Following alleged plot by some suspected fraudsters who claimed in the recent statement that they are initiating plans to recall a member of the Imo State House of Assembly, a group has unveiled how a faceless persons intend to extort money from the good people of Oguta state constituency.
It would be recalled that one Okey Opiah, said to be from Oguta, in Oguta LGA granted an interview to an Owerri based media house where he muted an idea of plot to recall the Member Representing the State Constituency.
In reaction to the published interview, a socio- political organization, the Association for Better Government, AFBG based in Oguta has come in strong defense for the Member Representing Oguta State Constituency in the House of
Assembly, Hon Henry Uzoma Ezediaro for living up to expectations as a member of the state legislature.
The group in a statement made public last weekend accused the Okey Opiah led group as “political jobbers” seeking for opportunity to defraud innocent and unsuspecting people of Oguta LGA who may be hoodwinked by their perfidious act.
In a statement signed by Mr Obinna Kenneth and Prince Okara, Chairman and Secretary respectively, ASOBEG said
“Our attention has been drawn to a newspaper publication in a local tabloid in Imo State where one suspected serial blackmailer, Okey Opiah, from Oguta Community, championed with a caption titled *’Plot To Recall Ezediaro Thickens’
“Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have replied such tissues of misguided adventure, but for records purposes and to inform uniformed who may be victims of his shenanigans, it has becomes necessary for our group to unmask this agents of darkness.
“Before delving into the contents of the interview he granted that was solely aimed at misinforming the reading public about the functions and constitutional role of a state legislator, suffice it to note that Mr. Okey Opiah who claimed to hail from Oguta Community same with Hon. Ezediaro Henry Uzoma member representing Oguta State Constituency in Imo State House of Assembly Nigeria do not know his representative. The picture he submitted to the press which was used to publish his interview was not that of our worthy representative but that of Mr. William Ejiakor, the defeated candidate of PDP during the last State Assembly election. The above scenario indicates that the sponsors of the write up are confused bunch of desperados seeking for a cheap means to blackmail the Member Representing Oguta State Constituency in the House of Assembly.
“In view of the cacophony of lies raised by the said Okey Opiah, our organization, duly registered with primary aim of ensuring that both elected and appointed political office holders in Oguta LGA provides democratic dividends to her people, we wish to make the following clarifications; In line with provisions of the constitution, primary function of a state legislator is law making for good governance of the state. However, a state legislator oversees the activities of Ministries, Parastatalls, MDAs, etc within his/her committee as the case may be. Since inauguration of Hon. Ezediaro as member representing Oguta State Constituency, he has made his presence felt in the hallowed chambers by sponsoring people oriented bills and motions. Permit us to list few prominent bills and motions he sponsored, they include, ……….., and even one of the motions which bothers on “Recovery of Land Rent Owed to Imo State Government by Oil Companies and Multinationals” has increased the revenue base of the state. Apart from law making, Hon. Ezediaro as a pragmatic young man is always with his people at home as he lives in his family compound at No. 2 Barr. Sam Ezediaro Street Oguta from where he goes to his office at the Assembly Complex. It’s on record that Hon. Ezediaro if not the only legislator in the 8th Assembly is amongst those that have two constituency offices due to very difficult terrain of Oguta LGA with one at Oguta LGA Council Headquarters and the other at Obudi Agwa. These two Constituency Offices became operational since inauguration of Hon. Ezediaro as member representing Oguta State Constituency in 2015. As a tradition, Hon. Ezediaro holds his Constituency Briefing every Christmas period to enable Oguta LGA sons and daughters in diaspora to attend, and the last one was held at Egbuoma in Oguta LGA while this year’s own will be at Oguta LGA Headquarters by this December. (Anyone that visits any of the Constituency offices or office of Hon. Ezediaro at Imo State Assembly Complex Owerri will be privileged to have a view of last year’s Brochure). In fulfillment of his campaign promises with slogan, “Moving Oguta Beyond Oil”, immediately Hon. Ezediaro Henry Uzoma was sworn-in he embarked on his pet project titled “Oguta Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES)” which is aimed at training and empowering over 5000 youths from Oguta LGA at the first instance in various skills acquisition. Presently, students are undergoing training in various designated centers in the locality according to areas of learning of their choice, and pride to mention, first batch of students according to privileged information we gathered from office of Hon. Ezediaro Henry Uzoma will be empowered at this year’s Constituency Briefing.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Okey Opiah who claims to be an indigene of Oguta Community, a Community leader and activist showed inept knowledge of how a registered political party operates by forgetting that there are clear cut demarcation between a political party function and that of the government. Hon. Ezediaro Henry Uzoma was sponsored by All Progressives Congress (APC) in line with relevant sections of the constitution. That he was sponsored and won his election does not mean that he automatically becomes the owner of APC. As an elected member under the platform of APC, he only advises the LGA Party Executive on the best ways to move the party forward in the locality.
“The leadership of the party decides on what is best for the party. There’s no discord between the leadership of APC Oguta LGA and Hon. Ezediaro Henry Uzoma. Hon. Ezediaro is not a representative of Oguta Community but of Oguta State Constituency. For avoidance of doubt, APC as a party has a functional constitution and any organ of the party must act within the ambit of the constitution. The constitution stipulates were an office of a LGA should be situated and we believe that leadership of APC in Oguta LGA adheres strictly to its tenets, though it’s an intra party affair which we or nobody is entitled to comment upon except duly registered members of APC.
“Consequent upon these, we ask Mr. Okey Opiah and his co-travelers to wait for 2019 to enable them pick nomination forms to aspire to aspire for any position for the people of Oguta LGA.
“We wish to use this medium to inform Mr. Okey Opiah and co that their purported recall agenda is nothing but a ruse meant to deceive the good people of Oguta LGA. Apart from which he threatened to not going beyond their enclave our organization is strategically placed to put them into shame institute against Hon. Ezediaro Henry Uzoma will not see the light of the day as we will use our well structured outfit to unmask the proponents of the failed recall trip which is a careful ploy to seek relevance or cheap avenue for financial patronage. The cheap blackmailers are by this notice advised to seek other means of livelihood that through this inglorious process.
“We hereby pass implicit vote of confidence on Hon. Ezediaro Henry Uzoma as member representing Oguta State Constituency and wish the good people of Oguta LGA well in their legitimate endeavors”
