The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Enugu

  • Enugu to export pineapple to Europe

    Enugu to export pineapple to Europe

    The Enugu State Government would start the commercial shipment of pineapple to Europe this year, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke has said.

    He explained that the commodity would be harvested from the 150-hectare Enugu-San Carlos Pineapple Farm

    The government  has approved the introduction of banana and livestock, particularly cattle, in the farm, jointly owned by the government and San Carlos, a United States-based farming conglomerate.

    The council also approved N880.8 million as the state’s equity contribution to new investments in the farm.

    He added that about N48.8 million was approved for the implementation of the health commodity supply component of the 2013 Millennium Development Goals.

    Similarly, Ugwoke said the council has directed that a bill to upgrade the state College of Agriculture and Agro-Entrepreneurship in Iwollo Oghe to a polytechnic  be forwarded to the House of Assembly for passage into law.

  • Robbers kill one in Enugu market attack

    •Several others injured

    Robbers have killed a salesgirl during an attack at the Building Materials Market at New GRA, Abakpa, in Enugu East Local Government Area.

    Several others sustained gunshot wounds.

    The robbers attacked the market at 1pm and raided several shops.

    They stole goods and about N1 million cash.

    An eyewitness, who spoke in confidence, said the bandits operated at the market, located on the NOWAS–Nike Lake Hotel Road, for about an hour without any challenge.

    Traffic on the road was halted as the robbers blocked both ends of the road. They forced motorists to take other routes while those caught in the holdup were forced to lie face down.

    The salesgirl, who was in her employer’s shop during the invasion, reportedly refused to surrender the day’s proceeds to the robbers.

    The bandits shot her dead instantly.

    Another trader was shot in the leg and rushed to a hospital at Trans-Ekulu. A woman in a cement shop, who reportedly hid the proceeds for the day under bags of cement, was hit in the head with a gun butt. She bled from the mouth.

    The woman was rushed to a nearby hospital.

    It was learnt that the bandits snatched a car from a woman and fled the scene.

    Police spokesman, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the incident.

    He said the police were working “assiduously to unmask the perpetrators”.

  • Enugu ‘Chicken Impeachment’: Matters arising

    Enugu ‘Chicken Impeachment’: Matters arising

    In countries with a tradition of adherence to the letter and spirit of the law, an impeachment is the ultimate political sanction, the punishment of last resort for high officers of state who betray the public trust or fail egregiously to live up to its stipulations.

    In Nigeria where politics is vengefulness and vendetta by another name, an impeachment is the weapon of first choice. Thus, on any given day, there is an actual impeachment, an attempted impeachment, or rumours of an impeachment already in the making or being contemplated, mostly for reasons that cannot stand legal scrutiny, or simply because the weapon is there and an ascendant group is all too willing to wield it just to show who is in charge.

    They have perverted impeachment and given it a bad name.

    Even so, the proceeding in the Enugu State House of Assembly last week that the online newspaper, Premium Times, referred to as the “Chicken Impeachment” must have stunned those who still cling to the belief that Nigeria is a land where certain things simply cannot happen.

    Before I am summoned to appear before the Enugu Assembly to show cause why I should not be punished for contumely, I should hasten to explain that it is emphatically not the case that the honourable members had become so idle or were so bereft of subjects worthy of  their notice  that they decided to impeach a chicken.

    Even at the local government level, our legislative houses have not sunk to that level yet.

    What happened was that the Enugu Assembly, after solemnly deliberating on the charges before  it, namely, that His Excellency the Deputy Governor, Sunday Onyebuchi, desecrated his high office by converting the hallowed grounds of his official residence into a sprawling chicken farm and, furthermore, that His Excellency the Deputy Governor, aforementioned, in a show of wanton disrespect, refused to dismantle the said chicken farm when ordered to do so by His Higher Excellency the Governor, Sullivan Chime.

    In vain did the Deputy Governor submit by way of extenuation documentary evidence that the impeaching authority, to wit, the Enugu Assembly, had dutifully approved, year after year, a budgetary provision for the upkeep of the chicken farm. In vain also did he depose that His Higher Excellency Governor Chime had for his part converted the pristine precincts of the Executive Mansion into a pig farm.

    The latter point was not at issue in the deposition, but I will not be surprised if the Enugu Assembly, in keeping with its remit for good governance and its reputation for equity, had also been providing annual budgetary support for His Higher Excellency Governor Chime’s hog farm.

    Persons learned in law tell me that the impeachment is likely to go down as an instance of legislative overreach and a flagrant breach of the Constitution to boot.  For nowhere in that much-abused document, they tell me, is it expressly stated that the deputy governor of a state cannot convert his official premises to a chicken farm.

    Nor, I should add in the interest of balance, that nowhere in the Constitution is it expressly stated that the governor of a state cannot turn the Executive Mansion into a hog farm.

    Why such projects should be supported by the Exchequer is a different matter.  Perhaps it is of a piece with the self-assigned allowances that have percolated from the federal legislature through the state assemblies down to the local councils – allowances for breathing, laughing, sleeping, staying awake, travel, sitting, standing, talking,  not talking, walking, driving, reading, writing, and for the incomparable hardship of doing the business of law-making.

    But this is mere speculation.

    If the Enugu Assembly was minded to abide by the law of the land and rather than embark on a witch-hunt, it could have found some clause in its remit to charge the beleaguered Deputy Governor with a misdemeanor that does not reach the threshold for impeachment, persons learned in the law insist.

    With a little creative thinking, they said, it could have come up with some shibboleth – doctrine of overriding necessity, for instance – to constitute itself into a special court and charged Onyebuchi, immunity or no immunity, with at least a dozen violations of the Enugu State Environment Law, found him guilty on all counts, ordered him to cease and desist, to relocate his chicken farm and clean up the place.

    And that strategy would have had the great merit of opening an exciting new chapter in Nigerian jurisprudence.

    But the usual people have been spinning all sorts of theories around the matter and imputing the basest of motives to the honourable members of the Enugu Assembly.

    Some of these slanderers, pivoting on the Stomach Infrastructure Theory, are saying that   some legislators had been heard complaining that, despite the budgetary appropriation for the defenestrated deputy governor Sunday Onyebuchi’s chicken farm, he had been “eating alone”.

    They say he never thought it necessary to send a tray – not even one single, solitary tray — of complimentary eggs to the breakfast table of His Excellency the Governor and the First Family, nor the state legislators’ homes. He did not consider the kitchen of the State Assembly worthy of a steady supply of assorted eggs for preparing meals and delicacies for the exclusive consumption of its honourable members and their special guests.

    At Easter and Christmas and New Year and the New Yam Festival and like occasions, it never crossed Onyebuchi’s mind to send even one ordinary dressed hen – to say nothing of a dressed turkey or ostrich – to the Executive Mansion or the homes of the legislators for their holiday enjoyment.

    If the formerly excellent Onyebuchi had catered more assiduously to the stomach infrastructure of his principal and members of the Enugu Assembly, his career would not have ended on such a sad note, the slanderers have been saying.

    From such reasoning, it is but a short step to the conclusion that the impeachment was the Enugu Assembly’s response to the Deputy Governor’s predilection for eating alone. The reasoning is tendentious, and the conclusion pernicious.

    The still excellent Governor Chime has not been supplying grilled pork and allied products or whole roast or barbecued pigs from his hog farm in the Executive Mansion to the homes of members of the state legislature on festive occasions. He has not been catering to the stomach infrastructure of the lawmakers. Yet he has not been impeached.

    Still, in a larger sense, Onyebuchi’s impeachment can be seen as a signal warning to those political officials who have been eating alone or may be tempted to eat alone, and a powerful reminder of the wisdom of our people that those who eat alone are doomed to fight alone.

    Since one impeachment has a way of begetting another, Governor Chime will have to take appropriate measures to avert the Pig Impeachment that could well follow the Chicken Impeachment of his former deputy.

    His first step would be to spread the pork from his Executive Mansion hog farm fast and far.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Mansard opens centres

    Mansard Insurance has opened two new Welcome Centres in Enugu and Uyo in Enugu and Akwa Ibom states.

    In a statement by its General Manager, Corporate Commumications, Taiwo Adeleye, the centres would provide an opportunity for its customers to purchase its products and services in life, non-life and health insurance.

    It said customers may also receive after sales services at the centres.

    The Uyo centre opened following the opening of the Mansard Welcome Centre in Enugu by the Special Adviser to the Commissioner of Youth & Sports, Akwa Ibom State, Ese Umoh.

    The welcome Centre in Uyo is meant to serve customers and prospects.

    At the unveiling event,  the commissioner  appreciated the management of the firm for coming to Uyo,  to empower the youths and also increase the awareness and benefits of risk management in the state.

    The ceremony was followed by an awareness walk to sensitise the residents of the town on the usefulness of insurance.

  • Ebola: ‘No cause for alarm in Enugu’

    Ebola: ‘No cause for alarm in Enugu’

    The Special Assistant to Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime on Health  Matters, Mr. Johnny Ezievuo, said yesterday that the state is free from the Ebola virus.

    Ezievuo, in a statement in Abuja, said government has mobilised health institutions to contain the spread of the  disease.

  • Enugu impeachment: The roots, the intrigues and the power game

    Enugu impeachment: The roots, the intrigues and the power game

    The impeachment proceedings against the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi, has recorded a lot of twists and intrigues. But as it enters its final stages, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, dug into the genesis of the crisis, and reports that it is rooted in the power game ahead 2015

    As Enugu State House of Assembly this week rounds up the impeachment proceedings against the Deputy Governor, Chief Sunday Onyebuchi, there are indications that the outcome may untie the web-like political texture of the South-East state ahead 2015 general elections.

    Varying interpretations to the forces that led to the political crisis have already been offered. But our investigation confirmed that all the interpretations point to different political interests, a fact that suggests that the post impeachment realities of Enugu State may not only define the existing political interests of the top players but also expose where each of them stands.

    Until now, some major political stakeholders in the state have carefully hidden their interests, their loyalties and where they stand, but it seems the wind of impeachment will finally blow open some carefully hidden political secrets and expose who is where in the intricate game for 2015 elections.

    For now, as has been the case since last year when the face- off at the Government House began, the Enugu State politics has remained largely anchored on a delicate blame game.

    So, notwistanding the fact that the House of Assembly made its position and reasons for the impeachment proceedings very clear, there still exist different accounts of what led to the action.

    While the deputy governor is accusing his boss, Governor Sullivan Chime, of being behind his predicament because he wants to create political opportunity for his Chief of Staff, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, officials of the state government and other insiders to PDP leadership in the state, who spoke to The Nation on condition of anonymity, said it was members of the House of Assembly that noted the gross impeachable offenses committed by Onyebuchi and decided to do their constitutional duties in order to save the state and the inherent threats to democracy. They said Onyebuchi has since ceased to respect, obey or take instructions from the governor, a development that, according to them, has hampered governance in the state.

    For example, a source in Enugu, a civil servant, explaining the genesis of the crisis, has this to say: “The principal impeachable offense against the deputy governor, that of deliberate disobedience to the governor, is neither false no a secret here. It has been there for long. As you must have read in the papers, it led to serious embarrassment of the state during the visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to flag-off the construction of the Second Niger Bridge in Anambra State and during a recent meeting of South-East Governors Forum in Enugu. These are just the few instances that finally brought out this obvious case of deliberate insubordination to the public sphere. The instances have been much but the governor had chosen to manage the situation. In most cases, when the governor directs the deputy to represent him in some critical occasions, the later will claim to be indisposed or sick even when everybody knows that he would attend more strenuous personal assignments at the same specified time. I think both the House of Assembly and the people of Enugu State saw it clearly that these two political leaders, who have been political allies since the days of former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, can no longer work together, hence the impeachment proceeding.”

    Another source, a top PDP chieftain in Enugu, who refused to be named in order not to be seen as taking sides, said the matter has to do with the 2015 politics and the control of the state power. “It seems the deputy governor is caught in a fierce political battle between Governor Chime and Senator Ike Ekweremadu for the control of power in Enugu State from 2015. It may not be false that Onyebuchi associates greatly with Ekweremadu and the former governor, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, but whether he deliberately disobeys the governor on account of his relationship with these powerful political personalities is what I can neither ascertain now nor realistically comment upon, but I can tell you without any fear of contradiction that for Chime and Onyekwere, things have really fallen apart and we in the party know that it may no longer be in the interest of the party and the state to insist they must work together. Something has to go in the interest of peace and progress of the state,” he said.

     

    Genesis of the face-off

    The Nation’s investigation shows that the disagreement between the governor and his deputy dates back to last year when the governor went on a prolonged medical leave.

    During the leave, it was alleged that the deputy governor refused to represent the governor in some vital state functions, a development that not only ridiculed and embarrassed the state but also exposed the cat and mouse relationship between the governor and the deputy.

    In fact, the face-off preceded this recent leave as it can actually preceded the famed poultry evacuation saga.

     

    The poultry saga

    Although the argument over the poultry farm run by the deputy governor in his private residence at the Government House had dragged for a long time, it came to a head on February 28, 2014, when news reports of its evacuation hit headlines.

    That day, over 3,000 fowls plus 40 crates of eggs from the poultry farm were evacuated in the presence of news men and other onlookers.

    The evacuation was carried out by the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) and the Ministry of Environment. The officials, led by their commissioners said the poultry farm was constituting public health hazard.

    The ministry officials, who carried out the duty said the Deputy Governor had earlier been directed to relocate the poultry farm in two letters dated December 24 and 27, 2013 with reference numbers GHE/CAO/31/239 and GHE/CAO/31/240, signed by Mr. G.O.C Ajah, Permanent Secretary in-charge of Government House, Enugu.

    However, the deputy governor described the evacuation of his poultry as a wicked act of impunity intended to humiliate him, alleging that Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo, the Chief of Staff to the governor was behind the action.

    But an official of Enugu Ministry of Environment, who spoke to The Nation on condition of anonymity said “none of the letters to the deputy governor, allegedly signed by the Chief of Staff was actually signed by her. In fact, as if divinely ordained, when most of those correspondences to the deputy governor were to be signed, it happens that Madam is usually not around. The ones that emanated from her office or from the Government House were usually signed for her by an officer or by G.O.C Ajah, the Permanent Secretary in-charge of Government House, Enugu.

    “But as you know, even if she signs any of those letters, it would be unfair on her to allege she was the one trying to boss the deputy governor. No, that is cheap politicking, chief blackmail of an innocent woman. Her office as the Chief of Staff is simply designed to convey the governor’s instructions and directives. Everybody, including His Excellency, the Deputy Governor, knows that when a letter comes from the Chief of Staff office, it is not a directive from the Chief of Staff herself but a directive from the governor. It is both laughable and painful that people who know are deliberately striving hard to drag Mrs Nwobodo into everything, projecting her as if she is super human. Is it not instructive that even when the Deputy Governor collapsed at the hearing of the Impeachment Panel this week, the people were careful enough to put it in the papers that he collapsed shortly after the arrival of Mrs Nwobodo. Why must we link everything to this simple woman? She only got to the panel because she was summoned to go and give evidence, just like the other officials.”

    According to the official, during Poultry evacuation saga, both the deputy governor and his loyalists also accused the Chief of Staff of being behind it all.

    It would be recalled that at the peak of the poultry saga, Onyebuchi had said,  “I told them that the poultry farm was designated Agriculture Unit and I want them to deny that the structure had been used as a poultry farm before I became deputy governor. Let them also deny that I have not operated the poultry farm since 2008. That was why I put in my Assets Declaration at the end of my first term and at the beginning of this term that I have operated the poultry farm and this was verified by the Code of Conduct Bureau. How suddenly my poultry farm became a health hazard when it has been in existence since 2008,” he said, adding that it was Mrs Nwobodo that gave the instruction just to ridicule and humiliate him.

    But the Ministry of Environment official, who saw it all said it is not true that Nwobodo simply gave that directive to get at the deputy governor. “I can assure you that the directive is from the very top. Everybody was complaining about the offensive odour emanating from the farm. This was because, as at that time, the deputy governor was not living in the quarters and  his workers were obviously unable to keep the place tidy.

    “I was involved in the Poultry matter. I learnt, I don’t know how correct it is, that at a point, the governor was so disturbed by the unending complaints of staff and visitors to the Government House that he offered to give the deputy governor a piece of land outside the Government House to relocate the birds, but he reportedly refused it. I also remember vividly that even that very morning, the deputy governor was contacted on phone by the commissioner or some other top official I cannot remember clearly and told that the ministry will evacuate the birds to a temporary location to enable us tidy up the place. But you know politicians, he said okay, that there were people there to open the gate for us. But as soon as we got there, the deputy governor arrived with camera men and other newsmen and made a big case of the matter. He said it was the Chief of Staff that instructed the destruction of the farm to humiliate him. I felt sorry for the Madam.”

     

    The parting encounter

    Until a recent historic meeting between the governor and his deputy at the governor’s office, which insiders ironically see as the parting encounter, the face-off was averagely managed by both parties as an open secret. But it got out of control as the two leaders ended up in an open quarrel at that meeting. Today, loyalists of the two personalities are peddling different versions of what transpired between Chime and Onyebuchi in that meeting.

    A source close to the deputy governor said it was the governor that summoned the governor to a meeting in his office. At the meeting, said the source, the governor accused the deputy of disobedience to lawful orders. At a point in the discussion, he became so angry that he asked the deputy governor to walk out of his office and to resign his position immediately. The source claimed that Chime’s anger was Onyebuchi’s insistence that he must contest the senatorial seat of Enugu East. The source said, “The deputy governor frankly told the governor that he must exercise his right to contest election into the senate in the coming elections but the governor opposed the move. When voices started rising, the deputy had to leave,” he said.

    Insiders to Enugu State Government however gave The Nation in Enugu a more graphic account of what happened that day. According to the accounts by two of such sources, it was the deputy governor that actually came on his own to meet with the governor and to seek permission to attend to some personal family affairs.

    According to the accounts, “before granting the oral request, Chime, who at that time just returned from his annual leave abroad, used the opportunity to ask his deputy why he could not represent him in two very important state functions while he was away in spite of the fact that he was given a formal invitation to the event by the Chief of Protocol, the right officer to convey such invitation

    “The functions include the visit of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to Anambra State to flag-off the construction of the Second Niger Bridge and the meeting of South-East Governors’s Forum in Enugu?

    “The governor also expressed displeasure to the report that in his absence for a mere leave, the deputy governor attempted to remove from office the Chief of Staff, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, who as a personal staff to the governor and as such cannot be removed in that manner without the governor’s consent.

    “To the governor’s rude shock, instead of being at least civil in his explanations, the deputy governor said  pointedly that declined to show up at the South-East Governors meeting because the governor did not give him any directive to act in his absence. On the presidential visit Onyebuchi fired back at the governor at the presence of some other governor’s aides, “why should I represent you at those functions? Tell me why I should represent you at those functions.”

    “Almost dumbfounded at the sudden outburst, Chime first said, ‘okay, tell me also why I should grant your permission now.’ “Then, he paused as if in deep thought over the development. By the time he spoke again, he was visibly angry. It was at this stage that the governor listed other cases of alleged insubordination on the part of the deputy governor, accusing Onyebuchi of dancing to a secret song from political rivals. He therefore concluded that the deputy is obviously tired of working with him as he could not be working under another person and be taking instructions from his boss’ political rivals. He therefore advised Onyebuchi to leave his office and to resign his position forthwith.”

     

    The impeachment charges

    Following the obvious breakdown in the relationship between the governor and the deputy governor, the House of Assembly, in what a lawmaker described as a timely move to save the state from a possible descent to anarchy and chaos, served the deputy governor a notice of impeachment, signed by 20 out of the 24 lawmakers at the Enugu State House of Assembly.

    The lawmakers accused Onyebuchi of maintaining a poultry farm in his official residence contrary to a resolution of the House prohibiting the maintenance of and operation of commercial livestock and poultry farms within residential neighborhoods in Enugu Metropolis.

    They also accused him of defying the governor’s directive to represent him at some occasions which they said violates Section 193 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.

    On the first charge, the deputy governor replied that he came and met an area in his official residence designated as ‘Agricultural Unit’, which includes a poultry farm, and whose facilities were installed by the first premier of Eastern Nigeria and that all his predecessors used it and maintained the poultry farm.

    On the second charge, Onyebuchi said, “Let me start by saying that on June 9, 2014, the Governor commenced his 2014 annual vacation. This was made public through various news media. He did not tell me to take any action on his behalf pending his return, and I am not aware that he sent a formal letter to the Enugu State House of Assembly informing the Assembly that he was proceeding on vacation. The governor did not tell me to take any action on his behalf pending his return, neither did he tell me that he would pass instructions to me through a third party. I did not receive instructions from him personally, by phone or in writing asking me to represent him at the meeting of the South East Governors Forum that took place in Enugu on July 6, 2014.

    “I did not have any reason not to represent him if he had so instructed me to do so. I do not think it is appropriate for a deputy governor to act in the absence of the governor deriving authority from a subordinate or based on press release to the effect that the governor handed over to his deputy.

    Reacting to these response, a top government official said it is unfortunate for the deputy governor to pretend not to know the usual channel of giving official directives. The source asked rhetorically, “If the Chief of Protocol delivers an invitation to any official in the Government House, is it not the usual way of giving the governor’s instructions? Why would the deputy governor prefer a telephone instruction from the governor to the universally acknowledged medium?

    While the supporters of the two leaders defend the cause of their principal, the  House on Thursday, 31 July, 2014 went ahead to direct the State Chief Judge, Justice Innocent Umezurike, to constitute a panel to investigate the allegations.

     

    Why Chime, Onyebuchi parted ways

    Ironically, the governor, Sullivan Chime and the deputy governor, Sunday Onyebuchi were considered strong political allies when they were both favoured by the former governor, Chimaroke Nnamani. For a long time, insiders said they worked hamounously until alleged political interests put a wedge between them.

    The resultant icy relationship first manifested when the governor became ill and had to stay away for a very long time. According to a source, it was at this period that political intrigues to wrest control of the political structure from Chime started.

    So, when Chime miraculously recovered and returned home, all was no longer as before. At a stage, the governor reportedly accused Onyebuchi of fraternizing with the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, whom he sees as his major political opponent in 2015.

    Up till today, insiders say Ekweremadu wields enormous influence on Onyebuchi. In fact, as soon as it became known that an  ultimatum had been given by the Enugu State House of Assembly to Sunday Onyebuchi, the state deputy governor to respond to the impeachment notice served him, a group led by Ekweremadu and former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, reportedly stormed Abuja in a bid to stop the impeachment.

    Also, Enugu State House of Assembly sources confirmed that on the day the Assembly served the impeachment notice, the deputy governor had travelled to Abuja to contact his benefactors in an attempt to stop the impeachment.

    A day before the incident, Onyebuchi had raised the alarm that there was a plot to impeach him, alleging that Chime was behind the plot.

    He allegedly old a group known as Ebeano Machinery, at a meetings with top chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Abuja that they must work hard to stop the impeachment plot

    A source in Abuja confirmed that the group actually met with the National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, to plead for his support.

     

    Mrs Nwobodo’s angle

    Perhaps because Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo hardly speaks to the media to defend herself over the numerous allegations about her alleged quest for power, her name has never ceased to appear in the various controversies surrounding the Enugu power game.

    Some of the questions most observers are asking are who is this woman, what does she want and why does she enjoy so much confidence of the governor? A top government official who attempted an answer to these questions simply said: “Chief is a simple woman, a dependable workaholic who is being accused of things she knows nothing about. I think her fault is that she calls a spade a spade and is not willing to follow the ways of politicians.

    “She is being opposed because she is like a formidable pillar to the government of Enugu State. We call her our Madam due process and I don’t see that as an offense though I know many politicians who hate her for it.”

  • Theatre of absurd in Enugu

    Enugu since ages, has always remained a very peaceful and serene city, home to all and sundry irrespective of tribe and religion, thus attracting in droves various Nigerians and foreigners, who had made the Coal City, a second home. Owing to its harmless and quiet disposition, the hilly nature of the topography of this former regional capital of Eastern Nigeria, boasts of people from Enugu State of very humble, humane, unassuming, hospitable and quiet mien.

    Events over the years and indeed months, happening in quick succession as the General Elections of 2015, knock on the electoral door, demonstrably point to unpleasant happenings hitherto that had not existed  in our once peaceful state. The selfish ambition of a few seems to be creating much ill feelings and if not checked, would engender hatred and polarize the people of the  state along ethnic and parochial lines.

    The governor of the state, Sullivan Chime, had done well during his first tenure but he is gradually slipping into familiar terrain of dictators, deciding on who the cap fits or not. Presidential democratic system, anywhere in the world, calls for constant egalitarian dialoguing involving every stakeholder of the party. People congregating and given the latitude of freedom to share their views and make meaningful suggestions and contributions that would impact positively on the party and to a greater extent, the people who of course drive the system.

    It is not a one man show. It cannot. The essence of democracy therefore is not only in the true nature of its definition which has become a cliche, but must offer a forum for party members to speak up irrespective of whose ox is gored. If politicians are brave and courageous enough to speak their minds albeit constructively, objectively, with the highest sense of responsibility, the present slide to dictatorship as has begun happening  in Enugu, would have been nipped in the bud.

    A couple of interviews and comments by some people one had expected to be level headed betray such trust as they keep stoking the fire. A good case in point amongst others, is comments by bootlickers insisting that since Governor Chime had done well in Enugu he should thereafter be compensated by  perhaps stripping a serving and performing senator of the Enugu West Senatorial seat cum ticket and given to Chime . What a bizzare thought? What a balderdash.

    Where on earth is such very serious legislative function based on emotions and people being compensated. That alone has done more disservice to the governor. It is beggarly and condemnable. Why would a party, both at the state and national, fold its arms akimbo and not proffer superior argument by asking the governor to shelve his ambition and allow Senator Ike Ekweremadu the present Deputy Senate President to continue. If Senator Ekweremadu had performed averagely at the Senate, then it would have been justifiable to deny him the ticket.

    A man who has raised the tempo of legislative duties to a grandeur level and impacted positively on his constituents at Enugu West Senatorial Zone, even touching lives in the villages and towns in Udi and environs which are the governor’s immediate people. For not discriminating in the attraction of amenities and infrastructural development, the least Senator Ekweremadu would have had, would have been accolades by the governor and party hierarchy in Enugu State, that therein goes our beloved son in whom we are well pleased.

    Is he one who can deliver? Is he one who had brought respectability to the office of the Deputy Senate President? Is he widely respected both at home and overseas, especially the ECOWAS and other African Parliamentary bodies where he is dutifully involved in at very high levels? Is he a good party man both at the state and national. Is he an asset to the state and party respectively? Is he a winner any day? When you have positive answers and one never rocked by any scandal, it must be a theatre of the absurd to ever contemplate stopping Senator Ekweremadu from returning come next year.

    Just as one was concluding this essay, the news rent the air that  the Deputy Senate President had, despite his onerous legislative assignments and commitments, had recently defended his Phd thesis in Law and Philosophy. What a feat that the people of the state and Nigeria should be proud of.

    The period between now and the primaries of different political parties as announced by the electoral body, INEC, is a very critical time that does not call for grandstanding, flexing of muscles or acrimony. Unfortunately, a terrible seed of discord is being sown in Enugu and men of good nature must rise and intervene by offering wise counsel. Of late impeachment sword of Damocles is being thrown at the  Deputy Governor, Sunday Onyebuchi. A few mischievous comments say the Deputy Governor is being punished amongst others because he takes directive from ‘Abuja’, apparently referring to the members of the same party at the National Assembly. What a shame! Looking for a  bad tag to tie to a cause.

    It is unfortunate that a wedge is being allowed to exist between the Enugu State Government and its people in Abuja at the National Assembly who are of the same  political aspiration, dream and persuasion. How on earth can we forget in a hurry that the Abuja factor jointly with other party officials who are today public officers in the state, fought the electoral battle which today resulted in the overwhelming victory being enjoyed in all the nooks and crannies of Enugu State.

    As the election days loom nearer, the party headquarters in Abuja has a Herculean task of stepping into the goings- on in Enugu and perhaps other states with similar problems by inviting key actors to a parley to peacefully resolve these knotty issues, that if allowed might continue to bring disaffection to members of the party.

    Political positions is not a do or die affair. It is not a must that having been a governor, the next port of call must be the senate. We all must respect the sensibility of our people and not do anything untoward that would suggest might is right just because of a few privileges that get obliterated with time. Just time and we all fall into the heap garbage of history of ex- this ex- that. Remember Ukpabi Asika? Remember the great sage of our times, Zik of Africa. What do you remember? What is the symbolism? Your guess is as good as mine.

  • No Ebola in Ebonyi, Enugu, say commissioners

    No Ebola in Ebonyi, Enugu, say commissioners

    Ebonyi and Enugu state governments have said there are no cases of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in their states.

    They also said the virus had not been detected in any part of the Southeast.

    Health commissioners in both states said no resident had been reported to have the deadly virus. But they cautioned the people to be vigilant and report any suspected case to health authorities.

    Ebonyi State Health Commissioner Dr Sunday Nwangele and his Enugu State counterpart, Dr. George Eze, addressed reporters yesterday in Abakaliki and Enugu.

    Nwangele said Ebonyi was collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Emergency Response Team and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to prevent and control the disease.

    He also said the state government was reactivating the rapid response team for effective operations.

    Dr Nwangele urged health workers to wear protective devices, adding that the people should take precautionary measures, such as regular hand-washing and avoiding contacts with animals.

    The commissioner urged those keeping pigsties to disinfect them with detergent.

    He also advised the people to contact the ministry, in case of any suspected case or if any of their relations from any of the affected countries, shows any sign of having the virus.

    Nwangele hailed the Federal Government for setting up a treatment and research group, besides its response to stave off the disease.

    Dr. Eze said various measures had been taken to prevent the disease from entering the state.

    The commissioner said the media briefing was informed by the numerous calls his office received from the residents who wanted to know if there was an Ebola case in the state.

    He said: “Till now, we have not established any Ebola case in Enugu State. For now, it is a threat across the country. But we are guarding against it.

    “We want to let you know that we have the manpower, the muscle and our specialists have put heads together to manage the situation.

    “Governor Sullivan Chime has always reiterated the need for a healthy state. That is why he has empowered the ministry down the line.

    “So, we are calling on our people not to panic but take the necessary precautions. Our best is to prepare ourselves to tackle this scourge, if it comes. For any scourge that came in the past, it was contained. So, we believe that this one will be contained.

    “We have started sensitisation in the media, but we feel that it is not enough. We are coming with bombardment that will not create panic among the public.”

    The commissioner also assured that health personnel had been adequately trained and equipped to respond promptly when the need arises.

  • Efforts to save Enugu deputy governor fail

    Efforts to save Enugu deputy governor fail

    Efforts to save embattled Enugu state Deputy Governor Sunday Onyebuchi from impeachment hit the rocks at the weekend. The state PDP caucus failed to get him a soft landing.

    The caucus which met on Saturday at the Governor’s Lodge reportedly advised the embattled Onyebuchi to resign or await the House of the Assembly is action after its investigations.

    The House in the penultimate week, moved a motion for the deputy governor to be served with an impeachment notice. He was accused of gross misconduct.

    The members of the PDP caucus were bitter that Onyebuchi allowed his relationship with the governor to degenerate to the level that the House had to intervene.

    A source at the meeting said prominent members of the caucus, particularly Senator Ken Nnamani, Amb. Fidel Ayogu and Mr. Dubem Onyia, were not happy after listening to Governor Sullivan Chime narrate his experience with his deputy in the last seven years.

    Senator Nnamani told the caucus members that the deputy governor ran to him to Abuja where he told him to return home to resign or wait for the House to complete its investigation the source said.

    Onyia and Ayogu also were said to have took the line of Nnanami for the deputy governor to bow out since Chime told the caucus meeting that he was not prepared to work with Onyebuchi for any day longer.

    However, the source said Senator Gil Nnaji and Peace Nnaji representing Nkanu East and West in the House of Representatives, pleaded with Chime to pardon his deputy.

    The source said Senator Nnaji praised Chime for the good work he was doing in the state and urged him to give his deputy a second chance.

    But Chime was said to have told Senator Nnaji that his plea was belated since his deputy came to him in Abuja and he did not deem it fit to call him until he was invited to the caucus meeting.

    The source said majority of the caucus members were of the opinion that it would be futile to try to save the deputy governor since his boss said he could no longer work with him.

    Besides the source said the caucus said asking the House to jettison the impeachment process would amount to “ridiculing democratic practice in the state”.

    Chime was also said to have insisted at the meeting that members of the National Assembly from the state who had served for  two or more terms should return home to serve in other capacities.

    The majority of the caucus members who were not in the National Assembly had asked the members of the National Assembly who were all at the meeting except Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, to speak their mind but none opposed the governor.

    The caucus advised the lawmakers to abide by the gentleman agreement reached in 2011 and consider running for other positions other than the ones they have occupied for more than two terms.

    The House of Assembly had last Thursday advised its clerk to paste the impeachment notice on the known addresses of the deputy governor since he could not be physically served and it adjourned till Thursday.

  • Appeal Court upholds Obiano’s election

    Appeal Court upholds Obiano’s election

    The Appeal court in Enugu on Saturday dismissed all the four appeals against the judgment of Anambra Election Tribunal which upheld the election of Willie Obiano as duly elected governor of Anambra State as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The presiding Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, leading four others, while pronouncing the lead judgement on the appeal filed by All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Sen. Chris Ngige, resolved the 11 issues sought against the appellant and subsequently dismissed the appeal for incompetence and lack of merit and awarded N50, 000 cost against the appellant.

    On the second appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, Tony Nwoye against INEC and Governor Willie Obiano, another member of the panel, Justice Ejembi Eko who the lead judgement, dismissed the appeal for lack of. Merit and awarded N50, 000 cost in favour of the respondent.

    The third appeal filed by PDP suffered the same fate of dismissal as Justice Akeju I. O in his lead judgement awarded N30, 000 cost against appellant.

    On appeal number four filed by Chike Obidigbo of All Progressives Grand Alliance, Justice Tijani Abubakar in his lead judgement dismissed the petition for not being meritorious and awarded N50, 000 cost against the appellant.

    The five man panel were unanimous in the four judgements, thereby affirming the ruling of Justice Ishaq Bello led Anambra Election Petition Tribunal, delivered on 24th June, 2014.

    In a quick reaction, the National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh expressed happiness and praised the judiciary, saying over 95 percent of judicial officers have decided to uphold the principle of the law, which the ruling represents.

    “We were not in any doubt that the petitions will be dismissed because our candidate, Chief Willie Obiano won that election with landslide. We also said during the announcement of the result that the election was peaceful and fair,” he said.

    While sympathising with the petitioners, he advised them to congratulate Obiano and join hands with him in developing Anambra which he is already doing.

    He expressed confidence that the party will still win should the appellants decide to approach Supreme court following favourable judgements by the two lower courts.