Breaking News! Abia Council of Traditional Rulers distanced themselves from Eze Ikonne's title conferment on Buhari.

The Abia council of traditional rulers had distance themselves from Eze Ikonne for giving Gen. Buhari the title of Ogbuagu 1, in a statement by the Chairman of Abia Council of Traditional Rulers speaking on behalf of other Ezes, Eze Eberechi Dick said that Chieftaincy titles are given to deserving people who contributed to the growth and wellbeing of the Igbo nation and not to
those who only remember the Igbos during electioneering periods.

They argued that In 1996, Aba Chamber of Commerce
Industry Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA) under Dr
Chukwuemeka Okolo invited Gen. Buhari in his
capacity as the chairman of petroleum trust fund (PTF)
to come and save Aba from the terrible state it was, he
refused to come or even send a representative he also
declined the honour of an award ceremony which was
added to the event to make him come to the rescue of
Aba using his office as PTF chairman, and this was
happening at a period when Aba was in a disaster state
and Ama Ikonne and the entire faulks road was
rendered impassable as a result of heavy flooding in
front of the palace of Eze Ikonne, as at the time this
was happening it was extremely difficult to access
Ariaria from faulks Road.

The Ezes led by the Chairman of Abia traditional rulers
council said they wonder why such a man who had
shown little or no regard to the Igbo nation should be
given a chieftaincy title in Igbo land they also said the
chieftaincy title given to Buhari has nothing to do with
Abia council of traditional rulers and that very soon the
council of traditional rulers will pronounce adequate
sanction for Eze Ikonne for going against the wish of
the Abia council of traditional rulers and Ndi Igbo in
general, according to them Buhari had always stood
against the wish and interest of the Igbo man and had
always segregated against the Igbo nation and at such
does not deserve to be honoured in Igbo land.

VICISSITUDES OF ORJI UZOR KALU AND HIS ENDLESS LAMENTATION

In the course of my interaction with persons from different walks of life, I have come to conclude that one of the major flaws of man is his failure to realize that there is God and that it is only God that knows not only tomorrow but the future, which includes even the next second, in man’s existence. The man that knows not God inwardly is a fool and, therefore, lives in a fool’s paradise.

It is purely by the grace of God that a child from a very wretched family background could attain the envious status of the ‘rich’, including educational, social, political and economic attainments. The Almighty God is always benevolent and merciful, especially to those that believe He exists, have faith in Him, respect Him and love their fellow human-beings.

Any man that appreciates that omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence are incontrovertible qualities of God would, in the first instance, accept that life, in itself, is transient and that no condition can ever be permanent. Equipped with this fundamental religious background, any one that attains whatever position in life would be guided by the knowledge that such a position in life is bound to be ephemeral and that the only way he could be honoured by time is by using the position to impact positively on humanity.

But contrary to the above expectation, man on attainment of certain positions of influence in the society especially in control and management of political power, exudes arbitrariness, wickedness, discrimination, segregation, inequity, greed, kleptomania and every other trait of inhumanity. Man becomes excessively possessed by the extra-ordinary urge to become extremely materialistic and possessive. He then forgets that life is just transient and that any attainment or possession is equally temporary. In fact, the wealthier and more influential man becomes, as long as he does not know God, the more ungodly and ruthless does he become. In extreme cases, man starts to play god, having jettisoned the fact that God picked him from grass and mercifully catapulted him to grace. When the extremity of man that knows not God gets to the level as mentioned above, God manifests Himself as the jealous God and what follows is vicissitude.

For any body that knows the pedigree of the immediate past governor of Abia State; Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, his growth to power was an example of ‘grass to grace and...? For a young man whose paternity was shrouded in controversy and whose mother had to depend, in the main, on meagre income from her on-the-table wares of local gin; popularly known as Kaikai, Ogogoro, Ekpeteshi or Akpuruachia, kola-nuts, bitter kola and snuff at the bank of Aba waterside to have grown to become the governor of his state, shows that there is nothing God can not do for His creature.

Orji Uzor Kalu went through very excruciating experience in his adolescence, passing through the hills and valleys of abject poverty. Despite his very poor upbringing, Orji Kalu ended up becoming the governor of Abia State in 1999. As was captured in my preamble, some persons like playing god not quite long after fortune has smiled on them.

Quickly on assumption as governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu unveiled his agenda, which, notably but regrettably, was woven around vindictiveness and vendetta. He had deep animosity for the traditional institution and in order to announce his arrival he had to rubbish the institution by splitting the autonomous communities in the state in such a way that each kitchen could become autonomous.

As a school dropout, Orji Uzor Kalu, whose real surname is Nsiegbe but in order to deceive the unsuspecting public to believe that he is a child of the wealthy Nnanna Kalu of Abiriba, may his soul rest in peace, changed his family name to Kalu, hates the elites. Therefore, as governor, one of his principal pre-occupations was to torment and ridicule the elites of the state. In this way, he appointed his Commissioners and Special Advisers and fired them disgracefully not more than six months after their appointment. The most disheartening was not that they served only six months but that they had their appointments terminated either at Sam Mbakwe Air-Port, Owerre or the Port Harcourt International Air-Port as he was traveling out of the state. Some political appointees that served under Orji Uzor Kalu ended up developing high blood pressure as a good number of them did not know if they would be allowed to stay upto such a time when they would be able to clear the loan they obtained to pay to Orji Uzor Kalu through his mother; Eunice Nmecha Nsiegbe, for their appointment.

Orji Uzor Kalu has pathological hatred for the hard working people of Abiriba. His only grouse against the people of Abiriba; a people that stand tall among not only the Igbo but Nigeria as a whole for their extra-ordinary ingenuity and enterprise, is because Abiriba people had declared him a persona-non-gratta as he was busy dropping the name of Chief Nnanna Kalu as his father and using same to defraud unsuspecting members of the public. When he became governor, he concluded it was an opportunity to take his pound of fresh from the Abiriba community. Abiriba people are homogeneous. They have a common ancestry and had been ruled via a time-honoured dynasty; The Enachoke. In his bid to cause confusion where there should be none, Orji Uzor split the Abiriba community just to truncate the unity the people had enjoyed for centuries. This unwarranted confusion led to the loss of many lives. Thank God, with his exit as governor and eventual liberation of Abia State from his evil rule, the good people of Abiriba are once again unified and united. They may not stop expressing their gratitude to the government of Sir T.A. Orji.

I have said it severally that Orji Uzor Kalu; Nsiegbe in truth, was and remains a huge bundle of deceit. As governor, he would stop at nothing to deceive the people of Abia state. The roads he constantly claimed or claims to have built were the first set of roads to be described as Dubai or Taiwan roads in the lexicon of civil engineering in Nigeria. Orji Nsiegbe was the only governor in Nigeria who brought three different personalities to commission a particular road at three different times. The Obohia Dubai road which he claimed to have reconstructed was at different times commissioned by the then President Obasanjo, Vice-President Atiku and President of the Senate; Dr. Chuba Okadigbo. That road that gulped huge amount of money did not last more than six months before it was washed away.

Orji Uzor Nsiegbe was born and bred in Aba. He, however, has irreconcilable hatred and antagonism for the people of the Old Aba Division. As governor, he had boasted that the people of Aba zone would remain marginalized in the state for at least, twenty-four years. He arrogated to himself the powers of God. He had no programme for Aba just like he added no value to the state capital of Umuahia.

Even after leaving office after eight years as governor, Orji Uzor asserted his greed on the state for more than three years, collecting more than one hundred million naira every month. Yet in his deceitful kleptomaniac’s style, he would swear, without anybody asking him, that he was not collecting any money from Governor T.A. Orji. While Orji Uzor Nsiegbe was busy playing god, he did not know he was only living in fool’s paradise. Today, God has shown him that He is a jealous God. Orji Uzor Nsiegbe is now treated like an incurable leper. The Presidential Palace he built at Igbere, using Abia State money while the state government was squatting in a rented apartment, hardly witnesses the presence of any dignified indigene of Abia State. So the aim of diverting state fund to building a personal Presidential Palace in his village has been defeated. Orji Uzor Nsiegbe does not come into the state in the day time any more as he avoids being booed at by Abians. Orji Uzor Nsiegbe has been deserted by his former supporters whom he relentlessly deceived and exploited and he is now left alone in his moribund political party; Progressive People’s Alliance. Orji Uzor Nsiegbe’s fortune has nose-dived. He has abysmally failed elections twice in the recent past; (1) Presidential Election in 2007 under his P.P.A. and (2) Senatorial Election in 2011 on the same P.P.A. His brother; Nnanna, whom he had imposed on the people of Aba–North/Aba–South Federal Constituency for eight years in the House of Representatives and who never raised his hand on the floor of the House, not to talk of opening his month to make any contribution, equally failed election in 2011. As a leper, no Abian wants to interact with Orji Uzor Nsiegbe hence the leadership of People’s Democratic Party even in his Igbere ward has rejected his overtures to return to the Party. Orji Uzor Nsiegbe has made himself an abandoned property as another senatorial electoral mishap awaits him in 2015. These are only some of the vicissitudes of Orji Uzor Kalu nay Nsiegbe. Orji Uzor has had his cake and can not eat it. He should stop lamenting.

Chief (Sir) Don Ubani; ksc, JP
(Okwubunka of Asa)
Umuiku-Isi-Asa
Ukwa –West L.G.A

“The Lies And Lies of Orji Uzo Kalu” Is a Reaction to “Reign of Terror

UKPAI UKAIRO ESQ.
PRINCIPAL PARTNER, UKPAI UKAIRO ANDASSOCIATES, LEGAL PRACTITIONERS,
118 TENANT ROAD, ABA,
0803338268

Orji Uzor Kalu, a former civilian governor of Abia State murdered sleep in   REIGN OF TERROR BY ABIA TRIUMVIRATE, Saturday Sun, August 9, 2014, p.71 which appeared in KALU LEADERSHIP SERIES (KLS), a regular weekly column. The need to challenge the preposterous claims and set the records straight is the raison d’être for this intervention. It is my sincere expectation that the conversation will be unhindered in the interest of developmental politics founded on facts and not fiction.  But, first thing first! Let me hoist a tapestry of the character disposition of Orji Uzor Kalu in order to foreground our discussion.

 

I need to state immediately that I do not buy Sun Newspaper. This is because the alter ego of the stable, Orji Uzor Kalu,  for reasons that will appear clear hereunder, is an unserious character with grandiose disposition carefully crafted to hoodwink the unwary.  

 

Again, I also doubt the propriety of a newspaper owner creating a column for himself in his newspaper where he enjoys the uninhibited license of publishing his articles at will, without regard to quality whilst enjoying an unlimited access to those who will permit or deny a rejoinder. This is an issue which I think the NPAN should look at.

 

 Finally, KLS is one of those crafty designs for image-laundering of Orji Uzor Kalu. The truth is that he has no leadership credentials except as is enough to deceive and cheat. When he celebrated his one hundred in office during his first tenure I published a letter to him where I predicted that he will bring unmitigated disaster upon Abia State. I regret that I was proved right.

 

 Leadership is reflected in family and public life. On both fronts Orji Uzo Kalu is not a good market. That is why he cannot teach any positive values. If you listen to Orji Uzo Kalu speak ex tempore in public you will know that even the  KLS is a product of faceless writers who are in his payroll. It is not a case of somebody knowing how to write but being handicapped in public speaking. He simply cannot deliver a coherent message with the same erudition that characterizes KLS.

 

The capacity of Orji Uzor kalu to lie is legendary. But it has served him so well that he has elevated it to an arts form. This was how, growing up in Aba in the 70s’, he grafted  Kalu to his name because he wanted to be seen as the son of Chief Nnanna kalu, a business mogul from Abiriba who at that time was a household name in business circles in Aba. In Igbere, the Village of Orji Uzo kalu, every one knows that “Kalu” does not feature in the family tree of Orji Uzor kalu.

 

 The same trait was again at play when Orji Uzor Kalu mounted the podium in Bornu State of old at a launching of a development fund and made a donation of a sum of money that was mind-boggling. As it later turned out, when the cartons with which the money was delivered were opened, pieces of papers were the content.

 

Of course it is all well known that Orji Uzor Kalu falsely claims to have been a student in University of Maiduguri. According to the fable, which he craftily weaved, he voluntarily abandoned his course of study because some of his co-students who were expelled following a students’ protest were not recalled with him. This story line is of a course a tortoise-said-this-and-that story. It is a historic fact that the students who were expelled went to court and the titanic legal battle they waged moved from the High Court to the Supreme Court.

 

Again, it is an established fact that Orji Uzor Kalu remains the only Nigerian who flaunts a High Court Order that validated a WAEC result in the name of one Orji Uzor Johnson as his WAEC Certificate. For those who might have forgotten, the story is worth retelling, albeit, briefly. While Orji Uzor Kalu was Governor, a certain character whose whereabouts is presently unknown claimed that the WAEC result of Orji Uzor kalu did not belong to him. Pronto, Orji Uzor Kalu approached the High Court presided over by Hon. Justice S. N. Imo, who was the Chief Judge at that time. In the suit he filed against WAEC he claimed that a WASC result in the name of Johnson belonged to Orji Uzor Kalu. In the fastest legal proceedings ever conducted in any judicial system the Chief Judge granted all the reliefs.

 

It is worth recalling that it was the WAEC result and the Court judgment that Orji Uzor Kalu later used to procure admission for a full-time degree course in Abia State University whilst being the visitor to the said University in his capacity as the Governor of Abia State. Interestingly with the severance of his fraudulent influence the Senate of the University has since recalled his certificate.

 

The unimpeachable Truth is that all the core assertions in the said article are false in the extreme. They represent the quintessential trait of the character flaw of Orji Uzor Kalu: a capacity to lie and lie with a aplomb.

 

In the very first paragraph of the article Orji Uzor Kalu claims that Chief T. A. Orji, the Governors of Abia State, is engaging in “campaign of hate against, me and the people of Abia State”. This is an absolute lie. Orji Uzor Kalu is a victim of the repercussions of his misdeeds in Abia State. That is the reason why he cannot freely walk the streets of Aba and accordingly has carefully avoided a visit to the town he grew up and, I dare say, loved to be.

 

 Few years ago he was booed at a popular road junction in Aba-Owerri Road when he was identified in a pothole-induced traffic jam. On that fateful day sachet water and oranges were freely hurled at the vehicle of the former Governor. Trust Aba people in their disavowed of evil! It is the distaste by the people of Aba for the eight years of waste under Orji Uzor kalu that he attributes to the Governor. As I write I challenge any one who cares to visit the numerous drinking joints in Aba and mention either the name of Orji Uzor Kalu’s or his mother.

 

 The claim that Chief T. A. Orji is engaged in a campaign of hate against the people of Abia State is a lie taken too far. There is nothing at all no matter how minor to support such wild accusation. It is thus not surprising that Orji Uzor Kalu could not cite a single example of such campaign. As somebody who has lived in Aba since 1972 I have no hesitation in saying that the assertion that Abia State is under siege is a make-belief.

 

However, one thing is clear. The havoc Orji Uzor Kalu and the mother wrecked on the people of Abia State is far too fresh that they have reason to fear for their lives. What are the facts to back up this assertion? Under Orji Uzor Kalu and mother several hapless political jobbers were railroaded to different shrin where they took oath of personal allegiance. The victims of this idolatry are very much alive and they are bitter.

 

Again, it was Orji Uzor Kalu that masterminded the storming of the Abia State House of Assembly sometime in his first tenure in his office. The House of Assembly was damaged and several house members wounded by the thugs who were openly identified. The reaction of Orji Uzor Kalu was predictable. He donated ten Million Naira only for the repair of the damaged property. No body was arrested and no body prosecuted.

 

Again, Orji Uzor kalu should remember the “Orie Ohabiam 32”. If he has forgotten I need to remind him that thirty two young men died in a cell maintained by a Vigilante group midwifed by him. No body was arrested. No body was prosecuted. The families of the victims were never compensated. Their bitterness against Orji Uzor Kalu is so portent that it can permeate his high security walls.

 

Also, Orji Uzor Kalu should remember the two youngsters from Ubakala, aka the Ubalala two, who were killed at White House, Umuahia. Every hand pointed at the Governor and the mother and until now no body was prosecuted.

 

There are several other cases of mysterious deaths under the nose of Orju Uzor Kalu. However, let me not bore readers with such other examples. Let me just conclude by challenging Orji Uzor Kalu to cite one examples of mysterious death since 2007 which can be traced, even remotely,  to Chief T. A. Orji.

 

Let us remember our initial thesis: that Orji Uzor Kalu is a pathological liar. Thus when he asserts that “what we have in Abia State is total siege”, you can be assured that a spin doctor is at work. When Orji Uzor Kalu and his mother were in charge they looted several lands meant for public purpose. A clear example is the scramble for Ayaba Umueze land which was acquired for a Teaching Hospital. In a brazen display of non-pareil greed Orji Uzor Kalu shared out the land to Slok Nig. Ltd., his company, his brothers, mothers and co-travelers in perfidy.

 

Still in their demonstrable lust for money Orji Uzor Kalu’s mother converted every open space in markets in Aba for the building of stalls which were allotted, for re-sale, to members of Nweke Cabinet – a reference to all the favour-seeking hangers-on who  regularly thronged the residence of Orji Uzor Kalu mother at Nweke Street, Eziama-Aba, a sub-GRA in Aba.

 

In addition open spaces were converted into Motor Parks, Kiosks stands and shops which ensured the environmental defacement of the entire Enyimba City. It is these illegal structures, the manifestation of the debasement of values under Orji Uzor kalu, that are being demolished. Orji Uzor Kalu is only crying because when they erected the structures they knew of the illegality but had proclaimed to the beneficiaries that nothing could happen. In the celebrated language of that accursed time: Usu enwegi onu ( bats cannot bite).

 

Accordingly, when Orji Uzor kalu contends that Abia State is no more congenial he is right in a way. For evil men, fraudsters and idolators Abia State is no more congenial. However, for persons who are genuine in their aspiration for development Abia State remains the destination for good returns on investments. It is a known fact that Aba houses the highest number of SMEI in sub-Sahara which is the reason why the biggest private electric power generating part is being established in Aba.

 

I must, however, concede that the sackking of non-indigenes by the Chief T. A. Orji administration was inconsistent with the status of Abia State as a cosmopolitan state. Accordingly, I was one of those that urged for a reversal of the policy. It is heart-warning that the policy has been reviewed leading to the on-going re-engagement of the workers.

 

 For the umpteenth time let me say that it is not true that we live in fear in Abia State. On the contrary the air of freedom is unprecedented. Today a private radio station in Aba offers every body the platform to air views that were not possible in the heady days of Orji Uzor Kalu’s administration. In 2013 the Aba Marathon became a symbol of the air of freedom in Aba. The claim, therefore, that no where is safe in Abia State is the figment of a mind that is haunted by the evil deeds of the past. Think of Lady Macbeth seeing spots of blood  in his hand or Great Birnam Wood charging towards Macbeth in battle.

 

Let me at this stage address the issue of double-taxation in Aba . I agree that this is a major issue in governance. As a tax practitioner and a legal practitioner it is real. However, two quick points are necessary. It is a national problem as all the states are involved. Again, it was worse during the time of Orji Uzor Kalu. I can recall vividly that the regime of illegal tax started with illegal levies imposed on landlordsin Aba. Without any law in place the agents of Orji Uzor Kalu moved into action and started forcing payments of diverse sums. At the same time commercial bus drivers started paying what then known as thirty naira, for short, which was said to have been approved by “mama” – a reference to the mother of Orji Uzor Kalu. The ferocity with which the payment of levies was enforced, when Orji Uzor Kalu was governor, is still recalled with anger in Aba.

 

Let us fast forward to now. Recently, Governor T. A. Orji convoked a tax summit in Abia State. The summit was a reaction to criticisms of the regime of multiple taxations in Abia State. During the time of Orji Uzor Kalu such a platform was not possible because “bats had no mouth”. The outcome of the summit has not been made public but Governor T. A. Orji has already directed the suspension of all revenue agents pending when all the taxes are harmonized. I dare say that such directive was not possible under Orji Uzor Kalu arising from the insatiable appetite to grab.

 

I am honestly amazed at Orji Uzor kalu’s complaint about the air waves being inundated with praise-singing and booth-licking. When he was Governor his mother became on radio, a political Amazon of our time. She was daily equated with having equal intellectual and political prowess with every great woman in history. Such was the time! Today, while it is generally accepted that the tone of some pronouncements on the air waves are handiwork of over zealous fans of the Ochendo Magic there is nothing near the absurd level that heralded the Orji Uzor Kalu era. It is not for nothing that the NBC, at that time, imposed a fine of =N=500,000.00 on the state radio station in lieu of revoking the license.

 

I dare say that the comparison of Abia State and Bornu State is absurd in the extreme. This is the reason why I can safely say that Orji Uzor Kalu is living in a make-belief world. The camaraderie in Abia State is palpable. The Youth Empowerment Scheme of Chief T. A. Orji has put smiles on the faces of uncountable families. Orji Uzor Kalu,, as governor distributed wheel barrows, old vehicles abandoned by his aides and motorcycles. Today, what Chief T. A. Orji is distributing are vehicles that are in good stead for transportation. The difference, as they say, is clear!

 

Orji Uzor kalu claims that when he was governor he “treated people with dignity, respect and love”. This is absolute nonsense. We need to know whether oath-taking before diverse shrines was consistent with respect for the dignity of the human person. It is also worthy to recall that Orji Uzor Kalu insulted every known politician in Abia State. His caustic attack on Chief Ojo Maduekwe is a metaphor for the point I am making. In this respect it will be recalled that, out of clear mischief, he stoutly claimed that the name “OJO” was not of Igbo origin and therefore that Chief Ojo Maduekwe was not an Igbo man.

 

While America was fighting the evil of Taliban, Orji Uzor kalu conjectured it as a fitting name for all other politician who refused to kiss the poisoned chalice of mother and son for filthy lucre. With the toga of Taliban stuck on every politician, except his ilk, the message to his agents was clear: treat the opposition in the same manner Americans were treating the Taliban in Afghanistan! For Orji Uzor kalu to turn round few years later to claim a behavioral pattern that is inconsistent with his avowed public stance is another manifestation of the lies and lies of Orji Uzor kalu.

 

It is laughable that Orji Uzor Kalu can claim he groomed Governor T. A. Orji. As I write this piece Orji  Uzor Kalu has no graduate certificate from any University in the world. Yet he has the effrontery to claim that he groomed a graduate of a foremost University in Nigeria, the University of Ibadan! This is absolutely unbelievable. Orji Uzor Kalu grew up in the ghetto of Aba and by the time he became Governor all he had to his name, as shown in his certificate with which he contested elections in 1999 and 2003 is his WAEC certificate. Another known attribute then was that he was wildly traveled and a close friend to some military autocrats. Some also falsely thought he had money, not rich, because even today his character flaws betray him as being poor. How then it is possible that Orji Uzor Kalu groomed Chief T. A. Orji. On the contrary, it was Chief T. A. Orji that did all he could to attain a turn-around of Orji Uzor Kalu from seeing everything as “business”  and “game” to the real issues of governance. Regrettably, Orji Uzor kalu was and remains merely a “game man”: somebody who cheats, deceives and lies for personal advantage or gains!

 

That Orji Uzor Kalu attempts to stick on Governor T. A. Orji the “traits of arrogance, meanness, brutality or greed” is shocking because there is no action of the Governor that can be cited in support except in respect of the absolute and damning rejection of the Orji Uzor kalu’s negative tendencies. It was the negative tendencies highlighted by Orji Uzor Kalu that garlanded his administration. Every Abians recalls that at the height of his infamy Orji Uzor kalu asserted that his family will be in charge of Abia Governance for   fifty years. It was also at this time that he threw up his brother, over night, to run and win election under Action Congress to represent Aba North/South Federal Constituency. The hapless brother, thrown up to highlight Orji Uzor Kalu”s political dexterity was later referred to as “deaf and dumb” because not for once did he make any contribution in the House of Representatives.

 

Let me remind Orji Uzor Kalu that rejection of evil is obedience to God. And he who loves God has no business with die-hard sinners. The position of Chief T. A. Orji, as I understand it, comes to this, metaphorically speaking, : I either serve (nay work) with God or mammon and because I am serving (working) with God I will show absolute and irrevocable rejection of mammon.

 

Orji Uzor kalu claims he openly fraternized with everybody when he was Governor. This is absolutely false. I can attest that he once attended Chief Ojo Maduekwe’s daughter’s traditional marriage when no invitation was extended to him. That was a clear example of an uncivilized man who saw the whole thing as a game to bemuse his host. It is remarkable that even after that visit the political darts they landed at each other because more furious. So, what was the aim of the visit? Pretended love by a hypocrite. I do not think a well bred technocrat like Chief T. A. Orji, is caught out for such charade!

 

One of the attributes of Orji Uzor Kalu, as earlier highlighted, is the un-canny ability to make assertions that will appear true to the unwary. He came up with this strategy  when he rhetorically asked if Chief T. A. Orji “will have the courage to walk the streets as many of us do today when he leaves office as Governor?” inherent in this statement is that Orji Uzor kalu can walk the streets freely. I know he can do so in the streets London, New York Washington and even  Lagos. Let him try it in Aba or any other part of Abia State except Igbere.

 

Before Orji Uzor Kalu became governor he was the poster boy of good life in Aba. He was the stand-by boy of the rich with whom he enjoyed to associate with. Because he attended Primary School in CKC, Aba, Secondary Schools in Eziama High School, Aba and Government College, Umuahia he walked the streets with joy filled approbation. Even as governor he enjoyed this sociable image which he cultivated as a façade of deceit. But that was then. Today, his person throws up disdain and opprobrium. I challenge him to test the water.

 

For clarity it needs to be said that each of the assertions of Orji Uzor Kalu in his article are either premised on false ground or intentionally skewed. He claims he never visited government house after he left office. That may be true. But he always desired Government House to be visiting him and his mother. The competence and moral fortitude of the Governor are evident in his ability to reject such contraption; an attitude that Orji Uzor Kalu calls meanness.

 

 

It is right to underscore the fact that Orji Uzor Kalu claims that he does not embark on wild-give chase. But that is exactly the opposite of Orji Uzor kalu. While Governor of Abia State he demonstrated this character flaw. In his first 100 days in office he set up a committee headed by the venerable Chief Akwuiwu (SAN) to investigate illegal sale of property in GRA, Abia State. The report was never made public. Also, Orji Uzor Kalu, as governor, set up a Panel of Inquiry into what was known as Igbere crisis. Of course not a word was heard of the report. Also, it was the same “game-man”-trait that made the Governor to set up a committee on hand over of Schools to their owners. Of course no School was handed over to the original owners until the end of his tenure. Several other examples could be pointed out but the above three are, in my view enough, to support our contention.

 

It is right that Orji Uzor Kalu is preaching moral rectitude, peace and harmony. But he has to step out now and apologize to Ndi Abia. His Government of deceit, blood-letting and idolatry are still fresh. His was the typical Egypt. His write-up shows that he is an un-repentant sinner. He needs our prayers only but not our association. We in Abia State have long left Egypt. There is no going back “Enyi Abia Alawala! .

 

Finally, it is apt to stress that Chief T. A. Orji is humane, honest and caring. These are attributes that are rare is most leaders. He should not be distracted by the likes of Orji Uzor Kalu. As the great Zik said History shall vindicate the just.

APC leaders are a bunch of loud mouths – Onuoha-Bourdex

Pioneer telecom expert and aspirant to Abia North Senatorial district seat in the Senate on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Dr. David Ogba Onuoha-Bourdex, in this interview with select journalists looks at the many socio-political challenges facing Nigeria, Emmanuel Uzodinma reports for DailyPost:
President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the sum of N1.9 billion to battle the Ebola scourge; how do you see this initiative against the backdrop of the many socio-political challenges facing President Jonathan?
Well, I have always expressed the belief that God positioned President Goodluck Jonathan as Nigeria’s leader at this critical point in our nation’s history. I think your question is coming from the background of the prolonged security challenges in the country especially the insurgency in some parts of the country.

Let me say that Jonathan has proved that he is the best man for the job. From day one, the President started battling some grave challenges including natural and man-made obstacles to smooth governance. I hope Nigerians have not forgotten how the President was psychologically traumatized by the needless squabbles over whether the country should obey the Constitutional provision that the Vice President should become President on the event of incapacitation or death of the president. That furore was shortly succeeded by another round of distraction over whether the President should contest the presidential election or not in line with Peoples Democratic Party’s zoning blue print.

As if those were not enough distractions, President Jonathan’s election in a landslide victory was followed by an unwarranted regime of violence instigated by those who believe that they hold exclusive right to the country’s leadership. The nexus between that ogre of violence and the insurgency by the Boko Haram Islamic sect has not yet been fully explored. Should I now forget the flood disaster that left unimaginable social and infrastructure disaster in 2012? At one point after another President Jonathan has been battling some extra ordinary challenges that never before confronted any Nigerian leader.

I had to go down the memory lane to be able to not only answer your question but above all put it in the real perspective. By rising to the enormous emergency health challenge posed by the Ebola outbreak, President Jonathan has shown that he has been toughened by the series of adversities that have been the lot of his chequered presidency. He has proved the sincerity of his assurances to Nigerians that he would fight for their welfare. So by approving the sum of N1.9 billion to contain and address the challenge of the killer virus, the President has shown that he cares. The swiftness of that gesture also shows the humanity and responsiveness of the presidency.

Recall that the president explained that the N1.9 billion will be used to intensify measures to contain the spread of the disease such as establishment of more isolation centres, case management, contact tracing, recruiting additional personnel, screening at the borders and procurement of required items and facilities. The President went further also to declare the control and containment of the Ebola virus in the country, a national emergency. The immediate release of the fund which the president approved was therefore a practical demonstration of the seriousness the situation calls for. The huge sum would help in no small way in the establishment of additional isolation centres, case management, contact tracing, deployment of additional personnel, screening at borders, and the procurement of required items and facilities as the presidency outlined.

But how do you see the president’s request for N1 billion to confront insurgency, which is being dogged by division among legislators some of who refer to the cloud surrounding the alleged missing N49.8 billion oil revenue?

I think the senate committee charged with investigating that claim by the former Central Bank Governor, has come out with a clear declaration that such a humongous amount was not missing from the treasury.

That brings me back to what I was trying to explain earlier that a lot of sentiments have been built like a stone wall to distract the president. What I believe President Goodluck Jonathan needs, is the collective solidarity and support of all Nigerians as he tackles the myriads of socio-political challenges confronting our country at this point of its development. Certain commentators have alluded to the politicization of the insurgency to blame its escalation on a particular political party. I do not want to reject the suggestion that the Boko Haram insurgency could be serving the political interests of those who do not want President Jonathan to succeed in office.

However, I think the time has come to tackle the insurgency headlong as a clear affront on Nigeria’s sovereignty. Therefore the import of President Jonathan’s request to the National Assembly for approval for the release of the N1 billion to tackle national security, is that he wants to adopt a different strategy. It would therefore be childish for any lawmaker who is aware of the national embarrassment the insurgency is causing our country to withhold consent on the altar of political considerations.

With due respect, the Senate has shown more maturity in issues of this nature than the House of Representatives because the lower House seems to be always on the lookout for hidden political considerations or benefits in its examination of executive communications or requests. There is no doubt that the insurgency; especially the abduction of 219 girls from Girls Secondary School in Chibok has shown that the Nigeria military is in dire need of modern sophisticated equipment and hardware to tackle the intricate terrorist warfare. If part of the money being requested by the President would go to upgrading the military arsenal, I think it should get unanimous approval. When such challenge came upon Mali, it took the assistance of the French army to dislodge the Islamists who wanted to carve out a separate colony for their nefarious activities. President Jonathan has said that Nigeria would not cede any segment of the country. Nigeria is a big country and should demonstrate the capacity to defend its territorial integrity. The National Assembly should endeavour to be on the same page with the President on this issue of battling insurgency. As such I feel the legislators should grant the President approval for the contingency fund in this period of national emergency.

As zoning seems to be threatening most state chapters including Abia, don’t you think the arrangement would continue to haunt the party in 2015?

Attempts by the opposition to use zoning against PDP has continued to backfire. Despite its bogus claim as the bastion of internal democracy, the recent national convention of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) convinced Nigerians that the leaders are but a bunch of loud mouths whose lips and lives have very big gaps. That they do not do what they say came to light when they zoned the national chairmanship of APC to the South-South. Now I have it on good authority that they plan to tinker with the zoning arrangement further to accommodate a presidential running mate from the same South-South.

But regarding that wonderful innovation of zoning by PDP, the plan was to reduce bickering that usually follows nomination of presidential candidates in the party. The idea was also to deepen the search for credible candidates instead of crowding the field with many aspirants some of whom may be out just to win attention. What happened in 2010, though unforeseen; was an attempt to interpret the zoning arrangement without accommodating the superiority of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It is therefore such narrow approach to the implementation of the zoning that created the fuss we witnessed at the demise of our former president Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. As you can see PDP has weathered that storm and I would like to reiterate the aspect of zoning which was disclosed by the Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Martin Elechi. The elder statesman stated that what PDP zoning sought to do was to extend the federal character principle which states that President and Vice President, Governor and his Deputy as well as Chairman and Vice Chairman should not come from the same ethnic group. That is the aspect that endears PDP zoning to Nigeria citizens. The arrangement should not make people lose sight of merit and competency. After all the electoral system gives the voters the last say! That is how it should be; whatever political parties do to win elections is welcome to the extent that it should not take away the right of the people to have the final say. Parties can zone, but the people can un-zone during the election by electing the man/woman they like. It is as simple as that.

I think President Jonathan has given Nigerians what they treasure most through the electoral reforms. The principle of ‘One man, One Vote’ is the ideal instrument to make power belong to the people in a democracy. That is part of the reason I urge Nigerians to support President Jonathan for a second term in office so that he could deepen this democratic culture and enhance good governance in Nigeria.

All eyes seem to be on your state, Abia as the 2015 election draws near; the Governor, Chief T. A. Orji has shown interest to go to the Senate and yet speaks of zoning the governorship to Abia South, which is raising some controversies; do you not think the Governor seems to be biting more than he can chew?

You journalists have a way of postulating abstractions. The reality on the ground in Abia State is that the Ochendo phenomenon marks the refreshing turning point in Abia politics and social life. Governor T. A Orji has in a quiet way brought down the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan to the practical experience of Abia people, both young and old. Therefore when Abians from all walks of life talk of him as the liberator, people from outside the shores of the state seem not to understand what Ochendo means to us. Governor T. A. Orji has through an uncommon understanding of statecraft lifted Abia State and Abians from the morass of official greed compounded by the waste and extravagance of the preceding years. Men and women now freely express their political preferences and ideas as opposed to the choking system of voodoo politics of yesteryears. Top of that Ochendo has raised a new consciousness among the people that it is easy for the government to provide a combination of physical and stomach infrastructure for the benefit of the masses. The legacy projects and economic empowerment programmes of the governor has made him the rallying point for leadership in the state. As such when the governor said that the search for the next Abia governor should start from the South, he was carrying out his responsibility as a leader instead of keeping the people in the dark. As a famous consensus builder, empathic and visionary leader, Governor T. A. Orji wants to mobilize Abians in the search for the appropriate candidate to succeed him in office and carry the touch of liberation further. His position should therefore not been seen from the narrow prism of political exigency but as a call for voter inclusion and involvement in the search for the next governor. Like I said before, Ochendo is not extinguishing the people’s right to the final say on who becomes the governor through the expression of their votes.

I can understand the apprehension in some quarters that the governor may already have a candidate settled in his mind as the next governor. But that is far from the truth. If it were to be his intention atleast he should have kept mute like one of the South East governors did who warned his loyalists against aspiring for the position of governor saying that he had a candidate in mind. But the democratic credentials of Ochendo have never been and cannot be in question.

As a true leader of men, our governor does not want to shirk his responsibility of opinion leadership. He calls a spade by its name and always means what he says. That is why the people of Abia Central Senatorial district, including the incumbent Senator Nkechi Nwogu, have freely and unanimously endorsed him to represent them in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And it shall come to pass! Abians are happy with the governor and wherever he leads, we follow.

DAILYPOST

APC crisis in Abia deepens

 …Group insists on fresh congress

 As crisis in Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) deepens, a faction known as Abia APC Integrity Group, has warned that the party would not make any meaningful inroad in the state except its earlier position for the conduct of fresh congresses that would usher in acceptable democratically elected executive, was adhered to.But one of the officials elected at the disputed congress, Chief Okey Nwagbara, said the call for a fresh congress in Abia was a disservice by those who did not want to accept defeat in good faith.

The integrity group, in a resolution made available to newsmen after its meeting in Aba, Abia State, predicted that APC would be doomed in the state if necessary actions were not taken to urgently dismantle the two parallel executives that were separately constituted without congresses by two chieftains of the party, including a former governorship aspirant.

The APC Integrity Group, which consists of prominent members of the legacy parties that laid foundation for the party stated that while it had openly advocated for, “a neutral and democratically elected executives at all levels expected to carry everyone along and ultimately drive APC towards taking over governance in Abia,” the other factions have, “at the detriment of the stability and growth of the party,” continued to parade non-existent state executives.
Members of the group said it was against this backdrop that they  reaffirmed their earlier stand for a fresh congress that would produce a neutral executive, which would carry everyone along and further drive the party to victory in Abia.

But, in his reaction, the APC vice chairman, Abia Central, Chief Okey Nwagbara berated those calling for a fresh congress saying it was unnecessary.
He said the state congress was held by a congress committee led by Mr. Sunday Akere, Osun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy and supervised by representatives of INEC, adding that those calling for fresh congress also participated.
He urged on the Integrity group members to join hands with the elected state executive to move the party forward.