Abia: Top Functionaries In Soup Over Fraud

Abia: Top Functionaries In Soup Over Fraud

TWO top public functionaries in Abia State in Eastern Nigeria, Dr Eze Chikamnayo, the Information and Strategy Commissioner and Mr Cosmos Ndukwe, Chief of Staff to the state Governor, Theodore Orji on Tuesday appeared before the state House of Assembly over negative media report bordering on fraud.

The duo were invited to explain their role in a scandalous publication in a local weekly magazine, Details, which portrayed Chikamnayo as fraudulent and reckless government official.

The State Security Services (SSS), a secret police, had earlier detained an Umuahia-based vendor, Victor Onukire (aka Vimo) in connection with the circulation of the magazine.

An online statement to AkanimoReports by Mr Martins Azubuike, a legislator presenting Isiala Ngwa South, pointed out that one Uche Aja, Transition Committee Chairman nominee for Ukwa East Council and Chika Ekpe, Editor of Details magazine have been invited for a chat by the legislators.

Mr Chidiebere Nwoke, the chairman House Ad hoc Committee handling the investigation told journalists at the Assembly complex that coverage of meeting was not required at the commencement stage.

``This is an investigation by members of Abia House of Assembly. We do not want the press from the first day of this meeting.

``If at this starting stage the press begin to write, the publication might affect our investigations’’, he said.

He said that the committee would brief the media on the out-come of the investigations, noting ``our radio announcement was clear that only those name in the petition submitted by Abia Patriotic Forum are the people wanted.’’

The four-man committee also has Mezie Nwaubani (PDP-Ukwa West), Mba Ukaha (PDP-Ohafia South) while Martins Azubuike (PDP- Isiala Ngwa South) would serve as the secretary.

A statement made available to NAN indicates that some members of Abia Patriotic Forum including Chima Obisike, Emmanuel Nwankwo and Comrade Sunday Ikechi petitioned the Abia lawmakers over the publication in Weekly Details magazine.

One of the petitioners told NAN that its concern was for the lawmakers to uncover whether Chikamnayo was actually defrauding government and treating official files in a hotel before women.

He also said that the group was equally concerned over the alleged released of government secret documents for the intention to blackmail a colleague leveled against Ndukwe.

ENDS

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