– Calls For Proper Investigation
Hon Uju Kingsley Chima, immediate past lawmaker for Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta, Oru East Federal constituency of Imo State, has called for the arrest and prosecution of those linking him with the land grabbing allegations and sponsoring the protest embarked on by the indigenes of Nekede community, who are claiming ownership of the area.
Hon Uju’s reaction is contained in a release issued by his media aide, Joseph Chimezie, a copy of which was made available to Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper.
The ex-lawmaker, said, his attention has been drawn to a disturbing allegation by the Majority leader and member, representing Owerri West State constituency in the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon Kanayo Onyemaechi, accusing him of land grabbing and sponsoring a protest against the proposed Owerri Central market.
The release, further stated that, “It was reported that on Wednesday, June 19th, 2024, a group of individuals claiming to represent the Nekede Community in Owerri West LGA, Imo State, protested at the Imo State Government House in Owerri accusing certain individuals at the corridors of power, including the Owerri West State Constituency member, Hon. Kanayo Onyemaechi of land grabbing in connection with the proposed Owerri Central Market Complex Development Project.
Hon. Kanayo Onyemaechi, in his response, stated that the protesters are sponsored.
Onyemaechi accused the immediate past Federal House of Representatives member Kingsley Chima Uju, who represented Ohaji/ Egbema/ Oguta and Oru West Federal Constituency as part of the people sponsoring the protest to frustrate the project.
It was also alleged in the media that part of the land Hon. Uju Kingsley acquired was used to build a hotel.
The summary of our background facts was that the proposed Owerri Central Market Complex Development Project was designed by former Gov. Ikedi Ohakim’s administration in February 2010 and was later redesigned in 2014.
Within the years of the proposed project, Hon. Uju Kingsley was neither a civil servant nor a political appointee of the Imo State Government.
Hon. Uju Kingsley, therefore, has no business in collaborating with anybody in land grabbing activities in Owerri West or anywhere in Imo State.
The allegation was made to smear Hon. Uju Kingsley’s credibility. It is thus absolutely false, vexatious, and indefensible to allege Hon. Uju Kingsley was involved in the said land grabbing. It is even more imbecilic that the so-called allegation is coming from a house member who should have first-hand information at his disposal to accuse Hon. Uju Kingsley of land grabbing and sponsoring faceless people in protest to frustrate the project after leaving Imo State government 6 years ago. Is Hon. Uju Kingsley from Nekede or a staff of ministry of lands? What business does he have with the proposed project after leaving Imo state government 6 years ago?
The hotel that was alleged on social media that Hon. Uju Kingsley built on the land should be investigated, and those using his name should be exposed and prosecuted.
It is becoming a recurrent issue that politicians and their cohorts at any point in time they want something from the governor or the system, would prefer to drop Hon. Uju Kingsley’s name as catalyst in securing or achieving their desired goal but this has failed again.
Hon. Uju Kingsley is using this opportunity to call on His Excellency, Gov. Hope Uzodinma to investigate deeply to unravel the owners of the property in Central market and those behind any sort of protest to ascertain the motive behind the recent blackmail. This will go a long way to know if Hon. Uju Kingsley owns any property in Central Market. This is the time Gov. Uzodinma will know the real scavengers and criminals masquerading as politicians who have been using Hon. Uju Kingsley Chima’s name in the past to cover up all nefarious activities as regards to land grabbing in Imo State.
Hon. Uju Kingsley has also warned against associating his name with unfounded, malicious, fabricated, and evil write-up and has called on the Owerri West State Constituency Lawmaker, Hon. Kanayo Onyemaechi for his immediate retraction of the false and libellous allegation.
These allegations have consequences in our legal system and Hon. Uju Kingsley will not consciously allow his name to be dragged in the mud in the name of politics.
