* Tasks Ikpeazu, Abaribe to face governance squarely
A former Executive Chairman of Arochukwu Local Government Area, Hon. Chibuike Jonas, has reacted to the death threat issued to the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
He described the threat allegedly made by the media aide of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as an act of cowardice and showings of signs of fear and failure by the State government.
Hon. Jonas who, described himself as an original ‘Nwa Aba’, regretted the fact that he and other ‘Aba born’, can no longer visit the Enyimba City because of the decay of infrastructure in the town.
He cited the Osisioma flyover as not only an embarrassment to Abians, but the entire Igbo people.
“Abia is becoming a failed State. Visit Ebonyi State with a smaller Federal allocation and see the wonders the governor has done there. Abia indeed has taken several steps backward since the inception of the administration of Okezie Ikpeazu,” he said.
Jonas described as unfortunate, the statement credited to Governor Ikpeazu and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe to the effect that Senator Kalu was in prison when most projects currently ongoing in Abia were commenced.
Kalu during the campaign for the Aba North/ South election, had credited the Federal government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with the ongoing projects. But in their reactions, both Ikpeazu and Abaribe stated that because of Kalu’s incarceration, he was unaware when the State government started the projects.
Jonas took a swipe at Senator Abaribe, whom he described as a ‘Grammar Senator’. He challenged the Senate Minority Leader to present a score card of his achievements in 16 years at the Red Legislative Chambers.
“How can one stand up and blow English every day in the Senate whilst there is no road to his village?” Jonas queried.
Turning to Ikpeazu, Hon Jonas advised the governor to take the issue of governance seriously.
He said: “Governance is no child’s play; Abia is looking out of shape just like the governor. With a backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances, and no tangible projects to show for the huge Federal allocations it collects, Abia has become the worst State in Nigeria.”
On the chances of Honourable Mascot Kalu emerging winner of the polls come March 27, Jonas described it as bright.
He described Mascot as a kind-hearted and successful business man, who returned home after his sojourn in the United States of America to contribute his quota to the development of Abia State and Nigeria.