OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF EBONYI STATE HIS EXCELLENCY DAVE UMAHI ON THE IMAGE OF THE STATE BEING SMEARED BY THE EXCESSES OF HON.MARIA UDE NWACHI.

31/01/2018

Your Excellency Sir, 

With due respect to your noble office as the Father of our dear state, I write you to register my appreciation for your numerous strides in putting our dear state on the pedestal of greatness in the Country. Your achievements have once again proven that we are indeed the salt of the nation. 

Sir, permit me the use of this letter to register my pains as a dear citizen of Ebonyi State whose pride has been dragged to the mud by the recent actions of Hon. Maria Ude Nwachi, The honorable member representing Afikpo North Constituency at the State Assembly. It is worthy of note that as a native of Oso Edda in Afikpo South LGA of Ebonyi State, I've always prided myself with the honor of our revered cultural and moral values. But this recent actions have put huge question marks on our value system, and needs to be attended to urgently. 

Few days ago, social media was awash with news of an online raffle draw, that was organized by the now suspended Ebonyi State Lawmaker, Hon. Maria Ude, popularly known as 'Afikpo Chic'. Allegations of a planned scam and intended fraud under the cover of the Online raffle draw, have left the popular Facebook group 'Igboist' in rancour and the public image of Ebonyians in the mud. 

It is becoming a mill grinding pain to the heart, that when our Executive Governor, Engr. Dave Umahi is doing everything possibly good to rebuild the misconceived perception of Ebonyians, some persons are going out of their way to rubbish the sincere efforts of the Governor with their reckless social activities.

Ebonyi State is known for hard work, Extra Combatant, resilience and her ability to maintain her status in farm products especially as the biggest rice producing state in the country. Our indigines are found over the country engaging themselves in sincere works regardless of how odd and demeaning the job is, just to better their lives and promote the growth of the nation. The late Akanu Ibiam of the Blessed memory,  Sen.Sam Egwu (a former State Governor and Minister of Education), Chief Anyim Pius Anyim (a former SGF of the country) and many other notable Nigerians are proofs that our Education system is second to none and has constantly churned out professionals.

Our women have also lived up to the expectations that have made us pride ourselves as Ebonyians, the Young female Legends and the likes of ChaCha Eke, Grace Amah in Nollywood Capt.Okoro Agha in Nigerian Army and Our female Soldiers in the Sambisa forest fighting to Restored the dignity of our Nation, Jennifer Okorie with her foundation and charitable activities amongst others have kept our name on the lips of many as not only hard and dedicated workers but Sincere individuals. This same pride is what Hon.Maria Ude is tarnishing with her excesses. 

The recent allegations of scam leveled against Hon.Maria Ude Nwachi goes a long way to state that in every Twelve there must be a Judas. While other members of the State Assembly are busy racking their brains on how to better their constituencies by Sponsoring bills towards that effect, it is so disgraceful that Hon.Maria Ude  Nwachi had other plans than being a voice for her Constituency that elected her in the first place, as she's is yet to sponsor any bill that benefits her constituency.

It is quite baffling as to why an Honorable Member of a State Assembly would decide after obviously deliberations to defraud over 1.4million Nigerians as alleged by her victims on Igboist.  Coming at a time when most Nigerians are trying to recover from the knockout effects of MMM and other Ponzi Schemes, it shows that people we've elected to care for us and bring us the dividends of Democracy care more about their pockets and how they can take the little we have. 

So many questions begins to emanate from this alleged scam, Was the online scam a planned way by Hon. Maria Ude Nwachi to raise funds for her campaign for 2019 Elections? What actions is the State Assembly taking to uphold the image of the state that has already been smeared by Hon. Ude. Nwachi.

It can be recalled that same Hon. Maria Ude Nwachi was suspended by the State Assembly for misplacing priorities and becoming a street photographer instead of the Hon. Member she was elected to be. As much as I may have reservations for her suspension based on those grounds, since I believe people should be allowed to continue their hobbies even when they are occupying public offices, but with the recent actions of the lawmaker it is becoming clear what the State Assembly saw that prompted her suspension.

I pray the State Government and Ebonyi State House of Assembly to rise to the occasion and save our state from further embarrassment. The First Lady, Chief Mrs. Rachel Umahi and her Family Succor has a big role to play at the moment in salvaging the image of the state as the mother of the State and an Ambassador of good Family morals and Great Values of motherhood, else it would be perceived from different quarters that Ebonyians are heartless fraudsters, and we the female indigenes would be the first hit of the misconception. 

This is not just a case of an individual at the moment, it has gone to a large smear of the image of the entire state, and something needs to be done Urgently to redeem the image of the state, as it may affect most of us out there making the State proud.

Your Excellency Sir, This is obviously not the file you and the First Lady would want on your table even as a leader of your transformed Political Party (PDP) in the South East and particularly in Our beloved Ebonyi State, but it has become one that needs to be addressed urgently to arrest the situation and find a lasting solution to curtailing the excesses of Hon. Maria Ude Nwachi, else the image of the State and that of her citizens would be in Jeopardy. 

Your's sincerely

Aisha Edward 
National Coordinator APLSCD
08033222007.

CC: Hon. Speaker
Ebonyi State House of Assembly.

CC: Chief Mrs. Rachel Umahi
CEO. Family Succour initiative.

CC: FIDA 
Ebonyi State.

CC: Online Publishers of Nigeria. (OPAN).