– Says, “I’ve No Intention Of Taking Your Position”
– Accuses Him Of Double Standard
Following the trending accusations made against the Executive Secretary of the Secondary Education Board (SEMB) Dame Tina Azubuike, by the Commissioner for Education, Prof BOT Ikegwuoha, who accused the former of scheming to oust him and take his position, Azubuike who kept quiet all along has decided to respond to some of the allegations in a bid to put the records straight and clear her name.
Dame Azubuike, in a statement she personally signed said, “much as I don’t intend to banter words with the Honorable Commissioner for Education, Prof BOT Ikegwuoha, who is my boss, it has become necessary for me to state my own side of the story for the public to understand the true situation of events”.
“I want to start by saying in very clear terms that I have at no time gone to any person or group of persons no matter how highly or lowly placed to plead or solicit for the removal of the Hon Commissioner from his position as alleged. I challenge him to produce evidence to prove that”.
She also stated that as a career public servant, she has no power to choose who to work with or who will be her boss she must work with whom ever the government that employed her decides to put in office at any point in time. And she has done that over the years, right from when she was a class room teacher.
“On the issue of the orchestrated verification exercise, as a civil servant and precisely a teacher employed by the state government after undergoing all necessary processes including interview, screening among others, I have all the required certificates and other necessary credentials needed for my employment as a teacher. Why then will I under any circumstance be afraid of verification that I have willingly subjected myself to severally in the past to the extent of instigating others to go on strike to avoid verification. It is on record that I have attended five verification exercises without issues. I have verifiable evidence to show for them”.
Continuing,she said,”May I also unequivocally state that the meeting I had with school principals at Government College, Owerri on July 29, 2025 was a routine exercise. As a matter of fact, having meetings with Principals and Directors to relate necessary information before schools vacate for the academic session is not abnormal.
“Besides, one of the issues on the agenda of the meeting was the mail received from the Commissioner for Education Primary/Secondary, Prof Ikegwuoha. There is no better way of ensuring effective dissemination of the message contained therein than convening a meeting.
“If one may ask, when has it become an offence to convene a meeting with Principals and Director to relate necessary information they need to know before schools vacate for the end of session holiday.’
“Besides, one of the items on the agenda of the said meeting was the mail received from the Commissioner for Education other issues discussed at the meeting are contained in the minutes of the meeting that was also posted on the WhatsApp platform that the Commissioner created for the principals which has become an avenue for maligning and ridiculing the Executive Secretary.”
According to the SEMB Executive Secretary, Prof Ikegwuoha is over flogging the issue of ICT examination as if it has become so urgent. She wondered if the commissioner has ulterior motives in that regard. Hence, he erroneously thinks that teachers will go on strike to circumvent it. “But one thing he does not know is that it is the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) that has the power to call for strike action and not SEMB or the Principals”.
“It is also note worthy that I have not since I assumed office demanded or collected a kobo from any principal before affecting his or her transfer. It is also on record that all issues about the transfer of principals in the state were done with the Governor’s directive. Besides, the transfer of principals and teachers are done at intervals of between 3 to 5 years before another one is done. May I also inform the Honourable Commissioner that principals are not transferred during WAEC, NECO and third term examinations. All transfers has ended before the incumbent Commissioner assumed office. Hence, it vis difficult to understand his concern.
“That notwithstanding, I would like the Commissioner to disclose for public consumption the names of those he claimed paid #1.5m and who the said money was paid to. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones because Prof Ikegwuoha knows the pressure he put on me to urge principals in the Municipal Council to contribute money for him. He is angry because I vehemently refused to be part of such unprofessional and unethical conduct that does not align with my principles.
“On the Commissioner’s claim that the State Officer of NECO came to induce him with money, my question remains, is NECO under the Ministry of Education? Is he not aware that his Personal Assistant, (PA) Emeka Egbeke solicited that the principals should come and pay him a courtesy visit. He probably rejected the money they brought because he felt it was not enough but he collected the wine that accompanied it. What of the #3.5m the immediate past Commissioner for Education, Prof John Cliff Nwadike approved for the completion of the fence at the Zonal Board of SEMB which he forcefully collected from me and the money he collected to facilitate the release of the result of BECE which has still not been released till date despite the money he collected for it”.
“May I also at the risk of sounding immodest say that since the governor appointed me as the Executive Secretary of SEMB, I have never disappointed him but have rather performed any duties diligently to the best of my ability. But Prof Ikegwuoha, in his desperation to indict me, invited school Principals in Owerri Municipal Council and asked them how much they paid for the WAEC examination registration that had already been concluded before his appointment. Aside from that, he also asked them how much they gave me individually and collectively. Is this not ridiculous? Well, my response to that attitude which I consider as the height of desperation is that he should go and verify my records in all the places I worked. I am a very hard working and up right person with zero-tolerance for all kinds of shady transactions that will dent my integrity, blemish my reputation and impeccable track record. It is unfair to deliberately give a dog a bad name to hang it”.
Dame Azubuike urged the Commissioner to, as a matter of urgency retrace his steps so that the corruption he has institutionalized in the ministry of education within the last three months he assumed office does not jeopardize and negate the Governor Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodinma’s good works. “It is glaring that the ministry returned to the terrible stage you left it in your last tenure within the last three months that you came back as Commissioner”.
