Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji // is a Nigerian politician and former member of parliament who represented Umuahia Central State Constituency. He served as the 11th Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly since June 10, 2019 till June 10, 2023.[1][2] He was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly on the 10th of June, 2019 during the Inauguration of the 7th Abia State House of Assembly.[3]
Chinedum Orji | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 11th Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly | |
| In office June 10, 2019 – June 10, 2023 | |
| Majority Leader Abia State House of Assembly | |
| In office June 11, 2015 – June 6, 2019 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji December 25, 1970 Abia State, Nigeria |
| Political party | People's Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Onyinyechi Orji |
Early life
editChinedum Enyinnaya Orji was born on December 25, 1970, to the family of Senator Theodore Orji and Chief Mrs. Odochi Orji of Amaokwe in Ugba village, Ugba Autonomous Community in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. Chinedum attended Ugba Community Primary School, Umuahia Ibeku between 1976 and 1982, from where he proceeded to Government Secondary School, Owerri, between 1982 and 1987. He gained admission into the Federal University of Technology Owerri where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering in 1996.[4]
Career
editChinedum Enyinnaya Orji is a Member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (MNSE), the umbrella organization for the Engineering Profession in Nigeria.[5]
Political career
editBefore he threw his hat into the ring of politics, Rt Hon Chinedum E. Orji MNSE had carved a niche for himself as a philanthropist extraordinaire who touched the lives of the people through his numerous philanthropic interventions that saw to the execution of projects and donation of items that directly touched the lives of the people through his Direct Touch Initiative which also saw to the empowerment of many Abians particularly the youth and women through skills acquisition for which he has received many awards and commendations.
Having endeared himself to the people, it became easy for him to emerge as the Lawmaker representing Umuahia Central State Constituency at the Abia State House of Assembly at the 2015 general elections and served as Majority Leader of the House till 2019 when he was re-elected into the 7th Assembly. On June 10, 2019, Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji emerged as Speaker of the 7th Abia State House of Assembly making him the number three citizen of the State. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party.[6] Orji ran for Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia State in the February 25, 2023 House of Representatives election but lost to his opponent Obi Aguocha of the Labour Party who polled 48,199 votes to defeat Orji who scored 35,195 votes.[7]
Bills and projects
editIn 2019, Chinedum Orji started the renovation of the Abia State House of Assembly. It was his first project in his second term in office.[8] Orji also facilitated the live streaming of Plenary sessions was commended by several media platforms.[9] During his leadership the Abia State House of Assembly passed the Abia State House of Assembly Service Commission Bill (HAB1 2019) into law. The Abia State House of Assembly Commission Service bill grants the house financial autonomy.[10][11] As speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, he passed over 17 bills which included the Bills on financial autonomy of the Abia State House of Assembly, the Abia State Agency for free home healthcare services and the Abia State security bill.[12] The Abia State Protection Agency Bill 2019 was also passed into law as well as the Abia State Safety Commission Bill, Abia State Donor Agencies Trust Fund Bill, Abia State Violence Against Persons Prohibition Bill 2019, Abia State Marketing and Quality Management Agency Bill 2019 and the Abia State Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre Umuahia Bill 2019.[13][14]
Corruption allegations and EFCC investigation
editIn February 2020, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission announced an investigation into Orji, his father Theodore, and his brother Ogbonna based on a petition the commission received in 2017. The petition, filed by the Fight Corruption: Save Nigeria Group, outlined over ₦500 billion in public funds that were allegedly stolen by the Orji family while Theodore served as Abia State Governor from 2007 to 2015. The money supposedly consisted of ₦383 billion from federal accounts, ₦55 billion in excess crude revenue, ₦2.3 billion from SURE-P funds, ₦1.8 billion from ecological funds, a ₦10.5 billion First Bank loan, a ₦4 billion Diamond Bank loan, a ₦12 billion Paris Club refund, a ₦2 billion agricultural loan for farmers, and ₦55 billion in Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission funds along with other government money including a ₦500 million monthly security fund. Later in February 2020, both Theodore and Chinedu Orji were interrogated as the investigation found that Chinedu had around different suspicious 100 bank accounts that could have been used to hide the stolen money.[15][16]
On August 19, 2021, Theodore was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport after he failed to abide by his release conditions and forfeit his passport to the EFCC. Later that day, Chinedu turned himself in and was taken into custody.[17][18][19] Both were interrogated before being released on bail and told to return for future questioning.[20][21]
Sun Newspapers Public Service Award
editOn the 17th of October, Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji was honoured with The Sun Public Service Award 2020 award, by The Sun Publishing Ltd, publishers of The Daily Sun Newspapers for touching lives[22][23][24]
Personal life
editChinedum Enyinnaya Orji is a Knight of the Anglican Communion.[25][26] Orji has also obtained a fellowship from the Nigerian Society of Engineers where he has been a member since 2014.[27]
References
edit- ^ "Orji's son emerges Abia Assembly Majority Leader". The Nigerian Voice. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
- ^ "Abia Assembly: Twelve New Abia Lawmakers Endorse Hon Chinedum Orji for Speakership Position". IGBO WATCH. 2019-05-29. Archived from the original on 2019-12-23. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
- ^ "Ex-governor Theodore Orji's Son Emerges Abia State House Of Assembly Speaker | Sahara Reporters". saharareporters.com. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
- ^ Admin. "Behold Rt Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji IKUKU, The NEW Speaker Of Abia State House OF Assembly". PUO REPORTS. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ Admin (June 2019). "Chinedum Orji: Legislating to touch lives/". VANGUARD. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ "Ex-Gov Orji's son, Chinedum emerges Abia Speaker [See other officers]". 10 June 2019.
- ^ Nigeria, News Agency of (2023-02-27). "Abia speaker loses Reps seat to Labour candidate". Peoples Gazette. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
- ^ aj. "Abia Speaker, Ikuku Leads Lawmakers on Tour of Ongoing House Renovation Ahead of Resumption (Photos)". igberetvnews.com. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
- ^ Bachi (2022-11-17). "Abia State House of Assembly Plenary for Wednesday, 16th November, 2022 - PUO REPORTS". Retrieved 2023-06-22.
- ^ Emeruwa, Chijindu (2019-07-20). "Abia lawmakers pass bill to set up House of Assembly Service Commission". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
- ^ Rapheal (2020-07-14). "Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji: Abia House Speaker on threshold of history". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
- ^ admin (2020-03-03). "Abia State Security Fund Bill Passes First Reading As House Adjourns Plenary Till 9th March - News Critic". Retrieved 2023-06-22.
- ^ Rapheal (2020-07-14). "Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji: Abia House Speaker on threshold of history". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
- ^ Chibuike, Daniel (2023-05-23). "Don't panic over heavy security at Abia House of Assembly - Speaker urges Abians". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
- ^ Nwezeh, Kingsley. "EFCC Investigates Theodore Orji, Son for Alleged Diversion of N551bn". ThisDay. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ Ogune, Matthew (9 February 2020). "Graft: Theodore Orji may toe same path as predecessor". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ Sanni, Kunle (19 August 2021). "EFCC arrests ex-governor at airport, detains him, son". Premium Times. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ Adepegba, Adelani (19 August 2021). "EFCC arrests ex-Abia gov Orji at Abuja airport". The Punch. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ Daniel, Soni (19 August 2021). "Breaking: EFCC arrests ex-Gov Theodore Orji". Vanguard. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ "EFCC Releases Former Abia State Governor Theodore Orji". Channels TV. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ Sanni, Kunle (19 August 2021). "EFCC releases detained ex-governor on bail". Premium Times. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ "Abia Speaker, Chinedum Orji, Wins SUN's Public Service Award 2020". This Day. 9 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ "Abia Speaker Honoured with The Sun Public Service Award of the Year 2020". PUO REPORTS. 17 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ "Igbo youths lauds Abia Speaker on winning Sun Award". The Sun (Nigeria). 16 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ Photos: Anglican Bishops Receive Abia Assembly Speaker Chinedum Orji PUO Retrieved July 24, 2019
- ^ "Chinedum Orji: Legislating to touch lives". Vanguard.
- ^ "Nigerian Society of Engineers to Confer Abia Speaker, Chinedum Orji, with Fellowship - My Engineers". 2023-01-24. Retrieved 2023-12-02.