…Commends gov’s developmental strides, move to sanitize cattle market

By Steve Oko

The All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Abia State chapter, has advised Gov. Alex Otti, to quickly wade into the leadership tussle bedevilling the Abia State House of Assembly, before it metamorphoses into an uncontrollable political crisis capable of endangering his administration.

APGA Chairman, Ambassador Friday Onukwubiri, who addressed a press conference in Umuahia on Monday, with members of his State Working Committee, said it was not in the best interest of the state for the State House of Assembly to be polarised along party lines.

Trouble started when the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which has 11 out of the 24 members of the House, was denied the opportunity to produce the Majority Leader of the House by the ruling Labour Party which has 10 members.

Ever since then, PDP members which staged a walkout during the session, have been boycotting sittings of the House.

APGA which only produced a Senator and a House of Representatives member in the state, expressed worry over the standoff in the House and urged Gov. Otti to intervene before it got out of control.

APGA Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwokoro, who read the text of the press conference, said only a peaceful and harmonious Assembly, would guarantee the realization of the Governor’s efforts towards repositioning Abia.

” Alex Otti should quell the crisis in the House of Assembly to have a peaceful Assembly that will help him deliver good governance to Abia.

“We advise the Governor not to pretend over the crisis rocking the State Assembly, as his inaction in stepping out to solve the problem may pose a serious obstacle to his administration.

” The Governor needs the 24 members of the Abia State House of Assembly for the smooth running of his government, and should not work with select few but should bring them together as one House”.

APGA also pleaded with the Governor to reconsider the disengagement of some workers who were sacked following their alleged illegal recruitment by the immediate-past administration.

The appeal, according to the party was given the biting economic hardship in the country.

” APGA wants to appeal to the Government to reconsider its stand by recalling and re-integrating the over 5000 sacked workers in the interest of their respective families and dependants.”

Meanwhile, APGA commended Gov Otti for his swift response in tackling infrastructural decays, especially roads in parts of the state, urging him to sustain the tempo.

The party expressed delight over the renovation of strategic roads in Aba including Emelogu, Cemetery Road, Udeagbara Road, and the recent award of Port Harcourt Road Aba.

It however, called on the Governor to closely monitor contractors handling some of the palliative road works in the state particularly in the Umuahia metropolis to speed up the project and ease traffic flow.

APGA which promised to play a responsible opposition in the state, further commended Gov Otti for his consistency in paying workers’ salary and urged him to sustain the gesture.

It also urged the Governor not to renege on his campaign promise of wiping out the backlog of pension arrears before the end of December.

” We want to commend the government of Alex Otti for making sure Abia civil servants are paid their wages. He has shown a paradigm shift from the evil style of the previous administration that derived joy in the suffering of Abia workers.”

APGA also threw its weight behind the Governor’s move to sanitize the Lokpanta Regional Cattle Market by fencing and converting the market into a non-residential market.

It urged traders to cooperate with the Government as a necessary step towards curbing insecurity in the area.

APGA congratulated its candidate for Aba North/Aba South federal constituency, Chief Alex Ikwechegh, on his recent victory at the Court of Appeal, describing it as a triumph for democracy.

According to the APGA Chairman, the declaration of Chief Ikwechegh as the rightful winner of the contest was a confirmation that God had ordained the seat for APGA to continue with the good works of the late Ossy Prestige, who represented the constituency on the platform of APGA.