Abia State ICT Summer classes, season 2, began on August 1st, 2018 at the Abia state E-Library complex, Ogurube Layout.

The Abia State Information Technology, IT, Summer classes, season 2, began on August 1st, 2018 at the Abia state E-Library complex, Ogurube Layout.

In a charge to about 10 instructors and 35 students and pupils who were in attendance, the E-librarian, Miss Pearl Solomon heralded the good works of Governor, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu Ph.d, all over the state.

She stated that the program was a carefully crafted project by the Governor to curb Social misconducts during long vacations and this is to be achieved by keeping Children and teenagers busy with the trainings.

The E-librarian also stated that the program will foster an indept IT compliance amongst Abia students, thereby creating an enabling environment for Innovation in Abia State, beyond what is already available.

This Program is set to run from the 1st of August to the 30th of August, 2018; 10:00am- 2:00pm, Monday's to Thursday's.
She also intimated the students of prizes for the Best 5 students at the end of the program and encouraged them to take every lesson seriously.

Following suit was a tour around the CBT Facility, led by the E-librarian, with matching instructions for using the computers and other gadgets while classes commenced in earnest with an Introductory class, "IT in today's world", by Miss Chioma Agwu Mba and "Introduction to Computer" by Mr James.

Re: Abia State: Enough is Enough
-Jude Ndukwe

It was with my sincerest sympathies and pity for Alex Otti that I read his infantile tirade against the governor, the government and the good people of Abia State, which he disguised as a speech of intent for his 2019 governorship ambition in Abia State.

Reading through the speech, one can only but express condolences to a man who has become so obsessed and desperate to rule Abia State not as a leader but an emperor to the extent that he embarked on a journey of political hara-kiri in that speech, a speech that further exposes him as just another greedy, self-seeking and self-serving politician who has probably gone broke after fittingly losing the 2015 governorship election to the incumbent, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, and is circling around the political field of Abia, hoodwinking innocent people into drinking from his shiny chalice of wine laced with deadly venom in order to rehabilitate himself at the expense of the people.

It is very easy to see through that speech that Alex Otti cannot be trusted with our commonwealth as it is obvious that he would seek out his comfort and that of his family and cronies first before even thinking of attending to the people’s needs. This is so because in that speech, the very first thing Alex Otti mentioned as the project he would embark upon as a matter of priority is the urgent completion of a government house for himself. According to him, “What does it take to build a befitting structure for the leadership of the State?” Did you hear that? Not a befitting structure for the people but one for the leadership which he hopes in vain to head!

How, in the midst of the many competing needs of the people, did Otti think that building a government house for himself and his family should be his priority project if he gets anywhere near power? How could he be thinking of just himself, yet, he claims to love the people and want to work for their good and wellbeing? Does Otti know the overall cost of a new government house at this critical time of national economic hardship? For Otti to have talked about building a new government house as part of his promise to the people even before he talked about such critical issues and infrastructure as roads, education, health, employment, factors that impact directly on the people, shows that Otti’s attraction to governance is to build himself a palace so intimidating with Abia State funds that the people would no longer be able to reach him if he gets there. It also shows that Otti is in desperate need of a place where he will spend four years on blissful vacation in the name of being a governor at the expense of the good of Abia.

While a government house is desirable, it should not form the priority of any governor as long as there is an alternative that can serve the same purpose in the meantime especially considering the dire economic situation in the whole nation today. This is where Dr Okezie Ikpeazu is different from the likes of Otti. Government house is neither a monument nor is it a tourist destination. It yields no revenue for the state; rather it gulps much of the state funds in terms of maintenance and further depletes the little resources available to serve the people. Its time would come but it certainly is not now!

When God wants to expose the wicked intentions of a man, he makes him say things that he ought not to say and exposes such a man for who he truly is. That is why our Lord would always tell the Pharisees and the Scribes, “You have said so”. In another verse, the Bible says, “Out of the abundance of his heart, his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45). Abians, therefore, have to distance themselves from people like Otti especially now that he has exposed his true intent through divine intervention. There is no other way God helps a people other than this.

If Dr Okezie Ikpeazu had wanted to be selfish, nothing would have stopped him from completing the new government house with the scarce resources available to the state and operate from there. Who does not like comfort? But that is not his priority for now! How could he be thinking of a new government house that cost multiple billions of naira to complete when our roads, education, health and other critical sectors of our economy are constantly in need of attention? That decision to put the people first has paid off as Dr Ikpeazu has already constructed and delivered over 67 verifiable roads of high quality and international standards (mostly with street lights and functional drainage systems) and 82 others at different advanced levels of completion across the state, within just 36 months of his being in office. This directly impacts on the people and the state. And that is where the sacrificial leadership of Ikpeazu stands him out from the likes of Otti.

His well thought-out deliberate policies and investment on education has seen Abia students come first in WASC for three years back to back. As if to confirm that Ikpeazu has perpetually condemned other states to only follow Abia behind in education, the recently released WAEC results for 2018 still shows Abia State maintaining its first position, effectively making it the fourth time in a row since Ikpeazu assumed office. Getting to the top might be easy but maintaining it among other competing and even richer states for four straight years is certainly not a mean feat. While Otti is making desperate promises on education, Ikpeazu is already delivering the goods. Abia is a state of wise people. They surely won’t leave certainty for uncertainty!

Except the negligible few like Otti who in an attempt to trivialize great feats in the name of politics, Abians know Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has invested so much time and resources to attract both foreign direct and local investments into Abia State. Soon and very soon, Golden Guinea Breweries Ltd that went moribund as a result of fire incident that grounded its operations 15 years ago would soon recommence production with its attendant positive effect on the state’s economy and the numerous employment opportunities it will create for Abians.

The new investor in Golden Guinea ran into trouble because of rising cost of FOREX needed to purchase relevant equipment for the brewery. Business Post described the situation thus: “The company needed more funds to complete its retooling works and because of its existing debt exposures, lenders were wary. Events ground to a halt.

“Thus was the state of affairs until the Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu decided to lead a drive to resuscitate all moribund industries in Abia State irrespective of ownership…

“Leveraging on the solid relationship he had built with the Federal Government, Dr Ikpeazu took Mr Okay Nzenwa (the investor) to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo where the promoter of Golden Guinea stated his case and explained how macro-economic policy of the Federal Government affected his investment and has hampered his ability to raise new funds to restart the company.

“The Vice President graciously approved the request of Mr Nzenwa for Federal Government lending institutions to grant him facilities.” (www.businesspost.ng).

The narration above is an undisputable proof of Dr Ikpeazu’s commitment and result-oriented drive for attracting investment to Abia State.

The Enyimba Economic City is another result of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu’s audacious drive for foreign direct and local investments to Abia State. The City which is modeled after the economic and tourist city of Dubai spans a humongous 9,800ha of land across three local government areas of Ukwa East, Ukwa West and Ugwunagbo and will make Abia the toast of investors worldwide when it is completed. Already, one of the investors has committed a whopping $1.3bn to the design and other preliminary works of the project. The immediate and future impact of this on Abia cannot be overemphasised. This project as with others embarked upon by the governor will long outlast his tenure in 2023 and outlive him even if he lives for 120 years. While the Ottis are thinking of only themselves and the next election, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu is thinking about the people and the next generation!

It is most unfortunate that Otti in that speech had to ask how many Abians are working in non-governmental establishments as if to say there are no private investments or entrepreneurs in Abia despite the thousands of them working hard daily and employing people at the popular Ariaria market and other places, and Dr Ikpeazu is investing enormous resources to upgrade their skills and machinery up to international standards to improve quality of their products in order for them to compete even more favourably in the international market where the governor has also personally taken their products for marketing to the extent that our security agencies now trust our entrepreneurs to produce their boots and other gears.

It is sad for our state that a man of Otti’s status does not see these hardworking Abians as not working in non-governmental establishments. To Otti, these ones do not count unless one brings in companies from outside who make shoes and other leatherworks, garments, machinery fabrication etc that form the core competence of our people. At this rate, Otti will surely run our local entrepreneurs out of business as his elitist approach to business having come from an elitist banking sector that has been known to hardly support SMEs but kill most of them with crushing interests rates and other illegal deductions.

It is therefore not surprising that having served at the top echelon of the banking sector for so long, Otti cannot boast of even one entrepreneur he empowered through loans from the bank, neither can he boast of attracting any Corporate Social Responsibility project of the banks he served in to Abia State as he did in some other states.

It is shameful that Alex Otti does not have a single job creating investment in Abia State and yet mounted the podium to rant on industrialization. He is yet to pay his first one kobo as Tax or IGR to Abia State.

Such a man who could not assist his people grow in any way when he was the managing director of a foremost bank in the country has nothing to offer the people even if given all the wealth in Nigeria. The Bible admonishes us that a man who cannot be trusted with little cannot also be trusted with much. Abians have to be wary of sweet-tongued men whose speeches are as smooth as an ointment but ultimately devised to deceive.

With Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia is surely on its steady path out of the Red Sea. We may not be at the Promised Land yet but we have a governor who is determined to take us there. We cannot afford to make the mistake of electing people whose greed and drive for self-comfort above the general good of the people will take us back to Egypt just because their Pharaohs have promised them a part of the palace if they can return the people to the era of political brigandage and enslavement.

So to Otti, Abians are saying enough of the propaganda, enough of the deceit, enough of the falsehood, enough of the blackmail, enough of the malice and enough of the baseless incitements. In fact, Abians are saying to Otti: Enough is enough.

Jude Ndukwe writes from Umuahia

We have not done enough for Abia - Shell Nigeria apologizes

The management of Shell Nigeria Gas (SNG) Limited, that has been operating at Owaza community in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, has apologized to the Government and people of Abia State, particularly the oil bearing communities in the state for their long years of neglect and abandonment of the state, including the firms inability to return tax to the state and also engage in social responsibility programs for the oil bearing communities.

The Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Gas (SNG), Mr. Ed Ubong, who led other top-shots of the multinational oil firm on a courtesy call on the Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu at the Government House in Umuahia, regretted their neglect the state and her host communities and promised to make a change.

Details later...

Abia CPS Mazi Enyinnaya Appolos
31/07/2018

How Alex Otti and Orji Uzor Kalu are under developing Abia through political desperation

-Maduka Ikoh

On Friday 27th of July 2018, the failed Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, also known as “your land or your life” arrived Abia State and within 2 hours he achieved 2 personal life milestones courtesy of the defeated 2015 APGA Governorship candidate in the State, Dr Alex Otti:

1. He commissioned an uncompleted road purportedly “attracted” by Otti.

2. He was awarded a prestigious Igbo Chieftaincy title by a rogue traditional ruler whom Otti paid N100,000.

Interestingly, the road “commissioned” by Mr Adesina is at less than 30% completion status even as the project was listed as “remedial work on failed portions” as against “construction” or “reconstruction” of the road.


Clearly Mr Otti paid Femi Adesina to come and commission an ongoing road patching by NDDC and he abandoned his job as the President’s spokesman, at a crucial time, to dash to Abia State even though he was aware that the Minister of Niger Delta affair, Usani Uguru Usani and the Management of NDDC Led by Nsima Ekere were already in Abia State attending the 3rd Niger Delta Council.

It is clearly a confirmation of a disorganized Presidency that the media aide of President Buhari now takes money from politicians to “commission” uncompleted projects.

Yet what is more worrisome is the level of political desperation by Mr Otti that led him to arrange the so called commissioning of a project he purportedly “attracted”.

Otti is definitely not alone in the business of exploiting Abians under the guise of “attracting NDDC project”. That ruse was started by former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, perfected by Honorable Ossy Prestige and made an art in deception by Alex Otti.

Apparently the management of NDDC and the Presidency vowed to ensure that NDDC never contributes meaningfully to the infrastructure capital of Abia State. While NDDC has executed durable road projects in other NDDC states, no single durable road exists in oil producing Abia State courtesy of NDDC.

Unscrupulous NDDC officials apparently use Abia State to divert the funds of the intervention agency by simply collaborating with desperate Abia politicians looking for cheap campaign funds and on a mission to deceive Abia voters.

The scheme involves the desperate politician providing a company that will be used to execute the scam and also help to choose a road where the youth of the area will not fight back. At the end of the day a poorly done road is delivered to the people and the Abia politician and his Presidency collaborators smile to the bank while also positioning themselves as lovers of the people.

Since this scam started, no single road done by NDDC in Abia State has survived one rainy season. In fact the people of Ozuitem in Abia State were so scandalized by one of the scam roads executed by Orji Uzor Kalu, using his Slok company that is currently facing criminal charges by EFCC that they trooped out to protest poor quality Uzuakoli-Ozuitem road when officials of the NDDC visited to inspect the road which Orji Uzor Kalu hitherto claimed he did with his personal funds as a philanthropic work.

Uzuakoli-Ozuitem road failed within 30 days of commissioning by NDDC. Same applies to Nkpa road also executed by Slok and many other scam NDDC roads in Abia State.

That Alex Otti has joined his political godfather, Orji Uzor Kalu, to scam Abians is not surprising given the long history of business and political association between the two. It was Orji that inducted Otti into Abia politics and used him to siphon state funds to various state and foreign accounts.

Indeed, many in Abia State believe that Otti taught and helped Kalu to execute many financial scams in the state including converting the state’s pension and federation allocation accounts to private funds. As a then banker, Otti helped to manage the accounts through first bank and later Diamond bank.

In all these, the question begging for answer is why Abia?

In other NDDC states grade A contractors are used to execute road projects but when it comes to Abia State all manner of discredited individuals and companies are awarded contracts running into billions of naira without supervision by relevant state agencies.

The case of Ohanku road Aba is still fresh. Honorable Ossy Prestige, just like Otti, claimed to have “attracted” NDDC to reconstruct the road and went ahead to execute an elaborate commissioning ceremony that Speaker Dogara was billed to attend. Days after the purported commissioning it rained and the whole road was washed off and residents of the area cried out to Governor Ikpeazu to come to their rescue and take over the road.

The procurement of Femi Adesina in the latest NDDC road scam in Abia raises questions on the involvement of President Muhammed Buhari in these scams. Is the president aware that his spokesman is now a certified road commissioner in Abia Stat? Did the President approve the commissioning of a road that is less than 30% completed?

When desperate politicians use aides of the president to legitimize scams against Nigerians it tarnishes the image of the president and calls to question his anti-corruption credentials.

It is therefore time for all Abians and Nigerians to ask Femi Adesina how much he was paid to execute the latest NDDC road scam in Abia. Was Adesina aware that the road he commissioned was less than 30% completed? Will Adesina be allowed to get away with such scams in the south west or northern Nigeria?

-Maduka Ikoh

IKPEAZU ASSURES ON CLEARANCE OF SALARY ARREARS BY DECEMBER 2018

Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has given assurance that all outstanding arrears of salaries owed all the categories of workers in Abia State will be cleared latest by December 2018.

The Governor gave this assurance while inaugurating the Special Committee he set up to ensure the realisation of this objective.

Governor Ikpeazu reiterated that the State has been up to date with salaries of staff of Ministries and most Parastatals noting that it was the salary of teachers and a few Parastatals that had issues.

He called on Heads of Tertiary Institutions and money-yielding Parastatals in Abia State to take a cue from the ingenuity of the Vice Chancellor of the Abia State University by judiciously managing resources available to them while prioritising remuneration of their staff warning that Heads of Agencies who persist in mismanaging their Agencies and causing salary delays will be relieved of their appointments.

He expressed sadness that the issue has lingered for a while and charged the committee to expeditiously work out the modalities for the commencement of payment of all outstanding salary backlogs.

The Governor assured that Pensioners are also being accommodated in the arrangements being made and noted that Labour Unions will be carried along when it is time for disbursements.

Members of the committee inaugurated include
1. Mr. Obinna Oriaku, Honourable Commissioner for Finance.
2. Mr. Udochukwu Ogbonna, Chairman, Abia State Internal Revenue Services.
3. Sir Gabriel Onyendilefu, Accountant General, Abia State.
4. Chief Sam Nwogu, Chairman, ASOPADEC
5. Rt. Hon. Christopher Enweremadu, Hon. Commissioner for Local Govt. & Chieftaincy Affairs.
6. Sir Onyii Wamah, Head of Service of Abia State and
7. Engr. Emma Nwabuko, Principal Secretary to the Governor.

The Committee has began work in earnest.

Signed.

Sam Hart
Special Adviser to the Governor, Communications.

Commerce, Industry and SME Development-Made In Aba leads

As part of the administration’s efforts to reactivate moribund factories in the state, the government resuscitated the Aba Glass industry. The government is also working with the owners of Golden Guinea Breweries Umuahia, Modern Ceramics Umuahia and Enyimba hotel Aba to bring back the businesses to life.

To ensure automation of shoe production processes at Aba, Governor Ikpeazu sponsored 30 Shoemakers to China to learn automated shoe production and the government is set to import modern shoemaking equipment for mass production.

So far, Governor Ikpeazu has assisted Aba producers to get orders worth more than N2b in direct sales, including 50, 000 military booths, uniforms, 25,000 shoes for IDP camps, ballot boxes and others for LGA polls etc.

The Government has aggressively promoted Made in Aba brands, locally and internationally, with fashion shows held in Abuja and New York City in USA. Since coming to office, Governor Ikpeazu has been the chief promoter of Made In Aba clothes and shoes which he proudly wears and market to others.

As a result of the pull on demand occasioned by Governor Ikpeazu’s promotional activities, Aba shoe makers now export more than one million pairs of shoes weekly to neighboring countries. Unlike in the past, the products are proudly branded as “Made in Aba” or “Proudly Aba Made”.

Internationally, his efforts at promoting Made in Aba brands received support from Ford Foundation who funded and launched international marketing campaigns for Made In Aba brands at zero cost to the state via CNN and other international media platforms.

It was in recognition of the administration’s focused effort at promoting Made in Aba (Made In Nigeria) that the federal government signed executive order number 3 to make it compulsory for local procurement of all goods and services with locally made alternatives.

The initial works for the emergence of Umukalika leather and garment cluster is ongoing and we hope to move into the location early next year.

Education-Back to back, for 3 years Abia came first in WASCE.

As part of the administration’s capacity building agenda, the state launched the Education for Employment (E4E) scheme that has already produced 472 graduates with relevant skills in ICT, at Phase 1. Phase 2 of the program which is aimed at training 36,000 unemployed Abians in different skills has commenced at the Multi Skill acquisition facility at Umuobiakwa in Obingwa LGA.

For the first time in Abia state, a database of unemployed Abians has been compiled and the government is taking verifiable actions to provide them with jobs, using the recently launched Abia state job portal.

In partnership with Dangote group, a modern job center is under construction at Isiala Ngwa.

#To further enhance the capacity and productivity of Abia teachers, the administration is partnering with Australian education solution providers to retrain them and enhance teaching efficiency. More than 800 teachers have benefited from this program.

A new teachers training facility has been opened at Umuahia to ensure continuous training of primary and secondary school teachers.

Under Ikpeazu’s watch, Abia State has maintained 1st position in WAEC and NECO examinations for consecutive 3 years as a result of increased monitoring and enhancement of private and public sector educational resources.

To motivate our teachers for better performance in our schools, Governor Ikpeazu donated cars to best performing teachers from the 3 zones and also built staff quarters at Umuahia.

In consideration of the current socio-economic situation in the country, the government reduced tuition fees at ABSU, Abiapoly and College of Education Arochukwu to support Abia parents and guardians.

Abia’s homegrown free school feeding program was launched in 2015 and currently ongoing across the state. Abia State, under Ikpeazu, is the only state in the federation providing food for primary one to six school pupils.

Also Ikpeazu’s administration partnered with the private sector to provide free Made in Aba school sandals to over 2000 school children in the state. More will benefit from this program which also supports Governor Ikpeazu’s Made in Aba promotion agenda.

In order to boost ICT education and stimulate interest in that area in our children from early age, Abia State launched Free ICT and Coding training for primary and secondary schools in the state using the e-library at Umuahia as hub.

For the first time in Abia state, the ministry of education launched and deployed a unified education platform for all schools in the state. Results and activities of all Abia school children can be monitored from one platform for private and public schools.

In fulfillment of the Governor’s electoral promise, Abia State is constructing 4 model schools (Abayi Aba, Obingwa, Umuahia and Ohafia) with nursery, primary and secondary schools in one location alongside sports facilities and teachers quarters. This we are able to execute because we paid our UBE counterpart fund of N2.8b.

359 new school classroom blocks are currently under construction in the state with more than 100 completed and ready for Commissioning.

In addition, the state ministry of education renovated/constructed 67 classroom blocks across the 3 Senatorial zones of the state, sank 9 Boreholes and reticulated water supply to 43 school toilets.

To support regular monitoring of schools in rural and urban areas of the state Governor Ikpeazu launched a new statewide education inspectors scheme and provided 42 motorcycles to enhance efficiency.

The administration has reconstituted the state scholarship board and awarded tertiary education scholarships to best performing WASCE students in all the LGAs for 2 years.

A new education hub is emerging around the Owerrinta area with the government providing necessary infrastructure support to ensure the development of the biggest education cluster in Africa.

GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT!

The Governor of Abia State Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, has directed all government appointees who wishes to contest any elective position to resign with immediate effect according to PDP constitution.

Signed:
Dr Eme Okoro,
Secretary to the State Government.

Owerri Town Meets Urban Renewal

By: Henry Ekpe


It was the late Ikemba Nnewi, Eze Igbogburugburu, Chief Emeka Ojukwu that wrote the epic Novel “Because I am involved”. Therefore writing about the sorry present state of Owerri, the capital city of Imo State is “because I am involved”. The Town as today is decaying fast and turning a night mare to both visitors and inhabitants.
I know Owerri as far back as a child, because my parents were part and parcel of the town. So also were my uncles, who spent their sweats in developing Imo State.
Late Chief Raphael Ekpe (RU) my father's elder brother was a Local Government Administrator in nearly all the LGAs in Imo State during the military era, except Ngor Okpala LGA his own place of birth.
Dr Alex Ekpe, my father's younger brother was a senior pioneer staff who came back to Nigeria from USA at the request of late Governor Sam Mbakwe to join others and establish Progress Bank.
My late father Dr Hilary Ekpe died as a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Imo State.
Therefore, when I write with passion about Imo State, I do so with the conviction that I have a duty to continue from where my relations stopped. So, I do not make my commentaries based on personal disdain for any administration in Imo State, but rather as my own little contribution in advising our Leaders to make things better for us. After all, each administration comes and goes, but Imo populace and Owerri capital city remain forever.
Indeed, I have seen administrations come and go, with their various plans for the State capital, Owerri.
It was the first Military Governor of the State, Ndubisi Kanu that gave Imo State the Owerri Master Plan, which outlined how best Owerri could be developed to be one of the best State capitals in Nigeria.
This Abia State born Naval Officer was at the point of realizing his dreams for Old Imo State then, when he was suddenly removed and posted to Lagos State as Governor.
Since then, subsequent administrations have tried to follow the design of Owerri as mapped out by the Ndubisi Kanu era.
For those of us born and bred in Owerri, the city has out-grow because development has shot the population of Owerri to a high level.
And I think that in the bid to contain the human flow into the now-attractive Owerri city, the Governors made some adjustments in the original plan of what Owerri was envisaged to be.
However, the present regime of Governor Rochas Okorocha has completely altered Owerri city. It was a thing of joy when the Okorocha regime introduced its Urban Renewal policy, with Owerri given a priority. But it has gone awry.
There is no gain saying the fact that in order to comply with the present global trends, Owerri needed to be turned into a modern city with best acceptable facilities.
I think, this was what propelled the Okorocha regime to decide to remodel Owerri with wider roads to accommodate the high traffic flow witnessed in the city every day even as the population of the town skyrockets astronomically.
Experts told me that the Governor was right in embarking in his Urban Renewal project as it would change the face of Imo State capital and attract visitors including investors who will join in developing the State.
However, seven years after, it is now left for the Imo populace, visitors to the State capital and the Okorocha government itself to take a look at this signature major project of the Okorocha administration and give a final verdict on what Owerri is presently, from what it used to be seven years ago.
Fortunately or unfortunately, I saw Owerri when it was barely a semi village with two major “streets” Douglas and Wethral Roads.
Then life was sweet for us young people. There used to be a clock at Ama JK Round about opposite Nze HSK Osuji's House.
Incidentally, the means of transportation then was “Oke-Beke”, these small Buses that the Okorocha regime has returned to Owerri roads.
We had the Library at Wethral Road Round About which Okorocha has since demolished and replaced with a church and car park. We had Mbari Effigy at Arts and Culture and the Beautiful Ama JK Park at Douglas Road which have all been demolished too.
Legendary Shell Camp has also given way to new structures that are springing up. Before, Shell Camp used to be the high brow Area of Owerri, which haboured the Commissioners Quarters.
I am talking about when the likes of Loveday Ememe, KK Ogba, Henry Okwusa, Agom Eze, Rev Dr Anozie, etc used to be Commissioners. Those days of yore when my father's friend, Chief Egbesa Ihute used to be Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, a position I later held in Imo State. The Shell Camp primary school was for children of the rich.
The Okorocha's urban renewal has claimed the Ikenegbu shopping Plaza at Mbari Street that had about thirty shops and employed over five thousand people directly and indirectly. The Family Support Programe FSP complex constructed by the Tanko Zubairu regime has gone. This premises had a Gym, Halls, Children play ground, Super Markets, eatries and well tended grasses and trees. What is there now are three round Halls under construction since three years now.
The Urban project led to the mauling down of the ancient Eke Onunwa Market, New Market, and unfortunately, the Shopping Mall at New Stadium on, Wethral Road. The Old Stadium shopping complex has also gone.
After the serial bulldozing of these edifices, I doubt if they could be replaced before the present administration leaves office in the next ten months. And it means that the millions of Naira spent in constructing have gone down the drain pipe of the peoples fund.
However, the questions many people ask is; why demolish these existing structures, and yet begin another one on the same spots?
Were the old ones destroyed because of their present conditions or for space? Why not start new buildings at different places to boast the economy of the State, while these old ones be left alone to add to the number of structures owned by Imo State?
Meanwhile, in Owerri, there has been pipe borne water since the era of Ndubisi Kanu up to Ikedi Ohakim. But in the present Urban Renewal policy in Imo, water is not reckoned with. Rather than embarking on low cost Housing Estates for the teeming civil servants in Imo, private homes and Government property and pulled down.
I remember the old Secretariat at Orlu Road where my late father worked. I also remember the Ministry of Works along Okigwe Road where we used to hunt Birds those days. Both Buildings including “Water Cooperation” sites have been leveled, and these places now look like desert.
The Otammiri Water Distilling site has been taken over by weeds. Today no Tap runs in Owerri town, as individuals resort to personal bore holes. At a time, the Government which ought to provide this essential commodity to the masses, but failed, comtemplated charging fees for private bore holes in Owerri after it saw that a lot of families were digging bore holes.
While growing up in Owerri, Otammiri was one of the tourist centers where we usually go to see how water spill up from the Distilling Pumps.
But today, our Kids would never believe that there was pipe borne water in Owerri just seven years ago.
Infact, the Okorocha regime deserved accolades for the dualization of Okigwe Road, which is the only road the regime has been able to completely expand, since it started expanding Owerri roads.
However, the poor drainage work on that road is the cause of floodings witnessed now at Government House/Bank Road round about. Then, we usually go to the Tunnel at the old Library to listen to the force of flood as they empty into the major manhole at former Cooperative and Commerce Bank.
Unfortunately today, the water-way to that man-whole seems to be blocked or partially blocked. And the flood running down from Prisons to the manhole is too heavy for the narrow gutters to contain the force of water that flow down from Government College/Federal Girls axis.
With the Okorocha administration having barely ten months left in office, Owerri has returned to a two-street Town. How do I mean?
Apart from Tetlow and Okigwe Road, other roads in Owerri have collapsed. To locate any part of Owerri is a difficult journey. Most people now prefare using public transport, but unfortunately, Taxis do not ply what I call the “back-streets” of Owerri.
Why Government decided to commence construction on ever-busy wethral road during this raining season is difficult to fathom. Already Douglas Road is closed and now taken over by mountains of refuse Bins. And there are skeletal or no work at all on this busiest road in Imo, an indication that the Owerri inhabitants still have long days to endure suffer.
Relief Market Road is washed away and unpassable, erosion is nearly cutting to two the MCC Road at the point where the two Filling Stations are located. There are rumours that Government is no more interested in the MCC road project since a certain Business centre on that road has closed down following court ruling.
There are no link roads leading into Prefarb Estate from MCC Road, except you drive up to Uratta by Pilgrims. You cannot connect StartRight or Methodist Church from MCC Road again.
The Dick Tiger road up to Shoprite has been closed finally, while the adjourning roads through Trans Egbu are all death traps. Royce Road, Nekede Road to west end cannot be accessed from Douglas Road again.
Taking wethral Road through Emmanuel College is unimaginable, even as the Road about at Aba Road at Emmauel College is dangerous.
All the roads in the various Estates in Owerri are not worthy; Egbeada, Trans Egbu, Prefab, Aladinma, Works Layout and World Bank. Every junction now in Owerri is a motor park , Ama Hauasa West End and form Ogbo Osisi are like Oshodi of those days. If this is the case, where are the Urban Renewal projects? It seems the policy only targeted demolitions than constructions? For how long would it take to complete a road like Wethral Road, so that the people can do their businesses without pains?
The junction at School Road/MCC has been a death trap for seven years now without Government doing anything, yet the Houses around that junction were all mauled down in the spirit of Urban Renewal. Every day, vehicles fall there.
I am certain Okorocha meant well to change the face of Owerri, but pulling out large drainages constructed with concrete and replacing them with those made of inferior quality and narrower gutters beggars the reason for the Urban Renewal policy.
It is heartwarming that Mbari road was reconstructed and expanded but it was surprising that the engineers did not realize that the area around UBA is usually flood-prone and therefore should have deep drainages.
And again, Trees are important in urban development as they serve as wind breakers and also function in ecosystem. But rather than plant trees that can last for hundred years, pillars and a rods are rather preferred by the Government.
And unfortunately while concentrating on Buildings, we seem to have forgotten the importance of a clean environment in our State. Owerri used to be the cleanest State capital in Nigeria prior to 2011. For sure Owerri people are known for their neatness and clean dressing. But the situation has changed because of Urban Renewal. When shall it get better? I remember old Owerri.

COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF THE 3RD NATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING ON NIGER DELTA HELD AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTER, OGURUBE NEW LAYOUT UMUAHIA, ABIA STATE FROM 23RD - 27TH JULY, 2018


1. The 3rd National Council Meeting on Niger Delta was held at the International Conference Center, Ogurube New Layout, Umuahia, Abia State, from 23rd to 27th July, 2018. The Meeting was declared open by the Honourable Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA), Pastor Usani Uguru Usani. The theme of the Meeting was "Fostering Synergy and Institutional Coordination for Development in the Niger Delta Region". Fifty three (53) members drawn from the nine (9) states of the Niger Delta region, relevant Federal and States Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), representatives of Development Partners, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and International Oil Companies (IOCs), attended this year's meeting.

2. Preceding the Council was a three day Technical Committee session held from 23rd - 25th July 2018. The Technical Session was declared open by the Governor of Abia State Government, His Excellency, Okezie Ikpeazu (Ph.D), who was represented by the Deputy Governor of the State, Rt Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu, and chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Aminu Aliyu Bisalla. The technical session received and evaluated 34 memoranda while 27 were recommended for consideration and approval by the Council. Six (6) papers on critical subjects relating to the theme of the meeting were presented and discussed at the plenary session

3. The Council expressed concern over the lack of implementation of past approved memoranda and urged the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA) to revisit and implement the resolutions reached at the last Council.

4. The Council called on the MNDA to redouble its efforts in coordinating projects and programmes execution by all intervening bodies in the region in order to accelerate development.

5. The Council noted the importance of strengthening monitoring and evaluation of projects by all stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability.

6. The Council made the following notes and recommendations:

i. Noted that youth empowerment remains a veritable means to engender peace and should be intensified and called for programmes targeted at peaceful youth and communities;

ii. Recalled the approval at the 2nd Council on Niger Delta of a Youth Sports Engagement Programme (YSEP) to promote peaceful coexistence, harmony and stability. This project should be immediately pursued;

iii. Enhance engagement of communities in the security and peace efforts in the region;

iv. Reiterated the need for alternative sources of funding for the completion of ongoing capital projects in the region and encourage the adoption of Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the delivery of critical infrastructure and services;

v. Noted the importance of the Inter-Ministerial committee chaired by the Vice President as a vehicle for promoting synergy and cooperation that is required to galvanize collective support for the development agenda of the Niger Delta region;

vi. Noted the need to give greater attention to women and gender issues at all levels of government in the region for inclusiveness;

vii. Noted the spate of abandoned and ongoing projects resulting from inadequate funding and called for concerted efforts to develop a work plan through coordinated efforts by implementing MDAs and emphasized a buy-in of stakeholders in the Niger Delta Development Plan;

viii. Noted the importance of education for employment policy as exemplified in Abia State and encourage its replication in other parts of the region;

ix. Emphasized the need for education, sensitization and training of host communities in the oil producing areas on disaster mitigation by relevant stakeholders.

7. Council particularly expressed deep appreciation to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON for their relentless efforts towards the development of the Niger Delta region. The Governor, Government and people of Abia state are highly appreciated for their laudable support and hospitality for the success of the 3rd Council Meeting.


Signed.
Dr. Sam U. Eno
(Director)
Planning, Research and Statistics
MNDA


Issued at Umuahia, Abia State on this day, the 27th of July, 2018.


https://www.facebook.com/119961132055926/posts/219362598782445/

OWERRI ZONE STUDENTS ENDORSE HON. ONYEWUCHI FOR SENATE

Anyanwu Chinemerem Reports...

Rising from their monthly general meeting on Thursday July 26th, 2018 held at Federal Polytechnic , Nekede. The Owerri Students Association reviewed exhaustively the political situation in Owerri Zone, particularly as it concerns the statement credited to one Mr. Mike Nwachukwu, an Imo East APGA senatorial aspirant in the 2019 election.

After due deliberations, the Association resolved as follows:

1.
That Hon. Ezenwa Onyewuchi has performed creditably well in his representation of Owerri People in the Federal House of Representatives and as such surpassed and broken Legislative jinx and has also re-defined Quality, Effective and Peoples oriented representation.

2.
That Hon. Ezenwa Onyewuchi has made tremendous impacts in the infrastructural development of his Federal Constituency through his numerous Constituency projects.

3.
That there is no community in the three Local Government Areas that make up Owerri Federal Constituency that has not benefitted from "Mr. Empowerment".

Hon. Ezenwa's huge drive towards infrastructural development, employment and empowerment has put Owerri in the right map of political growth and representation.

4.
That apart from the huge infrastructural development, Hon. Onyewuchi has impacted positively on the lives of vast majority of his consistituents through his all-inclusive and sustained human capital development and philanthropy. His kindness and humility have gone beyond Owerri Federal Constituency.

5.
That at a time, when Leadership was needed in Owerri, Hon Onyewuchi stood up against all odds and antics of the State Goverment and led in the evacuation of the life threatening refuse dump at Douglas Road Owerri.

6.
That Hon. Onyewuchi is a consummate legislator, bridge builder and humane politician, who takes the downtrodden to heart and meets their needs. He has shown the representation is not about showmanship but rather about development and empowerment.

7.
That his open and transparent leadership and representation are unparalleled and worthy of emulation.
No wonder he stood on the side of Owerri people and moved a motion on the floor of the House on the "Downgrade of Alvan Ikoku University of Education" and also followed it up .

8.
That the sterling leadership of Mr. Empowerment as nicknamed by his Poeope has benefitted the Owerri Federal Constituency, Owerri Zone, Imo State and Nigeria tremendously through sponsoring of quality bills and motions which include urgent rehabilitation/provision of cargo facilities at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport which he also followed up ,met and invited the Minister incharge to the airport for inspection and approval.

9.
That the Owerri Students nationwide made these observations and have resolved to unreservedly and wholeheartedly support Hon. Francis Ezenwa Onyewuchi's bid for the senatorial seat of Owerri Zone in 2019 as he has proven that Legislation is about the people.

10.
That we strongly urge him to continue with his bid to contest for Imo East senatorial seat for Owerri Zone.

11.
That we have taken note of the immature display of lack of decorum by the APGA senatorial aspirant in a statement by Mr Mike Nwachukwu, an APGA Owerri senatorial zone aspirant during his declaration that Hon. Onyewuchi is providing weak representation.

In Mike's Ward of OAU, Hon Onyewuchi has verifiable Projects scattered all over the ward including ;
REHABILITATION AND EQUIPING OF ULAKWO HEALTH CENTRE AT ULAKWO, OWERRI NORTH.

CONSTRUCTION AND FURNISHING OF MODERN CIVIC HALL AT EGBELU OBUBE,
OWERRI NORTH.

CONSTRUCTION OF A 10,000 CAPACITY SOLAR WATER PROJECT AT TIMBER
MARKET AGBALA/NAZE, OWERRI NORTH LGA.

WATER BORE HOLE AT EGBELU OBUBE OWERRI NORTH.

CONSTRUCTION OF A TRANSFORMER SUB-STATION AT AGBALA and many others.

12.
That Mr. Mike Nwachukwu demonstrated lack of decorum and maturity and should focus more on convincing Ndi Owerri to vote him if he eventually gets the APGA ticket than throwing tantrums at the Owerri Project.

13.
That considering the unwholesome behaviour of name calling and heating up of the political space by the APGA aspirant, we the Owerri Students Association strongly believe that we cannot support Mr Mike Nwachukwu against Hon. Onyewuchi as we believe Nwachukwu has not and cannot offer any policy to address the legitimate grievances of the generality of Owerri people.

14.
That we urge Mr. Mike Nwachukwu to reengineer and retool his political strategies which is a gateway to the expression of vision and mission of securing the welfare of the citizens through ideal tangible programme rather than parochial sentiments that characterized his declaration ceremony.

15.
That we agree that Mr. Mike Nwachukwu has tried unsuccessfully to create the hideous and odious impression that Owerri Zone senatorial seat is up for grabs. We confirm that as an absolute lie.

16.
That we urge Hon. Onyewuchi to remain focused in his service to Owerri people and not to be distracted by some individuals who have been contracted to create confusion amongst our people.

17 .
That we uphold that Hon. Onyewuchi's giant developmental strides are eloquent testimonies of his commitment to the good of our people and they have been recorded on the pristine walls of history.

18.
That because of the the good qualities of Hon. Ezenwa Onyewuchi, we the Owerri Zone students will continue to support him today, tomorrow and always to accomplish his senatorial ambition.

Era Of Okija Shrine Oath Resurfacing In Abia.

I have wondered why Abia remains the only State in the South East with the most desperate politicians.

Abia as a State has not recovered from the onslaught of the 1999 to 2007 administration which laid the foundation of its todays albatross.

A fresh gang up is going on in Magreth Avenue. Same Magreth Avenue where they used to convey Abia desperate politicians to take them to the then Okija Shrine.

Same place some Abia Chiefs, able bodied men, who were desperate for political office were subjected to cracking of melon seeds in the bid to wait for mother excellency while she get down stairs to attend to them.

Same place is where the former Speaker, Hon. Martins Azubuike is conveying a team to agree on terms and conditions of the mother Excellency and also pick one of her sons as his deputy.

Abia could be anything you call them but won't be Orji Uzor Kalu fools again. Abia people have learnt from their foolishness and mistakes and are very willing to correct it come 2019.

In Abia, it's only 5% of the public office holders from 1999 to 2007 that can afford to feed their families.

In Abia, every person related or still associated with the old order of 1999 to 2007 is circling within pillar to post without achieving any result.

These and many more are the aftermaths of Okija Oath swearing of 1999-2007. Yet, the desperate Martins Azubuike and his duo are working tirelessly to take Abia back to Egypt.

We don't want to have a situation were we will wake up one morning and realise that our State Governor couldn't wake up from sleep, dead, probably poisoned by the cabals and his deputy.

We are better off in Abia without the Kalu's.

Abians are wiser!

Ogba Chinwendu Kalu

Abia Concerned Citizens.

Dr Alex Otti should face his future with sincere mind:

Chief Victor Umeh, as the then National Chairman of APGA, drove to the Imo State INEC Headquaters to protest with others what appeared to be electoral malpractices against APGA candidate Rochas Okorocha during the 2011 Gubernatorial election.

According to now Senator Umeh, his protest resulted to the declaration of result for Imo 2011 Gubernatorial Rerun which eventually was won by the then APGA candidate, Rochas Okorocha.

Just as we commend Senator Victor Umeh for protesting and demanding for the right to be done by INEC in 2011, Dr Alex Otti who lost Abia’s 2015 Governorship election should commend Senator T A Orji for doing what his former National Chairman did to secure electoral victory for Imo APGA in 2011.

Chief ALEX Otti should also commend Senator T A Orji for saving him from being jailed alongside the hired young black American lady, Shirley, who he presented as an international observer at the state collation Centre but couldn’t name a single Ward in Obingwa and Osisioma where she allegedly observed.

Dr Alex Otti should be reminded that Shirley gave statement to the security agencies that implicated him and others. Dr Alex Otti should imagine if in the right sense, two LGAs results would have been cancelled following an observation by a young lady who wrongfully alleged to be at Osisioma and Obingwa at the same period while election was going on.

Professor Ozurumba, the 2015 Abia State returning officer, I believe has repented by now and would be useful for further disclosure. It also appears to me that the returning officer regretted his action and at the same time, accepted the correction that was suggested to him by Senator T A Orji who had served as an INEC Administrative Secretary and other experienced Abia Elders.

By the grace of God, I witnessed all that transpired at the State Collation Centre. It is on record that an INEC collation officer accused APGA of offering him fifty million naira (N50,000,000.00) to cancel Obingwa local government result where Otti never campaigned or had candidates even for House of Representatives.

What most people may not know is that Alex Otti was also at the INEC collation center and it was his presence there with Shirley, alleged to be his US based mistress, that may have led the INEC returning officer to make the mistake of cancelling an already declared result. If not for the prompt intervention of Chief T A Orji and INEC headquarters that mistake would have led to disaster in Abia State.

Watch this video and see an INEC official accuse Alex Otti’s APGA of offering him a bribe of Fifty million naira bribe to cancel Obingwa result.

-Nnaji Obed Asiegbu

As the Liberation Bell Continues to Ring, Ihedioha’s Manifesto remains the Best

After a few days break, the members of the Imo Liberation Team were excited to see their Boss, the Chief Liberator, back to continue with the Ward to Ward consultation across the 305 wards in the State. With over 230 wards visited, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Nkem Ihedioha took some days break to address some personal issues and engage in consultative meetings for the betterment of our dear State. I have always advocated that politicians must have a life outside politics. Ihedioha outside politics is a responsible family man, a student, a teacher, a caring father, uncle, brother and a compassionate friend to many.

The good people of Ideato South were all excited as Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha arrived the LGA on a one day visit across the wards in the area. Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, the immediate past deputy speaker of the federal republic, arrived the LGA not just to meet with the delegates on his ambition, but to interact with the party members on the way forward come 2019. Ihedioha believes that for the 2019 election to be won, the grassroots must be mobilized to stand up for their right and defend their mandates. Ihedioha believes that the victory of the PDP in 2019 is dependent on how well the members of the party are mobilized and not just the delegates. While the delegates will take critical decisions on behalf of the members, the members will amplify their decisions to victory. This singular act of sensitizing the members of the party at the grassroots, given them hope and sinking the message of the New PDP in them, has remained a strong sailing point of the Ihedioha Campaign Train.

At the residence of Barr. Prince Odoemena, of Dekenafai ancient kingdom, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha did not change his message. He assured the members of the party that the PDP will not only win the elections in 2019, but will offer quality leadership that will be appreciated by all Imolites and deepen democracy. He noted that Local Government administration will be restored while job opportunities will be provided for the youths. Women and youths empowerment will be made a priority and respect shall be accorded to senior citizens and the physically challenged. Quality education and quality infrastructural development shall remain a cardinal objective of His admiration when He takes over in 2019. According to the former no six citizen, Real development shall be the hallmark of the administration, markets, Schools, pipe born water, electricity and rural roads shall receive adequate and due attention.

One must without doubt appreciate the manifesto of Hope offered by Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha. Ihedioha’s manifesto has remained consistent and unambiguous. It’s a manifesto that addresses the difficulties of the masses and to a large extent proffers solutions to them. The Ihedioha manifesto is a manifesto for Imo People. It’s a manifesto for the elite, it’s a manifesto for the common man. It’s a manifesto for the Keke riders and manifesto for Shop owners, traders and civil servants. It’s a manifesto for the total emancipation of Imo people from the bad governance they are witnessing today to a total turnaround in all sectors. Ihedioha’s manifesto has remained ever-blazing and all inclusive. Ihedioha represents the rebranded PDP which has vowed to make development its objective.

His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was received by notable leaders of the party led by Hon. Rufus Omeire, former member of House of Representatives, Hon. Njaka Duruiheoma, Assistant State Secretary of PDP, Sir Tony Mbaegbu, Chairman PDP Ideato South, Hon. Jonas Ukaegbu, (Amsure), Chief Durukwuoaku, Sir Osy Duru, Hon. Ifeanyi Ekwueme, Hon Chibueze Emelu, Architect Chidi Okoli, Ideato North PDP leader, Hon. Chinenye Nwabueze, Coordinator Team Ihedioha, Ideato North, Hon. Noble Onyeka, Hon. Njesi Ernest, 2015 House of Assembly Candidate Idea to North, Coordinator Ihedioha Campaign Management Committee, Ideato South, Barr. Prince Odoemenam, together with other leaders and stakeholders of the party in the area.

At the first point of call, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha met with Umuobom Ward, Umuakam/ Umuago Ward, Dikenafai Ward, (d) Isiekenesi Ward 1 and Isiekensi Ward 2. He later moved to the LGA Party Secretariat in Ntueke to meet with Amanato/Umueshi, Ntueke, Obiohia and Umuchima, wards. The last point of call was the residence of Hon Dr Rufus Omeire in Umumaishiaku, where He met with Ogboko Ward 1, Ogboko Ward 2, Umumaisiaku and Ugbelle Wards.

In all, the people of Ideato South made a bold statement, WE ARE WITH YOU IN THIS PROJECT.

GOMBE STATE HONOURS IKPEAZU, NAMES ROAD AFTER HIM

The Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu was today, honoured in faraway Gombe State as the State named it's low cost housing estate road currently built and commissioned today.

Filled with joy, the residents of the Federal Low Cost Housing Estate Gombe, trooped out in their numbers to honour Governor Okezie Ikpeazu PhD while he commissioned the 2km road constructed by His Excellency Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo PhD OON the Executive Governor of Gombe State.

The road known as Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu road, the Governor said was named after his Abia colleague in recognition of his giant strides in infrastructural development and promotion of MSME especially "Made in Nigeria goods". Governor Dankwambo said that Governor Ikpeazu remains one of the shinning lights of the PDP in terms of his obvious achievements within 3 years as Governor of Abia State.

Dr. Dankwambo maintained that during his visit to Abia, he was amazed at the level of achievement of his colleague who is one of the pan Nigerian leaders that believes in building a strong, United and virile nation.

Commissioning the project, Governor Ikpeazu expressed deep appreciation for the honour and prayed that users of the very well paved road will find it comforting. He thanked the Governor of Gombe for the quality of the road fitted with dual side drainage and street lights. The Governor also used the occasion to visit some other project sites being excuted by Governor Dankwambo including the international conference centre, modern trailer park and other road projects.

The Governor was acompanied by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, philanthropist Chief Ifeanyi Ubah, Mr. Chinenye Nwaogu and other aides of the Governor.

Chinenye Nwaogu writes from Gombe

REJUVENATED IHEDIOHA FIRES ON WARD TO WARD CONSULTATION TOUR TO IDEATO SOUTH.


Received with pomp and pageantry.


At the moment, His Excellency Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha and his #RebuildImo Team, fire on his Ward to Ward Consultation Visit with notable and emerging leaders and stakeholders from various Local Government Areas in IMO State.


He was received by notable leaders of the party led by Hon. Rufus Omeire, former member of House of Representatives, Hon. Njaka Duruiheoma, Assistant State Secretary of PDP, Sir Tony Mbaegbu, Chairman PDP Ideato South, Hon. Jonas Ukaegbu, (Amsure), Chief Durukwuoaku, Sir Osy Duru, Hon. Ifeanyi Ekwueme,  Hon Chibueze Emelu, Architect Chidi Okoli, Ideato North PDP leader, Hon. Chinenye Nwabueze, Coordinator Team Ihedioha, Ideato North, Hon. Noblr Onyeka, Hon. Njesi Ernest, 2015 House of Assembly Candidate Idea to North,  Coordinator Ihedioha Campaign Management Committee, Ideato South, Barr. Prince Odoemenam, together with other leaders and stakeholders of the party in the area.


At the first spot, His Excellency is being received at the Residence of Barr. Prince Chinedu Odoemena in Dikenafai where he is expected to meet with  Umuobom Ward,  Umuakam/ Umuago Ward, Dikenafai Ward, (d) Isiekenesi Ward 1 and Isiekensi Ward 2. 


Rt HON EMEKA IHEDIOHA will later move to the second venue - the Premises of the LGA's Party Secretariat, Ntueke where he is expected to meet with the 4 Wards, namely; Amanato/Umueshi, Ntueke, Obiohia and Umuchima.     


His Excellency Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha will later in the day conclude 13 Wards Ideato South Consultation Visit at the residence of Hon Dr Rufus Omeire at Umumaishiaku where he will be meeting with Ogboko Ward 1, Ogboko Ward 2,  Umumaisiaku and Ugbelle Wards.


#IhediohaConsultsIdeatoSouth

The 80th NEC Meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has ended here at the Party’s National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja. Members deliberated on several issues of national importance and arrived at the following:

I. NEC approved the schedule of activities leading to the 2019 General Elections

II. NEC considered and approved the expulsion of Senator Kashamu Buruji, Mr. Samiu Sodipo, Engr. Bayo Adebayo and Hon. Segun Seriki from the PDP. The expelled members are from the Ogun State Chapter of the PDP.

III. As a law abiding Party, NEC endorsed the decision of the Ekiti State PDP to challenge the outcome of the just concluded Guber Election at the Tribunal/Court, with a view to reclaiming the mandate of the Party which was stolen by the failed and dysfunctional All Progressive Congress (APC)at the election.

IV. Finally, the 80th NEC Meeting approved the MOU entered into by the PDP and 38 other political parties. Consequently, NEC constituted a Committee to work with other stakeholders of the Party towards the overall success of all the political Parties in the Union

I didn't force INEC to Declare Result under Gun Point ~ Sen. Orji Tells Otti

- July 23, 2018

Credit: PUOREPORTS

I didn’t force INEC to declare result under gun point, Sen Orji tells Otti
The immediate – past Governor of Abia State, and the Senator representing Abia Central district, Chief Theodore Orji, has denied coercing the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) under gun point, to doctor the result of the 2015 Abia governorship poll in favour of the incumbent Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu.
Orji who made the denial was reacting to an allegation by the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance ( APGA), Dr. Alex Otti, that he ( Orji) allegedly stormed INEC headquarters in Umuahia while the results were being collated and forced the Resident Electoral Commissioner ( REC) to reverse the cancelation of the results from Obingwa and Osisioma Councils.
The Senator who spoke to newsmen in Umuahia immediately after Otti’s claim was amplified on a radio programme said the APGA candidate lied and had only resorted to cheap blackmail having lost out at the poll.
Orji who spoke through his Liaison Officer, Hon. Ifeanyi Umere threatened legal action against Otti if he failed to retract the claims.
He explained that contrary to the allegation, at no time did he storm INEC office and forced the REC under gun point to declare a false result.
According to him, he only went to protest the action of the State Returning Officer who rashly cancelled results from Obingwa and Osisioma LGA after they had been declared by the respective Returning Officers at the councils.
He argued that as a former Administrative Secretary of the electoral umpire, he was fully aware that it was only the court and not a Returning Officer that had the powers to nullify an already declared result(s).
The senator said he only went to INEC to remind the REC of the illegality of the State Returning Officer’s action after which she cleared from INEC headquarters Abuja which also faulted the action and directed that the error be corrected.
He said it would be wrong for Otti or anybody to assume that his mission at the INEC office amounted to intimidating the electoral body to altar the outcome of the poll in favour of his preferred candidate.
Orji said he had already directed his legal team to analyse the claims by Otti and take necessary legal actions.
He warned politicians to desist from bitter politics and campaign of calumny and focus on issues instead of running down their opponents using falsehood.

Niger Delta needs more attention from the Federal Government — Stakeholders

Despite efforts by the Federal Government to develop
the Niger Delta region through various initiatives, there are still calls for more to be done in order to move the region to its desired level of development.

These calls are on the realization that the level of development in the Niger Delta region does not commensurate with the huge investments that have been poured into it, over the years. This appeared to be the opinion of stakeholders at the opening ceremony of the 3rd National Council on Niger Delta, being hosted by the Abia State Government.

While declaring the National Council open on Monday in Umuahia, the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, represented by his Deputy, Ude Oko Chukwu,said that development of the region was crucial to the peace and development of the country, adding that the Council’s theme; ‘ Fostering Synergy and Institutional Coordination for Development in the Niger Delta Region’ was apt as it provided stakeholders room to deliberate on ways to attract the much needed development to the region.
The Governor called on the Federal Government to evolve ways of completing the numerous abandoned projects in his state as it was crucial to the region. According to him, ‘ whatever happens to Abia state affects the entire Niger Delta region’.
In his remarks, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Aminu Aliyu Bisalla, identified that duplication of projects caused by lack of synergy among development agencies is one of the challenges delaying the pace of development in the region.
Bisalla expressed hope that the Council will provide a veritable forum for synergy among critical stakeholders and development partners in the Niger Delta region with the aim of fast-tracking the desired growth and development.

He added that the Ministry, as a Coordinator of development initiatives in the Niger Delta region was ‘very responsive and eager to listen and receive fresh ideas and recommendations that will emerge from this meeting’.

Executive Secretary of Abia State Planning Commission, Ugoeze Adanma Iheuwa stressed the need for stakeholders of the Niger Delta region to cooperate in order to
encourage the initiation of more developmental projects as well as foster peace, reduce poverty and create more job opportunities in the region.



Signed
Marshall Gundu
Director Press
23rd July 2018

https://www.facebook.com/119961132055926/posts/215947889123916/

New Enyimba stadium is world class- Okechukwu, Ex-Eagles Captain

Former Super Eagles Captain, Uche Okechukwu, has described the new Enyimba International FC Stadium in Aba as simply the best and world class.

The former super eagles defender who was fondly called “gentle giant” during his playing days, commended Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State for ensuring that such world class facility is in the state, saying that the facility will attract the best football competitions to Aba.

He made his feelings known after he was conducted round the stadium, which is still under reconstruction, by the Contractor, Moni Michelle.

“I have been told about the work going on at the Stadium, and I have also seen pictures on social media, so I decided to come and see for myself.

“What we have here is simply the best. The turf is world class. The facility we have here today will attract the best football competitions to Aba. Enyimba FC can now boast of having a world class pitch for their games. Every footballer will like to play here. It is one of the best I have seen. This is lovely and good. I can feel the pitch even as I walk round it. It is very soft. It’s marvelous. I can’t wait to see Enyimba play here again and I am happy this is happening in our time.

“I must commend our Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, for bringing this world class facility to Aba. It will encourage interest in football and other sports.”

Okechukwu is currently funding a football academy in Aba, known as Greater Abia Football Academy.

http://theeasterntelegraph..com/2018/07/photos-new-enyimba-stadium-is-world.html

Abia State: Welcome to the new economic frontier of Nigeria

Sam Hart

It has been long accepted by developmental scholars and social scientists that the primary responsibility of a leader is to envisage the best future for the led and set the right parameters in place for them to attain lofty heights.

A leader is not always required to do the heavy lifting. It has even been argued that a leader who exerts excessive energy and force in the course of steering the led in a particular direction is not an effective leader.

In Abia State, there is a leader who achieves social mobilisation by sheer force of his sincerity and personal example.

In Abia State, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu does not exert too much energy. His people know him through his works that eloquently speak for him. They trust him. Not an enforced trust but an earned one. If he says we are going in this direction, even before the destination becomes clear, his people follow him knowing full well that if he is leading them in that direction, then there is light there.

It all started with the Made In Aba Campaign. Even before he became Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu identified Aba as a fulcrum upon which the derrick of his administration will rest in the full knowledge that a productive Aba is critical to the development of the rest of Abia State.

He started with a personal example. He wore strictly Made In Aba attire and showcased the Aba producers to the local and international audience. Gradually, his vision became clearer and today, with the benefit of hindsight, everyone has seen the effect of the Campaign.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has keyed into the campaign irrespective of the fact that Dr. Ikpeazu belongs to a different political party. Abia State is firmly on the map of National SME Developmental Policies and it is all as a result of the foresight and social mobilisation of a leader.

There is no gainsaying the fact that power is a minimum requirement for the industrial development of any serious cluster, region or country. Even though power is a National challenge in Nigeria, because of the foresight of Governor Ikpeazu in attracting attention to Aba, the city is receiving special attention for the provision of uninterrupted power.

The Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, through the Rural Electrification Agency, has commissioned the construction of a 5 Megawatt Power Plant to provide over 37, 000 shops at the Ariaria International Market with uninterrupted power supply. This was after a pilot test-run with 1,000 shops over an uninterrupted period of 6 months.

Upon completion in 2019, Ariaria Market traders, shoemakers, fabricators and inventors will have uninterrupted power supply. One can only imagine the opportunities that will be unlocked for creativity and inventions.

The Abia man is already a natural genius who is already doing unimaginable things under the most difficult of social conditions. When you now provide him with basic opportunities to take his craft to another level, the outcome is better imagined.

Added to the goodnews of imminent uninterrupted power is the fact that Geometric Power, the pioneer private licensee of a Power Project in Nigeria has received a new lease of life to come on stream in the shortest possible time. Recently in Beijing, China, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ruyi Group of China for equity investment in Geometric Power which will enable it accelerate it's switch-on process.

The Ruyi Group already has Power Plants in China, Pakistan and Ethiopia and are looking to become the dominant players in the world in the energy sector. This investment in Geometrics will lead to the activation of not just the already completed power plant at Osisioma, but also ensure speedy work at new plants at Ugwunagbo and Ukwa West.

This enables us segue perfectly into the Enyimba Economic City Project.

This project is a Public Private Partnership between the Abia State Government and Crown Realtors Limited. Encompassing a total land area of over 9,000 Hecters, the project traverses three Local Government Areas and terminates on the boundary with Rivers State.

Another product of the foresight of Governor Ikpeazu in attracting attention to Aba, the Enyimba Economic City, has as major driver, Mr. C. Darl Uzu, the Chief Executive Officer of Crown Realtors.

Governor Ikpeazu, just like he did with the Made In Aba project, has lent the full weight of his name and office to the development of the Enyimba Economic City.

Through intergovernmental diplomacy and leading from the front, Enyimba Economic City has been designated a Free Trade Zone by the Federal Government. Governor Ikpeazu has equally led countless meetings to key stakeholders to secure their buy-in and investment into the project.

A major milestone in Governor Ikpeazu's economic diplomacy was achieved recently again in far away Beijing, China. The Enyimba Economic City signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a multi billion dollars investment by the Ruyi Group in the Economic City. The Ruyi Group is the World's largest producer of garments and allied products and they are set to invest at the Enyimba Economic City.

Present at the signing were the Nigerian Ambassador to China, Amb. Baba Ahmed Jidda, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, Economic Adviser to the President, Dr. Adeola Dipeolu, Chairman of the Board of Geometric/Enyimba Economic City, Dr. Pascal Dozie, CEO of Geometrics, Prof. Barth Nnaji, Management of the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA) and other relevant officials.

The array of witnesses at the signing ceremony was symbolic & indicative of the level of support the project enjoys.

Governor Ikpeazu represented the Government and people of Abia State. The Nigerian Ambassador's presence conveyed a Presidential approval. The Minister of State Trade and Investment conveyed the backing of the Federal Cabinet. Director General of Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority signifies support of regulatory agencies. Economic Adviser to the President signified that the top bureaucrats in the President's Office have given their blessings.

As I write, Enyimba International Stadium is about to re-emerge as one of the best in the country with it's state of the art pitch.

All these were not random developments.

Governor Okezie upon assumption of office highlighted his developmental focus for the three Senatorial Zones of Abia State thus:

Abia South will be our Industrial hub
Abia North will be our Agricultural belt while
Abia Central will continue to serve as administrative hub and also processing centre for agricultural products harvested in the North.

Every great development is a product of vision. Every vision needs a visioner and driver who will drive social mobilisation for the actualisation of that vision. A leader with clarity of direction and strength of conviction. Abia State is blessed to have such a leader in Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.

Abia State, under Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, has reasserted itself as a veritable investment destination. Let those who understand how to make hay while the sun shines do the needful.

Sam Hart is the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communications.

SONS OF ANARCHY: HOW GOV. ROCHAS OKOROCHA AND HIS SON IN-LAW UCHE NWOSU AMASSED OVER 1000 PROPERTIES IN IMO STATE

By Secret Reporters - Jul 19, 2018

Corruption in the words of a great man is “authority plus monopoly minus transparency”. Rochas Owelle Okorocha, governor of Imo State perfectly fits into this category as he has turned the government of Imo state into a family business taking undue advantage of his authority to monopolize the properties and wealth of the Imo people throwing caution to the wind. SecretReporters can authoritatively report that the Imo state governor Rochas Owele Okorocha and his family members have used their various positions over the past seven years to illegally acquire hundreds of properties, through the influence of their brother who has cunningly placed each of them in strategic positions to aid and abate their looting escapades. Evidence available to our newsroom reveals that in 2011 before he became governor, Rochas Okorocha acquired a small portion of land on which he built an estate called “Spibat Estate”, but upon his victory as governor he forcefully acquired the remaining portion which is over 100 plots from the Mbieri community of Imo state. Gov. Rochas has since expanded this estate, as it now has double drive ways, about 64 buildings and a lawn tennis court.

Information made available to our reporters revealed that his son in-law Uche Nwosu forcefully acquired a piece of land from a civil servant on which the wife of the governor Nkechi Okorocha built the popular Municipal Plaza located at M.C.C Road, Owerri. To further show that corruption runs in the blood of the Okorocha family, it was also alleged that Geraldine Okorocha, the elder sister to Rochas Okorocha acquired former Mr. Fans building and has since opened an eatery called “Twitter Bites” located at Mba Road, Owerri after frustrating the initial owner out of business.

Looking at what looks like a blueprint to solidify the movement for the looting and illegal acquisition of properties in Imo State, Gov. Rochas Okorocha who recruited his son in-law Uche Nwosu as his secret weapon of mass looting and theft, appointed him the Deputy chief of staff from 2011-2013 to fraudulently amass wealth and properties from the hard working civil servants of the state. The Governor not fully satisfied and bent on dealing treacherously with the Imo populace also appointed him as the commissioner for Lands and Housing, a position he occupied from 2013-2015. Uche Nwosu we learnt used his office as Commissioner for Lands and Housing to forcefully and illegally acquire lands from the innocent people of the state by revoking their certificate of ownership and transferring the same lands to his proxies and family members. Some of these lands include the Akachi Estate, which seats on over 80 plots of land acquired by Nkechi Okorocha through Uche Nwosu; the land has 10 duplexes and ten bungalows all fully and well furnished, to be used as service apartments and are valued at over 6 billion naira. It is also pertinent to note that the oppressive governor celebrated owning over 1000 Certificate of Ownership (COs) some years ago, according to a source, feat he was able to achieve using his son-in-law who was the lord when it comes to matters of land and housing in Imo state. To further promote Uche Nwosu and boost his career as an executive looter, SecretReporters gathered that Gov. Rochas Okorocha in 2015 appointed him as his Chief of staff, a position he occupies till date.

It is no news that the statue loving governor in a more recent move presented his commissioner of mass looting as the next governor of Imo State in other to perfect his scheme and evade possible prosecution after he vacates the office as the governor in 2019.

Below is a list of some property owned by him and his family memebers:

Woodi wellness Centre, owned by Nkechi Okorocha, the wife of the Governor. The property is located at former Imo State Civil Service Secretarial, Orlu Rd., which was forcefully taken by Uche Nwosu as commissioner for Lands and Housing, the other part of the land was shared among his family members for private use.

Westbrook Hotel, located at New Owerri, owned by Okorocha’s son-in-law Uche Nwosu, who in 2011 was a 10,000 job applicant of the Ikedi Ohakim examination, as a commissioner of land and housing, he acquired the land by revoking the license of the original owners.

Farmers Market owned by Geraldine, Okorocha’s elder sister, acquired through Uche Nwosu as commissioner for lands.

A filling station under construction beside Farmers Market owned by the Governor’s brother Gerald Okorocha, acquired through Uche Nwosu.

A filling station under construction along MCC Road, owned by Uche Nwosu. Over 20 plots of lands acquired by Uche Nwosu for his private school project which is still under construction.

Women Centre, 20 plots of land acquired by Nkechi Okorocha through Uche Nwosu for Event Center, just opposite the land Uche Nwosu is building his school.

A new mansion under construction opposite ISOPADEC building beside El Freda compound owned by Gerald Okorocha acquired through Uche Nwosu.

A mansion at Udunwa Estate owned by Uche Nwosu. Over 25 plots of land acquired by Uche Nwosu for his wife’s El Freda foundation.

Billions of state funds have purportedly been laundered through this foundation.

Estervia Mega Supermarket opposite Civic Center estate owned by Ogechi Ololo Rochas Okorocha’s younger sister who is presently the commissioner for happiness.

Municipal Plaza MMC owned by Nkechi Okorocha acquired through Uche Nwosu.

Alex home, along MMC road owned by Nkechi Okorocha through Uche Nwosu.

Akachi Estate occupying over 80 plots of land with 10 duplexes and ten bungalows all fully and well-furnished acquired by Nkechi Okorocha through Uche Nwosu valued at over 6 billion naira.

A storey building under construction at world Bank near Newcastle Hotel owned by Geraldine, Okorocha’s elder sister.

Geraldine Okorocha acquired former Mr. Fans building which now houses Twitter Bites located at Mba road using proxy.

Spibat Estate, sitting on over 100 plots of land, with double drive ways and has about 64 buildings and a long tennis court in it.

Former IBC land at Orji now used by Rochas Okorocha as the site for his private school.

Private mansion at High brone Civic Center Estate, owned by Uche Nwosu which cost about 250 million naira, Uche Nwosu also changed the name of the street to Uche Nwosu Street.

House of Freeda a multimillionaire mall, which has branches in Lagos and Abuja, owned by Uche Nwosu and his wife.

Uche Nwosu owns a very large poultry farm, beside Shoprite Owerri.

Disney hotel and resort, owned by Okorocha. Well furnished with the state funds collected under the guise for flood victims in 2017

* It is alleged that Rochas Okorocha tried to buy Rockview and when the owner the Young Shall Grow refused, and he started using machinery of government to frustrate them. *

Rochas owns Concorde Hotel through a shell company *

Rochas Okorocha leased Adapalm to his private company *

Geraldine Obinali’s son Obinna has a Manson behind Ahiajoku Center *

Using proxy Rochas acquired NTA land near Concorde

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/sons-of-anarchy-how-gov-rochas-okorocha-and-his-son-in-law-uche-nwosu-amassed-over-1000-properties-in-imo-state/

Abia Not Owing Core Civil Servants – NCSU

Umuahia – The Abia State chapter of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) has declared that no staff in the employ of the state civil service was being presently owed by the state government, disclosing that those being owed were those in the government parastatals or agencies.

Disclosing this to DAILY INDEPENDENT in Umuahia on Monday, Innocent Ekweye, the state chairman of NCSU, also said that the labour union in the state had been trying to make sure that those who were on salary arrears were paid on time. He spoke during the union’s quadrennial delegate’s conference to elect new officers held in the Abia State capital.

“Well the labour union in Abia State is trying their possible best to make sure that those who are on arrears of salaries are paid; the government is not owing those in the core ministries. Those in the parastatals and non ministerial departments are those being owed arrears of salaries and through this conference, we advice the state government to pay them.

“In the issue of welfare of civil servants by the state government, the trade union movement goes into dialogue over that. So, it takes wisdom and understanding to handle issues between trade union and government.

; we will continue to push for workers welfare in term of incentives and good working environment.


“At least when a worker is well paid and paid as at when due, he will be able to put more efforts. In Nigeria civil service union, we contribute to the training of workers, so government should reciprocate this gesture through good working environment and when they have it, they will deliver an efficient service in the ongoing recruitment exercise,” he said.


“At least when a worker is well paid and paid as at when due, he will be able to put more efforts. In Nigeria civil service union, we contribute to the training of workers, so government should reciprocate this gesture through good working environment and when they have it, they will deliver an efficient service in the ongoing recruitment exercise,” he said.

https://independent.ng/abia-not-owing-core-civil-servants-ncsu/amp/

How Ikpeazu saved lives through flood control in Abia.


Ikechukwu Iroha.


It was a headline on Channels television this evening that reminded me of the number of lives and properties the Ifeobara artificial lake built at Faulks road has saved.


The Ifeaobara pond which collects water from Ariaria, Ukwu mango and environs was a major breakthrough towards achieving a flood free Faulks road and Ariaria market that hitherto defied every effort made to solve the problem for years. This is an outcome of Ikpeazu's approach towards good governance. 


While I sympathize with the people of Kastina over the havoc wreaked by flood which killed at least 45 and destroyed over 500 houses in Kastina State, the home state of the President of Nigeria, I wish to urge governments to pay more attention to flood control in our various States. 


The rate at which flooding and it's consequences during the rainy season appear on news platforms suggests the need to pay attention to issue of flooding and drainages on our roads. 


Perhaps one of the biggest projects in Umuahia, the Umuagu/ Isingwu erosion control has continued to attract the attention of patriotic Abians who have turned the project to a tourism site going by the wonderful engineering work that was done to save over 100 houses within the area including the family house of the former Minister for Finance, Dr. Ngozi Nkonjo Iweala. 


The efforts of Abia State government is paying off in the area of flood control through opening of water channels and quality drainage systems on our roads. 


It could be recalled that pictures of flooded areas around Ariaria international market was used as a campaign point in 2015 general elections to an abysmal point. Today, those that posted the pictures are yet to inform their audience that Dr Ikpeazu has tackled flooding in Aba and environs. 


This account for one of the reasons people are commending the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu PhD, who saw the need to improve on our road infrastructure that posed a major problem to businesses in Abia. 


The issue of flooding has been played down by even the opposition parties who commend Dr.Ikpeazu for the legacy projects he has done to protect our roads and houses. 


The way the issue of flooding has been tackled in Abia defines the level of readiness and commitment of the State Government to tackle other challenges in Abia State.

Ihedioha ndi Imo Mma is what we want

One of the surest ways of wining the 2019 general elections in Imo State and indeed across the country is by having a mass appeal of not just the elite, but the common man and woman in the street. Ever since the 2015 election, one Man’s popularity has continued to rise for good, the name Ihedioha is one of the most mentioned names in every political discuss. Little wonder other opinion analysts have applauded Dr Chuks Osuji for recently conducting an opinion pool were Ihedioha took the lead in all measures. In Name recognition, the acceptability was high, in capacity, Ihedioha’s vote in the pool was not divided, in experience, exposure, reach, competence, the Imo masses aligned with Ihedioha.

Ihedioha has shown preparedness for the task, He has shown loyalty to Ndi Imo, He has remained the strongest opposition voice, tackling the government on issues that concerns that State and its people. Recently, His voice against the unlawful impeachment of Prince Eze Madumere, despite not being in the same party with him, has placed him as the real “Imo Opposition Leader” who is out to fight for the Liberation of Imo state. He is the leader of the oppressed in our communities, He is the leader of the Keke Operators, He is the leader of the youths, the women, children and the entire Imo masses. Ihedioha ndi Imo Mma is what we want (What is good for Imo people, is what we want).

Powered by Imo Liberation Team!

Ihedioha Youth Movement Visits Nwangele LGA, Inaugurates Members

Yesterday, the good people of Nwangele Local Government came out in their numbers to receive the leadership of Ihedioha Youth Movement led by Engr. Okoro Rex. The leadership had visited the LGA to inaugurate the LGA team and Ward leaderships in Nwangele.


Speaking during the event held at Umuoma Hall,Abaja Nwangele, The State Coordinator, Engr Rex Okoro assured the youths of Nwangele that Ihedioha would offer them all the opportunities needed to maximise their potentials. Engr. Rex described Ihedioha as a vision bearer who has raised many youths from Modesty to Majesty. He noted that Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is a man who will never backslide from what he said. “Ihedioha is upright, he believes in the capacity of the youths and the potentials they can add to the growth of Imo State, He will engage round pegs in round holes to make sure that the glory of our dear state is restored”, the former Student Union Leader noted.

While receiving the team, Comrade Orient Nwadike, the PDP youth leader in Nwangele and a former Union leader, thanked the group for conducting themselves in the best manner, stressing that the Character and conduct of the youth movement shows how organized the benefactor is. He assured them of the support of Nwangele youths in the entire struggle towards the Liberation of Imo State. “We will work with all stakeholders to ensure victory at the 2019 general elections for the PDP”, He added.

The event attracted the presence of youth leaders across the various clans in Nwangele, Party officials who came in solidarity with the movement, LGA Coordinators, Student Coordinators and notable leaders of the body.



#IYMMEADIATEAM Reporting

2019 election: Why we endorsed Ikpeazu- Catholic Women

The Catholic Women Organization (CWO) of Catholic Diocese of Aba has said that their consensus decision to endorse the Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, for second tenure from 2019, is as a result of the achievements of the Governor, which they described as ‘tremendous’.

Speaking on behalf of 30,000 CWO members spread across 73 parishes in Aba, at the 2018 CWO Day held at the Christ the King Cathedral (CKC), Aba, at the weekend, the President, Aba Diocesan Catholic Women Organization (ADCWO), Lady Gloria Odochi Odor, in her welcome address said that the women found the Governor worthy of their endorsement because of his laudable achievements in the state.

“We make bold to announce that in Dr Okezie Ikpeazu we found a genius, transparent, hardworking man with a heart of gold.

“Aba was perceived by some people as a dead town. The level of infrastructural decay was alarming. When Dr Okezie Ikpeazu stepped in as governor of Abia State, irrespective of long litigations, his touch made a difference. When the righteous is on the throne, the people rejoice. We rejoice because we can now drive smoothly on the roads you built for us.

“Your laudable achievements during this three years of tribulations speak volume. We are proud of you, our Great Achiever. In me sector of trade, commence and industry, made in Aba products is recognized and accepted.

“The rapid development in Abia State under the administration of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu proves that this governor is prayer answered, we have not had it so good.

“Based on the tremendous achievements of our dear Governor within this short space of time in Abia, in particular Aba, I on behalf of the entire Catholic Women of Aba Dioceses, stand to here today, 14th July, 2018, to announce the decision of CWO from 74 parishes of the Dioceses Aba to endorse Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for re-election in 2019, without any reservation.”

In his response, Governor Ikpeazu thanked the Catholic women for their support and implored them to continue to pray for him and members of his team as they continue to pilot the affairs of the state.

“I can’t thank the CWO of Aba Dioceses enough for this endorsement. I have received endorsements from various groups, this particular one is different. Catholic women are not a political group, therefore nobody will say that this endorsement is politically induced. I am not a Catholic, so nobody will also say that you have endorsed one of your own by faith. Therefore, I cherish this particular endorsement and it will spur me to work harder all my days as governor. I ask you to continue to pray for us to take the right decisions for the good of our people and development of our state.”

Governor Ikpeazu also thanked the women for their commendation of his achievements, and told them that they should expect more work from him.

Wife of the Governor, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu, the Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture, Rt. Hon. Uzo Azubuike, Commissioner for Petroleum, Hon. Chizuru Kanu, a PDP chieftain, Ochiagha Regan Ufomba, Chief Greg Esotu, the chairmen of Aba North, Hon. Stanley Ogbonna, Aba South, Emmanuel Emereuwa, Isialangwa South, Chief Ifeanyi Isikaku, Bende, Chief Gabriel Elendu, and Hon. Blessing Nwagba were among dignitaries that accompanied the Governor to the event.

Re: Open Letter to Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Governor, Abia State


'The Fact Speaks for itself'


My dear Arochukwu brother, Dr Alex Chioma Otti, I bring you greetings from the good people of Abia State, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour of Mankind.


I read your so called non political open letter to the Executive Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, through your favorite Facebook channels and decided to respond to you principally to set the record straight and stop you from further preying on the emotions of the gullible who may not have truthful information available to them.


Permit me to inform you that Governor Ikpeazu is busy with the work of developing Abia State and will not be personally responding to your desperate ploy to distract him from the task of leading Abia to prosperity. While you continue to occupy space on Facebook, he is facing the work Abians elected him to do.


As you know, he has already proved you wrong on Abia Infrastructure, Security, education and agriculture through uncommon focus on his duties, regardless of your many attempts to distract him.


In the first place, I find it laughable that you referred to an open letter addressed to a sitting Governor, using public platforms, from an obviously still sore defeated political opponent as non political. To me that simply adds to the litany of recorded deceitful posturing that have characterized your political engagements in Abia State since 2014 when you dived into the political arena with a false messianic complex.


Sir, when concerned responsible citizens write non political letters to their Governor on issues of governance they do so privately and without media noise or fanfare. Nobody is deceived into believing that your intention was altruistic, especially knowing that you wrote to set the media agenda for your previously publicized Ngwa High School Governorship declaration aimed at trying your luck again in the coming 2019 general election.


Your open letter is therefore another attempt to mislead and deceive people who may not be aware of your brand of politics that thrives on lies, half-truths and plain deceit.


With regards to your so called previous interventions in the governance of the state since you were defeated in 2015, as affirmed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, you may wish to be reminded that you pointedly attempted to scuttle the approval of the African Development Bank (AfDB) low interest facility approved by the National Assembly for the rapid infrastructure development of Abia state even after you previously lied to our people at the premises of Aba Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA) in 2015 that you obtained a bank loan of $100b from International Finance Corporation, as a PRIVATE CITIZEN, to develop infrastructure at Aba.


We are aware that your principal reason for attempting to scuttle that facility was to prevent the Ikpeazu administration from delivering on its infrastructure renewal agenda and maintain a healthy cash flow that will ensure that our people continue to march forward even with the recession that hit the nation’s economy.


I believe that you now know that the attempted sabotage against the people of Abia State did not yield your desired goal as the administration has gone ahead to complete more than 67 road projects with 82 others at various stages of completion, within three years, including the roads to your adopted and original place of birth; Umunkpeyi-Umuehim road in Isiala Ngwa South LGA and Ndi Oji/Ndi Okereke-Arochukwu road in Arochukwu LGA respectively.


It appears to me that your ill advised politically motivated interventions in the affairs of Abia State, since you lost the 2015 election to Governor Ikpeazu, were informed by your wrong sources of information with regards to our dear state.


According to former Secretary General of the United Nations, Dr Kofi Annan, “Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.” Your continued sourcing of information about Abia State from FACEBOOK appears to me to be the reason for your serial misfiring with regards to current Abia affairs.


An American business man, Mitchell Kapor, warned about this penchant for wrong sourcing of information and forming opinions from the internet when he stated that “getting information off the Internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant.”


Your statement that “Abia Civil Servants are presently owed up to ten months salary arrears” is typically expected from those that source, bandy and form opinion from information shared at Facebook and other online social media platforms.


It is unfortunate that presumably brilliant folks will spend time to write open letters on the basis of Social Media gossips, especially when they can make little effort by calling concerned workers to verify the true position.


While sympathizing with you for the effect of wrong information-sourcing on you, permit me to educate you properly on the state of salary payment in Abia State.


All workers in Abia State Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) have long received their May 2018 salaries and were set to receive June 2018 salary but for the impasse that led to the failure of the federation account allocation committee (FAAC) to disburse June Revenue due to Abia State and others.


It is important to note that workers in our MDAs constitute more than 70% of the state’s workforce.


I hope you understand that statutorily Abia State Government does not pay the wages of workers in state parastatals as they are permitted to generate and use revenue to pay their workers and run their operations. In situations where some parastatals have challenges with fund generation, the state government lends support with subventions.


As much as possible, this administration has supported our parastatals, hence Abia State University Uturu which hitherto had salary payment challenges is up to date with workers salary. For others such as Abia State Polytechnic Aba, we have made interventions to support them; including offsetting the debilitating commercial bank loan of two billion Naira as well as with payment of monthly subventions.


Yet there are few parastatals we believe that it will be necessary for the management to restructure their operations for greater efficiency.


As a responsible government, we will not allow any institution to constitute itself into a leaking pocket or drain pipe on the collective wealth of Abians.


While we continue to make interventions to support those weak parastatals, we are also mindful of our responsibility to the remaining 98% of Abians who are not salary earning civil servants but require other dividends of democracy from their government. For them, we will continue to develop socio-economically important infrastructure, maintain the prevailing security in the state and promote entrepreneurship, even while systematically deepening the revenue base of the state.


While you may have chosen to play politics with workers welfare, Governor Ikpeazu is daily working to ensure that their wages are not only paid as and when due, he is also putting in place policies and systems to ensure that the internally generated revenue (IGR) inflow of the state is improved above our current wage level. Not only has he embarked on total computerization of the IGR collection system, he is also supporting our MSMEs to ensure that they grow and pay their fair share of revenue to the state.


We have partnered with the federal government to deliver steady power supply to more than 1000 shops at Ariaria International market, helped to get approval for a new power generating and distribution company to serve the important Ariaria area, supported geometric power company to quickly roll out at Aba and commenced the development of a new industrial city with steady power supply and other necessary infrastructure.


Rather than writing misleading letters, Abians like you can help the state through locating job and wealth creating investment in our state. Indeed we look forward to the day you will give flesh to your sloganeering on “Abia First” by locating one of your businesses in Abia State as well as execute private projects to better the lots of our people.


It should bother you, Sir, that while you have chosen your alma mata, Ngwa High School Aba, as venue to launch your dead on arrival 2019 Governorship campaign, there is no single classroom block or even a computer set in that school that was donated by you. Whereas we are aware of your past efforts in attracting school projects to institutions in other states of the federation.


Responsible citizens support government to improve the lot of their people as against letter writing and politically motivated sabotage of government programs and projects to score cheap political points.


If you will not support growth in Abia State, you may wish to at least revisit the issue of the loan you packaged for modem ceramic (MOCERAM) Umuahia that not only ensured that the factory continues to be closed with thousands of jobs lost but also that every member of the church that bought over the factory now owes nearly two billion Naira debt from a loan of less than two hundred and fifty million naira.


The Bible admonished us to remove the logs in our eyes before bothering about the specks in the eyes of others. You may wish to read the book of Mathew chapter 7 verse 5:


“You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.”


It is also interesting that you are now posturing as the champion of workers. While we do not think that it is necessary to review your career record in banking to make the point that talk is cheap, you may wish to personally review publicly available records to see that the sacking of over 2000 workers followed your exit from the last bank you worked at.


Even if you cannot do anything for the people of Abia State you desperately seek to govern, please stop lying and misleading them because of politics.


All the extraordinary inflows received by this administration were managed transparently without blemish and earned Governor Ikpeazu accolades from Independent Corrupt Practices Commision (ICPC), his peers in the Governors Forum and labour unions in the state.


Suffice it to state that not only were the funds applied transparently to improve the welfare of Abia workers and other citizens, it is on record that since May 2015 Abia State Government pays wages to her workers every month.


We have also resisted recommendations from theoretical economists to slash wages or retrench workers, as done in neighboring states most of whom are paying workers 50 to 70 percent of what they used to earn before now.


Under the watch of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, no Abia worker has been retrenched to lighten the wage burden. Instead we have gone ahead to commence the implementation of the payment of 2017 leave allowance to workers and on course to complete the regular promotion exercise for workers in the state civil service.


We will not take advice from those who mismanaged smaller private sector entities, with the consequence that those hitherto blue chip organizations had to sack more than 2000 workers and cut wages to stay afloat.


Abia State Government, under the watch of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, will continue to stand with the workers and people of Abia State through prudent and resourceful management of limited resources of the state.


We are therefore confident that the measures we have put in place to shore up the revenue base of our state will soon deliver the desired results and the issue of inherited pension and salary outstanding will soon be history in our state.


Abia workers understand the difference between cheap talk or politically motivated letter writing and self evident prudent management of scarce resources.


Our workers will never place their fate in the hands of flying politicians who are looking for election campaign talking points. They know “Okezuo Abia”is working for them and innovating to solve the daily challenges of our people.


The great people of Abia State understand the dangers of handing over the state to economic theorists who do not understand the reality of managing limited resources to meet the needs of 38,000 workers along with 4.5 million, mostly traders and farmers population, who also have needs. They also celebrate the caterpillar and agricultural revolution of the Ikpeazu administration knowing that even those who receive monthly wages will have higher values because of the improvements in infrastructure and food security.


Thank you for finding time to write your Governor. I personally find it interesting that you have inadvertently acknowledged the change in Abia’s infrastructure, Security, Education, Agriculture and human capital development narrative, under Governor Ikpeazu’s watch. Your new focus on salary payment, borne out inability to identify any other 2019 campaign talking point, confirms what Abians already know: Governor Ikpeazu is a worthy champion of the integrated development school of the Late Dr M I Okpara and Chief Sam Mbakwe.


Be assured that your state is in good hands and things can only get better. We only hope and pray that you will one day consider investing in Abia State and start contributing to improvements in our internally generated revenue, as a practical demonstration of love for our workers, traders, farmers and their children.


Indeed, the fact of Governor Ikpeazu’s sterling performance speaks for itself.


Signed:


Chief John Okiyi Kalu

Honorable Commisioner For Information, Abia State.

12/7/2018

https://www.facebook.com/119961132055926/posts/207544879964217/

ALEX OTTI - THE LATEST LETTER WRITER IN TOWN

by Onyebuchi Ememanka.

I have just read a letter written by, Mazi Alex Otti, the defeated APGA Governorship candidate in the 2015 elections and a current aspirant to the same office for the 2019 elections.

Even a daft person will appreciate the amateurish strategy adopted by Otti and his spin doctors, namely to set the tone and whip up sentiments in readiness for his formal declaration of intention to contest for the APGA ticket for the elections tomorrow. The timing of the letter is too weak a strategy indeed.

The letter had just one theme - salaries of workers in Abia State, nothing more.

Before a formal response to the letter is issued, let me say that this letter is radically different from previous commentaries by Alex Otti on the Ikpeazu administration. I have had the privilege of responding officially to previous pieces authored by Otti against the Ikpeazu administration.

Before now, Otti's commentaries were usually replete with non existent accounts of administrative failure in Abia. Both during his campaigns for the 2015 elections and in his subsequent commentaries, Otti made a lot of noise about the state of infrastructure in Abia State and how terribly hopeless the situation was. He spoke about how security had collapsed and other issues. How businesses were dying on account of bad roads and kidnaps, etc. Of course, he also made references to the salary situation.

Surprisingly, in this his latest letter, Otti talked about salaries and pensions alone.
So what of roads?
What of security?
What of the investment climate?

This display of selective amnesia on the part of Otti is a clear indication that things have improved massively. Knowing Otti and his style of using high fallutin words and bombastic negative phrases to describe the situation in Abia then, that he kept sealed lips on roads, security, investment, etc means one thing - he has nothing to say there.

The logic is simple. If between 2015 and 2017, Otti cried about roads, kidnaps, armed robbery, salaries and pensions; and 24 hours to the launching of his campaign, he now talks only about salaries and pensions, the meaning is clear. We have made clear progress.

Even on the convoluted issue of salaries and pensions, Otti is either ignorant of the situation on ground or being plainly mischievous.
The Government of Abia State has always made public the salary situation in the state, including pensions. We will do it again, not necessarily in response to Otti's empty diatribes which are replete with the fallacy of argumentum ad misericondiam, but as part of our duty to the people of Abia State.
At no time have we stated that some segment of workers are not owed in Abia State. No. What we have done and will continue to do is to bring our people up to speed with what we have done to tackle the challenges and our plans to bring a permanent closure to this issue which clearly predates this administration. The challenge of salaries and pensions have been with us since 1999 with every succeeding administration inheriting a huge backlog of unpaid salaries and pensions.
While Governor Ikpeazu is not in the habit of blaming past administrations but rather believes that governance is a continuum and whatever a new administration meets on ground, work must start from there, it must be clearly stated that the challenges of salaries and pensions didn't emanate with the Ikpeazu administration.
The statistics bandied about by Otti in his letter do not reflect the situation on ground. The situation is way way better what he stated and most definitely better than what we met by May 29, 2015.
For the records, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu will put an end to the challenge of salaries and pensions in Abia State in his time as Governor.

Alex Otti need not whip up sentiments against his Friday declaration. We don't consider him a threat to the reelection of Governor Ikpeazu next year.
By the time results of the 2019 elections will be declared, Otti will realize that indeed, he has been a butterfly all along who thought himself a bird because the greater majority of Abians will reelect Governor Okezie Ikpeazu so that he will continue with the work he has so passionately committed himself to.
One thing that will stare Otti in the face by the end of the 2019 elections is that he and his supporters have a clear overestimation of his acceptance by the people of Abia State. They will also realize, to their chagrin, that the people of Abia State are appreciative people who have seen the seen clear signs of progress under Ikpeazu and are not prepared to play BETNAIJA's PERM FOUR FROM TWO with the next four years.

Finally, on Friday, at Ngwa High School, and as Otti makes his declaration, the first ever Flyover in the history of Abia State which is being constructed by the Ikpeazu administration will be overlooking him and staring him in the face.

I hope he finds courage to turn around and look.

Industrialization: Invest in Abia and enjoy tax waivers

In furtherance of the rapid industrialization agenda of Abia State government and with a view to tackling cases of harassment of business organizations in the state, government has approved tax and levy waivers for the following categories of investors in the state:

1. 100% waiver on all levies and dues (excluding user fees and PAYE) for new investment in education not less than Five Hundred Million Naira (N500,000,000.00) in verified value with a workforce of not less than 100 persons.

Waiver applies for 5 years from date of approval.

2. 100% waiver on all levies and dues (excluding user fees and PAYE) for new investment in manufacturing not less than Five Hundred Million Naira (N500,000,000.00) in verified value with a workforce of not less than 50 persons.

Waiver applies for 5 years from date of approval.

3. 100% waiver on all levies and dues (excluding user fees and PAYE) for new investment in healthcare not less than Five Hundred Million Naira (N500,000,000.00) in verified value with a workforce of not less than 20.

Waiver applies for 5 years from date of approval.

4. 50% waiver on all levies and dues (excluding user fees and PAYE) for new investment in hospitality not less than Three Hundred Million Naira (N300,000,000.00) in verified value with a workforce of not less than 20.

Waiver applies for 5 years from date of approval.

5. 100% waiver on all levies and dues (excluding user fees and PAYE) for new investment in agro-allied based industry not less than Fifty Million Naira (N50,000,000.00) in verified value with a workforce of not less than 50.

Waiver applies for 5 years from date of approval.

Organizations wishing to take advantage of this are expected to apply through the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue Service, Investment House, Umuahia, or the State Ministry of SME Development, for approval.

Chief John Okiyi Kalu
Honorable Commissioner For Information

Abia woos investors with tax waivers

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has announced new tax and levy waivers for potential investors in the state’s industrialisation programme.

A statement by the commissioner for Information, John Okiyi Kalu, yesterday, said the move was to tackle the harassment of business organisations in the state by sundry agents.

Thus, the state government waives 100 percent tax and dues (excluding user fees and PAYE) for new investments in education of not less than N500m in verified value and workforce of not less than 100 persons.

Under the new regime, 100 percent tax waivers are also granted for the following sectors: manufacturing with value of N500m and workforce not less than 50 persons; healthcare valued at N500m with workforce not less than 20 persons.

Other areas of tax waivers are: hospitality with value of N300m and a workforce of not less than 20; and agro-allied with value of N50m and a workforce of not less than 50 persons.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/abia-woos-investors-with-tax-waivers-260387.html

Prince Eze Madumere’s Planned Impeachment, a Potent Danger to our Democracy - EMEKA IHEDIOHA

The attention of the former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha CON, has been drawn to the purported process of impeachment, initiated against the Deputy Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Prince Eze Madumere MFR by the Imo State House of Assembly, visibly on the directive of Governor Rochas Okorocha.

The Deputy Governor’s obvious offence is his legitimate aspiration to run for the highest political office in the state, contrary to Governor Rochas Okorocha’s preference of his inlaw, Mr. Uche Nwosu .This unfortunate development is particularly alarming and indeed worrisome to all advocates and defenders of democracy and rule of law in Imo and the nation at large.

It is therefore incontrovertible that this move, being undertaken by Governor Okorocha and Imo House of Assembly is a colossal assault on all known democratic tenets, including freedom of choice, freedom of association and the right of an individual to aspire to any political position in the land. The present, unfathomable and inherent danger lies in the manner Governor Okorocha is wheedling the state lawmakers to plunder the mandate of the people on flimsy, narrow-minded and self-centered basis, contrary to the prescriptions of the relevant sections of the Constitution

The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, guarantees every citizen, the right to aspire to any position or office, as long as the aspirant meets the relevant requirements. Section 143 of the constitution provides that the Governor or his Deputy can only be removed from office by the House of Assembly if any of them is proven to have engaged in “gross misconduct.” The compelling question is whether aspiration to political office amounts to gross misconduct? It is unfortunate that Prince Eze Madumere is a victim of his own political ambition in a constitutional democracy.

It is most regrettable that Imo State is about to have a third Deputy Governor in the life Governor Okorocha’s administration as he has once again, demonstrated his clear intolerance to alternative political stance and viewpoint. And s it is typical of his administration, he has once more dishonorably pushed Imo in the news for the wrong reasons, thus, provoking salient questions, bordering on the institutionalized misrule and impunity that have enveloped the state in the past seven years of his administration.

Regrettably, this episode is coming at a time, one would have thought that Governor Rochas Okorocha would, at the twilight of his failed administration, be pre-occupied more on how to salvage the near ruinous state he is set to leave behind without any legacy to show than to be engaging in duel against perceived political enemies.

Governor Rochas Okorocha’s penchant for intimidation and betrayal is evidently legendary. This was evidenced in the manner, he supervised the impeachment of his former Deputy, Chief Jude Agbaso, whose family provided the platform with which he attained the position of Chief Executive of the state in 2011. It is also the same inclination that accounts for his desperation to remove Prince Madumere who has been known to be his greatest loyalist for over two decades. If he succeeds in impeaching Prince Madumere, that would inappropriately amount to denting the political records of two illustrious sons of Imo within his two-term in office

Governor Okorocha, therefore must stop this open display of gross abuse of power and treatment of Imolites as conquered people who must be humiliated and subjugated. This is manifest in the planned impeachment of Prince Madumere, which in all intents and purposes is irresponsible, undemocratic, illegitimate, irrational, egocentric and therefore should be reconsidered forthwith in the best interest of the state and sustenance of democracy.

May I reiterate my avowed solidarity to fellow democrats, comrades and the good people of Imo State in general in our quest towards rebuilding our state and reassure of my loyalty and commitment to the collective cause and yearning of our people for good governance.

My modest advice to Governor Okorocha is for him to pay more attention to the issues of governance, to save the state from imminent total collapse. And also for him to ensure that the welfare, infrastructural development and security of the people, which constitute the primary purpose of governance, are delivered efficiently, although time is fast ticking against his administration.

Chibuike Onyeukwu.

Media Aide to Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, CON.

12th July 2018.