Prof Damian Uzoukwu has chided Okigwe zone for demanding the position of Eze Imo, describing it as not only an attempt to blackmail Governor Hope Uzodinma but an exercise in futility.
He said this while reacting to a newspaper publications by Okigwe Leaders Assembly.
According to him, the zone lacks the moral ground to make what he tagged frivolous claim when the positions of Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Minister of Education and Secretary to the State Government respectively were ceded to them.
Uzoukwu, an Ihube Okigwe born Professor of Political Science recalled that under Senator Evan Enwerem as Governor, the seat of Eze Imo was first occupied by HRH Eze Osondu Osu, an Okigwe zone indigene.
He regretted that some uniformed desperate elements were doing everything possible to present Okigwe zone as ingrate to the Governor’s benevolence, and warned any person making statement that can’t be substantiated to desist or face the wrath of the law.
According to him, it is absurd and unfair for anyone to lay claim to the position of Eze Imo after Okigwe zone, through HRM Eze Osondu Osu, Orlu zone, HRM Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, and Owerri Zone, HRM Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri respectively had served out their tenures on behalf of the three zones.
Prof Uzoukwu further maintained that having occupied the number one Traditional stool in the state by the zones, it remains the constitutional discretion of Governor Uzodinma to appoint anyone deemed qualified as Chairman of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers irrespective of zone.
The Okigwe zone born Varsity don therefore warned traditional rulers hiding under the media to cast aspersions against Governor Uzodinma’s decision to stop or be exposed, saying that since the Ezes were not expected to play partisan politics, there was need for them to rally round the Governor’s choice.
While charging Traditional rulers in the state to support the 3Rs mantra of the present administration in the state, also admonished them to abstain from making uncomplimentary statement capable of inciting the public for the good of the state.
Meanwhile, an interview with some notable Traditional Rulers across the three zones of the state by our reporter to ascertain the minds of the people on the development showed that a good number of them were in support of the appointment of HRH Eze Emmanuel Okeke of Amaifeke as Chairman of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers.
In Owerri zone, some renowned monarchs led by the Owerri zonal Chairman of Traditional Rulers threw their weight behind the Governor’s choice of Eze Okeke, adding that any attempt to discredit Governor Uzodinma by mischief makers would be highly resisted.
The governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, has disclosed that the newly formed Ebube Agu security outfit for the South-East region is not an alternative to the police, army and other federal government established security outfits.
The governor in a statement
issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Oguwike Nwachuku, said that Ebube Agu is
but “a local outfit meant to gather information on criminal activities and give
to the security operatives for proper processing and action.”
He identified youth
unemployment and ethnic mistrust as the main root of criminality in Nigeria in
particular and Africa in general.
The statement identified
idleness as the reason fueling criminality and insecurity in Nigeria.
The statement identified the
governor as saying “his Government is working assiduously to resuscitate the
state moribund industries in Imo by entering into Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) with a seasoned private consulting firm, for the purpose of providing
jobs for the Imo teeming youths to keep them away from crime.
“On the birth of security
outfit for the South-East Geo-political zone codenamed EBUBEAGU, the Governor
informed that it is not an alternative to the established security agencies
such as Police, Army, Air Force, Navy, NSCDC, etc, but a local outfit meant to
gather information on criminal activities and give to the security operatives
for proper processing and action.
“They are to play
complimentary roles on the efforts of the Federal Government and Security
Agencies, knowing full well that a threat to security anywhere in the country
is a threat to security everywhere in the country.
“Governor Uzodimma used the
occasion to reiterate his stand that the security breaches in the South-East
recently do not in anyway suggest that Ndigbo are tired of been in Nigeria.
Rather, all we want is justice, equity and fairness in a big Nigeria family.”
The above is the caption of a response from the Imo State Government through the Commissioner for Information and Strategy,
Declan Emelumba in reaction to the
harmless advice from Distinguished
Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu over salary cuts and pension matters in the
state.
Distinguished Senator Anyanwu had called on the APC
led Government in the state to look beyond road rehabilitation, and address
issues bordering on salary cuts and pension in the state.
Regrettably, instead of the Government to accept the
advice in good faith and address the issues raised expeditiously having come
from a man who doesn’t mean bad to the Government, she decided to resort to the
use of guitar language in a matter of public importance.
Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, while
defending the indefensible APC Government accused Senator Anyanwu of being
steamed in opposition paranoid, and as such, ought to have known that
government is not owing any staff.
Reading through the denials of Declan Emelumba, one
therefore wonders why the state Government smartly dodged the question, “Is
there any salary cuts on monthly basis?” before telling the public how many
civil servants received their wage.
Against this backdrop, Distinguished Senator Samuel
Nnaemeka Anyanwu (Samdaddy) has been on the news for positive advice, and
constructive analytical CRITICISMS
across board.
One had expected the state Government to commend
Senator Anyanwu for letting her know where she fails in the delivery of her
campaign promises, rather than attacking him.
In as much as Senator Anyanwu respects Government
and her managers having seen it all, he cannot fold his hands and watch Imo
civil servants and pensioners molested, intimidated, and treated badly by any
government or individual no matter his relationship with such person.
More so, as a Commissioner for Information and
Government Chief image maker, Declan Emelumba ought to have avoided the use of
guitar language in addressing salient issues as the one above in a bid to
divert attention.
It is regrettable to note that the government is in
the habit of commending anyone who
sycophantly applauds her, and insults whoever that does not believe in her
philosophy.
However, we consider this diatribe and poorly
dispensed response as most unfortunate and unreasonable to the constructive
approach used by Dist. Senator Anyanwu on the aforementioned subject matter.
However, it is the duty of the Government in power
to put their records straight before hand, especially, when it has to do with
salary and pension payments.
Notably, Distinguished Senator Anyanwu deserves an
unreserved apology from Emelumba and the state government because, it is trite
to say, beyond party affiliation, he has been very objective in all things he
has been saying and/or contributing towards the development of a better
society.
The questions are; are salaries of civil servants in the state not cut up to N30, 000 every month? If so, where is the money going to, and when will government pay back the money deducted from salaries?
Former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha has called on the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma to look for
better projects to carry out as the sitting Governor of Imo State instead of
re-commissioning the projects he did and commissioned while on seat as
Governor.
This is even as he accused the Governor of owing
over N150B domestic debt within one year he has held sway as the Imo State
Governor.
In a release signed by Okorocha’s Adviser on media,
Sam Onwuemedo and made available to Lead, the former Governor, appealed with
his successor to look inwards and look for projects to carryout in Imo instead
commissioning the projects he did and commissioned while on seat as the
Governor in the state.
Governor Hope Uzodinma had last Friday commissioned
and renamed the popular Akachi Road to Evans
Enwerem Road through the Senate President
Lawan.
Reacting to the commissioning, Okorocha said that
the said Road was one of the major roads constructed and commissioned by his
administration in 2011 and wondered why Uzodinma should however claim the
construction.
Okorocha however made it clear that the essence of raising the alarm is to stop the Governor from further claiming by way of commissioning over one thousand projects his administration did while on seat as the Governor.