After my recent exposure of the plot by the Governor of Enugu State, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to terminate my life over my Airport Road Phase IV and V Layout Emene, Enugu, my good friend, Arc. Paul Eze, who was in my house on the fateful day the Governor invaded my house with a battalion of armed Police men for what he considered an affront on his authority to continue to lay claim to my property, decided to change his statement. Eze witnessed the threat and reported same to me. But has since recanted his opinion. Laughable as his sudden volte face, his actions are not altogether unexpected. It is clear that it takes an exceptional courage for an ordinary citizen to withstand executive pressure. So I do not take to heart his denial that Governor Ugwuanyi told him that he would kill me.
FOR THE RECORDS
Arc. Paul Eze is my friend who is currently battling some health challenges. He was in my house where he was recuperating after his discharge from the Orthopedic hospital, Enugu on the fateful day the Governor stormed my house and told him that he would kill me for daring to challenge his authority. Eze told me categorically that Governor Ugwuanyi was really fuming. He equally said to me that because he saw the level of anger in the Governor, he decided to call our bosom friend during our days at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus(UNEC) former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, now a Senator probably to see if his intervention would calm the Governor down. But according to Eze Chimaroke turned out to be more angry with me than the Governor. He said that Chimoroke told him that if he were Governor Ugwuanyi, that he would eat me raw (N’oga ata m na ndu). And I asked why?
What was my offence? What is that I did wrong that Governor Ugwuanyi would threaten to kill me?
It was simply that the police assisted me to execute an Order of Mandamus duly issued to the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of police, Enugu state, to aid me in the take-over of my property which was being taken away forcefully by Governor Ugwuanyi under the pretence that he was reclaiming the Federal Ministry of Aviation land. Nothing more, nothing less!
But if the Enugu state government wanted to acquire my estate for overriding public interest, couldn’t it have done so without recourse to rapine? It is important to state that Eze asked me to thread cautiously that I was being tracked by the Governor. Anyway, I do not hold any grudges against my friend, Eze for denying what he told me. I appreciate his fears. It is also important to state that Eze called my younger brother, a Professor with whom he is also acquainted to narrate the threat by Ugwuanyi. I am aware that in case of doubt that every conversation I had with Eze, including the one he had with my brother, can be retrieved from the network providers.
RESPONSE TO CORNELIUS NNAJI’S LIES
In response to Cornelius Nnaji’s assertions that my two court judgements are defective, it only portrays the nature and character of a federal legislator who instead of coming to a court of law to contest the judgement after about four years of its delivery only resorts to delivering his own judgement in the media. He still has time to appeal the judgement. I tendered my receipts of purchase of the layouts and the power of attorney to the EFCC and the Police and those in charge of selling the community land with his brother Igwe Julius Nnaji as the chairman of the Umuenwene iji Nike and all volunteered their statements. Cornelius has never represented the community in that capacity and was never part of the community representatives that did the transaction with me. The community that sold land to me has never complained about the authenticity of our transaction. Cornelius wants us to commence another trial outside the courts,four years after judgements were delivered and certificate of possession issued to me.
An incurable land grabber, he has unashamedly lied against me and dishonoured court judgments. From instigating Umuchigbo to contest ownership of the land; to allegation of kidnap: to the claim of the land as state government Free Trade Zone; to claims that the land belongs to Airport/Federal Government and finally that the land was never sold to me, Cornelius showed how shallow his thoughts are. It is the same so-called Airport land that he is in court with me, claiming that it is his father’s land. A matter that is already subsisting in a High Court of justice should not be discussed freely like Cornelius is doing. He should allow the presiding judge give his verdict on the matter.
My point here is that Cornelius Nnaji and Governor Ugwuanyi are so obsessed with their primitive acquisition that they would do anything including violence destruction of my property at 23 Eziokwe street Trans Ekulu and possible termination of my life. They know very well that my land has nothing to do with Airport land, but their greed for rapine has so blinded that they have no sense of justice and fair play.
Is it not risible that the same government claimed that in its first Exco meeting in January, 2020, as reported in the Sun newspaper of January 24, 2020, it approved the FAAN request for more land and that it will issue them(FAAN) c of o to that effect. By executive pronouncement or an illegal act my land immediately became federal government land. Don’t forget the person they issued the first c of o when it was state government land (Empower Energy Ltd)is now in court with me so they now want FAAN to equally join in court with illegal c of o issued to them.
It is important to state that before now I had given Governor Ugwuanyi and his brother, Onyii Ugwuanyi some plots of land in the layout after the former intervened on my behalf at the early stage of this case. That was when Cornelius started experimenting with government seizure of my land after he could not appropriate it for himself. He wanted it made a Free Trade Zone and got about five serving Commissioners to sing along with him. I reported the matter to the Governor who immediately put a call across to his Commissioner for Lands, Hon. Solomon Ona and warned him to desist from disturbing me on the land. Pleased with the Gov’s kind intervention, I offered him and his brother Onyii, through whom I gained access to the Gov, some plots of land. But something happened here. The deed of lease and power of attorney in regard of this transaction were not done in their names – perhaps the existing tradition.
SENATOR GIL NNAJI SPOKE
It is pertinent to state that while this happened Senator Gil Nnaji, Cornelius Nnaji’s half brother spoke. In a press statement he issued after Governor Ugwuanyi demolished my private house at 23 Eziokwe Street, Trans Ekulu, Enugu, without allowing me the liberty of taking out a pin, Senator Nnaji stated it clearly that I am the bona fide owner of the Airport Road Phase IV and V Layout, Emene. More than that Senator Nnaji, an illustrious son of Umunwene Iji community that sold the Layout to me also owns an estate very close my Airport layout. He was very emphatic about my ownership of the Layout. No doubt he is in a good position to prove whether I own the layout or not.
However, it still surprises me that a Governor will deliberately commit rapine of the nature Ugwuanyi has done and even threaten to kill me over my property. It is equally befuddling that Cornelius,a law maker, will dismiss all the court judgments secured against him as fake judgments. As I stated above, it not only tells the kind of law maker he is, but also the type of representation he is offering his good people of Nike in the National Assembly. His greed and rapine compare to none that I know or have read about. Cornelius Nnaji is simply exhibiting wickedness emboldened by arrogant use of state power.
I am once again calling on good spirited Nigerians not to allow me lose my hard-earned property – what I labored all through my life to procure. The concerted effort to dispossess me of this land is not unconnected with the fact that Ugwuanyi, Cornelius Nnaji and their cohorts find it difficult to accept that a “sojourner’ among them could own such massive expanse and choice area of land.
I am earnestly asking for your support in this trying time. Thank you all.
Arc. J. J. Emejulu
Nkolofia village
Awka Etiti
Anambra State
