
“There are rumours of plans to manipulate the election results and the recruitment of some youths that would militarily force the electoral wheel to move in a defined direction. That should not be allowed. We urge Anambra State politicians, their political parties and supporters to be issue based, decorous and law abiding. They must avoid accentuating divisive factors in the state, promoting hatred because of their desire to capture power by all means. They must be mindful of the fact that they are ultimately answerable to God who is the Judge of the living and the dead.
“We cannot afford a governor who would emerge on the basis of a stolen mandate. We need a governor duly elected by the people in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the electoral laws. We need a governor that will be God’s instrument in ensuring a sustainable development of the state,” Prof. Okoye said.