The imbroglio surrounding the shady oil mogul and Chief Executive officer of Capital Oil and Gas, Chief Ifeanyi Uba’s aspiration to mount the office of the Executive Governor of Anambra State through the upcoming gubernatorial elections of 2014 under All Progressive Grand Alliance banner appears to have grown cantankerous tentacles reaching the shores of the United States of America to unleash highly acidic mayhem.
Information available to 247ureports.com indicates the apex body binding all Anambra State based Unions in the USA, the Anambra State Association in the USA – the ASA-USA, may be dangling on its last hope – as affiliate Unions under the ASA-USA have begun moves to pull out of the Apex body – over allegations of gross financial misconduct by the President of the Apex body and some of his associates, including members of the Executive body.
The final descend down the slope into troubled waters began in June/July of 2012 as they – a selected group of volunteers of medical professionals – arrived Nigeria for their annual medical mission held in pre-selected communities of Anambra State – in collaboration with the State Government of Anambra.
Typically, the Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, in show of support for the medical mission effort coordinated by ASA-USA, provides for free accommodation, security and a bus load of medical volunteers to augment the ASA USA volunteers. The State government of Anambra also provides for stipend for the local medical volunteers – along with general feeding of all persons involved in the medical mission. Other private financial contributors, mainly from the poll of Anambra indigenes in the USA also donate to the medical mission.
But the medical mission of 2012 saw a criminal twist – as the President of ASA-USA, Allison Anadi, opted to use the medical mission opportunity to raised funds from known wealthy individuals from the State. Allison Anadi approached a select number of wealthy individuals – and was successful in getting some them to donate heavily to the ‘mission’. Estimate of monies collected sum to 100,000 Dollars.
Interesting enough, the visitations to the wealthy individuals were done alone. The President had visited alone with company – none of the Executive members of ASA – USA or any member of ASA USA volunteer team accompanied him. The members of ASA USA were not in the know – of the amounts collected.
Except for the 60,000 Dollars donated by Chief Ifeanyi Ubah openly / publicly to the mission, the ASA-USA volunteer group was in dark. But the President insisted on going to the residence of Ifeanyi Uba at Nnewi, Anambra State, alone to collect the pledged amount. And he got his wish.
As he collected the money, the President, Allison Anadi, walked over to his Bank – Zenith located in Awka and deposited the entire amount – against the instructions of the Executive members who were present in Anambra for the medical mission – including the Treasurer. The Executive members and the Board of Directors had instructed that the dictates of the Constitution and Bylaws be followed concerning the donation. But the President refused.
As the medical mission rounded up, the volunteers from the USA were handed N40,000 each for their troubles. And as the President returned, he was asked to render a financial account. He resisted initially but later succumbed to pressure. The financial account was drafted and submitted about two months after the mission.
Immediately, the financial report threw turmoil into the Apex Union and all its branches. The report indicated that the nearly 100,000 Dollars were expended in Anambra during the 10day medical mission. The report also revealed that other money placed in special accounts for use towards the erection of an ASA USA office in Awka – was illegally borrowed by the President for the medical mission. The report also revealed the Allison Anadi spent ASA USA’s 12,000 Dollars on travels to Nigeria over a eight month period in 2012. (It is worthy of note that Allison Anadi has a full-time occupation in the USA)
Against this backdrop, aggrieved members of the Apex Union called on the Executive members and of the Board to seek a face saving resolution to the unfolding embarrassment for the Apex Union – less the matter will presented to the courts. But efforts to reach a face saving resolution failed – as Allison Anadi remained resolute to release the monies in his person.
The Chairman of the Board, Pius Okafor in tandem with concerned members filed a lawsuit against Allison Anadi seeking the return of the monies belonging to ASA USA – since he collected and pocketed the money belonging to ASA USA unconstitutionally. The suit was filed in December / January 2013.
Following the suit, branches of ASA USA across the USA appeared on the verge of pulling out from the parent Union. The South California ASA USA branch took a vote of no confidence on the leadership of ASA USA seeking that the litigation be allowed to reach a legal conclusion – or Allison Anadi should step down. The South California Board voted 13 to 1 in favor of the resolution. The Dallas ASA USA branch has also voted unanimously in-line with the resolutions of South California. Other ASA USA branches located in North East USA have begun discussions on issuing out similar resolution – particularly the New York ASA USA branch – which is scheduled to meet on Sunday February 24.
Reacting, Allison Anadi called on his associates within the Executive to come to his aid. In a last desperate attempt at exerting the power of a President, he called on his associates to convene a Delegates Forum. The Delegate will be tasked with seeking a peaceful approach as an alternate to the suit. The delegate forum was to meet and figure out means to reach Pius Okafor to withdraw the case from the courts. Among the members of the delegate forum were Igwe of Amichi, Josephine Aguoji, Nelson Ilodigwe and others.
So far, the Forum has held one telephone conference – of which a source close to the Forum indicates that the members were handpicked to favor Allison Anadi. No definitive resolutions were reached.
Efforts to reach to Allison Anadi turned dubious. When 247ureports.com contacted Anadi, he did not deny the allegations but asked for the publication to be halted. He went on to ask that the publisher of 247ureports.com meet with him and his partner (Tony Idigo of Aguleri) in Awka for further discussions. He suggested money in exchange for the publication being discarded. The publisher refused.
Pius Okafor was contacted but he refused commenting citing that the case was already in Court.
Meanwhile, Chief Ifeanyi Uba who had showed interest in the 2014 Anambra gubernatorial election may have jettisoned the aspiration owing to grave financial woes threatening to engulf his business empire. His hopes to contest under banner of APGA have evaporated – since his failed attempt at engineering quasi-coup against Governor Peter Obi’s standing in APGA. Chief Uba had attempted to use Chief Victor Umeh, the then Chairman of APGA, to force his gubernatorial candidacy on the party.
The 60,000 Dollars donation to ASA USA was part of Chief Uba’s attempt at politically disarming Gov Peter Obi.
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Allison Anadi has since started the development of a broad fish farm in Awka, the capital of Anambra State.
