The Kidnapping of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s Mother

By Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye

No matter the very strong views many Nigerians hold about the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, it is difficult not to sympathize with her and her family on the recent kidnapping of her mother, Mrs. Kamene Okonjo, by heartless criminals.  Mrs. Okonjo, 82, a retired sociology professor, is the wife of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku in Aniocha LGA of Delta State. 

Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Her

 Mother, Mrs. Kamene Okonjo 

The five days Mrs. Okonjo spent with her captors must have been one long traumatic period for the members of the family. Now that she has been freed and is back home, I must join several other Nigerians to congratulate the finance minister and her family on the happy end to this horrible nightmare. 

It has been quite difficult to determine how exactly Mrs. Okonjo’s freedom was secured.  The public has merely been treated to a cocktail of speculations even by those who ought to have the facts. Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan thinks that the kidnappers may have been panicked by the sudden, heavy presence of security agents in the area and so decided to release the woman.

Rochas Okorocha Floors Ohakim At The Supreme Court

Emmanuel Uduaghan Wins Too...


The Supreme Court this morning (Friday, March 2, 2012), upheld the election of Owelle Rochas Okorocha of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA ) as Governor of Imo State in the April 26 election.



In the judgment, the apex court cited Section 285 (7) of the constitution, which requires that judgment must be delivered within 60 days. 

 Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha


The Supreme Court also nullified the Appeals Court's judgment and upheld the ruling of the Imo State Governorship Election Tribunal, which had earlier declared Okorocha winner of the election.

In the view of the Supreme Court, despite the fact that the Court of Appeal had delivered its judgment within 60 days as required by law, it failed to provide reasons for its judgment within the stipulated time, and so that renders it invalid. 

The Court of Appeal had delivered its ruling on January 06, 2012, but had waited till January 24, 2012 before providing an explanation for its judgment.

The Supreme Court saw that as an act of infringement on the constitution and therefore nullified the judgment and upheld the ruling given earlier by the Imo state Governorship Election Tribunal.



Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan


Former Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had taken his challenge against the declaration of Okorocha's as winner of the Imo State governorship election to the Supreme Court. But with this morning’s ruling, the matter has been laid to rest. 

Reacting to the judgment this afternoon, a political analyst described the judgment as a “great relief and heart-warming” to the mass of Imo people.  

“It was unimaginable for most Imo indigenes that the great transformation Okorocha is undertaking in Imo State should have been halted, and the old dark days of stagnation and decay reinstalled by a judicial pronouncement,” he said.  

Also Justice Tanko Mohammed who read the judgment on case between Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and his challenger, Great Ogboru,  gave the same reasons for dismissing Ogboru's petition and upholding the election of Uduaghan.