Abia state government has carpeted the former Deputy publicity Secretary
of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Chief Timi Frank, for attacking
Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu over his trip to London, where he accompanied
President Muhammadu Buhari to the UK –African Investment.
Frank had criticized the Abia state governor for travelling with Buhari
when the PDP was planning a nationwide protest over the sacking of
former Imo state governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha. He stated that Ikpeazu
left Nigeria when his party, the PDP, needed him at home.
But in a swift reaction, Special Adviser, Media, to the Governor, Mr.
Enyinnaya Appolos, berated the former APC chieftain and charged him to
‘bury his face in shame’ ,stressing that Frank who is now a PDP member,
spoke like a ‘job man’, not as a party loyalist.
He disclosed that the arrangement for the trip to the Summit had long
been concluded before the Supreme Court verdict that sacked Ihedioha
took place.
In his words, “It is difficult to place why a Timi Frank, who was
anonymous and unable to deliver PDP even in his ward in Bayelsa State
during the last presidential election which PDP lost to APC, will try to
vent his unguarded spleen on Gov. Ikpeazu who has remained a committed
member of the PDP.
“Gov. Ikpeazu is not just a member of the PDP in Ward 7, in Obingwa LGA
of Abia State; he is the leader of the party in the state and one of the
national leaders of the party, a committed and trusted one at that.
“He was first elected Governor by Abians on the PDP platform in 2015,
when Timi and his cohorts were busy frolicking in APC. In 2019, Gov.
Ikpeazu was re-elected by the Abia electorate on the same PDP platform.
So, his primary assignment and loyalty is first to Abians, who employed
him before even the platform.
“The time for frontline party politics is over, the time we are in now,
particularly for Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in Abia, is the time for
governance. I hope Timi understands this?
“The arrangement for this trip had long been concluded before the
controversial and unfair ruling of the Supreme Court that sacked Rt.
Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as Governor of Imo State took place. It was the sad
judicial development that provoked the emergency PDP NEC meeting at
about the same time Governor Ikpeazu was airborne to the UK.”
Appolos explained that the UK- Africa Investment Summit would afford the
Governor another opportunity to expound the Enyimba Economic City
project at the world stage.
“Much as Governor Ikpeazu is not responsible for Timi’s unguarded
spleen, no leader would prefer to attend a party meeting to attending a
Summit where his ideas and programs for his people will be beamed at the
global stage. I can assure Timi Frank that even the PDP is proud of this
City, being the brainchild of one of its leading stars.
“In case Timi is not aware, Governor Ikpeazu is not on the President
Buhari-led delegation to the maiden UK- Africa Investment Summit holding
in London because he wants to enjoy the comfort of the presidential jet,
but the Governor of Abia State is on the delegation because he is the
bearer of one of the most important reasons Nigeria is part of the
summit – the Enyimba Economic City Project.”