Worried by what he described as dismal state of infrastructure in Abia
state, governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the
2015 election, Dr. Nyerere Anyim, has urged Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu to speak
up if there is any influence stopping him from delivering democracy
dividends to the people.
Anyim who stated this in an interview with newsmen in Owerri, lamented
that governance is gradually grinding to a halt in the state with
abandoned projects, mounting salary arrears and pensions as hunger ravages
the people, adding that anybody elected governor in Abia has no reason for
non performance.
Apparently making reference to the Theodore Orji and Orji Uzor Kalu
conflict where the former blamed his former godfather for his inability to
work, Anyim warned that the people of the state would no longer accept
excuses for non performance in 2019.
“Who can explain the sordid state of affairs in Abia? Nothing is working;
even the few road projects started had been abandoned. Visit Aba, Nkporo,
Arochukwu, Isiukwuato and Ukwa, the oil producing area, it is the same
pitiable sight. The state does owe not less than 6 months arrears of
salaries and pensions. If actually Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu is in bondage, he
should not wait for four years before divesting himself of such influence.
Abia won’t accept another excuse after four years. We in Abia will not
accept another liberation story in 2019. Don’t wait for 2019 to tell us
that the reason you failed to work as governor was because you were in
bondage. We don’t want a repeat of the Theodore Orji and Orji Uzor Kalu
era where Theodore Orji said he couldn’t deliver democracy dividends
during his first tenure because he was not in control.
“If Gov. Ikpeazu feels he is being prevented to give best his best for the
state, let him go for deliverance now so that he and even the state will
be liberated. If you are the governor of a state, the only reason you have
for non performance is that your godfather didn’t allow you, such a
governor need to have his head examined. If Ikpeazu feels that he is in
bondage, now is the time to cry out or be silent forever.
The APC chieftain dismissed claims that Ikpeazu is being distracted by
litigations, describing it as a lazy man’s excuse. He said; “Some
governors are still in court and delivering democracy dividends to their
states. So, why will the case of Abia be different? Who dragged Ikpeazu to
court, is it not members of his own party, the PDP? They can’t eat their
cake and have it. I have always warned the PDP that nemesis will catch up
with them. I have been proved right. Is it not the opinion of well
meaning Abia people that PDP had underdeveloped Abia? We won’t allow them
to hold Abia to ransom with their intra party wrangling. In 2019, it is
now clear that they will give us another excuse that they were in court
and couldn’t perform. Abia needs a change from the way governance has been
run since 1999. Gov. Ikpeazu should embrace change”