Umahi, Elechi trade words over N29m car gift

ABAKALIKI-Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state and former Governor Martin Elechi seem not to be in the same line of thought following the car gift given to the later by the present administration in the State. This development has made some section of the state to wonder why the present administration could spend such huge amount of money, despite the harsh economic situation facing the people of the State. Reacting to the letter written to him by Chief Elechi during an Agricultural summit with Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN) held at International Conference Centre Abakaliki on Thursday, Governor Umahi stated that: “it was the Secretary to the government’s own choice of words to have stated in the government’s letter to the former governor that the car gift was in recognition of his role in the promotion of democracy in Ebonyi State and for other meritorious services. He emphasized that the car gifts were meant for former governors and a former Senate President in which Elechi rightly belonged to the former and was never for any other reason. “I would not have commented on the letter of my former boss to me. We agreed in exco that we should ignore it but when I started seeing it published in Advocate, I feel that in a public gathering, we have to clear certain issues. “Number one, it was out of the kind heartedness of the SSG that he wrote meritorious services. No we did not give those cars because of meritorious services. We give it to former governors and former President of the senate. “And the man capitalizes to say if you say I merited something why all these things happening to me and I will explain. “Rejecting the vehicle was not the best because when he left office he wrote and I gave two new vehicles to his wife. It was not merited but I did it as a show of love”. Recall that the Immediate past Governor of Ebonyi State, Martin Elechi rejected a Toyota V8 SUV Jeep car gift given to him by his successor, David Umahi. The State government with the backing of the State’s House of Assembly had acquired four SUVs for former governor’s in the state at the cost of N29million each. Gov. Dave Umahi The SUV vehicles were intended for Elechi and Ex-Governor Sam Egwu. Other earmarked for the car gifts were former Governor of old Abia State and Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu and and Ex-Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim. But Elechi in a reply to the Governor rejected the jeep stating that he was at a loss to convince himself that he fits into the category of those the Governor wished to honour. The former Governor also wondered why the same government which have refused to pay his entitlements and severance package will cough out enough money to purchase such exorbitant car for him. “Let me remind you that for the past twelve (12) months, I have not been paid my salaries and second term severance allowance. These are my entitlements under the law of Ebonyi State; they are not a favour. But of what use is this practice of sending seasonal gifts to a man who is being hounded and denied of his lawful official entitlements?” Elechi further criticized the government arguing that the gifts could be likened to a greek gift as the state governor who masterminded the donation was also the one who was responsible for him and his sons’ travails in the hands of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). “As if the bad verdict on projects is not enough, there is the saga of malicious and false petitions against me and two of my children to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)… This is courtesy of Your Excellency’s ingenuity with your team players”. Relatedly, a group The Save Ebonyi Network have criticized the car gifts given to the former governors in the state by the current Governor David Umahi. The group in a statement in Abakaliki, the state capital issued by its National Cordinator and secretary, Comrade Okorie Nnamdi and Mr Mbam Ofoke described the gifts as a waste of public funds especially as the state and country is presently witnessing dwindling revenue from the federal allocation. It queried why the personalities who in every sense can afford the cars on their own will be given the cars at a time when the state government is busy cutting salaries of health workers in the state. “The situation today in the state is that of gloom and despair as many children of civil servants have dropped out of school as the drastic reduction in their salaries has made it difficult for them to pay their children’s school fees yet the Umahi administration has millions of naira to buy cars for people who have no need for them”, the statement read. “The money could have been used to offset the school fees of some of the student’s studying overseas under the state government’s scholarship who are facing sack from their schools and subsequent deportation because of the refusal of the state government to pay their school fees”. Umahi said part of the petitions that have made Elechi regular visitor to EFCC was written when both were governor and deputy and was never from him(Umahi). The governor said he had appealed to EFCC to leave Elechi because of his old age with a promise that if there was any where they found him wanting in money, he(Umahi) was going to pay,noting that he made the promise because of He that brought him to leadership but pointed out that the gesture to rescue the former governor from the hands of the graft agency was in exception of his children. “The children should face whatever offence they committed,”he added. Umahi wondered why the former governor whom he served alongside his family as a slave could be harboring ill-feelings against him. He noted that his commissioners had been a regular visitor

s to ICPC courtesy of a trumped up allegations by Elechi his loyalists. He said he was ready to give Elechi peace and expressed his readiness and willingness for reconciliation if CAN could bring them in a round table.