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Tag: Ebonyi

  • PDP chairman killed in Ebonyi

    PDP chairman killed in Ebonyi

    Gunmen suspected to be political thugs in the early hours of today killed Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Ishielu LGA in Ebonyi State, Mr. Emeka Nworie.

    Sources revealed that the late PDP chairman was attacked in his house in Ezzagu in Ishielu LGA and shot severally by his assailant on different parts of his body until he died.

    Police spokesman, ASP Chris Anyanwu, confirmed the incident to our reporter. He said the incident took place at around 3am in the morning of Saturday.

    He said the assailants, before killing the PDP stalwart, asked for money which was generously given to them after which they still proceeded to shoot him to death.

    The state has witnessed politically motivated killings since last November.

    Two persons were killed earlier in the week in Ikwo when supporters of PDP and LP parties clashed.

  • PDP chairman killed in Ebonyi

    PDP chairman killed in Ebonyi

    Gunmen suspected to be political thugs in the early hours of Saturday killed the Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, in Ishielu local government area of Ebonyi State, Mr. Emeka Nworie.

    Sources revealed that the late PDP chairman was attacked at his house in Ezzagu and shot severally by his assailants on different parts of his body until he died.

    The state’s police spokesman, ASP Chris Anyanwu, confirmed the incident to our reporter.

    He said the incident took place at around 3:00am on Saturday morning.

    Anyanwu said the assailants, before killing the PDP chief asked for money which was generously given to them after which they proceeded to shoot him to death.

    The state has witnessed several politically motivated killings since last November.

    Two persons were killed earlier in the week when supporters of PDP and  the Labour Party clashed in Ikwo.

  • The thrill of water, electricity in Ebonyi

    The thrill of water, electricity in Ebonyi

    A water works and an independent power scheme have brought some excitement among expectant Ebonyi State residents, OGOCHUKWU ANIOKE reports

    Two things are helping to redeem Ebonyi State: water and electricity, and the people love it. At creation, virtually all everyone could see was vast arable land and very few infrastructures.  It was not a pleasant profile. In 2003 when he came into office, Governor Martin Elechi clearly had his work cut out.

    He began to build roads and bridges, the latter, called unity bridges, numbering as many as 35. They opened up the hinterlands.

    Good job, but the people still suffered for lack of healthy water to drink. And what about electric power supply? That was another sore point.

    Two gigantic water projects at Oferekpe in Ikwo Local Government Area and Ukawu in Onicha Local Government Area have proved redemptive. So will the 2700 megawatts Ebonyi Independent Power Project (EIPP) also in Ikwo Local Government Area of the state. The water project has taken off. The power scheme, executed in collaboration with an American firm, has been launched, the Minister of Power, President Goodluck Jonathan performing the groundbreaking ceremony.

    The water scheme has an installed capacity of 100 million liters a day, making both projects two of the largest of such schemes in West Africa.

    Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony, the President commended Governor Elechi for the courage and tenacity to embark on such gigantic projects.

    President Jonathan, through Prof Nebo, attributed the project to the privatization of the power sector by his administration.

    He said, “For a governor especially of Ebonyi State to conceive an idea as huge as 2700 megawatts of electricity in a country that is barely delivering 4500 megawatts, it has to be by divine inspiration; it is highly commendable. The largest power plant is 1320 megawatts and this is double of that”.

    “When a few people are talking of 40 or 50 megawatts and announcing it to the whole world, the governor sat down and dreamt of over 2000 megawatts and very quietly is getting it started without making noise”.

    “One of the key objectives of President Jonathan’s administration is delivery of power to Nigerians and he started by making sure that the power sector reform was completed”.

    “It took a lot of boldness, courage, dexterity of purpose, single mindedness, commitment for President Jonathan to make sure that the privatisation exercise in the power sector was carried to a logical conclusion”

    “Many Presidents before him balked at the idea, afraid of the possible consequences, but he knew that one way to release power to Nigerians is by giving power delivery in the hands of the private sector who are best equipped to deliver this power to the people”.

    He expressed optimism that both projects when completed will help to bring uncommon industrialisation and development to the people of the state.

    The state governor, Martin Elechi earlier thanked the President for opening the door for states and private sector to be players in the sector.

    ‘The journey began in August 2010 when the president unbundled the power sector by disaggregating what was then a monolithic octopus that was finding it difficult to meet the needs of the country and brought in the private sector as major key players”

    “Thus far we have reconditioned the water plants we met when we came on board in 2007. They were running below 25 percent of installed capacity but today they are running at 100 percent of installed capacity totaling 60 million liters per day”.

    “Today the President commissioned the 100 million liter per day capacity Oferekpe water scheme making it 160 million per day while work is still progressing on the second 100 million liter capacity at Ukawu”

    The state commissioner for Public Utilities, Engr Ben Okah said the state has fulfilled its own obligation by providing the land and other logistics necessary for takeoff.

    He noted that the power plant is a partnership with an American Company and the state government which will see the state getting 20 percent while the foreign company gets 80 percent.

    “The state pipe producing company will produce pipes for the transportation of the gas required to power the plants”, he said.

    The Chief Executive Officer of EIPP, Mr Terry Muland said he was not surprised that the state governor will have the courage to take on such gigantic project.

    “He has built similar projects including the just commissioned water scheme, the International University and the road and bridges”, he added.

  • PDP wins legislative seats in Ebonyi

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the nine National Assembly seats in Ebonyi State.

    They include three senatorial and six House of Representatives seats.

    In Ebonyi North, former Governor Sam Egwu polled 78,620 votes to beat his Labour Party (LP) opponent and a member of the House of Representatives, Chief Peter Ogeali, who scored 53,890 votes.

    In Ebonyi South, the senator representing the zone, Chief Sonni Ogbuoji, polled 80,753 votes to emerge victorious.

    His LP counterpart, Darlington Okereke, got 27,229 votes.

    PDP also won in Ebonyi Central where the governor’s son, Nnanna Elechi, contested on the platform of LP and was defeated by Chief Obinna Ogba, a former chairman of PDP.

    In Abakaliki/Izzi, the Returning Officer, Dr. Nwali Okata, declared the lawmaker representing the constituency, Chief Sylvester Ogbaga, as the winner.

    He said Ogbaga, a PDP candidate, polled 38,240 votes to beat Helen Nwaobasi of the LP, who secured 30,460 votes.

    In Afikpo North/South, Chief Idu Igariwey, ex-chairman of Afikpo North, defeated the member representing Afikpo South West, Eni Uduma Chima.

    Igariwey of the PDP polled 29,567 votes against the 13,616 votes of Eni of the LP.

    PDP also won in Ezza South/Ikwo, Ezza North/Ishielu  and Ebonyi/Ohaukwu.

    LP urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the National Assembly election, describing it as a robbery.

    The Deputy Director, Media and Publicity of its Heritage Campaign Council, Chooks Oko, said: “While the people freely went to their polling booths to vote for candidates of their choice, they had their wishes subverted.

    “Even when they succeeded in expressing their choice, their wishes were thrown overboard by the rewriting of the results, falsification of figures and brazen announcement of figures that could only have come from the imagination of the Returning officers, as in the case in Izzi, Abakaliki, Ebonyi and other local governments.

    “Result sheets were hidden from polling Units. Corps members fraudulently led undiscerning voters. Key INEC responsibilities were given to siblings and cronies of candidates and members of a particular party in Ishielu, Afikpo North and Ikwo councils.  Results were compiled outside the polling units and falsified to the chagrin of the voters.”

     

  • One killed as fire guts 68 rooms in Ebonyi

    One killed as fire guts 68 rooms in Ebonyi

    A 20-year-old girl, Miss Mercy Elom was on Wednesday morning burnt to death as a mysterious fire gutted 68 rooms in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.

    Elom was among the candidates that wrote this year’s Joint Admission and Matriculation Examination and an ICT apprentice at Pastoral Centre, a foremost ICT centre in the town.

    The fire outbreak, which started at around 1am occurred at 40 Igwe Liga Street, Mile 50 Abakaliki, a large residential compound of over 100 rooms.

    The dead victim, who hails from Onuenyim Agbaja, Izzi Local Government Area of the state was squatting with her girl friend who had travelled and left the house for her.

    Items worth millions were also destroyed by the inferno including motor cycles, tricycles, staff and students’ documents, refrigerators of different kind, electronics, house hold property among others.

    One of the victims whose father is the owner of the large compound, Elias Igwe said he was in deep sleep when noise from the residents about the inferno woke him up.

    “People were shouting Fire! Fire!! Fire!!! This woke me up. I came down from upstairs and saw everywhere engulfed by fire.

    “We tried to put off the fire but were helpless because it overpowered us. So I have to rush to the state fire service and contacted them with the help of the Divisional Police Officer, Kpirikpiri but the bad road leading to our compound affected their arrival and before they could arrive, the fire had gutted about 50 rooms,” he narrated.

    While some of the tenants were able to salvage a few of their property, some others were not so lucky especially the health workers and security officers who were on night duty when the incident happened.

    One of the tenants, Mr. Aleke Celestine lamented the loss of his vital documents and called on government to come to their aid.

    He said, “Yesterday night around after one, I was in my room when I heard voices of people shouting, we came out and saw a room burning, we went out and did our best to quench the fire but we couldn’t.

    “When the fire was getting out of hands we started bringing out our property. We couldn’t salvage most of our property including documents which we all lost to the fire. My appeal is that government should come to our aid”

  • Ebonyi accuses EFCC of plot to cripple state

    Ebonyi accuses EFCC of plot to cripple state

    •Fidelity, UBA, Zenith, ICPC joined as defendants

    Ebonyi State government has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the management of Fidelity Bank Plc of working with the enemies of the government to cripple its activities.

    The government’s allegation is contained in a suit it filed against the EFCC and Fidelity Bank, before the Federal High Court, Abuja, challenging, among others, the decision by the bank to freeze its Joint Local Government account No: 5030027464 (held in the bank) allegedly on the directive of the EFCC.

    The bank had, via a letter dated January 21, stated that the EFCC had directed it (the bank) to place a “no debit order” on the account on the grounds that EFCC was investigating the account for fraud allegedly perpetrated by some state officials.

    Governor Martins Elechi is facing impeachment, as 15 members of the House of Assembly are moving against him.

    The suit was filed by the Attorney-General, Ben Igwenyi and the 13 local governments. It has as defendants, the EFCC and Fidelity Bank.

    Last Monday, Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, upon hearing an application by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN), joined the United Bank for Africa (UBA Plc), Zenith Bank Plc and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) as defendants.

    The plaintiffs are seeking an order of injunction directing the second defendant (Fidelity) to lift the ‘no debit order’ placed on the account or any accounts with other banks, and an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further placing a ‘no debit order’ on their joint account with Fidelity Bank and tampering with any of their assets under any guise.

    They are also seeking an order that the plaintiffs are entitled to fair and adequate compensation as general damages of N500 million for the disruption of the state’s activities and the embarrassment caused it.

    The plaintiffs want the court to declare that the powers of the EFCC (exercised through Fidelity Bank) pursuant to sections 21, 24, 28, 29 of the EFCC Act on the plaintiffs’ account with Fidelity, is unlawful.

    They want the court to declare that the EFCC, in exercising its powers by directing Fidelity Bank to place a ‘no debit order’ on the plaintiffs’ joint account, without judicial intervention and recourse to the plaintiffs’ rights under Section 36(2) and (5) of the constitution is unconstitutional.

    The plaintiffs, in a supporting affidavit, said the basis of the attachment/freeze of the account is that an investigation is ongoing on the account, and that “the action of the defendants is politically-motivated by political differences.”

    They argued that EFCC’s power to attach assets or property could only be exercised against persons or body of persons corporate or incorporate, who are under investigation and that the government is neither body incorporate or unincorporated. They added that Ebonyi State government is an entity that cannot be arrested.

    “The act of the defendants in freezing the afore-described account has gravely and adversely paralysed the administrative activities of the state and its local government councils.

    “The administrative paralyses engendered by the defendants is dire, especially because civil servants can no longer be paid their salaries and therefore, there are not funds to run the day-to-day affairs of the 13 local governments in the state.”

  • Jonathan wades into Ebonyi crisis

    Jonathan wades into Ebonyi crisis

    A five-member governors’ panel constituted by President Goodluck Jonathan to resolve the crisis in Ebonyi State met at the State House, Abuja, yesterday for hours.

    Members are Governors Gabriel Suswam (Benue); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi); Sullivan Chime (Enugu) and Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom).

    They were mandated to resolve the face-off between Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State and his deputy, Dave Umahi, which has split the State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Umahi is believed to be championing an impeachment move against Elechi, with the support of majority of members of the House of Assembly.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting in Abuja, Suswam said the solution to the crisis had almost been found.

    He said Elechi did not storm out of the meeting, but left at the end of the meeting to catch a flight home.

    Suswam said: “I don’t think he (Elechi) stormed out of the meeting. We ended the meeting properly, and I believe he had a flight to catch, so he was rushing.

    “Yes, the Ebonyi problem was one of the issues discussed. We have almost found a solution to that problem. The meeting ended peacefully. I don’t think Elechi stormed out of the meeting. I think the governor was rushing to catch a flight.”

    He said the meeting also discussed the general elections.

    The governor said PDP was sure of victory and dismissed insinuation that some candidates were campaigning for themselves without campaigning for Jonathan’s re-election.

    He said: “I don’t think that is true. People have ways of campaigning. As a senatorial candidate, there is no way I can be campaigning for my seat alone without campaigning for the President.”

    Elechi, who left the Presidential Villa with Umahi, refused to answer reporters’ questions.

    Umahi, the PDP governorship candidate in the coming elections, urged Elechi to respond to the allegations levelled against him by the House of Assembly, instead of embarking on a smear campaign.

    In a statement issued in Abakaliki yesterday, he asked the governor to defend himself on the eight-point impeachment notice and refrain from pointing accusing fingers at the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and himself.

    The statement signed by Abia Onyike, Umahi’s director, Media and Publicity, said it was clear that Governor Elechi had a running battle with the Assembly for a long time over several issues, which the House described as bordering on constitutional breaches.

     

  • Who picks Ebonyi Central Senate seat?

    Who picks Ebonyi Central Senate seat?

    The battle for Ebonyi Central Senatorial zone is set for a photo finish as all the four major political parties have fielded strong candidates for the position. Ogochukwu Anioke in Abakaliki reports that the PDP may lose the coveted position which it has held since 1999

    EBONYI Central Senatorial zone has remained largely unique since the present democratic dispensation. This is due to the fact that no political party can lay claim to being completely in control of the zone.

    In the 2011 election, the zone was a hot bed of opposition politics resulting in the ruling PDP loosing the House of Representatives position of Ezza North/Ishielu Constituency to the then All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP).

    In the senatorial election, the PDP lost three local governments, namely, Ezza North, Ishielu, Ezza South but was able to triumph due to the large bloc votes it was able to garner from the largest local government in the zone, Ikwo, which was the stronghold of Governor Martin Elechi.

    The same scenario played out in the gubernatorial elections where the PDP, won the elections but lost in some of the LGAs in the zone.

    The reasons for these are not far-fetched. The zone is made up of two main ethnic groups, the Ikwo Noyo clan found in Ikwo Local Government Area and the Ezza Ezekuna clan which has a large presence in Ezza North and South and also at least half the population of Ishielu.

    The Ezzas, since time immemorial are said to have practiced opposition politics and are destined to continue in the same format in this year’s election.

    The remaining part of Ishielu is made up of Nkalagu and Ezilo communities, and this area is largely divided among the political parties.

    For Ikwo, a large percentage at the moment is believed to be backing the Labour Party because of the treatment meted out to the sons and daughters of the area by the PDP, especially the hijack of the structure from Govermor Martin Elechi by a group of Abuja based politicians.

    The Ikwos are also in support of the LP because the governor’s son, Elechi Nnanna Elechi, is the party’s flag bearer. Coupled with the fact that since 1999, the Ikwos have never produced a Senator for the zone despite their large population, they may throw their weight behind the candidacy of Elechi Elechi.

    It would be recalled that the PDP denied the senior Elechi the ticket for the position during the acrimonious primaries of the party, which led to the implosion of the party as many staunch supporters of Elechi left the party to the Labour Party. Since then, the new party has continued to wax strong and may clinch the position.

    The candidates

    Elechi Nnanna Elechi (LP)

    Born some 45 years ago to the family of Chief Martin Elechi, Elechi Nnannia Elechi attended Ekulu Primary School and Federal Government College, Enugu. From there he proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he bagged a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.

    Driven by the quest for self discovery, he soon left for Lagos where he delved into the communications and security sector of the economy. Today, he is the Managing Director of Mapron & Jeluz, a wholly owned indigenous construction company reputed for building quality roads and bridges. He is also a director of a Micro Finance Bank and a transportation company among others.

    Benard Ifeanyi Odoh (APGA)

    The All Progressive Grand Alliance has never won any seat in the National Assembly in the state since inception of the present democratic dispensation.

    But all that may change soon as the party’s senatorial candidate for Ebonyi Central Senatorial District; Prof. Benard Ifeanyi Odoh seems to be gaining grounds day by day with his intensive door-to-door campaigns.

    Until he joined the fray, Odoh was a university don and was not reckoned with in the state as someone who could upset the status quo.

    But if present realities on ground are anything to go by, he seems set to do just that. His campaign has focused on job creation and resuscitation of ailing industries in the state. However, his party’s weak structure at the grassroots may affect his chances.

    Obinna Ogba (PDP)

    During the tenure of former Governor Sam Egwu, Obinna Ogba was embroiled in a leadership tussle for the chairmanship of the state chapter of the party with Mr. Okeagu Ogada, the current member of Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

    The Ishielu born politician has remained in opposition politics since the inception of the administration of Governor Martin Elechi.

    He has always spoken out against the administration since its inception despite being a member of the PDP.

    He is however not helped by the fact that he is in the PDP which has never had a commanding presence in the zone. In fact, apart from his Nkalagu stronghold, he is not reckoned with politically in the zone, making political analyst to predict a landslide defeat for him during the election. Already, his campaign has been rocked by accusations and allegations of certificate forgery by one of his constituent.

    Vincent Anyigo Nwancho (APC)

    Dr. Vincent Anyigo Nwancho, the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) hails from the same Ikwo LGA with the governor’s son. His advantage is that he is in the All Progressive Party (APC) which has the central as its stronghold.

    The party in 2011 won a House of Representative seat and two House of Assembly seats in the zone. It nearly recorded an upset in the senatorial election despite the fact that the governor was from the zone.

    But things have changed since then with the Labour Party emerging as another strong opposition party.

    The APC candidate’s weakness, according to critics, is that he cannot match the financial power of the PDP, APGA and LP candidates. A new comer, his critics also dismiss him as a political neophyte, owing to the fact that he has never held any political position of note before now.

    But he may spring surprises in the zone which has always been known for its unpredictability and surprises.

  • Ebonyi police smash kidnap ring

    Ebonyi police smash kidnap ring

    THE Ebonyi State police command has recorded made some progress, a major part of which is smashing a kidnap gang.

    The gang was said to have carried out their nefarious activities long enough to claim several victims of both sexes of various ages.

    In its resolve to respond to this disturbing trend, the command fashioned out strategies through undercover operations involving a coalition of its Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and Campus Monitoring Unit (CMU) to go after and fish out the miscreants.

    The efforts appear to be paying off as the command has smashed the kidnap gangs responsible for the various kidnapping incidents in the state.

    Acting on reliable intelligence at the disposal of the command, the crack teams put in place, painstaking and diligently swooped on the meeting points and residences of the identified suspects and arrested most of them.

    Eleven of the suspects have been paraded at the command headquarters in Abakaliki by the State Commissioner of Police, Maiogari Dikko.

    Among those paraded are the gang leader, Nnaemeka Nkpuechina and another suspect.

    He was found in possession of an Ak-47 riffle snatched from a policeman in Afikpo South Local Government Area.

    “Nnaemeka, 30, the gang leader is a native of Abagana in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State but resides at Goddy Ogbaga Avenue, Abakaliki Ebonyi State. He claims to be an electrician,” Mr. Dikko said.

    According to the Commissioner, who was represented by the Command’s spokesperson, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Chris Anyanwu other gang members arrested included a 29-year-old motorcycle operator, Amobi Igwe (a.k.a Awillo),  who hails from Umuoru, Oriuzor in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

    Others are Okwudili Odo, 25, a native of Ihenyi Ehamufu Anambra State but lives in Umuoru Oriuzor, Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, also a motorcycle operator: Ikechukwu Ude, 31, a bus driver who shuttles between Onitsha and Awka and who is a native of Nenwe Town, Ani Nri Local Government Area of Enugu State but resides in Abagana, Anambra State.

    Also paraded was one Azuka Uduji, 33, a native of Idemili, Anambra State. She is a wife of a notorious criminal, Obinna Uduji who is currently serving a fresh jail term in Enugu Federal Prisons.

    “While in prison, he connects the wife to the gang for their operation and at the end of every operation; his share of ransom collected from their victims is paid through the wife’s bank account. She buys stolen vehicles”, the CP said.

    The command also paraded one Ikechukwu Nwokpoku; a 30-year-old man and a native of Oriuzor, Ezza North Local Government Area who snatched the rifle from a policeman in Afikpo South Local Government Area at gunpoint and Uchenna Nweze also of Oriuzor, Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Nweze is said to be the gang’s armourer and sells 10 rounds of live ammunition at N10, 000.

    Nwafor David, 33, and Onyebuchi Edeh, 27, were also paraded. The duo were said to have kidnapped an octogenarian, Pa Michael Agara of Ndi Okpoto Village in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and collected N600, 000 ransom from the victim’s family which was recovered by the police in a heap of sharp sand where it was buried in a block industry, located along Afikpo Road, Abakaliki and owned by Nwafor David.

    ASP Chris Anyanwu said the suspects also kidnapped one Dr. Christopher Onwe and Mrs. Edith Ogwe at Democracy Estate Abakaliki and held them hostage in a bush at Oriuzor, Ezza North Local Government Area.

    He said the suspects collected N400,000 ransom for the release of the victims and that the money was dropped in Ugwuagba, Oji-River Local Government Area, Enugu State.

    Anyanwu further disclosed that the gang also kidnapped a Pastor’s wife, one Mrs. Aniamaka Christopher also at Democracy Estate, Abakaliki and held her hostage at Oriuzor while N300, 000 ransom was collected for her release which was dropped at Spera-in-deo Junction, Abakaliki.

    He said Kia Rio Saloon car with registration number EK487BEN, ATM cards and mobile phones stolen from the victim were recovered by the police, adding that the hoodlums used the victim’s ATM and withdrew N100, 000 cash from her account.

    “The suspects also kidnapped one Mrs. Geraldine Egwu of 4, Fedi Ogodo Street, Water Works Road Abakaliki and held her captive in one of the hoodlum’s houses in Oriuzor while N500, 000 ransom was dropped in Oji-River for her release,” he said.

    Anyanwu revealed that ML 320 Mercedes Benz Jeep, with registration number JJJ 134 BE, N100, 000 and ATM card belonging to the victim were stolen by the hoodlums.

    He listed other exhibits recovered from the suspects to include Nissan Titan open Jeep with Reg. No. KSF 576 CW, Toyota Camry, ML 320 Mercedes Benz Jeep, AK-47 rifle with breech number 56-2529721, 10 rounds of ammunition and sim cards of different GSM service providers.

     

    Gang’s modus operandi

     

    ASP Anyanwu said: “The gang assembles at Spera-in-deo Junction in Abakaliki from where they take off for operation. They usually do not have any particular target in mind but hunt for flashy cars. Their preferred area of operation is Democracy Estate due to its lonely nature and being an easy escape route out of town.

    “The miscreants also choose to hide their victims at an identified isolated site located in Ezza North; being the native place of two of the gang members. While keeping their victims hostage, they collect their ATM cards and go to banks and withdraw all the money in their accounts. The four victims they kidnapped suffered this ordeal.”

    Continuing, he said: “The worrisome angle to this heinous crime is that a jailbird, Obinna Uduji currently serving a fresh jail term at Enugu Prisons happens to be a very active member of the notorious gang.

    “While in prison, Obinna Uduji monitors and directs the operation of the gang through phone calls. He transacts the business of buying stolen vehicles through his wife, Azuka Uduji, who resides at Onitsha, Anambra State. His share of every ransom collected was paid into his wife’s account from where she transacts the buying and disposal of the stolen vehicles.

    “The lessons learnt from the revelations made by cracking down the hoodlums should serve as security warning for members of the public. Let us take the issue of our personal security serious.”

    One of the suspects, Nnaemeka Nkpuechina told our reporter that he was arrested for kidnapping one Miss Ebele Okeke and that he led the operation.

    He said the lady was driving along the road when the suspects swooped on her and drove her with the vehicle to a health centre in Oriuzor, Ezza North where she was held captive.

    Nkpuechina revealed that he has kidnapped four persons since he started the business of kidnapping, adding that the gang usually collects N500, 000 ransom from every kidnapped victim.

    On her part, Mrs. Azuka Uduji said her husband gave her somebody’s phone number to send money to and was on the way to meet the person when policemen arrested her.

  • Twists in Ebonyi impeachment drama

    Twists in Ebonyi impeachment drama

    As Ebonyi State House of Assembly members deepen their plots to impeach embattled Governor Martin Elechi, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, presents an update of the power game

    THE Ebonyi State impeachment saga, which continued this week with the deepening of the efforts of the state lawmakers to impeach Governor Martin Elechi, has been full of drama.

    Although the factors that threw up the power game may be traced to conflicting individual ambition of the major political actors in the state, which the leaders had been struggling to manage over the years, the challenge became public knowledge with the controversies that trailed the impeachment of the Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku, and the emergence of Hon. Helen Nwobashi as the new Speaker. As has already been reported, that controversial impeachment was a mere prelude to the planned impeachment of governor Elechi.

    Given the enormity of the development, Ebonyi State politics has not remained the same since the grand plots began to unfold with the outcome of the Peoples Democratic Party’s state primaries where an unexpected political coup was executed and governor Elechi stripped of the control of the party machinery in a way observers said was most humiliating. Elechi and his supporters also responded in a way PDP leaders in Abuja never imagined possible. While Elechi tactically remained in PDP, he allowed all his supporters to move over to one of the opposition parties in the state, the Labour Party, on the platform of which they are fighting to produce Elechi’s successor. This has not only made the Ebonyi power battle most complicated but has, according to PDP leadership, left the ruling party with lone option of impeaching Elechi before the elections. As a result, all the stakeholders in Ebonyi State political theatre have not taken lightly the ongoing impeachment saga in the House of Assembly.

    So, shortly after the alleged impeachment of Nwazunku and emergence of Nwobashi, the two speakers approached the court to determine who should preside over the House. The confusion peaked after Ebonyi State Governor, Martin Elechi, and the state chapter of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) declared the impeachment of Nwazunku  as null and void, but Nwobashi remained in office and was even allegedly receiving open support and acceptance by the Governor’s wife, Josephine and his son, Elechi Elechi.

    At first, the confusion remained a mere speculation but Elechi’s position became obvious when after a PDP State Working Committee meeting, he told journalists that the impeachment of Nwazunku failed to follow due process, meaning that he considered it illegal. According to inside sources, this was after the Clerk of the 24-member House, Rose Nwokporo, who a source described as “a sister to Mrs. Elechi,” had earlier written to the governor, saying the alleged impeachment of the Speaker was “illegal”.

    But about the same time, Elechi’s wife, Josephine had received Nwobashi when she paid a courtesy visit to her office as the new Speaker.

    The latest twist was added to the intriguing saga during the week, when, as some members were perfecting their plot to impeach Elechi, the Assembly declared the seats of four of its members vacant for defecting to the Labour Party. It remains curious that the House only elected to declare four seats vacant out of a total of nine seats whose occupants defected to the Labour Party. The action takes effect from February 11, 2015.

    In his speech on the resolution, the Speaker, Chukwuma Nwazunku, said “The affected members include: Eni Uduma-Chima (PDP-Afikpo South West), Sam Nwali (PDP-Ikwo North), Helen-Nwaobashi (PDPAbakaliki South) and Mabel Aleke (PDPOhaukwu South) violated section 109, sub section 1G of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

    “They defected to another party without due consultation to the laid down rules stipulated by the PDP under which platform they were elected as members of the House.”

    Responding, one of the affected members, Mr. Uduma-Chima, told newsmen that, “the issue of declaring seats of House members vacant cannot hold on the ground that it is a subject matter of a suit pending before the Federal High Court of Nigeria holding in Abakaliki as suit Number FHC/AI/ CS/49/2014: between Rt Hon Blaise Orji and others V Hon Chukwuma Nwazunku and others.

    Since this development informed observers have expressed fear that the Ebonyi House may have unwittingly hurt itself since declaration of the four seats vacant may mean the end of the activities of the Assembly until a bye- election is conducted. This fear is based on the provision of section 91 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which says that ‘a House of Assembly shall consist of not less than twenty- four (24) members and not more than forty (40) members.

    The drama is still ongoing.