OKOROCHA'S LGA TOURS AND IMO LAWMAKERS------ BY HENRY EKPE (08036695810)

When the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha commenced the
Tour of the twenty seven Local Government Areas in the State with a
visit to Ngor Okpala , nobody envisaged that the visits and town Hall
meetings with the people would open a can of worm that will remain
indelible in minds Imo populace.

Today, a harmless working tour by the Chief Executive of the state to
rapour with the masses and also take a look at the projects his
administration sited in such LGAs, has opened the underbelly of the
present crop of politicians that populate the Imo legislature.
Rather than the Okorocha visits turn a celebration for the masses, it
has become a journey of revelation and regrets on how the politicians
the various constituencies sent to the Imo House of Assembly to fight
for their political dividends have got to Owerri and turned to
contractors, enmeshing themselves in easy lucre, leaving the men and
women who stood in the sun for hours to vote for them, to remain in
squalor in the villages.

I had reported the activities of Imo House of Assembly from 2000 to
2009 as a Journalist, but in the history of the state legislature, I
have never seen such set of "Lawmakers".
The current Imo Lawmakers lack maturity and conduct. They have no
focus and vision. There is no comparism between them and their
predecessors, right from 1999 till date.
The Okorocha LGA visit threw up in the open, what many people had
known all these while, but were being whispered in their homes.
It was a shame that in each of the stops, Okorocha was able to confirm
that the current Imo lawmakers are an extension of his Executive, who
give and execute contracts. The Governor openly lampooned Lawmakers
for dabbling into contract executions, and even ordered for the arrest
of some Imo Lawmakers.

It was even more incredible that the Peoples Representatives, who
ought to disturb the Executive arm of the Government to site projects
that will improve the poor conditions of their constituents, were
being accused by the Governor of pocketing money meant for the
improvement of infrastructure in their LGAs nay constituencies.
From the revelations coming out from the Okorocha's tour, this set of
lawmakers cannot be trusted to deliver and cannot bite because they
have compromised their offices by allowing the Executive, another arm
of Government, to dictate its pace, when it should be the job of the
Legislature to monitor the Executive.
No wonder, the present Imo state has turned to a private Estate of an
individual, because checks and balances have fled through the window,
because Imo lawmakers are now lame Ducks and cannot carry out
over-sight factions.
Let me state here that even though the past legislators in the state
may not pass a transparency test, over inducements from the Executive
to dance to its tunes, but whatever transpired then between the
Legislature and Executive was done in the dark, which left the
populace guessing. But Okorocha has broken the "Nsukpe Coconut", as it
was never heard before where a contractor will in an open meeting
point at a lawmaker, accuse him or her of asking for "kick-back'
before a contract was executed.

One contractor was bold enough to confess that he used part of
contract fund given to him to roof a house belonging to an Imo
lawmaker.
What these lawmakers forget is that the electorate have the right to
recall any lawmaker who gets to Owerri and thinks he is there only for
himself and family.
In the first place, lawmakers have their jobs out-lined for them;
which is lawmaking. Therefore, in a right clime, it is a
constitutional breach for any legislator to engage in contract Award
or execution.
Instead, it is the duty of the Executive to budget funds, while the
legislature appropriates the projects, which is then put across to the
Executive again to sign into law, and execute.
This is the reason why the Federal Lawmakers usually hide behind
contractors for the constituency projects, as they do not get involved
in the "real" execution of the projects, even though the can pass the
appropriation Act.
Governor Okorocha has succeeded in "demystifying" Imo Legislature
after "devaluing" most of them in the presence of their constituents,
which is the worst  thing that can happen to a politician.
But how did Imo legislature arrive at this notorious ugly stead? From
the beginning, the foundation of the present legislature in the state
was built on treachery. Therefore the foundation will always be
shallow.

At the inauguration of the present House headed by Rt Hon Benji
Uwajumogu, political treachery was elevated to another level when five
members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, including the new
Speaker, dumped their party and joined the All Progressives Grand
Alliance, which led APGA to form the majority party in the House.
Today, Okorocha who lured them into APGA has abandoned the party and
joined APC, leaving the treacherous lawmakers confused and lost.
Today, it is still a big question to many; which political party is in
majority in the House of Assembly? Is it PDP, APC or APGA? This is the
kind of House of Assembly Imo people are confronted with in this
dispensation. Every thing happening in the present legislature have
left many people confused, to the extent that the electorate can not
even swear which party their representatives belong to.
However, the Imo electorate cannot exonerate itself from this ugly
scenario playing out at the present Imo House of Assembly.
In 2011, out of anger, the Imo electorate threw away the baby with the
birth water by voting in people they did not know too well into the
legislature, and therefore that mistake is boomeranging on the masses
now, with the strange stories pouring out from the House.
For instance, like the Lawmaker representing Ngor Okpala LGA. It is
incredible that I never knew Hon Emeka Nwafor before until I heard he
has won the Imo Assembly seat.
With all humility, I want to state here that there is no politician in
Imo state that worths his salt that does not know me in first name
terms. I have been a practicing Journalist here close to fifteen years
now. So I know them, they know me. But I did not know my
representative at the Assembly until the burial of Hon Dan Ikeazu's
mother at Agbala where I asked him to please show me the man they said
is representing me. I had known Ikeazu when he was a Councilor in
Owerri North LGA.

Nwafor has since three years now not called one constituency briefing.
I have never heard his voice in moving or supporting any motion.
But he is cool with himself. He has used Ngor Okpala state
constituency to find his "Level". All of now are his mugu. But time
will tell.
What is happening in Ngor Okpala is nearly the same scenario in other
LGAs, where the constituents have not set eyes on their lawmakers,
until Okorocha's tour dragged them home. Some of them even absconded
from the Town Hall meetings in order to avoid peoples anger.
How many Bills have this House passed? Even the focused ones among
them have been cowed and muscled to the ground by Okorocha. There is
the rumour that the Governor has resignation letters signed by some of
them, which will be presented when any of them moves out of line. What
a Legislature!
If things were moving fine in the House some of them would not have
smuggled in a draconian and wicked law on ambition, yet the rest did
not know, until Imo people shouted them selves hoarse before the law
was repealed.
Much as the legislature cannot function well without the Executive
that funds it, but the House can still retain its respect and dignity
and yet make the executive meet its obligation on the legislature.
The present Imo House of Assembly need to realize that the legislature
has enormous power and operates on the same level as the executive and
can even put the Governor on the spot if they put their acts together.

I had worked under a Governor before, and aware that the legislature
can tame a Governor to fear that arm of Government, and therefore give
it the due respect. But Okorocha has decimated the present Imo
Legislature into camps, which serves the Governor better, as they
House cannot speak with one voice now. Okorocha has put them where he
wants them
Any way, the present crop of Imo lawmakers lack men who can look a
lion into the eyes and damn the consequences. Before, Imo House of
Assembly was the potpourri of Imo politics, because of the level of
vibrancy and robust discussions in the chamber.
As a cob reporter in this state those days, one will not be happy to
miss the plenary of Imo Assembly. A visit to Imo Assembly then will
make your day.
As usual, conspiracy, which is part and parcel of politics, was in
existence then. Groups plot against each other for the betterment of
the entire House, not to gain the leverage and become appendage of the
Executive. The House then cherished its independence, which was why
that era had a vibrant House that cannot be messed up by any Governor.

I am talking about the Imo Assembly with the likes of late Oliver
Akpaka (Nwangele), Chief Onyeama (Nkwerre) CNC Onuoha (Isu), Gozie
Nwachukwu (Ngor Okpala) Dan Nwagwu (Obowo) Stanford Onyirimba (Ehime
Mbano) Jeff Ojinika (Orsu), Ethelbert Nnanna (Ohaji Egbema) Alex
Emeziem (Aboh Mbaise) Prof Ezeadi O Ezeadi (Okigwe) Jasper Ndubuaku,
(Isiala Mbano) Hon Goddy Dikeocha (Aboh Mbaise) Noel Agwuocha
Chukwukadibia (Ezinihitte) Ken Obichere (Owerri North) Dr Ukaegbu
(Ikeduru) Enerst Ibejiako (Owerri Municipal), Late Agaptus Egwueogu
(Isu), Charles Uba (Ideato South) and others.
Then, Governors spoke to the legislators as men, not as kindergartens.
They roar in the Assembly, and the Executive shivers. Each arm of the
Government respected each other; Executive, Judiciary and Legislature.
No Governor can look these set of men in the face and command them to
join his party or. Then the Lawmakers realized that it will benefit
democracy and their constituents more for them to remain in their
political parties and "control" the Executive and not only gain
respect, but still "corner" other things, by mutual respect and
understanding, which the present House lacks because it reduced itself
before the Governor.
If not for Okorocha's magnanimity to site roads in the constituencies
and asked the lawmakers to "supervise" them, none of them can look
Okorocha in the eyes and demand any thing for their people.

I sympathize with the likes of Hon Sam Daddy Anyanwu, (Ikeduru), Hon
Simeon Iwunze (Isiala Mbano), Hon Kingsley Dimaku, (Ehime Mbano), Hon
Dan Ikpeazu (Owerri North), Hon Eudora Igwe (Ideato South) Hon Ndunagu
(Mbaitoli), Hon Okemili (Oru East) who have all lived up to
expectation in such a hostile and treacherous atmosphere.
I sympathize with them because when the history of the present Imo
House of Assembly will be recorded, there names will appear as being
among this set of Legislators that went for "sight seeing" at the
chamber for four years, and only executed contracts for Governor
Okorocha's cabinet which benefited them individually. The achievements
of members who did well will not be noted, because as they will always
say in the chamber, the majority poor performance has the "aye" vote
in the Imo House of Assembly of today.

IMO SPEAKER'S OFFICE AND THEIR LIES

My name is Emmanuel C.U. Iwuoha popularly called JUSTACO, derived from
my business name - JUSTACO'S PLACE.
I am the younger brother to Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha, the
former Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Speaker of Imo State
House of Assembly who resigned his appointment on the 17th of December
2013.
For obvious reasons I have kept away from the crisis at the Imo State
House of Assembly especially the Speakers Office. Not that I have not
been following the events but I chose to keep away because my elder
brother, Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha as an upright and straight
forward person is in the position to handle the Speaker's Office and
he is doing so in the most honest, matured and responsible manner.
However, the recent media attack by the office of the Speaker on the
Iwuoha dynasty and the attempt to ridicule the Traditional Ruler of
Nkwerre (ESHI of Nkwerre) has drawn me out to put the record straight
so that the public will continue to know the truth and finally
conclude that the Speaker's office has resorted to chasing rats, ants,
cockroaches and flies while the Imo State House of Assembly in general
and the Speaker's Office in particular is on fire.
My attention has therefore been drawn to the campaign of calumny,
blackmails, intimidation and cooked lies continuously being propagated
by the office of the Speaker through its media Unit and signed by one
Emeka Ahaneku who claimed to be the acting Senior Special Assistant on
media.
Rather than defend itself of the massive and monumental allegations of
fraud revolving on road contract scams, employment racketeering,
Financial Assistance Scams, etc, by my elder brother and confirmed by
the Executive Governor of the State during his recent Local Government
Assessment tours, the Speaker's Office has resorted to infantile
mudslinging by alleging the following:
1.    That Citizen Ikenna Samuelson was dis-owned by our family
2.    That Citizen Ikenna Samuelson disrupted my wedding on the
allegation that I am a cultist.
3.    That our traditional Ruler, the Eshi of Nkwerre (HRH Eze (Dr)
Chijoke Okwara) cursed Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha
4.    That Citizen  Ikenna Samuelson wrote all sorts of malicious
petitions against Chief Willie Amadi (Ohakim's ex-Special Adviser on
Sanitation and transport)
5.    That Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha wrote petitions against the
former Governor of Imo State to EFCC.
6.    That Citizen Ikenna Samuelson wrote petitions against our father
accusing him of killing our mother.
7.    That our father is an Indian hemp smoker.
8.    And so on and so forth.
All these allegations by the office of the speaker were published in a
local tabloid, "COMMUNITY WATCHDOG" Newspaper edition of April 8-14
2014, page 4.
It is very unfortunate that rather than respond to the allegations of
massive fraud and corruption, the Speaker through his media aide has
reduced his respected office to a laughing stock. Imo people now
believe that Uwajumogu was never prepared for the position he is
currently occupying. I must blame my elder brother for facilitating
Uwajumogu's Speakership. Without joining issues with the office of the
Speaker, let me state the following:
1.    That Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha is our illustrious son in whom
we are well pleased. We are very proud of him.
2.    That my wedding took place on the 30th June 2007 at St. Andrew's
Anglican Church Aladinma Housing Estate Owerri, and it was never
disrupted. I am not and has never been a cultist.
3.    That our Traditional Ruler (HRH Eze Dr. Chijioke Okwara) is still
alive and can confirm that he never at any point in time cursed my
elder brother, Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha.
4.    That Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha has a political relationship
with Chief Willie Amadi. And that Samuelson was his coordinator in
2002 in Aladinma ward 1 in his quest to become chairman of Owerri
municipal. That Samuelson never quarreled with Willie Amadi. The
former Special Adviser is alive and can confirm this.
5.    That citizen Samuelson Iwuoha is against injustice of any kind.
That he fought injustice in the previous government which resulted to
his petitioning the EFCC in 2010 against the Ohakim government.
6.    That our parents are still alive and kicking.
7.    That our father does not take Alcohol, neither does he smoke
Cigarette, talk-less of smoking Indian hemp.
It is therefore very obvious that the Speaker's office has reduced
itself to a mudslinging department of a motor park office by alleging
all the imaginables against the Iwuoha's family. Like my elder brother
has always said, "When you fight corruption, the same corruption will
fight back at you using all evil strategies at its disposal.

As an analyst myself, I have been following all the events leading to
the present imbroglio and on my own have investigated my brother's
allegations against Speaker Uwajumogu and his aides. My findings are
very shocking and earth quaking. Who is Imo Speaker to be awarding
road contracts? Who is Kodichi Anamekwe (Speaker's Chief of Staff) to
be signing road contract documents? Why must  Uwajumogu through his
Chief of Staff go against political appointee recruitment act and
employed over 120 people with over 90 of them as ghost workers?. What
is Uwajumogu doing with all the properties he has acquired with state
funds in 34 months? I have visited all the sites these properties are
located except Afikpo in Ebonyi State where the CRUSH ROCK industry is
located. He does not need all these properties. Distinguished Senator
Francis Arthur Nzeribe called it, "Stealing and acquiring what you do
not need".

The 200 plot of land Uwajumogu acquired is located at Nekede and
construction work has already commenced.
Instead of his aides to find soft landing for him, they have only
succeeded in escalating the matter. Among the media aides of the
Governor, Deputy Governor and the speaker, it only the current media
aide of the Speaker, Emeka Ahaneku that has exposed his boss to public
ridicule and embarrassment. Sam Onwuemeodo is doing his best for
Governor Okorocha. Uche Onwuchekwa is doing a very, very wonderful and
superlative job for humble Prince Eze Madumere (MFR).
Also, how come the Speaker's aides are involved in road contracts
scams? The Governor has his own aides. The Deputy Governor has his own
aides. Why has Uwajumogu reduced and abused leadership in Imo State?
I am sure that Governor and his aides have their problems. I am also
sure that Deputy Governor and his aides have their own challenges. But
they have not allowed outsiders to know or come into their problems.
Why did Uwajumogu not investigate the allegations and petition of my
brother in November 2013?
Has Uwajumogu taken time to investigate the antecedents of his aides
especially his current media assistant, Emeka Ahameku? Has Uwajumogu
wondered why Ahaneku was sacked as an aide to Chief Barrister Victor
Murako when he was Owerri - West LGA Chairman? For the records, the
said Ahaneku was sacked because of blackmails and fraudulent
activities. Chief Victor Murako is alive to confirm this. Emeka
Ahaneku should tell Imolites why his mother was sacked from her
teaching job in Aba-Abia State few years ago. Emeka Ahaneku was also
sacked from his job in Lagos over fraud related issues. It is on
record that a former Honourable member and House Committee Chairman on
Information, Hon Chief Nze Ray Emeana has told the story of how Emeka
Ahaneku came to defraud the Imo State House of Assembly in 2009 with a
fraudulent proposal before he was apprehended. I can go on and on. But
the truth is that Speaker Benjamin Uwajumogu should ask himself some
pertinent questions.
The same Speaker's Office that has been blackmailing Citizen Samuelson
with all sorts of concocted stories through this same Emeka Ahaneku
have been busy sending people to beg Samuelson to sheath his sword.
In conclusion, let me make it clear that since it is obvious that the
speaker's office has resorted to blackmailing the Iwuoha family with
concocted stories emanating from the pit of hell, we have decided that
this battle must be fought to its logical conclusion.

Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha therefore has been mandated to write
to the code of conduct bureau. He has also been mandated to forward
another strong worded letter (reminder letter) to EFCC, ICPC and all
the security agencies.
The allegations of fraud and corruption against Imo Speaker and his
aides must be investigated by all the anti-graft agencies in this
Country and its report made public.

The Iwuoha family will forever remain thankful to His Excellency
Owelle Rochas Anayo Ethelbert Okorocha (Owelle Global) for confirming
and vindicating our illustrious son, Citizen (Dr.) Ikenna Samuelson
Iwuoha on his allegations of corruption against Uwajumogu and his
aides.

I remain

Mr. Emmanuel C.U. Iwuoha
(JUSTACO) - 08034052530
justacodeking@yahoo.com
11th April, 2014. Follow @wingrassnews

SAMUELSON IWUOHA: WHEN TRUTH TRIUMPHS OVER FALSEHOOD

 EMEKA AHANEKU

With the return of Nigeria to the form of democratic governance, fundamental human rights, which is one of the key ingredients of a democratic government could be said to have enjoyed a significant reign in its operations.

As a major component to the realization of democratic best practice for Nigeria, right to freedom of speech has been one of the sustaining mechanisms of an enduring democracy, as it has properly aided in the enlightenment of the citizenry on the actions and inactions of people around us, especially, the political class.

With this remarkable changes have been recorded in our society, while the government has woken up to its responsibilities apparently, for fear of being criticized unjustly.

It is however appalling, that this noble democratic tenet has been greatly abused by those that could be described as “agents of destabilization”, who hide under the cloak of “Human Rights” to undermine institutions and individuals in a bid to achieve their selfish ends.

One of such abuses against this democratic ethos could be seen in the recent gang-up against the leadership of the Imo State House of Assembly, by faceless hawks who also made the former Media Assistant to the Speaker, Mr. Samuelson Iwuoha, a willing tool for the hatchet job.

In the spirit of free speech, Mr. Iwuoha, had in the meantime, thrown decorum into the thrash – bins of history when he infamously accused his former boss of perpetrating corruption to an unimaginable proportion after he had been disgraced out of office as a Media Assistant, for lacking the requisite competence to discharge the onerous tasks, bothering largely on Media Management.

Unable to swallow the bitter pills of disgrace occasioned by his sack, Mr. Iwuoha, hurriedly resorted to an aggressive social media campaign against his estranged benefactor, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu, inundating users of the social media (face book) with scurrilous mendacious and hyper – fabricated folktales with the intent of smearing the intimidating political profile of the speaker which his cohorts equally cashed into for their selfish political exigencies.

Irked by the inability of Mr. Iwuoha, who thought that the inteillectual people of the state are ‘zombies’, to provide substantial evidence to backup his weighty allegations, since he was already in to spill the beans, relevant stakeholders like different youths Associations, Professional bodies, even his fellow Social Activists came out openly to join in the crusade against the cancerous monster called corruption which has dealt a deadly blow to the growth of our economy since independence.

Before these joint calls by the good people of the state, Mr. Iwuoha, had in one of his releases called on the State House of Assembly to urgently among other things, institute a probe over his allegations, even though, he was not an elected member of the House.

In a bid to live up to its name as lawmakers, who have sworn to ensure that rule of law prevailed in our clime, the State House of Assembly, in an apparent effort to do Samuelson Iwuoha’s bidden, on the 26^th of March, 2014, constituted an Ad-hac committee with the mandate to probe the weighty allegations made by Mr. Iwuoha, to ascertain their veracity or otherwise.

Having noticed that his game was up after the Senior Special Assistant to the Speaker on Media, Mr. Emeka Ahaneku, released a recorded telephone conversations he had with him (Samuelson) which was also relayed at an early morning news broadcast of the Orient Fm, things were never the same again, as Mr. Iwuoha, resorted to name – calling, describing the committee set up as ‘Kangaroo’, while branding its members as agents of corruption.

In the conversation which lasted extensively up to 15 minutes, Mr. Iwuoha, in clear terms, told Emeka Ahaneku that his allegations against the Speaker were conjured, and as a result, he can still come out and refute it only if he is properly settled.

After he had seen that the committee set up by the House of Assembly was ready to puncture his perfected plans of blackmail, Mr. Iwuoha, turned into a singing bird, telling anybody who cares to listen that his case is with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as a result, he would not honour the invitation of the House Committee. What a gut!

Probing minds however, began to ask, is there any inter-connectivity between the anti-graft agency and the functions of the State Assembly. Again, what is the possibility that when evidences of his allegations are laid before the committee which was going to be relayed before the members of the public it would be rejected?

It is however, imperative to state that Mr. Iwuoha, is using the EFCC as a smoke screen to evade justice, while continuing in his mischievous blackmailing escapades.

It will also be of utmost importance to clarify that the EFCC is a very serious anticorruption institution set up to achieve a determined objective and not for sheer alarmists and whistle – blowers. Before the EFCC swings into action over a petition addressed to it, certain stringent administrative procedures are undertaken in order for the commission to protect its activities from ridicule. Part of the procedure is that the petitioner is expected to appear in person with his petitions and court’s sanctioned affidavit, authenticating the genuiness and sincerity of the petitioner. Thereafter, the petitioner is further grilled to enable the commission not embark on wild goose chase. And finally, after the commission had ascertained the authenticity of the petitioner’s allegations, he is then issued with an acknowledgement of the said petition, properly embossed with the commission’s official seal.

It is therefore, foolhard and a sheer insolence on the sensibility of the enlightened people of the state for Mr. Iwuoha, to sit on the comfort zone of the social media and claim to have petitioned the anti-graft agency. This however, warranted recent calls by concerned Imolites, urging Mr. Iwuoha to come up with an acknowledgement copy of the said petition to the EFCC, since he could not summon the courage to come out from his cubicle and point at those allegations.

Moreover, it would be recalled that the House probe panel committee swung into action when it called for a public hearing on the 4^th of April, 2014, after Mr. Iwuoha and his partners were duly invited to appear before it and explain to Ndi-Imo evidences of their allegations. Notwithstanding the invitation, Samuelson Iwuoha, once again, exhibited his usual disdain for constituted authorities when he boycotted the panel sitting.

Members of the panel had gathered, together with the members of the public and the press to hear from the horse’s mouth, when it dawned on them that Mr. Iwuoha would not show up, after they had waited for several hours. The chairman of the panel, Hon. Ikenna Emeh, used the forum to plead with Mr. Iwuoha to choose any venue that is convenient for him, while pledging that the panel would guarantee his maximum security. It however, adjourned to the 11^th of April, to enable Mr. Iwuoha, get his foreworks ready. The adjourned date came with the events of the previous date repeating itself, as Mr. Iwuoha called the panel’s prayers a bluff, whole recording conspicuous absence.

Now, the questions that are agitating the minds of the concerned Imolities are; has the House not shown true sincerity and transparency of purpose in this saga? Again, how else can the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu, prove his innocence of the unsubstantiated allegations when the principal accuser is on the run?

Indeed, it should be understood that Samuelson Ikenna Iwuoha, in his usual way of blackmail, does not have a case against the leadership of the State Assembly, as he is only being used by political jobbers to initiate unnecessary vendetta.

Finally, with these latest developments, it should be known that the truth has formally triumphed over falsehood.

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