Nkechi Ikpeazu Abia First Lady denies involvement in demoted headmistress

The wife of the Abia State Governor, Deaconess Nkechi Ikpeazu, has come out with an official statement denouncing stories making the rounds that she caused a headmistress to be demoted for insulting her.

The story had it that the victim, Maryleen Ezichi, who was the head teacher of a primary school at Amaetiti Asaga, Ohafia Local Government Area of the state, had disrespected the First Lady by complaining about the unpaid salaries of primary school teachers which have run into several months.

As a result of the affront, she was allegedly demoted to a classroom teacher and transfered to a school in Ukwa-East Local Government Area, about 140 kilometers from her former school.

However, the First Lady has distanced herself from the report in a press statement signed and released by her Chief Press Secretary, Eze Ajuzie, sating clearly that she could not bring herself to such a low height to do what she was accused of.

Read the statement here:

"I read with some measure of bemusement in a news daily and on some online media that the headmistress of a primary school which the wife of the Governor visited sometime last week was allegedly posted out for asking that teachers salaries be paid.

The Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Mr. Enyinnaya Apollos has come out with a statement that the report carried by that daily was unconfirmed and that government is investigating to find out the veracity of the claims made by the newspaper.

While Mr. Apollos’ response is sufficient, it would be adequate as spokesperson for the wife of the governor for me to go on record to give her perspective on the issue. 

I wish to state clearly and unequivocally that the wife of the Governor is not aware of any posting or otherwise as reported by the paper.

Anyone who is familiar with civil service procedures and the workings of government can clearly understand that the wife of the Governor is not privy to such posting where and if they occur or not.

The service is structured with laid down rules guiding its operations at all levels and wives of governors are not briefed nor their opinion sort in whatever form before such postings are made.

It is uncharitable for any well meaning citizen, corporate or individual, to attempt to drag the name of the wife of the governor into a scenario which at this stage, only exists as a figment of the imagination of the newspaper reporter and his sponsors who of course, are of the ilk of detractors who would never see any good coming from this administration but would flail at every good programme in a futile effort to diminish the immutable profile of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as one of the best performing governors in the country.

This harebrained effort by the opposition is coming only a few days to the scheduled expansion of one of the biggest social safety net programmes of Abia State, that is the free school meal programme.

Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu is the initiator and major promoter of the Abia State Free School Meal Initiative, a public/private sector driven programme which commenced almost a year ago.

The wife of the governor has exerted so much personal goodwill in engaging philanthropists, corporate organizations and government to pool resources together to provide one meal a day to primary school pupils in a phased approach. 

We call on Abians to see the report from the newspaper as diversionary and a shame faced attempt by the dimwitted opposition to diminish the successes of the free school meal progrmme.

Rather than encourage Mrs. Ikpeazu and the collaborators, the visionless opposition, true to type, have set about trying to pool wool over the faces of discerning Abians.

Abians should rise collectively to resist all attempts being made to discredit this programme which is one of the greatest legacies we can bequeath to our children who are the leaders of tomorrow."