By Peter Okutu

THE impeachment notice served on Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi, less than three months to the end of his tenure, has long been anticipated since he lost control of the state House of Assembly.

Even those House members who defected from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Labour Party, LP, are aware of this fact, they decided to stay close to the governor to secure their political future.

One of the mistakes of Elechi was his frequent intrusion into the activities of the House without recourse to the constitutional provision of separation of powers between the three arms of government.

Over the years, the governor was noted for phrases like, “This decision is irreversible and irrevocable”, and “The Vatican has spoken, so everybody should obey”. Such statements made many   stakeholders in Ebonyi to see him as a dictator rather than a democrat.

At a meeting held at the PDP secretariat in Abakaliki, he ruled on who could occupy elective positions without consultations with the party’s EXCO and Council of Elders of the PDP in the state.

The foundation of imposition, laid by Elechi, made party faithful to start nursing bitterness against him.

He was said to have an ally in the former PDP Youth Leader in the state.

*Gov Elechi

It was against this background that when Elechi announced his candidate for governorship for the forthcoming polls, it did not get the endorsement of the PDP stakeholders in the state as he (Elechi) failed to consult.

Speaking on the issue, the PDP Council of Elders in the state emphasized that the reason it decided to reject the governor’s candidate for governorship was because of his autocratic disposition on issues affecting the state.

According to the group, he nominated Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, a former Minister of Health, as his candidate for the PDP gubernatorial ticket, without consulting with the elders as was done in 2007 when he himself emerged governor on the platform of the PDP.

Briefing newsmen at the end of its meeting in Abakaliki, the Chairman of the group, Ambassador Franklin Ogbuewu, stated that efforts made by the Council to make the governor democratize the transition process were rebuffed, saying the body had no choice but to back a candidate different from his.

Ogbuewu stressed that between August and November last year, members of the Council participated in various fora in which Elechi canvassed support for power shift from Ebonyi Central to the South and that it was not right for the governor to back a candidate (Sir Edward Nkwegu) from the old Abakaliki bloc which had already produced governor for 16 years.

“If the governor was properly and wisely advised, he ought to have a clean break and join the Labour Party. His manipulative claim to remain in the PDP while the entire structures of his government are already in the Labour Party ie totally unacceptable to this Council and to the generality of Ebonyi people”.

Meanwhile, his ambition to get Chukwu to succeed him crashed.

Elechi also made frantic efforts to deny his predecessor, Dr. Sam Egwu, the opportunity of representing Ebonyi North as senator not minding that the former governor, through wide consultations, made him governor in 2007.

His decision to disallow Ebonyi South from producing his successor is another mistake even as he was said to have promised his deputy, Engr. Dave Umahi, that he would take over from him.

Meanwhile, the deputy governor was reportedly the brain behind Elechi’s victory at the polls in 2011 as Umahi allegedly mobilized to ensure that his boss returned to office, so that it will be easy for the governor to hand over to him.

However, their relationship went sour when Umahi insisted that the promise Elechi made must be fulfilled at all costs.

The feud inevitably divided notable politicians in Ebonyi into two camps: one for Elechi, the other for Umahi.

But the key stakeholders in the state are said to be against the governor.

The stakeholders include the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; a former deputy governor, Prof. Chigozie Ogbut; Senator Omezue Emma Agboti; Ambassador Gabriel Odi; Prof. Ozo Nweke Ozo; Chief Boniface Ofoke; Chief Geoffrey Mgbada; Senator Emmanuel Onwe; Dr. Dennis Ekumankama; Chief Hycinth Ikpor; Dr. Igwe Aja Nwachukwu; Chief Joseph Onwe; Okeagu Ogada; Chief Fidelis Nwankwo; Chief Elias Mbam and Senator Ngiji Ngele.

Elechi and Umahi equally split the state House of Assembly.

However, the notice for the governor’s impeachment came after some of his sympathisers allegedly set a part of the House of Assembly complex on fire in order to stop the probe of Elechi.

The Speaker of the parliament, Rt. Hon Chukwuma Nwazunku, blamed the fire on the executive arm of government.

When Sunday Vanguard visited the Assembly complex, smoke was still billowing from the structure.

Unveiling the impeachment notice, penultimate Friday, the lawmakers raised allegations of gross misconduct against Elechi.

Reading the notice at the plenary, the acting leader of the House, Hon. Francis Nwifuru, stated that the eight allegations levelled against the governor ranged from financial misappropriation to lack of due process in the appointment of government officials, establishment of state-owned companies without recourse to the state House of Assembly and acquisition of loans from banks without due process.

The notice had 14 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and one All Progressives Congress, APC, members as signatories.

“For the commission of several acts of gross misconduct, which we are convinced are in clear violation of the Constitution, we the undersigned members of this Honourable House have endorsed to serve the governor, Chief Martin Elechi, a notice of allegations of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office as governor of Ebonyi State”, the lawmakers said in the notice.

“That contrary to and in violation of the express provisions of the Constitution, Governor Martin Elechi took a loan of N6 billion in 2013 from United Bank for Africa Plc on behalf of the Ebonyi State government without obtaining the necessary consent of the state House of Assembly.

PROF. ONYEBUCHI CHUKWU

“That Ebonyi State government spent six million, six hundred and seventeen thousand naira incorporating the Ebonyi Oil and Gas Development Co. Ltd with two hundred million ordinary shares in the year 2013 surprisingly giving 100,000,000 controlling shares to Edon (Nig) Ltd, represented by Edward Nkwegu, 25,000,000 shares to the governor’s son, Elechi Elechi, 25,000,000 shares to Best Southern Global, surprisingly giving the financier, the Ebonyi State government a minority share holding of 50,000,000″.

The motion for the governor to be served the impeachment notice was moved by Hon. Obasi Odefa Obasi representing Onicha East Constituency and seconded by Hon. Frank Onwe for Ohaukwu North State Constituency.

A source close to the PDP disclosed that within two weeks of the notice, the governor may be impeached by the state House of Assembly.

In the meantime, nine lawmakers, namely, the Deputy Speaker, Chief Blaise Orji (Afikpo

South East), the Majority Leader, Sam Nwali (Ikwo North), Oliver Nwachukwu(Abakaliki North), Eloy Ogbonna(Afikpo North East), Mrs Helen Nwaobshi(Abakaliki South), Mrs Mabel Aleke (Ohaukwu South) Eni Uduma Chima (Afikpo South West), Princess Lilian Igwe(Ivo) and Michael Ikechukwu Nwankwo (Ebonyi North West), who defected to LP, have condemned the impeachment notice.

In a statement signed by the lawmakers and read on their behalf by Chima in Abakaliki, they stressed that “the resolution of the 15 members of the Assembly, led by the Speaker, Chukwuma Nwazunku, contravened Section 188(4) of the 1999 constitution as amended”.

“We have resolved that none of us shall attempt to go to the House of Assembly complex to forestall breakdown of law and order and to ensure the security of the lives of our people. We cannot sign or attempt to sign any document seeking to remove from

the office of the Governor, His Excellency Chief Martin Elechi”, the statement said.

In a related development, the Director, Media and Publicity, Divine Mandate Campaign Organization of the state PDP candidate, Umahi, Chief Abia Onyike, has called on the governor to tackle the allegations levelled against him instead of whipping up sentiments.

He said: “In the light of the above allegations and others too numerous to mention here, it becomes necessary to state that the governor has a moral obligation to tackle the substantive issues raised by the House of Assembly and stop resorting to name-calling and diversionary tactics, as such worn-out antics can only exacerbate his woes instead of attenuating them”.

Meanwhile, over 2,000 youths staged a peaceful protest against the impeachment plot against Elechi.

Dave Umahi

The protesters, who converged at the state township stadium as early as 8 a.m, disrupted human and vehicular movement with security personnel positioned at strategic places to forestall any break down of law and order.Reacting to the protest, the Divine Mandate Campaign Organization alleged that the youths were mobilized by the state government against the visit of the wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan, who was expected in Ebonyi last week.

The Chairman, Media, Research and Strategic Team of the Organization, Senator Emmanuel Onwe, stressed that the people of the state were not intimidated by the action of “the governor who hides under the Labour Party to create crisis in order to disrupt the visit of the First Lady to Ebonyi”.

He added: “Today, we witnessed yet another example of the degeneration of opposition politics in Ebonyi State into the sewage.

“The youth of Ebonyi were brought into the capital city, Abakaliki, given placards, empty coffins to protest against the PDP”.