The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Umahi

  • Salary: Umahi’s no-cash claim is a lie, says APC

    Salary: Umahi’s no-cash claim is a lie, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State has faulted the state government’s claim of paucity of funds as reasons for its inability to pay workers.

    Governor Dave Umahi had at different fora, blamed his administration’s inability to pay two months’ salary arrears on paucity of funds.

    But the APC, in a statement by its Chairman, Nwachukwu Eze, alleged that the state received N4.6 billion as its share of President Muhammadu Buhari’s bailout fund to states.

    His words: “Since its inauguration, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government, which promised to fulfil a “Divine Mandate” to the Ebonyi masses, has shown anything but live up to its bogus mission.

    “First, President Muhamnadu Buhari approved N720 billion bailout fund, exclusively for the payment of back-log of salaries, of which Ebonyi reportedly received N4.6 billion.

    “Our party is also aware that the state received other funds remitted by the APC-led Federal Government, which according to reports, covered funds spent by the last administration on road construction.

    “We find it ridiculous therefore when the same government continues to brain-wash the people with the tonic cocktail that there is no money, even to pay civil servants that had never been owed.

    “The governor should pay workers the 100 per cent minimum wage he promised during his campaign rather than his ridiculous attempt to cut their existing salary table.

    “The APC in Ebonyi State gives him a 48 hour-ultimatum to either pay workers or resign from office.

    “We disapprove of the N6 million annual stipend for the wife of the governor as Chairperson of Women Development Centre (WDC), in addition to other remunerations by the House of Assembly amidst the terrible hunger that is ravaging the state.

    “With the foregoing therefore, it is safe to conclude that the masses have lost confidence in Umahis’s leadership in just less than two months. The people are surprised that the government, which claimed to have excess power, has brought them excess hunger”.

  • Ebonyi APC condemns appointment of CJ’s wife into Umahi’s Exco

    The Ebonyi State All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the appointment of the wife of the Chief Judge (CJ), Mrs Lilian Nwankwo, as the Sole Administrator of the state’s Local Government Service Commission.

    In a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting and signed by its Acting Chairman, Pastor Eze Nwachukwu Eze and Publicity Secretary, Ngaji Nwodo, the party noted that such appointment would have effect on the Judiciary.

    According to the communiqué, the APC noted the unpreparedness of the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration for good leadership, as demonstrated by its policies and administrative summersaults, including vindictiveness.

    It said: “This shows that it is not only lacking in focus and ideas but it is also not the type of government Ebonyi residents are yearning for.”

    APC pledged to build one indivisible, indissoluble and united front to win future elections in the state.

    It said: “To achieve this, the meeting advised that all known internal wrangling and cleavages – wherever they had existed – should be eradicated to ensure that the APC wins all future elections, especially the governorship election.

    The party expressed appreciation for its optimum growth, as recorded by the recent influx of members of other parties into its fold.

    APC said: “The new members would be accorded equal rights and opportunities, as provided for in the party’s constitution.”

    But PDP’s State Chairman Joseph Onwe noted that APC’s criticism of Mrs Nwankwo’s appointment was political.

    He said: “The appointment has nothing to do with the Judiciary, as the Chief Judge’s wife is neither a judge nor a member of the Judiciary.”

    The PDP chairman said she would not meddle in the affairs of the Judiciary.

    Onwe said the policies of the state government under the PDP were aimed at developing the state and bringing democratic dividends to the people.

    He said: “Other states are applying the same policies because they are aimed at reducing the costs of governance and bringing development to the people.”

  • Umahi sacks council chairmen, re-presents appropriation bill

    Umahi sacks council chairmen, re-presents appropriation bill

    Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi has sacked the 13 Caretaker Committee chairmen and 64 Development Centre coordinators appointed by former governor Martin Elechi.

    The Governor, who announced their sack while re-presenting the 2015 appropriation bill at the House of Assembly said all appointments made in the local government areas, would cease to exist by end of June.

    The House of Assembly had before now, invited the chairmen and coordinators to account for funds received in the last few months.

    On the re-presentation of the 2015 appropriation bill, Umahi said his administration decided to re-present the budget following the current economic realities which the former budget did not capture.

    The budget, which dropped to N75.8 billion from N80 billion represents 11 per cent drop with the recurrent expenditure standing at N37.7 billion while capital expenditure stands at N38.8 billion.

    Governor Obiano also said his administration would reduce the number of ministries, parastatals and boards to cut the cost of governance.

     

  • Tribunal denies Umahi’s joint materials inspection request

    Tribunal denies Umahi’s joint materials inspection request

    The governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Thursday rejected a motion for joint inspection of electoral materials used to conduct the 2015 gubernatorial election in the state brought by the counsel to Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi.

    The tribunal however ordered separate inspection of electoral materials by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Chief Dave Umahi who was declared winner in the April 11 election and his Labour Party counterpart, Chief Edward Nkwegu, their counsel or any forensic expert retained by them to inspect, scan and take copies of electoral materials used in the election.

    This followed the opposition of joint inspection of the materials by counsel to Chief Nkwegu, Chuma Ajaegbu as prayed by the counsel to Chief Dave Umahi, Roy Umahi who requested for the joint inspection of the electoral materials by the two parties.

    Ajaegbu said that he was not opposed to the motion brought before the tribunal by Roy Umahi for the inspection of the materials as it is his right to do so.

    He, however, contended that allowing both parties to inspect the materials jointly will make the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to frustrate the exercise.

    ‘’We are not opposed to the granting of all the orders to inspect electoral materials used in the governorship election as was granted to us to the first petitioner, it is his entitlement but we are worried about the request for joint inspection.

    ‘’If there is an order for joint inspection, once it is made, the INEC through which that order is directed to can frustrate us once one of the parties is not present and any party can make the mater worst by not showing up but if there are separate orders made, INEC administratively can harmonize things and give us a date to come for the inspection so that if one party does not come or any of the parties are not present the inspection can go on,’’ he said.

    On his part, Roy Umahi noted that all he wanted is for the granting of his prayer to inspect the electoral materials as done to his counterpart, Ajaegbu, even though the tribunal did not make it jointly as he requested.

    In her ruling, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Theresa Ikoje ordered INEC to conduct separate inspection of the materials used in the governorship election.

    Justice Ikoje urged INEC to harmonize things to ensure success of the exercise and reminded the two parties to be time conscious.

     

    He noted that forty one days has already been spent on the petition remaining only 139 days for the tribunal to conclude sitting on the petition brought before it.

  • Umahi denies involvement in freezing accounts

    Umahi denies involvement in freezing accounts

    Ebonyi State Deputy Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Dave Umahi, has denied a rumour that he was behind the freezing of the state’s accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    He said the report was unfounded and tailored to paint the candidate in a bad light.

    EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) are reportedly investigating the state government’s finances.

    An aide to Umahi and the Director, Media and Publicity of his Divine Mandate Campaign Organisation, Abia Onyike, said the anti-graft agencies had the constitutional duties of checking corrupt practices at all levels of government.

    He stressed that the reported freezing of local governments accounts and the inability of the government to pay the salaries of local government workers could not have been caused by Umahi or his supporters.

    Onyike said the freezing of council’s accounts and finances should not be a reason for the non-payment of workers’ salaries.

    He said: “There has always been a standing rule, which stipulates that workers’ payment should be set aside during such exercise. The banks involved in the exercise have been directed to ensure that workers’ salaries are paid as and when due.”

    Onyike urged workers to find out the true position of things from the banks.