Let me address you as OCHIAGHA for I can confirm that you bear the name for one simple objective – to perpetuate confusion and beat drums of war in Abia that adopted you as a son.

Lately, you have been regular on facebook; dissem inating on all manner of unfounded, baseless and wicked rumors against Abia, the State that protected you from
public outrage when it was even confirmed that you harbored die hard kidnappers and promoted terrorism within your Isiala Ngwa make shift home.

According to you, TAO is history and has concluded plans to render 40,000 persons jobless and homeless. This he hopes to do by demolishing 1,800 houses. I appreciate your knowledge of Mathematics but quick to add that you have never used it to the advantage of Abia, at least in a positive sense. Your Isiala Ngwa ( I hope NDI ISIALA NGWA will forgive me) suffered grievous faulty marginalization during the last delineation of constiutuency. The area needed Mathematicians like you to help salvage the situation, but because you are O KA NMA N’MBA, your voice was thin.

You asked how a new Govt House and an International Conference Centre can add value to lives of Abians? Again, you gave yourself away as lacking in common sense and quality reasoning. You need lessons on tourism and economic values. Do you know how much the Govt you advised from 1999 – 2007 paid as rent in that Government House? Do you also know that a permanent and government owned Government House would have saved huge costs? In the whole of Abia there is no single 1,000 capacity hall that could host conferences and international retreats and you think we are okay with that? Do you know how much NIKE LAKE RESORT returns as profit for providing that facility? I leave the public to judge you and your reasoning.

At the time you were OUK’s Adviser, there were over 200 of you in the State Government’s payroll. You did not complain because apart from being morally bankrupt, you lacked the wisdom to know that was recipe for under development. Your poor knowledge of Mathematics was the reason you told us that TAO has 500 Advisers when in reality there are 43 Advisers working with TAO. You will also need to tell us how you multiplied human beings that are 43 to get 500.

Today, you are a later day saint shinning only in Facebook and other social media sites. The question I ask is this, what is your pedigree in relation to the overall development of Abia? Aba had long been known to have ingenuous artisans and a haven for small and medium scale enterprises. Where is your industry in Aba, given that Abia is twenty one years old? John Udegbala (Tura), Udensi (Dubic), Ina Obasi (Quanta water), Maduako,(Terminus Hotels) Mandela Obasi (Evergreen), Anthony Olekaibe (Anzyy Shoes) just to mention but a few are some of your age mates who have practically demonstrated faith in the Abia project. They employed Abians and opened up opportunities to grow Abia economy. They did not run to Calabar because they want to answer mega billionaires.

For eight years, you glued your disingenuous, gluttonous and annoyingly lazy self to OUK’s administration and by extension, supervised that naked aggression, unabashed looting and aggressive under development of Abia. You did not complain. From the point of political, moral and economic obscurity, you want to be Abia State Governor. Your ambition is in order but you will need to appreciate that Abians are not daft. They also do not have poor sense of history and know well that REAGAN UFOMBA is not in the shade of those who mean well for Abia or the one we can entrust our collective wealth in his care.

Our attention has been drawn to various publications in social networks casting aspersions on the Abia’s most esteemed persons. These faceless individuals parading as APGA YOUTHS alleged that Abia State government in a bid to rape the State Economy earmarks certain huge sums of money as patronage to persons like Senator Uche Chukwume
rije, Senator Nkechi Nworgu,Ugochukwu Onyema, General Ike Nwachukwu’ Chief Ojo Maduekwe and the fisrt Chief of Army Staff from Igbo land, our own General Ihejirika just mention but a few.

We are pained by these frivolous claims. Though any sensible person would know that no State government no matter how rich would lavishly give out over N500m every month as gratis, we know that the authors are bent on discrediting our best. From the list, we can deduce where the voice is coming from.

After Reagan Ufomba tried in the most futile manner to become Governor of Abia State, he has devised all sorts of means to destabilize the State. It is important we trace where he is coming from to enable us proof that he lacks neither honor nor integrity. Reagan had approached the State government to enable him pay off huge debt from Diamond bank. Having failed to rip off the State, he shamelessly resorted to name calling and unabashed politics of mudslinging.

Reagan had left a three bedroom flat in Lagos State to become Governor of Abia State. Apart from coming from a background of wretchedness, his kinsman Chief Nwachukwu Nwachukwu had revealed that by birth and descent, Reagan is from Ogoni and therefore can afford to destabilize Abia State.

APGA may exist as a political party. We however know that there is no such thing as APGA in Abia State. We know the existence of Reagan and his Ukwa Ngwa brothers (?) who are determined to rock the ship of the state.

Abia State was recently adjudged as one of the most prudently managed States in Nigeria. It is therefore shocking to observe that the State could be paying money to even the revered Uche Chukwumerije, our dear General Ike Nwachukwu and the elite Ojo Maduekwe.

Wonder why Senator Abaribe’s name is not on the list of beneficiaries? Ukwa Ngwa people are determined to unleash their venom on the present regime to cause confusion and promote enormous hate amongst the people of the State. Why would they be pulling all structures just to make a statement that they are warming up for 2015? What would it profit them to scatter and destroy their own State?

Nobody has the monopoly of violence. We call on the so called APGA YOUTHS to stop disparaging Abia’s best brains just in attempt to score cheap political goals. If they are tired of their concept of ‘see no good, hear no good and feel no good’, they should not turn the heat on a State that has long enjoyed some quiet. We need sustained peace in Abia State

Each time OUK has opportunity of talking to the press, he reechoes how ‘he single handedly’ made TAO. As OUK is busy playing god, he would need to tell us between him and TAO, who helped the other first. OUK had virtually gone on his knees begging TAO as INEC senior official to give him lessons on how to go beyond the popularity of School Leaving Certificate. At the time, while T
AO was an influential technocrat, OUK was coming from the background of a fraudulent businessman.

Other places where things are done accordingly, OUK should be in jail or the least thinking of how to forfeit Abians’ collective wealth which he criminally converted to his personal own. I hope OUK is not one of those who get more foolish as they grow older. Otherwise, he ought to know that a genuinely repented criminal starts with restitution when asking for forgiveness.

I am ashamed that the only thing OUK could claim he did for eight years was constructing Old – Umuahia Road and the Ebem Ohafia Road. Since I am a liar, let independent assessors visit this place and confirm why OUK deserve a permanent RED in the history of Abia politics. I am ashamed that he prides himself as having built a hospital (primary health) when he rubbished the State University Teaching Hospital by owing them upwards of eleven months salaries. Only a selfish, greedy and retroactive leader would so behave

He has asked us to forgive him. Why not, we have forgiven him but plead with him to let sleeping dogs lie. We plead with him to give us time for the hurt he inflicted on us to heal before he adds salt to injury. We plead with him to give us time to mend the weak structure he laid as Abia Foundation which has affected every other facet of our lives.

Adults don’t lie at least willfully. Christians do not make comments that deceive others. By saying you did not leave debts as Governor, I will only say; it is your trademark. You were the same person that gave empty boxes as money at the University of Maiduguri endowment fund launching several years back. You deceived a whole University community and lied to them you did not know the boxes were empty.

Nigerians know better than you think. Abians have access to records and we could confirm that by the time you left, the State Government suffered deductions from its monthly allocations owing to the monies you borrowed to service you very many private businesses. Otherwise, there is nothing to justify the huge sums of debt you bequeathed as a parting gift to Abians.

“Go back to your archives. Obasanjo made me the Action Governor for that regime on account of the Aba roads that I constructed. He came to Aba and campaigned on those roads. Anywhere in the world, roads are maintained every two to three years, if not, they will collapse. I cleaned up Aba”.

I do not want to believe OUK has short memory. For the records, OBJ visited Aba in 1999 shortly after OUK was sworn in and unfortunately the only such visit he made until he left office in 2007. he took him to that Faulks Road end of Umule whch he had repaired up to Okereke Road (meanwhile MCC and up to TONIMAS was not motorable) within few months of being sworn in. By passing, OBJ christened him ACTION GOVERNOR believing that if he could do that in few months, Abia would be haven after four years. We all know what happened after.

OUK also attempted constructing Osusu Road with speed, same with Cemetry Road . It was within this period that the concept of DUBAI ROAD was sneaked into Abia lexicon. OUK knows that all those roads collapsed in less than four months after construction. I also need to remind him that in one of his popularity testing shows at Enyimba stadium, the mammoth crowd cursed and abused him. What rent in the air was GA KPOO DIRTY, O GINWA BU MUGU (go and clean Aba, you are the Mugu, not us). At the time, Osusu had collapsed, while literally all the nooks and crannies of Aba were littered with heaps of garbage. The late Eleke Chukwu (Aba North Chairrman at the time) did an emergency repair at Ehime Rd end of that Osusu Road (with wheel barrow, trowel and shovel). If OUK knew that roads are maintained two to three years, let him tell us the last time he maintained Osusu, Cemetry and Umule befoe he left. Cemetry Road has remained an eye sore tile date just after four months of the ACTION GOVERNOR’S wayo.

Those who use the Old Umuahia Road he said he constructed would be better judges. Let us look at the quality of roads OUK constructed while his bogus title of ACTION GOVERNOR lasted.
Truth is, he was reputed to have done the most substandard roads in the history of Abia State and the records are there. Ask residents of Umule, Osusu and Cemetry.

OUK should be ashamed because while he was gallivanting and erroneously ascribing to himself the title of ACTION GOVERNOR, his sister governors were practically demonstrating governance. While OUK did the Old – Umuahia Road and the general hospital in his native Igbere,

1. Chimaraoke Nnamani constructed a modern hospital at Park Lane and upgraded the ESUT Teaching Hospital in addition to building ESUT permanent site
2. Achike started and completed the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, in addition to constructing a model workers secretariat and by the way a whole lot of standard roads
3. At Rivers State, Odili simultaneously took on a whole lot of projects, including a model Government House while OUK lived in a rented apartment as Governor
4. Sam Egwu gave Abakiliki the facelift that made it look like a State capital while OUK did not do a single capital project in Umuahia.
5. Donald Duke did wonders with the TINAPA INITIATIVE while Obong Victor Attah started the Airport Project. Whither OUK? Dustbin of history

I ask OUK again, at what point in his government did he remember the future of those he is asking to forgive him? He took us back twenty years and would need to give us forty years to rebuild all that he destroyed.

“My challenge in life is the people, not money. When anybody says I asked him not to work, the person is not being sincere. For instance, I own The Sun newspapers; I don’t interfere in their day-to-day job. I like process, I like system, and this is what most Nigerians lack because they were not prepared for leadership.

OUK was credited
with the lines above in a recent interview in trying to justify how he underdeveloped Abia.

Thank God he has just accepted, may be for the first time that he owns SUN NEWSPAPERS. Many people did not know that the power generating set being used by SUN NEWSPAPERS was bought by Abia State Government’s money and was originally designated for use for the revival of NATIONAL AMBASSADOR, a newspaper publishing company owned by the Abia State Government. OUK did not consider AMABASSADOR fit to live, that was why he converted the generating set to his personal property. Abians by his calculation were not deserving of a flourishing newspaper business with its attendant economic advantages that was why he killed the dream of having a state run newspaper.

Now, I am a liar. Agreed! Let all those who think I am crying foul ask OUK whether he was richer than Abia State, or more enterprising than Abians that he could not convert the ingenuity of running a newspaper to the advantage of the State that was entrusted in his care.

It is a globally accepted fact that when you take up appointments/elective positions as a private person, your businesses suffer for it. It is also true that unless you are acutely corrupt, your business may struggle to survive while you are away, given the kind of one man business Nigerians run. This is an incontrovertible fact. So, OUK was able to make so much money to run SUN NEWSPAPERS, even when he was still Governor? The same SUN he was also using to compel MDAs to lavishly spend Abia State government’s money. If his mother was celebrating even his dog’s birthday, every Ministry, Department or Agency in Abia State must take a full page to congratulate.

I ask, why did OUK not bring his business acumen to bear in the running of affairs of Abia State Government? Would it not have been viable to revive the state owned newspaper, resurrect he many industries that were hitherto spinning money for the state and indeed make Abia economy work? Instead, he concentrated on his personal pocket and further enriched himself at the detriment of the state. He should thank his stars that TAO is a compassionate person else he would have finished him like they finished Chimaraoke in Enugu. Go to Enugu, all those properties he acquired with State Government money are under lock and key till date because the government is not as tolerant as the one we have in Abia.

Dimgba Celestine A. holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fine & Applied Arts. He is physically challenged and had done creditably well as a Corps member in Imo State. Celestine was offered automatic employm
ent at a ceremony the Governor of Imo State Rochas Okorocha made a hype of.

In an interview conducted by Imo State Civil Service, Celestine was told that he would not be employed as the Civil Service of Imo State is reserved for Imo indigenes. See the date of his employment as further evidence.

I have decided to bring the case of Celestine to public knowledge as a further proof that Imo State has secretly been punishing non – indigenes but not bold enough to tell the public as it was the case in Abia.

Imo State had long disengaged non – indigenes but was quick to condemn Abia for doing same. Enugu is the worst as there is no vacancy at all for non – indigenes, ditto Anambra and Ebonyi. The difference between the Abia Governor and his sister governors is that while TAO made news of his sincerity of purpose, his colleagues curried favour in pretence.

Let somebody from Imo verify the authenticity of this claim and tell us why politics should be mixed with indigenship.

I am sure people have been acting in ignorance as these facts are hardly known. Now Celestine is just one out a few other thousands who the Abia State government has successfully engaged. By the way, not only from Imo and sister states, there are many more from the North who are Abians.

THE TRUTH
Abia appears to be the most liberal of all the States in the South east. These are my reasons:

1. The Chairmen of all major Markets in Aba are non – Abians. The implication is that fairly, they control the State economy. The man at Ariaria is Imo while Cemetry is controlled by Anambra, same is applicable to Ekeoha and Ngwa Road Markets at Aba. Even the famous Umuahia Industrial Market is ruled by Onye Imo.
2. The Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, Aba Branch (the largest and most influential) is from Anambra
3. All Catholic Bishops in Abia are non – indigenes. Did you just ask my business with catholic Church? I am using it to buttress how liberal and understanding a people can be.
4. The most prominent Chamber of Commerce in Abia is controlled by a non – indigene.

It is therefore preposterous and unspeakable for anybody to play politics with indigenization. As for our friends in the social media, especially those from Igbere who are inciting the public against the governor and government of Abia State, they seem to have forgotten so soon that even within the Abia setting, they carved out Igbere as another State. How? All employments in Abia between 1999 and 2007 were reserved 70% for Igbere and 30% for other areas in Abia as a bold statement that their son was the Governor of the State. They have never complained in any of their threads. They are crying foul now because a more liberal person is trying to distribute resources evenly. It is only God that will punish the wicked while history will vindicate the just

Workers in Abia State celebrated this year’s May Day in high spirits praising Governor Theodore Orji, for implementing the new minimum wage for workers without a fight and even exceeding the benchmark of N18,000 by paying N20,100 to workers.

Chairman of the state chapter of the NLC, Mr. Chuks Ebeniro, expressed the workers feelings in his address, noting that Abia and Imo States were the only states in the South-east where workers were enjoying the new minimum wage with Abia paying the highest.

He however called on the state government to extend the payment of the new minimum wage to the parastatals that are yet to enjoy the implementation.

Abia is coming up to lime light. We really needs to be engaged seriously so that our youth will be busy positively, and the society will be devoid of hoodlums, terrorists and the likes. the Governor should be commended seriously for this single gesture. Abians should appreciate the governor either by solidarity or by radio gingles. This is my humble suggestion as it will go a long way to appease the mind of the governor to do more. Ochendo daalu!

Thank God for a semi messiah in the person of Gov. T. A. Orji. He flagged off the sale of kerosine on the pump price of #50 per litre yesterday being 21st of March, at the Umuahia Township stadium, Umuahia. The sale continued till this moment of this post at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia just to make sure that it gets to the targeted masses within Umuahia metropolis. All Abians are so happy with this kind gesture of His Excellency, and were giving Kudos to Ochendo in their own way. Kudos once more to Ochendo as am walking home with my own 20 litres. Am so happy, cos I could remember buying less than 8 litres at #1000.

His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Abia State, Chief T. A. Orji (Ochendo) will today flag off the public sale of kerosine at Umuahia Township Stadium, school Road Umuahia. I enjoined all Abians, especially those at Umuahia, and it's environs to come to the stadium and queue up so that they will buy it at government approved price.

I think i agree with you sir in the aspect of everyone being involved in contributing to taking the state to a greater height. the governor cannot do it alone. So he needs competent people to work with. I think that was why he has to reshuffle his cabinet to be able to get the right people that are ready to work. I believe Abia will be great one day

Hey guys! It was really a good day experience for me today. While Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State was commissioning the newly completed Umuofia-Lodu-Ahiaeke Ndume Road in Umuahia North LGA, I found myself assessing the progress of some projects. I will like to assure fellow compatriots that terrible roads like Ukwu Mango, Clifford, Okechukwu, Ohanku and other terrible spots in Aba are being sorted out. This is the utmost truth from me to my compatriots. God bless your good hearts — at Clifford street before now was terrible but its almost wearing a new look. Already primed and awaitig,

Why can't people allow our governor be for once. He suspend those that he feels that are not meeting with the demands of the administration so that others remaining will seat up. How will people turn it that he sacked his excos? There's nowhere he will have such people around him, even in the local level, and the security of the masses will not be guaranteed. Governor puts square pegs in a square hole and not the other way round. I like his pattern of administration.

Adressing chief Odumegwu Chukwuemeka Ojukwu as a 'WARLORD' by some Igboist,it is unforgivable and makes me sick.It is a very degrading term that does not fully encapsulate all that Ikemba stood for. IKEMBA was not a WARLORD he was a fully commissioned officer of the Nigerian and Biafran Armies who attended one of the best military academies in the world. He fought for the self preservation of his people. Our eternal leader , was a freedom fighter and not a "warlord"! Warlord denotes a leader of a ragtag army who might or might not be fighting for a serious cause. 'Warlord' is one of the terms our traducers use to subtly deride Ikemba. Please do not fall for their tricks! Ikemba was and still remains the greatest Igbo man
ever.

NOTE: I know that the term warlord connotes of strength and romanticizes the strength of a fearless heavy mannest man but it is not so. I very much understand why some of us use it. I know that Igboists who have been using it do not mean it in a derogatory manner. And as you know in our land; Ikwu amaghi ibe ezi ya. So please take note too! Thanks!

I want to confirm if Friday is public holiday, somebody should help me pls.

The remains of our GENERAL COMMANDER AND ETERNAL LEADER; Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu were this morning received at the International Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja. The body of the Biafran warlord arrived from London aboard a British Airline flight at about 4:am.

Gov T. A. Orji has declared Tuesday, Feb 28, work free day to enable civil servants and others in the state pay their last respects to Ikemba Nnewi, Eze Igbo gburugburu. He urged Abians to come out en mass to receive the legend tomorrow at Aba township stadium. via ABIA STATE GOVT

The Abia State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Don Ubani, has admonished transition Council Committee Chairmen, members and officials of the seventeen Local Government Councils in the State to show effective commitment towards their internal revenue generation.
Chief Ubani made this call in a release he issued in Umuahia shortly after Governor T.A, Orji had issued a sports Utility Vehicle to each transition Committee Council Chairman and Vice Chairman and a hilux van to each Local Government Council specifically to facilitate effective revenue generation.

The Abia State Executive council met on Wednesday 15th February, 2012 in the Executive Council chamber, under the chairmanship of His Excellency; Governor T. A. Orji, and, as usual took very far-reaching decisions that will positively touch on the lives of the good people of God’s Own State.
SECTION A:
1. Council adopted report on phase I of staff salary verification exercise in the state civil service which uncovered unidentified 558 staff in her payroll, amounting to a total of #20, 098, 601.22.
2. Council frowned at the recalcitrance of electronics dealers at Aba who are still carrying on with their trade in residential areas of the Enyimba city and insisted that such traders must have to comply with the laws of the land.
3. Council observed with pain that discipline in the state civil and public services was been eroded by the nonchalant attitude of senior civil and public officers to punctuality and regularity, and consequently directed the state’s Head of Service to issue a circular that shall be mandatory on civil and public servants in the state sign the attendance register on assumption of duty in the morning and also sign out at the end of the day’s work at 4p.m.
4. Council noted with consternation the inexplicable and, certainty unacceptable habit of few Permanent Secretaries who are fond of moving from one Ministry or Department to another with staff they cunningly label indispensable staff and unequivocally directed the Head of Service to make sure the ugly habits stops immediately.
5. Council, in its determination to resuscitate the N.N.P.C depot at Osisioma, directed that a meeting should be arranged between His Excellency and Traditional Rulers from Ukwa-West in order to further address the problem of vandalization of oil pipelines and illegal bunkering in the area, next week.
6. Executive council observed with dismay that project vehicles given to Ministries, Departments and Agencies are no longer serving the purpose for which they are given, and accordingly, directed the S.S.G to direct Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies to give detailed account of the vehicles.
7. Council expressed a deep sense of loss and regret over the death of the former Governor of defunct Eastern Region of Nigeria; Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, and urged Abians to troop to Enyimba International Stadium Aba enmass on 28th of February to pay honour to the late leader and hero of the Igbo Nation, whose body will be lying in state at the stadium and equally attend the burial on the 2nd of March, 2012 at Nnewi.

SECTION B
Council ratified the award of the following contracts;
1. Construction/Rehabilitation of roads, car park, parade ground and other auxiliary structures at army barracks, ohafia to World-Wide Environmental Technologies Ltd, Umuahia at a total sum of #1, 408, 172, 100.00 ( Ministry of Works price).
2. Rehabilitation of failed sections of Ururuka, Ndiolumba, Abayi-Ohanze, Umuocho and Obikabia junction, Aba to J & J Techno Nig. Ltd, Port-Harcourt at (Ministry of works price) of #210, 320, 160.00.
3. Rehabilitation of 29.5 km Ohafia-Arochukwu to New Idea construction, Ltd Port-Harcourt at (Ministry of Works price) of #633, 820, 480.00.
4. Reconstruction and dualization of 5.65km Port-Harcourt Road, Aba at (Ministry of Works price) of #1, 554, 124, 782.00, awarded to New Idea construction Ltd, Port-Harcourt.
5. Construction of 2.2km German floor- Amuzukwu – Mbom road, Umuahia awarded to Pumeco Industries Ltd., umuahia at (Ministry of Works price) of #399, 200, 000.00.
6. Contract for a selection of Amaeke-Ibeku-Afarata road erosion control works and finishing the outstanding works on the Otubtraco Ltd at (Ministry of Works price) of #151, 656, 550.00 to New Idea construction Ltd.
7. Construction / Rehabilitation of 34km Ozu Abam-Ndi Oji Abam- Ndi Okereke-Arochukwu road at #2, 486, 992, 718.64 to Masta services co. Ltd, Port-Harcourt.
8. Reconstruction / Dualization of 4.1km Bende road, Umuahia to New Idea at #897, 797, 336.0.

Note : Total contract awarded is #7.6B

Chief (Sir) Don Ubani, KSC, JP
(Okwubunka of Asa),
Hon. Commissioner for Information & Strategy

T A Orji (Ochendo)
In continuation to my promise to start work on our roads before the rain set in. We have been working very hard to deliver on this promise. I was in Aba today to inspect on-going constructions. We have made extensive progress in the construction of the following:

1. Ugwu Mango/Folks Road
2. Ikot Ekpene Road/Bata Road by railway crossing,
3. Danfodio road
4. School Road drainage
5. Pound Road
6. Jubilee Road
7. Clifford
8. Ohanku
9. Constitution Road
10.Osisioma Park etc.

Most of these roads and other facilities, which were in terrible bad conditions, are now being restored to normal use.

We will continue on this trend until we have achieved maximum restoration of our roads and infrastructures.
I feel excited that we are doing these much to restore Abia to its past glories. I ask Abians especially Aba people to maintain the ethics and hygiene of using our facilities as common goods for the benefit of all of us.

Abia will certainly work again!

Thank you

TAO

Supposed to be killed right away, no sentiment should be attached. Ass nhole.

The Governor of Abia State just commissioned 17 buses for Abia Line Network to ease transportation problem in the state and down East. He equally gave brand new vehicles to the LG chairmen and their deputies to enable them put in their best in the discharge of their duties in the council. More so, he made fund available for the 17 LG chairmen for the grading of roads and construction of culverts in the local communities to create access roads to the farmlands and streams in the communities. Here he promised to do more if all hands should be on deck to put in there own best.

AS an ardent reader of a column written by a former Southeast governor published every Saturday in a national newspaper allegedly owned by the former governor, the first thing I do Saturday morning is log on and read the column.

What is my interest in the column? Apart from being a Nigerian living abroad from Abia State, I am not only interested about events in Nigeria, particularly from my state but was about this columnist former governor.

One of the articles recently published in the column on Saturday January 21 titled “Paying Back Evil For Good” makes interesting read. At a first reading, one could know that the details in the copy were not factual but a mere fabrication, shocking and revealed the lamentations and confession of a man who had every opportunity for eight years to write his name in gold as leader of the people, but failed to do so, only to now become more philosophical and moralistic than the Pope, looking for whom to blame for his self-inflicted political woes.

The article which was full of innuendos, parables and teachings on betrayals of life was amusing and brought out the agony of man who is out of power, but instead of lying low, decided to expose the intrigues of the game he was a guru in. It is a crying shame that this governor columnist before now did not know that the only thing that is constant in life is change. Though, there were no name calling, but insinuations were made against those he believed had betrayed him after helping them. And the question is who betrayed who and why? That is if is any betrayal.

For eight good years, he was in-charge in a State as number one citizen, but instead of using the opportunity to better the lot of the people, the period and public resources was used to build a family political dynasty and the people were betrayed and impoverished.

Political propaganda, blackmail and gangsterism were the order of the day in the state. It was war of words everyday with the central authority while the state bled. Crisis within was overwhelming. Brothers could not see each other, how much more sit down to discuss or proffer solutions on how to move the state forward. Those in government were like rubber stamps without clear roles or functions.

Today however, this is not the case because the story is different. Comparing today and yesterday in the state is like comparing light and darkness. Apart from the massive infrastructure projects that have been completed and ongoing across the state which I saw during my visit at Christmas, there is peace and stability in my state now.

Our brothers and sisters are coming home more often unlike in the past and they are now sitting down to brainstorm on the way forward for the state. Who thought such was possible given the pervading environment at the time? All these were not possible in the past, because the state treasury and paraphernalia of power were in the hands of the family dynasty built and led by the now conquered mother Excellency ably assisted by the son.

So, who betrayed who? It is obvious now that our dear governor columnist has realised his mistakes, but instead of asking for forgiveness from God and those he betrayed, he took it to the village square. His is like the case of Okon who went around telling everyone what the villagers had done to him but refused to tell his listeners what he did to the villagers. He spoke about an agreement that was reached and breached? What agreement was this? Did it have a legal backing? Was it in the public good? He is the columnist.

If he is courageous enough, let him tell the public the nature of the agreement. Which confrontational approach is being referred to in the article? It is obvious to the people that confrontational approach has been tried against the present government in the state by forces against the people, but it failed because the government was able to match force with force.

For now, there is no hiding place for those who betrayed the people and the state for eight years and still have the guts to shamelessly shout on the roof top about betrayal. But for the leniency and humility of the present government in the state, a probe would have been made into the affairs of the state in the past administration and many would have been cooling off in jail now.

The possibility of one walking freely on the streets of the state now was made possible by the present government. It was not possible for the past government to provide such opportunity for their perceived enemies then who were chased out of the state for long till the present government extended an olive branch which they crabbed with both hands. One should ask why majority of those chased out of the state in the past by that government see reasons to identify with the present government in the state? This is enough evidence that there was a cog in the wheel of progress in the state which has been identified and taken care of for the good of the majority.

It is not betrayal, rather it is a right decision supported and applauded by the people, because government is nobody’s private or family empire as was the case. The people have the freedom and right to ask questions now without fear of state power being unleash on them like before now. So when one betrays oneself, one should carry the burden alone and avoid looking for whom to go down with, as the Holy book says, salvation is a personal race; or as one makes his bed, so he lies on it.

Mr. REGINALD AKAIGWE, a medical practitioner, Houston, USA.

Abia State Governor, T.A Orji has assured the people of the states that funds realized from petroleum subsidy will be invested in people oriented projects in the state such as Roads, transportation, Education and other areas that will improve the lots of the people.

Other area of target for the Governor includes, Agriculture, Environment and infrastructure development.

The Governor in a statement signed by his Press Secretary, Ugo Emezue , said that the Governor will invest the funds in transportation, education, housing, roads, health, agriculture and the environment.

The Governor stated that in the Transportation sector, more mass transit buses that will ease the transportation needs of Abians will be provided. He said more buses will also be injected into the free school bus programme to ensure that pupils and students in Abia go to school without hitches.

The Abia Governor promised that as soon as funds from the subsidy are released to the state, the Government will role out the packages for the people of the state to improve the living standard of Abians

The Abia State Government has expressed its determination to reclaim and rehabilitate 20 per cent of gully erosion sites in the state in 2012.

Governor Theodore Orji made the promise at a meeting with prominent Abia indigenes in Umuahia on Monday, saying the state was one of the six states benefitting from the World Bank Ecological Fund.

“Government will endeavor to reclaim and rehabilitate 20 per cent of our gully sites by the end of 2012.’’

He said Abia people would be adequately sensitised on the prevention and control of soil erosion and other ecological threats.

Orji also announced that efforts would be intensified to provide infrastructure necessary for the industrial growth and development of the state.

“Moribund industries, such as Aba Textile Mills Plc and Golden Guinea Plc, would be rehabilitated to start full scale production,’’ he said stressing that his government had concluded arrangements to build a cement factory in Arochukwu Local Government Area of the state.

The governor stated that the government’s new economic agenda would be sustained and strengthened in 2012.

“ A few weeks ago, a new economic empowerment programme was launched in the state by the Federal Government. The programme christened ‘YOU WIN’, is aimed at encouraging skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment of the youth.’’

He expressed optimism that the programme would help in reducing unemployment in the state. (NAN)

This kind God oo I never see Ur type oo, this kind God oo blessed be Ur holy name

Oh what a hard luck, smart gal I mean.

The long running battle over who should represent Anambra North in the senate has been put to rest, putting paid to the ambitions of Alphonsus Igbeke and John Emeka
The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal friday declared Margery Chuba-Okadigbo, widow of former Senate President, late Chuba Okadigbo, as the authentic candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and winner of the Anambra North Senatorial District in the April 16 National Assembly election.

The Court therefore ordered her inauguration into the Senate to occupy the Anambra North Senatorial seat that had been vacant in the past six months due to various legal actions over who was the PDP’s candidate for the seat.
A three-man panel of the appellate court in its judgment delivered by Justice M.U. Mukhtar unanimously held that Ms Okadigbo having polled the highest number of votes in the primary election conducted in the state remained the candidate and winner of the Anambra North Senatorial seat.

The appellate court agreed with all documents including the primary election result tendered by the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Ms Okadigbo which all indicated that she emerged victorious at the primary election conducted by Senator Joseph Waku Committee on behalf of PDP National Working Committee.

The court, while setting aside the lower court judgment, which favoured Senator Alphonsus Igbeke, said it was wrong of the federal high court to have based its decision solely on the documents submitted to it by Mr. Igbeke and closed its eyes to other documents of the other parties in the case especially the PDP, INEC and Ms Okadigbo.

Specifically, the court, after evaluating all documents relating to the case agreed that Ms Chuba-Okadigbo polled 168 votes, Senator Igbeke 23 votes, and Prince John Emeka 15 votes and therefore had no hesitation in declaring Chuba-Okadigbo as the properly nominated candidate of the PDP and as well as the winner of the election.

A Judicial Commission of Inquiry instituted by the Governor Sullivan Chime led Government of Enugu State to probe the activities of local governments has uncovered how N11, 901,545,490.00 was stolen from the coffers of the councils within the period between 1999 and 2007.

The Period covered was during the reign of Governor Chimaraoke Nnamani of the Ebe a no fame.
The commission of inquiry, which submitted its report to Governor Chime, stated that the sum represented allocations to local Governments in the State within the period, which remained unaccounted for.

Chairman of the seven-member commission, Justice Anthony Onovo, who spoke while presenting the report of the commission to the governor, wants the government to take steps to recover the stolen money. 


Among the outstanding recommendations of the commission are the recovering of over payment of security votes made to council chairmen between 2006 and 2007 and recovering of N232, 602,437.70 from treasurers of 11 local governments who failed to post the money paid to the council into their main cash books.


It decried cases of missing public documents some of which were allegedly burnt beyond recovery and “further recommended the recovery of N777, 396,336.52, N3, 423,475,356.84 and N3, 076,429,603.32 from the former Accountant-General who refused to give any explanation for those transfers and non appearance of the funds in JAAC Account”.

It also indicted the state’s Local Government Service Commission and the Ministry of Local Governments “for failure to discharge their statutory responsibilities on issues of guidelines and monitoring of the activities of the councils” and recommended that local governments should, on a monthly basis, prepare bank reconciliation statements and submit to the commission before receiving the next allocation.

On how it unearthed the huge discrepancies in the books of the 17 councils, Onovo explained that the commission went through the cash books and payment vouchers provided by the councils and the 39 local government development centers and that it scrutinized 50,094 payment vouchers of the local governments from the year 2006 and also inspected and verified projects executed.

According to him, some personnel of some of the councils, who were expected to help the commission in its investigations, did not cooperate and that

“up till the point of submitting the reports, treasurers that served in four development centers, namely Nsukka East, Ezeagu North, South, and West have not fully submitted their cash books and payment vouchers as demanded by the commission at its inauguration in 2008.



The commission observed that the total amount received by the local governments within the period set for the probe is N79, 442,748,374.49 made up of N7, 759,582,888.37 direct payment to the councils and N71, 683,163,165,483.12 being allocations paid to the councils through the Ministry of Finance.

The report also showed that while the 17 councils received N7, 759,582,888.37 from June 1999 to April 2002 by direct allocation, N38, 898,617,109.41 was through the Ministry of Finance for the same period. 

The investigation further revealed that the commission “could not find explanation for the sum of N3, 423,475,356.84 transferred out of JAAC account into various state government accounts”.

The alleged involvement of a Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Chief Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha in an examination scandal has taken a new twist with moves by her aide, Chetachi Obi to hoodwink journalist.

Obi presented certificates obtained by Onyejeocha from O’level to University degree, but a closer look revealed that the Rep member failed Mathematics and had a Pass in English.
“She could not have gained admission with such a result in Nigeria,” a Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB official who would not want to be named told Pointblanknews.com
But addressing a press conference in Umuahia, Obi who was nabbed by the police for allegedly writing O’level examination for the lawmaker, denied involvement in the alleged crime, adding that her boss has no need to write such an examination.

According to her, “My boss does not need an O’ level certificate. She possesses a WASC, a University Diploma and a degree from a reputable University” Obi claimed.
When reminded that the her boss could not have gained admission with the deficiencies, she claimed that her boss later sat for the Senior School Certificate Examination(Private) where she made up the two subjects, and promised to make the certificate available in two hours time.

Obi could not fulfill her promise as her lies and deception seems to have caught up with her. After more than two hours of waiting, the journalists were informed that the certificates would be made available in two weeks time.

In order to wriggle out of the mess which she created, Obi contacted Chief Jasper Uche, a former Transition Committee Chairman of Onyejeocha’s home council, Umunneochi.
Uche could not do much to remedy the situation. He also heaped blames on Onyejeocha’s opponents, whom he alleged, has failed to accept defeat, insisting that the lawmaker possess an O’level certificate, University Diploma and Degree.

A correspondent who was at the press conference, but declined to have his name on print, said” they could have been more tactful in defending their boss from a possible national embarrassment. Is it not embarrassing that these aides could not maximize the opportunity to present the certificates? They have ended up complicating the matter.”
Observers of events since the story broke, has continued to ask why it has become too difficult for Madam Onyejeocha to address the matter herself by presenting her certificates.

“Madam Onyejeocha should extricate herself from this mess by going public with the details of her certificates. She has to explain Chetachi Obi’s presence and her photograph on the examination identity card”, a constituent who pleaded anonymity, told Poinblanknews.com.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that Onyejeocha who represents Isiukwuato/ Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia state has continued to send her aides and close confidants to help ‘fix’ the matter, preferring to ‘pull the strings’ from behind Newsmen who have tried to get her side of the story has had their efforts thwarted as Onyejeocha who chairs the House committee on Aviation, fails to pick up calls from unknown numbers.

Pointblanknews.com further gathered that Onyejeocha could be described as a political ‘fixer’ of a sort. She is said to have the ears of Gov. Theodore Orji, as her nominee, Prince Dan Okoli, who headed her re- election campaign during the last polls, was last week sworn in as the Transition Committee Chairman of Umunneochi local council, a feat which could not be achieved by senators from the state, including Senator Uche Chukwumerije, who hails from the same council.

This may explain Okoli’s presence at the press conference in Umuahia, at least to show solidarity to a troubled benefactor.

15/12/2011 08:58:00
image Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha

The alleged involvement of a Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Chief Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha in an examination scandal has taken a new twist with moves by her aide, Chetachi Obi to hoodwink journalist.

Obi presented certificates obtained by Onyejeocha from O’level to University degree, but a closer look revealed that the Rep member failed Mathematics and had a Pass in English.
“She could not have gained admission with such a result in Nigeria,” a Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB official who would not want to be named told Pointblanknews.com
But addressing a press conference in Umuahia, Obi who was nabbed by the police for allegedly writing O’level examination for the lawmaker, denied involvement in the alleged crime, adding that her boss has no need to write such an examination.

According to her, “My boss does not need an O’ level certificate. She possesses a WASC, a University Diploma and a degree from a reputable University” Obi claimed.
When reminded that the her boss could not have gained admission with the deficiencies, she claimed that her boss later sat for the Senior School Certificate Examination(Private) where she made up the two subjects, and promised to make the certificate available in two hours time.

Obi could not fulfill her promise as her lies and deception seems to have caught up with her. After more than two hours of waiting, the journalists were informed that the certificates would be made available in two weeks time.

In order to wriggle out of the mess which she created, Obi contacted Chief Jasper Uche, a former Transition Committee Chairman of Onyejeocha’s home council, Umunneochi.
Uche could not do much to remedy the situation. He also heaped blames on Onyejeocha’s opponents, whom he alleged, has failed to accept defeat, insisting that the lawmaker possess an O’level certificate, University Diploma and Degree.

A correspondent who was at the press conference, but declined to have his name on print, said” they could have been more tactful in defending their boss from a possible national embarrassment. Is it not embarrassing that these aides could not maximize the opportunity to present the certificates? They have ended up complicating the matter.”
Observers of events since the story broke, has continued to ask why it has become too difficult for Madam Onyejeocha to address the matter herself by presenting her certificates.

“Madam Onyejeocha should extricate herself from this mess by going public with the details of her certificates. She has to explain Chetachi Obi’s presence and her photograph on the examination identity card”, a constituent who pleaded anonymity, told Poinblanknews.com.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that Onyejeocha who represents Isiukwuato/ Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia state has continued to send her aides and close confidants to help ‘fix’ the matter, preferring to ‘pull the strings’ from behind Newsmen who have tried to get her side of the story has had their efforts thwarted as Onyejeocha who chairs the House committee on Aviation, fails to pick up calls from unknown numbers.

Pointblanknews.com further gathered that Onyejeocha could be described as a political ‘fixer’ of a sort. She is said to have the ears of Gov. Theodore Orji, as her nominee, Prince Dan Okoli, who headed her re- election campaign during the last polls, was last week sworn in as the Transition Committee Chairman of Umunneochi local council, a feat which could not be achieved by senators from the state, including Senator Uche Chukwumerije, who hails from the same council.

This may explain Okoli’s presence at the press conference in Umuahia, at least to show solidarity to a troubled benefactor.

The Abia House of Assembly has passed into law a bill for the establishment of a state road maintenance agency.

The bill, when assented to by Gov. Theodore Orji, will enable the agency to handle repairs and maintenance of all state roads in the 17 local government areas.

Speaker Ude Okochukwu announced the passage of the bill during a plenary session on Wednesday in Umuahia, saying that the establishment of the agency would enable Abia people to enjoy quality road networks.

Okochukwu commended his colleagues for painstakingly deliberating on the legislation which, he said, was among the major milestones achieved by the Assembly in 2011.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lawmakers also screened and confirmed the appointment of Mrs. Gladys Akor as the Deputy Chairman, Transition Committee of Osisioma Ngwa Local Government.

Akor replaced Mr. Friday Obadiah who is said to have come from the same ward with the chairman of the transition committee sworn in last week by the governor.

Also at the plenary session, the House adopted, as a working document, the 2009 audit report of Abia as presented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Mr. Chris Uche.

The House equally received reports of improper handling of duties by the heads of service of the 17 local councils and the report of abandonment of duty by the resident doctor deployed to Nkwoagu Isuochi Hospital, as presented by Dr Ikechukwu Nwabeke. (NAN)