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Tag: Senator Chris Anyanwu

  • Poll bribery: I didn’t receive N700m – Anyanwu

    Poll bribery: I didn’t receive N700m – Anyanwu

    Senator Chris Anyanwu on Friday denied collecting and distributing N700 million to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members to prosecute the 2015 presidential election in Imo State.

    She said the clarification became necessary following reports linking her with the collection and distribution of N700 million allegedly given to Imo State PDP to prosecute the election in the state.

    In a statement issued by her Media Assistant, Everest Ezihe, the senator said she was neither a party official nor the presidential campaign coordinator for Imo State and therefore was in no position to collect or distribute funds on behalf of the party.

    Anyanwu added that she did not witness the collection of any fund belonging for the purpose of prosecuting the 2015 presidential election in Imo State.

    The statement said the senator visited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) office in Enugu and was allowed to go after questioning.

    The statement titled: “Press statement from Senator Chris Anyanwu on alleged collection of N700 million cash for 2015 election” reads in part:

    “This statement clarifies the position of Senator Chris Anyanwu following a series of enquiries by journalists, friends and well wishers, nationally and internationally, regarding newspaper stories today linking her name with collection or distribution of N700million allegedly given to Imo State PDP to prosecute the 2015 presidential election in the state.

    “For the record, Senator Anyanwu was neither a party official nor the presidential campaign coordinator for Imo State and therefore was in no position to collect or distribute funds for and on behalf of the party or indeed the candidate.

    “Consequently, let it be stated without ambiguity that Senator Chris Anyanwu did not witness the collection of any money belonging to the PDP for the purpose of prosecuting the 2015 presidential elections in Imo State and therefore could not have been involved in its distribution in any form, directly or indirectly.”

     

  • PDP chair in battle for life at hospital

    PDP chair in battle for life at hospital

    •Senator: I didn’t attack him 

    The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ezinihite Local Government Area of Imo State, Mr. Chinemerem Enweremadu, who was allegedly beaten up by naval officers attached to the lawmaker representing Imo East, Senator Chris Anyanwu, at the delegates congress, is battling for life at a private hospital in Owerri.

    Narrating his ordeal to The Nation on his hospital bed, the victim alleged that he was beaten up by naval men on the order of the senator, who accused him of plotting to work against her interest in the election.

    Enweremadu said: “On Saturday, we were asked by the state leadership of our party to come to the secretariat to accompany the returning officers to our council areas, in order to conduct the delegates congress.

    “When I was coming out of the chairman’s office, after I had been shown the returning officers for my local government, I was confronted by Senator Anyanwu, who ordered his security men to beat me up and collect the result sheets from me.

    “Three hooded naval officers descended on me and used the butt of their guns to hit me until I became unconscious.  Entreaties by onlookers were rebuffed by the senator, who boasted that she would teach me a lesson. I can’t see clearly now, following the injuries. I can’t even sit properly due to pains.”

    Mrs Anyanwu’s Media Consultant, Mr. Everest Ezihe, described the allegation as a mischief by desperate politicians, who wanted to tarnish her image.

    He said: “Senator Anyanwu did not attack anyone. She is too civilised to be involved in lawlessness. The man was beaten up by a mob after he assaulted a female returning officer posted to his area, who refused to hand over electoral materials to him.”

     

  • Anyanwu accuses Okorocha of mismanaging N357b allocation

    Anyanwu accuses Okorocha of mismanaging N357b allocation

    •Govt: it’s an allegation

    The lawmaker representing Imo East, Senator Chris Anyanwu, accused yesterday Governor Rochas Okorocha of allegedly embezzling N357 billion from the state’s share of the Federation Account between May 2011 and July 2014.

    But in a swift reaction, the state government described Senator Anyanwu’s allegation as “fictitious and without a proof.”

    Anyanwu, a two-time senator, spoke in Owerri, the Imo State capital, during the declaration of her interest to contest the governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    She also alleged that the money the governor collected during the period was 50 per cent more than what the previous administration of Governor Ikedi Ohakim got during its four years in power.

    “This state has never had it so good in terms of funding, yet its development is stunted, superficial, unsustainable and unaligned to the core needs of Imo people,” Senator Anyanwu said.

    According to her, the increased income has not impacted on the lives of the people. “Instead life has become harder today for the average Imo person than it was between 1999 and 2007.”

    She said: “The state’s external debts alone are equal to those of Anambra and Abia states put together,” adding that the local debts, although very difficult to quantify, were estimated to be about N50 billion, which she said the governor borrowed from local banks.

    “The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The Commissioner for Finance and Accountant-General were invited and are on bail.”

    Senator Anyanwu said it was regrettable that the governor had not stopped borrowing from local banks, adding: “He’s not letting Imo people know what he is doing with the loans he is taking.”

    Anyanwu, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Navy, said Imo’s rising domestic debts, high rate of unemployment, falling standard of education, and widespread poverty combine to create an atmosphere of bleakness and threaten to change the character of the people.

    She said she would offer the people quality leadership, which would bring the state back to track, adding that the state “needs a sober person, who will govern and preside over its affairs and ensure that the people benefit from governance. The person should also make sure that Imo money is kept in Imo to develop Imo for the good of Imo people.”

  • Navy seeks Senate’s intervention for release of N6.066b

    The Nigerian Navy on Monday urged the Senate to help it secure the release of N6.066 billion being balance of its capital appropriation for the 2013 fiscal year.

    According to the Navy, the non release of the full capital budget is hindering its operations including the fight against oil theft, building of new jetties, and payment for the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV),

    The Chief of Policy and Plans of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogbor, spoke on behalf of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, during an oversight visit by the Senate Committee on Navy in Abuja.

    Ogbor noted that out of about N14.22 billion approved capital budget for the Navy, only about N7.9 billion representing 55.8 per cent has so far been released by the Ministry of Finance.

    He stated that a balance of about N6.066 billion of the capital budget is yet to be released less than two months to the end of 2013.

    He called on the Senate Committee on Navy to help prevail on the Ministry of Finance to release the funds to enable it complete the critical projects the money is meant for.

    Ogbor said: “The Nigerian Navy will strive for the release of the balance of the 2013 capital appropriation to enable it fully execute its projects.

    “Consequently, the Senate Committee on the Nigerian Navy is requested to assist the Navy in making a case at the Federal Ministry of Finance so that they can release the sum of N6.066 billion being balance of the 2013 capital appropriation.”

    The Chairman Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Chris Anyanwu, lamented that the amount released was not enough for the Navy to meet its obligations.

    She noted that even the amount appropriated for the Navy to replace its crashed helicopter has not yet been released.

    She urged the Minister of Finance to realize that the country cannot afford not to fully release the capital budget of the Navy in view of its critical role of combating increasing oil theft.