₦airaland Forum

Representative of the South East on the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and former House of Representatives Member, Rep. Sam Onuigbo has called on foreign and local investors to take advantage of the huge energy market in Nigeria and invest massively in renewable energy.

Rep. Onuigbo made the call while speaking on “Upscaling Regional and Local Renewable Energy Deployment in Nigeria” at the Africa Climate Summit’s Parliamentarians Dialogue 2023, which held at the Kenyan Parliament in Nairobi, Kenya on September 5-6, 2023.

Onuigbo who outlined that over 40% of Nigeria's estimated 223 million population does not have access to electricity pointed out that with the country possessing abundant raw materials to generate renewable energy, all that is needed is the technology to service the ready-market.

Citing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s statement in his inaugural address on May 29, 2023 that “…electricity will become more accessible and affordable to businesses and homes alike. Power generation should nearly double, and transmission and distribution networks improved. We will encourage states to develop local sources as well,” Rep. Onuigbo revealed that with the landmark Constitutional amendment by the 9th Assembly which removed electricity from the Exclusive List, and the enactment of the Electricity Act 2023, Nigeria has liberalized the electricity industry and thus made it very attractive for investors.

According to the former National lawmaker, Section 142 of the Electricity Act 2023 established the Rural Electrification Fund, to achieve more equitable regional access to electricity and promote the implementation of mini-grid and off-grid renewable power systems for remote areas, unserved, underserved communities, and islands. This, he said liberalized the energy industry and now made it attractive, competitive, and decentralized.

Recalling that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a consummate democrat and transformative leader who changed the infrastructural and economic outlook of Lagos State during his time as Governor, Onuigbo emphasized that the speed with which the President assented to the Electricity Act 2023 shows his commitment to revolutionalising the energy industry.

He therefore concluded by advising investors and their advisors not to repeat the mistake they made in the early 2000s when Nigeria privatised its telecommunications sub-sector and they refused to take advantage of the huge market, and today regret it. Nigeria’s energy market, he emphasized is a gold mine and early investors will benefit massively from it.

Member representing the South East on the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Rep. Sam Onuigbo has said that there is genuine hope for the future of Nigeria because its Vice President, His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima GCON, is an astute technocrat, a visionary, innovative and erudite leader who has clear and genuine ideas for the growth of the country.

Onuigbo made this known in a birthday message released by his office on Saturday, September 2, 2023, in Abuja, in celebration of Vice President Shettima’s 57th birthday celebration.

The former National Lawmaker said Senator Shettima’s abilities as a seasoned technocrat and his vast interests in innovative leadership offers the Presidency an added advantage to advance its focus on rebuilding the country in a sustainable way:

“Our country is blessed to have an astute technocrat, a visionary, innovative and erudite leader standing side by side with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to oversee our drive towards progressive and sustainable growth. Indeed, the future offers genuine hope, “ Onuigbo said.

He wished the Vice President a long, healthy and impactful life.

A former banker who held several high ranking executive positions in the bank, Vice President Shettima served in the cabinet of the then Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff from 2007 to 2011, before being elected to serve as Governor of Borno State from 2011 to 2019. He represented Borno Central in the Senate from 2019 to 2023 and was elected as the Vice President of Nigeria in 2023.

Former Member of the House of Representatives and Board Member representing the South East on the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission, Rep. Sam Onuigbo has praised the Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, for placing the development of the State above party politics.

Onuigbo made this known in Umuahia on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, following the award of the contract for the construction of Federal Secretariat, Umuahia.

The former National lawmaker who attracted the project since October 2019, said the takeoff of construction was delayed due to the politics of placing party above the people exhibited by the immediate past Abia State government. He therefore expressed his gratitude to Governor Otti whom he said has shown early that his focus is on the development of Abia not minding the political party of the person attracting the developmental project.

Onuigbo who thanked the Traditional Ruler of Ekeoba Kingdom, Ohuhu, Umuahia North LGA., HRH Eze Iheanyichukwu Nwokenna, (Oba the Great of Ekeoba Kingdom) commended him for his tenacity and cooperation in ensuring that the project materialises for the benefit of not only Ekeoba people, but for Abia State in general. The former lawmaker assured Eze Nwokenna that Governor Otti is fully committed to the process and has promised that the compensation due to the host community will be expeditiously taken care of. He therefore called on the Traditional Ruler to reassure his community of the commitment of the State Government to paying the necessary compensation, and therefore allow contractors to get to work.

In the same vein, he commended the President, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, for his commitment to equity and all round development of the country and assured that now that the bottleneck of self-sabotage has been removed by Governor Otti, Abia State will in no time have its long overdue Federal Secretariat including the benefits derivable therefrom.

APC chieftain and former member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, Rep. Sam Onuigbo, has said that the imbalance and unfairness being witnessed by the South East is a symptom of a foundational issue relating to imbalance in the number of states within the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The former National Lawmaker made this known while appearing as a guest on Arise TV News Network.

Reacting to the topic “The Standing of the South East Zone in Tinubu’s Government”, Rep Onuigbo posited that the perceived marginalization of the South East can be attributed to a wrong foundation, adding that this problem predates the present administration.

“That wrong foundation is that the South East is not supposed to have five states”, he said.

He noted that while the North-West has seven states and other regions of the federation have six states respectively, so the South East region with only five states would still be disadvantaged even if the ministerial positions were shared on a state basis.

"So even if you are doing a minister per state, South East will still fall short, at least two when compared to the North-West. That is something we are going to address in the near future using a constitutional amendment to be able to create a state at least to balance the South East to have six states,” he said.

Citing the works of Baron de Montesquieu and James Harrington on Jurisprudence and Separation of Powers, he stated that while government is continuous, with people coming and going, there is a need to institute structures that do not allow for the unfair treatment of any group.

“Now that we have made it clear that this shortfall is not in the interest of the South-East, this time, I am hopeful that we are going to look forward towards achieving that which is in the interest of the South East zone.

“Over the years, even when I was in the House of Representatives, we have been making the appeal for an additional state to be created in the South East zone. This is because the states and local governments are the things used for the distribution of positions. But when you have a shortfall from the beginning, that is a major bad foundation that you cannot easily repair. “

Rep. Onuigbo also lauded President Tinubu, whom he said has shown goodwill by appointing the Chief of Naval Staff from the South East zone, which is a departure from the past eight years where the zone was not represented in the appointment of the nation’s security chiefs.

“This administration has started well by ensuring that the South East now has a member among the service Chiefs of the armed forces. This is a positive sign,” he said.

“We have a saying that if you praise the man preparing akidi (beans porridge) for the one that he has prepared, he will be encouraged to prepare more for you. We have to commend him for the ones he has done, and urge him to do more. It is my appeal now to the President, who is a listening President, that as we go forward, that he will be able to look at these appeals made by South East leaders and ensure that the South East is fairly represented,” he concluded.

A former Member of the House of Representatives and Board Member representing the South East on the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission(NEDC), Rep. Sam Onuigbo, says he will bring onboard excellence in service and innovative ideas that will drive the sustainable development of the North East. Onuigbo made this known following the inauguration of the Board by His Excellency Senator Kashm Shettima GCON, Vice President of Nigeria, at Aso Rock, on Wednesday August 9, 2023.

In a statement made available to news men shortly after the inauguration, Onuigbo said he will provide advice which will help the commission “structure our plans in a manner that renews hope and delivers development that is enduring and sustainable” for the people of the North East.

Read the full statement here:

I am immensely pleased to be given the opportunity to serve as the South East representative on the Board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) — a Commission charged with the rehabilitation, resettlement and rebuilding of the North East following the devastation caused by terrorism and other existential issues like climate change.

This call to service is one which I approach with the same level of dedication that has characterised my many years of service whether as a staff of the United States Embassy in Nigeria, Commissioner in my State, and as a two-time member of the House of Representatives. On each occasion, I brought in excellence in service and innovation which led to uncommon results for the benefit of the people. My eye for initiating novel and impactful visions, for instance, saw me sponsor the Climate Change Bill which is today an Act of Parliament and the legal framework for Nigeria’s efforts to tackle climate change. For this, I was inducted into the National Assembly Most Valuable Parliamentarian Hall of Fame 2023.

As we start work as Board Members of this important Commission, what I will bring onboard is selfless service anchored on the vision of providing advice on visionary, impactful, and futuristic ideas for the sustainable development of the North East. We must structure our plans in a manner that renews hope and delivers development that is enduring and sustainable.

My sincere appreciation goes to the President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for finding me worthy. In the same vein, I want to thank in a special way Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President for ensuring that my nomination was successful.

Similarly, I thank my family, friends, supporters, and indeed the good people of Abia Central Senatorial District whom I sought to serve during the last election, as the Senatorial Candidate of our great party, the All Progressives Congress(APC).

We will succeed!

Rep. Sam Onuigbo FCIS, FNIM
Board Member
North East Development Commission

The Senate of Nigeria on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, screened and confirmed the nomination of Rep. Sam Onuigbo as a member of the governing board of the North East Development Commission(NEDC) representing the South East of Nigeria.

Onuigbo, who sponsored Nigeria’s Climate Change Act during his time at the House of Representatives, muted immediately after the screening that he will use his position to drive for the mainstreaming of climate action into the development plans of the North East in order to engender sustainable development within the region.

The former representative of Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency who stated that climate change plays a key role in the insecurity in the North East, said it will be impossible to attain sustainable development without building resilience and integrating climate action in the region’s development plans.

Others screened and confirmed by the Senate are: General Paul Tarfa, Chairman (North East, Adamawa); Frank Achinike Owo Member ( South South, Rivers); Hon Gambo Maikyau member (North East, Taraba); Abdullahi Abbas member (North West, Kano); Zaf Steven Ondora, Member (North Central, Benue); Chief Mutiu Lawal Areh, Member (South West, Lagos); Mohammed Goni Alkali (Managing Director, Borno); Musa Yashi(Executive Director Humanitarian Affairs, Bauchi); Ahmed Abdulsalam Yahaya (Executive Director OPS,Gombe); and Dr. Abubakar Garba Illiya (Executive Director, Admin and Finance, Yobe).

Established by the North-East Development Commission (Establishment) Act, 2017, the NEDC is charged with superintending over the overall development of the North East region of Nigeria.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sent the name of the immediate past member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, Rep. Sam Onuigbo to the Senate for confirmation.

This was revealed in a letter read on the floor of the Senate today, by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

In the letter, President Tinubu asked the Senate to confirm his nominees for the Board of the North East Development Commission.

The nominees are: General Paul Tarfa, Chairman (North East, Adamawa); Samuel Ifeanyi Onuigbo, Member( South East, Abia); Frank Achinike Owo Member ( South South, Rivers); Mohamed Goni Alkali (Managing Director, North East Borno); Hon Gambo Maikyau member (North East, Taraba); Abdullahi Abbas member (North West, Kano); Zaf Steven Ondora, Member (North Centra, Benue); Chief Mutiu Lawal Areh, Member (South West, Lagos).

When confirmed, Onuigbo will represent the South East on the Board.

The NEDC is charged with the rehabilitation, reconstruction, and general development of the North East of Nigeria.

In a post of June 30, 2023, Honourable Cokey Nwachukwu, queried, “How can the PG (Dr Uzondu) say in his write up that appreciating Rep Sam Onuigbo is irresponsible, diversionary and unnecessarily patronizing. This unsavoury remark was made by Dr. Uzondu when US based Dr Ifeanyi Uke gave an update about the meeting between some Ikwuano indigenes, Hartland Construction and the Federal Ministry of Works to review the perceived slow pace of work on the Umuahia-Ikwuano- Ikot Ekpene Road. Dr. Uke who was also in the same meeting says, ”I want to appreciate Rt Hon Sam Onuigbo for his tireless efforts in making sure the transfer was successful.”

Cokey further expressed his concern when he wrote, “Let it not be what am thinking, that some group of persons want to hide under an umbrella when they are partisan to claim, “GLORY” of been at the forefront to see the completion of the road and thereby silence the name and tireless efforts of Rep Sam Onuigbo…”

After reading Hon. Cokey’s piece on the subterranean and dangerous conduct and unfortunate utterances of Dr Charles Uzondu, whom has been acting like a “Permanent and all-knowing President General” of Ikwuano Development Union Federated, as well as the main Chieftain of Labour Party (LP), I was constrained to go back and make sense of Dr Uzondu’s report of the formal meeting that was held at the Council Hall, Ikwuano Local Government, Isiala Oboro on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, the contractors—Hartland Construction Coy, and mostly LP Chieftains who are now the main and probably the only “stakeholders of Ikwuano.”

From what was cobbled together as the minutes of the meeting, every unbiased and logical reasoning person would clearly notice that, there are traces of undisguised and sustained efforts by Dr Uzondu and his team to demonize, destroy and supplant Rep Onuigbo’s achievements.

They worked on a script that the tenure of Rep Onuigbo ended with the executive arm of government on May 29, 2023. Unknown to them, in reality, Onuigbo still had over a week to spend as a Member of Parliament.

Consequently, these individuals who had done absolutely nothing about the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road, since 2016 when the road was totally impassable; when trailers used to pack for over 2 kilometres long from Ndoro to Amawom and from Okwe to Ogbuebule, suddenly found their voices and started prancing around.

It is important to refresh Nde Ikwuano’s minds that some traditional rulers and youth leaders who used to inspect this road with Rep Onuigbo are still alive. Some of them included their Royal Highnesses Ndimele, Obaji, Ejirika, Larry Agwu, Ifenwanta, etc. The youth leaders included Santiago Agomoh, Cokey Nwachukwu, Prince Abba, Chinasa Osondu, Dennis Okebugwu, Williams Ukatu, etc.

It should also be noted that when Major Ako Awah (Rtd) was the Transitional Committee Chairman, he and his workers could hardly get to work because the Ndoro-Okwe axis as well as the road from Olori to Isiala, was impassable. It was Rep Onuigbo that facilitated the first palliative work on that road from December 16, 2016 to April, 2017, and its subsequent award for total reconstruction in 2019.

Unfortunately, paucity of funds disrupted the work of the contractor until Hon. Sam Onuigbo fought for the funding to be transferred to the NNPC Tax Credit Scheme in 2021, and the contractor was mobilised back to work around February/April 2022.
Surprisingly, these individuals including those who absconded from Abia State because of their infractions and questionable pasts, have suddenly arranged themselves and manifested in different forms and groups claiming that they have the interest of Nde Ikwuano at heart. Interesting!

Tony Icheku, in his infamous write up on June 02, 2023, disclosed that Barr Monday Ubani “led a delegation comprising LP Ikwuano stakeholders and officers of Ikwuano Development Union Federated, IDUF to the Ministry (Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Umuahia).…” to express the displeasure of Nde Ikwuano on the slow pace of work by Hartland. In the widely circulated video, Barr Ubani said, “what has happened to that particular money…” If “Fashola has taken away this money and has eaten…” Barr Ubani further asserted that “this particular contractor has not done any road anywhere.”

According to another LP Chieftain, Charles Ugboaja, “we must trace if there is our inner person who is inside this problem.”

In compliance with Barr Ubani’s assertion in the video that they were going “to blow this matter out of proportion,” they procured the services of Tony Icheku to write a destructive and misleading story. In a bid to “to blow the matter out of proportion,” as threatened by Barrister Ubani, Icheku went to the internet and imported pictures of the worst state of roads from unknown locations, twisted the facts and presented them as the current state of Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road, with the sole aim of manipulating the emotions of Nde Ikwuano, and inciting them against Rep Onuigbo especially those living outside the local government.

It is crucially important for the readers to note that Tony Icheku is from Umuigu Oboro, but he lives in Amawom Oboro, Ikwuano, from where he travels on that road daily. He was not practicing his journalism from Ukraine or China. Icheku knows the state of that road including the previously worst section of Ndoro and Okwe axis that has been fully reconstructed and asphalted.

Therefore, his intent in manufacturing and publishing deliberate falsehood was clear and unambiguous: “to blow it out of proportion.” For this dishonest and unprofessional work, Icheku was applauded and appreciated as Barr Ubani diligently and dutifully distributed, forwarded and spread around the world this dishonest, dubious and misleading write up with false photos with the inscription, “portionps of Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road.”

It is troubling that Barr Ubani has forgotten in a hurry that there was a time when the Ndoro-Okwe-Isiala axis of that road was totally and completely impassable, as confirmed by His Royal Highness, King Larry Agwu, in his recent intervention. We still have it on record that persons like Barr Ubani and even Prince Nkume and a few others used to park their cars at Ndoro and completed their journeys on motor-cycle to their villages of Awomukwu and Isiala respectively.

Although the road has not been fully completed, but currently Barr Ubani drives from Umuahia to his village through Ndoro-Okwe axis that used to be the worst and impassable section of that road, and he knows that there is no place like the pictures published by Icheku, yet he dutifully circulated and spread them across the world even when he knew, as a lawyer, that what he was doing was immoral, dishonest, misleading and unprofessional.

Up to date, Barr Ubani has neither apologized to Nde Ikwuano, nor the world at large, for this immoral and misleading conduct, especially the different Bar associations that he belongs to and where he massively distributed and circulated these false pictures, since nearly a month ago.

Curiously, Nde Ikwuano, especially those at home who know that the pictures published by Icheku and distributed by Ubani were not true and genuine, have all kept quiet apart from one individual who wrote on the platform that there were no places like those on Ikwuano road today. Most troubling is the silence of the grave yard from the admins of Oganihu, where there is no doubt today, that two standards are so shamelessly applied. If this embarrassingly immoral and dishonest conduct had come from someone else, particularly those not protected by the admins of Oganihu, there would have been strident calls for apologies and withdrawal of the story and its fraudulent and misleading pictures. The President General of Oganihu Ikwuano also joined the fray stating “… I will advice that when next you want to address Nde Ikwuano on this road … Please don’t sell out your people” instead of demanding that Tony should retract the misleading information.

At this stage, please let us divert our minds to the formal meeting called by Dr Uzondu. Dr Ifeanyi Uke, who attended the same meeting, wrote, “For the most part, on the note of his (Federal Controller’s) explanation on how rigorous and bureaucratic it is to transfer contract to the NNPC tax Scheme, I want to sincerely commend and appreciate Rt Hon Sam Onuigbo for his tireless effort in making sure the transfer was successful.”

Now, contrast Dr Uke’s honest and patriotic assessment with Dr Uzondu’s outright dismissal and characterization of Rep Onuigbo’s efforts, as he ventilated his deep-seated hostility. He wrote, “the Federal Controller’s call for Ikwuano people to commend Rep Onuigbo for the transfer of the project to NNPC tax Scheme, was irresponsible, diversionary and unnecessarily patronizing.”

He dismissed the effort as not important but “normal transfer of projects…” In further pursuit of his agenda to tarnish Rep Onuigbo’s unblemished image, he wrote, “Hon Onuigbo our immediate past representative at the Green Chambers was also invited to the meeting because of his acclaimed commitment to the realization of this road project. We also believed his input would guide us and our new HOR representative to follow up on this important project. The meeting was at the instance of Nde Ikwuano, unfortunately Hon Sam Onuigbo did not make it to the meeting.” Dr Uzondu, who was clear and focused on his mission to discredit and tarnish the towering image of Rep Onuigbo, wrote this less than noble account even after Rep Onuigbo’s representative at the meeting, Evang Abraham Osondu, had publicly announced to Dr Uzondu and the entire meeting that he came to represent Rep Onuigbo who was away from the country.

On another day and in response to Prince Nkume’s write up, and still on what appears to be a destructive and Pull-Him-Down mission, he resurrected the issue of the Federal Controller’s harmless comment urging Nde Ikwuano to thank their son, who not only attracted the project which was awarded in mid 2019 with funding as a major challenge, but also succeeded in transferring the project to the NNPC tax scheme. In clear display of belligerence and unrestrained hostility on any remarks in favour of Onuigbo, he described the Controller’s innocent comment as “insulting.”

As president of IDUF, a non partisan organization, Dr Uzondu has forgotten that it amounts to double-face for him to celebrate that he directed Ikwuano people to vote for Peter Obi, Darlington Nwokocha and Obi Aguocha, and that Nde Ikwuano were happy for it. However, in a shocking self-revelation, Dr uzondu who had kept solid silence throughout the legal tussle suddenly realized that two Ikwuano sons were allowed to drag themselves to the Supreme Court where Rep Onuigbo defeated Hon Emeka Atuma.

The question is, what did Dr Uzondu, President General Ikwuano Development Union Federated do to stop the protracted legal tussle between two Ikwuano sons? He did nothing because they were not members of Labour party like Darlington and Aguocha. This is the President General of IDUF whose deep partisanship ought to have been detected by Nde Ikwuano, but we have allowed him to continue to use his position and partisan disposition to influence to incite hatred against a Rep who is not from his party and other political office holders in Ikwuano. He has been occupying this position for about one and a half decades. Dr Uzondu, used his PG’s position to promote LP candidates, especially those contesting against Ikwuano sons. Similarly, he used the same position to become a member of Dr Alex Otti’s transition committee while posturing as the most pious.

It is absolutely curious and bizarre that Dr Uzondu could convene a formal meeting involving many organizations and personalities, but did not want the media to be present at the meeting and report the outcome. Why, what was he hiding? When he noticed that other journalists, apart from Tony Icheku, the hatchet man, were in attendance, he directed that they should be driven away. When Evang Abraham Osondu was informed of his strange action, he (Abraham) quietly approached him for both of them to resolve the issue. What did Evang Abraham get from Dr Uzondu for his patriotic effort? Dr Uzondu told him twice, “I’ll slap you.” It is interesting to note that the same journalists he had ordered to be driven away, he later turned round and hugged them and spent inordinate length of time with them and the outcome was the distortion of the true account of what transpires at the meeting.

The journalists including Tony Icheku, (apart from where Icheku launched a personal attack against Evang Abraham for no just cause), tried to write a balanced report, except Grace of ABN whom Dr Uzondu had already told what sensational headline to write on. She, like what Tony Icheku did in early June, wrote “to blow it out of proportion,” and therefore forgot that neither Dr Uzondu nor any other speaker in that meeting called for the “termination of the contract.” Therefore, the question is, from where did she derive her sensational headline, this may be connected to hobnobbing after the meeting?

But again, it would be observed that Dr Uzondu carefully avoided saying “termination of contract” either in his speech in the hall or during his interaction with the journalists. This was exactly the same way Dr Uzondu and Bar Ubani influenced Tony, a journalist who should know better to expose his unprofessional underbelly.

After realizing that through his ill-intended and inciteful utterances against Rep Onuigbo, that he had acted less than noble and appears to have exposed his unhidden hatred, he quietly and quickly wrote a piece purportedly claiming that he wrote a letter and congratulated Rep Sam Onuigbo when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Most Valuable Parliamentarians of the NASS. Only five persons were inducted out of 469 NASS members comprising 360 Honourable members and 109 Senators. Rep Onuigbo was the only person from Southern Nigeria, that was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Thorough inquiries made revealed that Rep Onuigbo’s offices in Abuja and Umuahia did not receive any letter from him, not even on Ikwuano platforms. No congratulatory phone call from him was received by Rep Onuigbo.

At this juncture, it is apt to place on record that Rep Sam Ifeanyi Onuigbo (Odozi Obodo Gburugburu) has been specially recognized and commended by many national and global organizations like the US Department of State, US Navy, Climate Parliament, GLOBE International, NASS, etc. for his doggedness, commitment and outstanding execution of his assignments. The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has commended Rep Onuigbo for his commitment on how to reconstruct and rehabilitate Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Federal Road. The Ministry has written two letters to Rep. Onuigbo dated June 15, 2016 and November 21, 2021 wherein he was commended for his commitment towards the actualization of the project and for “having the interests of his constituency at heart.”

These later day activists, advocates and envelop-induced reporters who were no where to be found since 2016 when there was no road across the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road, but who are now “searching for their money,” and “where this particular money has gone,” should be advised to intensify their search for it.

They should leave Onuigbo alone for he does not have your money, but he only made enormous sacrifices towards the realization of this road project. It does not matter whether any body appreciates. He did not wait for anyone to appreciate his efforts. He fought for it, and is still fighting for it because he knows that it matters to Nde Ikwuano and other Nigerians.

It is therefore very clear that the coordinated and sustained efforts by Dr Uzondu, Barr Ubani, Chris Umebali, Charles Ugboaja, Chukwuemeka Okezie, Dr Ugah, etc to hide under the current controversy about the reconstruction of Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road, which they never did any thing about until June 01, 2023, when they launched their campaign of “finding where the money has gone,” is for a defined purpose. Their campaign to demonize, discredit and erase Rep Onuigbo’s outstanding accomplishments has gone full circle.

The good news is that on each mission, they not only missed the target of their subterranean, deliberate, sustained and coordinated campaign of calumny, but they always ended up revealing their evil intentions against Rep Onuigbo, an innocent gentleman who, God in His infinite mercies, has decorated with a towering, enduring and impeccable national and international image.

In a post of June 30, 2023, Honourable Cokey Nwachukwu, queried, “How can the PG (Dr Uzondu) say in his write up that appreciating Rep Sam Onuigbo is irresponsible, diversionary and unnecessarily patronizing. This unsavoury remark was made by Dr. Uzondu when US based Dr Ifeanyi Uke gave an update about the meeting between some Ikwuano indigenes, Hartland Construction and the Federal Ministry of Works to review the perceived slow pace of work on the Umuahia-Ikwuano- Ikot Ekpene Road. Dr. Uke who was also in the same meeting says, ”I want to appreciate Rt Hon Sam Onuigbo for his tireless efforts in making sure the transfer was successful.”

Cokey further expressed his concern when he wrote, “Let it not be what am thinking, that some group of persons want to hide under an umbrella when they are partisan to claim, “GLORY” of been at the forefront to see the completion of the road and thereby silence the name and tireless efforts of Rep Sam Onuigbo…”

After reading Hon. Cokey’s piece on the subterranean and dangerous conduct and unfortunate utterances of Dr Charles Uzondu, whom has been acting like a “Permanent and all-knowing President General” of Ikwuano Development Union Federated, as well as the main Chieftain of Labour Party (LP), I was constrained to go back and make sense of Dr Uzondu’s report of the formal meeting that was held at the Council Hall, Ikwuano Local Government, Isiala Oboro on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, the contractors—Hartland Construction Coy, and mostly LP Chieftains who are now the main and probably the only “stakeholders of Ikwuano.”

From what was cobbled together as the minutes of the meeting, every unbiased and logical reasoning person would clearly notice that, there are traces of undisguised and sustained efforts by Dr Uzondu and his team to demonize, destroy and supplant Rep Onuigbo’s achievements.

They worked on a script that the tenure of Rep Onuigbo ended with the executive arm of government on May 29, 2023. Unknown to them, in reality, Onuigbo still had over a week to spend as a Member of Parliament.

Consequently, these individuals who had done absolutely nothing about the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road, since 2016 when the road was totally impassable; when trailers used to pack for over 2 kilometres long from Ndoro to Amawom and from Okwe to Ogbuebule, suddenly found their voices and started prancing around.

It is important to refresh Nde Ikwuano’s minds that some traditional rulers and youth leaders who used to inspect this road with Rep Onuigbo are still alive. Some of them included their Royal Highnesses Ndimele, Obaji, Ejirika, Larry Agwu, Ifenwanta, etc. The youth leaders included Santiago Agomoh, Cokey Nwachukwu, Prince Abba, Chinasa Osondu, Dennis Okebugwu, Williams Ukatu, etc.

It should also be noted that when Major Ako Awah (Rtd) was the Transitional Committee Chairman, he and his workers could hardly get to work because the Ndoro-Okwe axis as well as the road from Olori to Isiala, was impassable. It was Rep Onuigbo that facilitated the first palliative work on that road from December 16, 2016 to April, 2017, and its subsequent award for total reconstruction in 2019.

Unfortunately, paucity of funds disrupted the work of the contractor until Hon. Sam Onuigbo fought for the funding to be transferred to the NNPC Tax Credit Scheme in 2021, and the contractor was mobilised back to work around February/April 2022.
Surprisingly, these individuals including those who absconded from Abia State because of their infractions and questionable pasts, have suddenly arranged themselves and manifested in different forms and groups claiming that they have the interest of Nde Ikwuano at heart. Interesting!

Tony Icheku, in his infamous write up on June 02, 2023, disclosed that Barr Monday Ubani “led a delegation comprising LP Ikwuano stakeholders and officers of Ikwuano Development Union Federated, IDUF to the Ministry (Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Umuahia).…” to express the displeasure of Nde Ikwuano on the slow pace of work by Hartland. In the widely circulated video, Barr Ubani said, “what has happened to that particular money…” If “Fashola has taken away this money and has eaten…” Barr Ubani further asserted that “this particular contractor has not done any road anywhere.”

According to another LP Chieftain, Charles Ugboaja, “we must trace if there is our inner person who is inside this problem.”

In compliance with Barr Ubani’s assertion in the video that they were going “to blow this matter out of proportion,” they procured the services of Tony Icheku to write a destructive and misleading story. In a bid to “to blow the matter out of proportion,” as threatened by Barrister Ubani, Icheku went to the internet and imported pictures of the worst state of roads from unknown locations, twisted the facts and presented them as the current state of Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road, with the sole aim of manipulating the emotions of Nde Ikwuano, and inciting them against Rep Onuigbo especially those living outside the local government.

It is crucially important for the readers to note that Tony Icheku is from Umuigu Oboro, but he lives in Amawom Oboro, Ikwuano, from where he travels on that road daily. He was not practicing his journalism from Ukraine or China. Icheku knows the state of that road including the previously worst section of Ndoro and Okwe axis that has been fully reconstructed and asphalted.

Therefore, his intent in manufacturing and publishing deliberate falsehood was clear and unambiguous: “to blow it out of proportion.” For this dishonest and unprofessional work, Icheku was applauded and appreciated as Barr Ubani diligently and dutifully distributed, forwarded and spread around the world this dishonest, dubious and misleading write up with false photos with the inscription, “portionps of Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road.”

It is troubling that Barr Ubani has forgotten in a hurry that there was a time when the Ndoro-Okwe-Isiala axis of that road was totally and completely impassable, as confirmed by His Royal Highness, King Larry Agwu, in his recent intervention. We still have it on record that persons like Barr Ubani and even Prince Nkume and a few others used to park their cars at Ndoro and completed their journeys on motor-cycle to their villages of Awomukwu and Isiala respectively.

Although the road has not been fully completed, but currently Barr Ubani drives from Umuahia to his village through Ndoro-Okwe axis that used to be the worst and impassable section of that road, and he knows that there is no place like the pictures published by Icheku, yet he dutifully circulated and spread them across the world even when he knew, as a lawyer, that what he was doing was immoral, dishonest, misleading and unprofessional.

Up to date, Barr Ubani has neither apologized to Nde Ikwuano, nor the world at large, for this immoral and misleading conduct, especially the different Bar associations that he belongs to and where he massively distributed and circulated these false pictures, since nearly a month ago.

Curiously, Nde Ikwuano, especially those at home who know that the pictures published by Icheku and distributed by Ubani were not true and genuine, have all kept quiet apart from one individual who wrote on the platform that there were no places like those on Ikwuano road today. Most troubling is the silence of the grave yard from the admins of Oganihu, where there is no doubt today, that two standards are so shamelessly applied. If this embarrassingly immoral and dishonest conduct had come from someone else, particularly those not protected by the admins of Oganihu, there would have been strident calls for apologies and withdrawal of the story and its fraudulent and misleading pictures. The President General of Oganihu Ikwuano also joined the fray stating “… I will advice that when next you want to address Nde Ikwuano on this road … Please don’t sell out your people” instead of demanding that Tony should retract the misleading information.

At this stage, please let us divert our minds to the formal meeting called by Dr Uzondu. Dr Ifeanyi Uke, who attended the same meeting, wrote, “For the most part, on the note of his (Federal Controller’s) explanation on how rigorous and bureaucratic it is to transfer contract to the NNPC tax Scheme, I want to sincerely commend and appreciate Rt Hon Sam Onuigbo for his tireless effort in making sure the transfer was successful.”

Now, contrast Dr Uke’s honest and patriotic assessment with Dr Uzondu’s outright dismissal and characterization of Rep Onuigbo’s efforts, as he ventilated his deep-seated hostility. He wrote, “the Federal Controller’s call for Ikwuano people to commend Rep Onuigbo for the transfer of the project to NNPC tax Scheme, was irresponsible, diversionary and unnecessarily patronizing.”

He dismissed the effort as not important but “normal transfer of projects…” In further pursuit of his agenda to tarnish Rep Onuigbo’s unblemished image, he wrote, “Hon Onuigbo our immediate past representative at the Green Chambers was also invited to the meeting because of his acclaimed commitment to the realization of this road project. We also believed his input would guide us and our new HOR representative to follow up on this important project. The meeting was at the instance of Nde Ikwuano, unfortunately Hon Sam Onuigbo did not make it to the meeting.” Dr Uzondu, who was clear and focused on his mission to discredit and tarnish the towering image of Rep Onuigbo, wrote this less than noble account even after Rep Onuigbo’s representative at the meeting, Evang Abraham Osondu, had publicly announced to Dr Uzondu and the entire meeting that he came to represent Rep Onuigbo who was away from the country.

On another day and in response to Prince Nkume’s write up, and still on what appears to be a destructive and Pull-Him-Down mission, he resurrected the issue of the Federal Controller’s harmless comment urging Nde Ikwuano to thank their son, who not only attracted the project which was awarded in mid 2019 with funding as a major challenge, but also succeeded in transferring the project to the NNPC tax scheme. In clear display of belligerence and unrestrained hostility on any remarks in favour of Onuigbo, he described the Controller’s innocent comment as “insulting.”

As president of IDUF, a non partisan organization, Dr Uzondu has forgotten that it amounts to double-face for him to celebrate that he directed Ikwuano people to vote for Peter Obi, Darlington Nwokocha and Obi Aguocha, and that Nde Ikwuano were happy for it. However, in a shocking self-revelation, Dr uzondu who had kept solid silence throughout the legal tussle suddenly realized that two Ikwuano sons were allowed to drag themselves to the Supreme Court where Rep Onuigbo defeated Hon Emeka Atuma.

The question is, what did Dr Uzondu, President General Ikwuano Development Union Federated do to stop the protracted legal tussle between two Ikwuano sons? He did nothing because they were not members of Labour party like Darlington and Aguocha. This is the President General of IDUF whose deep partisanship ought to have been detected by Nde Ikwuano, but we have allowed him to continue to use his position and partisan disposition to influence to incite hatred against a Rep who is not from his party and other political office holders in Ikwuano. He has been occupying this position for about one and a half decades. Dr Uzondu, used his PG’s position to promote LP candidates, especially those contesting against Ikwuano sons. Similarly, he used the same position to become a member of Dr Alex Otti’s transition committee while posturing as the most pious.

It is absolutely curious and bizarre that Dr Uzondu could convene a formal meeting involving many organizations and personalities, but did not want the media to be present at the meeting and report the outcome. Why, what was he hiding? When he noticed that other journalists, apart from Tony Icheku, the hatchet man, were in attendance, he directed that they should be driven away. When Evang Abraham Osondu was informed of his strange action, he (Abraham) quietly approached him for both of them to resolve the issue. What did Evang Abraham get from Dr Uzondu for his patriotic effort? Dr Uzondu told him twice, “I’ll slap you.” It is interesting to note that the same journalists he had ordered to be driven away, he later turned round and hugged them and spent inordinate length of time with them and the outcome was the distortion of the true account of what transpires at the meeting.

The journalists including Tony Icheku, (apart from where Icheku launched a personal attack against Evang Abraham for no just cause), tried to write a balanced report, except Grace of ABN whom Dr Uzondu had already told what sensational headline to write on. She, like what Tony Icheku did in early June, wrote “to blow it out of proportion,” and therefore forgot that neither Dr Uzondu nor any other speaker in that meeting called for the “termination of the contract.” Therefore, the question is, from where did she derive her sensational headline, this may be connected to hobnobbing after the meeting?

But again, it would be observed that Dr Uzondu carefully avoided saying “termination of contract” either in his speech in the hall or during his interaction with the journalists. This was exactly the same way Dr Uzondu and Bar Ubani influenced Tony, a journalist who should know better to expose his unprofessional underbelly.

After realizing that through his ill-intended and inciteful utterances against Rep Onuigbo, that he had acted less than noble and appears to have exposed his unhidden hatred, he quietly and quickly wrote a piece purportedly claiming that he wrote a letter and congratulated Rep Sam Onuigbo when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Most Valuable Parliamentarians of the NASS. Only five persons were inducted out of 469 NASS members comprising 360 Honourable members and 109 Senators. Rep Onuigbo was the only person from Southern Nigeria, that was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Thorough inquiries made revealed that Rep Onuigbo’s offices in Abuja and Umuahia did not receive any letter from him, not even on Ikwuano platforms. No congratulatory phone call from him was received by Rep Onuigbo.

At this juncture, it is apt to place on record that Rep Sam Ifeanyi Onuigbo (Odozi Obodo Gburugburu) has been specially recognized and commended by many national and global organizations like the US Department of State, US Navy, Climate Parliament, GLOBE International, NASS, etc. for his doggedness, commitment and outstanding execution of his assignments. The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has commended Rep Onuigbo for his commitment on how to reconstruct and rehabilitate Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Federal Road. The Ministry has written two letters to Rep. Onuigbo dated June 15, 2016 and November 21, 2021 wherein he was commended for his commitment towards the actualization of the project and for “having the interests of his constituency at heart.”

These later day activists, advocates and envelop-induced reporters who were no where to be found since 2016 when there was no road across the Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road, but who are now “searching for their money,” and “where this particular money has gone,” should be advised to intensify their search for it.

They should leave Onuigbo alone for he does not have your money, but he only made enormous sacrifices towards the realization of this road project. It does not matter whether any body appreciates. He did not wait for anyone to appreciate his efforts. He fought for it, and is still fighting for it because he knows that it matters to Nde Ikwuano and other Nigerians.

It is therefore very clear that the coordinated and sustained efforts by Dr Uzondu, Barr Ubani, Chris Umebali, Charles Ugboaja, Chukwuemeka Okezie, Dr Ugah, etc to hide under the current controversy about the reconstruction of Umuahia-Ikwuano-Ikot Ekpene Road, which they never did any thing about until June 01, 2023, when they launched their campaign of “finding where the money has gone,” is for a defined purpose. Their campaign to demonize, discredit and erase Rep Onuigbo’s outstanding accomplishments has gone full circle.

The good news is that on each mission, they not only missed the target of their subterranean, deliberate, sustained and coordinated campaign of calumny, but they always ended up revealing their evil intentions against Rep Onuigbo, an innocent gentleman who, God in His infinite mercies, has decorated with a towering, enduring and impeccable national and international image.

The Rivers State House of Assembly has become the first state in Nigeria to domesticate the Climate Change Act 2021 which was sponsored by Rep. Sam Onuigbo. The Rivers State Climate Change Bill comes with adjustments to capture Local Government Areas and state-specific issues and was passed by the State’s House of Assembly on the 12th of December 2022.

In a statement issued by the Rivers Network of NGOs (RINNGOS), which pushed for the passage of the Bill, they expressed their joy for the success and thanked the RSHA for being the first among equals.

Reacting to this, Dr Mina Ogbanga, Associate Professor and President of the Rivers Network of NGOs (RINNGOS) said:
“This is a landmark victory for Civil Society in Rivers State as we strive to promote Environmental sustainability. We thank the European Union, and the British Council PACT programme for their support. We also thank all CSOs who never gave up on pushing for this passage. We specifically appreciate the Chairman, House Committee on Environment, Hon Dumle Maol whose unrelenting effort saw this Bill through.”

Associate Professor Ogbanga used the opportunity to call on the Rivers State Governor, His Excellency Barrister Nyesom Wike to assent to the Bill and place Rivers State at the frontline when it comes to walking the talk in ensuring a better environment for Rivers State inhabitants.

Reacting, the sponsor of Nigeria’s Climate Change Act 2021, and President of Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment(GLOBE) in Nigeria, Rep. Sam Onuigbo, expressed profound joy at the speedy action taken by the Rivers State House of Assembly. Rep. Onuigbo who commended the RSHA for being futuristic, thanked RINNGOS for exhibiting doggedness and commitment for the betterment of the people.

The national lawmaker used the opportunity to commend the Rivers State Governor, Barrister Nyesom Wike for always prioritizing the welfare of his people and urged him to give assent to the Bill to cement his legacy as one of the best Governors of Rivers State.

The Bill was sponsored by Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ikuyinyi-Owaji Ibani; Hon. Christian Ahiakwor; and the Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Hon. Dumle Maol.


https://africlime.com/onuigbos-climate-change-act-domesticated-in-rivers

Champion of Climate Change in Nigeria

A National Assembly member and Chair Climate Parliament Nigeria, Hon. Sam Onuigbo has explained the reasons why urgent action is needed to combat Climate Change impacts, even as he says the inclusion of all stakeholders in the Climate Council in Nigeria would address Climate Change challenges in the country.

Onuigbo who successfully sponsored the Nigerian Climate Change Act 2021 after three past unsuccessful attempts by the 6th, 7th, 8th before it succeeded in the 9th Assembly in 2021 said at the Luxor Forum of the Climate Parliament in Luxor Egypt “the efforts to get the Act for Nigeria started in the 6th Assembly, it was unsuccessful, it was also unsuccessful in the 7th Assembly, it was denied Assent by the President in the 8th Assembly before we tried again in the 9th Assembly”

The Lawmaker acknowledged the contributions of the Climate Parliament for the success of the Climate Change Act 2021 in the 9TH Assembly “because at a certain point when we needed to do series of further negotiations, they had to support us financially for that last critical stage of negotiations that brought in different parties and that was how we got it done”.

The National Assembly member representing Ikwuano/ Umuahia North/ Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia State explains further: “the Climate Act Nigeria clearly states its objectives; low carbon emission, green economy and others. It also applies to the MDAs as well as driving in sub nationals in a way, by ensuring that the Governors Forum Chairman and the National President of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) sits at the Council so that they will be able to convey resolutions reached by the Council to their members at the state and local government levels to ensure that everyone is carried along and to achieve maximum result.”

Later in a chat with Green Savannah Diplomatic Cable, Hon Onuigbo said the Nigerian Climate Change Act 2021 is one that addresses a key issue which poses an existential threat to all of mankind.

His words: “From the many gully erosions that litter the Southeast, through the floods, coastal erosions in the South -South and even some parts of the South-East including Anambra State, to desertification in the North and the corresponding security issues, to extreme heat and irregular rainfall, before our very eyes, the world as we know it is changing and bringing with it massive loss of livelihood and increased health challenges”

“The good news here though is that there is still a little time left for us to turn this around and in the process of tackling these challenges, build a greener and more sustainable world anchored on the principles of equity, greener and more jobs for the people, better health, and increased livelihood means.”

He made case for adequate funding of climate change issues and cautions Nigerians on deforestation and other acts of the citizens that could lead to environmental degradation.


Read more here: https://greensavannahdiplomaticcable.com/2022/11/what-onuigbo-told-luxor-forum-of-the-climate-parliament/

The member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia State, Rep. Sam Onuigbo, has been listed on the “Top 100 Nigeria Environmental Professionals List” in recognition of his contributions to a healthy and sustainable environment.

The federal lawmaker’s inclusion was attributed to his sponsorship of Nigeria’s landmark Climate Change Act; advocacy efforts including through his leadership of Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment(GLOBE) in Africa and Nigeria and the Climate Parliament network in Nigeria; his support for young climate activists; efforts at climate change adaptation in his constituency; etc.

Onuigbo, whose dogged commitment birthed Nigeria’s Climate Change Act 2021 with provisions for a Climate Change Fund, net zero transition, nature-based solutions, high-level governance structure, and inter-ministerial cooperation, has been hailed globally for his unrelenting commitment towards addressing environmental issues.

The list made available to the media by Environment Africa Magazine revealed that the astute lawmaker emerged alongside the former Minister of State for Environment and current Minister of State for Niger Delta, Chief Sharon Ikeazor, Professor Oladele Osinbajo, Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, Hamzat Lawal, Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, Olumide Idowu, among others.

According to Environment Africa Magazine, “the listing highlights the professionals and activists who have become synonymous to, those who have shaped the environment as we know it today and those still providing solutions and strategies to embed environmental sustainability in Nigeria.”

Hmm. Still unraveling. It will be deep.

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