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- Drags him to NBA, Labour Party, Public Complaints Commission
- Lawmaker deny allegations
From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
A 79-year-old man, Nze Titus Umenzekwe, from Umuchaku Awarasi Village Uga in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State has petitioned against a lawmaker representing Onitsha South ll constituency at the state House of Assembly Mr Jude Umennajiego, over alleged misconduct, unprofessionalism and his violence activities in his town Uga in the recent time.
Chief Umenzekwe, who is an uncle to Umennajiego, dragged him to Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Public Complaints Commission and Labour Party, calling for his sanction and caution.
In a press briefing in his country home in Uga, Umenzekwe accused the lawmaker of harassing, intimidating and using his new position as Assembly member to cause disaffection and crisis in his community.
He alleged that recently Umennajiego and his cohorts attacked him and falsely accused him (Umenzekwe) of jumping through the fence at his age into another compound to steal, saying that he was detained for some days in the police cell over what he knew nothing about but due to his firm stand over family matters.
Umenzekwe also alleged that Umennajiego used vigilance group to cause criminal acts in the community, stressing that a widow, Mrs. Joanah Umenzekwe was attacked when her house was invaded at night by suspected criminals who demolished the erected fence walls.
Some of the petitions already sent and made available to the newsmen by Umenzekwe read in part: “ that activities of Umennajiego is totally against the ethics of legal profession and a total contradiction to the standard/codes expected of a public servant and intervention of the commission is seriously and urgently required to put to a stop the excesses of him as a member of state House of Assembly.
“The character and conducts so far manifested by Barr. Umennajiego are sadly unbecoming of a legal practitioner and public servant in the civil society like ours and such must not be encouraged. He has met all the conditions precedents required for debarring of a legal practitioner from either practicing as a legal practitioner in Nigeria and suspension of a public servant of having grossly violated the codes/ethics required of a public servant in Nigeria.
“Upon his emergence as a member of the State House of Assembly, Umennajiego assumed all mighty and personally recruited some armed criminal/miscreants whom he sent to demolish the properties of one Mrs. Joanah Umenzekwe and Nze Titus Umenzekwe at Awarasi village Uga the petition in that regard is already at the zone 13 police headquarters Ukpo, Anambra State.
“Umennajiego based on his activities, is not fit into the objective of Labour Party. The power-drunk display by Umennajiego has left his victims no option than to cry to the general public. Unless he is officially restrained and his power-drunk tamed, he will remain a bad ambassador of the party” Umenzekwe alleged.
In his reaction, Umennajiego denied all the allegations, saying that it was his antics to drag his name in mud with mischievous, unfounded and misleading accusations.
“Nze Umenzekwe’s eleven brothers demanded for their rights to inheritance, over 100 standard plots. Those traditionally entitled to the property were unable to confront him because they don’t have the financial muscle.
“Instead, he had to engage those who erected fence and when some of his brothers confronted him, he attacked them. When they reported the matter to me, I had to engage the services of vigilante and police, yet he continued the fencing.
“He later accused my father of theft, dragged him to court, but lost. He also dragged two others to court and yet lost.
“I had to bring my brothers to this press briefing as evidence and I challenge you to go and verify my claims by carrying out independent investigation in my community.
“My only problem with him is offering my legal aid. He saw me as a stumbling block against his plans to destroy every member of the family in order to acquire the entire land alone, and nothing more.
“He has written several petitions against me, all which he lost. He felt engaging the media would tarnish my image and political career. But all the petitions are baseless.
“He thinks he is the God that made me and can destroy me. But I tell you, my mandate is not man-made. Only God can destroy me, and he doesn’t want to do that,” Umennajiego stated.
