After months of media war, Ebonyi state Governor, Engr. Dave Umahi, has bowed to pressure to pay the entitlements of former member representing Afikpo North East Constituency in the Ebonyi state House of Assembly (EBHA), Hon. Maria Ude Nwachi.
It could be recalled that the state government and the ex lawmaker exchanged media banters towards the end of last year and beginning of 2020 over the allegation by Maria that she was being owed over N80m of severance package and other allowances, which she said plunged her into “financial depression”.
However, the state government had said, through several media reports, that it was not indebted to the ex lawmaker in any way and that she was only trying to garner attention and pity, especially as she lost her bid to represent Afikpo North/ South Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, under the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN).
Similarly, Maria had accused the state government of frustrating her efforts during her stay in EBHA, through suspensions by her colleagues in the house, even as she accused Umahi of deploying state apparatus in rigging her out during the 2019 general elections.
Nevertheless, in a Facebook post she made Friday, Maria revealed that the state government has paid part of the allowances owed her, including those of her two aides, even as she expressed confidence that the state government would offset the remnant of her allowances in due time and promised to provide palliatives for her Facebook friends.
She said: “Good tidings. The severance package of myself and my two former aides were paid by the Ebonyi state government, yesterday. On the other funds I listed, I have been assured it would be looked into and sorted out without acrimony. My own severance pay will mostly be put to use towards my constituency, who gave me the opportunity to serve them; which gave me the wealth of experience I now have.
“A special thank you to my Governor, Speaker and the Ebonyi state government. I have not done anything for you guys in long time. I plan on doing a BCEL tsunami soon on this wall. We will bring down internet that day. Be patient with me while I completely rejuvenate. I thank my well wishers, who just wanna see me do well and be okay. I appreciate greatly.”
