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Tag: Nnamani

  • PDP ‘ll retain Enugu, say Nwobodo, Nnamani

    PDP ‘ll retain Enugu, say Nwobodo, Nnamani

    Former Governor of old Anambra State Senator Jim Nwobodo has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will win.

    Nwobodo made this declaration while addressing a huge crowd of supporters at the PDP campaign rally held at the headquarters of Enugu South Local Government Area.

    He said there is no opposition in the state as far as the election is concerned, adding that members of the PDP that left the party to contest elections in other political parties are wasting their time.

    Nwobodo however urged such people to return to the PDP as the umbrella of the party is big enough to accommodate their various interests.

    The former governor also expressed confidence that the governorship candidate of the party, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi will continue with the good works of Governor Sullivan Chime, having distinguished himself creditably as a three-time member of the House of Representatives, who has held important portfolios, including the position of the Chairman, House Committee on Marine Transport.

    Also speaking at the rally, former Senate President Senator Ken Nnamani decried the antics of fifth columnists within the party, especially in Enugu East Senatorial District, and charged party members to be watchful and not to relent until victory is achieved.

    Nnamani said that Enugu South Local Government Area was a fortress for the PDP, having produced him and Nwobodo, adding that the good works of Chime will make it easy for the party to coast to victory, in the forthcoming elections.

    Hon. Ugwuanyi thanked all the stakeholders that voted for him during the primary election for their overwhelming support, and assured them of his resolve to continue with all the policies and programmes of Chime’s administration for the overall interest of Enugu State.

  • Court adjourns ruling in Nnamani’s trial

    Court adjourns ruling in Nnamani’s trial

    Will the trial of a former Enugu State governor, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani  make progress this year? This is the question on the lips of observers.

    The trial has been stalled at the Federal High Court in Lagos severally due to Nnamani’s absence.

    The case was stalled again at the last hearing because a ruling on a pending application was not ready.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had prayed the court presided over by Justice Mohammed Yunusa to separate Nnamani’s trial from his co-accused so that their trial can go on.

    Nnamani’s trial is yet to take off because he was said to be suffering from a heart defect.

    He was charged along with his former aide, Sunday Anyaogu, and six firms – Rainbownet Nig Ltd; Hillgate Nig Ltd; Cosmos FM; Capital City Automobile Nig Ltd; Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School.

    EFCC said a speedy trial was necessary as the companies’ assets and liabilities could be adversely affected if the charge against the defendants continues to hang.

    Ruling on the application was fixed for December 16 last year, but Justice Yususa said it was not ready.

    EFCC had earlier described Nnamani’s trial as a “scandal” because it has been seven years since he was arraigned for alleged money laundering, but trial is yet to begin.

    EFCC’s lawyer, Kelvin Uzozie, regretted that the trial has been delayed because of Nnamani’s frequent applications to travel abroad for medical treatment.

    Nnamani’s lawyer, Chief Rickey Tarfa (SAN) opposed EFCC’s application to split and try the defendants, saying it would affect the former governor’s trial if separated.

    On November 3, last year, Nnamani had told the court that he was still unfit to stand trial, and Justice Yunusa granted him another leave to travel overseas for a medical check up.

    Earlier On April 17, 2013, the judge had permitted the former governor to travel overseas for medical reasons.

    On May 28, 2013, the court granted an application seeking to extend the time for him to conclude his treatment abroad.

    On September 25, 2013, Nnamani was absent in court, and the judge further adjourned till December 12. The judge happened to be attending a conference that day, and the trial was fixed for March 5 this year.

    The trial suffered another setback as defence counsel sought an adjournment because, according to him, the case was not slated for trial, but for “mention” (for further direction/reports).

    On June 17, last year, Nnamani’s lawyer said his client was suffering from “chronic” heart problem, having undergone surgery and was yet to recover. He prayed the court to permit him to travel abroad for a check-up.

    Mr Oluyele Delano (SAN), who represented Nnamani that day, argued that the principle of fair hearing required that his client must be well enough to defend himself.

    He said: “The first accused is ill. He has undergone a quadruple bypass, an open heart surgery, and while there was relative success with regard to the surgery, he has embarked on a slow, tedious recovery process.

    “Unfortunately, he recently suffered a setback to his health in that he continues to suffer chronic chest pains, which the doctors suspect, it may be that his heart is rejecting the pacemaker that has been installed there.

    “My Lord, a dead man cannot be tried. I humbly crave the indulgence of the court to give us more time to be in a position to defend the allegations against us.

    “The doctrine of fair hearing acknowledges the need for the accused not to be prejudiced in his ability to defend the accusations against him on account of ill health.”

    EFCC re-arraigned Nnamani last on March 7, last year, before Justice Yunusa on 105 counts of money laundering and economic crimes involving about N4.5billion state funds.

    Part of the alleged laundered money was from the Excess Crude Oil Funds meant for some local government areas, including Aninri; Enugu South; Agwu; Igbo Etiti and Isi Uzor, which was allegedly transferred to Nnamani’s bank account in the United States (US).

    The crime was allegedly committed while Nnamani was governor between 1999 and 2007. The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    The case has passed through four different judges due to transfers and retirements.

    Justice Yunusa adjourned till January 23 for ruling on whether to try the accused persons separately.

  • Nnamani to APGA: You can’t win Enugu

    -As APGA holds rally for Jonathan in Anambra

    Former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, yesterday in Awka, Anambra State, said it is impossible for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to win elections in Enugu State.

    He was reacting at a rally organised by APGA for President Goodluck Jonathan at Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka.

    National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, had boasted that his party would win all the South-East states, including Enugu in the next general elections.

    However, at the rally yesterday, organised by Join Jonathan Journey (JJJ) under the leadership of Chief Ben Oranusi and Chief Ben Obi, the only APGA senatorial aspirant that attended the rally was Chief Dubem Obaze.

    Other aspirants to the senatorial seats in the state where absent, with the crowd of over 2,000 people following Obaze from the Anambra North Senatorial zone.

    While adressing the crowd, Nnamani said, “we thank APGA for supporting Jonathan, who is a member of my party, but I want to disagree with Umeh that his party will take over Enugu State; it is not possible.”

    For Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, the state is owned by APGA and would never struggle with another party in the state, adding that they came to show solidarity with President Jonathan.

  • See what Nnamani may forfeit in plea bargain

    See what Nnamani may forfeit in plea bargain

    About N21 billion properties and investments allegedly belonging to former governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, may be traded off through plea bargain.

    Nnamani, who is facing multiple-count charges of corruptly enriching himself while in office, is said to be considering the option with a view to securing his freedom from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The former governor is already dusting his political shoes in readiness for the senatorial contest of Enugu East senatorial zone, which he represented from 2007 to 2011.

    He recently made attempts to rejoin the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to pursue his senatorial ambition but met a stumbling block in the state hierarchy of the party.

    EFCC sources hinted the reporter that these were apart from undisclosed cash to be retrieved from some foreign accounts he allegedly operated.

    The assets are currently being administered by a Lagos-based firm, Diya Fatimulehin and company, through a fiat issued by a Federal High Court, Lagos.

    Some of the businesses have already closed shop while others are on the verge of folding up.

    Some of the properties and investments the former governor was said to have agreed to forfeit are Rainbownet Limited, Enugu, an integrated Information Communication Technology (ICT) firm, said to be the largest such outfit east of the Niger, whose net assets are valued excess of N6 billion.

    Rainbownet with registration number 385700 had Nnamani’s elder sister Mrs. Chinero Nwaigwe as Managing Director and principal shareholder.  Although, the ownership was once shifted to an Enugu-based lawyer and property developer, a very close friend of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the company has since closed its doors to business.

    Another is Mea Mater Elizabeth High School, in his hometown, Agbani – an ultra-modern coeducational high school worth about N5 billion, also with Mrs. Chinero Nwaigwe as chairperson of governing board.

    Yet another is the state-of-the-art Renaissance University, also in Agbani, a private university which is reputed to have gulped over N10 billion. It also used to have Mrs. Chinero Nwaigwe as the chairman of the governing council until a Bishop of one of the first generation churches in Enugu took over from her. The two institutions are still in session.

    There is also Renaissance University Teaching Hospital, Enugu. It is situated on an expansive 20-acre stretch covering parts of Rangers Avenue and Independence Layout. On that stretch of land did the legendary Michael Okpara build three ministers’ quarters which were allegedly demolished by Nnamani and converted to private use. Work was stopped at the site in the heat of the EFCC investigations in the state and nearly N3 billion including the cost of the demolished buildings have been sunk into the project.

    Others assets include the Cosmo 105.5 FM digital radio station in Enugu worth N400 million, and Marble Castle situated at Forest Crescent, GRA, Enugu worth N1 billion, as well as some choice estates scattered across Enugu, among other offshore estates. The Cosmo FM which took Enugu by storm and was becoming the most popular radio station in the Southeast, has been off the air for close to five years.

    At the Capital City Motors, the situation is like that of a cemetery, as workers in the company were said to have stopped coming to work for over five years.

    However, there was a snag in the negotiations as some legal authorities have explained to the EFCC that it has no powers to enter into plea bargain with corrupt officials and that it was only the court that can carry out such exercise.

    A Federal High Court in Lagos earlier granted an order for the seizure of all identified alleged ill-gotten properties of former Governor Nnamani.

    It was not clear whether the court will revoke its decision over the properties with regards to the latest plea-bargain going on between Nnamani and EFCC.

    Speaking on the development, one of Nnamani’s former commissioners, who pleaded anonymity, said the dwindling fortunes of the assets and investments is temporary as the case regarding them was still in court.

    He was of the view that the companies and schools finding themselves in a bad shape means that those holding them in trust are bad managers.

    “As soon as the case is disposed and the true owners of the assets determined, you will see that the situation will be turned around,” he assured.

    He, however, could not confirm whether there was an ongoing plea bargain or not.

     

  • Nnamani’s trial for June 17

    The alleged N5 billion money laundering charge against former Enugu State governor Chimaroke Nnamani, before a Federal High Court in Lagos, has been adjourned till June 17.

    Justice Mohammed Yanusa adjourned the case after the prosecution and defence teams differed on what the matter was slated for.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) sued Nnamani and seven others on 105 counts of conspiracy and money laundering.

    Others on trial are Sunday Anyaogu, Rainbownet (Nig) Limited; Hillgate (Nig) Ltd; Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile (Nig) Ltd; Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School.

    They were re-arraigned before Justice Yunusa on March 7, following the transfer of the previous judge, Justice Charles Archibong.

    The accused were alleged to have laundered the money, including the statutory allocations of Aninri, Enugu South, Agwu, Igbo Etiti and Isi Uzor local government areas in a secret account,

    The ex-governor was also alleged to have stolen N1.4 billion from the Excess Crude Oil Funds allocated to local governments.

  • Nnamani returns to PDP amid controversy

    Nnamani returns to PDP amid controversy

    Former Enugu State Governor Senator Chimaroke Nnamani has returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), amid controversies.

    But the party’s state secretariat has denied such development.

    He was said to have been issued a membership card with number 0276943, signed by the national chairman, national secretary, national organising secretary, ward chairman and ward secretary. His ward number is 3259.

    The Enugu PDP Chairman, Mr. Vita Abba, and stakeholders last month vowed to resist Nnamani’s return.

    His return to the party yesterday was heralded by the presence of armed mobile police officers.

    The event was held at his Agbani Ward in Nkanu West Local Government.

    Nnamani said he was happy to return to the PDP.

    Nnamani’s aides said the presence of security personnel was inevitable, as there were reports that the state government had concluded plans to stop the occasion.

    Alluding to this, the PDP chairman in Agbani ward, Mr. Monday Ngene, alleged that the former chairman of Nkanu West council, Mr. Ekene Okenwa and Nkanu West Council PDP chairman, Mr. Vincent Nnaji, summoned him to the Government House, Enugu and interrogated him.

    Ngene claimed he was interrogated for registering Senator Nnamani.

    “They also demanded to know the quantity of party membership cards in my possession.

    “I replied that the cards issued to me by the state chairman of the party, Mr. Vita Abba, had been used for the registration and the rest were still at Agbani. I was ordered to return the remaining cards the next day to the local government party chairman and was asked to go,” he said.

    According to him, he did not return the cards as directed and rather continued to register more members in the ward.

    Said he: “But surprisingly, on February 23, at the local government executive meeting of the party at Agbani, the council party chairman, Mr. Vincent Nnaji, announced my suspension and two others from the party for alleged anti-party activities.

    “The two others are Steve Nweke, the PDP ward chairman for Obuofia ward and Uwabunkeonye Nnamoko, chairman, Akpugo ward III.

    “We were told that the offence we committed was that we visited Senator Nnamani.

    “We regard this action as illegal and unacceptable because as far as we are concerned, our visit to Senator Nnamani, after he had registered as a bona fide member, did not in any way amount to anti-party activity.”

    The state secretariat denied the development, saying the former governor has not been readmitted into the party.

    Nnamani said he was happy to return to the PDP.

  • Senate confirms Nnamani, Saro Wiwa’s wife for infrastructure commission

    The Senate yesterday confirmed the appointment of former Senate President Ken Nnamani and Aminu Diko as the Chairman and Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission.

    Although the nominees received a smooth confirmation, some of the senators insisted that the Senate should ensure that future nominations complied with the federal character principle.

    Senate Leader Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba said it was important for the Senate to ensure that the federal character principle was adhered to.

    He decried a situation where indigenes of Akwa Ibom State are allegedly neglected in appointments in favour of other people from the Southsouth geo-political zone.

    Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom North East) noted that Edo State always had the lion’s share of appointments meant for the Southsouth geo-political zone.

    The lawmaker said the trend should be checked to ensure equity and balance in appointments in line with the federal character principle.

    Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) said the Senate should ensure that appointments were not concentrated in one state to the detriment of others.

    Senate President David Mark hailed the Ayogu Eze-led Works Committee for introducing an innovation in the screening of nominees.

    He said lack of infrastructure is worrisome and urged Nnamani and his team to take their functions seriously in the interest of the country.

    Mark also said the issue of zonal representation raised by the senators would be addressed in compliance with the federal character principle.

    Besides Nnamani and Diko, other members of the commission are Mrs. Comfort Saro Wiwa (Rivers State) (Southsouth), Janet Fabisola Adeyemi (Ondo State) (Southwest), Mrs. Yabawa Wabi (Borno State)(Northeast), Musa Elayo (Nasarawa State) (Northcentral) and A.U. Kanu (Abia State)(Southeast).

     

     

  • Alleged money laundering: EFCC, Nnamani disagree on doctor’s report

    Alleged money laundering: EFCC, Nnamani disagree on doctor’s report

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday disagreed with a former Enugu State Governor Chimaroke Nnamani on a medical report by his doctor that he needed medical treatment abroad.

    Nnamani, also a former senator, is on trial before a Federal High Court, Lagos, for allegedly defrauding his state of about N4.5 billion when he was governor between 1999 and 2007.

    He was charged with his former ex-aide, Sunday Anyaogu, and six companies – Rainbownet Nigeria Limited, Hillgate Nigeria Limited, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile Nigeria Limited, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School.

    Nnamani was re-arraigned before Justice Mohammed Yinusa on a 105-count charge of money laundering and economic crimes.

    Through his lawyer, Chief Ricky Tarfa (SAN), the former governor filed an application urging the court to allow him to travel abroad for treatment.

    In a supporting affidavit deposed to by Ayo Ambali, it was stated that sometime in 2008, Nnamani was diagnosed of having hypercholesterolemia.

    He was also said to have a high-level Serum Prostrate Surface Antigem (SPA) for which he had gone to the United States (US) severally for medical treatment.

    The deponent added that after a series of tests, Nnamani’s personal physician advised that he should return to the US for compulsory regular medical treatment.

    Hypercholesterolemia is defined as condition characterised by very high levels of cholesterol – a waxy, fat-like substance that is produced in the body and obtained from foods that come from animals, particularly egg yolk, meat, poultry, fish and dairy products – in the blood.

    But the EFCC opposed the application. It urged the court not to grant it.

     

  • EFCC re-arraigns Nnamani for alleged money laundering

    EFCC re-arraigns Nnamani for alleged money laundering

    A former Enugu State Governor, Chimaroke Nnamani, was on Thursday re-arraigned before a Federal High Court, Lagos, for alleged money laundering.

    Nnamani, his former aide, Sunday Anyaogu, and seven companies, were re-arraigned on an amended 105-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

    The companies are: Rainbownet (Nig) Limited, Hillgate (Nig) Limited, Cosmos Fm, Capital City Automobile (Nig) Limited, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School.

    They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The re-arraignment was sequel to the transfer of the case to a new judge following the transfer of Justice Charles Archibong, from the Lagos Division.

    Justice Mohammed Yunusa becomes the third judge to handle the matter after Archibong. The first was Justice Tijani Abubakar.

    After the re-arraignment, their Counsel, Mr. Riky Tarfa (SAN), urged the court to allow his clients to continue with their earlier bail granted by Justice Archibong.

    Yunusa upheld Tarfa’s plea and adjourned the case to May 28, for hearing.

    The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the accused persons were first arraigned in 2007.

     

  • PDP BoT chair: Anenih, Ali, Nnamani to know fate January 8

    PDP BoT chair: Anenih, Ali, Nnamani to know fate January 8

    The Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees will elect the successor to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on January 8, 2013.

    Interested persons have up to one week to submit their letters of intent.

    This was disclosed yesterday at the end of an emergency BoT meeting held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.

    BoT National Secretary, Senator Walid Jubril, who briefed newsmen at the end of the meeting, said the emergency meeting which had the BoT chairmanship as the only business of the day, was intended to look at the modalities for electing Obasanjo’s successor.

    He said: “The election will come up in January. But before then, we have to get intent from members of the committee. Up to the moment of the meeting, the board was yet to get any intent from any member.

    “The discussion gave an insight into how to bring in the new chairman. We are not in a hurry to bring in a new chairman.

    “We want to come up with a chairman who is sound, credible, acceptable and with proven integrity and has a clear vision for the party.”

    He also said the position is open to any member of the board.

    Former President Obasanjo had resigned his appointment as the BoT chairman, creating the vacuum that party leaders are expected to fill.

    “Whoever emerges, according to the party constitution, will serve a single term of five years.

    Main contenders for the office are former national chairman of the party, Dr Ahmadu Ali; former Works Minister, Chief Tony Anenih; former Senate President, Dr. Ken Nnamani and Chairman, Champion Newspapers, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

    Anenih served as BoT Chairman of the party from 2003 to 2007 after Dr. Alex Ekwueme’s five years’ tenure as pioneer boss of the board.

    Ekwueme, a vice president in the Second Republic and the founding protem National Chairman of the party, served as the BoT boss between 1998 and 2003. However, Anenih was displaced by Obasanjo in 2007 in what was akin to a palace coup, barely a month after the end of his second term as President.

    Some of the notable personalities present were PDP Chairman, Bamanga Tukur; Senate President, David Mark; former vice president, Alex Ekwueme; former Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; former Chairman of the party, Dr. Haliru Bello; former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Adamu Abdullahi; Jim Nwobodo; former Speaker, Ghali Na’Abba; former Chairman Barnabas Gemade; Chief Bode George; Mrs. Mariam Amodu Ali; Vincent Ogboulafor; Sunny Odogwu; Kema Chikwe; Danjuma Goje; Ebenezer Babatope and Ibrahim Mantu, among others.