By Chukwudimma Aaron-Okonkwo


The development of a society to enhance the living conditions of the people is one of the main reasons why government must exist anywhere. Government is the bedrock of a developed society. A developed society, in particular, is an embodiment of a responsible government; government committed solemnly to the good welfare of the citizenry.

For nearly two decades, Abia State has not been genuinely developed by its government. What the government has been able to offer the people so far are purely scam infrastructure developments through substandard constructions.

It is not that the government had no access to funds with which to develop the State. There were available funds and the government had full access to them all. It is just that the government decided to scam the people. They did not only scam the people, the government also decided to use funds meant for the development of the State to develop themselves and certain powers that be.

While it is true that Abia State is in a democratic setting, we can best state that the form of government there is oligarchy.

Let's not be deceived.

Ọrjị Ụzọr Kalu upon leaving office after governing the State for good eight years, handpicked his own Chief of Staff, Theodore Ọrjị to be his successor. Theodore Ọrjị took over from him as Governor and ran the affairs of the State for eight years. It was of course, eight years of no provision of good road infrastructures. It was merely eight years of hell on earth for the people. And eight years of using the State funds to build himself, his family and cronies. When he was about leaving office, he handpicked the current Governor, Okezie Ikpeazụ, who is loyal to him.

But what is oligarchy? Oligarchy is simply a power structure that allows a few individuals to rule by controlling power. Such individuals have adequate power to turn the State/Country to benefit them to the exclusion of others/citizenry. Their power are maintained through their cycle of influence or relationships with each other. However, Britannica aptly described oligarchy as a government by the few, especially despotic power exercised by a small and privileged group for corrupt or selfish purposes.

As a matter of facts, this practice of oligarchy in Abia State is the deadly cancer that has been eating the abundance financial resources meant for the socioeconomic development of the State. And if aggressive actions are not undertaken by the suffering citizens to arrest this ugly monster, the 'invisible' powers shall continue to drain the State funds while starving her of good development.

As they say, God forbid bad thing!

These huge funds amounting approximately over four billions of naira being allocated to the State every month from the Federation account for development has been going to the private pockets of those few people controlling the State. Over two billions of naira that the State generates from its internal revenue annually is always taken by this same few people holding the State hostage. It is the heavens that knows where the bail out fund from the federal government to the State went to.

It has been an open secret that Governor Ikpeazụ pays his immediate predecessor, Theodore Ọrjị and his son, Chinedu Ọrjị an estimation of 120 million naira monthly. All these monies meant for the development of the State goes not only to those people, but are also being squandered at a club every week.

Such a situation the State found itself.

When are we going to say, "Enough Is Enough" to those few people depriving us of good governance? When are we going to hold our leaders accountable, as we are in a democratic setting? When are we going to totally denounce this practice of oligarchy and cling totally to the practice of good governance for the betterment of Abia State?

We have waited for too long. This is high time; high time by which we took proactive actions against our government to greatly develop our State. Our patience has been taken for granted. We should now raise up to confrontationally challenge our government that we have had enough of their chicanery. It is time as real power truly resides with the people in a democratic setting. Like I always say, the power of the people is greater than the people in power.

May it be well with God's own State!

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