afrol News, 26 January - A Nigerian Senator has accused his colleague, Senator Francis Arthur Nzeribe, of "bribery" in an attempt to impose a state of emergency in scandal-ridden Anambra State. Senator Nzeribe allegedly was the "conspirator" behind a naira 500,000 offer to Senators for supporting the motion, which meanwhile has been aborted.

Anambra State in south-eastern Nigeria has been experiencing a political crisis since the allegedly rigged elections in April 2003. In July last year, Governor Chris Ngige even was abducted by state police, allegedly after a conflict with his "godfather", Chief Chris Uba, a local businessman who again is seen as the client of Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo in Anambra State.

Since Governor Ngige's abduction and later reinstatement, the power struggle between him and his foe, Chief Uba, have left Anambra State politically paralysed. Looting of government offices and threats of ethnic strife have caused concern in the federal government in Abuja. While the opposition has called for new elections, Abuja is considering imposing a state of emergency in Anambra State.

Meanwhile, the political affair in Anambra is causing new scandals and power struggles in the Nigerian capital. The motion calling on President Obasanjo to declare a state of emergency in Anambra, presented in the Nigerian Senate, has turned into a debate whether its chief promoter, Senator Nzeribe, has tried to bribe his colleagues into supporting the motion.

Today, even the federal government of Nigeria distributed a press release, informing about the "bribery allegations" in the Senate. Senator Uche Chukwumerije had named Senator Nzeribe as the "conspirator" he referred to in his letter titled "Before Darkness Falls" - copies of which were made available to all Senators.

According to the government release, Senator Chukwumerije had emphasised that he had met some Senators at Senator Nzeribe's private residence, "where they were being enticed to collect bribe to support motion on the state of emergency in Anambra state." He is now urging a Senate investigation into this bribery allegation.

Senator Chukwumerije stated that the integrity of Senator Nzeribe was at stake, pointing out that some members wanted to drag the image of the Senator to the mud. Commenting on the motion in his defence, Senator Chukwumerije stressed that his intention was not to smear the whole Senate or any other Senator but the "conspirator", whom he identified as Senator Nzeribe.

Reacting to this second bribery scandal the current term, the Senate is now reported to make efforts to establish a code of conduct through which the actions and inactions of its members would be assessed. The chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions this weekend disclosed that his committee was now perfecting the code of conduct that would serve the Senate.

The issuing of a statement on the bribery allegations in the Nigerian Senate by the federal government is a unique move, which further diminishes the chances of a possible imposition of a state of emergency in Anambra state. President Obasanjo, who would have been the person to impose the state of emergency, has tried to avoid getting personally involved in the Anambra scandals.

Meanwhile, in Anambra, the main protagonists of the affair are now trying to play down the crisis. Following mediation from colleagues from the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) in neighbour states, Governor Ngige and Chief Uba have now withdrawn all running court cases between them and Mr Ngige has reengaged personnel in support of Chief Uba.

In the April polls, the people of Anambra are widely believed to have given their mandate to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), led by Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu. Mr Ojukwu today expressed his fierce resistance to any possible state of emergency in Anambra, calling it an attempt to "conquer the state by the robbery of the democratic mandate of the people."

According to the opposition leader, Mr "Ngige is not Anambra State governor," given the "massive fraud and daylight robbery which characterised the 2003 general elections." APGA as a political party is still pursuing the matter of who is the rightful Governor of Anambra through the established judicial process and Mr Ojukwu fears that a state of emergency would stop this process and consolidate PDP's grip on power in the state.

The motion calling on President Obasanjo to declare a state of emergency in Anambra has meanwhile been abandoned, at least while the Nigerian Senate is on leave until 10 February.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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