The Nation Newspaper

Tag: GOVERNOR Martin Elechi

  • Lessons from Elechi’s loss of Ebonyi PDP

    Lessons from Elechi’s loss of Ebonyi PDP

    IR: That Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi state has performed to leverage the sleepy but potential state from backwardness to growth in a certain level of infrastructure provision is not in doubt.

    By May 29 2015, the governor will pride himself with the new Abakaliki city also known as Ochoudo city, connecting the once remote areas in both old Abakaliki and Ohaozara communities with state of the art bridges and measurable roads.  Elechi also tried to provide water for sanitation in the previously guinea worm endemic villages even though he may not complete the costly project.

    The more important thing he did for the state is the assimilation of what used to be the two divides of the related people of the state that were balkanized in the other four states of the South-east region before Ebonyi State was made a reality in 1996.

    He did all that but towards the end of his eight years reign, Elechi lost grip of the ruling Peoples Democratic party, PDP, that he controlled like a man ruled in his private family.

    Now, Elechi could not field, nay, impose his preferred candidates for the 2015 general elections in the state. He did not only fail in imposing the former minister of health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu as the governorship candidate of the PDP for the state, but also failed to nominate himself as the candidate for Ebonyi Central Senatorial district. In the same manner he also could not succeed in foisting any candidate of his choice for any elective position in the coming election.

    What the governor rather did was to push his followers to join the Labour Party (LP) while staying back in the PDP, pledging to work for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan, even when Jonathan could not rescue him from the disgrace with which other members of the PDP meted on him by forcefully snatching control of the ruling party away from him.

    PDP stakeholders in Ebonyi State became furious with Elechi when the governor after personal evaluations came to announce his choice of candidates for the election. The governor allegedly shared the positions without carrying along other important stakeholders of the PDP in the state.

    For an important stakeholder like the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, who hails from the state, Anyim heard about Elechi’s choices in a distant place, and so was the case with people like Dr. Sam Egwu who in 2007 defied all advice and handed power to Elechi on a platter of gold.

    Having stayed in the cooler for eight years and as election got closer, Egwu was said to have indicated interest to go to the Senate and discussed it privately with Elechi for about three times and Elechi gave him assurances of his support only for Elechi to turn the tables against the man who left younger men in the state and made him governor even without his asking.

    In the case of Senator Anyim, Elechi had always shown him  hatred to the extent that the governor ensured that a local government council chairmanship aspirant from Anyim’s native council was disqualified on trumped up allegation that Anyim had sympathy for that aspirant. As if that was not enough, Elechi nominated the most visible antagonist of the SGF from his community to become the acting state chairman of the PDP and when that plot failed, Elechi asked the antagonist to run for House of Representatives of Anyim’s constituency, to spite the SGF and paint him as one who is incapable of delivering even his community.

    Similar stories were told by people like the respected Dr. Offia Nwali, the Deputy Governor who now It was therefore not surprising that after the national headquarters of the PDP listened to both sides in the Ebonyi PDP divide and seeing what majority of the PDP members in the state wanted, the PDP took a decision to allow due process prevail in the state and at ward congresses of November 1, and the subsequent congresses that produced delegates for the party primary elections, Elechi was roundly and compoundly defeated.

    Governor Elechi therefore became the proverbial king who coroneted himself without the approval of his subjects.

    Our political leaders should learn from this great misfortune that the era of dictatorship is fast fading away and that democracy would always remain a government of the majority.

     

    •Dennis Agbo

    Enugu

  • Ebonyi: Elechi, stakeholders bicker over PDP congress

    Ebonyi: Elechi, stakeholders bicker over PDP congress

    The controversy stirred by the recent Ebonyi State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congress for the election of delegates for the House of Assembly primaries has not abated. Governor Martin Elechi has called for its cancellation. But, stakeholders have insisted that it was free and fair. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE writes on the push for reconciliation in the chapter.

    The primaries for the House of Assembly aspirants under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State has become an eye opener to politicians and observers.

    A few hours to the primaries, Governor Martin Elechi suddenly acted as the Publicity Secretary of the PDP announcing that the primaries scheduled to hold across the country on November 29 would not hold in the state as it had been cancelled. The Acting Chairman, Chief Onwe Joseph Onwe, was on the federal government owned Unity FM, announcing that the primaries would hold, urging members to participate in the exercise, a development that put to question when the governor turned the spokesman of the party.

    Uncertain as to how much the people believed the governor, the state government saw the monthly clean-up exercise a ploy to thwart the exercise, announcing that any person or persons caught outside before 10.00 am would be dealt with. About 85 people, most of them suspected to have gone out to participate in the PDP primaries, were arrested.

    Around 10.00am, Ebonyi PDP faithful moved to the party secretariat along the Abakaliki/ Enugu Expressway, only to find the place barricade with imported thugs on guard.

    The situation was solved when they were told to go to another venue, Pinnacle Hotels, a stone throw from the PDP secretariat where the five-man team sent by the National Working Committee (NWC) were seated with the materials for the election intact. The team was led by Senator Ben Collin Ndu as Chairman, Hajia Yela, member, Rt. Hon. Simon Dogari, San Mohammed Aminu, Alhaji Aliyu Bindawa, member/secretary.   The sight of the panel brewed instantaneous jubilation in the camp of those who had waited to have the election conducted whereas those who were believed to have preferred to have it cancelled on the account that they would lose should they go ahead with the primaries saw it as frustration. Many observers of the trend saw it as an implicit boycott of the governor’s camp from the exercise as it was suggested that it was more honourable to stage such boycott than to participate in the election that they were sure of utter defeat.

    The turnout at the venue was unprecedented in the records of political gathering in the state. Apart from those who had come to participate in the exercise, observers turned to be more in numbers, just like a crowd that could have made a better mega rally for President Goodluck Jonathan in Ebonyi State. The situation created the problem of crowd control hence the security was beefed up with armoured personnel carrier stationed at the entrance to the venue.

    So, the PDP team set to work, with observers, journalists, the police, the SSS, INEC seated while the materials were shared. After receiving their material, the officers guarded by security men zoomed off to their various units where the elections held.   At the various units, the elections went on successfully without hitches as was attested to by the observers and news newsmen who monitored the exercise.

    Surprisingly, Elechi is said to be agitating that the peacefully congresses which graduated to the last Saturday’s exercise should be set aside. This brings to clear question as to where the governor wants to lead the state. The election was conducted with his knowledge, only for the governor to turn back, asking for its cancellation, because Ebonyi people no longer want to be led by the nose, but to elect their people of choice than endorsement by one person.

    It was also out of this highhandedness that the wife of a governorship aspirant, Senator Ofia Nwali, and 27 other council officers were sacked because they opposed the imposition of candidates by the governor.

    Already, new coordinators have been appointed and sworn in by the governor without having them screen by the state house of assembly, like a case of lawlessness.

    The problem arising from a situation where the governor said he had recognition for Mr. Blaise Orji as the Speaker of the House of Assembly against the elected Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku, whose sin is that he insisted that the governor should duly account for the expenditure of N16.5 billion Bond he borrowed from the Nigerian Stock Exchange before seeking for another N15 billion Bond at the twilight of this administration.

    Ebonyi people are by the day becoming more disappointed with these turn of events, more so as even executive council members lawmakers are forced to sign documents for the purpose of giving teeth to impunity, a development that is worsened with the sight of many unfinished projects.

    The recount has put to question certain acts and schemes that had all along been left asleep.  Stakeholders are at a loss as to how the Ofurekpe water scheme embarked upon by the Elechi Administration at its inception in 2007 flew from the estimated cost of one billion naira (NIb) to N7.8b. Even as one could accept that there could be cases of variations, how could it be that even with such differentials, there is no hope of drinking water from the scheme till the end of this administration as nothing again is being done on the project to justify such expenditure of the Ebonyi people’s fund? The Governor had on the floor of the 24-member Ebonyi State House of Assembly apologised for his failed promise that our people would drink water from the scheme last year. Is someone taking his people for a ride?

    A multi-million naira rice parboiling machine meant for the none-functional billion naira rice mills is still missing without any admissible account but deceit that the machine is on the high seas sailing towards the Nigerian shores. Can the ship arrive before May 29, 2015 or shall we continue in the rigmarole (ashi ashi)?

    For what reason was the Abakaliki/Enugu expressway which the Federal Government awarded to the renowned SETRACO construction firm has a section of it terminated and re-awarded by a state government that cries of porosity of funds. Now the project has been abandoned. Is anybody playing games?

    The NIGERCEM, Nkalagu, the foremost cement manufacturing firm in the south East geo-political zone of Nigeria was at least operational during the previous administration of Dr. Sam OminyinEgwu but went moribund shortly after Chief Elechi took over as the governor of the state. Those who laboured to rehabilitate the firm have been unreservedly frustrated and traditional rulers who welcomed them have been dethroned by the incumbent administration. What could be the reasons for these but the veiled economic and political interests of the government whose allies and siblings are believed to be the directors and benefactors of the death of the NIGERCEM?

    M&J Construction firm has handled about half of the contracts awarded to local contactors since the inception of this administration. A reveal of those who own the company would explain why shoddy jobs could have been granted certificates of completion and the poor tax payers’ money released to them.

    Worst still, the demand of N15billion from the Nigerian Stock Exchange by the Elechi-led administration has thrown spanners into the wheels of the state polity degenerating to alleged impeachments and counter impeachment in the state House of Assembly, merely because some persons including the Speaker of the House have call on the executive arm of the government to explain how the first Bond of N16.5 billion was spent without any evident success in the execution of the projects it was tied to. Does anybody want to further mortgage the state?

  • Elechi denies leading protest

    Elechi denies leading protest

    EBONYI State debunked yesterday allegation that Governor Martin Elechi led a group of party faithful to a protest at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretariat in Abuja last Monday over attempt to foist a “fraudulent delegates’ congress list” on the state chapter.

    The government also denied media reports, which also alleged a low turnout at a rally in support of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election it organised last weekend in Abakaliki, the state capital.

    It described the reports as “syndicated media fabrications” by Abuja-based coalition of aggrieved politicians, who are desperate to blackmail Elechi for aligning himself with the popular decision of Ebonyi people to support Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu as a consensus candidate for the 2015 governorship election”.

    Elechi’s Chief Press Secretary Dr. Onyekachi Eni said this in a statement.

    He added that the governor was nowhere during the “imaginary visit, let alone leading a protest to the PDP secretariat.”

     

  • Elechi sacks 28 council coordinators

    Elechi sacks 28 council coordinators

    Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State yesterday sacked 28 coordinators of Development Centres for acts inconsistent with government policies and programmes.

    Those affected include the wife of the Second Republic senator and governorship aspirant in 2015 election, Dr. Offia Nwali, the coordinator of Ezza South Development Centre.

    Coordinators of Ebonyi Development Centre Mr. Stephen Igwe, Amasiri Development Centre Mr. Ogbonnaya Oko Enyim, Akaeze Development Centre Mr. Emmanuel Orji, Effium Development Centre Mrs Chinyere Igwe, Effium south Mr. Bernard Uzim were also sacked.

    Others include Ivo, Mr. Chinedu Makwe, Echiele, Mrs. Christiana Ezenta, Ngbo East, Mr. Bernard Onwe, Ngbo North Chinwendu Onwe, Ngbo west Mr. Emeka Ogeh, Ohaukwu Mr. David Odey, Ohaukwu North Mrs. Ogechukwu Elebe, Onicha  Felix Ogbonna.

    A statement by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Celestine Nwali directed the sacked coordinators to hand over to their administrative officers.

    New coordinators have been appointed and will be sworn in after the rectification of their appointment by the House of Assembly.

    They include Echiele Development Centre Mr. Cletus Ngah, Ezzama development centre Uchenna Mkpuma, Ezza SouthEast Cajetan Nweke, Effium South Mr. Dele Ijoko, Effium Development centre Chinedu Awo among other appointees.

     

  • Elechi to Senator: ‘You have lost your senses’

    Elechi to Senator: ‘You have lost your senses’

    GOVERNOR Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State yesterday took a swipe at the Senator representing Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zone,Senator Paulinus Igwe Nwagu, saying the lawmaker has gone out of his senses.

    The governor was reacting to a publication in one of the national dailies (not The Nation) titled, ‘Ebonyi may lose presidential votes if governorship primaries go awry’, which was attributed to the senator.

    While condemning the report in its entirety, he regretted that the people he has assisted to become useful citizens have debased themselves through unguarded utterances.

    He said, “ As I was reading the pages of newspapers today (yesterday), I came across a publication on page 15 of a national daily titled, ‘Ebonyi may lose presidential votes if governorship primaries go awry,’ by one Senator Paulinus Igwe Nwagu.

    “My position as the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state and as the Chief Executive of the state is that it pains me when the people whom we have helped to become useful to the society have debased themselves with unguarded utterances as they have done in this publication.”

    “I condemn the statement. I condemn the publication and I condemn whatever is behind it,” he said, adding, “What Senator Nwagu is saying does not apply here. The fact that we assisted him to become a Senator does not mean he can bring us down.”

    The Ebonyi State Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also yesterday debunked same allegation that the committee has been dissolved.

    They noted that the people behind the purported publication are not members of the party and cannot be found in the party’s register.