The appointment is with immediate effect.

Governor Uzodinma, in a letter he personally signed on Thursday communicated the appointment to Justice Njoku.

Governor Uzodimma wrote: “In compliance with the decision of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and in exercise of my powers as provided for in Section 281 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I hereby appoint you as Acting President of the Customary Court of Appeal of Imo State pending the appointment of a substantive President of the Customary Court of Appeal of Imo State.

“The appointment is with immediate effect and all conditions pertaining to this appointment should apply.”

Justice Njoku takes over from Justice Francis Chukwuma Abosi, who was recently suspended and recommended for compulsory retirement by the NJC after finding him guilty of official misconduct.

The NJC had accused Abosi of falsifying his age.

“Hon. Justice Francis Chukwuma Abosi was recommended for compulsory retirement following the falsification of his date of birth from 1950 to 1958. Findings showed that he was supposed to have retired in November 2015, when he clocked the mandatory retirement age of 65 years,” according to Soji Oye, spokesperson of the NJC.

Justice Njoku has been working at the Customary Court of Appeal, Owerri, since 1999.

He was, at one time, a Chief Magistrate and Chief Registrar in the Imo State Judiciary.

He was born in January 5, 1957.

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Presenting the items, which included cooked food and drinks to the inmates at the Owerri Correctional Services on behalf of the Governor, the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the Governor, Mr. Oguwike Nwachuku, said the gesture was Governor Uzodimma’s way of extending love to the inmates during Easter, and to assist the authorities of the Correctional Services meet the needs of the inmates because of the statewide lockdown.

While urging the management of the Correctional Services to ensure that the food and drinks got to all the inmates, Mr. Nwachuku further enjoined them to adhere strictly to all government directives as they concerned the prevention of the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

He also advised the inmates of the Correctional Services to use the period of their incarceration to reflect on how they would impact positively on the larger society when they eventually regained their freedom.

On the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr. Nwachuku encouraged them to be more conscious of their personal hygiene by washing their hands regularly and using sanitisers.

Responding, the Controller, Owerri Correctional Services, Mr. Chris Okoye thanked Governor Uzodimma for his magnanimity.

He expressed delight over the governor’s goodwill, noting that it would go a long way in ameliorating the sufferings of the inmates in the Correctional Services across the state.

Mr. Okoye recalled that Governor Uzodimma had on Easter Sunday extended similar gesture to the Correctional Services across the state, represented by his Special Adviser (Special Duties), Nze Chinasa Nwaneri.

Mr. Okoye promised that the food and drinks would be equitably distributed to the over 2,000 inmates in their custody.

In a similar development, Governor Uzodimma has reached out to the orphanages in the state with various food items to further cushion the effects of the lockdown occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Delivering the food items on behalf of the government to the various orphanage homes in the state, the Commissioner for Gender and Vulnerable Groups, Mrs. Nkechinyere Ugwu, stated that the governor was passionate about the fate of the vulnerable in the state, especially at this period of lockdown.

Consequently, she said the governor had mandated that all the registered orphanages in the state be given food items and relief materials as palliative to cushion their sufferings.

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While receiving the donation on behalf of Governor Hope Uzodimma on Friday, the Chief of Staff, Nnamdi Anyaehie, thanked 7up Bottling Company for identifying with the state government at this trial moment.

Anyaehie noted that the donation would go a long way in helping the state government in her drive to provide food and other relief materials to the less-privileged in the state, particularly those who are the worst hit as a result of in the coronavirus saga.

The Chief of Staff assured the company that government would continue to create enabling environment for business in the state to thrive, and called on other corporate bodies operating in the state to join in solidarity with the government in the must-win fight against Covid-19.

Delivering the items, the Marketing Manager of 7up Bottling Company, Mr. Timi Zacheaus, who was accompanied by Peter Chuemeka, the Marketing Manager, Imo Region, noted that as part of their social corporate responsibility to the state and partners in progress, the company deemed it fit to assist the government.

Mr. Zacheaus expressed happiness that the prompt response of the government had made it difficult for the virus to find its way into the state and promised that 7up Bottling Company would continue to provide assistance whenever needed.

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Speaking through its state coordinator, Mmadu Marcellinus Ebuka, at Government House, Owerri on Thursday, the group stated that it had already visited all the 12 local government areas of Orlu, with significant impact in most of the autonomous communities.

Mmadu said: “Last Week, we were in Orlu. We visited all the 12 local governments in Orlu, telling them the need to protect themselves against this virus. We were in Orsu, Orlu, Oru East, Oru West, Ideato North, Ideato South. What were we preaching? Please people should be able to protect themselves from getting this pandemic.”

Members of the group were at the Government House to inform Governor Hope Uzodinma of the group’s assignment at Owerri zone.

The co-ordinator stressed on the basic preventive measures of hand washing, use of sanitizers and observing social distancing between persons, as antidotes to the pandemic movements.

Mmadu also reemphasized the group’s resolve to carry the campaign to Okigwe Zone and into the hinterlands for proper sensitization of the poorly informed rural dwellers on the urgency to protect themselves from the coronavirus pandemic.

Responding, Governor Uzodimma, represented by his Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser, Mr. Oguwike Nwachuku, commended the initiative of the Hope Alive Youth Organization which he described as a rare sacrificial service of partnering with the state in driving home the fight against COVID-19.

He said: “Let me sincerely thank all of you for this effort. Hope Alive is a critical organization which Governor Uzodimma holds in very high esteem. We want to thank you very sincerely for your efforts. You know ordinarily we should be embracing ourselves, but corona virus has placed all of us in a situation to fear or be suspicious of ourselves because everybody is a potential suspect. We really appreciate what you are doing, going to the markets, going to the wards and local governments to sensitize our people in a language that everybody would understand.”

Nwachuku assured the group of the support of the governor always in their activities as partners in progress for good governance and prayed that such spirit would  continue to result in a healthier Imo.

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While eight persons made the list of SAs, another eight were officially nominated for the office of SSA.

The governor also directed the Secretary to Government of Imo State to issue the new advisers and assistants with the necessary letters as their appointments were with immediate effect.

The appointees for SA are:

1. Celia Osakwe Hibbert
2. Aloysius Nnabugo
3. Dr. Samuelson Emehibe
4. Dr. Obianuju Nwokejiobi
5. Chief Kenneth Okafor
6. Tanana Biaduo
7. Hon. Dan Ikpeazu
8. Barr. Austin Nnawuihe

The SSA nominees include:

1. Franklyn Oparaji
2. Charles Ebuonuma
3. Chimezie Nweke
4. Mrs. Chika Ibekwe
5. Franca Uzodinma
6. Hon. Barr. Lodrick Chukwudi Eneh
7. Barr. M. D. Zubairu
8. Mrs. Ihemdi Ngozi

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The names were forwarded to the Assembly on Wednesday.

The nominees were described as “tested professionals with the capacity to help the governor realise his vision of making Imo State prosperous.”

They are:

1. Dr. Mrs. Osunkwo
2. Iyke Njoku
3. Prof. V. E. O. Ikegwuoha
4. Barr. Francis Dibiagwu
5. Doris Akubuo
6. Dan Oguh
7. Noble Atulegwu
8. C. C. Osuala
9. Lambert Orisakwe
10. Obiageri Ajoku
11. Nkechi Ugwu
12. Simeon Ibegbulem
13. Kingsley Ononuju
14. Declan Emelumba
15. Enyinnaya Onuegbu
16. Rex Anunobi
17. Raph Nwosu
18. Fabian Ihekwueme
19. Tony Umezuruike
20. Iyke Umeh
21. Mathias Emejuonu
22. Love Ineh

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The governor who spoke to newsmen shortly after the Supreme Court dismissed the petition of Chief Emeka Ihedioha who challenged the earlier judgement of the apex court, described the ruling as the expectation of the people.

“The judgement represents the expectation of the mandate of the people. We give God all the glory that at the end of the day, truth came out. We commend the wisdom of the Supreme Court in standing by the truth,” he said.

Governor Uzodimma reiterated his resolve to take the state to the next level and called on all Imo sons and daughters, both at home and abroad, to contribute their quota to the development of the state.

To his opponents, Governor Uzodinma said: “In this business, you must show the spirit of sportsmanship. It’s not every time you win, it’s not every time you lose. When you win, you carry the losers along; when you lose you follow those that won. My plea to my opponents is to come and bring their ideas, let us team up and create a synergy that will develop Imo State and bring succour to our people.”

On the expectations of Imo people in the next four years, Governor Uzodinma said: “You will expect miracle because I know I have a vision and that vision is a well cut out vision that will develop our state, bring prosperity, development and ensure good and long life for our people.”

Governor Uzodinma said he also had great plans for his party in the South East.

He said he believed time had come for the APC to make sustained impact in the region.

His words: “APC is in all the five states of the South East, but Imo is the only state with a Governor of APC extraction. I will improve on the status quo by doing things that will impress the people through persuasion, conviction and dialogue. I’ll go on a political evangelism to convert people of the South East to join the national party.”

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He said the law would assist in improving the revenue base of the state by closing revenue leakages occasioned by the engagement of multiple consultants who rip-off the state.

Expressing his views on the operational status of the law before the amendment, Governor Uzodimma noted: “Before now, the law provides for consultants that collect 10% of the total revenue, 10% goes to the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR), 20% to ENTRACO and 10% to OCDA. At the end of the month, 50% of the IGR is gone, leaving the state with only 50% of the internally generated revenue collected.”

That, he said, was in violation of the provisions of the 1999 constitution as amended.

The governor said the amendment he assented to, empowered the Board of Internal Revenue to spend 5% of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the payment of salaries of their workers and other personnel services.

That expenditure, the governor said, would be subjected to appropriation by the State House of Assembly.

Governor Uzodimma explained that with the amendment, the state stood to gain more as 95% of the total IGR would go directly to the state coffers as against the 50% which was the old order.

Also speaking, the Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Chiji Collins, said that the law before its amendment, which was similar to Lagos State Revenue Law, had not benefitted the state in terms of its operation.

He expressed dismay that half of what was generated as IGR went to consultants at the detriment of the state.

The amendment, the Speaker said, would reduce the volume of money that the state lost through consultancy.

“We have enough manpower to do the job. What we agreed with the Executive is to allow the Board of Internal Revenue take 5% of the revenue generated which will be used for salaries and personnel cost of the agency with appropriation that will come from the House of Assembly before the fund will be used,” he said.

Collins further reiterated that the House of Assembly was not after witch-hunting anybody or agency, but trying to make laws that would help the state boost its income to achieve its lofty ideals of rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction of the state.

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On Wednesday, January 15, 2020, former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar advised the sacked Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha to respect and abide by the court ruling.

It was not out of hatred for the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives that Atiku gave the advice. If anything, Atiku gave the advice out of love for Ihedioha.

It was also out of Akitu’s experience in politics and deep understanding of the workings of the judiciary, even though not a lawyer.

Atiku had advised Ihedioha to move on with his life and start in earnest to plan his next political journey if he is still interested in politics instead of wasting his precious time trying to resurrect a dead horse like he is trying to do now through surrogates.

Ihedioha did not heed that fatherly piece of advice as he has returned to the Supreme Court to seek a review of a matter it had painstakingly adjudicated and given its sincere judgment.

The issue that made Ihedioha, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 9, 2019 governorship election in Imo state return to the Supreme Court is well known to all and we do not need to be-labour it here.

However, the summary of his reason to seek a review of the case the apex court had given judgment on January 14, 2020 is that the Supreme Court should sack His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodinma earlier pronounced winner of the governorship election in Imo state by the Justices and bring him back to office after being sacked. But Ihedioha’s prayer is not as simple as it seems. We shall return to this shortly.

For now, let us take a second look at the advice Atiku gave to Ihedioha as one believed in many quarters to have drank from Waziri Adamawa’s reservoir of experience and knowledge of the Nigerian politics.

In a tweet after the Supreme Court’s ruling that changed Ihedioha’s  political fortune Atiku said: “With regard to the judgment of the Supreme Court, which nullified the election of the candidate of the PDP, Emeka Ihedioha, as Governor of the state of Imo, I can only say that since the Supreme Court is final, we must accept its judgment.”

Atiku continued: “However unexpected and unpalatable it may be, the rule of law must guide our paths even if logic sheds light on a different path.”

In taking a position on the Imo State Governorship election after passing through all the legal processes from the Tribunal to the Court of Appeal before berthing at the final court in the land, the Supreme court held that the lower court (Court of Appeal) erred in law when it rejected evidence brought before it that votes due to Senator Hope Uzodinma, candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) from 388 polling units were not credited to him.

Consequently, the apex court did the needful by adding the votes that were cleverly removed from Uzodinma’s score and also ordered that he be immediately sworn-in as the lawful winner of the March 9, 2019 governorship election in Imo State.

It was a ruling that elicited mixed feeling – joy and gloom – at different quarters, and later gave rise to some unbecoming demeanour particularly from the losing camp that question the integrity of many people who call themselves our leaders in a democratic setting.

Many of those who were beneficiaries of the process that brought the sacked PDP government in Imo state into power did not only go berserk in the way they poured venom on the Supreme Court and the Justices of the institution, but they set out to orchestrate strategic distraction of the newly sworn-in Uzodinma administration, even when they know too well about the inviolability of certain decisions of the apex court.

I am not sure if Ihedioha, a tested lawmaker, must have given vent to the distractive events that followed after the swearing in of Distinguished Senator Uzodinma.

However, not withstanding how reticent Ihedioha has remained, many people are still in shock that he has neither called his supporters to order nor distanced himself from their maddening disposition over the Supreme court ruling, an indication that nobody was ready to heed advice from those who should know, like Atiku.

Instead of heeding advice from the informed, Ihedioha’s supporters resorted to calling out the Justices as corrupt, deriding them as not being worthy to answer Justices while the institution they represent has repeatedly been hurriedly tagged as one destroying Nigeria’s democracy.

Those of them who paused a bit to take a second look at Atiku’s advice where he urged Ihedioha not to be deterred by the court judgement but to overcome his setbacks and “come back stronger”, saw in that advice a window of opportunity to further denigrate Nigeria’s final court.

They saw in it an opportunity to see the hope and future of Imo state and its people lying only in their hands and not in another person’s hands, no matter how well intentioned and competent. Who does such a thing or thinks that way?

When Atiku said, “I urge the people of Imo and the entirety of the Nigerian people not to give in to despair,” he was guided by the fact that Ndi Imo have suffered untold hardship in the hands of those they call their leaders. Atiku was prophetically encouraging the good people of Imo state to continue to persevere because hope is in sight. He did not tell them to heed to distractive activities that would create an environment for miscreants to see Imo as a take off point to further undermine the people.

Unfortunately, those who have rabid hatred for Governor Uzodinma for the fun of it and are averse to his coming on board Imo topmost leadership cadre to bring hope to the hopeless in the state are at work trying to undermine the plan. But they will fail. They have been busy throwing stones into the market square oblivious of who the stone will hit.

They are the ones crying blue murder over the Supreme Court judgment that brought Senator Uzodinma to power on January 15, the day he was sworn in as governor.

They are ready to stop at nothing to arm-twist the hands of the Justices to do the unthinkable as long as that will serve their selfish purpose, forgetting that judicial process thrives on facts, hard facts; or what in judicial parlance is known as evidence before the court.

Those who ought to know are not swayed by the unnecessary gyration that is going on at some quarters across the country – Owerri, Abuja, Lagos and laughably outside the country. The open Disco they resorted to be dancing for weeks now in some cities across the country is nothing but attempts to pressure the apex court to undo the decision its seven Justices unanimously took on the Imo governorship election of March 9, 2019 after painstakingly considering the facts before them.

We know them for what they are and love doing – meddlesome interlopers and stand-by hired protesters. Their trade is not seasonal. They follow the man ready to pick their bills. I am almost sure after tomorrow they will make themselves available to be hired even by the persons they are protesting against today.

Before the seven Justices gave their ruling that met the expectations of informed legal minds and many Imolites, Senator Uzodinma laid all the facts available to him before the honourable courts.

His story right from the tribunal through to the Court of Appeal and eventually the Supreme Court, was not only similar but contained incontrovertible facts as the last court of the land eventually discovered on January 14 before taking that historic decision to affirm him duly and lawfully elected governor of Imo state.

Unfortunately, the PDP and Ihedioha camp that alleged irregularities were unable to present before the court (Supreme Court) evidence or data to contradict the ones Uzodinma presented.

They were quick to allege criminal acts but not ready to present their facts to substantiate their allegation. Is it no longer a judicial norm that he who alleges must prove?

Even the electoral umpire that everyone knows was complicit in all the irreconcilable election matters in Nigeria with regard to the 2019 election was content playing hide and seek.

It baffles critical minds how anyone wants the Supreme Court to review a matter where facts, if any, were not presented ab initio before it. That would mean asking for the impossible from such a respected institution that is the pride of any nation that has respect for its rule of law and democratic tenets.

Why are we keen on destroying what is left as the only hope of the common man – the judiciary? Why are our judicial officers speaking from where they appear, which suggests they are more interested in what they get from their clients than the things that preserve their honour, integrity and national legacy?

One of such lawyers – Evan Ufeli- who spoke on Channels Television Sunday Politics on February 16, reminds me of the danger our country faces when opinion is free, and how vulnerable we can all become if those who claim to know are leading all of us to perdition.

Speaking for himself and a camp of Civil Society Organisation Ufeli advised the Supreme Court to order a fresh election in Imo, contending that neither Ihedioha nor Uzodinma got the requisite spread to make them governor.

Ufeli wants the Supreme Court to even take a position on a matter Ihedioha and the PDP have not prayed for, all in an attempt to justify his calling as a lawyer without taking into consideration the processes that got Ihedioha back to the apex court for it to review its judgment.

It beats the imagination that even lawyers who have read the provisions of the Electoral Act as regards timelines in electoral contest are trying to substitute facts with their personal opinion on the Supreme Court and its duties. Such persons with their views are actually the problem we have as a society.

Because some hired lawyers and their collaborators in the civil society have resorted to interpreting the law in ways that are misleading, the ranks of “lawyers” in our public space has swayed and suddenly, everybody has turned to a lawyer and telling the Supreme Court how to do its work.

The good news is that deep down Ihedioha, he knows there is not much the Supreme Court as presently constituted can do regarding the case he is being pressure to pursue. His greatest problem is how he can tell his associates goading him to “recover his mandate” that he cannot do anything. So, going to the Supreme Court to seek review is expected if only that would give Ihedioha the elixir he needs to be off the hook and firm grip of those making a living from his current predicament.

Unfortunately, the undeniable snag that stands between Ihedioha and his prayer that the Supreme Court will be considering tomorrow is that his supporters and associates do not have confidence in the apex court and they have eloquently vouched their minds on that.

It rankles that people’s conscience tells them they can eat your cake and still keep it.

*Nwachuku is Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State.

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The workers, numbering at least 300, have sustained the protest for about 11 days, to press home their demand for the reversal of the pay cut by the state government.

The protesters, which made up of medical doctors, nurses and pharmacists, said they would sustain the protest until their demands were met by the government.

Former Governor Rochas Okorocha had during his tenure slashed the salaries of the workers in the hospital by 30 per cent.

The protesters barricaded the main entrance to the hospital, making it difficult for patients to get medical attention.

Speaking to newsmen, the chairman of the Joint Action Committee, Dr Elias Anumudu, said that the protest and strike would be sustained until government restored their salary to 100 per cent.

Anumudu urged Governor Hope Uzodinma to consider the plight of workers in the hospital and quickly pay their full salary with the arrears, including promotion arrears as applicable to their counterparts.

He said: “We embarked on this protest since last week Monday and we have also been on strike to make government see our plight.

“We will be grateful if the government will resolve the problem immediately to enable us to commence work in the hospital.”

Also, Dr Justin Echendu said that health workers had continued  to suffer marginalisation, in spite of their performance and commitment to excellent service delivery.

Echendu said that the administration of former Governor Emeka Ihedioha promised to reverse the salary cut but failed to do so.

“We were promised that we will get full salary in January but unfortunately we have received the salary and the situation is still the same,” she said.

Source: NAN

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