Maduako Igbokwe I Wednesday, Sept.06, 2023
AWKA – Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Anambra State chapter Chief Basil Ejidike, has denied reports that he embezzled Onitsha South Local Government Area funds, during his tenure as the Council Chairman between 2003-2006.
The present Transition Committee Chairman of Onitsha South local government council , Hon. Emeka Orji had accused Chief Ejidike, of stealing undisclosed millions of Naira being revenue that accrued to the Council through National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Motor Park, Bridgehead, Onitsha, during his tenure.
Recall that the motor park in question was being managed by Onitsha-based businessman, Chief Ngozi Okpagu, Managing Director, J.N.Okpagu and Sons Ltd. before trouble broke out between him and the current Onitsha South Council Chairman.
Emeka Orji had alleged that Ejidike refused to remit revenue-accruable to the Council which is constitutionally empowered to manage parks within its jurisdiction.
It was further gathered that at the heat of the controversy, the APC Chairman was fingered by the current transaction chairman to have signed a fraudulent agreement with Chief Okpagu over remittance of revenue due to the Council.
According to Orji, the funds paid by Chief Okpagu as revenue to the State through the Local Government was diverted by the APC Chairman, Basil Ejidike, to his private pocket.
According to him, Chief Okpagu had an agreement with the Council over the remittance of revenue from NIWA Park to the local government, but regretted that such funds never got to Council coffers.
“Chief Ejidike, in his reaction debunked the allegation levelled against him, on Wednesday while briefing Journalists.
According to him, the report was ‘false, cooked by his enemies to tarnished his political reputation he has built for over decades.
” I am very much surprised that Hon. Emeka Orji, will go to that extent without informing me as best of friends. We do eat and drink together. I am surprised. Let me say it, none of these allegations levelled against me is true. I am innocent of the allegations.
“It is on record, according to Decree No 13 of 1997 establishing NIWA, that for any known water channel declared by the Federal Government in any state of the federation, there will be a measurement of 100 metres from the water bank in both sides, and that is what is called
“The right of way to NIWA authority” and they use that to service the water ways. So it has no interference by the State or local government authorities.
“In the case of the controversial land in which Chief Okpagu, is operating a motor park situated within the jurisdiction of NIWA in Onitsha, concerning the federal government has nothing to do with Onitsha South Local Government Authority or Anambra State
Government at large. Other words , that 100 metres land in question in Onitsha, belongs to NIWA exclusively to the federal government of Nigeria.
“The matter has been there before I was made Onitsha South Council Chairman between 2003-2006 respectively” he stated.
Ejidike urged Hon Orji to retract his action for sake of peace andcalled on the general public to disregard the information.
In his reaction, Chief Ngozi Okpagu, the Managing Director of J.N.Okpagu and Sons Ltd, absolved the State APC Chairman of the allegations, saying that he has never for once paid any revenue accrued to Onitsha South to Ejidike, when he was the Chairman of the Council Area.
He noted that the controversial land was allocated to him by the federal government and not the Onitsha council area as is being speculated.
According to him, he dealt directly with the federal government and not the state. He said the matter is currently in the Court between himself and Hon. Emeka Orji. Okpagu, however, accused Orji of extorting 7.5 million naira in a hostile manner.
