“Enemy Of Nde Item” – Okoh Tackles Man Who Sued Deputy Speaker Over New University

Chidiebere J. Okoh, a supporter of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has condemned Barr. Emperor Ogbonna over his decision to sue the National Assembly and other defendants over proposed amendments to the establishment law of the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Item, describing the action as a betrayal of the interests of Nde Item.

Okoh questioned the rationale behind the lawsuit, arguing that taking legal action over the university project runs contrary to the aspirations of a community that stands to benefit from the institution. He considers the move particularly troubling given the importance of the university to Item and the wider Bende Federal Constituency.

Ogbonna filed the suit, numbered FHC/UM/CS/176/2026, at the Federal High Court, Umuahia Judicial Division, on October 23, 2026, challenging steps towards amending the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Item (Establishment) Act, 2025.

The defendants include the National Assembly, the Senate, the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, who reportedly sponsored the amendment bill.

The proposed amendment involves an arrangement to exchange the locations of the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences in Item and the Federal College of Education in Bende.

Reacting to the lawsuit, Okoh maintained that the university represents a major development opportunity for Item, making any action capable of frustrating its establishment a matter of serious concern.

He also underscored the role of Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu in facilitating the establishment of the institution, noting that the university was conceived as an opportunity for Item and the wider Bende Federal Constituency.

For Okoh, the decision to challenge the legislative process through litigation raises serious questions about where the interests of the community lie. He believes that rather than actions that could complicate the university project, the priority should be to protect an institution expected to bring lasting benefits to Nde Item.

He consequently faulted Ogbonna’s approach, viewing it as contrary to the collective interest of the people of Item and Bende Constituency in its entirety.