₦airaland Forum

The reason why Paffcomm has chosen to support Prefessor Chukwuma Soludo is that Paffcomm has decided that we will no longer sit idle and watch criminals bastardize or beloved Anambra state. It has not been our intention to support any candidate but to analyze each candidate and expose to the public where the candidate defaults and allows them to make their judgement. but unfortunately with what we have seen on ground some candidates have made budget to buy the State as usual and subject the people to hardship and suffering while they rob the State dry. For this reason, we decided to back the best of the candidates who is Professor Chukwuma Soludo. Some of the reasons we support him are as follows. Please we are sorry for the long list. Though this list is just one out of many lists that made us to support him. Anambra State needs a governor who is experienced in the act of administration and financial management and accountability and corruption free.

I. WORK EXPERIENCE

EXPERIENCE IS A GREAT TOOL TO GOOD LEADERSHIP. HERE IS SOLUDO EXPERIENCE IN ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Public Service (Federal Government of Nigeria)

Governor/Chairman of Board of Directors, Central Bank of Nigeria (May 29, 2004—June 01, 2009)

1a. Chairman, Bankers’ Committee (2004- 2009)

1b. Chairman, Monetary Policy Committee, Central Bank of Nigeria (2004- 2009)

1c. Chairman, Financial Sector Surveillance Committee, Central Bank of Nigeria (2004-2009)

1d: Chairman, Investment Committee, Central Bank of Nigeria (2004 – 2009)

1e. Chairman, Technical Committee for the Establishment of the Africa Finance Corporation

1f. Chairman, Steering Committee on the Financial System Strategy 2020 (FSS 2020)

1g. Chairman, Board of Governors, West African Monetary Zone (2007, and 2009)

1h. Chairman, Board of Directors, West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM)

1i. Member, National Economic Council (NEC) 2003- 2009

1j. Member, Presidential Committee on the Global Economic Crisis (2008 -2009)

1k. Member, Presidential Committee on the Capital Market Crisis (2008 – 2009)

1l. Chairman, Financial System Regulatory Coordinating Committee (FSRCC), Nigeria (2004- 2009).

•Chairman, Board of Directors, Nigeria Security Printing and Minting, Plc (NSPM), April 2005- June 2009

•Deputy Chairman/Chief Executive Officer: National Planning Commission of Nigeria (a Ministerial rank); July 2003- May 2004

•Chief Economic Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria (July 2003 – May 2004)

4a. National Authorizing Officer, EU Aid to Nigeria

4b. Chairman/Coordinator, Drafting Committee for Nigeria’s reform programme under President Obasanjo, called “National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS)”

4c. Chairman, National Council on Development Planning

4d. Chairman, Presidential Committee on Alternative Financing Sources for the Federal Government

4e. Member, National Council on Privatization, 2003- 2009

4e. Served as member of over 20 Technical/Advisory

Committees of the Federal Government of Nigeria (2003- 2009)

Membership of National Policy Reform Committees of the Federal Government of Nigeria before I joined Government in July 2003.

•Member, Steering Committee on Industry/Manufacturing Sector—to advise and guide the National Council on Privatization: Federal Government of Nigeria. September 2000—2003

•Member, Steering Committee on Competition Policy and Anti-Trust Reform-- Federal Government of Nigeria; 2001- 2003. Solely made the initial draft of the Competition Policy for Nigeria (2002)

•Consultant, and co-opted member, National Committee for Drafting of New Trade Policy (2000- 01)

•Coordinator/technical consultant (funded by USAID) to the Federal Ministry of Finance, for tariff and competitiveness studies, and to supervise the revision of Nigeria's tariff schedule; August 2000-2002

•Member, National Committee on Trade policy implementation, 2002---2003

• Chairman, National Working Groups on Trade and Macroeconomic Policy Reforms (2002-2003)

II:b: Teaching Experience (Universities and Short-Term Courses)

•Professor of Economics (with effect from 1998), University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Joined the Faculty in 1988, and taught several courses, some of which include: (a) Undergraduate courses- Intermediate and advanced macroeconomics, and microeconomics; Introduction to Quantitative methods in Economics; International Economics; advanced mathematical economics; intermediate econometrics; (b) Postgraduate courses- Macroeconomic theory and stabilization policy; Growth Models and Real Business Cycle Theories; Econometrics and Research Methodology; Development Economics; and Public Finance and Fiscal Policy.

•Appointed Head of Department of Economics (June 2003) but could not take up the appointment because of appointment to become President’s Chief Economic Adviser.

University Committee Work:

•Member/Secretary, Board of Trustees, University of Nigeria Internet Project, 1999-- 2003

•Member, University Strategic Planning and Project Coordinating Committee, 1998--2003

•Member, Transition Advisory Committee on 'Outreach Programs and Mobilization of Additional Resources', University of Nigeria, 1997- 98.

•Member, Faculty committee on curriculum development; 1995/96; Faculty committee on Research Grants: 1996

•Secretary, Departmental Board of Economics, 1988-90; Also, coordinator of Departmental curriculum and research seminars, 1989-90

•Visiting Associate Professor, Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania, USA (Spring Semester, January- May 1999): Responsibilities included teaching two classes of Principles of Economics; and co-teaching the 'Political Economy of Africa' with Prof. O'Connell, as well as active participation in Departmental activities.

•Lecturer (November 1986- January 1988): Department of Economics, College of Education, Nsugbe, Nigeria. Taught several courses, some of which include: Basic Mathematics and Statistics for Economists; Principles of Public Finance and Fiscal Policy; and Economic Development and Planning.

• Teaching Assistant (August 1984- July 1985): Department of Economics, University of Ife, Nigeria, (now, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife), A 12-month mandatory National Youth Service Corps Assignment, 1984-85.



TO BRING IN INVESTOR TO A COUNTRY OR STATE. A LEADER MUST BE INVESTORS FRIENDLY. BELOW IS SOLUDO'S RELATIONSHIP WITH INVESTORS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

Selected International Appointments and Consultancies

•Founder/Chairman, Board of Directors, Africa Finance Corporation—AFC-- (2007 - 2009). Africa Finance Corporation commenced with capitalization of US$1.1 billion as Africa’s private sector-led Investment Bank.

•Member, United Nations Commission of Experts on the Global Economic and Financial Crisis (2008-09)—appointed by the President of UN General Assembly and committee chaired by Professor Joseph Stiglitz.

•As Governor of Central Bank, was Alternate Governor at the IMF and World Bank Board of Governors (2004- 2009)

•Member, Chief Economist Advisory Council, The World Bank (since 2006)

• Member, UK- DFID International Advisory Group, 2005—2008

• Member, World Economic Forum, 2004---

• Member, Advisory Board, Initiative for Policy Dialogue, Columbia University, USA. Since 2002

• Senior Economic Advisor/Coordinator of programmes in Nigeria: Chemonics International, Inc., Washington, DC (2001- 2002)

•Coordinator, IDRC Regional Project on the “Political Economy of Trade Policy and Industrialization in Africa”: 1999- 2001. Project covered 8 country case studies-- South Africa, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Senegal, and Cote d'Ivoire.

•Coordinator (with Prof. Steve O'Connell of Swarthmore College, USA), 2000--2003: AERC's 'African Economic Growth Project', with an international steering committee, five thematic papers, and 30 country case studies. Output published in two volumes by the Cambridge University Press.

• Resource Person, African Economic Research Consortium, Nairobi: to evaluate research proposals, work-in-progress and final reports during its research workshops: 2001- 2003.

•Smuts' Research Fellow (October 1996- June 1997): University of Cambridge, U.K., and Member, Governing Board of the Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, and Visiting Faculty, Faculty of Economics and Politics.

•Visiting Research Scholar (Jan- June 1997- jointly with Cambridge fellowship:; and April-August 1994) Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford, U.K. Completed research papers, and presented seminars. Funding by Rhodes Research Committee.

•Visiting Scholar, International Monetary Fund, Washington, DC: various times since 1994. Regularly teach the ‘Financial Programming and Policy’ course for the IMF Institute

•Research Associate, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford, U.K., 1994--

•Research Associate, African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), Nairobi: 1991----2000 (Undertook about 10 funded studies for the Consortium).

•Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (September 1992- October 1993): Socio-Economic Research and Planning Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN-ECA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Produced two research reports and contributed actively to the research, seminar and other technical work of the Division.

•Visiting Research Fellow (January 1991- July 1992): Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, Washington, DC. Advanced training in multi-country macroeconometric modeling, and collaborated with R.C. Bryant in producing PCSIM version of IMF’s global model—MULTIMOD— and used the model in various studies. Participated actively in research, training, and workshop activities at the Brookings.

•National Coordinator/Secretary, National Working Groups’ Initiative on: Trade and Macroeconomic Policy; Infrastructure; Agriculture; Institutional and Regulatory Reforms; and Small and Medium Enterprises—with funding by the World Bank; DFID; USAID; January – December 2003.

•Lead consultant and coordinator, joint project of IBM Consulting Services, VA, USA and African Institute for Applied Economics, Enugu, on evaluation of USAID Economic Growth and Agriculture portfolio, November 2002- April 2003.

•Consultant, African Development Bank, October 2002- January 2003: to write paper on ‘Africa: Strategies for Coping with Globalization”, and Chapter One of the Africa Development Report, 2003.

•Consultant, EU/ECOWAS, October-November 2002, to conduct a study on “The Potential Impacts of Extending the UEMOA Common External Tariffs to other ECOWAS Countries: A case study of the impacts on Fiscal Revenue and Trade Balance in Nigeria”.

•Consultant, World Bank, April--August 2002, to co-author the Synthesis Report on the Evaluation of the Comprehensive Development Framework.

•Consultant, World Bank, October 2001- April 2002; to co-author (with Torgny Holmgren-- Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs) thematic paper on 'Country-led partnership in the context of the Comprehensive Development Framework'.

•Consultant, World Bank, July- September, 2002, to author a review of the 'International experiences on trade liberalization in Developing Countries'.

•Consultant, UN Secretariat, New York: February-March 2002: to write paper on the 'Evaluation of the Resource Flows to Africa During the Period of UN-NADAF, 1992- 2002'.

•Consultant: African Development Bank, Abidjan: January 2002: to write paper on 'Aid Relationships and Global Governance" and presented at ADB/OECD Centre seminar: Paris.

•Consultant: African Development Bank, Abidjan, October-December 2001: to write chapter One of African Development Report 2002.

•Consultant, UN-ECA, Addis Ababa: September 2001: to write paper on Nigerian Country Economic Report, 2001.

•Consultant, World Bank/GDN Network, 2001: co-authored a paper (with Jongil Kim-- South Korean) on "Survey of the Growth Models and Economic Performance in Developing Regions: Still More Questions than Answers".

•Consultant: July 2001; IMF Institute as Facilitator in the West African Regional Course on Financial Programming and Policy (July 16-28). Gave series of lectures on macroeconomics and policy issues, and organized technical workshop sessions to teach participants how to design a typical IMF financial programming.

•Consultant, USAID: April/May; July/August, 2000: Facilitator of training program for Nigerian government officials on ‘Macroeconomic Models, Analysis and Policy” The World Bank, Washington, DC. Course covered macroeconomic and sectoral accounting and interrelations among the accounts; consistency framework of the World Bank's RMSM-XX; Exchange Rate regimes; and forecasting techniques.

•Advisor/Reviewer, 2001/2002 World Development Report, Institutions for Markets. The World Bank. Also authored one of the Background papers.

•Consultant, UN Secretariat, New York, May- mid June 2000: to write a paper on 'Mobilization of Financial Resources for African Development'.

•Consultant, COMESA: May, 2000: to write paper on investment and competitiveness and as Guest Speaker to the COMESA council of ministers meeting in Mauritius

•Consultant, UNCTAD, Geneva: February/March 2000: to conduct study on ‘Financing Development in African LDCs’ and Resource person in the African Regional preparatory meeting for the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries.

•Consultant, UN-ECA, Addis Ababa: March 2000: member of Special Task Force to Evaluate the activities of the UN-IDEP, Dakar.

•Consultant/Technical Assistance Advisor, the IMF, Washington, DC: February 21-March 10, 2000: to lecture and lead workshops at the IMF Institute’s regional course on Financial Programming and Policy, Accra, Ghana.

•Consultant, The World Bank, Washington, DC: May 1999- February 2000: Long-term consultant to work on the “Africa in the 21st Century” project: the book entitled Can Africa Claim the 21st Century? (published May 2000 by The World Bank, was a collaborative effort by the AERC, ADB, ECA, GCA, and the World Bank.

•Consultant, African Economic Research Consortium, Nairobi: Commissioned to develop and teach a course to senior African economists on 'The Techniques of macroeconometric modeling': November/ December , 1999.

•Consultant, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Geneva: January 1999: to write a paper: "Towards A Regional Approach to Africa's Infrastructure Crisis'.

•Consultant, United Nations Secretariat, New York: March 1999: To write an Issues paper on the Recent Developments in African Economies and the Challenges Ahead’

•Consultant/Member- Advisory Committee (1998- 2003): African regional project on "New Social Knowledge for Africa: Module 1 'Africa's Real Economies'", CODESRIA, Dakar, Senegal.

•Consultant and Team Leader, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Addis Ababa, 15 September- 30 November, 1998: Led the team that produced the Economic Report on Africa 1999. My major contribution was in changing the framework ECA uses in analyzing the African economies. I developed the set of composite indices-- performance, policy stance, and sustainability indices (now popularly known as the ECA Indices, and being refined to serve as framework for monitoring African economies under NEPAD).

•Consultant, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/UNOPS, New York, August- October 1998; to write a paper for the African Futures on Competitiveness, Abidjan

•Visiting Scholar/Consultant: August/September, 1998; International Monetary Fund (IMF) Institute, Washington, DC: Taught a course on ‘Economic Growth: theories and applications’, in a Senior Policy Seminar organized by the Institute.

•Consultant: March 1998; IMF Institute as Facilitator in the Regional Course on Financial Programming and Policy (March 9-27).

•Consultant, Economic and Social Policy Division, UN-Economic Commission for Africa: to prepare background/issues paper for Africa's participation in the TICAD II; as well as collaborated with two other resource persons in organizing a workshop on 'Economic Policy Analysis' for the staff of the ECA.: September-November, 1997.

•Visiting Scholar/consultant, (August-September 12, 1997); IMF Research Department, Washington, DC.

•Consultant, International Development Research Centre of Canada: November 1996- March 1997: To develop research proposal, and write a concept paper.

•Consultant, UNCTAD; 1997: To write research report on 'Trade Liberalization and Supply Responses in Africa'.

•Consultant, International Center for Economic Growth (ICEG), Africa Office, Nairobi: January-March 1997: to write a paper.

•Consultant, Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA); June 1996- May 1997: Edited a book, and co-authored another: both books already published.

•Consultant, Development Centre, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Paris, France: June 1996- June 1997: Produced two technical papers.

•The Resource person in a 10-day training workshop on "Macroeconomic policy analysis for Regional integration" organized by the Organization of African Unity (OAU): OAU Secretariat, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; January 10- 19, 1996.

•Guest Scholar (July -September, 1995): Network of Empirical Research on International Macroeconomics (NERIM) Project, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, Washington, DC.

•Consultant, Research Department, IMF, January- March 1994: to "review the developing country sectors of MULTIMOD global model, with a view to developing 'Prototype Model Specifications for the African Sector of MULTIMOD' ".

•Consultant, Centre for Democratic Studies (CDS), Abuja, as Trainer of elected party officers, Enugu State, Nigeria: May 1990.



Other Work Experiences: Private Sector

•Chairman, Board of Directors, African Institute for Applied Economics, Nigeria, 2008- date.

•Founding Executive Director, African Institute for Applied Economics, Nigeria, December 2000 – June 2003.

•Chairman, Board of Directors, Queens Computer world (WA) Ltd

•Elected Member of Governing Council, Nigerian Economic Society; 1996/97

•Trainee Accountant (August- December 1985): Coopers and Lybrand (International firm of chartered accountants & management consultants), Lagos. Underwent training in basics of financial accounting and auditing, and participated in auditing two large corporations in Lagos.

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Professor Chukwuma Soludo has finally joined APGA. He also declared bid to run for Anambra gubernatorial sit. His declaration to run for the governor of Anambra state brought a lot cheers not only, on faces of Anambra people but members of Paffcomm who see the move as welcome development for Anambra people and Nigeria in General. His administration in Anambra State will be a model for other state governors to emulate. For this reason, Paffcomm has created a sub-website attached to paffcomm main website for the Professor as the organization contribution to his campaign and for Anambra people. To visit the website, please click (http://www.paffcomm.com/prof-chukwuma-soludo.html).

Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR (born 28 July 1960) is a Nigerian economics professor and the immediate past Governor and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He was named Governor on 29 May 2004."Board of Directors". Central Bank of Nigeria. He is also a member of the British Department for International Development's International Advisory Group.

Dr Soludo has been visiting scholar at the International Monetary Fund, the University of Cambridge, the Brookings Institution, the University of Warwick and the University of Oxford and a visiting professor at Swarthmore College (USA). He has also worked as a consultant for a number of international organizations, including The World Bank, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and the United Nations Development Programme.

Soludo is a core professional in the business of macroeconomics. He obtained his three degrees and then professorship at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka, Enugu State. He graduated with a First Class Honors degree in 1984, an M.Sc. Economics in 1987, and a Ph.D. in 1989, winning prizes for the best student at all three levels.

He has been trained and involved in research, teaching and auditing in such disciplines as the multi-country macro econometric modeling, techniques of computable general equilibrium modeling, survey methodology and panel data econometrics, among others. Soludo studied and taught these courses at many Universities, including Oxford, Cambridge and Warwick. He has co-authored, co-edited and authored about ten books on this subject matter.

In 1998 Soludo was appointed to the position of professor of economics at the University of Nigeria; the next year he became a visiting professor at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, US.

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Mrs. Okodigbo wife of the late Senate President Mr. Okadigbo. She is representing the Anambra North in the present Senates. Although, she did not contest election but was declared the winner by the appeal court after a long court battle between the senate candidates in the constituency. Mrs. Okadigbo declaration by the appeal court as the legitimate senate representative of the constituency was greeted with mixed emotion, Some were against the court verdict while those in favour of the verdict believed that God has finally answered their prayers as good things will start to come into their constituency.

The people of Anambra North had believed that Mrs. Okadigbo being a mother and a wife with great charisma, tenderness, love and care including her experience as a lawyer and a wife to the late Chuba Okadigbo will be a driving force for improvement in their lives and also motivation to other legislators to perform for the goodness of the Anambra people. Her many times of observing the proceedings in the senate during her husband's leadership of the senate house would be a plus to ability to analyze issues, act on the problems of children, act on the problem facing women of all ages and understands the problems facing her constituency better than the other selfserving legislators and also put to work the constituency fund judiciously to better the lives of women and children and those without gainful employment in her constituency. In Nigeria society and the world at large, women are attached to their children and more than that, sensitive to their problems. However the people's hope and expectation were dashed away when their "Holy Grail" Mrs. Okadigbo turned her back on her people resulting to more agonies and suffering on the people who had believed her.

"Had she not turned her back on the tenderness for which she is known, her impact on the house would have had some improvement not only in our constituency but also on Nigerian children and families" said a woman with tears on her eyes when our correspondent asked her if she regret supporting Mrs Okadigbo. Her constituency had look forward to her to vigorously pursue equitable distribution and utilization of constituency project funds. support and sponsor bills for programs related to health, nutrition, education, children and advancing gender and family friendly legislation. Sadly Mrs. Okadigbo was a disappointment not just to her constituency but to all Nigerian women, mothers and children. In an interview with Vanguard Newspaper Mrs. Okadigbo was asked the legacy she would like to leave in the senate? Here is what she said:

"Though I am a lawyer by profession, I find in my interaction with my people that two things come to play, agriculture because that is what my people are all about, they are farmers and the other thing is health. I move around and I see the pathetic structures they call maternity homes and I am alarmed. You have the maternity homes without water. So I find that health and agriculture are the two major things and coincidentally by the grace of God, I happen to be the vice-chairman of the Health Committee in the Senate and I intend to use that very well"

Right Now the question is how much has she move heaven and earth to execute the Agriculture and health programs in her constituency as she promised? Our investigation revealed,that she has done not anything, not even then with constituency fund. Our investigation also revealed that she had received all the allowances and constituency project fund for the year her constituency was not represented due to court cases with Senator Alphonsus Igbeke. Though, Mr. Igbeke, with due respect, is not worthy to handle any elective position due to embezzlement of his constituency fund. Igbeke was the immediate past Senator of Anambra North. Considering the circumstance with which Mrs. Okodigbo got to the senate one would have thought that she will set a good example to other legislators by using the constituency fund to fund projects that will better the life of her people , instead, she, like her predecessor, denied her constituency the fund voted for their community development. Some time I ask myself, do we still have an honest person in this country? If our male legislators are criminals and insensitive of plight of the masses? What about our female legislators, What happen to the women tenderness, love and caring? Mrs. Okadigbo in her own word said she went round her constituency and saw with her own eyes the dilapidated state of maternity homes and yet she did nothing to solve the problem. How long more would Mrs Okadigbo watch the people suffer before she can apply the tenderness, love and care that women are endowed with and make available the constituency fund to to the people of the constituency and salvage the communities from hardship?

Since she got to the Senate house she had never sponsored a single bill, perhaps, according to her she is still learning. I wonder what she is leaning when she had been in the senate several times as an observer. By the way, did her leaning process stops her from releasing the constituency project fund to her people for development or did it stop her from using the fund to build clinics and maternity and encourage agriculture in all the local govt that made up her constituency. Again, did the leaning process freeze up her intelligence to articulate and sponsore a bill that will help women and children. Well! Since she is still in the learning process, here are some bills from Paffcomm that might interest her to sponsor in the house.

(1) A bill that will give women right to the inheritance of their father's and husband's properties. In many parts of Nigeria especially in Ibo land, culture denies women the right of inheritance to their father's properties. Many widows lose their spouse's property to their husband relatives on account of not having a male son. (2) A bill that will give free education to our kids from primary school to secondary school level. (3) A bill that creates jobs for our youths (4) A bill that discourages corruption in the government.

Once Again, in her interview with vanguard newspaper, she said that she is trying to recover what her constituency lost in one year she was in the court. "I think that my main preoccupation is trying to recover what has been lost in the last one year. There are projects that were shared which my zone did not benefit," She said. As God may have it, she had recovered all the projects. The question now is where are the projects in her constituency? Because last time I checked there was none. Here are some advice for Mrs Okadigbo. Do not dent your late husband's image. Do not allow greed to take over your soul like your counterparts in the National assembly. We expect you to change and serve the people who stood by you during your court battles. In as much as we Paffcomm would not like to destroy your early political career, we shall not hesitate to be very critical on you in our next article, if you refuse to change your ways and use the constituency fund to better the lives of the people in your constituency.
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We all know that our house of representatives can be compared to a market place with many thugs. A place where fist fighting are daily occurrence. A place where any legislator without permission can stand up and throw one bill on the floor just to be noticed, sometime a bill he or she cannot even defend. Some of them do not attend the session more than five times a year, They only attend when there is money to share like the president annual budget bill or contracts to award. Uche Ekwunife like her colleagues in the house got up and sponsored a bill that allows public officers to have a foreign account. Here is the bill. (A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 TO PERMIT PUBLIC OFFICERS TO MAINTAIN OR OPERATE A BANK ACCOUNT IN ANY COUNTRY OUTSIDE NIGERIA; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS Sponsored by Hon. Uche Lilian Ekwunife) Unfortunately, Uche Ekwunife did not post this bill on her website along with other bills she sponsored. She hid the bill from the public, but she forgot to hide it from the house of the representative's website. Please click here, and go to the fourth column to read her bill. (http://www.nassnig.org/nass2/legislation2.php?search=TO+PERMIT+PUBLIC+OFFICERS+TO+MAINTAIN+OR+OPERATE+A+BANK+ACCOUNT+IN+ANY+COUNTRY+OUTSIDE+NIGERIA&Submit=Search)

The Bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to delete the provision in the Code of Conduct for public officers, which forbid them from maintaining and operating a bank account in a bank outside Nigeria. It is very sickening that even though we have this constitution, corrupt politicians still find ways to siphon our money to foreign banks overseas. For Uche Ekwunife to now seek to make it legal for the corrupt politicians to siphon more public money to overseas is callous and madness and should be asked to account for 1.118 billion Naira constituency project fund in her possession. The impunity with which the corrupt politicians embezzle public funds is alarming and shameful. Moreover, for our people to just sit and watch this criminals dig our graves while we are alive is equally dishonourable to our generation. Uche Ekwunife like other legislators has her own NGO or Charity organization (IYOM) through which she turned her people into beggars and refugees and siphon the people's constituency fund to her oversea's accounts. It is no longer news that Uche Ekwunife has made herself a god and slave master. For any community to receive a little piece of their constituency project funds the community would have to invite her to a celebration or fund raising, where she will make donations and give welfare to her slaves through her charity organization (IYOM) with the constituency project fund that belong to the people.

Presently, the legislators do not have any regard for us the citizens by the way they tell annoying and blatant lies. Uche Ekwunife on her website claimed, that she distributed 10.000 bags of rice while what she actually distributed to her supporters whom she had successfully turned to refugees and slaves were two kilogram bags of rice which is about 10 to 11 cups of rice. More so, the manner with which her charity organization distributed the rice, and the other items can be likened to refugees in the camps were old women, and children scrambled and fall on one another while Uche Ekwunife thugs were standing by the side with whips in the name of keeping order. Some women and children came out with wounds from the scrambling and scuffle and perhaps whips to get a piece of 1.118 billion Naira constituency funds of Uche Ekwunife acclaimed kindness to the people of her constituency.

Imagine what 1.118 billion Naira would do in the lives of the people of the constituency, if The almighty god and the slave master Uche Ekwunife had used the fund with fear of God and within the stipulation of the constitution by providing infrastructures and developmental projects, provide amenities like Boreholes, encourage Agriculture by providing modern farming equipment like tractors for the farmers to rent and biological enhanced crops and seeds that will not only increase productivity but make farming easy and also, eradicate poverty from her constituency. Sadly, Despite the 1.118 billion Naira people's money in her possession farmers in her constituency still cultivates and harvests their crops with cutlasses and hoes, tools their ancestors used before they were colonized. The funds could have also been used to create employment to the people by way of soft loans to the unemployed to start up business that will lift them out of poverty. The fund is not provided by the government to buy cars for her supporters or distribute foods like refugees to people. Below is how Uche Ekwunife spends her people constituency project fund through her NGO or Charity organization (IYOM)

During the almighty god and the slave master Uche Ekwunife, Charity handout to her slaves, the six supporters who were the lucky beneficiaries of the cars from the stolen constituency fund Charity organization were 40 years-old Mrs. Nkoli Muoghalu from Nri in Anaocha local government area, 25-year-old Ify Onyekaonwu from Agulu in Anaocha local government area, Amaka Onyika from Dunukofia local government area and 40-year-old Ngozi Njelita from Umunnachi also from Dunukofia. 153 widows whom each went home with electric fans, bags of rice (2 kilogram cup's rice, which is about 10.80 cups of rice), wrappers and N5000. A faith-based secondary school, St Loretta Girls’ Special Science School, Adazi, received N4 million for the renovation of dilapidated buildings in the school. Other items distributed to the constituency turned refugees by The almighty god and the slave master Uche Ekwunife, at the ceremony includes one million cartons of noodles and 5,000 umbrellas, 30,000 pieces of wrapper, 200,000 treated mosquito nets and 300,000 exercise books. Plaese be informed that most of this items were provided by the state and Federal govt as emergency releif during the erosion that devestated the constituency. An insider said, the numbers of items claimed by the The almighty god and the slave master Uche Ekwunife on her website as things she distributed through her charity organization is all lies and fabricated figures. However, by our estimate of the total cost of the items and money distributed by her Charity organization evens though we cannot confirm the authenticity of her claim is between 40-45 million Naira, which is nothing if compared to 1.118 billion Naira of Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia federal constituency she robbed from them.

Sadly, the lucky beneficiaries happilly went home with a little piece of hand out they receive from The almighty god and the slave master Uche Ekwunife, unaware that the gift they received is just a little piece from the fund she received on their behalf for the development of their communities. Other supporters who were not prayerful enough to receive anything went home praying that the "The god almighty Uche Ekwunife" remember them next time in her blessings of handouts. Those who did not support her during the election would dare not go close to the arena or pray to receive The god almighty Uche Ekwunife's kindness and blessings as, she will never answer their prayers. According to her during the handout, she said, "This gathering is not only to say, thank you for returning me to the National Assembly, but also to fulfill a promise I made to God before the rerun election that I will publicly appreciate God’s favor to me.” Her return is not Gods favor on the people, but only on her, to go and rob and embezzle the people's fund while the people suffer and beg her for a piece of their money. When will Nigerians learn?

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THE GOD ALMIGHTY AND SLAVE MASTER UCHE EKWUNIFE PART 3 TO BE PUBLISHED SOON

Perhaps, Uche Ekwunife is a relation of yours. but get it into your head that the fund was formally use to pass through the federal ministry of works untill it was discovered that the ministry share the money with the legislators without performing any project with it. Another way the money is shared, is through over invoicing on a project and some time no project at all because the legislators where allowed to provide their own contractors. This led to Paffcomm articles against the government that led to the forming of MDAs and with holding of the constituency project fund by the president which almost resulted to his impeachment. You may also recall the the finance minister was invited to the house for questioning. Unfortunately the same corruption continued with MDAs. Kindly tell me other local govt areas or constituency the MDAs has done any project with the fund. Amansea 20 million naira Solar Borehole project started by MDAs through Ngige stopped on the way after just about 30 feet of drilling. Please can you tell me what happened to the 20 million naira? The people of Amansea are calling on Ngige to come and finish the project. Again I want you to tell me why 20 million was budgeted for just one solar borehole, is that not over invoicing? Untill date, MDAs has not finish the Ekwunufe erosion projects. More than half of the Ekunife solar light are not functioning anymore. More so, nobody has given the total cost of the erosion and solar light projects. for your infomation constituency fund still exist, the president just release 30 billion naira for the first quata on march 26 2013. follow the link and stop supporting the evills in the country.(http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/03/fg-releases-n30bn-for-constituency-projects/)

Hon. Uche Lilian Ekwunife is a charismatic politician. She is representing Anocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia District. She is the chairman of Environment and member to other committees. Her Legislative interest is to give quality representation in education, women rights and the eradication of cultism, and she tends to achieve promotion and initiating good bills that will affect the lives of Nigerian. You may recall that Uche Ekwunife has been to the Rep under PDP which she completed her term of four years. She is back to Rep under APGA. During her four years in the house under PDP she received a total of 688 million Naira constituency fund at an amount of 43 million per quarter. This tenure alone she already received 430 million Naira constituency fund, added together is 1.118 billion Naira. By the end of this tenure Uche Ekwunife, will be in possession 1.370 billion Naira of Anocha, Njikoka and Dunukofia constituency fund voted for their development. Uche Ekwunife in her website (http://ucheekwunife.org/our-achievements/) tabled her achievements since being elected to the House of Rep.

In order not to get our teeming readers confused or carried away, we have also made a decision to analyze and cost these projects, to know if it is commensurate with 1.118 billion Naira, she received as a constituency project fund for the development of her constituency. By next month, August, the fund will increase to 1,161 billion Naira with the addition of 43 million third quota.

Uche Ekwunife with the effort of (MDG) applied to the Ministry for Power for transformers, and solar lights for her constituency which were granted. She receive about 7 Transformers and the Street Solar Light which she distributed to her constituency. Again, on the Erosion, Uche Ekwunife as the Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, could bring the government attention to the menace of erosion in her constituency. You may recall that Anambra State and federal government declared this communities disaster zone during the erosion menace. The ongoing erosion projects are jointly financed, by Anambra state and federal government with emergency relief fund and Ecological Fund. The important thing is that she did not spend any money on these projects. It is among the privilege legislators and any individuals who knows his or her right can enjoy as a citizen of Nigeria.

For example, Ukpo, a town in Uche Ekwunife constituency, Professor Felix Nweke the President General of Ukpo, Improvement Union single handedly applied to the concerned Ministries and more than 50 transformers and Electric Cables and Electric Poles were brought to Ukpo town without spending a cent. Though, the confirmation of his application took over a year before it was granted by the concerned ministry. Ukpo town installed the transformers in every nook and crannies of the town even in the areas where there are no buildings yet. They also changed the old Electric Cables and Electric Poles. More than 24 remaining Transformers and Cables and Poles are still packed in the Igwe's Palace. You can go there and see it for yourself. Imagine if Professor Felix Nweke were to be representative of this constituency. The Professor is in no way connected to PHCN or government or involved in politics. In fact, according to his close associates, he hates Nigerian politics to the core. This fit is not about him knowing people in the government, but knowing his right as a citizen of the country and being honest and patriotic to his people.

Other achievements of Uche Ekwunife are the Supply of Basic Drugs to Primary Health Centre at Ozzuh, Umunachi, Dunukofia LGA, and books to schools. Uche did not spend any money but rather took advantage of knowing her right and privilege granted to federal legislators. She applied to the concerned ministries like Ministry Health for drug allocation for her constituency. The drugs were released without paying a dime. Federal Ministries and State Ministry allocations are available for every legislator. Ministry of Health allocates but also, medical equipment to our federal legislators annually. The annual allocation is done by every ministry. For example, Ministry of Education allots Books. Ministry of Power allot Transformers and Electric Cables. Ministry of Works allot cement, building materials and road construction materials, etc. Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, allots fertilizer, etc. Ministry of Labour allots about 20 federal job vacancy to the legislators annually. The problem is that the legislators receive this allocation, but rather than sending it to their constituency as stipulated by the constitution. They sell it to the highest bidder.

All federal legislators have a job vacancy quotas allotted to them annually , but instead of giving the job to the unemployed in their constituencies some of them sell it off to make money while some keep it to themselves and collect the salaries of those positions with the assistance of the staffs of the ministries or parastatal where the vacancy exist. Uche Ekwunife did not finance the Erosion project or Drugs to the health center or Transformers and Solar Light or Books supplied to the schools. The only project she financed with the constituency fund is the Construction of Market Stores at Neni, Anaocha LGA and Construction of a Community Town Hall Akwaeze, Anaocha LGA, which by our assessment is not more than 20 million Naira at most. However, she at least said the truth that she only attracted the projects and not that she financed the projects. That is a credit to her. Some legislators will claim that they financed the projects. Nevertheless, the people of her constituency want to know what she did 1.118 billion Naira constituency project fund she received for her constituency? Is the money still in Nigeria or oversees accounts? Uche Ekwunife has to tell her constituency where the money is kept and why she had not used the money for the development of their communities. Please if she comes to your town for gubernatorial campaigns remember to ask her to account for the constituency project fund.

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The FG and Anambra State govt jointly finance the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB). The FG fund 50 percent depends on the Anambra State govt providing its portion. ASUBEB also receives funding from UNICEF, as well as in-kind contributions or donations, such as completed school blocks, from other sources. Still, neither the Anambra State govt’s accounting system nor that of ASUBEB keeps routine and systematic information on funds transfer nor other resources received. A special report from the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) only showed FG and Anambra State govt funds in for basic education for 2005 to 2006. For 2005, the FG and the Anambra State govt contributed N459,729,729 each. Then in 2006, the FG contributed N277,767,567. While Anambra State govt contributed N567,091,891.32.109. Then where are the contributions and in-kind contributions from individuals and organisation. Why were the contributions not accounted for and documented? Possibly gone with the wind.

In Addition, Ngige did not account for refunds received from the federal government for the federal roads maintenance and restoration work Ngige carried out during his time in office as Anambra state governor. The roads include Nnewi-Nnobi-Okija road, Adazi-Nnobi -Nnewi-Okija road Umuoji-Nkpor, Uke-Abatete, the Nnobi-Alor road, Port Harcourt-Aba-Umuahia-Enugu expressway etc., Ngige did not tell us about the refunds from the fed or total amount of money paid back to the state. Federal govt refund to the states any expenditure made on maintenance or restoration work performed on federal property in every state of the federation. surprisingly, all refunds from the FG were not documented by Ngige administration. Ngige also did not document the amount of money involved in the variations. Inside sources revelation showed that the total cost of road maintenance during the variation increased by 50-70%, whose payment were also made by the federal government to Anambra state. Where about all the refunds by the fed to Anambra state, is unknown till date.

Ngige in an interview he granted to The Sun News paper on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 From GEOFFREY ANYANWU, Awka (http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/nov/16/national-16-11-2011-0015.html) In the interview, Ngige elaborated how himself and a group of senators from East resolved to use the constituency fund given to the constituencies by the federal govt for the development of their communities. Below is Ngige statement on the subject.

"We have decided as South-east caucus that we will make sure that there is good appropriation for this project in the 2012 budget. The money that was there was constituency project fund that were gathered by the senators themselves and pushed into this project. As we speak now this year, only the first quarter capital was released. They just released the second quarter the other day and third and fourth are going to follow. No problem let them be released. Now that they are released, we domicile them in these ministries, and that’s what is introduced into the budget as roll-over so that the money will not expire. Once there is a roll-over, it will not expire, and we shall appropriate something for 2012, and with that we shall have enough funds. We shall do oversight. We have agreed in the South-east caucus that even those of us that are not in the committee on Works we will go on the roads that are in our areas, and I can tell you that I will head the team that will be inspecting federal roads in Anambra so that people will better sit up. So, there will be sharing of functions, but on a global basis. The committee is representing the interest of the Senate. So, this is what we have agreed to do; appropriate the funds, do serious oversight in terms of supervision of these contractors and the Ministry that is giving down the job, and we have the capacity to do so because providentially, I won’t say its tactically, the committee for Works in the Senate is headed by Ayogu Eze, a Senator from Enugu State of the South-east. The committee on Works, House of Representatives is headed by Hon. Ozomgbachi from Enugu State. The committee on FERMA is also headed by another lawmaker from Enugu State. So, we will have no excuse, not to oversight these people or not to do a correct appropriation"

The mind boggling question is why would the senators consider using the constituency fund to maintain federal roads when there are many problems facing the constituencies? First, the funds were not granted for federal road maintenance, secondly, the federal road maintenance is the responsibility of state and the FG. Where in the hell they got the insane idea is troubling. Finally, the federal govt refused their request on the ground that constituency fund cannot be used for federal road maintenance or any other program outside community development. Since the refusal of Ngige's application by the federal government the constituency fund vanished into a thin air. Ngige constituency did not see their constituency fund. Ngige, also, has not in any way discussed about the fund. Instead, the funds were transferred to his private accounts and some to his NGO or Charity organisation to run a campaign for his governorship aspiration and make donations, buy cars for his supporters and corrupt Igwes who never care to ask him about the fund voted for their communities. Every legislator now operate personal Charity organisation through which constituency fund are siphoned to foreign accounts. The people of Ngige constituency has now turned beggars. To have a fraction of the project funds voted for them, they will have to send influential men and women with traditional dance groups to beg and pamper Ngige to a cerebration or fund raising for his donations and promises that he had hardly kept.

Recently there was a jubilation in Amansea community of Awka North Local Government Area, in Anambra State when 300 feet solar-driven borehole was promised to the community by Senator Chris Ngige. Amansea lost its source of water after some bodies were dumped on Ezu River. The 20 million Naira Project, belong to MILLENIUM DEVELOPEMENT GOAL STRATEGY "MDGS". However, Ngige claimed the project was his help toward the distressed Amensea people. Sadly after 30 feet of drilling, Ngige, dropped the project. The value of work already done on the site is estimate to be between 180-250 Thausand Naira while the total value of the project if completed including the solar panel, is estimated to be between 2-3 million Naira. Presently, the man who donated his land for the project has commenced farm on the property since according to the wife, Esther Okeke, nothing was happening there again. What happened to the The 20 million Naira giving to Ngige by MILLENIUM DEVELOPEMENT GOAL STRATEGY "MDGS". is a question everybody is asking.

Miss Chidinma Onyeke, a student at the nearby Mefroc University, Ugwuoba in Enugu State, regretted that since last February after the project was commenced they had not seen anybody at the site of the borehole. 'I'm not happy about it because after we had praised him (Ngige) for promising to build the borehole he disappeared. It is all the more painful because he told us there was no need for us to buy pure (sachet) water again as the borehole would serve us. Let him come and finish what he started,' Onyeke pleaded. Another resident who is also a native of the place from Amaowelle village, Chris Anigbogu, expressed unhappiness with the seeming abandonment of the project. 'He told us it would not last more than a month, but it's now over three months after and nothing is happening. We're no longer satisfied. Our only water is at Ezu River, and it's not good during the rainy season. We are, therefore, begging him (Ngige) to come and finish what he started,' Anigbogu also pleaded. Where is the "MDGS" 20 million Naira and where is the constituency development fund? The people of Amansea has vowed never to cast their vote to Ngige anymore.

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Andy Uba, two weeks in the govt house witness unheard of contract award. the most quick contracts ever awarded in the history of Nigeria. Andy Uba awarded the contract of Oba airport, within a week of his two weeks as governor of Anambra state, the value of the contract is estimated at billions of Naira. In that same short period, he put up for sale the Ikenga Hotel to his proxy company in the name of privatization. After the announcement of the Oba airport contract award by Uba, billions of Anambra state funds were at a short notice moved to private accounts as mobilization for the Oba airport. Thanks for the supreme court verdict that removed him from office. Obi, on resumption at the state House as governor after winning the case in the supreme court discovered that billions of Anambra State funds had already been siphoned into private accounts of some individuals as a mobilization fund for Oba airport. The state govt, could not recall the money or revoke the contract on account that, either of the actions could cost the government more in terms of damage payment to the contractors for violation of contract agreement if the companies involved decided to file a claim against the state government. To avoid another loggerhead with Andy Uba and his sinister acts the state govt consented to the contract already awarded by Uba. Still, the most annoying of all this logjam is that Uba contractors and their so-called construction companies vanish into thin air with Anambra State hard earned funds without any activity in the airport.

The same greed and love of money and power led to Andy Uba sack from the very good position he occupied during Obasonjo government. Accompanying Obasanjo on a trip to the United States in 2003, Uba was caught trying to smuggle in US$170, 000 into the country on Nigeria's presidential jet. The incident was shameful to the President and the nation in general. The president was forced to ask Uba to resign. Uba's judgment to bring in the money "in cash" on the president's jet as an alternative to the banking system. is not misplace as corrupt leaders do not like the banking system as it exposes them when there is a course to investigate their financial ill dealings and transactions. Uba has a private jet which he refuses to acknowledge many times to having. The private jet with which the peoples monies were carried away to foreign countries, if not for his low IQ he could have used his private jet. but due to the saying "every day is for the thief, but one day is for the owner. The divine day was the day God wanted to expose Uba and his ill dealings in the country. God, also did it so well by exposing him along with his boss thereby, creating an ugly situation for the president and denting Nigeria already dented image as a corrupt country.

During Governor Obi and Andy Uba, gubernatorial saga some years back, Sahara reporters went deep to find out Andy Uba's political operation which was beclouded with so much secrecy. They had several interviews with Andy Uba's close associates from which they found how Uba planned to regain the governorship of Anambra State. The Saharareporter's team discovered that Andy Uba had budgeted N20 billion to buy up Anambra state through the supreme court. It was alleged that he planned to bribe the supreme court judges with 1 million naira each and all the media houses in the country. According to Saharareporter, a senior editor at a Lagos-based newspaper disclosed that Uba paid off many top editors and opinion page editors to ensure that his position receives favorable reporting and commentary in newspapers and magazines before the Supreme Court ruling.

Andy Uba during his court trial against Obi dished out billions of Naira to buy up the judges to decide the case in his favor. Sadly, due to his low IQ according to Professor Chinua Achebe who referred to him and his cult as “Politicians with plenty of money and very low IQ.” Andy Uba with his low IQ did not know that governor Obi who is also corrupt to the core (see: http://www.paffcomm.com/1/post/2012/08/anambra-state-oil-will-the-people-benefit.html) was able to outsmart him in the land of corruption by filing in a different case to the supreme court. Obi instead of contesting the legality of the election simply filed for interpretation of tenure as written in Nigeria constitution. There was nothing the judges could do than to interpret the section which came in favour of Obi. On this ground, Obi won the case and the billions spent by Uba turn out to be a waste. Billions of money that could have been better used to finance various projects, like establishing industries that will employ many Nigerians.

It was primarily because of politicians like Andy Uba, whom Achebe called renegades trying to turn Anambra state into "a bankrupt and lawless fiefdom," that made him (Achebe) decline being among six recipients of Nigeria's second-highest award, the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2004. These are men with distorted minds and evil in their hearts. They lit series of blazing fire and watched the radio and TV houses began to take a new ugly shape. There is no doubt that Andy Uba is sick and need serious attention. If he had known the value of education he would not have tampered with school busses.

According to Saharareporters a Senior Advocate with law offices in Lagos and Abuja was worried about Uba’s alleged plans to try to infiltrate the Supreme Court with cash. “I don’t think he’s going to succeed at all,” said the lawyer, who asked for anonymity. “But one remembers that the Uba's family or brothers of destruction have a notorious record when it comes to undermining the nation’s judiciary. Chris Uba was responsible for the sack of Stan Nnaji, a judge of the Enugu High Court. The Ubas were also directly involved in the case that led to the removal of Wilson Egbo-Egbo from the Appeals Court. Ugochukwu Uba bribery to two Appeal Court judges who heard the appeal over his election to the Senate led to the shameful end of the judges’ careers. For Andy Uba, to think of rubbishing the nation’s highest court is something that should be viewed with grave concern.”

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ANDY UBA PART 3 WILL SOON BE PUBLISHED

It would be recalled that early this year, there was a row between the National Assembly and the Presidency. The legislature had actually threatened to impeach the president over the non-release of constituency development funds. The delay in the release of the funds was also largely responsible for the delayed signing of the 2013 appropriation bill by President Goodluck Jonathan. Among the top actors in the entire saga was Senator Chris Ngige. He claimed inter alia, that works on their constituency projects had been stalled as a result of the non-release of the funds by the presidency through the finance ministry. Eventually, on March 25, 2013, the Federal Government released N30 billion for constituency projects for the first quarter of 2013 (http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/03/fg-releases-n30bn-for-constituency-projects/), comprising the months of January, February and March. Annually, the federal government spends up to 180 billion naira on constituency projects, which more often than not does not get to the people at the grassroots.

I was glad to observe that Senator Ngige was amongst those who consistently and vociferously bemoaned the presidency over the non-release of the funds. Judging by the previous representative of Anambra Central Senatorial District (Senator Annie Okonkwo), whose tenure was anything but inspiring, (Annie Okonkwo stewardship in the senate will also be published) I had hoped that the representation of the constituency by a “progressive” was beginning to pose signs of positive beginning I had hoped that finally, the people would have cause to rejoice. Alas, such rantings have ended up like they usually do – just for my pocket! I have travelled round the constituency, just as I have enquired from members of the constituency. Not a single project has been identified as having been facilitated by Senator Ngige. By December which will be the last quarter of the year, six hundred and sixty million naira will have accrued to the senatorial zone as constituency fund, through Senator Ngige. By the end of his tenure, this amount will have increased to nine hundred and sixty million naira. Should the current trend continue, the people of the zone will have nothing to show for the hundreds of millions that have been earmarked as development funds.

In other climes around the world, constituency funds are used to improve services and bring development closer to the people. In countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, etc. such funds have helped to ensure infrastructural and agricultural development. Thailand, for instance, developed her agricultural sector through funds allocated to the provinces through their representatives in the parliament. Sadly, in Nigeria, the over-bloated take-home pay of the politicians, notwithstanding, such funds still find their ways into their wallets.

Not minding the level of indescribable poverty in which most Nigerians live, our legislators remain the highest paid in the world. It is noteworthy to mention that after Nigerians decried the last increase in the salaries of members of the national assembly, it is today being kept away from public knowledge. One is alarmed that in spite of Senator Ngige’s air of radical progressivism, he’s failed to at least murmur against such obvious “legal corruption”. Well, that could be pardoned on the ground that one does not reject a pack of sugar given to him on a platter of gold, irrespective of its source. Perhaps courtesy demands that Senator Ngige remains silent on that. Lest I forget, such financial backbone could be necessary for electoral campaigns – that is about to be witnessed in a couple of months. But if you ask me, Senator Ngige, such silence is not golden.

This figures below is 2008 chart. Due to the prohibition by NNAS on publication of their salaries and allowances, the 2012 increased figures are not available.

1. Word robe Allowance which is 25% of the basic salary and over N720,000.00 (2.) Recess Allowance 10% and over 248.000.00 ( 3) Accommodation Allowance 200% and over N4.5 million (4.) Utility Allowance 30% and over N900.000.00 (5.) Domestic Staff Allowance 75% and over N 1.2 million (6.) Entertainment Allowance 30% and over N900,000.00 (7.) Personal Assistance Allowance. 25% and over 750,000,00 (8.) Vehicle Maintenance Allowance. 75% and over N1.2 million (9.) Leave Allowance 10% and over 248,000.00 (10.) Constituency Allowance, not constituency development project fund 250% and over N6.2million (11.) Hardship Allowance 50% and over N1.1 million (12.) Newspaper Allowance 50% and over N1.1 million (13.) Furniture Allowance 300% and over 7.2 million (14) Severance gratuity 300% and over 7.2 million (15.) Motor Vehicle Allowance 400% and over 9.8 million. Please go to the federal budget office website to get the details of 2008 National Assembly budget allocation. Ngige as a senator is entiled to all this allowances and yet he denied his constituency the money meant for their development.

It would amaze one to imagine what 540 million naira received so far by Senator Ngige in the last two years would do in the lives of the people. One of the major challenges which blight virtually every home in the zone is the challenge of access to portable water. Most families trek miles to fetch untreated water from streams, with all its implications. Early this year, tens of bodies were found in Ezu River, Amansea, a border town between Anambra and Enugu. This plunged the community into serious water crisis. It is alleged that such illicit practice of dumping of corpses in streams has endured for long and is the case in a lot of other communities. The well-to-do meet their water needs by providing private boreholes for themselves. At the rate of 500.000.00 (five hundred thousand naira) for each, 540 million naira million naira would provide 1080 (one thousand and eighty) borehole facilities in the constituency, 154 borehole for each local govt that made up the constituency, thereby reducing the endemic water problem. At N100.000.00 par widow as soft loans to facilitate their starting up small scale businesses., the fund would put smiles on the faces of 5400 windows of the constituency, The amount, if employed to refurbish dilapidated primary and secondary schools, and stock their libraries, would also provide accessible and affordable education and better learning environment for our teaming pupils and students in seven local govt area that made up the constituency. What is more, it would provide more medical doctors like Dr. Chris Ngige. The list is endless. Unarguably, none of these has been achieved.

If Senator Ngige could abandon the interests of the 65,579 men and women of his constituency who braved the sun, rain and thuggery which is a major hallmark of our elections, to vote for him, then he certainly does not deserve a standing position, much less a seat at government house, Awka.

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NGIGE PART 3

The three years of Senator Ngige’s administration as governor of Anambra state has earned him a lot of admiration especially amongst the uneducated, courtesy of his struggle against the Ubah family for the soul of the state. Beyond the facade of the public hypocrisy and political sloganeering and faffings, a deeper observation of the administration would show that it represented nothing different from that of its predecessor. A glimpse at the administration’s tax regime becomes apposite. Ngige’s tax regime was abysmally weak. The old Anambra State was able to generate enough revenue from Onitsha with which large numbers of staff of the state were paid. As at the time of Senator Nigige’s regime as governor of Anambra state, Onitsha main market had witnessed massive expansion, just as several other major markets such as in Awka, Nnewi and Ekwulobia had grown. The administration could not generate enough to pay workers within Awka South local government from all these markets put together. The system was as porous as it was corrupt. The myriad of complaints from Anambrarians over multiple taxation by the internal revenue department fell on deaf ears. It would not be misplaced, therefore, to allege that Senator Ngige as governor had a hand in, and was comfortable with the obnoxious tax regime. While the administration lasted, there was no record of aggregate tax assessments, aggregate collections, and aggregate transfers to the treasury between 2004 and 2006, making it difficult for the reconciliation of tax assessments, collections, arrears, and transfers to the treasury. The Auditor General’s report contained cases of misuse of public assets which Senator Ngige as governor did not address. This not only led to waste, but also encouraged others to further divert resources since there was no penalty for such practices.

If Governor Ngige’s tax regime was abysmal, his administration of the local government was worse. In 2004 the federal government allocated a total of 1,169,882,344.37 to Anambra state Local Govt Areas.

Amount allocated per Local govt. are as follows:

(1) Aguata 80,123,737.73 18 (2)Anambra East 50,369,511.39 3. Anambra West - 49,605,226.96 (4) Anaocha - 61,382,425.51 (5) Awka North - 43,176,392.07 (6) Awka South - 55,920,822.69 (7) Ayamelum - 48,563,596.63 ( Dunukofia - 45,165,754.51 (9)Ekwusigo - 49,378,077.54 (10) Idemili North - 77,655,329.81 (11) Idemili South - 52,336,194.87 (12) Ihiala - 67,689,669.79 (13) Njikoka - 53,789,659.39 (14) Nnewi North - 54,599,356.31 (15) Nnewi South - 58,239,887.78 (16) Ogbaru - 61,872,046.02 (17) Onitsha North - 53,145,554.82(18) Onitsha South - 54,775,133.58 (19) Orumba North - 55,159,486.32 (20) Orumba South - 49,602,548.51 (21) Oyi - 47,331,932.13 16

Total - 1,169,882,344.37

The 1999 Constitution provides in s. 162(7) that state governments should transfer to local governments within their jurisdiction a percentage of their total revenue as determined by the National Assembly. The current National Assemble law on the subject is 10 percent. Contrary to this stipulation, the Ngige administration transferred 2 percent, 1 percent and 0.05 percent in 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively. The whereabouts of the balance of these allocations remain unknown till date. No wonder he refused to conduct local govt election and blamed it on the then president OBJ.

European Development Fund and Federal Government of Nigeria National Planning Commission discovered that Ngige administration in Anambra state was largely characterized by poor documentation. This to a large extent hampered the activities of the state assembly, in terms of budget planning. The Assembly needed a variety of information to guide them in their debates on allocation of funds. Such information included:

1. Macro economic assumptions, including state level estimates of economic growth in the SNG jurisdiction, etc. was not provided.

2. Debt stock, including details, at least for the beginning of the current year (very relevant) was not provided.

3. Financial assets, including details, at least for the beginning of the current year was not provided.

4. Prior year’s budget out-turn, presented in the same format as budget proposal was not provided.

5.Summarized budget data for both revenue and expenditure including data for the current and previous year. was not provided. None of these was provided to the State Assembly by Ngige administration between 2003 and 2006.

During Ngige’s Senatorial campaigns, he claimed that between 2003 and March 2006 of his administration he completely settled all Anambra State debt including gratuities, arrears, contractor arrears and debt, including those initially rejected, but later confirmed by the courts. However,European Development Fund and Federal Government of Nigeria National Planning Commission during assesment of Ngige administration discovered some documents that indicated that contractors involved in the various phases of road construction between November 2003 and March 2006, were owed to the tune of N6,753,117,658.34 after Governor Ngige’s exit from the government house. To whom, therefore, did Ngige pay? Did ngige made the payment to the contractors or his bank account?

European Development Fund, also discovered that during Governor Ngige’s administration of Anambra State, only five of the 34 parastatals regularly prepared and submitted audited year-end financial statements to the government. According to European Development Fund assessment exercise, some state government officials argued that most of the parastatals were dead and redundant, and therefore did not require auditing. Alarmingly, it was observed that these parastatals were very well alive. Let’s grant that these they were indeed dead and moribund, but budgetary allocation were being made for them by the administration, with their staff remaining under the government’s payroll. Suffice to say, therefore, that Governor Ngige supervised the illicit diversion of government funds, via the payment of ghost workers. When one thinks of what amount of funds would have been cornered through the payment of say 200 ghost workers in just one parastatal multiplied by twenty eight parastatal, the figure can only be best imagined! Was Governor Ngige unaware of this trend?

European Development Fund, also noted that 2006 audit report identified some control violations, including “substantial number of civil servants and political office holders receiving salaries by cash, contrary to the Accountant General’s circular dating back to 2000, as well as continued collection of salaries of retired political appointees for up to six months after leaving office. It was also noted that Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDA) had a staggering number of bank accounts – over 100, making it very difficult to track and monitor cash balances, and thereby paving way for the siphoning of the state’s funds into personal accounts, both local and foreign.

Such litany of cases of poor administration by Governor Ngige signposts a crass lack of the political will and determination to move Anambra state forward and therefore does not deserve any position close to the government house again.

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NGIGE PART 4 SOON TO BE PUBLISHED

Ngige part2 is still on the face book. That man is a born criminal. if Ngige is good why did he not use the constituency fund to development his constituency as stipulated by the constition of Nigeria. The money is not voted for him to spend on his own personal problems, it is not voted for him to use it as donation in the ceremonies, it is not voted for him to use it to buy cars for igwes, it is not voted for him to bank it and use for next electoral campaign. it is voted to be handed to his constituency for development. he has already collected 540 million on behalf of his constituency, what has he done with it? what project in his constituency you his deffender can proudly point he Ngige acheived with the fund voted for his constituency, just nothing.

SENATOR NGIGE PART 1

Looking through the website of the National Assembly for a glimpse of the day to day activities of the legislative arm of our government, my attention was drawn to the profiles of the three senators representing Anambra state in the upper legislative chamber, the Senate. As I savoured these curriculum vitaes, I was almost carried away by the richness of their achievements and credentials, until it occurred to me that in Nigeria, anything is possible and that all that glitters is not gold. I almost forgot that Toronto certificates could be gotten from Oluwole with only a few thousands of naira. As my foray continued, i stumble on the absence of some vital information. In the profiles of two of the three senators representing Anambra sate – Senators Chris Ngige and Andy Ubah, there was no information on as to their legislative interests and what they intend to achieve for their people! My awe was not only informed by the fact that other senators had this information highlighted, but also largely by my understanding that these are some of the major contenders for the governorship seat in Anambra state. On those columns, NA (Not Available) was boldly inscribed. It reminded me of that voice prompt which tells one that “the phone number you have called is not available at the moment” when one’s phone call fails to connect as a result of the intended receiver being out of reach.

I began to wonder the reason for this non-availability of such information. Could it be that it used to be available until recently and for some reason? Could it be that Ngige and Ubah have no areas of interest in terms of the needs of their people? Could it be that they have but do not desire to make them public knowledge? It could be that members of their constituencies are so very comfortable that they have no further needs that should capture the interests of their representatives! All attempts to rationalize this irrationality proved futile, as no sane reason could explain this anomaly. While every other senator had some reasons to work for their constituencies, in the hearts of Ngige and Ubah, our interests meant nothing. Put appropriately, our interests were not available (NA)!

So much for our interests and problems in the hearts of our senators. It’s been two years now, since Ngige has been serving as a senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District. In the course of this period, apart from a bill co-sponsored with thirty two (32) others, Senator Ngige’s presence in the House has been ephemeral at best. Our amiable representative has not been able to (I doubt if he’s attempted) conceptualise, articulate and sponsor any bill on his own. I very well recall that during his electioneering campaigns two years back, Ngige boasted that he would become a pole of attraction to all South East senators for the articulation of the interests of the South East. Two years on, Ngige has only been able to bring to the floor of the Senate, news of the demise of the literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe! I hope he does not expect thunderous ovations from us for that remarkable achievement. Whether or not Ngige has lived up to his promise of serving as a pole of attraction to his colleagues is unknown. What is however certain is that such attraction if at all it exists, has had practically no positive effect in the South East.

This brings me to another important issue. The primary duty of the legislature is to make laws. On that note, Ngige against all his electioneering promises has been a alarming disappointment. That apart, the legislature also carries out oversight functions. What is more, members of the legislature receive constituency development funds, quarterly, which they are expected to put into use in their constituencies, so as to improve the lives of their constituents. Since 2011 when the senator was elected, he has received a total sum of five hundred and fourty million naira. The trend in Nigeria is that politicians in spite of the outrageous salaries and benefits they receive, corner such constituency funds for personal use. While I would not wish to conclude that these funds have found their ways into Senator Ngige’s wallet (I beg you pardon. Bank accounts), one can hardly point to any constituency project funded by him. Alleging so, may therefore not be out of place.

If Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige has neither been able to articulate bills in the Senate, nor properly utilized our constituency fund, then one wonders what the fait of Anambrarians would be if he eventually occupies government house, Awka. Little wonder why our interests are not available in his scheme of priorities.

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NGIGE PART 2 is on the way. Our intention is to analyse all federal and state legislators, governors and other public office holder in the federation. Ngige article will be followed by Mr. Andy Uba, Mrs. Okadigbo, House Of Representatives, Anambra Governor and Anambra governorship aspirants.

Andy Uba is a criminal

ANDY UBA PART I

Senator Andy Uba is one of the many Nigerians who have toiled hard to make ends meet. His struggle for greener pastures found him in the streets of the United States as a cab driver. As a Black African, Andy must have faced acts of racial discrimination which is a major challenge to Africans in the diaspora. Uba must have slept through many nights with one eye open, in anticipation of corps raids. He is, however, one of the lucky ones, whom after years of fruitless surgeon in the US, landed plum government appointments in Nigeria and have even gone ahead to become king makers.
At the dawn of the current civilian dispensation, President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Uba as one of his personal assistants. Without any specifically designated portfolio, Uba became OBJ’s eyes and ears. Every secrete operation of OBJ from oil to banking, among others, was handled by him. Any person or corporate body that qualified to be awarded federal contracts under the Obasanjo regime which would require the president’s approval must pass through him. Holding an obscure office, Uba became even more powerful than most of the ministers in the cabinet. All this was made possible by his being a distant relative to late Stella Obasanjo, the then first lady. His job of a middle man between the president and those who needed his attention did not come without appreciable rewards. Contractors who benefited from this role were naturally expected to cough out enormous millions of dollars as kickbacks for such privilege. Alas, Andy evolved from a street hustler in the US into a wealthy power broker.

Andy Uba was said to have declared an asset of over a trillion naira ($8 billion) before the last gubernatorial election in Anambra state, in which he participated as a candidate. Though he has come out to deny it, if the chameleonic attitude of Nigerians is anything to go by, the report may be considered to be true. Nigerians politicians can deny being born by their parents if the need arises.

According to Sahara Reporters’ publication of 11/12/06, an investigation into Andy’s educational background and qualifications revealed that he earned no bachelor’s degree from Concordia University (formerly Sir George Williams University) - a Canadian institution he claimed to have attended. The official records at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, indicate that he dropped out prior to completing the requirements for a bachelor’s degree programme. The university’s alumni office of records informed that Concordia University has no record of Uba ever graduating from the school. It was also reported that official records obtained from California State University indicated that the former presidential aide never earned a master’s degree from the institution. In fact, he was never a postgraduate student of the said institution. The records of California State University also show that Andy Uba first enrolled at the school for an undergraduate program in March 1985 and dropped out in March 1987, and then re-enrolled on September 27, 1990. He was there until March 21, 1992, when he dropped out again.

Therefore, Andy Uba’s claim of possessing a doctorate degree from Buxton University in the United Kingdom is questionable, as there is no way on earth one can obtain a doctorate degree without first and second degrees. The page for Andy Ubah’s CV on his website is empty. This perhaps corroborates the allegation of fake claims. Ubah may have to substantiate his claims if these allegations are to be disregarded. When President Obama of the US was accused of not being born in US, he published his birth certificate. To set records straight and clear the air on these issues, Senator Andy Uba should publish his certificates for confirmation.

According to Andy Uba on his website, he is motivated by his vision of a better society, to serve the state. In his words, “i am here to see how we can change the image that people have about Anambra State, especially because the Igbo race is from Anambra. Every other state in the South-East will tell you that Anambra is the number one state. But if you look at it today, it’s like Anambra is the last state”. During his last senatorial campaigns, he called on the people to give him the opportunity to serve as a senator, so as to enable the state move forward and also make contributions to national development. “So, what I am asking them is to give me the opportunity so that I will be able to work with them with the ideas that they have, so that we can turn this state around,” he said.

His website informed that since his return, he has kept abreast with happenings in the country and has continued to interact with the people. This has informed his philanthropic and developmental projects. Uba would do well by informing us of these projects and where exactly they could be located. Andy Uba like his colleague Senator Chris Ngige, has so far received 540 million naira as constituency development funds for Anambra West Senatorial District which he represents. Senator Uba would be doing a great job by highlighting what projects these fund have been directed towards, and where exactly they could be found. He claimed on his website to have established clinics all around USA for his former employer. What an achievement! Many pregnant women and sick patients from Uga (Andy’s hometown) still travel outside the town for medical care. One wonders why this has not caught Senator Andy’s attention. Little wonder then, why like Senator Ngige, what he desires to achieve for his constituency on the National Assembly’s website is not available (NA). Actually, none exists.

Andy Uba is a billionaire (perhaps a trillionaire). Having interacted with the people of Anambra since his return and understood their predicaments, Senator Andy Uba has not bothered to site any industry in the state, appreciating the enormity of progress which such gesture could unleash for the teaming unemployed youths of the state and for the state at large. Anambrarians would like to know how many bills Senator Uba has sponsored in the Senate and what impacts such bill would have in their lives.

The despicable atrocities committed by Ubah and his ilk remain fresh in the memories of Ndi Anambra and on the day of reckoning, he shall be called to judgment. It is amazing how such persons find their ways into elective positions. It is only possible in a country like Nigeria. Churchill Okonkwo wondered in awe, “how these politicians (Ubah and Nzeribe) with “low IQ” that looted and burnt government properties with the supervision of then President Obasanjo are the ones representing Ndi Anambra at Abuja”. Let me briefly remind Ndi Anambra that on November 11, 2004, Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) at Onitsha and Enugwu-Ukwu, together with the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), some offices at the government house and some buses belonging to the student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, were raised down by fire deliberately and maliciously ignited by hoodlums or what was tagged “unknown thugs”. It was however Rep. Chuma Nzeribe and Senator Andy Ubah together with Chris Ubah who masterminded and supervised these destructions. Their intension in mobilizing hoodlums who drove into the state capital in 43 buses (with fresh palm frond in the mouths signaling danger) was simply to create the impression of a state of lawlessness and anarchy and to serve as another warning shot to then Governor Chris Ngige after a failed kidnap".
All these remain fresh in our hearts and as Senator Andy gears up for the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Anambra state, he must prepare himself for the shocker of his life, as Anambrarians won’t sit back and watch their futures ruined by these insatiable and pathologically corrupt few.

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ANDY UBA PART 2 WILL SOON BE PUBLISHED