Ebonyi State Governor, Martins Elechi, has stepped on big toes in Abuja and in Abakaliki and is up against adversaries who may cut short his tenure and deprive him of all perks after they have got rid of him from office.
His tenure has been trailed by controversies, in and outside Ebonyi, and investigation showed that the plot thickens to chase him out of Government House through impeachment before his eight-year term expires on May 29.
Elechi’s Chief Press Secretary, Onyekachi Eni, alleged that his principal is suffering from a gang up from the powers that be in Abuja which include Ebonyi indigenes. He specifically accused the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, of plotting to seize control of the state’s machinery and use it to back Deputy Governor, Dave Umahi, who wants to become Governor.
Elechi, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), played into the hands of opponents during the primary elections in the state last year when he was accused of trying to impose his candidates.
His governorship candidate, former Health Minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu, did not get the ticket. It was snatched by Umahi.
Sources said Elechi was not happy with PDP chieftains both at state and national levels over the result and has been inactive in the party’s drive for victory at the ballot box.
He is reportedly hobnobbing with the Labour Party (LP), which displeases PDP top shots now out to see his back through impeachment.
A source disclosed that the fate of Elechi may be decided in a few weeks as members of the state House of Assembly have almost finalised the plan to impeach him.
Contrary to claims by Elechi and his aides that Anyim was instigating his removal, our source disclosed that it is rather the SGF that has been disuading the Ebonyi lawmakers from embarking on such venture when the Governor has few months more to serve out his eight year tenure in office.
“I can assure you that Anyim is very reluctant being dragged into Ebonyi politics despite provocations from the governor.
“He is the one holding back the lawmakers. If he is interested int the governor’s ouster as it is being alleged, they would have impeached him long ago.
“So there is no truth to the allegation. The Governor is the architect of his own downfall,” our source further said.
Elechi is also said to be more jittery because Umahi, whom he does not support, has the governorship ticket.
Assembly Speaker, Chukwuma Nwazunku, was impeached in November last year over allegation that he was working with Umahi. Elechi was said to have instigated Nwazunku’s removal as speaker.
Elechi’s offences
Elechi has made many enemies for himself than friends among Ebonyi’s powerful politicians.
His critics say he wanted to ‘pocket’ the state by controlling all party structures through his stooges but party chieftains kicked against it, creating enmity between him and them.
There is constant friction between Elechi and Umahi and his allies. It is alleged that he engineered Nwazunku’s sack on suspicion he has a good rapport with Umahi.
Thirteen of the 24 members of the Assembly carried out the impeachment of Nwazunku in a hotel on November 10, 2014. But on December 11, 2014, an Abakaliki High Court voided the impeachment.
Justice Anslem Nwigwe ruled that “the House sitting was unconstitutional and not in compliance with the House rules, and was conducted outside the Chambers while the speaker can only be impeached by two-thirds majority of the members.
“In this case therefore, the two-thirds of Ebonyi House of Assembly with 24 members is 16 while 13 of the members sat on November10 to impeach the speaker, which is not lawful.
“The sitting of the House at Top View Hotel, Abakaliki to do the business of the House was illegal, null and void and contrary to the 1999 Constitution as amended.”
The latest offence of Elechi, according to sources, is his alleged anti-party activities which have reportedly prompted Aso Rock to place him under watch along with four other PDP governors.
Impeachment process
After the list of impeachable offences has been agreed by 16 (two-third) members of the state Assembly, the chief judge will be mandated to set up a panel to investigate them.
The panel has to be non-partisan in composition and if it returns a guilty verdict on Elechi, the report will be sent to the legislature where 16 members have to approve.
If a governor is impeached, he forfeits all benefits attached to the office unless he is later pardoned by the state.
Elechi’s aide alleges Abuja conspiracy
Eni alleged that “the faction seeking to impeach [Elechi] is the faction that is loyal to [Umahi]. They are pushing for his impeachment because they believe that if he remains in office, and since he is not supporting them but only President Goodluck Jonathan, that will not advance their victory at the election.
“So, they want to get him out so that either the deputy governor or the Speaker takes over as the governor and use the position to further their electoral fortunes.”
Harassment through EFCC, ICPC
Eni alleged that prominent Ebonyi indigenes in Abuja use their positions to “harass and intimidate” functionaries of the state government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).”
He disclosed that commissioners and other officials “are invited almost on a daily basis to Abuja where they are routinely interrogated over various allegations just because they are seen as being sympathetic to the Labour Party, and we are saying that it is not a crime for people to belong to any party of their choice.
“They have also got the EFCC to freeze all the accounts of the 13 local governments of the state. They froze their accounts so that salaries will not be paid and no development will be going on so that the people will be angry with the governor and side with them in the victimisation against him.
“It was only Tuesday (February 17) that a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the EFCC to defreeze the account of Ebonyi State local government system. It ordered them also to stop harassing functionaries of Ebonyi State.”
Eni Advised prominent Ebonyi indigenes in Abuja to use their positions to better the lot of the people, mentioning Anyim and Federal Revenue Allocation and Fiscal Commission Chairman, Elias Mbam in particular.
Factionalised state Assembly
“The Ebonyi State House of Assembly is factionalised. The faction under the leadership of Nwazunku wants to impeach the governor, relying on trumped up allegations of corruption and wrongdoing. But those allegations are hollow. They have no basis in reality.”
Eni confirmed that Elechi’s troubles started because he wanted Chukwu to succeed him, which was challenged by Umahi.
He recounted that parallel primaries were conducted by those loyal to Elechi and those loyal to Umahi, but the PDP national leadership upheld the result of the primary conducted by the Umahi faction.
He said it is convention of the PDP to regard the governor as the leader of the party in his state, but in Ebonyi, the deputy governor was given the upper hand in the primary, creating room for “compromises by the national leadership of the PDP.”
Eni added that Elechi’s supporters view this as an insult, which led to their defection to the LP and All Progressives Grand Aliance (APGA).
“His supporters felt that he has been insulted by his subordinate in concert with external forces. Those external forces are those at the national secretariat as well as [Anyim], who complained that [Elechi] chose his preference for his successor without consulting him. That is what he told Nigerians.”
Elechi campaigns for Jonathan
Eni stressed, however, that the only person Elechi has “backed both in private and in public” is Jonathan.
“He has been campaigning openly and privately for the president. For the other positions, what he has said consistently is that the people should examine the merit of each candidate in each position and vote according to their conscience.”
Anyim’s Media Assistant, Sam Nwaobasi, promised to get back to TheNiche after speaking with his principal when contacted.
