In Nigeria, Abia State is one of the extremely blessed states. The state is
endowed with natural possessions like oil and gas. It also has a thriving
commercial city at Aba, which in other climes, there is no trade and
industry development ambitious, moving, spotlighted, and energetic leader
that would not lend his or her tremendous support to Aba. This region in
the state should have been reconstructed with all it takes to get it
positioned. It is supposed to be among the pinnacle of world economic
powers. Building of roads and other infrastructure were supposed to
characterize Aba, but rather blatant lies from the government have
characterized the area and sundry.
We have only heard about political godfathers and their godsons being
estranged in several occasions, but that of a governor and his government
been estranged is a new phenomenon, and this can only be found in Abia
State.
Governor Theodore Orji and his government are estranged, observers would
also attest to this, before the 2011 general elections. In earnest
surveillance, the governor had estranged his duties as a governor the day
he disaffected from Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, his political mentor and
benefactor, with flimsy excuses. His government since then ticked-off Kalu,
but the people of Abia still resonate Kalu’s name, unblemished.
One example of this estrangement is the fact that Orji was the only
governor who saw every other Igbo who were not from his state as
non-indigenes. Can you beat that? He transferred these Igbo (non-indigenes)
civil servants in the state to their states of origin. But his foot
soldiers would say that the policy has been ratified and that the policy
was in the best benefit of the state. However, they forgot that sending
capable civil servants back to their states of origin is a pointer that he
is imposing his fellow Abians on positions on the basis of demerit, because
merit thrives where there is competition.
The second example of this estrangement is the fact that since the creation
of the state in 1991, Abia State has not seen where a public office holder
was pelted before, except Orji. And this was the effect of his several
failed promises by his government to the people. This bombardment was not
the orchestration of the opposition. And this could happen to only a
government that talks much of “liberation victory” but is plunging the
people into illuminating viciousness. His reform in the civil service,
which his bootlickers say had an effect on the welfare of
non-indigene-civil-servants in the state, is a measure that he is
sentimental in human relation.
The third example of this estrangement is the fact that his incapability to
arrest the incessant kidnappings in the state has also been attributed to
the handiwork of the opposition by his yesmen, which is not near any
truths. The fact is that the governor is scrawny in work, but brave in
blowing his own horn. This has resulted to risk the anecdote between Orji
and the residents of the state. The government in Abia State is awful,
because of the imperiousness the residents are suffering in the government.
The people are holding Orji in low esteem, because he has refused to do
what was supposed of a governor. Rather, the governor is transferring his
aggression and suspending top government functionaries. And when anyone
asks why, they say, “You do not understand how government works or
operates”, and that “hiring and firing of government functionaries are the
sole responsibilities of the Governor for reasons best known to him.”
But no matter how they have tried to justify ineptitude as sensitivity,
Orji should stop trying hard to show a remarkable record of his government,
which the people have marked as ghastly. He should understand that his body
language always exposes his inability to position the state well to measure
with the well administered and built-up states in Nigeria.
It is sad to note that Abia State has mournfully failed under T.A Orji, not
minding all the accessible resources coming to it from the Federal
allocation and from other internal generated revenues. Orji and his media
team are full of activity of wasting funds in the name of image laundering,
whereas there are no working drainages to control the floods when it rains,
etc. Orji should know that his government lacks organization and
infrastructures soothing a developed state. Where and how does he spend
the state’s fund? He should stop the estranging habit between his
government and himself to avert further booing, jeering and being called
unprintable names.
