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Tag: Abia State

  • Abia repeal of life pensions for ex-govs, deputies: Matters arising (2) – By Ehichioya Ezomon

    Abia repeal of life pensions for ex-govs, deputies: Matters arising (2) – By Ehichioya Ezomon

    While most Nigerians still clink wine glasses in toast to Abia State Governor Alex Otti for belling the monstrous cat of life pensions for former governors and deputy governors, three Abia ex-governors have punctuated Dr Otti’s enviable limelight, by denying drawing pensions, and the accompanying perquisites of office.

    Under the repealed law, former governors and deputies were to be paid lifetime salaries; get houses in Abia and Abuja; receive 100 per cent of annual basic salaries of the incumbent governor and deputy; get two brand-new vehicles worth N20 million every four years; and have three police officers and two operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), and cooks, stewards, drivers, and gardeners.

    The denial by immediate past Governor Okezie Ikpeazu (2015-2023) came on March 20 – a day before Otti signed into law the bill repealing the pensions. A statement by Dr Ikpeazu’s chief press secretary, Onyebuchi Ememanka, refuted reports “mischievously couched to give the false impression” that Ikpeazu’s among former governors receiving pensions from Abia State.

    Ememanka stated: “Dr Okezie Ikpeazu wishes to make it abundantly clear that since after handing over the reins of power as Governor of Abia State on May 29, 2023, he has neither requested for, nor received from the Abia State Government, any dime under any guise whatsoever, and has no intentions of doing so.

    “Former Governor Ikpeazu has since moved on with his life and is currently engaged in other areas of interest to him and advises the Abia State Government and her various organs to face the business of governance and desist from engaging in needless media sensationalism. The general public should be properly guided, please.”

    Former Senator and ex-Governor Theodore Orji (2007-2015) also debunked claims of benefiting from the pension largesse, saying on March 21 that, “he hasn’t received any pension, he hasn’t asked for it, and he’s not interested in it.” Orji spoke via his former chief liaison officer, Hon. Ifeanyi Umere.

    Umere said: “Nobody should link Senator Orji with the said pension law because nobody has paid him any pension after leaving office as Governor. He transited from Governor to Senate and he made it a point of morality that he will not, and he didn’t ask for any pension or question anybody about it because he is not interested in it. He didn’t receive any pension from Okezie Ikpeazu and he didn’t pay anybody, too.”

    And Sen. and former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu (1999-2007) – whose government established the pension law in 2001 – said he didn’t receive any pensions since 2007. One of Kalu’s aides was quoted: “As a former governor of the state, T. A. Orji did not pay him (Kalu) a dime as pension, and Okezie Ikpeazu continued in the same manner.”

    Recall that Dr Kalu, fielding questions from journalists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja on February 20, 2017, distanced himself from the 108 ex-governors that a national daily claimed were “living off their states through pensions and other entitlements.”

    As reported by Vanguard on February 21, 2017, Kalu said he hadn’t received “any payment, entitlements or privileges of any sort from his successors (Sen. Orji and Dr. Ikpeazu), adding that the Abia State government had “withheld and refused to pay his pensions and entitlements, making him the only ex-governor in the 36 states that does not receive pension.”

    Kalu said on leaving government on May 29, 2007, he left behind “all the government vehicles and every other thing that belonged to the government,” and that, “none of the privileges, like security details or vehicles that accrue to former governors has been extended to him.”

    Asked if he’s broke because of non-payment, and his next line of action, Kalu said: “It is not about being broke or not. The pension law of the state did not exclude me from being paid as expected. In fact, it is illegal, according to the law, to deny one his rights and privileges.”

    Also reacting to the abolished pension benefits, former Deputy Governor Ude Chukwu, under the Ikpeazu regime, said: “Nobody has given me a dime. I am aware of the law. For me, it (the law) is as good as not being there. If all past governors said they have not been paid anything, what is the essence of the existence of the law?”

    Relatedly, former Lagos State Governor and ex-minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has revealed that his monthly pension is N577,000, after eight years in office (2007-2015). Mr Fashola, appearing on ARISE TV programme, ‘Perspectives,’ on January 20, said:

    “The benefit I get, I think, is a N577,000 monthly pension from Lagos State. So, in spite of all the stories that we got several billions of money (after leaving office), I’ve come out to deny that repeatedly. Well, I don’t know how long it lasts, but all I know is that I get N577,000 per month consistently,” without stating if he’d enjoyed the “full package” pre and post-effort by the Lagos State House of Assembly (LGHA) to halve the pensions in 2021.

    The poser: If Otti’s predecessors in office denied receiving any pensions, why the Labour Party (LP) governor’s bravado to sign into law the pensions repeal bill passed by the Abia State House of Assembly (ABHA)? Was it to score political points by painting black Dr Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Orji (PDP), and Sen. Kalu of All Progressives Congress (APC)?

    Perhaps, Otti wanted to fulfil a campaign promise, and guard against any governor resurrecting the dead law in future. Signing the law on March 21, Otti stated: “Even before this new law came into place, a lot of people, who have followed our views in the national discuss (discourse), understand that we were not going to continue the practice of paying pensions and allowances to this set of former government officials.”

    That said, pensions for former governors and deputy governors aren’t “illegal,” as the issue is perceived in the public. What Nigerians detest and question is the morality of and insensitivity in awarding huge severance pay, lifetime pensions, allowances and material benefits to former governors and deputies.

    Some former governors-turned senators or ministers also receive emoluments in a couple of places: pensions from their states, and salaries and allowances from the National Assembly (NASS) or the Executive, against the rules that exempt farming as the only avenue to possibly earn extra pay, while boosting the country’s food production and security.

    In 2023, some members of NASS were enticed by the mouth-watering pension packages for federal and state executives, and proposed same for the President and Deputy President of the Senate, and Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives – an incentive for State Houses of Assembly to follow suit. But the bill was shot down due to public outcry.

    In the oft-quoted Lagos High Court judgment of November 26, 2019, in suit no: FHC/L/CS/1497/2017, filed by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo queried the legality or validity of pensions for former governors and deputy governors, but pushed the burden of discovery to the Attorney General of the Federation.

    Justice Oguntoyinbo had differed from the position of then Attorney General Abubakar Malami (SAN) that, “the States’ laws duly passed cannot be challenged,” and said, “I do not agree with this line of argument by the Attorney General that he cannot challenge the States’ pension laws for former governors.”

    “In my humble view, the AG should be interested in the legality or validity of any law in Nigeria and how such laws affect or will affect Nigerians, being the Chief Law Officer of the Federation,” the judge said, and then gave the following commands:

    “AN ORDER of mandamus compelling and directing the Attorney General, AG, to urgently identify former governors and their deputies collecting pensions from their states and to seek full recovery of public funds from those involved.

    “AN ORDER of mandamus compelling and directing the AG to urgently institute appropriate legal actions to challenge the legality of states’ laws permitting former governors, serving as senators and ministers to enjoy governors’ emoluments while drawing normal salaries and allowances in their new political offices.”

    Based on the orders, SERAP asked President Bola Tinubu, in a letter on March 23, “to immediately obey,” to recover pensions collected by former governors, and to challenge the legality of states’ pension laws permitting those involved to collect such “outrageous pensions.”

    Equally instructive is an Appeal Court ruling, in suit no. CA/A/810/2017, against the Kogi State Government seeking pensions and severance packages in the state, which’s referenced by Alex Enumah in an opinion piece, “Pension Laws for Ex-Govs: The Abia Example,” published by THISDAY on March 31, as follows:

    “The court held that the fact that elected public office holders and political appointees were paid huge amounts of money as monthly salaries and other forms of allowances while in office makes it morally wrong for them to demand pensions, gratuities or severance allowances for holding such an office for four to eight years as the case may be.

    “The three-man panel of the appellate court, which had Justice Emmanuel Agim, Justice Abubakar Datti Yahaya and Justice Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson, submitted that it amounted to gross social injustice, and unjustified in the context of the nation’s present social realities.

    “The lead judgment, which was delivered by Justice Agim (now JSC), said it was wicked and morally wrong for political office holders and political appointees, who helped themselves to public funds while in office, to claim entitlement to pension and severance allowances.

    “He submitted that it was wrong for political appointees and elected public office holders, who do not work as long and as hard as career civil servants to quickly get paid huge severance allowances upon leaving office, in addition to the huge wealth they acquired while holding such offices and without having been subjected to any contributory pension schemes.”

    So, controversies trail pensions for former governors and deputies not for being “illegal” but because they’re overbloated, and a huge drain on the lean resources of many states, which owe months and even years of backlogs to retirees, some of who spent over 35 years in service and retired into penury, as their pensions are withheld by governors, who are “qualified” for hefty pensions and adds-on for life, and even pay themselves upfront part of the packages before they leave office.

    It’s reassuring though that former Governors Ikpeazu, Orji and Kalu have denied receiving pensions, and challenged Otti’s sweeping statement that, “we were not going to continue the practice of paying pensions and allowances to this set of former government officials.” But can hundreds of other former governors – accused of drawing huge pensions and entitlements from their states – emulate the Abia trio by disavowing the allegations against them? The ball, as they say, is in their court!

    Mr Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria

  • Abia repeal of life pensions for ex-Govs, Deputies: Matters arising (1) – By Ehichioya Ezomon

    Abia repeal of life pensions for ex-Govs, Deputies: Matters arising (1) – By Ehichioya Ezomon

    Abia State Governor Alex Otti’s the rave of the moment among his peer governors, and most Nigerians, for “infrastructural development,” and particularly for signing into law a Bill passed by the Abia State House of Assembly (ABHA) to repeal life pensions for former governors and deputy governors of the state.

    Under the repealed law, former governors and deputies were paid lifetime salaries, and got houses in Abia and Abuja, prompting ex-Head of State and former President Olusegun Obasanjo – on a visit to Dr Otti to commend his novel move – to describe the life pension laws by state governors as “rascality” and “acts of daylight robbery,” and urged other  governors to emulate the Otti example.

    But did retired Gen. Obasanjo, Ph.D, also send similar entreaty to President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly (NASS), to repeal pensions and entitlements for former presidents, vice presidents and heads of state? Or only former governors and deputies should curb their appetite for free money and materials after “retirement” from government?

    Obasanjo’s advocacy should touch all former elected or appointed executive officeholders, as we shouldn’t have a “special breed” of Nigerians: former military heads of state, presidents, vice presidents, governors and deputy governors, who enjoy government’s freebies, and live in luxuries at the expense of toiling Nigerians in need of the bare essentials of life.

    It’s as well to recall that in a valedictory session of the Federal Executive Council at the State House, Abuja, on May 24, 2023, then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo called for an upward review of pensions for former presidents and vice presidents.

    Osinbajo, referencing President Muhammadu Buhari’s “personal integrity,” said: “Part of the problem with that is that sometimes, you and I end up getting the very short end of the stick. If you look at the laws today, our retirement benefits, yours (Buhari) will be N350,000 a month by law and mine will be N250,000 per month.

    “Those, of course, as you can imagine, are very tiny amounts of money. And I think that one of the things that we must do is to, perhaps, see how we can amend that law so that I will not come to you in Daura (Buhari’s hometown in Katsina State) and ask for some of your bulls to sell in order to survive.”

    As Sunday PUNCH findings, first reported on May 28, 2023, indicate, “severance packages for Buhari and Osinbajo, state governors and other political appointees leaving office in 2023 might cost the country about N63.45bn,” adding that, as stipulated by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC), “President Buhari will get a severance pay of N10.54m, which is 300 per cent of his annual basic salary, while Vice-President Osinbajo will receive N9.09m.”

    In a manner of, “What a man can do, a woman can do it, and even better,” then First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, also solicited increased out-of-office benefits for ex-presidents and vice presidents, and for the incorporation of former first ladies “among the beneficiaries.” She spoke on May 25, 2023, in Abuja, at the launch of a book, ‘The Journey of a Military Wife,’ written by Mrs Vickie Irabor, wife of then Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd).

    Mrs Buhari’s plea: “The Federal Government should consider us as people that need help not as magic makers. And on the privileges given to the former presidents of Nigeria, they should do more. It is still not enough considering what people go through in that house (Presidential Villa). And at the same time, I want them to incorporate women, the former first ladies, among the beneficiaries.”

    Many Nigerians have lent voices to the Otti gesture, especially coming at an time of economic strangulation of the average and below-average citizens since the advent of the Tinubu administration, following the withdrawal of subsidy on petrol, and floating the Naira, which’s crashed against major foreign currencies, and sent inflation and the cost of living sky-high.

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Tinubu to swiftly obey a court judgment, which orders the Federal Government to recover pensions collected by former governors, and to challenge the legality of states’ pension laws permitting those involved to collect such “outrageous pensions.”

    Following a SERAP suit no: FHC/L/CS/1497/2017, Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo in a 20-page judgment on November 26, 2019, granted “AN ORDER of mandamus compelling and directing the Attorney General, AG, to urgently identify former governors and their deputies collecting pensions from their states and to seek full recovery of public funds from those involved.”

    “Justice Oguntoyinbo also granted ‘AN ORDER of mandamus compelling and directing the AG to urgently institute appropriate legal actions to challenge the legality of states’ laws permitting former governors, serving as senators and ministers to enjoy governors’ emoluments while drawing normal salaries and allowances in their new political offices.’”

    Then Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), had argued that “the States’ laws duly passed cannot be challenged.” But Justice Oguntoyinbo differed, saying, “I do not agree with this line of argument by the Attorney General that he cannot challenge the States’ pension laws for former governors.”

    “In my humble view, the AG should be interested in the legality or validity of any law in Nigeria and how such laws affect or will affect Nigerians, being the Chief Law Officer of the Federation,” the judge said, adding, “I have considered SERAP’s arguments that it is concerned about the attendant consequences that are manifesting on the public workers and pensioners of the states who have been refused salaries and pensions running into several months on the excuse of non-availability of state resources to pay them.”

    Justice Oguntoyinbo didn’t expressly pronounce on the legality of awarding life pensions to former governors and deputy governors. Perhaps, the plaintiff, SERAP, didn’t include that in its averments and prayers. Which somehow left the judge to push the responsibility to the Attorney General – “being the Chief Law Officer of the Federation” – of finding out the “legality or validity of any law in Nigeria and how such laws affect or will affect Nigerians.”

    But the National Industrial Court –  as posted on the African Law eJournal on March 25, 2020 – had ruled that pensions for former governors and deputy governors are legal, as nothing in the amended 1999 Constitution of Nigeria precludes or prevents state houses of assembly from enacting laws to give such benefits to former state chief executives.

    Michael Dugeri of University of Ottawa, Canada, posted the court’s ruling in the case of Incorporated Trustees of Human Development Initiatives & 39 Others v. Governor of Abia State & 73 Others, which borders on “legal validity of state pensions laws for political office holders in Nigeria.”

    “The National Industrial Court, in this case, was invited to determine the question of whether any law, especially by the State Houses of Assembly, that stipulates pension of such public officials already covered by the constitutional mandate of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation & Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), is ultra vires, null and void. The Court answered in the negative,” the report said.

    Yet, as first reported by Vanguard on March 24, SERAP, while noting inaction by the Buhari administration on the Justice Oguntoyinbo judgment, urges President Tinubu, in a March 23 letter by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, “to emulate the good example of Governor Otti by urgently obeying the judgment.”

    “Unless the judgment is immediately obeyed, former governors and their deputies, including those now serving as ministers in your administration and members of the National Assembly who receive pensions, would continue to evade justice for their actions,” SERAP says.

    “Immediately obeying the judgment would show the sovereignty of the rule of law in Nigeria and go a long way in protecting the integrity of the country’s legal system. Obeying the judgment would also show you (Tinubu) as a defender of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended), the rule of law, and public interest within government,” SERAP adds.

    SERAP lists former governors, “who continue to collect double emoluments and large severance benefits” from 22 states, including Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Delta, Ekiti, Kano, Gombe, Yobe, Borno, Bauchi, Abia, Imo, Bayelsa, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Ondo, Ebonyi, Rivers, Niger, Kogi, and Katsina.

    As reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on March 20, the Abia pensions repeal law isn’t the first, as a few states had moved to abolish the law, but “many states showed nonchalant attitude toward doing so.” Still, the “Abia State Governors and Deputy Governors’ (Repeal) Law 2024,” which took effect immediately on Thursday, March 21, 2024, after Governor Otti signed it, forecloses former governors and deputy governors earning pensions.

    But did the Abia repealed pensions law include other perquisites of office, which make the pensions per se to look like pocket money for a boarding-house student, who doesn’t really need extra money, as their parents or guardians have settled accommodation, feeding and provisions for them?

    This and more will be explored in part 2 of the series, amid denial by two former governors of Abia State, Sen. Theodore Orji and Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, of receiving pensions since they left office, even as Governor Otti continues to enjoy the limelight of abolishing pensions for former governors and deputy governors of Abia State!

    Mr Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

  • LG funds cannot be hijacked under my watch – Otti

    LG funds cannot be hijacked under my watch – Otti

    Gov. Alex Otti of Abia, has said that Local Government (LG) funds cannot be hijacked under his watch.

    Otti said this on Friday during the monthly media parley at Government House, Umuahia.

    The governor said that he was intentional about ensuring that funds meant for the Local Governments would be utilised to facilitate balanced socioeconomic growth in Abia.

    He said: “Local Government funds cannot be hijacked under my watch and if you see what is happening in the Local Governments, you will know that the funds are working.

    “So anybody who says funds have been hijacked needs to tell us who hijacked the funds and we can now begin to pursue the hijackers, but to the best of my knowledge, it is impossible to hijack funds under my watch.”

    Otti also said that the State Government had developed a robust strategy to reposition education in Abia.

    “We have looked at the curricula, teaching staff, the infrastructures and we are in the process of enumerating the civil servants we can redeploy to the schools,” he added.

    Otti said that the government was making concerted efforts to make the teaching profession very attractive.

    He also said that the government had commenced its retrofitting programme in 171 primary schools and 54 secondary schools to upgrade the selected schools to be of high quality standard.

    “We have what we call the minimum standard, if you get into a primary school that we have touched you will understand.

    “There are facilities that must be there in the schools like libraries, laboratories, students hostels, and principals’ quarters among others,” Otti said.

    He further said that his administration has been able to cut down the cost of governance by ensuring that only absolutely necessary expenditures were undertaken by the government.

    Otti said: “it’s tough but we have to do it, we have been managing our expenditures in such a way that we are able to live within our means as much as possible.”

    According to him, as at the time his predecessor took over, the state was owing N34.5 million and as at the time he took over, the debts had reached over N192.2 million.

    He expressed dismay over the fact that these funds could not be accounted for.

    Otti said that some of the debts had  already been paid off, because they were commercial bank over drafts at very high interest rates.

    He said that since he became governor, he had always ensured that security vote was judiciously utilised in enhancing security in Abia.

    Otti added that security remains top priority in the state government’s agenda because of its role in development.

    We’ve cleared all pension arrears in Abia – Gov. Otti

    Gov. Alex Otti of Abia, on Friday said the State Government had paid all the pension arrears of retirees in the state.

    Otti, who disclosed this during the monthly media parley in Umuahia, said that all the pensions and arrears of about 12,500 retirees were cleared as at last Thursday.

    He said that over N9 billion out of the N10 billion outlay had so far been expended for the exercise.

    The governor recalled that his administration had, after assuming office on May 29, 2023, promised to pay off all the pension arrears by the end of that year.

    According to him, unfortunately, by the end of the year, we were still saddled with a very difficult verification exercise that ended just a few weeks ago.

    The governor promised that, moving forward, pensioners would receive 100 per cent of their entitlements on or before 28th of every month.

    “As we are paying 100 per cent of salaries we will also pay 100 per cent of pensions.

    “Never again shall we have a backlog of pensions and arrears to be paid,” Otti vowed.

    The governor said that his administration would continue to place high premium on the healthcare delivery system in the state.

    He said that the government, in collaboration with a group, had engaged over 80 medical doctors who would provide free medical services in the state.

    Otti said that the medical personnel who had already started arriving in the state, would carry out surgeries and other forms of treatments in the next couple of days.

    The governor assured that the government had provided logistics, especially for residents coming from outside the state capital, Umuahia.

    He urged the people to take advantage of the free exercise and have their heath checked.

    Otti said that his administration would continue with its programme of retrofitting the 948 primary health care centres in the state.

    The governor also spoke on a variety of issues concerning the development of the state, while responding to questions from journalists.

  • Otti signs Govs, Deputies pension repeal bill into law

    Otti signs Govs, Deputies pension repeal bill into law

    Gov. Alex Otti of Abia on Thursday signed the Abia State of Nigeria Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Repel bill of 2024 into law.

    In a speech after assenting to the law in Nvosi, Otti described the new law as part of the efforts made to promote good governance and stewardship in Abia.

    The governor said that he strongly believed that leadership was all about stewardship and should not be viewed as an opportunity to embezzle public funds.

    He thanked  the Abia House of Assembly for expeditiously dealing with the bill, which was an executive Bill and commended them for the cordial relationship between the legislative and executive arms of government.

    Otti said that the cordial relationship between both arms of government had been built on trust and understanding that the separate arms of government were working together for the people.

    He assured the Legislature of  maximum support from the Executive.

    Otti described the new law regarding revoking pension payments to former office holders as a step in the right direction.

    He said that “government is not about self interest, it is actually self interest that destroys government.”

    Otti said that prioritising public welfare over individual benefits ought to be given key consideration in policy-making.

    He said that he was aware that he would have benefitted if the law continued to exist and added that it was best to use the funds to improve the lives of citizens.

    Otti also said that the pensioners  were the people that need the funds the most and not former office holders.

    He expressed displeasure over the practice of allocating 80 per cent of the state’s budget to recurrent expenditure and  20 per cent goes to capital expenditure by past administrations.

    He said that the changed policy was part of the efforts made by the present administration to reduce the cost of governance.

    Otti said: “I have seen engagements where people said that they have not been collecting.

    “It is true because they have not been paid, and we don’t believe that those payments should be made.

    “One of the people that should be paid wrote me about not being paid; I put a call across to him and explained why it should not be paid and he agreed with me.

    “I told him we have not paid anyone and he said that he wants to confirm that he was not being singled out.

    “The  point I am trying to make is that even the people that should receive it believe that repealing the law is the best.”

    The Speaker, Abia House of Assembly, Mr Emmanuel Emereuwa, said that the bill when signed into law would revoke Abia State Governors’ and Deputy Governors’ Law no 4 of 2001.

    Emeruwa, represented by his  Deputy , Mr Austin Meregini, said that he had come to present the bill to the governor for his assent.

    In a remark, the Attorney General of the state, Mr Ikechukwu Uwanna, said that the governor had  taken a bold and audacious step by assenting to the bill.

    Uwanna said that he believed that it was in line with the will of the people and thanked the House of Assembly for working in tandem with the executive to transform the State.

  • Abia Assembly passes bill to stop pension for ex Govs, Deputies

    Abia Assembly passes bill to stop pension for ex Govs, Deputies

    Abia House of Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill to stop payment of pension to former governors and their deputies in the State.

    It is entitled: “A Bill (H.A.B 11:) for a Law to Revoke The Abia State Governors and Deputy Governors Pensions Law No 4 of 2001 and for other Matters connected therewith.”

    It was sponsored by Mr Uchanna Okoro, the Majority Leader and member Representing Arochukwu State Constituency.

    The Speaker, Mr Emmanuel Emeruwa, announced the passage of the bill after its first, second reading, consideration at the committee of the whole and its 3rd reading during the day’s plenary.

    Emeruwa, while congratulating members, said that the bill would reduce the state’s governance expenses and redirect resources towards development.

    He said that the bill once assented to by the governor would be referred to as “Abia State Governors and Deputy Governor’s (Repeal) Law 2024.”

    The Speaker said that bill would take effect immediately, Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

    With the bill, former governors and their deputies will no longer enjoy pension benefits after their tenures have expired.

    There had been a lot of controversies over the years concerning the outrageous life person and other enviable benefits being paid the governors and their deputies.

    While few states had made moves to repeal the law, many states showed nonchalant attitude toward doing so.

  • Police storm baby factory, rescue 16 pregnant women, eight children in Abia State

    Police storm baby factory, rescue 16 pregnant women, eight children in Abia State

    The Nigeria Police, Abia  state Command, stormed a baby factory in the  State and rescued 16 pregnant women and eight children.

    SP Maureen Chinaka, the  Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), made this known in a statement made available to journalists in the state on Friday.

    Chinaka, who did not disclose the location of the baby factory in Aba, said the location was withheld to avoid compromising ongoing investigation.

    According to her, the  Police also arrested one Onyinyechi Okoro and Ekene Okezie, who were alleged operators of the baby factory.

    In the statement, the rescued persons are: Joy Mathew, Stella Okon Bella Okon and Idara Emmanuel.

    Others are: Blessing Okon, Blessing Ede, Promise Akpan, Joy Edet, Josephine Asuquo and Glory John.

    Goodness Peter, Ifeoma Ozoemena, Victoria Robert, Blessed Monday, Victoria Liberty and Anita Sunday were also rescued by the Police.

    Among the eight children rescued are five females – China Marvelous, Nancy Sunday, Marvelous Sunday, Martha Ubong and Deborah Ndifreke.

    Three male children were among those rescued – Praise Answer, Goodness Destiny and Victor Aniebeti.

    Chinaka said the victims were rescued when the Rapid Response Squad, RRS in Aba, using credible information raided an alleged baby factory on March 7.

    She added that the rescued girls and children are kept by Mrs Onyinyechi Okoro from Ihechiowa in Arochukwu LGA and from Arondizuogu in Ideato LGA of Imo.

    The PPRO said that discreet investigations were ongoing regarding the baby factory’s operations.

    She, therefore, urged people to be security conscious and support police activities by volunteering information on suspects and criminal activities.

    Chinaka said the police remained committed to protecting law -abiding citizens, adding that it would continue to ensure the safety of lives and property of residents of Abia.

  • Septuagenarian cools off in police net for allegedly killing own son over food in Abia state

    Septuagenarian cools off in police net for allegedly killing own son over food in Abia state

    An Abia state based septuagenarian whose name has been given as Theophilus Udeh is presently cooling off in police net for allegedly killing his son, Sunday, over food in Eziama Lokpaukwu in Umunneochi Local Government Area of the state.

    The Abia state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka, confirmed the incident via a statement signed and  released  by her on Wednesday.

    The statement reads: “On February 26, 2024, the Divisional Police Headquarters in Isuochi received information that on February 25, 2024, Theophilus Udeh, a 70-year-old male from Eziama Lokpaukwu Umunneochi, shot and killed his son, Sunday Udeh, a 27-year-old male from the same address.

    “Upon receiving the information, detectives from the Isuochi Divisional Headquarters visited the crime scene, removed, and deposited the corpse at the mortuary for autopsy. Exhibits were recovered, and the suspect was subsequently arrested.

    “The case has been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet investigation.”

    It was gathered that Udeh did not eat his food in the morning and came back home feeling hungry to eat the food only to discover that the deceased had returned home earlier and ate the last portion of the food in a pot inside the kitchen, which unknown to him was his father’s meal.

    It was further learned that the suspect got angered went into his room brought out his gun and fired at his son, killing him on the spot.

    Udeh, the source further said, was promptly apprehended by members of the community who tied his two hands and placed him on the lifeless body of his son at the village square.

  • Abia Govt. to assist victims of Aba market fire

    Abia Govt. to assist victims of Aba market fire

    Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has said that the State Government will assist victims of the fire that occurred at the Eziukwu Road Market in Aba.

    Otti made the promise on Tuesday, while addressing the traders during  his visit to assess the extent of damage by the fire.

    The governor commiserated with the affected traders and urged them to be resilient and persevering and not allow the incident to dampen their spirit.

    Otti, who recalled a similar incident that occurred at Ahia Ohuru on January 27, admonished the traders to exercise caution and apply safety rule to prevent a resurrence.

    “It’s disheartening to witness such a devastation but we must learn from this and take precautions to avoid such tragedies in the future,” he said.

    The governor said that the deplorable state of many shops in the market raised questions about the integrity of the structures.

    According to him, the poor condition of the shops in the market underscores the need for  urgent action to be taken to  address safety concerns and modernise the market to prevent future fire.

    Otti also assured the traders that government would expedite action to improve the infrastructure in the market.

    “This would help to ensure the safety of the traders and their customers,” he said.

    He further said that the market would be transformed into a modern market with all the necessary facilities.

    “If you look at these shops, you will agree with me that a lot of them need some modernisation and renovation.

    “Some of them need to be pulled down and rebuilt. Just like I promised to do in Ngwa Road, I also will do here.

    “If you take a look at these shops, you will see that the integrity is questionable. It looks like something that would collapse very soon.

    “As a responsible government, we would not allow it to happen,” Otti said.

    He directed the Greater Aba Development Agency and other relevant agencies to commence the rehabilitation of the market to address its structural defects.

    He thanked the people of Abia for their support and affirmed his administration’s determination to fulfill his campaign promises.

    A section of the market was gutted by fire on Monday night with goods worth millions of naira destroyed.

    The incident happened barely two weeks after a similar outbreak destroyed a section of Ahia Ohuru on Ngwa Road with goods worth millions of naira.

  • I will now settle down to rebuild Abia – Otti

    I will now settle down to rebuild Abia – Otti

    Gov. Alex Otti says he will now settle down and rebuild Abia because his distractions were over with the Supreme Court affirmation of victory in the 2023 polls.

    Otti made the declaration at the Thanksgiving Service in his honour held at the Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA), Eastern Union Conference Headquarters, on Saturday at Abayi Umueze in Osisioma local government area (LGA).

    “Now that the distractions are over; that the storm is over, I will settle down and rebuild Abia,” he pledged.

    He said he contested elections three times because of the shame he faced each time he was confronted about the status of the state.

    He said that many people lost hope in his being elected again because he won the election on two occasions but his mandate was stolen.

    “We have been through this journey and today we are here as the Supreme court has confirmed that we won the election,” he added.

    He thanked the church for honouring him and encouraged the people to continue believing in God’s power to do all things.

    Earlier,  the  President, West/Central Africa Division of the SDA Church, Dr Robert Osei-Bonsu, charged the church to be united if it must achieve its purpose.

    Osei-Bonsu urged leaders not to allow the people they are leading to doubt their integrity.

  • Kalu to Abia traditional rulers: Tinubu happy Ndi Igbo gathered together for PISE-P

    Kalu to Abia traditional rulers: Tinubu happy Ndi Igbo gathered together for PISE-P

    …solicits support for President, Gov. Otti

    Deputy Speaker of the House of House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is happy to see Ndi Igbo gather together for the noble cause of stamping out insecurity and resolving other sociological challenges through the Peace In South East Project (PISE-P).

    It will be recalled that PISE-P, a brainchild of the deputy speaker was recently launched in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State.

    Speaking during an interactive session with the members of Bende Traditional Rulers Council and Ndi Ugoeze Bende on Friday in Bende, Kalu said that Tinubu is interested in the development of the south east.

    He urged the traditional rulers to support the government of the day to reap more benefits therefrom.

    He said: “Wherever Ndi Igbo see themselves, they encourage peace and harmony. We thank you for holding these values. I am your representative in the House of Representatives. I did not get there on my own. It was you that elected me. And this is why Abia state honored me. A few days ago, the Governor of the state, Dr. Alex Otti who is not a member of my party decided to honour me with a high title in Abia. He told the Abia State traditional rulers council to confer on me ‘Enyi Abia” (Strength of Abia). He must have seen something in your son.

    “A day after that day, you saw what happened in Bende. It has never happened before. President Tinubu represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Senate President represented by his deputy, my boss, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the governor of the State, Dr. Alex Otti, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State,
    Other governors who couldn’t make it in person came through their deputies.

    “The Ooni of Ife, Emir of Kano, Emir of Bichi, Obi of Onitsha, over 15 Igbo billionaires were in Bende. I can go on and on.

    “On this position, we are just starting work. The President called to say I am very, very happy that the Igbo came together for this. Truly, there is hope for Igbo man. It does appear that this handshake across the Niger has started.

    “Let’s us also support the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Some were afraid whether he will remember the Igbo. But he has proved all of us wrong by choosing the Chief of Naval Staff. The President also handed over the issue of Infrastructure into the hands of an Igbo son, Senator David Umahi, my friend, the former governor of Ebonyi to replicate what he did in Ebonyi in Nigeria. There are others too. A President who does not love Ndi Igbo will not do that”.

    Kalu also called on the traditional rulers to support the government of Dr. Alex Otti of Abia to develop the state.

    “We will assist the governor of the state to take care of you. The truth is that he has a good heart. He is committed to getting the job done and we should support him to be successful. Let us come together and support him. Let us support him to succeed for the good of the state”, he said.

    Kalu who was meeting with the traditional rulers for the first time since his election as the deputy speaker on June 13, 2023 appreciated the traditional rulers for their support.

    He promised to attract more dividends of democracy to Bende, pledging not to disappoint them.

    “I said that it won’t be nice if I leave for Abuja after all we did without interacting with you. So, I decided to call you to honour you. There is no position that will make me forget you. I will never disrespect you. You are our traditional rulers and I respect you all. And it will continue that way.

    “It is my ritual to interact with you on the needs of the people. If you don’t have your list, please, go and bring it. We want to be pragmatic and sensitive to our priorities. You are the stakeholders in Bende. You came to show that I am your treasured son. I will not disappoint you.

    “We need to reflect the actual needs of Ndi Bende. What I want to do for Ndi Bende should be a consensus between us. I think this is the best approach.

    “I think this is the first time we are meeting this way since my election as the deputy speaker. The story started gradually and you believed in me. The 360 members saw it and believed in me too. On that day of inauguration, the 360 members elected me unopposed.

    “Thank you for sending me to Abuja because I woundnt have been there if you didn’t elect me.

    “The benefits of your work will come to you. I will not disappoint you. I don’t want to make many promises but in the days to come, I will appreciate you better.”

    Kalu also enjoined the monarchs to support PISE-P and the newly passed South East Development Commission bill in the House of Representatives.

    “Again, I am tired of the blood of my brothers flowing on the streets. I am saying, let’s us try another way of resolving our issues. Non kinetic is the way. And soon, you will see what peace in South East Project will achieve.

    “It is high time the Igbo joined the mainstream of political leadership of the country. Please, continue to pray for us. Be a part of the South East Development Commission. Please, be a part of PISE-P. You have a role to play”, he said.

    Making a donation of some bags of rice and a token for their new year celebrations, Kalu also pledged to provide them with a bus to assist them in discharging their responsibilities.

    Responding on behalf of the traditional rulers, the Chairman, Bende Traditional Rulers Council, His Royal Highness, Eze Uchendu Okorie said they will support Tinubu’s government and follow their son wherever he goes.

    “We will support President Tinubu. We will go wherever he goes. We will follow our son where he goes. We have not had it so good like this before. He is a man of wisdom, an orator. We will help him to go higher. Yes, he’s in the House right now but we want him to go higher. In the next dispensation, let’s us try to see whether he will go higher. He has the capacity to do what is right. God will continue to uplift him. He’s not doing it for himself. He’s doing it for Bende. We will continue to go with him”, he said.

    The traditional rulers and their wives offered special prayers for Kalu.

    Signed:

    Levinus Nwabughiogu, Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria.