Orji: My Predecessors Should Know Why Abia is Backward

Governor Theodore Orji

In an interview with reporters, Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, spoke on the ongoing process of rebuilding the state. Olawale Olaleyewas there. Excerpts:

What has it been like rebuilding Abia as you’ve always claimed?

You see, Abia needed to have a foundation. There should be some basic infrastructure on ground to allow government take off properly. But those facilities were not on ground. I’ll give you an instance with the secretariat. There has not been any secretariat in Abia State that can accommodate all the civil servants. The one you saw there was built by the Federal Government. Ministry of Agriculture is on this road. Ministry of Works and Housing is on this road while the Ministry of Lands is on St Finbarr’s Road. So, the ministries are all scattered. We wanted to have a composite building that would take all civil servants because they are the engine room of government and you have to provide for them.

Let me also give you an instance with the International Conference Centre. What we have here is the Michael Okpara Auditorium, which was built more than 20 years ago when we were in Imo State. It can only accommodate 500 people. Now, when you are holding a conference here, you have about 2,000 to 3, 000 people. That place has become very, very inadequate. We said no. The best thing we can do is to have an international conference centre that can take at least 5, 000 people- one that is modern. These are permanent structures that will outlive us; that any other person coming after me will not think of.

You are here. I am happy that you are here. This is the Government House. This is Abia State Government House. I am sure you went to Rivers State’s Government House. You have gone to Akwa Ibom, Imo and Delta States because last time I went to Delta, my colleague in Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan took me to the new Government House in Asaba. But look at our own. This is my sitting room. If you are many now, some of you will be standing. This has been in existence since the creation of Abia State. If you go upstairs, it doesn’t contain my family. I have been doing demolition and adding. But the land is there and this is the state capital. It has never occurred to any of those governments that have been here to build a standard government house for Abia State. I said no, this is the time for me to build a new government house.

Moreover, I am from this town and my people have come severally that if you don’t do this now, it is going to be difficult. So, I decided that I will build a new government house and I am praying that I will be the first person to open it, so that other governors can live here. These are the basic things that a government is supposed to have.

What of the health of the people? I am sure you went to the diagnostics centre. I don’t know if you went to Amachara General Hospital. If you go there, you will see things for yourself; how we are expanding that place to make sure that the people are healthy, including you people because you can come here and fall sick. As journalists, you have to be healthy to be asking me questions. So, Abia people must be healthy in order to enjoy dividends of democracy.

If you look at the road network, we have opened up many areas. As we are doing in Umuahia, we are doing in Aba and other places. As you are going out now, outside the gate, look by your left hand side, you will see compactors, refuse vehicles. We just bought two before Christmas. We paid for them and all of them are going to Aba, to help the ones we have there and keep the place clean all the time. So, in all the areas, we have brought out a template that a house must have a foundation. When the house is not solid, the House will collapse. I want to put on those foundations for the state.

We are building a housing estate, the Ohobo Housing Estate. They are clearing the site now. We located them to a new site. The same thing will happen to the Central Market, the one occupying the centre of Umuahia. We have reached 75 per cent completion in relocating it to Ubani Ibeku. There, we have over 6, 000 stalls against the 3, 000 stalls in this market now. So, once we finish with that, this market will move and in its place, we find something that we will build to befit the town. And just close to the market, the place we had Gariki before, we are building a Shoprite. Shoprite is coming to Abia State. They have cleared the site and it is only this festive period that delayed it. We have completed everything, paid our own counterpart funding to them and it is left for them to come onboard. As we are doing here, we are also doing for Aba and all the other local government areas of the state.

That brings us to the question of funding. How are you funding these projects?

We are in haste. All these projects I am taking on are the ones I can finish before I leave office. Like the Shoprite, it is partnership. I bring my own fund and they bring theirs. Some of the housing estates are partnerships. But the one we realised at Amokwe, I don’t know if you went there, we did that. We were disappointed by our partner there, who absconded and we had to do it ourselves. Out of annoyance, we have started building it. We have finished and people are living there now.

But if you are just rebuilding as claimed, what then has happened over the years in the state in terms of development. Besides, what happened in your first term that everything is now happening fast in your second term?

If you want to know what happened in the past, I think the question is better directed to those people who were here before me. I was not here then. We’ve had two civilian governors before I came. Ogbonnaya Onu was here, the former governor, my friend (Orji Uzor Kalu) was here. You better ask them what they did because anything I say here will be twisted and misinterpreted. But you can now see the difference between this government I am heading and the previous ones.

For my first term, you see this issue of godfatherism is a useless thing. I was constrained as a governor. Things I was supposed to do for my people, I could not do them because there was a godfather somewhere. We are not hiding it. Why we could not do the much we are doing now was because we were in PPA and PPA was a political party owned by one family and they used it to emasculate the government in power.

They were actually dictating what was happening. As a governor, I would like to appoint my commissioners, but they would bring a list for you and tell you to announce. Will you tolerate that as governor? You want to embark on a project and they will tell you no. Perhaps, I do not shine more than any other person. The major constraint I had was being in PPA. That’s the way I want to put it.

Abia used to be famous for kidnapping which has been contained considerably. How did you get around this?

Thank you, but that magic is my secret and like we say, it is security. You don’t discuss it before journalists else, these hoodlums are all around. If I say it and you write it, they will say, Oh, is that it? And they will go and find another means of countering it, bringing back another method, which will make me to start fighting back. So, those secrets are what they are- my weapons. Except maybe, any of my colleagues, who come to me and ask me how I did it. Of course you know it is difficult.

Everybody has his own ego. One or two people have come to me and I said do this or that. You remember we were the first persons in the South-east to ban commercial motorcyclists as a means of transportation. We saw that it was Okada that was used by kidnappers to run into the bush. Yet, it was a means of livelihood for our people, when we have not provided alternatives in tricycles. People said all kinds of things; newspapers wrote all sorts of things against me.

Today, it has paid off because those who were riding Okada are happier today with tricycles and it is safer too. Since we stopped Okada transport, go to Obioma Ward at the Federal Medical Centre, you don’t see people with their legs hanging for months. One doctor congratulated me for making their jobs easier for them. It is going round. Other states are doing that. That one you cannot hide but there are secret ones that we can’t reveal.

What was the period of kidnapping like?

You see, that kidnapping era was my worst period here. In the first instance, I didn’t cause kidnapping. It was unknown to us in this part of Nigeria. In Abia State, what we knew before was things like armed robbery, murder or the like. But kidnapping, we have never experienced before. It came when I became governor and it became a serious challenge for me. You know, kidnapping is a bit sophisticated. It is a technology crime. By the time it came, we hadn’t gotten the technology or wherewithal to handle it and it became a serious challenge. Abia’s own was out of proportion to the extent that they were using Abia as an example and our enemies cashed-in on it.

Those who didn’t want this government to stand and those who said they would make governance uncomfortable for me cashed-in on it and started writing. At that time, if a rat misses in Abia, it was front page news, even in a newspaper owned by an Abia State indigene. If a mosquito misses in Abia, it becomes front page news, just to discredit this government. The thing was blown out of proportion and criticisms were coming from everywhere and as the man in charge, you will feel highly demoralized, especially that time they kidnapped those kids – 15 of them in Aba and the journalists.

For the first time kidnapping went on the CNN. Who went and put it there? How many kidnapping incidences have we seen on CNN? It was just to discredit the government. But then, it brought out the fighting spirit and the indomitable spirit in us. God came and brought ideas. Tactics were coming; methods were coming in numbers and we were using them one after the other. Some were working, others were not. But today, you see our state is a model. Anybody who wants to do any case study on kidnapping comes here to learn from us. It is one of the achievements we have made that has elevated this state and myself to the highest pedestal.

That we are able to forestall kidnapping because another canker worm that is worse than kidnapping, Boko Haram, has come and is facing all of us. I am sure that the situation I was then is what some of my colleagues with Boko Haram are in now. So, the fact that we overcame this kidnap saga is a plus for this state. That’s why I said I can stop all projects to invest all the money I have here on security to make sure that we are safe.

What’s your take on the agitation for council autonomy?

There was a time local governments were given autonomy during Babangida’s time. Did it work?

At the Specialist Hospital were ambulances donated by a senator from the state, could it be part of the new vision to integrate the so-called Abuja politicians into the system? Second, do you buy into the clamour for additional state in the South-east?

Let me start with the issue of ambulance. If it was before, I don’t think either Senator Nkechi Nworgu or Enyinnaya Abaribe, will make that donation because we fought a common battle. It was a battle everybody was involved in. We fought against the type of roguery that was here before. It was a personalized roguery. We were not practicing democracy. I am sure that the Commissioner for Information is here. He is the one who brought that word into our lexicon- mamacracy. That was what we were practicing here: government of one family, by one family and for one family.

So, the people and stakeholders stood away from governance. If I don’t respect you, you will not respect me. So, the stakeholders stood away. No contribution, no collaboration, no advice. When we took over, all those people formed opposition camps, not against me. At least, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu has said it many times. It was against what was behind me. I am telling you honestly. But eventually, we liberated ourselves from that type of bondage. We had a war here and the doors were thrown open for people to contribute and know that they are a part and parcel of Abia; that they own Abia and benefit from what is here.

When that happened, participatory government started and that brought together, every person. We are united here. That’s why a senator can now donate ambulances to Abia North, South and Central. When you go to Okpara Auditorium, you will see 17 of them there, which we are going to give to each local government to complement what we are doing in the health sector. Having said that, for sure, we are desirous of having an additional state before you give us more. We are disadvantaged. We have only five only five while others have six or seven.

What about the viability of the state?

Give us, it will be viable. All the states are viable and if all the states are viable, the ones you create will also be viable.

But some of your colleagues held that some of the states are broke?

No! There is no colleague of mine that will say that his state is broke. You try as much as you can. You cannot have all the resources. It is the capacity to manage all that you have. We will like to have more states. But then, the other part of that question is that will states be created? When you look at all things, from the Constitution to what other states are saying, you have to go and get the consent of all the Houses of Assemblies. That has been the reason civilians cannot create states. No civilian government has created states here. All these states were created by the military.

The way out is for people to go across and lobby and some aspects of the constitution that are constraints can be set aside to allow the states to be created. But if you go by the dictates of the constitution, it will be difficult. The hurdles put by the constitution makes it difficult for states to be created.

Are you thinking of a successor, given your legacy projects?

Right now, what we are thinking of are the projects we are doing. A lot of people are showing interest and you sit quietly and contemplate on those people who are showing interest. At the right time, because you have to study each person- they are not foreigners – they have been living with us. At the appropriate time, you make up your mind. If you are doing a good thing, it will be difficult for somebody to come and avoid a good thing. It is only if you are doing a bad thing that the man will come and say let me do it differently. If you are doing the right thing, the man who will come will fall in line and work towards maintaining the structures because they are in the interest of the people.

Coming from this background, what then comes to your mind when critics dismiss you as non-performing?

When you say my critics, you know the person who is saying it. You know him. When you say my critics, it will seem as if everybody is doing it. It is coming from a certain publisher of a national daily and the people he is sponsoring. I want to place one thing on record. I didn’t know the said Publisher before and he did not know me. I have been a government man all along. Because the government knows I am capable, they were giving me sensitive appointments. And because I had a sensitive assignment, an important position, where he felt I would be of use to him, he started looking for me.

It was the mother who came and opened the corridor before he now surfaced and we became friends. I want it to be on record that I never knew him before; I never went to him before for anything. It was because of my position which the government gave me because of my competence that he felt I would be in a position to assist him and he started looking for me through the mother. It was the mother who came in company of one boy known as Douglas, who is now dead. He used to be their orderly. They came with a ram and we became friends. Because we were friends and he saw sincerity in me, after the election, he first made me Principal Secretary and then made me the Chief of Staff. I remain the only appointee that worked with him for the eight years that he was here.

The others were sacked, today and tomorrow. That I remained the only appointee who was with him for eight years means that I was an asset to that government because if I was useless, they would disengage me. I devoted myself to working. I didn’t look at contracts because the first thing he told me was, don’t look at contracts. There was no day I went to him and said give me this contract so that I can pay my children’s school fees. We never discussed anything about that. I did my job with dedication for the eight years. If I was an asset for the eight years, how come, you now see me as a nuisance? So, it is now that I am a governor that I am no longer an asset. That’s the question I want you people to go back and give me an answer.source :http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/orji-my-predecessors-should-know-why-abia-is-backward/136647/

is dis man 4 real?he used to b part of govt b4 he became d govr.he was fully aware of the challenges involved,if so y did he tak up d jib.

Really dislike this guy.

T.A has said it all,we must acknowledge that and support him as he has taken a bold step to help make Abia a better place for us all

I am not holding brief for Orji Uzor Kalu, but lets the truth be told as I was a witness to his developmental strides in his first tenure.

Orji Kalu was one of the greatest Governor's of his time. If you think otherwise, state your facts and don't include unfounded lies and rumours

Orji Kalu's achievements include the following minus the looting which every former Governor was involved in.

Eight Years free education, cost of books and seats inclusive for all student from primary 1 to S. S. 3 including free evening education for all unlearned market people in Abia State.

95% Completion of Repairs and Construction of all roads in Aba. Mind you we have 11 months continuous rainfall in Aba which contributes to most damage when tons of heavy trailers use the roads that have been dampened with continuous rain.

Invested in Construction of Ohabiam Electronics Market, modernised Aba Shopping Plaza, re developed Ehere new market.

Invested in Sports and Enyimba F.C. won CAF Championship back to back.

Fought and Prevailed for return of 68 Oil wells from Rivers State to Abia State.

Safe Guarded Ngige and Tinubu when PDP tuggs were after their lives. He was the person that stood by Ngige and taught him ABC of Good governance.

Reconcilled Ojukwu and Bianca's Father, then did so for Babangida and Buharia from long time coup enemity.

Build new Abia State Teaching Hospital in Aba. Go to Bende Senatorial District in Abia State and see wonderful roads he constructed.

There are many good thing too numerous to mention as am typing with my phone. Please, it may interest you to know that am from Aba and am no friend of Orji Kalu.

Tell me which governor that was better than him with the meager resources at his hand remember that he paid civil and pubic servant 20% more that his contemporaries from other South East States.
Never allowed killing of any Massob member which Obj with other south east governors were shamefully involved in their States

Ngwakwe: I am not holding brief for Orji Uzor Kalu, but lets the truth be told as I was a witness to his developmental strides in his first tenure.

Orji Kalu was one of the greatest Governor's of his time. If you think otherwise, state your facts and don't include unfounded lies and rumours

Orji Kalu was like Rochas in the beginning. He was even termed "action Governor" by Obasanjo but just like Okorocha he had (vice)presidential ambitions which smeared his 2nd term performance. He also faced battles in his 2nd term from Abuja PDP politicians. I wish I could see Rochas tete a tete to give him this good advice."Don't let your ambitions turn you to another Orji Kalu". He should avoid fighting or probing PDP or other opposition because he'll need money to fight and end up fighting with the State funds with the accompanying destractions. Orji Kalu is a case study.

No mr gov, I still remb u as chief of staff to orji uzor kal. infact pls kalu did a lot for u and courtesy demand u respect dat. But I still don't understand why ur yet to return d glory of d state to d poeple

@ Ngwakwe ,if all these u recounted here is what u called transformation,that means you are having a sickness of backdrop,being a clueless man in nature...u should be ashamed of yourself for branding ORJI UZOR KALU's failure as SUCCESS.....ORJI UZOR KALU messed Abia state up...he was a tug,and he still is a tug......he used "abracadabra and the more you look the less you see" to trick Abia people,he never did anything to influence the citizens of Abia state...OUK is not educated ,he blindly led Abia ,he was the architect of the hard time Abians are facing,but with T.A ORJI Abia has seen a glimmer of the light....T.A has brought in transformation which was never there before..the truth must stand no matter how people like Ngwakwe tries to bear it down....shameless people who are trying to malign the state government with falsity....please good people ,i will advice us to take visit this site and see the development that T.A ORJI has brought to Abia state...these developments were never there before,but now Abia can enjoy many things....visit http://www.panoramio.com/user/7238079?show=all

if its T.A i will say he has been outstanding this second tenure,i am sure he will cover the lost time of last tenure....this tenure,he is productive....karry go

Kudos T.A Orji,we are solidly behind you,now we know u are working,we have seen it...go on with ur good work....u will never walk alone

T.A is in the right direction now,we all are saying ...carrying on...and do not lag not get distracted.......

I have stated just few thing out of thousands of Orji Kalu's developmental strides in his first term.

At least some Streets and Roads still bear Orji Uzor Kalu's name in Aba and other communities in Abia South. Can such be said of T. A. Orji the unfortunate Governor?

State what Unfortunate Governor T. A. Orji Ochedo did in Abia State and neglecting Abia South that lays the golden eggs (a viable industrial and commercial city and Oil producing communities).

I am a supporter of Enyinnaya Abaribe and I know he was trying to kill his political career, yet the truth about Orji Kalu need to be said. He was the best Governor in Nigeria in his first term.

Gov. Orji Uzor Kalu second term was awful but he was able to maintain free education to SS3 which T. A. Orji canceled and told the students that its not sustainable.

obinalihe: @ Ngwakwe ,if all these u recounted here is what u called transformation,that means you are having a sickness of backdrop,being a clueless man in nature...u should be ashamed of yourself for branding ORJI UZOR KALU's failure as SUCCESS.....ORJI UZOR KALU messed Abia state up...he was a tug,and he still is a tug......he used "abracadabra and the more you look the less you see" to trick Abia people,he never did anything to influence the citizens of Abia state...OUK is not educated ,he blindly led Abia ,he was the architect of the hard time Abians are facing,but with T.A ORJI Abia has seen a glimmer of the light....T.A has brought in transformation which was never there before..the truth must stand no matter how people like Ngwakwe tries to bear it down....shameless people who are trying to malign the state government with falsity....please good people ,i will advice us to take visit this site and see the development that T.A ORJI has brought to Abia state...these developments were never there before,but now Abia can enjoy many things....visit http://www.panoramio.com/user/7238079?show=all

dis man no get shame.

Abagworo:

Orji Kalu was like Rochas in the beginning. He was even termed "action Governor" by Obasanjo but just like Okorocha he had (vice)presidential ambitions which smeared his 2nd term performance. He also faced battles in his 2nd term from Abuja PDP politicians. I wish I could see Rochas tete a tete to give him this good advice."Don't let your ambitions turn you to another Orji Kalu". He should avoid fighting or probing PDP or other opposition because he'll need money to fight and end up fighting with the State funds with the accompanying destractions. Orji Kalu is a case study.

my dear,blike say u no dey Abia ? Orji kalu failed second term better pass T.A first and second term in office upon say him enter there free of charge

You see! our able Governor knows the needs of his People, he has said it all so my fellow Abians cry no more for the light has started shining in the state well done Ochendu.

T.A Orji is the man of the ppl

Sigh

patrikobi: T.A Orji is the man of the ppl

my support goes to T.A ,people could say what they like,when OUK was there he did little to turn things around for good,but T.A has brought in many good things,am happy......T.A we know!

@Ngwakwe,u are being bought over by tugs ,and the worse side of it is that u are so cheaply bought over ...u should be ashamed of ur self....so becos of the little tips u get from REAGAN UFOMBA,you took to nairaland ,as an avenue to derogate governor T.A ORJI.....you just fall cropper;we all know who you are,and i must tell you that we are aware of all your evilish works and we are cognizance of the good work og T.A,we the people of Abia state have given him our support....we pray he continue without been distracted .......to avoid being misled,i urge Abians to visit http://www.panoramio.com/user/7238079?show=all..this where u would be presented with all that you need to know about Abia state transformation by ochendo

ocular007: @Ngwakwe,u are being bought over by tugs ,and the worse side of it is that u are so cheaply bought over ...u should be ashamed of ur self....so becos of the little tips u get from REAGAN UFOMBA,you took to nairaland ,as an avenue to derogate governor T.A ORJI.....you just fall cropper;we all know who you are,and i must tell you that we are aware of all your evilish works and we are cognizance of the good work og T.A,we the people of Abia state have given him our support....we pray he continue without been distracted .......to avoid being misled,i urge Abians to visit http://www.panoramio.com/user/7238079?show=all..this where u would be presented with all that you need to know about Abia state transformation by ochendo

do you have a conscience?

if ochendo is not working i will not come here to talk...just see real pics of real time http://naijanewsreelity..com/2013/01/photonews-on-going-road-projects-in.html?spref=fb

The issue with you paid agents (or partly beneficiaries) are that your sense of reasoning and conscience have been sold to the Devil.

Abia South have been starved and raped after laying the golden egg.

Other States are commissioning completed projects and you are here showing me excavator and red mud after six years of pain and suffering by the people of Abia State.

ocular007: if ochendo is not working i will not come here to talk...just see real pics of real time http://naijanewsreelity..com/2013/01/photonews-on-going-road-projects-in.html?spref=fb

All you can show for all his years in offices are a few very completed dirt roads?
come cleared ground for construction that hasn't started? Orji is a barbaric fool and has destroyed his people's hopes to join the progressive wave in Nigeria. You would be best served waiting for the next election to throw him out, not pretended he's working because he has allocated contracts for the construction of dirt roads.

Ikengawo: All you can show for all his years in offices are a few very completed dirt roads?
come cleared ground for construction that hasn't started? Orji is a barbaric fool and has destroyed his people's hopes to join the progressive wave in Nigeria. You would be best served waiting for the next election to throw him out, not pretended he's working because he has allocated contracts for the construction of dirt roads.

Kudos to all the criticisms he was bombarded with on the cyberspace. At least he has just started after 6 years of waste. Abia is already lagging 6 years and Orji doesn't seem like the miracle man that can meet up in 2 years.

T.A has brought a great change in Abia state ,which was not there before,we are proud of the job he is doing in Abia ,they were never before ,anything of such ,we there fore proclaim him the best so far in the history of governance in Abia state,since the inception of democratic governance...ga niru T.A Orji ...we are solidly behind u...

....T.A has brought in transformation which was never there before..the truth must stand no matter how people like Ngwakwe tries to bear it down....shameless people who are trying to malign the state government with falsity....please good people ,i will advice us to visit this site and see the development that T.A ORJI has brought to Abia state...these developments were never there before,but now Abia can enjoy many things....visit http://www.panoramio.com/user/7238079?show=all...this is for those who have the opinion that T.A has got a red mud project to show them he has done great work which u can see thru the site given above