ACB Agbazuere
ACB Agbazuere (born Anthony Agbazuere) is a Nigerian politician and former Abia State Chief of Staff and the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia State.[1][2]
Career
[edit]Agbazuere was appointed Chief of Staff to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in 2019.[3] He was also a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia State.[2][4]
He was a candidate for the House of Representatives in the 2023 Nigerian National Assembly elections.[5] He contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to represent the Isiala Ngwa North/South constituency and lost to Ginger Onwusibe of the Labour Party. [6]
Controversy
[edit]Agbazuere drew widespread attention in 2020 after being seen on a widely circulated video, spraying wads of cash on Odumeje, a controversial clergy[7] often viewed as a fake prophet.[8] This stoked a huge uproar nationally[9][10][11] with a frontline newspaper slamming the trending video as "a video of shame".[12] Many critics called for his prosecution[13] as it is a criminal offence to spray Nigerian Naira notes at social functions.[14]
Agbazuere was arrested in January 2024 on the orders of a Judicial Panel of Enquiry in Abia State for failure to honour an invitation to appear before the panel.[15] He expressed shock at the warrant of arrest, explaining that he was away in Abuja whilst the invitation to the panel was dropped at his gate at home.[16] He was subsequently granted bail[17]
Agbazuere left the People's Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in early 2024, leading a host of other loyalists in Abia State in a mass defection.[18][19] This move attracted condemnation from the People's Democratic Party.[20]
Personal life
[edit]Agbazuere was married to late Onyinyechi Agbazuere who died on 4 September 2021 a few days after accompanying him to a new yam festival in Ohuhu, Umuahia, Abia State.[21][22]
References
[edit]- ^ Vanguard (11 March 2022). "Prof Agbazuere to deliver paper at University of Liverpool symposium". vanguardngr.com.
- ^ a b PM News (19 October 2010). "Traditional Rulers Implicated In Kidnapping". pmnewsnigeria.com.
- ^ Vanguard (5 November 2019). "Abia governor, Ikpeazu appoints Agbazuere Chief of Staff". vanguardngr.
- ^ "Former Abia commissioner defects to APC - Daily Trust". dailytrust.com/. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "Candidates - Voter - Validating the Office of the Electorate on Representation". orderpaper.ng. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "I'll Recover My Mandate In Court, Imo PDP Reps Candidate, Agbazuere Vows – Independent Newspaper Nigeria". 14 March 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "Odumeje: Abia State governor suspend Chief of Staff for spraying money on Odumeje?". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ Okoye, Chiedu Uche (1 May 2024). "Religious charlatanism in Nigeria and Odumeje's dangerous comic relief". Businessday NG. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ Nasiru, Jemilat (6 December 2020). "EXTRA: Abia gov's chief of staff showers cash on Odumeje". TheCable. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ Oyeleke, Sodiq (6 December 2020). "Abia gov suspends CoS Agbazuere after spraying cash on Pastor Odumeje". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "Abia Governor Suspends Chief Of Staff Agbazuere After Spraying Cash On Controversial Pastor Odumeje | Sahara Reporters". saharareporters.com. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ Abankula (6 December 2020). "Video of shame: Agbazuere, Abia's CoS slammed for spraying money on Prophet Odumeje". pmnewsnigeria.com.
- ^ Princewill, Nimi (6 December 2020). "Ikpeazu's chief of staff invites cameramen for reckless spraying of new notes on Prophet Odumeje". Peoples Gazette Nigeria. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "Need to Review the Naira Mutilation Law – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ Nwankwo, Sunny (25 January 2024). "Police arrest Ikpeazu's chief of staff". thenationonlineng.net.
- ^ Chibuike, Daniel (12 January 2024). "Abia Judicial Panel orders arrest of Ikpeazu's former Chief of Staff, Deputy". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ Leadership (26 January 2024). "Gov't Property Recovery Panel Grants Former Abia Chief Of Staff, Agbazuere, Bail". Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ Adeyemi, Segun (2 April 2024). "Cracks in Abia PDP as ex-gov's CoS, commissioners join APC". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ Nwankwo, Sunny (2 April 2024). "Ikpeazu's CoS, ex-Commissioners dump PDP for APC". thenationonlineng.net.
- ^ Ofurum, Godfrey (4 April 2024). "Defectors to APC in Abia no longer useful, PDP tells APC". Businessday NG. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "Abia Loses Two Prominent Indigenes – Independent Newspaper Nigeria". 7 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ Cyril (4 September 2021). "Ikpeazu's CoS loses wife". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 16 September 2024.