Igbo Community shares N15m donated by Gombe Gov
By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe
The controversial 15 million naira given to Igbo Community as promised by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has been received by the Igbo Community and shared.
Unfortunately, among the Igbos it was said that it generated ill- feelings between them and the leadership particularly the Special Adviser to Governor.
The money was ten million naira for small and medium scale business men and women while five million naira was for those present on the day the courtesy call.
The leadership allegedly shared the money among the constituting states that made up the Igbo Community Welfare Association by giving one million naira to each five states namely Anambra,Abia,Imo, Enugu and Ebonyi respectively.
Each former and serving President General of the Association, investigation gathered, was given N100,000 making N600,000 for the six former presidents-General namely Dr. Felix Barrah, Chief Joachim Umeh, Chief Evaeristus Chukwuaku,Chief Albert Chwukwunta, Sir Ben Aronu, chief Kenneth okeogu and Dr.Wabs Ugwu while council of chief was given N100,000 w which they rejected but ₦ 100,000 was added later making it ₦200,000 from the leadership of the Igbo Community before the matter was alleged to be settled
Also, the youths of the Association was given undisclosed amount of money while the women were alleged to return ₦100,000 through the SA to the Governor given to them.
Incidentally, the huge amount of money shared among the leadership led by Dr. Wabs Ugwu, and his executives didn’t disclose, they alleged, from investigation his leadership could be manipulated by (bigger individuals) the leader listens to.
Also, it was reliably gathered that even the Special Adviser to the governor on Intergovernmental Relations, Hon Chidebelu Ewuzie, was not relegated in whole parabolic parabola that ensued during the sharing controversy.
The promises of 10 Million naira for Igbo Community for Small and Medium Scale businesses as grants was a mirage as the Special Adviser to Intergovernmental Relations, Ewuzie, told the leaders that the promise would be redeemed after the Governorship and House of Assembly elections by the Governor on Monday 13th March,2023 before the INEC postponed the elections to 18th March, 2023.
Also, the SA to Governor also informed the Igbo residing in Gombe that the N5m Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, promised the Igbos as transportation was yet to reach the leadership of the Igbo Community that paid solidarity visit to Governor on Monday 6th March,2023.
Subsequently, our correspondent reports that, as at Saturday 11th March,2023 the controversial money had generated bad blood among the Igbo Community in the state till Tuesday,14th March,2023.
While the leadership of Igbo Community who spoke to the reporter clearly said in phone conversations that no kobo had been received from the government regarding the promises of the Governor, as the Special Adviser to Intergovernmental Relations was said to have informed the Igbos that even the entertainment he gave them at the evening was part of the money the Governor promised them which ignited open confrontation between him and the youths at the Mar – Cornel hotel owned by Special Adviser to the Governor.
It was gathered that the misunderstanding reached a climax that the youths threatened to fight the SA physically on the grounds that he lied that the money Governor promised was in cheque contrary to the transfer promised at the Banquet Hall of Government House Gombe by Governor.
Also, the aggrieved youths pointed out to him openly that the Governor asked the leaders to provide him with the account number where the money would be lodged into and didn’t mention any thing like cheque.
They also argued that the N 10 million naira, Governor promised to the small and medium scale business men and women as grants didn’t mention the provision of collateral which the SA to Governor alleged to be a condition for accessing the money.
The aggrieved Igbo Youths who spoke to the paper stated that the SA is playing politics with the brains of the Ndi Igbo because of his position as Special Adviser to Governor on Intergovernmental Relations .
Meanwhile, the Governorship Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party in Gombe State, Alhaji Dan Barde on Friday 10th 2023 told all the Non-indigenes in his campaign office in Gombe that he doesn’t transfer money to people but rather give dollars to people to share among the various communities that attended to his invitation and the participants included Igbos, Yorubas,Tiv, Igala, Ebira and a host of others.
The chieftain of the PDP who is also owner of Yarmalight Football Club canvassed the support of all non- indigenes that if they voted PDP, that they are going to run an inclusive Government where everybody would participate in the running of the affairs of the state under the umbrella of PDP in the state and supported the cash donations of DanBarde candidacy with one hundred naira to Igbo Community.
Also, the Governorship Candidate of New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP; Alhaji Mailantarki,on Wednesday, 8th, March,2023 where he gave the Igbo Community N200,000 as kolanut asking the Igbo Community to vote his party the NNPP.
The Candidate of NNPP also promised to include the Igbos in his cabinet if elected and ensured that the Igbos enjoys as most of the contracts to be awarded by his Government and the materials for the same shall be bought from them here in Gombe.
When contacted on the development, the SA to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya on Inter- Government Relations, Ewuze, popularly known as ”chimack asked the reporter on phone that he is not a journalist and directed the reporter to ask the President–General of Igbo Community, Egwu about the said money announced to Igbo Community when they paid solidarity visit to the Governor.
Also, When contacted on phone by the reporter on the controversial promises Egwu, told the reporter that he was in a meeting and would get back to him, as at the time of filing this report the President was yet to get back.
Some of the leadership of the Igbo Community who spoke to the reporter on Saturday categorically told the reporter that the money had not been given to the Igbos by the Governor but unconfirmed sources alleged that the Governor have released the money to them.
