Chief Emeka Ojukwu Jnr., son of the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, yesterday carpeted his father’s wife, Bianca, for allegedly ‘misleading’ the public with “falsehood” in an interview she granted last weekend.
Ojukwu Jnr. also attacked the former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain for deriding the Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, whom she said had not honoured her husband; but instead, uses his name and pictures for political gains.
Emeka, a former Nnewi North Local Government chairman, in a statement made available to newsmen, said that he would have “taken a pass on the insinuations, innuendos and outright falsehoods made in the interview but from the perspective of an insider, decided to present the truth so as to preserve and protect the ideals that his late father and mentor held sacred.
He equally said the truth he is presenting will preserve the good name of Anambra State Governor , Chief Willie Obiano and the reputation of APGA, the party his father bequeathed to Ndigbo and beyond.
The statement by Chief Emeka Ojukwu Jnr made available to newsmen entitled RE:- BIANCA OPENS UP: WHAT OJUKWU TOLD ME ABOUT BIAFRA, NIGERIA; read in part : ‘I would have taken a pass on the insinuations, innuendos and outright falsehoods made in the interview in reference granted to Magnus Eze of the Sun Newspapers on the 29th of November, 2020. However, I find it exigent from the perspective of an insider, to present the truth so as to preserve and protect the ideals that my late father and mentor held sacred, the good name of H.E. Governor Obiano and the reputation of the Party my father bequeathed to us’.
‘Given his standing by birth, heritage, disposition and calling, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu never shied away from fully expressing his feelings, observations and apprehensions. Having trained first as a historian at Oxford University, I find it difficult to accept that he would resort to oral history with all the known attendant pitfalls. As a matter of fact, he documented his views concerning Biafra and Nigeria in books and live interviews for ease of reference. Any attempt therefore, to recast or present his views regarding Biafra or Nigeria without proper references should be considered dead on arrival’.
‘Claims therefore of what the legend told or did not tell the claimant about Biafra/Nigeria, should be regarded as the views of the said claimant, in pursuit of what, I don’t know’.
‘I do not need to be tutored in the proclivities, idiosyncrasies and mannerisms of my late father. As such, I therefore, make bold to state without fear of contradiction that the Dikedioranma Ndigbo I know, never equivocated. If he had something worthwhile to say on a subject, he would have stated it on record and not passed it through any intermediary. He took the challenges of life with equanimity and the brinksmanship that comes with the discipline of elite military training. Having worked for many years closely with Governor Obiano, I can, with the same level of confidence, state unequivocally, that he did not and would not make the disparaging and false statements towards my late father, attributed to him in that article. If you have occasion to speak to him directly, he would confirm the same’.
‘Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu out of altruism and with respect to the love he had for Ndigbo, donated pro bono his identity and image to the All Progressives Grand Alliance for perpetual appropriation and usage. His image remains till date, the oxygen that powers the ideals of APGA. It is therefore preposterous for somebody out there to insinuate that the APGA National Leader and Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano would contemplate and entertain discussion on disconnecting the Party from its lifeline with the claimant of all people. Where? How? When?’.
The statement further stated: ‘Governor Willie Obiano and the National Chairman of APGA, Ozonkpu Victor Oye, can not suddenly wake up as students, taking lessons on the ideals of the political party they hold dear and in trust for Ndigbo from the claimant. After six years plus on the saddle as governor, Chief Willie Obiano is in a position to be teaching party ideals not learning about them’.
‘What I see playing out is frustration occasioned by the reckless, unrestrained, disrespectful expectations of persons who take delight to pontificate on matters about which they know next to nothing. It is most uncharitable to opine that His Excellency Governor Willie Obiano is the leader of a party whose, and I quote: “founding principles, ideology and history he knows next to nothing about”. My humble self as a BOT member and APGA faithful at large are appalled at such false utterances’.
‘Respect and honor must be accorded to whom it is due. If you insist on not respecting the man, respect the office! A governor who among other giant strides, boldly celebrated the posthumous burial rites of all those who lost their lives during the civil war to lay the matter to final rest, deserves commendation not vilification’.
‘In my over half a century in this earth and many years of political life, I understand that sometimes political expediency leads to provocative statements directed at ones perceived antagonists, but to turn November 26th, a date which brings us both, great sorrow for an immeasurable loss, and great pride as we remember a life well lived in heroic defense of a people, into a yearly opportunity to vent and castigate others in order to assuage a personal wound, is to dishonor the man we should be celebrating’.
Ojukwu died in 2011 in London, but nine years down the line, the members of Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra and Biafra Independence Movement founded by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike have consistently organised memorial ceremony for Ojukwu.
Widow of Ojukwu, however, regretted that no member of APGA-led Anambra State Government attended the event.
“I want to know if any representative of Anambra State Government or APGA founded by Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu is here for this event?
“It is very clear that neither Anambra government nor APGA sent a representative here today and this has been their attitude in spite of the fact that they use picture of Ojukwu as mascot during political campaigns”, she said.
According to her, APGA controlled Anambra for 16 years and people like Former Governor Peter Obi, incumbent Governor Willie Obiano all used Ojukwu’s name to achieve political fame, yet they no longer look the way of their ex-poliitical leader.
Bianca who praised Uwazuruike for his sincere commitment towards remembering the ideals of her late husband, said the spirit of Ojukwu will continue to guide his path.
The widow of Ojukwu stressed the need for Nigeria government to treat Ndigbo fairly in the distribution of the nation’s resources.
“Inability of government to share political and economic opportunities equitably is what is causing tension and problems in the country.
“Despite this obvious reality, I advise the Igbo to toll the path of peace in your quest for agitating for your due rights and privileges in the Nigeria state,” she said.
Bianca used the medium to call on Igbo people with investments in the Diaspora and other big cities to think home, saying it was because of massive investments outside that some Igbo people do not see reason for Biafra agitation.
Prof. Protus Uzoma, a guest speaker.at the event said though Ojukwu was dead, his memories would live forever in the minds of Igbo people.
Uzoma, a lecturer in the philosophy department, University of Uyo, said Igbo people are blessed with abundant human and material resources.
“If our people have the needed Independence, we will be in the space within five years,” he said.
Others who spoke in the event marked with colourful parade by MASSOB/BIM members and masquerades were Dr Ezechi Chukwu, Imo State, President of Ohaneze and Mr John Nwosu, Lagos based business man from Nnewi who chaired the event.
Others were: the regent of Nri ancient kingdom of Anambra, Prince Ikenna Onyeso, Mrs Mariann Okoro, another guest speaker and Bishop Nathan Azubuike among others.
IPOB opts for restructuring, sends memorandum to NASS ON DECEMBER 2, 2020.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has disclosed that it sent a memorandum to the National Assembly, requesting for devolution of powers and a restructure of Nigeria into six autonomous regions.
The development was disclosed by the original founder of IPOB, Mr. Emeka Emekesiri in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Enugu. Emekesiri said the decision was taken after the IPOB team made several delegations to the British government asking for assistance in restoration of an independent state of Biafra, but was turned down by the former colonial masters.
He said that what the British preferred instead was for devolution of powers into regions as was contained in Nigeria’s 1963 constitution, adding that Britain said it was still interested in Nigeria remaining as one country.
Emekesiri said that the idea of seeking for Britain’s nod in the re-actualization of Biafra was informed after IPOB sought the assistance of other world powers, which insisted that Britain must be consulted and its opinion established before they could wade into the Biafra matter.
According to Emekesiri “In 2018 we opened up discussion with the British government, we met them three times and the last time, they told us clearly that they want Nigeria to be one, they don’t want Nigeria to break up. Britain has maintained its stand, it said it wants Nigeria to remain as one country. “So we asked them how do we solve the problem of incompatibility, people of the north east and west unable to leave harmoniously, killing themselves because of differences of ideology and lifestyle. Worldviews are different, how do we do it so that the clashes will stop? “They asked us for our proposal and said that far as they were concerned they want Nigeria to be one. We were there as Biafrans Living in Nigeria and our Movement is Movement of Biafrans in Nigeria (MOBIN), we are Biafrans in Nigeria.
We had made it clear in our suit versus Nigeria that we are Biafrans living in Nigeria. So we are Nigerians by citizenship, but we are Biafrans in indigenous identity. “We are Biafrians because we were not annihilated during the war and that is clear to both British and Nigeria governments. If Nigeria had annihilated Biafrans the way Romans annihilated Cartage, there wouldn’t have been anybody to talk about Biafra again, but they couldn’t and so we are the remnants of Biafra and we establish our customary government of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra in Nigeria. “So we approached the British government as Biafrans in Nigeria who surrounded their sovereignty to Nigeria and whose indigenous identity cannot be denied, we are who we are.
The British said fine, what do you want? We came back to consult our elders and we drafted a memorandum to be submitted to the British parliament. “We sat down with elders and said we can’t fight with Britain as world power but that we can as well copy the British nations of nation model that maintain their indigenous identities such as Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland. We went to the British archives and got the British government policy of 1969 and used it to draft a memorandum which we presented to Britain. “In the memorandum, we accepted that Nigeria should remain one, but that the model as it is in Britain, let be also in Nigeria. The Britain is four nations in one, in Nigeria we want six in one and that is the South East, the South-South, the South West, the North Central, the North West and the North East, that the six geopolitical regions shall now become six nations in one Nigeria and every nation will govern itself in one Nigeria; control your resources, develop at your own pace and we pay an agreed percentage tax to the centre. “That is the issue of devolution of power or regional government or restructuring that we are talking about now. The politicians call it restructuring but we the Biafra activists are calling it devolution of power to the regions. Ohanaeze Ndigbo raised this issue on June 28 2012 and sent it to the National Assembly, Nigeria government sat on it and refused to implement it and said it will “However, our meeting with the British government paid off and I was not surprised few months ago when I saw a notice from the Senate that it wanted to amend the Nigeria constitution and in the list, item two talked about restructuring and devolution of powers which is our prayer seven in our originating summon already in court. But without prejudice, we prepared our memorandum and filed it with the Senate. “So the Biafra memorandum for devolution of power to regions is currently with the senate.
So, any moment from now when the hearing begins we shall go for the public hearing and defend our proposal. This is the first time in the history of Biafra struggle that the Biafra memorandum has been officially submitted to the Nigerian National Assembly. “You know you can stay on the street and make noise on the street but at the end of the day, there has to be some documentation to sign and not on the street. “You have to go to where it matters and right now, the memorandum for devolution of power submitted by the Biafra activists is right now before the senate. That is where we are now and we are waiting.” Biafra existed 500 yrs before Nigeria was created — Emekesiri, original founder of IPOB
The House of Representatives on Tuesday set up an inquiry into allegations that the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, was riddled with fraud and irregularities which had led to the non-payment of salaries and allowances of Federal Civil Servants.
The Public Accounts Committee of the House, initiated the inquest in the course of engaging tertiary institutions and other agencies on their financial audit reports for 2018-2019.
The Committee members expressed worry over what they called leakages and sharp practices that they said were observed in the course of their earlier engagement with other agencies, particularly, the J.S. Tarkar University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State.
The Chairman of the Committee, Oluwole Oke gave the ruling while drilling the Rector of Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State, Zubair Mustapha on the expenditure and financial audit reports of the tertiary institution, for the years 2018 and 2019.
The Rector of the school, told the Committee, that pending salaries for the years under review, were due to anomalies in the IPPIS, a salary payment system introduced by the President Muhammadu Buhari Government in 2017.
He added that the backlog of salaries are from people who were not captured by IPPIS.
In a swift response, the Lawmakers said that the IPPIS must be investigated, to detect some of the irregularities seen in the system.
The Committee resolved to write the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmad and the Accountant General of the Federation, to explain alleged sleaze, in the federal staff payment system.
The Committee also summoned the External Auditors of the Accounts of Auchi Polytechnic, over discrepancies in the audited reports of the school, for 2018-2019.
The Rector of the school, who claimed that the institution, generated only 1.91billion naira in 2019, however failed to give detailed and technical breakdown of the expenditure of the money and audits of the accounts.
Representatives of the Office of the Auditor of the Federation, Anthony Ayine at the investigative Hearing also strongly rejected his presentation before the Committee.
Consequently, the Committee placed the Institution on status of inquiry in order to determine it’s financial status.
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has demanded the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari following the mounting security challenges in the country with the government appearing helpless.
The Forum also expressed outrage over the massacre of Borno rice farmers, saying life has no value under Buhari’s administration.
It added that, “In civilized nations, leaders who fail so spectacularly to provide security will do the honourable thing and resign.”
The Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the Forum, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in a statement issued Tuesday, described the response by the President’s spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, as ‘most insensitive’.
The forum said it had consistently drawn attention to lack of political will to fight the Boko Haram insurgency and other threats such as banditry, rustling and kidnapping.
It added that it had offered suggestions on how the security infrastructure could be improved and leadership of the military could be made more effective.
NEF said obviously, despite advice and concerns from many other Nigerians, these had made no impression on President Buhari.
It stated: “Northern Elders Forum (NEF) joins Nigerians in expressing outrage at the killings of farmers in Borno State and many other people on a daily basis in many parts of the North. Our voices have been raised without pause for a long time against pervasive insecurity in our region.
“These particular killings have been greeted by the most insensitive response by spokespersons of the President. The lame excuse that farmers had not sought permission from the military to harvest produce merely expose the misleading claims that our military had secured vast territories from the insurgency.”
“Under this administration, life has lost its value, and more and more citizens are coming under the influence of criminals. We do not see any evidence of a willingness on the part of President Buhari to honour his oath to provide security over Nigerians.
“In civilized nations, leaders who fail so spectacularly to provide security will do the honourable thing and resign,” it added.
The Forum pointed out that these killings and the reality they expose would make relocation of citizens and resumption of economic activities a lot more difficult to achieve even for a leadership that attaches priority to them, adding this administration does not.
It noted that elsewhere in many parts of the North, many farming communities had not been allowed by bandits and kidnappers to plant crops.
It said those who did were being prevented from harvesting by these same criminals, adding that the prospects for famine are real in the face of limited production of food in many of our communities.
Instead Of Fighting Bandits, Police Become Errand Boys For VIP Wives – El-Rufai
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has lamented that a sizeable number of officers of the Nigeria Police Force who should be fighting criminal elements in the country are involved in non-police duties like carrying the bags of the wives of Very Important Personalities.
El-Rufai said he is frustrated over the killings in his state, adding that the situation at hand has overwhelmed the police.
He urged the National Assembly to see to the amendment of the Nigerian Constitution to give states control of the police.
The governor argued that the state governments are presently responsible for the day-to-day operational cost of the police, insisting that the states have the capacity to run the police.
El-Rufai spoke on Monday night while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme .
He said, “We’ve always made a very strong argument that one centralised police in a federation does not work. Nigeria is the only country in the world that is a federation that has only one police force.
“We have made the argument that states should be allowed to have their own police and that even local governments should be allowed to have their own community policing.
“The number of policemen we have in Nigeria is inadequate; it is less than half of what we need and a lot of them are engaged in non-police duties like carrying the handbags of the wives of very important people.
“We need to have a large footprint of policing in Nigeria and the only way to achieve that in a fast-track manner is to amend the constitution and put police on the concurrent list as recommended by the APC True Federalism Committee so that we have more policing.
“In any case today, more state governments are responsible for the running cost of the police. The Federal Government only pays the salaries of the policemen but the running cost, the logistics, their vehicles, their fuel are all the responsibilities of state governments.
“So, what are we afraid of? Let us just amend the constitution and allow state policing and in fact, go further and allow the local governments to have their own police. That way, we will have more security footprints.”
There are over 300,000 policemen in the country but a number of them are attached to VIPs and government officials.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, in an apparent move to boost the Force responsiveness to crime, had earlier in the month ordered the withdrawal of police personnel attached to 60 VIPs.
Our attention has been drawn to a highly fallacious and spurious letter purported to have been written by the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a Fulani socio-cultural organization, to the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief John Nnia Nwodo.
The said letter congratulated Chief Nwodo for his able leadership of the apex Igbo socio-cultural body and enjoined him to ensure that Professor George Obiozor from Imo State emerges as his successor as it is the turn of the state to produce the next President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
They claimed that discussions with the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, indicated that Ambassador Obiozor would protect the interest of the Fulani as President General, and as a recompense for Chief Nwodo’s expected role in making this happen, they had forwarded his name to the presidency for an appointment.
What insult ! What impudence !
If not for the currency the letter has gained having gone viral in the social media, one would’ve ignored it as a laughable piece of junk fit for the trash can, but this time it is a joke gone too far, the discerning public having known the image and integrity of Chief Nwodo who has had a successful and unblemished public service career as a two-time Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
So, to totally debunk and deflate the despicable and malicious, half-baked smear campaign, the following clarifications are important :
1. The vexatious letter was dated far back in August and Chief Nwodo’s attention was drawn to it only yesterday in the social media. He never saw it before then as none was sent to him.
2. The home address written on the letter suggests that Chief Nwodo’s house is at Golf Estate whereas all those who know him know he has never lived there, thereby casting a lot of doubt over the authenticity of the letter.
3. It is either that the official letterhead of Miyetti Allah was stolen or cloned and used by the purveyor of the letter without the knowledge of the Fulani group or, if the signature of the National Secretary of Miyetti on the letter is real, then there is an inexplicable ploy by some people to interfere in the election of the incoming leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
4. The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is not for sale and nobody can manipulate the choice of Ndigbo and the outcome of the election.
5. Chief Nwodo has never and will never attend any meeting where the people of Imo State will determine who their flag bearer will be, and Ohanaeze will conduct election for all those who indicate interest and purchase the form for it.
6. Chief Nwodo has a pedigree he is proud of and is desirous of protecting. He has made a name for himself through dint of hard work, sagacious social interactions and unequalled intellectual and transparent service and leadership.
It is, therefore, preposterous for anybody to imagine, believe or imply that Chief Nwodo requires the recommendation of any socio-cultural group for him to be considered for an appointment in Nigeria. That alone should bring out clearly the absurdity, incongruity and absolute imbecility of the badly conceived and baseless letter. It is said that ‘Falsus in uno, Falsus in omnibus’, false in one thing, false in everything.
7. If, perchance, this is the evil machination of any would-be aspirant or a group with vested interest, then, it has certainly back fired and is of no effect.
8. The general public should, therefore, discountenance the letter and see it as the pitiable handiwork of unsuccessful detractors because Chief Nwodo is resolute about leaving behind a viable and people chosen leadership for Ohanaeze Ndigbo and has sworn to do that unabashed.
Chief Emeka Attamah
Special Adviser to President General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
In a widely circulated media briefing on the 27th November after a formal Ebonyi State security council meeting, Governor Umahi stated as follows:
“I want the media to note, that I reported an allegation that some Ebonyi people are engaging cultists and according to them some IPOB Members to start killing and causing crisis in Ebonyi State in the name of fighting Ebonyi State Government and the governor and their leader is Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and their members are Dr. Sam Egwu, Senator Obinna Ogba, Mr. Ali Odefa and others……The same Senator Anyim Pius Anyim fought the former Governor Sam Egwu and many people were killed.
……I have also directed Security Agencies to ensure the implementation of policies on tinted glasses of vehicles in the state, the use of a siren and then their police escort…. If they try to fight the State, this will be their last fight, they will not fight again”.
1. I would not have bothered to respond to this gibberish by a sinking man but for the compelling need to put the records straight and forewarn the public about the sinister plans of a man who personifies everything ignoble, shameless and despicable.
Gov. Umahi is pitiably delusional. He is a prisoner of his greed and inordinate ambition. Here is a drowning man looking for who to drag down with him. Gov. Umahi has made his worst mistake after his latest misadventure by taking on me and other noble and respectable sons of Ebonyi State who have served and continued to serve our dear State with resolute commitment, dedication and integrity.
2. The case at hand is his defection to APC on the 19th of November, 2020. The discerning public knows that he has been on the plan for a long time and when he decided to consummate it, he suddenly concocted an accusation against PDP, that PDP was not willing to zone Presidency to the South East. When he spews these allegations, he would not even mind whether they make sense or not. He did not have the mental capacity to reason that no party in less than two years into a new term would bring the next election unto the front burner. That even in APC where he has gone to, the issue of next election is not yet on the table as doing so would distract the government.
3. People who know Gov. Umahi know that he normally starts this way whenever he is hatching a sinister plan. He raises dusts, makes wild allegations and accusations against people just to divert the attention of the public before he strikes. It is public knowledge that Gov. Umahi had been planning his defection to the All Progressive Congress, APC for a long time. In his delusion, he believed his own lies that he is the only man who matters in Ebonyi State. He did not consult with anybody notable before consummating his defection to APC. After his defection, no person of note followed him.
4. Unable to contain and manage the unsavory reactions from the public he ran to my home in the company of some high-profile people, on the 20th of November 2020, and pleaded with me to defect to APC, saying that if I do, others will follow suit. I pointed out to him that his approach has made it almost impossible for anybody to defect. He pleaded with me that if I cannot defect now, I should not attend any PDP meetings, and I said no, I must attend PDP meetings as long as I am in PDP. He realized that he could not persuade anybody when he saw the crème of Ebonyi Elders and citizen that gathered for the inauguration of PDP Caretaker Committee. He could no longer sleep and declared war on every one who has refused to defect with him.
5. I would not have taken his present spew of baseless allegations seriously, but because I suspect he is under a spell and perhaps something is pursuing him. He may have been told that he will need to kill before he would achieve his present enterprise and so to build up a scenario for him to kill, he will need to spew allegations of killings even when they make no sense. I have no doubt that Governor Umahi may have been told that he needed blood to accomplish his present enterprise, otherwise how can a man in his 6th year as Governor of a State suddenly realise that a former President of the Senate, a former Governor of the State and two-time serving Senator Dr. Sam Egwu, Senator Obinna Ogba, two time serving Senator, are now cultists and IPOB members. Something is wrong somewhere.
It is obvious that either something is pursuing Governor Umahi or that he is pursuing something. For those who know him well, please notice that his lips have shifted out of shape and his eye balls shrinking. Something is pursuing Gov. Umahi.
Gov. Umahi’s modus operandi are well known and his moves are easily predictable. The three examples below will elucidate this point:
1. The case with Pastor Ephraim Ononye
Pastor Ononye was the pastor to Gov. Umahi’s campaign organization in 2015. Midway into his term, he requested the pastor to start praying for the next term. The pastor declined to be part of his second term agenda. He was so enraged that he walked the pastor out. The following day he accused the pastor of murder and that he was running an illegal school. He unleased security agents against the pastor. The pastor’s school with about 900 pupils was closed till today. On the 2nd of June 2017 while the church was having a night vigil with some widows, he sent security agents to go and close the church. They manhandled and threw the women out into the rain and seven days later, one of the women died. That wicked act has continued to hunt Governor Umahi till date. It is obvious that the spirit of error has come upon him. Gov. Umahi was told that the only way he could win the election was if he ate on the street. Governor Umahi quickly organized a State Banquet on the street at Udensi roundabout and Ebonyi people attended without knowing that it was a ritual dinner. Only Gov. Umahi knows how many Ebonyians that have died mysteriously after that dinner.
Gov. Umahi is the only governor in Nigeria that organizes dinner on the street. Since I got to know the reason behind the street dinner, I stopped attending his functions. After he won the election, he arranged for his close associates to reconcile the pastor and himself. When he was asked why he did not keep his promises, he replied that he was not God that keeps promises.
2. The case of Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh
Professor Odo was the first of the three SSGs he has had so far. When Prof Odo could not fit into his various schemes, he decided to resign with a widely publicized resignation letter. Governor Umahi was so offended and hit back by setting up a committee to probe the Agric loan disbursement committee which the former SSG chaired. The former SSG responded by writing to EFCC to thoroughly and properly investigate the Agric loan saga as he was ready to provide all information relating to the purported loan transactions. When Governor Umahi realized that the former SSG was not intimated but ready to spill the beans, he backed down and nothing till today is heard of that committee. He had since reached out to the former SSG for a truce but the man rebuffed him. The public should be aware of Gov. Umahi’s use of wild allegation as a weapon. I’m sure if the former SSG had agreed to a peace meeting he would have apologized and if you ask him why do you lie, he will say that he is not God that speaks the truth.
3. The case of Charles Otu
Charles Otu is a journalist in Abakaliki, he wrote an article that was offensive to the Governor. On the 3rd of June 2017 while he was at a newspaper stand, a bus with the inscription “Akubaraohia Youth Vanguard” pull up and at gun point he was dragged into the bus and taken to one corner of Government House, Abakaliki where he received severe beatings until he passed out and they dropped him on the street, up till today, Mr. Otu is yet to regain his full composure. When Gov. Umahi boasted to the two journalists, he accused of offensive articles that “if they think they have the pen that he will show them that he has *KOBOKO”*. Charles Otu’s treatment is what Gov. Umahi meant by KOBOKO. The two journalists, Mr. Chijioke Agwu and Mr. Peter Okutu should thank their God that the public outcry that greeted the Governor’s outburst saved them from the Koboko treatment, who knowns whether they would have come out alive as many never did. But for lack of space, the examples can go on and on.
The purpose of this response is to alert the public and the security agencies in particular on the schemes of Gov. David Umahi so that they will read him upfront and be wary of him and his allegations. Accordingly, all concerned should note as follows:
a. I believe that Gov. Umahi needs help. He was not in this shape when I picked him. His present behaviour is certainly not normal. His behaviour and utterances are strangest whenever he puts on the costume for the new enterprise – an oversized white Agbada and an elongated red hat that over sizes his head. I want to advice his brothers to seek psychiatric and psychological help for him before it is too late.
b. The only offence we committed is that we refused to follow Gov. Umahi in his political adventure. We do not know when belonging to parties of one’s choice has become an offence against a Governor or means fighting a Governor.
c. It is clear that Gov. Umahi may have been told that he needs to kill a high-profile person in order to achieve his mad ambition. Ebonyians should be wise and those he is preparing to use for the killings should know that after using them he will also plan to kill them to cover his track. Examples abound.
d. Security agencies, the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Judges should note that Gov. Umahi had boasted as follows:
– That one of the gains of his defection is that he has been promised absolute use of the security agencies for all that he desires to do.
– That the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation is his friend and will soon visit Abakaliki the second time and that he will use him to deal with those opposed to him using the EFCC.
– That he will extensively use the courts to not only make it impossible for PDP to function in the state but also to frustrate those opposed to him including sending them to prison. My advice is that all those concerned should be wary of Gov. Umahi so that he will not taint their soul and ruin their careers, because all his actions and schemes have black sides.
e. To notify the public that I fully understand that what Umahi meant by *“this will be the last fight I will fight”, is that he will kill me so that I will not live to fight again*. While I invite the security agencies to note this plan, I want to assure Gov. Umahi that my blood is not available for him in pursuit of his ambition.
f. To assure the street dinner Governor that no amount of blackmail or intimidation will compel any of us to follow him.
g. Gov. Umahi should know that there is a record of those who died mysteriously, violently, and those who just disappeared since he became governor of Ebonyi State.
On my own part, I will continue to pray for him to recover from his delusion.
God bless Nigeria
Anyim Pius Anyim GCON
Former President of the Senate
Former Secretary to Government of the Federation
The Youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo socio-cultural organization (OYC) has described the commencement of the trial of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu in absentia by Abuja Federal High Court led by Justice Binta Nyako as the beginning of his repatriation back to Nigeria.
The group in a statement sent to ElombahNews and signed by its president general, Okechukwu Isiguzoro said it is unfortunate that Igbo leaders have chosen to be quite on the reopening of his case.
Okechukwu said the quietness of Igbo leaders is an affirmative evidence that they are not longer interested to stick out their heads to save him (Kanu) this time around.
He said, “OYC sympathize with Senator Enyinnayah Abaribe and other sureties of Nnamdi Kanu as there is every possibility they might face the battle axe of the law as the same situation that befell Senator Ali Ndume, if they fail to produce Nnamdi Kanu in person before the Federal High Court, Abuja.
“Nnamdi Kanu’s overbearing noise and continuous threats against Southeast Governors, Igbo leaders and issuing of orders to his members to attack Southeast politicians and leaders in abroad is a clear evidence that he (Kanu) had squandered the goodwill of Igbo leaders who are in position to facilitate for his soft landings in his recent trial.
OYC further said that Kanu’s order during the #Endsars protests has made Igbo leaders to desert him.
“With audio evidence of the post endsars violence initiated by Kanu’s vituperative orders on radio Biafra to his followers which resulted to destructions of public properties in the Southeast and genocidal killings of Igbos in obigbo Rivers state have made Igbo leaders to look the other way as his trial commences in absentia.”
“The current leadership crisis rocking top officials of Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) is another catastrophic disaster waiting for Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB. There’s no doubt that IPOB leader is on the radar of extinction. With the high level of (alleged) fraudulent activities exposed by his former colleagues especially his Deputy, Uche Mefor the odds are against him (Kanu).”
“He needs to revert back to original status quo for non violent agitation and plead for forgiveness from Igbo leaders and mourn those killed in the struggle.
“Nnamdi Kanu’s case is pathetic and unfortunately the recent outcry of military invasion in his hometown Afaraukwu Umuahia, is an outdated strategy craftily designed to attract public sympathy which had been squandered too.
“There’s only one way out for Nnamdi Kanu, OYC is ready to help him get Presidential Pardon from Federal Government especially with the existing cordial relationships between Southeast Governors and President Muhammadu buhari but on the condition that he should show remorse and repentance in actions and apologize to Southeast governors and leaders in private or public.”
