Buhari's Minister, Onu Rejects Exotic Car Gift From A PDP Governor

Premium Times Exclusive - The Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, has rejected the Toyota SUV given to him by the Ebonyi State Government.

The minister, in a letter to Governor Dave Umahi, said he rejected the gift because the laws of the state excluded him from persons eligible to collect such gifts.

The letter was exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES.

Quoting copiously from the constitution, Mr. Onu called the governor’s attention to the relevant sections of the constitution and how the state House of Assembly abused its powers to technically edge him out of his deserved pension, being a former governor of Abia State.

He wrote, “It is important that I draw your attention to provision of Section 124(5) of the 1999 constitution as amended which states that:

“Provisions may be made a law of a House of Assembly for the provision of person to or in respect of a person who has held the office of a governor or deputy governor and was not removed from office as a result of impeachment and any pension granted by virtue of any provision made in pursuance of the subsection shall be a charge upon the consolidated revenue fund of the state.”

Mr. Onu then added, “Instructively, a law enacted by the Ebonyi State House of Assembly titled: Ebonyi State Special Offices Pensions and Related Matters Law 2007, section 3 defined a Governor as a ‘Civilian Governor of or from Ebonyi State of Nigeria'”.

“Rather curiously, four years later, the same House of Assembly enacted a law, Ebonyi State Special Offices Pensions and Related Matters Law (amendment) law 2011 wherein a governor was defines as ‘a civilian Governor of Ebonyi State of Nigeria.”

Mr. Onu said it was clear from the foregoing that he was the target of the change “in an apparent design to deny me of my due pension entitlement.”

“This is especially so in the circumstance where it is the duty of the state government to do so as a responsibility of the sharing of assets between Ebonyi and Abia states. You will recall that I was the first elected Governor of Abia state, in which a part later became a constituent part of Ebonyi State.”

The minister therefore urged the governor to initiate steps to redress the injustice done to him in the interest of fairness, justice and respect for the constitution of the country.

“Laws are not made to suit personal prejudices. Laws are made to serve enduring attributes of good conscience honour and equity,” Mr. Onu wrote.

Accordingly, in view of the prevailing circumstance, I regret to inform you that I cannot accept the gift of a Lexus Sports Utility vehicle. I do so with a deep sense of responsibility and conscious of the important need to build a better Ebonyi State where respect for the rule of law and the peoples’ will as well as the pursuit of their happiness will remain sacred.

Mr. Onu is the second personality to reject exotic car gifts distributed to former Governors Sam Egwu and Martin Elechi and erstwhile Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim.

The SUVs, which cost N29 million each or a total of N116 million, was rejected by Mr. Elechi, who also wrote to the governor returning the car.

It is not however unclear if Messrs Egwu and Anyim accepted theirs.

The duo have remained silent on the matter despite prodding from the media and people of the state.

How I Increase My Blokos Size & Stopped Premature Ejaculation Issues That Scattered My Relationship For 2years.. Click HERE for Details 

See What Baba Obasanjo Spotted Doing With Patience Jonathan In Public

Former Presudent Goodluck Jonathan's wife, Dame Patience and former President Olusegun Obasanjo were spotted dancing and relating together at Late Deaconess Margaret Umahi, mother of Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, who died at the age of 84.

Obasanjo Meets PDP Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff At Enugu, See Photo

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a former President, on Friday in Enugu had a nice time with dignitaries, including the acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, where he charged state governors in the country to increase the tempo of their performances in their respective states so as to alleviate the suffering of the people.

Chief Obasanjo who paid a courtesy call on Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on his way back from Ebonyi State where he had attended the burial ceremony of Governor Dave Umahi’s mother, said the issue of governance is a serious task which governors should employ to bring smile to the faces of the people.

During the visit, Obasanjo, who characteristically was at his humorous best,  danced to a highlife tune rendered by a life band on hand at the Banquet Hall of the Enugu State Governor’s Lodge. 

While commending the Enugu governor for exemplary performance, Chief Obasanjo said, “thank you for the good work you are doing in the state for the benefit of your people. Keep it up.

“From the reports I get, you are doing well. If out of 36 states of the country you can get one that is doing well, it would be encouraging to continue to work on others to  do well and by the time you can get up to 50% of the states doing well, it would mean the country would be better. So, keep it up,” said the former president.

Governor Ugwuanyi who also played host to Modu Sheriff and other political heavyweights, including billionaire businessman and politician, Prince Arthur Eze, thanked the former president for the visit and for his kind words.

“We are, indeed, very grateful. We will continue to benefit from your wealth of experience so that we can continue to serve our people better,” said the governor.

Nigerian Tribune