Emeka Ibemere
A
group that operates under the aegis of Abia Concerned Stakeholders Forum (ACSF)
has warned that the politics of 2015 is capable of setting the state on fire if
the political leaders are not called to order to play the game according to the
rules. The group said this in a press release it issued in Lagos after its
emergency meeting on the state of affairs in Abia.
The
release which was signed by the Convener, Mr. Jerome Eke said that it decided
to talk on the 2015 elections coming up in Abia state because the elders and
leaders have kept mum while the future of the state is being played with by the
politicians.
Mr.
Eke said that what former governor Orji Uzor Kalu was accused of doing by
installing a successor in a bid to continue to control the state’s affairs is
again being reenacted by the present administration led by Chief T.A Orji. He
said that while Orji Kalu stopped at foisting a successor on Abians, that
Governor Orji is not only trying to install his stooge but also planning to
make his son, Engr. Chinedu Orji the next Speaker of Abia House of Assembly.
Again,
the group alleged that the plot to make the Governor’s son the next Speaker of
the House is part of their strategy to keep the incoming governor in check,
unlike what happened in T.A Orji and Orji Kalu’s case when the former decided
to part way with his mentor, Kalu.
“This
is part of the grand plan to control Abia beyond 2015 when the incumbent
Governor leaves office. While he (T.A Orji) wants to install his stooge as
governor, his son will go the House to become speaker, while T.A will go to the
senate to represent Abia Central. The speakership of the state Assembly is
coming to Abia Central in 2015 since the governorship is going to Abia South.
They want to entrench the family dynasty”.
“Already
there is tension in Abia now because of the decision of the Governor to zone
the PDP governorship ticket to Abia South senatorial zone, against popular
demand that the race should be thrown open. Also a committee has been
established to handle the PDP primaries in the state and the committee is
headed by the Deputy Chief of Staff who is T.A Orji’s brother.
“Also
the ward executives of the PDP have been dissolved illegally to ensure that
delegates to the primaries will be appointed by the government. They also said
that Option A4 would be used in conducting the PDP primaries which is to
further their agenda.
“We
as a group are worried because of the way they are going about this 2015
election and the orchestrated plot to pocket Abia by installing mediocre in
power.
While
the group said it commended T.A Orji for the leadership he has shown so far, it
pointed out that his 2015 game plan has put him in bad light before Abians.
The
group stressed that the only way the Governor can exonerate himself from the
accusations is to give all the aspirants a level playing field so that Abians
will vote their choice. “The ruling
party in the state which is the PDP is going to break into two factions because
of the plan to stage manage the primaries, and it is sad that the Abia elders
are looking the other way while they share the offices to themselves.
In
another development, a social –cultural cum political organization has berated
the activities of politicians in Abia State and called for the stakeholders in
the state to put to an end the lingering political crisis of the state to rest.
Eastern
Union, EU, in their state of the nation press Release, in Lagos State called
for peace and political reorientation of Abia People in following wrong
political leaders that have no directions. The Group National Coordinator, Hon.
Charles Anike, took the governor of the state to task by asking him to provide
his score card in the last seven years.
The Group’s leader said Aba, the capital of
commerce and trade in the old Eastern States is sinking and nothing is being
done to alleviate the deplorable situation of the Enyimba City. Anike frowned
at the state roads that liked Abia to other neighboring states and said it’s an
eye sore. According to him, Aba has cut
itself off from other south-south states because of bad roads.
Anike
speaking on the South East Governors said they have failed their
responsibilities. Anike took particular reference in Abia Governor, whom he
accused of poor leadership quality and asked him to emulate from the Governor
of Akwa Ibom State, where the Governor
has turned things around and urged the Abia State governor Theodore Orji not to
leave Aba in doldrums but copy from his neighboring governors and stop parading
in the media.
“It
is very unfortunate that South East governors. There is serious lack of
governance in the South East. I happened to be in Abia, particularly Aba, the
commercial nerve centre of the state and what we saw there was too bad to
perceive. I have seen the governor on media flaunting how he has turned Abia
into ‘USA’ but visit the state, there is nothing to show in the last seven
years”, he stated.
“We
saw the same situation when Nnamani Chimaroke, was in the media at the end of
it all, there was nothing to show for all the media reports on Enugu when
Nnamani was there as the governor”.
“The
same thing is happening in Abia now. I think what took place in Imo in 2011
should happen in Abia. A very drastic change took place in Imo; Abia should do
that in 2015 and replace the governor’s candidate by stopping him from winning
the state again. Theodor has not done anything in that state especially on
roads. If you travel to Aba, you will see what I am telling you”.
Irked
by the dwindling industrialization with which Aba is noted of, Anike said the
Governor has left much to be done in the state.
“Go
to Aba and see the rots of road situations there. Aba is highly industrialized
town that if the governor has the vision of fixing the roads, he won’t be
waiting for federal allocations but go there you won’t see any access road.
There is no road linking Aba to its neighboring community, Ikot Ekpene. We went
through bush yet the governor is always in the media talking about his records”,
Anike stated.
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