₦airaland Forum

Abia: Capital flight, blame Ikpeazu not Ogah- Lucky Igbokwe (UN. MOP)
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Bad roads, insecurity and general infrastructural decay are the major causes of hardship being faced in Abia, this assertion is being made by Mr. Lucky Martins Igbokwe (Don Lulu) president 2flame entertainment group ltd, in a telephone interview from the United States where the entertainment guru went to welcome the arrival of his new baby Master Rain Igbokwe. he admonished Dr. Ikpeazu against playing the blame game but should concentrate and develop the state if he has the capacity to do so.

The chairman, Abia league of young professionals (ALYP) said due to the poor state of infrastructure and seriously alarming break down of security in Abia state, would be investors are being discouraged from bringing in there investments into Abia state while those who already has businesses in Abia are running at a loss due to lack of patronage occasioned by non payment of workers salaries, owing of contractors and lack of access to their business locations due to bad road.

He said the entertainment and hospitality industry is the worst hit, as hotels, night clubs and joints hardly get patronage in Aba and Umuahia because people are finding it increasingly difficult to feed these days talk more of thinking of going out to catch fun. Mr. Igbokwe said, Abia has abundance of human,material and natural resources and does not need federal governments monthly handouts to run. that what Abia needs is a governor who should be thinking outside the conventional monthly federal allocation but look inwards on how to create wealth and look out for things to harness that will grow Abia economy, but regrettably Dr. Ikpeazu does not possess such economic perspicacity to revive the dying Abia economy under his watch.


Mr. Igbokwe decried Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu's lack of visionary leadership and deficiency in creative governance as the major cause of the problems being faced in Abia of today, he pointed out that never in the history of Abia state has a state governor owed workers for a period of nine months and counting, he further advised Dr. Ikpeazu to stop laying the blames for his failures on the court cases he is presently facing, he further said that Sullivan Chime, Dr. Chris Ngige and others were in court at different times but geometrical development of every sector were going on in their states, he told Dr. Ikpeazu to concentrate on making sure that the suffering Abian gets some reprieve from the current state of suffering and untold hardship which his government plunged the state into as a result wasteful spending and ineptitude.

The United Nations Mayor of Peace advised Dr. Ikpeazu to put on his thinking cap and emulate his counterparts in other South East and South South states who are building cottage industries,developing infrastructures as well as investing in agriculture, told the governor to work towards bringing back investors into the Abia economy, he opined that majority of those who invested in him during his campaign days got disenchanted by his slothful style of leadership and lack of prudence and decided to take their businesses and investments outside the state to neighbouring states where the state governments provided the enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

He lamented that Abia has no business being rated as one of the poorest states in the South East if not for Dr. Ikpeazu's cluelessness and shadow chasing system of government that has left the state worse than he met it before may 29th 2015.

Dr. Ikpeazu and Don Ubani, why so much disconnect from realism?

By Uche Aguoru,

I have in tranquilness and inferred within my inner most being what will make a man, saddled with the guardianship of protecting the people economically,socially and politically, one who is being paid and kept immoderately comfortable with tax payers money lose touch with his surroundings and reality to the extent of exhibiting total disconnect from realism,the people and his environment.

Sir Don Ubani does it not bother u. that for the first time since 1999 PDP in Abia witnessed a massive exodus of its members into other political parties mainly APGA immediately after the sham called PDP primaries, have u sat down and asked your self why?

Does it not bother you as the states PDP publicity secretary that despite PDP being in power that Abians from all sections of the society across ethnic divides, civil servants, Keke operators, Artisans, bus drivers, Okada riders, teachers, students, market men and women, rural and urban dwellers, high profile politicians across political divides, industrial unionists, market unions etc. from Ukwa down to Arochukwu all came out at the risk of being victimised or punished, to take a stand and speak out in one voice in support of the man they all believed in and wanted as their governor?

Does it not even bother you that PDP Abia state the party that we all belong to and loved with a passion had strongly lost grip of its membership after the primaries which resulted in PDP fighting against PDP in the general elections and the inability of the party Exco not to probe and address the remote issues as witnessed in the 2015 general elections resulted in the factionalism that has befallen the once strong and united family in Abia.

Are you so confined within your comfort zone having been harboured by the system and spoon fed fat at the expense of the rest 95% Abians who on daily basis go to sleep on hungry stomach and not being sure of where the next meal will be coming from, Does it not give you cause for concern that people will come out in the morning and cannot access their work or business premises simply because there was a mild rainfall the previous night and the entire state road network has been flooded and made impassable?

Sir Ubani, is it not worrisome and shameful that the Dr. Ikpeazu's government you are fighting for and protecting does not have any Intra city transport scheme for the state, is it not even disgraceful that Asa your home town and a community that conferred on you the title of Okwubunka 1 and under whose protection that you have served the state in different capacities since 1999 till date has one of the worst road networks in the state after Aba and cannot boast of potable and drinkable water despite being an oil producing community, a community whose aquatic life has been damaged and completely destroyed by oil exploration and pipeline vandalism?

Sir in your opinion Uche Aguoru is fighting the injustice in the system because he wants an appointment in the incoming government of Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, and I will respond to that by saying that there is nothing wrong with one being ambitious especially in a system he believes in, that has the interest and wellbeing of the citizenry as uppermost in their agenda.

Okwubunka Nke mbu na Asa, if there is any one who should be desperate about a change in the way Abia is being governed it should be you Sir Don Ubani, because I know how difficult it is to access your community from the rest of the state due to government negligence, you said that Dr. Ogah plotted a coup to over throw the state, well I am yet to understand the angle from where you are making such assertions from, but if there is any word like that in the judicial dictionary you should be the one to take advantage of it In order to liberate your people from the age long suffering they have been subjected to which has resulted in youth restiveness across the entire length and breadth of Ukwa?

You are berating Justice Okon Abang for interpreting a matter based on constitutional provisions as agreed to by our extant laws and arriving at a world class judgment that will be very difficult to controvert by any court of law that decides to treat the provision of false information and lying under oath on its merit devoid of technicalities, and I want to tell you that if you mean well to your community you should expunge selfishness and personal aggrandisement with an expression of immense gratitude to Justice Abang who had set the template to which the Supreme Court will eventually toe to arrive at a judgment that will bring about geometrical progression in development across the length and breadth of Abia state, Asa inclusive.

For the records there is a water transportation design for Abia state by the incoming government of Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, which will cover inter and Intra city sea transportation system with Ukwa as it's operational base to ease the suffering of the Ukwa people who finds it difficult to assess other parts of the state due to bad road and lack of care by the previous and present governments, this will inturn bring about employment both directly and indirectly to the restive youths of Ukwa who are highly advantaged in that area due to their aquatic nature and environment and I challenge you to swear with what ever you hold sacred that the irresponsible and lazy thinking government you are protecting is reasoning along that line of infrastructural/youth development and employment generation within your domain?

You reprehensibly and without caution accused Justice Abang of collecting billions from Dr. Ogah in order to discharge his constitutionally assigned duty in as much I expect you to have shown better intelligence in penning down such grave and unsubstantiated accusation against people, I want also to remind you of what Abians who are in position of knowledge on the activities of Dr. Ikpeazu and his government is saying about the arrangement to induce the Supreme Court judges with as much as 15 billion Naira in order to buy them over and make them upturn justice in their favour, you are also aware of the information making the rounds across the country and beyond that each of the five Appeal Court judges received 2 million Dollars each in other to give Dr. Ikpeazu the temporary relief he received on the 18th of August 2016.

Why is it not irksome to you that such a huge amount of money left our collective purse despite owing workers in every sector of the states work force a minimum of 5 months in salaries and pensioners being owed upto 1 year and running, what will you say about teachers who have not received a penny as salary for the past 5 months and counting, does it not perturb you that it is public knowledge that even the child in the kingdargaten knows that his or mother, father or guardian living and working in Abia is not going to get his/salaries till December simply because the governor had mopped up every available fund in the state and even went ahead to borrow from first and zenith banks branches in Enugu so as to make up the 15 billion Naira promised the Supreme Court judges in order to get a favourable judgment at the expense of the economic future of the state.

Just may be you haven't heard Dr. Ikpeazu's new name within the judicial circle in Abuja is THE PAY MASTER

Why do you think every Abian including your family members, your traditional ruler, elders of your community, the women,children and the youths are praying and asking the Supreme Court to give us justice by pronouncing and ordering Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah to be sworn in as the executive governor of Abia state?

Permit me to state here that history will not be kind to us,me and you inclusive that has the medium to speak out and condemn this irresponsible behaviour of Dr. Ikpeazu's administration and work towards making sure that a good and responsible government is instituted in Abia state using this only window left for Abians to Rejoice.

Aguoru
Writes from Umuahia

Sir Don Ubani, threats can't stop me only good governance will.

By Uche Aguoru

I promised to create a time window out of my very tight program schedule this week to respond to what in Sir Don Ubani's figment of imagination is an insult on the person of the governor and I begin to wonder when criticism has turned to insolence in Abia.

I remember very vividly some time ago in your office at Umuahia as the commissioner for petroleum when I came to have a chat with you on the effects of pipeline vandalism in Abia economy, during our chats you told me that criticism is the engine that drives democracy, but today criticism has become insolence in your ears sir,

Sir I appreciate your position and frustrations because I can understand what you are passing through as the mouth piece of a political party, who has an under-performing leader as the head of the party, no matter how hard you try to paint a picture of efforts being made in the right direction the actions and utterances of your leader or principal will immediately suggest the opposite.

Sir your literary craftsmanship and intelligence is not in doubt in the minds of people like us who are following your write ups and has worked with you at one point or the other

Making citations of the areas in my article which you find offensive, you highlighted and quoted some parts in my article which I said 'an average Abia civil servant within the past one year and four months can hardly afford three square meal and carter for his family adequately because our political system paired us with an incompetent, careless, lazy, inept and clueless leader whose only quality is equity and he has succeeded in drawing the state back to the days that one will not wish to remember, crime and criminality that left Abia is now an every day story across the state.

Sir Don Ubani, your only defence of Dr. Ikpeazu's leadership laziness is that he bagged a PhD at age 30 and I tell you sir, a PhD holder who cannot take 10 minutes to peruse an important document issued to him which will automatically have an effect on the lives and destinies of thousands of people. how will you describe that PhD holder, "will you be wrong if you describe such a PhD holder as CARELESS & LAZY?

Okwubunka 1 of Asa, a governor who will not take time to know the feelings of those he is governing, a governor who cannot account for bailout funds given to him on borrow, a governor who will receive 4 billion Naira grant and buy 40 ladies machine for teachers that he is owing upwards of 4 months in salaries, a governor who won't release the allocations meant for LGA's, a governor who under his watch the security of lives and properties are no longer guaranteed, a governor who promised to pay salaries on the 24th of every month but ended up owing six months and above, how else would you want such a governor to be described, a governor that will recoat an already tarred road that has no potholes leaving roads that has been cut into two and begging for repairs, an example is that of Umuwaya and some other roads in Umuahia, I believe these are the roads you added up to arrive at the mathematical 65 roads in one year

A governor under whose watch all the relevant agencies that is supposed to be on essential duty have all been ran aground and rendered Inexistent, example is ASEPA and ABROMA, a governor that will be celebrating a court victory in a dirty and smelly state capital submerged in ruins.
What other words would best be used to describe such a governor if not words like, incompetent, clueless and ineptitude.

My Publicity Secretary, Sir I have noticed with a great sense of disappointment that ever since you assumed the position of the state PDP publicity Secretary, the favourite words that has always appeared in your mental dictionary is that which harbours abuse and derogatory languages, personal attacks has become your first line of defence, objectivity and tolerance to opposing views has disappeared from your operational guidelines.

So shocking that in an effort to render an unnecessary defence on the governors clan, you ended up promoting hate, ethnicity and sectionalism, why struggling to tell me that the kidnappers caught in Aba are from Bende LGA and not Obingwa.

As a former commissioner for information and strategy and former commissioner for petroleum, you are a statesman going by any standard and at such should know that criminality transverses age, clan or gender and I wonder what informed the statement credited to your write up that the governors clan is hated unjustifiably by other Abians.

As a Knight I expect you to tell Dr. Ikpeazu that he should live up to the promises he made to Abians that attracted their votes, I expect you to advise him aright by letting him know that his loyalty should go to Abians and not to a few individuals, I expect you as a member of the party Exco to advise the party that in a fight of two brothers such as that of Dr. Ogah versus Dr. Ikpeazu that the party should come as a mediator and peace maker and not take sides, I expect you to advice him to use the money meant for bribery of the judiciary as strongly rumoured to pay salaries of suffering Abia workers.

As Justice of Peace (JP) I expect you to tell the governor to tolerate criticism because it is democratic, I expect you to move away from personality abuse to challenging issues, I least expect that one who is vast in communication skills like you will threaten people for venting their views the way you did in this statement and I quote " Lest the traducers of Governor Ikpeazu forget, this recklessness could ignite geo-ethnic tsunami in the State, especially in Aba zone. The man that named his dog after Buhari narrowly escaped from irate northern indigenes in Ogun State.
A stitch in time, saves nine" those are your exact words sir and I tell you such words are unbefitting of a Christian knight, a justice of peace, a former state commissioner of two different ministries, an ASA high chief and the current PDP state spokesman.

Aguoru
Writes from Umuahia

Sir Don Ubani, threats can't stop me only good governance will.

By Uche Aguoru

I promised to create a time window out of my very tight program schedule this week to respond to what in Sir Don Ubani's figment of imagination is an insult on the person of the governor and I begin to wonder when criticism has turned to insolence in Abia.

I remember very vividly some time ago in your office at Umuahia as the commissioner for petroleum when I came to have a chat with you on the effects of pipeline vandalism in Abia economy, during our chats you told me that criticism is the engine that drives democracy, but today criticism has become insolence in your ears sir,

Sir I appreciate your position and frustrations because I can understand what you are passing through as the mouth piece of a political party, who has an under-performing leader as the head of the party, no matter how hard you try to paint a picture of efforts being made in the right direction the actions and utterances of your leader or principal will immediately suggest the opposite.

Sir your literary craftsmanship and intelligence is not in doubt in the minds of people like us who are following your write ups and has worked with you at one point or the other

Making citations of the areas in my article which you find offensive, you highlighted and quoted some parts in my article which I said 'an average Abia civil servant within the past one year and four months can hardly afford three square meal and carter for his family adequately because our political system paired us with an incompetent, careless, lazy, inept and clueless leader whose only quality is equity and he has succeeded in drawing the state back to the days that one will not wish to remember, crime and criminality that left Abia is now an every day story across the state.

Sir Don Ubani, your only defence of Dr. Ikpeazu's leadership laziness is that he bagged a PhD at age 30 and I tell you sir, a PhD holder who cannot take 10 minutes to peruse an important document issued to him which will automatically have an effect on the lives and destinies of thousands of people. how will you describe that PhD holder, "will you be wrong if you describe such a PhD holder as CARELESS & LAZY?

Okwubunka 1 of Asa, a governor who will not take time to know the feelings of those he is governing, a governor who cannot account for bailout funds given to him on borrow, a governor who will receive 4 billion Naira grant and buy 40 ladies machine for teachers that he is owing upwards of 4 months in salaries, a governor who won't release the allocations meant for LGA's, a governor who under his watch the security of lives and properties are no longer guaranteed, a governor who promised to pay salaries on the 24th of every month but ended up owing six months and above, how else would you want such a governor to be described, a governor that will recoat an already tarred road that has no potholes leaving roads that has been cut into two and begging for repairs, an example is that of Umuwaya and some other roads in Umuahia, I believe these are the roads you added up to arrive at the mathematical 65 roads in one year

A governor under whose watch all the relevant agencies that is supposed to be on essential duty have all been ran aground and rendered Inexistent, example is ASEPA and ABROMA, a governor that will be celebrating a court victory in a dirty and smelly state capital submerged in ruins.
What other words would best be used to describe such a governor if not words like, incompetent, clueless and ineptitude.

My Publicity Secretary, Sir I have noticed with a great sense of disappointment that ever since you assumed the position of the state PDP publicity Secretary, the favourite words that has always appeared in your mental dictionary is that which harbours abuse and derogatory languages, personal attacks has become your first line of defence, objectivity and tolerance to opposing views has disappeared from your operational guidelines.

So shocking that in an effort to render an unnecessary defence on the governors clan, you ended up promoting hate, ethnicity and sectionalism, why struggling to tell me that the kidnappers caught in Aba are from Bende LGA and not Obingwa.

As a former commissioner for information and strategy and former commissioner for petroleum, you are a statesman going by any standard and at such should know that criminality transverses age, clan or gender and I wonder what informed the statement credited to your write up that the governors clan is hated unjustifiably by other Abians.

As a Knight I expect you to tell Dr. Ikpeazu that he should live up to the promises he made to Abians that attracted their votes, I expect you to advise him aright by letting him know that his loyalty should go to Abians and not to a few individuals, I expect you as a member of the party Exco to advise the party that in a fight of two brothers such as that of Dr. Ogah versus Dr. Ikpeazu that the party should come as a mediator and peace maker and not take sides, I expect you to advice him to use the money meant for bribery of the judiciary as strongly rumoured to pay salaries of suffering Abia workers.

As Justice of Peace (JP) I expect you to tell the governor to tolerate criticism because it is democratic, I expect you to move away from personality abuse to challenging issues, I least expect that one who is vast in communication skills like you will threaten people for venting their views the way you did in this statement and I quote " Lest the traducers of Governor Ikpeazu forget, this recklessness could ignite geo-ethnic tsunami in the State, especially in Aba zone. The man that named his dog after Buhari narrowly escaped from irate northern indigenes in Ogun State.
A stitch in time, saves nine" those are your exact words sir and I tell you such words are unbefitting of a Christian knight, a justice of peace, a former state commissioner of two different ministries, an ASA high chief and the current PDP state spokesman.

Aguoru
Writes from Umuahia

Violence,lies, deceits and propaganda signs of failure in governance.

..By Uche Aguoru

I read an article where Dr. Ikpeazu's media aides are making attempts to refute the rumour of planned attacks on Master energy investments in Abia state, but instead of disassociating the Abia state government or it's agents from such a planned evil all they did was to end up trying unsuccessfully hard to reduce Dr. Ogah's investment prowess in the state.

What even got me thinking about the mental state of the governors media men is the allegation on Dr. Ogah's paternity originating from Kogi, every right thinking person who read that misleading piece from Dr. Ikpeazu's information managers must see reasons to pity Abia and the crop of people managing its affairs as they have completely lost direction and have derailed completely from constructive governance to shadow chasing.

I want to quickly remind Dr. Ikpeazu and his team that we have gone beyond the campaign periods and calumny and character assassination of people is not necessary at this stage because that will not change the mind of the law on the day of judgment

For them to go about counting filling stations owned by Master energy group across Abia with the frivolous claims that both the filling stations and the industries built by master energy group joined together does not qualify to be described as huge investments in a state that cannot boast of a single functional large scale manufacturing firm or even a large scale retail outlet. Little wonder their actions and activities are scaring away would be investors.

For the records Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has made more than five oversea trips within the past one year accompanied with over 20 people in each of such trips and given my poor knowledge of arithmetics must have cost the state over a billion Naira in each of the jamboree with the claims that they are going abroad to hunt for investors, you and I can see the outcome of such trips in Abia today as Abia bleeds while some people smile to the banks locally and abroad, while it is worthy of note that no single investor locally or internationally not even from Bukkuyum has come to the state as a result of the fruitless trips that has been embarked on by Dr. Ikpeazu and his friends.

For Abia state government having the guts to talk down on the only large scale investor instead of assurances of protection portends great danger to the economy of the state and is capable of scaring away future investors, how can a state government that cannot boast of a clear investment plan and future even in agriculture come out to claim that it's being distracted by Dr. Ogah isn't that a lame duck excuse for poor performance? one year gone already and Dr. Ikpeazu is still unable to settle down with the business of governance, what a shame

I read in the federal ministry of finance website that between may 29th 2015 and may 29th 2016 that inflows into the state accounts through FAAC amounts to 28+ billion Naira and this is outside external borrowings, FG bailout funds of 11+ billions and internally generated revenue. I ask Abians does this state look like where where such amount of money has passed through? and the obvious answer is "NO" what did Abians do to you Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu to deserve such an inhuman treatment being meted out on us, was it a crime to vote for PDP?

In their pitiable journey of trying to discredit Dr. Ogah they said that the money he is spending in pursuit of his fundamental rights if channeled to business will increase his investments honestly I flow with this line of argument and I wonder what they were thinking when they gave each of the 5 appeal court judges 2 million dollars each just to obtain the temporary relief they are having now as being strongly rumoured across the state and beyond.

I want to inform Dr. Ikpeazu and his team that claims of distraction in governance as a result of the judicial exercise going on is nothing but a hoax and an attempt to short change Abians, my governor you are not a lawyer and does not go to court, the states FAAC and JAC comes in as at when due and you have state officers and aides, all the Departments, Agencies, Ministries and LGA's are all functioning so where is the distraction?
If going to court will so much distract the activities of government as you claim, Master Energy group would have folded up by now being a private investment whose driver is also involved in the legal tussle with you.

Unless you are telling Abians that you are using their money to pursue your personal matter as it is in the standing suit of Dr. Uche Ogah versus Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu pending in the supreme courts.

My governor move away from excuses and work for Abians while your stay lasts.

Aguoru
Writes from Umuahia

Why I agree with Dr Ikpeazu.

By Uche Aguoru

I read an interview in some national dailies and online news media credited to Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu which states and I quote "My mandate will not be stolen through the back door" and I quite agree with you Doc.

Your mandate will not be stolen by any body either through the front or back doors and no amount of force,intimidation or blackmail will pull you out of that seat, but bear in mind that you are constitutionally bound to lose that mandate legitimately once you are found guilty by the courts inline with the extant laws of the federal republic because the office you are occupying at the moment is the making of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria and the privileges you are enjoying as a sitting governor is also a creation of the law which you are aware of and swore to uphold and respect.

I felt disappointed reading my Governor cast aspersions on the person of Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, describing him as a desperado in possession of "slush funds" with all due respect sir, this is the very least I expected of a governor and an academician to use such an uncouth language on an eminent Abia son who has contributed so much towards the socio/economic development of the state simply because he is asking for his fundamental human rights through the courts I have never heard or read where Dr. Ogah described you or your office using a coarse or disdainful language despite the current judicial/political tug of war that both of you are engaged in the courts.

My governor you went further to besmirch the judiciary and judicial officers by accusing them of compromise simply because a judgment went against you.

Your description of the judge of federal high court Abuja Justice Okon Abang whose judgment you described as a coup detat against your government is very disappointing, deceitful and filled with untrue words and only shows that you abinitio lacked confidence in the judiciary and may have used other means outside the usual to obtain favourable judgments in the tribunal and supreme courts.

My Governor we all know that you paid your taxes through the pay as you earn (PAYE) system and do not go for your tax receipts often unless when you have needs for it, but truth is you have had need to approach the board of internal revenue on 5 different occasions to demand for your tax clearance certificates the first was in 2002 when you were appointed a deputy transitional chairman for Obingwa LGA. the 2nd was in 2007 and 3rd time was March, 2011 when you were appointed as the General manager, Abia state passengers integrated manifest and safety scheme while the 4th was on May 5, 2013 when you were called upon to come on board as Abia state environmental protection agency's 1st deputy general manager in charge of Aba zone.

I have a few questions for Dr. Ikpeazu that will go a long way to clarify the issues in the court of public opinion which will aid those whose major preoccupation these days is to arrange solidarity visits to government house Umuahia,

(1) In all of these times you approached the board of internal revenue demanding for your tax papers to aid your clearance at the Abia house of assembly which you got, can you truly tell Abians that in all the tax receipts you have demanded and collected from the BIR that you did not peruse the tax documents issued to you to authenticate the true reflection of details so contained before going ahead to submit same to the house for clearance?

2) Does the information contained in the tax documents that you have been receiving all these times been this divergent.
if "NO" ?

3) why didn't you query the mistakes and demand for corrections before going ahead to submit the tax documents on oath knowing the implication of such megascopic carelessness in our constitution and also given the fact that even an infant knows that you can't place your self on oath over some thing you are not very sure of, or is there any thing clandestine that Abians need to know now or after?

In as much as in truism that such issues distract governance and it is difficult for any one to give optimal performance in such circumstances as a sitting chief executive, it is also true that allocations come as at when due and should be used to pursue developmental projects,making excuses of underperformance because of the current political impasse the state is facing is unacceptable, Abia has bled enough and needs to be consoled.

On your assertion that what the state is passing through is because of your person and background, to that I say no to such a statement coming from my governor, it gives a definition of one with low esteem and suffering from political and social complex.

I will prefer my governor understands that Abia is undergoing political re-engineering not aimed at a person or clan but meant to straighten the political history and behaviour of Abia politicians which the end product will be a better Society that will give Abians a stable polity and political confidence that we all desire and crave for.

On your assertion that Dr. Ogah is fighting you because he is from Abia north my Governor this matter should be devoid of any atom of clannish sentimentality but should be handled with the realism that it deserves, Abians should not be dragged into clannish divisibility as a result of personal interests, rather our public office holders should be the forerunners of truth, unity, oneness and should always preach politics without bothers.

Abia is Gods own state and Abians are Gods own people the will of God will surely happen in Abia.

Aguoru
writes from Umuahia

Abia; passing through political definition

By Uche Aguoru

I have restrained my self from commenting on the current political confusion being experienced in my state Abia simply because the matter is sub-judice, but having read so many confusing information coming from people who ought to know but are intentionally misinforming the public and those who look up to them for Information including the actions of our political institutions and political stake holders, I became worried at the high level of deception and political sycophancy being displayed by the political class.

While I have patiently read all the articles,opinions, advices,comments,accusations and counter accusations as it relates to Justice Okon Abang's judgment on the case of presentation of false information and lying under oath against Dr. Ikpeazu by Uche Ogah on issues leading to the 2015 PDP governorship primaries, The supporters of Dr. Ikpeazu is insisting that Dr. Ikpeazu paid his taxes as at when due and that he never forged his tax papers as alleged by barrister F.N Nwosu but Dr. Ogar is not contesting wether Dr. Ikpeazu paid his tax or not his only concern is in the correctness of the information so contained in the tax document issued to him by the tax office which he forwarded on oath to the party when he declared his intention to run for the governorship of the state, it is important to underline the differentials on both legal issues as instituted by both Barrister Nwosu and Dr. Ogar for the purposes of clear understanding for legal illiterates like me, except we are on a clear mission to intentionally mislead the gullible public on what the real issues are.

I have also read the submission of the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) where they openly admitted alterations and mistakes in the document they issued to Dr Ikpeazu but argued that they weren't given the opportunity by Justice Abang's court to explain the alterations in the tax receipts, the bigger part of the blame should go to who ever collected and went ahead to submit the tax documents for gross carelessness which had subjected the state to an unnecessary setback and ridicule and had turned the state to a theatre of drama and uncertainty.

Another worrisome angle is the one being introduced by some people alleging that external influences are trying to push away Dr Ikpeazu as the governor of Abia state and instal Dr Ogah, that to me is an attempt to blackmail the judiciary and garner undue sentiments that will ultimately have no effect on the ongoing judicial process that will lead to the determination of the issues pending at the appeal courts it is also important to note here that no amount of media blackmail, solidarity visits by political groups and accusation of compromise by the judiciary being made by parties to the suits will change the mind of the law on a constitutional matter, if we truly love Dr Ikpeazu as our governor what we must do now is to help him plead with Dr Ogar to drop the case against Dr Ikpeazu since the matter had already been established in the courts and it has been ongoing ever before Dr. Ikpeazu became the governor of Abia state on May 29th 2015, this to me will be more helpful than wasting government resources on solidarity visits that will have no reasonable impact over the outcome of the matter pending in court.


Having known that in democracy one cannot deliver leadership without politics I want to state unambiguously that my total blame goes to the leadership of my party the PDP which allowed the matter to get to this stage, the immediate past leadership of the party would have settled the problem as an in-house issue even before the exit of president Goodluck Jonathan's administration but the Senator Emma Nwaka led PDP which took us through the party's worst outing in the state were busy seeking personal interest as against the party's interest and ideology pushing underneath the interest of Abians who are predominantly PDP, that selfishness and incompetence of the Emma Nwaka led PDP is responsible for the political morass my state is passing through at the moment, it is therefore an act of intimidation and bias for the party to punish Dr. Uche Ogar who acted Inline with the party's constitution that allows one to go to court if he/she is not satisfied with the outcome of the decision of the panel set up internally by the party to look into election matters, it is to me an act of political sycophancy and wicked intimidation on the part of the party leadership to suspend Dr Ogah as he has not in any where erred or acted against the party's constitution having exhausted all the legal channels within the internal mechanism of the party to get justice to no avail, I am not standing in for Dr. Ogar but for the sake of justice I am calling on the Chief Johnson Onuigbo led PDP to come public and tell the world what offence Uche Ogar committed against the party that earned him suspension.


For those alleging that the judgment of Justice Okon Abang in favour of Dr. Ogar is a coup against Dr Ikpeazu I beg to disagree on that assertion, Abia at the moment is going through political definition and redefinition because the ruling party in the state (PDP) has failed to live upto it's constitutionally assigned role by Its inability to conduct a credible primary elections that will leave participants satisfied over the outcome of such a political exercise, since it is an established fact that "when corrections lie in the hands of those that committed the wrongs, to whom shall we then complain to"?

That was why it became very imperative that the judiciary should step in to correct the mess made by the party and that they have done through the federal high courts, and court judgments are bound to be obeyed by every citizen not minding the status or position of such persons concerned.

The outcry by our Abia South brothers that some persons from other geopolitical zones in the state are ganging up to forcefully take the mandate given to them and are therefore spoiling for war and perfecting plans aimed at not allowing such a person to occupy the government house as governor of the state, I find it not only laughable but absurd and lacking in every sense of reasonable logic, What if Barrister Friday Nwosu had gotten a favourable judgment against Dr. Ikpeazu shall we then call it an Obingwa coup against Obingwa? if there is any one trying to take away the mandate given to the Ukwa la Ngwa people it is the Emma Nwaka led PDP who were unable to make up their minds on where the party intends to zone the Abia governorship to, my question on this is if indeed the party actually zoned the governorship to Abia South why bother selling forms to people from other Geo-political zones and allowing them to take part in the party's primaries?

1) Is it that the Emma Nwaka led PDP wanted to humbug the likes of Dr. Ogar and others who are not from Abia South off their hard earned money that they went ahead to sell nomination forms to them knowing fully well that the party have a predestined terminus for the governorship ticket?

2) Why did the party encourage Dr. Ogar and others not from Abia South to embark on a very expensive gubernatorial ticket campaign knowing that the flag bearer must emerge from Abia South?

These are some of the questions that the party must answer and convince the public that their actions during the party's primary elections was not intended to deceive and swindle contestants from other Geo-political zones outside Abia South

My advise to those who are being paid to act as human shields is to note that once an order is given by the courts and the attorney general of the federation happens to fully agree with that order it becomes suicidal to try to stop the enforcement of such an order by sheer brute force because even the pay master you are hired to protect must have found his way outside the legal harms way leaving you to your fate and will ultimately deny knowledge of your activities once you are caught on the wrong side of the law.

For those blaming INEC and Mr Nworuku for issuing a certificate of return to Dr. Ogar on the orders of a high court, as a legal illiterate that I am, I took time to read the submissions of so many legally sound minds including those who do not believe in the justice Abang's judgment and I also consulted some of my lawyer friends, one point they have all chorused in unison is that the case is a pre-election issue that takes it leads majorly on the constitution more than the electoral act and therefore INEC did not act Ultra-Vires in the issuance of the certificate of return to Dr. Ogar.

We all must at this point in the life of our dear state Abia, pray and ask God for his will to be done in Abia and to touch the minds of our political gladiators to be peaceful and ensure that the law takes its course, let them also ensure that judgments are obeyed as they all have expressed confidence in our courts by approaching it in the first instance, but one thing is sure Abia will come out tougher, stronger,straightened, strengthened and above all will attain a better political definition that will ensure that our dear state will no longer go through this political mockery being experienced today in Abia.

Aguoru
Writes from Umuahia

U.N Mayor of Peace advocates for peace in Abia..........

Lending his voice to the ongoing political confusion going on in Abia state, a United Nations mayor of peace has advised the two political gladiators claiming governorship of the state to tow the path of peace and allow the law take its course in the interest of the state.

Addressing the press from his office at Ikeja Lagos, the entertainment guru and president of 2flame entertainment ltd Mr. Lucky Martins Igbokwe (UnMoP) a.k.a Don Lulu said what is happening in the state now has only exposed the level of political awareness of the average Abian and stressed that time has gone when politicians get away with just any form of behaviour.

The multiple entertainment award winner who also happens to be a political stake holder in Abia state and of the PDP admonished both Uche Ogar and the incumbent Governor Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to embrace peace while trying to realise their ambition, he said the ambition of any body is not worth the blood of any Abian and that if they say they truly love Abia and Abians as they claim they should ensure that they follow the path of justice and peace while fighting for the control of the state.

Mr. Igbokwe who said he won't be commenting on the legal battle which has kept Abia in the news of recent as it will amount to being pre-Judicial how ever said that what is happening in Abia today is not strange as great democracies across the globe had gone through similar experience before coming out strong, he however asked all the political warriors in the state to ensure that they adhere to judicial pronouncements and obey the rule of law where it applies and also ensure that their supporters comport themselves in an orderly manner that will not cause a breach of the peace in the state, he recognised that Abians are peace loving people whose only interest is to be allowed to go about their legal businesses and tasked government to provide the enabling environment for an average Abian to go about his daily activities unmolested.

Speaking further Mr. Lucky Igbokwe (UnMoP) said the utterances and behaviours of some Abia politicians in the ongoing political impasse in the state is to say the least very disappointing, he said he never expected that politicians of high repute whom the good people of Abia had always looked up to for direction in times like this will go ahead to make incisive statements capable of triggering pandemonium in the polity, he advised them to remember that some day the matter will come to an end and not minding the side the judgment goes Abia as a state will come out of it stronger.

He used the opportunity to call on Dr. Ikpeazu the governor of Abia state to ensure that Abia does not degenerate into anarchy and also pleaded with him not to victimise any Abian because of his political belief and association he reminded him that he is the governor of Abia state and at such should be a father to all including his political opponents as that is the essence of democracy he should embrace peace and ensure that Abians should not be allowed to suffer further hardship as being experienced in the state today.

He advised that Gov. Ikpeazu should follow the peaceful footsteps of his predecessor Chief T.A Orji (Ochendo) who brought together all the political stakeholders in Abia state under one umbrella including those who fought against him, the U.N Mayor of Peace Mr. Lucky Igbokwe advised Gov. Ikpeazu that while the matter against him is still being heard in court he should ensure that he did not destroy the party that brought him to power in the first place, in his words both Ogar and Ikpeazu are of the PDP family and once there is disagreements amongst family members the head should look for a way to resolve it for the family to move forward, taking sides in this case will not be in the interest of the party.

In his parting words he told all the warring parties that as Christians they should remember that power is of God and he anoints whom he chooses.

ASPIMSS partners with General hospitals on emergency response.

By Uche Aguoru

Since Hon. Kingsley Onyemaechi Megwara took over as the general manager of Abia State Passenger Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme it has been one cheering news after another for motorists and passengers within Abia state and beyond.

Today the 17th of June 2016 the management and staff of ASPIMSS led by the General Manager paid a courtesy visit to General hospital Amachara,Umuahia where they entered into an understanding with the management of the hospital on the area of emergency response for accident victims,

During the visit Honourable Megwara intimated the Chief Medical Director and other management staff of the hospital on the new innovations going in ASPIMSS under his regime, he informed them of the introduction of well trained paramedics who will be on a round the clock call along the highway to attend to accident victims, he also used the opportunity to inform Abians of the introduction of harmonised toll free emergency response numbers which will be on display on billboards across the highways that will enable people call for rescue once there is an emergency, the ASPIMSS general manager also hinted on the training and retraining of drivers on safe driving so as to curtail accidents and deaths on our highways, Chief Megwara also told the hospital management of the need to partner with the agency in the area of emergency response as the agency has plans of introducing desk officers on all the health facilities scattered across the state to enable victims gain quick medical attention during emergency, Chief Megwara also used the opportunity to unveil the new state of the art ambulances procured by the state governor and also informed the public that the governor had also ordered 4 METAL CUTTING MACHINES namely

(1) Makita EK7651H
(2) Hitachi CUZY 15Amp hand held cut off saw.
(3) Milwaukee 6370-2113 Amp, 8inch metal cutter
(4) Sealey SCT125 Handheld Twin Blade metal cut off saw.

These equipments are for use by the agency's emergency response team to cut metals and rescue victims at the scene of fatal accidents as history had shown that most people die as a result of poor and unprofessional handling of victims during emergencies, in most cases unprofessional rescue methods at accident scenes had caused the death of so many who would have survived if handled professionally.

He thanked Governor Okezie Ikpeazu whose love for Abians drove him into ensuring that the lives of Abians and indeed Nigerians are protected on our roads and also ensuring that ASPIMSS as at present is ranked amongst the best safety schemes across the federation

In his response the Chief Medical Director of the Amachara General Hospital Dr. U.U Iweha commended the Governor and the new General Manager on the innovations going on in the agency in the area of emergency response and rescue he said that in most cases that most victims who were brought in for treatment come DEAD ON ARRIVAL due to unprofessional care and rescue during accidents, he advised the general manager and his team that in addition to keeping desk staff in all health facilities across the state that there is need for synergy between the management of the health facilities and agency's field staff and response team so as to avoid the job of the desk staff from conflicting with that of the doctors or nurses during emergencies.

He praised Dr. Ikpeazu whom he called a visionary leader because of his support for the general hospital and general health care in Abia state since he took over power, the CMD promised to partner with ASPIMSS in the training and retraining of it's emergency response staff and also expressed appreciation on the innovations going on in ASPIMSS of today, he described the ASPIMSS ambulances as a mini theatre where minor operations can be handled, he also said that those ambulances meets the required standard across the globe and also advised that even the drivers of the ambulances should also be trained in emergency response and handling of patients.

Dr. Iweha took time to escort the ASPIMSS team led by chief Megwara round the emergency ward of the hospital.

Present at the meeting include Dr. U.U Iweha, CMD, Mrs Roseline Anaranna - Chief Nursing Officer, Dr. Emenike Nwabuko - Director of Admin and Dr. Enwereji state medical director while the ASPIMSS delegation include Chief Kingsley Onyemaechi Megwara GM, Mr. Okey Ufomadu AGM, Mr. Chidike Nwosu Director of finance with the agencies paramedics and the emergency response team.

In their vote of thanks Mr. Chidike Nwosu the Director of Finance ASPIMSS thanked the Chief medical director and his team for the warm reception accorded them and expressed gratitude on behalf of the team for the hospitals willingness to assist the agency in securing the lives of Abians during emergencies.

Law maker attacks constituent with weapons in a night club.

An Abia law maker representing Ikwuano state constituency in the Abia house of assembly Hon. Theophilus Ugboaja Was caught in a dishonourable act in a night club in Umuahia on the early morning of Sunday the 12th of June 2016 at about 1.35 am

According to eye witness reports the law maker who was having some nice time with club girls inside the VVIP section of a popular night club in Umuahia stormed out of the VVIP section into the VIP lounge where some youths from his constituency where dancing and drinking, upon sighting one of them he immediately approached him with a punch in his chest, querying why he refused to support him during the rerun elections held on march 5th 2015.
Showing visible surprise and embarrassment at the attitude of the law maker he told him to cut the embarrassment since the rerun had come and gone and he still won the election without his support.

When contacted by our reporter Mr Paul Nwagbala expressed surprise at the behaviour of the honourable member towards him and attributed it to excessive drunkenness and lack of self control he said Hon. Theo Ugboaja attacked him with a brandy bottle, slapping him severally on the face and demanding to know what he can do, sensing danger and loss of self control and exhibiting bibulous behaviour refused to fight back knowing that he can stab him to death with the bottle if he tries to fight back, it was at that point that the owner of the night club and some other people who were present in the club called in the bouncers who immediately came and rescued Mr. Paul Nwagbala from his grip and dragged the law maker out of the club.

Mr. Nwagbala who told our correspondent that he had already written a petition over threat to life to the commissioner of police Abia state and also to the Speaker of the Abia house of assembly said he was at the club at the instance of his friend who came from Abuja and not for political reasons, he wondered how an honourable member should conduct himself in such a despicable manner if not for some ill motives against his person

PPA chairman blasts “pretentious” Kalu
*says he lacks clout to win election anywhere in Abia*
Abia State Progressive peoples’ Alliance (PPA), Chairman Prince Emeka Okafor has blamed Orji Uzor Kalu for being architect of his political woe, saying he does not have clout to win election anywhere in Abia State.
The former Abia State commissioner for Commerce and Industry who said this, Wednesday in an interview he granted newsmen in Umuahia also accused Kalu of poor human management, exploitation, ingratitude and insensitivity adding that he was used for five years by Kalu who refused to pay him the monthly stipend of N200, 000 agreed.
He accused Kalu of political prostitution saying he (Kalu), has ceased to be a member of PPA as he has since renounced membership publicly and decamped to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on several occasions.
“Kalu has come out many times to renounce PPA. He said he had resigned as BoT Chairman. He said he had joined PDP. So, I don’t ac¬tually know where he belongs.
“For five years he owes me. As a party chairman we were under an agreement that he would be paying me N200, 000 every month for my fuel. But he never did so.,” Okafor said.
He also punctured claims by Kalu as the sole financier of the party saying that contrary to perceptions in some quarters, Kalu does not fund PPA but only uses the party to further his personal political interests.
“Kalu does not even believe in the party; he believes in syco¬phants. He runs PPA as his personal estate and fond of using and dumping his political allies,” Okafor fumed.
Asked why Kalu had to be rewarded with the senatorial ticket of PPA for Abia North despite his alleged ‘multiple political interests’ - Okafor heaped the blames at the door steps of the PPA’s national leadership saying that the National Chairman is in better position to explain why Kalu contested under the platform of the party.
A clearly angry Okafor however de¬clared that the former gover¬nor had little chance of win¬ning any political office in the nearest future anywhere in Abia State, and advised him to correct his ways if he intends to rise again politically.
The PPA stalwart also absolved Kalu’s perceived po¬litical rival, Senator Theodore Orji of any blames in Kalu’s unsuccessful senatorial bids, insisting that the Igbere-born politician is the architect of his own problems.
“Anybody accusing Orji of responsibility for Kalu’s abys¬mal outings is not being fair. If Kalu has clout he would have won. He is his own problem. It will be wrong to point ac¬cusing fingers on Orji. If peo¬ple had confidence in him they would have voted for him,” he said.
The former Commissioner further made a comparison of both ex- Governors whom he had served in different capaci¬ties, and concluded without apologies that Kalu has issues with human management de¬spite his pretensions.
“From the way I look at Kalu, I see him as somebody who doesn’t have the skill to manage human beings. That is his major problem. Maybe what entered his head is the fact that he finds people work¬ing for him without any for¬mal discussions on what will be their interest.
“On human management, I think I will give it to T. A Orji. He is somebody who knows what he wants but the other one does not know what he wants as far as politics is con¬cerned. He might be a good business man, I don’t know but if he is a good businessman he should know he should not joke with somebody’s stom¬ach. He added.
The PPA Chairman advised Kalu to accept his defeat in the poll in good faith and con¬gratulate the winner; Senator Mao Ohuabunwa of the PDP instead of engaging him in another legal tussle at the tri¬bunal, which he said was not in the best interest of Abia North senatorial district.
“To me, a progressive mind should congratulate anybody that wins him in an election. Poli¬tics should be taken as sports. When you lose you congratu¬late your opponent because there are still other elections to contest”.
Confronted with the ques¬tion that he probably did not work for Kalu during the just concluded re-run for Abia North senatorial race since the said strike started since 2015, he did not mince words to re¬spond in the negative. “No I did not. I told him point blank in his house that he has to pay me before I will join his team.”

Rivers Re-run, was INEC positioned to fail?

By Uche Aguoru

Going by the heart beat and utterances of the two political wrestlers in the rivers electoral contest, Nigeria is definitely going to seek an interpretation from the Supreme Court on what to do in a situation where it is difficult to arrive at a conclusive election in a rerun if the current helmsman at INEC do not immediately address the flops which has characterised most of the elections he had over seen within his short time in office.

The rivers state rerun election has once again exposed the ill preparedness of the nations electoral umpire (INEC) in almost all the elections that they have handled, all the participants in the rivers rerun election have been pointing accusing fingers at INEC for the failure of the rerun while INEC on its own has been trying very hard to pass the blame on to its printers and contractors.

Funny as this may sound in such a crucial and sensitive election and in a state that is very strategic to the two rival political parties one begins to wonder if INEC has not been prepared for failure before going into the election.

In a statements credited to the rivers state electoral commissioner on why the rivers electorates refused to accept the materials used by INEC for the rerun elections, He said that most of the sensitive materials that INEC wants to use for the elections such as the result sheets and ballot papers were not wearing any security codes to determine the genuineness of the materials, the statement leaves one with the feeling that INEC had some sinister motives before embarking on the rerun.

While I have tried very hard to exculpate INEC of any complicity or bias in the Rivers Rerun but I have come to find it particularly difficult to accept the fact that INEC contractors and printers couldn't go through the materials they procured for the isolated election before going to the fields, how on earth could I have believed that blank result sheets were parcelled to INEC from china to be used in such an important election, What if the rivers electorates had blindly gone ahead with the elections believing INEC only to discover that the materials used cannot stand judicial scrutiny if the outcome of the election was challenged in court, will the courts have ordered for a fresh rerun given the fact that election reruns has no spare window in INEC guide lines and electoral act?

The question which has been asked by so many electoral observers in the rivers rerun are, what if results had already been written with the original materials and people declared winners where it was obvious that they failed the elections, what would have been the fate of those who won by popular votes and are armed with fake result sheets?

Why was there visible protection of INEC officials by the APC even where it was seen that they have gone outside the rules of their legally assigned engagement, Why was the military openly harassing and intimidating PDP agents where they are trying to protest the open irregularities in INEC's activities, why will the military instead of manning their beats and providing security for the electorates and the umpires become fully partisan in the rerun election?

Why did APC stalwarts instead of voting and remaining in their polling units or go back home chose to be going round other polling areas outside their jurisdiction with heavily armed security in violation of INEC's guide lines and the electoral act which stipulates that any one who is not on essential election duty no matter how highly placed should not be seen moving round polling units where he is not entitled to vote or come to the polling station with armed security?

Why did INEC not declare results of most of the local governments where elections were successfully concluded and results collated, and lastly whose tunes where INEC dancing to in the rivers rerun election was it that of the rivers electorates or a few highly placed Abuja politicians who came for an electoral battle in rivers state.

Until Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu the INEC chairman attempts to give an answer to these stumpers, it will not be out of place to assume that INEC was positioned to fail in the rivers rerun election.

Aguoru

Writes from Umuahia

The Aba IPOB massacre a pogrom against Ndi Igbo

By Uche Aguoru

The owl a usually dark coloured medium sized nocturnal moth, in the Igbo folklore is regarded as a carrier of bad news mostly associated with death, it is believed that any time the little creature cries in the night a sudden death of a prominent figure is imminent and so it was, before the biafran civil war of 1967 the proverbial Owl cried and thousands of Igbos were massacred in Jos , Kano,kaduna,maiduguri and other Northern Nigerian states and their properties worth millions of pounds looted.

It is believed that it was the pogrom of the innocent Igbos living and doing businesses in the northern part of Nigeria that led to the Great Ikemba Nnewi Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu then a colonel in the Nigerian army making a case for self determination and secession from the Nigerian state which eventually led to the civil war that lasted for three years and came to an end in the 15th of January 1970.

The United Nations human rights council of October 2010 in the United Nations Special Rapporteur adopted resolution 15/21 in which it:

1) “Reaffirm[ed] that everyone has the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and that no one may be compelled to belong to an association;
Recognizi[ed] the importance of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association to the full enjoyment of civil and political rights, and economic, social and cultural rights;

2) Recogniz[ed] also that the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association are essential components of democracy, providing individuals with invaluable opportunities to, inter alia, express their political opinions, engage in literary and artistic pursuits; and

3) Recogniz[ed] further that exercising the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association free of restrictions, subject only to the limitations permitted by international law, in particular international human rights law, is indispensable to the full enjoyment of these rights, particularly where individuals may espouse minority or dissenting religious or political beliefs”.

on the 19th of jan. 2016 eight IPOB members were killed, 30 wounded, 26 arrested during the groups peaceful protest in Asaba Delta state, On the 3rd of December 2015 nine IPOB members and two policemen were killed in a supposedly peaceful IPOB protest that later turned bloody in Onitsha,Anambra state, On the 7th of December 2015 one IPOB member was shot dead by the Ebonyi state police command while trying to stop the the group from protesting the arrest and detention of their leader Nnamdi Kanu, On the 10th of November 2015 three IPOB members were shot dead by a joint anti riot team of the police and military in Portharcourt, rivers state, the military,police and other law enforcement agents has been arresting,intimidating, killing and detaining IPOB members and their leaders for holding peaceful protests thereby trampling on their rights as given to them by the UN human rights resolution 15/21 of 2010

And the most recent is the heartless,mindless and brutal murder in cold blood of ten IPOB members who were holding a prayer session in the national high school Aba on Thursday the 11th of February 2016 by a combined team of the military and police personnel, this is unacceptable and the ohaneze Ndi Igbo, all South East senators and house of representative members including the five South East governors should stand up and demand an explanation into this day light murder of innocent Igbo sons and daughters who did not commit any offence to deserve such an unjust murder, they should immediately institute a case of genocide in the international criminal court (ICC) against the commander in chief and the military authorities under whose watch and command this pogrom is being committed against Ndi Igbo, the Igbo leaders should immediately demand for a full scale investigation by the military authorities into this savagery aimed at bringing the culprits to justice

In all these killings one would have expected that the president and commander in-chief of the armed forces whose duty it is to protect the lives of every Nigerian should come out to condemn in strong terms the killings of innocent men and women who are holding peaceful unarmed protest and prayers which does not constitute into a threat to the sovereignty or peace of the nation and whose activities are protected under the United Nations human rights resolution.

I hereby call on the international community, and the United Nations to rise up in defence of the Igbos of South East Nigeria whose lives are no longer protected.

As the Igbo saying goes, "that owl that cried in 1967 has began to cry again in 2015"

Aguoru

Writes from Umuahia

Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu's Supreme Court victory and the duty of the opposition.

By Uche Aguoru

Victory they say is a friend to many and failure an orphan, the victory of Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu may not have come as a surprise to many who followed the 2015 general elections given the enormous amount of support he received from his senatorial zone, Abia South, Abia central and even Abia North.

One will also not be saying the truth if I say he did not have challenges in the race for the governorship of Gods Own state, Abia. The politics of Abia state witnessed for the first time since 1999 a very vibrant and challenging opposition from a rival political party, though the party APGA has been in existence in all South East state but has hardly made impact in Abia state, Abia witnessed for the first time an election the peoples Democratic Party PDP which is the dominant party in Abia and indeed the South East and South South geopolitical zones of Nigeria was struggling to give a clear lead in the election, we saw an election which resulted in having to go for a run-off in some local governments, wards and units across the state and when some of us thought it will end in the run-off it dragged on from the tribunal all through to the appeal court and finally the Supreme Court where the matter was finally settled in favour of Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu of the PDP.

There is no gain restating the obvious fact that Dr. Ikpeazu and the PDP will be luxuriating in victory right now but I also want to salute the courage of the opposition led by Dr. Alex Otti and his APGA team in their bravery during the 2015 general elections in Abia, never in the history of Abia state have we had such a fierce opposition that produced the number of house of assembly members in favour of an opposition party as we have them today, never in the history of Abia state have we seen Abians come out without fear to defend what he/she believed in, never in Abia have we seen a mother and a son belonging to different political parties, with each and every one of them having to air his/her view and stand by his/her belief, never in Abia state have we seen Abians belonging to a particular political party and going to the poling booth to vote a candidate of his choice not necessarily from his political party, never in the history of Abia have we seen an entire ethnic group including children,women, royal fathers, priests etc. stand up in unitary defence of their own, never in the history of Abia have we seen such a well contested election that did not produce a winner before going to the polls and never in the history of Abia state have we seen such a staunch political opposition.

The elections have come and gone, the legal battle having been finally settled, a true winner has emerged, it is expected of the opposition to pertinaciously and constructively criticise the leadership of the state to enable Dr. Ikpeazu, his team and the PDP to give the leadership Abians deserve and to form people oriented policies that will benefit the state and the citizenry, it is now time to give the ruling party bias free criticism with the intention to redirecting the government where it is veering off its campaign promises, it is now the duty of the opposition to let the people know that all the fight they gave was not for selfish purposes but in the interest of the state by making sure that they didn't let the platform upon which they fought from to die only to come back in 4 years time with first aid kit and resurrection pills as it had been the case in the past. It is the duty of the opposition not to position itself as a bad loser but to show sportsmanship, while it is the duty of the ruling party to show magnanimity in victory and for both the winner and the loser to accept that it was Abia state that is the ultimate winner.

It is important to note that opposition is key in every successful democracy and every government that wants to deliver will have to be tolerant to opposition, while opposition on its own must endeavour to be responsible and to ensure that its aim is not to bring the government, it's agencies or officers to ridicule but will rather be constructive and direct their criticism on issues and not on personalities.

It's important the opposition conducts its affairs responsibly and make their criticism constructively progressive, the ruling party on its own should allow the opposition to survive so as to attract a more progressive Abia while the government will ensure that it lives up to its contract with the people and in that light Abians will be expecting a more interesting 2019.

Aguoru

Writes from Umuahia

Abia gubernatorial appeal court ruling, a judicial mockery

By Uche Aguoru

I have refrained from commenting on the court ruling of December 31st 2015 by the appeal court that sat in Owerri the capital of Imo state The five-member panel, headed by Justice Oyebisi Omoleye, which ruled on the case between Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP and Dr Alex Otti of APGA. for the simple reason, that I am one of those who believe in the sanctity of the Nigerian judiciary and their ability to dispense justice given the background that the judiciary is or should be an institution whose integrity should not be put to doubt.

But the judgment of December 31st 2015 which was read out in the court of appeal Owerri that ordered the swearing in of Dr. Alex Otti who in their own wisdom and calculation was leading with only 50,000+ votes went ahead to cancel the results of three local governments of osisioma, Obingwa and isiala Ngwa North and disenfranchised 300,000+ validly registered voters gave me a reason to reconsider the wisdom and sanctity of the Nigerian judiciary.

I have refrained from making hasty comments on the judgment without due consultation and study of the judgment of 31st December 2015 even though I know its faulty and has every resemblance of a compromised judgment but because I am not a lawyer and therefore lacks the judicial wisdom to interpret every line that the learned judges of the appellate court ought to have considered before coming up with a judgment that is meant to decide the fate of a people, even though I know that the same court of appeal upheld the elections of the house of assembly in those three LGA's that was held on the same day, time and venue but since I am not a lawyer so I always resort to consultation with lawyers to get their sides of the story on such knotty issues. I consulted with lawyers that had sympathy with APGA,PDP and the politically neutral legal chiefs.

One thing that beats the imagination of all the lawyers I spoke with was how the team of appeal court judges arrived at such a judicial mistake as they cannot recollect any where in the world that such a decision had been taken without putting into consideration all polling units in the state before coming out with a number and where substantial irregularity was discovered in any of the units down to the LGA and the number of registered voters is not negligible but has the capacity to upturn the number which any of the parties is leading with, the reasonable thing to do was to order for a fresh election in those areas and the outcome of such election ultimately becomes the winner of the election. to all the lawyers I had interaction with they all chorused one line "that the judgment cannot stand the judicial scrutiny of the Supreme Court" because the judgment lacks thoroughness and it appears not only compromised but hurriedly put together and contradictory.

We may disagree on this opinion depending on the side you are in, but one thing remains sacrosanct no wisdom can give winning to a lower number in this case 50,000+ By discounting a higher number of over 300.000+ In an issue as that of a democratic election where the mantra is " Majority carries the vote" power belongs to God and not gotten through desperation as the will of the people must prevail, God chose Dr. Ikpeazu to govern Abia and Abians gave him their vote one thing is certain the will of God must prevail over human judgment.

Aguoru

Writes from Umuahia

Happy married life to Don Lulu and Divine

Not even in a war situation has a country lost 105 soldiers in a single attack and still went on as if nothing happened, if the commander in chief and a retired army general cannot wake up to protect the life's of the citizens from an untrained army then he should resign.

#Onye na achu oke Oge ulo ya na agba oku#

Okezie victor Ikpeazu, chosen by God, elected by Abians and reaffirmed by Judicial wisdom.

By Uche Aguoru


On Saturday December 8th 2014 at the Umuahia township stadium Abians from all political class, many of them are captains of industries, billionaire business moguls, very rich and powerful politicians lined up to be elected by party delegates as the people's Democratic Party flag bearer for Abia state in the just concluded April general elections

Amongst those who contested for the gubernatorial primaries is Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu whose only credentials were honesty, love for Abia and Abians, humility, intelligence, astuteness in leadership, truthfulness,fairness in all his dealings with men and above all the love and fear of God. But going by the standard of man, Dr Ikpeazu, cannot stand amongst the political and financial Goliath's that came to run for the Abia PDP gubernatorial ticket.

Since the will of God is not the will of man, God in his infinite wisdom chose Dr. Ikpeazu and crowned him with victory over the money bags, political heavy weights, oil magnets etc. who had billions to spare in the pursuit of their ambition to govern the state.

Then came the April 2015 governorship elections, Abians spoke in one voice and came out in their numbers to elect Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu as their governor, they saw in him a man who has the hunger to move the state forward and develop the state beyond where he met it, a man whose love for Abia and Abians made him to present him self for service to our dear state, a man who doesn't discriminate but rather aligns him self with all Abians not minding political party affiliation, age,religion or tribe.

As it's usually the case, though the people's vote had spoken but some members of the opposition political party especially a faction of the the APGA led by Dr Alex Otti felt that the will of the people went contrary to their ambition and decided to challenge Dr Ikpeazu's victory at the tribunal.

The chairman of the Abia governorship tribunal sitting in Umuahia Justice Usman Bwala On Friday the 3rd of November 2015 delivered judgment on the matter reaffirming the decision of the Abia electorate by dismissing the petition filed by APGA against the PDP for lack of merit and therefore ruled that Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu is the duly elected governor of Abia state inline with the wishes of Abians who had all the while stood behind Dr. Ikpeazu both at the polls and the tribunal.

Now that Justice is done and seen to have been done by the judiciary, it is now left for the aggrieved Abians, Dr Alex Otti and his gang of supporters to see politics as a brotherly game and support the government of Dr.Ikpeazu and to also join forces with him for the love of Abia to enable us move the state forward, endless litigation, though it's the right of every one to seek further litigation if indeed a party feels that he/she is not satisfied with the decision of a lower court but the interest of the state should come first, it will do us no good to distract the developmental pace of this government by engaging it in an unending legal battle since the state is battling with paucity of funds at the moment.

We all should put Abia first and our ambition should be secondary if indeed we claim to love Abia and to also remember that it is only God almighty that makes kings and choose rulers.

Aguoru
Writes from Umuahia

Using the judiciary as a tool of subjugation. The APC example

By Uche Aguoru

The law which is the only measure that globally equals the poor and the rich, the powerful and the weak, the learned and unlearned and thereby referred to as the last hope of the common man, in Nigeria of today seems to have become a source of intimidation and oppression for the ruling class in the APC led government

The symbol of the judiciary is a blind woman holding a scale on one hand a sword on the other hand but justice Ambrosia and The APC led government seems to be trying very hard to confute that age long symbol of the judiciary being a blind woman and holding a balanced scale which only tilts towards equity and justice.

The recent judgment of the rivers state governorship tribunal which sat in Abuja have shown the desperation of the APC and abuse of power, if the confessions of justice Pindiga on how he was threatened and dismissed as the tribunal judge handling the rivers state governorship election tribunal is any thing to go by, then the judiciary in Nigeria is in trouble.

One can easily recall how the PDP witnesses during the trial were always threatened and intimidated by the DSS, making the outcome of the tribunal handling the rivers election petition easily predictable by all followers of the tribunal proceedings, the judgment didn't come as a surprise to me and many others who followed events preceding the ruling of justice ambrosia who took over after the sacking of justice Pindiga.

Justice Ambrosia from all indications came to read an already written script by the APC making mockery of the electoral act of 2010 which has been cited in the determination of so many other electoral petitions going on in different parts of the country.

A case in hand is that of the Lagos state PDP versus APC which the appellate court sitting on the matter ruled that the failure of card reader in an election can not be used as a substantial ground to cancel an election, also justice Gumi in delivering judgment in the delta state governorship election petition between Chief Great Ogboru of the Labour Party and Ifeanyi Okowa of the PDP which held in Asaba also concurred with the appeal courts judgment of Lagos state in delivering his judgment.

Though I am not a lawyer, but in sensitive cases such as that of electoral matters one would have thought that precedence should be followed from higher judicial bodies such as the appellate court to act as a guide in the determination of such matters thereby making one to wonder why justice Ambrosia will use a different measure to determine a matter which precedence has already been set by a higher court.

That judgment which has roundly received knocks from legal luminaries across the nation will naturally not stand the test of time unless the APC which forms the government at the centre has decided to tie the judiciary under its Apron and use it as tool for hatchet jobs as it has been the case with the law enforcement agencies.

I still have confidence that the appeal court will correct the errors done by justice Ambrosia if allowed by the APC, but in a situation whereby that error of justice ambrosia is upheld by the appeal court I have no doubt in my mind that the good people of rivers state which is traditionally a PDP dominated state will surely take up their voters card and vote the PDP and Governor Nyesom Wike back to the rivers state government house.

But the danger in using the judiciary as a tool of oppression is that the wounds of injustice comes too deep that it refuses to heal, and in a country where the citizens loses hope in their judicial system anarchy becomes imminent.

The great Martin Luther king said and I quote "Injustice any where is a threat to justice every where" - Martin Luther king Jnr.

Aguoru
Writes from Umuahia

Ochendo's tribunal victory, a vindication of the just.
By Uche Aguoru

The determination of the petition in favour of Senator T.A Orji of the PDP by justice Imeh Umannah in the suit filed Against senator T.A Orji by Barrister Ahamdi Nweke of APGA at the National Assembly tribunal sitting in Umuahia challenging the declaration by INEC of senator Orji as winner of the of the Abia central 2015 senatorial election will best be described as a vindication of the just.

Justice Imeh Umannah, while delivering judgment in the petition filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Ahamdi Nweke, said that the tribunal upheld the preliminary objections raised by Orji of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Justice Umannah explained that the petition was incompetent, considering that Nweke failed to provide the scores polled by him and the respondent during the election.

He further stated that the petitioner did not specify the wards and units where there were substantial irregularities, corrupt practices and non-compliance with the cited sections of the Electoral Act.

Consequently, the tribunal dismissed the petition for lack of competence and affirmed Senator Orji’s election.

Ochendo as he is handling called is a man of justice and equity hence his call to serve the people of Abia central senatorial zone after serving as the governor of Abia state for eight years with a track record of performance that surpasses that of his predecessors.

During the 2015 general elections Chief T.A. Orji refused to mortgage the soul of Abia by selling the gubernatorial ticket to the highest bidder, he insisted on supporting a man whom he believed that will take Abia to the next level of development having known his unpleasant challenges when he took over from his predecessor.

Despite the enormous pressure mounted on him by those who wants to turn Abia to their business empire, Chief T.A Orji stood his ground and insisted that the right thing should be done by making sure that justice, equity and fair play becomes the standard rule in the 2015 general election in Abia state.

Chief T.A Orji upon his assumption of office in 2007 as the governor of Abia state brought in sanity, peace and security into Abia political landscape by bringing together all Abia political stake holders under one umbrella as against what we have in the past where Abia political stake holders were at daggers drawn with each other.

Chief T.A Orji during his tenure as the governor of Abia state grew the state from the most insecure state in terms of kidnapping,armed robbery and other heinous crimes to one of the most secured state in the federation.

Other achievements of T.A Orji while in office include the construction of a new and befitting government house, international conference Center, high court complex housing estates, the building and relocation of Umuahia main market, timber market and spare parts market, the new ASEPA building, New BCA complex, new workers secretariat etc.

In the health sector, Ochendo built two modern diagnostic Centers in Umuahia and aba, the Ochendo administration also built and equipped well over 250 primary health care centres across the 17 LGA,s in Abia, he also built and equipped nine (100) bed general hospitals across the 3 senatorial zones in Abia, a new dialysis centre, a Chest and paediatric clinics at Amachara etc.

In education, former governor T.A Orji's administration introduced the free school bus scheme, he also built and renovated primary and secondary schools across the 17 LGA,s that made up Abia.

Former Governor Orji's administration also pursued one of the best youth empowerment program by introducing the skill acquisition program whereby soft loans are given to graduates at the end of their training in any skill of their choice under the Hannah May foundation, his administration also gave out vehicles free of any charges to Abia youths.

Time and space will not permit me to enumerate all the achievements of former governor Orji's administration which earned him accolades locally and internationally.

Senator T.A Orji's detractors have done every thing humanly possible to deprecate his achievement while in office as the governor of Abia state, but his achievements speaks volumes of his leadership qualities, a humble and kind man who places others first before self, an achiever whose love for Abia state is unequaled,that explains the reason why his people of Abia central senatorial zone chose him to go and represent them at the upper legislative chambers as their senator.

Ochendo,we the good people of Abia central senatorial zone have given you our mandate go and make us proud.

Aguoru
Writes from Umuahia

Holding the elected accountable

By Uche Aguoru

Democracy according to its dictionary meaning has been defined as a government of the people by the people and for the people. this definition simply put, is that the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them.

But in Nigeria, those who invented democracy if alive today may have been struggling to create another dictionary definition of democracy since the affore-defined DEMOCRACY has been found to be disputable given the attitude of the political class to the electorate once elections are over.

A close observation of the attitude and utterances of all the legislative houses across the 36 states of the federation including the senate and the house of representative speaks volumes of the fact that those elected to be the representative of the Nigerian electorates appear to be more interested in their relationship with the executive than working for the welfare of their constituents who elected them into those offices to represent them and speak on their behalf, this attitude of the legislative arm of government has left the Nigerian masses helpless and at the mercy of our leaders at the executive arm of government.

This realisation explicates why the executive has always shown undue interest in who leads the different legislative arms both at the federal,state and local government levels and in a situation whereby the legislature tries to produce the leadership of their choice it becomes a titanic battle between both arms of government with one arm trying to intimidate the other into accepting their own choice of a leader, an apposite example is the belligerence attitude of the executive/ruling party over the elected leadership of the upper legislative chamber, while I am of the opinion that who so ever has a case to answer against the laws of the federal republic should do so, but it has to be done inline with the extant legal procedure and not trying to muscle or intimidate some perceived political enemies into submission for some personal or party interests as against national interest as we are witnessing today in the fight between Saraki/Ekworomadu on one hand versus the executive/APC on the other hand. the atrocious aspect of the entire arrangement is that none of the two arms tries putting the interest of the people in focus while fighting to subdue the interest of the other.

It will amount to over stressing the obvious fact that the political class upon assumption of office no longer remembers the promises they made to the electorates while asking for their votes, but rather get engrossed in a selfish battle of individual financial amplification and how to recoup electoral expenditure, wardrobe allowances, estacodes and other sundry entitlements due to them without building in the needs of the electorates they represent into their demands.

Since both arms has been proved to be critical elements in every democratic setting it therefore becomes imperative that the electorates must hold them accountable in order to ensure that the electoral promises made to the electorates while seeking their electoral patronage at the polling booths is realised upon settling down as our elected representatives, sadly enough the process of recalling an under performing law maker or the impeachment of an executive who has been found wanting in the discharge of his constitutionally defined duties is bridled with so much rigorousness that wholly captures the essence of the axiom "it is easier for a Carmel to pass through the eye of the needle" than to constitutionally and inline with the extant laws of the federal republic of Nigeria recall or impeach an elected law maker or an executive.

In today's Nigeria a government official assumes the demeanour of a Hollywood movie star, making himself unreachable and unapproachable by those who elected him into office, they create artificial barriers between them and the masses and displays affluence in the midst of scorching poverty creating the identity of an oppressor rather than that of a servant, this insincere attitude of our elected officials has forced the electorate into making sure that he obtains from the politician who is coming to ask for his vote the much he can while he is still on his way to the office, having realised that once he gets into office he can no longer be able to either have access to him/her or fulfil those promises he made while campaigning, it's important to state here that this behaviour of the Nigerian electorate is not because he is ignorant of the fact that the politician coming to ask for his support is supposed to go in there to represent them but because he had been so used to being derelict and oppressed by those they voted into office that they now resort to getting the much they can now that he/she is being regarded as the master because sooner than later he/she will be seen as a liability once the elections are over.

In order for our democracy to thrive beyond its present phase its important that politicians should concentrate more on delivering on their political promises rather than the perks of office, the politicians should also ensure that they make promises that they can deliver on, rather than making ambiguous promises to those they intend to represent or govern, on the side of the electorate,they should ensure that any politician who failed to make good his electoral promises is shown the way out through the ballot box, while political parties should fashion out a political mechanism that will enable it to produce the right candidates who is well known and popular amongst his people so as to ensure electoral victory for the political party in a free,fair and credible election, also service delivery to those who elected them into office should be the focal point of the politician upon assumption of office.

In truism the task of fixing Nigeria is for all Nigerians, irrespective of political party affiliation,tribe or religion. Politicians should play politics in Nigeria and not play politics with Nigeria "Quote erat demonstrandum"

Aguoru

Writes from Umuahia