https://www.facebook.com/119961132055926/

Ndi Abia

Home
Nigeria
Umuahia
Ndi Abia

Abia news channel

05/04/2024

Abia PDP Caucus Meeting: I have no plans to leave PDP - Ikpeazu

The immediate past Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has informed members of Abia State PDP caucus that he has no plan to leave the party but will rather stay with others to rebuild it.

Speaking during a well attended caucus meeting held at the new party secretariat at Onyerubi Crescent, Ogurube Layout, Umuahia, Dr Ikpeazu, who called for unity of purpose among members of the party in the state to ensure that the party quickly returns to winning ways, stated that the exit of some of his former aides to other political parties remains their personal choice.

“We must all take individual responsibility for our performance in the 2023 elections even as our party is going through self cleansing at the moment. I will remain in PDP and will never be found wanting in my responsibilities to our party and its rebuilding process.

"Those who want to leave will leave no matter what you do but loyalty is also about the realization that at some point this party has been good to you. It is now time for sacrifice especially from those who previously benefitted from our party in one way or another as we must all join hands to reposition it," he said.

Earlier in his address, the state PDP Chairman, Rt Hon Asiforo Okere thanked members who have remained steadfast in supporting the party especially after the 2023 elections and reminded members that the party still maintains a majority at the state House of Aseembly even when the election was conducted same day with Governorship election that the party lost.

He announced that the National Working Committee of the party has extended the tenures of elected ward and LGA executives by 3 months in acting capacity and the constitution of 3 committees to handle Peace and Reconciliation, Way Forward and Finance.

Also speaking, the Senator representing Abia Central, Col. Austin Akobundu, stated that while people were free to leave and join a political party, the PDP in Abia State is a movement that nobody can kill.

On his part, elder statesman and member of PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu called for unity and stated that the time for blame game is over as there were no factions in the party, and that leaders and members have learned from the 2023 experience and must be ready to bounce back. According to him, “It is now time to reposition the party and ensure that young members find comfort and space to contribute to the party and leadership in the state."

Other members of the caucus who attended the meeting include the immediate past Deputy Governor of Abia State, Rt Hon Ude Oko Chukwu, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, PDP governorship candidate at the 2023 elections, Chief Okey Ahiwe, former and serving PDP members of Abia State House of Assembly led by Hon Solomon Akpulonu, members of the National and State Working Committees, and other invited stakeholders.

03/04/2024

Abia PDP: "Do you want to leave too?"

"Do you want to leave too?"

That was the question our Lord Jesus Christ asked His Apostles in John 6:67 after many of His disciples left Him because of "His hard teachings". He turned to the remaining Twelve and put that question to them.

Jesus didn't mind that his multitude of followers had left Him because they couldn't contend with the truth that His flesh is the true bread which they must eat to come to the Father.

The Master didn't stop there. In verse 70 of the same chapter, He told the Apostles poignantly that, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”

To many then, Jesus suffered a great loss in his multitude of followers leaving, and to make matters worse, even among the remaining Twelve, one was a devil! To such people, the loss of a multitude who could not comprehend the truth or act in same light was a huge loss to Jesus.

But the contrary was actually the case.

As I saw "a multitude" of PDP "stalwarts" in Abia decamp to APC, I celebrated greatly because that was actually a good riddance to bad rubbish. For every negativity the PDP might have attracted in Abia, those men were the architects, the venoms that worked to permeate the state for so long. Their continued presence in the PDP was actually a cog in the wheel of the rebuilding exercise that the party is embarking on in the state. And it would have amounted to an enormous waste of time and resources to have embarked on such a rebuilding project with the same rotten materials that caused the supposed degradation of the party in the first place.

It is even quite surprising that the APC would not only accept or welcome such political dregs into its fold but that it would celebrate it the way it did when in actual fact those men should be treated like the political lepers that they are. None of them can claim to have any real political value beyond their immediate homes except the overhyped appendages of 'former this and former that' hitherto bestowed upon them by the same PDP.

Isn't that why, in one of the pictures from the defection event, they looked like newly rehabilitated bandits about to be granted amnesty? Or like school children caught in the act of truancy by their school headmaster and are seeking undeserved leniency?

The PDP in Abia is undergoing a very important cleansing and self-cleansing process at this time. It is a process that must be carried out without any fear or reservation. It is a process that must be seen through to the end so as to ensure that only those with genuine political credentials, grassroots connection and a heart for Abia remain. The time to know such people is now that the party is no longer in power in the state.

Like in those days, let the multitude leave and even if we are left with only the 'Twelve', so be it. And let the 'devil' still hanging around the 'Twelve' also leave, and leave quickly, too. The excess baggage had clogged the party's wheels for too long. It's time we lightened the ship by hauling this excess baggage into the sea without regrets so we can sail both safely and effectively, henceforth.

Credit: Jude Ndukwe

03/04/2024

PRESS STATEMENT

DEFECTION OF A FEW ABIA PDP MEMBERS TO THE APC

The attention of the Abia PDP has been drawn to the news of the defection of a very few members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Abia State to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

As a truly democratic party that believes in the principles of liberty, justice and equality, the Abia PDP welcomes such a development with an open mind and the understanding that the individuals who left are entitled to their freedom of association as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other regional and international treaties that recognise the liberty of men to freely associate with whomever they wish.

The Abia PDP truly appreciates the exit of these men because after the 2023 general elections, the Abia PDP did a post-mortem on itself and came to the inevitable conclusion that the Party needs to reinvent itself for the future and that the only way for that to happen would be for the party to shed weight not by expelling some people but for those responsible for its brief downturn to exit by themselves. That is exactly what has happened and the Abia PDP truly appreciates their exit after they recognised that they were no longer useful to the Party in whatsoever form.

While we wish them well in their future endeavours, we also tell our members, numerous sympathisers and well wishers that the Abia PDP has received many applications from very highly placed and well meaning Abians who are desirous of joining the PDP, Africa’s largest democratic party. In due time, we would unveil and let Abians see the calibre of people who have joined the PDP from other major political parties.

What should be a source of concern to Abians is why these people are leaving the PDP and rather than join the ruling party in Abia which is the Labour Party, they are joining the APC which is the ruling party at the centre. That alone speaks much about the character of the people who defected from the PDP.

We call on all members of the Abia PDP and our numerous sympathisers and well wishers to remain steadfast, courageous, hopeful and believe in the ability of the present leadership of the Abia PDP to continue to maintain the great stability that our party has witnessed in the past 25 years.

PDP - Power to the People!

Signed

Hon. Abraham Amah

Abia PDP Vice Chairman/Acting State Publicity Secreatary

02/04/2024

There is nothing like, God bless the brains behind New Ariaria International Market..

We all know the Brain behind the New Ariaria International Market and his name is Okezie Ikpeazu. You no go get Mgbapi nkorlor if you say it.

I dislike Rubbish.

Dom Nik

02/04/2024

They were all members of PDP. Most of them here spent 24 years in PDP. They were either appointed or elected. Otti was PDP Governorship Aspirant, having been in PDP for years. Others here were SAs, Local Government Chairmen, House of Assembly Members, House of Representatives Members, Aspirants under PDP in the 2023 general elections but left when the system asked them to give others opportunity to serve. ARE YOU ONE OF THOSE SINGING THE CHORUS THAT PDP DESTROYED ABIA IN 24 YEARS - IWU ÑNOO GULLIBLE ID*IOT. Labour Party in Abia is 95% PDP - A case of old wine in new bottle.

02/04/2024

You would expect politicians to decamp to the ruling party, right?
What is it about Otti's LP that Abia politicians are avoiding?

30/03/2024

Sabbath Worship today in Aba

30/03/2024

The Pension Conundrum and way forward for Abia state Government

By Obinna Oriaku

Recently, I decided to ignore some of the development in our state, because I wanted to give the current administration enough time to navigate the burden of leadership for at least one year. After one year in office, it would then be the best time to take stock.

However, I have to come out of my hibernation to appreciate the Governor for at least looking at the way of pensioners. I have consistently frowned at non-payment of pension arrears and frowned even more at the continued inconceivable payment of half pension amount to Abia retirees. How did that culture of holding back some amount from the meagre pension creeped into existence?.

I must admit that we owed pensions arrears of about 10 months before the 2019 election, However, under my watch we never paid HALF pension . We still seek to know why with enhanced allocation as witnessed from August 2019, the state resorted to paying HALF pension.

The problems of pension payment in Abia state predates Alex Otti's administration. These problems are fundamental and must be addressed, else they will continue to reoccur notwithstanding who is Governor or his political party.

Before 2015 , the pension wage-bill for state pensioners averaged N390M and graduated to N560M monthly. This was a huge burden understanding that montly allocation as at then averaged N2.7 billion with a total monthly obligation of about N2.3billion.

There was need to review what gave rise to the high pension figures. We discovered serious fraud in the data base of pensioners. There were systemic compromise among staff of the agency. The fraud was so entrenched that we discovered names of individuals that were never civil servants, some were arrested and taken to Police headquarters in Umuahia.

We also discovered that most civil servants who were deceased and should have be removed from the data base were all left and the families of these individuals were complicit in that fraud .

We also discovered that figures were manipulated as some of these retirees were earning from different sub - treasuries in the state. Besides, a particular threshold were being paid manually at different sub - treasuries.

This brought about the need for automation and physical biometric capturing of these retirees. This did not go well with the pension cabal as efforts were made to frustrate this noble exercise.

Then , it was fashionable to be a sub - treasurer than being a Permanent secretary. These sub - treasurers whose responsibility is to pay pensioners at different 19 sub - treasuries were very influential and people went even to prayer houses to be made one. That process was closed with automation of pension payment.

We succeeded in gathering the initial database of the entire pensioners in the state and started the first online electronic payment of pension. Many of them were excited as alerts were coming in for even those in Omugwo while at US, UK and Canada.

One of the major problems of pension is the astronomical growth in the number of staff retiring as permanent Secretaries. In Abia state, it's now unfashionable, an aberration to retire at level 14 to 16. Every body wants to retire as a permanent secretary. This is the bane of our civil service growth as most of these officers compromise standards to be in the good book of the government of the day to ensure he or she is compensated with a Permanent Secretary position before retirement.

The impication is that the pension wage bill grew since their exact salary amount is transferred as pension on retirement. for instance, a Permanent Secretary that earns N420k as salary while in service is paid N420k as pension on retirement.

The present government must strengthen the conditions and qualification for appointment as permanent secretary to correct the basterdization which will help restore the glory of Permanent. Secretaries and civil service in general. Before now , people aspire to be Permanent secretaries because, the Government is from their zone or their brother.

Currently, Abia State montly state pension should average N740M which is high and has become a huge burden . I want to believe the figures will come down by the end of this current verification.

The decision of the current government to import or engage the pension verification agents and their decision to avoid local staff or civil servants involvement in the verification has contributed in few identification of fake and fraudulent names into the database.

I have said that this government should not make same mistake most of us made initially when we came in. Not all civil servants are fraudsters, there are problems that must be solved with local inputs and pension harmonisation is one of them.

The government will not achieve much in the area of clinical pension reform if they continue with this approach of verification. My advice is that they should bend down and identify some sincere civil servants that understand the local peculiarities.

The total outstanding pension wage bill for the state was about N21billion as at June 2023 and we understand that about N11 billion was used to defray these outstandings which is commendable .

How the outstandings will be sorted out will determine the way forward .However, we thank the Governor, Dr. Alex Oti for touching these outstanding pension arrears. This will enable most of them meet their immediate needs

*Oriaku was a former Abia state Commissioner for finance, 2015 to 2019

30/03/2024

WHY GOVERNOR OTTI DESERVES NO PRAISE FOR PAYING 9 MONTHS OF PENSIONS

1. He has been receiving his wages and allowances since he came to power.

2. Abia earns N8bn per month more than what was earned during Ikpeazu.

3. Governor Alex C. Otti has borrowed about N150bn from local banks since he came to power, on top of our increased earnings.

4. He had and has no excuse to owe pensioners. PENSIONS ARE STATUTORY RIGHTS OF RETIREES.

5. What he paid them yesterday were the arrears he owed them for 9 months.

6. We can't praise him because Ikpeazu went rogue in his 2nd tenure and started paying retirees 40% of their pensions from 2019, whenever it pleased him.

7. Ikpeazu paid retirees monthly in his first tenure and went rogue in his 2nd tenure.

8. Governor Otti lied that he paid retirees since 2014, this is NOT TRUE, because he simply paid what he owed during his tenure, from June 2023. HE EVEN CUT THEIR MEAGRE MONTHLY PENSIONS.

9. Governor Otti has tried so hard to shield OUK and TAO from being blamed for non payment of pensions amd gratuities, even when he was inside the CKC church during work hours on Thursday.

10. Orji Uzor Kalu and TA Orji handed Ikpeazu tens of thousands of retirees with unpaid gratuities running into tens of billions of Naira.

11. Governor Otti ran his office with N11.1bn in 6 months, but paid 56,000 retirees less than N11bn in 9 months.

12. My job as a citizen is not to praise a leader, but to hold a leader accountable.

13. He had no reason to owe any worker, considering the amount of money the state has earned under him.

14. What he did yesterday was a step in the right direction, BUT DESERVES NO PRAISE.

NOTE: I'm immune to abuses and name-calling, while I frown at ethnocentric behaviours.

-Eke Ako

29/03/2024

I just had time to go through this press release and saw where the Gov said the payment of pension is from 2014 till date .

I find it very difficult to believe that current government will go to this level on issues that are sensitive and verifiable .

The more I try to distance the Governor from the media sophistry which has characterised their engagement, the more am faced with the reality .The blame goes to those working with our Gov who feeds him with lies.

The Government can still derive the needed media mileage with this payment without resorting to blackmail.

Am reacting basically because I saved from 2015 to 2019 as the Commissioner for finance.

There is no way , we will have arrears of 2014 till date .I doubt the authenticity of this fact and should be ignored.

Am not speaking for last administration , however the truth must be told for posterity.

When we came in 2015, we met arrears of few months left by our predecessor, we continued from there and commenced paying pensioners with interventions like bail out , Paris club refund and monthly federal allocation..It is instructive to note that as Commissioner we never paid HALF pension even with the poor fed allocation of that era while I served .

Before 2019 election, State pensioners were owed about 10 months arrears and there is no way outstanding of 2014 would have been part of those unpaid as at June 2019.

That narrative of 2014 is very deceitful and negatively affects people like me that served from 2015 to 2019.

While I acknowledge that even the 10 months unpaid pensions were frustrating for the pensioners, Unfortunately, I was not there to follow up even when allocation increased from late 2019 to 2023 .

Let us stick to facts.Things were bad no doubt, but painting a different picture gives the wrong impression of the govt which is avoidable.

Expect my suggestion on pension issues in Abia soon .

Hon Obinna Oriaku
Former Commisioner for Finance, Abia state
Ekwedike

29/03/2024

MY PROBLEM WITH OTTI!!!!

*I have always argued that obtaining loans to fund infrastructure is good but when the supposed good is lost on exaggerated cost, which is multiple times more than the actual cost; the infrastructure loan becomes a burden on ordinary citizens, while the contractors and those who contracted them smile to the bank.

*When Otti awarded a kilometer of ordinary plain land, devoid of undulating landscape with over 40% completion at N6 billion/ kilometer to JB, discerning minds cried foul, government blamed inflationary trend. They made excuses for this mindless heist, even included N2 million jara in a struggle to cover their tracks.

*Those who are afraid to be isolated didn't find the courage to speak-up in condemnation of the monumental waste, others didn't want online bullies to come after them. I dare ask, is this particular inflation causing contractors to get paid 10X more in Abia than when they work elsewhere, only effective in Abia?

*For instance; the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which is a super Trunk A road, designed to be 5 lane in some places with rail line, reinforced Rigid Pavement Technology (Cement Technology) , fortified with intricate iron mesh nest, to last for 40 years, is costing FG N1 trillion.

*A further breakdown of the contract sum, gives a kilometer of the contract at exactly N1.5 billion.

*Whereas in Abia, they say because of inflation, ordinary rehabilitation of road is put at N6 billion a kilometer. Now, you will appreciate why they keep using semantics to confuse the gullible, who do not know at what cost these borrowed funds are given away to contractors. To make-up for the overinvoced cost, they will resort to calling walkpath expansion, a full 6 lane construction.

*When you interrogate the senseless high cost of contracts only in New Abia, they will send their minions after you with their overused clichés...."leave am for us like that..."what did Ikpeazu do...."you are shameless PDP of 24 years"......

*Well, we are not keeping quiet for this r*pe to continue unchallenged.

*Keeping it honest....

28/03/2024

IS ABIA GOVERNED AS A DEMOCRACY?

Kindly look at the details below and decide if Abia is governed as a democracy or an autocracy.

ABIA LTD
- No Executive Council Meetings or announcement of meeting outcomes
- No Executive Council approval of contractor
- Just like during Military Rule, Col Temi Ejoor (Alex C. Otti) selects a contractor from his bedroom, appears on site and announces a contractor.
- No invitation to tender
- No official contractor selection process
- Contract Costs are not announced
- Governor Otti awards contracts at any amount of his choice, and chooses any friend of his choice as contractor.
- Scope of Work is not announced.
- Alex C. Otti runs Abia from his home at the cost of N60m per day
- Abia is run as a family business.
- The Governor is not accountable to anyone
- No questions from House of Assembly since he selected their leadership.
- Governor Otti runs the LGAs.
- Family Members attend official government meetings
- Equalled the state's 32-year debt profile in 10 months
- Guaranteed N50bn loan for his friend's company from the same friend's bank & hands the N50bn to the same friend, with no scope of work or work completion condition attached to the borrowing.
- Invests heavily in promoting non-existent achievements on social media
- Commissioners are mere artefacts
- A HIGHLY CORRUPT AUTOCRACY

RIVERS STATE
- Governor is accountable to the people.
- Executive Council sits and approves award of contracts
- Costs of contracts are announced
- Scope of Work is announced
- Governor runs Rivers from the Government House
- Contracts are advertised for tender.

WHO WILL RESCUE ABIA?

27/03/2024

As we clap for Governor Otti (Part 6)

Don Norman Obinna (Agu Ibeku)

Provoking animosity towards the past PDP government with ceaseless blame and reminder of its shortfalls and infamies has been the trite exploitative gambit Governor Otti and his associates perfectly espoused to hoodwink the naive masses and distract attention away from his government’s unprecedented profligacy and spine-chilling shenanigans.

Like the magic bullet, the strategy has made the people benighted and less au fait with the over N300 billion fiscal accruement from revenues and loans under Governor Otti.

The passivity over the government’s propaganda and lies, inflamed sycophancy that overrides reasoning and hysteria over mere re-asphalting, resurfacing, expanding and patching of existing access and internal roads, encapsulate the efficacy of the intensified goad.

Road rehabilitation and expansion are tangential reforms to the El Dorado Governor Otti promised during the campaign. They are not worth the media noise because they are palliatives his predecessors also provided in the past, but still, Abians dubbed them failures.

Palliatives provide transitory solutions. Just as the rain washed away the recently re-asphalted Umuafai Road, the roads he is resurfacing and re-asphalting today also caved in during the rainy seasons.

As we clap, overhype and sing Governor Otti’s praise, let us remember that we voted for him because he promised accountability, transparency, rule of law, job creation, prompt salary payment, welfare and payment of gratuities and pension arrears, et cetera in his campaign manifesto. Unfortunately, he has fulfilled none.

We should be worried that Otti, who promised to create jobs during the campaign, has sacked 15,000 workers and failed to provide a single job in 10 months of his administration.

The accountability and transparency he promised have become a mirage. His opacity indicates massive corruption and embezzlement of public funds.

It is a breach of trust for the governor, who promised to follow due process, to take loans without the approval of the state lawmakers.

It calls for concern that on Otti's influence, the Speaker has refused to swear in Aaron Uzodike six months after the Appeal Court returned him as the duly elected member. It is criminal to emasculate and render the lawmakers hors de combat.

The pensioners campaigned and voted for Otti because he promised to offset their arrears on December 31, 2023. Today, 70 per cent are yet to receive a dime, while the fortunate ones get a 40 per cent monthly pension allowance.

A governor who failed to keep promises as infinitesimal as job creation, pension payment, workers’ welfare, rule of law, accountability and transparency cannot take Abia to a new height.

Otti’s campaign manifesto is a covenant between him and the electorate. It is criminal and irresponsible for him to renege after the people kept their side of the bargain by voting for him.

Governance will peter out next year, and party congresses, conventions, primaries and campaigns will take pre-eminence. If we do not desist from praise singing, road palliatives will be our only reward for over N300 billion Otti received on behalf of Abians.

To be continued, next week.

Don Norman Obinna is the Abia State chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

26/03/2024

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has decided to crash the depot price of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, from N640 per litre to N570 per litre through direct allocation to independent marketers.

Source: Legit.ng

26/03/2024

When will Rev Fr Christian Anokwuru Stop Embarrassing the Catholic Church?

By Michael Nwabueze

There are hundreds of priests in the Catholic Diocese of Umuahia who are focused on preaching salvation, dispensing the Sacraments, building up the Body of Christ in unity, peace, harmony and brotherhood ("I pray that they may all be one...May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me" [John 17:21]) just as our Lord Jesus Christ commanded.

However, there is one priest that has zealously availed himself to be used as an instrument of division and disharmony, causing strife among brethren using the instrument of politics to perpetuate this sinister act. Rev Fr Christian Uche Anokwuru is a priest in the Catholic Diocese of Umuahia but has fully aligned himself with politics which he plays without dignity and consideration for his divine calling.

While there might be nothing wrong with a priest being in politics in so far as such a priest has the blessings of his Local Ordinary, it behoves on the priest to ensure that he does not abuse such a rare privilege causing disunity in the Body of Christ or drag the honour of the sacred priesthood in the mud.

While a priest may not be allowed "to have an active part in political parties and in governing labor unions unless, in the judgment of competent ecclesiastical authority, the PROTECTION of the RIGHTS of the CHURCH or the PROMOTION of the COMMON GOOD requires it," (Section 286 §2 of the Code of Canon Law) such a participation must be done with dignity and not with the intendment to cause a rift or mock those who do not share in his political leaning.

Fr Anokwuru has taken his political participation to a new low. Obviously without any particular brief from his political circle, he goes about usurping functions that belong to other officials of a political party. For example, he was seen giving out a party card to one of the defectors to the party he works for. That is the least function belonging to the office of party ward chairman which, by all standards, Fr Anokwuru is above except that he has turned himself to a busybody and 'boi boi' in his desperate attempt to please his masters. That is demeaning of not just the priesthood but also the Catholic Church as a whole!

It is because of the genuine fear of abuse of such a privilege granted by concerned priests by the Church hierarchy that the Church authorities stated categorically in section 285 § 3 of the Code of Canon Law that "Clerics are forbidden to assume public offices which entail a participation in the exercise of civil power." Unfortunately, Anokwuru is not even anywhere near protecting the rights of the Church nor promoting the common good but only making a mockery of himself and his vocation. Such audacious mockery is even made worse when Anokwuru does not care that the Church is made up of people of diverse political parties and that such unrestrained exhibition of political misadventure creates avoidable chasm among Catholics.

It would do every Catholic a whole lot of good if the authorities concerned called Fr Anokwuru to order; stop him from further degrading the Catholic priesthood, further embarrassing the members and face his onerous calling of saving souls, after all, he is not the only priest with political interests in Umuahia! There are many others but just that these other ones understand the unpleasant implications of overtly associating and working for a political party. Anokwuru will fo well to learn from them!

Michael Nwabueze wrote from Umuahia

25/03/2024

Otti, Obi leadership tussle deepens LP crisis

A leadership tussle between Abia State Governor Alex Otti and former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi is fueling the protracted crisis in the party, it was learnt yesterday.

Otti is the only governor elected on the ticket of the LP.

Although there is no personal feud between the two chieftains, their followers are locked in conflict over who should be the national leader of the party in the post-election period.

According to party tradition and convention, the highest ranking elected public officer is usually accorded the honour of party leadership in the major political parties.

Thus, the preponderance of opinion in the LP is that Governor Otti, who is the only LP governor, should automatically become party leader.

However, supporters of Obi, particularly ‘Obidients,’ many of who only identify with the party because of Obi’s interest, believe that the former Anambra State governor is the party leader as a former presidential candidate.

A party source said these fanatical supporters of Obi have invaded the social media to compound the current crisis over the proposed convention.

According to the source, the initial choice of Umuahia, capital of Abia State, by the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC), was rejected by vociferous Obi loyalists who decried the move in the social media.

The choice of Umuahia was misinterpreted as legitimising the claim of Otti’s supporters that he is the party leader.

The Abia governor, who has managed to stay clear of the festering crisis that had engulfed the party, had an opportunity to escape the Obedients’ virtuperation when the owner of the hall chosen for the convention in Abia said the proposed venue was no longer free.

Although Otti is in a vantage position to secure another venue for the party, he never objected to the shift of venue from Umuahia to Nnewi in Anambra State, where Obi was governor for two terms on the ticket os the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), before defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and later, LP.

Following the decision to shift the venue to Nnewi, Obi’s loyalists, who perceive Otti’s current position as governor as a threat to Obi’s leadership of the party, have sheathed their swords.

The source said: “We picked Umuahia. Officially, we booked a hall. The hall was already paid for, one week. Later, the place was no longer free because another person had booked before us.

“Governor Otti is expected to be the leader of the party, being the highest ranking elected figure in the party. But, Obidients believe that Obi is there and he played his role during the last elections.

“The bulk of supporters – Obidients – believe that going to Umuahia means dishonouring Obi. The governor of Abia thinks that this is not a good narrative. The governor would have provided an alternative venue. Afterall, he is the governor of the state. But, he doesn’t want crisis.”

He added: “We agreed to go to Nnewi. We don’t want to cancel March 27. The NEC meeting in Asaba last year gave us one year to hold convention. Supporters of Obi felt slighted when Umuahia was proposed. We needed to shift to Nnewi to assure Obi that we are not against his political interest.”

LABOUR Party founders and Trade Union Veterans have joined the call for the resignation of Julius Abure as the party’s national chairman.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday and signed for and on behalf of Trade Union Veterans (TUVs), Lawson E. Osagie, the founding fathers of the party regretted that the noble ideals that made them to form the LP to free Nigerians from decades of bad governance had been desecrated by Abure.

The TUVs, who issued the statement, included the pioneer President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hassan Sunmonu, the 2nd President of the NLC, Comrade Ali Chiroma, the pioneer General Secretary of the Congress, Comrade Aliyu Dangiwa, the 2nd National Treasurer of the NLC, Comrade S. O. Oshidipe.

Others are: S. O. Z Ejiofoh, the Board of Trustees Chairman and pioneer Chairman of the Labour Party, Comrade Lawson Osagie Esq, Comrade Salisu Mohammed, all of who were the main actors in the formation and registration of the Labour Party.

The statement reads: “We cannot sit down and continue to watch as the ideals, principles, and ethical values of Labour Party we toiled so much to build over the decades are being rubbished by one man.

“Consequently, we urge Abure to step aside now as the National Chairman of Labour Party and in his place, the Board of Trustees should appoint a Caretaker National Chairman that will organise congresses in the states before the national convention can be convened.”

The Labour leaders stressed the need for the Board of Trustees (BoT), under the Chairmanship of Comrade Ejiofoh to be enlarged to accommodate representatives of the new stakeholders, including the former Presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi, Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti and the party’s Legislative Caucus.

It added: “This body will be charged with the implementation in spirit and letter of the MOU referred to earlier.”

The Labour leaders said the Supreme Court, under Justice Uwais, ruled long ago that workers have the right to form a political party to defend and promote their interest.

“How then can any well-read and informed lawyer say that NLC has no business in politics or is a meddlesome interloper in the affairs of the LP formed by the trade unions.

“For the benefit of those who want to know, the 2009 Constitution of the LP in which NLC and TUC Presidents and Secretaries are made statutory members of NEC of LP were the input and contribution by the Edo State Council of the LP and Julius Abure was secretary of the subcommittee on the Review of the Constitution while Comrade Lawson Osagie was the Chairman and a Benin-based legal practitioner, Adams Aliyu was also a member.”

They noted that Abure’s current rhetoric about the role and place of NLC in the LP was not only disappointing but embarrassing to the culture of comradeship and solidarity of the trajectory and historical perspective of the Labour movement in general and Labour Party in particular.

The veterans emphasised that those attacking the Presidents of the NLC, including the current one, Comrade Joe Ajaero for defending the ethical values of the founding fathers of Labour Party now being desecrated by Abure, are not informed or knowledgeable in the hierarchical structure or organs of the NLC and how decisions are made.

https://thenationonlineng.net/otti-obi-leadership-tussle-deepens-lp-crisis/

Address

Umuahia

Website

facebook.com

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ndi Abia posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Ndi Abia:

Videos

From our Archive Dr M I Okpara arriving Umuahia for Civic Reception

Work in Progress Dozie Way Umuahia “under reconstruction” by Governor Alex Otti.

This is what governance has been reduced to because one man wants to take undue credit

Are you into construction or real estate? Here's an information that will interest you

Iyerioba accuses Otti, Transport Commisioner and LGA Chairman of Sponsoring Touts in Abia

Humiliation of Eze Aro: E Go Reach Everybody The humiliation, incarceration and persecution of Eze Aro spearheaded by an “Umuaro”, Governor Alex Otti, is targeted at all traditional rulers and Abia elites. He is simply showing them what will happen if they refuse to toe his line. Those who booed him on 30th of December 2023 in Arochukwu for attempting to destroy the tradition of the people may have lost this fact, hence, his decision to show them the "shege” of a dictator that he is by orchestrating the arrest and detention of their crowned ruler, HM Eze Godwin Idei. It is a typical case of the biblical, "Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered." Surely, even the people are not safe! Nobody is! I pity those elites of Abia State, including members of Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers currently led by an Aro man, that couldn’t summon the courage to call the emperor of Abia State to order. E go reach everybody unless…as in all things involving humans, God brings the final say to bear on the entire issue. Welcome back home Eze Aro, HM Godwin Kanu Idei Kanu Okoro Oke. Your 3-day incarceration should make you a better ruler of the Ancient Kingdom that represents one of the two hegemonies in Igbo land. Show no bitterness but accept everything as simply preparation by our ancestors. As you know, those carried by the tiger will soon end up in his stomach unless God intervenes soon. -Nwandugbom JOK 08/01/2024

ALEX OTTI WHERE IS THE RICE TINUBU GAVE TO ABIANS???? ==== THANK YOU PRESIDENT TINUBU!!! *They didn't want us to hear it but Senator Hope Uzodimma has blown open the lid. *Mr. Alex Otti where are Abia's own trailers load of rice, or didn't Abia receive? *Just like the N2 billion palliative fund from FG, you kept mute till date. *It is unfortunate that nobody in the state heard that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu "BAT", has been magnanimous to the people of Abia, even this last Christmas. *Those bags of Rice could have been put to good use by directing them through the churches to reach the poor; to the communities through their PG, to the students through their Union leaders, to the market women and transport union through their leadership. *The N2 billion palliative fund from FG hasn't been utilised to help the poor, till date. The 3000 bags of rice were shared among political party members without mentioning the name of our amiable President who brought them. *If for ordinary street lights, they rolled out drums to commission, why didn't they roll out drums to tell Abians that the President brought rice to make their Christmas celebration worth its while. *Have "we" not still accepted him as our President? Do we have "our" own President in our minds? *We have entered one chance... @ORACLE.

PRESIDENT TINUBU GAVE ALL NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS BAGS OF RICE IN THOUSANDS FOR THEIR CONSTITUENCY, DID YOU GET ANY FROM YOUR LAWMAKER ? Listen to what this lawmaker said👇

VIDEO: We extort money on the road because we were not paid, recently dismissed Police officers reveal

TEARS OF JOY IN EBONYI, ABIA WEEPS!!! *Ebonyi workers couldn't hold their joy as they started receiving N100k Christmas bonus alerts, in addition to their monthly wage Award. *Public sector governance is about the people's welfare. *Ebonyi Governor didn't take N933M on security vote, he didn't take N5.32BN to service his office, he didn't take N20m to recharge his phone, he didn't fuel his convoy with N167 million, he didn't fly N220M; Gov. Nwifuru, concentrated on workers not himself. *Good governance in action, yet he didn't go on National TV and Newspapers to Broadcast it *Ndi Abia workers ntoooooo. 😆 🤣 😂 😹 as they wear long gloomy faces, ALL PROMISES OF PROPAGANDA, UNFULFILLED. @ORACLE.

Why Governor Otti's government is evil. The extortion started right from the electioneering period. Watch this video carefully and listen attentively to Governor Otti's pledge to the expectant and delighted crowd during the campaign. He said, "They alleged that I would sack half the civil servants and reduce their salaries if elected. " They are foolish. If they had sense, they would have understood that I said I would create jobs. So if I am creating jobs, will I be sacking people?" You heard the screech of 'NO' and 'na lie' from the excited crowd in the background. Severing campaign promises is a scam and a breach of trust because the people elected him on the vitality of those treaties. It took Governor Otti less than one month in office to sack 15,000 of the people who gladly gave him their mandates and failed to create a single job. A manifesto is a covenant or a social contract. An objectionable infraction of gentlemen's agreement is fraud. Eric Hoffer says, "No matter how noble the objectives of a government, if it blurs decency and kindness, cheapens human life, and breeds ill will and suspicion; it is an evil government." Governor Otti is running an evil government in Abia State. Say no to bad leadership.

Your Excellency, Sir, we are very proud of you. The obvious is that Biochemists are not noisemakers, and you epitomize that attribute. You are a silent achiever. We went through your records and achievements as governor of Abia State, we arrived at one thing, that you are a transformative scholar in leadership. “I was privileged to assess your work. Even as a governor, you have beautiful publications and journals and over 45 published articles in Environmental Biochemistry. I was present at the public presentation of your book - THE BIOCHEMISTRY OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION, co-authored, as a teacher in environmental biochemistry. “We are indeed proud of you, and remain grateful to you for representing us while you served as governor of Abia State”, Professor Matthew Wegwu, Nigerian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NSBMB)

Running government from private bedroom has nothing to do with saving cost Our Governor, Alex Otti, said he is saving cost and hence won’t invest N1b to renovate any or all the 3 govt owned accommodation facilities: New Govt House Umuahia, Old Govt House Umuahia and Aba Lodge. As at today Abia State Government officials reportedly booked the entire rooms at Radisson Blu hotel in Ikeja Lagos and they are paying N250,000 per room with food served as you want at our expense. Hopefully that is not another act of saving cost in the leadership book of our dear LP Governor who should have been emulating Mr Peter Obi in fiscal responsibility. As published by Abia State Government led by Alex Otti our state paid N2.8b as security vote to Governor Otti and a total of N927m was spent on eating food and getting entertained in 3 months. Obviously the total may or may not include the high hotel bills and glorious food eaten by the befitting govt officials but we are still talking about saving cost. The same Otti Government that cannot spend N1b because they want to save cost reportedly spent N700m to renovate Commissioners quarter in Umuahia but does not have money to accommodate the Governor in any of the 3 state-owned facilities: Old Government House Umuahia, New Government House Ogurube Layout Umuahia and Aba Governor’s Lodge in GRA Aba. Ya diwa!!! For those deceived into believing otherwise, this is a video of the new govt house, ogurube layout Umuahia, as handed over by HE Dr Okezie Ikpeazu to Governor Alex Otti on May 29th 2023. Feel feee to make up your mind on why our dear LP Governor prefers holding official meetings in his private bedroom when we have 3 functional government facilities he could use or even fix to his high taste within the past 6 months that he has been spending as he goes. Also note that our Governor publicly stated that he got discount of N2b from Julius Berger, out of N32b he unilaterally awarded 6km road for without competitive biddin

"See self-inflicted disgrace of the highest order! Nobody dey even answer am. People just dey drive go their businesses. Otti don disappoint Ndi Abia that no LP member gers sympathy from members of the public again 😀" Destiny, akpaa gi ipuo n'uzo ka akpaa onye ozo

BREAKING NEWS: The Court of Appeal upholds the mandate of Hon. Erondu Uchenna Erondu, the member representing Obingwa West at the Abia State House of Assembly on the platform of the PDP, dismissed the Labour Party’s Victoria Onwibiko appeal.

Watch and see how Alex Otti's aides are arguing over a contract sum of 30b and 32b while on live television.

You’re eating too much, Abati tells Otti I’ve always warned them on this street not to run government from social media but they won’t listen because they failed to understand the nuances of real governance that demands more work and less talk. Instead of listening to me they are paying N10m each to sundry skit makers to advertise nonsense like patching of roads when they are yet to take up any project from start to finish 100%. Now that social media is punishing them they are looking for who to blame. If I hear my name in anybody’s mouth thunder will load from Isimokoto… They should heed Dr Reuben Abati's advice on the N927m spent on food: “You didn't debunk anything. Gluttony is not allowed. You're eating too much. Cut down the budget for refreshments and meals. Focus on service and work rather than pocket. Eat less. Be less gluttonous in Abia.” Governance is not a sprint and should not revolve around propaganda and mass deceit. Decide on what you wish to do to improve the lot of the people in any area, follow due process and go about your assignment with focus. The money spent on skit makers alone would have delivered a brand new 5km road not to talk of hundreds of millions going to other media platforms at a time you are expected to focus more on doing before showing off. Those skit makers are even insulting Ndi Abia more with publications like “jubilation in Abia over first water fountain” whereas it is not true. Meanwhile our people are coming home for Christmas and you can now show ndi diaspora all those things skit makers said you did. Take them round and show them your original projects not the ones done by previous administrations that you patched or repainted. Many of them already know the things done by other administrations so if you like continue claiming other people's projects while they laugh at you until they return to base to inform people that you are a story teller. "Gluttony is not allowed in Abia. Otti and his team sho

Gluttony is not allowed in Abia. Otti and his team should eat less. Use the money you're using to eat pepper soup and nkwòbi to uplift the educational system of the state. - Dr. Reuben Abati on Arise TV

OTTI PROMISED NOT TO COLLECT SECURITY VOTE DURING CAMPAIGNS, UNFORTUNATELY TODAY, HE IS COLLECTING 900MILLION MONTHLY AS SECURITY VOTE- LIBOROUS OSHOMA