The deputy governor of Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi,
who is currently facing an impeachment panel on
Wednesday said the governor, Sullivan Chime, also
operated piggery farms at the Government House.
Giving evidence before the panel, Mr. Onyebuchi said the
governor’s poultry was hurriedly evacuated shortly after
the panel commenced sitting.
Mr. Onyebuchi is accused of operating commercial
poultry at his official residence and disobedience to Mr.
Chime, in the impeachment notices served him by the
Enugu State House of Assembly.
However, the embattled deputy governor suddenly took
ill while testifying at before the seven-member panel
last week.
Membership of the panel are Franklin Oraekeyi
(Chairman), Ebele Eze, Anthony Iguh, fabian Uluakanwa,
Okwuchukwu Aroh, Martin Onyemuru and Mercy Anyim.
Mr. Onyebuchi revealed that the state government had
budgeted for the maintenance of the poultry since 2011.
The deputy governor who tendered the state’s budget
between 2011 and 2014, said funds had always been
provided for the poultry he operated.
He insisted that he did not commit any offence that
could warrant his impeachment and that the poultry
farms he and the governor were operating were there
before they assumed office in 2007.
The deputy governor described all the allegations the
lawmakers brought against him as false and baseless.
Mr. Onuebuchi told journalists after he concluded his
evidence that he had been able to tell the panel that the
resolution purportedly adopted by the legislature was
not a law.
“I have always said that this is a straight forward
matter. One is the allegation of operating a poultry
farm. We have been able to put the message across
that the House of Assembly resolution is not a law and
the resolution was not made available to me,” he said.
“We were able to make the point that there is also
poultry at Government House and the poultry at the
Government House was evacuated with the
commencement of the panel proceedings.”
“Today, I was able to present to the panel other
evidence to show that there was poultry at the
Government House. I got copies of Enugu State
government budget for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 and
in each of these budgets, you have evidence of the
allocation for Government House poultry and piggery
and amount attached to it and I was also able to prove
that the amount was released. If they said there was no
poultry, then let’s know why we have all these
provisions all these years.”
On the allegation that he refused to represent Mr. Chime
at the flag-off of the 2nd Niger Bridge by President
Goodluck Jonathan earlier in the year, Mr. Onyebuchi
said he played the video of the event by the African
Independent Television, AIT, before the panel.
He denied being communicated in person by telephone
or by any other means to represent the governor at the
meeting of the South East Governors during Mr. Chime’s
vacation.
He said, “He did not communicate to me in person, by
telephone or whatever means. He never, while going on
vacation that he will pass instructions to me through a
third party and like I said, this is a straight forward
matter and I believe the ball is in the court of the panel.
“It is for them to decide whether to stand on the side of
truth, on the side of justice which most citizens of
Enugu State are asking for. If they believe like most
people say that might is right, whoever has power is
right, we will see by the end of the day. I have not
committed offence that will justify being removed by
impeachment. I started working with the governor in
2007 and if I was not obedient to him, I don’t think he
will nominate me again for the second term to run with
him for another four years.
“Even when he was away on vacation in 2012 and 2013,
I believe I represented him very well such that the letter
he wrote to the House of Assembly when he came back,
he commended me. I also received commendation from
so many people; I also received commendation from the
members of the state executive as well as members of
the House of Assembly. I am hopeful that truth will
triumph.”
Below is the blow by blow account of the panel’s
proceedings on Wednesday:
DEPUTY GOV OF ENUGU STATE IMPEACHMENT
INVESTIGATIVE PANEL PROCEDINGS ON 20 AUGUST
2014
…Details of how the same House of Assembly has been
passing budgetary approvals for Government House
poultry from 2011 to 2014
Before:
1. Barr. Frankln Uche Oraekeiyi Chairman
2. Barr. Maxwell Ebele Eze Member
3. Barr. Anthony I. Iguh Member
4. Barr. (Pastor) Fabian Uluakanwa Member
5. Perfectus Okwuchukwu Aroh Member
6. Mr. Martin Onyemuru Member
7. Mrs. Mercy Praise Anyim Member
Peter Eze (Counsel to Deputy Governor) says we were
at the stage where the Deputy Governor was giving his
evidence-in-chief on 13 August 2014. Says we intend to
continue from where we stopped.

CONTINUATION OF EVIDENCE OF DG7
Witness is reminded he is still on oath
Witness is shown Exhibit DG2 i.e. witness reply to
Exhibits H6A and H6B.
I did not get any reaction from the letter-Exhibit DG2. I
requested for the Certificate of Occupancy in Exhibit DG2
but was not provided with the certificate of occupancy.
Witness is shown Exhibit H3. It contains a resolution of
the Enugu State House of Assembly.
I have not seen Exhibit H3 before this impeachment
proceedings commenced. This is my first time of seeing
it.
Witness is shown Exhibit H5. It is a circular issued by
the Enugu State Government dated February 18 2013.
I can see my official designation as one of those it is
addressed to. I have never seen this circular before.
This is my first time of seeing it. In all the
correspondences from the Chief of Staff to the Governor
i.e. Exhibits H6A and H6B, there was no mention of
either the resolution of the House or this circular.
My secretary signs for and receives all mails including
circulars addressed to me, registers them, puts them in
a folder and pass the folder to me.
I am aware that the Government of Enugu State passes
a budget every year. If I see the approved budget of
Enugu State for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 I can
recognise them.
Witness identifies the approved budget for 2011, 2012,
2013 and 2014.
Eze seeks to tender them
No objection by I. I. Eze

PANEL: Approved budget for Enugu State Government
for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 are admitted and marked
Exhibits DG3A, DG3B, DG3C and DG3D respectively.
I am familiar with the Agric Unit Government House,
Enugu. From the gate of the Government House, you
have the office complex by the left, directly facing the
gate is a poultry house, to the right from the gate is a
cattle ranch, behind the poultry house is a piggery
section. I have had something with the Agric Unit in the
Government House. As a civil servant working in
Government House, I used to buy cow meat, chickens
and eggs from the Agric Unit.
Witness is shown Page 196 of Exhibit DG3A
The budget in page 196 of Exhibit DG3A is in respect of
the office of the Governor and it starts at page 194.
Item 19 has as its project title-“ Purchase of Agro
Materials- Project Details- Restoration of Agric Unit–
Poultry Farm and Piggery Section”.
Witness is shown Exhibit DG3B and referred to page
173.
It is also in respect of the budget for the office of the
Governor. It makes provision for the restoration of the
Poultry Section, Piggery Section and Agric Unit for
N10,000,000.
Witness is shown page 60 of Exhibit DG3B i.e.
supplementary budget Item 11.
It also makes provisions for the restoration of Poultry
Section, Piggery Unit and Agric Section.
Witness is shown Exhibit DG3C, the budget for 2013
page 196 Item 11.
It is in respect of the office of the Executive Governor. It
provides N3,000,000 for the restoration of the Agric
Units, Poultry and Piggery Sections of the Government
House, Enugu. The justification is to boost livestock
production as shown in the budget. The target for 2013
is to restore the poultry and piggery section. Item 12 of
the same 2013 budget has procurement of generating
set, justification is to boost livestock production and the
amount is N3,000,000.
Between 2012 and 2013 I acted as the Acting Governor
of Enugu State. In my capacity as the Acting Governor, I
did something in respect of the Agric Unit. A memo was
brought to me by the Chief of Staff to the Governor
requesting my approval for the sum of N3,000,000 for
the purchase of consumables for the Government House
poultry and piggery sections and I gave approval as
requested.

He operated a poultry farm and as such he shld be impeached? I've never seen an allegation as weightless as this to warrant impeachment. The enugu state house of assembly is filled with cretinous lobsters for them to have served d impeachment notice in d first place.
Chime just shot himself on the leg here!

Our money eeeeeeeh