Chief Press Secretary to Abia state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Mr. Godwin Adindu, on May 16, spent over N20 million, hosting events to mark his 50th birthday anniversary.
Eleven days after the event, Adindu’s birthday celebration has continued to make ‘headlines’ in the Umuahia Government House as guests and members of staff have been talking about the opulence displayed.
Close associates of the CPS hint that he may have spent over N11 million to mark the birthday which spanned four days with several groups; journalists, government officials, friends and members of Ngwa Patriots Forum as well as hotel accommodation and the visit to a secondary school in his community on the final day.
247Ureports.com gathered that the birthday celebration had further aggravated the bickering in Ikpeazu’s media team as leading members of the team accuse Adindu of always shortchanging them whenever funds are released by the governor. It is no longer news at the Abia Government House that out of the 17 Special Assistants who are members of the media team, Adindu does not have good relationship with 14 of them. He starves the SAs of funds to run their offices, particularly those who are not in his good books.
Adindu who appears not to be bothered by the dwindling revenue accruing to the state and Ikpeazu’s slashing of his salary by half, organized a birthday celebration in his office with government officials and well wishers in attendance.
The birthday party which featured exorbitant wines and cuisine could best be described as a presidential banquet as guests freely enjoyed themselves, dancing to music. According to a guest at the event, Adindu’s girlfriend, popularly known as ‘Palace’ who is a staff of the media unit, was on hand to ensure that guests at the party were served the best of drinks and food as the party continued late in the night.
In continuation of the birthday celebration, the CPS on May 19, accompanied by his friends, stormed Comprehensive Secondary School, Mgboko Amairi, Obingwa local government area, where he donated 50 three seater school seats and awarded scholarship to 36 students of the school. He also pledged to remove classroom blocks in the school.
Said a Special Assistant to the Governor on Media who preferred anonymity, “The way the CPS, Godwin Adindu runs the media unit, has brought many enemies than friends to the governor. Look at the birthday party he threw and the huge money lavished on it? Considering the harsh economic situation, was this the right period for a responsible CPS to embark on such frivolous events? Does this tell not you that Godwin Adindu has been keeping money meant for the media unit to himself?”
When contacted by 247ureports.com, Adindu did not deny the allegation rather he asked for the identity of the reporter.
