The Mayor of Corruption

Comrade Uche Oliver Egeonu, Chairman of Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, faces charges of large-scale fraud and non-performance in the running of the council.

Less than three months to the expiration of his tenure, the Chairman of Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia state, Comrade Uche Oliver Egeonu, is in the eye of the storm.

Egeonu stands accused of refusal to pay the council’s legislators their allowances, a situation that has been generating ripples across the local government area and beyond.

The allowances owed to the councilors, numbering 19, include furniture (N1.1 million), transport (N1.3 million) and accommodation N1.1 million.

Among the law makers are Prince Eze (Mbato), Ekemezie Nwoke (Amuda), Benson Achugbu (Umuaku 2), Ken Ifoh (Umuobasi), Linus Udeh (Mballa/Achara Ward), Valentine Nwankwo (Ubahu/Akawa), Emeka Nwankwo (Lekwesi), Anozie Christian (Umuaku 1), Emmanuel Maduka (Lokpaukwu), Ndidi Eke mere (Obinolu/ Lomara).

Others include Emeka Okafor ((Leru), Tobias Egeonu (Umudim/Ughuolugho), Augustine Ogujiofor ((Eziama Agbo), Cosmas Ezuo (Obinolu Uhude), Chidi Dike (Amuba/Umuogbuele), Osita Eze (Eziama Ugwu) and Daniel Okereke (Aro Ikpa).

Worse-still, the councilors lament that they go home virtually empty-handed every month following massive interest deductions from their salaries by the First Bank Plc, Nkwoagu-Isuochi Branch with which Egeonu had struck a deal to procure them Toyota Camry 98/99 model as part of their entitlements.

The interest deductions bring the total sum the vehicle was sold to the councilors to N2.3million. But it was learnt that that model of Toyota Camry is sold for N1.5 million in the market. Part of the accusations of the law makers is that the duo of First Bank and Egeonu lured them into buying the vehicles on the agreement that the council would, ultimately, foot the bill, as transportation is part of the statutory allowances accrued to them.

Perhaps, more disturbing to the legislators is that, if at the end of their tenure next January, the transport allowance is not paid to them, they stand the risk of losing both the vehicle and the allowance as a result of default in paying up the bank loans.

In addition, Egeonu, the Chairman, is accused of running the council to the exclusion of its legislative arm, a development which has culminated in a cold-war between him and the restive law makers.

The worst hit in Egeonu’s alleged misrule is the office of Leader of the council. THEWEEK learnt that Hon. Uchenna Ezekwesiri, Umunneochi Council Leader, is the only council Leader in Abia state who has no official car attached to his office. Statutorily, a local government council Leader’s office is entitled to, at least, an official vehicle and a legislative bus. But in contrast, Ezekwesiri is regularly spotted atop commercial motorcycles while going about his official duties.

Aside the foregoing, Comrade Egeonu is currently in the dot over alleged non-performance and misappropriation of the funds belonging to the council.

Findings show that Egeonu has, in the past 19 months of his administration of the council, received over N1 billion from the Federation Accounts Committee (FAC). The receipts include an average of N40 million monthly allocation, and N300 million excess crude windfall.

It is observed that, apart from the Amuda-Achara-Lekwesi Road direct labor project which he has, since, inexplicably, abandoned, Egeonu has no other major project in the council to his credit. Except that, as a matter of necessity, he had to erect an office complex inside the council secretariat to replace the former which was burnt down by hoodlums during an electoral violence in the area two years back. Also, the embattled Mayor could not complete the Umuchieze rural electrification project which he commenced sometime in his regime. In fact, the list of Egeonu’s uncompleted projects seems endless!

What is intriguing to Egeonu’s critics, however, is that, in the face of all these glaring instances woeful performance, he appears to be warming up for a second term. Although the council boss himself has not summoned sufficient courage to kick-start a campaign in this direction, his body language indicates that he desires a second term in office. For instance, his supporters have been busy circulating fliers and leaflets, soliciting support for his second term bid in the council.

But whether Egeonu’s second term project will succeed or fail depends on the collective will of the people of Umunneochi Local Government to decide, using his performance chart as a yard-stick

Still, another curious aspect of the foregoing is why the council’s legislators chose to keep mum as Egeonu runs the council like his personal estate. It was gathered that the council’s law makers parted ways, sometime last year, when they, on the alleged prompting of Egeonu, unsuccessfully plotted to impeach their Leader, Hon. Ezekwesiri. Since then, the centre could no longer hold among the once united councilors.

No doubt, the legislative arm has not been as effective as it should be, as a result of which there have been no checks and balances in Egeonu’s running of the council. Nonetheless, some of the councilors accuse their Leader, Ezekwesiri, of conniving with Egeonu to misappropriate the funds of the council.

While Leader Ezekwesiri debunks the insinuation that he colludes with Egeonu to loot the resources of the people of Umunneochi, several efforts to get Egeonu (the chairman) to respond to the charges against him were fruitless.

Apart from intentionally not picking calls made to his mobile telephone handset by our correspondent, Egeonu, also, snubbed a text message sent to his phone, seeking an interview appointment over the allegations.