Akeredolu Oppressing, Neglecting Minority Arogbo Ijaws Of Ondo State – Group

...Says Gov has spent N310 billion on capital projects in four years with nothing in Arogbo Ijaw

The Arogbo Ijaw Patriots has accused the Governor of Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu of deliberate nepotistic conduct in project execution against the minority Ijaws of the state.

The group in a statement signed by the Coordinator, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei and Secretary, Barr. Bibisa Kekemeke, on Sunday said that Akeredolu has failed to protect the interest of the disadvantaged Ijaw minority in the state.

The group said that it was rather distressing that Akeredolu only focused attention on the development of Ijaw Apoi, his maternal O home to the exclusion of the Arogbo Ijaws.

According to the group, the Arogbo Ijaw community has not been so terribly marginalized and treated as an enemy territory by any Governor before Akeredolu.

The duo appealed to the Governor to display the compassion expected of a leader to recognize the fact that Ondo State has two ethnicities: the dominant Yoruba and the minority Arogbo Ijaws.

Soriwei and Kekemeke stressed further that since Akeredolu took over governance in Ondo State, he has executed four budgets totaling N734 billion out of which N310 billion was approved for capital projects.

They expressed shock and disappointment that not even N10 million worth of project was sited in the more populated Arogbo Ijaw part of Ese Odo while the Governor and his deputy moved all the projects to Apoi.

The group challenged Akeredolu and his government to counter the claim if it is untrue by pointing to any such project in the area after almost four years of his administration.

“Ondo State has 18 Local Government Areas and Ese-Odo, the Ijaw Local Government happens to be one of the two oil producing councils in the state. The Arogbo Ijaws are the more populated out of the two Ijaw clans making up the local government area but Akeredolu and his deputy, Hon Agboola only opted to site all road and other projects in Apoi land in a brazen display of unparalleled nepotism.

“Between 2017 and 2020, Akeredolu has had the opportunity to preside over a cumulative budgetary figure of about N734 billion. Out of this figure the Governor allocated about N310 billion for capital projects for four years! We hereby challenge the Ondo Government to contradict this statement of fact and make itself an objective of public mockery.

“We can only plead with the Governor to show compassion as a leader to listen to the cries of the mistreated Ijaws for a likeness of developmental attention.

The group lamented further that Akeredolu’s maternal country people were given 188 job slots out of a total of 200 that were given to Ese-Odo Local Government areas

They added further that out of seven contracts of about N100 million awarded by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Authorities, four were given to the Ilajes òf Ilaje Local Government Area and three to Ese-Odo, which Akeredolu gave to his mother’s people to the exclusion of Arogbo Ijaws.

The group said that all entreaties of the Ijaw people to the state Government for a bridge across the tiny River Oluwa to link the headquarters of the Ijaw community, Arogbo, with the outside world have been ignored by Akeredolu who is doing bridges on land in other parts of the state.

The recalled that the Governor constituted five state committees including the one on COVID 19 without the inclusion of any Arogbo Ijaw person in the committees.

Global Centre for Conscious Living Against Corruption Says Alleged Stolen 7.6 Billion At Work For Kalu

The Global Centre for Conscious Living against Corruption has questioned the Supreme Court judgement on the nullification of the trial of former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu.

While addressing a joint press briefing on Tuesday, 12^th May, 2020 in Abuja, The Director General of Global Centre for Conscious Living against Corruption Dr. Nwambu Gabriel wondered why Uzor Kalu who has allegedly stolen even more money (N7.65 Billion Naira) be different from that of Jolly Nyame, Joshua Dariye.

He further said that, "could we rightly assert that there are some sacred cows close to the corridors of power in Nigeria who are above the law or are our corruption trials selective?

Excerpt is the full text of the press briefing:

Recall that our coalition addressed you on the 28th of April, 2020 warning Nigerians to watch out on the serial antics perpetrated by some jailed politicians and ex-Governors who leverages on all possible windows to evade justice thereby bringing to disrepute the genuine efforts of President Mohammadu Buhari  and indeed the EFCC in bringing corrupt politicians to book irrespective of their political affiliation and amount of money stolen.

On the 7th of April 2020, the Supreme Court as the Apex Court in Nigeria nullified the trial of former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, his firm, SLOK Nigeria Limited and Jones Udeogu (an accomplice), a former Director of Finance and Accounts of Abia State Government and ordering their fresh trial at the lower court.

The apex court based its verdict on the grounds that Justice Mohammed Idris, who convicted Kalu and others had been elevated to the Court of Appeal before the judgment and returned to the lower court to deliver the judgment which it considered as illegal.

Although the EFCC had responded to this judgment in a letter signed by Dele Oyewale, Head, Media and Publicity on the 8th of May, 2020, stating that the anti graft agency considers the judgment of the apex court as 'quite unfortunate'. He stated that it was a 'technical ambush' against the trial of the former Governor. He further stated "The commission is prepared for a fresh and immediate trial of the case because its evidences against Kalu and others are overwhelming. The entire prosecutorial machinery of the EFCC would be launched in a fresh trial where justice is bound to be served in due course".

Now, for us as coalition against corruption, the Centre had notified Nigerians on how in 2019, Mr. Orji Kalu lied to the court that he was admitted in a German hospital for a knee surgery, only for him to appear in a political campaign a few days later jumping up and down. This trial has been on for 13 years and yet the process has been reassigned for fresh trial. Some questions waiting for answers includes:

1. Could anything  be wrong with our Criminal Justice System?

2. Could it be that Kalu had perfected on some windows to evade justice especially referring to a letter written by his counsel Gordy Uche (SAN) & Co. to the President, Court of Appeal on the 26th day of June, 2018 requesting  for Hon. Justice M.B. Idris DCA, to conclude the part- heard trial?

3. Some other ex-Governors are in jail, why is that of Kalu who has allegedly stolen even more money (N7.65 Billion Naira) be different from that of Jolly Nyame, Joshua Dariye, etc?

4. Could we rightly assert that there are some sacred cows close to the corridors of power in Nigeria who are above the law or are our corruption trials selective?

This is a trial that would again test the strength of our Judiciary. Nigerians expect a more expedient and expeditious trial in line with the Criminal Justice Act of a matter of this magnitude which has taken 13 years depleting tax payers money in an economy that is already hemorrhaging.

We wish to state clearly that any judgment that would acquit Mr. Orji Uzor Kalu or any ex- Governor or corrupt politician who has allegedly stolen or misappropriated  public funds on technical grounds will not be accepted by our coalition and Nigerians in general.

We urge the people of Abia state and indeed Nigerian citizens who are yearning for justice to remain calm while we follow events as it unfolds. Updates on this note would be relayed to Nigerians accordingly.

Thank You.

Signed:

Dr. Nwambu Gabriel                                                        Mallam Sadiq Malik

For the Coalition.