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Citizen Theodore Orji
Comfort Obi
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I strongly think that Chief Theodore
Ahamefule Orji, the governor-elect of
Abia State, should be released on bail to join his colleagues and prepare for his inauguration as a state governor come May 29. And this is without prejudice to whatever decision the Election Tribunal, where Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), will drag him to, will take.
What is Orji's story? He was the Chief of Staff to Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State. While there, he was duly elected by his party, the People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA), as its governorship candidate. But not quite long after that, he was picked up, along with some other Abia State officials, and hauled into detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Apparently, the case(s) for which he is in detention has to do with the alleged plunder of the state treasury by his boss, the governor. He, allegedly, helped his oga to loot the treasury. While his boss has immunity and, therefore, cannot be picked by the EFCC, Theodore Orji is behind bars. He is facing a 100-count charge of allegedly, illegally transfering over N7billion state funds from the Abia State account to Slok Nigeria Ltd, a company owned by Governor Kalu. As a layman, the way I understand it is: If we cannot pick your Oga, we can pick you. Meaning: He is being held in lieu of his boss. I may be wrong. Perhaps, the EFCC has some other specific allegations personally against Theodore Orji . But this has not been made public yet. Meaning, as a layman again, he is in for, allegedly, obeying (helping) his boss. But no matter. I digressed a bit.
So, he was hauled into detention. And couldn’t do much of a campaign . But who needs to campaign when his boss, Kalu, is a hurricane campaigner. So, Kalu, joined by Orji’s wife, a good campaigner, and a good mobiliser of women, etched his name in the hearts of those sympathetic to him, his boss, and the PPA.
On April 14 when the elections were held, he swept the polls, and defeated the much favoured (to win) Ugochukwu, the PDP candidate. A gentleman, Ugochukwu had since cried foul. He said he won the governorship election, fair and square, but, was brazenly rigged out by Kalu and his PPA. Nobody can confirm now what the truth is. But Ugochukwu and his PDP may have proved a point by winning two senatorial seats out of the three at stake in the state. So, he swears he would head to the election tribunal. He says the injustice allegedly done to him will be righted at the election tribunal. That is fine. That is the spirit. No injustice should be allowed to stand.
But until then, the Abia governor-elect, as declared, and confirmed, by INEC, is Theodore Orji. This, however, does not seem to cut any ice with the EFCC. It has, since Orji’s election, still kept him behind bars. Now, I am almost, a rabid supporter of the EFCC and its chairman, Nuhu Ribadu. The young man is gradually cleaning up the system. It is no longer business-as-usual. Yet, that has not stopped me from condemning Ribadu’s penchant for media-trial of suspects, and his even worse penchant for criminalising people without a court trial, without a court saying so. Most of the time, I have given hi-fives to him. But there are times when I have questioned his motives.
Like in the case of Enugu State officials. Like in the case of Theodore Orji. I don’t know, for instance, why Orji should not be given bail, and allowed to make preparations for his swearing-in on May 29. It is not that it will be a precedent. No, it had been done before. And in a more serious case.
In 2003, Iyiola Omisore was in prison (detention) for an alleged involvement in the murder of Chief Bola Ige, former Attorney-General and Minster for Justice. While there, he was fielded as a senatorial candidate by the PDP. He did not, like Orji, hit the campaign train. But he won, while still behind bars. In fact, when he won, then Governor-elect, Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun State and company partied with a cow, and drinks, on the prison premises with him. Just as everybody was wondering what would happen next, he was given bail, conveniently, a couple of days before the inauguration of the National Assembly. And has remained a senator since then. And has been acquitted of the murder of Ige.
But let me add here that the same “courtesy “ was not extended to Morris Ibekwe, his National Assembly colleague. Picked up on allegations of Advanced Fee Fraud, 419, by the EECC – a lesser offence than murder – Ibekwe was refused bail. So, he was not inaugurated along with others. But worse, he was left to die like a nobody, in prison custody, even after he had cried out that he was dying; that he needed urgent medical attention. On one occasion, he was brought to the court on a stretcher! Yet he was cruelly allowed to die.
Now, the same case, this time Theordore Orji, is staring us in the face. He is in detention, and his inauguration as a governor is less than one month away. He has been refused bail. As I write this, he is still asking for bail before a Federal High Court. The point here is, what is good for the goose, should be good for the gander. If Omisore, a murder suspect then, could be given bail, why not Orji? My people, Ndigbo, are always pleading persecution at every little thing. I believe they atimes suffer from persecution syndrome. I have never been able to understand it. But now, may it not be almost rightly said that this is a deliberate humiliation of Ndigbo. May it not be said that Orji was deliberately kept behind bars just so he would not be inaugurated. May Ibekwe’s fate not befall an Igboman again. May Omisore’s fate be the portion of Orji.
Let him be released on bail. If the fear is that if he is inaugurated, he would plead immunity, let it be emphasised that a criminal case does not expire. Let him be inaugurated along with his colleagues. If the election tribunal upholds his election, let the trial begin in 2011. If it does not, let him be hauled back into detention the same minute he is sacked.
For now, I repeat: What is good for the goose, is good for the gander. Yes.
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