Theodore Orji
Theodore Ahamefule Orji CON is a Nigerian Politician who is a former governor of Abia State, in southeast Nigeria, on May 29, 2007, and re-elected on April 26, 2011. He was formerly a career civil servant, and served as the Chief of Staff to Abia Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu. Background. Theodore Ahamefule Orji was born in Amaokwe Ugba, Umuahia – Ibeku in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State in 1950. He attended Santa Crux Secondary School, Olokoro, Holy Ghost College, Owerri and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from the University of Ibadan in  1977. He enlisted for the National Youths Corps Scheme on graduation and was deployed to Sokoto State as a teacher at Government Secondary School, Shinkafi, Isa Local Government Area. On completion of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme in 1978, Orji began working as an Administrative Officer in the old Imo State civil service in December 1979. He subsequently served in various capacities in the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Lands and Survey, Ministry of Agriculture, and Imo State Government House. When Abia State was created in 1991, Orji returned to Umuahia where he served in Government House, Umuahia, Bureau of  Budget and Planning and Ministry of Agriculture. On March 1, 1996, Orji was seconded to the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON), now INEC, Abia State as Administrative Secretary and was later redeployed to Enugu State in 1997 where he supervised the elections that ushered in the democratic government in the state in 1999. Thereafter, he returned to Abia State as Principal Secretary, Government House, Umuahia and Chief of Staff to the Executive Governor. Political career. In December 2006, Orji won the gubernatorial primaries of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) to contest the 2007 governorship elections in Abia State. On  April 14, 2007, he resoundingly defeated his closest rival by over 200,000 votes to emerge Governor of Abia State. He thus made history as being the first Governor in the History of Nigeria to win his election while in detention. He was sworn in on Tuesday, May 29, 2007, as the 3rd Executive Governor of Abia, Gods Own State. He was reelected as Governor on April 26, 2011. Theodore Ahamefule Orji on April 11, 2015, won the Abia Central Senate election to represent the people of Abia Central Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate. Theodore Ahamefule Orji having served his  people for eight years after being elected twice as the Governor of Abia State handed over to Dr Okezie Ikpeazu as the 4th democratically elected Governor of Abia State on May 29, 2015, at Umuahia, the capital of Abia State. Personal life. Chief T.A. Orji has been recognized and conferred with many traditional titles, including Ochendo Ibeku, Utuagbaigwe of Ngwaland, and Ohazurume of Abia South. He is married to Mercy Odochi Orji and they have five children. Corruption allegations and EFCC investigation. In February 2020, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission announced an investigation into Orji and his sons, Chinedu  and Ogbonna based on a petition the commission received in 2017. The petition, filed by the Fight Corruption: Save Nigeria Group, outlined over ₦500 billion in public funds that were allegedly stolen by Orji and his family. The money was supposedly ₦383 billion from federal accounts, ₦55 billion in excess crude revenue, ₦2.3 billion from SURE-P funds, ₦1.8 billion from ecological funds, a ₦10.5 billion First Bank loan, a ₦4 billion Diamond Bank loan, a ₦12 billion Paris Club refund, a ₦2 billion agricultural loan for farmers, and ₦55  billion in Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission funds along with other government money including a ₦500 million monthly security fund. Later in February 2020, Orji was questioned by the EFCC in relation to the investigation; his son and Abia State House of Assembly Speaker Chinedu Orji was also interrogated as the investigation found that Chinedu had around 100 bank accounts that could have been used to hide the stolen money. On August 19, 2021, Orji was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport after he failed to abide by his release conditions. As a part of his  release from EFCC custody in 2020, Orji had to forfeit his passport; however, the commission later returned his passport so Orji could travel to Dubai for medical attention and Orji had refused to give the passport back. Later that day, Chinedu turned himself in and was taken into custody. Both were interrogated before being released on bail and told to return for future questioning.