GENESIS OF THE SPORTS UNIVERSITY, AFUZE: SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT

Favour Ishember, Abuja

Our attention have been drawn to a press release by Dist Sen.Francis Alimikhena that the Afuze Sports University bill which was being sponsored at the Federal House of Representatives by Hon.(Prof) Julius Ihonvbere, is a plagiarized idea that the Distinguished Professor from Owan stole from Sen. Obinna Obla (Senator representing Ebonyi Central District) who is sponsoring a similar bill at the Senate with the only variant being that the Varsity should be at Nkalagu in Ebonyi State instead of Afuze in Edo State.

The release issued to Daily Champion was singed by the President, Afuze-Emai Development Association (AfDA), Prince Friday Stewart Ojealaro Alimikhena’s is said to be reeks of untruths and did not even hide the fact that he is only not supporting a bill to uplift his Constituency but he is expressly and actively making a case for the Varsity to be taken to Ebonyi.

It’s stated that, Professor Ihonvbere is blameless in the accusation of plagiarism as he sponsored his bill in a different and independent legislative chambers.

According to the release, the idea and the bill to site a Federal University of Sports at Afuze was originally nurtured by Emai people through a body styled Emai Assembly. Prof Julius Ihonvbere was not the first recipient of the proposal. This Proposal was developed principally by Prince M.M Ogedengbe of Afuze Emai and sent to Sen. Domingo Obeide and Hon. Pally Iriase (both Representatives of Owan at both Chambers of the National Assembly at the time). Both of them snubbed the proposal.This was before the time of Senators Alimikhena and Obinna Obla at the National Assembly.

The release reads fourth:” Prince M.M Ogedengbe and other Emai and Owan people with Mr Oisamaye Alegbe from Otuo playing a pivotal role, repackaged the proposal and sent it to Senator Alimikhena as soon as he took over from Sen Domingo Obeide. Senator Alimikhena sat over the proposal and did nothing about it. This was how the proposal was sent to Hon.(Prof) Julius Ihonvbere who became the person that bought the idea and developed a bill that got us to the current stage.

“Sen Alimikhena turning around to gift the idea of the Sports University to a complete stranger (Sen Obinna Obla of Ebonyi State) after getting it first from Emai people, is highly suspicious and reinforces the accusation against him that he sold Owan out”

“Emai and Owan people will not be deterred by the political mishiefs of Senator Alimikhena. We have not complained against him for abandoning Owan people in his 2 terms at the Senate but we are now appealing to him to stop dragging the hard-earned name of Prof. Julius Ihonvbere in the mud and to desist from sabotaging Owan people” it stated.