Concerned Abia Citizens, CAC, Friday advised the State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Cosmos Ndukwe, to stop alleged anti-Party activities in the state, nothing that he has a right to associate with anyone but should be guided by the principles of his party.

Disclosing this in a statement signed by Prof. Uche Chinonso, President, Dr. Nwokeocha Alozie , Secretary, Pharm. Francis Chukwudi, and Vice President, Chief Ndukwo Kalu, Publicity Secretary, the group opined: “Concerned Abia Citizens, CAC, a forum of highly respected Abia Citizens, has read the statement made by the Abia State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Cosmos Ndukwe, wherein the commissioner and elder statesman asserted his right to host and have people and actors of the other political divide and parties as guests – his recent hosting of nominal or main state leader of All Progressives Congress APC, Chief Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, MON being in focus here.

“We wish to remind the honourable commissioner that he is indeed in exercise of his right to free association and assembly but at the same time can be likened as a blatant flip-flopper.

“We so posit because sometime last year – when the speaker of Abia House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji visited the same Orji Uzor Kalu after the Supreme Court quashed the ruling by a lower court sentencing the latter to a twelve year prison term – Cosmos who carries the tag and alias of “Man of God” descended on the speaker, reminding him of how he was making nonsense of their fight (when the speaker’s father was governor) against Orji Uzor Kalu. In the said release, Cosmos vehemently criticised the Speaker but today, we see the honourable commissioner with the same OUK in his hometown of Akanu Item.

“Let it be stated that as concerned citizens, we are not rattled by this latest development. Why did the commissioner raise so much dust in that visit by the Speaker and why is he doing same if he ever wished his party – the PDP – well.

“Again, the speech as obtained and seen at various media platforms (Facebook and Twitter mostly) portrayed the commissioner somehow. Why will he talk in a manner that shows him as an indispensable political heavyweight in the state?

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“We want to ask the commissioner if his actions and countenance in the video is indeed a way of rewarding PDP for keeping him in political job for the past twenty years or more. When he said he doesn’t want to be provoked, was it that he is the final arbiter of state politics in Abia? What could his motivations be? We now ask: Who is Hon Cosmos if provoked? What will he do if provoked?

“We wish to remind the commissioner that party loyalty remains the bedrock of internal democracy and that he has for decades been a beneficiary of this – even when he’s not the only qualified Abian. His act shows us a man who for insular, parochial interest can jettison the collective. Why bring in the governor in a matter he could have done better to explain in the most peaceful and calm manner?

“If ever the governor goes to Abuja, it is in interest of Ndi Abia and while still sitting as the governor in Abia State duty calls on him to serve all parties regardless of party affiliation in the interest of Abia while he as a commissioner is an employee or better an appointee of the governor, not even elected by the people but directly answerable to the governor who appointed him based on trust. So why does he make the governor look petty and less?

“We wish to remind the honourable commissioner that his own act was no less an anti-party act and activity as he once accused the speaker and that in any way, he might have to consider the meaning of the alias and moniker he bears in God’s own state as “Man of God”. He should be an elder we expect him. For now, we want him to continue enjoying his right of association but to have and show respect to the governor whenever he is in exercise of that right.

Vanguard News Nigeria