#AbiaOnline
So we have now moved from Governor Ikpeazu has done nothing to Governor Ikpeazu is only developing Aba and Ngwaland?
These desperadoes are indeed pathetic folks.
Please take note of these facts before you allow them to sway you to join their self driven idiotic campaigns.
1. All the 2015 Abia Governorship candidates ran on renewal of Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia state and Igbo land. In fact the APGA candidate, Dr Alex Otti, committed his first major political gaffe at an event with Aba Chamber of Commerce when he told the people that he has secured $100b loan for Aba’s redevelopment from a foreign bank.
Uche Ogah did not run for Governor so I can’t remember what he said about Aba but I know that Dr Okezie Ikpeazu of PDP, Chikwe Udensi (who even started emergency bubuyaya road repairs at Aba) and Nyerere Anyim of APC all promised to focus on Aba, if elected.
2. In terms of actual property and business ownership at Aba, indigenous Ngwa people actually own less than 30%. The simple implication is that others will likely benefit from renewal of Aba infrastructure more than the indigenes.
3. There is no family in old Bende area (Umuahia and Abia north zone) that does not have business at Aba. Likewise Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi and Enugu folks are well represented at Aba which is the melting pot of all Igbo. The implication of that is that NDIGBO will benefit most if Aba is renewed. Nigeria will also benefit.
4. The first road Governor Ikpeazu commissioned was Road 11 of world bank housing estate Umuahia. He rejected the quality of work done at Dozie Way Umuahia, otherwise that road would have been the second road he commissioned. But he delivered Afara bypass and re-asphalted more than 12 roads at Umuahia within his first 100 days in office.
5. Abiriba ring road in Ohafia LGA was awarded before 95% of the roads awarded at Aba and it is longer than Ukaegbu, Ehere, Umuola, Kamalu and Ochefu roads combined. Phase 1 of that road has been completed and work will begin on phase 2 later this year.
6. The first two bridges Governor Ikpeazu commissioned are in Abia North: Umunneochi and Okonu Ohafia.
7. Unarguably, Setraco and Arab Contractors are the biggest road construction companies to work on Abia roads since Mbakwe. While Setraco is working along Brass-Faulks-Ukwu Mango road Aba, Arab Contractor is busy reconstructing the major entry point to Umuahia capital city, Ubakala-Aba road Umuahia.
8. Streets of Umuahia were lit at night before Aba.
9. The most critical erosion control work done by Governor Ikpeazu was done at Imenyi in Bende LGA to prevent the cutting-off of Abia North from the rest of the state.
10. In kilometer terms, Governor Ikpeazu has awarded more road contracts outside Aba and Ngwaland. The reality is that old Bende roads like Idima-Abam road, Abiriba-Nkporo road etc are longer in distance. I will share the list at a later date.
Dejavu?
1999- 2007 Orji Uzor Kalu was accused of partitioning development in favor of Abia North and old Bende. But outside the work he did at Igbere, can folks show me exactly where he favored Abia North and old Bende?
2007-2015 Ochendo was accused of partitioning development in favor of Umuahia even when it was obvious that Umuahia as a young capital should get more attention. Today, opposition elements are in same breath accusing Ochendo of doing nothing at Umuahia. Issorite!
Just 20 months into his Governorship, the same allegations are being leveled against Governor Ikpeazu even when facts on the ground confirm such allegations to be idiotic.
At a recent Igbo leaders meeting held at Awka in Anambra State, a former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria told his colleagues something that was not reported in the news. According to the minister, who is not from Abia, “the path to Igbo economic resurgence leads through Aba and the young man leading that state appears to understand that fact better than his colleague Governors. When you look at his aggressive marketing of made in Aba goods alongside his drive to rebuild infrastructure at Aba, particularly at a time of recession, you have to give it to him that he has great vision that will rub off positively on the Igbo nation in no distant time…..I see hope from what is happening in Abia State”.
When I heard that statement, I smiled because I understood what he was talking about. Those selling divisive propaganda to Abians because of their desperate political quest might not understand that but they should know that during the polls that particular former minister opposed the candidacy of Dr Ikpeazu. On record.
Surely the path to Abia’s development leads through Aba and we all need to encourage the incumbent Governor to do much more at Aba than he is even doing. When he assumes his second term in office we can expect to see the benefits of the focus on Aba rub off positively on the rest of the state.
JOK
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