Anambra: 2010 and limits of propaganda

By all standards, Anambra is a peculiar state. It is a state where the best in Nigeria are often seen as well as a state where the worst of Nigerian politics is equally often seen. Since the creation of the state in 1994, the state has been host to events both bizarre and the extra-ordinary. Anambra is a state where truly, the good, the bad and the ugly are seen in abundance. (Photo shows Gov. Obi, the state governor)

The fifth republic has been tumultuous in Anambra state. It all started with political war among the godfathers both within and outside the state to entrench their suzerainty by imposing who becomes the governor of the state in 1999. Prof A.B.C. Nwosu seemed to be coasting home to victory. All of a sudden, the wise godfathers appeared from nowhere and declared that Anambra state was not yet ripe for a professorial rule. Pronto, Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju became the governor of Anambra state. Since that fateful substitution, neither a governor of the state nor a godfather has known peace.

The ills and gains of the Mbadinuju administration are known to history. Mbadinuju did not disappoint when it came to the fireworks of propaganda. “It shall be well with Anambra State”. This was his favorite slogan. Yet the state was literally collapsing. While students could not go to school for a whole year, “Evangelist” Mbadinuju was at his best – dishing out gospel propaganda to all who cared listen. Is there a limit to propaganda in Anambra State?

At the turn of 2003, it was clear that Mbadinuju was no longer salable. There arose another powerful propaganda: to unite all the Igbo states in a pan-Igbo political party. With Biafran sentiments strong in the air, Ndi Anambra massively voted for Mr. Peter Obi. Of course, Peter Obi did not disappoint in the department of propaganda. He raised the rhetorical question “Anambra: are we the cause or cursed?” What is more? With the background of crass insecurity of the Mbadinuju era, Obi declared, “I will fight crime with jobs”, I will build an industry every 100 days”

Fortunately for the state (with the benefit of hindsight) Ngige appeared from nowhere and became the governor of the state. As a commentator aptly put it, “even if the P.D.P had fielded a goat as its gubernatorial candidate in Anambra State in 2003, that goat would surely emerge the governor of Anambra State” Our votes simply did not count. Thereafter, Obi embarked on titanic legal battle to reclaim his mandate.

By design or by fate, Ngige changed the face of governance in Anambra State. He radically changed the mode of propaganda. By embarking on massive construction of roads in the state, Ngige literally tarred his way into the heart of Anambra State. For once, people saw that the state could pay workers as at when due and still build infrastructures. The greatest achievement of the Ngige administration was the raising of the parameters of governance in Anambra State. Though petite in nature, Ngige was a genius in the art of propaganda. What Napoleon did with arms, Ngige surpassed with propaganda. He effectively demonized Chief Chris Uba, the man who admittedly, made him a governor. Despite being rejected by the people at the polls, Ngige eventually warmed himself into the hearts of the people. He literally became a hero.

When Peter Obi reclaimed his mandate in 2006, people welcomed him with so much goodwill. The expectations were so high. Obi was expected not only to continue the works started by Ngige, but also to actually surpass him. It appeared however, that Obi was much more interested in acronyms. Thus the state embarked on a large-scale marketing of an acronym called ANIDS. The fireworks of propaganda rent the political space. A litany of explanations became readily available. The rains prevented the construction of roads. Insecurity prevented the local government elections. The house of assembly caused instability. Unemployed graduates should exercise patience. Everything is in the pipeline. The government has plans. Overnight, gigantic billboards dotted every strategic location in the state. There is a billboard, nay two celebrating the clearing of a blocked gutter! Projects were advertised in pamphlets, almanacs and newspapers. Ngige became a readymade scapegoat on the lips of government propagandists. Diatribes became government’s frequent gifts to Ngige on the airwaves of the state run media. How words can stand solid works remains to be seen.

Ahead of 2010 even streetlights that have never shone since Obi’s administration were beautifully painted. Painting the lights with APGA color for sure was much more important than making the lights work! Perhaps, the greatest achievement of the Peter Obi administration is the elimination of the politics of godfatherism in Anambra State. Obi has complete control of both the state and his political party. This further heightens the expectations the people. What Ndi Anambra keep wondering at is why billboards are not being erected in nearby Enugu State and not so far away Lagos where serious gigantic development projects are going on without a noise. While the people of Enugu complain that contractors are too fast in the execution of their projects, Ndi Anambra keep praying and hoping for when a yearlong dry season could come so that the few roads under construction could be completed. Indeed, there are limits to propaganda.

With 2010 around the corner, the fireworks of propaganda once more bestride the political space. The race is tough indeed. Accusations and counter accusations are already donning the pages of newspapers and magazines. But the truth of the matter is that demagogy can never work in Anambra state again. Indeed, there are limits to propaganda.

Ebo Chigbo Socrates
Awka, 08064641470, ebosocrates@yahoo.com

Savannah: Nwobodo bounces back

A patient dog eats the fattest bone. This Igbo adage aptly applies to Senator Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, former governor of old Anambra state, whose Savannah Bank Plc was recently ordered reopened by the appeal court. The ruling included that the bank should be given 18 months period to recapitalize. (Pics show Nwobodo (left) and Idris Kutigi, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN)(right)

The appellate court affirmed that the bank’s closure by the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, using the instrumentality of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), was illegal and of no effect. The court, also, sanctioned the CBN for illegally closing down Apex Bank.

KlinReports recalls that Obasanjo had, during his first term in office as Nigeria’s president on February 15, 2002, willfully presided over the shutting down of Nwobodo’s ‘healthy’ Savannah Bank. The reason for Obasanjo’s action against the bank was not only ridiculous but ludicrous.

The then Governor of Enugu state, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani (now senator), parted ways with Senator Nwobodo, his political god father. Nwobodo moved into the state from his Abuja national assembly base to teach his ‘pesky’ god son some bitter political lessons. He thus deployed the state legislature to boot Nnamani out of office through impeachment.

Most unfortunately, this rift dragged on to a period draconian President Obasanjo had an axe to personally grind with Nwobodo. Nwobodo, it would be recalled, had served as the coordinator of Obasanjo’s presidential campaigns between 1998 and 1999, and Obasanjo, even after his victory, reportedly felt that Nwobodo ‘messed up’ his campaign funds. Besides, Nwobodo’s political profile was upbeat, and Obasanjo would never condone such prominence, as it could threaten his second term ambition.

And to justify his fears, Nwobodo actually hotly contested the 2003 presidential election on the platform of United Nigeria People’s Party (UNPP) after he and some others were stampeded out of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

So, Obasanjo exploited the rift to take his pound of flesh on Nwobodo. It was at this point that he ordered Nwobodo’s Savannah Bank shut down on an adduced flimsy reason of insolvency. The object of the closure was, more importantly, to economically weaken Nwobodo, bearing in mind that he was to contest the 2003 presidency with him. In addition, Obasanjo sufficiently empowered Nnamani to take on Nwobodo in their political battle. Eventually, Nwobodo was overwhelmed, and literally run out of his Enugu state home up until the end of Nnamani regime.

It must be pointed out, at this juncture, that Savannah Bank’s closure, among other things, sent many Nigerians to their early graves, as, in the words of Chief Victor Umeh, national chairman of All People’s Grand Alliance (APGA), “they (depositors) lost all their deposits with the bank and the credit balances they had in their accounts upon the unsuspecting move against the bank, which by all implications appeared healthy before the Obasanjo assault”. Umeh adds that the closure of the bank was another wicked attempt by Obasanjo to punish the Igbos and attack their business interests in Nigeria.

But above all this, Nwobodo followed his travails with patience and perseverance. The former governor never gave in to despair, and he waited, hoping that injustice has a very short life span. Nwobodo trudged on in his quest for justice right from the lower to appeal court. Nwobodo believed in the aphorism that ‘Nothing lasts forever; sooner or later, the end to every beginning is reached’. And the end to the beginning of seven years of untold hardship and agony of Nwobodo, the board, management and staff of Savannah Bank came with the appellate court’s ‘Daniel’s judgment’. Nwobodo’s bank will, by the grace of God, bounce back to life.

KlinReports is, however, appalled that, rather than implement the court verdict and encourage the bank to successfully recapitalize and get back to business in the interest of its teeming impoverished customers, Central Bank of Nigeria is, at the moment, said to be contemplating contesting the decision at the Supreme Court. This is even against the backdrop of the obvious fact that the bank was unjustly shut down (out of malice) because it did not show any sign of distress before the closure.

This verdict restoring Savannah Bank’s license was a landmark one indeed, and KlinReports appeals to CBN to take it (the judgment) in good faith and allow Savannah Bank to open shop. Such a contemplated appeal will only worsen the already aggravated situation of the banks anguished customers and staff.

At least, for posterity sake!

Umuode, Oruku’s senseless wars

Whatever sparked off the latest clashes between the people of Umuode and their Oruku neighbors of Enugu state smacks of senselessness and utter disrespect for constituted authorities.

This is because the present government of Sullivan Chime is, for the first time in several years, trying to resolve this lingering bloody class and land war that had claimed several lives of people of the two communities. It is on record that the war had, over the past seventeen years it lasted, claimed well over a thousand lives and buildings belonging to the people. Other previous governments merely played politics with the strife.(Picture top left shows the razed house of Justice Anthony Onovo of Umuode, and top right is a wounded Oruku victim)

It would be recalled that in the course of the war, the Umuodes had, on two occasions, been driven out of their homes into exile. The first was in 1995 and the second lasted eight years (from 1999 to 2007).

Governor Chime thus set up a committee to inquire into the crisis, with a view to coming up with lasting solutions. Before this, he promptly returned the exiled Umuodes to where they know as their land. Chime, also, took time out to visit the warring brothers, promising that his government would leave no stone unturned in bringing to an end the communal clashes that have lingered for so many years. The visiting governor urged the people to be willing to make sacrifices for peace to return to their land. He promised to beef up security in the area, and rehabilitate all the link roads, and resettle the people.

The white paper which followed from recommendations by the committee, among other things, recommended that the disputed vast area of land called Aguefi should be conceded to the people of Umuode while they (the Umuodes) should vacate those areas they are occupying in Oruku for the Oruku people. Chime’s government went further to earmark the sum of N262 million for compensation to Oruku people for their structures at the newly acquired Aguefi land while N151 million was earmarked for Umuode people for their property destroyed in Oruku.

It was as Chime government was about implementing this white paper that fresh hostilities broke out between the twin communities. Amongst victims of the latest mayhem include Professor Bath Nnaji, a world renowned Robotic Engineer and former minister of science and technology in Nigeria. Nnaji’s storey building was razed. Also razed were the houses of Anthony Onovo, and Emmanuel Omaba, Enugu high court judge and one time deputy chairman of Nkanu East council.

In this particular mayhem, the Oruku people are said to be the aggressors, as they consider the white paper unfavorable to them. The Orukus thus, on January 30, invaded the Umuodes, visiting them with mayhem and violence. KlinReports gathered that, for the timely arrival of the police, the whole Umuode community would have been razed down.

Already police says it has arraigned five persons before an Enugu magistrate court in connection with the violence. The accused persons are standing trial on an eight count charge of promoting local war, felony and arson against the people of Umuode.

The comment to make here is that it is highly unfortunate that the good intentions of Governor Chime in seeing to the end of the age-long Oruku, Umuode war are being sabotaged by the renewed hostilities which witnessed the destruction of people’s houses and property in the area. If there were issues against the contents of the white paper, the best option would not have been the invasion of Umuode community by Oruku. No, that is barbarism!

The Oruku and Umuode communities should know that they remain brothers, and that this is the only opportunity they may have to resolve the lingering baseless war that had cost them everything. Governor Chime has shown enough sincerity towards restoring peace in the area, and all hands must be on deck to realize this.

No matter who gets favored more than the other by the white paper, the people should, in the interest of peace, make sacrifices and take government’s verdict over the matter. There is certainly no alternative to peace.

Is it not shameful that rather than grappling with the challenges of collectively developing their God-given land, members of these two communities are busy killing themselves, taking lives they cannot recreate, and destroying buildings which had taken hard earned money to build.

What a shame! A shame indeed!

Kidnappers take over Igboland

Chief Godwin Ogbaga, former minister of power and steel, recently, had a humiliating experience in the hands of kidnappers in Ebonyi state. The hoodlums trailed Ogbaga from his house to where he went to drop off a visiting friend in Abakiliki town, and abducted him in his own vehicle. They, subsequently, whisked the former minister to their hide-out where they ordered him to remove his dress. (Picture left shows Nnubia while that on the right shows a gunned down kidnappers by Abia state police command)

Suddenly, to Onaga’s consternation, a nude girl emerged from a dark corner of the room, and Onaga’s abductors, at gun point, ordered him to pose nude with the girl while they took photographs of the erotic scene. Thereafter, the kidnappers demanded N5 million ransom from Onaga, or they would blackmail him with the pictures.

It was learnt that although the shocked Onaga did not have as much as N5 million, he secured his release with a certain amount of money from the kidnappers.

But the one time minister is just one out of such victims in the salt state of Ebonyi. At the moment, Chief Pius Okoh, proprietor of Holy Ghost Secondary School, Abakiliki battles to ward off a kidnap gang that continues to pester his life over N20 million ransom. The experiences of Okoh, also, the proprietor of a newly founded Holy Ghost University in the state, were even worse than that of Onaga.

Okoh’s troubles started when the kidnap gang, late last year, abducted him from his school premises in Abakiliki, and whisked him to an undisclosed location. While the gang, operating in a one door Honda car, ferried the renowned educationist along Enugu/Abakiliki high way, they blind-folded him, but when the cloth was removed, he discovered he had been brought to a shrine!

At the shrine, Okoh was forced to be in a posture of ritual exercise involving human soul. There was a pre-arranged scene whereby a young man was made to lay face downwards with his head covered with a white cloth. Okoh was, then, forced to wield a cutlass as if he would chop off the young man’s head. The next thing he heard were clicks of a camera. Okoh, to his chagrin, discovered that one of the abductors, who had earlier claimed to be a journalist, was busy taking photographs of him in that ritual postures.

The gang, after this episode, demanded a ransom of N20 million from Okoh, but the school proprietor initially sid he could not afford such a staggering amount, but seeing that his abductors meant business as they severally threatened to kill him, he volunteered to provide some amount.

To this effect, Okoh suggested to his captors to take him to town to source money from a friend. But in town, Okoh’s friend said he did not have money as at the time, and Okoh, again, asked the kidnappers to take him to his GTB Bank in Abakiliki metropolis.

It was while inside the bank, with his captors waiting for him outside, that his wife and son came in search of him. At this juncture, the kidnappers, sensing trouble, melted away. Still, the kidnap gang continues to mount pressures on Okoh, and issuing death threats on him and his entire family if he fails to pay them the ransom.

However, the state police command, following Okoh’s petition to the police commissioner the following day, August 28, 2008, immediately, launched a high powered investigation into his kidnap cum blackmail. Okoh had, in the petition, called for an investigation into his abduction, as well as adequate security for him and members of his family.

Many, as it were, believe that Okoh might, among other things, have been a victim of blackmail from his education business rivals who feel that he had amassed stupendous wealth.

While the police battle to track down Okoh’s abductors and their sponsors, incidents of kidnap have continued to escalate in the state.

Engineer Donatus Nwafor, pioneer works commissioner in the state had his two kids recently kidnapped from a nursery school in Abakiliki. The kids were taken to Aba, Abia state from where the kidnappers demanded N1.5 million for their release. The magazine learnt that Nwafor parted with N1 million after bargaining with the hoodlums before his kids were released to him.

A former permanent secretary in the state, currently commissioner with the Civil Service Commission, Chief Willy Nkwagu, similarly, had his son abducted by one of the kidnap gangs running riot in the state. The kidnappers reportedly demanded N5 million ransom from Nkwagu, but Nkwagu was able to ‘cough up something’ before his son could rejoin him.

The notorious gang, within this period, abducted two sons of Chief Peter Oge Ali, former chairman of Ohaukwu council area, now chairman of Petroleum Dealers Association in the state. The bandits were to later call Oge Ali on phone from their Aba hide-out to demand N2 million ransom. Like his fellow victims, Oge Ali dropped some money before the release of his kids.

It is note-worthy that the kidnap enterprise in Ebonyi state is not restricted to the privileged class alone. Even journalists have fallen victims to this menace.

Strangely, the pregnant wife of Johnny Okoroafor, a media practitioner with Ebonyi State Broadcasting Service (EBBS), was, similarly, abducted on her way from work. Another journalist, Oti Ama, working with the state owned newspaper, Nigeran Patriot, had his child kidnapped from a church service in Abakiliki! It took spirited efforts from both the police and public spirited individuals to pull necessary strings to get the kidnappers set both Okoroafor’s pregnant wife and Amah’s son free.

All this was, of course, in addition to the recent abduction of Moses Nwakpa, a newspaper publisher based in the state. Nwakpa publishes Ebonyi Records newspaper. Nwakpa had, like Onaga, gone to drop off a visiting friend when an armed gang that lurked in the dark in the area swooped on him, dispossessing him of his vehicle and other personal effects before taking him away. Nwakpa told this magazine that he underwent similar excruciating experiences in the hands of the kidnappers. The kidnappers, after driving the publisher around, abandoned him half naked in a suspected shrine in the Ohaukwu area of the state.

Exactly the same scenario in Ebonyi plays out in the other states of the southeast geo-political zone.

Chief Ignatius Nnubia (alias NOWAS), an Enugu oil magnate, is, at the moment, on trial for alleged involvement in the case of kidnap and armed robbery. Nnubia is, in particular, incriminated in the sponsoring of the kidnap of Dr. Francis Edemobi, younger brother to Professor Dora Akunyili, former director general of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC), currently minister for information and national orientation. Edemobi is the founder and president of Paul and Grace Foundation, a non-governmental organization based in Enugu.

Nnubia’s alleged kidnap syndicate was, on December 1 last year, smashed by the state police command, headed by Police Commissioner Sanni Magaji. Although the police, for inexplicable reasons, did not parade Nnubia and his fellow suspects before members of the public like other previously arrested kidnap suspects, the suspects were, at last, arraigned before an Enugu magistrate court on Tuesday and Wednesday January 13 and 14 respectively. The police, on the second day of the trial, slammed a five-count charge of armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms, kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment of Edemobi on the oil magnate and his alleged kidnap gang. Nnubia’s co-accused include Emmanuel Okoli (46), Anthony Chigbo (48), Anike Ejike (28), and Okorie Ifeukwe (40).

The kidnap suspects, among other charges, conspired with some other persons at large to, at gun point, rob Edemobi and some of his personal belongings and cash. Nnubia, the alleged kidnap patron, was, in the third count, accused of unlawful possession of an English-made Barretta pistol, eight rounds of AK 47 live ammunition and 35 rounds of 9mm live ammunition without license by the inspector general of police. The accused respectively committed offences contrary to sections 6 (b), 1 (2) (a) of the Armed Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act, 2004. Nnubia, on his own part, committed an offence punishable under section 3 (1) of the same act.

After the charge was read, counsel to Nnubia, Chief Chuma Oguejiofor, argued that it was unconstitutional for the police to have held the accused persons in custody since December last year. But the police, represented by Inspector Ernest Eriagu, retorted that the suspects were kept on a ‘holding charge’, which Oguejiofor insisted was alien to the law of the country. Oguejiofor remonstrated that the magistrate court, presided over by Joy Okibe, lacked jurisdiction to try the case, especially, as it involved armed robbery. The lawyer, also, contested the first three counts of the charge, contending that they were brought under the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act, 2004, a provision, he contended, is silent on the jurisdiction of magistrate courts to prosecute armed robbery cases.

Oguejiofor’s contention, in the main, was that the kidnap and armed robbery case ought to have been brought before the state high court following the legal opinion of the attorney-general and justice commissioner. The counsel, as a result, called on the court to withdraw from handling the matter for onward transmission to a court of competent jurisdiction (which is the high court).

This particular kidnap case is a high profile one, as the state’s attorney general and commissioner for justice, Chief Nduka Ikeyi, even announced appearance in court (to demonstrate the commitment of Chime’s government towards eradication of kidnaps and violent crime in the state). Ikeyi, among other things, urged the court to remand the accused in prison custody pending determination of the case. And the matter rages, as Okibe’s court will, on the return date next month, rule on jurisdiction.

There is no gain-saying the fact that Anambra state has, for long, gained notoriety for Kidnap and violent crimes. At the moment, two business giants in the state, Chiefs Innocent Chukwuma (popularly called Innoson) and Pius Ogbuawa, are hauling allegations against each other concerning who was responsible for the kidnap, March 17, 2007, of two Chinese nationals and one indigenous staff working in an Nnewi motor assembly plant owned by Chukwuma. Kidnappers had, on the fateful day, stormed the plant and whisked off the three workers. Incredibly, despite the payment of a N20 million ransom to the kidnap gang, only two of the abductees were released back to Chukwuma. Feng Senyi, one of the Chinese nationals, is, over two years after, yet to be set free by the gang. Whether Senyi is still alive or not remains a subject of conjecture.

While Chukwuma insists it was Ogbuawa that sponsored the kidnap of his staff, Ogbuawa denies complicity. The affluent Nnewi businessman attributes his ordeals to a mere business rivalry, and accuses Chukwuma of pirating his products, with a view to running him out of Nnewi business community because he is a non-indigene.

Ironically, Ogbuawa himself was an earlier victim of kidnap in the state. He was, on January 28 the same year, abducted in front of his church in Nnewi and taken to an unknown destination. Ogbuawa was, however, dehumanized and, eventually, stabbed on the head before he could buy his freedom with the sum of N20 million amongst other pledges to the miscreants.

Ogbuawa, on his own part, accuses Innoson of, also, masterminding his own kidnap. He adds that Innoson had, earlier, hired assassins who invaded his home, and abducted his wife when they did not see him.

“The assassins took away my wife naked and left in my jeep and dropped her at Adazi-Ani and parked the jeep in front of Central Police Station, Enugu”, Ogbuawa recalled.

Amidst these bouts of conflicting allegations by the two business moguls, incidents of kidnaps and violent crimes in Anambra state remain a major source of worry to Peter Obi government in the state.

The scenario in the ‘God’s Own State’ of Abia is equally frightening. Assassinations, armed robberies and kidnappings, at a point, assumed an alarming dimension in the state over the past one year. They occurred with such ferocity and frequency that the police appeared helpless, the government astounded and Abians terrified. Umuahia and Aba are the target areas of the criminal operations.

It is believed that the criminals operating in Abia latched on the modus operandi of Niger Delta militants by taking people hostage and asking them to pay for their freedom. While the militants of the Niger Delta could easily hide under the age long agitation for better deal from government and multi-national oil firms the kidnappers in Abia were out for business.

Some of the kidnap victims in the state in the recent times include about five landlords, an Umuahia based medical practitioner, Dr Samuel Ohaeri (who reportedly paid N400, 000.00 to regain his freedom when he was kidnapped in last October), and Barr Larry Iroka, an Aba based legal practitioner amongst others. Patrick Obi, the state’s director of finance was luckier. Obi escaped kidnap by the bandits in the state. Recently, the police shot dead two kidnappers, took one alive and freed two women they were holding hostage for over a week at an Abia village lying on the border with Akwa Ibom state.

The rescued victims, Dr Mrs. Stella Chijioke and her sister, Mrs Joy Emeruem, said that they were kidnapped right inside their father’s house at Ikpere Ejere in Ihite Oboma council area of Imo State when they returned home for the remembrance service of their late mother.

In Imo state, incidents of kidnaps, also, remain on the increase. It will be recalled that Imo ranks as the oldest kidnap enclave in the country. The menace took its roots in the state in the 1990s when hoodlums started kidnapping children of the rich for ransom. This trend, popularly known as Otokoto across the country, has continued unabated till date.

There is no doubt that the various governments in the southeast states are not resting on their oars over the disturbing activities of kidnappers in the area.

In Ebonyi state, the state police command says it is taking stringent measures aimed at chasing kidnappers out of the state. But this magazine discovered that the police had, on one or two occasions, curiously released some kidnap suspects, alongside their sponsors back to the streets.

On its own part, Chief Martin Elechi government has expressed concern over this high incidence of kidnaps in the state. Elechi’s government assures that it would continue to join hands with the state police command to stamp out kidnap and other violent crimes in the state. The government, however, calls on the people of the state to be security conscious, and to promptly report suspected moves to the police for necessary actions.

Similarly, Barrister Sullivan Chime government views incidents of kidnap in Enugu state with all the seriousness they deserve. To this end, the government has declared that it would enact a capital punishment law for perpetrators of the heinous crime in the state. This decision was, in particular, taken at a meeting of the state’s executive council on the heels of the shock that trailed the abduction and dramatic rescue of Edemobi.

Dr. Jude Akubuilo, special adviser to Governor Chime on special projects and diaspora matters, explains that this measure by Chime’s government is to demonstrate the state’s ‘zero tolerance’ for kidnapping. Akubuilo notes that kidnap is a ‘cankerworm capable of derailing current successful efforts by the state government to re-engineer the state and restore it to its former glory.’
It was learned Athat it is as a result of this commitment towards eradicating kidnaps and all forms of crimes in the Coal-City state that Governor Chime, personally, intervened to ensure Nnubia’s alleged gang did not evade prosecution for their alleged offence. And Chime’s intervention is currently paying off, as further kidnap incidents have, for some time now, not been reported in any part of the state.
And just like in Enugu state, Governor Obi of Anambra state has been offering logistics assistance to the state police command in its fight against crimes and kidnaps in the state. Obi, some time ago, amongst other gestures, donated scores of pick-up vans and other security gadgets to security agencies, including police, army and Civil Defense Corps for the protection of lives and property of people of the state.
To demonstrate its seriousness in stamping out kidnap activities in Abia state, Governor Theodore Orji has even issued a shoot at sight threat against the bandits. The state has already made the crime of kidnap a capital offence. Having taken all the necessary measures including the deployment of the state Vigilante Service, popularly known as Bakassi Boys, Abia state government appears to be making headway in tackling the menace. According to the state commissioner for information and culture, Ralph Egbu, there is already a noticeable drop in kidnapping and incidents of violent crimes in the state since the restriction on hours of perations of commercial motorcyclists.

Unless the various state governments across Igboland continue to step up efforts in the provision of security and good governance, kidnappers may completely take over the geo-political zone, and wreck incalculable havocs capable of threatening peace and stability of the area.

Enugu legislators arm-twists Chime

Barrister Eugene Odo-led Enugu State House of Assembly has, on two occasions in the past three months, ‘ordered’ Governor Sullivan Chime to remove two of his key commissioners from office. The commissioners, Luke Mammel and Frank Asogwa of Works and Local Government matters respectively, were ordered removed by the law makers on charges bordering on fraud, incompetence and blackmail.
In the case of Mammel, the legislators passed a resolution directing Governor Chime to remove him as commissioner, but in that of Asogwa, they ordered (mandated) the governor to immediately suspend him pending outcome of investigations into the allegations.

To demonstrate the seriousness of their action, the 24-member House strictly warned Asogwa, a law professor, to stop parading himself as commissioner in Enugu state. The law makers moved a step further to urge members of the public to stop relating with Asogwa as commissioner, warning that so doing would be at the defaulter’s risk.

Paul Anikwe, deputy chief whip and House committee chairman on judiciary, public petitions, ethics and privileges, who, in particular, brought the allegations against Commissioner Asogwa before the resumed sitting of the House on Thursday January 29, claimed that he (Asogwa) failed to implement local government and development areas guidelines as passed by the House, in addition to demanding and collecting monies illegally from council chairmen in the state. Hon. Anikwe alleged that Asogwa colluded with local government chairmen in the state to deduct N3.5million to engage a consultant to carry out an audit of local government teachers. Part of the allegations against Asogwa by Anikwe was extortion of N100, 000.00 from each of the seventeen local government areas every month. The meaning of this is that Asogwa fraudulently gets paid N1.7million monthly from the state’s local government accounts. The commissioner is, also, amongst other things, accused of coaxing the councils into purchasing a hilux jeep for him.

Intriguingly, despite Asogwa’s spirited efforts to defend himself over the charges at the floor of the house on February 3, the legislators went ahead to convict him, passing a resolution mandating (forcing) Governor Chime to suspend him as commissioner. Commissioner Asogwa, to no avail, urged the House to prevail on his accusers to produce documentary evidences to, at least, prove some of the allegations against him.

As an advocate of due process, Chime had in the case of Mammel, after legal interpretations of the resolution, redeployed him from Ministry of Works to that of Transport. And the legislators, obviously, did not like the manner Chime implemented the Mammel resolution, as they wanted Mammel entirely removed. This seems to be the more reason the legislators, this time around, became more stringent in their resolution mandating the governor to suspend Asogwa.

All in all, KlinReports believes that, apart from the law makers being sponsored by the opposition to arm-twist Governor Chime, they are, also, on a vengeance mission against some of the vital officials of Chime government.

Logic stands out in the assertion that there are unseen hands currently deploying the Odo-led Assembly against the government of Chime. Were the assembly men not willing tools of the opposition to unsettle Chime, would they not have opted for a round table dialogue with him (Chime) to address the issue of alleged misdemeanors of his officials? Put differently, if the law makers did not mean any malice against Chime in their actions, why would they (law makers) just wield the sledge hammer on two of his key commissioners, issuing seemingly outlandish ‘legislative’ orders to him to either remove or suspend them? Why?

Also, KlinReports observes that the legislators are, as far as their resolutions concerning Mammel and Asogwa are concerned, carrying out personal vendetta. In the case of Mammel, some of the legislators had, using fronts, jostled for road reconstruction contracts when Mammel was commissioner for works. But because their fronts could not win the contracts following their short-comings, the law makers (most of whom have a hangover of corruption from the previous regime) chose to use their positions as law makers to move against Mammel.

Of course, Asogwa’s case is no different, as the legislators (especially, Anikwe, his accuser) felt he was becoming too powerful, arrogant and snobbish to him and his likes. For instance, Anikwe, in an interview with some journalists, complained that Asogwa, once, invited him and Hon. Cletus Enebe to a seminar in Enugu as resource persons, but, till today, refused to pay them. Anikwe, similarly, claimed that Asogwa had, on one occasion in the presence of Governor Chime, accused him of taking N500, 000.00 from his Development Area in order to attract one government favor or the other to them. Anikwe sees this as blackmail. The foregoing have, no doubt, sold out the legislators as being biased in their recent resolutions, ordering Chime to remove his officials from office.

And there is no gainsaying the fact that this is an unhealthy development in the state. A situation whereby legislators, who belong to the same political party (People’s Democratic Party) cannot take their governor into confidence before going gaga on his officials definitely portends danger.

Apart from the opposition latching on the on-going shenanigan of the House to regroup against Chime government, these disgruntled legislators, especially, the second or third term serving ones are, from all indications, generally angry that Chime is not as extravagant as Nnamani in splashing the common wealth of Enugu people on them. It is a truism that former Governor Nnamani spoilt this class of law makers, economically empowering them to high heavens. For instance, Anikwe is set to open an ultra-modern hotel he built in the Market Garden area of Enugu metropolis with his loot in the Nnmani era later this month. Nnamani had shared out acres of public lands, including the Market and Zoological Gardens, to these law makers and other cronies of his before he left office, and because Governor Chime appears unwilling to continue with this negative legacy, these legislators are crying blue murder.

Some of these so-called law makers, it would be recalled, were drafted from their carpentry workshops into law making by former Governor Nnamani. Some had to abandon their patent medicine trade for the hallowed chambers of Enugu House, while some staggered into law making from their poultry farms.

KlinReports learned that these anti-Chime law makers are led by Abel Chukwu (former speaker), Paul Anikwe and Cletus Enebe (also, one time speaker). Even at that, it is observed that almost all the members of the committee set up by the House to investigate the allegations against Asogwa are core-Nnamani legislators whose sole aim is ordinarily to upset the government of Chime and derail its four-point agenda. The committee members include Johnny Obidinma (representing Oji River); Dennis Agbo (Enugu East Urban); Chika Eneh (Udi South); Nze Michael Onyeze (Igbo Eze North 1) and Tony Chigbo (Uzo Uwani).

It was learnt that Speaker Odo, a political neophyte, is just being manipulated by these old horses in the House to achieve their selfish political ends. And when the ambitious Odo would realize the actual intention of this group of legislators manipulating him, it might be too late in the day for him to make amends. What Odo fails to realize is that he would not have lasted three months as speaker of Enugu House were it during the regime of Nnamani. Nnamani would have, since, hauled Odo out of the House leadership to be replaced with a more pliant legislator.

But Chime continues to tolerate Odo’s glaring offensives and effronteries against him as speaker with equanimity. Hours before the appellate court delivered its historic verdict in favor of Chime, January last year, everybody knew that Odo had virtually assumed the governor (ship) of the state. Odo had anticipated that Chime would lose his appeal against the lower court’s judgment, and he was already acknowledging salutations as ‘Your Excellency’ from his fans. The only deduction to make here is that Odo takes Chime’s calm disposition for weakness.

A political analyst describes members of the current Enugu House as ingrates who have, in a hurry, forgotten the adverse media publicity which the sponsor of their overseas jamboree in the name of seminar last year attracted to Governor Chime. Chime’s government reportedly spent about N200 million on each of the 24-member legislature currently plotting his downfall. This is apart from other gestures of Chime government towards the legislators.

It is clear that Enugu law makers are posing for more serious fights against Chime, as they have invited chairman of Nsukka council area in connection with fraud allegations against Asogwa. Even the fact that Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Enugu state chapter, has given Commissioner Asogwa a clean bill, saying he (Asogwa) neither coaxed them into buying him a hilux jeep nor paying him any amount of money monthly, among other things, does not seem to make any sense to the legislators.

All this, therefore, go to show that there are more to the legislators’ actions than meets the ordinary eye. But time will expose all.

Why kidnap is big business in Abia

Barrister C. C. Emelogu, a constitutional and human rights lawyer, in this interview with KlinReports, speaks on the crime situation in Abia state, especially, kidnaps and the factors responsible for their upsurge. Excerpts:

Kidnap, armed banditry and robbery have assumed an embarrassing dimension in Abia State. Even some of your colleagues in the Bar have fallen victims. Do you think that this is the making of the Government or a product of the society?
To my mind, I think it is the product of the society-product of the society and deterioration of the world economy. In the first place, you would agree with me that the unemployment rate in Nigeria vis-à-vis Abia state is alarming. About 90 percent of the graduates and other school leavers are unemployed. And that has gone a long way in creating social vices. That is why I said that it is the product of the society. Another problem is the get-rich-syndrome in our society today. The young men, whether graduates or not, want to be billionaires overnight without even working for it. So, a combination of all these escalated the crime rate we are seeing in Abia state today. A lot of prominent personalities have been kidnapped. There are so many of them, uncountable, from various facets – the Civil service, business, legal practice, journalism, medicine and what have you. Kidnap has assumed a proportion that prominent persons in out midst are beginning to think that the escape route is to leave the state for good.

But the state is also accused in this ugly trend?
You see why people are pointing accusing fingers on the state is because it appears the state has kept sealed lips over the development. It is true they make various announcements on the radio, but the menace is beyond radio announcement. Decisive actions ought to have been taken by the state to ensure that this evil is eradicated because it is the duty of the government to protect lives and property.

In fact, in the middle of this kidnapping saga, accusing fingers were, also, pointed in the direction of the police and the state government. Some of those who got in contact with some of the kidnappers said the kidnappers told them police knew what they were doing. And some said the state government knew and so on.

For instance, there is one kidnap incident involving a man of God in one of the prominent churches in this state. The man of God when he was released informed members of his congregation that the day his church went to pay the ransom, the kidnappers told the kidnapped that those coming to pay the ransom would never see any police man on the road from the moment they set out. And that was what exactly happened.

From Aba until they got to the location, they never saw any police man on the road; there was no check-point, but after they dropped the ransom, on their way back all the checkpoints came back to life. When you look at all these, you will begin to suspect that the police might be involved in all this. But in my mind, it may just be a section of the Nigeria police in Abia state that could be working in collaboration with these men to perpetrate the crime because they know that a lot of money is involved.

How do you react to the recent law passed by the state legislature concerning kidnaps?
I commend the state Assembly for the recent law they passed on Kidnapping. And the decisive action of the police as soon as the law was enacted. But then, much more ought to be done. And the police should make sure that innocent persons are not killed in the course of shooting down kidnappers. I’ve seen a situation where somebody was arrested in the midst of people suspected to be kidnappers, and all of them arrested were shot dead. At the end of the day you discover that one or two persons out of those that were shot were innocent. They were victims of circumstances. These are issues the police should properly address. Maybe killing, they should carry out proper investigation to ascertain if the man to be killed is a kidnapper or not.

Does it not mean that you as a lawyer support jungle justice which is what the law seems to be subscribing?
It is true that as a lawyer, we don’t support jungle justice. We still believe in the rule of law. We still believe in the sanctity of the judiciary. But at times certain issues need decisive actions like this kidnap because it has assumed a dangerous dimension. It has also smeared the image of the Ngwa people. Every kidnapping activity in the state now is attributed to the Ngwa ethnic nationality. But you discover that most of these kidnap kingpins are not Ngwa people. Some of them live in this town as non indigenes of the area but collaborated with few disgruntled Ngwa boys to perpetrate these crimes thereby painting a very bad picture of the Ngwa people, which is too bad. What I am saying in essence is that these issues of kidnapping, bank robbery and banditry have assumed a dangerous dimension.
But I wish to commend the police, since December, they have been more serious than before in tackling this menace. It is not that if the police want to tackle it they would not; if police want to eradicate this kidnap trend they will do it because it is a syndicate.
It is group of people forming groups here and there but all of them communicate. One man, a kidnap victim, who secured his release after paying ransom was said to have told his sympathizers that the kidnap gang even issued receipts to people. They issue receipt and say the essence of the receipt is if eventually any of their groups somewhere kidnap you again and you show them this receipt, they will release you. This means that kidnap in the state has become a coordinated activity. That means the kidnap gangs have their branches here and there, but under a particular umbrella. I know that there are some people who are the kingpins. They are the coordinators of these things and until they are smashed nothing good would come out of the fight. So if the police would sustain the present tempo positive result would be recorded.

How do you reconcile jungle justice approach and the rule of law at this period we want to expand our democracy?
Well, in every law there is an exception. An extreme situation needs extreme measure to check them. Judging from the antecedents of the Nigeria Police, don’t you think that the shoot-at-sight order would consume thousands of innocent citizens? That is why I posited that thorough investigations should be carried out first to determine whether the person is culpable or not. In fact, credible and enlightened police personnel should be involved in the process. A lot of intelligence needs to be applied.

How do you rate our police in the area of human rights?
The police are not faring better in terms of human rights. People are killed every day (I mean innocent people) by the police. One day, two men consulted my services, saying the police arrested and linked them with the kidnap of a local government chairman last year. The man sounded convincing that they were not a party to the kidnap but the police insisted.
I was able to secure the release of one whom the parents consulted my services. The police refused to grant the other bail, demanding between N100, 000.00 to N200, 000.00 from the boy’s widow mother. They kept the boy because his widow mother could not meet their demand, but before I got there this January they told me that the boy has been shot. Have you seen that level of wickedness? Because the boy’s widow mother was not able to provide the amount, they shot the boy!

Abia Chief Judge loses job

Unless he offers a satisfactory explanation over allegations of partisanship and abuse of office leveled against him, Justice S.N. Imo, Abia state Chief Judge, may soon lose his job.

Justice Imo, recently, got queried by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and Chairman, National Judicial Council (NJC), Justice Idris Kutigi (photo top left), over allegations of partisanship and abuse of office raised against him by the state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In the memo, dated January 21, 2009, the Kutigi directed Justice Imo to respond to a petition before the NJC accusing him of having committed the offences.

In the petition dated January 14, 2009 and signed by Chief Ndidi Okereke, Abia state chapter chairman of PDP, Justice Imo was accused of being a willing “tool” in the hands of “desperate politicians” intent on destabilizing the party in the state.

Okereke, in the petition entitled, ‘Re-Conspiracy and Abuse of Judicial Powers by Justice S. N. Imo, the Chief Judge of Abia State’, accused Justice Imo of descending into ‘the murky realm of Abia politics’, a situation that had led him to pursue narrow interests of the People’s Progressives Alliance (PPA) government in the state. The servitude attitude of Justice Imo is allegedly informed by his eagerness to compensate the state government which, ‘in breach of the seniority profile of the state judiciary, appointed him Chief Judge.

KlinReports was told that Okereke’s petition followed a January 13, 2009 ruling delivered by the CJ, in which he (CJ) accepted and based judgment on a “Report of Settlement”, allegedly, presented by PDP in the state to settle, out of court, an intra-party dispute pending before the state judiciary.

In the said suit, former Abia State chairman of PDP, Chief Alfredo Orie Awah, and his erstwhile executive committee contended that their tenure had not expired and prayed the court to declare the tenure of Okereke illegal. But while the matter was in court, Prince B. B. Apugo, a chieftain of PDP in the state, initiated an out-of-court settlement process, which the feuding parties accepted.

The PDP chairman alleged, in the petition to NJC, that the settlement process was inconclusive when Apugo unilaterally prepared a “report of settlement” that he presented in the CJ (Imo)’s court to obtain judgment in favor of the Awah-led faction.

To facilitate their plot to hijack the party, the plaintiffs (Awah and others), the petition stated, procured a letter from the National Chairman of the party, addressed to Prince B. B. Apugo, entreating him to, as an elder statesman of the party, help in restoring peace in Abia PDP.

Prince Apugo, following the said letter, called two meetings of all the parties involved in the strife. Okereke said though he did not attend the meetings he sent representatives, adding that the meetings were successful to the extent only that it was resolved to explore out of court settlement.

The petition recalled that when the Awah suit was first mentioned in High Court 4, Umuahia, on 8/12/08, it was adjourned on the agreement of both parties to 17/12/08 for possible report of settlement.

But on the return date, the judiciary staff union was on strike, and, as such, courts did not sit.

Stated the petition: “Between the 8/12/08 and today, 14/1/09, no other meeting took place between the parties and no contacts or discussions of any kind took place between the parties. Neither the National Chairman nor the parties to the dispute appointed Prince B. B. Apugo arbitrator, nor was the dispute ever submitted to any arbitration. The parties were yet to meet to discuss the terms of settlement, but Prince B. B. Apugo unilaterally produced a document, which he styled, ‘Report of settlement by Prince B. B. Apugo,’ without any input whatsoever from the defendants. The statements credited to me in the said report are totally false, as I did not attend any of the meetings”.

Okereke alleged that while the parties to the dispute were working to reach acceptable terms of settlement, Justice Imo surreptitiously got the suit transferred to his court from Justice A. Kalu, the trial judge of High Court 4 where it was hitherto pending. The object of this transfer, the petition alleged, was to procure judgment in favor of the plaintiffs.

PDP, Abia state chapter, therefore, called for intervention of the Chief Justice of Nigeria in the matter.
It was in reaction to this petition that Kutigi fired a memo to Justice Imo to, within two weeks, respond to the foregoing allegations bordering on partisanship and abuse of office against him.

Kutigi wrote: “I forward herewith a petition dated 14th January 2004 against you by one Chief Ndidi Okereke, chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abia State, on the above subject matter. The petition speaks for itself. I shall be glad to have your comments within two weeks from the date of receipt of this letter.”
KlinReports gathered that the embattled Abia Chief Judge has, since, responded to the charges as directed by the Chief Judge of Nigeria. And the National Judicial Council (NJC), it was learnt, has secretly investigated the veracity or the otherwise of the allegations against Justice Imo.

If Imo is found culpable of charges of partisanship and abuse of office, he stands to lose his job since the NJC has direct supervisory role over the activities of chief judges in Nigeria.

Dead or Alive: Biafra is a Must!

Recently, members of Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) raised an alarm that security agencies in Nigeria have concluded plans to assassinate Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, their leader. The plot was reportedly hatched even while Chief Uwazuruike himself traveled out of the country to the United States of America (USA) to attend the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of America. Uwazuruike, KlinReports learnt, was one of the few African statesmen Obama personally invited to attend his enthronement. Even now, Uwazuruike is yet to return to the country, yet the plot to murder him thickens. KlinReports sought out (overseas sojourning) Uwazuruike on his mobile telephone handset concerning the current alleged plan to eliminate him. Excerpts:

There are reports that a plot has been hatched to assassinate you. What are you doing about your security?
I am not doing anything about my security. If Nigerian government wants to kill me, let they go ahead and kill me. There is insecurity in Nigeria. Who is there to protect me? Is it the State Security Service (SSS)? Is it the police? Or is it the army or the federal government? After-all, they have killed A.K Dikibo; they killed Marshal Harry; they killed Bola Ige; they killed Ken Saro Wiwa. They have killed so many people. They can go ahead to kill me if they like. I traveled out of Nigeria. I wasn’t around but I learnt they planned to assassinate me.

But what could have been the reason for any assassination plot on you this time around?
They feel that by mere mentioning of Biafra, I have committed treason. So, why won’t they plot my death? Simply because I mentioned Biafra, they charged me with treasonable felony. If they charged me with treasonable felony for campaigning for the Republic of Biafra, and hauled into detention for a long time, why would they not plan to assassinate me?

MASSOB has been prosecuting its Biafra agenda on stages. At what stage now is the organization in its Biafra pursuit?
We are now on the international level. I have been traveling round the whole world canvassing support for the sovereign state of Biafra. So, we are on the international stage of the Biafran struggle.

You reportedly traveled to the US to witness the Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of America. What was the experience like to you?
The Barrack Obama episode is very important to us because it reinforces that with God all things are possible. Before now, during the time of Martin Luther King, nobody thought that a black man would ever be the president of America. But today, a black man is the president of America. It goes to show that with a non-violent organization like us, the ultimate aim must be achieved. The only thing is time. Therefore, I want the people of Biafra to know that at the end of the whole struggle, Biafra nation must be realized, just like a black man eventually emerged American president.

Ebonyi’s secretary of controversies

Fidelis Mbam, Secretary to Ebonyi State Government (SSG), seems to have achieved notoriety for controversies. To Mbam, Chief of Staff in the immediate past regime in the Salt State of the Nation, controversy walks on all fours.

Recently, the governing council of the state university (Ebonyi State University, Abakiliki) frowned at ‘excessive interference and meddlesomeness’ of Mbam as SSG into the affairs of the institution. The council members are angry that Mbam, in defiance of due process, foisted his personal friend, Professor Francis Idike, on the university as vice chancellor. Thus Mbam had to deploy his official powers to get Idike, former deputy vice chancellor of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), appointed vice chancellor far and above other qualified candidates.

This is not the only instance of Mba’s controversies. Last year, he was, alongside others, summoned to the Zone 9 Police Headquarters, Calabar, Cross River state to answer to allegations of an attempted murder. The SSG is being accused of conspiracy and an attempt to assassinate a labor leader, Comrade Onyemaechi Eke, May 3 last year. Eke, the state’s chairman of the Public Service Negotiating Council, had, within the time range, led workers to declare labor dispute in the state, a situation which exposed him to attacks by government officials, including Mbam. Instantly, Mbam authored a letter which sent Eke and his fellow labor leaders on an indefinite suspension. And Mbam has, despite protests and threats of sympathy strike by various sister labor unions across the country, including the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), refused to reinstate the suspended labor leaders.

Perhaps, more disturbing and scandalous is the alleged failure of Mbam to give details of how he spent the sum of N150 million, which he was said to have collected from the state government for the purpose of providing furniture and giving a facelift to the cabinet office. The scandal is currently causing ripples in the state.

Mbam reportedly secured approval of the state Governor, Chief Martin Elechi, for the fund so as to replace worn out seats, desks and other furniture in some offices within the cabinet office, as well as cladding the foreground of the cabinet office. But sources within the cabinet office testify that instead of providing the chairs and other items indicated in the request for release of the N150 million, Mbam, merely traveled to Lagos and bought few writing tables including the one currently in his office as well as a few locally made tables without most of the offices getting supplies.

A source informs KlinReports: “It is now about four months after the SSG collected the money. When he was asked he told the Governor that the supplier which he paid for the items has disappeared promising that he has sent people who know him to track him down. But the surprising thing was that weeks after eye brows were raised about the non supply of the items, he called photographer to take pictures of the big table in his office ostensibly to confuse the governor on the type of equipment he bought”.

The source, also, discloses how the SSG ordered two trips of sand and gravel to be supplied to the foreground of the cabinet office, expressing dismay that some officers were taking undue advantage of Elechi’s enthusiasm for development to line their pockets.

“Mbam knows the Governor would not physically come around the cabinet office to see the items procured. This is not the first time he is using subterfuge to bamboozle the Governor. The other time he kept back a letter from the authorities of the teaching hospital only to turn around and accuse the officers of fraud”, the source adds.

KlinReports could not get the SSG to comment on his knack for controversies, specifically, on the issues involved, but the state commissioner for information, Ken Uhuo, while reportedly declining to comment on the matter, maintains that from day one, the state Governor made every appointee understand that with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) in place, every officer should be prepared to account for his deeds in office.

For Mbam, it’s controversies all the way.

Is Chime sick?

A recent media report said there are anxieties over the state of health of Enugu state governor, Barrister Sullivan Chime. The report, as contained in Sunday Punch, added that Governor Chime was taken to an undisclosed hospital as a result of his ill-health.

But the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Dan Nomeh, quickly retorted that Chime is hale and hearty, contrary to the Punch report which he described as ‘mischievous’.

Incidentally, the Chief Press Secretary admitted that the governor was slightly indisposed, as a result of which he had to be confined to his residence in Enugu for recovery. The newspaper had reported that Governor Chime was taken to an undisclosed hospital following his ill-health.

In the words of Nomeh, “The truth of the matter was that the Governor was slightly indisposed and took some days to rest on the advice of his personal physician. At no time did he step out of his residence to any hospital as to arouse the concern which the journalist reported”.

The governor’s spokesperson added: “As I speak to you, Governor Chime is on his seat at the Government House. He’s hale and hearty and there’s no anxiety whatsoever over his health. As a matter of fact, at no time was government business slowed down on account of any ‘anxiety of ill health. His Excellency has continued to attend to his official duties”.

Nomeh, for the purposes of emphasis, restated that ‘Governor Chime is healthy and continuing with his commitment to rebuild dilapidated infrastructure, provide quality life for the citizens and generally better the lives of the people’..

KlinReports, however, observes that, contrary to the claims of the Chief Press Secretary, all is not well with Governor Chime. The Chief Press Secretary himself did admit that Chime was slightly indisposed as a result of which he got bedridden in his residence.

Now, where lies the goof in the Sunday Punch report? One thing that is very clear between the newspaper report and Nomeh’s admittance is that Chime is sick. Or, is he not?

And the report was not the first hint of Governor Chime’s ill-health. Whether for the adduced reason of exhaustion (FATIGUE) or not, the governor had, sometime in 1996, collapsed in a public function in Enugu. That incident was enough pointer to the fact that something is definitely amiss with the health of the lawyer turned governor.

But the worrisome aspect of our polity is that the health statuses of our leaders are always shrouded in myths and mysteries. For instance, why can’t Chime’s Chief Press Secretary expatiate, at least, for the benefit of the people of the state, on what the ‘slight indisposition’ of Governor Chime is all about? Is Chime suffering from malaria, cold or cough? What manner of sickness is Chime suffering from?

Fidel Castro of Cuba was sick. His health status was disclosed to the people of the world. Here in Nigeria, Nigerians must never be told what is wrong with either their president or their governors. One governor in Nigeria, Mamman Ali of Yobe, is dead; Nigerians and, especially, indigenes of his state are stunned. Ali had to sneak out of the country to a far away hospital in Florida, United States of America (USA) to die as a result of hitherto undisclosed ailment. But had Ali’s health status been made known, the shock would have been less to his people.

Sickness is natural phenomenon, and every mortal is bound to fall sick. So, what’s the big deal if the over two million people of Enugu state are told the nature of their governor’s indisposition? What a shame!