Abia is waiting
IT is seldom said that those who live in a glass house should not throw stones, because they might end up becoming victims.
Creditors are often reminded to be careful and mindful of how they challenge their debtors, because they might also be asked to account for their fathers’ own debts at the same time.
That is the scenario that is in the open now in Abia State as the people of the State await the reply of their former governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu to the plethora of published allegation backed with documents by the Abia State government on how the state was indebted to the tune of N29 billion under his administration.
Ever before now, the alleged N29 billion debt under Kalu’s administration was not in the public domain, though it was known by his successor, Governor T.A Orji who has been managing it with maturity and astuteness for peace to reign.
When some weeks ago his predecessor, Kalu started throwing stones at glass houses by publishing unfounded allegations against Orji in a smart move to gain political mileage ahead of him in the forthcoming elections, having lost out in the power game in the state, he never imagined that what his action will expose about his eight locust years as governor of Abia State.
While it is clear that Kalu’s allegation as we have seen and read on the pages of newspapers were without documents to substantiate them, Abia State government’s response to it so far is overwhelming with photocopies of signed documents to back it up. So now, it is becoming clear to Nigerians and the people of the State who was responsible for their many years of neglect and sufferings.
Considering what have been released in the public domain by the Abia State government, there is every need for Kalu to respond with facts and evidence as being done by the Abia government.
Anything contrary or short of this means admission and if it is true as alleged by the Abia government that he used his position as governor to feather his nest and that of his family, he has no moral justification to criticize his successor, Orji, who in the face of glaring challenges has done better than him.
What is happening or has happened in Abia is a blessing in disguise to the people, because it has exposed and still exposing the failure of leadership in the State from 1999-2007.
Liberation struggle is a very costly and dangerous venture and it is only people with courage and gut that usually succeed as being displayed by Governor Orji.
One can only but imagine what the State would have lost and continue to lose if Governor Orji has not taken the bull by the horn by challenging his predecessor’s excesses and interference.
The people are quite aware of what prompted the action of the former governor, but it seems it has boomeranged and he who murdered sleep cannot sleep again. It was the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti who once said that trouble dey sleep inyaga go wake am.
Acclaimed members of the State chapter of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) supposedly took a half page advertorial in The SUN newspaper of Friday, February 18 to say rubbish and put up a defence for Kalu. This is not and can never be enough for Kalu and his cohorts to convince the people that the Abia State government has failed in its administrative responsibility.
Rubbish in the sense that the contents of the advertorial made no meaning and lack facts.
It is a mere circumlocution to please the paymaster. It is often said that he who alleges must substantiate. The responsibility is now on Kalu’s shoulder to prove and defend himself on the allegation, especially as he has declared to run for the Abia North senatorial seat.
He has to account for his stewardship proper before seeking for the people’s support again. The Abia State government has put out enough vital documents in the public that no further proof is needed.
I am sure that in days ahead more information will come to light for the people to judge how a coal pot can call an electric kettle black. It is clear that all this was in a desperate bid to give Orji a bad name ahead of the election. But information available to the people now surely vindicates the Governor.
No matter what anyone can say about governance in Abia State since 2007, Governor Orji has performed creditably even in the face of daunting challenges that confronted his government from inception, especially in the area of insecurity which was an orchestrated plot by some enemies to destabilize his government.
Indeed as those familiar with the state can testify, no governor since the creation of the State had faced challenges like the incumbent. The greatest challenge any leader can face is insecurity and high-level conspiracy. Such was Orji’s story and experience from inception, but he was able to see and conquer as the state is more than secure to
Continues tomorrow
Mr. FREEDOM UGWUAGBA, an educationist, writes from Aba, Abia State.
