Date Published: 09/03/11

Weekend Special
State of the States: Abia in Focus
Beyond Gov. Orji's Rhetoric

Gov. T A Orji

    As the Abia state governor, Chief Theodore Orji celebrates the 100 days of his second tenure, investigations revealed that there are still enormous challenges facing the administration.

    If pledges could translate into development, Abia state would have since May 29, 2011, witnessed a rapid transformation in infrastructure and the delivery of other dividends of democracy.

   Gov. Orji lived up to the billing of politicians as the only class of people who would promise to build bridges, even where there are no rivers.

   Again, if promises could be measured, the date May 29, 2011, would have gone down as the day with the largest volume of promise ever made in a single day.

  It was a repeat of the age long political promises the electorates have been inundated with over the years. For instance, good roads, quality education, good health care system, massive employment, revitalization of industries, unassailable security network and all the good things that could equate Nigerian cities with those of the West, where “Our Emperors” love to junket to. These enviable promises topped the inauguration speech of the Abia state Chief executive.

   Orji had promised at his swearing in ceremony, that he will lead with frankness, honesty and zeal for service. The governor also assured that he will not fail the people of the state. According to him,”Under the new dispensation, Abia will experience a new leadership that comes with renewed vigor to develop the state. The ghost of godfatherism will never rise again to disturb the peace and development of the state.”

     The Abia state chief executive also pledged to perform according to the best practices and interest of all people of the state. He intends to leave legacies for which the people would be proud of, by keeping to his campaign promises, maintaining that his first task is to set realistic and honest priorities. He also added that the government will create new jobs and open opportunities for the growth of business enterprises in the state.

   However, beyond the inauguration rhetoric, there are many challenges facing the state. These challenges are largely developmental as the state government over the years, had done little to better the lots of her residents. There has been the problem of collapse of infrastructure in Aba and other towns. Though the governor has set up a task force to sanitize Aba metropolis, relocate traders to markets and demolish structures built on drainages, criticisms has continued to trail the move.

  The electronic dealers at Pound road, St. Michaels and Mosque street who have been ordered to relocate to Orie Ohabiam market, are alleging victimization by the governor, claiming that they do not constitute nuisance to the environment in their present location. Others posit that the Orie Ohabiam market is dilapidated and lacks facilities needed in a modern day market.

    But in a swift reaction to the cries of victimization, the Special Adviser to the governor on Electronic Media, Ugochukwu Emezue dismissed the allegation as blackmail, advising the traders to relocate as ordered to enable the governor achieve his vision of giving Aba a new face.

   Mr. Bestman Ahaiwe, Chairman of the Aba North Local Council chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), described the sealing of shops and the forced relocation of traders as ill timed. “The governor should have started by addressing the poor state of roads in Aba. This should be done to open up some areas so that it would be easy for those displaced to relocate to other places. Though the town needs to be cleaned up, the timing is wrong,” he concluded.

    Reliable sources revealed that the traders doubt of the true intentions of the government. The traders have continued to suffer losses, rice merchants at Tenants road had a rough deal with the Task Force with many of their goods running into millions of Naira destroyed, while those at Ngwa road have continued to lament their woes.  

   According to traders at the School road, “Gov. Orji is not the first to embark on relocation of traders in Aba. His predecessor, Orji Uzor Kalu also did it but could not complete the exercise as the traders suffered losses.” Others expressed the opinion that the government may soon get weary of the enforcement of the order and allow the traders to stay at their locations. As the Task force team seems to have slowed down, fears are already being expressed if the government can conclude the exercise or back out like the former Gov. Orji Uzor Kalu administration.

    In spite of the opposition to the move, Orji will be judged in the next four years by how well he is able to turn Aba, notorious for its rowdy and unorganized state, to a city, which the people would be proud to live in.  Aba, a town which analysts believe, should tower in status like Japan or Taiwan, given its industrial potentials and the enormous resources available to the state, has been wasting away.

   The problems of the power sector and bad road network have combined to deal a fatal blow to the commercial town, leading to an exodus of industries like Unilever PLC and the Nigerian Breweries, Aba. The Aba Textile Mills PLC has been shut down since the year 2000, while other small scale industries has been operating below installed capacity. The governor has also set up a committee to revitalize the Golden Guinea Breweries, Umuahia and the Aba Textile Mills, Aba, but not much has been heard since then.

   Another challenge before the governor is the issue of youth unemployment. Investigations revealed that youths in the state are aggrieved over the lack of empowerment schemes to better their lots. The issue of youths being used for the elections and later dumped, seem to be rule rather that the exception across the state.

   Perhaps, Orji may have taken note of the magnitude of dissatisfaction of the people of the state on the day of inauguration when he promised to perform and govern in the interest of all Abians.

   Without doubts, there appears to be a genuine disenchantment with the way the affairs of the state has been run since the return of democracy in 1999. It seems that there is a pent up anger and frustration by the people of the state. Residents lament the payment of all forms of taxes and levies, which various task force teams harass them for. In the last 10 years, there had been a crisis of confidence between the government and the people of the state as the former has largely failed in her social contract with the latter. 

   On the political scene, the governor fondly called ‘Ochendo’ has constituted his team but they are yet to ‘hit the ground running’. Besides the appointment of the former Vice Chancellor of the state university, Prof. Mkpa Agu Mkpa, as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), he retained his former SSG, Chief Donatus Okorie as his Chief of Staff and also appointed Mr. Bonnie Iwuoha as his Media Adviser.

    Unlike in his first term, when political consideration outweighed merit as Gov .Orji was then, said to be in bondage, this time, with the exception of few recurring names, the reverse appears to be case as the present cabinet consist of a blend of technocrats and politicians who had made marks in their different fields of human endeavour. This may explain why the then commissioner nominees had a smooth sail when they were screened by the state House of Assembly. It is hoped that if the governor gives them the ‘free hand’ to operate, the caliber of these men of ‘timbre and calibre’,(apologies to Chief K. O Mbadiwe), could translate to better times for residents of the state.

  Like every state chief executive in Nigeria, Orji may not have problems with the state legislature in the execution of his policies. With the present status of the Abia state House of Assembly as a one party legislature, ‘the PDP umbrella’ would be enough to protect the governor as he is assured of a harmonious working relationship with the Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu led Assembly.

   Political analysts believe that Orji’s second term will witness less friction. The expected cordial relationship between the executive and legislative arms became evident with the smooth approval of his nominees for executive council appointments.

   Orji may also cash in on the lack of a formidable opposition party in the state. Abia state has been known as a state where the opposition parties only come alive during electioneering periods. The Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), which were expected to serve as the official opposition parties to keep the rampaging PDP in check, has either been hit by the mass defection of their supporters to the PDP or overwhelmed by the PDP’s electoral tsunami which blew across the state during the April 2011 general elections.

   As the administration settles down to work, Orji will have to contend with the demands of the state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on the implementation of the on the N18,000 minimum wage law. Top officials of his administration, including the Commissioner for Information, Chief Don Ubani, has continued to lament that the state cannot pay the new minimum wage to workers unless its allocations were increased. Other officials argue that the revenue available to the state is grossly inadequate to implement the payment the new minimum wage, let alone, meet the cost of running government and the execution of development projects.

  On litigations arising from the 2011 gubernatorial election, Orji seems to be ahead of his opponents. At the last count, the case filed by the governorship candidates of the Democratic Front for People Federation (DFPF), Barr. Emenike Owanta and APGA’s Reagan Ufomba have been struck out by the Tribunal, leaving him to battle with those of the PPA candidate, Comrade Chris Akomas and Labour party’s Stanley Ohajuruka, as both insist Orji didn’t win the polls. The governor had remarked at the INEC certificate presentation ceremony at Kolping Society hall, Umuahia, “We are not afraid of litigations, we are used to it.”  It remains to be seen how he will scale over the two petitions as the contending parties ( Ohajuruka and Akomas) were once Orji’s  soul mates when he served as Kalu’s Chief of Staff.

   Aside this, many party loyalists who worked for the success of the party during the polls are anxiously waiting for rewards through appointments or other forms of empowerment

   Most party chieftains are also said to be hopeful that they will make list of the yet to be released body of senior special assistants and special assistants.

   Pundits say Orji may have to call for local council elections to take care of the interest of more party faithful who worked for the success of the PDP at the polls.

  In the meantime, hopes are high, promises are still flying. Will Orji be able to deliver and leave legacies as he promised during his inauguration? In four years time, will Abians be proud to say that their support for Orji is second tenure has brought the desired democracy dividends? “Orji needs to work to prove that “the setting in his former party, PPA”, really prevented him from working for the people. The state needs to benefit from his ‘liberation, a source added.

   However, as the governor marks 100 days in office in his fresh four year tenure, analysts posit that the people of the state would accept no excuses this time as his “years of bondage”, now belong to the past.