Abia State
know as
"God's Own State"
Population
Approximately 4.3 million
Languages
Although English is the Nigeria Official Language, almost 85% speak and hear English or pidgin English. The Official local language is Igbo which around 95% of the population speak.
Religious Belief
Abia State is dominantly a Christian State; roughly 85% of the people are Christians whereas 10% are traditional believers, although about 2% are Muslims.
Capital
Umuahia
Local Government Areas
Aba North, Aba South, Arochukwu, Bende, Ikwuano, Isiala-Ngwa North, Isiala-Ngwa South, Isuikwuato, Item, Mgboko, Nbawsi, Obehie, Obingwa, Ohafia, Omoba, Osisioma Ngwa, Ugwunagbo, Ukwa East, Ukwa West, Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Umu-Neochi
Contact Office
Abia State Government Liaison Office,
T. Y. Danjuma Street, Asokoro, Abuja, Nigeria
State House
Government House, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.
Chief Theodore Orji
Onye isi ochichi
Ndi-Abia State
Abia: Where Amuta and others get it wrong
By Kelechi Isiagwanam
I HAVE high regard and respect for Chidi Amuta as a renowned journalist with a track record of accomplishments. That is why every Thursday I don't miss reading his column on the back page of Thisday newspapers. Before now, I have been following his write-ups in The Guardian, the defunct Post Express and The Nation. Truly, he is a fearless, well-grounded writer and analyst, especially on topical national issues.
But in his column of Thursday July 1 titled "Abia Tragedy", Amuta failed in putting the records straight as regard the true situation in the state and the Governor Theodore Orji's administration's efforts in confronting challenges in the state.
In the introductory part of the article, Amuta admitted that Abia is faced with the challenges of meltdown and bankruptcy, but failed to explain what brought about these problems, though he agreed that the state has the smallest internally generated revenue profile. If truly Amuta as a son of the soil is really and truly in touch with the reality in the state, he will know that Abia State is highly indebted and after deduction of their allocation from source to service this debt stock, they come home monthly with little or nothing to spare.
Are people like Amuta aware that the present government in the state inherited debt worth N30 billion which the government is still servicing? Why wouldn't Abia have a small IGR profile in a situation where nobody is willing or ready to pay tax, but wants government to do everything for them free.
In Lagos where Amuta is residing, tax payment is civic and compulsory. It did not start with the present administration of Mr. Babatunde Fashola. It started during his predecessor, Bola Tinubu's administration. It was such a solid foundation with availability of enough funds, coupled with prudence that gave Fashola mileage ahead of his colleagues in other states of the federation. There is no magic behind his performance. If you have the finest idea without money, you cannot do much and the idea will be dead.
The issue of tax payment was just recently introduced by the Abia government as a means of upping the revenue profile of the state in the face of global meltdown. Even at that, the people are not helping government at all as most of them are declining to pay. This disposition is common among people in Aba who believe that everything should be free. Is it right for anyone not to pay tax in this country? It is the only way of giving back to government what they have given to you and the Abia case cannot be different.
Immediately the Orji administration took off in 2007, he was confronted with a barrage of problems like kidnapping which started in the Niger Delta region, but had infiltrated into the state because of its closeness to the region and those challenging his election at the tribunal. Has Amuta forgotten that before banks closed shops in Aba, that they first closed shop in Umuahia because of armed robbery and kidnapping? That was before an attempt was made to kill Orji on his way back from the Owerri Airport. He was not daunted by these challenges as he confronted them headlong and nipped them in bud, before the recent wave of kidnappings erupted again in the Ngwa axis of the state.
Thank God that Amuta acknowledged that some traditional rulers are behind the kidnappings in the state, but forget to state that Governor Orji sometime last year dethroned two traditional rulers, Eze Rubuen Nwaorgu of Ihe Iyi autonomous community in Ugwunagbo Council Area and Eze Emmanuel Oforji of Isi-Obehie autonomous community in Ukwa West Council Area for their alleged invovement in kidnapping. Why on earth, if not for greed and sabotage would people of such calibre who are supposed to be the custodian of traditional values engage in such immoral act of kidnapping for any reason?It could only be to make illegal money and discredit the government.
Is Amuta not aware that kidnapping in the state, mostly in the Ngwa axis, is alleged to be sponsored by politicians from the area to discredit Orji ahead of the 2011 elections? If not so, why is it that 90 per cent of kidnapping cases are within Ngwa where Amuta hails from?
As for Aba that Amuta referred to as the commercial nerve of the state, then it is clear to every Dick and Harry that kidnappers within the area had chased out investors and entrepreneurs who made the place tick before now, despite government's unrelenting efforts in arresting the situation. Kidnapping is a national problem just like militancy. It is not about Abia, Anambra, Rivers, Akwa Ibom or any other state. It is all about the insecurity in the country and all hands should on deck to tackle it.
It is a responsibility for all Nigerians to find solution to the problem. A visit to Aba will clearly show that the masterplan of the place was serially violated by people in a bid to acquire landed properties. Houses were built on drainage channels and whenever it rains, everywhere will be blocked. In the face of all these, coupled with government's effort, nobody is ready to allow government to demolish his house for construction of drainage channels. Efforts in this direction by the immediate past and the present administration have been resisted by the people of the area who threatened to make the state ungovernable if their houses were touched for any reason.
For Amuta's information, in case he doesn't go home often, other people come home without being molested. It is to everybody's knowledge that the Ngwa area has become the den of kidnappers in the state in recent times, but efforts are being made by the state and Federal Government to tackle it adequately. For Amuta to say that people don't go home again is mischievious, hyperbolic and calculated to undermine government's efforts in tackling the problem. If Amuta doesn't come home for reason best known to him, many indigenes of the state and visitors come to the state freely without being molested.
On the non-payment of salary of workers as alleged by Amuta, the state just like any other states in the country has a vibrant labour union that cannot keep quiet if they are being owed salary by government for six months. While I may not speak for the government or the workers, I know that from experience, workers would have paralysed activities in the state, if they are being owed salary up to six months. So let no one, not even Amuta fan the ember of discord between the state government and the workers.
Mr. Isiagwanam, a public affairs analyst, writes from Isikwuato, Abia State.
Source: Vanguard, 26th July 2010.
Abia House Commences Impeachment Process On Deputy Gov
Written by By Oliver Ndife, Umuahia
Abia State House of Assembly has commenced impeachment process against the state deputy governor, Comrade Chris Akomas.
The impeachment notice, which was brought up under matter of public importance by the legislator representing Aba central state constituency, Hon. Uzor Azubuike, had 21 legislators out of twenty four assenting to it.
The impeachment notice which was brought as petition by Hon. Azubuike, accused the deputy governor of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office.
The legislators accused the deputy governor, Chris Akomas, of unlawfully converting public funds to his personal use by causing and directing proceeds from official cheques meant for government work to be paid into his private bank account between January 2009, and March 2010.
The notice further accused the deputy governor of wilfully absenting himself from office and duty without any lawful excuse or permission, when he was not on an official leave or vacation.
Another reason for the commencement of the impeachment notice includes, that the deputy governor exhibited a morally decadent behaviour and desecrated his office by his amorous relationship with a staff in his office which led to the physical combat between his wife, Uchechi and the said female staff, thereby bringing the government to ridicule and public odium.
"The deputy governor, after due notice and invitation, failed and refused to attend the official ceremony held in the state executive council chambers, government house, Umuahia in May 2010 for the signing or accent to the Abia State Appropriation law 2010."
The notice also accused the deputy governor of not attending the declaration ceremony where his boss officially received the Igbo leader, Dim Odumegwu Emeka Ojukwu, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and other leaders at Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia.
It was gathered that even legislators from deputy governor's local government area, Obingwa East and West constituencies signed the impeachment notice.
Source: Leadership, 16th July 2010.
Mark To Abia Police Commissioner: You Have Failed
Written by Uchenna Awom, Abuja
What we have now is jungle environment. The orientation of the Police, the training of the Police, there is no reason why a Commissioner of Police should be sitting on his seat if there is kidnapping and armed robbery on daily basis in his state, it means he has failed, it is his primary responsibility and he must be told in very clear terms that he failed to handle the situation."
With these words, President of the Senate, Senator David Mark came short of calling for the sacking of the Abia State police commissioner yesterday and decried the spate of kidnapping that is ravaging the country particularly in the South East, saying that time has come for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on these crimes, the way emergency was declared in the power sector.
"None of us here can go and do his job for him that is what he is paid to do to make sure there is safety, security of lives within his own command, all these excuses are just in my opinion not tenable they are not excuses, there are excuses for failure and if a man failed he should not remain on the seat there for us to be getting excuses from him," Mark added.
This was against the backdrop of the resolution by the Senate at the plenary, to organise a summit of all stakeholders to address the issue of kidnapping and armed robbery in the country. They also demanded that the kidnapped journalists be released immediately and unconditionally, even as they urged the security services to fish out the people behind the kidnapping of the journalists in Abia State.
Senator Mark while summarising the resolution of the Senate also warned that sponsors of kidnappers must be treated the same as the kidnappers, declaring also that kidnapping has done more harm than HIV and malaria.
According to him; "Some people mention the issue of unemployment. Unemployment is not the issue, the people in South East and South South who are engaging in these kidnappings do not have time for unemployment. The highest number of kidnapping cases is in the South East. So until we look at it dispassionately we cannot make headway.
"I also believe that the kidnapping and the armed robbery that is going on in this country is doing more harm to this country than HIV/AID than malaria, because it is taking us to a level where sooner or later, borrowing the words of Senator Maji Lawan; people will begin to fear coming in into Nigeria. It is on the Internet on daily basis and there is no way any investor will come into this country to risk his life when he cannot be guaranteed safety and government has a real responsibility."
Source: Leadership, 15th July 2010.
N29.9bn debt: Abia to drag Kalu before EFCC
By Augustine Avwode
The relationship between Abia State Governor Theodore Orji and his erstwhile political godfather, former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, has broken down irretrievably.
Governor Orji, last week dumped the Progressive People's Alliance (PPA) on whose platform he was elected, for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
The governor might have concluded arrangements to drag Kalu before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the N29.9 billion debt profile of the state.
Governor Orji inherited the debt on assumption of office on May 29, 2007.
Abia State Government sources said although Kalu is currently being prosecuted by the EFCC, the governor might have agreed to the proposal by officials of his government and his highly-placed sympathisers to invite the EFCC to look into the N29.9billion debt.
But Kalu's media spokesman, Emeka Obasi told The Nation last night on the telephone that the ex-governor was innocent and had nothing to do with the debt.
His words: "The debts came from the administration of old Imo State headed by the late Chief Sam Mbakwe. It has nothing to do with Chief Orji Uzor Kalu. It is a Second Republic debt. They are free to do whatever they want," he said.
However, the Abia state source told The Nation: "When the EFCC attempted to probe the debt issue as part of its investigation of the activities of Kalu as Abia State governor, his contention then was that Abia State Government, which owned the money, did not complain. But now that the accusation of Kalu's people against the governor which eventually led him to quit the PPA is that of incompetence in the management of the state's resources, it is time to prove to the world that whatever was coming into the state was being used to service debts accumulated by the previous administrations."
He added: "When Governor Orji came in, the account was in red, nobody has spoken about this huge figure, they have pretended all along as if it did not exist. Anytime from now, the letter of complaint will go to the EFCC, formally authorising the anti-graft agency to investigate the state's account from 1999 to 2007."
The national chairman of PPA, Mr. Larry Esin, slammed Governor Orji for poor performance. In an interview with a newspaper last week he said: "Abia people as far as we are concerned are suffering today. We have a state that earns about N3billion every month apart from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). From the N3billion the state gets per month, it spends about N1.4 billion on its wage bill out of which about 40 per cent are spent on ghost workers. You take N700 million every month for your (the governor's) security and you abandon the people. Is that governance?" he asked.
Meanwhile, the political permutations in the PPA are changing dramatically with the reported move by Kalu to rejoin the Peoples Democratic Party.
Last night, Kalu's aide Obasi merely said nothing official had happened in that regard.
But he insisted that "if politics is about moving the nation forward and building bridges of development, there is nothing wrong if one does things knowing full well that it is all about permanent interests, not permanent friendship."
Source: The Nation, 10th July 2010.
Armed Robbers, Assassins Lay Siege to Aba
Jude Isiguzo
The heightened rate of criminal activities in the city of Aba, the commercial capital of Abia State has started taking its toll on businesses as residents and business men had been fleeing the city in fear.
For weeks, dare-devil armed men held the town by its throat, robbing banks and other business places unchallenged.
The bandits go as far as writing notification letters to banks, informing them of their intention to strike, emphasizing the need for them to prepare for their visit.
For a whole week, banks in Aba refused to open their gates unless their safety was guaranteed by the police and other security agencies. But besides the worrisome cases of armed robbers strikes on financial institutions, is the growing case of kidnappings.
Sons and daughters of Aba can no longer travel to their home town to see their aged parents because of the fear of being kidnapped.
Many residents who relocated their businesses to Lagos State who spoke under condition anonymity said that they took the decision because they are almost losing everything they had. According to them, Aba is no longer business friendly as it has been taken over by criminals.
They told our correspondent that they had to run away from the city.
One of them said: it has not been easy to survive in Aba in the last four or more years. Business has gone down drastically. Even when you have to sell, nobody is ready to buy and when you see people that will buy, it will only take a little while before robbers will come and rob you of your sales.
"No one in Aba and other neighbouring towns sleep with their two eyes closed. People are even attacked in their farmlands. Kidnappers and assassins are having a field day and the police seem helpless in salvaging the situation. The policemen are living in fear of the hoodlums," he noted.
A commercial bus driver in the town who simply identified himself as Eke told our correspondent that even policemen are afraid of armed robbers as they take to their heels anytime the bandits are operating because they (policeman) do not have the arms to withstand them.
Emela Amadi, a businessman in the town who was lucky to escape unhurt in one of the bank robberies in Osisioma area of Aba said that he had never seen things go this bad in his over 15 years of doing business in Aba.
He said: security has never been this bad in Aba and government and police are not doing anything to help the situation. Business has not been this bad, we all live in fear because nobody knows what next to expect. The way armed robbers kill people in bank raids are unimaginable, it is very sad. I was lucky I was not killed the day these hoodlums attacked a bank I went to do some transactions. The robbers spent over one hour in the bank and no policeman came to challenge them. Things are no longer as it were".
A security analyst and veteran crime reporter, Folorunsho Atta who just returned from Aba identified the non-chalant attitude of the state government as the reason behind the increasing crime rate in the city.
Atta said there is no hotel in Aba that is considered safe any more as hoodlums attack without any warning.
In his words, "the state government is not taking the security issue seriously. It is unfortunate that a town like Aba that is known as a hub of commercial activities in the Eastern flank is now being deserted because of violent crimes."
"While people are fleeing Aba in doves because of insecurity, people are daily flooding Lagos because of the kind of security network that has been put in place."
He challenged the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ogbonna Onovo and the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Jonathan Johnson to restore resident's confidence in the police.
Atta noted that the police in Abia State has indeed failed the people and need a drastic face saving measure to restore the glory of the commercial city.
The security analyst also advised the stat governor; Chief Theodore Orji to invest in security to save the state of the enormous embarrassment criminals has caused the city of Aba and Abia State as a whole.
Source: The Nation, 9th July 2010.
Abia is Free at Last!
By Ochereome Nnanna
THE resignation of Governor Theodore Orji from the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) was an event every concerned Abia indigene had eagerly awaited for long.
When on July 9, 2003 Dr Chris Ngige, former Governor of Anambra State was abducted by the police on the orders of the reigning "godfather" of Anambra politics then, Chris Uba, Ngige came out of it and announced that Anambra State was now freed from the clutches of political godfathers.
The same thing has now taken place in Abia State with the parting of ways between Governor Orji and his erstwhile political leader, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu and his mother.
The question we will like to examine here is: Why did it take so long a time to come? Ngige rebelled within six weeks of his being sworn-in. The Governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, severed all ties with his predecessor, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani almost as soon as he was announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the 2007 election.
Breaking free early from the cankerworm greed of their sponsors enabled both men enough time and money to launch aggressively their programmes of development.
With T. A. Orji, the story was a little more complicated. Ngige and Chime belonged to a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that is national in character.
It has no founder, even though under Olusegun Obasanjo's leadership it harboured a number of the President's provincial commission agents (godfathers). T. A. found himself in a political party that belonged to the Orji Kalu family.
When Kalu's political fights with Obasanjo got to the point where he and others were no longer wanted in the PDP he founded the PPA. By then, T. A. was his Chief of Staff. T. A. was the only political appointee of Orji Kalu that served on the same exalted position for all the eight years he reigned. He was so valued that he was given the nod to replace Kalu.
T. A's reluctance to dump Kalu early in the day was understandable. He was in detention when the campaigns were on. His party stood by him, and when he was announced as the victor after the election, Kalu did everything in his power to ensure his swearing in.
In all these, Kalu was not just fighting to preserve T. A.'s mandate, he was also labouring to protect his political empire which, at that period, had two states in its kitty: Abia and Imo states. The second factor that stayed the Governor's hand in the face of mounting greed and impunity from the Kalu family is T. A.'s gentlemanly disposition. T. A. does not carry false airs with him.
But there is a limit to human endurance. As soon as T. A. was sworn-in it became clear to him that he was merely a divisional manager in one of Orji Kalu's businesses. His Chief of Staff, Mascot Kalu, was brought back from America and given the post by his brother.
The first crop of commissioners was nominated by Kalu and his mother, Eunice (alias "Mother Excellency"). Mascot was to administer the Government House, while Mother Excellency took charge of the local councils, whose chairmen and councillors she single-handedly nominated.
Between 1999 and 2007, Orji's hometown, Igbere, was rebuilt with state funds and served as the alternate capital of Abia State. Any weekend when Kalu or his mother was in Igbere, the Governor, Deputy Governor and all commissioners were required to go and pay homage.
One of the public events where Kalu displayed his disregard for his successor was on May 29, 2009 when the Democracy Day celebrations were going on at the Township Stadium, Umuahia.
The former governor, who was a guest of honour, came late to the occasion. He swooped in with a large retinue of young men dressed in dark suits and went directly to the podium to address the gathered crowds, debunking the "rumour" that he and his successor had any problems. When he finished he made direct for his convoy.
While their association lasted, stories often made the rounds about how "Mother Excellency" imperiously stormed the Government House to remind the Governor of the sacrifices she and her son made, especially the huge amount they allegedly spent from their family purse to put him in office.
When Kalu assumed office as governor, he was fond of boasting that he was richer than Abia State. But instructively, it was during his eight-year tenure that he floated a newspaper, an airline, shipping line, an offshore bank, a construction company and other businesses.
He is currently being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly stealing more than N5 billon from the state.
For T. A. to get anything at all done he needed to be more assertive. His growing independence got the Orji Kalu political family worried and they despaired that if he was given the ticket to a second term he might bolt away altogether.
The battle line had been drawn since the Governor's victory at the election appeal tribunal in February 2009.
Right now, T. A. is like an eagle that had lived most its life in a cage. Now that it is out of the cage, what will he do? Embracing the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is a smart move, as Abia State is always the last stand for Igbo parties.
Abia people might not be able to look Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in the face and refuse him any request. The race of next year will be an interesting three-cornered fight between the PDP, PPA and APGA.
It is now up to Abia people to take their destiny in their hands and begin the process of rebuilding after the fall of the Orji Kalu political empire.
Source: Vanguard, 5th July 2010.
APGA 'll Liberate Abia – Umeh
Umuahia—Chief Victor Umeh, the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance
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Umeh said in Umuahia during a ceremony to mark the formal defection of Governor Theodore Orji from Progressive Peoples' Alliance (PPA) to APGA that the state had better things coming.
"We have come to engender unfettered freedom and create an enabling environment for development. We urge the people to take their destinies in their hands," Ume said.
He assured the people that the state would witness positive changes in the days ahead.
Umeh also said the days ahead would be challenging for the party in the state, adding: "APGA is equal to the challenges and we shall not sleep until Orji is returned as governor come 2011."
Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of APGA, said: "With this move to join APGA, the people of the state have been liberated from bondage and we shall give him the necessary support."
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the time had come for the people of the area to liberate themselves from the enemies within and to
support development that would improve the lots of the people of the South East.
The chairman, who formally presented Orji as the governorship candidate of APGA in the 2011 general elections, said the governor would be protected in the party.
Chief Uche Chukwumerije, the senator representing Abia North, urged the people of the South East to embrace APGA, saying "this is the party for the liberation of the people of the area".
Chukwumerije, who recently announced the withdrawal of his membership from PPA, said the revolution which had started in the state would be permanent.
Source: Vanguard, 5th July 2010.
PPA reads riot act to Abia gov
• Gov kicks, says he was not heard out
From AMOS DUNIA, Abuja
Concerns over the state of insecurity and the general collapse of infrastructure in Abia State took a curious twist yesterday when Governor T.A Orji's Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) handed him an ultimatum to either perform or face the party's wrath. The party's National Working Committee in a press conference in Abuja directed the governor to, as a matter of urgent necessity, set in motion all necessary machinery towards addressing the plight of the people of the State particularly with respect to the deteriorating infrastructure and insecurity in the state – with particular reference to the spate of kidnappings there.
Accordingly, the party said that it has accepted and embraced without question, the admonitions of the people of Abia State thus marshaled out a Seven-point action plan for the governor to comply with latest by August 2010.
But in a swift reaction to the development, Gov. Orji said that the party's resolution was ill-informed and portrayed the party as acting out an already prepared script, pointing out that it was preposterous that his own party would reach such grave conclusions on his state without as much as hearing from him.
National Chairman of the PPA Mr. Larry Esin who read the riot act to the Abia State Governor at a press conference in Abuja, said that following the series of complaints and petitions from people of the State, the party resolved to roll out a 7-point action plan for the governor who is standing on the party's platform to comply with in accordance with the mandate given to the PPA by the people.
The action plan, according to Mr. Esin, includes the payment of all outstanding salaries owed Civil servants, rehabilitation and construction of major roads in Aba, as well as the cleaning up of Aba town to rid it of embarrassing refuse.
In what seemed a confirmation of the speculation that all might not be well between the governor and his predecessor in office, the PPA also directed the Abia Governor to endeavour to immediately repair the strained relationship with the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PPA Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, the Deputy Governor and all the chieftains and stakeholders in the State.
It further directed the Governor to approve the payment of all outstanding statutory allowances owed to the Deputy Governor by the end of August as well as ensure that all outstanding contracts that can be completed by December 2010 should be made priority and focus of the administration.
It further directed: "That a committee to include all security agencies should be set up immediately to find sustainable solution to kidnappings in the state. The committee should also be mandated to consult other states in the federation, like Lagos, that have successfully tackled crime in the past. That a PPA unity rally in Abia must take place not later than the end of August 2010".
?The PPA National Chairman explained that the directive was coming on the heels of summons extended to the Orji Kalu, T. A. Orji, Deputy Governor Chris Akomas and Senator Uche Chukwumerije on June 15th as a result of petitions and complaints received from the electorate in Abia State which bordered on a seeming vote of no confidence on the party's government in the state.
According to Mr. Esin; "The PPA believes in its fiduciary responsibility to the electorate and, as such, we have to respond swiftly to the people's call for a change of attitude and priorities in governance of the state. For the PPA to govern well, we cannot shift the blame even where it is apparent that certain lapses can be attributed to the failure of the PDP-led Federal Government to fulfill its responsibility to the Abia people on rehabilitation and construction of numerous Federal roads that pass through Abia."
Esin further stated that the party believes that the governance of its only state and the welfare of its only child (Abia), for which the people stood firmly behind it in 2007 by energizing its struggle against tyranny and injustice, cannot be toyed with. He said it was for this trust in the party that Abians endorsed the party and the party's conviction that public wealth creation and not individual wealth creation, remain the cornerstone of development.
"It is therefore the responsibility of our party the PPA, to intervene and restore hope to the people of Abia who gave us their mandate", Esin stressed
The PPA National Chairman dismissed speculations that Governor Orji is planning to defect to another political party, saying that such a move would not in any way address the problems being faced by the people stressing that; "PPA would prefer that Governor Orji remains in the party to solve the problems
He equally dismissed the allegation that the PPA BOT Chairman was involved in contracts in the Abia State, saying that the former Governor of the state had severally challenged anyone with any proof indicating that he has interest in any of the companies doing business with the state government to so declare but nobody has ever come forward till date.
But maintaining his stance that he was not fairly treated in the matter by the party, the governor, speaking through his spokesman, Mr. Kingsley Emeruwa, said that the party's resolution came even as the one-week deadline given to him to appear before the party had yet to elapse.
Hear him: "The party wrote the governor on June 15 asking him to appear before the National Working Committee between June 22 and 24.
"The governor wrote backing asking to be given two weeks to appear, citing ill-health and the fact that he was just recuperating.
"On June 24th, the party wrote back to acknowledge receipt of the letter. But they said that two weeks was too long and that the governor should appear in one week.
"Curiously, on 26th, they wrote him again to communicate their resolution. And so, the question the governor is now asking is: on what facts did they arrive at the resolution, if they were yet to hear fro him or received any submissions from him?"
Emeruwa also picked holes in some of the resolutions. For instant, he said that some of the issues mentioned were already overtaken by events. According to him, as at the 26th of June when the resolution was communicated to the governor, the state had cleared all arrears of salary and there was no category of civil servant being owed by the state government.
On the issue of kidnapping, the governor's spokesman said that, short of carrying a gun himself and chasing after kidnappers, the governor has done everything to bring the situation under control. "He had provided gadgets, equipment and logistics needed to combat the menace yet the thing persisted".
He continued: "Even the federal government was aware of this and had decided to intervene directly. And we are already seeing the impact of that intervention".
While he said the governor would continue to address the other issues raised by the party, "the law of natural justice demands that the governor, just like every other party to an issue, be heard out and given the opportunity to react, before a decision is made.
Source: Sun, 29th June 2010.
