STAR INFORMATION: Anambra Governor Mbadinuju vs. His Deputy In A Strange Palava
Mobolaji E. Aluko
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STAR INFORMATION: Anambra Governor Mbadinju Vs. His Deputy in A Strange
Palava
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Vanguard
Gov Mbadinuju alleges assassination attempt
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By Tony Edike, Awka
GOVERNOR Chinwoke Mbadinuju of Anambra State yesterday alleged an
assassination attempt on him by his deputy, Prince Chinedu Emeka, even
as the inauguration of the assembly was characterised by chaos and
pandemonium.
Dr. Mbadinuju at a press conference in Awka said his deputy armed with
a gun stormed his office yesterday obviously to attack him, but was
prevented by his (Mbadinuju's), ADC who engaged the deputy governor in
a fierce fight.
But Prince Emeka in a swift reaction dismissed the allegation as a
plan to scandalise his name.
"How can I try to assassinate the governor? I don't have anything
against the governor. I believe he is trying to scandalise my name
because he read that some people wanted to impeach him," the deputy
governor declared.
However, Gov. Mbadinuju while stating his own side of the story said
the state Chairman of PDP, Chief Guy Ikoku was with him (governor) in
his office when he started hearing shouts and bangs on his door which
was being forced open.
"Obviously, the deputy governor had wanted to break into my office for
purposes of assassination. Obviously, mission impossible, disappointed
hope, that by this afternoon, there will be his own Speaker who will
impeach the governor so that he can become the next governor, but when
he realised that it was a mission impossible he came for a fight,"
Mbadinuju said.
According to him, the ADC challenged the deputy governor, overpowered
him and prevented him from entering the governor's office. He alleged
that several documents and other office equipment were damaged in the
scuffle.
Mbadinuju alleged that Prince Emeka was apparently angered by the
failure of the state legislators to elect his (Emeka's) favoured
candidate as Speaker whom he allegedly intended to use in unseating
him.
It was then, he added, that the deputy governor tried to force his way
into the office of the Secretary to State Government (SSG) where he
allegedly damaged some office equipment and documents.
The governor said he (governor) was whisked away from his office by
sympathisers to Government Lodge at Amawbia where he remained until
the time of the press conference.
He explained that Prince Emeka had for the past one week disappeared
from the state along with the 21 anti-Mbadinuju legislators only to
reappear yesterday to witness the inauguration of the assembly.
The governor said the matter was now being investigated by the police.
Deputy Governor Chinedu Emeka reacting to the allegation said it was
an attempt to scandalise his name.
He denied ever trying to attack the governor, saying Governor
Mbadinuju had not done anything wrong to warrant such an evil act.
"How can I try to assassinate the governor? I don't have anything
against the governor, I believe he is trying to scandalise my name
because he heard that some people want to impeach him," Emeka said.
According to him, he had been away from office in the last one week
because of ill health and that, when he returned to the governor's
office yesterday morning, the ADC prevented him from seeing the
governor.
"I tried to enter, he refused and I had to go away. I learnt the
governor and his group of legislators held a kangaroo election at 1.00
a.m. last night, so he is trying to blackmail me to justify his
actions," he said.
The deputy governor said he was highly embarrassed by the governor's
allegation because "I never had such intention in my life."
Saying that he was willing to work as a partner with the governor to
move the state forward, Emeka emphasised that he had not found
anything wrong with the chief executive since they assumed office.
He said: "Being a patriotic Anambrarian, who is anxious for the rapid
development of our state, I will never, never participate in such a
thing.
"I don't know why the governor is going this far. Let him allow the
legislators to work independently because we are no longer under
military rule."
However, the much expected inauguration of the assembly yesterday
ended in fiasco as legislators from the two factions loyal to the
governor and his deputy respectively engaged themselves in a fight on
the floor of the house.
The 10 legislators who are in support of the governor's candidate for
Speaker, Dr. Kanayo Enemuo arrived the assembly complex at 1.00 a.m.
Wednesday for the inauguration.
Vanguard gathered that although the governor fixed the inauguration
for 10.00 a.m., the legislators who were under heavy security
protection conducted an election about 4.00 a.m. and elected Dr.
Enemuo and Mr. Kenneth Enemuoh as Speaker and Deputy Speaker,
respectively.
Before dawn, the Clerk of the house, Mr. Micah Oragudosi swore in the
elected officers to commence their normal legislative duties.
It was learnt, that the 10 legislators screened and ratified the list
of commissioners presented to them by the governor.
The house has 30 members.
They also approved a bill for the change of the named of the state's
special anti-crime squad from Operation Mkpochapu to Anambra State
Troopers.
Vanguard Transmitted Thursday 10 June, 1999
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In a related STAR ARTICLE by Joe Igbokwe titled "Abacha politicians and
Igbos" in the Vanguard of June 9, 1999, he wrote, inter-alia:
--- other materials deleted ---
In Anambra State, Emeka Offor, front-line Abacha campaigner and
apologist was busy sponsoring his boys into elective offices.
Nigerians would think that Dr. Mbadinuju was duly elected in Anambra
State. No! There was no primary election for the governorship post in
Anambra State except the one won by Professor ABC Nwosu. Over N500
million was spent in Anambra alone to impose Dr. Mbadinuju who has no
record of any achievement for the people of Anambra State. And a
sizeable part of the money came from Emeka Offor. In fact due to large
sums of money he donated to PDP at the national level, Emeka Offor was
handed over Anambra to do whatever he liked with it. Already we hear
that anybody who wants to be a commissioner in Anambra State is
compelled to pay N5 million. Emeka Offor came to limelight in Anambra
State not because of any intellectual achievement or any other
achievement for that matter but because he vigorously campaigned for
Abacha to succeed himself, and made huge sums of money via
mouth-watering contracts. The day General Abacha died, Emeka Offor was
billed to chair a dubious conference at Abuja where Abacha's
candidature was to be ratified. But the man died. Today Emeka Offor is
a kingmaker in Anambra State that produced Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr.
Alex Ekwueme, Chief Emeka Ojukwu, Dr. Nwafor Orizu, Chief Edwin
Ume-Ezeoke, Agunwa Anekwe, Professor Chinua Achebe, Chief Arthur
Mbanefo, Chief Z.C. Obi, Arthur Nwankwo, Prof. ABC Nwosu, Prof.
Okwudiba Nnoli, Dr. S.P. Okongwu, Ogbuefi Alex Nwokedi etc. it is a
national shame and abomination. No wonder Anambra State is one of the
poorest in Nigeria.
Again, during the so-called senatorial elections we were dumb founded
to hear that Emeka Offor asked Chief Mike Ajaegbo, a lawyer, chief
executive and founder of Minaj Television and Radio stations to step
down for Chief Annie Okonkwo - a successful trader from Ojoto in the
state. This is equally tragic! Had Chief Mike Ajaegbo yielded to the
blackmail of these impostors, Anambra Central Senatorial Zone would
have entrusted their gold to a bricklayer. In Anambra South senatorial
zone where I come from, one Dr. Eriobuna was imposed on the people by
Emeka Offor even when it was clear beyond reasonable doubt that he did
not win the primary election. The war between those who know and those
who know nothing in Anambra State is on and I can assure you a hundred
times that this is not a war Emeka Offor and his likes would win even
with all the money in the world.
--- other materials deleted ---
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Aluko Comment:
It appears, after all, that Joe Igbokwe was prescient about Anambra
happenings.
Well-meaning Anambrians MUST RISE to nip this fiasco in the bud!
Question is: what to do? That is the question.
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Ken Onwere
facts speak loud and clear. Ndiigbo is devoid of credible leadership, which
apparently dissapeared at the beginning of the civil war. If you add the
fracas in the Imo state assembly, with the chalatan in the state house at
Umuahia (not to mention "wonder boy's" fiefdom in Enugu state), it's safe to
say that history has perpetrated a cruel joke on the suffering masses.
Ken
Mobolaji E. Aluko wrote in message ...