The Nation Newspaper

Tag: abia

  • Jonathan wins in Abia

    Jonathan wins in Abia

    The Presidential result of the election held over the weekend shows that President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won in the state with a total of 368,303 votes against General Mohammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC)who had 13,394 votes.

    The result was announced by the presidential returning officer for Abia state and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Prof Benjamin Chukwuma Ozumba and said that he will be
    forwarding the result to Abuja.

    However the campaign coordinator of Gen. Buhari, Dr Emmanuel Aguzie Ndukwe has rejected the result of the presidential election in the state and described it as a sham, saying that there were many
    alterations on the result sheet.

    Ndukwe said that the credibility of the result is in serious doubt, “This assertion is being supported by the amount of alterations seen on the result sheet and I can tell you that I am not aware of those
    alterations”.

    APGA, 27,681, Sam Onuigbo PDP; 29052, APC; 4267, LP; 104, UPP;7, PPA; Princewill Ukaegbu, 1,316 this result for Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency was declared by Dr. Chikezie Cosmos shows that Sam
    Onuigbo of the PDP was declared the winner..

    While Darlington Nwokocha, of the PDP, was declared the winner for Isiala Ngwa federal constituency in the election held last Saturday.

  • ‘Abia ‘ll be better under APC’

    ‘Abia ‘ll be better under APC’

    In this piece, Sam Oguegbu examines the struggle for power in Abia State and contends that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will restore the glory of the state.

    For nearly 16 years now, Abia State has been brutalized, battered and suffered sustained, deliberate and wicked neglect from her past leaders. This is a well known fact to Abians, indigenes and residents. Like the Jerusalem of old, Abia State has been ravaged and plundered by “enemies of the state”, who came under the guise of either successful and well known business men or technocrats.

    They left the state worst than they met it. This is inhuman and therefore, they (the past leaders of Abia State) do not deserve any accolade from Abians. The colossal damage inflicted on the state range from economic downturn (whereby it is known that Abia State has a gargantuan debt overhead from financial institutions – both private and public), infrastructural decay such as bad roads, poor health services, no pipe borne water, poor sanitation in the cities, falling educational standard, lack of agricultural programmes, endemic corruption to lack of transparency in government, etc.

    The list is endless. These past leaders were either clueless/rudderless or lack basic management skills. Research has however shown that most people occupying exalted position at the local, state orfederal levels are often times being misled by sycophants and bootlickers, who rather that tell their principals the truth about issues, resort to telling them lies or at best, half truths.

    Thankfully, just as Nehemiah offered to rebuild the walls and city of Jerusalem as recorded in the Holy Bible, one man from Abia State (of Ngwa extraction) has come to the rescue. Dr Nyerere Anyim, a highly cerebral fellow, chartered accountant, successful businessman and great philantropist has offered to carry the burden of Abians and vowed that ‘ABIA STATE MUST CHANGE FOR BETTER’. With the abundant resources (human and material) available in God’s own state – it only takes a man with sound managerial skills and acumen to put back the state to its rightful place of glory. I believe it is pertinent at this point to take a look at the background and antecedants of this man, Nyerere Anyim, for the public (especially Abians) to know his suitability and preparedness for the job.

    Born on April 25, 1960 in Jos to the family of Agburuike Isiugwu Obingwa, Abia State. Nyerere had his early education in Jos with excellent academic records, graduating in Accounting from the University of Jos. As a fellow of ICAN (Istitute of Chatered Accountants of Nigeria) and Certified public accountant, he is adequately equipped to fight corruption by plugging wastages in government and running a transparent government. During my interaction with him recently, Nyerere promised that as part of his pledge to run a transparent government, he will publish the monthly revenue received from federal allocation to states, FAT, and Abia’s IGR (Internally Generated Revenue) as well as expenditure, if voted as the governor of Abia State, come April 2015. A devout Christian, philantropist and prolific water, he has numerous Social Responsibility (SR) programmes to his credit, in a bid to serve humanity.

    Nyerere has worked in both private and public sectors of life for over two decades and until recently, sat atop a conglomerate of Business Empire, the Rochas group, as the Group managing Director (GMD).

    Some of his SR programmes include:

    Free Education and Scholarship programmes to thousands of students from Abia State.

    Youth and Women Empowerment Programmes.

    Community and Rural infrastructure Development projects tender this program – He has graded and rehabilitated road projects such as Itungwa – Osaa Ukwu Road, Umuopara-Ntigha/Unuaro Road, Abayi, Amaorji, Onicha Ngwa Christian Hospital Road. He has sunk boreholes in his water for life project at Agburuike-Isiugwu, Obegu-Ugirunagbo LGA, Aba Park, etc. Nyerere has also constructed village markets at Ahia Nkwo and other places.

    Home for the homeless, where he has built homes for people free of charge.

    Sports development scheme.

    Agricultural Support Initiative – supporting rural farmers with farm implements, improved seedlings, etc.

    With a humongous vision for the developemnt of Abia State, Nyerere has assured Abians that if voted in as governor of Abia State under APC (The All Progressives Congress) come April 11, 2015. he will urgently take steps to change the state for better by:

    Putting God first in all his programmes.

    Implementing Free Qualitative Education at all levels to Abians.

    Running a transparent government, fighting security and corruption.

    Developing tourist centres at – Arochukwu along Juju River, Creating Aba Water park along the Bank of Aba River, Developing the Azumiri Blue River, Abia Golf course development to International standard, Develp the colonial structures/site as war museum etc. this will no doubt boost te economu of Abians.

    Industrializing Abia State through reactivation of Golden Guinea Umuahia, Modern Ceramics Umuahia, Aba textile mills, Aba Glass Industry, Metallurgical centre etc.

    Providing health Care Development System.

    Agricultural Development

    Infrastructural development and Rural Transformation

    Wealth and Job creation.

    Housing Development

    Social welfare and security

    Entrepreneurial and Youth Development programmes.

    As laudable as these programmes are, it will only take a man who has such vision to implement it. That is why Abians should arise and vote enmass for Nyerere Chinenye Anyim and APC at the elections.

  • Police parades notorious baby factory owner in Abia

    Police parades notorious baby factory owner in Abia

    The Abia state police command has paraded a notorious baby factory owner based at Umunkpeyi in Isiala Ngwa South council area of the state who has been evading arrest by various security outfits in the state.

    The baby factory owner who is known as Mma Achumba has been under surveillance from the police, SSS, army and Civil Defence was arrested in Akwa Ibom state and brought to the state capital.

    Early last year, Mma who has been in the business for years with the name Mma maternity home relocated her operational base from Umunkpeyi down to a remote area in Olokoro, where the police raided and demolished the operational base.

    The relocation of her former operational base from Umunkpeyi to Olokoro was as a result of constant raids on her maternity home where it was believed that teenage pregnant girls were housed until they are delivered.

    Parading the suspects, the state Commissioner of Police (CP) Habila Joshak said that one Ogechi Kalu female of Ivoyi Akaeze in Ivo council area of Ebonyi state reported that one Uchenna John and Ngozi Onyekachi conspired and sold her six months old son, Chisom Eze to Mma.

    Joshak said that it was alleged that the baby was sold for the sum of N150, 000 and that the child was recovered at Umunkpeyi from an old woman, while Mma was arrested in Akwa Ibom state.

    The CP noted that the suspect has been under the searchlight of all the security agencies in the state and has been in the child trafficking business in the state for years, adding that she has been
    evading arrest for years.

    The Abia police boss also paraded six suspected armed robbers for allegedly killing of a traffic warden while on duty at Brass Junction in Aba on the 24th of February this year.

    The suspects are, Chisom Solomon, 17, Temple Ikpeazu, 21, Justice Wisdom, 19, Sunday Nwabueze, 21, Orji Jacob Ikechi, 17, and Uche Jumbo, 22, while a locally made pistol was recovered from them.

    Joshak said that a team of police men arrested one Chisom Solomon and while he was being searched, one locally made single barrel pistol was found on him, “During interrogation the suspect confessed to being an armed robber and a cultist of Vikings group”.

    The CP said that he gave the names of his other members of the gang, “Which led to the arrest of his gang members and they all confessed to being members of Vikings secret cult group.”

    He said that the suspect revealed that one Teco, Daco other gang members now on the run were responsible for the killing of Emmanuel Nwankwo a traffic warden while on duty in Aba and warned that anyone who kills a police man must be apprehended.

  • Relief as Imo, Abia end 50 years dispute

    Relief as Imo, Abia end 50 years dispute

    For over five decades, two communities in Imo and Abia states could not iron out their differences over land. Lives were lost and properties destroyed as the crisis lasted, but thanks to the deputy governors of both states, the conflict has ended. OKODILI NDIDI reports

    The hostilities have ended and both communities reconciled but at a huge cost. Apart from the rancour and distrust between residents of Umuoma-Umudibia in Ihitte-Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State and Umudiawa-Ofeiyi in Abia, lives and property were lost in the land dispute spanning over half a century. Even on the day of reconciliation, youths of both communities had raised clenched fists and weapons. The deputy governors of both states, Eze Madumere (Imo) and Chief Emeka Ananaba (Abia) helped to calm nerves and bring the age-long crisis to an end.

    The dispute had defied all peace accords as both communities remained adamant on their claim of ownership of the disputed plot of land. The hostility resumed recently after years of respite when the Abia community invaded the land and started building a police post. This would have resulted in another bloody clash between the two communities but for the intervention of the Imo State Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere and his Abia counterpart, Chief Emeka Ananaba.

    The two communities have been locked in dispute over the actual delineation of the boundary between the two sister states. This has led to endless legal battle, which has further threatened peaceful coexistence between the two communities.

    Responding to a ‘Save Our Soul’ message sent to the state government by the Imo community over repeated violent clashes between the communities, the Imo Deputy Governor led the Boundary Commission to the troubled communities and subsequently resolved the age-long dispute.

    The traditional ruler of the Imo community,  Eze M. O Onyenukwuru and the Transition Committee Chairman of  Ihitte-Uboma Council Area, Hon Emma Ejiogu, told  the delegation about the continuous  provocations against their community by the Abia community since the boundary dispute started.

    According to them, all efforts made by the community to bring a lasting peace to the disputed area had been rebuffed by their neighbor, who they accused of  adopting violence as the solution to the land dispute and as a result, unleashing mayhem on the community.

    The Deputy Governor and members of the delegation who paid an  unscheduled visit to the disputed area, were shocked that the Abia community had already trespassed on the disputed plot of land and was building a police station on the land.

    Mistaken the visit of the Imo State delegation as an ambush on plot of land, the armed from the Abia community, who had been posted to watch over the land,  attacked members of the delegation.

    Worried by the alleged ambush of the ceremony by the Imo state government contingent, the belligerent Umudiwa-Ofeiyi youths, who had gathered in anticipation of any eventuality, however, took no time in engaging with their Umuoma-Umudibia counterparts in fisticuffs in the shouting match that ensued.

    Sensing danger, the Imo Deputy Governor immediately sent for his Abia state counterpart, Chief Emeka Ananaba, who rushed to the scene and prevailed on the warring community to sheathe their swords and embrace peace.

    The two Deputy Governors quickly went into a closed door meeting after which a truce was brokered between the warring communities.

    Addressing the people shortly after the meeting, the Abia Deputy Governor Ananaba noted that they were constitutionally empowered to mediate in boundary disputes affecting their respective states and had finally resolved to maintain peace in the affected area and end further hostilities.

    The Abia Deputy Governor, who recalled the blossoming ‘brotherly’ relationship existing between the two states since the splitting of the old Imo state, reminded them that “as brothers, who share genealogical traits it is inappropriate to resort to violence because violence remain an ill wind that blows no one any good”.

    Madumere, in his response, re-echoed the earlier call for peace by his Abia state counterpart, adding that it was only when there is peace that the issue of meaningful reconciliation could be achieved.

    He further announced that after a brief meeting with his colleague, it was agreed that the erection of the Police post in the area would be a combined effort of the two inter-state communities (Umuoma-Umudibia in Ihitte-Uboma and Umudiawa-Ofeiyi) for the effective security of their lives and property in the area.

    According to him, the process of ensuring that a lasting peace returned to the area would continue till after the ongoing electioneering process before the National Boundary Commission would be invited to resolve the dispute amicably.

    The Speaker, Imo state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu, in his speech, while promising to offset hospital bills of those injured in the aftermath of the fracas, also called on the relevant security agencies to establish their presence in the area to forestall further crisis.

    He appealed for the continued peaceful co-existence of the two communities to enable the peace process to succeed.

    Uwajumogu restated the readiness of the Imo State government and the Umuoma-Umudibia community towards ensuring the sustenance of peace in the disputed area, while urging stakeholders in the crisis to abide by the decisions reached at the meeting.

  • ASOPADEC Director sacked over rape case

    The Abia State Government has sacked a Director in Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commissions (ASOPADEC) over an alleged rape case.

    The Director Christian Onuoha was alleged to have forcefully raped his housemaid (Anurika) from Owo-Ahia Afor in Obingwa Local Government Area leading to the death of minor after bleeding profusely.

    Briefing newsmen at the Government House, Umuahia,  the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dr. ACB Agbazuere said that given the heinous nature of the crime which is rape of a minor and murder, Mr. Onuoha has also been placed on interdiction pending the determination of his case by the police and the court.

    According to the Commissioner, the state Civil Service Commission has also been directed to take necessary action as the case moves on.

    He made it clear that the said Onuoha is only a civil servant representing the Ministry of Petroleum in the board of ASOPADEC and not a commissioner in the state government as is alleged in some quarters.

    The Information boss who stated that Section 358 of the Criminal Code of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is explicit on the issue of rape also revealed that the punishment for rape is life imprisonment, adding that since the victim is dead, the issue of murder comes in and the penalty for such offence is death by hanging.

  • ‘Abia ‘ll be better under APC’

    ‘Abia ‘ll be better under APC’

    In this piece, Sam Oguegbu examines the struggle for power in Abia State and contends that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will restore the glory of the state.

    For nearly 16 years now, Abia State has been brutalized, battered and suffered sustained, deliberate and wicked neglect from her past leaders. This is a well known fact to Abians, indigenes and residents. Like the Jerusalem of old, Abia State has been ravaged and plundered by “enemies of the state”, who came under the guise of either successful and well known business men or technocrats.

    They left the state worst than they met it. This is inhuman and therefore, they (the past leaders of Abia State) do not deserve any accolade from Abians. The colossal damage inflicted on the state range from economic downturn (whereby it is known that Abia State has a gargantuan debt overhead from financial institutions – both private and public), infrastructural decay such as bad roads, poor health services, no pipe borne water, poor sanitation in the cities, falling educational standard, lack of agricultural programmes, endemic corruption to lack of transparency in government, etc.

    The list is endless. These past leaders were either clueless/rudderless or lack basic management skills. Research has however shown that most people occupying exalted position at the local, state orfederal levels are often times being misled by sycophants and bootlickers, who rather that tell their principals the truth about issues, resort to telling them lies or at best, half truths.

    Thankfully, just as Nehemiah offered to rebuild the walls and city of Jerusalem as recorded in the Holy Bible, one man from Abia State (of Ngwa extraction) has come to the rescue. Dr Nyerere Anyim, a highly cerebral fellow, chartered accountant, successful businessman and great philantropist has offered to carry the burden of Abians and vowed that ‘ABIA STATE MUST CHANGE FOR BETTER’. With the abundant resources (human and material) available in God’s own state – it only takes a man with sound managerial skills and acumen to put back the state to its rightful place of glory. I believe it is pertinent at this point to take a look at the background and antecedants of this man, Nyerere Anyim, for the public (especially Abians) to know his suitability and preparedness for the job.

    Born on April 25, 1960 in Jos to the family of Agburuike Isiugwu Obingwa, Abia State. Nyerere had his early education in Jos with excellent academic records, graduating in Accounting from the University of Jos. As a fellow of ICAN (Istitute of Chatered Accountants of Nigeria) and Certified public accountant, he is adequately equipped to fight corruption by plugging wastages in government and running a transparent government. During my interaction with him recently, Nyerere promised that as part of his pledge to run a transparent government, he will publish the monthly revenue received from federal allocation to states, FAT, and Abia’s IGR (Internally Generated Revenue) as well as expenditure, if voted as the governor of Abia State, come April 2015. A devout Christian, philantropist and prolific water, he has numerous Social Responsibility (SR) programmes to his credit, in a bid to serve humanity.

    Nyerere has worked in both private and public sectors of life for over two decades and until recently, sat atop a conglomerate of Business Empire, the Rochas group, as the Group managing Director (GMD).

    Some of his SR programmes include:

    Free Education and Scholarship programmes to thousands of students from Abia State.

    Youth and Women Empowerment Programmes.

    Community and Rural infrastructure Development projects tender this program – He has graded and rehabilitated road projects such as Itungwa – Osaa Ukwu Road, Umuopara-Ntigha/Unuaro Road, Abayi, Amaorji, Onicha Ngwa Christian Hospital Road. He has sunk boreholes in his water for life project at Agburuike-Isiugwu, Obegu-Ugirunagbo LGA, Aba Park, etc. Nyerere has also constructed village markets at Ahia Nkwo and other places.

    Home for the homeless, where he has built homes for people free of charge.

    Sports development scheme.

    Agricultural Support Initiative – supporting rural farmers with farm implements, improved seedlings, etc.

    With a humongous vision for the developemnt of Abia State, Nyerere has assured Abians that if voted in as governor of Abia State under APC (The All Progressives Congress) come April 11, 2015. he will urgently take steps to change the state for better by:

    Putting God first in all his programmes.

    Implementing Free Qualitative Education at all levels to Abians.

    Running a transparent government, fighting security and corruption.

    Developing tourist centres at – Arochukwu along Juju River, Creating Aba Water park along the Bank of Aba River, Developing the Azumiri Blue River, Abia Golf course development to International standard, Develp the colonial structures/site as war museum etc. this will no doubt boost te economu of Abians.

    Industrializing Abia State through reactivation of Golden Guinea Umuahia, Modern Ceramics Umuahia, Aba textile mills, Aba Glass Industry, Metallurgical centre etc.

    Providing health Care Development System.

    Agricultural Development

    Infrastructural development and Rural Transformation

    Wealth and Job creation.

    Housing Development

    Social welfare and security

    Entrepreneurial and Youth Development programmes.

    As laudable as these programmes are, it will only take a man who has such vision to implement it. That is why Abians should arise and vote enmass for Nyerere Chinenye Anyim and APC at the elections.

  • ‘Abia has no reason to be poor’

    ‘Abia has no reason to be poor’

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in Abia State, Alex Otti, yesterday said that the state has no reason to be poor, if the government is alive to its responsibilities.

    The former Managing Director of Diamond Bank lamented that poor governance has retarded the growth of the state in the last eight years.

    Otti told reporters in Lagos that a new Abia is possible, if the people can vote wisely at the general elections.

    He described himself as the candidate to beat, adding that his credential, pedigree and competence cannot be rivalled by other candidates.

    Otti reflected on the struggle for the ticket of the party between him and Chief Regan Ufomba.

    He said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has affired his candidature, adding that Ufomba is wasting his time.

    Decrying violence in Abia, he said the state government and PDP leaders are intolerant of the opposition.

    He complained that his campaigns and ralies have been disrupted by suspected PDP thugs, who have been insulated from arrest by the police.

    Otti said the governor, Chief Theodore Orji, who is a senatorial candidate, is afraid because he has not performed in the last eight years.

    He said his legacy projects are not worthy of pride, adding that it will not last.

    Otti said that the completion of the Government House project will not be the priority of his administration, if elected as governor.

    He added: “The Government House is for one person. But, the welfare of the state is my priority.”

    The standard bearer promised to develop Aba, which he described as the economic hub of the state.

    He said, if  Aba, the commercial centre, is developed, the state would have expanded revenue base and created employment for youths.

    Otti urged the people to vote wisely during the election in the interest of the state.

    He urged the electoral commission to prepared well for the exercise by resolving the outstanding controversy surrounding the proposed use of the smart card readers during the contest.

    Exhuding confidence, Otti said: “In a feee and fair contest, I will win the governorship in Abia.

  • I’ve not signed any pact with anybody in Abia —Ikpeazu

    I’ve not signed any pact with anybody in Abia —Ikpeazu

    …PDP candidate ready to step on toes to fix Aba

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has said that he has not signed a secret pact with Governor Theodore Orji to pay money to him, if elected as governor.

    Speaking with reporters in Lagos, Ikpeazu said that he has a pact with the people of Abia to give them hope. He promised to reposition the state and restore its glory. While ensuring that the state is properly repositioned to compete with other states.

    Ikpeazu however challenged Nigerians to ask those throwing money around in millions where they got such monies from.

    He said: “I have not signed anything (pact) and nobody has made that proposal to me and nobody will do it because am a person of modest means and a lot of things do not appeal to me.”

    “You know from recent history that such things don’t work anywhere, you can’t show one example of somebody that has been tied and put in the pocket and he is a governor…nobody is contemplating such” He said.

    Speaking on his emergence as the party’s flag bearer in the forthcoming April 11 Gubernatorial election, the Lecturer turned Politician who acknowledged the role played by Governor Orji,  posited that it is the handiwork of God and the good people of Abia state.

    “Governor Theodore Orji played a role in my nomination as PDP flag bearer, and he didn’t ask money from me to do that, if he wanted money, I wouldn’t have been an option because I don’t have money to offer anybody.

    “One of the candidates running the election with me, who was an aspirant in PDP, offered N3billion to Governor Orji, but the governor said no, and said that equity and justice must be done, the same candidate paid another huge amount somewhere just to get the PDP ticket, when he realized his money couldn’t buy him the PDP ticket, he ran to another party, where his money was able to buy him a ticket, the records are there to show.

    “It is not about money, this is about what God wants to do, for the first time in the history of our state an ordinary lecturer, a common man like me, from Ngwa, is emerging to become Governor.”

    He added that it was members of Aba Landlord Association that recommended him to governor and the PDP in the state when he was serving as Deputy General Manager of the Abia State Enviromental Protection Agency (ASEPA) in charge of Aba.

    “I want to put it on record that while I was serving as Deputy General Manager of ASEPA in charge of Aba, the Aba Landlord Association who saw the leadership potential in me recommended him to the PDP hierarchy in Abia State. At one of their meetings with the state governor, they said to him, this man could become Governor, they were so excited about my determination to wrought a change in that sector of the gamut of Aba challenge, I didn’t know them and didn’t give them them a dime, in fact it was after their meeting that I was told what they told the governor.

    Ikpeazu dismissed the insinuation that the governor’s son, Chinedum Orji, who is seeking to represent Umuahia Central Constituency in the House of Assembly and nursing an ambition to become the Speaker, may be used by political actors to “track” him, if he does not play along.

    He said: “If his people in Umuahia Central State Constituency feels he is good enough to represent them in the House of Assembly so be it, I think it will be unfair to use my ambition as an Abia South man from Obingwa to truncate the ambition of a young Umuahia man who want to start a political career, it is unheard of.

    “You don’t get elected as speaker of the House of Assembly by staying in your house and talk about it, you are going to have 24 people elected into the House and the speaker will be elected from among them, and if they say he is good enough to be the first amongst equals let him be, but if they look at him and say no he will not be, I don’t think it is proper for us to talk about the sex of a child before the child is conceive”. Ikpeazu posited.

     

  • Abia 2015 & lamentations of a banker

    It may not be politically correct to respond to every insipid and dubious critique of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu’s electoral  30prospects at the forthcoming Abia governorship elections. More so when such appraisals emanate from the spin-doctor of an APGA candidate encumbered with nativity issues and intra-party challenges from a factional leader, arising from a botched primaries, it should be treated with the derision it deserves.

    Writing recently in a tabloid notorious for its conversational terrorism, owned by an Abia born politician, one Ndubuisi Orji, futilely struggled to juxtapose the strong points between the two contending tendencies he glibly characterized as ‘old and new orders’. Bandying words such as ‘entitlement politics’, lechery tendency’ ‘traumatic citizenry’ Ndubuisi resorted to some logical fallacies, and argument by generalizations in a desperate attempt to cast a slur on the integrity and pedigree of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu.

    In the context of his discourse, any candidate espousing continuity and consolidation is a non-starter. For him it is the untested, grapevine peddled achievements of a money market operator, Abians should vote for. This is patent chicanery which cannot fly because what constitutes the core essence of a credible politician is the sum total of his functional public service track records.

    We are not swayed by the mumbo jumbo of ’financial engineering’ in some bank which did not impact on the economic fortunes of the average ‘Aria Aria’ market trader. Poser is: what is the quantum of loans, overdraft, working capital, if any did Diamond Bank under his watch made available to Igbo nay Abia customers? What money market instruments, did his bank package to facilitate enterprises in the state during the period under review?

    For Ikpeazu, his antecedents can be tracked. His background check is in the public domain. For 19 years, he has been a key player in the corridors of politics as a home baked politician who understands the nuances of the average Abian. During this period, his activism and services had been domiciled in the trenches with our people, fighting and battling with the various administrations for the elevation of Abia State. Ikpeazu is at home with all the political gladiators of Abia State and has served diligently.

    The greatest challenge of our economy, not only in Abia State, is that the economy has shut down the middle class, to the extent that we now have two classes of people – rich or poor. The renaissance of the economy cannot be predicated or leveraged by the so-called Alex Otti’s affiliations with the International Finance Corporation- an offshoot of the discredited Breton Woods institutions, (IMF& World Bank) whose deleterious prescriptions and reforms brought the mess on Third World economies including Nigeria.

    Recall that these institutions have been sorely implicated as anti-people, anti-labour, anti- industry. The collapse of the Nigerian economy, nay Aba, was tripped off by the acceptance of the IMF conditionality in 1985 by the General Babangida regime which in its wake crippled the SME’s and industries. In 2005, these institutions were tellingly indicted by the Breton Woods project, and I quote inter alia; ‘’With the World Bank, there are concerns about the types of development projects funded. Many infrastructure projects financed by the World Bank Group have social and environmental implications for the populations in the affected areas and criticism has centred on the ethical issues of funding such projects. For example, World Bank-funded construction of hydro-electric dams in various countries has resulted in the displacement of indigenous peoples of the area.

    The World Bank’s role in the global climate change finance architecture has also caused much controversy. Civil society groups see the Bank as unfit for a role in climate finance because of the conditionalities and advisory services usually attached to its loans. The Bank’s undemocratic governance structure – which is dominated by industrialized countries – its privileging of the private sector and the controversy over the performance of World Bank-housed Climate Investment Funds have also been subject to criticism in debates around this issue. Moreover, the bank’s role as a central player in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts is in direct conflict with its carbon-intensive lending portfolio and continuing financial support for heavily polluting industries, which includes coal power.

    There are also concerns that the World Bank working in partnership with the private sector undermines the role of the state as the primary provider of essential goods and services, such as healthcare and education, resulting in the shortfall of such services in countries badly in need of them. As an increasing shift from public to private funding in development finance has been observed recently, the bank’s private sector lending arm – the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – has also been criticized for its business model, the increasing use of financial intermediaries such as private equity funds and funding of companies associated with tax havens.’’

    The politically astute Abia electorate are not about to swallow the International Finance Corporation vomit, being regurgitated by a clueless economic model. It failed everywhere and Abians are not ready to be any body’s guinea pig.

    Rather than playing casino with the fortunes of God’s own state with some new fangled economic paradigm, Okezie is a firm believer in sustainable development planning which lays much store in continuity and consolidation. He is on firm grounds, because the bane of developmental framework in Nigeria has been the practice of neglecting and abandoning previous contracts, projects and visions by successor administrations.

    Since independence in 1960, we have had a litany of developmental plans which were always jettisoned for other models as soon as new managers took over the reins of government. Between 1962-1985, 1962-68, 1970-74, 75-80 and 1980-85 developmental plans were marked by gaps, leakages and fragmentation.

    Fast forward to 1986, we embraced the Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) and its Rolling Plans in 1986. Next was Abacha’s VISION 2010 that was thrown away and replaced with Obasanjo’s NEEDS 2004. Today we are grappling another initiative branded VISION 2020. The challenges of these processes, is that we have been achieving growth without development which Okezie Ikpeazu seeks to disavow by building on Governor T.A Orji’s legacy projects not only in Umuahia but in the wider Abia polity.

    Okezie’s blueprint for development is a clear headed, well defined manifesto that takes its motive force from a bottoms-up all inclusive community based approach with Aba as the center-piece and hub of enterprise and production. Fundamental to this is the enactment of policies for planning and housing to facilitate access to land, service, and investment codes realistic, flexible and compatible with local conditions. In the informal sector, he will address rigidities, corporate governance issues and widening inequalities vis-à-vis employment/wealth generation. His administration will review laws and practices that discriminate and frustrate the organized private sector.  The state under his watch will act as a buffer sector manager in creating the milieu that promotes access to credit, financial and business services. This is a panoramic snapshot of Ikpeazu’s economic bouquet as space and editorial constraint will not permit a fully blown narrative.

    The issue of down ‘playing’ the existence of Ukwa component is neither here nor there, as the critical Ukwa political stakeholders led by Senator Adolph Wabara are in amity with the choice of Ikpeazu as the PDP flag bearer. Except some rabble rousers being used by APGA malcontents, the issue of Ukwa marginalization is otiose.

    • Torti is a public policy analyst and management consultant
  • Abia electorate urged to vote credible candidates

    Abia electorate urged to vote credible candidates

    Abia South Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chris Nkwonta has urged voters in the state to cast their ballot only for credible people with a good record.

    Nkwonta, who was speaking when members of the Agalaba Youth Movement paid him a courtesy visit his country home, Akwete in Ukwa East Council, warned that if the people failed to vote in the right candidates, they would continue to elect those who have no business occupying political offices.

    “We must be careful in the quality of people we elect to represent us this time around. We need to elect the right people. They have started calling for your votes. Last week, I went to a campaign tour of Ibeme autonomous community in Obingwa local government. I discovered that the community has no electricity. I was moved and started the process of assisting them to get electricity. It was then that the PDP heard what I have done and also came in to assist the community.

    “The question is, why must Chris Nkwonta, a private person from Akwete in Ukwa East Local Government, be the one to discover that Ibeme, a community in a local government that produced a senator, has no electricity? It tells a lot about the type of representation we have had in the last eight years. If there has been no change in the last 8 years, what is the assurance that there will be change if we give them another four years?”

    The APGA senatorial candidate buttressing the need for credible candidates in various political positions from the local government to the federal level called for the election of people who have track records of performance into political offices to reduce the suffering of the masses.

    “If I have empowered many 2000 people through skill acquisition and tertiary education scholarships within my personal capacity, I will do more if I’m elected as a senator. We can’t continue like this. Cast and defend your votes, you won’t be disappointed. “

    In his address, Vice chairman of the Agalaba Youth Movement, Anthony Nnadozie said the Association accessed all the candidates seeking the senatorial seat and discovered that Nkwonta has the best credentials to represent the zone in 2015.

    According to him, “Abia South needs change and would rejoice with a more grassroots oriented representative like Chris Nkwonta in 2015.”