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updated 10:20 AM UTC, Dec 13, 2023

Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime, Lawmakers Imbroglio

ENUGU, Federal Republic of Nigeria. While at the centre, plans are on top gear by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government to ensure peaceful transition from President Goodluck Jonathan, to the in-coming administration of Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), in Enugu State, the political scenario seems to be different, as both Governor Sullivan Chime and members of the state House of Assembly are on a collision course.

Prior to the outburst of the state legislators last Thursday, the lawmakers had pretended that all was well with Governor Chime’s style of governance and on each occasion, poured encomiums on the state chief executive officer. The perceived indifference of the lawmakers attracted sharp criticisms to them, as many saw them as an appendage to the state executive.  

It is against the backdrop that the kick against some of the contentious issues which led to disharmony between the state executive and the legislature, such as the indiscriminate allocation of land in Enugu the state capital and privatisation of the state water corporation is believed in some quarters to have come too late.

To a section of the public, the question on their lips is: where were the legislators in 2013 when Nnabuike Ofodile and Associates made a proposal to the state Executive Council for the land at 30, Ziks Avenue to build a shopping mall and the office that will serve the Uwani area?

According to the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Chime, Chukwudi Achife, a second presentation of the proposal was brought before the Executive Council on March 12, 2014, along with the financial partners based in the United Kingdom, while the allocation was finally effected on July 13 2014.

Investigation revealed that many members of the Assembly might have looked the other way because of what they had hoped to gain politically, as the Speaker was nursing the ambition to succeed the incumbent governor, just as some others were said to have lobbied to be re-elected into the assembly. Further checks showed that political consideration might have made the state assembly to effect the impeachment of Sunday Onyebuchi as deputy governor of the state, as members of the public are yet to fathom why rearing of chickens at Government House for any purpose could lead to the exit of such a top political office holder.

While many residents of Enugu are condemning the balkanisation of the International Conference and Uwani Eastern Nigeria Industrial Estate, a visit to Nkpokiti Layout in Enugu metropolis, showed that members of the House were economical with the truth about the land allocated to them in 2013 and 2014, and structures erected on it and which many considered as being too close to the Faculty of Engineering building of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). It will be recalled that hundreds of ESUT students took to the streets to protest the allocation of the land to lawmakers but the state government literally ignored their outcry. A source said that perhaps, the governor thought that since he had succeeded in involving the lawmakers in the land matter, there was nothing else to fear.

Observers opine that, from the facts that have come to the public domain on the tango, both the governor and the lawmakers cannot absolve themselves from blame. But the populace is united in their call for a transparent leadership at all levels of government.

Recently, Governor Chime in an advertorial signed by his Chief Press Secretary said the government did not concession Enugu State Water Corporation to any firm.  Observers, however, noted that the government must have spoken from both sides of the mouth, having earlier said it only executed an agreement under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the improvement water supply to Enugu metropolis.

 “Again, the company, an internationally recognised consortium of world best companies in the various segments of potable water supply infrastructure value chain, made a presentation to the Executive Council which approved the concession agreement. Thus, everything done in reaching the agreement followed due process,” Achife added.

But the lawmakers were not done yet. The House, led by Speaker Eugene Odoh, was further irked by the request of Governor Chime to seek an N11 billion loan. The request was instantly stopped by the lawmakers. Prior to the just-concluded elections, Enugu youths had marched to the Assembly to register their displeasure against the move and urged the lawmakers to withdraw approval for the loan. The protesters, led by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okey Ezea, were prevented from entering inside the Assembly building by security operatives.

They carried placards with inscriptions such as “We reject N11 billion loan demanded by Governor Chime”, “We say No to Loan”, We will be slaves if the N11 billion is approved”.

Addressing the lawmakers, the APC gubernatorial candidate, Ezea wondered why a governor who is about serving out his second term should seek a huge of amount of loan, stressing that the loan, if granted, would put the state in penury for a long time.

Responding on behalf of his colleagues, the Speaker commended the protesters for embarking on peaceful demonstration instead of taking laws into their own hands in expressing their views on the loan issue.

Odoh confirmed that Governor Chime had approached the House requesting for N11 billion loan approval, stressing that the legislature wasyet to deliberate on it. He assured the youths that the Assembly would not disappoint the people of the state on the matter as they are being represented by crop of intelligent and competent men and women.

True to his words, the Assembly commenced a probe of sort on the activities of Governor Chime by inviting and dragging some top government functionaries to the anti-graft agency for questioning.

 For instance, the House called on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to investigate the activities of the Chairman of Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ESUBEB), Nneka Onuora over alleged misappropriation of funds and mal-administration. This followed a petition sent tothe Assembly by two members of ESUBEB board: Professor Ikenna Chukwu and Dr T.E. Ayogu Permanent members 1 and 4 of the Board respectively, that Onuora single-handedly awarded contract of seats, tables for primary schools pupils and teachers at the cost of N199 million.

Reading out the resolution of the House, the Speaker said: “The matter is not an independent subject as documents were before the House. It will not be fair to treat the alleged financial crime as a separate matter. The House cannot fold its hands.

Already, the Accountant- General of the state, Paschal Okolie, has formally apologised to the House for not honouring invitation to the Assembly on two previous occasions. Okolie, who parried some of the questions posed to him by the legislators, explained that Enugu was facing financial challenge due to global economic meltdown which had made many states in the country unable to meet up their financial obligations, particularly payment of salaries, adding that Enugu state was not owing workers their salaries.

“Funding problem which has affected the nation has also affected Enugu State. The releases of funds depend on cash flow. The cash flow is slow. The funds are not enough to pay over heads to the House and Ministries,” he added.

The state assembly used the opportunity to berate the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Chime, Achife for being personal in his media attack on the Speaker of the House, Eugene.

“It is curious because the Governor had repeatedly said that he cannot take for granted the cordial relationship existing between the state executive and the legislature.”

“However, we have gone beyond blackmail aimed at frustrating genuine efforts by members of the House to rebuild the state.” 

All the members present at the session took turn to tongue-lash the Governor’s image maker, stressing that they would not fold their hands and watch some highly placed individuals encroach into government lands indiscriminately. The House formally passed a vote of confidence on the Speaker, describing him as are silent leader who had successfully steered the ship of the House in the last eight years.

When will the rumpus be over? Will there be a victor-vanquished scenario, more so as the current administration of Chime is winding up?  How will the in-coming government of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi work effectively in the midst of unpaid bills? These questions will be answered with time.

 

Credit: Tribune (Nigeria)

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