……Denies N1M Bribe, Says Election Was Free And Fair.
By Ifeanyi Chukwu
OTO AWORI, Lagos —The crisis rocking Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Oto Awori took a new twist as the newly elected Chairman, Prince Chimeze Duruchima, popularly known as Ophiaagu, declared boldly: “I brought Emma Ubah to Ohanaeze leadership.”
In a no-holds-barred exclusive interview, Duruchima traced how he discovered, mentored, sponsored and introduced Emmanuel Oba, popularly known as Emma Ubah(Otunba Ojoto)to Ohanaeze politics, only for their relationship to later turn sour over leadership and ambition.
“I brought Emma Ubah to Ohanaeze. I have evidence. Ask him if he denies it. If Emma denies it, his wife will not deny it. I am a close friend to the family,” Duruchima said.
Prince Duru anchored his story on the popular Igbo proverb: “You can’t kill a man that knows you.”
According to him, he is one of the founders of Ohanaeze in the area and built the structure from the scratch.
“When I brought Emma to Ohanaeze, I was a founder of Ohanaeze in the zone. I’m the founder of Ohanaeze there,” he said.
He recalled that about eight years ago, Emma contested for the position of Treasurer in Ohanaeze and lost woefully because nobody knew him.
“Emma contested because nobody knows him. He lost the election. Then he went back to his house and stopped coming to Ohanaeze. He disappeared completely,” he said.
Duruchima said when the Oto Awori Local Government Chapter election was to hold, he was asked to contest because he is one of the founders, but he declined, saying he was not yet prepared.
“I said no, I’m not yet prepared. That I will produce somebody. That was when I went to Emma and brought him. I said come and go,” he said.
According to him, Emma initially hesitated, saying he did not know anything about Ohanaeze politics and did not even know how to dress for such outings.
“He said, I don’t know anything about this. I never even know how to dress. I said don’t worry. Follow me, I will show you the way,” Duichima said.
He said he then took Emma to the house of Eze Omenife and introduced him, alongside Madam Shalon, Mrs.Celena and other stakeholders in Oto Awori.
Duruchima went further to state that, the original plan was for Emma to emerge as Vice Chairman, while he would join later, but due to financial challenges and the zoning arrangement, the plan changed.
“I was asked to go. I now went home and changed the form. After the election, I won as Vice Chairman and Emma won as Chairman,” he said.
He said along the line, the leadership had issues with Eze Omenife over the decision that Ohanaeze should be independent and should not hold meetings in any Eze’s palace.
“After we left the palace, we started meeting at Booms Hotel. Ohanaeze must be independent. Ohanaeze will not be under any Eze,” he said.
He said Eze Omenife later wrote a petition against Ohanaeze in Oto Awori, which led to a crisis that stopped Ohanaeze meetings in Oto Awori for about two years.
“Eze Omenife stopped Ohanaeze in Oto Awori for a good two years. No meeting. That if we try to do any meeting,he will arrest us,” he said.
Duruchima said he later went to Emma and insisted that the situation could not continue, and they called a meeting. He said a crisis at the state level later led to a divided house, with Emma becoming Chairman in one camp, while he became Chairman in another camp.
Duruchima said Ohanaeze was later harmonised under one umbrella, and Chief Emma became Chairman, while arrangements were made to conduct fresh elections and move forward.
He alleged that when Chief Emma later decided to contest for President, he did so unilaterally, without consulting stakeholders in Oto Awori, picking his campaign chairman from Ikeja and his PA from Lekki, with nobody from Oto Awori.
“He did it unilaterally, on his own. Nobody from here. That was the beginning of the problem,” he said.
“As Vice, I led the delegates to that election. When we came back, I said it was time for me to take what belongs to me, because that was the agreement we made,” he said.
He said Emma told him he had already promised the Chairmanship to another person, whom he described as a bachelor. Duruchima said Oto Awori stakeholders rejected that choice and in that manner,asked me to contest
“Before I went to buy the form, I contacted all the stakeholders in Oto Awori and sought their permission,” he added.
“I used my money to collect the form for all the executives in Oto Awori, from Chairman to the lowest post. I picked it by myself. The form is here in my house. I can bring you to see it,” he said.
He said he also used his money and influence to secure Emma’s mandate and fought for him at the state level.
“You can ask Joseph Ajokwu, Chairman of Ojo. I fought for him because of this. I fought everybody because of Emma,” he said.
Speaking on the 1M bribery,Prince Duruchima vehemently denied the allegation that he bribed electoral officers with N1 million to sabotage the election and take over everything.
He described the allegation as fallacy, baseless and allegation without proof.
“Election was conducted with three Eze. Two Eze Ndigbo were present. Ezendigbo of Afromedia was there. Eze Uchenna Dike, Eze Ibu of Ketu, Eze Otiro Ozuwa, Eze Timothy were there and I have consent of Eze Anayo, Eze N’dibu and others,” he said.
He insisted the election was free and fair, with no manipulation, no fight and no quarrel, and said he has videos to prove it.
“No manipulation,Free and fair election. No bribe, no fights, no quarrel, everything went well,” he said.
“So, I was surprised when I heard that electoral committee people came to do a kangaroo election in Oto Awori. Kangaroo with three Eze? How possible?” he asked.
He said the reason he has not said much on the allegation is that his name was not directly mentioned.
“Assuming he mentioned my name, I would have known what to answer him. Nothing like bribe happened,” he said.
The newly elected Chairman ,Prince Duruchima said he wants to use the opportunity to warn that those throwing stones should examine themselves first.
“He that lives in a glass house should not throw stones,” he said.
He accused Emma of being a manipulator, a liar and a pretender, and claimed Emma has no legitimate business of his own. He also made further unverified claims about Emma’s business dealings.
Investigator news reports that no documentary evidence was presented during the interview to prove those counter-claims, and Emma has not responded to them as at the time of this report.
Duruchima said he is waiting for Emma to react to his claims.
“I am waiting for him to reply this. If he replies, I will bring out more,” he said
Duruchima urged Ohanaeze members and Ndigbo in Oto Awori to remain calm, focused and united.
“My message to Ohanaeze and Ndigbo in Oto Awori is that they should keep calm and remain focused. United we stand, divided we fall. We are moving forward. When the righteous are on the throne, people rejoice,” he said.
He said his leadership will not be distracted by blackmail and propaganda, but will focus on building a stronger, more united Ohanaeze.
On his programmes, Duruchima said his focus is on human capital investment.
He said he pays school fees and house rent for indigent members, and supports women and families who cannot afford basic needs.
“Last Sunday of this month, I gave some women a bag of rice here, from the same Ohanaeze. People that cannot be able to buy rice for themselves,” he said.
He said the empowerment programmes are funded from his personal pocket, not from Ohanaeze funds, and are not tribal-based.
“I use my money around Ohanaeze. Ohanaeze doesn’t give me one naira. Any tribe can benefit. I do it both outside and inside Ohanaeze,” he said.
Duruchima, who is the CEO of WH Global Resources and Ophiaagu Properties Limited, said he does not focus on how much Ohanaeze has in its account, as he is not the Financial Secretary or Treasurer.
“I don’t focus on that. I focus on lifting people. That is my calling,” he said.
He maintained that his leadership will prioritise unity, empowerment and the welfare of members, while calling on all factions to come together for the progress of Ndigbo in Oto Awori.
“History will remember who built Ohanaeze in Oto Awori and who tried to destroy it. I built it. I brought people in. I will not allow it to scatter,” he concluded.
