Emeka Offor, a chairman of Enugu DisCo, Sam Amadi, a former chairman of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Anyim Pius Anyim, a former senate president and ex-secretary to the government of the federation (SGF) have suffered backlash from Nigerians over their alleged role in slowing down the actualisation of the Geometric power plant in Aba.
Inaugurated by Kashim Shettima, Nigeria’s vice president on Tuesday, the 188-megawatt geometric power plant in Aba, Abia State, will help accelerate power supply to industrial clusters in the region.
The power plant, regarded as Nigeria’s first integrated electrical facility, is located in the southeastern state’s Osisioma industrial zone.
It is thought that Aba Power Limited Electric, a new electricity distribution business (DisCo), will absorb electricity from the plant and provide it to nine of Abia’s 17 local government areas.
The project, which took nearly two decades to complete, according to reports, would have been completed if not for the alleged actions and inactions of Offor, Amadi and Anyim.
Who is Offor
Offor, born in 1957, is a board chairman of Enugu DisCo and the CEO of Chrome Group, a major player in West Africa’s oil and gas sector.
Reports alleged that Emeka Offor-owned Interstate Electric Company Ltd was a core investor in the Enugu Electricity Distribution licence issued when the Federal Government unbundled the power sector.
Before that time, the Federal Government had issued the licence for an independent power project to cover Aba and its environs to Geometric Power.
However, this sale was, by omission, not disclosed to Interstate Electric Company at the time of issuing it the EEDC licence leading to tussles between the two power giants, that stalled the take-off of the independent power project by Geometric for four years.
Feedback from Nigerians on Offor
Most Nigerians have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express mixed opinions about Offor.
For instance, @Nedumcity_ tweeted, “Dear Nigerians, Ndi Igbo and my southeast people, This Integrated Power Project Aba that we’re all celebrating today, is something that could’ve come on board over 8 years ago but Professor Barth Nnaji and Sir Emeka Offor were locked in court for those years until Buhari settled”.
“Emeka Offor is such a selfish and wicked man and he needs to be challenged for South East to work. Any politician he is supporting no matter who at the state level will never get my support. We need to start calling out our real enemies,” @Jack_ng01 also tweeted.
Another user, @maaziossy, tweeted, “Most of our SE political class are wicked, selfish, and egocentric. Even the devil knows Emeka Offor for who he is, but If @SamAmadi doesn’t give his own side of the story, the allegation against his person holds henceforth”.
@ossaivictor1_ tweeted, “This man called Emeka Offor who happens to be in charge of EEDC is the reason why we don’t have constant light in this country. Man is not even considerate about the hardship of this country; I shouldn’t be poor and still be suffering from heat in the night”.
@Ada_di_ora_mma also said, “If Emeka Offor wants to dominate the power sector in the East, then he should build a power plant. He should stop being the typical lazy black man”.
@ChijiokeIke3 tweeted, “Emeka Offor used the Bureau of Public Enterprises under the influence of Namadi to allocate a section of the Abia Ringfence seeded to GP to his Enugu Company Interstate Electric”.
“There is a reason why Emeka Offor and Ejiofor don’t see eye to eye. Man is the principality and power holding Alaigbo down,” @OnyeOsoafia tweeted.
Another tweet by @von_Bismack said, “Anytime Emeka Offor’s name comes up, it’s about him oppressing a fellow Igbo man. Such an evil human. Tueh! Nothing positive about him.”
Who is Sam Amadi
Reports alleged Sam Amadi of playing a role as ex-Chairman, NERC in the interruption of what is now the most appreciated and well-delivered project in the South East and Nigeria as a whole.
A report partly reads: “Offor who was blocking the project, has Ayim Pius Anyim, secretary to the government, in his pocket, while Sam Amadi, the Chairman of and CEO of NERC, was beholding to Anyim.”
Amadi has a wealth of political experience. He was special adviser, research and strategy to the Senate President (2005-2007); special assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2007-2009); Member of, the Presidential Committee on Rebranding Nigeria (2007-2009); Member, Eminent Policy Group to advise the Yaradua/Jonathan Administration on Nigeria’s listing as a country of interest in the war against terrorism, 2009.
Feedback from Nigerians on Amadi
Most Nigerians have also taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express opinions about Amadi
An X user with the handle @Acegrp01 said “Regular suspects. But Sam Amadi? A big disgrace”
Another user said “I thought Pius Anyim and Sam Amadi were nice people. Now I know how fantastically corrupt they equally are. Such a shame! Alaigbo adighi nma bu uru ndi oshi na achi Ndigbo. Tufiakwa!”.
Another tweet by @pilotnavipost read, “Sam Amadi on Arise TV morning show with Rufai and Ayo, trying to Absorb himself of the part he played in sabotaging the Geometricpower plant in Abia. How the so called wise men work against the development of Nigeria”.
@AyoOyalowo said, “Where is that hypocritical latter-day preacher of good governance @SamAmadi? Oya come and answer your name biko. Meanwhile, it was under the administration of the same Buhari whom they hated with venom, that the problem got fixed”.
“The same Sam wants to disguise under obidients to run for office last year. Same guys causing us to move backwards as a region and nation,” @onyinye_nnenna tweeted.
@IkeGod_ also tweeted, “Dear Mazi @SamAmadi, aside Emeka Offor, Namadi Sambo, Anyim Pius Anyim, et al., your name popped up as one of those who allegedly slowed down the completion of the Geometric Power Plant, Aba, facilitated by @ProfBartNnaji. In the spirit and letters of the fundamental legal principle of audi alteram partem (hearing from all sides), we need your own side of the story. Failure to set the records straight, we shall always come for your jugular henceforth when you come on this super information highway to inundate us with your Holy Mary Nweze sermons”.
Who is Anyim Pius Anyim
Anyim Pius Anyim, born in 1961, in Ishiagu, Ivo local government area of Ebonyi State, is a renowned politician.
He had his early education in his immediate environment in Ishiagu, then proceeded to the Federal School of Arts and Science Aba, for his Higher School Certificate Programme, and then to Imo State University Okigwe, presently Abia State University, Utur.
At the age of 37, he was first elected to the Senate in 1998, running on the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) platform to represent the Ebonyi South Senatorial District. On the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he was elected to the Senate once more in 1999. Anyim, then 39 years old, was unanimously elected President of the 4th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2000.
He had several executive posts in the Directorate for Social Mobilisation before he was elected a senator. He worked for the Directorate for Social Mobilisation (MAMSER) Headquarters in Abuja as a Legal Adviser after serving as the Social Justice Coordinator from 1989 to 1992. In that role, he coordinated the Directorate’s national social justice activity initiatives, represented it in court, and provided advice on a variety of issues impacting its operations.
Senator Anyim headed the National Commission for Refugees’ Protection Department at its Abuja headquarters from 1992 to 1997. There, he obtained extensive expertise overseeing the Commission’s refugee eligibility procedure.
In May 2011, Sen. Anyim was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, by President Goodluck Jonathan. He became the first non-career civil servant to serve as Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Nigeria.
Feedback for Anyim
@inno_organ tweeted, “Thank you Prof Barth Nnaji… Shame shame shame to Anyim Pius Anyim who was a former senator and SGF but couldn’t attract any development to Ebonyi State.
You know great guys by what they did. We are proud of you Prof. Barth Nnaji.
It is a shame shame shame to Anyim Pius Anyim”.
“It’s quite unfortunate to see Pius Anyim name again in that article about initial delays of Abia power plant, after what he did to Akanu Ibiam International Airport runway.
Thanks to Buhari for resolving the mess he and his gangs created in SE. Aloota,” said @EmodiMba.
@Chikodili7517 tweeted, “Pius Anyim Can never have a good record why”?
@Larry_King1 also tweeted, “Pius Anyim shame on you for colliding with Emeka Offor to frustrate Geometrics”.
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