Chime is a failure

Barrister Ray Nnaji is both a claimant to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship seat of Enugu state and spokesman of the Ebeano political family which wholly installed Sullivan Chime governor of the state. Apart from vigorously waging a legal battle to stop the Vita Abba-led faction of the party from ‘usurping’ his office, Nnaji vows that Governor Chime would not be re-elected as governor of the state come 2011. With two more years to vacate office, Nnaji argues that Chime’s government is still grappling with the execution of only one out of its much publicized four-point agenda. Scoring Governor Chime low in performance, Nnaji retorts “The next two years will be a total disaster”. Nnaji says Ebeano is already shopping for Chime’s replacement in the 2011 guber poll.

Former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani recently stated that Ebeano is intact. How do you react to that?
Yes, what do you expect him to say? He is the father of the group. And no father wants his family to be in disarray. Even if the family is in disarray, he will be doing everything not to allow the public to be aware of that problem.

At the moment, what are the operations of Ebeano?
Our operations is that we continue to make sure that Ebeano is moving forward; to make sure that Ebeano is in existence, and that Ebeano is much more noticeable by everybody.

What is your view on the Total Mandate Group of Governor Chime?
The Total Mandate they said they had launched, nothing is happening there. And most of our people who have actually gone to see if anything is happening there have actually started trooping back to our group (loud laughter).

Now that your Ebeano Family does not relate well with the incumbent governor who it installed, do you want to labor to install another?
No. That is not the issue. The issue is that 2011 is far from now, and we have not determined where we are going, but we know quite well that the mistake of the past will actually be corrected. But we don’t know, for now, how we are going to correct it. But luckily God has made it in such a way that we have been able to stand our feet and we are able to maintain the fact that a son is not bigger than his parents. We are the parents of the governor, and the governor, as the son, cannot be bigger than us no matter how wealthy or how powerful he may be. He should understand and realize that his parents are still around. And he should pay homage and loyalty to his parents.

Chime’s tenure will be two years old very soon, May 29. Could you dispassionately assess this government?
If the two years are anything to go by, Chime can only be said to have done something in the area of road rehabilitation within Enugu city. But we find out that most of the caterpillars and other materials bought for the road projects are all refurbished. The caterpillars are not genuine. They have been refurbished and most of them have already broken down even before getting to their destinations. So, these are issues they have actually used to siphon funds. Other purchases they have made have the same problems. Like the graders have broken down. There is no reason why Chime should not have gone for quality materials. Taking into consideration the kind of money the government was getting, Chime’s performance cannot be said to be optimum. In the last two years, I score Chime’s government 40 percent which is, of course, a weak pass. Road rehabilitation is not the only indicator of good government; there are other areas like education, health, sports-all other sectors. I don’t think he has measured well in them.
In the area of sports, Enugu team has performed woefully. Enugu came last in the southeast, and scored 27th position in the whole federation which is the worst ever result achieved. And look at the Rangers team, despite all the money invested in the club, it is having serious problems. The other day, they beat up referees as they were trying to get result at all cost. And you know the disastrous consequences of this. Third, the education sector is nothing to write home about. Because of this, teachers had to go on strike. So many things are not working well in the state.
The only sector where Chime could be said to have done fairly well is road rehabilitation, not road construction, within the metropolis.
But I must have to tell you that he was doing that when the oil price was 140, 145 dollars a barrel. He had a lot of money and excess crude. Now, there is no more excess crude except the one they are going to share recently, and the oil price is now down to about 40 dollars. It is going to be difficult. Most of them are even finding it difficult to pay salaries. So, I don’t see how he is going to continue with the project as there won’t be such huge funds as in the past. If that is taken into consideration, the next two years will be a total disaster.

This government is running a four-point agenda. Can you examine the extent of implementation of these agenda in the past two years?
Yes, the government is running a four-point agenda, but only one point has been taken care of in the past two years. If that is anything to go by, you find out that for him to complete one of the four-points with this kind of allocation coming down, it will be a herculean task. At the end of the day, one over four is failure (General laughter).

But indigenes and residents of Enugu may not agree with you over this assessment because they appreciate the road rehabilitation project a lot?
It is just that the government is blowing the project out of proportion. Members of the public don’t even know that some of the rehabilitation projects are attached to World Bank projects. Some of them are World Bank projects indeed. Though Chime has performed fairly well in the road rehabilitation, but you know that, because of that thing he did, the state had gone into serious debts.

What’s the size of the debt?
I cannot say, but it runs into billions of naira. Billions of naira! And I must have to tell you that from the grapevine, even the resources that were put into the litigation that was terminated on July 11 of last year are yet to be discharged.

Are you talking about the court of appeal verdict?
Yes! Debts procured to get judgment in the court of appeal are yet to be discharged. The debts are much, and this is what is weighing the state down. I must have to tell you that it will be a very difficult task in the next two years.

Could you look at the governor’s relationship with the people?
Ah, Chime’s relationship with the people is zero. That one is zero. Chime’s PR is completely zero, because he is highly incommunicado. You really can’t see him. He doesn’t even attend functions, but that has been Sullivan Chime for you. That was his character from day one. Everybody knows that he does not want to mix up with people.

What does this portend for the state?
That is why the man is championing the fact that primaries should not be done; that governors should be given automatic ticket; that they should be unopposed.

He’s championing that?
Yes, he is championing it-that the party’s constitution should be amended so that there won’t be primaries. That governors should be given automatic ticket. This is because he knows he can’t do it because of the fact that he has his poor public relations and human relations. And in politics, if you don’t have those things, no matter how strong you think you are, you should forget it.

If you say the governor does not relate with the people, how does he run the state?
That is the point. He runs the state through proxy, and administration through proxy has never achieved any desired result. So, that is it, and it has actually been a very big factor, and a bad one for that matter. The state has passed that stage that we have had vibrant people that have actually been at the helm of affairs in this state in the past and people enjoyed their relationship. But now, we hardly can see our governor; we hardly can notice his presence. It is very unfortunate.

Maybe, the situation would have created defacto governors?
Yes, that is what we are trying to say. There are too many defacto governors. That is the consequence of running government by proxy.

Are you saying that Chime’s re-election is not going to be realized on the platform of Total Mandate?
Does Chime have any structure? The man has no structure (laughter). Chime has no structure. And the earlier he realizes that the better for him because it is gradually getting to the point that it will be too late for him. Even as it is now, it is too late for him.

But he has created some structures at the local government level?
Those structures, are they loyal? How many of them can he count on? How many? And can he be holed up in his enclave to know what is happening in the state? It is when you come out that you sample people’s opinions and know how things are moving on. It is very unfortunate for him. The earlier he realizes he has no structure the better for him, though I was meant to understand that he said he does not want to re-contest. Some people were saying that, and if he said so, it would be the best decision he has taken in his life.

So, how fulfilled is the Ebeano Family in installing Chime governor?
We did not know Chime would be like that, though some of us who had the ability to read him very well doubted his loyalty and sincerity in following the policy and manifesto of the structure that brought him to office. Unfortunately, he departed from them and jettisoned every other person. That is why the Ebeano Family is not happy with him. And that is why he had made attempts to proscribe the Family (his parents). I don’t see how one can disown his parents when it is only parents that disown a child. Installing Chime governor is a decision we took in Ebeano that we actually find to be a very bad one, and a terrible miscalculation. Our prayer is that we avoid making such mistakes in future.

Culled from THEWEEK Magazine

I’ve endorsed Obi for second term

Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), warns all politicians in Anambra state to stop dropping his name for cheap political gain, saying he has endorsed Governor Peter Obi for a second term in office. (In the pics, Ojukwu, left and Obi, right)

Ojukwu who told newsmen after a courtesy call to Governor Obi that, ‘for some of you who think I only love Peter, I adore him because he has made us the people of Anambra state proud’.

Ojukwu who doffed his cap and threw it on the ground for Governor Obi as a mark of endorsement said: “If I have to choose again who will govern Anambra state, I will choose Peter a second time because he has done us proud.”

Turning to the Governor, he says, ‘Peter ride on, wherever you are, I am there with you because everybody is happy with you. I am proud of you and I assure you that whenever you look back you will see me standing with you’.

Ojukwu maintains that he found in Peter Obi a sufficient man with the character needed to govern Anambra state that made him to “release” his son to work with him.

The war hero says that Governor Obi’s marvelous work in the state would continue to endear him to him, and appeals to Obi to continue to ignore the antics of politicians running from pillar to post in the name of criticisms because the Governor has not allowed them have access to the treasury of the state.

On whether he actually endorsed Emeka Etiaba, the angry Ojukwu said: ‘How can I when I have a Governor who I have had no cause to be doubtful of. Addressing journalists, he said you can say that some others are critical of Peter because he is not giving them what they want, but you cannot say that of Ojukwu. My interest in government is that services are delivered to my people and it is only a sadist that would want me to forsake a man who is doing a great work in my state’.

The Ikemba says he would not only support Obi for a second term, but would go to the centre as a worthy son of the state.

KlinReports recalls that Emeka Etiaba has been going round the town boasting that Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu endorsed him, a claim that has prompted the leadership of APGA to accuse him of trying to destabilize the party by working for external agents.

Nigerian leaders overseas medical madness

Going overseas for medical treatment by government officials have almost become a culture among our so called leaders. It’s obviously a status symbol among our past and present leaders. I remembered when the former military leader, General Ibrahim B. Babangida went to Paris for a medical treatment. Even the wife of former President Obasanjo died in a foreign hospital while the husband was still in office. Top ranking government officials frequent overseas for medical attention. (Picture shows President Yar'Adua)

This is similar to what is happening in our educational sector, whereby leaders play politics and pay less attention to the problems of striking lecturers and decaying educational infrastructures because their children are studying abroad.

Apologies to Mr President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, you are guilty of this offence (overseas medical treatment). Recently Thisday newspapers of Tuesday 14th April 2009 , online version reported that you have approved foreign treatment for ex-governor Turaki of Jigawa State and a serving senator to be flown to Germany . Senator Turaki was involved in a road accident. This accident might have been a function of bad road, failure of either the Federal Road Safety Corps or failure of the relevant government ministry that is in charge of checking the state of vehicles that ply the Nigerian roads. If the answers are in the affirmative, then it’s also a part of negligence on the part of government ministries.

By approving to send Senator Saminu Turaki to Germany for medical treatment, Mr. President has exhibited a bias mind. This is favoritism of the highest order. How many ordinary Nigerians have you approved their overseas treatment due to road accidents which was not their making? Or don’t you know that most road accidents in Nigeria are indirectly caused by negligence on the part government (bad roads etc). Every Nigerian should be equal.

Mr. President recently expressed sadness that Nigeria was not invited to the G20 summit in London . These and many more are most of the reasons why the world leaders do not take us serious. If we cannot treat ourselves in Nigeria then what is the point in answering the giant of Africa . This is also a clear indication that the ministry of health has died. All the yearly budgets allocated to the health ministry are of no use if there are no hospitals in Nigeria to treat our president and government officials. If our president and other top government officials rely on foreign medical treatment then what is the hope of an ordinary Nigerian? This is obviously the reason why the government is never serious with the health of ordinary Nigerians. What happens to the Nigerian masses in terms of what they eat and drink are of very little importance to the leaders.

By going abroad for medical treatments, you are directly and indirectly telling the world that there are no hospitals in Nigeria . This has reached an embarrassing stage. Moreover, chances are higher that when you go abroad for medical treatments you might be attended by Nigerian doctors or nurses. There are too many of them abroad driven by the Nigerian leadership problems.

This culture of going abroad for medical treatment by government officials have to stop. It’s a drain on the purse of the nation. Mischievous government officials will use it as avenue to siphon or launder money overseas. Going abroad for treatment will divert government’s attention from equipping the Nigerian hospitals. It has a multiplier effects on the health system in Nigeria. The best thing will be to put a ban on this habit. I suggest a bill to be sent to the National Assembly banning overseas treatment for government officials. I also advise that a bill should be sent to the National Assembly to ban the children of government officials from studying abroad until when their parents or guardians finish their tenure of office. This will make our government to be serious with issues concerning the health and education of the nation.

Imagine what the nation will be loosing if local, state and federal government officials keep going to abroad for all their medical treatments. If the federal government cannot stop this habit by government officials, then the alternative will be to fly every Nigerian who so wishes for overseas treatment. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. After all they use the state money for these treatments therefore I see no reason why every person should not enjoy this privilege. May God bless Nigeria.

This piece was sent to KlinReports by:

Chinedu Vincent Akuta
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/

My Support for Obi is Total

Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu says his support for Governor Peter Obi is total.

While speaking to KlinReports in Awka, Ojukwu maintains that it is only a sadist who does not have interest of people of the state at heart that would, amidst the great works of Governor Obi, fail to support him, or want to challenge him in any manner.

Ojukwu says that what the people of Anambra state need now is to lend total support to the Governor.

He praises Anambra State Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS) projects, and assures that Governor Obi would continue with it to the benefit of the people.

Ojukwu, also, cautions those claiming Obi’s project as theirs to play politics in a civilized manner, which, according to him, is what Governor Obi represented.

He thanks the Governor for the holistic development of the state, including his home town of Nnewi, and calls for support for him rather than what he calls ‘the inexplicable antics of those that claim Nnewi projects as theirs.’

On the relationship between his father and Governor Obi, Emeka Ojukwu, who is Anambra state commissioner for special duties and transport states: ‘As far as my father is concerned, Obi should be allowed to continue, because his four years in the State has shown that the State was moving forward in the right direction and is rendering services to the people’. (Pictures show Ojukwu (Jnr), top left; Ojukwu (Snr), top right and Governor Obi, right)

He says Obi does not only bring discipline to governance, but makes the people to see what they never thought was possible in governance.

Speaking further, he insists that since Anambra state was created, Obi was the first Governor to build a befitting secretariat for the state and had asphalted over 340 Kilometers of roads in three years.

Ojukwu, also, lists Obi’s contributions in the area of education and health as part of what have endeared him to his father (Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu) and reasonable minds in the state.

Clarifying his father’s visit to a function organized by Mr. Emeka Etiaba, Ojukwu Jnr. says it should not be construed to mean a slight, pointing out that “for my father who dishes praises in half doses to give Obi a full dose at a function organized by his rival is not only remarkable, but instructive’.

30 persons murdered in Anambra!

A rights group based in Anambra state-Nigeria, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, has petitioned the government of Peter Obi to investigate the recent killing of over 30 persons, including pregnant women and security officials, in parts of the state.

The killings cut across towns in Anambra Central and South senatorial zones of the state. (Pictures show left, Comrade Umeagbalasi; right, IG Mike Okiro and down left, Governor Peter Obi)

The petition, signed by Comrade Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chairman, Board of Trustees, and dated 23 April, 2009, looks in the direction of desperate politicians in the state as the sponsor/s of deadly murder gang holding the ‘Light of the Nation’ state hostage.

Among other recommendations is that Obi government should foot the hospital bills of the wounded to ensure their quick recoveries.

Read petition below:


Ref: Intersociety/ AN/NIG/vol.02/04/09/ANSG/AN/FRN

41, Miss Elems Street
Fegge- Onuicha
Anambra state, Nigeria
23/04/09
His Excellency
Mr. Peter Obi
Governor of Anambra State
Office of the Governor
Oka, Anambra State

Sir,

Reported Slaughtering Of Over Thirty (30) Innocent Persons By A Gang Of “Armed Robbers”: Anambra People Are At War With Their Deadly Politicians

The International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law writes Your Excellency concerning the subject matter above- stated.

Your Excellency will recall that on Monday, 20th day of April 2009, over thirty (30) people, including pregnant women and security agents allegedly were brutally shot dead in a broad day light by a gang of some say armed robbers. Scores of injuries were also recorded. The shooting and killing spree, which reportedly started at Oba- Nnewi Road (Ichi) axis, later extended to Ideani- Oraukwu axis and Nnobi- Oka-Etiti- Igboukwu- Ezinifite axis. In all, two Senatorial Districts (Anambra Central and Anambra South) were affected.

The murderous gang was reported to have operated on a Hiace bus, a Hilux van and a Jeep. The murderous operation was kick-started with a pursuit of a bullion van at a filling station, Ichi, which was reportedly set ablaze very close to Ichi Community Bank, after allegedly moving the cash contents said to be in region of N50million. Independent sources alleged that a bank where they Ibru dynasty has substantial interests was involved and that it was unfortunate to have fallen into the trap of the killer-robbers. The said dead squad, having dislodged a unit of Mobile Policemen escorting the bullion van, later had a preemptive shoot out with about three Mobile Policemen guarding the Ichi Community Bank, after which the dead squad escaped via Ojoto through Mmili- John Road, from that axis, the killer – robbers found their way to Ideani, then to Nnobi junction, from where they escaped through Nnobi-Igbo-ukwu/Ezinifite Roads.

The killer-robbers paraded the areas so mentioned amidst indiscriminate shooting at close range, of commuters and pedestrians going about their businesses. At the end, scores of death and injuries were recorded, at least going by NAUTH accounts. Barely six months ago, similar bloody attack was recorded at Oka-uzu- Oka axis (bullion van/homicide incident). On the Christmas Eve of 2008, five policemen were felled by the killer-robbers’ bullets at Abagana. There have been reported cases of kidnapping in some parts of the State in recent times. Cases of armed robbery via Okadas (motorcycles) are also on the increase, especially in urban centers. In rural areas, cases of house raids and vehicular snashing have resurged .In fact, Anambra’s former dead zones are being made homicidally lively again by these deadly politicians.

Our Earlier Positions:
We had earlier alerted Your Excellency to be wary of the antics of Anambra deadly politicians, whose stock in trade is violence and nothing but violence. Because they are beastly and conscienceless, they must not be allowed to experiment their evil hypotheses on Anambra polity.
They are like “Andy” and “Paulo” in the “Living in Bondage”, once killed; they can kill, kill, and kill ceaselessly and thoughtlessly. Unfortunately, our warnings were taken for granted by Your Excellency. If a politician could consciously lie bare before a satanic shrine in the dead of the night, which premises were littered with fresh human dead bodies with disgusting stench, did sanctity of human lives matter to him? If a politician could be turbaned the “Commander-in-Chief of Bakassi Boys”, couldn’t he eat a human part if directed by a satanic shrine as a condition for his appointment as a minister?

We had had the record in Anambra State whereby some persons, backed by then Government of Anambra State, sustained a culture of mass-murder in order to keep going the N3 billion per year security revenues. Today, the existence of vigilantism in the State is substantially pecuniary interest rather than for protection of lives and property. Even the recent creation by the IGP, of more Mobile Police formations in the State amounts to generation of more “returns” for the police bosses. It is now, the more Mobile Policemen posted on Anambra roads, the more bloody revenues for themselves and their superiors. The over one hundred police check points in the State, means over N2 million per day (N20, 000 per check-point), N60 million per day and N720 million per year. Because they are on those” nipping points” to “nip N20.00 in the bud”, whenever killer- robbers or armed robbers went on rampage, they (mobile policemen) scampered for safety in nearby bushes, with their uniforms instantly replaced with civilian dresses and their arms laid deadened.

There are at least twenty police check-points in those areas operated by the killer-robbers, which translates to at least sixty armed policemen, excluding various police formations in the said areas and over ten mobile policemen escorting the waylaid bullion van, yet they operated, killed maimed and escaped unmolested. Similarly, because of lack of proper coordination and monitoring of motley of vigilante groups in Anambra State, they are potential armed robbers. It is safe to say that nine out of every ten armed vigilante operatives in Anambra State are potential armed robbers, potential assassins, potential kidnappers/abductors and potential militant political thugs/murderers.

There are over 177 communities’ vigilante groups for the State’s 177 communities, over 200 vigilante groups for the State’s 200 recorded markets and dozens of vigilante groups for the State’s urban residences. Notable politicians and business moguls are actually behind these vigilante groups. For instance, the Awada Vigilante Group is reportedly owned and financed by Chief Gilbert Okoye (NTU), a notorious Bakassi Boys’ chieftain. The group has earned notoriety, with impunity, in the crimes of extortion, indiscriminate arrests and unlawful detention, acts of torture and homicide. It also collects sanitation, development and security levies for Chief Okoye and handful landlords, with a hundred percent penalty against the defaulters. The AVG allegedly provides security cover for Chief Okoye wherever he goes and does other odd jobs. These vigilante groups in the State make billions of naira perannum, from which reasonable returns are reportedly made to their police protectors, and whatever evils or crimes so done or committed by them would be overlooked by the police. These explain why it takes nothing for a politician to dust up a vigilante group, change their guns from pump action guns to AK- 47 riffles, with some indoctrinations and hell will be let loose. Sometimes when sophistication is lacking, a few deadly bad eggs in the Armed Forces can be contracted and added unto them.


Our Recommendations:
We had predicted earlier that as the 2010 staggered poll drew near, the Anambra deadly politicians would arm terror gangs to kill, rob and abduct so as to create panicky situations and achieve popularity of the grave-yard. In the said bloody exercises, our high ways, banks, bus stops, churches, residences, markets and other flash points would be highly targeted. Our prophesy was predicated on the similar events of the immediate past. And on achieving these, the same deadly politicians would go to the media to misinform the world and promised zero-crime if “elected”.

Today, have we not been proved right? They have not started! The commonest nexus between “professional” or economically motivated armed robbery and politically motivated armed robbery is that, which involves heartless killing and maiming of the uninvolved citizens is substantially associated with politically motivated armed robbery. Ordinarily, armed robbers hardly kill their victims except in rare situations where their victims proved stubborn or when they are caught in a cross fire, in a populated scene. But that of Anambra is very strange but traceable. We also acknowledge the fact that professional robberies, including bank robbery do exist but a situation where a gang of armed robbers, after successfully dispossessing their victims of their belongings now turn to shooting and killing spree means a voice of Jacob but a hand of Esau.

Though, Anambra deadly politicians and their deadly foot soldiers (killer-robbers) appeared to have changed their strategies, from shooting, killing and maiming innocent citizens with their possessions intact, to “rob and kill” tactics, but their engaging in killing and maiming of innocent citizens is apparently to set the Government of Anambra State against the populace so as to rubbish the former and score popularity of the grave-yard. We are still wondering what these deadly politicians of Anambra stock, stand to gain by sanctioning the slaughtering of their fellow citizens like fowls all in the name of “politics”.

It is on these notes that we respectfully recommend as follow:

1. That since over hundred Mobile Police check-points in the State are illicit revenue oriented, urgent measures should be found to police Anambra’s 4,816 square kilometers’ territory.

2. That the State Security Council should be properly re-constituted and refocused so as to ensure round-the-clock security of lives and property of the Anambra people.

3. That the State Security Council should henceforth be meeting weekly till security situation improves, to appraise and re-appraise the State security situations with a view to taming lapses whenever and wherever they occurred.

4. That there should be a two-way efficient and effective security strategies, to be made up of intelligence and regular units of the Police, Army, SSS, Vigilante groups, etc, for under-cover security ( crime detection) and crime combat ( taming rampaging armed killer-robbers, etc).
5. That the presence of over hundred police check-points on Anambra roads must not be mistaken for adequate security presence, as with passing of a N20.00 note, a container-load of illicit firearms can easily be brought and off-loaded in the State.

6. That if it is found out that those manning strategic formations of the Nigerian Armed Forces in the State are much interested in “evil proceeds”, instead of security of the Anambra People, Your Excellency should request from their superior commanders in Abuja, for their immediate transfer out of the State.

7. Your Excellency should exercise to the fullest, Your Excellency’s constitutional power of the Chief Security Officer of Anambra State, which had been reinforced by the Supreme Court of Nigeria vide: Dr Chris Ngige VS. Inspector General of Police, 2005.

8. That vide a designated unit in the Government of Anambra State, the number of all vigilante groups operating in the State, their operatives’ identities, their sources of origin, funding, arms and practical modes of operations should be identified, recorded and administrated.

9. That it is noticed that there is high influx of commercial motorcyclists into the State due to the ongoing banning of same in some capital cities. The influx is accompanied by beg eggs, including political thugs being imported by deadly politicians for their electioneering onslaughts. As a result, all Okada riders operating in the State must be registered and issued with identity cards, with strict code of conduct, meant to tame the rising incidences of Okada accidents and Okada-oriented armed robberies. The Okada unions in the State should also be properly regulated.

10. That there should be effective patrolling and monitoring of the hot spots in the three Senatorial Districts in the State, especially all entries and exits leading into, and out of Anambra State.

11. That the Government of Anambra State should liaise with the authorities of NAUTH and other surrounding clinics so as to ascertain the number and families of the slain citizens with a view to commiserating with them, effecting their funerals and compensating their families. The Government also should pick up the hospital bills of the wounded and ensure their quick recoveries.

The argument, which might have been put up by the Government of Anambra State and the State Police Command authorities to the effect that the number of the dead and the wounded might have been over-reported or under-reported, is illogical because the morality and the law, which hold sway in our system, do not permit the shedding of human blood, not to talk of loosing scores of innocent citizens in a twinkle of an eye. The said killing spree must be fully investigated and the culprits and their accomplices brought to justice.


Yours Faithfully,

For: Intersociety – Nigeria

Comrade Emeka Umeagbalasi
Chairman
Board of Trustees
Intersociety
Anambra State - Nigeria
+234-(0) 8033601078
CC:
1. President and Commander-in-Chief, Federal Republic of Nigeria
2. Inspector General of Police
3. Chairman, Police Service Commission
4. The Director General of SSS
5. The GOC, 82 Division, Nigeria Army, Enugu, Enugu State
6. Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly
7. The AIG, Zone 9 Command
8. Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command
9. Director of SSS, Anambra State Directorate
10. Commander, Army Artillery Regiment, Onuicha, Anambra State
11. Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission
12. Executive Director, Human Rights Watch ,New York, USA
13. Secretary General, Amnesty International ,London, UK

2 years in office: Chime’s weak pass

Recent visitors to the Coal-City state of Enugu are impressed with the new look of Enugu capital territory, particularly, in the area of road reconstruction. Almost every part of the state is currently experiencing the presence of Barrister Sullivan Chime’s administration in this sub-sector. Road infrastructure is one of the four-point agenda of Chime government. The three others include economic expansion and employment, rural development, service delivery and good governance. (Pictures down right and left show Chime with a visiting Nigeria Head of Service, Pepple and his taxi cabs (transport scheme)

Just two months back, precisely, on February 5 this year, Chime’s government awarded contracts for the construction of four inter-local government roads covering more than 182 kilometers across various rural communities in the state. The road contract was awarded to two reputable contractors, Hajaik Construction Company and Ferotex Company Ltd. The project is a collaboration between Chime’s government and the affected six council areas, with the contract being funded on the ratio of seventy and thirty percent. The collaborating councils include Udi, Ezeagu, Nsukka, Igbo Eze North, Enugu South and Awgu.

Testifying to this seeming feat, Chime’s colleague from Kano state, Mallam Ibrahim Shakerau, during a recent visit to the state, remarked that he (Chime) has transformed Enugu into a beautiful city. Governor Shakerau, therefore, urged people of the state and government functionaries to continue to give Chime their support and cooperation.

It is on record that apart from roads, Chime government recently introduced a transport scheme. The government thus procured 400 taxi cabs and over twenty luxury buses to ease transportation difficulties across the state. Apart from officials of his government and those of the local governments across the state, Governor Chime, the magazine learnt, is about to invest N2 billion in procuring Chevrolet cars for the over 300 traditional rulers in Enugu state.

Perhaps, it was because of these perceived achievements that Engineer Vita Abbah-led faction of the state chapter of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), last month, endorsed Chime for a second term in office. If this endorsement is anything to go by, Chime would govern the state till the year 2015.

Abbah faction said it relied on the performance of Governor Chime so far, the peace that had prevailed in the state under his administration, as well as his contributions to the growth of the party in the state while taking the decision.
But the opposition to Chime’s government certainly thinks otherwise, that is, that Chime is not as saintly as he is portrayed, and that he has not performed superlatively in the past two years of his administration of the state.

In the vanguard of this opposition is Alliance of Political Parties of Enugu state (APPES). APPES maintains that Governor Chime has bad practices which make him unfit as a candidate for 2011. Rather than celebrate Chime’s achievements so far, APPES accuses his government of official corruption.

James Nweke, spokesman of the Alliance, in an interview, says the government awarded a contract for installation of street lights in Enugu metropolis last year to one Kannel Nigeria Limited for N600 million. The contract sum was reportedly paid upfront, but APPES alleged that nothing tangible was recorded in its execution so far.

"Payment of the contract sum upfront for a job not done clearly speaks volumes of Governor Chime's belief and commitment to due process”, APPES asserted.
And the group, vowing to blow the lid off alleged fraudulent contracts in the state soon, threatens to drag Chime’s government before anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and other Related Crimes, as well as the Code of Conduct Bureau.

APPES regrets that Chime has, for inexplicable reasons, severally snubbed motions of the state House of Assembly, an action it perceives as impeachable. The Alliance which sees this as one of the bad practices of the administration, specifically, recalls that Governor Chime ignored the House directives for him to suspend the commissioner in charge of local government matters, Professor Frank Asogwa, and the former works commissioner, Chief Luke Mammel from office. The body posits that this snobbish attitude of the governor is an impeachable one.

But a more acerbic assessment of Chime’s government comes from the camp of Ebeano, the political structure that single-handedly installed him governor of the state in 2007.

Assessing Chime’s two years of administration, Barrister Ray Nnaji, spokesman of Ebeano and factional chairman of PDP in the state, says: “If the two years are anything to go by, Chime can only be said to have done something in the area of road rehabilitation within Enugu city. But we find out that most of the caterpillars and other materials bought for the road projects are all refurbished. The caterpillars are not genuine. They have been refurbished and most of them have already broken down even before getting to their destinations. So, these are issues they have actually used to siphon funds. Other purchases they have made have the same problems. Like the graders have broken down. There is no reason why Chime should not have gone for quality materials. Taking into consideration the kind of money the government was getting, Chime’s performance cannot be said to be optimum. In the last two years, I score Chime’s government 40 percent which is, of course, a weak pass. Road rehabilitation is not the only indicator of good government; there are other areas like education, health, sports-all other sectors. I don’t think he has measured well in them”.

Nnaji, former national auditor of the party, insists that it is only in the sub-sector of road reconstruction that Chime made a slight achievement. In the area of sports, Nnaji said Chime performed woefully, regretting that the state came last in the southeast by scoring 27th position in the whole federation which, he says, is the worst ever result achieved. Rangers International Football Club is, also, according to Nnaji, not doing well under Chime. The Ebeano mouthpiece adds that there is, also, nothing to write home about, maintaining that teachers in the state, as a result, had to go on strike.

Nnaji did not stop at this assessment, but went beyond that to forecast Chime’s remaining the two years. Arguing that Chime is able to score any point in road rehabilitation, Nnaji quips it was because of the huge funds at his disposal.
“But I must have to tell you that he was doing that when the oil price was 140, 145 dollars a barrel. He had a lot of money and excess crude. Now, there is no more excess crude except the one they are going to share soon, and the oil price is now down to about 40 dollars. It is going to be difficult…So, I don’t see how he is going to continue with the project as there won’t be such huge funds as in the past. If that is taken into consideration, the next two years will be a total disaster”.

Remonstrating that Chime’s government blows its achievements out of proportion to its simplicity, Nnaji says further: “The government is running a four-point agenda, but only one point has been taken care of in the past two years. If that is anything to go by, you find out that for him to complete one of the four-points with this kind of allocation coming down, it will be a herculean task. At the end of the day, one over four is failure”.

Nnaji regrets that the state has, under Chime’s administration, gone into debts running into billions of naira. The debts, he claims, were procured by Chime to secure a favorable judgment at the court of appeal last year. He scored Chime zero over his relationship with the people he governs.

“Chime’s PR is completely zero because he is highly incommunicado. You really can’t see him. He doesn’t even attend functions, but that has been Sullivan Chime for you. That was his character from day one. Everybody knows that he does not want to mix up with people’, Nnaji submits. It was as result of this that, according to Nnaji, Chime runs the state by proxy.

Nnaji, similarly, dismisses the Abbah faction of PDP’s endorsement of Chime for second term in office, saying he (Chime) does not have any structure to realize such an ambition. He maintains that Total Mandate which was formed on behalf of Chime does not have the followership to make him governor again.

Nnaji regrets Ebeano’s installation of Chime as governor, saying: “Installing Chime governor is a decision we took in Ebeano that we actually find to be a very bad one, and a terrible miscalculation. Our prayer is that we avoid making such mistakes in future”.

The views of the opposition notwithstanding, Chime’s government scored self highin the past three years. The government recently reviewed and took stock of its performance in the implementation of its campaign promises to the people as contained in its 4-point Agenda. The review was with a view to identifying areas where government excelled and other areas that needed some improvement. Reviewed were issues of employment generation, agriculture, infrastructural development, water, health and education among others. What this review means, however, is that the government has a greater number of projects to tackle in the remaining two years than it had undertaken in the past.

Incidentally, to partly agree with the opposition, Martin Ilo, Secretary to State Government (SSG), admits, in a subsequent media briefing, that the better part of Chime’s administration’s first one year in office was spent on retreats to streamline work plans and strategies for the execution of government's programs and projects.

Be it as it may, the people of Enugu state expect the Chime administration to embark on more developmental projects in the state, as to transform their living conditions by the end of this political dispensation.


Culled from THEWEEK magazine.

Atiku & His Nigerian Leadership ‘Project’

Atiku Abubakar has made some serious allegations against the People’s Democratic Party lead government of Yar’Adua. Firstly he said that the Yar’Adua’s government has failed, since nothing positive is happening in the country.

Atiku went further and said that, “I have no business with this government, the only thing I know is that nothing works, no electricity, how many towns and cities in this country that have pipe borne water? There are no roads, nothing is going on”. This comment was reported by the Guardian newspapers of Sunday, November 23 2008, online version. (Pictures left show Atiku Abubarkar)

Atiku Abubakar has also repeated his allegation that there is near absence of governance in the country and he alleged that the PDP lacked the capacity to drive the electoral process. He said that he will continue to speak out against the visionless and unpopular PDP government in Nigeria.

Am so surprised at the criticism of PDP by Atiku Abubakar. Atiku himself lacks the credibility to criticize PDP because he Atiku was among the founders of PDP. He won Adamawa state governorship elections under the banner of PDP before he was appointed the vice president under the same PDP. Atiku remained the vice president for eight years, only for him to decamp to Action Congress when PDP declined to give him the presidential ticket. Despite decamping to Action Congress party, Atiku remained more of PDP than AC.

Atiku had the sympathy of Nigerians when it was rumoured that he helped to stop the third term ambition of his former boss (Olusegun Obasanjo). The sympathy continued during the Obasanjo/Atiku face off which resulted in PDP denying Atiku their presidential ticket. Left alone Obasanjo didn’t want Atiku to contest elections at all, the Supreme Court judgement made it possible for Atiku. The former vice president later went to court against the irregularities of 2007 presidential elections which was conducted by his estranged boss. The entire 2007 elections have been described as the worst election in the history of Nigeria.

Nigerians thought it was all over between Atiku and PDP, only for the former vice president to visit Obasanjo on the 19th of January 2009 at his residence in Abeokuta. By the end of January 2009, preparations were being put in place for Atiku to return to PDP. Atiku had also met with some PDP governors. Trouble started when some elements within the PDP started preparing Yar’Adua for 2011 presidential elections, meaning that there will be no chance for Atiku.

Atiku’s comments about PDP’s inability to drive electoral reforms are right. But because Atiku himself is more PDP than AC, I strongly doubt if Atiku could have done any thing different if he was the president. Atiku should have also criticized the 1999 and 2003 elections which he was part off. Nigerians are aware of the shortfalls of the 1999/2003 presidential elections. By his actions, Nigerians will only take the message and leave the messenger. Political activities of this sort make me to believe that politicians play politics in a dirty way. Politics is not a dirty game, but politicians play it dirty, more especially Nigerian politicians.

There are a lot of ways Atiku can serve Nigeria other than being the president. Except he has other motives for aspiring to be the president of Nigeria. Former vice president of America Al gore, who served under Bill Clinton for two terms, contested the American presidential elections in 2000 with George Bush. He lost and told Americans than he will never contest elections again. Al gore took up a project towards finding solutions to the threats of global warming. He has won several awards since taking up this project. This project will touch more lives in America and all over the globe. Till date Al gore remains relevant in the world. Atiku can do similar thing in Nigeria and beyond, this can make him a better statesman.

Alternatively Atiku can use his influences at the national assembly to influence policies that will better the Nigerian masses. He can be the leader of opposition parties in Nigeria which we desperately need at this point in our polity. Atiku should remember that people are looking up to him. Whether he likes it or not, he is a role model to many Nigerians. Therefore he should try inspiring Nigerians in a positive manner. Dearest Atiku kindly use all your political knowhow to support the clamour for transparency in our electoral system. Use all your political strategies to make sure transparency is established in our electoral process. Please remember that history will judge whatever action you take. May God bless Nigeria.


This piece was sent to KlinReports by:

Chinedu Vincent Akuta
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/

Anambra State & One-Term Governor Syndrome

In my previous article titled: “Anambra State and the One-Term Governor Syndrome” published in Nigeriaworld.com on March 8, 2007, http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2007/mar/081.html, I traced the history of governors in democratic dispensation in Anambra state and how they were all restricted to one-term irrespective of how good they were. Starting from the time of Chief Jim Nwobodo and Chief Christian Onoh of the old Anambra state through Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Dr. Odera Mbadinuju, and Dr. Chris Ngige of the new Anambra state, the state has never produced a governor that had the privilege of two terms.

(In the pictures-Obi (up left); Obi donating computers to college students (down right); Obi giving cheques to selected hospitals in the state; Uba (down Right); Uba (down right)

Governor Peter Obi is now front and center with history. History is not on his side. That jinx has never been broken. Of course Gov. Obi knows about this jinx and wants to give it a fight to see whether he would break it. With Obi’s doggedness and tenacity, he can as well break another record. So it is only time will tell whether he would break this barrier that others before him could not. But Obi's is putting tremendous efforts to consolidate his hold to power by his sterling performance. Time has changed; Anambra is more politically savvy than was given credit by the bookmakers. Anambra State is a unique state, despite what detractors and so-called analyst say, history has shown that they cannot properly analyze our state. Anambra is on its own program. It is the first and only state with the highest turnover of governors. Between 2003 and now, Anambra produced four different governors and five different administrations as I pointed out in the Part I. The time I wrote the first part of this article, Prof. Maurice Iwu, the Independent National Election Commission was in the process of disqualifying Gov Obi of APGA, Chris Ngige of AC and Nicholas Ukachukwu of ANPP from participating in the April 2007 election and thereby making way for the ‘chosen one’, Andy Uba.

True to people’s fears, Prof Iwu disqualified Chris Ngige, Peter Obi and Nicholas Ukachukwu based on spurious charge that Ngige did not come back to Nigeria to swear to an affidavit in front of a High Court Judge, even though Ngige’s form of intent to contest an election was sworn to by Ngige before a Judge in Maryland, USA and thereby satisfying that provision of the electoral law. Gov. Peter Obi was also disqualified by INEC from contesting the election, basing its action on the fact that APGA had two factions. But Iwu recognized the faction of the expelled former chairman of APGA, Chekwas Okorie, even though a court of competent jurisdiction has recognized the Chief Vincent Umeh faction as the genuine faction of APGA. It was later alleged that Iwu’s INEC forged an Abuja Federal High Court judgment recognizing the Okorie’s faction. Prof Iwu usurped the power of the court by suspending candidates from election, a power reserved to the courts as the Supreme Court had ruled in the case between Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and INEC had shown.

Also at the time I wrote the first part of this article, Peter Obi was at the Supreme Court for it to interpret section 180 of the 1999 constitution with regard to his tenure. Obi had argued that since his tenure was usurped by Ngige and that since his (Obi’s) oath of office and oath of allegiance was taken on the 17th day of March, 2006; that his tenure has not expired, judging from the the provisions of section 180 (2) of the constitution. When he was going to court for the interpretation of the constitution, many people did not believe he would make it. Many thought that Obi has lost his mind and that his belief was an utopia "taken too far". But he did not listen to nay-sayers. But as the matter was going on in the Supreme Court, INEC conducted the ‘sham’ called election and (s) elected Andy Uba. Uba was sworn in on the 29th day of May, 2007 but the Supreme Court ealier warned him that if Obi’s case succeeded at the court, that Andy Uba would be sacked. Andy ruled Anambra state for barely 2 weeks (from May 29 to June 14 2007) before the Supreme Court sacked him ruling that Peter Obi’s tenure was still subsisting until March 17th, 2010, and that Andy Uba was sworn in to the post of governor that was not vacant. In other words, the kernel of the Supreme Court ruling was basically that it is biologically impossible for a woman to conceive a second time while she is still pregnant. The court also chastised INEC for wasting the tax-payers’ money to conduct an election to the post of a governor that was in contention even when INEC was a party to the suit. INEC also went ahead to conduct an election thinking that it would circumvent the judgment of the apex court.
By the Supreme Court’s ruling, Peter Obi resumed his office as governor. By the ruling of the court also, Andy Uba cannot be said to be a governor since the post he was contesting was not open for contest. But for the purpose of this analysis, Andy Uba has added his name to the list of the ‘one-termers’ in Anambra state.

That leads us to the issue of the day: can Obi defy the gods and win a second term? The answer lies sometime between January and February 2010 in line with section 178 (2) of the constitution which states that:

“An election to the office of Governor of a State shall be held on a date not earlier than sixty days and not later than thirty days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of that office.”

So our answer would come at that time. However, hate Gov Obi or love him, he has changed the political landscape of Anambra. With no god-father and being in the minority party, he enjoys the goodwill of the masses. Prior to his becoming governor, Abuja or Lagos politicians had dictated who gets what in Anambra state. Before Obi, no one has won a landslide victory against a ruling party only to be rigged out in a landslide.

Also before Obi, no candidate has ever dethroned a sitting governor! When he was going to court to recover his mandate stolen by Ngige and his cohorts, no one gave Obi a chance to win in the court. He was called a ‘day-dreamer’, ‘idealist’ and even ‘utopian’ but he kept faith with his ideals. He was offered political settlement and cash to off-set his campaign expenses and he refused. He lost close political associates when he was involved in the struggles to recover what rightly belonged to him. The Chairman of his party at the time, Chief Chekwas Okorie, threw him overboard and went to Ngige to surrender APGA and Obi’s mandate. However, when he finally won in the Court of Appeal, his ‘friends’ came back. Just like everything in life, everyone loves a winner, but everyone would not go to the trenches with you to fight.

It becomes the norm now for rightful winners of election to go to court and stand firm to get what belongs to them. Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state and Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state had followed suit and helped in solidifying our democracy. Also other states have not completed election challenges in the tribunals. States like Delta, Osun, Imo, Ogun, Oyo etc are still battling in the tribunals to recover what they believe are theirs. Ekiti state had its election nullified by the Court of Appeal and a new election scheduled by INEC on the 25th of April 2009. There are many other states that had witnessed intense challenges at the tribunals both in the gubernatorial and state and federal legislative houses. This is unprecedented in our history, but thanks to the precedent Obi created, every candidate now believes that following due process and trusting the judiciary would lead to recovery of political power brazenly stolen by professional riggers, the PDP. Obi’s name is therefore associated with due process and rule of law. He has expanded the interpretation of the constitution and has by his fight to recover his mandate made for the broadening of our status as a country that practices federalism.

Also Peter Obi has changed the election calendar in Nigeria. Before now, elections were held uniformly in the whole federation. Governorship and Houses of Assembly elections were held in every state in Nigeria on the same day. But with Obi’s history at the Supreme Court, election would now be held after the term of a governor expires counting from the day he took his oath of office and oath of allegiance. Anambra state now has its own gubernatorial election time-table, and also Edo state, Ondo State and Rivers State.

Gov Obi also made another milestone when he became one of the few governors to have their purported impeachment nullified by court. His party, APGA had only one member out of thirty in the House of Assembly but the majority party, PDP, could not muster a 2/3 majority to impeach him but violated section 188 of the constitution that deals with impeachment of a governor of a state. Obi was able to get 13 members to oppose his impeachment.

Also prior to his becoming governor, NARTO (National Association of Road Transport Owners) was a parallel government in the state. They collect park dues and rates without accounting to the state government. In other words, any dues or levies they collect go not to the government but to them and they feed fat on the government funds and accounted to no one but to themselves. Obi stood up to them and put a stop to that even when it was seen as political suicide to challenge the almighty NARTO. Now I do not know whether anyone knows why the Internally Generated Revenue of the state is now in billions of naira.
Many towns and villages now have a feel of government presence. Before now, funds allocated for all kinds of projects were embezzled by state officials and their collaborators, state officials were at the payroll of contractors. Contractors collude with government officials and the so-called town union representatives to embezzle money allocated to their towns for government projects. All these are in the past since transparent government and accountability is the signpost of Obi’s administration. Before now, who knew that Anambra could actually rank among the best states in the federation in terms of development.
Also prior to Obi’s government, private security or vigilante is the order of the day. Mbadinuju’s government used the services of Bakassi Boys to provide security of life and property even when there a law enforcement entity called the Nigerian Police. But he came on board and disbanded the dreaded Bakassi Boys. Also MASSOB (Movement for the Actualization of Biafra) was infiltrated by some sponsored hoodlums to cause problems in the state, but Gov Obi showed some political courage and banned them from the state. He received severe criticisms from politicians that wanted to play to the gallery, but he stood firm believing that it was the right thing to do.
Just like when a barrier is to be broken, not many people would come on board. When Barack Obama wanted to be president of the United States, many people, including this writer, did not believe that a skinny black man with funny looking ear and a funny sounding name would prove cynics wrong to become the president of the most powerful country in the world. Also when former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu said that Enyimba Football Clubs of Aba would win the African Cup of Champions for the first time for Nigeria, many people called him "big-mouth". When they won and Orji Kalu said that they would win the cup back to back, some people did not believe him, but it came to pass and the jinx that stopped other Nigerians elite teams were broken. Gov Obi has been doubted before and many doubt that he would scale through the one-term jinx, not with the political forces against him. But Obi is not a superstar as our typical politicians are.

As Henry Kessinger would say:
"The modern politician is less interested in being a hero than a superstar. Heroes walk alone; star derive their status from approbation. Heroes are defined by inner values, stars by consensus"

So for now the one-term jinx remains. With Obi's breaking many barriers, let us wait and see whether he would meet his waterloo in this election or whether he would break yet another record. As this one-term jinx stares him in the face, we will know as Obi had said whether we are cursed or whether we are the cause.


*Chukwudi Nwokoye sent the piece to KlinReports from Maryland, USA

nwokoyeac@hotmail.com

Resign or we force you out!

Abia state chapter of National Conscience Party (NCP) has called on governor of the state, Chief Theodore Ahamefuna Orji to resign from office immediately. (Picture shows Governor T.A Orji of Abia state)

This call is contained in a press release recently from the party made available to KlinReports.

In the release entitled: ‘Abia NPC demands Gov. Orji’s immediate resignation’, dated April 14, 2009, the party decries what it describes as an alarming increase in spate of kidnapping for ransom and armed robbery in Abia state.

The statements states: ‘The National Conscience Party (NCP), Abia state chapter wishes to express its disgust over alarming increase in the spate of kidnapping for ransom and armed robbery in Abia state. NCP is not surprised that criminal activities in the state are spinning out of control since the professor Morris{sic} Iwu – led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) imposed Chief T. A. Orji on the people of the state; because, as the Holy Scriptures say, ‘Righteousness exacts a nation but sin (Governor Orji) is a reproach to any nation (Abia). Considering that the continued governing of Abia state by Theodore Orji will continue to spell doom for its citizenry, NCP calls on him to resign by May 31, 2009’.

The party expresses its resolve to join forces with other revolutionary elements in the state to ensure that Governor Orji is humiliated out of office, saying, ‘Otherwise NCP shall not hesitate to join forces with revolutionary forces in the state to mobilize the masses for humiliation of Governor Orji out of office through democratic means.

In a similar development, Barr C. C. Emelogu, an Aba based constitutional and human rights lawyer, blames the high level of insecurity in Abia state on the level of unemployment in the state.

According to the legal practitioner, ‘What generates high level unemployment in the state is that past and present leaders of the state do not consider it a priority to build industries or revitalize the old ones. You will agree with me that before and after the Nigeria civil war, various regional and, later, state governments had as a priority building of industries in the regions and, then, in the state, like what Dr. M. I. Okpara and Sam Mbakwe did in the defunct Eastern Region and former Imo state before Abia and Ebonyi states were created.

Emelogu, also, blamed the inactivity of the political leaders on the plight of the state.

Says he: ‘Unfortunately, we have witnessed wrong persons occupying state seat of power at Umuahia. And who do not know the anger of the youths rise more when they discover that the men and women at the helm of their affairs embezzle and siphon out billions of naira enough to build industries, revive old ones and create jobs for the unemployed youths’.

A dose of brutality

The people of Ohanze, Amaise, Umuokerereke Ngwa, Umuiroma and Ntighauzo communities in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia state tested a full dose of brutality in the hands of a combined team of soldiers, policemen and Abia state's vigilante service who raided the communities in an alleged search for hide-outs of kidnappers. (Pictures left and right show a lorry load of Nigeria police,Army and Police IG Okiro)

In the raid, innocent citizens were brutality manhandled, harassed and assaulted. According to eyewitness accounts, the security agencies, numbering over 100, engaged in the commando-like operation in over 10 vehicles.

The men who raided the homes of innocent citizens, destroyed doors, louvers and windows. Some victims who spoke to KlinReports, also, allege that their personal effects in the forms of cash and materials were looted.

According to one of the victims, his electric iron and television antenna are missing. Also, there are several cases of physical assault where military boots, machete lashes, physical blows were freely used. Passers-by who had motorcycles and bicycles tyres deflated with punches from bayonets have their own stories of woes to tell.

According to a lady victim, the pains on her buttocks are severe as an unidentified object was freely used on them.

This incident tells in detail the uncultured and indecent conducts of security agents in Nigeria.

In the recent past, security agents, in the same manner, raided Abala Community in the same Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia state, and sacked about 10 villages. Over 10 buildings were razed in the assault including those of a serving Assistant Commissioner of police (ACP) and a Permanent Secretary amongst others.

The question that always agitates the minds of analysts is: How can innocent citizens bear the punishment of the iniquities of evil men? Another is: Do the physical molestations and harassment of innocent citizens justify the posturing of the police in Abia state that they are combating crime headlong?

According to Barrister C. I. Emelogu, such undemocratic and uncivilized tendencies among policemen are too awkward to be found in the present-day Nigeria or any other security agency.

The legal luminary, further, posits that for the fact that some disgruntled elements may be found in a community should not expose the whole community members to indiscriminate and arbitrary police brutality.

No well-meaning persons would not support the police in their combat against crime because the crime level, especially, in Abia state is very alarming, but it would be more appreciable if it were done in a democratic and decent manner. It is, also, unfortunate that this incident is taking place in a period when Nigeria’s image in the protection of the human rights of her citizens, especially, among the security agencies is nothing to write home about.

The inspector General of police, Mr. Mike Okiro and the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, are you listening to this?

Scripted by: Okechukwu Keshi Ukaegbu (Aba)

PDP launches ‘Operation Hijack Igboalnd’

It was, indeed, the mother of all rallies at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu on April 14, as the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) launched its ‘Operation Sweep Igbo land’ in the forth-coming general elections across the country. While Anambra state holds its governorship election next year, 2010, elections would be conducted in the other four southeast states of Ebonyi, Abia, Imo and Enugu come 2011.(Pictures show Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, national chairman of PDP, and party chieftains and supporters at the rally)

The PDP rally was, in particular, meant to welcome back some aggrieved members of the party from the southeast geo-political zone who had, overtime, cross-carpeted to other political parties.

The returnee politicians were three former governors of the southeast states, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Navy Captain Anthony Oguguo (rtd) and Commodore James Aneke. While Nwodo, also, pioneer national secretary of PDP, governed Enugu state, Oguguo and Aneke were Military Administrators in Imo state.

Others who were formally admitted into the party included Senator Offia Nwali and Anthony Oka (Ebonyi); Ikechi Emenike (Abia); Chief Ebele Udeagu, former Deputy Governor of Imo; Chief George Moghalu (Anambra) and Chief Chris Anene (Abia) among others.

In addition to welcoming its ‘prodigal sons’ back to the fold, other ambitious party members, successfully, turned the rally into a campaign ground for the forthcoming governorship elections, especially, in the three non-PDP southeast states of Imo, Abia and Anambra.

Of course, governorship hopefuls from Enugu and Ebonyi states dared not campaign openly at the rally because the incumbent governors, Barrister Sullivan Chime and Chief Martin Elechi, as well as their legion supporters and hangers-on literally took over the rally arena. Countless placards and political Posters adorned the rally venue amidst a mammoth crowd of party men who were mobilized by Chief Olisa Metu-led southeast zonal leadership of the party.

Leading the pack of the returnees, Nwodo, in his address, says their return to the party is to ensure that Ndigbo, who had, in one way or the other, been losing out in the national scheme of things, bounce back to the mainstream of Nigerian politics.

Nwodo says readmission of former members was made possible by acceptance of recommendations of Jim Nwobodo-led Reconciliation Committee by the national leadership of the party, adding that the leadership is desirous to welcome back all those who had worked very hard for the progress of the party at its founding stage.

Nwodo, also, hails Metu’s executive of the party, which, he adds, had set machineries in motion to reach out to all aggrieved members of the party, so as to bring them back to its fold. The party, Nwodo stresses, had been transformed and taken to enviable heights in the southeast zone.

Former Governor Nwodo maintains that PDP had fast regained its popularity and now confident of recapturing the entire southeast zone in the next general elections, assuring that the new entrants would contribute their quota towards the realization of this objective.

“As we come back to the fold, we shall join our brothers and with their efforts to bring about the needed development in our states”, Nwodo states.

Nwodo, it would be recalled, decamped to the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and, later, to the Action Congress (AC) in the run up to the 2003 elections. On the platform of ANPP, Nwodo contested and lost his senatorial seat of Enugu North (Nsukka) zone.

And the other returnees had similar history of woeful failures in their forays to other political parties. Udeagu, former Deputy Governor of Imo state, was the deputy presidential candidate of Democratic People’s Party (DPP) where he lost deposit. Emenike and Oka, on their parts, contested the governorship of Abia and Ebonyi states on the platform of ANPP. Though they put up gallant fights, they lost out to Chief Theodore Orji and Elechi of the then newly formed People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) and PDP respectively. Apart from being its national secretary, Moghalu, similarly, contested for Anambra state governor on the same ANPP platform, and lost like his fellow political ‘harlots’.

As expected, PDP governorship aspirants from Anambra state thronged the rally ground with their supporters, shopping for the support of both the regional and national leaderships of the towards the realization of their political ambitions. Such aspirants were Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, Senator Annie Okonkwo and Sam Ikefuna among others.

Not only that they all attended the rally physically, their supporters sang their praises all over Enugu city.

Welcoming the returnees back to the party, National Chairman of the party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, swore that PDP would reclaim all the five Igbo states it lost to opposition parties in the 2003 elections. Boasting that PDP is a party of substance, Ogbulafor expresses satisfaction at the performance of the two governors of the party in the zone, Chime and Elechi. Ogbulafor, as it were, enjoins the returnees not to ever lose faith and dump the party in future despite all odds.

Among numerous chieftains of the party who graced the occasion were former Governors Sam Egwu (Ebonyi), Education Minister; Achike Udenwa (Imo), Minister for Commerce and Industry; Minister for Information, Professor Dora Akunyili; Chief ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President; Chief Ayogu Eze, Chairman, Senate Committee on Information; Chief Rochas Okorocha, former presidential candidate of the party.

But the conspicuous absence of some prominent PDP members of Igbo descent indicates that all is not yet well with the ruling PDP. Such politicians include Senator Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu), Dr. Andi Uba, former governor of Anambra state, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, former PDP governorship candidate in Abia, Dr. Chris Ngige Ngige, former governor of Anambra, as well as another past Anambra governor, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju among numerous others.

Ojukwu celebrates Obi

Leader of defunct Biafra Republic and Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, has joined legion well-meaning indigenes and residents of Anambra state to shower praises on the state governor, Peter Obi, for fast tracking development in the state since he assumed office three years ago. Ojukwu (Eze Igbo Gburugburu) was the presidential candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the April 2007 election. (Pictures show Gov. Obi (left); Ojukwu (right) and Etiaba(down left)

Significantly, Ojukwu chose the opportunity of opening of the campaign office of Emeka Etiaba, son of Dame Virgy Etiaba, the state’s deputy governor, to haul these accolades at Governor Obi. Emeka Etiaba, in what is seen as a spoiler’s gimmick, is challenging second term running Obi for APGA ticket in the 2010 election in Anambra state.

Maintaining that Obi has performed superlatively as governor of the state in the past three years, the Ikemba insisted that APGA would provide a level-playing field for all governorship aspirants for next year’s election in the state.

Stated Ojukwu, “Governor Obi has done well, especially, in transforming Awka, the state capital. He has provided good roads for the people and the party is proud of him”.

Many, however, reason that Ojukwu’s praises on Governor Obi during the function implies Obi’s endorsement for a second term in office by APGA. This is because, apart from being its presidential flag bearer, Ojukwu is, also, Chairman, Board of Trustees of APGA.

Still, other political analysts in the state and beyond think that Ojukwu’s speech was an indirect way of advising Emeka Etiaba to shelve his (untimely) ambition for now, and allow Governor Obi to continue with his good works in the state on the platform of the party till 2014.

Expectedly, Emeka, the celebrant, was disappointed by Ojukwu’s unexpected glorification of Governor Obi in a function he (Emeka) organized to run for the governorship of the state.

Because he had to play politics (as a politician), Emeka acknowledged that Governor Obi had tremendously done well, but said his main reasons for joining the governorship race were to do fundamental work on education, health and agriculture; create a deserving state capital in Awka, while not neglecting other cities in the state; provide strategic roads and good transportation network, ensure security of lives and property and provide jobs; as well as take the state on a journey to the next level from where Governor Obi would stop.

The journey to the next level, Emeka stated, would resolve some knotty issues that tend to disintegrate the people and discourages incompetence and mediocrity, adding that chief among those issues was religious politics.