ACB Agbazuere

Nigerian politician

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

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

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

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

  1. ^ News (11 March 2022). "Prof Agbazuere to deliver paper at University of Liverpool symposium". vanguardngr.com. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  2. ^ a b PM News (19 October 2010). "Traditional Rulers Implicated In Kidnapping". pmnewsnigeria.com.
  3. ^ News (5 November 2019). "Abia governor, Ikpeazu appoints Agbazuere Chief of Staff". vanguardngr.com. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ "Former Abia commissioner defects to APC - Daily Trust". https://dailytrust.com/. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2024. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
  5. ^ "Candidates - Voter - Validating the Office of the Electorate on Representation". orderpaper.ng. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  6. ^ "I'll Recover My Mandate In Court, Imo PDP Reps Candidate, Agbazuere Vows – Independent Newspaper Nigeria". 14 March 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Odumeje: Abia State governor suspend Chief of Staff for spraying money on Odumeje?". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  8. ^ BusinessDay (1 May 2024). "Religious charlatanism in Nigeria and Odumeje's dangerous comic relief". Businessday NG. Retrieved 16 September 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  9. ^ Nasiru, Jemilat (6 December 2020). "EXTRA: Abia gov's chief of staff showers cash on Odumeje". TheCable. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  10. ^ Oyeleke, Sodiq (6 December 2020). "Abia gov suspends CoS Agbazuere after spraying cash on Pastor Odumeje". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Abia Governor Suspends Chief Of Staff Agbazuere After Spraying Cash On Controversial Pastor Odumeje | Sahara Reporters". saharareporters.com. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  12. ^ Abankula (6 December 2020). "Video of shame: Agbazuere, Abia's CoS slammed for spraying money on Prophet Odumeje". pmnewsnigeria.com.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ "Need to Review the Naira Mutilation Law – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  15. ^ Nwankwo, Sunny (25 January 2024). "Police arrest Ikpeazu's chief of staff". thenationonlineng.net.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ News, Leadership (26 January 2024). "Gov't Property Recovery Panel Grants Former Abia Chief Of Staff, Agbazuere, Bail". Retrieved 16 September 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  18. ^ Adeyemi, Segun (2 April 2024). "Cracks in Abia PDP as ex-gov's CoS, commissioners join APC". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  19. ^ Nwankwo, Sunny (2 April 2024). "Ikpeazu's CoS, ex-Commissioners dump PDP for APC". thenationonlineng.net.
  20. ^ Ofurum, Godfrey (4 April 2024). "Defectors to APC in Abia no longer useful, PDP tells APC". Businessday NG. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  21. ^ "Abia Loses Two Prominent Indigenes – Independent Newspaper Nigeria". 7 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  22. ^ Cyril (4 September 2021). "Ikpeazu's CoS loses wife". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 16 September 2024.