“That I recommended Prof Titus Eze to Governor Peter Obi for the position of ANSIEC Chairman does not meam anything. I have no interest in local elections in Anambra State. I have not fallen-out with the Governor of Anambra State. Peter Obi remains my friend” – stated the former house of representative member who recently contested for the senate seat of the Anambra south senatorial district in the April 2011 general elections – Chumah Nzeribe – in response to the allegation that the Chairman of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission [ANSIEC] who was recently sacked by the Peter Obi led administration – was clandestinely working with Chumah Nzeribe rather than the State government.
The allegation earlier published by 247ureports.com stated that Chumah Nzeribe had fallen out with the governor of Anambra immediately following the 2011 general elections in May. And that following the split, Peter Obi and his team began to feel unease with the continued stay of the ANSIEC Chairman in such a sensitive position.
But a credible source in Agulu, the hometown of the governor, who was a former close confident of the governor tell our correspondent that Chumah Nzeribe is “being kind with the truth” to avoid excalating/widening the divide between him and Governor Peter Obi’s team – since he still has a pending case at the tribunal in Awka over his senatorial bid which he contested under the All Progressive Grand Aliance [APGA] banner.
The source added that in addition to not wanting the continued stay of Prof Titus Eze at the top seat in ANSIEC, Governor Peter Obi has no interest in conducting the council elections until he leaves office. He notes that the estimated amount of N2billion received monthly on behalf of the local government areas [LGA] from the federal government of Nigeria will be impossible to let go by the Governor. In the source’s postulation, the governor of Anambra orchestrated the sack of Prof Titus Eze in order to delay the planned council election scheduled for November 2011.
Presently, the N2billion collected monthly is managed by a team put together by the Commissioner of Local Government Affairs and Chieftaincy Matters who primarily serves as Man-Friday to Governor Peter Obi – Chief Dubem Obaze.
