fried-rice:
TA Orji won over 90% (about .7 million) of the votes cast in the last election.
This shows the love the the people of Abia have for him.

for U to even think dat T.A Orji won anything election even d 1st one shows dat U dn't knw anything abt wot is happening in Abia state.
For ur info he didn't even win in Ohafia L.G.A where he's 4rm.

To al those sayin dat T.A Orji is working. All I can say is dat "May d type of gud things T.A has done for Aba be d only type of gud things U recieve 4rm people" Are U gonna say AMEN to dat?

kutchs: For ur mind u have said something better isnt? Now let me remind you that the state of the 70s and early 80s aba u referred to was a collaborative effort of both the govt of the day and residents. The govt cant do it alone neida can the residents, thus it behoves on us to try our best to keep our environment clean. Having said that let me tell u that I was born and raised in another stupid town like aba i.e. Obigbo in Rivers so I know aba very well. Finally, wise man my point is, granted the govt is not doing well for aba the residents must, however, work to preserve the little that is left of aba it belongs to them and not TA Orji. Orji will leave in 2015 but aba will remain for them so if they help him to destroy aba tell me who will suffer it.

you have answered the issue yourself.why can't govt of the day collaborate with the citizens to do the meaningful?why is he the governor if basic issues like this cannot be tackled?was he forced to become governor?under normal conditions the local council is supposed to be the arm of government in charge of enviroment but since that level is hopeless the state governmnet cannot afford to let the city that generates the most revenue for the state to the dogs.citizens react positively if they feel government of the day is genuinly interested in uplifting its affairs.

people say owerri is clean and organised but under the administration of achike udenwa the city became a refuse heaven.reason?the government then did not care.in any society where govt of the day does not show enough desire(especially in place where govt has been absent for years like aba)to uplift the enviroment and society things usually detoririates.london,new york all had periods in their histories when major areas why like pig stys.

@ op, in as much as i do not absolve the citizens of being culpable to the rot in the city, but i still lay the blame for the sorry state of the town squarely on the incompetent T.A Orji, that gov is an apology, it appears that you are subtly doing a hatchet job for that wicked man. Is it not the job of the gov to arrest and prosecute defaulters and economic saboteurs? Where is the town planing authority? Why is the refuse containers so dilapidated to the extent that whenever the asepa ppl comes to evacuate refuse, they will end up distributing it across the whole town? Why would a 21st century gov tax citizens specifically to excavate silt from gutter only to live the sand/dirt by the gutter side for rain to wash it back into the gutter? Of the hundreds of bad roads in Aba, how many has he repaired since five years of being in power? Pls that man is a disgrace, he is a tragedy on Abia!

I was in Aba for the first time a few days back, I'm so happy that you pointed out the facts about the city. You rarely see a place as dirty and disorganized as Aba in these modern days.

papaejima1: One of the paid hatchet men of the deluded TA Orji.
So the govt cannot take decisive steps to cleanse aba and alleviate the sufferings of the people?
Go to Port Harcourt and see what Amaechi is doing.
Tell TA Orji that his attempt to pass the blame unto the people has failed and will continue to fail.

A LAZY WORKER ALWAYS QUARREL WITH HIS TOOLS!

dont mind the op, probably the gov bought him a keke napep, that is why he is being economical with the truth!

otokx: @op

the average Nigerian is very dirty and yet they forget that cleanliness is next to godliness; talk from today till tomorrow they simply are clueless when it comes to disposing of waste. Build an enclosure to receive waste and they will be too tired to put it in the enclosure but prefer to block the drainage, the road and everything in between. Another characteristics is to expect Government to come and give them a bath in their own home - very terrible mentality.

Are you alright?

@op i guess u must be coming from the moon for shifting the blame of clear ineptitude on the part of government to the citizens. to start with i was born & raised in the town which to me use to be a one 'Horse Town'and a city that sharpens even the dim wits on how to hustle and make ends meet by themselves with little or no financial help from anyone. In my conversations so far with people i haven't come across any one that places too much blame on the people as u does & try's to exonerate the government from the current infrastructural decay in the city as you did which makes me to think that you might as well be an agent of the government being paid to sanitize the image of the present govt through the social media. Govt has the instrument of coercion which is @their disposal to bend the people against any form of resistance when they wants to carry out their policies whether for good or bad even JOHN LOCK made it clear when he propounded the theory of the state way back. Consequently,the issue of the people building or trading on the drainages does not remove the political will on the part of govt to effect changes through infrastructural dev as the town is sinking into extinction by the day for lack of meaningfull infrastructural upgrades as obtainable elsewhere.

@Abysirius... One year in Aba and you r making all these noise. U no sabi Aba joor.
@op..wheneva I remember Aba I cry wella..I know how that town used to be, I grew up there, how clean and well planned the city was(during the days of colonel Ike Nwosu) but today,Aba is reduce to a town of Retards,gabbage,Level one Junkies,touts,and lawlessness.The way they Reason nowadays makes me choke to death-its like they got stuck behind time. The Op mentiond Osusu Rd,I once lived by Ukaku Str, Last time I checked the road done divide like the red sea,No single road,people don't care anymore abt driving their cars,trash littered all over the road/streets, the OP forgot Ohanku rd and UMUODE, I call these two places a lost cause thanks to the two OrJIS(former and present governors) then u need to see. how people living on these places think, and did I say junkies holing up at BAKAssi/Shoe plaza,DAMN!!(Jst come there 4-5am in the morning and see for yoursef).iF T.A ORJI will jst listen to my recommendations and implement it on ABA(8months Aba go change.)...sometimes I fill like writing to the iranians or NorthKoreans to send a Nuke to Aba, So we can have a fresh start. LoL

@Op has a point. Here are some pics I took of Ariara market - you can see the impact of people's attitude.

See grass on top of roof




na wa for wayas




potholes or not, buses dey operate




I no fit talk



make una see de boutique wey Eze Onlytruth take diaspora money go build for Ariara, at least him dey give back. after i snatch de picture, Onlytruth begin yap say: gini ka o g’eji photo eme




I'm hopeful things will change for the better soon - at least there is oil in the area now.

While I think the OP raised some salient issues about Aba, I think this is just part of Theodoore Orji's way o absolving himself from blame and putting it on Aba people that have not selt development for ages due to the neglect of this present administration.

Btw, is the government not supposed to enforce a certain behavior on it's citizens? Will a government in Africa just fold it's hands and hope that the citizenry will behave in an orderly manner when people in this part of the world are known to disobey the law even when there is strict enforcement like it is in Lagos. The governor should keep passing the blame from his political opponents to his commisioners and now to Aba residents, but at the end of his tenure EFCC will pass the blame to him and ask him what he has done with Abia treasury and how he has empowered Ndi Abia apart from ther thousands of jobs he gives to Abia youths on the pages of newspaper

Yet there is hope.

Aba is a sad area! I once had a contract their (in 2008). I stayed at alaoji because we were working on the distribution plant there. I can authoritatively tell you that aba people are hard working and enterprising; they are cursed with a bad government and unwanton greed of public office holders.
Back to the story; I was in alaoji for 2 weeks; while I was there, we were robbed. Though I wasn't around, my partner got a broken head. The people of aba neeed to wake up and fight their evil government.

lawless is a sign govt failure. gaskya

To an extent, I must commend the painstaking analysis of Aba metropolis done by Ops as it has been evidenced that the populace compliment Govt's efforts by adhering to outlined traffic Laws, prompt payment of Tax and levies that assist Govt in delivering the dividends of democracy to the electorates, etc; however, the present administration of Abia State being led by T.A Orji is a total disgrace to governance. An administration that does not consider legacy or footprint that it will be remembered of at its expiration, no capital project can ever be traced to the Abia State Govt rather mediocrity is the order of the day while sycophants made up of retired politicians with no track records, sing unnecessary praises to a failed governor. It will only take the grace of God for Aba to be sanitized, redeemed or reclaim its lost glory

I was in aba for almost 3 months around 2009 and i was ashamed to call ABA part of Nigeria.The Governor is so daft i wonder how he got there in the first place,and yet the people did nothing to remove him in 2011.
How do u explain that flood rain will remain on the road for almost 3 days,and yet the OP is blaming the people for the mess in ABA.I am really sorry for the people in that area and cos when there is no govt then people resort to self help,and that means throw your trash where u find space.
But do u also know that ABA has so much potential cos of the massive economic and trade that occurs there,the govt in lagos makes so much from the people and atleast somethng is being pulled back.But in ABA,u go fear fear oh

sonya4all: Well all the blame shouldnt be on the government.... Like the writer said the aba residents can be blamed partly as well as govt who collects 1200 asepa fee..With little or nothing to show for the services such money was collected...Also im somehow surprised that the op..Said he recently visited aba...And its amazing how he knows almost all the spots at aba and their names respectively.... Could it be he is an independ journalist or part of the people gov t.A orji hired to praise him in niraland.... I could be wrong....Prove it.

my dear you are right, read the previous posts of Op you will know he has mortgaged his soul to T.A ORJI to defend his atrocities on nairaland platform. T.A Orji is worst governor in the history of Nigeria.can patrikobi state wit a picture proof, just one road that is motorable in Aba.the governor has done nothing in Aba in 5 years.and that is why he can't come to aba xcept if is guarded by a batallion of soldiers.

callydon: @OP. Its very clear dat U are a Stooge of Gov T.A Orji,and assuming al U said is true abt d named areas. Then wots causing d flooding in Abayi(around Ejinaka) n also wots d cause of d flood in Ogbor Hill weneva it rains a little?
AGAIN,all these roads U r mentioning where built by Orji Uzor Kalu,d Roads built by Kalu include but not limited to:Cemetery Rd,Erondu Rd,Ngwa Rd,Eziukwu Rd,etc Am nt sayin dat Kalu is a saint but he's Definitely better than d present Gov. Am BORN n brought Up in Aba n I CHALLENGE anyone 2name jst ONE road built by T.A Orji dat is stil gud til now. T.A Orji has done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in Aba,he only goes abt sacking non-indigens in d sack n goes abt collecting multiple taxes.Imagine! After sayin 4Sanitation levy,u'll stil pay 4clean up levy then there is d building levy(a levy on d house U use ur own money build kwa!) infact T.A Orji,is a rogue and anyone who says he's doing gud,all I can SAY is dat "May wot is happening in Aba happen in his/her family"...
I Rest My Case.

My dear thanks for your post. Obviously Patrikobi, the op think that there are no Aba resident on NL.
I will pay sanitation fee and I will still do all the sanitation work myself, only for T.A Orji and his goons to share the money and think up other ways to make residents pay for infrastructural fee, Building fitness fee and other useless fees that ranges from 6,000 to 20,000.

If anyone know Immaculate road and Nweke road before orji Uzor kalu came in, then they must know that the op is just a useless T.A. Apologist. Then (pre Kalu's tenure) immaculate during rainy season was a no go area, but Kalu carried a massive and lasting construction on that road, with drainages. And that road is still motorable even till today, and it was in Kalu's first tenure (before mamacracy), he did likewise to Nweke.

The op stated that T.A did some of the roads recently, please he should enlighten us where and where T.A did recently. So he wants Ahia Umungasi to be demolished just like Stock fish market at Ossissioma was demolished and T.A was STUPIDLY copying fashola who put up a garden at Oshodi. I laugh in swahilli.

If Patrikobi, the Op, want his boss to be praised by Aba indigens (I doubt if that will happen in this lifetime) he should go to the man he "seriously look up to" Fashola and humbly take some lesson from him. The op should also tell him, that if he likes he and his son can buy up the whole of Umuahia, nay Abia state, but he will not stay after 2015 to enjoy those properties. (He should know better, at least he is aware what happened to Duru)

T.A. Orji has failed Abia. Before 2011 election, the reason he gave was that he spent his first tenure fighting his former boss, Now who is T.A fighting? Abegi make op and all other T.A apologist that will want to come here and advertise incompetence comot for road make we see better governors.

Akpokwa Governors, T.A ezuezuru puta...

I am presently in Aba lodging in Enitona Hotel, Margaret Avenue, GRA. The best area in Aba. I Could not believe what I saw during a visit to a friend in Ngwa Road to Agu Road. If not for the immunity clause in our constitution, Governor of Abia state suppose to be arrested and jailed for the worst Governor in the history of Nigeria. I could not imagine that, there is a government in place in Abia State. The Major roads in Aba are as bad as village roads. I was opportuned to be in Calabar, Abak, Eket, Ikot-Ekpene, I asked from the Abians if their Governor ever visits Akwa Ibom, CrossRivers and Rivers states to assess himself.

To those of you blaming aba people let me tell you what you don't know. Aba residents are the most law abiding in the case that if a good road is built now and there is a law that anyone that throws any dirty inside the gutter will be penalised, the government don't need to bother implementing it just make the law the residents will implement it cause if there is such law and there are alternative measure brought out to evacuate wastages and aba people sees you pouring dirtys inside a gutter man you are on a long tin, they won't call police for you but will handle ur case right there.

The problem of aba is BAD GOVERNMENT, when orji uzor kalu was the governor it wasn't bad like this as it is now no matter that he helped to add to abia state problem.

Aba is damaged to the last, sometimes when I visit there I always wonder if T.A Orji is really a human being or some dead recarnetted being without a soul, if not for business I don't think I would have had anything to do in that place since I left it but am a coded nwa aba all de way from faulks road, aba owerri rd, immaculate street, ngwa road, ogbor hill, azikiwe road and de almight st Michaels where every every happens. Choi I have remembered when Aba was Aba. *sobs*

T.A Orji may it never be well with you and all your fellow thiefs. Am not against you stealing but am against stealing too much, fashola is stealing and is also working and u see people ignoring his stealing path, rochas is stealing and is also working, all the working governors are stealing but they are working but T.A orji is stealing without mercy. I pray he doesn't complete this his tenure cause if does in this remaining 3 yrs aba will be empty and a wasteland.

I pray the next governor of abia state be hard on him *General Ihejirika* but I don't know if he will be better than T.A Orji though I pray so *who told me to expose this man now*(just thinking aloud)

abysirius: For complete 1 year I stayed in Aba and I doubt if Aba is as terrible as u're painting it. Most especially all these areas that u mentioned. Fine, Aba has a drainage problem. But if u've been to a place like Onitsha then u will understnd that Aba is better. For your info, I stay @ Omenazu (corpers lodge). Umunghazi, Ariaria and even 'aiorun' permit my spellings, are our catchment areas where we (family house) do our monthly shopping. Aba to me isn't bad. Let me ask u: have u visited Ajegunle b4? Boundary, Alakoto, and all those places them. What will u say about those areas? Aba is okay joor. Abi na where all these lawless pple no dey sef? Na for Osusu town hallan very close to BTC I do inec reg as Aro1. So I know aba wella. Aba, I love Aba.

. Why can't you pack your bag nd go back to ur so calld aba?? Ariare market my foot! I do not think you ve been to this market during raining season, heap of dust bin in the midle of the road, porthole that can accomodate whole Nape. Have you ever been to PH road expecially fly over side or market near cementary road you want to talk about or Asa road mehn was an I saw.....see I can go on nd on,...... except they had been reabilitated during your own service...... I did not find it funny spending my one year there

I totally disagree wit d OP on dis topic. Though Aba residents may not be doing too well on this, it's d govt dat made dem so. Tell me one gud project dat T.A Orji's govt has done in Aba? The road that Orji Uzor Kalu tarred in Umule is dere to speak for itself. The Orji Uzor Kalu World Bank housing estate is also dere. So tell me d one T.A did. Imagine a governor dat fixed iron wrought pedestrian bridge @ Abia Poly is wz broadcasting dat he built a fly over. Imagine Asepa pasting a bill of #15,000 on my gate wen I tek d responsibility of disposing my own waste(of course @ illegal sites). I've neva seen any asepa vehicle near my haus before but dey knw d address to cum and paste dere bill. Orji Uzor Kalu built d Teaching hosp but T.A cant pay d doctors dere. It's very sad to note dat d doctors hav not been paid since April. That's y ppl dont wnt to do residency program and haus jobs in Absuth again. I went to visit a friend in Ukegbu in Ogbor hill ystday. I neva knew there wz anoda water side apart frm d popular one I knw because even while I wz inside d keke, dirty water entered my pants. This is jst to mention but a few. Aba ppl re ready to cooperate if they'll only see a govt dat is ready to work

I wish i gat d chance to drive u around to the place dat is more deadly n disastrous u didnt cover up, infact people nd d govt r nt helpn matter in aba atall, aba is naw the worst dirty city in nigeria..,T.A ORJI is a big criminal

ndu_chucks: @Op has a point. Here are some pics I took of Ariara market - you can see the impact of people's attitude.

See grass on top of roof




na wa for wayas




potholes or not, buses dey operate




I no fit talk



make una see de boutique wey Eze Onlytruth take diaspora money go build for Ariara, at least him dey give back. after i snatch de picture, Onlytruth begin yap say: gini ka o g’eji photo eme




I'm hopeful things will change for the better soon - at least there is oil in the area now.

Guy u get luck say i no catch you taking those pics. i for deal with u because of ur signature

Poster, From the reaction here, you can judge who is actually the oppressor & the oppressed in Aba. I need not tell you 98% of the people are aware the T.A Orji and his 'gang' called govenment are the ones holding Aba people to ransome. No one elected him. He used the military to get himslef in office. Need I tell you he lacks anything an average leader has. Daft, Ignorant, worn out, wicked,uninformed.... You have not forgotten his old Godfather got him out of Kirikiri to goverment house. He is certainly returning there in 2015. The voice of the people is the voice of God. Then Aba and Abia people may be liberated if they are allowed to vote their own leadership. Poster goverment is the liability Abia state has and not the people.

ndu_chucks: @Op has a point. Here are some pics I took of Ariara market - you can see the impact of people's attitude.

See grass on top of roof




na wa for wayas




potholes or not, buses dey operate




I no fit talk



make una see de boutique wey Eze Onlytruth take diaspora money go build for Ariara, at least him dey give back. after i snatch de picture, Onlytruth begin yap say: gini ka o g’eji photo eme




I'm hopeful things will change for the better soon - at least there is oil in the area now.

@ndu_chucks. Guy talk true when you took those pictures, is like 4 or 5 yrs ago cause i recognize the 2nd or 3rd pics very well

Aba started deteriorating right from the time of orjiuzo kalu, untill the present useless gvt came. Most of their roads, streets, markets are just in mess with the present looking governor exploiting the residence. The health implication of all those dirty environments is something to worry about

gboss4sure:

@ndu_chucks. Guy talk true when you took those pictures, is like 4 or 5 yrs ago cause i recognize the 2nd or 3rd pics very well

Those pics are a couple of years old, but I'm afraid Ariara is in worse shape today. Frankly the Gov deserves more blame than Aba residents

If only the Ngwa traditional rulers of Aba North, Aba South, Osisioma and Ugwunagbo LGAs which together makeup Aba will be less greedy, selfish and wicked. YES, T.A Orji won by over 80% and, if possible, will win again because Aba indigenes cannot afford to allow an Ngwa to mount the governor sit of Abia state. Power in the hands of an Ngwa means DOOM to all and sundry within Aba as everyone will be forced to pay even for the air we breath. Paul Ikonne, an Ngwa man, whilst the commissioner of works could not even tar his father's pot-hole ridden front. All he could come up with was numerous levies and land renewal payments against non-Ngwa land owners. The Ngwa traditional rulers have sold Aba for a common JEEP/SUV. They're the ones singing the praise of T.A Orji all over BCA. These gluttons (ngwa rulers) are the real people holding Aba hostage. They should unite, putting materialism aside, and fight against government negligence of Aba.
TO AN ABIAN: It's beta 4 T.A to b govnor 4 eternity dan havn an Ngwa dia

I have never been to Aba before. Looking at those pictures, i don't think i would be going there anytime in the future. Enugu, the coal-city is it for me.

Anywhere Ibos live get degraded over time no matter what govt does. The ibo attitude is to consider ONLY HIMSELF AND NONE OTHER. Ask any Landlord that has Ibo tenant and you get the point. Take a look at any business premises of Ibo and you see how unkempt. Have you been to chisco bus terminal in Lagos, Abuja etc you will wonder if they are making money. I have lived in more than 10 cities in Nigeria and I can tell you that the Ibo attitude is the same everywhere, we once moved into a house in Lagos all for us to find out that the previous tenant owed close to 460k to Nepa after not paying for all the 10 plus years we heard he lived. We had to work it out with Nepa which eventually resulted in our buying another meter. The same thing has happened to many people I know including my office colleague and its all Ibo people. The Ibo kingdom needs a total re-orientation about civil responsibilities.

I have not been to Aba before so i don't know how that place looks like but the impressions i have gotten from people so far depicts Aba to be a home for most of the wayward people & thugs.