|
 Daily
Independent Online.
* Tuesday, June 22, 2004.
Orji has no problem with
his deputy —Ndulaka
On Monday, June
14, 2004, the Abia State House of Assembly stunned Nigerians by passing a
resolution mandating the Speaker, Sir Stanley Ohajuruka, to serve an
impeachment notice to the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Chima Nwafor.
The motion for the resolution
sponsored by the member representing Isiala Ngwa North state
constituency, Mr. Christopher Enweremadu, claimed that the impeachment
move was being made because Nwafor, by his actions and utterances, was a
security risk.
In this interview with Uche Nwosu, Chief Alozie Ndulaka, the press
secretary to the deputy governor, speaking on behalf of his boss,
clarifies some of the issues. Excerpts:
On Tuesday, the Deputy Governor,
Dr. Chima Nwafor, claimed that he had not got the impeachment notice 24
hours after the resolution was passed. Has he finally received the
impeachment notice?
As I’m talking to you (today
is 16th June, 2004) we are yet to receive any official communication from
the House of Assembly with respect to the said impeachment notice.
Nothing like that, no communication.
What was
the relationship between the governor and his deputy like before now?
Their relationship has been
quite cordial, very cordial. Of course, most of the times he (deputy
governor) would join us at the chapel for the early morning devotion
where before we take off for the day’s activities, we seek God’s
blessings and guidance. The governor worships there with the deputy
governor. After the morning devotion, the deputy governor accompanies the
governor to his office and they chat before he returns to his office. Of
course, that shows that the relationship is cordial.
Why then did the members of the House say that
they wanted to impeach him because he poses a security risk?
You see, it is only when we
receive the impeachment notice which will normally contain the charges
that we’ll be able to know what exactly the charges are. We won’t like to
rely on what we heard from other sources. Until we have that authentic
information from the House, we will then be able to know what the charges
are and of course, we prepare our defence.
Do you think the governor has a hand in this?
Well, thank God, as at
yesterday, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor distanced the
governor from it. So and we believed him.
What then motivated the House to initiate an
impeachment procedure on the deputy governor when his boss has not said
he poses a security risk?
Would you really say that the
House has… when you talk about the query … if somebody has been queried that
means he already has a query in his possession. We don’t have any query
now and we’ve not received paper. So, you don’t query somebody on radio.
It’s mere rumour for us, until we get the paper, we now know that a query
is before us and of course a query normally contains the offences and
you’ll at times frame to response to such a query. So for now, there’s
nothing.
Since there’s this cordial relationship between
him and the governor, and suddenly the impeachment move came, did your
office receive it with shock?
Well, why not of course. Most
of us felt shocked, felt worried. One, it is not good for the state.
We’ve been having very peaceful atmosphere and we don’t want to have
anything that will heat up the polity. So we’re surprised. Surprised is
the word. Very surprised.
Do you think the House is carrying out its
normal functions like the members claimed on Monday when they passed that
resolution?
Well, the House we all know
constitutionally has its functions. Perhaps, that’s what it is. I keep
saying that until we have a document which we can touch, read and then
interpret and appraise, that’s the only way we can begin to say that the
House has actually queried anybody. For now, I cannot be commenting on a
notice which I have not seen, which has not been sent to the deputy
governor. So as far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing like that.
Even when the notice has not come formally to
him and the rumours are everywhere, the media has carried it, based on
that, is there any reconciliation going on right now?
Well, it’s interesting to know
that you call it a rumour. And of course, as journalists, we’re not
supposed to peddle rumours or being involved in rumour-peddling. And since it’s a rumour, I don’t
know whether I should be talking about rumour. I should be talking about
facts, and not rumour.
Now, a lot of people are trying to link the
impeachment move with the death threat on the governor recently, which
the deputy governor was said to have played an active role. Could you
marry the two?
Yes, I’m not in a position to
do that marriage like you said. We’re trying to put that behind us. So
for me, this whole scenario is a new development that is coming from the
House, and like I said earlier, when we get the notice, we’ll be able to
say whether there’s any link or not. But for now, there’s no notice.
|
