Ondo state Police Command has commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of one of its officers who died in mysterious circumstances.
The death of Inspector Yusuf Suleiman Blessing, attached to Akotogbo division in Irele Local Government Area of the State has spurred the family to demand for a probe into his death.
The 50-year-old native of Ikoro in Ekiti state was first declared missing before his colleagues suddenly brought the casket containing his remains and dumped it at his residence.
According to report, the deceased’s wife received a call from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) 24 hours after her husband’s disappearance, informing her that he had drowned.
However, when the body arrived, it was sealed in a coffin, and three officers refused to let the family see the remains, sparking suspicion.
However, when the coffin was opened by family members, the body was found to have been burnt with a cracked skull, contradicting the initial claim of drowning.
This has raised serious concerns about a possible foul play, which prompted the Ondo State Police Command to launch an investigation into the matter.
The Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Funmilayo Odunlami, promised to provide more details after the investigation is completed. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, and many are calling for transparency and accountability in the investigation.
If you endorse the change in leadership, it means the 2027 Election is already rigged
The Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, directed the immediate suspension of all actions taken with regard to the purported dissolution of the leadership of all Markets in the State.
This is even as the Market leadership insisted that allowing the new arrangements unchallenged will tantamount to handing over the State on a platter to the same reactionary and oppressive forces that the people battled so hard to dislodge in 2023.
The Source reports that palpable tension had engulfed all the markets last Wednesday January 29, 2025, following the announcement of the appointment of a new leadership for Abia markets by the state Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Hon Kingsley Nwokocha.
He had directed the leaders to take over the running of the affairs of the market from the existing ones, effective last week Thursday.
However, the development was not well received by the majority of the traders, and their leaders who expressed fears that the markets and the state as a whole may have been unwittingly handed back to the same dark forces that held the state down for over two decades .
This led to the leaderships and traders to storm the state’s seat of power on Wednesday to protest against the development .
Governor Otti, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr Caleb Ajagba, while addressing the protesting traders and their leaders also directed a return to the status quo.
“We want to thank you for the peaceful manner you have conducted yourselves. As a responsible Government, we want to assure you that having listened to your grievances; the right thing must be done.
“As you may be aware, Government has ordered the suspension of all actions so far taken as regards the issue of the appointment of a new leadership for the markets due to its belief that things should be done the right way”, the Chief of Staff stated.
He, however, expressed Government displeasure with the lip service being paid to the issue of tax payments by the traders and their leaderships.
Dr Ajagba noted that without payments of tax and rents by citizens, it will be practically impossible for any Government to meet its obligations to the people.
“At this point, I am urging you to go back and reconsider your attitude towards the payments of Government statutory levies and taxes.
“You have to show that you are also capable of doing the job given to you to do. If people do not meet their civic obligations, I don’t think it will be possible for the Government to deliver to the people.
“At least, you have acknowledged that Government is trying the much it could to fix things in the State, and there is no way it can succeed in that regard without funds.
“So you people have to wake up as far as the issue of internally generated revenue is concerned.
“Our goal in this new fiscal year is to improve on the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of the State ,and you people have to take it seriously.
“As an evidence of how unserious you are about revenue collection, most of you don’t know the number of shops in your markets.
“If you don’t know the number of shops in your various markets, how then are you expected to be serious about collecting revenue?
“So you people have to sit up and help the Government in its avowed task of moving the state forward. We cannot continue to do things the same old and unhelpful way”, Dr Ajagba noted.
Earlier, the leader of the protesting traders ,Sir Alphonsus Udeigbo ,said that allowing the new list of market leadership to stand means that the 2027 election in the state has already been rigged and won by the same dark forces they battled hard to displace in 2023.
“Your Excellency, Sir it might interest you to know that the concerns of the dissolved executives and the traders under the ASMATA at large is futuristic in the sense that we have been able to properly situate the development, and have been able to figure out through the questionable characters of the proposed market executives that have been penciled down to replace us, that there is calculated attempt to rig the 2027 Governorship election in the state by the opposition parties where these proposed executives were selected from which may not be known by the Honourable Commissioner for Trade and Commerce.
“So, on that note, we want to say that we bear no grudges against anyone or the authorities, hence this rally today is not a protest against our dissolution, but against the proposed executive members because of their political antecedents”, the ASMATA President stated.
Attorney General Counters Governor, says nobody had the courtesy to confront him with allegation
Suspended Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Edo State, Samson Osagie, has reacted to the allegation of fraud against him, and vowed to prove his innocence.
In a statement on Wednesday night, Osagie claimed he was never involved in any financial dealing with anyone “nor committed any financial infractions of any kind”
Governor Monday Okpebholo had approved the suspenion of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Osagie from office for alleged fraud.
The Governor, also, approved the suspension of the Chairman of the State’s Local Government Service Commission, Damian Lawani, also for alleged fraud.
A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, (SSG), Umar Musa Ikhilor, dated February 5, 2025 specifically said that both officials were suspended “over allegations of grave official and financial infractions.”
According to the one-page statement, “The suspension is with immediate effect.”
It said that the Governor has ordered the setting up of an investigative committee to probe the allegations levelled against them and make appropriate recommendations accordingly.
“The suspension of Hon Damian Lawani and the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice became necessary to enable Government carry out a thorough investigation into the allegation of financial infractions levelled against them.
“They are to remain suspended pending the conclusion of the investigation.”
But the Attorney General in a statement stated: “My attention has just been drawn to a Government special announcement dated 5th February, 2025 in which I was alleged to have been engaged in financial infractions with the Chairman of the Local Government service commission and therefore suspended.
“Let me state unequivocally that I am not and was never involved in any financial dealing with anyone nor committed any financial infraction of any kind.
“I was also not confronted with the said allegations by anyone before and my suspension was announced.
“I shall be ready, willing, and prepared to defend myself and prove my innocence in order to clear my name and hard earned reputation, which I have laboured to build over the years.”
The Ebonyi State Police Command on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, announced the arrest of one of the suspected masterminds of Sunday’s gruesome attack on one of the Communities in the State
The attack, said to have been, allegedly, carried out by some suspected Fulani herders, was targeted at Amegu, Nkalaha in Ishielu Local Council, leading to the death of no fewer than 15 people. Several others were injured.
Many residential buildings were, also, razed by the gunmen.
A statement from the Ebonyi State Police Command Spokesperson, Joshua Ukandu, SP, informed that the arrest of the suspect was effected by the tactical team, which was immediately dispatched to the community by the Commissioner of Police, Anthonia Uche-Anya.
The team, according to Ukandu, was given the marching order to unravel those suspected to be behind the unfortunate incident.
The suspect, he noted, was arrested while trying to flee the Community, through the active collaborative efforts of some locals who, also, handed him over to Isi-Uzo Police formation.
According to the Command’s Spokesperson, the suspect, has so far volunteered some vital information that will further aid the manhunt.
He explained that based on the information gathered from the suspect, the tactical team subsequently invaded the stronghold of the suspected gunmen who perpetrated the heinous crime.
Other members of the criminal gang, however, were said to have escaped before the arrival of the Police operatives.
Ukandu informed that several dangerous weapons and ammunition, including three locally made single -barreled guns, one police uniform, a pair of jungle boots, a pair of army camouflage shorts and a pair of combat trousers were recovered during the operation.
He noted that efforts are underway to track down other fleeing members of the gang.
While assuring that investigations are ongoing, the Police Command appealed to the members of the public to come up with vital information that can assist in arresting other fleeing suspects.
Borno State Government and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) are collaborating to boost child nutrition and combat food shortage in the state.
The state Governor, Babagana Zulum, also announced an increase in funding to support child nutrition initiatives in the state.
This is an effort to combat food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among children under five.
Governor Zulum spoke during a roundtable discussion on scaling up a nutrient-dense product, organized by the Borno State Government in collaboration with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Abuja.
The product, Tom Brown, is a locally produced food supplement designed to address malnutrition among children under five and lactating mothers.
The governor also revealed plans to establish a Tom Brown production facility in the state to enhance food and nutrition security, empower farmers and create job opportunities.
“I want to assure you that Borno State will increase its funding portfolio to the child nutrition basket fund,” while reaffirming his administration’s commitment to tackling malnutrition as part of a broader strategy to enhance social and economic resilience.
“This initiative marks a significant milestone in our efforts to combat malnutrition, strengthen food security, and create sustainable economic opportunities for our people.”
According to him, Borno State has been at the forefront of initiatives designed to strengthen food security, including the Tom Brown programme in collaboration with FAO and other development partners.
The governor called on the federal government and relevant agencies to support nutrition-sensitive policies and prioritize locally produced food supplements.
This, he added will be in alignment with the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan which emphasizes the need for integrated, multi-sectoral interventions to address food insecurity and malnutrition in Borno and across the North East.
The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, has reiterates its call at both the Federal and State Governments in Nigeria to develop and implement comprehensive healthy food policies targeted at reducing the exposure of Nigerians to ultra-processed foods, tobacco, excessive sugar-sweetened beverages, SSBs, and salt consumption.
The Civil Society Organization, CSO, made this call at the 2025 Cancer Day Campaign, and said that the aforementioned constitute high-risk factors driving the country’s alarming cancer burden and other non-communicable diseases.
CAPPA noted that cancer has remained a major public health issue in Nigeria, with an increasing number of new cases and deaths.
It stated that Nigeria records over 120,000 new cases of cancer annually, according to the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, while the National Cancer Prevention and Control Plan (2018-2022) estimates that Nigerians spend N12 billion annually on cancer treatment. These figures, according to the not-for-profit, underscore the urgent need for a multifaceted-policy approach and preventive measures to address the avoidable risk factors contributing to the country’s cancer as well as the NCD crisis.
The organisation urged the government to, in particular, amongst other pro-public-health tailored actions, implement and enforce healthy food policies such as the implementation of national guidelines to reduce salt consumption, as well as an upward review of the SSB Tax rate from the current N10 to N130 to achieve a substantial increase in the final retail prices of sugary drinks. curb excessive consumption and generate revenue for health interventions in line with global best practices.
CAPPA also called on the government to strictly regulate novel tobacco products, which are increasingly targeted at young people and to allocate more resources to the tobacco control fund to enhance enforcement efforts and public awareness campaigns.
It noted that while tobacco use remains the leading cause of cancer and cancer-related deaths worldwide, SSBs, on the other hand, are associated with a heightened risk of obesity-related cancers, such as kidney and colon cancers. Similarly, high salt intake is linked to an increased risk of stomach cancer and other health complications.
Akinbode Oluwafemi. CAPPA’s Executive Director. emphasised that creating healthy food environments backed by effective regulations that enable healthy dietary decisions is a priority for tackling cancer-risk factors and NCDs.
He stated that this includes fiscal policies that limit the consumption of unhealthy diets, promote public adoption of healthier foods through targeted subsidies and strategic investments in agriculture for nutrient-rich crops, as well as discourage tobacco and novel tobacco product use.
Additionally, the CAPPA statement highlighted the need for clear front-of-package labeling to inform consumers about the nutritional content of food products. It observed that public awareness campaigns are equally vital to educate citizens on the link between diet and cancer, fostering healthier eating habits across the population.
By integrating these strategies, it concluded, the Nigerian government can create a comprehensive framework that reduces cancer risk factors and fosters a culture of health and wellness.
World Cancer Day is celebrated globally every February 4. This year’s event themed “United by Unique,” celebrates the stories of every person affected by cancer.
Two letters containing requests from President Bola Tinubu were read at the floor of the Senate on Wednesday during plenary.
One formally, requested an increase in the 2025 budget from N49.7 trillion to N54.2 trillion.That is an addition of a whopping N4.5 trillion.
Tinubu’s letter was read during Wednesday’s plenary session by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
According to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the proposed increase stemmed from additional revenues as follows:
N1.4 trillion from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)
N1.2 trillion from the Nigeria Customs Service
N1.8 trillion generated by other government-owned agencies
The Senate President directed the request to the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations for swift consideration.
He said that the budget deliberation would be concluded and passed before the end of February.
The other letter sought the approval of the red chamber to terminate the appointments of three Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The executive communication was also read at the plenary
The letter was titled: “Request to terminate the appointments of suspended Resident Electoral Commissioners of Adamawa, Sokoto and Abia States.
“In accordance with Section 157, Subsection 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.
“I hereby request the Senate to consider and vote for the termination of the appointments of the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioners of Adamawa, Sokoto and Abia states.
“The Senate is invited to note that the three Resident Electoral Commissioners have been suspended for misconduct since March 2022 before the advent of the current administration. I trust that the Senate will consider this request.”
The Peoples Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees, (BoT) has vowed not to have anything to do with the embattled national secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu.
Instead, it affirmed former National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, as the party’s National Secretary.
Governors of the party had last week advised the BoT to back Ude-Okoye, following the ruling of the Court of Appeal to that effect.
The PDP Governors’ forum also distanced its members from Senator Samuel Anyanwu and confirmed Ude-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary during a meeting in Asaba, Delta State.
BoT Chairman and former Senate President, Adulphus Wabara, made this announcement on Wednesday, at the ongoing 80th trustees’ meeting in Abuja.
Wabara noted that the decision was made after thoroughly reviewing all the issues and documents provided by Ude-Okoye and Anyanwu.
Anyanwu had in a statement condemned the decision of the PDP governors and vowed to pursue the case to the Supreme Court.
He maintained that the decision of the governor’s would further prolong the crisis within the party.
A raging fire has claimed the lives of, at least, 17 students at an Almajiri school in Kauran Namoda, Zamfara State.
The incident, which happened Tuesday night, lasted for about three hours, and caused significant damage before it was finally controlled.
Eyewitnesses say the fire started late Tuesday night and raged for about three hours, leaving 17 students dead and 16 others injured.
A resident of the area, Abdulrasaq Bello Kaura, told Channel’s Television that the cause of the fire was reported to be some stored sticks locally called kara.
“It happened at Makaranta Mallam Ghali, inside their study hall. There are about 100 of them in the house, after they evacuated the students, they thought none of them remained inside the house.
“It was when they returned after the fire, they started seeing their legs, hands, they got burnt beyond recognition.”
He added that the 17 dead students have been buried on Wednesday.
Speaking via telephone, the Chairman of Kaura-Namoda Local Government, Comrade Mannir Muazu Haidara, confirmed the incident, but stated that he was on his way to the scene and would provide further details later.
I have read, about five times, Dr Fabian Ihekweme’s letter, dated January 27, written to the Commissioner of Police, Imo State, thanks to the number of WhatsApp groups I belong to.
Even though his letter was addressed to the CP, it was meant to appease the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma. It was also meant to save the writer from a looming public embarrassment; and meant to save him from becoming an object of public ridicule in a Court of law. That would make him lose whatever credibility he has left. For, let’s face it, it is not easy for an otherwise well-read respectable man, an otherwise responsible family man, husband, father, a man who had packaged himself as a hero, the poster boy of Imo State, the person who the masses had come to look up to, to believe in, to hang on his every word, to suddenly come out and publicly say: “Hey, I am fake. I am a liar. I am mischief- personified. I can’t be trusted. I have been deceiving you to score a political point.” Chai, and as we say in local parlance, “e get as e be”. It can be very embarrassing, especially, if he is “handled” in Court by a “wicked lawyer”. The strong man would find himself stuttering in Court. It would be such a shame. So, the letter was not only meant to appease Governor Uzodinma, it was also meant to save Dr. Ihekweme from suffering all the fate Iisted above.
I take it for granted that the Governor has read the letter. He must have, also, discussed it with the CP, his close friends, his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, and especially, his lovely wife who is a lawyer. She is her husband’s ultimate legal adviser. When everybody goes home, she takes over in their quiet moments, away from the maddening crowd.
I don’t know what they thought of Dr Ihekweme’s letter. Or what advice they gave the Governor for which Ihekweme was released from Police custody after about a 61-day stay with the Police. Perhaps they told the Governor to “cool temper”; to let “bygone be bygone”. I don’t, also, know if Ihekweme’s release from Police custody spells the end of the celebrated case, or if it would still go to Court.
But here’s my opinion. It should continue. It should in Court. Ihekweme’s
release should not mark the end of the case. It should be resolved in Court.
Before I say why it should be resolved by the Court, let me digress briefly and give a little background to this celebrated drama that, almost, turned Imo State inside out and upside down.
Dr Fabian Ihekweme
Dr Ihekweme served as a Commissioner under the Government of Governor Uzodinma. He was the Commissioner for Foreign and International Affairs in the Governor’s first term in office. He assumed office on 23 March 2020. In the months following Ihekweme’s appointment, he and the Governor came under attack especially in the Social Media. They were abused silly. The opposition questioned the relevance of Ihekweme’s Ministry. They called it job for the boys. They said his office was meant to be used as conduit pipe by the Governor to siphon Imo funds to, and for phantom projects. The two of them, Uzodinma and Ihekweme, ignored all that “yabbing”, and stuck by each other. But along the line, the strong bond waned.
It began, according to reports, when the Governor dropped Ihekweme from his Cabinet. That, obviously, and expectedly, did not go down well with Ihekweme. Nobody like to be sacked from a political office. But it happens. It is the Governor’s privilege to hire and fire. It happens all over the world.
When the late American President, George W. Bush, Snr, was seeking a second term in office, his wife, Barbra was asked who she thought would remain in her husband’s cabinet if he won. She famously answered that she was only sure of herself. “I know I will stay”, she said. So, inspite of the role Ihekweme claims he played in Uzodinma’s ascension to office, the Governor wouldn’t keep him in office if he thought, and felt his presence and contribution were no longer positive. But Ihekweme took it badly. And, in the past recent months, it manifested terribly.
Suddenly, Uzodinma became Ihekweme’s worst enemy; the Governor became Ihekweme’s rag which he uses to wipe his shoes; he became Ihekweme’s dustbin into which he threw every dirt, every rubbish.
There was no respect for his former boss, his friend, and the one who he often referred to as his political leader. The high office of the Governor which his friend occupied meant nothing to Ihekweme. When you insult the office of a Governor, you are not insulting the occupant, but the State, the people.
I usually tell people, including a couple of thise around me, that when you insult and assault a Policeman in uniform, it doesn’t matter his/her rank, you are insulting and assaulting the Federal Government. That uniform represents the Federal Government. But Ihekweme dragged the office of the Governor to the gutter.
Suddenly, he became the face of opposition in Imo State. He took over the job of the State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party which absconded from its duties to checkmate Government policies, and embarked on a self-destruction exercise. But for House of Representatives Member, Ikenga Imo, whose unbelievable energy cannot be ignored, nobody would, sadly remember there is PDP in the State. With the exit of the Party’s heart, former Governor Emeka Ihedioha and his very large supporters, the exit of G7, and finally, the exit of Hon. Chris Okewulonu, former Chief of Staff to Ihedioha, the PDP in Imo has been, literally in coma, in the Intensive Care Unit. There is little or no fighting spirit left. That is what the once vibrant Party in the State brought upon itself.
But it then found an umbrella in Ihekweme. He took over the job of the opposition. And he did it in a way that left not a few Imolites breathless. Ihekweme was brutal in his attacks and criticisms of Uzodinma and his Government. It was so bad it traumatized many people.
He attacked not only the Government and its policies, but he brutally attacked the person of the Governor. He stripped him. He called him all sorts of names. He alleged every crime against him, including crimes against the State and humanity. He attributed all kinds of atrocities to the Governor, atrocities which, out of decency, cannot be repeated here. Hatred was never that deep. Bitterness was never so callous. What remained was for Ihekweme to tell Imolites who Uzodinma’s great grandmother’s boyfriend was.
The questions those who knew them as friends (before) asked were: “Whatever happened to friendship? Whatever happened to trust? Does friendship stop when one stops receiving patronage from one’s friend?
For the records, he was not the only one close to the Governor who was dropped from the Governor’s Cabinet. People say there are, at least, three others, including a retired Police Commissioner who has a long standing close relationship with the Governor. One of them who was dropped, arrested, and detained for sometime, has just been re-engaged. It happens. None of those three and others made any “pim”, no matter how tempting it was. They valued friendship.
But perhaps, Ihekweme had other grudges unknown to people. While he raged against the Governor like an angry body of water, Ihekweme, expectedly, had a hoard of supporters who cheered him on. They hailed him. Some called him Imo’s messiah. He became the oracle, the centre of adoration by the opposition. His fame was instant. He was hailed to the sky and back. And everyday, for weeks on end, he churned out article after article. He wrote confidently. He wrote like he had facts. He wrote like he had unassailable proofs for everything he put down.
He ordered the Governor to apologize, publicly, to Imo people or…? At a point, he gave the Governor an ultimatum to account for one thing or the other failing which he would face fire. He then gave the Governor, a two-day (I forget how long now) to comply or he would resume his stripping of the Governor. When Uzodinma ignored that, Ihekweme, indeed, resumed. He intensified his attacks. He was clearly, directly and indirectly, inciting the people against the Governor and his Government.
While a couple of the Governor’s Aides worried and responded once in a while, the Governor remained calm and collected. At a point, it was gathered, he ordered his Aides not to react again to Ihekweme. “Leave him to his conscience”, he was quoted to have said. But a group, angered by the depth of Ihekweme’s hatred, his insults and more, disobeyed the Governor. They wrote a petition to the Inspector General of Police and reported Ihekweme. The group needed him to provide proof of his very serious allegations against the Governor.
It was based on the group’s petition that Dr. Ihekweme was picked from his Abuja residence by Police Operatives from Imo and transported to Owerri for interrogation.
When his wife first raised an alarm which alerted Nigerians of her husband’s fate, she said that her husband has been “abducted” in her presence from their Abuja residence. I confess I panicked. When she threw in the name of the Governor, I panicked some more. I am proudly Imo, and, the, atimes, contrived tension in my State gets at me. My immediate reaction when I listened to Ihekweme’s wife was a prayer to God that nothing happens to him; I prayed that let it be that he was arrested by genuine law enforcement agents and not the abductors of the innocent that we are now used to. You know, the devil can be more devilish than itself. What if, I asked nobody in particular, some criminals took advantage of the situation to kidnap him, ask for ransom and/or kill him. How will anybody agree that it was not the handiwork of the Governor and his Government? I was relieved when the Police confirmed that there was no abduction; that Dr Ihekweme was arrested and taken to Owerri, and safely in their custody.
Now, 61 days after his arrest and remand on Court warrant, I assume, because the Police has no right to keep anybody without such a warrant for more that 48 hours, forget that they routinely do that atimes, Dr. Ihekweme is singing a different song.
I don’t know exactly what happened, but unexpectedly, he wrote, in his own handwriting, not typed, an apology to the Governor, addressed to the CP. He wrote an undertaken to be of good behavior. He wrote that he regrets all his actions; that he has no proof of anything; that he lied against the Governor; that he would never embark on such despicable and dangerous journey again; that the Governor is his friend and leader, and bla-bla-bla. Hmmmm!
Here’s my reaction. The Governor, according to those who really know him, is a compassionate man. He is very hard, of course, when it comes to his political future. He famously said he would not standby and allow the Governorship given to him by God, to be snatched by anybody. He said he would hold tight unto it. He can be taciturn, but he means business. He keeps his actions and political moves very close to his chest. So, perhaps, except his wife, nobody can confirm if he is sold on Ihekweme’s apology and confessions and promise to be of good behavior or not. Can he still trust Ihekweme? Can he still confide in him? Can they still work together? That’s left for him, really. But there is this little problem.
Governor Hope Uzodimma
It was not the Governor who took on Ihekweme. It was a group of people that did. It was on the group’s behest that Ihekweme was arrested. So, will the group drop its case? Of course, the Governor can talk to the members to let go. But here’s my take.
Whoever advised Ihekweme to write that letter did him no good. He should have been allowed to have his day in Court so as to prove he was not just blabbing. By his writing that letter, he has lost credibility. Nobody will believe him again. The tag of a hero is gone. It is okay for him to say, later, that he wrote the letter under duress. Perish that reasoning. Heroes don’t give-in easily. Check out Nelson Mandela. Or, even, our own MKO Abiola. Or even recently, Dele Farotimi? These men, and a whole lot of others, defended their beliefs to the end. If one does not have the stuff, the strong will, why embark on a useless trip? If one does not have any proof of one’s allegations, why embark on a destructive journey of others, especially of one you still call your friend?
Nobody says one should not criticize the Government or the Governor, but it should be done with proof and decorum. You can call one a thief without using the word ‘thief’.
In the same manner, anyone who encourages Uzodinma to let go, has not done him a favor either. Nobody is saying he should be instrumental to the punishing of Ihekweme, but Ihekweme should be allowed his day in Court. He made a number of very serious allegations against the Governor and his Government. Let him tender his proofs, or say openly, in Court, that he lied. The Governor should leave him with the group that petitioned against him. Leave him with the Police. Let him tell the Court what he knows. Otherwise, Mr Governor, here’s what will follow later.
The story will be that you and the Police forced him to write that letter of confession and apology; the story will be that he gave you a soft landing; the story will be that you blackmailed him into writing that letter. In deed, it has started by Ihekweme’s viral video in hospital, after release. He is playing the victim already.
Dear Mr Governor, from the day you took office, you have been the “butt” of all kinds of allegations; of all kinds of provocative jokes. You have been called all kinds of names including the worst of the worst. All kinds of atrocities, including against Imo and Imolites, have been attributed to you. Those allegations rub off on our State. You have since forgiven those who made some of those allegations against you. The serious allegations were all over the social media and presented our State as the worst State with the worst Governor. The front page of ThisDay Newspaper was even cloned to run you down. You were accused, without proof, of creating Emirates in the State,and of installing Emirs. You were accused of renaming Imo State University after late Abba Kyari, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff. President Goodluck Jonathan once described himself as the most abused President of Nigeria. That trophy also goes to you as the most abused Governor in Nigeria. Now is the time to prove yourself, to say enough is enough. He who alleges must prove. The ball, as they say is in Dr. Fabian Ihekweme’s Court.
Ihekweme’s case should be a test case. Let him present his proofs in Court. If he fails, let the Court give its ruling. If it is against him, that will be the time for Mr Governor, like a long-suffering father, should step- in and intervene. Pull his ear, forgive him, and let him go with a warning: “Never again.” That will be more decent and more fulfilling than this apology.
