….may drag Onitsha LG Chair to court
From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Anambra State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Basil Ejidike, has denied the allegation of embezzlement of Onitsha South Local Government Area funds, during his tenure as the Council Chairman between the year 2003 and 2006.
The Transition Committee Chairman of Onitsha South LGA, Mr. Emeka Orji had recently accused Chief Ejidike, of stolen millions of Naira being revenue accrued to the Council through National Inland Waterways Authority, (NIWA) Motor Park at Bridgehead, Onitsha, during his tenure.
The motor park in question was being managed by Onitsha-based businessman, Chief Ngozi Okpagu, Managing Director, J.N.Okpagu and Sons Ltd. before the empasse between the Park owner and Onitsha South Council Chairman, Emeka Orji, who alleged non-remittance of revenue accruable to the Council.
The Council boss alleged that APC State Chairman during his tenure as the council chairman signed an agreement with Chief Okpagu over remittance of revenue due to the Council area.
According to Orji, the funds paid by Chief Okpagu as revenue to the State through the Local Government was allegedly diverted by the APC Chairman, Basil Ejidike, to his private pocket.
He alleged that Chief Okpagu had an agreement with the Council over the remittance of revenue from NIWA Park to the local government, but regretted that such funds never got to Council coffers.
But Chief Ejidike while reacting to the allegations to newsmen denied and debunked all the allegations level against him by the council boss, Orji saying that the it was false, cooked by his enemies to tarnished his image and political reputation he built for decades.
According to him, “I am very much surprised that Emeka Orji, will go to that extent without hearing from me as best of friends. We do eat and drink together. I am surprised. Let me say before you, Journalists, here that non of this allegations leveled against me is true. They are unfounded, misleading and efforts to tarnish my image”.
“It is on record, according to Decree No 13 of 1997 establishing NIWA, that for any known water channel declare by the Federal Government in any state of the federation, there will be a measurement of 100 metres from the water bank in both sides, and that is what is called “The right of way to NIWA authority” and they use that to service the water ways. So it has no interference by the State or local government authorities”.
“The land where the motor park operating by Chief Okpagu, is situated within the jurisdiction of NIWA in Onitsha River Niger bank and that is the federal government land and have nothing to do with Onitsha South Local Government Area or Anambra State.
“The matter has been there before I was made Onitsha South Council Chairman between 2003 and 2006. There was also a court judgement that affirmed that NIWA is in charge of the place in question” he said.
Chief Ejidike, while urging Orji, to as a matter of peace to retract his action, called on the general public to disregard the information, “I may take legal action against Orji for character assassination.
In his reaction, Chief Ngozi Okpagu, the Managing Director of J.N.Okpagu and Sons Ltd, vindicated the State APC Chairman of the allegations, saying that he has never for once paid any revenue accrued to Onitsha South to Ejidike, when he was the Chairman of the council.
He noted that the land in question was allocated to him by the federal government through NIWA and not Onitsha council area as being alleged by Orji, stressing that he deals directly with the federal government and not the state or local government.
He said the matter is currently in the Court between himself and Hon. Emeka Orji. Okpagu, however, accused Orji to have extorted the sum of N7.5 million from him in a hostile manner.
