Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki

Member representing Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State in the National Assembly, Chief Lazarus Ogbee, has dismissed insinuations about the existence of an ‘Abuja group’ in the state, plotting against the state governor, Chief Dave Umahi. He also spoke on other issues of concern in this interview in Abakaliki, the state capital.

 

There is this allegation that you betrayed the former Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi, and the former member of the House of Representatives, Chief Innocent Chima, for political reasons. How would you react to that?

I want to refute that allegation. I came from the political dynasty of late Senator Vincent Obasi Usulor, so there wouldn’t be anyway anybody would be alleging that I betrayed Innocent Chima. I have never worked under him as my master or as my colleague in the political community and there is no way I could have passed as a betrayer to him. In all the way, I have been in politics, most especially, between 1996 when Ebonyi State was created or carved out from Enugu and Abia State, I have worked with PDP and in PDP. Without prejudice to the image or integrity of Chief Innocent Chima, he has free-lanced from APP to ANPP to PDP and back to APC. But I have remained in PDP except for once that I joined my leader, late Senator Vincent Obasi Usulor, with Senator Nguji Ngele, Ambassador Lawrence Nwuruku very briefly to ANPP and we came back to our party PDP. So, it is not correct for anyone to say that I betrayed Innocent Chima. I never betrayed him. We have never worked together in politics not to talk of one betraying the other. On the side of my father, master and boss, Chief Martin Elechi, we came together in 2007 when I was appointed a Coordinator by him under his administration. If I did betray him, I wouldn’t have been allowed to become the Chairman of Ezza South Local Government Council.

I was a Coordinator for two years and two months before I resigned and contested for the position of Chairman of Ezza South council and I won. And after just one year and some months, we had the opportunity of being assessed by both the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ebonyi State chapter, Local Government Administration at the state level, beyond the state, South East, and the entire country.

So many other factors and points culminated into my becoming the first Ezza South person to be re-elected for second term as Chairman of Ezza South LGA. A betrayer wouldn’t have landed on such plum position, or garnered such support, or wouldn’t have had the nod of the governor of the state. Thereafter, we had a tumultuous period in the polity of Ebonyi State. That was in 2014. The then governor of the state presented three names as people he wanted to succeed him and they are: Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, the then Minister for Health; Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, former Deputy Governor and presently the Vice-Chancellor of Ebonyi State University; and Chief David Nweze Umahi, former State Chairman of PDP, former Deputy Governor, and present Governor of the state. He gave us the opportunity to make a choice and I chose David Umahi. And I without mincing word made every business with the choice and I went all out to campaign for him.

That was not a betrayal. Eventually, the then government of the state went out of their way to drop the three candidates it earlier mentioned and then went for Architect Edward Nkwegu of Ebonyi North.  Nobody should have said anybody betrayed anybody. I made my choice out of the three and I went for my choice. So many other LGA chairmen went for their choices and so many joined me in the quest for Chief David Umahi to become the governor of the state. And I don’t have regret about my position. And when it was time to present him at the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I presented myself. And when it was time to present another person or to join another person to the National Secretariat, I did not go. That didn’t show betrayal and that didn’t show that I was a coward. And that didn’t show that I cannot stand up to what I chose. Actually, so many other things happened after that but I am happy to announce that David Umahi made it as the governor of Ebonyi State and all of us are enjoying it today and nobody is bringing remunerations to Laz Ogbee; some of us that were the early apostles. So, I have never betrayed anybody that is my master.

It was said that you were restrained from the sponsorship of cult groups in the guise of Onyechimereze Association which is floated to technically drive home your political ambition. What would you make of that allegation?

Onyechimereze as a title was given to me by my community. Everyone in my community assembled, every man, woman, children, adult and invited the public to a thanksgiving ceremony when I was the chairman of the council. That was where, when, and how the title, Onyechimereze, came up. My community crowned me Onyechimereze which means, the “One crowned by God.” It did not emanate from me. It emanated from my traditional ruler and the entirety of the community called Amaezekwe, the eldest community in Ezza South Local Government Area. When I had another privilege or opportunity to be given a title in Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo, they equally gave me the title of Onyechimereze of Ikelegu kingdom. That was how, when, and where Onyechimereze came up. As a titled chief of my community, I had to go by the title Onyechimereze. People address me by that name. I so cherish it because my people thought about it for years before they gave me the title. It has no relationship with any group; either cult group or any other social group or any other group at all. And I don’t know what is cult, cultism or whatever. I am not a member of any cult group. I do not associate or know anyone. So, that is about Onyechimereze.

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Have you sponsored any bill in the last four years?

I have sponsored bills in the House. I have moved motions and supported motions. Anybody talking about Laz Ogbee having not sponsored bill, having not moved any motion or supported or seconded any motion, cannot actually say he or she knows the workings of the National Assembly.

You are at the tribunal with your major contender in the 2019 National Assembly election who is of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Do you see light at the end of your tunnel on this matter?

Well, whatever I have been on earth, I have not actually made it for myself. It has been God and God alone. I think that laying so much emphasis on my opponent during the last election would be giving him much credence. I have actually called him as somebody that contested election with me or against me to come over; let us join hands together for further development of our place, Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency. I don’t think I should be given much attention to him if he has refused, just like he has refused to come over. About the petition he wrote to the tribunal, it is already there. And hopefully by the special grace of God, the will of the people which they demonstrated on the 23rd of April 2019 would be upheld.

Are you bothered about what the outcome would be?

I am not bordered; and that is not the first time I’m being taken to tribunal. When I won as the local government chairman of Ezza South LGA, I was taken to tribunal. When I won my second tenure, I was taken to tribunal. When I won as the House of Representatives member in 2015, I was taken to tribunal and Appeal court. So, I don’t think that should bother me and it’s not bothering me. I am more concerned about how to deliver very actively, sincerely dividends of democracy to my constituents. No amount of campaign of calumny can force my humble self to capitulate in the face of unfounded allegations by by-passers in politics.

Since the issue of the Abuja group came on board, has it by any means affected your relationship with Governor David Umahi? Again, with the recent happenings in the state and even during the 2019 general election, do you still feel that bond which you said existed from the beginning between you and the governor?

I don’t actually know what you mean by the recent happenings and during the election but I know the party, PDP, gave the governor ticket to go back considering everything he has been able to do for the state. We that are his early apostles and still his ardent apostles are not disappointed. We are vindicated for clamouring, yearning for David Nweze Umahi to come on board as the governor of Ebonyi State. We have been vindicated very naturally because of what he has been able to put in place in Ebonyi. And to our relationship, I don’t think father or son will go out into the market and say this is how we are relating. I know we have been very cordial.

If I have any reason to request for anything from the governor of the state, I will go to him. If he has any reason to call my attention to anything; either in my local government, my ward or anywhere, he has always done that. And I think the cordiality has been there. And it has been doubled. He is always happy with me that I am his son and I will continue to be. For the issue of Abuja group or whatever, these are what people have been using to attract attention.

It will be a waste of time and our God-given knowledge to answer to such things because we know the level of our relationship and no person can come between us in my relationship with the governor. I did not go to take excuse from anybody to support Chief David Umahi and I will not take excuse from anybody to continue to support him just like he did not take excuse from anybody to support me to become the House of Representatives member and to go for a second term.