“It behooves the people of Abia state to stand up at least for once in their political life cycle and reject political impositions of ‘cover up’ lackeys and stooges, in whatsoever nomenclature they seem to appear ” – Njoku Jerry Ajike, LP Abia
It is another electoral year, the incumbent leader and governor of Abia State, Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu is poised to repeat a tradition that has become almost cultural in the South East wanning commercial region of Abia State, where it has become commonplace to grow a circle of loyalists, some bunch of admirers whose sole excitement is baited on crumbs and uncommon philanthropy, all in a bid to sustain a fiefdom of sycophants, lackeys and godfathers, each building and transferring its turf to useful idiots that must by rule of the thumb report back to the godfather who handpicked him and nicknamed him ‘governor,’ although the fellow is nothing but an ‘errand boy’ in an adult frame, he must by every indices of authority be christened ‘His Excellency, Chief, Dr. XYZ Phd.’
This boast of PDP stronghold and super structure in Abia State is certainly bound to fail for taking the people for a ride for too long and the time is now.
Previous governor preceding Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu was handpicked even while he was doing a time in the prison, at his departure, within eight years, he was Machiavellian enough to rebel and build his own turf and chose his own lackey. The first democratic dispensation led by Chief Orji Uzoh Kalu (OUK) might have started well but he had it all mumbled up by his own lackey and the blame till date points to his error in judgement.
While the people of the state groans and mourn their losses in economic power, social integration, industry and crass neglect of its healthcare and education, the new king on the block has found time to fortify his turf and sustain the experiment in governance that has and will continue to elude the people of the State until they chose to stand up as men and revolt this crass abuse of democratic right that is equally distributed to all men, rich or poor irrespective of ethnic or tribal affiliations.
Abia state residents and electorates should strive to set themselves free from a self-inflicted bondage and prove their intelligence and will power to resist slavish conditions and servitude which they’re known to have practiced from history.
What’s the need, boasting of super structure and political stronghold when the people under the leadership of group of men who take pride in brandishing academic and royal titles remotely disconnected from the honors and competence attached to such titles are languishing under poor experiment in governance and leadership roles.
This boast of PDP stronghold and super structure in Abia State is certainly bound to fail for taking the people for a ride for too long and the time is now.
Abia state do not deserve this level of let down and shame or so it seems, with the level of support I see for upcoming lackeys whose beautifully Photoshopped campaign billboards adorn the towns of Umuahia and Aba, even with the growing allegation of alternative options of a second fiddle if the first option fails in the mold of YPP gubernatorial candidate or the candidate representing APGA. With due respect to the men in question, I will simply consider these allegations as fictitious imagination and poor judgement of bad advisers.
However, it behooves the people of Abia state to stand up at least for once in their political life cycle and reject political impositions of ‘cover up’ lackeys and stooges, in whatsoever nomenclature they seem to appear.
Abia state electorates already have their choices simplified between Capacity, Competence and Fiscal administrative discipline with track background record of achievement in Wealth Creation, Investment, Prudent Fiscal Planning and regional development and not necessarily an election based on Philanthropy and contractual patronage of political businessmen looking for avenues to cash in and entrench the cycle of ‘scratch my back, I scratch yours.’
The ruin in Abia state till date including heaps of fiscal maladministration, neglect of the business of government, mushroom of loyalists of grafts and larceny of the people’s welfare and hordes of ignorant young followers baited on the pretense of philanthropy which has virtually destroyed industry and economic relevance of average residents of Abia state do not call for another experiment in governance.
Without unnecessary embellishment and coercive rhetoric, this is where the mantle of leadership fell on the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate, Alex Otti, orchestrated by popular demand and consistency in his desire to see a better Abia completely rescued from the abys of experimental leadership
Abia state residents and electorates should strive to set themselves free from a self-inflicted bondage and prove their intelligence and will power to resist slavish conditions and servitude which they’re known to have practiced from history.
Of all the 18 gubernatorial candidates presented by various political parties to take over from the ruins and calamity the Okezie Ikpeazu PDP led government has brought upon Abia state. Which of the candidates possess that leadership capacity, administrative competence and fiscal discipline to resurrect a failed project like Abia State? Does the job require another greenhorn programmed to learn in the job only to fumble as Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu did, does it require contractual patronage or payback to unsolicited Philanthropy to the residents.?
For those who harp on the Philanthropy of certain gubernatorial candidates, please take note; The art of Philanthropy is a general gift of God upon all mankind, some chose to use theirs while some horde it and do receive due consequences and blessings. Philanthropy does not account for leadership responsibility.
Stop deceiving yourself because as I write this piece, there is a warehouse in Osun State measuring about 400 x 200 feet and housing hundreds of thousands of food palliatives but horded by political philanthropists until it was busted by hungry and angry youths of that region.
With due respect and gratitude to philanthropists in Abia State, it should not be used to measure their leadership capacity and administrative competence especially in a state completely in comatose.
the 2023 general election is an open contest and Abia state residents remains the ultimate decision maker. They alone retain the right to chose who is going to lead them and rescue the workers and pensioners from heavy burdens of debts the PDP led government and its supporters has laid upon the ordinary people.
Streaming down the 18 Number gubernatorial candidates to three between Alex Otti of Labour Party, the new entrant, Chima Nwafor of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Prof Gregory Ibeh of APGA or perhaps Prof Uche Ikonne of PDP, allegedly backed by a cashpool and political goodwill of his sponsor and godfather, Abia state electorates already have their choices simplified between Capacity, Competence and Fiscal administrative discipline with track background record of achievement in Wealth Creation, Investment, Prudent Fiscal Planning and regional development and not necessarily an election based on Philanthropy and contractual patronage of political businessmen looking for avenues to cash in and entrench the cycle of ‘scratch my back, I scratch yours.’
Without unnecessary embellishment and coercive rhetoric, this is where the mantle of leadership fell on the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate, Alex Otti, orchestrated by popular demand and consistency in his desire to see a better Abia completely rescued from the abys of experimental leadership
Without unnecessary embellishment and coercive rhetoric, this is where the mantle of leadership fell on the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate, Alex Otti, orchestrated by popular demand and consistency in his desire to see a better Abia completely rescued from the abys of experimental leadership that has beset the region destroying its economy, bastardizing governance and producing hordes of loyalists to unproductive behaviors and lawlessness to civic responsibilities.
Since 2015 till date and at many occasions including virtual searches, the results have remained consistent with Alex Otti in the lead by wide margin while others trail behind.
However, the 2023 general election is an open contest and Abia state residents remains the ultimate decision maker. They alone retain the right to chose who is going to lead them and rescue the workers and pensioners from heavy burdens of debts the PDP led government and its supporters has laid upon the ordinary people.
And for the teeming jobless youths and artisans, Abia state certainly has more than enough to equip and provide adequate wealth that is evenly spread so that the people have the required economic power to propel a working economy from the moribund conditions all previous experimental leaders has subjected this region and Alex Otti has displayed that exposure, capacity, competence and fiscal discipline to rescue the situation henceforth.
Njoku SaintJerry A is the Publicity Secretary, Labour Party Abia State writes from Umuahia
