“Abia people should look at the characters of those in the alliance and compare them with the robust leadership, infrastructure development and economic progress we are enjoying today in the state, I am happy to tell you that we have walked away from that sordid past of failures”
By Eric Mba, Chinwe Nwankwo
In an exclusive interview granted by the Abia Labour Party State Publicity Secretary, Comrade Njoku Jerry Ajike, he doused fears of alliance between APC and PDP in Abia State and reiterated his party’s commitment to complete its statutory 8 years in office and leading Abia to a new political dispensation where only individuals tested and proven to possess the quality of leadership the party has exemplified through H.E. Dr. Alex Otti (OFR) will be suitable and acceptable in the state.
Speaking to journalists who paid him a visit at the party headquarters in Umuahia, Mr. Njoku in response, said;
“It is within the prerogative of every political party to consider alliance whenever they find it necessary to do so, that should not call for fears, especially among our people here in Abia State.
I make bold to say once again, that those rogue elements that ruined this ‘God’s own state’ that we are hereby committed to rebuilding have gone, we have ostracized them and they do not belong here any longer.
More so, we are not ignorant of all their attempts to align forces with APC from Abuja perhaps that is what is giving our people a concern because of previous experience of electoral and judicial infractions to shortchange the people’s mandate. You are all a witness to the sufferings and hardship that electoral error and the leadership of APC has brought upon the country today and I won’t be surprised if they’re making attempt at inroads to Abia state through another group of devil’s incarnate that the people of Abia do not want to see again in their government.”
“Abians should take this message home; “This is “God’s own state’ for your information and the victory and good governance we are enjoying today were made possible by God almighty and not of our own ordinary efforts and what did the great teacher say; “Vox populi’ Vox Dei’ – the Voice of the people is the Voice of God! And as a people-oriented party we are representative of God here in Abia State and that’s the more reason why immediately the people understood that principles, they put their belief to action and God granted us victory over the darkness that once enveloped Abia for the past 2 decades.
“Those singing about PDP and APC alliance in Abia State have not realized that the Abia state you live in today is no longer a home for the criminals in politics; this is a reformed state where the government is answerable to the people.
“The governments of Labour party do not have rooms for mediocre and career politicians who see politics as an entrepreneur rather than a call to service. That is what we used to have here in the previous political administrations, therefore if they are running away and regrouping somewhere else or building up an alliance, Abia people should look at the characters of those in the alliance and compare them with the robust leadership, infrastructure development and economic progress we are enjoying today in the state, I am happy to tell you that we have walked away from that sordid past of failures and there is no going back.
Regarding rumours that the leadership of the party is not coordinated and the party has no structure at the grassroots level in Abia State, Mr. Njoku responded in clear terms and said;
“I don’t know where people get such information that the leadership of the party is not coordinated or that the party has no structure.
Beginning with the grassroots structures, We are a people’s oriented party and not a class cult guised as a political party that only remembers the people during campaigns and once they’re in power they build a hedge of class structure that uses the privileged positions to accumulate wealth without morals to show off and oppress the people and destroys their environment. This is what was obtainable in the past in Abia state under the ostracized PDP and their cohorts.”
“if you’ll permit me to ring our own bell a little, since the administration of Labour Party in Abia State we have empowered nothing less than a million young people that cuts across the academics, artisans, business owners etc, for the SME operations support alone, which Abia state is known for, within the first year in office, our government disbursed funds in form of grants to approximately 2,724 persons with the least collecting N100,000 Naira while some received N1 Million Naira each, in ICT enhancement, over 1000 persons benefitted with supports, what about the farmers, space won’t permit me to be putting them in figures, you may have read the recent news of Abia students in the Diaspora that was abandoned by the previous administration and what our leader, the Executive governor Dr. Alex Otti have done to rescue the ugly situations.”
“These are our structures, each recipient of these government programmes comes from a family, a community across the 17 LGA’s, the same goes with our elected Representatives both at the State and Federal level, visit their communities and see the impact they’re creating in their constituencies.”
“At present the Labour party government has delivered over 27 major link roads across the 17 LGA’s opening up access of commuting and business for our people, that is our understanding of building of structures,. Unless your understanding of ‘structure’ is hinged on the Nigeria’s abused definition of political structures of ‘grab it and run with it’ that has brought entire country to its knees today.”
“Labour Party won’t and cannot operate under such abusive and criminal laden structure. Then of certainty, we take cognizance of boosting the membership of the party at the LG levels and the stomach infrastructure of our foot soldiers, we are not relenting at all.”
“This is a working government and a party for the ordinary working class people, artisans, and small scale business owners in the State, we do not take the participation of anyone for granted.”
“Then regarding the leadership of the party that you mentioned, we have a State Chairman although in Acting capacity in the person of Hon. Emma Otti standing in for the former State Chairman that was recently elevated and moved to the national level as the National Vice Chairman South East, in the person of Hon. Ceekay Igara, we do not unnecessarily go public shouting our heads off on modalities we have adopted to reposition the party for long term victories across the nation, at the appropriate time our works will make the necessary statement.”
“People in Abia State today are wiser, more courageous and cannot be easily deceived as in the past, Moreover, the confidence people of Abia state has bestowed on the Labour party cannot be taken for granted, be rest assured, this is your party and there is no form of alliance that will take us back to the garbage of PDP or APC that we have moped up and buried.”
Thank you
