By Austin Ogwuda
IT is worrisome that two great personalities like the former Minister of Education, Chief Kenneth Gbagi and Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme should engage in a show of shame in a matter of such gravity like allegation of fraud and forgery.
For the past one month or thereabout the alleged issue of fraud has turned into comic sort of debate.
Chief Gbagi, reputable for stirring the hornet nest fired the first salvo.
This was at the instance of driving home his election petition before the Tribunal sitting in Asaba, laying the grave allegation against the deputy governor.
Gbagi, a Barrister himself and a one time Chairman of The Legal Aid Council while under Oath insisted under cross examination that Onyeme allegedly committed fraud.
Not done with that, still outside the Court confines, Gbagi went ahead to issue press statements through his media aide, echoing the same allegation repeatedly.
But more confusing was the clean bill of health handed down to the embattled deputy governor by the Vice Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Peters Olufemi on Thursday.
This is the second time personnel from that University are coming to the aid of Onyeme.
VC Olufemi led top management of the institution on courtesy visit to Onyeme at Government House.
Hear what he told newsmen during a chat shortly after the visit.
He emphatically said that the Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, was never involved in any wrongdoing as a Bursar leading to any suspension or dismissal.
His words: “there was never a time when a panel was set up by anybody concerning Sir Monday Onyeme or indeed the bursary department of the university.
“I have been in that university before Onyeme; I am a pioneer Staff of the National Open University of Nigeria and I am quite familiar with all the things that happened there.
“I am just hearing this fictitious allegation for the first time at this meeting that there was such a thing or that there was even such a thought.
“Sir Monday Onyeme, as we know him at the University left with the leave of absence to be the Chairman, Delta States Board of internal Revenue, and at the appropriate time, when he was sure he was not coming back, he requested to be taken off duties.
“These records are there, he was never involved in any malfeasance either in terms of his professional field which is accounting, bursary or in behavioural relationship with anybody.
“He remains one of the great exponents from the National Open University of Nigeria, and indeed, if it was true that there was anything like that, the whole management team of the National Open University of Nigeria, led by myself, the Vice Chancellor, would not come here.
“We came to rejoice with him in order to show appreciation that NOUN produces worthy people, both our students, and our staff members; we have been here since yesterday and we will be going back to Abuja tomorrow.
“We are very glad to have Sir Onyeme as a member of the executive team of Delta State”, said the VC of NOUN.
But on his part, Gbagi had in press statement issued on the 24th of July 2023 signed by his Chief Press Secretary Kenneth Orusi challenged Onyeme to tell the world when, how, why he left the University.
According to the statement Gbagi during cross examinstion at Election Petition Tribunal examined stated that “as a former minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he presided over the Panel that dismissed Onyeme.
“I was a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the 4th Respondent (Onyeme) was my staff at best.
“I was never a staff of the registry, the 4th Respondent (Onyeme) was a staff under me.
“I can tell that for forgery and records that are being kept, I presided over the Panel as the minister of the federal Republic of Nigeria, in his dismissal.
“I constituted the panel. The 4th Respondent appeared before my panel.
“Apart from the dismissal, there is an administrative Enquiry that enquired into his finances and the dismissal, is part of it.
“We terminated his engagement, the reason for him to have abruptly left the University services.
“It would be recall that in Gbagi’s 79 page petition, the Petitioner averred that the “4th Respondent, was dismissed from the employment of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
“The 4th Respondent failed to disclose the fact of his dismissal in his Affidavit Form EC9 deposed to on 29th day of July 2022”, he stated.
In this analysis and in clear mandate of The Town Hall Media to remain unbiased, no matter whose ox is gored the question is which side is speaking the truth?
Yes, you might quickly conclude that since the VC of the University has spoken, the matter is rested.
One may ask if Gbagi, a senior member of the Bar and a man of that standing can chest out while under Oath made such alarming allegations in the open court and still outside the precinct of the court continued to maintain that he stood by his words, why didn’t Onyeme lawyers take him up and bringing up charges against him for falsehood and seek for damages?
Again given the fact that Onyeme is currently enjoying immunity as a deputy governor, the question is if there was a panel that investigated him as Gbagi claimed where is the Report?
Another question is why is it that within one month the university authority has turned Government House Asaba as a Mecca or Pilgrimage center, coming to the defence of their former Bursar.
The question therefore is between Gbagi and Onyeme, who is telling the truth?
