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CROSS NORTH SENATORIAL BY-ELECTION: HON JARIGBE AGOM WIN PDP PRIMARY TICKET

Published

5 years ago

September 7, 2020

… as groups felicitate with winner

Cyril Ogar

The Incumbent Member representing Ogoja/Yala federal constituency in the House of Representative Rt Hon Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe has picked the People’s Democratic Party ticket for the Cross River North Senatorial Bye-election scheduled for October 31, 2020.

Agom reportedly defeated four other contestants. Agom scored 381 votes to beat his closest challenger Stephen Odey who scored 71 votes.

Mrs. Martina Odom scored 8 votes, Mrs. Ije scored 5 votes while Hon. Ogana Lukpata scored 3 votes.

INEC monitoring team from Abuja who observed the primary and members of the PDP congress committee observed the process which had large delegates turn out on Saturday said the exercise was “conducted in line with INEC guidelines and was, therefore, satisfactory.

The presiding officer described the process as peaceful and orderly, declared Jarigbe as the winner of the primary election having scored the highest number of votes.

However, Dr. Stephen Odey’s camp has rejected the purported emergence of Jarigbe, declaring that he (Odey ) was the authentic winner of the Primary conducted in Ogoja at the weekend.

Speaking with Journalists on Sunday, Jarigbe said he was the authentic candidate of the People’s Democratic Party for the Northern Senatorial election come October 31, 2020, and remains so.

according to him, “I am the authentic winner of the PDP primary held in Ogoja on Saturday. I thank my people for giving me their votes and for having trust in me as the struggle to liberate our state continues.

“My election was observed by the INEC monitoring team from Abuja led by Mr. Modibbo Belel, at Ogoja, with a list of authentic delegates as declared by the court.

“Let me also restate that it was supervised by members of PDP Electoral Panel including Ibiok Esu and Kenneth Zota.

“I urge all my people in the northern senatorial district to remain calm and work extra hard for our eventual emergence on October 31, 2020 by-election. We plead with all to remain steadfast.

The election took place in the five local government areas of the constituency, which includes Obanliku, Obudu, Ogoja, Yala, and Bekwara

Meanwhile, the Obudu youth forum has congratulated Hon Jaraigbe for his resounding victory at the PDP senatorial primary.

in a similar vein, Ukelle Development Forum and other critical stakeholders congratulated Rt Hon Jaraigbe on his victory at the PDP senatorial primary.

In a congratulatory message signed by Barr. Alex Edim made available to THE GLEAMER NEWS express their support to the candidature of Rt Hon Jarigbe Agom saying that the people will have prevailed assuring him of victory come 31st during the main election.

The read in part, “Ukelle national Development forum (UNDF) Abuja chapter, I wish to express our deepest congratulations to the capacity MP Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, over your victory at the just concluded Cross River North Senatorial bye-election primaries,of the PDP, held on Saturday the 5th day of September 2020, at Ogoja.

“Your victory is a practical demonstration of the will of God and the affirmation of the people’s mandate and desire for good governance as epitomized by the dividend of democracy you are delivering to them.”

They however called on the losers especially his main challenger Dr. Stephen Odey to accept Agom’s victory as an act God and work together to ensure the victory of the party at the main election.

Meanwhile, two aspirants, Dr. Mary Iji and Mrs. Odom have election faulted the process that produced Dr. Stenphen Odey as a winner, in a parallel primary calling on INEC not recognize such exercise as it falls short of the required guidelines.

Speaking with journalists in Ogoja they said it was a sham for the stakeholders not to obey the court order by using the authentic delegates list adding that the entire process was a sham as it was mostly marred by violence.

According to Mrs Martina “What happened in Ogoja was a sham, the process was a charade orchestrated but I thank God for my life because I have not seen this level of violence in my life.

I thank God for my life even though they smashed my vehicle. But I must confess that, with what happened at Ogoja, Nigeria’s democracy seems to be going backward.

I feel very disappointed because I never expected this from elites in this 21 century, its barbaric and backward and the entire process was a sham and should be canceled,” she said.

On her part, Mrs. Mary Ije applauded the process, saying the real delegates were not allowed to exercise their franchise as they were barred by armed security men.

Her words:” What happened in Ogoja yesterday(Saturday) was very despicable and uncalled for, and I can’t believe that an ordinary primary election could degenerate into bloodletting and maiming of party men and women

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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