More troubles for Ikpeazu as lawmaker demands explanations on N27.4 b World Bank largesse for roads in Aba * Hires Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer

Spread the love

More troubles for Ikpeazu as lawmaker demands explanations on N27.4 b World Bank largesse for roads in Aba

* Hires Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer

By Steve Oko

A lawmaker and member representing Aba South state constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Obinna Ichita, has demanded explanations from Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, on how the N27.4 billion largesse from the World Bank for road rehabilitation in Aba was deployed.

The lawmaker has engaged Mr Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel to the detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to handle the matter for him.

This is coming barely 48 hours the result of the Abia South senatorial contest showed that Ikpeazu who ran on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, came a distant third behind the Labour Party candidate, and the incumbent Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, leading the poll.

A group of youths believed to be Ikpeazu’s kinsmen, in a viral video clustered around Ikpeazu’s country home at Umuobiakwa in Obingwa, chanting anti-Ikpeazu songs and begging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate the Governor.

Hon. Ichita in a two-paged letter through his lawyer, Ejimakor, requested the Governor under the Freedom of Information Act, to immediately furnish him with accounting details of how the State Government disbursed the funds.

The lawmaker in the letter made available to Wawa News Global, vowed to explore all legal means to ensure the Governor accounts for the World Bank funds

It read in part:”We are Solicitors to Honourable Obinna Martins Ichita, a Principal Officer of Abia State House of Assembly, representing Aba South State Constituency (hereinafter referred to as our client).

“We write this Letter on the firm instructions of our said Client to request Your Excellency to furnish us the following information within the deadline set by applicable law:

“The accounting details of how the Government of Abia State spent the N27.4 billion (Twenty-Seven Billion, Four Hundred Thousand Naira (or the equivalent sum in dollar) which the Government of Abia State had received in full from the World Bank for road construction and erosion control projects in Aba, specifically Port-Harcourt Road, Uratta Road, Obohia Road, Ohanku Road and Ngwa Road.

“The name and business address(es) of the Contractor(s) that executed any of the projects mentioned in the preceding paragraph; and copies of the contract awards documents.

“The cost of the execution of each project.”

The letter further read:”Your Excellency will recall that you had informed the people of Aba via a live radio program on the 29th May, 2020 that the Government of Abia State had received the said money in full and it was also reported in the National Dailies, including

“On 7th March, 2021 during the 2021 Convention and the 20 million Naira _ Visual Studio Fund lunch of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Aba Presbyter at St. Andrews Parish, No.1 Azikiwe Road, Aba, Your Excellency, again, publicly acknowledged the receipt of the said money in full by Abia State from the World Bank.

“Your Excellency, it is pertinent to state that this request for information is made

pursuant to the provisions of Freedom of Information Act, which requires compliance within strict deadlines.We therefore await Your Excellency’s timely response.”

In an interview later with Wawa News Global , the lawmaker said that he decided to demand accountability on how the funds were spent because the projects for which the money was meant were still in deplorable condition.

He said that his constituents who were directly affected by the bad condition of the roads needed to know how such a largesse fund was spent.

Ichita who is the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA governorship running mate noted that public office holders should know they only hold public offices in trust for the people, and should not shy away from rendering accounts of their stewardship.

He regretted that Aba and other parts of the state had nothing to show that Abia receives monthly allocations from Abuja.

Share on Facebook

Save

Steve Oko, Publisher/C.E.O, WaWa News Global. For more information on advert placement and news coverage, contact us on: 08038725600, or via email stevemanofgod2000@yahoo.com; wawanewsglobal@gmail.com Always read WaWa News Global - Your most dependable online news platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria.