We’ll remove Ohakim soon, APGA boasts

More troubles loom for Chief Ikedi Ohakim, governor of Imo state (right), in the New Year (2009).

This time around, Ohakim’s migraine will not be coming from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s Chief Ifeanyi Ararume’s pending appeal against his election, but from All Progressives Grand alliance (APGA), chaired by Chief Victor Umeh (left). Umeh has just promised Governor a surprise gift this 2009. And the gift is all about Ohakim’s removal from office as governor of Imo State, Nigeria.

Chief Umeh stated that his party has filed necessary papers towards Governor Ohakim’s removal at the appeal court in Abuja. The APGA hinted that the Abuja appellate court has duly asked that of Port Harcourt division to stop further proceedings in a similar matter before it "so that the Court of Appeal will not suffer embarrassment."

Umeh asserted that the crux of the matter is the clear victory of his party’s candidate, Chief Martin Agbaso, in the April 14, 2007 governorship election in the state which, according to him, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) annulled. It would be recalled that the first edition of governorship election in Imo state was, for reasons best known to the monstrous government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, annulled by the INEC which rescheduled the poll.

It was as a result of this annulment that APGA approached the court of appeal in Abuja to find out if INEC has the power to cancel an election it has conducted.

“ The answer is 'No' under the Nigerian law. When we went to the tribunal in Owerri to challenge the outcome of the April 2007 election, the tribunal declined jurisdiction. We went to the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, it declined jurisdiction and said that our matter was, indeed, a pre-election matter, that they were concerned with petitions arising from the election, which ought not to have taken place. So, we went to back to Court of Appeal, Abuja because we had challenged that action in the Federal High Court, Abuja in 2007," Umeh explained.

He revealed APGA have been able to attach results of 24 local governments collated during the election, adding that the collated results showed that Agbaso won the poll by over 90 per cent of total votes cast on the April 14, 2007 guber election in the state.

Why GOD? Why?

My God! Bishop Victor Onuigbo, my spiritual leader, dead? Jesus! God, please let this not be true!

This was a member of Victory Cathedral Church, Enugu weeping at the news of the sudden death of the spiritual leader of the church, Most Rev. Professor Victor Onuigbo. Onuigbo, shockingly, died alongside his wife, Florence and four other persons in an auto crash along the busy Enugu/Onitsha expressway late last month, Saturday December 20.

At the moment, doctors are battling to save the lives of two children of Bishop Onuigbo who sustained multiple injuries during the fatal accident.

KlinReports learnt the Onuigbos were returning from a wedding ceremony from a village in their Anambra state home before they met their untimely death. Bishop Onuigbo, traveling in the company of his wife and children, had pulled up by the road side to ease himself when another car, with four inmates (youths), skidded off the road and rammed into his stationary car. It was gathered that the youths and the bishop’s wife died instantly while the Bishop gave up the ghost later.

The violent death of Bishop Onuigbo, the celebrated televangelist, indeed, doubles the grief and anguish of his congregation, as he (the Bishop) had two years back, on May 6, 2006, lost his son, Chukwunwike, a pastor and two other ministers of his church in similar circumstances. Chukwunwike, an Electrical/Electronic Engineer, as well his father’s heir, alongside Pastors A.N.C Joel and Alex Nnamchi, perished in the same car crash on the same highway while returning from the same wedding ceremony of a member of their church.

The ill-fated pastors had, alongside their flock on the fateful day, traveled to Onitsha, Anambra state, to attend a wedding ceremony of a zealous member of the church, Chinwe Anakudoh. It was, in fact, a hilarious occasion as the congregation, with their guests, clicked tumblers and threw banters with the founder of the church, Bishop Onuigbo, who himself was in attendance at the wedding reception.

In a humorous twist at that occasion, Bishop Onuigbo had asked the three pastors when they themselves would, also, get married like the bride and the bridegroom. The Bishop’s joke threw the pastors into hilarious laughter, with each of them insisting that the other would have to get married first. At last, the young ministers jocularly reached a consensus to respectively get married and settle down like their newly wedded church member.

Bishop Onuigbo, subsequently, bade farewell to his congregation and their guests, and raced back to Enugu. But unknown to the 62 year old Bishop, that was to be his last joke with his beloved pastors, as the cold hands of death awaited them on the high that evening. The Bishop was to be later alerted on the tragedy that befell his church.

It was learnt that the accident that claimed the three pastors occurred when the L300 Mitshubisi bus, belonging to the church, in which the pastors and their flock were traveling back to Enugu developed a fault on its right rear wheel.

In an interview late Bishop Onuigbo then granted us, he tearfully narrated: "The occupants of the bus asked the driver not to apply the break, but he went ahead to suddenly stop the vehicle, resulting in the bus somersaulting several times and killing my three pastors. Many of the occupants sustained various degrees of injuries and were hospitalized same day".

And part of the lamentation of Bishop Onuigbo then was that his pastors died in their prime when the church and mankind needed their services most. It is tear evoking that Bishop Onuigbo was yet to fully recover from the tragic loss of his young ministers, who were noted for their closeness, when his own tragedy occurred a few days ago.

There is no gainsaying the fact that death toll in the Victory Cathedral Church has weighed down the congregation, as the headquarters of the church in Enugu remains deserted by dumbstruck faithful.

Bishop Onuigbo had, before he fell victim to this spate on inexplicable accidents, declared that the accident that claimed the life of his son and the others strengthened the church. But now that the respected cleric is no more, courtesy of highway mishap, it is uncertain on whose spiritual shoulders the church, an upbeat Christian organization, and its grieving worshippers would lean.

But since God, whom all the dead served, is the author of life and death, KlinReports family says, ‘May their Souls Rest in Perfect Peace’.

Shocker: Imo councils loot N24 billion!

Imo state government is, at the moment, worried over alleged corrupt practices by chairmen of its local government areas. This situation has led to the state losing about N24 billion from the coffers of the councils.

To tackle the menace, the state Governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, said the state would, soon, set up a special court to prosecute suspected corrupt council officials. Also to be tried in the special court are officials of Romix Construction Company who allegedly collected the sum of N2 billion out of N6 billion from the state treasury to execute roads only to run away with the fund.

Addressing a cross section of prominent sons and daughters of Imo state at Year 2009 Stakeholders meeting held in Owerri, the state capital, Governor Ohakim noted that, between 1999 and 2007, the stated amount (N24 billion) was found to have been misappropriated by the council administrators.

According to Ohakim, the court known as 'Recoverable Court for the Local Government Misappropriated public fund’, would be set up in conjunction with Imo State House of Assembly with the knowledge and supervision of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Lamenting that in the past one year alone, that is, between 2007 and 2008, about N1.8 billion was embezzled by the council bosses, Ohakim vowed that his government would recover the stolen funds and deploy them towards giving roads in the state a face-lift. Ohakim said about N48.7 million was allegedly discovered by the councils in August 2007 to have been siphoned, while same was uncovered in July 2008 to have been taken away in the councils.

Sadly observing that almost every local government in the state is involved in the bazaar of corruption, the piqued Governor Ohakim reiterated his administration’s resolve not leave any stone unturned to recover the funds.
"No matter whose ox is gored, I must serve Imo people," Ohakim intoned.

Killer shrine discovered in Ebonyi

According to KlinReports findings, a deadly membership shrine currently exists in Ebonyi state. The shrine, it was learned, is an evil temple that is dedicated to initiation, settling scores for members, and offering human souls for the purpose of progress, victory and money making to mention but a few. Our findings, also, show that members of this shrine are largely drawn from the high and mighty in the state and beyond.

For instance, the proprietor of one of the biggest private schools in Abakiliki, the state capital, Chief Pius Okoh, is implicated in the cult. Chief Okoh is the founder of Holy Ghost Private Secondary School, Abakiliki. We learnt that Okoh got exposed he could not meet up with the provision of a human soul, prescribed to him by authorities of the devilish shrine, for a ritual exercise. It is believed that these ritual session pictures are being circulated by a section of the membership of the shrine to get him defaced and thoroughly embarrassed.

Aside Chief Okoh, other prominent indigenes and residents of the state, including a one time Nigerian minister is fingered as members of the human sacrifice shrine. We may disclose their identities at the end of our findings.

Though we are yet to have the full details of the operations of these despicable class of Nigerians, it is quite obvious that it is man’s insatiable lust for power, fame and fortune that have driven Chief Pius Okoh and his co-travelers into this monstrous practice. It leaves a sour taste in the mouth that, after the Okija shrine destruction and demystification some years back, a similar occult killer gang would go haywire in another part of Igbo land. And in Ebonyi state for that matter!

Chief Pius Okoh’s involvement in occult practices, incidentally, contradicts the very name of his institution of learning, ‘Holy Ghost…’

Characteristics of men without conscience, Chief Okoh had to snub inquiries from KlinReports concerning his reported involvement in Ebonyi state’s killer shrine. A lady answered a call put across the Chief’s mobile telephone handset only to announce that we were calling a wrong number.

All in all, KlinReports is using this opportunity to call on appropriate authorities to launch a high powered probe into the activities of this evil shrine. The time to crack down on these human soul merchants is now!

Journalists suspend colleague for fighting

ENUGU: Worried by incessant cases of professional misconducts amongst its members, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Enugu state council, on Tuesday December 30, 2008, sent one of its own, Nzomiwu Emmanuel, on twelve months suspension. Nzomiwu works as a reporter to Daily Independent newspaper, based in Lagos-Nigeria.

According to a communiqué rolled out at the end of its congress, the union said the decision to sanction Nzomiwu is based on recommendations of its Ethics and Disciplinary Committee which heavily indicted Nzomiwu. Apart from twelve months suspension, the committee’s report, signed by its chairman, Uba Aham, also, recommended the embattled journalist to the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union at the end of his one year suspension. The suspension is supposed to elapse in December of 2009.

Part of the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee’s report said: “The committee has no doubt that Nzomiwu Emmanuel exhibits unruly and extreme unprofessional conducts in his journalism practice. From his conducts, one safely concludes that Nzomiwu is one of those ‘bag eggs’ dragging journalism profession to the mud. Nzomiwu’s actions, especially when angry, portray him as being bestial, and, therefore, unfit to have, in the first instance, engaged in the practice of this noble profession. Looking at Nzomiwu’s several instances of bestial behaviors in the course of his journalism practice, it stands to reason that the ideal place of work for him ought to have either been in a motor park or a market square. A bully he seems, Nzomiwu Emmanuel is miles away from complying with ethical considerations of journalism profession, a situation that had led him to quarrelsomeness and pugilism”.

Warning that it would no longer condone any form of deviant behaviors from its members, the union used the opportunity of the congress to appoint a 3-man Credentials Committee to conduct a fresh election in the council on or before February 20, 2009. Membership of the committee included Barrister Cyprian Madu (Daily Star), Chairman, Esomchi Nebo (Radio Nigeria) member and Chizoba Anuforom (Voice of Nigeria) Secretary.

A highlight of the congress was a vote of confidence passed on Ossy Rockefeller Ogboso leadership by the membership of the union in the state. The congress commended Ogboso’s executive for bringing back the long eluded peace and sanity to the union, as well as giving bonafide members hope and sense of belonging.

The union, in the communiqué signed by Mike Okoh, secretary of the council, Charles Akagu, chairman of Daily Star chapel, Ifeanyi Egbo of Enugu State Broadcasting Service and Adaobi Mmayie of Radio Nigeria, expressed gratitude to Governor Sullivan Chime for yearly sponsorship of some journalists to the Holy Land on pilgrimage, in addition to granting the union a certificate of occupancy for its Press Centre, located on Rangers Avenue, Independence Layout, Enugu.

The Congress, also, commended the judiciary in Enugu state for observing the rule of law in deciding a legal suit filed against incumbent Ogboso leadership by an ex-chairman, Mr. Louis Dilibe, and a few others. The congress described the judgment which was in its favor as marvelous and victory well deserved.

The members of the pen profession were, similarly, full of thanks for Prince Arthur Ezeh (Eze N’Ukpo) for his matchless philanthropic gestures towards the union, including the 1997 lavish renovation of the press centre, and his recent donation of a total donation of N6 million for the upkeep of the union. Out of the said amount, Prince Arthur Eze directed the purchase of N2 million worth of sound proof generator for the supply of electricity to the council.

The union, also, called on members to upgrade and sharpen their skills for enhanced productivity by enrolling in the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ) capacity building courses which will, in due course, commence at the Enugu council. The congress expressed disappointment that some members were yet to pay their professional fees and update their membership despite intensive campaigns to that effect by the national leadership of the union. The meeting, therefore, urged members concerned to immediately comply with the on-going registration exercise, as being in full financial standing has become a sine-qua-non for, not only befitting from the union, but taking part in union’s activities including elections.

The meeting, equally, warned quacks in the journalism profession to look elsewhere for jobs as the law will take its full course on discovery of any incidence of fakery.

What is the problem with Jim Nwobodo?

What the hell is the problem with Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, former governor of old Anambra state, former minister of sports, and former senator of the Federal Republic (of Nigeria)? Is it old age (senility), or just a case of political ‘jobbing’-for which some of our rudderless politicians are noted?

Senator Nwobodo is, for the second time in just one year, assuring incumbent governor of Enugu state, Barrister Sullivan Chime, a second term ticket. Not up to six months he declared that there would be no need for a governorship election in the state come 2011 following what he described as Chime’s ‘superlative’ performances, Nwobodo, again, on Sunday December 29, during a thanksgiving service for his conferment of the national award of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), said Chime’s second term was a forgone conclusion. Senator Nwobodo explains that his curious crusade’ is borne out of Chime’s ‘commitment to the total restoration of peoples’ hope in governance in less than two years of his assumption of office’.

According to Nwobodo, “The government of Sullivan Chime is a blessing to people of Enugu State. Based on what he is doing now, his second term is assured”. It has to be pointed out that Nwobodo’s on-going second term campaign for Chime is despite the fact that Chime is still in the second year of his current tenure, and still has over two more years to concentrate and deliver democracy dividends to over two million people of Enugu people.

Actually, KlinReports does not see anything wrong with Senator Nwobodo supporting Chime, especially, if his (Chime)’s government has done well so far. But the point is that Nwobodo is taking his support to a ridiculous pavement. Or, is he not?

We view Senator Nwobodo’s pronouncements on Chime’s second term as undemocratic. For saying there would be no election in Enugu state simply because, in his opinion, Chime is doing well is, by implication, a violation of a section of the Nigerian constitution which prescribes four year term for state governors. That is, Senator Nwobodo is suggesting that the constitution be hauled into the Atlantic Ocean as long as Governor Chime (and a second term ticket) is concerned. Nwobodo is, also, suggesting that the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) should not conduct any election in Enugu state come 2011 because Governor Chime is doing well.

Because Senator Nwobodo finds himself ingratiated by Governor Chime, individual differences and opposing views should go to hell and burn to ashes. Because the elder statesman is consumed in his ‘Chime-for-second-term’ crusade, he has chosen to shut his eyes towards other views on Chime’s administration of the state.

It is irritating enough that Nwobodo sees achievement only from the prism of road reconstruction, prompt payment of workers salaries and release of monthly allocations from the federation account to local councils in the state. Are all these not part of a government’s responsibility to the people?

Nwobodo knows that, apart from extravagance (as reflected in his second marriage sometime ago), the opposition accuses Chime of not being transparent with his government’s road contracts. For instance, how much has his administration spent on reconstructing these roads so far? How much does a kilometer road cost to reconstruct? Does the amount tally with the Federal Ministry of Works rates for road construction/reconstruction projects? But Chime government would prefer not to be asked these ‘stupid’ questions. As such, the cost of the contracts, which Nwobodo has been making a hell of noise about, remains mired in secrecy.
There are views that 98 per cent of the work so far done by the Chime administration is concentrated in just three local government areas of the state namely, Enugu East, Enugu North and Enugu South respectively. That is, one senatorial zone! What this means the government’s presence is yet to be felt in the remaining 14 councils of Udi, Awgu, Nkanu East, Nkanu West, Ezeagu, Isi-Uzo, Oji River, Aninri, Igboeze South, Igboeze North, Nsukka, Uzo-Uwani, Udenu and Igbo-Etiti.
While roads in Enugu are wearing a new look, those in rural communities are practically impassable. Apart from Awgu and Inyi communities where electricity supply was restored after years of darkness caused by pipeline vandalism, several rural communities in the state are still without electricity supply. Of course, the rural populace lacks adequate health facilities. For instance, in Udi and Nkanu West councils where the Governor and Senator Nwobodo respectively come from, the natives still trek as much as 30 kilometers to have access to health centre or drug dispensary. Facilities in public schools in rural areas are, also, in a state of dilapidation, and the state-owned tertiary institutions are not faring better.
Worse hit is the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) which is, at the moment, being threatened by the National University Commission (NUC) with closure over non-accreditation of most of its courses.
The economies of the rural communities, which are predominantly agrarian in nature, remain very weak with inadequate incentives to farmers by the government. When the Chime administration came on board in June of 2007, it flagged off an agricultural revolution with the distribution of tractors to farmers and provision of revolving loans. It, however, took a few months for the agricultural revolution to fizzle out, with very little or nothing heard of it.
Though Chime donated eight Mitsubishi trucks to the state Water Corporation, portable water remains a problem to the residents and indigenes of the Coal-City state.
But from his utterances, Senator Nwobodo is not interested in these stark realities starring his Enugu people in the face. For all the former governor cares, contrary views on the performance of Chime’s administration are nonsensical. One thinks that Nwobodo, as an elder statesman, should be more pre-occupied with assisting Chime achieve even development of the state through fatherly counseling, not flattering him out of proportion to its simplicity.
It can be seen that Chime has shut out many productive politicians from the governance of the state, yet Nwobodo sees nothing wrong with this exclusion. Chime has been at daggers-drawn with his predecessor, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani who facilitated his emergence as governor, yet Nwobodo is yet to sincerely call for a truce between the twosome.
By his repeated unilateral endorsement of Chime for a second term, is Senator Nwobodo saying that, without Chime, Waawa Land has no other son to govern the state, even better? What a shame!
KlinReports certainly thinks there are more to Nwobodo’s political acrobat than meets the ordinary eye. It is either the aging politician is looking for contracts in Chime government, or that he is lobbying for a political position, not for himself, but for his son, Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo (Jr), or both. No more. No Less. But Nwobodo should go about this new past time of his with decorum.

Enugu's corrupt police command

Professor Dora Akunyili, newly appointed information minister, is very sad. Akunyili, hitherto Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC), is moody because of treachery of the Nigeria police (in particular, Enugu state command, headed by Mr. Sanni Magaji) to arraign a god father of a kidnap syndicate in Enugu, Chief Hyacinth Nnubia. Nnubia is a wealth oil dealer resident in Enugu, and his kidnap syndicate is said to have terrorized people of the southeast geopolitical zone for a long time now.

In particular, Chief Nnubia’s syndicate, on December 1, 2008, kidnapped Professor Akunyili’s younger brother, Dr. Paul Edemobi. The gang abducted Edemobi on the fateful day at No. 10B Savage Crescent, GRA, Enugu where he runs a Non-Governmental Organization called Paul and Grace Foundation. Of course, the kidnap was for ransom, as the bandits demanded a N50 million ransom for his release. Akunyili said she was the actual target of the kidnappers, but they had to settle for her brother when they did not see her.

But in a spectacular rescue operation, following a tip-off, the police smashed the kidnap gang at their hideout in Enugu town, and rescued Edemobi. It was learnt that while the leader of the gang was killed in the rescue operation, two of his colleagues were arrested.Residents and indigenes of the southeast states developed goose pimples when one of the arrested kidnappers, still undergoing medical treatment, sang to the police, implicating Chief Nnubia in their several kidnap exploits and other crimes. The singing kidnapper volunteered that Nnubia was their god-father and patron, who had been providing them with the logistics for their ungodly assignments. It has to be pointed out that Chief Nnubia’s syndicate had been using Enugu as a base from where they carried out their kidnap activities across other southeast states of the country.

But a curious twist was to creep into the story when several weeks after the kidnappers were, alongside Chief Nnubia, nabbed, the police is yet to bring the culprits to justice.

Chief Nnubia had initially fled Enugu on hearing that his devilish deals had blown open, only to hand himself in when his wife and some members of his house-hold were, in his stead, hauled into police detention. Since then, Enugu police command had remained economical with the truth over their investigation of Nnubia’s involvement in Edemobi’s kidnap, and, indeed, other cases of kidnaps in the area.

It was gathered that Chief Nnubia’s kidnap syndicate was was, also, involved in assassinations. In fact, confessions of the nabbed kidnappers were said to have included the brutal murder of Igwe Mathew Uche Chukwuka, traditional ruler of Obe-Uno autonomous community in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu state. Igwe Chukwuka was abducted from his MacRoyal Hotel, off Presidential Road, Enugu on Saturday November 29. The following day, his bullet-ridden corpse was discovered dumped by his abductors at the outskirts of the town. Shockingly, Nnubia’s men confessed to Igwe Chukwuka’s dastard murder!

KlinReports is, as it were, in possession of information that the oil magnet has paid several millions of naira to Magaji, the state police commissioner, as well as to the rank and file of police in the state in order to forestall his parade before members of the public for the crime. As a convention, smashed kidnap or armed robbery gangs in Nigeria are paraded before the public before they are, eventually, arraigned in court over their crimes. But Chief Nnubia’s case is, inexplicably, different!

Our information is that it is as a result of Chief Nnubia’s ‘settlement’ to Compol Magaji and his men that the command has been playing hide and seek with the people over the matter. And to justify the suspicion, the command secretly took Chief Nnubia to court with wrong charges on Christmas eve, but the court session was aborted with the intervention of Barrister Sullivan Chime, governor of Enugu state, who insisted on the law taking its course. Chime insisted that justice must not be short-circuited in his state. KlinReports learnt that, having been ‘heavily’ compromised by Chief Nnubia, the police stealthily prepared charges to facilitate his release on bail by the court. The arrangee arraignment was to enable Nnubia, an indigene of Anambra state, to celebrate Christmas with his kith and kin.

KlinReports learnt that Chime directed his Attorney General, Nduka Ikenyi (Esq), to, without further delay, prepare appropriate charges for Chief Nnubia and members of his kidnap syndicate. Ikenyi had already drafted the charges, and sent to Eze O. Eze, the state’s Director of Public Prosecution for legal opinion. It is hoped that any moment from now, Chief Nnubia will face judgment over his atrocious deeds. If convicted, Chief Nnubia will, of couse, be headed for jail for life!

But Professor Dora Akunyili remains pissed off with the attitude of Magaji’s command.

“I don’t even know what to say. It is such a shame! It is such a shame. What can we do? I don’t want to talk about it because we went through a terrible period. It was too traumatic”, Akunyili retorted when KlinReports asked her to comment on the police compromise saga.

It is an old story that Nigeria police is one of the most corrupt in the world. If not for the timely intervention of Governor Chime, maybe, the sheik would have, by now, been throwing banquets and working free in the streets.

KlinReports, therefore, enjoins Governor Chime to continue to pursue this matter to its logical conclusion, to ensure that Chief Nnubia and his co-travelers in heinous crimes in Igbo land do not continue to evade the long arms of the law. We, also, call on the police high command in Nigeria to launch a high powered probe into this compromise mess of its men in Enugu command. So doing will go a long way towards sanitizing our society, distorted and disorientated by our warped value system. The time is now!

Abia state's Lawless Governor

Scores of angry members of Abia state chapter of Action Congress, on December 10, staged a peaceful protest round the streets of Umuahia, the state’s capital, over the refusal of Theodore Orji government in the state to enforce a tribunal judgment declaring their party man, Dr. Christian Nwachukwu Okoli, winner of this year’s (January 19, 2008) local government election in Aba South council.

Aba South is one of the most populous and richest local government areas in the state. The election tribunal, chaired by John Ukpai, a chief magistrate, had, ruling on a petition brought before it by Okoli earlier on November 6, set aside the election of Chief Clement Okezie Erondu and Chika Emeri of the People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) as Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the council.

According to the tribunal, Erondu was fraudulently declared winner even when it was glaring that Okoli got majority of lawful votes cast at the poll and legally declared at the collation centre. The tribunal affirmed that the result used in declaring Erondu as winner of the election on the state radio, Broadcasting Corporation of Abia (BCA), was ‘manufactured’. According to a result which the tribunal upheld as authentic and comprehensive, Okoli polled 13, 217 votes while Erondu scored 8, 729.
Other members of Ukpai’s tribunal included Okey Nwamuo and King Abba-Abba.

The tribunal, subsequently, ordered appropriate authorities in the state to swear in Okoli and Chijioke Wogu as duly elected chairman and vice chairman of the council respectively. Part of the judgment directed the state Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), headed by Professor S.O Emejuiwe, former university vice chancellor, to issue the duo of Okoli and Wogu certificate of return as duly elected.

Unfortunately, the foregoing orders of the three-man tribunal seemed ignored by Orji government, even despite the vacation of a curious order for stay of execution of the judgment.


It was as a result of the snub that the placard-carrying Action Congress demonstrators, led by its state chairman, Chief Obi Aham, marched to both the Government House and headquarters of the state Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) in Umuahia. But the protesters were refused audience by the duo of Governor Orji and Professor Emejuiwe, the commission’s chairman.

The placards carried by the protesters had inscriptions such as: Swear in AC Candidate Now; AC Says ‘No’ to Injustice; Aba South Needs Macro; Governor T.A Orji, Obey Rule of Law; AC Demands Justice, and Odiuko Leave T.A Orji Alone’ amongst others.

The contention of the demonstrators is that, by the tribunal’s verdict, the incumbent council chairman, Erondu, ought to have immediately vacated office for Okoli. But that did not happen, as Erondu had, since then, sat tight, ostensibly, with the tacit support of the PPA government in the state.

AC’s contention that her candidate ought to have been sworn into office immediately finds expression in the provisions of Section 215 Sub-Section 1 of Abia State Local Government Law No. 2 of 2006. And the law states: “If the Election Tribunal shall have determined that a candidate returned as elected was not duly elected, then any candidate declared by the election tribunal as elected, shall from the time of the decision of the Election Tribunal be deemed to be duly elected until any determination of the competent High Court to the contrary on appeal”.

The explanation of the state’s electoral commission over its foot-dragging in not immediately issuing a certificate of returns to Okoli as ordered by the tribunal, did not even go down well with Ukpai’s tribunal itself. Ukpai said the explanation was not tenable. While ruling against the strange motion for stay of execution, Ukpai cited Sub-Section 2 Section 215 of the law which, in the main, provides that any candidate declared winner by the tribunal must, first and foremost, be sworn into office whether there is any pending appeal on the verdict or not. What this, as a matter of fact, means is that if the appeal succeeds, the winner of the case at the tribunal level will automatically vacate office for the successful appellant. Put differently by the tribunal, pendency of an appeal does not act as stay of execution of the particular judgment.

There are, however, fears of a constitutional crisis following refusal of the state government to comply with the verdict of state’s local government election tribunal. To this effect, a group, Forum of Solicitors and Advocates for Good Governance, calls on Governor Orji to, without further delay, swear the AC candidate, Okoli, into office in compliance with the judgment.

“We do not think that Dr. T.A Orji, a core beneficiary of the rule of law, can now turn around and shun, spite or disregard, with glaring impunity, the same rule of law. Dr. T.A Orji should not continue to disobey court order and we strongly hope he doesn’t”, the statement, signed by Gabriel Birikambiri (Esq), President, submits.

The Forum recalls that the ruling People’s Democratic Power (PDP) had to relinquish two governorship seats in Anambra and Edo states respectively in compliance with court judgments, wondering why PPA government in Abia would find it difficult to vacate an ordinary local government chairmanship seat in accordance with an order of court.

The Forum recalls that Orji Uzor Kalu, former governor of the state, had fiercely lampooned former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his habitual disrespect for the rule of law, and adds that “Now Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu is the Chairman, Board of Trustees of PPA which is now disrespecting rule of law, neglecting the judiciary, and disobeying court orders”.

Describing his legal successes as the handiwork of work and democracy, Okoli calls on the state government to quickly facilitate his assumption of office as Chairman of Aba South council.

Also speaking, Nnamdi Iro, AC candidate of Federal House of Representatives in Ohafia-Arochukwu constituency, hails the tribunal’s judgment, and similarly calls on the state government to speedily resolve the impasse delaying Okoli’s swearing in. Iro is, on his part, currently on appeal against the refusal of the lower court to declare him winner of his own election. Iro was reportedly robbed of his mandate despite the fact that he scored the highest number of votes in the election.

With the tribunal judgment, Abia state chapter of AC has become the only chapter of the party in the south east geo-political zone to secure a chairmanship seat, indeed, an elective position. But this is only if Governor Orji, in tune with the rule of law mantra of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s government, throws party sentiments over board and immediately swear in Okoli of Action Congress in obedience to the tribunal judgment.

All eyes are now on Orji’s government!

Xmas Greetings from KlinReports Family

Merry Xmas & a Prosperous 2009 to world-wide audience and supporters OF klinReports. May the purpose of this season bring to you peace, love, favor, provision, direction, divine protection and long life. May the New Year, in particular, be for you a year of possibilities and fulfillment of special dreams.

A fatal love affair!

Presently, Miss Ifeoma Ezeorachi, a mistress to a murdered rich business man in Enugu-Nigeria, Prince Jacob Nwobodo, is standing trial for the killing of his erstwhile heart-rob. Nwobodo and 28 year old Ifeoma were lovers, and had, indeed, lived together for a period of six years before the latter (Nwobodo) got assassinated on August 12 this year.
54 year-old Nwobodo had, on the fateful day, dropped off his son, Jerry and another relation, at his Plot 9 Nkpokiti Road, Independent Layout, Enugu residence when he received a call from an unidentified caller. With a promise to rejoin the young men shortly, the estate giant immediately sped off to keep an appointment with his strange caller/s. Jerry had, incidentally, returned from his United States base to sort out some family matters with Dad.
But rather than return alive to rejoin Jerry and his elder brother, George, who had, equally, visited him from his Onitsha, Anambra state base, Nwobodo’s decomposing body was, four days after, precisely, on Saturday August 16, discovered in a bush in Agbani, Nkanu West council area of the state. Nwobodo’s assailants had, after killing him, smeared some substance, suspected to be acid, on his face, private parts and other vital organs.
Amidst police investigations, Nwobodo’s corpse was, on Saturday October 25, buried in his Ndiuno Amugo, Akpugo, Nkanu West council area home. But on Tuesday November 11, the state police command commenced the trial of Ifeoma, an indigene of Ejinadu village, Awka-Etiti, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra state, as one of Nwobodo’s alleged killers. In a two-count charge, numbered 746 C/2008, pending before Enugu North Magistrate Court 2, Ifeoma and others at large allegedly conspired amongst themselves to unlawfully kidnap and murder Nwobodo. The court is presided over by J.S Ede.
The charge reads: “That you, Ifeoma Ezeorachi ‘f’ and others at large on 12th of August between Nkpokiti Road and Achara Layout Road, Enugu in Enugu Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: kidnapping and murder and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 494 of the criminal code, Cap. 30, Vol. 11, Laws of Enugu state of Nigeria 2004”. This offence is, also, punishable under Section 274 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 30, Vol. 11, laws of the state 2004.
Ede’s court, lacking jurisdiction in prosecuting the matter, directed transfer of the case file to the state’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Eze O. Eze, for legal advice. Adjourning the matter sine die (indefinitely), the court remanded the accused (Ifeoma) at Enugu prisons pending commencement of trial at the high court. The court bound witnesses over at the sum of N10, 000. 00. Barrister D.C Nwobodo led three others to defend the 28 year-old mistress of the slain Nwobodo in court.
Arraignment of Ifeoma notwithstanding, the deceased family has an axe to grind with the police investigating team over its alleged shoddy handling of investigation into this murder too many. The team is headed by Fabian Okoye, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and Officer in Charge of Homicide Section (D4), State Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Chief George Nwobodo, head of the deceased family, expresses his family’s disappointment concerning the arraignment of only Ifeoma in the murder of their son. George contends that police should have clinically investigated some tenants of the deceased estate who, in his life time, had disputes with him. Some of these tenants, according to George, were even with in court with his sibling before he was killed.
In particular, George said he had earlier, in his memo to the police, recommended investigation of the care-taker to his deceased brother’s buildings, Miss Ebere Onu, as well as one Nwankwo (alias Ojoko), and a retired soldier who, once, lived in the estate. But rather than thoroughly investigate these persons and others, George says police team hurriedly arraigned only Ifeoma.
The deceased family, also, protests police inability to have procured the identities of the callers of slain Nwobodo’s telephone handset before he was killed from the MTN Network. The police team, according to George, had demanded to be given N20, 000.00 to procure the call history which the family duly gave to them. Unfortunately, over a month after, Okoye’s team is yet to procure the call log from MTN before the seeming hasty arraignment of Ifeoma. The suspicion of the family is that the investigating cops would have diverted the money to their pockets.
“Police took N20, 000.00 from us to get the identities of all those who spoke with J.C before he was murdered. We gave the money to the 2/C to Commissioner of Police in the presence of Okoye. But till now, police has not said anything about our son’s phone and the money”, George said.
George regrets that the police shoddy investigation of the murder is despite his family’s co-operation to the investigating team.
“Sometimes, they asked us to give them this money or that money for investigation which we had always given to them. But now, we are not satisfied with their quality of investigation in this matter”, the grief-laden George laments.
Still, another gray area in the police investigation of Nwobodo’s assassination bothers on procedure. It would be recalled that counsel to the deceased family, Barrister Ray Nnaji, had petitioned the Police Inspector-General, Mike Okiro, over the murder. Nnaji, in the petition, dated August 18, 2008, asked Okiro to immediately intervene in the matter by ordering thorough investigation on the matter.
And the IG, subsequently, directed Enugu state police commissioner to investigate Nwobodo’s cold-blooded murder and forward his findings to his office. The IG’s directive is contained in a memo, dated August 25, 2008, signed by DSP James M. Mshelia, Principal Staff Officer II to Inspector-General of Police.
Nnaji, now, contends that the police were, in an ideal situation, supposed to communicate the outcome of their findings to the IG who, in the first instance, gave them the directive. But rather than that, the state command, according to Nnaji, went ahead to hurriedly arraign only one suspect. Nnaji is, therefore, of the opinion that the action of the police runs contrary to the tenets of due process in the organization.
While the family of the slain Nwobodo contemplates the next action to take in chasing justice over this gruesome murder of one of their own, the case file is currently before the state DPP for legal opinion. Whatever the DPP’s opinion turns out to be, the assassination of JEECEE is one of those puzzles the Nigeria police must resolve with dispatch.