Abia PDP Primaries: Governor Orji as a Transparent Leader – By Madubuko Hart

Posted by admin Abia, Articles, Columnists, Madubuko Hart, NNP Columnists, State News Sunday, December 14th, 2014

Gov. Orji

By Madubuko Hart | Lagos, Nigeria | Dec. 14, 2014 – In the Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries held on Monday, December 8, 2014, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu was declared the winner. The Returning Officer and Chairman of the electoral panel, Dr. (Mrs.) Angela Mba, who announced Ikpeazu winner with 487 votes to his credit, said the exercise was the most diplomatic she had ever seen in recent times.

This has however shown that Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State is a transparent leader who until the election was conducted, was democratic enough not to anoint any successor. It was a mere speculation from the opposition politicians that he had endorsed an alternative-candidate. But on March 28 2014, he dismissed the insinuations that he had endorsed a candidate for 2015 governorship election in the state.

The opposition went to the rumour mills that he had endorsed deputy general manager of Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, for the slit. Perhaps, they were into this hatchet job, since the governor earlier started his campaign of ceding power to Ukwa/Ngwa people in 2015, in the name of what he called, for equity and justice.

When this rumour was dished out to cause disaffection in the state, the governor through his ever ebullient Chief Press Secretary, Charles Ajunwa, said, “It has come to the notice of Abia State government about the rumour within and outside the state that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Abia State, Chief T. A. Orji, has endorsed a governorship candidate for 2015 election. Government wishes to state that the said rumour is a figment of the imagination of the peddlers”.

Ajunwa described his master as a democrat who believes in “justice and equity.” In a report titled, “2015: Abia denies setting up committee to select next governor”, published on July 20, 2014, the state government in like manner denied setting up a panel to select the next governor of the state. Therefore, it is evident that the emergence of Ikpeazu as the Abia PDP’s flagbearer for the 2015 elections had proven the trust the people had in the PDP leadership in Abia State, under the government of Governor Orji.

The emergence of Ikpeazu is a testimony that the government of Governor Orji has done a lot for Abia State. If not, the delegates would have caused uproar during the elections. “If you come to Abia State and sample the opinion of people, they will tell you that they have not had it as good as they are witnessing now,” Ajunwa had once said in an interview.

And if the people do not love Governor Orji, many who lost in the primaries would have started quarrelling. According to a post on the Facebook wall of one John Okiyi Kalu: PDP governorship aspirant in Abia State, Dr. Uche Samson Ogah has congratulated the PDP candidate, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, after the primary, which held in Umuahia township stadium.

Kalu continued, saying that speaking to newsmen after his loss, Dr. Ogah, who accepted defeat, described the primary as credible and transparent, saying that he will not protest the outcome of the primary. He further revealed that Dr. Ogah maintained that he will not leave PDP; Ogah urged all his supporters to support Ikpeazu. According to Ogah, Ikpeazu appears to be a capable candidate to succeed Ochendo, whom he described as the father of a new Abia. “Please, Abians, vote Ikpeazu,” Ogah added.

It was earlier proven by Ajunwa that you don’t need to be told that there is political peace and harmony in Abia, as all Abia political stakeholders are now speaking with one voice to ensure that the state takes its pride of place; the truth is that the governor has raised the leadership bar and his successor will have a great challenge to sustain it.

Governor Orji is transparent, when Ajunwa said that there is no sector that is neglected since the government of the governor came into power; every sector is receiving priority attention and Abia is now a safe haven for investors as you can now sleep with your two eyes closed.

He had averred that at the last count, a committee headed by the former Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Dr. Eze Chikamnayo took inventory of some of the projects and over 10,000 projects were identified and the governor has continued to commission projects as if he started yesterday.

Hart writes from Lagos.

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