₦airaland Forum

Regenerating Abia Cities



Now in the twilight of his administration, the Governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji, continues to change the vista of his state, Chiemelie Ezeobi writes

For the different communities in Abia State, it was a week-long celebration heralded by series of commissioning of none other but some of the legacy projects kicked off by the present administration of the Governor Theodore Orji, popularly addressed as Ochendo (shelter from the sun).


It was fanfare at its best at each commissioning as the different communities revelled in the transformation and laudable legacy projects of the state government.


On Monday, the unveiling of completed projects began with the internal roads at Ohiya Mechanic/Spare Parts Village, the Luxury Bus Terminal, and Ohiya, both in Umuahia South Local Government Area
The next day being Tuesday, the governor and his entourage went to the Ndume Otuka Model Primary School, then the Afugiri Model Primary School, both in Umuahia North LGA.


That was not all, the next event which took place on Friday was to unveil the internal roads that lead to the Nigeria Navy (NN) Finance and Logistics School, in the Owerrinta area of the Isiala Ngwa South LGA.
Then on the final day of the tour, the governor unveiled the Abia Specialist Hospital Annex Amachara, the admin block, the house officers' hostel, the call duty room and the 100 bed ward, all in Umuahia South LGA.


Promoting Education
In line with its policy of promoting education in the state, Orji also unveiled some model primary schools. According to him, the essence of providing model schools for pupils and students in the state was to embolden and give them a sense of belonging.
While unveiling the Ndume Otuka and Afugiri Model Primary Schools in Umuahia North LGA, he said education remains a priority in his dispensation, adding that the government has provided a better environment for learning and teaching in the state.


From the picture of the old structure, the school had received a total overhaul as it bears the semblance of a university.
On the rationale behind siting model schools, he said he is encouraged to do more because the students and the pupils in the state have done the state proud at various fora, adding that no resource spent in education will be counted as a waste.


The newly commissioned model schools will go a long way to compliment the already existing ones located in each of the 17 LGAs in the state apart from other schools being refurbished by his government to enhance the quality of education.
Infrastructure wise, the model schools are equipped with desks and chairs for pupils and teachers, borehole, generating set and a modern library among others.


Earlier, the LGA Sure-P chairman, Chief Joseph Ogwo said the two model schools are among the many built by Sure-P and scattered in the 17 Council areas of the state, and pointed out that Sure-P has also constructed 100-bed hospitals in the three senatorial zones of the state.


Boost for the Military
It was not only civilians that had a taste of what the government of the day had to offer. The military also had cause to rejoice. Their morale received a boost owing to the fact that the governor had constructed some internal roads for the Nigeria Navy Finance and Logistics School, in Owerrinta, promising to do more for the naval school.


Calling on Nigerians to fully support the military in its fight against insurgency in the Northern part of the country, he made this disclosure while receiving the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin and other officers of the NN at the Government House in Umuahia.
After the commissioning, the governor presented the navy with a Certificate of Occupancy, as well as furnished a guest house for them in appreciation of their effort in the fight against kidnapping in the state. This was after he had rehabilitated and asphalted internal roads in the school.


While applauding the military for sustaining the fight against insurgency in the Northern part of the country, Governor Orji urged Nigerians to encourage the military to succeed in the operation as the combined team of security agencies in the state have done well in in maintaining peace and security.


He described the Navy School of Finance and Logistics, Owerrinta as a blessing to the state in terms of security and training of military personnel, noting that it adds to the security network that collaborated with other security agencies in their moments of insecurity.
In his reply, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin thanked the governor for supporting naval officers in the state to perform in the fight against insecurity and uplifting the standard of the Navy College, Owerrinta.


After the commissioning, the governor headed to the event to commemorate the memorial foundation laid for the first indigenous military Head of State of Nigeria, Major General Aguiyi Ironsi, built by his son Ambassador Johnson, so many years after his death, where he donated N5million.


Healthcare Provision
In addition to the already existing 710 functional health centres in the state, as well as other healthcare facilities, the governor recently extended the lifeline health wise for the Umuahia South LGA community.

He unveiled the ultra-modern 100 bed ward, the administrative block and other projects completed at the Amachara annex of the Abia State Specialist and Diagnostic Centre, as well as donated an ambulance.


The projects include the administrative block, house officer's hostel, 100 bed ward housing an intensive care unit, a cardiac centre and a modern laboratory and an accident and emergency department.


The governor who said he was interested in the elongation of the lives of Abians added that it was for that reason that he was moved to replicate what he saw during one of his trips to United States of America where major medical facilities are located in one place.
The governor disclosed that his administration has expanded health centres in the state from 250 to 710 scattered all over the state, adding that his government has successfully built 100 bed-hospitals in nine LGAs of the state.
Expressing happiness that the Amachara Specialist Hospital has completed the training for the first batch of medical interns, he said they are now set to admit new medical interns.


At the unveiling of the projects was the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Okechukwu Ogah, who said the hospital hopes to pursue postgraduate residency training programme in general and family medicine in the near future disclosed that the government has approved the recruitment of specialists and other health care workers to ensure the objective.


He also said the government has partnered Chevron to construct chest clinic and Millennium Development Goals to construct the TB, HIV, AIDS, malaria treatment and research centre located within the Alachua hospital.


Also, the Chief Medical Director of the Abia Specialist and Diagnostic Centre, Prof. Augustus Mbanaso, who thanked the governor for transforming the health system of the state as shown by the numerous health centres, said the changes in the general hospitals in the state and the transformation in the Amachara Specialist Hospital are there for the whole world to see.


The specialist centre which is a public private partnership between Abia State Government and Mecure Laboratories of India is furnished to taste with up to date health equipment that is of international standards.


The Amachara specialist hospital which was formerly known as the Amachara Methodist Hospital, was started by missionaries in 1929 and has from then till now, undergone changes and its present state, boasts of the best equipment with the Chest unit, hostel for House Officers, modern pharmacy and spectacularly, a research centre that will focus on HIV, Malaria and the Ebola Virus Disease, among others.


Infrastructural Development
Infrastructure wise, the state cannot be said to be lacking in that regard. But in addition, the governor in an effort to decongest the capital city, the main market at Ogwumabiri Umuahia, was transferred to Ubani, a suburb of the capital city, while the industrial market and timber dealers were also moved to Azueke Ndume, another suburb.


Asides that, the governor also moved to bring order to the proliferation of motor parks in the state by building another ultra-modern motor park at Ohiya, which has the capacity to accommodate luxury buses too. It also has multiple shops of all sizes and decent spaces for food vendors and restaurants.


The bus park also has modern conveniences and an executive office for the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). With the construction of the park, the city was decongested and was buoyed with the Ochendo Youth Empowerment cars which transport people round the city.
Also, Orji had gone to the Ohiya Spare Parts Market and built internal roads to allow the spare parts dealers and mechanics ease of movement within the market.


Meanwhile, as one of its policy thrusts to synergize with the private sector to boost entrepreneurial activities, the governor also moved to Mgbarakuma, a subunit of Ubakala, host of the Umuahia South LGA headquarters to cut the tapes of a modern petrochemical industry with multiple industrial projections owned by Etugo Oil and Gas concerns, an upcoming business initiative.


One of the residents of the state who was merely repeating what was in the minds of almost everyone was forced to ask, "The difference is clear. People of Abia and visitors keep asking if Ochendo is going for 3rd term? If not, why is he still building and constructing?"
He went on to say, "It is nothing new to us in Abia. The Ochendo giant stride demonstrates the vow of a man who came to make changes that will improve the lot of greater majority rather than self-aggrandizement."


While the construction of these legacy projects is laudable to say the least, the governor has also put measures to sustain the huge projects and ensure it doesn't become a waste. While the communities are still revelling in their new projects, there are still more to come and this includes the International Conference Centre, E-Library, JAC building, ASUBEB building, second wing of the Workers' Secretariat, Shoprite complex among others.

Governor Orji and the BusinessDay States’ Competitiveness and Good Governance Awards

By Madubuko Hart

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Abia State, Mr. Charles Ajunwa, has said that with the BusinessDay States’ Competitiveness and Good Governance Awards held recently at the EKO Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, where his principal emerged as the best performing governor in education and youth empowerment in 2014, has further muffled the ill-conceived perception of the opposition against the governor.

Ajunwa added that for his boss to win the award for two consecutive times, back-to-back, has shown that the world was watching that the governor has been doing everything he could do to transform the wellbeing of the residents of the state and give the state a facelift. Ajunwa lamented that he was surprised that critics of the government due to their myopic lens, had refused to see that Governor Theodore Orji has built model primary and secondary schools across the 17 LGAs in the state, but the awards have sent a signal beyond the West End that the governor was committed to good governance.

According to the CPS, the newly built modern e-library in the state is a fact that has shown that the governor has education as one of his topmost priorities. Upon that, Ajunwa wondered why sentimental commentators of the government are so bad-mannered in realizing that the “Legacy Projects” of the governor are yielding results that people from far and near could see and recognize. The CPS further said that he has found it very hilarious the comment that Abia State under Ochendo needs a marshal plan.

However, he has argued that critics of the Ochendo government might not see beyond their programmed mind that is against the government, but well-meaning Nigerians and groups will stop at nothing to see the good works that the governor has been doing in the state and will not decline to recognize him as at when due.

He wondered the speculation making the rounds that the government was collecting money from potential job seekers in the state before they could be awarded job opportunities, saying that the news was unfounded and misleading, because the government has been empowering people in the state and BusinessDay recognized that and the governor was appreciated as the best youth empowerment governor.

Ajunwa said that there has never been any time that the governor or the state government was demanding for “200,000 thousand Naira from people, who were looking for work at Aba polytechnic”. He was reacting to an article that was published in nigeriaworld.com with the title, “Abia State needs a marshal plan, after years of criminal and corrupt leadership”.

According to the statement by the organizers of the award, Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji won the BusinessDay States’ Competitiveness and Good Governance Awards as the best performing Governor in education and youth empowerment in 2014, making it the second time that the Abia State Governor will be winning the high-status awards.

According to the source, he was pronounced as the best performing governor in the country in Security and Health at the maiden edition of the awards in 2013. It was observable that the governor never lobbied for the BusinessDay States’ Competitiveness and Good Governance Awards; states were allocated the right to make entries.

It was after the assessors visited Abia State that they determined that the claims entered for Abia State were all on ground and Governor Orji won the esteemed awards, organized by the foremost business media organization in Nigeria: BusinessDay.

In appraising the governor the statement partly reads: 1. The Governor Theodore Orji-led administration in Abia State, understands the importance of the youth in the economic development of the State, which prompted him to introduce the “Youth Empowerment Programme,” geared towards creating strong dependable youths with high morals.

2. The State Government has continued to deepen this laudable and innovative programme, which has drastically improved the lives of so many youths and families in the State. Developing the education sector is top priority of the Governor Theodore Orji-led administration in Abia State and providing a conducive environment for learning is a commitment his administration owes to every school age child in the State.

3. The essence is to provide equal opportunity to citizens of the State to excel and contribute to the economic development of the State. This is already manifesting as Abia Students emerged second in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 2013 and 2014.

.Hart writes from Lagos

2015 Governorship; A Golden Opportunity Abia Southners Should Not Trivialize
The human mind, at times, suffers from either induced or false amnesia. This is pronounced when man tries to write or narrate his past and deliberately obliterates critical ingredients or elements of his past. Any time this happens, man ends up presenting a truncated history.

Since processes that will end up in establishment of next round of democratic leadership in Abia State started about a year ago, many advocates of power shift to Abia South have, in their various arguments, reminded their audiences that since the creation of Abia as a state in 1991, none of the nine local government areas of Ukwa and Ngwa geo-political zone of the state has been able to produce a governor for the state.

This inability has been real despite the fact that a good number of indigenes of the zone, which is administratively known as Old Aba Division, had severally attempted being governor at one time or another.

In the first democratic election that took place in the state in 1992, the duo of Dr. Gerson Amuta and Chief Lambert Nmecha of blessed memory strongly aspired to become governor of the state on the platform of the defunct National Republican convention, N.R.C. At the Party’s primary election, both Dr. Amuta and Chief Nmecha lost to Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who would end up becoming the first democratically elected governor of the state.

In 1998, which marked the commencement of Nigeria’s third Republic, political personalities of the Old Aba Division were also in the race for the governorship of the state.

The likes of Architect Dan Nwankwo, Dr. Max Nduaguibe and Chief Chukwu Wachukwu came out with Vigour gunning for the governorship of Abia. Again, they lost to Chief Orji Kalu who emerged as the state’s number one man.

2003 did not present any dull moment for the highly populated people of Old Aba Division. In that year, Chief Enyinnaya Abaribe, immediate past Deputy Governor of the state, relying chiefly on his gregarious ‘Otu Onu’ political outfit, strongly contested the governorship of the state on the platform of defunct All Nigeria People’s Party; A.N.P.P. Again, the result was not different from those of 1992 and 1998. Chief Enyinnaya Abaribe lost to the incumbent Governor; Kalu.

Still determined to break the jinx of not producing the State Governor despite being the more populated zone of the state, the trio of Chief Okezie Orji, Hon Tony Enwereuzor and Radical Hon. Chinonyerem Macebuh were at the scenario of governship contest in 2007. As if the geo-political zone had some issues to resolve with destiny, the three lost as Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji eventually emerged victorious.

Then came 2011. Chief Theodore Orji was constitutionally qualified to re-contest as an incumbent governor and he did. For the umpteenth time, another politician from Old Aba Zone, by the name of Chief Regan Ufomba, showed interest and contested on the platform of All Progressive Grand Alliance; APGA. Expectedly, Chief Regan Ufomba kissed the dust.

The combined experiences of the people of Old Aba Division in their previous quests to clinch the governorship of the state from 1992 to 2011 are a clear indication that a people who do not put their art together would only be like wanderers in a labyrinth. It is also a pointer to the indisputable fact that power, apart from being divinely determined, is negotiated.

In analyzing the challenges of the people of Old Aba Division to emerge as the Executive Head of their second tier of government, the histrionics of the development should not be limited only to the twenty three years of the existence of Abia State. Before the first Republic, the people of Onitsha had produced the Premier of Eastern Region in the person of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, from 1954 to 1959. When Dr. Azikiwe’s National Council of Nigerian citizens, N.C.N.C., went into alliance with Sir Ahmadu Bello’s Northern People’s Congress; N.P.C., Zik, as Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, was fondly called, became the Governor–General of Nigeria while Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa of N.P.C. became Prime-Minister. As nature abhors vacumm, Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara, a prominent son of Old Bende became Premier of Eastern Region. Between 1960 and 1966, Dr. Francis Akanu Ibiam; a world class statesman of Afikpo extraction, was Governor of Eastern Region.

Both during colonial and first Nigerian Republic, no indigene of Old Aba Division attained the height of either a Premier or even a Governor.

As it is chronologically clear, military interregnum separately lasted for twenty-nine years in this country. During that very dark era of Nigeria’s nationhood, many military officers of Igbo origin were appointed military Governors of different states.

To begin with, Colonel Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu was appointed the military Governor of Eastern Region by the Head of State and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Nigeria; Major–General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi. Ojukwu hailed from Nnewi. Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Major–General Ike Omar Sandara Nwachukwu and Navy Captain Christopher Osondu, three of them from Isuikwuato, had been Military Governors during the period. Commodore Amadi Guy Ikwechegh, an indigene of Igbere in Bende was also a Military Administrator during the period under review. Air Commodore Samson Emeka Omeruah, who hailed from Ikwuano, was a military governor.

Should any body forget the very charistimatic Military Administrator of Lagos State and later Niger State; Commodore Ebitu Oko Ukiwe of the ancient Abiriba entrepreneurial origin?

The list of military officers of Igbo extraction that served as Military Governors or Administrators may not easily be exhausted here. By the time one remembers the likes of Commodore Alison Madueke, Colonel Chinyere Ike Nwosu and Lt. Colonel Anthony Obi, who all were military governors at one time or another, the question that glares one at the face becomes, where were the people of Ukwa and Ngwa all through that longperiod? It was obvious that no Ukwa or Ngwa man had enough contact to influence being a military Governor. The highest position an officer from the whole of Old Aba division could attain during that era was merely an Acting Military Governor of Anambra State which was achieved by Group captain Monday Ikpeazu when the Governor was on leave.

A frank deduction here is that the people of Old Aba Division have not, so far, only failed to harness their natural numerical strength in order to galvanize their political fortune and growth in a democratic setting but equally proved incapable of establishing any network of meaningful contact that could have enabled, at least, one of their own to have emerged a military governor during the days of military dictatorship when what mattered was merely who one knew.

The above scenario, which slightly tilted towards hopelessness and frustration, should not currently be forgotten by the people of Old Aba Division as the leadership of People’s Democratic Party; P.D.P, in the state, under the philosophical guidance of Governor Theodore Ahamefule Orji, has, purely out of democratic philanthropy and magnanimity; expressly resolved to have the next Governor of the state come from Abia–South senatorial zone of the Old Aba Division.

This posture by the People’s Democratic Party is an exemplary manifestation of uncommon commitment to equity, fairness and natural justice. Who ever that raises an eye brow against this justifiable popular resolution of the Party must surely be an enemy of democracy and natural justice. It is, however, very strategic and of utmost importance that the people of Old Aba Division should naturally realize that what Governor T.A. Orji and the People’s Democratic Party are irrevocably set to do for them is equivalent to handing power over to a people purely on a platter of gold. They should not mismanage it. At this stage in their political history, common sense demands that they should encourage the leadership of P.D.P. assist them achieve what they brazenly proved incapable of realizing since ages. They should eschew internal bitterness amongst themselves; a characteristic trait that had been their bane since time immemorial.

No matter their individual frame of mind and urge for power, Abia 2015 Governorship should be perceived by all and sundry in Old Aba Division as a golden opportunity that should not be trivialized and allowed to slip due to inclination to unpatriotic individualism and its attendant inordinate ambition. A stitch in time, can always save nine.

Chief (Sir) Don Ubani; ksc, JP
(Okwubunka of Asa)
Umuiku-Isi-Asa, Ukwa-West

Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has won BusinessDay States’ Competitiveness and Good Governance Awards as the best performing Governor in education and youth empowerment in 2014.
The awards, which took place at the prestigious EKO Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, makes it the second time that the Abia State Governor will be wining the prestigious awards.
Recall that he was adjudged as the best performing Governor in the country in Security and Health at the maiden edition of the awards in 2013.
BusinessDay States’ Competitiveness and Good Governance Awards is highly competitive as States are allowed to make entries and the winner of any category is determined by assessors, who visit the States to verify the claims.
That Governor Orji won the prestigious awards, organized by BusinessDay, the foremost business media organization in Nigeria, will not come to Abians and friends of Abians by surprise, because of the commitment and zeal with which the Governor is piloting the affairs of the State.
Governor Orji at the inception of his second tenure in office vowed to uplift the standard of living of the people and the image of the State. Consequently, this quest to bring good life to the people spurs him to invest in sectors that impacts positively on the people and that include education and youth development.
The Governor Theodore Orji-led administration in Abia State, understands the importance of the youth in the economic development of the State, which prompted him to introduce the “Youth Empowerment Programme,” geared towards creating strong dependable youths with high morals.
The State Government has continued to deepen this laudable and innovative programme, which has drastically improved the lives of so many youths and families in the State.
Developing the education sector is top priority of the Governor Theodore Orji-led administration in Abia State and providing conducive environment for learning is a commitment his administration owes to every school age child in the State.
The essence is to provide equal opportunity to citizens of the State to excel and contribute to the economic development of the State.
This is already manifesting as Abia Students emerged second in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 2013 and 2014

Orji pledges to complete Abia NUJ secretariat, gets award


THE hope of the Abia State chapter of the Nigeria Union Journalists(NUJ) having a permanent secretariat was rekindled on Tuesday as Governor Theodore Orji renewed his pledge to complete the project he started in Umuahia, the State capital.

Orji renewed his promise after being conferred with the award of “ Man of The Year” by NUJ South East zone , saying that he was aware of the hazards of the journalism profession and the constraints facing journalists.

He therefore, expressed the imperative need for journalists to operate in a worthy secretariat which he had set out to build for them in Abia State.

Describing the award as one of the greatest honours he had received, Orji however, cautioned against playing politics with the Boko Haram issue in the country and tasked journalists, whom he said, had the ability to change the focus of people through their write-ups, to collaborate in maintaining the corporate existence of Nigeria.

While conferring the award on the governor as part of the activities of the NUJ South-East Media Summit in Umuahia, the NUJ National President, Mallam Garba Mohammed, appreciated Orji’s support to journalists in the South-East zone.

Mohammed who was represented by his deputy, Rotimi Obamuwagun , had appealed to the governor to complete the Abia State NUJ secretariat before the end of his tenure and in addition support the resource centre project for journalists being undertaken by the South-East zone of the union.

He assured Orji of the journalists’ sustained role in fostering unity in the country at all times, particularly as the 2015 polls draw nearer.

Other recipients of the NUJ awards during the two day Summit that kicked off on Sunday were the immediate past Health Minister, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu and ex Imo State Information Commissioner, Dr Theodore Ekechi who were honoured for their Distinguished Public Service.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the NUJ South East zone, Chris Isiguzo said that the annual Media Summit was part of the social responsibility of the zone to provide the slot for media practitioners to interface with arms of government , the civil society and private sector operators.

According to him, “the aim is to create a robust forum where issues that border on good governance, media practice and investment including the nation’s democratization process are discussed with a view to creating an improved environment for the general well being of the people.”

Abia: How I’ll build on Ochendo’s foundation – Ikpeazu

Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, biochemist, teacher-turned politician is one of the frontline governorship aspirants in the race to succeed the outgoing administration of Governor Theodore Orji in Abia State.

Ikpeazu, from Obingwa resigned from his position as Deputy General Manager of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, to pursue his governorship ambition. He shares his thoughs below. Excerpts:

WHAT is your assessment of the present administration and how can you lift the state from its present position?

In the first place, by the time Ochendu took over, the socio economic framework of Abia State was in shambles, without discipline from politicians coming from other parts of the country.

It took the transparency of Ochendu, to bring everybody together under the big umbrella of the PDP, and even those that were not within the PDP family are also going to him, that he was the person that came to unify Abia, that is an intangible achievement but very critical to development, because if you don’t have unity, you cannot attract the best brains and you cannot move forward.

The best he did was in terms of security since if somebody is not secure he can’t think of investment and others in infrastructural development agriculture and so on and he touched all those areas.

Talking about Aba, the city is almost being taken over by filth, what’s your agenda for Aba?

Incidentally I don’t think anybody has a better knowledge of the garbage challenge of Aba than I do, I have worked as the Deputy General Manager Environment and Protection Agency, and I know what we met on ground before we came and I also know what we did to make the modest impact that we have made so far. But the gap – the missing link is that as I speak, government is not in charge of waste management at a primary level.

I’ve also studied the constituents of the waste that come from Aba 65 per cent of them is bio-degradable, vegetables and left over food which means that we can think about organic fertilizers because it is biodegradable and we can convert it for manure.

The other 35 per cent is from metals, plastics and so on. Some sorting will be done. As I speak, we have started to create and inaugurate sanitation clubs in various secondary schools. The idea is to teach our young ones the tenets of sorting from the beginning so that they can go back to the home and teach their parents in turn what it means to sort waste because you cannot do a waste recycling plant if you have not sorted out your waste from the primary source. Associates of Governor T.A Orji like you say he has done much. Is his shoe not too big for you?

I’ve about nineteen years of experience in politics and one other thing that counts in my favor is that I’m a home baked politician.

In the sense that I understand the sentiments of the average Abian and I also represent the middle class. Not only that, have I spent all these nineteen years in the trenches with my people, fighting and battling with this present governor for the elevation of Abia State. I also know some of the things which he has done, to make sure that the Ochendo magic is a reality.

I’ve been at home with all the political gladiators of Abia State and I have served and served diligently.

Greatest challenge

Secondly I represent the middle class, I don’t make noise that I come from anywhere and the people know that the best person to trust is one of their own, because the greatest challenge to our economy not only in Abia State is that the economy has shut down the middle class, so we now have two classes of people, its either you are rich or poor, so the so called middle class is what I represent and they know that their pain is my pain and their joy my joy, my mission is to restore the middle class in Abia State and give them a pride of place.

What is your panacea for crime and corruption in the state?

The greatest attitude towards corruption is to build institutions, because those are the things that would outlive you and to also lead by example. I’m not a trader, my background is teaching and if I’m not doing politics I’m teaching, so if you lead by example the only way you know that you are going to do well or not, is how serious you are in terms of building institutions, because if you appoint somebody not necessarily on political sentiment because that person is capable, competent and can deliver, it doesn’t matter where he comes from, it means also that you are surrounding yourself with people with little or no inclination towards enriching themselves at the expense of the public good.

I intend to run a very transparent government, I intend to bring all shades of Abia people into governance, the traditional rulers the youths (which is my primary constituency) and the women and in-fact anybody that has anything to offer that would help build Abia.

it is quite not comprehendible by some but its certain that the game is up for OUK. The ex governor of Abia State who has used all mercenaries at his disposal ranging from the sun news papers, telegraph and the most unscrupulous elements called igbere TV to show case the government of his excellency gov. T. A Orji (CON) in a bad lime light.
With all criticism from a man who has under performed and wasted his 8 years as a governor of Abia State. What could be told of him and what will posterity remember him for? I leave that for you to answer.
But in all these it is so appalling that the same OUK wants to be in the same political party with the governor whom he has castigated on the media thereby abandoning completely the PPA party he founded. Even though his membership in the PDP is yet to be ratified. While gov T. A Orji was gladly welcomed with open hands when he came into the PDP.
Secondly, OUK wants to vie for the same position in the Nigerian Senate just as the governor who was solicited by all Abians to represent his people in the senate, thereby abandoning his presidential ambition and NFF chairmanship position.
Thirdly OUK used the youth empowerment vehicle given by gov T.A Orji to carry out his campaign for his senatorial ambition in igbere his home town thereby also abandoning the shovels, head pans and wheelbarrows he gave to the youths while he was governor.
In all these analysis it is obvious and conclusively that OUK is still a learner. This is because Gov. T.A Orji(CON) is still the man who has founded a new and a modern ABIA STATE THROUGH HIS LEGACY PROJECTS.

Eddie Onuzuruike: The faceless Save Abia Group and their murky plots

By Eddie Onuzuruike

The faceless Save Abia Group emerged overnight with publications armed with false photographs on The Nation newspaper of October 24th. They shifted to Thisday Newspaper on Tuesday 28, same month with another publication on page 57.

Going through the disjointed sentences and phrases, it was highly evident that they lacked vision and therefore presented a coterie of lies and false claims.

These are not surprising as they were foretold like prophecies of the good book. On October 1st, in the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia, where Abia State Government marked the independence day celebration in style, which took the mode of thanksgiving as nine Abia sons and a daughter were for the first time honoured in the largest number by the President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan with National Awards in the 2014 edition.

Many of the recipients who were around like Hon Arua Arunsi and Dr. David Ogba spoke in appreciation of the gesture by the Chief Executive of Abia State, who staged the gathering. His Excellency Chief T. A. Orji spoke last. He prognosticated that election time was approaching when ‘friends will become enemies and enemies friends. So many things will be said, bulk of it will be damaging lies but people should remember that there will be a judgment day when we will give account of all we that did.’

This pontification took just 23 days to become reality not even waiting to the end of the month of October. This vindication came too soon for Chief T. A. Orji as complaints have risen from inconsequential quarters about the constitution of the Abia PDP primaries committee and unfounded accusations of using cronies and family members etc.

It will not be out of place to ask: Is T. A. Orji the Party Chairman who set up the committee or should Barrister Nwaka have selected Orji Uzor Kalu as the chairman or one of the members for the faceless group to feel good?

Photographs purported to be Aba roads were used as evidence. Questionable as these were, the main Agbama Road that leads to the estate was constructed by Ochendo. In their hurry to smear Abia leadership, they forgot this fact and nobody has commended the much done but just as the drowning men that they are, grabbed the internal roads as straws.

The negative publication in all intent spells evil and doom. When they bemoaned the presence of gullies on all roads leading into Abia, they seem to forget that all inter-state roads are federal roads. They quickly cited Arthur Eze and the falsely credited speech. Eze though not a superior authority on issues in Abia did not speak of Abia roads but actually complained about the express road from Enugu to Umuahia which he plied on his journey.

According to their claims that graduates are being turned to touts, but the Save Abia and their likes previously claimed that the cars were not free or that people were getting it on hire purchase. They may have even forgotten that their acolyte gave out barrows and shovels.

Well, the truth is that the empowerment cars are not compulsory; the recipient is free to employ a driver. On the other hand, most of our folks drive taxis in New York, London and Paris and repatriate money home. Most of our self-made men today drove taxis belonging to other people in their humble days. It was actually such situations that provided the springboard for success.

Questions that boggle the mind are: what have this Save Abia Group been doing since and only came out on election eve. They have not commended the Governor ever since he has been toiling, providing health centres, building 100 bed hospitals in ten LGAs. They have refused to see Abia Specialist and Diagnostic centres, legacy projects. They would rather not believe that markets were moved and new ones created.

Aba has gotten more attention from T. A. Orji much more than all the governors in the history of the state put together. Where were Save Abia when this state was pocketed by one family? When Aba was sacked by kidnappers and armed robbers, what did they do? Did they as much as raise a voice in ululation or hooting, but now, they have strength and money to pick up pages of calumny.

They talked of Arthur because he fills the blackmail mould. What about the visits of the Good Governance Tour of January 2013, led by Lebaran Maku that gave Abia a pass mark? Olisa Metuh’s PDP performance media tour three weeks ago spoke of the conspiracy against Abia after moving to some project sites where they saw wonders. Journalists and religious sects have come and all acclaimed. Ochendo’s works are imposing and dwarfing, little wonder, Save Abia imported photographs to hoodwink the unsuspecting people.

If Save Abia and their friends have some facts, they should have named the candidate or candidates that are being followed about by government appointees, or even name the government officials that are aiding these aspirants.

From the look of it, Save Abia and group have a candidate in mind and have broken the rules by having started campaigns before the approved time. Shame on Save Abia for placing their selfish interest before the collective aspirations of Abia.

*****Orji Uzor Kalu OUK in another salary trouble with the New Telegraph Staff...Editors challenges his moral...*******

A serious crisis has hit the telegraph newspapers owned by ex Abia gov Orji Uzor Kalu as some key editors resigned last night over 11 months unpaid salaries. A staff of the paper told Naijanetworksnews that the daily editor Gabriel Akinedewo has threatened to resign this weekend if kalu fails to pay at least half of the salary owed.

Our source said that the editors who resigned had serious confrontation with OUK on the issue, and instead of the publisher to address the debts owed he told them to go to hell afterall Thisday and other papers are owing.

The editors who were very angry lambasted him, telling him to close the paper if he can't pay salaries. How can you spend billions buying jet while your staff are dying, the editors fired back at kalu.

You may also recall that the late Dimgba Igwe Igwe died a day after he confronted OUK over the salary arrears of Sun Newspapers Staff owed by OUK the publisher of the Sun Newspapers.

THE ORJI UZOR KALU CONUNDRUM

Shortly on assumption of office, Dr orji Uzor Kalu embarked on selling off Abia peoples’ equipment. First to be sold off was all the water pipes purchased for the Umuahia Regional Water Scheme. Till date nobody knows what has become of the proceeds. He cleverly budgeted millions of Naira for that scheme. The question is where is the water and where are the pipes.

He also sold of all the mechanical equipment in the Ministry of Works and rendered the Mechanical Department inoperative. He also sold off the Asphalt Plant in Aba to Zerocks. The equipment were sold off with the connivance of one Architect Nduka.

Orji Uzor Kalu in 1997 offered the sum of one million Naira to the then Abia Commissioner for Police Osaretin Bakare who rejected the money because of Orji Uzor Kalu’s penchant for criminality especially since it was said that he had a case with Panti Street Police Department. The money was passed on through O. O. Okoronkwo from Alayi who attempted giving the money through M.D. Ofo.

Till date nobody has bothered to ask what happened to the Fire Service Station at Ariaria International Market Aba. The Fire Service Station was sold off by Eunice Uzor Kalu to Mike Adenuga to build his bank under the close watch of his son, Orji Uzor Kalu.

Why was Emeka Stanley removed as the Commissioner for Works? He was removed because he refused to key in into Mamas kleptomania regarding the Abiriba and Igbere erosion sites. Mama and his cohort, Stanley Ojigbo had brought in an estimate of more than two hundred million for rehabilitation work at one of the sites. Emeka Stanley, the then Commissioner for Works made an estimate of less than N52 million. That angered the State Governor, Madam Eunice Uzor Kalu and Emeka Stanley was removed. EXPECT MORE!!!!!

Gov Orji Commissions Modern 100 Bed Ward, Administrative Block, Others at Specialist Hospital Amachara
.Donates Ambulance

Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has commissioned four projects completed by his administration at the Amachara annex of the Abia State specialist and Diagnostic centre,Umuahia.
The projects include the Administrative block, house officer’s hostel, one 100 bed ward housing an intensive care unit, a cardiac centre and a modern laboratory and an accident and emergency department with ambulance which the governor donated to the hospital.
Speaking at the event, the Governor who said he was interested in the elongation of the lives of Abians added that it was for that reason that he was moved to replicate what he saw during one of his trips to the United State of America where major medical facilities are located in one place.
The Governor disclosed that his administration has expanded health centres in the state from 250 to 710 scattered in parts of the state.
Additionally, the Governor said his government has successfully built 100 bedded hospitals in nine Local Government Areas of the state and intends to replicate it in all the 17 LGAs to enhance health care delivery to the people.
The Governor expressed happiness that that the first batch of medical interns at Amachara Specialist Hospital, have completed their training while plans were on to admit new ones.
Earlier,the commissioner for Health, Dr. Okechukwu Ogah who said the hospital hopes to pursue postgraduate residency training programme in general and family medicine in the near future disclosed that the government has approved the recruitment of specialists and other healthcare workers to ensure the objective.
He also stated that the government has partnered with chevron oil company to construct a chest clinic and the MDG to construct TB/HIV/AIDS/malaria treatment and research centre located within the Amachara hospital.
Speaking, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, prof. Augustus Mbanaso, thanked the Governor for transforming the health sector of the state as shown by the numerous health centres, changes in the general hospitals in the state and the transformation at the Amachara Specialist Hospital.

Charles Ajunwa Says Orji Performed Beyond Expectation



Chief Press Secretary to Abia State Governor, Mr. Charles Ajunwa, has faulted an assertion by “one faceless group masquerading as Save Abia Group ” which in a recent media publication alleged that “Abia is the least developed state in Nigeria.”


He dismissed the group’s claims as a cheap blackmail aimed at ridiculing the governor’s efforts to transform the state while accusing his political opponents of sponsoring the said publication to cause disaffection in the polity ahead of the 2015 general election.

Mr. Ajunwa who stated this in a press release made available to journalists in Umuahia, said “it is only the blind” that would accuse Governor Orji’s administration of non performance after looking at the galaxy of legacy projects he had posted.

He accused the group of publishing old pictures of some roads in Aba which had since been rehabilitated by Governor Orji’s administration in its desperation to disrepute him for selfish political reasons.

He said the group was being sponsored by the opposition to twist facts and create wrong impression that his administration had failed “when in fact it is the same administration that is working tirelessly to rebuild the state after years of dilapidation.”

According to him, “common logic shows that if the previous administrations had done better, the so-called infrastructure they built would not have rapidly collapsed within seven years of Governor Orji’s administration”.

The release reads in part: ” There is no basis whatsoever for any one to say this administration has not performed considering the number of tangible and verifiable projects fairly distributed across the state.

” It is a fact that Orji is not the first Abia governor but he is the first to build workers secretariat for the civil servants; first to build Abia government house; first to build international conference centre; first to build diagnostic hospitals and renal centre; and first to kick- start infrastructural revolution in the state.”

According to him, government had since initiated remedial measures on some bad roads in Aba including federal roads to make them passable pending the time something permanent would be done as funds improved.

Chinedu Orji Is Not Mounting Pressure On PDP Leadershhip

The Chief Press Secretary to Abia State Governor, Mr. Charles Ajunwa, has refuted a media report that the governor’s son, Chinedu Orji, was mounting pressure on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) in the state to pave way for his emergence as the next Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly.


In a press release made available to journalists in Umuahia, Mr. Ajunwa who described the said media report as baseless and unfounded, urged members of the public to disregard it.

He explained that the governor’s son had never at any time meddled in the affairs of the party as “he is not an official of PDP nor government official but a private individual who has always minded his own business.”

Mr. Ajunwa blamed detractors for planting the publication which he said was intended to generate bad blood in the party and cause disaffection in the polity ahead of the 2015 elections.

He further said that the governor’s son had not indicated interest in any elective office let alone subjecting party officials to pave way for his emergence, wondering why mischief makers would always want to look for ways to disrepute him.

Apart from warning members of the opposition and detractors to stop attacking the governor’s son for cheap political popularity, Mr. Ajunwa affirmed that there was no division in Abia PDP contrary to insinuations in some quarters as portrayed in the said report which according to him was only but a bundle of falsehood.

He said that no amount of falsehood or propaganda by the opposition would put PDP in disarray, boasting that the party would still sweep the 2015 elections in the state to maintain its dominance.

Mr. Ajunwa, therefore, enjoined the people of the state to keep their doors shut against other political parties which he said “have no agenda for the state”, and remain steadfast in their support for PDP which he said had since raised the bar of governance in the state and Nigeria.

Breaking News: PDP denies Uzor Kalu (OUK) membership.

Former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu’s attempt to secure a waiver in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to enable him vie for the Abia North seat has been blocked.
PDP in the Southeast has described his claim of being a member of the party as spurious and unfounded.
The ex-Abia State governor in a letter dated October 9 sought the waiver on the grounds that he rejoined the PDP on January 16, 2012; the day he also claimed he was registered in his Igbere Ward ‘A’ home.
Kalu said in the letter: “I write to inform you that I returned to the PDP on January 16, 2012. As one of the founding members of the party, I do not think I need a waiver to contest the senatorial seat. But if I do, I hereby apply for a waiver.”
The party in the Southeast where Kalu’s letter was referred to for comment, denied knowing the former Abia governor as a member.
The National Vice Chairman of the PDP in the Southeast, Col Austin Akobundu (rtd), reacting to Kalu’s waiver request, was said to have raised what the zone referred to as eight strategic points, which knocked off Kalu’s claim of being registered on January 16, 2012 in his Igbere Ward ‘A’.
According to the party, since Kalu “left PDP seven years ago and founded his pet party, the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), the ex-governor has not taken any step to rejoin, be admitted or re-admitted into the party.”
The PDP Southeast said: “The fundamental requirement for the membership of our party is registration at the ward and having the name entered in the ward membership register and payment of the necessary fee. It is only when the name of a prospective member is entered into the party’s register that membership card is issued.”
Said Akobundu: “I took time to inspect the Igbere Ward ‘A’ membership register. The register has 244 names. Kalu’s name is not in the register.
“I also extended my search, for the avoidance of doubt, to Igbere Ward ‘B’, which has 256 registered members. His name could not also be found in the register.”
Reacting to Kalu’s purported PDP membership card issued at Igbere Ward ‘A’, which was referred to him by the National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha, Akobundu described it as spurious and baseless.

The Nation

The Governor of Abia state is the most worker-friendly governor in Nigeria.When Ochendo gripped the helms of affairs in Abia in May 2007, one of his first moves was to promote the civil servants massively to the next level, a move unheard of in the state. The general strike embarked nationwide over the minimum wage happened in all the states except in Abia, where the Abia Governor started paying the highest of twenty thousand one hundred against the eighteen thousand generally agreed.
The permanent secretaries and directors in all the ministries get all the civil service perks that were denied them previously. The permanent secretaries have all been given take-home vehicles and schemed into favorable housing schemes. Those in the judiciary are equally enjoying same at home and the office considering their new buildings and furniture. In the medical and teaching departments, the special salary scales of CONHESS, CONMESS and TSS respectively.
The various youth empowerment projects and skills acquisition are all aimed at reducing the stress on the civil servant because any parent saved the heat from our youthful offspring is more likely to enjoy a more stress-free home. There again, have our civil servants been better housed? Take a look at the twin tower secretariat at Ogurube layout.
Mr Ibe A Uche wrote about local government workers who not too long ago were rescued from the jaws of the elected chairmen of Local Governments. If I should remind Ibe, these workers were owed the upwards of ten months salaries until Ochendo came to their rescue where he worked out a payment regimen of liquidating the unpaid.
In May 2014, the Labour in Abia came out with the highest award ever given out since labour experience dating back to the days of Eastern Nigeria. Do I go on?

As you can see, the writer missed the point but he highlighted an important issue with the situation in our turbulent tertiary institutions as none is left out with one problem today and another tomorrow. Therefore, a holistic solution should be sought. It may not be out of place to borrow a leaf from schools abroad. Some people have argued that the experience of the telecommunication industry with the arrival of MTN, AIRTEL, GLO etc, should be extended to the schools. We now have six communication industries functioning successfully and equitably. If we do these to our school system, can the masses afford the bills? Our private schools today are one of the most expensive in world. We really have to undertake a deep study to make them drop their greed and operate at an affordable cost.

One will think that the state governors who are making good efforts to shore up education should be spared these horrors but life is not that way. It has been psychologically noticed that those who struggle to solve problems still have more problems streaming their way.
The drama playing out in Abia polytechnic need more than mere complaints and political cajolery. If I ask again, these private schools abroad, how come they operate successfully without much rancor compared to our private schools where parents pay through their nose to sponsor and train their wards in private universities?
Not being an insider, I wouldn’t know what the case with Abia poly is. The subvention given to the school by the state government was increased from 29 to 95million monthly or there about. The school still collects school fees from students and other things trickling in from donors and the federal government.
Already, they have a governing council. Can’t the council and school authorities work out a formula for sustainability? Or is the governing Council part of the problems? It is a known fact that governing councils peopled by politicians come with their own problems. For instance, they still insist in employment of wards, constituents and cronies as to be politically relevant. The school authorities take advantage of such situation and employ more, fired by their selfish interests, resulting in running a bloated bureaucracy in the school. The case may not be untrue that most of the politicians squeeze much money from the school management most times, piling money to run elections.
Abia has particularly done well in the education sector granted that there are no tuition fees paid in the primary and secondary, doling out bursary and giving scholarships. It has given back some schools to missionary holdings and at the same time paying salaries of teachers in those schools.

There should be a way out. There should be a study on how schools abroad succeed and why we cannot here.
His insinuations that APC and APGA should hasten the evil day for PDP clearly reveal his political background.It is unfortunate that at the present rating, APC and APGA put together cannot work up the muscle to challenge an Orji led PDP. If there is any doubt, let him check the figures of 2011 elections and the just concluded election in Aba where an apolitical housewife demolished all the other parties who only pride themselves as opposition.

OUK'S EMPOWERMENT KITS

The truth is OUK did his empowerment Programe .In his time it was Wheel Barrow to marketers as a way to relief them of hard times,and then motorcycle to some youth which they were asked to pay back on account of ''HIGHER PURCHASE condition.Some of the youths were harassed and embarrassed due to not meeting up with depositing of payment and not complying with the set-rules of the higher purchase agreement.In that regard ,some were stripped off the motor cycle as a result of their little shortfalls.Some people would be umbrage as to why i have to come up with this or why i have decided to bring this up .Well, i have to because often times there is quite something we need to let people know ,that T.A Orji has been on the fore front of youth development ,projecting youth of Abia state through various levels of youth empowerment and skill acquisition schemes that have benefited many of Abia youth.Development is not something we yearn to realize in a 24 hours of the day,rather it is something that should be continuously yearn for and actualized by a constant work process,which is what the present government has embraced and it is worthy of notice to state that the present government of Abia could boast of well articulated governor who is quick-witted to tend tackle the challenges Abia is facing than how he met it.Am just concern about this because in other areas, and sectoral levels i still can find it difficult to place what OUK did right.My question is : empowering the youths and marketers with wheel barrow and motorcycle ,was it better than what T.A has used to empower youth of Abia state? Is it more commendable with OUK's idea of polity and democracy than what T.A Orji has been doing?I think the answer is obviously for the Youth to answer.

Breaking News: Late Dimgba's Family Rejects OUK's 3 Million Naira


Family members of late Dimgba Igwe have rejected the sum of 3 million Naira offered to them by the publisher of Sun Newspapers Orji Uzor Kalu.

Dimgba Igwe was buried last weekend in Igbere amidst tension as kalu who was booed by the youths is linked to the late editor, having had a shouting match with the veteran journalist on the eve of his controversial death.

Southeastonlinenews reporter who covered the event was told by a family member that the three million was rejected based on the fact that the money is not even up to the eight months salary being owed Dimgba. The three million is it for the training of Dimgba's children or the salary arrears, Kalu should keep his money we don't need it, the family members queried.

Let's take a closer look at this pictorial...there has been continuous irate of the people of Abia regarding the present condition of Ariaria main market and it's said that what some individuals say and post of pictures they make of the main market appears to be nothing but falsity.This will help us to clear the foggy believe that has incensed people's by anger due to the fact that some gullible minds have been bamboozled by the fact that they are fed with wrong info by those who want to bring Abia state down for their own detractive interest.From the photo shoot we gathered we are made to believe that Ariaria Main Market is in conducive state for all commercial activities.

‘Orji’s Government Has Performed Better Than Previous Governments.
Chief Umeh Kalu is a foundation member Abia Patriots, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Abia State. He spoke to some journalists on the political developments in the State and the allegation of non-performance by Orji Uzor Kalu against his successor, T.A Orji. SAMSON EZEA was there and reports.

DO you agree with the ex-governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu that Governor Theodore Orji is misrepresenting facts regarding his tenure as Abia state governor?

It is difficult answering this question because the facts evidencing this misrepresentation have not been provided. In any event, I will try to make a conjecture to relate to you what I think might be the complaints of Orji Uzor Kalu since the evidence relating to his dismal performance as Governor of this State between 1999 and 2007 are legion and there for everyone to see.

I have heard about Kalu raising issues about the buoyant financial state of affairs that he left upon cessation of office at 2007. This obviously I know is not true as the facts available reveal that his Government left a debt of over N29 billion which debt was cleared by the present government. I am equally aware that his numerous claims of building multiple roads especially in Aba is not true because as at 2008 no one could access Aba true the Aba-Owerri road and most other major roads in Aba were in a state of disrepair as the drainages on the few roads that were constructed by him had been blocked by the numerous shops built on these drainages which constitute the seeming intractable drainage and road construction problems prevailing in Aba.

So much has equally been said on the liberation of Abia State which slogan Orji Uzor Kalu and his cronies appear not to be in terms with. The truth remains that Abia under Kalu was in bondage. The state was under the stranglehold of Kalu and his cabal consisting of members of his immediate family. Responsible and eminent Abians were excluded from the affairs of state and in most cases physically prevented from entering the State. Some of them made Abuja and Lagos their permanent homes abandoning the state to Orji Uzor Kalu and his helmsmen. The story has long changed as there is peace and tranquility within the State and respect for elders and all other accomplished Abians.

Kalu refers to the PPA as “our political family” which Governor Orji left to seek shelter elsewhere. Does this justify the PPA founder’s abandonment of the party for PDP?

There is no doubt that PPA was the vehicle that ushered Chief T. A. Orji into the governance of Abia State. I am however at a loss as to the reference of PPA as our political family which he claims T. A. Orji left to find shelter elsewhere because in life nothing is permanent. Orji Uzor Kalu has severally in the past been in several parties. He has on numerous occasions abandoned PDP, which he consistently claims he is a foundation member, to other parties and even on some occasions declared that he is out of partisan politics only for him to make an automatic turn around on those positions.

This is the dynamics of politics and nobody can hold this against him. For T. A. Orji, his abandonment of PPA, I must state, was a well-considered one and even delayed. It will only take a man with T. A. Orji’s strong character and conscience to stomach the impunity of Kalu and members of his immediate family who own the PPA. It is common knowledge that PPA is an extension of the SLOK group and all decisions concerning activities of the party are taken in Kalu’s house, including list of candidates for elective offices. I was a victim of Kalu’s high-handedness in 2007 when I won the primaries of the party twice for the Arochukwu-Ohafia Federal Constituency seat, filled the INEC form, the party submitted same to INEC but PPA got my name withdrawn few days to the closure of submission of forms and got same replaced by their preferred candidate on the directive of Orji Uzor Kalu.

Many others suffered the same fate and even worse. The decision of T. A. Orji to leave was a collective one by all well meaning Abians and that decision buried the party in Abia State and even in the country. This can explain Kalu’s various but futile attempts at rejoining the PDP, a party he has variously abandoned in the past as was seen in the 2011 general elections where he contested for the Abia North senatorial seat under his PPA and lost woefully both at the polls and in Court.

Did the ex-governor Kalu design any roadmap for Abia State?

Kalu can explain or show the world the roadmap he designed for Abia State. I must tell you, as someone who joined government in 2009, that there was absolutely nothing to show for the eight years he was in government on my entry into the administration of Abia State. The basic structures of a modern state were all lacking. In my Ministry, which is the Ministry of Justice, I met about four poultry-like bungalows making up the Ministry.

There were no furniture and the entire premises was in a derelict state. This was the case in all other ministries including the Government House. All the industries, like the Golden Guinea Breweries and Ceramics Industry had been sold in questionable circumstances. The state was indebted both to foreign and local contractors and the few roads he claimed he built in Aba were impassable. With all these and more, it is difficult to talk about a roadmap.

In my mind those eight years, 1999 – 2007, can be regarded as the years of the locust which experience, I must tell you, Abians will have to pay for a long time to come. Talking about roadmap, I can conveniently tell you that the foundation for a new Abia has just commenced. This can be seen in the provision of the basic structures which the present Government in Abia State is struggling to provide. We can now see the almost completed state of the art International Conference Centre, the new diagnostic centres, the new government house, the revamped schools and health centres, the new e-library, the new ultra modern market, the new auto-mechanic village, the new industrial market, the new workers secretariat and office complexes of various Government departments and agencies, the new High Court complexes, the new housing estates and so on.

The argument has been if Kalu has done enough, Abia would have gone far in development; how true is it?

This for me is not an issue for argument as the facts are there for everyone to see. Government, you will agree with me, is a continuum. It is unfortunate that Kalu spent all his years in Government globetrotting and moving all over the country in his bid to project himself as a statesman and expanding his business empire, while leaving the serious task of governance.

This is the price we are paying today in Abia State. All his claims of being an action governor were all make belief as there is absolutely nothing to show for his claims. If Kalu had found it worthwhile to provide drainage and build good roads in Aba, we would not be talking of bad roads in Aba by now.

If his Government had found it worthwhile to make Umuahia the State Capital in the real sense this Government would not be spending money to change the face of the city in order to make it a befitting State capital. The colossal sum of money being spent in the construction of a state secretariat, a new government House, a conference centre, diagnostic centre, e-library, upgrading of our schools and health centres, construction of a modern market, construction of High Court Complexes, dualisation of entry points into the State capital and others too numerous to mention here, which are indices of a modern state would have been put into other uses to the benefit of the people of Abia State.

To answer your question directly, nobody believes Kalu unless the few who get crumbs from his table. There is no comparison between the former Governor and the present in terms of performance.

In a recent advertorial by the Abia Patriots, they claimed that Kalu had been blocked from joining the PDP by the Abia stakeholders, while he points at the governor. Can you explain the intricacies of this matter?

I am a foundation member of the group. Recently, the vice-Chairman of PDP, South East, Col. Austin Akobundu (Rtd) and the Abia State Chairman (PDP) Senator Emma Nwaka all came out publicly to refute Kalu’s claim to PDP membership. This was in response to Kalu’s visit to the PDP headquarters in company of Ikedi Ohakim to see the Chairman of the PDP. For me, I know you don’t join Political party from the national level, but from your ward. You graduate from the ward to local government to the state to the zone and then to the national.

It is unfortunate that Chief T. A. Orji is suffering misplaced aggression and persecution from Kalu. Chief T. A. Orji cannot be Kalu’s problem in his bid to rejoin the PDP. The issue of his rejection has always been there even before Chief T. A. Orji joined the PDP. I recall that in 2010, Kalu made an effort, just like he is presently doing, to rejoin the PDP but was stoutly and unanimously resisted by all major stakeholders in an all night meeting at the Hilton, Abuja. I am sure they will keep resisting him and if I were to advise him his option would have been to resurrect his PPA and engage it as a vehicle towards the realization of his senatorial bid as he did in 2011.

While our Constitution guarantees freedom of association, associations equally have guidelines and criteria for membership, and, if one does not meet that criterion, you cannot force yourself on that body, like he has been trying to do.

ove Aba to the next level, many of the roads are still yawning for re-construction. Why?

Road construction and renovation are a continuous one. The government after T. A. Orji will obviously construct new roads and even repair the ones that require attention. The problem with the roads in Abia State is concentrated within Aba-axis. Government has identified this problem and it is being addressed. The major one is that of poor drainage, followed by non-adherence to town planning regulations by house owners who build on drainage lines. So much has gone into desilting of the drainages while buildings built on drainage lines must go in order to make way for easy passage of flood. But let me equally say here that most of the major roads that beg for attention in Abia State and especially in Aba are federal roads which the Federal Government should give attention to.

For example, the roads from Umuahia to Osisioma, Aba leading into Aba-Owerri Road up to Asa Road and then to Port Harcourt Road moving into Ohabiam and then to the Port Harcourt Express road. The other road is the road from Bata in Aba-Owerri Road to Ehere, Ogbor-Hill leading to Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State. These are all federal roads.

Unfortunately, commuters who ply on these routes do not know which tier of Government has the responsibility of repairing these roads and they often times erroneously blame the Abia State Government which is the Government that they know. Abia State Government would have even undertaken to do these roads, and have in fact in the past carried out some interventions on these roads, if we had the financial capacity like our neighbouring states of Akwa-Ibom and Rivers to do so.

The former governor dwelt heavily on his role in installing Governor Orji as his successor. What do you have to say in this regard?

Reading Orji Uzor Kalu’s feelings as contained in his Saturday Leadership series on his relationship with Governor Orji portrays him as a man who is bitter, full of regrets and in dire need to tell the world that he is a better man than Chief T. A. Orji, both in character and performance in the art of governance.

There is no doubt that he played a pivotal role in the emergence of Chief T. A. Orji as Governor of the State. That role accords with political calculation as he was not alone in that exercise as all other governors during his time tried to enthrone a successor of their choice. The question one may be tempted to ask is what is the basis of his regret? Obviously, I do not need to go far to come to the conclusion that his dissatisfaction with Chief T. A. Orji cannot be far from the abrupt end Chief T. A. Orji has brought to his meddlesomeness in the affairs of Abia State and the fate of its citizens by Orji’s decision to tow a different political part from his.

My experience of the two Orjis – Nwakanma, former deputy governor

Few are in a better position to compare Governor Theodore Orji and his immediate predecessor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu than Chief Eric Nwkamnma who served both men as deputy governor.

Nwakanma who is now an aspirant for the gubernatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in this interview speaks of his experience with the two men.

WHAT’s your take on Orji Uzor Kalu’s endorsement of the PDP Reconciliation Committee visiting Abia from far away China?
Kalu’s absence during the visit of a high-powered committee of the PDP puts to question his claims that he is back to the PDP. He is not back to the PDP.

But let me state once again in very bold terms that there is no opposition in Abia State, and the PDP remains one happy family which was completely reconciled in 2011 under the leadership of Governor Theodore Ahamefule Orji.

Therefore, the visit of the Reconciliation Committee to Abia is more like holidaymaking since there is no aggrieved person to reconcile in Abia. Kalu left the PDP long ago and founded the PPA. He should work towards the progress of a party that has collapsed because for him it will always be a family business.

Do you agree with Kalu that Governor Theodore Orji is blocking his chances of returning to the PDP?

Long before Chief T.A. Orji became Governor and finally returned to the PDP where we all belonged in the first instance, the PDP caucus in Abia and patriotic elder statesmen of the state who were even non-partisan had previously met several times and resolved Orji Uzor Kalu must not be allowed to play any significant role affecting the destiny of Abia.

In a similar manner, stakeholders of Abia PDP met many times to seal loopholes to make the return of Orji Uzor Kalu to the Abia PDP impossible. This was even during the time when his PPA was functioning.

Earlier decisions Governor Theodore Ahamefule Orji was not party to all of these earlier decisions and cannot be held responsible for Kalu’s exclusion from the PDP.

Do you agree with former Governor Kalu, that this reconciliation will boost President Jonathan’s re-election chances in the country and Abia in particular?

Do we have a problem in Abia PDP? I know we do not. How can you reconcile someone who isn’t in the party in the first place?

How do you reconcile a couple who were never married? Which grounds or what platform will you use? That is by the way. President Jonathan is not lacking support in Abia and will find Abia the easiest state to win in 2015.

President Goodluck Jonathan polled over 95 percent of votes in Abia State in 2011, which was probably the highest or among the top three.

At that time Orji Uzor Kalu had left the PDP and did not campaign for Mr. President. Jonathan’s goodwill is still intact and does not need the self-acclaimed and empty strategist to garner any vote.

What are the chances of the former governor Uzor Kalu running for a senatorial seat under the PDP?

This is a fictional proposition. It is laughable. How does a man who does not belong to a political party use the same platform to run for a senatorial seat which he tried earlier under his defunct PPA but was rejected woefully even by his Igbere kinsmen? That question was aptly presented to him in his last desperate interview with Channels Television.

The interviewer had positioned an earlier interview with the Abia PDP chairman Senator Emma Nwaka who stated it was comical for anyone to hold on to the tag of a PDP member when the same person is not even a ward member of the party, which is true of Orji Uzor Kalu.

Both the PDP chairman South East, Col Austin Akobundu and Senator Nwaka have publicly put paid to the lie being bandied by Orji Uzor Kalu that he is a member PDP.

The former governor refers to a roadmap which you once stated did not exist. What is the truth?

The culture of a roadmap was non-existent under Orji Uzor Kalu. It is absurd for a man who ran the government as an extension of his group of companies to lay claim to a tradition that was ignored even by previous governors and military administrators that ran the state.

As Governor T. A. Orji’s former deputy, can you lead us into knowing more about the administration’s legacy projects?

As is the case with all legacies, there is a driving ideology behind the legacy projects of the Governor T. A. Orji administration. First, he has used these legacies to set an agenda for in-coming administrations, something that was lacking under the Orji Uzor Kalu administration.

We need to make constant reference to Ochendo’s provision of critical infrastructure, provision of security that was not there when Kalu was governor, good governance and sustenance of the physical environment. If you look at the provision made to revamp the health sector, you cannot but applaud the governor. T.A. Orji is governing Abia State very well and is leaving a huge footprint.

You happen to be talking a lot from your experience about what an Abia governor in 2015 should do. Could you give us a peep into your programme for the state if you emerge?

I have documented a set of programmes which I have titled “My Pact with Abians”. It is copious, but an abridged or summarised version is in print and being circulated. You can also get copies on internet at my website www.achonwakanma2015.com.

You see, I see governance as very serious business and I am focused and very organised. In preparations to serve Abians, I have opened up channels to communicate and get feedback from the people. I have a saying “Communication is the water that makes life flow”. Apart from my website, I am also on a couple of internet forums like Twitter and Facebook.

I have offices in Umuahia and Aba where I am accessible and I do my best to give everyone attention. Having said that, I want to place it on record that a large chunk of what we have in my manifesto, “My Pact with Abians”, was developed by studying positively the T. A. Orji administration. We are using his achievements as building blocks.

Breaking News: SPARS, OTHERS TO OCCUPY ABIA MALL WITH CONSTRUCTION VALUE OF N3.1BN.

Spar, an international retail chain and franchise with approximately 12,500 stores in 35 countries globally, has indicated interest to take a large portion in the Abia Mall with construction value of N3.1 billion.

Spar is taking about 3,200 square metres in the mall to extend its outlets in Umuahia, the Abia State capital. According to the project developers, the mall which would have a 24-hour electricity and free parking space, considered as a one-stop destination for dining, shopping, entertainment, banking and telecommunications, would boost the economy of the state in the region.

The project, sited in Umuahia, which would likely be commissioned in April next year, is expected to open up the seemingly quiet Umuahia city as other retail merchants also indicate interest in the mall to reach the South Eastern market.

Speaking on the mall project which started in 2013, the director, Abia Retail Company, Chuka Okoye said the mall, which sits in 12,550 square metres, was a product of a study that showed that the city was in dire need of a mall.

Confident of the economic viability of the project in the state, Okoye said the mall alone would generate over 1600 direct and indirect jobs in the state capital, assuring tenants that the mall management had put in place arrangement to promote good business relationship, hence to encourage growing businesses.

“We have over 60 percent of the mall occupied already, we have dragged global brands like Spar and others to Abia State,” Okoye said, expressing delight that after answering government officials’ questions initially on the project, the Abia State government threw its weight behind the mall.

Okoye explained that the construction work was delayed when the job was taken from the initial contractor – New Technics Construction Company to Formwork in November 2013.

Also speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement in Lagos on the mall, Chikamnayo Eze, commissioner for information, Abia State, said “the project is private partnership arrangement with the developers,” saying however that though Aba was the commercial nerve centre of Abia State, but the project was well positioned at Umuahia, which is fast growing and surrounded by cities and towns that would also patronise the mall.

He commended the governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji for the enabling environment, which is necessary for investment, especially on security as Abia was now more peaceful for which the governor had received awards.

In his short speech at the meeting, the managing director of Spar, Haresh Keswani was happy on the peaceful nature of the state, saying this will ensure that business thrives, and called on other tenants who have indicated interest to start their design and construction on time so that the mall will begin full business the same time. He said retail as a business was the global largest employer, stating that oil and gas could contribute significantly to the economy but the sector cannot employ much.

According to a survey, the Nigerian formal retail industry has evolved significantly over the years, with investments in the sector growing to over N205.4 billion in the last two years.

The Campaign of Calumny Against Ochendo Global

By Chinyemike Torti

As keen observers and major stakeholders in the Abia project, it is our beholden responsibility to alert compatriots of the self destructive campaign of calumny being waged by the enfant terrible of Abia politics, who in his hey days deployed enormous resources and capital to repudiate, sabotage and batter the very essence of the platform on whose trajectory he climbed to power between 1999-2007.

Recall the turbulence and deep seated crisis instigated by OUK, which wracked the Abia political class that evolved into an atomistic entity perpetually colliding against itself, culminating in over a decade of socio-political denial of Abia share from the Nigerian patrimony. Under Governor Orji Uzor Kalu (1999-2007) governance and security in the state were adversely affected by his long-running battle with the Abuja federal authorities.

The feud ultimately culminated in Kalu decamping from PDP to establish the Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA), the platform he used to build a notorious godfather machinery- an insular, dictatorial family dynasty that constricted the political space which transformed Abia into a political prison. Senator Chukwumerije captured the scenario thus 'Orji Uzor Kalu and his mother have turned the party into a private empire. All members of the party are mere employees. The family proprietary structure, unable to meet the vigorous requirements of internal democracy demanded of a political party, suffers serious self-contradiction and faces prospects of a stunted growth.'

The net result was the poluting power of poisonous politics which his malevolent operatives used to cause damage to people and ultimately unspeakable destructiveness to those he did not see eye to eye with. Fear, doubt and uncertainty reigned supreme to the extent the Abuja based elite politicians dared not set foot in Abia in broad daylight otherwise they ran the risk of being dealt with. The barrage of lies, distortions and misinformation overheated the political space to the extent that many of these eminent sons and daughters were pejoratively tagged 'efulefu' (born throway kids). OUK perfected the art of political racism and discrimination which spawned trench warfare and development. It took the intervention of the perceptive Governor TA Orji to douse tension and reconcile aggrieved members. Today, locals, plebeians and nobility offer erudition to the executive governor with constructive inputs, contributions, debates content and direction of public policy without looking over their shoulders.

We now have a listening governor who responds personally to e-mails and telephone calls including text messages. Ochendo believes that it is your constitutional right to take a robust position that ensures your interest. Given the commitment of His Excellency Dr TA Orji, in instituting reforms and structural changes to ensure a paradigm shift in service delivery to the great Abia people which OCHENDO has put in place, a well thought out and structured template shorn of showmanship. As a hard boiled bureaucrat versed with the nuances of critical and developmental agenda, Dr TA Orji, fell back on his time tested track record of reflective planning that lays the basis of solid and quality infrastructures.

In the days of OUK, the civil service was devalued and governance transmuted into a hobbesian structure which diminished personal worth. Even though the 'master strategist' was styled an 'action governor' the legacy he left was institutional decay, pork barrel politics, infrastructural deficit, mountains of debt (29billion naira),unpaid salaries, and other tell tale signs of declivity. Because, Abia had nothing to show for more than its twenty years of existence, Ochendo had to literally commence from ground zero. It is against this background, that we examine the acerbic interventions of OUK which in his regular newspaper column, has serially castigated Governor TA Orji and members of his immediate family.

In deconstructing Orji Uzor Kalu's executive talk-down, we perceive the motives of bitterness, angst of the disillusioned heir of an expired dynasty, in his umpteenth time, seeking for relevance not for the public good, but to hurt the sensibilities of Abia stakeholders whom he holds in utter disdain. He has been oozing out this tweedle-twaddle of how he "discovered" Governor TA Orji, and developmental indices of governance under his watch. To put the records, straight, Ochendo for decades before the emergence of the fourth republic in 1999, was endowed with unblemished family and academic pedigree. The only thing you could attribute to Orji Uzor Kalu by way of discovery was the ill fated godfather/godson material fame of opulence, affluence, decisiveness and ruthlessness. It is patent falsehood to aver that OUK sprung TA Orji from obscurity. For the avoidance of doubt, it was the same Ochendo as the Chief of Staff(1999-2007) that brought chutzpah, clout, deportment, comportment, gravitas to dignify the administration of Orji Uzor Kalu, who was a political rookie in the paraphernalia of governance. It was also self evident, that Ochendo stood as a bulwark of defence against all the accusations of financial malfeasance when the EFCC came for Kalu's jugular in 2007. Even when mama excellency fled the country for the same reason, it was the same TA Orji that bore the brunt of Abuja's wrath by spending over 3 months in solitary confinement at Kirikiri prison, where he almost lost the use of an eye.

Of late Orji Uzor Kalu has been speaking and preaching to the gullible on what he did and what his successor did not do in upgrading Abia. Truth of the matter is that Abia under his watch slid further on the path of declivity to a near holocaust entity as evidenced by the decay of Aba. Enyimba city hitherto the epicenter of Igbo entrepreneurial excellence hit the pits. The master plan of the city was violated, as open spaces were converted to shops, kioks, mini markets, and motor parks. Virtually all the feeder and arterial roads vegetated. Basic essential services like potable water, went into extinction.

Umuahia was basically a glorified village, bearing the pock marks of the civil war. Ohafia and other population centres were not better. Rather OUK's ancestral home was the sole beneficiary of developmental strides. Yet Orji Uzor Kalu had the effrontery to claim in his back page column of SUN newspaper that Governor TA Orji, appropriated and converted his own projects. What a balderdash, because Ndi Abia have a tab on which leader enhanced their socio and economic well being from the hey days of Dr Michael Okpara, Sam Mbakwe to Ochendo Global. Having been marooned in the political wilderness, for some time, OUK's strategy to re-launch his structure is predicated on taking pot shots at Governor TA Orji. By so doing he seeks to ingratiate himself into the good books of the Presidency and the ruling party. But who wants to be associated with a trouble maker noted for fouling up things.

In any case, OUK's presence will add neither quality nor quantity. His comprehensive defeat in the 2011 Abia North Senate race exposed his lack of electoral value. It was only when he left the party that PDP were able to win all the seats contested. Ochendo for the avoidable of doubt is not responsible for OUK's travails. As a consummate and thorough bred statesman he has always extended an olive branch to and welcomed the opposition, including, faultfinders, moaners, grumblers for an inclusive and anti-exclusionary ideal government that will move Abia forward. According to Governor TA Orji, everyone is welcomed; nothing is unimportant, and no one is insubstantial. The pivotal role of the opposition party, pressure and interest groups is a magna carta enshrined in all constitutional democracies worldwide, as they enliven the market place of ideas, debates and well thought-out alternative policy options to governance. Ochendo exhorts that our language of discourse should be bereft of verbiage, barefaced falsehood, puerile propaganda, unwholesome and inflammatory utterances, reminiscent of the bourbons, who never seemed to learn from the lessons of history. Problems that call for clear headed and strategic thinking, should not be reduced to a pedestrian level of discourse that could undermine the integrity and security of the state. OUK's newspaper Leadership column should elevate arguments to a moral high ground and not pettifogging issues with chicanery.

Torti, a public policy analyst, wrote in from Umuahia.

ouk is nt ashamed..after stealing our money ,he still has gut to make noise.

Kwakwanso is going gaga..what does he know? Proudly Abian

if other past governor performed just the same way as T.A Orji has done ,Abia would have got a bigger boost by now,but all the same there is progress being made.Keep it up Ochendo

OUK can not get better ,his political career has taken a nosedive ,so let him forget about politics and retire to eat the one he has stole from Abians.

Abia PDP leadership resists Kalu’s attempt to return to PDP

THERE are strong indications that efforts of the PDP reconciliation committee in the rift between former governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, and state chapter of the party to allow him back to the party has hit a brick wall, following strong resistance by the leadership.

Former national chairman of the party, Chief Ahmadu Ali, led senior party officials who constituted members of a 10-man National Integration Committee for the South East to Abia State to reconcile the party and the former governor.

The committee, which membership includes Prof. Jerry Gana, Chief Shuaibu Oyedkun, former Rivers Governor, Chief Celestine Omehia, was told by Abia PDP leadership that there was no aggrieved member to be reconciled in the state.

State chairman of the party, Senator Emma Nwaka, said Abia PDP was enjoying peace and harmony, adding that there was no need to introduce Ebola virus to harm party members.

Abia 2015 - Power Shift to Ukwa/Ngwa Non-Negotiable - Prince Aku

UKWA/Ngwa indigenes of Abia State are not taking lightly what they described as moves to scuttle power rotation to their area in accordance to the Abia Charter of Equity as reaffirmed by Governor Theodore Orji.

Leaders of the area, who congregated on the banner of Abia Democratic Movement, told reporters in Lagos, at the weekend that power rotation to Ukwa/Ngwa in 2015 is non-negotiable and vowed to fight legally anyone plotting to thwart the arrangement.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Abia State businessman and political kingmaker, Prince Sunny Aku, cautioned former governor of the state Chief Orji Uzor Kalu over his perceived agenda to stop the emergence of an Ukwa-Ngwa person as governor in 2015. He also advised Kalu to desist from attacking and distracting Governor Orji from completing his legacy projects and handing over to Ukwa/Ngwa person.

Others who shared Aku's views at the event included Chief Paul Ananaba (SAN) and leaders of Ngwa Lawyers Forum.

Aku said that Abia stakeholders would not fold their arms and watch Kalu rubbish Governor Orji in a bid to scuttle the desire of the Ukwa-Ngwa people to produce the next governor of the state.

Prince Aku said after due consultations with Abians concerning the political situation in the state, and the unwarranted attacks on Orji because of his resolve to ensure power shift to Ukwa-Ngwa, he decided with the people of Ukwa-Ngwa and Abia to send the message to Orji Kalu that enough is enough.

"Let nobody take Abia for granted. In 2015 power will shift to Ukwa-Ngwa. Those who think that after leaving office they can come back in 2015 through their cronies to plunder the state's resources again will not succeed.

"Governor Orji must be supported to complete all his projects and hand over to a candidate of Ukwa-Ngwa ethnic group. We view the attacks seriously and we will not fold our hands and watch anybody rubbish the office of Abia State Governor because any attack on him is an attack on Abia people."

The leaders said they had resolved to stand by Governor Orji and urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership not to make any mistake because if he shifts, the entire Abia will shift with him."

Commending Orji on his achievements in office, Aku said that Governor Orji took over power with no government house, state secretariat and basic infrastructure, which he has provided. "Many things that make government function were lacking in Abia before but T.A Orji has put them in place."

On whether the other senatorial zones are in support of power shift to Ukwa Ngwa, Prince Aku said that the other zones are in support of the decision except a few people that "we know that Orji Kalu is using to cause this problem. UKwa Ngwa is in majority; out of the 17 local government areas we control nine. Osisioma Ngwa population is more than three LGAs put together and that is why they say Osisioma alone can make or unmake or make you governor."

Elder Ananaba (SAN) and member of the group said they would resist any attempt to deny Ukwa Ngwa the governorship by some people who had vowed that Ukwa Ngwa would never rule Abia State.

"They are holding meetings to ensure that they stop Ukwa Ngwa, but we are ready to ensure they don't succeed, he adds.

Con Award Thrills Orji

Abia State governor, Theodore Orji, has said his emergence as one of those to be conferred with the prestigious National Honours Award of Commander Order of the Niger (CON) is gladdening, saying it is an attestation to his effort at developing the state.

The award will be conferred on him and other distinguished Nigerians by President Goodluck Jonathan on September 29, at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.

A statement issued by Orji's Chief Press Secretary, Charles Ajunwa, in Umuahia, said the award was a testimonial of the governor's proficient and visionary leadership, which has restored Abia on the path of greatness.

According to the statement, this award, and many others already conferred on the governor by various communities, associations and institutions, both local and international, speak volume of his administrative acumen and giant strides, which have placed the state on an enviable height.

The statement reads in part: "There is no gain saying the fact that His Excellency, Chief T. A. Orji, has laid a solid foundation for the economic and socio-political growth of Abia.

"Ever since he courageously liberated the state from political bondage and economic stagnation, Abia has witnessed rapid infrastructural transformation.

"He has also democratized Abia's political space, such that even the opposition today criticises government without fear of intimidation or molestation".

Congratulations to Chief T.A. Orji, (Ochendo), Governor of Abia State on his selection for the National Honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). Investiture will be on September 29, 2014 at the International Conference centre, Abuja.

JUST IN***

ABIA YOUTH GATHER TO REMONSTRATE OVER ORJI UZOR KALU'S SENATORIAL AMBITION

Abia youth have gathered to expostulate in a forcefully reproachful manner against Orji Uzor Kalu's second attempt to contest for a senatorial seat cum his improper conduct by defamation of Abia State and its status quo.

Details shortly....

OUK talking trash,he is the failure Abia had..but now there is a true course for transforming Abia state.