Politics
Eze Chikamnayo: The Archetypal Chichidodo, By Okechukwu Ukpabi
Eze Chikamnayo: The Archetypal Chichidodo, By Okechukwu Ukpabi
The more things change, the more they stay the same, the French writer, Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, wrote in 1849. It is, therefore, not surprising that nine years after he was fuming in the mouth in political fits, he will resort to same crass tactics of name-calling, absolute falsehood and dubious claims to be noticed in 2023, barely 2 months of he and his ilk falling from power.
Like the typical bird, chichidodo, in Ayi Kwei Armah’s novel, The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born, that screams its lungs out in protestation of shit, yet feasts on maggots, so is the fate of Eze Chikamnayo, a failed commissioner of (mis)information under the calamitous rule of the immediate past administration in Abia state.
Chikamnayo is regarded in many quarters as a metaphor of confusion, an ironic hypocrisy, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a ghost in human flesh, a doppelganger and a political maggot who grow best in the foul-smelling lavatory of hypocrisy and patronizing intrusiveness.
For clarity and for those who may not be in the know of the character and content of the roguish and tout-like Mr. Chikamnayo, he once postured as a rabid vuvuzela of decency and accountability. He was up in arms against some of the people who were in government in Abia state but ended up being a diseased defender of the same ruinous years in the state as Commissioner of Information.
Owing to the fact that proverbs (ilu) are “the salt with which words are eaten,” it is appropriate to remind Mr. Chikamnayo, whose law practice remains at best a charge and bail affairs that, Ijiji na-enweghi onye ndumodu na-eso ozu ala n’inyi (A fly that has no counselor follows the corpse to the grave.)
In the event he fails to grasp the import of the above, then, it is instructive he knows that, O bulu na i taa m aru n’ike, ma i zeghi nshi; mu taa gi aru n’isi, agaghi m ezere uvulu (If you bite me on the butt, despite the danger of sinking your teeth into fecal matter, then if I bite you on the head, I will disregard the danger of sinking my teeth into cerebral matter.)
On July 25, the propagandist of the last locust era went caustic in a piece of lies, conjectures and insidious intrusiveness against not just the Office of the Governor of Abia State, but the person of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti. Ordinarily, it is a piece borne of inherent mischief and pathological disorder. But like in all situations of aru (madness), it requires a potent no less corrosive, but effective in curing.
Otti the democrat
We no longer live in an age without meaning and where there is a struggle for definition. But unfortunately, Mr. Chikamnayo is unaware of this when he sounded like a bad record player that Governor Otti is not a democrat for insisting that those who presided over the Abia patrimony in the immediate past eight years should account for their years in office.
Unlike those he served, Dr. Otti has always trusted in the sacredness of the ballot as a veritable means of electing leaders. And on each occasion he ran for the governorship, he worked in consonance with the laid down guidelines, shrugging off thuggery, ballot snatching and attempting to induce electoral officials which are hallmarks of Chikamnayo’s horde.
Regrettably for the purveyors of the ancien regime in Abia, the democratic credentials of Governor Otti remains unassailable. When they were trying to undermine the peoples wish especially in Obingwa Local Government Area in the last election, Candidate Otti as he then was, trusted in the integrity of the electoral umpire to do what was right by law, and the INEC did and the whole shroud of attempt to manipulate, induce and subvert the credibility of the ballot by Mr. Chikamnayo’s crowd of the indolent failed and the rest is their being of office and power.
What manner of democrat did Mr. Chikamnayo serve under who hires and fires Local Government Area Transition Committee Chairmen barely after 20 days? So much for a democrat who failed to hold council polls until the dying embers of a pathetic period in office. Because the mad man knows no shame, he prances about in the market place with his phallus dangling proudly to the shame of his kith and kin. Such is the folly of Chikamnayo!
No brainer on accounts
It is a surprise that Mr. Chikamnayo is such adept at finances yet could not offer such services in the administrations he served. Well, his financial ability is but a stinking lavatory of moral excrement. His claims of how much the Abia statement government has garnered is rusty and pales into the pitiable pit the government he served left it.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Okezie Ikpeazu empire which he was a part of left a humongous debt burden of N191.24bn and an empty treasury when he handed over the affairs of the state to Dr. Otti on May 29.
It is an incontrovertible fact that the sum of N77,927,939,042.82 was owed banks in the country, N71,022,162,441.01 was owed as domestic debt while external debts liabilities was put at N42,289,206, 109.84. A further breakdown of the indebtedness shows that of the N77,927,939,042.82 owed banks, United Bank for Africa accounted for N8,012,830,371.44; Zenith Bank N21,557,168,761.71; Union Bank N597,637,399.55 and Central Bank of Nigeria N47,760,302,510.12.
For the domestic debt obligation, salaries and subvention arrears stands at N18,162,102,692.92; pension arrears N21,283,876,789.80; gratuity arrears N27,012,996,061.64; and contractors arrears N4,563,186,896.65.
The good news is that Dr. Otti towers above the mediocrities of Chikamnayos’ in financial mileage, business acumen and governance provenance. Blocking leakages in the area of ghost workers and revenue loss in the scatter-gun administration of parks will not be sacrificed on the altar of political expediency. The former (mis)information commissioner can be forgiven since order and lawful means are an anathema to him and his congress of baboons. The hard work of resetting the Abia Project will not be mortgaged for those who have no scruples.
The failed SDP political hawker without scruples can bray from now till eternity, his shenanigans to be noticed is what it is –nothing!
Dr. Otti is leading a team of dedicated men and women working with surgical precision to diagnose the Abia predicament, unleash the creative and industrious energies of Abians; there is a sense of a powerful current tearing down an old decrepit system, he is building a new ordered freedom based on the rule of law and human rights. And not a thousand clanging cymbals of Chikamnayo and the tribe of the aggrieved will stop the Abia Renaissance.
Mr. Ukpabi, a public affairs commentator, wrote in from Ohafia, Abia State
*Go out and vote, it’s your right – Ogun APC charges electorate*
As the party campaigns for the 2024 Local Government election in Ogun State draws to a close midnight of today (Thursday), the All Progressives Congress, APC, has charged registered voters in Ogun State to go out and exercise their fundamentals rights on Saturday “without any fear whatsoever”.
Addressing the grand finale of APC in Odogbolu Local Government, the Publicity Secretary of the party in Ogun State, Tunde Oladunjoye said, “APC has done very well under the administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun, and we are poised to win the chairmanship and councilorship elections overwhelmingly come Saturday”.
Oladunjoye, who is also Senior Media Consultant to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Media, thanked the Odogbolu people for showing massive support to the APC in the local government.
“With what I have seen here, victory is sure. I want to thank you on behalf of the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON and the Chairman of APC in Ogun State, Chief Yemi Sanusi. “Come out and vote peacefully on Saturday. It is your constitutional duty and obligation.”
Oladunjoye added that people should learn from the chairmanship candidate of the party in Odogbolu local government, Dr. Babatunde Oyetola Diya, who vied for the office about three and half years ago and did not get it, but remained faithful in the party and continued to reach out to people with his humanitarian efforts.”
Anthony Ojo congratulates Gov Okpebholo, confirms Edo Central Senate aspiration
Influential Edo State politician, Anthony Ojo has congratulated Senator Monday Okpebholo after being sworn-in as the new Governor of the State.
In his congratulatory message, Ojo expressed confidence in the abilities of Gov Okpebholo to bring the dividends of democracy close to the people of Edo State.
“The people of Edo State have total trust in your five-point agenda, capacity as a leader, and this is evident with their immense show of love. We have no single doubt that under you, this state will progress to the promised land,” the statement reads.
Meanwhile, Anthony Ojo has confirmed his aspiration to contest the Edo Central senatorial seat under the flagship of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a position previously held by Senator Okpebholo before he was elected governor.
He cited that sharing the same leadership ideologies with Governor Okpebholo, and the keen desire for transformative human and capacity developments in Edo State are the reasons behind his ambition.
He promised to work closely with the Governor to provide succour to Edo citizens.
Appeal Court Further Affirms Udeze-led NEC Of Action Alliance As Valid, Authentic
ABUJA – The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja has further affirmed Chief Barr. Kenneth Udeze-led National Executive Committee (NEC) of Action Alliance (AA) elected on 14th March 2021 National Convention of the party as valid and authentic.
Action Alliance, in a statement by its National Secretary, Vernimbe A James said, “the court of appeal Abuja Division today in Appeal Number; CA/ABJ/CV/1163/2024 in a lead Judgement delivered by Hon.Justics Abba Mohammed which was concord by the other two Justices dismissed the appeal filed by Adekunle Omoaje faction through one Miller C.Orgwu ( on behalf of himself and all NEC Members Elected at Action Alliance Elective National Convention of 7th of October,2023, held at OOPL Abeokuta, Ogun State ) against 1, INEC, 2, Kenneth Udeze,3, James Vernimbe, 4, Akinuli Fred Omolere.
“The Court also awarded N400,000 cost against the appellants in favor of the Respondents.
The appeal was about the validity of the powers of Action Alliance NEC under Chief Kenneth Udeze led executive to conduct the party Governorship primary in Ondo State for the upcoming Saturday 16th November 2024, Governorship Election.
“The Federal High Court Abuja Division had earlier In Suit Number; FHC/ABJ/ CS/626/2024 Between Miller Orgwu and others (Omoaje faction) claiming to be authentic NEC of the party against 1, INEC, 2, KENNETH UDEZE,3, JAMES VERNIMBE, 4, AKINULI FRED OMOLERE presided by HON. JUSTICE JOYCE O.ABDULMALIK on 24th, September 2024 dismissed their Claim and validated the Ondo State Governorship Primary Election Conducted by Chief Barr Kenneth Udeze led Action Alliance NEC as valid and authentic, thereby Confirming the Ondo State Governorship Candidate of the party AKINULI FRED OMOLERE as the valid Candidate of the party for the 16th, November 2024 Governorship Election in Ondo State.”
The statement further said: “On 28 March 2022, the FCT High Court Abuja had affirmed and validated the Action Alliance National Convention held on 14th, March 2021 wherein Chief Barr Kenneth Udeze led NEC of the party were elected.
“Dissatisfied with the said Judgement, one Adekunle Rufai Omoaje and others were granted leave of the court of appeal to appeal same Judgement.
“On the 26th, January 2024, the Court of Appeal Abuja Division in Appeal Number; CA/ ABJ/ CV/ 955/22 Between Adekunle Rufai Omoaje and others and Chief Uzewuru Nwachukwu and others further Affirmed the FCT High Court Judgement that earlier validated the Action Alliance National Convention of 14th March,2021 wherein Chief Barr Kenneth Udeze led Action Alliance (AA) NEC of the party was elected.
“Dissatisfied with the appeal court Judgement one Adekunle Rufai Omoaje and others have appealed the Judgement to the Supreme Court of Nigeria in appeal Number: SC/ CV/162/2024 Between Adekunle Rufai Omoaje and others and Chief Uzewuru Nwachukwu and others, the matter is still pending at the Supreme Court of Nigeria which he has abandoned but desperately looking for how to come through the back door to claim the leadership of Action Alliance.”
The statement also explained that “INEC has since Complied with the Judgements validating the 14th, March 2021 National Convention of the party wherein Chief Barr Kenneth Udeze led Action Alliance NEC of the party was elected and uploaded on its website the Name of Chief Barr Kenneth Udeze- National Chairman, Vernimbe A James -National Secretary and other Elected NEC of the party as authentic.
“There is no court ruling or Judgement that Affirmed or validated any other National Convention of Action Alliance (AA) held on any other date apart from the 14th, March 2021 National Convention of the party which Courts have already and variously validated.”
Ezenwa Ibegbunam, who is the Counsel to Chief Fred Omolere, the governorship candidate of the party affirmed by the Court, noted that the judgment has further restated the correct position of the law and a vindication of the previous decision of the Court of Appeal which had earlier affirmed Chief Udeze led executive as the authentic leadership of the Action Alliance.
On his part, Chief Kenneth Udeze has praised the Court of Appeal as a citadel of justice and urged the party members across the country to remain focused.
He further noted that the Judgment has cleared the way for the victory of the party in the Ondo State gubernatorial election.
Source: Daily Independent
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