(Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State. Photo Credit: Punch News)
The Anambra State Government has declared that it has completed an internal investigation into sexual misconduct allegations levelled by human rights lawyer Prof. Chidi Odinkalu against the state governor’s Security Adviser, Ken Emeakayi, concluding that the claims have no basis in fact.
Odinkalu had alleged that Emeakayi was involved in an inappropriate relationship with Mrs. Mmasi Nwangwu, whose husband is a native doctor popularly known as “Akwa Okuko Tiwaraki” is currently detained.
The allegations had stirred significant public debate around the circumstances of the man’s prosecution and conviction.
According to a statement from the governor’s media aide, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, a fact-finding panel set up to look into the matter submitted its findings on May 11, fully clearing Emeakayi of the allegations.
The committee, headed by Anambra’s Attorney-General, Tobechukwu Nweke, and made up of senior lawyers from the Ministry of Justice, gathered testimony from all parties directly involved including Emeakayi himself, Mrs. Nwangwu, and legal counsel representing her husband.
After reviewing everything presented, the panel determined that there was no personal or improper connection between Emeakayi and Mrs. Nwangwu, and that Odinkalu’s claims were unfounded.
The government also noted that Odinkalu was invited multiple times to participate in the inquiry either virtually or in person but declined every invitation.
Odinkalu, however, has firmly rejected the committee’s conclusions, describing the entire process as a poorly executed cover-up. In a social media post, he maintained that his original allegations remain valid and predicted that the government’s attempt to bury the matter would not succeed.
He also raised procedural concerns, stating that the only communication he received from the Attorney-General came through WhatsApp messages on April 29 and May 1, which he said failed to clearly state the panel’s composition, legal mandate, or terms of reference.
He said he found it difficult to take such an inquiry seriously, adding that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria should know better than to conduct official business via a messaging app.
Odinkalu further took issue with the government’s decision to publicly name Emeakayi in the process of clearing him, describing the exercise as a whitewash, and made clear he has no intention of backing down from his position.