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Tag: Sullivan Chime

  • Why Southeast backs Tinubu’s re-election bid, by Ex-Gov Chime

    Why Southeast backs Tinubu’s re-election bid, by Ex-Gov Chime

    Former Enugu Governor Sullivan Chime has explained the rationale behind the Southeast’s endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office, describing the decision as well-considered and achievable.

    Chime threw his weight behind last weekend’s adoption of Tinubu by Southeast Governors, leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting the President’s performance in office has earned him the region’s support ahead of the 2027 general election.

    Speaking in Udi during the flag-off of the APC e-registration exercise in Enugu West Senatorial District, the former Governor said he was part of the endorsement “ab initio” and expressed confidence that Tinubu and the APC would sweep the polls in the Southeast in 2027.

    “I am part of the Southeast, so you can take it for granted that I was part of that endorsement. That is our decision and we all stand by it. It is easily achievable,” Chime said.

    According to him, Tinubu has performed well despite prevailing global and continental economic challenges.

    “The President has done well. Whatever is happening in Nigeria is global and certainly in Africa. It is all over the place. Given the circumstances, he is doing well,” he stated.

    On the Peter Obi impact, Chime said he would speak more extensively on the 2027 elections in the coming months, adding that the President would record a strong showing when campaigns begin.

    Expressing delight at the growing enthusiasm for the APC in the Southeast, particularly in Enugu State, the former Governor said his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) after the 2015 elections had been vindicated.

    He disclosed that APC leaders in Enugu State were determined to surpass the two-million membership benchmark set for the state in the ongoing electronic registration exercise by Governor and party leader, Peter Mbah.

    “We are here first of all to thank our people. You can see how excited people are to join the APC. APC is now the only party available in Enugu State,” Chime said.

    “Ten years ago, when I joined the APC, we saw tomorrow. We knew PDP was going down. It is now obvious that APC is the way to go. The two-million mark is just a starting point; we are going beyond that in Enugu State,” he added.

    Read Also: How I helped Tinubu win election in 2023 – Lai Mohammed

    Also speaking, the Enugu State Coordinator of the APC e-registration programme, Hon. Flavour Eze, commended party stakeholders and members in Enugu West Senatorial District for their mobilisation efforts, expressing optimism that the state would exceed the two-million membership target at the end of the exercise.

    Hon. Eze also commended the chairmen of the local government areas in the zone for their proactive intervention in addressing challenges related to the National Identification Number (NIN) and voter’s card, noting that their efforts ensured that no willing prospective party member was excluded from the exercise. 

    He said the LGA chairmen worked closely with relevant agencies to facilitate the acquisition of NINs and voter’s cards for party supporters, thereby enabling them to successfully register as members of the APC.

    Eze announced the official take-off of APC e-registration in Enugu West Senatorial Zone and urged members to commence registration immediately at the ward level, stressing that the exercise was mandatory for participation, recognition and access to party opportunities.

  • Former Enugu gov, estranged wife battle over child’s custody

    Estranged wife of former Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime, Clara, has asked the FCT High Court, Apo in Abuja to grant her custody of their 10-year-old son.

    Responding to the petition filed by Chime seeking dissolution of their 11-year marriage, Clara stated she had no objection to his request for divorce.

    Instead, she requested for custody of their son and a monthly child maintenance fee of N500, 000.

    She lamented her son was not properly cared for, stating she sees him five hours a month under heavy security.

    When asked under cross-examination if she had taken a picture to present as evidence, she informed the court that she was forbidden by her husband’s stewards and security personnel from taking photographs of him.

    Counsel to the petitioner, Paul Onya, informed the court that in the two previous petitions she filed, she had demanded for the custody of her child.

    Onye then requested to tender the petitions filed at Enugu High Court and an FCT High Court as exhibits before the court.

    Counsel to Clara, Mr. Achibongu Iyeme, objected that the documents were not certified.

    Clara also informed the court that she was depressed during her marriage because her husband only had marital relations with her on their wedding night.

    Thereafter, she said he never touched her, leading to chronic depression.

    Clara further denied any allegation of schizophrenia but said she only saw the CMD of neuropsychiatric because her husband brought him to their home.

    Justice Angela Otaluka ruled that documents were not admissible and adjourned the case till June 10 for continuation of hearing.

  • APC decides 2023 presidency, says Chime

    Former Enugu State Governor, Mr Sullivan Chime says the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will have the final say on the zone that gets the president in 2023.

    Chime disclosed this on Thursday night in Enugu while fielding questions from newsmen following the campaign tour of President Muhammadu Buhari in the state.

    The former governor said that the appropriate organ of the party would make the decision at the appropriate time.

    He said that the party was currently preoccupied with the reelection of Buhari.

    Chime allayed the fears in certain quarters that the South West was positioning to usurp the chance of the South East to produce the president in 2023.

    “At the appropriate time the party will take a final decision. However, we have always been of the view that we have the reason to say it will come to us.

    Read Also: Sylva leads protest against intimidation of APC

    The reason is simple: Power is shared between Northern and Southern Nigeria. The South West and South South had taken their turns remaining the South East,” he said.

    Chime, however, said that the South East must work to justify its clamour to produce the president in 2023.

    He called on the people of the zone to vote massively for Buhari in the Feb. 16 presidential election to stand the chance.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Director General of Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi had at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium during the APC presidential campaign said the South East will produce the president in 2023.

  • Good governance is your right, Osinbajo tells Igbo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has informed the people of the South East that it is their right to obtain good governance and not to beg for it.

    Osinbajo who was on a double barrel mission to Enugu stated on Friday at the commissioning of the campaign office of the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu, Senator Ayogu Eze told the people that governance is for the well-being of the people.

    He said the Muhammadu Buhari led Federal government was committed to the development of the South East whether the people asked for it or not.

    The Vice President cited the 2nd Niger Bridge as one of the projects in the South East and assured that the would be completed as promised by the President.

    He also said that many other ongoing projects in the South-East zone by the Federal government would not suffer abandonment as it is desire of the president to see to their completion.

    “The Federal government will surely deliver its promise to the people of the South East. The contracts of the projects are ongoing. The second Niger Bridge is on course. The Enugu – Port Harcourt Expressway and many other roads and projects are on course, the Vice President stressed.

    Read Also: Osinbajo won’t be distracted, says Presidency

    He changed the people to embrace the change mantra being enunciated by the APC by ensuring that they voted for the in the coming elections.

    The standard bearer of the APC in Enugu State, Senator Ayogu Eze who was visibly elated at the presence of the Vice President assured that the party would wrest power from the ruling party in the state, the PDP.

    He dismissed the said endorsement of Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi by some Igbo leaders saying that the Igbo never at any time met and discussed it.

    “The said endorsement was a fraud. The Igbos never met to take such decision,” he said.

    Osinbajo left immediately after commissioning the campaign office to attend the book presentation by the immediate past governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime.

  • Why I dedicated my book to my predecessor-Sullivan

    Former Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime says he dedicated the book on his eight year stewardship to his predecessor, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani for giving him the opportunity to serve.

    Chime told newsmen in Enugu on Wednesday during a pre-book launch briefing that Nnamani was the one who made it possible for him to serve the state as the governor.

    “I would not have had the opportunity to serve if he did not bring me into his government.”

    He made it clear that he did not fall out with the former governor as insinuated in some quarters rather Nnamani decided to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined another one.

    “He saw way back what I saw in 2015 and left the party. So, I have no issues with him,” he said.

    Chime said that the book entitled `An Honour to Serve: Enugu State in the Sullivan Years’, would be unveiled on Friday, Nov. 23 by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    The former governor explained that the book was all about his experiences from inception to the handing over.

    According to him, it is a report of my stewardship to the electorate, whom he described, as his employers.

    “The book is an account of my stewardship for eight years to my employers.

    Read Also: Sullivan Chime’s daughter set for the altar

    “It is a compendium of what we did in the governance of Enugu,” he said, adding that as compendium, it was not possible to cover all aspects.

    “It is not possible to cover all we did in eight years. It is only a summary of what we did in Enugu State.”

    He said that when he assumed office, “we promised a four-point agenda and we kept all the promises”.

    Chime pointed out that the greatest challenge when he assumed office in the state was insecurity, adding that people were then scared to come to the old regional capital.

    “We tackled the situation and today Enugu is one of the safest states in the country,” the former governor said.

    He cleared the rumour of strained relationship with incumbent governor, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, saying that he did not have issues with him.

    On why he did not complete some abandoned projects by his predecessor, Chime said that he did not believe in personalising projects.

    “You do not personalise projects. You come into government and look for projects that will benefit the people.

    “I developed Park Lane Hospital and ESUT which Nnamani started. We improved on it. Also Loma Linda or Maryland Estate which he did not complete, I concluded the project and made it viable.

    “Once you do not personalize projects, you won’t have issues as a leader.

    “You see, there is a difference between politics and governance. After politics, you engage people who can help you deliver or govern,” he said.

    Chime explained that he could not complete the International Conference Centre (ICC) because he could not get the design to complete it.

    “I could not get a copy of the design from the contractor. There is no record in the Ministry of Works or any related government office about the project. The contractor disappeared with it,”.

    The former governor said his greatest regret was that he did not have enough money to develop the state the way he wanted.

  • Sullivan Chime’s daughter set for the altar

    Sullivan Chime’s daughter set for the altar

    In days of yore, it was the preserve of soft sell magazines to break news of budding romances and dying ones. These days, the actors in a broken marriage break the news themselves via the social media.

    A few days ago, it was the turn of Ezinne, the fourth child of the former governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, to unveil the new love of her life to the public.

    Making the grand revelation on Instagram, the beautiful lady proudly displayed her engagement ring in a pose with her beau. The man in her life is none other than Ken Nnamani Jnr, son of former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani.

    Given the status of the families involved, there are speculations already that the wedding tagged KENZI2018 will feature grand and lavish displays of the political and financial might of two of Enugu’s elite families.

  • Former Enugu Speaker attributes popularity of APC to good governance

    Former Enugu Speaker attributes popularity of APC to good governance

    Former Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Chief Eugene Odo, says the growing popularity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state is a call for good governance.

    Odo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Monday that the current leadership style and quality in the state was inconsistent with what obtained in the past.

    He said that the leadership lacuna was so glaring that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state were joining the APC in their numbers.

    “Part of the reasons why we joined the APC is that with the level God has assisted us, I do not think the state government has anything to offer for now.

    “We do not want to show the difference between what is happening now and what happened in the past because the facts are glaring.

    “God has benefitted us and we should be in the vanguard of benefitting others. That is our mission in APC,” he said.

    The former speaker lauded residents of the state for embracing the APC, adding that with committed men and women, the state will go back to its former glory.

    He appealed to members of the party not to join issues with other political parties but to work assiduously in ensuring that APC won future elections in the state.

    “We should not be reactive to the threats from the PDP because they are confused.

    “Most importantly, there is nothing like PDP in Enugu again. What we have is a group of people that will soon be lumped into another party,” he said.

    Odo said that the party faithful in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area were working round the clock to make the APC formidable.

    “Our slogan and strategy is that any political appointee in the other parties must lose their polling booths during future elections and we are working towards that.

    “We thank God that the PDP is now history in Enugu State so whatever reaction coming from there is panic measure,” he said.

    He said that it was imperative that members of APC worked together to achieve its set goals.

    “We were thinking of how to develop and transform APC into a formidable party in the state when former Gov. Sullivan Chime joined us.

    “His presence has assisted us even in our respective local government areas because people who might not have taken some of us serious now know that we are powerful.

    “By the grace of God, APC will certainly take over the Government House in Enugu in 2019,” Odo said.

    NAN recalls that Odo, who led the state assembly for eight years as speaker joined the APC in January, 2017.

     

  • No APC member joined PDP in Enugu, says party chairman

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State says none of its members has joined any other political party in the last two years.

    The party said on Sunday that, on the contrary, it had become the new bride in the state as some members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and some others defected to its fold.
    The state Chairman of the party, Dr. Ben Nwoye, made the claim in Aguobu-Owa, Ezeagu Local Government Area of the state, when a former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in the state, Chief Joe Mmamel, defected to the APC from the PDP.
    According to Nwoye, the clarification had become necessary following a recent claim by the PDP that some APC members defected to its fold.

    NAN reports that the state PDP, at a recent zonal meeting in Awgu, announced the defection of 5,000 members of the APC into its fold.

    At the meeting, the defectors wielded brooms which they finally dropped and pledged allegiance to the PDP.
    Nwoye, however, claimed that the action was a panic measure adopted by the state PDP.

    “They have two factions; so, what happened there was phony – PDP members defecting between their factions.
    “There were no faces known to us as our members but we have real PDP members defecting to our party,” Nwoye said.
    Also reacting, a former governor of the state under the PDP, Mr Sullivan Chime, who now belongs to APC, said: “We need to tell our people the truth because the game of politics has changed.
    “When PDP was on ground, there was no other viable party in the state.
    “Other political parties always joined our campaign train but what we hear today is that some people were given brooms to declare for PDP.
    “Not a single person was identified as an APC member.”
    The former governor said that he declared for the APC in his ward, urging that whoever desired to change political party should not hide his identity.
    “I declared for APC publicly in my ward. Former Senate President, Dr Ken Nnamani, and some others did the same thing.’’
    Chime said that the APC had come to stay in the state.

     

  • Campaign fund: Chime has a case to answer – EFCC

    Campaign fund: Chime has a case to answer – EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday maintained that former governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, has a case to answer in relation to the N450million campaign funds he allegedly received from ex- Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison- Madueke.

    Chime, who recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for All Progressives Congress (APC), had declared at a news conference that he has no case to answer as far as the campaign money was concerned.

    But EFCC insisted that Chime is not yet out of the woods in the alleged misappropriation of the fund.

    Briefing journalists at the Enugu Press Centre, EFCC Head of Operations South East, Mr. Johnson Babalola, said Chime was far from being free from the commission’s hook, adding that the ex-governor “is still under our investigation.”

    Babalola said one Rita Mba and several other persons mentioned in the election campaign fund saga are also under investigation.

    “Chime is still under investigation. Criminal cases don’t have expiry date. The case is still not closed. Rita has the right to allege that we have compromised. I want to tell you that she too is still under investigation and I don’t want to say more than that about the case,” Babalola said.

     

  • APC will win Enugu in 2019 – Chime

    APC will win Enugu in 2019 – Chime

    Immediate past governor of Enugu State and former leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, Sullivan Chime Wednesday made it clear that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would win the 2019 elections in the state.

    He hinged his estimation on the fact that the party PDP was part of history in Enugu State.

    Chime, who spoke to journalists in Enugu, said it was unfortunate that the once vibrant PDP was now dead following the national leadership crisis that engulfed it as well the party’s inability to carry out its constitutional responsibilities for some time now.

    He expressed satisfaction over the defection of notable politicians to the APC in the south east zone of the country, saying he decided to join the party because the PDP has collapsed and could no longer carry them to their desired political destinations.

    The former governor disclosed that before he made the decision to join the APC, he consulted widely, adding that those who were in the position to know about his decision to defect to APC coming Saturday were informed.

    “PDP is now part of history in Enugu State; APC is the only viable national party. PDP is a party without leadership. APC is the party that can take any politician to his or her destination” he stated.

    Chime who reinstated that the PDP was no longer existing, said the party abandoned the rules that guided them hence the need for INEC to de-registered the party.

    He posited that the forthcoming election in Anambra State will teach the PDP a lesson, hinting that the party might not have candidates during the election.

    According to him, the PDP has been murdered and killed, saying because of the collapse of the party, it’s members including founding fathers have no choice than to leave to find better option.

    Shedding more light on why he left the PDP, the former governor said he has a lot of people who have a long way to travel in politics hence the need for him to show them the way.

    Chime further stated that he was happy that at the end of his eight year tenure as governor, representatives of the various zones came to his village to thank him over the way he governed Enugu State.

    He, however, expressed sadness that since he made the decision to join the APC, some people having been making efforts to bring him down through blackmail and falsehood.

    The former governor expressed regrets that the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu allegedly accused him of marginalizing the people of Aninri, his local Government council at an occasion.

    While dismissing the allegation, Chime said it was on record that he appointed some indigenges of Animri as permanent secretaries, adding that some also held various positions when he was governor