former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu gose to Court

The Court of Appeal, Abuja,  dismissed the appeal filed by former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, against his prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a unanimous judgment, the three-member panel resolved all the grounds of appeal in favour of the respondent and dismissed the appeal for lack of merit.

Kalu is facing a 107-count charge slammed against him and two others- Ude Jones Udeogu and Slok Nigeria Limited by the EFCC.

He is accused of laundering about N5 billion belonging to the state while serving as a governor.

Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal  High Court Abuja had ruled that the accused have a case to answer.

Dissatisfied, Kalu and Skok went to the court to challenge the ruling of the court.

They contended that they were arraigned on non-existent law and that the proof of evidence did not disclose a prima facie case against the appellants.

Kalu also challenged the jurisdiction of the court to prosecute him because he had earlier obtained an exparte order from an Abia State High Court which restrained the EFCC from arresting and prosecuting him.

Besides, he argued that the proof of evidence did not disclose prima facie case against him.

Justice Eko Ejembi, in the judgment, discountenanced the claims of the apellants.

He noted that the proof of evidence attached to the 97-count charge preferred against the appellants by the EFCC disclosed a prima facie case against them.

 According to him, the facts raised in the proof of evidence established a prima facie case against the appellants. He further said that as far as there is a link which prima facie is all about, the appellants had an obligation to stand trial to defend themselves.

He further ruled that the ex-parte order of May 31, 2007 by Abia State High Court, asking the Federal High Court to stay all proceedings against Orji was a racquet suit aimed at frustrating his arrest and subsequent prosecution

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Justices Kayode Bada and Regina Nwodo agreed with the judgment.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, yesterday dismissed the appeal filed by former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, against his prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a unanimous judgment, the three-member panel resolved all the grounds of appeal in favour of the respondent and dismissed the appeal for lack of merit.

Kalu is facing a 107-count charge slammed against him and two others- Ude Jones Udeogu and Slok Nigeria Limited by the EFCC.

He is accused of laundering about N5 billion belonging to the state while serving as a governor.

Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal  High Court Abuja had ruled that the accused have a case to answer.

Dissatisfied, Kalu and Skok went to the court to challenge the ruling of the court.

They contended that they were arraigned on non-existent law and that the proof of evidence did not disclose a prima facie case against the appellants.

Kalu also challenged the jurisdiction of the court to prosecute him because he had earlier obtained an exparte order from an Abia State High Court which restrained the EFCC from arresting and prosecuting him.

Besides, he argued that the proof of evidence did not disclose prima facie case against him.

Justice Eko Ejembi, in the judgment, discountenanced the claims of the apellants.

He noted that the proof of evidence attached to the 97-count charge preferred against the appellants by the EFCC disclosed a prima facie case against them.

 According to him, the facts raised in the proof of evidence established a prima facie case against the appellants. He further said that as far as there is a link which prima facie is all about, the appellants had an obligation to stand trial to defend themselves.  

He further ruled that the ex-parte order of May 31, 2007 by Abia State High Court, asking the Federal High Court to stay all proceedings against Orji was a racquet suit aimed at frustrating his arrest and subsequent prosecution.

“That order was an order at large, personal rather than definite. It was an order made as an ex-parte and not at the course of trial.” He described the ex-parte motion as an abuse of court process.

 Justice Eko affirmed that the claim of breach of personal freedom by Orji was sentimental in nature. “This claim borders on the realm of conspiracy theory and is politically motivated. Right to personal liberty is not absolute,” the judge stated.

Citing Section 16 and 17 of the Money Laundering and Prohibition Act (MLPA), 2003 and 2004, and  the EFCC Establishment Act, the court said it has the jurisdiction to hear the suit.

It added that “EFCC derives its competence to prosecute from section 6 and 7 of its Establishing Act. Equally, the definition of economic crime is quite wide,” the judge said.

Reacting, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, expressed satisfaction with the judgment. He noted that the Appeal Court ruling had vindicated his position that the Abia High Court order was intended to protect Kalu from prosecution and exposed the hollowness of the position of the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Andoakaa, that the order must be obeyed.

Justices Kayode Bada and Regina Nwodo agreed with the judgment.

Reagan Ufomba reveals more on OUK

Reagan Ufomba, the defeated apga candidate in the last governorship polls in Abia has called on EFCC to fast track the trail of the former governor of Abia state Orji Uzor Kalu. In widely circulated statement from his hideout as he is been trailed by the police over the money he borrowed for his campaign, said that he is amazed that EFCC is pretending about Kalu's case. According to Reagan, Kalu looted the funds of Abia during the eight years of misrule which plunged Abia into a debt of N28 billion.

The ogoni born politician who claims to be from Abia said that now a new chairman of EFCC is on board he should act on Kalu's case alongside ex governors so as to restore confidence in the operation of the agency. Reagan maintained that Kalu whose businesses are going down, should be treated like Ibori who is in jail now. Ufomba said that as a special assistant to Kalu during his tenure he is aware that Kalu bought printing machines for Abia Newspapers which later relocated to lagos to start the SUN Newspapers.

As he puts it, no matter how long it takes Kalu must go to jail. He lamented that Kalu and the mother made it impossible for Kalu's wife to act as first lady through their diabolical means which made the lady mad till date.

Insecurity: Okorocha pledges N1m to information volunteers

OWERRI— Following the high crime wave in Imo State, Governor Rochas Okorocha, yesterday announced donation of N1 million to anybody who volunteered useful information that could lead to the discovery of criminal hideouts and arrest of kidnappers and armed robbers in the state.
Governor Okorocha made the promise at a stakeholders forum.

The governor said he was embarrassed by the security situation in the state, and also announced that his administration will pay N.1 million to anybody who returned illegal firearm to security agencies.
“I am assuring everybody that willful return of pistols and AK 47 rifle would attract N50,000 and N200,000 respectively. This measure was part of government’s efforts to stem the tempo of youith involvement in serious crimes,” the governor said.

Okorocha said he would deposit N100 million in a commercial bank to kick-start the reward programme, stressing that classified information would be thoroughly investigated and treated confidentially.
He also decried  the rot going on in the traditional institution in the state, pointing out that a judicial panel of inquiry would soon be instituted to critically look into the records of serving royal fathers, with a view to flushing out those with questionable antecedents.
Speaking at the forum, Imo State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Benjamin Ahanonu Njemanze, appealed to Governor Rochas Okorocha to gear his efforts towards building industries that would absorb the teeming unemployed youths in the state.
“Government should think of building industries that will absorb our teeming unemployed youths instead of hotels. The bulk of the serious crimes the state is experiencing stems largely from unemployment,” the Chief Judge reasoned.

He recalled that his several jail delivery sessions in federal prisons, Owerri, revealed that a good number of those in jailed said they would not have gone into crime if they had meaningful means of livelihood.
He pleaded:  “The prison is extremely congested. It now houses a number of persons that is far above the designed capacity of about 500. Establishment of industries will do the magic instead of the hotels your administration is planning.”

Former Aides to OUK Commend the Appeal Court on its Ruling to Allow EFCC to Prosecute Him

Former aides of ex governor of Abia State Orji Uzor Kalu have commended the appeal court for quashing attempts by the former governor to stop his trial by EFCC. They include Chris Akomas, Reagan Ufomba, Chuka Odom, Lisa Akerele, Ikechukwu Ukaegbu , Ebere Nwachukwu and Stanley Ohajuruka. It will be recalled that Reagan Ufomba the embattled Ogoni man who claims to be an Abian had earlier last week prayed EFCC and the court to commence the trail of Kalu whom he is insisting looted Abia funds. 

The former aides who jointly issued a statement hailed the judgment of the appeal court which rejected Kalu's pleas that his trial be stopped based on flimsy excuses. According to them Kalu is on his way to jail. They stated that during the trail the world would see how Kalu looted Abia dry. They urged EFCC to ensure that Orji's mother Eunice Kalu and Nnanna Kalu are also tried alongside the ex governor.

The former aides said that their reason for taking this hard stance is due to the way Kalu used and dumped them. Akomas it was learnt is bitter that Kalu forced him to sell his house in Abuja to him (Kalu) during the last election, a situation that has made him financially down. Ohajuruka is not happy with Kalu for denying him PPA ticket while Ufomba is annoyed that Kalu has refused to bail him out from the huge debt on his head which has forced him into hiding.

Media Watch International condemns the SUN newspaper over biased reporting

A Non-Governmental Organization known as Media Watch International has condemned in strong terms the bias reporting of SUN newspapers on events happening in Abia State. Media Watch International based in the UK said that its surprised that SUN owned by ex Abia governor Kalu has thrown the ethics of journalism into the wind as its now practising blackmail journalism with special reference to Abia where the paper seems to see nothing good coming out from the state even when the money used in establishing the paper was stolen from Abia State when Kalu was governor. Media Watch says its surprised that the SUN did not report the appeal court ruling that EFCC should prosecute Kalu. It urged SUN to emulate Independent that reported the jailing of Ibori despite the fact that Ibori is the owner of Independent

OLD BENDE IN DIASPORA FORUM ISSUES 48 HR ULTIMATUM TO THE SSS TO REPORT DANIEL UBANI TO DANISH EMBASSY

Worried by the increasing number of fugitive NGWA PEOPLE, we are constrained to issue a 48 hour ultimatum to the government of Abia State to report Obioma Daniel Ubani to Danish Embassy in Nigeria or watch us take laws into our hands.

Obioma was accessory to and most of the kidnap incidents that happened within the Obingwa area of Abia State where he led a group of unscrupulous and dissident NGWA elements to cause hurt, untold hardship and untimely death of others.

At the heat of intervention by the Military, Obioma escaped through the help of notable NGWA politicians, though his family house and those of his immediate co – conspirators were torched. It was also gathered that this Abaribe's cousin was quickly sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu and some others to flee the country and invariably escape being brought to justice.

Obioma who currently resides in Denmark with personal phone number +49170237608 and email obi@ubani.info has been paid heavily by Abaribe and other authors of confusion to destabilize the government of Abia State, cause disaffection, rancor and acrimony amongst Igbos. He was basically directed to set up social network pages like Abia Awakening, Abia Tower and Abia Peoples Voice to achieve this purpose.

We as a people are committed to unity and can no longer watch this fugitive NGWA SON further truncate the peace in our State. He is either called to order, prosecuted for his involvement in kidnapping or we would be compelled to take justice to him.

Ojukwu’s successor: Ndigbo never sat down to elect a leader – Ngige

THE demise of Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu may have signalled the beginning of an era, given that the question of who succeeds him as Igbo leader would probably not be answered in a short while.
The manner in which he earned the Igbo leadership and the uneasy calm trailing the crowning of the leader of  Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazurike’s as Ijele Ndigbo, indicate that the last may not have been heard about who becomes the consensus Igbo leader.
Already, in a manner reminiscent of the controversy generated by the 1995 conferment of same title on Ojukwu, the installation of Uwazurike has stoked the fire to high heavens. To calm this brewing controversy, the traditional ruler of Agu-ukwu Nri, who gave him (MASSOB leader) the title, Eze Nri, Ezeobidiegwu Onyeso, had defended why Uwazurike was chosen as Ijele Ndigbo.
He had said: “The palace of Eze Nri Enwelana II is sad about the controversy trailing the conferment of a chieftaincy title on Chief Ralph Uwazurike and wishes to make it abundantly clear to all and sundry that he only conferred the chieftaincy title of Ijele Ndigbo on him.

Chief Raph Uwazuruike and Late Ojukwu

The palace regrets the unnecessary controversies and misinterpretation generated by the title, Ijele Ndigbo.”
Regardless of this apparent defence, it is believed that the debate on who steps into Ojukwu’s big shoes may have just begun. A former governor of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, acknowledged that the demise of the former head of state of the defunct Republic of Biafra, has opened another phase in Igbo political history. He conceded that Ojukwu’s death has created a leadership vacuum, but added that Igbos have never sat down to elect a general leader.
Ekwueme is the highest ranking Igbo leader—Ngige
Ngige submitted: “Ikemba’s demise has created a great vacuum in Igbo leadership. And you know that he became a leader through the circumstances of history, especially the January 1966 coup. The genocide and the pogrom that was unleashed on Igbo people threw Ikemba up. So the Igbos have never really sat down at any time to elect a leader.”
Touching on the belief in most quarters that there could be a successor among the crop of Igbo leaders, he said: “The highest political office holder in the land today is Dr. Alex Ekwueme, but if you ask people who is the highest Igbo leader now, they will tell you they don’t know. Ekwueme is the highest Igbo man that has held office in Nigeria. So, the death of Ikemba has kick-started another phase in Igbo nationalist struggle. I think that instead of talking about who fills the leadership vacuum, his death has opened a phase in Igbo history. It is meant for Igbo men to close ranks with one another. It is just like how Jesus Christ left his followers to carry on with his good works, the Igbos are left with a very good project. This affects the elite particularly. They should not relent to fight for justice, peace and equity in Nigeria.
“As far as I am concerned, I am ready to be part of the political army that will soldier on for Igbo unity. We will continue on the project of emancipation and protection of Igbo people that Ikemba started. Above all some of us are ready to continue with Ikemba’s project, we don’t need to be called leaders to do that.”
We are egalitarian without central leadership— Ezeife
For another former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, the question of who succeeds Ojukwu, should not be an issue. As far as he is concerned, the Igbo race has always been a republican society, without a central kingship.
He notes:  “In leadership, we have dynasty and dynastic succession. So, what office was Ojukwu holding before he died? Ojukwu was holding office in the minds of Ndigbo and not by election or appointment. Eze Igbo means king of Igbos, but he was not a king that orders his people around by way of control.
Igbo has no such leadership before Ojukwu died and now. On who will be his successor, the traditional ruler of any Igbo community has the right to confer any chieftaincy title on any body he deems fit. And the person has the right to receive it. It does not mean that giving any traditional title to any Igbo leader, means that the person is the king of the Igbo.
“Ojukwu’s leadership among Ndigbo was earned. And we know that Ojukwu is newsworthy and anything around him is newsworthy. So circumstances made Ojukwu leader in the mind of our people, otherwise the question of who succeeds him is a non-issue, because Igbos don’t have such central leaders. The Ijele Ndigbo, Eze Igbogburu or any  form of traditional title does not mean the king of Igbos.”
Contrary to the assumption in some quarters, that a successor had be selected, Ezeife explained that a new set of leaders would emerge for the unity of the Igbo race. But he was quick to add that such might not translate to a one man leadership for Ndigbo. His words: “Our people are egalitarian with a republican system. Leadership would emerge in a collegial way; it would not come in form of a one man leadership. It will be difficult for a one man leadership to emerge. What would emerge would be a group leadership, whose leadership qualities would bring about unity for our people.” Asked the  possibility of a consensus leader emerging from the present crop of Igbo leaders, Ezeife, said: “I don’t know leaders are created by followership. If our people decide to follow and listen to one particular person, that person becomes a leader. It is possible but like I told you, a body of leaders would emerge because we need it.”
Igbo nation before Ezeigbo controversy
The position of the two ex-governors appears to be in consonance with an Igbo adage, Igbo enwegi eze, which literally means that Igbos have no king or central leadership. A look into Igbo traditional history speaks volumes on this. The traditional Igbo political organisation is based on a quasi-democratic republican system of government. In tight knit communities, this system guaranteed its citizens equality, as opposed to a feudalist system with a king ruling over subjects.
This government system was witnessed by the Portuguese who first arrived and met with the Igbo people in the 15th century. With the exception of a few notable Igbo towns such as Onitsha, which had kings called Obi, and places like the Nri Kingdom and Arochukwu, which had priest kings, Igbo communities and area governments were overwhelmingly ruled solely by a republican consultative assembly of the common people. Communities were usually governed and administered by a council of elders. Although title holders were respected because of their accomplishments and capabilities, they were never revered as kings.

MASSOB plans Biafran state burial

Despite the state burial put together by the Federal Government in honour of the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) says it has commenced moves for a Biafran state burial.
National Director of Information of the movement, Mr. Uchenna Madu made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen in Enugu at the weekend. He disclosed that the leadership of MASSOB would soon meet to decide the date for the burial.
Madu, however, expressed regret that some disgruntled politicians denied MASSOB the opportunity to participate in the burial of Ojukwu. The MASSOB spokesman said, the movement decided to calm down because it wanted to avoid bloody confrontation that might disrupt existing peace.
He expressed happiness that the Nigerian government gave their late leader a state burial, but warned that the recognition had opened another chapter in the struggle for Biafra. He insisted that the state burial given to Ojukwu was a big boost to the MASSOB struggle, stressing that the wounds of the war was yet to be healed.
He stated that the state burial given to Ojukwu was a confirmation that Nigeria had recognised the late Igbo leader.

Ohanaeze warns Uwazuruike over comment on 2015 presidency

The Pan Igbo Cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has warned the leader of Movement for Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafran (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike to stop making utterances detrimental to the cause of Ndigbo.
Addressing journalists in Oraifite Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, the Director of Publicity, Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the Diaspora, Chief Louise Sunny Okafor, said Uwazuruike had no authority to speak for the Igbos concerning the presidency in 2015.
Okafor was reacting to a statement credited to Uwazuruike to the effect that he would support Igbo aspiration for 2015 only if President Goodluck Jonathan would not contest. He said Igbos would not compromise the presidency in 2015, pointing out that they decided to give Jonathan their support in the last presidential election on the understanding that 2015 should be for the Igbos.
He said while Ohanaeze commended the role played by President Jonathan in giving the late Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu a befitting burial, Igbos would not compromise the presidency in 2015.
On the schemes being made by some elites in the North for the presidency in 2015, the Ohanaeze spokesman said people should realize that the presidency was nobody’s birthright.
Okafor, who is also the publicity secretary for Ohanaeze, Lagos State said Uwazuruike’s leadership of MASSOB did not confer on him any authority to speak for the Igbos, especially on sensitive issue such as Igbo president.
On the title of Igbo leader conferred on Uwazuruike by the traditional ruler of Nri, Igwe Obidiegwu Onyeso, the Ohanaeze spokesman said it was a personal title, which had nothing to with Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
According to him, the only recognized authority to speak for Igbos was Ohanaeze Ndigbo and not MASSOB leader whose leadership was just for a segment of the Igbos. He advised all political parties in the country to ensure that they produce their presidential candidates from among the Igbos.

Uwazuruike using MASSOB to exploit Igbos, Biafran group alleges BY VINCENT UJUMADU

AWKA- ANOTHER  group agitating for the actualization of Biafra, the Biafra Zionist Movement, yesterday accused leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, of exploiting Igbos and misleading them in the name of championing the struggle for the actualization of Biafra Republic.
Leader of the group, Mr. Benjamin Onwuka, who addressed newsmen with members of his group, said MASSOB had been cashing in on the ignorance of the people and using the struggle for the Biafra Republic to make money for themselves.
According to him, Uwazuruike knows that he is not going about the struggle the right way that would lead to the actualization of the new republic.
He  added that the right thing to do was to get the international community to support the struggle, which his group was doing.
He said:  “We must get the support of the United States of America to be able to undermine the United Kingdom who do not want us to be free, and as I talk to you now, the process is in place”.
There is no way you can split an oil producing nation without the knowledge of the USA, this is a country that buys more oil from Nigeria than we consume.
“We cannot divide this country without being in the foreign media and making the USA see reasons why they should support our secession bid”, he said.
But the Director of Information of MASSOB, Mr. Uchenna Madu, who reacted to Onwuka’s allegation, accused the group of being sponsored by government to cause confusion among the Igbo.
He said MASSOB remained the foremost organization working for the actualization of Biafra, adding, however, that his group would not stop any organization with genuine intentions for the support of the cause.
Madu said:  “MASSOB represents the most genuine interest of Ndigbo and has maintained consistency in the hands of the Nigerian government persecutions, torture, detention, imprisonment.
“Uwazuruike has paid a lot sacrifices for the sake of Ndigbo. He has no match. Agitations are not done on pages of newspapers. Ndigbo should ignore Onwuka and his group because they are looking for cheap popularity.”

Radio Biafra London back on air

 

Radio Biafra London (RBL), which went off air two years ago, will on Saturday resume broadcasting.
A member of the Editorial Board of the station, Dr. Luke Chukwuma Egemba, who confirmed this to TRUE IGBO NEWS over the telephone, disclosed that the ugly situations back home informed the decision to resuscitate the station, which would broadcast twice a week on 11870 kHz Frequency on the shortwave band from its London studio to all African countries with concentrated footprint in Nigeria.

Egemba said the radio station went off air due to some logistic problems, which the promoters had now put behind them.
According to him, “listeners in the greater London area can tune into 94.3FM at the same time whilst those outside London and elsewhere in the world can follow the programme online by visiting www.radiobiafralondon.com and clicking on the daily broadcast play button.”
He said RBL was a public service broadcast station that would serve as the eyes, ears and voice for millions of dispossessed, disenfranchised, abandoned and oppressed people of various ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.

Also, the Director of Radio Biafra London, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu in a statement said the reason for the resuscitation of the radio station was to “set a largely misinformed public free from the twin evil of tyrannical rule of a cabal of ill-educated and institutionally corrupt men and women and the sponsored sectarian killings directed against Christian southerners living in northern Nigeria by terrorists.”

Kanu promised that the Radio Biafra would also try to “articulate a solution to the plight of impoverished and confused Igbo families abandoned by their leaders in northern Nigeria to a fate worse than those endured by black slaves in plantations in the Americas.”
He said the radio would use and deploy every available resource to campaign for the rights of all oppressed indigenous peoples of southern Nigeria to determine how they wish to structure their societies and live their lives.
“Radio Biafra London will broadcast debates on issues of national and international importance affecting the lives and rights of the indigenous peoples of Biafra and indeed indigenous people of all ethnic persuasions in Nigeria,” he said.

Rochas Okorocha’s flat tyre Written by Sam Asoluka

When Governor Rochas Okorocha came to power in Imo State last year, Imo people heaved a sigh of relief. Everybody including school children jumped for joy that finally, a ‘messiah’ has arrived. That life in the state will change for good. But some of us cautioned because Imo State has not been lucky in ‘choosing’ who governs them.

This line of argument is based on the verifiable fact that the State has never had a good leader with the exception of Chief Sam Mbakwe of the blessed memory.

Almost one year in office, all we hear is ‘Rochas is doing well’ in Imo State. The truth is there is little or nothing to show for his ‘doing well’. Development Proposals and the renaming of Assets are not signs of ‘doing well’. Anybody can make Proposals or re-name State assets given the opportunity. I am not discounting some patchy efforts that litter the state.

The truth is that Imo has not been touched by the present government if you equate the development on ground with the euphoria that greeted the governor’s victory last year.

Like his predecessor, Chief Okorocha knows how to work the media to achieve maximum effect. He has made some pronouncements in the right places including motor parks and got boundless publicity. But the reality is that his administration has not done much in the last one year. And looking back, one could say that Governor Okorocha’s handlers over-reached themselves in the minds of Imo people.

Now the undoing of chief Okorocha’s government is here. It is the 4th Tier Government he is rushing to put in place in our villages. Rather than conduct Local Government Elections as stipulated by the Constitution and once more test his popularity, the governor has abandoned his duty post and gone to the villages to tap palm-wine and play draughts with political sycophants.

Governor Okorocha’s 4th Tier is a flat tyre. Firstly, the space is already occupied. The Media is the 4th Tier in a democratic society and the idea is not well thought out. It is like his predecessor’s Autonomous Community bazaar which has only succeeded in creating disaffection and made Imo Communities litigious.

However, Imo people are daily becoming aware of the reality and the danger in dissipating the State Towns Unions in the name of illusory 4th Tier government.  “Igbo, particularly Imo people love innovative ideas, but any innovation that creeps into their family or village life is bound to fail. Owelle Rochas’s 4th Tier government is a political gimmick. He knows the idea will not fly. He pulled a fast one and today people are talking about an issue that is unworkable or dead on arrival instead of how to move the state forward. The 4th Tier Government is bogus, diversionary and imperils Imo village life.

The Town Unions should call his bluff and protest openly for the governor’s inability to conduct Local Government Elections in the state after one year in office. The Town Unions should also ask him what he has been doing with the millions in Statutory Allocation the Federal government has been pouring into the Local Government Councils in the State since he came to power.

The N2million each he promised the Town Unions after their elections is an insult. Who keeps the balance of the Local Government Statutory Allocation and more important too, is he going to pay the N2million monthly to the Town Unions or is it a one off payment?

The important roles Town Unions play in Imo State in particular and Igbo land in general cannot be over-emphasised. Their functions are many and varied depending on their locality. But the dissolution of the Unions by the governor by mere pronouncement as if they were his creation erroneously suggests that the villagers are rubbish and one measure fits all for the Unions.

Town Unions know their members by their first names and serve as bulwarks for their members’ families anytime any day. And for those who do not know, Town Unions, Religion, Rangers International FC just to mention but a few were the ‘machines’ that  kept Ndigbo trudging at the end of Biafra/Nigeria civil war.

Truly some of these ‘machines’ have diminished since the end of the civil war but the Town Unions have remained resilient, resolute, local but global in their outlook. It is also important to mention here that Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Owerri was built thanks to the organisational acumen of the Town Unions of Old Imo State.

Imo People were able then to build their own Airport because the Town Unions were non partisan and deep rooted in their various village activities. Above all, the Unions were run by unremunerated but highly committed apolitical people. The Town Unions mobilised and encouraged Imo sons and daughters to pay the Airport levy to their respective branch where they reside. The levies were then remitted to Central Town Unions in the villages from where they were paid into the Imo Airport Committee Bank Accounts. The Town Unions knew those who did not pay the Airport levy.

Town Unions also function like insurance especially for poor Igbo who live in cities in Nigeria where people have little or no confidence in insurance companies. In Town Unions, people pull their resources together and get some kind of benefit in good and bad times. In case of death, Town Unions help in ferrying the body of their dead member’s home, participate actively in their Members Events like Christening (naming), Marriage and other Ceremonies which Governor Rochas Okorocha’s 4th Tier Government cannot do.

It is also important to point out here that the Town Unions Governor Okorocha claimed he has dissolved have branches outside Imo State and in other states in Nigeria. Some even have branches in the US, Europe and Asia where the governor cannot reach nor have the power to dissolve. To maintain their political neutrality, the branches could decide not to have anything whatsoever to do with Governor Rochas Okorocha’s elected leaders in their respective villages. The consequence if they choose this line of action is as good as mine.

Now, why is it that, unlike in other parts of Igbo land, Imo State people give in to excessive control by individuals and organisations in various layers of Authority. For example, if your loved one dies in the state today, the churches bulldoze themselves in to tell you when and how to bury him or her.

Governments of all shades bully the citizens too.  And if Governor Okorocha succeeds in destroying the Town Unions, he will move on to take control of the Imo Women’s Yearly August meeting, our bedrooms and finally the number of children each and every one of us is allowed to have in our respective villages. I hope the governor has dissolved also Association of Imo Town Unions in Lagos.

As Governor Okorocha has wagged the tails of the Town Unions, they should not let him run away with his own tail between his legs. They should come together now as a matter of urgency and form a Union in their respective Local Governments to look into how the Statutory Allocations to their Councils are spent as Federal Allocations are basically Town Union Funds and not fund the governor can dip his hands into willy-nilly.

Gov Rochas Okorocha was booed today at the Secretariat in Imo State

Hmm. I was minding my business today when an Imolite reached out to me via messenger.  Her first line was … “Your Uncle was booed today at the Secretariat“.   “Uncle” ofcourse being Governor Rochas Okorocha. LWKMD. You people should  free me abeg!

Anyway, so back to the gist. She goes to spill details of the Governor’s ordeal in the hands of unhappy civil servants at the Secretariat today. Not sure how many of you read the last Press Release from the Government House where Gov.Okorocha explained the need to redeploy workers to the rural areas.  It was at that meeting that all hell broke loose.  The whole place erupted in loud booing. Infact, it was similar to the booing Abia State Governor T.A Orji received in Aba not too long ago.

In her own words :

“The  (edited) man said he wants to downsize ministries. That each ministry should have just 100 staff. Government House 100 and very big ministries maybe 200….. so he went there to address them and he was booed close to tears.  My husband was there live. He said shame leave Rochas catch am. 

She continued….

That news made my day ! Atleast, his mesmerizing jazz don dey wear off. Nne m, I no fit happy. No sympathy for him.  They said he couldn’t even address them again because the booing was “one in town“. He left there and went and cancelled all other appointments. Went straight to the airport and off to Abuja. 

Then she ends the transmission with….

“Onwebeghi ihe ohuru! Ubua ka wu ututu ya! 

umu nne m, but why?

What did nna anyi ukwu do to deserve this sort of embarrassment? Is that how we are going to treat a Governor who for starters, has promised to give our children FREE EDUCATION to University level? Look around you and see how the whole place has changed under his Administration. Is it not convincing enough that he means well?

OKOROCHA WHERE ARE THE JOBS IN IMO STATE By Kenneth Uwadi

 


The Supreme Court has given its judgment on the Imo State gubernatorial election petition and OwelleRochasOkorocha is still the occupant of Douglas House Owerri.The Supreme Court had upheld Okorocha's election upon the technical claim that the appeal elapsed the required 60 days as provided by the law.The governor and his cronies celebrated the Supreme Court victory .They shouted in boyish delight, popped Champaign bottles and danced in government House Owerri. In hoarse macho voices, they sang victory songs.
In his victory speech, our governor jumped up, boxed in and 'talk the talk' about how he is making Imo State an El Dorado and described his victory as a victory for democracy and a victory for Imo people. He banged his fist on the table and beat his chest about how he is making Imo State a model State and asked critics to give him a breathing space to work. He lambasted critics saying that they are sponsored to paint his administration black. ''If they have some criticisms why don't they watch me for four years'', he said.
I have been smiling many, many times ever since I heard this information .For me it is good governance that I am fighting for. My interest is human progress and the progress of Imo people. The wake-up call to vigilance cannot come at a better time than now. Every high profile public servant is like a gold fish. He has no hiding place. His actions will be scrutinized every minute. Like Dr EmenikeNwankwo once said “ Our duty is not to support Okorocha the man no matter what. Our duty is to support what is good for Imo people .If he moves along the line of making Imo what we expect, we will give him our full support''.
Okorocha cannot claim good governance when he is not creating jobs.He should not expect praise when he is sending the people out of jobs. Imo State unemployment rate is high. Thousands of Imolites are willing to work but are not employed.Unemployment is the number one issue in Imo state today. In an SP poll, 89 percent of Imo citizens cited unemployment as the state's most important problem. Imo people need jobs. That is how they can put food on the table. Every day, thousands of our unemployed brothers and sisters , including those who lost their jobs due to the sack of the 10,000 jobs, scan the pages of newspapers and websites for job advertisements. Why can't we create jobs in Imo State ? Unemployed graduates, unemployed construction workers, unemployed engineers, unemployed teachers, unemployed security guards, unemployed cooks, unemployed waiters and those desperate for a job in Imo can no longer wait. Job is number one priority in Imo State and Okorocha cannot continue to confuse Imo people with some false claims and abracadabra.The question remains where are the jobs in Imo State?
He should stop being over desperate for people's applause and give the people jobs. He sacked the beneficiaries of the 10,000 jobs. Heshould recall the sacked 10,000 legally employed civil servants in Imo state.His inability to create jobs for Imo youths is unacceptable. We want to know how many graduates in Imo State owe their jobs to his efforts. We want to know what new facilities are underway to serve as a job base for the people of Imo State.We what to see him build industries, schools, bridges, water systems, electricity networks and other projects in our LGA's that facilitate job creation.We want to see him build good roads in our LGA's not the coal tar that he is pouring on sand inOwerri in the name of roads
He should stop making unimaginable promises that we know he cannot fulfill . He should stop the window dressing to attract undeservedapplause.He said he will give scholarship of N25,000.00 per annum to every primary school pupil in the state; N40,000.00 scholarship to every secondary school student in the state; N60,000 scholarship for every OND student of the state Polytechnic; N80,000.00 scholarship per annum for every HND student and N100,000.00 scholarship for every Imo State indigene studying at the Imo state University in addition to receiving tuition free.
According to a Professor at Imo State University, out of over 35,000 student enrolment at the Imo State University, about 31,500 are indigenes of Imo State. It will cost the state about N3.5 billion to offer scholarship to the University students as proposed; N416 million for Polytechnic students; and N21 billion for primary and secondary school students, each year.This comes to about N24.9 billion per annum. The average annual income of the state is N 34 billion. Can you see the abracadabra? How will he sustain the free education? Why does he believe that Imo people are this daft?
We are not comfortable with the directive that the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Imo State should engage in commercial activities in order to generate their salaries and allowances. Subventions to the MDAs in Imo state have been completely withdrawn which has resulted to over taxing of Imo people. Imo government now churns out multiple taxation and harsh levies on Imo citizens using indecent task forces and unethical conducts
We are not comfortable thatOkorocha has not paid Imo State Civil servants the so-called N20, 000 minimum wage. My sources told me that Imo Civil servants are receiving only N11,000 salary for grade level one.Imo workers are afraid to voice out this truth for fear of victimization. We have not seen any movement by Labour Union in Imo State to address the challenges faced by workers in the state. This is totally unfair and shows that Labour in Imo State has no sense of concern about the plights of workers in the state. Itshould pain and worry NLC in Imo state that workers are hurting.
We are not comfortable that he has not redeemed his N100million development fund to each of the LGAs in Imo. What about the N1billion that he also promised to each of the LGAs? He has so far not redeemed these pledges to the LGA's. Where will he even get the money from? Was it budgeted for? He talks too loudly and too often without fulfillment.
We are not comfortable that no development is happening in over 90 percent of Imo State Councils. Why are our LGA funds held hostage and why are we deprived the opportunity to function democratically at the grassroots? Why can't we have council election in Imo State? Why must we be deceiving Imo people every month about the allocation given to LGA's. Do the LGA's really receive the advertised amount? He should conduct council election.Who is fooling who? Save us o' God.
Kenneth Uwadi,Mmahu-Egbema,ImoState,Nigeria