ACB Agbazuere
{{Short description|Nigerian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
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.{{Cite web |last=Vanguard |date=11 March 2022 |title=Prof Agbazuere to deliver paper at University of Liverpool symposium |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/03/prof-agbazuere-to-deliver-paper-at-university-of-liverpool-symposium/ |website=vanguardngr.com}}
Career
Agbazuere was appointed Chief of Staff to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in 2019.{{Cite web |last=Vanguard |date=5 November 2019 |title=Abia governor, Ikpeazu appoints Agbazuere Chief of Staff |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/11/abia-governor-ikpeazu-appoints-agbazuere-chief-of-staff |website=vanguardngr}} He was also a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia State.{{Cite web |last=PM News |date=19 October 2010 |title=Traditional Rulers Implicated In Kidnapping |url=https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2010/10/19/traditional-rulers-implicated-in-kidnapping/ |website=pmnewsnigeria.com}}{{Cite web |date=15 February 2018 |title=Former Abia commissioner defects to APC - Daily Trust |url=https://dailytrust.com/former-abia-commissioner-defects-to-apc/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=dailytrust.com/ |language=en-US}}
He was a candidate for the House of Representatives in the 2023 Nigerian National Assembly elections.{{Cite web |title=Candidates - Voter - Validating the Office of the Electorate on Representation |url=https://orderpaper.ng/voter/candidate?id=AGBAZUERE-ANTHONY-CHIDI-BRAINS-1079 |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=orderpaper.ng}} 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. {{Cite web |date=14 March 2023 |title=I'll Recover My Mandate In Court, Imo PDP Reps Candidate, Agbazuere Vows – Independent Newspaper Nigeria |url=https://independent.ng/ill-recover-my-mandate-in-court-imo-pdp-reps-candidate-agbazuere-vows/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |language=en-GB}}
Controversy
Agbazuere drew widespread attention in 2020 after being seen on a widely circulated video, spraying wads of cash on Odumeje, a controversial clergy{{Cite news |title=Odumeje: Abia State governor suspend Chief of Staff for spraying money on Odumeje? |url=https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-55209813 |access-date=16 September 2024 |work=BBC News Pidgin}} often viewed as a fake prophet.{{Cite web |last=Okoye |first=Chiedu Uche |date=1 May 2024 |title=Religious charlatanism in Nigeria and Odumeje's dangerous comic relief |url=https://businessday.ng/opinion/article/religious-charlatanism-in-nigeria-and-odumejes-dangerous-comic-relief/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=Businessday NG |language=en-US}} This stoked a huge uproar nationally{{Cite web |last=Nasiru |first=Jemilat |date=6 December 2020 |title=EXTRA: Abia gov's chief of staff showers cash on Odumeje |url=https://www.thecable.ng/extra-abia-govs-chief-of-staff-showers-cash-on-odumeje-in-his-office/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=TheCable |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Oyeleke |first=Sodiq |date=6 December 2020 |title=Abia gov suspends CoS Agbazuere after spraying cash on Pastor Odumeje |url=https://punchng.com/abia-gov-suspends-cos-agbazuere-after-spraying-cash-on-pastor-odumeje/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Abia Governor Suspends Chief Of Staff Agbazuere After Spraying Cash On Controversial Pastor Odumeje {{!}} Sahara Reporters |url=https://saharareporters.com/2020/12/06/abia-governor-suspends-chief-staff-agbazuere-after-spraying-cash-controversial-pastor |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=saharareporters.com}} with a frontline newspaper slamming the trending video as "a video of shame".{{Cite web |last=Abankula |date=6 December 2020 |title=Video of shame: Agbazuere, Abia's CoS slammed for spraying money on Prophet Odumeje |url=https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2020/12/06/video-of-shame-agbazuere-abias-cos-slammed-for-spraying-money-on-prophet-odumeje/ |website=pmnewsnigeria.com}} Many critics called for his prosecution{{Cite web |last=Princewill |first=Nimi |date=6 December 2020 |title=Ikpeazu's chief of staff invites cameramen for reckless spraying of new notes on Prophet Odumeje |url=https://gazettengr.com/ikpeazus-chief-of-staff-invites-cameramen-for-reckless-spraying-of-new-notes-on-prophet-odumeje/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=Peoples Gazette Nigeria |language=en-US}} as it is a criminal offence to spray Nigerian Naira notes at social functions.{{Cite web |title=Need to Review the Naira Mutilation Law – THISDAYLIVE |url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2024/04/21/need-to-review-the-naira-mutilation-law/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=www.thisdaylive.com}}
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.{{Cite web |last=Nwankwo |first=Sunny |date=25 January 2024 |title=Police arrest Ikpeazu's chief of staff |url=https://thenationonlineng.net/police-arrest-ikpeazus-chief-of-staff/ |website=thenationonlineng.net}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Chibuike |first=Daniel |date=12 January 2024 |title=Abia Judicial Panel orders arrest of Ikpeazu's former Chief of Staff, Deputy |url=https://dailypost.ng/2024/01/12/abia-judicial-panel-orders-arrest-of-ikpeazus-former-chief-of-staff-deputy/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=Daily Post Nigeria |language=en-US}} He was subsequently granted bail{{Cite web |last=Leadership |first= |date=26 January 2024 |title=Gov't Property Recovery Panel Grants Former Abia Chief Of Staff, Agbazuere, Bail |url=https://leadership.ng/govt-property-recovery-panel-grants-former-abia-chief-of-staff-agbazuere-bail/#google_vignette |access-date=16 September 2024 |language=en-US}}
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.{{Cite web |last=Adeyemi |first=Segun |date=2 April 2024 |title=Cracks in Abia PDP as ex-gov's CoS, commissioners join APC |url=https://www.pulse.ng/news/politics/cracks-in-abia-pdp-as-ex-govs-cos-commissioners-join-apc/zkf1qh3 |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=Pulse Nigeria |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Nwankwo |first=Sunny |date=2 April 2024 |title=Ikpeazu's CoS, ex-Commissioners dump PDP for APC |url=https://thenationonlineng.net/ikpeazus-cos-ex-commissioners-dump-pdp-for-apc/ |website=thenationonlineng.net}} This move attracted condemnation from the People's Democratic Party.{{Cite web |last=Ofurum |first=Godfrey |date=4 April 2024 |title=Defectors to APC in Abia no longer useful, PDP tells APC |url=https://businessday.ng/politics/article/defectors-to-apc-in-abia-no-longer-useful-pdp-tells-apc/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=Businessday NG |language=en-US}}
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.{{Cite web |date=7 September 2021 |title=Abia Loses Two Prominent Indigenes – Independent Newspaper Nigeria |url=https://independent.ng/abia-loses-two-prominent-indigenes/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Cyril |date=4 September 2021 |title=Ikpeazu's CoS loses wife |url=https://thesun.ng/ikpeazus-cos-loses-wife/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=The Sun Nigeria |language=en-US}}
References
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Category:Nigerian political people
Category:People from Abia State