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Tag: Abia State

  • I am not ready to dump APC – Kalu

    …..Says crisis in party will be resolved

     

    Former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu on Wednesday said he is not ready to defect from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), because it is not moral for politicians to move from one party to the other preparatory to every election circle.

    He said people who are afraid of losing election in Abia State are responsible for spreading falsehood about loyalty to the APC.

    Kalu, however spared a thought for the ongoing EFCC trail, affirming that he will challenge the “No Case Submission “, at the Court of Appeal.

    He said he remains in the ruling party to deepen democracy, because only politicians who see politics as a do or die affair, that move from party to party

    Speaking to reporters at a private terminal at the international wing of the Lagos Airport, Kalu described as ‘capital naked fallacy’, insinuations that he was returning to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    He however described the gale of defections from APC to PDP, as an unhealthy development that is though driven by choice, but not good for democracy.

    Kalu said: “I am not leaving the APC. That is what l will call a capital naked fallacy; l am not going back to PDP. I left PDP  since 2006 and l have never been back, l have been a member of Progressives People’s Alliance  before l  joined APC when l found out that Nigeria has gone to two party systems. “Honestly going back to PDP is not really an option for me. I will rather go to my farm in Igbere and farm. I don’t think there is any truth in the rumour. It is just people who knew that they are already losing Abia because they no they will lose Abia with me standing.”

    Kalu, however, spared a though for the gale of defections hitting the ruling party, saying the development calls for caution, by the leadership of the party.

    He said “We are in trouble. Anybody saying APC is not in trouble is not saying the truth but we will come out of it,  but you see the President has remain like a true leader and father of all that he is, you have not seen him abuse  anybody. Defecting and not defecting is a question of choice.  We acknowledge we have a problem and we are going to fine-tune a strategy to resolve it.”

    We are in trouble of political business because we are in political business and we are going to find political solutions to the myriad of political business we have at hand. Every trouble has solution and we are going to find solution to the problem we have now.

    “It is the choice of the senate president to defect. You know we are all friends. He left PDP before to come to the APC. What l don’t like about the defection is that it shouldn’t be a recurring decimal whereby at any slightest thing, we jump to another political party.

    “Saraki father was my father; l was like his first son. I cannot speak ill of him. He has made his decision and l cannot stop him that will not stop me from going to his house to eat food. The other day l was in Atiku’s house but l am a core supporter of Buhari. People are just playing politics as if it is a do or die affair. One thing is clear, by 2019, one person must win this presidency not two people.”

    He said it is not moral to condemn the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki for defecting to the PDP, because the Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is already addressing the issue.

    Kalu said “I think Chairman Oshiomhole is looking at that and he will come out policy that we will present at the national executive committee of the party. The leadership of the party is looking at the present solution. Rome was not built in a day. PDP was a party formed barely 20 years ago and APC is just 3 years old so there must be fighting just like we saw in the early days of PDP up till 2006 we were fighting.

    “People like me were deregistered from my pdp but l didn’t leave PDP, we were de-registered by Obasanjo, myself, Atiku,  Boni  Haruna and the and rest. It is a continuous thing but l want people to be patient, we would be able to get what we  are looking for but if not we wont get to our desired destination because political processes evolves over time. I keep  saying that in political development, the hardware is not the selling point, successes of any political development is  the software. The software means obeying the rule of law.”

    Kalu, said the “No Case Submission “, will be addressed at a court of higher jurisdiction.

    Read Also: Judge gets leave to conclude Kalu’s trial

    He said “You saw on Wednesday l lost the case of my no case submission in the court and l am not abusing the judge talk ill of the judge, that was the opinion of the judge and l am going to a higher court to seek appeal and even go to the Supreme court where l will seek the opinion of another jurist. This is what l preach to government, individuals, corporations that we must obey the rule of law. Unless everybody sees a lion from the same point that it is a lion. I want to advice that government at all levels and individuals should start obeying the court record. Once we obey the laws of the court and those of the land, we become freer.”

    Kalu said his interest in running for the Abia North Senatorial Seat, under the platform of the APC, is to smoothen the relationship between the legislative and executive arms of government.

    He said “My interest has always been to be relevant politically and what l am going to do for the people of Abia north and Nigeria generally. I am going to be a very strong voice in the senate by making a lot of difference like l did when l was in the House of Representatives, in the aborted Third Republic. I was the one who sponsored the bill that was passed into law for dual citizenship of Nigerians which was the only bill that Babangida signed as a president.

    “I am going to also unfold a lot of things that will first come to my constituency in Abia north so that they will now know that they have a senator representing them; secondly the Abia people will know they have a voice of a vibrant senator and then Nigerians. I will work across board in the six geo-political zones to formulate policies on education, healthcare. Education remains the most important gift any government should give its citizens.

    “I am also going to be formulating on agriculture. My duty is to work with the President and ensure a cordial working relationship with the executive and legislature. It is only when we have such relationship that progress is made. I employ today 9, 000 workers in Nigeria, l am going to bring my management skill to bear on the discharge of my duties.”

    The former Abia State Governor, however lauded government on the proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air, describing it as one of the best decisions taken by the government.

    He said “The government has done fantastically what l believe should be done. It should be replicated in the rail, waterways, shipping line and others. Govt. should just owe five percent. I must praise the minister of state for aviation and the people that put the structure that is making waves today. Those structures are solid ones and if they can maintain it, Nigeria Air will compete with other foreign carriers that dominate our airspace. I laud the good initiative for a country like Nigeria spending all our money on foreign airlines; it is good we have a strong dominant airline back up by government.

    “Ethiopian airlines is still own by government. I maintain all my aircraft with them so l know that they are capable of doing. Government should not event stop at that, they should allow the private sector initiative to go into the new shipping line and others.

    “Those criticizing it never knew that it is only true government that you can build a strong economy. It is only when government invests in economy manage by private sector that we can have moved forward.”

  • Abia community in shock after electric shock kills teenager

    The people of Umuokahia in Obingwa local government Area of Abia State have been thrown to mourning as a 16 year old teenage boy identified as Izuchi Uduma was electrocuted to death.

    Information gathered has it that the incident happened while the deceased identified to be an indigene of Ohafia local government area of the state but resident in the community and his mates were playing football within the community before the ugly incident happened.

    It was learnt that residents of the community and neighbouring communities The incident which occurred around 5PM on Wednesday at Umuokahia, along Umuafor, a suburb town in Aba drew sympathizers from the ever busy Ururuka Road down to the area.

    An eyewitness who gave his name simply as Tochukwu disclosed that the incident happened in a flash that help couldn’t come the victim’s way that reportedly died on the spot.

    Read Also: Aspirant vows to fix Abia in four years

    According to the eyewitness, Izuchi had gone into a nearby bush to retrieve their football only to be electrocuted when he unknowingly stepped into a waterlogged part of the bush with an energized naked wire lying underneath.

    “It was so tragic; Izuchi was playing football with his friends as I was returning from work. I just crossed over from the area and suddenly I heard disturbing screams. The next thing I saw was his body shaking and he suddenly went cold dead.

    “Everyone was afraid to do anything. It was so sudden. It was later that we discovered that a plantain leave in the bush covered a naked wire that fell into the bush and part of the wire was touching the waterlogged area close the football pitch,” an eyewitness narrated

    At the time of filing the report, efforts to reach the parents of the victim proved abortive.

  • 37-year-old declare to run for Abia South senate

    …Says, it is time to get rid of old political class

    Less than two months after President Muhammadu Buhari signed the “Not Too Young to Run” Bill into law, 37-year-old, Engr. Chinedu Onyeizu has declared his intention to contest the Abia South Senatorial District under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abia State chapter.

    Onyeizu while speaking at the formal declaration of his political voyage at El Dorado event center in Aba, the commercial hub of the state also reminded the old political class occupying different elective positions in the state and national levels to consider leaving the scene now that the ovation is high and give the youths the chance to inject new blood and ideas into the system as obtainable in other climes.

    Onyeizu, a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Havard University and Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Owerri, Imo State who described the 12 years of incumbent Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe as wasteful disclosed that apart from giving his best in carrying out his duties as a legislator, he has worked out plans; Farm For Factory (FFF) programme to tackle hunger, poverty and promote ease of doing business in his constituency.

    The senatorial hopeful while charging youths in the state and other parts of the country to be bold and take the opportunity of the bill signed by the President to make the difference in the political scene said “You the youth, my generation; endowed with fluid intelligence, amazing smartness, fresh ideas and bubbling energy are the future of this great country. Time and again a rare opportunity has beckoned on us to step forward with boldness and take charge of our future. This time, we won’t look the other way.

    Read Also: Abia chief judge calls for stiffer penalty on rapists

    “The 2019 election is around the corner and it’s about you and me. It is about every Nigerian youth who desires qualitative future. The time is now for us to re-position ourselves and prove wrong those holding the assumption that we are a generation meant to be relegated.

    “Let us start now to jettison with the ritual of playing bodyguards and thugs to desperate politicians during election year only to return to menial lifestyle as soon as elections are over.

    “The 2019 election is therefore about reclaiming the meaning of the youth, restoration of the essence of our common purpose and realizing that together we can transform our country and initiate innovations that could speed up our process of social, political and economic society.

    “By signing into law recently, the Not Too Young to Run bill, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has removed any encumbrances that may have been standing in the way of the youth to participate actively in politics.

    “We therefore as for the greater support from the older generation of leaders to ensure elaborate succession planning, a plan that will amplify the social contract between young leaders and the holders of highest office in the land.

    “I am fearlessly stepping forward to distort the old style of representation which for 12 years has been characterized by selfish interest as opposed to the betterment of the masses.”

    In his speech, the Aba North chairman of APC, Hon. Uba Omenazu commended the boldness of Onyeizu, stating that it was a wakeup call to youths in Abia State and the country at large to believe in them, set aside fears and pick the courage to make a difference within their constituency.

    According to Omenazu, president Buhari through the signing of the “Not Too Young to Run” Bill into law has shown Buhari as true democrat, adding that the leadership of the party was committed to giving the youths the opportunity to make their marks in politics.

    He promised to give Onyeizu and other aspirants the level playground, stressing that the party in Aba North would work with whoever that emerges the flag bearers of the party in the state and national levels.

  • Restructuring the way forward for Nigeria – Atiku

    The former Vice President and presidential aspirant under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has said that restructuring of the country is the only way forward which will guarantee equity.

    Abubakar said that the north which has been against restructuring has taken up the gullet to ensure that the country is restructured for the benefit of all and for the good of all.

    Speaking in Umuahia when he visited the PDP Abia state chapter, to seek their support during the upcoming national convention of the party, Abubakar said that restructuring was the way to go to keep the country intact and on the path of progress.

    Abubakar noted that the north has been doing all it can to ensure that restructuring takes place in the country which will go a long way to unify the diverse people  and also stop the continuos agitation going on across the length and breadth of Nigeria.

    He said, “The North has already announced that restructuring is acceptable to them.So it’s a question of what the northern leaders and southern leaders meeting together to agree on the issues”.

    The former Vice President said that the problem of agitations in the country like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) arose because of the lopsided nature of the federation which favors one section of the country against the others.

    Read Also: Secondus, Atiku deplore ‘police attack’

    Abubakar said that one of the ways to stop the several agitations goings on across the country is to ensure the equal distribution of both political and social appointment so that every section of the country will be satisfied.

    He explained that the agitations going on in the country such the IPOB and others like them arose because they are all children of disequilibrium in the political set of the country in recent time.

    Abubakar said, “When you restructure this country and you give more resources to empower the component units of this country you will not have the problem of IPOB and their likes”.

    “IPOB, Agenifere, Niger Delta groups and others like them are looking for self-determination and when you devolve more powers and resources the issue of self-determination will be a thing of the past”.

    On the issue of security, the former VP said, “Security is one of the fundamental challenges of the country, I have been an advocate of either local or community policing to deal with local issues”.

    “We have one single polices which is not good and also not working as I do not know of any country that practices a federation and have this kind of policing, a centralized, one single police, I don’t know”.

  • Underage driver reportedly ‘kill’ corps member, Woman

    Underage commercial bus driver whose identity was still unknown has reportedly sent a corps member and another female victim to their early graves in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State.

    The incident, our reporter gathered happened along Ohanku, off Ngwa road, Aba South Local Government Area of the state.

    Some respondents who spoke to our reporter over the issue attributed the cause of the death of the male and female road users to over speeding which made the driver to lose control of the vehicle before crashing into the victims.

    Investigation has it that some conductors and mechanics are in the habit of using vehicles in their custody for commercial purposes without the knowledge of the bus or car owner which they use as an alternative means of income.

    Read Also: Police dismiss killer of corps member Angela Igwetu

    While a different account has it that the underage driver was handed over to the security agents, another account has it that he fled the scene immediately the incident happened.

    Bodies of the deceased persons were said to have been deposited in a nearby morgue.

    “The commercial bus driver was heading to Owerre-Aba when the driver lost control of the car, killing two persons; a young man in youth corps uniform and a woman and later broke into a shop and part of the building it crashed into. People who later came to the scene said that they warned the driver over his recklessness,” a source stated

    The State Commissioner of Police, CP Anthony Ogbizi and the spokesman of the command Geoffrey Ogbonna were yet to respond to text messages sent to their phones over the incident.

  • We will resolve APC crisis amicably – Kalu

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, says that the leadership of the party is currently engaging in discussions to bring back the New APC splinter group.
    Kalu said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on the sideline of a farewell party held in honour of the Czech Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Pavel Mikes.
    The former governor who said the APC leadership was  committed to resolving its crisis amicably, noted that the leaders were in touch with all aggrieved members to ensure that the party is not consumed by the crisis rocking it.
    Kalu, described the current crisis in the party as a family matter that would soon be brought under control.

    He said that the task which is Paramount to members of the APC was the return of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

    “We have through our new chairman engaged most of them to get them back.

    ”The kind of jubilation, what you people want to have is not what we have at the moment, because we will control it. It is a family matter, in every family you quarrel.

    “Tinubu is busy, he is talking, everybody is busy, and in all arms of the APC we are busy talking to everybody as much as we can. Ali Modu sheriff and everybody you can think about, we are busy talking as much as we can so it is a family matter”, he said.

    He expressed concern about the attitude of some leaders in the country which he said would enhance the growth of democracy.

    He said that rather than leaders concentrating on how to bring the dividends of democracy to Nigerians they are busy fighting one another.

    According to him, Nigeria as a nation ought to have grown past this stage.

    He condemned the claim in some quarters that President Buhari condones the activities of killer herdsmen, particularly in the middle belt.

    The former governor called on state governors to do more and support the Federal government’s efforts in tackling the situation.

    “Nobody in Nigeria today is asking how this country will progress; they are just busy fighting each other which is not the process of democracy.

    ”Democracy cares about the people, it talks about what can you do for the people, it cares about the extent of benefits of democratic process that people would get.

    “We should talk about the people, 190 million Nigerians, 200 million Nigerians that have no food, no good education no good health, how to eradicate the Almajiris these are what commitment leaders should give,” he said

    Read also:

    The former governor noted that the APC is on track.

    “President Buhari has done very well in most of the things.

    ”We will go back to the drawing board and put economic prosperity, that is where we are lacking,” he said.

    He said, if re-elected in 2019, Buhari would bring new blue prints and attitude to the economy, which would in turn bring prosperity to the people.

    The ambassador earlier in his remarks expressed thanks for the get together organised by the former governor.

    Mikes said that he had enjoyed his stay in the country in the last five years.

  • Abia chief judge calls for stiffer penalty on rapists

    The acting Chief Judge (CJ) of Abia state, Hon Justice Kalu Ogwe has called for stiffer penalty against any convicted rapists in the state especially those who specializes in defiling under aged girls.

    Justice Ogwe said that it is only when such stiff penalties which should include deaths sentences are meted out on such people that the incidences of pedophiles could become a thing of the past within the state.

    The Abia acting CJ then called for more messages and quick passage of bill into laws for the protection of women and children’s right, pointing out that offenders deserve life jail terms on conviction.

    Speaking in Umuahia when he received the wife of the state governor, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu and her advocacy team in his office, Justice Ogwe decried the high rate of pedophiles in the state which is reducing girl child to ridicule.

    Read Also: Our case against Oyegun, by Abia APC faction

    Justice Ogwe challenged women and girl child to stop adopting defeatist attitude when they are under attack by rapists, saying that they should put up a great fight which will help in fending off the rapists.

    He said, “Women and girls should not adopt a defeatist attitude whenever they are under attack by rapists, they should rather fight by grabbing the male genitals of their assailants as part of ways to ward them off”.

    The Abia acting CJ urged women to bring up their children so that male children do not feel superior to the female children, “The boys should be taught how to do household duties such as cooking, doing the dishes and cleaning up the house among others”.

    Earlier in her speech the wife of the governor, Mrs Ikpeazu said that her Vicar Hope Foundation in collaboration with other women groups in the state are seeking partnership with the judiciary on ways to better the lots of women and girl child in the state.

    Mrs Ikpeazu said that they are working to change the status quo in the way and manner women and the girl child are treated and also to give them better protection and access to avenues that can improve their lives.

    The Abia First Lady recalled that they had earlier visited the House of Assembly and the police headquarters, with the idea for the legislative arm to expedite action in passing bills against abuses on women and children and the police to execute such bills when they become laws without delay.

    Mrs Ikpeazu said, “It is in the same manner that we have come to you to encourage the judiciary on the need for speedy dispensation of justice for sufferers of various human rights abuses, especially women and children”.

    “We request that you look out for cases that are related to human trafficking such as baby factories, obnoxious widowhood practices and give it greater attention, as we believe that if justice is done speedily, it will serve as deterrence to others who may be thinking of doing such crimes”.

    She later made a request to the CJ asking for the creation of more family courts in the judicial divisions across the state that will handle civil matters in such a way as to assuage aggrieved family members.

  • Illicit drugs: NDLEA to establish outpost in Aba market

    The Abia State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced its intention to establish an outpost of the agency in one of the major markets (Ahia Ohuru) in Aba, the commercial nerve of the state.

    Speaking with our reporter at the command’s headquarters in Aba, Mr. Bamidele Akingbade said that the essence of the outpost which would be located opposite the market was to checkmate activities of drug addicts who have turned some part of the market into their habitat.

    Read Also:Extradition: Court orders AGF, NDLEA not to take steps against Kashamu

    According to Akingbade, the drug addicts took over a part of the market where there are uncompleted buildings and because of the loneliness of the area, the hoodlums took advantage of it to be committing all manner of crime such as snatching of people’s bags, mobile phones, money, etc.

    This, the NDLEA boss said prompted raiding of the area with the assistance of personnel of other sister agencies where several arrests were made with several items including cannabis were seized.

    The NDLEA boss further disclosed that the escaped members of the group reunited at the same spot to continue raping victims, snatching phones and money from innocent traders and visitors.

    He disclosed that the establishment of an outpost with their personnel stationed at the area which they are doing with the support of the leadership of the market, it would help to ensure that the hoodlums doesn’t return there and as a result, check against crime rate.

    He stated that the agency though facing logistics challenges was committed in ensuring that the rate of consumption and sales of illicit drugs in the state was reduced to minimum level.

  • ‘June 12 victory is not just for the Southwest’

    Chief Ndukwe Uko was a governorship aspirant of Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA) in Abia State. The industrial engineer spoke with Sunday Oguntola on burning national issues. Excerpts:

    PRESIDENT Muhammandu Buhari just recognised June 12 as Democracy Day in honour of the late Chief MKO Abiola but many believe it is a ploy to curry the favour of Southwest voters in 2019. How do you react to this?

    I have also heard that insinuation but I will call them foolish in the sense that there is no vote to curry in the Southwest. The Southwest is already about 100 percent with Buhari and I don’t think Southwest will expect anything less than what it has now.

    It has the Vice President and the position is not shaken by any stretch of human imagination. The governors in Southwest, apart from Ekiti State, which I am very optimistic will also come to APC by the end of election next month, are with Buhari. Then I don’t think there is anything to worry about as regards Southwest for Buhari.

    In the light of calling a spade, a spade, what the President simply did was to declare the winner of June 12, which is what not just the Southwest but all Nigerians have been clamouring for. He simply said Abiola won the election and returned honour to whom it is due.

    It is not a victory for the Southwest alone; it is a victory for Nigerians. It is victory for those who cry every day for justice to be done, those who, every day, long for the right thing to be done by the government. This man came and told us Abiola won the election, which was an open truth.

    So for me, Buhari did the right thing by declaring Abiola as the June 12 winner. And going further to authenticate the mandate by calling it the right name; that this should be the real people’s Democracy Day, not the Democracy day inspired by military bigots.

    NADECO wants a certificate of return post-humously awarded to Abiola. Now that the President has declared June 12 Democracy Day, is that all that should be done?

    Well, righting wrongs takes a long process and we have just begun the first step, which is that the event actually took place and there was a winner. I believe strongly that the other processes will take place with time.

    It is not a thing you will just do in one fell swoop as canvassed by NADECO. Mind you, the President doesn’t have the constitutional power to declare anybody President. It is the sole mandate of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do so.

    If we get to that stage, the Commission will know the right thing to do. Thank God Professor Humphrey Nwosu is still alive to do that for us.  Then the federal government may take it up from there. I must say that everyone should remove partisan affinity or sentiment to what Buhari magnanimously did.

    It is very painful that many presidents have passed through all these periods and never did it. And some people want to bring time element to it; that because it is getting close to another elections, it appears like political bait.

    Which time would he have done it that it won’t have a connotation in one way or the other? To me, what he did is the right thing and it is what we should take it for. We should not begin to play little politics.

    Why in specific terms?

    For a very long time, this country has not had an established structure of governance that you can say okay let us begin from here in terms of finances or financial management. This government, to the best of my knowledge, has handled financial dealings transparently.

    Look at how much all revenue-generating agencies are returning to government’s purse. I don’t know when you have heard about JAMB even generated one naira. I don’t know when you have heard that WAEC generated any money. During recession, Customs got more money for the federal government than they did before. Why? It is because of prudence and good financial management.

    I want to also talk about fight against corruption. For ex- two governors to be jailed 14 years each in less than two weeks says a lot.

    It shows that whatever effort that is being put or that has been put in the past is yielding fruits. Their trials started in 2007 and three years into this administration, they are getting convictions…

    … But they were not convicted by Buhari. They were convicted by a judge…

    …I don’t know how you separate what is happening in the judiciary, parliament or in the executive from the man in charge. Anything that happens in an administration, whether good or bad, the person in charge receives honour or the blame. When you become selective to say a judge, where were those judges when the cases lasted till now?

    But the same government has refused to heed court rulings on Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and Dansuki. How do you reconcile that with the recent court convictions?

    If it took you eight years minus 16 that you couldn’t convict a criminal and it took another government 3 years to do what you couldn’t do in eight years, I don’t know what you are talking about.

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo recently raised alarm his life is in danger. What do you have to say to this?

    It is interesting to know the turn of events for Obasanjo and it’s also interesting for Nigerians to know the kind of character he is. I don’t know how he got his information but I think if Obasanjo is coming to equity with clean hands, he shouldn’t have anything to be afraid of.

    On the allegation that someone is trying to frame him up, he has his lawyers. If his hands are clean, there is nothing to worry about.

    Are you satisfied with the level of governance in Abia State where you hail from?

    No, I am not. Definitely I am not. However, I believe government is work in progress. The biggest problem in Abia is what I will call conspiracy of the elites. I want what is happening in Imo State to happen in Abia, a situation where the governor will be sitting and the structure of a political party will be removed from him.

    That is the kind of revolution that I want in Abia but unfortunately we do not have the character content or capacity to come up with such ground- breaking revolution. There is no government that cannot be challenged.

    No matter how good you are, there are still a lot of loopholes to fill. Every government requires improvement. If possible in Abia State, there should be more efforts to get the people on their toes.

    Governor Okezie Ikpeazu is sometimes difficult to assess because in some areas of the state, he is doing some jobs. At some other areas, there is nothing there.

    Can one say Abia needs redemption?

    You can call it that. Some call it rescue and whatever name but, I believe change is inevitable. Change does not mean removing the government there. To me, change means that government there should do more.

    Are you contesting in 2019?

    It is very likely that I contest.

    On the platform of which political party?

    On the platform of APC

    Are you going to the National Assembly or governorship?

    Options are being considered.

  • Abia traders endorse Ikpeazu for second term

    Traders in Abia state under the umbrella of the Abia State Market Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) have endorsed Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as their consensus candidate in the 2019 governorship polls.

    Speaking at the Government House, Umuahia at a rally organized by ASMATA in support of the Governor, the traders assured the Governor of their unflinching support in next year’s election.

    According to the ASMATA president, Emeka Emecheta as well as others who spoke at the event, the traders were impressed with the landmark achievements recorded by the Governor in the various sectors of the state’s economy especially the construction of quality roads in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state.

    Read Also: Abia APC to ensure Buhari’s reelection

    They assured the Governor that they shall not entertain any campaign by any other candidate apart from the Governor and promised him of their massive vote in 2019.

    Receiving the traders, the Governor asserted that without traders there is no Abia and that’s why trade and commerce remains the first pillar of his government.

    He maintained that traders are an integral part of his government as he believes that Abians can fend for themselves if provided with the enabling environment.

    The Governor assured that his plan is to connect all the markets in the state through good roads in order to enhance trade and commerce.

    He promised not to disappoint Abians but to fulfil all his campaign promises to the people disclosing that his government will take over Obohia and Ohanko roads if the NDDC contractors given the contracts fail to report to site in the next three weeks.