The Abia State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC), has lamented that the state is currently crawling behind in the area of economic and infrastructural development.
The party knocked the ruling Peoples Democratic Party-led administration in the state, opining that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has failed woefully in all facets of governance, ranging from infrastructural decays, bad state of educational system, non-payment of salaries to Abia workforce, among others.
The Abia APC stated its position in a message to mark June 12 Democracy Day, which was contained in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Benedict Godson and made available to DAILY POST, in Umuahia, the state capital, on Friday.
The Party opined that Abia populace are yearning for good infrastructure such as accessible roads, good drinkable water, good public health system with well equipped hospitals to at least handle common diseases, good education with quality schools and good road network between rural and urban areas that will help farmers.
Parts of the release stated partly, “As Abians, we must ask ourselves where our dividends of democracy are? Democracy as Government of the people, by the people and for the people was never meant to deceive the people. It was not founded to gather few individuals who have Masters Degrees and PhDs in ‘Public Confusion and Lying Techniques’ to be confusing and lying to our people.
“All over Abia, people are complaining. Our neighbouring states have all over taking us within few years. What are Abians asking for? Just the dividends of democracy. They’re not even asking for too much. Their needs and demands aren’t outrageous. They’re just asking for the basic needs of every human being in modern world.
“Again, We must ask ourselves if those reasons are been realised in our own state Abia or are we still on a rigmarole mission around the gate of development while others have entered leaving us behind? Abia agrarian communities have lost connection with the urban areas. There’s hopelessness everywhere. Old men, women and even hard-working youths suffer on daily basis just to come out and sell their farm produce.
“Our educational system is extremely embarrassing. Teachers are not paid and many public schools have turned into markets, hemp smoking centres with some looking more like IDP Camps in war zones. We don’t need a prophet to tell us that Abia is in trouble, because we all are having the nightmares of the lack of strategic vision and direction that defines the current PDP led administration in our state.
“Almost all the roads leading to major industries in Aba are in bad shape and we keep hearing and reading empty promises from people who think they are hurting us not knowing that history will judge them. They’ll leverage on COVID-19 pandemic to make unpalatable excuses, but we must urge them to look at the neighbouring states and see that Governments there aren’t on break.
“A visit to Ukwa axis of Abia, where all the oil producing communities should be a must journey for everyone who doubt that Abia is retrogressive in development. There they’ll see what it means to be wallowing in poverty while sitting on wealth. In all, we must not use the bad democracy in Abia as led by the PDP to define democracy generally. We will rather urge all Abians to remain hopeful because weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor of Abia State, Ude Oko Chukwu, has hailed the political stability that Abia State has enjoyed over the years and commended the people of the State for their political maturity and sagacity over the years which has created the enabling environment for the growth of key democratic institutions in the State.
Oko Chukwu, who spoke in his Democracy Day message, which was contained in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Obasi Okibe Onwuka on Friday.
He lauded the legislative and judicial arms of government on this milestone and urged them to continue in the path which has seen uncommon harmony between the different arms of Government in Abia State over the years.
