Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji

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Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji
Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji.jpg
11th Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly
In office
June 10, 2019 (2019-06-10) – June 10, 2023 (2023-06-10)
Majority Leader Abia State House of Assembly
In office
June 11, 2015 (2015-06-11) – June 6, 2019 (2019-06-06)
Personal details
Born (1970-12-25) December 25, 1970 (age 51)
Abia State, Nigeria
Political partyPeople's Democratic Party
Spouse(s)

Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji is the 11th and current Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, in office since June 10, 2019. He was elected as the Lawmaker representing Umuahia Central State Constituency in 2015 and got re-elected during the 2019 Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections in Abia State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.[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]

Early life[]

Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji was born on December 25, 1970, to the family of a renowned Civil Servant turned politician, Senator Theodore and Chief Mrs. Odochi Orji of Amaokwe in Ugba village, Ugba Autonomous Community in 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]

Professional career[]

Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji is a Member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (MNSE), the umbrella organization for the Engineering Profession in Nigeria.[5]

Political career[]

Before 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]

Corruption allegations and EFCC investigation[]

In 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.[7][8]

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.[9][10][11] Both were interrogated before being released on bail and told to return for future questioning.[12][13]

Sun Newspapers Public Service Award[]

On 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[14][15][16]

Personal life[]

Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji is a Knight of the Anglican Communion.[17][18]

References[]

  1. ^ "Orji's son emerges Abia Assembly Majority Leader". The Nigerian Voice. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  2. ^ "Abia Assembly: Twelve New Abia Lawmakers Endorse Hon Chinedum Orji for Speakership Position". IGBO WATCH. 2019-05-29. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  3. ^ http://saharareporters.com/2019/06/11/ex-governor-theodore-orji%E2%80%99s-son-emerges-abia-state-house-assembly-speaker-0/
  4. ^ Admin. "Behold Rt Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji IKUKU, The NEW Speaker Of Abia State House OF Assembly". PUO REPORTS. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  5. ^ Admin (June 2019). "Chinedum Orji: Legislating to touch lives/". VANGUARD. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Ex-Gov Orji's son, Chinedum emerges Abia Speaker [See other officers]". 10 June 2019.
  7. ^ Nwezeh, Kingsley. "EFCC Investigates Theodore Orji, Son for Alleged Diversion of N551bn". ThisDay. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  8. ^ Ogune, Matthew (9 February 2020). "Graft: Theodore Orji may toe same path as predecessor". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  9. ^ Sanni, Kunle (19 August 2021). "EFCC arrests ex-governor at airport, detains him, son". Premium Times. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  10. ^ Adepegba, Adelani (19 August 2021). "EFCC arrests ex-Abia gov Orji at Abuja airport". The Punch. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  11. ^ Daniel, Soni (19 August 2021). "Breaking: EFCC arrests ex-Gov Theodore Orji". Vanguard. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  12. ^ "EFCC Releases Former Abia State Governor Theodore Orji". Channels TV. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  13. ^ Sanni, Kunle (19 August 2021). "EFCC releases detained ex-governor on bail". Premium Times. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Abia Speaker, Chinedum Orji, Wins SUN's Public Service Award 2020". This Day. 9 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  15. ^ "Abia Speaker Honoured with The Sun Public Service Award of the Year 2020". . 17 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Igbo youths lauds Abia Speaker on winning Sun Award". The Sun (Nigeria). 16 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  17. ^ Photos: Anglican Bishops Receive Abia Assembly Speaker Chinedum Orji PUO Retrieved July 24, 2019
  18. ^ [1] Jude Chijioke Ndukwe Retrieved July 24, 2019
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