It is highly regrettable that Abia have not moved beyond where the military administrators left it since 1999, it is even shameful that all those that have led Abia from 1999 till date despite their aboriginal status have not deemed it fit to place Abia first before self.

Abia is a state blessed with the best of natural resources and human capital deposits, but as at today it is debatable if the state is ranking higher than any other in real term development across all sectors except in criminal political ingenuity.

I make bold to say that all the Abia political gladiators have not thought of Abia beyond political gains,
No doubt politics is the catalyst to development, but playing politics devoid of economic, infrastructural and human capital developmental mindset in place, is a very dangerous and destructive road to travel.

But I have come to the very sad and unfortunate realization that in today’s Abia, all political gladiators have made politics without developmental mindset a set standard, and it’s being practiced from 1999 till date.

I find it very untrue that a leader elected by the people will mount the saddle of leadership of a state without an inclination of what to do to advance the state beyond where he met it, but we have seen that happen repeatedly in Abia, thereby raising the salient question that we all have silently nursed within our inner beings,

‘’WHAT IS REALLY WRONG WITH ABIA?

Selfishness and greed may not be unconnected with the current sad reality being faced in our state today, while lack of vision and creativity in governance by our leadership has relegated us from the premier league to the monkey post division and we have collectively hired amateur players as captains in major political league matches.

I am yet to see one governor in Abia that has a carefully researched infrastructural and economic developmental master plan as we have in some other states, all we have produced in Abia are political wizzkids with doctorate degrees in electoral fraud but F9 in developmental arithmetic.

Who can we hold accountable for our collective misfortune, is it that Abia has refused to develop or have we intentionally refused to develop Abia?

Why is it that all the political gladiators in our state only come together once in four years only to talk about whose turn it is to govern Abia without talking about developing a framework of a people-centred development strategy? Why is it that nobody has made it a priority to discuss Abia’s political, economic and infrastructural development, but we are always quick and eager to discuss rotational governance and turn by turn leadership?

Why is it that 26 years after creation no government has deemed it worthy to call for Abia economic summit, or talk about Abia beyond political gains?

Why can’t the Alex Otti’s, Uche Ogah’s, T.A Orji’s, Orji Kalu’s, Okonjo Iweala’s, Kalu Idika Kalu’s Aruma Oteh’s, Ike Nwachukwu’s, ihejirika’s, Acho Obioma’s, Okezie Ikpeazu’s, Enyinnaya Abaribe’s, F.N Nwosu’s, Emeka Nwogu’s, Emmanuel Adaelu’s, Benjamin Apugo’s, Onyema Ugochukwu’s, Bernard Enweremadu’s, Max Nduaguibe’s, Colonel Akobundu’s, chikwe Udensi’s, Acho Nwakanma’s, Nyerere Anyims, Ikechi Emenike’s, Empire Kanu’s, Reagan Ufomba’s, Senator Nkechi Nworgu’s, the J.J Ogbulafor’s,Senator Adolph Wabara’s, Sam Ohuabunwa’s the Thomas Aguiyi Ironsi’s etc. come together with each setting aside their selfish political ambitions, their grievances against one another, their political wounds and victories for the sake of our Abia?

I have this certitude that if we can sit in a round table to discuss ABIA, we will not be in court almost three years after elections struggling for who will govern the state, if we can sit together to discuss ABIA, it will erase electoral suspicion and birth political trust, if renowned economists like Dr. Alex Otti, Kalu Idika Kalu, Dr. Okonjo Iweala, will come together and give Abia the economic blue print needed to move Abia to the next level, industrial giants like Dr. Uche Ogah, Elder Emmanuel Adaelu etc. will have the opportunity to sit together and plan on how best to effectively industrialize ABIA, why can’t general Ike Nwachukwu, general Ihejirika, colonel Akobundu etc. put heads together and brainstorm on the best way to tackle insecurity in Abia, will it be out of place to see Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Senator T.A Orji, Senator Enyi Abaribe, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, Senator Emma Nwaka, Senator Adighije, Dr.ACB Agbazuere, Chief Acho Nwakanma, Chief Acho Obioma, Senator Nkechi Nworgu, Senator Adolph Wabara, Chief B.B Apugo and other notable Abia Political high players to come to a round table to altruistically discuss the political standing of Abia as it is today, I am almost certain that the outcome of such a confab will lead to the end of Government of my pocket to my pocket and for my pocket which has become the set standard and major reason why many go into politics with the mindset of do or die.

Until we discuss Abia, we will continue to produce accidental leaders whose loyalty will remain with those they rode on their backs to office rather than the people, until we discuss Abia, our political reasoning will still be trapped in clannish sentimentality, Until we discuss Abia no matter the best of ideas and intentions of whoever that will come to govern Abia will still be met with stiff opposition and frustrated by those that has made Abia treasury their milking pot, the truth remains that the human and material capital domiciled in Abia can never be maximized to the interest of the people until Abia is holistically discussed and the way forward charted towards conscientious development, until we discuss Abia, the masses will keep complaining, while the political elite will be smiling to the bank, until we discuss Abia, nepotism will continue to be the standard while competency and merit will remain withdrawn in Abia political curriculum, if Abia is not discussed, I am indubitably certain that we all will still gather as usual to blame each other over our collective political misfortune after each electioneering period.

For us to get Abia right, Abia must be discussed

Aguoru
Writes from Umuahia