* Urge EFCC to probe Abia finances
The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) – the umbrella body of all the youth groups in the South East geopolitical zone – has descended on Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, describing his 7 years in office as a disaster.
The youths, through a statement at the weekend by its President-General Goodluck Ibem, claimed that the administration of the governor has impoverished the people of the State, with little achievements to show for his years in office.
Ibem said: “The youths are totally disappointed over the abysmal performance of Abia Governor, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu. His 7 years in office is nothing to write home about.
“His seven years in office has just been years of suffering for Abians as people have no good roads to ply on. It has been years of hunger and starvation as workers and pensioners are not being paid their salaries and pensions.
“Abia State polytechnic staff are owed salaries of 2 years and 4 months. Pensioners owed for 4 years; Abia State Teaching hospital staff owed for years and some months; gratuity not paid to retired workers. The list is endless.
“While the governor, family and some cronies are drinking and pouring their champagne, Abia workers and their families are going to bed hungry. Some workers are dead, while some are critically ill as a result of long years of not receiving their salaries and pensions,” Ibem alleged.
He aadded: “Abia State government under Governor Ikpeazu took a World Bank loan of N27.4 billion to construct Port Harcourt road, Obohia road, Ngwa road and drainage system within those areas and as we speak, nothing meaningful has been done on those roads.
“A visit to Port Harcourt road will tell you the true position of things in Abia State. Flood has sacked so many people from their homes. The people living in those places are suffering and businesses closed down as a result of unavailability of passable roads.
“We implore World Bank to come to Port Harcourt road and see for themselves the extent of work done on Port Harcourt road which a whopping N27.4 billion was released for its construction.
“The street lights in Osisioma junction along Aba-Port Harcourt expressway is just a window dressing to deceive those passing through Abia to other states that all in well in Abia State when in actual sense and reality, the people are suffering on a daily basis.” Ibem lamented.
Speaking of the governor’s aspiration to run for Senate seat, Ibem said: “We are really surprised that a governor who has done nothing meaningful with all the federal allocations to the State, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), 13 percent derivation, loans (internal and external) and bailout funds will be aspiring to go to the Senate after a failed 8 years as governor.
“If someone like Ikpeazu should go to the Senate, his going there will be to attract bad roads, unpaid salaries and pensions. There is nothing at all to point to after 7 years of being a governor.
“Abians have been deceived enough and we say, enough is enough. The governor should give account of his stewardship before thinking of aspiring for any other political office. Public office is not a personal or family business where those elected behave as the like. It’s an office that the public office holder must give account for the responsibility given to him.
“Under Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Abians are kidnapped and killed on a daily basis by Fulani terrorists parading as herdsmen in the State. A Prelate of the Methodist Church, His Eminence Rev Samuel Kanu Uche, was kidnapped on Abia soil and he had to pay a whopping sum of N100 million to regain his freedom from his captors. Countless number of citizens have been kidnapped on Abia soil, which were not reported. All these point to one thing: bad leadership and inability to deliver on the goods.
“Abians are very unfortunate to have Ikpeazu as their governor…
“If the governor says he has constructed Port Harcourt road and that it is motorable; we want to relocate to 200 Port Harcourt road and be going to work from there.
“We demand a prosper investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abia State .